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

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

“Oh, friend…” — The young prince sighed, aping that same smile the djinn had drawn on him. His head hung low and the shoulders came slumping down with it, as even the crown couldn’t pull the efforts to hide the emotion twining Morrwyn’s features unto a tangled mess. His upper lip was quivering, tugging to a smile. Wistful. Regretting something. Recalling something. Something he couldn’t quite fully recall at all.

The glint of the crystals rode down their path, and the next thing that rolled its way was the echoing drag of a spear scrapped across the cave floor, a haughty cackle booming down the tunnel— spiteful of memory and the lack thereof, of its mute gabble still buzzing vividly in his head — “Gods be damned if A’ still had any ballads from me land gone unforgotten in this noggin ‘ere…” — The spear spun pirouettes, slipping between finger to finger until a pinky hooked to hold it still. Looming right over that empty, amnesiac skull Morrwyn hated so dearly. He clanked the tip of the glaive once, twice on the highness of his crown, craned his head back to fling a smile at Dakar — “I’d be howling them loud an’ clear. Enough ta’ give all those cave crawlers a bloody heart attack.”

“But sadly…” — His shoulders sagged again as he sighed, taking long, dramatic strides forward. He shrugged — “If there ever was such a memory, it’s long escaped me.”

After another deflation, a still silence, Morrwyn’s head perked up from under his gloom as if a lightbulb had lit up over the crown, had him digging his heel and doing a full 180° to face Dakar. A coy smile wide, narrowing his eyes under the crown — “Bet me arse y’ don’t have any from wheres ya’ came neither, sire Dakar.”

“Tsk tsk tsk…Reckon we could make our own then! The ballad of sire Dakar the laureate and his trusty troubadour sire Morrwyn, eh?” — He presented, throwing his arms out with childish grandeur and taking those same awful long strides in reverse without even bothering to look if the tunnels had ended yet or not. The boredom of guard duty had taken its toll on him already, surely.

He raised up his still flaming spear, chainmail and blacksteel chirring as his arm raised, up high to scrape sparks along the roof for dramatic effect. A low rumble started on the pit of his throat, growing to a gruff hum as the spear finally came spearing down on the floor, plucking back up, then down again. A rhythmical, metallic thump echoed down the tunnel. Spark and embers thrown off on every clank of the spear.

A one, and a two— and a one, and a— “Err’ once was a vamp, ‘is boots was soiled♪~!” — The prince started, an idiotic smile on his face as the lyricism couldn’t help but escape him too, much like the memory. A string of melodic hummings and mumblings carried along with the drumming of the spear instead; Morrwyn gestured with his free hand at the djinn, cueing him in — “C’mon then! I ain’t a bard, mate. Can’t come up with nowt else. Make summat up! Me arm’s killing me already…”

This dungeon delving thing was quite the laidback endeavor, wasn't it?

Interactions: Kovacs

Code by Serobliss

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Expedition #1

BEGONIA SCHULTZ

HUMAN FIGHTER

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

"Don't worry about it, sis. You can take the whole jar. You had a hard time with that teleporter nonsense, didn't ya? Least I can do." Begonia rattled off casually as she strolled alongside Ophelia. Crystal caves or backstreets, one patrol really was no different from another. This much came easily to her.

"But, hey, if you don't mind my asking... What kinda skills can I expect from you? Not that I'm doubting you, but, best we know one another's strengths before anything goes south, eh? As for myself-" Between words, Begonia drew her harpoon from her back and gave it a small flourish. "I'm mostly a ah... Meathead, yeah? I know how to stab and chop and shoot... And shoot and chop and stab, well as choppin' and stabbin' and shootin'."

She smiled as she went on. A joke or two was always good for cutting through the ice.

"How about yourself? Let's call it a trade, eh? You give me the run down and we'll call it payment for the peaches."

Interactions: angel doe

Code by Serobliss

 

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

"Right then," Raphael reminded himself of his course, shaking away momentary thoughts for the fledgling Delvers who were, at that very moment, making their merry ways through the deep caverns. They had their job to do. Raphael had his, boring though it may be, comparatively speaking. Still, it was high time he went ahead and got on with it.

Least of all, he couldn't complain about the atmosphere. Being so far underground, where not even a memory of sunlight could menace him, reminded him a little bit of home.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 10​

(Raphael) Roll 1d20 = 17​

Raphael notices out of the corner of his eye the sight of strange tattoos adorning the face of a miner as they cross his path. The miner, a dwarf, seeming to notice this attention, quickly turns his head away. Raphael finds himself staring after him even as he arrives at the heart of the active crystal vein, where he finds the mine's foreman...

"Hm..." Curiosity itched at the back of his skull as he watched the retreating figure of the dwarf with the face tattoos, looking altogether inconspicuous among the mine. A little too inconspicuous, the vampire concluded. He was halfway to turning back and taking a closer look when a man—middle-aged, weathered, and tired-looking—stepped into his field of view. "You lookin' fer me, Ser?"

Raph blinked, letting his half-taken step fall awkardly back to ground. "Yes," he said, after a moment's re-orientation.

The mine foreman, he presumed..?

Group 1: Jasha & Rigidis

The narrow passageway widened until the pair of Delvers came upon a natural rotunda hewn in the earth. Passages split off this way and that before them, making the way forward unclear. Perhaps fortunate, then, that Jasha had chosen to take a brief respite, leaning up against the cool stone that enveloped them.

Then again, perhaps not...

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 10​

(Jasha) Roll 1d20 = 2​

Despite their wariness, neither Delver succeeds in recognizing the tell-tale signs of ambush, even as the predator looms ever closer... Their only warning, the sounds of chittering, clacking jaws, hungry for meat, comes too late.

From above them, a Cave Crawler the size of a wolf unhooked itself from the stone ceiling and fell directly upon them in a flailing of sharp, chitinous edges.

Interactions: RaiAthar Carolyn

GROUP 2: MORRWYN & DAKAR

In much the same manner did Morrwyn and Dakar make their own way down their selected corridor, with a chill wind from climes unknowable biting at their backs, whistling through the cavernous halls that wound out before them. Empty, save their raucous tune, echoing down into the depths. Too empty.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 10​

(Morrwyn) Roll 1d20 = 15​

Either through keen instincts, or perhaps sheer, dumb luck, Morrwyn halts before a patch of uneven earth that lays before them. As its laid trap remains unsprung, the creature within, hearing the racket and smelling the blood, grows impatient...

The earthen trapdoor was slid away, as a Cave Crawler burrowed up from its hiding place, squeezing its body and many limbs up through the narrow earthen porthole. Too many beady black eyes stared unblinking at both potential morsels before it.

Interactions: Haze- Kovacs

GROUP 3: BEGONIA & OPHELIA

Ophelia and Begonia, too, were well within the maze of interwoven caverns that encircled the crystal vein they had been charged to help guard. Time had passed swiftly, thanks in no small part to the efforts made to exchange information that would undoubtedly come in handy in the hours ahead.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 10​

(Begonia) Roll 1d20 = 9​

Perhaps at a certain point the discussion becomes too engaging, such that general situational awareness is found lacking. Then again, the mines are unpredictable. One wrong step and the floor below their feet gives way to unending yawning darkness...

As the dust began to settle, the light from the crystal cavern above illuminated a hidden chamber beneath the well-trodden path. Ophelia and Begonia had found themselves in what was possibly an ancient wing of the mines that had, for one reason or another, been cut off from the main vein. Even as some contradictory evidence seemed to suggest that the area had been visited relatively recently...

A cone of light streamed down from overhead, where they had been moments before their tumble. It alighted upon a sloped walkable path back up to safety.

Before them stood the body of a man, as though he were carved from the very stone of the cave, hands held up in a defensive posture. Though petrified, the Delvers would know that such a thing can be remedied, if only someone were to retrieve this body and return it to the surface. Whatever their choice, it would need to be made quickly, for within the darkness all around them, could be heard the distant chittering of many clacking jaws.

