[DH] Hot footing it – 30 Apr. 2019 – Heret
May 4, 2019 22:11:29 GMT
Varis/G'Lorth/Sundilar and Daisy like this
Post by Heret Velnnarul on May 4, 2019 22:11:29 GMT
29 Tarsakh, 1396 AR
at the Gilded Mirror, Daring Heights
The day of the ‘race’ – a far deadlier one than I imagined!
As I prepared to leave the Mirror, suddenly found myself in a strange place. Open field, on one side many spectators, on the other a tall, dark mountain. Next to me, two small flying fairy creatures and a bright-eyed squirrel, standing with me in a circle marked on the ground. Scattered across the field four other circles, each containing four creatures. Recognized Pieni in one group. Others included a few human or elven folk, three demonspawn, a huge white shaggy creature, two goblins, and divers fey folk.
Next to each circle an impressive figure on a throne: ours Titania, a formidable armoured queen under a canopy of many-coloured glass. Some sort of marshal announced to the crowd that the others were the Queen of Night and Magic, the River King, the Snow Queen, and one ‘Jack’ – a monstrous mechanical jester belonging to the Queen of Night, who was not well pleased to learn that her creature was competing against her!
Rules of the race, as explained by the marshal:
1. Each ‘team’ had a corresponding flag placed at the summit of the mountain (called Mount Selwyn). We must retrieve the flag and bring it back to the starting-point. The team whose flag first reached the ‘finish line’ would be victorious on behalf of their sponsoring fey court.
2. No participant might touch or directly affect another team’s flag.
3. Anyone who delivers a fatal injury to another participant would be ‘removed from play’.
4. No participant might use magic more powerful than a certain degree. (How these magicians determine the strength of their many magics I know not!)
The rules were to be kept by some strange box-like creatures called ‘modrons’ by the marshal. Each participant was permitted to summon one of these and ask it three questions.
Race began. Immediately the two goblin creatures, running on behalf of the monstrous jester, created a great magical confusion amongst many of their competitors. Those of us unaffected set off running toward the mount. A red fiend and a creature half made of lightning took early lead but were apt to be surpassed by Pieni, on the wing, followed by a huge eagle that I had not seen before. As I ran below, my comrades the little fairies flew toward them and seemed to do something to Pieni, for he fell out of the sky and crashed to the ground – laughing, strange though it is to say. And as soon as Pieni landed, the great eagle transformed into an elven-looking fellow whom I had seen as Pieni’s team-mate before and who now also fell to earth. Applauding my fellows for this bold stroke against two rivals, I ran on.
Up the mountain, going became difficult. The red demonspawn scaled a steep cliff face but I followed behind the lightning creature who took an easier but longer path. Glancing behind, saw the fallen elf gesture up vengefully at my team-mates and the two pixies fell to the ground. Then underfoot a shaking of the rock, and smoke rising – next, a great roaring and quaking, and fire bursting from the summit! The fiend of course was undeterred and scaled the top to seize his party's standard. I arrived close behind him and took up the flag blazoned with a golden sun, just as the squirrel appeared, gripping the claws of a flying crow, and nimbly hopped to the ground beside me.
As I turned to carry the flag away, the mountain shook again and broke beneath my feet, flinging bright burning liquid at me. Felt blinding pain and knew nothing thereafter until I woke on the trembling ground, still grasping the flag. It seemed not long after - the red fiend was still there but seemed to be fixed in place, unmoving, as too was my squirrel comrade. A cluster of figures stood near, one holding another of the flags; and, most strangely, I heard voices from within the crater, including, I think, Pieni's.
Of a sudden, the red creature regained motion and leapt into the crater. Safe perhaps for an infernal one but not for me: I got up and began to run, tapping my competitors with my flag as I passed them (rule 2: no participant may touch another team's flag - and indeed one of the box-like creatures appeared to administer a penalty to them). But as I scrambled down the rocks someone else caught me from behind with the same trick and I found myself frozen for a time as two or three others passed me.
Before I could move again, saw two creatures speeding across the field below, toward the finishing place. One a leather-bound demonspawn of whom I had seen little since the contest began; the other a riderless horse! No time to reflect on this; I ran, drawing level with an icy fey-elf and passing a human-like figure, each carrying a flag. In a blink we were all overtaken by another elven fellow who flung himself down before us, tripping me to the ground. As I pushed myself up I saw the distant fiend cross the line, followed almost immediately by the horse which, having claimed the second place, transformed itself into Pieni brandishing a flag. I passed the human once more but could not catch the fey: the fourth place, then, was all I could achieve for the Summer Queen. She nonetheless thanked me with the promised reward.
