Friday, November 20
Landscrapes: Part 7 – Under Owlshead Mountain
When the agents stepped out of the elevator, they entered a cavern containing five small wooden stands cluttered with camp gear and arrowheads. Small crickets chirped in the corners.
Jim-Bean inspected the camp gear. It included a Coleman stove and twenty cans of soup.
"Somebody likes Campbell's Steak 'n Potato Soup," he said.
The stands contained several small arrowheads collected from the cave.
The agents switched their visor lights on and threaded their way through the northern tunnel.
It narrowed amongst flowstone, stalagmites, and columns. There were a few cigarette butts on the floor, accompanying spiders and gnats.
They continued on, passed white to gold flowerlike structures that seemed to ooze and curl from the wall, ceiling, and floor much like icing from a cake decorator’s nozzle. There were also thin-walled naturally formed hollow tubes about an inch in diameter. They splashed through pools of water, where eyeless crayfish and springfish wiggled about in its depths.
Finally, they came to a wall of matte-black substance that blocked the northeast tunnel. Two six-foot tall mushrooms flanked the fifteen-foot wide wall.
"Whoa," said Jim-Bean, eyeing the mushrooms. "Those are some BIG mushrooms."
The mushrooms had bright red caps with sickly yellow spots and a pale milky stalk of a body. They had an eye-like pattern on the stalks with the same sickly yellow color that adorned the cap.
Hammer played his visor light over the wall. "I saw this wall in my vision. It doesn't look like stone to me."
"In your vision, you heard buzzing?"
"Yeah," replied Hammer
"Then the shaman mask might help." Jim-Bean dug it out. "Good thing I left it in the trunk."
"Good thing it wasn't in your satchel," muttered Hammer.
While he was rifling through his satchel to pull out the mask, Jim-Bean's elbow brushed the curious black wall. That was all it took.
The mushrooms unfurled, two stubby arms separating seamlessly out from the main stalk. Legs separated at the base.
"Yaaah!" shouted Jim-Bean, stumbling backwards. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
6:43 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 3b – White Gorilla Island
They stood in the entrance to the Skull’s mouth, near the two ornate, gear-heavy structure.
Beldin peered skeptically at the massive metal cylinders. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true!” said Kham, hands spread in a plea. “These cylinders store thousands of gallons of potions of flight. When I command the Skull, engines inside the cylinders distribute the potions to massive, wheezing bellows, where it is atomized and distributed via hoses to the nozzles on the outside of the craft.”
The Skull shuddered.
Sebastian knocked a knuckle against one of the cylinders. “Even if that were true, potions don’t work that way. You don’t simply spray them in a direction to create an effect. By that logic I could poor a healing potion over my head and be healed.”
“As a matter of fact, these two vats,” Kham pointed at the vats overhead, “store exactly that. The Skull showers healing potions on Zoltan’s townspeople after their battles.”
“But potions don’t work like that!” shouted Beldin.
Kham waved the pistol and the jaws of the Skull began to slowly open. Roaring wind tore through the opening.
Sebastian opened up his wings as they caught the air, snapping to his full wingspan. “I suppose if he created them as a form of oil instead…”
“What will happen to the Zaska clones?” Beldin hesitated at the opening. “To the children?”
“They’ll be dead,” said Sebastian without emotion. “Wraps the problem of Zaska and Sycorax up nicely, I think.”
Beldin just stared at him.
“Look, we don’t have a whole lot of time here!” Kham drew Talon and slashed one of the hoses that connected to the cylinders. A bluish liquid gushed from the hose. “Do you want to argue about Althares’ gifts or do you want to not get smashed to a pulp?”
Vlad waved his hand. “I’d like to not be smashed to a pulp, please.” more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
6:40 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Thursday, November 19
Landscrapes: Part 6 – The Laboratory
Past the Fumo Loco were workbenches and shelves, covered with plants—except that they had grown far out of their own pots, reaching down to the floor and rooting in the earth there, mingling with each other in unholy biological matrimony. Looking closer, the actual species were weird—crossbreeds, bulbs of unnatural shape and flowers of unholy hue.
The lab had obviously not been used for some time. All tools were removed, although some glass containers filled with seeds and samples remained. There was a door on the far side of the room.
Jim-Bean tilted his head. "Do you hear that?"
"No," said Hammer, trying to keep his eyes on every plant at once. "What are you hearing?"