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit angel doe

 

[Kovacs]

Expedition #1

VI'JUDAKAR

THE ROGUE DJINN

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Dakar's four eyelids peeled back like the segmented carapace of a desert beetle. Ember eyes, glinting with sardonic amusement, watched Morrwyn's display from their corners. The prince's attempt at a mournful sigh reminded the djinn of a punctured wineskin wheezing through its last breath, and the 'wistful' expression that followed looked suspiciously like a sand lizard had just crawled up his nose. Despite himself, a laugh escaped Dakar – a dry, rolling sound that echoed off the cavern walls.​

The colossal Dragon Prince, was nothing if not a walking contradiction. Here was a creature built like a mountain, all bluster and brawn, yet his attempts at melancholy were about as convincing as a kitten trying to imitate a lion's roar. Granted, there was a vulnerability beneath the bluster, a childlike eagerness that Dakar couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was the amnesia the bear of a man spoke of, a shared blank slate that resonated with Dakar on some unexpected level. Or perhaps it was the sheer absurdity of the sight – a giant of a royal prince reduced to scouring and sweeping a spear about like a petulant child. And who - besides Dakar (the Delver with a dead man's contract) - was his audience in this bizarre display? The unseen cave crawling denizens of the dark, the very creatures they hoped to frighten away.​

In any case, even he could not deny the odd sensation of peace and entertainment rising to meet the Dragon Prince's antics. A feat worthy of a ballad in of itself - peace and purple djinn were like oil and water; entirely separate entities. Moreso since the day this one found himself on Caedian sand. Slipping back into the familiar rhythm of a past life spent on the fringes, his days were a constant hustle; not a moment of rest for nimble purple fingers and wagging, silvered tongues. Melanin ever-shifting, he and his merry band of purple phantoms in the bowels of the Tower, flitting through crowds of all manner of beast and peoples, eyes keen as desert hawks in search for the next target. A wink (or three) for the crone, a charming, gold-toothed smile for the young touring couple, a whispered promise of unimaginable fortune for the poor peddler. Swimming against the current in a sea of lily white lies, designed to leave unsuspecting marks lighter in the coin purse and heavier in a currency far dearer than any dollar: trust.​

​

In Caedia, surely nothing had changed. A second chance to lead yet another life on the edge, living by his own twisted code, the thrill of the con the only compass guiding him through this strange, memory-less existence. Spinning sweet lies, intoxicating gullible fools with his gaze, and as far as his nature knew, it was the only solace in a life he, and countless others, could never quite explain.​

​

"No," Dakar replied, his voice distant as he stared into the cavern's depths. A beat of silence stretched, punctuated only by the flicker of returning mischief dancing across his features. "None. The only ballad that truly sets this heart of mine to sing is the sweet clink of coin in my palm."​

​

Morrwyn's tongue clicked in disapproval, a sound that echoed through the cavern like a tiny hammer tapping a gong. It wasn't Dakar's greed that earned the playful reprimand; his own heart and mind was evidently set on entertaining the pair as ballad-mongers. His booming backward strides sent tremors through the cavern floor, scheming with the scraping spear tip against the cavern roof to dislodge the precariously hanging stalactites. With a muttered curse under his breath, Dakar darted to the side to avoid stray sparks.​

​

In no time though, the djinn found himself nodding his head in unconscious time, a single pair of fingers on each lower arm snapping out a counterpoint. His two upper hands, previously crossed against his chest, unfurled with a flick, snapping in unison with their lower counterparts. A grin split his face, and in a gravelly, off-key baritone, Dakar belted out his verse:​

​

"There once was a vamp, his boots were soiled,​

Hungry as could be, his dinner plans foiled,​

He cried, "I know! I'll have my boots and bile boil---"​

​

Nearing the end of his verse, Dakar crashed headfirst into Morrwyn's back as the prince came to a dead halt. The djinn yelped, the beat of his snapping fingers dissolving into the oppressive, cold silence. He stumbled back, glaring at Morrwyn. "Jackals be damned, Drakethorne, what are you-?"​

​

Suddenly, a monstrous white shape erupted from the uneven patch of earth just in front of them. Its spindly legs tipped with wicked claws, unfolded its grotesque form, a multitude of beady black eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. The stench of damp earth and rotting flesh flooded Dakar's senses.​

​

Dakar froze. Every muscle in his body tensed, poised for a single, desperate action. He didn't dare take his eyes off the monstrosity, locked on its twitching form. His two lower eyelids were already wide open, all twenty fingers twitching unconsciously at random intervals, waiting for the opportune moment to open the last eye, the key to his psychic abilities. With barely a hiss past gritted teeth, he spoke to Morrwyn, voice laced with a primal fear he rarely felt. "Drakethorne... don't make... any... sudden... moves..."​

INTERACTIONS.
Haze-

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Fires only burn as good as their fuel. Rigidis registered the jape with the swift turn of her heels. The wizard had walked through the thin air without concern about her health after. Upon reaching Jasha, her head level with his neck, she reached out with her leathery right hand.

The open-faced gesture almost looked like it was meant to help him. It drew attention to the ground away from the ceiling. Only then did the malicious truth come out in the form of a slap. The restraint she had before with Jasha was a distant memory.

“Never understood common manners, have you?” Rigidis questioned. Away flew the dignified air she imagined. In came the more rugged vision: bar fighter, spittle prone. “To insult another like this, you’ll learn never again with me, cur.”

She rotated her shoulders into a fighting stance. “Apologize, will you? Or shall I administer another penalty?"

Rigidis was so drawn into her anger that the crawlers were a forgotten quality. She never had the chance to react to them.

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar .

Code by Serobliss

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

From Jasha's point of view, time appeared to slow down to a crawl as Rigidis' open hand came creeping ever closer to his smiling face. The realization dawned upon him then, very quickly, that the intention behind his words had quite clearly been misunderstood. The young red-head, in an obvious failed attempt at alleviating tension between himself and Rigidis, was simply trying to explain to the fiery-eyed small lady that his earlier gesture of cleaning the bile from her lip was NOT of an intimate nature, RATHER from a tendency born from many seasons spent with enfants. Whether or not Jasha was lying to save face...one could never tell. That Rigidis had received his words in a negative light and would respond with physical violence was seen as a statistical anomaly to him --at first-- only because he made the mistake of assuming that she would understand the intention behind his words.

...As Rigidis' open palm stupidly cleaved through the air, the expression on Jasha's face shifted to that of mild surprise followed by an expression of placid amusement. His lips then curled into a knowing smile; the knowing smile parted to reveal teeth that were tightly grit and then his eyebrows furrowed. This was now the countenance of a man who had a mind to make a reprisal against imminent violence... Every closed eye was not sleeping, and every open eye was not seeing, and then the internal ringing emanating from Jasha's figurative third eye elevated to a cacophonous roar mere seconds after Rigidis' hand met with his visage. The very familiar sound of one hand clapping echoed throughout the cavernous chamber. Naturally, the small blood vessels in the affected area dilated, and this rapid dilation of the capillaries brought more blood to the surface of Jasha's cheek, eliciting it to flush red.

Another lady consigning her fate to the spinster-hood of the settling cats, Jasha thought...then from his seated position, he swiftly raised his one leg and thrust it out towards Rigidis. His black-leather-booted foot would catch Rigidis square against her sternum with the intention of pushing her out of harm's way and leaving himself as the cave-crawlers only rangeable target, a prone target at that.

Interactions: Carolyn

Code by Serobliss

 

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Morrwyn marched with his head held high, crown trained keenly on the torch-lit maw up ahead, humming and bashing along his spear against the earth. Bobbing his head with a smile as he caught the rhythm, tuned the tempo of his spear accordingly. And for a fleeting moment, the dragon prince felt unshaken by the chains of memory he dragged— unfeeling of the need to look back.

The situation, the reciprocation, felt annoyingly homely.

Even if the understanding both the Djinn and the Wyverian shared at the moment was surface-level, it was almost as if he’d just found the one and only being that spoke the same tongue as his, there in the damp womb of those unwinding tunnels.

Another like him, thoroughly burdened by the blight of unfamiliarity. Bore the same curse. Blank canvases the two, still marred with the light stains of whatever scenery they used to display, smudged to a drab of tintless shades still clinging around the corners of the hemp they were made of. Flat, unsullied— a new beginning to paint something else over whatever was missing.

