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Post by DornKoon on Nov 7, 2023 10:07:06 GMT
Sir Frederick was walking along one of the many winding paths in the area of the Wasteland known as the Morbid Mountains. All was still and quiet, abnormally so in his mind. Only the call of a distant crow stirred the cold night air and caused the hunter to pause momentarily and look up into the sky. Having passed the village of Warakiya a few days ago, he was told about people going missing and of strange sounds coming from this mountain. He had already dispatched a few of the undead on the way, mostly undead and a few corrupt animals. Frederick knelt down and examined the remains of a slayed mummy, and he scratched his chin before standing back up. "A high concentration of mummies, which would mean there is a disturbed tomb somewhere in these mountains." He muttered, returning the sword to its scabbard. There seemed to be eyes watching him from every crack and inside every shadow. With a small annoyed grunt, he continued, stepping over the newly dispatched enemies. These were not what had been plaguing the village. The moon burned red overhead, and black clouds loomed large on the horizon. Frederick did not have to be a seer to know that as a bad omen, the minions of the lord of the Wasteland were plotting something. None of these monsters he had currently slain could have been behind people going missing. None of them were intelligent, organized, and motivated enough for such a plot unless there was another evil behind it. He did not have high hopes that the victims would still be alive, but if he could bring some closure to their loved ones, that had to be enough. |
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hollowmaster740
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Nov 9, 2023 2:06:31 GMT
Burned footsteps were laid in sequence on the ground as someone quickly ran through the trail across the waste before him. An aura of something not of this plane wandered along with this traveler. The Morbid Mountains didn't have many visitors, but when it does only the dead and cursed answer. They greeted the stranger as they moaned and prepared to strike, only to be struck themselves and felled in a powerful manner before being shrugged off and left, more footprints being burned into the ground he was standing upon.
"Hopefully there are still survivors around these parts. Wouldn't want them to start mourning and begging in front of Father, would we?"
Zagreus kept himself on the move as he held his trusty blade, Stygius, making his way towards the source of... whatever was happening here. He got word of strange happenings in this area that caused the disappearance of various people in Warakiya, the village not too far from this area. Thankfully, he stocked up on water for his vial beforehand so he will be prepared for long travels. The moon glowed red above him and dark clouds loomed. Definitely not a good sign. He soon made his way towards a part of the trail that had... dead cursed and mummies? He moved closer and examined the bodies before standing up and turning his head.
"They must've disturbed a really old tomb. Didn't they teach archeologists not to mess with cursed objects?"
He simply continued his way through the trail and wondered... who would come to a place like this looking for treasure? Probably all the crazy ones, give or take a few brave or stupid enough to mess around and find out. He'll have to see what happens then...
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Post by DornKoon on Nov 9, 2023 11:03:46 GMT
A few more slain mummies, and a corrupted wolf later, Frederick reached an outcrop, where it looked like a landslide had taken out part of the mountain. He scanned the area and crouched down to examine the ground. This had been a recent landslide, and maybe that was what the villagers had heard. A rumbling, yes, that would make sense. But, what could have caused it? Part of him wanted to ask his... "companion", for aid, but the other part was very much against becoming dependent on the fiend. If anything it was a blessing to be left alone for a while. It did not take long before he noticed what looked like a structure further up the mountain, part of it had been exposed when the cliff broke apart.
It was a distance away, so it was difficult to see any details, but the hunter could tell it was not a natural formation, but something built. A quick examination told him that there should be a path around, and that is where he walked.
After a few more slow minutes, Frederick arrived at the remains of stairs going up the side of the mountain. Most of the steps were still intact, but a few looked loose, and some others had broken apart, leaving gaps going down into the chasm below. Falling from this height would not be a pleasant experience. "Well, the Mummies were able to pass here, which is impressive." He muttered, before slowly walking onto the first step, weighing his foot carefully before moving on. "I think we're being followed" Came the sing-song voice of The Presence just as he was about to make a leap over a broken step, he stopped himself...
"You did that on purpose..."
"I resent that accusation, I just thought you might want to remain informed"
"Are you going to tell me who is following us?"
"If you say something nice about me, I will."
