The Stones of Etherium

[Wittiford R. Eference]

Gorblok sank in moments.

His heaving filled his lungs up with water, the cool embrace a welcome reprieve from his worn ragged breaths (aside from the whole drowning thing) as he plunged deeper into the Abyss. The lake suddenly seemed much deeper than possible, the light above slinking away as evermore he sank, down down down into the deep deep dark until all at once he stopped. Weightless. His limbs hovered in the water, his large body floating amidst nothingness. All around him inky blackness stretched for miles, much larger than the small waterfront afforded without drowning the human city above.

Voiceling! Commander Gorblok has come for orders. Tiny cage you give him tell him nothing!


Gorblok, ever undaunted took his extensive dive in stride, er, stroke as his thoughts echoed across the waves, ripples of shadows of words unspoken. Amidst the darkness hundred of tiny yellow orbs flashed into existence. Distant at first the tiny specks of light raced toward the Orc, swirling around themselves until finally coming into sight as the tiny octopus creatures from before. Their giant cyclopian eyes light up with recognition as they wiggled their tendrils in delight.

A shadow appeared overhead, somehow darker than the inky black surrounding them as if a void in the very water itself.

<creature>
<you have returned>
<as i foresaw>

Gorblok froze as the thoughts waded through his mind, ripples of shadows of words unspoken. The Squidlings latched onto him, his body still immobile as they covered him entirely. They began to writhe as they jettisoned the Orc to the surface with great speed though no matter how far up he heard the Voice as though it were right beside him.

<these humans do not yet serve me>
<bend this land to my will>
<find the first stone>

As they neared the light once more, Gorblok slowly regained movement of his limbs as one by the one the Squidlings unattached themselves and dove back into the depths until only three remained pulling him up and out. The Orc turned his large head once more toward the bottom of the lake only to see the fetid dirt staring back at him, no sign of the unimaginable depths of before. As the world grew still brighter, the moonlit night a welcome sight, the Squidlings hoisted Gorblok up and out of the water, one carrying each arm and a third larger one curled along his green back. As they broke the surface, Gorblok saw the battlefield laid out before him.

Halfling! Why haven't you killed it yet?

Seemingly unaffected or perhaps given new purpose, Gorblok returned immediately to his post as Commander.

 

[Percival]

A blur of brown and a hushed gasp; Selestewa, hiding from the. . .audacious group and watching the attack from a distance, had thrown the wooden container blindly, hoping to divert the group's attention away from the snapping of sticks underneath her feet. She was grateful that they had diverted the creature's attention; she would have no chance against the creature, and she would have never reached her diversion (consisting of the aforementioned container), and her silent elation was put into chucking the empty poultice box as far as possible.

So why did she gasp, if all was going well for her?

Several things, such as the fact that she saw a black bug on her left foot, but the two main distressing points were evident; one, Selestewa had thrown the container with her right arm, her naturally stronger arm, and she saw as clear as day as the container reached the peak of its throw, like the world wanted her to see it, a crack of black, subtle yet sticking out all the same. It appears that her right hand had left a blemish on the wood.

Two, the container flew far over the Owlbear's head, which was what Selestewa intended; however, she was hoping that it would've landed in the lake, but the presence of what she recognized to be an Orc (warlock? warrior?), along with the apparent otherworldly creature accompanying him, interrupted that idea. Mostly due to the fact that the container was heading straight for the Orc; if it landed, it would surely turn towards where she was. The situation was almost comical, and yet Selestewa just felt a pit of dread as she quickly sidled behind a tree and heard the dull thunk of wood hitting flesh. Quickly and as quietly as she could, she attempted running off, a skewed path from the group's fight.

 

[Killako]

With a beautiful leap, Adelais stepped into the boost from Clair. (Roll=3 + 5 mod (2 for class, 2 race, 1 size)) Adelais manages to get some air and position her daggar, though it is unlikely to make its target. (Roll = 18)(YEEEEEEEEES) Thankfully adjusting her self in time, Adelais manages to hit the target and deals (Roll = 13 + 2 (-2 missboost, +1 accuracy, +3 weakspot)) enough damage to throw the bear off balance, but not knock it out or kill it. Realizing her precarious position, Adelais leaps off the bear, trying to grab her daggar as she goes (Roll = 9, -2 str mod) but unable to pull it out, just jumps aside and attempts to hide in the shadows. Unfortunatly, the owlbear has spotted her, and she is now it's target. "Clair, some help please!" she calls out in desperation.

