Category: Event

#Lore24 – Entry #336 – Sci-Fi Month IV #1 – An Interview for the Ages

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

My many years of research have, it seems, struck paydirt at last.  Or perhaps this is to be my end, given who I’ve been researching.  I must admit to some amount of anxiety going into this interview…but can I really pass up the chance?  This could very well be THE interview for the ages, for if my research is accurate, and I have every confidence that it is, then my subject is amongst the most important and influential individuals in the entirety of the known galaxy!

Of course, I speak of none other than Rivalle Volcari, the nigh-mythical head of the corporate behemoth known as DSM.  What other names have staying power like that of Rivalle Voclari?  She’s been the head of the company for centuries, after all, and has driven DSM’s name to be spoken in virtually every inhabited system, their products, in some form or another, present in every home that is at least halfway modernized. 

My uncertainty about this interview stems from the darker side of DSM and Volcari’s reputation, which, to say the least, beyond being legendary, is rather terrifying, if the truth of even a fraction of the rumors are true.  To say that she is the literal boogeyman of the galaxy is not entirely unfounded, and some worlds (those that have suffered some calamity at the hands of DSM, allegedly) actually describe her in such terms.

Surely a single woman could not be such a power throughout the galaxy, could she?  But what if she was?  What would that mean?  And what does it mean that she has accepted my request for this one-of-a-kind interview?  I know that she is aware of my probing into her past, for I have ran afoul of her agents many times during my quest for the truth of the woman, the myth, the legend, what have you. 

I approach the landing pad of DSM’s headquarters even now and have a distinct discomfort growing within me the closer I get that has nothing to do with the storm outside.  One could wish for better conditions, but one must take the chance when the opportunity arises.  I know not what fate has in store for me in the next few hours, but I have already gotten my affairs in order and made certain preparations in the event that I do not return from this interview.  Supposedly Voclari’s temper can level worlds when the right nerve is struck, though hopefully I can avoid any such landmines, at least well enough to not suffer any lasting ill effects.

This is a story that must be told, and though many of my order have tried over the years, none have gotten this close.  I must not fail.

#Lore24 – Entry #335 – Fantasy Month IV #30 – Return to the Great Library

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

It took us much longer to return home than it took me to reach the Wildlands when I first began my journey, for we could not make use of the teleportation circle that Lady Armenia had first used because of the size of our procession, but once we approached Draconis Magna, I felt a growing delight at being so near to the Great Library once again.  I said my goodbyes to Risai and Kovalis as we passed the city, promising to try to catch up with them again in the future.  Within a few more days, I would once again see the towering visage of the Great Library, feeling a wonderful sense of relief and joy as I once again returned to my home.

Mother Felaria was the first to greet me upon my return, and I was glad to once again see and embrace her.  I had never been away from the Library for so long.  I would spend much of the rest of that day greeting my brothers and sisters as I oversaw the safe unloading of our new study materials.  I would spend the rest of the day catching up with my family, though it would take much longer before I would truly be caught up, for the work must come first. 

I was surprised to find Aishi still lingering around me as evening came, figuring she would be returning to the Emperor’s side now that I had been seen safely home, but she told me then that she was to remain with me for the foreseeable future; the Emperor had been very pleased with my work and wanted to make absolutely certain that it would continue.  She seemed to be quite pleased with the development.  I could only wonder if this would be a blessing or a curse…what had I done to warrant such a close watch by the Emperor’s most loyal guardians?

That was not the only surprise I would have that evening, though.  Following dinner, before I could retreat to my room for a much-needed rest, Mother would deliver to me a letter and a small, wrapped box from Lady Armenia.  The letter expressed her delight for my companionship during our time together, that she and Yurisaya had been quite pleased with my willingness to participate in their fun.  She expressed a desire to see me again once my work allowed me to do so, and that I had a standing invitation to visit her estate.  Likewise, she had sent me some gifts that I could enjoy as I saw fit, the keys to which were inside the box.  Even though I had surmised what the gifts she spoke of were before I even opened the long crate that sat in my floor, I was still completely shocked when I opened it, for the chastity armor and hobble dress were not the only gifts she had sent me.

Inside the crate was none other than Ryona, the kerryn slave that had been so eager to please during my time as Alekos’s tutor, secured in not only the very hobble dress and chastity gear I had once worn, but additional leather straps that had her securely restrained inside the crate, and she had been fitted with a feeder gag harness and wrapped with silken ribbons, tied in several bows.  I could already hear the buzzing of the various devices upon her, could smell her intense arousal, and she stirred, looking up to me with pleading eyes, moaning and whimpering as she wiggled inside the crate. 

Several questions raced through my mind as I stared at her, dumbfounded.  How long had she been trapped in there?!  Why had she been given to me?  How could I possibly get any work done with her here?  What had happened to Alekos?  How would Aishi take to her being there?  How would Ryona take to Aishi?  Would I even be able to find the rest I had so very much desired upon my return to the Library now?  I was finally drawn out of my state of shock when Aishi came up behind me and started laughing at Ryona’s state, looking quite pleased at the lesser slave’s predicament. 

Maybe I could divert Ryona’s attention by encouraging Aishi’s attention upon her?  It was a terrible thought to have, perhaps, but I was too tired and road-weary to give it much more thought.  I knelt beside Ryona and inquired as to her condition, and she answered that she was doing well in spite of the restraints and buzzing accessories.  Feeling my fatigue crashing into me, I nodded, promised her that I would take care of her in the morning, and promptly closed the crate, heading back to my bed for the first time in over a year, where I fell into it and fell asleep in a matter of moments.

