The Carver in the Mountain

[Rune Knight]

Scene Break

Due to extenuating circumstances, this game was forced to transition to Baldr sooner than anticipated.

This is a continuation of this OGMW story thread. For a succinct and compelling summary of this adventure's premise, please read the very first post of that thread where Nihlia lays everything out, and then return here.

 

kr-KRH!

The massive doors of the dungeon slid back together, shutting out the howling and crackling of the storm outside and reducing it to a muffle.

You had entered the massive chamber of a natural cavern - an abrupt switch from the manmade nature of the entrance behind you. The heat had risen another notch, making the temperature outside seem like blessed shade on a hot summer day in comparison. It was obvious why: most of the chamber was a veritable lake of lava, slowly roiling and flowing in eddies and channels.

…But then, there was something manmade about the inside: there - hanging from between the stalactites with their pendulum ends slotted into the walls - long mechanical arms reached down, down, down until they would nearly touch the lava at their lowest point. These metal beams gleamed brass in the light… and ended in comically large circular saw blades.

As you looked around at the tinkery and machinations threaded both subtly and not-so-subtly through the cave, you noticed something strange at the edge of the lake: a platform, roughly hewn from a slab of quartz, as wide around as the fountain of a large city plaza.

...A platform littered with corpses. Corpses sliced in half, and corpses burned alive until all that was left was a charred husk. A few of them rested on a mechanism rising from the center of the platform: a brass wheel with paddles for cogs and a handlebar on either side.

Well, at least there was nothing immediately dangerous about the room.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[crowe9107]

Baelara Aeshara

Baelara had slept fitfully in this hot and scary room. Normally, she would not have slept at all, but she had run and run and run here, and was all so tired. And hot, hot, hot, oh, what shame would she do for a bit of tea and ice. But this was what must be done, this is what the dreams told her, and THEY wouldn't let her sleep until she ran and ran and ran here.

THEY wanted her to see The Lady, and she didn't want to miss that, no, no, no. And now, the big big big door made the loud loud loud sounds that such creatures bellow and scream and she was awake wide wide wide eyes. And there were big scaly ones, oh no no noes, that would not do, we must run run run again, no hide hide hide and then run run run...but wait...who else was there?

Ahh...SHE...the one from the dreams with the curvy curvy curvy horns and the pretty pretty pretty eyes. It...was...SHE! No what?

Run? If we run from SHE, the dreams would chase us, and they always found us, no matter how good good goodly we hide.

Hide? Maybe, but then what? What if the pretty pretty pretty eyes never found us? We had been all so lonely, and SHE made us feel...something something something....good?

So...maybe...we...speak? But but but, we do not like to speak, we speak funny, and THEY laugh at us and make us cry cry cry. Still, we want to meet SHE, and we have cried and cried and cried before. Crying helps nothing but speaking...might.

 

A wisp of a Fae comes from behind a rock...her features are dark, almost obscured by smoke and shadow. She seems more terrified of you than the horrors of the chamber. Her black eyes greet you all briefly and then cast themselves downward.

 

"....Hello?"

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by crowe9107 (see edit history)

[Ipphli]

Nadhir was the first to step into the room, stepping carefully more by instinct than any thought of stealth; the giant doors opening would draw any and alls eyes of those within, so trying to hide was likely futile. So instead the dragon walked in as though he were the master returning to his manor, head high, one hand on the pommel of his scimitar.

And his coloring wasn't helping with any thoughts of stealth. While his jet-black scales would blend perfectly with the shadows that filled the cavern, the steel-like edge to every scale caught the lavalight, covering the Magna Draco in orange-red lines that stood out starkly.

The dragon's eyes panned the room, taking in the strange machinery. The pile of dead caught his attention as soon as he spotted them, causing his eyes to narrow and his hand to tighten its grip upon his weapon. Even as he studied the macabre scene, the sound of movement, of footsteps upon stone, instantly drew Nadhir's attention towards the little dark shape that had emerged. Everything about the creature seemed innocent, from its small size to its timid voice and cowering appearance, yet the dragon dared not lower his guard.

Turning to fully face the creature, the dragon looks down at the little thing. "Hello. Who are you, and what are you doing here? Did you have something to do with that?" He gestures with a tilt of his chin towards the pile of corpses, never taking his eyes from the newcomer.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Rune Knight
Removed unusual amount of empty space extending the post (see edit history)

[Chromoid]

FP: 3/3

Stress: [1] [2] [3] [4]

Magical Stress: [•] [•] [•] [•]

---

Ysla had given Nadhir the “honor” of entering first. Mostly because he fancied the Magna Draco’s chances of surviving a surprise crossbow bolt to the face better than his own. However as soon as no immediate ambush made itself known, the Rathyr quickly slipped in just a half-step behind his scaly companion and three paces off to his right side.

