Scales In Shadow

[Freak A Nature]

@Wyvern
An Excerpt of Notes from an Ashen Wizard

What is displayed across the pages is quite familiar to you.. as it is actually you. Specifically, it was a rather accurate and.. embarrassing portrayal of your draconic body entangled in the web with the corpse of the spiders around the area. Alongside are various written scrawls that detail parts of your anatomy that seemed to have drawn the Wizards interest...

I am proud to depict the first confirmed dragon sighting in quite some time, and actually somewhat conversational much to my pleasure. Found her in the scene above after asking for help from afar. Given my suspicions, I find it likely she may have been stalking us through these halls from a distance, an unusually cautious approach for a species not known for stealthy habits. Refused to give her true name, but allowed an alias of her own choosing. Dusk appears to have chosen such a moniker for her dark coloration. I'm not sure what such a majestic creature is doing in these ruins, but that is a mystery for another time.

Physically, she appears to be quite healthy barring the wound inflicted through her scales by the spiders. Unlike the massive beasts of legend, Dusk quadrupedally only comes to stand at about three feet at the shoulder. Perhaps Dusk is a relative "hatching"? If so then perhaps more dragons are around, even with my capabilities I doubt I would withstand the anger of a dragon matriarch protecting her nest and young. Most of Dusk's scales appear to be in a shade akin to onyx, light and sleek as to befit a lighter build. The main exception is her underside, which are a deep navy with deep almost mithril-like patterns fashioned into armored "plates" The best descriptor I would have for it is the etchings I have seen in my studies across various scrolls, perhaps an indicator if she will ever perform magic? However, her most striking feature remains her tail. It easily remains the longest part of her body and ends with a rather keened barb [her claws are not to be overshadowed either, they clearly possess a similar sharpness to the barb]. I have no doubt being struck by this will be quite lethal, and I confess to even a small swaying of it almost made it mistake it for hostility and revealed my protection. This combined with the length of the tail could Dusk to potentially coil and trip opposition, a quite humiliating experience I imagine.. to die via falling on a blade.

The eyes currently portray no sign of magical or elemental affinity as of present. Perhaps Dusk retains caution enough to have a means to conceal her element of choice? If so that only raises further questions in an already quite fascinating specimen of dragon-kind. She is quite capable of magic at minimum in conjunction with her fearsome physical capacities, as I can sense she possesses an "inventory". What items she hides in there, I do not know. However, if she would join us, even temporally through these webbed corridors I would be quite enthralled in learning what I can from such a rare species in these times.

 

[Wyvern]

"You may call me Dusk..." Your eyes narrow, "if and only if you do something about these webs."

"And what do I get to call you?" You ignore the kitsune in favor of keeping a steady gaze on the mage.

"Mm. Alright then. I'll keep that in mind."

And then he just continues scratching away at his book, the feather quill twitching in sharp, precise motions.

"...You are going to help, yes?"

"Well, yes, of course. I'll get to it. One thing at a time."

"Of course," the kitsune mutters, one hand pinching her nose, "he says. Well. I guess this is a thing that we're doing."

"Look, there's a method to this. Do I question your actions when you're in the middle of some absurd courtly intrigue?"

"Yes. Yes you do."

"While you're in the middle of talking to people? But fine. Let's take this from the top: One, she talks. Two, she didn't strike at me when I stepped into range."

"You're welcome," you mutter.

"Three, she's not reacting to gratuitous delays with egregious impatience or escalating hostility, demonstrating an ability to delay gratification that is a necessary pre-requisite for any sort of real trust. Now, is this a guarantee that she won't attack the moment she's released? No, of course not. But it's a good argument in favor of treating her like a person, not a monster, and if this were some hapless adventurer here instead... well, honestly? I'd be running through the same series of tests because there are some adventurers that are just idiots."

You blink.

"That is surprisingly comprehensive reasoning."

For a moment, you consider speaking up to agree with her. ...But then you'd be agreeing with her. So, pass.

