Fantasy Sorcery!!! (Completed)

[Yokai]

>> Protect the beggar <<​

The beggar's screams of anguish only strengthened Aquila's resolve and she took a deep breath as she drew her bow and arrow. She stood in a defensive position above the beggar, ready to shoot down the birds if they tried to harm him. Harpies, he'd called them -- it didn't matter much to Aquila, only that she would protect this man if she could. "Leave him be!" She called out to the Harpies, unsure as to why they'd target such a meager old man with nothing but his dreams.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Harpies came swooping down, screaming toward the beggar. They were ugly feathered creatures with sharp talons on their legs, coming to tear out what was left of the beggar's eyes. Aquila had a bow, which she could use to bring one of them down, but she would not be fast enough for the other, or a dagger she could use to fight them, though they were flying creatures and her reach was not the best. She also had a lot of spells that could be used to defend herself.

- Use the bow (Roll a die, Bonus: 7.5, Difficulty: 15).
- Use a dagger (Roll a die, Bonus: 3.5, Difficulty: 20).
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Cast a spell <<​

Aquila didn't have much time to debate on how to respond, she already had the bow in her hands but that wouldn't stop the second Harpie. Instead she focused on a fire spell and directed it at both the Harpies, it was the best she could do under the circumstances.

 

[ArcticFox]

The first Harpy burst into flames. The fire caught its feathers with ease and the creature fell to the ground with a terrible shriek. Aquila's fireball was good enough for any one of them, though, and the second creature slipped past her, grabbing the beggar's tattered clothes with its talons and hauling him up into the air.

"Help me!" He exclaimed, struggling, though not quite managing to get out of the creature's grasp.

- Use the bow (Roll a die, Bonus: 7.5, Difficulty: 15).
- Flee.

 

[Yokai]

>> Use the bow: Rolled 20 <<
​

Aquila cursed under her breath and raised the bow she'd originally planned to use. With an arrow hitched into place she aimed carefully, not wanting to harm the beggar but also not wanting to give the Harpie an opportunity to get higher. Falling from such a height wouldn't leave the old man unharmed after all. Taking a deep breath Aquila aimed for the small of the harpie's back and let her arrow fly.

 

[ArcticFox]

Her arrow hit the mark without any difficulties. The Harpy shrieked and fell onto the ground in a tumble of limbs and feathers, releasing the beggar who rolled on the ground beside it, uninjured. He quickly scurried to get away from the creature, but as he heard its dying screech he got up, cheering and danced a very clumsy dance, almost tripping himself up.

"Stranger! Thank you so much!" He grasped Aquila's cloak. "I owe you."

- Ask him his name again.
- Leave him and continue your journey.

 

[Yokai]

>> Ask him his name again <<​

Relief washed over Aquila like a mounting wave and she breathed out a relieved sigh. She gave the old man a warm smile that he couldn't see and placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. Blue eyes glanced over him quickly, checking for injuries and then broadening her smile when she found none.

"You're welcome," Aquila replied softly, helping the beggar hadn't been much of a debate when she'd seen how much he'd suffered. "May I ask for your name?" She asked, recognizing that calling himself a beggar was hardly a name.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Theetah." The beggar nodded. "I'm sure everyone's forgotten about me by now. All because of the cursed First Noble. These are his servants." He pointed at the sleeping Harpies. "Thank you for disposing off them. I wish I could give you something in return. But I own nothing."

Theetah was the Seventh Noble of Khare, as Aquila found out in the Council Chamber.

- Ask for his line.
- Ask for something else.

 

[Yokai]

>> Ask for his line <<​

It seemed that she'd found another Noble then, Aquila couldn't recall whether Theetah possessed one of the lines or not. But it couldn't help to ask or look for some assistance she supposed. "You do not need to repay me," Aquila replied softly as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, "Though if you could help me, I'd be incredibly grateful," She began, seemingly testing the waters with her tentative words. "But if you know anything of the lines to the North Gate spell, or know any of the lines, that'd be more than enough owed."

