Group 21

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:42 am

Absinthe eyed to tip of his blade and then looked beyond. His gaze drifted past Saldrimek to the serpent and the golden eye.

Without much effort he began relating the scenery to the corresponding passage of the scroll. Thinking out loud Absinthe began summarizing his thoughts.

"To the dark land now you come.. There is no telling really where we are. We might still be in our native lands or maybe we're drifting in the warp..

Do not fear and see the sun... Well.. The eye is looking strangely similar to one with all it's golden glory."

Then he spotted the small indentation in the great eye. Maybe... I can put my amulet in there... He thought.

"The scroll tells us not to fear.. But I'm not quite sure about the whole deal. I think we should watch out. We don't want our prisoners to be harmed now by Tzeentch's little serpent?" Absinthe continued to try and keep the cover up.

Kajchi · Post by **Kajchi** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:24 pm

Arkath stepped through the opening, and with a flash, he arrived in a giant hallway. He was at first blinded by the light, unable to see a thing. But after a few moments his vision cleared up.

The rest of the group was standing next to him. Or wait, not all of them. Malkra was missing...

"Let's get moving khainite scum!" Absinthe suddenly shouted. Arkath was confused because of this at first, but he quickly realized that they had planned this.

Saldrimek started handing his weapons to the rest of the group. He gave his scimitar to Arkath, telling him to guard it with his life. What is it with him and that scimitar??, Arkath thought...

Suddenly he heard a slight hissing sound. As if... And then he saw it in all it's glory. A giant snake, sleeping on the floor. It's brightly coloured scales glimmered in the light of the hallway. What a gorgeous beast. I've never seen of heard of anything like it.... I wonder what mysteries lie within this creature. I wonder if Rakarth has one of these in his cellars, It would be a great gift for my lord....It's simply marvelous..., He whispered.

Heat-13 · Post by **Heat-13** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:26 am

After the initial astonishment, Absinthe the shade was the first to recover, with almost a supernatural ease he suddenly was quite aware of the whole situation. It was almost as if he was not looking at the room himself, but that he was floating somewhere in space observing the hall from some removed point.

Lets get moving Khainite scum! he shouted and after some initial thoughts of murder Saldimek discretely gave his prized scimitar to Arkath, whispering murderous threats in his ear as he did so. He just hoped the wild druchii would not loose it…
Meanwhile Dhuan followed suit and gave his weapons to Absinthe, who was still busy surveying the room. The whole set up sent shivers down the spine. Do not fear… he didn’t like this one bit. But still a plan was a plan and they would carry on with it, well at least until a better plan could be conceived.

The “cultists” shoved the “prisoners” enthusiastically forward. So enthusiastically, that a jab from Absinthe caused Sal to fall over and burst out in curses, causing the shade to smile discretely. Everybody was tense to the limit, Dhuan kept on grasping the hilt of one of the daggers hidden behind his back and only Arkath seemed to be unfazed by the surroundings, he just seemed to be mesmerised by the glamour and the glory of the serpent creature. He did not know what it was, it seemed to be a Cathay Wyrm, yet it was a creature of chaos, he could see malignant warping magic swirling in bright colours in its scales.

The group tenaciously advanced towards the double doors. Suddenly the serpent stirred. Everyone caught their breath. The thing uncoiled and raised its head. It was massive – its body was more then a pace wide and Khaine knew how long it was, the tail was lost in the coiled mass. The face of the Wyrm stared at the mercenaries. It was not dissimilar to a face of a manticore, but instead of fur and skin it had bright red yellow blue and purple sharp spikes and scales surrounding two massive “eyes”. The eyes were terrible to behold there were two massive pitch black holes, the size of a small round shield, in which orange sorcerous flames blazed with an evil glow…

A horribly distorted, mix of bestial and human voices cried out to the party

Who dares enter the realm of the EYE OF THE CHANGER?

The golden eye motif on the gates behind the serpente glinted in the weird lighting of the hall...

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:04 am

Absinthe had expected something like this but not this grotesque. Shocked by this unholy display he quickly recovered his mind and pulled up the golden eye amulet and held it up in clear view for the serpent.

With a rasping hiss Absinthe announced "Those who bear a token of the Eye of the changer of ways." while holding the amulet still in front of him.

Continuing in the hissing form of speech because he thought it might conceal his inner emotions reflecting in his voice.

"We come here from Nagaroth, we're emissaries of the cult of Vikarh. We bring these prisoners cause they assaulted us on our way here and thought the great changer might have more use for them or.. Their souls."

Absinthe anticipated the serpent to see through the lies and strike but they might just be lucky.

Kajchi · Post by **Kajchi** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:10 pm

As the group moved forward, the serpent sprung(sp?) to life. Only now, Arkath saw the sheer size of the beast.