"Fine then. If this is a thing that we're doing, then I may as well benefit from it. Dus- Dragon! How would you like to help us find some treasure?" Okay, she has your attention. "I know of a cache that my grandmother left in here; there is exactly one item in it that holds significant sentimental value to me. The rest of it you can split with Tarin. There's just one tiny problem: a very thoroughly locked door in the way. The key should be around here somewhere, but Tarin's being obstreperous about actually searching for it-"

"Because," Tarin interrupts, "we didn't prepare for an extensive delve. You said this would be a simple in-and-out. Besides, there's no reason to assume that such a key is still here, even if it ever was; the sensible option is to track down the catacombs' caretaker and ask them-"

"Which I would rather not do. And if we can get this dragon to help, why, at worst we find nothing and you gain the opportunity to take notes on behavior or put down some more dynamic sketches..."

Technically, you ponder, their worst-case scenario should really be something like "getting eaten by giant spiders". -Or by a dragon, namely, you.-

Tarin sighs, and takes a few steps back. "I suppose that's not a completely unreasonable plan. Still, I think it appropriate to get her out of that webbing before she either agrees or disagrees."

He snaps his fingers and- did he really? Yes he did. The webbing you're stuck in is now on fire.

---

Voting: These aren't specific, literal, word-for-word responses; more general attitudes. Vote for one treasure and one fire reaction, and optionally a third write-in for overall reaction to wizard and kitsune.

[+] Treasure: Ooh, shiny!
[*] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch?
[] Treasure: Surely you can haggle for a better deal?
[] Treasure: Tempting, but you can come back for it later. Besides, maybe that caretaker can tell you something about why you woke up in here?
[] Treasure (Write-in): ...Or something else, or even some combination of the above.

[] Fire: Aaaah!
[] Fire: ...Actually, this doesn't hurt?
[] Fire: Ack, that's - haha - ticklish! Stop it! Stopit! Hahaha...
[*] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.
[] Fire: Right then. So that was a thing that happened.
[] Fire (Write-in): Or, again, something else.

Edit: Adding winning and winning-ish write-in options, so someone who's just following the threadmarks can see how the vote came out. I'm using '*' for winning options, and '+' for secondary effects that I'll be including despite them not taking the lead.
[+] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch? Is it the Caretaker?
[*] Reaction: Wary curiosity, what brings the pair of adventurers together in these catacombs? By the sounds of it there plans went a bit sideways.. disregarding finding Dusk.

 

[Negation]

[X] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch?
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

 

[Toboe]

Ooh, the Quest is back!
[X] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch?
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

 

[Freak A Nature]

Nice to see this back

[X] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch? Is it the Caretaker?
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

[X] Reaction: Wary curiosity, what brings the pair of adventurers together in these catacombs? By the sounds of it there plans went a bit sideways.. disregarding finding Dusk.

@Wyvern is the reaction write in alright?

 

[DangerKitty]

[X] Treasure: Ooh, shiny!
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

 

[Wyvern]

Ooh, the Quest is back!

Click to shrink...

Nice to see this back

Click to shrink...

Glad to be back! This one fought me for a while, and then I got distracted, and then - well, not important. I will try not to let months elapse between posts... but given prior evidence of posting rate, I will also not be making any guarantees.

@Wyvern is the reaction write in alright?

Click to shrink...

Yup, seems reasonable to me!

 

[Freak A Nature]

Glad to be back! This one fought me for a while, and then I got distracted, and then - well, not important. I will try not to let months elapse between posts... but given prior evidence of posting rate, I will also not be making any guarantees.

Click to shrink...

Just drop a Mask on Dusk soon and we will call it even

More importantly, remembering still have Fate Points and potential boss upcoming...

Say @Wyvern
Perhaps can set a "vote deadline" for us to help update timing.. and a "post deadline" for yourself worth fate points for every month it's delayed for extra motivation? Heh

 

[Wyvern]

More importantly, remembering still have Fate Points and potential boss upcoming...

