RE: Quest for the Gemgark
05-14-2012, 07:23 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-14-2012, 11:21 PM by Anomaly.)
"What do you know of the Gemgark?"
"Very little. I was told no more than anyone else in this bar likely knows. And, that something related may be hidden in a nearby mine." Aureole caught a glimmer of a knowing smile from the spitesprite before it melted away.
"So you were watching. Clever. I suppose you realize that I can't let you out of my sight now." Whether this was a threat or a request for a traveling companion was ambiguous at best. The shadowy figure opposite her seemed to take it as the latter.
"A fair tradeoff. You seem to know far more than I do about the gem."
"You'd be wrong to think that. No one knows much of anything about the Gemgark, other than obscure folklore." Aureole dug through a bag underneath her cloak before drawing out a dusty, worn book and placing it on the table. "This is the one lead I have. The language isn't one I've seen anywhere else, but it seems to be some sort of journal. The illustrations are equally unhelpful."
Aureole flipped the book open to a page in the middle, depicting a large horde of grotesque monsters surrounding a peculiar smudge atop a ruined temple of some sort. The monsters seemed to be decimating a horde of people as they attempted to flee from the temple.
"Presumably, the Gemgark used to be depicted where the smudge is now. For some reason, someone who came into possession of this journal didn't want anyone to see it. This isn't the only peculiarity."
Aureole flipped to another page. Another part of an illustration was smudged out. Another. An entire page was missing, torn hastily and haphazardly from the journal.
"There isn't a single picture of the Gemgark in the entire journal. No one I have talked to has been able to translate the language inside, save for one passage."
Aureole turned to the final used page. There was no bloodstain or smearing of ink as one might have expected from such a book, but the writing was noticably different from the rest of the book. A different language, foreign to the spitesprite.
"To whoever finds this journal: Turn back. Do not attempt to locate the Artifact With No Name. Only death awaits. If you are foolish enough not to heed my warning, take note of this:
Alone, the task is impossible." Aureole shut the book and placed it in her bag.
"I'm not going to ask you where you found that, or how you know what it means. I doubt you would tell me. I do not doubt, however, that this is why you have come here. Is it?"
"Yes, it is. I'm not sure how many we'll need for this task. I don't think two will be enough. I believe, though, that we'll need at least four or five. Maybe even more."
"Normally, a spitesprite would work alone. Rarely do you see us working with others, especially in the quantity you suggest. But you are owed a debt, and there is reason in your words. I shall accept your offer." Idealana paused for a moment, eyes darting around the bar.
"Where do you suggest we find these others?"
"This tavern's as good a place as any. I believe you noticed a pair of adventurers heading for the rooms before we had this conversation. A lizardman and a mage. They might be no better than the novice adventurers this town is plagued with, but then again, they might be exactly what we're looking for."
Aureole immediately stood and walked to the front desk.
"I'm sorry, but we're out of rooms," the receptionist told her, glaring suspiciously.
"I'm not looking for a room. I believe you recently gave a room to a lizardman? He's a friend. Which room was it?"
The receptionist's eyes narrowed. "And why should I believe you?"
"You'd be foolish not to. I can make it worth your while." The receptionist caught a glimpse of something shiny in the hooded figure's hand.
"Maybe I could be persuaded after all..."
Apparently, there weren't enough problems already. Because in addition to the fact that there was apparently a ghost in the room, there was now a knock at the door.
"Who's there?" Sk'karl called, suspiciously. There was no answer. He shook his head and turned his attention back to being suspicious of the guy in the hood.
There was another knock. "Who is it?" he yelled, met again with no response. It wasn't until the third knock that Sk'karl decided to check for himself. Hand held over one of his daggers, he threw the door open to reveal...
Nothing.
"Oh. Hi," Festinger said halfheartedly, seemingly at no one in particular.
Sk'karl whipped around to find the insect woman from before sitting in the chair in the corner of the room. Her cloak was neatly folded on the bed, and her face was partially covered in a scarf. He promptly drew his dagger and pointed it at the intruder.
"What are you doing in my room?!" the lizardman shouted.
"Please, there's no reason to draw your weapon. You both seek the Gemgark, do you not?"
The fact that the door was shut and a spitesprite was standing in front of it didn't exactly help to calm Sk'karl down.
