[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVI - Into The Southlands

[Aaron Clausen]

> > > [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]

> [Talas]
> Talas chuckles, and in Elvin replies "It is comparable my lady."
> [Talas]

[Meanwhile under the island...]

> > [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]

> [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]

> [Sia]
> As the wisp dashes out from the bag, Sialillion gasps audibly, then closes
> her eyes tightly as if in pain, her body going rigid.  Then as the wisp
> disappears from the chamber she exhales forcefully as if having made a
> great effort, looking quite shaken up.  She looks around the chamber at
> each of her companions as if to see if any of them had experienced the
> same thing, but seeing as no one else similarly affected, she says nothing
> of it.  After a moment she clears her throat and collects herself.  While
> her companions sort out who will take the sword, she busies herself
> studying some of the runes in the chamber, lost in thought.
> [/Sia]

> [Ted]
> Entranced, the lizard man checks for obvious traps and then reaches out to
> move the gauntlets and take the hilt of the sword.
> [/Ted]

> [Talas]
> Talas looking around at the group and says "My friends let us make this
> quick. The faster we get back to the boat the better. Other than I who has
> trained to fight with a sword?"
> [/Talas]

> [Lady Frost]
> "Osiris.  We have a Knight and a Demon hunter on this team, I think one of
> them should be using that."
> [/Lady Frost]

> [Carlos]
> "Perhaps we should let the sword decide who wields it. Osiris - want to
> give it a try?"
> [/Carlos]

[GM]
There are no obvious traps, but when Ted goes to touch the sword, the
Wolfen's hand suddenly goes to grab his arm.  Ted easily dodges [Dodge: 29],
but the shrivelled figure rises.

"This is not possible!" the voice roars.  "No demon cannot penetrate the
sanctum.  Something has..."

The Wolfen mummy shouts "Ku-as-raka!" in a husky voice.  The ground pitches
violently, dislodging the stone slab slightly and revealing what may be a
potential passage below.

Behind the party, the ladder bulks violently and collapses.  Koba falls to
the ground with a loud "WUMPF!".

"I defied the K'murd-faka," the figure says, "I defied it and thought I was
victorious.  But all I did was put off the Time, and now I am enslaved.  Its
time now approaches, but here you all remain, to join me as the captains of
the Legions of the K'murd-faka.  Taste my sweet nectar."

The Wolfen mummy tosses the sword to the ground and then pulls off the
gauntlets and out of the skeletal fingers sharp bone-like claws appear, a
black, smoking liquid dripping from them.  With incredible speed, it leaps
at the closest to it, Ted...
[/GM]

[Meanwhile, back on the boat...]

> > [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]

> [Alex]
> Alex fires a knockout grenade in front of the charging men [Strike: 9].
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The grenade strikes in the middle of the four men.  Within moments three of
the men collapse.  A third is still moving, but he's slow and erratic.

Louissa, showing at least some wit and bravery, sucks in a deep breath as
the grenade strikes, and then wips out her pistol, pointing it at the rest
of the crew.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex fires a laser shot at the captain's attacker [Strike: 21].  It hits
> the attacker [Damage: 16MD], but not before he's struck the captain.  A
> vibro blade is glimpsed, skillfully plunging into the captain's chin and
> through his brain.
> [/Alex]

[Alister]
Alister fires his ion pulse rifle at the captain's killer's head [Strike:
1], missing the captain's killer by a wide margin.
[/Alister]

[GM]
Wallace, yanking the vibroknife out of the captain's head, shouts "Alright,
after them, you bloody cowards!"
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com