Something Wicked, Part 4

Notes

I prepared to perform the role I'd laid out for myself, which was as an invasion battle commander. I was, after all, colonel of the Blue Guard. I had more than 20 blue crystals I was dispensing, generously provided by my Aspis housemates, as well as other imbeds. Before I'd given them all out, Fiontar informed me that the rogue on RR's back-up team, Postino, was missing. She asked if I would be the backup rogue instead. I said yes.

So Fiontar had me sequester myself in the inn, where I waited, out of my wits at not being able to do anything besides sit there. (Most back-up team members shared this "ordeal.") Finally Widlebeest died, and I was taken to the crack, and Fiontar sent me down.

My story is a sad one. Immediately after I entered the tunnels, while I was still kneeling, a banaltra popped out an struck me. I could have come out of the stun and stood up... but my connection died. After frantically getting back online, I logged back into the game, to have an enraged banaltra leap out and kill me instantly. Kerinth lifekept me and dragged me down to where the team was stuck.

It is not my most shining night as an adventurer. Even the puzzle help I provided my team, which they brought up often afterward to ease my discouragement, was something I learned in IMs rather than out of my own genius. But you can see me in the log below, which Sammeal kindly provides.

Action

[Tunnel, Abyss]
The floor of the tunnel is uneven and strewn with rocks and clods of loosely packed dirt. The sound of water trickling on stone echos weirdly through the gloom. The chamber ends in a deep, jagged abyss. You also see the Emmalyn disk, a duffel bag and a hanging root.
Also in the room: Brookwyn, Lord Sachein, Emmalyn, the body of Juspera who is lying down, Lord Kerinth
Obvious exits: up. Armundia followed.

Brookwyn exclaims, "Emma!"

Brookwyn just tried to pull Emmalyn towards her!

Brookwyn says, "Wait"

Brookwyn says, "Let me jump first"

You say, "Creepy."

Emmalyn says, "I am..I am ...nay..leap it"

Juspera eases cautiously to the edge of the abyss and peers into the gloom.

Damn, I'm talented.

Brookwyn asks, "Can ye get to the bottom that way?"

You say, "Hey, I'm the nutty one here."

Brookwyn points at a stress fracture.

Emmalyn says, "Leap it"

You put a detailed scrimshaw dagger in your wrist sheath.

You sling an emerald green vultite shield over your shoulder.

You are now in an offensive stance.

inhale
I don't understand what you typed.

Sachein starts jumping around like a twelve-year-old.

Brookwyn exclaims, "Oh!"

(Sammeal takes a deep breath.)

Brookwyn exclaims, "Wait!"

You crack your knuckles.

You ask, "Wait?"

You blink at Brookwyn.

Brookwyn exclaims, "I can jump it!"

Armundia says, "hmm follow the root"

>follow root
You CAN'T be serious. The root is too far away to even touch!

Armundia says, "the root is growing down"

Brookwyn says, "I am goin to jump across"

Emmalyn says, "Leap...try to run and leap across"

Armundia asks, "so I guess down is the right way?"

You say, "So am I."

You shake hands with Brookwyn.

Brookwyn nods.

You say, "Good luck Major."

>leap abyss
You gather up your courage, get a running start, then just as you reach the deep abyss you stop suddenly, overcome with fear.

Poor baby!

You say, "I'm afraid."

You take a drink from your Borthum Pear Cognac.
You have only about 2 quaffs left. You feel a cloying fire sweep through your blood, making you dizzy. You fall to the ground like a sack of grain.

You stand back up. Roundtime: 8 sec.

Brookwyn says, "Couldn't"

Brookwyn shivers.

You say, "I... can't do it."

You say, "I'm too afraid."

You gather up your courage a second time, get a running start, then try to leap over the deep abyss. About a quarter of the way over the deep abyss you realize you're not going to make it. With a little quick thinking and a lot of luck you manage to grab a root hanging from the ceiling, but your grip is unsteady at best.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "I wonder if I can be dragged into the abyss."

Kerinth blinks.

You exclaim, "Help!"