"Singing." Jim-Bean leaned down to a patch of pink flowers. "Yep, singing."
"The flowers are singing to you?" asked Hammer, skeptical.
"Need I remind you that we were just attacked by a tree?" more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
6:36 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 3a – White Gorilla Island
Von Grebel sighed. “We are running out of time. Sycorax will use her ritual to subjugate her followers today. We’ve got to invade or it’ll be another twelve days before she does it again.”
“Sycorax?” Sebastian stared at von Grebel. “Sycorax, mother of Camring, impostor to the Sea Lord’s throne?”
“Black Jenny Ramsey,” Kham said breathlessly. “She’s taken on a new persona as the White Queen of Gorilla Island.”
“Gorillas,” said Vlad. “Seriously?”
Von Grebel nodded. “Sycorax’s slaves built a series of arcane obelisks that focus the Hook’s dominating powers. Once every twelve days, gorilla work crews travel through the city with wagons filled with human prisoners. When they reach the obelisks, the gorillas shackle a human to the top of each one and bleed him to death. The obelisks reinforce Sycorax’s dominance so that her control over every sentient being on the island is complete.”
“Gorillas?” Vlad asked again. more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
6:35 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Wednesday, November 18
Landscrapes: Part 5 – Forest for the Trees
The explosion was so powerful that it knocked Hammer down, yards away, and blew out all the glass in the greenhouse.
The tree burst into flames, stopping in its tracks. What was left of the work shed disintegrated in a flaming pile of wreckage.
"Jimmy?" Hammer shouted into his cistron. "Jim?"
No response.
Hammer caught sight of a streaking red line moving along the ground. He sprayed wildly with his Glock, missing it.
It darted back into the copse of trees. And another oak, this one larger than the first, painfully tore up its roots.
Hammer, jaw set, knew what he had to do.
"Come on!" shouted Hammer, setting the gas can next to him. "Come on you son of a bitch!"
The tree awkwardly, slowly, stumped towards him. It would have been comical under different circumstances.
Hammer backed up, rifle at the ready. The tree strode within yards of the gas can.
"Come on," whispered Hammer. "Just a little closer…"
The tree stopped. It waved one huge limb, curling branches around it in the chastising gesture of a human finger, as if to say, "Nah ah ah!"
Hammer swore. It was smarter than he thought. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
6:24 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 2g – The Boneshaper’s Throne
They emerged in a room unlike anything they had seen so far in Zoltan’s castle. It was completely black. The darkness came from drapes, heavy velvet ones, strung around the room, covering the naturally gleaming ceramic. Two pieces of furniture dominated the room: a massive four-poster bed, also curtained, and a mammoth pipe organ, which wheezed out the weird atonal music that filled the atrium below.
One hulking mechanical skeleton plunked away at the organ while two others turned the pages of sheet music.
“Ha-ha!” Zoltan leaped from the curtains, looking as roguish, handsome, and charming as ever.
“Great,” Kham sighed. “Please tell me you’re the real Zoltan and we can kill you now.”
“I am indeed,” said Zoltan with a smile. “I have been watching you closely, and you’ve made a fine impression. If you can best me in a fair battle, I will proudly meet my fate and hand over de pistol.”
“Very funny,” said Kham. “Like my comrades would ever let me fight you in single combat. Right guys?”
Silence.
Kham turned around. “Guys? You’re not seriously going to let me fight him one on one, are you?” more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
6:20 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Tuesday, November 17
Landscrapes: Part 4 – Beating Around the Bush
Hammer ran towards the shed.
"The thing is animating plants!" shouted Hammer.
"What?" Jim-Bean shouted back, reloading his pistol.
Hammer didn't bother to explain. He reholstered his pistols and cocked the rifle slung over his shoulder without losing his stride.
Behind him, an oak tree stumped along relentlessly.
"Is that…?" asked Jim-Bean.
"Yes!" Hammer spun, took aim, and fired.
A burst of wood splintered out of the trunk. Some leaves fell. But it was about as effective as shooting a tree might be – which is to say, not effective all.
"I need a can of gasoline!"
Jim-Bean handed Hammer the gasoline can, dumbfounded. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
6:37 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 2f – The Boneshaper’s Throne
They dropped from the ceiling only to end up in the same maze where they began. The remains of the chuul battle were cleared away, but they were not alone.
