Wemelende Korf
Ivoorstrandnt- Vol.001:Iss#008
Welcome, adventurous souls, to another exhilarating installment of the Realm of Solo (RoS)! Your continued support fuels the flames of creativity that burn brightly within the Realm, and I couldn't be more grateful.
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Story
In the heart of the FlintGarde Dungeon, beneath the dim glow of bioluminescent fungi, the Staalgvlo nest sparkled with an ethereal light, a stark contrast against the dungeon's harsh and unforgiving backdrop. The nest was a testament to the Staalgvlo's craftsmanship, a mesmerizing fusion of gleaming metals and translucent crystals. It spiraled upwards, piercing the stalactite-ridden ceiling, a labyrinthine tower reflecting fragmented rainbows in every direction. The labyrinth breathed life, a pulsating symphony of intricate patterns, as if each facet of the nest was part of a vast, complex organism – which, in essence, it was.
Humming with a heightened sense of urgency, the artful spirals and chambers, usually filled with harmonious activity, now resonated with an ominous undercurrent. Warrior Staalgvlo, their armored bodies glinting menacingly under the ghostly light, moved with a fervor that filled the labyrinthine corridors with a chaotic cacophony.
The nest hummed with commination, the creatures bred from an ancient weapon, had morphed into a species of their own, their lives intricately woven around the nest. Swarming, they moved with singular purpose, find the intruders.
Vhowin and I strained with effort as we carried Aq, his shivering body heavier with each passing second. The chilling crunch of bones echoed from within him; each convulsion sent tremors down our arms. Aq's condition was deteriorating rapidly: a viscous mucus had started to seep from his eyes and nose, and bouts of pain wracked his body, destabilizing our precarious balance.
Stumbling forward, Vhowin barely kept us from toppling over. "He's getting worse," he muttered, his eyes filled with palpable worry. This was Vhowin, the smallest of our band, yet he bore the weight of half our equipment on his diminutive frame. His silence was a constant companion, punctuated only by the clink of his prisoner's collar.
I nodded in agreement. "We're still an hour or more from the Stuitlaai. What are these creatures?" I quizzed him, hoping to understand our adversary.
“They’re a forgotten breed of beast," he huffed, his breath ragged. "By the sound of it, we're near their nest."
His claim surprised me, "You can hear them?" I asked, straining to catch any foreign sound amidst Aq's laboured breathing and our own echoing footsteps.
"Aye," he tapped his nose, "I can smell them too."
In an instant, Vhowin froze. "Back!" he barked, dropping Aq abruptly. Instinctively, I sprung back, just as Aq's festering wounds burst open, showering us with a mix of pus and spore-like entities.
Vhowin recoiled, pain etching lines into his face. Aq lay motionless, a grotesque sight that left me reeling, but I couldn’t abandon him. The air around Aq was heavy with floating spores, and Vhowin shot me a discouraging shake of his head. Ignoring his silent protest, I rushed to Aq's side, checking his breathing. It was shallow, but present. "He's still alive! Come on, Vhowin!" I implored.
Silence. Vhowin stood rooted to the spot, shaking his head, his hands darting between his nose and ears. A flicker of fear danced across his face, "They're coming."
"Then move!" I snapped, my teeth grinding as I began to drag Aq. The spores' sting fuelled my desperation.
Finally, Vhowin hoisted Aq back onto the cot and we resumed our flight. The punishing pace was taking its toll; my legs screamed in protest, my lungs ached for air. Below us, the ground started to rumble, the noise escalating into an ominous chorus of skittering and clattering. The Staalgvlo were on our heels. "Faster!" Vhowin urged, nipping at my heels as we rounded a bend.
The sight that met us was breathtaking, if not for the circumstances. The walls and ceiling of the Staalgvlo hive glittered with intricate metal and crystal structures, but the swarms of Staalgvlo crawling over them quelled any admiration. A sinking feeling in my chest reminded me of the challenge we had to face, but for now, survival took precedence over fear. We had to get to the Stuitlaai.
A sudden shout from Vhowin jolted me from my thoughts. "Incoming!" he hollered as half a dozen large Staalgvlo dropped from the ceiling.
Herded deeper into the hive, we struggled to weave through the menacing creatures!
With Aq's inert body hindering our maneuvers, our progress was painfully slow. The snapping mandibles of the Staalgvlo echoed menacingly around us, and I could feel the rush of air as one lunged, narrowly missing my ear. My shoulder collided with its exoskeleton—a grotesque fusion of scavenged armor and raw metals —and I pressed on, spurred by the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
The cacophony of enraged Staalgvlo grew louder with every footfall. I thought of Fievhos and Aq, of how they owed me far more than their lives for this hellish ordeal. The deeper we ventured into the nest, the harder it was to keep the beacon of the Stuitlaai in sight. Suddenly, Vhowin was swept off his feet, dragging me down with him. I rolled, managing to raise my shield just in time to meet the gaping maw of a Staalgvlo.
