Final Meal
You decide to rub your front leg against her, carefully. She instantly freezes up, and begins to scrunch her face up a little. When you stop, she just shivers a little and then turns to her meal. She's biting her lower lip, and doesn't look displeased, but she did stop talking. Seems she's sincere in being really fricking confused about you. You see her brother across from you, and he looks at you with disgust, gritting his teeth. You chuckle, and turn to Jack.
You tell her you appreciate the information, but don't think there's enough to go on for right now. She just mumbles out that she doesn't know much more as she seems to tries to hide her blushing. You then tell her to enter your tent if you've got a strand of silk above the door, because you're going to check some things out today. She just nods, and tears into the pig meat she got. You do the same, now that the smell has hit your nostrils. The skin is crunchy, and the meat itself is wonderfully soft. It practically melts in your mouth, and you enjoy every second of it. While you had varied meals as an innkeeper's daughter, a properly roasted pig was usually just for the guests. This stuff right here....
Heaven.
After you enjoyed the meal, you wait for Vvulf to finish his meal. He eats quite a bit, and ends up eating quite a few ribs. He burps when the last bone is thrown onto his little pile, which is honestly the most human thing you've ever seen him do. He gets off his throne, presumably to return to his tent, and you try to interrupt him to ask about your duties. He spits before answering.
You are to follow me, then do what I ask of you. Then tell the rodents what I wish of them. What you do other than that is none of my concern.He enters his tent, and you see another glimpse of his shaman. Now that you're closer, you see that the figure itself isn't white, just the armor they wear. An armor of bones, with a wolf's skull covering the face. A horrifying smell wafts from the tent, a strangely familiar scent to you, but it is far more horrid than anything you've smelled before. You resist the urge to retch as the tent-flap wafts some of the smell to you.
It's strange that he didn't want to talk any further. He seemed rather chatty the previous days. Based on the smell and shaman, however...
He might be preparing for something. You get an intense feeling of foreboding. You feel a little light-headed as the tent in front of you seems to grow larger, until the horse's skull over the entrance seems to stare right at you. After shaking your head, everything flashed back to normal. You rub your eyes (well, four of them)
You're not sleeping enough.
You gather up your squad, and begin the usual training. They seem work together fine, now, and you decide to put that to the test. You ask the local schmucks to try and defeat the different groups, using a numeric advantage. As Vvulf said, the random banditry is nothing interesting when it comes to fighting. Still, your squad fill sin where-ever things don't quite add up. Nakir is usually dealing with up to four people at same time, and Yunikki is downright unbeatable in her armor.
The main surprise here would be the bolas brothers. Now that you can see their teamwork in action, you realize they can take own a group more than four times their size if given the occasional bit of support. Communication is perfect, and they're perfectly in tune with each-other. A real dream team, these guys. After a bit of fighting, your squad turns out victorious, with few casualties. Harahkilaka was taken down, and was too far away from everyone to be rescued. You tell him off about his solitary habits, and praise the rest of squad on their fighting abilities. As the evening draws near, you manage to catch Thorgal before he leaves.
I found something out about Vvulf, I think it might have to do with what you're looking for. Really? What is it? Did you see his shaman?That too, but the main thing I heard was that Vvulf was planning ritual. Even his top dogs are concerned about it.A ritual... That narrows it down a bit. Although, who are the "top dogs"?The twins. At least, they introduced themselves as the top dogs when they first met me. Tried to do that shtick where they finish each other's sentences....Right. Well, if he won't tell his closest men... It might be a sacrifice ritual. But he could just grab a collection of bandits, and nobody would bat an eye. It must be something else.He holds his knuckle against his mouth as he tries to think. Eventually, he shakes his head
There's too many things that he could do. A ritual removes some other suspicions, however. It won't be a large spell, or a resurrection scheme. You said you caught a glimpse of his shaman, right?Yeah. Some guy wearing bones, uses a wolf's skull as a mask....Really? That's a northern priest. They don't come out this far south, it's forbidden. If a heretic is here for the ritual, this could be very bad. Tell me, did you notice anything unusual?You strain to remember what happened right after you glimpsed the shaman. Something about... A skull? Smell?
Can't remember, but something feels off.
You finish up with the rest of the squad as the sun goes over the horizon. Everybody is to get some solid sleep in, so they're all ready for the raid.
Of course, that's just a guideline, not a rule. You need to talk to somebody. You rest in your tent for a while, and do some talking with Karliah. When night falls, you leave the tent in search of the crippled woman. She proves to be a bit of chore to find, but eventually, you find her. She has far less men around her this time, but Sven the half-giant is still with her. He gives a small wave at your approach, and gives a warm smile. The woman turns to you without even moving. She just moves her wheelchair with a strange, green glow around the wheels. Such casual magic is rare.
Welcome back, Sydney. You've come to interrogate an old woman, am I right?True. I need to ask you about Vvulf.She makes another croaky laugh. It sends a chill down your spine and you resettle your legs in discomfort. Then she speaks:
Even I don't know much about that man. If I can truly call him that. He's dabbling in things even I don't wish to touch.Really now? Would those things have anything to do with the ritual I hear he has planned?The twins have started talking, have they? Didn't think they had it in them... Although... Jack always had a weakness for blondes. Are you blonde, girl?It was Jack, yes. Please answer the question.So snippy! Tsk, tsk. Well, most likely those forbidden powers will be used for something quite sinister. but like I said, I won't touch upon the powers that he is seducing. Or is being seduced by, I suppose. The Gestation of the Aorta is nothing to trifle with. The what?She turns grimfaced for a second. The ever-present knowing smirk falters, and her blindfold lowers, as if she's frowning underneath it. Her voice is flat and almost... fearful.
We are far from the first to live on, or inside, the earth. Ancient ones used to rule the world, but now... they are dead, true, but they still dream. And their dreams are of conquest. They cannot return until time itself has died, but until then... They dream.So Vvulf is worshiping a dead god? Doesn't sound like they'd give much powerThey are far more than gods, child. They are shapeless beings made of pure power, chaos and... Well, evil would be too little a word for it. This still doesn't give me a clue what he's planning.What is an ocean planning? Where does the wind want to blow? How does a mountain wish to grow? Can anybody answer these questions?! No! I cannot help more because I know nothing! And for your sake, don't try to know more. It's a dangerous things to have insight of. I saw knowledge like that break men like twigs. Left the strongest men I ever saw into gibbering lunatics! She nearly shouts the last few sentences. She is breathing heavy by the end of it, and Sven has come closer to check up on her.
Fine, fine... What would you suggest, then?Her voice takes on it's playful tone again. It's such jarring switch it makes you even more on edge
You should run. or maybe just stay. Driders are resistant to raw magic, after all. It's not for me to say what you can and cannot do. Still, visit me when you awaken. You'll know it when it happens. Sven?Sven taps you on the shoulder and gives a nod to where you came from. You skitter back, to your tent. Once your arrive, you take a piece of silk, and start considering.
Should you hang it? And also, how will you deal with the march to the raid in the morning?
Level: 3
HP: 20/20
Mana: 10/10
Equipment:
Sharp studded leather armor
Leather harness
Steel sword (poisoned)
Wooden shield(Well-made)
Items:
Poison-box (in your tent)
Around 100 coins and five rubies.
Skills:
Poison Stinger (Potentially lethal)
Major experience in blocking and swords.
Climber
Crafty: Bolas
Cooking skill: excellent
Corpse Cutting: Awful.
Author
Topic: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure (Ended) (Read 188585 times)