Patchwork Universe

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 4:44 pm Post subject: Who was that masked monster?

OOC: Doomshadow enters from The Map Room: The Dark Lord Triumphant

Doomshadow flew high above the countryside, with only the occasional drop of smoking ichor falling on the fields below to betray his presence. He recognised this place. Here was where the gods, unable to destroy him, had tried to drive him mad. He must move quickly...

As he went, he considered his destination. One of the slabs which had been deposited on the western edge of the map had been marked with an image of a fortress, coloured a dark, bloody red. A fortress built of blood... yes, that sounded promising.

Experimentally, he began to sing to himself.

"He came to Sherwood Deep with a kelp frond on his head,
A fighter never looking for a fight,
His gills were always ready and he kept his suckers clean,
He used them to fight for what was right."

"Octopus John, Octopus John, swimming through the sea..."

Yes, this was the right stuff. Any brave rebel fighting the evil gods should have a song written about his deeds, after all...

OOC: Apologies to the 1950s Robin Hood TV show. Not that I'm sure it deserves them...

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

[ooc: Snark arrives from Chimera 'The Sky Was Good For Flying']

Nearly three miles above the ground the air was empty of almost everything but clouds. The masked monster might be invisible to anyone on the ground but as a blue wizard sailed through from the mists to the south, he noticed it immediately.

Snark Sinistre's blue sphere of elemental force glowed brightly with energy as he prepared his defenses.

Snark wore a blue pointy hat and blue-black robes, he carried a black staff with an inset blue gem. In the blue sky he might have passed as a mere storm cloud on the horizon. But his magic was palpable to any creature capable of sensing it.

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:25 pm Post subject:

Doomshadow could sense a powerful aura nearby. Arrogance, intelligence, a strong flavour of obsession and no sense of humour whatsoever... could it be... Father?

He came to a stop and hovered, his wings beating frantically while he closed his mundane eyes and concentrated on the view through the third. Surely Father could not really have escaped? Not after Mother had eaten all of his brains... But whoever the aura might belong to, it contained an undeniable hint of Doomshadow.

The dark lord considered. Whatever this creature might be, it would surely be impressed by a fine set of gills. Exerting all of his will, he instructed the nascent organs in his neck to double in size.

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

There was something ahead of him. Snark sensed the disturbance of the astral currents. This area possessed some magic of a weak and feeble sort that hid itself behind closed doors in the back of the mind.

But ahead of him was a surge of power, raw and untamed, the aura of a rogue mage or a hedge wizard. A mind that writhed away from Snark's mental probe like a wild thing.

"I am Snark," he shouted towards the flying monster. "Wizard of the Dark Towers and Master of the Cold Flame. Name yourself, if name you have."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:57 pm Post subject:

Doomshadow's memories of the curse the gods had laid on this land were extremely vivid. Whatever he did, he could not afford to lie. That way lay... Warble. On the other tentacle, he had now seen the blue wizard with his quotidian eyes, and, whoever he might be, he didn't look like Daddy. Most likely, he was some emissary of the craven gods, sent to intercept Doomshadow before he could achieve his goal. He must not allow the intruder to penetrate his cunning disguise and learn his true identity...

Still, it was not for nothing that Doomshadow had spent ten years sitting at the webbed feet of his old strategy tutor, commonly known as The Inscrutable Toad.

He took a moment to prepare, and then began to recite in a slow monotone:

"Deep, deep in the sea
The fear filled fish rejoice...
Son Of Squid has come."

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

Snark was always wary of anything that sounded like an incantation but this sounded like no spell he had ever heard. Perhaps the flying creature was a half-wit?

But no. The Gods might choose strangely but they'd never yet selected a complete idiot to join this world - although there were some of his erstwhile allies that Snark had his doubts about.

"I am Snark Sinistre," he said again, floating in the air a few metres away from the winged monster. "I seek allies in my quest to bring down the infamous Brainstorm, a man who has polluted the pure aether with cold iron. By the magic I sense from you, it seems you are akin to wizard-kind. Tell me your name and perhaps I shall permit you to join me in my task."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:58 pm Post subject:

Doomshadow's opinion of the stranger was dropping rapidly. All dressed up in those pretentious blue robes, and yet unable to decode the simplest of stories? He snorted, unpleasantly.

