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Ember's Tale 100: The Mouth of the Beast


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#1 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 16 July 2008 - 06:14 AM

Chapter 100: The Mouth of the Beast


As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.

A scant hour's walk northeast of Garren's cabin, a massive gate jutted out of a cliffside. A pair of imposive stone columns outlined doors that were tall enough to let even a giant enter comfortably; these doors stood wide open like a colossal gaping maw, with a shadowed cavern within. A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth. The beast even had attendants; a pair of dragon sculptures, carved from pale marble and with Firkraag's emblem painted on their chests, sat on top of the stone columns, peering down into the gate as if waiting for a chance to snatch up anything they deemed unworthy of their master's appetite.

"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.

"Suits its owner perfectly, no? The only question is: what do we do about them?" Yoshimo pointed at the half dozen orc guards that milled around the gate opening.

"I would not hesitate to cut them down, could I but be certain that they are what they appear. Your wizard is useless in this matter..." Sir Cadril said, earning himself a angry, sullen glare and some of Edwin's usual muttered insults. "Delryn," the paladin continued, "surely there must be something you can do to solve this conundrum?"

"Nay," Anomen said sourly. "Nay, there is not."

"Is there any way we could avoid a confrontation?" Mazzy asked. "Could we sneak past them somehow?"

Yoshimo frowned. "If we find a back entrance, perhaps."

"If these are evil orcs, Minsc will not sneak his justice past them!"

The longer we wait, the worse it'll get. "There's really only one way to do this," Ember said, and stood up. Ignoring both Anomen's attempt to make her stop and the knot of nervousness in her belly, she walked up the stone tongue towards the gate, in plain sight of the orcs; they snarled in warning and pointed their swords at her. "I have come to see Firkraag," she called out to them.

One of the orcs, large and brutish and with a scarlet sash around the waist, laughed gutturally at her. "You early! Troop need kick in arse to get ready! Firkraag be warned, though I think he not care! Take her!" The orc headed into the darkness inside the gate, while the rest of the guards advanced on Ember.

Not so fast, she thought wryly. With a few syllables, she coaxed the scant mosses and herbs that grew around the gate into a writhing, entangling mass that twined around the orcs' legs; while they struggled to free themselves from the bespelled plants, Ember's companions caught up with her and more than evened the odds. Before long, every single one of the orc guards lay dead on the ground.

"True orcs, I believe," Sir Cadril said with relief. "Orcish speech patterns, orcish combat styles, and now they yield orc bodies. Our honour has not been stained further."

"Nevertheless, he may deceive us again," Mazzy said, peering into the darkness ahead of them. "We should keep to the shadows, and avoid combat to the greatest extent possible."

"It will not be easy. The entire place probably knows of our arrival by now," Yoshimo said.

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."

---

Beyond Firkraag's gates lay a giant cavern. The floor and some of the walls had been smoothed, and lit torches had been affixed to the walls every ten feet or so, but other than that, Firkraag had clearly let nature do most of the work for him. The ceiling, studded with stalactites, vaulted far above them, and simple walkways had been built where cracks and crevices made the floor unsound. There were several smaller caves within the main cavern; many of them held deep pools of milky white water, and some were inhabited by mist creatures that did not appreciate being disturbed. The main cavern itself turned downwards on the left side, forming a wide, seemingly bottomless pit with sides far too steep for scaling. Peering into it, it was just barely possible to glimpse a walkway below, about halfway down the visible part of the pit. On the right side of the cavern lay the only human-sized feature in it; a single door of oak and iron.

The group pressed onwards through the door, and entered a veritable maze of rooms and corridors. They had to deal with an orc ambush in the first large chamber, and either hid from or fought with the stone and clay golems that patrolled the larger corridors, but other than that, they encountered surprisingly little opposition as they worked their way downwards. Still, it was a wearying, disorienting task, and with several members of the party in less than full health, it soon became clear that they would not reach Firkraag that night.

"Boo did not think this house would be so large," Minsc said wearily as the group settled down in what appeared to be a seldom used storage chamber.

"Come now, good Minsc," Yoshimo said, sitting down on a musty-smelling grain sack, "wasn't the size of his front door an indicator?"

"I wonder how Lord Firkraag came to live here," Mazzy said quietly. "Surely he did not build this maze by himself; the corridors show several signs of age, and even if they did not, how could he have had the time and resources for such a project?"

"It would appear he is accustomed to taking possession of that which belongs to others," Anomen grumbled.

After sharing a cold meal of bread, dried meat and fruits, and water, most of the group settled into their bedrolls. They slept in shifts, with two people on watch duty at all times, but their precautions were for nothing; the night passed without incident. Not as much as a single orc moved in the hallway that passed the storage chamber; even if the group might, as they reasoned, be in a disused part of the complex, the complete absence of Firkraag's minions was troubling.

Ember's watch was in the hours before dawn. She spent the first half with Mazzy, who made many calming observations about their situation and talked with her about the loss of friends; the second half she spent with Sir Cadril, who barely said a word more than necessary to her, and instead gave her strange, scrutinizing looks. It made her feel very uncomfortable, and by the time Anomen relieved her for the final watch of the night, all the calmness that talking with Mazzy had instilled in her was gone. Knowing she was too agitated to sleep, she settled down in a corner of the storage chamber and entered a meditative trance, letting herself draw strength from the scant whispers of life that existed within the caves and tunnels around her.

She completed her meditations to find that Anomen and Sir Cadril were arguing; their voices were low and calm, and barely audible where she was sitting, but they were very clearly agitated.

"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."

"Our cause is just!" Anomen snapped. "And rest assured, I will endeavour to keep it that way."

"You travel with a Kozakuran scoundrel, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"

"Do not speak of her so! Garren Windspear has been subject to similar favours; do you deny that he is honourable?"

"There is something odd about her, Delryn. What do you know of her, truly?"

"I do know that she is a force of righteousness," Anomen said. "If you will forgive me, Sir Cadril, I believe it is time for my morning prayers."

The sound of heavy boots against stone followed the cleric as he stomped out of the watch chamber and away from the paladin. Sir Cadril sighed and muttered something about Helm.

Ember remained silent. Something odd about her, indeed! She badly wanted to know what the paladin meant by that, but she didn't dare ask him; the way he'd looked at her told her more than clearly enough that whatever he sensed about her, it was not positive. I could have asked Ajantis, if only... She closed her eyes and sat back against the rocky wall, and didn't move until Anomen returned to the camp a short while later. He still looked very upset.

