[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVI - Into The Southlands

Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com
Thu May 15 00:45:11 BST 2008


OOC: Thought I'd get this one out before I took off.

> > [GM]
> > The Captain nods, and then gives the crewman a hard look.  "You're new
> > here." he says to the man.  "I don't recall your name."
> >
> > "I'm... Wallace, Sir.  Lieutenant George Wallace." he pulls out his
> > tags.
> >
> > One of the other crewmen looks up, a look of fear and anger in his
> > voice. "I know Georgey." he says.  "Least ways, I *knew* Georgey, 'cause
> > he got himself killed in a barfight a couple of weeks ago at Fort
> > Peters.  I only know it 'cause my sister owns a farm near there, and she
> > was talkin' about him."
> >
> > The man's face fills with fear, and he immediately jumps for the 
> > launch.
> > 
> > "Seize him!" the Captain cries...
> > [/GM]

> [Sia]
> Sialillion had her back turned to the ship but, hearing the commotion, she
> snaps to attention and looks over her shoulder to see the suspicious man
> leaping towards the ship.  As quick as a reflex, she points her finger at
> the man and cries, "Ziss!" A flash of light leaps from the tip of her
> finger towards the man, still in mid air.
> [/Sia]

[GM]
The man attempts to dodge the bolt [Dodge: 10] but fails, and the bolt
strikes him [Damage: 15SDC].  The man topples to the deck with a moan, his
hands on his face.  Wisps of smoke seep from in between his fingers.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> "Don't you have some way of netting him or stunning him with magic?" the
> Coalition ranger asks
> [/Alex]

[GM]
He lifts his hands to ward off another attack, only to reveal that he is a
she!  It's a young woman, and not just any woman, but the mayor of Fort
Peters, who some of the company had met a few nights before at the banquet,
and who Talas had had tryst with.

"Pl...please don't hurt me any more." she whimpers.  "I only came to help,
and to be with my beloved."
[/GM]

[Osiris]
"I believe that we are looking at Lady Louissa, heir of the Mayor of Fort
Peters, if memory serves." Osiris says, and then looks squarely at Talas. 
"But I'm sure your memory is much better than ours, Talas."
[/Osiris]

[Alister]
"This is a nice reunion," Alister says, "but I think we may want to postpone
the upcoming wedding until after we help our friends."
[/Alister]

[Meanwhile...]

> > > [Carlos]
> > > "This is the place I saw in a vision. It is where we must be to stop
> > > the demon from rising. I've learned with this group that talk is
> > > sometimes cheap. If we are to stop this evil from rising, we cannot
> > > waste time with idle chatter and debate."
> > > [/Carlos]

> > > [Ted]
> > > "Fair enough. Can you tell me more about this vision?" Ted asked.
> > > [/Ted]

> [Carlos]
> "I don't have much else to tell, other than we are supposed visit the
> statue to stop the demonic invasion. The statue holds some key to us
> prevailing."
> [/Carlos]

> > > [Koba]
> > > Convinced that there are no immediate threats in the area. Koba walks
> > > over to the small hole that was noticed earlier and takes a cautious
> > > peek down below ground. "I think I found the way inside. Carlos, would
> > > you like the honors of jumping in rashly? I hear it's your new hobby"
> > > [/Koba]

> > [GM]
> > There's an old rusty ladder that leads down into the darkness.  The
> > bottom of the hole is not visible.
> > 
> > Even as Koba looks down the hole; Carlos, Ted and Lady Frost reach the
> > top of the island.  It is then that they can clearly hear the ruckus on
> > the boat below.
> > [/GM]

> [Carlos]
> While smiling at Koba and without missing a beat he says "Sure. You are
> welcome to join me, assuming of course, you get permission from the ice
> lady or whoever pulls your strings." Carlos approaches the hole and looks
> inside. If it looks safe, he'll climb down.
> [/Carlos]

> [Ted]
> The lizard man follows Carlos to the hole and then waits for him to get
> far enough down the ladder that Ted can follow. Activating his eye-light,
> he shoulders his rifle and then he looks around as he climbs.
> 
> *Who gave you this vision?* he asked telepathically.
> [/Ted]

> [Carlos]
> "I'm not quite sure. I just remember the fear I felt from the statue and
> knew we were supposed to come here."
> [/Carlos]

> [Koba]
> When Carlos and Ted reach the bottom of the ladder, Koba follows them
> down.
> [/Koba]

> [Ted]
> *Any idea what this key is supposed to look like?* the lizard man probes,
> assuming they are looking for a physical key. Once at the bottom of the
> ladder, he moves out of Koba's way and scans their surroundings with his
> eye-light.
> [/Ted]

> [Lady Frost]
> "Right, I'll wait up here for the others."
>
> She turns to watch the commotion over by the ship, but then leans back
> over the hole and called down to the three below.
> 
> "Not sure if there's a statue here but we're looking for the the Reaver's
> Sword."
> [/Lady Frost]

[GM]
The ladder strains under their weight.  It was originally bolted to the wall
of the shaft, and the bolts seem ready to pop out, but hold.  The shaft goes
down at least eighty feet, until its abrupt end at a smooth floor.

Ted, Koba and Carlos find themselves in a small chamber, no more than ten
feet in diameter.  As Carlos's feet touch the ground, a couple of lights
come on revealing the chamber and a steel door.  There are many many words
in a flowing scripped etched into the walls and door, but none of them can
read it.  In the middle of the door is a keyhole.

Suddenly Carlos and Ted remember that back in Old Chicago, Bongo had been
given a key by the crazed elf Arden, and it was that key that had opened the
door that had lead them into this kingdom:
[/GM]

OOC: From
http://www3.telus.net/public/mojo214/taocow_rifts_pbem/archives/part_2_chapter_x.html

> > [GM]
> > Arden [the crazed Elf] stumbles out from some ruins, covered in blood.
> > In his hands he holds a key with the graven image of a dragon on it.  It
> > glows brightly.

> > "Your escape, my friends." he says.  "Angelica and I... have crossed a
> > different road." Without another word, he walks past Lady Frost and into
> > the arch.  He pushes the key into some unseen keyhole, and the doors
> > swing noiselessly open.
> >
> > "Be quick." Arden says.  "This will take you under Lake Michigan and to
> > the shore beyond.  The protection of this passage has been broken, and
> > the demon and the Coalition will soon find you.  She Who Has No Name has
> > intervened this once, though it taxes her greatly.  Do not delay."
> > 
> > Arden simply walks away, moving slowly but confidently down the street. 
> > In a moment he goes into an alley, and disappears from view.
> > [/GM]

> > [Bongo]
> > Bongo looks on at Arden as he disappears.  He turns to Talas.  "You
> > Elves are a strange bunch." He then turns to the others.  "I don't know
> > who is helping us, but I know that I don't want to meet the Coalition
> > right now."
> > 
> > Bongo waits for the others to enter the station, grabs the key, and then
> > follows suit.
> > [/Bongo]

[GM]
It is the cyberknight Osiris which currently possesses Bongo's belongings!
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com


More information about the Taocowpbem mailing list