The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 86/87, PP = 42, EP = 23/49, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 8 for +24 Dodge, +16 AV, Resistance, defensive Bull Rush and Overrun, and Grapple, Upkeep = 3 EP, Paralyzed x2

Galo: HP = 0/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = drifting motionlessly towards the ocean floor...

Aereia: Sage

Reminder stuff:
Paralyzed - The character is unable to take any action during their turn unless they succeed at a Resistance check against a DC of 30. Which Resistance stat is used is determined by the ability that caused this status. The character takes a -1d10 penalty to all attack rolls, grapple checks, and Dodge, and a -5 penalty to Speed and to Base Casting for each instance of this effect. A character may have multiple instances of this status, and every instance with the same related Resistance stat increases the DC of the check to take their action by 10 rather than require additional checks, while instances of this status involving different Resistances are resolved separately. When this check becomes impossible for the character to win, they are considered Helpless but are not knocked unconscious.

Galo floated motionlessly as Ilona approached, or at least as motionlessly as a creature with so many boneless limbs could be under the sea even when fully limp. He was barely bleeding now, tiny clouds of blue rising from where he'd been stabbed as he floated downwards. Despair and leftover adrenaline kept her from seizing because of the poison still running through her veins, and all too soon she was clutching Galo's body in her arms.

The octopus rested limply in her grasp, pressed against her chest. His tentacles continued to float limply in the shifting currents, going one direction and then another as if in slow motion. After a few moments of cradling him one of his limbs had ended up latched onto her arm, and after a moment it almost seemed like he was gripping her arm. Even when the current shifted that limb remained stuck to her... The flailing tip twitching slightly before latching on as well... It was almost like he was squeezing her arm...

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona clutched Galo's body gingerly, sinking slowly towards the ocean floor. Her spirits were sinking much like her body... She felt like such a piece of shit. If only she had been a bit faster, better able to avoid the formori attacks, maybe he wouldn't have felt the need to put himself in danger. Perhaps if she had opted to avoid combat altogether... maybe then... The octopus' tentacles floated about with the currents aimlessly, a few of them brushing against her, and then... and then... it felt like he was holding onto one of her arms. The currents shifted around them, but still the tendril held fast, the tip slowly curling around her arm.

Stupid! Stupid stupid stupid! How could she be so stupid!? The poison, it had paralyzed Galo, and she was wasting precious time. How could she not have realized? After all, the force of her will was more or less the only thing that allowed her to move at all now. The mermaid felt no relief at the knowledge that her friend was alive; he was still wounded, and there was still space between the two of them and Clyons, and her own knowledge of medicine was minimal at best. There was also the matter of the poison that filled her body, causing her tail to twitch and quiver without her input, threatening to seize up at any moment. Only her mental prowess kept the poison at bay, and she couldn't keep herself focused forever. Her mind would give out, and sooner rather than later... She turned and kicked off as best as she could, rushing towards the town as fast as the current and her tail could carry her, holding a hand over Galo's wound to try and keep the bleeding down as much as she could. It was so close, she could already see it... and yet it felt so far away.

Spoiler

If she gets close to running out of EP or gets into Clyons she'll change her psychic shield to X = 5.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 86/87, PP = 42, EP = 8/49, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 8 for +24 Dodge, +16 AV, Resistance, defensive Bull Rush and Overrun, and Grapple, Upkeep = 3 EP, Paralyzed x2

Galo: HP = 0/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = not okay

Aereia: Sage

Reminder stuff:
Paralyzed - The character is unable to take any action during their turn unless they succeed at a Resistance check against a DC of 30. Which Resistance stat is used is determined by the ability that caused this status. The character takes a -1d10 penalty to all attack rolls, grapple checks, and Dodge, and a -5 penalty to Speed and to Base Casting for each instance of this effect. A character may have multiple instances of this status, and every instance with the same related Resistance stat increases the DC of the check to take their action by 10 rather than require additional checks, while instances of this status involving different Resistances are resolved separately. When this check becomes impossible for the character to win, they are considered Helpless but are not knocked unconscious.

Rolls

Spoiler

It will take 8 rounds of continuous travel to get back to Clyons.
Paralysis checks: failed first round. Passed the next. Failed the next. Then passed the rest... Assuming she doesn't get any more encounters.... Which she does, after two more rounds.
Perception: 2 successes
Enemy Stealth: 1 success.

Ilona spots a party of 6 more formori. They spot her too, with her double 1s stealth roll.

As soon as she realized what she had to do in order to help Galo, it became that much harder to do it. The poison running through her bloodstream paralyzed her again as she tried to take off, her muscles going stiff and causing her to sink towards the kelp. She recovered, but it had cost her precious time and energies, and a few moments later it happened again. Any frustration on her part would undoubtedly be magnified all too soon, however, as she crested over a hill covered in small coral growths and came upon another hunting party.

