[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVI - Into The Southlands

Koba Rowers koba.rowers at gmail.com
Thu Jun 5 16:30:26 BST 2008


OOC: Take care man...plenty of Vit C and naps on the couch

[Koba]
As the stone door slowly rises to reveal the tomb, Koba's eyes slowly widen.
With dutiful respect he is reverent to the tomb of the Wolfen, but deep
inside his doubts start to grow. One ancient corpse and ONE shiny sword to
deal with thousands of demons, minions, and powerful magic. He had hoped to
see some kind of construct, golem, or even an armory but this is more of a
tourist attraction then their salvation. A broken shield made out of what
looks like simple steel doesn't inspire the greatest of hope. It takes him a
second to regain his thoughts. Again, pulling out the camera, he takes some
photos of the tomb. Maybe he can sell 8x10 copies to the people who still
sing his songs. 

As the bag disappears, Koba is grateful to have that off of his conscience.
Still feeling unwelcomed to the tomb, he heads back up the ladder. "I'll be
up top when you decide who has to lug that sword around." With that he waits
at the top of the cave for the others to return.
[/Koba]
-----Original Message-----
From: taocowpbem-bounces at zork.net [mailto:taocowpbem-bounces at zork.net] On
Behalf Of Aaron Clausen
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:24 PM
To: The Tao of Cow Rifts PBEM
Subject: Re: [Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVI - Into The Southlands

OOC: Apologies for being late.  I've been pretty sick since Sunday evening
with a delightful cold with fever and chills.  Made the mistake of watching
too many episodes of House during my convalescence and had nightmares about
a cranky doctor ripping out my organs.  Brrrrrrrrr....

> > [GM]
> > Young Louissa gets to her feet with some effort. "We'd better go help
> > your friends." she says as she grabs an energy pistol from her holster.
> > [/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas grabs Louissa by the arm, and stops her in her tracks.  "All of us
> have spent years honing our skills. And even so half of our number have
> perished on this quest. Plus we were all chosen by 'She Who Has No Name'
> for this quest. So I say it again, This is no place for a novice! Plus you
> risk angering a god. And finally If this demon is as powerful as I think
> it to be then as a Demon Queller, laying down my life my be the only way
> to stop it. 'For every time a Demon Queller dies a 1,000 demons are demons
> are destroyed.'... Now please stay here were it is safe."
> 
> With that Talas effortlessly drags Louissa over to were the captain is and
> tells him "Keep her safe." Talas then turns and heads towards Lady Frosts
> ice bridge.
> [/Talas]

[GM]
The young woman just stands there looking at Talas as he walks away, her
face betraying humiliation, anguish and rage.
[/GM]

[...]

> > [Osiris]
> > "You may be pointing your gun in the wrong direction." Osiris says
> > quietly to Alex, before getting on to Lady Frost's ice bridge, and
> > making his way slowly towards the island.
> > [/Osiris]

> [Alex]
> Alex turns towards the crew and does a telepathic scan of the crew.
> Assuming that they are hostile, she levels her rifle and states, "Don't
> move!" to them in a commanding tone, somehow all the stronger for being
> feminine
> 
> She asks Osiris, "What do you want to do?"
> [/Alex]

[Osiris]
"I think I need to get to our companions on that island." Osiris says,
trying not to slip.  "If you think you can hold them off, that means we get
a boat ride, but if you can't, then I'd suggest that all of us get off this
boat.  We've got a long journey, and I don't want it to end a couple of
hours after it started."
[/Osiris]

> [Lady Frost]
> "Hold onto your socks Osiris.... I think walking might be a little slow
> this time."
> 
> Moving close to him, Frost pick up her teammate effortlessly and makes a
> rapid slide towards the island with him.
> 
> "Hope we get there fast enough to prevent whatever those yahoos have set
> off."
> [/lady Frost]

[Osiris]
"Thank you, Amanda." Osiris says.  "I'm not too sure what's worse, whatever
is on that island, or those goons on the boat."
[/Osiris]

> [Sia]
> Assured that Louissa is safe, Sialillion takes a deep breath and grabs her
> Wilks 447 Laser Rifle, proceeding to follow Talas across the bridge. 
> She's not sure what's going on but understands that whatever it is, it
> must be of earth-shaking significance.  The booming voice issued from the
> island convinced her of that.
> 
> Tagging along close behind Talas on the ice bridge, she wryly comments to
> him in Elven, "I hope your talent for demon slaying is equal to your
> talent for lady killing, kindred!"
> [/Sia]

[Meanwhile, back on the island...]