"Anomen, what's wrong?" she asked quietly as the cleric walked past her.

"My lady!" He gave her a startled look that soon turned wary. "You overheard," he said.

"I did, but just a little," she admitted. "Thank you for defending me."

"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"

"I'm sorry," she said, and waited for him to continue, but he did not. Instead, he opened his mouth as if to speak, closed it again, looked at her, looked uncomfortably away, fidgeted slightly with his hands, and started to turn red.

"Will you walk with me, my lady?" he finally said. She agreed, and followed him down a short corridor into another chamber, which was piled to the ceiling with slightly damp firewood.

"So... what's really the matter?" she asked.

"Yesterday morning, after the ...incident, I prayed to Helm, asking that he would grant me the ability to see through such a deception... that I might never again be helpless in the face of such subterfuge. The only response I received was silence. I repeated my request this morning, with the same result. Angered and dismayed, I asked why I was denied so; in that, I was answered." He laughed bitterly. "How could I be granted the gift of True Seeing while my own vision remains clouded?"

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."

"What would make you think that?!"

"Joining the Order of the Radiant Heart was always my heart's desire, but... I wished to serve as a paladin. I spent my youth preparing and waiting for the day when I would finally receive my Calling... but that day never came. I was not worthy of such an honour. On my mother's encouragement, I eventually offered to pledge myself to the Church, that I might still be able to enter the Order; I must confess that my astonishment was as great as my joy when I was accepted. My Lord Helm cannot have forgotten that serving Him as a priest was never my first choice, nor my ulterior goal; it should not surprise me that such a cleric is not permitted the usage of His greater gifts."

"But-"

"I speak and think much of my Test of Knighthood, but even as I look forward to it, I also dread it. And... I dare not test the depth of my faith by performing a Vigil at the Temple. I... I fear I would fail." He sighed. "Sir Cadril is right to doubt me; even Mazzy Fentan is more deserving of knighthood than I."

"Anomen," she said, determined to not let him interrupt her a second time, "maybe it's just that you were not meant to be a paladin?"

"I thought that much was obvious."

"Yes, yes," she said impatiently, "but not necessarily the way you see it. I've never told you how I became a druid, have I?"

"Nay, my lady. Indeed, I know very few things about your past," he said, and looked at her with curiosity.

"Well, know that when I decided to pursue this path, I turned first to Eldath."

"Eldath?" Anomen's eyes widened with surprise. "You, my lady, an Eldathrin?"

"Doesn't quite fit, does it?" she said with a small grin. "I prayed to her with all my heart, but it was Mielikki that answered, and it was Mielikki that accepted my pledge. I was not meant to be a Peacewoman."

"Indeed, I cannot imagine you in such a role," he said thoughtfully. "But I must ask: how did it feel to be given such an alternate offer?"

"More wonderful than I could have imagined," she said quietly. "I was denied what I wanted, and given what I needed... and I was given to understand that, that very night. I've never regretted how things turned out - not on that account, at least. Anomen, what if you were no more meant to be a paladin than I was to be an Eldathrin? In my experience, the gods do not grant their favours lightly; Helm would not have accepted you if he did not wish you to serve him."

A hint of a wry smile crossed the cleric's face. "Your point is duly taken."

"And don't worry about that spell; I really think that it's just because you're not ready yet. Once you understand your place - when your vision is no longer clouded - I am certain you'll be granted it."

"That may never happen," he sighed, then smiled at her. "But... you are most kind to say so, my lady."

---

They sat together in silence for a while; the peace was eventually broken, but not by one of their companions. Instead, it was a small orc that scurried into the chamber, made a frightened squeal at the sight of the two humans, and, in an attempt to flee, stumbled over a few scattered pieces of wood and fell flat on its face. Moments later, Anomen fell upon the creature, grabbing it by the shoulder and pinning it to the floor.

"Pleeze, mercy on me!" the orc wheezed. "Me sorry. No kill! I beg! I beg! Let me go live!"

"I defy you to give me a reason why I should let you live!" the cleric growled.

"I tell you secrets! Things about place you not know! You get good secret here, I tell you!"

"Then cease your whining and speak!"

"Firkraag run the place! He hidey-hide in special place with Garren child. He wait in dere for yous to comes."

"We know that much already," Ember said.

"Tell us what defenses Lord Firkraag has!" Anomen demanded.

"Defenses? Lord Firkraag no need defenses. You silly to think so! We hunt the feed and guard the home, but he not need us protect him!"

"Sure of himself, isn't he?" Ember muttered.

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.

"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.

Ember sighed. "We should get moving, too."

#2 Guest_Coutelier_*

Posted 16 July 2008 - 04:51 PM

Chapter 100: The Mouth of the Beast


I think that number 100 deserves a round of applause. Yay for 100! :D It's a great number... much friendlier than 66 who are two grumpy old tarts, and not as full of itself as 1000.

Incidentally, have you put the previous ninety nine chapters up anywhere like the cellar yet or are you going to soon?

A scant hour's walk northeast of Garren's cabin, a massive gate jutted out of a cliffside. A pair of imposive stone columns outlined doors that were tall enough to let even a giant enter comfortably; these doors stood wide open like a colossal gaping maw, with a shadowed cavern within. A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth. The beast even had attendants; a pair of dragon sculptures, carved from pale marble and with Firkraag's emblem painted on their chests, sat on top of the stone columns, peering down into the gate as if waiting for a chance to snatch up anything they deemed unworthy of their master's appetite.


Good job they're only statues.

"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.


Minsc: Minsc does not think it charming... Nor does Boo.

Tarant: She was being sarcastic Minsc... you understand? It's when someone says the opposite of what they really mean.

Minsc: Ahhh... like when you told Jaheira her new hair looked nice?

Tarant: Yes, that's it...

Jaheira: :)

Tarant: Probably should have checked that she wasn't around first... oh well.

One of the orcs, large and brutish and with a scarlet sash around the waist, laughed gutturally at her. "You early! Troop need kick in arse to get ready! Firkraag be warned, though I think he not care! Take her!" The orc headed into the darkness inside the gate, while the rest of the guards advanced on Ember.


Imoen: He'd fit right in in Amn's high society. He's like your typical Noble person... sending commoners to fight and die while he's sipping tea on a hill several miles from the battle.

Aerie: But... h-he's an Orc...

Imoen: Come on Aerie... you've seen some of the portraits in Nalia's castle.

