[three_fourth]
[Insert narrator voice]
Previously, in Quinland: Aurora and Spike give a broadcast about Silkball to a large piece of glass. After Spike falls asleep, or something similar, Aurora decides to try the substance only described as “Dr. Feelgood.” Aurora can’t handle the strength of the substance [and who could?] and falls asleep near Spike. Simon investigates why the broadcast is taking so long to find the two fast asleep in the smoky room.
For reasons not yet known, Simon carefully positions Aurora and Spike into something suggestive and moves the ‘camera’ into an optimal position to see it all. Having left without a sound, Spike awakes to find Aurora lying on him, and panics. Aurora, rejected instantly by Spike, and aware of the camera’s presence, instantly develops a confused guilt.
Spike, in an effort to come clean to the officers first, hosts a picnic on one of the smaller Zeal Islands. Lost inside himself, Spike’s condition takes a turn for the worse as an immediate intervention is needed to prevent Spike’s suicidal behaviors. As he attempts to impress with his spread, Grace notices his pilfering from her kitchen and he excuses himself rapidly and hides in the forest for the remainder of the meal, unable to face anyone.
Spike decided to hang out at the picnic site, preferring loneliness to being around Simon and krewe. Crysania, however, had plans to go and flush him out. Crysania stole the camera and sent Spike into another panic. She also introduced thoughts of Brickhouse into his mind and left him to his own devices, wandering the forest near the picnic site. Upon return from the successful camera obtaining operation, Aurora finds Simon but wrestles with what she should do. She confronts Simon with the intent of coming clean, but when Simon gives hints that he may know, her guilt overcomes her and gives him an escape opportunity.
Spike’s affection for Brickhouse trumps all and he arrives at Crysania’s Tower a broken man. With Spike, Simon, and the Camera all in one place, the plan is coming along nicely. Crysania offers that some of her clan will reincarnate [in 250 years or so] as Norn, just for Spike. That promise, along with beer, brightens up his spirits and the mood inside the tower becomes festive once more. It wasn’t long before MurderDeathQuin was enjoying a hard jam session and all was, almost, forgotten.
Having strengthened her resolve, Aurora joins MDQ in the tower, but freezes when she sees everyone and the camera. Aurora resigned herself that Simon knows, but Spike had no idea, which shattered the resolve of Aurora once and for all and she flees the tower. Spike ensured she was ok, while Simon offered more heart-wrenching words from above. With nothing but desperation left, she confesses only to be told it was ok in a strangely casual manner. Simon offered friendship and seemed more-or-less unaffected by the tale. Aurora and Spike breathe a sigh of relief and leave the Tower to cool down and Simon admits, only to Crysania, that a break-up was his plan all along.
—
Aurora was pacing inside of Grace’s famous kitchen, the sound of her boots form an unofficial rhythm to the conversation.
Aurora: I can’t believe this. I just can’t @#$%ing believe this. My Simon!
Grace and Balreth are just helpless to watch as Aurora’s mind spirals deeper and deeper into the madness that she should have already experienced being around MurderDeathQuin so much. Grace gently puts a plate of spiced meat and fresh vegetables in front of Balreth, who appears to be very content to take off his Dragon Gauntlets and eat. Grace sees Balreth about to place the gauntlets on her clean kitchen island and shoos him quickly. Balreth, in turn, simply places them on the stool next to him and refocuses on his plate.
Aurora: Those useless people just hang around the Zeal Islands. I mean, really, what good are any of them?
Grace doesn’t bother to turn away from her own food preparations: Are you asking what good is Crysania?
Aurora backs down slightly: Well, not Crysania.
Balreth puts down his fork: Dandd-
Aurora interjects: Ok, not Dandd either.
Grace wonders aloud: Then who ARE you talking about?
Aurora stamps her foot loudly: Spike and Simon! Oooh, Band Members, leeching off of Crysania is what they do!
Balreth coughs abruptly, causing an immediate panic in Grace.
Balreth wipes his mouth and composes himself: You mean Spike Baltrihper, the independently successful ranger that helps expand Order of the Stuff Trade Routes and procurer of rare and exotic foods, ales …and other questionable substances, for the Guild? The Silkball creator? Training Partner and fellow Scout to and with Crysania? That Spike?
Aurora is unwilling to back down: Fine. Simon! So he has a flaming head and can’t get his lines straight. Oooh, how valuable.
Grace quietly moves Balreth’s gauntlets away and sits next to him with her own plate of food: Simon? Isn’t he Crysania’s right-hand in this M-Team I keep hearing about?
Balreth nods with a mouthful of food, and eventually speaks: Yep. When Crysania brought in Simon from the Jungle near Droch-
Aurora visibly gags, and surprises herself by doing so.
-into the team with Gwen and Norgu, Crysania’s success rate improved quite a bit.
Aurora continues to be inflexible: So he helps Crysania kill stuff, and helps make everyone laugh. Whoopee.
Balreth and Grace exchange puzzled looks.
Grace puts down her fork and focuses all attention on Aurora: Sweetie, what do YOU do?
Aurora opens her mouth, but no words come out. Her face begins to contort with the expressions of a painful truth, followed by combative body postures. Aurora was not going to lose to: Simon, The whole M-Team, The Zeal Islands, or even all that is Hoolequin. She composed herself with clenched teeth and prepared her words carefully. When she was ready to speak, she once again opened her mouth and-
Balreth waves: Hey Simon!
Aurora’s momentum vanished, her concentration shattered. She watched helplessly as Simon walked past her offering only a wave as he moved towards The Duke and Countess. Her shoulders sagged, her back slumped and her knees felt weak. Aurora’s mind was screaming countless words per minute but no one could hear them. Aurora was vulnerable, cold, in an alien environment.
Simon: Balreth, Crysania wants you to [Bleep] her in her tower when you’re done here.
Grace’s feathers ruffle: Excuse me?
Simon: I said “Crysania wants you to meet her in her tower when you’re done here.”
Grace looks at Simon with skepticism, but says nothing.
Balreth nods: and roger.
Simon consults his list, and shakes his head: Nope. You, Spike, Simon- Oh hey! That’s me…-Oh yeah, Crysania and Dandd.
Balreth furrows his brow: hmmmm…
Simon looks at Aurora, and his flame grows bigger.
Aurora takes an offensive stance: What?
Simon: You to something I tell have.
Balreth moves everything away from his vicinity: This ought to be good.
Aurora waits with an uninspired look.
Simon: Fake…uhh…is camera the. Uhh…You up Spike set I and.
Aurora’s wall melts, and she was rendered stunned.
Simon continues nervously: friends to wanted I just be.
The tears well up in Aurora’s eyes and she retreated within herself so far that she didn’t notice the Henchman storm into the kitchen yelling “Order 66!” She didn’t see the other three scramble in her direction, nor did she feel the dagger pierce her body. She was dead inside before she was dead outside, and her lifeless body hit the floor with her expression of amazed dismantlement frozen on her face.
Grace grabbed her knife and fork and pummeled several henchmen into lumps of organic material on the floor of her kitchen. She yelled “Not in my kitchen!” but both Simon and Balreth were so mesmerized by the melee that they scarcely heard her. Once the red was gone from all eyes, the three stood over the bodies of Aurora and the Henchmen and wondered what’s next. They did a quick perimeter sweep near the kitchen to find nothing out of the ordinary.
