Iron Heroes: A Saga of Might

[Dr Simon]

"My name is Destoari," says the figure, moving back and forth behind the outcropping. "Once, my sisters and me used to travel the depths of the sea on our faithful companion, Phulsileeris.

"Those were happy times, but all things come to an end. Phulsileeris may have been a giant amongst nautiloids, but he was still mortal, and old age took him as it does all mortals. We retired to a cove and I began to build a memorial to our old friend from his shell. See, this is the work I began."

A green scaly hand tipped with long talons pokes out of one of the sleeves of the creature's hevy oilskin and points to the mosaic behind you.

"But my older sister, Brinkiria, took the death of Phulsileeris hardest. She could not accept his death and so she sought unnnatural means. A creature known as the Black Conch helped her, as did my yougner sister Shallasia, always ready to listen to Brinkiria. Through the dark power of the conch they animated his body, a desecration! I was exiled from within the shell, but I am still their sister, they could not kill me.

"Now they travel the seas seeking victims to feed the terrible unlife of our dear Phulsileeris. Help me free my sisters from the Black Conch, or your ship will suffer the fate of all the others."

 

[mfloyd3]

"And if we do help you, what will you and your sisters do then?" asks Xoria. "And how will you free the ship?"

 

[Walking Dad]

Olmar
Defense 13 (FF13), HP 34/34, F +5,R+4,W+4; Ini +2 ; Fury Pool 0/12; DR 1d4

"What are you and your sisters? What should we do if they fight us?"
Olmar asks from a little back, not trusting the creature in front of him.

[sblock=OOC]


----

Reserve Points: 27 / 34

Pick (gripped with both hand and Power attack 1):
1d20+4 - 1d6+6 - 20/x4

In berserker rage:
1d20+5 - 1d6+8 - 20/x4
[/sblock]

 

[Dr Simon]

"We've no interest in the surface world," says Destoari. "It's only because the Black Conch needs the life-force of humans that my sisters bring Phulsileeris to the surface at all. If it was dead, we would return to our old life in the depths of the sea."

She moves to another part of the coral, still partially hidden.

"With the conch dead, Phulsileeris will sink once more and your ship will float free. I will swear an oath by Ramardas, Lord of the Emerald Sepulchre, that you and your ship will be unharmed if you defeat the Conch. But you must swear one to me. My sisters are misled, I do not want them killed. Do what you must, but let them live."

 

[mfloyd3]

OOC: Assorted Knowledge skills, etc. Do any of these things mean anything to Xoria?
-Has she heard of anything like the giant nautilus? Or the name Phulsileeris?
-Does she have a guess at what Destoari and her sisters might be?
-Any good legends involving three sisters and a giant mollusc? Is there a punchline for a joke, like, "Three sirens and an island-sized nautilus walk into a bar..."
-Does the name Ramardas ring a bell?
-Does she have any idea what the Black Conch might be about?
-Does the necromancy involved in the shell make sense to Xoria? Is it plausible that you need to feed humans to an undead mollusc?

 

[Dr Simon]

[sblock=OOC/Xoria]
Xoria has never heard the name Phulsileeris, nor anything concerning three sisters and a giant mollusc.

"Three sisters" reminds her of the legend of the Hags of Skålmir, a Norrlending tale concerning three evil witch-like monsters who were so hideous that merely seeing them could sap a man's strength.

She has often heard Wade refer to Ramardas as god of sailors and the sea.

No idea on the Black Conch, but the draining of life-force sounds like a viable proposition, even if it isn't a concept she has any direct experience of.
[/sblock]

 

[mfloyd3]

Xoria considers. "A moment, please," she says. "We must discuss this."

She gestures for the group to step back from the mural-decorated patio.

 

[Dr Simon]

"Do not take too long," hisses Destoari. "The time may be running short for your ship."

 

[Walking Dad]

Olmar waits for Xoria to start this 'discussion'.
He simply sees no other way to go.

 

[mfloyd3]

Xoria looks at her companions. "If what this creature says is true," she observes, "We have no other way to free the ship, and no time to find one." She frowns, mulling it over.

"I know little about necromancy," she muses, "But what she says rings true. The souls of men -- of creatures that speak -- are powerful, and could perhaps animate this creature. It is a gruesome fate," she adds, looking to her companions. "Do not let them take you alive, for if you are part of such a ritual you will suffer unimaginably."