 

[Crono]

The owlbear howled in rage as she fell on her back, then howled louder when the sharp dagger struck into her stomach. The arrows that had been stuck in her back snapped and pushed further into her body, making her loud howl deafening. Soon blood stained the grass as the beast spasmed to get up like a beetle. Once she had swung itself upright she looked between the one that had flipped her and the one who had stabbed her, then barreled towards Adelais.

Clair watched as the attack succeeded but made the attacker the attackee's main target. She pointed the handle of her broom at the peeved owlbear and shot a small bolt of blue lightening at her. The bolt made contact with the beast's head and flowed through her body, paralyzing her momentarily. As the witch did this, one of the owlcubs that was not still stunned by Jojo's strikes noticed the sent of new, possibly weaker prey. It followed the sent until happening upon a gasping Selestwa, who it pounced at.

 

[Effort]

The owlbear shrieked and roared as the Halfling landed a blow on the owlbear, Jojo didn't realize the arrows would have sank in further from the impact of his counter throw and felt a great wave of distress, he could almost feel the pain it was in, and he understood its struggle. With another shriek the owlbear hauled itself up and just as it did he noticed something soaring through the air and heard a splash and gasp from the lake. Oh, the Orc lived! That was a relief, although the wooden box conked him on the head. Where did that come from? He traced the path of the box and noticed a...small person ducking behind a tree, and an owlbear cub already making its way to attack! Suddenly his priorities shifted.

The owlbear breezed by him but he barely noticed, his thoughts were on the child and before he even fully understood she was in danger his body was in motion, he ignored the scrapes and cuts and the gash on his chest and things became clearer while at the same time a blur. He felt as if he was more aware of the beings around him, like he could tell where they were without looking. He threw his body at the cub and rolled with it to the ground, claws and beak nipping and scratching, Jojo retaliated with his own fists and knees. Turning the grapple into his favor and pinning the cub, he wrapped his arm around the cubs throat. He was going to try and knock it out.

 

[Percival]

'Attempted' seems to be the key word in Selestewa's life. Unfortunately, not the best word to have in your life.

Selestewa attempted to escape the attention of the group, wrapping her right sleeve tight, but, as most attempts go, her hope in escaping was dashed when she heard the sound of an Owlbear screaming in rage and the sounds of movement towards her, more so when she turned and saw the clean shine of feathers. She attempted to cover herself as she ran from the sight of feathers, worried that she saw her last vision of an Owlbear, and she felt her tainted arm flare slightly, though not enough for it to be noticeable, and she winced slightly from the distortion of her arm. Not realizing that it was not a vicious Owlbear that she has seen before but rather its slightly less dangerous offspring, her body went stiff as she ran from the creature, attempting to reduce the pain that she thought that she would feel, and she felt herself go taut as her body prepared for a wound to form on herself, whether she wanted to run or not.

Selestewa heard the thunk of flesh hitting feathers, and she looked towards herself as she ran, expecting a wound of some sort to be bleeding from her shoulder. When she didn't see any blood, however, her attention was directed to the thrashing pile of feathers and claws taking place a distance behind her, and she slowed down when she saw the outline of a person within the thrashing of the Owlcub.

It would appear that the sight of a person being in danger was what snapped Selestewa out of the idea of running.

Quickly, she shifted herself, and, running towards the commotion, reached down and picked a piece of naturally sharpened flint along the ground; she wasn't going to risk using her arm yet. Hoping that her aim was still as good as it was in her past, she flicked the piece towards the pile; hopefully it wouldn't strike the person in the shoulder or head, but she was confident she wouldn't miss. She was just worried it wouldn't do anything. Selestewa doesn't want another 'attempt' in her life.