Aug 08 2022, 09:55 AM
As the group began to slog their way up the slopes again, it would be Khavur to find and lead the way. By virtue of its great size, it would be able to see over the tops of some of the thicker foliage, and pick the narrow, worn path from the jungle. This path led to the top of the ridge, and then upward along the ridge, right to the foot of the volcano's searing maw...
Relic would find herself facing, as she headed up, a little bit of cross-traffic. Just as she ascended the trail, a small herd of large, strange creatures--mysteriously almost silent in their approach--would cross the trail before her. But they were not hostile; one turned and peered, leaning down to snuffle with warm breath--horselike--with gentle curiosity. Then they'd moved on, their six-foot-tall bodies, mottled green and brown, vanishing quietly into the underbrush as though they'd never been. As they moved farther, one gave a long, fluting call, the sail atop its head flaring out: it was these that had been creating the most musical of sounds.
Relic has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Sailfin Singer!
Obieth would hear something not unlike a distant argument--but wordless, a series of grumbling cries. Upon investigating, she'd find a few enormous creatures standing in a clearing just off the beaten path. Cryptic in color, they'd be hard to spot at first--until she looked up: they were each twelve feet tall, some forty five feet long, weighing several tons. Each had six legs and thankfully, seemed herbivorous... but each also bore two heads. One of the creatures' two heads were bickering with one another, creating the sound that she had heard, as the others browsed the underbrush nearby.
Obieth has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Pugna!
Nidhogg, hauling himself half-paralyzed up the hill, would spot something up on the ridgeline just ahead. Luckily he was moving too slowly to stumble onto it, because it looked deadly: nine feet tall, a dull blue flashed with orange and yellow warning colors, and half-made of enormous blades. A shield extended from its skull, and sharp horns curved up from between its six red eyes. A coat of feathers trailed behind it as it moved, grazing along the ridge, but it stopped to study Nidhogg. After a moment it pawed the ground, bellowing a warning. It would be best for Nidhogg to avoid these.
Nidhogg has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Scythorn!
Madhukar would be alerted to a low grumble from above, then a huff. A huge creature lay sprawled along the thick branches of one of the island's enormous trees, perched just above the trail. Either it wasn't hunting just now, or the group was too large to tackle, for it simply lay there watching from its spot. Its lazy lounging was almost catlike, but it looked nothing like a cat; its shadow-striped hide was pebbled, its red-pigmented head sporting multiple horns, its long tail pointed as it flicked along the branches. The beast would be fully five feet tall when standing--dwarfing any big cat--and the huge claws on its forelimbs would undoubtedly be deadly. It yawned--a row of razor fangs catching the light--then settled in to watch the procession of Gembounds pass.
Madhukar has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Deinocornus!
Relic would find herself facing, as she headed up, a little bit of cross-traffic. Just as she ascended the trail, a small herd of large, strange creatures--mysteriously almost silent in their approach--would cross the trail before her. But they were not hostile; one turned and peered, leaning down to snuffle with warm breath--horselike--with gentle curiosity. Then they'd moved on, their six-foot-tall bodies, mottled green and brown, vanishing quietly into the underbrush as though they'd never been. As they moved farther, one gave a long, fluting call, the sail atop its head flaring out: it was these that had been creating the most musical of sounds.
Relic has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Sailfin Singer!
Obieth would hear something not unlike a distant argument--but wordless, a series of grumbling cries. Upon investigating, she'd find a few enormous creatures standing in a clearing just off the beaten path. Cryptic in color, they'd be hard to spot at first--until she looked up: they were each twelve feet tall, some forty five feet long, weighing several tons. Each had six legs and thankfully, seemed herbivorous... but each also bore two heads. One of the creatures' two heads were bickering with one another, creating the sound that she had heard, as the others browsed the underbrush nearby.
Obieth has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Pugna!