A woman lay crumpled in the center of the room.
Kham put his hands out. “I think the walls are gone too.”
Sebastian launched himself into the air as Kham, flanked by Vlad and Beldin, closed on the girl.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I…was taken to Zoltan’s chambers…” rasped the girl. “He beat me…”
A stooped, withered creature in tattered finery appeared on the other side of the room. “You’ve found me at last.”
“Yeah,” said Kham. “Right. Zoltan, you’ve seen better days.”
“In life I was something to behold,” said Zoltan. “Now look at me! Look at how death has ravaged me, what kind of creature it has turned me into!”
“If that’s even the real Zoltan,” said Sebastian from above. more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
6:22 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Monday, November 16
Landscrapes: Part 3 – "Work Shed"
The equipment shed was cluttered and dirty, filled with agricultural tools and implements. A gasoline-powered electrical generator supplied emergency power to the house.
"Weed killer," said Jim-Bean, pointing at one of the many containers in the work shed.
A humanoid form silhouetted the entryway to the shed. But it was not a human being – not anymore. What was once the corpse of a youth was now a mess of living red creepers that sprouted from his rotting body, his guts, his mouth, and his eyes.
Jim-Bean fired a spray of bullets into the dead kid's plant-inhabited corpse. It reached upwards, tendrils stretching and gripping, and then it was gone.
"What the hell was that?" asked Hammer.
"Steven Tagget, I'm guessing," said Jim-Bean. "I don't think we're going to find Finley here."
The roof thunked as the Tagget-thing clambered around on the shed.
Hammer pointed both pistols at the ceiling.
"No, Hammer, wait—"
Hammer sprayed the ceiling with gunfire.
The thin shed roof, already straining under the weight of a body, collapsed. Hammer and Jim-Bean fell backwards under the debris. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
5:21 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 2e – The Boneshaper’s Throne
They barely had time to reach the boat and find their sea legs when Zoltan’s voice boomed down from the crow’s nest.
“This is where I made my name! On the open seas on moonlit nights. How about you, mi amigos? Do you have what it takes to fight on another man’s decks?”
“Where’d the cliffs go?” asked Beldin.
The cliffs behind them had vanished. Open ocean surrounded them on all sides. A big fat merchant vessel pulled along the starboard side.
“You know,” said Kham, “I’m getting the impression that style matters more in this place than substance. Beldin, come with me.”
The dwarf grunted but complied.
Vlad and Sebastian exchanged glances.
“Any idea what he’s up to?” asked the Milandisian.
Sebastian shrugged. “At this point I’m willing to set that other ship on fire along with the annoying fop who keeps shouting at us.” more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
5:19 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Saturday, November 14
Landscrapes: Part 2 – The Greenhouse
The farmhouse was unlocked. Inside, all seemed orderly. There were two bedrooms (one unfurnished), kitchen, living room, bathroom, and a utility room with big concrete tubs. Here and there items and utensils were knocked over, or left on a bench. Other than the odd moss that grew in the sinks, over old food and between the sheets of the bed, there wasn't much to see. Finley had obviously not returned to the farm in months.
The agents headed back outside.
Out in the fields stood a relatively new building, about five years old--a greenhouse. Through the glass walls could be seen a riot of vegetation. Adjoining the greenhouse was a newish wooden frame extension, the lab.
Hammer tried the door. "Locked." He smashed the glass door with his elbow and reached in to unlock the door.
The insides sprang out as a mass of billowing greenery--the first impression was of something bursting out. However, the fronds simply bounced and waved, and it was apparent that they outgrew the walls.
Tobacco plants grew where they had no business growing. They towered at twelve feet in height, with stalks as thick as four inches and veins bulging like a bodybuilder. The nicotine in the air among the vibrant plants was palpable. There was a tantalizing flavor that was extremely aromatic.
What the smell was, Hammer could quite pin down.
Hammer stood in the open doorway, taking in the scent, as the tobacco plants known as Fumo Loco waved in a wind that wasn't there.
Deep within the dense foliage, something rustled. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
8:33 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 2d – The Boneshaper’s Throne
They emerged in a nightmare version of a young boy’s room. There was the normal furniture one would expect to find: a bed, writing desk, dresser, bookcase, and toy chest. There was also the usual mess of toys and books scattered on the floor. What wasn’t usual was that everything was five times its normal size.
