"Do you consider your armor hiding?" the voice from Lily asks. "Because, to me, it really is the same thing. My armor just knows how to move on its own when I'm not using it."
"You seem to be running out of armor." Áine comments, switching to blunt cold iron slugs on the tips of her arrows. Still painful, but probably not lethal unless intended to be. She holds, ready to let the boys and the Lillend handle things, unless she is attacked or her friends need or seem to want assistance.
Tulip opens her mouth, letting the dead monster go.
"I don't have a clue about the root vegetables, but citrus at least should do really well on the Shiv."
"There will probably be some trial and error," Zaine says, nodding. "I know how to farm...I'm out of practice and there's a lot I've forgotten, but I learned in a different climate. We'll have to figure out what will grow, then grow it."
"You are making a safe space and only allowing in the pack," she pauses, taking a moment to translate herself into human, "the people you trust, in. So you can nest?"
"Nesting is one of the goals," Zaine says. "It's been a long time since I've had a home, and now that I know people and, well, dinosaurs that I want to start a home with, it makes sense."
"Vildeis is not a merciful goddess," Faith says. "نا لست من المفضلة عشيقة. سأترك أقل الشر من أجل مهاجمة أكبر."
"I am not one of my mistress' favorites. I will leave a lesser evil in order to attack a greater."
Faith attacks Lily with an oblique strike from Cherish.
Faith attacks Lily with an oblique strike from Cherish. The dagger strikes the brunette in the head. After a moment, she looks away from Pakshee to smile at Faith with far too many teeth. "I normally don't do it because I'm not fond of waste, but I can keep pushing this body even after her own will wouldn't be able to keep going. Are you ready to not only kill but destroy the vessel?"
As the puppet master taunts Faith the lillend descends to coil her tail tightly around Lily.
Juliver changes the grip on her rapier as she steps to get flanking on the grappled Lily. She swings trying to knock out her fellow Pathfinder with a blow to the temple, it is almost perfectly aimed.
Zaine reloads the musket, puts it away, and draws his whip.
Tulip opens her mouth, letting the dead monster go.
Áine hesitates momentarily to see if Lilly can be restrained by other means.
Lily begins to savagely tear into the tail grabbing her, ripping scales and the flesh below.
The lillends response is for the tail to tighten around her captive, holding Lily so she is unable to attack anyone but the outsider, despite the obvious pain.
Faith repeats his attacks with Cherish, this time hitting twice.
Seeing that while Lily is partially contained, she is still attacking Aine shoots. And shoots again, until she sees the body go limp, the eyes glazing over with unconsciousness.
Then, just as it looks like the lillend coils will release her, Lily's arm snaps out to strike at the nearby Faith. The movement is more abrupt, slower, but despite the eyes being glazed, her body is still able to attack.
We'll have to figure out what will grow, then grow it.
"We'll have the time to get it right," Sasha agrees, "Once we knew were to look the Shiv had plenty of food." She thinks, eyes closed picturing, frowns, "There were a few springs near to the area you want to use, but I think they flowed into bays on the outer side of the island. I think one of them was big enough that we could probably divert the flow without harming the current path though." She blows out as she opens her eyes, "Add that to the masonry project."
"Nesting is one of the goals," Zaine says. "It's been a long time since I've had a home, and now that I know people and, well, dinosaurs that I want to start a home with, it makes sense."
Athyra looks surprised, but there is a little smile, "You like Jaji and Athyra? You want us to be part of your nes.. Your home?"
"My nest has always been where Jaji is." She says.
"Son-of-a-B!t@#!" Áine exclaims, her eyes blazing a brilliant blue. "Faith. Anything you got to lend, I'm open to it." It's pretty clear the puppet master has finally gotten under her skin. Her attention shifts to...the wall? "Jules! I need you. and in moments she is past the four poster bed and at what she seems sure is a secret door.
"Tie her up?" Zaine ventures. "I have a rope...?"
"Tie her up?" Zaine ventures. "I have a rope...?"
"Worth a shot." Áine responds.
Áine moves to one side of the bed, barely having the presence of mind to check for traps, then attempts to manhandle it out of the way first on her own.
"Bind her," Faith agrees.
"يرجى الاستمرار في عقدها" Faith says, in a tone of voice that suggests he is swearing.
"Please continue to hold her."
Faith steps over to Áine and gives her the "Blessing of Destruction"
"How did the exploration of the shadow island go?"
"It went well," Faith says, "it is certain death. However, I have a plan to bind and destroy the shadow creatures. I will require some assistance, but first, rest and meditation."
"The moon, defending the city, a warrior woman," Faith lists the relevant details as the duo runs across them. "This does not match with any deity that I know. Is it one that you may have heard of? Even if only in whispers?"
Faith pays attention to the details, but doesn't have the scholarship to put together any of the pieces.
"This does meet my expectation of what I thought we would encounter when I heard the words Lost City."
"Bind her," Faith agrees.
"يرجى الاستمرار في عقدها" Faith says, in a tone of voice that suggests he is swearing.
