The Muck Pond

[Debsy]

Erake rolled her eyes, ignoring the creature. She did her best to smile as it was not something she did often and she nodded. "Thanks...And I think you should lay off the wine...or whatever that is...Bassus..." Stretching her long wings out to their length, Erake leapt into the air and set her path northwards, heading off towards the village.

[Fleegle]

(I love it when a plan comes together.)

(For 3shyof30rats and Leo. Whatever happened to Pie?)

As Andrik plodded down the path toward the village, Erake soared overhead, having come from the forest. The village ahead looked empty, save for the central bonfire, acrid smoke pouring off it. At the sight of the metallic Andrik and the devilish form of Erake, the few denizens of the village that were outside ducked back into buildings. The newcomers could clearly make out the sight of bodies piled onto the bonfire, charred into unrecognizable figures.

(For Swymir)

"Perhaps you'd best pay attention, then," Ilosep replied to Omura's protestations. He was clearly not buying her excuses. "If you can keep still for just a few moments, I'll assign you your fate."
Ilosep shuffled up to the elevated podium and spread out his scraps of parchment. He puffed on the bone whistle that hung about his neck. The sound of voices filled the room, and in the dull light of the coming dusk, Omura could barely make out the wispy forms of spirits all around her.
"Omura," Ilosep bellowed. "From this day forth, you shall have the power of NightGuard. You will be invulnerable whenever the sun is below the horizon, but you will no longer have this protection during daylight. You can still be captured by your enemies, but they cannot kill you during the night. That is all."
Ilosep blew on his whistle and the ghosts vanished. He stepped down from the podium and approached Omura. "Looks like you're just in time. It's almost dusk. I suppose this fate is harmless enough... I doubt you can get into too much trouble. Good thing you didn't get invisibility."
"Well now, that's all I have to give you. Off you go now," Ilosep abruptly dismissed her.

[Razorlance]

"I do not know, would I be able to accompany Ao in his service of Mother? or failing that maybe I should seek out the other creatures of the muck, I have met so few and there must be more than the ones I have met." Tek replied to Kikkik.

[Nalaris]

"Hmm...you seem more benevolent than I took you for at first. Can you, then, tell me which way the path to the forest is?"

[Pie]

(OOC: Sorry peoples.... OK ILE ADMIT IT!!! I'V BEEN AvOIDING THE FORUM ON PURPOIS!!! It gets boaring after a wile......)

*Ithicus then falls doun for a wile, perhaps for five minuts, or more, (Yes... i think i know that i am exadgurating) and then gets up, makes a clumsy bow to the god and sais:*Sorry.. mye'lord... but I'm not redy to settle doun yet.... so may your wine never go stale.*He then rushes after Andric,and(sorry for rushing things fleegle, but it has to be done if i am to catch up on leo....)reaches the clearing, and goes down the darkened path, and reaches the statue... and stands in fronte ov it... and the little village.. compleatly scared, almost petrifyed.*

(Fleegle.. i have one thing to say... PLEAS DON'T HURT ME FOR RUSHING THINGS!!!!!!!)

[swymir]

Omura stood horrified as the spirits swarmed around her. She crounched down wondering if she should have chosen amputation over the fate which has been delivered to her. When the spirits subsided Omura stood up not really listening to what was being told to her. She just wanted to leave the temple and go back outside into the light. When Ilosep turned his back she made a break for the door.

[Pie]

*Ithicus then goes.. more like scoots around the statue, ceeping fair distance, moving in a circle, making shure it doesint attack.(He's still a little drunk :p) He scooted to the other side of the statue, and then turn and ran tward the villadge........ he wasint looking were he was going, so he compleatly SLAMED into Andric*

[Fleegle]

(For AoM and Razorlance)

"We shall have to see what Mother thinks," Kikkik replied. The remainder of the trip was passed in silence. As they approached the bottom of the spiral corridor, the space in the rock ballooned outwards into a large chamber. The chamber was slightly better-lit than the corridor had been. As they entered the chamber they could see that the rocky path made a circle around a deep pit, the bottom of which was filled with roiling magma. Kikkik launched off Ao's shoulder and buzzed about in the hot air, coming to rest on an immense stone slab that formed a kind of altar at the edge of the pit. Kikkik emitted a series of unusual noises. It sounded like a kind of speech, but it sounded like nothing they had heard before.
Seemingly in response, the magma seethed and churned. A massive mound of dark rock erupted from the pit, blob-like in form. As it rose up to the level of the altar and surrounding ring it began to form itself into a pear-shaped mass. The rocks at its surface crumbled apart as bits of the rock formed into crude "limbs", though they were hardly more than stumps.
"Blessed Mother," Kikkik spoke in a hushed voice. "your servant, Kikkik, humbly presents himself. He brings you visitors of good intent."
Kikkik mind-whispered at Ao and Tek, "You must bow before our magnificent Lady. Do not speak until you have been spoken to."

"Mmmmmrrhhhhhmmmm Rrrrrhhhmmmmm Mmmmmhhh," Mother seemed to say. Her rocky form tilted slightly back and forth as she spoke, the ground shaking in response to her words.

