Author Topic: The Game! (Read 24059 times)

Raineh Daze · « **Reply #60 on:** October 09, 2019, 12:15:38 AM »

"I'm Tiny," the girl pipes up, cheerfully adding her voice to the introductions, "Um... I like to eat. The people outside were getting upset that I was eating the walls and floor too."

dman · « **Reply #61 on:** October 09, 2019, 12:33:01 AM »

"Tiny! What a perfect name! It just so happens that I like to eat a lot too. Though...you can keep the doors, walls, and magic exploding candies. I just like living creatures...err...once living creatures. I look forward to getting to know you."

Skyrock · « **Reply #62 on:** October 09, 2019, 03:37:00 PM »

The 'wizard' bows slightly.

"Magister Gaius Quintus Astrares, of the Liberators of the Flowing Waters. You will meet many of us during your journey, hopefully beginning soon with our wilderness guide."

Nytemare3701 · « **Reply #63 on:** October 09, 2019, 11:25:16 PM »

With your destination settled, you set off across the plains towards the main road 100 miles to the north. By taking this "North till road, THEN
West til Sharn" approach, you should be able to avoid any Scions planning to take the more direct NW-SE route to Yarkuun Draal from Sharn.

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skydragonknight · « **Reply #64 on:** October 10, 2019, 01:42:27 PM »

Tanya stops for a moment and picks up a stone with writing on it.

"Can't read."

She looks at the stone and to the broken and buried cart and shrugs.

Skyrock · « **Reply #65 on:** October 10, 2019, 03:13:58 PM »

"Allow me to take a look."

The Magister affectedly produces a magnifying glass, strokes his beard and reads off the script:

"May the death of this traveler provide wisdom to those who follow: Always bring a spare wheel. Clearly we are dealing with the grave site of some dwarves who brought a wagon to do a footman's job."

dman · « **Reply #66 on:** October 10, 2019, 08:44:39 PM »

"It strikes me as a bit strange to find a marked grave site in the middle of these plains. I wonder if there's anything interesting here."

Slake digs around and tastes a chunk of the floura.

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skydragonknight · « **Reply #67 on:** October 11, 2019, 07:35:35 AM »

Tanya just watches Slake dig around and does what she does best: stand guard.

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VennDygrem · « **Reply #68 on:** October 11, 2019, 12:27:49 PM »

Razor makes no special notice of the stinging details, tumbling about in a display of restlessness while Slake examines the cart.

"When do we go to this 'civilization'? I am starting to get hungry, but I can wait a few more days to feed. I am prefer sooner."

Nytemare3701 · « **Reply #69 on:** October 11, 2019, 10:41:40 PM »

Upon further examination, the rock has a small seam running along it, opening up to reveal a small hollow inside. Contained within is a House Kundarak letter of credit with the owner listed as Durul Bitterbraids. The letter is of little use unless you happen to be the owner, or at the very least their next of kin.

Raineh Daze · « **Reply #70 on:** October 13, 2019, 09:23:02 AM »

Tiny pokes away curiously at the cart wheel, then opens her mouth... disturbingly wide and takes a bite out of it.

From the expression on her face, wagon wheels aren't very tasty.

Nanshork · « **Reply #71 on:** October 13, 2019, 03:34:27 PM »

Ceir watches all of this and takes many mental notes.

dman · « **Reply #72 on:** October 14, 2019, 06:56:35 PM »

"Well, let's see if we can get to the bottom of this." The professor chuckles to himself.

He steps before the stone markers and inhales deeply. Six enormous tentacles plunge into the soil twisting and screwing down. An enormous block of earth that used to be the gravesite lurches up like a growing volcano. The mound rises up and crumbles into chunks that appear to be riding on a writhing sea of gigantic nightcrawlers. Slake withdraws his tentacles and looks around.

"There we are, gentleman. Any sign of dwarven remains?"

VennDygrem · « **Reply #73 on:** October 14, 2019, 07:40:27 PM »

Now Razor was impressed. This isn't something you see every day, especially if you've been locked up in solitary containment.

