[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVII - On The Border Of Doom

Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com
Fri Nov 21 20:17:01 GMT 2008


> > [Osiris]
> > Osiris, aged warrior and hero, appears, standing tall, leaning on a
> > carved wooden staff.  He is packed, his guns holstered, and looks ready
> > to leave immediately.  At first glance he seems little different than he
> > was before the misadventure on the island.
> > 
> > But his eyes are different, they're sunken, they look upon his
> > companions, but don't seem to register.  It's as if he's looking at a
> > room full of strangers.
> > 
> > "I... am ready." he says.  "It has been long years since I journied into
> > the Southlands.  He looks to Amanda, "I have seen you in a dream." he
> > says.  "A dream during my sleep.  I am Barnabas, Quinton David Barnabas,
> > at your service m'lady..." He turns to Lady Sia, Lady Louissa and Alex
> > and bows again, "And at your service as well."
> > [/Osiris]

> > [GM]
> > Om shakes his head sadly.  "It is not a madness, I think, not even a
> > delusion.  He is possessed, though it's an odd demon who goes by the
> > name Quinton David Barnabas.  As I said, I did the best I could, but it
> > is not your friend who looks through those eyes."
> > [/GM]

> [Ted]
> "That name sounds familiar," the lizard man thinks aloud. "I want to say I
> heard Bongo mention it once--or Rod--but I cannot remember the context."
> [/Ted]

> [Sia]
> Sialillion spends the early part of the day eating (vegetarian only),
> gathering her things, packing her bags, charging e-clips, etc.  She
> listens intently, but speaks little.  She has an enigmatic smile on her
> face... there's a certain undefinable spark of heightened awareness about
> her this morning.
> 
> Anyone very very perceptive might notice that she is wearing a ring that
> she wasn't wearing before.
> [/Sia]

[Amanda]
Amanda gives Sia a sideways look, but says nothing.
[/Amanda]

> [Ted]
> "Gee, Sia," Ted says, "You look chipper this morning. I noticed the ring.
> Did you get engaged last night?"
> [/Ted]

[Alister]
"Ooh." Alister says, "look at that.  Not my line of work, but what does it
do?"
[/Alister]

> [Sia]
> Sialillion seems taken aback at first, then regards Ted with a nonplussed
> expression.  She sighs, and addresses the group.
> 
> "Very well... I had hoped to broach this more delicately but there is
> little point pretending otherwise now... I spent the evening examining the
> ring that we acquired from Bruth, and I am in the process of mastering its
> powers.  I believe that it will help us.  Now, I realize that this is the
> same ring that Bruth used when he did... whatever it is he did to Bongo. 
> But the ring is merely a tool, and in my hands it will be a force for
> good.  In fact, from my examination, I believe that Bongo was not killed,
> but was instead sent through some kind of portal.  Given time I may be
> able to return him to us."
> 
> She looks each member of the party in the eye, in particular Lady Frost,
> who she vividly remembers pounding Bruth into a fine paste not long ago. 
> She gulps looking at her but otherwise maintains a quiet confidence.
> 
> "Any objections?"
> [/Sia]

> [Ted]
> "To getting Bongo back? None here," the lizard man says as he sits down to
> eat.
> [/Ted]

[Alister]
"You're soul, not mine!" he says, taking a deep drink.  "Just watch
yourself."
[/Alister]

> [Koba]
> "I know not to question the use of magic items by those who understand the
> nature of magic itself. Tools are tools for evil or good, but at times I
> wonder if the power of such items causes their users to change or if it
> has some kind of evil built into it. You know what you're doing Sia."
> [/Koba]

> [Alex]
> "I can deal with magic a lot better than many of my brethren from the
> Coalition with magic but still have a lot of distrust for some aspects.  I
> hope you understand this ring better than I do."
> [/Alex]

> [Owen]
> "I have none.  Any advantage that we find should be used to further our
> desire to bring the prophesy to pass.  I believe we should not give away
> any advantage we might find along the way I did not know this Bongo, but
> if there is possibility of bringing him back, that would increase our
> chances of succeeding. "
> 
> After speaking, Owen will move to the food and eat.
> [Owen]

[Amanda]
"Bruth was a monster." Amanda says slowly.  "Maybe this ring can help us,
but if you start to act like he did, I'll tear your finger off, Lady
Sialillion."  Amanda turns to Owen.  "Bongo was as brave a companion as I
ever had, and Bruth obviously used that ring to take him away."
[/Amanda]

> [Alex]
> Deciding to be blunt, she turns towards who was once Osiris, "Mr Barnabas,
> I have to be honest with you. Magic I am nervous around but something like
> this screams against everything I know. Perhaps you should tell me more?"
> [/Alex]

[Osiris/Barnabas]
"I'm not sure." Osiris says, though the voice is quite unlike him.  "I...
I... remember the Temple of Rath-iren... S'talza and I managed to find our
way, but I was captured.  There was such pain, I cannot describe it, and
then, it's like I awoke from a deep darkness.  Om over there woke me up, I
think, but I don't feel right.  He explained to me that there is another in
this body, a brave man named Osiris."
[/Osiris/Barnabas]

[Amanda]
"I vote right now for leaving him behind." Amanda says, seeming to grow even
more serious.  "Something or someone placed this Mr. Barnabas in Osiris's
mind.  I know a little from the vision I had, that Mr. Barnabas was an enemy
of this K'murd-faka, but I think it's pretty clear that tomb on the island
back there was compromised.  I would go to the ends of the earth with
Osiris, but whatever has happened to him makes him unreliable."
[/Amanda]

[GM]
Om nods sadly.  "Whatever your choice, you must leave soon.  The demon's
scouts are nearby."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com


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