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Crunchyfrog
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 Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject: The Hangover - Working Thread |
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Note: This thread is where the co-authors of the Hangover submitted their original work. From here their work was edited together in a Final Version thread. The finished version is Here
Welcome to the Hangover. 
If this one ever gets past the Review Board, it's expected destination would most likely be the experimental section of Jester Park. 'Cos it's not exactly your normal style story game - and it's not a rpg either, but it's still interactive. The quality of writing and the story is as good as you, me or anyone makes it, so we all have to make it work if it's going to get shifted out of here 
How to contribute:
1. Read the previous posts carefully. When posting, limit your contribution to 250 words at the most. This helps other contributors keep a handle on continuity.
2. NO uber characters please.
3. If you spot a continuity blooper, dont worry about it. Weave it in with your next post. Makes for a more interesting story.
4. If two people submit a post simultaneosly, the one that got in first wins - the other will have to rewrite. If the posting is so fast and furious, that those with slow internet connections cant get a post in edgeways, we will operate a post reservation policy but I wont explain how that works unless it is needed.
5. Post as frequently as you like - just dont post two submissions in succession.
Okay... here we go....
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:42 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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The Hangover
Chapter 1 - The Labyrinth and the Well
It had been a marvelous New Years party. The skies above the City of If had been ablaze fireworks popping above the decorated streets, the great spires of the municipal buildings shimmering in the light. Throughout the evening long and tall tales had been told from the vaults, grand speeches had been given by the King, Mayor, and many of the normally quieter souls inhabiting the city had come out into the streets, to party the night away.
But that seemed a distant fuzzy memory now, as Crunchyfrog dangled dangerously from a tree root that protruded near the top of a cliff face, some distance from the city. Hanging by both hands, he stared out to the horizon, where he could see the spires in the mist, as the sun began to rise. Something didn't look right. He thought he could see smoke hanging over the whole city. Everything looked dull, not gleaming like it did when he came upon it for the first time a month ago. Something had happened after he blacked out at the party.
He had no idea how he'd got here now. Looking down, there was a narrow ledge about 10 feet below him, then a sheer drop of several hundred feet below that. On the ledge lay a figure, who was beginning to stir. He recognised the groans as coming from one of his new IFian friends...
OK, the next person, just jump right on in, and continue the story!
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Masterweaver had not attended the festivities, as he was busy with his storygames. However, he had noted the crowd rushing toward the gorge on the northern side of Fantasy Forest and the southern side of Jester Park. he had decided to investagate the next day.
"Crunchyfrog? Is there any particular reason you're hanging down there?"
"I'm not really sure..."
Masterweaver sighed. "Hold on, I've caught a pegasus, I might be able to get you out."
"Why do you have that?"
"It's for my new show, Mythbiology. Careful now, she's not very tame-"
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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Last edited by Masterweaver on Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Masterweaver's last statement was very accurate. As he took hold of the makeshift bridle, the Peg turned around, lifted its tail and dropped a load over the cliff, narrowly missing the two precariously placed IFians. Masterweaver attempted to cajole the animal into allowing him to mount it, but it reared up and shook its head menacingly.
"Wait...there's someone else down here too, who's not quite conscious, either..." shouted Crunchyfrog. “I recognise the voice somehow as being from someone who lives in the City, but am not sure who it is, yet. If I let go of this tree root, I'll land on him/her, and possibly make any injuries worse. And I can't get both of us on to the Peg's back as it flies by, not from this position. The ledge is far too narrow, and I'm not confident about lifting a person who may even be heavier than me.”
Masterweaver stopped.
"Hmmm." he said. "I see what you mean."
Masterweaver stared down at Crunchyfrog hanging from the tree root, and the other IFian, lying on the ledge 10 feet further down.
"Maybe a bit of rope might be more sensible... I could get the Peg to help pull you up instead..... Hey, Crunch, why have you got a huge piece of rolled up parchment stuffed down the back of your pants?"
"I don’t know, I didn't put it there!" yelled Crunchyfrog. "Now, about that rope..."
Masterweaver stood up and looked around for something that might do the job....
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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"Fine time to have a big bird object to being ridden," muttered Masterweaver to himself.
Out loud, he called, "That parchment looks really long! Can we use it as a rope?"
"We could if I could reach it!" came Crunchyfrog's voice from below.
"Oh. Hold on!"
The black leather robe let himself fall onto the ledge below Crunchyfrog.
"Right," said Masterweaver. "You drop, I'll catch you, and we'll use that parchment as a rope, agreed?"
"What about the Peg?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"It's flown off." grumbled Masterweaver. "Now I'll have to catch it all over again. Ah well. Ready? One, two three-"
THUMP!!!
"Sorry, was I supposed to wait until 'go'?"
"Oh, no prob," said Masterweaver, dusting himself off. "This parchment is certianly long enough to use as a rope. You got a grappling hook?"
"No..." Crunchyfrog shrugged.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus groaned, fluctuating between consciousness and a deep ensnaring darkness. He could detect shouts somewhere above him, but they seemed distant and dimming. He was holding on to a protruding rock on the edge of a ledge, using all his strength to persevere. He could feel a biting cold around his dangling legs and feet. All his muscles were tensed and tired, but he mustered a cry of help towards the heavens.
He couldn't remember why he was here, or who had placed him in this precarious position. The last thing D had contemplated was his office, and grabbing his coat to join the celebration outside. He remembered the oaken door with a fuzzy rectangle of glass incrusted in it's middle, and the words reading:
D-Lotus
Private Investigator
What case had he been working on? D couldn't remember. Leaving the office, putting his coat on, and then a white flash- that's all.
_________________
 Chapter 5: The Rendezvous 
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:30 am Post subject: |
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Rai was winging through the skies above the city when, looking down, she spied Crunchyfrog and Masterweaver attempting to rescue a dangling D-Lotus. With a neat flip of her wings, Rai descended down, landing above and behind them. She pulled the large lampshade off of her head and, reaching down with her tail, neatly lifted D-Lotus to solid ground.
"Don't party if you can't hold your own. I've got to be going gentlemen, and robe. Enjoy the day." With that Rai launched herself upward again.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:48 am Post subject: |
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Wow, that was lucky. They were evidently blessed with some luck; whether it was good or bad, Crunchyfrog was not quite sure. He considered the last few moments.... The escaping Peg hitting Masterweaver, who landed on the ledge without touching the unconcious IFian. Then Masterweaver turning the person over, causing his legs to dangle over the edge. Then the unknown IFian being shoved back on the ledge by the tail of a passing dragon named Rai....
The shafts of morning light slowly began to move onto the ledge and finally Masterweaver was able to get a good look at him.
"Hey, it's D-Lotus!" he exclaimed.
"D-Lotus!"
Crunchyfrog nearly toppled off the ledge in surprise, but Masterweaver pulled him back.
"D-Lotus, are you okay?" asked Crunchyfrog.
D-Lotus groaned, opened his eyes momentarily and closed them again. Was that Crunchyfrog in front of him? AND Masterweaver? What was Masterweaver doing to one of the parchment scrolls from the City's Hall of Legends?
He tried to point and tell Masterweaver to stop mangling the precious scroll but was still recovering his senses.
Crunchyfrog stood up and put his hand on Masterweavers shoulder.
"Wait, I think he's trying to say something." he said.
Masterweaver leaned on the cliff wall, as the shafts of sunlight continued to move across it. Then he simply fell through it, as a section of the rock slid downwards, revealing a tunnel within.
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BStheGreat
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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BStheGreat stood in the distance, his figure hidden from view behind a large willow tree and his solid black eyes grasping the scene before him. He was kneeling down with his right hand resting against the staff of his bow, and his left hand tossing feeling the soft soil beneath the root of the tree. As silently as a cat about to strike, he stood up and grabbed an arrow from the quiver over shoulder. It was a simple wood arrow made with an iron head, although a violet colored ribbon lay tied to it.
"Your life is safe today D-Lotus," BS said to himself. "But you are a marked man, and I shall not forget what you did to me. Your life may be over sooner than you think."
With that BStheGreat loosed an arrow, and listened to it whistle as it soared through the air. With near perfect accuracy, the arrow landed just in front of the crowd of three, and before the assailant could be identified, BS descended into the night.
_____
D-Lotus' attention shifted from the parchment scroll in Masterweaver's hand to the arrow now dug in the ground. What in the world is going on, he thought to himself. Is this connected to my last case?
_________________
Ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt?
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Finally the world was becoming clearer and sharper. In front of him, D-Lotus could see Crunchyfrog and Masterweaver. Something red and scaly had answered his call to heaven and somehow dropped him to safety. D tremblingly got up and rested against a tree while the two Ifians started raising their voices.
"What is it?" Asked D, extenuated.
A muffled cry reached out from a black hole in the cliff wall.
"I found a tunnel!"
A tunnel? Didn't D's investigation have something to do with tunnels..? And what about the City Hall parchment scroll?
There was something like a sizzle in the air or an angry whistle and an arrow burrowed itself at D's feet. D looked around, but there was only a dead silence everywhere. Suddenly a change overcame D-Lotus and he sprung to balance. A plot...tunnels...arrows... it was something he had been investigating, except he couldn't remember what. He warily made his way closer to the other two for protection, although it seemed the assailer had left. Well, better find out where that tunnel led to- maybe it witheld the answer to this mystery.
"Let's get a torch." said D.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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Back at the Council Hall Rai was surprised to find it a flurry of action. Grabbing one of the small, furry orange things that Chinaren had hired to do the fetch and carry work, she demanded to know what was going on.
"It seems that sometime last night, an unknown person, or persons, stole the Master Map of the City. The Mayor and King are both rather upset about it, since that Map is the only one with the location of...er...things." Rai had to take her time with the creature to get it to divulge exactly what the map showed. Her eyes went wide.
"Sweet DM in the sky! They have the location to the Soul Well?" The creature glumly nodded. After the Mass exorcisim that expunged the soulless IFians the excess soul power had to go somewhere, thus the Soul Well had been created. Now, some mad Ifian had that info. "I've got to do something."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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The tunnel was dark, earthy and scary; in addition it was filled with spiderwebs and scurrying sounds. Crunchyfrog was holding the quickly manufactured torch in her hand. It consisted of a piece of garment rolled around the end of a branch lit on fire. Consequently, there was a large rip in Masterweaver's undershirt.
"Where are we going?" asked Masterweaver.
"I'm not sure. Here, let me see that parchment." said D-Lotus.
Masterweaver reluctantly handed the brittle paper to D, who held it under the torch light. There seemed to be some kind of magical quality to it, as it wasn't defined by any size- it kept changing. The picture that D opened up began changing as well. It slowly transformed into the map of a miriad of tunnels. A red arrow began creeping through the map, indicating a path towards the convergence of all the tunnels.
"This way." pointed D, as Crunchyfrog and Masterweaver followed him speculatively.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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I think we should go that way," said D.
"I don't think that tunnel's on the map," replied Crunchy.
Masterweaver glanced at the map, then at the tunnel.
"GET DOWN!" he cried suddenly.
"What? It's not like there's going to be a cave-in??" said D.
As if on queue, the tunnel exploded, which was seemed impossible as it was an empty space. Everyone fell to the ground.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:02 am Post subject: |
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Rai had been flying over the city, almost frantic to spot something that would lead her to the map, even though it was a billion to one that she would. She was gliding over Games when an explosion boiled upward from below. Twitching a scaley eyebrow she plunged downward, switching on a momentary intangibility spell. She found herself in a rubble filled tunnel confronting a very odd bunch.
Masterwaver, Crunchyfrog, and D-Lotus stared back at her, covered in dust and rubble. Rai shook her head, she'd just left them! "I'm gone for a moment and you three managed to ruin a major section of the city." Only then noticing the parchment held in D-Lotus's hand she reached out and snatched it up.
"What! You stole the map!?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:36 am Post subject: |
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"I didn't steal it. He did!" said D- Lotus, pointing at Masterweaver, since the first time he'd seen it was when Masterweaver was trying to make a rope out of it.
"I didn't steal it. He did!" cried Masterweaver, pointing at Crunchyfrog, since when he had first seen it, it was stuffed down the back of Crunchyfrog's pants.
Kalanna turned on the newbie.
"And how exactly did YOU come by the map?" she asked.
"Er... uhhh... well.... I have no idea.." Crunchyfrog replied. "You see, I was at the New Years Party, in the City, and then all of a sudden there was a flash, and I blacked out, and then I was hanging from a tree root at the top of that cliff, with er, this parchment stuffed down my butt..."
"The same white flash I experienced?" muttered D-Lotus. "I ended up here several feet below you. Strange. What about you, Masterweaver?"
"I didn't go to the party." replied Masterweaver. I was a good boy, and concentrated on my storygames. I spent the night out hunting for specimens for my Mythbiology game. I caught a Pegasus, which I have now gone and lost trying to rescue you guys...."
"But did you see anything unusual?"
"A huge flash of lightning from the City, and then just about everyone running from it, towards the gorge, on the northern side of Fantasy Forest and out to the southern side of Jester Park..."
"And what about you, Kalanna. What were your experiences?" asked D, as he picked up the arrow, with the violet ribbon, which had amazingly survived the explosion.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Rai glared at them. "Oh do you mean Smee's fireworks? I know they got a little out of hand but really...running in terror?" Of course Rai had had a lampshade over her eyes for most of the evening. The flash hadn't really affected her. "But now come to think of it...Smee was finished by that time...humm."
Still she had the map, although thinking of it as froggy toilet paper made her handle it with talon tips, her job was done. "Well I think that the three of you have been...hey lemme see that. Her tail flicked the purple ribboned arrow up to her eyes for closer inspection. Taking an unabashed sniff she growled a bit.
"I'm afraid one of you has a BS problem." The entire party instantly turned their gazes upon Masterweaver who held up his hands in a defensive gesture. The dragon sighed. "Not that kind of BS problem, I'm talking BS the Great, although what you could have done to him is beyond me. I'd watch where you step for a while."
Remuttering the intangibilty spell Rai turned one large copper eye on them. "I've got what I came for and had better return it to the Council Hall before China has a coronary...remember, watch your backs." With that she took flight, leaving the three puzzled Ifians to figure their own way out while she returned the Map.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:30 am Post subject: |
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"Watch your backs? Is that it?" said Crunchyfrog incredulously, as he watched Kalanna disappear back towards the rather lifeless looking city centre, still enshrouded with a strange fog of smoke. "She takes away the one piece of information we might need to get ourselves back to safety, and tells us to watch our backs?"
"Something tells me there was information on that parchment we were not supposed to see. Something privvy to moderators and other City dignatories." mused D-Lotus. "It's return to the City vaults is obviously much more important than our personal safety right now..."
"Something tells me that whoever swiped that parchment, thought it would be very funny to plant it down the back of my pants, and then place you and I in a predicament from which we could not escape, for whatever reason. And right now they think we're still there, incapacitated. And if it's that important a document, they're going to be coming back for us, thinking we've still got it." said Crunchyfrog.
"BS The Great?" ventured Masterweaver.
"Maybe." replied D-Lotus. "Who knows. We'd better move on"
They climbed over the rubble and headed further into the labyrinth.
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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The tunnel opened up suddenly, into a large cavity full of stalactites and frosting. D tried to cover himself from the cold with his arms. Crunchyfrog's hot breath turned into steam. Throughout the cavern there was an innumerable number of small pools, large enough for a man to jump into. They seemed shallow, but it was impossible to tell the depth because they were covered in a film of cloudy swirls.
"What is this place?" asked Masterweaver, staring around in bewilderment.
"It's obviously the convergence of all the tunnels." D said, pointing at all the other tunnel openings throughout the cavern.
"That's strange. I was sure we got lost and weren't following the red arrow in the map at all." Crunchyfrog reflected.
"You're right." said D, furrowing his brows. "Which means either of two things: one, that there is more than one path to this cavern, or two, that the map is wrong."
"Well, the map only showed one possible path, so it has to be wrong anyway in case the first option is true." Crunchyfrog elucidated.
"So the map is a phony! A fake! Thats why it was planted in your pocket, to lead us to a false route. We need to tell Kalanna about this urgently..." D was concluding, when suddenly Masterweaver began yelling and scrabbling back from one of the pools where he had wandered to. But it resulted ineffective, and he was suddenly yanked into the pool where he dissapeared while D and Crunchyfrog stared in amazement. The last thing they saw was his hand, attempting to hold on to the floor of the cavern before it was swallowed by the cloudy pool.
"Now what?" asked D.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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"We get the hell out of here." said Sasuke as he came out of his hiding spot behind a spire by the pool where Masterweaver had been sucked in. "We'll need help to get him back. Has anything changed in If in six years?"
Crunchy and D stared for a moment as they took in the question.
D was the first to speak.
"Uh, where have you been the last six years?" he asked.
Sasuke was appauled, thinking: "He can't figure that out?" but then spoke quickly and calmly as possible.
"In here," he replied.
"Well... what did you eat?" asked Crunchy, surprised.
"Mushrooms." replied Sasuke, smiling.
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Before they could question Sasuke any more, D and Crunchyfrog both contemplated the appearance of a hand in Masterweaver's robe, and knew that something didn't seem right. Things started to look unreal...
Suddenly, exploding from the pond came a grey seven headed hydra with the wet cloth that was Masterweaver, held in the rightmost maw.
Slowly, the middle head intoned an ancient spell.
"Blizzard Games Incorperated World Of Warcraft."
Spinning from the the caves, a portal zoomed closer. Crunchyfrog and Sasuke jumped away. D, however, appeared to be consumed before he could turn around.
"Nintendo Games Metroid Fusion."
Anthor portal twirled hungrily forward...
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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(0)-_-(0)
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Sasuke tried to push Crunchy out of the way, knowing that Crunchy wouldn't escape this, but his attempts were in vain.
They felt the portal sucking them in, as the hydra appeared to throw Masterweaver straight into it.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:34 am Post subject: |
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"What's going on???" screamed Crunchyfrog, as he struggled against the suction of the vortex.
He glanced at Sasuke at his side and noted the calmness of the young Ifian, staring into mid space, to a point beyond the portal, as if it didn't even exist.
"Just dont believe it's there." Sasuke said calmly.
"Huh?" shrieked Crunchyfrog.
"Because it isn't."
"WE'RE GOING TO METROID FUSION!!!!"
"Have a mushroom." replied Sasuke, pulling a mushroom out of his pocket and slamming it into Crunchyfrog's mouth.
After almost choking on the mushroom, he finally swallowed it, and after a moment reality began to take hold again. The pool was quiet. D and Masterweaver were quivering wrecks on the floor, D believing at the moment that he was somewhere in the realm of World of Warcraft.
"What about the hydra?" gasped a perspirating Crunchyfrog.
"The hydra was halucination. A property of these caves. A power of the ..... souls..... "
"Souls?"
"You have not seen what I have seen." said Sasuke.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Fri Feb 02, 2007 4:36 am; edited 1 time in total
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog blinked. This was too much.
"Okay, explain everything right now, Mushroom, boy!" he demanded. "My friends are taking a bath with a hydra, you're talking cryptically about souls, we were about to get sucked into portals ending up supposedly in giant fantasy computer worlds, and I want to know what's with these frigging mushrooms!"
Sasuke stared at him calmly.
"Where do you want me to start, Crunchy?" he asked.
"Explaining how and when you got stuck in here, would be a good start..."
Sasuke stared at the ground.
"My mother locked me in here..." he replied.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog took a deep breath, and let his anger pass. This was getting weirder by the minute. It was clear he wasn't going to get much out of Sasuke now.
Although he was thankful that Masterweaver was still with them, he didn't quite understand the sequence of events that had just passed, with the portals, and was amazed at how someone could survive six years in a cave on mushrooms alone. But he had to admit they were very tasty, and probably quite nutritious, and if they possessed properties that counteracted aberrations in reality, then he was all for that.
D-Lotus, who had been unconscious on the ground regained his senses with a start, and was surprised too, to see Masterweaver lying next to him.
"Dont get too excited." said Sasuke. "He's alive, but he's been in there. He’s been in one of the Wells. How his physical form got spat out again I don’t know, it doesn't usually happen..."
"What does that mean for Masterweaver? Will he be ok?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"His mind can still be rescued, but not from here. It will take time to get where we need to be." replied Sasuke. He stood up and began walking towards one of the tunnels.
Crunchyfrog looked back at D and Masterweaver, still laying, quivering by the side of the pool. Although Masterweaver could not be helped for now, without the aid of the mushrooms, that he, Crunchy, had eaten, would D still be hallucinating?
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:53 pm; edited 4 times in total
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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"Follow me, we'll need Key. He is still king correct?
"Yes..." replied Crunchyfrog, naively.
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus stood still, encrouched and surrounded by three or four pools. The child that had suddenly appeared from behind a spire was walking away with Crunchyfrog towards another tunnel where bats were emerging from. Why was he leading towards that path? It seemed more dangerous than any of the other tunnels. Did he have some sort of control over Crunchyfrog? Who was he, anyway, and how had he been here all this time? There was something fishy about this kid's story. He had said he'd been here for six years, yet Key only became king last year- he was mayor before that. So how could the kid know Key was king- furthermore, six years ago, Key had been called Keavney; he changed his name when the site moved from Interfable to Cityf of If. D made a note not to trust everything the kid said from now on.
D turned around and saw the hydra staring at him.
"Help!" he cried to the two who were leaving without him. They both turned towards him, with smiles on their faces. What are they laughing about? D attempted to run, but the pools were all around him, shimmering with their cold veil.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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Masterweaver came to in the shades of a thick forest. He felt different. Although he was could not explain how he got here, he strangely still had an awareness of what was going on in the caves that he had just been pulled from. He could hear the voices of Sasuke, D, and Crunchyfrog echoing in the deep recesses of his mind. He felt almost like he could communicate with them.
As he sat up he realised what felt different.Looking at his form he gasped.
"A chicken? I'm a...a giant chicken?" he squawked to himself. "And look at these wings! They're useless!"
Masterweaver paused to think. He was an anthropormorphic--no, partially anthropomorphised fowl, in what looked like Fantasy Forest. He'd best get out quick.
He took a step, and promptly fell forward, as he was unused to having a body.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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The Hangover - The Story So Far....
Shortly after Smee's legendary firework display at the New Year party in the City of IF, there had been an almighty flash. It was the last thing D-Lotus, Private Investigator, had remembered as he left his office to join the party, before he regained conciousness on a ledge high up on a cliff face some distance from the city.
Crunchyfrog had had a similar experience at the party, and he too, had suddenly found himself inexplicably hanging from a treeroot just above D-Lotus, with a parchment shoved down the back of his pants.
Masterweaver discovered them and tried to rescue them. He had not been at the party, as he had been out hunting for a Pegasus for his Mythbiology show that night, but he had witnessed many revellers fleeing the city for some reason. However, during his rescue attempts he became just as stuck as the others.
Whilst the rescue attempts were going on, BStheGreat made sure D-Lotus knew he was a marked man. He had a grievance for some reason, but for the life of him, D-Lotus could not remember what he had done to anger BS.
Bizarrely, the ledge that D-Lotus, MW and Crunchyfrog were perched on turned out to be an entrance to a maze of tunnels, seemingly timed to open when a shaft of sunlight played across a part of the cliff edge, as Masterweaver found out, when he fell through it.
Even more bizarrely, the parchment that was planted on Crunchyfrog turned out to be a map of the tunnels. However....
It was discovered at the City that the Master Map of the City of IF had been stolen during the New Year festivities. It was the only map that showed where ..er...things were. Specifically, the location of the Soul Well, where the excess soul power from the soulless Ifians were expelled. This was obviously confidential information, and very important, for it took Kalanna Rai some time to extract that information from the Mayor's assistant, and she immediately set out to locate and return it to its rightful place.
This, she did, snatching the parchment from D-Lotus, Crunchyfrog and Masterweaver, who were using it to find their way through the tunnels back to safety. She returned it back to the Council Hall, leaving the threesome alone, trying to figure their own way out of the labyrinth without a map...
As they continued, they found the cave at which all the tunnels converged, and it became apparent to them, that the map she had taken from them, was in fact wrong, and a fake, therefore some mad Ifian somewhere was still in posession of the REAL Master map of the City. This was a cause of Great Concern and they needed to let Kalanna know somehow.
Not only that, they had come across a boy called Sasuke, who claimed to have inhabited the tunnels and caves for the past 6 years, living only on mushrooms.
The boy's habitat included a cave of strange pools, one from which a hydra seemed to appear, clawing Masterweaver into it's murky depths. Crunchyfrog and D-Lotus experienced many other oddities at this location, including the appearance of portals to other gameworlds and dimensions, and the illusion of their companions falling through them - and Masterweaver's own rpg creation Lecro also appearing and adding to the mayhem.
Although during the turmoil Masterweaver's physical form - a leather robe, was spat out of the pool, his soul was now somewhere else, in the body of a partially anthropomorphised fowl, somewhere in what looked like a fantasy forest. However, what was left of him with his IFian friends in the caves was still able to rise and talk.
Sasuke had begun to lure Crunchyfrog into a bat filled tunnel promising to rescue Masterweaver and return him to his normal self, but could he be trusted?
The boy had still survived the dangers of the caves for this long, although his stories and his knowledge of IF did not quite add up. D-Lotus and Crunchyfrog are discovering that maybe both these facts may have come about by virtue of some quality of the mushrooms....
Chapter 2 - Mayhem in Jester Park!
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:55 am; edited 2 times in total
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog looked down at the limp robe that was Masterweaver, on the cavern floor, by the pool.
"Masterweaver. Why don't you get up?" he asked.
"Because," replied Masterweaver, "I'm in the body of a large fowl, in a place that looks like Fantasy Forest, some distance away. I can't even see you! I can only hear you!"
"Well then," said D-lotus, "Maybe we should gather your body."
"Maybe you should." replied Masterweaver. "Don't put the robe on, though! I'd hate to be 'on' any of you-"
In Fantasy Forest, Masterweaver (or the chicken that contained his mind) suddenly dropped silent. In front of him landed the Pegasus. The one he had captured before.
It looked at his partially prone body, then poked it with its talon.
"Caw?"
Great, thought Masterweaver. Just perfect.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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Whilst Crunchyfrog picked up the black robe, D-Lotus wandered off to one of the cave walls, and stared closely at some etchings, obviously carved by the boy. There were pictures, and some markings, obviously counting time. He made some calculations. Since the boy had no idea when the sun was up or down, D-Lotus understood how easy it could be to lose track of time. Looking at the markings, he estimated just under a year. It explained a lot.
He asked Sasuke:
"Tell me, boy, have you actually seen anybody come through these tunnels recently? Someone who survived?"
Sasuke shuddered as he remembered.
"The pools were not always dangerous like this. Once, an evil, horrid, little orange furry fellow, with horns, carrying pockets stuffed with money, and with a strange instrument, he came, with some companions, and a map..." he began.
"He had a box, he unleashed terrible power from that box which he unlocked with that instrument.... he made the pools as they are now with that power.... He is evil. EVIL!!!" The terror on Sasuke's face was genuine.
D-Lotus nodded. He began to understand what the boy might have witnessed. Things were beginning to get a little clearer now...
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sun Jan 07, 2007 3:27 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Polokin
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| Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Meanwhile Polokin was perched on a seat in Jester Park.
He had been sitting there for hours, it was getting late and he needed to make a decision quickly. He had recently found out about a plot, a sinister plot which involved a well known IFian, D-Lotus.
BStheGreat had asked Polokin to help him get revenge, yet he wouldn't reveal what he wanted it for. Also a few days before that encounter, D-Lotus had asked Polokin if he would watch his back, for he had a feeling that somebody was out to get him.
Polokin was about to make the decision to stay out of it, when suddenly a figure emerged from the mist.
"Who's there?..." Polokin called out anxiously.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:49 am Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog looked down at the black leather robe draped over his arm. He had no idea what Masterweaver was talking about. Whatever realm Masterweaver's soul was in, he must be having a hard time. Crunchyfrog hoped that they could do something about his predicament soon. It was quite clear that coherent conversations with Masterweaver were going to be difficult for a while.
Completely unaware of Polokin's impending encounter at Jester Park, and its possible consequences, the threesome, with the limp Masterweaver still over Crunchyfrog's arm, and a supply of mushrooms, stumbled on through the labyrinth, looking for a way out.
As they did so, D's mind raced. Had Sasuke really witnessed the Ceremony of Release? If so, he could understand why the event might have looked so terrifying.
D remembered the day of the Mass Excorcism, the soulless IFians being rounded up and taken from the city in a container specially built for the purpose... had they really been taken and released here, into the pools?
He then had a chilling thought. If that was the case, why would an IFian want to steal the map and find his or her way back here?
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Rai winged her way back to the Council Hall and returned to her Lair there. Depositing the map on a table, and covering to keep it safe, she tapped her Crystal wall and settled back. Soon enough a familiar face swam into view. "Lordy, you owe me this time." The demon smirked at her.
"I trust you got it back?" The dragon inclined her head, what kind of fool did he take her for.
"I did although I'm not going to explain to China what you were doing with it in the first place. That's all your mess to sort out."
"I trust you havn't returned it." Did he think she was stupid?
"No, but I'm also not letting you have it back. Like I said, you've got to clear this little 'excursion' with the higher-ups before I'll have anything more to do with it. I've got enough invested in the Idearium mines that I don't want you fooling around with it." The demon grinned.
"Trust me."
Terminating the connect Rai decided that maybe she had better keep a good eye on that map afterall.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus and Crunchyfrog finally decided to trust Sasuke to guide them throughout the creepy tunnels. There were ocassional rumbles, and the earth shook around them.
"It's only the guardian troll on the east side." Sasuke said.
Crunchyfrog twitched nervously, remembering that the phony map could have easily led them towards the east side of the tunnels. In fact, that was probably the plan of whoever planted the map in his pocket.
"D," Crunchyfrog said, as Sasuke guided them in the dark, "Don't you think that someone was trying to kill us? I mean, they placed us right next to a cave full of monsters and evil pools and gave us a map heading right towards them!"
"It's lucky we escaped, although Masterweaver didn't." lamented D. "Who knows for how long he'll be trapped in a dual world?"
Crunchyfrog was right. Somebody had wanted to kill them without dirtying his/her own hands. Someone had given them a weapon with instructions to kill themselves, but he/she'd failed. D remembered the arrow- could it be BS the Great? Naw; from what he remembered, BS wasn't the kind to hatch plots of this kind. BS liked to make his prey feel hunted, but he wouldn't go to all this trouble. There was something greatly sinister, and D-Lotus knew he had the answer hidden somewhere in the recess of his memory, but he just couldn't dig deep enough. What was the connection between the Mass Exorcism and this mayhem?
Sasuke punched a hole through one of the tunnel walls and a ray of light filtered into the gloom.
"The tunnel you came through the first time is brimming with giant spider guards, so I'm opening my own door through the wall at it's thinnest point." he kicked the earthy wall again. "Help me open a hole." he asked D and Crunchyfrog, who immediately began helping the boy until a large hole of light blinded them, and was big enough for them to crawl through.
Crunchyfrog was the first to crawl outside and breath in the air with his eyes closed- oddly enough, the air smelled like toast. Crunchyfrog opened his eyes and frowned.
"Sasuke, are you sure there's no other way out?" he said.
"None." said Sasuke, as he too crawled outside and contemplated the immense wall of fire surrounding them and creeping around burning trees towards the group.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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Suddenly, the chicken went into convulsions. Clearly, the proximity of the temporary host of Masterweaver's soul and it's rightful owner was too much stress for it's physical form to take. It danced and clucked around the park bench where Polokin had been sat, like a, well, demented chicken. And then it exploded.
From within the explosion came a tiny light, presumably Masterweaver's soul, which zipped straight into the hood of the black leather robe, with such force that it caused the robe to whoosh about like a long thin balloon flying from the force of the air expelled from it's neck. And like the bespoke deflated balloon, the robe finally flopped limply onto the ground. Presently it raised itself, and Polokin, D, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke looked at it expectantly.
"Wow, what a trip." said the now complete Masterweaver.
The Pegasus, having been shaken back to conciousness by the explosion, took flight, never to be seen again.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Rai was returning to her original hoard in Jester Park when she noticed the small explosion, looking down she was livid. Yes, Jester Park was supposed to be messy but in a wacky sort of way. What presented itself below her looked like something straight out of Skiffy. It didn't take much to spot the miscreants responsible.
Thundering above them she landed with a thud that knocked them all flat. Her eyes narrowed to red slits, magical energy gathering like shadows on her red hide, the dragon stuck her massive face down at the motley bunch. "I want this mess clean, CLEAN!, you understand before I fly back over you. I've got something to take care of...it'll take me five minutes. If this isn't looking funny and park-like by the time I get back I'll see what happens when we splice all of you together."
Leaving the group to clean up their mess, Rai landed by the old aHEM guildhall...walking inside she found her hoard and rummaged around until she found what she was looking for. With a chuckle, after verifying it was what she thought it was, Rai decided to nap. "Give them a little more time."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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Kalanna suddenly appeared out of nowhere and landed with an incredible thump that shook even the trees, who were being slowly consumed by the fire.
"I want this fixed, you miscreants!" she thundered. Then, without recieving an answer or assent, she flew off.
How the hell are we supposed to do anything? We might even die here! Why had Kalanna scolded them, intead of helping? There was something mysterious about that too- or maybe it was just a lack of interest.
D looked around him. They were surrounded by the outside walls of the tunnels and the fire. They'd regained Masterweaver, but it seemed he and the rest were doomed anyway due to the blazing inferno.
Yet the cliff wall wasn't so high at this point- a tall ladder would relieve them from danger and the burning valley.
Meanwhile, there was a possibility of reaching the lake a short distance away. Of course, the problem was, the adventurers would need to bliezkrieg through the burning woods to reach it. But if they hurried enough, they could jump into the lake without suffering too much from burns.
Was it time to split up and try luck? At least, if one method didn't work, the other would, and not all the adventurers would die.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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Rai thought better of her nap, not because she didn't want it, but because the moment she closed her eyes she saw the whole of Jester Park going up in flames. Winging her way back over the Park she saw the entire group surrounded by burning forest. Lofting herself up she beat her wings with a fury, blowing the massive fire out.
Landing with a sigh Kalanna shook her massive head. "I suppose I was too harsh on you...afterall you are traveling with Masterweaver. I should have delt with it the moment I saw the problem, since this is my district and all, but I've been a bit stressed lately. Other concerns on Council Hill..."
Making sure the damage was minimal she nodded to them. "Speaking of concerns, once again I've got to be going." Dropping a small red disk on the ground she took a running leap and went skyward. "Use that to call if you need me."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Xansta
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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About that time, Crunchyfrog noticed something strange about a section of fire to their left. It seemed to be waving at them.
"You see that?" said Crunchyfrog to D-Lotus.
"What?"
"That section of fire," said Crunchyfrog, pointing hesitantly. He did not want to seem foolish if it was just his overactive imagination.
"It looks like a body made out of flames, or something," said Masterweaver.
"Wait, if you listen closely, you can hear the crackling and hissing of the flames modulating into something like speech," said D-Lotus.
They all listened intently for a couple of minutes. Then they clearly heard "Follow me" from the apparent flaming female at which point a gap opened up in the walls of flame where she had been as she ran away from them.
"This may be our best chance to get out of this place without being dipped in BBQ sauce for somebody else' feast," yelled Crunchyfrog as the flames drew nearer.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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Without any further hesitation, Crunchyfrog leapt through the hole in the flames, closely followed by D and Masterweaver.
"Wait a minute, Wheres Sasuke?" said D, whirling round, trying to account for everyone.
"Here!" yelped the youngster, as he leapt through the closing hole in the flames, clutching the disc that Kalanna had dropped on the ground.
"Give me that..." D demanded, holding out his hand. Sasuke shrugged and tossed the disc over to D, who deftly caught it in his left hand.
Crunchyfrog caught D's eye, as he examined the disc. Even though Crunchyfrog was new to IF - and did not know anyone that well, he saw doubt and worry in D's body language. It was true that Kalanna's behaviour of late had been self contradictory. Was she hiding something? D knew her better than Crunchyfrog did...
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus would be lying if he'd said that he wasn't extremely suspicious at the moment. Everything he was surrounded with seemed untrustworthy. He jumped out of suprise when a tree went down, consumed by flames. Kalanna had managed to turn the fire down so as to ensure it's death in time, but for now the adventurers were still partly trapped. He noticed Crunchyfrog observing him.
"What?" asked D testily.
"Well, are we going to tell Kalanna about the phony map or not? Now we can call her whenever we want, thanks to that red disk you're holding." Crunchyfrog said, gesturing at the object in D's hands.
"I think perhaps...perhaps we should contact another council member...Kalanna's been acting somewhat strangely of late." D said hesitantly. Crunchyfrog, however, understood his meaning and assented in agreement. There was a moment of mutual understanding and then they turned towards the rest.
Masterweaver was speaking to Xansta whisperingly in the middle of the smouldering forest. Masterweaver was summarizing their adventure's events for the fire-covered entity; knowing Masterweaver, that was likely to confuse Xansta. Sasuke, meanwhile, was looking lost amid the subsiding fire. He was waiting uncomfortably for somebody to take direction away from his natural habitat.
"All-right, everybody!" shouted D above the crackling fire, "Anybody know how to get the hell out of here?"
He noted that the lake could still transport them to safety, but that was probably not a viable path for the fire-creature who seemed to have joined their group. On the other hand, the group was becoming too large. Perhaps they should split up- one side to investigate whomever caused the forest fire, and the other to contact a City council member other than Kalanna.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Xansta
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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"Thanks for rescuing us... But who are you?" asked D-Lotus.
"I'm supposed to be your everyday normal denizen of IF," said Xansta, "but that all changed during the mass exorcism that made the Well. I've been stuck down in those caves since that time and only recently was able to get out. I've had no interaction with IF folks during that time. Needless to say, I was a bit suprised to spontaneously combust upon my exiting the caves. That's what I call a destructively-non-terminal case of BO."
Masterweaver looks at Xansta quizically.
"Dont worry. This flame thing is not painful, but I'd like to figure out how to undo it and attempt to get back to what passes for normal for me in IF." continued Xansta.
"Well then," says Crunchyfrog, "let's get out of here."
"How are we gonna do that, fly?" asked D sarcastically.
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BStheGreat
Citizen
Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 262
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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Meanwhile...
BStheGreat stared at the small arsenal of weapons lying in the closet of his IF City apartment. There were frag grenades, smoke grenades, flash bangs; there were hand guns, revolvers, and automatic handguns; there were various assault rifles, and even a rocket launcher. He cared little about these, they were the weapons he used to hunt normal people. Who he was about to go up against was D-Lotus, whose power was unimaginable. But fate was on BS' side; D-Lotus did not even know he had any power, his memory failure consumed much knowledge of his past, including the two's previous battle.
No, the weapon needed by BS was hidden in a trap door under a rug. He lifted the trapdoor and picked up the beauty; at first sight, it seemed to be nothing more than a normal sawed-off shotgun. But if you looked at it real closely a slight aura surrounded the gun where the magic inside of the gun let off its steam. The shutgun, nicknamed "Ludesa" by BStheGreat, had the ability to shoot bullets that were hotter than a blacksmith's furnace. And even better, the gun had the magical ability to never run out of ammunition. All he had to do was point and shoot, no reloading. What BS did to recieve this gun was unthinkable; because of it he could never step inside a church again.
BS grabbed the gun and left the apartment, the real hunting was about to begin...
_________________
Ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt?
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Polokin
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Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 178
Location: It seems that I'm not physically capable of visiting a forum... damnit!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin slowly crept away from the group without them noticing.
"Phew," he thought to himself, "that was close, I'm glad Masterweaver didn't come any earlier or everything might have gone wrong."
He spied a place where the fire looked thin. He jumped through the flames with his hands infront of him and braced himself for the pain. But as he jumped through, the pain he had expected never came.
"Strange..." He thought, "There's something bigger going on than what I expected. I'll think about this later, right now I'd better get to BS and tell him what I've decided."
Polokin turned back and looked at what damage the fire had caused. Some large trees had burnt down and a lot of smaller ones had been charred black too. Most of the grass was black and there was sparks and ashes flying everywhere. Well, that was what he saw, but if the flames didn't hurt him... This had to be some sort of illusion.
Polokin remembered the object in his hand and quickly slipped it into his pocket. Nobody could find out about that... Not the D and the group, nor BS.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:31 am Post subject: |
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On her way back to her hoard, Kalanna heard the screams of the party of adventurers. Figuring that since they were in her section of the city and it was her duty to keep things 'slightly' organized, Rai turned towards the party. The blades on her tail lashed out just in time to split a falling tree down the middle.
"I give you people a direct line of communication and you won't even use it to save your lives...figures." Crunchy shrugged.
"Well being an 'assassin for hire' doesn't really inspire much confidence in you really. Implies that you're more likely to serve our heads on a silver platter than you are to save our skins." Rai tapped a talon on the ground.
"Depends on how much I've been paid to deal with you. Besides, I can't kill D...I'm enjoying Confession Box too much." She flicked a talon causing gooey custard to dump onto the raging flames, smothering them flat. "Besides...if I'd wanted to kill you all you'd already be dead. Comforting thought isn't it?" Flicking custard off themselves the rest of the party only stared.
Rai sighed. "Since I think you've caused enought problems here in the park, Din's going to have a field day with her cleaning tools, I'll offer you a lift back into the Open Forum. I'm headed to the Council Hall anyway so it's really no trouble." Extending a massive hand Rai thumped her tail on the ground. "Let's get moving...I do have things to do."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Lebrenth
Honored Citizen
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 1492
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Breathing in the cool sea breezes, sipping the milk of a coconut, while laying in the shade on a hammock, Lebrenth is completely disconnected from the rest of IF. In the giant satellite dish of Skiffy, that casts its shadow over haunted mansions and graveyards, Lebby found a perfect place to move the Fabled Island. In the middle of the large dish, he can see none of the rest of the city, and can blissfully conduct his storygame in peace.
For a while he watches his airplane circling like a seagull over the island with its large banner in tow reading “SHAMELESS ADVERTISING”. Then Kalanna Rai flies over the edge of the satellite dish and into his sight.
“Oh, not again.”
With a tremendous breath, Rai consumes the plane in fire, which spirals with its banner aflame and crashes into the sea. Lebrenth sighs. He also notices she’s carrying passengers. He pulls out his telescope and focuses in.
“Wow, that’s a lot of people,” he says, counting everyone. “D?”
He can tell they’re heading toward Open Forum, but what they would want there is beyond him. He puts on his moderator’s ring with the 6 swirling gemstones representing the 6 principle parts of IF. A flood of summonses and warnings overwhelm him.
“Oops!” he blurts and scrambles to find the remote. It seems the lava from Fabled Island’s volcanoes is flowing off the edge of the satellite dish onto Jester Park…. He laughs uncomfortably as he points the remote in the air and presses a button. The satellite shifts and the lava stays where it’s supposed to.
Now to answer the summons.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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The Hangover - The Story So Far
As the sun rose on New Years day over the City of IF, it was evident that all was not well.
During the New Year party, under cover of Smee's firework display, the Master Map of the City of IF had been stolen. The King and Mayor were most upset, because it contained the location of things.... and in particular, the Soul Well, something that had been created after the Mass Exorcism of the Soulless IFians.
That morning the city was under a veil of smoke. Crunchyfrog and D-Lotus (Private Investigator) had been inexplicably displaced from the streets of the City during the midnight celebrations after a humungous flash of light, to find themselves clinging to the entrance of a labyrinth of tunnels, high up on a cliff ledge. In a bungled attempt to rescue them, Masterweaver quickly found himself stuck on the ledge too. Masterweaver had not been at the party but he had witnessed from afar, hundreds of IFians fleeing the city.
It appeared that the Master Map that had been planted on Crunchyfrog during his hours of amnesia, looked like it could help them navigate through the tunnels to safety. But it was only after Kalanna Rai snatched it from them, to return it to the City, that they discovered that the parchment was an inaccurate fake. They felt duty bound to let her know somehow.
What our three intrepid adventurers were unaware of, though, was Kalanna had retrieved the map for Lordofthenight. What Lordy wanted with the map is not yet clear, but Kalanna seems uncomfortable with her involvement in his plot, and has decided neither to return it to the Mayor nor to Lordy, but instead sit on it, at least for now.
It appears she is still unaware that it is a fake.
Kalanna was also acting rather mysteriously about some other object in her lair, that she kept checking back on.
Meanwhile, in the tunnels, Masterweaver, D-Lotus and Crunchyfrog discovered a young character called Sasuke. Sasuke claimed that he had been locked in the labyrinth by his mother six years previously, for reasons as yet unrevealed.
On discovering that Sasuke's knowledge of the history of IF was too recent to match his six year incarceration, and backed up by some time keeping markings on the walls, D-Lotus deduced that Sasuke's time spent in the tunnels was probably much shorter, probably dating from around the time that Key became King. But it is still far too long to be left alone without natural light eating nothing but mushrooms.
Nevertheless, Sasuke did tell a story that rang true... the appearance some time previously, of a character matching the description of Chinaren, IF's mayor, in the main cave full of pools. He appeared to have navigated his way in using the Master Map... Apparently he emptied a box of terrible forces into the pools, with the use of a special instrument.
Sasuke claimed that the pools had never been the same since. Indeed, our intrepid adventurers had witnessed monsters, portals, and ridiculous events in the vicinity of the pools, that could only be
blotted from the mind by eating the mushrooms found growing in the caves.
Had Sasuke witnessed the Ceremony of Release? How did the pools and the map tie in with the Mass Exorcism?
On their escape from the tunnels, the companions found themselves in or near Jester Park, which seemed to be very much on fire. They stumbled over Polokin, who was waiting serenely on a bench, having been placed in a dilemma. BSthegreat had asked him to help get his revenge on D-Lotus, but had not revealed to Polokin why.
Separately, and prior to the beginning of this story, D-Lotus had asked Polokin to watch his back as he had a feeling that someone was out to get him. As he got momentarily caught up in the group, Polokin was the first to notice that the fire might just be an illusion. His allegiance still not clear, he conceals an object in his pocket that must not be seen either by D or BS, and he slips away from the group to tell BS his decision.
It is in Jester Park and the burning forest that they encounter Kalanna again. From the POV of the other characters, Kalanna is acting suspiciously, sometimes leaving them in precarious situations, sometimes saving them. They are still not surewhat her motives are, and feel that they should instead advise another Council member about the fake map. They are also uncomfortable about why the fake map was planted on Crunchyfrog, as if somebody meant to get them out of the way.
Amongst the fire, they encounter Xansta. Xansta claims to have been an everyday denizen of IF. But all that changed during the Mass Exorcism that made the Well. He has only just recently managed to exit the caves, and was surprised to suddenly spontaneously combust.
Masterweaver believes he knew Xansta from outside IF, but
Xansta insists he has him mistaken for someone else, and that he was an IFian from before the Mass Exorcism, and has only been able to interact with IF folk from now.
And what of BStheGreat? Who knows what terrible deed D-Lotus has done in the eyes of BS. D's apparent amnesia from before the party may hide more than he thinks, about his own abilities, as well as his deeds. BStheGreat is currently arming himself for a hunt...
Lebrenth, the Skiffy mod discovered the cause of the forest fires around Jester might just have been his fault, and has fixed it. Now he's off to attend to his duties, blissfully unaware of what he's about to find.
Currently Kalanna is rescuing our heroes, and glides on towards the open forum with Masterweaver, Xansta, D, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke on her back.
They have:
A disc from Kalanna, which can be used to summon her.
Some mushrooms from the cave
BSthegreat's arrow with a violet ribbon.
Chapter 3 - Fog, Conspiracy, and a Search for Key...
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:32 am; edited 2 times in total
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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The view from Kalanna's back was impressive. The Open Forum, indeed, was not enclosed by any walls. It was simply a beautiful valley surrounded by trees, lakes, flowers and draped by a gorgeous sun. Only a mile away, the waves from the sea crashed onto a beautiful white-sanded beach.
Throughout the entire valley, however, there were hundreds or thousands of small stalls, big stalls, shops, restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, clothes shops, ice-cream parlors, video-renting, book stores, etc. The green valley was mottled in large splotches by the brick or wooden commercial buildings. And surrounding these buildings, was of course, a huge tourist population- a mass of people sifting like sand back and forth throughout the street, shouting and laughing and making a big racket in the peaceful valley. They seemed like ants, scurrying everywhere, carrying their souveniers or bags with them.
Finally, Kalanna began descending. The people pointed at the sky and laughed or took pictures. But as Kalanna came speeding down towards them, a large space quickly formed among the masses. The buildings on both sides of Kalanna shook and wobbled. The shop owners or clerks ran outside worriedly, but retreated into their shops again when they caught sight of the group.
Everybody descended from Kalanna's back quickly. But as soon as they had, people began walking all around them again- women holding hands with their husbands, children enjoying ice-cream, fathers consulting the map as they marched. They had seemed to forgotten about the dragoness and the group- only another tourist attraction to them. D-Lotus began to find this a problem. People were streaming all around him, pushing and nudging. He was trying to speak to the group, but he kept being pushed away by the crowd. He tried to push against the stream, but he was only carried farther away from the group. He saw that everybody else except the dragoness and Xansta were experiencing the same problem. He shouted out towards them, but received no answer except the rumbling of the crowd.
Finally, he managed to jump into a side-street without people. Then he suddenly caught view of Crunchyfrog being carried much in the same way he had. Rushing in, he took CF's hand and managed to pull him back to the sidestreet. D-Lotus noticed that they had left the red disk with the group, and were therefore unable to call Kalanna, who they had completely lost sight of.
"Now what?" asked D.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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"Do you think the others are safe with Kalanna? She seems in friendly mode right now..." ventured Crunchyfrog.
"I still think we should alert another counsellor about the phony map." insisted D. "Even if they do decide to tell her, we should be wary."
Crunchyfrog nodded in agreement.
"This way." said D, and he beckoned to Crunchyfrog. They started at a brisk trot down the sidestreet, until they saw a horsedrawn taxi. D hailed it, and the pair climbed up onto the cart.
"City Central, please!"
City Central was where the Council Hall, Mayoral Mansion and many of the more upmarket residential areas were located.
"I aint goin' there." said the driver, flatly. D and Crunchyfrog exchanged glances.
"Why not?" asked D.
"I aint sayin'..."
D waved a 50 fable note at him.
"Okay, I'll take you part of the way." mumbled the driver, and he shook the reins. The horse moved forward. The ride to City Central was quite a distance, so they were glad of the lift.
As they left the buzz of the Open forum behind them, and moved through the narrow streets of the residential areas towards the City Central, they noticed a strange fog thickening. They also noticed an eerie silence around them.
"I aint going much further..." warned the driver. "It aint been right since last night... since those fireworks... Everyone ran. And they aint come back. An' there's this smoke. Here's where I stop..."
He snatched the 50 fable note from D, who then climbed down from the cart, followed by Crunchyfrog. They thanked the driver, who turned the horse and cart around, and hurried back to the Open Forum.
They looked about them.
"This place is deserted!" exclaimed Crunchyfrog.
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Masterweaver
Honored Citizen
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 1463
Location: Look around
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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Back in the more crowded area of the Open Forum, there was a sudden disturbance. Men with chains ran through crowds, carrying makeshift weapons and shouting, "Down with the tyrants! Down! Down!"
The otherwise peaceful crowds shrieked and backed away as more of them assembled.
"It would appear we've encountered some sort of slave revolt," commented Xansta wryly. "I vote we run!"
"Seconded!" replied Sasuke, whirling after him.
"This is why I never wanted modship," cried Masterweaver, as the angry slaves engulfed him and the pyrokenetic.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
/\___/\
(0)-_-(0)
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Sasuke
Resident
Joined: 04 Jan 2007
Posts: 92
Location: Innistrad
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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Sasuke thought quickly. His companions were in trouble, and he had to help them. Ah well, he'd have to show his true nature, at some time or other. Nobody had noticed his scales up until now, as they were mostly covered with clothing.
