Fitness Quest: The Runes of NorthRoy🧙‍♂️

JohnStrong

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Commando from Alberta
Posts: 653
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Having fully recovered (except for my scent which will die with this set of armor) I returned to the fray.

I entered chamber #5 and encountered another backwards Guardian!

We clashed steel. This former brother was a veteran like me.

"Have you enjoyed throwing your lot in with these creatures old man?!"

He chuckled as the edges of our swords ground against one another.

"Oh, a loyalist eh? Pathetic. Loyal... to NorthRoy. Ha! At least Mok puts meat on my plate."

I struck him with my shield, but he came back swinging sending me back into a corner.

"Meat? Is that what the brotherhood taught you to fight for?"

He found an opening and thrust his sword, slicing my side. Gah! I tumbled sideways away from him and maintained my guard.

"The brotherhood? That order was a joke. A bad one at that. Wake up warrior. Your King betrayed you, hmm? The man you're fighting for sold his soul... for some stones."

No. Not on my watch. These lies would not live me down.

I parried his strike and cut straight through his shield, breastplate, and forearm. His sword rang on the floor with his hand still attached to it.

"Stop! How can you... what choice did we have?! You remember his words! You would stand by him?! By that?!"

I'd heard this rubbish before.

"Collect yourself. I'll give you this," I said icily, with my sword pointed at his face. "Prepare for ascendance; or die as Mok's dog. Your choice."

He caught his breath. Leaning forward, he balanced himself on his knees, with his head raised high, and his eyes closed. I cut him through.

Rune count: 💎(12)
 
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Anek

Anek

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Sorceress from Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 2,904
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
After a good rest I travelled to chamber 81. The shapeshifter there turned itself into a Zombie, thinking of scaring me, but my staff whirled through the air with a satisfying swish and that monster was no more.
Schatten and Ombra are restless and want to go bite into some tasty creatures, but for now this will have to do.

Total runes: 19
 
TopNotch

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 2,096
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
More and more chambers have been cleared of their foul occupants, but still some pockets of evil remained. I entered chamber #102 and there confronted a Black Panther. Once again, I tried the trick with the cat nip but this was a female and she scorned my offerings. For a moment, we were locked immobile, muscle against muscle, and her soft black ear was close to my mouth.
"There's a doped-up male panther in Chamber #148 who really needs sorting out," I whispered.
She sprang away from me and leapt from the chamber, and I smiled as I pocketed the runes she had left behind.

Runes collected: 2
Total runes: 29
 
Anek

Anek

Well-known member
Sorceress from Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 2,904
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
What! Another Zombie in chamber 42? I thought I had found them all! Ah well, not a big deal. In chamber 41 though I encountered a Dark Elf, now these I had never seen before, although I had heard the tales of my comrades' victories against these creatures. With a tricky spell and a bit of staff use, Schatten and Ombra have now a delicious dinner.

Total runes: 21
 
chickadee

chickadee

Member
Barbarian Posts: 20
The Birdbarian had accidentally drawn the attention of two lone warriors… who fought each other to death instead! Outrageous! Beating a maniac through a flurry of tiny talons and the use of a gentle, if somewhat stale, updraft took some of the sting of dismissal out. Another few small spiders were delicious and ramped up the power to unleash upon… an orc! While the fight was unfortunately nondescript, the small Barbarian emerged with a couple of scrapes and a crooked beak… which is excellent. Every warrior should have a few marks of battle!

Chambers 3, 4, 18, 20, & 21 are cleared!

Runes: 20
 
Logan

Logan

Well-known member
Gladiator from Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, US
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 167
"Once more, once more."
165
After taking a day to wander out of this shadowy valley to assist a farmer, the hay bales can't move themselves, I returned to confront the orc.
I had a bit of an advantage as my similar build and its poor eyesight made it think I was another orc it seems. I was able to get the jump on it and dispatch it to an earth nap.
It was interesting, his attack played to my advantage as he was repelled not by sprightly fae-like agility but brute power.
[one slight substitution, dumbell curls for the towel curls. I'm 285lb/129kg and would no doubt damage any door with those.]
He was difficult but not haunting me like that damn Enforcer. I'm still annoyed with that guy.

+2, 20 runes
 
Logan

Logan

Well-known member
Gladiator from Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, US
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 167
"Once more, once more."
163
Trained with a Dragon Knight for the day. This valley has a thing for lunges.
He gave me a few runes, I made him a nice pork Lo Mein stir fry.

