Call me crazy. But here I am. Next to the altar. On the square, sorrounded by thousands of Frog People Kuo-Toa. With all of my friends, we are standing in the row, our hands tied behind our backs, we are just hoping that our binds are really fake and that they will really slide down at the right moment. Our weapons hidden under our clothes. We are about to be sacrificed. And we agreed to that voluntarily. Let me explain how we ended up here. This is series about Out of the Abyss Dungens and Dragons campaign so don't read it if you don't want spoilers.
Last time we ended hanging in the whirlpool right in front of the gigantic monster's mouth. However, I had the whole day to think about our situation so I figured out possible solution, which was surprisingly simple. Let's choke it! I took my crossbow and attached the rope to the arrow which I then shot straight into the monster's mouth. Others followed my example and soon the monster's throat was full of little annoying arrows, just like the throat of careless fish eater is irritated by small but deadly fish bones. It worked marvelously. The monster made long weird noise, disturbed the waters in deadly agony and disappeared in the deep.
For this moment we were saved. We continued our voyage for some time. We encountered empty ship with strange backpack laying inside. My rogue reflexes did not let me hesitate and I found myself jumping into the boat my heart filled with exitement and curiosity. In that moment three small black demons dropped their invisible cloaks and jumped at me, stabbing me with their daggers. Our victory was paid with blood. My blood, mostly, since I received demonic dagger right into my back. In the backpack there was nothing special, just mushrooms. I should remember this lesson for the next time...
As we were approaching closer to the Frog city, our mood lightened up. We were about to be saved! Shusha was about to return home! That was a good reason for happiness. In the distance appeared the ship with eight Frog People going our direction.
'Ahoj, our friends!' I shouted.
'Ahoj!'
No response. They were getting closer, paddling quickly towards us. Their eyes looked crazy, but let's admit it, eyes of all Frog People look quite insane. As they reached our boat they suddenly pulled out their knives and jumped at us.
That was surprising, shocking and very offensive. We of course fought back. They were shouting something froggish, which Shusha translated with horror in his face.
'They want to sacrifice us,' he informed me. 'That is very unusual, we normally do not perform blood sacrifices... that is weird.'
We were not up to being sacrificed, whatever change of religion Frog People absolved and since we were in majority, we defeated the crew of the boat. Another boat appeared in the distance. Someone was shouting and they were heading our direction.
'Back! Let's sail away quickly!' I shouted while turning the boat away from the newcommers.
'We will not be sacrificed today!'
I was stopped by Frog Shusha's hand on my shoulder.
'I know this one,' he said. 'This is our High Priestes, she's a good frog. Let me hear what she says.'
'She is shouting, they need help,' he added after the moment.
They were now close enough to hear words of squeaqky frog language. They exchanged few sentences and Shusha was translating.
The High Priestes made us an offer we could not possibly refuse. According to her, we were their salvation, it was reveiled to them by Gods that we would come. Situation is that the daughter of the High Priestes, called something like Blukbluk Butt (I probably did not catch it correctly, I am not a frog) she decided to worship Sea Father, rather than Sea Mother as the rest of the folk. That brought trouble because Sea Father is quite picky in his sacrifies and usually demands ritual slaughter of living creatures, which new cult happily offers. The rest of the city is paralyzed and horrified by this monstrosity. This is why, she explained, she is happy we came. They can capture us and offer us as a sacrifice, but not for real, just as a bluff. When Sea Father guys will be about to slip our throats open, therefore not paying attention, the Sea Mother folks will kill them or capture them, depending on what will turn out as necessary. We will slip out of our very losely bound ropes, pull out our weapons (which for some mysterious reason will not be taken from us) and help them to reinforce peace and order.
Bravo! I could not help it but to laugh and clap the hands to the most stupid idea ever. These frogs should be comedians. This is the best joke I have heard! But then I realized that my friends are not even slightly as amused as me. On the contrary, they looked like they were seriously considering it!
'Come on, guys!' I shouted. 'Why would they not sacrifice us for real? It brings peace to the city and costs them less hassle! You don't really believe that she wants to kill her own daughter? And moreover, what is there for us, if we decide to undergo the risk?'
'I can assure you that we have no interest in killing you for real. And we will reward you generously. Not only with possessions, but we will also send a guide with you to show you way to the upper land. Isn't that what you are after?'
This damn frog was right, it was what we were after. But I still did not believe in chance to actually live until that point.
'Let me speak with my friends.' Frog nodded and gave us some space.
After consulting with my team I had to face unpleasant tre. It turned out that I was seriously outnumbered. My friends actually wanted to undergo the risk. They belived the priestess and they wanted to go home. They wanted home really desperately, for all costs. After some time I gave in the pressure and resigned. As I looked at these frogs, they did not seem like guys who are just able to simply accept 'no' as an answer... Everyone has to die sometime and it seems that our time came any way we choose.
They tied our hands loosely as they promised (which I found ridiculous since we still were wearing the chains anyway) and led us through the Frog city. Their culture and way of life was fascinating. Basically all Frog people walk while sleeping. One never knows if the person outside is on the way somewhere or is just performing aimless sleepwalk. They also consider as polite to walk in circles around the person they are listening to. The folk of Frog city however showed great deal of mistrust in our presence. The high priestes led us to her house, out of the curious eyes of bypassers who happened to be awake.
In her home we could relax and have some rest. She gave us some soup and brought blacksmith to take rid of the goddam chains. Than we had some few minutes just to rest and chat. After that Frog soldiers came, tied us up again as agreed and gave us to the worshipers of Sea Father who were waiting outside. And that is how we ended up on the place I started with. I have hidden under my jacket a dagger in the hope to get a chance to use it. Together with us was brought to sacrifice some badly beaten dark dwarf.
We were standing in the row, each of us had a personal guard behind us. As the sign from their dark priestess came, they grabbed us and brought to the altar which looked like this:
Gosh! In the beginning I just thought that the teenage daughter of good priestess just turned into the gothic, but this was completely different level! They forced us on the knees, put out their knifes and right before they would oupen our throats and end our miserable lifes, the good priestes grabbed a spare and stabbed her own daughter to the death.I was disguisted and horryfied, but also quite relieved, so I threw away my ropes and with my short sword attacked the guard behind me. The others did the same. The two camps of frog people were fighting for life and death. But in the moment when the body of the dark priestes has fallen accidentaly on the altar, everyone stopped in horror. The earth has shaken and we have witnessed something which can't be possibly described by words. The gigantic monster with two heads and tenticles instead of the arms raised from the water and filled the space in cave. It was bigger than the whole city. It was probably deamon, raised straight from hell, through some portal which has opened in the water.Ella was starring at this monster and forgot to breeth.
This. Can't. Be. True.
Before my boyfriend ended the session he informed me, that we (or Frog People) have apparently awaken a deamon level 26. Highest level player's character can reach is 20 and characters of this level are basically gods. This is level 26. Good luck, Ella, good luck...
Comments