Acqua Alta Finale

[Umiushi]

Acqua Alta Conclusion - High Water

Acqua Alta Finale Main Post #1
This is the first Acqua Alta Finale main post. Players' posts in open threads are due by 11 pm, Tuesday, March 6th. The next main post will appear by 11 pm, Friday, March 9th.

Orange light flares around the four of you. You feel a strong surge of emotion: the satisfaction of suddenly remembering a lost dream and the puzzlement of how you could have forgotten in the first place. For some unknown time, you hang in a state of reverie, and then it's lost, just as before.

The air is suddenly close, stale, and chillier. The vine-covered, red walls of packed earth are now windowless walls of stone, and the sapphire blue sky is now just a ceiling of dark plaster. At the boundaries of the circle's fading glow, you see the burnt-down remnants of the eleven candles Zephyr lit when he performed the ritual here.

[Palpatim]

Rogur, expecting the same refreshed feeling he previously experienced upon passing through the Amber Room steps easily into the circle and watches Elpy. Was that the right sigil phrase? He had never had much of a head for that kind of brute-force memorization that seemed to be a wizard's bread and butter. Not much to do now but wait, in any case. The familiar sense of comfort and refreshment passes through him.

But he is quickly dismayed as he feels (Senses? Smells? there's no word that quite captures it) the cloak around his shoulders begin to jitter, as if someone had grasped a thread at its base, yanked, and started running in the opposite direction. Intuitively, he gathers the cloak to himself, willing it to remain whole, and he feels some vital force pass from himself into the bundle of cloth. The stone walls of Erszebet's tower close around him and he collapses to his knees, panting as if he had just sprinted a furlong, and clenching his jaw to keep from retching.

[Malk0lm]

Noxias barely manages to conceal his venom for Elpy as she disappears into the orange light. For one such as him surge of emotion caused by traveling like this is familiar but on this particular occasion also bitter. The satisfaction of the moment disappears instantly as his feet touch the ground in this unfamiliar land. "Damn you Elpy," he cries out.

He stands to face the group, staff in hand, and takes a breath to address them as subordinates, but to what end? What is he going to do, demand that they return and help him fight Elpy? He could take her, but what about Sevati and the rest? Not to mention Bakkish if she were to get involved... Instead he thinks better of it; his shoulders slump, the wind rushes out of him, he is defeated and alone.

[yukonhorror]

Seeing the familiar surroundings, Zephyr gives a bit of a fist pump to signify relief.

"Back home to our OWN problems." Zephyr gives a smirk. "Rogur, I am sorry we did not find the magus's companion that you mentioned. What was her name again? In any case, ..." Zephyr pauses to look at Noxias, "I know you are not thrilled to be transported to our plane, but let me say, it is nice to have you with us. I am Zephyr Fireblood, nature's furious warrior. Noxias, is it? Are you skilled in the use of a blade or are you a master of arcane arts?"

Zephyr checks to make sure his possessions are in tact. "I am going to go downstairs to let Duvek know we did not find his son, but we will not give up. Noxias, feel free to look around, but be careful, as there are still dangerous creatures and magical protections about."

[Malk0lm]

"Zef-heer..", Noxias tries out the unfamiliar sounding name in his mouth. "I am glad that you are not my foe, for I, apparently, have too many at home. The last thing I need is more to worry about." He pauses and as if thinking out loud he speaks to himself, "now if you will become friend remains to be seen..."

"Yes, you are correct; Noxias," he states in an affected Elven accent, attempting to passive-aggressively point out how you've butchered it's pronuciation. "Formerly of Soliditas Magicalis, master of fire and blade," he says bending forward in a bow. You catch a glimpse of the long sword from the square, now sheathed, glinting at his hip. The armor he is wearing grabs your attention briefly, it appears that the arcane fire he claims to master has been somehow made into thread and woven into the supple cloth. The staff he uses as a crutch is engraved with symbols that you don't recognize except that they appear fire related. "I fear neither creatures nor enhancements, but my body is still weary, so I'll just remain for the time being."