"Oh, that's Idealana. Don't worry, she's not here to hurt anyone. I'm Aureole. Pleasure to meet you."
"Very little. I was told no more than anyone else in this bar likely knows. And, that something related may be hidden in a nearby mine." Aureole caught a glimmer of a knowing smile from the spitesprite before it melted away.
"So you were watching. Clever. I suppose you realize that I can't let you out of my sight now." Whether this was a threat or a request for a traveling companion was ambiguous at best. The shadowy figure opposite her seemed to take it as the latter.
"A fair tradeoff. You seem to know far more than I do about the gem."
"You'd be wrong to think that. No one knows much of anything about the Gemgark, other than obscure folklore." Aureole dug through a bag underneath her cloak before drawing out a dusty, worn book and placing it on the table. "This is the one lead I have. The language isn't one I've seen anywhere else, but it seems to be some sort of journal. The illustrations are equally unhelpful."
Aureole flipped the book open to a page in the middle, depicting a large horde of grotesque monsters surrounding a peculiar smudge atop a ruined temple of some sort. The monsters seemed to be decimating a horde of people as they attempted to flee from the temple.
"Presumably, the Gemgark used to be depicted where the smudge is now. For some reason, someone who came into possession of this journal didn't want anyone to see it. This isn't the only peculiarity."
Aureole flipped to another page. Another part of an illustration was smudged out. Another. An entire page was missing, torn hastily and haphazardly from the journal.
"There isn't a single picture of the Gemgark in the entire journal. No one I have talked to has been able to translate the language inside, save for one passage."
Aureole turned to the final used page. There was no bloodstain or smearing of ink as one might have expected from such a book, but the writing was noticably different from the rest of the book. A different language, foreign to the spitesprite.
"To whoever finds this journal: Turn back. Do not attempt to locate the Artifact With No Name. Only death awaits. If you are foolish enough not to heed my warning, take note of this:
Alone, the task is impossible." Aureole shut the book and placed it in her bag.
"I'm not going to ask you where you found that, or how you know what it means. I doubt you would tell me. I do not doubt, however, that this is why you have come here. Is it?"
"Yes, it is. I'm not sure how many we'll need for this task. I don't think two will be enough. I believe, though, that we'll need at least four or five. Maybe even more."
"Normally, a spitesprite would work alone. Rarely do you see us working with others, especially in the quantity you suggest. But you are owed a debt, and there is reason in your words. I shall accept your offer." Idealana paused for a moment, eyes darting around the bar.
"Where do you suggest we find these others?"
"This tavern's as good a place as any. I believe you noticed a pair of adventurers heading for the rooms before we had this conversation. A lizardman and a mage. They might be no better than the novice adventurers this town is plagued with, but then again, they might be exactly what we're looking for."
Aureole immediately stood and walked to the front desk.
"I'm sorry, but we're out of rooms," the receptionist told her, glaring suspiciously.
"I'm not looking for a room. I believe you recently gave a room to a lizardman? He's a friend. Which room was it?"
The receptionist's eyes narrowed. "And why should I believe you?"
"You'd be foolish not to. I can make it worth your while." The receptionist caught a glimpse of something shiny in the hooded figure's hand.
"Maybe I could be persuaded after all..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Apparently, there weren't enough problems already. Because in addition to the fact that there was apparently a ghost in the room, there was now a knock at the door.
"Who's there?" Sk'karl called, suspiciously. There was no answer. He shook his head and turned his attention back to being suspicious of the guy in the hood.
There was another knock. "Who is it?" he yelled, met again with no response. It wasn't until the third knock that Sk'karl decided to check for himself. Hand held over one of his daggers, he threw the door open to reveal...
Nothing.
"Oh. Hi," Festinger said halfheartedly, seemingly at no one in particular.
Sk'karl whipped around to find the insect woman from before sitting in the chair in the corner of the room. Her cloak was neatly folded on the bed, and her face was partially covered in a scarf. He promptly drew his dagger and pointed it at the intruder.
"What are you doing in my room?!" the lizardman shouted.
"Please, there's no reason to draw your weapon. You both seek the Gemgark, do you not?"
The fact that the door was shut and a spitesprite was standing in front of it didn't exactly help to calm Sk'karl down.
"Oh, that's Idealana. Don't worry, she's not here to hurt anyone. I'm Aureole. Pleasure to meet you."