Balreth turns to Simon: Did Crysania send you to test my guard force?
Simon sticks his hands in the air: No way dood, she would rather [Bleep] you herself.
Grace clears her throat conspicuously.
Simon panics: Seriously dood! She does her own tests! Besides, I’m not really the sneaking type.
Balreth looks at Grace and nods.
Grace sighs: You two might as well see what Crysania wants. I’ll clean up here. I’ll get some monks and prison cells ready.
Simon looks at Aurora, then at Balreth and nods: here get lets of out.
Balreth quietly chuckles, but leads Simon out of the fortress and onto White Base. To the Zeal Islands! Balreth asks Simon about Aurora, but gains nothing new or exciting. It appears that Simon really did want to be friends with Aurora, just friends. Balreth and Simon almost reach Wiki by the time Aurora is revived and vows to leave Quinland for good. Grace stands quietly and watches Aurora depart.
Grace, after a few moments, asks a Stuff Monk Henchman: Seriously, what did she do?
The henchman only shrugs in return.
—
Crysania, Dandd and Spike are all in Crysania’s tower discussing troubling news. Lalandra and some HQI Henchmen have reported that attacks have been carried out all across Quinland and on various patrols. Even Nyx was wounded in an attack in the Menagerie. They all claim that “Order 66” was their warcry. Crysania was saddened, but not surprised, when Balreth arrived to report the Fortress was attacked as well. She stood, glowing hands neatly held against her back, staring at her map of Quinland in quiet thought.
Dandd crosses out several items on his parchment while shaking his head. Spike looks at some rolled up organic material, then puts it away with a long sigh. Simon sits down next to his friend Spike and mumbles something about Aurora. Spike tries to give comfort to Simon while Balreth quietly takes a seat around the large gaming table. The lack of noise is eerie for a place normally so lively. The hub of the Guild has gone quiet.
Crysania’s senses were in full-gear. She sternly yelled “Report!” before the HQI Henchman had even made it halfway up the tower. He didn’t appear to be phased, as he reported with confidence that all areas of Quinland, save the Zeal Islands, had been attacked but he did not have full reports on all parties out in Tyria. Henchman #1 salutes but Crysania motions for him to take a seat, to which a quick compliance was executed.
Balreth looked at the map: No attacks here, huh?
Crysania sighs painfully.
Spike shrinks in his seat: I don’t like it when she does that.
Henchman #1 asks innocently: Why?
Dandd: Because whatever she says next is something she’d rather not do.
Henchman #1: oh.
Crysania: We must invade and reclaim the Menagerie.
Balreth leads the various puzzled looks that Crysania is given.
Crysania points to the map of Quinland. She explains that the first reports indicate an attack in the Menagerie and the Temple, which are closer to each other than the Fortress or the Islands. She explains that reports about the attack had come in before Balreth had arrived, showing further that they were not first targets. Furthermore, The Orders of Beta, and S&C have few Henchmen, so it would be harder to infiltrate. Lastly, Nyx was the only one injured so that might be the densest population or at least closest to their Headquarters.
Crysania: Salah and his Hellequin are watching over Nyx and other Friend members wounded in the attack. Lalandra is on her way back to the Temple to ensure no further damage is done while we discover: who and where.
Balreth nods: I should head back to the Fortress then.
Crysania disagrees: No. I think the five of us should stick together. They’ve planned this much, I’m sure there is more in store.
Dandd looks around: Five?
Crysania grins: Yes, You’re coming with us. I want Henchman #1 to stay here and receive reports as they come in. Jeni can keep an eye on Wiki.
Dandd mutters: …if she doesn’t burn it down.
Spike: Come on! It’ll be like old times.
Balreth: Surely you have some tricks still up your sleeve, old man?
Simon: I would be honored to [Bleep] with the King!
Dandd sighs: Fine. I’m staying in the back, however.
Crysania nods.
In a matter of moments, a map of the Menagerie is spread across the table.
Crysania, mainly talking to Balreth, starts pointing: Here is Nyx’s quarters. Here is her Archery Range where she was attacked. Janie was not known to be involved at this point. Here is the front door. Here are the Friend Barracks outside. Here is the White Base Port.
Balreth nods, while Henchman #1 becomes visibly lost in thought.
Crysania continues: Nyx has her Menagerie separated into biosphere style districts and they are as follows: The Western Beach with White Crab, Reef Lurker, Rainbow Phoenix, and Imperial Phoenix. The Farm with: Warthog, and Moa Bird. The Central River with: Moss Spider, Crocodile, Crane, Lurker and Flamingo. The Western Plains with: White Tiger, and Tiger. The Northern Rocks with: Lynx, Jahai Rat and Raven. The Northern Dunes with: Hyena, Dune Lizard, Iguana, Lion, and Lioness. The Central Hills with: Melandru’s Stalker, Mountain Eagle and Black Bear. The Northeast Caves with: Wolf, Black Wolf and Black Moa. The Southeast Caves with: Black Widow, Albino Rat, and her Saltspray Dragon. Lastly, the Eastern Snows with: Polar Bear, White Wolf, White Moa, Jingle Bear and, White Jingle Moa. There are other animals as well but in lesser numbers.
While Spike nods in appreciation, Balreth displays surprise.
Crysania sees Balreth’s look and adds: She’s a ranger at heart, and don’t let her tell you otherwise.
Spike flexes triumphantly.
Henchman #1 interrupted everyone’s admiration of Nyx’s work: Empress, what is this?
Crysania looks to a spot on the map near the Farm and the Training Pen: That’s the well near the Central River.
Simon’s flame bursts momentarily: No. The well is up higher near the Northern Rocks.
Henchman #1 disagrees.
Dandd looks up from his parchment: Are you sure?
Simon’s flame dies down gently: Yeah…I took Aurora there. We used to watch the water that fell from up here and wondered how the Mists worked.
Henchman #1: We did not build two wells in the Menagerie. While I’m surprised the one near the Farm is on the map, there is no well near the caves.
Simon crosses his arms as his flame turns angry colors: Yes, there is.
Crysania moves to diffuse the mood quickly: Why don’t we just go and look for ourselves?
Dandd was the first to stand: I am most certainly coming along. The records need to be set straight and maps updated.
Crysania was the second to stand: That’s the spirit.
Balreth grinned: Not that you know anything about spirit[s].
Simon joins: Balreth doesn’t know anything about [Bleep] either.
Spike decides it’s a good time to light up.
It was settled. The HQI Henchman was going to operate as a message receiver while the other five departed for the Menagerie to investigate the wells and the henchmen activity. Grace and her most loyal followers set up a defensive watch on the Fortress, as did Lalandra at the Temple. While Nyx and Georgia recover from the day’s events, Dandd joins the party in an active role for the first time in a long time. Crysania keeps everyone’s focus in check, trying to offset the saddening effect of having to investigate someone or some group from within the guild.
—
White Base departs from the Menagerie port. The assembled five stand in place, taking in all their surroundings.