"Something nice, huh?" Frederick sighed, he thought for a moment. "You're likely the most powerful entity on his mountain."
"How sweet, that'll do."
"So?"
"They reek of the underworld, I've no idea who they are however, but... they are not undead, nor dead."
"You mean, someone alive from the underworld? That seems unlikely."
After a moment of silence, Frederick decided to keep moving, it seemed a bad idea to bump into someone in the middle of a partly ruined staircase going up the steepest side of a cliff. Thankfully, he did manage to get to the other side without falling to his death, it did seem like this was not where the stairs would have normally ended. What he found was a video area that must once have been an annexe of some kind, but due to the landslide, it was not exposed to the elements. A few broken sarcophagi told him that this must be the source of the mummies.
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hollowmaster740
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Nov 9, 2023 19:40:14 GMT
The entity's senses did not fail it, as there was indeed someone coming through the same trail as the hunter. He just wouldn't realize it until they actually saw each other, the man continuing to run down the path while making sure he cleared the area of enemies in his way. The thing was all he kept seeing were corpses and fallen cursed down this road, so it was a mellow jog at best for the time being. Zagreus got to a wider area that gave him a good look at the side of the nearby mountain, which gave him a look at what exactly the sound was that the villagers heard back there. The side was opened up due to a recent landslide that took place, revealing what appears to be an ancient structure within the mountain's interior. This gave the prince an excited grin as it's been some time since he explored some ruins from a lost civilization. "Bingo. 'Guess that's where all the trouble is, I think."He pressed on, making his way towards the mountain and going through the safest route he could find to make it to the bottom of the revealed building, towards the seemingly unwieldy stairs. He took some time to observe and think about how the stairs would function before realizing that if an army of mummies made it past there then it should be fine, so long as he doesn't slip on a loose step and fall down to whatever abyss lie beneath. He would take out a canteen of water and fill up his vial, drinking out of it to restore a good bit of his abyssal vitality for the next several hours before putting his stuff away in his pack. The prince started to carefully make his way up the partly ruined stairs, checking the frailty of some of the areas to make sure he doesn't get caught in a stumbling accident. After a bit, he got the hang of how they were structured and successfully made it up the path. He figured out that these stairs had stopped a good way up and had led him to a floor of the ruins within, what looks like a chamber reserved for working with the artifacts that rest in this place. However, he could tell he wasn't alone as he soon saw a tall figure nearby examining this area, taking his time as he walked in that direction. He didn't quite recognize the attire, but from the looks of it he was a tough one. In contrast to Frederick's sturdy leather attire, Zagreus's garbs house a grounded, yet mythical design as is traditional for anyone aligned with the Olympians and Chthonians. He had a distinctly black and red eye compared to his humane green eye as he looked over the man's physique, his heated feet burning prints into the floor softly as he stood. "I take it you're here to solve this mystery too? It's pretty dangerous around these parts."
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Post by DornKoon on Nov 9, 2023 21:00:45 GMT
Frederick looked over his shoulder as he detected the sounds of feet as The Presence had told him... there had been someone following him. The knight had expected many things, all from a fellow hunter to an opportunistic bandit or, going by the supposed "reek" of the underworld, a necromancer. This was none of those things. His brow furrowed as he turned around to face the stranger, a young man, to his eyes, just passed into the cusp for manhood, dressed in unusual garb, feet which caused the dry grass to smoke. He looked odd for sure but did not strike Frederick as a follower of the vampire count. What Zagreus noticed, in turn, was the man's eyes, which were shimmering slightly, almost looking like two moons more than eyes.
"Yes," he replied, a short and simple answer, slowly lowering his hand from the hilt of his sword. So, this young man was also investigating the mountains. He did not look like a hunter, but Frederick knew well enough not to judge by appearances. "Few places in these hellish wastes would be considered safe."
His eyes slowly drifted to the young man's garb, namely the oddly stylish skulls around his waist, those attached to his shoulder, and the wreaths in autumn colours of red, orange and yellow. "You bear the skull symbol of the House of the Underworld", Frederick said, recognizing the skull design. As The Presence said, this boy was not undead, nor dead... apart from his glowing red eye, he looked very much alive. If anything, he seemed more spry and lively than the hunter himself was. "But, you look too young to be the lord of the dead. Identify yourself."
