"Thibad, if that's who you really are, I don't care what you remember of our time. Accept that we just got here, or don't. It's time to stop asking questions and start answering ours. Once again: listen, think, answer, that is all. How do we stop whatever is happening to us? What is going on at this place? Why is this happening to us? Who is causing this to happen?"
Hokey glances around at the changes to the surrounding scenery and sees one of the buildings just collapse, leaving a hole in reality. Then she hears some of her companions wasting time looking for guidance instead of a way out.
"I'm the only one not blind, Bertram? I see I'm not the only one who can talk, but am I also the only one who can think?! Stop relying on me to figure the way out and do some thinking yourself! I didn't come here for me, I came here for, you, Bertram, just like all the rest of you. If anyone should have the answers here, it's you and your kin, not me. Stop dragging people into things and then asking them for a way out!"
Hokey scoffs at the two noblemen, implying "someone else needs to do something about this mess," again.
"I don't know anything more than what you all know, aside from being able to see more of the picture, which has nothing to do with the situation at hand. Stop asking what I can do for you, and start asking yourselves what you can do for each other. I keep reminding you noble boys this, but I'll do it again: I am not your servant."
Hokey begins wildly gesturing to the "reality" around them, punctuating each question with a point to the suddenly ever-changing scenery.
"Have you guys noticed the scenery changing? Remember how it was always sunset or rise before? But now it's starting to set?? Did you guys notice the hole in reality remaining where a building once stood? Time is of the essence: we need to do something now. Every moment you waste looking to someone else for answers is a moment you waste looking for it yourself!"
Hokey turns to Hydrand and Awful, and says quickly:
"We'll probably have to investigate the ruins of the tower, or go down the hole to stop something. I have another incredibly stupid idea, if it seems like neither route will work to save us, but I'll have to rely on someone to knock me out using my knuckledusters. ...And I could use another cast of the speed spell, Hydrand, and maybe a bomb, Awful, for this plan."
"Aim your condescending frustration somewhere else, Horns." Bertram snaps. "This was a volunteer mission that you agreed to. I asked for a simple direction not a miracle escape plan. And I only asked because we cant see through the illusion."
He waves his hand in front of his eyes for emphasis.
"A simple 'F!#@, I dunno' works for that kinda question. Since you dont have any advice, Thibad has our only lead right now. Good enough for me. If the Crystal is at the center of this, then where is the crystal, Thibad? Maybe if we destroy it we can escape."
Thibad watches patiently at Hokey's diatribe, and when she finishes, he says, Just as impatient, unforgiving, and condescending as always, aren't Hokey. It's not my fault you can't remember anything. I don't have any clue what's going on. Maybe it's the crystal. Maybe it's some massive spell! I don't know! You're the scholar magician!
The only thing we know about this place is that it houses the Catemenia Crystal. It's why we came here, despite your stubborn insistence that you don't remember. We know it's magical. We know it has something to do with the Romden line. Other than that? I don't know. But my best guess is that the crystal has something to do with it and by finding it, we may find an answer to all of this!
He gives out a heavy sigh. Look, I know you're all stressed. I am too. If you want to bail out now, go ahead. There's the boat. I'm going to find the crystal and see if I can find an answer to it.
Come on Bertram. Let's go. With that, he turns back towards the buildings.
"Right, we're all a bit tense." Bertram rubs his eyes.
"I'm not leaving him after I just found him. If it's for the family, it has to be done." Bertram paces after Thibad toward the tower. He catches up and puts a hand on his shoulder. "How about you let me take the front, Cousin? I'm a bit more used to the dirty work."
He then prepares to re-enter the tower. Bertram most certainly does not relish the feeling of walking into the mouth of some monstrous entity he cant even see.
As Bertram and Thibad walk away from the beach and back to the collection of buildings and the main tower, Hokey pulls the rest of the group aside to reveal a secret to Hydrand.
Meanwhile, a quick vote is made and they all leave the beach to catch up to Bertram.
They find the two dwarves searching the abandoned buildings for something that could signify a place where the fabled crystal is. Hokey can still see the strange red tendrils of energy flowing from each person up into the air to braid around each other and then head back down to the ground at a specific location near the tower.