Dandd shuffles uncomfortably: Does this place just seem to, I don’t know, grow on its own?
Balreth agrees: It does feel larger every time I come here.
Dandd retorts: That’s what she said.
Simon agrees as well: It should feel larger every time you [Bleep] here.
Crysania and Spike crack up a bit. Simon’s morale boosts are well needed as no one is exactly excited to go through with this. While Balreth’s busy explaining, in intricate detail, the many ways to put out a fire, Crysania has begun to walk to the Menagerie proper. Spike offers his sincere hopes that all the critters in the Menagerie are unharmed and vows to inflict excruciating pain over long periods of time to anyone who harms them.
Crysania smiles: That would be adorable except I know you’re serious.
Spike finishes the …something flammable… that he started in Zeal, but appears to be un-phased one way or another. His unusually steely gaze remains fixed on the Menagerie. His sense of urgency is only matched by Crysania. This becomes self-evident when the other three yell to catch up, their pace considerably slower than the Guild Leader and her Norn-seeking friend’s. Crysania beckons for them to instead speed up, knowing Spike is ready to start writing names, or ‘To Whom It May Concern,’ on his arrows.
The short walkway, cut through a forest of thin white trees, gives way to a well worn patch of dirt with multiple buildings all built with the care expected of Hoolequindustries. Crysania points out: the domed Menagerie, the Order of the Friend Barracks, Nyx’s Announcement Board, the Quarantine Pen, and several other buildings necessary for the execution of Guild and Order affairs; her warning that it gets loud inside the dome was not needed but received many nods anyway.
Spike’s eagerness shows through: Where do we start?
The five turn to face each other, forming a circle of conversation. Spike’s willingness to go anywhere doesn’t help, and Simon’s relative cluelessness is equally unhelpful. Balreth, ever the Guild CSM, wants to head to the duty area and interrogate the Friend on Duty as well as the Duty Logs. Dandd wants to go poking around the Quarantine Pen and Prisons thinking the undesirables might have a clue. Crysania states that she’s going for the wells directly and will forcechoke henchmen that may prevent her from doing so. It doesn’t take long for the consensus to form that Crysania’s plan is the one to act on. Spike was several steps in that direction by the time everyone agreed.
The ever-bustling entrance to the Menagerie did not disappoint. Orders of the Friend Members, primarily, were moving to and fro as if it was just a normal day in Quinland. Spike’s impatience got the better of him as he grabbed a henchman at random and pinned him against the wall, holding a dagger up menacingly. Balreth hurried over to calm Spike.
Balreth, soothingly: Spike, You best not get into trouble with Nyx. This is not the path for you to take.
Spike nods and sighs. He sheaths his dagger and takes a couple steps back, only for Balreth to step in and backhand the henchman with his Dragon Gauntlet, stunning almost everyone in attendance. Dandd strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation while Crysania and Simon exchange quiet cheers.
Spike opens his mouth to speak, but Balreth interrupts: I’m an officer of the Guild, as is she. We can handle it Officer-to-Officer.
Spike understands and smiles warmly.
Balreth turns back to the Henchman: What’s Order 66?
That very question sends people moving again, some in quite the hurry but in all different directions. Crysania doesn’t know who to follow, so she just stays to listen to Balreth and the Friend Henchman. The henchman, more startled than harmed, offers only ignorance as a response. Balreth’s threats change nothing from the demeanor of the Henchman, nor does the threat of forcechoke. Dandd, having seen enough, suggests the Henchman may have only heard of it the same as they have and is otherwise not involved. Balreth, while skeptical, listens to the advice of the Loremaster and allows the Friend Member to go forth and change his pants.
Crysania shrugs: So much for stealth.
Spike grips his dagger firmly: @#$% ‘em.
Dandd: Well: The Loremaster, Duke, and MDQ all travelling together isn’t exactly inconspicuous.
Crysania grins: You mean “King”
Dandd /shoo: Trifles.
Crysania: Says the someone who nominated me Empress.
Balreth: And you’ll never live that down.
Crysania /shoo: Trifles.
The three share a good laugh, but Simon and Spike had a realization: “We’re somebodies!” They shouted with glee.
Simon pronounced victoriously: Get down with your turtle self!
Crysania jumped in: Excellent!
Spike continued: Awesome!
Balreth shouted: Bossa Nova!
The mood stopped abruptly, the other four all looking at him strangely.
Balreth attempted to salvage what he could: uhhh…Chevy Nova?
Dandd puts a hand to Balreth’s Forehead: Hmmm…not quite ripe.
Crysania puts her serious face back on: Ok, Quin. We have a Menagerie to explore.
The party mentally prepared themselves to enter the Menagerie, knowing full well that the spectacle outside was more than enough to warn anyone who might be there. Crysania’s Concern, Spike’s Eagerness, Dandd’s Curiosity, Balreth’s Loyalty, and Simon’s Innocence make an interesting search party but nonetheless they press on. As they approached, they were greeted warmly by a Friend Hero, who identified herself as the Hero on Duty and current supervisor of the Training Pens. Spike’s hands caressed his dagger handles, but Crysania did the talking.
Friend Hero: Empress! What brings you down here?
The party stopped as Crysania stopped. She looked up at the Hero quizzically: Do you really not know?
The Friend Hero’s nervousness shot through the domed roof. She attempted to stutter out an answer, but was left standing there as the Party simply left her stammering at the door. The party began to fan out and search as they approached the Farm and Training Pens. The Hero on Duty caught up with Crysania, only to be confused.
Crysania, coldly: Where is your well?
The Friend Hero’s nervousness died just as rapidly as it rose: The Well? Right over here, Empress.
The Hero on Duty led Crysania to the well. She stood there in quiet confusion as Crysania touched each stone, inspected the rope, the crank, the bucket and the grounds immediately around it. She called out for Balreth and Dandd and invited them to lead their own inspection. Balreth began immediately while Crysania and Dandd discussed the consequences of finding what appears to be a perfectly normal and functioning well. Balreth joined the conversation, agreeing with Crysania that the well is to standard and functioning properly.
Dandd: This one was the one on the map.
Balreth added: And HQI confirms building it.
Crysania turned to the Friend Hero: What is this used for and how often?
The Friend Hero regains some of her nervousness. This seems like an obvious answer but she offers it anyway: Umm…This provides clean water for the Training Pens. We also use it to bathe critters here in the Menagerie, the ones that like it anyway. We, umm, use it all the time. We could, technically use the Central River, but we use this so often that it saves a lot of time carrying water. Nyx requested this be built herself.
Crysania looks at Balreth and Dandd. Both seem to be satisfied with the answer, but the Legendary Vanquisher is thorough. She calls for Spike, who appeared to be mimicking young Flamingos in one of the Pens. He fell over, startled by Crysania’s shout, which promptly startled the birds as well. Multiple Friend Henchmen move in to try to calm them before feathers get thrown about. Spike swiftly joined the discussion with a salute. Simon joined as well, wondering what was going on.
Crysania smiles at Spike and points to the well: Go for a Dive.