The lillend's coils tighten as Lily continues to lash out, albeit without as much force. The lillend speaks calmly, only the slightest low note in her voice indicating the pain she is likely in, "بالتاكيد. يرجى جعلهم على عجل حتى لا يعود هذا النموذج إلى الأثير والسماح لها بمواصلة الهجوم." She looks at Zaine and nods.
On the other side of the room Aine manages to shove the heavy four-posted bed with a single shove, creating enough space for the archer to open the door in just a moment.
Faith steps over to Áine and gives her the "Blessing of Destruction"
"It went well," Faith says, "it is certain death. However, I have a plan to bind and destroy the shadow creatures. I will require some assistance, but first, rest and meditation."
"Plans are good. I am pro-planning." Zaira says, although she looks to the rest of the group, checking to make sure no one was lost to the certain death. "Let me know what resources you need for your plan."
She steps over to Sasha, "Certain death?"
Sasha shrugs, "Underwater, countless undead. Faith made it so that they couldn't sense us."
Zaine glances at Sasha and takes her hand. "Yes, we'd like that."
Sasha squeezes Zaine's hand, gives him a nod. Only a hint of concern for the oddly raised woman in her eyes.
Athyra smiles showing no teeth, surprised. "I thought you would be like Tulip and only have nest of the two of you and your fledglings."
Zaine grabs a coil of rope from Tulip's saddlebag, hops off the t-rex, and runs over to Lily, hogtying her with the assistance of the lillend.
Another glance at Sasha. "As for fledglings...we hadn't discussed it. I'd hoped, eventually. It's a longer conversation."
Faith will Aid Zaine as well.
As Faith and Zaine truss up Lily, Aine opens the secret door...
Just inside the door, is a winged ape with a huge sword. Quietly, a familiar cadence comes from its mouth, "I'd so hoped it'd be the priest."
Jask shakes his head, "Intensely wrong for Groteus and I know his cult stretches back to the Thasillion Empire so I can't see so much divergence between a version of him existing in the early Azlanti period."
"Jezelda is" he holds up thumb and forefinger holding them about a inch apart, "is a tad more on point, in that the gender and martial stance are aligned." Jask moves through the temple, pausing not only to look but with small gestures of respect. In the back of the first room, you find a wall inscribed in Azlant. Faith would swear he sees the wetness of tears as the old man reads the wall.
"Acavna." He says, "Her name was Acavna."
Athyra listens, clearly understanding the words but taking her time to make sense of them.
Another glance at Sasha. "As for fledglings...we hadn't discussed it. I'd hoped, eventually. It's a longer conversation."
Sasha's eyes widen a bit, quietly to Zaine, more to allow Athyra to think than to exclude her, "So far we've only talked about ensuring their aren't accidental fledglings." She pauses, looking worried that she missed something, "Right?"
She nods, an old worry in her eyes, "Longer conversation and you already mentioned defenses on the Shiv."
Athyra looks up and waits, "So, if you have fledglings, you want me to be protector, guide? And you want to have sex? With me?" She is definitely a little stuck on that point.
Sasha nods, "Only if you want to and you'd enjoy it."
Sasha's eyes widen a bit, quietly to Zaine, more to allow Athyra to think than to exclude her, "So far we've only talked about ensuring their aren't accidental fledglings." She pauses, looking worried that she missed something, "Right?"
"Right," Zaine affirms. "You getting pregnant now wouldn't be the best timing." He shrugs, "But maybe eventually... we'll discuss it later. Plenty of time. We're going to be on an island together!"
Athyra looks up and waits, "So, if you have fledglings, you want me to be protector, guide? And you want to have sex? With me?" She is definitely a little stuck on that point.
Sasha nods, "Only if you want to and you'd enjoy it."
"Yes," Zaine confirms. "Like Sasha says, if you're interested in sex with us, we'd like to very much. And if you say no, we'll be disappointed of course, but we'll still be your friends, and still want you involved at the ranch. And if there are fledglings, I can't think of a better guide, protector, and teacher than you."
"Go to Hell you bloody Monster." Áine growls at the thing beyond the door. She casts a spell instead.
Faith moves to where he can (hopefully) see past Áine.
"Acavna," Faith tries out her name. "I have never of her."
"Have you heard of her? Is she a Lost God? What do we know? What can we learn?" Faith asks these questions quietly, not wanting to break Jask's reverie.
Moving up, you can see through the smaller opening into a secret laboratory. The room almost defies description. A large stone block
stands in the middle of the room, and upon lays the unconscious form of Glaur, his head held still by a spidery apparatus that digs into the skin of his skull and face. Beyond him on two of the walls there is a pulsing glass and crystalline structure. Embedded in the structure are a total of seven rough crystal prisms, each approximately three feet
tall. Disembodied brains of various sizes hang suspended in a green good withing the center of five of the crystals. Copper coils and wires run from lead caps atop these prisms to a large copper vat full of a bubbling green liquid. Additional copper leads extend from this vat to a nearby box of strange, oily metal, humming with energy and capped with two short pillars coiled tightly with copper strands. Two of the brains are black and look to be starting to decay while one is seeping blood into the lattice holding it.
