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[5E] The Age of Worms - Solid Snake's Campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="SolidSnake_01" data-source="post: 7534918" data-attributes="member: 63254"><p><strong><u>Gray Fox Journal: The Spider and the Web</u></strong></p><p></p><p>Egan’s friends had shrunk in number since we made our initial introductions. I was joined by the elven duo: Etona and Rey. I would have said they were sisters given how close they seemed, but their physical appearance eliminated that as a possibility. Not that I am an expert in Elven ancestry mind you, but even I could tell. Etona continued to be suspicious of my intentions, while Rey seemed to accept my presence as proof that I was a part of their group. I was flattered.</p><p></p><p>The portal had transported us to another Cairn altogether it seemed. More intricate glyphs dominated the walls and the worked stone hadn’t been touched by the living in some time. What worried me most was the convenient placement of rather sharp works of art that littered the adjacent rooms.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t move,” I commanded as I held up my arm. My new friends stared at me with concern.</p><p></p><p>As I inspected the floor more closely, my paranoia was rewarded. I found pressure-plates triggering something horrible. If I had to guess, based on the people that built the structure, the trigger would activate a gust of wind that would fling intruders into the wall of spikes. I marked the traps for the elves.</p><p></p><p>“How did you know,” Etona asked. “Have you been here before?”</p><p></p><p>I shook my head. “No, I’ve never been here before.”</p><p></p><p>“Then how could you know,” she continued.</p><p></p><p>“It is what I would have done,” I replied.</p><p></p><p>We were about to make our way deeper into the complex when we were joined by Jordan. I had mixed feelings about seeing him again, but they were mostly positive. That was not the case for either Etona or Rey. He wandered through the darkness in his demonic suit of armor, the spiked chains writhing about him. Not a good first impression. It took some convincing for the women to agree that he join us. I made a compelling case about his battle prowess and how useful it would be in this dangerous environment. Eventually, Etona relented but remained behind Jordan as he led the expedition through the tomb.</p><p></p><p>We travelled for some time, passed strange and exotic rooms before finally coming to the scene of battle. Scorch marks lined the walls and strange insect tracks littered the ground. Rey and I...if I’m being honest it was mostly Rey...followed them as far as she could before they disappeared. </p><p></p><p>“Egan was here. These marks,” I said touching the ash on the walls, “were created by magic and are as fresh as the tracks. He was probably ambushed here and carried off.”</p><p></p><p>My suspicions were confirmed as further exploration brought us to a large antechamber filled with columns and shadows. From the darkness a voice whispered in our minds.</p><p></p><p>“Are you here for the flesh bag?”</p><p></p><p>“Do you mean Egan,” I responded.</p><p></p><p>“If that is its name,” it rasped.</p><p></p><p>I kept him talking with Etona’s help to locate his actual position in the event we would need to act. She was able to extract quite a bit of information from the mad spider. It’s name was Fly Catcher and it seemed to believe that the Cairn belonged to him. He did indeed kidnap Egan and held him within a Shadowfell prison for safekeeping. What Fly Catcher didn’t seem to comprehend was that humans needed sustenance and the appropriate environment to survive, which meant that we didn’t have much time to rescue him. It was willing to exchange Egan for an artifact that was stolen by a man named Moretto. Fly Catcher identified the man as a ghoul that managed to bypass all magical protections erected by the spider and the Wind Dukes. Apparently Moretto was located at the base of the Red River, an underground waterway that ended in a waterfall which fell into a deep chasm. I only had one question.</p><p></p><p>“Tell me again about those defenses you were talking about earlier.” I took a long drag on my cigar and exhaled, the smoke forming a haze in the air around us. “Take your time.”