>>6117239So Volkir-
“It’s <span class="mu-i">Volkir</span>!”
Right, right… Can he shed any light on how you got here?
“I was <span class="mu-i">TRYIN’</span> to, but someone insisted I introduce myself…” Volkir growls, earning a good-natured ‘oh, stop…’ from his daughter as she takes a seat on the ground next to him. “So make with the parchment already–I got a shop to run!”
Yea, you remark as you hand over the <span class="mu-b">BUMPY PARCHMENTS</span> you pilfered from the cultists, is he not worried about shoplifters while we’re back here?
“They know better.”
Hokay, cool… Letting the mage pour over the literature for a moment, you’re taken off-guard when the Durher lets out something between a cough and a bark!
“Dad, are you okay!?” Sputters Volka as she scrambles over to check on Volkir! “Are you hurt!?”
“No, damn it, that was a <span class="mu-i">laugh</span>!” He replies, the worry in his daughter’s expression dissipating immediately. “I can laugh, can’t I?”
“I didn’t know you <span class="mu-i">could…</span>” The Skog replies with genuine awe in her tone! “Wow…”
So what’s so funny anyways, you ask as you sip some more tea. Man, that’s good!
“Well you probably didn’t pick up on it,” Explains the mage as if remembering an old joke, “But these are instructions for a Summoning Ritual.”
You <span class="mu-i">did</span> pick up on it, you counter, but what’s the punchline?
“Lemme put it this way:” Sighs the old man as Volka starts collecting everyone’s mugs, “If the stonehead who wrote this was my apprentice, I’d put ‘em out of their misery right then and there.”
That seems a little… <span class="mu-i">excessive</span>... Volkir responds with a dismissive grunt.
“Being a mage ain’t a picnic here in Zoral, pup–it’s all about merit.” Tapping his walking stick on the floor next to his chair, the old man stretches out in his chair a bit. “And if you ain’t merited enough, someone else is gonna capitalize on that. Get it?”
Not really, you shrug, but okay!
“Hmph… well in any case, this pretty much explains everything.” He concludes as he shakes the parchment in the air. “Can’t imagine what cult this is… looks to be signed by <span class="mu-r">THE CULT OF THE WORM</span>, whoever the Hells <span class="mu-i">they</span> are... but this ritual looks like it was written by a Makkar–it was doomed to go haywire the minute they penned the damn thing.”
“But it <span class="mu-i">did</span> summon a Devil, right, Rook?” Asks Volka as she returns to the room with refills! “You said so yourself!”
“Did they have horns? A tail!?” Asks Tzah-Tzie with renewed interest! “Did you make a pact!?”
Not sure, probably, and <span class="mu-i">NO</span>, you reply! But yea, there was definitely a devil when you escaped the… ritual place! No clue where she ended up, though.
“Eh. Probably dead.” Shrugs the old sorcerer. “Doesn’t matter how powerful you are here in Zoral–if you can’t adapt to the darkness, you die.”
Guess you’re lucky, huh?
“Very.” Volkir retorts.
>CONTD. 