Royal Flush - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
29/10/475
Log
Summoned, a bit covertly, you are told to report to the docks, where a ship awaits. Those with summons are ushered aboard, all others are sternly kept away, and no one speaks a word. Very clandestine, but the invitation has the Good King's seal on it. The ship sails free of the docks with clear haste.
Darquan is one of those escorted onto the ship, showing his invitation. The thickly muscled Gator with an equally thick hide states nothing, merely glancing at those who are in the area and such. Only one thing is had by this one, and that is a kilt.
Jera feels a little bit of seasickness take him as he sits on the deck and curls up, groaning.
Valentine on the other hand is squirming around like a cub. The idea of that journey makes him unnaturally excited.
Ictus hmms as he is escorted onto the ship and looks around as the ship sails out
Wulf flashes her invitation to the gaurds as she boards the ship, letting out a huge sigh after she breathes in that fresh sea air. Shrugging her usket over her shoulder she nods at the others gathered and finds a quiet spot to sit down.
Four mathemagicians step out and take their places. Under their combined calculation, the ship lifts free of the waves, and surges forward powerfully. Clearly there is a matter of urgency as the ship circles around back towards the city, missing it by the east and sailing over land up towards the Silverveins. A door opens, admitting a hippo, royalty, but not the Good King, "My people. We move now to join the Good King in what may be the most important battle that Promise has ever known, or will know. We leave our countrymen behind to battle for our city, but even our glorious King must admit that the fate of all people must be placed higher than his own regency."
Darquan remains at the side of the ship, yet close to the front, to watch where they are headed. His stance goes wide when the ship starts rising, balancing himself quite well with his tail planted behind him. When things settle he relaxes a bit but remains slightly crouched. He turns his attention toward the hippo after the introduction is had, "So what is it that we are going to do, then, if it has nothing to do with the siege?"
Wulf is sitting down, shifting her body side to side as the ship pitches about. As the Hippo steps out Wulf looks up to him from her seat and pricks her ears foreward, waitingfor him to continue.
Valentine falls over as the ship rises. From the deck level he is listening to the introduction, nodding at Darquan's question.
Ictus looks at the royal hippo and nods in agreement with the others, "Indeed... What is this about?"
He nods his head, "He has amassed a grand army of several nations to do battle with the shadow, and even now presses them to a corner at one of their vile spawning pools." he announces in booming voice, "The army you see at Firmaments gates are those few we did not take with us for this, but the battle grows fiercer by the moment. He has requested the aid of you, our secret and loyal weapons, to drive the blade home to their black hearts."
Darquan rubs his long snout slowly, "Mmmm. That might be a little complicated on my part. I have actually left my combat gem back in the city and I have only what I have with me to do any sort of battling." He's been working on his crafting for long enough that he's lost all combat chakra and whatnot.
Jera heaves a little, only half listening to the conversation. "That's nice...I'll do my best to help out any way I can...assuming I'm feeling better once I get off this ship."
As Valentine ends counting his potion bottles, he looks sadly at hippo. "There are not half as many as they should be here. Still, I will try to do my best."
Wulf Chuckles quietly at Jera as he gets seasick, but pays more attention to the Hippo and what he says, finding no reason to speak.
The hippo makes a dismissive gesture, "We have many gems, just few wearers. What gem do you require?" he asks, "You can return it after we go down in history in victory," he declares confidently at Darquan, "We arrive in fifteen minutes, do be prepared."
Darquan chuckles, "I have experience with the workings of the Journeyman and none other. I will need to see about new equipment to go with it, as well." He spreads his arms out, "I can make it if there's some place for me to do so on this ship."
"I would appreciate a stronger fighter gem. It would suit my needs perfectly on the battlefield, where a rogue may not find as much use. The dual soul is a powerful toy." Jera nods to the hippo, then clutches at his chest again.
Valentine says, "oh, I am fine with what I have now... All I need is someone to receive my help during the combat. And there are never too few of them."
Wulf nods as she slides her musket off her shoulders "Ah thats where your wrong Jera, a well placed shot will send the enemy in dissarray, and what pray tell is a better shot, rogue or fighter?" she then begins to adjust and clean it, humming a little sea shanty as she does so.
Ictus hmms? at Darquan and shakes his head a bit with a chuckle before he looks at the others, "I'm well equipped myself..."
