Shadowgirls

Post edited 8:35 pm – September 28, 2010 by Forsythe

Fors painfully wakes to the growls, an unconscious adrenaline spike managing to roll him away from its source in a panic-fuelled series of twitches.  Panting with sudden exhaustion, he slowly raises his head to eye Adamas carefully; relaxing as he realizes the sounds' source, he casts his gaze about their surroundings.  Gaia forfend… we went too Wyrm-buggering far!

What greets the team's curious eye is a decayed, mouldering version of the already-aged Bear Market, small flames flickering and slowly consuming the shadow of the building down to its new condition.  The floor they lie upon is covered with inches-deep dust, the walls are irregularly scarred and ragged, and the ceiling might as well not exist from its disintegrated state.  Beyond it, the sky is occluded by dark, thunderous clouds which whorl incessantly counterclockwise as if around some yet to be seen spoke.

Fors chuckles weakly.  Well… good news, we're not dead.  Bad news… that blast and my exhaustion at the time have taken us to where you'd be, if we were.

I think… I think he wants you to open the – oh, nevermind.  Do you want us to arm ourselves, Adamas?

And yes, there's ways back, there's ways from everywhere to everywhere, I just can't blink us through from where we're standing without juice, mana, moxie, mojo, or whatever name appeals.  Which is galling, as I prefer to move swiftly through this depressing realm.  Thankfully, I can still Shift, perform some basic Rites and other low-power tricks, just not the fun ones.

I have heard rumors about a "chaotic natural Portal" near town for awhile now though, now that you mention it… possibly an artifact from a bygone age.  I've never had much luck finding it, but I suppose we don't have anything better to do, do we?

Oh, one word of warning, best we stick together here – geography and distance are not always synchronized here, so traversing a mile may take you twenty leagues across the span of the real world.

Fors looks around, and shudders.  Stay put?  Here?  In a word… no.  I mentioned that feature of the landscape more to caution against splitting up, should we need to flee this place's inhabitants – who, incidentally, are subject to normal damage but are vulnerable against supernatural means.  Changers' claws, empowered weapons, and the like – are you saying these items here number among the latter category, Adamas?

But it's indeed my hope that the portal will be more apparent here, as there's really no chance of finding the vivid, living energy I need to recharge while we remain in this dread, enervating realm.  Fors mutters a quick prayer.  Gaia, would that the portal is open when we arrive…

Fors shrugs and rolls his eyes at Adamas then bends to assemble the pentamace and spear, claiming the latter for himself.  Guess we'll find out en-route if they respect these weapons' power… oh, Wyrm take it, I feel our refuge is short-lived.  We'd best move on, soon.  Flicking his head nervously from side to side, his eyes wide in alarm, Fors gives every appearance of a bird aware of an unseen predator.

Sniffing around the middle level of the building is a strange twain… One looks as if it were canine in nature, walking on four limbs and sniffing excitedly at something, and the other is a highly attenuated humanoid shape whose head brushes the high ceiling.  Spotting the team, the "hound" emits another piercing howl and lumbers clumsily towards them; the Thin Man clenches a thin, bony fist and points at the ground.

Fors holds the hound back by threatening it with the tip of the spear, but is taken by surprise when a flood of vipers boil from the ground at his feet.  Not.. cool!