Eventually, an entrance to an underground cavern is discovered, and it is the same place where the red tendrils lead.
A thick, greasy black liquid spreads across the floor in the center of this chamber. The chamber reeks of mildew and foul excrement. Droplets fall from above and drip eerily into a pool of a viscous tarry solution. Some equipment and gear are floating in the strange fluid.
"Wait, what... The..."
Awful mumbles to himself while shifting his gaze from the assortment of clothes and equipment in the goo to Thibad. He was almost too overwhelmed with everything to notice the obvious similarities at first, but there was no denying it.
Awful places a steady hand on Hydrand's shoulder, demanding his attention, and points with the other. He finds obvious distinguishing marks on the discarded equipment and then the exact same marks on Thibad's person.
The implication is apparent to Hydrand causing him to softly, but with urgency, call out for Hokey.
"Hokey, observe please."
His eyelights go as wide as their apertures allow as he connects the dots Awful has put before him.
"Hokey, observe please."
He points at his own eyes, then at the individual bits and bobs constituting an individual's worth of equipment floating in the muck. Once Hokey turns her eyes back to Hydrand, he will look about the group one by one, doing his best to communicate to her to study what he's looking at. When he finds a moment wherein Thibad isn't looking his way, he nods briefly in Thibad's direction.
If he's been got, then Thibad this is not!
Seeing any amount of what he's discreetly communicating to her register, he'll unlimber his shield and mace and wait for Awful and Hokey's signal to act. They needed to act together or a split party might mean the imposter had a chance to act on their discovery.
Though, he knows far more than he should, and if whatever has its hands on reality is just spinning up an image, here...
Hydrand hesitates to follow that train of thought.
No point in believing a being is in such incredible control, one may as well surrender at the thought.
Andras spots the similarity between what Thibald was wearing and the gear floating in the gunk. He exchanges knowing looks with Hydrand and Awful, seeing that they noticed it too.
He grabs Bertram, and quickly whispers in his ear.
Any chance you can test Thibald? See what he remembers? What's something only you and he would know?
Bertram observes the foul puddle and moves on, ignoring the slime covered equipment.
It's not right. You know it isn't. Just because you woke up and put me away doesn't change anything, Stix.
Bertram does his best to push the insistent voice from his mind. He continues his search of the tunnel until Andras's hand catches his arm.
"What are you-" He starts indignantly, but he catches sight of the others behind him. The truth was forcing itself upon him whether he was ready or not. Something was wrong here. A glance at Thibad helps him pick out several familiar articles. Too familiar.
"I... I don't know. He talks like Thibad, looks like him too. I just... it has to be him, Andras." A cold pit fills Bertram's stomach as he breaks away from Andras to come astride Thibad.
"Thibad, it's been a long time since I've seen the clan. Do you... do you remember where they took me after Mother died? Do you know if Father kept it standing?" Bertram asks apprehensively. The Dross Ward Asylum had been a terrible place, and only the gold of the Romden clan had given it any form of reputable sustainability. The location had closed after "Bertram's" treatment and following the passing of the researcher who performed his studies there.
"Fine, run away, again. Keep making this about your family, instead of trying to get through this with us. But know this is the last time any of you and yours turns your back on me, Bertram of House Romden." she says, icily.
Hokey turns her back towards Bertram and Thibad and stiffly addresses the rest of her companions.
"Andras, could I buy some writing supplies off you? Awful, do you think you can engrave a message onto Hydrand with your magic and skills?"
Hokey takes a deep breath to steel herself before addressing Hydrand.
"I didn't want to do this now, but... Hydrand, I need to speak with you, privately, regarding some official Tower business."
-----
Hydrand nods in acquiescence and prepares himself to be open-minded to some new information.
Clinical detachment, don't fail me now.
-----
Andras shrugs and hands some implements over.
No need to buy, just don't use it all.
-----
"Uh... Sure I guess. As long as it's not going on his codpiece cause that's already covered in filigree."
Awful also shrugs, relaxing just a little. Their situation no longer felt as dire as it did a few moments ago.