 

His threat assessment of the room was slightly different from that of Nadhir. The machinery and bodies around it weren’t of any concern at present, as it was all a fair distance away from where he stood and couldn’t possibly reach him. He was more worried about the bodies he couldn’t see hidden somewhere around the edges of the chamber, waiting to lob arrows and lead, or rush him down with blades. So when the little creature first made its appearance before them, Ysla’s shoulders and torso instantly flared with dark energy that quickly encased his body in a protective barrier of thick shadows. He didn’t lower his guard when the creature spoke, either. But his stance did relax just a scale or two.

 

“Whatever that is” he muttered quietly to Nadhir and Nihlia, “it’s not the human child we seek. I’ve not seen anything like it in my travels.”

[Rune Knight]

Nihlia

"It?" Nihlia repeated, glancing at Ysla with what he could tell by now was an admonishingly quirked eyebrow hidden behind the dark metal mask that hid her upper face. "She said hello, Ysla: I think she deserves more than to be called "it"."

The pale blue demoness regarded the creature before her, seeming to be looking directly at her despite the visor she wore. Her tail swished slowly like a curious cat, and her elfin ears were perked ever-so-slightly.

"Hello." She greeted back. "My name is Nihlia; what's your name?"

 

[crowe9107]

Baelara Aeshara

The wisp of a fae crept forward into the light tentatively, eyeing the dirty rays of light suspiciously. It is difficult to tell at first, as the shadow and smoke around the fae seems to cling to her as if protecting and obscuring her, but you can see now she dresses rather plainly.

A black shift, black velvet boots, and some grayish wraps that cover most of what would be exposed skin. A velvet sash is around her waist, which curiously seems to have two beautiful knitting needles tucked into it, along with a small knife in an ebony case. A coarsely knitted shoulder bag of what could be giant spider silk is worn crossbody.

She takes a moment to compose herself, speech it would seem is not something she does often. She raises her hand open, in a slight gesture of greeting and addresses Nadhir.

".....Hello....no no no, I did NOT do that! THAT was there when I came! Honest we tell you, true true true."

Turning to Ysla, her face scrunches a bit, as if she has smelt a bad thing. Her voice seems a bit darker, and the odd inflections drop considerably and her obscura flares angrily.

"It is a Baelara Aeshara, Fae of true blood and mostly noble origins of the Twilight Court some 672 seasons, though I would not give THOSE pigs the pleasure of my company a minute more. To confuse ME and mine kin with a human child half a fart long is...wrongful, disturbing."

The whole of it might be mildy threatening from someone else, but this pitiful creature is no threat. The fact that this affirmation of not being a child is punctuated with a rather childing sticking out of her black tongue is confusing to say the least. Hearing Nihlia come to her defense? Baelara spins to address her and immediately assumes a subservient posture.

"SHE....It is alright, Lady Brighteyes!," Baelara says with gush of reverance and a curtsy, "I have been called worse worse worse by far far far crueler and uglier creatures than thy servant. No no no need to throttle or thrash on my my my wretched behalf. Unless that your wish wish wish. Baelara has dreamed dreamed dreamed of Brighteyes, of many many many terrible and pretty things. You have called called called, and this wretch, unworthy though I may be, has answered."

 

 

 

 

[Rune Knight]

Nihlia

"Baelara Aeshara."

Nihlia savored the name, seeming to enjoy it. She listened carefully to what Baelara was saying, trying to keep up with her odd manner of speech, and cocked her head to the side at a certain detail.

"You've had... dreams? Terrible and pretty dreams?"

She didn't say anymore yet, opting to hang in the background for a moment and analyze the important parts of what Baelara had said in her mind.

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Ipphli]

The dragon glances between Ysla and Nihlia for a moment, then back at the strange fae as the little creature, this Baelara introduces herself. He tenses a moment when she announces herself as a fae, having encountered her kind before. They could be noble or cruel, fun-loving or sadistic. Not all that different from some dragons, once he thought about it. The corners of his lips twitch in what may almost have been the beginnings of a smile as the fae rants a bit at Ysla. The little one had spirit, at the very least.

 

When Baelara addresses Nihlia as if she knew the avatar, and spoke of dreams, Nadhir couldn't help but consider his own meeting with Nihlia in his dreams. He did not recall Baelara there. Then again, Ilruush had not been there either. Had It sent them the little fae perhaps? The Magna Draco glances sideways at Nihlia, wondering what her thoughts are on this revelation. Especially since she seemed as surprised by the fae's words as himself. Looking back at Baelara, Nadhir says in a much less threatening, if still deep, voice, "How long have you been here? Why are you here? Do you know what happened there?" He gestures once more towards the pile of bodies with a tilt of his chin.