Shroomie
《 Growing on your local moldy tree stump 》
BOOM! Our heroes are met, out of nowhere, being sucked into a smoldering, magic portal against their will! Once they regain their senses, they're met by bespectacled brothers, Basil and Parsley, who turn out to be the finest wizard in all of Vespertine (plus Parsley as an apprentice).
It is soon discovered that the apprentice mage, in desperation, used a spell his older brother had forbidden him from using, since it was too dangerous and could end up having disastrous results, as shown when our protagonists have been plucked from their worlds and forced into this one!
Of course, these wizards weren't just casting such finicky spells for no reason; they had been working tirelessly to find a way to save the beloved princess of Vespertine, Andromeda, from a curse inflicted on her by the Demon Emperor Galangal in an attempt to kill her off in an easy and cowardly way while stealing her throne all to himself, and beginning his campaign of bringing the surface realm underneath the control of the under realm.
The only known way of lifting the deathly curse is to drink the essence of the Blazei Flower, which, surprise surprise, only grows in the deepest parts of the under realm. The princess' advisors had promised an immensely grand reward for whomever brought back the flower. Knights and mercenaries and all sorts of people have been sent to try and find this mythical plant, but none had returned, which is why Basil and Parsley had been searching so feverishly for an alternative method, since they didn't want to risk they same fate the other adventurers might have suffered.
Right then and there, there was a harsh knocking at the door. A large and in charge soldier told the cowering mages that it was their turn to try and get the Blazei Flower, since almost all other adventurers-for-hire in Vespertine had failed, and Basil claimed to be the best sorcerer in the land. Basil and Parsley pleaded for their very lives, that is, until Basil got a bright idea: to bring along theiracquaintances friends along for the journey! Surely, such a big party won't fail!
Before our heroes could refuse, the soldier agreed and left the brothers' house to tell Andromeda and her advisors the good news! Dragging these odd characters along, the brothers are heading off in search of the Hellsgate Dungeon on the outskirts of Vespertine, which was the fabled link between the surface and under realms! Who knows what kind of horrors and hijinks await them...
But, of course, nobody knew where exactly the Hellsgate Dungeon was. And those who happened to stumble across it, usually were never seen again.
Usually.
So Jasper and Parsley found themselves at a bit of a pickle as soon as they were five feet from their cabin door. Basil, the spunkier one who was keen on leading the way, slowly turned around and looked up at his younger brother. "Do you have any idea where we're supposed to be going?" he asked in a mumble.
Parsley shook his head, taking a quick glance at their hostages friends before looking back at Basil. "Well, we started our journey without a map, didn't we?" he mentioned timidly. Basil facepalmed.
"Great," the older mage grumbled, "Just our luck; those high and mighty soldiers love to send us commoners out on dangerous quests like this, and they send us off without even a map to show us the way..."
Parsley took off his glasses, wiping them on the threadbare material of his hand-me-down robe. His turquoise eyes gazed around as he hesitated to reply. Then, his eyes landed on the village-town of Vespertine, which encircled a sprawling palace that sat a little ways away. His expression lightened slightly as he put his round glasses back on his face. "What if we talk to Fauna?" he suggested. "She says she's seen the Hellsgate Dungeon before..."
"Not THAT crazy ram!" Basil groaned, pulling his indigo wizard hat over his ears. "She's off her rocker, that one! One time when I stopped by to buy some frog spawn, she told me she's touched the moon and talked to the stars! A nutter, I tell you!"
Parsley admitted meekly, "She might be a bit...eccentric...but she still knows apothecarian knowledge that only you and I could dream of. And sometimes she shows me relics that prove she's been to places she talks about, y'know? So I think it's worth a shot..."
Basil let out a large sigh of annoyance, before he ran his hands over his stubbled chin and let out a murmur of consent and began the walk across the lush field that separated the brothers' cabin on the outskirts of the village-town. Parsley turned to the rest of the group, and confided, "Please, just follow Basil for now. I know this isn't fair, but really, I promise that after all this, I'll find a counter-spell that will get you all home safe and sound-"
"Hurry up, Parsley, and the lot of you as well!"