Spike squeaks in excitement and drops his weapons at Balreth’s feet. With no hesitation, Spike leaps down the well, barely avoiding the bucket that was being raised to not be broken. A couple moments and some bubbles later, Spike surfaces with a disappointed look on his face. Spike describes the smooth walls, clean water and lack of anything shiny as if those were bad qualities. Crysania instructs the Friend Hero to get him out, and she moves to get a team and rope.
Crysania: It’s not this one.
Balreth agrees: To the other one?
Crysania nods and they move out to follow the river north to the other reported well. Simon stays behind to help pull Spike out. Crysania likes the idea, as she doesn’t want anyone on their own until this Order 66 business has been sorted out. They walk along the river in amazement. Crysania explains to Balreth and Dandd how Janie is now Nyx’s talking archery target. She tells them the story about the grenades and Nyx going Commando. They talk about the impressive feat of having so many species living together in one dome. They wonder how much longer it will be until Nyx admits she’s a Ranger with Necrosis. Crysania even informs them that Nyx has taken to paragon philosophies as well, and there were warm smiles between them; reflecting upon their wounded comrade both lightened spirits and strengthened resolves.
Balreth, Dandd, and Crysania arrive at the northern section of the Menagerie without as much as a glimpse of a Hero or Henchman. It’s loud but quiet at the same time. Perhaps it’s Crysania’s imagination.
Dandd, looking up: This waterfall comes down from Zeal?
Crysania nods: Yep.
Balreth looks puzzled: How?
Crysania shrugs helplessly: I haven’t a clue. I can tell you it was no HQI invention.
Dandd plays with his beard: How does the lake in Zeal not dry up, or at least stop draining?
Crysania shrugs again: I just chalk it up to the Mists. This wouldn’t happen in Tyria, that’s for sure.
The three agree that understanding isn’t an option at the moment and return for their search for the second well. It wasn’t long until Spike and Simon catch up, with Simon becoming instantly alarmed. Crysania asks her M-Team Member what the cause for the alarm is, and the excited Simon struggles to give an answer. After a few moments of calming down, Simon informs the party that the well is gone. Simon moves to the top of a small hill and gestures to where it should have been. While Spike folds his arms impatiently, the other three are more suspicious.
Dandd: Our fiery companion is not one for tall tales of this sort.
Balreth: Especially with a fiery conviction like this.
Crysania, perhaps because she’s closer to it, examines the terrain. She looks at the grass and slope from the river all the way to the hilly areas nearby. The one she’s standing on, the one Simon is pouting over, seems slightly out of place in an otherwise flat spot. There’s another little hill nearby, closer to the incline of the hilly areas and she sends Spike and Simon to investigate. While Balreth investigates the interior wall of the Menagerie near the waterfall, Dandd is looking at the map again.
Balreth looks kind of silly, flattened against the wall and trying to find a secret switch or pressure plate but his searches are in vain. Spike and Simon can’t find anything and Dandd’s map check proves less than helpful as well. Crysania moves to look at the map herself, when something strikes her as odd. Balreth moves over quickly, recognizing that look. His speed prompts the other two to return as well.
Balreth grins: Never bet against the Newtype.
Dandd rolls up his map: Indeed.
Crysania begins gesturing downwards: Look at all this grass near the river here. It’s wonderful. However, look at this circular area here, on top of the hill. It’s there, but it’s not quite the same. That and the ground is softer up here, not hard as it is down there.
Balreth takes the couple steps to the spot Crysania’s talking about and shrugs: I don’t feel a difference.
Crysania points down: Take off your boots and feel for yourself.
Balreth shakes his head: I’ll take your word for it.
Spike is lying, face down, on the dirt: It isn’t as well packed either. This is either wind or shovel.
Dandd: And seeing as wind is a non-issue inside…
Simon: Shovels don’t have we.
Crysania smiles: But we have a Geomancer.
Balreth flexes and encourages everyone to step back. As gently as he can, he casts Sandstorm on top of the hill. The dirt bouncing and swirling around an audibly metallic surface was all the proof this party needed. Something was buried here! Dandd updates the map as the other four do what they can to clear off this metallic object. During the careful earth relocation operation, the Friend Hero came to ensure everything was ok.
Crysania’s hands began glowing with accumulated energy almost instantly upon her arrival, and the Hero almost fell over in fright. She fell to her knees begging to not be demoted. Crysania’s intent faded, as did the intensity of her glow. It made sense now. Crysania shouted out that The Friend Hero was not involved, but is concerned about rolling heads and the direction of @#$% and hills.
The Friend Hero, understanding that she’s no longer in imminent danger, tried her best to convince the group that she has no idea what that is or even if there is anything there at all. She explains that the Officers on Duty tend to the training, feeding, and bathing of the young critters while instructing henchmen in proper critter handling and care. They don’t perform much habitat maintenance as Nyx wants as natural of environments as possible in the Menagerie – that includes intentionally not straying far into the lairs of adult critters. The Marquise prefers to do that herself, more often than not.
Crysania: Which would give a renegade group time and space to do something when Nyx isn’t around.
The Friend Hero looks down, nervously: I suppose so.
Balreth shouts: You might want to see this!
Crysania dismisses the Friend Hero and instructs that no one is to leave the normal area of operations, regardless of noise or activity until one of the five says otherwise.
The Friend Hero salutes and moves back to her normal area, with amazing speed.
Situated in the ground was a round stone, bearing an inscription and naught else. The stone was perfectly round and smooth with no discernible handles or gripping points at all. Spike’s attempts to get a dagger in the edges fail, and pressing one’s ear to the stone only delivers the sound of the nearby waterfall. There are no other clues except the inscription, and that is written in a format that foreign to all five members.
Simon’s flame dies down: @#$% Oh.
Spike: I’ll stab it, shoot it, eat it, perhaps flirt with it, but translate? I’m not high enough for this.
Crysania interjects quickly: No getting high. We don’t know what’s down here and I need my top scout sharp.
Spike leaps to his feet beaming with pride: Aye, that be true.
Crysania: Spike, Simon, go and bring us: Food, Drink, Parchment, and Rope. We will work on getting this open. No getting high!
Dandd adds: And my Dungeons and Dragons DM Tables Book. Jeni will know which one I’m referring to.
Simon stands up with purpose: Doesn’t high get sure he make I’ll.
Spike salutes: Quin or Quit.
Dandd takes a seat on the ground near the inscribed metal, as do Balreth and Crysania. He looks at his learned friend and asks: Are you sure you’ve never seen something like this?
Balreth /ponder: I think I have, but…
Crysania giggles: But he’s seen so much, it’s hard to recall it all.
Dandd nods enthusiastically: That’s my problem exactly, this seems familiar but I don’t know why.
Crysania lies down, staring at the waterfall: Process of elimination time.
Balreth sighs: Oh boy.
Dandd: This could take a while.
Crysania begins: Charrscript?
Balreth: Not a chance.
Crysania: Asuran?
Dandd traces the glyphs with his fingers: I don’t think so, this isn’t technical enough.
Crysania: Human?
Balreth scoffs: I doubt it.
Crysania: Remember: Krytan, Ascalonian, Orrian, and Margonite all went different ways.
Dandd /ponder: Orrian if any, Margonite glyphs are more visual and the other two are practically the common tongue.