With a hissing voice, it said: " Who dares enter the realm of the EYE OF THE CHANGER? " The changer??, Arkath thought, So this is one of Tzeentchs beasties...

Absinthe responded boldly, holding a strange amulet in front of him. It resembled the eye on the gate.When did he get that? Is he a spy? One of them???

He put his right hand on his longsword, readying his other hand to grab Saldrimeks scimitar and his short sword. Keeping one eye on his Absinthe and one eye on the serpent, he waited for it's reaction.

Darkenrho · Post by **Darkenrho** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:59 am

The group began approaching the door not knowing what would await them. Getting closer the serpent uncoiled from the columns bringing its vicious head in front of the door facing down the group of mercinaries, Who dares enter the realm of the EYE OF THE CHANGER? it hissed.

Dhuan watched the creature with hateful eyes The changer? wothless chaos beast...

Absinthe stepped forward unveiling some sort of amulet in his possession to the colossal serpent.

"Those who bear a token of the Eye of the changer of ways. We come here from Nagaroth, we're emissaries of the cult of Vikarh. We bring these prisoners cause they assaulted us on our way here and thought the great changer might have more use for them or.. Their souls"

Dhuan narrowed his eyes this needs to seem legit... Though he hated the thought he had to swallow his pride for what he was about to do. Whispering low so that only Absinthe could hear hit me... then taking a step forward shouting at the snake Vile beast of chaos! Crawl back into the hole from wence you came!! He prayed Absinthe could keep the act afloat.

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:02 pm

Absinthe heard Dhuan and prepared to act. He looked straight at the serpent as if he had not heard Dhuan's whisper and pretended to wait for a reply.

Dhuan spoke up by shouting at the snake. With a quick move Absinthe slammed Dhuan to the side with the flat side of his Bastard Sword and yelled "How dare you speak like that slave!? You speak up like that one more time and I promise you I will rip your friggin heart out." while hoping Dhuan wouldn't do something that would require Absinthe to honour that promise.

With a short glare Absinthe switched his attention back to the serpent while keeping his bastard sword at hand should the serpent decide it was all just a fake.

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:58 am

Saldrimek kept his head down and dared not look up at the beast before him. Suddenly Dhuan had lashed out at the beast but was quickly stopped by a quick hit by Absinthe. Breathing quickly, Saldrimek bit his tongue and clenched his fists while dousing his anger with the pain of reopening old wounds on his back by bending awkwardly.

Saldrimek shall try to remain quiet and keep up his performance.

Heat-13 · Post by **Heat-13** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:12 pm

In the best fashion the mercenaries continued to uphold their backstory. Dhuan produced a convincing, hateful outburst of curses directed at the serpent and that was followed by an even more convincing slap of a broadsword by Absinthe

The serpent laughed out with a booming coarse laughter, casing looks of confusion and apprehension from the group. Everybody was prepared to spring into action, if the serpent made even one wrong move. Still the prospect of facing the chaos snake could prove quite lethal and everybody understood that.

The serpent spoke again.

Oh really? More slaves are brough to quench the thirst of the Changer? Ha Ha Yes this does amuse the ways of our master indeed. You may have your wish...

Let the slaves enter the realm!

The serpent burst out again in laughter and moved with a fluid grace out of the way, it seemed to coiled around on e of the columns in the hall and slide against the wall. The mercenaries tried to follow its movements, still expecting a trap, however the serpent was suddenly lost in the crazed swirls of chaotic colours of the walls and disappeared from sight. This was just not right. It was there a second ago... and now it was gone.

Absinthe swallowed loudly and approached the gates. Timidly, he took of the cultist amulet of its chain and pressed it in a small indentation within the iris of the eye motif. The little sunk in and blended in with the golden material, appearing as if it was always there. Absinthe let go, holding his breath.

The doors slid open slowly and completely silently, revealing a darker passage which led further on. The walls were again covered in crazy swirling images of insane colours and scenes of obscene worship. There was no light, but the "paintings" on the walls seemed to faintly glow. The passage also seemed to fork a little further on in a "Y" junction. It was too dark to see what lay waiting there due to the darkness. Suddenly two brightly lit balls of blue and purple light floated out of the ceiling behind the group and started floating around them providing a hellish bluish glow to everything around them, making the shadows stir.

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:04 pm

Absinthe was quite startled at all the stuff happening.. This khaine-forsaken place was scaring the crap out of him. He wanted it to be over as soon as possible.

While trying to keep his cool he whispered "Sorry guys.. I had to try and put up a good show for the serpent.. I guess it worked.".

Then he stepped forward while trying not to pay attention to the floating orbs of light and kept up the facade.

He had no idea what the orbs were and if they could spy on them so he treated them as eyes and ears of the changer.

"Let's get moving slaves!" He snarled while pointing his bastard sword ahead.

