A Tunnels and Trolls® play-by-post adventure run by khara_khang
"That is a problem. You cannot ask for something that effects someone else Jay," the Water Spirit states. "Anything else, Jay?" it asks.
"Yeah, like Krandor here: no one asked to have to endure him."
Blodwydd tries to maintain her best dumbfounded look possible as she looks at Amroth, after having just been saved from death by Krandor mere moments before. "Damn, I thought you smarter than you looked, Amroth," Blodwydd replies sarcastically. "Then you open your mouth and prove yourself a total idiot. I didn't see you saving me, Mr. Copy Idiot #2. So shut up." Blodwydd averts her gaze and turns away.
"I... I wish you were free."
"Oh no! Not everything is always what it seems!" Blerrg mumbles, backing away.
The angelic spirit turns to Felixia, its golden eyes meeting her own. Its face softens almost as if to shed actual tears and then suddenly twists into a weird smile. Its untold years of eternal entrapment are released as if virtual chains are unlocked and cast aside. "There is no way for me to thank you, Felixia, but I do grant your request."
Felixia gasps in surprise at the demon standing in front of her. In one motion, the demon snatches Felixia out of the air and grips her in its clawed fingers. The water in the pool changes to bubbling fire and the demon dances a jig as if exuberantly happy. The snakes from the demon's hair writhe and hiss as it brings Felixia in close and licks the tiny Fairy with its slime-covered tongue. The heat from the pool causes everyone to back away.
"This is the Maze of Life, this is the Maze of Death, this is the Matrix of Eternity. I never sleep, I never lie, I never tell the truth, my heart leaves no echo... death becomes me," speaks the demon. With a clawed finger, it scratches Felixia, causing her to bleed horribly. As the tiny Fairy who only meant to do a good deed wriggles to get free and cries out in pain, the demon licks the wound closed and disappears inside the tiny Fairy, having just found a new home.
What do you do?
Holy dancing demons, Batman!
"Damn, I thought you smarter than you looked, Amroth...."
Amroth gives Blodwydd a look that says, "You're just kinda stupid, aren't ya?"
...the demon licks the wound closed and disappears inside the tiny Fairy, having just found a new home.
I guess blasting with a TTYF wouldn't be smart, huh? Oh well, if she dies and doesn't come back, I call dibs on the Moon Ring.
Amroth draws his weapons to protect himself. Then he casts Rock-a-Bye on Felixia/the demon.
Felixia cries out, eyes wide. She only wanted to help and now what has she done! She sinks to the floor, looking down and not saying anything, not moving---just sitting there with tears sliding down her cheeks.
Jax beams at Jack's safe return. The forge of common experience sometimes crafts a bond among stronger than mithril between dissimilar associates. Such a bond exists between the Rogue actor and this Warrior Orc.
But no sooner can Jax reflect on this than a telepathic revelation pierces him, unmasking the tattoo on his shoulder as a subcutaneous symbiont Wizard. Quickly, Jax is able to detect the formerly subconscious nagging presence in some dark corner of his mind: something neither good nor evil, but ancient... cold. He shivers.
Then all hell breaks loose. The Water Spirit metamorphoses into something intrinsically, palpably evil and vanishes into a wound it opens up in tiny Felixia. Instinctively, it would seem, Amroth draws his blades and flings a spell at the Fairy....
But Jax has previously seen this Elf's simple-minded violence in response to an inexplicable event, and all 225 pounds of raw Orc are airborne even as Amroth's magicks fly.
Jax intends to intercept the spell (he knows not what kind of spell it is, but assumes it's going to harm her). Since he doesn't currently wear his gloves, if he does manage to hurl himself in front of Felixia in the right place at the right time, the symbiont has a 50% chance of absorbing the spell if he makes a Lv3 SR vs. his INT, which is 20.