She spotted them immediately, largely because they had just pulled away from the kelp bed in which they'd been concealing themselves. They'd already started coming in her direction, and when they spotted her with Galo in her arms they made for her immediately, discarding the baskets of crabs they'd collected. Three of the six held spears, and like the first party she'd run into they were tipped in stone heads with red stains. There were two netters in this party as well, already shaking them loose to toss them. The last was armed with a large chunk of flat driftwood and a long dagger made of metal, covered in runes marking it as a weapon crafted by her own people so that the metal wouldn't tarnish or decay in the ocean's waters.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Almost immediately Ilona's tail seized up, her whole body quivering for a moment as she floated aimlessly downwards... she struggled both mentally and physically to overcome the affliction, managing to get started along the way to Clyons after some difficulty. It didn't take long before it happened again, her every muscle going stiff, and she was dead in the water. Why? Why couldn't she just keep swimming? Why hadn't she just been able to avoid the formori spears? She cursed herself inwardly as she began to swim again, cursed herself vigorously...

And soon she was given real reason to curse. More formori, six of them this time, returning from a hunting trip. Three with spears, two with nets, and one... One had a makeshift shield and a long dagger that she recognized as being of merfolk make, magically enchanted. She couldn't. She just couldn't do this. Already her will was near to breaking, her head starting to pound as her spirit waned. She wouldn't be able to keep going for much longer, much less to fight these creatures. And if they were using that same poison, well... How could there be so many formori within eyesight of Clyons? Thirteen of them already. Ilona could only think to flee towards the city, to rush as fast as her tail could carry her and hope. Maybe someone would see her, would bring help to her. Maybe she could outswim them. Either way it seemed like her only shot.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 86/87, PP = 42, EP = 2/49, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 5 for +15 Dodge, +10 AV, Resistance, defensive Bull Rush and Overrun, and Grapple, Upkeep = 3 EP, Paralyzed x2

Galo: HP = 0/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = not okay

Aereia: Sage

Reminder stuff:
Paralyzed - The character is unable to take any action during their turn unless they succeed at a Resistance check against a DC of 30. Which Resistance stat is used is determined by the ability that caused this status. The character takes a -1d10 penalty to all attack rolls, grapple checks, and Dodge, and a -5 penalty to Speed and to Casting for each instance of this effect. A character may have multiple instances of this status, and every instance with the same related Resistance stat increases the DC of the check to take their action by 10 rather than require additional checks, while instances of this status involving different Resistances are resolved separately. When this check becomes impossible for the character to win, they are considered Helpless but are not knocked unconscious.

Rolls

Spoiler

Ilona currently has 35 Speed. The Formori also have 35 Speed. Will resolve this via swim checks and whether or not she gets paralyzed.
Ilona's Swim: 56, so they can't even beat her on the first check... But it's four more rounds to Clyons.
Paralysis: She failed, rolling another 3. She needs a goddam 4+ on the d20. That means they get to get a free round of attacking her.

Ilona's Dodge: 81
Spears: 51 and 55, both miss. Shield guy is attacking against 71 Dodge.
Shield Guy: 53, miss. Net guys are attacking against 66 and 61 respectively.
Nets: 43 and 57, both miss.
Last spear guy who I forgot about: 55 vs 56 Dodge, miss.

Paralysis: Didn't fail this one. Will just use the above swim check since I made it before rolling paralysis anyway. Three more rounds to Clyons.

Ilona has to lower her buff to X = 5 though.
Paralysis: Success.
Swim: 51, can't be beaten. Two more rounds.

Paralysis: Success.
Swim: 50, so the formori can match her and get an attack on a nat 20. One of the spear guys actually manages it.
Attack: 52 vs 80, miss.
One more round until she's near Clyons...

Paralysis: Success.
Swim: 59, they can't beat her again.

Attacks: Four shots, four hits.
Damage: Three of the spear guys are killed, and one of the net guys are critically wounded. The formori retreat.

Ilona gains another 4 xp, and 4 for Galo.

While she might have been able to take on another group if she'd had time to rest, with herself poisoned and Galo wounded Ilona apparently lacked the faith in her ability to fight her way out of the situation. Even as she attempted to put on a burst of speed, however, her muscles failed her and she ended up paralyzed on the spot. The formori leered eagerly, but her ability to move returned just as they were closing in. The spearmen jabbed at her as she started swimming away, and she just barely kept herself from suffering another poisoned jab. The netters threw their weapons and the one with the dagger took a jab, but nothing managed to land, and so the chase was on.

Ilona felt the poison threatening to paralyze her again at any moment, and had to vigorously kick her tail to keep ahead of the formori. She would have outrun them with ease under normal circumstances, but she couldn't move with her normal agility with her muscles seizing up on her without warning. The formori tailed her, sometimes gaining and sometimes losing ground while Clyons grew closer and closer. After a short while she had to draw back her mental prowess to more manageable levels lest she risk overtaxing herself and passing out. Galo clutched feebly at her as Ilona furiously beat her tail, and at one point he gave a particular firm squeeze of warning. A glance back revealed that one of the spearmen had managed to catch up to her, and she just barely managed to avoid taking another poisonous jab.

They kept up the chase all the way to Clyons' border, where Ilona saw some of her own people look up from their tasks of tending to their farms. They were extremely few, and if she had hoped for aid from them she would be sorely mistaken; the handful of people looked up and darted deeper into town, leaving her to face the gang of formori all on her own. They only closed in further as she passed the first few buildings, and she could feel her body threatening to seize up again at any moment.... And then a quartet of harpoons shot past Ilona, killing the three spearmen who were closest and badly wounding one of the netters.