Balreth: Orr sank long before we came here. If they did this, it probably hasn’t been opened in a very long time, as in eons long.
Dandd: Yeah, like your enlistment date long.
Balreth fires back: Look who’s talking, Mr. “I Kinda Wrote The Book On All That”
Dandd winces: You remember that?
Balreth grins: Page 31, old man.
Dandd looks down: You win this round.
Crysania: Well, let’s get exotic. Dwarven?
Dandd laughs: Ha! This is WAY too flowing to be dwarven.
Crysania, inspired: Flowing? Like Elven?
Balreth: Whoa… That’s a name that takes me back.
Dandd looks with intensity: It just might be.
Balreth and Dandd begin swapping notes of Elven to common translations, arguing over accents and symbols. Their discussion reveals an incredible depth of knowledge: important, trivial, esoteric, and more! As they attempt to piece things together, Crysania asks “Where are the vowels?” which prompts the two to adjust their patterns. The pace of the two increases, as does the level of understanding required to keep up. Crysania’s knowledge of language and ability to learn quickly help her keep afloat on some stuff, but even she has been left behind. Finally-
Dandd: Friend!
Crysania: They’re at the other well.
Balreth chuckles: No, no, this word says friend.
Crysania: Can you take those letters and apply them to the rest of the phrase?
Dandd hmms: e Friend nd En er – if we go that method.
Just as Spike and Simon return with bags of stuff, Balreth exclaimed he had the answer!
Balreth looked at the stone and said something incomprehensible to the rest of the party. Instantly, the hill started shaking as the stone rotated into the earth and revealed a dark hole beneath. The five looked down the shaft, seeing or hearing nothing but a ladder. No alarms, no voices, nothing.
Dandd looks up at Balreth: You speak Elven?
Balreth shakes his head: No, but I remember the phrase. “Speak Friend and Enter.” A dwarf, of all people, taught it to me I think.
Crysania nods: Well, regardless of language, it is a fitting password given the area.
Dandd: Indeed, memorable too.
Simon looks at everyone: Carve a should we that Nyx for sign into that.
Crysania /agree: After this is done. Spike, when you’re ready.
Spike begins his descent rapidly: Scouts Out, Born Ready, Bonzai and all that Jazz.
Simon follows after a while, followed by Balreth, then Crysania and Lastly Dandd.
After some silent descent down the ladder built into the shaft, a voice came from below.
Spike: Shaft is Pretty Deep!
Simon attempts to echo: Shaft has Pretty Feet!
Balreth isn’t quite sure what he heard, but echoes anyway: Spike has Pretty Feet!
Crysania wonders what Spike’s feet have to do with any of this yells back down: OK!
The party descends down the shaft to find a temple of sorts at the bottom. They’ve gone down far enough to where the temperature has dropped and the air quality has decreased. It appears nothing has been touched for a very long time. Even Spike, daggers drawn, is waiting for everyone. Crysania is the first one in, only to find the one room temple empty and dusty. No torches on the walls, no footprints on the floor and only four statues with all of them bearing objects.
Dandd touches a staff, and it is dropped by the statue into his hand. The tall, white, smooth staff has a large multi-faceted object on the top of it. The staff is beautiful in its simplicity and symmetry.
Dandd exclaims: My skills changed!
Crysania: Oh?
Dandd: Yes, all of these are “Mage” skills. I haven’t been called one of those in a while.
Simon wants to try, so he touches the statue with the sword, and a large electric charge sends him flying in the other direction, screaming. Crysania quickly moves to heal Simon while the other three investigate the statue. No pressure plates, switches, or visible defects of any kind. Balreth wonders if the Mage Staff was already defused, and now so is this sword.
Dandd looks at the sword closer, and gasps.
Crysania, annoyed: Now what?
Dandd: Balreth, doesn’t this look like the “Heartseeker” that was pictured in that old parchment I found?
Spike sighs: I want to play Lawno again.
Balreth cautiously touches the sword, barely masking his excitement. The statue releases the sword into Balreth’s hands, and his grin cannot be repressed. Balreth confirms that his skills have been changed as well; he has “Paladin” skills.
Spike, not one to be left out, reaches for the bow and the statue gives it to him. Simon protests that Spike should have been knocked across the room as well, but Spike appears satisfied with his visual inspection.
Crysania: Are your skills altered?
Spike nods: “Thief.”
Balreth inspects the last statue: It looks like a pile of cloth.
Dandd: It’s hard to tell the color, but I think it was at least once white.
Simon: Well I’m not touching it.
Reluctantly, Crysania touches it and she’s immersed in light for a brief moment. When the light fades, she has discovered herself to be clothed in hooded white robes. Her hands also glow more white than blue now.
Balreth laughs: Don’t tell me – “Cleric.”
Crysania nods.
Dandd: A Paladin, Mage, Thief and Cleric. …and Simon.
Spike: Doesn’t this feel almost…classic.
Crysania grins: Downright Beta.
Simon sniffs sadly, feeling left out.
Crysania /ponder: Still have that Auroralasher?
Simon whips it out: Of course!
Crysania: Well you can be our “Belmont” or something.
Simon cheers.
Spike: It’s not quite “Advanced” but it will do.
Balreth coughs, reflexively.
Dandd: Well, what now?
Crysania: That friend inscription is on the wall over there.
Balreth opens the door with the Elven command and instantly, they can hear voices. Not panicked voices, but the voices of people going about their business: men complaining about Guard Duty, food selection and the weather. After listening for a moment, the phase “Order 66” was heard. If there was any doubt, it was just removed. Crysania moved to enter the dungeon but was stopped by Balreth.
Balreth grips his sword, smiling: Better let me go first.
Spike disagrees: Better let me sneak first.
Simon: No! Better let me…uhh…you go ahead, Spike.
The Party of Four enters into a populated dungeon with mystical weapons of old guarded by an Elven door. A barrier unseen, where the door once was prohibits Simon from following. They know not what to expect, but they know what they demand: Answers and Justice for Order 66. They’re confident they’ll move closer to their goal down here, guided by Spike’s Bow, Balreth’s Sword, Dandd’s Magic, and Crysania’s Prayers. What will happen to Simon?
—
Spike sneaked forward with the lightest of feet down the stone corridor. The uniform quality of the stone and the absence of any and all manners of distraction bothered him. After an uneventful sneak, Spike arrived at a door engraved with the same Elven inscription. The party readied their weapons and prepared for battle. As Balreth opened the door, two Henchmen were caught with their pants down – literally. Balreth gave no time for explanation as he shoulder blocked one into the stone wall followed by a Heartseeker impaling. Spike wasted no time leaping on the other and with some quick dagger work, the fight was over before it began.
Dandd enters the chamber and coughs loudly: What is that smell?
Spike sniffs: Smells like …locker room.
Crysania sighs defeatedly: Ok Quin, in the future one of them lives to answer questions.
Balreth and Spike look at corpses, then each other, shrugging ambivalently.
Crysania: Great, we deciphered a back entrance to a locker room.
Dandd grabs a piece of parchment off of the wall: Don’t give up hope yet, look at this.