-----
"Thank you, both. Please don't try to overhear what I'll be discussing with Hydrand. We have enough people who seem to be distracted, and we'll need our wits about us if we're to survive this..." Hokey says, her companions' familiar behaviors softening the anger off her face.
"I saw a monstrosity through the walls of the Hall of Souls. It was a vague glimpse, but it was obviously foreign, and appeared to be a mass of eyes and tentacles, with a huge gaping mouth at its center. Hydrand it was..." Hokey shudders a bit, paling at recalling the horrific being she had witnessed.
"Terrifying. It was a gaping hole, shoving all the other worlds surrounding Urth into it, Hydrand. The only reason it hasn't eaten ours is due to a world barrier that's keeping it at bay. But it's weakening, Hydrand, and the Maw pushing at the barrier is causing the northern part of the world to tilt towards the sun, heating up the Northern Reach and cooling the southern places, like here." Hokey shudders a bit at the thought of the cold.
"I need to get this information to Jimmy and the Tower. That's why I want to engrave a message onto you, in case Bertram gets us all killed following blindly. We need to at least leave behind a message for the Tower."
The Consumer is invading our world from the Northern Reach.
The World Barrier is slowly failing, starting from there."
Hokey notices the similarity between the floating equipment and Thibad's own clothes. She looks towards her companions and nods silently as she quietly draws her saber, ready for the skirmish to come.
Hokey watches the scene unfold as Bertram demands answers of Thibad. The red tendrils pulsate, notably from Bertram as the memories of the place are withdrawn and implanted into the simulacrum of Thibad through his own red tendril - both of which are extending far within the cavern.
Of course, cousin, he says. And he proceeds to answer the question not only accurately, but with far too much detail - things no one except for Bertram would know.
And you watch Bertram's face as Thibad answers the questions in what can only be assumed as "too much information." How would he know those things if he were not there? And from the look on Bertram's face, you can tell he's thinking the same thing.
Bertram nods, and his face softens. Thibad still remembered the Asylum. He was one of the few family members not ashamed to visit the I'll "Dwarf". They whisper for a time.
"Thank you, Thibad. I... I needed the reassurance. Everything is so mad...' He runs his temples painfully. This entire place made reality feel as though it had tumbled away. With a discreet look back, he shakes his head sadly to Andras, confirming suspicions. "Not just for reminiscing, Thibad. The clan didnt want to admit what was happening while I was in the Asylum. Father is proud. But... you came to talk with me. I never thanked you. You're good family, cousin."
He grips his knife tightly in his right hand. He had been too late. The familiar pressure rose in his mind again as the painful revelation washes over him. A pressure similar to the dream within the tower. Had it been a dream? He had woken here, but he still wasn't sure. His mind strained, and Bertram lets go.
You should have listened to Awful.
The voice grows more powerful as Bertram and Stix retreat.
Rest a while. I'll handle this.
Bertram's face falls for a moment, but inexplicably brightens. He relaxes next to Thibad though his weapons are still in his hands. He begins working the situation in his mind. His crew was aware of the threat. They only needed an opportunity.
Too alert to miss a detail, Andras noticed everything that he needed to know, writ plain as day across Bertram’s face.
Andras quickly and surreptitiously makes sure Jet is out of harm’s way, or at least the furthest away from Thibad.
One hand moves to his blade, flicking the intricate mechanism back and forward, coiled and ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble.
This clearly isn’t Thibad. But what else is it? A dream? A memory? A simulacra?
Andras rubs his temples and wishes he’d paid more attention to Jimmy’s lessons on magic. He wasn’t prepared for something like this, and he didn’t like it one bit.
I guess we will see if it bleeds.
Hokey suddenly attacks Thibad with her saber.
"Save your breaths. The tendrils are feeding him your memories. Questions could be a trigger for the memory drain."
Seeing the exchanges of looks between Bertram, Andras, and Hokey made his next move perfectly clear. Kill.
"Oh yeah... this is gonna be fun."
Awful mutters to himself and launches his knife at the dwarves.
Following closely behind Hokey, he lunges at Thibad, retrieves the Savage Ornament, and attempts to plunge it into the impostor for a second time.
He narrowly misses his mark as he hesitates in order to make room for Hokey's swift saber.