It was reassuring to know there were unlucky fools woven of his same cloth, going through the same alienations has him. For now, Morrwyn was a spear for hire living the present in song with a fellow in arms, not a foreigner sniveling like wimpy child over the past.

He was enjoying it for as long as the ‘now’ would last.

The prince’s chest rose, a sharp intake of damp air filling his lungs right as he was about to bellow out his following verse after Dakar, switching up the rhythm to a higher-key to keep the ballad-in-the-making a tint more flavorful.

Morrwyn only managed to spit out a vowel and raise a dramatic hand before his stomach churned, mouth clasping shut like a bear trap.

An indistinct haze of sounds caught his ear, rumbling underfoot, buzzing in the air; Morrwyn froze in his tracks, spearing the ground as if to anchor himself. The pitter-patter and scratching of something passing over the cold, wet stone. The shriek of a misshapen hollow being pushed up, like stone grinding against stone, a banshee’s wail in the prince’s ear.

He stood there, a grunt the only regard for the slight bump he felt behind him, rooting for that putrid stench hitting his nose, siccing— then finding it scrambling at his feet. It was as ugly as it reeked.

He aimed the torchlight at the thing skittering about below him, utterly regretting doing so mere seconds after. His ashen, drake-blooded skin somehow managed to grow paler once he laid eyes on the beast. His whole body shuddered to a complete freeze, snapshotted into half-a-jump with one leg held up high. Would’ve turned tail and ran all the way down the other end of the tunnel be it not for Dakar’s warning.

“F—fuckin’ ‘ell, wh—what is that thing…!?” — He whispered-shouted back at the djinn, clenching his hands to stop them from trembling, ceasing the clattering of his spear over head — “Why’s it blinking at me like that…???”

It took an amount of poise he didn’t know he had to take his snatched breath back from the cave, swallow the knot at his throat and look back at the dozens of beady black eyes gloating at him. The royal blood managed, somehow, to not faint like a damsel in distress.

“E-Easy, lad…It’ll be reyt…we all mates here, ain’t we?” — Slow, steady (and shaky), Morrwyn set his raised foot down, brought his free arm up to hold his spear overhead. Building up the courage to bat the thing into a mushy mess at the first sign of movement, his grip twisting around the pole of his spear.

“Need ya’ to trust me, yeah…?” — A breathless whisper was shot back at Dakar, not as courageous as it was meant to sound in his head; the prince prepared the guillotine.

“Mind t’ spear.” — Was the one and only warning he gave.

A deep intake hissed through clenched teeth, the glaive-head of the spear split wide open, bellowing out a shrill whistle of steam, taking a breath long denied to it for the first time in a while. As if baring its teeth, it gave way like splayed skin and muscle to show the milk-white husk that hid beneath the blades, a sharp, boney structure with gravelly growths.

A portion of an Elder Drake’s skull, replicating the ear-ringing roar of a true Wyverian dragon as the hot air sang and whistled through its hollow cavities.

Then came the flames.

「 GAE BOLG 」
⸍◟⸝ᛍˎ⸜ ᛍᛁ⸌⸌ᛁ⡄​

SPLAT !!!​

It happened in a flash of dragonfire, slamming on the ground so hard it sparked into a burst of flames, a pillar of fiery orange that fanned along the roof of the cave, setting the tunnel alight. A mound of debris and red-hot stone flung up with every swipe of the spear, batted with the (non-existent) grace of a caveman flinging a stick around.

Even after the flames had died out, the prince kept swinging blindly. At the cracked ground, at the smoldered corpse of the cave creature; Morrwyn had no idea anymore — “IS IT DEAD YET?!”

Interactions: Kovacs Elenion Aura

Code by Serobliss

 

[angel doe]

Expedition #1

OPHELIA

ELVEN DRUID

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

"The teleporting wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was definitely unpleasant..." Ophelia mused quietly, head tilting to the side, "I would never say no to peaches, though."

As Begonia continued, the elven woman listened intently and mentally noted everything. She was glad to have been paired with someone so well-versed in fighting. She was a strong fighter, but having someone as skilled as Begonia certainly never hurt. It didn't register to Ophelia that the other woman had also been making a joke and there was a long awkward pause before the realization hit, resulting in a delighted laugh from the blonde, "I see what you did there."

"That sounds like a reasonable trade-off. I'll take you up on it," Ophelia agreed to her terms, smiling, "I'm a capable fighter, but my strengths lie more in magic- specifically nature magic." Before she could continue she felt a strange shift in the ground, frowning as she looked at her feet. She was a second too late noticing what was about to happen as the rock beneath them gave way and left them plummeting into another section of the mines.

As the dust settled, Ophelia coughed and looked around for her partner, "Begonia, Are you okay?" She spoke as loud as she dared, not wanting to bring too much attention to them. Scanning the area around them, she noted the sloped path leading back up and let out a sigh of relief. Turning the other direction and coming face-to-face with a stone man startled her, however, and she yelped.

"...Do you think we could help this person?" Ophelia recovered from her fright quickly, examining the statue before her only to have her attention once again stolen by another sound; a distant clicking echoing from the darkness made her ears twitch. That didn't bode well for them.

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit

Code by Serobliss

 

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Raphael and the mine foreman spoke.

Well, more accurately, the old codger whinged on and on about things that couldn't possibly concern the Delving Association, while Raphael fought to keep his expression professional. "Of course," Raphael agreed to something; he couldn't exactly be sure what. A mutual end to this conversation, perhaps? At least the wrinkled laborer seemed pleased. Hells, he hoped he hadn't acquiesced to something... Unseemly.

Lucky enough it seemed for Raphael that he wouldn't get the chance to find out.

CRACK!

The sound jolted the Vampire back to his senses. It seemed to steal the foreman's attention, too; his old turtleflesh neck was swiveling around, eyes peeling to locate the source of the aberrant noise within the hectic flurry of activity that was the mine itself.

It didn't take long.

A miner—coming off a particularly hefty swing of his pickaxe that must have gone wild and missed the mark completely—had gotten the damn tool stuck fast in something that now protruded like a sore thumb from the mundane earth and stone around it. Raphael tilted his head, curious but not yet alarmed... The offending miner and a fellow beside him were hard at work trying to wrench his wayward pickaxe free. Even as the foreman's weathered complexion paled.

"NO! LEAVE IT! NOO!"

He was running toward them now, waving his arms like a lunatic. Too late. The men succeeded in pulling the iron pick free.

What began as a soft hiss rose until it became a low, rumbling moan. The miners stumbled backward as jets of air spat out from the widening crevasse, as the very cave itself shook, as shuddering tremors ran beneath Raphael's feet...

As a Stone Golem pulled itself up into the mine, a chip hacked out of its brow.

The creature bellowed a warbling cry, a sound like an avalanche of stone scraping against stone, as the hapless miners fell over themselves in their haste to flee from its wrath.

"Fucking Hells..." Raph swore and brandished his daggers, taking one step toward the thing that everyone else was scurrying away from. He did not take another.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 15​

(Raphael) Roll 1d20 = 8​

The flash of the stake, polished wood with a silver-inlaid handle, eludes him until it pierces his back, slips between ribs, and ends up protruding out the other end through his sternum. The face-tattooed dwarf smiles grimly as he drives the stake deeper into the Vampire's undead heart before he whisks away, leaving the weapon embedded in its victim's chest.

As the golem began its rampage, Raphael's body slowly sunk to the mine floor, limbs curling into themselves, shriveling up like a dead insect, hands reaching fecklessly for the implement that had burst its way out through his chest, eyes wide and bloodshot, expression frozen in shocked anguish.

Group 1: Jasha & Rigidis

Thanks to Jasha's quick reaction time, Rigidis was knocked out of the Cave Crawler's hooked grasp. Unfortunately, that left the prone rogue to weather the full brunt of the creature's assault from above...

Creature Attack​

(Cave Crawler) Roll 1d20 = 20 (Crit!)​

The Cave Crawler falls upon Jasha at full tilt. Its claws lash out, drawing blood as they rake him up and down. Worse still, the creature's snapping jaw finds purchase. It bites down hard, injecting the man with its slow-working, paralytic venom.