</p><p>_____________________</p><p></p><p>Following the river proved to be tremendously difficult without a vessel. There was no shoreline, as the river cut directly through the rock and tumbled into a waiting abyss. However, we were able to divert some of it through an aqueduct that was built by Wind Dukes, seemingly for this express purpose. Getting to the mechanism that dropped the water line came at great cost to Rey, as we had to traverse a thunderstorm to activate it. Had Rey not absorbed the lightning that danced within, many of us would have perished. </p><p></p><p>By diverting the river, we were able to safely access a doorway which allowed us to continue onward. Past the threshold rested more statues of the Wind Dukes, tall androgynous men with a far off gaze. As we walked passed them, one of them sprung to life and seized my arm. It was solid stone and had a grip like a vice. Possibilities streamed through my mind, forming a strategy. I was calculating the odds of not bleeding to death if I cut my arm off, when I heard a voice behind me. It was strong and calm. It was Rey.</p><p></p><p>“Icosial!”</p><p></p><p>The statue let go of me and returned to its original position, motionless once again. I looked back at the elven warrior with renewed admiration. <em>Eyes are useless when the mind is blind</em>. The door the creature was guarding took us to another portal, similar to the one I had stepped through initially. Part of me wanted to go through it, but my military training compelled me to clear the rest of the floor before stepping into the unknown. <em>Leave no enemy behind you</em>. This proved to be foolish. All we found were Ice Golems and Oozes. I called a tactical retreat to the portal once I assessed how strong our adversaries were. There was a moment when I thought that Etona was going to leave Jordan to the mercy of our enemies, but Rey’s intervention swayed the archer. When we regrouped, I was sure that Etona was disappointed at Jordan’s condition: the fact that he was still breathing. To be honest, the entire dynamic made me uncomfortable. That is why I volunteered to go through the portal first and scout.</p><p></p><p>A familiar icy sensation washed over me as I stepped through, finding myself at the base of the waterfall. The thunderous sound of the crashing water filled the cavern. I thought better than to explore it alone, so I went back to retrieve my new companions. When we returned, a figure stood out in the darkness, wreathed by a sickly greenish glow emanated from a lantern he carried. Etona and Rey immediately slunk into the shadows as Jordan and I moved closer to the individual. A chill, much like a fever, coursed through my body the closer I moved towards him.</p><p></p><p>“You must be Moretto,” I said.</p><p></p><p>The figure nodded. I did not detect much of anything from him. He was a man of average build, pale skin, and no visible weapons. I did note a satchel laying on the ground next him as he spoke.</p><p></p><p>“And who might you be.”</p><p></p><p>“My name is Treig and this Jordan,” pointing to the armored man next to me. “We come in search of an artifact for Fly Catcher.” I caught his eyes moving subtly towards the satchel before laughing. “He has captured a friend of ours and says he will return him if we were to deliver the item.”</p><p></p><p>“And what do I get out of this arrangement,” Moretto asked with smirk.</p><p></p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p></p><p>“Information,” the ghoul replied. “I am on a journey to the surface in order to learn more about a Prophecy. It foretells of a new Age where the living shall be turned into undead. What do you know about this?”</p><p></p><p>“Quite a bit,” I replied. “Green worms transforming living creatures into the undead have been reported in Greyhawk and near Diamond Lake.”</p><p></p><p>“Are any of these undead creatures intelligent,” Moretto interrupted.</p><p></p><p>Rey stepped forward. “None that we have encountered thus far, save for a dragon we believe is controlling them.”</p><p></p><p>“Dragotha,” Moretto wheezed.</p><p></p><p>Etona’s eyes widened. “What do you know about this name,” she demanded.</p><p></p><p>“Dragotha is a dracolich that was once a great red dragon. She too has been referred to in the Prophecy.”</p><p></p><p>“How can you know this,” Etona asked.</p><p></p><p>“I was once a resident of the White City. Now an outcast.”</p><p></p><p>“I have heard of it,” Treig stated. “It is rumored to be a city comprised entirely of undead deep underground.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Moretto nodded. “Made from the bones of a fallen Titan. But that is a story for another time. I am happy to relinquish the artifact for the information you have granted me. I would be most grateful if you could aid me in my quest to the surface by disposing of Fly Catcher.”</p><p></p><p>“We must confer before agreeing to your terms,” Etona said while ushering everyone away from the ghoul.</p><p></p><p>Etona had reservations about aiding an intelligent undead creature. Her religious beliefs clearly stated that all undead were an abomination to the natural order and had to be destroyed. She worried about the unintended consequences of such a powerful entity loose upon a civil society. She saw no harm in a deranged spider that wished to stay in a tomb.