Hokey swings her staff at Thibad, clocking him across the skull. Awful was prepared to kill, and instantly threw the Savage Ornament at the dwarf. The knife stuck into him.
Thibad let out a yelp of surprise when Hokey hit him, but his scream was far beyond natural when the Savage Ornament struck. His scream went up several octaves and it sounded like multiple voices at once in discordance. The visage of Thibad shrunk as it was sucked into Awful's blade. As Awful runs up to grab the knife, his second attack misses because Thibad is no longer there.
From Hokey's perspective, the red tendril attached to Thibad shrunk and fell to the ground, withering away. The rest of the tendrils, each attached to one of you, still seem lively and extend further into the cavern.
The cave suddenly falls silent, and you're left standing there in front of the muck pit.
"Bertram, wait, I know you have questions, but don't ask any right now. You might trigger someone's memory to be drained, just by thinking if an answer." Hokey says aloof. She points to the tank.
"If you want to be angry, try to explain to me how that equipment is there, and why that thing died the way it did. It wasn't your cousin. Now let's figure out how to get out of this mess." Hokey says, taking a good look around them, for extra vigilance against any changes to their environment.
"Honestly, I'm inclined to go down the hole now, since Tendri-bad led us here, but I guess we're already here. What do you guys say?" Hokey says. She digs around her pack for something and pulls out some writing supplies.
"Oh, and here's your writing stuff back, Andras. Thanks for letting me use it. You guys should also take this opportunity to light some torches, in case we run into more Shadows. This might all still be connected back to the village, somehow."
Andras had been waiting for an opportunity to jump into action with the group, but it seemed that they had managed to handle it just fine by themselves. His hand relaxes, and leaves the pommel of his sword.
Andras muses out loud as he takes his writing gear back and repacks it.
I agree with Hokey. It must have wanted us to come this way. The floating gear in the muck is not a great sign. Perhaps this is how the real Thibad died?
Thibad is slain so quickly Bertram has almost no time to react. He had expected his crew to be swift to resolve the problem, just not quite that swift. His guts squirm as Thibad contorts in on himself with a shriek and is consumed into the Savage Ornament. It looks painful to say the least.
"So that's what it does." He quickly pushes the implications of the weapon from his mind for now.
He's gone. We took too long.
Bertram releases a slow, exasperated sigh at the mental complaints, but not much more in reaction to seeing his cousin perish. He mentally shushes the voice. The concern miring his face earlier appears dimmed now, replaced by a jarring shift into annoyance at the situation.
"Right, Hokey. We don't have time to dwell on it now. Thibad's dead, and I'm not interested in following suit with any more of you. We need to get out of here. Whatever that was, I'm glad to get away from it instead of towards it." He motions to the empty space his cousin once stood in.
A jaunty heel turn orients Bertram back toward the entrance. A casual confidence enters his stride. He stops to investigate the remains they passed on their way in, carefully picking through it with his knife and searching for a coin purse.
"Lets see if we at least still get paid, right gang?" he hums while he works.
Bertrams demeanor suddenly shifts, his posture, tone, even the cadence of his voice all change. He reaches in fkr the pouch of coin in the pile of equipment within the muck. As he does so, the muck starts to change. What previously looks like mud and grease and oil all mixed together suddenly takes a more solidified look.
The muck seems to take the form of some sort of half solid mass which rises up and grows arms and a grotesque face.
The visage itself puts you on edge, but the stench of it takes you over the edge. Make a will challenge roll or become frightened. If you are already frightened, instead gain 1 insanity.
"Oh f!#%ing hell!" Bertram shouts in surprise. He dances back quickly, but not before making a greedy scoop at the coin purse with the edge of his knife. He holds back a retch of disgust as he scrambles away. "What is that?"
Hokey pushes down her bodily urges to resist the stench of the blob before her.
"What the hells is that?"
Hokey takes distance from the blob and runs towards the entrance. She swaps out her saber and shield for her bow.
"Disengage. Get the hells out. Fight outside, if it chases us."
I agree with Hokey. Let’s move
Andras ushers the others before him, taking up the rear in a defensive position.
Awful stumbles back from the oozing pile, covering his nose with his sleeve.
