...the first of which he spoke aloud. "I don't have the kind of power to transport anyone across the realms, at least not yet. I know of other Gatekeepers with the power to Shift Planes, but I haven't attained that level of mastery yet. What do you need me for?"
(5E) D&D/Moorcock Multiverse Inspiration PBP
...the first of which he spoke aloud. "I don't have the kind of power to transport anyone across the realms, at least not yet. I know of other Gatekeepers with the power to Shift Planes, but I haven't attained that level of mastery yet. What do you need me for?"
CharlotteOz
Explorer
"You came out of nowhere! You're saying these... these things, and you're tracking mud everywhere and you're saying my mother's dead and - "
Alan sucked in a deep breath, trying to soothe the turmoil - so naturally, the thunder chose that moment to crack, loud enough for the walls to shake.
"They, out there, have nowhere else to go. This is our home. If the river bursts, we'll lose everything. This house we're in will have a foot of water in it. I... I'll tell you what. If you know anything that can help us guard against this storm - or anywhere else these people can go if our best isn't going to be enough...
"If you help us, then I'll go with you. I'll leave with you and go back to where you want me to go. And if you help us I'll make sure everyone leaves you alone while you do."
JharyOConnah
Explorer
The horses kept talking as they turned and headed straight toward Jim and the eerie chaos creature lumbering above him. They seemed to be taking Eovin at her word, though. "I don't wanna die! We're just tryin' ta work, lady!" "No no no! Not if'n I can help it!"
The shadowy ape-panther-bat reacted violently as the pixie sprayed it with poison, throwing its claws up and staggering back, but not before one of the horses slammed into it with its front hooves, crushing it underneath.
The odd creature dissolved into nothing before the tiny faerie's eyes.
Eovin kept looking around, but Laynard and the two other weird beasts were nowhere to be seen.
Visibility was still horrible. The little fae could easily see the way they came, but couldn't find the path forward. She DID see some smears of mud against a nearby tree, thinking that it must be the direction the caravan leader was dragged.
Eovin still saw no sign of the third cart, driven by Laynard's other son, Bo.
* * *
Prince Selythin struck again with his sword, stabbing the beast right in its torso. Almost immediately the creature burst into a million fragments and dissolved away into the thick, hazy air.
The winged elf took a moment to regain his composure. He was standing on the ground now. He looked back behind him, in the far distance. There were fires burning. He could still see swarms and swarms of the strange creatures descending on his imperial homeland.
It was still so stormy and hazy he could barely make out any other landmarks. Although, a tall mountain loomed in the distance, and Selythin knew beyond it lie the great sea and the nations of men.
He'd never been too fond of "men."
* * *
Kaylee, or "Infiri" as she had said, kept up the staring, but started to shake her head as Josiah Jones spoke.
"No." She continued, "You are now the ONLY trusted gatekeeper, gatekeeper."
She got off the bed and walked toward the lone oil lamp in the shack, picking up Josiah's knife from the table. She crouched down and started to draw in the dirt floor with the tip of the blade. It was a map of sorts.
"Two days away there is a town, on the coast. In that town, there is a harbor. And..."
She looked up at Jones again with that serious face.
"In that harbor there is a boat, a cargo ship. That boat will take us in the direction we need to go."
She kept staring at the cowboy, trying to let it sink in.
"I need you, Josiah Jones. The fate of EVERYTHING as we know it is at stake..."
* * *
"Ooooh...Princess you care so much! Of course you do! Uh... I'm sorry. I know you speak the truth about these silly human things. You must REALLY care. Oh dear-o-me..."
The mud-caked old woman dabbed at her teary eyes.
It was the strangest thing, but Alan could see BOTH an older woman, sobbing and upset, and a lithe, sharper woman full of fear and motivation at the same time. The images collided and sat on top of each other in the young tailor's mind. He couldn't really distinguish one from the other.
It all kinda made sense, in some primitive way, to Alan's brain.
"I-I-I can TRY to help. I have some minor magics at my command..."
Alan thought this made the lady seem more crazy, but he kept listening anyway.
"But... I'm afraid it won't matter. I think this land of hu-mans is already lost. I don't think I CAN save your hu-man friends..."
She looked intensely at Alan Oake.
And then the old/young, peculiar lady started to sob again.