Gains:
Own conduct:
at the Gilded Mirror, Daring Heights
The day of the ‘race’ – a far deadlier one than I imagined!
As I prepared to leave the Mirror, suddenly found myself in a strange place. Open field, on one side many spectators, on the other a tall, dark mountain. Next to me, two small flying fairy creatures and a bright-eyed squirrel, standing with me in a circle marked on the ground. Scattered across the field four other circles, each containing four creatures. Recognized Pieni in one group. Others included a few human or elven folk, three demonspawn, a huge white shaggy creature, two goblins, and divers fey folk.
Next to each circle an impressive figure on a throne: ours Titania, a formidable armoured queen under a canopy of many-coloured glass. Some sort of marshal announced to the crowd that the others were the Queen of Night and Magic, the River King, the Snow Queen, and one ‘Jack’ – a monstrous mechanical jester belonging to the Queen of Night, who was not well pleased to learn that her creature was competing against her!
Rules of the race, as explained by the marshal:
1. Each ‘team’ had a corresponding flag placed at the summit of the mountain (called Mount Selwyn). We must retrieve the flag and bring it back to the starting-point. The team whose flag first reached the ‘finish line’ would be victorious on behalf of their sponsoring fey court.
2. No participant might touch or directly affect another team’s flag.
3. Anyone who delivers a fatal injury to another participant would be ‘removed from play’.
4. No participant might use magic more powerful than a certain degree. (How these magicians determine the strength of their many magics I know not!)
The rules were to be kept by some strange box-like creatures called ‘modrons’ by the marshal. Each participant was permitted to summon one of these and ask it three questions.
Race began. Immediately the two goblin creatures, running on behalf of the monstrous jester, created a great magical confusion amongst many of their competitors. Those of us unaffected set off running toward the mount. A red fiend and a creature half made of lightning took early lead but were apt to be surpassed by Pieni, on the wing, followed by a huge eagle that I had not seen before. As I ran below, my comrades the little fairies flew toward them and seemed to do something to Pieni, for he fell out of the sky and crashed to the ground – laughing, strange though it is to say. And as soon as Pieni landed, the great eagle transformed into an elven-looking fellow whom I had seen as Pieni’s team-mate before and who now also fell to earth. Applauding my fellows for this bold stroke against two rivals, I ran on.
Up the mountain, going became difficult. The red demonspawn scaled a steep cliff face but I followed behind the lightning creature who took an easier but longer path. Glancing behind, saw the fallen elf gesture up vengefully at my team-mates and the two pixies fell to the ground. Then underfoot a shaking of the rock, and smoke rising – next, a great roaring and quaking, and fire bursting from the summit! The fiend of course was undeterred and scaled the top to seize his party's standard. I arrived close behind him and took up the flag blazoned with a golden sun, just as the squirrel appeared, gripping the claws of a flying crow, and nimbly hopped to the ground beside me.
As I turned to carry the flag away, the mountain shook again and broke beneath my feet, flinging bright burning liquid at me. Felt blinding pain and knew nothing thereafter until I woke on the trembling ground, still grasping the flag. It seemed not long after - the red fiend was still there but seemed to be fixed in place, unmoving, as too was my squirrel comrade. A cluster of figures stood near, one holding another of the flags; and, most strangely, I heard voices from within the crater, including, I think, Pieni's.
Of a sudden, the red creature regained motion and leapt into the crater. Safe perhaps for an infernal one but not for me: I got up and began to run, tapping my competitors with my flag as I passed them (rule 2: no participant may touch another team's flag - and indeed one of the box-like creatures appeared to administer a penalty to them). But as I scrambled down the rocks someone else caught me from behind with the same trick and I found myself frozen for a time as two or three others passed me.
Before I could move again, saw two creatures speeding across the field below, toward the finishing place. One a leather-bound demonspawn of whom I had seen little since the contest began; the other a riderless horse! No time to reflect on this; I ran, drawing level with an icy fey-elf and passing a human-like figure, each carrying a flag. In a blink we were all overtaken by another elven fellow who flung himself down before us, tripping me to the ground. As I pushed myself up I saw the distant fiend cross the line, followed almost immediately by the horse which, having claimed the second place, transformed itself into Pieni brandishing a flag. I passed the human once more but could not catch the fey: the fourth place, then, was all I could achieve for the Summer Queen. She nonetheless thanked me with the promised reward.
Gains:
- 50 gp
- 1 magical stone of good fortune
Own conduct:
- should have been able to avoid the fiery rock that laid me low. TASK: more reflex training.
- running speed was fair but could still be better. TASK: increase morning run to daily.
- too much was unexpected. NOTE: next time, more research beforehand.
