Tales of Faerun

[Flipout6]

"By the gods." Sybille breathed, gazing awestruck at the backdrop of the tomb that lay veiled behind a wall of water. "That's really something."

 

"It is, isn't it?" Annette agreed, dwarfed by her much taller friend.

 

"I don't like it." Marie stated bluntly. "Oh, it's beautiful, of course, but beneath a beautiful exterior can lie something dangerous."

 

"....Guess that's why you're the only one's ever given me a proper scar." Arland commented, not realizing at all that he'd just accidentally complimented her. He didn't realize that her cheeks flushed for a brief moment, either.

 

To her credit, her blush wasn't evident in her voice. "There'll be traps for certain. Those of us that can spot and disarm them should go first, and slowly. No use treating grisly injuries because we're too hasty."

 

"I can go first." Dri volunteered. "Gas valves, explosives, spike traps...those are where I'm best. I have all the tricks of the trade, too." She patted one of the bags holding her various items fondly.

 

"Just be careful." Weyland cautioned. "I don't want anyone hurt."

 

"Might as well head up." Sybille shrugged. "It'd be best to come out while there's still some light in the sky."

 

They began their trek up the path to the entrance of the grandiose tomb. Annette looked particularly entranced by the picturesque beauty of it all, from the paintings on the walls and tapestries, to the almost mathematically-etched hieroglyphs that lined the stone bricks and facings, each telling a different story. Some detailed ceremonies honouring the revered dead whilst others wove a tale of an ancient warrior or larger-than-life pharaoh. A few showed Nephththys or Osiris, garbed in clothing to outmatch any nobleman. She admired the gem-studdedstructural columns towering to dizzying heights above her. When they reached the entrance, a yawning cavern big enough to fit her old mansion in, she was almost disappointed.

 

There were no traps placed around the immediate, entrance, as the rogues quickly discovered. Dri was the first to inform them of this. Marie, after performing a much more prolonged triple-search, confirmed it. However, as the rest of the group began to follow them in, Amendale revealed something far more sinister. He motioned for them to pause.

 

"Anyone feel that?" He inquired cautiously. Even with the thunderous roar of the waterfall behind them, the tomb seemed disturbingly still. "Dead magic zone. I couldn't light a spark with all of my focus."

 

"Stlarn." Arland swore, but he grinned. "It means nobody's tossing sparks my way."

 

"It also means no healing." Annette corrected. "If anyone gets hurt, we're left to first aid."

 

"Not quite. Potions might store spells, but dead magic zones won't disable them." Amendale affirmed. "We're not defenseless."

 

"No, but the tomb is." Weyland pointed to the symbols ringing the doorway. "The wards have been defaced. Whatever's in there, or was in there, knows what it's doing." He drew his blade and took his position just behind the trap party. "Tread carefully."

Edited February 14, 2015 by Flipout6

[AurianaValoria1]

Dead magic zone.

 

Rhaine felt the effects before Amendale said a word. The zone pulled at her energy like a lodestone - a vacuum - and the closer she came to it, the harder it pulled. At last, just past the doorway, the zone hit her full force, and she was not prepared for the violet ripping away of her magics that immediately resulted. The Doomguide instantly fell to her knees as if she had been struck, gasping as a great weakness overwhelmed her. She had no idea how much strength her power gave her until it was forcibly taken away; she felt diminished - tiny, even, in the face of the void before her. Her hands trembled. Touch of Death was dead in her grasp. Her amulet was cold. Her spirit was alone. No magic would come to her call - not for her sake or that of anyone else. It was just her raw physical endurance and the skill of her sword hand, now.

 

Zorica saw Rhaine collapse and rushed forward, only to be hit by the zone as well. It did not affect her as much, but it sapped her of enough strength to take away her edge. The half-drow glanced back to Amendale with concern in her eyes, and then she continued to help Rhaine to her feet, "Chosen...are you all right? Do you need to stay out of this?"

 

"No," Rhaine's answer was without hesitation, and she gritted her teeth as she struggled to stand, "We must press on. This will not stop us. We cannot let it stop us."

 

"Uhhhh, wait a min-" Conall tried to warn Argyros, who was bringing up the rear, but could not stop him until it was too late. With a popping sound, the dragon's polymorphing spell was broken, and his body abruptly and forcibly returned to his dragon form just inside the entrance. The silver's head and back smashed into the walls and ceiling, causing the stone to crack, and the doors behind them quite suddenly slammed closed, leaving Heidi and Hazel alone outside. Conall squeezed past the dragon and tugged on the doors, but to no avail. Argyros's change of form had crushed the hinges, and it would no longer operate properly.