The more the dark lord saw of Snark, the more he reminded him of his father. But this was not Father. And his arrogance and pomposity were making Doomshadow very, very angry... The tips of his tentacles twitched, hungrily.

Still, if there was one thing life... or unlife... in the Mausoleum taught you, it was that powerful idiots should be treated with care.

"I talked... of Octopus John. John, Son of... Squid.", Doomshadow shouted slowly, as if explaining to a small child. "There are many stories... of how he fought... the bad fish." He paused. "The hollow fish. Of Notting Sea."

It was at this point that Doomshadow's secondary brain, never the fastest of his various pieces of mental equipment, began to speak to him. "Dark Towers... He said...", it whispered in his third ear, and showed him a picture of the first slab he had placed in the pillar. The one with an image of two looming black towers...

"And you...", the dark lord continued. "You are the first one... I rescued. From the dust... and the void."

He paused.

"Come. Your debt... is great. But you can begin... to repay. Follow me... minion."

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

"Minion?" The sphere of blue light that surrounded the wizard began to glow brighter in response to his outrage. "How dare you suggest such a thing, you slimy thing with legs, spawn of a slimy sea."

Levelling his staff he summoned the elemental power of the lords of fire and blasted a fireball of roaring blue aetheric flame towards his antagonist.

[occ: Both Snark and Doomshadow have a 'Good' character stat. But in this patch Doomshadow's patch rating is effectively Feeble (two places way from the Mausoleum, rated poor) and Snark's effectively Weak (four places way from Dark Towers, rated strong). Miss Mercury is the Local GM for this conflict but if she doesn't act the power rests with Snark.]

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:46 pm Post subject:

The Dark Lord fell from the heavens like a burning meteor, wrapped in blue balefire. His wings twitched spasmodically as he dropped helplessly towards the roof of the school, almost three miles below but approaching fast. He could smell burned tentacle.

"Lady of Beetles", he whispered to himself. "Could this be the end of Doomshadow?"

Within his chest cavity he could feel the Philosopher's Egg pulsing wildly out of synchronisation. At least if this proved to be the end of his story, the explosion of the Egg would ensure that there were no surviving witnesses to his downfall...

Miss Mercury · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:58 pm Post subject:

Miss Mercury stormed out into the rose garden, glaring up into the sky.

"You two boys, get down here NOW. Right now." The voice made them wince, even three miles away.

Snark surprised himself by sheepishly making his way down into the rose garden. Lord Doomshadow likewise, but somewhat relieved to find his descent more controlled than previously.

Miss Mercury's cheeks were slightly flushed, and the skin white around her lips. Snark and Doomshadow hurriedly tidied up robes and tentacles as appropriate.

"What, may I ask, do you horrible boys think you are doing fighting on school grounds? I haven't seen such dreadful behaviour since Margery Whitsun was here. And you," staring at Doomshadow, "stop smoking. Straight away." The flames flickered and died.

Miss Mercury whipped out a hard-backed book, and turned to Snark. "Name?"

Snark mumbled.

"Speak up, boy."

"Snark Sinistre, Miss" he mumbled, only slightly more coherent.

"Right", said Miss Mercury, making a note in the book. "And you?"

"LordDoomshadow,MissMercury" replied the Dark Lord, all in a rush and with a slight sniffle.

"Doomshadow? Lilac? I see. I wanted a word with you, young man. How serendipitous that you should...ah... drop in to see me. Go and sit in my study while I deal with your little friend."

"YesMissMercury."

"And Lilac, while I think of it, was it you dropping smoking ichor on my fields? You'll clean that right up when I'm finished talking to you."

"YesMissMercurySorryMissMercury."

"Now, Master Sinistre, you come with me, please, and take that silly hat off once you're inside, if you would."

Miss Mercury led Snark Sinistre into the sixth form study room, where Mrs Clarysage was supervising a study period. She guided Snark across the room and into a seat next to Mrs Clarysage's desk.

"Pen, paper, Master Sinistre. 1000 lines, please - 'There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them'. Write neatly, and bring the lines to me in my study when you've finished."

With a small ladylike sniff of disdain, Miss Mercury returned to her study and sat down opposite the somewhat charred and snotty Dark Lord.

