Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5965872" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>"So, what now?" Haelan asked in typical ignorance.</p><p></p><p>"Now, Haelan, our magess impresses us again with her mastery of her Arts." Fen said with a smile toward Alaria.</p><p></p><p>Alaria half-smirked and half-scowled at the druid before turning her attentions, again, to the magically locked door that stood before them.</p><p></p><p>If their limited questioning of the goblins below was correct, these would lead to the "master's ", Tresahd (a.k.a. Desaarthal), rooms.</p><p></p><p>Alaria was not the only among them hoping that did not mean his personal sleeping chambers and, even moreso, that the wizard-posing dragon was not currently in residence.</p><p></p><p>The R'Hathi magess steadied her mind with practiced ease and began with her detection cantrip. The purple haze formed around her outstretched hand and filled her eyes. She concentrated for several moments. The longer she looked, the more surprised she was to see layer after level of arcane threads woven around the door. Whatever was on the other side was obviously quite important...or dangerous...or both.</p><p></p><p>Having spent her spell of Unmaking on changing the long-cursed druid, Ornfael, back to his mortal form...if even for a short time, Alaria was unclear how to proceed. She conferred with the Hilltender and druid and, still invisible, Erevan.</p><p></p><p>The other spell casters were unequipped to lend any sort of aid to dismiss the enchantments on the door. The best they could come up with was a defensive strategy. Everyone except for Alaria and Haelan backed into the druid's cell and/or climbed back up the oaken trunk to the relative cover above the ceiling. The companions were all instructed that the spell (if it worked, Alaria left that part out) would only last a short time and they would have to move quickly.</p><p></p><p>Haelan invoked his prayers to Faerantha to protect them from fire and heat. A soft glow of red surrounded the magess and cleric for a moment then faded from view. Haelan then invoked his circle of Sanctuary. The silvery ring flashed into being around them and also faded from view. Finally, he invoked a Protective field, specifically attuned to ward off Evil, should some of the door's enchantments not be fire-based.</p><p></p><p>When the halfling's chanting was complete, he nodded solemnly at the magess.</p><p></p><p>Alaria again focused her mind and began reciting the incantation of Opening which, thankfully, she had prepared for that morning, rightfully expecting that in the lair of a wizard, there might be magically locked portals.</p><p></p><p>"This is going to hurt." Alaria thought to herself as the spell began to take form around her.</p><p></p><p>The air swirled and rustled her hair and robe and cloak. Milky white light surrounded her hands as she reached out forward to the door and slapped the portal with her open palms.</p><p></p><p>Immediately, she felt herself in a battle of the Art. One layer of protections and then the next began to fight her attempts to push them aside. To her vision, the lines of light flared and bent, snapped back into place and brushed aside again. The magess strained to control the spell and the arcane weaves before her.</p><p></p><p>After what seemed a very long time to Alaria, but was in reality a mere moment, the door flared with the milky white light and flashed (visible to all) through the limited area in which the party was trapped. </p><p></p><p>The magess was thrown clear of the door, out of the Sanctuary circle (with flashed out of existence at her passing) and into the stone-shaped wall some twenty feet behind her. She was shocked and had the air knocked form her lungs. But when she opened her eyes and looked at the door, it swung open slightly.</p><p></p><p>"Now! Hurry!" Alaria called and everyone raced through the portal. Haelan helped Alaria to her feet and the two raced to the door and dove through in the last moment as the portal slammed shut behind them with a thundering bang.</p><p></p><p>The party looked to the magess and hilltender with approving smiles. </p><p>"Well done, magess." Braddok smiled. "Are you unharmed?"</p><p></p><p>Alaria shook her head and brushed the dust off of her robes as she rose to her feet. "I am. Let us hope there is another way out of here. I severely doubt I will be able to open that again without setting off the wards and traps."