"R-right behind you, Basil!" the young apprentice stammered before hurrying to catch up to his sibling.
It is soon discovered that the apprentice mage, in desperation, used a spell his older brother had forbidden him from using, since it was too dangerous and could end up having disastrous results, as shown when our protagonists have been plucked from their worlds and forced into this one!
Of course, these wizards weren't just casting such finicky spells for no reason; they had been working tirelessly to find a way to save the beloved princess of Vespertine, Andromeda, from a curse inflicted on her by the Demon Emperor Galangal in an attempt to kill her off in an easy and cowardly way while stealing her throne all to himself, and beginning his campaign of bringing the surface realm underneath the control of the under realm.
The only known way of lifting the deathly curse is to drink the essence of the Blazei Flower, which, surprise surprise, only grows in the deepest parts of the under realm. The princess' advisors had promised an immensely grand reward for whomever brought back the flower. Knights and mercenaries and all sorts of people have been sent to try and find this mythical plant, but none had returned, which is why Basil and Parsley had been searching so feverishly for an alternative method, since they didn't want to risk they same fate the other adventurers might have suffered.
Right then and there, there was a harsh knocking at the door. A large and in charge soldier told the cowering mages that it was their turn to try and get the Blazei Flower, since almost all other adventurers-for-hire in Vespertine had failed, and Basil claimed to be the best sorcerer in the land. Basil and Parsley pleaded for their very lives, that is, until Basil got a bright idea: to bring along their
Before our heroes could refuse, the soldier agreed and left the brothers' house to tell Andromeda and her advisors the good news! Dragging these odd characters along, the brothers are heading off in search of the Hellsgate Dungeon on the outskirts of Vespertine, which was the fabled link between the surface and under realms! Who knows what kind of horrors and hijinks await them...
But, of course, nobody knew where exactly the Hellsgate Dungeon was. And those who happened to stumble across it, usually were never seen again.
Usually.
So Jasper and Parsley found themselves at a bit of a pickle as soon as they were five feet from their cabin door. Basil, the spunkier one who was keen on leading the way, slowly turned around and looked up at his younger brother. "Do you have any idea where we're supposed to be going?" he asked in a mumble.
Parsley shook his head, taking a quick glance at their
"Great," the older mage grumbled, "Just our luck; those high and mighty soldiers love to send us commoners out on dangerous quests like this, and they send us off without even a map to show us the way..."
Parsley took off his glasses, wiping them on the threadbare material of his hand-me-down robe. His turquoise eyes gazed around as he hesitated to reply. Then, his eyes landed on the village-town of Vespertine, which encircled a sprawling palace that sat a little ways away. His expression lightened slightly as he put his round glasses back on his face. "What if we talk to Fauna?" he suggested. "She says she's seen the Hellsgate Dungeon before..."
"Not THAT crazy ram!" Basil groaned, pulling his indigo wizard hat over his ears. "She's off her rocker, that one! One time when I stopped by to buy some frog spawn, she told me she's touched the moon and talked to the stars! A nutter, I tell you!"
Parsley admitted meekly, "She might be a bit...eccentric...but she still knows apothecarian knowledge that only you and I could dream of. And sometimes she shows me relics that prove she's been to places she talks about, y'know? So I think it's worth a shot..."
Basil let out a large sigh of annoyance, before he ran his hands over his stubbled chin and let out a murmur of consent and began the walk across the lush field that separated the brothers' cabin on the outskirts of the village-town. Parsley turned to the rest of the group, and confided, "Please, just follow Basil for now. I know this isn't fair, but really, I promise that after all this, I'll find a counter-spell that will get you all home safe and sound-"
"Hurry up, Parsley, and the lot of you as well!"
"R-right behind you, Basil!" the young apprentice stammered before hurrying to catch up to his sibling.
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