Valentine is looking on the horizon with growing anticipation.
The ship draws over the mountains, and past the valley of the gryphon, towards Mossy Stone. Close by, a fierce battle is raging indeed, with thousands of beings combatting just as many shades. With the sun still up, the shadows stand out against the ground, but more pleasingly, many of them are already on the ground, cut. A second look shows many beings also decorating the landscape, a dire battle with no real winner.
Valentine clenches fists in futile outburst of anger. "No one should ever witness such a sight, even more participate in one..." Tears roll down the black furred cheeks.
Wulf stnads up and prepares for debarkation, snarling at the sight of the black tides fighting against the beings she and the others were sent to stand, fight against, and eventually destroy. "Which is why we are here, to ensure future generations don't have to fight the battles that we fight today."
Darquan gazes down to the combat far below them, arms crossing. He had switched out his crafting gem for the journeyman one, which ended up causing his body to become encased in much thicker hide as well as having a...walking stick appear in one hand, "This looks like quite the battle. I take it we are NOT going to be joining them, however."
Ictus looks down at the site grimly and looks to Valentine, "And yet we must, or face annihilation."
The royal hippo shakes his head, "You can see why the Good King leaves such a paltry defending force at home, when faced with such dire consequences." The ship descends sharply, but flatly, making bellies rise into throats without throwing people off their feet. It lands carefully behind the line of battle on the side of the beings, and the gangplank is practically thrown into place before those who man the ship are jogging down into the camp.
Darquan follows the crew down the gangplank to the camp below. The sight of the ship out of the water just resting peacefully on the ground is enough to make him chuckle with a shake of his head, "Why does it look like someone just decided to build this thing for land travel?" He sighs with a grin, enjoying his private joke.
Wulf jogs quickly down the plank, sticking close to Darquan and taking up a spot by his side, having nowhere else to go. "I wish we had something as strongly built as a boat out on the battlefield, it's one tough thing to destroy I reckon."
On the wobbly legs, not because of the flight, but from feelings overcoming him, Valentine walks down to the blood-stricken soil.
Ictus grunts as the ship 'lands' and shakes his head as he walks down the gangplank with the others
Soldiers in the camp direct the rushing group on towards a small camp fire, where at stands the Good King, grimfaced. His sword drips with black and red ichor, and several lines of blood already showing through his fine armor. He is dressed for battle in plate and chainmail, and clearly is not leading from behind from the look of him. "Ah, they arrive," he says, planting the edge of his claymore into the ground, "We will be leaving this battle. I am sure, in time, they will press to victory, but at what loss? Too great. We will strike for the heart while they are busy, and finish this before the sun can finish setting on this scene. Are you with me, my good people?"
Darquan looks over the king while he is speaking, openly admiring the Hippo's direct approach to things. He has one hand resting on one of Wulf's shoulders during the approach, and he looks down to his new companion, "Well, I'm definitely ready to go play in their back yard. Are you, pup?"
Jera has his bow out and an arrow nocked as he sighs. "Lead the way. Looks like necessity compels us to throw ourselves into danger. No choice." He's in high alert as he waits for further orders.
Valentine says, "Where I need to be, lead me."
Wulf nods and smirks as the Gator's hand falls down onto her shoulder. "You bet Gatorman, how bout you?" with that she turns to the Good King and staring in a bit of Awe she nods "Lead on Good King, I'll follow you unto the depths of the netherworld and back iffen ya'd have me."
Rainer had stumbled out from below deck during the landing, where he`d promptly thrown himself over a railing fully expecting to empty his stomach before battle. But mercifully or not he managed to contain his previous meals, and soon found himself at the back of the group gathering before Mister Good Himself. To the question, "are you with me," he thrusts a fist into the air and bellows a mighty "YEAH!" fully expecting such enthusiasm from the rest ... only to be left standing there looking around with knitted brows when the rest of the group's response is decidedly more... mixed.
Darquan hears a familiar voice from the back of the group and turns with raised brow to see Rainer. He grins and strides over to the wolf and instantly grabs him and lifts him into the air, arms going around him in a hug unless the poor fellow dodges it all, "Hey there, you big bundle of fur! Didn't even know you were on board."