</p><p></p><p>The wide hall they found themselves in seemed to be a continuation of the one they had left. It was about 30 feet wide and seemed to curve gently to the right beyond their vision. Alcoves lined either side of the corridor, some had bars in front of them, some did not. Periodically, from certain alcoves, dull glows of blue or red or violet emanated providing some eerie light by which to see their surroundings.</p><p></p><p>Braddok drew his weapon. The blue glow did little to add to their vision but, keeping the blade low, was also not readily evident among the other colored lights.</p><p></p><p>Haelan and Fen both felt a chill up their spines. Haelan was again pressed upon his soul with a darkness he could not explain...a limiting to his senses of his connection with his goddess. Fen merely felt the "imbalance" he often sensed in the presence of undead or abominations...but this was different...stronger...more extreme.</p><p></p><p>"I dooon't like it here." Haelan said quietly. "There is an evil pressing upon my spirit. Like in that dreadful cursed chapel in Shafton...but different...worse. Do you feel it?"</p><p></p><p>The others admitted, though they definitely felt the foreboding and an imminent kind of danger, they could not say specifically if it was the feeling the priestly types were sensing.</p><p></p><p>They moved with quiet caution down the corridor. The first several alcoves they passed were empty though one, to the right, contained inscriptions upon the floor which were giving off an eerie red glow.</p><p></p><p>"<strong>Do not</strong> touch ANYthing! These circles could be meant for any number of purposes. Disrupting them could prove hazardous." Alaria said as she neared the markings.</p><p></p><p>She could make out a few protective sigils, but they were strange to her. Reversed, in a way. There was another that seemed similar to what little she knew of conjuration.</p><p></p><p>Alaria guessed, out loud, "The circle seems designed (as best she could tell) to protect from something<em> within</em> the circle as opposed to the symbols for keeping things out with which she was somewhat familiar.</p><p></p><p>"Release me." came a low voice from within the alcove. Even as the words met the ears of the party, a horrid visage came into view hovering above the circle.</p><p></p><p>It was sickly and bird-like...like a vulture or buzzard, though had reddish spiky hairs sprouting from its head instead of feathers.</p><p></p><p>A long neck became visible and finally, the hovering head was attached to a bipedal body of monstrous proportions. Nearly eight feet tall and hunched with thin black arms ending in talons and "feet" at the end of its goat-like legs that appeared to be hands. It was huge with black and red feathers sprouting from some areas and the sharp spiky hairs from others.</p><p></p><p>Alaria took a step back even as Festus and Braddok were nearing it. </p><p></p><p>"NO!" shouted Alaria. "Do not touch it. Do not cross the circle!"</p><p></p><p>The warriors immediately stopped in their tracks.</p><p></p><p>"Release me and all manner of riches shall be yours." it said again.</p><p></p><p>Haelan was shaking in his toe-hairs at the sight of the creature that washed him in waves of despair and evil. "Is...Is that...a demon?" the Hilltender barely managed to wheeze out.</p><p></p><p>The hideous creature's face looked at the daelvar. It looked as if its hooked beak smirked in Haelan's direction. "You are no agents of the Dark One. Does the presence of power truly scare you so, little hill-priest?"</p><p></p><p>Haelan shifted to stand behind Braddok. Only his helmed head poking out from behind the warrior's trunk-like legs.</p><p></p><p>"I have no quarrel with you and yours, good magess. Release me that I might avenge myself upon the dark wizard who has held me here against my will. I will do whatever you ask." it said again, this time directing its statement to Alaria. </p><p></p><p>"What are you called? From what plane do you hail?...and why is Tresahd keeping you here?" Alaria asked cautiously. Whatever it was, if it was in fact a creature of the "lower planes", the magess knew caution was of the utmost importance...and specificity. Her mind reeled to recall the lessons of her mentor for dealing with summoned creatures. She could almost certainly expect deceit and treachery if she got any straight answers at all!</p><p></p><p>The demon seemed to snort at Alaria's questions. "I am not bound to answer you...and I suspect you are not of a position or power to force my tongue."