The Purging of the Realms

[-Azrael666-]

((i say we turn around and go a different way, lol.. they aren't mindless creatures so i can't beckon them run awaaay ))

[RuneyPoo]

*Rune groans in a very annoyed voice and looks at his comrads. He then tells them to be quiet with his finger.*

Rune: I have a feeling we aren't going to be having fun here soon, be quiet and try to be as stealthy as you can. If you even make one wrong move, I think this little adventure will be over.

*Rune motions them forward as he continues down slowly. He slowly looks around and then see's a glowing figure in the darkness about thirty feet from him. He stops and motions them to stop.*

[DragonOfChaos]

((Okay, sorry about the absence. 56k and AOL kills any internet adventurer. Plus I have a Nazi for a mother. Anywho, on with the post.))

Ian turned to Rune, whispering, "Would you like me to fly ahead and scout from the air? That would be a wise decision at the moment." Ian glanced overhead, already plotting out his flight path through the thick branches.

[RuneyPoo]

Rune: Be quiet with it, if you need any help my Phoenix will be up there. If it see's you in any danger, it will help you. Now try and be silent with it as much as you can.

[Vadriel]

*From the air, Ian can see the forest falling away and a mountain rising up out of the trees. There appears to be a cavern cutting away into the mountain, and the entrance is covered in the strange, twisted secretion. Squinting very hard at the substance, Ian sees that some of the creatures are actually embedded in the walls, their natural body shape blending in with their hive webbing. They appear to be slumbering, but how can you tell if something without eyes is awake or not?*

[DragonOfChaos]

Working his way back through the branches, Ian made his way back to the ground. Finding the party, he reported his findings.

"They have a nest in a cave not too far from here. The entire entrance is covered in what looks like a web, and some of the creatures are embedded within it. I am unsure of wheter they are concious or not. Should we investigate?"

[-Azrael666-]

Azrael believes that this course of action would be suicidal for them, but says nothing. If they want to willfully run to their likely demise, it would be the last thing to go out of its way to stop them.

[Vadriel]

*Sha-kul appears out of a shadow, and hovers before them.*

"These creatures from an alternate realm have been running loose and killing off indiginous life for some time now. They are very deadly, and cannot be allowed to run free...the task is incredibly dangerous, but I am afraid I must charge you with eradicating these creatures, these...Aliens.
If this task should prove too great...and should one of you die, I may be able to use my power to resurrect him or her...so let not danger deter you. It is likely that upon completion of this task, most other challenges would seem simple by comparison. I must suggest projectile attacks when dealing with these creatures. They do not see as we see, so invisibility is useless. They are vicious killers at close range, so do not get within their reach. Beware, for they are prodigous jumpers as well. Instead of traditional blood, a powerful acid runs through their veins, so be wary when you cut them. Their ferocity is generally equalled only by their numbers, so the utmost caution is required when dealing with them...

This is a fully developed hive...something that is formidable at best. It is likely that at least one of you will fall to them, but if I must, I can surely revive a party member provided his body is not too mutilated. One comfort I can offer you is that they will not at first attempt to kill you, but to take you alive...

This may seem a blessing, but it must not be allowed to happen. For if they do not kill you outright, they will use you to reproduce. You will be rendered defenseless, then an embryonic stage known as the "face hugger" will attach itself to you and implant an embryo in your chest cavity. Once the embryo matures (usually in a matter of hours), it will erupt from your chest and kill you. Then, your surviving teammates will have to fight an Alien that has taken on characteristics of you. We must not allow these creatures to establish new breeds...it is essential that you do not get taken alive...if a party member dies in such manner, I cannot revive him."

*This said, Sha-kul disappears, leaving the adventurers to their choice.*

[-Azrael666-]

((so basically, if anyone is going to be captured, kill yourself ))

[Vadriel]

((yeah pretty much.))

