New Threads - 25/04/23 - Thurghor
Apr 30, 2023 15:28:10 GMT
Leif Tingle, Andy D, and 1 more like this
Post by Thurghor on Apr 30, 2023 15:28:10 GMT
You, who made me what I am.
You, who broke the laws of nature for your own amusement.
Wherever you are, I hope you're listening.
Watching.
Enjoying.
I hope you're making me write it, otherwise I don't know why I record these. I have no-one to write to. It's an impulse. A drive. Like walking off a cliff and back into the Underdark…
Did you send me there? Did you send me to Kundar knowing it will lead me back down?
I thought I've met another like me at the portal. Teal skin, tusks, large frame, a jacket. I spoke to him in Goblin, but he was just confused. I've never seen half-orcs before. They look like bugbears, just sturdier, and no hair. This one's name's Velek. He seemed displeased at me talking to him. Perhaps our words mean something offensive in his language… Or perhaps a walking corpse is less than a desirable interlocutor. I understand. It's been like that before, why should it be better now?
The other one was even worse. Golden skin and gilded mind. Thought they're so much better than me. Not just me, everyone. But they're not as simple as they look, I know it. Name's Forfeit. A fitting name for someone so vane. But they claim they chose it themselves. That it just… occurred to them. If they're telling the truth, and I've a feeling that they are, there's a seed of humility there somewhere. They know what's in store for them. Just won't admit to it openly.
The others were… nicer, I suppose. A goliath. Twice my size, yet a bigger pushover than I've ever been. Let me pet his monkey, and let Forfeit entertain the idea they'd be able to afford him as a bodyguard. I know how much a good bodyguard costs, you'd need to come from a Council House to afford someone like Kavel in your employ. As for him, I suppose you can afford being pushed around when you can flatten everyone with a wave of your hand.
Glade. Clearly a healer. She has plants growing on her, like I do. But it didn't occur to me to ask if we're the same. We're not. She's alive, and all that grows on her is alive. She asked if I was alright. I said the way I felt – that I feel fine. I don't think she believed me. Good. She shouldn't. Nothing about me is fine. Except for perfect health, ability to see in the dark, and preternatural dexterity. If I'm really fine, I don't want to know what I am for this to be considered fine.
But there we were, in Kundar. A nice city. Very warm, I think. A lot of people don't like strangers. Others found it surprising. Can't imagine why. It's not like you can just stroll into Menzoberranzan either. But for people here it's some sort of a political upheaval.
The ambassador promised us payment if we helped a silk trader, small shiny kobold called Curtis. He said a mob killed his silk weaving spider. A creature from the Underdark. We had spiders in the stables, but bigger ones, not like this. I tried asking that thing on my windpipe if it knew anything. Didn't reply. Can't you teach it to speak? Must it just sit there and breathe what should be my air?
Never mind. I don't need you. I'll figure it out myself. Just need a bit of money to study things at this place called Daring Academy. See how you'll like that.
Anyway, we were meant to jump into a cavern to get into the Underdark and hunt that spider in the evening. Had some time before that. Glade stayed with the trader to help him rebuild. I thought about it, but I'm too clumsy to be dealing with silks and glass. Velek went to buy a spell scroll. I don't know anything about magic. Forfeit went to have a nice dinner. I joined them. It was interesting to be on the other side of all the rushing and ordering. A bit of out-of-body experience. Made me like it even more.
I didn't want to jump into the cave. I'm not afraid of heights, but not fond of them, either. You made me, didn't you? I was walking towards the cave, and then there was darkness before my eyes. But a different darkness than... before. It had color in it. I saw the edge as my legs walked over it. But it wasn't the edge. It was an outcrop of pink, followed by a lake of iridescent blue. Only there was no lake, was it? Only an endless fall that you walked me towards. All I'm saying… you could have asked.
There were mushrooms down there. The same ones that grow under my skin. Light of day, I could barely see myself among all these fluorescent lights! Velek is afraid of the dark, I'm pleased to say. Less of the dark, and more of what's in it. It's a safe bet in the Underdark. He refused to even try and look around, was reading the map the whole time. Not so dismissive of others now, when the only light comes off a nice druid lady and you can't see what you're fighting without others' help? I felt… content looking at him.
We found the lair eventually. Saw some of the normal spiders – the large ones, that bundle you up and eat you from the inside. They're hard to deal with in large numbers. And their webs are impossible to get out of on your own. That's why staff aren't allow to enter stables without a partner. Unless the spiders weren't fed for a while.
