Wow, almost two months, really? Sorry for the long hiatus guys, my time management has been disorganized chaos recently, and writer's block hasn't really helped.
Sneaky Walrus, Dohon & RogueArchivist - thanks, and you're all in, bio's are up on the first post, as usual.
masam - Muenster is still fine, he's one of the most experienced soldiers in the fort at the moment actually, and has made some masterful glass windows.
4th Limestone 677 - MorningThe militia and any skilled in any way with a weapon had assembled within the courtyard where the soldiers usually trained. The entirety of the community was in a state of heightened alert. The children had been gathered out of the way and put out of harm's way, the Fiery Cistern, at most risk from attack, was to be quarantined until the beasts were dispatched.
The militia had organised themselves in a rough semi-circle around Tarran, Derm and Ibruk. Tarran was de-facto the militia commander since Rion's death, being the most experienced soldier in Nomekast, Derm, as Sheriff and apparent seer when it came to Forgotten Beasts, stood as his equal, while Ibruk, who for a long time had been de-facto head of the community until the past year and still held Kadzar and his warrior-priests utmost loyalty, had insisted on being part of the proceedings.
"Right," Tarran began, "we're looking at a particularly nasty situation, people. Three Forgotten Beasts. Three."
There was murmuring through the crowd, three Forgotten Beasts at once was unprecedented in recorded history.
"This is a clear message from the gods," Ibruk began, rather predictably, "something has displeased them within Nomekast, we have been lax in our piety, they warn us now to redress our ways."
"There are two on the Fiery Cistern, Bezbin and Streti, and one still in the Lower Levels, Lish Reksas Shulmik, 'the Sin of Seducers'." Derm said, ignoring Ibruk, "Streti and Lish both breath poisonous gases."
"Aye," Doc. Steve interrupted, "I've already got the lot to cover their mouths and noses. I don't think it'll be enough to stop if you linger too much in the stuff, but it'll help a bit at least." he waved at the militia. Usually looking ramshackle at their best, they now looked like marauding nomads, their heads wrapped with any kind of cloth their could get their hands on, some, like Steve, even sporting goggles or eye-wear.
"Good idea." Derm nodded, "The best thing to do would be to keep back and let the marksdwarves deal with Streti and Lish if at all possible. Bezbin should be no problem, a blob of ash isn't the nastiest of things after all."
"Right, so the plan is to kill Bezbin, pick off Streti from afar, then get to the Lower Levels and shoot Lish if...he? she?...
it hasn't already come up?" Melagius questioned. Tarran nodded,
"The most important thing to remember is to stay
away from Streti and Lish. We don't know what that poison gas does, but judging from how Rion suffered from the dust..." he trailed off, but all knew what he meant, Rion's death had affected the permanent militia more than anyone else.
"Right, are we all agreed? Then let's move."
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Reflections from the magma danced off the rough rock face of the Fiery Cistern, usually quite busy with activity, especially since Stronghammer had taken over the industry, ramping the facilities up hugely, it was now silent and deserted. Some tools lay abandoned on the cavern floor, where some of the more frightened Dwarves had simply dropped them and ran up to the home level, too afraid to remain on the same cavern level as two Forgotten Beasts.
"Right, everyone fan out, keep an eye out, warn about any noise.
Any noise."
They did so, cautiously making their way through the rock network that was the caves, eyes wide open for any sudden sighting of monsters.
Bezbin was the first they saw. The squirming sphere-like monster of ash topped with a shell bounded from the shadows like some eldricht monster, screaming in some incomprehensible language, if it was language at all.
"Get out its way!" Steve cried, his voice muffled behind his layers of cloth. He fired a few bolts from his crossbow, they embedded themselves in the beast, but it did not stop Bezbin. The beast bounded onto Melagius, enveloping him in its ash. Melagius tried to swear but received nothing but a mouthful of ash for his trouble. With his sword he was able to cut himself free. Bezbin did not stop there, punctured by several bolts fired by Rar, Rovod, Steve and Jessica, he continued onwards, squirming like some unnatural living slime. Waves of ash emerged from his shell, and he spread himself out thin like a film of sludge, sliming towards the group.