</p><p></p><p>"Quite right." said Alaria back at the creature. Then, as calmly as she could, to her companions, "Let's go." She turned in an imperious gesture and began to walk away.</p><p></p><p>"Wait!" called the demon. "Wait. I can help you...if you help me. It's only fair, is it not? Release me and I will tell you want you seek...the dragon's treasure perhaps?" it said slowly after a quick glance at Duor.</p><p></p><p>"Or a way to thwart the wizard's plans?" it said to Alaria's back. "The thing you are meant to do here? Why the Fates have seen you to this place?"</p><p></p><p>"We cannot believe a thing that it says. It must be destroyed. It is an assault upon the Balance." Fen spoke up, trying to distract from the demon's words.</p><p></p><p>"It is no threat to anyone, Fen. We are NOT releasing a demon, no matter what it says. It is also, technically, not <em>here.</em>..not exactly. It is trapped, between the planes, no doubt to do Tresahd's bidding in some fashion."</p><p></p><p>"Cruel Treshad. He keeps me here to answer questions. He has bound me to unleash upon your world at his whim. I know not what he waits for, but I have been here long...so long." the demon offered.</p><p></p><p>"See, I have helped you. I have given you information you did not posses. I have warranted my release." it concluded.</p><p></p><p>"It's reading our minds!", Alaria realized. "Do not listen to it. Best to leave it and not look back.</p><p></p><p>"That information, I am afraid, will not do. As you noted, we can not help you." Alaria replied. "Come on." she said and began walking down the corridor.</p><p></p><p>"Magess! Magess I will do what you want! Just break the circle and let me go. I have no desire to remain here." the demon implored.</p><p></p><p>"Warrior! Your father's realm! I could help you. I am powerful. I could return your keep to you and decimate those that stole it from your family.</p><p></p><p>"DWARF! The treasure is near! So very near you could taste it! I call tell you where it is." it implored as one by one the companions wandered away from its alcove.</p><p></p><p>Seeing Duor hesitate a moment, Festus pointed out that since it was trapped in the this place in this circle, apparently, it would have no idea where the treasure was.</p><p></p><p>The dwarf scowled at the logic but could not find fault with it. </p><p></p><p>"Sorry, demon. The satyr's right. And I have no desire to do battle with a creature of the Abyss this day." Duor snorted in reply.</p><p></p><p>As Haelan looked nervously back, to make sure the creature wasn't going to follow them down the hall, he saw the creature again fade from view until only its head was left. It opened its beak wide and shrieked down the hall after them. as it did so a hundred snakes seemed to sprout from its mouth. </p><p></p><p>Haelan visibly jumped and ran further ahead but did note that neither the snakes nor the demon moved from the confines of the circle...thank Faerantha.</p><p></p><p>The demon's loud call echoed down through the corridor for several moments. Whether it was some form of warning or a curse in its twisted language none could tell, but the chill in the air was palpable to even the less spiritual of the group.</p><p></p><p>Sure enough, alcove after alcove they passed with similar glowing circles within, creatures of unthinkable, impossible forms came into view. </p><p></p><p>It seemed, as best the party could discern, that circles glowing red were "occupied" and those that were violet or blue were not. It also seemed, as they passed, that all of them were being held against their will as most of the creatures made no sound or movement to assail the party. One particularly large creature looking like a horrid combination of a gorilla and a bear did thunder against its bonds. But a few sparks of red light were all its huge clawed hand-paws could do against the mystic prisons.</p><p></p><p>Haelan's hand went, instinctively to the holy symbol hanging upon his chest. It did little to assuage the halfling's fears that bit at his very bones. The Hilltender tried to call to mind the peace and tranquility of his goddess' presence. Images of a spring rain on a grassy knoll. The scent of freshly baked bread. The taste of a berry cobbler...or honey. He loved honey! None of them seemed to help.</p><p></p><p>The others, to less obvious degrees, shared the cleric's concerns. They were, obviously, in some kind of holding cells for demonic otherwordly creatures, summoned and bound by Tresahd's magics for gods knew what sinister purposes.