POOHEAD189

Into The Dark: Tales of Maroleth

Settionne knelt down in prayer, his muttering not carrying through into the cavern (fortunately for him). Within the greater chamber, rocks began to fall and the lava grew steadily more fierce, causing the areas close-by to jutter and shift almost imperceptively. Be it by fate or the Gods, as Settione finished his prayer, the staff toppled forward and fell onto his shoulder, the indigo crystal atop the staff glowing faintly in the dark. It was good he chose to hide it, though even in his bag of Elven silk, there would be an odd pole-like bulge to be noticed if he brought attention to it.

Argon blinked his otherworldly eyes, pausing from her question as Settione hustled passed both Argon and Alice. "Why, Settione is there, friend Alice." The Lizardman declared, pointing Sett's way. Moments later, all three of the companions made it into a room that had small rocks crumbling around them, and lava spittle flying every which way. It was fortunate for them they saw a close exit, the one the others took. Inside they would hear Ursaren's suggestion.

"There's no time." Beren replied, running a thumb wet with his saliva over his cut cheek. Brogach gave off a bray of distress while Calanon did his best to calm his companion down. The Dwarf priest Geradin hustled past the rest of them towards the stairs. "Make way!" He called, stepping passed An-Hasst and waddling up the stairs as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. "Only one way to go and that's forward. Best get to it!" He declared, his hammer aglow once more from a spell so he could lead the way.

The companions hurried forward, climbing the cramped stairway until they made it to a similarly cramped tunnel-hall, wrought as intricately as the room they have found themselves in earlier. Dwarf statues of old were arrayed at the sides, standing tall and proud like solemn, bearded guardians of justice and wisdom. At the end of the short hall, they would find themselves in a greater cavern. Relatively round except the (mostly) flat ground, with cave entrances leading left, right, and forward. Geradin skidded to a stop, and sniffed the air.

"We cannae go right. The lava was flowing that wey. If anyone go' wind of us. They'd be comin' from there."

"Left, right? I mean uh left, yes?" Beren said, looking to Geradin. The Dwarf strode forward and looked between the center one and the left one. "Probably the safest, let's go."

"I wish to eat soon!" Argon declared, his hissing voice echoing down the corridor. "Shut it ye dolt." Geradin cursed him, and off they ran further, their footsteps echoing almost as loudly as Argon, but run they needed to. It would be a hard jog later that the group entered a very strange area, where the smaller cavern gave way to a room with a looming ceiling, that gave off its own light. For large mushrooms glowed in the dark. To their left was a small path to a raised platform above this small forest of mushrooms, and Beren breathed a sigh of relief as Calanon stepped forward, arrow at the ready.

"I think we can rest for a moment."

@BCTheEntity@Gardevoiran@Fetzen@The Fated Fallen

Frokane's Mildly Politcal Hangout Thread

Yeah no that's stupid and wrong

@Andreyich

Descent into chaos

"It's a good suggestion, but I'm not that good of a rider," Bardeck lamented as he stared at the approaching caravan through the brush, placing a large hand on one of the stout trees as he watched. He shook his head, knowing that to second guess themselves now was as much death as anything. The second you started to doubt yourself, was the second a sword slips past your defenses and you lose your life. He'd seen it happen to many men before. Men who died with fear and doubt in their eyes, even as death took them.

"If we can take out three of them through surprise, the next three we can handle. The last one will probably run for it." He remarked, walking himself through an ideal scenario, which he had to admit wasn't an impossible task.

Moments slipped by, and the creaking wheels of the Caravan became an audible tune in the still forest air. Bardeck was afraid his breathing was far too loud, but that was merely his anxiety getting the better of him. This was something he and his partner could do. And if they succeeded, they'd save a few dozen, if not hundreds of lives in the process. Not to mention gain a fair amount of coin. "Go high." He whispered to Ferthyr, and Bardeck began to wade through the wooded expanse between them and the road just as the men were marching past their position.

It was a mind numbing amount of time, despite it being less than quarter of a minute's time. The northman edged himself to the edge of the forest, holding his position for a few moments before striding out of cover from behind them. He stepped as lightly as he could, his axe haft sliding down his hand before he gripped it near the bottom for a full force swing. His eyes gazed at the trees, hoping Ferthyr was there, before honing in on the men-at-arm's neck. It was lightly armored, and if he could just hit it full force...

Less than a stride away from the man at the very back, he swung his axe. Time seemed to slow, and within moments he knew this would bring the attention of the others. He'd have to finish this and finish the next man with the next attack, knowing the chainlinks would make a noise as his axe hit home.