"True orcs, I believe," Sir Cadril said with relief. "Orcish speech patterns, orcish combat styles, and now they yield orc bodies. Our honour has not been stained further."

"Nevertheless, he may deceive us again," Mazzy said, peering into the darkness ahead of them. "We should keep to the shadows, and avoid combat to the greatest extent possible."


Tarant: Why would you want to do that?

Aerie: Um... t-to avoid killing any more friends or other innocent people?

Tarant: Oh. Right...

Edwin: Do not look at me... I have no idea what the girl is talking about.

Beyond Firkraag's gates lay a giant cavern. The floor and some of the walls had been smoothed, and lit torches had been affixed to the walls every ten feet or so, but other than that, Firkraag had clearly let nature do most of the work for him. The ceiling, studded with stalactites, vaulted far above them, and simple walkways had been built where cracks and crevices made the floor unsound. There were several smaller caves within the main cavern; many of them held deep pools of milky white water, and some were inhabited by mist creatures that did not appreciate being disturbed. The main cavern itself turned downwards on the left side, forming a wide, seemingly bottomless pit with sides far too steep for scaling. Peering into it, it was just barely possible to glimpse a walkway below, about halfway down the visible part of the pit. On the right side of the cavern lay the only human-sized feature in it; a single door of oak and iron.


Always enjoy reading your descriptions... I'm not very good with descriptions, partly because I tend to look at things more as if I'm writing a script than a novel.

"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."

"Our cause is just!" Anomen snapped. "And rest assured, I will endeavour to keep it that way."

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"


Tarant: Well I travel with a Thayvian Wizard, a wingless winged Elf, an addled man, and let's not forget the hamster... does that mean there's something wrong with me?

Edwin: Absolutely not. You're as sane as the rest of us (however sane that is).

Aerie: Um... w-why is being a Kozakuran a bad thing?

Tarant: Why do people think Drow bad?

Aerie: B-because most drow are members of an insane religious cult intent on conquering and enslaving the world?

Tarant: Well, yeah... there's that I suppose...

Imoen: It's not a bad thing Aerie... it's just that some humans don't need an actual reason not to like other people, other than that they're from some place far away and have different customs. It's pathetic, but that's how it is.

"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"


Tarant: Easy there fella... I'd hate to see you end up as some sad, lonely little fat man someplace...

"I speak and think much of my Test of Knighthood, but even as I look forward to it, I also dread it. And... I dare not test the depth of my faith by performing a Vigil at the Temple. I... I fear I would fail." He sighed. "Sir Cadril is right to doubt me; even Mazzy Fentan is more deserving of knighthood than I."


Anomen: Well that's ridiculous... she's a ha...

Imoen: Considering our earlier discussion I think you need to think carefully about what you'll say...

Anomen: She's a... woman?

Imoen: Yeah... that's a lot better. Thanks slick.

"Well, know that when I decided to pursue this path, I turned first to Eldath."

"Eldath?" Anomen's eyes widened with surprise. "You, my lady, an Eldathrin?"


Aerie: I think Eldath's nice...

Tarant: Don't start all the peace and love spiel... we all know what an adrenalin junky you are anyway. There's no stopping you when there's a fight going on somewhere. Anyway, Eldath's philosophy is stupid. There's nothing innately peaceful about nature. It's survival of the best armed.

Aerie: I just said she was nice... I knw she wouldn't take me if I wanted to follow. But, I-I think I've enough religions as it is.

"More wonderful than I could have imagined," she said quietly. "I was denied what I wanted, and given what I needed... and I was given to understand that, that very night. I've never regretted how things turned out - not on that account, at least. Anomen, what if you were no more meant to be a paladin than I was to be an Eldathrin? In my experience, the gods do not grant their favours lightly; Helm would not have accepted you if he did not wish you to serve him."


Imoen: So, while we're in the mood for telling stories, how did you become a healer Aerie?

Aerie: D-different to most people I suppose. I never joined any order. I prayed sometimes, but really Baervar came to me.

Imoen: Wait... you're saying the God actually begged you to be his priest?

Aerie: Well... I-I wouldn't say that he begged, exactly... although he did say 'pretty please' a lot and started crying at one point. The others all came as well, Aerdrie, Ilmater, even Tyr... I had to start arranging interviews in advance because I wasn't getting any sleep.

Imoen: Um... okay :)

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.

"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.


Tarant: Doesn't anyone use crossbows these days?

Aerie: Why not just let him ago? He's hardly a threat...

Tarant: He might fetch more of his larger, greener friends and come back. You wouldn't want to find yourself surrounded would you? Enemies in front and behind is bad. Got it?

Good Chapter :D Big fight next time then?

#3 Guest_Theodur_*

Posted 17 July 2008 - 08:31 AM

"I would not hesitate to cut them down, could I but be certain that they are what they appear. Your wizard is useless in this matter..." Sir Cadril said, earning himself a angry, sullen glare and some of Edwin's usual muttered insults. "Delryn," the paladin continued, "surely there must be something you can do to solve this conundrum?"


Shouldn’t he keep his mouth shut instead of calling others useless? :)

"Is there any way we could avoid a confrontation?" Mazzy asked. "Could we sneak past them somehow?"


Your paladins and knights show remarkable lack of smiting instincts!

"Nevertheless, he may deceive us again," Mazzy said, peering into the darkness ahead of them. "We should keep to the shadows, and avoid combat to the greatest extent possible."


Now that is dumb… everyone knows that a decent villain never uses the same cheap trick twice.

"I wonder how Lord Firkraag came to live here," Mazzy said quietly. "Surely he did not build this maze by himself; the corridors show several signs of age, and even if they did not, how could he have had the time and resources for such a project?"


It should be pretty apparent by now that he’s no ordinary Lord. :D

"It would appear he is accustomed to taking possession of that which belongs to others," Anomen grumbled.


To quote the D&D movie, ‘I hate thieves! Always taking something that doesn’t belong to them!’ :D

"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."


Is it just me, or is Sir Cadril something of an ass?

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"


Yes he is.

"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"


Definitely does sound like the knighthood has gone to his head a bit much there.

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."


"Not ready... or not worthy."


Aww come now, it’s quite high level spell. :)

"I speak and think much of my Test of Knighthood, but even as I look forward to it, I also dread it. And... I dare not test the depth of my faith by performing a Vigil at the Temple. I... I fear I would fail." He sighed. "Sir Cadril is right to doubt me; even Mazzy Fentan is more deserving of knighthood than I."


