5 Year Anniversary Collaborative Story Telling

Story One

A gnarled and decrepit old woman shuffles onto a bench she calls for those who would listen to her tale. "I am Agatha, Once a beautiful woman full of arrogance and pride. Now a withered old lady cursed by a hag for insulting her. To undo the curse I am here to collect a tale to bring back to her. Will you help me tall the Tale of The laughs of the darkest forest?"

The sun sets over the darkest forest, but the sounds of laughter fill the air.

Aster⁴(Twitch)

A small Elvin child walks with her puppy. Picking some night blooming flowers and placing them in a basket hanging on her arm.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The child is distracted and misses the big rectangular sign warning not to enter the dark forest. The sun is setting, and the innocent Elf laughs alongside her companion as they get deeper into the trees.

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

The deeper they get into the trees, the more nervous the puppy grows. The child doesn't stop until she notices her companion too scared to take another step. Worried now, she looked around in the dark forest and realized she didn't know where she was.

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

After a moment of panic, the child notices the soft flicker of lantern light deep in the woods. She breathes a sigh of relief as she heads toward the light, her pup eagerly following close behind.

Zylnaera Winterwander (Sparrow)

It seems as if the lantern must be close, that any moment the girl will reach the source, but it seems to stay the same distance ahead of her as the bushes rustle and laughter floats on the wind that stirs the branches. She hurries after the lantern and finally catches up to it--and the cloaked figure carrying it.  The figure half-turns, their face hidden in the shadows, and says, “Oh good, you’re just in time!”

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

The girl freezes in her tracks, her pup nearly bumping into her leg from the sudden stop. "Who are you? Just in time for what?" she asks hesitantly.

Aster⁴(Twitch)

"Why, just in time to help me gather some night blooming iris's. The pixies in the area have become such a dreadful bother and these will help keep them away."

Seeing the girl tense up she chuckles softly 

"I'm Auntie Ethel deary. No reason to worry. And what's your name?"

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

The girl speaks quietly. "My mother said not to give strangers my name."

Zylnaera Winterwander (Sparrow)

“Very smart, your mother,” Auntie Ethel agrees. “What shall we call you, then?” 

As she speaks she slowly drifts further down the path into the dark woods. Sparks of colored light in shades of violet and silver blink, flit, and streak in the brush and branches, and the laughter grows louder, along with the burble of gently running water.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The girl feels somewhat lighter and happier and follows the figure. Her puppy is not happy at all.

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

Not knowing why, the girl suddenly feels compelled to speak to Auntie Ethel. "My name is Arya," she says. "I was out here collecting flowers when I got turned around. Do you think you could help me get home?"

Aster⁴(Twitch)

"Well. Arya. You have been out here for a while. How about. You help me with these flowers. I'll make ya a nice cup of soup. Then I will walk ya back home." *She says with a cheery lilt as a couple more little bright flashes dance around the little girl. Soft giggling is heard around them.*

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The dog barks but no sounds comes out. He looks back to where they come from, wondering if he should go back or not. He does not like Auntie Ethel.

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

But then he remembers something his mother once told him, "a dog who abandons his friends will never be a good dog." Reluctantly he follows so he can protect the girl from whatever is to come

Zylnaera Winterwander (Sparrow)

Auntie Ethel keeps an eye on the dog, trying to get between him and the girl as she leads Arya toward the water.  The laughter is louder here, and there are so many twinkling lights that they shine like stars in the trees, their light sparkling on the moving water in mesmerizing patterns.  Along the stream, the night-blooming irises unfurl their petals in the darkness and their thick scent hangs heavy and sweet in the air.

Aster⁴(Twitch)

Arya looks around as they enter. "Wow...this is so pretty. Are those the pixies?" As she watches the patterns the sparkling lights make across the water.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The child's eyes spark with unnatural blue light. The dog looks where she is pointing and sees something that looks dark and nothing like a pixie.

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

The dog growled at whatever it was. It knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

Auntie Ethel raises her voice, drowning out the pup’s growl. "Yes, dearie, those are the pixies. If you go to them, they’ll have a gift for you."

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The child's eyes spark more and more as she starts to move slowly towards the apparent pixies. She does not hear the pup.

