Doom of the Savage Kings

[GlassEye]

Aedre basks in the adulation, the admiration, the banter of those around her that seems a jockeying for her favor. Her lips turn upwards in a faint smile at Boral's fumbling words. Only a flicker of her eyes indicate she's heard Kurl or Tender but Gratien's use of her title and formal praise earns him a frank, assessing gaze.

A single step brings Aedre close to the bank where Boral kneels. She reaches out a hand to his bowed head as if to touch his forehead but halts her hand less than a finger's length away. Even at that distance Boral can feel the coolness radiating from her hand before she withdraws it.

"You have been touched by another..." Was that uncertainty or annoyance briefly heard in her voice? Regardless, it is gone or masked when she continues. "You hunt the beast. Then perhaps I can aid you and in so doing, aid myself. North of here is the burial mound of an ancient warrior-king. As was their wont, he was buried with a powerful weapon, bane of that demonic beast. The burial mound is sealed and guarded by Azbog the Serpent."

The name of Azbog sends a chill down Kurl's spine and he knows, is filled with certainty though he's never heard the name before, that Azbog is an enemy of that one he worships.

"Azbog." Aedre spits the name. "My tormentor. Drive him off or slay him and you would have given me a boon. And with that evil spirit banished you would be able to broach the mound and take the weapon to fulfill your quest."

Aedre looks up and seemingly sees Alois for the first time. As her gaze washes over him he feels the magic drain away and he reduces to his normal dimensions.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Franko watches the filly change and his head twists further in a circle, "Those mushrooms must still be working. the pony is a girl." When he sees how beautifyl she she is, his head snaps back to the correct position, puppy dog eyes in his sockets.

Hank and Homer both look at each other and says in unison, "Jester", then bow low as they see the others doing.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Gratien lowers himself to one knee in fealty before Aedre. "My Lady of the River, your enemies shall be mine own, both now and ever after. I pledge myself to thee." The Elf's eyes are fevered when he looks up, but he doesn't look away from Aedre. He seems to be concentrating intently--memorizing her features, perhaps.

Alois stumbled once more when Aedre lifts the spell. The big man reaches out to steady himself by grabbing hold of nearby tree branch. "Woah. This magic stuff makes my tummy feel funny. Not sure I like it." Alois wiped sweat from his temples.

Lizt said nothing, but she did, however, creep closer to the stream. She kept her arms crossed, and continued to frown. Bitterness framed her features, and it wasn't becoming.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Franko still has puppy dog eyes at the river spirit.

"Psst" Homer tries to get Franko's attention. "Franko, remove the spell off of him."

Hank looks at Franko waves his hand and tries to get his attention, but is realizing how futile it is.

 

[GlassEye]

Gratien's words and actions seem to have wholly captured Aedre's attention. She reaches forward to the elf and cups his face in her hands. They are cold and refreshing like spring water and she leans forward to brush her lips against the elf's forehead. Releasing him she steps back and gazes at him as if searching for the truth in his soul.

"Go. Drive Azbog from my banks. Take up the weapon and finish your quest. Then return to me and we can make formal agreement."

After a moment she turns to watch Boral.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Boral stands and finds it easier to speak to the spirit now that the initial tense moment has lightened a bit. "Ma'am, I don't know what you mean by another has touched me. Actually, I don't think anyones but me has touched me before..."

Tender opens his mouth to speak and try to salvage the situation, but then sighs audibly and gives the cause up as hopeless.

"... but I do want to help you. I mean, this Azbog sounds quite terrible and we are in the beast slaying business of late. So yes, I'll help you gladly, if you would but help direct us the way to the serpent's lair." Boral ends, at least less clumsily than he started.

Kurl agrees, and says aloud, "The one I worship also would see this creature dead. Let us slay this Azbog and claim the prize."

Tender says, "Aye. I admit I am looking forward to the weapon we might find wherein."

 

[GlassEye]

Aedre, Lady of the River, wears an enigmatic smile as she listens to Boral speak. "Azbog's lair is north at the head of the serpent mound..." she says after Boral finishes. She continues to give more specific directions but it seems that it will be easy to find particularly since the elves live in the forest beyond the mound and Gratien passed near it on his way to Hirot.

Leaving Aedre behind the group travels northward across the river and into the woods and up a branching stream. The trees are denser here and impede travel but thin by mid-day to reveal a tall, grassy mound that winds away for hundreds of yards. This is obviously the serpent mound that Aedre spoke of.

The thin stream to Aedre's river that the group followed passes close along the east side of the mound but forms a shallow, glittering pool at the head of the mound. Across the pool, set into the earthen mound, is a large circular stone, decorated with serpentine spirals worn by time.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Tender says, "Alright we got here, and I don't see a way in or a serpent to kill. What now?"

Boral gives Kurl an inquisitive look, which Kurl seems to understand and responds to non-verbally, with a sweep of the arm towards the circular stone. Boral nods and goes first to investigate, followed closely behind by Kurl. The two begin to converse over the subject.

"We know this Azbog serves a creature known as the serpent, so I suppose the serpentine spirals have both a religious and decorative purpose," Boral ventures as he points to the various designs.

"Yes, quite correct," Kurl says with confidence. "Though I would guess more religious than decorative. For gods and demigods, the religious significance comes first and vanity a distant second." He traces the patterns with his finger, though he is careful not to touch the stone.

"So it's likely we'll need magical or divine means to get in. That stone is likely moveable somehow, else this being wouldn't be able to threaten Aedre," Boral says.

"Oh there are ways to harm over a distance, but I agree it's not likely. If we can't figure a way through, maybe we can let the stronger types try out their muscles on pulling the stone up by hand," Kurl answers.

"But that's not the best way."

"No, not the best way."

The two continue to try to investigate the mound and the stone.

 

[Scott DeWar]

"over the river and through the woods, to the serpent fiend we fight.

We will succeed for the need is fully right with might."

Franko sings his song softly for the first hour but stops finally.


Hank wanders forward just a bit and listens to the two investigating, taking note of what he knows incase he is asked.


Homer draws his two short swords and provides a rear guard.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Gratien walked in a fog of thought, his mind filled with images of Aedre. The closer he came to the serpent mound, the more he burned with intensity to prove himself to the water spirit. Even this desire, however, was foreign to him; he'd long been accustomed to wandering, unburdened by excess emotion. What is the passion that stirs in my breast? Mere flight of fancy? Nay, Lady, for you have won my allegiance and won it true. Feelings warred in Gratien's heart and the Elf gave himself over to the battle.

Alois fell into step beside Lizt. He looked sideways at her and took a risk. "Lizt," the big man said quietly, "I know you're mad. I know I did wrong. But we're about to go somewhere neither of us have ever been before, and I'm worried. Let me keep you safe, eh?"

Lizt looked at Alois, but kept her pace and didn't slow down. For a long minute, she considered. The words of forgiveness were right there, right on the tip of her tongue, but they wouldn't come out. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and mulled over how to best phrase what she thought. She finally settled on, "Alright, Alois. You watch my back, and I'll watch yours. You might be strong, but you're slower than an ox." The pair fell into silence for the rest of the journey to the mound, but didn't separate.