Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 1.1 Myre
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 1.1
Myre Tormented
The Myrenese travelers have elected to let Cornelius Cymbeline lead the way out of the ruins... hopefully his magic is powerful enough to help the party escape the encroaching Torment... if not, things could get very VERY bad. At this point, they are receiving + Danger and - Luck for their decision, but this may be subject to change based on future decisions. Leijh's narration via her journal will continue for Part 2.
Dearest Miri,
I can't begin to explain the feeling of the magic that took hold of me when I stepped through that Silver Gate. I can't say I'm surprised that the gateways were abandoned if the magic is the same today as it was back when they were used more often. Although all of us made it safely through, the horrible discomfort of making use of the Silver Gate makes me hope to Tah'aveen that I'll never see one again, much less be forced to use one.
Although I don't know what everyone else expected, I know that I hoped that passing through that damn gateway would get us to safety. For as basic and as simple as my one hope was, it was dashed all too quickly; we escaped the doomed Wayside only to find ourselves in the destroyed ruins of Jar'ka'tal which, according to Cornelius Cymbeline, was a very not-safe place. Lady Marion further backed-up his assessment by pointing out that Jar'ka'tal was the Myrenese city that developed Death Mist... the same damn thing we just got finished escaping.
After the big reveal, Cornelius, who didn't seem all that surprised to be in the ruins, kept everyone moving at a break-neck pace. I've asked myself several times since that moment if he knew where the Silver Gate went before we traveled through it and, if so, why in the Eternal Flame we went that way and didn't just jump out the keep's windows... if he is that powerful of a mage he could have made our landings safe. There's something about that shepherd that I don't trust... I CAN'T trust.
As far as I can guess, the founders of Jar'ka'tal were masochists-- they built the entire city on a series of rolling foothills which meant that we were climbing up or down cobblestone streets every single city block and, if that wasn't bad enough, you need to remember that we were in the middle of ruins... and you KNOW what happens to cobblestone streets after nobody bothers repairing them... just think about that street between Mathias's house and Drew's.
The introduction I received during my initial months of guard duty included a lot of endurance training, but that was still nothing compared to what we faced in the ruins. In addition to the thrice-damned hills and the goddess-forsaken cobblestones, the largest problem was trying to keep everyone moving. Although Sergeant Reilly, Bahrla, and Liam had no trouble keeping up, Lady Marion was obviously not used to 'double-time', and she started falling behind. Josh, as most teenagers, was a bundle of energy, so at least we didn't have to worry about him.
"Move it, Priestess." Bahrla announced after the third delay, "I WILL carry you if I have to." The cow was excellent at keeping everyone moving and, good to her word, one delay later, Lady Marion found herself hoisted over the Wild Lander's shoulder. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of the uptight priestess being carried unceremoniously, but she managed to surprise me with her next words.
"Thank you, Bahrla..." she panted, "I am really not made for this."
"Apparently not." the cow confirmed.
Bahrla helped Cornelius in keeping everyone moving forward and, including the carried Lady Marion, was pivotal in making certain that we stayed ahead of what happened next. I'm sorry, Miri... but I can't go into details of it, but think of everything you've ever heard about the Wild Lands and how much it hates us... and then combine that into the most frightening display of malice and spite you could possibly hope to conjure up in your head. I was scared, Miri... very scared.
It was gaining on us, despite our speed. The broken cobblestones of the street, the decomposing wooden shingles of the houses, the fallen rocks of blasted walls... it all came together and became this... this... THING... and it moved fast... oh GODDESS did it move fast. The city gates came into view but it was little relief as the 'being' behind us continued increasing in size, rising up above the level of the collapsed rooftops.
It came after us even as we began running down the final slope to the city's crumpled gates, each of its measured, purposeful steps equal to at least two score of ours. It continued growing the whole time, every movement pulling more and more of the crumpled city into itself. It was scarcely a hundred yards away and, as we drew closer to the gate it finally reached the top of the hill... and then came roaring down after us like an avalanche, completely obliterating the entire street as it passed, absorbing more and more of the city as if it were the incarnation of of the Goddess' wrath itself.
It became that much harder to run when the ground started rumbling and quaking beneath our feet. Josh stumbled and Bahrla had to pick him up too once the stones of the road started to fly backward toward the thing-- it was still gaining on us. Despite the panic and fear, I somehow held onto enough of my senses to be able to feel a change in the air... a tangible sense of anger... fury... rage... it was horrifying... and then... we were out of the city.
Cornelius slowed to a stop once the group was beyond the broken gates of Jar'ka'tal, but nobody else followed suit... in fact, most of us were dozens of yards away before we realized that whatever that THING was didn't follow us beyond the city limits. "What's happening?" Josh asked as Bahrla put him down, "It's not coming after us anymore."
"No... it is not." the white shepherd confirmed calmly, "It cannot manifest outside of the ruins." he turned to regard the party, "We are safe here."
