Page 26 of Looking for Group
“Hi, Ella, Morag here.” She had a youngish-sounding voice, with a faint Brummie accent.
“Yo.” Somehow, Bjorn/Heurodis sounded exactly the same on Mumble as he did in chat, laconically Scandinavian.
Drew spent the first few minutes just listening, trying to fit voices to names to character names. Ialdir/Jacob turned out to be a softly-spoken American expat, Jargogle/Magda a straight-talking German woman, Dave a Scouse teenager, and the rest sort of blurred into a background of in-jokes and disconnected chatter. He listened for Solace but couldn’t pick her out.
At last they were all assembled, on their various flying creatures, under the thorny archway that was the portal to the raid instance.
[Raid][Morag]: Anyone not on Mumble?
“Everybody in,” came Morag’s voice, and they all piled through the portal into the Crown of Thorns.
The loading screen was Lady Bloodrose herself, wearing, it seemed, basically nothing but flowers. And then Orcarella was standing at the entrance to a vast spiral maze of thorns and blood-red roses. For some reason, various handy shopkeepers and armour smiths had set up camp here. Drew wasn’t sure, buthe thought it was meant to be some kind of forward base.
High Theurgist Venric was standing amongst them, emoting and making speeches.
[High Theurgist Venric] says: Brothers, I have anticipated this day with a heavy heart for ten long years, the day when finally the monster that is all that remains of my beloved Anthariel falls to righteous steel and holy fire.
“She dumped you, man,” groaned Bjorn. “Get over it.”
“Hey.”2 That was Ialdir. “She dumped him for his best friend, then ran away with his best friend halfway across the world, where they turned evil, unleashed a magical curse that destroyed his homeland, andthenhe had to cast them both down into the underworld, where they remained in prison, going slowly mad, for the next five hundred years. You can see why he’s bummed.”
[Raid][Solace]: Awww, he just needs a hug.
Drew obligingly ran over to the high theurgist and hugged him.
[Solace] whispers: Hee
Solace ran over too, as did Prospero, Ialdir, and Ignatius.
[Raid][Ialdir]: Group hug!
[Raid][Heurodis]: he doesnt need a hug
[Raid][Heurodis]: he needs to shut up and let us raid
“Speaking of.” Morag. “Let’s get this show on the road. Buff up while I talk to HTV.”
[Raid][Solace]: fish on the floor
[Raid][Ignatius]: yay fish
[Raid][Dave]: nom nom
The whole raid sat unceremoniously on the floor stuffing their faces with mystically fortifying fish while Morag jogged up to the high theurgist and triggered the starting event.
High Theurgist Venric strode to the centre of the chamber and carried on declaiming, while the raid group carried on eating fish and ignoring him.
[High Theurgist Venric] says: Brothers, within this labyrinth lurk many vile and terrifying creatures. I and my men will remain here and guard the portal so that none may break free into the outside world.
“Oh, thanks for having our back, man.” Bjorn.
The high theurgist turned away from them and raised his arms, mystical light gathering between his hands. The curtain of thorns that obscured the way into the maze parted.
[Yell][High Theurgist Venric]: Anthariel, I do this for love of the woman you were!
[Yell][Lady Bloodrose]: Your compassion has always been your weakness. Face me, and die!
“See,” said Morag. “This is why I don’t do men. Well, that and not fancying them. So, anyway, welcome Drew aboard the good ship Same Crit Different Day. We won’t go for a full clear tonight. We’ll do up to Vilicus and then probably call it. I’ll be your raid leader this evening. In the event of an emergency, exits are here,here, and here. Bjorn is loot master because I can’t be arsed and he gets off on the power.”
