RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 1
Your name was Sarah. And at 27 life wasn't great, but acceptable. Your IT job had its ups and downs, co-workers ran the gamut from irritating to friendly. It paid well enough to support your lifestyle. You spent more time with computers than with people, and there was no-one waiting for you at home, but you had your few close friends. People had split off and faded from memory as you'd all grown up, but a there was a small, tight-knit group that had stuck it out, kept in contact. Everyone met up Thursdays, headed out to whatever family restaurant had won the vote last week, piled into a booth and enjoyed the warmth of friendship. Lighthearted mockery, arguments about the latest this or that.
It was all you had ever wanted. Small comforts, an easy life.
Wednesday evening, everything fell apart.
You remember the train platform, the low murmur of hundreds of people packed onto a single strip of asphalt. The smell of the afternoon rain, the feel of the cool breeze snaking its way around everyone, fluttering coats and catching at umbrellas. The hanging digital clock, barely visible through the sea of human beings. 5:47. The rumble, the bell of the train pulling into the station. The press of bodies steadying themselves, inching closer to the edge in the hopes of getting a coveted seat on the ride home.
The feel of a hand, pressing firmly into your back.
The split second of realization and pain.
And then everything was gone.
Only. Only you were still there. Still remembering. It's not supposed to be like this, right?
You felt warm, weak. Barely able to move. Something was wrapped tight around you, curling you into a ball. You can't breathe. You're struggling, bringing all the force you can bear on the walls holding you down. You feel wrong. Not the weakness, and not sickly or anything. Like your limbs are the wrong shape. You shove the thought into the back of your mind as the barriers crack and tear under your efforts. You surge forward, as much as you can manage, forcing your head out into the cool air, hacking and coughing, replacing the cloying fluid in your lungs with the sweetest air you've ever tasted. Rubbing at your eyes, you manage to clear enough of the goop off your face to crack one open, and see just what kind of hospital sticks people into liquid instead of a hospital bed.
Rather than a nurse, you're confronted by a leaf nearly as large as you are. You are surrounded by eggs. And above you, looming over is
>>A raven-haired woman with 6 eyes, her arms coated in a shiny black as she reaches down to you >A woman with oddly patterned skin and golden-brown hair, two feathery tufts poking out of her hair. Large feathered arms folding around you to scoop you up >A woman pale all over, with dark eyes and a tuft of fur around her neck and wrists, with furry antennae twisting up from her head. The woman's hands wrap delicately under your arms, gently prying your free from the remains of your egg. She coos softly at you, drawing you into the crook of her arm and cuddling you against her chest. From your new perspective you can see your legs terminate into chitinous shell, a spider's body curling up to meet you. You flinch at the sight, and your new legs twitch in answer, all eight of them. Still trying to rub your face clean, you blink rapidly, and find the motion replicated across your forehead as our new eyes begin to open for the first time.
A soft breeze carries the scent of old wood and forest growth to your nose, but it doesn't even begin to register as panic sets in. Your breath comes in quickening, shortened gasps, and you try and yell, scream, anything at all- But all that comes out is a few plaintive squeaks and clicks as you flail. Your desperation draws the mother arachne's attention, and she peers down at you for a moment, before twisting back and over her spider half, reaching for something out of sight. Her hand pulls up with a pair of cloth sheets, and she leaves one lying across her thorax while she sets about scrubbing you clean.
After a few short minutes of scrubbing and struggling, the latter on your part, she casts the rag over her shoulder and smiles warmly down at you. Planting a small kiss between your topmost eyes, she wraps the second sheet around you, and lowers you down into the webbed nest. With your tiny head peeking through the top of you impromptu sleeping bag, you can see the other eggs starting to crack open, and the mother sets across the nest, legs clicking with each step. She hums to herself as she lifts each child clear, and the soft tune, the exhaustion from your struggles and the warm breeze whisk you off to sleep.
You dream of howling trains chasing you across a darkened landscape, no matter where you run or hide.
When you finally stumble and fall, though, the trains catch themselves on giant webs, and a soft song floats through your dream.
You wake to chirping birds, and the creeping warmth of the sun crawling across the horizon. The mother arachne appears within seconds as you start to free yourself from the cloth cocoon. She runs her fingers through your short hair, and smiles brilliantly down at you, before she produces a small white wrapped object, and gestures towards your mouth with it. Your stomach grumbles at the sight.
>>Take it, try to eat it >Stare at her >Hide >Other?
Dice 1d100: Rolled 93
You find yourself peering up at the arachne, though your hair obscures the vision of a few of your eyes. Six eyes is quite the experience- You find your gaze flicking from place to place as your extra sets pick up movement. The woman's hair catching the breeze, the shift of her tunic as she lowers the treat(?) down to you. The oddly organic way the sharp chitin that makes up her lower arms and hands slides across the other plates as she moves.
You raise your own arms up, running your tongue across your lips as you grasp at the bundle. You didn't realize just how hungry you were. You hold the meal carefully in your hands, noting how the chitin only runs up to your wrists. Maybe it grows as you get older? You open wide and raise the silk-wrapped treat to your mouth as the mother spider settles down onto her lower half to watch.
With the bundle solidly wedged halfway into your mouth, and your mother barely restraining her giggles, a thought strikes you.
Don't spiders drain their food?
It takes a little more work to get it out of your mouth than it did to get it in as it catches on your fangs. Once you have it in your hands again, though, you seek out a thinner section and triumphantly sink your fangs into it! The bundle starts to soften, and you're able to slurp up whatever it is trapped in the web like a juice box. Whether it really is as delicious as it seems, or you're just that hungry, your meal takes all of your attention, and you come back to yourself with an almost flat pile of webbing, as your mother laughs and claps at your achievement. The sharp clack of each impact of her hands rings through the web nest, and you can see your siblings clambering out of their own wrappings all around you.
With a smile so wide it bares her fangs, she sweeps you up again, holding you high over her head. Your spider legs wriggle all on their own as you see past the nest, the ground barely visible from this height. you swallow heavily, and look back at the grinning new mother. "Now, now, little ones. What shall we call you?"
>Aria >>Lyra >Elle >Other(?)
"Hmmmmmmm-" She cocks her head to one side, pursing her lips as though the decision was far too difficult to bear. But her eyes are still shining with a barely contained glee, and the corners of her mouth quirk up as you match her expression and twist your head to the side to face her eye to eye.
She laughs aloud again, and pulls you in tightly, rubbing her cheek along yours. You can't help but giggle as your face is smooshed against hers, and she finally puts you down, alighting your wiggling lower limbs onto the soft floor of the nest.
"Lyra. This little on will be Lyra." she proclaims as she brushes a few errant strands of hair out of your face. She steps past you, reaching for the next child, and you find yourself stumbling as you turn. Orienting 8 legs to turn yourself around is harder than it looks. Each of the other children is held in rapt silence, waiting for there own name. She moves quickly through the rest, 3 more girls and a pair boys.
"Aria. Elle. Ephram. Zach. And... Sara." Your attention goes to the last spider girl as she's given her name. She's pale-haired, hands clasped in front of her, back straight as she looks up at her mother. There's an odd pang of... something. A little flash of jealousy, and a drop of bitterness at a life stolen.
But this is far from the cities and trains, far from computers and restaurants and hands on your back.
You find yourself breathing a little heavier, and your eyes feel blurry for a moment, while your mother scoops all the spiderlings together, before leaning down over you all, speaking in a tone that easily conjures up memories of sharp voiced teachers. "Listen. Learn, little ones. You will have to hunt, but not for a small while yet. And before that, you must know how. How to move, how to hide. Above all, you must know how to weave."
She leans back over her spider half, one hand grasping and pulling forward with a thick strand of webbing, showing it to all the chittering children. You watch wide eyed as she deftly knits it into a short tunic, slicing off excess webbing with her fingers. Your mind goes to how carefully she touched you, and you repress a shiver.
She flicks the tunic open and yanks it down over your head, laughing alongside the other children as you struggle and twist to get your arms free. As she goes back to knitting more kids clothing, she softly encourages you all to try weaving.
>>Try and make a web >Try and knit something >The boys are already starting to square off - Maybe try playing with the girls? >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 93
With the boys already tackling each other while swing strings of web like badly woven lassos, you turn your attention towards the tree trunk stretching upwards at the centre of the nest. Skittering over to it, you place your armoured hands against the trunk and look up, watching the tree fade into the heavy foliage above. You crane your neck to look over at your spider half. Your first attempts at shooting web just twitch your rearmost legs, one at a time, till you find the group of muscles in control. The sensation of the web firing out and sticking to the ground is not something you can properly describe. It lacks anything to compare it to. It feels... Natural. Not pleasant or unpleasant, just right. Like this is something you were meant to do.
You lean back and tug on the web, once, twice, making sure its secured to the base of the nest properly. You make to climb the tree, and rather than wrap your arms around it, opt to let your instincts kick in. Your legs click daintily as they grip the bark, and hanging of the tree sideways is much more fun than you'd have thought. Your sisters' surprised expressions as you clamber effortlessly up the side of the tree is most definitely worth the price of admission. Spinning in place, you fire the web again, this time anchoring it to the side of the tree. Leaving another trail of web behind you, you shimmy down the bridge, and place another string between it and the tree. You begin to zig-zag across your web, using your rearmost legs to guide the sticky ropes where they need to go.
You finish your web at the top, facing the bottom of the tree. You have enough time to look smugly down at your construction before your two new brothers plow into the bottom, sending tremors up through the webbing. The strings snap taut, creaking under the violence of the two's struggles- But the hold strong, and a few more seconds of fighting sees the two strung up in your web, free limbs waving as they squeek and chatter their frustration.
The girls raucous laughter sets off your own, and your mother joins in shortly, rearing uo on her foremost legs to pluck you off the tree.
"Oh, we have a little spinner here, already trying to weave her way to freedom" she chuckles, dropping you next to your sisters as she sets about freeing the brothers from their own idiocy.
"Stop your squirming little ones, that is no way to escape a trap." She clicks her tongue as she works, pulling some strings taut, and slicing other cleanly. When she finally releases them, they're still covered in bits of the stickier webbing, in their hair and stuck all over their human halves. "You will need to be waiting until it dries before it comes off, little ones. It will not be releasing you while it remains."
She turns, facing you and the other girls as she continues, "The webs cannot trap our shells, children, but it will stick your soft skin the same as any other creature. Take care, and do not use it against your siblings."
A chorus of affirmative squeaks and clicks answers her. She nods once, and smiles again. "Now come here, chitlings, and we will see about getting you all fed once more. So much web leaves one tired, yes?" Squeaks answer her again, and the clatter of chitin covered leg follows as she rounds the nest, leading you all to your next meal. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 2
It's late afternoon by the time you and your squabbling siblings have finished your meals. The leaf-filtered sunlight and warm forest air combine with your full stomachs and fuller afternoon, and it isn't long at all before you've all curled and compressed yourselves as best you can, drifting off to sleep surrounded by family high in the trees.
You're standing at the terminal again, the cool breeze mussing your shortened hair, snatching at the strands and carrying it into your eyes. The electronic sign blinks above you, displaying the tine for anyone who cares to look. 5:45. And as you look across the tracks, bending out to see the incoming train, your breath catches and a chill not at all from the weather slides through your veins. You can see yourself, your human self, standing idly at the edge of the platform, loose windbreaker wrapped around her shoulders and pulled tight to keep out the chill. Her hand delves into her pocket and flips free with a phone, a message from a close friend bringing a smile to her face.
The nearing trains horn calls through the evening air, and she looks up, sliding the phone back into her jeans, hiking a bag further up her back with a free hand. You try yelling, catching her attention, but she's facing the train. A dark mist is rolling into the station, the distant glare of a solitary light rushing ever closer.
You're screaming now, throat hoarse. The crowd is shuffling closer, blocking your efforts as you frantically try to reach the doomed woman. You shove and sob, throwing the shadows of people out of your way as you try to reach through the crush of human bodies. 5:47. You can't even form a warning, choked gasps drawing air through your ravaged throat. Your fingers close on your windbreaker at the last second, but the slick material slides through your grasp as she pitches of the platform into the howling light.
You have a perfect view of the last expression she will ever make before the light consumes every thought.
You wake struggling, sobbing, hands trying in vain to fend off a metal monster that is already long gone. Tears run freely across your pale face, spilling from all six eyes. You died, you died, you died- you can't, you have to-
You pull in another shallow, shuddering breath when you feel a small hand pat down, running smoothly through your hair, and another arm wrap around your chest from behind, pulling you into a quiet hug. Twisting in the soft embrace, you turn and find yourself face to face with the smallest of your siblings.
Sara looks down on you with a groggy, worried expression playing across her tiny face. Her hands continues its motions, raising up to the crown of your head, her fingers combing your tear- matted air out of your face.
>>Hug her >>Try and stop crying >Cry harder >Other (?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 82 You get your arms around the smaller girl, pulling her closer as another half-choked sob shudders out of your frame. Your bury your face in her tunic, muffling your whimpers, and squeeze your eyes shut as hard as you can. She's still holding you, her hand smoothing your hair, and trailing down across your neck as she tries to murmur comforting sounds.
This... this is okay right? You died, but you- You're getting a second chance, right? There was never anyone home when you were afraid. Mom and Dad always worked hard. They loved you, and you knew that, but- waking up alone, eating by yourself, tucking yourself in. It hurt. It hurt, but you were a good girl. You were strong for mommy and daddy, and you never, ever disappointed them. Even if you really wanted too. Even if the best week of your childhood was when you came down with that terrible fever. Mom had been there all week, bringing you food, making sure you were warm and happy and safe. But this is a second chance.
You pull yourself up out of your sister's shirt, sniffling as you try and clear your nose, and look at her closely for the first time.
She looks delicate. Fragile, almost. Where Aria was already bigger than you were, and Elle still had a child's chubbiness, even with the absurd growth spurts, Sara's dainty features, haloed by pale hair made her seem insubstantial. Your arms come up all on their own, encircling the little spider and drawing her right against you, till you're cheek to cheek. She tightens her own grasp and leans into you, and you can feel her cheek dimple against yours as a smile crosses her face. The two of you lay back down like that, curled around each other, pulling the free blankets back up around you to ward off the cool night air.
You have a family. Mother, brothers, sisters, all around you. Its okay.
You fall back asleep amongst quiet snores, and dream of endlessly tall forests, and the clicking if chitin legs as they clambered all over, spinning webs to catch the bad dreams...
______
The soft morning light illuminates the trees, as your mother gestures for you all to follow, and starts over the edge of the nest. The boys hold themselves at the edge, staring down at the forest floor so far below, while Aria immediately sets off following her. Elle skitters restlessly back and forth behind the two brothers, afraid to follow, and Sara looks up at you with a smile, extending a thin, glossy black hand.
>>Take her hand, lead her own the side of the tree >>Grab Elle's hand as well >Coax the other kids into climbing down >>Other (?)
>>Spin a silk rope that the other kids can hold on to for security.
You return your sister's smile with one of your own, and hers widens as you reach out and clasp her hand. You start leading her to the edge your mother disappeared over, but Elle's antsy shifting pulls your attention, and you spare a moment to offer her your other hand. She observes the two of you for a moment, halting her little dance, and blinks a few times, the motion travelling up her forehead. Then she smiles, maybe a bit shyly, and falls in line, taking your free hand with both of hers. You pull the two of them over to the edge, looking over and past the branches to the ground below. Your mother has already reached the base of the tree, standing amidst the giant roots and looking up patiently. A light tug gets Sara to walk up next to you, peering over beside you. You gesture at the trunk with a foreleg, and after a moments hesitation, starts to move out onto the tree.
Carefully picking her way across, one leg at a time, you wait till she's hanging sideways, making delighted noises at her progress before you follow her out, dragging the nervous Elle to the precipice behind you. You catch her frightened stare, and direct her to look over your shoulder, where you've fastened a strong line of web to the tree beneath you. She nods, and swallows heavily, shutting her eyes tight as she gropes forward with her legs, slowly picking herself up off the nest and onto the rough bark. The boys watch silently, still half spattered with drying webbing, as she pulls herself up next to the two of you before opening her eyes.
A heavy gasp is all the noise she makes as she slams them shut again, squeezing your hand for all she's worth as she shakes with fear. Sara waits patiently next to you as the boys begin to giggle at the way she acts. You take the first step forward, and both sisters follow suit- then another, and another, and soon the clatter of your legs blankets out the wind rustling the leaves as you descend to the forest floor, Elle not even once opening her eyes on the way down.
You've reached the lower branches, and the soothing sound of your mother trying to coax Elle to open her eyes when a pair of yells erupt from the nest above, and start flying towards you, getting louder as they go. The two idiots have set their own lines, and are trying to race each other to the bottom.
They shoot past the three of you, but there isn't enough room on this side of the tree- Ephram slams into a branch and bounces off, catching his safety line and dangling upside down in a daze as Zach shouts his triumph from the bottom of the tree. Elle finally opens her eyes, and laughs out loud at the tangled boy hanging from his own web again, and both you and your other sisters join in shortly. With her eyes open, the rest of the trip becomes much easier, and you reach the bottom just as you mother returns from her trip back up to free the trapped boy.
She sets him down next to her, and gestures up and around at the surrounding trees. Hundreds of webs fill all of them, some stretching between massive branches high above, some little more than net traps against the ground.
"It is time to learn to hunt, little ones. There are many ways, yes? You can spin a grand trap, and catch your foods unaware. Or you can hide, and wait, and strike out at them before they can see. Or you can just chase them down, but Mother is lazy, and she will not do that any longer." she says with a small smile.
"Well, little ones? You are feeding yourselves tonight. I should hurry, yes. You must be back before the night falls. Follow the silver threads if you get lost." She pats each of your heads in turn, and settles down to wait at the foot of your home tree, watching expectantly.
>Take Siblings with you (Who?) >>Sara
And
>>Set a web >Hide >Hunt >>Other(?) >>Chase prey into the web trap, and if they either go away from the web or try to fight, throw the net at them and tangle them up.
Zach and Ephram share a look for no more than a second before taking off in the same direction, Bushes rustling and cracking at their passage. Whether they mean to compete again, or intend to work together, or even just fight over whatever they happen to bring down, its beyond your understanding. Elle looks between you and Aria a few times before the bigger girl nods, and the two head off into the brush in tandem. Sara hasn't let go of your hand yet, and smiles up at you as you lead her out into a deeper piece of terrain.