Nidhogg, hauling himself half-paralyzed up the hill, would spot something up on the ridgeline just ahead. Luckily he was moving too slowly to stumble onto it, because it looked deadly: nine feet tall, a dull blue flashed with orange and yellow warning colors, and half-made of enormous blades. A shield extended from its skull, and sharp horns curved up from between its six red eyes. A coat of feathers trailed behind it as it moved, grazing along the ridge, but it stopped to study Nidhogg. After a moment it pawed the ground, bellowing a warning. It would be best for Nidhogg to avoid these.
Nidhogg has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Scythorn!
Madhukar would be alerted to a low grumble from above, then a huff. A huge creature lay sprawled along the thick branches of one of the island's enormous trees, perched just above the trail. Either it wasn't hunting just now, or the group was too large to tackle, for it simply lay there watching from its spot. Its lazy lounging was almost catlike, but it looked nothing like a cat; its shadow-striped hide was pebbled, its red-pigmented head sporting multiple horns, its long tail pointed as it flicked along the branches. The beast would be fully five feet tall when standing--dwarfing any big cat--and the huge claws on its forelimbs would undoubtedly be deadly. It yawned--a row of razor fangs catching the light--then settled in to watch the procession of Gembounds pass.
Madhukar has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Deinocornus!
As the Gembound--led by Khavur--made their way to the tip, the path would finally become clearer. Ahead, the ridge rose up and out of sight, against the backdrop of the smoking volcano mouth. The bellowing and roaring became louder; the ground shook with what felt like a titanic battle! Now and then the lightning flared... except it wasn't lightning? It was bright flashes of light, and a strange sound like a hissing roar accompanying each.
Those who chose to push onward to their destination would crest the hill to find a huge, open area--almost an arena, of sorts.
Most interesting was the battle royale itself: an enormous, pale-furred yeti leaping forward to swing heavy fists at its opponent. The yeti might be recognized to some as Svarog, and it was likely his trail they had been tracking: but the beast it was fighting was alien to all of them. Toweringly tall, covered in jagged scales that glowed with swelling light, its clawed forelimbs swept for Svarog while a long tail swept the forest clear behind it. Then its maw opened, glowing light swelling in its jaws...
The Gembounds have discovered: KIHAN
Gembound may choose to throw themselves into battle, or to take a moment to prepare.
It might also be wise to glance over the arena itself: made of worn stone, it featured an ancient mural etched into the tiles of its floor, cracked and overgrown. This mural seemed to depict the very monster that Svarog was battling... a little smaller, a little less spiky. But in the carvings, beams were holding it in place, beams fired by objects placed around the arena's edge. Was this place a prison, then?
Around the outside of the arena, overgrown mirrors were perched on axes of black wrought iron, rotated to point every which way--these could be rotated, despite being dusty and overgrown with vines.
Those who chose to push onward to their destination would crest the hill to find a huge, open area--almost an arena, of sorts.
Most interesting was the battle royale itself: an enormous, pale-furred yeti leaping forward to swing heavy fists at its opponent. The yeti might be recognized to some as Svarog, and it was likely his trail they had been tracking: but the beast it was fighting was alien to all of them. Toweringly tall, covered in jagged scales that glowed with swelling light, its clawed forelimbs swept for Svarog while a long tail swept the forest clear behind it. Then its maw opened, glowing light swelling in its jaws...
The Gembounds have discovered: KIHAN
Gembound may choose to throw themselves into battle, or to take a moment to prepare.
It might also be wise to glance over the arena itself: made of worn stone, it featured an ancient mural etched into the tiles of its floor, cracked and overgrown. This mural seemed to depict the very monster that Svarog was battling... a little smaller, a little less spiky. But in the carvings, beams were holding it in place, beams fired by objects placed around the arena's edge. Was this place a prison, then?
Around the outside of the arena, overgrown mirrors were perched on axes of black wrought iron, rotated to point every which way--these could be rotated, despite being dusty and overgrown with vines.
@Opie @Catalyst (Andromeda) @Tsetse @Bayo @Aethril @Jinyi @Madhukar (Khavur, Kaimana) @Obieth (Nidhogg, Rex) @Relic