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "Whoa, Sammeal."

Brookwyn blinks.

You belt out, "Heeeeelp!"

Emmalyn exclaims, "Yes!!!"

>climb root
The fear of losing your grip stops you.

Sachein exclaims, "swing Samm!"

You feel the preservation on your spirit fade.

>swing
I don't understand what you typed.

You say, "I lost my keep."

The fear of losing your grip stops you.

Brookwyn exclaims, "Sammeal!"

The ghostly laughter of Juspera echoes through the room, sending a shiver down your spine.

>shriek
The fear of losing your grip stops you.

Lord Higuchi's group just arrived.

You say, "Help..."

Kerinth says, "Ye alive silly"

Emmalyn says, "Climb down"

>swim
The fear of losing your grip stops you.

Brookwyn says, "Climb"

>climb down
I could not find what you were referring to.

You cannot let go of the root to go there.

You exclaim, "No, I'm not dead!"

Frijthof says, "No point in going down."

You exclaim, "I'm hanging from a bloody root!"

Taking stock of your situation, it appears there is not a lot you can do other than hold on as long as you can.

Frijthof says, "There is nothing down there."

Kerinth says, "Samm is out there"

Kerinth points at a hanging root.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "Hehe... cast call wind and blow him across."

You belt out, "Help!"

Kerinth laughs!

Frijthof asks, "How did he get there?"

Emmalyn says, "I need both hands free to leap"

Emmalyn bursts into tears!

You belt out, "I can't do anything but hold on!"

You belt out, "Charl's sandy beard, someone help!"

Sachein exclaims, "I"m comin, Sam!"

You notice Bloodlight try to tiptoe silently by you.

[Tunnel, Abyss]
The floor of the tunnel is uneven and strewn with rocks and clods of loosely packed dirt. The sound of water trickling on stone echos weirdly through the gloom. The chamber ends in a deep, jagged abyss. You also see the Emmalyn disk, a duffel bag and a hanging root.
Also in the room: Lord Breeze, Lord Frijthof, Lord Higuchi, Armundia, Brookwyn, Lord Sachein, Emmalyn, the body of Juspera who is lying down, Lord Kerinth
Obvious exits: up.

You hear the voice of Bloodlight say, "hello"

You hear the voice of Bloodlight say, "i'm the new rogue"

Kerinth blinks.

Brookwyn says, "Hello"

Frijthof leans forward, gets a running start, and tries to jump the deep abyss.

Abour a quart of the way over, it appears Frijthof is not going to make it. Frijthof reaches desperately for a hanging root but can't quite reach it.

Frijthof falls helplessly into the abyss.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera exclaim, "But but but!"

You maintain your grip to the hanging root as best you can under the circumstances.

Kerinth exclaims, "Ack!"

You exclaim, "Friiiij!"

Brookwyn exclaims, "Ack!"

Emmalyn gasps.

You hear a distant thud from deep in the abyss.

Brookwyn exclaims, "Frij!"

Higuchi says, "ow..."

Kerinth blinks.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "I am the old new rogue."

You say, "Oh, great googly moogly."

Brookwyn says, "And Fiontar"

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "And there goes Fiontar."

Emmalyn says, "Frijthof and Fiontar"

Juspera seems slightly different. The stench of decay is growing more pervasive.

Brookwyn forces Juspera's mouth open, and pours in a small amount from her white flask.

You say, "Mommy."

Higuchi yells, "sam hurry up"

Higuchi yells, "get off the ang root"

You belt out, "Hurry up and do what?"

Higuchi says, "climb or something"

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera exclaim, "Do it, do it! Blow him over with call wind!"

The ghostly laughter of Juspera echoes through the room, sending a shiver down your spine.

Brookwyn leans forward, gets a running start, and tries to jump the deep abyss.

Abour a quart of the way over, it appears Brookwyn is not going to make it. Brookwyn reaches desperately for a hanging root but can't quite reach it.

Brookwyn falls helplessly into the abyss.

You belt out, "I can't do anything but hold on!"