"I don't feel particularly safe." I pointed out, gazing at the enormous engine of destruction that would be impossible for me to accurately describe except to say that it almost reminded me of what I might think of as a 'city elemental'. I know that might sound weird, Miri... but there isn't any other way to explain it; the thing that had been chasing us looked like an elemental made out of the different parts of a city... and that's all there was to it.
The thing was humanoid in shape with two burning 'eyes' made out of a collection of fireplaces, lamps, and burning pyres. Enormous, splintered rafters emerged from the thing's over-sized 'mouth', offering more than just a hint that they were its teeth. Cobblestone streets criss-crossed its 'body', and nasty, iron garden gates poked out here-and-there like some horrific version of barbed needles.
The most frightening thing, however, were the corpses... hundreds upon hundreds of long-since decomposed bodies roiling around its moving form, emerging then submerging in its earthen 'flesh', each one appearing more horrific and tortured than the next. I had to close my eyes and look away when I was almost convinced that I could hear them screaming. The worst thing was that I couldn't look away for long; I had to look back... I had to know what it was going to do next.
The abomination stood at the edge of town, towering massively over the gate... and yet it didn't pass. Whatever it was, Cornelius was right; it didn't leave the town. Of course that didn't do much to make me feel better... not with the enormous thing gazing malevolently down at us from an arrow's flight away.
"What if it throws something at us?" Josh asked as Bahrla put Lady Marion down.
"It will not." Cornelius answered.
"How can you be sure?" Liam demanded, moving over to slide his paw into my hand; I usually consider myself to be pretty calm and collected, but I suppose he knew I was a little less of both considering the enormous thing staring us down. He stayed close to me throughout the entire run. It's strange to think that... I'm fond of him.
"It is the way of things." the Captain explained simply, "It is following its nature."
"There's nothing natural about that THING." Liam countered, pointing at the enormous monstrosity.
The argument continued for nearly ten minutes but, in the end, I had to admit that the shepherd was right; the manifestation continued to glare with pure apathy... but it never attempted to move past the border of the city and didn't even appear to think of trying to get at us since we moved beyond the walls. Despite this, however, it was still frightening standing beneath its very imposing shadow.
I don't know whose idea it was to choose that as a camping spot, but it really didn't sit well with me, especially since the city-dwelling 'thing' continued to watch and wait. I set up my tent as far from the city walls as possible while remaining inside the glow of the campfire. Liam was enough of a gentleman to not push the issue of joining me in my tent, which was a good thing, because I was too on edge to be polite about having to tell him to shove off. Before I retired to my tent, however, I DID see Cornelius and Lady Marion talking... alone.
I don't know what it was they were talking about, but it didn't leave me feeling very secure. I have no doubts that Lady Marion has our interests in mind, and I know she has too many reservations about the shepherd to be drawn into his web of confusion and manipulation, but I don't like the idea of anything going on involving Cornelius Cymbeline that I don't know about it... I'm going to make it a priority to talk to the priestess today.
This morning came with no small amount of speed; I think everyone was up and moving the moment the sun rose off of the horizon. Unable to help myself I glanced toward the city; I don't know whether I was relieved or concerned to see that the enormous thing that had chased us was nowhere in sight. Keeland speaking up made me push my own thoughts off to the side, "I'm glad we're all safe, but will someone please explain why we camped right next to those ruins?"
"Torments function in some ways like lodestones." Bahrla explained, "They repel one another."
"So by camping in this spot, next to a stationary Torment, we know that we will be safe from others." Cornelius finished the thought.
"Why all the concern about Torments all of the sudden?" Liam questioned.
"Because that was not the only one created in this area." Cornelius elaborated, "but it IS the only one that does not move."
"Fan-fucking-tastic." the fox acknowledged.
"But that is not all." the white shepherd continued.
"What else?" Keeland interjected before Liam could continue releasing his pent up frustrations.
"We have more to be worried about in the immediate sense." Bahrla answered for the Captain.
"Like what?" more than one of us asked in unison. We didn't have to wait long for the answer.
* * * * *
Welcome to Chapter 1, Post 1 for the Myrenese Caravan in this, Part 2 of Zion: Light of the New Moon.
We continue our storyline with Leijh once again writing in her journal, and she's recording events that happened right after the party arrived in the dreaded ruins.
Jumping right into things, the party elected to have Cornelius Cymbeline lead them safely out of the ruins and, thanks to some great rolls, that's exactly what happened.
Based on where Leijh's journal ended, something bad is obviously on its way. Contributing readers get to vote on just what it is! So... pick your poison:
1) This area is also full of Blood Beasts. (combat) 2) Wild roving storms of Death Mist run-off create horrific and dangerous rain. (survival/magic) 3) The lands surrounding the ruins are also haunted. (multiple possibilities)
Contributing Readers have until Thursday, November 3rd at midnight. In the case of a tie, the choice will be rolled at random. (yay!)