The forest proves to be no real concern for you in your new form- Eight legs means that there's no real chance of tripping, and plants that would irritate even through jeans slide of your spiked legs without so much as a scratch. Eventually, the two of you reach a small clearing, with some heavier branches overhead. It takes a bit of work, trying to gesture and sign the plan to Sara. You assume your vocal cords just haven't developed enough to speak yet, as you can understand your mother without issue.
Once she starts, though, she picks it up swiftly, deftly sewing together a net from her web while you block off a the sides of the clearing, leaving only one path in or out. With the pieces of your trap coming together, you shoo Sara up a tree, to hang upside down at the centre of the clearing, while you skitter through the underbrush, looking for suitable prey to herd into your ambush.
Dice 1d10: Rolled 5 Dice 1d100: Rolled 70
You shuffle along at a decent clip, stopping every so often to listen carefully for anything sounds that would give away something small and edible. You get a few minutes out from your clearing before something catches your attention. The slightest sounds of heavy breathing, broken up with the tell-tale noise of meat tearing, and the acrid scent of blood. You slowly slide into the bushes between you and the sounds, taking care to not break any branches as you peer through the foliage.
Hunched over some kind of rabbit is a tiny man, dressed in rags. With his back to you, all you can see is his elongated, conical skull sticking up between his shoulder blades. It makes him look like a -
RED GNOME
The thought pops into your head unbidden, and you stumble backwards in shock, snapping branches before you manage to steady yourself. Your breath catches as the little creatures head pops up, and it spins to meet your gaze.
The odd skull was nearly all that it had in common with garden decorations; A wide mouth full of needle like teeth splits its face, and a blood-spattered beard drips all over the filthy cloth its used to cover itself. As it properly catches sight of you, it rears back and SCREAMS, a horrible animal screech that carries through the woods and spikes sharply into your ears.
The bushes behind it tremble, and another pair of the bushy faced abominations tear into the tiny clearing, snarling with a barely contained hunger. They set about advancing on you, trying to corner and surround you while still staying out of reach of your legs. They aren't armed or armoured, and even as small as you are, they can't match your height. There's a moment of tense standoff before you hiss at them as loud as you can, and turn and flee. You careen through the woods as fast as you can, glancing over your shoulder when you're sure you won't run into anything. The little monsters have a bouncing gate, ducking under things small enough for them, and bounding over anything else. They keep up the horrible noise as they pursue you, but they aren't fast enough to catch up and force you to confront them just yet.
You burst into the clearing at full speed, digging your spiked limbs into the dirt to drag yourself to a halt just before the web. The fastest gnome is only seconds behind you, and as he clears the brush his jaw cracks even wider as he launches himself towards you.
In a panicked flash of movement, more instinct than any fighting experience, you lash out with an armoured leg, batting him from the air and into the web, where he immediately sets about struggling to free himself, tightening the strands around him with no effort on your part required. The other two have slowed down, growling at you from their side of the clear and inching forward when Sara swings down from above on a string of her own, wrapping the smaller gnome handily in her net, and leaving him hanging.
With the final gnome trapped between the two of you, you advance on it, hissing all the while!
>FIGHT >Punch/Scratch >Bite >Web >>Slash >Other (?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 76, 23
The gnome slowly turns in a circle, snarling at each of you in turn. Sara takes a few steps back, and he lunges at the sign of fear, throwing himself towards her. She lets out a soft shriek as she staggers backwards, dropping the web she'd been readying. She narrowly avoids each snap of his jaws, and as he corners her against the brush, the fact that she is not alone seems to flit through his mind, and he glances over his shoulder-
To find you barrelling down on top of him, hissing and spitting fury. You slam your legs down on top of him, forcing him away from your youngest sibling and back into the centre of the clearing. He backs up a few more steps from your wrath, and squats down, launching himself towards you again. This time, though you match his leap with one of your own, smashing your hardened lower body into him midair, sending him reeling down into the dirt. The dazed gnome barely has time to try and shakes it head clear before you stab down on him again, skewering him and leaving him pinned to the ground like an insect.
His legs kick twice and he gurgles through a final attempt at a screech, slumping down nervelessly in death. As you stand victorious over your first hunt, your pounding heart quiets slowly, and your breathing reaches a normal level once more. Sara comes up next to you, wrapping arms around your midsection and giving you a tight hug. You can feel the erratic pulse through her chest, and she takes a few shuddering breaths, as you pat her as gently as you can.
______
It doesn't take long for the two of you to puzzle out how to bundle your prey, and with the three monsters suitably wrapped, you start to head back towards home. Hand in hand, you follow the silver guide threads, sparkling brilliantly in the fading sun, guiding you back to the warmth and safety of your new family. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 3
After a small celebration once all of your siblings returned, everyone settled down and dug into their food. Aria had apparently led Elle into the treetops and they had caught a few small birds, only each one clearly had 4 wings. The boys had snagged themselves a large rabbit, which was apparently enough for both of them. Your Mom shared in your bounty, feasting on one of the monstrous gnomes. It certainly wasn't the best food you've ever tasted, but there's something to be said for eating your own catch.
The aftermath of the late lunch saw you helping your Mother and Aria carry the others back up to the nest. The boys managed to pass out on top of their food, and a sleepy looking Sara had curled up against you and closed her eyes as she finished her meal. Exhausted, you all piled in together to sleep, throwing loose blanket over each snoring spider. You had to share one with Sara- Even after the climb, you couldn't pry your hand out of hers.
The next morning was something of a shock. While you were certainly growing quickly, especially for a child, you hadn't expected to wake up 4 days after your birth with the body of a girl nearly entering her teens. All of the children were in similar straits, checking in somewhere around half the height of your mother. Yourself and Aria were certainly the tallest, with Sara still comparatively small, and certainly the thinnest of the others.
The next surprise came after breakfast, as Elle gave your mother a hug and tried to thank her: She managed to speak. The chain reaction led to all 3 of of your sisters crowding around and repeating each others names, as he boys yelled something approximating war-cries and began their morning ritual of attempting to beat the snot out of the other.
Your mother was absurdly proud, dancing about and hugging each of you, planting kisses across your foreheads and encouraging you all to try more words.
"Look at all my little ones, growing so fast!" "Mama, Mama!" Elle is practically bouncing in place, wide eyed and ecstatic to be able to do so much. "Yes, Yes, This is good. There are things we must do today, spiderlings. There are people to meet. Follow me, dearhearts."
She leads you around the other side of the nest, and out onto a stout branch. As far as you can see, the branch has been connected to others by thick strings of webbing, high above the ground. "Now, now. Keep up, little ones."
The curving trail leads you far from your home in the clustered woods. Trees begin to this, and grow sparser, and you're all forced to the forest floor to continue. Finally, you reach a massive clearing, surrounded by three large stones, each covered in heavily carved whorls. Patches of tall grass dot, the clearing, and while your mother seems content to sit and wait for something, all of your siblings set about exploring their new surroundings.
>Check out the huge stones >Hide in the Grass, scare someone >>It looks like there's another stone in the centre of the clearing? Dice 2d100: Rolled 76, 65
Sara settles down for a nap next to your mother, while the boys tear off across the field before vanishing into the tall grass. Your other sisters idly wander the circular clearing, taking in the vistas the huge stones present. You set off with a mission: There's some in the centre of the field. It looks rock-like from here, but it's still a ways away. Your legs carry you easily over the uneven ground towards your target till a sharp "Clack" halts your progress, and draws your attention down.
The remains of stone paved path lies under your feet, individual stones smoothed by ages of traffic and weather, while the path itself lies broken and separated, reclaimed by nature. You follow the path through the field, the cobblestones gradually coming together again, forming a clear route to the rock you spotted from the edges. A circle of easy steps leads down, past tiers of what you can only assume to be seats- though the shape and size varies widely all around. An amphitheatre for a people without human forms, then? The heart of the structure is take up by a huge circular table, beautifully covered in carvings of all kinds.
Or it was, sometime in the past. As you draw closer, you can see that vandalism has taken its toll on the stone. Where it once was divided into sections, each decorated to resemble the race that sat and represented themselves at the table, only 3 remain on the scarred surface of the table. A sharp, jagged carving of an arachne, surrounded by a pattern of webbing covers one piece, while another has a soft tribal feel to it, spirals arranged to form an image of a woman with wings in the place of arms. The last image is a delicate picture of a woman with her hands clasped and head bowed, flanked by insect wings spreading across her side of the table.
You look up and around at the seating arranged before you, imagining what it must have been like before. How many races lie under the torn surface of the table? So many different shapes and species, the clamour of voices from throats that would all sound different cries... As your gaze follows the path up the opposite side of the amphitheatre, you focus in on a few dots, far off in the sky. Even as you watch they grow larger, hurtling towards you with a speed you couldn't hope to match on the ground. Your breath catches as you begin to pick out details- They're clearly the winged people from the table.
Even now, your eyesight continues to surprise you; you can see the patterns of their feathers, the way the wind catches their hair. One of them spots you, meeting your gaze- You can see her smile even from the ground, and she pull her wings back and tight against her as she begins to dive...
>>Stand your ground >Go get Mom >Run into the grass >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 74
The harpy is coming in fast, hurtling towards far quicker than you would be able to flee. You skitter around, finding yourself a clear piece of ground to stand on- if you have to fight, you don't need your legs getting caught on anything. The harpy continues her dive, releasing an earsplitting screech as she closes in on you, wind whipping her hair into a long tail pulled taut behind her. The rest of the flight continues at their own pace, apparently happy to leave you to the first one to dive.
You find yourself crouching lower, spreading our legs around you, giving you something of a cage around your spider half- and preparing to leap if the situation demands it. With the harpy only seconds from contact, she flares her wings, opening them wide and pulling herself to a near halt directly in front of you. She hangs just out of reach above you, shrieking and snapping her taloned feet towards you, hovering around in some kind of show of strength.
For your own part, you rear back onto four legs, waving your dagger sharp appendages at the floating feather-covered girl. Leaning forward between your foremost legs, you clench your chitin-covered hands into claws, hissing as you dance side to side, keeping the harpy in front of you as best you can. You take turns lunging at each other, keeping just out of reach and raising a godsawful racket as you continue your standoff.
The showdown is finally broken by raucous laughter floating down from the sides of the theatre. You shift around the harpy till you can see where its coming from, and are confronted by the sight of your mother and sisters side by side with the rest of the harpies, all clearly enjoying the show. You can feel the heat of a blush working its way across your face as you lower yourself back down- but the harpy takes the opportunity to charge in, trying to knock you off balance and pin you to the ground.
Unfortunately, a small framed lightweight with hollow bones doesn't stand much of a chance at knocking down someone with eight legs on solid ground, and you've got her pinned to the stones in short order, keeping her there with just your two hands as she tries to flap her way free. The harpies applaud in their own way, sharp finger talons on their wings clacking together carefully to replicate the motions. Your mother laughs again, and call down for you to free the little bird-girl. There's a moment of tension when you let her go, the two of you staring each other down before she breaks first, turning her head and taking off, winging her way back to her family.
You clatter back up the stone steps, with your sisters looking on with proud smiles, and your mother starts to introduce you all.
"These are my daughters, yes? There is little Sara, Elle is next to her, and this one is Aria." She chatters as she gestures to each of your sisters in turn. "And here is our fierce Lyra, yes." She smiles mischievously. "Too much like her father already. And the boys are in the field, somewhere. I am too old to try and hunt them down each time, yes. But they have a penchant for getting caught in webs, so I will find them in time."
The eldest harpy chuckles along with the introductions, before sweeping a wing out towards the two younger girls next to her. She clicks her tongue lightly as she speaks, "The quiet one is Sefi, and the not so quiet one is Jin. We left Jareth in the nest, of course."
"I would hardly expect to see him flying." They share a laugh at whatever joke they have between them, but neither bothers to explain. "Was Erics not even there for the hatching?" the harpy asks as she cocks her head to one side. "You know him, Lia. Nothing will hold him down for long. He heard rumours of more ruins like this in the west, and he was gone in the morning, yes."
The mothers continue chatting idly, but your attention drifts away from the conversation and back to your winged opponent. She's half concealed herself behind her mother, wrapping her wings around and peering at you without blinking. You start to shift to the side to get a better look at her when your mother's hand descends and clasps your shoulder.
"You little ones are getting hungry, yes?" She has a spark of laughter dancing in her eye. "Why don't you and little Jin go and fetch food for everyone. Maybe you will have a little less energy for once, yes." "Yes, Mama"
You start to head towards the woods beyond the stones as your mother giggles behind you, and Lia cackles out loud, shooing her daughter into the air and after you. You reach the cover of the woods with the now quiet harpy idly circling above you, and as you head between the trees she swoops down and settles onto your spider half.
>>Chat with Jin(Topic?) >>Suggest plans for hunting >Ask about her father >Other (?)
As you walk through the quieting forest, there's the kind of silence that only two people unsure of how to start a conversation can manage. The click of your limbs is matched by the quiet ruffling of her feathers, as she adjusts herself to the bobbing of your thorax. You idly play with your hands for a moment, before glancing over your shoulder and taking a deep breath-
Which you hold, because the little harpy perched on your rear half has turned her head all the way around, watching the clearing fade into the forest clutter. She twists her head back forward as your gait stutters a bit in surprise, and there's another few seconds of staring before you release your held breath and try to open conversation.
"Hello." "Yes." "I am Lyra." "Yes. We are Jin."
You glance forward, and start moving again, picking your way between roots as the forest grows denser around you. Turning your attention back to the harpy, it's easy to see her youth. Light, downy feathers cover her body and wings, and her patterns see haphazard, incomplete. She's already fallen silent again, stoically maintaining her grip on your carapace. This isn't working at all.
"What is flying like?" You manage to blurt out.
She tilts her head back, as if gauging the distance to the sky from where she sits. She speaks with certainty, with an absolute sort of truth to each of her words. "There is wind and sky, clouds and us. We can spread our wings and touch sunlight, touch starlight. Our eyes see everything, and there is nothing we cannot catch." She fluffs her wings as she finishes her declaration, twisting side to side to settle her feathers back down.
"Is that why you dove at me?"
She carefully considers you, eyes tracing your back, across your shoulders, and down to the growing gloves of armour across your hands.
"We must be strong. The strongest. With wide wings, and powerful voice. We will catch the starlight, and it will be ours, and we will show our mother and sister and father." There's a pride there, an odd sort of determination for someone as young as she seems. Or maybe not? You're only a few days old, and already looking like you were 12 or 13. Maybe the minds of these people develop as fast as their bodies? Maybe even faster.
"You are strong. Even with your little arms. We did not think you could catch us." She smiles and ruffles herself again. "It will be good to hunt with you."
"What do you hunt, Jin?" "Rabbits. Little things. Sometimes bigger things, if we can dive far enough." "What if I weave you a net? Could you throw it on creatures? We will need to catch a lot to feed everyone." "Yes. Mother says webs are a spider's strength. This is good. We will be strong!"
She seems excited at the idea of borrowing your 'strength'. You look around, and spot a pair of trees close enough for you to weave a wide web. You'll need somewhere to keep your food while you gather enough for everyone.
"I'll start to make some now, then. Can you look and see where we should hunt?" "We can see everything! And nothing can hear us!" She flaps her wings excitedly before pushing off hard, catching just enough air above you to start sailing into the trees. You look back at your chosen trees and get to work.
Dice 3d100: Rolled 56, 50, 99
Jin sails away between the trees, utterly silent. An owl-harpy, then? You turn your attention back to the trees, and with just a few minutes spinning, you've produced a beautiful web between the trees, silk strings glistening in the filtered sunlight. You step back from your newly built storage, and start trying to spin yourself a net.
Is this how Sara did it? Nope, that is a vague blob of strings.
Mixing the sticky strings with the strong lines is a lot harder at this size. You try stretching the web thinner, but it tears, or catches on your fingers and you slice through. Knots tend to drag, making it impossible to form a net without simply weaving it together- but if the strings overlap, they pull together and ruin the attempt.
10 minutes of frustrated knitting, and you're finally creating things resembling nets. The slow rumble of hunger is turning into a sharp edge, and the more web you spend the more hungry and irritated you get. another few minutes, and you've finally knitted yourself a suitable net. Mostly tough string, with just a few select rings of the sticky silk to that it's easier to entangle oneself than it is to get free.
At that point, you realize that you're holding the net with you're shelled hands, which is something your winged partner completely lacks. She isn't going to be able to hold the net at all.
A few more minutes of knitting, after pulling some sticks free from nearby trees, and you've managed to craft a trio of scoop-like nets. If she swoops down and tags a creature with this, it shouldn't be able to break free at all. In the process, you've realized that your understanding of the language- and your ability to speak it- is completely natural. It isn't so much something you've learned, or picked up, as it is something you were born with. You've also discovered a choice selection of arachne swear words. While they did wonders for your stress, you're fairly certain you can't let your mother hear you talking like that.
Jin on the other hand, has returned twice already, with a rabbit, then two, clutched in her talons. She's swooped into the clearing, squealing little creatures carried beneath her, and pitched them into the web, laughing all the while. She seems very impressed by the web at least. You hid your failed attempts at nets in the undergrowth already. No way you're going to let someone who's already looking up to you know how many times you screwed up.
This time, Jin's return isn't nearly as quiet.
"Trouble! We have brought trouble!" She casts her latest catch into the web, and it bounces and writhes is place as she circles over head, shouting warnings, as a black-furred wolf nearly the size of your spider-half stalks into the clearing. It eyes you and Jin with sidelong glances, snarling as it sizes you up. It spends a moment to examine your lunch web before crouching down low, its rumbling growl sounding for all the world like an advancing storm. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 4
It's one thing to recognize yourself as something monstrous. Something more than human. The supernatural abilities you've displayed, the impossible body you've been reborn into. But for all that, you're surrounded by friendly faces. By family. The kindness in your mother's smile, the way your sister holds your hand. It's hard to reconcile the concept of 'monster' with the people you're slowly coming to know.
And the gnome... The gnome was little more than an animal. You aren't even sure if it could be considered sentient. It was small, and vicious, driven by a hunger that defied its size. You watched the tiny creature abandon a meal to chase you, an armoured monster several times its size.
But standing in the clearing, with the harpy Jin flying overhead, face to face with a wolf the size of a bear, the terrifying bass crescendo of its growl reverberating through your spine, you admit to yourself, for the first time. There are monsters here. There are beasts beyond your ability to understand, to characterize, and there are things you can't comprehend, even in this seemingly friendly forest.