The remaining netter and the formori with a shield stopped short, but as the shooters appeared - four moderately armored mermish warriors with harpoon guns - they began to retreat. The mer she'd seen tending the outlying farms were behind them, pointing, and with the threatening formori retreating she found herself being approached by one of the mer warriors. It was a male, clad in the brass-plated armor with several lays of an interlocking mesh made of specially treated kelp braids below it that was just about the best variety of armor that her people could acquire. Two of the mer warriors went to follow the formori, while the third escorted the farmers back to work.

"Are you alright?" The connection to her mind opened up gently, but the man's psychic voice was firm. He was possessed of chiseled features a muscular physique, or at least as much of it as she could see, and his lower half was of a dusky green color matching his hair as strands of it poked out from beneath his helmet.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Almost as soon as she caught sight of the formori and steeled herself to flee Ilona's tail became a quivering mass of useless muscle, twitching this way and that and propelling her nowhere. She inwardly cursed again, cursed herself for being so weak. The beasts closed the distance as she desperately tried to will herself forward, almost on top of her before she managed to gain control of her body again. They stabbed at her with spears and dagger, threw their nets at her, but she just barely managed to avoid them by perhaps a scale's length. That gave her the chance she needed, her tail kicking off powerfully and pushing her past them towards the buildings in the distance. If she hadn't had so much poison flowing through her veins at the time it would have been almost trivial to escape this group, but as it was she could barely keep herself going at all, much less at speed. She soon found herself unable to continue to focus her mind, having to put less effort into keeping her tail moving, her arms grasping Galo. It was touch and go, but she managed to keep herself just out of reach of their weapons, only really taking one attack that she managed to avoid thanks a warning from Galo before getting to the outlying farms.

There were a few farmers there, tending to their fields of kelp and coral, but not many... and they quickly fled, leaving Ilona alone once more, the formori right on her tail. She was swimming past the first few houses, beginning to wonder if she had fled for nothing when suddenly a number of harpoons flew past her, finding their marks in the foul creatures following her. Invisible tears again sprang to her eyes, this time in relief as she saw four of her kind emerge with their harpoon guns. Now outnumbered the formori turned tail and swam away, leaving Ilona finally safe. Her head was throbbing with pain after all the exertion she had put her mind through, her body tingling with paralytic numbness, but she was alive and safe. And hopefully there would be someone here who could care for Galo... One of her saviors approached as two of them gave chase to her attackers, a man with green hair and scales and a hard, muscular physique, wearing rather beautiful and well-maintained brass armor. He made a mental connection with her, asking if she was alright, and quickly she replied "my friend needs help... I'll be fine, but they've injured him badly" as she held out the wounded octopus. "Please, I need to find a healer quickly."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 86/87, PP = 42, EP = 2/49, Status = Fine

Galo: HP = 0/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = not okay

Aereia: Sage

"This way," the sentinel said, nodding and turning on the spot. Unfortunately for Ilona, the poison still running through her own system opted to leave her paralyzed as she went to follow. The man turned when he realized she wasn't following and saw Ilona floating limply towards the ocean floor, and hurried over to grasp her around the waist. Gently so that Galo wouldn't be disturbed from her arms, he started moving them both along towards what was hopefully some sort of healer.

Over the course of a few minutes she was led through the lanes between Clyons' buildings. Mermish dwellings were allowed by the nature of underwater existence to rise as high as they liked, but the coral buildings were still fairly small here, divided here and there by a larger stone spire. The greater space needed for comfortable motion ensured that the dwellings were often fairly wide and had few rooms, but even in her somewhat dazed state Ilona wouldn't be able to miss how empty the place looked. Many of the gardens surrounding the dwellings were overgrown, and the inside of such lacked the light that her people often left on at all times. The buildings that served as market stalls where her people traded were largely closed, and they passed few other mer as the guardsman led her about halfway into town.

He drew Ilona into a small dwelling built from golden coral, and within was a merwoman tending to a ground up poultice of herbs. She had bright green hair and white scales on her fish half, and looked up with surprise in her emerald eyes when Ilona was dragged in clutching Galo. She felt the mental connection open between her and the sentinel, but one opened between her and Ilona a moment later. "Give him here," she said, and reached out to take Galo. One of the octopus' tentacles was clutched around where he'd been stabbed, and the woman gingerly removed it before rubbing her fingers against it. A small pulse of light washed over the injury, causing it to close, and after examining it again she went over to a set of shelves and retrieved something from them.

She took one over to Galo, offering it to the octopus, before coming over to Ilona. "Eat this," she said, offering Ilona a small wadded up spongy band of medicine. The limitations offered by water prevented one from imbibing any sort of medicine as a liquid, forcing antidotes and the like to be mixed in solid form. A few moments after Ilona had taken the medicine she would feel the twitching of her muscles ease, allowing her to move normally as the toxins were neutralized, and Galo carefully took the thing and began to eat it. "What happened?" The sentinel asked, having not severed his own psychic connection to Ilona.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

The man bid Ilona follow him, and she tried her best... really she did. But immediately her strength gave out, seemingly every muscle in her tail shuddering and then locking up. It took him a little bit to realize that she wasn't right behind him; she hadn't said anything, hoping she would recover before he noticed, but alas, it wasn't to be. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed as he swam back and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her along beside him. She helped whenever she could, her tail swishing weakly, though more often than not her body failed her, the poison taking its toll as her adrenaline stopped pumping.

