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Solanumtinkr

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Opening Post on previous post.

People were settling in and a Jetty is being built for ships, with a few shacks for shelter and storage. I laughed at their pretention, they call this place Port Town Bay. But I left them to it and explored the area. I felt something tug at me, a faint and strange feeling. With nothing better to do I followed it past the snowmelt river running crystal clear from the mountains. I almost missed it, you know? A Gorge, almost hidden by the trees, leading through the mountains, with an animal track leading faintly upwards.

Onwards or upwards? Dragging a telescope with me I scaled the mountain track towards the end of the gorge. It went from a balmy to bitter cold as I climbed through rock and woods, towards the peak. As I emerge from the tree line and found myself on a cliff ledge facing the wilderness beyond the Snowy Mountains. I forgot the cold. I forgot the reason I came up as the feeling now firmly seized me. A feeling of Deja vu, knowing I have never been here but feeling like I'd left it behind a long time ago.

The telescope I brought shows me crystal lakes peeking out from being shrouds of fog, soaring mountains and a ravines who's secrets were cloaked in shadows of their own making. But the trees are what got to me. Though I have never seen one, I know them, and feel that they know me. A feeling of being watched?

The Witchwoods stretch as far as I can see blurring into the distance and over the horizon. I think I know this feeling, others have ventured near the mountains and they fear what lurks beyond, I do not feel this. The Witchwood, they know me. They blanket me in perfumed air...this feeling, of almost welcome.

I am the last made Guardian of Guthix, the woods may try to kill me, but only as part of nature's cycle, never malice. Only I can show other people the way, for without guidance the Witchwoods hide their secrets from all. All but me. I know this feeling at last. I am home. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

21-Dec-2015 19:31:21 - Last edited on 21-Dec-2015 19:45:36 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Being a demon these days is not an easy thing. It used to be that in the Empire, humans were scattered around like party favours, snacks to grab as you go past a selection. The world was ours for the taking. What happened, how did we lose it all?

For a while as the Empire fell, it was an all you could eat buffet...then things started to change, the food fought back and got inventive. Then they got organised, they fought amongst themselves, competed with each other. Then they came, the Slayers and they are relentless, but being a demon is good for something even in these dark days. Being able to sense nature's little fits and starts, to be able to feel when danger is close and when food is about to present itself. So Slayers are a manageable threat and things settled down.

Still, we were forced to leave by another group and washed up on these cursed shores, something here stops us from simply teleporting back to our homeworld and while food should be plentiful.. it just always seems to be just out of our grasp. Normally we hunt separately and at first it went well, but the forest seemed to keep changing, a path we'd just been on would be gone and no forging back through the underbrush took us back. Those lost, they'd turn up eventually. Well they did for a while, then the life we hunted seemed to vanish and some hunters never returned.

These Witchwoods don't seem to like visitors, it trips and confuse them, misleads them and has them walking in circles, beguiles and cast illusions to hide things, and dying of thirst a stones throw from water. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

21-Dec-2015 19:31:30 - Last edited on 21-Dec-2015 20:09:45 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I never thought much of humans, just walking meat sacks. A single demon can wipe out an entire village, but the human's sphere now reaches far and wide. Adventurers pop up like weeds seeking fame and fortune, hunting down 'monsters'. Yet here I am, in cave with a view of desolate mountain peaks blading in to the sky, a creature of fire and warmth, hiding in a snow bound cave, eking out a meagre existence, while the mortal cattle wander anywhere they please.

A few dwarves, seeking the riches of the mountains have wandered far too close and are now being tormented by my fellows, I'd join them, but I have a keen weather sense. It tells me a storm is coming, something is stirring in nature's realm, and it's heading this way.

The cave seems unnaturally warm, something to do with the minerals gleaming from the walls. I crawl into the crevice to wait on the storm, in my dark corner, it's from here I see a myth. It cannot exist, yet nature has meddled before, not consciously but through need on other worlds. But this is far worse and I finally understand why we're being constantly pushed back, our numbers decimated to where we can only be a nuisance at best.

The figure entered the cave silently, not trying to be stealthy, but almost unnaturally agile. The others missed it, but I saw. A small crystal vial quickly put to their lips and their insides briefly lit up like a lightning storm, the figure was well and truly out numbered, but they surged forward in a blur, rubbing something in their pocket, something made of bone. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

21-Dec-2015 19:31:40 - Last edited on 09-Feb-2016 18:23:30 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

My fellow demons leapt and struck with blinding speed, but this figure dodged many blows and then I felt something I had thought long lost, they knew the Ancient Curses. The armour was strange, almost that of a beast, yet not magic, melee or range in style, but all 3. Yet the helm was a mishmash with a barely recognisable black mask. The others fought desperately as the figures wounds closed up as fast as they were made, something flickering out to snatch their lifeforce. Some were strangled with magic, others bombarded and cut down in a flurry of blades as the intruder switched fluidly from one weapon to another.