"Ugh! What the actual s~@#!... NYEHHH!!!"
He grunts, throwing his knife at the ugly blob while retreating alongside the others.
Hydrand finds himself somewhat appalled by Bertram's shift in demeanor. Hydrand's wide eye-lights track him as Bertram walks on as if his cousin perishing before his eyes was less than a fly in his soup.
He is immediately fazed out of his appalled stupor, however, as the muck Bertram is picking at rises up. The vapors coming off of it wash over him uselessly, but the scene still raises his hackles.
He powers through the knee-jerk fright and raises his mace to his shoulder with his shield in a low guard, moving between the others and the thing.
He swings his mace before stepping back and away waiting for others to move toward the cave entrance behind him before bringing up the rear, never taking his eyes off the thing, and keeping his shield between it and his friends.
Keeping at a safe distance from the thing, Andras lunges forwards with his blade held in two hands, then steps back and assumes a defensive position at the back of the group, keeping himself between the others and the goo monster.
Damage counter: 11
Hokey calls for a retreat to draw the strange monster out of the cave entrance. As everyone backs out, some strike the monster before fleeing. Andras stays as the protective guard, placing himself between the monster and everyone else.
As predicted, the monster rushes forward, aiming for the one in its path. Rising up out of the mud, the strange creature is quite large, easily towering over all of you (size 2). The mud moves with it, making all ground within 2 yards difficult terrain.
As you rush outside, you turn and prepare your assault.
Andras splits his blade in two, biding his time for the perfect opportunity to strike.
The voice of Jimmy rings in his head.
I've made sure that the blades are perfectly balanced, so that you can more easily attack with both of them at once. It's a little tricky to master, or so I've heard, but I'm sure you can do it, my lad.
He lashes out with both blades.
The blow is a clumsy one, as he's not used to the movement, and he's not sure if it causes any damage.
Well, at least I learned something today...
15 to hit
Hokey runs out to the side to give the group some room as they exit. Everyone follows shortly after her, with Andras and Hydrand securing the rear-turned-front. She quickly snaps to one side to get clear of Andras, and draws the bowstring. She releases the bowstring a moment later, when the blob emerges from the entrance.
Hokey remains vigilant to their surroundings and keeps an eye out for any sudden movements, even as she notches another arrow.
Remaining in place between the gruesome thing and his allies, he keeps his shield raised and gives a whirling overhead attack so his shield can remain up.
Misjudging the range of the guarded swing, his mace just skips over the surface of the tar creature, the small gash it caused swallowed up by the tar almost immediately.
At least my shield is up and folks are behind me. I guess it's time to see how bad this thing hurts.
He braces himself for whatever the creature would do now that the gap was closed.
Bertram gives an impressed whistle as the monstrous form rises from the sludge. He circles to the side of the creature, drawing a knife. Ammunition was too important to waste if the creature absorbed the arrows, and knives felt better anyway.
He tests the weight of the blade with an experimental heft. When the muck appears to shift it's attention to Andras, Bertram flicks the knife at the creature.
The throw is accurate, but weak. Bertram figures a second knife might solve that problem.
"That's the last of the throwing knives, friends. I'd rather not waste magic yet!"
Awful concentrates for a moment, willing the Savage Ornament to appear in his grasp again. He inspects the pristine blade out of habit as he readies himself against the giant goop.
Damage counter: 24
Everyone prepares and attacks, but the viscous mud monster seems to absorb the blows, reducing their effectiveness.
The mud monster focuses on Hydrand, slamming an arm down on him.
The hit absorbs Hydrand into the creatures body, and it grows in size!
Seeing the creature attempt to engulf Hydrand, Andras combines his blades once more, and stabs at the creature, tearing at the ooze and trying to help cut his companion free.
He punctuates his blows with angry words.
LET. HIM. GO.
Hydrand braces for an impact and watches the creature bring its arm down. He raises his shield, expecting a direct inelastic collision, but it slams down with more force than he was prepared for and follows through back to the tarred mass, taking Hydrand with it.
Braced for being knocked back, the sudden inversion of force pulls Hydrand off his feet. He stumbles forward into the creature and it welcomes him with crushing tarry warmth.
Without time to think, martial instinct kicks in.