MOON TURNS BLUE, HERE ENDS YOU. he said in his voice that resonated from all parts of the ashen slime that made him, like some chorus. It became like a chant,
MOON TURNS BLUE, HERE ENDS YOU.MOON TURNS BLUE, HERE ENDS YOU.MOON TURNS BLUE, HERE ENDS YOU.The ashen sludge climbed the cave walls, spreading like some toxic liquid, his shell edging slowly towards them like some rock being moved by waves. The militia continued to hack at it, their blades and bolts going through and hitting the rock beneath. Then Rar launched one more bolt, and without warning Bezbin suddenly stopped, and the wave fell from the walls, collapsing as though gravity was only now acting upon it, falling onto the cavern fall as lifeless ash, covering the floor in a coating of ashen dust. His shell sat motionless.
"Everyone okay?" Derm asked, wiping his brow as he sheathed his sword.
"Pathetic." Ocade tutted, poking a pile of ash with the point of his sword.
"So, monsters of ash exist?" Jessica pondered, as she ran a gloved hand over Bezbin's shell.
"Aye, the usual story is that they're beasts warped by demons." Muenster explained.
"They are the souls of creatures tortured by Hell, loosed upon the underground to kill others and expand the Legions of Perdition." Kadzar corrected. The nature of the Forgotten Beasts was a basic part of temple dogma, and something that religious thinkers had spent years pondering.
A sudden crash made them all jump. It came from the direction of the forges. A scree like that of a bird rent the air.
"Lish!" Tarran exclaimed, "Damn thing must have flown out of the Lower Levels and into the forges!"
The group sprinted back to the drawbridge. The forges were devoid of life, the only noise was that of the magma bubbling. Meinhard was about to say something when one of the lab's lead doors went flying through the air, smashing into a pillar of rock.
"He's in the lab!" Sandra exclaimed.
As if on cue, another crash sounded from the building.
"Right, it's at the entrance on the far-side. If we go in from the pen, we can avoid being bottle-necked." Loral observed. This course of action was agreed, and they entered through the holding pens. The five Nothing that were caged there sat motionless, eyes staring at the group as they passed. Inside the lab proper, Lish stood by the entrance, crushing the remains of a table with its feet. Had it not been for the slavering jaws, three eyes and huge size, Lish would have been almost comical with its pink feathers. The quail stared them down, not moving.
AH! it said, in what sounded an almost childish voice.
THE INSECTS HAVE COME TO PLAY! WHAT WILL WE PLAY, INSECTS? WHAT CAN WE PLAY?Doc. Steve let off a bolt in response, it pierced Lish's right wing.
SO THE INSECTS HAVE STICKS! LET'S PLAY, INSECTS! LET'S PLAY A GAME, A GREAT GAME, A GAME SO GREAT YOU'LL DIE OF FUN!With that, Lish gave a screech, and launch itself at the group. Jessica, Rar, Rovod and Steve let loose a flurry of bolts. Lish's leap worked against it as it fell upon the combined spears of Xenos, Kadzar's warrior-priests and Meinhard's Jagers. With a pained screech it let loose a stream of gas from its beak until Meinhard's spear pierced its heart and it gave a shudder then was still.
"These Forgotten Beasts are surprisingly frail." Rashem noted, lowering his warhammer, "If these are their best, we will soon have wiped their scourge from the world."
"It's the speaking that annoys me." Rovod chuckled, "I prefer a quiet enemy."
"Is there any significance to their words, Master Kadzar?" Hammer of the Gods asked, deferring to the highest temple authority in the absence of Ibruk.
"I do not know." the zealot replied, "I am sure Master Ibruk would, though. He has studied the prophecies of the Blind Prophet of the Broken Rock, and the Ocean Princess in great depth."
"Right. From what I can tell, no one's got any symptons of poisoning." Steve declared, having examined the Jagers and priests, "I can only guess that the poison is useless, missed, or slow-acting."
"There's still Streti to deal with." Derm pointed out.