You should always second guess yourself, but others would do well to keep their doubts to themselves, I say.

"And don't worry about that spell; I really think that it's just because you're not ready yet. Once you understand your place - when your vision is no longer clouded - I am certain you'll be granted it."


"That may never happen," he sighed, then smiled at her. "But... you are most kind to say so, my lady."


Not sure how you’ve tweaked the romance track, but he doesn’t appear insufferable at all here.

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.


"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.


Ember sighed. "We should get moving, too."


They should be really wondering about Firkraag by now. :D

#4 Guest_AlphaMonkey_*

Posted 18 July 2008 - 12:18 AM

As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.


Falynn: "What was the first clue? For me, it was the huge piles of sun-bleached bones. I saw those, and I started thinking 'Something doesn't seem quite right here.'"

A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth.


Falynn: "Ah. That'll do it. Yeah, he was an arrogant bastard, wasn't he?"

Imoen: (Falynn variant) "Yeah. He seemed to think that we were unsuspecting prey walking right into -his- mouth."

Falynn: "We kinda were. Well, you know, until he spit us back out, and then we came back and gave him some -serious- indigestion the second time through."

Imoen: "Wouldn't be the first time folks have said they'd prefer to have dysentery than -us- around."

Falynn: "Nope."

Your wizard is useless in this matter...


Posted Image

Fixed that for you. :D

(I couldn't figure out how to do "strikethroughs" on the board, so I had to do it that way.)

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."


Raven: (Hands over an industrial-sized can of Butt-Whoop) "It would be rude not to bring party favors." :)

"Defenses? Lord Firkraag no need defenses. You silly to think so! We hunt the feed and guard the home, but he not need us protect him!"

"Sure of himself, isn't he?" Ember muttered.


Falynn: "To be fair, he's got some pretty good reasons to be confident. As it turned out, they weren't good -enough- reasons, but still." :)

Imoen: "What's that celebratory gesture the futuristic versions of us do?"

Raven: "That would be a high-five, girls."

Falynn: "High-five."

Imoen: "High-five!"

#5 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 18 July 2008 - 03:37 PM

Chapter 100: The Mouth of the Beast


I think that number 100 deserves a round of applause. Yay for 100! :D It's a great number... much friendlier than 66 who are two grumpy old tarts, and not as full of itself as 1000.


I seem to recall that 66 was much easier to write, though :D

Incidentally, have you put the previous ninety nine chapters up anywhere like the cellar yet or are you going to soon?


No. I think it's a bit too large for the cellar, and I just haven't had the time or the will to build an offsite archive yet :)

A scant hour's walk northeast of Garren's cabin, a massive gate jutted out of a cliffside. A pair of imposive stone columns outlined doors that were tall enough to let even a giant enter comfortably; these doors stood wide open like a colossal gaping maw, with a shadowed cavern within. A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth. The beast even had attendants; a pair of dragon sculptures, carved from pale marble and with Firkraag's emblem painted on their chests, sat on top of the stone columns, peering down into the gate as if waiting for a chance to snatch up anything they deemed unworthy of their master's appetite.


Good job they're only statues.


Yeah, otherwise it'd be bad.


"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.


Minsc: Minsc does not think it charming... Nor does Boo.

Tarant: She was being sarcastic Minsc... you understand? It's when someone says the opposite of what they really mean.

Minsc: Ahhh... like when you told Jaheira her new hair looked nice?

Tarant: Yes, that's it...

Jaheira: :)

Tarant: Probably should have checked that she wasn't around first... oh well.


:D

One of the orcs, large and brutish and with a scarlet sash around the waist, laughed gutturally at her. "You early! Troop need kick in arse to get ready! Firkraag be warned, though I think he not care! Take her!" The orc headed into the darkness inside the gate, while the rest of the guards advanced on Ember.


Imoen: He'd fit right in in Amn's high society. He's like your typical Noble person... sending commoners to fight and die while he's sipping tea on a hill several miles from the battle.


Sipping tea and planning his great reveal, more like.

Aerie: But... h-he's an Orc...

Imoen: Come on Aerie... you've seen some of the portraits in Nalia's castle.


:D :D :D

Always enjoy reading your descriptions... I'm not very good with descriptions, partly because I tend to look at things more as if I'm writing a script than a novel.


Thanks :D I mostly just add the scenery because, well, it needs describing and it fills up space :D I don't think I could write scripts.

Aerie: Um... w-why is being a Kozakuran a bad thing?


Sir Cadril is a mite skeptical of distant foreigners.

Imoen: It's not a bad thing Aerie... it's just that some humans don't need an actual reason not to like other people, other than that they're from some place far away and have different customs. It's pathetic, but that's how it is.


And for Drow, it's mostly because most of them really ARE bad.

Imoen: Wait... you're saying the God actually begged you to be his priest?

Aerie: Well... I-I wouldn't say that he begged, exactly... although he did say 'pretty please' a lot and started crying at one point. The others all came as well, Aerdrie, Ilmater, even Tyr... I had to start arranging interviews in advance because I wasn't getting any sleep.


:D

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.

"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.


Tarant: Doesn't anyone use crossbows these days?


Not clerics and druids, anyway.

Good Chapter :D Big fight next time then?


I don't know :D

#6 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 18 July 2008 - 03:45 PM

"I would not hesitate to cut them down, could I but be certain that they are what they appear. Your wizard is useless in this matter..." Sir Cadril said, earning himself a angry, sullen glare and some of Edwin's usual muttered insults. "Delryn," the paladin continued, "surely there must be something you can do to solve this conundrum?"


Shouldn’t he keep his mouth shut instead of calling others useless? :)


I don't think he's used to mages that don't use divination spells :D

"Is there any way we could avoid a confrontation?" Mazzy asked. "Could we sneak past them somehow?"


Your paladins and knights show remarkable lack of smiting instincts!


They're already sufficiently disgraced by smiting the wrong people.

"Nevertheless, he may deceive us again," Mazzy said, peering into the darkness ahead of them. "We should keep to the shadows, and avoid combat to the greatest extent possible."


Now that is dumb… everyone knows that a decent villain never uses the same cheap trick twice.


Yes, but then you might have a villain clever enough to know that everyone knows that, and then, knowing that nobody would expect it, repeat the cheap trick!

"I wonder how Lord Firkraag came to live here," Mazzy said quietly. "Surely he did not build this maze by himself; the corridors show several signs of age, and even if they did not, how could he have had the time and resources for such a project?"


