LOF - Aftermath II - Hidden Hungers

[Cyril Darkcloud]

THE RAVINE

Beneath the swirling violence of the storm lies the mighty rubble of a destroyed cliff wall, and beneath the enormous weight of broken stone lies the wet and rain soaked earth which bears a terrible and active emptiness within it. Hunger dwells here, and from the damp interstices of this dirt Hunger reaches outward. The noise of thunder and wind fills this place with sound, and the frequent bursting of lightning fills this place with recurring moments of brightness. Wind and rain fill this place with movement and strange grasses have begun to fill it with life.

But in spite of all fullness Emptiness holds sway here.

Vacant it is.
Vacant and terrible.
Hunger.
Hunger that waits.
Hunger that seeks.
Hunger that grasps.
Hunger that takes.

The Lord of the Forums: Aftermath II - Hidden Hungers

[Cyril Darkcloud]

ooc: This is the second thread in the sequel to the original Lord of the Forums series of threads. The previous thread can be found here. The previous thread also contains links to the threads of the original LOF story.

OUR STORY SO FAR.....[*]After the defeat of the Modding Mage, the heroes left the inner forums without having removed the great Hunger from the ground.[*]The Hunger has grown active and threatens the safety of the Forums.[*]A band of adventurers has formed to seek out a way to destroy the Hunger.[*]A group of Shadow Giants who claim to be the true heirs of the Modding Mage have begun to exert their dominance over the lightless realm underneath the Forums.[*]The Devouring Wind, a villain from another thread has become active here.[*]The adventurers have made their way to the Underneath of the Forums and have just defeated a group of grimlock warriors. Following the battle one of their number, believing himself summoned by his god, left the group.[/list]The group is now discussing how to proceed.
Post away, folks!

[mistral4543]

Rhianneth

She regained her alertness too late to pinpoint whoever's eyes it was that had drilled such holes onto her back. Almost in defiance, she wriggled her feet such that they grate against the gravel-ridden path, marking the passing of the next few awkward moments.

Unappreciative bunch of louts... ~ It was distasteful, even if she had expected it ~ To think that I, Rhianneth Freelight, should be treated thus in this part of the world. ~ She felt the burden growing heavier and yet, a little song was humming within her ~ When I'm done with all this... when I've achieved what I set out to do... ~ Almost bursting with anticipation now, she was ready to crow.

But the whispered remarks of those who surrounded her tore her back to reality. In frustration, she stood stubbornly silent, avoiding direct interaction with her companions but remaining wary of their body language.

[Lord Starshadow]

With the threats gone, Syrathic took a moment to clean his blades on a cloth he pulled from inside his cloak. Blades kept nice and clean were blades that saved your life, as his ranger friends had often said.

He then joined Morguerat in inspecting the bodies. However, like any good thief, he was not studying the bodies, but searching them for any valuables. He was disappointed to find hardly anything of value; a few coins here and there, as the weapons of the deceased were of no use to him. "I'd give anything for some throwing knives," he thought again. "Do people just not carry them anymore, or am I just not finding them? Unless someone is taking them..." His eyes instantly went to Rhianneth, although he did not suspect her in this case. It was just beginning to become a habit.

He got up and crouched near the wall again, near the magical light that radiated from Brendon. It was comforting for him to be near it; it reminded him of the outside world, which he was already beginning to miss. "It hasn't even been that long and you're already starting to clamor for the outdoors. Get a hold of yourself, Syrathic! You've got a job to do!"

He looked around and finally noticed that one of his companions was now missing. "Hey, where'd that priest of Odin go?" he asked softly, the words directed at no one. The walls amplified the sound of the elf's voice enough to be audible to everyone.

[Cyril Darkcloud]

ooc: Morguerat - Your examination reveals a few things:

[*] The equipment of the warriors is essentially uniform – each uses the same type of axe and the workmanship of their weapons seems to indicate that a single weaponsmith made them all.[*] There is a curious device etched into the blade of the great axe used by the leader – a serpent coiled around an eye. [*] Beneath this symbol is etched a word in the common tongue of this lightless place below the boards. Dankorona identifies it as a name: Euryale[/list]

[TAOWolf]

~Once more she lifts her head from the moist, dead leaves of the earth, to look to the west, towards the cliffs....~

~Lifting her nose to the darkening evening sky, she sings an ancient song, ancient runes flowing upon the wind, carrying them across the night sky......~

~She stands on all fours, shaking off the dust and moist earth from her silver pelt, silver eyes glowing as she sings..... Stamping one forepaw to the ground three times.....~

~The wind swirls around her, obscuring her from view in a blizzard of leaves, dead grass........ As the winds die down, a woman with long silver/blonde hair, silver/purple eyes, and a platinum bracer around her neck adjusts her Warder's cloak, and slams her rowan staff into the ground......~

~As the silver runes upon her body start to glow, she whispers but one word.........~

"an f'huil................."