> > [GM]
> > Suddenly the voice speaks again.  "A vision, you say?  Perhaps you do
> > not know of the evil you bring.  Someone here possesses a staff that
> > contains some of the essence of Glathrak, a demon minion of the
> > K'murd-faka. But you must provide the key.  Only then will it be shown
> > to be true."
> > [/GM]

> [Ted]
> The lizard man keeps his rifle ready as he addresses his companion, "Koba,
> is there something you want to share with us?"
> [/Ted]

> [Carlos]
> "Koba, I think you better get our of here quickly."
> [/Carlos]

> [Koba]
> Utterly shocked that he forgot about the staff he picked up in the square,
> Koba rustles through his possessions and finds the bag he placed the staff
> in. Koba sets the bag on the dusty floor by his feet. He is both
> embarrassed and terrified that the voice now believes he may be related to
> these minions of the demon. "Apologies. You were right, but it was not
> brought here for a nefarious purpose. We came into possession of this only
> to prevent those who would use it as a weapon to spread evil and pain. Now
> that we know what it really contains, we only wish its evil destroyed. If
> it is your wish I will remove it from this place and not return, but I
> guess it serves as proof that the minions and demons of the K'murd-faka
> have returned to this land."
> 
> With that Koba swallows hard and hopes not to be destroyed out of spite.
> [/Koba]

> [Ted]
> "Perhaps we should destroy it," Ted suggests. "You know, out of good faith
> and to finish what we meant to do when we grabbed it."
> [/Ted]

> [Koba]
> "I would, if I knew how. Smashing items filled with demon essence on the
> rock dosn't sound like it's going to work like we wanted it to. Any
> ideas?"
> [/Koba]

> [Ted]
> "Osiris should be here soon. He would know how to do it."
> [/Ted]

> [Carlos]
> "What about Bongo? Is he gone for good, or would the staff be able to
> bring him back? In any case I suggest you take it topside."
> [/Carlos]

[GM]
The voice speaks again, though there's a note of hesitancy, perhaps even
confusion.

"My... sight is limited.  My maker did not complete me.  But I see the rise
of the K'murd-faka.  I cannot act without the key.  Bring me the key."

The last sentence is almost a plee.
[/GM]

[Meanwhile...]

[GM]
As Talas, Sia, Lady Frost and Osiris make their way down the ice bridge,
only Alex and Alister remain.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex states, "Captain, they plan to kill you along with all of us."
> Looking at the ones preparing to attack them, "I think you may find that
> much harder than you think." Her rifle slowly swings back and forth.
> [/Alex]

[Alister]
Alister stands beside Alex and fingers his ion pulse rifle.
[/Alister]

[GM]
Some of the crew seem sufficiently daunted by Alex's threat of force that
they back away.  A few, however, hover around what appears to the leader, an
older, grizzled fellow.

"Stand down, Wallace." the captain orders, trying to maintain his composure,
though beads of sweat run down his face.  "You heard Lady Sia, this is on
her authority."

"Pah!" Wallace says.  "She's a witch, probably in league with the Reaver."

Wallace looks straight at Alex.  "I've fought my share, lady.  One thing I
know is that you can't kill everyone."  With a nod, he and his cohorts begin
to advance on the captain, Alex and Alister.

Suddenly one of them leaps at the captain, and the rest (four of them) rush
Alex and Alister...
[/GM]

OOC: I'm going to give Alex automatic initiative here.

[Meanwhile...]

OOC: I'm assuming that Lady Frost, Osiris, Talas and Sia descend down to the
chamber below where Ted, Koba and Carlos are.  If not, just state if you're
character is staying above ground.

[GM]
Lady Frost (carrying Osiris), Talas and Sia make their way across the ice
bridge to the island, and from there up the narrow path to the summit.  Down
they ascend.

They find Carlos, Ted and Koba down there looking more than a little
disconcerted, a bag with something long in it laying on the floor in front
of them.
[/GM]

[Osiris]
"I take it you're all responsible for the rumbling that's going on." Osiris
says.  "You have the crew spooked and nearly mutinous.  Let's get about this
quick, before Alex and Alister can't hold on to the situation any longer."
[/Osiris]

[GM]
The voice booms out.  "The key is here.  Bring forth the key."
[/GM]

[Osiris]
Osiris takes out the bag of Bongo's belongings until he finds the key, a
remarkable artifact with the graven image of a dragon on it.

"If no one objects..." Osiris says as he limps to the steel door and inserts
the key and turns it...
[/Osiris]

[GM]
For a moment there is nothing, and then there is a distant chugging as if
some old engine were starting up.  The steel door slowly... haltingly slides
up to reveal another chamber.

The air is musty and a little rank, the fading smell of ancient death.  The
room itself is dimly lit by reddish glowing stones set in the ceiling. 
There is a simple granite slab in the middle of the chamber, and on it,
coated in a layer of dust, is the shriveled, wizened remains of a Wolfen. 
On its body is battered, scorched old-style Coalition armor painted in
bright gold and red colors in the form of a dragon.  The heavily damaged and
punctured remains of what looks like an ancient, non-megadamage shield, lay
across the figure's feet, and laying upon its breast, clutched by gloved
hands, is a mighty broadsword, though it's bleached white, looking like bone
rather than steel.  In its hilt is a nude female figure carved from diamond
or some other gemstone, impressive in every detail, save that there is no
face.

In the granite slab is carved: "HERE LIES AKIRAX, SON OF ENKIRAX, REAVER'S
BANE, PRINCE OF POUGHSKEEPSIE, UNTIL THE FINAL BATTLE."

The voice speaks again, quieter this time.  "You have found the key, but the
demon must be extinguished."

Koba's bag suddenly bursts into flames.  There is a faint scream, and a wisp
of blue smoke, almost human-shaped, hovers over the company before fleeing
out of the chamber.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com
_______________________________________________
Taocowpbem mailing list
Taocowpbem at zork.net
http://zork.net/mailman/listinfo/taocowpbem


More information about the Taocowpbem mailing list