It should be pretty apparent by now that he’s no ordinary Lord. :D


Yeah, it is, but I don't feel like letting them catch on too quickly :)

"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."


Is it just me, or is Sir Cadril something of an ass?


A bit like Keldorn, but yes, with a touch of self-righteous asshat. Anomen wouldn't be too different if he'd become a paladin himself, actually.

However, he is also correct about Anomen being too eager.

"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"


Definitely does sound like the knighthood has gone to his head a bit much there.


True, true.

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."

Aww come now, it’s quite high level spell. :D


Spell level 5, which he had access to at level 9, i.e. before he even joined the party. Not that I operate with levels, but it's still a spell he should be able to use by now.

"I speak and think much of my Test of Knighthood, but even as I look forward to it, I also dread it. And... I dare not test the depth of my faith by performing a Vigil at the Temple. I... I fear I would fail." He sighed. "Sir Cadril is right to doubt me; even Mazzy Fentan is more deserving of knighthood than I."


You should always second guess yourself, but others would do well to keep their doubts to themselves, I say.


Sir Cadril thinks he's doing Anomen a service by correcting him.

"And don't worry about that spell; I really think that it's just because you're not ready yet. Once you understand your place - when your vision is no longer clouded - I am certain you'll be granted it."

"That may never happen," he sighed, then smiled at her. "But... you are most kind to say so, my lady."


Not sure how you’ve tweaked the romance track, but he doesn’t appear insufferable at all here.


Well, let's just say that I consider the in-game lovetalks as a VERY loose guideline :D

And not at all insufferable? Hmm, I should probably make him say something nasty to Mazzy again :D

They should be really wondering about Firkraag by now. :D


Oh yes, they are :D

#7 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 18 July 2008 - 03:49 PM

As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.


Falynn: "What was the first clue? For me, it was the huge piles of sun-bleached bones. I saw those, and I started thinking 'Something doesn't seem quite right here.'"


Oh really?

Your wizard is useless in this matter...


Posted Image

Fixed that for you. :D


Hehe :D

(I couldn't figure out how to do "strikethroughs" on the board, so I had to do it that way.)


I think regular ol' html bracketed s works. Unless you disable html, of course.

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."


Raven: (Hands over an industrial-sized can of Butt-Whoop) "It would be rude not to bring party favors." :)


:D

"Defenses? Lord Firkraag no need defenses. You silly to think so! We hunt the feed and guard the home, but he not need us protect him!"

"Sure of himself, isn't he?" Ember muttered.


Falynn: "To be fair, he's got some pretty good reasons to be confident. As it turned out, they weren't good -enough- reasons, but still." :)


They're good enough that I don't know how I'll fight him yet :D

#8 Guest_VigaHrolf_*

Posted 18 July 2008 - 08:32 PM

As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.


Lemme guess. It was the big neon signs flashing DRAGON INSIDE! COME ON IN FOR PRESSIES?

A scant hour's walk northeast of Garren's cabin, a massive gate jutted out of a cliffside. A pair of imposive stone columns outlined doors that were tall enough to let even a giant enter comfortably; these doors stood wide open like a colossal gaping maw, with a shadowed cavern within. A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth. The beast even had attendants; a pair of dragon sculptures, carved from pale marble and with Firkraag's emblem painted on their chests, sat on top of the stone columns, peering down into the gate as if waiting for a chance to snatch up anything they deemed unworthy of their master's appetite.


I always thought the temple setting was one of the more interesting ones and quite imposing on walking in. :)

"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.

"Suits its owner perfectly, no? The only question is: what do we do about them?" Yoshimo pointed at the half dozen orc guards that milled around the gate opening.


Bran: "Well, my first instinct is orbital bombardment, but since this is a rescue mission... Lots and lots of firepower. Lots of it."

Aleria: "I happen to agree with him on this one."

"I would not hesitate to cut them down, could I but be certain that they are what they appear. Your wizard is useless in this matter..." Sir Cadril said, earning himself a angry, sullen glare and some of Edwin's usual muttered insults. "Delryn," the paladin continued, "surely there must be something you can do to solve this conundrum?"


I have to agree with Alpha's assessment. :)

"If these are evil orcs, Minsc will not sneak his justice past them!"


Minsc. Kick in the front door type if there ever was one. :D

The longer we wait, the worse it'll get. "There's really only one way to do this," Ember said, and stood up. Ignoring both Anomen's attempt to make her stop and the knot of nervousness in her belly, she walked up the stone tongue towards the gate, in plain sight of the orcs; they snarled in warning and pointed their swords at her. "I have come to see Firkraag," she called out to them.

One of the orcs, large and brutish and with a scarlet sash around the waist, laughed gutturally at her. "You early! Troop need kick in arse to get ready! Firkraag be warned, though I think he not care! Take her!" The orc headed into the darkness inside the gate, while the rest of the guards advanced on Ember.

Not so fast, she thought wryly. With a few syllables, she coaxed the scant mosses and herbs that grew around the gate into a writhing, entangling mass that twined around the orcs' legs; while they struggled to free themselves from the bespelled plants, Ember's companions caught up with her and more than evened the odds. Before long, every single one of the orc guards lay dead on the ground.


Fast, effective and quiet. :D

"True orcs, I believe," Sir Cadril said with relief. "Orcish speech patterns, orcish combat styles, and now they yield orc bodies. Our honour has not been stained further."


Yup. He's a Brit. :D

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."


Yeah. :D

But the exploding kobolds are fun. :D

Beyond Firkraag's gates lay a giant cavern. The floor and some of the walls had been smoothed, and lit torches had been affixed to the walls every ten feet or so, but other than that, Firkraag had clearly let nature do most of the work for him. The ceiling, studded with stalactites, vaulted far above them, and simple walkways had been built where cracks and crevices made the floor unsound. There were several smaller caves within the main cavern; many of them held deep pools of milky white water, and some were inhabited by mist creatures that did not appreciate being disturbed. The main cavern itself turned downwards on the left side, forming a wide, seemingly bottomless pit with sides far too steep for scaling. Peering into it, it was just barely possible to glimpse a walkway below, about halfway down the visible part of the pit. On the right side of the cavern lay the only human-sized feature in it; a single door of oak and iron.


Once again, great descriptions. :D

The group pressed onwards through the door, and entered a veritable maze of rooms and corridors. They had to deal with an orc ambush in the first large chamber, and either hid from or fought with the stone and clay golems that patrolled the larger corridors, but other than that, they encountered surprisingly little opposition as they worked their way downwards. Still, it was a wearying, disorienting task, and with several members of the party in less than full health, it soon became clear that they would not reach Firkraag that night.