Mustering all the strength he had, Sasuke, the half-breed dragon, bared his fanged teeth, and breathed a small flame from his mouth. But sadly his powers were not yet mature. He was too small, and his efforts did little to scare off the mob.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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"Oh dear," sighed Rai in a sarcastic tone. "Whatever will I do?" With a thump her tail landed between her charging companions and the charging workers...both sides skidded to a halt. "One moment." She said to the other party members.
Turning to the workers, clearly Idearium miners, she cleared her throat. "What can I do for you ladies and gentlemen?" The revolters looked around completely confused by the fact she was being polite and solicitous. There was a bit of shuffling and finally one dirty worker was nudged forward.
"Iffen ye please yer Modship...we've been working long hours for little fables. There are greater demands than ever on the Mines and, well, we're being strained to the utmost. It seems all well and good for, erm, some of youse but for us it flat out stinks." Rai nodded her head.
"I see your point. I suppose I've been a bit taxing on you myself." There were many nodded heads. Rai knew she was notorious for having many SG's running at the same time. "But I recently made a donation back didn't I?" Again some nods.
"I can't really say how many new members will create new SG's but I suppose I can at least offer you this...I won't start anything new for, oh, a month." Smiles beamed.
"Thank'e yer Modship. But what about pay." Kalanna gave an evil grin.
"You'll have to talk to the Mayor and the High Lord Chancellor. I don't do funds. And you'll need to fill out a petiton...none of this revolting." With that the workers grimly filed off, determined to fill out forms.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Masterweaver
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Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 1463
Location: Look around
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| Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 5:59 am Post subject: |
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Half the crowd, mollified, dispersed. The remaining started chanting, "No more slavery! No more slavery! No more-"
Rai whirled back around. The crowd went silent.
"...And what do you want?" she asked ever so sweetly.
A haggerd but still pretty young woman shuffled forward. "Well, it's just we attend to all yer palace things, marm, and yer kind and all that, but you kill us at a whim, and we don't like that."
"I think you have Rai confused with Chinaren," volunteered Masterweaver.
"Be quiet," murmered Xansta.
The lady looked up suddenly. "Yer right! It is that orange beast! KILL HIM AND WE STOP THIS WHOLE THING!!!"
"He lives right down the road," said Masterweaver, pointing. "Not the big palace on the corner, but the one next to it."
"Come on, my good fellers!" yelled a voice from the crowd. "We have a fuzzball to kill!"
Shouting and chanting, the crowd ran off down the road.
Rai shook her head. "Chin's going to have his hands full..."
"Why did you do that?!" cried Sasuke. "They're going to kill the mayor!"
"How'd you know he was Mayor?"
"Never mind that now," said Kalanna. "Where's D and Crunchy?"
"They went towards city central," replied Xansta.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
/\___/\
(0)-_-(0)
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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IM sighed. He would need a whole truck's worth of cleaning fluid to get his traps working properly again!
Ever since those bloody fireworks, all sorts of strange things had been happening. Fortunatly, he was sober enough to come home and activate the traps AFTER he'd gotten into his mansion's main control room, but drunk enough to collapse without hitting any particularly devestating buttons.
"Clean these as well as you can. I'll fix up what's left," IM said to his mutated servants. He then began a long, slow plod through the Open forum to the Games sector to make sure it was still tidy. Maybe on the way he could ask Key or Chinaren why he had aquired moderation powers over City Central in his bout of the RL's. What he hadn't expected was to see D-Lotus in the distance. "D! What are you doing here?" IM asked while waving.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:09 am Post subject: |
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Rai walked off, leaving the companions to do whatever necessary, as IM hailed D from a distance. Not wanting to head to Council Hall just yet she tapped a talon on the sidewalk, debating her options.
"Humm, maybe I should just go elsewhere for a while...lay low somewhere I'm not known." She glanced down at the small gem that hung on a chain around the base of her neck. Of course by small she meant something the size of a small Volkswagon.
"Then again I could just dump this in some little corner of the Internet where it's unlikely to be found." Walking forward the gem caught the light, drawing glimmering replies from the matching jewels on each of Rai's feet. She bobbed her head to a few citizens as she passed, heading toward Fantasy Forest. Something darted between her feet.
Looking down she recognized Sasuke who was trying to get her attention. "Need something?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:16 am Post subject: |
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"Hey, IM!" D yelled.
"Who's that?" whispered Crunchyfrog.
"Idea Master." explained D, beckoning to IM, to get over to the quieter, foggy sidestreet.
"Cool!" said Crunchyfrog. "He was listed in the Auditorium as a City Central mod when I first signed up, that means he's a Council member, right? Can we tell him about the phony map?"
Before D could answer, they were pushed against a wall as an angry mob of respectable citizens rampaged past them, yelling "Kill the fuzzball! Get his orange pelt, yeah!!!"
"Whoa, who are they?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"Ah. Of course, you wouldn't know. Apparently they think that Chinaren will kill them at a whim. Masterweaver kindly directed them to the Mayoral Mansion, where they are about to turn Chinaren inside out. Excuse me..."
D casually tripped up a mobster as he passed. Picking him up by his jacket, D demanded:
"Since when have you been under the impression that Chinaren is out to kill you?"
The man looked haunted.
"Since the party last night." he said.
"And exactly what makes you think that?" enquired D.
"Whispers...Voices...Rumours...."
D let the man rejoin the mob, who were busy smashing their way into the Mayoral Mansion.
"Something isn't right, Crunch." said D. "This fear of Chinaren has something to do with the Mass Exorcism of a few months ago, I'm sure...There was never fear before. Why now?"
Presently, the mob charged past them again in the opposite direction, yelling "Find the Mayor! Coward!!!"
"Chinaren's evidently not at home." observed Crunchyfrog.
The eerie, silent fog swirled in the wake of the crowd.
The way it moved made them all feel uncomfortable. Crunchyfrog understood why the taxi driver didn't want to drive this far. He felt he could hear whispers... It was so eerie. The three of them stared at one another...
IM walked towards D and Crunchyfrog.
"So what are you doing here?" IM repeated.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sun Feb 04, 2007 2:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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"And for that matter, why can't I do anything about this blasted fog?" IM raised his hands and attempted to use his newfound powers to mod away the fog. If anything, it pressed down harder.
"You? Do something about the fog?" ChrunchyFrog was bemused to say the least.
IM sighed. "Long story very short, I somehow have mod powers over all of City Central except this newfangled PPP area. So unless we're in that, then I don't see why I can't get rid of this...It makes finding my way horribly complex, and I didn't have a good sense of direction to begin with!"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Polokin
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Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin made his way towards BS's house, when suddenly he saw a figure in the distance holding what looked like a big stick. As he came closer, he saw what he was really carrying. Polokin dived to the side of the path as a small ball of fire came towards to him.
BS was about to fire another shot at the young man with Ludesa when he realised who it was.
"Polokin!?" He yelled.
Polokin took the bow off his back and notched an arrow to it in the same movement.
"He has to be drunk... Who else would shoot a fire ball at someone...?" He muttered to himself.
He heard him call his name. He loosened the arrow and lowered the bow.
"BS?! Is that you? Why in IF did you shoot a fire ball at me!?"
"Sorry about that, thought you were somebody else."
"Well, that's alright, at least it missed. Anyway, I've made my decision."
"And?"
"I've decided to join you, whatever D did, it must deserve revenge."
"Well, come with me, I'm heading to the ledge where I saw D earlier."
"A ledge? I saw D half an hour ago in Jester Park... He said he was heading to the Open Forum."
"Right, to the Open Forum it is then!"
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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"I'm investigating." D-Lotus stated.
"As always." replied IM. "But be careful. I heard BS is after you. It's your business, you should know."
"This is different, yet alike." reflected D-Lotus.
"Whaddaya mean?" inquired Crunchy.
"It's like I've lived through this before," D said with a faraway look in his eyes. "Like Dejavu." he laughed.
"How do you plan to get rid of BS?" IM asked while leading D and Crunchy towards his strangely crooked and somber house. "Are you going to use your powers again?"
"What powers?" asked Crunchy.
"I don't know. He always keeps them a secret." IM said.
"Ah, yes, I might." D answered, somewhat puzzled but silent. IM opened the door to his house and one of his servants lopsidedly shuffled towards them. "But first, IM, may ask you if I could have your assured secrecy?"
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:11 am Post subject: |
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"Naturally, one Mod to another and all that. Though we should go to my inner chambers so that we can't be overheard."
Thus saying, IM pushed a hidden button, and the floor beneath the group of people shook and began to slowly fall.
"Not to worry, it's just the elevator."
After about two minutes of a careful descent, they came level with a small drawing room. IM pushed another button after everyone was within the room and the elevator began to rise again.
"Now. What is it?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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IM indicated for them to sit down.
"Things have been strange since last night." D began. "Both Crunchyfrog and I have been afflicted by several hours of amnesia following a large flash of lighting, after Smee's firework display."
He hesitated at this point, he had the feeling he was making an severe understatement on his own account, but went on, anyway...
"We came to at sunrise, at the entrance to a hidden labyrinth, high up on one side of the gorge. Crunch discovered a map had been planted on him. The map turned out to be of the labyrinth."
"Go on," said IM.
"During our adventures in the tunnels, and with the help of Masterweaver, we think we stumbled upon the Soul Well, and deduced that the map was a fake representation of the Master Map of IF.
"How did you know you found the Soul Wells?" asked IM.
"We found a young dragon halfbreed, who claims he was trapped in the tunnels for six years. From his story I believe he witnessed the Ceremony of Release, when Chinaren committed the exorcised souls into the Wells... the description he gave of the event seems accurate enough..."
Again, IM nodded.
"Later we met Xansta, claiming to be an IFian since before the Exorcism, having escaped the caves very recently.... I have a theory he was once an exorcised soul, but have not questioned him to verify..."
"So where is the fake map now?" asked IM.
"Kalanna took it. She said the Master Map was stolen, and she our map and returned it to the city."
"Of course, you've told her by now that the one she has is fake?"
"No."
"Why not?" asked IM.
"Kalanna has been acting strangely of late. We dont know why the fake map was planted on us in the first place. It was like someone wanted us to follow the map part of the way, get lost in the tunnels, and then she snatched it from us. She saw us on that ledge and even nudged me back onto it, and did not rescue us from it, as if she wanted us to go into those tunnels. Weird, really. And then she was less than friendly to us later on when she encountered us again in Jester Park, although more recently she's
been ok. To be honest, we dont really trust her, and felt that someone else ought to know what is happening."
A cloud of concern passed over IM's face....
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Polokin
Citizen
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin and BS stuck close the the shadowed parts of the Forum, searching for D.
"Soon... Soon I will have my revenge..." BS thought to himself, "You can't hide D, it will only be a matter of time before you're found."
Polokin tapped BS on the shoulder, breaking the trance he was in. Polokin pointed to a certain person in the crowd.
BS nodded...
"They could help us find him..." BS mused. "But we would need to make them an offer they couldn't refuse..."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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IM looked D and Crunchyfrog in the eye. "This is serious. Where is my direct orb line to Key?"
IM rummaged around in the drawing room's many cabinets for a few minutes, tossing sheafs of paper around, along with other...erm, items. Needless to say, he used the drawing room for entertaining people other than the ones currently seated in it.
"Aha! Got it!"
IM pulled out a dusty sphere and blew carefully to remove all the dust from it, making CrunchyFrog cough a few times. Then IM made a few gestures at the orb. After a few seconds of blue swirling smoke, the orb printed these words:
We're sorry, but the orb you requested was not found.
"Argh. Key probably sat on it again."
IM once more rummaged about in his drawing room, withdrawing a huge tome-looking thing.
"Cool!" said CrunchyFrog. "That tome contains all sorts of ancient spells that will protect us on our quest, doesn't it?"
"No, that one does." IM pointed to a smaller book that he had already picked up and set down on the table. "This one contains something even better."
IM opened the book and withdrew three Stupidium-fueled guns and passed one to D and the other to CrunchyFrog. "Careful that you don't keep your hands on the fuel chamber for too long. We ought to be safe now. If it looks threatening, shoot it and it'll evaporate." IM pocketed his gun and book of ancient spells and gestured towards the elevator again. "I'm off to find Key. Anyone care to join me?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Sasuke
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Joined: 04 Jan 2007
Posts: 92
Location: Innistrad
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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Finally Sasuke had attracted Kalanna's attention. It had taken long enough. Now freed from the caverns containing the Soul Well, he had the opportunity to question a dragon about his parentage. Before he could speak, she peered closely at him.
"Wait you're Maiyasa's child aren't you...? She said that you had..... " she stopped midsentence and changed her approach. "Where have you been? " she asked suspiciously.
"My mother locked me in the place that apparently contains the 'Soul Well,' " Sasuke replied. "And I only just escaped. I want to know why she did it..."
"Odd behaviour. I have no idea why, either. Unless she was covering something up. Your father was obviously human. Do you remember him? Maybe he would know..." replied Kalanna.
"No, I've got no idea. I've been in there so long I cannot remember much of him at all... just a vague memory of what he looks like..."
"And??"
"He looked kind of like D, in a way. But of course, that can't be possible..." Sasuke answered
Kalanna shook her head, slowly.
"Show me the inside of your shirt." she demanded.
On pulling down and turning out the neck of his shirt, Kalanna noticed a tiny motif embroidered on it, in the shape of a lotus.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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The path from IM's house was relatively quiet. Once, a lost Idearium miner rampaged forward towards them, but IM pulled out his gun and the man turned around mid-way. Suprisingly, D-Lotus also reacted by expertly withdrawing his gun and immediately aiming at the worker's head. He couldn't remember ever having done that before, but there were a lot of things he couldn't remember. For a while after, Crunchyfrog walked in wondering silence besides D. The instinctive drawing of the gun, like an expert, had caused shivers to course throughout Crunchy's back.
"We're going to have to borrow a car." IM finally concluded, without noticing CF's thawing coldness.
"What do you mean?" asked D, "Don't all mods have cars?" A vague memory surfaced in his mind, from when he himself had been a mod. Slowly and with effort, he remembered; he'd been a mod, but then he'd quit, or he'd been destituted.
IM smiled uneasily. "Well, mine's in the garage for repairs. It was a dark night, and the light post seemed to come out of the darkness. But...let's not inform Key, will we?" he grinned.
"Who will we borrow a car from?" asked CF somewhat nervously.
Just then, they reached the deserted house of Saxon215, the Ify co-host who had recently lost his life in an epidemic or RL. His house was trashed and littered with broken alcohol bottles and syringes. A broken window revealed a dingy cot. Of course, it'd been that way when he was alive, too. IM withdrew his gun and blasted the garage door. To the astonishment of D and CF, inside the garage waited patiently the most beautiful car in existence. A red and yellow and blue fire design covered the front and backside, stretching out around the whole car. A smell of expensive perfume lingered still under the removable top of the sports car. The seats and wheel were covered in soft leather, and the wheels gleamed hungrily.
"Let's go." IM said.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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I turned the key, which had been amazingly left in the ignition. The car roared into life, making me feel like I had suddenly won a trip to outer space and was just now taking off.
"Awesome!" ChrunchyFrog said in the back seat through chattering teeth. "Hey, what does this red button do?"
Before I could say "No" "Don't" or "Stop" there was a small 'beep.'
Instantly, the radio slid back to reveal a weapon panel. I grinned insanely.
"D, I'm in love with this car already and I haven't even left the garage yet. I think I'll be keeping this one." And with that, the band of adventurers roared into the otherwise quiet IFian night.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Lebrenth
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 1492
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth entered the ancient abandoned library of Skiffy wearing the Cloak of Forboding, a little something he found in the city when he first came to IF. Wearing the dark tattered cloak, Lebrenth appeared much taller and his voice grew loud and malevolent or else just a whispering murmur that seemed to come from all directions. His face and body was mere shadow, protected in the illusion of the cloak. And that was all it really was, illusions, but it was effective for traveling through IF without appearing to be a small mortal an inch away from Death’s sickle. Lebrenth passed through the library easily with the cloak, ignoring wraiths and creatures akin to zombies.
In the center of the library, there shone a green light. The source is a T-shaped object that resembles a push knife. The protective field vanishes as Lebrenth points his ring at it. Then he steps forward and takes hold of the Index.
Rings of yellow light wash over Lebrenth’s form, and when they are done, he is gone. The power of the Index teleports him to the his choice of several designated locations, but when he reappears, he is not where he intended to be. He attempted to teleport directly into the council hall, but the index has malfunctioned somehow. Instead he finds himself standing beneath the starry sky, surrounded by rolling mists. He nearly loses balance as the ground rolls with the mist. He takes several steps backward and bumps into something… someone!
Laying on the ground as though in a peaceful sleep, he sees a furry white stoat. Her features are unmistakable.
“Shady!” Lebrenth says, his words echoing as though in a large room. As the clouds roll, other figures appear, such as the lion-like form of Reiso, the twins Raven and Wing, and a figure covered in mounds of soil, Solomon Birch (gasping between holding his breath, even in his sleep). “The Dream Chamber,” Lebrenth says aloud. He had heard of it… these are the lucky ones. Too beloved to be eradicated, they were spared the fate of the Soul Well, but none of them awake at the sound of Lebrenth's voice. Perhaps they never will. He covers his face with his hands, trying to contain his sadness, but not only at the sight of lost friends. He does not need to search to know that his brother is not amongst the sleeping. Composing himself, he realizes he must be inside the palace… but why did the Index take him here?
He begins looking for a door, but can not see one. As he yawns he realizes his eyes are feeling heavy…. The startling realization does little to combat the weariness….
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Rai looked at Sasuke and shook her head in disbelief. It seemed that the son of the Lotus had just walked into her hands. Whether that meant it was actually D-Lotus or not, she had no idea, but whoever his father was, it was clear that he was still going to be in danger around her. It was then, however, that her mod gems began to glow, urgently at that.
"Sasuke," she announced, "I've got something to do that I can't do with you. I'm going to have to reunite you with Crunchy and D.... the hard way. Brace yourself..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:47 am Post subject: |
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....And so the sun set on the City of IF, as it reeled through its first day of turmoil, and was about to plunge into its first night of sinister suspense.
The strange, smoky fog began swirling more thickly through the streets, like a serpent, and spread to greater areas of the City. It seemed to have a life of its own, almost sighing as it slowly wrapped itself around the buildings, and up around IF's city central spires.
The tourists left the Open Forum for the day, the market stall holders packed up their wares. Masterweaver and Xangsta stood in a shadowy sidestreet just off the Open Forum, having just witnessed the sudden disappearance of Sasuke, and Kalanna taking off. They were unaware as to why.
Polokin and BS stood in the shadows, watching, and waiting. Had they seen MW and Xansta? Who knows.
The rampaging mob of respectable citizens continued to stampede about the city streets, looking for Chinaren. But Chinaren was so far nowhere to be found.
Far off in another quarter of the city, in Skiffy, Kalanna waited quietly, as Lebrenth struggled in and out of conciousness at the edge of Gadiri Harbour on the Fabled Island storygame. She found herself reasoning that by bringing him here his power would be at his strongest for recovery, or at least, she hoped so.
In the back seat of Saxon215's car, Crunchyfrog was examining his Stupidium gun. Bored by the Mod talk going on between IM and D in the front seats, he wondered what it would actually do to someone if he fired it. Make them stupid?
Suddenly there was a lot of bashing and clunking coming from the trunk of the car...
"Hey, what's that noise?" he asked, turning to look behind him.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: |
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As the car containing IM, D and Crunchyfrog sped on through the foggy city, the thumping from the trunk got louder, and was now being accompanied by muffled shouts.
"Er, guys, dont you really think we should get out and find out what's making all this noise?" suggested Crunchyfrog.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sun Feb 04, 2007 4:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:05 am Post subject: |
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"No need!" IM said. "I'll just pop the trunk open and..."
IM's words were drowned out as the top of the trunk went FLYING. It peeled itself from the car and flew down the street, bisecting a rampaging miner. On the greater upside, though, IM could see that there was, indeed, somebody in the trunk. "Whoever you are, climb into the backseat!"
"Hey, IM, what happens when you shoot people with this gun?" CrunchyFrog was waving his gun about.
"Don't! Stupidium is the antithesis of Idearium. The two, when mixed, detonate. Almost everyone and everything in IF has some Idearium about it, and that gun seeks it out and obliterates it."
IM kept driving. "Hey, which way to Key's palace? Left or right?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Sasuke clambered into the back of the car.
"Hey Crunchy, hey D!!" he grinned. Sasuke paused, wondering if this was the right time to ask, being as they were speeding like maniacs through the darkened streets of IF in a fog that reduced visibility to almost zero.
"Hell, go for it." he decided.
"Ummmmmmmmmmmm, D, I've got a bit of a question. Have you ever had a child?"
D looked stunned at such a question. Sasuke stared at D. He wished he'd had more time talking to Kalanna, before being sure enough to ask. He had never met D before their encounter in the cave.
"Where did that question come from kid?" D asked.
Sasuke showed him the emblem inside his shirt, one similar to the emblem D often wore on his own clothing.
"Why is there a Lotus here?" D asked. "Are you trying to imply something?"
Sasuke shrugged. Somehow he couldn't imagine D with a dragon. The Lotus symbol may have been a coincidence after all.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"The best thing for you to do is talk to Key." said D. "He would have access to birth records and interbreeding, that will answer your question for sure."
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Kalanna Rai
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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Rai drummed her talons on the timbers of the dock, splintering them ever so slightly. "Come on Lebby, this is no time for a long nap. We've got things to discuss...namely why the hell you sent me the message you were in danger." It was true, when her gems had flashed it had been Lebby's last ditch effort to call for help.
"So did I intercept your call to someone else...?" Hearing the shouts and screams coming from beyond the SG's walls, Rai stuck her nose out to investigate. "Oh damn..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Deep in the many numerous sprawling labs of TI a blonde haired, slim figure in a cream suit and dark sunglasses bent over various bubbling test tubes when a red light began to flash a steady alert.
Someone wants Information from the Tourist Info booth? JezSharp thought in some shock. Silently he moved through the maze of corridors and up some stairs into a small room with a microphone and one way looking glass. Peering through it he saw a large mob waving placards and yelling, ‘Where’s China! We must know! We must kill!’ Frowning JezSharp sat down and turned on the mike,
“Ahem…attention numerous and ahem…important folk of IF, I believe you wish to know where our exalted Mayor has gone.”
With one voice staggered into many separate parts the crowd bayed ‘yes’! JezSharp sighed, he hated mindless violence and the temptation just to knock the group senseless with the special nerve gas placed in the enquiries area was becoming increasingly tempting. Brightening up an idea struck him,
“Ok people listen up, unfortunately I cannot divulge the Mayor’s location…(a chorus of boos began to rise and some began to hammer on the glass)…however just say a hypothetical Mayor had recently entered here and had used the handy portal link to say…ummm…Skiffyville it would be completely inappropriate for me to tell you that.”
And completely incorrect, JezSharp thought with some glee as he watched the crowd rush for the skiffyville portal. Wait is that heavy fog outside?!?
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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While she watched Rai saw a portal open and dump the rampaging miners into Skiffy. One of them spotted her. "YOU! Where is the mayor! We know he came this way!" Rai shook her head.
"And what moron told you that?" One filthy miner piped up.
"The elf in Tourist Info." Rai smiled. Jez was up to his old tricks again.
"Um folks if you havn't noticed Tourist Info only give accurate Info to tourists." Their faces fell. "However, I can open a portal to China and let you all go through." A massive cheer went up as each of them chanted 'Rai, Rai, Rai' over and over again. The dragoness smiled.
Opening the portal she watched as they glanced around. "Hey this really is Chi..." Then she shoved them all through with a tail sweep. Behind her Lebby groaned and Rai decided it was time to move him...
"I'm thinking it's time to pay Jez a visit." Popping over to TI Rai grinned down at Jez who glanced from unconcious Lebby and back. "Would you mind watching him? I've got other pressing buisness to attend to?"
"What's in it for me?"
"Not getting eaten."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Jez looked at the unconscious Lebby then at the dragon, he’d have time to escape into the TI before Rai could reach him, but she could make rather a mess of the Info street shop. I guess they must have landed on Lebby...perhaps I should send them somewhere more out of the way next timeShrugging his shoulders from behind the screened glass he spoke through the mike.
“Fine, why not, guess that makes things even,” he said evenly. He watched Rai flash a mean smile before turning and flying out into the dense mist. Then he slipped to a corner of the booth and pressed a secret button that opened up a narrow doorway in the wall. Walking through, he stopped to observe the dense mist outside, everywhere looked unusually deserted as well. He dragged the unconscious Lebby through and into the depths of TI, shutting the door behind him. There he laid him out in one of the many spare rooms waiting until he recovered to hear what on IF was going on outside.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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The car swerved and bobbed eratticaly across the street. Bystanders, if they were in possesion of a single brain cell, jumped out of the way and silently cursed. 'Female drivers.'
Policemen not on the job would say that the car was being driven by drunks. But the females discerned the real issue.
There was a man driving, a man riding shotgun, and at least one man in the backseat. Needless to say, nobody was pulling over for directions.
"Look, is that the Palace over there?"
"No! That's the manor!"
"I swear they look just alike...Hey! MOVE!" IM honked liberally as he drove down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road.
"Shouldn't this thing have a GPS in it?"
The weapon panel rotated to reveal a directional panel. "++Please state your destination.++"
"Key's Palace."
"++Now taking you to Key's palace. Please hold on.++"
And with that, two rockets on the rear end suddenly flared into life, sending the car and the occupants skyward. A few seconds later, there was a splat of vomit travelling the opposite direction.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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Rai had to swerve to narrowly avoid being hit by the flying car full of puking passengers. "Damn drunk flyers!" She shook a massive scaley fist in their direction before realizing who was in the car. Doing a mid air loop she pounded her wings until she was flying above them.
"Do you gentlemen need help...or barf bags at least?" She smiled sweetly the passengers, since it seemed everyone but Crunchy was looking green around the gills, Crunchy was always green. As the rockets petered out Rai watched the car plummet from the sky headed straight for the massive dome that jutted from King Key's palace.
"You know if this was where you were headed you could have asked. I knew a short cut."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Sasuke was sick of puking. He squeezed out the window on his door and started flapping about in mid-air next to Rai
"Teenage wings, eh?" Rai yelled over the noise of the rockets at the back of the car.
"Yep and there very useful and fast" Sasuke cried proudly, trying to concentrate on keeping up with the car and speaking to Rai at the same time.
Rai soared closer to the car, and called to the passengers.
"Well you guys have two choices! Take a crash course in flying into walls or jump and hope Sasuke or I can catch you"
The passengers instinctively parted company with the car just before it crashed into the dome at the top of the palace. All were caught by dragon and halfbreed dragon, and they glided down towards the gates of Key's palace.
Kalanna landed gracefully, carrying IM and D on her back. Sasuke banked, wobbled, and slammed right into the gates, flinging Crunchyfrog 20 feet along the railings.
"You need to work on your landing." grumbled Crunchyfrog ungratefully, rubbing fresh bruises.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Rai dropped her passengers, she was becoming a regular pack mule, at the gates to Key's palace. With a flick of her tail she pulled Sasuke out of the bent metal bars. "Well I'm off before Key attributes the damages to me. And next time Suke...don't volunteer me for baggage duty."
Winging off Rai knew what she had to do. "It's time to pay a call to Lordy."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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LordoftheNight
Revered IFian
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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The Daemon Lord in question was bent over a map of IF and its neighbours, studing it intently. As usual while in the mortal realm, it was His human form he wore, and His long black hair fell down over His shoulders. Pale skinned and bare-chested, it was obvious visiters were not on His agenda, though He gave little sign of it.
As His moderator ring let out a single chime, the red rune enlaid across the black gold glowed with a sudden piercing light. Lazily, He reached for the moderators tool, slipping in over His left index finger.
"Yes?" Kalanna Rai's face floated into view, the draconic features clearly visible. Evidently she was in the process of travelling, from her constant movement.
"We need to talk," she replied, glancing over her shoulder, almost as if believing someone could follow her even there.
"Is it about...?" He started to ask, but she cut Him off.
"Yes, and it's important. Where can we meet?" The Daemon's black pupils traversed the interior of his chambers, more elaborate than the other mods. One of the many privilages of being Lord High Chanceller - He was able to extend himself a budget from the Treasury purely for interior design. For one thing, the blazing orange that featured so prominantly in all other Council areas was no-where to be found.
"Not here," He replied, unwilling to let her into His inner sactum. Or to let her see the other plans He was in the process of putting into motion. "The Archieves - no-one ever goes there. Not even the few tourists searching the Hall of Legends venture that far into obscurity."
Abruptly He servered the connection, banishing the image from before him. He gazed around the room once more, motioning at various maps and diagrams spread around the walls, which swiftly changed to designs more suitable for a high-ranking offical. Shrugging His shoulders, He willed clothes onto His body, before disappearing in a swirl of dark light.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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Rai snapped her jaws in irritation. "This is what I get for dealing with daemons..." Shifting course in mid wingbeat she headed for the Archives.
A few moments later the dragoness, in a semi-human shape, wadered into the massive dusty building. Lordy stepped out of the shadows. "Well? You dragged me away from something important." Rai snorted, it wasn't his life on the line out there.
"Well Lebby has been hit hard by the Dream Chamber, Sasuke has been telling everyone about the Ceremony of Release and the Soul Well, and Masterweaver has managed to whip all the Iderium Miners into a frenzy over China's blood. Why do I get the sense you've planned that." Naturally Lordy didn't reply.
"However, I did bring you this." She tossed a roll of parchment onto the dusty floor between them. "It's not the fake but it's also not the original. A copy is all you'll get from me at the moment. However, what I wanted to warn you about is D-Lotus. It seems that he has a case of amnesia, conveniant indeed. But I warn you Lordy...if he suddenly remembers I'm not going to be the one under suspicion."
"He won't remember." Rai chose to ignore the self-sasisfied smirk. "Was this all you wanted to tell me? These are trivial matters."
"No..." Enclosing them in a bubble of silence the dragon told the daemon the real problem threatening all his carefully made plans.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Lebrenth
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
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Location: Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth tosses in his sleep, as though dreaming of a fight. For a moment Jez thinks he sees a pattern, as though Lebby was performing some sort of somnambulant game of charades. The moment passes, however, when Leb props himself up on his face like an inchworm. He stands to get himself something to drink, but stops when he hears Lebrenth mumble. He gets closer:
“World of Warcraft?” Lebrenth mumbles. “That’s a red herring. What happened to the Wuidum... mibbity.”
Then Lebrenth rolls onto the ground with a thump.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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LordoftheNight
Revered IFian
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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"Three hmm?" The devil-spawn spat. "Why is it always Three - can't they ever use an original curse?" Shaking His head ruefully, He considered the options at hand.
"Hmm....the IFians you mentioned - MasterWeaver," at which point the daemon shuddered, His palms clenching, "Sasuke and D. Is there any chance they're staying together?" At Rai's nodded assent, He smiled.
"Excellent. It seems we already have three perfect...subjects. Though I'd prefer not to use D - someone might notice if he goes missing," He mused. "Regardless - by the time anyone realises, it'll be far too late to stop us."
"Here's what we're going to do - you left Lebrenth with Jez correct? I'll go to him, and try to get him up and about - we can't have people sleeping on the job, no matter what I'm doing in the meantime. You go find our test subjects, and try to steer them in the proper direction."
After a few more moments talk, the pair seperated. Rai shrugged her shoulders, her human form sliping away like water. Great wings burst from her shoulderblades, and the dragon took off, flying back int the direction of the Key's Palace.
The Daemon watched her go with interest. A smile twisted acroos His face, and he knelt, picking the copy of the map up from the ground. Unfurling it, he looked at the areas Rai has marked, before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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"Ready guys? If it shoots, move it...err...wait. Damn dyslexia."
IM kicked at the door. The door remained firmly shut, and there was a small crunching noise. IM then reverted to hopping on one leg while looking for the proper healing spell. Then, in a fit of revenge, IM turned his blaster to full power and blasted the door.
The whole front of the palace dissapeared. IM smiled casually and began to work his way towards the inner chambers of King Key.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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As they made their way, IM, Sasuke, Crunchy and D-Lotus barely had time to compose themselves when they realised more crowds of baying IFians were gathering at the Mayoral Mansion next door. There seemed to be even more than before, D thought...although it was difficult to tell through the fog.
The fog...
"Listen..." he said, suddenly, as IM was fiddling on a security keypad on a door in one of the now exposed rooms in the palace.
"Yeah yeah, I hear it, lots of noise, rabble, shouting..."
"No... LISTEN!!!" Everyone stopped for a moment.
The fog sighed past them, voices whispering within it. A feeling of forboding came over Crunchy and Sasuke. Crunchy's eyes glazed for a moment.
"I never met this Chinaren yet, but is he really such a bloodthirsty mayor?" burbled Crunchy half to himself, half to his companions. "Perhaps we should get rid of him, you know"
"Where did you get that thought from?" demanded D.
"I dont know... Just now...I felt... heard... a voice..." faltered Crunchy.
"EXACTLY!!!!" said D. "Dont give into it." He turned to IM. "This fog. It's everywhere. I would guarantee it came from the Soul Well. It's been here since this morning. We could see it hanging over the city from where we were on the gorge."
"Are you saying that this fog contains escaped souls?" asked IM.
"Possibly thousands of them. And somehow it is influencing whatever citizens are still left here" replied D. "I believe the Exorcised Souls have returned to the City of IF!!!!"
The impact of this statement was shortlived, as the sound of shattering glass could be heard from the Mayoral Mansion.
"Oh heck.." said Crunchy. "What happens if the crowd notice that most of the front of the palace has disappeared?"
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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IM quickly looked through the room he was in. If his memory hadn't failed him, then the button he was looking for would be right about...
Aha! IM pressed the button under Key's rug. A wall slid back to reveal...
"Another wall."
"Yes, but it's one of the walls exported directly from the old aHEM guildhouse. Quickly, touch this briiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccckkkkkkkkk."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 592
Location: The middle of anywhere...
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:09 am Post subject: |
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Jez continued to check at irregular intervals how Lebby was doing, but there wasn't much change, funny, he seems almost delusional...perhaps I should try using one of my experimental potions... Maybe it would have worked, but the side affects of such potions were relatively untested...still...
As it happened Lebby was spared any such happenings by the red light flashing again. 'Popular today' muttered Jez, irratably, as he left the snug roomy confines of the TI and walked back into the Info Street back room. There through the glass he saw the creepy human form of Lordy.
"Er...hi Lordy...?"
"I hear you have Lebrenth," Lordy replied, not missing a beat, "I came to sort him out." JezSharp wasn't sure whether to trust him, but decided he really had no choice, considering he was in charge of the City's Budget.
"Sure," Jez replied, opening the secret door that led from the public to the private section of the Info Booth, "he's right this way."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Meanwhile....
".......iiiiiiiiiccck!!!!"
THUMP!!!
THUD THUD!!!
SPLAT!!!
"Ugh, what have I landed in?"
"What has who landed in? I can't see a thing. "
"It's pitch black in here.... OW!! that's my toe you're standing on you moron!!!"
"Who you calling a...."
"Ideamaster, do I take it you touched the wrong brick?" suggested D.
The foursome stood in complete and utter darkness.
"Do you have any idea where we are?" ventured Crunchyfrog.
"Will do as soon as I find a lightswitch... Errgh!!! These walls are slimy..." exclaimed IM as he wiped his hands on his clothes. Of course nobody could see him do it, it was pitch black.
"No lightswitches in here, I guess..." said Sasuke, helpfully.
"So does anyone have a light?" suggested Crunchyfrog.
Silence.
*Cough cough*.... *Splutter*... *Sniffle*
And then there was light. Well, not much. A tiny flame about the size of a small candle burned steadily from Sasuke's left nostril.
"Cooooooool!" said Crunchyfrog.
"Shnerfluntblabldahlditlong..." grunted Sasuke.
"What did he say?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"He said Shnerfluntblabldahulditlong." replied IM. "It's obvious. He shan't be able to hold it long. Good grief..."
They looked at their new rather damp and smelly environment.
"So is this the Guildhouse?" asked Crunchyfrog brightly.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:09 am Post subject: |
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"No, this is the passageway to Key's inner chambers. I don't remember them being so...slimy though. Let me find my normal spell book..."
IM rummaged a bit in his robes, then pulled out a small book. "Sasuke, could you bring your nose over here?"
There was a small shuffling, a cry of 'watch it, that's my foot,' and then, there was light. A small orb of light hovered over IM's head, and with a gesture, the orb split into four other orbs. Then the group examined where they were, and they almost wished they hadn't asked for any light.
The walls were covered in green slime. If there had been no slime, they the walls would have been lined with corpses. A tunnel lead them onwards where there were odd skittering noises. IM pulled out his gun. "Well? Shall we?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Jez was careful not to let Lordy see the full size of the TI...actually he was very careful Lordy should see as little of the TI as possible given it was only supposed to consist of a few underground laboratories and not a riddled maze of complex tunnels and rooms, hidden behind panneled doors, that ran beneath the chaotic city overhead.
Quickly he led Lordy to Lebby who was still lying unconcious upon the floor,
"He keeps waking up and muttering about 'World of Warcraft and some Weedum stuff', sounds rather delusional to me," said Jez as he stepped back to let Lordy examine the stricken Lebby, "I wasn't quite sure what he needed, I thought about a dosing him with a reality drug made by creating an antibody to some of the more exoctic fantasy forest plant life - but I don't quite know what side affects that may have...is there an easier way to cure him?"
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LordoftheNight
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Joined: 11 Aug 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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The daemon gave an elaborate shrug, and knelt, examing Lebrenth's prone body. Taking hold of the Skiffy moderator by the chin, he pulled the unconcious body upwards, and dangled it off the ground. He peered at the rapidly fluttering eyelids of the illusion given form, before turning to face Jez.
"To be honest, I was just going to hit him until I got a reaction. I do have better things to do with my time afterall." Before Jez could raise a protest He continued. "Your way does sound more practical and effiecent. Less fun though."
"It will take some time to prepare," the elven moderator explained, but was cut off with a wave of the Chancellor's hand.
"Take your time - he's not going anywhere." Returning His gaze to Lebreneth, He stared for a few moments longer, before allowing the counciller to drop to the floor. "Do you know what happened?"
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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Meanwhile, in a clammy tunnel, four shuddering figures huddled together as they walked. The dripping slime uncomforted them.
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" asked Sasuke, who was having problems cramping his slight wings below the tunnel ceiling. He had ceased his flame; instead, four revolving light orbs led the way.
"Of course," said IM, averting Sasuke's gaze, "I've been here thousands of times."
D and Crunchy ignored the doubtful reassurance, focusing instead on what was ahead of them. The slime, green and viscous, was resuscitating unclear memories in D's mind.
"I remember something about this tunnel." said D, clasping the bridge of his nose as he tried to remember. The tunnel walls had been constructed with cheap mortar, in a circular shape- like those of sewers. It certainly smelled like that. As they walked, their eyes searching beyond the orbs, the smell began to subside.
"See? I told you we'd be getting out of here." IM said smartly, as the signs of an expanding route increased. But D-Lotus' memory told him otherwise. There was something sharper in the air, that he could almost identify. Suddenly, they reached a large open area surrounded by high rocks, over which iron crossbars acted as a ceiling. You could observe a large chair above looking into the cage-like arena. D-Lotus was suddenly overcome by the memory of the arena, and he urgently grabbed IM's arm, but it was too late; Crunchyfrog was already staring beyond.
"Oh, Dear God." he whispered without averting his eyes.
From behind the shadows, a giant slug emerged. It was wearing an enormous saddle over its back, and it brayed pathetically, yet terrifyingly. Slime dripped from its body as it slid into the middle of the arena.
"Ethereal Fauna..." gulped D, as the monster, one of Chinaren's GREEDy creations stumbled forth. "That accounts for her disapearance."
IM waited no longer- he pulled out his gun and shot at the creature. The creature reared on its hind suckers, in agony, but then it began advancing towards them again.
"It doesn't have enough Idearium in it to harm it enough!" yelled Sasuke, who seemed nervous, due to the flying limitation that the bars on top of them created. He'd probably be nervous anyway, all of them were.
"Crap..." murmured IM.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Sasuke
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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"Wait, the mushrooms!!" cried Sasuke.
"What about the mushrooms?" replied Crunchyfrog.
"The mushrooms we took with us from the caves. They help you see through deception, right? So they'll be packed full of Idearium. C'mere Crunchy" Sasuke said. "How many mushrooms do we have left?"
As D and Crunchy took out all the mushrooms from their pockets and counted them, Sasuke stretched his wings trying not to let his claustrophobia come to the surface.
"Around, ten" Crunchy answered.
"Perfect."
Grabbing D and Crunchyfrog, Sasuke lifted them both and hurtled along, flying just below the cage ceiling.
"Errgh, slow it down, please Sasuke" moaned Crunchy as he puked again. Flying wasn't his thing.
"No time!! Throw the mushrooms at the beast!!" ordered Sasuke. "D can get a shot at it... This may be our only chance..."
As the mushrooms made contact with the slug they started to dissolve in the slime, fizzing and making the beast squeal.
FLASH!!!! KABLAAAM!!!
A single shot fired from D's Stupidium gun vapourised their foe.
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Xansta
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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"Right," said Xansta. "My newfound flaming ability seems to be acting strangely as well." The flames shaped themselves to look like the cloth of a yellow, orange and red dress. The fashionably flaming frock flattered Xansta's figure. She twirled fetchingly.
"Hey, weren't you male yesterday," said Masterweaver.
"Probably," said Xansta. "I'm either male or female depending on the number of stars I count. The switches can be disconcerting, so I avoid counting stars whenever possible. Sometimes, it just happens, though."
"What gender were you in your former IF life?"
Xansta thought about it intently. "I don't exactly remember," she said at last. She climed the spiral stairs back to street level. "We need to investigate this fog more closely," she said heading towards the quietest part of the fog.
"Wait," called out Masterweaver as he hurried to catch up to her, "don't you think that's a little dangerous?"
"Maybe," Xansta grunted as she found that the fog seemed to be pushing back. She reached a point in her struggles where she appeared to be leaning into a tornado by looking at her combustion-inducing clothing. Masterweaver a few feet behind her moved to the side to avoid the licking lace. He, too, seemed unable to penetrate the fog any further.
With a loud crack and a bright flash, Xansta staggered through the invisible barrier. Her flames no longer burning brightly seemed rather to have become simple clothing. She got slowly to her feet, examining herself inquisitively. "The fog apparently removed my flaming ability," she said wonderingly.
"Don't leave me out here in this hostile fog," pleaded Masterweaver.
"Seems I have little choice," said Xansta. She turned and headed deeper into the fog. A trap door opened underneath her and after a fall, slide and a tingling sensation, she found herself in some sort of palace or castle dungeon.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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Dealing with the danger in such an interesting manner, D couldn't help a tinge of sadness taking over. Ethereal Fauna had been a friend before her monstrous conversion.
But such thoughts were interrupted by a voice, coughing and mumbling. The shadow of a hunchback stood against the arena wall. He stared in from above and moaned.
"We're sorry for the damage. Is Key around?" asked IM after his hurried apology.
The unknown IFian only moaned again, giving no sign of his intentions...
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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IM was now minorly shaken. "Okay guys, hang on a second. I'm going to try opening a portal..."
IM tapped his fingers together and a spark of magic appeared, hovering, doing nothing just yet. He pinched the spark and tugged, pulling it into a line, then rotating it into a disk. Finally, he spun the disk so that it became a sphere of pure magic, blue and white colored.
That is, it looked like that to any mage trained to see magic.
"IM? Could you do the portal thing today please?" D was impatient to say the least. All he saw was fancy hand movements.
IM bent his thoughts towards Key, and then let loose the sphere. What he got wasn't what he wanted. He got a Key-compass.
"What is that thing?" D asked.
"It's a Key-compass. And Key is...just up ahead, hopefully. Come on." IM held the compass in one hand and his gun in another and bravely led the group onwards.
He didn't even think about his ancient spellbook that he had accidently dropped back in the battle with the Fauna Slug...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:05 am Post subject: |
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| "Do I know what happened?" Jez asked incredulously, "Rai just dropped him here unconcious and flew off...Anyway I guess I'd better start preparing the potion...you're welcome to stay of course, but I'm guessing you have more pressing concerns at the moment..." Jez's eyes narrowed, "has this got anything to do with the sudden appearence of thick fog over the area?"
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:13 am Post subject: |
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Rai had been about to go hunting for IM, D, Crunchy, and Sasuke, when one of her gems flashed alarmingly. "Someone's using my tunnel." Rai didn't know who had found out about her secret tunnel from the old aHEM guildhouse to Key's Palace but they'd not only be traveling very close to Chinaren's arena, and Rai Corp.'s Deathmatch ring, but also close to her Hoard.
She flashed to Jester Park as fast as she could, scooting past an irate Dinranwen, and let herself into the guildhouse without a sound. Traveling down to her Hoard she slid in past that into a room where horror upon horror had happened...all thanks to a pencil called Stubby and a strange teleporter/cloning chamber.
"Well it's not my passage they're using...it must be the other one. I should never have let Key have that wall." Stepping through her private passage Rai noticed the signs of a battle that had recently taken place. "Looks like they ran into Flauna...oh and isn't IM getting careless."
Reaching down Rai picked up the spellbook IM had dropped, leafing through it causually. "Humm, naughty boy. Where did you get the Seven Curses of Dralico." For a moment Rai uttered several draconic curses before slamming the book shut and tossing it into secure magical storage. "I'd better hang onto this. Who knows what would happen if a mortal attempted to use this."
Walking confidantly down the tunnel, tracking them by IM's magical aura and Sasuke's odd half-dragon scent, Rai shook her head. "Oh I'm going to give them a piece of my mind. Next time they use anything from Jester Park they'd better make sure they've got a guide...or at least a how to use manual."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Suddenly an oppressive feeling took over D-Lotus. It was as if he could feel something creeping down the tunnel behind them. Perhaps this was part of his powers, as IM had mentioned? The more memories he regained, the more he felt in control of himself.
"I think we better start moving, guys." D said, accelerating his pace.
"Why?" asked CF.
"I have a strange feeling that someone is following us. I don't know who, but considering the slug we just met, this could be it's mate." D extrapolated.
"Trust him." IM spoke without doubt. He had heard of D's 'sleuth senses'. As they all began walking steadily and quickly, the tunnel began compressing. The ceiling wasn't getting any lower, but the width of the tunnel soon forced the foursome to walk in a line, one after the other. Sasuke was complaining about his wings again. At one point, the width stabilized, but the height began shrinking, until all four were forced to crawl on their knees. At this point, the tunnel started heading upwards. The crawling was tough, and everyone shouted encouragement to one another. D still felt like he was being followed, and whatever it was, it was catching up. Finally, the walls turned into hard aluminium walls, and they found themselves dragging their bodies through sheets of hard plated metal.
Sighting some light, IM scrambled as well as he could towards it. He punched in the light's general direction and more light streamed forth after a brief clattering sound, as of a lid falling to the ground. IM pulled himself out tiredly, and fell to the floor in a thump. The others followed him and soon they were all contemplating a giant, deserted kitchen. They had just crawled out from some old, inactive vent. Sasuke stretched out his wings happily.
"Where do we go?" asked Crunchy.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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((*Dinranwen popping in Hangover for the first time, realizes exactly what it is.*My, this isn't what I thought it was. I'll join, and look I have great opening. Yay me!))
An very irate frazzled and ruffled Din was standing in front of an open window in the Jester Park Mod office when Rai came flying through ruffly shoving her aside, and tearing her already tattered cloak even further.
"Hey!" Din cried to the tail end of Rai as began to swing behind the dragoness. Why was her co-mod in such a rush? And where was Rai going anyway?
Too frazzled, frayed, and frustrated to even care what would happen to her in Rai's precious treasury room, Din stormed into the door barely catching it before it slamed with a loud bang.
Catching a glimsps of Rai's departing tail, Din vainly try to yank her hood over her face. Her efforts were in vain. Her hood was in the same state as the rest of her cloak, more hole than fabric. To make matters worse, Din suspected that with the tears her cloak was doing more harm than it helped hid her face.
Giving up with a frustrated toss of her hand, Din lifted up the hem of her dress to reveal her patent leather no heel boots and ran after her co-mod.
Forgetting to look where she was running, Din lifted her head a minute or two to gaze in front of her. Snap! she thought, as she dug her heels into the floor. But she was too late, she was already skidding across the too slippery floor and was sliding...sliding. Smack! Right into Rai's hind leg.
Landing her backside, Din rubbed the tender areas she probably just permantly bruised.
"Din! What in the world *((well actually it wasn't world that Rai said, but hey this is a pg site now.)) are you doing here? Go back to the office right this minute young lady." Rai said begining to shove Din across the floor with a spare talon.
"Where have I been?" Din foamed standing up and straigtening her cloak. "Where I have been?!? I have spent the last ten hours warding off a group of mass murders who tried to bore me to death with tales of RL, Manic Miner Rebells who are frantically looking for Chinaren's immediate demise last I checked. I had neutralize a batch of stupidum that manganed to mix with the Local Jester Park Cotton Candy and then tried to consume everything it touch into obvilion. Had to manage the mass panic as even the Lab rats freaked out at the sight of untangiable mist that seems to be made of out Dead Souls. Was forced to cram L.A.N.D.I. in a box because he declares himself as the new mod, tries to kill me, and turns out to be the leader of rebelling clown group who are trying to take over Jester Park. Clowns, that I have spent btw pelting with ordinary cherrie pies because they managed to get a hold of the Storygame Cherrie Boomer 2000 Factory. And you ask me where I have Been!" Din finished panting nearly screaming now.
"Where have you been instead of in Jester Park where you could have helped me?" Din accused waving a finger at Rai, "I am only a half-shadow you know, there's not much I can do against the armies of Jester Park."
"I have been busy okay." Rai said raising an eyebrow at Din's rantings and not lossing her cool for a minute. "Now go back and play with the clowns dearie, it's not safe here."
"No." Din said setting her foot down with a slam. An effect which was ruined by what Din stepped in....ewww, gross just what was in this tunnel anyway? "This time I'm not crawling back to safety like a scolded child. I am no coward you know."
"I am not arguing with you. No go back before I spell you back there and chain you to you chair."
"No, you are going to take me with, and willing too." Din said pulling her cloak tight against herself as if it could actually protect her from what could be ahead. "Or I am going to tell everyone where your Real Lair is."
"You wouldn't dare."
Din raised an eyebrow, "Try me."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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IM looked at his compass. It was pointing east and upwards. "He's upstairs, for one. I, however, am hungry."
Thus saying, IM began to look about the kitchen for any food. Hmm. A few chocolate cake mixes, a little bit of flavoring, some eggs, some butter, and chocolate chips. While IM magically levitated and mixed the ingrediants, he began looking for some milk, or possibly rum. Maybe some Grog, Gungle Juice, or Old Stoat Reserve.
The ingrediants had become a huge mass of cookie batter, which seperated itself into dozens of tiny balls. Those balls began to heat up and cook outwards in all directions, then cool down and assume a smaller, more rigid form. Then they all flew onto a large but previously unnoticed plate.
"Anyone care for some spherical double chocolate chip cookies?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: |
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"Oh that's a sea of dispensed souls who've escaped and are spreading anti China sentiment about the city...I think China may have gone into hiding."
"Really..."said Jez in a voice infused with deep thinking, "well I'll only be a few minutes so you are welcome to stay and watch."
"Wouldn't miss it," Lordy replied, a malicious grin touching the corners of his mouth.
It did indeed take four minutes, then Jez returned carrying a white ceramic jug filled with a light purple liquid with the aroma of damp moss, it looked as though pieces of grass had lived their for some time. Slowly Jez gently pouredthe mixture down Lebby's throat and stood well back looking anxious.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Rai looked at Din, grinning nastily. If she's going to threaten me well then...this changes things a bit. She set off briskly down the tunnel.
