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Post by TimePuppy on Sept 2, 2020 20:26:51 GMT
They ran past discarded weaponry and armor. It made Melin realize what a shame this was. Whatever story this palace held, whatever reason the dwarves who started this had, they wouldn't learn it now. The palace was probably going to be destroyed soon. A great shame.
They reached the exit soon and saw the elemental coming back. It seemed to be a lot calmed and it didn't give the group any mind. Good. "Let's give it a wide berth. Does anyone see Onyx and the others around? We should rejoin them quickly."
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 3, 2020 2:36:50 GMT
You guys should keep going - The Queen said, making sure that her team was all right. If it wasn't that the elemental was quite a dangerous creature she would have tried to pet it. But that matter little to nothing when she had a bunch of kids in her charge, their safety came first. As she glanced at the creature returning to its cave, Elatha already made up her mind about several things. She wasn't mad at Onyx anymore, she thought that the reason why he was such a pain in the ass was because he was worried about the shit storm going on in the mountain. In the other hand, she decided to take the poreal with her if he wanted, she wasn't going to do nothing about him returning to be a slave - Listen, you guys go. I'll check out for Onyx and Leor, once I find them I'll teleport us back to Lom's Village
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Post by HungryHunter on Sept 4, 2020 2:41:06 GMT
The chieftain watched them fly overhead, grinding his teeth. Well, this was an unproductive venture. Time to cut his losses. He scurried towards the edge of the wall as quickly as he could. Where was that idiot? He looked all over, quickly focusing his eyes on the rubble of the fallen tower. There! The dragon was rising, its masked owner awkwardly clambering back on. “Hey! Take me with you! My mount’s down!” He called. The masked goblin looked at his dragon’s injured wing. “Oh come on, he can take more weight! He’s practically fine!” The hobgoblin yelled as he closed in.
The smaller goblin shook his head and flicked the reins and slowly the creature flapped its way into the air. He screamed with rage and ran, closing in faster than it could rise. The masked one saw and fired off the staff of stillness. The hobgoblin saw it coming and tried to dodge, but he was caught and fell to the sand, stiff as a statue. There was a moment of stillness in his mind while the sand settled. A moment of peace. This was it, wasn’t it? There really wasn’t scheming his way out of this one. A lifetime of clawing his way to the top, and this time he had slipped. He could live with that. A hideous scream rattled through him, shaking his rigid limbs loose. He flopped fully in the sand, springing to his feet in an instant.
On the other hand, if he didn’t have to die? He turned and saw his mount, the great screaming head. It flopped towards him, weakly fluttering. “Good lass! Off with us then!” He grabbed a potion from his pack and shoved it down her gullet, restoring her enough to fly, then swung himself on top with a wing as a stepping stool. “I’ll have to rebuild again, won’t I?” He cooed to the monster, scratching it as it took off. “Aw, but we can do that! Done it before, and I bet I’ll do it again one day!” He cackled as he spiraled into the sky. Everything that would trip a lesser being up was just another foothold to him! To what heights would he ascend now?
Everybody on the mansion raid team was well up the ramp when steel-colored fingers wrapped around the edges of the distant tunnel. The elemental leaned in, turning both ways like a child crossing the street. It didn’t even seem to notice them, hundreds of feet off the ground and still below its head height. Cautiously, the walked back the way it had come, each earth-shaking step taken with surprising grace and hesitation. What was left of the mansion remained undamaged, and the elemental gently slipped off the edge of the ravine to fall out of sight. It was another few seconds before Lom came bearing Onyx, Leor not far behind. “It’s gone?” Onyx asked, as if they could confirm better than him. He waited a long while, watching the ravine for any sign it wasn’t. “...let’s go.” And the long trek back up began.
It felt like it was days later when they reached the surface. Cherry’s granny had wanted them to stay for tea, and Lom’s tribe had wanted to throw them a feast. It had taken some polite refusals and pointing to the sorry state of the crew to get out of them, continuing on up past the Wild Hunt to finally climb the mountain back to Onyx’s home. There, he pulled out extra chairs to fill his living room, wood, steel, gold-plated, and wicker all mixed together. “I can’t thank you all enough for your help. I cannot offer enough to you for this. I could hand over trinkets from my hoard, but while you will be paid, Lom suggested a more meaningful reward.” Onyx relaxed in his chair and tossed Melin, the closest, a pamphlet. “Every luxury of the mountain is open to you today. Technically my orders, but I don’t think I had to tell them to treat their heroes well.” There were options all the way up and down the mountain, smiths, springs, restaurants and more. “What say we start with the springs, and then you can find whatever you wish to do, eh?”
