• Graded • [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

120th of Ashan 720

From Tried's Mouth to the mysterious Tower, the waters around Scalvoris and the island itself hold a vast array of secrets, just ripe for discovery. Here are landmarks, jungles, mountains, forests and islands of note.

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Nir'wei
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

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Cold sped through the mansion at speed to find the direction Chichi and the others of the second group of adventurers had taken, just prior to their separation. It took longer than he would have liked - the group had already succeeded in passing the equipment room and descending deep within the mountain itself, through a very uncomfortably-long tunnel and into deep, dark caverns filled with bubbling flows of slow-moving lava. How much time did they have left before their exit was blocked and they became trapped here? No sooner had he questioned it than he felt the echo of a deep, stabbing pain from somewhere outside. Not long. In the chaos of a rumbling earthquake growing stronger with every second and threatening to flatten them all as thoroughly as other members of the teams, the wolf burst through the passageway the group had just emerged. Larger than average, already growling - and to Darius and Oram, potentially somewhat familiar already.

The way they'd come was too far. Far too far. But the alternatives were practically non-existent; find a safe spot, hide, and hope that the volcano's eventual eruption didn't crush them all or burn them alive while they were still inside? Apparently they didn't have a choice. Just like the rest of them, he could hear the distant crumbling of their one and only escape disappearing under rubble and debris.

He growled again, louder, in frustration as he looked to the small rows of miniature volcanoes still spitting and bubbling with molten stone, then back to the group. He could only do as much as he could - the rest of it was up to them. But his first thought was Chichi, panicking between them all and crying about Zach. Zach was dead. Panic did nothing. He barked at her, and when that didn't work, he nudged at her sharply. She was supposed to be the guide, the leader, the one who knew something about this place that they didn't.

Could they go back the way they'd come? He'd seen another path there... but the smell had been wrong, dangerously wrong to his canine senses. How wrong? He shared it with Squeak. No... that's like here. They didn't want to dig deeper, they needed to break for the surface, if such a thing were even possible within the caverns.

Which way forwards? He didn't know. He couldn't make the choice for them. As utterly frustrating as it was, the wolf could only stand by and watch, acting as an extra set of eyes and adding his wolfish sense of smell to the proceedings in case they caught something particularly unusual.
word count: 453
We return to where we started, and pass onwards into history.
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Darius Baer Bottom
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

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Darius had just taken in Oram's revelation that the walls had blood running down them, and had turned to see if Yeva - being a member of the Order of the Adunih - had a more insightful opinion of the phenomenon than his own sheer confusion. But the redhead's revelations - that Giant Spiders might be nearby and that there was something wrong with the airflow - didn't bring any comfort. The young woman, whose face Darius could only just distinguish in the glow of the lightstone, clung to his arm and revealed her fear to him in the form of a whisper.

"Fret not, Honey Bee," he responded in a similarly hushed tone as he wrapped his free arm around her shoulders, his palm rubbing against her upper back in an attempt to calm her nerves. "We'll get through this."

He had straddled the idea of promising Yeva that he would protect her, but he knew that in such an unknown place, in the wake of an earthquake, he could make no such oath.

It was not long before he had to step away, however, and move ahead, the lightstone in his hand providing little hope in such a daunting space. Where possible, he attempted to stay close to the tunnel wall on the left, as Oram had suggested, while also being careful to not stray too far ahead and away from the conversations that were happening behind him.

Darius wagered that he'd only been walking a handful of bits when the tunnel opened up and an orange glow caught his gaze. The lightstone was less essential in that moment, and he called back to the others, a hoarse whisper through the tunnel to tell them what he had found.

The bearded blond was still taking in the curious sight with no small sense of awe when the rest of the group caught up with him. He exchanged glances with each of them, firs Yeva, and then Oram. It was only as he looked at ChiChi that the guide expressed some concern, and then the rumbling began.

Darius' grey eyes widened and he spun back to face Yeva, his initial thoughts being there was another earthquake forming, and then he shifted his glance towards the distant roof of the cave. Unlike in the mansion, there were no doorframes to protect them here.

Everything from that point seemed to happen in slow motion. In the future, he might reflect that these moments had passed in a blur, but while he lived them, the air felt so thick that it seemed as though he was wading through a gaseous river. Rocks began to fall, cracking and splintering as they hit the ground around them. He had just pointed out that the miniature volcanoes were beginning to rupture when Yeva's words reached him, indicating the two exits, and he spun around to identify them.

It was then that he spotted the wolf, and for half a moment, he wanted to panic, but he recognised the large, glowing scar on its chest, and a sense of relief washed over him.