"Now, young... person, I'm interested to talk to you as I have just been speaking to the lovely Rose Briar, an acquaintance of yours. Tell me about Lilac and tell me about Doomshadow. Who are you? What are you? I'd like to help you if I can."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:53 pm Post subject:

He was helpless in the place of his enemies. The gods' interrogator sat down and shone the dazzling light of her aura directly into his third eye. He was half blind when he heard her make her demands...

The torture would begin soon, he knew.

"Name, phylum and spawning pool." That was what they said in the army, wasn't it?

He began to speak, and paused. Who was he? Every brain stuttered in confusion, stunned by the aetheric attack. Who was he?

"My name is... Lilac Doomshadow".

No, that wasn't right.

"I am... Lord Warble."

Deep inside his mind, a black tentacled figure chased its twin. The first was dressed in leather armour, the other in a shining white robe. The fugitive stopped, turned to face its pursuer, and shouted "Rose likes me better than you! Rose likes me, she doesn't like you!"

He shook his head, trying to dislodge the vision. Who was he?

"I am called... Lord Lilac Doom." He paused. "Son of Squid", he added.

Yes, that sounded right...

Miss Mercury · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 2:33 pm Post subject:

Miss Mercury sat quietly, watching the struggling Lord-Lilac-Warble-Doomshadow.

"What can I do right now to make you more comfortable? Would you perhaps like some music? Some refreshments?"

Miss Mercury stood up and pulled a bell cord by the side of the fireplace.

"Would you like me to do as Rose asked, and to help you in your current confusion? You have different facets within you, and I have counselled people with similar conditions before. However, I would not want to do so without your consent."

A maid knocked and entered the study. Miss Mercury turned to her visitor.

"Lilac? Would you like something to eat or drink?"

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:41 pm Post subject:

Within his mind, the black and white figures sank out of sight, their tentacles wrapped round each other's throats. He felt strangely... empty. Abandoned. On his neck, the gills pulsed gently, sucking in air.

What had the woman said? What did he want?

"I need... to go home. Home to the sea."

"I must see... the bluebait. They will be... frightened. Without their fisherd."

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:51 am Post subject:

Miss Mercury considered him quietly, then stood up.

"Come, then. I will not impede you. I'll see you out of the building, and on your way."

She concentrated on bringing calm, clarity and control to this poor creature's mind. Calm and peace.

As they stood outside the main entrance, she spoke again.

"Please consider me as your friend. If you need me, please come to me. But, my dear, no littering next time, please. It distresses the villagers."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:28 pm Post subject:

Octopus John's memories were blurred and foggy. Once, he remembered, he had descended to the bottom of Lionheart's Trench, and encountered the Raptures of the Deep. Could another meeting with those hallucinatory mistfish be responsible for his confusion?

He looked at the woman standing next to him, and slowly he began to remember. This was the Silver Mermother, the legendary sorceress who walked as easily on land as she swam under sea. He pulsed his throat swellings at her in a gesture of respect and farewell (the glands in his neck seemed strangely small, as if only just grown...) and turned away to look at the sky.

He must be in the Empty World. The over sea world, where the air was thin to the point of invisibility, and most creatures were confined to the bottom, creeping along the ground like limping crabs. During the journey to the outside he had accepted a glass of water from the hand of a charming human child, and now he took the opportunity to pour it over his aching gills, before placing the empty vessel carefully on the ground.

What could he be doing here? He seemed to remember a war against Heaven, an innocent mermaid in need of rescue from... a burning man made from screaming beetles? Surely not. That was just ridiculous.

No matter. He was Octopus John. Protector of the Small, speaker for those without voices (and indeed without mouths). He was the hero of the most thrilling stories that Doomshadow had ever heard (Doomshadow? Who was he?). He would rescue the mermaid, defeat the gods, and set all things right, before returning to the Cave of Solitude, his undersea fortress in the heart of the ancient kelp forests...

It took a moment to prepare his wings for flight above the waves. Undersea was always better, but flying in the Empty World held its own special joy. He must return to Sherwood Deep, return to rest and to recover his stolen memories.

He could remember a map. He had been going... west. And there was an ocean to the west. Stormy waves with a human castle above them, and flocks of fish below. That must have been his destination. That was where he would go now...