 

[ArcticFox]

"The spell?" Theetah turned to her, following her voice. "To the North Gate? You want to get out of here?" His expression sunk. "I wish you better luck than mine. I know a part of it." He said, before reciting. "I bid you portals open wide."

And that was it. The third line. Aquila had to learn the other half of Moulag's line, as well as the forth and final full line. She had a way to go yet. The beggar waved her away, stepping up to the Harpies and inspecting their corpses, looking very happy that the creatures were now gone.

Aquila proceeded on the only path through the wasteland. After a while she came to the edge of the ruined area, where a line of tall, dark fence cut through it. Through the dense leaves of the ivy she could make out a wide area beyond, dotted with stones and small buildings and straight, somber trees. Whatever it was beyond it, it could not be as deserted and empty as the place she had left behind.

- Climb the ivy.
- Cut the ivy down.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Climb the ivy <<​

"Thank you," Aquila breathed, amazed that she'd managed to find another Noble on her way to Courga. She watched him hesitantly before leaving, anxious to depart and continue on her quest but nervous at leaving Theetah undefended. Perhaps she should have told him of Xirin, or perhaps later she'd tell Xirin of him?

When she reached the ivy clad walls of the Graveyard Aquila let a shudder run down her spine. She'd been warned of this place and to be careful of what lay within -- Aquila could only hope to find the temple quickly and return to Xirin's home within the evening. Reaching out she tugged on the ivy, testing its strength before she decided to climb over it.

 

[ArcticFox]

The ivy seemed tightly wound about the railings, it looked fairly safe to climb. Wedging one toe between the metal bars, Aquila gripped the cords of the plant and hauled herself up. Then the second foot was up and she was climbing, though she could feel the plant tearing under her weight. With two more measured movements and thanks to her agility, she was up and above the fence, dropping to the other side as the plant crumbled from the spot she climbed.

She was standing in the grounds of the Necropolis, a city within the city, occupied by headstones and mausoleums of the dead. Somewhere between the yews and cedars she could make out the wide road that looped through the graveyard before turning uphill as it headed for the far gate. The wind whistled between tall trees. The sun was slowly climbing down the sky. She had less than an hour of daylight left.

- Look around the gravestones.
- Stick to the path and leave the Necropolis.

 

[Yokai]

>> Look around the gravestones <<​

Aquila landed on the balls of her feet and turned, just in time, to watch as the ivy fell from where she'd scaled the fence. When she turned back to the Necropolis Aquila was struck by how large and ominous it appeared, dark and granite in the approaching twilight. She grimaced at the hushed dormant feeling that surrounded her before she ventured further in. Blue eyes glanced over the gravestones and the environment around her, half looking for clues but also satisfying her own eternal curiosity.

 

[ArcticFox]

She stepped off the path, walking between the nearest tombs. Some were ancient: headstones tilted to crazy angles and some of them fallen face down, as though the citizens of the graveyard have been drinking since they died. Xirin had mentioned that the Khareians are never resting in peace. The older tombs were too run down for Aquila to examine or find anything useful, though, but a little further on she saw new gravestones, neatly carved and clean of all moss and weeds. The marbled gleamed in the sunlight as though cleaned by maids and waiting for their occupants to arrive.

There were several tombs among the new graves - like there was a plague in the city recently, or perhaps the people simply died often in Khare. They were scattered about in a roughly alphabetical order. She looked across the names and a couple caught her eye.

- Praya's gravestone.
- Riif's tomb.
- Shinva's mausoleum.

 

[Yokai]

>> Praya's gravestone <<​

Aquila didn't want to wander too far into the graveyard, she still had a quest to complete and Xirin's warning still rang within the bounds of her mind. Carefully she approached one of the newer graves and towards Praya's gravestone. Aquila didn't know which one to look over first, but this seemed like a good enough place to start her search.

 

[ArcticFox]

It was a simple gravestone with the name of the deceased and the year the person died. Fresh flowers were placed on it, but there was nothing else of the interest there. Did any of the names seem familiar to Aquila?