</p><p></p><p>"Help me druid! Save me from this doom!" one particularly beautiful looking woman implored. She was "dressed" in a short tunic of leaves and twigs. Her hair seemed a mixture of fading green hair and leaves that were brown as the end of autumn.</p><p></p><p>"I have been here too long." she said weakly. "I must return to my tree or I shall die." tears came to the large doe-like eyes of green.</p><p></p><p>"A dryad?!" Fen said in surprise. "That fiend Tresahd will pay for this affront! Have no fear, gentle one. We shall help you." The druid's sacred spear flared with green light and he stepped toward the alcove.</p><p></p><p>"Heh heh. Oh yeah. I'll <em>definitely</em> help you out my lovely nymph." Festus leered and moved forward with the druid.</p><p></p><p>"Fen, Festus, NO!" Alaria called.</p><p></p><p>"But Alaria, surely this one is a true prisoner." Braddok began to defend, also taken in by the obviously weak lovely female.</p><p></p><p>Alaria called the electrical sparking ball at the end of her staff and thrust it between opening of the alcove and the druid and ranger, both mere steps from crossing the binding circle.</p><p></p><p>"Show your true form, evil one!" Alaria commanded of the dryad.</p><p></p><p>"I...I don't know what you mean, magess. I am so weak. Help me." the dryad replied.</p><p></p><p>"Alaria, I really must protest. The others, of course are better left where they are." Fen tried to reason. "But dryad's cannot live without their trees. She will die!"</p><p></p><p>"I doubt, Fen, that she is capable of ever dying. Not here, at least.</p><p></p><p>"How long have you been here?" Alaria said forcefully. "Answer quickly!"</p><p></p><p>"I...I really don't know...it seems an eternity." the dryad answered weakly and then placed a hand to her forehead and seemed to swoon, unconscious.</p><p></p><p>"Alaria, this is ridiculous!" Fen said with an agitation in his voice that was rarely heard. He pushed the wizard's staff aside and began to take another step.</p><p></p><p>"Haelan, can you look upon it with gifted sight?" Alaria asked quickly.</p><p></p><p>Haelan nodded dumbly and began to prayer to Faerantha to reveal evil to him.</p><p></p><p>"Fen, think...how long can a dryad live outside of her tree? If she's been here an 'eternity', shouldn't she be dead by now?"</p><p></p><p>This reasoning did give the druid pause as he recalled his training.</p><p></p><p>Haelan's eyes glowed with an amber colored light, much as Coerraine's used to. Immediately the halfling's eyes widened to see aura of pure evil nearly encase the whole of the binding circle.</p><p></p><p>The dryad before him appear to be a fully naked woman, with horns like Festus and a long tail, barbed at the end, twitching furiously back and forth. She also had two giant bat-like wings stretching out from her back. Cold, solid black, glossy eyes looked directly back at the Hilltender as her beautiful face twisted in fury and her perfectly formed pouty lips stretched inhumanly wide to reveal vampire-like fangs.</p><p></p><p>Haelan nearly tripped over himself backwards at the sight of the creature. The hairfoot stepped on Duor's toes in his mad dash to get behind any of the companions.</p><p></p><p>"Oy! Watch yerself, daft hairfoot." Duor protested.</p><p></p><p>"D-...D-D-...DEMON! It's an illusion! She's definitely a demon!" Haelan chattered, raising his mace before him. The weapon visibly shook in the Hilltender's hand.</p><p></p><p>The "unconscious dryad" now shimmered in their view and disappeared, revealing the true occupant that Haelan had just seen.</p><p></p><p>Festus and Fen similarly backed away in shock at the sight of the naked bat-winged woman. Though Festus did have a momentary thought "that the bat wings wouldn't really get in the way of some fun with so lovely a creature." The satyr had never slept with a proper demon before.</p><p></p><p>"T'ugh. FINE! You got me. There, you feel better, magess? There. You've bested me. My aren't you smart! True form and all. Get me out of here and I'll grant you whatever you wish. I'll give you a proper deal and everything. Immunity to attack, one boon, whatever you want, the whole nine." the newly revealed succubus said nonchalantly.</p><p></p><p>"A succubus. Not so surprising. Your kind I know full well enough. I also know not to 'deal' with demons." Alaria replied. "And yes...I am intelligent." she added as she waited for the males to continue down the corridor.