The Lord of the Forums >>> Return of the Nightmare

[Larry_OHF]

Brendon

"Let's just go. If fate be on our side, a way to win this will be alloted to us by the time we reach the giants' lair. I hate to think that we must travel even deeper into this dark hell that we have been in so long, but to defeat Terrakis is one step closer to getting to our main goal of finding and destroying the Hunger. Let's go."

With that, Brendon started out the door, determined as ever now that he had been given another chance in life to win. He also used his anger at Euryale for imprisoning him as a statue. Once he finished with Terrakis, he was coming back to see to her death.

[mistral4543]

Rhianneth

She turned her head briefly, then smiled wryly as she realised she had no idea where the Echo's 'face' was, that she could whisper back her thanks ~ Ah well, that can come later. ~ The caverns seemed to be thundering with a cacophony of terrifying creatures' battle cries, as she began to sprint her way down the inconspicuous tunnel, her pulse rapid and her mouth dry.

Go... go... go... ~ How strange it was, that she was mimicking his cry, but it drove on like no other chant did, and how desperately did she wish to reach safety! There was so much to do... I cannot die without trying, without a fight. ~ Continue tearing down her path she did, then, ignoring her short bursts for breath and the sharp edges that ate into her shoes with malicious mirth.

[Larry_OHF]

OOC>>>I will hold out on moving for Cyril to give him just a bit longer to be able to do so on his own.

As Rhianneth runs down the corridor, and the echoes of the beasts are far from her, she begins to hear another echo. This one is apparently voices talking, in three varying accents. They are far away, and to the North of this vast cavern in which Rhianneth finds herself. Rhianneth thinks she recognizes one of them as 'Brendon Grey', the human that she had travelled with before all this began to be chaotic.

OOC>>>Rhianneth, Echo is actually able to magnify others' echoes from far away, that you may use them as a guide. Wherever there is room for Echo, you can be led by the voices, knowing the direction from which they come. I have an actual map to guide you along. Post as you see fit, and I will follow-up with more instruction.

Note: As you travel North, assuming that you do, and that nothing stops you to eat you...you will see the exit door that leads up one level. If you choose this path, tell me where you go, and I will let you know the result. Just like real D&D. Cool?

[mistral4543]

OOC>>> Yeah, that's cool

IC>>>
Rhianneth

Her keen eyes raked across the horizon, watching out for any unwelcome intruders that might hinder her progress forward ~ I wonder if he has begun to move again. ~ A troubled look crossed her eyes as she took in the one voice that she recognised as being Brendon's and coming from the North ~ Anyway, what choice do I really have? ~ She shook her head, flinging out the mental distractions that delayed her reunion with him and whoever else was left.

Wait for me, Brendon. ~ Had anyone seen her flushed cheeks, she would not have been able to tell them whether this was from the physical exertion of running, or due to... ~ What's done is done. Just move on. ~ She was choking, so parched was her throat and so breathless was she; it seemed the corridor would never end.

It was only when she could no longer sustain her erratic run, when she could only halt abruptly, feeling the stitches on her sides and the world half-spinning, when she staggered unsteadily about and upon finally stabilising herself, bending down to regain her breath that she wearily glimpsed about. An exhausted, yet triumphant smile squeezed its way into her grim lips.

There was a flight of steps about thirty feet away.

Straining her ears, she tried to listen to the sounds about her. Had Brendon and his friends gone off?

She hoped not...

[ 01-31-2004, 06:57 PM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]

[Cyril Darkcloud]

The Banewolves

It was everywhere, the great scent of the dragon, a smell heavy with the vigor of life ancient and powerful. The scent was everywhere and the taste of the life and blood which produced such scent was heavy still upon their tongues. And so they gave chase and in doing so they scattered, each of them pursuing the vigor of the scent and its promise of blood heavy with life. Still, though their pursuit was furious and unrelenting it was but the pursuit of a promise scattered broadly upon the fickle winds of this place and soon their individual headlong rushing left them widely separated. Even as they rushed in angry hunger after the scent of the dragon, the stirring within the ground began, a stirring faint in comparison to so great a scent as the life of a dragon and so a stirring easily overlooked. Only after they had run far from the place where the lines converge did it happen – the sudden bursting of a tiny stirring into a mighty tremor of life and pain that snapped the unity within the Ley Lines ......

...... Pursuit comes to a sudden stop and from six scattered directions angry howls shake the air of this place where darkness has begun to assert itself once more. They turn, then, the scattered wolves and rush toward the place where the lines have been severed, for the woman is there and they will not be denied their prey.

[TAOWolf]

She takes the mistletoe from Arcades, with a slight smile, and sticks it in one of her many pockets of her cloak. Grabbing her stuff, she turns and listens.......

her eyes flash once, and she quickly turns to Arcades...
"We must be swift, old friend... I fear the banewolves have found out my trick....."