Taran looks in horror as the Water Spirit transforms into an angry fire creature, and as it forces itself inside Felixia's tiny body. "Wasn't expecting that, argh!" he cries out, looking at Jax, then Blerrg.
At this point Amroth casts a spell. Or at least Taran thinks that is the case.
"Blerrg, you better start talkin'---I thought this was supposed to be the happy ending part!" Taran speaks as he turns to Felixia to view her reaction. Jax is a blur across his line of sight as he lunges protectively, it would seem, at Felixia.
Taran contorts his face in frustration and backs away from the water-turned fire pool. He speaks again slowly and sternly to Blerrg: "Blerrg, any of those doors heads to the Death Goddess? I'm sure she's gonna wanna know that her, ugh, treasure-hander-outer," he pauses, hoping his lack of a better description doesn't earn him any snickers, "has escaped imprisonment."
Taran looks at Felixia, then Jax, and shrugs. Then he glances at Titania. This is probably hardest on her , seeing one of her own kind violated so traumatically. Orcs and Fairies aren't exactly friends, and he's only just met this one, but he feels he needs to say something. "You OK, Fairy?"
"No," Titania says quietly, as she summons the words to Omnipotent Eye and endeavors to gain more information about exactly how this demon has affected Felixia.
"That is a problem. You cannot ask for something that effects someone else Jay."
"Perhaps you've misunderstood my request. What you say is clearly not true, as both Jax and Krandor wished for something that affected someone else. Krandor's wish affected Blodwydd, while Jax's affected the Death Goddess herself and Jack de Crampon."
"So these wishes can affect others, at least those involving our group and the Death Goddess, because they already have. Therefore, out of the 5 things I suggested, at least 4 out of 5 should be quite possible."
"Anything else, Jay?"
Jay reiterates his five wishes:
"I didn’t ask for everything, I said any one of the five is fine.
"As several requests have already affected party members, I fail to comprehend why 1 is unacceptable. As you've already affected the Death Goddess, I fail to understand why 2 is unacceptable. As you've already raised deceased party members, I fail to see why 3 is unacceptable. If we can't use a wish to free others, then I see your reasoning. As you've already given out magic items, I fail to see why 5 is unacceptable.
"So, I ask again for one of the 5 to be granted. Save the fourth, they all fit the pattern of those granted so far. And the fourth is not too far off the others."
"Yeah, like Krandor here: no one asked to have to endure him."
"I didn't see you saving me, Mr. Copy Idiot #2. So shut up."
"You were dead. How much could you have seen? And please answer the burning question: 'What was your legal status when dead?'"
Felixia waits for everyone to wish what they desire, then she looks to the Water Spirit.... "I... I wish you were free."
As Felixia hasn't objected that this took place before Jay's request was fulfilled, despite her caveat that she was waiting until everyone had wished for what they wanted, and the Water Spirit had just asked Jay what he desired, neither will I object. Fairies are pretty impulsive creatures, as it is. However, this is yet another example of a wish affecting someone else, someone completely outside the group, like my #4. An explanation would be appreciated.
Taran looks at Felixia, then Jax, and shrugs. Then he glances at Titania. This is probably hardest on her, seeing one of her own kind violated so traumatically.
I believe Felixia probably needs the comforting more than Titania does.
[Titania] endeavors to gain more information about exactly how this demon has affected Felixia.
While you're at it, see if the demon inside is granting me a wish! ;)
"Perhaps you've misunderstood my request."
No, I understood your request perfectly. See, the thing is that I will not allow any wish that would do something bad to an NPC/possible PC. You should know better than to even ask. It would be the same as if someone wished Jay to be in love with Krandor. I would have said "No." You can rationalize it however you like as long as you understand. The person who plays Krandor could return and he would not be happy to be on permanent latrine-cleaning duty no matter how much you would like it. If this doesn't answer your question, I am sure I can think up something more inventive with some flare and panache. <grin>
"A safer profession. Or armor."