[Umiushi]

This is the second Acqua Alta Finale main post. Players' posts in either thread are due by 11 pm, Saturday, March 10th. The next main post will appear by 11 am, Monday, March 12th.

Just as Noxias finishes speaking, you hear the sound of footsteps running in the corridor outside the room. A tiefling and a human burst into the room scant seconds later. There are more footfalls and the sound of loud voices coming from behind the pair.

[Ithelryn]

Silently Yrisz observes the interactions between Zephyr and Noxias, plainly keeping her distance to allow the warriors space to feel out the other's intentions.

With a bemused smile she whispers to Rogur, "At least E's circle chamber was not under water for I was half afraid..." is all she gets out before the sound of distressed footfalls capture her attention.

Yrisz is already backing away from the door to place a wall securely at her back when the two individuals burst their way into the room.

"Oh bother," is all she manages as she quickly divines the meaning behind the newcomers anxious expressions.

[Isrealjacob]

A tall human bursts into the room, breathing heavily. His messy dark hair is pulled back and tied with twine, and a beard that looks as if it hasn't been trimmed in weeks seems to hide his features. Despite his ragged appearance, he moves with the quickness and purpose of a trained fighter. His longsword is drawn, but kept lowered as he enters the room. A dark cloak hangs on his shoulders that might have been green or blue at one point but now is an almost indistinct shade in- between. The light from the room reflects off from the plate mail covering his chest, outlining the several chinks and imperfections that dot the well worn armor.

[Malk0lm]

Noxias looks at Zephyr. The pain of his injuries, the loss at being forced into exile, and the sudden appearance of enemies contorts his face into an evil sneer of malice. On the edge of sanity and fearing not even the legendary Dracolich from the stories of old, Noxias moves toward the interloping human and tiefling, "State your intentions or prepare to burn!" Sparks crackle from the top of his staff.

[Ithelryn]

"Noxias, mind your manors, they are running from something distressing," Yrisz squeals, as she quickly rips her new Everburning Torch from the side of her pack, her hands betraying a pale glow in anticipation.

[cutopia]

The tiefling is more than a head shorter than the human. As the gaze of her inhuman eyes flicks over each of the room's occupants, her eyes narrow with suspicion as her tail lashes in emphasis.
Her tidy leather garb bears some sort of official-looking insignia and she clutches a magical rod in one hand. A delicate pair of horns curves out of her widow's peaks and arcs up and back. Her reddish black hair has been blown about and her skin is flushed, but she does not appear particularly winded despite having just been running.
Indeed, her voice is fairly steady as she says, "This building is under attack by thugs of the 'Matchless Gang'. Are you with us or with them?"

[Isrealjacob]

Marc straightens up, looking at the sparks crackle in front of him and places his left hand over his chest.

"My companion speaks truly, although you will see the truth for yourselves in moments. I don't know how you arrived here at this time, and I regret bringing the threat of violence to your feet. Yet it comes quickly, and you shall see for yourselves the nature of these hooligans that have assaulted us. If you are armed, ready yourselves, for they are upon us!"

Marc then turns to face face the door, holding his longsword in both hands.

[Malk0lm]

Noxias turns to look at the young cleric. Her voice reminiscent of his mothers. "What is a Matchless Gang?"

Turning to the Tiefling and ignoring the human he asks, "which direction are they coming from?"

[Ithelryn]

Yrisz pales and almost steps back into Rogur yet manages to answer Noxias, "Oh, the um...Matchless Gang are a group of thugs with suspect backers who are trying to take over...well everything I think."

Turning to the Tiefling, "They don't like us in the least, so I think we should all gird our loins," she says patting a small steel headed mace on her belt, "do you think they are here for us or because Duvek told them to sod off earlier?"

[cutopia]

"My latest investigation has made me a bit unpopular with them as well, and they were chasing me about when I ran upstairs to this room." Konstansz replies. "Although, this place of late has been a focal point for suspicious goings on that all seem to tie back to the gang. So we may be flattering ourselves while really just being in the wrong place at the wrong time."