They passed by many buildings on the way to wherever it was they were going, mostly low to the seafloor and relatively small, though every so often there was a spire made of stone between the smaller houses. Nothing terribly abnormal about the make of the place, no different from any other merfolk settlement aside from Adamantia. There was something quite abnormal about it, though... It seemed nearly empty. There were lots of houses that seemed as if they were abandoned, the gardens untended and the homes themselves in varying states of disrepair. The formori... How many had they abducted from Clyons? It was surely a significant number, especially given how small the population had likely been to start with. Even the market was damn near completely closed.

Finally they came to a small building made of pretty golden yellow corals, apparently their destination. Inside was a woman with bright green hair and white scales, almost certainly a healer given the way she was mashing herbs into some sort of poultice, probably meant to soothe wounds. She spoke to Ilona mentally after a moment telling her to hand over Galo, which the young mermaid did without hesitation, albeit with arms shaking and weak. She watched as the woman ran her fingers over the octopus' wound, letting off a bit of light and finally closing it up. A sense of relief washed over Ilona then, finally. He was almost certainly going to be okay now. The healer swam over to a wall and some shelves set into it after that, sorting through some things for a moment before bringing a pair of small, spongy pill-like things over to them. Ilona didn't have to be told to eat it twice, knowing what it was already; immediately after having consumed it she felt her muscles ease up, leaving a dull ache in place of the twitching and jerking that had plagued her since she had first been jabbed by the formori.

Finally she allowed her focus to lapse, no longer having to use her mind to keep her body moving. It caused the throbbing pain in her head to recede into a rather slight headache, though she still felt unwell on the whole. She swished her tail, moving forward a bit and then up, testing her abilities... And surely enough, nothing was amiss. "Thank you so much" she said through her mental link with the woman, "I feel much better now... and I'm sure Galo is too." She reached out to gently pat the octopus' head as he ate the medicine, allowing herself a smile for the first time in a while.

The guard spoke to Ilona then, asking her for an explanation of what had happened, and she was happy to give it. "Galo and I have come here from Adamantia, seeking the sage Aereia. Along the way we came across a formori ambush, seven of them. They wounded Galo badly and paralyzed me, but I managed to slay them all. Those six that followed me all the way here weren't very much farther along though... I barely managed to evade them. It's incredible to me, how many there were in sight of the town itself. Are they always so bold?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 26/49, Status = Fine

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = been better

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

"Think nothing of it," the healer replied over the mental link, relief flooding through her, "it is my duty to help... And until now, we had not actually found any antidote that worked quickly on the poison that the formori use. I am glad that this new mix is up to the task, though it is hard now to find its ingredients. Galo is your friend here?" Her mental tone was relieved and then pleasant as she replied to Ilona's psychic gratitude, while Galo reached out a pair of tentacles to gently wrap around the hand Ilona had used to pat him on the head. His grip was strong now, and his suckers gently latched onto her skin and released in an act roughly similar to a kiss for one of his kind; had Ilona not gotten him to Clyons, he might well have ended up eaten, still paralyzed, by some passing shark before the poison wore off.

Ilona's explanation to the sentinel, in turn, caused him to grimace and adopt a look of knowledgeable sympathy. "Not always... But recently they have been growing bolder. They haven't raided us in any force recently, and we've been trying to keep their numbers as low as we can... But there are only six warriors left to Clyons now, and we're stretched too thin to send hunting parties to keep the currents clear. They've started stalking the areas around town closer and closer... Picking off anyone that gets too far from the reach of our patrols. You saw how easy they are to kill, but when there are so many of them and so few of us it becomes a much harder fight to win. If they weren't so poorly organized we would likely have all been killed or taken by now."

The more he explained, the more downcast the sentinel seemed about how dire their situation was, but a few moments after he had finished he gave a shrug and looked back up at Ilona. "I am Taron, Captain of the Sentinels here in Clyons... Such as it is. This is Aegea, the last of our healers and Aereia's daughter.... And the last of her pupils. Is there... Is there anyone else coming? Can we expect any help to come from Adamantia?" Aegea, who had returned to tending her poultice, paused and turn to look at Ilona as well. It was likely that Taron had been delivering everything that had been exchanged between them to her as well, to better simulate an open air conversation as was often considered proper courtesy when secrets were not being shared. The healer wore a look of desperate hope, and the captain of the guard an expression of grim expectation.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona smiled warmly at the healer, feeling her relief. It was a mutual feeling, that was for sure. "As medicine goes this worked perfectly. It's rare to find something that works so quickly... And yes, my friend is named Galo. We've known each other for... oh, a long time now. It's... unfortunate that I'll have to rest for a bit before I can speak with him" she replied, gently rubbing the octopus' head as he gripped her hand gently with two of his tentacles, holding on with his suckers and then slowly unlatching from her, a sort of affectionate kiss. For a moment she couldn't have been happier; things had worked out more or less perfectly in the end. And they could have gone so much worse in a hundred different ways, too... She couldn't wait to speak to him again.