OOC: I will remove the ammy from my inventory now

Darkenrho · Post by **Darkenrho** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:21 pm

Surprisingly the groups performance had fooled the chaos serpent and allowed the group to pass without conflict. Absinthe reached the door and inserted the medallion into the Golden emblem. The door opened revealing a place of true insanity, twisted images of worship and chaos filled the passage now in front of them.

Absinthe again was the first to speak whispering to the group "Sorry guys.. I had to try and put up a good show for the serpent.. I guess it worked."

Dhuan only gave a slight nod and recovered to his feet shrugging his shoulders. Staring down the path that lay before them he knew the worst was yet to come...

"Let's get moving slaves!" Absinthe announced keeping up the groups charade. Dhaun stepped forward walking ahead of Absinthe's sword being led into the dark passage.

Kajchi · Post by **Kajchi** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:56 pm

With a horrifying laughter, the snake slithered away. Absinthe inserted the amulet in an opening in the gate.

The doors opened up quietly, revealing a dark passage. Within seconds, a few strange balls of light flew to them. Arkath was startled at first, but soon recovered. "Let's get going, he snarled" While he walked a bit further down the road, he noticed that it split up in two passages. Damn, which way... Hmm.. He walked a few feet in the left passage, smelled the air, then did the same with the other passage.

Heat-13 · Post by **Heat-13** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:06 pm

The passage splits ahead in two.

OOC: You guys need to decide to either split up or go one particular way.

Kajchi · Post by **Kajchi** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:37 pm

OOC:Updated my post... Sorry that I didn't see it :d

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:03 pm

As they moved on the passage split up. Absinthe waited for a moment and then took the initiative to do something as Arkath didn't do it.

"We split up here." He snarled. "You go that way, I go this way. We'll both take a slave with us." He continued as he first pointed to the right passage way and then to the left one.

"I'll take this one." He said as he pointed his bastard sword at Saldrimek.

Kajchi · Post by **Kajchi** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:08 pm

Not Dhuan... Arkath thought... Fine, he said reluctantly, giving Sals scimitar to Absinthe. We'll meet up later. He started pushing Dhuan in the direction that he thought smelled best. MOVE IT, SLAVE!, He shouted

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:10 pm

Absinthe could almost hear Arkath think and then took over the scimitar. He put it next to the axe on his back so Saldrimek could easily grab it when shiz would hit the fan.

After that he waited for Saldrimek to get moving as he didn't want to temp the khainite too much although he could be forced to later..

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:58 am

Saldrimek watched the ball of light hover around them for a few seconds. His eyes flickered back to the Y junction in the darkness.

I'll take this one. Absinthe remarked, pointing his bastard sword at his back.

Watching the blade behind him carefully, Saldrimek stumbled forward down the path while Absinthe followed closely behind.

Darkenrho · Post by **Darkenrho** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:14 pm

Approaching the split in the path the group split into two pairs. Absinthe took Saldrimek which left Arkath and Dhuan.

Perfect...the beast child... Dhuan thought sarcastically.

MOVE IT, SLAVE! Arkath ordered giving Dhuan a shove in the direction they would be travelling. Giving a slight glare over his shoulder to Arkath If this were any other place...

Shaking his head and sighing some he allowed himself to be led through the tunnel by Arkath.

Heat-13 · Post by **Heat-13** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:30 pm

The cloaked figure looked into the magical mist swirling in a dark pool inset in the stone floor. The mists parted, revealing hellish corridors full of swirling sigils and demonic images. Four men approached an intersection and split up into two pairs, each one heading their own separate ways, followed by dimly radiating floating spheres. The figure waved his hands and the image disappeared.

My lord, they have entered the realm… A calm, deathly cool voice spoke beside the figure in a strange hissing language.
I know, the slaves are coming, let us send them the gifts that our lord gave to us… The figure rasped back, almost unintelligibly.

Let them come…

The two groups headed down the dimly glowing corridors, trying not to stare at the walls for too long. They were walking through the twisting passage way for a bout ten minutes, or what appeared to be ten minutes anyway, who knew what happens to time in a place such as this?

Absinthe suddenly stopped and put a hand on Saldrimek’s shoulder, causing the trainee to flare up and spin around and irritation. However the brief thought of anger were subsided when he saw the worried expression on the shade’s face. Quiet you fool, I hear something whispered the disguised “cultist”. Saldrimek raised and eyebrow… he couldn’t hear or see anything. Has the shade gone nuts? But then heard it too. Click. Click. Click click. Something was making tapping noises on the stone floor. And whatever it was it was coming closer. Their hands were on their weapons in an instant, however neither of the pair dared to draw yet and destroy their disguise.