You focus in on your opponent, shifting back to bring two bladed legs forward, weapons and shields in one. The creature's growl spikes, and it snaps its jaws once. Jin screams something above you, and the sharp smell of ozone floods the battlefield, as the black-furred abomination unleashes a growl and bolt of lightning all at once.
>Suggest a plan of battle >Herd it into the web >>Distract it while Jin attacks from above >Run away
Dice 1d100: Rolled 88
Time slows. Your arms feel sluggish, like the air has thickened around them, as you try to bring them up and guard yourself. You can see the wolf's fur bristling, a spiked mane forming around its neck in the wake of discharge. The blue-white bolt, so bright it hurts to look at, screaming across the distance between you. You remember a storm from your childhood, how you'd hidden under the covers as the thunder rolled, no-one home to tell you it was safe. The lightning illuminating our room in its stark light, a split-second of flash. You remember leaving for school the next morning, stopping and turning to face your yard. The tree reduced to a shattered, blackened trunk, thick splinters of wood strewn across the lawn and into the street.
The lightning slams into you.
There's a pain you've never experienced, the sensation of every muscle, every tendon rebelling, pulling and releasing, straining against nothing at all. Your heart stops, and you can count the seconds by the missed beats before it starts again, lungs burning as they catch and you pull in a fresh breath. Your scalp tingles, your fingers twitch- But you're alive. You steady your legs beneath you and snarl back at the wolf. You make to yell a plan to Jin, and there's a moment of hoarse squeaking before your body remembers how to talk.
"I- I'll fight! Hit it when it'sssss not watching!" your voice hops and skips, like a record with its needle not quite on target. The young harpy crows her assent, and begins to flit around the oversized canine. The wolf snaps at the air, but no matter where the harpy goes, it won't turn its back on you. The knowledge goes a long way to helping your confidence, and you pull a pair of helplessly tangled string balls out from under a heavy root as you close in on the monster.
A delicate dance begins between you and the wolf; You stab and slice at it with your forelimbs, it dances just out of reach, and then it dashes back in, teeth cracking against each other as you yank your legs out of its attack. You twist and turn to keep yourself safe, forcing the wolf back towards the web, while Jin keeps above and behind its head, her silent wing-beats ensuring that she has more than enough time pull out of range of its jaws after each raking dive, the wolf not even aware of her until she digs her talons into its flesh.
An awkward dodge on the wolf's part sees you draw a heavy gouge out of its leg, and you hurl the webbing as it hops sideways to dodge a second swipe of your leg.
>Change the attack(To what?) >>Maintain your plan
Dice 2d100: Rolled 61, 47
The wolf tries to twist out of the way as you throw, and the first ball grazes its hip as it passes, sailing into the brush and sticking firmly. The second is dead on, or would've been: The beast snatches it out of the air with a blurring fast bite. Which suits you just fine.
You fail to stifle a laugh as the creature begins to panic, slamming its paws into its face in an attempt to dislodge the sticky muzzle. Its frantic dance throws off Jin's aim, and rather than raking the monster's back her claws lock into its shoulder, and she immediately sets about flapping furiously to try and free herself.
The wolf's head snaps around, fur bristling, and Jin pulls herself free at the last second. A muffled bark is followed by an explosion of web and a flash of light, but there's no bolt to speak of. Turning back to face you, the monster catches your descending limb across the face, tearing a gouge though its eye and across its jaw. It releases a startled yelp of pain at the same time it leaps sideways, putting distance between the two of you and a tree on its blind side, trying to keep you where it can see you.
Jin is trying to get more height for another dive, and the wolf has managed to get a bit further from your web, though it is certainly injured.
>>Circle it, pin it to the tree >Rush it, overwhelm it >Trust your armour, body slam it >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 98, 45
Jin flutters uncertainly above, unable or unwilling to commit to another attack after her disastrous prior attempt. You stalk sideways, your body low and your front legs raised like claws, hissing and clicking at your now cornered prey. The wolf half turns, keeping sideways and doing its best to follow you with its single eye. It crouches lower, and its growl builds, fur starting to flare out again- It glares, chest swelling as it takes in a breath- and you surge forward, covering ground faster than it can turn to face you. One claw snaps out, smashing its snarling maw in the other direction; an aborted flare of lightning flickers out and blasts a jagged scar into the dirt. The other claw spears forward, crunching through its ribcage and out the other side, stabbing so deeply into the tree you can't pull yourself free. The beast shudders, legs spasming and pawing at the nothing, letting out a hacking wet noise as it falls limp on your outstretched limb.
You stand there for a moment, a violent tableau in the noon sun, drawing slowing breaths as your pounding heartbeat calms. It takes a few tries, but you manage to extricate yourself from the tree, dumping the wolf's corpse unceremoniously to the ground and staggering back. You hold yourself up, shivering, hands on your legs, as the stress of your fight and preemptive electrocution works its way out.
Jin is perched above, watching silently with wide eyes, as though she's seeing something much more impressive than you catching your breath and feeling like you're about to vomit any second now.
"You killed it." She whispers in awe. "It called the heaven's fire, and you killed it." You're not sure you feel comfortable with someone looking at you like that.
"We -We both killed it. Together." you wheeze out, as the harpy circles down, settling back on your thorax. She ruffles her feathers up, shaking and twisting her head side to side. "We did so little. So little. The thunder-caller ignored our claws, almost caught us with his rage. You killed him." There's a warmth to her voice, a plain expression of hero worship, of someone convinced you saved her life.
"We need to go back. They're waiting for us, for lunch." She bobs her head again in reply, making a curious cooing noise in assent as you set about trying to bundle up your catches.
In the end, you need to dissemble your web for silk to wrap your food with. You're bone tired, and still feeling jittery from your sudden increase in wattage. It takes nearly an hour to drag it all back to the ruins.
As you step into the clearing, you're met by your siblings, hungry and eager to help. They grab the bundles, tearing back off towards your idly chatting mother with their burdens, while you take your time, walking heavily back to the auditorium and its occupants. Jin has gone quiet, though she hasn't moved from your spider half yet. If you hadn't checked and seen her blink, you'd have assumed she'd fallen asleep riding you.
Your mother is on you the second you enter her field of view, turning your head one way, then the other, checking you over for injuries in a panic.
"No, no, no, not fighting things like this. Not yet. Oh, little one." She pulls you into a tight hug, wrapping an arm around you and crying into your hair, taking deep, raggedy breaths as she tries to calm herself.
"Little one, you are okay, yes? You are unharmed? Please, dearling..." She catches your shoulders in a light grasp, drawing you in front of her and waiting for an answer. Jin interrupts from behind before you can speak. "She killed it. Not even heaven's fire could stop her."
Your mother's eyes widen in alarm, unshed tears gathering in the corners. >>I'm fine, I'm okay >I'm strong, It wasn't hard >>Hug her >Cry >>Other(?)
>>It was scary, I'm tired
You raise your tired arms as best you can and offer a wan smile. She steps forward in an instant, embracing you even more fiercely than before, murmuring your name into your matted hair. You squeeze back with as much strength as you can muster, whispering apologies and reassurances to your worry stricken mother.
"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," You sniffle into her arms. "I'm fine, we're fine."
You close your eyes, holding yourself tight against her as you both hug out your fears. You're alive. You can feel your mother's beating heart, your own pulse echoing it in your ears as she combs through your wild hair with her fingers, humming a sing-song tune while you stand with your arms twined around her.
"I'm just- I'm just really hungry. And tired." You whisper to her as you pull away, your mother looking down at you with a proud smile across her features, even as her eyes glisten. Her hands make a final slow pass through your hair, running down your neck and across your shoulders, trailing down to your hands. She holds both in front of her, leading you over to the pile of animals that your siblings even now are drooling over. She sits down next to you, and a late lunch begins.
Your shoulder harpy settles down next to her mother and sister, chirping and squawking their way through two of the captured critters, although you can't understand anything they seem to be saying. Your mother takes the final rabbit-thing for herself, and you wind up sharing the black wolf with the rest of your family. You walk your mother through your fight between sips of your meal, eventually admitting the mess you made with your attempts at weaving nets. For her part, she acts appropriately surprised and shocked as you ramble through your story, offering praise for your fighting and laughter for your weaving, she promises to teach you soon. You manage to mutter that you'll hold her to it, though you're getting drowsy with your full stomach.
You wind up sitting half asleep next to your mother for the rest of the afternoon, idly listening to her chatting about the weather, the monster's migration, how she misses your father, whoever he is. The harpy fills in the gaps with comments on your brothers and sisters, and reminds her that once you've all grown up and moved out she can go and chase him into the ruins all over again. They share a laugh, and spend a while watching the other children play. Sefi sits and sings to your sisters, and the boys have decided that they are clearly wolves, spending the their time leaping and growling at one another. Jin sits quietly next to her mother, watching you whenever she thinks you aren't looking.
You have six eyes, you're always looking.
The sun begins its slow descent across the sky, and the families gather up to return to their respective homes. Jin darts away from her mother before they take off to hand you a long, patterned feather, looking to be from the frill wrapped around her neck. Her mother watches wide-eyed, a surprised expression on her face, though neither harpy offers and explanation as they flap away into the sunset. You manage half of the trip before you're no longer quite sure where your legs are going when you place them; Your mother drags you up onto her back and ferries you the rest of the way home. All you recall from the walk is the soft sounds of a forest at night, and the silver light of the moon filtering slowly through the shifting branches.
______
The morning was a blur.
Not a 'so busy I can't remember' blur, but a 'fell asleep every time I woke up till afternoon' blur. When you finally raised your head and cleared your bleary eyes, your siblings were out hunting for lunch, while your mother had remained behind to knit new tunics for everyone.
Its probably a good thing she's a spider- replacing clothing as fast as you'd have to with a growth rate like this would be expensive otherwise. You're nearly to her shoulder now, and your hair is beginning to reach the nape of your neck. You have to keep drawing your bangs behind your pointed ears, it'd drive you mad if you'd left it to get in your eyes.
You set your body down across from your mother's, and she smiles as she begins to walk you through the basics of weaving and knitting...
>Pick something to work at for the afternoon >Nets and traps >Clothes, hats, etc. >>Strengthen your string
Dice 1d100: Rolled 97
She launches into a lesson about nets, but stops only few sentences in, web already wrapped between her fingers in preparation to turn it onto something useful. She looks you over, blinking once before smiling ruefully. "I think, little one, that you will be getting yourself into all sorts of trouble, yes? No matter what I say. You will be needing something more." Her fingers blur, and she flips her wrists almost casually, and sets aside a skilfully done net before turning back to face you.
You sit, hands fidgeting in your lap as you wait for her to start.
"Our silk is strong, yes? Many cannot break it, and even fewer can break free. But we can make many things from it. You could weave a dress - or a set of armour. It depends on how you go about it." She has a thick strand of web in her hands now, and you watch as she pulls it into separate, thinner strands, before weaving it back together, running them around and over each other. The string she produces is shorter, but it seems no thicker than before. She grabs each end and yanks hard to demonstrate, grunting at the strain as it stretches ever so slightly. There's almost no give left in it, none of the elasticity it had before.
You catch on quick, her hands over yours guiding you through the weave, till you can reproduce the pattern without even looking at it. You settle into a slow, purposeful pattern, you weaving together your strengthened silk, and her speedily knitting clothing for your ageing family. A few moments of silence pass before you interrupt by clearing your throat, and drawing your mother's attention.
"Ah-" Your voice is still rough, whispery from exhaustion and trauma. It comes out quieter than you'd like, mixing into the soft rustle of the leaves around your treebound home.
"Jin, she- she gave me a feather." Your mother smiles as she watches you work your way through your question, mhmming whenever you stutter to encourage you. Her hands blur even without her focus on it, and you watch, transfixed as a small pile of silk becomes a long tabard.
"Uhm. Why did she do that? It means something, right?"
She meets your eyes, and nods slowly. "Yes. Different feathers mean different things, yes? It is an old tradition, for delivering messages to people who couldn't speak in the same tongue. Or for saying that the feeling they wish to pass on exceeds words." Her tone is light, that of a teacher only too pleased to pass on knowledge to a prize student. "A broad wing feather for friendship, the smallest to show that there is no real relation. A feather from the leg to show anger, from below the knee to show a grudge that will be settled. A feather from the head to show admiration, love." She slows, quiets, her knitting ceasing as she taps her sharpened fingertips against the plat of her hand. "And a feather from the neck to show devotion, astonishment. A life debt, or a follower. It could mean many things, fierce Lyra. But above all, it is not something given lightly. Take care of that feather, yes?"
You nod, solemnly, and she turns her attention back to her knitting. Your next question sends her fingers askew, and she tisks at herself as she unwinds her mis-woven thread.
"Where did our father go?"
She puts her half finished tunic to the side, and looks up to meet your gaze.
"Your father... He has a wandering fire in his heart. If he did not, we would have never met, though it still pains me to be away from him. He is a mage, a researcher. An explorer. I traveled beyond the woods, yes, searching out ruins from our kindred of long ago. There is so much we have forgotten..." She sighs with a smile across her face, revelling in old memories.
"We met in the heart of a dungeon far south of our woods, little one. He thought me a survivor of the dungeon's people! It took a while to explain, yes, and by the time we could talk properly, we were used to having each other nearby. And we got closer, and then... It came time to return to the woods, yes. Ruins are no place to bring up spiderlings, there are far too many traps, and not nearly enough food."
There's a faraway look in her eye that you don't really recognize, but it passes and she smiles down at you again. "Come here, little one. Follow along now." She turns and heads up the side of the tree, perching on another branch above you. Something like a door is carved into its side, and a spiral staircase descends into the heart of the ancient growth, lit by glowing stones set into carved nooks all around. She leads you down, till you reach a wide flat platform, and illuminated by the rocks glow is a treasure trove worthy of a dragon. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 5
You're standing somewhere deep within the hollowed trunk of a monstrous tree, in what appears to be your Mother's combined treasure room/armoury. The stones' light glimmer across all manner of items- Archaic sets of armour sit snugly next to a barrel of gold pieces, and a sword easily your height rests idly against them both. A wall encompassing rack of spears spreads around half the room, with its contents ranging from what could be classified as pointed sticks to oddly shaped blades, spines and barbs of all kinds decorating their lengths. A few other snug shirts of armour litter the floor, and an overflow of treasure- rings, gems, coins of all sizes- dominates the floor space.
Your mother laughs out loud at your expression, the wide-eyed shock of someone finding that their forest dwelling half spider mother, wearing hand woven clothing, rests her home on a small hoard. She manages to restrain herself to choked giggles as you turn to face her, your questions plainly written across your face.
"I explored far, far away from the forest, little one. There is a wide world outside the woods, and a great many things wait to be seen." She steps forward, reaching up to a pair of long, padded sticks.
"But for today, since you continue to take your many legs and pick fights with things you should not, I think we will start your education, yes?" She shoos you back up the stairway, following behind with her arms loaded with the training weapons.
Your thoughts interrupt your spiralling ascent, and you voice them as you continue, "Did you build the stairs for Dad?"
"Hah! Yes, yes. I even had to knit him a ladder! Nothing bothered him more than not being able to go as he pleased. Even in our travels it was the same. I would scale a wall, and lower him a thread to clamber after me. He utterly refused to be carried." She chuckles as she walks, following you up and out of the tree. She gestures up again as you exit, and you head further into the canopy, eventually reaching a thick layer of webbing, forming a wide disk high above the ground below.
Your mother skitters past you, handing you one of her sticks as she goes, taking position at one end of the disk. "The arachne are greatly blessed, spiderling. Many weapons have little place in out hands- There is no reason to wield something that cannot reach past your legs!" She considers a moment before continuing. "Perhaps a small dagger, actually. There are things you do not wish to bite, or touch. But that is a long way from here."
She raises her spear, one hand firm and the other loose, holding some herself at ready in an odd, eight legged stance. A fierce smile plays along her features, though her voice carries warmth all the same.
"Your lessons begin now, little one. Let us see if I can keep you out of trouble for at least today, yes?"
>>Defense >Slashing >>Stabbing Dice 1d100: Rolled 66
It only takes a few minutes for you to realize just how your mother plans to keep you out of trouble. It's not a matter of watchful eyes, or binding rules.
She intends you to be too exhausted to leave the nest.
Her voice rings out like a drill sergeant as she works her way through the basics with you. Showing you how to grip your spear to stab, to parry, sliding your hands to opposite sides, so you can intercept an overhand strike with the haft. Bracing yourself to catch a charge, or even planting the spear in the dirt if your monstrous strength can't hold back your enemy.
An hour passes, and she dubs your stances 'passable'. The look in her eyes tells you that there will be more lessons on stances yet. She guides you through a series of strikes, leaning forward to strike from above, or hanging back and stabbing out between your legs. Her own weapon raps against your wrists, your shoulders, your arms every time you slip up, pushing you back into place.
Hours begin to blur together, and your chest heaves and burns with the kind of effort you haven't made since your rebirth. Your tunic clings to your body, sticky with sweat, your grip on the spear sliding as it run across your clawed hands. She wordlessly hands you a waterskin, and you all but pour the entire thing down your throat, gulping down water to quench the fire you've lit inside.
By the time she judges you done for the day you're lying nervelessly on the disk, barely able to groan in protest as she 'tsks' at you with a smile.
"All that energy, and we didn't even reach sparring, hmm? I will have to push you harder tomorrow, little spider."
She stashes the practice weapons in a nook in the trunk, and hauls you back to your feet, brushing you off as you stand. Your limbs tremble beneath you as you head down the trunk to your living space, joining your siblings who've long since returned with food for the evening.
______
You have re-evaluated your mother. She is kind, she is loving, caring. Everything you have ever heard mothers should be.
And she is utterly, utterly merciless. There is a complete certainty in your mind that if she has ever had any enemies, that they are gone now. She has driven you into the ground for the last two days straight, pulling you up the tree as you wake, and only returning to eat and sleep. Sometimes your siblings join you above to watch, or to learn with her on their own time, but no distractions will stop her from pushing you till you can no longer move.
Even now, thrusts and parries are becoming less a thought and more a muscle memory, and your hands reflexively curve into an appropriate grip as you think about it. You've finally gotten a break, though- Not because she thinks you ready, or acceptable, but because you had started to stink so strongly that she ordered you into the woods to bathe.