Whether by force of strength or of skillful dexterity, the Cave Crawler found itself separated from the man, its would-be prey. It scuttled back and away from the pair of humans on its many gore-tinged spindle-legs. It slowly circled them, jaws dripping with both blood and saliva, searching for its next opportunity to feast.

Interactions: RaiAthar Carolyn

GROUP 2: MORRWYN & DAKAR

The creature died with a keening shriek, its form bubbling and popping as it lay in a ruin, strewn across the stone floor.

For a single, fleeting moment... All was silent. The cave was still.

Then came chittering from the yawning dark ahead of them. One mouth. Then two. Then a chorus, all snapping in unison. Drawn by the sounds of battle. Driven to frenzy by the scent of gore. From the light of the flaming spear, they could see them by their eyes, pitch-black pearls glinting as they scuttled toward them from out of the gloom, coating the ground, walls, and ceiling with their advance.

Player Decision​

Dakar and Morrwyn are about to be set upon by a large horde of Cave Crawlers. They may choose to hold their ground and fight, or retreat and seek a more advantageous position.

If they choose to fight, roll a 1d20 against a Difficulty Class of 19

If they choose to retreat, roll a 1d20 against a Difficulty Class of 5

The higher of the two rolls will count for both.

Interactions: Haze- Kovacs

GROUP 3: BEGONIA & OPHELIA

The petrified man offered no answer to the unasked question of his reason for being there. Who was he? What was he doing down here? How long had he been trapped like this?

Many a question there was, and yet no answers presented themselves to the pair of women who now found their paths intersecting with his.

Their choice would need to come swiftly, though, as fresh sounds of chaos erupted. Not from the darkness of the freshly uncovered cavern, which remained for the moment free of any visible signs of Cave Crawlers. But rather back from whence they had come. Something had happened back at the mines.

Even all the way down here, the sounds of screaming reached their ears. What would they do now?

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit angel doe

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Rigidis’ torso tilted from the kick and unbalanced her footing. She rolled backward until a wall stopped her. It was fortunate that the crystals embedded there were blunt. Instead of cutting her open, they only left tiny bruises.

Upside down, legs in the air, Rigidis saw the cave crawler feast on Jasha. The blood that spewed out spoke of an ugly death. Her mind ran the variables of the moment: a corpse, a thirsty monster, and a delectable wizard.

She twisted her core to the side, leveraging the momentum to land on her feet. Escape was an option she was tempted by. But she discarded it on the basis that the crawler was faster than her. That and her obligation to a fellow delver, even one as detestable as Jasha. She would retrieve him or his body to safety.

Reaching down in one of her pockets, Rigidis pulled out a spell book. She flipped the pages to the section on evocation. Like straw on water, she drew out the cosmos, appealed to the patron of her magic through verse, and in a flash covered her ears as the sound of thunder reverberated through the cavern.

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar .

Code by Serobliss

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Before the cave-crawler landed onto Jasha's prone form, he stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Rigidis' upside-down form slumped against the cavern wall opposite to him. It seemed to Jasha that the very laws which governed this universe had also been turned upside-down in that moment he had kicked Rigidis because...he DID NOT intend to kick her with such force! Jasha's honest to Gods' intention was only to shove her five feet --give or take a foot-- the bare minimum to place her out of harm's way, not to send her hurtling across the cavern floor like a wingless bat out of the deepest pits of the Nine Hells! Hells, Jasha was all about making women feel GOOD, not BAD! Jasha could barely even bring himself to be heavy-handed with some few women who were really into that sort of thing in the bedroom... Perhaps Rigidis was into that sort of thing, thought Jasha. He would have to inquire later if he made it out of this predicament alive.

The trivial thoughts of Rigidis' supposed bedside manner and love-making preferences drifted into the abyss of Jasha's sub-conscious, supplanted by an even more primal impulse --the impulse to survive. All of a sudden, Jasha registered the pain of an insectoid creature's chitinous maw clamping down onto his right shoulder and of its legs clawing into his back. In Jasha's younger years, when he was still with the Cirque du Lune, Anway taught him what to do should a grizzly bear ever attack and he could not readily escape. Anway's instructions were the following: Lay flat on the stomach and cover the back of the head with the arms; be prepared to feel intense pain... And pain he felt; blood he smelt --his own. Fire shot through Jasha veins, the figuratively painful kind of fire, as the creature successfully injected its vile venom into his bloodstream. So much pain, but still not as painful as that one time...so Jasha endured silently; lying still; gritting his teeth...and it worked? The gnashing, gnawing and clawing stopped. Jasha rolled back five feet towards Rigidis, drawing his whip while drawing himself up to stand at a location that would not impede Rigidis' direct line of sight to the cave-crawler. Jasha was poised to lash out at the creature with Anway's Whip. Many beads of crimson were trailing down his legs and arms...

"An eye..." Jasha took in a deep breath, a gently roiling flame of deep shades of red and violet engulfed his right hand, then spread out along the full length of his whip, "...for an eye!" His abyssal energy imbued whip-strike was guided by both mind and body.

[ ABYSSAL EMPATHIC TRANSFER ]​

Interactions: Carolyn

Code by Serobliss

 

[Kovacs]

Expedition #1

VI'JUDAKAR

THE ROGUE DJINN

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Morrwyn's fear was a tangible, twisting, writhing wave radiating from his trembling form. It washed over like a cold, bitter tide, matched by the djinn's own nervous thrill that pulsed through his veins. With a flourish that belied the storm of adrenaline within, Dakar reached out and steadied Morrwyn's shaking shoulder. "That," he croaked, voice low, a predatory glint flickering in his multiple eyes, "is why we don't sing about vampires and their unfortunate footwear in caves full of angry, ancient beasties."

The djinn's mind raced, flitting through a sandstorm of survival scenarios. Erase the creature's memory? A tempting proposition, but one fraught with doubt. What guarantee was there that this creature even possessed a memory worth erasing?

Thus the four-armed felon came upon a sobering realization---in these caves, no room existed for petty illusions or distractions. The prince turned to him, his lips uttering a word, a concept that was as foreign to Dakar as an icy breath of winter would be on desert sand.

To entrust one's life to another was an act of faith, a leap into the unknown. It was to relinquish control, to surrender one's will to the whims of another's. For Dakar, raised in a world where self-reliance was paramount, such an act was anathema. Trust was nothing more than a cornerstone for deception, a tool to choke fools like the young Dorian out of their gold, their contracts, and their very lives. Those weary, wizened travelers of the Tower often warned that the purple djinn were not capable, nor receptive of such a profound act.

Still, the creature forced that choice upon them: unity or annihilation. Dakar hesitated, warring with the nascent understanding that survival might require something more than individual prowess. In the end, pragmatism won out.

"I will trust you," Dakar hissed under his breath, "to throw it well, and throw it better than those ballads that brought us this creature in the first place!"

And there it went. Dakar raised his four arms, a desperate shield against the impending cataclysm. The spear, a white-hot lance, trembled in Morrwyn's grasp, bringing forth an ancient draconian power which had the cavern blasted into a blinding cascade of flame. A deafening roar accompanied it, swallowing eardrums whole. Debris rained down upon them, a hail of stone and ash. Dakar felt the heat lick at his skin, like searing kisses of pain. Yet, through the veil of smoke and embers, all his eyes remained widened, fixed on the creature, its monstrous form now a twisted, charred husk. A powerful bastard beast, beating another powerful bastard beast.

Dakar's multiple hands slapped Morrwyn on the back, a somewhat clumsy gesture of gratitude, carrying with it the implicit response of 'yes, dear prince, it is deader than dead'. But their moment of triumph was short-lived. A chorus of chittering erupted from the darkness ahead; eyes, hundreds of them, gleamed like malicious stars in the gloom, converging on their position. The ground seemed to ripple with movement, a living carpet of crawling menaces.

"Drakethorn," Dakar began, his voice oozing with faux casualness, "remember that time I told you not to move?..."

