IC Area - Chapter Three - "Lair of the Lizard Queen"
Jun 17, 2022 3:25:03 GMT -5
stonehill_art likes this
Post by apn on Jun 17, 2022 3:25:03 GMT -5
OOC I'm on a work laptop so haven't got all the bits and pieces (oh, like maps and descriptions) I've been working on but there should be enough to get you started.
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE...
Seeking to sign on as working passengers to a trading ship three strangers were brought together by a sequence of events that now has them deep in the jungles near a coastal town called Jepistra seeking a cure for a poison used on the man who recruited them, Rathmere. After encountering fierce jungle apes, friendly Elven rangers and annoying jungle reptiles called Dhesiri the Delvers came up against the reptiles bigger brothers. The warrior caste of the Dhesiri stand eight feet tall and capable of looking after themselves! Still, the Delvers prevailed and by sparing the life of one of the Dhesiri appear to have gained a new recruit, albeit one on its last legs.
Now the group approaches a jungle temple in the dead of night seeking a flower in its heart that will help the Dhesiri Lizard Queen spawn a fast growing brood of Warrior caste Dhesiri instead of the small drone type. With this horde of new warriors the 'Glarp' clan of Dhesiri will not only defeat their rivals, the 'Snee' clan, they will spread out and threaten the denizens of not only the jungle, but the town of Jepistra and the city of Jepik too!
All the Delvers have to do is battle their way through an ancient temple to the Queens lair then take the flower and get it back to Jepistra before a Witches' magic can no longer keep Rathmere alive! The plot to kill the insanely charismatic former Pirate Captain is another layer to the mystery. Why does someone want Rathmere dead and how will affect the balance of power in this part of the world?
That is a question for another day. For now...
'Glarpy' the Dhesiri warrior spared by the delvers and who now appeared to be working with them, for reasons unknown, stopped and sniffed.
On the other side of the fast flowing river which the delvers - with Glarpys help - had just crossed, the small humanoid lizard Dhesiri known as the 'Snee' clan had a dozen or so scouts watching and waiting. The Delvers knew they would report back to their clan and that the guards for the bridge to get to the 'Glarp' clan were missing or dead! Their warriors would then turn up in force and soon this place would be a war zone!
Time was running out. At midnight the Queen would spawn thousands of eggs that would bypass several developmental stages because of the magic radiation in the jungle that saw plants and creatures grow to unusual sizes at heightened speed. Indeed the jungles of Jepistra were valued because the trees would regrow after being cut down in mere months. Managed properly, it would be a source of unlimited wood but there were unscrupulous types intent on burning and clearing the jungle to get to whatever magic was causing the jungle to flourish.
Will Darness squelched along in his magic armour. Having tied up everything of value in the not very waterproof capes handed out by Jepistra militia and dragged it across the river, the Delvers stashed it in the trees and bushes near the entrance to the ruined jungle temple. Of that 'everything of value' part one was a tar/goop/sludge covered pile of bones belonging to a long dead warrior who'd appeared to Will as a ghost to guide him to her remains.
Firdle the adequate was a wizard of no distinction who seemed to have found a niche as a combat sorcerer. Wringing out his conical hat he could only thank his lucky stars that it had somehow stayed on his head during the hasty river crossing. The heat in the jungle meant everyone was wet with sweat anyway so the lukewarm jungle river had been something of a blessing!
Klarrrrchur Deathaxe was by far the most experienced member of the party having been a sailor and a mountaineer in his time as well as being an accomplished warrior. He cast a seasoned eye over the temple and the surrounding jungle. Their prize was in the middle of this place and after all they'd gone through thus far seemed so close they could almost touch it... but to do so would be through a wall of sharp thorns. He flexed his hand around his mace and axe and nodded to Glarpy who took a few steps up the worn stone towards the temple entrance.
Once it had been grand, carved and loved. Centuries later it was overgrown, moss covered and home to various jungle denizens including the Glarp clan of the Dhesiri. The hole in the wall that served as entrance was about ten feet square and ringed with vines now. The odd snake or insect crawled past and everywhere was either wet from the heavy rains or still dripping. Beyond the entrance was a dark corridor into the bowels of the temple.
"Glarp." hissed the Dhesiri warrior, crouching and sniffing. It was possible that his job as Bridge guard meant he didn't enter the temple too often so whilst he might know the layout, any changes could mean heightened security, even traps, for the unwary.