And so my strange journey to and through the Wildlands and back had come to a close.  Though this was the end of this tale, there would be plenty more to come, for I would find little in the way of rest during the following days.

But that’s a story for another time.

#Lore24 – Entry #334 – Fantasy Month IV #29 – Parting of Ways, Leaving the Wildlands

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

It has been some time since I last wrote in this journal, for I have been immensely busy with my work in the ancient Cathedral of Eminent Tranquility.  I would spend nearly a month within the chamber working on my initial studies of the chamber, with the rest of my party rotating out to make supply runs to Vindinium and report our success to Commander Asselin and Lady Armenia, as well as deliver my messages to the Great Library.  It did not take long for the Emperor himself to learn of the discovery, for by the end of that first month, the army would establish a secured route between Vindinium and the ruins, with more than enough soldiers to keep the area quite safe, as well as escorting many of my brothers and sisters from the Library to the site to assist with cataloguing the many documents and relics I had found.

Lady Armenia and Commander Asselin would join us for a time, though I was far too focused on the work to recall much of what we discussed.  I daresay I was possessed by a need to know all that I could that I had never felt before.  I do recall Lady Armenia pulling me away for at least a night, though, making sure that I ate properly and got at least one proper night’s rest.  She likewise released me from my “armor” and restored my body to its original state, her fun having been had, and recognizing that I had found something that even she could not tear me away from.  She was quite pleased with the outcome, and we would remain friendly with one another in the coming months, though I would see little of her, as she would leave the area to return to her duties within Draconis Magna, leaving another priestess in charge of the temple she had created for Yurisaya.

I would remain within the region of the ruins throughout the winter, well into the next year as I led the Library’s researchers in our work, though I would be forced to deal with the Emperor’s own arcanists and archivists as well.  I’m told I became quite snippy with them at times, refusing to yield to their “authority” and, as I recall, blatant stupidity at times; for a wonder, I was not chastised for my actions, though I’m sure I will likely have to deal with some of the consequences in the future.  Being diplomatic and working my way through the Imperial political machine is not where my skills lie.

With summer in full swing now, I have finally come to an end of my time in the Wildlands.  Thanks to the work of the many archivists Mother sent to me, we have completed the initial phases of our work of cataloging the scrolls and books and have packed them for transport to the library.  I will be overseeing their safety along the road, though I doubt anyone would dare attack with the size of the Imperial guard that has been set to escort us.

I said my goodbyes to the Heroes of Vindinium, who had, in the time since our plunder of the vault, grown quite famous locally for their investment in the town itself.  Shassk would be remaining in the area, with many of his clan joining him to continue safeguarding the draconic ruins.  Gresilda would stay on as the leader of the growing Erisayan presence in the area as a new temple was constructed, and Ellisar was even staying, feeling that there was much more to learn from the region, even starting his own fledgling arcanist school.  It seemed that civilization was indeed coming to the Wildlands.

Risai and Korvalis were growing quite restless, though, and would be traveling with us back to the Empire until they decided exactly where they would adventure to next, though Risai said she would visit Lady Armenia before setting out. 

It also seems that I have earned the Emperor’s attention as well, for I learned, upon the day we would begin our return journey, that Aishi had been assigned to safeguard me on the way and for the foreseeable future while another of the Stellae Illustris would be assigned to Commander Asselin.  I can’t say I was pleased with this development, though at least some of her interests in me have waned in the months since I was last in the redoubt, the loss of my chastity gear and magically altered anatomy making me less appealing to her now, though she would continue her teasing and belittling of me in that smug way she had about her. 

It would undoubtedly be a trying journey back to the Great Library, but given the focus I had developed over the last few months, I had every confidence I could continue to withstand her attempts to have me begging her for release, which I no longer craved every moment of the day.

For now, though, I will finally allow myself a chance to rest.  I think I’ve earned one.

#Lore24 – Entry #332 – Fantasy Month IV #27 – Battle for the Vault

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

I must admit that I had hoped for a relatively peaceful return to the temple site, to simply open the doors and examine the space beyond with the eye of an attentive archaeologist.  I should have known better, given our experiences thus far.  Perhaps it was simply me wishing to be clear of the horrors we had encountered within the swamps and still feeling fatigued after the unnatural sickness had threatened to overwhelm us.

Regardless of what I may have hoped for, it was not our fate to have a peaceful return.  As we approached the temple site, Shassk alerted us to the fresh tracks that lay ahead of us, and in moments I could see them myself, footprints of a large number of men and perhaps a half dozen horses, perhaps a day or so old, with no efforts to hide their tracks.  Shassk and Korvalis scouted ahead, returning in only half an hour perhaps, with word that two dozen bandits at least had taken up position around the entrance to the temple, not to camp, but waiting to attack.  Worse, they’d spotted some of the other adventurers who had gone missing working with them, leading them in fact.  There was plenty cause for worry since they had an arcanist and priest of their own amongst their number. 

Somehow, they had gotten wind of our quest and had decided to take our hard work for themselves.  I’ll admit it got me rather angry; my companions were in no mood for mercy at this point either.  So, we formulated our plan of attack against the much larger force, deciding to camp well away from the valley and rest ourselves, take stock of our supplies, and make the effort to attack when they would least expect it, in the darkest hours just before sunrise; only Risai and myself would be greatly disadvantaged in the dark as we were human, but not for very long.  Ellisar had since managed to recover a few charges into his wand of fireballs, and would have a few more he could cast into the crowd prepared; Shassk and Korvalis would go ahead of us, taking out any sentries they came across as silently as possible, while Risai and I would move into the confusion Ellisar caused to deal with the bandits in the main camp, with Gresilda keeping behind us to provide support; I had learned that though she seemed delicate, she was an accomplished warrior in her own right when the need arose.

