Insanity Quest Chapter 3: The Hidden Spring
 

OOC: We really need to think of a new name for this thread. Here's the summary style opening.

The adventurers travel onwards: Myrra, Aeryn, Will, Mercury and Za'rel - two black mages, a thief, a quicksilver dragon and a reaver. They go further into the mountains on their quest to find the phoenix to use one of its pinions to restore life to a dead friend.

But currently they are going on a side quest. Za'rel is showing them to the magical spring that her clan has guarded for generations as partial payment for being defeated in battle. The spring is said to bestow great strength and vitality upon all who drink from its waters.

As they walk along, Za'rel is still amusing herself by slicing up Tirial, a small floating eyeball, every time he revives. Merucry looks at his bondsman and says, "So I should call you "many things" eh? And also, amusing as that eyeball's pain is, you didn't answer my question. You said that your clan has been guarding the spring for centuries but have you tasted its waters yourself?"

Za'rel does not catch the sarcasm in Mercury's tone. To his statement, she replies, "Incorrect, subject used as broad catagory, I have many names." Casually walking along, swiping Tiral out of the air as he buzzes by. "As for the spring, No." Mercury questions why Za'rel has not tasted the waters, and she replies, "The spring, like most powerful magical artifacts, is more than it appears to be." Mercury does the closed imitation a dragon can, of "Raising an eyebrow." Za'rel noticed his curiosity and, nonchalantly finished, "Suffice to say, allow one of the more expendable members to have the first taste." Whilist snatching Tiral out of the air, and stuffing him into a glass flask.

OOC: dragons have some of the necessary muscles to "loft a brow", I think...they can be sarcastic enough when they try.

IC: Aeryn pointed a finger at Tiral, a line of fire shooting from his finger and immolating the creature. The flying eyeball reappeared, sputtering more vehement curses...which were abruptly cut off as Za'rel grabbed it and stuffed it into a flask. The half-drow was beginning to get bored, despite all of the events so far, he felt that he hadn't encountered anything challenging.

OOC: LMAO! I'm guessing it was a good thing to bring the winged eyeball into the story.

BIC: Myrra strode behind their conversations, forever amused at the many ways Tiral could die and revive again, only to die again. She sighed as the eyeball was stuffed unceremoniously into a glass flask.
"I DID tell you to go away when you had the chance, Tiral," she chuckled darkly. None of their conversations interested her, although she still listened and commited information to memory.

OOC: It seems someone wants some more fighting eh? On another note, more petty use of magic I say!

Mercury just gets fed up with Za'rel retience about her name and so decides to circumvent the entire process. Calling upon his blue magic he casts a scan spell. Four metal orbs with a blue stone set in them that gives them a resemblance to eyes appear and circle around Za'rel, scanning her with slices of light. While the reaver looks annoyed, Mercury looks pleased and says, "Come now, don't be so prideful Za'rel. How far are we from the spring now anyway?" The dragon continues to walk along, now with a slightly jaunty air.

((Distract-self for bonus save vs scan :p))

Za'rel shrugs, blankly looking at the spinning orbs, and begins to call up memories of other places, sing songs in her head, do math, the like. Switching thoughts around so quickly anyone actually trying to perform a deep scan would go into a seizure, and quite possibly a coma.

After the scan was complete, much to Mercury's chagrin, as it revealed nothing more than how resistant she was to scanning, Za'rel answered, "Not far." Pointing her sword toward a shimmering fountain of water, glimmering across the chasm between where they were standing, and the other side of the canyon.

((We're in a Rocky/Hilly terrain area. I love those.))

Za'rel? An... interesting name, Myrra thought as she still trailed behind them. Suddenly there was a poof of cloud in the small glass flask that held Tiral, and suddenly the winged eyeball was fluttering around her. The eyeball looked sly, and Myrra became wary. Although Tiral could be trusted completely, he was still very good at weaselling information out of others.
Instead, the eyeball sighed.
"You're such a recluse," Tiral huffed. Myrra rolled her eyes and ignored him. "I mean," Tiral continued, "if you actually befriend the others, maybe you might discover what their weakness are and such. You can actually hold that over them."
"Don't tempt me," Myrra warned, "I may be dark mage, but the part that expresses emotion hasn't deserted me completely."

While the two bickered, and the others talked, the sky darkened with thunder clouds, and the first drops of rain began to spatter down.

Aeryn was silent once again, leaning on his staff as they walked. His dark-skinned, pointed ears twitched, overhearing the conversation between Myrra and Tiral. He hadn't tried to befriend any of the others, not really, and he wasn't sure that would be a good strategy in any case...but the idea was rather intriguing. The day fit his mood, dark and stormy...and he felt rather sullen. How in the Nine Hells had he become tangled up with these people? A magess too filled with anger to fully control her spells, a pride-filled girl of unknown heritage, and a dragon whose hubris was rapidly growing with his increased size and the increase in physical might that accompanied it.

he sighed, the brooding scowl vanishing, wondering if he was really any better...perhaps making an ally would be beneficial. He smiled slightly, turned to Myrra, and asked pleasantly, "Lovely weather, isn't it?"

Continuing her chat with Mercury, Za'rel carefully inspected the surrounding rocks, near the swinging, rope bridge leading to the spring. "Upon tracking you, it was nessecary to leave certain things behind." she said, whilist kicking over a large rock. "Right where I left you." Za'rel smiles, picking up the glittering, yet black, Axe. A wicked thing, actually, two handed, with no counterweight, however, very light, and large, having a handhold within the blade, apparrently used for arcing swings that take advantage of centrifugal force. The blade was what made the axe look particularly viscious, ending in a series of red serrated "Teeth" In which the axe most likely pierced armor.
"You would leave shuch a thing out here?" Grunted Mercury, incrediously.
"Of course. The Guardian does not let any outsiders near the spring. And it is well hidden."
"A Guardian?" Mercury asked, raising his "eyebrow", again.
"Yes. The Ancient one, Mattack, created him. He was a great sorceror. The guardian aided me in defending the spring, after killing my clan. I damaged him with his master's weapon, as seen here." she said casually, lofting the axe. "Unfortunately, I do not beleive it will work again."
"Why not?" Said Aeryn, with a hint of interest, over Za'rel's shoulder.
Looking at him with a slightly "I know something you dont know" Look, Za'rel continued, "Most of Deamon Fang's magic was lost in that feat."

Za'rel began walking toward the bridge, at which point, she turned and adressed the group, "I will go first. Try and reason with the guardian. You... Stay here, I will signal you."

((Guardian is a Progenitor-age Iron Golem. Immune to magic (Okay, not really immune, the creator just thought he would be clever and put in some fake Beholder main-ray eyes), lighter design (Higher dex, lower HP) Modified Ranged Weapon: Mana Cannon. That's about all you need to know.))

IC:"Why do I get a feeling that hiding would be a wise idea?" Aeryn commented drily, his friendly demeanor hidden once more beneath his usual sarcasm. One hand tightened on his staff, the other pulling out a small crossbow from inside his robes.

OOC: well, being prepared never hurts :p