Just inside of the door there is a derhii, a species of winged ape. On his head is a golden cap of fine wire and crystals. It sparks in time with the wall in the laboratory. Just as you see the giant ape, it disappears. Only the voice remains, "Feel free to shoot, I mean if you miss me and hit the lattice it's only my vessels you'll hurt."
He looks around, "Like everything else in Savith-Yhi, the architecture is early Azlant. It'd be worth checking to see if any writings of later generations survived the jungle." He shakes his head, "It's bonus so much of the city was carved with stone, many of the other mediums of maintaining records would deteriorate in the jungle." Jask starts to move deeper into the temple, past the open courtyard with it's weapon and shield racks and into what was no doubt the private sanctums of the the temple's clergy.
"Right," Zaine affirms. "You getting pregnant now wouldn't be the best timing." He shrugs, "But maybe eventually... we'll discuss it later. Plenty of time. We're going to be on an island together!"
Sasha looks relieved, leaning into Zaine, letting him know that she was worried about having missed something that was important to him. "Lots of time to discuss it after we finish delving the secrets this city has to give."
"Yes," Zaine confirms. "Like Sasha says, if you're interested in sex with us, we'd like to very much. And if you say no, we'll be disappointed of course, but we'll still be your friends, and still want you involved at the ranch. And if there are fledglings, I can't think of a better guide, protector, and teacher than you."
"I look forward to teaching, both your fledglings, Tulip's and Zephyr's." She grins, "And finding a new home for our friends who are hunted."
Her head cocks to the side, observing them in a manner that is eerily similar to Jaji, "I do not know sex," she says after a time, "not for humans. I can..." she holds up fingers that move together, "make picture from nests I have watched." Her gesture moves towards Jaji, making it more obvious it isn't human nests she has seen, "But all human to come to my land were bad-hunters." Her face grows hard, "Even when curious about humans, no wanted to be near bad human."
Áine smirks, "I thought you said you were a genius. Sooo predictable."" she purrs snidely, as golden motes of light coat the area, surrounding and outlining the otherwise invisible winged ape.
She casts Glitterdust centered on the area where the winged ape currently is (but avoiding her companions), then slides into invisibility aided camouflage herself. If the winged ape casts a spell in her threat range or moves, however, she is not adverse to taking the attack of opportunity.
Initiative
Zaine
Tulip
Zaine hops up into the saddle.
Ride DC20
"I'll take that challenge," Zaine tells the monster.
He loads his gun with the last of the magic bullets Pakshee prepared.
Sasha looks relieved, leaning into Zaine, letting him know that she was worried about having missed something that was important to him. "Lots of time to discuss it after we finish delving the secrets this city has to give."
Zaine gives her an affectionate kiss.
Her head cocks to the side, observing them in a manner that is eerily similar to Jaji, "I do not know sex," she says after a time, "not for humans. I can..." she holds up fingers that move together, "make picture from nests I have watched." Her gesture moves towards Jaji, making it more obvious it isn't human nests she has seen, "But all human to come to my land were bad-hunters." Her face grows hard, "Even when curious about humans, no wanted to be near bad human."
Zaine nods. "That makes good sense." A look to Sasha. "Well, if you're interested, you could watch Sasha and me while we had sex. See if it looked like fun. You'd be welcome to join us, of course."
Faith steps into the room and proceeds to attack the empty air. He doesn't seem to have any jibes for the derhii.
Faith takes out his blank book and makes notes about what Jask has said. "Written on stone is good when there are people to look at the stone. Written on paper and returned to civilization will do Her better in the long run."
"Hold up a moment," Faith says. "We go cautiously, and I go first. Some of the lingering magics in this city have gotten warped and twisted over the aeons."
Juliver kneels next to the trussed up Lily, trying to stop the woman from striping her skin off to squirm free of the ropes.
"I do hope that I don't have to hurt that lovely dinosuar too much in stopping you all. She'll be a lovely vessel to replace the flesh golem you destroyed."
Seconds later, there is a clang of metal against Tulip's armor. She looks suprised as that is not the right direction.
Warned by the noise, even though the derhii is still invisible, Zaine is able to change where he is targeting.
Zaine hops up into the saddle.
"I'll take that challenge," Zaine tells the monster. Which is in itself a challenge
He loads his gun with the last of the magic bullets Pakshee prepared.
Tulip whirls around trying to bite back, but her teeth click on the air.
Áine smirks, "I thought you said you were a genius. Sooo predictable." she purrs snidely, as golden motes of light coat the area, surrounding and outlining the otherwise invisible winged ape
"It's all about planning ahead." The voice says even with its invisibility countered by the glitterdust. "Knowing your weaknesses. Finding the right vessels, the right armor, to keep yourself safe." The voice giggles, "This fine vessel, point in fact, is the first commander of the Gorilla King. Even if you do manage to destroy it, I think recovering from that will keep you far too occupied to look for me."
Faith steps into the room and proceeds to attack the empty air. He doesn't seem to have any jibes for the derhii. His knives do not draw blood.
Pakshee glares at the outline of the winged monkey, "Bad to use people as puppets." His head snaps in her direction as the curse she lays on his actuall works.
