Game Interludes
are a way to talk about our characters between games, advance the
story, have a little fun, and earn some experience points. In
a monthly game, it is a great way to make the game continue
throughout the month. Please add a paragraph. Add an
idea. Add a side story. Add what your character is
thinking. Add something that tells us something about your
character, the game, or where things are headed. I will edit
or change things where I need to, but I'll do my best to keep the
spirt of what you were communicating.
This Interlude takes place between the February and March games
in 2015.
THE HUNTERS - INTERLUDE TWO
"The Swirling Mists"
(Chris wrote)
As each of us went through the blackness, the realization settled in that we just went somewhere not of Kempin. This nether region does not sit well with Moriarty. Nausea builds up as he wraps his head around the magnitude of their circumstance.
Moriarty sits down, breathing heavy, and counts the things that are important to him. "I'm alive - I think. I have gold, my weapons and some food. These other fools may be of some help. Get it together man!" He stands up and yells as loud as a man can for several seconds.
Squee, not showing any signs of disturbance, simple says, "Are you turning into a barbarian?" When no answer comes, he simple shrugs his shoulders and skips a rock across the strange ground. "Why are humans so delicate?"
(Mark wrote)
The swirling mists fell away, and the adventurers took in the scene around them. As far as the eye could see the ground was dark rock and grit, uneven and pitted with holes and ruts. In places there were deep craters in the ground of various sized, with a green glow and smoke issuing out of them. One feature was impossible to ignore. Directly in front of them stood the Black Temple. It was a high tower of some impossibly black stone. Here and there on its surface, there were green veins that seemed glow green in the gloom. The tower itself stood atop black towering cliffs rising at least 200 feet off the rocky plains. The black cliffs formed a high plateau just big enough to serve as a base for the tower. Green torches and flames licked hungrily at the black-gray sky from the top of the black tower. At the base of the stone plateau was an enormous black door...visible even at this distance.
Between the party of adventurers and the Black Temple wound a ribbon green and black rock flowing slowly from left to right in a deep river bed. Smoke and green light spilled forth from this river, and waves of heat could be seen in the air above it. There appeared to be only one way across this river of arcane fire-rock...a stone bridge that spanned the river. Indistinguishable dark figures could be seen moving on the dark stone bridge. Clearly the bridge was guarded.
So foreign was the environment, that it was disorienting to the young adventurers. The air was cold, but hot winds from the lava holes would occasionally buffet them. The sky was gray and featureless, with not a cloud, or a bird, or a sun to be seen. There was a buzz in the air...as though their mortal bodies were sensing the vast magical energies around them. There were 50 hostages to save from sacrifice. There was a demon bitch to stop from entering the world of Kempin. There was adventure to be had, black blood to spill, and perhaps some treasure along the way.
(Mark wrote)
Squee peered across the landscape, picking out details here and there. He visibly perked up, pointed at the land between the party and the bridge, and walked towards Venkat. “Look out there on the rocks...colorful spots...what are those?”
Venkat gathered his wits, straighten up his posture, and peered hard at what Squee was pointing at. “Its random. Just here and there. Random colors...random shapes. I can’t quite make it out.”
Valandil walked out in front of the party, as if to remove all distractions from his sight. There was a long pause as everyone waited for what he might say. Then he spoke. “Bodies. Scattered about. There are dead bodies. You are seeing the color of their clothes, or dried blood upon them. In some cases, there is the whiteness of old bones. There are bodies lying about between here and the bridge.”
Amadius was sitting upon the ground. “That’s fucking cheerful as all hell. I’m not afraid of death...but I don’t want my body rotting upon the rocks on this godless world.”
Moriarty rubbed his face, and squinted across the rocky plain. “Honestly I don’t see anything out there. But, I’ll take you word for it. I have no intention of dying in this godsforsaken place. I’ll do however much killing it takes to rescue these damned hostages, but I’m not dying here. I’m finding another black doorway, and dying in my own damned world.”
Venkat chuckled. “Sounds like a plan. No one’s allowed to die in this black shithole. We keep our heads about us, play out every opportunity to our best advantage, and get those people home. Then we reap the benefits of our bravery and hardwork. We’ll be able to write our own ticket.”
Valandil turned around to face Venkat. "I'm a little more worried about stopping this sacrifice and all the harm it will do...than I am about writing my own ticket."
Venkat nodded. "Of course." But, there was a hunger in his eyes.
(Justin wrote)
Valandil was first through the visage, pulled by curiosity but also fear of what unnatural forces were at play here. When traveling through the jungle, he felt that this was merely some band of marauders that seeked to take advantage of a weakened state of the City of Order. However, now, through the portal it seems as if Valandil's original thoughts were wrong and much more concerning for the wood elf. The unnatural presence of this portal and Black Temple are concerning, thought Valandil. "This represents a stronger evil than what attacked the town, we must be cautious", stated Valandil. This unholy temple and unnatural force preserving this place must be stopped as it does not belong in Kempin, however I fear that we are not strong enough to destroy this place....it must be destroyed, but how, thought Valandil. As he peered across the bridge and the stench of dead bodies filled his nostrils, Valandil began to examine the bridge from a far, looking for anyway for his partners to cross unnoticed. The other's looked at Valandil as he paced back and forth, always looking forward to the bridge and the menacing creatures that are standing guard. Squee, suggested that the elf may have seen something before everyone else was able to cross though the portal, "maybe that's what's getting him?", exclaimed Squee. "Clearly, the sight of so much death is bothering him", mentioned Venkat. At that time, Valandil stopped, turned to the party and said "Its not only the death that surrounds us, but the unnatural presence of this tower and our fate here, right now. This place, may be kept alive only by the sacrifice of living things, which means this could be a trap for us." With those comments the party seemingly started to grow more concerned themselves. What if we rescue the hostages but then the magic of this place runs out and we are captured in this hell, stated Amadius. Moriarty, then exclaimed.... Doesn't matter, were here and we have a mission, we will figure out the rest once we find those captives.
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This interlude is immediately followed by our March, 2015 game called, "The Black Temple."
