Fantasy DUNGEON DELVER: Secrets of Caedia — Expedition #1, The Crystal Cavern Expedition

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Flames curled around the stone golem, as the force of the Wyverian's magic drew it toward the spear lodged at the mouth of the tunnel, flames pulling the massive construct like a magnet to iron.

But that creature, woven of mountain stone and ancient magic, was not so easily undone.

The golem bucked and twisted as it flew, a maelstrom of rock, stone-fists smashing into the intervening walls of the cavern in a staccato of blows. The ground trembled, sending fissures and cracks snaking out from the points of impact. The tunnel itself groaned under the strain, loose rocks and dust cascading down from the ceiling.

Man and golem hit the cavern wall where the spear was lodged with a thunderous crash, the impact sending a shockwave through the tunnel, shaking the very foundation of the mine. Loose stones and boulders tumbled down, collapsing the stone arch—and the golem itself—down upon the encroaching army of Cave Crawlers...

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 20​

(Morrwyn) Roll 1d20 = 16​

There's no time. What goes up, must come down. All of that rock comes down, down, down, and Morrwyn finds himself on the wrong end of gravity...

... And buried the Delver beneath the ensuing avalanche of rubble, with Morrwyn disappearing beneath the cascade of rock and dust.

For a moment, the cave was still. Silent, save for the distant chittering of the surviving cave crawlers worming their way through the debris.

Then, with a low rumble, the pile of rocks began to shift.

The stone golem stirred first, its jagged limbs pushing free from the debris with slow, deliberate motions. As the last of the rubble fell away, Morrwyn was revealed beneath the golem's shadow, miraclously in one piece... For now.

A low, hissing sound filled the air. Then, the cave crawlers spilled out into the cavern like a living tide. The stone golem turned its head toward this new threat and thrummed a battle cry. For a brief, terrifying moment, both golem and crawler seemed poised to converge on the Delver.

The golem loomed overhead, its fist raised high, ready to crush the first wave of crawlers, their jaws snapping, hungry for flesh as they swarmed towards those that yet lived... And Morrwyn along with them.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 20​

(Rigidis) Roll 1d20 = 17 + (Jasha) Roll 1d20 = 5 = 22​

A Guild Delver's true worth is scarcely measured by his skill in battle or magic, but by his willingness to lend aid to those in need of it. When others would turn away and protect themselves, it's the Delver who risks her neck for her comrades that earns true reward...

But just as the stone giant’s fist came crashing down, a shadow leapt from the side of the cavern...

Elsewhere in the cave...

The vampire's blade flashed through the air, cutting down a cave crawler in a single, swift motion. Its body crumpled in a heap at his feet, and Raphael half-turned, his eyes falling on the quartet of huddled miners, separated from the main group, cowering against the rough stone walls.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice hoarse, covered in the dark gore of cave crawler guts. His throat was raw, parched. The crawler he'd drunk was barely enough to keep him standing, much less fit and fighting. Before an answer could come, another crawler lunged at his exposed back—only to find itself impaled upon his waiting dagger, its screech cut short.

Out of the corner of his eye, Raphael caught movement. Two familiar figures hauling something heavy, and awkwardly shaped, into view. He turned, brow furrowing, and recognized... Ophelia and Begonia—dragging with them what appeared to be... A petrified man?

He asked in an exasperated whisper, "what the fuck?"

Shaking his head. "Never mind that. Help me keep these sorry bastards alive, would you?"

His gaze snapping to the mouth of the cave where the others fought.

Interactions: Carolyn Haze- Kovacs angel doe RaiAthar

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

It should have been impossible to save Morrwyn. Stuck between a golem and horde of ravenous beasts, you’d need a hero par excellence to wedge the small gap, let alone get him out. Case in point: she wasn’t a real mage yet. Her tricks were a handful of gimmicks. Even using them to the fullest, she was only able to usher miners. But to leave without the crazy man who bought them time was unforgivable. No matter his history or strange personality, Rigidis knew she owed him a favor.

Every instinct in her body told her to ignore it. What good was a promise if she died with him? There were beads of sweat that swam down her forehead. Disregarding the objection, how would she navigate the hazards in her way? She bit her lip ring. Her mind was running blanks.

Like when the instructor told her to repeat a “simple” demonstration. Or the time she had to “duel” a classmate with familiars and her snake refused to leave its cage. Failures one and all. She had the gall to think the dungeon would be any different.

Suddenly, a piece of flint slipped out the torn satchel of a miner. It made a clink sound as it struck the ground. Before he could take it back, she snatched it with her open hand. She sniffed the alcohol from his breath next. Practice told her it was new and the source nearby.

“Give me your drink.” Her red eyes gleamed at him. The dagger she had even more so.

With drink in hand, she took a sip of the content. The liquid nearly burned her tongue. She gasped while loosening her shoes. Able to slip them on and off at a moment’s notice, she poured the rest of the alcohol on them. They were cheap enough to be completely soaked. Then she sparked a fire with the flint and dagger.