</p><p></p><p>“Etona, my short existence has taught me that at times you have work with unsavory individuals to achieve your goals. In this case, I don’t trust that Fly Catcher will follow through on our arrangement or that Moretto is divulgining his true purpose. That said, Moretto is a more rational actor with valuable information on Undead Lore. It seems to me that making an ally of him is more valuable than honoring our bargain with someone that has extorted us through kidnapping.”</p><p></p><p>I could tell that Etona did not agree with the idea I had proposed, but Rey’s enthusiasm was enough to tip the scales. I would have to file that away for another time. Once everyone came around we informed Moretto that we would assist him in reaching the surface. However, we stipulated that we would not purposefully kill Fly Catcher to facilitate his journey. He seemed only mildly disappointed with the result but agreed.</p><p></p><p>“The Seal cannot be moved without a specific phrase to unlock it. To touch it without deactivating the magical warding glyphs would be suicide,” he said to me as I reached for the satchel. His voice was nonplussed and mostly curious. It was as if he was watching an animal stumbling upon an object he had placed in its path.</p><p></p><p>I hesitated before moving the exterior of the satchel so I could get a better look at the Seal. It had three runes on it that I recognized from throughout the Cairn, but the alphabet was in Auran. A language I did not understand. I knew that one of the runes was Icosial’s personal sigil and that another referred to Pesh, the final battleground of the Wind Dukes. It was there that used the Rod of Seven Parts to banish the forces of Tharizdun to his eternal prison. I just couldn’t put it all together...then it hit me.</p><p></p><p>“Rey, do you speak Draconic,” I asked almost rhetorically.</p><p></p><p>She nodded. Of course she did. Rey can do anything. It took myself, her and Jordan’s combined intellect to manufacture the appropriate phrase in Auran using the Draconic alphabet. I didn’t want anyone else to be annihilated if I pronounced something incorrectly. It would be such a sad end to anyone’s story. So I drew a calming breath and spoke the words. Nothing. Gingerly, I reached in touched the Seal. Nothing. I let out an audible sigh and smiled for the first time in a long while.</p><p></p><p>We set off with Moretto towards the portal, carefully retracing our steps back to the chamber we first encountered Fly Catcher. Stopping a ways before the its lair, I brought everyone together and whispered softly so my voice didn’t carry.</p><p></p><p>“Here’s the plan.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SolidSnake_01, post: 7534918, member: 63254"] [B][U]Gray Fox Journal: The Spider and the Web[/U][/B] Egan’s friends had shrunk in number since we made our initial introductions. I was joined by the elven duo: Etona and Rey. I would have said they were sisters given how close they seemed, but their physical appearance eliminated that as a possibility. Not that I am an expert in Elven ancestry mind you, but even I could tell. Etona continued to be suspicious of my intentions, while Rey seemed to accept my presence as proof that I was a part of their group. I was flattered. The portal had transported us to another Cairn altogether it seemed. More intricate glyphs dominated the walls and the worked stone hadn’t been touched by the living in some time. What worried me most was the convenient placement of rather sharp works of art that littered the adjacent rooms. “Don’t move,” I commanded as I held up my arm. My new friends stared at me with concern. As I inspected the floor more closely, my paranoia was rewarded. I found pressure-plates triggering something horrible. If I had to guess, based on the people that built the structure, the trigger would activate a gust of wind that would fling intruders into the wall of spikes. I marked the traps for the elves. “How did you know,” Etona asked. “Have you been here before?” I shook my head. “No, I’ve never been here before.” “Then how could you know,” she continued. “It is what I would have done,” I replied. We were about to make our way deeper into the complex when we were joined by Jordan. I had mixed feelings about seeing him again, but they were mostly positive. That was not the case for either Etona or Rey. He wandered through the darkness in his demonic suit of armor, the spiked chains writhing about him. Not a good first impression. It took some convincing for the women to agree that he join us. I made a compelling case about his battle prowess and how