The Quest Giver [Einmal Mod Account] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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eswareinmal2018-12-02 06:48 pm
thequestgiver) wrote in eswareinmal2018-12-02 06:48 pm
Entry tags:
Quest Time! Shrubbery Shenanigans : The Hedgerow Headache!
Up high on the top most turret of the castle is a somewhat strange sight for those who care to look up; a 10 foot tall dragon perched on one of the ledges, much like a gargoyle, seeming to be having a conversation with the air. Those of impossibly good eyesight might be able to spot the dragon’s companion; a 3 foot tall pixie with nut brown skin and silver-green leaf like hair, who’s lounging lazily on top of the dragon’s head, idly tracing lines around his scales. (But really. No one has eyesight that good. No, not even you, Harold.)
“If we keep waiting for there to be more of them, we’re going to be here forever, you know.”
There was a snort and a bit of a pout from the dragon, who reached up and idly started twirling his mustache. “Well, then, I suppose we can get things started earlier than planned.”
A similar snort answered his own. “As if you ever plan anything,” the pixie returned with amused admonishment. “Just admit it, you’re as bored as I am.”
“Well, maybe,” the dragon allowed. “It’s been so very quiet lately, hasn’t it? Even that load of etchings I brought to town didn’t stir up much of a fuss.”
“You didn’t hardly give them to anyone who’d cause a fuss,” the pixie countered. “The neutral types don’t really cause any sort of ripples in the fabric of things any more.”
The dragon pouts a bit. “It’s such a shame, really. Makes things far less lively. We need a little more life in here.”
“No argument here,” came the reply, the pixie stretching before getting carefully to her feet. “So, what do you think? Something for them to chase after? Or something more cryptic?”
Sven clapped his claws. “Ooh, let’s go cryptic, it’s been so long since we’ve done cryptic...maybe a maze? Something requiring wits? The foresight to bring along some breadcrumbs or string?”
The pixie debated as she carefully balanced on one foot on the top of one of Sven’s scales. “A test to see how alive they are?” she reflected thoughtfully as she stretched. “That might work, for a starting point.”
“And I’ve got an outstanding prize for them I can put in the middle of the maze!” Sven grinned with far too many teeth. “Something really valuable, and how they react to it will let us know how they handle things!”
Joan leaned down, to raise an eyebrow at her companion. “Something valuable. From you?” she repeated with a faint snort.
“All of my stuff valuable,” Sven said innocently. Too innocently. “Super duper valuable.”
Another, louder snort answered that. “Valuable to who, ” she returned, leaning an arm down to balance her weight on her companions snout.
“You say that like I care about any opinions other than my own,” came the airy reply.
With a small laugh, Joan somersaulted down Sven’s snout, fluttering in the air in front of him. “My mistake,” she allowed with amusement as she began to fly off towards the city walls.
Sven stretched his own wings and started off after her.
The next morning the gossip of the moment was all about the large thorne maze that had shown up overnight, not far from the Two-Faced Forest, with rumors that a fabulous treasure lay in the center, guarded by a vicious dragon! … or was it a troll? Myrtle said it must be a dragon, because dragons were the type to guard treasures like that, but almost everyone else said it was a troll, or worse, a goblin -- you know, the type that never brushed its teeth and always smelled of cabbage? No, not Uncle Westmere, though that is a good description of him most days--
But yes, anyway, the maze! A really big one, almost as big as the capital itself! Any hero who has the ill luck to encounter the townsfolk will find themselves pested to go check it out and see what all this talk of treasure really is about!
Not long after the rumors begin, a small group of trumpeters emerge from the castle, their horns somehow loud enough to be heard through the din of gossipers. … though it does take a few tries before said din finally dies down enough that the caller can finally bellow out his message (while the trumpeters quickly cover their ears):
“Let it be KNOOOOWN! The King does now SUMMON all the HEROES of the land to INVESTIGATE this disturbance that has ARRISIN just outside our city’s BORDERS and to then REPORT BACK their findings as to what TREASURE they hath found!”
He pauses to take a deep breath before continuing. “THAT IS AAAAALL!”
With one last tweddley twee of the horns, the bellower and the trumpeters retreat back into the castle.
(Coordination post is here)
“If we keep waiting for there to be more of them, we’re going to be here forever, you know.”
There was a snort and a bit of a pout from the dragon, who reached up and idly started twirling his mustache. “Well, then, I suppose we can get things started earlier than planned.”
A similar snort answered his own. “As if you ever plan anything,” the pixie returned with amused admonishment. “Just admit it, you’re as bored as I am.”
“Well, maybe,” the dragon allowed. “It’s been so very quiet lately, hasn’t it? Even that load of etchings I brought to town didn’t stir up much of a fuss.”
“You didn’t hardly give them to anyone who’d cause a fuss,” the pixie countered. “The neutral types don’t really cause any sort of ripples in the fabric of things any more.”
The dragon pouts a bit. “It’s such a shame, really. Makes things far less lively. We need a little more life in here.”
“No argument here,” came the reply, the pixie stretching before getting carefully to her feet. “So, what do you think? Something for them to chase after? Or something more cryptic?”
Sven clapped his claws. “Ooh, let’s go cryptic, it’s been so long since we’ve done cryptic...maybe a maze? Something requiring wits? The foresight to bring along some breadcrumbs or string?”
The pixie debated as she carefully balanced on one foot on the top of one of Sven’s scales. “A test to see how alive they are?” she reflected thoughtfully as she stretched. “That might work, for a starting point.”
“And I’ve got an outstanding prize for them I can put in the middle of the maze!” Sven grinned with far too many teeth. “Something really valuable, and how they react to it will let us know how they handle things!”
Joan leaned down, to raise an eyebrow at her companion. “Something valuable. From you?” she repeated with a faint snort.
“All of my stuff valuable,” Sven said innocently. Too innocently. “Super duper valuable.”
Another, louder snort answered that. “Valuable to who, ” she returned, leaning an arm down to balance her weight on her companions snout.
“You say that like I care about any opinions other than my own,” came the airy reply.
With a small laugh, Joan somersaulted down Sven’s snout, fluttering in the air in front of him. “My mistake,” she allowed with amusement as she began to fly off towards the city walls.
Sven stretched his own wings and started off after her.
The next morning the gossip of the moment was all about the large thorne maze that had shown up overnight, not far from the Two-Faced Forest, with rumors that a fabulous treasure lay in the center, guarded by a vicious dragon! … or was it a troll? Myrtle said it must be a dragon, because dragons were the type to guard treasures like that, but almost everyone else said it was a troll, or worse, a goblin -- you know, the type that never brushed its teeth and always smelled of cabbage? No, not Uncle Westmere, though that is a good description of him most days--
But yes, anyway, the maze! A really big one, almost as big as the capital itself! Any hero who has the ill luck to encounter the townsfolk will find themselves pested to go check it out and see what all this talk of treasure really is about!
Not long after the rumors begin, a small group of trumpeters emerge from the castle, their horns somehow loud enough to be heard through the din of gossipers. … though it does take a few tries before said din finally dies down enough that the caller can finally bellow out his message (while the trumpeters quickly cover their ears):
“Let it be KNOOOOWN! The King does now SUMMON all the HEROES of the land to INVESTIGATE this disturbance that has ARRISIN just outside our city’s BORDERS and to then REPORT BACK their findings as to what TREASURE they hath found!”
He pauses to take a deep breath before continuing. “THAT IS AAAAALL!”
With one last tweddley twee of the horns, the bellower and the trumpeters retreat back into the castle.
(Coordination post is here)