The blade of the axe crunched into the man's neck, drowning out whatever cry of pain he could give. Catching the haft by his opposite hand and now holding the axe with both hands, even as the man's body dropped limply along the ground, Bardeck sidestepped. The other man-at-arms was just now turning to look for the source of the noise of that dull 'thump' before Bardeck's axe split his face in two by the open helm. The other four ahead heard the clash of the axe blade skidding past a steel helm, and turned.

"What in the Gods!?" One cried, and they all drew swords. Bardeck leaped and managed to wound the next, but he was suddenly backpedaling, his shield up and at the ready. He gave off a warcry as he prepared to defend himself.

Frokane's Mildly Politcal Hangout Thread

You can still enjoy the fascinating discussion of how people are doing Iron Age cult practice wrong.

@Penny

That actually sounds pretty metal. I see you're doing the lord's work.

@Heat I see someone didn't read the source material. On my desk by Wednesday!

I'm back baby *puts on cool aviators with highway to hell in the background*

Volæria: An Alt 1920's Steampunk Story (name WIP)

If I have the time, then you have the interest. This looks great, honestly.

Frokane's Mildly Politcal Hangout Thread

I'm going to go ahead and be honest and say I haven't read the entirety of all of the arguments on whether suicide should be prevented at all costs or whether sometimes suicides should be allowed to alleviate suffering. Mostly because I'm either busy or don't have the attention span the past few days. However, I have seen a few of y'alls points on suicide such as it being impulsive, or it being a choice based on other factors, etc. So I am going to post a 5 minute video below that might give some perspective on a few of the lesser points on suicide. Now, to bring a backdrop to the vid:

Back in February 2014, a friend of mine shot himself. He'd already been suicidal before once or twice. One of those time another friend and I drove over to his place and spent the day there to cheer him up. But years later his depression caught up with him, and he shot himself one night, becoming hospitalized for another week or so before he was pronounced dead. Other than his family members, I was his only friend in the city since all of our other friends were going to colleges elsewhere, so I went to visit him in the hospital and met his family, and those ones I'd never seen before either. He was unconscious, and I don't think he ever did regain consciousness again to be honest. But I'm still glad I went to see him.

Now I'm saying this because yes, suicide does hurt many other people. Friends and family, in fact most of my high school went to his funeral. But from his suicide, his family began a huge campaign of suicide aid prevention, and they constantly crusade for people to donate money to the cause and still do their best to stay so upbeat.

Now does that mean I'm glad he died? Not at all. Keenon was my friend. Nor do I think suicide is right under most circumstances. I've been suicidal plenty of times, honestly. But sometimes a suicide doesn't necessarily bring a negative impact to a group of people or a community.

The reason why this story was a backdrop to the video is because below is my friend Keenon's cousin, reading from his journal as he is a suicide survivor himself, and he made this video once Keenon passed. As y'all probably noticed I don't usually post videos, but this one I think is worth listening to because he provides really good points if anyone is interested in the idea of suicide prevention or questions on 'what could be done.'

---

The Sorceress and the Slave

"I..." he held his head in one of his hands, eyes trying to realign with his true sight. Once he could focused, he looked up at Amira. "I saw...there was a place. A place that we must go, far from here in the Zsharahi desert, and there will be an area in the sand. An area with three obelisks...west from here. West as the sun rises." Every sentence or two he would pause, as if digesting what was already within his mind. "But the journey will be fraught with danger. Men and beasts...and an Ifrit. I saw an Ifrit in an oasis, who demands something from us that I cannot guess. Something I can part with, but you cannot..."

Rhaak seemed quite disturbed at the prospect of finding a creature such as that, for they were known to make men and women their playthings for millenia. That is, unless they are bound within- "I saw a ring. A diamond ring of power, and it unlocks a door we are to enter. A door...I do not know where. It could be the cavern within the sands, Master."

"We shall find what you seek, but it will lead to more than you expect. Far more..."

His words ended there, the last phrase seeping out of him as if by some unknown force outside of his will. Clearing his throat, he stood tall and breathed in, squaring his shoulders. His thick, dark hair unruly from his fall to the ground. Though he looked none the worse for wear after having taken back control of himself. He looked as healthy as he did when she first saw him, his eyes glinting like agates in the faint light of the curtain.
@Penny

Into The Dark: Tales of Maroleth

Ok gents, before the next work week we'll have an update by me :)