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Mon 4th Apr 2022 02:39

Journal #73: Dancing with Demons in the pale morning light

by Aniks Aliforn

Upon leaving the Peacemaker, the humidity hit like a train. Lush jungle forests were our arrival point near the coast of the Southern Continent. So an easy to find our way given our notes Elias had given us from the few question we got to ask him. Via those notepads that connected to Elias. The Peacemaker wasted no time in departing, making another jump using the ley-lines. Leaving us along with one goal. Find the shard.
 
Find the Earth Mother’s Gift causing the disruption of Teleportation-based magic and growth-based magic, and bring it back to the Mad Alchemist.
 
Gods damned we’ll be doing that.
 
Another task, where it seems we’re being led around because of some hook in our mouth. We’re doing this for Cyne. He has so few family members left, I do not want him to lose anymore. If we can save this one, it should help him. Not in the war, but at least help him hold on to himself a bit better. The man holds the weight of an empire on his back. While I can never know that burden he bears, I do wish we can lessen the load. Even if the burden lifted is only a fraction. Anything would help.
 
We made for the coast, Licia using her innate ability to fly to orientate ourselves away front the endless thick jungle around us. It was a short trek to the northern coast of Takawaoku. Bright sands and a nice blue ocean, the other things that ruined that coast were importantly a crashed ship. A small sailing one nothing recoverable but that was to be expected. Sailors and ships have been having issues coming into the borders of the southern continent, the shard effect already covers the whole of Takawaoku. For sailors that take the form of dangerous storms. Taking to the sky once again, Licia located a river for us to follow. We agreed that going upstream would be the best option to find some sort of hint of civilization.
 
I had expected bandits when the river lead to dusty and dirt roads, that never happened. What I have never expected, was bloodthirsty large birdlike creatures who actively speak Abyssal and decare their worship of a demon lord. Screaming in the voices of their victims. A wonderful start to this place, given who we travel with. The demonic chickens were dispatched with ease. That had somewhat set the mood for the encounters we’d fact in this jungle, save for the dance.
 
The road had broken into a camp? Ruins for sure, but a camp had been made for them. The joyous sounds of a party could be heard. Mixing with the sound of a roaring campfire. Demons and shades danced around that flickering light. Succubi and Incubi with a smattering of shadow demons upon a quick glance. They seemed to be living here if only temporarily. So why were there so many outsiders here?
 
We tore through them.
 
With a paladin, technically two if you count Idonia, the demons posed little challenge to use. It was only in midst of combat that I told Idonia to spare one of the Incubi for questions. The idea sprang from the crumbling black bodies of the Outsiders. Compared to another shard that consumed its victims upon death, it was eerily familiar. The Incubi I had saved were quickly bound in some manner to Idonia as we despatched with the shadowed demons and succubi. If they hadn’t been demons, I might have felt bad. Though it had been for other reasons.
 
With a bit of questioning from the Incubus, who was named Za’ran we learned a bit. The most important was that outsiders were starting to collect here. Unable to teleport out of the southern continent, or return to their plane upon their body's demise.
 
Not even death would save them.
 
My concern was warranted then that the first demon had dead turning into that oh so familiar black dust. We haven’t dealt with so many outsiders to know the exact details of how they return to their native planes. That idea hadn’t fully formed at the moment of questioning, but only took shape upon learning no outsider could leave.
 
Za’ran would serve as our guide. As they knew the general geography much better than any of us. If the shard hadn’t been constricting dimensional travel of any kind I would have killed the Incubus myself. Speaking with the outsider was ninety percent innuendo, everything is sexual with the demon. Yet that is to be expected with this type of demon. We always seem to pick somebody on this journey of ours. We might end up needing to watch Ashlyn as she might just kill the Zar’ran? Zar’an, Za’ran I should probably ask him how he spells his names.
 
Our traveling group broke for the night, our new guide showing us to a location that would help us in the morning. Well, ‘help’ is a strong word. To where the demons brought people, to this village as Za’ran said. Gods damn it.
 
I was on the first watch, Celuriel doesn’t like to begin woken up so that made the most sense. Idonia joined us on that watch but made no effort to talk to us. It was an uneventful night. Cintha joined the next watch, as we went to sleep. During another watch is when we awoke, well I woke up. Celu groaned and went back to sleep. Descending upon the campfire were the departed remnants of people who die. Ghost.
 
While others struggled to hit the phantoms being Pharasma’s Champion has its benefits. I found dealing with ghosts far easier than before, whether it be by blade or by a spell. Walking that thin line between life and death. Upon the first of the ghost’s deaths, I wanted to test that idea I had. Pulling on Pharasma’s domain of souls, I watched those souls, those gnomish ghosts disappear in a blackened haze.
 
It was feeding the shard.
 
In the heat of combat, we feed the Earth Mother’s Gift.
 
The more we killed the stronger it got.
 
This right here will cause an issue, mark my words. Celu is asleep and I think I should get some as well.

Continue reading...