A firm nod and he rights himself tall, wrenching his sword free of the ground and slinging it onto his back, "Good. If we greet the Creators today, we'll do so with our heads held high, and they'll be proud of their creations and their spirit." He points westward, "Time is short." And he begins to hike, moving along the line's length rather than cutting across it.
Ictus nods to the Good King and checks his equipment a bit before following with the others
ringing with bottles in his backpack, Valentine tries to keep up with the party.
Rainer takes a half step backwards, getting the look of a dear in headlights as an alligator surges forth and seizes him up in a crushing hug, swinging him around like a big, fluffy ragdoll. "Aghleghk!" His feet kicks in the air and he wiggles and twists, arms pinned down. When he finally gains some sense of what's happening to him, he fixes Darquan with an embarassed grin, murmuring, "C'mon, man, not in front of the King--!"
Darquan takes it a step further and drags his tongue along the wolf's cheek, "Why not in front of the king? Like he cares one way or the other right now?" He winks before he...quite literally carries Rainer as he follows along behind, his large strides keeping up with the others very easily. He even picks Wulf up for a ride on his shoulders if she hasn't other ideas.
Jera watches the three people and their antics with a chuckle as he follows behind somewhat nervously, ears perked and alert as he keeps his lookout from the back.
Wulf is sweeped up, just barely managing to keep her rifle in her grips. "Gah, sudden pick up not expected!" turning her head, her tail beating against Darquans chest she smiles "Hi there Rainer, lovely day for a ride, no?"
Rainer can't do much but enjoy the ride, and by the time Wulf has joined him over the gator's shoulders he actually does appear to be doing just that. "Hah, just look at the rest of these suckers, using their own two feet like chumps."
"Kill three people with one shot." Jera shrugs, obviously not bothered.
Just as he speaks that, he is rewarded with irritated look from Valentine, who is huffing profusely underneath his big luggage.
Those soldiers lingering about peer at those who pass by them with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Several day's hard battle has done much to leech the humor from them for the moment as they attempt to get what rest they can, the others peering out over the battlefield, ready to reenter it. The king guides to a tent, wherein a roughly carved passage enters the ground. "Our secret."
Ictus looks at the three and shakes his head, "Can you cut it out, this is serious." he eyes the passage and hmms, "Where does it lead exactly?"
Jera eyes the passage and then the three with some humor. "Too short for carrying people now, I'm afraid." A minor triumph for the fox as he peers into the darkness of the tunnel.
Valentine tries to walk into the tunnel before the gator. "Need to see it all... No use in watching someone's back all along the way." He picks up the notepad and writes down some notes.
Darquan is definitely holding the two on his shoulders, one to each. He doesn't even set them down after reaching their destination, that large tent, and he peers down the hole, "So you dug underground to get to their heart. What did you use? Moles?" If the other two want down, he lets them easily.
Wulf rolls her eyes at the complainers and hops off when she arrives at the temt and lands on Jera's foot in the confines of the tent with a flinch. "Ick.. sorry buddy." turning to the tunnell she looks down into it. "So... anyone gotta light?"
The Good King gestures at the hole with a large hand, "Their heart lies within. A pool of darkness they spawn from." He moves to the corner of the tent and kicks open a chest there, showing many daggers, their tips glowing with golden light, "Everyone take two. Get them in the pool. That's it."
Valentine observes the dagger with unhealthy dose of interest.
Rainer slides off Darquan with a little more grace, giving the gator a couple appreciative pats on the shoulder and a quick swat on the tush for good measure before turning to the cave, hands on his hips, eyes going wide at the sight of the many enchanted daggers. "Oooo~" Certainly don't have to ask him twice, he darts in and seizes up two of the little blades, giving them a twirl between his fingers and tucking them into his belt, grinning as he twists and cranes his head to observe how they light up the fabric of his clothes.
"Ow!!" Jera hops around on one foot for a while before he hops over to the chest to pick out two daggers for himself. "That does not sound difficult at all. Seems like we have just the right number of men." Then he shoots Wulf an angry glare and a threatening snarl, but withdraws the hostilities almost immediately, knowing the importance of amiable relations.
