How We Stopped the Bat (Almost)

From: John Hughes <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 10:48:44 +1100


Mikko:
> Or is it at least somewhat vulnerable. The only thing I have been able
> to think of against it (RQ-3 version) is a really strong wind. (or the
> famous trick of teleporting on it's back and killing the priests
> controlling it)

I offer the following Far Point campaign memory without comment or apology. We were young. We were Orlanthi. We were thick as two Uroxi at Minlister's hearth. :)

HOW WE ALMOST STOPPED THE BAT, OR

T'was all the fault of Braggi Afraid of the Dark. He listens far too much to trolls for my way of thinking.

We thought it would make us heroes, but instead I lost two cousins and we were all chased from Tarsh like common murders.

Let it rest now. Remember that Odayla made a friend of the Woman Who Hides In Shadow, and discovered the power that dwells in Darkness. Remember too that when Orlanth met Dark Women, he embraced her. Yes, yes I know. I listen far too much to Braggi for your way of thinking. Now pass the sticklepick and be quiet.

Braggi said that underneath it all the Bat was just a bat, and the worse thing a bat hated was a tick, so what we had to do was find a bloody great big blood-sucking anti-chaos tick, a Crimson Tick, or better yet a fingerscore of them: and magic 'em onto the Bat, and let things work out. He said knew a Gorakikikikikkkkkkkkiki what-yer-call-it, an Uz insect priestess, and that she was sure to know a way to summon the Crimson Tick. Daft as a Canistame lamb, looking back on it; still we were young, we were men, we were Tovtaros, we had much to learn.

As usual with Braggi's schemes, it involved a long and hazardous journey north of the Cholanti, into the dark land where shadows dance. I'd been with him before, I was sick of mushroom stew, but he was my hearth brother and he carried scars for me, so I went. A right regular hero band we were: two Storm godi, three warriors gifted with iron, a group of curious Odaylans, a stead trollkin called Climbtree and an out-tula Vingan stupid enough to mock Braggi's name. And not an once of sense between us...

 Turned out, it wasn't quite as broad a path as Braggi thought. You wouldn't believe how many different kinds of insect priests the dark folk have!

An armed and wailing trollkin under every spore, those thieving Angarargarii, the smell!, the demands, those killer drinks, the loud, drum-crazy rituals... And just how do you think we *carried* four fingers of giant, hungry, bloodthirsty ticks across four Provinces looking for the Bat anyway. I tell you....

I leave the rest to your own creative powers. It's all downhill from here! :)

John



nysalor_at_... John Hughes
johnp.hughes_at_...

For every thing that lives is holy, life delights in life; Because the soul of sweet delight can never be defil'd.

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