Age of Ruin IC: Where demons dwell

[knewsom]

"Hey, no sweat," Draven said with a shrug, heading towards the road himself.

As they walked, he looked at Khorik, remembering the fight with his double.

If these guys are our new allies, I hope he's tougher than the Khorik from our world.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Agreed. Although, to be fair, it was six on three in that fight. And this one seems to have considerably more control than Thousand-Man-Killer did.

I'm a bit more concerned with that Mokai fellow, Hern. Even if he's not the, er, dead one, he seems to have the same explosive temper. Stick close, all right? Until we find our stuff, or replace it, I can't use most of my spells.

[knewsom]

Draven nodded slightly to Ismal, wrapping an arm around her as they walked.

Hey, you don't have to twist my arm.

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switching draconic aura to senses, +2 on listen, spot and ini for all of us

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Holding his primeval weapon, Sumner trails behind the others, seemingly lost in thought.

[Lot]

Khorik looks for some kind of acknowledgement from Hern, considering they are the last two from their original group. As the Mokai warrior walks off, Khorik looks to the others with a shrug.

"The Mokai...what can you do?" he says lamely. As they begin walking, he falls back next to Sumner. Khorik scans the horizon for any activity.

[Ozzy_G]

You walk to the road. It's quite painful to walk over skeletons in bare feet, but you eventually reach the road. It appears to be made of some extremely dark stone, obsidian perhaps. It isn't comfortable to walk on, but at least it's flat.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal is content to let Draven describe himself as he wishes. Taken for a moment with the irony of him chatting with a man he killed yesterday, she focuses in on the young man from Davethra. Since nothing was getting in the way, she took a moment to examine his tattoos.

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Learning what she could from them of his family and place within society.

Not breaking her gaze at the young warrior, Ismal speaks simply. How long has it been for you since you have seen the cities of home?

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner looks up towards the horizon, acutely aware of Ismal's gaze.
"Home? Home was Zardis. Home was sixty years ago. I've walked the world for over fifty years now, But I lived perhaps fifteen of them." His eyes take on a faraway look, and for a moment he looks far older.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Sixty years ago? So you...you saw the Empire. In the final flush of its glory. You saw Zardis.

She holds a hand to her mouth, containing a deep wound.

What...was it like?

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff Nefud

Where are you, Imshaeroth? Lying on his back, the Zhan stares at the alien sky, waiting. This isn't what happens when you die. Imshaeroth, where are you? Guide us to our reward. Confused, the man remains silently lying atop the jumble of bones, the murmur of voices seeming distant and detached from his existence. Only the crunch of feet on bone stirs him from his reviere. Seeing the others departing, he seems content to watch them, his hand reflexively going to his throat a panic overcomes him and his fingers close on empty air. Feet shifting unsteadily on bone, the Zhan shuffels into a jog after the others. "Hern, Hern, what is this place? This isn't Imshaeroth's realm." Voice more desperate than he would have liked, bone fragments skitter as Kaleff's feet stutter to a walk even with Hern and Khoric.

[knewsom]

Draven gave Sumner a confused look.

"You're dead? Yet you walk... what fell magic is this?"

[Toliudar]

Ismal

I think he's talking about some of this travelling through time. It could be that he's simply been displaced forward. Although...I suppose he could have died and been resurrected. He doesn't look like a zombie, anyway.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner
The youth shakes his head, lost once more in memory.
"Glorious, for an oath-sworn of the last Zere. The hall of blades, the still academy...Glorious." Something like a smile appears on Sumner's face as he walks on through the hellish landscape.
"But then...it ended. Gothul fell. Zardis fell. Zere fell. Dubter fell. That," he says, looking over at the green-eyed man "was my life. It ended with them."

Sumner turns his head abruptly, and notes the Zhan's presence with a slight narrowing of the eyes.

[Gungnir]

"I told you, I don't know where we are. Why would I?"

[Ozzy_G]

You walk on down the road, for several hours. The light doesn't seem to change at all. Neither does the plain of bones. You've noticed however, that while it is mostly human bones, there are bones of other roughly humanoid creatures, but with horns, tails, wings, some larger than men, some smaller.
You see a small hut about half a mile away at the side of the road.

[Lot]

Khorik notices the hut and points in its direction.

"Well...there's something. Might not be a good thing, but it's something."