 

"Cannot help," Ariel whispered at Conall's side, her voice light and startlingly weak. The werewolf paladin punched the stone out of frustration and rubbed his throbbing temples, "This is not good."

 

It was impossibly dark inside, and there was no way to magically light the way. "Damnation on whoever did this," Imhiros cursed, "We need fire!"

 

"Don't look at me," Argyros grunted, having to crawl like a cat due to the hallway's narrowness and low ceiling, "I can do nothing."

 

Rhaine's mask glinted in the sliver of light that streamed through the crooked crack in the door frame, "We need torches."

[tokyobiohazard]

Aera's vision wasn't diminished by much when the lights were blocked out. In fact, it was almost as if she blinked and was suddenly seeing with night vision. It was devoid of color, but she could see in the darkness, and that was all that mattered. She worried about Hazel and Heidi, but she reassured herself they would be alright. It was all she could do.

The weretiger slowed up a bit while searching for tinder inside her boot, only to bump into Argyros' leg and nearly trip over. It was cramped inside the cave for taller beings like the silver dragon. She blushed underneath her fur and muttered an apology. All she felt inside her boot was her typical dagger and a few rolls of bandages she'd stashed on the way back from Ianthe and Arva's cottage. Something told her they would need those in here, but nonetheless, she offered them, "I've got three rolls of bandages, if we happen to need them as fuel for the torches."

As for being in a dead magic zone, that meant she couldn't transform. She was at a serious disadvantage in battle, since the only weapon she owned was a dagger. If it came down to close quartered combat, she still had razor sharp fangs, which she was grateful for. She realized she may have to literally fight tooth and nail in this dungeon, and didn't fear the outcome. In fact, her bloodlust increased.

[Deleted6317247User]

As soon as Nawen stepped inside she noticed that something was wrong as some of her companions seemed weakened. It didn't take her too long to realize what was wrong as the ones who were affected by whatever was in the cave were those who relied on spellcasting: something was preventing them from doing so. She knew a couple of spells herself, even though she almost never used them, but for some reason she was not affected at all. She wondered why for a moment before shrugging it off and continuing a bit forward but staying close enough to the group. She didn't like the stillness of the tomb. "Like the calm before the storm." She muttered quietly.

 

"What?" The piratess asked as she stumbled towards the drow. Shalena had also noticed that something was affecting some of them but did not know what it was.

 

"I just don't like the quietness of it all," the drow replied.

 

"We are in a tomb. What, were you expecting to be jumped as soon as we stepped inside?" The piratess asked, but received no answer. Shrugging to herself she turned to the group. "My men have some bandages for the torches too." She said.

 

"Better to keep most of them unused," Nawen suddenly said, "we will need them more than before."

[josh900]

Not ten feet into the tomb and already things were going horribly wrong. Azuris stood with a scowl on his face. "Yeaahh we're all gonna die in here." He grumbled. "No spells, no light, I can think of someone who'd be perfect for this situation.... And would annoy us all to death about it. Hex, reach in there and grab-"

 

"Already got em!" Hexol said happily, holding out flint and steel to help make a fire. "Not being able to see in the dark must not be a lot of fun huh? We Kender can see just fine! Really good for nighttime adventures and being in dark places like these. So who needs a torch lit! Just follow the sound of my voice and I'll light em for ya!"

 

Meanwhile Lucas was doing his best to try and control his breathing, the sudden darkness and closed space reminding him of the last time they were trapped underground. "Could we... please stop getting trapped underground? I'd just really like it if for once.. something went right in a place like this." He said, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

 

"But what fun is that?" Hexol asked the young squire. "When things go wrong that's when it all gets REALLY exciting! And that's the best part!" He said cheerfully.

 

"Well we can't all be impervious to fear." Lucas whispered to himself.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine did not like the reduced visibility she was experiencing; despite her half-elven blood, she could barely see a few feet in front of her. Slowly and carefully, she made her way over to where Hexol was strapped to Azuris's back, taking out a small torch handle from her pack and hopefully holding it where the Kender could reach it, "Here. Can you light this?"

 

Conall did the same as Rhaine, making his way over to where Hexol was, but Zorica and Imhiros did not. The half-drow could see well enough with the other torches being lit, and both she and Imhiros needed both hands for their weapons.

 

Argyros, meanwhile, blinked his silvery eyes at Aera, "All right there, little one?"

