Fawn opens the door, and this time, with the gear properly positioned, the metal creaks open wide, revealing a dark chasm that’s lit up as
Indira summons her magic. Her light reveals a gruesome sight.
The two remaining bone crushers, two sandy brown monsters, step toward the entrance, ears perked and short, brushy tails raised high over their backs. They stood, tense, muscles straining, as the party filed in.
Behind the bone crushers, in a shadowy corner, huddled the survivors. Brightheart’s pale pelt glowed against the light, and she spread what remained of her tattered wings over the others to shield them. Most of the feathers had been pulled from their roots, leaving her wings bleeding and naked.
As she spied other noulicorns, she folded her wing stubs, revealing the nouls she’d been hiding. A small group of adepts… or… wait. No.
Several of them were ascended, but their wings had been so torn up or destroyed there was almost nothing left of them!
“We didn’t eat these ones,” said one of the bone crushers, stepping out of the way to let the party file through.
“They’re all yours,” said the other. The two slunk out of the cave to join the others milling in the lake.
The group of survivors weren’t the only things in this cave, though. The door was clearly Other made and as Indira’s light lit up the walls, the purpose for the door became evident.
Tables were lined in the corners, and shelves stacked over them filled with broken glass and pieces of metal. The husks of dead pants littered the counter tops, shrivelled to brown corpses. Almost everything here was destroyed, either by time or unruly visitors.
Something remained, though.
In a corner on a low shelf lay a few corked vials of a strange, purple liquid.
Brightheart stepped toward the party, holding her slender head high. “You rescued us.” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “How can we ever repay you for what you’ve done?”
She cast a forlorn glance out the cave door. “How can we ever repay Homewood for what we’ve unleashed on it? I’ll have to bring this news straight to Ajali, and then I’ll help you accompany these monsters...
the leucrotta... to wherever they’ll do the least harm to us.”
She stretched out one of her tattered wings. “This is all I can offer you for now. Many of my feathers are loose, please… take one.”
----------------------
ELSEWHEREDeep in the Homewood a beast stalked, its head low and sharp eyes gleaming. It paused, inhaling a familiar scent, and quickened its pace. Leaves rustled ahead and the creature stopped, lowering itself to a crouch so still it barely breathing. Something squeaked and the noise sent off a flurry of action. The beast leapt, its hoof-claws outstretched and teeth bared.
“I’ve caught you again, little taste!”
A blue-white dire rat shrieked in fear, raking its teeth over the beast’s paws.
The beast drew its maw away. “I’ve eaten so many clippy-clops, but my belly aches with hunger. But so does my mind… Tell me what else the Big Rat knows and I won't swallow you whole, wriggler.”
The rat stared up at it with wide, fearful eyes… and talked.
Quote:
Congratulations! You’ve rescued the survivors and succeeded in saving Homewood from the hunger of the Bone Crushers! They’ll be safely relocated between the ruins and the barrens (keeping them from forming large groups is probably a good idea) and they’ve promised not to eat any nouls. How long that promise will hold, who knows? But for now, the woods are safe.
All participants can choose one of two item prizes!
One of Brightheart’s feathers!
This reduces the roleplay requirements for a rank up by one OR it can be used in a breeding for a mysterious effect.
OR
A strange purple potion left behind by the others.
Who knows what it does?
ALSO
Because no one went on the blue rat’s side quest, I’ll run a semi-dice game here in the thread for her. Anyone who
hasn’t won a noul or a rat from this adventure is welcome to participate.
All you need to do is roll 2d6! Highest roll will win her! Rolling will be open for 24 hours!
LASTLY
Anyone who would like their adventurer transferred to the Hunger cert, please fill out the following form:
[b]Journal:[/b] link to journal
[b]Noulicorn Uncert:[/b] link to uncert
[b]Noulicorn Cert:[/b] link to cert
[b]Would you like the HUNGER cert in your journal?[/b] yes/no