</p><p></p><p>Fen took this "close encounter" as a sign that he needed to be more careful in the bowels of an evil wizard's belly and summoned up his own magical sight to scan their way as long as he could. </p><p></p><p>It was not long before the druid's precaution bore fruit as the form of a large shadow snake was revealed hovering very near the ceiling of the place. A short battle ensued as the companions were now more than experienced in dealing with them. A few strikes of magical weapons, Braddok's new sword seemed particularly effective, and some well placed "light" made short work of the shadow-summoned creature.</p><p></p><p>The next alcove they came to that glowed with an "active" binding circle revealed something none of the Stormriders were expecting to see.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5965872, member: 92511"] "So, what now?" Haelan asked in typical ignorance. "Now, Haelan, our magess impresses us again with her mastery of her Arts." Fen said with a smile toward Alaria. Alaria half-smirked and half-scowled at the druid before turning her attentions, again, to the magically locked door that stood before them. If their limited questioning of the goblins below was correct, these would lead to the "master's ", Tresahd (a.k.a. Desaarthal), rooms. Alaria was not the only among them hoping that did not mean his personal sleeping chambers and, even moreso, that the wizard-posing dragon was not currently in residence. The R'Hathi magess steadied her mind with practiced ease and began with her detection cantrip. The purple haze formed around her outstretched hand and filled her eyes. She concentrated for several moments. The longer she looked, the more surprised she was to see layer after level of arcane threads woven around the door. Whatever was on the other side was obviously quite important...or dangerous...or both. Having spent her spell of Unmaking on changing the long-cursed druid, Ornfael, back to his mortal form...if even for a short time, Alaria was unclear how to proceed. She conferred with the Hilltender and druid and, still invisible, Erevan. The other spell casters were unequipped to lend any sort of aid to dismiss the enchantments on the door. The best they could come up with was a defensive strategy. Everyone except for Alaria and Haelan backed into the druid's cell and/or climbed back up the oaken trunk to the relative cover above the ceiling. The companions were all instructed that the spell (if it worked, Alaria left that part out) would only last a short time and they would have to move quickly. Haelan invoked his prayers to Faerantha to protect them from fire and heat. A soft glow of red surrounded the magess and cleric for a moment then faded from view. Haelan then invoked his circle of Sanctuary. The silvery ring flashed into being around them and also faded from view. Finally, he invoked a Protective field, specifically attuned to ward off Evil, should some of the door's enchantments not be fire-based. When the halfling's chanting was complete, he nodded solemnly at the magess. Alaria again focused her mind and began reciting the incantation of Opening which, thankfully, she had prepared for that morning, rightfully expecting that in the lair of a wizard, there might be magically locked portals. "This is going to hurt." Alaria thought to herself as the spell began to take form around her. The air swirled and rustled her hair and robe and cloak. Milky white light surrounded her hands as she reached out forward to the door and slapped the portal with her open palms. Immediately, she felt herself in a battle of the Art. One layer of protections and then the next began to fight her attempts to push them aside. To her vision, the lines of light flared and bent, snapped back into place and brushed aside again. The magess strained to control the spell and the arcane weaves before her. After what seemed a very long time to Alaria, but was in reality a mere moment, the door flared with the milky white light and flashed (visible to all) through the limited area in which the party was trapped. The magess was thrown clear of the door, out of the Sanctuary circle (with flashed out of existence at her passing) and into the stone-shaped wall some twenty feet behind her. She was shocked and had the air knocked form her lungs. But when she opened her eyes and looked at the door, it swung open slightly. "Now! Hurry!" Alaria called and everyone raced through the portal. Haelan helped Alaria to her feet and the two raced to the door and dove through in the last moment as the portal slammed shut behind them with a thundering bang. The party looked to the magess and hilltender with approving smiles. "Well done, magess." Braddok smiled. "Are