"Fine, fine, follow me. I do hope you can handle it though."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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After having throughly sampled his newest creation and saving the other five dozen cookies for later rations, IM led the way towards the upper floor of the eastern wing, where Key was said to sleep, if he got any sleep at all. The stairs were wider than Key, which was saying a lot, and the door showed signs of recent renovation. Key was putting on pounds again.
IM carefully opened the door and peeked in. Barely a second later, he screamed and ran away from the door, holding his hands up to his eyes. The compass rolled to the floor, and D picked it up, reading it carefully. "Key is in there or beyond there somewhere. Judging by IM's reaction, we'll have to be blindfolded. I'll go in there, no sense in everyone dying. Do we have some cloth?"
There was a scuffle, and IM held up a hank of cloth. D put it on tightly over his eyes, took a deep breath, and went in.
"There goes a brave man," Sasuke said.
"A brilliant detective," IM said through stifled screams and sobs.
"I wonder if I can clean his house out when he's gone?" CrunchFrog mused.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:50 am Post subject: |
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The Story So Far...
As the sun rose on New Years Day in the City of IF, it was clear that all was not well.
During the celebrations the night before, there had been an almighty flash of lightning, and IFians had been seen fleeing the city.
At some point during the evenings proceedings, the Master Map of the City had been stolen. Although this had later turned out to be a fake (leading to the question, where in IF was the real one?) it still did not explain why the fake one had been planted on Crunchyfrog, (hapless Newbie) and why he, along with D-Lotus, (Private Investigator) had found themselves clinging to a ledge on a cliff face in the gorge, which happened to be the entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels, with no memory of how they got there.
They were not in possession of the map for long that morning, since Kalanna snatched it from them saying it should be returned to the City, but instead, unknown to D and Crunchy, she kept it and provided a copy of it to Lordofthenight, with certain areas circled on it. Hmmm....
The labyrinth, turned out to contain the Soul Well. The Soul Well had been created some time previously, when it had become necessary to exorcise several thousand 'soulless IFians' from the city. After the Mass Exorcism, Chinaren, the Mayor, had performed the Ceremony of Release, casting the exorcised souls into the Wells. This had been silently witnessed by Sasuke, a half breed dragon, who had been trapped in the labyrinth for a rather long period, and is searching for the identity of his father.
Since the New Year celebrations, a strange fog has been hanging over the city. It has been discovered that fog is a manifestation of the Souls from the Well. Whispers from within the fog are currently whipping the remaining citizens of IF into a frenzied mob, using suggestions that Mayor Chinaren is looking to kill them at any whim. They are rampaging the streets, and smashing up the Mayoral Mansion. Fortunately for Chinaren, he is not at home.
D-Lotus is suffering from amnesia. The cause of it is not yet clear, but has thought to have occured as a result of the 'event' at the New Year celebration. All he can remember is his name, profession, and the people he knows in the City - he has no recollection of prior events, recent or long term. This includes a prior encounter with BStheGreat, for which BS seems to want revenge.
Polokin, having received requests for assistance from D-Lotus and BS prior to the opening of this story, has chosen to assist BS in his quest to hunt D-Lotus down.
Polokin hides a secret from them both, in the form of an object concealed in his pocket.
On returning to the City, after his escape from the ledge via the labyrinth, D told IM of his adventures, the fake map, the well and his concerns about Kalanna's odd behaviour. IM decided the best thing to do was to find Key.
Kalanna Rai is now also hunting D-Lotus. She has been sent on this mission by Lordofthenight, who has plans for D-Lotus, as a 'test subject'... The other selected 'test subjects' are Sasuke and Masterweaver.
Her mission, is to guide the three 'test subjects' in the right 'directions', for whatever dastardly reasons, as yet unrevealed. Lordofthenight and Kalanna are also hoping that D-Lotus does not 'remember' something, although what this is, is not yet known.
Dinranwen, having spent the last 10 hours dealing with the rather weird events unfolding in Jester Park since the New Years party, has decided to join Kalanna in her hunt for D and his friends.
Lebrenth, the Skiffy moderator, whilst answering a routine call of duty, attempted to teleport himself from the Skiffy Library to the Council Hall became diverted to the Dream Chamber, and succumbed to the mists within. Now Jezsharp, the Tourist Information elf, along with Lordofthenight, (who is officially Up To No Good) are doing what they can to revive him from unconciousness.
* * *
Currently Lordofthenight and Jezsharp are in Jezsharp's Tourist Information Headquarters, pouring a rather intriguing purple liquid with bits growing in it, down the unconcious Lebrebth's throat.
Masterweaver, who had *ahem* 'assisted' D, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke in the labyrinth earlier on in the story, has been accosted by a strange figure claiming to be Chinaren.
Whether this is really Chinaren, or another of his many delusions, or an imposter, is yet to be revealed.
Xansta, who D, Crunchyfrog, Masterweaver and Sasuke had encountered near Jester Park on their escape from the labyrinth has just fallen through a trap door into some kind of a palace or castle dungeon. (Xansta was an IFian from before the Mass Exorcism, but was somehow affected by it. He/she was trapped in the labyrinth and only escaped recently, and had no interaction with any IFian since that time)
After slaying the Etherial Fauna slug, and navigating some pretty vile tunnels, Ideamaster, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke are now outside Key's sleeping chamber in the Royal Palace. D has just entered the chamber, blindfolded, due to something horrific IM has seen inside. Even though he is starting to recover the special powers that he had forgotten about due to his amnesia, this has not stopped Ideamaster sobbing and screaming uncontrollably, and Crunchyfrog wondering if he can get his hands on D's possessions after he's gone...
Kalanna, is also in the Royal Palace, but still in the underground tunnel some way behind the four heroes she is hunting. She is in possession of Ideamaster's spellbook which IM carelessly dropped after overcoming the slug. She has reluctantly agreed for Dinranwen to accomany her, after Din threatened to reveal where Kalanna's real lair was.
And just who is the hunchback in the tunnels under the Royal Palace?
Chapter 4 - Assassination, Domination, and Sado-Masochism 
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:47 am; edited 2 times in total
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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Rai sighed as she walked down the tunnel, Din gliding along a few paces behind. My real Lair eh? She's got no clue, none at all. Still I don't like it when people try to blackmail me like that. Rounding a corner she came upon a set of stairs that led upwards. Following them she found the party she'd been tracking, minus D-Lotus, attempting to put IM back in his right mind.
"Hello all, once again we meet under strange circumstances. Where's D?" They all pointed to the doorway and Rai shuddered. "Oh sweet DM, you sent him in there! The last time I went in there I turned white for...well I suppose you took precautions."
"We blindfolded him." Rai shook her head.
"It won't be enough, not to withstand that." She swallowed hard. "I'm going in."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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Once again, as D-Lotus stepped into the room blind-folded, he had a wave of apprehension pass over him. Ignoring this now, D advanced through the room, his arms outstretched. The first thing that battered him was the horrible smell, as of rotting flesh. He grabbed in the air for the wall, to guide himself along. Secondly, he heard grunting and the sound of smacking, although it wasn't anything like Akon's* song envisions.
D-Lotus retreated against the near left corner of the room. On an impulse, he opened his blindfold, only a crack. What he saw... it was of a level of degenerate visual that cannot easily be described. A man was spanking himself with what appeared to be a paddle in the hand of a stuffed witch, Stoat. Shuddering, D-Lotus realized that the man, most probably General Powers, from a Greed story, was so involved in these...motions, that he hadn't noticed D. Looking beyond the enormous bed where these actions were being carried about, D spotted the door leading, he sensed, towards Key, or at least someone else who could help. The key was dangerously balanced at the edge of the bed, titilating in accord with the bed's motion.
Putting his blindfold on again, D rushed towards the bed and instinctively grabbed the key. Powers suddenly stopped and shouted something at D, but D had already reached the door and was unlocking it. But as he was pulling the door open, the other entrance door burst open, and Kalanna Rai poked her scaly red head in, searching for D with her eyes. Some primeval feeling took over D again, and he ran through the door, locking it behind him. He heard Powers begin to shout at Kalanna violently, angrily. Kalanna's silence seemed to indicate that she was somewhat intimidated, especially after having interrupted the privacy of his leisure.
D immediately began to look for a way out, before both the mods agreed on something.
"Hello." said a voice.
D looked around. Then he looked down at the key he still held in his hand. "Key?"
__
*The hip-hop singer
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:51 am Post subject: |
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Outside the room, IM looked around at Dinranwen, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke, as he could hear a strange knocking noise. At first he thought it might have been Kalanna banging at the door to come out. Then he realised it was Crunchyfrog's knees knocking together. The howling and shouting coming from within the room sounded terrifying.
The fact that Kalanna could no longer be heard was now even more terrifying....
* * *
Meanwhile, in the TI, Lordofthenight and Jezsharp quietly continued to watch closely for any change in Lebrenth's unconscious state after the administration of the purplish mossy smelling liquid.
They were unaware that plumes of fire were rising in the financial quarter of the city. The Bank of Chinaren had been looted, and the jubilant crowds, now enriched with thousands of fables stuffed into their pockets, clothes, bags and shoes, were marching through the city towards the Market Bizarre, to pillage his Avatar shop, with flame torches and makeshift placards, shouting "Down With Chinaren!! We Want A NEW MAYOR!!!" DOWN WITH CHINAREN!!!" "WE WANT A NEW MAYOR!!!"
The fog swirled around the crowds, whispering, suggesting, almost egging them on in their crazed revolt....
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LordoftheNight
Revered IFian
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
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Location: Hell
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:54 am Post subject: |
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As they watched, Lebrenth's body began to twitch. His fingers trembling. The shivers continued up his limbs to his chest, until he entire body was shaking.
"You were right," spoke the Daemon in amusement. "This is fun." It was mere misfortune, prehaps, that at His words the unconcious moderator's twitchings became more violent. One of Lebrenth's nigh on flailing limbs came crashing against the Chanceller's leg, Jez leaping away just in time to avoid a similar blow.
"Prehaps I gave him a bit too much," the elf commented with a studical interest. "The potion is designed for elven-kind afterall, and a mortal body may suffer slightly modified effects."
"Really?" the Daemon replied, His voice dripping with sarcasum. "I assumed this was supposed to happen. Why administer potions to someone without the expectation of such a mishap?"
With the state his unconcious body was in, one could only assume what was happening within Lenrenth's mind, the inital target of the medicinal potion.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
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Location: The middle of anywhere...
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Lebrenth convulsed several times and turned green. On the plus side he had been jolted out of his far off RL coma. He sat up and blinked, staring at the smooth grey walls, lit by ever burning candles.
"Where am I...and why am I green?" he said incredulously.
"Oops" muttered Jez, "side affect of some of the fantasy plant matter, don't worry I have an antidote somewhere. Everything will hopefully be ok." With that the elf slipped back into his laboratory and started to rummage about for the antidote, returning within a minute with a red vial which he handed to Lebrenth who sniffed at it depreciatingly,
"It smells of rotten flesh," he said as he drunk it,
"Not far off," Jez replied, "it's made from the squeezed skin of a deer amongst other things, I think it was still within the sell by date...but I haven't checked for a while..." Lordy's grin increased slightly as he observed Lebrenth half-choke on the liquid, but it had the desired affect - within minutes Lebrenth was back to his usual color (assuming that is pinkish...).
"Ok," said Jez, "so in summary a sea of should has descended on the City stirring up anti Chinatic sentimentalities within the local populace with the mentioned target of such anger having temporarily vanished to an unknown destination...in which case I have places to go . . . either of you is welcome to join me but you'll have to decide now, or go and attend to whatever you need to do, is there anything else going on we should know of Lordy?"
The other two just about caught the last part of the speech, Lebrenth still letting the last of the first mixture clear away strands of RL from his head and Lordy still standing there like a grotesque statue, carved from chalk, of a medieval goth - the same half smile fixed upon his lips.
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LordoftheNight
Revered IFian
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
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Location: Hell
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:38 am Post subject: |
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"From what Rai told me, MasterWeaver is causing trouble again. Apparently he's the one causing riots in the city. With the Mayor missing, and his Highness Kinky mainly away from the city, I suppose it falls to me to go and deal with them." The Daemon paused, as if considering His next words.
"I've had word that China might be away longer than expected. As the City Council members, it's best if we show a united front under such circumstances. Jez - could you and Lebrenth call a Council meeting?"
Still dizzy from the potion, Lebrenth stared blankly at the Daemon. Jez, on the other hand, nodded his consent.
"I can't do it now though - I've got places to go first," the elf replied, unwilling to explain the reasoning behind where he was traveling.
"That's probably for the best. Does five hours suit you? It'll also give the other members time to prepare - I need to know who started this, and what's causing it." He looked at the Skiffy councilor, who was still slightly out of it. "Lebrenth - you stay with Jez. I don't want you taking yourself out again."
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
Last edited by LordoftheNight on Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:00 am Post subject: |
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Rai lounged quietly on the large bed that had belonged to Key until a few minutes ago. It wasn't as bad as last time...not nearly. Bringing a talon up to her fangs she fished around a bit until she pulled out what was bothering her...a rubber mask that had until moments ago adorned the head of General Powers.
"A bit of a let down really...the man behind the mask really was quite bland and flavorless...unless you count the lingering taste of rubber." Sighing she rose off the bed gracefully and towards the door where D-Lotus had disappeared moments before. Assuming semi-human form, there was no two ways about this, she tried the knob. "Why do they always think locking it will keep me out? Don't they realize that you've got to have at least twenty levels of Rogue to be a decent assassin?"
Pulling out a set of custom lock picks from one of her mod jewels Rai inserted several into the lock, humming a cute tune as she swiveled them around. After only a few delicate motions she was rewarded by a soft click. "Bingo." Replacing the picks from whence they came, Rai walked into the room...and had to duck as D-Lotus swung down at her head with the massive key.
"Take that!" Reaching up and catching the unbalanced D in a rather nasty immobilization hold Rai hissed in his ear.
"Idiot! I'm the freaking rescue party!" After all she was going through to save his life...was it really worth it ?
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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IM had finally managed to get his mind in the right order. It had taken some doing, but there was nothing one perversion couldn't do that another perversion couldn't undo. Mind, even that one second of Powers was enough of a solvent for most of his issues..
He heard a thumping noise. Kalanna Rai had just dragged D out from that cesspool of a room. IM noticed that D was completely out. "Was that absolutely required?"
"Probably not, but it made me feel better," Rai answered.
IM sighed and said, "Well, we're no closer to finding Key now."
"You called?"
Everyone looked about, seeing no additional people. IM hesitantly asked, "Key?"
"Down here."
Everybody looked at the prone figure of D. "No no, not D-Lotus! Me! I'm in his right hand!"
IM carefully picked up the key. "Key? Is that really you?"
"No, it's the invisible man! OF COURSE IT'S ME!"
IM frantically checked for his ancient spellbook. "Oh no. This can't be good."
"What?" CrunchyFrog asked.
"I've lost my ancient spellbook. If someone else picks it up and reads from it, then who knows what could happen? Plus, it's the only book I know of that can undo a transformation spell this powerful. I need to get it back!"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Doing her absolute best not to grin, and succeeding, Rai returned to her dragon form before slowly looking at IM. "If I'm not much mistaken you did file a copy of that book with the IF Hazardous Items department." The dragoness grimaced; those damn gremlins in IFHI had been after her for months asking for permission to poke around in her Horde for contraband. Of course there was contraband in her Horde but that was beside the point.
"I'm also pretty sure these tunnels lead right under that wing of the Council Hall." Looking around Rai sniffed the air a bit and consulted her mod gem before finding the tunnel exit she was looking for. "Ah here it is...this way please." Picking up D in her jaws she headed off, the darkness bothering her not one bit.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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Jez nodded as Lordy left and headed back up to the surface, and towards the Tourist Info portals. When he was sure he had left Jez turned to Lebrenth,
"Right, ok. We need to alert the Council that there will be a meeting in five hours, given that most council members are too busy dashing about to check their mail we'd better send out urgent messages at once...follow me." Lebrenth slowly got up and carefully followed Jez up the flight of stairs into the back of the Tourist Info booth. They walked past the mike to the far wall where Jez put his hand on the wall and mumbled a word, a trapdoor opened and a ladder fell from it.
"Can you make it up?" Jez asked Lebrenth, who nodded as his strength returned. It took a few minutes but he finally made it, stumbling into a cozy wooden room, with computers, a fridge and an assortment of games and sketches.
"Ok, you'll need to log onto the IF network as a guest," Jez yelled up from below...he waited a few minutes until he heard Lebrenth call down,
"Right I've written the messages, where should we meet?" Jez considered the question thoughtfully..."Given the anti-China sentiment I'd suggest Key's Palace or the Fantasy Forest - your call though, there's food in the fridge by the way."
"Food...why would..." With a hiss the ladder retracted and the trapdoor shut, as it did so Jez's voice echoed up from below,
"As I said I have somewhere to go, but you should be safe up there until I return." Then, swiveling on the spot Jez headed down into the depths of The Technical Institute, sealing the impenetrable door shut behind him, before heading to collect a very special object.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Din who was beginning to wonder if she really head back to Jester Park, obediently followed IM, Rai, D-lotus, Crunch-Frog, and a key that was claiming to Key himself. When Din threatened Rai, she hadn't really ment anything by it. Of course to really fullifill her threat she would of had to known where exactly Rai's lair was, and of course Din didn't actually know that.
But then again, Rai didn't like to be threatened, blackmailed, or any such things. On the other hand, if Din hadn't threatened to do exactly what she couldn't do under any circumstances, Rai wouldn't have let her gone anywhere. In fact if she hadn't threated her co-mod, Din imagined she would be chained to a chair in her office, locked in a closet, or chained to a wall if not all three. Rai never let her have any fun.
Rai thought she was harmless, helpless, and the comletly unable to harm a fly. 'And she's propably right,' Din thought to herself, 'but how is I am suspussed to learn if no one let's me have any fun?'
Making a mental note to apologize prefusly after this and perhaps giving Rai one of the rare objects Din kept in a secret hoard only she knew about, Din pushed off her thoughts and strood up the lovable frog known to her as Crunchy.
"So, Crunchy you mind telling me what has been happening in the city lately?"
"You don't know?" IM said raising his bushy eyebrows.
"I know a few details, but I am afraid I have been a little busy dealing with Jester Park rather than keeping up with city events, besides I was talking to Crunchy not you."
"Well, Din, this is what has happening....." Crunchy said as Din walked and listened to where ever the group was heading.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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IM tuned CruchyFrog and Dinranwen out as he jogged to catch up with Rai. "Hey, Rai, wait a second!"
IM huffed and puffed and caught his breath. "Have you had dealings with these little gnomes before? Can I actually get my book back from them?"
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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"Sure you can...They'll give you a copy I'm sure. But you'll have to warn them you lost the original." Rai snorted, well not lost really.
Rai led them through a maze of underground passages, stopping every once and a while to check her mod gem and sniff the air. Finally she spit out D on the ground. "Right, IFHI is right above you guys. Din and I, however, are off to clean up Jester Park." Din nodded her hood. Turning the pair headed down a tunnel to the left.
They twisted downward through places long forgotten until suddenly Rai came to a halt. "Great my tail's stuck. Will you head through that archway up there? Jester Park is just on the other side. Go grab me a crowbar so I can get myself out." Din looked around a bit before scrabbling through the glowing archway. Rai felt bad for all of six seconds as a horrible scream filled the air.
Slowly stepping forward, her tail had never been trapped; Rai entered a place long forgotten by IF. There was no sign of Dinranwen. There was, however, a vial of something red floating in a column of light in the center of a round chamber. Reaching out and snagging it Rai chuckled to herself. "Sorry Din but threatening a dragon gets you nowhere."
Putting the vial into her gems Rai gathered herself up and quickly teleported back to her Council chambers. "Blood of the Beginning...check."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Smudger
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Joined: 11 Jul 2006
Posts: 382
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: re |
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A dim silhouette of a hunched figure shuffled along after Din and Rai. The figure stopped, wheezed, and continued his slow waddle forward.
"I'm getting too old for all this running, hiding and getting lost malarkay, I'm telling you."
He started advancing after the cloaked shadow and the giant dragon.
This is Smudger. The unknown linear mod who basically wrote one linear story, retired and spent all day in the tavern chatting.
When it was New Year he still stayed out the way. Not very sociable is Smudger. Too grumpy.
He saw the things happening and knew the best chance of survival was to follow the shadow and dragon. Simple.
But no. They had to vanish after the scream of Din. Smudger sighed. Why did I follow a dragon and a shadow? Safety? Rubbish, their gone now!
He bowed his head a dragged his foot along the tunnels in hope of finding a friendly IFian face, or at least a face anyway. Wait, I have that ring too!
Smudger thought hard about the Council Hall and being inside it. The ring glowed, got brighter. And brighter...
BANG!!!!
The ring and gem exploded on Smudger's hand. The hunchback hobbled in a circle screaming at his flaming hand. Linear always gets the duds...
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 592
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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JezSharp wandered down into the basement and along a series of tunnels until he reached the main room of the TI, filled with its bubbling simmering sprawl and passageways searing off left and right. Ever since he'd taken control of the TI it had been a permanent job of first tidying the place up and then expanding the tunnels. First from the fantasy forest to the basement, then to convenient out of the way places...of course those were hard to find unless you know where to go...which is why he had needed the map.
He took it now from one of the many hidden compartments and wandered down a varying maze of tunnels and secret doors until he came upon a troll workforce, recruited from the depths of the fantasy forest (who were responsible for the tunnel from there to the TI and then the subsequent tunneling). The trolls looked up as he arrived holding the parchment,
"Break now?" Grunted one of the brighter ones, Jez sighed, the amount of fungus he'd had to pick recently was annoyingly inconvenient - but it was the only way to motivate them to work.
"Yes," he replied, "you can have an hour's break and the grub is in the usual place." Staring at the map again he tried to estimate how close they were to breaking through - a couple of days perhaps.... Jez rolled the map up wondering if anyone had yet discovered the one he'd left had been a fake...
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Din, upon entering the mysterious room had stepped right onto...nothing. Screaming as she fell down the nearly bottomless hole, Din made a few mental notes to herself, most of them never, ever, ever, again threatening Rai again.
A few her thoughts however were about the next time she wanted to do something adventurous...she would go clean Solomon's Birch's Old place. Now there was an adventure.
A few quadrillion, million, thousand feet later, Din landed with a resounding thump onto something hard.
Sparring an soft ouch, Din lost all consciousness.
~ ~ ~
Groaning. Din opened one eye weakly and took a look around. Although her vision was somewhat dark, spotted, and fuzzy, Din made out a room very similar to the Chat room. A tavern filled with unending barrels of varying liquid substances, soft couches, stools, and tables was filled with a mixed group of characters. The people in the room were unfamiliar to her, but Din got the vague impression that these people were once from If, although she didn't know why. Maybe it was because the Tavern Sign was labeled Ye Old Ifian Tavern Club....free unending drinks for the rest of eternity!
Licking her chapped lips, Din eased herself off the floor and onto a stool. As she placed her hood in her hands Din muttered, "Somehow I don't think Rai is going to accept an apology."
"Um excuse me." Said a voice Din vaguely recognized. Turning, Din realized it was indeed a familiar face. Well, two faces actually.
"Rave, Wing!" Din shouted standing up and giving the black and white twins a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages. I so glad you're not dead. I am so glad that I am not dead."
"But Dinranwen," Wing said,
"That's what we want to talk to you about."
"Your not supposed to be here."
"Your status is very much alive."
"But you have been untimely killed by Rai."
"So you're dead."
"Only you're not."
"So you're not supposed to be here."
"Only you are."
"Girls!" Din shouted, "One at a time please, I have this huge headache, and feel like I'm bruised all over. Now will someone please tell me where in the world I am?"
"But your not in the World."
"Your in the underworld."
"And your dead."
"But she's active." Rave argued.
"But her body's dead." Wing returned.
Din sighed this may take awhile, and decided to go around in the bar in search for someone (preferably not drunk) who could tell her where she was, what was going on, and how she get out of this place.
She found her answer in the most unusual of places. Sitting in a corner with two wenches on his lap in all his mummy wrapped glory was a user named Muaddib.
"What's up Din?"
"Uh the ceiling!"
"Very funny," Muaddib chuckled, "Welcome to the realm of Dead Ifians directly under the Soul Well. May I congratulate you for coming to the Tavern?"
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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Rai snoozed gently on her massive pile of gold. It had taken a lot out of her to cross into the Blood Sanctum...even after Din had been so kind as to take the kill hit for her. A chime sounded and she cracked open an eye blearily. "This had better be good."
Getting off her Horde, taking care to scrape off any stuck on gold coins, she walked out into her living/dining room. Opening the door she found a small PM had been left on a silver plate. It was bent and squashed as if it had come through places it shouldn't have. Scrawled on it were two words in Lebrenth's handwriting. 'Help Me.'
Flipping it over to see if it had any valuable information Rai discovered that there was to be a Council Meeting in the confines of Jester Park. "Oh excellent. I wonder if anyone will notice Din is missing...oh Drat! I told them I was going off with her to clean." With another quick hop Rai looked around Jester Park..."Well this isn't going to get done if I just stare at it."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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IM pointed his hands upwards and let loose a small blast. The tunnel's ceiling exploded upwards, showering the occupants with a small coating of dust. IM pulled himself up and helped everyone else up through the hole he'd created, and looked around. He was reminded very strongly of Gringotts bank. IM walked over to the head gnome's desk.
"Are you the one who demolished our floor? You will fix it, yes?"
IM sighed at the wheedling tone of the gnome. "If you're lucky, and I'm in a good mood, then yes, I'll fix it. Otherwise I'll demolish you before I leave. Now. I lost a spellbook and am seeking a replacement."
"Really? Which spellbook of yours is lost?"
"It has no title, its cover is made from the blackest charred skin I could find, and it's held shut by an intricate locking system made from mythril."
The head gnome trawled through a massive tome. "Ah yes, we do have a copy of that particular book. I'll have it sent to you while destroying the old one so that nobody can use it."
Thus saying, the head gnome pushed a button. Far away, the old book exploded and imploded in flames. Then a small little gnome went scurrying down a tunnel in an effort to find a new book. "In the meantime, I suggest you all go home."
IM sighed and turned around. "My house is safest, you all can bunk with me."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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In the darkness, D-Lotus suddenly saw a light. From that light poured forth images, millions of images flashing by, creating a movie, a realistic animation. They were pictures of his life. His mother smiling at him tenderly, his childhood, playing with a ball among the high grass. There was a brief image of a dragoness, but it went by quickly. And then, D saw something that frightened him. And he knew the truth.
Somehow, being knocked unconscious for the second time was bringing all of his memories back to life. Everything was streaming before his eyes. Everything, including the terrible secret he had discovered, and his emnity with BS. He'd asked for Polokin's help to face the ordeal, but he'd never explained. He'd wanted to tell Polokin about the horrible secret, but he feared his friend would become too involved. Then, before New Year's, D and Polokin had an argument that distanced them... D suddenly realized where he had been going to on New Year's. He hadn't been going to the celebrations; he'd... if only he could tell his companions.
Specks of light began swirling, until D thought he could see Crunchyfrog's worried face. He remembered the truth about Crunchyfrog too. But then it all blacked out again, submerging him in a dismal torrent of thoughts and darkness...
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Polokin
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Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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"Where did he go?" Polokin asked, looking around, "Wasn't he there a second ago?"
"Yes," said BS with an odd expression on his face, "Oh well."
"Never mind that, I have a plan. How about I go undercover? D doesn't know that I'm helping you. I could be your... spy." Polokin said mischievously.
"Good idea... I have no idea where he could be though. You'll have to ask around. Anyway, you'll need this." BS threw Polokin a small, blue, luminous ball. "Use it to call me here." He turned to leave.
"Wait," Polokin caught the ball and looked down at it, "How do I use this?"
"Just throw it against the ground and say 'BStheGreat'" he called.
Polokin looked up from the ball but he was gone. Polokin put the ball in his pocket and set off to find D and the group
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JezSharp
Respected Citizen
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 592
Location: The middle of anywhere...
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:30 am Post subject: |
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Jez wandered back into the main TI laboratories, then realised he hadn't thought to take copies of the map, which he proceeded to do, backing them up into his computers hard drives, and onto a set of disks which he hid away. It's time to release the original now then... he thought, and wondered where exactly it should turn up. Chinaren Hall...no too much danger of it being trampled by the mob, Key's Palace...a little creepy and I haven't got a tunnel leading directly in there - and I'd rather not give it to Rai or Lordy...I know, the City Council Hall.
Jez slipped away into the tunnels, soon emerging from the basement of a run down house a street away - wearing a dark hooded cloak over his suit. Quickly he slipped unnoticed into the hall and, wiping the document of any fingerprints, left it lying on China's seat. Then he slipped away into the fog, holding his ears and focusing his mind away from the whispering mists as he descended beneath the town to obscurity.
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:19 am Post subject: |
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Wow, things are happening so quickly now... better do another one of these...
The Story So Far...
What a day... what a night it had been....
During the New Year celebrations in the City of IF, there had been an almighty flash of lightning. IFians had been seen fleeing in all directions. As the sun rose, a strange fog hung over the city.
The Master Map of the City (later discovered to be a fake) was stolen during the New Year celebrations. It was discovered shoved down the back of Crunchyfrog's pants - and Crunchyfrog was discovered clinging to a ledge on a cliff face in the gorge, which happened to be the entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels, with no memory of how he got there.
D-Lotus, Private Investigator, also found himself on the ledge, suffering from amnesia, and he, along with Masterweaver and Crunchyfrog, attempted to use the map to navigate through the labyrinth. They did not get very far because
1. The map was a fake, and
2. Kalanna snatched it from them and took it back to the city, leaving them to find their own way out.
Unknown to D, Crunchy and Masterweaver, she did not return it but instead kept it and provided a copy to Lordofthenight, with areas marked on it. Hmmmm....
D, Crunchy and Masterweaver discovered that the labyrinth contained the Soul Well. The Soul Well was created some time previously, when several thousand 'soulless IFians' were exorcised from the city. After the Mass Exorcism, Chinaren, the Mayor, had performed the Ceremony of Release, casting the exorcised souls into the Wells. This was secretly witnessed by Sasuke, a half breed dragon, who had been living in the labyrinth. He is searching for the identity of his father.
During their attempt to get back to the city, D discovered that BStheGreat has a long time grudge against him that he wished to settle, and was out hunting for him. Since D had no memory, he had absolutely no idea why.
On returning to the city, D examined the fog more closely and discovered that it was a manifestation of the Souls from the Well. Whispers from within the fog were whipping the citizens of IF into a frenzied mob, against Mayor Chinaren, causing them to randomly rampage the streets, destroying Chinaren's Mayoral mansion and businesses. Chinaren did not appear to be at home.
Returning to the city with D, Sasuke and Crunchyfrog were Masterweaver, and Xansta, although they are now separated from the group.
Polokin, an IFian who had been approached for help prior to the start of the story by both BStheGreat and by D, pledged his allegience to BSthegreat.
Once they returned to the city, D-Lotus, Sasuke and Crunchyfrog told Ideamaster about their concerns about Kalanna's behaviour, and their adventures, hoping he could help them. IM decided they should go and find Key. During their search, IM carelessly dropped his spell book.
They found Key, in the form of a key, lying on the floor of his sleeping quarters in the Royal Palace. They rescued him, but not before having to deal with some rather fruity behaviour from a character named General Powers.
Although Kalanna assisted in retrieving Key, and in rescuing D from Key's bedchamber, she then went on to sacrifice Dinranwen for a vial of red liquid, muttering the phrase "Blood of the Beginning...check."
The only possible witness to this horrific act might have been Smudger, the old hunchback in the tunnels, but was he close enough behind them to see?
Up until recently, D had been suffering from amnesia, and was beginning to recover some of his 'special powers', his sixth sense, his reflex actions, and his sleuth sense... During his attempt to rescue Key, the second blow to his head helped D-Lotus regain some of his longer term memory.
This could prove worrying for Lordofthenight and Kalanna Rai, as there are allusions to other, more important things that he has witnessed, or has been investigating, which could eventually prove to be a problem for them. They are concerned that he does not remember a particular event or something.
Lordy revealed he had plans for D-Lotus, as a 'test subject'... The other selected 'test subjects' being Sasuke and Masterweaver.
Kalanna's mission, was to guide the three 'test subjects' in the right 'directions', for whatever dastardly reasons, as yet unrevealed.
Meanwhile, in the TI, Lebrenth, the Skiffy moderator, was recovering from the effects of the mists of the Dream Chamber. Under Lordofthenights direction, Jezsharp, the Tourist Information elf, had been nursing him to his senses. But Jez had plans of his own.
Jez had been in possession of the REAL Master Map for some time. It was he who switched it for the fake (the fake being stolen during the New Year party) Using the map he has created a huge warren of tunnels under IF, starting from his modest abode underneath the Tourist Information booth. His warren was almost complete...
Now he had made copies of the Master Map, he returned the Original Master Map to Council hall, leaving it on Chinaren's chair...
* * *
Currently Lebrenth is imprisoned in a sealed room in Jezsharp's Tourist Info abode. He has sent a PM to Kalanna simply saying "Help Me"
Jez is returning to the TI from the Council Hall.
D, IM, Crunchyfrog and Sasuzke, after visiting the IFHI to order a new copy of IM's spell book, have been advised by the IFHI gnomes to go back to IM's house.
Polokin, who has parted company with BS for now, is tailing D, under cover. He has a way of summoning BS when the time is right, and still has something in his pocket, as yet unrevealed.
Xansta, who D, Crunchyfrog, Masterweaver and Sasuke had encountered near Jester Park on their escape from the labyrinth has just fallen through a trap door into some kind of a palace or castle dungeon. (Xansta was an IFian from before the Mass Exorcism, but was somehow affected by it. He/she was trapped in the labyrinth and only escaped recently, and had no interaction with any IFian since that time)
Smudger is running around in circles in a tunnel underneath the Royal Palace, with a burnt hand, after his IFian ring exploded. He gets all the luck.
Masterweaver, is somewhere near the Open Forum, and has been accosted by a strange armoured figure claiming to be Chinaren.
Whether this is really Chinaren, or another of his many delusions, or an imposter, is yet to be revealed.
Lordofthenight, who advised Jez that he had had word that Chinaren would be away for some time yet, has decided to call a Council Meeting, to show a united front under the prevailing circumstances. The meeting is to be in Jester Park.
Kalanna, having to interrupt her mission for now, is in Jester Park, cleaning it up quickly before the Council Meeting is due to convene, and is wondering how to explain Dinranwen's disappearance.
Dinranwen, however, although having been tricked by Kalanna to falling into an abyss, is still active, and in the Realm of Dead IFians, directly under the Soul Well. There she has been reunited with old friends such as Wing, Rave, and Muaddib...
Chapter 5 - Revelations and Alliances
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:28 am; edited 2 times in total
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:24 am Post subject: |
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Rai sat back against a stone wall in Jester Park cracking a whip as several Oompa Loompas finished tidying everything up. "Right then you lot...back to the Guildhall." The small orange men gave her a few glares but stomped off cheerfully enough...the dragoness had let them out into the open air for a few minutes after all.
Her gem flashed and, looking around to make sure she was still alone, she put up a privacy shield and answered it. The grinning face of Lordy met her gaze. "Taking a risk aren’t you?"
"I trusted you'd have the discretion to take the necessary precautions." She wanted to wipe the smirk off his face but instead waited for him to tell her what was so important. "I've just happened to find the Master Map in the Council Hall." Rai's crest raised high.
"I doubt it." She hissed as Lordy winked.
"Smooth your scales. Everything's going according to plan...the enchantments show it's been copied." Rai snickered. Some poor sap had fallen right into Lordy's trap.
"Wonder what'll happen when he actually tries to use that?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Smudger
Citizen
Joined: 11 Jul 2006
Posts: 382
Location: Writers Block R Us
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:48 am Post subject: re |
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Smudger beat the ground repeatedly with his burning hand until the flames went out. This is NOT my day.
Smudger got to his feet, staring at his charred hand. I should be screaming in agony right now. Well, why don't you? Well I'm not in the mood, I'd rather be shouting at the Council on testing prototypes on me.
Smudger trudged forward, heading for the exit to get to the Council Hall. He suddenly remembered the scream. Din's scream. And Rai muttering something. Hmmm...
Smudger looked down the giant hole. Damn that's deep. Shall I go all bravado here? Yeah...why not!
Smudger starts clinging to the rock and starts to descend crying at the top of his voice," The bells! The bells!"
Smudger grabs hold of a rock, slips and starts falling.
"Oh F....
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Lordy shrugged. "I've no idea really. I actually hope they do. It might be interesting. Still I do hope you've been keeping it safe?" Rai snarled at the arrogant demon.
"You stick to the plotting. I'll stick to guarding the things we need. That was the agreement was it not?" The demon inclined his head. "For your information once I claimed the fake planted on Crunchy I retrieved it from my Hoard and it hasn't left my side since."
"And the Blood."
"None of your business demon. When the time comes it will be available." Lordy glared at her.
"Remember who you're dealing with dragoness." Rai glared right back.
"I do, every second of the day demon. Forgetting is not something I have the luxury of in this particular case. You take care of your end, I'll take care of mine...Oh and it seems Lebrenth is in trouble."
"Then go fetch him...and stay alert. Whoever copied the 'map' is going to try and use it." Before Rai could say anything else the connection broke. Fuming the dragoness tapped her talons together.
"Now where could Lebby be...ah yes I remember."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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dinranwen
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Din who had been soothing her sore spirits and even sore body with the giant bottomless cup of tea the bar tender just knew was specially made just for her. Of course it didn't help that the cup was marked in Din's own personal signature in her own personal runes...but still.
Well, anyway she had been drinking her cup of tea when all of a sudden she heard a thump that sounded vaguely familiar, and puff there was Smudger right exactly where Din had been moments before.
The barkeeper, an ifian from the way old days given Din didn't recognise his name signed on his apron, hastily checked his notebook.
"Smudger, aka Greame, hunchback, Grumpy, socialist/communist...wait a minute he's not supposed to be in here! Active Guest everyone, on their feet."
Rave and Wing hurried over to Smudge to explain how he wasn't supposed to be there. Gazing around from her seat, Din decided that as much as she was enjoying her cup of tea, it was time to do something about her situation.
So, looking around Din spotted Muadib emerging from the back with his two wenches after doing whatever exactly he did with wenches...Din shook off the unwelcome thought and slid off her stool with a grace that only came with being familiar with shadows. Strangely, out of all the outcasts and ingrates in the Bar, Muadib was the only that showed some sense...which was saying something.
Slipping up the hood of her cloak, which seemed to have repaired itself after her unfortunate demise, Din slid onto the stool across from Muadib.
"Muadib." Din purred. "I think we should talk."
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JezSharp
Respected Citizen
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 592
Location: The middle of anywhere...
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Jez returned to the main chamber and switched on the computer, looking again in close detail at the map and the various places marked upon it. One place had stood out like a sore thumb...which was exactly why he wasn't tunnelling there for now. There were far more quiet and peaceful places to open out tunnels into...currently for instance, the Archives; a treasure hoard of lost books. Who knew what one might find in such a forgotten place - and he should arrive any day now.
He looked again at the map, that other place has definitely been added in recently, and the way its marked, and the fact that it's description includes words such as 'powerful, important, no one must approach', all highly persuasive - as though someone wants that place to be uncovered. I'd make such a place insignificant if it was really so important Jez shrugged, as info mod he liked info, but such a love had allowed him to sense that sometimes info must be gleaned more cautiously. I think I have a reasonable plan, he thought as he edited a copy of the map so that it showed only directions to the 'top secret' place, adding in the words 'treasure' for added effect, then printed out a dozen copies. Then whistling he moved silently upstairs to the Tourist Info booth.
Reaching the inner booth he heard the sounds of someone moving upstairs, shoot, I completely forgot I left Lebrenth up there, Jez thought as he hurried over and released the ladder down.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Rai was winging her way toward TI when her gems started going crazy. Unauthorised user eh? "Implement system lockdown." Rai grinned to herself. Jez was going to have kittens when he finally figured out what had happened. Until then..."Looks like TI is mine."
Landing she easily passed all of Jez's precautions and barriers, after all they were only allowing 'authorised users' past. Sniffing the air, and using her mod gem, Rai wandered through the twisting hallways. "Hmm... this is all rather recent...Jez has been busy." Rounding a corner she found none other than the elf himself, bashing desperately against a key pad, a bunch of papers under his arm.
He jerked his head around as Rai's shadow fell over him, a few papers drifting to where the dragoness could easily read them. "Rai! What are you doing here? Didn't you hear about..."
"Oh yes I did hear about the Council meeting...but I'm much more interested in these clearly doctored Master Map copies...and I'm sure you're much more interested as to why TI no longer responds to you. Well it's like this. That map had certain enchantments on it to prevent unauthorised use and since I'm one of only three people authorised I know who the other two are. You're not one of them Jez so I've shut your system down and taken control."
She yanked open the door in front of them, pulling Lebby out and shoving Jez in. "Have a nice day."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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IM sat in silent contemplation. In one day he'd found an old friend, heard of the disaster, issued near-illegal weaponry, stolen a car, and burst into Key's mansion, all to find a key that was Key transformed. It all seemed familiar somehow...
Everybody else was in the guest wing of his mansion. The traps had been recalculated so that nobody would lose an arm or a leg. IM, however, was in his secret room that functioned as his lair of plotting and brooding. He tapped one liquid crystal computer screen, and it came to life.
"Search Archives."
The Archives of the City came up with a list of stories, most of them completed.
"Find any instances where Key was transformed. Cross-reference results with City of IF references."
The computer whirred a moment, then came back with only one result.
"Hmm... The True Story of the City of I(nter)F(able)..."
IM greedily read the story, absorbing every word, every plot nuance, every detail. When he was done, dawn was breaking.
"So. Key's been transformed again, and someone or something is playing us for fools. But who?"
IM cast his mind back to what CrunchyFrog's (or was it D's?) words from long ago...
We gave the map to Rai. She seemed very upset about it...
"No," IM said. "It couldn't be. Then again, what does one expect of an assassin dragoness? Computer, lock down mansion. Complete seal from outside world. Unauthorised access to be punishable by death. Only authorised people are ones currently inside it. Open tunnel to the Dead Ones and the Dream Chamber."
The mansion's many doors and windows slammed shut, and laser turrets sprung out of every hallway and every room. On the outside, turrets sprung up as well with only five feet between each one. They crawled along the walls like some infectious disease.
At IM's feet, two sections of the floor opened up, one going straight down, and the other curving away to some unknown destination. Five sets of bungee rope and five gas masks dropped from the ceiling as well. IM could only hope that none of his guests panicked.
A screen flickered on, with the head Gnome. "We can't deliver like this, you know."
IM tapped a few buttons. Now delivery gnomes could enter. He then said, "Now you can," before snapping the connection shut to check on his guests.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 4123
Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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Tendrils of darkness surrounded D-Lotus yet. Sparkling words and gleaming pictures ran in circles inside his head against the dark background, etching themselves into his memory, never to be forgotten. He watched the vivid stories and flowing emotions, once and once more again. The cycle continued, never tiring. But tiredness did grip D in its unyielding fist, and he struggled to be free from his prison of truth. A chair came into focus, and then dissolved into blackness.
If only, if only... but his mind gloom would not relent.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Rai was very pleased with herself as she flew back to Jester Park, Lebby settled between her shoulders. "At this rate I'm going to work off all that weight I gained during Christmas for the past ten years."
"Was that really necessary Rai? Locking Jez in like that?" Rai took a moment to glance at her passenger.
"Yup. Oh and did you know IM has locked himself in?" Lebby glanced at his ring confirming her statement. "Yeah just got that message myself...I think he might be onto me."
"You'd better tell Lordy."
"I don't think so. IM doesn't worry me...After all I've got a copy of his book." Opening her gem she cursed as she found only ash where she had placed the book. "Gem, reconstruct...I don't care how long it takes just do it." Rai needed that book. Without it she wouldn't have as much of an advantage over IM as she hoped.
"Oh but let's look on the bright side Lebby. Lordy's Command and Control enchantment on the map worked to a charm."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Lebrenth
Honored Citizen
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 1492
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth looks back at the impenetrable door to TI stands defiantly beside the gaping hole in the wall where Kalanna Rai crashed through. But something else seems to have shaken Lebrenth up. He wavers in a Captain Jack Sparrow sort of way. She wonders if she can believe anything that he says. He has a strange scent on his breath, a mixture of unusual ingredients... a potion of some sort.
"Sorry for the rushed message… I got the creeps. I was browsing... nothing unusual, but I found a program protected by a time-sensitive password, a retinal scanner, fingerprint analyser, DNA coders, and a riddle.... I wasn't going to even try, but then a window popped up and words appeared on it: 'Let me show you,' it said."
Rai waits for the punchline.
"I started feeling chills, and kept looking behind me, because I felt someone was in that tiny wooden room with me.... Whatever it was, it bypassed the protections and started the program. More than a hundred screens appeared of different places in IF, a vast network of cameras spying on citizens and moderators everywhere....
"The words on the window wrote: 'Here.' And a recording enlarged and showed me New Year's Eve at the palace. It was nearly midnight and everyone was there... well there were a few people missing, I wasn't there of course... and I don't think I saw you...."
"No I wasn't there, you know that. Just tell me what you saw."
Jezsharp presses his ear against the door listening for sound outside before getting out. He holds an empty bottle in his hand. Apparently Lebrenth drank another one of his concoctions from the fridge. Must have thought it was a root beer. Anyway the reaction should be interesting.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
Last edited by Lebrenth on Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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Rai snapped her fingers in front of Lebby's face a couple of times. "You don't look right Lebs...you sure you okay." She caught the scent of something sickly-sweet on the wind. Landing back in Jester Park Rai watched him collapse in a heap on the ground. Taking a good whiff she pulled back.
"Great, not only do you really need to wash that Robe of Foreboding but someone has gone and poisoned you with Nightwing juice...I'm putting my money on Jez." She'd seen all those bottles in that room..."And I don't happen to have the antidote on me. Oh well desperate times..." Rummaging in her gem she pulled out a tacky green liquid which she rubbed into his scalp. "This should help until I can get some."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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IM knew that by now his book would have been found, and as such, his mansion would be penetrable. He hesitated, his hand over the one button he hoped he'd never have to push ever again...And then did so.
As the Mod over the Games district, IM had various devices at his disposal for calming down the inhabitants. The reverse was also true in the sense that he had many devices to flood the forums with the inhabitants of the Games district. What IM had just done was push the button that would knock out the walls of the Games district, allowing all and any characters free reign over the city. That ought to distract Rai long enough so that she wouldn't be looking in his direction.
IM rushed to his guests. "Don't panic, we're completely secure here, and nothing of mine will kill you. We only have a limited time. Sasuke, I'll need your help. CrunchyFrog and D, stay back, you don't want to inadvertently interrupt this."
IM steered the young half-dragon to the centre of the room. "What are we doing?" Sasuke asked.
"I am going to be casting a Finding and Replacement spell at the same time. I may need your innate power to help me achieve this. I'm going to find my book and give whoever has it a nasty surprise."
IM placed another book in front of him and began the spell weaving. The others looked closely at the book in question and Sasuke gasped. "Not...the Necronomicon!"
"Shh! And I've enhanced it. The poor sap that reads THIS will be forced to read it aloud until their untimely demise, which, considering the nature of the book, could be rather quick."
IM once more began the spell weaving.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
Last edited by Idea master on Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
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JezSharp
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006
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Location: The middle of anywhere...
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:27 am Post subject: |
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Just then the crystal about Rai's neck dissolved in a low scream and a puff of choking smoke. Dam, Rai thought as she remembered that she needed to obtain authorisation from China or Key within a specific time period for its use to shut off sectors, or else the enchantment failed. The TI's power was instantly restored.
In the TI Jez wasted no time in re-securing all the defences, luckily Rai had only glimpsed a small fraction of the tunnels from the Tourist Info booth. Last time I bother to go to the trouble of getting involved in maps he thought angrily, well I may as well send out the copy I have to other Council members - then I'm not the only one with such specialist knowledge. Quickly he PM'ed all but Lordy and Rai (given one made him suspicious and the other wasn't on his Christmas card list for some foreseeable time) with copies of the map worded:
Dear all, came across a version of the Master Map which I copied, and I wondered if it would be of any use to you. One place looks very interesting, but I would approach with care. Then he sent it.
Good, hopefully that will stop people raiding my home for a while...I think now that the place is completely secured, I'll let the trolls have an extended break and head out into Fantasy Forest for a stroll.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:42 am Post subject: |
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To say that Crunchyfrog was frightened would have been an understatement.
To say that he was about to crap his pants would have been a lot closer to the truth. His feeling of general unease had been mounting quickly and without abatement throughout their adventure under the Palace. The slaying of the slug and the rescue of Key was heightened further by the bloodcurdling scream of Din echoing through the tunnel. The scream still resounding in his ears even now... he couldn't get it out of his mind.
Now, the sudden automatic security lockdown on IM's mansion had perturbed him even further...and what of D-Lotus?
D-Lotus was only partially conscious, he was murmuring, none of it making any sense, but he seemed to be dreaming...having a conversation with someone....
IM seemed resolute about what he was doing. Crunchyfrog took a deep breath and tried to contain his terror. After all, he was in the company of a mage. Nothing could go wrong. Could it?
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: |
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Rai looked at the small pile of dust that was her main pendant. "Oh no you don't." Biting her tongue she allowed several drops of blood to fall on it, speaking a few words as they did so. There was a flash and a puff of vile smelling smoke, but when it cleared her gem gleamed back at her. "Now to reset the parameters and..." There was a slight charge that told her things were working well again.
"I've got to pay more attention or I'm going to do something stupid." Just then another of her gems dinged and she took a quick peek at it. "Oh good, the book is done. Transcribe and hardcopy please..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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IM thrust his hands out through the fabric of the spell. A small portal opened up and he grasped what he hoped was his book. Then he carefully left the Necronomicon in it's place, and drew his hands back with his book. As he did so, he could hear a bellow of rage and felt a jab of magic in his direction.
All went black. IM knew he had his book, but what did that magic do to him?
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
Last edited by Idea master on Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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With the TI and Tourist Info now fully working and under his permanent and complete control, Jez was able to continue on through the passageways and out into the lush confines of the fantasy forest.
There he spent some time exploring and studying the beautiful yet treacherous surroundings as usual, as well as picking more fungi for the trolls. Reaching the secret entrance to the tunnel he echoed out a whistle to signal the trolls back...and back they came more than before - great, now I'll need to come back and pick more fungus... Jez thought wearily, but at least they might be able to dig the tunnel a little faster. He watched them file down the tunnel making their little panted muttering speeches to each other and sighed. He hardly ever went to this amount of trouble for something - he only hoped it was worth it.
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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The gloom in D-Lotus' head began condensing...it began to cool and encroach on him...then it suddenly exploded in a wave of heat. D reeled inside, stunned and confused. Then his mind started to clear and he found himself in a room, a small wooden room. D stared at his hand, and found that it seemed hazy, as if his molecules kept rearranging, as if he were in a dream. And he was.
The room had no windows, its walls being covered in innumerable screens instead. D watched the constant motion of the people inside the screens, yet he could find no pattern. It vaguely reminded him of a Matrix movie.
D's eyes kept searching for something familiar, until he stopped when he saw a figure standing in front of a large screen. The man was wearing a white-T and jeans. He seemed intent upon the screen, but he kept flickering on and off. D guessed that he himself must look that way too, flickering in and out of consciousness.
Suddenly the man disappeared for a few minutes. D sensed him speaking to someone in the real world. Everything in the room was amplified; even D's feeling of fear and surprise at the man's disappearance. He felt lonely, strange, and afraid to move from where he'd awoken, and the room noticed. As D stood up, suddenly the man reappeared, this time on D's side.
"Leb?" D exclaimed, as his feeling of gladness echoed around the receptive room. He knew Lebrenth could feel everything inside him. For a few moments longer, they spoke silently in this way. Then Lebrenth broke the external silence...