She ran toward Morrwyn with shoes aflame. Her shoes squelched the entire way until she built up speed in the correct trajectory to leap forward. In a sight that must seem mad, she chanted one of the few spells she understood by heart.

「 !FIGURA IGNIS! 」

A parlor trick to control fire now used to shoot Rigidis straight across with a sputter of flames behind the sole of her shoes. She was a red meteor. She hooked Morrwyn with an open palm, pulling him away in time to avoid being crushed. There was a moment of triumph before the burning shoes were flung away and she landed on top of Morrwyn. Her lips intertwined with his.

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar , Kovacs , Haze- , angel doe .

Code by Serobliss

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

There was rhyme and reason to Rigidis's somewhat abrupt and awkward behaviour, of this Jasha was sure, so he watched her scene with one terribly confused and frightened miner to play out uninterrupted.

After ushering said disgruntled miner through the portal, Jasha gazed over to Rigidis "You could have asked nicely, you know..."

Of course, Jasha's words likely wouldn't have reached Rigidis's ears given that she was already half-way out of the portal chamber, pushing past the last of the miners under their charge --two dwarven men: a golden-blonde bearded dwarf who still looked young by dwarf standards, he was barely in any condition to walk; the second dwarf had a black beard with specks of white, and he had seen better days as well. Jasha rushed over to them, helping shoulder the burden of the younger dwarf's weight.

"Don't worry, you're gonna make it out of this alive," Jasha reassured the older dwarf. "So, what are your names?" Jasha intention was to make idle talk, to detract the man's mind from this nearly ended harrowing experience.

"This be Domas," the old man said, glancing sideways over to his injured friend who appeared to barely be holding onto consciousness, "...and I be Holgar." The deep concern in the old man's voice was nearly palpable.

Several feet from the precipice of the portal, Jasha stopped "Go on old man, you can barely stand yourself, I got this one" he assured.

"Thank ye, delver" the old dwarf nodded solemnly, then he leaped through portal that was his salvation.

Now that Jasha was alone, he let the weight of the semi-conscious dwarf slowly slide off his shoulder and to the stone floor at his feet.

Jasha came down to one knee; turned the dwarven man onto his back. From this vantage, the blunt force trauma to the dwarf's mid-section was apparent. The chest was partially caved in. Fresh blood lined the mouth and coated the beard. Every breath was raspy and ragged. No doubt a broken rib or several broken ribs had pierced the lungs.

Wearing a most sincere smile, Jasha placed his hand onto the dwarven man's chest. Softly, he whispered "Everything will be okay, Domas...Don't you worry, Domas...Everything will be okay..." Except it wouldn't be.

「ABYSSAL EMPATHIC TRANSFER?!」

...
​

Jasha rounded the bend, arriving into the main chamber, hoping he was not too late; however, it wasn't the stone golem or the swarm of cave-crawlers that first garnered his attention... To be forever burned into Jasha's mind's eye was the image of Rigidis's dark, full lips locked with the seemingly demure mouth of a tall, pasty faced and lanky woman.

Kinky, Jasha thought, not the time nor the place but definitely kinky. Only after the second take did Jasha realise it was in actuality NOT a woman, it was Morwynn... Good gods, that's a power couple right there, Jasha thought to himself. He laughed inwardly.

The time for idle thoughts was over. Jash broke out into a sprint towards an angry stone golem that was currently surrounded by ever-hungry cave-crawlers. As he neared the golem, he piqued the interest of several crawlers who would try there claws at easier prey.

As the first crawler lunged at Jasha legs, he stepped up onto it's carapace and proceeded play a game not unlike hopscotch along the backs of several other crawlers, somersaulting, cartwheeling, body twisting and twirling, giving the impression of a human in flight as he mid-air kicked off of the bodies of more lunging crawlers eager to find purchase in his flesh yet finding nothing. He moved with the grace of an expert gymnast or perhaps a figure skater. These crawlers were his playthings --The Playboy was his stage name, after all-- and this was the great performance, the big show, and a beautiful show it was for the crowd who were watching; evocative of the praise and swooning of many a woman-folk --and some men-folk as well-- in times not so long ago.

The momentum was nearing its end. In that last seconds that would determine whether or not Jasha would become a chew toy for the cave-crawlers beneath or on the back of a very large stone golem, he pulled out his whip and lashed at the golem, not to do it harm, but to grapple it and to pull himself onto it. A wide smile formed over his parted lips. Teeth were grit behind those lips.

"You're coming with me, big boy."

「ABYSSAL JUMP - OVERCHARGED!」

It happened in an instant. Jasha and the golem were there, and then they were simply gone. It looked as is a micro-blackhole opened up and pulled them both into a dark oblivion. Cave-crawlers that were at one point clinging onto the golem found themselves the victims of gravity as they were no longer grasping onto anything accept the air that now occupied the empty space. A hundred or so feet above the crawlers --that's where Jasha and the stone golem were now-- and directly over a fair sized crystal stalagmite. The golem's body was poised to fall over-top the sharp protruding spike of crystal below...

Interactions: Elenion Aura Carolyn Haze- angel doe Kovacs

Code by Serobliss