Sasha darts around the table, flanking the outlined evil and attacks. Scoring the first physical damage on the monster. "Tulip is going to eat you long before you use her."
Athyra considers looking up and down the pair, "When I was little, I try to watch humans who come near mine. When they see me, people scream and yell. I think humans not like animal friends, no want to be watched?"
"There are definitely people who don't want to be watched having sex and people are ok with some people watchng but not anyone watching." Sasha says, not wanting to give Athyra wrong information.
Athyra nods, "So some humans no want to be watched cooking or setting camp, that why they scream? Not because I do something wrong?"
Zaine brings up the musket and fires. The gunshot cracks and rolls like thunder.
Confirm
Tulip turns her attention on what attacked her, but can't get a grip on it.
grab
"Seriously, why do they always go for invisibility." Juliver hisses, as Lily jerks.
"Then people haven't been using it right." A spell is cast, but nothing happens, "Hmm."
Zaine brings up the musket and fires. The gunshot cracks and rolls like thunder. The body falls, still outlined in glitterdust.
There is, however, a quiet cracking, like something is carefully chipping through bones.
Still thinking, Athyra nods, "I would like to see." She looks uncertain, "How..." she shakes her head, "I do not know words. How I know if I want to have sex too?"
"Hey Pakshee," Zaine says, looking at his handiwork, "I'm getting pretty fond of those magic bullets."
Faith bypasses the dead (glittering, invisible) derhii to head over to Glaur. Detect Magic and a Heal check in attempt to figure out how to safely unhook him from the Apparatus.
"Pakshee does good work," Faith adds as he investigates.
Faith bends down to look at the divot. "I have no keys," he says. "And I like all ten of my fingers. This looks like an ioun stone may fit, but I have none of those either."
Faith turns to Jask. "I am assuming you also want to see what is unlocked here, despite my dire warnings about ancient twisted magic."
Áine holds her bow up above her head, putting her right index finger to her lips, "Don't think we're quite done yet." she says quietly, still staring at the outline of the invisible winged apes body. She notches another two arrows, waiting and listening.
As the group waits, the ground beneath most of them erupts in black thorned tentacles which grab and hinder you!
Aine, Faith, Tulip and Zaine are grappled and take . Moments after the tentacles grab them, you see the skull of the outlined derhii split open, its body becoming visible as a tiny creature crawls free, still invisible.
Pakshee, takes a step and casts freedom of movement on the closest target - . While Tulip is still caught by the squeezing spell, Zaine is free to use his two-handed weapon.
"Of course, it would be a shame to come this far and not get past the magically sealed area."
Faith is the first to notice that Lily is no longer struggling against her bonds, her body is limp but she is breathing. Unconscious as the amount of non-lethal damage that she took should render her.
Back in the laboratory, Faith also immediately notices that 3 of the brains are blackened and decaying rather than the 2 that were the first time you saw the MACHINE. One brain is still seeping blood, but it is much less now. One brain is still perfectly untouched.
The MACHINE still pulses.
Checking Glaur, he is very drugged both mundanely and magically.
However, he shows little sign of injury - just a small break in the skull where you see his healthy intact brain still in his own skull. The apparatus holding him to the operating table does not seem connected to the MACHINE and Faith is confident that it can be broken without hurting Lily, or the unknown subject's brain.
The MACHINE is the result of a very specific insane type of genius. Studying the MACHINE and the gold lattice the derhii was wearing shows two ways that the intellect devourer could control the vessel bodies for whom he had brains. He could stand on a platform nearby and connect to the brains telepathically, or if he was in his host vessel with the neurotransmitter he could as well. The evolution of his studies allowed him to remove the brains of the vessels without killing the body, the goo allowing him to take control of there actions without them ever realizing what was happening.
You do think you can remove Lily and the unknown person's brain crystals from the MACHINE without harming them more - however damaging the brains can easily kill either.
Fixing Lily, however, is not immediately obvious.
Athyra watches the pair, her dark eyes steady, taking in the movement of Zaine's hands, the press of Sasha's body back into Zaine. She nods at Zaine's words, but her eyes don't stop watching, honest curiosity more in her eyes currently than heat.
Sasha rocks her body against Zaine's hand when is teases down her pants, her own hands reaching behind her to touch him even as she presses back and rocks against his body. She smiles at Athyra, "Anywhere that you can touch with hands you can also touch with your mouth." She rocks between Zaine's hand and body, testing the rise of the second. She leans back to look up at him. "Do you want me naked first, love?"
"There you are, you son of a b**%+."
Spend 1 grit for dead shot[/ooc]
Zaine takes careful aim at the square the monster is in and fires. The gun goes off with a roll of thunder.
Confirm crit
"There you are, you son of a b~!&%," Zaine murmurs, taking careful aim. When he fires, the gun goes off with a roll of thunder and the creature explodes like an overripe melon filled with gunpowder.
He kisses Sasha again softly, then stands. The shirt comes off over his head, revealing his leanly muscled torso. Then with the mildest of hesitations and a glance at Athyra, he slips his trousers off. He is not yet fully hard, but the prospect of a naked Sasha, as well as the sexually-charged atmosphere, is rapidly swelling him.