The mermaid's mood was quickly darkened, however, by what the guard told her. There was only a skeleton guard left in Clyons, only six warriors left to fight all of the formori in the area. The odds didn't sound good... and it was only going to get worse from here on out. The formori replaced themselves at a frightening rate, the merfolk not nearly so fast. And of course there were other considerations; breeding wasn't merely a mechanical thing, done for the sake of producing offspring. There were matters of romance to think of, amongst other things! In a battle of attrition the beasts would undoubtedly win. A grim situation indeed, and the sentinel seemed to understand that quite well... When he asked if there was any help besides Ilona coming to them the healer seemed to hope against hope... And it broke Ilona's heart to be the bearer of bad news. "My name is Ilona, and I'm pleased to meet you both... but I'm afraid there isn't anyone else coming" she replied, her smile faltering. "I don't believe the people of Adamantia know how dire the situation here is. I certainly didn't before I saw it with my own eyes. So perhaps if someone were to advocate for it, to show the capital that it's necessary, help would come."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 26/49, Status = Fine

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = been better

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

Taron and Aegea exchanged a look after Ilona delivered her dire news. Both had already looked fairly grim, but by the time she'd finished a look of utter despair that looked like it was worn all too often had washed over their expressions. Galo squeezed her arm a little bit more firmly to comfort her from the misery emanating from the other two merfolk, the octopus' eyes going half closed in a contented manner.

"Thank you... For letting us know," Taron replied after a moment, looking back to Ilona with a deep frown. "I admit, I am not sure what to do about this... So long as the formori are in such numbers, we can't even send anyone to Adamantia and expect them to make it through without being captured or killed." He shook his head, gaze turning downwards, and gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"Aeriea was taken more than six months ago," Taron informed her coolly after a few moments, "when she was out gathering herbs. We looked for her, but found only her gathering baskets discarded beside a broken spear and the body of a dead formori. They must have come upon her suddenly, and from multiple directions, else she would have killed more. We tried to find her still, but couldn't find their lair even with the magic of her apprentices to call upon... Especially when an ambush took most of them from us too.

"We know at least one of their nests is somewhere to the West, towards the deeper ocean in the last area of coral. But we couldn't find it exactly. But... That's not the only one. They seem to come mostly from that direction, and go back that way with their catch, but there are a lot of places to hide in that area. That's not all though... I don't know if they're still there, but there is a single formori hiding somewhere to the East, an exile that kills its own kind, living among the undersea caverns. They aren't friendly to us either, but... They're more likely to tell us where the rest are holed up than any of the raiders or hunters."

Aegea had turned away from Ilona upon the news about Adamantia, folding her arms over her chest as she faced the wall. She seemed to be shaking, the shudders starting at her shoulders and proceeding down her body. "Her first batch will have molted by now... They'll have hatched a few months ago," she said suddenly into the mental link, causing Taron to glance at her with a narrow frown. "It won't be long... They'll be taught by the ones that fathered them, and then they'll be out on the ocean... Her blood, perhaps a portion of her power... Turned against us. My own half-siblings..." Her shaking grew more intense, and her head bowed as she drifted towards the wall, ultimately coming to rest against it as she sobbed silently in the corner.

"What are you going to do?" Taron asked Ilona, his mental question bleak and drained of emotion in sharp contrast to the crushing agony emanating from Aegea. "We would appreciate the aid of another warrior, but you are free to do as you will. I understand that your quest, if successful, might save us all eventually... I am just sorry that we cannot do much to aid you in it."

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona couldn't help but cringe at the visible despair of the others when she told them the news, feeling truly bad that she couldn't help them more. Even if she was fairly strong and skilled, she was still only one mermaid, and she had her own important tasks to attend to. Hopefully something that would alleviate the suffering of people like Taron and Aegea... She listened to the sentinel's musings sadly, her free hand moving to hold onto one of Galo's tentacles as he squeezed her arm, trying to comfort her. She didn't really know what to say in this situation. She wasn't all that great with social situations to begin with, but especially not with the dark mood that was in play at the moment.

She just let his pondering hang there long enough that he continued on, telling her that the woman she had come to find had already been taken by the formori, some six months ago in fact. Ilona had been at least somewhat prepared for that when Aegea had been introduced to her as the town's last healer, but it still hurt when he actually communicated it. Apparently they had tried to find her to bring her back, but the formori lair was too well hidden, and they had never managed to find it. He also told of a single one of their kind who also fought against them, off to the east of Clyons. A traitor... that was intriguing. As good a place to start as any.