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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Rai knew she had been compromised when IM yanked his book back, replacing it with a Necromicon of all things. Sending out a rather potent Curse, one of the Dralico one's IM seemed to be so fond of, Rai cursed a blue streak. Checking her gems to make sure all relevant objects were still within she had more reason to curse when she noticed TI was no longer responding.
Eye twitching as she watched Lebrenth on the ground Rai wondered what to do. "Only one thing to do." Drawing the shadows about her Rai's form slowly faded out.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:46 am Post subject: |
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Jez returned down the narrow winding passageways, holding his nose to block out the smell of ten sweaty trolls shouldering picks and shovels. Eventually they stopped by one of the doors which Jez opened for them, and continued on to build the tunnel. Then Jez strolled back into the main laboratory of TI and ran a system check. The Technical Institute was well defended (chiefly because Jez very rarely left it, and tended to be more than a little paranoid, given the number of creepy and scary figures that were to be found lurking amongst the darker corners of IF). Looking at his mail he observed the PM Lebrenth had sent,
Oh great, the meetings in less than three hours, and at Jester Park...
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:57 am Post subject: |
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After what seemed like an eternity, IM woke up. He was in a huge room, much larger than he remembered having at all. He brought his hands up to cradle his aching head with when he realised something was wrong. He checked his hands and figured out what it was.
They were no longer hands, but paws.
Quickly twisting around, IM realised that the curse had transformed him into a fox. He attempted to access his magic, only to be met with an invisible barrier. IM looked about to find CrunchyFrog and Sasuke still untouched by whatever curse was upon him. D was unconscious and moaning, and Key...
Key was still a key, but now Key was on a small leather necklace around IM's neck. IM looked up at Sasuke and was surprised to find that he could indeed speak intelligibly. "We need another wizard."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:37 am Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog looked first from the burbling D-Lotus, to the transformed Ideamaster, to the two recently opened holes in the floor, to the bungee ropes and gas masks dangling from the ceiling. The most logical and decent thing to do at this point, he thought, would be to faint.
But he remembered Sasuke, who was quite young, and judging by his recent quietness, also rather overcome by recent events, so Crunchyfrog mustered what bravery he could, and stayed standing up.
"Now then, Crunchyfrog," said Ideamaster. "You must be my hands. I need you to check my messages before we go further. "
IM the fox trotted over to a small screen in the corner of the room and pointed his nose at it.
"Touch the yellow button underneath it, there's a good fellow."
Crunchyfrog obeyed, and a small square appeared on the screen with the words 'you have 1 message' written on it.
"Open it..."
It was the notification of the Council meeting in Jester Park.
"Hah!" chuckled IM. "Well if Kalanna's not contained the escapees from the Games forum within the next 3 hours, that meetings going to have some very unexpected visitors."
"Are you going to attend?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"With that lot out there? Are you crazy?"
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:48 am Post subject: |
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"No," IM said, "I'm not going anywhere near there. Instead we have to wake D up somehow. Push the red button."
CrunchyFrog pushed the red button and a vial popped out. "What is this?" CrunchyFrog asked as he picked it up.
"A very powerful cure-all for anything save physical wounds. Crack open D's mouth and pour three drops in, it ought to wake him up."
CrunchyFrog did so. A few seconds later, D sat up, sputtering, trying to get the taste out of his mouth. "What was that?"
"Nevermind. Everyone put a gas mask on, and Crunchy, stash that vial somewhere. We have to go through this tunnel, through the Dream Chamber, and out into the city. Rai will never be expecting that. Crunchy, it'll be your duty to wake me up when we're through, seeing as there are no gas masks for foxes. Just pour some of that potion down my throat. We'll need to find another magi, I know just the person..."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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Din after several hours of sweet talking, threatening, and allowing time for those drops of Verific Tonic (Truth Potion) she had carefully placed in Muadib's tankard, was finally able to get the answers she need. Glancing over at Muadib whose eyes were glazed over, an unfortunate effect of the tonic, Din kept her voice soft and low. "Muadib," Dinranwen whispered her voice as sweet as honey laced with arsenic, "there is this heavy fog on the surface. What I know is that is most likely made up with the souls of the deceased ifians. What I don't know is why do y'all not like Chinaren, and why start a rebellion?"
"Hey look, my dear," Muadib said swaying and stuttering like Jake Sparrow, Captain Jake Sparrow, "I don't think I should be answering that question. It's questions like that get people killed for answering."
"Okay," Din said correctly guessing that the potion hadn't yet taken full affect, "Maybe you can answer this one for me. How do I get back to Life in the city and not as a spirit in the fog either?"
"You want to know how to get out of here?"
"Yes, now will you answer my question?" Din said keeping her breaths slow and steady to keep her from loosing her temper.
"No," he said. But then Muadib leaned forward his hand sneaking under the table. "You want me to show you the back room? I'll be happy to answer your questions there."
There was a blur and a flash as Dinranwen moved so fast that her movements couldn't even be seen. Grasping the wraps near Muadib's neck and pressing the dagger she had positioned in a very uncomfortable place for Muadib, Din looked like she was going to kill Muadib and she probably would have too if he hadn't already been dead.
But then something changed her mind, and smiling so sweetly it almost hurt, Din purred, "Maybe we should do that. Show the way."
Muadib cocky, arrogant, and excited wouldn't know what hit him. ~ ~ ~
Emerging from the back room, Din wiped her daggers clean with a piece of cloth that looked like a piece of Muadib.
Lifting her head so her cheery lips could be seen, Dinranwen's lips curled in a smile that almost froze half the room. She had got her answers, and she had just unloaded weeks worth of anger and boredom on Muadib's unfortunate head. As for Muadib, let's just say he would be very sensitive for the next few weeks, have very vivid nightmares, and would probably never get over the scars....
Spotting Smudger from across the room, Dinranwen nearly floated over to him. Physically removing him from the bar stool were the hunchback was muttering something about "Nothing's ever easy...", Din pulled Smudger up on a table, and pulling down what appeared to be attic stairs Din spoke downwards to Smudge. "Come on," Din said pulling the very drunk hunchback along, "I found out how to get us out of here but if your not going to co-operate..."
"I coming...I coming" Smudger muttered.
"Hurry, if we don't get there in time it may be too late."
"Too late for what? New Years..." Smudger muttered some more, "Sorry, already missed that."
"No, silly. Too late to tell everyone what is really going on." Din said as climbed up the ladder, "Apparently, the spirits didn't plan a revolt all by themselves...in fact most of them don't want to leave the Tavern. Someone in If is controlling them all."
"What! Who?"
"No time to explain," Din said, yanking Smudge up the last couple of steps into what looked like a colourless void, "We have places to go and people to see, and I don't about you but I would like to get back to life."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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Crunchyfrog pulled three gas masks down from the ceiling, placed one over his head, and helped D-Lotus with his. Although D seemed to be conscious, he was still not completely coherent, his mind seemingly still connected elsewhere. But physically at least he was good to go, standing, swaying, sort of. Well, kind of Jack Sparrow like.
The third mask he handed to Sasuke, who had a little trouble fitting it over his half human half draconian snout, but he managed after a little struggling.
"Which hole do we go down?" asked Crunchy.
"That one," replied the fox, indicated the one that curved away. "It takes us to the Dream Chamber."
"What's the other one?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"That is the one that goes directly to the Realm of Dead IFians."
Crunchyfrog shuddered. He didn't particularly want to go there.
Crunchyfrog then threw three bungees down the hole that curved down and away. After helping D onto one of the ropes and lowering him down, he hoisted the fox that was Ideamaster up under his arm. Then he picked up the spell book, the vial, and the remainder of the chocolate chip cookies that they made in Key's kitchen, and he and Sasuke descended into the hole.
As the tunnel levelled out, Crunchyfrog put the fox down, and the foursome walked quietly into the darkness. Behind them they heard a rumbling noise and a clang, as the hole sealed itself behind them.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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IM sniffed. What was that? Dream vapour up ahead? Oh no, this wouldn't be good...He could smell something more sinister trying to mask it's own scent with the vapour. By the time IM realised who it was, he was out like a light.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Before Lebrenth could say anything, D suddenly felt himself pulled out of the room by something which tasted unpleasant and acidic. Lebrenth could feel D-Lotus' distaste, but was incapable of doing anything. The strange force pulled at him, and D resisted. He knew that there had to be answers in this room- it couldn't all be a delusion. He had to share his secret with Lebrenth.
Eventually, he felt the power of the mind overcome science. D reappeared as Lebrenth had done. Yet he could feel his body somewhere else, like a sleepwalker. His true presence was in the astral world. He glanced towards Lebrenth, sure that he was experiencing everything the same way...
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Lebrenth
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth stirred in his poisonous sleep. The potion, for the poison was not its only effect nor even its main effect, had separated mind from body, and caused it to shift in the layers of the superconscious, sometimes referred to as the Astral Plane. He found D-Lotus, quite to his delight. He'd been looking for him.
"You look clearer," Lebrenth says amongst turbulent grey shrouds of a shifting plane of existence. D-Lotus did not exactly understand the words at first. Then he remembered what happened to his memory.
"No. I feel clearer there," D-Lotus replied.
"What do you mean?"
"At least there I know which side I'm on."
"I've wanted to ask you about that. What made you change your mind?" Lebrenth asks, his image shifting in clouds of thought.
"How do you know I did?"
"I saw a recording...."
"I don't understand, what did you see?"
"You were investigating, I could see that before I was shut out of the system for unauthorised access..." Lebrenth says ironically with a brief shower of yellow light tickling the realm of thought. The cloud of secrecy continues to billow around D-Lotus.
"Then you didn't see everything," D-Lotus says, his words turning the black clouds into a dark hue of red.
"What did you do?" Lebrenth asks, as the uncurling of his thoughts scatter with confusion.
"What had to be done. But I didn't do it for you or Rai or Lordy," D-Lotus says, the clouds of red glowing like coals of a fire, then dying away into grey smoke which floats away.
"What did you do? And if not for us then who?"
"For the city," he said and marvelled at his hands, now glowing like moonlight. Still there was hollowness to his words that made him feel like he was melting away. His hands dripped away like tears. "... I murdered him."
"What have you done? It has already begun, we can't send them back!" Cracks of thunder amplified Lebrenth's fear.
"You don't know that," D-Lotus says, watching his arms drip away as his hands did. "There is a way. That's why I called for you. You have to help me. We need to use the Soul Well."
"Do you know what you're asking me to do?"
"I do."
"Then return to your body while you can still retain some of your memory. I will do what I can."
"You have to do better than that."
Then a storm of violent and hateful thoughts swept across them, obscuring their vision and tearing at their consciousness. It was not their storm, but the storm of rioters and mobs, and lost souls ruled by enmity, and they feel carried away by it. But they will not become part of it. They retreat to the only place they can.
Lebrenth's eyes open, and slowly focus on Rai standing over him.
"Don't move yet," Rai says. When he sees what she's done to bring back to consciousness, he does exactly as he's told.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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Kalanna Rai
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Imparting a last message to Lebrenth Rai knew that she'd overstepped herself. "I'm not the mastermind here...and yet I'm ending up doing all the work. Humph. I've already had to replace my gems once and..." Rai was cut off by the thunder of wings as a massive black dragon with blood red spines landed in front of her cloaked figure.
"Rath? What are you doing free?" The dragoness hissed at her.
"IM has released the denizens of the Games forum." Rai wondered for a moment as her Games characters all grouped around her. Did IM expect her to go corralling them? Not bloody likely. Rai snorted to herself, doing a quick roll call to assure herself everyone was there.
"Rath, Spite, Ryuu, Rhys, X, Dove...good. Spite, X...I want the pair of you to head over to the Council hall and keep watch on my chambers. Rhys, Ryuu, Dove...keep watch on the aHEM guildhall. Rath you're coming with me."
"Where?" Rai grinned.
"We're going to spring Cami and then sit back and watch the City tear itself apart. I got onto this for fun...now it's just work. Time to get the fun back."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Polokin
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Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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"... Time to get the fun back." Kalanna said to Rath as she flew towards where Cami would be.
"Great..." Polokin mumbled to himself, "Kalanna has bodyguards and she's about to free another one of her characters... I'd better find D quickly..."
Polokin looked around.
"I really hope I find a clue soon... Walking around aimlessly hasn't helped yet..."
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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Freeing Camwyre from her storygame in Jester Park was easy, after all Rai was the HEM mod. Carving a small glyph on the ground where the Council meeting would take place, Rai gestured to her two guards. "I think it's about time we leave this City. It should be much more fun to watch it fall apart than it will be to actually help tear it down."
Winging their way to the all but forgotten Mage Mountain, which still loomed over the city from the edge near the Archives, Rai landed and knocked on the door of the den of the dragon of the mountain. Angel poked her snout out grinning. "Ah, bout time you come visit me."
"Care to watch the fun down below with us Angel." The dragoness, another of Rai's cronies, bobbed her head and they all curled around the mountain, settling for a comfortable, yet good, view.
"Anybody bring some sheep to toast?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:48 am Post subject: |
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D snapped back to reality, in a cold sweat, not knowing whether his encounter with Lebrenth was a dream or not. But the memory he was left with chilled him to the bone. It wasn't so much the conversation with Lebby, but of... of... what he had done at the New Year's party.
He felt a sudden wave of claustrophobia as he became aware of the gas mask he was wearing, and struggled to remove it.
"No, NOO! Dream Chamber ahead!" yelled Crunchyfrog's muffled voice through his own mask, holding up the completely unconscious fox by the tail as an illustration.
D breathed slowly and deeply, trying to calm himself down.
He stared through the glass panes of his mask at the curved redness of the tunnel ahead of and behind him, the swirling white mist rolling in from the front obliterating sight of everything below his knees.
"Crunchy, I did something terrible." he said. "But I did it for the good of the City. You were there when it happened, but you don't remember it...nobody does. I didn't, until now... That flash of light... But I think I know why that map was planted on you now. It has to be you that fix’s' it.
"Fixes what? Why me?"
"Because you were the only person at the party that was not around before the Mass Exorcism... You are the only one that will be unaffected.... "
D-Lotus, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke continued cautiously on through the tunnel towards the Dream Chamber, unaware of the sinister being up ahead...
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
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A couple of hours later and Jez was interrupted from his nap by the grunting sounds of a troll speaking over the intercom.
"Hit soft soil, should be very soon...whump, sounds of earth falling to the floor and groans. Ah actually about now in fact." Jez smiled and stood up slowly, there was still time before the Council meeting, assuming he went. Quickly he strode off into the TI maze.
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Idea master
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:46 am Post subject: |
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IM's body was asleep, but his mind and soul were mostly free to wander, as long as he left enough behind to keep his physical body operating. It was a classic mage ability, one that he had practised multiple times, and it didn't require any magic at all, only mental discipline. It was even usable by those that weren't mages.
IM had, fortunately, brought Key along by mistake. "Hey now, what's all this then?"
IM turned around, seeing Key in all his rotund glory behind him. Whatever had transformed his body hadn't yet got to his mind or soul. IM looked at his own hands and were relieved to see that they were indeed hands. "Key, just stick close to me. We're going to see if an old friend of ours is even alive."
Thus saying, IM began to float towards Smee's mansion...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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From high on Mage Mountain Rai could still see Lebrenth laid out on the ground. She didn't bother to explain why a large spider had its fangs buried in his neck.
The poison of the rare Crypt Spider, with red and blue echelons on its back, has a strange effect that makes it truly unique. It possesses anti-venom that can dissolve many types of poison, and to some extent even nurture the recipient. The purpose of this quality is likely a measure to help keep a victim alive and juicy for extended feasting. A Crypt Spider can keep its victim alive for a month without food or water. Even dead, it can feed upon for several more months.
But of course it wouldn't be 'poison' if all of the effects were favourable. After the victim is purged of foreign poisons, the anti-venom's effect immediately reverses and paralyses the victim. That's when the feeding begins. Of course by that stage the council members should arrive for the meeting and be able to assist him.
That is, unless they don't come.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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It turned out Muadib's instructions weren't as clear as Din had thought.
"Your status in If is active...but because your former 'form' (avatar) is dead, you’re going to have to take on a new one." Muadib had said.
"How?"
"Go up onto the roof of the Tavern. The Tavern's roof is roughly located on the bottom left of the Soul Well. If you go straight and slightly to the right, you should see a faint light coming from above." Muadib said pausing for a moment, "There are two ways you can get back alive, one is to climb through the cracks near the well, but you won't return to your form and will only be in spirit under the control of 'someone else'. If you don't want that, you have to find some way to get under the dream chamber...somewhere near there, I don't know exactly where there is a computer room. Enter your name, city key, and go to profile. Once there, choose what/who you will be it's called an 'avatar'. I warn you though, don't take your original form...if you do you'll only end up back here."
Din had tried to follow those instructions but apparently finding your way through absolute darkness was now easy task, not even for a former half-shadow.
Somehow, someway Din had gone a little too far to the right and was now facing one of the many doors in the realm of Dead Ifians.
The door in front of her and Smudge was labelled, "Channel If broadcasting, Enter if you dare."
Muadib, Rave and Wing, and many other dezins of the Tavern had warned her about this room, if she dared to enter and made it past the gang of If characters that ran it, she would be able to see what was going on in If.
Deciding to take the chance, Din entered the Broadcasting moved and then ducked, dodged and made her way to a large area where several former citizens of If were watching the events in If unfold with large barrels of popcorn. Four screens were displayed...one showed the City proper, focusing mainly on Crunchyfrog and Gang. Another showed the confrontation between D and Leb. The third was showing IM and Key in their dream state briefly before flipping to the channel where Rai was featured eating sheep with her denizens. The final one showed an empty screen of a computer room...positioned just below the dream chamber.
Swinging around before she saw any more, Din drug Smudger out of the Broadcasting room and went in the exact opposite direction of the computer room where she and Smudge could return to the City. "Uh, Din" Smudger puffed in-between bounces, "Aren't we going the wrong way."
"Yes, we are."
"I thought we were going to go back to the City of If."
"We are, and we're going to bring a few residents of this Realm with us too...."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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"Smee?" IM hesitantly asked.
There was a moment of silence. Then, "IM? What are you doing here?"
"Smee! Thank goodness you're okay!"
Smee's form flickered, then solidified in front of IM and Key. "Actually, I'm not okay at all. My body got blasted ahead into the future until tomorrow."
"That's still better than me at this moment in time. Do you remember anything that happened at your party?"
"Yes," Smee said grimly, and began to tell his tale.
"I was making my routine checks around the manor when I entered the basement. I saw somebody casting a spell, and only caught the end of it, something about cracking open an entrance to the Soul Well. Needless to say, I tried to stop him by throwing a fear spell at him. It only got entangled with his spell, though, and now everyone fears the entrance to the Soul Well that is directly where my house used to be. In a fit of revenge, this character cast a spell that would disintegrate me, but I outfoxed him by time travelling. These spells also mixed to kill me now but revive me later. He let off a magic flare afterwards, to signal his work was done, probably, and then ran as the effects of our earlier mixed spell began to take hold. Fortunately everybody in my manor ran before they fell into the abyssal hole."
"Listen," IM said, "We really need you to reconstitute where the fear isn't so strong. You've got a lot of catching up to do."
"I'll try," Smee said.
IM then briefly checked on the tunnel in his manor to the Dead IFians. Hopefully there would be help coming from that direction, otherwise the stairwell he'd spent so long installing would be wasted. Whoever did come couldn't be shot by his security, seeing as they would be dead and all.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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Watching the city from high on the mountain Rai lounged with a huge grin on her muzzle. Good food, good company, good entertainment...it didn't get any better than this. Glancing around she chortled at the way the Games characters were bringing total ruin onto some parts of the city, watching with interest to see if any mods attempted anything. Naturally none of them did.
If she hadn't been casting such a critical eye on everything she wouldn't have noticed the slight tremor that ran through a section of the shields around the Archives. Angel snorted. "Somebody's messing around down there." Rai shrugged.
"As long as they stay off the Mountain...not my problem." Rai glanced toward Jester Park but, as of yet, none of the Councillors had shown up. "At this rate I don't know why I bothered to put down that glyph. If no body else comes I doubt my remote presence will be required..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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D, Sasuke, and Crunchy ran breathlessly, the fox limply swaying in pace by the tail. Thoughts blazed through D's mind, causing him to tighten his jaw as he tried to justify himself.
Murder, Murderer!
No, no, anybody would have done as I.
Murder, Murderer!
But I saved so many...
BS will exact his revenge, and you cannot refuse it to him.
Finally the fog began to thin, then clear completely. Just as D removed his mask, Crunchy suddenly stopped, dropping fox and key with a dull thump. D looked in the same direction as he. There was some kind of monster standing there, perhaps escaped from the Games forum and wandering aimlessly, although it had the appearance of one of Rai's henchmen.
D met the stare of its yellow, rotting eyes. It was humanoid but it looked like an angel- a travesty angel. It spread its huge wings and bounded forward towards Crunchy. Sasuke, paralysed with fear of the demonic angel, stood back, paralysed. Wordlessly, D shot out his arm and caught hold of one of the wings. The creature snarled and swiped at D-Lotus, who fell back against the wall, clutching a handful of feathers in his grip. He could feel the viscous blood dripping down his face from the cut on his forehead. He got up just as the creature sprang at him, its arms outstretched, and its dirty, jagged nails reaching for D's heart. D-Lotus dodged, and the pulsing fist sunk into the wall. Moving quickly, D held his hands together, in a fist above the creature's monstrous head, and brought it down with strength. The thing arched back in pain, like a cat, and just as swiftly pushed its massive leg into D's stomach. He crumpled onto the floor. The creature cackled victoriously and prepared for the kill. D turned to face the monster for the last time. Unexpectedly, the creature's eyes rolled back and turned white. It dropped onto the floor with a rumble that shook the whole room. The falling monster revealed Cruchyfrog's figure, holding a bloodied rock, and shaking badly in the knees.
"C'mon, let's get out of here,” said D, as he got up. He was too tired as to comfort Crunchy. CF nodded, still stunned at his own behaviour. He picked up the fox and key and followed Sasuke and D, who were already leading further down.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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Din was grinning from ear to ear...and everyone knew it. Behind her and Smudger, who was trudging along too, was a denizen of dead ifian's, most of them famous. Muadib, Rave and Wing, the barkeeper, and many other well know Ifian's were trudging behind her. All joyful at the prospect of kicking whoever’s *clears throat* back end that was forcing them from their nice comfortable lives in the Realm of Dead Ifian's. After all who didn't enjoy free live television, endless beverages, and pleasures for eternity? They were marched out into the City of If, where they were forced to mindlessly chant "Bring down Chinaren, Kill Chinaren, Must overthrow Chinaren...."
They found it annoying...so needless to say when Din proposed taking them to the surface through the actual Soul Well which the fiend controlling them all hadn't yet managed to control, they had agree...a little to quickly perhaps but they had agreed. Sending the angry denizens in search of their controller under the guise of Tourist and Guest...Din drug Smudger towards the dream chamber only pausing briefly to smile.
Thanks to her, thousands of Dead Ifians were arriving angry and all to eager to help the City...Din wished she could be there when whoever this mystery controller was found out his/her creation was turning on them.
Once near the Dream Chamber, she quickly found the Computer Room she sought. Explaining the situation to Smudge, Din watched as the humble hunchback turned into a rather striking young man dressed in a uniform that would of done Communist China proud.
"Ah your a communist" Din said sagely.
"Actually I'm a socialist...there's a difference you know."
"Communist, Socialist, Tomato, Tomata, Whatever."
Din waited until Smudge was safely back in the City and she was alone to step up to the counsel. Din liked being a shadow, and liked her cloaks. But there was no way to go back to being a half-shadow as her form was broken...and the only way she could harvest her shadow half was to be someone else. At least until she could weave what remained of her former self with new shadows.
Pausing a moment, Din decided. The City of If was over run by Rpg characters...why not be one of her own that wasn't currently in use...
~ ~ ~
Bridgette Saliva freed from the world of Realm...was very different. Flashing red hair that seemed to flame and spark, green eyes that seemed to burn, a clingy red garment that would have been a dress if the skirt was buckled to form a split skirt, and constantly swirling tattoos that glowed red met the City of If's light.
Spinning a dagger made of flames in the palm of her hands, Bridgette set off towards Mage Mountain which a necklace, a necklace that held a gem that looked exactly like a mod jewel, told her Rai was.
It was strange how similar her cold smile seemed like Din when she was about to clean something.
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Idea master
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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IM finally came to. He sputtered as well as he could to get the taste of the potion out of his mouth. Then he closed his eyes. His magic was blocked, but not his nature of moderator. He reached out throughout the city...and found Kalanna's characters curiously absent from anything that he could touch. Hmm. IM used his new-found powers over City Central to aid him, and suddenly the majority of the characters that were freed from the Games district that hadn't yet escaped to other parts of the city found themselves sucked back behind newly-appearing walls. A few characters wandered over to IM. D raised his gun instantly.
"Relax, D, these are mine." D looked, to say the least, shocked by a fox speaking in IM's voice.
"These two are my own assassin and warrior. You two are to find whatever characters that escaped and toss them behind the walls. If you find Kalanna or any of her characters, kill them, but only if you're together and they're alone. Never underestimate them."
IM then sat. "The council meeting is in an hour by my reckoning, and it's in Jester Park. I don't believe we should go, though, seeing as some of the council members are either compromised or corrupt. Wait, Lordy is always corrupt. Hmm...Anyway, Smee will be reconstituting half a mile north of us if he can, and when he does, he can break the curses on Key and me. Personally, I'm tired of being a fox."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Rai was watching several miners attempt to fight off several dozen escapees of the Games forum when her gem flickered. Sighing she opened the connection. "What Lordy?"
"Why aren't you tailing the others, hmm? Or have you forgotten we still need other things." Rai sighed.
"You know I think I've done my part. I've got what I need and right now I'm pretty sure there are several plots against my life." The demon laughed.
"So you've cut and run...how unlike you Kalanna. I thought you were an assassin of quality and courage." Rai nodded.
"I'm also an assassin of opportunity and prudence. I've got no quarrel with several people who are now firmly entrenched against me, for their own reasons. I'm pretty sure IM is after my blood." Lordy cocked his head at her.
"How?" Slowly Rai withdrew a dark black book from within one of her gems and Lordy nodded. "A Necromicon...you didn't read it I trust?"
"It might have been a while since I've seen one but, having a copy of my own, I didn't really need to open this one. It reeks of death curse a mile away. Here I planned on returning IM's book at a safe time and," Lordy interrupted.
"Wait. You've got a copy of IM's book?" Rai was wary now. What did Lordy want with IM's book?
"It disintegrated and the ashes were replaced by the Micon. So no." Lordy looked vaguely disappointed.
"Ah, well. Can't have it all. Still I wish you'd come down off that mountain and," It was Rai's turn to interrupt.
"Not a chance." She broke the connection and twitched claws for a moment. Her dragonesses looked at her expectantly. "Alright, alright." Slowly she rang IM, half expecting him not to answer. When he didn't she left him a message. "IM, its Rai. We need to talk, even if you're still a fox. Lordy's after you and if you don't call me back I'll expect the worst has happened..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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A mental call, how interesting. IM's mansion was paging him. Quickly IM went into his trance again. IM's mind and soul once again freely wandered, this time to enter his mansion and listen in on the message. "IM, its Rai. We need to talk, even if you're still a fox. Lordy's after you and if you don't call me back I'll expect the worst has happened..."
IM was shocked. He quickly ordered his assassin and warrior characters to NOT kill any of Rai's characters or Rai, instead telling them to focus on Lordy's characters and Lordy himself for the time being, though he did tell them to reinstate their old directives if they didn't receive confirmation within a day. Then IM made mental contact with Rai. "You rang me?" he asked, his spiritual presence flickering like a ghost over the familiar terrain over Mage's Mountain.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:07 am Post subject: |
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"You may be in deep shit. Here, this is no time for you to be running around as a lower class mammal." With a flick of her talons Rai recalled her earlier curse. "I picked up your book earlier, you dropped it in the tunnels. I was planning on giving it back to you when we had a quiet moment since it's not exactly the type of thing you want lost."
"So why did you send me to IFHI then if you had it?"
"I had reason to believe we were being followed. I'm not entirely sure Din wasn't sent to spy on me...which is why I had to get rid of her for some time. She was making threats after all but never mind about the book...it turned into so much ash." She had the feeling IM knew that.
"We need to meet and we need to do so soon. I'm staying one step ahead of Lordy for now but that won't be for long, knowing him. I do, however, have a bargaining chip for myself, and I know what he's going after."
"Really? And you're so into sharing all of the sudden because...?" Rai grinned at IM sarcasm.
"Because I know he's after you...which means I can assume the kind of measures he's going to take when he encounters you. I can handle those kinds of threats well rather than be blindsided. Plus, the Necromicon that replaced the pile of ashes your book became has your spell signature written all over it. So why don't you join me here on the mountain? It's safer than Jester Park, I assure you."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:33 am Post subject: |
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"Seeing as it IS my storygame from ages ago, I know the caves and crevices better than you, so I'll feel fine about joining you. However, we still have Key to restore and Smee to find. Tomorrow Smee will reconstitute, and hopefully he'll join with us. It's always better to have multiple magi on your side. Then together he and I will break the curse on Key so that neither one of us will be unduly drained."
IM confirmed his orders with his characters from the Games district, then ordered his more loyal servants to recalibrate the mansion security so that Kalanna would not be at risk, nor any of her characters or any of HIS characters. He then plopped himself back into his own body, grateful to see that he was indeed human once more.
"Parting gift from Rai. She's not really my enemy anymore, Lordy is. We've got to get Smee and get to Mage Mountain. We can hold out there for days if we have to. I'm going to see if I can't accelerate his reconstitution. Let's run, Lordy could be after us even now."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:16 am Post subject: |
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Rai turned toward her dragonesses. "Rath, I'd like you to go give the other's a little protection. They may need it. See to it that they make it back here safely." The black and red dragoness dipped her snout to Rai before extending a talon for a small mod tracker that would lead her to IM's location. "I'll send word that I've sent you to help him...and I suppose I'd better tell the others that they shouldn't kill IM or anyone with him. Otherwise they might get overzealous..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:50 am Post subject: |
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| Jez stooped under the soft earthen hole, then moved swiftly up through the hole in the stone wall of the underground vault of the Archives. Shelves spanned out in all directions, musty, containing hundreds of unwritten secrets, most fairly useless. But among the ordinary may lay treasures extraordinary, Jez thought happily as he took a glowing lump of lumonosis (phosphorous light green glowing reeds) and slowly stepped forward amongst the dusty corridors - searching for a promising book.
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:57 am Post subject: |
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The slight golden glow of a candle flame illuminates a thin pale hand, which is lying on what looks to be an old piece of parchment.
The stillness of it, and the silence of the area suggests that whoever it belongs to either isn't there or is
creak
...Solus...
...wake up - someone is here...
The hand twitches slightly, then withdraws from the light.
A pause.
...Who?...
A longer pause, then the hand reappears and hovers over the small flame. Closing around the fire, the light goes out immediately, leaving the corner in true darkness.
The swish of a cloak is heard, and then the soft sound of bare feet on the wooden floor.
The room smells musty, which seems to suggest that the parchment that was seen before isn't the only paper there.
A little way away, a luminous green light can be seen. Eyes which adjusted quickly to the dark, a figure wearing a black cloak that looks slightly too big for her slips in-between two bookshelves.
Peering through a crack in the woodwork, she allows herself a slight smile.
...Jez!...
Rounding the bookshelf, Solus stopped, still shrouded in the shadows.
"Brother..." A pause. "...Long time no see!"
Stepping into the light just long enough to give him a quick hug, Solus retreated again. Fully cloaked with the hood up anyhow, it didn't really make much difference.
"Solus! I didn't know you were here..."
"No, I've...been... ...working..." She replied quickly, although sounding slightly unsure.
"Solus..."
"I'm fine - I just...feel a bit out of it at the moment..."A slightly awkward silence ensued. "- I...it's hard work." She consented with a sigh.
"You look different..."
...He is suspicious of you, Solus. He's not sure you're you anymore...
...stay out of this. He. is. not. your. Brother...
"Just a bit paler...not much different..."
"Solus! Why won't you tell me what's..."
"Sh! You wanted to find a book? I know this library almost off by heart by now...I've been here quite a while."
...it pains you, doesn't it? - Not being able to tell him... - I feel for you...
...SHUT UP!...
Unable to control them, Solus's hands trembled slightly. Except for her feet, they were the only part that could be seen.
Slightly paler had been an understatement. They were white.
Glaring at them from under her hood, she sent the intense thought at them, a frown on her normally impassive lips. ...calm...
They stopped shaking immediately, and Solus waited for her brother's reply.
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
Last edited by solus.serpen on Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Deftly ducking and avoiding the guards IM had sent out presumably to herd back into the games section, Din had finally managed to find her way to Mage Mountain on the edge of the Achieves.
Bridgette, Din in disguise, looked up on the mountain and sighed. The mountain was beyond her skill to try. There was no way that even if she managed to climb it she could find Rai...although why she had the insane urge to find the Dragoness was beyond her.
All she knew was ever since she got back to the city, there was this burning desire to find Rai...a throbbing passion that kept pushing her even though something of her conscience told her something was quite right with that the desire. It was like there was something wrong, but every time she tried to figure out why her fingers slipped off the problem like oil on water.
As she stood contemplating the Mountain...the back of her was on fire, screaming at her to climb the mountain, to find Rai....
Din paused. Something was definitely wrong with this picture.
Find Rai...threaten Rai...follow Rai...
Why? She asked herself, I am suicidal or something? After all Rai did kill me in the first place?
Doesn't matter...you need to find Rai...you need to talk to Rai...make her understand...apologise...and follow Rai.
No. Din told her mind. But whatever it was wouldn't stop, and Din weakened from Death as she was...couldn't resist.
But she could talk to Rai...which is exactly what the back of her mind wanted to do.
Maybe, Rai could help. Or IM, Din said looking at her mod necklace, he's somewhere around her.
Sending a P.M. Rai's way, Din sat down at the bottom of the mountain and waited for the answer.
The message said, "Rai, I think we need to talk...X and Sprite will know who I am.
Signed Bridgette."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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D stopped as the tunnel began to give signs of widening into an open field.
"Crunchy, we need to get to the soul well. You need to get to the soul well."
Sasuke stood nearby. He held the fox now, but he was surprised when it suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. The Key disappeared as well.
"IM must have returned to his form." D said, as they all turned to see the smoke dissipate. "Sasuke, you know the way to the soul well through the tunnels, right? In that case, you and Crunchy don't need any map."
Crunchy waited for D to explain his plan.
"Crunchy, you have to dive inside the original well and find where the souls are being released from. There must be a fault of some kind. When you find it, use this on it." He withdrew a strange object from a secret pocket nobody had noticed before. D grinned. "I didn't know I had it either." He gave the object to Crunchy.
"Sasuke will help you. I'm sure you can do it. Meanwhile, I need to settle something personal. I'm sorry."
D began to walk towards the end of the tunnel as Crunchy and Sasuke watched him go.
"D," shouted Crunchy. D-Lotus turned towards him. "May the soul be with you." Crunchy waved goodbye. D nodded as his figure diffused into the distance. Crunchy and Sasuke began to follow, taking the strange object with them.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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"Come on, Smee...Just come together now..."
IM was weaving his hands about in a complex fashion, hoping to break the spells Smee was under. If he could break the mixed spell itself, then all would be well.
There was a sudden SNAP in the fabric of reality. A flash of lightning struck at IM's feet, and Smee was deposited safe and sound.
"Smee! Thank goodness you're okay!"
Smee looked around for a few seconds. "I'm back early. Thanks, I guess. Now what?"
IM yanked Smee in one direction. "Now we get to Mage Mountain before Lordy or anything that reports to him finds us."
Smee waved his hands around in just as complex a fashion as IM had done, and suddenly the two were at the base of the mountain itself.
IM and Smee quickly climbed the slope of Mage Mountain, pausing only to shoot a spammer that lurked in a hidden cave. They finally reached the cavern where Rai was hiding sometime in the middle of the night.
Looking back, IM reflected that it probably wasn't wise that he'd left all of his moderator adornments in his other robes.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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Rai, seated between Cami and Angel, paused with what she was doing. "Never mind Rath, it seems they've already arrived." Slowly IM and Smee walked in, both looking as wary as well...mages in a cave full of dragons. Rath settled back down before Rai's feet, looking at them calmly. "Gentlemen, good of you to arrive."
"Well, you did send for us. You said Lordy was after me...why?" Rai shrugged.
"All I know is that Lordy became very excited when I mentioned I had a copy of your book. He shrugged it off when I said I no longer had it but...well when Lordy expresses interest in something it's generally not good for the current owner." IM nodded, he could understand that.
"You were working for him, weren't you. Why the sudden change of heart?" Rai snorted.
"Working with him, not for him. As for the change of heart...when the death threats started in I realised that if I wanted my heart to remain where it was I had better start choosing my steps wisely. Lordy isn't likely to threaten me. Send hordes of Raver Demons after me sure, but not threaten."
"But why suddenly start working with us?" Rai raised an eyebrow.
"Was I ever working against you?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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Legalese, double-talk, politician, IM understood it all. He'd make a great mayor one day, if he ever got off his fat arse. But Rai's story had a ring of truth to it. She was, after all, an assassin, and they were known to be loyal to themselves. IM must have factored in somewhere in her plan; otherwise he'd be dead meat in a few different bellies at this point in time. IM nodded slowly. "You do realise, of course, that once their services are no longer required, your characters will have to go back to their places in the Games district, yes?"
"Ye- wait, their services are required?" Rai was puzzled.
"Of course. With your and their permission, of course, I'd like to see if Smee and I can break the curse on Key right now. We're drained, but you lot aren't."
Mages and dragons had a history together, and in many tales it was written in shed blood. IM could only hope that this animosity would be put aside temporarily in light of the crisis upon IF.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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Rai looked at her ladies. "Well you lot, willing to pitch in and turn a Key into a King?" The dragonesses rolled their eyes. "Very well and good then." Rai pulled the gem off her left hind leg and each of her dragonesses let a single drop of blood fall upon it. Slowly the gem began to glow with power, purple from Angel, red from Rath, and golden from Cami.
When the flow of power had depleted itself enough Rai deftly plucked the gem up. With the tip of a talon she laid open both Smee and IM's left palm, placing both upon the gem's surface. "If you're ready to proceed gentlemen, I'll anchor your attempt." After all, nothing could ground magic like a highly resistant dragoness.
It was about this time that Rai received a PM from...no it couldn't be. But it was...dinranwen...
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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IM and Smee flung themselves into the spell weaving like nothing before. They didn't immediately move their hands about moulding energy, though. This was precision work. If they only hit a few aspects of the curse, then Key could be stuck like he was forever. IM unconsciously pulled out his tome and opened it so that if he needed information, his body could look it up for him.
Power. Raw power and hatred. Smee's thoughts flickered across the ether.
Hmm. Emotional spells are always harder to break, they're infinitely more convoluted. IM was busy tracing the spell itself; it seemed like one thread fed back into itself constantly, like one of those darn Mobius strips.
But find the key thread and tug it, and it all falls apart. What is the source of the anger?
...It seems similar to the fog of souls hovering over the city...but it's coming from outside the wall...
Spammers, flamers, and trolls, then. Makes sense. But what mage in their right mind would aid them?
...It wasn't a mage...it was a daemon.
Oh dear. This will be interesting. Wait, I've found something, it looks to be the core of the curse.
Hang on, let me look...Yeah, that's defiantly it. All the loops pass by that point. Ready?
Yup. Let's do this then!
IM and Smee focused their thoughts and wove power through the intricate weaves of the curse to build up in the core of the curse. More, more...then there was a deafening, mountain-shattering BOOM.
The force that was used to break the curse caused Mage Mountain to explode in a brilliant flash of light. Key was restored, that much IM knew. Then he hit the ground, and knew no more.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
Last edited by Idea master on Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:42 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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"Whoa!" Rai flapped as hard as she could, reattaching the gem to her hind foot. Luckily it hadn't vaporised in the flash that blew Mage Mountain and half the Archives out of the city. Hovering in position she scanned around her, watching as Angel, Cami, and Rath all shook their heads and stood on wobbly legs.
Sniffing about Rai managed to locate IM but not Smee...it seemed he'd been knocked into sometime next week. Checking the mage for injuries she could treat, Rai muttered to herself about the fragility of mortals and thanked every power she was willing to admit existed that she was a dragoness of some toughness.
"Although I could do with some sleep soon...I've been stretching myself way too thin." She snorted. That had to be the understatement of all understatements...but she'd be fine...for now.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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IM was unconscious, but was not granted the mercy of being completely disconnected from the world. When one breaks a powerful curse, the caster is usually notified...
"Ah, IM, I see you restored Key. This sets my plans back, but not irreparably so. I have already dispatched some interesting characters to 'take care' of that problem, but seeing as you're still around, I figured I'd teach you a lesson."
IM quaked in his non-existent boots. Lordy was going to do something to him, and he could do nothing to stop it!
"Ah, yes...I'll just...wipe your memory, shall I? Don't be worried, you might gain it back, D-Lotus did the same, after all. Farewell..."
On the spirit plane, nobody can hear you scream.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 12:18 am Post subject: |
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Okay Rai was finally willing to admit it to herself that she needed some sleep as she and her ladies winged their way to Jester Park. Landing next to her glyph and Lebby, Rai set IM down next to the skiffy mod. "Rath, I understand you'll be returning to Games soon...you'd better grab the others to go back with you. Cami, stay here and guard me, you belong in the Park anyway. Angel...since the mountain has been destroyed you may take over guarding my Council Hall Lair."
The dragonesses bobbed their heads. Slowly Rai walked over to the aHEM guildhall. Opening the door she made it all the way down to her Lair in there, curling up on her mounds of gold. Setting the formidable guildhouse defences on high alert, and locking down the Lair just for safety sake, Rai finally dozed off...
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:24 am Post subject: |
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The explosion on Mage Mountain shook the city. Although most did not know what had caused it, let alone what had happened to Key or Smee, many were affected by it.
In the rooms of the archives that had not been blown to bits, the books had toppled from their shelves, burying Jez and Solus.
Somewhere in the streets, Masterweaver took cover as falling masonry crashed to the ground.
In the dungeons of the palace, Xansta gripped the wall as the very fabric of the building shook.
D stumbled as the ground beneath him swayed.
Polokin dodged flying rock as he fled through Jester Park, unwittingly running past the motionless Lebrenth....
* * *
Sasuke and Crunchyfrog had already made good progress out through the city and into the burnt trees near Jester Park when the explosion happened. The ground rumbled and a crack opened up with wisps of fog rising from it. They found the hole that they'd emerged from when they'd escaped the labyrinth that morning, and crawled back inside.
Keeping his hand tightly closed over the object D had given him; Crunchy followed Sasuke, as they pressed onwards through the tunnels. After an hour or so they noticed the tunnels rising slightly - they must be inside the cliff now. Crunchyfrog remembered the damp cool air, and the strange mushrooms.
Finally they arrived in the cave where the tunnels converged. The pools were still there.
"It's over to you now, I guess." said Sasuke, settling back on his hind legs.
"Yeah, I guess..." replied Crunchyfrog.
Approaching the pools, Crunchyfrog stared at the one that Masterweaver had fallen into, almost 24 hours ago. He looked over his shoulder at Sasuke.
"If I'm not back in 12 hours, go and find D." He said.
Sasuke nodded bravely.
Crunchyfrog turned back towards the pools, one of which now swirled like a whirlpool, glowing softly, as if it was expecting him.
Sasuke watched as Crunchyfrog took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and walked towards the pool like a man condemned...
In one second he was grabbed, stretched, warped, twisted and sucked down into a glowing vortex... In the next, the pool darkened and was quiet - and Sasuke was alone.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:02 am Post subject: |
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A pale hand and arm shot out of the pile of books, followed by a second. Then Jez's head, looking slightly dazed. Panting he pulled himself out and shouted 'Solus'. There was a muffled reply nearby and the sound of sliding books as she emerged. "Ok," Jez said relieved, "what on Earth was that..." Solus didn't respond, and she too looked rather confused. "Never mind," Jez said as he stared disconnectedly at the jumbled heap of books, reading the titles with some despair, 'The Adventures of Goth...How to clean a sewer - Wayne Pipe...Treasured Secrets of IF by Keavney...What to do if you're accosted by the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Troll by... Wait a minute, that sounds promising, he thought as he scooped down and picked up the Treasured Secrets of IF. Turning to Solus he said,
"Perhaps you should head back to the TI, I'm not quite sure how safe it is here." Dust was still falling from the ceiling...besides it's not exactly healthy spending so much time in here anyway, he thought as he awaited her response.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: |
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The sky began to lighten over the City of IF. It had been nearly 24 hours since D had found himself on the cliff ledge, along with Crunchyfrog, Masterweaver, and a fake map, as well as suffering from amnesia, and having a vengeful BStheGreat after his hide.
During that time, his amnesia had lessened, and he had begun to regain his strengths as one of the forces of the city, reacquainting himself with his sleuthing skills, his sixth sense and spider senses. He had only been half aware of the conversation between Crunchy and IM back at the mansion about the impending Council meeting, since he had been elsewhere on the Astral plane with Lebrenth, but now his senses crystal clear and all working together, it struck him now... The Council Meeting was to be in half an hour in Jester Park.
That would be at around sunrise. He remembered that the sunrise was what triggered the entrance of the labyrinth to suddenly open 24 hours ago... He hoped that Crunchyfrog had got a good head start towards the Soul Well, as there could easily be an opportunity for anyone with a map to find it, at this time of day, via the front entrance.
He also hoped that Lebrenth would have kept his promise in his Astral meeting with D, and assist with the Soul Well - which would mean to be there for Crunchyfrog when it counted. However, D was not aware of Lebby's current mortal reliance on the Crypt Spider in Jester Park. And that even if Ideamaster woke up beside him, his memory had been wiped so cleanly he'd not even know what a Crypt Spider was, let alone safely remove its jaws from Lebby's neck...
* * *
Crunchyfrog's stomach churned as he fell through void after void. He tried opening his eyes to avert the nausea, but the swirling clouds, light and movement that flashed in front of them made him feel even worse....
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:11 am Post subject: |
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...Well, that rather spoilt the opening...
...like it wasn't already...
Solus quickly reached up to pull the hood back over her uncovered face, then stopped. What was the point? Jez was her brother after all...
"Why should I go back to TI?" Deep black eyes peered at him curiously from beneath long white hair. This appearance on a teenager of age roughly 14 - 17 looked unnatural - but what didn't in this place? It was obvious that Jez was surprised at this new look.
...So he has noticed you've changed...
...It would be hard not to - but that doesn't matter...
"What's going on?" Solus finished.
She had heard the unspoken words in his tone of voice.
...Yes, it is unhealthy - but that's my problem - I've lived with it this long...
...He is just trying to help...
...The books...
Solus looked around in horror at the jumble of books lying on the floor as if she had just realised.
"I should sort out the books..." She muttered softly, almost to herself as she bent down and picked up a book. Placing it back on the shelf, she bent down to pick up another but a restraining hand on her arm stopped her.
"It doesn't matter - it would take ages to sort out these books. How about you just go to TI and wait there?"
"Wait for what? Where are you going?"
Jez hesitated, then shrugged.
"I have a council meeting."
...I don't want to leave here...
...I know what you mean - but maybe it is better if you go to TI...
...I don't like TI. It's too light...why can't I just stay here?...
"Can I come to the council meeting too? I'll hide so they don't see me if you want - I've done that before!"
An annoyed frown crossed Jez's face for a fleeting moment.
...I thought you didn't want to leave here...
...I don't know why I said that!...
...well, I suppose it can't do any harm...
"Well..." Jez started.
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
Last edited by solus.serpen on Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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Din felt herself being zapped somewhere in the back of her mind, but reconstructing she became another of Rpg characters. One thing about being a shadow so long, surviving through death, a laser gun shot, and having a mountain crumble on your head, you got used to reconstructing. In fact, Dinranwen had just discovered a new skill. If she let herself to take over a shadow near herself, she could become as flat and as invulnerable as that shadow.
Another good thing - whoever/whatever was driving her thoughts before the Mountain Crumbling on her, only to be saved just in time by her very lucky discovery, apparently thought she was dead. So she was left alone with only a slight headache and a few bumps the worse for the wear. Shifting into the ever punk-ish Brithil Cirya's form, Din paused a moment to look at her mod necklace...according to it she had not quite twenty minutes to make from ruins of the former mage mountain to her natural environment of Jester Park.
Starting to run as Brithil's brown skirt slapped against her bare legs, Din winced...she bet that Jester Park was a mess after that explosion. Increasing her pace to avoid the possessed miners, the fog, and the denizens of the Realm of Dead Ifian's Din had let into the city; Din finally stood before the gate of Jester Park.
Fifteen minutes...her necklace beeped....
Din shook her head as she looked at her reflection in a broken mirror. There was no way she was going to go to a Council Meeting without one of her cloaks, but there was simply not enough time to retrieve them. Even if she took the quick way...but then something caught her eye that was far more interesting than the disaster of not having her cloak.
There on the ground with a huge spider on his neck was Lebby. Din screamed. She hated spiders. Pulling out a spare dagger left over from her Bridgette disguise. Din went about removing the spider from Lebby's neck.
Then using a two-by-four she squished the thing until it was flatter than the street it laid on.
Turning back to Lebby, Din blinked...was it her imagination or did he just blink?
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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Really, why is she acting so strangely? The elf thought, puzzled. Sighing he replaced the frown with a smile,
"Ok, sure," he said as he dived into the tunnel. Once Solus had slipped in after him he ordered the trolls to try and sort the books into alphabetical order, something that a few of them could just about muster.
Quickly he strode along, his eyes scanning the first few pages of the book. Flicking over a couple more he found an original sketched map of some of the key places in IF. Nowhere near as exact or precise as the original, but each with a ream of information hidden within the book.
As they reached a door, Jez adjusted the lights so that they were far dimmer, and behind he heard Solus relax slightly. She really does spend way too much time underground at the minute, I thought I was bad...
It wasn't long before they once again reached the heart of the TI, "ok we can travel there by tunnel or by car", Jez pondered out loud, "which do you think, Solus?"
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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It can wait, thought D-Lotus. He turned his head towards the ominous Ferris Wheel in Jester Park. Searching his body, he discovered to still be in possession of the Stupidium gun. If he hurried, he could make it in time for the council meeting. Indeed, what better time to expose everything? Yet, how much good would that do? In any case, D-Lotus trusted in Crunchy's ability to close the breach in the soul well. After all, the sacrifice was made so that the soul well would not go beyond control.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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IM came to. He looked around carefully, to ensure that he was safe, and then began to wander off in search of food and the other basics of life. He didn't remember where he had been or where he was going. All he was interested in was his own survival.
Deep in IM's brain, a war raged. The part of his memories that his magic had been able to salvage were pitifully small, and the memories that had been supposedly wiped clean raged to get out. Lordy's curse separated the two via an overwhelmingly thick mental block, which both sets of memories were struggling against, trying to not succumb completely. Unless he helped his own brain, IM might stay like he was forever.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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A single sleepy chime from a waterclock was rewarded by the said waterclock exploding into a spray of mist and fine particles by a jet of flame. Rai cracked an eye open and muttered about the foolish calling of a Council meeting. Still, sleep or no, she had to be there. "I'm not going unprepared though. Shit will hit the fan.." Standing she walked to the back of her Hoard and, without doing anything noticeable, vanished.
She popped back into existence a few moments later standing over Lebby and an RPG character that could only be Din in disguise. Din whirled around, spider-gut covered 2X4 in hand. "You..." Her voice trailed off as she got a good look at Rai. Camwyre wasn't the only dragon to wear armour after all...Rai's was just a sleeker set. It crackled over her glowing red scales like hazy black fire just daring a fool to try it.
"Good to see you again Din...I knew you'd find your way back."
"You mean you...Oh dragoness I could be very angry with you." Rai smiled.