* * *
The shadowy ape-panther-bat reacted violently as the pixie sprayed it with poison, throwing its claws up and staggering back, but not before one of the horses slammed into it with its front hooves, crushing it underneath.
The odd creature dissolved into nothing before the tiny faerie's eyes.
Eovin kept looking around, but Laynard and the two other weird beasts were nowhere to be seen.
Visibility was still horrible. The little fae could easily see the way they came, but couldn't find the path forward. She DID see some smears of mud against a nearby tree, thinking that it must be the direction the caravan leader was dragged.
Eovin still saw no sign of the third cart, driven by Laynard's other son, Bo.
* * *
Prince Selythin struck again with his sword, stabbing the beast right in its torso. Almost immediately the creature burst into a million fragments and dissolved away into the thick, hazy air.
The winged elf took a moment to regain his composure. He was standing on the ground now. He looked back behind him, in the far distance. There were fires burning. He could still see swarms and swarms of the strange creatures descending on his imperial homeland.
It was still so stormy and hazy he could barely make out any other landmarks. Although, a tall mountain loomed in the distance, and Selythin knew beyond it lie the great sea and the nations of men.
He'd never been too fond of "men."
* * *
Kaylee, or "Infiri" as she had said, kept up the staring, but started to shake her head as Josiah Jones spoke.
"No." She continued, "You are now the ONLY trusted gatekeeper, gatekeeper."
She got off the bed and walked toward the lone oil lamp in the shack, picking up Josiah's knife from the table. She crouched down and started to draw in the dirt floor with the tip of the blade. It was a map of sorts.
"Two days away there is a town, on the coast. In that town, there is a harbor. And..."
She looked up at Jones again with that serious face.
"In that harbor there is a boat, a cargo ship. That boat will take us in the direction we need to go."
She kept staring at the cowboy, trying to let it sink in.
"I need you, Josiah Jones. The fate of EVERYTHING as we know it is at stake..."
* * *
"Ooooh...Princess you care so much! Of course you do! Uh... I'm sorry. I know you speak the truth about these silly human things. You must REALLY care. Oh dear-o-me..."
The mud-caked old woman dabbed at her teary eyes.
It was the strangest thing, but Alan could see BOTH an older woman, sobbing and upset, and a lithe, sharper woman full of fear and motivation at the same time. The images collided and sat on top of each other in the young tailor's mind. He couldn't really distinguish one from the other.
It all kinda made sense, in some primitive way, to Alan's brain.
"I-I-I can TRY to help. I have some minor magics at my command..."
Alan thought this made the lady seem more crazy, but he kept listening anyway.
"But... I'm afraid it won't matter. I think this land of hu-mans is already lost. I don't think I CAN save your hu-man friends..."
She looked intensely at Alan Oake.
And then the old/young, peculiar lady started to sob again.
* * *
jmucchiello
Hero
"Well done, but we lost the humans. Let's try that direction," Eovin says to the horses, pointing past the tree with the mud smear.
Steve Gorak
Adventurer
Selythin contemplated the apparent destruction of his homeland with little emotion. He knew, however, that duty demanded that one day, when he had the capability and the ressources, he would need to claim his birthright and rebuild the empire. The survivors would be fine subjects, doubtlessly stronger than the ones being destroyed now.
He had other issues at hand for the moment, and would rely on the long lifespan of his Elven people for empire building.
He needed time to contemplate Which path to take. Perhaps the human kingdoms needed to be warned of the creatures. Of course, with no body from the creature to show as proof, it would be a harder sell.
He found a well hidden spot with adequate cover from the elements and rested his head on a log and started what he had done all his elf-life: the restful trance. However, ever since his transformation, he had fallen into a less mindful state, with visions he could not control. Back at the castle, The human slaves had whispered that he was sleeping, which was of course impossible, or was it...
|
CharlotteOz
Explorer
"You don't have to call me 'princess,' honestly. As I explained, I - "
Alan paused, finally managing to sort the contradictory images out - realizing that whatever this was, it must be some kind of witchcraft. He knew a little magic - it had come easily to him, since finding the bracers - but something like this was beyond him...
And then, her words sunk in. He turned pale. "Lost? ... I mean, they'll lose a lot, and people might starve or go homeless, but..."
He looked out the window, as the lightning flashed again. Then he turned back to her, his voice soft and quiet. "How much time do we have...? Can we take some with us, as refugees...?"