That would not be all, though; Korvalis insisted that he would deal with the arcanist and priest himself.  We tried to talk him down, of course, but he was absolutely convinced that he could sneak in through the camp after he and Shassk had seen to the sentries, then make his way to the other party and strike from the shadows when they lest expected it.  We all knew what would happen if he were to get caught, but he was set on his own devious plan, and however reluctantly, we would allow him to follow it.  Given his success with the druids, I was inclined to think he may well pull it off.

We rested, then, and set out an hour before the deepest night would settle in, in the hours before sunrise.  The sentries were dealt with in short order, and Korvalis disappeared into the gloom without a word, Shassk shaking his head, but admitting that he had lost sight of him within a matter of moments.  “The very shadow of death, that elf,” he had said with some amount of awe in his voice.  From our position amongst the rocks and remnants of the temple to either side of the valley, we waited, giving Korvalis the time he needed.  After another half hour or so, with the night at its deepest, we began our attack, with Ellisar opening up with a fireball, quickly followed by another that I launched from his wand. 

Fire, smoke, and screams filled the night, and after another pair of fireballs, we descended into the chaos we had caused, me leading Risai against the disorganized mob of panicking bandits, dancing amongst them to create openings which she exploited with deadly force from her dragon-steel blade.  Though scattered and burned, the bandits were still numerous, if unorganized.  Another dozen rushed out from the temple entrance to add to the defense with bows, but their arrows were turned away from us with a prayer from Gresilda to call up a defensive wind barrier, with Ellisar scattering them from the shadows with a rolling ball of fire that he sent careening through their line. 

As we ascended into the temple entrance, the last of the bandits, the leaders of the band, greeted us, along with the remaining members of the opposing party of adventurers.  We saw no sign of their spellcasters amongst them, and their warrior seemed to be struggling to move, showing signs of having been wounded already (I would learn later that Korvalis had stuck him with a poisoned dart).  As we engaged them, Korvalis would reappear as if by magic, striking when their attention was fully upon the rest of us, driving his daggers into their flanks to open a bleeding wound, then darting back into the shadows.  The look I saw upon his face was, for lack of a better word, terrifying, a sadistic, predatory glee. 

With their leaders dispatched, along with the opposing party of adventurers, the remaining handful of bandits fled into the predawn gloom.  As quiet settled in around us, save for the crackle of burning tents and bodies around us, we stood victorious atop the temple entrance, bloodied but far from the worst we had experienced.  It seems the gods were with us this night.  As we regrouped and looked through the dead for any treasures and supplies we could use, we would find the bodies of their arcanist and priest, both still upon their bed rolls around the camp they’d set up in the open chamber we’d used the first time I’d come there, slumped over and bled out from wide cuts across their throats, caught helpless as they had prayed and meditated for their power. 

I for one was quite glad that Korvalis was on our side and would hope he would remain so for the foreseeable future, though now that the fighting was done, he seemed quite cheerful and every bit as friendly as he usually was.  We would rest for a while as dawn came, helping ourselves to some of the foodstuffs the bandits had with them, before making our way to the vault door and what lay beyond.

#Lore24 – Entry #328 – Fantasy Month IV #23 – Hunted and Hounded

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

The problem with orcs is that, while not especially intelligent, outside of those of the Badaxe clan, they tend to breed quite quickly, and thus their numbers are exceptionally high.  Furthermore, their night vision is superior to those of a human, and even to elves, being able to see in darkness with relatively high acuity.  This, combined with a peculiar ferocity and territorial nature, makes them quite a threat to a small party of adventurers.

We were already hunted by the orcs by the time we had completed our ritual and continued to be so as we made our descent from the mountains, bearing roughly north-northwest as best we could manage.  They would rarely allow us any respite, constantly on our trail and trying to ambush us from the terrain they knew so very well.  Our magical reserves were consistently low, and Ellisar’s fireball wand was exhausted by the third day.  We were physically exhausted, as were our horses, and each step we took threatened to be our last, either from an orcish spear or arrow or axe, or one of our horses slipping on the rocky trails and sending us tumbling to our deaths.

I don’t think I’ve ever prayed to the gods quite so much as I did during that flight from the mountains; perhaps all of us did, though I can only be certain of Gresilda, for she made no attempts to hide most of her prayers when we were not trying to be quiet. 

As the days grew more strenuous, we thankfully found a route leading down out of the mountains that marked a return to the wide avenue we had followed between ritual sites to ease our travels, though this likewise meant our pursuers, riding their horse-sized wolves, could chase us more easily. 

I daresay we were on our last dregs of strength and would likely have fallen to our pursuers, wounded and exhausted, had we not ridden into a forested region near the base of the mountains and came upon a hunting party of a dozen men, who had already spotted our coming and set up an ambush for the orcs following us, pelting them from high in the trees with arrows as we rode through their ranks, even toppling some trees upon them. 

Though one would have thought our saviors to be elves, they were in fact, kerryn.