(For Nalaris)

"Nothing would please me more, most wonderful creature," Resuso replied. "It is just over there, to the north-west," he gestured, angling his head in the direction of the forest. "If you take that path you will come to a clearing. Once there, there are two paths you can take. The left path leads to the domain of the most wonderful Bassus, Lesser God of the Forest. If you are seeking adventure, I suggest the right path. It will lead to the pastures and village of the Pink Ones, and beyond that is the brushland, where the nomad camp is, and the dark forests of the north, the village of the Stump people, and their neighbours."

(Pie and Leo, I'll let Leo respond to Pie and then I will continue your narrative)

(For Swymir)

Omura nearly tripped over the sleeping Squall as she rushed out of the Temple. To her north lay the region of the Muck Pond. The south led into a rocky area, a path leading up the side of a cliff.

[Nalaris]

"Thank you," Deimos says, "If I ever have a chance to repay you, I will. If you need anything at the moment, just tell me. Otherwise I'll be on my way."

Depending on the snakes reply, Deimos either heads to the northwest or listens and considers Resusos request.

[swymir]

Omura's breath was heavy as she walked down the steps of the Old Temple. She felt terribly alone and frightened as the sun set low in the sky. She began to wonder if perhaps she made a mistake refusing Deimos' offer. Certainly he couldn't do any worse to her than any of the creatures of the night. She looks down the road toward where Deimos had left her behind and took one last heavy breath and look around the area before heading off.

[Debsy]

Erake spotted the small village and all the creatures running inside and she grinned. Good time to have a little bit of fun, I say! Concentrating hard, she closed her eyes and disappeared from the sky. Looking around she spotted a nearby open area and headed down towards it, letting herself down gently onto the ground. She looked around again at the last of the little creatures disappearing inside.
At that moment she noticed the bodies...or what she assumed was the remains of them and she narrowed her eyes, looking cautiously around.

[Pie]

*He stands up, not notesing anything around him* S-s-ssorry Andric. Didn't see you there.*He asseses his suroundings. He looks at the pile of dead body's with horor, and sees all of the pink ones that are lookind out of opened windows , and then he spots Erake, and stammers out a sttill non sober hello* Heealllloooo, My nnnnaame isss Ithicus, and thars here is Andric... so andric*He then turns to Andric wile addressing him* vat..vat? sorry. What air we doin here?

[Razorlance]

Tek watching in astonishment as the rock formed into the shape he could now see, listening to Kikkik he thought Bow? bow? ah, as in bend maybe? he quickly followed Kikkik's advice, lowering his forward most limb until it almost touched the ground, hoping this was right.

[AoM]

Ao quickly drops to his knees and keeps his head down. He struggles to try to comprehend the Mother's words.

[Fleegle]

(Global statement)

The sun ducked below the horizon; dusk had set in. The sky remained mostly cloudless.

(For Nalaris)

"How wonderful of you to offer! But no, I do not require anything from you other than the assurance that you will keep yourself well-fed. Goodbye most wonderful creature!" Resuso vanished into the groff as he bid Deimos farewell.
In the low light of dusk it was difficult to find the forest path, but Deimos managed to come upon it, and began to head down the path. It was fairly dark now that the leaves obscured what little light the sky had to offer. However, as Deimos made his way along, what appeared to be fire-flies began to dart about along the pathway, casting a glow that allowed Deimos to see the way before him. Ahead he could barely make out the entrance to a clearing.

(For Swymir)

Omura passed into the area of the Muck Pond. She could not see any creatures out and about. To the northeast lay the Groff Fields, and beyond them was the beach. To her southeast lay the entrance to the cave, not far from the Pond itself.

(For 3shyof30rats, Pie, and Leo. 3shyof30rats, remember that you can only become invisible at night, which for the purposes of the game starts at dusk, not while the sun is actually setting. It's not a big deal this time, as I just made it dusk anyways, but just letting you know for the future. Pie did not realize that you disappeared obviously, so we'll operate on the assumption that you didn't become invisible until the sun went down, ie. now.)

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Erake vanished. Ithicus had seen her land, but almost immediately after greeting her, she had disappeared.
Save for the dull light of dusk, the bonfire provided almost all of the light in the village now. Faces occasionally peered out the windows at the creatures they could see.
Suddenly, one of the doors creaked upon and a young boy of about 4 years ran straight for Ithicus. A woman that might have been his mother made a panicked shout from the doorway of the house in an unknown language, presumably telling the boy to come back in. The boy did not listen, and Ithicus noticed that the boy had a small, thin, stick in his hand. He ran up to Ithicus and began to beat at his legs ineffectually with the stick, yelling what were most likely insults as he did so. The "beating" did not hurt at all, as the boy had little strength, though he certainly did have determination.

(For Ao and Tek)

Eriadina's rumbles began to coalesce into recognizable words, which she spoke very slowly, as if having trouble forming the sounds.

"Wel.... come.... Ay.... Oh.... my.... son. You.... have.... trav.... elled... far. Why.... have.... you.... come.... so.... far.... to.... see.... me?"