Well, who’s to say if Drakethorn even heard him? Dakar was already sprinting away, his footsteps slapping against the cave walls in a frantic, unapologetic rhythm, as if he couldn’t care less whether the prince decided to follow or not...

INTERACTIONS.
Haze-

 

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

The beast lay now a pile of sizzling, cooked tissue, chitinous bits of white husk strewn around as if someone had cracked a giant egg on the ground, splurges of bug-blood bubbling under the head of the spear shoved into a now cave crawler sized crater— one leg still twitching involuntarily under the mess.

Morrwyn gulped out a guttural croak, less victorious than it should’ve sounded. Shoulders slumped, chest heaving as he struggled to snatch his breath back from the gaping dark, hissing out a whistle of steaming hot breath, wide-eyed as he finally managed the courage to lift the spear — “Fuck’s sake…” — Scowling, eyeing the bug leg, slack like a jointless doll arm, still sticking out the dangerous end of the pointy stick. Knowing, dreading, that it would probably be a pain to scrub it all off the edge after the delve.

It had this charred smell of shrimp. Oddly pleasant.

The dragon prince flicked the extra limb off the spear, in a charitable spin, chafing the rest of the bug muck into the nearest cave wall, the tip of the spear scraping a thin, sharp line against it — “Reckon he wanted to join our merry band?” — He speared the ground, leaning into the anchored lance with a nonchalant, idiot grin on his face. A grin that became progressively somber as his ears caught the chattering clicks echoing down the tunnel behind them, a bead of sweat running below the underside of his crown.

As it stood, Morrwyn and Dakar had made quite the name for themselves in the bard industry. They’d amassed quite the audience.

“M-More…?” — His spine straightened at the sound of their feet tapping along the cave walls, having to clench his jaw tight not to let out a (manly) squeal. A second, and perhaps two more, then a breath of composure, Morrwyn tugged his spear from the ground, aiming it at the dark maw of the tunnel, a focused stillness in his stance — “We’ll just ‘ave to hold ‘em off before they get to the miners.”

He shifted his feet, grumbling as his grip clammed once more on the spear, baring a grimace at the approaching cave crawlers. Tunnel-focused, determined— until — “Eh?” — he looked back and saw nothing but the four-armed, imaginary outline of what used to be his loyal lyricist, Dakar, standing beside him.

“HEY WHAT THE HELL MAN!!!??!?!?” — His soul had left his body for that small moment of solitude, scared him enough to fully drop the accent. The prince stumbled into a run, arms and legs throwing ahead as if possessed, the clattering of tiny feet already at his toes— the Djinn long ahead of him.

“Shite!” — He fumbled with the spear until finally bringing it up to his face, craning it back, and

CLANK !!​

Slamming it as hard as he could against his skull. Black Wyverian metal banging against the royal dragon crown.

CLANK CLANK !!!​

Over and over again, clenching his teeth, head throwing back with each heat

CLANK !!!!!!​

Until finally sliding the blade across his face crudely. Growling like a rabid dog, a manic smile splitting his lips. The blood that seeped, tainted with mana, bubbled out of the wound and boiled so hot it punched holes in the ground as he ran. Morrwyn blabbered something under his breath, huffing out a chuckle, shaking the dizziness off the back of his skull, braids whipping around his shoulders.

Surprisingly,

「 ! FRENZIED ! 」
⸍◟⸝ᛍˎ⸜ ި⸌ˎˎ⸍​

The prince only picked up the pace, his feet practically cracking the ground as they thumped faster and louder. Before he’d noticed, as that manic smile softened and the sense of lightness wore off, Morrwyn was already way ahead of Dakar.

Masochistic Wyverian genes at full display.

“Oh, I remember it well, mate!” — He threw the words behind him, still too busy running for his life — “We need t’ find the others an' hold ‘em off ‘fore they get to the miners! They’re too damn many for just us!” — With a grumbled string of curses, the prince bit down on his spear to free his hands, back bending forward to an arched, awkward run with his arms behind him— slapping both palms behind his back before gesturing at Dakar.

No, he wasn’t showing Dakar his rear (that would be unprincely), Morrwyn was simply offering a piggy back ride — “All four arms then, on’ be shy, hop aboard! Quit laikin’ ‘round! I’ll get us there faster and I ain’t luggin’ ya’ around like a princess through the rest of the bloody tunnel.”

Interactions: Kovacs

Code by Serobliss

 

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Staking a Vampire through the heart doesn't actually kill it outright; that is a common misconception. Though, it does leave us paralyzed. Frozen to the spot. Helpless. The idea is you drag our rigor mortis dead flesh out of our crypts to meet the sun. Or you leave us where we lie and let us slowly wither away. That's the idea, anyway...

"Hnngh..." Raph lay there, defenseless and forgotten, as the miners fled from the wrath of the stone golem which, curiously, seemed to be relegating the brunt of its fury against the wooden carts and containers housing the luminous crystals within. Small mercies, Raph thought through the hazy fog that was his mired, semi-conscious mind.

Just then, some sound from afar tugged at the waning threads of his awareness. Something—no, a great many somethings—fast approached down one of the many winding corridors, just barely out of view.

Group 1: Jasha & Rigidis

The sharp crack of thunder buffeted the creature as though it had been a physical force. The Cave Crawler instinctively leapt away, relinquishing the back of its quarry in its haste, fearing the beast of a blow that would follow such a roar.

When no harm befell it, however—and all of its many eyes found not Jasha, but the woman wizard whom its simple mind intuited had called the thunderclap of a far-flung heaven down to its subterranean home—all pretense of caution was forgotten in favor of a redoubled hunger. The first bite had done nothing to slake its insatiable appetite for meat. As the memory of thunder echoed down the long cavernous halls, the creature lunged at her, claws and teeth clacking ravenously.

Crack! went the whip against its flank. The spell wove its way around the Crawler like a noose. Familiar wounds blossomed along its carapace, as they leaked a sickly-green ichor. It shrieked and fell hard on the unforgiving stones, its many legs scrabbling and scraping helplessly as its body contorted in pain and fury... Crippled, dying, but not quite dead. Not yet, anyway. The Delvers could put an end to its misery. Though, as the sounds of chaos erupted behind them and back the way they came, it quickly became apparent that time was most certainly not on their side.

Interactions: RaiAthar Carolyn

GROUP 2: MORRWYN & DAKAR

The creatures pursued the diminishing forms of Dakar and Morrwyn as they sped off down the twisting stone cavern, collectively unaware that the Rookie Delvers intended to lead them into a trap and the waiting arms of their fellow warriors...

Only, Begonia and Ophelia were nowhere to be found along the path that led back towards the main mine shaft. And, making matters worse, the miners themselves were at that very moment fleeing from the rampaging Stone Golem at their backs. A huddle of them, men and dwarves with soot-stained faces and calloused hands, froze at the strange sight of the two men—rather, one man, one Djinn—barreling towards them out of the gloom. Their dumbfounded stares melted to a kind of understanding as the sights and sounds of the oncoming horde of Cave Crawlers reached their eyes and ears.

All broke into frantic motion as the full weight of the situation dawned. Shouted hoarse warnings were mingled with the clatter of iron tools. The flickering lights from cave lanterns revealed the wild glint in their eyes. They bolted, scattering like leaves in a storm, their boots pounding the uneven stone, back towards the main mine, and the stone golem that now guarded it.

Interactions: Haze- Kovacs

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Expedition #1

BEGONIA SCHULTZ

HUMAN FIGHTER

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Begonia had been in this place before. Not here, caught between betwixt the lattice of gleaming crystals that made up the cave, but here, stuck between one victim and another. I hadn't been an uncommon thing during her time with the guard. There was always more to be done, but only so many hands to do it. She considered, for a moment, what their job was: to protect the miners. But, then, her deeper instincts urged her to think more steadily. How long had this man sat here, petrified? Years? Or perhaps only hours? Was he a corpse, or a mind caught screaming in some sort of awful, eternal punishment? If they left him behind, if they then lost their way or the caverns shifted, how many years would pass before someone could offer him a helping hand again?