Those few words seemed simple enough, but Brienna looks around in unusual surprise as she reappears in the supply store across the street from the Blue Frog Tavern, on one of Khazan's busiest thoroughfares. The very large three story building has been empty for years. But now all of a sudden, it is fully restocked with boundless new supplies, renovated, and even the facade on the front of the building, which was boarded up before, is now redone and holds the new sign "Brienna's Supply Store." Papers on the counter in front of Brienna show her in full ownership of the store, and a thick book nearby holds listings for the stocked supplies.
With a grimness of attitude, Brienna reminds herself she did wish for a safer profession. She wonders if any of her former, larger comrades have even noticed her gone.
Meanwhile, Amroth draws his weapons to protect himself, then casts Rock-a-Bye on Felixia/the demon. Being quick on his feet and since Amroth unsheathes his weapons before casting a spell, Jax gets the opportunity to react. Had Amroth cast the spell first, Jax would have not had that chance.
Mere seconds pass after her transformation before Jax leaps across the flaming pool, grabs Felixia and holds her in close, protecting her from the others. Jax's tattoo flares for a moment as Amroth's spell is absorbed as nourishment. The heat from the magical flames scorch Jax's armor and overheat his skin, but Felixia seems unharmed by the heat.
[Titania] summons the words to Omnipotent Eye....
The words "demon" and "possession/domination" enter Titania's mind.
"Blerrg, you better start talkin'---I thought this was supposed to be the happy ending part!"
"What? I'm just a messenger!" Blerrg answers incredulously. "I would say the Fairy is dead meat." Blerrg's face is devoid of hope.
"Hey... what about my wish?" mutters Jay.
A wall parts like a curtain and Arahk Gnahk appears as an Orc dressed in a very impressive-looking costume made of crocodile hide. The crocodile's head and jaws form a helmet from which the fanged visage of Arahk peers. On his chest there are eight talismans, glowing with mystic energy, embedded into his flesh. His taloned fingers bear eight magical rings.
Arahk Gnahk sighs in dismay as strolls through the group as if they were Death Goddess groupies. He plucks Felixia from Jax's protective arms. Felixia feels yet another hand gripping her midrift. It seems like she will have an overabundant amount of fingerprints on her this day. Arahk Gnahk holds Felixia up close and looks at her. "You're barely even a snack-sized little Fairy, but you can't keep Infinity, it has to remain here. Next time you hear angelic voices, please ignore them." After a few seconds of thought, Arahk Gnahk continues, "Okay?"
Felixia nods instinctively while looking at the crocodile's head and jaws. Arahk Gnahk shakes Felixia like a futuristic can of Zweetz soda pop. With a mighty roar of a baying demon hound, the demon known as Infinity is forced back out of Felixia in a burst energy. He metamorphoses back into the golden Water Spirit as the pool changes from fire back to water. Arahk Gnahk smiles a satisfied smile.
"Jax, Taran... good to see you're still alive." The old Orc shaman remembers back when the brothers were new recruits. A lot of things have changed since then.
Jay reiterates his request now that the Water Spirit has returned. Its soft liquid, passive features conceal the true creature inside as it speaks in reply, "Your request has been granted. Enjoy your date with Lerotra'hh, enchanting Wizard."
"Where's Brienna?" asks Blodwydd, with a fearful grimace.
What do you do?
Amroth draws his weapons to protect himself.
Note I wrote "to protect." I may do some crazy things, but I wouldn't attack a PC that still retains her own body.
"Ah Felixia, are you OK? Thanks croc dude! WASSUP!? I'm Amroth-Esa of the Clan of Esa! A while ago I died and went to hell, where I was thrown out and landed in heaven, where it's worse than hell. Then I was given this ring!" he says, showing Arahk Gnahk a solid black onix ring. "It makes me alive, well sorta. I'm half un-dead until we have saved Khazan, then I'm fully Elven again. Wow, you seem like an interesting guy. I don't wanna forget you! Can I have a tooth from your helm? I'll give you either some worm juice," he hacks some up, "or a piece of my dagger!" He breaks off a part of the blade of his rusty dagger.