Khorik's pace increases, despite the discomfort of the hard, black rock under his feet.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner
as he walks, Sumner looks for loose flakes or shards of the black stone and begins wedging them between the joints of the vertebrae on one end, adding flint-like spikes to the makeshift weapon. He nods in agreement with Khorik, and matches his pace.

[knewsom]

Draven will look for a larger skull to use as a shield - preferably something with big nasty looking horns.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal is also happy to move towards the hut - change is hope, after all.

The "last" Zere. So I take it you feel no loyalty to his son, the pretender?

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner shakes his head.
"I met Azakan Zere, once. Had he accepted my service..."
His eyes harden as he continues across the hard stone road.
The tall youth lets the sentence hang in the air, unfinished.
"Ravan is no emperor."

[Toliudar]

Ismal

The Davethran glances forward at Draven.

This is no callow youth, Draven, whatever his looks. I hope he can be made an ally. And...we've already seen what that Hern can do.

She nods slightly at Sumner's words.

I believe...we agree on something. Ravan is a dog, snapping at the heels of his betters in the hopes of tripping them up.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
The tattooed warrior loops the vertebrae column around his own waist in a crude belt. It doesn't look very stable there. Sumner glances at the naked Ismal.
"Sometime soon, you'll need to tell me why an insignificant one such as myself is worthy of so much curiosity. Curiosity enough to warrant disguise, and such curiosity that endures even here."
Apparently expecting the worst from the cottage up ahead, Sumner shifts in a series of fluid movements apparently meant to limber the muscles in his arms and chest, heedless of the strain placed upon the angry-looking blisters and burns across his tattooed skin.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

The older woman smiles a bit. Mature, but still a boy.

You need to decide whether you are insignificant or not, Sumner. You were not the reason for my disguise back at the tavern. As for my interest in you now...well, you are a time traveller from an era my parents have spoken of with a certain reverance. I am more than curious.

Besides, the six of us are, for all we know, stranded for an indefinite time in an extraplanar wasteland. It seemed sensible to get to know those that Draven and I are with.

Have I offended in some way?

She glances down at her long, slender form, and over at Sumner. Not actually flirting - just curious.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner tilts his head to one side, as a particular section of bones along the side of the road catches his eye. Stopping, he squats down and rummages down a little, dislodging a horned skull and a few odd femurs. He comes up holding what looks like a gigantic spinal column, easily fifteen feet in total length. It narrows down considerably at one end, and it is this end that the young warrior regard with particular grim interest.
"Demon bones. I once saw a wizard summon demons that had long arching scorpion tails. This is one." He seems to be turning this information over in his mind. "I cannot decide if that is a hopeful or an ominous sign."
Rising from the pile, he addresses the slim noble once more, something like a smile on his face
"Believe me, my lady, You'd find yourself hard-pressed to offend me with words; You may be taking me too seriously."

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Her smile broadens.

That, sir, has always been my failing.

She glances over at the long tail and murmurs.

Scorpions don't have bones.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner
The youth sighs. "Believe or disbelieve as you will; I think the proof will be soon in coming."
Sumner strides on, nude and gloomy, the ossified belt hanging loosely about his hips.

[Gungnir]

Hern ignores the others' conversations, and stubbornly stays at the front of the group. He doesn't bother examining any of the bones, nor does he pick any up any to defend himself with, knowing that he would be better off with his own hands. Years ago, he had made sure that he was able defend himself in all situations, even while unarmed.

In the back of his mind, he was recalling the construction of his old armor, so he would be ready to make himself a new suit when the opportunity. He also had a few new ideas, ways to make it even more imposing and terrifying. First and foremost of the things people remembered about heroes was their image; something that was hard to uphold in the nude.

[Ozzy_G]

You walk on towards the hut. As you get nearer, several armed humans run out. You're not close enough to see their faces yet, but they're spread across the road in fighting stances.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner crosses his arms and stares at the armed men filtering out of the hut. He makes no motion for the bones at his belt, however.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal stops, drops her rib bone, and spreads her hands to her sides. The Davethran's voice is low and harsh, pitched to reach her companions only.

We are not really prepared for a full battle. Anyone capable of surviving in this kind of environment is unlikely to be affected by the simple spells I have at my disposal. May I suggest a parlay?