Your arms are beginning to tire, you certainly cannot remain here indefinately.

Kerinth exclaims, "Stop jumping!"

Higuchi says, "bye brook..."

Breeze cautiously approaches the fracture in the rock and slowly begins to work his way down. Slowly, he descends down into the stress fracture in the side of the abyss.

You belt out, "DON'T JUMP! ROOT OCCUPIED!"

Emmalyn exclaims, "Brookwyn!"

The sense of peace and security passes away from the area.

You hear a distant thud from deep in the abyss.

Kerinth sighs.

You hear the voice of Bloodlight exclaim, "oh no!"

Sachein says, "ew"

Higuchi says, "ow"

You exclaim, "Brookwyn!"

Sachein says, "okay I knowwhat not to do now"

Higuchi cautiously approaches the fracture in the rock and slowly begins to work his way down. Slowly, he descends down into the stress fracture in the side of the abyss.

You hear the voice of Bloodlight say, "that was an irrational thing to do"

You say, "I can neither climb nor let go."

The root, about as thick as a giantkin wrist, dangles over the center of the abyss from a knot of tree roots overhead.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera ask, "Sam, can you hear me?"

You belt out, "Yes, Juspera."

You belt out, "And I can see you."

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "Oo."

You hear the voice of Bloodlight say, "I see you hanging up there"

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "I can't see you... oh, there you are."

You belt out, "I can hear everything you say, you don't need to yell."

You cannot hold on but for seconds now, the hanging root is slipping away by inches.

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "We hear you when you speak too."

You belt out, "I've got seconds left."

You belt out, "I'm about to fall."

Kerinth says, "Leap to the other side Sammeal"

Sachein closes his eyes for a moment.

>leap abyss
The fear of losing your grip stops you.

You belt out, "I can't."

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera say, "He can't do anything."

You belt out, "I can do nothing but hold on."

You belt out, "And I'm about to lose it."

You hear the ghostly voice of Juspera ask, "Armundia, do you know call wind?"

You belt out, "Well, phooey."

You belt out, "I'm soooo scared right now."

Armundia says, "nae sorry I do not just tremors"

You belt out, "Do you have idea how long a way down it is?"

With a gasp of horror, you lose grip of the hanging root. You fall helplessly into the abyss.

[Deep Abyss]
The stony walls of the abyss streak by as you fall. You can see nothing below you. Above, the faint light recedes rapidly. You hear nothing but the sound of the wind and your own screaming echoing crazily in your ears.
Obvious paths: none.

>'Mommy.
It's hard to manage that while falling.

You finally hit the floor with a thud!
... 25 points of damage!
Your shield arm is mangled horribly.
You are stunned for 3 rounds!
... 25 points of damage!
Your weapon arm is mangled horribly.
... 20 points of damage!
Your stomach is ripped open by a mighty blow!
... 30 points of damage!
Spinal cord damaged by smash to the back.
... 30 points of damage!
Left leg ripped from socket at the knee! You fall screaming to the ground grasping your mangled left leg!
... 20 points of damage!
Left elbow smashed into a thousand pieces.
... 45 points of damage!
Awesome shot collapses one of your lungs!
... 20 points of damage!
Your stomach is ripped open by a mighty blow!

It seems you have died, my friend. Although you cannot do anything, you are keenly aware of what is going on around you...

You mentally give a sigh of relief as you remember that the Goddess Lorminstra owes you a favor.

...departing in 13 mins...

[Abyss, Bottom]
Jagged, dagger-sharp rocks, barely visible through the gloom, are strewn about the uneven floor of the narrow abyss. The air is thick with dust. Far above, remotely distant, is a soft halo of faint light.
Also in the room: Lord Breeze, the body of Brookwyn who is lying down, the body of Lord Frijthof who is lying down
Obvious exits: up.

You hear the ghostly voice of Brookwyn say, "Oh hello"

Notes

Eventually the team left me by the abyss, where I waited out the lifekeep timer and the decay timer and finally departed. By the time I returned, the action was all over.

But the action isn't over for you! Read on...