Heroica RPG - Quest #139: Around the World (West)

[The Legonater]

Zane. Focus. What was that? What did you see? We're not answering your questions until we know where you're going with this.

[Zepher]

"You've seen it too. Haven't you?" Zane continues to rail on Matthias. "You know where these things came from. What have you seen?" Zane turns to Dyric. "You want to know? Use your anvil. Drink the water. Then perhaps consider what you're bringing together. Who hired you? What is their intention?" He calms himself with some deep breaths. "I am not sure what I saw. Something out of the past. A great darkness descending on a race... and no survivors. Nearly none, at least. And the fountain was there, and I was with it until I tumbled over the side of the island to land here..." He stares distastefully at the water. "You know, Dyric, that visions are not always so concrete. But whatever the evil was, it wanted the fountain, and the idiots... they prioritized other things. Getting rid of an anvil first... fools." He gestures to Daneeka. "The vial will do no damage. Whatever was after these things already got to the fountain, but not the others."

Zane shakes his head.

"Bah! Who gives a shit. I'll survive either way. Going out of my mind. I don't owe the world anything."

[Scubacarrot]

"Are you done?"

[Zepher]

"Are you? I don't deal with idiots." Zane continues looking at Matthias, waiting for a response.

[The Legonater]

Daneeka, do you know what he's talking about? Because if you do, we need answers. I've had enough Eldtritch men and monsters for one lifetime.

[StickFig]

Matthias regards Zane cooly, trying to determine to whom he's actually speaking. "I have seen the visions of Orrik with the Anvil," he says, "visions of the forging of the world." He thinks hard, closing his eyes and recalling the images as clearly as possible. Suddenly he comes to a stop and his eyes pop open. "Did you say falling off an 'island'? I saw the battles and the darkness, and the fall."

Cautiously the gnome approaches the water and dips a small amount in his hand, looking at it in wonder. "Is this water of Orrik as well?"

[Zepher]

Daneeka, do you know what he's talking about? Because if you do, we need answers. I've had enough Eldtritch men and monsters for one lifetime.

Daneeka holds his silence for a short while, his face impossible to read.

"I've done some research." He pauses a short while more. "I can assure you that Gerald has never had anything but good intentions. Guts will be able to back me up. But I do not recognize what this man speaks of. If Matthias truly also had visions... we will have to be careful with these artifacts."

Matthias regards Zane cooly, trying to determine to whom he's actually speaking. "I have seen the visions of Orrik with the Anvil," he says, "visions of the forging of the world." He thinks hard, closing his eyes and recalling the images as clearly as possible. Suddenly he comes to a stop and his eyes pop open. "Did you say falling off an 'island'? I saw the battles and the darkness, and the fall."

Cautiously the gnome approaches the water and dips a small amount in his hand, looking at it in wonder. "Is this water of Orrik as well?"

"As much as that Anvil is," grunts Zane. He walks up beside Matthias, rather paternally. "Drink up. I don't think baldy is going to let me make sure that you all remain safe. It'd be best if someone knew what the Hel was going on." He leans in close, smiling coldly, confidently. "And besides, who doesn't want to live forever?"

Zane turns to Dyric.

"I'm assuming you won't let me travel with you to ensure that this makes it where it needs to be, and that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Fine. Be ruled by stupidity. Like I said, it's no skin off my back. I hope you're happy following your boss man into oblivion by pride. I'll see you in Eubric, if you live. I made a promise to these three that they'd see it. I hope it's still standing by the time we get there." He stares hard at the assassin. "This is nothing like Wren. I don't know when it's coming. But be prepared. And maybe don't piss off the rest of your potential allies."

OoC: It's up to Matthias at this point (as well as the entire party if they want Zane's protection), then we'll move on!

[StickFig]

Matthias eyes Zane closely, and discerning no lingering ill effects, throws caution to the wind, dips his head to the pool, and drinks.

[The Legonater]

"I've done some research." He pauses a short while more. "I can assure you that Gerald has never had anything but good intentions.

I don't care how good his intentions are, I care what they are. His actions will speak for themselves.

Zane turns to Dyric.

"I'm assuming you won't let me travel with you to ensure that this makes it where it needs to be, and that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Fine. Be ruled by stupidity. Like I said, it's no skin off my back. I hope you're happy following your boss man into oblivion by pride. I'll see you in Eubric, if you live. I made a promise to these three that they'd see it. I hope it's still standing by the time we get there." He stares hard at the assassin. "This is nothing like Wren. I don't know when it's coming. But be prepared. And maybe don't piss off the rest of your potential allies."

I've been nothing but supportive, Zane. This world isn't all about ourselves, you know.

...Nothing like Wren, you say? Something older, then? ...that's troubling indeed.