#Lore24 – Entry #327 – Fantasy Month IV #22 – Into the Mountains, and The Fourth Ritual

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

Following our reunion with the men of our party and our push toward the western mountainous region, we were suitably chastised for our admittedly stupid decision to perform our little relaxation ritual without making sure we were in fact alone, but in our defense, what were the chances we would find ourselves so close to a bandit camp, and they just happened to be scouting that particular area at that specific time?  Honestly, very good, given what I know of the nature of blessings from a goddess like Yurisaya; many accounts have I read of her blessings being quite mixed between fortune and misfortune in a most erotic way.

Still, we continued on our original course, and within a few days found ourselves ascending into the mountains.  Along the route, we encountered signs more orcs in the area, some smaller scouting parties from different tribes, which we tried to avoid, only engaging if there was no other choice, along with some wildlife which was more hostile than normal, namely some rather large wolves and even a few bears.  We found out why they were agitated soon enough when we were accosted by another drake, this one of the green-scaled variety, breathing a highly corrosive acid as it attacked us.

As we ascended and the trees became sparser, signs of the ancient draconic city were much clearer, though in a much worse condition than in other areas, being little more than piles of rubble for the most part.  Judging by the nature of the damage and local geography, I could make a rather safe assumption that there was a period of great geological upheaval in this area at some time, likely during the Great Cataclysm that reshaped much of the world.  It is honestly rather amazing that we have seen so little of its effects on the rest of the region we have explored thus far.  We found ourselves navigating through multiple narrow ravines and valleys, having to backtrack several times as paths suddenly ended or were otherwise impassable, and this likewise led us into more orcs, who were not willing to speak with us at all, insisting on a fight as we were quite obviously invaders into their territory.

By the time we had managed to find the area of the standing stones, clued in by the subtle shift in the very air around us and the activation of the accessories worn by myself and Risai, we were haggard and near exhaustion from several encounters with orcs, poor Korvalis and Shassk even more so due to their constant work to hide our trails and dissuade the orcs from following us.  The entirety of the radius of the standing stones had been raised as one, it seemed, and they still stood, unaffected by the geologic upheaval that had created the mountains long ago.  Gresilda used what magic she had left to ease the worst of our fatigue, and we hastily pushed through with the next ritual, earning our first mark upon our thighs.  As we waited anxiously for morning, hiding ourselves as best we could amongst the stones, we rested as best we could manage before setting off, hoping to evade further orc pursuit.

It was not to be.

#Lore24 – Entry #326 – Fantasy Month IV #21 – Bandits and Brigands, To Plunder a Dungeon

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

Our captors transported us quickly through the woods, no doubt having become quite familiar with them during their time hiding amongst them.  I could hear when we cleared them and approached their camp, for there were shouts alerting the others that they had “prizes aplenty, ripe and pretty”.  Though I was blindfolded, I could hear quite a few people coming out around us as we were brought to what I assume was the center of the camp and dropped none-to-gently upon the ground.  Risai was certainly vocal in her protests, however garbled by her gag they were.

The excitement around us died down quickly once a commanding voice called out from nearby, sounding very much Imperial in its way of speaking, and quite angry that we’d been brought to the camp.  Our captors made no secret of what it was they sought from us, saying they’d have to work to “crack that one’s shell if we want the sweet meats inside” in reference to me.  I heard the name Garri mentioned, who I figured was their leader, chastising our captors again for stupidly bringing us here.  When he asked about whether they’d dealt with the rest of our party, there was some nervous silence, then one of the orcs, I think, blurted out something about not even checking.  Garri, the leader, ordered us taken to the “cellar”, and the guard to be doubled, on the lookout for any other adventurers who may be lurking around looking for their missing women.

With the camp in an uproar, we were roughly picked up again and taken elsewhere, somewhere nearby and underground, for the sounds changed again, and the air grew cooler, and we were deposited upon cold stone, a door shutting behind our captors, the sound of wooden bar being thrown into place outside. 

We wasted no time in escaping from our bonds.  Though my hands were growing rather numb by this point, the moment we were left alone, we struggled and scooted our way together, somehow managing to coordinate our efforts to free one another, with Gresilda being the first to wiggle her hands free, making short work of the bonds upon Risai and I once she had done so.  It was dark here, only a sliver of light coming from the floor at the base of the door, so I called up a small orb of arcane light so that we could see our surroundings.

It seemed we were indeed in something of a cellar, though the architecture was decidedly draconic in nature, leaving no question that this was once part of the ancient city that once sprawled across this area.  The door was new, and relatively stout, likely from a carpenter amongst the bandits, for Risai couldn’t budge it when she tried to break it down, and only succeeded in earning more bruises.  There were barrels and boxes within the room, some broken, many empty, others with flour, wheat, and the other foodstuffs that would keep for a while.  As Gresilda calmed Risai from her insistence upon busting down the door, I studied the ancient carvings upon the walls.  As I came to a particular carving, I noticed a particular seam in the worked stone that seemed out of place behind some of the boxes containing some woodworking tools.  Upon closer inspection, I determined it to be a well-concealed doorway, and with a few more minutes of study, found the release mechanism.  The ancient door swung inward with barley a rumble, still smooth upon its ancient hinges, revealing a narrow set of stairs leading further down into darkness.

We debated for a few moments about whether to stay or go, and of course, being the bold adventuring types we are, decided to take the stairs, though we would do so cautiously.  We first made sure we could reopen the door from the opposite side, then proceeded carefully along, Risai having taken up a stout, cut board as a makeshift weapon to lead the way, with me following close behind with our light.  I had not mentioned the lack of signs of rats in the food containers in our makeshift prison, meaning that either the bandits were keeping them at bay, or perhaps more likely, something else was.