"You could...or you could look at it this way. Now you can cross that roomful of mousetraps without being snapped..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:07 am Post subject: |
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The twosome stood together in Jester park, waiting for somebody else to turn up. Ideamaster had wandered out of sight, unnoticed by either of them. Lebrenth was laying on the ground, breathing fast, and looking feverish, as the venom from the Crypt spider had been withdrawn, and his bodies own defences were left to deal with what was left of the poisons he had imbibed earlier.
The sun could barely be seen through the hazy fog as it peeped between the lower rise buildings of the city, starting its climb into the sky. The fog itself, thick and greyish, still coiled itself tightly around the spires of the city centre, sliding like a serpent through the streets, full of whispering, angry souls.
Jester Park was a mess, as was much of the rest of the city, littered with rock, craters, scorch marks...
D steeled himself as he picked his way through the debris. His mind was going through what he was going to say at the meeting, and what Crunchyfrog might be going through right now.
* * *
As he continued to fall through the Soul Well, Crunchyfrog began to feel his body being bounced from one rocky wall to the other, collecting bruises to be proud of. He scrabbled with his hands and feet every time he felt something he could hold on to, to break his fall, until finally he lodged himself in what seemed to be a rocky shaft. Feeling the blood rush to his head, he realised he was facing downwards, and, alarmed, he opened his eyes to see what kind of abyss awaited him.
Incredibly, he saw light... a whole world stretched out below him. It looked beautiful, tranquil, a small village, fields, forests... but how could he be in a cave... in a hole up in the sky? He craned his neck to get a good look at the sky from his position - it was angry, with great vortices swirling in it.
He had no idea that below him was, in fact, the Realm of Dead IFians.
Crunchyfrog lost his grip and fell towards it.
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solus.serpen
Respected Citizen
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:50 am Post subject: |
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"Tunnel." Solus replied without hesitation. As she did so, she frowned slightly.
...Are you annoyed that he hasn't commented on your new appearance?...
...He has hinted at it...
...Hardly worth the effort...
...It wasn't meant for that, anyway - It was so I could prove it to myself...
...To me?...
...To myself...
Solus frowned slightly as she followed Jez through a door, absentmindedly wiping her hands on her robes as she did so. She hoped there wouldn't be anymore trolls in this tunnel. They really did disgust her - and the thought of them touching all those beautiful books...
...she shivered.
She wished she had stopped Jez from asking them - now that she knew that the trolls had fingered them, she would have to think twice before picking them up.
...They're all ruined...
...Not all...
...Oh yes - there is that one...
Hand moving to a concealed pocket in her long black robes, Solus fingered the top of a small book that was hidden there.
...Just this one...
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
Last edited by solus.serpen on Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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Brithil smiled at Rai..."True, but only if I can get my form back...as of right now, I'm stuck my various RPG characters until I can harvest my shadow half...which by the way was only thing that survived after that nasty little fall."
Pausing a moment, Din looked at Lebby, "I would ask...." shaking her head Din decided against it, "But I won't prove the saying of Curiosity Killed the Dinranwen twice in one day thank you." Cocking her head Din decided to take a chance...after all there wasn't much worse things that Rai could do other than kill her again. "I suppose I owe you an apology though...what can I say I'm insanely curious and sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me."
"Curious my tail." Rai growled, "Curiosity I can forgive...but it's not like you to threaten. Beg maybe...but never threaten."
"I know," Din said as she knelt next to Lebrenth with a bag she had conjured from Rain's possession, Din knew she could return it soon enough. Working various herbs into a mixture, Din went about making a potion whilst she talked, "I'm curious about that myself...In the tunnel it was just curiosity that drove me at first but after I came back...." Din shook her head and added a dash of something else in the mix, "It was like my curiosity had doubled itself...quite unlike me. If I am correct enough to guess, I would say someone placed a spell on me to get me to spy on you."
"I wonder who..." Rath muttered. "No time for that now, we have a meeting to get too."
Din poured the green goo into a chalice she pulled from the nearby shadow, and using the same shadow sent Rain's healing bag back to it's owner.
Prying Lebby's Jaw open she forced the substance down his throat, muttering, "Anti-venom venom taken from the spider over there, quite harmless in this form," at the curious look from Rath and watched for change in her temporary patient. But upon being reminded of the meeting, "Oh yes, that. That reminds me...could you help me with..." Din gestured over her current form helplessly, "I would like to appear as myself at the meeting...I can't get to my Council Chambers in time to weave together my new 'form'. Can you help? I am afraid the only thing I can offer is some priceless information about the fog in the city, and maybe a valueless ancient antique from another plan...but would you do it for me, please?"
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Rai sighed...if she could just...nevermind. With a few quick movements she pulled a few shadows from around the park, stretching and pulling with tendrils of magic twisted throughout. Holding out a shapeless shadow-form she raised an eyebrow.
"Hopefully this will work...I don't do shadow-weaves much anymore." With a massive yawn the dragoness curled up on the ground and closed her eyes partway. Still alert, still keeping an eye out, she settled into a half slumber. "Tap me when everyone gets here."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Lebrenth
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Paralysis sucks Lebrenth thought to himself in sublime understatement. The last few hours he could barely blink and his breaths became impossibly slow. It was like breathing through a small straw, each second you feel yourself suffocating because you can't get enough air. Through his mod ring he was able to hear about some of the events of the city. The news was scattered and confusing, but most of all frustrating. And each time another IFian ran past Lebrenth knew that if he could only muster a small yell that he would be helped.
Just as he was thinking no one would show for the council meeting, everyone began to converge. Lebrenth wanted to hug Din's shade as she removed the spider... he would be happy to do about any action if it meant he was no longer paralysed. When she noticed him blinking he felt a wave of relief. It was rough but he could communicate. Then again, how the hell do you blink: "Find Lordy now!"
Carefully thinking up his own version of Morse code, Lebrenth began blinking. With a pen and paper they could decode the brief message. Din noticed his blinking and immediately established a meaning. His eyes must be dry.
As another strange substance slithered down Lebrenth's punctured throat, he did not care what the effect would be. Even death seemed rather pleasant comparatively. He certainly didn't expect the surge of energy that sprung him to his feet.
"Lordy!" Lebrenth bellowed loudly. The sound of it was quite unsettling to those who heard it, even Rai, who was used to it. Then Lebrenth's body went into overdrive; as though all the time spent holding still was charging up suddenly exploding.
"Ah! Thank you Din, I owe you one Rai. What's going on and why did you put that nasty spider on me and leave? Do you even know what it feels like to be paralysed? But wait, I have to find Lordy before the Soul Well implodes I have no time to explain goodbye!"
Lebrenth runs away before his words are fully understood.
"What's in that green stuff?" Rai asks Din.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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Idea master
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Joined: 10 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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IM wandered around, looking for food, when a sight stopped him. There before him was a huge red dragon.
IM's new beliefs that sprung from his amnesia warred with what his eyes were now seeing. It couldn't be real, could it? Something wasn't right with the world.
Or maybe, a treacherous little voice said in the back of his mind, The world isn't the one with a problem. Maybe it's you.
Okay, you can shut up. There is nothing wrong with me. I know I've been like this for as long as I can remember-
which is all of twenty minutes.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:57 am Post subject: |
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The Story So Far...
The last 36 hours probably had been the most dramatic the City of IF had ever seen.
During the New Year celebrations in the City of IF, Smee had discovered somebody in his basement, weaving a spell to try and crack open the Soul Well.
The Soul Well had been created several months previously, when thousands of soulless IFians' were exorcised from the city. After the Mass Exorcism, Chinaren, the Mayor, had performed the Ceremony of Release, casting the exorcised souls into the Wells.
Smee did his best to thwart the attempt to crack the well open, but the result was a tangling of spells causing a huge gaping hole to appear where Smee's house used to be. As well as Smee being knocked, quite literally, into the future, and a fear spell hanging over the area. The unknown perpetrator sent up a massive magical flare when his work was done, seen by many of the New Years revellers as a huge crack of lightning. IFians could be been seen fleeing from the city in all directions. Now that it was open, and with souls pouring out of it, the Soul Well was unstable and in danger of imploding.
As the sun rose, a strange fog hung over the city.
Crunchyfrog and D-Lotus woke up clinging to a ledge high up on a cliff face, with no memory of how they got there. The last thing either of them remembered was the huge crack of lightning. The first thing they discovered was that Crunchyfrog had a map planted on him. It later turned out to be a fake of the Master Map of the City, stolen from the Council Hall. D-Lotus was rather perturbed when the second thing he discovered was that BStheGreat was seriously after his hide. Due to his amnesia, he had absolutely no idea why.
The cliff face, however, turned out to be the entrance to a labyrinth, that coincidentally lead to, and contained, the Soul Well.
Along with Masterweaver, D-Lotus and Crunchyfrog tried to navigate the labyrinth using the map, but did not get very far because they soon discovered it was a fake, and also Kalanna snatched it from them and took it back to the city, leaving them to find their own way out. In the labyrinth they met Sasuke, a half breed dragon who had secretly witnessed Chinaren's Ceremony of Release, and on their escape back to the city, encountered Xansta, an IFian from before the Mass Exorcism, who had somehow been strangely changed by the event.
On their journey back to the City Centre, they also briefly encountered Polokin - an IFian who had been approached for help prior to the start of the story by both BStheGreat and by D. He pledged his allegiance to BSthegreat, to assist in his vengeful quest against D.
On examining the fog in the city, D deduced that it contained many escaped souls from the Soul Well, who were somehow evoking hatred towards Chinaren amongst otherwise respectable IFian citizens. And they, along with miners, and other residents, were rampaging and revolting in the city - tearing down the Mayoral mansion, and any of Chinarens entrepreneurial enterprises. Fortunately for Chinaren, he did not seem to be at home.
Worried about Kalanna's strange behaviour with the map, D-Lotus made the decision not to find her and tell her it was a fake, but instead confided in IdeaMaster, who, after hearing of D's adventures, decided to find Key. After losing Masterweaver and Xansta in the throngs of the Open Forum, D, Xansta, Crunchyfrog and IdeaMaster broke into Key's palace, and with Kalanna's help, rescued him, to discover that Key had been the subject of a curse - turned into a key. Shortly afterwards, in the tunnels under the palace, Dinranwen, who was determined to tag along with Kalanna, was pushed by the dragon down a bottomless pit to her apparent death, enabling Kalanna to retrieve an object she required - an object Lordofthenight wanted from her - a vial of red liquid. What this vial is, is unknown, but upon retrieval, Kalanna simply said: "The blood of the beginning...check!"
Unbeknownst to Kalanna, or to anyone else, for that matter, Smudger, a little hunchback who had been creeping about the tunnels in the vicinity, fell down the bottomless pit after Dinranwen.
D-Lotus had been knocked about a bit during the daring rescue of Key, and was at this point, barely conscious. However, the blow to his head helped his amnesia retreat; his special sleuthing senses and powers were returning. IdeaMaster brought everyone back to his mansion, which doubled as a high security fortress, partly against the rampaging mobs, and partially because of their mistrust of Kalanna.
All the while, Polokin, who had parted company with BStheGreat for now, was never far behind them, tailing them in the shadows. But for now, he was shut out of the mansion. Meanwhile, JezSharp, the Tourist Information elf, had been quietly continuing his project of digging his own maze of tunnels under the city, from his quarters underneath the unassuming Tourist Information booth, using the REAL Master Map of the city. (He had stolen it a long while back, when he first took over the TI, and replaced it with a fake, which in turn got stolen during the New Year party and planted on Crunchyfrog, and is now in Kalanna's possession)
His tunnels were close to completion, but he had to hide evidence of his digging project and the map quickly, when Lordofthenight arrived unexpectedly with an unconscious Lebrenth. Lebrenth, (Skiffy moderator) had accidentally stumbled across the Dream Chamber, and was in a deep sleep. Lordy ordered Jez to do whatever was needed to revive him, which included administering some rather interesting potions.
Lordy also ordered Jez to set up a Council meeting for a few hours time, in Jester Park, to show a united front, given the strange goings on over the past 18 hours. Concerned about his secret tunnels, and suspicious of Lordy and Kalanna, Jez temporarily imprisoned Lebrenth in a room in the TI, whilst he saw to the tunnels completion.
Kalanna soon came to the TI to rescue Lebrenth, taking him to Jester Park and causing Jez to completely secure the TI against any further unauthorised breach. He also managed to complete the tunnel network, make copies of the Master Map and PM it to various individuals, and then return the original Master Map to Council Hall. However it soon fell into Lordy's hands. Jez used his tunnel network to get into the City Archives, and found a book entitled "The Treasured Secrets of IF", by Keavney, before moving on to the Council meeting, along with solus.serpen, who had mysteriously appeared in the tunnels. Something was...different about her, somehow.... The potions imbibed by Lebrenth caused some interesting effects, as he lay semi-concious in Jester Park, not least to put his mind in a place where he was able to communicate on another plane with the consciously impaired D-Lotus....
During his incarceration in the TI, Lebrenth had learned much of what had happened at the New Year party. And with D's amnesia slowly retreating, their otherworldly meeting helped D remember the horror of a sacrifice he had performed on someone, for the good of the city, to help stop the Soul Well go beyond control. During the encounter he asked Lebrenth for his help, to use the Soul Well.
On returning to consciousness, D gave his orders to Crunchyfrog to go and dive into the Soul Well, and take an object with him, to help make a repair. Then resolutely went off to see to some unattended business, but decided to check in on the impending Council Meeting on the way.
Crunchyfrog, already severely traumatised by the events that had passed thus far, retraced his steps with Sasuke's help, back to the pools in the labyrinth, and dived into the Soul Well. He found himself plummeting towards a rather idyllic looking land under an angry sky, totally unaware that this was actually the Realm of Dead IFians, the very place that Dinranwen and Smudger had just left, merely hours before.
The Realm of the Dead IFians was where Dinranwen had ended up after being kicked down the bottomless pit by Kalanna. Located directly beneath the Soul Well, it was a resting-place for inactive IFians such as Muadib, Raven and Wing. Whilst in the Realm Dinranwen discovered that the Souls were being sucked back into the city, in the form of the fog, and that the anti-Chinaren sentiments were being controlled by someone else. She persuaded the residents to accompany her back to the City, in disguise.
Throughout the whole time, Lordofthenight and Kalanna Rai had been meeting and communicating in secret.
Several cryptic conversations between them suggested that Kalanna had been seconded to do some dirty work for Lordy. She had so far provided him with a copy of the Master Map of the city, with certain areas marked, and then set off to guide certain 'test subjects' in the right direction, at Lordy's request. Now she held the 'Blood of the Beginning' vial, which Lordy wanted. Kalanna's position was an interesting one - having done a lot of work for Lordy, she had become a subject of great mistrust by many who knew her. To the point where IdeaMaster had even gone as far as to try and kill her, by substituting his spell book that she had stolen for a Necromicon.
IdeaMaster had contacted Smee, from whom he had learned about the attempt to crack open the Soul Well, and obtained agreement to help reverse the curse on Key. With an apparent change of heart, Kalanna, along with some of her RPG characters, assisted IdeaMaster and Smee in reversing a curse on Key, to turn him back into his rightful form.
This resulted in blowing up most of Mage Mountain, and half the city archives being blown apart. Smee was nowhere to be found, and more importantly, nor was Key.
Even more worryingly, IdeaMaster subsequently had his memory wiped, seemingly by Lordofthenight....
* * *
The sun is now rising over the City of IF. The Fog still curls and whispers around the city, that is littered with bits of Mage Mountain, City Archive, and other unidentified burning rubble, left by rampaging crowds.
Gradually, Council members are gathering in Jester Park for the Council Meeting.
Kalanna and Dinranwen are already at Jester Park.
D-Lotus is making his way to the rendezvous point.
IdeaMaster is in the vicinity, and can see Kalanna.
Polokin is close by. JezSharp and Solus are travelling via Jez's tunnels.
Lebrenth has run off, looking for Lordofthenight.
Crunchyfrog is in the Realm of Dead IFians.
Sasuke is in the labyrinth, by the pools, at the entrance of the Soul Well.
Masterweaver is somewhere in the city.
Xansta is in the dungeon of the palace.
Smudger is somewhere in the city, dressed in a uniform of some sort.
The Council Meeting is due to start in 20 minutes...
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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((Sorry for taking so long everyone...RL has been rather harsh lately.))
Looking at the sleeping dragoness to the lifeless two-dimensional shadow form Din held in her hands and then back, Din sighed.
Holding up the shadow critically up to the pale light of street light, Din cringed...but looking at the sky Din knew sunrise wouldn't be far away. The Sun would bring council members to Jester Park and the resulting Council Meeting. There was simply not enough to be fussy....besides the Council Members would probably be curious if they saw a RPG character and not Dinranwen, HEM Cleaning MOd at Large.
Folding the shadow form neatly, Din grabbed a drain pipe to scrabble up the nearest roof. A few falls, bumps, and scratchs later Din sat trimpuphantly on the roof of a nearby building that gave her a very nice view of the night shalottes that made up Jester Park.
From here, Din decided she would be able to keep a look out for Council Members, and once the Sun arose survey the Damage on Jester Park. After all, Din thought, it wasn't likely that Rai cleaned it....at least not personally, she probably drug those orange green haired creatures out again...and they never do a good job.
Settling down, Din pulled out a needle and thread and began her work. Stiching here, pulling there, twist that, and tugging this, Din widdled the little that remained of the night working on the shadow. Holding up the finished article Din look at the shadow, it was still flat as a piece of paper but at least it looked more lifelike than before. Still she could have done much better work if she had her loom.....ah well.
Stealing a link of chain mail from Brithil's regaila and a couple of gems from a braclet, Din hurriedly stiched a quick cloak tie. Swirling the shadow around her shoulders, Din sighed contendly as the shadow swirled and conformed to Brithil's smaller frame.
The shadow cloak was a long shot from being returned to her body, but at least now she partial looked like her oldself even if Brithil's form was under the cloak.
Glancing up for the first time, Din noticed that the sun had finally rose, turning the smuag from the Laboratrory into a brillant swirl of colors.
Pulling up a new, Din surveyed the City as it was slowly revealed by the sun's rising light.
All over the City smoke swirled pink and gray. Dents, Scraps, and even a blast or two from a certain wandering Lightening bolt told Din that most of this damage had been done by the RPG characters IM had let loose.
Looking toward her left to the Fantasy district Din saw the left over of grandages, shovels, pickets, and helmets....Must be from the minners Din thought.
In the rear of her sight, toward the Hall of Legends, Din glanced toward where Mage Mountain had once been. Once been being the key words in that sentence.....all that was left of that once towering mountain was a pile of rubble.
Din shuddered just hours before all this she had been over there and had only barely escaped.
Finally, Din turned to Jester Park mentally preparing herself for the damage she was probably about to see.
But no amount of preparing could have readied her for what she saw....
Wigs, parts of clowns, gaudy garments lay about the street sorched and some of them still smoking.....piles of melted wax from rides lay across the scene. Glancing at her partially singed office quaters, Din saw the flicker of smuldering coals. What beast had lit this fire, Din thought.
Even the mighty ferris wheel of Tempting Fate was distorted in a odd way by the heat of the now dead fire....Din shook her head sadly. Jester Park was a mess, and it would take more than her feather dusters to clean it up.
Looking farther into the park to the Tired of Death Carousal....Din spotted what looked like a glowing gliph. If she remember rightly, Rai had carved the gliph to indicate the meeting place.
Shaking her head in disgust one final time at the mess, Din turned her gaze to the street.....people were heading this way and judging by the frantic flicker of her mod necklace they were all council members.
Jumping off the roof, Din gently woke Rai up standing far back just in case Rai decided to snap off her head. Telling the dragoness of the coming delgates, Din watched as Rai woke up, streched, and lopped off to the meeting place.
Obediently following Rai, Din found herself wondering who exactly would show up first for this 'meeting'.
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Sitting down next to Kalanna, Dinranwen peered through the fog, as some shapes came into view. The first she could see was Smudger.
"Hey, Smudge!!" she yelled, relieved that he was still around in the city. Kalanna narrowed her eyes, and snorted.
"That's Smudger?" she asked incredulously, looking at the tall uniformed man striding towards them. He looked nothing like the little hunchback she knew of old. "What happened to him?"
"He fell down the bottomless pit to the Realm of Dead IFians, after me." replied Dinranwen darkly. "Like me, he is borrowing a body to appear in IF."
Waving at Smudger, Dinranwen asked of the whereabouts of Muaddib and the others.
"They are all waiting on the edge of the park." replied Smudger, as he approached the meet point, and touched what was left of his Mod ring on the glyph, to confirm his attendance.
"When I told them I would be attending a Council Meeting, they decided to hold off any action until afterwards. They felt that they needed to learn more. Besides, they dont want to be here. They want to be back in their Realm."
"Well I intend to reveal everything I have learned at this meeting." replied Dinranwen. "This is going to be interesting."
"Indeed, " added Kalanna. "It will be very interesting, looking at what I'm seeing over there..."
She pointed a talon at a figure running full pelt, sort of towards their general direction, although still some distance away, calling out for Lordy at the top of his voice.
Having realised that the council meeting was about to commence, Lebrenth now expected Lordy to be back at the place he had just left. He'd turned heel and was running for all he was worth, dodging the piles of melted wax and scorched clown bits, back towards the meeting point.
"LORDY!!!" he bellowed. The panic and adrenalin levels within him were rising. He had to tell Lordofthenight NOW about the iminent danger of the Soul Well imploding, and its likely repercussions.
Unfortunately for Lebby, he ran straight into a tree. The collision took the wind right out of him. He was showered with apples, and then unexpectedly flattened by one very confused Ideamaster, who lost his grip of the branches.
"Ideamaster! What were you doing in that tree?"
"I was hungry." replied IM. "Care for an apple? Who are you anyway? And who's Ideamaster?"
Before he could answer to these unexpected remarks, Lebby thought he saw a figure looking very much like D, ducking behind some shrubs.
"D-Lotus! Is that you?" he hissed. But there was no reply.
Directly underneath where Lebby and IM lay, Jezsharp pounded through his underground tunnel network, clutching at his book, "The Treasured Secrets of IF and dragging Solus behind him.
"Come on, we're late! Lordy will brain me if I'm late again..." he muttered, his cloak billowing out behind him, revealing his sharp cream suit underneath. He secretly wished he'd had his workers bore a hole to the surface closer to the meet point. It would have saved him a lot of time...
Meanwhile, Polokin sat quietly on a bench in Jester Park, surveying the chaos around him. Oddly, it was the same bench he'd sat on just 24 hours ago. He smirked at the irony. He'd gone on a journey around IF hunting down D, and really if he'd sat on that same bench all the time, D would have eventually come to him.
Still, there was much in store to see for this spectator, and he waited hopefully to see the Council members converge at the meeting point, for the Council Meeting. Although judging by what he was seeing, he wondered if they were even capable of doing that...
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Rai yawned and stretched, eyeing the glowing glyph to make sure it was still sending out it's signal. Sitting up she put on her poker face and flexed her wings. It was interesting seeing her fellow mods acting like novice spammers...but it also troubled her.
"Has everyone lost their minds?"
"Humm?" Din looked up at her.
"Nothing...nothing at all." Narrowing her eyes the dragon wondered if this sudden outbreak of erratic behavior was the cause of her earlier power-grabbing. That was unlike her, she preferred to be an intimidating, figure lurking just off screen. "Now who could benifit if we all went crazy?"
Rai could think of only one person...
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
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| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus hid behind a large oak, gnarled and hollow. He leaned against its rough surface carefully, without making much sound. He felt fully comfortable with his abilities now. It all seemed funny, that he'd been wandering around IF like an unwitting fool, when in reality he'd possesed such stealth. But there hadn't been the painful memory of his actions then. When he'd killed it, D-Lotus had felt as though he had murdered a part of his own self as well.
Strangely, it was now D who was playing with the shadows- although the daylight was making it harder to hide. Indeed, Lebrenth had spotted him as he jumped into some shrubs, in search of cover.
Lebrenth. He and I must reveal everything to the council.
Through the swaying leaves he caught view of Smudger and Rai, and others converging under the glyph...
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:09 am Post subject: |
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...and watched as Lebrenth dragged IM to his feet. Again, Lebby cast an eye towards where D was hiding, but was more concerned at the moment with the state of IdeaMaster.
"Come on, let's get you to the meet, " groaned Lebrenth, and he guided IM towards the glowing glyph.
"Meat?" asked IM hopefully. His stomach was growling.
D was worried about IdeaMaster too. Having been unaware of what happened on Mage Mountain, D did not know whether Key had been successfully reconstituted.
Stealthily, he crept closer to the meeting point, stopping to hide behind a huge rock on the ground, that had once been a part of the mountain. Now he could see them a little more clearly.
He counted the council members. Apart from Smudger, who were the others with Rai? Her shape was obvious... the one next to her he couldn't make out. A shadowy one... could it be Din? He hadn't seen her since he'd left Key's palace many hours previously.
Two other figures emerged from the fog, coming from the opposite direction. One of them was obviously Jez, he could tell by the tall, slim shape, but he couldn't make out who had arrived with him. He wondered what tale Jez had to tell.
With Lebby and IM, that made seven. That was more than enough council members to constitute a meeting. He knew that when at least five had confirmed their attendance on the glyph, the chairperson would arrive.
He had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to be Lordy.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Chinaren
Hallowed IFian
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| Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:19 am Post subject: |
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O.O.C: If I may...
A purple coloured hole opened in the steaming remains of what was once Chinaren's public* trophy room.
After a moment a dishevelled orange figure shot through, to land on a charred beam. After a few moments the hole in IFspace-time wobbled and collapsed in on itself.
"Ouch," said Chinaren standing up carefully and looking around. He sighed. "Seems I can't leave anything for five minutes without it all going to heck in handbasket. Good job I'm insured."
He walked around, kicking a few burnt items to once side and staring at the floor. Eventually he bent down and pressed something hidden. A trapdoor slid open, revealing stairs leading down.
Taking one last look around, Chinaren climbed in. The door slid closed behind him.
*The private one being, well, private and hidden in a more secure location.
_________________
Neil Hartley Books.
My Amazon page.
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Idea master
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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IM took his seat around the huge glowy thing inscribed in the ground. Who was this Idea Master they were talking about? Why did that name sound so familiar?
There was a flash of flame, and suddenly a red, green, and blue jester hat appeared in the middle of the glowing thing. There was a piece of paper attached to it, but it was the hat that started the triggering.
IM could remember something about that hat. He just couldn't put his mental finger on what it was...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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Rai raised an eyebrow when Lordy's bloodstained Jester hat popped into existance on the glyph. A small note was attatched. Snagging it she cleared her throat and read it aloud. "Sorry all, will be slightly delayed. Don't start without me." There were a few groans from the assembled mods who, without a doubt, had better things to be doing. Like getting the city back in order.
Still it was the tiny scrawl underneith that message that caught Rai's eye. "I'll do all my talking at the meeting. He can just wait..."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 1:41 am Post subject: |
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This was enough for Lebrenth. Too much time had been wasted already. The Soul Well was about to implode, and he needed to find Lordy and let him know about his recent contact with D-Lotus, before it was too late. Perhaps it already was too late, in which case, Lordy would be in deep doo-doo, even too deep for himself to overcome without help from the rest of the Council. Perhaps this was the very reason why he was delayed.
This, was serious.
"I have to go!" Lebrenth cried urgently. "I have to find Lordy. We can't stand around and wait for him to arrive, not after what I have learned."
He turned to leave, but Kalanna's tail thumped down in front of him, blocking his path.
"And what exactly is it that you have learned, Lebby?" smiled Kalanna sweetly, playfully dangling the jester hat above his head, slightly out of his reach. He could see Lordy's note, and he could see there was some other scrawl underneath the note, but the hat was swinging about too much for him to be able to read it.
Jezsharp's eyes narrowed. This was not the Kalanna he knew. Or rather it was in a sense... in as much as she usually had her own motives for whatever she did, but... the Kalanna who had breached his TI and imprisoned him in his own quarters the previous night, the Kalanna who was menacing Lebby now, this was not right. She normally had more respect and loyalty towards her friends. But looking around at the rest of his fellow Councillors, he had to admit that none of them really seemed to be 'themselves'. Din and Smudger had taken on different guises, for reasons he was not aware, Solus looked strangely different, Lebby was uncharactaristically panicky, and Idea Master appeared to have lost his mind.
Jez stepped forward.
"Kalanna, we'll all do our talking at the meeting. At least until Lordy arrives.
Because one thing we can be sure of, is that chaos rules the city right now. We dont know why Lordy is delayed, or even if he will turn up at all."
All the moderators nodded in agreement.
"And for now," continued Jez, "I will chair the meeting, if everyone is happy with that. We will start by each of us sharing our observations with the rest, so we can all understand the whole picture. From there, we can decide our plan of action. Okay?"
"Okay, but make it quick!" said Lebrenth. "All those in favour?"
Solus, Lebby, Din and Smudger immediately put their hands up. Idea Master watched them, and thought it would be fun to put his hand up too. Reluctantly, Kalanna raised the tip of her tail.
"Okay." said Jez. "Who wants to step up and speak first?"
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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A momentary silence enveloped the mods, like a sudden lack of oxygen that made them all hold their breath. Then someone stepped out from behind one of the blown off rocks from Mage mountain.
"I'll speak first." he said, as he stopped in front of all the surprised mods, except for Lebrenth, who quietly assented to himself. If Lordy wasn't here, then things would have to be done without Lordy. After all, there wasn't much time left.
As D-Lotus stood there, his face conveyed a sense of absolute seriousness. His hand was composed, close to a large holdster that bulged with a protruding gun. Kalanna suddenly reared herself, but the others shot curious glances at her and she returned to her reclined position somewhat tensely.
"D, what are you doing here? You're not a mod." asked Jez.
IM giggled. Some memory of something was causing ticklish sensations in his mind.
D-Lotus furrowed his brows significantly.
"I need to tell you all something very important. But before we begin, does anybody have any objections?" He spoke in a grave tone and glanced directly at Kalanna, his hand close to his gun.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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Rai's eyes narrowed at D. "If you're threatening me D you're making a very big mistake. I garuntee you that if you turn that gun on me it will be the last mistake you make." She growled very softly. "Plus think very hard what will happen if you fire Stupidium at me."
Everyone blinked once. It was well known that, next to Chinaren, Rai had more real SG's going than anyone. Fireing Stupidium at such an Idearium laiden target might well vaporize a good sized portion of the city...and while it was certain Rai would be wounded there was no real assurance she would die. After all, Dinranwen had been dead, Rai was rather certain of that fact, yet here she sat as plain as day. D's hand slowly moved away from his gun.
"Good. Now speak your piece D. Mod or not I'm curious to hear exactly what you've got to say that you fear you'd have to kill me to express. But then I wouldn't be the first...would I?" Watching D-Lotus's shocked expression Rai grinned. "Go ahead. I've got less to lose."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Polokin
Citizen
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin hid in the bushes and began to watch the council meeting.
What could Rai be talking about, she wouldn't be the first? What did D do...?
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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How could she know? wondered D-Lotus. This only confirms my suspicions that she has been working with Lordy all along. Up to now he had no real proof, but now it was definite. Recovering from her comment, D faced the council and their unusual meeting place.
"I feel it is my duty to inform you," D said, speaking with caution, "That Lordy is attempting to take over this city, and that Kalanna Rai is in association with this dastardly plot."
Various gasps escaped from the council members, and the wind began to pick up, whistling madly. Sweat dripped down IM's forehead and immediately dried as he attempted to regain his perturbed knowledge. Rai didn't twitch, she simply smiled smugly and continued in her non-challant stance. I know she is affected, she just isn't showing it, thought D as he examined the eternally cold-hearted dragon. Her manipulation will have to end.
"Continue." she said, almost laughing.
"It is true, I was investigating the case. BS had somehow gained knowledge of a network of tunnels, and he also had somehow found out about some ceremony involving the wells." D-Lotus paused, then continued genuinely, "I tortured the information out of him, that's why he's looking for revenge."
Everyone in the council eyed D, with newly appraising eyes. How much of what he was saying was true?
"I learned from him that one of his employers was planning a ritual in Smee's basement, that same night, the night of New Year festivities. I rushed to my office to grab suitable weaponry, and departed towards Smee's. When I got there, it was almost too late."
Everyone was listening now, fully immersed in his story.
"Upon arriving, I found the house in a mess, as if some explosion had racked it. I descended to the basement, because it was there that the epicenter seemed to lead, due to the increasing levels of disarray."
D-Lotus paused again, as if to give himself courage to proceed.
"With its back turned to me, there was a shadow, an evil presence greater than any encountered before. The darkness of its laughter consumed the air and immersed everything in a monstrous sulphuric smell. It was chanting and pouring its blood onto a horn, into which it dipped its thin and callous finger. It purred as it wrote cryptic symbols on the wall from its own blood. I knew that this thing had killed Smee, or worse. Instintively, I knew that it was trying to release the dead souls that Chinaren had enclosed. Perhaps it was too late, but I felt I had to stop this inherently sinister being. I unsheathed my knife and stalked behind it. As I crept up behind it, it gave no sign that it had noticed me. Precisely as I brought my knife down onto its back, though, it cackled most evily and horrendously than before, as if my actions were its personal victory. My knife reached into its heart, and cold, dark blood issued forth, staining my clothes and body. I reeled back from the yet laughing being, and felt myself faint as it suddenly burst into pieces and dissappeared. I felt as though part of myself had died, as if the natural evil inside me had been ripped out and accompanied the evil presence to its death. I felt that all I had left was tainted goodness, worthless without its counterpart."
Up to now, D-Lotus had been deeply enthralled in his own tale. He looked up from his clutched fists.
"When I woke up, Lordy was there. I had had strong suspicions that Chinaren's dissapearance was related to him, but then I realized he was also trying to gain advantage from the strange occurence that had just happened. I was tied up in a chair. He told me that he planned to continue the ritual, when he collected the necessary items. He had obvious admiration for the being that I had slayed, and told me that I had destroyed a great source of power. He scorned me for my actions. He even told me his plans to fully open the well and take over the city before he wiped my memory."
All the council members were still listening attentively.
"But none of that matters now. Lordy doesn't realize that it won't make a difference wether he opens the well completely or not. Lebby and I have journeyed in our dreams to an astral plane, where we have learned of the city's imminent destruction. All I did was buy us time, the process is not on a stand-still, the souls are gaining more and more power. I've sent Crunchy to try and delay them until we can figure something out. He is not affected by the souls as much as we are, because he is a newcomer to the city. However, now is the time to unite. We need all the help we can get before the souls explode in the well, before everything goes out of control- beyond Lordy's control, even. And we need to stop Lordy from fulfilling the ritual, or then all will be lost without hope of return. We all need to unite now, or face utter destruction."
Even Kalanna seemed somewhat shaken. Perhaps she hadn't known all of this. But what would happen now? Would the councillors overcome their differences and work together to stop this 'greater evil' that menaced the City of IF?
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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Something snapped in IM's brain, then almost unsnapped. The curse Lordy had put upon IM was beginning to become undone. He could, for example, remember that Lordy had wiped his memory. He could also remember that he had attempted to restore Key with Smee and Kalanna's help, and the small mental conversation Lordy had imparted just before IM's mind was lost. IM could also remember his own name. But that was about it.
"He's telling the truth," IM stated. "But for the life of me, that's all I can remember right now. Rai may have started on the opposite side, but she has helped me earlier."
More gasps as heads turned to him.
"I had conversed with Smee, who, it turned out, was not quite dead. He had merely been blasted forward in time. He told me some strange figure was in his basement attempting to crack open the Soul Well. Smee did his best to stop this person, but all he accomplished was making everyone fear the entrance that is now where his house used to be."
There were whispers as the validity of D's story was confirmed by another council member.
"I accelerated his reconstitution and brought him with me to Mage Mountain, my old Archived storygame, where we met Rai. She lent us power so that we could attempt to break the curse on Key. He had literally become a key."
IM gestured towards a piece of rubble.
"All I know is that the curse was broken, but it seems to have had quite an adverse effect upon IF."
Rai growled. "I couldn't find Smee or Key, you were the only one that managed to stay in the present time."
IM nodded. "After I landed, the person who cast the curse invaded my mind and wiped my memory." IM paused for dramatic effect. "It was Lordy."
People all around the circle nodded. IM held his hand up to his temple, a bolt of pain had lanced through his head.
"It may not last for long, this temporary fracturing of Lordy's curse upon me. I will need someone to restore me. I can vaguely recall a mansion where I kept equipment to help myself."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject: Jumps into story. |
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Her wings convexes and twitched. Sitting ever angelically on the wall.
She remembered the new years party and how it all went down…. The lightshow of the crackers shooting up and exploding with an amazing haze made her eyes flinch.
The drinks were here and there served as well as all the other good drinks made by the bartender.
She had refused tired of death for only one day. And she never complimented china on his work. She still owed his rent and that was one thing she had to do.
After only a day in If she was at a biggest noob party. The king had made a mistake and the machine exploded. Sending nightshade crashing through all the walls of the mansion and then through a window…
She had woken on New Years Eve lying face on the mound…
Now she stood up looking down at what had happened to china’s mansion and that seeing all the events befall infront of her, she stood on a mound over looking china’s mansion at all the debris lying around.
She could not fly with her heavy load of wings. Her sister and brother dead and she were the only blood relative that was left in If.
She jumped down the mound and landed gracefully on the ground. Her fear of heights was still there and kicking no matter what. “To what must I do first?” She looked about her and then at the king’s castle and then to china’s mansion.
She shrugged her shoulders and immediately went in the direction of the mansion. The party was destroyed and a window was broken, the same window she flew through.
Entering the castle she found interesting, tidy-bits laying around the floor, like the piece of invisible glass lying on the ground… Looking closely it was a piece of glass from the king.
A few potions and gadgets... She picked up the bottles and went to sit down. Looking at it thinking if she should try and drink. Even if she never did drink her throught was dry and her limbs were stiff.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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Rai recovered from her shock quickly. Some of those details she hadn't know, blast the demon for keeping her in the dark, but Lordy wasn't the one she was actually mad at. A very evil grin split her muzzle. "It's true I worked with Lordy for some time on several projects the first of which was this." The gem on her left forpaw shimmered and a 3-D image of the Master Map was projected into the air.
"When I first became a mod Lordy approached me with an offer. It didn't seem like much at the time, just a quick copy job of some old documents one of which turned out to be the Master Map of IF."
"So you stole the map!" Rai shook her head as Polokin emerged from the bushes.
"No I didn't. I copied what Lordy brought me and recognized this for what it was so I made an advanced copy for myself with my mod tools. When I'd finished Lordy put them back again. The real map theif was none other than Jez Sharp." Everyone turned to look at a figity Jez. Rai thumped her tail for attention.
"But now's not the time to dwell upon the past! Now we need to pull ourselves together! We're not acting like ourselves which means we're acting according to this things wishes. I, for one, am fighting this change in myself as hard as I can. Maybe when the rest of you decide to as well we'll actually get something done!"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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IM nodded quickly, he could feel Lordy's curse beginning to reform. He managed to snag one last memory out of his mind before his brain returned to his cursed state. He screamed out, "MY mansion! I must be brought to MY mansion!" Then IM collapsed.
The curse did not heal itself perfectly. His uncursed portion had tasted memories and feelings of self that felt right and wanted them again. When IM woke up, this would result in him having a feeling of loss and bemusement, along with his mind perpetually showing him snatches of his life before the curse that he wouldn't understand.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:57 am Post subject: |
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Solus sat watching and listening quietly.
Due to her long absense in the archives, she had known none or very little of this.
...But you knew something was wrong...
...It was hardly something I could ignore...
...Yet you didn't go to help...
......
......
...And who's fault was that?...
She didn't suppose that there was anything that she could really tell anyone that would change anything drastically.
Afterall, being able to hear the lost souls didn't help anything, did it?
...I'm surprised no-one noticed...
...Well when you know something, you generally believe it to be simpler then it maybe is...
...Still, a play on words - how hard can that be?...
...Not for those that are looking for it...
Instead, she stayed contented to listen.
So Jez had stolen the mastermap?
To be quite frank, she hadn't even realised it had gone. Nor that Lordy had anything to do with anything (although that could have been guessed).
The fact that there was a greater evil had come to light a while ago for her now, but the description was not unwanted. The ones she had recieved had been shady and contradicted each other.
Brushing her long white hair behind her ear, Solus turned deep black eyes to look at Jez as most people were, waiting for him to give an explantation.
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
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Chinaren
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:59 am Post subject: |
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The recording Orb fizzled out, and Chinaren sat back and took a deep swig of Gungle Juice special reserve. It seemed that IF had been going to heck in a handbasket since he had been gone. Ah well, the warehouses and other Chinaren Inc. structures damaged were insured with a top OF insurance house. Might even make a little money out of it.
He stood up and waddled over to a cabinet. He typed in a code, whispered a passwork and put is eye to a tube for a quick retina scan. A drawer slid back, revealing the True map of IF. Poor Jez. Did he really think that he would leave this around to be found by anyone?
Sure, the backup copy Jez had taken had certain sensitive information on, but at least it didn't have the Dark Zone on it, or, well, you know. The Other place.
Chinaren closed the cabinet again, and watched it slide into the floor. He turned back to peer into a second orb, showing the council meeting, which seemed to be breaking up. Yet another orb showed Crady poking around the remains of the liquor cabinet up above. He rather hoped she would drink the red one, it had interesting side effects.
Sighing deeply, Chinaren decided there was no rush. No doubt someone would find out that a good proportion of the councilors were infected by Lost Soul parasites soon enough. The creatures affecting memory, thinking and actions, but were easy enough to get rid of once you knew how.
In the meantime, a shower was in order...
_________________
Neil Hartley Books.
My Amazon page.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:31 am Post subject: |
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Her mussles spasimd and the bottles flew out her aching hands. She dropped from the chair onto the ground her cigarrett falling out her hand.
The liquid from one of the bottles were flamable, damn her trying to smoke. The curtains started to burn.
She rushed to a tap -- that was strangely around the room, but no water came through it.
Soon she killed the flames by waving her wings in a tornado of blades and cutting the curtain from off the metalpole and stomping it to death. She cried. "I never smoke"
She scratched her head and nodded to herslef. "How did I get this addiction? This isn't me! I never smoke" Uncomfortabally she moved her wings. Flapping cautiosly.
**why did I wake up
**why am i so bored to go in search of missing people
**where is everyone
**why am I speaking to my self
She looked down at the gasses excaping form a bottle, she picked it up and on it stood: Greater Evil Gas. warning side affects... split personaloties.
Her wings flexed and and she turned her hide around and walked out...
Nightshade didn’t know where she was going with the bottle in her hand, but she followed one of her personalities. She had the uncanny sense as she came around a bend, like someone in need of help and eyes watching her every move.
She strolled down the road of the linear section there was silence, not one thing moving. She quickly ran down an alleyway heading to the center of the jester park.
Footsteps were a sound she heard and murmuring of voices, she then jumped on top of a roof, jumping from one to the other. Until finally. She settled down on a cliff’s roof over looking a council meeting.
She silently sat angellically once again this time on a cliff and listeing in on the councils meeting, with the bottle next her.
She sat back and awaited to hear a tail come from the one called jezz, Rai, solus and all the others...
Last edited by Guest on Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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"We need to stop Lordy and convince him to join us against the greater evil." D-Lotus said to the council. "It doesn't matter what anyone did in the past. We must forget our differences."
"So what will it be? Are we in agreement? If you are, proudly raise your hand and say, I."
D-Lotus raised his own hand and said "I." He waited for the council's response.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Polokin
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin was about to raise his hand and be the second to say I, but held back due to the fact that D had been lying to him all this time.
"He could've told me..." He thought, "I could've helped him before it came to this."
Polokin sighed, "Oh well, we all have to work together anyway."
It seemed as though nobody wanted to be the second, so Polokin raised his hand and said, "I'm with you, D."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:57 am Post subject: |
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Before anyone else had a chance to vote for D's proposal, a rumble, followed by a high pitched whistle and a deafening thunderclap resounded through the city. What windows hadn't been broken so far, shattered.
A giant flash split the sky momentarily, as a plume of dark green smoke started rising from the direction of the gorge and the cliff edge, where D and Crunchy had found themselves stranded at sunrise of the previous morning.
The fog sizzled with energy momentarily, then stopped swirling and whispering. It hung silently and heavily around them.
"Solus!" cried Jez, as she cried out, and crumpled to the ground.
Solus's eyes opened, glazed. She whispered unintelligably. The councillors turned their attention from the explosion towards her. As D crouched down beside her, she gazed at him.
"...D... I sent Sasuke to find you after twelve hours," she whispered. "Where is he? Was I too late?"
"What is she talking about?" asked Lebrenth.
D-Lotus went pale. No, it couldn't be. Could it?
"Is that you talking, Crunchy?" he asked hesitantly, looking closely at Solus.
"...I jumped into the pool, and left Sasuke to wait for my return...I fell...then I found myself in a world, of rolling hills and fields, small villages, a tavern, but everyone had gone... Except one, a wraith, who spoke of the impending disintegration, and the exodus, lead by one named Dinranwen... I have learned a great deal..." Crunchyfrog's words came weakly through Solus.
"The Realm of Dead IFians! " cried Din excitedly, nudging Smudger, who had been very quiet. Din turned to the others.
"Smudger and I have been there, we met many individuals, named Muaddib, Rave and Wing, Reiso, Shady.... I brought everyone out of..." continued Dinranwen.
"That can't be right!" cut in Lebrenth. "I saw them all in a deep sleep in the Dream Chamber..."
"Shhhhh!" hissed D. Turning back to Solus, he whispered - "Crunchy, are you still there?"
"...I was told how I had fallen out through the biggest of three vortices in the sky - and how Dinranwen and the rest were sucked up through it earlier. They must come back here, D... They must journey from this Realm via the Dream Chamber to unite with their bodies if they wish to return to IF properly as Live Citizens..."
"But did you find the fissure from where the Souls are escaping?" asked D.
"The Soul Well is cracked open. Supernatural power from the souls is seeping out slowly, weakening its walls and fueling the hauntings in the fog. The fog itself comes from somewhere underneath the City, but not from the Well. The fog is just a conduit, a medium for the Souls to inhabit...
I stood underneath the vortex, holding the crystal shard you gave me, above my head, its sharp end pointing towards the centre. Lightning from the centre of the vortex connected with the shard, and I buried it in the ground. The hole in the sky has become smaller... the sparks continue to connect the vortex with the shard in the ground."
"Well done, Crunchyfrog!" applauded D-Lotus.
"....Wait! " Solus's eyes quivered again, as more words came from her mouth. "It won't hold for long. The soul power has only been diverted downwards, instead of out into the fog. The ground is here breaking up due to the opening of the Well - soon this Realm will be no more... I fear then the Soul Well above me will explode..."
Solus's eyes then flickered, and refocussed.
D watched Jez take care of her as she sat up and came to her senses. Crunchyfrog had left her, and was still in the Realm of Dead IFians. D looked around at the councillors, as more hands rose, to indicate their acceptance of his proposal.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Din rose her hand immediatly. It wouldn't be easy, she thought, trying to convince Lordy to help them when he could just as easily help or be the greater evil.
Scratching the back of her neck to get an itch that had been driving her nuts since the New Year's Party that not even her well manufactored look-a-like's had gotten her out of, Din puzzled over 'Crunchy's words'.
It was true that since she had returned to If she hadn't been completly herself, with only half her mod powers, and a quater of the half of her shadow skills, Din had not even been able to use the Near Shadowed If transportation system.
She wouldn't be much use really until she gained back her form.
Swining of the rough shadow-cloaked she made earlier, Din heard a loud gasp followed by whispered behind her. Watching the shadow fall and fly away to the places where it was taken, Din looked at her fellow mods to see what was the matter. She soon realized it was her.
"Relax," Din said making soothing motions with her hand, "It was itchy, hot, and it wanted to go home. Jester-Park shadows rarely copperate in shadow forms anyway. The last time I tried to use some, they expolded in my hand leaving me covered in dust for weeks. Not exactly pretty let me tell you."
"Dinranwen," D said his voice adoubly shaking and his eyes the size of sauce pans, "You don't have a cloak on."
"Chill, D" Rai said, "It's just Brithil. Din's borrowing one of her rpg forms to appear in If until she can get back to her body. Sheezz. You think they never saw a girl before."
Din smiled, looking back to D, "That's right. Besides, I'm not much use as myself right now since I haven't been fully restored. As Brithil I have many more advantages, such as no one will recongize me as me, which can be used to tricky Lordy, if we need to anyway. Now keep in mind, as long as I'm using Brithil, I can access all of Brithil's skills, as well as what little remains of mine since death." Reaching back to the expandable staff Brithil perfered, Din twirled it experimentally, "So what do you want me to do? Point and I'm there," Din finished her smile expanding wickedly.
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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...Solus...
...You - what happened to me?...
...You don't remember...
...But you do - tell me, now!...
......
......
...You were used as a mediator between the soul well and here...
...What? I thought - how? That shouldn't be possible unless...
......
...Permission?...
...I gave that - sorry...
...You - what?!?! And when did you have the authority - the power - ?!...
...You should tell your brother that you are ok - he is worried...
...I'm still you're superior...
...Sure...
Solus shivered, then stiffened abruptly. Any sign of physical weakness led to many ways to target the mind.
Ok, so that was overreacting, she wasn't in danger...but it was good practice. Although, good practice for a bad cause...
"Hey Jez - I'm fine." Solus muttered, shaking his hand off her shoulder. "What - what did." She stopped.
...Asking him what you said?...
...No!...
...Haha - and you were just thinking about weaknesses too, Solus...
...He's my brother - it's ok to not be a cold mask to him, at least...
...Do you really believe that??...
...I don't - I - Just go away, leave me alone for a bit. I need to rest my mind...
......
"Solus...?" Obviously Jez was having doubts about whether she really was fine.
"Yeah. Don't worry about me." The question about what she ahd said came to mind again, but she pushed it back. She would ask herself later, but she really wasn't in the mood now.
"Um..." Solus hesitated and glanced at everyone around her. Right now, she just wanted to be alone, in the archives. Right now, she wanted to sleep.
But then again, she had just sleep recently. Lately, she had been becoming more and more insomniatic, hardly sleeping. So this much in such a short time?
She shook herself.
/Stay awake, Dammit!/
Concentrating to stop herself from shaking, Solus stood up and leaned against a nearby tree. Somehow, she felt more comfortable here, and not so nausious.
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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Looking around the group, D counted the hands raised. Dinranwen, Smudger, Kalanna, Lebrenth, Ideamaster.... he noted that Polokin and Crady had also indicated their agreement. He turned to Solus and Jez.
Neither had put their hands up, and neither had yet spoken their piece at the meeting.
"Well?" he asked.
"Wait - Solus may not have been aware of the conversation you had with Crunchyfrog just now..." Jez said defensively, clutching his book "The Treasures of IF" even closer to his chest.
Kalanna pushed her huge head through the group and got right into Jez's personal space.
"It's a majority vote." she said. "Either you both say your piece now, if you think it is going to change things, or we close the meeting now, and act based on D-Lotus's revelations. Which is it to be?"
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Rai glared down at Jez, about ready to rip his head off, when she noticed her own irrational behavior and throttled the urge to kill back into her psyche. Shaking her head she snorted, what was happening to her to them? It dawned on her.
"The fog is charged with the power of the souls and, to an extent, manifests their will. Supposedly this power is being siphoned off but...we're all beings sensitive to magic here. What if we're being affected by the wills of the dead?" Realizing just how dangerous the situation was about to become Rai decided to lay everything she had on the table.
She took the massive gem from around her neck and gazed at it with a sigh. Was she really going to do this? Looking back at Jez and the book he was hugging like a baby, and back at the rest of the council she extended her right forepaw. "I'd like to shake all your hands goodbye."
"What?" D looked like he was about to explode and the color drained from several faces.
"I'm afraid I cannot join you in convincing Lordy, nor can I aid you in restoring Idea Master."