I was wrong about the storm, just as I realised I'd been wrong about a lot of things. This was a Guardian, an Avatar of the fallen god, nature's chosen meddler. The dwarves who had been turning to flee, picked up the nearest weapons and flung themselves at their tormentors with a fierce cry, emboldened by the Guardian's demon slaughter.

It didn't take them long, the others had long since stopped attacking willingly, and simply hoped they'd go away. I'd heard rumours of human Warriors in the Empire there were said to be fairly powerful, for humans. And I'd never understood why humans would want to watch caged predators, not until today. I was left wishing there really were bars in the way.

Quite rang in the cave, seems I missed the last of my fellows being butchered. Well it was no less than what I'd have done to them if given the chance, them and their entire village that is. And that figure's helm framed eyes, stared at me from inches away. What kind of monster was hiding underneath? I cowered back as far as I could and when one of the Dwarves distracted them I fled into the moon lit snow.

What I'd do now I do not know, but as I looked back they'd removed their helm...A human? A mere human?! But my weather sense was telling me that they were the one and the same thing as I'd felt approaching. I wasn't going to go back and find out for sure. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

21-Dec-2015 19:31:49 - Last edited on 22-Dec-2015 06:01:21 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I knew of a ravine a fair way from here, hidden in shadows with similar caves. Though being surrounded by the forest would mean we could never leave. A few survivors slunk out of cover and joined me on my journey, now I could only hope we'd make it there. There are far worse things in the forest than demons. Though I'd rather face them than what is behind me in our cave. Their cave.

I'd encounter some of our original group, driven insane by the Witchwoods, lights that would burn or lead the unwary into traps and berserkers that attacked anything that moved, but they are few and far between, and the forest seems happy enough for us to sequester ourselves in the ravine. What we found down there - maybe we should have stayed in our cave... The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

21-Dec-2015 19:32:00 - Last edited on 21-Dec-2015 22:38:41 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Part 2! More description. More story!

Adventurer: Port Town

Something doesn't sit right with me. I am restless and have been visited by a dream. It's not often a dream walks amongst people. Seen and heard. Felt. They look familiar, and I realise I am looking at myself. They look worried and try to smile, but it slips and so ask what is wrong. It seems something has been eating away at the heart of the forest, yet they cannot see what and ask me to investigate. Well what could I do, I am adventurer and questing is what I do, so I accept. The best place to start seems to be the lakes. Plucking up my gear I hiked out past the gorge and head into the forest.

Every time I find a new monster the Slayer Masters want a report, they determine how best to kill them from experience or by investigation and then start handing out assignments. I found a few new ones the forest, but it makes me wonder. I asked them once why they did it, and I was told most firmly that it was to prune down the numbers of monster to protect Gielinor...and then they sent me to other other side of the universe to kill an imaginary Elder created monster that never leaves that planet.. Yeah right, protect Gielinor. Blood thirsty bunch.

So yet another monster to report, I'll have to see if I can get this kill knocked off another task, there doesn't seem to be enough to warrant actively hunting them down. It rushed me in a blur, a mad slash of claws. It didn't take me long to dispatch it and then crumble to ash. It looks like one of the demons that I encountered in the cave, but there is something wrong with it, almost distorted. With a visceral shudder I kick some dirt over them and walk on. Whatever is wrong with it, picking up the ashes is not worth the risk. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

23-Dec-2015 20:13:58 - Last edited on 29-Dec-2015 23:43:59 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

There is a slight slope to the ground, I wouldn't have noticed, but the further I go the hotter it seems to become and the branches are dripping with condensation, the ground plants have the same gleam as the cave in the mountain and a fog clings to the ground like a carpet. I turn quickly as I hear something scuttling along behind me. Make that a lot of somethings, but they are hidden in the fog. I pick up the pace as I have no interest in finding out if they are hungry the hard way.

Once I forge a path away from the gleaming vegetation the scuttling fades away. Note to self; stay away from funny looking plants! I had to force my way through a few 'shortcuts' or I'd have never reached my goal, but I'm finally here. Crouching in a bush, I spy on a humanoid approaching the lake, something stirs near the water's edge. They freeze and stare. A quick flash, a bigger splash and the humanoid appears stunned, by the time they recover something has splodged its way out of the water and fastened itself onto them. It looks like water, only thicker. More and more fling themselves, until they are covered. Wobbling, the figure stumbles off back into the forest like a poorly controlled puppet.

What a charming parasite. I think the trick here is to use a Mirror shield, though how to deal with the water thing. Maybe a fire spell, though earth might work as well, right?