[Llhunara]

Leaving the care of the newcomer to those better suited to such tasks Llhunarra would take to her own breakfast, the rations she had brought with her enough to handle any early morning craving. When others began to gather their things and prepare the red head was quick to do the same. Before long they were on the road, the rogue still a little unsure of where they were going beyond the mountains they rode towards. Letting herself drift towards the back of the pack, she kept to herself mostly. Casually looking between the assorted party members she still found it strange how diverse they were in race alone, compared to more common groups. One had to wonder…what skills they might all possess with such varied backgrounds.

 

As they pulled up to a stop outside the entrance to the tomb Llhunarra was already smiling, and they hadn’t even taken a step inside. While she found no joy in the possible traps or dangers that lay within the water veiled tomb, she was excited at the possibility of what might be…acquired from within. Already her sometimes one track mind was thinking of what ancient and valuable items might be inside. Even with all the people, some of which who she had been told cared little for loot; there would be plenty to go around. Of course that was only an assumption based on the sheer size of the entrance, but such an elaborate entryway hinted at so much more.

 

Sadly Rhaine was quick to dash the rogue’s hopes, her statement making it clear there wasn’t any room for debate on the subject. A Chosen as she was Llhunarra didn’t doubt the female possessed power, strength and prowess she didn’t really want to challenge. Earning the girl’s wrath was not something on her wish list. Then again, what she didn’t see or know wouldn’t anger her. Still smiling some she nods her understanding. Just because she understood the message did not mean she had to follow it.

 

With thoughts of what she might find dominating her thoughts, she falls in line with the rest as they make their way up the path. Drawing both of the short blades that normally rested alongside her hips, the half-elf starts to focus a little more. The rest of them seemed they were a bit on edge and understandably so, they were about to enter the tomb. Not a magic user or possessing anything of real magical presence beyond her flask, Llhunarra had not realized the gravity of what a “dead magic zone” would mean for the party. Rhaine seemed the one to suffer the most, something that must have to do with the source of her abilities. A few others appeared to suffer as well, Argyros’ sudden shift affecting them all as it sealed the doors behind them.

 

Letting out a sigh the red head shifts away from where the dragon had been, not wanting to be crushed and bumping against Sybille in the process. The recognizable weapon she walked into the only way she was able to tell who it was she had come in contact with. “Sorry…” Deciding it best not to move until some light was established she didn’t have to wait long before the familiar sound of flint being stuck reached her ears. Moments later several torches burst to life as they begin spread dim light across the group. Eyes in no way capable of seeing in the dark she was thankful for the firelight, but chose not to carry one of her own. As long as enough were lit she felt much more confident with a blade in each hand then a flaming stick.

[tokyobiohazard]

The corners of Aera's mouth turned up at being called 'little one.' That was, very obviously, a first for her. She hadn't been called little since she was a child, and even then, she was slightly above average height as a child. She peaked at her full height before she'd even gotten out of her mid-teens, and stayed at a steady 7'5" until a couple years back when she grew an extra inch out of nowhere.

"Little one? You flatter me, Argy. And yes, I'm fine." Aera patted Argyros' leg and smiled up at him, her eyes glinting in the low light.

Meanwhile, outside the cave, Hazel was lying in the grass near Heidi. Her strength was coming back slowly but surely due to the group's care. She had bright green buds sprouting from her scalp now, and the bark on her body was becoming smoother. The road to recovery was not complete, however, as she still felt awful, and preferred lying down and chatting with Heidi to moving around.

"How is the progress with your daggers coming along, Heidi?" Hazel said, propping herself up on her elbows as she watched the gnome girl polish at the hilts and blades. A few of them were already finished, and glinted as if freshly made. The others would be quite happy to have extra daggers, Hazel supposed. With how often the group fought tough enemies, they would be needed.

[josh900]

"Yup!" Said Hexol as he started to light torches. "Hey! Ya know if you want, I could scout on ahead for everyone! I can see real well in the dark, and no one would even know I was there if I ran into anyone!"

 

"How about you stay here with the rest of us so we can keep an eye on you." Said Azuris. "There could uhh... be traps or something you could get stuck in or...something."

 

"Yeah... good point.... How about we send somebody we like the least up ahead then! Iii piiiiick..."

 

Hexol's choice wouldn't be revealed as Azuris quickly pushed his head down into his pack, keeping the Kender from saying something he might later regret.

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen turned back to look at her friends, more specifically at Imhiros "Are you familiar with the layout of this tomb? Perhaps other tombs are build like this one?" She asked. As odd as it sounded, in a way she agreed with Hexol. If the layout is unfamiliar to the companion who is familiar with these lands then someone should scout ahead, but she did not think that leaving everyone else behind was a good idea.

 

"Why couldn't we discuss all of this while we were outside or could leave this place?" Shalena asked as she nodded to the closed door behind them.