[-Azrael666-]

((please be aware that if you die, i will absorb your spectral energy, rendering you spiritually powerless for a short period of time if you're revived.. no magic or magic resistances whatsoever temporarily.. and if you are killed in a manner which you can't be revived from, meaning game over for you, i will torture you horribly afterwards.. although my character has decided your existance to be in its best interests, should you die by other means, it would be extremely out of character for it to 'resist' absorbing your energies, as its vulture-like nature would make it literally impossible to resist if it wasn't already saturated with energy.. i thought i should give everyone a heads-up.. so don't let yourself be killed or captured))

[Kitty]

"Well..." Kender scratched a tender spot on her head, just behind her ear. "What have we got to lose, you know? We can't walk away, anyway,right?" She was silent, but just for a second.

"Well, anyway, the best thing to do would be to get a strategy, right? Well, who's able to fight from a distance? I think we should have a few people fighting from afar, and some people fight from up close. That way, something keeps them busy so we can pick them off from far away, right? Does anybody know how to cast shields? To protect people from the poison? Oh, and maybe somebody can be high up, directly above the...the all...oh, whatever the heck they are, so they can be close yet they're out of harm's way. I could do that. Leo's a great flier, and I can use a bow pretty well. Or I could be in the back. What about you hm? What do you think?"

((*mutters* Show-off... *gets shot*))

[sKaTa644]

My character is JaRsHaDiO KlAnK Page 10 of the character thing. He is hugon N u canr read about him.

[RuneyPoo]

*Rune knowing these creatures are going to be hard to fight off looks at Ian and Malice.*

Can you two fight them up close while me and Kender fight them from afar? Because I am worthless in up close battles and these creature's soul's are to hard to over take with my magic. So I will have to fight from either in the air or on the ground, away from them. It is up to you guys, but... Screw it.

*Rune goes through his book of magic looking for his best shield he could use. Then then begins to mumble the words inside the book slowly and quietly, everything seems to time out as he does this. Slowly a storm awakes within the tree's of the forest and it begins to rain. Lightning begins to strike down onto the tree's of the forest as he continues to cast his spell. A light blue barrier begins to cover all of the adventurers. The storm then eases off slowly once he is done.*

This will help you guys, but it wont last along time. You can maybe take three or four hits to the barrier before it collapses, then you really need to be safe with everything. So let's just get this over with, we have little time and if we waste anymore, they will notice our presence. Me and Kender will stay back, Ian I seen what you can do in upclose battle, and Malice I am sure you can do pretty damn good in upclose as well. Let's get going.

*Rune begins to walk torwards the cave of these creatures, as does everyone else in his party. He then slows down as he begin's to see these creatures embedded into the exterior of the cave. He looks at them and motions them off. He looks at Kender and nods his head.*

Are you ready? Because I sure as hell know I'm not... But let's get this overwith anyways, no point in wasting anymore time.

*Kender and Rune get ready for battle as Malice and Ian have their weapons drawn and walking slowly to the creatures.*

((Whenever your ready Eric... Didn't want to go to far with this...))

[Vadriel]

((I think I'll have somebody come in to help you...enter: J'kar.))

*A fireball falls from the sky and plows into the ground. The flames clear and the crouched form of a Draconian Bloodknight appears. He stands up and says....*

J'kar:>Howdy y'all! OOH! *spies Kender* Why heLLO! *appears kneeling next to her and snatches her hand, waggling his eyebrows* How'r YOU doin'? *smooches the back of her hand as Kender blushes. J'kar shakes himself and turns back to the group and grows serious.* Okay, that done...WE GOT SOME ALIENS TO KILL! My advice: aim for the throats...it's the most vulnerable...most of the rest of them is covered by carapace. *With that he turns to face the direction of the hive and holds his scythe out and yells* CHARGE!

[DragonOfChaos]

"May the gods protect you, allies. CHARGE!!!" Ian launched himself from the ground, flying above his two ground-bound allies. "I'll come in from on high! Don't let them surround you, and if any of us is in danger of being captured, we are to slay our ally to prevent it!"

