Shadowfall

[Battal]

"Don't ask me.  I was lying in the infirmary for most of that affair."  Jakob says, turning to his compatriots.  "Ask them."

[Battal]

(@Blewcheese, your go.)

[Blewcheese]

"There were plenty of things back at the mansion. Which do you mean?" Pops eyes the hound curiously.

[Battal]

"We're here."  Jakob interrupts, looking out over the Edge of Nothing.

 

      Jakob's choice of words is relatively poor, as they are not literally standing in front of the Shadow Seal.  Their destination is directly ahead, however.  A vast, flat, rocky plain, surrounded by craggy mountains, lies before them.  The ground is littered with fissures, dark purple light streaming out of them.  On the plain, two ornate towers stand like sentinels, their tops like that of a lighthouse.  In a gap between the mountains is an enormous gatelike structure; the Shadow Seal.

 

    Even more alarming than the size of the gate itself is that which stands around it.  Countless creatures of every size and shape lie in wait for the group, bunched together like a single shadowy entity.

[Blewcheese]

Pops eyes the scene, drawing in the details. "We could go about this like we did with the forgotten. You can do that, couldn't you, Violet?" He glances over at Violet, then back at the horde of hostiles.

[Battal]

Jakob shakes his head.  "Even if we did get to the first lighthouse unseen, activating the Beacon would definitely get their attention.  And I seriously doubt we can outrun Shadowfall's personal guard..."

 

His brow furrows in thought.

 

"If we had backup, this would be far easier.  Azcar should have been able to get out of the Trap with his army.  Maybe he is nearby."

[Percival]

"Pretty, those deadly creatues, aren't they?"

Edited May 1, 2014 by Pecival

[Strangerdanger101]

Ayasha stays silent and looks in every direction, thinking about something.

[Blewcheese]

Pops nodded. "Alright... Going to the Great Vorteth for help." He sighs inwardly before looking around for any sign of Azcar.

[Battal]

The group sees an encampment near the edge of the plain.

 

"How convenient!"

[Percival]

(You never try.)

[Battal]

(You never try.)

 

(I kinda just want to finish this off.)

[Strangerdanger101]

Ayasha finally stops looking in every direction, and starts going wherever the rest of the group goes.

"So, we have a plan, right?"

[Battal]

"About Shadowfall himself?"  Jakob asks.  "Yeah.  Kill him before the obelisk is charged.  If we can't stop him from morphing, the quest is over."

 

He sighs.

 

"He was last defeated by being trapped in another dimension; where we are now.  But I have no idea how that even begins to work, and we don't have time to find out."

[Tesability]

Eyes scanned the scene in front of him, the canine making millions of calculations in his head as he did. In the many observations he made in such a short time, the Hound noticed that there was a wide variety of creatures ready...

 

...including several Hound packs. There may be a way to do what this group was planning to do. And dimension-trapping? He had a few theories he's been wanting to test out for a few lifespans now...he just never had the opportunity.

 

"This Beacon, where does it need to go, how is it set up and what should I be watching for?" Entendre looked back toward the rest of the group with a clever look to his gaze. "Unlike the rest of you, I might be able to get in undetected."

[Will]

"I have an idea. If I could touch the beacon, I have a feeling it might thrust me into my monstrous form. The time before I would be set to chaotic evil most likely would be longer than it would be to place the beacon. After I placed it, I'd be able to return to normal."

[Battal]

Jakob nods at the two of them.  "Do what you need to do.  But first, we should probably check up on Azcar."

 

He looks nervously at the camp.

 

"At least, I hope it's Azcar."

[Battal]

(Doo doo do doo)

 

The group heads in the direction of Azcar's camp, the view of Oranihil slowly fading behind the thick trees.  The needles of the tree are a dead yellow, and the ground is littered with them.  The sickly smell of rot and decay permeates the air.

[Blewcheese]

Pops sighs, looking at the decay around him. Time was running out... Wasted time would be disastrous. Returning his gaze to the path ahead, the old man strode onwards, his resolve renewed.

[Battal]

After a short walk, the group nears what appears to be an opening in the trees.  It contains the encampment.  As the group draws near, a blowdart drives itself into the ground in front of them.

 

"Halt!  Show your faces!"  A voice shouts from a hidden spot in the branches.

[Blewcheese]

Pops had been startled momentarily by the dart, but quickly composed himself and stood straighter. "Greetings." He held his face still and open, as ordered.

Joseph had nearly fallen over, using his cane to catch himself. He soon followed Pops' lead and straightened himself out, trying to seem dignified.

[Battal]

There is a small pause; if the group had been able to see the man's face, they may have laughed at his over-the-top expression of surprise.  He hops down from the canopy above, casting aside an old reed tube presumably used to fire the dart.

 

"You're alive!"  He says, smiling.  "Come on.  Azcar will be waiting for you."

[Percival]

"Oh look, a new friend."

 

 

(No idea what to do at this point.)

[Strangerdanger101]

Ayasha isn't quite sure who this "Azcar" is, but she just plays along.

[Battal]

The young man runs into the camp, and into a tent larger than the others.  After a few moments of the group standing awkwardly just outside camp, Azcar opens the tent's entrance flap and walks to the group, closely followed by the dartist.

 

"I never thought I'd see you again."  He says, observing the group.  "You did the impossible and gave us hope in doing so.  I thank you."