you unharmed?" Alaria shook her head and brushed the dust off of her robes as she rose to her feet. "I am. Let us hope there is another way out of here. I severely doubt I will be able to open that again without setting off the wards and traps." The wide hall they found themselves in seemed to be a continuation of the one they had left. It was about 30 feet wide and seemed to curve gently to the right beyond their vision. Alcoves lined either side of the corridor, some had bars in front of them, some did not. Periodically, from certain alcoves, dull glows of blue or red or violet emanated providing some eerie light by which to see their surroundings. Braddok drew his weapon. The blue glow did little to add to their vision but, keeping the blade low, was also not readily evident among the other colored lights. Haelan and Fen both felt a chill up their spines. Haelan was again pressed upon his soul with a darkness he could not explain...a limiting to his senses of his connection with his goddess. Fen merely felt the "imbalance" he often sensed in the presence of undead or abominations...but this was different...stronger...more extreme. "I dooon't like it here." Haelan said quietly. "There is an evil pressing upon my spirit. Like in that dreadful cursed chapel in Shafton...but different...worse. Do you feel it?" The others admitted, though they definitely felt the foreboding and an imminent kind of danger, they could not say specifically if it was the feeling the priestly types were sensing. They moved with quiet caution down the corridor. The first several alcoves they passed were empty though one, to the right, contained inscriptions upon the floor which were giving off an eerie red glow. "[B]Do not[/B] touch ANYthing! These circles could be meant for any number of purposes. Disrupting them could prove hazardous." Alaria said as she neared the markings. She could make out a few protective sigils, but they were strange to her. Reversed, in a way. There was another that seemed similar to what little she knew of conjuration. Alaria guessed, out loud, "The circle seems designed (as best she could tell) to protect from something[I] within[/I] the circle as opposed to the symbols for keeping things out with which she was somewhat familiar. "Release me." came a low voice from within the alcove. Even as the words met the ears of the party, a horrid visage came into view hovering above the circle. It was sickly and bird-like...like a vulture or buzzard, though had reddish spiky hairs sprouting from its head instead of feathers. A long neck became visible and finally, the hovering head was attached to a bipedal body of monstrous proportions. Nearly eight feet tall and hunched with thin black arms ending in talons and "feet" at the end of its goat-like legs that appeared to be hands. It was huge with black and red feathers sprouting from some areas and the sharp spiky hairs from others. Alaria took a step back even as Festus and Braddok were nearing it. "NO!" shouted Alaria. "Do not touch it. Do not cross the circle!" The warriors immediately stopped in their tracks. "Release me and all manner of riches shall be yours." it said again. Haelan was shaking in his toe-hairs at the sight of the creature that washed him in waves of despair and evil. "Is...Is that...a demon?" the Hilltender barely managed to wheeze out. The hideous creature's face looked at the daelvar. It looked as if its hooked beak smirked in Haelan's direction. "You are no agents of the Dark One. Does the presence of power truly scare you so, little hill-priest?" Haelan shifted to stand behind Braddok. Only his helmed head poking out from behind the warrior's trunk-like legs. "I have no quarrel with you and yours, good magess. Release me that I might avenge myself upon the dark wizard who has held me here against my will. I will do whatever you ask." it said again, this time directing its statement to Alaria. "What are you called? From what plane do you hail?...and why is Tresahd keeping you here?" Alaria asked cautiously. Whatever it was, if it was in fact a creature of the "lower planes", the magess knew caution was of the utmost importance...and specificity. Her mind reeled to recall the lessons of her mentor for dealing with summoned creatures. She could almost certainly expect deceit and treachery if she got any straight answers at all! The demon seemed to snort at Alaria's questions. "I am not bound to answer you...and I suspect you are not of a position or power to force my tongue." "Quite right." said Alaria back at the