Chapter 1: Caged

Ancient and powerful, the rulers of the Calabim posses a dark secret. Through fell ritual their lives can be prolonged at the expense of others, and by this act Alexis and Flauros have created a decadent vampiric aristocracy. Their battlefield success comes at a price they are only too happy to pay -- the blood of their human thralls, kept in miserable conditions to serve as little more than cattle. This secret would surely incense all honorable nations of Patria, but could even the strongest compare to the might of a vampire lord? Perhaps their enemies are willing to dismiss the ugly rumors as just that, to avoid the danger of sharing the fate of the sad Calabim humans.

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Haven Fara - Searching for Survivors

Post by Vardaen » Mon Jun 24, 2019 6:36 pm

"In the village?" He looks back and forth among you, "Only a few in the village, Sarric, my brother is around. I think some others escaped when the Slavers came. Where they are now, I don't know."

Arianna's eye brows rise, "More that escaped? That's good to hear. We should hunt for them."
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:24 pm

Mongo has gotten some of his nerve back. He gets up into a crouch, and hesitantly looks out the window with wide eyes. "Slavers are bad. But why villagers live with many-leg spiders? A curse? Evil wizard make them do it?"
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Post by Vardaen » Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:03 pm

Marric turns and looks at Mongo, "You are new here aren't you? We are Aranea, we are what you might call Spider People." The young man then looks at Arianna, "Does he not know?"

The woman shakes her head, "I figured they suspected. But Marric isn't totally right, we are only half Aranea, we have human lineage as well. You met our queen already." She takes a step back and then twists her head side to side as her face and body contorts and shape changes. From her face grow mandibles and spider like features. "We have many forms."
Image Arianna in her Spider-folk Form
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Haven Fara - Searching for Survivors

Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:13 pm

Mongo almost completely freaks out, jumping back so fast he almost hurts himself slamming against the wall. "No! Spider monster! Going to eat me!" He holds his club out straight with both hands, the tip shaking violently. "Stay away! You seemed like a nice lady. Don't want to hurt you. But don't want to get eaten or eggs put in me."
So not going to freak out as in 'kill the innocent NPCs', but more like 'stay away or I'll hit you' kind of thing. Also, if the floor is dirt he is actively trying to dig himself a hole to hide in.
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Post by Vardaen » Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:24 pm

Arianna steps back, and shakes her head until her spider like features shape changes back into a normal appearance. Her features are angular, and slanted in places now that you can no longer not see the spideresque heritage she has within her. Its true for all of the refugees, Marric, Arianna, and all those little hatchlings...er children.

"Worry not Mongo, you are in no danger from us. You saved us, you saved our queen, our pets will never bother you. Perhaps however you should stay in doors just to feel better."
Some of the enemies you were fighting were call Spider-eaters, might make more sense now
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Post by Grimbold » Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:50 pm

Eyris tries to calm down Mongo. "Not gonna eat us, them."
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Post by JohnnyWeird » Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:04 pm

"If they were going to, Mongo they'd have already done it."

Tolan's eyes widen at the woman's transformation, but he shows no surprise at the revelation of the aranea.

"How can we help?"
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Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:46 pm

Mongo takes a few long breaths, nodding to himself, and finally lowering the club to the ground with a thud. "Right. Slept after rescued Arianna, took eggs out of leg. Could have eaten Mongo while sleeping. Friend. There are good Many-Legs?" This is clearly a new thought to him. "Well, Arianna good." He nods, then stands back up on shaky legs. "But she no like Marric-spider-man. Maybe he a bad Many-Legs?" The club hasn't been raised again, but he looks like he's thinking about it.
Yes, the hints were all there to have us put together, especially with the History Book of the pirate settling down with the spider queen, making this village. But Mongo is a bit dense, has to have it pointed out to him. ;)

Although I am vague on the Leadership here. When we rescued Arianna, she said she was the Leader of her people, and sent us to rescue the children and the other woman. Is the other woman the Queen then, and Arianna was bluffing that she was the leader?
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Post by Vardaen » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:09 pm

Arianna nods to Mongo, "Yes Mongo, we are not going to eat you. That... that's just disgusting. We aren't rabid beasts, we are a people, like you." She walks out of the building and stands hand on hip looking about the area. "If Marric is right, there are more of our people hiding in the hills. Perhaps even your missing friends are out there some place. We should look around."
We have 2 things going - Arianna is a leader of the village and its people, maybe like a mayor or councilwoman type leader.

The Queen is the biological leader of the people, like a hive queen, she helps to birth babies, etc. However those Eggs that were attached to her were Spider Eater Eggs, not Aranea Eggs. She's a spiritual leader as well.

They are strange half spider folk with weird customs and non-typical society
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Haven Fara - Searching for Survivors

Post by JohnnyWeird » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:56 pm

"We need to try, at least, to find our friends."

Tolan stumps his way towards the door.

"Where do we start?"
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