She gritted her teeth, and steeled herself again the nerves which sputtered in her chest, stirred up by the chittering in the dark. The more she thought on it, the less of a choice there was. Today, there were other hands, and she'd have to trust them to take care of things on their own.

"We've gotta try, don't we?" Without flourish, Begonia drew her spear from her back. Whatever stirred in the dark, it had the home field advantage. Their flanks were exposed, and whatever it was that was drawing up on the two of them, its eyes were surely better adjusted to the gloom than either of theirs.

"You said you were good with magic, right? Don't suppose you've got anything to help us see better, do ya?" She was confident enough in her ability to hold a position, especially with someone at her back... But not being able to see where she was being advanced on from made it a bit trickier. "I figure we should be able to haul this poor guy up and out of here- Get him checked out by someone with a better head for this sort of thing- But we can't do that if we get jumped first. Let's make sure we've got a clear path... And then we can get to helping him. Sound good?"

Interactions: angel doe

Code by Serobliss

 

[angel doe]

Expedition #1

OPHELIA

ELVEN DRUID

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

"You said you were good with magic, right? Don't suppose you've got anything to help us see better, do ya?"

Ophelia paused for a moment, eyes narrowed as she focused, "Yes, I think I can manage something." Her response was just loud enough to be heard, but not so loud that it might draw the creatures closer. They were approaching regardless, but she didn't want to give them any reason to move faster. Ophelia took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she summoned small balls of what looked to be sunlight and sent them into the air. A simple spell, but a useful one nonetheless.

"Hopefully that will be enough," She sighed, flexing her fingers, "I agree, though, we won't be much good if we get attacked. Your plan sounds like it could work. I'm with you." Ophelia reached for the staff she had strapped to her back, grabbing it with both hands and preparing for the coming fight. Her main goal was to help Begonia, but she made a mental note to keep an eye out for any openings for them to escape with the stone man.

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit

Code by Serobliss

 

[Kovacs]

Expedition #1

VI'JUDAKAR

THE ROGUE DJINN

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

By the time the surprisingly lithe Drakethorne caught up to him, Dakar was on all sixes, purplish limbs pumping like pistons to get away. The ground beneath him was rough and uneven, a treacherous terrain that only added to the frantic pulse slicing through his temples. As the djinn glanced over his shoulder, he caught glimpse of the dragon prince’s eyes—fiery and feral with adrenaline—illuminated by the flickering light of leftover embers. The beast of a man's agile movements seemed almost otherworldly, making Dakar's every motion feel painfully slow in comparison.

Yet what still remained racing were the thoughts in the djinn's head, singularly focused on deciphering his next move should the gap between him and the horde narrow. At his pace against the tsunami of crawlers, he'd only last a dozen seconds or more. That reality seemed all the starker as the sight of Morrwyn, who was now clearly surging past, overshadowed him. All six eyes twinkling in envy and contempt, the djinn felt very much like, for the first time, karma had finally bitten him in his purple behind.

But then, something unexpected happened. Morrwyn’s string of murmured curses were followed by a sudden, almost comical display of dexterity. The prince bit down on his spear to free his hands, bending forward in a way that made his back arch unnaturally. He slapped his palms behind him, gesturing with a broad, almost mischievous grin. The gesture was clear—he was offering a piggyback ride.

Breath heaving, Morrwyn's offer was returned with a look in complete disbelief. Was this some elaborate jest? A last-minute taunt for the doomed djinn? Here Dakar was, running for his life and expecting abandonment, only to find the prince, in an act both predictable and wildly unexpected, willing to slow his incredible speed to save the very creature who had used him as bait for the crawlers just minutes earlier.

Naturally, that absurdity soon gave way to rapacious relief and self-serving gratitude. Dakar’s breath came in ragged gasps as he scrambled to close the gap between them, his fear and exhaustion momentarily forgotten. With a determined grunt, he launched himself onto Morrwyn’s back, wrapping all four arms around the prince’s shoulders and torso like a baby marmot clinging to its mother.

“Good man,” Dakar panted, his voice strained but edged with a lop-sided grin. He gave Morrwyn’s shoulder a couple of encouraging pats, his attempt at humor a thin veneer over his anxiety. “Drop me, and it’ll be the end of us both. They’re gaining on us now. Go, go, go!”

As they hurtled down the tunnel, Dakar's heart sank further when he saw caught sight of the very miners they were meant to protect, a group of them—men and dwarves—standing frozen, their dumbfounded stares locked onto the strange sight of a two-headed, multi-armed creature barreling their way.

There was no need to shout warning; the cavernous, chittering chorus did all the talking. In moments, they were a herd of deer stealing away at the sight of the mountain lion, straight into the jaws of a stone leviathan.

“Morrwyn!” Dakar shouted, pointing ahead, his voice choked with terror as he caught sight of the ominous shape ahead. “Your spear! Seven jackals be damned, where the hell are the rest of the Delvers?!”

INTERACTIONS.
Haze-

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Dark crimson and violet flames coruscated around the cave-crawler's carapace, coalescing mostly onto its back before giving way to the selfsame wounds it had inflicted on Jasha. That same abyssal fire burned along the surface of Jasha's injuries, except these flames closed his bleeding wounds and revitalized his constitution before seemingly dissipating into the freshly mended flesh of his backside. The cave-crawler was not long for this world, Jasha was aware. He peered over his shoulder, making eye contact with Rigidis, a serene smile on his face. "I owe you one, and I'de like to pay you back right here and now," he innuendously winked his left eye at the girl, "but there's obviously trouble brewing back from where we came." And with that, Jasha set off into a sprint or as fast as he could get himself to move in this enclosed environs, re-tracing his steps to the cavern that served as the main hub of the mining operation.

A rampaging stone golem and frantic, frightened miners entered Jasha's view as he came around the final bend in the path leading to the main cavern. Beneath the golem's feet, on the stone cold floor, lay Raphael's motionless body. "Rigidis, I need a distraction."

Using his rogue-like speed and reflexes, Jasha dashed towards Raphael, kneeling down beside the now shrivelled man after closing the gap. The stake piercing Raphael's back did not go without notice. Subsequently, he wrenched the stake out from Raphael's body, tossing it aside callously. "Time to wake-up, Sunshine." Jasha chuckled lightheartedly, unperturbed by the presence of the stone golem looming over them both. He figured a distraction from Rigidis would be imminent...if not, he had an ace in his pocket that he hoped he wouldn't have to resort to so early in the game...

"You're gonna need some of this," he spoke softly yet quickly to Raphael, holding his wrist over the vampire's mouth. Congealed blood from non-existent wounds were still clinging heavily like a thick coat of drying paint on Jasha's outstretched arm --practically his whole body in fact.

Interactions: Carolyn Elenion Aura

Code by Serobliss

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Rigidis mouthed a heavy “yes!” after her spell activated. It soon turned to a despairing “no!” as the crave crawler ran toward instead of away from her. Shielding her head with her elbows with a knee up, she caught the creature being nailed through the small crack between her arms. She made for an awkward figure standing there one legged before the ravenous sounds elsewhere reactivated the instinctual need to run. So much so that her response to Jasha’s innuendo was a miffed grunt.

The muscle-bound man reached the main hub faster than Rigidis. She was breathing rapidly with a hand on a protruding crystal. The last time she’d been challenged like this was when a prefect uncovered her potion scam.

“A distraction? That thin—” the mage’s objection went unheard. Stupid rogues and their razor-sharp reflexes. Without an avenue of escape that could forgo the vampiric guide, she picked up on another cosmic rhythm. This would be no make-belief thunder.

An invisible psychic link wove its way to the stone golem. Rigidis was not sure if the construct had a mind of its own. In spite of her own ignorance, the principal thing that animated the pile of rocks would feel pain.

She cried, “Inconstant!”

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar , Kovacs

Code by Serobliss

 

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

He saw the light at the end of the tunnel, greeted it and the shadowy figures beyond it with a wide grin. One that slowly dropped as his eyes followed the miners, scampering like a line of worker ants, leading straight to the hulking stone giant ravaging the crystals. Morrwyn froze—

“Your spear!”

— Until the voice of the purple fiend clinging to his back rang clear in his ear. He came back alive, the color regaining on his already paling face — “F—Fuuuuck!”