Ilona was less prepared, however, for Aegea's interjection. The abject despair as she spoke of what was likely happening to her mother, about the children she was producing... The warrior unwittingly let a brief flash of hatred into the mental link before composing herself. These blasted creatures... they would pay, some day. Her eyes fixed on the healer, sobbing in a corner, as she pondered Taron's question. She pondered for a good while, her expression betraying little for the moment. "I will rest here a day" she replied finally, "after that... I must find Aeriea. Else I'll have to wander the whole of the seas aimlessly... She's my best hope of success. Are there any among you who speak the formori language? It seems to me that finding the traitor would be the best way. Perhaps then I wouldn't simply stumble into their lair blind..." She paused, gently patting Galo to calm herself a bit. "After that's accomplished, and I've brought Aeriea back, then... Perhaps the lot of you would prefer to remove to Adamantia? Staying here isolated is a battle of attrition you can't win on your own. And further, if the whole town of Clyons were to show up at the capital seeking aid there could be no more complacency. All would know that the threat we face isn't theoretical or some far off thing..."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 26/49, Status = Fine

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = been better

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

"No," Taron replied simply, "none have yet been able to communicate coherently with the formori we've managed to capture in the past. We thought to beg the fae living upon the islands for help with understanding them, or even for some sort of martial assistance, but they seem to have vanished with the other surface dwellers. The only one left is beyond our reach, up on a mountain that none of us can ascend on the largest island, and we have had no contact with them... Ever. They seem to be a mortal woman, but even Aereia had no idea who she was or why she was there. From what I understand, she has been there for at least five generations, far longer than most mortals live."

That explanation out of the way, the sentinel grimaced but then nodded, "I understand, perhaps this... Traitor formori will be able to tell you where their nest is somehow. If their breeding grounds can be destroyed and the captives retaken, perhaps we'll have a chance."

Then, however, he shook his head, "we cannot leave." It was stated simply, as if it were fact. "Even though we are likely to die or be taken... To try to leave now would merely hasten the clock. We could not hope to hold back their full numbers with only six warriors, and Adamantia is months away even with favorable tides. We have not the supplies to make the journey, for one... And if they saw us leaving the cover of the city they would likely attack in force. We might consider it if their numbers were thinned enough, but... It would take some convincing for the people here. They have sacrificed much to make a living out here, and to surrender their homes after so much loss..."

Again the sentinel shook his head as he trailed off, eyes downcast. Aegea seemed to be descending into hysterics, clutching at herself as she hovered miserably in the corner of the room. Galo clutched a little harder, sensing the misery in the three mer even if he wasn't privy to their telepathic conversation. "I can show you where the lone formori is tomorrow, but you will have to hunt it on your own. I cannot be away from Clyons for long. I... Think Aegea would prefer her privacy for a while, so I can show you and your friend someplace where you can rest if you like."

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona curled her tail this way and that as Taron replied to her, thinking about what he said... That gave her more to ponder for sure. An ancient fae on one of the islands, inaccessible, but perhaps able to offer help if she were found and persuaded. And no one to speak to the formori, no one to aid Ilona in trying to glean its secrets. That would certainly make things difficult. If only someone could understand whatever filthy language they communicated in... "That is what it would take, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically, more to herself than to Taron, "destroying their nest. Yes, that's what it would take." She nodded, gazing over at the man as he announced that they wouldn't leave the town of Clyons. Mostly because he felt that they would be attacked and overwhelmed if they tried to flee, and partly out of a sentimentality that was hard for Ilona to understand.

"Well, once I bring Aereia back I would be willing to help escort you. So you would also have me, and Galo here. And... I think it deserves serious consideration. No matter how you might think of Clyons, a home is only a place. It isn't worth being slowly whittled away, kidnapped and killed for" she replied, directing the last part of her statement only at Taron. Indeed, Aegea was already hysterical, sobbing uncontrollably in the corner of the room. Ilona couldn't help but find it a little bit distasteful, as hypocritical as that might have been given how close she had been to such a breakdown before discovering that Galo was still alive. "In any case, a rest would do us good. I find myself exhausted, and I'm sure Galo has felt better. I have much to think about this night. Many options... I could spend a long time debating their merits I'm sure."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 26/49, Status = Fine

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = been worse

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

Concealing one's emotions across the psychic link across which they communicated was more difficult than it was for a spoken conversation, and while she might have tried to conceal her distaste for Aegea's emotional outburst it was clear from his souring expression that Taron at least had picked up on some of it. "If our homes are not worth dying to protect... Then what is?" Taron asked thoughtfully, though it seemed more directed inwards than towards her.

He pushed himself upwards with a swish of his tail, "come, this way."

The sentinel led the way out of Aegea's modest coral hut, and once more Ilona found herself going through the desolate streets of Clyons. They were no less depressing now than they had been previously, though after a few moments Ilona found herself seeing a few more signs of life and this time Galo was swimming along beside her instead of clutched limply in her arms. They had seemingly entered a more populated section of the town, where a few of the small coral homes still showed signs of upkeep and a few of the shops serving the people's day to day needs were still in use. There seemed only to be one trader left in town, but they were open even if Taron swam past it without stopping.

He led Ilona to a small coral hut, one without any adornments or the signs of life one might expect of an occupied dwelling. "This is where one of my sentinels once lived," Taron explained, turning as he ended up in front of the doorway. There were few thieves in the mer villages, and doors were an impractical expense. "It isn't very well furnished, but it has a place to rest for you and your friend. Unless you think you need anything else... I will take my leave. I must return to my duties."