creature. Then, as calmly as she could, to her companions, "Let's go." She turned in an imperious gesture and began to walk away. "Wait!" called the demon. "Wait. I can help you...if you help me. It's only fair, is it not? Release me and I will tell you want you seek...the dragon's treasure perhaps?" it said slowly after a quick glance at Duor. "Or a way to thwart the wizard's plans?" it said to Alaria's back. "The thing you are meant to do here? Why the Fates have seen you to this place?" "We cannot believe a thing that it says. It must be destroyed. It is an assault upon the Balance." Fen spoke up, trying to distract from the demon's words. "It is no threat to anyone, Fen. We are NOT releasing a demon, no matter what it says. It is also, technically, not [I]here.[/I]..not exactly. It is trapped, between the planes, no doubt to do Tresahd's bidding in some fashion." "Cruel Treshad. He keeps me here to answer questions. He has bound me to unleash upon your world at his whim. I know not what he waits for, but I have been here long...so long." the demon offered. "See, I have helped you. I have given you information you did not posses. I have warranted my release." it concluded. "It's reading our minds!", Alaria realized. "Do not listen to it. Best to leave it and not look back. "That information, I am afraid, will not do. As you noted, we can not help you." Alaria replied. "Come on." she said and began walking down the corridor. "Magess! Magess I will do what you want! Just break the circle and let me go. I have no desire to remain here." the demon implored. "Warrior! Your father's realm! I could help you. I am powerful. I could return your keep to you and decimate those that stole it from your family. "DWARF! The treasure is near! So very near you could taste it! I call tell you where it is." it implored as one by one the companions wandered away from its alcove. Seeing Duor hesitate a moment, Festus pointed out that since it was trapped in the this place in this circle, apparently, it would have no idea where the treasure was. The dwarf scowled at the logic but could not find fault with it. "Sorry, demon. The satyr's right. And I have no desire to do battle with a creature of the Abyss this day." Duor snorted in reply. As Haelan looked nervously back, to make sure the creature wasn't going to follow them down the hall, he saw the creature again fade from view until only its head was left. It opened its beak wide and shrieked down the hall after them. as it did so a hundred snakes seemed to sprout from its mouth. Haelan visibly jumped and ran further ahead but did note that neither the snakes nor the demon moved from the confines of the circle...thank Faerantha. The demon's loud call echoed down through the corridor for several moments. Whether it was some form of warning or a curse in its twisted language none could tell, but the chill in the air was palpable to even the less spiritual of the group. Sure enough, alcove after alcove they passed with similar glowing circles within, creatures of unthinkable, impossible forms came into view. It seemed, as best the party could discern, that circles glowing red were "occupied" and those that were violet or blue were not. It also seemed, as they passed, that all of them were being held against their will as most of the creatures made no sound or movement to assail the party. One particularly large creature looking like a horrid combination of a gorilla and a bear did thunder against its bonds. But a few sparks of red light were all its huge clawed hand-paws could do against the mystic prisons. Haelan's hand went, instinctively to the holy symbol hanging upon his chest. It did little to assuage the halfling's fears that bit at his very bones. The Hilltender tried to call to mind the peace and tranquility of his goddess' presence. Images of a spring rain on a grassy knoll. The scent of freshly baked bread. The taste of a berry cobbler...or honey. He loved honey! None of them seemed to help. The others, to less obvious degrees, shared the cleric's concerns. They were, obviously, in some kind of holding cells for demonic otherwordly creatures, summoned and bound by Tresahd's magics for gods knew what sinister purposes. "Help me druid! Save me from this doom!" one particularly beautiful looking woman implored. She was "dressed" in a short tunic of leaves and twigs. Her hair seemed a mixture of fading green hair and leaves that were brown as the end of autumn. "I have been here too long." she said weakly. "I must return to my tree or I shall die." tears