[Vadriel]

((As you can see, I'm low on Gil...at least in my pocket. I cannot touch my bank account...it is gathering interest. In order to raise money, I am going to do something wacky in this adventure...please work with it. Plus...you should be greatful...if we had gone ahead and fought the aliens as we are...likely we would have all died.))

*Sha-kul freezes time and rises from the shadows, looking disgusted with the adventurers, J'kar most of all.*

Sha-kul:> Are you nuts? Fighting these creatures ill-prepared? *snorts* Although you don't deserve this...I will allow you to enter the interplanar shop...and perhaps you can better equip yourselves.

*Sha-kul opens a rift in reality and the adventurers step through. They find themselves in NEG_SPACE...a place where everything floats in a vast sea of darkness. In this place, Azrael is fully visible as a form of dark hole, where light is bent and redirected. Those who didn't know of him already now do.

In the middle of this place stands a desk, with a little old man sitting behind it. He pushes his spectacles up onto his nose and peers at the adventurers. "May I help you? Perhaps some acid-resistant weapons and armor? I have anything you could ever need...for a price." He peers at Azrael. "I even have a body you can use, if you wish to battle alongside your comrades. Rest assured, should it die, you will return to your normal self, and you retain your energy absorbing powers in the body as well...request what you may desire, all, and I will name your price."*

[RuneyPoo]

*Rune looks at this old man and smirks, he then looks at his equipment and laughs at the old man again. But then he gets a thought in his head, he wants something. Something that he doubts this old man has got, but if he does it will come at a high price, he knows. Rune groans and bends over to talk to the man, leaning on the table now.*

I have one small request of an item. There is a staff, a staff for fire mages in particular. With this staff you can summor creatures of fire or from hell, you can create balls of fire and have objects turn into fire, and then you can throw these objects. Along with that, this staff can give anyone it pleases a fire barrier, which it covers their whole body. Hm, I think there was something else as well... Ah yes! This staff can turn the carrier of it, into a phoenix itself. I have a magical book that does most of this, but if you wish I can trade you my current staff and book, along with some gil... Just for that staff...

*Rune prays to his god that this old man has this staff.*

[-Azrael666-]

Well, if I retain all my original powers, then I suppose a body couldn't hurt. I'd like it made slender and toned, with curly black hair, sharp blue eyes, and moderately tanned skin. As for its attire, a short sleeved black shirt, black pants, black boots, black socks, black gloves, a black belt, and a long, black, hooded cloak. For weapons, I'd like a dagger made of the nearest thing to indestructible that you have, and the most accurate crossbow you have, with a slot on it to store a second bolt besides the one being fired. I also need a single crossbow bolt with an impressively sharp tip, and I don't want any of that to be magical or resistant to anything ((the item dark arts of my physical form don't work on enchanted items)). I would also like a dark spellbook of item resistance, imbuement, and duplication spells, giving items temporary resistances to such things as acid, temporarily imbuing them with such attributes as well, and duplicating items that lack enchantments or resistances.. I was quite the adept mage in my physical form.. it's one of the few things I can remember still, although I have forgotten any spells. It seems in this rather odd realm I can form my spectral energy into currency, so name your price for my specified items.

[Vadriel]

*The old man chuckles at Azrael's request. "My my, but aren't we the ambitious one? Well, a body is one thing, and will cost you roughly....100 Gil? Those weapons, on the other hand...say 50 for the lot. And that spellbook is of great power...it'll cost you 100. As for you, mage..." *Turns to Rune.* "I think I have just the thing for an ambitious fire mage..." *Opens a hole in reality and reaches in, drawing out a long, ornate staff of a strange, twisted black wood. The staff is laced in a brassy metal that glows with a deep flame and forms myriad arcane designs.* "Aahh....this is a beauty....not only can it do as you wished, but it can be programmed to serve only you...but it is a mighty weapon, and mighty weapons are not cheap! I will give you this incredible artifact of power for no less than 500 Gil. If that seems unfair...leave and know that you will never again come across such an item, if not due to it's rarity due to the fact that you will likely die against your Alien foes without it. Come now...500 Gil for your life and power...sounds fair now, does it not?"