Aster⁴(Twitch)

the pup. Growling. Grabs and pulls on her clothes. Trying to stop her

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

As the pup tugs on her clothes, the girl snaps back to reality, almost as if waking from a dream. Suddenly, she realizes that the creature Auntie Ethel was guiding her toward is not just a harmless pixie.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

She recognizes the creature from one of her mother's books: an Imp!

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

The dog in a panic leaps at the imp and clamps it's jaws around the creatures throat to protect it's person.

Aster⁴(Twitch)

Arya screams as her dog leaps at the imp.

"What is this?"

Looking at auntie Ethel with wide eyes.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

The auntie seems annoyed and starts to mouth a few words. At the same time a swoosh of energy comes from back and beyond and whatever was forming in the hands of auntie Ethel, disappears.

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

She is surprised be this. She is even more surprised when the girl looks toward where that energy had come from only to see Auntie Ethel step out from beneath the trees. "Goodness me, it looks like a hag stole my place. Sorry about that, I got lost and only found my way back by the sound of your pup there barking."

Duncan Idaho (Tidlz)

The hag, disguised as Auntie Ethel, snarls at the real Ethel as her illusion dissolves, revealing her true form. She raises a hand and hurls a ball of green energy toward Auntie Ethel, but it is effortlessly deflected. In response, Auntie Ethel unleashes her own magic—a beam of light shot from her hand, striking the hag directly, causing a brilliant flash to envelop the small glade.

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

A deep scream is heard and the hag seems to do a last spell before disappearing.

Marielle 🟣🟢 (EclaDragon)

The dog runs towards the girl and whines at her as she looks to Auntie Ethel. "What did she do?"

Aster⁴(Twitch)

"She had waited till I left to go look for some mushrooms. Then sent those imps to capture me. Sorry little one. It took me a while to get away."

Lyndon Plaincrest (FF9)

Agatha holds the book with the new story. "Thank you! this sounds great! Who knows what might have happened next!"

 

Story Two

A gnarled and decrepit old woman shuffles onto a bench she calls for those who would listen to her tale. "I am Agatha, Once a beautiful woman full of arrogance and pride. Now a withered old lady cursed by a hag for insulting her. To undo the curse I am here to collect a tale to bring back to her. Will you help me tall the Tale of The Race between The Pixie and The Devil?"

A Pixie and a Devil stand in the midst of a great open field. Each sitting upon a large toadstool with parchment laid out between them.

Moseph Jerrick (Edward Current)

The pixie amuses itself by rolling the parchment into a cone. Then they try to try it on as a hat, but since the cone is larger than the pixie's entire body, they slink underneath and out of sight. Pixie lets out a surprised high-pitched yelp, muffled by the parchment-cone.

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

A much deeper voice responds in disdain. "I'm not going to put that hat on and carry you to the finish line, unless you're trying to hide and teleport ahead..."

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

The pixie lifts the cone and sticks out her tongue at the devil. "As if I need to teleport to defeat a silly imp like you in a race! I bet I can get to that tree over at the end of the field in half the time as you!"

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

"Bet...Half the time? I'll wager 48 hours of servitude." He gives a side eye to the fairy, wondering if they'll bite.

Moseph Jerrick (Edward Current)

"But if I win... it grinned ...you will have to spend AN ENTIRE HOUR serving me. And the devil thought to itself, but didn't say out loud: 'First command will be: polymorph into something filthy. Perhaps a rat?’

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

"And if I win you will spend an entire hour serving me!" The pixie begins to dance around at the idea of having an imp as a servant. "I accept your bet!"

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

Official Super Regulations of the Foot-Powered Competitive Running Event

Commencation of Velocity Mobilization: All foot-flyers must positionate themselves behind the starting stagnation line until the go-eriffic whistle makes the sound of beginification.

Leggular Propulsification: Participants must ambulate utilizing bipedal locomotification at all times. No flying, floating, or wheelifying allowed unless you want a disqualificational.

Directional Continuity Principle: Runners must maintain a forward trajectorination. Backward movementation or spinning in circlocity will result in instant stoppification of your race performantics.

No Boostificational Devices: Any mechanized augmentimations like jet shoes, rocket socks, or spring-loaded ankle-fortifications are strictly prohibified.

Finality of Arrivalication: The first individual to cross the completion-al line, without excessive jumpification or teleportation, will be declaired the victorination!