The Firky dungeon is one of the tougher ones and wearing. Especially the vamps. I remember the first time I hit that chamber, I got cut to pieces. Inspired me to write a rather grim tale about it too.

"Boo did not think this house would be so large," Minsc said wearily as the group settled down in what appeared to be a seldom used storage chamber.

"Come now, good Minsc," Yoshimo said, sitting down on a musty-smelling grain sack, "wasn't the size of his front door an indicator?"


*chuckles* :D

"I wonder how Lord Firkraag came to live here," Mazzy said quietly. "Surely he did not build this maze by himself; the corridors show several signs of age, and even if they did not, how could he have had the time and resources for such a project?"

"It would appear he is accustomed to taking possession of that which belongs to others," Anomen grumbled.


Indeed he does.

"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."

"Our cause is just!" Anomen snapped. "And rest assured, I will endeavour to keep it that way."

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"


Seems that Cadril's got a bit of a stick up his bum.

"Do not speak of her so! Garren Windspear has been subject to similar favours; do you deny that he is honourable?"

"There is something odd about her, Delryn. What do you know of her, truly?"


Well, there is that...

"I do know that she is a force of righteousness," Anomen said. "If you will forgive me, Sir Cadril, I believe it is time for my morning prayers."

The sound of heavy boots against stone followed the cleric as he stomped out of the watch chamber and away from the paladin. Sir Cadril sighed and muttered something about Helm.


*chuckles* I doubt it was entirely complimentary :D

"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"


That would be exceptionally galling. And it's nice to see Anomen sticking up for her.

"Yesterday morning, after the ...incident, I prayed to Helm, asking that he would grant me the ability to see through such a deception... that I might never again be helpless in the face of such subterfuge. The only response I received was silence. I repeated my request this morning, with the same result. Angered and dismayed, I asked why I was denied so; in that, I was answered." He laughed bitterly. "How could I be granted the gift of True Seeing while my own vision remains clouded?"

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."


A very Anomen reaction. Insecure enough to think that any setback is a judgment against him.

"What would make you think that?!"

"Joining the Order of the Radiant Heart was always my heart's desire, but... I wished to serve as a paladin. I spent my youth preparing and waiting for the day when I would finally receive my Calling... but that day never came. I was not worthy of such an honour. On my mother's encouragement, I eventually offered to pledge myself to the Church, that I might still be able to enter the Order; I must confess that my astonishment was as great as my joy when I was accepted. My Lord Helm cannot have forgotten that serving Him as a priest was never my first choice, nor my ulterior goal; it should not surprise me that such a cleric is not permitted the usage of His greater gifts."


Poor guy.

"Well, know that when I decided to pursue this path, I turned first to Eldath."

"Eldath?" Anomen's eyes widened with surprise. "You, my lady, an Eldathrin?"


Yeah. We all sorta thought that. :D

"More wonderful than I could have imagined," she said quietly. "I was denied what I wanted, and given what I needed... and I was given to understand that, that very night. I've never regretted how things turned out - not on that account, at least. Anomen, what if you were no more meant to be a paladin than I was to be an Eldathrin? In my experience, the gods do not grant their favours lightly; Helm would not have accepted you if he did not wish you to serve him."

A hint of a wry smile crossed the cleric's face. "Your point is duly taken."


He's learning. Well, that's because he's not a complete fool :D

"Pleeze, mercy on me!" the orc wheezed. "Me sorry. No kill! I beg! I beg! Let me go live!"

"I defy you to give me a reason why I should let you live!" the cleric growled.

"I tell you secrets! Things about place you not know! You get good secret here, I tell you!"


Free intel! Yay!

"Then cease your whining and speak!"

"Firkraag run the place! He hidey-hide in special place with Garren child. He wait in dere for yous to comes."

"We know that much already," Ember said.


Not really useful info, is that?

"Tell us what defenses Lord Firkraag has!" Anomen demanded.

"Defenses? Lord Firkraag no need defenses. You silly to think so! We hunt the feed and guard the home, but he not need us protect him!"


Orc ain't kiddin. :D

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.


Titanic battles involving red dragons are good things to run away from. Smart guy.

"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.

Ember sighed. "We should get moving, too."


You have a date with destiny.

Aleria: "And, when you prevail, a very useful suit of armor to create."

Great chapter and congratulations on Chapter 100!

VH

#9 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 19 July 2008 - 06:16 AM


As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.


Lemme guess. It was the big neon signs flashing DRAGON INSIDE! COME ON IN FOR PRESSIES?


:P


A scant hour's walk northeast of Garren's cabin, a massive gate jutted out of a cliffside. A pair of imposive stone columns outlined doors that were tall enough to let even a giant enter comfortably; these doors stood wide open like a colossal gaping maw, with a shadowed cavern within. A tongue of a walkway, paved with granite slabs, rolled forth from the gate doors and completed the strange impression that a beast of grey rock was hiding in the hill, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter its mouth. The beast even had attendants; a pair of dragon sculptures, carved from pale marble and with Firkraag's emblem painted on their chests, sat on top of the stone columns, peering down into the gate as if waiting for a chance to snatch up anything they deemed unworthy of their master's appetite.


I always thought the temple setting was one of the more interesting ones and quite imposing on walking in. :D


Oh yeah. You walk there, and it's rock rock ankheg rock werewolves rock oh hey what is this giant palace type thing?


"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.


"Suits its owner perfectly, no? The only question is: what do we do about them?" Yoshimo pointed at the half dozen orc guards that milled around the gate opening.


Bran: "Well, my first instinct is orbital bombardment, but since this is a rescue mission... Lots and lots of firepower. Lots of it."

Aleria: "I happen to agree with him on this one."


Ember: And so do we... IF they are orcs.


"I would not hesitate to cut them down, could I but be certain that they are what they appear. Your wizard is useless in this matter..." Sir Cadril said, earning himself a angry, sullen glare and some of Edwin's usual muttered insults. "Delryn," the paladin continued, "surely there must be something you can do to solve this conundrum?"


I have to agree with Alpha's assessment. :D


Edwin: :)


"If these are evil orcs, Minsc will not sneak his justice past them!"