"Why?" Rai again gazed into the depths of the gem.
"Because I know there are suddenly two gateways that have been momentairly opened, gateways I need to go through before they shut. If, by some miracle of cosmic humor, I survive I will join you in the assault on the well itself." She looked around the circle of mods, realizing that even should she succeed they would probably kill her later. "Good bye, and good luck."
With that the dragoness faded out of existance....
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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D-Lotus stamped his foot in frustration, pulling at his hair as he watched powerlessly the dragoness dissapear. The waving leaves seemed to mock him.
"Always! Always the same! She always leaves with absolutely no explanation, off on her own thing..." He exclaimed, exasperated. He turned towards the somewhat preoccupied mods.
"I guess we'll have to trust her. We have no option."
Jez raised his hand to speak "What if its all part of Lordy's plan?"
"I don't think so." said Leb, "The truth is too troublesome for plots of that kind."
"Well, we'll have to divide the mission." said D-Lotus, calming down visibly. "Half the group should deter Lordy, and the other half should journey to the soul well or Dream chamber, or wherever, to see what can be done. Any volunteers?"
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:41 am Post subject: |
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Solus watched as Rai dissapeared. Why did they all seem to be picking on Jez? It wasn't fair.
So, he had stolen a map. That didn't really matter, did it?
If he was working for himself rather than others - well, that was hardly different from what Rai was doing.
Or indeed what she, herself was doing.
...You're not working at all, so far...
...I thought I told you to go away...
...Well, you were thinking too much, so I guessed you had finished resting your mind...
...No matter how much I think, it doesn't compare to having you talking - that really takes it out of me...
...Oh, haha...
......
......
...And it's hardly fair to acuse me of being lazy and not working after all I've been through. I studied loads, and came out much stronger for it...
...Yes - but who was it that gave you the strength to do that?...
...Not you...
...Hmph...
Solus sighed in frustration. It could be a great help at times, but when this started to happen...
...Well she just wished that none of this had come up.
Maybe she should speak?
She considered, but what had she to tell them? It seems as though she had been as a mediator to carry a message from Crunchy in the soul well to the council, so they already knew she could hear the souls...
...But lately it had suddenly gone very quiet. That was surprising considering how so much was revolving around them now.
She still hadn't put her hand up.
...Stop acting childish and tell me what I should do...
......
...Saku-...
...Don't!...
......
...Fine, well at this point, going along with it would probably be best...
...But what am I going to gain from that?...
...I don't know - but what else are you going to do? The archives are no longer a quiet place to be. And anyway, you don't like Trolls. You would be constantly wondering what was happening and...
...But I could listen. Some of them will be going to the soul well, surely I could - well, I mean if I already have connections...
...I thought of that - but that would mean giving more power to me. You didn't seem too happy last time...
...How much control?...
......
...?...
...More than you would like. Look, snap out of it and try and be aware of your surroundings, can't you? I'm tired of having to look out for you at these times. Right now, your eyes are glazed. If you're not careful, someone is going to notice and think you're having another contact with the soul world...
...Oh...
Solus blinked and glanced around suspiciously. Had anyone noticed? Well, it didn't look like it, and if they had then they weren't saying anything. But it was true, she did need to pay more attention. However, habits are hard things to break, and she'd aquired some unfortunate ones while hidden away in the archives.
...Right, just quickly this time - soul well or dream chamber and Lordy?...
...Ehhh, I don't like being rushed. If you want, you can be in touch with both by going with the Lordy thing and leting me take over every now and again - or you could go to the soul well and meet the pitiful whisps of life that have called to you...
...I said quick, and I wanted a proper answer. Just chose for me - which is the best?...
...You know my answer, thats why I gave you a choice...
...I want to go with Jez, but he hasn't said anything yet...
...Mmm...
...Should I ask hi-...
...Shh! Smile at D, he's looking this way...
Solus snapped out of her reverie for a moment to glance at D and smile slightly. /Damn, I hope he didn't notice anything/
Once he looked away, Solus gave a sigh of relief and glanced at the other members. None had said which way they wanted to go yet, but everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak.
...Go with the Lordy option. That way you get to see where Jez is whichever way he takes...
...Damn, I'm not needy about him, I just want to make sure no-one picks on him...
...Thats the job of the older sibling, silly girl. Jez will be fine either way, now just raise your hand and say which way, before I get annoyed...
...I'm still you're superior...
...Sure...
Solus hesitated. To be honest, the soul well sounded more inviting, but then he would probably get angry with her.
Not bothering to raise her hand, Solus stated in an almost bored tone,
"I'm fine either way." The first thing that had actually been said by her (excluding the Crunchy bit, which wasn't her), throughout the whole meeting.
...Not a great one for words, are you? And indecisiveness is a weakness...
...I. Don't. Really. Care...
...Hmmm, ok then. I see. I'll leave you to rest now...
...Yeah...
/except I can't rest because I've got to stay awake. Damn.../
Solus watched everyone with slitted eyes. This was mainly because she was tired, although it might have been taken the wrong way. Either way, she didn't really care. Or even notice for that matter.
/I AM the superior/ She thought sternly to herself.
...Sure... A faint voice answered, the tone slightly condesending and even less notibly - sadistic.
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:45 am Post subject: |
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Nightshade felt so out of place, after almost falling her ass of the cliff, she silently slipped back. That was when she was spotted and she quickly plopped her hand in the air trying to ask a question at the same time, not knowing what she got herself into she was taken to have said yes to something.
she sat on the cliff.... still watching. Still tired.
**move and go insearch where the gas came from
**no stay, listen to what is going on
**You need not worry about their matters
**I'm tired
**Walk away
nightshade shut her ears and moved back, kicking the bottle away from her, she ran off... Heading to who knows where...
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:23 am Post subject: |
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Grabbing Smudger foricfully, Din raised her other hand. Well actually Brithil's other hand. Dressed in a green dress overlaid with silver chain armor, Brithil didn't like anyone to mess with. If, of course, you ignored the fact that not only was she bare footed, 4 foot 7 in, and ridocolously slender. In fact Brithil looked like someone who could easily become someone's lunch.
"Smudge and I," Din said looking pointedly at Smudger, "Will take the Dream Chamber. It's close to one of the major openings of the soul well so if anything goes wrong in that district, we will be close by. Besides, the Dream Chamber will place us closer to our bodies."
Beginning to walk off as she drug Smudger behind her, Din paused after only a few steps and turned.
"Would someone please remind what I'm suppose to do again?"
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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D looked around at Din, and indicated for her to wait.
"You need to journey to the Dream Chamber from the Realm of Dead IFians, if you're to get reunited with your bodies. " he replied. "That is what Crunchy's words were. Besides, you are most needed in that Realm, right now - there you will have access to the Soul Well, maybe get those displaced Dead IFians back where they belong, and you will be in the right place to journey back to the Dream Chamber to reunite your soul with your body."
"D is right." added Lebrenth. "If you go directly to the Dream Chamber from here, the body you are borrowing will succumb to the mists, and fall into a deep sleep. I know, I've tried it."
"Indeed." continued Jez. "I had to revive him using my special tonics at the TI. And it was not pleasant..."
"What about getting me to my mansion?" asked IM.
"IM, you turned your mansion into a fortress, and unless your memory curse is broken, there's no way you'll remember how to pass that security." replied D. "There is only one route in that is unguarded, and that is the tunnel I took to get here... Only it goes via the Dream Chamber."
Everyone groaned.
"However..." continued D, "to get out, I used a gas mask. There are three gas masks at the tunnel entrance. Sasuke, Crunchyfrog and I used them when we exited IM's house, some hours ago. So three people can go safely to IM's house through that tunnel that takes you via the Dream Chamber. From IM's house there is a hole going directly to the Realm of Dead IFians. I vote that Smudge, Din and IM should travel that way. IM can then do whatever he needs, and after that Din and Smudge can travel to the Realm of Dead IFians through the hole in IM's drawing room floor."
At that moment, there was a sound of a glass bottle rolling nearby.
"What was that noise? Where did Nightshade go?" asked Smudger.
The bottle rolled to Jez's feet. It had a stopper in it, and a label. Scrawled across it in hurried handwriting, it said 'Greater Evil Gas. Beware, split personalities.'
He read the label out loud. Everyone looked stunned.
"Looks like this needs analysing..." he announced. "I...er...have the equipment back at the TI..."
D nodded his agreement for Jez to return to the TI. He turned to the rest.
"Lebby, Solus, you're with me. We're off to find Lordy." As he said this, D picked up the jester hat, that had been forgotton by Kalanna. He looked at the two scrawled messages attached to it, and nodded. "He may be closer to here than we think."
"Can I come with you too?" asked Polokin.
"Of course." replied D. "Okay, let's go!"
"Wait a minute!" shouted Lebrenth. "Everyone - synchronise your Mod rings. We need to be in constant contact with each other throughout this..."
Lebrenth, IM, Jez and Solus synchronised. Smudger and Din were without theirs, but where they were ultimately headed, they would not be able to use them anyway.
And with that, the group split up.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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Rai padded down a long hallway, tounge flicking out to test the air, periodically stopping to consult her map. What she was looking for was dead ahead. Noticing a subtle difference in the taste of the air, Rai stopped peering into the noon bright darkness. Another round chamber much like the one that had sent Din into the Realm of Dead IFians.
Rai stopped, nervous for a moment. "If I'm wrong about this even the slightest...I'm so dead." She closed her eyes for a moment of mental preparation. Then, as they snapped open, she lunged forward. There was a slight pop and it felt like every nerve in her body was frying but she made it...just barely. "Thank all ye powers...and thank you Crunchy and Sasuke. Without your sacrifices none of this would have been possible."
Reaching out she took the hunk of silk wrapped flesh from it's space on the plinth and placed it in her gem. "Flesh of the present...that makes two."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:14 am Post subject: |
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Nodding to D, Din or rather Brithil gently took IM's hand. Din wasn't sure exactly how much of his memory he had regained, but the last thing she needed was to loose the holder of the games district and the subsequently the Idearium Mines in the city with half-a-memory. "Don't worry IdeaMaster, we will get you back to yourself no time."
Using the other hand to corral Smudge, Din led the group through the city streets to IM's mansion.
Keeping a firm hold on both Smudge and IM was no small task, but with Smudge more often absent in mind though present in body of late, she couldn't afford to lose him either. Besides, Din had a feeling she was going to need all of the help she could get.
However, the itch on the back of neck was getting worse and the short cut Din planned on using through Jester Park was turning disastorous. Apperantly something had gone terribly wrong in aHem with both her and Rai missing from action.
Mysterous creatures in odd shapes, colors, and worse horrifing clowns beyond imaginings were bombading the tourist groups attracted to the rides in Jester Park.
"Oh, Din," Smudge said from behind her, "Aren't you going to do anything about this?"
"No, why?" Din said, pushing past an orange fuzzy thing with purple spots that had only one eye and a giant horn on it's face.
"I mean aren't you curious about what's going on?"
"Strangely, no." Din said pausing as she waited for a mob of two legged pink elphants to pass. They were heading for the breaking-up council meeting, but Din didn't bother with that. "We are going to IM's house. We have more important things to do than to explore or clean right now. Besides, isn't this chaos just a wee bit fun?!?" Din said laughing loudly.
"Yeah, but oh Din?" IM said looking in front of them as Din turned to idly watch a group of men dressed as women explode a sweet tart.
"Yes, IM dear?" Din said idly looking towards the Idea Master.
"We may have a problem." IM said pointing in front of them.
In front of them a large hole had been blasted in the old Laboratory, and even as they watched monsterities with horrible senses of humor were pouring out of the hole. Smiles split across the monsters faces as they saw the group of mods trying to make their way through Jester Park.
"Ah drats," Din said as realized to late that she was going in the wrong way after all, "There goes my short cut."
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 1597
Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Lilith, watching from the safety of one of the few remaining trees, chuckles to herself. Well, isnt utter chaos a bitch? She jumps down and lands inbetween Din's party and the oncoming attackers.
"Could I be of some assistance, mistress of shadows?" Lilith says, turning to face the party of monsters. She then erects and energy barrier, which is impenatrable to the likes of these foes.
"What are you doing?" Din asks, a little perplexed.
"Holding them off so you can get away! Now go, and hurry! This is very taxing!" Lilith replies, sweating a little as the monsters attack the barrier.
Din takes off with Smudger and Idea Master. Once they are off to safety, Lilith releases the barrier and conjures a quarterstaff.
She smiles menacingly. "Let's dance, beasties!"
Meanwhile, Din, Smudger, and, IM have reached the room with the masks.
"Okay, guys. Here goes." And with that, Din applies a mask to each of them and they travel off together to the Dream Chamber.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:30 am Post subject: |
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Through her mask, Din looked back and waved at Lilith, who continued to singlehandedly fight back the monsters and abominations that attempted to follow them. Grabbing Smudger's hand with her left, and IM's hand with her right, and making sure that their masks were both secure, she stepped into the grotto at the edge of the park, and found the hole in the ground that led down to the tunnel that led towards the Dream Chamber.
The gentle white whisps of mist swirled around their calves as they walked carefully along the dimly lit tunnel. It was quite wide, and serenely peaceful. The mists became thicker, until they could see it billowing out from an opening on the right, and some greenish light glowing.
"This must be it..." came IM's muffled voice from inside his mask.
Smudger nodded, his footsteps hesitating.
The diminutive figure of Brithil led the way, pausing at the entrance. Dare they look? With the masks on, they would be safe.
From the entrance, she could just about make out the white furry figure of Shady Stoat, curled up in the corner. And Muaddib...Reiso... RavenWing... familiar figures of people she had seen down in the Realm of Dead IFians. And then she gasped.
A small, hunchbacked figure could clearly be seen in the shallow mists lying on his side... and beside him, in an area not as well lit by the green light, her own familiar cloaked shape...
"Smudger, its....its us!"
IdeaMaster pointed to two other bodies, just behind those of Dinranwen and Smudger. One, a young half human, half dragon, sleeping peacefully, and another, of a small, round bellied greenish figure with long thin limbs, dressed in loose green clothing.
"Crunch... and .... Sasuke?" said Dinranwen. "I thought only Crunch went to the Realm.... Maybe Sasuke got caught in that explosion with the green smoke... hmmm."
"And the only way we can get back into those bodies is to go back to the Realm of Dead IFians and go direct to the Dream Chamber from there?" asked Smudger.
"Somehow, as Souls, yes...I guess...." shrugged Din. "I guess it will all become clear one we're there."
"We must keep going." said IM, turning away from the entrance to the Dream Chamber, and continuing down the tunnel. "D said that the entrance to my mansion was this way, and that there was an entrance from there, directly to the Realm of Dead IFians."
They continued along the tunnel, until it began to rise. It gradually got steeper and steeper, until it became too steep to climb. The ropes that had been left by D, Crunchy and Sasuke on their exit from IM's mansion many hours ago, happily, were still hanging from the opening in IM's floor at the top. They each grabbed hold of one, and began to climb.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:12 am Post subject: |
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IM looked around the room. It all seemed so familiar, and yet, so alien at the same time. He saw what could be a computer, so he went up to it. "Computer," he said, not really expecting a response.
He got one, though. The liquid crystal screen lit up. Voice analysis confirmed. Iris match confirmed. Please place right hand on screen.
IM carefully put his hand on the screen, which flashed quickly. Processing...Fingerprint match confirmed. Thy bidding, master?
IM was vaguely shocked, but plowed on nonetheless. "I have lost my memory. Help in regaining it would be appreciated."
There was a whooshing noise to IM's left. A section of the wall rotated to reveal a small cylindrical chamber. The screen lit up again. Memory restoration pod now active. Please enter.
"Also," IM said, "I have two friends here that must get to the Realm of Dead IFians."
Two sets of over-the-face glasses were ejected. Place these over your eyes and you should be able to see the installed stairwell.
IM handed the glasses to Dinranwen and Smudger, and then faced the memory restoring chamber. "Here goes nothing," he muttered, and entered the chamber.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Guest
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:47 am Post subject: |
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Suddenly there was a loud crack on the roof and then the mod ring activated, Jez was contacting IM trough means of the ring.
Crady stood on the roof she had been following mostly everyone around If, trying to figure her own way to solve her personalty problem.
She had not followed Jezz who had carried the bottle, but instead she followed a group just for a bit of action going around.
IM froze, "What is it Jez?"
Jez voice was sounding inteligent, he had once again found an intresting thing with in the bottle. "IM I found that the gas contians gasses as written on the paper, the half of the bottle is scorched by fire and I found Chinarenn's fingerprints on it"
"Then How did Crady get it?"
"She maybe wore gloves, but that you'll have to find out some other way IM"....
IM head turned one way, and he found a gas bottle stuck into a pipe, If he wasn't contacted he should have gotten the same state as crady... "Jez we have a problem, the gas is planted in here, and probalbly everywhere els"...
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:35 am Post subject: |
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"Holding Jez, stepping on Pad to regain memory." IM stepped on the pad and there was a bright flash but when IM immerged he looked just the same expcept for a evil sparkle and the smile of revenge planted on his face. "When I get to Lordy..."
"What's that?" Jez's voice crackled again.
"Never mind." Im said quickly, "We have to deactivate and remove these bottles before they go off. I may not know what they do but I don't want to find out."
"And how exactly are we going to do that pray tell?" Jez said sacrasm rining in his voice.
"Don't know but I'll come up with something," IM said before shutting down the line of communcation between him and Jez. Turning toward where Din and Smudge stood, IM jumped in surprise, "Din, Smudge, what are you doing here? Why didn't you go down to the Realm of Dead Ifians."
"I had an odd feeling you may need our help, and blast it if I wasn't right." Din said pushing up her sleeves. "It seems to me what you need is some assasintance."
"Yes, No." IM stuttered uncertainly.
Taking that for a yes, Din frowned, "Stand back, I'm not sure if this is going to work. I haven't exactly done it before."
Striding over to the nearest shadowy corner, Din reached in and twisted and twisted again, then pulled. Nothing.
Reaching further into the shadow, Din stuck out her tongue in concertration and repeated what she did before this time muttering something under her breath.
There was a pop and a bumb as Din landed on her backside, and two figures sailed across the room barely catching themselves before crashing into the far wall.
"It worked. It really worked." Din said clapping her hands exicedtly in between rubbing her sore bum. Her enegy soon vanished however as she turned an unbecoming sickly pale color. "Man I'm tired. But it worked."
Across the room rubbing their bruises, Lilth and ChristalNightShade were looking really confused.
"Well, we're off." Leaving Im to figure out to do with his new 'help'. Din began to descend the long stair to the Realm of Dead Ifians.
Last edited by dinranwen on Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:23 am Post subject: |
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As they watched Dinranwen and Smudger descend down the stairwell, IM opened a panel on the wall, and pressed a discreet button. The two holes in the floor, the one curving away to the Dream Chamber, and the one leading directly to the Realm of Dead IFians closed without a trace of ever being there. He looked around at his new companions. Lilith looked to be friendly, but Christalnightshade appeared to be insane. One minute looking quite demure in her demeanour, the next looking completely deranged. IM could only attribute it to the uncorked bottle of gas that she had kicked away at the Council meeting, and he felt very unconfortable in her presence.
He opened communication with JezSharp again.
"Jez, how close are you to completing your analyasis of the actual gas itself?"
"Um, well, so far, I've exposed it to two rats, a hamster and a lizard, one of the rats is playing poker with the lizard, the hamster is pole dancing, the other rat is threatening to sue for cruelty to animals. "
"Yeah, but what about the actual gas itself?" inquired IM.
"Something parasitical. Seems to leach something from the brain. Dont know. I have it under a microscope now..."
Jez's face appeared on the mod ring screen in a bright pink full anti-contamination bodysuit.
"Well, be quick about it," said IM. "I'm locked in my mansion with Crady, and she doesn't look good..."
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: |
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Rai forced herself to stay on her feet, her legs wobbling under her like never before. She laughed. "In this condition a half trained stable-boy with a moderately sharp kitchen knife could deal me some serious damage." Luckily no such person was anywhere near her present local...nobody was near her present local.
Looking at her gem she ground her fangs. She'd have to fold IFspace once again to shave enough time off of her journy to make her next destination in time. "What a bitch." Here she was running low on sleep, low on power after restoring Key, low on paitence, and low on time. The only thing she still had plenty of was tricks up her sleeve. Still, thanks to the mod gem's power, she managed to make the necessary fold and get through it in one piece.
Reaching the other side though she was panting like she'd just been fighting off three Terrasques. "Hell...that would almost be easy at this point compared to this shit..." Another circular chamber, much like the one she'd just come from and the one she'd shoved Din into, waited for her.
It seemed to be mocking her own weakness...laughing at seeing the dragoness laid low. That sparked an anger Rai harbored in her darkest heart. "DO NOT MOCK ME!" With a roar that turned heads all across the city and shook the unstable ground, the dragoness lunged forward. There was a flash as the defensive spells tried for their kill. Scales were stripped from Rai's skin, spines cracked, feathers tore free from her wings, and blood spattered the stones under her as she landed in an ackward heap with the crunch of splintering bones.
Just before her lay another thing on a plinth, a shard of ivory bone encased in crystal. With the shaking talons of her right forepaw, her good forepaw at this point, she plucked the thing free and consinged it to join the other two items in the red gem around her neck. "Bone of the end...finally I've got them all."
Summoning what might well be the last of herself, Rai ripped open a hole in time and hurled the gem through. Collapsing in on herself the dragoness could only vainly hope that her future self was around to catch it...if not...well at least it'd be safe. "As long as I'm actually there...please let me be there..."
Blood pooled around her form as the time hole closed. Giving a long sputtering cough Rai stared in horror at the bright blood on her talons. A darkness rose up and her head hit the floor...
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
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Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:40 am Post subject: |
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Lebby waited patiently, as D-Lotus closed his eyes and concentrated. Now that the Private Investigator's sleuthing skills had returned, he was giving D as much time and space as possible to reach out with his spider senses, trying to locate Lordy, whilst Lebby kept watch for trouble.
The two of them, along with Polokin and Solus were huddled in a side passage between two tall buildings on the edge of the Nobs district, not far from Jester Park. When they had left Jester they had seen Lilith assist Dinranwen, IM and Smudger escape the rampaging monsters and clowns, and Lebby hoped that they had reached the tunnel to the Dream Chamber safely. He had not heard from IM yet. Pulling his Cloak of Forboding around him, Lebby looked down at Solus, who seemed to be weakening with every moment, whispering, seemingly to herself. He was concerned with her condition.
Looking around him, he noticed that although the swirling fog of souls had become still, coinciding with Crunchyfrog's temporary 'plugging' of the Soul Well, that had stopped more souls seeping out into it, he could still hear shouts of rioters echoing in other streets not far away. There had to be more to the cause behind their behaviour than just the fog, he found himself reasoning.
D-Lotus drew breath, and opened his eyes.
"Well?" asked Lebby.
D shook his head.
"Nothing." he sighed. "I cannot locate Lordy anywhere. Maybe I'm not up to full strength yet..."
Lebby tapped his mod ring.
"Jez?" he muttered. Jez's face shimmered into view.
"What? I'm busy!" came the reply. "I'm in the middle of analyzing the Greater Evil Gas. I heard from IM. They got to his mansion safely, but apparently another bottle of the stuff was discovered there. Who knows how many more of them have been scattered about the city. From my analysis so far I would bet that it has had a LOT to do with Kalanna's very overbearing behaviour recently, and maybe even the rioting..."
"Oh?"
Polokin, Lebby and D listened intently.
"I'm doing some final tests, before working on an antidote." continued Jez.
"Jez, we need your help, with finding Lordy. " said D, into Lebby's ring. "You had the map, right? We need to find the most likely place that Lordy might be... "
(Edit to add - hint.... consider Jez's reply, given the ideas suggested in the discussion thread, ref the ley lines, the recent addition to the map, his wanting to check out what's in the book he found, etc. etc.)
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 1597
Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Jez appeared to be racking his brain. "I recall a certain point on the map that seemed to significant... now what was it?"
"Well, come on then! We're running low on information at the moment and we need to find Lordy before his plan commences!" Lebby shouted at Jez through the ring's image of him.
"Gimme a minute!" Jez's face shimmered and wavered as he tried to recall the area on the map that had been marked important... it had been originally so insignificant...what was it? Maybe he should tell them about the fake in the repository and then placing the real one in Chinaren's chair...
"Okay, I can't exactly remember at the moment where that spot is on the map but I do know where you can find the REAL one." Jez stated, looking nervous. "I placed it in China's chair back in City Council Hall...."
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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...warned Jez, frowning. He paused, as Lebby was clearly looking confused.
"Leb, are you okay?" asked Jez.
"Fine, why?"
"Well, not just 2 minutes ago, I told you that I was in the middle of analyzing the Greater Evil Gas, and that another bottle of the stuff was discovered at IM's mansion. When I reminded you I was examining a bottle over here, you said 'What bottle..' - Either you were'nt paying attention, or you've got a memory like a sieve..."
"You heard from IM?" asked Lebby, struggling to keep up.
D looked quizzically at Lebby.
"And you seem to have forgotton that China's been missing... " continued Jez, through the ring, "...we can't assume he picked up the map I left on his seat at Council Hall. Although as I said, I'll bet he's got his own personal copy locked away somewhere, it's the sort of 'Chinaren' thing we've all come to expect..."
D-Lotus looked down to his left, and noticed a familiar looking bottle laying on the ground nearby, the glass cracked, and a vapour escaping from it, and figured out what was happening to Lebby.
He grabbed Lebby's hand, and spoke into the ring.
"Jez, we've got to get out of here. We'll head for China's mansion, but the last time I saw the place, there wasn't much of it left after the rioters had finished with it. If you can, please give us some ideas on where we really should be headed. The city is too dangerous to be in for long, and we may not have time to go snooping about the remains of Chinaren's residence looking for a map. This gas is clearly starting to have an effect on Lebby..."
"Okay okay!!" came the reply. "I'll check the copies I made on my computer when I get a moment, and I'll look up some references in this book, too. But right now, sorting out this antidote to the gas takes priority..." replied Jez.
"Understood." replied D.
Facing Lebby, he jerked his head in the direction of the next street.
"Come on." he said.
Polokin helped Solus to her feet, and the foursome moved on.
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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Location: Hollywood, USA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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The path towards China's mansion was slow and methodical. Slow, because Polokin had to support Solus all the way. D-Lotus cursed under his breath, but reflected that Solus might come in handy in case someone decided to speak through her again. Methodical, because the foursome had to constantly dodge the crazed men and women who rampaged through the main street. As soon as they heard cries, they slipped into some corner or side-alley.
At least Solus seems to be good at hiding, thought Lebrenth.
Eventually, they discerned the once-glamorous mansion through the swirling fog and gas. It was a skeleton stripped of its flesh, with its windows smashed in and wooden boards barely held on by loose nails. Pieces of wall lay on the ground, and the gaping holes in the house evidenced of their place of birth. Liquids were spilt across the withered grass, giving it a strange color, and pieces of fiberglass and wallpaper floated in the wind. It was a ruin.
And there were guards, placed there in case Chinaren returned. There were six of them, standing on the front doorsteps and drinking alcohol while laughing racously. Ocassionally, one or two of them would get the urge to do something violent, and they began hitting the doorframe or some window with their shovels. Obviously, they'd been there all day, without bothering to enter the mansion. The group stood concealed behind a shed, watching them.
Lebby started speaking into his ring, "Jez, how's the gas coming?"
Jez's voice came across, "I think I have final proof now. The gas has a similar effect as the souls, it makes people violent, although it isn't as powerful as the souls themselves."
"Do you think this was also planned by the evil creature D slayed?" asked Lebrenth, at which D unconsciouly shuddered.
"Maybe. But it could also be Lordy, in his attempts to create further panic. Who knows." said Jez.
"Incidentally, do you happen to have any other kind of gas, to get rid of the thugs standing in front of the Mayoral Mansion?" spoke Polokin, as he held on to Solus.
D-Lotus faced the other three. "Should we take them by force, or does anyone have any other subtle plan?"
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:54 am Post subject: |
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As D's eyes shifted first from Solus, to Lebrenth, and then to Polokin, Polokin shuffled from one foot to the other.
He patted the blue luminous sphere in his pocket, the one that BS had given him when they had parted company several hours ago. All he had to do, he'd been told, was to throw it on the ground, and say 'BStheGreat'. He was not quite sure what might happen when he did it, but he supposed it might summon BS somehow.
Somewhere in the city, he knew that BS was still out hunting for D, and probably armed to the teeth, knowing him. And with this gas about, who knows how violent he had probably become. He'd be a perfect ally in this situation, but he'd probably pulverize D before anybody could get an explanation as to what had been going on.
Deciding that enlisting BS's help might not be a good idea after all, he bit his lip and remained silent, staring at the ground.
It was at that point he stood on a loose stone, and slipped, yelping as he grabbed D to regain his balance.
"Shhhh!!!" hissed Lebrenth.
They stood as quiet and as still as possible. But the guards had stopped their alcohol induced laughter.
"What was that? " they heard a voice say quietly.
"Ah, nothing. Probably just rats..." slurred an inebriated second voice.
"Best be sure." said the first, again. "Hey, you, and you. Go and look... Over there, by that shed..."
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Chinaren
Hallowed IFian
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:26 am Post subject: |
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D-Lotus looked around desperately. “Come on, over here, behind those bushes.”
They scurried over, crouching down behind the shrubs as one of the guards poked around unenthusiastically. After a while he shrugged and looked back. “Mustav been a rat or sumthin’” he slurred.
D sighed and leaned back. His hand knocked on the ground with a thump. “Hello,” he said. “What’s this?”
He scrabbled about, pushing back the earth, to uncover a trap door hidden under the soil.
“A secret entrance!” Exclaimed Polokin. “Of course, Chinaren would have a bolt hole.”
“Keep an eye out for the guards,” said D as he fiddled about with the lock. “Help me here Lebby.”
D and Lebrenth tugged and twisted with the hidden door, and eventually succeeded in forcing the lock. The hatch pulled open with a hiss of air to reveal a narrow staircase hidden in the earth.
“Come on!” Said Lebrenth.
One by one, carefully and slowly they descended. Polokin closed the door gently behind them.
The stairs wound down for several minutes, a blue light illuminating the way, making it seem they were under water.
Eventually it leveled off into a passageway with a single door at the end. They approached it and looked at each other.
“May as well,” said Lebby, and pushed.
The door swung open onto a sumptuously furnished room. At the far end, next to a large leather chair and near another door, Chinaren stood with a large orange bath towel wrapped around him. He looked up startled and then dived through the door with a squeak, slamming it behind him.
D-Lotus looked at Polokin, who shrugged.
Various curses and clattering noises emanated from beyond the door. Finally it went quiet and Chinaren’s voice issued forth.
“Ah, excuse me. You are early. I don’t suppose you would mind going out and coming back in again would you?”
D looked around. Polokin sighed, Lebrenth pointed at his temple and moved his finger round in circles. Solus stood and looked at the wall blankly. They shuffled out and closed the door in silence.
After a moment of standing in the hallway, Lebrenth opened the door again, and they filed back into the room.
All appeared to be the same, except the leather chair was now facing away from them. Smoke curled into the air above it.
“Ah, gentlemen, and lady of course. This is a pleasure. Come in do, I have been expecting you.”
The chair swiveled round, to reveal Chinaren enclosed in the folds. He was wearing a bright orange silk robe with the Chinaren Inc. logo embossed on it. In one hand a cigar was revealed to be the source of the smoke. The other hand stroked a white animal of some kind curled up in his lap.
“Chinaren!” Said D. “Where have you been? Key is missing, Smee is time traveling and IF has been going to hell!”
“Indeed my dear D, indeed. It seems that things are a little further on than I anticipated.”
“You anticipated?” Lebrenth repeated. “Do you mean this is all your plan?”
Chinaren lifted a finger. “No, no of course not. It seems that during my unexpected excursion to places strange and bewildering* things have become a little… disorganized. Never mind, I am sure everything will work itself out somehow.”
“You mean you knew this was going to happen? For the love of IF man! Why?”
Chinaren stroked his animal and puffed on his cigar once before answering. “Elementary my dear Lotus. Fables.”
“Fables?” Polokin stepped forward. “You mean this was all about money?”
Chinaren held his finger up. “For the good of the economy. Admittedly, some people would be slightly inconvenienced, but think! What comes after chaos? Rebuilding. And rebuilding means jobs, work. Fables re-entering the city. People would profit. Things would be built, IF would be revitalized.”
“You let the souls out on purpose?”
Chinaren made a tutting sound. “I didn’t let them out my dear Lebby. I merely set a chain of events in motion.”
“Look at the anarchy it has caused!” Shouted D. “This was your plan?”
Chinaren waved a hand. “Oh, I know. The plan wasn’t for all this to happen. Once some of the Souls were loose I planned to step in and seal the gap. However, I was sucked into another place, and everything went too far.”
“Great,” said Lebrenth. “So, what is your plan now then?”
“Well, I was rather thinking of a light lunch, followed by a nap. You seem to have everything under control. There is no need for me to go running about like a loony now, is there?”
They all stared.
“Hey, is that a stuffed cat?” asked Polokin.
Chinaren blushed, though this couldn’t be seen under his hair. “Ah.. Well. It’s just easier you know? Cat’s need feeding and everything, not to mention the mess.” He changed the subject. “So, is there anything you need from me? If you would hurry, my soup is getting cold.”
*See Tales of IF, part II
_________________
Neil Hartley Books.
My Amazon page.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:29 am Post subject: |
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Jez shook his head, Drat, I really haven't been thinking clearly lately he thought angrily. It's trying to fight off theose souls, the gas, the constant chaos. Tipping a few liquids into a grey mixture he released it into the tank, the rat playing poker subsequently cashed in his chips. Hmmm, looks like I need more gegin weed and less essence of fungal heervite, Jez thought as he quickly prepared another mixture, and only the lizard left.
The mixture he made this time was a frothy light blue, he released onto the lizard. After observing it for a few minutes he straightened up satidfied. Lebrenth's voice again travelled over by ring,
"Any more progress?"
"Yes I think so, I'm going to start pumping the gas out into the City now, it should counteract the poison...however there may be a slight risk of side affects."
"What do you mean side affects? How many of the test subjects survived?"
"Well one," Jez admitted reluctantly trying to ignore Lebrenths gasp, "but it should be fine, the lizards back to normal now...well almost," Lebrenth's voice was almosta whisper as he repeated the words, "almost?"
"Yeah, he's grown a beard and an extra set of arms...but the side affects probably different for Ifians...anyway there's no more time unless we all want to go mad so I'll take a large batch of the stuff to the ventilation station and feed it across the City."
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:21 am Post subject: |
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"A... beard? An extra set of arms!? Are you insane already, Jez?" Lebrenth queried.
"Hey, it's all we've got at the moment! Do you want to stop this madness or not?" Jez retorted, already busily working away.
Lebrenth bit his lower lip. This could be catastrophic! On the other hand, it is our only weapon at the moment!
" I know I am going to regret this later, but proceed, Jez and then meet up with us later. " Lebrenth broke the connection and took a deep breath.
"What's up?" D-Lotus asked, not having paid any attention to the conversation between Lebrenth and JezSharp.
"Well, he has a gas to counteract the effects of the Greater Evil Gas, but.... it will have side-effects. And, I don't think they're going to be pleasant. I could be wrong, you never know.." Lebrenth trailed off and focused on Polokin contemplating a blueish orb once again.
D-Lotus noticed Polokin's strange behavior also.
_________________
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© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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solus.serpen
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:59 am Post subject: |
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For some reason, Solus chose that moment to 'wake up' as it were, pulling away from Polokin with a hiss before seeing where she was and blinking suddenly in confusion.
"Solus?" Polokin asked, wondering why she had hissed at him.
"Oh, errrr." She blinked again and looked about her, confusion still showing on her face. "...How did I get here?"
Before anyone could answer though, she shook her head with a sigh.
"I don't suppose it matters. But..." Here she turned to Polokin, "...I think I can stand by myself."
Glancing around again, Solus moved to the side and leant against one of the walls, rather disproving her point. For a moment her eyes glazed again, but then she blinked and they returned to their normal peircing black.
A moment after that and the rest returned to their conversation with Chinaren.
Although still obviously fighting against fading out again, Solus seemed, at least for the moment, to be in control.
What would the group decide to ask Chinaren for though?
_________________
Ogden the Octopus has hijacked my avatar image
chapter 6 of DESTINY - a super old SG which won't continue...but there are a full 6 chapters if you feel like reading something with no ending!
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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Rai blinked several times and shook her head to clear the fog of death from her head. She flexed some talons trying to discern if she was fully meshed into her new body. "Hello Rai, plesure to see you again. Have a seat won't you?"
Smee grinned as the startled ghostly dragoness turned a surprised face toward him. King Key waved a lazy hello in the direction of the ghostly mod before turning back to gaze at the time zipping past. "Smee? Key? Where in IF...why arn't I in flesh again?" The wizard chuckled.
"Well you died a smidge too soon. Looks like you're just going to have to wait around with Key and I until we catch up." Smee watched the dragoness look around. "Lost something?"
Rai spread her claws in a gesture of futility and nodded. "You wouldn't have happened to notice an amulet with a magical ruby the size of a small imported car whizz past would you?"
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth regarded Chinaren with distaste.
"When will you overcome your greediness, Chinaren?" he asked.
Chinaren laughed, as his orange fur shook in rythm. He took another puff of his cigar.
"Well, what are you going to ask of me?" he said in a condescending tone, instead of answering Leb.
"Look here, China, I think there's something very important we need to know." Said D, grimacing as the mayor continued slowly petting the immobile cat.
"Yes?"
"Where is Lordy, and how can we reverse the effects of the souls?" finished D.
"Hmmm..." meditated Chinaren, as his hand finally relented from his grotesque pet.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Chinaren
Hallowed IFian
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:18 am Post subject: |
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"I have no idea where Lordy is," replied Chinaren. "I told you, I was whisked away and things seem to have got out of hand. It's really a bit careless of you, losing all these people."
He took another drag of the cigar and blew some smoke rings. "As for the Soul Well. You need some Soul Salve. Idea Master was keeping it for me, just ask him where to find it. Surely that can't be a problem, can it?"
_________________
Neil Hartley Books.
My Amazon page.
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JezSharp
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: |
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Carried by a convoy of trolls the anti-dote had reached one of the many ancient maze of vents taht crisscrossed the city. This particular set were used to take flood water from the streets, and as it wasn't raining at present it seemed a good way to let the gas out into open spaces where it was probably needed. Well it will be better than the effects of being poisoned, and any side affects should be minor from it Jez muttered to himself, I can deal with finding an antidote to the antidote later.
Slowly and methodically the strange gas was tipped into the tunnels and poured out into the streets. Jez meanwhile had left to catch up with D's group, carrying a set of gas masks.
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:07 am Post subject: |
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Lebrenth does not give up so easily, they must find Lordy. He opens his mouth to say something profound but stops suddenly. He draws his Cloak of Foreboding open to reveal an abysmal hole that seems as limitless as oblivion. Of course, it’s just an illusion. He puts his hand in the large pocket and pulls out a small manual entitled, “So you want to be a moderator?” He thumbs through it. Chinaren coughs and taps his claws on the arm of his chair.
“Ah ha! Right here,” Lebrenth says holding the book open for him. A trail of cigar smoke curls out of his right nostril as his brow contracts and looks down. It’s open to the “Moderator Ring” section. He can read the large chapter heading anyway. Chinaren’s vision is still a little intoxicated, so the rest of the page is rather blurry.
“Understood?” Lebrenth says smugly.
“Er… of course, but what does that have to do with me?”
Lebrenth looks to make sure he was pointing to the right section… which he was….
“Um… well, every moderator was given a ring or similar item when they took their duties, but with the understanding that as long as they possess the mod power, their location would show on the Master Map of IF.”
“What of it?” Chinaren acknowledges in an aura of smoke.
“We need to find Lordy now! You hardly need to lift a finger, just show us the map!”
Chinaren chuckles malevolently.
“You think it’s that easy, do you?”
“What do you want? Money?”
“Sure, I can be bought, but some things are beyond price. Even I couldn’t afford what it’s worth.”
“We don’t want to buy it!” D-Lotus insists, “Just borrow it.”
Chinaren shakes his head.
“Ah come on, just a peek?” Polokin asks, though hardly worried about Lordy… there must be a lot of interesting things on that map. Chinaren does not stir, except to light a new cigar. “Don’t make us get unpleasant!”
“Unpleasant!” Chinaren repeats menacingly. “I don’t believe you really know the meaning of unpleasant! Perhaps you would like Security to give you a lesson?” he says, his finger an inch away from a disguised button. The air burns with intensity as the standoff begins. Chinaren’s fierce breath flares his cigar like a demon’s eye. They can feel the heat of the cigar where they stand as it burns down to a third its size, when he loses grip on it, and like a pigeon into a jet turbine the cigar shoots into his throat.
For a moment he just stares straight ahead with his mouth open like he was hit on the back of the head. They can see the burning end of the cigar in the back of his mouth. Then the scorching and suffocating really kicks in. He runs around like a madman, banging his head against the wall, punching his stomach and throwing himself onto a chair trying, unsuccessfully, to give himself the Heimlich.
The others look at each other as he races around frantically.
“What?” D-Lotus says. “Even if we save him he probably won’t give us the map.”
"There's something kind of familiar about this," Lebrenth says.
_________________
Please visit my Library of completed IF works.
Or check out my Game Company, Ice House Games
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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Smee and Key shook their heads as Rai sighed. "Oh well...at least it should show up when we get there."
"It's probably just a little further along in the time stream." Key mused. "Speaking of which, heads up Rai."
"Huh?" Twisting her head to look around the dragoness had a moment to get the perception of something large and red coming at her at mach speed before she and her future body impacted with tremendous force. "Ouch. That's a rather unplesant sensation. Remind me not to do this again."
Smee chuckled. "If the situation ever arises where you've inadvertantly sent a copy of your body into the future and yourself, Key, and I find ourselves zipping through Space Time again...I'll try to remember that."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Argonaut
Mercenary Artist
Joined: 11 May 2006
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth's Mod ring crackled to life again. This time it was Idea Master's voice, sounding quite distressed.
"I got some shocking news. We've been following traces of magic from the Mage Mountain explosion, trying to find where key went. Well we didn't find Key, but we found Kallana. There's no way to get close enough to be sure, but it looks like she's dead..."
"that's bad!" exclaimed Polokin.
Before anyone else can react, Jez's voice come across the mod channel.
"The antidote has been released, and it looks like it's working. I've reached the streets near Chinaren's mansion, and the rioters are dispersing."
"That's good!" Polokin yells.
Suddenly Solus snaps back into a trance-like state and emits a strange croak.
"If anyone can hear me, listen up." she says in CrunchyFrog's voice "Dinranwen and Smudger have brought the dead IFians back, and they say the lost souls are draining out of the fog. But Muaddib says the realm of the dead can't take much more of the soul well's energy. If this isn't fixed soon, even the dead will have no place to live."
"That's bad."
"Um, guys?" D-Lotus speaks up, "Chinaren's not breathing."
"that's... um," Polokin starts uncertainly.
"That's bad!" Lebrenth yells, snapping into action. He and D-Lotus run to the prone form of Chinaren, leaving Polokin to prop up the still entranced Solus. Together they lift the furry orange mayor and give him what is perhaps the most powerful Heimlich maneuver ever performed.
The still burning cigar flies across the room as Chinaren coughs his way back to life. One small crisis averted, and several large ones looming, Lebrenth, D, and Polokin look at each other in a moment of indecision. The moment is broken by JezSharp bursting through the door, waving a piece of paper over his head.
"I just remembered the map copies I sent out earlier. I pulled this one out of Chinaren's mailbox, it's got the 'important' place marked on it."
"See," Chinaren stands up, pretending for all the world that he had merely chosen to lie down for a while and had never once choked on anything in his life, "You gentlemen have things well in hand, no need to bother me with the details. Besides I doubt using the map to locate Lordy's mod ring would do any good. I have reason to believe it's been separated from him."
"does anyone even know what's important about this place?" Lebrenth asks, "How is this going to help us?"
"I don't know." says D, "But right now it's our only lead."
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Lilith
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| Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:05 am Post subject: |
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Lebrenth spoke into his mod ring again. " By the way, Idea Master? Can you get us some Soul Salve for the Soul Well? Chinaren said you were holding some for him AND that it would help with our Soul Well issue."
IM frowned for a moment and began to rummage around for a bit, muttering. After several minutes, Idea Master held up an orange jar that said "Soul Salve". "Yes! I have some! Why didn't I think of that before...Soul Well needs Soul Salve..." IM rabbled off.
"Never mind that! Half of us need to get that to the Soul Well and the other half needs to track down Lordy!" D-Lotus interrupted IM's half-concious comments. "Now who's going where?"
_________________
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© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Polokin
Citizen
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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Location: It seems that I'm not physically capable of visiting a forum... damnit!
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| Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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Polokin ventured his opinion, "How about solus and Lebrenth go to the Soul Well. Me and D can track Lordy down."
Lebrenth and D nodded in unison. Polokin let Lebrenth carry the still entranced solus down the tunnel. He stopped near the end and tried to get solus up the ladder. He stumbled and cursed a few times but finally succeeded. He looked back at chinaren, D and Polokin.
"Good luck!" D said, the words resounding off the walls.
"You too!" Lebrenth shouted back.
Lebrenth climbed out of the tunnel and he was out of sight.
"Well, I'll be going now, I have to finish some... Buisness..." chinaren suddenly said with a smirk on his face. He turned and left, closing the door behind him.
D turned to Polokin. "Polokin, is there anything you want to talk to me about? You've been acting very strangely since the Council meeting.
Polokin flinched. Had it been that obvious?
"Well..." Polokin began.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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"...The morning of New Years Day, BStheGreat approached me with an offer I couldn't refuse, to assist him in tracking you down and killing you."
D raised an eyebrow, but motioned for Polokin to continue.
"Ever since, I have been following you through the city, until hearing your revelations at the council meeting, I decided to reveal myself, and offer my assistance to you, understanding the reasons behind your torturing BS."
The expression on Polokin's face then darkened as he went on... "However, the more time I have had to think, the more fantastical and ridiculous I think your story is. And now, upon hearing Chinaren's version, that it was in fact HE that started releasing the souls, and for a totally different purpose..."
At this point he raised the hand that was clutching the blue orb...
"...I have decided to summon BS now to finish the job. Lotus, it was good knowing you... "
He threw the orb at the floor, ready to call BS's name.
Before it had a chance to hit the floor, Jezsharp, in a manoever of immense swiftness and grace that only elves are capable of, lunged from behind Polokin, and saved it in one hand, sweeping Polokin backwards in the process.
D-Lotus quickly overpowered Polokin, whilst Jezsharp contacted Lebrenth and Solus, urgently asking them to return to help out.
"But I dont understand!" D protested to the struggling Polokin. "You heard my story backed up by Lebrenth and IdeaMaster... I saw the evil manifestation attempt to crack open the well with my own eyes, smelt it, even watched it disintegrate as I attempted to slay it... How can you believe Chinaren's story?"
"Because both are true." replied a pathetic little voice from the corner of the room. All three whirled around.
There stood a small, orange furry creature, a minature version, almost, of Chinaren, save for a strange bald spot on his head. He was one of the many servants that worked very hard for a pittance in the mayoral mansion and around the Council Hall.
"Who are you?" they all asked in unison.
"My name is... Oddlybalding." the creature muttered. "But I think I can explain a little..."
D nodded for him to carry on.
"His Masterfulness Chinaren indeed wished to cause a little havoc with a few of the Souls that he excorcised to allow some rebuilding and refurbishment to take place, particularly around the Newbs quarters. For they are, lets face it, slums, and it was a good chance to try out his new Chinaren Inc. Prefab housing." began Oddlybalding.
"But he went up to the Soul Well himself early in the evening of New Years Eve, to the pools where he originally cast the Souls. He took one of Key's blitzing tools, and with it, made one of the pools just a little unstable. Not much, but just enough to let a few souls out.
He always intended to make sure he reversed it again, but just in case he was unable to, he wanted to make sure somebody else would have the tools to do it. So he told me to find someone called D-Lotus, and give him the Master Map of IF and a crystal shard. He also told me D-Lotus would know what to do."
The others stared at the orange creature, who continued.
"It was just as well, because, after his Masterfulness Chinaren returned from the Soul Well pools, he went to the Party, during which there was an accident at the Mayoral Mansion, and he disappeared. There was also a massive explosion at Smee's house, and Smee and D-Lotus went missing.
So I had to find D-Lotus. I eventually found him, or at least I think I did - I found two people on the cliff ledge outside the labyrinth containing the Wells - I didn't know which one was D-Lotus, so I put the crystal shard in the pocket of one, and stuffed the map down the pants of the other... he was clinging to a tree, you see..."
"Well I'm D-Lotus..." said D. "And the other guy was Crunchyfrog. We lost the map, but I gave the shard to Crunchy and he used it to made a temporary fix on the Soul Well for now."
Oddlybalding visibly relaxed.
"So His Masterfulness Chinaren won't beat me then?" he said hopefully.
"You tell him our story, and he should be pleased." D replied.
At that moment, Lebrenth and Solus re-joined them.
"Problems?" asked Lebby.
"Not any more." replied D, letting go of Polokin, who had also relaxed.
He looked at the map Jez had given him. Sure enough, as Lebrenth's 'So you want to be a Moderator?' handbook indicated, the location of Jez, Solus, Chinaren and Lebrenth's mod rings, could all be clearly seen together in the Nobs district. IdeaMaster was in the vicinity of Mage Mountain, still. Smudger and Dinranwen could not be seen at all, and nor, worryingly, could Kalanna. But Lordy's was clearly visible, and it was right out of town, a mile or so north of the city, and not so far from the place marked 'important'.
"Do we go there?" asked Jez doubtfully. "Chinaren suggested Lordy was separated from his ring."
"It is our only lead." replied D-Lotus. "We may find a clue there. I think we should stick together for now. I have a bad feeling we're going to be up against something very powerful, and we need the power of 3 moderators among us. Come on."
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D-Lotus
Venerable IFian
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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"To the IFmobile!" cried D-Lotus subsequently, and upon his invocation, the magical energies of IF began converging. First came the sudden, fast-paced music, which was followed by some noises outside. Everyone climbed out in time to watch a car begin to materialize out of nowhere.
"Woah! How'd you do that?" asked Polokin, his mouth hanging open.
"One of the tools of the trade." D hurriedly explained. Lebrenth and Jezsharp furrowed their brow somewhat suspiciously, especially when they began to climb onto the back and spotted an empty license plate. Solus struggled inside and sunk into her seat. D inserted the key and the motor revved up.
"Let's go!" shouted everyone except Solus.
The tires screeched and the streets began to move past in a blur as Jez and Lebby calculated Lordy's position.
"To the right, to the right!" yelled Jez. The car made a sharp turn and lurched everyone together.
"Down two streets..." Lebrenth whispered tiredly into D's ear. D stepped onto the gas pedal and the car began to hum with power.
"Ok, we're getting closer!" shouted Jez excitedly after a while. A few moments later, the car stopped, smoke trailing after it.
"Wow, what is this place?" asked Polokin.
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Rai, Key, and Smee had been reduced to playing I-Spy while whizzing through Space Time to pass the time, no pun intended, when they were suddenly spat out with a thump. "Ouch!" Key groaned. "What did I land on? A rock?" Rai untangled herself, her head was caught under her wing, and gave a short snort of joy.
"Nope just me." Quickly the revitalized dragoness stripped her body of everything important in a few quick seconds. "Hang on, my mod gems have gone cold. It'll take me a few minutes to bring them on line again." Smee glanced around apprehensively.
"Is it safe to stay here while we wait for that?"
"No place safer. The wards should be back online by now. Going out's no problem, coming in requires somebody with a deathwish."