"The wolf is with us," he declared, without bothering to waste time with an explanation.

There was, after all, no time to hesitate or deliberate. Darius could only react. He stepped towards Yeva, reaching out for her hand, willing to pull her along with him if it meant escaping the cave as quickly as possible. ChiChi was panicking about the fate of Zach, but there was no way to tell where the other guide was or what they might face if they were to rescue him. It was a gut-wrenching decision to focus on their own preservation, but it was a simple one in equal measure.

"Come with me!" he yelled, hoping to be heard above the roaring earth. "Oram, bring ChiChi!"

He didn't want their guide freezing with fear or trying to stay behind for Zach. They needed to move!

He spun again, rushing towards the exit to the left. It made sense to stick to the original navigational plan, despite the chaos that was unfolding. He held Yeva's hand as he ran, unless she pulled away. His other arm, which still held his lightstone, was held above his head, the forearm providing what little protection it could from the falling debris. If his redheaded friend was struggling with her pack, he would willingly take it from her shoulders and haul it with him so that she could run more freely.

The sailor had found himself a reluctant leader, largely because of having been sent to the front by their guide. He had led with a rational mind in the mansion, but now he was guiding the others by nothing more than reflexes and adrenaline.
Last edited by Darius Baer Bottom on Tue May 05, 2020 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 798
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Oram Mednix
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

You are in a maze of shaky little passages, all deadly

Oram only half-understood Chichi's response to his question. Apparently, they had come farther already than he had realized. Should he or somebody have been keeping a pace-count? he wondered. Was Yeva, their newly-appointed map-maker, keeping such a count?

He only half-understood Chichi’s response to his question, but that was in part because he was only half-listening. There was too much to preoccupy one down here. Stone walls dripped with blood, something still not explained to the hunter’s satisfaction. Tunnels -if Chichi was to be believed- moved, reformed, redirected. And even as he regarded the stone walls of the tunnel they were currently in, wondering when they might decide to close in behind them or bend their course away from their best route home, the passage opened into a huge cavern, ruddy with light from numerous fountains of molten rock, light enough to see the size and shape of the high, vast chamber. A river of lava flowed in the cave as well, creeping menacingly in the direction they were headed. That meant they were still going down, Oram realized, not that that insight helped much.

The hunter gaped. They all gaped. After a few moments Chichi started to say something else when suddenly, all chaos broke loose. Not suddenly, actually, but more than quickly enough. First there was a subdued, threatening grumble, like the low warning growl a guard dog would make if you approached too close, if that guard dog were the size of a mountain. Then the grumble grew swiftly to a roar, and the ground beneath Oram’s feet began to heave and shift and squirm, in that same non-solid-rock-like way the floor in the equipment room had done earlier.

Oram’s first instinct was to look back the way they had come, and he swore loudly. He noticed that the lava flow he had seen earlier was starting to pick up speed. He did not know what that meant. He just knew that they had to get out of there, and not in the direction they had been headed.

Darius was already moving, heading down the exit that offered itself nearby to their left. The hunter had almost forgotten his own suggestion about keeping left in the turmoil, but he knew right away that Darius had the right of it. Darius had Yeva in hand, shouted to Oram to grab ChiChi, as well. Oram could not see Zack, but he saw ChiChi standing there, fretting about their guide. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and turned her round to face him. ”We need to get out of here! Now! Zack will have to do the same himself! Come! NOW!!”

Oram was not a large man, and was not about to attempt manhandling another adult while trying to make his own hasty escape. He settled for giving Chichi a hard nudge in the direction Darius and Yeva were already fleeing, then set off himself. Incongruously he registered Darius’ odd comment about the ‘wolf’ being with them, and he thought for a moment he caught a glimpse of two glowing eyes framed in a lupine silhouette nearby. The traveler knew not whether such a sign was good or ill, but he hastily made his people’s sign for warding off the evil eye in case, before grasping his spear in both hands as he ran into the tunnel after Darius and Yeva. His lantern, with the yellow lightstone within, banged against his hip as he ran, the shadows cast by its light swaying madly to and fro.
word count: 613
Villains are powerless against story beats.
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Yeva
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

120 Ashan 720


Yeva leaned into Darius, appreciating the gesture of comfort. It reminded her of her mother and father, soothing her when she fell or laid in bed with fever as a young girl. Closing her eyes, she took a deep inhale through her nose, smelling the sulfuric air and cavern murk, and nodded in quiet resolve, "One step at a time." she whispered back, peering up at him in the dim light. This adventure, her involvement, it wasn't for her. It was bigger than that. It was for the citizens of the island. It was for the land. The spirits. For Scalvoris.