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hollowmaster740
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Nov 10, 2023 1:19:16 GMT
A friendly face? It definitely seems so, though this one was more fuzzled, experienced in nature. Zagreus could see that, hear it in the man's voice. Though, there was a commanding presence he naturally had that resonated with the prince, in a way. There's plenty he could learn from someone like him, if he hadn't learned as much already. He calmly approached the man to get a slightly better look at him.
"I'm Zagreus. Chthonic prince of the Underworld, son of Hades and Persephone. You seem pretty well studied in the damned and unrestful if you know where my crests and symbols fare from. Most people take them as either grim reminders or just gothic costume design."
He was intrigued with this man's presence for a time, not forgetting what he came here to do. There was some kind of connection that these two had, though mild, like they were both driven by a sense of purpose. At least, that's what he thought was the case. Later down when they've tried working together, maybe they could solidify some kind of friendship after this is said and done.
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Post by DornKoon on Nov 10, 2023 9:56:58 GMT
Frederick had turned his attention to one of the broken sarcophagi. He ran a hand along the edge of it and examined the broken slab that had once held the mummy inside. He was still listening to the young stranger introducing himself as Zagerus.
"Well meet Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld." He said, pulling his hand back. "Yes, as a hunter of monsters, it would be foolish of me not to be familiar with the differences between those who serve Lord Hades's house and those who are the minions of Dracula." At the mention of the count's name, a chill wind came blowing down from the mountain, and in the distance, they could hear the baying call of a wolf. "I do, however, understand others would make the mistake of not seeing the difference, especially those still living in these cursed wastes."
It only took a few glances to see that this section was empty of the undead. It was like they had wandered off, maybe even some of those further down the path. An old stone gate had once continued further into the mountain, but it was gone, and as Frederick looked down into the dark path, most of what remained of the door was scattered outside. The hunter looked around the annexe and watched the remains of the walls, eyes lingering on the sky. This was... potentially bad.
"Tell me, young master Zagreus." He said, gesturing for the prince to join him. The walls inside were almost completely black from sot and ash. The steps of the stairs going into the mountain were badly broken, almost pulverized, and that was recent damage."What do you make of this? Stand here and look. What do you see?" He stepped to the side, giving Zagreus space.
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hollowmaster740
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"From the crumbling remains of our old home, I rise again!"
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Nov 23, 2023 4:42:25 GMT
Very interesting, this one... A hunter of monsters that dares to fight off the minions of the lord of the undead, Count Dracula. This seemed to please the kind Prince, to see such an experienced fighter take up arms against the forces of a malevolent leader. This reminds him of a few legends he's heard about through his long life down in the House of Hades. Now, it seems, he's living through one of life's great chronicles. He, too, took a deeper look around the tomb, noticing similarities with what the man was observing. The lack of the large gate, its hinges broken off and busted. The dark rooms that lie ahead were giving signs of... a more infernal kind of effect, the walls being almost completely sheeted with soot and ash. Being invited to examine the area further, he thought about it as much as he could to see any logical or moral reason in this. He pondered for a time. "I see soot, ash, and a broken path up ahead into the mountain. It looks like a couple of things might have happened. Either something, or someone, managed to cause a ruckus of the place after breaking in, causing an explosion that made the rumbling heard from a good view away... or something got a little too disturbed during a recent expedition here, causing it to wake up and make a mess out of the place before escaping further down the path. Either way, this place explains the mummies outside." |
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Post by DornKoon on Nov 23, 2023 9:34:22 GMT
Frederick continued to examine one of the walls as Zagreus spoke, taking in the words of the young prince, young being a wide range when it came to the gods and their offspring. The boy could just as well be older than him. By his general posture and youthful visage, he still seemed in the range of "young".