The passages below were on the cramped side, leading me to think that this area was perhaps once primarily used by the drakonae.  The damage was relatively light compared to other places, though there were signs that the roots of the trees above were inevitably working their way through the stonework.  We avoided any additional stairs, instead looking for another way to reach the surface, hopefully perhaps outside the area of the bandit camp.  After perhaps an hour of searching, we came upon a larger chamber, some of the ancient stone benches still intact around the periphery, along with scraps of wood and cloth of other furniture that had mostly rotted away.  More curious, though, were the weapon racks built into the walls between the benches.  Most were empty, though four remained that still held some metal weapons that looked, aside from dust and cobwebs, to be in usable condition.  As I looked more intently upon them, Risai approached one and reached out for the double-edged sword that stood there. 

I realized a moment too late that she was in danger. 

It clicked in my brain that two of the weapon racks were identical, down to the pattern of the cobwebs and their contents, even the broken nub that remained of a larger peg.  As I called out for her to stop, the rack she approached seemed to rapidly melt like candlewax, shifting into a mass of slimy tentacles and teeth.  Risai cried out in surprise, but was already too close, the tentacles striking out to seize her, wrapping tightly around her limbs and body.  Even Gresilda screamed in startlement, having not expected the mimic. 

Already suspecting such a thing, I was the first to respond, quickly chanting a spell to call forth slicing blades of fire upon the monster.  Careful to avoid Risai, I targeted the central mass and largest tentacles, getting a satisfying screech from the creature as it panicked and released Risai for the moment, the large warrior stumbling backward as fast as possible.  With the creature’s ire upon me, the flames quickly dying upon its singed flesh, I danced around its flailing tentacles as Gresilda chanted a prayer to Erisaya.  A moment later, holy fire spewed downward from the heavens upon the mimic, making it scream as its flesh boiled and melted, though it still had fight in it.  Risai snatched the blade from the real weapon rack and snarled a battle cry as she hurtled back into the mass, slicing smoking tentacles easily with the ancient blade, her strikes leaving burning cuts across the creature, before driving its tip deeply into the creature’s central mass, again and again until the mimic stopped moving.

Taking a few moments to recover, Gresilda healing the scrapes Risai had from her close encounter with the tentacles, I threw weaker fire upon the other weapon racks and stone benches, but thankfully found no other mimics hiding within.  That one was either young or perhaps sickly from a lack of food, for it seemed to have died rather easily in comparison to what I’ve read of them.  Of course, those stories could have simply made the encounters seem much more deadly than they really were.  Regardless, now that we had a few moments, I examined the weapons we had collected, and soon determined they were dragon-blown steel, attuned to the element of fire.  The other weapons we retrieved were of similar make and would prove quite useful, if not extremely valuable, upon our return to the party.

The rest of the “dungeon” was not nearly as exciting, for we found the remnants of the mimic’s past victims, a handful of humanoids, but mostly animals, in the next chambers, and found another pathway that led upward.  Soon enough, we had located a partially collapsed exit from the ancient draconic structure, but we were able to shift the fallen rock around enough for us to squeeze through.  The night was deep by now, morning approaching, though we had little trouble seeing due to the fires in the nearby bandit camp.  It didn’t take us long to hear panicked screams departing into the woods, and soon enough we were reunited with the rest of our party, who had managed a most deadly attack upon the bandits whilst we made our way through the dungeons.

There was a bounty on them, but we were days away from Vindinium, so did not immediately collect.  Shassk handled the grim business of collecting the heads, which he stored in a sack dedicated to just such a purpose, its enchantment making the load lighter while also preserving them.  With dawn approaching, we collected our missing gear and stowed the dragon-blown weapons that we weren’t immediately using, redressed ourselves, and headed off back toward the course we had originally been upon. 

#Lore24 – Entry #325 – Fantasy Month IV #20 – Back to the Trail, and the Third Ritual

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

I could get little out of Lady Armenia once we had managed to extricate ourselves from her bed, and Risai was just as uncertain of what we had gone through as I was, her memories having gotten hazy even before mine.  I noticed that the magical rune upon her seemed to glow more brilliantly now, and she confirmed she was every bit as horny as I was.  Fortunately, we had plenty to keep us busy that day, and Lady Armenia did not summon us that evening, leaving us some time to recount our experiences in the quiet of the inn in Vindinium.  I once again shared Risai’s bed as together we tried, quite unsuccessfully, to relieve that horniness that consumed us, her rune proving every bit as capable as my cock cage and “armor”, which Lady Armenia had insisted I don before she allowed me to leave that morning.  It seems that Risai had found herself in a situation not unlike my own, though she at least still had her anatomy intact.  I daresay she was much happier with said situation than I was.

We set out from the village at daybreak the following morning, bearing south-southeast, looking for telltale signs of an ancient roadway like the others we had encountered to the north.  The forested nature of the area made this more difficult, but we continued onward, and were perhaps gifted with a blessing from Yurisaya (given what Risai and I had experienced the previous night, I daresay we had earned such a boon!), for on our second day out from Vindinium, Risai spotted remnants of an ancient draconic structure, mostly consumed by the landscape.  From this point, Shassk was able to climb a tree and get a good look around us, and was able to determine a path that followed our planned route that seemed to fit the nature of the ones to the north, and by midday on the third day, we had located the third set of standing stones, and, thankfully, without encountering any hostile forces.

