I felt like some free writing, so I wrote the meeting of Tyrileaf and the Azure Swordswoman.
The creatures in the cages around them mewled or chewed at the bars around them. The man ignored them, still talking about his collection. He was garbed in the clothes of the alchemist: a leather apron, studded with pockets; a strange headset of magnifying lenses; skin pale and pasty from lack of light.
Behind him, a huge woman followed, a scowl on her face. Her body was covered with heavy armour, plain and functional, but a odd gleam revealed it's magical nature. A thick blue cloak shrouded her figure. Her face was uncovered only with the faceplate of the mighty helm pulled back: her skin was oddly patterned, as if it were scaled; a swirling tattoo started on her left cheek, whirling out to fan across her face. A vast greatsword, more of a slab of cold iron than a blade, hung from a harness on the back. The weapon looked raw, primal; a surprisingly elegant dragon had been carved onto the blade. She looked around distastefully. She had no love for those who locked creatures in little cages.
The alchemist babbled on in front of her as he walked. "You see, Milady Swordswoman, there is power within the life of monsters. Which the right ingredients, and a dab of the right magicks" - she almost growled as he pronounced 'magick' - "you can unlock the powers of the monsters in question."
The Azure Swordswoman interrupted his spiel. "So I've heard. But you got my message, so you know what I've come for. What can protect against a basilisk?
The colony needs to be dealt with, and I dislike the idea of fighting blinded."
"Of course, of course! It... err... it isn't quite finished, Milady Swordswoman. If you could take a seat, it will be done quite soon. Quite soon." He scuttled around the crowded lab, shuttling piles of books and arcane alchemy equipment back and forth, the creatures squawking and rustling in their cages around him. With a dissatisfied grunt, the half-dragon thudded heavily into a stool. The thin legs creaked ominously before the weight of steel and swordswoman.
With nothing to do, the alchemist busy in his craft, the Azure Swordswoman looked around. A inarticulate sound reached her ears through the metal of her helm. A tiny cage, and inside that, a tinier being: a miniature humanoid, four petals projecting from its back like wings. It was huddled in the cage, eyes shut. The swordswoman leaned closer. Somehow, the tiny fey detected the movement, and opened its eyes. They were so green they almost glowed, and held no hope. No happiness. No evil. It was clearly young, and when it opened it's mouth it made a sound that resembled speech.
"Alchemist," the Swordswoman growled, "What is this being?"
"Oh, that?" he cheerfully replied. "It is a petal, a kind of fey. The wings are most useful in my alchemy. I paid quite a lot to get a whole family of them. I'm just waiting for that one to grow up before I harvest the wings. I've had it around a year now. It'll probably have to wait a few more before it's worth harvesting."
Her tone went flat and dangerous. "And how do you harvest these wings, alchemist?"
He had already turned back to his bubbling instruments. With pincers, he dropped a fragment of something into the potion, and it went from black to the same vivid green as the tiny fey's eyes. "Oh, I just pull them off. They come out with the roots, so none of it is wasted. There's some of it in this, in fact." He turned and smiled. "And on that note, it is done. And furthermore, my payment..."
The Azure Swordswoman slowly looked around, looking at the tiny fey. It stared blankly at her with those dead green eyes. She nodded to herself. The alchemist waited, an fawning smile on his face. "Aye," she said. "I can think of the right payment for someone such as you."
The alchemist's smile faded. He had just started to protest when the greatsword ripped though him and cleaved both him and the alchemist table in two. The vial of potion hit the stained stone tiles and shattered, the liquid bubbling slightly as it spread across the floor. The halves of alchemist and furniture hit the ground at the same time, a cloud of dust and vile smelling ingredients bursting into the air.
With a flick of one powerful, armoured hand, the Azure Swordswoman flicked the blood and chemicals off the blade. The cage of the fey resisted a brief second
ripped the wires apart. With a gentleness belying her metal-plated form, she reached in and picked up the fey. "Let's go, child." she said, in a gentle a growl as she could.
---
The Azure Swordswoman cursed as she tightened the blindfold. The tiny fey chirped a nonsense word next to her ear. With a quick movement, she caught the winged creature and gently placed it into a pouch she sealed. "Stay in there for now, child. Don't look out." she said. Inside the cave, the basilisks howled. A scrape of steel announced the drawing of the greatsword as the Azure Swordswoman walked forward into the dark.
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Topic: D&D 3.5 PbP: Oasis/Adventures in Hightown (OOC and Sign up thread 5/6 spots ) (Read 19631 times)