Click to shrink...

Mm. If you want to spend one or two on the fight, it might be worth declaring that sooner rather than later... Though we do still have at least one post before we get there.

Say @Wyvern
Perhaps can set a "vote deadline" for us to help update timing.. and a "post deadline" for yourself worth fate points for every month it's delayed for extra motivation?

Click to shrink...

While I do get where you're coming from with this, I think it'd probably be better to not set up mechanics that'd add friction to me writing up a new post after some delay had happened. Besides, who would get those fate points?

 

[Freak A Nature]

Mm. If you want to spend one or two on the fight, it might be worth declaring that sooner rather than later... Though we do still have at least one post before we get there.

While I do get where you're coming from with this, I think it'd probably be better to not set up mechanics that'd add friction to me writing up a new post after some delay had happened. Besides, who would get those fate points?

Click to shrink...

Aye, keeping the fate points in reserve first now till we see what we are actually fighting. Dusk was slightly injured from the toxins.. I do remember that. (Unless can use one to get forewarning on best tactics against the boss?)

And fair on the post thing. Just was musing on one the potential ways to help.

 

[Altom]

[X] Treasure: Ooh, shiny!
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

 

[LotusPocus]

[X] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch?

 

[WolfKit]

[X] Treasure: That sounds like entirely too good a deal. What's the catch?
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

[X] Reaction: Wary curiosity, what brings the pair of adventurers together in these catacombs? By the sounds of it there plans went a bit sideways.. disregarding finding Dusk.

 

[Solarstream]

[X] Treasure: Ooh, shiny!
[X] Fire: All of the above, in sequence.

 

[Wyvern]

And voting is closed.

I am amused that the choice of fire reaction was effectively unanimous. (Dignity? Who needs that?)

For treasure, we've got five "what's the catch?" votes (including one minor variation asking about the caretaker), and three votes for "Ooh, shiny!", which I'm interpreting as paranoia (but definitely interested).

Only two write-in votes for overall reaction. I can work with wary curiosity.

 

[Freak A Nature]

I am amused that the choice of fire reaction was effectively unanimous. (Dignity? Who needs that?)

Click to shrink...

Gotta throw some humor in every now and then

Partly why I used a fate point to get Dusk webbed up, and it sure worked out.

 

[Toboe]

(Dignity? Who needs that?)

Click to shrink...

I think the dignity got stuck in that web.

 

[Freak A Nature]

I think the dignity got stuck in that web.

Click to shrink...

Perhaps so, then again Dusk still has no idea about her past..

Maybe we should open that book.

 

[Freak A Nature]

Curious what will happen when Dusk eventually leaves the catacombs and towards a more settled area.

Going by the comments from these two, may be seen as the typical "monster" initially.. gotta be prepared for that if it happens.

 

[Wyvern]

Some quick (because I've got the next post in-progress and don't want to spend too much focus elsewhere) notes on planned quest logistics:

I mentioned Diablo 1 as one of the inspirations, and this is why: the setting is* a single remote village and environs. Yes, Dusk might have serious issues if she were to try to visit a city; however, there are not planned to be any cities within reasonable visiting range. Convince a few key locals - blacksmith, alchemist, innkeeper** - to deal with you, and that's really all you'll need.

...Of course, this is the sort of remote village that attracts adventurers, and those may or may not be more serious problems.

* intended to be
** list not necessarily exhaustive

 

[Wyvern]

That -fangless little cat-bird just set you on fire!-
You yelp and flail wildly, burning threads of webbing parting easily now, until after a few moments it occurs to you: this doesn't actually hurt. In fact, it feels kindof- "Hah-" -ticklish? Oh no.

"Ack! Stop it! That -hah- tickles! Haha- Stoppit!"

Wild flailing continues, albeit for slightly different reasons, until eventually the last of the webbing burns and flakes away as ashes. ...And perhaps a bit longer than that? It's hard to tell exactly how much actual web is left when you're so thoroughly distracted...