It takes a while to get the gear from camp, but I come back in my full slayer gear. Success! The creature is very much like a basilisk. Well if a basilisk looked like someone had just sneezed the world biggest snot pile and had it come to life. Yuck! I carefully slip one wriggling bit of slime into a vial and stopper it. I'll just have to see what Kuradel makes of it, then I fry what's left with fire. Time get Mr Wobbly! The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

23-Dec-2015 20:14:21 - Last edited on 29-Dec-2015 23:46:31 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Though something nags at me. The plants eat Mr Wobblies. Yet these plants, there is not one straight line you can walk away from the lake without hitting one. Yet for maximum efficiency, wouldn't they be in a circle? That speaks of planning, not happenstance. Someone has burnt some of the plants creating a path out, one leading back towards town...and a Mr Wobbly is ploughing their way through the forest. I could just try and kill it with magic, but every time I start to cast, the scuttling starts my way. Time for plan B! No plan B would have been a different weapon, more scuttling, which stops when I do; Mr Wobbly is getting away and I am now on Plan S, for stupid, or stone!

What do you know? The scuttley things ignore rocks? Bliss! Wait, now I have a Mr Wobbly after me and I can't use weapons, some plan! I back up and start heading around the lake edge, when it stumbles into a plant and is devoured. Which would have been sweet, if he hadn't had about 10 more friends! And a boat load of Mr Wobbly tourists! And every time a Mr Wobbly touches an animal Mr Wobbly gets a pet! Fast running out of time and now the fog creeps out over the lake as the moon climbs higher in the sky..and I have a really stupid idea.

I call the Plan; Fire and run like hell!

No, not at the army of Wobblies, but just above the gleaming plants. Yeah, that's right. I'm bad. Kick the nest, make'em real mad and run screaming the other way - with a rippling carpet of death sheading everything in its path to get at me!

Including every Mr Wobbly! Sweet

I leave the scuttling far behind, what can I say? I have 99 in running way

Survival is not about being the fastest, it's about making sure you're fast enough not to be the poor sucker at the back that gets eaten! The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

23-Dec-2015 20:14:32 - Last edited on 23-Dec-2015 22:23:33 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Tired, hungry and annoyed I start trekking back. I have the feeling I've been taken for a fool. Nothing new there really. I'm use to that kind of thing as it goes with being an Adventurer. I think in this case they expected me to help kill the plants for them as one of the remains of the Mr Wobblies looked like someone from Port Town. I quickly head back to town with a Dream BBQ in mind.

We stare at each other from across the town square as they stop talking to another poor sucker they wanted to lure into their trap. They know. I stalk towards them and on closer inspection they ripple slightly. Like one of those things. Only they are not made for combat, or much of anything else; as a towering inferno of Fire Surging blasts into the sky. I would warn the mayor, but that appears to be me now.

Making a map come notice board is the first real act as - I laugh - mayor. As if I have the time, I'll just have to whip up a willing assistant. I nail up a list of notes about what I found. The dangers. Where they are and such. A note to Kuradel with the sample must have reached her as rumour says that a Slayer may come to town permentantly. Brushing the dirt and ash off my armour, I scribble a few notes in my journal and call the quest closed.

I just worry that this might not be the end of the problems The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

23-Dec-2015 20:16:29 - Last edited on 23-Dec-2015 22:42:42 by Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

Posts: 22,240 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Part 3

The Slayer: Port Town Square

Assignments are normally given out by Slayer Masters, but some wise guy put up a Map and pinned notices to it. Some were warnings and advice, but most were lists of monsters that someone wanted Slaying. All I could do is shake my head, rip off an assignment note and make a run to what's laughably called a pub. No Ale. No beer, seems the last shipment had been snatched by raiders. What they do have is some mind rot made from some of the local Gleam Weed. The banner on the wall say it protects you from...who names this stuff? Mr Wobbly parasites. I think they must have been hammered on this stuff at the time. I'd have commented on it to barkeep but my throat is still on fire from gulping it down.

Well either it does the job or everyone is using it as an excuse to drink all day long. It just goes to show you, where ever humans go the first thing they do is find a way brew alcohol! So you know where my vote lies. Still, better safe than sorry, and pack in 4 more. Then pack in one more for after the task.

Looking at the back of the note it has a map and X marking the spot, The Ankharha Cavern, oh wonderful, a short swim to an island in a lake full of man-eating blobs. The task; Dream walkers, to investigate the cavern, find out if anything else is there, find the source of the Walkers and eliminate it if possible. Stonemasons can be seen breaking off slabs near the gorge while others carry them off to extend the path into the woods beyond the Gorge. Either side of the path are crystal flasks with something writhing in fluid, huh it's the same mind rot I was just drinking. They glow brightly in the moonlight and mark either side of where the path is going to be. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

24-Dec-2015 21:55:30 - Last edited on 24-Dec-2015 22:04:05 by Solanumtinkr

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