No. Not just Scalvoris.

The Heart of Scalvoris.

It was hard to press on. Not a single thing had gone to plan, and even less had been in any of her control. Azrael had abandoned her in his anger before she had even stepped through the front door. She had fallen in front of everyone. Her guide had nearly quit. Her teammates disagreed. Deserted. Two people in her own group had been injured. There had been floods, windstorms, earthquakes, panic. And all she had done was grab some supplies, read a book and place a few stitches.

Some adventurer she was.

She was so out of her league, it was embarrassing. Mortifying. And now she was given a simple task she should have been able to complete and yet, she wasn't even sure she could accurately read the map, nor mark it, nor help like she-

Something very deep rumbled and her thoughts of doubt were replaced with cold, gripping horror.

Darius was moving before she could react, the stone around them splintering in thunderous cracking, stalactites breaking free and crashing to the ground. Yeva recoiled, desperately looking for onward and she shouted, slamming her book closed and crushing the map between its pages "Over there!" she shouted, pointing to the only other opening, looking around wildly as ChiChi began fretting over Zach. The butler from the manner? Where? There was Oram, herself, Darius and a wolf? Where had that come from!

Zach was nowhere to be found - he had been with the third group, hadn't he? - and Oram ran for ChiChi in a command that fell mute on the redhead's ears. Her legs felt like stone, she felt trapped, her breath came in short, desperate gasps as the very world around her crumbled, and suddenly she was being grabbed and torn forward, the light of Oram's supplies swinging in a surreal effect given the nature of... well, everything. Darius' hand was sweaty, or maybe hers was, but she was thankful for the hold all the same. None of this felt real.

Was this still real life? Had they... had they died?

Dead or not, fear was real. Yeva sprinted as fast as she could, struggling to keep up with Darius' longer strides as the overwhelming heat of the lava clung to their face and made it hard to breathe. All of them tore to the left exit, and Yeva's mind only filled with one thought.

Run.
word count: 517
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

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For player info.....



All of Group B are in Way Down Deep
word count: 12
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Re: [Faldrass] FIre-Forged Group B

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The Review.....


Wow - what a thread! I'm so sorry you've had to wait for me to review this, but please be assured that is no indication of anything other than me being overwhelmed RL-wise. As always - any questions, don't forget to drop me a line. Enjoy your rewards!

Oram

Overview

I love the way that Oram is just totally no-nonsense. He's clear and doesn't mince his words - he also doesn't waste them. I also particularly enjoy your post - titles. Great writing!

Points

XP: 20 (not for magic)

Renown: 15

Loot

1 x copy of Smooglenuffs Guide
1 x map
1 x lightstone
Anecdotal: For meeting the "tell an anecdote" objective, you are awarded +5 XP specifically to the Storytelling skill.
Hidden Objective Met: For " ”Okay, so, we haven’t even left this room, and already there are two people injured and bleeding badly and two other people quitting the party, because somebody wanted to take an extra tarp? What would we do in a real crisis? Cut off each other’s heads?” you have earned a reputation as someone who can settle disputes. Oram will be approached - over the course of the next arc - by three different individuals. They will each have a dispute they wish him to settle. You can play this entirely how you wish - however, once you have completed these three stories (if you choose to) - Oram will earn a diri familiar which is appropriate to the stories you have told. I'm happy to support you with this in any way I can - if you choose to follow it, let me know.
Both Parts! Your PC was involved in both Part A (in the house) and Part B (in the caves) of this thread. Bonus 10 XP

Knowledge

Detection x 3
Discipline x 2
Endurance x 2
Etiquette x 2
Investigation x 4
Running x 3
Storytelling x 3
Strength x 5
Tactics x 5



Wald

Overview

You really write Wald well - he's very taciturn, generally, but equally he says what he needs to. His kindness to Ari'sora was well-written, and I enjoyed how he did that by instinct. Good writing!

Points

XP: 20(not for magic)

Renown: 10

Loot

None

Knowledge

Caregiving x 5
Detection x 3
Endurance x 5
Etiquette x 3
Negotiation x 3
Storytelling x 3
Tactics x 2



Yeva

Overview

Yeva is such an honestly-written PC, she's adorable. She was really heroic in this thread, whilst being terrified. I particularly enjoy your attention to detail in your posts - lovely writing!