"Good shot, lad!" With a bit of a struggle, Faith breaks free of the tentacles.
He turns back to the weird machinery, and attempts to explain what he sees. "It didn't get to Glaur," Faith says.
Faith looks to Jask and says, "My Goddess allows me to summon a companion for battle, but never requires that they be used in battle."
Faith summons a vulpinal agathion, and asks politely.
"We're trying to get past this magic lock, and neither of us has the right magic stone. Do you think you might--" Faith wiggles his fingers "--come up with a handy substitute?"
Áine salutes Zaine with her bow and an appreciative nod. "Yes, that's one less controlling jerkwad to have to worry about." she says, touching her rose pin with two fingers, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before turning to Faith, "Any hope of saving anyone else here?" she looks around at the monsters victims and the brains, still floating in green goo. She doesn't look very optimistic, but hey magic and Faith. Maybe you just gotta have Faith?!
"The brains are the subjects that it could control." Faith points to the unharmed brain, "That one is not known to me."
He points to the bleeding brain, takes a deep breath, and says, "I think this is Lily's."
"We should bring her body here and all gather round, and I can channel some healing energy, and ... ugh."
"I really hate that dead little guy."
Áine dutifully assists in helping to fetch Lilly's trussed up body and does as she is asked.
"I really hate that dead little guy."
Pakshee looks at the little brain pieces of intellect devourer remaining on the floor, the mechanism that allowed the creature to puppet multiple victims. "Is good you kill before it go back and teach that to rest of brain-dogs."
Inside is a small suite, a desk with a incredible smooth stone on the wall, a box with a single glowing stone within despite there being spaces for many.
Faith channels to heal .
"So as I see it, we have two problems. We need to find out who this brain belongs to," he indicates the one that isn't Lily's, "and we need to figure out how to put these brains back into the bodies where they belong. I don't know what keeps this machine running and the brains alive," Faith admits. "And we killed the evil little thing that did."
Faith takes what he can quickly, and leaves before the vulpine outsider's minute is up. "Thanks for the assistance," Faith says. "What should I call you if I see you again?"
Outside the door the agathion lets the stone go and the portal vanishes. "Same as my true mistress, Clever Boy." He shrugs, "she doesn't like it when I get too clever so thinks to tease with the reminder."
Despite not knowing mmuch, Jask still seems to be delighted with the dregs of information the pair did find when they leave the ancient temple to Acavna.
Sasha leans forward her kiss still soft but full of wicked promise. Then she sinks down to her knees, blowing softly onto the tip of Zaine's growing member. Then her tongue follows, stretching out to wash over the tip and guide it to her mouth for a kiss. Her green eyes look up at his face as she licks down the side of his hardness rather than sinking her mouth onto him then licking up from base to apex testing his hardness. Then, achingly slowly, she takes him in her mouth, her tongue still playing a pattern as he sinks inch by inch into the depth of her mouth.
Athyra for her part, watched both of you disrobe, her eyes lingering on the parts of the body not often shown in public. She shifts her head slightly to the side as she watches Sasha tease Zaine's body and then follow through on that teasing. Her eyes move from Sasha to Zaine's face, taking in his response as much as Sasha's action
"So as I see it, we have two problems. We need to find out who this brain belongs to," he indicates the one that isn't Lily's, "and we need to figure out how to put these brains back into the bodies where they belong. I don't know what keeps this machine running and the brains alive," Faith admits. "And we killed the evil little thing that did."
"I'll help in any way I can," Zaine says, "but I think we all know just how little that is in this situation."
He enjoys himself with her practiced mouth, until he feels the need building to an untenable point. Then he pulls away. "Not yet, Pepper. Now lay back. It's my turn."
He pushes her to her back, kissing her once, then working his way down. He stops at her neck, teasing with his lips and tongue, then to her breasts, to her taut belly, before finally settling between her legs. He gives a single, soft kiss on her puffy lips, and then sets about teasing. First her inner thighs, slowly working his way toward her sex. There is no one he knows better, and he follows the contours of her pleasure, bringing her along expertly.
When she is at the edge, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her body helplessly writhing against his tongue, when she is but a touch from losing herself, only then does he relent. It's only for a second, as she feels his weight on her, his manhood sliding into her.
"I think I have figured out how to pull the crystals with the brains from the machine so they can be transported," Faith says, .
"And if you hold this and that," Faith gestures to bits surrounding Glaur's head, "I should be able to pull this off Glaur without too much damage."
"I fear the rest will be a long-term project."
"Pleased to meet you," Faith says. "I am called Faith Dagger, and I will appreciate your cleverness when we meet again."
As they leave the ancient temple, Faith asks Jask, "Shall we return to our scenic route back to camp? Or is there anything else you specifically wanted to see?"
Faith shields his eyes and checks the sun's height. "We have a little time to play with, yet."
After his channelling heals the party and both Lily's body and brain, Faith's careful handling of the brain-crystals proves his words. He is able to slide both of the not-dead brains from the contraption - Lily's condition remains stable.
Sasha moves up to one side of the operation table grabbing the metallic spider contraption exactly where Faith indicates.