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Post by othus on Sept 4, 2020 6:14:17 GMT
After a dose of honey, the Follet was back in action, Leor took the now water creature with him to the springs, then to a restaurant. It was the first time he had ever been to one. his visit to the restaurant naturally led to another, and another. for the first time in his life, Leor had a belly full of food, he could only cry a little, wishing his family had had this chance.
As the poreal returned to Elatha with the follet, he looked at her and hugged her by the arm. he thought about it for a while, and finally spoke.
"You...wouldn't mind if I go with you...right? I like this place but, I would like to accompany you a while longer...if that's ok? I know I can help you somehow"
Elatha was the first person truly kind to him, so he wanted at least to make sure he could repay that debt to her.
whatever the future held for him, he would embrace it with courage.
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 4, 2020 12:22:06 GMT
As theyr returned, Elatha thanked once again the litch and promised her that she will take good care of the book she borrowed, and that she will return it. It was decided that as thanks, she was going to bring some homemade tea the next time.
It was fuckin' nothin'! - The queen said with a big smile to the dwarf. As most of people followed Onyx suggestion of the springs, specially after a long battle and the previous bath at the river which didn't clean entirely their bodies, Elatha followed as well. She didn't get too much how the springs worked, for her that was a normal bath in terms of temperature, the only difference was that instead of herbs and potions, it was just minerals.
After that, as the rest decided to got for the luxuries of the Mountain, Elatha asked Onyx for his Kitchen, she wasn't sure if he said yes or no, or what certain things she wasn't supposed to touch or use but she didn't give damn. She pend the rest of their time there baking pies, if this dwarves, hobgoblings or whatever kind of creature that lived in this mountain were quite crancky and party-poopers like Onyx, then she was going to make sure that all of them get slapped with some sweetnest. It was at that time when she made the 20th pie that she felt someone hugging her arm. She blinked several times as at the end, it was Leor the one asking to accompany her back home.
And that made her immensely happy - Sure thing!
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Post by TimePuppy on Sept 5, 2020 15:48:25 GMT
The trip back was almost as tiring as the trip down. Aside from the physical strain of climbing back, being celebrated was also tiring. Melin preferred being in the back. Collecting and examining the exhibits in his museum, not being an exhibit himself. The reward Onyx offered in the end seemed worth it though. He studied the pamphlet Onyx tossed him before passing it on.
"I came here on business, but I have to admit I wouldn't mind relaxation after this little adventure. After all, I already came away with excellent souvenirs." He patted the bag that help the healing dagger. Part of him felt guilty for taking it. Their only medicine man relied on it, but he refused to take it after their success. So Melin offered some tutoring from Spears, so they can heal their injured brethren without the knife and with fewer sacrifices.
Of course, he also had a new soul at his disposal. He'd never used a goblin soul, so this presented an excellent subject for him to study. And not to forget the notes from the granny lich. Indeed, Melin walked away from this expedition with more than he'd hoped for after hearing about the possessivenss of Onyx the collector.
"Yes, I'll gladly join you. And if anyone needs it, I can offer them a back massage. It was an invaluable tool during long night study sessions and I dare say my skills haven't veined."
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Post by HungryHunter on Sept 11, 2020 20:57:44 GMT
The springs were in the base of the mountain, in a series of roughly-carved caverns that deliberately kept a natural touch. Steam crawled up stone walls and met the dripping damp on the way down. It was a whole honeycombed hive of caverns, each pool marked with runes describing its conditions. The outer caverns were public, men and women alike enjoying the warm water. Deeper in were smaller pools for private parties along with a few saunas. Onyx bought entry for anybody who was interested, Cherry finding a private spring to lie down in. She was still blushing from what she had thought of earlier.
The nerve of Melin! Offering massages in a hot spring! Cherry was more horrified with herself liking the idea! So embarrassing! She buried her head in her towels and screamed, flailing her legs to splash the water. Still… it was a good day. They helped a lot of people. She looked at her arm, where it was speared earlier. There wasn’t even a mark on her skin now. Elatha was amazing! Cherry wanted to grow up like her one day.
In a separate room, Lom sat on Onyx’s leg, helping him comb his unbraided beard. “After all that trying to be a team player, you got us a private room?” She teased. “After all that, I needed a private room.” He grumbled, turning Lom around so he could work on her hair. She ruined his attempt by leaning back into his chest. “...I’m not sure I’m okay with everything that’s happened today.” “That is fair. I did many things I regret. But you are still here.” “Yeah. Because while I don’t think you are a good king, I do think you are a good man.” Lom leaned back and kissed Onyx. They both closed their eyes and Lom turned to face him again. “I’ve been thinking about us, and I still want to be with you. We have a lot to talk about, but… can it wait?” “Let it. I enjoy your company in quiet as much as conversation. Let us… rest.” Onyx leaned back and Lom sprawled on his chest. In warm water, they fell asleep, enjoying a wreathe of comfort after a long, long day.
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