Kavel went to lie in some of the webs. Pushover, as I said. Yes, psychic spiders with hypnotic powers. So what? It's the Underdark! Everything is psychic down here. Natural selection.
Velek ran ahead to see the actual spider we were looking for. Glade did all the work: getting me out of web trap, summoning octopi to hold off the large spiders, and helping others out of webs. She's nice. Or she can afford the nice, I should say. You can't afford being nice in the Underdark unless you can kill whatever takes it as a sign of weakness. She doesn't like killing things, didn't even finish the spiders off, but then, as I said, it's something she can afford.
Being freed, I followed Velek, caught up with him just as he spotted the little crystalline bugger we were after. I threw a net on the spider, and gestured to Velek: "All yours." Could I have taken the cage from him and caught the spider myself? Possibly. Was it fun to see him terrified of the spider? Maybe just a bit. Was it your amusement or mine? Are we both quite that cruel? Is that why you picked me? Don't be too amused, he actually caught the damn thing. Just when I was beginning to think he's all talk.
Just as Velek approached the spider, it shrieked. Knew what was coming, I suppose. I thought my head would explode. And there it was again. Darkness. Proper darkness, like before. No color, no light, no movement. Dead quiet. I woke up to Glade healing me, told me I went down. I don't remember falling…
Forfeit tried to hug a wall and got stuck in the webs not once, but twice. Needed the help of one of Glade's octopi to get out. Prostrated against the wall, golden skin shimmering in the fluorescent glow, finally coming to terms with the limits of their powers, bereft of some of their pomp they looked… brighter. More alive. I told them it's a good look on them, but I fear, judging from the discussion that followed, all they took from it was that I was interested in them. And well, I was. But that's really none of your business.
We came back, thanks to Glade, once again. Stayed the night at the shop. I borrowed a couple of ribbons from Curtis. Planted them on Velek and Forfeit while they were sleeping. Just as a reminder, you know. That they also need sleep, need food. Need help. Like all of us, from time to time.
We left in the morning, through the same portal. There was a woman there, dragonborn, observing us, making notes. There are clearly some politics going on in this city, which only made me happier to have left. If life in Menzoberranzan taught me anything, is that politics never end well for the simple folk. They just don't.
You, who broke the laws of nature for your own amusement.
Wherever you are, I hope you're listening.
Watching.
Enjoying.
I hope you're making me write it, otherwise I don't know why I record these. I have no-one to write to. It's an impulse. A drive. Like walking off a cliff and back into the Underdark…
Did you send me there? Did you send me to Kundar knowing it will lead me back down?
I thought I've met another like me at the portal. Teal skin, tusks, large frame, a jacket. I spoke to him in Goblin, but he was just confused. I've never seen half-orcs before. They look like bugbears, just sturdier, and no hair. This one's name's Velek. He seemed displeased at me talking to him. Perhaps our words mean something offensive in his language… Or perhaps a walking corpse is less than a desirable interlocutor. I understand. It's been like that before, why should it be better now?
The other one was even worse. Golden skin and gilded mind. Thought they're so much better than me. Not just me, everyone. But they're not as simple as they look, I know it. Name's Forfeit. A fitting name for someone so vane. But they claim they chose it themselves. That it just… occurred to them. If they're telling the truth, and I've a feeling that they are, there's a seed of humility there somewhere. They know what's in store for them. Just won't admit to it openly.
The others were… nicer, I suppose. A goliath. Twice my size, yet a bigger pushover than I've ever been. Let me pet his monkey, and let Forfeit entertain the idea they'd be able to afford him as a bodyguard. I know how much a good bodyguard costs, you'd need to come from a Council House to afford someone like Kavel in your employ. As for him, I suppose you can afford being pushed around when you can flatten everyone with a wave of your hand.
Glade. Clearly a healer. She has plants growing on her, like I do. But it didn't occur to me to ask if we're the same. We're not. She's alive, and all that grows on her is alive. She asked if I was alright. I said the way I felt – that I feel fine. I don't think she believed me. Good. She shouldn't. Nothing about me is fine. Except for perfect health, ability to see in the dark, and preternatural dexterity. If I'm really fine, I don't want to know what I am for this to be considered fine.