They peer at the mound of exhumed earth, narrowing their eyes and looking for the remains sought by the tentacle-man, but they see nothing but dirt.

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Nytemare3701 · « **Reply #74 on:** October 15, 2019, 04:36:42 PM »

Turning over the earth yields the remains of a single stocky humanoid. He appears to have been buried without any identifying features, save for a small signet ring on his left hand.

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Skyrock · « **Reply #75 on:** October 15, 2019, 04:57:49 PM »

The Magister plants a jeweler's lupe into his right eye socket and gives the ring a good look.

"The purpose of this ring is two-fold. For one thing, it serves as a going-away gift of dwarf clans to their younglings going on their journey away from the subterranean homestead. For another, it identifies the wearer as a member of the mercantile branch of House Kundarak.

I deduct, this poor fellow has in his better and meatier days been the same Durul Bitterbraids who the letter of credit has been issued to. Now if we had any idea what he has looked like in life, this ring could prove invaluable in impersonating him and laying claim on the riches promised in the letter and use them to fund our noble quest. The Liberators of the Flowing Waters include dwarves, some of them very skilled in the art of deception and disguise."

The Magister produces a non-descript grin.

dman · « **Reply #76 on:** October 15, 2019, 06:33:05 PM »

"We could reconstruct this skeleton and inspect his skull to get some ideas about body type and facial features. There's also a surprisingly auspicious chance that enough organic matter remains in the bones that I could reconstitute him. I know it sounds unbelievable, but I have recently heard accounts that even the oldest fossilized remains of the ancient giants have considerable organic matter preserved within them. What a find that would be, eh?"

Slake licks his lips reflexively.

"What's your opinion, Mr. Zhenmess?"

The professor lifts the skull between his hands and gives it a thorough examination.

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Nanshork · « **Reply #77 on:** October 16, 2019, 08:20:40 PM »

Ceir is happy to be consulted but looks puzzled.

"I have no knowledge of your method of reconstitution, nor do I know how long he has been buried here. I doubt that any reconstruction just from the physical remains before us would be particularly accurate, but the amount of accuracy required would be purely dependent upon how intimately Durul Bitterbraids was known by the person the letter of credit is presented to so the matter might be moot."

dman · « **Reply #78 on:** October 16, 2019, 11:57:31 PM »

"In that case..." Professor Slake tosses the skull up into the air and catches it in a huge tentacle mouth... CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCHY! Crunch crunch crunchy crunch Gulp!

Another two tentacles streak out and inhale the remaining bones and surrounding earth.

"Now I just sit and wait to see if the pattern takes hold in my subconscious. You see. I have come to discover that each creature... with of course a few exceptions...is possessed of a unique body pattern, and that those patterns differ in minor degree amongst creatures of the same kind and in major degree in comparison with those of a different kind. Though, they do seem to be formed from one fundamental substance. Something about my own physiology allows me to decode that substance, store those patterns on an intuitive level, and physically reconstitute them. The result is a new life possessed of a body pattern identical to the parent, but of course, uniquely inspirited - the original soul having left it's host body long ago. Being able to read the creator's code is a talent for which I am most indebted to the divine."

The professor gazes meaningfully at Hal-El and bows in gratitude. The angel makes a Holy gesture with his hands and looks up to the heavens.

"What I find both amazing and frustrating is that even a creature of my expansive intellect is, or at least has been, unable to consciously comprehend said body patterns - the complexity of which must truly be titanic. I suppose that makes me a mere imitator rather than a true God."

Hal-El coughs audibly.

"Quite right. Forgive me. That certainly came off as tremendously more pretentious than I intended. Anyway. I believe companion Razor mentioned something about finding fresh food."

VennDygrem · « **Reply #79 on:** October 20, 2019, 02:04:09 PM »

Razor appears unfazed by Slake's display, instead clacking their sharpened fingernails together while awaiting the end of the professor's monologue.

"I am good for some days. I think we find food on the journey. If you are being done with the bones, then we can being gone from here, yes?"

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Author Topic: The Game! (Read 24059 times)