Feet shuffling, spitting out his spear to catch it, Morrwyn stomped his heel on the ground, sliding as he came to an anchor. Blood pumping to his chest, spear slipping between his fingers, a sweaty-palmed, heart racing sensation making his breath pick up. He glanced up, under the golem’s shadow, petrified at the sheer size of the thing — “We might be needin’ a bigger spear for that…” — He panted out a chuckle, swiping a hand sleek with sweat on his pant leg.

Morrwyn threw glances around the mine strip, feeling the clock ticking— just as the chittering of bug feet ticked and tapped closer— over his shoulder. There was no way they could protect the miners from the cave crawlers with that golem joining in.

The prince furrowed his brow at the sight of a scantily clad, half-naked heathen putting his hands on their expedition leader, readying his spear to— oh no wait, that was just Jasha — "Oi, Sire Jasha, Lady Rigidis!!!” — He shouted at the top of his lungs, flailing his arms around to get their attention, completely oblivious of the fact that he still looked like a two-headed, six-armed monster with Dakar on his shoulders — “We gotta get the hell outta here, there’s a horde of giant bugs comin’ this way! Cross the other tunnel!”

Morrwyn stumbled as the reverberations from the golem smashing his fists against the carts traveled up to his feet, having to lean back with a hiss to regain his footing.

He shot an anxious glance behind them, hearing the thumping of the cave crawlers’ feet drawing closer, before looking to his spear. Rattling it in its hand as if a dim mana crystal drawn of all its magicks. No power left, no battery; barely any fire managed to wheeze out of the spear — “Outta juice…?” — Serves him right for wasting it back then on that one cave crawler — “And nobbut couple a’ minutes before those things get here, eh?”

The royal spear was still heating up, warming. Only a minute before he could kindle the flames again. Problem was, it looked as if they didn’t have even half a minute to spare, not at all.

“Alright then…” — The dragon prince drew breath, stilling himself, rolling his shoulders and gesturing with his chin at Dakar — “I think I know what to do.” — Without another word spoken, Morrwyn clenched his teeth and skewered himself right through the leg. Keeling forward as the spikes of pain hit, grunting hard as the spear pulled out.

Dragonblood boiled with mana, so hot that only a few blots managed to spew out before the gash cauterized itself, leaving only a black, charred blotch behind and a not so pretty punch-hole in his dress pants. As if a giant moth had given him a shakedown, rubbed some charcoal on his thigh. The strength from before hadn’t left him yet, the drake blood in his veins was still reactive; he just needed more — “’At should be enough…”

“We just ‘ave to draw big guy’s attention over to the other tunnel, get ‘im to stomp on our friends right as they arrive.” — The spear craned back, whole body twisting into a thrower’s stance as Morrwyn’s arm went behind his back, sprung like a tense spring, muscles popping as if his black armor were only there to contain them. Wouldn’t be his mightiest throw, but it would sure do.

A gust of hot wind howled forward when he released, the spear blurring into a thin, red line headed straight for the golem’s core.

Interactions:
Carolyn Kovacs Elenion Aura RaiAthar

Code by Serobliss

 

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

His eyelids fluttered open. The rogue was crouched beside him, his arm outstretched, blood still clinging to his skin in thick, dark patches. The sight of it—the smell of it—rolled over Raphael like a wave. His fangs ached. He needed to feed... But not from him... Not from them.

"No," He rasped, his breath sputtering in ragged gasps as he turned his head away from Jasha’s offering. Never again, he had said. He had sworn. No matter how desperate, no matter how weak... But oh, how he was desperate. He was weak... Then, from the shadows, a faint scuttling sound. The gods, indeed, are merciful. A lone cave crawler, its many legs clicking on the stone as it skittered past.

Feral strength surged into his limbs, shoving past Jasha as he lunged. Landing atop the creature, grappling with its spiny, wriggling form. His fangs popped. His pupils dilated, vision sharpening as the hunger reached a fever pitch. He was a hollow thing. There was nothing left in him—only the need to feed.

He drove his fangs down. Teeth puncturing the thick shell with a sickening crack, and the dark, oozing ichor gushed forth, spilling, pooling in his mouth. The taste was bitter, acrid, but he didn’t care. It was sustenance. It was salvation. It was life.

The crawler weakened as Raphael drained it, its legs twitching and spasming before going limp in his grasp. He drank deeply, his body soaking in the creature’s foul gore, feeling the strength return to his limbs, the fog lift from his mind. Finally, the crawler was still—its body shriveled, dry, and brittle in Raphael's hands. He let it fall to the ground, its life's blood staining his lips and chin, his armor smeared and slick with the creature's viscous remains. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, leaving dark streaks across his pale skin. It was with this visage that he at last turned to Jasha and asked, "Is everyone still alive? Good."

Answering his own question, Raphael stood slowly, a trickle of his strength returned, his latest meal having only been enough to take the edge off. His eyes flicked to the stone golem, still rampaging in the distance, and the chaos swirling around them... The battle was far from over... For now, it would have to be enough.

Interactions: RaiAthar

Group 1/2: Jasha & Rigidis, MORRWYN & DAKAR

The stone golem was in the midst of smashing another cart to splinters when Rigidis’ spell took hold. The construct froze, its massive arm suspended mid-swing, the sound of grinding rock suddenly silenced. Deep within its core, something shifted—something felt.

For the first time since its creation, the golem was aware of pain.

The spell Rigidis had woven crackled like an invisible chain of fire, snaking through its body, touching the ancient magic that held the creature together. The golem’s gemset form flickered erratically as the magical tether connecting its pieces seared with psychic agony. The golem swayed, as though confused by the sensation now writhing through its being.

And then Morrwyn’s spear struck.

The dragon prince’s throw was swift and true, the spear flashing through the air like a comet before slamming into the golem’s chest with a loud crack. The spear embedded itself deep within the creature’s stone hide, sending a cascade of jagged pebbles and dust crumbling from the point of impact. The golem lurched back, a low, rumbling growl vibrating from its core, echoing through the cavern like a distant avalanche.

It paused for a moment, almost as if contemplating the new assault. Then, the stone atop its shoulders that approximated a head slowly turned, focusing on the trio of Delvers, who stood across the cavern floor. The pain it felt was overwhelming now, a primal response to the magical assault and the physical strike—its only thought now was vengeance.

The golem let out a thunderous, bellowing roar, shaking the very walls of the cave. It lurched forward, its massive stone feet stomping across the cavern floor with a slow, terrible rhythm. Each step left cracks in the stone beneath it, fissures spreading out from the impact points like webs of destruction.

But its attention had shifted.

The miners, huddled together in terror only moments ago, were now forgotten by the rampaging giant. With the golem’s fury focused on Morrwyn, Rigidis, and Dakar, they scrambled back into the shadows, clutching each other and retreating toward the rear of the mine. Their path to safety was clear—for now.

But the danger was far from over.

Behind the group of Delvers, near to the mouth of the mine, the chittering sound of countless legs scraping against stone filled the air as the army of cave crawlers flooded in, a dark tide of segmented bodies, claws, and mandibles. Their jaws snapped hungrily as they surged forward.

Interactions: Carolyn Haze- Kovacs

GROUP 3: BEGONIA & OPHELIA

All creatures who dwell in darkness hate the light. But there is no luminence more loathsome to them than the light of the sun. Even a false sun...

The moment Ophelia’s spell completed, the effect was instantaneous, and startling. The soft orbs of sunlight flared to life and bathed the cave in a warm, golden glow. The light bounced off the gleaming crystals that grew in those caves, magnifying the intensity of the false daylight.

The cave crawlers, skittering on the edges of perception, froze as if they had been struck by a physical blow. The chittering silenced, the darkness around the edges of the clearing now teeming with shuffling movement. Long, segmented limbs recoiling from the light. As one, the cave crawlers hissed and clicked in retreat, vanishing back into the deep crevices of the cave.

For a few moments, the cave remained still, save for the lingering echoes of the retreating creatures and the soft hum of Ophelia’s spell. The shadows at the periphery of the cave still danced, restless, but nothing dared to approach the shimmering aura of sunlight.