We completed our ritual that evening, earning our third mark upon our opposite arm this time.  I somehow managing to keep myself on task in spite of the incessant buzzing of my accessories once again within the region of the standing stones, though I noted that Risai too seemed more worked up than last time as her rune was likely affected in a similar way as my gear.  From here, in the depression around the stones, we spotted a route to the west that we hoped would lead to our next destination and would be following it on the morrow.  If my calculations were accurate, I figured it would take us a week, maybe as much as two, depending on terrain, to reach the next site, for this represented the largest gap between the sites based on their pentagonal alignment.

Perhaps the effects of the draconic ritual had been amplified somewhat by our recent experience with Lady Armenia’s dedication ritual to Yurisaya, for Risai and I were feeling far hornier than we had previously once we had left the region of the stones, and throughout the next day as well, constantly fidgeting about and trying to (perhaps not so subtly) find relief for our needs.  Gresilda inquired about our distress, having sensed something going on with us, already having a very good idea of what had occurred with Lady Armenia that night.  Once we had camped that evening, we slipped off as we women tended to do, and we explained to our experience with the ritual, and of the nature of our current plight.

She was sympathetic, but was hesitant to delve too deeply, given the nature of her own faith in Erisaya.  Though the goddesses are sisters, if she did too much to relieve our frustration, she could very well step on the toes of Yurisaya and Lady Armenia and earn a punishment of her own in retaliation.  She did offer us some relief, though, enough to at least ensure that we would sleep soundly that night, perhaps long enough for the additional horniness from our own ritual to fade to a bearable level.  At that point, we were willing to try anything, so agreed.

It was not to be, however.  As Gresilda guided us through a relaxation technique used by the Erisayan faith, more like a calming massage, really, the three of us were caught unawares and were set upon by a group of well-concealed bandits led by orcish scouts.  So absorbed were we in trying to remedy our situation were we that they were amongst us before we could even make a grab for our weapons, the orcs seemingly well-practiced in the art of quickly binding and silencing their captives.  Before we knew it, even Risai had joined Gresilda and I (though it took three orcs to subdue her, and not without one getting a dislocated jaw and the other taking a kick to his groin), stripped naked (aside from my “armor”, unfortunately) and mercilessly hogtied with painfully tight leather thongs, our mouths filled with a mixture of our travel- and frustration-stained socks and underwear.  Try as they would, they could not dislodge my magically sealed chastity gear, and after some frustrated groping and rather rough handling, they gave up, instead deciding that they should haul us back to their camp.  We were then blindfolded and picked up by the orcs, who, I think rather enjoyed groping Risai and Gresilda from what I could hear, hauled none too gently through the woods, though I knew not where at the time.

#Lore24 – Entry #324 – Fantasy Month IV #19 – A Night Most Humiliating

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

The following day, I conferred with the adventurers about our plans for finding the next ritual site, and proposed the general bearings I had determined based on our previous travels and the maps we had.  We had little knowledge of the regions we would need to travel, but made the wise assumption that they were just as dangerous as the areas we’d already visited.  We would pack more supplies this time, and Gresilda, Ellisar, and I would spend some time the next couple of days brewing potions to augment our own abilities.

Risai had arrived late to our discussions, and I noticed that she was having trouble concentrating on our topics, for she kept fidgeting and casting glances toward the redoubt.  She likewise kept brushing her hands over her breasts when she would move her arms, not really doing much to hide the obvious erection of her nipples beneath her shirt.  I quite correctly surmised that this was not simply a lingering effect of the maidenbane vines, as she tried to dismissively inform us.  I would find out that evening the nature of her arrangement with Lady Armenia when I too would be drawn into the affair.

I suppose I should not linger too long in my description of our preparations, for they were fairly mundane.  We did confirm that the magical marks upon us, one of the runes on our foreheads, the other on our left biceps, were still quite visible to those who concentrated upon us when using arcane sight; I did wonder how long they would linger if we were not in pursuit of the standing stones, or if they would vanish entirely were we to leave the region. 

That evening, once the sun had set and we had finished our dinner in the tavern, Risai and I returned to the redoubt.  She told the others she was simply escorting me there, but I knew better, and said not a word of it.  The others suspected, I’m sure, especially Gresilda, but as I’ve said before, Risai is her own woman.  I said nothing, but could sense her frustration, which had only grown following her evening bath, which she had returned from looking quite disappointed and anxious, for I knew it quite well.  I saw Aishi following Commander Asselin along the fort’s walls, catching her knowing gaze and that smugness of her expression once more.

Lady Armenia awaited Risai and I at the commander’s quarters, her expression amused and expectant.  Risai perked up in spite of her apparent lack of fulfilment and constant arousal since her visit last night, looking as if she anticipated something amazing to happen.  Without a word, Lady Armenia bid us to follow her, and so we did, perhaps my own curiosity overriding my common sense.  Or perhaps it was my intense arousal that drove me forward, for the cock cage had been acutely tight and bothersome today, the vibrations there and in my nipple rings likewise seeming to be at their worst.

I had suspected we would go to Lady Armenia’s chambers, but instead she led us away from the commander’s quarters and toward another section of the redoubt, once I had not spent much time in at all.  She led us toward the barracks, then below, not into one of the storage areas, but toward the dungeons.  I daresay that Risai was nearly salivating as we descended, and I resolved that perhaps I should inquire as to the exact nature of her fantasies at some point during our travels, assuming I did not find out all about them this night.  As we descended into the darkness, Lady Armenia summoned a ball of light to guide us, and as we continued deeper, through an underground that was much larger than I had assumed, we came to a heavy, ancient door, recently cleaned and tended to.  I spotted two of her drakonae warriors skulking at the edges of the light, keeping watch over the room, and wondered where the others had been hiding as we passed through the dark corridors.  She removed the new lock upon it and led us inside, and with a snap of her fingers, candles ignited all around us.  As I took in the scene, the door was closed behind us.