And so here you are, aching down to your bones, sisters following behind you as you head to a small dammed section of a nearby river, hoping the water will wash away the dull agony as well as the days of sweat. You can see the trees parting ahead of you, and the clean scent of running water reaches you before you can see it. >Dive in, play around >>Get clean, relax >>You haven't actually seen yourself yet, have you? >other(?)
Your sisters rush past you, Aria jumping straight into the water, Sara and Elle picking their way across river-smoothed stones till they stand half submerged in the calm flow. You're still feeling sluggish from your training, and you head in at your own sedate pace, stopping at the edge of the water, upstream from your trio of sisters.
You wait at the rim, watching as the few ripples slow and vanish, and you look at yourself for the first time. Your skin is pale, the barest hint of a tan all that days of sun have managed. The arcs of your arms show the results of your mothers punishing regime; the hint of muscles apparent even now. Your face places your age somewhere around 16, childish fat thinning away and leaving an echo of your mother's beauty. Light eyebrows frame your six eyes, The reflective black orbs set evenly across your face.
In contrast to your mother's sharp features, though, your nose is slightly upturned and rounded, your cheekbones not quite as high. Your mouth is set slightly wider, the trace of a smile writ across your lips even now. Your fingers follow the contours of your face, and you wonder how closely those off pieces reflect your absent father's.
You step lightly into the water, your image erased from the surface as you drag ripples through the surface with every movement. Finding a deeper piece of river, you thoroughly dunk yourself, scrubbing away with a few scraps of cloth you brought along. There's a satisfyingly raw feeling on your skin when you resurface, lazily swimming until you reach a rock, where you drape your human half over its warm surface, and wait for the sun to take its course.
Aria has wedged herself between a pair of rocks, lying back across her spider half with a drowsy look on her face. Elle and Sara are still washing, occasionally interrupting each other with a splash of water. Thoughts flit through your head as you relax.
>>Chat with your sisters(who? what about?) >>Sunbathe >Play a little >Other(?)
You watch your sisters with half-lidded eyes. The rock's warmth, the sun's rays, they're slowly working their way through your body, loosening knotted muscles and leaving you limp across your stone of choice. The quiet sound of flowing water, the fresh forest breeze. Everything is perfect. This is perfect. You are going to lie here until everything stops hurting, and then you will lie here just a bit longer.
Aria, apparently satisfied with the sun's job drying her front, pulls herself up, and meanders towards you, picking a stone of her own to lie across. You twist your head, lying your cheek on the stone, facing your most active sister, and voice a few questions you've held.
"Aria." "Lyra." "How're you?" "Mmn. Good. Hunting is good, getting easier. Have to go further into the woods. You?" "Tired. Sore. Mom is strong." She smiles sideways at you, eyes twinkling. "We saw. I'm almost glad I only find the little beasts when I walk." "She says I find trouble, but I never look for it."
She lifts herself a bit off the rock, folding her arms under her head and laughing at you. As she settles back onto the rock, looking out at your two other siblings, a wistful note enters her voice.
"What was it like?" "Mn?" "The beast. The fight, the thunder. The way Jin spoke..." "It hurt. Like, my whole body froze all over, and there was a feeling of fire, and cold. And then it let go, and I was alive." "You didn't run."
It's not an accusation, just a statement. She keeps going.]
"You fought it. I thought about it after. That night, until I fell asleep. I think- I think I would have run. Up a tree, away. Why?" "I don't know. Didn't even think about it. It was in front of me, and Jin was yelling, and I froze. I thought it would catch me, maybe? Not up a tree, just... If I turned my back, it would get me." "Mmn."
There's a few minutes silence between, just birds chirping and water rushing to fill the gaps.
"Has Sara shown you her trick?" "Her trick?" "Sara!"
The shout draws the attention of both girls, and they wade over to your resting places, curiosity evident in their looks. Elle glances between the two of you, and Sara wrings her hands, nervous even without reason.
"Sara, you haven't shown Lyra your trick?"
Her reply is quiet, like even her words try to avoid causing offence, trying to pass without even disturbing the air.
"She- she's always so tired when Mom is done. She eats and I give her a hug and she just falls asleep and Zach has to bring a blanket because she's too strong and I can't get away and Mom just laughs."
She speaks with a kind of breathless speed, and as you smile at her she turns her gaze down, blushing. Elle rubs her shoulder while you and Aria try to cajole her into revealing her trick.
"I'm awake now, right?" "Mhm." "Yeah, you can show her, yes? It's special, she'll like it!" "Okay, I- Okay. Okay."
She scuttles forwards, rubbing her hands together again, head bowed. Then she holds her hands out towards you, palms cupped, and takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly. And not just the air, there's... an indescribable sensation in the air, like a sense you've never had before. You can feel movement, and flow, and it gathers in her hands, and then, before you is a soft glowing point of light, hanging suspended between her fingers.
>>That's Amazing >>You can do magic? >Try and touch it >>See if you can sense further (1d100) >Other (?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 88
You blink rapidly, propping yourself up on your elbows as you stare transfixed at the floating point of light in your sister's hands. Sara's blush deepens, spreading across her neck, and she tries to hide behind her own arms, pulling her shoulders up and ducking down, as though she was invisible as long as she couldn't see you.
"Sara, That's amazing. You're amazing."
One eye peeks above her arms, barely able to accept the praise you're trying to heap on her. You reach a hand out towards the ball, but you restrain yourself. You can feel a sort of warmth, not a heat, but a radiating sense of power, and you can trace the flow towards your sister, a slow curl of strength arcing out from her core to form the little glow.
"It's magic, Sara. You can do magic!" Tired as you are, you can't stop the grin from breaking over your face, and you laugh with the kind of bubbly giddiness that only excitement can bring. You reach past her hands, and grab each arm gently, pulling the astounded little girl into a hug over your sunning rock.
She barely responds, a tiny 'eep' escaping as curl your arms around her.
"You're a mage, you've got magic! You have to tell Mom, she'll be so proud!" "I- n-no, it's, it's just a little light, it's not-" "It's magic. It's special, Sara."
You can feel the tendril of power evaporate as she releases her spell, and she wraps her arms you, leaning into the hug and burying her face into your shoulder.
"You really think so? That it's something special?" Her voice wavers a bit, unsure even now. You pull a hand free and pat her back, both your other sister's joining in and stroking her hair, putting a hand on her shoulder. Quiet reassurances that make her tighten the hug with a fierce sort of strength.
"She'll be so happy, Sara. We'll go, and we'll tell her together, you'll see."
You can feel her mouthing words into your shoulder, muffled as they are. 'Thank-you', over and over.
The return trip is uneventful, just a quiet walk back through the woods to your treetop home. Sara doesn't let go of your hand, even for a minute, blushing all the way there. You find your brothers sprawled about the nest, probably tired from another of their absurd competitions, a huge pile of bundled food next to them. Mom is knitting together more clothing, holding it up to the light to check its size. >How do you want to tell her? >Blurt it out >>Try and push Sara forward, get her to say it >Wait for one of your sisters to speak up
You nudge Sara forward with one of your central legs, silently urging her on. Her fingers twine around yours, but she represses a little shiver and steps forward.
"Ah, Uhm. Mom."
She spares a glance at the two of you, a little smile as your sister tries to work up her nerve.
"Yes, dearheart?"
Sara is staring straight down now, face red as her breath catches and she tries to force her way forward.
"I-um, I. Th-that is, I. I'm."
She's taking shallow breaths now, chest rising and falling rapidly, and you give her hand a squeeze, trying to impart a little courage to your smallest sister. Her had snaps up as she takes a deep breath, blurting it all out in one string of syllables.
"LyrasaysImmagic-I c-can do magic, butitsjustlittlelightsbutshesaysImspecial-"
Your mother looks over at her hyperventilating daughter, and stands in one smooth motion, folding her half-finished knitting as her legs pull her up.
She covers the distance in a few easy steps, wrapping her arms your sister, smiling warmly as she pats down her hair. Sara has a death grip on your hand, slowly lessening as her breathing returns to a normal level, short spasmic breaths making way for long ones as she goes limp in her mother's arms.
She gets really wound up.
Your mother makes soft, delighted noises as she comforts Sara, her smile so proud it reaches her eyes, happiness clear across every bit of her face.
"Mmm, look at you, little ones. Already so strong."
She pulls back a little, still patting the small spider as she speaks. "We still have some of your father's books! But you'll have to learn plainspeech first, yes." She glances around at the rest of your siblings with a wry look.
"I am thinking that there won't be many of you staying near, yes. Perhaps all of you should be learning. There is a box of books in our tree, next to the sword. Lyra, bring us one with pictures, yes? We will start with something simple. Simpler, anyhow. Your father is one for making stories, not carrying them with him."
It takes a bit to extricate yourself from Sara's grasp, but you make your way up and into the tree, returning shortly after with a large book full of illustrations clenched between your hands. Your mother plucks it from your grip, and all of your siblings arrange themselves in front of her as she cracks it open to its first page. "An Encyclopaedia of thine monstrous races, indispensable for the common adventurer," She laughs out loud as she reads. "Your father and I had fun with this. The author thought harpies had beaks, and arachne's faces opened into horrible pincers so we could devour children." She shakes her head slowly, remembering something far away. "I am thinking 'common adventurers' do not get very far following this advice."
She sets about reading lines in plainspeech, then repeating them in forest, underlining the words on each page as she goes, though she takes time to show off the ridiculous drawings of monster 'anatomy'. There's an image of the black wolf you fought off- but sliced in half revealing that the author believed its stomach was in fact a storm cloud, and that the wolves climbed to the tops of trees to devour the sky and power themselves.
You're not entirely certain whether that, or the fact that everyone accepts lightning spewing wolves as fact is more ridiculous.
>>Roll a d100, see how much plainspeech you've picked up.
>>Reading and Magic with Sara >Hunting with Aria >Racing your brothers >>More practice with Mom >>Elle is getting good at weaving and knitting >Other(?)
Dice 4d100: Rolled 43, 85, 93, 92
The evening passes like any other, and you settle into a pile with your sister after you've eaten your fill of the days hunt.
As morning rolls around, though, you find yourself being shaken awake. A bleary glance around shows you the sun barely beginning to peek above the horizon, long shadows stretching through the forest.
Sara, however, is uninterested in your ability to tell time. She has the evening's book clenched firmly in her hands, and the girl is nearly vibrating with excitement. You rub the back of your hand across your eyes to clear them, and raise the blanket one handed with a yawn, offering her the spot next to you.
She skitters in so fast her chitin clacks off of yours, settling down beneath the blanket and snuggling up next to you. The sun's rays aren't reaching the canopy just yet, and your little sister calls up a tiny ball of light to illuminate the pages as you help her through, correcting her words where you need to, and underlining any letters she's struggling to get. Plainspeech isn't quite the language of your previous life, but bits of it are close enough that you picked it up much faster than your siblings.
Sara keeps trying to race ahead, but you take your time working through the book with her, making sure she understands each word before you move on. You figure magic tomes aren't the sort of thing you want to risk a mistake on.
By the time the sun is creeping above the trees, the rest of your family is stirring, and Sara has a firm grasp on plainspeech, if a rather limited vocabulary. You suspect the book is written in an older version of the language- Long, dry words and stuffy descriptions seem like the sort of thing people wouldn't use day to day. A shadow creeps over the pages, and you look up to find your mother standing over you, wearing a smile you're getting more familiar with. The kind you suspect she wears hunting, or maybe when she's in the midst of a 'good' fight. Sara throws you a guilty look before scuttling away, leaving you to your fate. As she goes though, you note you can kind of sense where she is, tracing her spark of magic even without seeing her. Maybe it'll be useful in the future, though in your present predicament of being dragged up the side of the tree to be thoroughly flattened by your mother, its hard to see so far.
At the very least, your ridiculous rate of growth seems to extend to your training. You can go further without exhausting yourself, and by the time a late lunch rolls around, despite your lengthening hair plastered to your head, you're still ready for more. You tear into your food, gorging yourself on the latest catch and washing it all down with gulps of water. You can actually eat smaller bits now, having grown in enough teeth that you no longer need to slurp all your meals.
There's a tug at your hair, and you manage to half turn your head to see Elle behind you. She gives you a small smile, and gently pulls your hair out of your face, working a wide ribbon into it and tying it behind your head. You nod and thank her, and she pulls a wide hat down over her eyes before she tells you "You're welcome," and follows Aria back out of the nest. Maybe you can ask for one of your own, she seems to enjoy weaving in her spare time.
Your mother returns to drag you back to the training ground, and is so delighted to find you still able to walk unassisted that she doubles the afternoons sparring, leaving you as an immobile heap. You wind up rappelling down the tree to the nest in the evening unwilling and unable to clamber your way down the side. The warmth of the wind and the soft sound of your mothers lullaby soothes you into sleep even with your aching body. You curl next to Sara with a smile on your face, and you dream of a vast forest, full of glowing points of light that warmed you with each touch. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 6
An older friend of yours, one you had met through a college room-mate, once tried to drag you into getting a gym membership. He spoke confidently about 'the burn', and how after the pain passed, you'd feel better, be better.
You told him, in no uncertain terms, that you didn't want any burning, just a soft blanket. He'd laughed, and headed out to do his exercises. It wasn't the last argument on the topic by any means. It was something of a common thread between all your friends- Each and every one of them thought the others strange. You have to admit now, though, that there is definitely something to the whole burn thing.
Mom had switched out your training spear for a heavier one, though she certainly didn't allow for any slowing in your progress. Sweat stung your eyes as you spin the haft up and over to parry her incoming strike, flicking hair over your shoulder with a snap of your head. She pulls back for a half second before sliding sideways, aiming a heavy thrust at your midsection- Your hands automatically sliding into position on your weapon as you catch her blow and turn it aside.
You ate one of those the first day, and spent a solid 20 minutes dry heaving. You made sure you memorized the right way to block it after.
With her spear askance, you take a short chopping attack, spinning the attempt into a thrust of your own when she backsteps to dodge. Her laughter rings across the arena, and her fierce grin grows wider, baring fangs as she brings her own weapon back around to come at you again.
"So my little Lyra thinks she has found her bite now, yes? Show me your fangs, child!" Your mother is practically cackling with glee as she charges across the platform at you, eight legs making short work of the distance. You're fairly certain this is going to end up with you flat on your back. Or as flat as a giant spider can get, anyway.
>Meet her charge with your own! >Brace yourself as best you can >>Try and parry and slide by her!
Dice 1d100: Rolled 49
You can see your chance. It hangs crystallized in the future, an image of you shifting your weight to one side, your mother's charging spear sliding off your own and past you. You use her momentum to spin yourself, and while she struggles to rein in her speed and turn back to face you, you strike. You win the spar, and your sibling are impressed and mom is proud, and that is not what happens at all.
You dart forward, rushing for the gap between her and the edge of the platform, twisting your torso to face her, bringing your spear up to deflect her charge. There's a moment when you think it's worked, when your plan almost comes together, as she hurtles by you without even touching your spear.
And then she plants her inside leg into the platform, and her momentum brings her around in a brutal arc, slamming wholly into you, sending you flying to land spider-ass up, arms askew and legs wiggling aimlessly in the air. Your mother's laughter is joined by the layered giggles of your siblings, all perched in branches around the makeshift arena.
You shoot them a dirty look. You've seen them 'secretly' practising with branches for spears, but not one of them has dared to try one of her training sessions. A few pointers about grip, or how to thrust or slash properly, but not even the boys will get in the arena when your mother is wearing that smile. Your merciless teacher's laughter spirals down to a low chuckle, and she wipes the sweat from her brow before offering you a hand up.
She yanks you up, and despite your traitorous, unsteady legs, you manage to remain standing. Mom barks out a single, harsh laugh as she sizes you up, apparently very pleased with something. You try and ready yourself, anticipating whatever drill will come next when she interrupts.
"That is it for today, little one. You have made it all the way to the end of day, and still standing! Mmn, your father would be proud, yes."
She takes the training spears, stashing them in their usual spot, and ushers you back down the side of the tree. Your siblings join you in short order, handing out the days spoils and settling in to dinner. The boys squabble about who caught the most, and Sara settles next to you, whispering between mouthfuls about what piece of magic she's managed to puzzle out. She's managed to multiply her little glowball trick, forming a small constellation that she can orbit around her as she pleases, no longer bound to her hands. You give her a smile, whispering encouragement and praise, and her return smile threatens to break free of the confines of her face.
Your mother claps, once, twice, drawing everyone's attention, quieting all the little conversations around your circle.
"I have been looking at your father's books, spiderling," directing her speech at your smallest sister.
It's hard to imagine just where she found the time, to be honest. Wait, she's still talking. "...and I am fairly certain your magic is tied to the stars, yes. It is certainly not fire or earth, but I am no mage." She turns her attention to you, eyes examining your arms, your slow, even breathing.
"So, we will make sure, yes? There is little point in learning magic of the wrong kind to start. There will be time to learn others later." She smirks at you, and continues on with her speech.
"I will fetch you a proper weapon, and you and your sisters will take Sara to the river's source. There is a waterfall, and it catches the starlight as it falls from the sky. Your father said it was a place of magic, yes. She will go, and she will see if she can touch starlight." She rubs her hands together with a distinct kind of satisfaction.
"Now, you will get some sleep, yes? I will wake you soon enough. It will be a long night."
______
And that is why you are standing in a solemn, starlit forest, with a broad-headed spear clutched to your chest, with your sisters all around you. Sara and Elle are both wearing some kind of shawl over there shoulders, white spider silk glistening where it catches the light. You idly wonder if there's something in the woods that'd make a good dye. Hopefully you'll remember that tomorrow. Aria stands shoulder to shoulder with you, a look of nervousness and excitement mixing on her features. She's armed herself with a long, carved branch that she's built a webbed net onto, and her shirt looks like she's added padding to make herself a bit of armour.
Time to head out.
>>Lead from the front >Play rearguard >Head through the trees
Dice 1d100: Rolled 37
There's a moment of stillness, standing in a dark, starlit forest, with only a sliver of moon arcing slowly across the sky. The smell of old earth, living plants, the calming scent of a forest at rest. And then a roar, sounding for all the world like it's echoing from many throats at once, breaks the silence. There's a long, drawn out screech that ends as suddenly as it begins, and the sound of wings rushing though the air as no longer sleeping birds take flight, and you do your best to repress the shiver that snakes its way up your spine. It sounded far off, but...