As it was, Streti seemed nowhere to be found. The group prowled the caves, but nothing came back to them except silence. Until finally, they heard a dull murmur. Weapons drawn, they approached. But it wasn't Streti, it was a group of strange creatures. Their shapes were vaguely humanoid, but they seemed to be made out of pure darkness, except for shining red eyes, and black sticks topped with a reddish-sphere.
"What in all the layers of the world, are those?" Melagius exclaimed.
"I don't know, but I get the feeling that they're probably not friendly." Rashem said grimly.
His prediction proved true as the creatures notice the group. They let loose a cry, and hefted their sphere-topped sticks. The spheres glowed, and launched what almost seemed to be balls of gas. One hit Fori, it was like being punched. The group retaliated to this attack with a hail of bolts. For all their apparent magic-sticks, the creatures died swiftly, no match at all, and with no casualties on the Nomekastian side except for bruises here and there.
Once dead the group was able to examine them closer.
"Troglodytes." Rar declared.
"Strangest trogs I've ever seen." Melagius said, picking up one of the sticks the troglodytes had used, the entire thing shattered into wisps of black smoke.
"Dark magicz." Meinhard growled. Kadzar nodded,
"These are not troglodytes, they're more some dark creature made from troglodytes."
"It doesn't matter, we still need to find Streti." Loral said. Almost as if on cue, a great roar came from some other section of the caves. The group hurried over, to find their enemy waiting for them.
YOU ARE SLOW, MAGGOTS. Streti said, its voice a refined croak.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO SAVE A WORLD IF YOU KEEP YOUR ENEMIES WAITING?Streti stood motionless, watching them from afar, doing nothing but occasionaly giving a belch.
I DON'T SEE WHY I SHOULD EVEN BOTHER TO FIGHT YOU, YOU PATHETIC HATCHLINGS. WHETHER I LIVE OR DIE, AND WHETHER YOU LIVE OR DIE, NOTHING CHANGES. YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST, YOU INSIGNIFICANT BUGS. YOU HAVE LOST AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN UNDERSTOOD IT YET. The sauropod suddenly stood up,
DO YOU KNOW WHY WE WERE FORGOTTEN? the hatches on the lizard opened,
BECAUSE WE KILLED ALL THOSE WHO EVER SAW US. gas spewed. Jessica opened fire, followed by Rar, Rovod and Steve. The rest of the group hung back until the cloud dissipated somewhat before charging in. Streti gave a loud bellow, and batted Derm away, then headbutted Hammer of the Gods, sending the Goblin flying into a rock pillar. The beast erupted with another cloud of gas that engulfed the fighters. With its tail it slammed into Rovod, making a loud crack that suggested broken bones. Finally though, it collapsed under the weight of the blows.
HEH. YOU REALLY ARE IDIOTS. EVERYTHING IS ALREADY IN PLACE. it managed to croak before Doc. Steve sent a bolt flying into its head and it fell silent.
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Bounce had been getting some fresh air up at the lighthouse when she saw it. Four more refugees. She quickly alerted the rest of the community, who agreed to lower the drawbridge of the compound so that they could get through. They would have to be careful, all their best fighters were down on the Fiery Cistern fighting Streti and company, and the Nothing swarmed above-ground as usual. The four were apart, two came down from the hills, but at opposite ends, the other two were coming fown the valley following the course of the river, again at opposite ends. From what she could see, three looked tall enough to be Humans, Elves or Goblins.
Getting the new refugees in was mercifully easy and bloodless. The Nothing were currently swarming on the opposite side of the river Squeezemunch, away from all-but-one of the refugees. The unlucky refugee caught near them was able to dodge them and get across the bridge and into the compound.
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It was Fori who first showed the symptoms. As the militia made their way back to Nomekast, she gave a hacking cough, and soon became too dizzy to walk. Gutusp followed shortly after, then Xenos, Sandra, Loral and both of Meinhard's Jagers, Reg Medtobiger and Sodel Sikeliton. Derm was at Fori's side within moments, asking if she was alright. The Elf was having trouble breathing, and the beginnings of a fever was showing. The same symptoms showed with the others.
"Streti's poison gas!" Doc. Steve suddenly swore, "Get them to Reg! Quick dammit!"