...Regardless, you are once again web-free, and, critically, also no longer on fire. The kitsune watches from the far side of the room, a fan held up in front of her face. If she's laughing (she's probably laughing), at least she's being discrete about it. Tarin is slightly closer - though still keeping well out of your immediate reach - and watching warily. At least someone here still seems to respect you.

You take a deep breath and let it out slowly, carefully1​ sitting back on your haunches with your tail curling around your feet. Much as you might like to -rip these foolish adventurer's entrails from their bodies to devour in front of them for the sheer temerity of this indignity,- that would probably be highly unwise given that you've just demonstrated a -critical weakness- to certain forms of fire-based -attack-.

Safest to just pretend that didn't happen.

And with that, you fix your gaze on the kitsune. "You were saying something about treasure?"

Tarin lets out a breath you hadn't noticed him holding, and relaxes. Slightly.

The kitsune folds her fan with a snap and slips it (back?) up her sleeve. "Yes! We just need to locate the key - it should be quite obvious, given the magical nature of the lock-"

You hold up a paw, one claw upraised. "I haven't actually agreed to this yet. In fact, it seems suspiciously convenient. Besides, what prevents me from simply going off on my own and claiming all of this purported treasure for myself?"

"Spiders," she answers bluntly. "Also concealment and illusions - the path is not so simple as 'open locked door, find treasure'." She shrugs, then adds, "And even if you do find it despite all of that - well. The specific item I am after would be of little use to you, and were you to retrieve for me, I would cheerfully pay you twice its market value in gold," a flick of her wrist has a series of gold coins cascading from one hand to the other, then vanishing again, "or gems." A ruby arcs up into the air - small, high quality, cabochon - and you tense for a moment, watching it with predatory focus... no, too far, you can't make that leap before- and she catches it, the gem vanishing again. If it was ever there at all - she did just mention illusions...

Hm. All the treasure, and extra gems? That is very tempting, even if you'd actually have to come back later. On the other paw, for all that something in you seems to push back against showing weakness... well, these two have already seen you at your worst (or what you hope is your worst), and giving up a portion of the treasure in exchange for certainty of finding it...

...She said you'd have to split with Tarin. She didn't say what that split would be. And he had been all for simply leaving... perhaps a direct question would do? The answer should be informative, regardless.
"Tarin. What is the catch here? Why does she not want to consult this... caretaker? Would they be a problem?"

The gryph-kin grins - you hadn't realized his beak was quite that flexible - "Well-"

"Because I'm impatient," the kitsune interrupts. You glare at her, and she shuts up again.

"-Maybe? Ivanna - the caretaker - was out when we arrived, so we don't actually know what her opinion would be on our venture, here. But it'd probably be fine; Garsville thrives off the efforts of the few adventurers who make the trip out here, so I wouldn't expect a local would make a fuss about people, well, adventuring. No. The catch is that I'm down to two antivenom potions, three health potions, and four mana potions, and we'd need to stretch that to cover however long we plan to stay here. For that matter, you look like you could probably use an antivenom and a health potion now, which would leave entirely too small a margin in case of, I don't know, some ridiculous giant undead spider monstrosity? It seems the sort of thing this place would have. Probably right behind a fancy mage-locked door."

The kitsune rolls her eyes. "So paranoid."

---

1​ Carefully, because you are feeling a bit dizzy. Clearly that's the spider venom at work, and has nothing to do with how badly out of breath you are from being tickled.

[] Potions: Tarin can keep them. -You don't need alchemical assistance; you're a dragon, you'll be fine.-
[] Potions: If Tarin's willing to part with an antivenom, you'll take it. Not being poisoned sounds quite nice.
[] Potions: If Tarin's willing to part with an antivenom and a healing potion, you'll take them. Not being poisoned and being back at full health sounds quite nice.
(The antivenom is clearly the more important of the two, which is why I'm not listing an option for healing potion but no antivenom. Still, if you've got some logic to justify such, you could add a write-in...)