"Just finish going up to the Pharasman suicide temple so you can do a specimen collection for me to test for the spores." Jask says, although it seems almost an afterthought the old man being so pleased with your joint divine discovery.
The sample collection goes peacefully, although Faith is again visited by the images of the ghosts of the place going through the last few hours of their life. Returning to camp is also relatively peaceful, although it is likely after dark when you get back.
Glaur, who was clearly waiting for you both to return doesn't say a word, but moves on to other tasks when you get back.
A trend that continues as Athyra creeps closer in almost imperceptible bits, near Sasha's side looking down the red-head's body as Zaine turns Sasha into a twisting inferno of need and want. Her intense gaze travels from Zaine between Sasha's legs and the other woman's face, her own slight rocking movement easy to miss.
Athyra moves back fast, giving the pair space as Zaine changes position, biting her lip as Zaine thrusts and Sasha loses herself to the maelstrom of pleasure.
Zaine serves as a steady pair of hands and does what Faith tells him.
Only then does he cover her mouth with his. The kiss is passionate, his tongue exploring her mouth. The rhythm of his hips increases in speed. He hooks an arm under one thigh, and brings it up, splaying her more lewdly, opening her more deeply.
She can feel him readying to burst, his breath quick, his kisses harder. Then, he's shuddering inside of her, hot jets of him filling her further.
"He is both magically and mundanely sedated," Faith says.
After removing the spider contraption, Faith bandages Glaur's head. "I can see his brain is intact," Faith says. "The skull can be enticed to heal closed, but it will take some time."
Faith nods at Glaur.
"You will sleep well tonight," he says to Jask. "If the things you've seen don't linger in your head."
He shrugs. "They both happen to me."
With the vile genius intellect devourer defeated as well as the destructive bandit group that it had co-opted destroyed, the group is able to get Lily, Glaur and the brain crystals away from the ancient cave complex and back to camp. Lily and Glaur are both placed into the infirmary along with Kline.
It is only a few days before both Kline and Glaur can not be contained in the infirmary, though Glaur still has bandages wrapped around his head as his broken skull continues to mend. After learning from the Pathfinders that your group discovered Savith-Yhi and its connection to Ilmurea as well as Saventh's defeat of Ydersius Kline asks to have a meeting with the group.
"There’s more happening in Ilmurea than you may realize. The serpentfolk are preparing something big, something that’s a threat not just to those living here in Saventh-Yhi, but to the whole surface world. It has to do with their god, Ydersius, now called the Headless King." He pauses, a hint of a smile on his lips, "Since you know a human cut off his head eons ago."
He shakes his head a little, "you’ve noticed that there’s more than one type of serpentfolk — the big, dumb, degenerate brutes and the smart, conniving ones, with magic. In the old days, most of the serpentfolk were of this more powerful, advanced ‘purecaste’ — the degenerates were apparently bred only for war. But with Ydersius’s defeat, the serpentfolk empire fell into decline. Most of the purecaste serpentfolk went into a sort of magical sleep or hibernation, while the descendents of the rest eventually devolved into the monstrous degenerates."
"Even so, occasionally purecaste throwbacks would be born." He motions at Jask and Glaur, "I've heard that you've come across far more of them in the past year than most see in a lifetime. However, one of them, a priest of Ydersius called Vyr-Azul, plans to resurrect Ydersius. He’s actually found the god’s skull, and believes that he can reunite the serpent-god’s head and body and restore Ydersius to his former power, heralding a new age, restoring and evolving the serpentfolk, and bringing back their empire of old. If true, this could prove disastrous for us all."
"The Azlanti struggled to defeat the serpentfolk and magical and technical advances they had, even in the early period, far outstrips what humanity as regained after Earthfall. Add to that the amount of in fighting humanity does between its nations just in the Inner Sea, we aren't prepared for a serpentfolk resurgence. They could wipe out or enslave every living thing in the surface world. At best, we’ll become their slaves. At worst, they’ll keep us in their larders like livestock until they eat us." He looks at Juliver, sadness etching his face, "That's what happened to the rest of the party when the snakes captured us - eaten alive."
He shakes his head, returning to the point, "But we have an opportunity to avoid that fate. You’ve already
proven yourselves by entering the heart of their domain to rescue me. We’ve got to go back down there and stop Vyr-Azul before he brings back Ydersius!"
"The old don't need as much sleep as the young," Jask says, "If you have lingering thoughts, come up and see an old man, we can talk the shadows into peace. I'm not so old that I've forgotten how darkness can strike when you are at your most vulnerable."
He smiles, "Or if you find out what is on the Azlant recording crystal. I'm eager to see what that ancient priest chose to leave behind."
Her response is filled with need, despite her own crest of pleasure, teasing in his tongue, hips moving so that her body can squeeze, an extra shudder when he opens her body just that bit more. Her arms around him, fingers kneading his back grasping as she feels his pleasure build, pulling him into her. Then soft touches as he slowly comes back to himself.
When the pair remembers their audience, Athyra is near, her eyes still moving over their bodies, returning to the the points of connection between them. Under the deep tan of her skin Zaine can see a flush and the lithe woman can't quite stay still, her thighs squeezing together then relaxing, her hips moving just a bit, her breathing uneven. After a long moment, Athyra asks, "And sex done for today?"