Felixia blinks, looking around, her head spinning some. "I... oh, thank you!" she says. "Thank you very much. I'm sorry... I'm sorry," she keeps repeating.
(In the course of normal OOC conversation at the BFT, hobbit_king suggests that Peter Jackson avoid the temptation of spawning a "Lord of the Rings: The Musical." But this is too tempting a suggestion for tarandracon, and what he concocts is too tempting for the Archivist! In this completely unrelated interlude, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance provides the inspiration for tarandracon's clever parody of "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General".)
Titania sighs in relief. She isn't sure if her little body can take another big rush and shock without getting some rest first.
"Is there somewhere we can rest and recuperate?" She asks quietly.
"Can I have a tooth from your helm? I'll give you ... a piece of my dagger!" He breaks off a part of the blade of his rusty dagger.
"Really now?" Arahk Gnahk says, slightly amused. Arahk breaks off a tooth from his crocodile head helmet and gives it to Amroth, asking nothing in return.
"Thanks dude!" Amroth says, looking at him and trying not smile.
"Thank you very much. I'm sorry... I'm sorry."
"Don't mention it... Amroth, Felixia," Arahk Gnahk says with an ironic smile. "We appreciate everything you've done for us... but your mission here has ended."
"Is there somewhere we can rest and recuperate?"
"I may have a place. Forgive me, all of you. My duties did not allow me to get away before now. I hope all of you are alright?" Arahk says, looking around him, a bit distracted.
Arahk Gnahk motions for you to walk with him. He apologizes for having to send the message the way he did and for the trouble the adventure has given all of you. There were so many Zweetz forces around before the adventure that he didn't know whom he could trust, he explains as he walks. The walls shift and everything is distorted, with only the floor remaining solid as you walk and then stop, now standing in Grutoss's library.
Cobalt Darkwater is seated behind a desk. He looks up at all of you and smiles, noting that some of you are not smiling yet again. Grutoss is standing by his side.
"I don't believe it," Blodwydd responds, fully shocked. Upon seeing Cobalt again, she feels a sense of déjà vu from her previous adventure.
Arahk Gnahk and Blerrg say their good-byes and then depart.
Cobalt hands Jay a formal invitation from the Death Goddess.
What do you do?
Well, I know you all think I will have Amroth whine to Grutoss about the beetles.... Well, you're all wrong!
I'm too lazy for any of that right now....
"Perhaps you've misunderstood my request."
No, I understood your request perfectly.
I presumed you misunderstood me as there was no response to anything other than the Krandor wish.
See, the thing is that I will not allow any wish that would do something bad to an NPC/possible PC. You should know better than to even ask.
No, actually I didn't realize that bad things could not happen to an NPC/possible PC. I could see he was a protected species, but I didn't draw the correlation out. :)
It would be the same as if someone wished Jay to be in love with Krandor. I would have said "No."
Me personally, I'd go for it. Sometimes bad things happen to good PCs. (Besides, then I'd get to strangle him in a jealous rage.)
You can rationalize it however you like as long as you understand. The person who plays Krandor could return and he would not be happy to be on permanent latrine-cleaning duty no matter how much you would like it.
<sigh> I think you missed the point of my asking for that. I didn't expect Krandor to wind up on latrine digging duty by any stretch of the imagination. I threw that in as simply another dig at him---much as Jay has been doing ever since super_miles left and Krandor became an NPC---not because that's what I wanted or expected to happen.