Points

XP: 20 (not for magic)

Renown: 20

Loot

1 x Order of the Adunih Sigil: For your part in the events on Faldrass, the Order recognises Yeva as having gone above and beyond the call of duty. She is awarded the "Faldrass Hero" sigil - a small black pin with a red volcano on it.
Adunih Points: As this is so above and beyond the call. Usually, an "intense thread" with other PCs is worth 6 points. You may count this one as 10 Adunih points, as per the write up here
1 x copy of Smooglenuffs Guide
1 x map
Anecdotal: For meeting the "tell an anecdote" objective, you are awarded +5 XP specifically to the Storytelling skill.
Peacemaker: In the future, any interactions with ChiChi, or any of Smooglenuff's staff who survived (or people who used to work for him, who deliver there etc) will be positively impacted. ChiChi will maintain that - had Yeva not supported her -then they might all have died. Yeva's reputation on Scalvoris has been positively impacted and she will find that she is called the "Hero of Faldrass" by some - and even approached by people to talk about her experiences. (Plot hook if you want it!)
Both Parts! Your PC was involved in both Part A (in the house) and Part B (in the caves) of this thread. Bonus 10 XP

Knowledge

Caregiving x 5
Discipline x 5
Etiquette x 5
Investigation x 4
Linguistics x 3 (may count as knowledge to Dehasin if you prefer)
Medicine x 5
Negotiation x 5
Research x 5
Running x 3
Surgery x 3
Tactics x 2
Writing x 3



Ari'sora

Overview

Ari'sora is such a complex PC and you write her really well! She behaved in a way which was entirely in-character for her, and you described her thought processes etc excellently during that. Lovely writing!

Points

XP: 20 (not for magic)

Renown: 15

Loot

1 x copy of Smooglenuffs Guide
1 x map
Anecdotal: For meeting the "tell an anecdote" objective, you are awarded +5 XP specifically to the Storytelling skill.
1 x Domain Bag
Argumentative: In the future, any interactions with ChiChi, or any of Smooglenuff's staff who survived (or people who used to work for him, who deliver there etc) will be negatively impacted. ChiChi will maintain that - had Ari'sora not argued with her -then the Baron and his staff might have survived. Ari'sora's reputation on Scalvoris has been negatively impacted and she will find that some people have heard - and believe - ChiChi's side of the story. Will Ari'sora seek to put her side of this across? (Plot hook if you want it!)

Knowledge

Detection x 3
Discipline x 3
Endurance x 5
Etiquette x 5
Flying x 2
Intimidation x 5
Persuasion x 3
Storytelling x 4



Kalortah

Overview

I love that Kal decided "bun this", basically, and left. I enjoyed your contribution to this thread and I hope you enjoyed it while you were in it. Lovely writing, clear character development. Great stuff.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

1 x copy of Smooglenuffs Guide
1 x map

Knowledge

5 x Discipline
2 x Etiquette
5 x Leadership
3 x Negotiation



Darius

Overview

I really enjoy how you write Darius - and how he reacts to things. He's really protective, while also being pragmatic, and that's a lot of fun to read. Your writing style is easy to read and I loved Darius' reactions throughout.

Points

XP: 20 (not for magic)

Renown: 15

Loot

1 x copy of Smooglenuffs Guide
1 x map
Hidden Objective Met: For "We make use of who we have, and we work together. It's our best and only chance." you have earned a reputation as someone who works well in groups and gets to the heart of the matter. Darius will be approached - over the course of the next arc - by three different groups of people. They will have problems they want him to solve which involve groups of people being in dispute. You can play this entirely how you wish - however, once you have completed these three stories (if you choose to) - Darius will earn a diri familiar which is appropriate to the stories you have told. I'm happy to support you with this in any way I can - if you choose to follow it, let me know.
Both Parts! Your PC was involved in both Part A (in the house) and Part B (in the caves) of this thread. Bonus 10 XP

Knowledge

3 x Acrobatics
2 x Caregiving
6 x Detection
5 x Etiquette
5 x Leadership
3 x Logistics
2 x Negotiation
3 x Running
3 x Strength
2 x Tactics



Devin

Overview

Dr Devin and his soon-to-be husband (shame about Smooglenuff, eh?). I really enjoyed your writing in this thread - thank you so much for your contribution. Devin is well-written and a lot of fun!

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 10

Loot

Loss: 1 x Domain Bag

Knowledge

Leadership x 5
Negotiation x 2
Medicine x 5
Surgery x 3



Nir'wei

Overview

Well, to say that Nir was stretched in this event is something of an understatement! You played him really well, and I was impressed with how you kept each part separate, understanding what it was that he (and all his furry chums!) knew and didn't know. He's a fab pc. Great fun! Thanks

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 10

Loot

Knowledge

Detection x 4

word count: 1365
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~~Red in hoof and claw... ~~


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