- Riif's tomb.
- Shinva's mausoleum.

 

[Yokai]

>> Shinva's mausoleum <<
​

Aquila hummed thoughtfully at the fresh flowers and murmured a quick prayer, respectful after visiting the grave of the recently deceased. She glanced over the other ensembled graves in looking for more familiar names. Eventually she moved onto Shinva's mausoleum. Aquila ventured over a bit more cautiously.

 

[ArcticFox]

She approached the mausoleum. Carved above the doors was the inscription: "Here rests Lord Shinva - Fifth Noble of Khare."

The doors of the mausoleum were unlocked and slightly opened as though someone regularly came and went. Just in front of it was a ring of mushrooms, growing up against the front step of the mausoleum. The mushrooms were red with white spots - highly poisonous. The ring itself was in a perfect circular shape. In its centre glittered something silver - a blade pushed into the soft soil.

- Reach for the sword.
- Step into the circle.
- Leave the circle.

 

[Yokai]

>> Leave the circle <<
​

Aquila looked down at the perfect shale of the circle and decided it was best not to touch that sword. Rhain had explained what a portal trap was and that it came in many different ways, but it was always a perfect circle. Therefore she carefully left that circle alone.

 

[ArcticFox]

She carefully stepped over the circle of mushrooms and onto the first step of the mausoleum. The air inside the crypt was freezing. Dust coated the floor. Urns lined the walls, but there was no coffin in sight. The floorspace was empty, except for the far corner, where a narrow stone staircase led down into darkness. As soon as she made another step forward, the doors behind her swung shut. There was a bang and Aquila was plunged into deep darkness filled only with the sound of her own breathing.

And then another noise - a distant rattle of chains.

- Feel for the doors.
- Feel for the stairs.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Cast a spell <<
​

Goosebumps erupted all over her skin as the doors slammed shut behind her. And the sound of chains rattling made her shudder with fear. Despite her low stamina she reached for her sun stone and cast a spell of light -- she didn't want to face this thing in the dark. She didn't want to be alone in this tomb in the dark either.

 

[ArcticFox]

The room was showered by light that was for a moment too blinding. Then as Aquila's eyes adjusted, she could see that there was nothing in the darkness more dangerous than rats that hid in the crevices. The doors were still firmly shut and her only way was down.

Menacing sound echoed up from the depths of the crypt, the moaning of wind. As she was as the bottom of the stairs, she found the missing coffin. It was laid on a pedestal in the centre of the room, clad in chains. But something translucent floated above it. A ghost?

- Address the ghost.
- Attack it.
- Run.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Address the ghost <<
​

Aquila squeezed her eyes closed tight at the brightness of the spell and then blinked through the glare. When her eyes adjusted she noticed the translucent being hovering above the tomb. Instantly she recalled Ellie's father -- it was very possible for this to be a ghost. Quietly she drew nearer, Aquila called out to the ghost hesitantly, "Hello?"

 

[ArcticFox]

But as she looked closer she could see that the shape was far different from the friendly ghost the encountered in Ellie's inn. No, this was a Wraith. It hissed as it turned its skeletal head toward Aquila. She remembered from her studies - the Wraiths could only be killed by silver weapons. She did not have a silver weapon, so her best chance was to injure it or stun it, if she wanted to inspect the coffin. Or, she could just run for it, but the doors upstairs were firmly closed.

- Attack it with a weapon.
- Run.
- Cast a spell.
- Pray for aid.

 

[Yokai]

>> Pray for aid <<
​

Aquila stumbled backward at the sight of the creature, it was not the friendly ghost she had expected to come across but instead it was a wraith. Immediately her mind and heart raced, trying to figure a way out of this situation. Attacking the creature was pointless -- she possessed no silver to defeat the creature and had barely enough stamina for a fight. Running wasn't much of an option either as the doors had slammed shut behind her. Instead Aquila resorted to prayer and prayed to Panther for aid.