"Indeed." Key murmered one pudgey hand on one of his chins. "I'm astonished you found this place." He glanced at Rai with narrowed eyes. "Just how did you accomplish that?" Rai quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I had a good copy of the Master Map." To this Key made no reply other than a long 'hheerrrm' which might just have been his breathing. Smee poked at the wards a bit while Rai stole the essences from her former flesh.
"I still say we get moving...we need to find the Soul Well if what you told us in transit were correct." The dragoness didn't argue, she had to find her red amulet after all and she was pretty sure she knew where it was going to materialize. Quickly scooping up Smee, it took a few moments for her to lift Key and get them both comfortbly situated on her back, they looked around. "Why aren't we moving."
"My gem's not back up yet. I don't have a map until it is...unless you do?" Smee shook his head. It was at that moment Key fished around in his massive belly rolls and pulled free what looked like a much abused lunch napkin.
"I happen to have one right here...."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:34 am Post subject: |
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The air was charged with a sinister magic that was not familiar to IdeaMaster. He, along with Lilith and Crady had traced the remnants of the spells from the explosion at Mage Mountain, and were now standing in a pile of rubble in a tunnel, still aghast at the sight ahead of them, Kalanna Rai, dead.
She lay at the rim of what seemed to be a huge hole, that stretched down into the ground forever, in a circular chamber, behind the remains of an archway. There seemed to be the remnants of some kind of plinth in the chamber, whatever that was for.
Having given Lebrenth the sad news earlier, IM began to reflect on the events that had passed since the party, the utter chaos, the loss of a significant councillor, and wondered whether IF would ever be the same again.
Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't notice Lilith starting to pick her way through the rubble towards Kalanna's body.
"No, Stop!!" IM called suddenly. It occurred to him that whatever had happened to Kalanna, could still have an effect on someone else. "It's too dangerous!" he explained.
"I was only looking..." Lilith murmured, her voice echoing strangely in the enclosed surroundings.
"Hey, IM..." Crady said suddenly. "Is it just me, or did Kalanna have a large amulet with a gem in it she used to carry with her?"
"Huh? Yes, I suppose..." said IM.
"Well it's gone, now."
Not realising the significance of this statement, IM nodded, still in a haze. He looked down at the jar of Soul Salve he had found in his robes, and wondered how in IF he was going to get to the Soul Well now, and what he should do with it when he got there. His thoughts were broken by the buzzing of his mod ring again.
"Lebby?" he responded.
"We've got to where Lordy's supposed to be."
"Uh, well done, um, but exactly where is that?" asked IM.
"Remember your Mod training, IdeaMaster, " reminded Lebby, waving his book So you want to be a Moderator? in front of his own face, so that IM could see it on the screen of his ring. "The Master Map shows the location of Mod Rings."
"Well, describe where you are, then!"
"There's not much to describe, IM. We're out of the city, to the north, near the edge of a forest. Probably not far from the place marked 'Important'. There's a few trees, flat land, that's it. No sign of Lordy... but there seems to have been a scuffle of some kind. There's blood on the ground... uh, wait!"
IM saw Lebby's face jiggling about, and a faint shout could be heard. Crady and Lilith crowded in to look at IM's ring, to see what was going on.
"Lotus has found Lordy's ring!" Lebby announced excitedly. "Lordy's been here... we can start tracking him!
But that's not why we contacted you. Take a look at this..."
Lebby waved the jester hat in front of his own Mod Ring screen. "Can you see the handwriting?"
"Lordy's. " replied IM. "That is the note Kalanna read out at the meeting."
"No, no, this smaller writing underneath..."
"Hold it still so I can get a good look at it..." said IM. "That's Kalanna's!"
'Kalanna, you must destroy yourself, within 5 hours. Something happened during the spell weaving on Mage Mountain which ripped a part of you away. You absolutely must not survive long enough to meet yourself. Take courage now. Your future self, Kalanna.'
"We cannot make any sense of it." said Lebby. "Can you?"
IM looked over at Kalanna's body.
"You mean, she sacrificed herself?" he said incredulously. "For what?"
"At the meeting she said there was something she had to do." remembered Crady, suddenly. "She said that if she survived she'd join us in the assault on the Well. She kept looking at the amulet gem when she was saying it..." she continued. "The amulet has gone now..."
"I hope she knew what she was doing..." came Lebby's voice sadly, shaking his head.
IM looked resolute, and gazed back at Kalanna.
"I'll try a little forensic magic here, and see what I can find out what happened to her." he said.
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
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Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:37 am Post subject: |
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"You do that while D and I track Lordy with his mod ring. Stay in touch." And with that, Lebrenth broke the connection.
Idea Master took one step closer to Kalanna's body and held his hands out, feeling for any unusual energy traces. As he stood there, Crady and Lilith picked their way around and through the rubble and debris, saddened by the loss of a friend and a great warrior-assassin.
Suddenly IM opened his eyes and said clearly, "If you value your own lives, you won't get any closer to Kalanna's body than you already are!"
Crady and Lilith both stopped moving. "Why, what's wrong?" Lilith asked, giving Idea Master a calculating look.
"What do you think killed Rai?" IM repilied, backing up away from the center of the pit.
"Well, whatever it was it had to be really powerful and dangerous, right?" Crady suggested.
Lilith nodded in agreement. "Kalanna is-.... was a fighter. And a good one at that." She added to Crady's comment.
"I concurr. There had to be some powerful spells here and I think they could still be active." IM stated, still backing away.
Christalnightshade went pale and she and Lilith followed IM's example.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
Last edited by Lilith on Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:17 am; edited 1 time in total
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, right underneath the spot marked 'Important' on the master map of IF...
Lordy paced back and forth in his inner sanctum. Damn, damn, and double-damn. Everything was falling around his ears. As the old daemon saying went: The best laid plans are often undone by mortals. He'd just never believed it until now.
IM had not only recovered his memory, but also went out to find what remained of Rai. Fortunately, she was dead, killed off by some old spell or other, but she'd sent her necklace to her future self. She'd somehow gotten herself entangled with Smee's time-travel spell from earlier. All was not lost, however, as her gems would take time to retune themselves to her after her apparent 'death.' If he could nab them soon enough, there was an off chance they'd retune to him instead.
D had found Chinaren, and learned the truth and also recovered his memory. Polokin had almost finished him off nicely, but then more truth had come out. Bah. And now they were on his doorstep, albeit a hidden one. He couldn't just sit and wait for them to find him. He'd have to eliminate them as well.
And then there was the matter of the Soul Well. It was being haphazardly patched up, but if the citizens of IF continued in this fashion, then their metaphysical duct tape would do the job that the fancy magics were supposed to. There had to be something he could use to retake control of that situation.
Control. He had to regain control. That was key here. He took a few deep breaths, and realized what he had to do.
"Servile minion!" Lordy bellowed. Quite quickly, an impish figure appeared in a small flash of flames. It bowed to him, awaiting his orders.
"Set loose the Devourer upon Kalanna Rai. Tell him that any jewelry he finds is to be brought to me outside his stomach. Release Smauna in the outer antechamber-"
"Sir, IM, D, Crunchyfrog, and Sasuke already destroyed the Fauna Slug." The imp quivered as he contradicted his master.
"Then supplement her with the Destroyer." The Greater One had given him many cool minions with names like that which had abilites to match. "I do not wish to be found until I have completed the essential spell-weaving. Let loose the ghasts and shades into the Realm of Dead IFians, seeing as they are the only ones that can safely enter that realm. That is all."
The imp bowed. "I obey your will, master." It vanished in another puff of flames.
Lordy considered. He needed to get away, and he needed to harness the power of the Soul Well. There might be a way to do both, and he carefully flipped through an old spellbook that moaned softly as he turned the pages, looking for an anwser. Yes...by tying the Unsummoning ritual with the one that would give him total dominion over the power of the Soul Well, he might be able to drain the power directly home.
IM would be tricky. Lordy pondered awhile, and then realized that IM would have been cursed several times over by now. He quickly did a scan of IM and reactivated the most potent curse he could find, carefully recalibrating the area of effect to also nab whoever was near IM at the time in a similar curse, and set it to go off when he was surrounded by people. That ought to be interesting.
Stopping D would be easy, he would just unleash his secret weapon once D reached him. There would be no escape...Lordy allowed a small evil laugh to escape his throat. As he finished, dust billowed down from above, and he realized it might not have been so small after all.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
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The girls sat down in the rubble, whilst IM searched in the folds of his cloak for his spell book. They watched, as he leafed through the book, and studied one of the pages. Then, inching forward towards Rai's body, as far as he dare, he extended one hand, waggling his fingers about in the air in a strange way, as he mumbled some words under his breath. He withdrew them sharply, as if he had been burnt, and sniffed them.
Crady and Lilith exchanged glances, but said nothing.
IM repeated the forensic spell, each time, daring to take a few steps nearer. Then he stopped, and studied his book again.
"Well, it's safe enough to approach," he said. "The spell that killed Rai is spent. It was designed to guard something - something that is evidently not there now. Anyone getting close to whatever object it was, would have their innards crushed to dust from the inside. But it was only designed to kill one person, and then become inactive. Looks like Rai was unlucky enough to be that person..."
"But what was she trying to get?" asked Crady. "And whatever it is, who has got it now?"
IM shook his head, as he inched nearer, repeating his probing spell over and over.
"There is something else here.... it smells like.... Odd, it smells like the time curse that was cast upon Smee by whomever it was that tried to crack open the well in his basement! But I thought I'd managed to speed up that spell and break it...unless it was stronger than I thought, and reactivated itself again, so that he would reconstitute somewhere later again today. Hmmm, that would explain his disappearance again during our breaking of the Key curse on Mage Mountain... and possibly Key's disappearance too... It was a big explosion - but why am I finding traces of it on Rai? Unless... somehow, a version of her got ripped forward in time with him too!"
His face brightened for a moment.
"I think that's a little far-fetched." replied Lilith gently. "It would be nice to think she's still alive, somehow but... well, you shouldn't get your hopes up..."
Before IM could reply, his Mod ring crackled to life again. Jezsharp's face shimmered into view on the tiny screen.
"Go North!!!" he said urgently.
"Jez! You found Lordy?"
"No, but we've got a good guess," replied Jez, waving his book The Treasures of IF in front of his face, so that IM could see it through the Mod ring. "I wish I'd had time to read it earlier, instead of messing around with that gas... There are magical lines criss-crossing this land. They are Ley lines, IM, and where they intersect one another, there are places of intense power. The book instructed me me how to make the Leys show up on the map... Anyway, there are intersections at Smee's house, the Soul Well, but most significantly, at that place marked on the map as 'Important' - 3 Leys converge there, and we are betting that this is where Lordy is."
IM could then see Lotus's face pushing across Jez's.
"IM!" said Lotus. "Are you listening? We believe that Lordy is going to make a powerful spell to fully open the well. Just as he told me back at Smee's basement the night of the party. We think he has already collected the necessary ingredients, called the Blood of the Beginning, Flesh of the Present, and Bone of the Last... They are mentioned in Jez's book. We think Lordy has them all at this place marked Important, on the map. We have to stop him, IM, and tell him that the Well is about to implode!
"Lotus, how do we get there?" asked IM. We don't have a map."
"No matter! Get Transport! Go out of town, and go NORTH!! Stay in touch and we'll guide you..."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Next person to post, please read my comments in the Discussion Thread, before posting the next part of the story!
No RP posts please. If you want to change the point of view to your character, please raise it in the discussion thread first.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Argonaut
Mercenary Artist
Joined: 11 May 2006
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Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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"Alright, we're on our way." Said IM into his ring, as he climbed out of the secret tunnels and back onto the surface streets of IF. "It's going to take a while to navigate the city, with all the destruction and this new blue mist."
"that would be the antidote to the Greater Evil gas, sorry." Replied Jez.
The streets were eerily quiet without rioters, as the three companions got their bearings and started north.
"something's coming!" Crady called out, pointing to a wildly flailing figure in the mist.
"Looks like he's got four arms and a beard." Said Lillith.
"Oh no!" Cried Jez's voice from the mod ring, "I thought the side effect wouldn't take to IFians."
Before the Three of them could fully grasp the meaning of 'side effects' The figure came stumbling to a halt in front of them. His extra arms revealed to be nothing more than the sleeves of a long coat hanging from his shoulders, and the beard to be nothing more than mutton chops. He cleared his throat and straightened his bow tie as a blue bird alighted on the brim of his hat.
"Not the best entrance by far." he halfway mumbled to himself, "You say your not going to do these things but sometime you just have to..."
"What on US are you mumbling about Argonaut!?" IM snapped.
"Right, right on to the point." Argonaut addressed the puzzled adventurers, "I'm here to lend a hand, you need some transportation out of the city, and I have just the thing. Follow me!"
Still slightly baffled, the group broke into a run, following the still babbling Argonaut through the streets.
"It sure was hard to find you," He continued, "What with all the accounts of forged and or copied maps. Not to mentions the near infinite amount of secret tunnels. You know I think there's not actually any ground left underground, it's all tunnels."
"Wait, how do you know all this?" Lillith interrupted.
"What? oh... um.. I've been reading. Aha! We're here."
Argonaut stopped abruptly to lift a wide rolling door on a strange hanger-like building. The door slid on tracks into the ceiling, and revealed a complex wood and cloth mechanism that looked like a schizophrenic's dream of a Davinci flying machine.
"One of my older projects," he said with obvious pride, "you'll need some magic to keep the winds in your favor, but it should get out out of the city in a hurry."
"I can certainly handle that." said IM, cracking his knuckles.
The four IFians quickly pushed the contraption out of the workshop. IM took the controls as Argonaut offered a hand to help the ladies aboard, then pulled the pin from a huge spring in the back, setting the gears in motion.
"Bon voyage!" Argonaut yelled as the flying machine began to lift off.
"You're not coming with us?" Asked Crady.
"Oh no, can't be needlessly weighing down the story at this point. I'll be rooting for you though."
"What is he talking about?" said Lillith.
"Oh I almost forgot..." Argonaut's words were lost to the wind as the machine finally gained the momentum to jump skyward.
"What did he say?" Yelled IM over the wind.
"I dunno, something about Lordy." Crady yelled back.
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
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Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:36 am Post subject: |
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"Oh, shit! WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" IM yelled back down at the top of his lungs down to Argonaut. Argonaut yelled something in return but his voice was lost as the three in the flying machine rose steadily higher.
"Damn!" cursed Lilith. "Now what? That could have been crucial information!"
"Oh well," replied Crady. "I guess we'll just have to wing it! Haha! We are winging it! Literally!"
IM's mod ring made an inconspicious noise and Jez's face appeared on the screen, again. "IM! Where are you? Are you moving towards the point we told you about?" Jez urgently said.
IM looked around quickly for a way to steer the machine north of IF. Finding none, he came up with an idea. IM quickly adjusted his control over the wind and had it be his tool to steer the aircraft.
"Now we are! Can you give me some exact coordinates Jez?" IM asked.
"Hmm... give me a few minutes to pinpoint the exact location." Jez broke the connection and the screen went blank.
"Uh-oh," IM said, a frown marring his brow. "I think we have a problem."
"Why what's wrong?" Crady and Lilith replied in unison, looking around for signs of trouble.
"I feel kinda funny. Kinda like that one time when...."
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:56 am Post subject: |
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"...back at Mage college we tried out a Curse on ourselves... being irresponsible students we thought it was quite funny at the time... But not now, really, I could do with out it happening to me again right now... You can both hear and understand me okay, can't you?"
Lilith and Crady looked at one another, shrugged at such an odd question, and nodded at IM, and then peered over the side of the airbourne gondola, down at the vista below them, as Argonauts amazing machine majestically travelled northwards through the sky.
Its sails billowed above them, as IM continued to let loose a stream of magic to harness the winds to fill them. Underneath the contraption, paddles and propellors slowly turned, and gears creaked with a gentle rhythmic sound. It was a welcome respite after a fraught time. They too, felt a bit odd, but put it down to the after effects of the Greater Evil Gas.
At last, after what seemed nearly an hour, IM's mod ring crackled back into life. IM smiled. That would be Jez with the co-ordinates.
"Yako, uoy deen ot eb 3 selim throm fo eth ytic, dna a tib tsew, no eth egde fo a tserof." said Jez.
IM went white.
"Oh no... I was right..." he thought quietly to himself. "The Mirror Curse..."
"What was that? What did Jez say?" asked Crady.
"He's talking a different language!" exclaimed Lilith.
"No.." said Crady after a moment. "Sounded like he was talking.... backwards!"
"He's not talking backwards, Crady." said IM, scrabbling for his spell book for confirmation of his terrible realisation. "WE are. We've been hit by a Mirror curse - a very potent one, that I played with in my youth. If you are cursed by it, you speak backwards, and write backwards. Everything else to you will look, and sound backwards. Look..."
He picked up his spell book, and thrust it at the girls, who stared at it. The text, to them, looked backwards. It was unreadable.
"Somehow the curse has been reactivated... by whom, I dont know. And it has affected all three of us..."
"So how will we understand Jez's co-ordinates?" gasped Crady.
But IM had no time to answer. Argo's magnificent airship began to list alarmingly. IM's sudden realisation of the Curse that had afflicted them all, had meant he had broken his concentration on controlling the magic that filled the sails.
Crady ran to take the helm - and struggled with the wheels and levers in vain.
"Lilith!" cried Idea Master. "Go to the lookout post! Keep watch on the ground for Jez, Lebby, Lotus and Solus... They could be anywhere!"
"Dont worry Jez," he said into his mod ring, to a very confused looking JezSharp, "We'll find you!"
He fell across the swaying decks and slammed into one of the seats.
By this time the machine was lurching dangerously to port. The wind had gone out of the sails, and the gears were grinding and squealing. They were losing height fast.
"We need more height!!!" screamed Lilith, as they plummeted towards the ground a little too quickly for everyone's liking, as IM tried to gather his wits and control the winds once again.
The flying machine lurched upwards again, listed the otherway, and then took a nosedive.
"Where's the life raft on this thing????" shrieked Crady.
~ ~ ~
Shading his eyes, Lebrenth looked out towards the city, a few miles out to the south. He saw a strange object coming into view, flying low and losing height rapidly.
"What is that?????!!" he yelped.
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dinranwen
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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"teG tuo fo eht yaW!" IM shouted waving furiosly at the tiny figures he could barely made out.
"What did it say?" D asked Leb looking very very confused.
"Don't know." Leb shrugged, "Hey isn't that IM?"
"Yea," D said gazing at the crazy machine IM was driving, "I think that vechile is from Argo's hold, been down there once or twice, nice stuff but not cheap."
"Ow...I guess it took it literally when I told him to get transportation, any transportation," Jez said crossing his arms and watching the flying vechile coming vapidly towards them at alarming speeds.
"Um guys...." D said backing away as turned pale.
"What?" Jez and Leb responded simitonously.
"Run!" D said scrattering rapidly in the direction as the IM and crew grew larger by the minute in their flying vechile.
"!evoM" Crady shouted waving her hands at the group.
"!nuR" Lilth cried despertatly as IM lost complete control over the group.
Confused and puzzled D, Leb, Jez, and Co didn't even pause to figure out why IM was spouting nonsense as they hustled to get out of the way of the crashing vechile.
Inside the vechile, "Think they understand us IM?" Crady said pouting a little.
"No, but somehow I think they got are point. Now everyone hang on I think we're going to......."
CRASH!
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:34 am Post subject: |
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With the sound of screeching metal and splintering wood, the flying machine hit the ground with force, and bounced back up into the air again, the sparkles of IM's magic still in its sails. It descended once more, and scraped along the ground at high speed, the aft propellor breaking free, and spinning wildly through the air towards Solus, who gazed calmly at it.
Polokin dragged her away just in time as it slammed into the ground inches from where she had been standing.
Giant sparks flew up from the bottom of the machine, which ignited one of the sails. Mixed with the magic, the fire quickly consumed the cloth, sending multicoloured fireballs in all directions.
"RUN!!!!" screamed Lebrenth, as he continued to pound as fast as he could away from the scene.
As he fled, D accidentally dropped Lordy's Jester hat, and started back and retrieve it. But before he could get near, a huge orange fireball landed on the hat, vaporizing it.
The flying machine continued to slide for some distance, taking trees with it, until eventually, it came to a rest, the sails burnt to nothing.
Lebby, D, Polokin, Solus and Jez caught their breath, and converged on the crumpled mess.
"Ooops!" said Jez. "Argo's not going to be pleased!"
"Look! They survived!" pointed Lebby, as three dishevelled heads appeared over the rim of the broken gondola, and a ladder began to descend. He waved at IM. "IM!! Are you okay?"
"You know, I'm not sure they are," muttered D, as they watched IM help Crady onto the ladder. "They appear to be talking to one another in gibberish..."
The first to get on to solid ground, Crady rushed over to D, and started to explain what they had discovered about Rai.
"Retsamaedi sknith Iar saw gnikool rof gnithemos, dna sawdellik yb a naidraug lleps." she began. "Tub eh osla sknith esh yam eveh neeb tghuac ni s'eemS emit esruc, dna yam eb evila tey..."
She was met with blank stares from D, Lebby, Polokin, Solus and Jez.
"Are you okay?" ventured Lebrenth, as IM and Lilith alighted on the ground behind Crady.
This time it was IM, Crady and Lilith's turn to stare blankly. Lebby turned to D.
"What do we do with them?" he asked. "They can't understand us, and we can't understand them! What happened to them?"
"No idea," replied D, who was already looking back at the map. "But we'll have to take them with us to find Lordy. We can't leave them here to fend for themselves without being able to communicate with anyone. And this wreck of a flying machine is a dead giveaway of their whereabouts."
"How do we communicate with them?" asked Polokin.
"Allow me..." replied JezSharp, stepping forward.
Looking IM straight in the eye, Jez pointed in the direction that they were all headed, and then beckoned.
Lilith, Crady and IM understood, that they were to follow D and the others, and nodded. Then, all eight of them, began their long walk to the place marked 'Important'.
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Okay, well done everyone on that chapter!
We'll leave them there on their journey for now.
Drinks and light refreshments are available in the Discussion thread, where we are going to sort out what's going on in the Realm of Dead IFians!!!
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:39 am Post subject: |
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The Hangover
Chapter 25 (Working title -Escape from the Realm of Dead IFians)
The party was in full swing. Snatches of music could be heard coming from Ye Olde IFian Tavern Club, entwined with peels of laughter and singing. Inside, the drinks flowed freely.
The Dead IFians had returned home, thanks to the efforts of Dinranwen and Smudger, and they were celebrating.
Din and Muaddib, their differences forgotten, sat together swaying to the music, as their tankards magically refilled themselves each time they were emptied. Crunchyfrog sat woozily in a corner, listening to tales of the Good Ole Days recounted by some of the revellers.
Smudger, back in his hunchback form, delighted anyone who cared to watch, with his unique style of dancing. This principally involved shuffling around in circles, yelling 'The Bells! The Bells!!' at carefully planned intervals.
In one corner, a ricketty set of steps extended from a table top up to an open trap door in the ceiling. Beyond the trap door was a cluster of rooms, one of which was the 'Channel IF' room. There, a very bored Sasuke sat in front of a bank of monitors, keeping an eye on events in the City.
"This sucks," he thought, listening to the merriment below. "It's not my fault I'm under age..."
He gazed at one of the screens that showed the world through Solus' eyes, and saw that she, D-Lotus, Lebrenth, Polokin and Jez had recently been joined by IdeaMaster, Lilith and Crady. There was a wreck of some kind of flying machine in the background...
Tapping the microphone that was set up in front of the screen, he toyed with the idea of scaring the pants off them all, by talking through Solus, but thought better of it.
An hourglass attached to the wall turned itself over. Time to make the regular check on the Soul Well.
Sasuke left the room and clambered up another set of steps, and out through a skylight onto the roof of the Tavern. The sky above him boiled. There were 3 spinning vortices directly above. Two were quite small, one being the exit to IM's mansion, the other the exit to the Dream Chamber, which he, Dinranwen, Crunchy and Smudger should have gone through by now, if it wasn't for this blasted party. He was beginning to think that the other three didn't want to leave this Realm...
The third vortex, by far the largest, writhed about in the sky, sucking up anything that it's lowermost tip came near. This vortex had appeared as a result of the crack in the Soul Well. Even though the energy from it had been diverted downwards by Crunchyfrogs crystal shard in the ground, it was still growing. The Realm of Dead IFians was becoming unstable, cracks were appearing in the ground.
"Hmm, perhaps that shard needs relocating..." he thought, as he climbed back in through the skylight. Sasuke headed for the party downstairs, to alert his friends.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Here's the scene setter for the new chapter. Check out the Discussion Thread before posting. 
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Idea master
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Hiding near the roof of the Realm of Dead IFians, the wraiths and shades awaited their moment to attack.
It would not be when the young half-dragon was idling about near the Channel IF room.
Nor would it be when he went back inside the pub, which abruptly lost it's noise and good nature as he informed them of their need to relocate the object that was patching up the Soul Well.
When the Dead IFians were far too far from the pub to safely have all of them get back, that was the time.
As one, the wraiths howled and the shades moaned. They all swooped down upon the Dead IFians, not only scaring the daylights out of them. Anybody the wraiths could pick up would become possessed by the shades, and then delivered to their master, Lordy, for 'entertainment.'
The Dead IFians tried to flee. They even turned about as they screamed in terror and ran to the pub.
Not all of them would make it.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: |
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((*Adds Crunchy's Shadow to Polokin's in her bag* For the Record...I don't drink anything but Tea. So it's tea cup, not tankard!))
(((Deleted because of Content. Sorry for the Confusion Guys, I misunderstood IM's post.))))
Last edited by dinranwen on Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:34 am; edited 2 times in total
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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lol, okay, hold it right there!!!
We've jumped from Sasuke heading downstairs to alert his friends at the party, to the wraiths hiding near the roof, to Dinranwen in the bar, in the space of 3 posts! This is not flowing well like we had it before....
What I am going to do is disregard the last two posts (please do not delete them, there's good ideas in them!!!) and let's try again.
A temporary shift to the POV of the shades and ghasts soon would be good, but lets establish the scene a bit more first...
Take a look at Argo's comments in the discussion thread too, they are good observations.
Let's try again with the next author following on directly from my last post! The narrative should be seamless.
Okay,
Hangover resumed! Post away!
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Lilith
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Sasuke trotted downstairs and went over to the barkeep Bronu. After explaining the situation to him, Bronu nodded and called the tavern to order in a loud booming voice.
"EVERYONE! STOP!" The decibels of his voice shook the entire tavern to silence. Dead IFians stopped their merriment and almost immediately sobered up.
Bronu stepped to the side and allowed Sasuke to get up on the bar and speak.
"Fellow Dead IFians! We seem to be having a problem with the crystal shard that is keeping the Soul Well under control at the moment. It seems the ground is breaking and cracking around it! I propose that we relocate it!" Sasuke paused after his long speech, looking a little unnerved at the almost hostile glances from the merry makers. He did stop their partying, after all.
Din, Crunchyfrog, and Smudger (having realized that as Mods they should try and set an example) stood up.
Din spoke. "The boy's right! If the shard doesn't hold long enough for the others to stop the Soul Well permanently, we may never be able to patch it up!"
Sasuke jumped down off the bar and lead the now cheering (and sober, for once) crowd of dead IFians out of the door towards the the biggest of the three vortexes.
Little did they know that the shades and wraiths Lordy had sent were about to strike.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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(IM's post to be put in after Liliths, contents below...)
| Idea master wrote: |
Hiding near the roof of the Realm of Dead IFians, the wraiths and shades awaited their moment to attack.
It would not be when the young half-dragon was idling about near the Channel IF room.
Nor would it be when he went back inside the pub, which abruptly lost it's noise and good nature as he informed them of their need to relocate the object that was patching up the Soul Well.
When the Dead IFians were far too far from the pub to safely have all of them get back, that was the time.
As one, the wraiths howled and the shades moaned. They all swooped down upon the Dead IFians, not only scaring the daylights out of them. Anybody the wraiths could pick up would become possessed by the shades, and then delivered to their master, Lordy, for 'entertainment.'
The Dead IFians tried to flee. They even turned about as they screamed in terror and ran to the pub.
Not all of them would make it.
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In the midst of the terror in the crowd, Muaddib shouted to Din. He could barely be heard above the howling of the wraiths as they swooshed above them.
"Half-shadow! Get yourself, Sasuke, Smudger and Crunchy back up to the Dream Chamber, whilst you still have time!" he yelled. Drawing three other Dead IFians beside him, he said bravely - "We'll take care of the shard..."
The wraiths screeched as they swooped above the threesome, as they, along with the rest of the crowd ran for all they were worth, back towards the pub.
"We have to alert D-Lotus! He won't have much time!" puffed Crunchy as he drew alongside Din.
"We can do it on the way up to the Tavern roof - We have to go up there to get up through that whirly thing to the Dream Chamber..." panted Din, indicating one of the smaller vortices in the sky.
The wraiths swooped in front of the crowd.
"Hey, they appear to be herding us..!!" somebody shouted, as everyone swerved to the side of the Tavern.
Smudger, who was not as quick on his feet as some of the others, was starting to lag behind.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:48 am Post subject: |
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Running hastly to the Tavern despite the wraiths, Dinranwen only paused to look back in search of Smudge.
"Where's Smudger?" she shouted above the shreaks.
"Don't know!" Crunchy said looking back too.
"There he is!" Sasuke shouted pointing back the way they come where the hunchback was being picked on by some wraiths as the spirits sang, "The Bells, The bells," in glee with their merriment.
Looking around Din saw the chaos as the wraiths tried to heard the residents away from the tavern. Shoving up her sleeves, Din placed a hand on her hips looking like a shadow version of the poster declaring, "Ow no you didn't!"
"Go on!" Din said shoving Sasuke and Crunch into the Bar, "I'll handel this."
"Dinranwen," Crunchy said frowning, "What about you?"
"I'll be find. Wraiths and Shadows are made of the same stuff. These things can't hurt me. But I can sure as Phang-fire hurt them," giving the pair another shove into the tavern, "No go, and warn D before it's too late! I'll met in the Dream Chamber with Smudge."
Watching to make sure the pair obeyed her orders, Din turned to survey her work. "I think this is going to take a little bit more than my feather duster," Din muttered as she reached into the black shadows of the Realm she stood in to pull out a sword Rai had recently given her as a present saying it would come in handy.
Slicing through a wraith easily, Din grinned as she rushed to aid of Smudger......
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Running hastly to the Tavern despite the wraiths, Dinranwen only paused to look back in search of Smudge.
"Where's Smudger?" she shouted above the shreaks.
"Don't know!" Crunchy said looking back too.
"There he is!" Sasuke shouted pointing back the way they come where the hunchback was being picked on by some wraiths as the spirits sang, "The Bells, The bells," in glee with their merriment.
Looking around Din saw the chaos as the wraiths tried to heard the residents away from the tavern. Shoving up her sleeves, Din placed a hand on her hips looking like a shadow version of the poster declaring, "Ow no you didn't!"
"Go on!" Din said shoving Sasuke and Crunch into the Bar, "I'll handel this."
"Dinranwen," Crunchy said frowning, "What about you?"
"I'll be fine. Wraiths and Shadows are made of the same stuff. These things can't hurt me. But I can sure as Phang-fire hurt them," giving the pair another shove into the tavern, "No go, and warn D before it's too late! I'll met in the Dream Chamber with Smudge."
Watching to make sure the pair obeyed her orders, Din turned to survey her work. "I think this is going to take a little bit more than my feather duster," Din muttered as she reached into the black shadows of the Realm she stood in to pull out a sword Rai had recently given her as a present saying it would come in handy.
Slicing through a wraith easily, Din grinned as she rushed to aid of Smudger......
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Argonaut
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Joined: 11 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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It was seriously time for a fight scene.
Chunks of wraith, bits of shades, and the severed limbs of ghasts dropped to the ground in a path behind Din and her shadow sword. Dead IFians cheered as she hacked and slashed her way to Smudger.
Some wraiths, however, knew danger when they saw it coming. Two of them grabbed Smudger by either arm and lifted him into the air. Others followed suit, snatching up those that could not fight and carrying them towards the central vortex.
Dinranwen was mad, she was sick and tired of getting pushed around, dealing with monsters, and just being dead in general. Casting about for a way to get airborn she took the head off a ghast that was to stupid the get away.
Using the still standing body of the ghast she vaulted onto the back of a floating wraith. It rose, shrieking a writhing in panic until she slipped off, catching hold of the leg of another IFian being carried by a wraith.
For this vantage point she could see Smudgers captor prepareing to hurl him into the vortex. In the distance Muaddib lifted the shard, his wrappings glowing like lightning, while others kept a defensive circle around him.
There was no time to lose. Swinging once to gain momentum Dim launched into a spinning backflip. The shadow sword blurred with speed, like a whirling buzz saw with Din in the center. She sailed through the air, straight through wraiths and shades too slow to get out of the way. Her aim was perfect, slicing off the heads of the two wraiths holding Smudger.
Now free, the hunchback plummeted toward the ground along with Din.
"I hope there's more to your plan, those rock don't look soft!" Yelled Smudger.
"Can't talk now... very dizzy..." Din replied weakly.
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:43 am Post subject: |
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The air was cold as they plummeted down smudger grabbed Din’s cloak. A couple of Wraiths and Shades twisted like a tornado after the falling bodies of the two Mods.
Taking a deep breath smudger grabbed a tree branch hanging from out the side of the mountain. It felt asif his arms wanted to rip away from his body, “Din, the wraiths!” Smudger shook the body of Din while holding onto the branch in the other hand. "Wake up! Those protruding rocks doesn't look good" Din's head lolled to one side and her hands stirred.
Din cried weakly her vision returning “My sword!” Her face grimaced seeing the silver fall away.
The sword struck the ground between two shards of rock and sand. The sword reverberated and sended a sound that was high pitched. The Wraiths and Shades screamed floating a few meters away from the mods, their mouths wide like the plains of If.
Down below the two helpless mods a small figure ran quickly between openings in the ground taking the sword from the ground, he looked at the sword and then up to Din and Smudger.
Smudger watched this small boy. Smudge wasn’t that strong his arms were not going to hold out for long on the branch he was clinging to. Din was too much weight to hold.
Din’s senses came back she screamed seeing the figure, “Help!” She waved her arms madly about trying to pull attention.
The tree bobbed up and down and Smudger said, “Do not move Din. We’re going to fall soon” While strain on his arms heightened din stopped.
Din reacted without thinking, “Then let me go!” She swallowed trying to breath.
Smudger gasped, “Your brain must be rattled then. Take the branch” He frowned seeing Din moving her head; blue hair.
Din made a small attempt at trying to take the branch, but it was to far for her reach. The tree bobbed again and it snapped off. This time Smudger and Din fell screaming. “Help!” There was no branch to cling onto now.
Din watched her last seconds of life as the small figure of the boy jump from the ground. After din gave a small glance of notice at a rock looking very sharp she shut her eyes.
Smudger saw a glimmer of the sword of din's in the boy's belt. He clapped his hands over his eyes seeing the ground approuch rappidly.
The boy flew in mid air and he held his arms out to catch them. The Wraith's attention was pulled by the sudden movement and they flew twisting in a formation none had ever seen ...
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:56 am Post subject: |
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As the ground lurched away from them once more, Smudger took his hands away from his eyes, and feeling a wave of motion sickness flailed about, his hands instinctively grabbing the first thing they felt, for safety.
"Get your hands off my face!!! I can't see!!!" yelled the boy, his voice instantly recognisable to Din, as being Sasuke's.
"I thought I'd sent you into the bar!" cried Din.
Sasuke did not answer, but tried his best to stay aloft. But the weight of both his rescuees was too much for his small frame to cope with, and they went into a spinning freefall.
"Let go of me, Sasuke!!! Let me fall!!!" cried Dinranwen. "I'll be okay!"
"You're mad, Din!!" screamed Smudger.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY EYES YOU STUPID HUNCHBACK!!!" shrieked Sasuke.
"LET GO OF ME, YOU HALFBREED FOOL!!!" yelled Din
Sasuke lost his grip of Dinranwen, and as she fell, the immediate loss of weight meant Sasuke could regain some semblance of control. He still knew which way was up, even though he couldn't see.
Din thumped to the ground amongst the panicking crowd of Dead IFians, some of whom were taking the opportunity to flee to the Tavern, whilst the wraiths and shades were distracted.
Moments later, Sasuke landed nearby, almost bursting with asphyxiation as Smudger had now moved his white-knuckled grip from Sasuke's eyes, to his neck.
Feeling solid ground again, or at least as solid as it was going to be with more cracks appearing every moment, Smudger let go of Sasuke, who gasped to regain his breath. Smudger stared at the flat shadow on the ground.
"Din?" he murmured.
Behind him Sasuke drew the sword from his belt and whirled it around his head. The wraiths and shades seemed to have developed a wariness of it, and kept their distance.
Smudger stooped and touched the shadow on the ground, and was surprised that there was form to it. Shrugging, he picked up one end of it, and rolled it up.
"I hope this is only temporary..." he thought, as he looked around. He could not see Crunchyfrog anywhere. He hoped that he'd got into the Tavern safely with some of the other Dead IFians.
"That's enough heroics for one day!" he called to Sasuke, and pulled the sword out of the young half dragon's hands. Then, handing the sword on to a rather large looking Dead IFian, he said, "Keep us covered - we're going to contact the outside world!"
The Dead IFian nodded, and began menacing moves at the wraiths and shades, whilst Smudger, with the two-dimensional Din under one arm, grabbed Sasuke with the other, and dragged him into the safety of the Tavern.
Last edited by Crunchyfrog on Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:28 am; edited 1 time in total
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:12 am Post subject: |
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The shades and wraiths, or what remained of them, returned to Lord of the Night. "Master, master," they howled, "We failed, we failed..."
Lordy casually disintegrated one into so much ash, sending them into renewed bouts of howling. "Very well. Your next task is to find the half-dragon that is called Sasuke and bring him to me as soon as the opportune moment presents itself. I have waited far too long to use my weapon, and I will not be denied. Fail again, and you will cease to exist, and I shall entrust the matter unto my brethren..."
The shades howled and fled, the wraiths quickly following them. They would watch and wait for the half-dragon to be alone, they would wait until Sasuke wandered a bit too far...and then, they would strike, they would kidnap the half-dragon and take him to their master.
Until that point in time, they would lurk and hide in the shadows.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:06 am Post subject: |
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As they plunged through the door of the Tavern, Smudger and Sasuke glanced around the bar. The handful of Dead IFians who had made it back inside so far, were cowering and peering out through the small, dirty windows at the scene outside. Crunchyfrog was not among them.
"What's happening out there?" asked Bronu, from behind the bar. He, sensibly, had been the only Dead IFian not to leave the Tavern, knowing that drinks would be required for anyone returning.
Smudger paused, as he looked down.
"Muaddib is taking care of the shard," replied Smudger. Although with the way the ground is cracking up, he'll be hard pushed to find a safe place to anchor it. Wraiths and shades are everywhere, but one of your number has Din's sword, and is keeping them at bay. I have Dinranwen with me - we've got to go upstairs and warn our friends in the City to hurry about closing the crack in the Well. There'll be no ground left soon." He took one more look around the bar. "Have you seen Crunchyfrog?"
"He just went up there a few moments ago. You'll find him in the Channel IF room." replied Bronu.
At that moment, Rave and Wing almost fell through the door of the Tavern, along with three or four other Dead IFians.
"The ghasts, wraiths and shades are starting to retreat!" Wing shouted. "Muaddib is struggling to ground the shard... the Soul Well vortex is twisting all over the sky!"
Smudger hesitated.
"Go quickly!" cried Rave. "Get yourselves to the Dream Chamber! Your help is needed from the City side now. Hurry!"
Smudger and Sasuke disappeared through the trap door in the ceiling.
In the roof void it was pitch dark. They had to feel their way to find the Channel IF room.
"OW!!" cried Smudger, as he felt a sudden weight on him, knocking him to the ground. "What was that?"
"Me." replied Dinranwen. The shadow nature of her form had drawn strength from the darkeness around them, and had suddenly regained its three-dimensional shape.
"Din! You're okay?"
"Of course I'm okay." replied Dinranwen. "I wouldn't have insisted on Sasuke dropping me if I didn't think I could survive it. Mind you, if we had been any higher up than 100 feet or so, I probably wouldn't have. Geez it's dark in here. Even I can't see anything. Anyone got a torch?"
There was a coughing noise, a sneeze, and a splutter, as if someone was blowing his nose. Suddenly a small flame ignited and burned steadily from Sasuke's left nostril.
"Great trick!" commented Smudger.
It was enough for them to see the door to the Channel IF room, in the gloom ahead.
"Come on. Let's go and join Crunchy. We need to warn D-Lotus and the others before we leave for the Dream Chamber" she said.
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OK - next post should deal with getting the message to D via Solus. There's a microphone set up in the Channel IF room, next to a screen showing the world through the eyes of Solus. That will more or less wrap up this chapter!
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Lilith
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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"Come on!" Sasuke urged, opening the door to the Channel IF room.
They greeted Crunchyfrog who was a little perturbed as Din brushed pass everyone else, sat down in the office-like chair and leaned down towards the microphone.
"D-Lotus! Anyone! This is Din in the Realm of Dead IFians! Listen up! Crunchyfrog, Sasuke, Smudger, and myself will soon be returning to IF through the Dream Chamber in our original bodies... but it may be too late! The shard has become displaced and shades and wraiths are attacking here! You must hurry!" Dinranwen bit her lip after her long speech and hoped that the message got through.
Crunchyfrog stood up and led the way towards the vortex that would take them to the Dream Chamber. As they came close to the vortex, the wraiths and shades made their next move.
"Giiivee usss Sasukeee...... the masterrrr waaantsss himmm!" The wraiths and shades' voices haunted the IFians ears. Dinranwen shoved Sasuke and Smudger into the vortex quickly.
"Oops! Sorry! Did you want him?" Din gave the shades a smartass grin and she and Crunchyfrog followed Sasuke and Smudger into the Dream Chamber and simultaneously, their own bodies.
Each IFian stretched and twisted, enjoying the feel of their own skins and they quickly left the Dream Chamber before the mist had the chance to affect them again.
"So, where is it we need to be again?" Din asked Crunchyfrog.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 2:36 am Post subject: |
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Chapter 26 - Time Flies...
These are Rai's posts made some time earlier, which are now making up the penultimate chapter. It fits in quite well here, as it follows her catching up to her future self, and getting ready to find Lordy's lair, where the finale is about to take place.
Rai blinked several times and shook her head to clear the fog of death from her head. She flexed some talons trying to discern if she was fully meshed into her new body. "Hello Rai, plesure to see you again. Have a seat won't you?"
Smee grinned as the startled ghostly dragoness turned a surprised face toward him. King Key waved a lazy hello in the direction of the ghostly mod before turning back to gaze at the time zipping past. "Smee? Key? Where in IF...why arn't I in flesh again?" The wizard chuckled.
"Well you died a smidge too soon. Looks like you're just going to have to wait around with Key and I until we catch up." Smee watched the dragoness look around. "Lost something?"
Rai spread her claws in a gesture of futility and nodded. "You wouldn't have happened to notice an amulet with a magical ruby the size of a small imported car whizz past would you?"
Smee and Key shook their heads as Rai sighed. "Oh well...at least it should show up when we get there."
"It's probably just a little further along in the time stream." Key mused. "Speaking of which, heads up Rai."
"Huh?" Twisting her head to look around the dragoness had a moment to get the perception of something large and red coming at her at mach speed before she and her future body impacted with tremendous force. "Ouch. That's a rather unplesant sensation. Remind me not to do this again."
Smee chuckled. "If the situation ever arises where you've inadvertantly sent a copy of your body into the future and yourself, Key, and I find ourselves zipping through Space Time again...I'll try to remember that."
Rai, Key, and Smee had been reduced to playing I-Spy while whizzing through Space Time to pass the time, no pun intended, when they were suddenly spat out with a thump. "Ouch!" Key groaned. "What did I land on? A rock?" Rai untangled herself, her head was caught under her wing, and gave a short snort of joy.
"Nope just me." Quickly the revitalized dragoness stripped her body of everything important in a few quick seconds. "Hang on, my mod gems have gone cold. It'll take me a few minutes to bring them on line again." Smee glanced around apprehensively, at the scene where Rai had previously 'sacrificed' herself at the hands of the protective wards.
"Is it safe to stay here while we wait for that?"
"No place safer. The wards should be back online by now. Going out's no problem, coming in requires somebody with a deathwish."
"Indeed." Key murmered one pudgey hand on one of his chins. "I'm astonished you found this place." He glanced at Rai with narrowed eyes. "Just how did you accomplish that?" Rai quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I had a good copy of the Master Map." To this Key made no reply other than a long 'hheerrrm' which might just have been his breathing. Smee poked at the wards a bit while Rai stole the essences from her former flesh.
"I still say we get moving...we need to find the Soul Well if what you told us in transit were correct." The dragoness didn't argue, she had to find her red amulet after all and she was pretty sure she knew where it was going to materialize. Quickly scooping up Smee, it took a few moments for her to lift Key and get them both comfortbly situated on her back, they looked around. "Why aren't we moving."
"My gem's not back up yet. I don't have a map until it is...unless you do?" Smee shook his head. It was at that moment Key fished around in his massive belly rolls and pulled free what looked like a much abused lunch napkin.
"I happen to have one right here...."
Idea baking is going well in the Discussion thread, I'll post the final chapter title here when we are ready to write again!
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Well here we are, at the finale of the Hangover. A note to those who have not posted for some time, we are conducting this very differently now.
Check out the last page of the Discussion Thread before posting, for the basis of the plot for this chapter. Any questions, ask them there.
Each post should follow on DIRECTLY from the post before it, so that the transition from one contribution to the next is seamless.
Posts made in this way, will get transferred as is, in the order they are posted, to the Hangover in the Tales of IF forum, and the authors will be rewarded FABLES!!
Absolutely NO RP style posts, they will be DELETED ON SIGHT. (Typically, this is when a portion of the story is re-told from your characters point of view, huge soliloquys from your characters POV, introducing new abilities for your character for convenience of the plot etc.)
If you are not sure, just ask!
As established, the chapter begins in Lordy's lair, and written from Lordy's POV.
Take it away, folks! 
Chapter 27 - Better the Devil you Know
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Idea master
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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Lordy sighed in his lair. Everything, positively everything was going wrong. It seemed as though nothing could be done to salvage the situation.
A smile slowly crossed his face. No, that wasn't entirely correct. The Destroyer was in the outer sanctum, the Devourer was on his way to Rai to recover the Bone, Blood, and Flesh he needed, and he still had his secret weapon, albeit untested. Things were just hanging by threads now. If the Devourer proved to be no match for Rai, and the Destroyer was in turn destroyed, then the situation was hopeless.
The spell to harness the power of the well was almost done. He wouldn't say the key word until he had the Bone, Flesh, and Blood, otherwise it would all go wrong, and the Greater One might wake up...
He really, sincerely hoped that none of the so-called heroes of the story would find his secret lair's entrance.
-----
Meanwhile, IM was leaning against a tree for a short break.
"Do you think they can understand us yet?" Crady asked.
"Dunno," Lilith replied. "Hey, IM, pull out your book."
IM sighed and pulled out his tome and flipped through it. "No good, it's still backwards to me." He sighed and flopped against the tree. This was not a good idea, as the tree was not really a tree, but a concealer of a secret button that opened a trapdoor. IM's mirrored yell reached D's ears, and he ran over to the source of Crady's and Lilith's fervent, albeit mirrored, shouting.
"He went down there somehow!" Lilith said while pointing at the ground in front of the tree.
D looked at her oddly, and Lilith slapped her forehead with her open palm. She had forgotten in her excitement that she was cursed still, so pointed and attempted sign language of the mentally defiant ape-dog sort. D just looked even more confused.
"Like this!" Crady shouted, and thrust herself at the tree in a vain attempt to get it to repeat what had happened. Unfortunately, it worked, and she slid down a long earthen tunnel to land next to IM.
"Followed me, did you?" He asked.
"Yeah, why do you ask?" She asked in kind.
"Oh, no reason at all, just stating the obvious so that my mind doesn't implode from fear due to that thing standing over there. I'm also babbling to distract it, I don't think it's working very well."
Crady looked over and saw the most horrible thing imaginable...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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"What is that thing?" Crady said her voice audibly shaking as she vainly attempted to hide behind IM.
"I don't know...." IM said, "And to be honest, I'm not sure I want to find out either," he said flipping through his book hastly in the vain hopes that something anything would make sense despite the book being written backwards so that he could find out what the thing was and how to destroy it very, very quickly.
The Thing....if it could be called that...stood before them breathing as its rotten breath filled the chamber where they stood.
What IM and Crady could see of the thing was disgusting. The monster was consumed by it's overly large mouth. A mouth so large it looked like it could swallow even the giant Rai without even chewing.
Huge teeth dripping a greenish looking poision stood row upon row as its victims starred down it's dark gullet where two glowing eyes blinked at the eargerly. Currently it's massive purple tongue swept up to lick the pink lips that surrond the mouth of the monster.
Clearing his throat, IM gave up his hopeless attempts of sorting through his book and gulp as the monster began to approach them as two minature claws pucked from under what must have been the monster's belly. "There is only one reasonable thing that we can do in such a desperate hopeless situation."
"Which is?" Crady said her knees shaking threatening to send her crashing to floor.
"Scream." IM said wisely.
~ ~ ~
Meanwhile, a large buzzer and flashing light began to go off just approve Lordy's giant TV monitor.
Putting down the large blueprint Lordy held in his hand, Lordy looked up at the monitor and pressed a botton.
"Well, well, Looks like I won't have to worry about the heros after all," he said as he watched the Devorer approach IM and Crady. Whistling, Lordy approached his well kept not so secret liquor stash and pulling out his finest wine, Lordy pulled up a plushy chair and took a drink. "Now, this should be entertaining."
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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As he swilled the wine languidly around his bejewelled goblet, Lordy frowned. Entertaining though this interlude was, what was the Devourer doing in the outer antechamber to his Inner Sanctum anyway?
Unless it was returning with Rai's gem, containing the Blood, Flesh and Bone, it shouldn't be there at all.
He peered at his monitor. No sign of the gem. Had that stupid monster devoured the gem and Rai? Not likely. The Devourer did not look like it had eaten anything recently.
Lordy grimaced. More likely that dratted servile imp had got his orders crossed, and released the Devourer into the outer antechamber, and sent the Destroyer to Rai instead.
His heart sank. The Destroyer was not really a good match for Rai. It was flightless, and lumbering. Equally, whilst the Devourer would have stood a good chance with conquering Rai, its eyesight was not good enough for spotting creatures of a size comparable to human beings, and therefore did not pose as great a threat to the likes of IM and Crady.
However, its hearing was good, and provided that IM and Crady continued screaming, the Devourer was in with a chance of a small snack. Especially as Lordy could see on his monitor that some more of IM's friends descending into the antechamber... How many of them altogether? Six? Seven? Eight?
"Good grief..." he thought, shaking his head.
>>>>>>>>>>
Okay, lets try and keep it to Lordy's POV as much as possible
>>>>>>>>>>
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Lilith
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Joined: 10 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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A minion of Lordy's rushed in and began to babble incoherently. "Master! ... She's here!." The minion was soon squashed by an ancient, red talon.
Lordy spat out his drink. "Rai.... how did you get in here?" He asked, rising and noticing Key and Smee on her back.
"Very carefully, Lordy. By the way, the next time you send your Destroyer after me, we will be having a long discussion, involving you hanging by your hamstrings from the ceiling and me languishly enjoying a stress-free day for once.." Rai gave Lordy a grin, showing every single draconic tooth.
"Key, Smee,.. Greetings to both of you.. Can I ask why you are here?" Lordy surreptitiously made his screens go blank; the only one who had even seen the chaos begining in the antechamber was Rai and she was currently doing something with Lordy's jester hat.
"Actually, Lordy, I could ask you the same thing. What's all this I hear of an overthrow?" Key replied, giving Lordy a searching look.