He began flailing wildly.
Or at least that's what it would look like if anyone could see him through the obfuscating mass. It hadn't swallowed him yet, but it certainly looked that way to his allies.
He gave his chronology a habitual light touch in the "moving faster" direction and began assailing the tar as it closed around him. A couple shoves of the shield shoveled away much of the grime encroaching on him.
The party members see him begin to break his way out, a swing of his mace opening a curtain where Andras' attacks had already thinned the tar; he steps through but it closes to rapidly behind him. One leg and his mace-arm still stuck, he leans away from the creature for more leverage with his free leg. He raises his shield arm...
"Let "
...and whips it down faster than time itself, stopping short of the ground to maximize his leverage. With a "schlorp", the wrenching motion pulls his arm and leg free. He rolls to his feet and turns in a half circle to bring his shield between him and the tar creature once more before retreating several yards.
Safely away from the creature, he assesses the damage.
After a hit like that, I should be dead. He thinks as he checks himself. His memory flashes to the impact, and he remembers familiar energy erupt from his chest and come to rest in his joints as the blow landed.
Hokey's life magic!
With the unnatural vitality given him by her touch, he escaped with his life and more. Thankfulness blooms in his mind, he offers a grateful glance to his comrades as he contemplates next steps.
" OH MY GO- THAT'S IT, HYDRAND! BEAT IT BACK." Hokey's scream turns into a triumphant cheer as Hydrand punches out wildly with his shield and gets clear of the blob.
"This way, Hydrand. I'll patch you up." Hokey says, as she steps towards him, a massive amount of healing magic gently pulsing from her gloves.
"We cant let that happen again!" Bertram backpedals quickly as he realizes how dangerous his flanking has become. Instead he beelines to the back of the group toward Awful. He gives his ally a couple of encouraging claps on the back as he meets up with him. "This seems like your kind of bag, Awful. Blow that thing apart!"
Meanwhile, his other hand covertly attempts to slip into Awful's pack and fish out the explosive hidden in the pouches. Bertram is sure he saw the bomb slipped inside at the warehouse.
"Shaddup Bert, this is still your fault."
Awful mutters as he empties the contents of his engineering bag and gets to work assembling his flamethrower.
"I do love this part though! HAAAAAAAAAH!"
He yells as the power surges through the makeshift parts and begins to spew fire.
Damage counter: 28
Size: 2
Def: 13
The monster practically absorbs the attacks, and the fire barely dries the mud.
The mud monster turns to Andras, ready to consume.
Andras is so focused on watching Hydrand retreat safely, he almost doesn't notice the thing raise up two appendages and bring them down, trying to crush him with loamy fists.
He raises up his blades in a cross block, trying to stop the blow, but it's not enough. The creature is too strong. Earth and silt slough off the creature where his blades cut into it, and Andras has a momentary moment of panic as he's showered in dirt. He almost cries out. But he doesn't want Jet to worry about him.
And then it passes, and all he's left with is a nasty bruise and an ache in his arms from where he took the brunt of the blow. He combines his blades into one again, and whirls it around, trying to get the ache out of his shoulders.
I can't take much more of this...
As Hydrand drew his glance across the area, surveying the situation, his eyes track over his shoulder and land on Hokey standing just behind him just as her hand lands on his shoulder and he feels even more life energy burgeoning through him.
He doesn't have to look himself over to know he's free of all damage, aside from the markings she gave him earlier.
He feels himself filled with something else, too. Emotion, he was enamored with her ability and desire to keep him well, and found himself suddenly overwhelmed with a boundless desire to keep her safe and close.
I'll keep her safe,
As he trained, so he wrought. He let the emotion pour through him, felt it manifest in magical energy in his whole body. He drew from that energy, brought it to his center, and then sent it whipping down an outstretched arm towards the monster.
A chain of iron whose links were two inches thick explodes out of Hydrand and slams into the creature, chunks of the creature are pulverized where the chain impacts it. Some of the chain rips entirely through the creature and anchors to the ground 3 yards behind it, halting its advance.
Eyelights twinkling, he shoots a glee-filled glance back over his shoulder at Hokey and nods his thanks.