A second vote on treasure, because... well, I kinda made the previous one have a bunch of options that weren't obviously yes or no. Oops. Learning experience; I'll try not to do that again.
[] Treasure: You'll pass. For now. Definitely coming back later, though, once you've got a good way of dealing with webbing.
[] Treasure: "Alright, but I get half of the total value of whatever we find, including your 'one item of sentimental value', with you providing additional treasure to make up the difference if your item is, on its own, worth more than half. Oh, and only if Tarin goes along with this, too; I'm not playing bodyguard for you."

And, last but certainly not least, an almost-purely-write-in voting option: regardless of whether you go after the treasure now or later, you'll have a chunk of catacombs to traverse alongside new companions.
[] Questions: what do you want to ask them?
[] Questions: Remember, approval voting is encouraged! If you want to ask five different questions, put down votes for five different "Questions" entries.
[] Questions: Maybe start with the Kitsune's name?

Do be aware, though: the more questions you ask, the more you reveal your own ignorance. It wouldn't do, for example, to accidentally give away that you don't have any way of judging the market value of a "sentimental" item...
(Yes, there's going to be a lot of QM discretion in assembling the vote results here. If you're feeling particularly paranoid, though, you can add a write-in vote for a limit on how many questions Dusk is likely to ask... though questions that I judge as 'safe' re: revealing ignorance - things like asking for the kitsune's name - will just get tacked on if anyone votes for them.)

 

[Varder]

Are we actually poisoned? What are the effects of a giant spider's poison (venom?) on us? Considering that we're not suffering incredible pain, perhaps we are naturally resistant to such things. We do have Vitailty 3 after all.

 

[Wyvern]

Are we actually poisoned?

Click to shrink...

Yes.

What are the effects of a giant spider's poison (venom?) on us? Considering that we're not suffering incredible pain, perhaps we are naturally resistant to such things. We do have Vitailty 3 after all.

Click to shrink...

I'll admit, I've largely glossed over it, but - as noted in the most recent post - you are feeling a bit dizzy. ...Actually, I'm just going to claim that, thanks to being a dragon, it's simply taken some time for the spider venom to actually have any effect. This is clearly just a delayed onset, which is obviously why there hasn't been much (any?) mention of being poisoned in the intervening posts since it happened.

Mechanically, the effect is a small penalty to hit or dodge, and a chance to lose a second health level (on top of the one you lost already just from the direct bites) if you simply try to ignore the poison.

 

[Varder]

[X] Potions: If Tarin's willing to part with an antivenom and a healing potion, you'll take them. Not being poisoned and being back at full health sounds quite nice.

I don't believe in toughing it out. I don't really care if they won't have enough for themselves in the future.

[X] Treasure: "Alright, but I get half of the total value of whatever we find, including your 'one item of sentimental value', with you providing additional treasure to make up the difference if your item is, on its own, worth more than half. Oh, and only if Tarin goes along with this, too; I'm not playing bodyguard for you."

[X] Questions: They don't look like humans. Where are they from?

People usually like talking about themselves and/or their homeland.

 

[Toboe]

[X] Potions: If Tarin's willing to part with an antivenom, you'll take it. Not being poisoned sounds quite nice.
[X] Treasure: "Alright, but I get half of the total value of whatever we find, including your 'one item of sentimental value', with you providing additional treasure to make up the difference if your item is, on its own, worth more than half. Oh, and only if Tarin goes along with this, too; I'm not playing bodyguard for you."
[X] Questions: Maybe start with the Kitsune's name?
[X] Questions: (chatty, towards Tarin) What have you found worthy of noting in this adventure, so far?

Open ended conversation starter, may let her learn about Tarins character (or reinforce existing ideas), may get her some information about the dungeon without revealing her ignorance.

edit:
[X] Questions: Can we touch fluffy tail?
Eh,why not.