+2, 22 runes

I wandered in further and only could find a find trace signs that someone had cut a wide swath through the area, apparently through similar foes to those I had seen. There were even some monstrous Ogre remains about. Someone stealthy and not to be trifled with was here. Up ahead I hear strangely colorful music. I'll see if this bard is also clearing monsters. So far I have seen signs of a sorceress, a ranger, and a bard.
I now hear that up north a warrior from an order called the Guardians and a tiny but extremely vicious barbarian with a notably black head (atri capillus) have cleared most of the shadows over that area.

I suspect there may be a few more troublesome areas. Will have to do some scouting later.
 
TopNotch

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 2,096
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Thankfully it was becoming more difficult to find a chamber that still contained some undefeated ghoul. I headed northward to chamber #85 where I confronted a beast unknown to me, a Werewolf! My entire body coiled and uncoiled, battling this creature until finally, it lay defeated before me. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I ventured into chamber #73, where a familiar type of foe lurked - a Maniac. My body was well-practised at the moves that it takes to best one of these, and it was almost all over before it began. Another two chambers cleared.

Runes collected: 2
Total runes: 31
 
TopNotch

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 2,096
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
From far away I heard the Guardian roar that the Inquisitor was his. Confident that everything was under control there, I set off to chamber #116. Another Maniac. This time, I unsheathed my bokken and made the blade sing. I wiped the blood from my blade and moved cautiously on, through cleared chamber after cleared chamber. My fellow hunters had done well!
In chamber #49, I came across another Rogue Warrior but I had the measure of these creatures and after a hard fight, I conquered. Dripping sweat and panting hard, I made my way to one final chamber, #6. A gargoyle. I have a strange fondness for these beasts and it was almost with regret that I saw it burst into flames and disappear.

Runes collected: 4
Total runes: 35
 
JohnStrong

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Commando from Alberta
Posts: 653
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
"GLLZZZTTT-BBCHHT-KKKCC-GATT!!!"

I hadn't the foggiest idea what words this Inquisitor had been casting at me from beyond his chamber, but he continued spitting his noises at me as I jumped into chamber #26. He clutched a slimy book, dripping with purple ooze. His multiple eyes both glared at me and fed him words from an old page. He was disgusting and I felt uneasy.

"SCZZZZZZZ-FNNN-ZCH!"

Suddenly my sword arm felt deathly cold, all at once. My weapon rang on the floor and I discovered my entire arm had shriveled like a diseased branch of a tree! GAHH! HIS WORDS! No more can I allow him to speak!

I threw my shield at him and charged desperately. He floated easily out of it's path and signaled that he understood this game very well. He continued his evil whispers! What transpired was a pathetic goose chase, where he dodged, maneuvered and distanced himself from every attempt by me to reach him. At least this delayed his utterances and he was forced to restart his casting, repeating "BTZZZ-KULLL" multiple times. My vision began to fade - he was targeting my eyes!

This was my last chance. Catching him didn't work; I began hurling stones (with my non-dominant arm by the way!) which he deftly avoided - until lady luck made time for me once again. A long flat stone struck him right in his face and he dropped his tomb. My vision was barely with me but I hurled myself onto him. We scuffled on the wet dungeon floor, his wretched tentacles grasping at me. I wrapped what fingers I had around his thin neck and squeezed. It was impossible to maintain a one-armed grip in the struggle and no doubt he would complete his spell if I allowed him to speak. I spotted the lucky rock beside us and managed to grab it and lodged it on his windpipe! With a heave I threw my knees and all my weight onto the stone and the creature was flattened, unable to breathe. I kneeled there, stone in place, until all of his eyes stopped moving.
 
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JohnStrong

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Commando from Alberta
Posts: 653
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
@Laura Rainbow Dragon @Anek @chickadee @TopNotch @Logan

Suddenly a great quaking! And a CRASH!

A surge of stone dust and debris rushes into each chamber the adventurers occupy. Followed by a mighty roar nearly knocking you off your feet!

Something is speaking! No doubt it's been awakened because the entire dungeon has been cleared! 💪

"Show yourselves... interlopers... Mok is hungry!"

The words seem to come from everywhere, but the quaking and giant shifting of something comes from the center of the dungeon. Each of you clutches your runes as you rush towards what could be certain death... [go to 1st post for final encounter!]
 
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