"Yes, those are both plausible," he said, using an old handkerchief to wipe the sot of his hands. "I think the latter more so than the former, lad. Look at the remains of the door, the damaged hinges covered in soot, and the way the stairs have been pulverized. Something broke out from this tomb, not in. Look-" Frederick turned and pointed to the gaping hole where the wall (and the mountain outside) had fallen, exposing the tomb to the elements. "I can't say what, but something came up these steps- destroyed the door as if it was made of paper- and escaped the tomb by blowing apart the wall and the mountain outside. Disturbed the whole tomb at the same time- which, as you say, explains the mummies meandering about in the area"
Frederick paused and lowered his hand. "Whatever it was, it's long gone now, and the only way to find out what it was would be to venture further into the tomb. If it was sealed inside, there must be clues." He did not wait for Zagreus to reply before he began to go further inside. He was climbing what remained of the ruined stairs, not be surprised if the young prince decided to follow, but he did not pose an invitation. The hunter had not asked him to tag along.
It was also a blessing that The Presence had been silent for a good while now, and also troubling as it had such a passion for talking, so its silence was making Frederick all the more nervous.
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hollowmaster740
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"From the crumbling remains of our old home, I rise again!"
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Dec 14, 2023 3:51:40 GMT
He had paid attention to the details that were given, and he seemed to agree. It definitely seemed more like an escape than a break-in. It looks like their situation with saving the survivors is going to turn out to be a much grimmer outcome than they thought. Still, if they can learn more about the beast, reptile... whatever kind of creature this is, perhaps they can find a way to get rid of it.
"Okay then."
Zagreus didn't hesitate to start following behind, as Frederick predicted. If there's more information to be found, more than one person can be useful to improve the investigation. At least, that's what the prince had in mind. He began to climb the broken stairs, getting his gripping firm and strong while making his way up the stairs with his companion. He's got some experience in climbing by himself with his many ventures through the layers of what lies beneath. It's not much of a problem for him. Let's see where they will end up from here...
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Post by DornKoon on Dec 14, 2023 11:27:14 GMT
The trek following the stairs into the mountain was long, made longer by the ruined steps, turning the stairs into more of a sloop with gravel covering the floor. "Odd, it's getting... colder," Fredrick said, and his breath started to turn slightly misty. The deep caves usually were colder than outside, but not this way... "I think we've got an opening ahead."Shortly after, Frederick stepped out from the corridor and took a moment to scan the surroundings. It was a large cavernous area; the air was chill and damp, clinging to the body like a cold blanket. The ceiling was up in the darkness, and massive pillars kept the place from caving in. It was eerily silent... "It reeks of undeath," he commented slowly before turning to look back at the fire-stepping prince. "What can you tell me about this place?" For a split moment, it seemed like Frederick was talking to Zagreus, but before he could answer: "Oh, now you're talking to me; you're such a tease..." The voice was clear, with a sing-sony tone. "I don't care what you think; what can you tell me?" Frederick growled, furrowing his brow. "Only if you introduce me to your handsome new friend..."Frederick groaned, closing his eyes for a moment and cursing under his breath. "Fine," he opened his eyes again and looked at Zagreus. "This is my... associate." As he said this, a pair of abnormally long fingers suddenly appeared behind Frederick's shoulder, followed by a very tall creature. There had been nothing there moments ago, and the entity was too big to have been able to hide behind the monster hunter readily. In essence, it seemed to have just sprung out of nowhere. The Presence was wreathed in shadows, with a burning fire inside the eyes, dressed in clothing of black and red, far more ostentatious than Fredrick's. It did not appear to have any visible legs, floating off the ground, unhindered by gravity. "The prince of the underworld, what a pleasure, why I confess myself a little starstruck..." The Presence said with a smile, revealing most of its sharp teeth at the same time. |
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hollowmaster740
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"From the crumbling remains of our old home, I rise again!"
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Post by hollowmaster740 on Feb 29, 2024 20:05:35 GMT
The climb to the newest part of their mission didn't take them long, the prince making his way along with his companion to what seems to be a large cavern-like expansion in the mountain, even his fiery feet feeling the cool air touching his skin. Looking around, it seemed pretty simple in structure for the most part. Nothing of true note except how bleak it was in terms of atmosphere. He paid attention to Fredrick and prepared to answer his question when he suddenly heard a kind of voice coming from an... essence around him.