Unless Ilona had any further questions for the sentinel, he would bid her a mental goodbye before closing their mental link, leaving her head once more a silent place. Galo would follow her into the small dwelling, and in it they would find it more or less exactly as Taron had explained; there was a seaweed mattress in the corner of the room, a few shelves that were currently barren, a carved coral half-house in which any number of sea dwelling creatures that the merfolk kept as pets might stay, and a pair of intact but currently inactive glowstones. Galo would float over to the bed and settle onto it without hesitation, spreading his tentacles out in a contented manner.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona could tell that at least some portion of her emotional response got through to Taron, unfortunately enough... She wasn't used to having to suppress herself, and it was difficult anyway to begin with. But she couldn't really help the way she felt, even if it was unreasonable. Something for her to work on for the future, perhaps. As to his question... Even with the possibility that it was rhetorical she felt compelled to answer it. "You yourself, and the people you care for. A home with no one to call it such is... nothing." Perhaps not the most delicate way to put such a sentiment, but there it was. She followed along after him once Galo proved he could swim alongside her, her tail somewhat lazily propelling her forward. There was no need to rush here, especially as drained as she felt.

The town started to show some signs of life after a bit of swimming, less empty and sad. There were various dwellings that were obviously lived in here, and a small market. It looked like there was only one trader open, but they were still there serving Clyons. Maybe if there were fewer empty homes this would look like a very quaint and sleepy little town instead of one in crisis... Finally the three of them came to a small and deserted hut made of coral, their apparent destination. "Ah, it's fine" she replied when he told her it wasn't furnished very well, "I usually keep very little in the way of possessions. As long as there's a place to sleep it will serve perfectly. May your watch be uneventful."

The sentinel left Ilona then, closing the link that bound them and swimming away as she floated into the small abode. It was indeed sparse, with nothing but a seaweed mattress, some empty shelves, a pair of glowstones that weren't lit, and a little notch carved out for a pet to stay in. Of couse, Galo immediately moved to the bed and laid on it; she never would have made him stay in the little pet house, the idea didn't even occur to her. She swam slowly towards the bed, nestling herself onto it next to the octopus and reaching out to gently rub his head again. She felt a lot better after some time without using her powers, the pain in her head down to only the slightest little ache now. It took her a few moments to finally open a mental link to Galo, finally feeling herself strong enough to speak to him. "You were really brave again there, you know... I was so scared. I thought you had been killed! I don't know what I would have done..." She pulled him close to her then, holding him gently. "Both of us need to be a little more careful. Those formori... they were formidable in their numbers. It was almost the end of both of us."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 24/49, Status = Fine, Telepathy to Galo

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = getting better

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

Galo’s familiar mental connection opened as easily as it ever did, and even though it was a good bit simpler the octopus’ mind was fairly similar to those of her own people. “Too many for us,” he replied to her initial remarks, and though there had been no words to express it she could feel the creature’s unease.

Then, as she gathered her partner up in her arms, he squeezed her possessively rather than the bed. The octopus’ tentacles wrapped around her, the suckers on them gently grasping as they tasted Ilona all across her body, or at least wherever her skin was exposed. “Too many," he repeated, “we should run. Or maybe hide. There are too many, and we might not be able to kill them next time.” As if to accentuate his point, the octopus changed colors to match his surroundings, including Ilona herself wherever they were in contact. It was certainly an odd thing to look at, especially as she could still feel her tentacly friend's weight on her and see where he distended from her armor and flesh.

Galo's limbs were steadily worming their way under her clothes, as they often did. More often than not it was an entirely innocent gesture meant to foster more natural intimacy; intelligent though he was compared to most ocean life, Galo still didn't quite grasp the concept of clothing beyond its protective uses. Ilona would feel his suckers gently attaching and then releasing her skin in various places, always exceptionally gentle so as to avoid leaving any blemishes, but the mermaid would know from experience what else he might do with them... In more ways than one.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Galo's uneasiness practically oozed off of him through his mental link with Ilona once it was open, and he quickly wrapped his tentacles around her when she pulled him in close, squeezing her in a tight hug as he protested that they shouldn't fight in such a way, that there were just too many formori. The mermaid frowned a bit, though the expression dissolved when he suddenly changed colors, matching everything around him almost perfectly, including even herself. It always amused her when he did things like that when there wasn't any danger around; she thought it was cute. "Perhaps we could run" she replied after a few moments, "for a little while. But that isn't a long term solution, you know. Left to themselves the beasts will multiply until they consume the whole of the seas. Something must be done about them or else... my people will be enslaved, our blood diluted until we cease to be. I can't allow that, not while I'm still able to strive to prevent it. Besides, I was... not as careful as I could have been. Next time things will go differently, with any luck."

Ilona petted her friend a little bit more, looking down at his camouflaged body as his tentacles started to work their way slowly under her leather armor, his suckers lightly grasping her and then pulling off so very gently. The octopus just didn't understand the concept of personal space, or that of modesty... not that the mermaid had ever tried particularly hard to teach him. She didn't feel any particular need; the clothing she wore beneath her armor hardly covered much of anything in any case, and most of the time he didn't mean anything sexual by it. Galo really did give the best hugs... It was the perfect way to relax after all that had happened today. She let go of him for the moment, reaching around behind her back to undo the clasps and latches that held on her armor, slowly wiggling her way out of it while trying not to disturb Galo too much, tossing it aside once it was off, her spear having already been laid beside the bed. "There we go... glad to be out of that thing. Not the most comfortable thing to lay in, that" she thought at him, settling back in onto the kelp. That left her with only two articles of clothing; a small jeweled waistband that did the bare minimum to protect her modesty and a specially fitted metallic bra that covered the outer half of her breasts in to the aureoles and little else. "I think I'm going to sleep really well tonight, after all that's happened..."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Spoiler