  1. Journal #1: Welcome back to the land of the living.
  2. Journal #2: The Gods speak to us, sort of.
  3. Journal #3: Magic is kinda bullshit, stay away from Licia.
  4. Journal #4: The Prince is not a Prick.
  5. Journal #5: Introduction of Celuriel
  6. Journal #6: Everybody loves the bar.
  7. Journal #7: Getting to know the vampire.
  8. Journal #8: The Vetala [Text Roleplay]
  9. Journal #9: Undria
  10. Journal #10: We adopt or kidnap a child, still unclear on this one.
  11. Journal #11: Mirror World
  12. Journal #12: Recovery from the world.
  13. Journal #13: Dancing with Vampire and Political Problems.
  14. Journal #14: About Sir Pennswaggle
  15. Journal #15: This Temple is Odd
  16. Journal #16: The Half Elf Liese
  17. Journal #17: Warning Ashlyn did not help her.
  18. Journal #18: Priestess with the Silver Orbs
  19. Journal #19: Celu is reading romantic books.
  20. Journal #20: Demons, Dungeons, and Dragons OH MY!
  21. Journal #21: Regrets.
  22. Journal #22: Demon's Champion [Text Roleplay]
  23. Journal #23: Homecoming
  24. Journal #24: Castle Umbra and their Bloodwalker.
  25. Journal #23: The Grand Game
  26. Journal #26: All magic comes at a cost.
  27. Journal #27 The capital and asking for diplomatic immunity.
  28. Journal #28: Teaching Celu Undercommon
  29. Journal #29: Pray to Fate
  30. Journal #30: Mistakes we're made, Surprisingly it wasn't my fault this time.
  31. Journal #31: Why am I Orpheus?
  32. Journal #33: The 'safe' return of Eurydice
  33. Journal #32: Back from hell [Text Roleplay]
  34. Journal #35: Fey Friends.
  35. Journal #36: Life before The Lost Ones
  36. Journal #34: Her thoughts on life. [Text Roleplay]
  37. Journal #37: Departure
  38. Journal #39: The Apology [Text Roleplay]
  39. Journal #38: Black Marble floors and apologizes
  40. Journal #40: The Lost's One's Save Christmas; what's Christmas again?
  41. Journal #41: The Elder Sister [Text Roleplay]
  42. Journal #42: Dear Niks
  43. Journal #43: Family Matters
  44. Journal #44: The Samsaran and Her Dreamers [Text Roleplay]
  45. Journal #45: 3 Years well spent.
  46. Journal #46: Emperor Aneirin of Aletheia
  47. Journal #47: Matron Nivinle Alas'thil [Text Roleplay]
  48. Journal #48: Not Alone
  49. Journal #49: The Dark Spire [Text Roleplay]
  50. Journal #50: Death's Champion
  51. Journal #51: Desk Duty of the Spire [Text Roleplay on going]
  52. Journal #52: Longest Four Days of Our Lives
  53. Journal #53: Stolen Book [Text Roleplay]
  54. Journal #54: Basics to Necromancy, why is this even a book.
  55. Journal #55: Soul to Soul Talk [Text Roleplay]
  56. Journal #56: Gold is not what King’s Envy
  57. Journal #57: The Trail of the Sapphire Shrine
  58. Journal #58: The sign says it all
  59. Journal #59: The oldest sister
  60. Journal #60: A bartender once again.
  61. Journal #61: The Dreamcatcher
  62. Journal #62: Discussion and a price that will be payed.
  63. Journal #63: The Five Stages
  64. Journal #64: Ring of Amethyst and Diamond
  65. Journal #65: Clash of Ideals
  66. Journal #66: A Friend and A Story
  67. Journal #67: The Nature of the Shards
  68. Journal #68: Return of Black Marble [Text Roleplay]
  69. Journal #69: Broken and Forgotten Shades
  70. Journal #70: Forging Bonds
  71. Journal #71: The Haunted Fey Mansion
  72. Journal #72: Another Shard
  73. Journal #73: Dancing with Demons in the pale morning light
  74. Journal #74: The Succubus's Ultimatum
  75. Journal #75: The City of Twin Souls
  76. Journal #76: The Worry of a Barkeep.
  77. Journal #77: Have a Little Hope.
  78. Journal #78: Dreamwalker Jinne [Text Roleplay]
  79. Journal Entry #79: Maskerade in Masdarat
  80. Journal Entry #80: Gods of Time
  81. Journal Entry #81: Scribe of Time [Text Rp]
  82. Journal Entry #82: Patience and Grace
  83. Journal Entry #83: Between Stopped Time [Text RP]
  84. Journal Entry #84: Teaching Moments
  85. Journal Entry #85: The child from Jatta [Text RP]
  86. Journal Entry #86: Fused and Strange Deals
  87. Journal Entry #87: Hell [Text RP]
  88. Journal Entry#88: The Measure of a Life
  89. Journal Entry #89: Judgement
  90. Journal Entry #90: Terra Arcana and Memories of the Lost
  91. Journal Entry #91:  Shepard’s Champion & The Way
  92. Journal Entry #92: Goth Club & Whiskey
  93. Journal Entry #93: Shard of Grace
  94. Journal Entry #94: Dreamcatcher's Telepathic Bond [Text Roleplay]
  95. Journal Entry#95: Homebound
  96. Journal Entry #96: A spot of rest [Text Roleplay]
  97. Journal Entry #97: Heavenbound
  98. Journal Entry #98: Trek through the planes
  99. Journal Entry #99: Relaxing in Ironfalls

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 18:45, May 24 2025