Rel's Faded Glory III: Glory Reborn (FINAL UPDATE 6/22 - SHE'S DONE, BABY!!)
- Thread starter Rel
- Start date
!
Rel
Liquid Awesome
You guys are brutal. However, things have slowed down a bit at work right now and I've been catching up on some administrative stuff. It looks like I'm getting done with most of that so I'm planning on spending a chunk (or several small chunks) of the day writing Story Hour so I can keep you hungry wolves at bay. There will be updates by sundown!
Count on it.
Count on it.
Rel
Liquid Awesome
The monotony of the darkness was slowly broken by strands. Ahead, thin, white strands contrasted themselves against the blackness and slowly resolved into a wall of webs. The party halted.
They approached cautiously and peered into the maze of sticky webs that lay before them. At intervals throughout the tangled barrier were rounded clumps of web that reminded them all of egg sacs. “Looks like we found the realm of the Spider Folk,” said Marcus in a fit of obviousness that drew cold stares and rolled eyes from the rest of the group.
They began to debate in earnest what approach they should take. Marius immediately proposed that they try to negotiate passage as they had no quarrel with the Spider Folk unless they had taken Ilrath captive. Others in the party preferred a more martial approach. The Gatekeeper of Do-Kun Ghul had already told them that the Spider Folk were dangerous.
Marius countered that the group of companions were dangerous but that they were not unreasonable. He proposed that the same consideration be offered to the Spider Folk unless and until they proved hostile. After a bit more discussion, reason won the day and they called out to the Spider Folk to summon them for a round of diplomacy.
They did not have to wait long before a surprisingly human sounding voice called from behind the obscuring webs. The voice was thin and reedy but backed with the resolve of one who is speaking from within their own home. “What is it you want, Humans.” The last word was just slightly spat as an insult.
Marius responded, “We seek passage through your realm as we continue under the mountains. And we also seek information about a friend of ours if you’ve seen him.”
After a brief pause the voice replied, “Who is this ‘friend’ you seek?”
“His name is Ilrath of the Brigantes. He and a group of his kinsmen came this way seeking the City of Endless Summer.”
Another, longer, pause took place before the next reply. “They came this way. It was some time ago though I know not how you reckon time. They passed through our caverns and have departed to the north.”
“Can we gain similar passage?”
After a moment, an answer, “Wait.”
They waited.
A quarter hour passed and the party became nervous. All of them loosened weapons in their sheaths and made certain that spell components were ready at hand. All were startled when the voice came again without warning.
“Withdraw back the way you came for a period of a couple of hours. Then come back after you have slept and we will have made way for your passage. We will know if you do not heed these directions.”
Marius replied, “We understand. We will be back tomorrow.”
The group headed back the way they had come but were no further than a few hundred feet when Speaks piped up, “This is trap. I just know it.”
“How do you ‘know it’?” Marius rebutted.
“I could tell when he spoke about Ilrath that they considered him an enemy. I could hear it in his voice. They know we are friends with Ilrath and they will probably try to attack us as well. If not while we sleep then when we return to pass through their halls!”
As they continued their withdrawal they argued about whether the Spider Folk could be trusted. Marius clung steadfastly to the fact that they had done nothing offensive toward the party and that it would be foolish and rash to attack the Spider Folk without provocation, particularly since they had no idea how many of them there were or how powerful they were.
Speaks responded by saying that Ilrath’s band was not much larger or well equipped than theirs and that if they had managed to battle their way through, so could the party. Unless they gave up the initiative to the Spider Folk and allowed them to lead the group into a trap.
This battle of words continued for a long while but eventually Marius’ argument won and they agreed to stick to the arrangement they had struck with the Spider Folk. They would place themselves at their mercy and hope for the best.
They approached cautiously and peered into the maze of sticky webs that lay before them. At intervals throughout the tangled barrier were rounded clumps of web that reminded them all of egg sacs. “Looks like we found the realm of the Spider Folk,” said Marcus in a fit of obviousness that drew cold stares and rolled eyes from the rest of the group.
They began to debate in earnest what approach they should take. Marius immediately proposed that they try to negotiate passage as they had no quarrel with the Spider Folk unless they had taken Ilrath captive. Others in the party preferred a more martial approach. The Gatekeeper of Do-Kun Ghul had already told them that the Spider Folk were dangerous.
Marius countered that the group of companions were dangerous but that they were not unreasonable. He proposed that the same consideration be offered to the Spider Folk unless and until they proved hostile. After a bit more discussion, reason won the day and they called out to the Spider Folk to summon them for a round of diplomacy.
They did not have to wait long before a surprisingly human sounding voice called from behind the obscuring webs. The voice was thin and reedy but backed with the resolve of one who is speaking from within their own home. “What is it you want, Humans.” The last word was just slightly spat as an insult.
Marius responded, “We seek passage through your realm as we continue under the mountains. And we also seek information about a friend of ours if you’ve seen him.”
After a brief pause the voice replied, “Who is this ‘friend’ you seek?”
“His name is Ilrath of the Brigantes. He and a group of his kinsmen came this way seeking the City of Endless Summer.”
Another, longer, pause took place before the next reply. “They came this way. It was some time ago though I know not how you reckon time. They passed through our caverns and have departed to the north.”
“Can we gain similar passage?”
After a moment, an answer, “Wait.”
They waited.
A quarter hour passed and the party became nervous. All of them loosened weapons in their sheaths and made certain that spell components were ready at hand. All were startled when the voice came again without warning.
“Withdraw back the way you came for a period of a couple of hours. Then come back after you have slept and we will have made way for your passage. We will know if you do not heed these directions.”
Marius replied, “We understand. We will be back tomorrow.”
The group headed back the way they had come but were no further than a few hundred feet when Speaks piped up, “This is trap. I just know it.”
“How do you ‘know it’?” Marius rebutted.
“I could tell when he spoke about Ilrath that they considered him an enemy. I could hear it in his voice. They know we are friends with Ilrath and they will probably try to attack us as well. If not while we sleep then when we return to pass through their halls!”
As they continued their withdrawal they argued about whether the Spider Folk could be trusted. Marius clung steadfastly to the fact that they had done nothing offensive toward the party and that it would be foolish and rash to attack the Spider Folk without provocation, particularly since they had no idea how many of them there were or how powerful they were.
Speaks responded by saying that Ilrath’s band was not much larger or well equipped than theirs and that if they had managed to battle their way through, so could the party. Unless they gave up the initiative to the Spider Folk and allowed them to lead the group into a trap.
This battle of words continued for a long while but eventually Marius’ argument won and they agreed to stick to the arrangement they had struck with the Spider Folk. They would place themselves at their mercy and hope for the best.
Jon Potter
First Post
Rel said:
Knowing you? I'd have to say: NO!
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