You have a distinct feeling that there was a very good reason your mother has never let you out at night before. You glance over your sisters again, finding Elle and Sara have locked hands, looking worriedly at every deep shadow, as though monsters could spring from one at any time. There's a pang of jealousy that Elle has stolen your spot, but you throttle it down and swallow heavily. It takes a few tries to find your voice, and you sound a bit unsure, even to yourself.
"We'll go through the trees, okay? I'll lead, and Aria will follow behind you. We'll keep you safe."
Elle's eyes are still examining each patch of shade, but Sara manages a small smile and a nod. You pick your way up the trunk with your siblings in tow, following the meandering ground path as best you can from above. It's slow going- The trees don't always meet properly, and you have to take wide detours to stay above the forest floor.
It's almost certainly worthwhile though. There's more than one occasion of glowing eyes peering up at you from amongst the roots. One or two even follow you a ways before giving up, heading off to find more accessible prey.
The trees thin as you reach the river proper, and you wind up following its curves from a distance, stopping in the boughs and making sure you're still following its course. The moon's pitiful crescent is high overhead, and your journey likely halfway done when you realize that you've somehow completely missed something very simple.
You can see in the dark. There's no way what little of the moon is showing could illuminate the forest to this extent. Even in the shadows of the trees branches, you can pick out patterns in their bark, the long path of trees ahead. You revel in that for a moment before continuing on, a steady treetop march with your sisters.
It takes another hour or so, but you reach the waterfall's clearing without incident. It's beautiful, and just as mom described it to you. You just kinda thought her description was flowery, poetic. Painting a romantic picture of a moonlit clear, starlight glistening off the rushing water. You didn't really consider that her choice of words would be literal.
There's a wide pool at the base, pounding water crashing down a hundred meters or more of broken stone cliff-side. A heavy mist flows out from where it touches down, a cool spray chilling the breeze flowing through the clearing. An inexplicable, perfectly kept grass carpet stretches around the basin, and aside from the occasional flower, there's not a weed to be seen.
And all of it eclipsed by the air above you. Starlight hangs in points, in droplets above the water, a tiny galaxy in the centre of a forest, each point of light slowly twisting through the air in relation to its brothers and sisters. Sara's breath catches in her throat, and she steps forward, arms outstretched to the display. She reaches the edge of the embankment, arms shaking with the effort of keeping them aloft, starlight playing across her form.
The stars slow, stop. Then they shift, and their orbit changes, more and more of them dropping from above to circle your little sister as she laughs in delight, a galaxy all on her own.
Elle moves in closer to her, pulling a thin book free from within her clothing, and the despite the longing looks Sara gives her stars, she peers over the book with her sister, searching out the secret Mom sent her to find. You and Aria turn back to the woods, setting weapons at ready, a pair of white cloaked sentinels to stand guard.
>Set webs up around the clearing (this will give away your position) >Lay a few traps (Not guaranteed to work) >>Set a few lines, and watch them for movement >>Other(?)
>>Have Aria set a few traps
Dice 1d10: Rolled 1 Dice 3d100: Rolled 57, 62, 64
Minutes tick by, occasionally accompanied with a murmur from Sara to Elle as they work their way through the book. The forest has long since quieted after the roar that started your trip but there's an itch up your spine that just won't let go.
A spider feeling antsy.
You let out a snickering breath, shaking yourself down as you turn to face the curious look Aria is giving you.
"There's no need for us to stand about waiting to be attacked, Ari. Lets set ourselves a few lines and snares, and see if we can't make our job that much easier." She nods assent, but tilts her head to the side as she answers.
"Ari?" "I- ah. It just seemed to fit, yes?"
Her fingers drum at the side of her stick, a little staccato pattern of clicks as she goes.
"Hmmn. I think I like it, yes. I'll keep it. We should take turns setting, we can't leave them unguarded."
She throws a glance over her shoulder, where Sara has pulled a few stars into a personal sun for herself, bathing her book and surroundings in light.
"I'll head in first, then." You step softly into the woods, taking half steps as you go to keep yourself from clicking. It doesn't take long before you've set a wide loop along the forest floor, and you lead a taut line back into the clearing that you loop around your leg. You can even feel the soft tremor of the forest breeze through it- There's no way that anything could touch it without our knowledge. Aria heads out as soon as you return, following your line into shadows. You can see her flitting between trees, setting traps inside your lines.
A warning, and a first defence.
You settle down easily enough, bleeding the edge of your paranoia off with simple conversation. Sara, apparently, doesn't go far from the nest, sticking close by and hunting passively while she reads. You share a chuckle at the mental image of the little spider daintily licking her fingers to turn a page, perched above a web of wiggling victims.
Elle has been accompanying Aria on her hunts, weaving snares and minding them as Aria chases prey towards her. She knits and weaves in her spare time, using Aria as a semi-willing guinea pig for her creations. Aria spent an entire day essentially covered in bags of various designs, asked at every return whether it was more or less comfortable, if she thought over the shoulder was better, would she like a hat, and so on.
You smile as you start to recount how Sara woke you at barely dawn to read when your line twangs, once, twice, three times. You're up in an instant, spear pointing at the woods. Between the trees you can see hunched forms advancing, though one hangs upside down in Aria's snare. Sibilant hissing reaches your ears, and though Sara and Elle look up in fear, you ready yourself for combat. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 7
It isn't the same.
Your sisters stand beside you, behind you. Elle has frozen in place, too afraid to even breathe. Sara stares at the enemies emerging from the dark woods, whimpering ever so slightly. Aria swallows hard and holds her ground, steadying her odd weapon. You can hear her heartbeat from where you're standing.
There's two of them, and a third frantically trying to free itself further into the shadowed forest. Oversized bipedal lizards. A heavy-set squared face, their lower jaws jutting forward and showing a hefty row of fangs. A long spined ridge running down their backs, ending with a thick fin at the end of their tails. Their arms hang comically low, with the creatures keeping them drawn up in front of them so they won't drag. Their legs are short, curled underneath them; It's obvious to you that their far more used to water than they are to land.
But each one has a thick blade, a wicked chunk of metal that glints with the clearings starlight. They snarl and huff as they close in on you, tails lashing behind them as they move. They split, beginning to circle, and you step back to back with your sister, weapon ready.
But for all the weapons, for the tactics, for the intimidating appearance, one thought blazes with simple clarity in your mind.
They are nothing like the wolf, and you are not afraid.
>Charge them, they can't keep up with you on land! >>Bait a strike, and return it! >Parry it and trample them! >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 57, 97
You can feel your heart pounding, adrenaline sending the now familiar electric feeling all through your body. A half second glance shows you that Aria is warding off her lizard, skittering back to hold herself between it and your two smaller siblings. You shout at Sara to blind them while you bear down on your target, spear tracing a simple pattern in the air between you. She doesn't answer immediately, but you're not worried.
Your face feels stretched, and it takes you a moment to realize that you're smiling. Maybe this is what it feels like for Mom, all the time?
The lizard dips its head down, half opening its mouth as it takes a deep breath. You expect a roar, but instead, a sound like some sort of off-key horn emerges, its throat swelling out as it inflates. You bare your fangs and hiss, letting your limbs take their full range of motion as you move, each one of your legs clicking ominously as you close in.
You loosen you grip on the spear, letting it falter, and the monster takes the bait, springing forward and taking a full strike. The creature's attack surprises you; rather than making a simple chop, it snaps its entire arm like a whip, letting the weight of the blade do all the work. The strike is jarring, vibrating up the haft and into your arms, but there's no real strength to it. You snap your spear sideways, knocking its weapon wide and thrust with all your might.
You certainly aren't capable of reading a lizards expressions, but you'd definitely say it looked surprised as the spear-tip punched unimpeded through its ribcage. Maybe it thought its scales would be armour enough? You don't really spare it any thought, driving the monster to the ground, raising your razor sharp forelimbs and finishing it off.
It lets out a gurgling cough, blood spilling from its mouth, and you turn towards your second opponent.
Aria wields her staff like a lasso, or a noose- She's looped the webbed net around the monsters weapon arm, pinning it to the ground. Sara's lights buzz about the creatures face, and it bats at them with a free hand, its tail lashing around to try and keep Aria's legs away. It lasts a few more seconds before your sister decides the slapfight is a waste of her time, rearing back and stabbing with four of her legs at once. It twitches twice before the blade drops out of its limp fingers.
The lizard's call doesn't go unanswered though, and more of the creatures start to pull themselves out of the water, Sara and Elle retreating to stand near the two of you. You lower yourself behind your legs, gripping your bloodstained spear and preparing for more.
>>Stay clear of the water's edge, let them up onto land. Then engage! (4d100) >>Stab them as the try to clamber up!(4d100) >Retreat into the woods! Maybe the Other ambusher hasn't gotten free. (1d100) >Other(?) (4d100 for combat)
Rolled 4d100: 94, 87, 60, 80
You aren't really smiling anymore.
It's easy for you to recall movies, games. Fantasy, sci-fi, whatever. You weren't picky. You remember the way heroes fought. Parrying three, four monsters at once, roaring a terrible battlecry as the smote down their foes. The kind of scenes that would get your blood pumping, make you sit up straight in your seat, as feats of acrobatics and an unquenchable skill with arms would see them through. You wanted that. Maybe not the life endangering bits, but the exciting, swashbuckling fights from your dreams.
Which is why standing atop the embankment as a troop of lizards clambers up the side, only to reach the edge, look up, and get stabbed in the face, is a bit disappointing. On one hand, you are definitely the hero here. You stand before your sisters, fighting to protect them. That feels great. And on the other...
You stab down again, and shake the spear a few times to dislodge the latest lizard.
'Like shooting fish in a barrel' is an entirely too apt description.
A lizard with just enough brains in his head to not blindly follow his companions to the point of your spear hoists himself over the edge a bit further up the pool. He pulls his sword back out of his mouth and hisses at you- Then Aria steps forward and swings her stick around like a bat. There's an oddly satisfying snap, and the monster gets a clear view of its own back as it tumbles back into the running water.
You turn your attention back to the stream of suicidal lizards, and note that two have pulled themselves up at the same time. You casually shift your spear sideways, and swing the bottom, staff-like, into ones gut, knocking it back into the water. Your return stroke tears out the throat of the second, sending it tumbling on top of its fellows, and a chorus of hissing is followed by the sound of large scaled bodies hitting the water.
Another hiss draws your attention behind you, and you watch as the third ambusher steps out of the woods, still coated in badly hacked webbing. It lets loose another of their horn noises, arms spread, tail slapping the ground in an honestly pitiful attempt at intimidation. The sound ends abruptly as Sara grabs a light from above, arcing it down and towards the creature- only instead of blinding it, the sphere burns straight through its chest.
It topples forward, a sizzling fist sized hole marring its scales, and you scan the clearing. Elle has taken to helping Aria, having apparently woven a net as you fought, and you watch as she entangles one while Aria beats it like a scaly pinata. Sara has another sphere above her, and your father's book open in one hand. She's shivering, but her expression's determined. There's bodies all over the clearing, and undoubtedly a significant pile at the bottom of the pool.
Silence descends on the clearing. No more hissing, just your sisters' heavy breathing, the rush of water. You wait a while longer, but nothing else pulls itself out of the water to get stabbed. Elle has already got a scrap of cloth free, trying to scrub Aria clean where the blood spattered. You turn back, and skitter over to your sisters.
>>Check each of them, make sure they're alright. >Reassure Elle and Sara. Nothing to be afraid of. >>Congratulate everyone- It's their first real fight, isn't it. >Other(?)
You sidle up next to Sara, rubbing her back as gently as you can, feeling her tension slowly evaporate. She tilts her head back as she takes a few deep breaths, trying her best to calm down. The hovering light floats slowly upwards, joining its family above and resuming a meandering orbit overhead.
You take Sara's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as you speak.
"You're alright, yes?"
She nods, giving you a weak smile. Even through the chitin covering your hands, you can feel her heart pounding.
"You did good, okay? Your magic was amazing." She smiles, but shakes her head. "I just... called them. Asked them for help," she says, looking up. "I don't think it would have worked anywhere else. It's- I was- I was scared, Lyra."
"Mmn. That's okay. It's alright to be afraid, okay? We're safe now." "Okay." Her voice is small, but she's stopped shaking.
You lead her over to your other sisters, Elle still fussing over Aria, scrubbing at her face while the bigger spider tries to fend her off.
"Stop it, stop fidgeting. I need to see if you're hurt, yes?" There's a plaintive note in the smaller spider's voice that gives your other sister pause, and she relents, letting down her arms while Elle wipes her clean. "Are you both okay? No injuries?"
Aria's eyes are lit with an inner fire, and she grins despite her bloodsmeared features.
"Nothing, no. They could not even reach me! None of this is mine." She says with pride, gesturing to the spatters all across her. Elle shakes her head for an answer before speaking. "There were so many of them- they just kept coming-" "They were weak! Even with their metal toys."
You smile a bit at your sister's bravado. "Everyone did well. We fought well." You pat Elle on the shoulder reassuringly. "You were all strong."
There's a bit of blushing, legs shuffling under the praise. Sara speaks up rather quickly, breaking the awkward silence in the wake of the compliments.
Your sisters really don't know how to accept honest praise.
"What should we do with them?" she asks, looking at the bodies strewn around the clearing. "There's so many of them..." "Maybe we could bring one or two back with us? I don't know if I want to go hunting tomorrow." "Pah, leave them. The night creatures will eat them all, and we will go home unbothered, yes?"
All three of them look to you- waiting for you to weigh in.
>>"We can wrap one or two tightly, so the blood doesn't escape. We don't want anything following us." >"Mom will probably hunt for us tomorrow- We don't have to bother." >"We could drag a couple behind us- There'd be enough for everyone to eat." >Other(?)
It'd be easy enough to bring back two of them- You've no doubt that even Sara and Elle could hoist them over their spider halves, but they don't seem entirely comfortable around the bodies. Your sister's agree easily enough, and you all set about getting it done. Nobody wants to stay too long in a clearing full of potential food.
Elle starts weaving thick sheets of webbing, doubling up and filling in any potential holes. Sara gives her a bit more light to work by, and helps out when her silk runs dry. You and Aria haul the mangled bodies over to the river, and you give each a once over before lowering them with a strand and letting the water clean a bit of the blood. The lack of an alt key hampers your search a bit, but you recover any weapons that didn't wind up underwater. You leave the loincloths where they are. You're not quite that desperate for loot.
You wind up taking Sara's kill, and one other- Sara's is mostly clean, but the rest are impossible to tell apart; your tendency to finish things with your legs makes more than a bit of mess.
Bodies wrapped and tied to your backs, Loot stowed away in one of Elle's endless supply of bags, you set out in the same way you started in. Aria brings up the rear, and you lead ahead, heading back down along the river towards home. There's a bit of a detour midway, with you and Aria wading into the river with your sisters playing lookout, letting the current whisk the blood off your limbs. The trip is calm, devoid of any terror-inducing sounds, and you reach home with night to spare.
Mom greets you with relief as you reach the home clearing, sitting in branch halfway up the trunk with an ornate spear over her shoulder. She shushes your siblings as they all begin to speak at once, shooing you back up the tree, standing guard until you've all settled in for the night. Sara passes out with little spellbook clutched in both hands, drooling onto your arm even before you get the blanket over you both. It doesn't take long for you to fall asleep, and not even dawn wakes you.
>>Let your sisters tell the story over lunch >Tell it yourself >>Show Mom the swords- You didn't recognize the metal. Not that you know anything about metal. >Other(?)
"-And then she just stabbed it! Like it was nothing! And I got the one I pinned with my legs and-" "Sara's magic was the coolest, All the lights were moving and then she threw one and it went right through it-" "-It's head turned all the way around! And Lyra was just standing there and stabbing them and they kept going but it didn't matter-" "I tried to help with a net a bit, but I-" "Haha, it couldn't even get free, yes? They couldn't fight us at all!" "Nothing could get past her, they couldn't even fight-" "Completely covered in blood!"
Lunch is loud. Elle and Sara work their way through the night's events, talking over one another between bites of food, and Aria adds another layer to that, gesturing wildly with each action she describes while the boys watch wide-eyed. Your mother eats with a look of parental amusement plastered over her face, though she was careful to take the time congratulating each of you. There's a wry sense of pride, and she encourages your sisters along, prompting more bits of story as they chatter on.
You finish your food quickly, and get down to business- Lizard doesn't taste particularly bad, but you'd prefer deer or rabbits. It certainly isn't anything to write home about. A bit of searching in the blanket pile, and you find your bags of loot, hauling them over and setting down next to your mother. The bags clink lightly, even through the thick silk; you fish around, and feeling the rough wrapped handle, grip it and pull it into the light.
It looks dull in the shadows, but when the light plays over it, it shimmers like the water's surface. It barely has an edge, just a two foot wedge of metal with a raised spike at the end. Maybe for climbing? Its an odd weapon, for sure. You run your fingers over its surface- despite how crude it looks, it's smooth. You hold it up next to your mother, and nudge her to get her attention.
"Hmmmm? Aha, the spoils of war," She takes it by the handle, twisting it this way and that, watching how it catches the light.
"A little pile of rivermetal blades, then? Not bad at all, little one. They take the metal from the bottoms of lakes, where the light barely reaches- Water will not stop its swing. We could sell them to the fishermen when they come up the river for the turning season, yes." "Could we make longer weapons out of them? Or sharpen them, and use them for knives?"
The smile she gives you makes you feel like you're in the training circle again.
"Already wanting weapons of your own. Yes, you are definitely one of my children, spiderling. We will make this our project for the evening, yes? If you wish to have your own, you will be caring for them yourself."
She hands it back to you, reaching up to pat your head. Leaning over, she plants a kiss on your cheek, and smiles softly. "Thank you for watching them, Lyra. I am proud of you, my little thunderbreaker. Now finish your meal with your siblings. You will be fetching your own materials for your work this evening."
You shuffle back to the circle of kids, picking up another piece of food as you go. As you drop yourself next to your sisters, your brothers turn and demand you tell them your own version of the night's events.
>Amateur weaponcrafting time! >Do you want: >>Spear/halberd >>Knife
Dice 1d100: Rolled 100
With your late lunch over, and everyone starting to settle down, you get ready to gather what you need- but you stop when a thought crosses your mind. You make the rounds of the nest, checking in with every sibling. Do they want weapons as well?