[ 02-03-2004, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: TAOWolf ]

[Cyril Darkcloud]

Near the Ley Line

Several dwarves were lost in the sudden and violent wrenching within the lines, but the great enchantment which tore through this land was not so mighty as to collapse the newly widened tunnel, a passage now large enough for the great bodies of the giants to move with ease. At the shaking of the lines, the two giants draw their swords and survey the area for the approach of enemies. No enemies are visible, of course, for an attack such as this was made at a distance. “The woman,” the first says to his companion, “she and the dragon must have done this.” Peering into the darkness of the tunnel, the second nods in agreement. “Yes, this was an assault upon the lines .....”

Disappointment mingles with anticipation in the voices of the giants for while it is disappointing that their opponent lies out of reach for the time being, that battle is joined here on the surface is great news indeed. While the first resumes his guard over the work of the dwarves the second seats himself on a boulder and withdrawing a rectangular black stone from his travel pouch begins to sharpen his blade.

[Cyril Darkcloud]

Terrakis

His eyes gleam at the news. “So it has begun,” he says. “Someone has found sufficient courage to stand in opposition.” The noise of weapons being taken from nearby racks adds a sinister punctuation to his words. “Good, for the time of waiting is now at an end.” Still, however, events will unfold at the pace he and his brothers dictate and not according to the whims of their opponents. “A blow has been struck on the surface,” he says, “and in time we shall our own blows above these tunnels, but it shall be at a time of our choosing.” His eyes shine with a cold enthusiasm as he continues, “But here a final blow remains to be struck. The surface will fall before our might once this lightless realm has been completely brought to heel .....” His voice rises in intensity as his eyes meet those of his brothers. “Let us go, then, and bring to the slaughter all who might yet oppose us in these tunnels.” As one the assembled giants place stern iron helms upon their heads and draw their weapons. The baying of dusky mastiffs of shadow fills the cavern keeping time with the shouting of the giants, “None shall contest our claim!”

[Cyril Darkcloud]

Death comes for everyone ......

Originally depicted as solitary creatures in the earliest monster manuals, at some point the notion crept into gaming that creatures such as these could be found in great numbers in hive-like warrens far below the surface. With the multiplication of their numbers, however, came the diminishment of their terror for any given eye tyrant was now simply one among many. With the first instance of a solo character successfully destroying entire hives of such creatures in the BG games the last pretense that such creatures were beings to be greatly feared vanished. Small wonder is it then that the great hive of these forums falls quickly before an assault as brutal as it is swift. Eyes, hundreds of them each filled with magic-like power open wide in fear as such power is shrugged off by the bold figures whose great forms emerge so suddenly from the shadows. Pleas of surrender and cries of submission echo between the unyielding walls of the caverns only to be answered by the cutting of swords until even the choking gasps of the dying fall silent, for the heroes of the gaming world are not the only ones that might casually brush aside opponents such as these .......

....... Elsewhere the stone doors and walls of an ancient tomb are breached and a band of dwarves swarms in sudden attack upon the lich who had made such a place the seat of his power. Wordless and silent is their assault and relentless is the anger with which they strike. Mighty is the undead wizard and resourceful in his defense and his enchantments have power to harm even such creatures as these. Pain, however, holds little terror to those once held as mere thralls by the Giants of Shadow and there is no pause in their attack even as some few of their number fall. The crackling of magical energy fills the tomb with light and sound only to be reduced to darkness and silence by the blows of many axes as even the unliving are given over to death ......

...... And so it will continue over these next days, days of slaughter and pleas for mercy that ring unanswered within these lightless warrens. The stink of death will sit heavy here below the earth and its oppressive heaviness will fill these tunnels with a silence that screams a terrible truth. Below the forums of the IronWorks the Giants of Shadow stand supreme and, with the possible exception of a few scattered heroes, none contest their claim.

ooc: It is likely that even the most insensitive of characters will have some awareness of the magnitude of what is taking place, for those characters that are psychically sensitive this might be a very nearly overwhelming experience.

[Larry_OHF]

Euryale was no fool. Yes, she had been beaten, nearly to the death. Yes, she had lost her entire army of Grimlocks. Yes she allowed the surface dwellers to go free adn find their fate with someone else. But she was no fool. She had survived these many centuries by her cunning and her tact. Her resources were innumerable, and her power extended far beyond this tiny hole in the ground.

Thus, Euryale fled the dark underforums, for she knew the would-be heroes stood no chance at destroying the mighty Terrakis. She knew that they were dead as soon as they found him. But there was no convincing them of this. It was not like she did not try.

She made her way out of the caverns of this forum to hide in another thread, to appear again another day.

OOC>>>I just could not let Euryale die. I need her in the future. I am sure that she will deliver many more epic adventures someday. Yet, if the DM wishes it, since she is his creation...he may intercept her escape and do as he desires. If nothing be posted, then let it be said that she escaped and is hidden from the RPG forum for now.

[ 02-06-2004, 11:01 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]