It was undeniably a torture chamber, though all of the ancient tools and devices had been cleaned and repaired, the room itself brought back to an immaculate state, complete with a shrine to the Dark Lady, Yurisaya, a large image of her black half-mask entwined with thorn-covered vines displayed prominently at the front of the chamber.  This place had become her temple within the Wildlands, and we were to be the first “sacrifices” to anoint this place in her name.  Lady Armenia had indeed been quite busy during our days of travel through the wilderness.

Silently cursing my curiosity about the nature of Yurisayan rituals, I nonetheless obeyed Lady Armenia’s command when she big Risai and I to strip, for she left no room for protest with the dominance she projected.  I noticed that Risai sported a pair of nipple rings like my own when she and I finally stood together in our nude state, and bore a curious magical glyph, glowing a deep purple color, upon her body, above her pubic mound, which I assumed was a more temporary form of the enchantments upon my cock cage that prevented me from finding release to my frustrations, judging by the moisture upon her thighs and the strong scent of her arousal that filled my nose as we stood beside one another.

Though some of the events of that night remain blurry in my memory, I will recount those that I can remember most clearly here.  In short order, Risai and I were secured with heavy manacles between two pillars, our limbs spread painfully wide, facing each other with perhaps ten feet between us, our mouths fitted with large, leather-wrapped bit gags secured by harnesses about our heads.  Thusly secured, our devices began to hum, seemingly with anticipation, as Lady Armenia began her ritual to dedicate the new temple, offering her prayers to Yurisaya over the table of implements she would use upon us that night.

With the metal shackles biting my flesh, but my anticipation and arousal constantly rising, I watched with rapt attention as Lady Armenia took up the wide leather strap and turned first to me.  She stepped behind me, my only warning before the strap struck my backside being the whooshing sound before the blow landed.  I screamed, jerked in my bonds, as pain flared throughout flesh, my ass stinging immediately from the blow, though it was only the first of many.  Lady Armenia would concentrate upon my hips and thighs, making me rise upon my toes as I fought in vain to dance away from the strap.  Once I was in sufficient agony, though I cannot deny the intensity of the arousal I felt during this, for my cock strained hard against its cage, dripping constantly upon the stones of the floor, she turned her attentions to the anxiously awaiting Risai, performing the same procedure upon her, fueling what must have been a deeply masochistic desire within the large woman.

Next, Lady Armenia secured hooks to our nipple rings, guiding the attached strings upward, through a pulley between us, adjusting it so that our rings were constantly being pulled upward and away from us, forcing us to lean forward against our chains.  This was but the first torment to our breasts, though, for she shortly returned with a wicked-looking flogger, its many tassels set with beads upon the ends of its leather thongs.  When she went to Risai first, and struck the first blow against the woman’s back, causing a surprisingly loud cry of pain from her, I was immediately worried, and felt the woman jerk through the painful tug upon my nipple rings.  I was already in agony by the time the warrior’s body had been thoroughly flogged, leaving her a quivering, moaning mass of flesh.  Once it was turned upon me, I know I did not black out, yet my memory of the event is fuzzy, filled with pain, yet a strange sense of pleasure like I had never before experienced.

My energy did not wane during this ordeal, however, and I felt an unusual vigor fill me as we continued to the next phase.  Risai was fitted with a heavy steel collar and released from her standing spreadeagle, commanded to  hands and knees by Lady Armenia, who choked her with a tug on the chain leash as she whipped Risai’s backside with a riding crop while grinding her tall heel into the much larger woman’s back.  She paraded Risai around me, striking her frequently, making her squeal, then guided her toward a stout wooden pillory that stood before the symbol of Yurisaya.  The large warrior was secured into the heavy wooden device, bent over at her waist, her legs once again spread wide, her dripping crotch receiving several swats with the crop. 

Then it was my turn for Lady Armenia’s attention.  Her zeal had only grown, a veritable fire in her eyes as she approached me and secured a leash to my collar, giving me a few very painful swats with the crop.  Before she released me, however, she retrieved another device, which she secured around my hips and between my legs.  It was what I considered to be a very large dildo, secured to a leather harness that settled perfectly around me, placing the phallus right above my caged anatomy.  Feeling a surge of magic as it was settled onto me, Lady Armenia then undid my restraints and secured my arms behind me with a pair of stout leather straps, then guided me forward with the crop, directly toward Risai.  Once I was positioned behind the warrior, Lady Armenia gave the dildo a quick swat with her crop, making me squeal and dance as if my own anatomy had been struck.  Sensing her lascivious smile more than I saw it, I was guided into position behind the waiting Risai, the head of the dildo guided toward her waiting womanhood.  I could feel the heat of her body, the wetness of her juices as the head of the device pressed against her swollen lower lips.  A swat from the crop moved me forward, sinking the dildo deeper into Risai, making us both moan with pleasure.  Lady Armenia’s hands upon my hips guided me ever forward, until the dildo was, I believe the term is “hilted” within Risai, then she took my leash and secured it to the top of the pillory, assuring that I couldn’t move further than a good thrusting distance.

Feeling the pleasure swirling throughout me, I needed little further encouragement to thrust my hips, moving backward to the limit my leash would allow, then pushing forward eagerly, feeling the strange mix of pain in my magically formed, caged cock as it mingled with the pleasure coming from the magically charged dildo, only to mix further with the pain filling my body.  It was a nigh maddening, yet highly intoxicating experience.