But there we were, in Kundar. A nice city. Very warm, I think. A lot of people don't like strangers. Others found it surprising. Can't imagine why. It's not like you can just stroll into Menzoberranzan either. But for people here it's some sort of a political upheaval.
The ambassador promised us payment if we helped a silk trader, small shiny kobold called Curtis. He said a mob killed his silk weaving spider. A creature from the Underdark. We had spiders in the stables, but bigger ones, not like this. I tried asking that thing on my windpipe if it knew anything. Didn't reply. Can't you teach it to speak? Must it just sit there and breathe what should be my air?
Never mind. I don't need you. I'll figure it out myself. Just need a bit of money to study things at this place called Daring Academy. See how you'll like that.
Anyway, we were meant to jump into a cavern to get into the Underdark and hunt that spider in the evening. Had some time before that. Glade stayed with the trader to help him rebuild. I thought about it, but I'm too clumsy to be dealing with silks and glass. Velek went to buy a spell scroll. I don't know anything about magic. Forfeit went to have a nice dinner. I joined them. It was interesting to be on the other side of all the rushing and ordering. A bit of out-of-body experience. Made me like it even more.
I didn't want to jump into the cave. I'm not afraid of heights, but not fond of them, either. You made me, didn't you? I was walking towards the cave, and then there was darkness before my eyes. But a different darkness than... before. It had color in it. I saw the edge as my legs walked over it. But it wasn't the edge. It was an outcrop of pink, followed by a lake of iridescent blue. Only there was no lake, was it? Only an endless fall that you walked me towards. All I'm saying… you could have asked.
There were mushrooms down there. The same ones that grow under my skin. Light of day, I could barely see myself among all these fluorescent lights! Velek is afraid of the dark, I'm pleased to say. Less of the dark, and more of what's in it. It's a safe bet in the Underdark. He refused to even try and look around, was reading the map the whole time. Not so dismissive of others now, when the only light comes off a nice druid lady and you can't see what you're fighting without others' help? I felt… content looking at him.
We found the lair eventually. Saw some of the normal spiders – the large ones, that bundle you up and eat you from the inside. They're hard to deal with in large numbers. And their webs are impossible to get out of on your own. That's why staff aren't allow to enter stables without a partner. Unless the spiders weren't fed for a while.
Kavel went to lie in some of the webs. Pushover, as I said. Yes, psychic spiders with hypnotic powers. So what? It's the Underdark! Everything is psychic down here. Natural selection.
Velek ran ahead to see the actual spider we were looking for. Glade did all the work: getting me out of web trap, summoning octopi to hold off the large spiders, and helping others out of webs. She's nice. Or she can afford the nice, I should say. You can't afford being nice in the Underdark unless you can kill whatever takes it as a sign of weakness. She doesn't like killing things, didn't even finish the spiders off, but then, as I said, it's something she can afford.
Being freed, I followed Velek, caught up with him just as he spotted the little crystalline bugger we were after. I threw a net on the spider, and gestured to Velek: "All yours." Could I have taken the cage from him and caught the spider myself? Possibly. Was it fun to see him terrified of the spider? Maybe just a bit. Was it your amusement or mine? Are we both quite that cruel? Is that why you picked me? Don't be too amused, he actually caught the damn thing. Just when I was beginning to think he's all talk.
Just as Velek approached the spider, it shrieked. Knew what was coming, I suppose. I thought my head would explode. And there it was again. Darkness. Proper darkness, like before. No color, no light, no movement. Dead quiet. I woke up to Glade healing me, told me I went down. I don't remember falling…
Forfeit tried to hug a wall and got stuck in the webs not once, but twice. Needed the help of one of Glade's octopi to get out. Prostrated against the wall, golden skin shimmering in the fluorescent glow, finally coming to terms with the limits of their powers, bereft of some of their pomp they looked… brighter. More alive. I told them it's a good look on them, but I fear, judging from the discussion that followed, all they took from it was that I was interested in them. And well, I was. But that's really none of your business.
We came back, thanks to Glade, once again. Stayed the night at the shop. I borrowed a couple of ribbons from Curtis. Planted them on Velek and Forfeit while they were sleeping. Just as a reminder, you know. That they also need sleep, need food. Need help. Like all of us, from time to time.
We left in the morning, through the same portal. There was a woman there, dragonborn, observing us, making notes. There are clearly some politics going on in this city, which only made me happier to have left. If life in Menzoberranzan taught me anything, is that politics never end well for the simple folk. They just don't.