Your brothers spend a few minutes in quiet consideration- Which is to say they argued loudly, waving arms and flailing before coming to a decision. They want to earn their own weapons. You suppose getting hand-me-down spears from your sisters might be embarrassing? Or maybe it's just an arachne culture thing. Mom certainly was pleased when you asked to make your own.
Elle turns you down outright. Hunting is one thing, but fighting isn't something she thinks she can do. Sara mulls it over, but opts to inherit Aria's staff instead. She tells you that she'll take care of magic, and you'll have to deal with metal. Of course, she then immediately tries to hide behind her own hair, but she's got her heart in the right place.
Aria doesn't even think twice, of course. She killed a few, so she's earned a share of your spoils. Trading away her stick for a real weapon has her buzzing with excitement, scuttling from one side of the nest to the other with impatience, tapping her fingers lightly against her armoured wrists till your mother tells you what you need.
She sends you into the woods looking for 'heavy trees with grey bark'. You head out, Aria in tow, tearing along the forest floor while you both keep an eye out for the right wood. It takes a bit of doing, but you find one only a half hour out from your nest, the tree nearly twice the width of yours.
You head up into the foliage, searching until you find branches thick and long enough to work, but thin enough that you can tear them free.
Its probably a good thing Aria wanted a spear of her own. You're not sure you'd have been able to get the branches free without her. They very nearly wouldn't bend- Its easy to see why you'd use them in a weapon. You head back home, wood in hand.
Mom meets you up in the arena, with a pile of tools- there's an odd edged blade, several whetstones, a stump of the same wood, and a small jar of thin liquid. She sets you up side by side, handing you each a heavy whetstone.
"Blades must be sharp, children. Not just when you craft them. Always, yes. Tools must be cared for, or they cannot serve their purpose." She lectures you both on the care of gear as you grind away. Aria has to stop and switch directions a few times, brushing away burrs in the metal, but yours sands away smoothly, leaving the edge razor sharp. You replicate your work on the point, and are rewarded with a purring metallic tone as you pull away from the blade.
She takes the blades and sets them next to each other on the stump, handing you your branches and a pair of knives. Carving takes longer, the sun touching the horizon by the time you've worked it into a straight pole, wide enough for you to grip with ease. She pulls the odd edged blade out from her pile of tools, and carefully hands it to you hilt first, instructing you not to touch the blade proper. There's a gem with a dull glow set centre in the blade and it only takes you a split-second to realize that it must be magic.
You use the odd knife to carve out a set of indents in your haft, leaving room for both the blade and the silk you'll be using to secure it. You do the same with the blade itself, stripping away the leather grip and leaving cuts near the base for your silk to catch on. Your mother nods confidently as you slot the blade in, carefully weaving your strongest silk threads and working it across the weapon in an X pattern. Finally, she pulls the jar out, and with heavy rags you brush its contents over the woods and silk alike, leaving the whole thing glistening in the dying embers of the days sun.
Your new glaive stands proud against the trunk of your home. You take a long look at your first true blade before you descend to rest.
You dream of your spear flowing like shimmering water, slicing through weapons and armour alike. The arc of your swing cuts even the waterfall in half, and there is none who can stand before it. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 8
Another day, another sunrise. You groan, pulling your arms free from the blanket and trying to scrub the sleep from your eyes. You spare a glance around at your still snoozing family- and notice that the sun hasn't even broken the horizon yet. Dawn's colours have started to paint the sky, but the daystar has yet to clear away the last of dusk.
Blinking blearily, your sleep addled brain attempts to arrange itself and figure out just why you aren't still enjoying the warmth of your blankets. It hasn't quite started when your mother props herself up with an irritated look on her face, looking skyward. You look up yourself- and realize that there's been a continuous hooting for the past few minutes, ringing down through the canopy.
Your mother blinks half of her eyes, then the other, squeezing them tight and forcing herself awake, muttering about plucking feathers as she heads up the central trunk of your home. It takes a few seconds of work to fee yourself from Sara, but you manage, tucking the blankets back around your sister and following your mother up to the sky.
Your mother's voice carries clearly in the morning air as you pull yourself towards the treetop.
"Little birds, I am not a night hunter, yes? This is not something I care for. You had best have good reason to wake me."
You reach the tree's summit, covering your yawn one handed and taking a glimpse of the scene playing out atop the boughs.
Jin and her mother and sister have settled down amongst the leaves, talons gripping bark- all three wear near identical looks of worry. Your mother is leaning back, arms crossed, waiting for their message, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl. You shiver in the pre-dawn light, and look jealously at he warm silk.
"Nialla, this is important- One of Sil's children is missing."
You mother clicks her tongue, frowning, gritting her teeth as her expression shifts to the same worried one the harpies are wearing.
"Do they know what happened? If the little one's went out at night, Lia..."
The harpy matriarch shakes her head.
"A few of them went out together- They said they wanted to visit their field under the stars. A few monsters chased them, and one of the daughters hurt her wing." "Then, is she?" "No, her siblings said she managed to land in the ruins north of the field, and she hid before the beasts could find her." "The ruins are not any safer than the forest, Lia," Your mother says sadly.
"If we move fast, then you could easily-" "I can't fit into them anymore. I doubt I could even squeeze myself through the entrance, as I am now." "What about Lyra?" Your mother stiffens, snapping her head around and staring at you, standing in fading starlight a ways behind her.
"Oh, little one. Why are you up so early?" There's an odd expression on her face, one you haven't seen, and you can't place her tone. "The hooting woke me up, and I followed you..."
She takes a deep breath, shutting her eyes and squaring her shoulders as she advances on you, delicately placing her clawed hands on your shoulders. Letting out the sigh, she meets your gaze. Her mouth opens and closes, whatever words she wanted dying in her throat.
It takes a few more tries for her to start.
"There is a little girl in a great deal of trouble, Lyra. She is in a bad place." The harpies have all gone silent behind her, and your world shrinks down to your mother's face, her voice.
She sounds scared. You haven't heard it before, not from her, but now you recognize it. She brushes your cheek with the back of one hand. Her eyes trail over your face, looking everywhere but your own, now.
"This... this isn't something I wish to ask of you, little one. This isn't something I want you to do. Not so soon." She takes another breath, and raises her eyes again. "But there is no time, yes. This is not something that can wait. Our friend's wings help little under the ruins."
"Lyra-"
>>I-I'll go. I'll help. >>I'm scared... >I don't know if I can- >Other(?)
You can feel your mother's hands on your shoulders, shivering ever so slightly. The ice cold perspiration forming on the back of your neck. The cotton-like feeling of dryness in your mouth, your throat. Your hands move on their own, inching up till you grasp your mother's wrists. You take one long, shuddering gasp of air.
"I-I'm scared. I don't, I don't know, or if there's anything, and, and it's just-" Words cascade from your mouth, a long stuttering flow in response to the cloying sense of terror. "....But. But I'll go. I'll help. I'll do what I can, whatever I can-"
Your mother pulls into a fierce hug, crushing the breath from you, holding you so tight you cant even move.
"Oh, Lyra. My little one, my Lyra. So strong. I wanted to keep you small and safe, even if just for a little longer-"
You can feel her hot tears, pattering gently down into your hair, the half-choked whispers as she rocks you to and fro in her arms.
"I'll be okay- I-I'll come back. I promise, I promise."
You're hugging her just as tightly as she holds you, and for a moment you think that neither of you will ever let go.
And she steps back from from, tears still in her eyes, and smiles as best she can. "Be strong, little one. Go fetch your things, yes? It is good that you have a weapon of your own."
It hurts.
You turn and hurry back down the tree, grabbing a heavier woven tunic, your new glaive. She shouldn't smile like that. Like it's broken. It hurts. You don't want to see her smiling like that. It takes a half second of thinking, and you steal a pair of Elle's bags, stashing an extra knife in one, food in another. You sling both over your shoulders, making an about face and climbing back to the top of your home.
Your mom has woven a large triangular net- and each harpy has grabbed herself a corner. She turns back to you as you move towards her, face pale.
"The ruins are not kind," she whispers hurriedly. "The ones they once belonged to are long gone. There will be no friends to be found except the one you go to save, yes. Do not hesitate, dearest."
You hook your legs through, the net, centring yourself and balancing your gear as best you can. "I'll come back. I'll be fine- S-So, wait for me. Even outside the ruins, I'll be back!"
Your mother stands atop the trees as the harpies take flight, drawing you into the waking sky and away from your family. She doesn't move at all before she fades from sight, wind whistling in your ears, the ragged panting of the harpies as the fly you towards your destination.
______
The sky is beautiful, but there is little to see from above the deep forest of your home. Dark trees and the occasional web are all that greet your eyes on your trip- It isn't until you cross the river as it turns, and the trees begin to thin, that you can make out anything on the ground.
And then you see it. Shattered stones scattered for leagues around, leading you to your destination. You'd almost think them natural- But your mind fills in the holes weather and time have torn. You can see a road, see the milestones marking distance. The grand walls, towers, statues worn to vague blobs by the elements. There's a smell above it all that sets your teeth on edge, prickling the hairs across your neck as the harpies make a slow, looping descent into the toppled structures.
You pull free of the netting, readying your polearm and arranging your bags to not get in your way as you fight. The harpies lead you a short ways through the ruins, till you come to a half collapsed doorway- It's easy to see mom's problem. Even it'll be a tight fit. Lia gestures towards it morosely, and you head forward, when a weight makes itself known on your back.
You twist around and see Jin once again perched on your carapace, though the little bird has nearly doubled in size.
"We... I will go with you. You will not be alone."
Lia is nearly squawking in response.
"What are you doing? What are you thinking?! You cannot dive underground, cannot fly, cannot-" "I will watch. My eyes are good, and there is nowhere that will escape our sight. I will keep her warned, and safe. We will return with the moth."
The matronly harpy covers her face with both wings, breath hissing as she tries to calm herself.
"Go. Go, and keep each other safe, and bring the girl back. Do not leave your sister alone, Jin. I would not forgive you."
The owl ruffles herself once, twice, and nods solemnly at her mother.
And the two of you squeeze through the shattered portal, and into the ruins beyond.
>>Try and track the moth? >>Ask Jin what to look for >Other(?) and
>Go quickly- time is of the essence >>Go quietly- There are things here best undisturbed >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 86, 93
There's a minute of claustrophobia- for both of you. The triangle of collapsed walls pushes at you from all sides, legs scraping against them as you pull yourself through.
And then you're inside. It takes a few seconds for your eyes to adjust, and then the room lights up in your vision. Pillars have fallen haphazardly throughout the entrance room, pools of water forming wherever falling debris has dented the floor enough to give it room. There's too many scents you can't begin to recognize, overlapped by the stale scent of air untouched by wind for longer than you've been alive.
In either life.
You skitter forward, and the first tap of your leg sends echoes through the room, and into the chambers beyond. You hiss to yourself, a scowl creasing your entire face- as if unexplored ruins full of monsters weren't enough. You pick your way carefully down a monstrously large set of stairs, each step leaving room for your entire body.
The chamber narrows at the bottom, a series of rubble strewn hallways stretching out before you. You narrow your eyes at them, as though willing them to reveal their secrets, before turning to your quiet companion.
"Jin?" "..." "Jin? What are we looking for? Who are we looking for?"
You wish you could force the tremor out of your voice. It isn't helping.
"Rie." "Rie?" "A moth. She is white and pale, with delicate wings. Her wings carry dust, yes." "Maybe... Maybe we can track the dust then," you say, voice notching up with a bit of confidence. "Do you think she'd hide? Or run?" "When we met her- When I met her, she was small and fearful. I think she would hide, yes."
You turn back to the hallways, searching the ground, the walls around each- You manage to pick out an odd scent down one, and it leads you to a short trail of powder. Your nose tingles at the smell, and you lower your spear, stepping cautiously beyond the hallway's arch. The soft sound of your chitin brushing the stone accompanies your breathing, and your pounding heart eclipses both in your ears.
You can hear things deeper inside the ruins. Maybe it's the way the echoes carry, but there is a cacophony of noise swirling down the hall. Clattering layers over hard scraping noises, and even the slow dripping of water makes its way to your ears. Your skin twitches at every noise, but you focus on following the smell, and the feel of the ruins beneath you.
You whisper back to Jin as you work, distracting yourself from your gathering fears as best you can.
"You're using 'I' now." "Mmn. I asked Father when we returned to the nest why you spoke differently. He taught me."
Her voice muffles a bit as she rubs her face with one wing, embarrassment written on her expression.
"It is hard, and... I slip. A lot. Harder than flying, and hunting." "You're doing well." "Mmm."
The hallway opens into an octagonal chamber, pools of stagnant water circling a centre platform, sluices that fed the room long since collapsed. You could almost miss Jin's whispered 'Thank-you' amidst the liquid sound of the room. You swap your glaive to one hand, leaning near parallel to the floor as you search for more dust on the fractured stones. You find a splotch on a wall of the third passage, near the floor. Maybe she sat down a moment?
Your mind conjures a variety of other circumstances that you rather don't care for. You turn back to the entrance-way before you go, leaving a thick string along the wall. No need to lose yourselves searching for the child.
The next hall opens into a spiralling chamber; another set of absurd stairs leading even deeper down...
You can hear the faintest sounds of rushing water down below.
>>Anything else you'd like to speak to Jin about as you travel? >>Tell her about Sara's magic and the lizards. >>Ask her about the moths
Dice 1d10: Rolled 6 Dice 2d100: Rolled 97, 94
You start down the stairs, silent harpy perched on your back, picking your way across each gigantic step with care. There is something to be said for necessity, you decide. Your legs glide soundlessly across across the stone floor with an ease impossible for you to duplicate even a few days before. The sound of running water grows louder with every step, drowning out all the other sounds of the ruins. Your eyes flit from corner to corner as the stairs twist further down, curling out of sight.
"How did you meet the moths?" You whisper, stalking forward. You can hear the slightest rustle behind you as Jin twists her head from side to side, keeping your entire back arc in her vision as you go.
"We went to visit them- It is hard for them to leave their forest behind. They cannot fly far without wind. I think- I think that is how she hurt her wings, yes? Just strain." "Harpies can fly far, then?" "Yes, yes. The skies will carry us wherever we wish to go." "Have you gotten any closer to your stars?"
Jin clicks her tongue, a disappointed 'Tsk'.
"No, no. We flew so high I could no longer draw breath. Mother had to catch me. She would not allow me out of the nest for days." "Nnn. You should talk to Sara. She could probably help, I think."
The stairs level out, opening into a still standing section of ruins. Water ruins maybe a foot deep on the floor, splashing against the carved pillars set into the walls at even intervals. The long corridor stretches as far as your vision allows, a simple rectangle. The pillars themselves are barely eroded at all- The water surely only broke into this section a few years ago.
"The littlest spider, yes? What can she offer?" "Ah- She's a mage, like father. A star mage. We took her to a clearing where the stars hang above a waterfall, close enough to touch."
Her sharp intake of breath betrays her interest- You wonder idly if she's considering trying to fly there even now.
"Something so precious... Surely it is guarded? It cannot just sit in the woods, no?" "I- I don't know. There were lizards, and Sara spoke to the stars there. Maybe they guard themselves?" "Lizards? The lizards do not like spiders. Mother speaks about their hate sometimes. She says they have forgotten themselves, that they will lash out at any near them."
The amateur waterway continues on, with no other doors or passages. Niggling worry starts in the back of your mind, whispering that you've lost the moth, lost your way. That you'll never see the sun again, let alone any of your family. You forge ahead anyway, gripping your glaive tightly.
"They attacked us... I was with all my sisters, and they attacked us. They kept coming even as we fought them off."
You can hear the approval in Jin's voice, that note of admiration, respect.
"Of course. You are strong. Lizards that could not even keep their own oaths could never touch you." You can feel your cheeks burning, even in the damp air of the ruins.
"My sisters were there too, Jin. We all fought."
She clicks her tongue again, dismissing your protests without consideration. "And who amongst you slew the most? Who held back their waves, and drove them back into their filthy waters again?"
She stifles a giggle at your silence, a clear level of self-satisfaction evident in her words.
"Yes, that is what we thought. They may have webs and blades, but you are strong."
You pick up your pace a bit as you fall into a comfortable quiet. The water muffles the sounds of your footsteps, and soon enough you reach a massive opening, where the corridor has been sheared away by some unknown force. The water runs loosely over the broken stones, the path descending into a wide cave- with relief, you note the scent of dust in the air again, heading towards with the unerring confidence of a natural predator.
You reach the next patch of powder- But it's no moth hunched over it. A horrid coil of softly clicking legs, red glowing eyes and chattering jaws, a bright red tongue flicking out to taste at the dust on the floor. It's some sort of centipede; only grossly oversized, unnatural. You level your glaive at it, and you feel Jin tense behind you, but its entirely concentrated on the dust...
>>Aim a slash at its neck- Your blade is surely long enough! >Strike with legs and spear! Pin as much of its length as you can! >The sound of rushing water is stronger past it- Maybe you can drive it in? >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 74, 85
Jin launches herself wordlessly off your back, the whisper quiet sound of displaced air the only noise she makes as she readies herself to watch your back. Your fear evaporates, muscles relaxing, legs flexing, shifting into a braced stance. You hold the glaive two handed, raising it overhead as you prepare a lunge. You have no interest in finding which of you has the stronger poison.
You close to only a few feet away before the creature even detects something in the cave has changed. It rears up, twisting its mandible laden head in your direction, staring eerily with a mismatched pile of glowing eyes. It catches sight of you and freezes- whether it's confusion or hesitation doesn't matter in the slightest.
Your polearm is already in motion.
Your swing describes a blurring arc, your blade actually whistling as it moves- the monster barely manages a reactionary twitch before it strikes home. Nowhere near enough to throw off your aim. There's a soft, liquid sound as the edge strikes the creature, sliding through it effortlessly- bringing its decapitated head with its descent.
The body spasms sideways, blood spattering off your legs, the stones around you, and it curls over itself, legs twitching aimlessly as it flicks side to side venting its last across the water- slick rocks.
You hold your glaive loosely, point near the ground, ready to spear it away from you should it rise up again- but its spasming slows, stops, and silence returns to the cave. Jin returns to your shell, and you sigh relief, stepping over the body and deeper into the cavern.
There's a few more spots of dust here and there- You guess that the moth lacks your eight legged stability, and probably fell on the rocks. But if she was hurrying into the ruins?