Still, the Delvers would have been wise to scan the surroundings, looking for any signs of more movement, any hint that the creatures might regroup or reconsider their attack—but there was none. For now, the path was clear.

The petrified man, his form solidified in stone, remained motionless, bathed in the warm glow of the light. For the first time since they had encountered him, his expression—twisted in some unknowable way—seemed almost peaceful, illuminated by the glow of the false sun.

The ground beneath the petrified man was rough and uneven, his body heavy with the weight of years spent frozen in place. Even so, with effort, he could be pried free.

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit angel doe

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Jasha did not show it outwardly, but he was actually quite impressed by the level of self-control shown by this pitiable child of the night. There was certainly an interesting story to be told here, a story that Raphael would be won't to share anytime in the near future, Jasha surmised...then he heard it before he saw it --a bright, roaring shaft of flame, its illumination reflecting off of and refracting through crystals to cast cascading fiery hued fractal patterns throughout the cavern as it swiftly flew along its trajectory and ultimately embedded itself into stone golem's mid-section. When the flames around the shaft extinguished shortly after impact, Jasha immediately recognized it as Morrwyn's spear. His eyes followed the trail of quickly dissipating vapour left in the spear's wake to find Rigidis who had been joined by both Morrwyn and Dakar; an army of cave crawlers were behind them and an angry stone golem in front, and the golem was now closing in on them. Jasha looked back to Raphael with a grim smile.

Once again, he looked back to Rigidis, Morrwyn and Dakar; cupped his hands around his mouth, "Ignore the stone construct! Run around it as fast as you can, and focus on getting the miners back through the portal alive! If we're lucky, the golem will distract the bulk of the crawlers! Let's go!"

Jasha words were quick yet calm; stalwart and commanding. He seemed a man who was practised at giving orders or commands...but would this group listen to him? Would they give him the time of day? Probably not this group, Jasha thought, because he had a feeling that these individuals were a certain kind of special the moment he had met them...but it was worth a shot regardless. He held any further actions, waiting for his fellow delvers to act before he himself would decide how to react.

Interactions: Carolyn Elenion Aura Kovacs Haze-

Code by Serobliss

 

[angel doe]

Expedition #1

OPHELIA

ELVEN DRUID

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Ophelia's eyes lit up, not just from the sunlight that now bathed the area in a warm glow but excitement as the creatures receded into the darkness, "Begonia, let's take this chance to move the stone man." She managed to buy them some extra time, but there was no telling how long they actually had. Ophelia trusted in her magical ability and spells, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Ophelia was careful as she began to pry the man from where he had been frozen in place for who knows how long, doing her best to chip away at the uneven ground at his feet before finally managing to move him. She wasn't able to get him far, but at least he was no longer stuck in place. "I think I'm going to need some help moving him. I am strong, but with how far we have to take him..." She smiled sheepishly at the other woman, "As much as I don't like to admit it, I'll need the assistance."

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit

Code by Serobliss

 

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

The prince winced, hissed with strain showing on his face. Whole body twisted to the joint’s limits, frozen in an awkward spear-thrower position.

He felt as if his back had gone with that throw, or a disc had slipped along with the spear. The only small reprieve he had from the very possible (and chronic) back pain he would sure have the days following, was the clear discomfort coming from the chtonic beast. It didn’t bleed, it likely didn’t feel, but they both shared a likewise concept of pain. That, was enough to make the golem shrink down a couple sizes in his eyes — “At’ stings a little, I’n’it?!” — Morrwyn huffed, half-chuckling at the sight of the thing flinching in pain, rubbing his already sore back.

He was flinching himself. How would the golem sound laughing at him? Would it rumble at his feet? Like the roaring, scraping of tectonic plates down deep below the earth? He wondered.

“If we’re lucky?” — Morrwyn turned to look at Jasha, parroting him with everything but trust in his tone, shoulders slumping. His head whipped around. Wildly. Bug-eyed under the crown. Searching. Using the spare few seconds of downtime to assess the cards laid out on their table. The golem was dead-set on turning them to a red mush scrapped along the floor. As it stood, there was no telling if he would turn his sights at the horde of cave crawlers when all of them came running in through the tunnel.

The prince wasn’t feeling lucky at all.

“Ah, t’be bug scran or t’be squished t’a bloody pulp…” — Decisions, decisions.

“’Reyt…” — The chittering grew louder in his ear, bugs pouring like droplets before a downpour. It was a dice throw, really. Up to lady luck. Nothing to decide, just pure motion. The only thing that could alter a man’s fate, redesign the results, was a stubborn hand banging on the table just as the dices were about to land — “I’ll just have to force it…” — He wasn’t one to take chances. If the golem wouldn’t play around the cave crawlers on its own, willingly,

Then Morrwyn would make it.

“Ta’, mate.” — A hand patted Dakar’s shoulder, and a warm, amiable grin waited for when he turned to look. Waiting for him, too, was a hand holding a regal black crown. Holding it out for him to grab. He was as princely as they came under the mask. A boy, fresh off the gilded tower — “Been reet fuckin’ fun!”

He picked one of Dakar’s many hands in his, forced that crown onto him. A burden. A farewell. Unspoken words, awfully loud still— ‘I’m about to do something really stupid, hold the crown for me.’ It was pure Wyverian black gold, he was sure a fiend such as Dakar could find some proper use for it if he were to kick the bucket there and then.

“We’ll sing another ballad later over a pint, eh?” — He pumped a fist on Dakar’s shoulder, still donning a shit eating grin. He was putting on theatrics for the sake of the drama, really.

Without another word, a funnel of flames enveloped Morrwyn. And he flew straight towards the spear, riding a hot gale of wind as all the fire fanned and broke at the golem’s core. He grappled with the spear lodged into the cave giant, hanging on like a monkey to a vine. He waved a hand down below, bellowed —

“WELL Y' HEARD T’MAN! GET TO IT, ‘EN! OSS!"

"I’ll see t’lads ‘ere get well acquainted with each other...”

He yanked the spear out, flicked it over to the other end of the tunnel where the cave crawlers poured in. A dull thud echoing, earning a trickle of dust and pebble from the roof as it lodged itself right above the tunnel’s entrance. He only stared at the vortex of flames starting to reach out to him from the spear as he called to the dragon’s wings again. Breathing.

He clenched his teeth,

「 RAGNAROK 」
ᛁ⸜⸍ ˎᛙ ⸍⸝ᛁ╵​

And burned.

His hands dug straight into the golem’s rocky form, grasping with all of his might. Roaring, ire and raw choler clouding his mind. Twisting his entire body as an invisible force began to pull them toward the spear. As if the flames themselves were sucking the golem into the tunnel.

Morrwyn was throwing with the burning might of a true, drake-blooded Wyverian.

Interactions: Elenion Aura RaiAthar Kovacs Carolyn

Code by Serobliss

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

The success that Rigidis courted was hardly the kind she wanted. It was like sucker-punching a big, burly cutthroat: you feel amazing in the first half when he’s hurt, but the trouble is when he gets back up, eyes bloodshot and aimed directly at you. The golem of arcane muscle, jagged rocks, and pure spite made the cave crawlers look cuddly. And the company she hung with made them comparatively right in the head.

She slapped her knees as a sort of ritual to get them warmed up. There was nothing inherently magical about it. Body amplification was an art beyond her current understanding. Dangerous to fiddle around with irreparable parts. Better to just adjust mentally. In the same vein, her breathing ceased being gulps for air with her book put back and her dagger unsheathed.

“You owe me for this.”

All her dignity was exchanged to facilitate her truly mad dash. The ground was on fire to her given how little she stayed put. If she hit the wall, she really did imagine herself splattering like paint on it. Good thing she had the sense to avoid such pitfalls. Her path circumvented the golem and cut straight toward the miners. She counted on Morrwyn’s theatrics to distract the nasty creatures trying to intercept them.

“A man is turning into a bloody drake for you!” she shouted, directing the miners to the shadowy exit with the sharp end of the dagger. “Have the sense to run!”

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar , Kovacs

Code by Serobliss