Likewise, the date with Lerotra'hh was tossed in as well, just to be somewhat silly; I sure didn't expect that one to come true as well. By the way, I tip my beret (blah, berets) to you for eventually choosing that one; it was a rare and complete surprise, and I generally appreciate surprises, be they good or ill. I honestly expected to see Demens back (because any check of the Archives uncovers the tendency of dead PCs and friendly NPCs to recover), or the item (because I believe you like the exercise of creativity in making them). While Jay actually favored the 4th (rescuing the lions), as a player, I liked being taken completely off-guard with the one actually granted. Kudos to you.
If this doesn't answer your question, I am sure I can think up something more inventive with some flare and panache. <grin>
Nope, I'm sure Jay'll take that pounding on the date. I only questioned the response because the creature's response clearly was wrong on several counts, and I'm extremely captious and a stickler for continuity. Someone's gotta keep you honest! (Next time just say "that's the way the magic works. Do you want to use your wish to find out the reason?") *L*
With a grimness of attitude, Brienna reminds herself she did wish for a safer profession. She wonders if any of her former, larger comrades have even noticed her gone.
"Hey, what happened to the Hobbit sadist?"
"I would say the Fairy is dead meat."
Well, that settles it. Kill her and add her to the resurrection list.
"Hey... what about my wish?"
If you say so.
"Your request has been granted. Enjoy your date with Lerotra'hh, enchanting Wizard."
"Well, who'd'a thunk it."
What do you do?
Check to see if I have a breath mint.
Note I wrote "to protect." I may do some crazy things, but I wouldn't attack a PC that still retains her own body.
Is it better to attack a PC in a misshapen body with her own mind, or a demonically possessed PC in her own body?
"I'm half un-dead..."
And we thought there was a question on legal status before.
Arahk breaks off a tooth from his crocodile head helmet and gives it to Amroth, asking nothing in return.
Obviously trying to avoid a tetanus infection.
"We appreciate everything you've done for us... but your mission here has ended."
"That was it?" Jay quips in a dispassionate mutter.
Arahk Gnahk... apologizes for having to send the message the way he did...
Blerrg was annoying, yes.
...and for the trouble the adventure has given all of you.
"Other than putting up with Krandor, there was little trouble for those of us standing here. It's the ones that aren't around anymore that have the problems."
There were so many Zweetz forces around before the adventure that he didn't know whom he could trust, [Arahk] explains as he walks.
"Thank goodness trustworthy sorts are readily available in local drinking establishments."
Grutoss is standing by his side.
I forget: did the medallion disappear when Jay activated it, or just depower, or burn a charge or something? If it still exists, Jay will offer it back to Grutoss, with an admonition to select its bearer more carefully next time.
Cobalt hands Jay a formal invitation from the Death Goddess.
"Thanks." Does this guy introduce himself at all? Jay's not the only one who has never met him.
What do you do?
Wait for the responses to the above.
If Khazan is saved, congratulate Amroth on becoming a real boy.
Check the invitation to find out when the date is taking place. Either refuse to kiss and tell, or stand the Death Goddess up---Jay hasn't made his mind up on that one yet.
See if Cobalt is giving money out. If so, use the money to fund an expedition to the north to rescue some lions and other captives.
Invite the Jax and Taran, the Fairies, Kahi and that bozo Amroth to join me on a heroic quest to rescue some poor captives from an evil Minotaur and even more evil Troll.
Jax bows low at the living legend that is Arahk Gnahk, then recovers just in time to raise a brow and stifle a snicker at the fulfillment of the hu-mann Wizard's request by the Water Spirit. Jay would have his hands full with that one!
As Arahk converses with the others, Jax circles around the pool and collects the 700 gold crowns for later distribution among his comrades.
When the scenery changes, Jax immediately recognizes Grutoss, and Cobalt Darkwater---the Director of the City of Khazan Adventuring Service, and the one who sent him tripping through time in a previous adventure, along with Taran, Jack and that no-show Wizard Tosal Thoth (who didn't make it past the fateful ride from Khazan at the beginning of this adventure). He grunts his recognition.
"How goes the front lines, Master Wizard?" he asks tuskily.
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