Ilona: HP = 87/87, PP = 42/42, EP = 24/49, Status = Fine, Telepathy to Galo

Galo: HP = 32/32, PP = 23, EP = 25, Status = getting better

Aereia: Sage
Taron: Head Sentinel of Clyons
Aegea: Healer from Clyons

Ilona's logic didn't manage to dispel Galo's dark mood, but he settled on top of her and opted not to argue. The very real threat that the formori could cause the outright extinction of her people if left unchecked seemed to cause the octopus some consternation, and for a while he simply clung to her and caressed her with his numerous appendages. "I'd rather we not go out and LOOK for more of them," he said, "they'll probably try to poison us again... I don't want to be stuck floating and helpless until a shark comes by!"

Removing her armor with Galo on top of her was easier said than done, but after a while she was able to discard the garments, leaving her covered only in her undergarments... And in her multilimbed traveling partner. The octopus continued to display his affections in the all too familiar manner once Ilona was out of her clothes, and while many of her people might frown on her for allowing Galo - a creature they might essentially consider her pet - to touch her in such a manner, there was no one watching them now to berate her about it.

It wasn't too terribly long before Galo's tendrils began wandering to places beyond the realm of normal social acceptance, however, and given how little she was wearing it wasn't difficult for him to reach anything and everything. As it always did, it started entirely innocently, at least in Galo's mind. After all, his kind had little in common in terms of erogenous zones or sexual habits with Ilona's, leading him to figure out the signs of her receptiveness when and if they appeared because of any accidental arousal he might cause. One of his tendrils slipped under her bra, displacing the frame to reveal one of her soft peaks, and the limb casually coiled around it from base to tip. His suckers latched gently upon that most delicate and sensitive portion of her skin, treating it to the same taste test that the rest of her body had received, and that touch was certainly enough to ignite a bit of arousal... If Ilona allowed it to.

The mermaid was comfortable enough, slowly settling into the bed with Galo on top of her. The interior of the coral hut was naturally protected from the current, and was shelter enough from any would-be predators. Most natural predators were wise enough to avoid coming fully into a mermish village, and surely the formori wouldn't be trying to kidnap people from their beds at night... At least, without being detected in the act before they could succeed. She could easily drift off to sleep, recuperating from her travels and the stressful encounters that had preceded her arrival in Clyons, if she didn't feel like concentrating on the sensations that her tentacle-bearing traveling companion was unintentionally inspiring with his affectionate groping.

 

[Tiffanian]

Re: The Battle Beneath (Tiffanian)

Ilona didn't have a good answer for Galo's concerns, not really. So she settled for holding him, trying to present a reassuring air as much as she could. Now, with a little bit of distance between herself and the event, the mermaid wasn't as worried as she had been; they would just be careful. Perhaps they could avoid such large numbers of the beasts, lure them to their deaths under more favorable circumstances... Something along those lines. She pondered such things, strategy and tactics, but she didn't communicate them, not yet. Her thoughts were only partly formed, and in any case he was too unsettled at the moment to really provide solid feedback.

Once her armor was off the mermaid simply laid back and relaxed, cradling her friend with one arm as he held her with all of his many limbs. Ilona was aware that many people, most of all her parents, would have looked down on her for allowing this sort of contact from an octopus, but she had never understood that thinking. Galo was no mere pet, something to be possessed and looked at as barely more than an animal. She thought of him as her equal in more or less every way, just as much a person as any merfolk. And besides, there was something so very intimate about being held this way, so relaxing... He continually latched onto her with his suckers and then slowly, gently pulled them off, leaving her with a tingling pleasant feeling wherever they touched. She gently stroked his body with one hand, her nails teasing between his eyes a bit before running up to the peak of his body and then back down to his tentacles and then back again, her other hand holding onto the tip of one of those tendrils. As she often did when cuddling the mermaid used her mental link with Galo not to speak to him, but instead to make herself as much an open book to him as she could, sharing her emotional state, her feelings, occasionally an idle thought.

It wasn't long at all before things took a less than innocent turn, though that wasn't intentional on Galo's part. One of his tendrils wormed its way under her bra, popping it open and wrapping round her breast, gently coiling and uncoiling, suckers teasing at her flesh. Occasionally Ilona tried to resist the pleasure that this sort of thing provoked in her, but normally she just let the arousal come naturally; her body was too sensitive, her friend's touch too pleasant, and it took more concentration than it was worth. Her nipple was soon stiff atop her soft breast, the mermaid responding to Galo's touch with little wiggles atop their bed, her breathing quickening a little. He would be able to feel her arousal through their mental link, though there wasn't any urgency to it, and she continued to lazily stroke him with her eyes closed. Even this was relaxing for her, and she was feeling pretty wonderful laying with him, safe and warm after the dangerous events of the day. It would be quite easy for him to get Ilona to acquiesce if he noted her arousal and decided he wanted to press on and do something with it, though she could just as easily fall asleep with him like this. Perhaps to a pleasant dream, if he were to continue teasing her enough...