There isn't time or words enough to convey how you've made me feel, so that will have to do for now.
"S+~~ s%~# s*%&..." Bertram pats his pockets quickly with the bomb in hand, attempting to find something to light it with. Then Awful lets loose a blast of flame from his contraption. "Oh. That'll work. Thank you, Awful."
Bertram lights the fuse of Awful's bomb with the passing flames. He eyeballs the distance and then lobs the explosive toward the monster, aiming at the far side of the creature to avoid his allies.
"Duck and cover, Andras!"
Relief washes over Hokey as her healing magic sticks to Hydrand's bare metal, repairing any holes and thinning any sludge. She hears Andras yelling in pain and fury, and looks over to see a part of his body dented in an unnatural, repulsive way.
I don't even have room to breathe. This is...
"Argh! You guys will be the death of me!!" Hokey says as she quickly takes a step forward and raises her hands. She unleashes bright healing rays that instantly soothes and relieves everyone they hit.
Relief washes over Hokey as her healing magic sticks to Hydrand's bare metal, repairing any holes and thinning any sludge. She hears Andras yelling in pain and fury, and looks over to see a part of his body dented in an unnatural, repulsive way.
I don't even have room to breathe. This is...
"Argh! You guys will be the death of me!!" Hokey says as she quickly takes a step forward and raises her hands. She unleashes bright healing rays that instantly soothes and relieves everyone they hit.
Keeping the pressure on, Awful releases another torrent of flame!
With collaborative effort, you fell the large mud monster before Bertram has the opportunity to throw the bomb.
Everyone is panting heavily from the fight; both Hydrand and Andras were nearly killed, but Hokey was able to keep both alive.
As you take a moment to catch your breath, the entire world shifts 90 degrees. You don't fall like you think you should; rather, it's as off someone simply turned a box on it's side while gravity still goes towards the center.
After a few seconds your perception of the world adjusts and everything seems normal again, as if it never happened in the first place.
Awful abruptly turns toward Bertram.
"Hey, S!~#-For-Brains, get your fat fingers off my explosive! For f$%%s sake, you're going to blow us all up!"
"Not satisfied with us slowly dying from a mind-eating space-squid, you wanna cook us for it too? In all the hells..."
He stashes the bomb in his pouch. He continues to mutter profanities as he moves to inspect the newly renovated cave hill.
Andras looks relieved that he doesn’t have to take another hit from the monster. He looks around to check everyone is alright.
Thanks for the healing Hokey. I’m still pretty beat up, but I can keep going...
He sighs.
We aren’t done here yet. Should we keep looking here, or backtrack and go to the cave? This thing is clearly what originally killed Thibad, so I guess it’s safe here now? I would suggest trying to explore here a bit. Perhaps find that crystal thing he was talking about.
Hokey's stomach lurches as the world shifts like a gem being admired. She looks fatigued and , but smiles at what Andras says.
"Just keep yourself as safe as you can. You have someone who needs you, after all. I- Huh, I don't see the creatures... Hmmm"
She loses her train of thought and trails off while donning her shield and saber. She hesitates a bit before walking towards the leftover mud-pile.
"Alright, could one of you please light a godsforsaken torch, this time? It might actually help with more than just vision. Let's see if we can find any clues in the mud and get over to the hole. Maybe if we blast this thing, or use the Savage Ornament to kill it, we'll be free of this curse."
Bertram stumbles as the world suddenly lurches, and he only barely stays on his feet. The realization that it is his perspective that changed rather than the world makes his stomach queasy. More so when it involuntarily rights itself and leave him holding his head. Resituated, he realizes that the explosive is suddenly gone from his hand.
"Oh." He is clearly disappointed to find the hand empty. "Maybe next time then."
Bertram begins to sift through what's left of the mud beast. Upon reflection, throwing his knives at the creature had been a poor decision.
"Speaking of the Ornament, I guess we know what it does now." Bertram quips as he plucks his blades from the muck and wipes them. "And we have the coin." He pats the coin purse he managed to pull from the beast at the start of their encounter.
"All that's left is to get the hell out. Which... I'm a little turned around to be honest. Anyone else feel that...?" He gives a small spinning motion with his fingers.