The group doubled their pace, but those affected seemed to be lethargic, suffering from some partial paralysis. Eventually Gutusp, the most obviously affected out of them, fell, completely unable to move.
"Emxa." she managed to swear in Goblin, before giving a hacking cough that faded into nothing as she became too paralyzed even to breathe. Steve grabbed her, trying his best to help her breathe, but eventually he was forced to give up. Streti's poisonous fumes had done their dark work.
"Get the other's to Reg!" Derm screamed, carefully helping Fori forward.
They had reached the magma forges when a resounding crash alerted them to something.
A humanoid figure wreathed in an aura of flames stood by the forges, propelling fireballs at the structures until the broke and plunged into the magma.
The fire man had clearly not noticed them, instead moving into the already-damaged laboratory. More destruction was heard from within.
"Get the people to the hospital, we will take care of this." Kadzar said firmly, as he and his warrior-priests prepared their spears. Rovod, Rar, Jessica and Rashem remained behind too, crossbows at the ready. The battle with the fire man was brief. The creature was trapped in the laboratory, and was soon pierced through and through by spears and bolts. With a shrieking cry its flames died, leaving nothing but ash behind. But a worse scene met them after they had killed the fire man. Torvold lay dead, burnt to a cinder, within the lab. Evidently the scientist had seen Lish's corpse, and judged it safe enough to return to the lab, only to be surprised by a fire man that no doubt came from the magma pool.
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Fori, Xenos, Loral, Sandra and the Jagers did not suffer the same total-paralysis that Gutusp had. They continued to run a fever against which Reg could do little, and they still had difficulty moving their limbs, still having some partial paralysis, but they could at least breathe. Furthermore Rovod had broken a rib, and Hammer of the Gods had had her upper spine smashed apart, though she could still walk fine, a quick suture and wound-dressing by Reg and she was back training - against the doctor's orders - but training nonetheless.
Stronghammer Fireforge's 'divine inspiration' or simply 'strange mood' as many people simply called it, ended soon after the militia returned. Despite having no knowledge of weaving (his area of expertise was mass-scale industry, not artisanship) he had made a cave spider silk bag. Ibruk did not try to explain what exactly it was supposed to represent, the priest staying mostly quiet in the face of the tragedy and drama that had recently occurred, apparently unwilling to stir the hornets' nest.
The four newcomers were introduced; Reno Monty, a Human marksman who had escaped his village as it was destroyed. Dohon, a hammerdwarf and metalsmith who Stronghammer was pleased to welcome to the expanding industrial base of Nomekast. Ugo Sosleng, an eloquent Goblin scientist from one of those rare multiracial cities, who quickly became very interested in taking over Torvold's experiments on the Nothing, and was delighted to find Dos Panzermench's schematics and plans that Torvold had never had the time to experiment with. And finally, a grim Human who simply went by the name 'Juggernaut'. It soon became clear he was a zealous Armok worshipper, with the bloodthirstiness to match. He disagreed with Ibruk however, when shown the temple, declaring a battlefield to be a better shrine than a pile of rocks.
Gutusp and Torvold's funerals took place the following day. Most people hadn't known the Goblin-raised Dwarf very well, except for Bax and some of the other Goblins, but in a place that seemed almost constantly under siege by some eldricht monster or another, the loss of any fighter - and Gutusp had been an able fighter - was bad. Meanwhile, her Elven protege, the boy she had insisted was still her slave was put under the care of the fort's Elven community. Torvold on the other hand, had been one of the founding members of the community, and had been responsible for the trapped corridor and many of the mechanical defences that had kept Nomekast safe. While he had sometimes seemed rather insane, he had still been a good Dwarf by anyone's standards.
As the 4th Limestone ended, there was little in the way of celebration for surviving the trio of Forgotten Beasts that had attacked them. Two deaths, seven wounded, six of which were still running high fevers and partially paralyzed and some strange new threat down in the caverns, while on the surface the Nothing still sat in their great swarm, waiting for their prey.
Again, if anyone whose character has died wants another, just ask.
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 180288 times)