Minsc. Kick in the front door type if there ever was one. :P


Oh, absolutely. The only way to bring him to a stealth mission is to instruct him to not say a word :)


Not so fast, she thought wryly. With a few syllables, she coaxed the scant mosses and herbs that grew around the gate into a writhing, entangling mass that twined around the orcs' legs; while they struggled to free themselves from the bespelled plants, Ember's companions caught up with her and more than evened the odds. Before long, every single one of the orc guards lay dead on the ground.


Fast, effective and quiet. :D


Reasonably quiet, anyway :)


"True orcs, I believe," Sir Cadril said with relief. "Orcish speech patterns, orcish combat styles, and now they yield orc bodies. Our honour has not been stained further."


Yup. He's a Brit. :D


And so is most of the order, I suspect.


"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."


Yeah. :D

But the exploding kobolds are fun. :D


Hehe :) It's a pity I didn't feel like working them in, really.


Beyond Firkraag's gates lay a giant cavern. The floor and some of the walls had been smoothed, and lit torches had been affixed to the walls every ten feet or so, but other than that, Firkraag had clearly let nature do most of the work for him. The ceiling, studded with stalactites, vaulted far above them, and simple walkways had been built where cracks and crevices made the floor unsound. There were several smaller caves within the main cavern; many of them held deep pools of milky white water, and some were inhabited by mist creatures that did not appreciate being disturbed. The main cavern itself turned downwards on the left side, forming a wide, seemingly bottomless pit with sides far too steep for scaling. Peering into it, it was just barely possible to glimpse a walkway below, about halfway down the visible part of the pit. On the right side of the cavern lay the only human-sized feature in it; a single door of oak and iron.


Once again, great descriptions. :D


Thanks!


The group pressed onwards through the door, and entered a veritable maze of rooms and corridors. They had to deal with an orc ambush in the first large chamber, and either hid from or fought with the stone and clay golems that patrolled the larger corridors, but other than that, they encountered surprisingly little opposition as they worked their way downwards. Still, it was a wearying, disorienting task, and with several members of the party in less than full health, it soon became clear that they would not reach Firkraag that night.


The Firky dungeon is one of the tougher ones and wearing. Especially the vamps. I remember the first time I hit that chamber, I got cut to pieces. Inspired me to write a rather grim tale about it too.


I think the first time I hit the vamps, I stopped playing for a month or so. (It was my first encounter with vampires in the game, and I was very dismayed to learn about level drain :D )

(Heck, I stopped playing for maybe two months when I first killed the windspear paladins, and stopped for over a year when I first got out of the starting dungeon as I was too confused as to where to go next and why Imoen was gone. No wonder I never finished (or even patched) the game until 2005 :D )


"Boo did not think this house would be so large," Minsc said wearily as the group settled down in what appeared to be a seldom used storage chamber.

"Come now, good Minsc," Yoshimo said, sitting down on a musty-smelling grain sack, "wasn't the size of his front door an indicator?"


*chuckles* :D


Yoshimo: I can dance on the head of a pin as well!


"I wonder how Lord Firkraag came to live here," Mazzy said quietly. "Surely he did not build this maze by himself; the corridors show several signs of age, and even if they did not, how could he have had the time and resources for such a project?"

"It would appear he is accustomed to taking possession of that which belongs to others," Anomen grumbled.


Indeed he does.


Well, technically speaking... I'm thinking that Garren Windspear will tell them Firkraag moved into an underground castle that was built by a red dragon several hundred years ago.... :D


"You cannot blame me for being concerned, Delryn," the paladin said. "You've always been too eager in your quest for honour and glory, you know. The Order would not want to see you turn mercenary in your pursuit of those qualities."

"Our cause is just!" Anomen snapped. "And rest assured, I will endeavour to keep it that way."

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"


Seems that Cadril's got a bit of a stick up his bum.


Indeed.
Keldornesque, but with too much zeal and not enough compassion.


"Do not speak of her so! Garren Windspear has been subject to similar favours; do you deny that he is honourable?"

"There is something odd about her, Delryn. What do you know of her, truly?"


Well, there is that...


Even if I won't let my paladins Sense Evil, I am willing to let them detect *something* off :D


The sound of heavy boots against stone followed the cleric as he stomped out of the watch chamber and away from the paladin. Sir Cadril sighed and muttered something about Helm.


*chuckles* I doubt it was entirely complimentary :D


Grant me patience and all that.


"He had no right to speak of you in such terms!" Anomen said, a little too loud. "Sir Cadril has never approved of me," he grumbled in a much lower voice. "He is not much older than I, but because he has attained his knighthood, he believes he has the right to lecture me about the path I choose towards my own! Bah!"


That would be exceptionally galling. And it's nice to see Anomen sticking up for her.


Well, he LIKES her, ya know? :) And he does not like Sir Cadril, who does not like either him or Ember. (It's like a regular kindergarten, isn't it?)


"Yesterday morning, after the ...incident, I prayed to Helm, asking that he would grant me the ability to see through such a deception... that I might never again be helpless in the face of such subterfuge. The only response I received was silence. I repeated my request this morning, with the same result. Angered and dismayed, I asked why I was denied so; in that, I was answered." He laughed bitterly. "How could I be granted the gift of True Seeing while my own vision remains clouded?"

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."


A very Anomen reaction. Insecure enough to think that any setback is a judgment against him.


Anomen in a nutshell, and I'm glad I managed to get that across. (I may have not had him brag enough earlier on, though)


"Joining the Order of the Radiant Heart was always my heart's desire, but... I wished to serve as a paladin. I spent my youth preparing and waiting for the day when I would finally receive my Calling... but that day never came. I was not worthy of such an honour. On my mother's encouragement, I eventually offered to pledge myself to the Church, that I might still be able to enter the Order; I must confess that my astonishment was as great as my joy when I was accepted. My Lord Helm cannot have forgotten that serving Him as a priest was never my first choice, nor my ulterior goal; it should not surprise me that such a cleric is not permitted the usage of His greater gifts."


Poor guy.


All bravado on the outside, but on the inside he's just waiting for Helm to change his mind and fully reject him.


"Well, know that when I decided to pursue this path, I turned first to Eldath."

"Eldath?" Anomen's eyes widened with surprise. "You, my lady, an Eldathrin?"


Yeah. We all sorta thought that. :D


:P


"More wonderful than I could have imagined," she said quietly. "I was denied what I wanted, and given what I needed... and I was given to understand that, that very night. I've never regretted how things turned out - not on that account, at least. Anomen, what if you were no more meant to be a paladin than I was to be an Eldathrin? In my experience, the gods do not grant their favours lightly; Helm would not have accepted you if he did not wish you to serve him."