[Larry_OHF]

OOC>>>If the DM permits...

Brendon Grey

Brendon was wondering how long this light was going to adorn him. It felt wierd to be a shining candle in this lightless world. He knew enough of magic to know that it would be dissapating very soon, however, so he wasn't panicking or anything. He watched his party members looting, or wanting to loot the bodies of the foul creatures while they still had good light inside the cavern, but nobody was paying attention to the dog-beast. At that moment, cold chills took over and Brendon thought he'd die from the freezing blast. Looking around at Rhianneth, he'd expected that she'd attacked with a spell of cold, but she was not even paying him any attention. An echo sounded throughout the caverns, bouncing from rock wall to rock wall...an evil sneering chuckle. Brendon ran over to the corpse of the dark hound and said, more to himself than anyone else..."I made the kill...so the hide is mine!" Brendon pulled out a knife and began to remove the hide of the beast. It didn't take him long. He knew exactly how to do it quickly and efficiently. Cleaning it off, he placed it in his bag.

[AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe]

Dantes cleaned his blade off on the body of the nearest grimlock. His mind completely focused during the attack was now wandering. Why had these creatureds attacked them? And the word "Euryale" why was that etched into the leader's blade? So many questions, and yet none of them lead to an answer. Dantes seathed his katana. Dantes knew of these creatures, from his previous wanderings and he knew they were not very smart. Dantes picked up the nearest discarded axe, and arced it in a wicked slice downward on to the neck of the nearest dead grimlock. The head came of cleanly from the blow and rolled a few feet before coming to a rest. Dantes then imbeded the axe into the body of the grimlock, leaving the handle sticking up into the air. He then picked up the skull at put it atop the axe handle, leaving a grisley reminder for the rest of the clan, of what would happen if they were attacked again. Satisfied with his work. Dantes looked over at Dankorona. Seeing the gnome holding up well he leaned against the wall waiting for the party to continue its journey.

[ 12-24-2002, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe ]

[Cyril Darkcloud]

THE RAVINE

Violent are the winds that shriek above the buried Hunger and still is the mighty pile of boulders that conceals the relentless seeking of its grasp. Between the violence and the stillness, however, lies the complacent embrace of another draft of air. Undisturbed by either storm or Hunger it sprawls slowly along the boulders, reaching through them to the very soil which contains the terrible emptiness. Soon its embrace of this place is complete and there is a separation between the violence of the storm and the stillness of the Hunger. And beneath the bursting of thunder is a whisper of subtle and persistent strength.

Yes! O yes! Reach out in your impotent might. You who snatched power from the Mage himself ..... Yes! Feel my presence above you. Grasp after it for you shall no more seize me than you could grasp the life Seh’rul* poured out over you when he breached the tower ..... Yes! O such a delight is your mindless grasping! Relentless and mighty you are. Relentless, mighty and stupid and blind and unthinking. Yes! O yes! Seek my presence with your vast emptiness and lose the meal you have been offered by my servants ......

The whisper laughs and even the storm pauses a moment at the sound. The power of mighty artifacts surges to the ravine only to be rudely snatched from the consuming emptiness of the Hunger. And unlike other times when the Hunger had drawn power into itself, here no remnant, no excess remains to feed the storm. This day the Devouring Wind claims all.

Yes! O yes! ..... So mighty and so predictable! Just like the Mage himself .... And just like him, you could not perceive the real threat your enemy poses ..... Ah! But I know the sound of that howl and it is time I move from here ..... I simply must meet her! ..... Rage on, O mighty Hunger! Appetite without mind! Destroy what you will and whom you will. You are no threat to me ......

The complacent air moves once more and soon it is gone from this place. For a little while the notes of mocking laughter linger beneath the storm clouds here before being dispersed within the gusting air. Then once more there is nothing but the violent shriek of wind and the stillness of the buried Hunger.

* Seh’rul - in the tongue of the Windbringer’s people means ‘Vessel of the Curse’. In the common tongue of the forums it is translated as ‘Cyril.’

[Cyril Darkcloud]

ooc: Larry - Of course the DM approves. In fact I was wondering if anyone would be interested in the hide of that critter [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img]