August 27, 794
The remaining members of the expedition stood in front of a huge lake. Their breath came out in short bursts, turning into vapor that dissiapated as it rose higher. Only one person seemed to be unaffected by the extreme cold.
Reeven clutched his arms together, trying to stay warm. "How do you not get cold, man?"
Jerreck looked over at him. "who says that it's cold? You've not known cold." He looked of into space, remembering the lair of Icewing.
Ravyson hovered a few inches off the ground. "How can you get colder than this?"
Reeven pulled out his bow and pointed it at the sun. "Warm this place up or I'll shoot you! Don't think I won't!"
"That's not going to help. Just calm down."
The Weavers spoke. "Down there, is the sword you are searching for. Find it, and it is yours. You will receive no help from us to get it." The enigmatic Weavers dissapeared, and they were alone to find the sword.
"At least the lake is clear. If I can see it from above, we can get it easier." Ravyson jumped into the sky. He flew into the air, looking for the sword. After hours of searching, with the party growing restless below him, he saw a metallic glint.
He dropped to a few feet above the water. The sword that would defeat Apryel was wedged in the sediment at the bottom of the lake, at least a hundred feet down.
Behind the group, a short, robed and hooded demi-human approached. On him was a talisman. It had two serpeants biting each other's tale. In the middle of the talisman was a reddish/orange ruby. He approached Jerreck who stood looking at Ravyson. He quietly began to talk.
"We meet again Jerreck. It's been along time, but I have finnaly found you." Spoke the hooded man.
Jerreck startled turn around and grabbed the grip of his sword. "Who are you? What do you mean? Be gone with you elf. You have no business here."
"Oh, but I doo. If it was not for me, you would have never gotten here. Niether would the others. It seems you've picked up some more travellers since we last met, Jerreck. Does Ravyson still waer the Oricalcite armor?" The robed man answered him back.
"How do you know about that? Only the people who were with us at the mausoleum knew about that, and many were lost in the catacombs or dead."
"In time you will remember. Maybe this will enlighten your memors." The hooded man closed his right fist. When he opened it again, he had in his palm a ring Jerreck was wearing. Jerreck could not see him, but the hooded man was smiling. "Now do you remember?"
Jerreck wears the Oricalium armor, not Ravyson.
OOC: Oops I thought it was Ravyson who wore it.
August 27, 794
"You do remind me of someone of old, but he was human", Jerreck
mused as he grabbed his ring back. He stopped fingering his mace
and eyed the mysterious name-giver that stood before him.
"I don't remember you, stranger. Perhaps if you reveal your face?
The only one of your size that I recall travelling with in these
lands was that, what do you call them.. gnome? Eitri Underhill. He
took off a long time ago though." Jerreck displayed a genuine
curiousity, apparent to those present.
Ravyson landed elegantly next to Jerreck and whispered a few words
in his ear. The scarred warrior nodded and looked from the stranger
to the icy lake.
"If you will excuse us, we have some things to do here. You may
stay as long as you don't get in the way."
The short robed man bowed curtly and Jerreck thought he was
smiling inside his hood, "But of course, my friends."
The group talked over their predicament. The sword Frostbite had
been found, but it rested a hundred feet down, at the bottom of the
icy lake.
"Perhaps the armor will protect Jerreck if he swims down and get it",
someone tried hopefully. Jerreck just shook his head. "Wearing a
metal armor on the bottom of that lake only ensures one thing... that
you'll stay there forever."
Liander had been quiet for the most of the day. He did not enjoy this
icy place, and he wished he had brought with him those warm clothes
his mother had made for him what seemed an eternity ago. He stared at
the icy water that lay calm before him.
"I could warm that up", he said more to himself that to the others.
Jerreck spun around. "What was that?"
Liander looked up at the others. "Huh? Oh.. umm... well", he looked at
his feet. "I just said I think I could probably warm up the lake for
a little while. Enough for someone to swim down and get that.. sword
thing."
Jerreck grinned. "That will work. I'll do it."
While the others barely had time to protest, Jerreck stripped down
to his underclothings, dug out his waterskin from his packing, and
started to empty it out on the ground. Once it was empty, he shook
it thoroughly and started to blow into it.
Shara grinned. "I see what you're thinking. Have you ever tried that
before?" Jerreck shrugged, "Never." He looked at Liander. "Weave your
spell, magician."
Liander nodded and reached out for the energies to cast this simple
spell, one of the first to be taught to him. Of course he had never
tried it with a magnitude like this, but he put all such thoughts
to the side for the moment.
Soon after he stopped concentrating, he smiled and dipped his finger
into the lake. "It's warmer. Not really warm, but... warmer."
Jerreck stepped into the lake, air filled waterskin in one hand. A
short second later, he began wading out until he could no longer reach
the bottom. He then swam out to the center of the lake. Dipping his
head a few times, as if he was peeking into the depths below, he finally
found the spot, and waved to the others.