He patiently took some time and allowed them to have their conversation, as short as it was. This entity wanted to meet with the prince, hm? Very well. Zagreus witnessed the being appear before him, like it appeared out of nothing, tailored in black and red and its fiery eyes staring right at him. It's smile widened as it spoke. Playful, yet deviously friendly. He felt... honored to hear from it.
"Well, I must admit, you're a sight for sore eyes yourself. It's not very often I encounter a spiritual companion other than the gods. Tell me, what's your name?"
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Post by DornKoon on Mar 1, 2024 10:43:07 GMT
"What a charmer he is," The Presence laughed, a sound accompanied by more glass breaking. "You could stand to learn a thing or two from this young man, Master." She teased Frederick before returning its attention to the prince of the underworld. "To be compared to the likes of the gods, you flatter me, your highness. As for my name, well- It's a secret."
"This is The Presence," Frederick commented, ignoring the conversation to examine a newbie wall. "Don't get too comfortable with it; The Presence is by far the most evil entity in this place. The words are honey, but the intentions are- not."
"Charming, isn't he?" The Presence said with a wink at Zagreus. "No sense of humour, I would blame his parents... if he had any, then again monks are not kn-"
"Stop the small talk; I fulfilled your terms." The hunter glared at his companion, and it sighed. "What can you tell me about this place."
"Fine, I'll tell you... but I will only do it... my way." The Presence cleared its throat before:
"One of flesh and one of flame,
prisoners in winter's cold,
Adventurous fools, out seeking fame,
broke seal of purest gold."
The Presence twirled around, almost dancing to the words it spoke, with the shadowy flames swirling behind.
"The fire beast, with wings, took flight
to serve its master's call
It broke the walls into the light;
a village soon will fall."
Frederick had stopped what he was doing and slowly turned to follow the spirit. She never lied, but she had a habit of being annoyingly cryptic.
"As for the flesh, in darkness thrown,
with bodies by the score,
It can't be slain by force alone,
Unless one slays the core."
The Presence took a pose at the end, eagerly awaiting a reaction. Frederick just looked at it with a dead-pan expression, not wishing to dignify whatever THAT had been with as much as a reaction.
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hollowmaster740
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"From the crumbling remains of our old home, I rise again!"
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Post by hollowmaster740 on May 26, 2024 2:50:24 GMT
What an... interesting interaction. Zagreus continued on and followed both of them down the path while the Presence went on to do a little dance and explain their situation in riddle form. While somewhat cryptic, he's heard quite a few stories told in patterns like this before and even in some songs back in his home plane. He can thank Orpheus for that.
The spirit had a bit of a feminine twist about it, like it was choosing what kind of person it will be for the moment. Still, he did like it somewhat. There were mischievous beings he'd faced during his attempts to escape the Underworld. There's plenty to decipher from this.
"One of flesh and one of flame... So, there were two beings sealed away here, not just the large beast that tore its way through here. Maybe this other one could be the master commanding it. Whether it is or not, one thing is certain. It can't be killed by the usual means, so far as I've figured from the way that poem was handled."
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Post by DornKoon on Jul 24, 2024 12:55:22 GMT
"See?" The Presence said, glaring at Frederick. Floating after him through the air, unaffected by air or gravity. "At least someone appreciates my art here. Why I ever got saddled with you is beyond me. At least my other Masters had some sense of humour."
The Monster Hunter did not dignify the comments with an answer. He knew it was no use to engage with the entity, and the best thing to do was ignore it until it grew bored. Instead, he continued down one of the staircases, following his nose and the cold air.
"You might be onto something," he said, words aimed at Prince Zagreus. "We've got more undead up ahead, zombies... by the smell. Should not be much trouble."
"Fascinating, you can go deal with those, anyway," The Presence, not seemingly discouraged from being ignored, instead turned their attention to the underworld heir. "You're far from your father's house, young master Zagreus. It does pose the question of what the prince of the underworld is doing... well- outside of the underworld? I was under the impression Lord Hades did not much leave his gloomy domain or let anyone inside do it, either. Now, the Wasteland is not dissimilar from the realm of the dead; some would say it's worse."
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