Ictus looks over the daggers curiously as he takes two and nods to the king, "These will destroy the pool?" as he tucks the daggers into the sleeves of his robe
Wulf offers Darquan a pat on the back and turns back to Jera as he flashes her that look she seems a bit taken aback and confused about it. Shaking her head she moves to take two daggers and slips them in her belt, before moving over to whisper in Jera's ear then proceeding to go to stand next to Darquan once again.
Darquan is the last to take two of the daggers that are revealed to the group, choosing to listen in on what the plan is. He growls softly and swats Rainer with his tail even while he asks, "What happens if we fail in this mission? Surely the shadows know that they are going to be attacked soon."
The king sweeps his cape, showing the four he has at his belt, "Each one will drain the power of that black death. Get enough in there, and we'll be treated to a light show, and be heroes, live or die. If we fail, then the army above will eventually reach our corpses and finish our job. We'll be thrown on a pile with a bunch of other foolish corpses. Let's not let that be our end, hmm. Sweetwater makes better than that."
Jera manages to toss out a quick reply to Wulf before listening to the king.
Valentine says, "Let's hurry."
Darquan chuckles, "Nice. So we are going to either be heroes or the next things the shadows claim and use as they see fit. I have to wonder just what they'd end up doing to me." He actually does ponder that for a very brief moment before taking a couple more for himself. He proceeds into the tunnel then, one dagger held while the other hand is holding that stick of his.
skunk puts one of the daggers inside widenecked bottle filled with some kind of fluid. "The light shines better that way" he mutters.
"Oof--!" Rainer stumbles, blinks, and shoots a 'what-was-that-for' sort-of look at the gator, rubbing his back. He heaves a breath, quietly lamenting how many times his death has been given to him as a very real and imminent probabilty since he signed on with the Lightbringers, but in the end he straightens up tall and proud, brandishing a cocky smirk. "Not gonna happen. I can't die before I become the most famous explorer in all of Promise, after all."
Two late comers are ushered into the tent at the last moment, already given two glowing daggers each.
Ryusho almost stumbled when he was half shoved into the tent, his head having almost caught the top of the tents entrence as he barely ducked in if needed in time, as he mrphs, "I'm Here Sir, sorry,I'm late.." he says as he had some of the information if possible givien to him...though he would recognise the good king a bit quickly
Ictus hmms as he watches Darquan wander into the tunnel and nods to the king, "We will not fail."
The group advances at last, entering the long and dark tunnel, with only the glow of their daggers to light the way. The oppressive feel of shadow presence grows thicker with every step, stiflingly powerful. And as bad as it is, the King suffers worse, not being a soulless, unprotected from the malaise of the shadow. He prespires heavily as he soldiers on at the fore, leading the way along the rough stone walls.
"My liege, I think you'd better stand back." Jera's fighter soul gives him confidence to take the vanguard as he keeps both glowing daggers in hand to light and guide the way.
Ryusho would try to stay near the head of the group, though he doesn't move before the king or his guards, he would stay close in a mix of a guardian style stance from being slightly used to being a retainer, but also because he seems..to be being followed by everyone else....
Ictus looks to the king worriedly, but doesn't say anything for now as he presses on into the oppressive tunnel
Darquan follows close behind the large tegu-dragon, "I was wondering if you were ever going to show up, Ryusho. For you to be a good friend to the king and not take an assignment such as this?" He chuckles, "Let us hope he does not get possessed. The last thing we need is to choose another king so soon."
Violet brings up the back, sometimes scouts guard the rear rather than being up in front. Her eyes are all over the area around, making sure they're not ambushed.
"Do not joke," speaks the King, drawing freeing his great blade, "I will sooner die than surrender my spirit to these things. They'll have to rip me in half before I'll stop facing them." As if conjured by his challenge, the light of the daggers is quelled as two great darknesses seem to seep from the walls to oppose the advancing group.
The battle is intense, but short lived. The guardians that dwell so close to their heart are vast and horrific, exploding with novas of darkness and swatting the brave heroes one way and the other. They bare black teeth and advance, ready to go for throats as the bloodied king rises back to his full stature, "You shant have them," he promises, charging the first with his great blade. A black talon knocks the blade aside, sending the king into a spin. He grabs onto the beast with a hand, the sword flying as he throws himself up on top, grabbing it from above and making a valiant effort at strangling it from behind, "Stab it! Now!"