Despite the onslaught, they kept coming. I looked to Vhowin, "We need an exit. Ideas?"
"Let them have him?" Vhowin retorted, his tone cold and matter-of-fact. His hammer swung rhythmically, striking between his words.
I vehemently rejected his suggestion. I was prepared to unleash my Collector Abilities, damn the consequences. Death was not an option—not when I was this close to Ayetha, so tantalizingly within my grasp. As I locked onto the nearest Staalgvlo, preparing to tether it, a searing pain tore through my shoulder, shattering my concentration.
A piercing cry escaped me as the Staalgvlo slammed me to the ground, its attention swiftly turning to the defenseless Aq. I don't know what propelled me, perhaps a primal instinct for survival, but I found myself moving with a speed I had never possessed. I wasn't going to die here, and neither was Aq.
Standing between Aq and the Staalgvlo, my blood-soaked shield strained under the pressure of its monstrous jaws. As I was bracing for the worst, an unexpected golden light pulsed from the shield, and a shockwave erupted around me. Suddenly, I felt weightless, and beside me... was another me.
🎲CLATTER OF DICE🎲
Upon the first strike, where shadows converge, With wielder's blood, an oath to emerge, With each echo, up to four they arise.
Item conditions met!
Clone created!
"I've got this. Keep moving!" my clone declared.
Disoriented but desperate, I grabbed Aq and resumed our sprint, adrenaline fueling my movements. Vhowin was right behind me. The Stuitlaai was in sight again when disaster struck: Vhowin fell, a Staalgvlo's teeth ripping into his thigh. He careened into the crystal wall, collapsing in a heap. Without hesitation, I banged my shield against my shovel, releasing another thunderous energy crack. Two more clones sprang into existence, charging at the Staalgvlo.
"Can you still carry Aq?" I asked Vhowin, helping him up.
"The options are run or die, right?" he grimaced. "Then run!" With that, he pushed me forward and, with visible effort, hoisted Aq's legs onto his shoulders and we ran.
Despite the pain, despite the fear, we were still alive—and we intended to stay that way.Our salvation was within reach; we just had to make it.
Every lunge and stride sent shockwaves of pain through my body. But the imminent danger nipping at our heels, the metallic clattering growing ever louder, kept us moving. Vhowin and I shifted Aq's weight between us, his unconscious form adding to our struggle. The Stuitlaai beacon, a glimmer of hope in the midst of chaos, seemed achingly distant.
"Almost there!" Vhowin grunted, his voice strained with exertion and pain.
As we neared the beacon, a deafening roar echoed throughout the cavernous tunnel, a sound that could only belong to the Staalgvlo Queen herself. Fear gripped us, but it also propelled us forward. There was no turning back now.
"Vhowin, we need to move faster!" I shouted over the echoing noise, pushing my body to its limits. His grim nod was all the confirmation I needed.
The Stuitlaai beacon grew brighter as we closed the distance, its light casting long, eerie shadows over the crystal-encrusted walls. With one final surge of energy, we burst through the barrier of the beacon, the warmth of the light washing over us.
We collapsed, panting and exhausted, into the safety of the beacon's radius.
The beacon light flickered around us, casting a warm glow over our weary forms. Our escape was nothing short of a miracle. But as I looked down at Aq, his breathing shallow and face pale, I knew our fight was far from over.
Next week
We lick our wounds and await the opening of the Stuitlaai to the surface. Will Aq survive that long?
Bones and Mechanics
Our first full combat using some new Mythic mechanics this week. The Clash roll! A sneak peak of what we will be going over during our recap and breakdown. I have to say the dice have been wildly fun and have forced me to stretch my creativity I and imagination in ways I hadn't expected. How are you all feeling about the story thus far?
As always I can't thank you enough for reading and being a continued adventurer of the realm!
Fellowship
Jesse Lee over at Epic Solo makes minis fun. His knack for clear rule explanation is a master class for DM's and Solo players alike.
Huge congrats to DC once again over at GFA! Don't forget to check out his Frontier and Space Idiots Campaigns.
The Master Rogue Campaign over at P&D has just gone Multiplayer! Make sure you get in on the action and watch the Director bring your character to life!
Royce makes DIY look so painfully and fun over at SFA. If you like weird, whimsical and wacky this is the place for you.
Thanks again for reading and don't forget to drop a comment or leave a note?