I can recall Lady Armenia resecuring the hooks to my nipple rings as I became absorbed into my task, somehow feeding the attached strings upward to a pulley.  I think Risai’s own rings were similarly hooked, her cords ran through a ring on the floor and then upward and secured to my own, for I recall that shortly after this, I would feel constant jerking pains in my breasts.  Though I could not see Lady Armenia at the time, I felt her come up behind me again, now naked, for her body radiated an intense warmth, perhaps fueled by a combination of her hot mazoku blood and the power of Yurisaya.  I then felt a hot, fleshy pressure against my anus, and realized suddenly that she was sliding her own dripping cock into my ass.  How long she had possessed this, I do not know, perhaps all along?  Or perhaps it was simply another dildo harness?  The pleasure and pain that went through me as we stood together, she fucking me, and me fucking the pilloried Risai, before the visage of Yurisaya, the eye of the half-mask having taken on a peculiar glow, must have been overwhelming for my mortal mind.

I have vague flashes of what followed, for I think I finally experienced orgasm in spite of the caged nature of my anatomy, perhaps several of them that night.  The pain-pleasure haze had fully consumed me as we fucked in that debaucherous state.  I can recall that perhaps there were others who came into the room following this, some of the soldiers from the fort above, perhaps, for I remember sucking several cocks, perhaps Lady Armenia’s own, then feeling them inside my ass at the same time, seeing Risai in a similar state, every hole filled by a vague figure, her hands working hard on two more men.  I remember the feel of their fluids upon my body, in my ass, in my mouth, the hot, salty taste.  Then I remember licking it from Risai’s pussy as she in turn licked it from my ass.

I feel like it may have gone on much longer, but beyond that, the night’s events were a blur.  I awoke late the following morning, somehow feeling refreshed, if remaining groggy far longer than I normally would have.  Risai and I were both in Lady Armenia’s bed, nestled against the priestess on either side, bearing no signs of our ordeal aside from the collar that remained around Risai’s neck, now looking more like my own than it had previously.  Perhaps I simply dreamed it all? 

No, it was far too vivid to be but a dream…

And yet…yet I remain as aroused and horny as I was before, in spite of all that may have occurred.  It is a maddening state I find myself in as we make our final preparations to return to our quest.

#Lore24 – Entry #322 – Fantasy Month IV #17 – A Messy Situation

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

For those readers who may not be aware of the exact timing, these journal entries are indeed written well after the events described within them; I can’t very well catalogue my thoughts when I’m being assailed by ravenous vines covered with lust-inducing venom, now can I?  As an example, this and the last entry were both written once the party safely returned to Vindinium.  As to how that happened, do read on.

I am uncertain how long the druids allowed the vines to enjoy our bodies, for it is all a pleasure-shrouded haze of frustration in my case, though perhaps Risai and Korvalis may indeed have a different opinion on the matter.  I would daresay Risai may have enjoyed the predicament for a time, and perhaps Korvalis as well, though the wrath he would bring upon the druids following our eventual escape may indeed indicate the opposite. 

We were taken into a well-hidden camp deep within the Thistlewood, nestled among some of the ruins of the ancient draconic city, the vines shaped and controlled by the druids to keep us restrained and at their mercy.  I can recall Risai fighting against the binding vines, to little effect other than the vines seemingly redoubling their efforts to feed upon her essence.  As my memories of the hours or days that we spent in captivity are hazy at best, I will skip to the parts I remember, the night we were to be sacrificed.

I believe their ritual was intended to correspond to the peak of the full moon, for the druidic cult had dedicated themselves to preparations during our captivity and grew ever more excited for what was to come, to the best of my recollection.  I am thankful that our companions who had not been captured remained vigilant, for on the day of the ritual, the druids rested later and more deeply than normal as they prepared themselves, leaving only a handful to keep watch over us.  Ellisar saw to cloaking our party members with his magic, while Shassk saw to dealing with our guards in a silent, if most gruesome, manner, aided by magical silence from Ellisar.  Once the druids controlling them were dealt with, the maidenbane vines lost interest in us, thoroughly gorged as they were upon our vital essence.  Gresilda thankfully had prepared several spells to remove the lingering effects of their poison upon us, giving us a proper chance to carry ourselves out of the hidden enclave, cloaked by more of Ellisar’s invisibility.

I was content to make a hasty retreat to Vindinium, but Korvalis would have none of it, insisting that he had to pay the druids back for their actions.  This was the first real conflict amongst our party, and I could understand wanting revenge, certainly, but our best interest lay in retreat to fight another day.  Still, Korvalis, once he had regained his equipment, set off on his own, followed soon by Shassk, while the rest of us rode ahead toward the river crossing a few miles away.  We would wait until sunset for them, and if they didn’t return, then we were to assume they had been captured or killed.  Nobody liked it, but Risai and I were nearly exhausted, and Ellisar and Gresilda had little left in the way of magic.  I still don’t know exactly where Korvalis found the energy to do what he did.

It was just an hour or so before sunset that our two wayward party members returned, the smell of blood heavy upon them, remarkably light of injury. I didn’t get all the details, but Korvalis seemed sated in his bloodlust, and all Shassk would tell me was that even he was now rather unsettled by the deadly efficiency with which Korvalis dealt with the druids. “I have never seen so silent a death befall so many…” was all he told me. There would be no further need to worry from that particular cult.

With that dark mood firmly established, we pushed onward to the village, arriving a couple hours after sunset, where we could finally take time to recover from our long excursion.