A deep breath, a splash, and some rings on the surface. He was gone,
and the others waited nervously on the shore.
The robed man watched from a distance. He approached the shore of the lake. He stood there looking into nothing yet staring at something. He then took one step and he was on it. The crowd watched in amazement as the short demi-human walked on the surface of the water.
"Trust me. Just beacsue you see a sword, does that mean it is there? The sword is there and isn't there. There are more than two ways to skin a cat you know." The robed man spoke.
"Crazy old hermit. What jibberish do you speal of," Ravyson replied.
"Perhaps an *illusios* will get you remembering me? Come now. Think back to the days of the mausoleum. Show how far you can remember the past." The Robed Figure answered.
"You speak of nonsense. Let us be on our way and take your petty magic to someone who cares.
"Ah But it was I who led you to the mausoleum. I'm preety sure Jerreck would remember. he liked me so. I was thought to have been dead in the catacombs of that wretched place." The robed man said.
"Look! We don not need your help. We must go on with our jour.." Ravyson replied.
"I bring bad news to you and your friends. The eveil that you thought was gone isn't. Mohab is indeed alive. The truth to Mohab is him have two heads and four eyes. That is the secret to his power." Replied the robed man awaiting their response.
Gunthar? You dead, man? I thouht you survived the battle...
OOC: No I dissappeared. I thought you guys had thought me to be dead. But yes I have return. I was away for 2 weeks at camp then 3 more weeks in Miami unable to get to a comp. so I'm back and i'm back for good.
OOC: Sorry man, I didn't know your character was missing. Well, i guess it works, and it's good to have you back. Btw, i'm waiting to see if Torlax lets me get away with retrieving the sword or not. :)
/Jerreck
Jerreck swam down to the very bottom of the lake, using the air from his waterskin to fill his lungs. As he reached for the sword, his hand felt as if it were pushing through soft earth, which slowly hardened, eventually stopping his progress. He pulled his arm back and tried again, with the same results. Without much time left to experiment, he started back to the surface. Just before he left, he noticed that the sword was lodged in a plate of glass. Through the glass he could see a tunnel under the sword. Armed with this new knowledge, he returned to the surface.
A short while after Jerreck's descent, a thick fog had risen
from the lake. Minutes later, the nervous mutterings ceased
when a man-shaped figure rose out of the lake.
Jerreck drew a deep breath of the chilly, moist air as he
broke the surface of the lake. Thick, white fog swallowed
him completely, and he could already feel the warmth being
drained out of both the lake and his own body. Slowly, he swam
towards the shore where the others waited. He tossed the
drenched water skin on the ground and grabbed his blanket to
dry himself off.
"Well", Ravyson looked curious, "did you find it?"
The tall warrior nodded, "It's there, but i could not get it."
Disappointment showed on their faces as Jerreck continued.
"It seems it's been buried in some sort of glass material, and
under the glass i saw a tunnel. We'll need magic to get in,
unless we find an entrance somewhere along the shore here."
The crowd stood quiet, even the mysterious, cloaked little figure
was quiet, thinking.
Jerreck pulled his shirt over his head. "I suggest we scout the
surrounding area to see if we find anything that could be an
entrance to the tunnel. If we don't, we'll have to come up with
something else. Let's spread out!"
"No!!" Yelled the robed figure. He knew what the problem was. He took off his hood and revealed himself to the adventurers to be none other than the dwarf illusionist. Jerreck and Ravyson were surprised to see the young fellow. Gunthar's face had changed incredibly. what use to be skin and flesh was replaced with just a skull. He had no eyeballs.
"Gunthar what happened to you?" Asked Jerreck.
"After you had slain Mohab he returned and told me to send a message to you guys. He did this to show that he's still very much alive. He gathers forces at this time to take over the Red Bastion. He plans on conquering all the bastions with his liege of undead. The sword is an illsuion. Its there but its in some catacombs that reach all the way to this lake." Gunthar told the party awaitng there answer.
Gunthar, I don't think you were here for the first part of the story, so I don't think you know just how difficult it would be for Mohab to even reach the Red Bastion, let alone use it. The lava pits and intense heat and light and more importantly the fire elemental snake who can pretty much fry anything that comes close enough in the tunnels, well, they're gonna be a challenge. Before you try, you might wanna ask that poor wizard guy what happened to his dwarves.
Oh, and the sword is indeed in the lake, and there are indeed tunnels beneath it, and you can indeed find the entrance if you look for it. Getting in might be a challenge, but hey, that's what makes it fun.
One more point, Gunthar. A liege of undead is probably not as threatening as a legion. Just though I'd point that out :-)
Torlax
Well maybe Mohab doesn't know how hard it is to take over the Red Bastion? Some famous generals were like that in real life. (i.e. Gen. Custer). And I think I ment a legion. Stupid me for confusing the two. h well. It can still be a possibility.