JharyOConnah
Explorer
Jim climbed up on the wagon next to Eovin as he brushed layers of mud off his clothes. "Where's Bo? Where's my poppa?" He was looking at the little pixie for answers and guidance.
The horses pressed on, continuing into the forest, but the route became too uneven and thick to go forward. The horses bitched as they stopped.
"Hell! What did you expect!" "Little lady, you've got to be kidding!"
* * *
Selythin rested after his battle.
Fires still burned in the distance. The heavy scent of death hung in the air.
Slowly, images came to the elven prince.
It was, similar to astral-projection, as if Selythin traveled through space and time.
He dreamed of the city. The palace. The throne room. The dungeons. The vaults.
Behind a giant, sturdy door lie the blade. The black sword.
The outcast prince heard a whisper in the dark.
"Go to the river. Not the one below, but above. Your heritage awaits thee."
* * *
"Aloe! Look! They can come but they'll fare just as well as ice cubes on a hot summer day in the fey-wild. I'm pretty sure the storm's gonna destroy everything around here..."
The lady, old or young, looked serious.
She kept muttering to herself, then cried out.
"They can come! Fine! You figure it out!"
The lady sniffed loudly. Almost reverting into sobs.
"Let's ALL go!"
She tried to compose herself. It wasn't easy. She kept fumbling around, fidgeting with anything in sight.
Alan didn't know what to think at all.
* * *
The horses pressed on, continuing into the forest, but the route became too uneven and thick to go forward. The horses bitched as they stopped.
"Hell! What did you expect!" "Little lady, you've got to be kidding!"
* * *
Selythin rested after his battle.
Fires still burned in the distance. The heavy scent of death hung in the air.
Slowly, images came to the elven prince.
It was, similar to astral-projection, as if Selythin traveled through space and time.
He dreamed of the city. The palace. The throne room. The dungeons. The vaults.
Behind a giant, sturdy door lie the blade. The black sword.
The outcast prince heard a whisper in the dark.
"Go to the river. Not the one below, but above. Your heritage awaits thee."
* * *
"Aloe! Look! They can come but they'll fare just as well as ice cubes on a hot summer day in the fey-wild. I'm pretty sure the storm's gonna destroy everything around here..."
The lady, old or young, looked serious.
She kept muttering to herself, then cried out.
"They can come! Fine! You figure it out!"
The lady sniffed loudly. Almost reverting into sobs.
"Let's ALL go!"
She tried to compose herself. It wasn't easy. She kept fumbling around, fidgeting with anything in sight.
Alan didn't know what to think at all.
* * *
Mark Chance
Boingy! Boingy!
Orland pulled the doors shut again from inside the barn. The farmer appeared to have the matter in hand, and Ralph could not let an old man suffer under the fury of the storm. Ralph sprinted from the cover the overhanging roof toward the figure. When Ralph figured he was close enough to be heard, he yelled out.
"Good man! This way! Out of the storm!"
jmucchiello
Hero
"I have no idea where anyone is, Bo." Eovin says. "We are lost. There are creatures in the mist. Aside from you, no one called out for help. They just got swallowed up by this pea soup mist."
She says to the horses, "Circle back until we hopefully find the road again. Also look out for any of the carts. Monsters too but I hope I didn't need to tell you that."
She says to the horses, "Circle back until we hopefully find the road again. Also look out for any of the carts. Monsters too but I hope I didn't need to tell you that."
Josiah tried to process everything he had been told. Infiri was inhabiting the body of this girl, and would hide in her as they traveled. Knowing what he did about his Patron, the girl would remain unharmed. Harming an innocent was worse than anathema to the God of Judgement. He would not do so, even if she was willing. Which meant his job was to keep her safe, both for her own sake, and that of his master.
He could see so, so many issues with this set up. She had killed one man, yes, but she'd done so while his back was turned and no one was expecting her. She would likely be sneaky, but it took more than that to survive in the Roughs. Or...well, wherever they were going, it was likely just as bad.
The rest of what Infiri had said soaked in. The fate of everything they knew...Was the world ending, then? What of all the innocents?
"Can we save it?" he found himself asking. "Can this world be saved?"
He knew the answer wouldn't change what he had to do. But all the same, he needed to know.