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

The fey and devil went back and forth trying to decide who should be the judge for their race. In the end, they decided on a modron, a being of pure law, to be the fairest choice. Putting their powers together, they opened a gate to the plane of Mechanus and a spherical creature with one eye, a monodrone, popped out, who agreed to do it.

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

573\/3 agreed and warned both of them that mind altering effects would not work on him. He proceeds to draw a line in the dirt with his long spindly hand, repeating the process at the other end of the field. 

"On your mark... get set...go!"

Moseph Jerrick (Edward Current)

As the imp sprung forward, pixie sprinkled her magic dust... and just like that, the imp toppled forward. It started snoring as it hit the ground. The pixie giggled and laughed and burst into a joyful dance, mocking the devil.

(Pixie casts Sleep on the Imp)

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

573\/3 gives a withering glare at the pixie. Then tosses an acorn, nailing the devil between the eyes. Their snoring ends as a look of confusion washes over their face. Why are they looking up at a tree?

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

The pixie pouts, but not for long. "Bub-bye, sleepyhead!" she says to the devil mockingly before dashing off towards the finish line.

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

Cursing himself for omitting a rule against magic, the devil scrambles to his feet. "Turnabout is fair play." He yells as he turns the pixie into a turtle hoping the lead they earned while he slept can be overcome.

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

The pixie in turtle form silently curses, not knowing how to curse out loud as a turtle, as their pace slows to, unsurprisingly, a turtle's pace. Still, they don't want to serve a smelly devil so they keep on towards the finish line.

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

The devil runs as fast as he can. Getting closer and closer to the turtle and the finish line. One crawls and the other dashes across the line. Both runners look to the monodrone who simply replies, "Tie" and with his job done, vanishes.

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

Transforming back to a fairy, the fey looks at the devil. "A tie? It can't be a tie! Which of us has to serve the other?"

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

"And your nose might have tied with mine but my body cleared the line looong before yours." He pulls out the rules contract. "And rule 5 clearly states 'the first individual to CROSS' the line not REACH the line. So you should be serving me! You can start in the latrine."

Kuld (CmdrGlork)

"Nuh-uh! The monodrone said tie so it was a tie! I think I'll believe one of them over a boot-licking, two-faced fiend!" The fairy stuck their tongue out again. "Besides, I don't even know what a latrine is!"

Alaric Starfury (geak78) 🌒

The devil continues walking away, convinced of his own victory. Besides enforcing contract violations is so much fun! He steeples his fingers in eager anticipation.

Story 3

A gnarled and decrepit old woman shuffles onto a bench she calls for those who would listen to her tale. "I am Agatha, Once a beautiful woman full of arrogance and pride. Now a withered old lady cursed by a hag for insulting her. To undo the curse I am here to collect a tale to bring back to her. Will you help me tell the Tale of Three heads are rarely better than one?"

 

"Being the first of his companions to grab the long coat when the town came into view, Klack mocks his companions as he climbs up Klank and further up onto Klick before trapping them both in the darkness of the coat."

Orix Rumplecap (Ertai)

“The three Kobolds could not believe that none of their kind had thought of this before, and no doubt it will be their path to riches and fame. A fake beard and moustache. a low brimmed hat, polished shoes and sleek black leather gloves completed the disguise; even though all of these things were itchy or uncomfortable in third own unique ways.”

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

The trio shifted and wriggled beneath their disguise as they ambled down the road. Trying their best-est to not draw attention to themselves, they make their way to the nearest concert hall where the Grateful Dracoliches would be playing. Surely now, all they needed was a single ticket.

Savitri (Kashim)

Grateful Dracoliches! By popular demand!' the words shriek from posters on the walls while grand illusions of the band lures the ever growing masses to the ticket offices.

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

The adrenaline pumps in the kobolds' veins. From excitement mind you and not nervousness for kobolds are never nervous. Poppy, at the very top, clamped her knees tight around Maurice's head in the middle  and forcefully turned his head in the driection they needed to go. Maurice then in turn did the very same to to Rico at the bottom, steering them in the right direction. Alas there was one flaw, they had not quite figured out how to stop and the ticket booth was fast approaching.