“Aha,” another Zoltan clone announced, “you’ve made it through infancy.” He sat on the writing desk by the window. Through the window, waves crashed against rocks and a breeze of salty air wafted through the room. “But what happens when you start to grow and learn and de world starts to crush you?”
Beldin climbed out of the trap door behind the others. He wiped chuul ichor off of one of his boots. “I think I liked the maze better.”
“My parents gave me everything, but it meant nothing! I was hollow inside! De only thing that filled me, my only salvation, was the written word—and de lure of the sea!”
Something rolled off to Sebastian’s left. A small yo-yo rolled out from behind a box and fell on its side.
“Man, this guy’s got issues.” Vlad brandished Grungronazharr.
A shadow passed by Sebastian. He turned quickly but saw nothing. “What was that?”
There was a noise from under the bed. Beldin peered into the darkness.
It was a large teddy bear.
“Hey!” said Beldin. “Come out here. Do you know a way out of here?”
The teddy bear walked out from under the bed, revealing fangs, glowing red eyes, yellow horns, and a white skull on its stomach. more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
8:31 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Friday, November 13
Landscrapes: Part 1 – Barking up the Wrong Tree
The route to the farm was much easier to follow by day. The pavement turned to gravel in parts, and the road took the agents far from other farms.
Further down the road was the turnoff to the Finley farm, recognizable by a galvanized mailbox with RR#3, 237 painted on it. A graveled road led to the farm, sprawled across a narrow valley.
A long driveway led up to a gate and the farmyard. In the distant fields a solitary scarecrow stood sentinel. Around the yard were a farmhouse, barn, woodpile, equipment shed, chicken coop, garage, and a few small sheds. Out to the left of the yard was a greenhouse and attached to a wooden frame building, the laboratory. A fence surrounded the farm buildings and yard; to the outside of the perimeter fence was a fifteen-foot-wide band of scorched earth. Through a second gate a track led uphill from the farm to the forest which crowned the ridge beyond.
The agents stopped the car at the band of earth. Hammer got out to inspect it.
Next to the trees on the outskirts of the fields was a five-yards-broad band of earth that had been laid bare, burned, and flattened.
Hammer stuck one finger and the dirt and tasted it. "Lyme…some other defoliants. This patch of earth was chemically stripped."
"Finley trying to keep the woods out?" asked Jim-Bean, looking around at the scraggly oaks and junipers that led up to soaring sugar pines.
"Or keep something in." Hammer checked that both pistols were loaded. "Look at the gate."
The gate was off its hinges, lying by the side of the road, broken and bent. Glass twinkled around it in the dust. more
Labels: d20 modern
posted by talien at
8:47 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
Isles of the Damned: Part 2c – The Boneshaper’s Throne
They appeared in an empty room of gleaming white ceramic. In the middle of the room stood a man dressed in full-on swashbuckling gear: a longcoat, tri-cornered hat, and polished boots—the whole nine yards.
“Zoltan Zaska,” said Kham with a frown.
Zoltan took off his hat and bowed deeply. “Indeed, it is I!” he said with a thick Salantis accent.
Sebastian launched himself into the air. “Enough of this nonsense, let’s kill him and get the pist—OOF!”
The dark-kin collided with an invisible wall.
Sebastian landed, rubbing his nose. “Walls of force.”
“You have done admirably well on all of my tests so far,” said Zoltan, sneering. “You have proven yourselves superior in mind and body. But now you must prove that you can take on de toughest challenge of all: being Zoltan Zaska!”
Vlad turned to Beldin. “Is he serious?”
“Can you survive de same challenges I have lived through? If so, you earn de right to meet me face to face!”
Kham looked around. “So let me guess: you had to figure out how to navigate an invisible maze once? When was this, when you were still a toddler?”
Zoltan grinned. “Close! Even being born was a challenge for me. My twin sister died in the womb, as and she did, her umbilical cord wrapped itself around my neck. I escape strangulation and made it into de world by the slimmest of margins. Perhaps you can do de same!”
Beldin shook his head. “So this maze is a parallel for his birth?”
A section of the wall on the opposite side of the room shimmered away and two of crab-like beasts with mouthfuls of writing tentacles clattered forward.
“Then what do those represent?” asked Vlad.
“Don’t ask,” said Kham. “I suggest we start moving…” more
Labels: arcanis
posted by talien at
8:45 AM
|
0 comments
links to this post