The party gathers around Dandd as he reads: “Execute Order 66. Earn your place as the Lord of the Ring. One Ruler of the Ring and One Ring to Rule them all.”
Balreth groans: This CAN’T be good.
Spike wonders aloud whether or not he can steal it.
Crysania sighs: It probably wouldn’t fit you anyway.
Spike /ponder: Is it because my feet aren’t hairy enough?
Dandd shakes his head: Shall we escape from this nasty place?
The party /agree[s] and Spike carefully opens the door to find another hallway, filled with more doors. Spike leads the party only a few steps before they are faced with a decision: Door on the Left, Door on the Right, or straight through. Balreth was given the choice, and he chose door in the right. Spike peaked through the keyhole and only saw a tall wooden structure. He opened the door as quietly as he could, but the creaking and whining of the old architecture provoked a voice from within.
Male impatient voice: Well, get in here and sign out your gear. I ain’t got all day.
Crysania decided to address the clerk, while Balreth boosted Spike over the wall of the wooden structures. She comes around the corner and the clerk drops keys in alarm. He froze in place, making it easy for Spike to fall on him, dagger and all. Crysania grumbled in frustration about keeping someone alive, but Balreth was already distracted. Crysania could just hear Balreth’s thoughts now:
“These are iron, craftsmanship needs work. Ooh! Steel. This one would come in handy, oh but what’s this? An Orcish War Axe by the looks of it, and well maintained too. @#$% I don’t have the backpack space for all of this. Why do these all have to be 2×6 or 2×8? I can’t carry that much. Where’s a bunch of Town Portal Scrolls when I need them? This is why I carry Gems.”
Balreth was lost in thought and too busy lovingly caressing sharp pointy things to realize the other three had left to investigate the other door. Spike had noticed a small crack in the wall next to the door. While he couldn’t see much, he could hear the sounds of wounded men. Crysania guessed it was the Monk Station. Dandd had an idea. He would put everyone to sleep, and then we could interrogate the first to wake. Crysania nodded and retreated a few steps. Spike had to be pushed back by a staff to the sternum, Dandd insisting that Spike didn’t want to smoke this.
Dandd put the tip of his staff to the crack in the wall and begun quietly chanting: “Eels got Pooh, Eels got Pooh!”
Purplish smoke flowed from the edge of his staff into the room, alarming the occupants. Crysania and Spike braced the door the best they could, but were in danger of losing the size and strength contest. Fortunately, Balreth had returned to this world and gave the Quin the extra strength needed to keep the door closed. The spell ended and the door was opened cautiously, a couple bodies were found near the door and a couple more in their beds. While the room itself provided no additional clues, the party was hoping a newly conscious henchman would. After a few too many moments of waiting, Crysania checked a pulse to find none. All the bodies were checked with no pulses.
Crysania let loose a small yell of frustration: You were supposed to put them to sleep, not suffocate them to death!
Dandd rubs the back of his head nervously: Guess I’m a little rusty; my ‘dimmer switch’ isn’t working right.
Balreth asks: so what is ‘Eels got Pooh’ anyway?
Dandd chuckles: Back in the day, we didn’t have a ‘spellcasting language’ so to prevent potential victims from hearing and understanding our magics, we learn to cast with anagrams.
Spike: Anagrams?
Dandd: Yeah, so ‘Eels got Pooh’ is an anagram of ‘Go to sleep ho.’
Crysania giggles: Go to sleep ho?
Dandd plays with his beard: It’s something I heard the kids say once or twice.
Crysania: More like something he tries to cast on Jeni so he can just watch her.
Dandd blushes and scurries out of the room, proclaiming something about dungeons to crawl and loot to grab.
Spike, randomly, kicks a pot lying on the floor and surprises everyone when a polearm pops out.
Spike turns his head off to the side and ponders the physics of it all, when Balreth pushes him out of the room: Nevermind.
Spike leads the party to an intersection. To the left is a dark corridor with no visible end. Straight ahead is a large set of double doors that are well lit. To the right is a noisy corridor with large, reinforced doors, and a guard.
Dandd: Where the hell are we?
Spike: Do I look like your travel agent? You know, go and grab your maps, and I’ll show you.
Dandd: Do I look like your secretary?
Crysania stood up straight in alarm, for just a brief moment.
Dandd: Oh, here it comes again.
Crysania, eyes unfocused: Dwayna says to win our next match, use the element which brings life.
Dandd shrugs: Aquamancy it is.
Balreth points to the dark corridor: We can hear water in that direction.
Crysania continues: Balreth, you must face your enemy.
Balreth shrugs: ok.
Crysania: Dandd, you must face yourself.
Dandd pulls out a small mirror and looks: Ok.
Crysania: Spike, you must face your worst fear.
Spike suggests: Tacos?
Dandd: Hydrodynamics.
Spike drops his bow on the stone, sticks his fingers in his ears and runs in place shouting “La la la la la!”
The noise alerted the guards, the party unaware there were multiples ‘till now, to come investigate the central intersection. Balreth and Dandd scooped up Simon and Crysania his bow. They ran into the armory and hid near the clerk’s corpse. They heard several voices discuss what they thought they heard, but quickly give up and can be heard casually returning to their post. Crysania slaps Balreth’s hand to return focus from this Elven shortsword he found lying underneath some studded leather.
Spike looks at Balreth: That would sting.
Balreth nods and the party leaves the armory, deciding to heed Dwayna’s warning and head towards the sound of water. Crysania wonders about being underneath the waterfall as Spike prepares to peek through the keyhole of another door. As he nears, a loud noise and burst of flame come from within the room and out through the keyhole.
Dandd grips his staff: Water it is.
Balreth asks for a moment, and casts “Aura of Protection.”
With everyone ready, the door is thrown open and Balreth leads the charge. Inside, three pyromancer henchmen practice on stone targets and were caught completely unaware. Balreth’s Sword, Spike’s Arrow and Dandd’s Water Spell decimate the three henchmen and yet again no one lives to be interrogated. Crysania heals Balreth’s lost Hit Points from a reactionary fireball cast by one of the, now dead, henchmen and otherwise doesn’t say a word.
The guards came running, and this time there was no time to run. The verbal challenge from the guards was not needed, as the sound of metallic clanks on stone was enough. Dandd stood in the doorway, staff raised and readying in his mind something big. Spike readied an arrow and Balreth entered into a stance, ready to bull rush whoever entered that door. Crysania, of anyone in either party, was the only calm one – confident in herself and Dwayna.
Dandd, with an echoing and thunderous roar: You Shall Not PASS!
Dandd slammed the bottom of the staff onto the stone and an intense whirlwind arose around him. Crysania quickly hit the floor near a wall, but no one else was as thoughtful. Guards and gear were flung about the hallway in the most violent of manner, and the first corpse orbited Dandd as a lifeless bludgeon, threatening harm to whoever neared. Spike and Balreth were thrown into a wall and pinned there by the force of the wind. Several carbon-stained daggers were lifted into the air and thrown at the two, one of them piercing Simon painfully. Balreth, however, looked like a throwing knife model, thankfully never being touched.