Zaine glances at his companions. "I don't think there's any doubt what we're going to say here. I'm in this thing until the end."
Zaine gets his breathing back under control, and plants an affectionate kiss on Sasha's head. He notes the squeezing of Athyra's thighs, and remarks, "If you wanted to touch yourself, that's fine. I know you don't have any experience with other people, but I can't imagine you don't do that."
Áine nods. "I'm in."
Faith is wrapped up in Eando's tale. He leaps to his feet, thrusts his fist into the air, and heartily agrees. "Aye! I have seen the armies of serpents in their tanks, and I have had headache-inducing conversations with the most ancient of evils. We must stop this in its tracks, and we must fight it where it lairs. There is no further convincing to be done. This is evil -- and it must be destroyed."
After resting for a day, Faith has a general request to the Pathfinders and pirates. "I am seeking small stones," he says. "Stones which are clear or translucent. If you hold them to the light, they do not have as much shadow as you expect. Should you find some, please deliver them to me."
And more specific requests to Zaine and Áine.
Faith is tying knots in fishing line around small stones when he visits Zaine.
"When we return to the underwater building to destroy the shadows, one thing concerns me. I may need to alter the water currents within the temple, and that door may fall into place across the Vault entry, trapping all inside. Would it be safe to Tulip to ram into the door again, should this happen? I would very much like you both to accompany when I perform this ritual."
He pauses, and gives his best dead-eye stare. "It also may be necessary to deflate me if I become full of myself. Are you up for this task?"
Faith's attempt to hold a straight face fails, through he tries to keep it together.
Faith is tying knots in fishing line around small stones when he visits Áine.
"I will have all my magical energy focused on dealing with the shadows when we return to the underwater building. How long does your Life Bubble last? How many can it handle? Are there additional magics that you can bring to the task, or is this the most relevant? I would like to take advantage of this again."
"I also am keen," Faith says. "I do not know how to decode a crystal, but all things come with time."
He gives the older man a hearty (but not too hearty) slap on the back. "You have set my mind at ease many times, friend. I will not hesitate to darken your door again."
Zaine glances at his companions. "I don't think there's any doubt what we're going to say here. I'm in this thing until the end."
Áine nods. "I'm in."
Kline nods, clearly hearing the group but looks a little surprised at the lack of questions.
Faith is wrapped up in Eando's tale. He leaps to his feet, thrusts his fist into the air, and heartily agrees. "Aye! I have seen the armies of serpents in their tanks, and I have had headache-inducing conversations with the most ancient of evils. We must stop this in its tracks, and we must fight it where it lairs. There is no further convincing to be done. This is evil -- and it must be destroyed."
"I'm glad you didn't try to wake any of them up." He snorts, "I did that, although I think they managed to mind control me even in their stasis." He shakes his head, "I did manage to get myself un-mindf$~+ed before it had me release all of its friends." He holds up a ioun ston, "And this is the stone that got me kicked out of the Pathfinders because I didn't want anyone else waking them up." He grins.
"Vyr-Azul was a one of those talk his evil plan type once he realized I didn't have an army coming to rescue me," he grins, a roguish grin, "since I had no way of knowing that you'd, well, come rescue me, he wasn't wrong."
He breathes out, "Vyr-Azul's plan relies on him performing a big-time ritual to resurrect his god. Ideally we would like to get him dead before that. I think we still have some time before he has everything he needs."
"As much as the rogue in me would love if it would work, I don't think us all trying to sneak into the fortress-temple where Vyr-Azul is holed up would work." He holds up his hands, "I know it worked really well getting into the island fortress and rescuing me, but they weren't expecting you and that place was not fully staffed, the same will not be the case in the main temple."
"I think we should follow Saventh template in this, getting an army together that can stand pull the heat away from the temple, giving a small group a chance to get in and play kill the evil priest."
He snaps his fingers, remembering, "You all met Udarra, right?" He nods, "Before I hared off and almost got myself killed, Udarra mentioned an ancient weapon that had been lost by the founders in a place called the Hunter's Maze in the serpent part of the city. An ancient Azlanti power weapon might be handy."
"I'm glad you didn't try to wake any of them up."
Faith looks surprised. "Wake them up? Why would we do that? I wanted to destroy them, but we didn't have enough powder."
"If that stone wakes them up, why not destroy it? What am I not understanding here?"
"Did you not talk to Izon? The ... vampire king fellow. He said you had. Do you believe he will honor his promise to attack the serpents? If so, then we may borrow an army. In a battle between vampires and serpentfolks, I would typically root for Earthfall."
"We did meet Udarra, and got along well," Faith says. "And I will admit, a fantastic Azlanti weapon sounds like just the thing to increase our chances of winning."
Faith is tying knots in fishing line around small stones when he visits Áine.
"I will have all my magical energy focused on dealing with the shadows when we return to the underwater building. How long does your Life Bubble last? How many can it handle? Are there additional magics that you can bring to the task, or is this the most relevant? I would like to take advantage of this again."