You frown despite the adrenaline, and pick up your pace, coming to a raised pile of rubble, leading up to a half buried doorway on the cavern wall. It's a bit of work fitting through- Jin has to hop through on her, and you flatten yourself as best you can, picking your way over the fallen stones and into the heart of the ruins.
You speed though the passages, leaving webbing in each doorway- the scent of the powder fresher at each turn. You're closing in when cruel laughter interrupts your passage, and you duck back behind the doorway of the latest hall, watching the unfolding scene with unease.
The little mothgirl has forced her way into a crack in the wall- though it goes no deeper. She sits, knees at her chest with her hands clutched across her, emitting tiny squeaks of terror. A trio of filthily armoured dog people surround her- laughing, chattering loudly, flicking rocks into the crack at her as they wait her out. You can pick out a few words from their muddled speech, bits and pieces resembling the forest language you share with the harpies.
"Cegrach del ainten Sell, ya? Gooden pricing." "Catch resting erach. More funning in forest, ket."
The third just laughs, jangling weapons in front of her tiny hiding place, and laughing harder with every noise she makes.
There's a heat on your face, your head, your spine. Like you're burning up. Your breaths hiss between clenched teeth, and your spear raises with your temper. There's three of them. The one at the front, terrorizing the little moth has a pair of hatchets in hand, clanking them together- One has small crossbow, a quiver of bolts at his hip. The last leans on his spear, a miniature shield on his forearm, looking bored. Like hunting people is something common. Like the kind of person who would think nothing of hurting people, hurting children. Of throwing someone in front of a train.
Your blood burns.
>STAB >SLASH >>CHARGE >Other(?) and pick a target:
>Spear >>Bow >Axes
Dice 2d100: Rolled 55, 51
You can feel yourself pulling in breath, every fibre of your legs readying itself. Your hands clenching the haft so tight it hurts.
A distant part of your brain has noted that Jin has hopped to the floor, crouching down behind you. You think she might have whispered something? You can't think over the heat. The fire has reached a primal piece of your brain, and the creatures turn as your legs clatter across the stone, as you scream fury, eyes blazing, closing the distance in a heartbeat. The crossbow wielding dog sees you coming, sees the spiked, sharpened metal racing for his heart. It jumps, twists, lighter on its feet than its appearance showed. Its partners move forward, weapons at the ready, reacting to the threat with a speed you note and ignore.
Your mother trained you better than that.
Your glaive punches into the monster's side, the metallic crunch of its armour giving out followed directly by a far more organic one. Your momentum, your fury carries your forward, slamming your dying victim violently into the wall next to the crack. A strength that continues to surprise you drives your weapon through the moth's persecutor and into the wall- Pinned like a bug.
The dog gurgles above you, and its companions snarl, weapons arcing towards you already. The spear is stuck fast, but anger carries your reactions, one leg lashing out, catching the axe wielder with a blunt sided kick. His chainmail rattles as he hits the ground, wheezing for the breath you knocked out of him.
You pull your knife free one handed, deflecting the spear thrust into the ruined wall, a shower of sparks illuminating you and your opponent for a split second, deep underground.
There's a desperation in its eyes, fear in the way it grits its jaw. It follows up with a short punch using its buckler to ward you off.
You wonder what you look like to them.
>Slash >Stab >Wait and Parry >>Pin and bite >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 72
You can hear the axe-wielder trying to inflate his lungs behind you, his wretched attempts to get moving again sounding for all the world like a dog straining at the end of a choke collar. You close in on the spear dog, and he backs away from you, one hand on his spear and the other weaving a shield in front of him, fending you off.
You watch with disdain, mentally picking apart his fighting. A limp grasp on the spear. One handed, but too far down the haft to get any real strength from it. Stepping instead of shuffling, standing straight when a crouch would serve him far better.
He goes for a thrust again, and you twist your human half to one side, the spear stabbing empty air. He follows with another attempt at a shield slam and you step into it, taking the hit with a hiss of discomfort.
He smiles savagely, and tries to draw back his spear for another strike- but you've grabbed it behind its head. He snarls, you hiss, and you yank on his spear with everything you have. The monster doggedly holds onto its weapon, throwing short punches into your midsection as you draw it up against yourself.
The punches turn into a panicked scrabbling at your shoulder as you sink our fangs into its neck. Wide feet kick at your chitinous appendages as your venom flows, and you drop it limp to the ground, dagger in one hand and a fresh stolen spear in the other. Axe dog has regained his feet, but his weapons droop as you advance blood dripping from your face, fangs bared in the darkness.
>Slash/Stab >>Double stab >Run it over >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 98, 89
You descend on the last monster, no hesitation, no ticks in your stride- The face of inevitability. An ending. It raises its axes, clanging them together once as it crosses them to block any incoming strikes.
Behind you, a little girl whimpers at the noise.
You snarl, snapping forward faster than it can react, gripping the spear behind the head, bringing it up and over the block, hammering it down into its neck. The haft splinters under your grip, wood and bone alike crunching as you drive the weapon home. The dog staggers, block faltering. And your dagger comes in, underhand, and you drive it through its ribcage, the monsters choked cry devolving into a spray of blood that coats your shirt crimson.
You tear the dagger free, staggering back from the carnage. From the room of corpses you created. The heat reached your stomach, you can taste the blood on your lips. Jin is shaking you, worry across her features- and you push her to one side, bending double as you vomit everything in your stomach, till you're left gasping and dry heaving in the centre of the ruins. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 9
Jin stands behind you, rubbing a wing between your shoulders in slow circles. You're still on the floor, legs splayed out in every direction, drawing raggedy breaths as you shudder. The taste of bile and the coppery tang of blood mix on your tongue, and you retch again, hands clenched into armoured fists against the stone floors.
You stay like that a while before the urgency clamps down on you again. You're in a monster infested ruin- and now surrounded with the scent of blood. This is not a good place to be.
You raise yourself up, pulling a waterskin free from your collection of borrowed bags. It takes more than a few tries, but you rinse and spit till you can't taste blood anymore. You drain the rest of the skin in a single pull- the cool water goes a long way to soothing you throat. Jin is watching you with concern, feathered tufts pulled flat against her head.
"Are you well?"
Your voice sounds strange, strained, even to you.
"I- I haven't fought anything. Anything that could talk. That I could understand..."
Her gaze flicks around the room, taking in mangled bodies. She snorts derisively, nose curling, brows meeting in a glare directed at your erstwhile opponents.
"Kobolds. They are filth, yes. Mother has to help the village scare them away, sometimes. You did nothing wrong."
There's a sense of relief spreading low in your stomach, quelling the roiling unease of the fight's aftermath. It doesn't disappear, but you manage a small smile at Jin nonetheless.
"Thank-you."
You pull yourself the rest of the way up as Jin nods- She heads to the crack to coax out your rescuee, and you make your way to the impaled kobold, wrenching at the spear till it pulls free of the wall. You flick its limp body off the blade before wiping both of your weapons with the creatures rags. Passably clean, you stash your knife back at your side, turning to the Harpy and the shattered wall.
Jin speaks softly, insistently to the crack, cooing out gentle assurances as she tries to persuade the moth out into the open.
>>Wait patiently for Jin >Try and reassure her yourself (d100) >>Loot, maybe? (2d100) >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 96, 38
You aren't certain if the little moth-girl is familiar with arachne, but there's no reason to undo Jin's work. You skitter back to the bodies, to see what you can find. Your skin crawls as you work, but you've stopped vomitting, at least. You pull a bit of silk over your face; The kobolds stink, the smell of their blood mixing with unwashed fur and rancid meat.
The bow-wielder's armour is shot- only consisting of a horrifically rusty chain shirt, and hardly helped by your addition of two glaive sized holes. You snip his quiver free, and pull the set bolt out of the crossbow before placing both in you bags. He's got a few more pouches, but one is full of bugs, and the other bug covered meat.
You don't even want to know.
The spear is a waste, completely destroyed after your last attack. Axe-bold's weapons are dull, chipped, and you're fairly certain you could scratch through the metal with your claws. You pocket them anyway, bag sagging over your shoulders as it fills. It's wearing a bloodstained fur shirt; and by the pattern, you think it might have been made from another kobold. Your stomach turns a bit, and you move on to the last of your victims.
The spear user lies limp, eyes blank and mouth wide on the ground. You're actually not sure what your venom does to people- though it is most certainly fatal. The buckler is simply tied to his arm with loose rope, it's a simple matter to cut it free and stash it away. Its collection of pouches is likewise full of garbage- with the exception of a handful of coins. You wrap those in a small length of web, hoping to keep them from jangling as you walk.
You arc your back, stretching as you turn back to Jin, just in time to watch the tiny moth emerge from her hideaway. She's practically glowing, pure white fur wrapping her limbs. She flutters her wings nervously as she looks around, squeaking as she lays eyes on you- But Jin manages to keep a hold of her. She settles for trying to cower behind the harpy while your companion sighs.
"This one is Rie, yes. And this one is Lyra- She has fought to rescue you, little bug. Stop your hiding behind us."
You watch with amusement at the little dance before you, Jin trying to pull the moth around, and Rie dancing and fluttering to keep her between you.
Jin squawks indignantly, and you laugh before interrupting.
"We have to get going. There are too many things down here- and the blood will bring more, and soon, yes."
Jin nods, and a tinkling, bell-like voice rings out from behind her.
"I-I-I cannot walk. M-my leg. I hurt it when I, they, they chased me."
You step forward, towering over her, and her eyes stretch wider than you thought possible. Leaning down to her level, you grab her petite ankle, checking her legs for injury. Her ankle is twisted, already swelling out, and she winces as your fingers slide over the wound. Her wings twitch, tears bubbling up in her eyes as she stutters.
"We're not going to g-get out are we? I cannot fly here- I'll never see the flowers or the stars or-"
You pat her one-handed, and the tenseness goes out of her as your fingers slide past her antennae. Small as she is, it's no issue to scoop her up with one arm, cradling her to your chest. Her wings are soft, and they fold under her, making the nerves of your arm buzz and tingle. You throw a smile at Jin, and she hops up onto your carapace as you begin retracing your steps back out of the ruins.
>>Speed >Stealth >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 16
You tear down the hallways, hugging the moth closer whenever the walls close in. She's grabbed handfuls of your tunic, hiding her face in the material. Doorways wiz past, each bearing your webbing as you unerringly make your way through.
A chorus of half-whoops, half-roars echoes up the halls behind you. You can only hope they've stopped to feast on the kobolds.
The sound of water grows louder again as you close in on the cavern- There's an awkward few minutes of disentangling the moth from yourself and getting her top crawl through the collapsed passage. You spare a moment of jealousy towards the pair of your cargo- Getting through is a lot easier when you're not a giant spider. You wriggle though after them, chitin scraping at the stones as you go.
You spare no time scooping up the moth again once your through, picking your way down the stones. Your pace comes to a halt as you reach the site of your fight with the centipede.
A spider towers over the body, each leg taller than your, red-lit eyes observing you as it daintily slurps at the body. It's coated in a dense coat of fur, mandibles clattering as it feeds. You stand shell-shocked at the sight, mouth agape at the gigantic spider.
>Speed past it- There's no way it can fit in the passage, right? >Slowly walk away- You're too small for it to bother with, hopefully? >>You can speak spider, right- Maybe it can too? >OHGODOHGODOHGOD >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 95
The spider twists on its legs, turning all eight of its eyes to face you. The crunch of the centipede's chitin echoes through the cave as it bites down again, sucking at a different section of the giant bug.
Your throat feels dry. Your mouth works silently, starting to frame words, sentences, and dying off before you even make a sound. Jin has frozen behind you stock still on your flank. You can't even hear her breathing. You lick your lips and swallow- It's a spider right? You and your siblings could talk with clicks and hisses. So something as big as this has to be able to talk. It has to be intelligent.
You open your mouth again, and issue a short series of clicks, praying.
-Greetings. I am one called Lyra-
The spider drops its meal to the ground, stepping forward. This must be what Rie felt like. It studies you for a moment before its mouthpieces begin to wave, a chattering stream of sound as it replies.
-Greeeeeetingsssssss. It hassss been ssso long sssince we have sssseen a little cousssssing, yessssss. Not ssssince the wallsssss fell. How goessss the livessss of our kin? The city? The Queen?-
The spider smells musty. Ancient. Like webbing, and rock, and things forgotten. -I do not know of any city, any queen. I am young still, and live amongst the trees, yes.-
The giant tilts back, eyes raising to stare at the ceiling. Its pedipalps curl and uncurl slowly, letting go something long held. -I have feared it would be sssssso. Too long in the dark. Too long with the beasssstssss under the sssstonesss.-
It turns back to you, leaning down, eyes taking in your companions, your weapons, your form. -It isssss good to ssssee that ssssome of the old way hassss been kept, cousssin. Keep your alliessss sssafe.-
You look up at the spider as it steps back, reaching down to grasp its meal again as you speak up. -I think we are pursued, yes. There are many things in the ruins, and we have far to go.-
The clatter of the creatures laughter sounds like rockslide, echoing over itself in the cavern, its entire form twitching in time with its amusement. -Nothing will passss through thisss cavern then, little onesssss. Go with blesssssingsss. May the godssss watch you.-
You turn and clatter away into the darkness, climbing stones between the running water as you moved up and into the corridor. You pause at the entrance, turning back and shouting; -Thank-you.-
You head into the unintentional waterway, and the hiss of its answer follows you. -My name is Ssssseranthisssss. Remember me, cousssssin.-
You make it halfway though the tunnel, fighting your way against the current, before Jin speaks up again.
"That is a very big spider."
>Speed (1d100) >>Stealth (1d100) >Talk to someone (about what?) >Other(?)
Dice 1d100: Rolled 95
You slow your steps as you go, planting your spiked feet with caution, sliding forward as silently as possible. You address the harpy with whispers, keeping your attention forward as you prowl through the ruin.
"He said his name was Seranthis-" "He was terrifying, yes. We felt like a chick." "He said he would stop anything from chasing us. He's helping." "He could eat all of us and still be hungry. You will not get that big, yes? There is not enough room in the forest." "I am fairly certain I will not turn into a spider the size of a mountain, yes."
You both fall quiet as you pick your way around the entranceway back into the ruins proper. The hallway tightens around you, and you shift the little moth ahead of you as you go.
"Rie? Are you okay? You have been very quiet."
She doesn't answer, and you pull up short before the next doorway to check on her- She's gripped the front of your shirt with both hands again, drooling across the clean patch of silk she's buried her face in.
She's somehow managed to fall asleep.
You can hear Jin giggling lightly behind you, little wheezing hoots as she tries to stifle it. You tuck the girl back against you, following the spiraling stairs up, towards trees, stars, towards your waiting families. Your webbing leads you through the meandering corridors, and you continue along in silence, stepping over broken tiles and fetid pools as you travel.
It isn't long till you stand beneath the giant staircase- toppled pillars marking your way out. You smile as your pace picks up, limbs clacking hard against the stone. You duck and squeeze into the shattered passage, bright colours of daylight filtering in as you force your way through.
You blink rapidly in the stark daylight, trying to adjust to the sudden change in light as you emerge out the clearing. The harpies have perched above you, sitting wings wrapped about them atop the standing pillars. Numerous moths, of all sizes, sit atop anything that'll fit them . And at the centre of the ruined field stands your mother, armoured head to chitin and wielding a twisted green spear, surrounded by the bodies of anything that dared bother her.
>>Deliver your cargo >Straight to Mom >Sit down, let them come to you >Other(?)
You skitter out under the sun, shading your eyes with your spear arm. Jin tucks her head beneath a wing, blinking owlishly (Hah!) in the light. Rie curls a little tighter your arms, twisting away from the sky. The moths take off like a cloud, circling and descending on you all at once, a flurry of wings and dust all around you. One of the tallest rushes towards you- A delicate featured woman with teary black eyes. Even the adults barely come up to your chest- Maybe Rie is older than you thought?
She steps forward reaching up towards the little girl, and you lower yourself down, letting her scoop the tiny moth out of your arms.
Then you wait for a minute while they try to work her hands out of your shirt.
As the woman steps away, frantically sobbing her thanks while her husband comforts her- You find yourself surrounded by wide-eyed mothlings, forming a half circle around you and your harpy friend. Its a bit hard to tell their genders apart as it is, but what you assume to be a boy steps forward.
"Did you bring Rie back?" Jin interrupts before you can answer yourself, a disdainful little noise while she preens. "Of course she did! She is strong, very strong!" "She's very big." One of the little girls chimes in.
You can see your mom standing outside your audience, a mix of intense pride mixing with an expression of relief as she waits her turn.
"She will get bigger!" Jin declares- It's probably time to pull them off this topic. You think Jin is just getting revved up at this point.
"What are your names, little ones?" "I'm not little! I'm five days old!" one of the other boys cries. "It is nice to meet you, five days old." You say, grinning wide. The other children join in with Jin's laughter till they make short work of introductions. There's only one other girl, Rie's twin Nin. You're not sure how twins work with monsters. Maybe they hatched at the same time? Maybe moths have live births.
The boys all chime in behind their sister; Tal, Set, Bas and Arn. With names exchanged, their attention span falls apart, and soon enough your mother is approaching, arms wide.
You wrap your arms awkwardly around her armour as she murmurs your name, eyes closed as she holds you close. She pulls back, holding you close as she begins to speak.
"You did so well, little one. There is a child with her mother, now. Strong and fierce, little thunderbreaker."
You bow your head in a blush, and Jin offers her opinion again, still remaining perched to your spider half.
"She is not so little. And you are not so big! We saw a spider like a mountain, with a voice of stones! And I wasn't even scared!" "She was scared." "Lyra!" "There were dog people-" "Kobolds, disgusting, disgusting." "And a giant centipede. And the giant spider called me little cousin- It spoke about a city and a queen and said his name was Seranthis-"
Your mother's eyes go wide.
"Seranthis Forestwalker? The ruins said he strode beside the queen when..." She trails off, eyes sparkling, biting at her finger. There's a blush of excitement on her cheeks as she looks at you. "Seranthis himself- If I was younger, I could fit- No, I need to find another entrance- Godsdamn Erics, If you hadn't run off like a map-brained fool, then-"
Your mother is practically glowing, muttering half plans, speaking her thoughts aloud as she jumps from one idea to the next. "Mom?" "Hmmm- yes, youngling?" "Before you make plans to dive into the ruins, do you think Jin could stay the night? I want to talk to her."