Jera is one of the last ones to fall, and he grips his daggers tight as he twirls in dancelike steps, lunging to send the sanctified blade through the heart of the darkness with all the strength that he can muster into his tiny frame.
Ryusho would pry himself off the ground even as his form changed to be more draconic, strangely having looked somehwat before, it gains a bit more vicious looking scale, though he got a bit larger then he usually is too as he grasps the dagger he had been given the regenerating nature of the potion he had drank near the start, as well as the energising boost it gives made prying himself up a bit faster then some would get up as he scrambles forward, with the dagger in hand, Roaring out as he moves to promtly impale it using his own strength as well.
Darquan is tough as nails, but it is the sudden surge of VINE POWER! that does him in. He collapses after being knocked against a wall, but scrambles to his feet a second or two later after getting some sort of second wind like the others. He lost his walking stick but retained the dagger somehow. He is thinking that the King meant the beast that he has a stranglehold over, so the dagger is stabbed at the creature instead of the heart of darkness.
The great blackness gives out a feeble rattle as the bright light engulfs the tunnel in blinding light. The king falls to the ground heavily as it dissipates, destroyed. A great victory, if there weren't two of the beasts. The second lunges for the king, fading to mist as it does so, vanishing almost instantly. The king jerks to his feet like a marionette, drawn from face down to standing. His face distorted with pain and inner turmoil, "Creator... Forsaken..." he barely breathes out. "One more. One more stab."
Violet is on the ground, trying to pull herself back together so she can fight again and her short sword is still in her hand. She growls, taking it by the hilt and throwing it hard at the shadow with it's grip on the king, the blade turning round and round as it sails through the air.
Darquan strikes the killing blow with the dagger to the first beast, but the second... His eyes widen a bit as he notices the effect it has on the king, "No! Did I prophesize this earlier or something?" There is some hesitation on the gator's part before the dagger is thrust...aiming for the Hippo's gut.
"Not yet..." Rainer rasps as he hits the floor, then he lays there, still and silent. It isn't until after the monarch has been seized that he coughs, trembling as he pushes to his feet, taking shallow, pained breaths. "Dammit."
A flash of light, and the unfathomable pain of the king fades to more mortal variety, "Thank you," he croaks, slumping to the ground, "Afraid you'll have to finish this on your own. Throw... in... run." Conciousness flees him.
Darquan grunts, "If you think we're going to leave you, you have something else coming dear king." He does as instructed, though, and tosses his four daggers at the heart. Immediately afterward he, being of the Heavy Clan as well, proceeds to pick up the king's unconscious form, draping the hippo over his back, before going as fast as he can the way they came. Hopefully he has some assistance with this.
"We can't abandon the mission." The winded Jera shakes his head. "I'm going on, even if I don't make it out alive. We won't get a chance like this again." The infuriated fox starts delving deeper down the tunnel, searching for their original goal.
Ryusho promtly would run over as he shifts, "You!" he suddenly roars, "Move forward!" he says he pulls the dagger free, beginning to promtly begin to work using what he has, pulling his medical kit out, as he begins to work tot ry to help the King as best he can, "Darquan and I can get the king out of here, You go! We are good!" He shifts, "Darquan, YOu take over, I will get the king patched up so he is stable, and then get him out of here." He says as he glares tot he croc...
The target isn't much further in, literally a few steps beyond where the guardians put up their intense resistance to approach. The pools are dark as the void between the stars, even in the glow of the daggers. The daggers thrown into them seem to be lost, vanishing into that clutching darkness.
Ictus grunts as he is knocked about and shakes his head clear of stars just in time too see Darquan stab the king, he blinks and shakes his head as he takes aim at the pool before throwing the two daggers he has into it
Darquan smirks, "I would advise patching him up later. I only struck him in the belly anyway. He'll be fine physically. It's the other side that will be affected. Throw your daggers in before it's too late." He adjusts the king's weight on his back but waits for the patching to finish.
The pool begins to roil and bubble suddenly, splattering wildly with its ichor all over the chamber in a frothing stew. Light escapes it, pure golden light from its inky depths, then another shade. The pool rapidly begins to bubble up and out, overflowing rapidly into the tunnel, towards the would be heroes.