"Just the usual rumours as usual, Key. But I do believe that Chinaren was searching for you the other day.. you as well, Smee." Lordy hinted, hoping that Key and Smee would believe him; China was indeed searching for them.
"Ah, yes! I must consult with China on a few things myself. Rai, would you mind..." Key said, stopping as Rai ripped a hole in IFian-Space-Time and threw the jester hat in.
"Hmm.. What? Oh well, actually I have something I need to discuss with Lordy. But I am sure he has some transportation to get you to Chinaren.." Rai said, giving Lordy a significant glance that said, Hurry up! This is important!
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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"Of course," Lordy supplied smoothly. "Right this way." After ushering the mayor and the king into a trasport tube that whisked them away the demon turned to stare at the angery dragoness. "As much as I'd love to stand around and chat, you don't happen to have the Three do you?"
Rai reached up a talon, and deftly snatched the red amulet out of the air as it winked into existance. "I'm not some feeble-minded whelp Lordy. I can get things done when I choose to." Quickly she spoke a few words over it and the three ingrediants appeared on the floor in a flash. Before the demon could touch any of them, the dragoness's tail thuded down and cut him off. "You owe me Lordy. Big Time."
The demon snarled. "Yes yes but can we settel debts later...like after we've averted this whole 'crisis' thing." Slowly the tail lifted and the demon took up the three objects, beckoning to the dragoness. "Come on, I'm going to need your power too."
The dragoness shook her head. "No dice demon. I'm sitting guard on this one incase you screw up. You do it with your own reserves because my scales are still itching. And that means we're still in danger..." With a sigh and a grumble about never working with dragons again the demon began to cast the needed spell.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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LordoftheNight
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:49 am Post subject: |
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As the daemon chanted in some ancient tongue, the air before him began to ripple, shimmering waves spread from his outstretched hand. Slowly, the distortion grew in size, a small tear in the fabric of reality. An ear-rending screech filled the cavern, high pitched and penetrating. Both dragon and daemon winced at the sound, forced to brace themselves against the torrential wind that rocketed from the growing abyss.
“This is the last of them,” Lordy shouted above the racket, his words muffled by the screaming. “After this, there is only the Soul Well itself to open, to release the Greater Evil.” Abruptly the sound died away, the wind fading to a mere breeze. Rai delicately – if a dragon could ever be described as delicate – placed one of her fore-arms to her head and rubbed her ear. Before her, Lordy sank to one knee, breathing heavily from the effort.
“It is done then?” Rai asked. “We are ready?” The daemon nodded, and rose to his feet once more. “Yes. I have opened the way-points all around the city, releasing the essences trapped within. Even now I can here him stirring, growing in power. All that remains is to open the Well itself, and perform the Final Ceremony.”
Rai gazed around at cavern that formed this Sanctum of Lordy’s, the stone walls daubed with symbols and mystical patterns. The few trickles of light that shone down from above barely illuminated its outermost edges, and the network of tunnels that led to the world outside. She stared at the hole that was now in the room’s centre – a small rip in space – only visible through the fact that it was not. No light shone on it, or through it, and if she hadn’t known it was there, in all likelihood she wouldn’t have noticed.
Her thoughts were interuppted when she noticed Lordy looking at her. “Just how did you get in here Rai? I wasn’t expecting you back for nearly half an hour.”
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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Idea master
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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"Well, actually," Rai began, when a large amount of noise came from the entrance. D, Crady, Lilith, Polokin, Solus, Lebby, and Jez began to file into the room, noticeably either impressed or repulsed by the daemon's choice in decor. It was hard to say.
"Once again, Rai, I must thank you for getting rid of that thing," D said. Rai quickly tried to hush him up, but Lordy had heard and wasn't pleased. And when Lordy wasn't pleased, things tended to happen quickly. Very bad things.
"Traitor!" Lordy hissed, and threw his hands up. Bindings of what looked to be white cloth appeared around the gaggle of adventurers, and promptly did as their name suggested; they bound all present besides Lordy into quivering heaps. Before they could speak, gags of similar white cloth forced themselves into their mouthes and tied themselves behind their heads.
"Congratulations, Rai, you've just earned yourself a first-class ticket to the end of the world!" Lordy threw his hands up and concentrated, saying the needed incantation and teleporting the group to the Soul Well.
It is probably a painful thing, to be systematically deconstructed, forced through a tube the size of a paper clip's wire to your destination, and reconstructed into your original form. However, since the nerves - and brain - are the first thing to go with teleportation magics, nobody knows. All they can describe of the process is 'tingly'.
In an instant, nobody was left in the chamber.
"Hello?" IM's voice rang out.
Well, not everyone had been in the chamber to begin with. IM had passed out shortly after finishing his scream of horror as Rai killed the monster. Everyone had forgotten about him, seeing as Lilith and Crady were in no position to inform D of their misplaced companion, seeing as he was after the fleeing Rai so as to question her. IM had come to just in time to get to the chamber after everything interesting had finished. IM looked around briefly.
"Hellooooo?" IM inquired again, just in case somebody had been lurking behind the bean-bag chair waiting to yell 'Surprise!' at him. When no such thing happened, IM began to probe the room with his magical senses. Someone had cast a big teleportation spell here. IM could easily hook onto the spell and go where whoever had cast it had gone, but he looked around him first to see if there was anything worth taking with him.
Something twanged in the room, something that set the hair on the back of his neck on end. IM went towards the source of this disconcerting feeling, and found a small vial holding what looked to be a mote of dull gray and brown metal. IM instantly recognized it: Stupidium. Though it seemed more...potent than usual. Magic was suspending it from the glass walls for some reason. IM picked the vial up, stowed it away, and hooked onto the remnants of the teleport spell.
After having appeared atop a high mountain-peak, IM recited his hook-on backwards, remembering that he was still reversed of speech. He appeared in a small cavern that was adjacent to a large one. In the large cavern, he could make out a huge pool, glowing white, blue, and green, and the light reflected off the figure of...
Lordy?
This wasn't good. IM hunkered down to hear what Lordy had to say, as he was clearly monologuing to someone...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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"Dratted curse..." he muttered to himself, as he listened, he could not understand a word Lordy was saying, since everything to IM sounded backwards.
In the dim light, he could make out what looked like seven giant pupae, lying on the ground. One of them was much larger than the others. They appeared to be wriggling and moaning slightly. IM edged closer, dislodging a couple of small rocks as he did so. Lordy whirled round and spotted him.
"My dear Idea Master!" he leered, raising a finger towards the mage. "I..." but he stopped when he heard noises in one of the labyrinth tunnels leading towards the pool.
...."Are you sure this is where we were supposed to be?" Smudger's voice could be heard echoing faintly towards them. "I thought we were supposed to be finding the others, not coming back to the Well."
"Think, Smudger," Dinranwen's tones could be heard in reply. "The Realm of Dead IFians has very little time left. By the time we find ourselves a decent map, and get ourselves to the point where everyone else is, we may already be too late. And I thought we'd agreed, our plan was to second guess Lordy, and come to the pools at the Soul Well itself. The chances he'll be there are quite high."
"Besides, the only likely way that we can find Sasuke is..." began Crunchyfrog, as the threesome emerged into the chamber, but he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. They stopped, their jaws dropped in horror, as they saw the sight before them.
"Ah! Dinranwen, Smudger, Crunchyfrog! Glad you could join the party!" grinned Lordy.
"Lordy, you cannot do this!" said Dinranwen bravely. "Whatever you want with the Soul Well, you have to stop! The Realm of Dead IFians is being devoured by the crack in the well beneath us... When that has gone, the Soul Well itself will implode from the power within, destroying the City."
Lordy shook his head.
Crunchyfrog took in a deep breath. He could see IM edging around towards their bound and gagged friends, and fiddling around with the bonds of one of them, it might have been JezSharp.
"Why, Lordy, are you doing this?" he said bravely, trying to stall for time. It worked.
"Well, " replied Lordy, "Since my plan is almost completely executed, and you are all going to die soon, I may as well tell you."
"Go on," encouraged Smudger, as IM released one of Jez's hands. Jez fiddled within his wrappings and produced a small blue glowing orb, and nodded towards Polokin, who was laying next to him.
"My first goal was the revolution of the City," began Lordy. "My various allies and contacts around IF (which include several prominant moderators, whose names I won't disclose now) were all told certain portions of the plan, so no-one else knew the full story. I'm just canny like that.
The overall, final, outcome was to be the complete takeover of the entire country, and the near en-slavement of the population of IF, OF, AHA etc. Of course, the population wouldn't realise their enslavement, as that would merely lead to discontent. And that's bad kiddies. You should always do what your overlord tells you."
Din feigned a gasp, hoping that it would encourage Lordy to continue.
"But how did you do that...?" asked Smudger.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Okay, seems we've got to the well before everyone arrived, so the mayhem will have to happen there! Lordy has begun revealing his Needlessly Complicated Plan. Copy and paste from the Discussion thread, and replace the word 'it' whenever it occurs. Make sure nobody else says 'it', too!
IM is trying to get Polokin's blue orb back to him so that BS can be summoned, for some gratuitous violence, (D could be used as bait to anger him)
Sasuke has yet to be brought to Lordy by the wraiths, he can be used as bargain power by Lordy at the appropriate time.
Take it steadily, the plan can be strung over a few posts....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Masterweaver, that is an RP post. You should be continuing directly from where the last post left off, and from the same point of view.
There are also some continuity issues -
The character Masterweaver was last seen in the Open Forum. The explanation you give on how he got to the Soul Well does not add up.
There is no cauldron.
Jez is gagged.
Your post has been rewritten below, as an example, continuing everything that was going on before, and adding in the arrival of Masterweaver. In future, any more RP style posts will be deleted.
"It just so happened, that I chose to carry out my cunning ploy at a time when China was away," resumed Lordy. "This was, of course, deliberately chosen, as with China away, and Key (soon to be) incapable of action, I have the most power in IF."
He grinned maliciously around at his captives at this point. IM held the blue orb tightly in his fist as Lordy's gaze briefly fell on him.
"Binding Key was ridiculously easy," Lordy went on. "The King is seen rarely in the city at the best of times, though I knew he does keep watch over us. I simply removed his power, and left him unable to function without aid. Killing him would have effected the balance of the City, so I was forced to leave him alive."
IM cowered, and looked over at Polokin. As he inched towards him, there was a commotion from above as something limp fell from a crevasse in the roof of the cavern, and landed in front of Lordy.
Recognising the limp form as Masterweaver, Lordy growled in exasperation.
"Oh, this is going to heaven in a wastebasket. Why doesn't everyone just come down here and join the party?" He plucked Masterweaver from the ground, then threw him against the wall, narrowly missing IM, who accidentally dropped the orb which rolled away on the ground, a little out of reach.
"timmaD" said IM to himself. He had no idea what the blue orb was for, but Jez obviously did, and wanted Polokin to have it. He wondered how he could get to it without Lordy noticing.
"You were about to tell us your plan for world domination," Crunchy said hastily, and breathed a sigh of relief as Lordy turned his attention back towards them.
"Indeed, the next part of my plan was fiendishly clever, and was executed perfectly." boasted Lordy.
"My contacts in OF are well known to vetern members of the city, as is the on-going tension between the two neighbours. My agents within OF have been infiltrating to higher levels of power and authority. Famous OFian generals, such as Mal-Fait, are actually nothing more than pawns and allies of me, and my insidious plotting. For a several month period, I had one of my IFian agents systimatically eliminating key members of the opposition of OF, allowing my OFians agents to take their place.
Tensions were reaching an all-time straining point and diplomatic measures were going downhill fast. There would only be a matter of time before all-out war was declared, something I have been pressing, both in the council, and with my agents in OF, for some time."
"Uhh... so what happened next?" asked Smudger.
Next person please continue from here. Thanks!
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Idea master
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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"Quite simple, my dear hunchback, quite simple indeed. With Key, Smee, and all the other important mods gone, or otherwise...indisposed, I would be the most powerful person in the city. I would have my OFian agents incite the masses into a blood frenzy in both cities, and then war would come. I would lead IF to victory, with the power of this Well bolstering my own."
IM was ever-so-carefully inching towards the orb and stopped. Why bother with doing it physically, when he could do it magically? He whispered the words of a levitation spell backwards, and the orb flew into his hands. He then resumed his careful trek to Polokin, hoping that the duck-obsessed man could do something with this orb.
Thin, shadowy forms came from the crack in the roof then, carrying an unconscious Sasuke with them. "Master, master! We have him, we have him!"
"Ah, excellent. Set him down behind me, there's a good lot of minions."
Sasuke was unceremoniously tossed behind Lordy, one hand-paw in the Well itself. Lordy took no note of this and continued on his speech.
"Of course, all I knew was that I would need more power than I had, and I was planning a raid of IM's mines to get at the lost souls, but then China did such an act for me, mucking up my plans. When the announcement was made that the lost souls were 'gone forever' I knew they were still around, as China rarely speaks the truth on any given day, especially when he has a bottle of Grungle Juice in hand. So I trawled through all the archives to find where in the world he could have placed them, and found...this."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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"This," breathed Lordy, "this is a small object, one I have produced, in my hand, that is tiny, and round, and spherical. This is called the Orb of Redundancy, for the Orb's use causes repition of the obvious, but also, repitition of that hidden, and of that unseen, and of that unknown, and of that mysterious."
"We get the point," said Masterweaver. He shut up when Lordy glared at him.
"This was hidden deep within the dangerous tools of writing section of the archives, where were kept writing things that could easily kill a storygame. I fought, past much danger, in the dangerous tools of writing section, to get this tool of writing. Then, I came here, and used this on the Soul Well. And lo, the spell that Chinaren had cast was cast again!"
"But wouldn't that create two soul wells?" asked Smudger.
"No, for this is the Orb of Redundancy!"
"You've said that already," quipped Dinranwen.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
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(0)-_-(0)
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:18 am Post subject: |
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Lordy sighed, frustrated that his captives could not understand a key part of his plan.
"This orb is what caused the Soul Well to begin to break up. If the same spell is cast multiple times, the spell affects the enviroment in adverse ways. Once the Soul Well was allowing the Lost Souls out and anatgonizing IFians against Chinaren, the next phase of my plan could be put into affect." Lordy gave a smirk to the tied and gagged IFians.
He continued on with his plan, not noticing Idea Master creeping slowly towards Polokin.
"But, you lot have all but dozed off during my thrilling plan explanation. Now, to finish the spell!" Lordy whirled around and stomped to Sasuke, who, coincidently, was coming around.
Lordy withdrew a small dagger. "Ah, you are awake! All the better I can enjoy your screams as you bleed!"
Lordy plunged the dagger toward Sasuke just as Sasuke yelled, "Please, don't kill me! I didn't do it!"
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:44 am Post subject: |
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It! it itit it it it it!
The word resounded around the cavern. There was a deathly hush.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! NOT THE "IT" WORD!!! NOT YET!!!!!!! yelled Lordy. His spell was incomplete, and the trigger word had been uttered prematurely.
The chain reaction had started.
The Soul Well pool began to boil malevolantly, and a loud rumble could be heard echoing through the cavern. The captive IFians squirmed and yelped their muffled shrieks. Rudely awakened from their boredom enduced slumber, they were extremely aware something very BAD was about to happen.
Lordy rounded on Sasuke.
"You fool! You idiot! You had to ruin everything, you halfbr...."
He stopped as the ground shuddered
"What did I say? What did I do wrong?" asked Sasuke, confused, as he backed away from the glowing, boiling pool.
IM wasted no time in tearing apart Polokin's bonds, and ripping the gag from his face. He pressed the small blue orb into Polokin's hand. Polokin pointed to D-Lotus, and IM hastily scrambled over to help the P.I.
As IM helped him free himself, D-Lotus shuddered as he recognised the diabolical smell he had smelt in Smee's basement that time when he had stumbled across the initial attempt to crack open the Soul Well. He stared in horror as the boiling in the pool grew in ferocity, and a shape began to form above it.
Even Lordy stepped back in awe...
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dinranwen
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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As Sasuke's Horribly Timed Excalmation finally fell silent upon the room thunder boomed in the distance, lighting flashed across, and the DooomDooomDoomDoomDoomDooom music started playing right on cue.
A thick fog poured into the room swirly in an errie light as the Live Audience setting in the study gasped simatiously with the Ifians in the room.
Suddenly, a disinbodied voice echoed in the room as a murky shadowy shape waved it's hands in the fog, yet the fog was so thick no one could quite make out exactly what IT was, "Behold the Greater Evil!"
Mad laughter filled the room as the fog suddenly cleared leaving what could only be discribed as a giant puddle of color changing Icky-Goo. The Self-Proclaimed had long forgotten it's shape, form, and name as it stood in front of the Ifians it's puddle shape shuddering almost uncertainly.
This is not what the other's saw....what each saw was their greatest fear enbodied in the Greater Evil's Shape.
Crunchfrog saw a giant semi it's head beams being bright as a loud horn annoced the truck's approach towards him....Closing his eyes for the expectant crushing, Crunchy Eeeked.
IM saw himself, a battered, useless, unimagintive, unmagical version of himself. In front of his eyes was a sight even he could believe. In front of IM was an IM wearing thick black glasses, a white shirt, a tie, and the carried the calucater of a Tax Consultant. "It's not true...It's not true." Im repeated sensly.
Polokin saw a rubber ducky being shreadded to death by a nameless faceless monster.
MasterWeaver saw a robe being shoved into a box and being gadded....the figurative image of himself was being silenced, stiffled, and robbed of all his self-styled Brillance.
Lily watched in terror as her wings were torn by shreads.
Nightshade saw a very angry Chinaren demanding his rent now or else.
Rai saw herself being sentenced to live the rest of her life as an ordinary human by the Drake himself.
Even Lordy was being tortured as he saw himself being stripped of demonly powers, all his money, and being sentenced to serve forever in the stupidium mines.
But worse of all, or so Dinranwen thought, was the image of herself in the mirror as someone snatched off her precious cloak so that she was clearly seen.
"Noooooo!" Everyone cried covering their eyes and ears in fear.
"Yeeees!" The GE said as it shifted it's shape to become a vision of everyone's fear, the shape of desolate destroyed empty City of If. "I'm free! AND I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!"
Thunder cracked, a bolt of lighting struck blinding everyone in the room, and when everyone opened their eye's.....
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:06 am Post subject: |
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....they were amazed to see Chinaren waddle into the cavern.
"Tada!!!....er....oh, shit...." he said, as he stopped in his tracks.
Disappointed that his carefully planned spectacular entry had been completely wasted on the current situation, and gripped with shock by the fearful illusion of his money going up in flames in front of him, Chinaren ran as fast as his short legs would carry him towards the Greater Evil, crying
"NO!!!! NO NO NO!!!! PLEASE!!! NOT MY MONEY SACKS!!! SAVE MY MONEY SACKS!!!!"
As Crunchyfrog and Dinranwen each grabbed a hairy arm and dragged the crazed mayor away from the dangerous manifestation the rest of the IFians quickly began to realise that what each of them was seeing seemed to be a personal fear.
"YOU FOOLS!!!" hissed Lordy, "If only you had kept quiet, and had trusted me!"
"Trusted YOU???" roared Rai as she burst forth from her bonds, morphing back to her full dragon form.
"Hah, that's a little rich coming from you, Rai," replied Jez, "after the part you've played in all of this!"
"Lliw ydobemos od gnihtemos tuoba siht esruc, ti si gnissip em ffo!!" shouted Lilith angrily, as Lotus helped her undo her bandages.
IM and Crady agreed with her wholeheartedly. IM turned to Lordy expectantly.
"Llew, Ydrol?" he asked.
But Lordy was staring straight at the Greater Evil, trying to block out the illusion of fear in his mind.
"I thought we had a pact, O Great One", he said, almost trance like.
"Indeed we did, Lordofthenight." boomed the fearful, evil voice of the Greater Evil from around the cavern. "But you were foolish to think that you could trick me and keep me incarcerated here whilst you use the power of the Soul Well to rule US.
Countless thousands of years, Lordofthenight, I have been trapped inside this fault. Countless thousands of years! A freak earthquake trapped my essence here, where I had lost my contacts and power over the outside world, my believers finally dying out.
What luck for me when your City was relocated upon this very spot, when the faultline was further undermined by its many tunnels, And what greater luck when your eminent orange Mayor's recent use of the Soul Well provided the necessary spark to rekindle my dormant power!
Without me, oh Lordofthenight, you would not have got this far. You do not deserve this power. You do not deserve...to live!!!" The Cities of IF, OF, the lands of AHA, THE, IS, and the whole of US, are MINE!!!!!!!!"
Lordofthenight thought for a split second.
"Damn it," he thought.
This could mean a slight set back to his plans of total domination. The Soul Well would need to be sealed, at least for now, and preferably with the Greater Evil inside it. In order to do this he'd need the 3 ingredients still, but he'd need the incantations to be spoken in reverse. Conveniently, he had three people who could do that. But he'd need time to prepare. And he'd need a distraction whilst he instructed IM, Lilith and Crady in what they had to do.
Would he have enough time? The Greater Evil seemed not to be in a hurry to do much right now. Perhaps it was still gathering power after such a long incarceration. Still, Lordy knew he had no time to lose.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Polokin raise his hand with a blue orb in it. Lordy did not know what the blue orb would do, but he figured it was likely to be a distraction, so he nodded in approval at Polokin.
Polokin stood bravely, and motioned D-Lotus to stand close to the manifestation.
Understanding that he was now acting as human bait, and was going to have to outwit a complete psychopath for an indeterminate amount of time in an enclosed and rather crowded space whilst Lordy prepared his spell, Lotus resignedly took his place.
Polokin smashed the small blue orb onto the floor, where it shattered.
"BSTHEGREAT, BSTHEGREAT, BSTHEGREAT!!!" he cried...
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LordoftheNight
Revered IFian
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5287
Location: Hell
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| Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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For a moment, the cave was illuminated by the ensuring blue flash, both Lotus and Polokin being blinded momentarily due to their proximity. Because of this, they didn't see the light fold in on itself, shimmering internally before fading into the shape of a man.
BS the Great continued whistling to himself as he finished urinating, ignorant of what had just occured. Finishing, he looked up from the floor and stared into the horror-stuck eyes of Sasuke, who's clothes he had just finished despoiling. BS blinked rapidly, before stumbling backwards, the eyes of every IFian upon him.
Ho, s'taht tahw eht bro saw rof," exclaimed IM in surprise. "I dluohs evah desseug. Lysuoivbo emos mrof fo noitacol lleps derb-ssorc htiw a noitarujnoc fo fles." This knowledge, fascinating as it must have been, was ignored by everyone else, whether or not they could understand a word he spoke.
Scrambling to his feet, BS promtly unholsted the biggest gun he had on him, and swung round, catching site of Polokin, who was still cradling his scorched eyes. He grabbed the unfortunate IFian by the collar and dragged him closer.
"Why've ya brought me here?" he demanded fiercly, waving his oversized firearms in the hapless minion's face. "You were suppos'd to summon ma when ya had D captured, not 'cause ya felt lonely or som'mit. Why I outta bust you right now!"
A small - almost polite given the circumstances - cough interupted BS mid-flow, his embarassment and anger cut-off by the sudden chill that crept through his bones.
"If you'll permit me to point out," boomed the voice of the Greater Evil, echoing throughout the cavern, "I believe I had the floor?" He sounded almost bemused, if a timeless and manevant evil could feel an emotion as trival as amusement*. "Not to mention the fact that cold-blooded murder, in front of several prominent citizens, five moderators, the Chanceller and the Mayor may be a tad hasty."
Slowly BS the Great swung round, dropping his erstwhile minion to the floor as he did so. The Greater Evil was obscurred by the swirling mists once more, and the recent arrival was unable to behold the speaker. He gazed around the cavern closely a second time, catching sight of the various mods scattered around in various states of confusement (or undress in Din's case, as she valiently tried to pull her robes about her even more tightly).
D-Lotus had been half stunned by the blast, and unaware of exactly what had transpired after the flash went off. He rose to his feet, and locked eyes with BS. Several thoughts flashed instantly before his eyes, but only one was consistantly predominant.
"Oh Bugger." Even as BS brought his heavily tooled up weapon to bear, the mists surronding the Greater Evil's form cleared, and BS caught a glimce of what lay behind them. Or at least, what he most feared. The two Lotus's stared back at him, one looking ready to bolt, the other's twisted with sardonic pleasure. Screaming in rage and frustration, BS opened fire at one of the pair.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
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Argonaut
Mercenary Artist
Joined: 11 May 2006
Posts: 344
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 9:55 am Post subject: |
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Bullets slammed into D-lotus' chest. One after another, the metal slugs flew from BS' weapon, striking D as he writhed and twisted disturbingly. Finally, all the ammo was spent, and the room grew deathly silent.
D's bullet-riddled body stood up and stared directly at BS. The GE's evil laughter filled the room.
"No! That's not possible!" BS cried out in terror, pulling more guns from who knows where.
"Yes, I think you will be the first to die!" The GE screamed, shedding D's appearance and towering over BS.
The real D peered out from beneath Rai's wing as BS opened fire again. On the other side of the room, Lordy had grabbed Lillith, Crady, and IM. He was shoving scrolls into their hands and gesturing wildly, trying to communicate with sign language.
Bullets bounced off the GE's nebulous form, causing everyone to dive, or in some cases crawl, for cover. Heedless of the attack, the GE continued to grow, forming a pair a huge arms with wicked clawed hands.
"Now, witness the first display of my power and cower before me puny mortals!"
The entire cavern began to shake, and bits of rock and stalactites fell from the ceiling.
"He's going to bring the cave down on top of us!" Crunchy yelled.
"Yes!" The GE cried out, "Fear the... wait that's not me."
Suddenly the ceiling burst open, directly above the Greater Evil. A giant drilling machine, like something out of a Jules Verne novel, came crashing down through the GE and embedded itself into the floor.
When the dust cleared, Everyone could plainly see, written in gold lettering on the side of the machine, the words "Deus Ex Machina". A hatch in the side popped open, and out leaped a figure in long coat. He struck a pose as a blue bird landed on his hat.
"Oh yeah! Do I know how to make an entrance or what!?" Exclaimed Argonaut.
Everyone was dumbfounded, except for Lordy, who continued to attempt to explain his plan to the backwards talkers.
"Huh? Come on people, was the great or what? Don't everyone cheer at once." Argonaut pleaded for some attention.
However all eyes where now on the "Deus Ex Machina" as a sinister black ooze crawled up it's sides, slowly engulfing and absorbing it.
"What? didn't I just save the day here?" Asked Argo, turning to see what everyone was staring at.
The GE finished assimilating it's new form. Black metal claws sprouted from it's sides like spider legs. Lifting itself from it's hole the "Greater Evil Ex Machina" pointed it's huge spinning drill directly at Argo.
"Oh poop."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 10:36 am Post subject: |
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IM was frantically patting at his robes. He knew he was missing something, but all his normal instruments were in his robe. Then he remembered the item he'd picked up in Lordy's room, and gasped to see the small vial atop the 'Greater Evil Ex Machina.'
"Crady, Lilith, we've got a major issue here!"
"What is it?" Crady queried.
"That vial that's on top of the machine! If it breaks, it'll start transforming us all! We'd better find out what Lordy wants, quickly!"
"Hgra, I t'nod wonk yhw I rehtob htiw uoy!" Lordy screamed. He started writing a spell quickly on the blank paper.
"Hey, waitaminute, I think I recognize these words..."
"Yeah? What are they, IM?" Lilith was curious about most things magical.
"Yeah, these are the words to bind a source of great evil...but their order is backwards...Of course!"
IM had a blinding realization that lit up the cavern and caused the others to scream. IM grabbed Lilith's and Crady's hands. "Quickly, chant these words with me!"
"But with the curse-" Crady interjected, only to be rebuffed.
"That's the beauty of it! We're going to USE this curse to do some good! Come on, chant!"
The trio began to incant. Forevermore power my to you bind I...
The reversed order of the words would make for some stumbling blocks.
-----
Just a cavern's length away, the others were trying to deal with the 'Greater Evil Ex Machina.'
"Back! Back foul beast! I warn you, I'm armed!" China brandished a lead brick in the general direction of the thing.
"China, I think you should be using silver, or possibly holy water," Argo whispered.
"Like you should talk, who gave it the huge body?!" Sasuke hissed.
"I am not afraid!" China proudly declared. "I've been cleaning up after that cloak for too long to be afraid!"
"Wow," Rai muttered, "We might come out of this alive."
The GEEM* swatted at China with one of its new metallic tentacles, knocking him across the cavern. China impacted with a dull 'thump' and knocked loose a few rocks to land on him with a 'thud'.
"We're so not gonna make it," Rai muttered.
*Greater Evil Ex Machina. Acronym provided by IM Inc, who is tired of typing that name out all the time.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Lilith
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Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 1597
Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:56 am Post subject: |
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While Lilith, Crady, and Idea Master were busy with their backwards chant, D-Lotus was busy trying to reason with BS the Great.
"Come on, you coward! Quit running and take it like a man!" BS shouted as D-Lotus dodged and outsmarted him for the fifth time.
"WOULD YOU LISTEN TO REASON, MAN?! THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU AND I, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF IF!" D-Lotus screamed back, desperately hoping that he could convince BS to join their cause.
The following gunshots that D-Lotus had to duck from were a sure sign that BS wasn't in the mood.
Then, D-Lotus had an idea. He took off running, weaving in and out of the fighting IFians, while BS followed his progress in the crosshairs of his weapon.
When D-Lotus finally stopped moving, BS smiled and said, "Bye, bye, private eye!" BS pulled the trigger.
At the last moment, D-Lotus moved and the shot went directly into the GEEM, puncturing a hole in the fuel tank.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Masterweaver
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Joined: 21 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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The resulting explosion shook the already unstable caverns, as those who were able, dived for cover. BS whistled low, impressed that his shot had had such an effect.
"MY HAIR'S ON FIRE!" cried D-Lotus, and Lebrenth immediately smothered the flames with his foul smelling, goo-covered Cloak of Forboding.
As he was being helped from the rubble a second time, Chinaren stared at the mess.
"NOOOOOO!!!" he screamed. "I HADN'T PAYED INSURANCE ON THE CITY's DEUS EX MACHINA YET!"
Unabated by the explosion, IM and crew continued chanting, protected by an ash-covered Lordy.
Everyone else picked themselves up and stared hopefully. But nothing seemed to be happening.
"I LIVE ON!!!!!!!!!!" cried the GE. It clung to the remnants of the exploded Deus Ex Machina like a bad reference to the third Spider-man movie, as it creaked back to life.
_________________
Sarothen, Mesoli, Gerastro
/\___/\
(0)-_-(0)
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NeverNeverGirl
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Joined: 18 Jun 2007
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Location: dreaming away of tomorrows to come
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Feeling a tap on his shoulder Chinaren turned around. Standing behind him was a stranger.
"Hi, I'm from IF Insurance. We just received word that you lost your Deus Ex Machina in a rather dramatic explosion.." the young women shook her head ruefully. "and as your policy has lapsed i wanted to let you know that any subsequent insurance you take out will incur a penalty fee. Although if you sign up today for..."
"But.. i... it just..." Chinaren spluttered to a stop and looked down at his feet. "This is a bit inconvienent, do you mind if we do this at a later date? You see we just.."
The young women thrust her shoulders back and flicked her auburn hair over her shoulders, a look of defiance in her eyes.
"Listen, this is my first day on the job. I don't want to be here as much as you don't want to be dealing with me right now! If i could have found work with an agency that dealt with my speciality then thats where i would be. Not standing here peddling insurance."
Turning on her heel she started to march away. A very intrigued host of Ifians watched her go. Insurance people sure were weird.
"Wait, Miss, um..." Argo couldn't help but think that perhaps someone should ask what this mystery womens 'speciality' was.
"Yes, what?" she paused glancing backwards.
"What is it that you actually do?"
NeverNeverGirl felt the weight of their stares, thinking up the most accurate response she glibly replied...
"I'm an ammunitions, arms and assassination expert... with a minor in The Creation of Poisonous SubSpecies through Magical Mutations."
Hmm, maybe we shouldn't let this one get to far away, Argo thought to himself.
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:20 am Post subject: |
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"...Er, lady!" he shouted, striking the most charismatic pose he could, under the circumstances, almost dislodging the blue bird from the brim of his hat.
NeverNeverGirl looked over her shoulder at Argo seductively, and raised her eyebrow, but was suddenly distracted by some garbled nonsense coming from Idea Master.
"TOU KOOL!!" he yelled, pointing at the mixture of the Greater Evil and the remnants of the DEUS EX-MACHINA as the tiny vial of stupidium, which had previously been lodged in one of its many joints, had worked its way loose and was teetering, ready for a big fall.
"What's he saying?" asked NeverNeverGirl.
"Never mind, NeverNever!" yelled D-Lotus, as he spotted what Idea Master was raving about. "STUPIDIUM!!!! Catch it before it breaks!!!"
"Are you insane?" screamed Dinranwen.
"The Bells!" howled Smudger
"It will smash if nobody catches it! cried Lotus.
Lilith was nearest, and she fearfully held her hands out to catch the falling vial. It fell right into her palms, but her instinct was immediately to get rid of it.
"uoy evah ti!" she said to Idea Master, tossing it over to him.
"hhggruuu, on! uoy evah ti!" he cried, throwing it over to Jezsharp.
"No thank you!" replied Jez, swiping it away. "Over to you, Argo!"
"Whooaah, Rai, it's all yours!"
"Get it out of my sight!" roared Rai, as she whumped the vial with her tail in mid air, towards Dinranwen.
"Eeek! Whoops! Butterfingers..."
The vial flew past Dinranwen, straight into the Greater Evil, and shattered. The tiny mote of Stupidium buried itself into the Greater Evil.
The cavern went quiet. Everyone was waiting for the resultant explosion and inevitable end of existance, but nothing happened.
"Have you all finished?" boomed the Greater Evil. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, Death, Destruction, and total Domination....Er... Umm...Can't think how to...er..."
Lordy turned around and looked at his formidable adversary.
"Problem?" he asked.
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:45 am Post subject: |
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The GE quivered a bit in thought. "Uh, problem...humm...well maybe. But I can't think of what it would be..."
Lordy chuckled. "Well then I don't know about the rest of you but I think this would be the perfect time to bind this thing to m...our wills?"
Rai snorted, shoving herself forward. "Like hell Lordy. We'll never be safe with the GE around. I say it's time to show this gelatinous ball of nasty slime just what happens when you mess with the Citizens of IF."
All around the room spines were suddenly held a little straighter, weapons leveled a little steadier, and nasty grins appeared on every visible face. Lordy glared at Rai a moment before shaking his head. "I hate you."
"I know."
"I'll get you for this."
"You and what army?"
And with that the Citizens began to advance on the GE who looked up and uttered one single word.
"Crap."
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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As the rest of the members of this little pow-pow started to close in to the GE [with the possible exception of NeverNever who still trying to vainly persuade Chinaren to buy the newest Curropt and Greedy program that guarenteed they would return your money no questions asked for a reasonable yearly fee], Dinranwen hung back her fingers idlly twining the shadows in the cave between her fingers thoughtfully.
"Oh guys," Din's voice rang out suddenly, "Aren't we forgetting something..."
"Not now Din," Rai said irratiedably, "I have had a good shred in simply days and that Destoyer of Lordies didn't exactly have a pleasant taste."
"But I thought there was something about a spell..."Din said looking helplessly towards Lordy who was distracted from his anger at Rai.
Then turning towards IM Din realized there was no help there as he said to Crady and Lilth, "tahW ehs yas?"
Looking frantically around them, Din realized there was no help anywhere, and that everyone seemed to forgotten that the GE was not to trapped by mere force no matter how effected it was by Stupiduim. The thing was bound to discover it's strength sooner or later if only by blind luck.
Realizing that everything was going downhill fast and that the situation was now, as Din would say would a frown with only a hint of mockery, Chaotic.
Din decided to do what she did best, Take to the shadows.
Disappearing from sight, Din pulled the confused Noob NeverNever out of Chinaren's way into her shadowy corner and handed the girl some popcorn. "Here, leave Chinaren alone will ya...he gets testy when you mention things actually involve paying for something. Besides Everyone is bound to realize that they doing this all wrong sooner or later......I only hope its sooner, the GE probably doesn't like tight corners, which is unforante since I have always found corners quite comfortable...Don't you think so?"
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:25 am Post subject: |
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NeverNeverGirl furrowed her eyebrows, and just nodded vacantly at Dinranwen, trying to take stock of the situation.
The Greater Evil, yes, she could understand, nasty malevolant piece of work, needs to be dealt with sooner or later, but it was the rest of these characters she couldn't get her head around. Were they good, evil, or just plain nuts?
There was some ugly looking daemon, playing charades with a mage and two strange looking females, who seemed to be talking in a different tongue. There was a man with a bluebird on his hat, another in a heavy cloak covered with green goo, a, er, leather cloak with nobody in it, a huge red dragon, a half-dragon, an elf in a white suit and dark glasses, a hunchback, some green amphibious creature, and various other weird looking folk, who all seemed to be ruled by a mayor that looked like a cross between an orangutang and a chipmonk.
And now she was being invited into a dark corner by some shadowy creature that smelled of tea leaves.
Could anything get worse? Oh yes it could. One of the group of IFians, a cloaked, barefoot, white haired young woman, who had been very quiet for a long time, suddenly rushed into the middle of the cavern, screaming, her arms waving about manically, before collapsing in a trembling heap on the ground.
"Solus! What's wrong?" cried JezSharp, as he rushed to her side.
Solus began to tremble as if possessed.
"Hurry up, guys!" she yelled suddenly in a voice that was clearly not her own. "The shard will not hold the Soul Well together forever! The Realm of the Dead IFians is disintegrating, and it's not closing time at the Tavern, yet!"
NeverNever stared, aghast.
"Oh that's Muaddib..." explained Dinranwen. "He's dead. Solus is our medium between here and the Dead IFians... "
NeverNever nodded, not believing what she was seeing.
Lordy hastily picked up the three vital ingredients to the spell, and gave one each to Idea Master, Lilith and Crady.
Lilith started to comb her hair with the Bone of the End, whilst Idea Master opened the Vial of the Blood of the Beginning, thinking he'd just been handed a refreshing drink. Crady was not sure what to do with the Flesh of the Present, it looked a little icky, so she tried to hand it back to Lordy.
"NO!!!" yelled Lordy, and pointed to the parchments that each of the three were supposed to be reading from.
The Greater Evil looked around at them with great interest, wondering what they were doing.
Polokin, who had been spending the past few minutes helping to free the remaining IFians from their bonds, nudged Lebrenth, and whispered in his ear.
"We need to distract the GE again some how, whilst Lordy finishes the spell. Pass the message on!"
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Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Lebrenth nodded and passed the message to a distracted China, who passed the message to a terrified D, who gave the message to a menacing BS, who gave the message to Argo, who gave the message to, Ne-ne, who gave the message to Din, who gave the message to Rai, who looked around for something handy to use as a distraction.
"Hey MW." The leather robe turned toward her expectantly. It squealed to find itself suddenly sized in massive talons while the dragoness spat on it and rubbed the saliva all over. Then she hurled it right onto the GE where MW stuck, flailing, to the creatures jelly-like surface. "That's for all the 'Read my Storygames' PMs!"
Some clapping broke out from the assembled Ifians who, all realizing that it would take the GE a few moments to pry the spit covered robe off of itself, formed a ring around the three spellcasters and Lordy. Chinaren chose that moment to clear his throat and give a most mayoral speech.
"Well Lords, Laides, and assembled creatures of IF...it's been a pleasure and if you don't survive I hope you remembered C'Ren and Associates as your undertakers of choice..."
"Oh shut up..." Din muttered.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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"All right, now we have the words that open a rift to read out. Hopefully, this will induce a closing of the rift once we say the trigger word for all these spells..." IM muttered.
"I do hope it's going to be something different this time than 'it'. I mean, honestly, that was the stupidest thing conceivable, tying all your spells to one common word," Crady rebuked.
"Yeah, why not try something nobody would use, like 'obstinate'?" Lilith queried.
"What does that mean?" Crady questioned.
"Stubborn, I think," Lilth replied.
"People, can we stay focused? Lordy thinks these things are important for some reason, so they're most likely components to the spell," IM stated.
"So what do we do with them?" Crady quizzed IM.
"Well, in Mage School, we ate them. Saved us a lot of time on naming them, all we had to do was name ourselves, and the component would be taken out of us that way."
Lilith and Crady looked at their items and then looked at IM's vial. "Why do you get the liquid?" they bemoaned.
"Look, you can argue spell schematics with me until this thing takes over US, or we can save the world here. Which will it be?"
Lilith and Crady shared a glance and a gulp, to be followed by a wide opening of mouths and a gagging noise. The Bone and Flesh would not fit down human throats, and shortly thereafter, the two's faces began to turn blue. It was a good thing that IM was nearly done with the spell. He downed the Blood and began the last reversed sentence.
Evil Greater forth summon to...
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 3998
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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"Live retaerg throf nommus ot rou dnammoc..." cried IM, holding the scroll in one hand, and raising the other aloft. But he didn't get much further, as he started to retch violently.
Lordy rolled his eyes. Was this stupid mage ever going to get anything right? Swiftly he pulled IM by the robes up to the glowing pool, just as IM's stomach launched its contents with the force of a jet engine back out through his mouth.
"Ewww, red spew" commented NeverNevergirl, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
The Blood of the Beginning entered the pool with great force, splashing most of the IFians in the cavern with water. IM teetered dangerously on the edge of the pool, exhausted by the expulsion of the Blood he'd imbibed. Lordy tapped his chin for a few seconds, hesitated, then reluctantly pulled him back to safety.
Meanwhile, Crady and Lilith were now semi concious on the ground, gasping for breath as the Bone and Flesh blocked their respective airways.
Flinging IM aside, Lordy pulled Crady to her feet, who was gagging and frothing as half chewed globs of the Flesh dribbled from her mouth. He grabbed the scroll she was holding and pushed it in her face.
"READ IT!!!" he boomed. His demonic voice reverberated around the cavern, causing a few small rocks to fall from the ceiling. Lordy wriggled his shoulders in pride. Sometimes he even surprised himself at how powerfully evil he could sound.
Crady, who had now turned purple, managed a very good attempt at an expression of total confusion.
"I kniht eh dias daer ti!" explained IM in between gasps, as he lay helplessly on the ground, trying to recover from his unexpected vomiting spree.
Crady focused on the parchment in front of her nose. "llew rouy nepo mlaer daed eth of shtped" she gurgled feebly.
"Perfect, just perfect..." sighed Lordy, as he casually held her upside down and shook her violently above the bubbling and glowing waters.
The circle of IFians watched, as Crady gagged, choked, and finally coughed up the Flesh of the Present, and listened to the plop plop ploppety plop of it falling into the now frothing pool.
The ground shook as the structure of the well beneath them began to respond to the weaving of the spell. The Greater Evil was drawn down a little into the pool.
Lilith, lying face down, choking, and almost completely deprived of oxygen now, did her best to raise herself onto her forearms. Lordy grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and pulled her up to her feet.
"READ IT!!!" he repeated, waving the final part of the spell in front of her.
It was then when the Greater Evil, having extrapolated the limp shreds of Masterweaver from its form, began to take more than a passing interest at what was going on, and grabbed Lilith by the arm...
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Lilith
Honored Citizen
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
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Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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The GE picked Lilith up by the arm which prevented Lordy from holding her by the neck any longer. "Damn it!" Lordy growled. "I need her to finish that damned spell so we can send your bloody arse back where you came from!"
"Huh?" the GE uttered, not really paying attention to his gasping captive.
Lordy gave a grunt of frustation and rage .. and actually threw a punch at the GE. The blow reverberated up the GE's arm and in turn, shook Lilith thoroughly, dislodging Bone of the End from her mouth towards the pool.
The GE howled in pain and dropped Lilith to the ground as it swung it's injured arm at Lordy and sent him flying across the room.
Right before the Bone plunged into the well, Lilith croaked, "Ssyba eht ni denosirpmi lla eerf dna esaeler!" And then passed out.
Then the sound of screeching and howling filled the cavern as the escaped souls were dragged unwillingly from their new freedom back into the abyss. The misty, wraith-like figures' voices made all of the hairs on the IFian's necks stand on end. Nails on a chalkboard combined with wet brake pads screeching couldn't even begin to describe it.
The souls began to cling to whatever life they could in order to stay out of the well. One in particular decided to cling onto JezSharp, holding onto his ears. "AHHHHHH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" he yelled loudly, running around in circles.
Kalanna Rai snorted and peeled the clinging shade off with one talon. "Be off with you!" she said, flinging the screeching shade off towards the Soul Well.
Dinranwen, NeverNeverGirl, and Argonaut were holding their own against the clingy souls, dodging and shaking them off in everyway possible.
Chinaren was pouting sadly as he listened to a call from his accountant. "HOW MANY FABLES TO FIX THIS? WHY I OUGHTA..."
And BStheGreat, Polokin, and D-Lotus had begun fighting each other... again.
All the while, the shades screeched louder and increased in number... and soon the sound brought the distracted IFian's to the matter at hand. They hadn't realized just how many souls had actually been released.. until now.
_________________
[align=center:29f97e41a8][font=Comic Sans MS:29f97e41a8]
© 2007-2019 Lilith[/font:29f97e41a8][/align:29f97e41a8]
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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There was a flash, and the GE howled at the sudden light coming from the pool beneath it. The shades had given the pool the critical mass it needed to complete the spell, and another ritual that was tied to the three ingredients as well.
IM stood up, his eyes ablaze with red light. "I," he said in his reversed speech, "Am the Blood of the Beginning. All that was Inter Fable is contained within me, all the archives are mine to behold. The past has divulged it's secrets unto me."
Crady picked herself up off the rocks where she had been tossed. "I am the Flesh of the Present, the City as it is today. Everything that exists today is a part of me. Every storygame, great and small, adds to my power."
Indeed, Crady's eyes had, for some unknown reason, gained a pinkish hue. Lilth shakily stood up while grasping the cave wall, her eyes glazed over. "I am the Bone of the End. I can see all things that are to be, all things that must be, all things that will befall US, in time."
"However," the Three ingredients said in their temporary hosts, "We can all see what should be, and it is not YOU!"
The Three joined their strength, and from their hands formed steely gray chains that wrapped around the GE, dragging it down to the deep well beneath it.
"NOOOOO!" The GE cried out in anger, breaking out of its Stupidium-induced stupor. "NOT THE CHAINS OF TIME! NOT AGAIN! I WAS ALMOST FREEEEED! CURSE YOU THREE! CURSE IF! CURSE US! I SWEAR I WILL BREAK FREE AND DESTROY YOU!"
"And we shall await you once more, as we did thousands of years ago!"
There was another blinding flash as the last metallic tentacle of the GE vanished beneath the pool's glimmering surface. Only China could pipe up in time, and everyone would have a vague half-memory of China saying "NO! I still haven't paid off the Deus Ex Machina!"
The Next Morning
IM woke up with a splitting headache. He tried thinking, but found it hurt too much. He tried opening his eyes, and that hurt even more. Speaking was a bother as well. Moving made the lobes throb. He decided to just lay there, wherever there was, and enjoy the breeze. Maybe when he was over this hangover, he'd order more of whatever he'd been drinking.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:26 am Post subject: |
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Awesome stuff! Congratulations to everybody that posted, this has been a brilliant tale!
Here is an epilogue, which, incorporate elements of Idea Master's last paragraph. For such an epic tale, with so many contributors, it deserved more than just a hangover from IM's point of view. So, here it is:
The Hangover
Epilogue
Silence fell around the cavern, bar the sound of the calm rippling pool, and the drip drip of water from the tip of a cluster of stalagtites near one of the tunnels. The group of IFians suddenly became aware of the cold air circulating about them, and realised that the roof of the cave was mostly gone now. They could see a clear dawn sky still sprinkled with a few of the brightest stars, which one by one gave way to the growing light.
Lordy watched the scene, and quietly seethed. So close! And yet so far. He had met more than his match in the Greater Evil, he realised, and his plans for total domination of IF would have to wait for another day. He turned around suddenly on the person who dared put their hand on his back.
It was Sasuke, of all people.
"Lordy, I...I just wanted to say thank you for saving IF..." said the young half-dragon.
His sentiments were echoed by murmurs from all present - it was as much as they could muster.
IM himself had a splitting headache. He decided to just lay there, and enjoy the breeze. Lilith lay just a few feet away. She had regained consciousness, and was murmuring to herself.
"Ym daeh struh..." she complained
"Hhgruuu, nehw m'I revo siht revognah, ll'I redro emos erom fo revetahw I saw gniknird," replied IM.
"Hey, Lordy!" said Dinranwen. "Can you do something about these three? They're still talking gobbledigook..."
Lordy looked down at the pathetic forms of Crady, Lilith and IM, laying exhausted on the ground.
"I don't see why I should," he leered, recovering his demonic demeanor for a moment. Various pairs of eyes scowled at him, and Rai gently thumped her tail on the ground, menacingly. "Oh, alright then," he replied, flicking his hand in the general direction of the three. "There, t'is done."
IM snapped back to alertness when he realised that he could understand some of the murmurings from the IFians around him. "Hey, everyone's talking forwards, again!" he exclaimed, in amazement. "The curse is gone!"
Slowly, and without a word, the IFians gingerly climbed up the piles of rubble out into the open, Rai helping some of them by allowing them to clamber up her scaly tail.
The group assembled on the grassy ground above the cave, many collapsing with exhaustion.
Masterweaver shuddered, as he realised as they were less than 100 yards from the cliff edge where he had first found Crunchyfrog dangling from a tree root, just 48 hours before.
From their elevated position, the IFians surveyed the city skyline. The terrible fog had gone, but it's departure revealed complete devastation. The RPG characters had had a field day during their short taste of freedom from the confines of the Games Forum. The destruction of Mage Mountain had caused great craters in the ground, destroying most of JezSharp's underground labyrinth.
NeverNeverGirl pulled out a notebook and pencil and began scribbling furiously. At this rate, the insurance company would go bankrupt.
"I guess it's time to go and clean up," sighed Dinranwen.
"Uggh, such a long way to walk, complained Crunchyfrog, "I think I'll lie here for just a bit longer..."
"Not to worry!" grinned Argo, "I'm sure I can give everyone a lift back to the city in my flying machine. I left it in IM's capable hands, so I guess it won't be far from here, right?"
"Ah, yes, er..." said IM, going red. "Er...Argo I was meaning to say something about that. It, well, you see... We were flying along, and, er..."
He was interrupted by the searing heat and crackling of a fireball that whizzed over their heads, and landed in the middle of the group, and morphed into the figure of a woman. Those that were capable, screamed and leapt backwards.
"Xansta!" cried Masterweaver delightedly. "You made it!"
"Hey, Weaver! So I did! Hey, I lost track of everyone at the Open Forum yesterday. What did I miss?"
"Ah, well, you see, just as I suspected all along, Lecro was at the heart of the whole problem. All this stuff about a Soul Well was just a diversion to catch me off my guard. Lecro and I battled it out to the end, whilst everyone here watched," explained Masterweaver excitedly. "Once I had vanquished his swarm of plot devices, he tried to turn me into a giant chicken again, but I was far too quick!... "
Idea Master, Crady, Lilith, Crunchyfrog, D-Lotus, Sasuke, Dinranwen, Smudger, NeverNeverGirl, Chinaren, Argo, BS, Rai, Lebrenth, JezSharp, Solus, Polokin and Lordy quietly left Masterweaver to rave on about his delusional experiences.
"He needs a spell in the Ass Hole," muttered Chinaren.
Slowly, the IFians dispersed as they made their seperate ways back to their city. They all had headaches to varying degrees.
It had been a marvelous New Years party, but, wow, what a Hangover...
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Chinaren
Hallowed IFian
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:15 am Post subject: |
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Congratulations! A fine ending. Well done to everybody, especially Crunchy for managing this fine tale. A fear worthy of... er, something.
_________________
Neil Hartley Books.
My Amazon page.
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