Your mother's blush changes to one of embarrassment, and she coughs, looking off to the side. Jin has perked up behind you, turning to face you both.
"You wish to speak with us? What about? We-I, um I-" "All sorts of things- Your village, and your hunting, and I could show you the stars- I bet Sara would want to go again-" "Of course she can stay, if her mother says she can. I will- er, I will not be going to the ruins so soon, yes."
The harpy family swoops in, and Jin launches herself forward, chattering rapidly at her mother in a flurry of chirps and notes- You can't make heads or tails of the harpy language. The bright-eyed harpy spins around shortly, voice almost singing with happiness. "Yes, mother says we can stay. I will go and see stars, and your nest, yes!"
She circles you at blurring speed, crashing into your carapace and nearly sliding off as she settles behind you.
Your mother laughs at the two of you.
"Come along, now, yes. We will need to reach home before the night falls, and there is a ways to walk, yes." She sets off, and you fall into step just behind her as the harpies sail off in another direction.
>>Talk to Mom(about?) >>Talk to Jin(about?) >Relax as you walk >Other(?)
Jin is bouncing in place on your shell, head bobbing and twisting as she takes in as much of the forest as she can. She reminds you of yourself, of all the children on their first field trip- Vibrating with an energy she makes no effort to contain. You smile and spin up a bit of conversation- no point in staying silent for the distance home.
"Mom?"
"Mmm. Yes, dear?" "Did anything happen while we were in the ruins? There were a lot dead monsters there." She laughs, spinning her odd spear one-handed, righting it and tapping the base against the ground in time with her steps. "Some of them sleep in the ruins- returning in the morning with their prey. And some," she says with a terrifying smile, "Think that I am easy prey. That does not last long, yes."
There's a few web wrapped bodies tied over her back, lined across her shimmering black carapace.
"Was Seranthis really important? You seemed really excited." "He was alive when the ruins stood. When all the forest worked together. The legends say he went underground when monsters began burrowing into our city. That he went to hold the caves and mines, to keep them all safe." There's a sad hint to her tone as she continues. "The city fell not long after. The walls and building came crashing down- Some things say that the humans did it, proving their 'dominance' once and for all over the peoples of the forest, yes. Other records say that when the humans drove their armies into the city, demanded our people as tribute- They say the queen brought the city down on them, crushing the humans and driving them out of the forest."
"Which one is true?" "We don't know, yes. What we can be sure of is that the city fell, and none of the army ever left the woods. But without the city, all the people spread apart, old grudges came forward, and that was the end."
She shakes her head. "We get along better with humans now than half of the old forest- and many of the races are gone. Dead or left, it hardly matters." She falls silent, caught in her own thoughts. You leave her to it, and turn your attention to the excited harpy still spinning behind you.
"Jin?"
"..."
"Jin?"
"Yes, yes?" "What's your home like?" "We live at the edge of the village- Father has a cabin, and we have a nest high above. Sometimes we stay in the cabin, and sometimes just Mom stays in the cabin, and she won't let us go."
You stifle a giggle of your own, the harpy's indignant expression at not being privy to what her parents get up to without children just too much for you. "Ah, What is the village like? Are there other harpies?" "There are three more families, yes. And many humans, more than I can count. They cut down dead trees, and they send them down the river. They even ride them! You should see, yes. They shout and yell and tumble all over as they go." "Haha- It sounds fun. You all get along with humans then? How high can you count?" "Yes, they are all good. We lead them to trees, and we keep them safe when things try to sneak. That is how I knew I could do the same for you! And I can count all the way to twelve!"
That doesn't really tell you how many humans there are at all.
The two of you chatter back and forth as the sun makes its arc overhead, and by the time you reach your home tree, stomachs growling, the horizon is red and growing darker. Jin lacks your ability to hang onto things sideways, and you wind up carrying the harpy through the web laden trees into the nest. Your loot is set aside for tomorrow, and you join your siblings for a warm dinner, as you and the harpy take turns bragging and describing monsters and moths alike.
As the moon and stars make themselves known above, you curl under your covers, Sara lying protectively next to you and Jin curled into a downy ball in your arms.
You dream of voices shaking mountains, and spiders who can touch the stars. RE: Monster Ex Quest Thread 10
The morning is rough. Your siblings all rise at their regular hour, heading out in every direction to hunt and work. You're left standing in the nest, blinking groggily, a gently snoring harpy in your arms. Your mother tells you they usually hunt at night, and she probably won't wake till noon.
You wander the nest for a bit, blanket still draped over your rear before your Mom takes pity on you, sitting you down in a corner. She returns with your bloodied weapons, a bucket of water and a few heavily stained rags, and takes Jin from your arms, wrapping the harpy in a blanket and setting her next to you.
Time and space reduce to the metal in your hands. You dunk the rags into the water, twisting them, draining them, then setting yourself at task. You scrub the weapons like a zombie, polishing each section to a river-like sheen before moving to the next. The metal sparkles, and your mother returns with a whetstone and another rag, prying the bloodstained bit of cloth from your hand and replacing it with the rock.
You stare at it for a while before you return to work, working out the scratches and returning your blade to its razor edge. You dimly note that burying your weapon in stone is probably not the best for it, and resolve to let it happen again.
Equipment suitably repaired, you sit in a daze, watching sunlight drift through the trees as it climbs slowly overhead. Your hair drifts about you in the breeze, and it brings a slow smile to your face as you bask in the warmth of the waking forest.
Eventually, your brain catches up to the sun and you look around. Jin is still curled into a compact ball of feathers, snoozing lightly in the sunlight. Your weapons are organized in front of you, and your shirt and skin are clean. Mom must have wiped you down and swapped your tunic last night. You can't remember much past dinner.
You'll have to get yourself to sleep early tonight. Giant spider or not, staying up is doing you no favours.
Stifling a yawn, you pull yourself into a long stretch, and set off to make the most of your day.
>Check your loot! >Those bags were really handy- Maybe you should make a few of your own? >>Jin wears next to nothing- You could make her some clothes. Probably. >Maybe you should get Mom to help teach you. >Other(?)
You look down at the harpy, sleeping idly in a nest of blankets. She basically wears underwear and some sort of wrapped bra. You could definitely make her a better set of clothing, right?
Right?
About ten minutes later, standing with silk in your hands, it occurs to you that you have no idea how to make clothing. That harpies probably wear as little as possible to eliminate drag, and that clothing probably messes with her ability to fly.
At the very least, you want to replace her scraps with silk. It'd be more comfortable. Other stuff can wait till she wakes up, and you can ask her. But that means one thing- You need help. Elle is out hunting, so it's time to find Mom. You head up the tree, crawling across the bark with ease. You can hear her singing somewhere above you, a slow, lilting tune in a language you don't recognize.
You make your way to her armoury, following her voice as you go. The song echoes through the tree, layering over itself. A single singer harmony. She's at the bottom of the stairs, working at her spear the same way you did all morning, wringing out a rag before scrubbing it clean of monster blood. She turns to face you as you descend the last few steps, resting her spear on the racks lining the wall.
"Lyra," she smiles,"Good to see you awake, yes? You were struggling a bit this morning." You scratch your hair awkwardly, looking away. "I was tired. Really tired. Its been a long few days."
Her laughter rings through the tree, and her smile is infectious.
"I am aware, little one. You have been ever so busy, yes? Now, what can your mother do for you, hm?" "Uh- Jin. Jin's clothes're kind of raggedy. I wanted to- I wanted to make new ones, but I don't know what harpies can wear." Your voice drops a few decibels, desperately trying to imply that this is nowhere near as much a problem as the first. "And I don't know how to make clothes."
She laughs again, urging you up and out of the armoury. You blush as you turn, retreating to the top of the stairs, scuttling onto the bark of the tree as you wait. She heads down the tree, folding her legs and seating herself once she reaches the nest. You sit next to her, waiting, while Jin has rolled into a corner, wrapping the blankets further around her. The little pile of silk rises and falls in time with her breathing.
"Now, little spider, we shall start teaching you about weaving, yes. How much have you done?" "Nets. Just nets." "Then we will start small," she says, smiling.
She shows you how to hold your hands, how to wrap silk between your fingers and work it into sheets, how to weave it into a loose, airy material. How to sew all of this together. Its harder than it looks.
"Your turn now, little one."
>>Start small- a hat or a bag, maybe a scarf? >Make a shirt or something. Shirts are easy, right? >Other(?)
Dice 2d100: Rolled 82, 97
Your fingers fly like knitting needles- and the occasional snag is pointed out by your mother, drawn out and stomped away. I short order you've got yourself a square of woven silk- though you hardly stop with that. The square of fabric becomes a rapidly expanding rectangle, the scarf in progress folding over itself in your lap. (you don't really have much of a lap.)
You're so engrossed in your work that you fail to notice the harpy struggling her way out of her blanket nest, looking around like lost child before hobbling over to where you're working. She spends a moment examining your weave before yawning, her mouth nearly eclipsing her face, and struggling her way up your shell, half asleep.
Your mother winds up lifting the diminutive harpy onto your carapace, where she promptly returns to snoring.
Closing off the weave is definitely harder than starting it, but with your mother there to help, and with what amounts to knives for hands, you easily trim excess material off, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment and also a harpy sized scarf. You turn and loop it around her neck, and she snuggles into as she sleeps.
Your mom manages to restrict her giggling to indelicate snorts, half muffled by her hand, as she walks you through making a large square of fabric. "It's important to have a well-woven base for any work, yes." She whispers. "If your cloth comes unravelled, then what use is it? You need to weave it tightly."
The noon sun is perched above you by the time you've managed a 'passable' square of cloth by your mother's standards. Now you've got the base for some other clothing project and a much higher opinion of what Elle is capable of.
Jin is finally waking behind you, rotating her head around to work out any kinks in her neck, flaring her wings as she stretches.
"Good morning." "Yes, good morning- What are we wearing?" She holds the scarf up with her wings, tugging at one end, then the other. "It's a scarf- You can wear them to stay warm."
She runs one end of the silk against her face, cheek smooshing into the cloth.
"Itsh very shoft." "Spider silk is very nice, yes." "You made this? For u- For me?" "I've- uh, I've got s'more cloth. For clothes. What do harpies wear?" "Mother says we cannot wear much, but sometimes we sneak into the cabin and wear Dad's shirts. They make it very hard to fly, yes."
You can't stop the grin from crossing your face at the thought of two harpies staggering around in a man's shirt. "So what can you wear, then? Or what do you want to wear? If it's small enough, I might even be able to make two things." "We want a better wrap for our chest! And-" She flaps her wings excitedly as she talks, speeding up as it goes along. "And there was a man, a trader, and he had a shirt that went over a shirt, and it had no arms, but there were pockets! Lots of pockets! He gave me a treat from one!"
Her eyes are alight with memories, and her smile is excited, ecstatic. You're pretty sure she's talking about a vest? Pockets might be hard, though. And they'll need to be something a harpy can use. Maybe a pouch? She can probably work drawstrings. You're going to have to get Mom again. >Try and make the vest with some sort of pockets? (Hard- Please offer a design idea) >>Pouches inside the vest? (Medium) >A pouch on a drawstring- she can hang it around her neck.(Easy)
Dice 3d100: Rolled 53, 100, 82
Pockets are complicated. They'd be a lot of sewing- and more importantly, difficult for her to use.
Pouches, on the other hand, shouldn't be too hard at all. Your mother runs you through the idea; Basically, you fold down the top edge to contain the drawstrings, and just sew the whole thing to the vest. The vest is a few pieces, coming apart at the shoulders so it curves properly, and the breast band is just a strip of silk.
You slice it free and hand it off to Jin, who flies up into the canopy to swap it out immediately. She returns with her old clothes in hand, settling down next to you and watching you work.
Sewing is a bit weird- You'd done it once every few years before, but the similarities between needle and thread, and just using razor sharp claws are like night and day. You punch holes along the edges of your pieces, laying them side-by-side as you thin your silk out so you can work with it. It's a bit rough to start, but you find your own tempo, and the work flies by.
You wind the thread through each hole and back, an intricate X pattern that ties the vest tightly together. It gradually takes shape in your hands, and Jin starts bouncing in place as she recognizes the item.
You stopped and modified the design twice as you went- Loosening the shoulder, and slitting the armholes nearly the length of the piece. There's no point if her wings don't fit through. The pouches on the inside were even easier than you hoped- Squared off pockets with loose tops, and simple drawstrings.
You worked with Jin- It took her a few tries to get it on unassisted, but after that, she could take it on or off at will. She'd dip one wing low and pull it through, shaking the other to slide the vest down her arm. The pouches took a bit more work- You wound up repairing them twice when she's tear at them with her claws.
Vest complete, Jin strutted through the nest, wings wide, to your mother's applause, proudly showing off her new clothes. The harpy was very nearly glowing by the time your Mom started cleaning up the cast of bits of cloth, shooing you out of the nest and towards the river. "You're still coated in dust, younglings. Go and see yourselves clean, yes?"
The trip is relaxing- for you at least. Jin soars overhead, diving and spinning through the air when you can catch glimpses of her through the trees.
The river looks just as enticing as before- Cool water, sun-warmed stones, and nothing to do all day.
>>Chat a bit more with Jin(about?) >Relax, take it easy >>Help each other wash >Other(?) Leaving her vest behind, Jin hurtles into the water, throwing up huge waves as she skids to a stop. You stop and watch a moment, transfixed by the human-sized bird bathing- She dips her head beneath the water, flailing wings in every direction as she tries to wet her feathers.
She slows, turning, as she realizes you haven't joined her in the water.
The river has slicked down her feathers, plastering her hair over her eyes. She looks like a half drowned animal. Like she's lost half her weight. You wade in behind her, laughing as you go. You work you way into a deeper part of the river, dipping your entire body into the current until you feel vaguely clean.
Jin ducksteps across the rocks, wobbling dangerously with each step. You scoop up the harpy with both hands, dropping her onto one of the wide stones. She plops herself down in the centre, but before she can lie down you've grabbed a wide piece of cloth, and proceed with scrubbing down the protesting bird. She squawks indignantly, and you dunk her again to rinse her before returning her to her sunning rock.
She snatches the cloth from your hands with one of her talons and immediately sets about her revenge, rubbing you down, hopping from the stone to your back to work you all over. She finishes off by jumping onto your shoulders, nudging you headfirst into the water as you laugh. You come up sputter as she cackles, and the two of you splay yourselves across the rocks surface to dry.
"Lyra?" "Hmm?" "What is your father like? I have not seen him."
You grunt as you twist around, rolling over onto your back, flipping your hair out onto the rock to dry.
"I haven't seen him either- Mom said he left before we hatched. His name is Erics, though." "Ah..." "And he is a mage, and an explorer. That's how they met?" "Is that bad?" "I- I don't think so? We'll see him eventually, I think. The way mom spoke, he's done this before." "Hmmm. Okay." "It's hard for you too, right? Your dad is human, he can't fly with you." "He's there when we go home, though. Even if he can't come with us."
There's an awkward sort of silence. Birds caw off in the distance, the water laps at the rock as the sun turns. "You've flown all over, right? Seen lots of things. Can you tell me? Or about the other harpies, in the village?"
Jin flops over, wings slapping against the stone as she rearranges herself.
"There are 3 more families of harpies in our village, yes? Sometimes we play, or compete, but we eat a lot. All monsters do. So we have to hunt- And we have to hunt in different directions." She ruffles her feathers, producing a light spray from her crest as she settles. "I win the competitions, though. I am the strongest harpy."
You look over at her with a smile, and she frowns at another thought. "Except for Mom. She is too strong. But I will get bigger." She says with certainty. You watch her carefully. Despite her frame, she seems full grown- she lacks that kind of mismatched look young animals get as they grow.
"How're you so sure?" "Nnn?" "That you'll grow." "You'll grow too." "But how are you so sure of that? I don't think I'm going to get any bigger, Jin."
She gestures lazily with one wing.
"Monsters evolve, yes? So I will evolve, and be a bigger harpy, and you will evolve and be a bigger spider. Maybe as big as-" "I'm not going to turn into a mountain sized spider." She huffs, blowing some loose hairs out of her face. "We'll see."
You roll your eyes.
"So all monsters evolve?" "It takes time, yes? Sometimes a long time. Mother says you can keep evolving though. That you can get stronger, and get special powers. She says her mother could call the wind, and fly faster than anyone!" "Did she leave?" "Yes. She flew east with the wind. I have never seen her." "You've flown really far though?"
She nods vigorously.
"Yes! There are so many, many things, even in the forest. Ruins at the edge, leading into the water- and the shattered city stretches so far. And there a places where the woods have burned clear, and there are giants that spit fire, and monsters whose backs scrape the trees!" She seems excited, chattering about what she's seen as you lay in the sun.
Noon passes quietly, swapping stories of exploration and tales of your siblings exploits.
>>Go back to the nest for dinner? >>Ask mom if you can go out to the waterfall? >Get a bit of training in? Jin would probably like to see that. >Other(?)
Dinner is a bit of an odd affair. Mom is unaffected- But the rest of you sit and watch Jin.
Harpies eat with their feet.
A pointed look from Mom sends everyone else at their food, and mixed conversation fills the gaps. Half sentences, mumbling from full mouths, the works. Zach laughs at something Aria is talking about, spraying water out his nose- and the chain reaction ends with half your siblings choking on food, one way or another. Clean up takes a bit of time.
You creep up behind as she wraps the leftovers, and she turns on you with an expression that says she knows you're after something. You offer your sweetest smile as you begin your pitch.
"So... I was thinking that maybe I could just, I dunno, take Jin to the waterfall? She really wanted to see the stars, and I was thinking-" Mom's eyebrows work their way up, meeting as she looks down at you with all six eyes.
C'mon, she's not that much bigger. You just feel small.
"We could take Sara- I bet she wants to try more magic- We'll be really careful, I promise! And we'll be back tonight! I'll take my glaive, but I won't fight anything-" "Fine, it is fine, whelpling. The new moon passed us by while you ran around under the stones."
She sighs.
"I am not sure if you are too much like me, or too much like your father, little spider. You worry me in much the same way. Stay near the river, yes? That is the safest way on nights like this."
You nod your thanks- grabbing her in a surprise hug that she takes a moment to respond to. Then you scuttle off, readying your gear for the evening. Maybe this time you'll ask Elle to borrow her bags.