Matthias eyes Zane closely, and discerning no lingering ill effects, throws caution to the wind, dips his head to the pool, and drinks.

I watch carefully as the young man drinks.

By gaining life, he's throwing it away, I murmur. Forever is his today. Who waits forever anyway?

[Scubacarrot]

Guts growls at Zane."You cross us for days and now you are here to warn us? You summon Sandworms and send bandits after us, and you expect us to believe whatever you say? Are you listening to yourself? Are you aware of how insane you sound? A darkness. A darkness and shadows. You are ridiculous."

[The Legonater]

I look deeply into the pool of water.

I think this may be more than that, boss.

[Zepher]

I don't care how good his intentions are, I care what they are. His actions will speak for themselves.

"We're looking to unlock some mysteries in the world..." he seems a little disconcerted. "The orc is not wrong. Terrible things are afoot. This is old hat to you heroes, I'm sure. But there is, coming soon, a great opportunity for either growth, or destruction."

I've been nothing but supportive, Zane. This world isn't all about ourselves, you know.

...Nothing like Wren, you say? Something older, then? ...that's troubling indeed.

"Much older," he grunts, and then shakes his head as the magician steps back into the front seat. "Wren was nothing. A fool among fools, a scrambled brain. Whatever this is, it is not seeking glory of its own. It is a consumer... it is a swallower. It is not looking to ascend."

Guts growls at Zane."You cross us for days and now you are here to warn us? You summon Sandworms and send bandits after us, and you expect us to believe whatever you say? Are you listening to yourself? Are you aware of how insane you sound? A darkness. A darkness and shadows. You are ridiculous."

Zane casually flips off Guts.

"You can keep pretending you're the victim all you want, but keep it in your head. Stop spewing crap lies while the adults are talking."

I look deeply into the pool of water.

I think this may be more than that, boss.

Matthias grabs holds of Dyric and, defying all odds, begins to drag him across the sand, running away from the pool. Zane watches dispassionately, but Solimon takes to the skies and hovers over the pair.

"If he grows violent as Zane did, only reach up your hands and I will yank you free!" calls the mutant to Dyric.

[The Legonater]

Matthias!? Snap out of it, put me down!

[Scubacarrot]

"Fuck you. Zane. Set a foot in Eubric and I will have a welcoming party waiting fit to deal with pests like you. Follow us and I will single your friends out and kill them one by one." Guts bites as he runs off after Dyric and Matthias.

[Zepher]

Zane rolls his eyes as Guts tries to grab hold of his companion. He is unable to move Matthias, who continues to drag Dyric.

"Yes yes, you're very scary and special. We're all very impressed by how special and scary you are."

[Scubacarrot]

"Right back at you. Shouldn't you look after Medusa or something? I heard she got hurt, after you left her alone..."

"Daneeka, is it the gloves? I can't stop him."

[The Legonater]

I yell semi-coherently at Matthias, trying to find a response from the gnome.

[Zepher]

"Yeah, and then I summoned a wyrm to eat her."

Dyric's attempts to get through to Matthias are met with a smoke bomb that the little gnomes throws at the party. They all start to cough, and lose sight of each other as well as the little gnome.

[The Legonater]

Solimon is flying above the smoke, right? So he can still see us?

[Zepher]

OoC: I'd argue no, since the smoke is supposed to envelop you. But Matthias has released you. Sorry, I'm almost done with his side-quest, and he'll be returned to you shortly!

[The Legonater]

Oh. I thought he was just being really unresponsive for some reason.

HEY YOU GUYS. RUN TOWARDS THE SOUND OF MY VOICE.

[Zepher]

As the smoke clears the heroes spot Matthias, standing far away from the fountain. He yells out all at once.

"If what lives? We'll only die if we fight! Simon, what is the darkness? Who must not drink? Why do you follow the Master of Regret?"

The gnome drinks an elixir and begins to foam at the mouth. His eyes roll wildly.

[The Legonater]

Oh, Hel

I whip around to Daneeka. Your boss and I are going to have a very long conversation when we meet back up.

Matthias! I charge after the gnome, unscrewing a potion. I pour the drink on him, trying to wake and hopefully heal him.

[StickFig]

Matthias comes to, gasping and thrashing, until the gritty sand in his eyes and Rone's voice bring him back to reality. He lies still on his back for a moment, arms and legs splayed and grasping the earth, eyes shut against the sudden light, until his breathing returns to a controllable state. "Something ...horrible drank from the pool. Darkness and shadows... the Master of Regret drained the pool and sent it here, from whatever civilization of the gods created it, but it was too late."

"The Old Gods, he called them... the darkness destroyed their world."

[The Legonater]

This is vital, Matthias. Was there anything else? Anything at all?

And you. I turn to Daneeka again. You knew about this, didn't you? Playing around with ancient artifacts - was this the plan all along?