The winds died down and an exhausted Dandd collapsed in the hallway, attempting to catch his breath but otherwise unharmed. Spike, however, was furious. Crysania was unable to calm her friend. Neither healing prayers nor soothing words helped Spike’s fury. Crysania lacked the strength, after mending such a deep wound, to prevent Spike’s wrath. Balreth, however, prevented any regretful actions.
Spike growled: Oh, I can’t believe this! You are the most egotistical, self-deluded person I have ever met!
Dandd, panting: Yeah, well you forgot good looking.
Spike turns his fury to Balreth: Out of my way!
Balreth stands firm, shaking his head.
Dandd, changes the subject: It looks like water flows into or through this place.
Crysania, having mostly recovered: A handful of people in a leaky dungeon are going to save the Quin?
Dandd, also having mostly recovered: Exactly!
Spike is still angry, but agrees not to pummel his old friend until after they’ve solved this Order 66 business. They continue down the dark corridor to find that it ends in a locked door and an unlocked door. While Spike would, normally, lovingly pick the lock with such artistic grace that no one ever wants to hear the word ‘Dexterity’ for as long as they live, he is too angry to focus to the unlocked door is chosen.
The door is opened and the party can see part of what looks like a large metal floor. The putrid smell of rotting flesh hits the party like a tidal wave and Dandd resists complaining about how even the locker room was nice compared to this. Spike sneaks forward, looks around, and returns just as quietly. He tells the group that there appears to be a skilled necromancer and a small army of minions in the room. It’s too dark to tell anything else yet.
Crysania taps Balreth and whispers: Turn Undead.
Balreth gives a thumbs up sign and sheaths his sword. Dandd is happy to agree to stand back and pick off ‘un-survivors.’ Spike volunteers an arrow to the head of the Necromancer and the plan appears to be set. Spike attempts to set up his shot, but eventually waves everyone forward. There were simply too many minions to get a clear shot. Crysania, ever observant, makes a comment that there are too many minions for just once necromancer.
Spike: So what now?
Crysania looks at Balreth: Quin or Quit?
Balreth takes off his gauntlets, and hangs them from his belt: Quin or Quit!
Balreth and Crysania begin their Turn Undead spells, channeling them through a Lay Hands style, and Spike prepares several small piles of arrows. As Spike sets up his barrages, Dandd uses Alteration magic to make the arrows heavier – ensuring damaging impacts. The energies flowing from the party were enough to alert the Necromancer in the room, all four of them.
Crysania reacted first, delivering palm strikes that reduced minions back to piles of bones. Balreth wasn’t far behind, punching minions back to oblivion. As Crysania and Balreth’s magics wore thin, Dandd yelled for them to get down. They very rapidly complied and several enchanted arrows began flooding the room at lethal speeds. The first necromancer was almost literally mowed down and the second survived mainly because he was directly behind the first.
Necromancer #3: @#$%! Hit the Lever!
Necromancer #4 pulls down the lever and nothing happens.
Necromancer #3: Wrong Lever!
Necromancer #4: Why do we even have that lever?
Spike and Dandd came onto the floor to finish off the final two, when the floor opened up beneath them. All six people fell into the chamber below, containing leftover corpses and remains of minions, brushed down here from the chamber above. The sights and smells made Crysania vomit on impact. Dandd resisted, but was visibly disturbed while everyone else’s focus was on each other.
The two necromancers wasted no time attempting to exploit anything that hasn’t been already. Several minions stood up from all corners of the room except one. The summoning magic performed had made the whole pile shift.
Crysania warned: Not Good.
The necromancers believed that Crysania was referring to them and were not prepared for a large, un-dead, creature to stand up and roar loudly in their general direction. The breath of this beast, this Entrail Dragon, was horrid beyond ways anyone could describe. Crysania vomited yet again, and looked ill-suited to fight anyone. The Entrail Dragon dissolved the necromancers with an undead acid regurgitation attack. The party began panicking.
Crysania, yelling over the Dragon’s cries: We have to go big!
Balreth: Like how big?
Crysania: Like all or nothing big!
Balreth and Dandd didn’t like the sound of that. While the Quin are capable of amazing spike damage potential, should it not work…Lawno!
Crysania stands firm and begins channeling: SE-KI-HA!
Spike, having been practicing this with Crysania and Rain: FUS-RO-DAH!
Balreth hasn’t forgotten either: EN-ER-GY!
Dandd’s mind blanks. This isn’t Beta stuff…
The Entrail Dragon draws in a massive breath, standing tall to draw in more air. With each pulse of its legion of parts, liquids and putrid flesh bits fall off and re-assemble. When the Entrail Dragon stood his tallest, Crysania lead the attack:
Crysania points to the neck of the dragon: TEN!
Spike follows suit: KYO!
Balreth understands: BLAST!
Dandd tries: umm…Roar?
Dandd, however, succeeds at what he was trying to do. Dandd cast a spell at the neck of the Entrail Dragon that focused the three separate energy sources into one small area, similar to a magnifying glass and the sun. The Dragon screams in pain and releases another acid attack, this time artillery style at the party. The globs of acid rain down and splash onto the party, everyone grimaces in pain but no one loses focus. It only takes a couple moments for the focused beam to punch a hole through the Entrail Dragon and ignite him.
The smell of a burning collection of multiple species of corpses, on top of the non-burning smells was too much for Crysania to handle. She was hit the hardest with the acid splashes and was reduced to a Droch-worthy position and activity. She was dragged out by Balreth and Dandd as Spike found a switch on the wall that unlocked the door on top of the staircase. They all made it back to the hallway near the dead elementalists and guards and agreed to rest for a moment. Drained of energy from the attack, hurt from the acid, disgusted by the smells, the Order 66 thing can wait.
Balreth wonders aloud: How did they summon such a thing?
Crysania: I don’t think they did.
Balreth arches an eyebrow: Then…?
Crysania: I think that was just piles upon piles of discarded normal minions originally.
Dandd: Well, whatever that was, hopefully it “was.”
Spike looks at the corpses of the guards: You’re still an @$$hole.
Dandd smiles.
Balreth: That was a lot of corpses though.
Spike: Gee, I wonder what the bathroom looks like.
Crysania gags.
Dandd stands up quickly: Shall we continue?
The party reforms on their feet and moves back to the central intersection, this time choosing the large double doors. As they approach, Crysania is granted another vision.
Crysania speaks gently: I have looked into your souls. One of you three will determine the outcome of the tournament. The fate of this operation rests upon you. Heh, heh, heh!
Dandd: Was Dwayna just laughing at us?
Crysania answers: Sorry.
Balreth: Why three? What happens to Crysania?
Spike grips his bow tighter: Nothing. Come on.
Balreth takes a couple steps towards the door and gets hit in the side of the face by it. Balreth pivots on his feet a few times before falling to the floor.
Dandd yells: Is he ok?!
Crysania yells back: Well, if you had that many consecutive rotations, you’d be a little weary too.
Balreth stands back up, a bit shaken: …and roger.
Standing in the doorway are a couple well armed henchmen, blocking access to a very large room. A voice from within that room tells them to be granted access and the party proceeds carefully due to not recognizing the voice. Crysania stands at the doorway, cautiously, and the other three stand in front of her in a protective arc. The room itself was plain. It was a circular room with a circular platform in the center. It would be desolate if it wasn’t so densely populated.