The clanking noises suddenly stopped. There was a dead silence. Suddenly with a horrifying screech a disgusting mutated beast sprung out of the shadows in front of them. Neither of the mercenaries knew how it managed to get so close without either of them seeing it… the weird patterns of the walls must have caused shadows for it to hide in. It was terrifying to behold. It appeared to be a wholly unnatural beast – it had a head of a scavenger bird, its eyes blazing with deadly red and its beak foaming with poison. It had claws of a bird too, at least on its “arms” The rest of a body and the lower legs resembled a predatory animal, somewhat resembling a black wolf, hideously distorted with tumorous grows, vestigial wings and a couple of tentacles coming out of its sides. The also seemed to have a reptilian tail covered in a multitude of spikes. And the thing was coming straight at them…

Meanwhile, somewhere nearby Arkath and Dhuan advanced through a similar looking corridor, leading to seemingly nowhere. The two were getting more and more restless and freaked out. Suddenly they heard a voice behind them. It was sweet child’s voice, seemingly full of innocence, yet containing the notes of underlying malice.

It giggled. Hehehe. Oooh what do we have here? More playthings? Does the changer bring me more toys? Hehehe I wonder if they are more eatable then the last ones… hehehe The mercenaries jumped, startled turned around and peered into the dim light of their ever shifting surroundings, but they found nothing. Once again the voice spoke up, but now it came from a totally different direction.

Hehe, over here silly!

OOC: The little scene in the begging is a little aside, just to give you a glimpse of the future, so to say =P

Also sorry for the slight delay – all of my tutors suddenly decided to suffocate me with work =P

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:43 am

Absinthe raised his eyebrow at this.. Disturbing creature. He raised his blade to defend himself should it be necessary.

"What do you want? Horror of Tzeentch?" Absinthe snarled at the creature while getting in front Saldrimek so his slave partner could reach his weapons if shiz would hit the fan.

Absinthe had to remind himself he was a cultist constantly for he wanted to smite this unholy abomination into the abyss from which it came but Khaine would have to wait. If they could persuade the thing to let them go on that would be better then fighting it.

The thing screeched wildly and ignored Absinthe's hasty words. it didn't seem to recognize speech at all.

The shade has realised that shiz has hit the fan.

Darkenrho · Post by **Darkenrho** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:48 am

Arkath and Dhuan travelled the corridor which seemed to be heading nowhere, and it began straining on Dhuan's nerves.

Where is this acursed path leading? This place is maddening... He scoffed some, glancing behind at Arkath who was close behind.

Some moments later his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a voice, which seemed to come from behind them.

Hehehe. Oooh what do we have here? More playthings? Does the changer bring me more toys?

What the... Dhuan stopped listening to the infantile voice.

Hehehe I wonder if they are more eatable then the last ones… hehehe

A...child? Peering over his shoulder and side to side the warrior was searching for the source of the voice.

Hehe, over here silly! This time catching where the voice was coming from and turning to face it, whatever it was...prepared to reach for his weapons.

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:58 am

Saldrimek almost jumped out of his skin when the foul beast lunged at them from the darkness. He had been concentrating on the clicking noises but he had no idea how close the thing actually was to them.

What do you want? Horror of Tzeentch? Snarled Absinthe, quickly moving in front of him.

Was he trying to protect him? Saldrimek was certain that if anyone needed to protect him, that person would definitely need to protect themselves from Saldrimeks rage. Noticing the weapons however, Saldrimek realized what the Shade was attempting to do.

The beast snarled and crept forward. The thing hadn't listened to Absinthe and Saldrimek bit his lip, worrying if they should keep up their disguise. The beast charged forward and just as it's back legs pushed off, Saldrimek had decided on his course of action.

Reaching forward, Saldrimek quickly took the two handed axe from Absinthes back. Then slinging over his own, Saldrimek reached for his scimitar.

Oh crap... Breathed Saldrimek, noticing that his scimitar wasn't on Absinthes back. Feeling the anger bubble over, Saldrimek remembered that Arkath had his scimitar.

Swearing viciously, Saldrimek pushed past Absinthe in a blind rage and begun to swear oaths in Khaines name.

Saldrimek shall charge the beast, trying to channel his rage into the force of his blades. Saldrimek shall use his dagger in his left hand and his shortsword in the right. He shall try to be wary of the beasts tail and tentacles while aiming mostly for the head. He wants to end this fight quickly and be reunited with his prized blade.

Nooodle · Post by **Nooodle** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:38 pm

Absinthe noticed the horror was not picking up on his words.. Oh shiz. went through his brain before Saldrimek rushed passed him seemingly not noticing his scimitar as he seemed pissed.

Not waiting for the beast to strike Absinthe lashed out with his bastard sword.

OOC: it's funny how shi.t is turned into shiz xD

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:41 am

OOC: Oh shiz. My bad. I didn't see where Kajchi had given my scimitar to Arkath. I'll leave my post as it is however.