useful it would be in this dangerous environment. Eventually, Etona relented but remained behind Jordan as he led the expedition through the tomb. We travelled for some time, passed strange and exotic rooms before finally coming to the scene of battle. Scorch marks lined the walls and strange insect tracks littered the ground. Rey and I...if I’m being honest it was mostly Rey...followed them as far as she could before they disappeared. “Egan was here. These marks,” I said touching the ash on the walls, “were created by magic and are as fresh as the tracks. He was probably ambushed here and carried off.” My suspicions were confirmed as further exploration brought us to a large antechamber filled with columns and shadows. From the darkness a voice whispered in our minds. “Are you here for the flesh bag?” “Do you mean Egan,” I responded. “If that is its name,” it rasped. I kept him talking with Etona’s help to locate his actual position in the event we would need to act. She was able to extract quite a bit of information from the mad spider. It’s name was Fly Catcher and it seemed to believe that the Cairn belonged to him. He did indeed kidnap Egan and held him within a Shadowfell prison for safekeeping. What Fly Catcher didn’t seem to comprehend was that humans needed sustenance and the appropriate environment to survive, which meant that we didn’t have much time to rescue him. It was willing to exchange Egan for an artifact that was stolen by a man named Moretto. Fly Catcher identified the man as a ghoul that managed to bypass all magical protections erected by the spider and the Wind Dukes. Apparently Moretto was located at the base of the Red River, an underground waterway that ended in a waterfall which fell into a deep chasm. I only had one question. “Tell me again about those defenses you were talking about earlier.” I took a long drag on my cigar and exhaled, the smoke forming a haze in the air around us. “Take your time.” _____________________ Following the river proved to be tremendously difficult without a vessel. There was no shoreline, as the river cut directly through the rock and tumbled into a waiting abyss. However, we were able to divert some of it through an aqueduct that was built by Wind Dukes, seemingly for this express purpose. Getting to the mechanism that dropped the water line came at great cost to Rey, as we had to traverse a thunderstorm to activate it. Had Rey not absorbed the lightning that danced within, many of us would have perished. By diverting the river, we were able to safely access a doorway which allowed us to continue onward. Past the threshold rested more statues of the Wind Dukes, tall androgynous men with a far off gaze. As we walked passed them, one of them sprung to life and seized my arm. It was solid stone and had a grip like a vice. Possibilities streamed through my mind, forming a strategy. I was calculating the odds of not bleeding to death if I cut my arm off, when I heard a voice behind me. It was strong and calm. It was Rey. “Icosial!” The statue let go of me and returned to its original position, motionless once again. I looked back at the elven warrior with renewed admiration. [I]Eyes are useless when the mind is blind[/I]. The door the creature was guarding took us to another portal, similar to the one I had stepped through initially. Part of me wanted to go through it, but my military training compelled me to clear the rest of the floor before stepping into the unknown. [I]Leave no enemy behind you[/I]. This proved to be foolish. All we found were Ice Golems and Oozes. I called a tactical retreat to the portal once I assessed how strong our adversaries were. There was a moment when I thought that Etona was going to leave Jordan to the mercy of our enemies, but Rey’s intervention swayed the archer. When we regrouped, I was sure that Etona was disappointed at Jordan’s condition: the fact that he was still breathing. To be honest, the entire dynamic made me uncomfortable. That is why I volunteered to go through the portal first and scout. A familiar icy sensation washed over me as I stepped through, finding myself at the base of the waterfall. The thunderous sound of the crashing water filled the cavern. I thought better than to explore it alone, so I went back to retrieve my new companions. When we returned, a figure stood out in the darkness, wreathed by a sickly greenish glow emanated from a lantern he carried. Etona and Rey immediately slunk into the shadows as Jordan and I moved closer to the individual. A chill, much like a fever, coursed through my body the closer I moved towards him. “You must be Moretto,” I said. The figure nodded. I did not detect much of anything from him. He was a man of average build, pale skin, and no visible