Orix Rumplecap (Ertai)

*Poppy, clearly the brains of the operation as she was the head of this lumpy creature shambling down the street like a possessed scarecrow, decided on the clearest way of communication; Koboltney rhyming slang.*

“I sure hope they have BOTTLES of POP in there.” *she barks under her breath*

Savitri (Kashim)

"BOTTLES of... BOTTLES of... POP... POP" - comes an echo from down, quickly dissipating into the space around, creating the feeling of an unknown source, just like when a skilled ventriloquist starts up a flashmob.

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

Just when the sound dissipates, it suddenly begins a new. The words 'BUBBLES OF POP' begins to settle into a cyclic yet rhythmic beat. The beat is infections and Rico can’t help but start to tap his feet in time, the vibrations of which puts the stability of their formation at risk.

Orix Rumplecap (Ertai)

From inside the venue the sound of the Grateful Dracoliches’ hit single Bubbles of Pop reverberate into the street, the concert must already be starting, they’re late! Poppy chastises the other two kobolds for taking too long pre-drinking and is met with a hiccup-burp from Rico. The surly looking elf girl with a buzz cut and more metal in her face than a Waterdeep armoury cocks an eyebrow at Poppy and the strange sound coming from their… stomach? “Whatever.” She says, and taps the counter in front of her where the price is listed: 5gp per ticket, and Poppy realizes the coin pouch is still in the inside jacket pocket. They have to get going though or else they’ll miss the best songs!

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

As Poppy is wondering what to do, a suddenly and violent hiccup bursts fort from Rocco. This causes the trio's trench coat cosplay to double over as Rocco bends forward. So so very close they are to exposing themselves, their entire disguise in danger of coming apart. It is only through Maurice's herculean effort that they are kept together. Maurice's legs wrap around Rocco's head in a vice like grip, almost chocking the hiccupping kobold as his hands hang on to Poppy's legs for dear life. Somehow he manages to keep them together and in the midst of the crisis, Poppy keeps a clear enough head to use her proximity to the pocket to withdraw the coin. When the trio are upright once more, Poppy nervously places the 5gp on the counter. Did the girl notice?

Orix Rumplecap (Ertai)

The girl at the counter; however, is looking right past Poppy as she puts the gold down. Apparently, while doubling over, the three kobolds unknowingly revealed the magnificent punk elf behind them, with spiked pink hair and a leather vest, she winks at the girl at the counter and the girl sweeps the gold off into the cash box and shoos the kobolds away and into the venue, variably throwing the pale blue glowing wrist band at them in her haste to interact with the spiked punk.

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

Grateful for the distraction, the kobolds do not dwell on their good fortunes. Instead, Poppy grabs their ticket and with a sharp twist of her knees points Maurice's head in the right direction. This gets passed down to Rocco via an equally sharp twist and the trio make their way into the concert hall much to their relief.

Savitri (Kashim)

The party already ongoing and even though still in its very early stages, the masses are mostly standing in their seats shouting and cheering and applauding, and every place seems to be full! But oh! In the front row, where the real party is down in the arena in the section closest, right in front of the stage there is A SINGLE EMPTY PLACE in the middle of an ocean of people! In the ULTRA HYPER VIP ANCIENT GREATWYRM SUPPORTER section!!! And the party already storming in the concert hall, no one seems to be caring about the tickets, places, or the wrist bands at all...

Orix Rumplecap (Ertai)

Poppy sees it, and so does Maurice peeking through the buttons of the coat, and Rocco is already moving towards it; but IT’S ONLY ONE SPOT! Poppy breaks first, wings wiggling free of the coat collar and flapping like a bat out of a sweaty, itchy hell. Maurice abandons ship too, vaulting off Rocco’s shoulders and across the heads of the crowd! Rocco is already running full tilt, now with a coat dragging behind him like an upside down cape, arms flapping as he ducks around legs and through the throng. Who will get there first!

Savitri (Kashim)

They run, they jump, they push their way through the masses, all the while screaming BOBBLES OF POP but in the end being three goblins none can gain advantage over the other two. With the final chords Poppy, Maurice, and Rocco slams into the last place at the same time, their cloak flying and billowing behind their backs, but catching up to the goblin-storm only a single moment later....

Bromir Firebeard (iDarkelf)🍺

In a surprising twist of fate, they suddenly find themselves atop one another once again, in the very same order. The trio barely have time to register this before their forgotten cloak finally catches up wrapping around them once again and as they had started, our kobold trio are once again as one.