Violet moves up to the edge of the darkness, trying to see in. Does she have a torch? How are they seeing their way around in the cave? She pokes in with her musket and then pulls it back out again. She steps back from the bubbling, looking back. "Hey guys."
Rainer hugs himself with one arm, clutching his flank as he puts on a Determined expression, shuffling past those gathered at the downed King and coming up alongside Jera, still showing difficulty breathing. He seems to draw from some reserve pool of strength as the darkness surges towards them, brandishing his old battered sword and striking a battle-ready stance.
"By the Creators!" Jera hisses as the pool starts flowing towards them, the fox giving Violet a soft tug. "Don't that touch you...you saw what happened to the king." He's genuinely afraid as the pool's liquid continues its approach, though a clinking tells people he's already taken his own daggers out.
Ryusho would shift as he turns, hurling the dagger into the pool before he shifts, "This is enough! Lets -GO-" he roars,"Any daggers left, Throw them into it preferably!" he says as he begins to shift, using his draconic strength to -take- the king and begin moving out steadily, "GO! Anyone else, -get out- of here now! Keep away from that pool."
The fluid's velocity increases as it hits the, relatively, narrow tunnel, filling it, approaching like an all encompassing hunger, swirling with light and darkness in equal amounts as a low rumble begins to shake everything.
Ictus nods to Ryu in agreement as he tugs Rainer back a step before rushing out with the others
Given that the King was on the Gator's back...the sudden shift of weight by the dragon causes Darquan to collapse unceremoniously to the floor with a yelp. He looks up and glares at the dragon, "I had him, you ninny!" The call from behind makes him look back and go wide-eyed, "Oh...crud." He's one of the slowest of the group, being Heavy Clan...or the slowest if he's the only one. He has to get to his feet before he can start to rush out, and everyone's a bit faster than he is. And then there's the shaking, threatening to throw him off balance further.
Rainer goes wide-eyed, but it looks like he's going to stand his ground until he feels Ictus' hand upon him. He turns a quick look to the fox, blinking, then nodding. "Right... time to go!" As if his injuries could simply be cast off, he bolts from the cavern, full throttle, never once daring look back.
Violet pokes at the darkness again. "How can we just let this go? Can't we /fight/ it? Someone got wind or something?!"
Jera counts the men. One casualties, two...three...where's the last!?" With a cry of horror, he turns back towards the pool to help Darquan up by offering a hand and pulling as hard as he can." He winces at Violet. "My wind's not attacking...it's of no use..."
Ryusho Roars out, "Grab one of the orange potions from my Carrying Pouch!" he calls out, "It will help you get out of here faster! It boosts your energy! you can go faster with it!" he says trying to shift and get another one to drink to help him with the king get out
The wave is not to be stopped, crashing over those who are too slow to react, which is anyone not already running at a full gallop. It crashes over them, silence, darkness, light, blinding, stifling. The crash of body against walls, ceiling, floor, bumps and bruises, then finally freedom! The fluid reaches the end, exploding out of the tend, demolishing it as the wave gushes out and out like a geyser, depositing battered bodies in various directions in a twenty foot diameter.
Rainer finds his feet leaving the ground, at some point. What happens after that is a bit of a blurr, but the next time his senses return to him he's laying on his back staring up at the emergent stars in the sky, feeling like he desperately, desperately needs a bath. He draws a long, deep breath, closing his eyes as he releases it gradually, sprawling comfortably in the grass. "That was... that was fun."
Darquan loses his footing entirely as the wave crashes over him, mercilessly forcing him to crash against every possible hard surface one can think of..repeatedly. He is knocked unconscious by the time the tunnel explodes to send everyone out of it, willingly or not. He tumbles for a few seconds after landing, winding up sliding a couple additional feet on his back. Someone will need to discover him and bring him back to his sensibilities.
Ryusho would do his best to keep his footing though as he gets out, with the king beside him it seems since he pretty much kept his grip he starts to look around "Why is it dark?" ..well he seems to not realise that he seems to have..what is that, a skirt on his head?
Violet seems to be sitting on Ryusho's head and squeaks, tugging her skirt around her as she rolls off him. "Well, that was.. embarrassing. We should go see what was in that space."
Ictus grunts as he takes the potion and chugs it before the wave crashes over him, he winces as he is thrown about again and groans in pain as he makes a final landing outside the tent