OOC marching order? It looks dark down there. Klarrrrchur can probably see to a certain extent. How are the two humans going to cope?
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE...
Seeking to sign on as working passengers to a trading ship three strangers were brought together by a sequence of events that now has them deep in the jungles near a coastal town called Jepistra seeking a cure for a poison used on the man who recruited them, Rathmere. After encountering fierce jungle apes, friendly Elven rangers and annoying jungle reptiles called Dhesiri the Delvers came up against the reptiles bigger brothers. The warrior caste of the Dhesiri stand eight feet tall and capable of looking after themselves! Still, the Delvers prevailed and by sparing the life of one of the Dhesiri appear to have gained a new recruit, albeit one on its last legs.
Now the group approaches a jungle temple in the dead of night seeking a flower in its heart that will help the Dhesiri Lizard Queen spawn a fast growing brood of Warrior caste Dhesiri instead of the small drone type. With this horde of new warriors the 'Glarp' clan of Dhesiri will not only defeat their rivals, the 'Snee' clan, they will spread out and threaten the denizens of not only the jungle, but the town of Jepistra and the city of Jepik too!
All the Delvers have to do is battle their way through an ancient temple to the Queens lair then take the flower and get it back to Jepistra before a Witches' magic can no longer keep Rathmere alive! The plot to kill the insanely charismatic former Pirate Captain is another layer to the mystery. Why does someone want Rathmere dead and how will affect the balance of power in this part of the world?
That is a question for another day. For now...
'Glarpy' the Dhesiri warrior spared by the delvers and who now appeared to be working with them, for reasons unknown, stopped and sniffed.
On the other side of the fast flowing river which the delvers - with Glarpys help - had just crossed, the small humanoid lizard Dhesiri known as the 'Snee' clan had a dozen or so scouts watching and waiting. The Delvers knew they would report back to their clan and that the guards for the bridge to get to the 'Glarp' clan were missing or dead! Their warriors would then turn up in force and soon this place would be a war zone!
Time was running out. At midnight the Queen would spawn thousands of eggs that would bypass several developmental stages because of the magic radiation in the jungle that saw plants and creatures grow to unusual sizes at heightened speed. Indeed the jungles of Jepistra were valued because the trees would regrow after being cut down in mere months. Managed properly, it would be a source of unlimited wood but there were unscrupulous types intent on burning and clearing the jungle to get to whatever magic was causing the jungle to flourish.
Will Darness squelched along in his magic armour. Having tied up everything of value in the not very waterproof capes handed out by Jepistra militia and dragged it across the river, the Delvers stashed it in the trees and bushes near the entrance to the ruined jungle temple. Of that 'everything of value' part one was a tar/goop/sludge covered pile of bones belonging to a long dead warrior who'd appeared to Will as a ghost to guide him to her remains.
Firdle the adequate was a wizard of no distinction who seemed to have found a niche as a combat sorcerer. Wringing out his conical hat he could only thank his lucky stars that it had somehow stayed on his head during the hasty river crossing. The heat in the jungle meant everyone was wet with sweat anyway so the lukewarm jungle river had been something of a blessing!
Klarrrrchur Deathaxe was by far the most experienced member of the party having been a sailor and a mountaineer in his time as well as being an accomplished warrior. He cast a seasoned eye over the temple and the surrounding jungle. Their prize was in the middle of this place and after all they'd gone through thus far seemed so close they could almost touch it... but to do so would be through a wall of sharp thorns. He flexed his hand around his mace and axe and nodded to Glarpy who took a few steps up the worn stone towards the temple entrance.
Once it had been grand, carved and loved. Centuries later it was overgrown, moss covered and home to various jungle denizens including the Glarp clan of the Dhesiri. The hole in the wall that served as entrance was about ten feet square and ringed with vines now. The odd snake or insect crawled past and everywhere was either wet from the heavy rains or still dripping. Beyond the entrance was a dark corridor into the bowels of the temple.
"Glarp." hissed the Dhesiri warrior, crouching and sniffing. It was possible that his job as Bridge guard meant he didn't enter the temple too often so whilst he might know the layout, any changes could mean heightened security, even traps, for the unwary.
OOC marching order? It looks dark down there. Klarrrrchur can probably see to a certain extent. How are the two humans going to cope?