A hint of a wry smile crossed the cleric's face. "Your point is duly taken."


He's learning. Well, that's because he's not a complete fool :D


He tries not to be, anyway :D


"Tell us what defenses Lord Firkraag has!" Anomen demanded.

"Defenses? Lord Firkraag no need defenses. You silly to think so! We hunt the feed and guard the home, but he not need us protect him!"


Orc ain't kiddin. :D


No, he ain't (and that's part of the reason why I all but emptied the dungeon - that, and not wanting to write a bajillion vampire fights, tomb raiding, and whatnot :D )


"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.

Ember sighed. "We should get moving, too."


You have a date with destiny.


*dramatic drumroll*

Aleria: "And, when you prevail, a very useful suit of armor to create."


You have my permission to guess which one of them will get the suit :D

Great chapter and congratulations on Chapter 100!


Thanks! (And congratulations on 'finishing' your own story :P )

#10 Guest_Ananke_*

Posted 19 July 2008 - 05:36 PM

As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.

I change my opinion. Now, what I really want to hear is Garren's explanation. :)

"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.

...or teeth. :insert random Pratchett joke here:

"Nay," Anomen said sourly. "Nay, there is not."

Wha...? No True Sight yet? :)

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."

To a dinner, maybe?

"Boo did not think this house would be so large," Minsc said wearily as the group settled down in what appeared to be a seldom used storage chamber.

"Come now, good Minsc," Yoshimo said, sitting down on a musty-smelling grain sack, "wasn't the size of his front door an indicator?"

I like this bit of dialogue. :)

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"

Hmm. Is a Revelation from Firkraag on the way, I wonder?

Also... neat. I get the Thayvian hate. I get the Minsc objection. But of all the possible things to say about Yoshimo, that he's Kozakuran? Tsk. I never took Sir Paladin there for a xenophobe! :)

"There is something odd about her, Delryn. What do you know of her, truly?"

Although that -is- a good question.

"I do know that she is a force of righteousness," Anomen said.


...technically speaking, Anomen, she's True Neutral. :D

"I'm sorry," she said, and waited for him to continue, but he did not. Instead, he opened his mouth as if to speak, closed it again, looked at her, looked uncomfortably away, fidgeted slightly with his hands, and started to turn red.

Aww... Is that how you celebrate the Happy One Hundred? Whee! :D

"How could I be granted the gift of True Seeing while my own vision remains clouded?"

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."

Shh. Don't you worry! You just have to kill a dragon, and find a holy sword, and you'll probably have enough XP to get it!

"And don't worry about that spell; I really think that it's just because you're not ready yet. Once you understand your place - when your vision is no longer clouded - I am certain you'll be granted it."

...OK, that's also a possible solution. :)

"He sure you gonna die," the orc said. "Me sure too. Me sure I run other way so I not killed too by accident. He get mad, bad things happen. I go now. I go fast!" With a quick twist, the orc managed to kick Anomen's arm just hard enough that the cleric let go. Before he could catch the orc again, it was on its feet and running away as fast as its legs could carry it.

"Run then, cowardly creature," Anomen grumbled in disgust.

Ember sighed. "We should get moving, too."

Yup.

Romance!

When did Ember see her first orc, by the way? This chapter?

#11 Guest_Cel_*

Posted 20 July 2008 - 04:09 PM

As Firkraag had predicted, Ember did indeed know when she'd found the right place.

I change my opinion. Now, what I really want to hear is Garren's explanation. :D


Oh, I have that one ready to go (I just don't know where to put it) :D

"Charming place," Ember murmured as the group crouched down behind a windblown bush that was barely large enough to hide them all. Somehow, the dragon statues seemed to be following her with their eyes.

...or teeth. :insert random Pratchett joke here:


Ah, Pratchett.

"Nay," Anomen said sourly. "Nay, there is not."

Wha...? No True Sight yet? :)


I'm being mean.

"I don't think it'll make any difference," Ember said lightly, trying to keep the anxiety she felt from showing. "I was invited, after all."

To a dinner, maybe?


:D

"Boo did not think this house would be so large," Minsc said wearily as the group settled down in what appeared to be a seldom used storage chamber.

"Come now, good Minsc," Yoshimo said, sitting down on a musty-smelling grain sack, "wasn't the size of his front door an indicator?"

I like this bit of dialogue. :D


Thanks, I liked writing it :D

"You travel with a Kozakuran, an addled man, a Thayvian Red Wizard, and one who has drawn the ire of what is clearly a madman-"

Hmm. Is a Revelation from Firkraag on the way, I wonder?


Maybe. Maybe not.

Also... neat. I get the Thayvian hate. I get the Minsc objection. But of all the possible things to say about Yoshimo, that he's Kozakuran? Tsk. I never took Sir Paladin there for a xenophobe! :)


You may be happy to learn that in the interim, I've decided to make his complaint about Yoshimo a bit more specific :D (I mean rogue as in scoundrel, not rogue as in thief class) (Scrap that, I prefer the sound of scoundrel :D )

"I do know that she is a force of righteousness," Anomen said.


...technically speaking, Anomen, she's True Neutral. :D


...except that I tampered with the alignment file, and she's Neutral Good :P

"I'm sorry," she said, and waited for him to continue, but he did not. Instead, he opened his mouth as if to speak, closed it again, looked at her, looked uncomfortably away, fidgeted slightly with his hands, and started to turn red.

Aww... Is that how you celebrate the Happy One Hundred? Whee! :P


Er, not quite what I think you're thinking (yet) :)

"How could I be granted the gift of True Seeing while my own vision remains clouded?"

"I see," she said. No wonder he's upset! "It's probably just that you're not ready for such magic."

"Not ready... or not worthy."

Shh. Don't you worry! You just have to kill a dragon, and find a holy sword, and you'll probably have enough XP to get it!


He's had more than enough XP for it for a long time. It's just that, like I said, I am mean.

"And don't worry about that spell; I really think that it's just because you're not ready yet. Once you understand your place - when your vision is no longer clouded - I am certain you'll be granted it."

...OK, that's also a possible solution. :)


I also have a NPC kit or two installed :)

(I Have Plans and just wish I could make them less obvious than they probably are)

Romance!


As if nobody saw that coming :P

When did Ember see her first orc, by the way? This chapter?



Hmm, possibly. She has seen half-orcs before, though, and is seasoned enough by now that a new creature doesn't necessarily phase her.




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