"28 hours divided up between however many we are taking with us." Áine responds to his Life Bubble question, "Tulip counts as more then one...maybe 4 by herself. Life Bubble is definitely the most relevant, but...let me think." Áine ponders for a minute, ticking off possible spells on her fingers, "Could have a virtually endless supply of arrows, Air Bubble for Zaine's musket so he can load and fire underwater, make Tulip big, give everyone Darkvision, might be able to make it more difficult for them to move through water...but Shadows? no probably not,.." she ticks through a number of spells which have very minor relative effects, then stops, "Hmmm. You said you'd be using all your magical energy? Maybe that's something I might be able to do. I have a spell called Channel the Gift. I might be able to help you retain a spell...maybe even two, if you want. I could provide the magical energy for them, so that you could, in effect cast them again. Would that help?"
"And I will admit, a fantastic Azlanti weapon sounds like just the thing to increase our chances of winning."
"What does it do?" Áine asks, somewhat intrigued, though she kind of doubts it would be a bow, "And do you know anything about Vyr-Azul's lieutenants? What are they and what can they do? How many snakes does he probably have there and how many are likely to be left behind if the main group is drawn away? Do you have any idea of the layout of the place?"
Faith looks surprised. "Wake them up? Why would we do that? I wanted to destroy them, but we didn't have enough powder."
"I'm glad you didn't waste the powder, while the stasis chambers look like machines they are pure magic and the serpentfolk are immune to physical damage while in the spell."
"If that stone wakes them up, why not destroy it? What am I not understanding here?"
"Because it gave me the strength of will to break free of that ancient serpentfolk's mind control," Kline says, "And I suspect there are more ioun stones that have been treated to have the same magic, so it wouldn't end the danager."
"Did you not talk to Izon? The ... vampire king fellow. He said you had. Do you believe he will honor his promise to attack the serpents? If so, then we may borrow an army. In a battle between vampires and serpentfolks, I would typically root for Earthfall."
"Oh, yes I did speak to the vampire king." Kline smiles, "And I utterly failed at assassinating Belkor, so I'm very thankful that you succeeded." Kline breathes out, "Smart fellow but utterly evil."
"Have you spoken to him since you killed Belkor?" Seeing the shakes of their heads, "I'd give the odds of him trying to get something else out of the deal at about 60% but otherwise just attempt to play neutral so he can attack the winner." Kline shrugs, "At the very least killing Belkor should keep the vampires from culling the morlocks continually for a while."
"And I will admit, a fantastic Azlanti weapon sounds like just the thing to increase our chances of winning.""What does it do?" Áine asks, somewhat intrigued, though she kind of doubts it would be a bow
"Not a clue," Kline says honestly, "but, best as I've been able to determine, the morlocks devolved from a garrison of Azlanti who were left to watch the city and... well... forgotten. The story of the weapon were significant enough that it survived the thousands of years and countless generations of morlocks, so it should be something."
"And do you know anything about Vyr-Azul's lieutenants? What are they and what can they do? How many snakes does he probably have there and how many are likely to be left behind if the main group is drawn away? Do you have any idea of the layout of the place?"
"I've never even seen the exterior of the temple-fortress, I just know that it was carved from the walls of the cavern surrounding Ilmurea." Kline continues his answer to give an idea of the number of degenerate and purecaste serpentfolk in the city of Ilmurea.
After resting for a day, Faith has a general request to the Pathfinders and pirates. "I am seeking small stones," he says. "Stones which are clear or translucent. If you hold them to the light, they do not have as much shadow as you expect. Should you find some, please deliver them to me."
Over the course of the day, a number of clear quartz are delivered to Faith. Near the very end of the day, Nali pushes Connor into the area where Faith is, obviously with Connor allowing it as he stands a foot taller and two feet wider of muscle than the smaller assistant chef. "Give them." She says to the chef.
With more than a little reluctance, Conner hands Faith a bag full of incredibly clear quartz stones. Near the top is one that has been carved into a small horse.
"I also am keen," Faith says. "I do not know how to decode a crystal, but all things come with time."
"Which of our experts are you going to talk about it?" Jask asks. "I've heard that when placed in magical devices designed for it, they would play back, but I certainly do not have an ancient Azlant artifact in my pocket."
Athyra darkens, at Zaine's second comment, then quietly, "Only in the soon time. I realize when I see monkeys touch themselves. Before that I would rub against trees, like I saw our friends do."
"Do you want to touch yourself now?" Sasha asks, one of her hands idling running along Zaine's thigh as she talks to Athyra.
"Yes." Athrya says, "And no." She pauses, "If you done with sex then I want to touch," she shifts again, her body clearly not at all calm, "to ease." Her head moves to the side in a motion clearly learned from her raptor friends, "But want to see what pleasure with friends is like."
"And once again, we're expected to sneak someplace," Zaine remarks to Tulip.
"And once again, we're expected to sneak someplace," Zaine remarks to Tulip.
"Maybe we can get a wand of silence." Áine suggests with a hint of amusement, "But how long is that going to take? Maybe a few scrolls?" she continues, "I do have a few spells that may help, this time around. Though you wouldn't get the joy of the big of your gun."