came to the large doe-like eyes of green. "A dryad?!" Fen said in surprise. "That fiend Tresahd will pay for this affront! Have no fear, gentle one. We shall help you." The druid's sacred spear flared with green light and he stepped toward the alcove. "Heh heh. Oh yeah. I'll [I]definitely[/I] help you out my lovely nymph." Festus leered and moved forward with the druid. "Fen, Festus, NO!" Alaria called. "But Alaria, surely this one is a true prisoner." Braddok began to defend, also taken in by the obviously weak lovely female. Alaria called the electrical sparking ball at the end of her staff and thrust it between opening of the alcove and the druid and ranger, both mere steps from crossing the binding circle. "Show your true form, evil one!" Alaria commanded of the dryad. "I...I don't know what you mean, magess. I am so weak. Help me." the dryad replied. "Alaria, I really must protest. The others, of course are better left where they are." Fen tried to reason. "But dryad's cannot live without their trees. She will die!" "I doubt, Fen, that she is capable of ever dying. Not here, at least. "How long have you been here?" Alaria said forcefully. "Answer quickly!" "I...I really don't know...it seems an eternity." the dryad answered weakly and then placed a hand to her forehead and seemed to swoon, unconscious. "Alaria, this is ridiculous!" Fen said with an agitation in his voice that was rarely heard. He pushed the wizard's staff aside and began to take another step. "Haelan, can you look upon it with gifted sight?" Alaria asked quickly. Haelan nodded dumbly and began to prayer to Faerantha to reveal evil to him. "Fen, think...how long can a dryad live outside of her tree? If she's been here an 'eternity', shouldn't she be dead by now?" This reasoning did give the druid pause as he recalled his training. Haelan's eyes glowed with an amber colored light, much as Coerraine's used to. Immediately the halfling's eyes widened to see aura of pure evil nearly encase the whole of the binding circle. The dryad before him appear to be a fully naked woman, with horns like Festus and a long tail, barbed at the end, twitching furiously back and forth. She also had two giant bat-like wings stretching out from her back. Cold, solid black, glossy eyes looked directly back at the Hilltender as her beautiful face twisted in fury and her perfectly formed pouty lips stretched inhumanly wide to reveal vampire-like fangs. Haelan nearly tripped over himself backwards at the sight of the creature. The hairfoot stepped on Duor's toes in his mad dash to get behind any of the companions. "Oy! Watch yerself, daft hairfoot." Duor protested. "D-...D-D-...DEMON! It's an illusion! She's definitely a demon!" Haelan chattered, raising his mace before him. The weapon visibly shook in the Hilltender's hand. The "unconscious dryad" now shimmered in their view and disappeared, revealing the true occupant that Haelan had just seen. Festus and Fen similarly backed away in shock at the sight of the naked bat-winged woman. Though Festus did have a momentary thought "that the bat wings wouldn't really get in the way of some fun with so lovely a creature." The satyr had never slept with a proper demon before. "T'ugh. FINE! You got me. There, you feel better, magess? There. You've bested me. My aren't you smart! True form and all. Get me out of here and I'll grant you whatever you wish. I'll give you a proper deal and everything. Immunity to attack, one boon, whatever you want, the whole nine." the newly revealed succubus said nonchalantly. "A succubus. Not so surprising. Your kind I know full well enough. I also know not to 'deal' with demons." Alaria replied. "And yes...I am intelligent." she added as she waited for the males to continue down the corridor. Fen took this "close encounter" as a sign that he needed to be more careful in the bowels of an evil wizard's belly and summoned up his own magical sight to scan their way as long as he could. It was not long before the druid's precaution bore fruit as the form of a large shadow snake was revealed hovering very near the ceiling of the place. A short battle ensued as the companions were now more than experienced in dealing with them. A few strikes of magical weapons, Braddok's new sword seemed particularly effective, and some well placed "light" made short work of the shadow-summoned creature. The next alcove they came to that glowed with an "active" binding circle revealed something none of the Stormriders were expecting to see. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
Top