The voice yells: Begone!
The circular platform sends out a repelling force, sending everyone into the wall. Crysania, half-way out of the room anyway was flung into the hallway. She got up and ran to the doors but was unable to open them. It was time for her to make a new strategy, and quick.
Spike and Balreth had their weapons knocked out of their hands due to the impact on the wall. The field emitting from the platform was constant, and the figure in the center was the only one not pinned to a wall. Dandd yelled out that his henchmen are useless as well, and he’ll have to release the field if he wants them to move.
The voice: Very good King Dandd Polyhedron. I would expect no less from the Loremaster. However, I have this dagger here. If I were to throw this into that field…
Spike growls: I swear to Grenth, if I get impaled with another dagger today…
The voice: It’s such a shame the Empress got removed. I would love to see her struggle as well.
Balreth was only half-listening. He was going through his mind everything he’s seen, and heard, lately to figure out what was going on.
The voice: I’m afraid I’ll just have to watch that later. For now, you all die.
The repulsion field ends and the three find themselves heavily outnumbered.
The voice: Kill them, and don’t let them step foot in my ring.
For Balreth, it clicked. The One Ring wasn’t a piece of jewelry; it was a Martial Art’s Ring. A Tournament ground. The ruler was simply the champion. The Champion of the Tournament ruled all these henchmen!
Balreth shouted: I challenge you to Mortal Kombat!
The henchmen stopped dead in their tracks. They looked to this heavily armored figure in the back of the ring for guidance. Their code demands he accepts, or yield his position. After an awkward period of silence, the Voice grabbed his greatsword and thrust it in the air confidently!
The Voice: Alright, Let’s Dance.
—
Crysania heard a yell from the other side of the doors “It Has Begun!”
She could not open the doors, she knew not a way around, and she had no time. She only had one idea left, as repulsive as it maybe. She must go back into the Entrail Dragon’s lair and see what spirits are tied to the remains. She runs down the hallway, turns right and heads down the other hallway and leaps over corpses of guards. She arrives at the door to the stairs down and gets hit with the smell. Slowing her breathing and pooling her will, she descends.
Crysania stands in the middle of the room, having contained her urge to vomit from corner to corner. Not knowing what else to do, she appeals to the spirits of the remains, should any exist.
Crysania begins: Fight for us, and regain your honor.
She looks around: What say you?
She gets no response.
She tries again, with force: What say you?
No response.
She bellows: I am the Master of Spirits and Ceremonies! Fight for me, and I will hold your oaths fulfilled – Restore you to the Order of the Quin!
Multiple spirits arise from the bones of the fallen, scattered across the room. They remain motionless, but speak a single word: “Nameless.”
Crysania thinks: Nameless? As in Order of the Nameless? Is this some revenge stunt? I’ll sort this out later.
Crysania pleads: Mortal Men and Women defending your own guild is not about death, but life.
Several spirits step forward, followed by several more. Crysania, understanding her offer has been accepted, dashes out of the room with several spirits following her.
—
The battle of the swordsmen continues on, with Balreth gaining the advantage over time. His Paladin Holy Sword simply out fencing his opponent. Balreth has a couple lacerations, and will likely be sore for a while, but looks fatigued. This heavily armored opponent, however, looks as fresh as when he started. Skill and Experience are all Balreth has between him and greatsword death. The armored figure makes a western-union swing and fails.
Balreth, leaping on the opportunity: This is where you fall down.
Heartseeker separates the helmet from the rest of the armor, and the entire suit of armor falls to the floor in pieces – no body. Dandd, sarcastically, informs everyone that he loves enchanted-armor bosses. In the absence of a restricting figure, the henchmen move to attack. Moments later, Crysania and her platoon of spirits break the door open and charge past the stunned party. Crysania begins her work on mending Balreth’s wounds, as the spirits hold their end of the bargain.
The voice echoes in the chamber: You think you’ve won?
Crysania stands up: Ok Schrodinger, time to stop playing around.
Balreth coughs: Schrodinger?
Crysania, meekly: Yeah. Knight of the Nameless. From the Island of Misfit Buildren, helped get Dandd’s Grail. He has been nameless for a long time.
Schrodinger yells: So you actually remember me? Well it’s too late. Order 66 is upon us! The Time of the Henchmen will return!
Dandd scratches his beard: Order 66 actually wasn’t that successful.
Spike: Yeah, I think Simon and Aurora breaking up was more interesting.
Schrodinger explodes: NO! Don’t marginalize us! We-
Crysania hands Balreth a bow from a fallen henchman, and whispers to shoot her in the back of the head. By now, Balreth doesn’t even question.
Balreth removes a silverlock from his head and forms a magic arrow with it.
Spike’s jaw drops: Sometimes, I hate that guy.
Dandd: Well, after we clean out this place and shut it down, I guess you’ll be worse than nameless, you’ll be forgotten.
Schrodinger’s fury explodes: NO! Never!
Balreth: SE-NI-PI SU-NA-
Crysania gets out of the way, quickly.
Balreth: -PU!
The magic arrow impales the charging Schrodinger and sends him to the ground in pain, but only Crysania can see it.
Crysania folds her hands and prays to Dwayna. She requests that the honorable spirits be returned to life as per the deal.
Crysania, to Dwayna: I guess you knew it would end this way.
Everyone could hear a warm voice in their minds: Didn’t have a clue.
Spike: Ooh! I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time now.
Dandd: Cowabunga?
Spike: Good one, but no.
Dandd: Well?
Spike points to Balreth: Flawless Victory!
As everyone enjoyed a good chuckle, Schrodinger’s armor reformed and people became visible – the restored guild members. Crysania was quick to inform everyone that they would be inducted into the Order of the Party immediately and they could work their way up or down from there.
Dandd: So what’s up with the armor?
Crysania shrugged: Schrodinger? He’s alive and dead at the same time I think, which makes him good with the Nameless.
Surprisingly, Simon appeared through a door opposite the double doors that the party came through. Everyone was astonished, including Simon himself.
Simon brandished his whip: Save will I you!
Crysania, soothingly: Simon, it’s ok, it’s over.
Schrodinger became enraged, again: How the hell did you find that?
Simon shrugged innocently: Team told Silkball won me-
Schrodinger interrupted loudly: They told you this secret, over a Silkball game?!
Simon nodded, helplessly.
Schrodinger yelled noises of anger, but everyone else couldn’t help but laugh.
Dandd: So where does that lead?
Simon gestures: Barracks friend floor room first.
Balreth sighs: Screw this.
Simon offers: Balreth wants to screw [Bleep]. I know someone who might mind.
Balreth playfully runs after Simon, and everyone climbs a ladder leading to a cleverly disguised room in the Friend barracks, but not before people could hear Crysania tell Schrodinger “When I’m not a Cleric anymore, I’m going to Forcechoke the @#$% out of you.”
Schrodinger’s final words, before he left his One Ring: @#$% me.
[/three_fourth]
[one_fourth_last]
Episode 66
16 Dec 2011
Notes: Full references to be added soon.
References: Guild History
[/one_fourth_last]