weapons. I did note a satchel laying on the ground next him as he spoke. “And who might you be.” “My name is Treig and this Jordan,” pointing to the armored man next to me. “We come in search of an artifact for Fly Catcher.” I caught his eyes moving subtly towards the satchel before laughing. “He has captured a friend of ours and says he will return him if we were to deliver the item.” “And what do I get out of this arrangement,” Moretto asked with smirk. “What do you want?” “Information,” the ghoul replied. “I am on a journey to the surface in order to learn more about a Prophecy. It foretells of a new Age where the living shall be turned into undead. What do you know about this?” “Quite a bit,” I replied. “Green worms transforming living creatures into the undead have been reported in Greyhawk and near Diamond Lake.” “Are any of these undead creatures intelligent,” Moretto interrupted. Rey stepped forward. “None that we have encountered thus far, save for a dragon we believe is controlling them.” “Dragotha,” Moretto wheezed. Etona’s eyes widened. “What do you know about this name,” she demanded. “Dragotha is a dracolich that was once a great red dragon. She too has been referred to in the Prophecy.” “How can you know this,” Etona asked. “I was once a resident of the White City. Now an outcast.” “I have heard of it,” Treig stated. “It is rumored to be a city comprised entirely of undead deep underground.” “Yes,” Moretto nodded. “Made from the bones of a fallen Titan. But that is a story for another time. I am happy to relinquish the artifact for the information you have granted me. I would be most grateful if you could aid me in my quest to the surface by disposing of Fly Catcher.” “We must confer before agreeing to your terms,” Etona said while ushering everyone away from the ghoul. Etona had reservations about aiding an intelligent undead creature. Her religious beliefs clearly stated that all undead were an abomination to the natural order and had to be destroyed. She worried about the unintended consequences of such a powerful entity loose upon a civil society. She saw no harm in a deranged spider that wished to stay in a tomb. “Etona, my short existence has taught me that at times you have work with unsavory individuals to achieve your goals. In this case, I don’t trust that Fly Catcher will follow through on our arrangement or that Moretto is divulgining his true purpose. That said, Moretto is a more rational actor with valuable information on Undead Lore. It seems to me that making an ally of him is more valuable than honoring our bargain with someone that has extorted us through kidnapping.” I could tell that Etona did not agree with the idea I had proposed, but Rey’s enthusiasm was enough to tip the scales. I would have to file that away for another time. Once everyone came around we informed Moretto that we would assist him in reaching the surface. However, we stipulated that we would not purposefully kill Fly Catcher to facilitate his journey. He seemed only mildly disappointed with the result but agreed. “The Seal cannot be moved without a specific phrase to unlock it. To touch it without deactivating the magical warding glyphs would be suicide,” he said to me as I reached for the satchel. His voice was nonplussed and mostly curious. It was as if he was watching an animal stumbling upon an object he had placed in its path. I hesitated before moving the exterior of the satchel so I could get a better look at the Seal. It had three runes on it that I recognized from throughout the Cairn, but the alphabet was in Auran. A language I did not understand. I knew that one of the runes was Icosial’s personal sigil and that another referred to Pesh, the final battleground of the Wind Dukes. It was there that used the Rod of Seven Parts to banish the forces of Tharizdun to his eternal prison. I just couldn’t put it all together...then it hit me. “Rey, do you speak Draconic,” I asked almost rhetorically. She nodded. Of course she did. Rey can do anything. It took myself, her and Jordan’s combined intellect to manufacture the appropriate phrase in Auran using the Draconic alphabet. I didn’t want anyone else to be annihilated if I pronounced something incorrectly. It would be such a sad end to anyone’s story. So I drew a calming breath and spoke the words. Nothing. Gingerly, I reached in touched the Seal. Nothing. I let out an audible sigh and smiled for the first time in a long while. We set off with Moretto towards the portal, carefully retracing our steps back to the chamber we first encountered Fly Catcher. Stopping a ways before the its lair, I brought everyone together and whispered softly so my voice didn’t carry. “Here’s the plan.” [/QUOTE]
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