Lizardmen RPG - Accepting new players

Shaking his head, the priest had to decline. "I want to, believe me I do, but Zuztle needs my assistance with crafting the anti-toxin. It will take both of us working in tandem to get it done. Speaking of which, I had better return to my share of the tasks. Good luck. Oh, and keep your eyes open for a jaguar! He is a friend!"

 

Heading the last words of the skink Tezka felt a new feeling in him, one he had never felt before. A single word came to his mind friend. He then turned and departed with the carnosaur in toe. After some time in the jungle, Tezka had reached the entrance of the ruins and prepared to enter them.

 

Ignored by Xolek, Quas was shortly after found devouring a still warm body of the Skaven. His massive jaws doing short work of the brittle rat-man bones he indulged himself in stream of blood going down his throat quenching both his thirst and hunger and leaving two red streams going down from the corners of his mouth into his chest.
Soon after he looked for another... and a couple of few anothers leaving his companions with a startling look. Bleary eyes looking back at them when he couldn't fit more into his stomach.

 

Tezka entered the ruins, pushing past vines and overgrowth to enter the mouth of the tunnel. Flicking his younger in and out, Tezka moved towards the strongest scent of reptile in these dark and stale tunnels

 

Upon heading back to Zuztle Tikxoltiq’s mind can only find itself thinking of what lurks amongst the rubble of such tunnels… As the priest continues to talk to the healer and prepare various bundles of herbs he can feel the thoughts gnawing at the back of his mind as the shadows whisper to him…

Taking Tik by surprise Zuztle speaks out louder than expected… ‘S-S-so… the t-tunnels are o-over over run again I suspect…” Startled Tiqxoltiq feels the healer gently take a series of herbal brews from his hands. “I-If you must see… see to this threat t-then y-you must go…” “A P-priest surely has other d-duties t-than those of my own.. I-I may be old and f-frail b-but I can certainly finish that within my o-own field… alone” Zuztle smiles before scuttling away to place the ingredients on a nearby workbench.

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Stride slow and continual Tezka made his way through the labyrinth of rubble and buildings now reclaimed by time. As usual, Texcoco was striding ahead, further this time however for the beast's nostrils almost smelled the thick scent of apprehension. in the air. It seemed like the additional moisture in the air strengthened the smell’s of opportunity whilst the thin film of moisture covering the young carnosaur’s scales only further enhanced the ever-deeper shades of crimson.

With the carnosaur following the smells of damp, stagnant waters and darkness it was only a matter of moments before the pair arrived toward the entrance to a certain tunnel entrance. The desecrated temple above the tunnel was an indication to the corruption, and weight this land held, even the foul, whispering wind that gently flowed forth from the mouth of the entrance tried to ward off the saurian in an attempt to keep whatever it had witnessed in the dark, and whatever secrets it had discovered silent.

Silent, however, they could not be. Texcoco stood motionless like the groups of sharp paralysed plants that guarded the passageway. He sniffed the air… the beasts head slowly turned around to look at Tezka for but a brief second, in which the saurus could see a familiar burning in the carnosaur’s eyes. They were here.

Disregarding fear Texcoco now rushed through the entranceway and into the darkness ahead, scent of mould, earth and blood becoming increasingly stronger.


1. Keep on pressing forward, leading deeper into the tunnels and further away from the entrance. Other than a few scattered boulders and piles of rubble there's nothing striking about this tunnel, well other than the shadows and darkness that seem to twist and move... whether due to your characters own imaginations or something else is unknown. (Blood scent: 3/10

2. Another small tunnel, one that curves away in strange loops and coils as if crazed by these long years of isolation. A thin mist lies heavily in the air signifying that this is truly darkness's domain. As the eye travels further and further into the deception which is this tunnel they can see the rockface turn slimy with water, the mist picking up as the air becomes foul and the whisper of water's many voices chant in the sound of echoing drips. Even the water here seemed to revoke Tzunki, trying to conceal itself away. (Blood scent 5/10)

3. Meeting the main tunnel at an almost strange angle, this subterranean cavern is more of a chamber than a tunnel. Boulders and rocks splatter every surface of what once was intricately crafted beams and carvings. The large pillars and stairs that hug close to the tunnels walls are only a reminder of long-dead lizardmen who had once dug out them for long-forgotten purposes... Following this tunnel for a little longer in the far distance of eyes sight it appears as if the way is closed off by yet another shower of small boulders and rubble (This will take a tiny bit of work to clear) (Blood scent: 6/10)

 

Tasting the air, Tezka followed the cavern with the strongest scent of blood. Tezka urged Texcoco to follow him and the two started to clear away the chunks of debris obscuring their path. The scent of blood urges them ever onwards to find its source.

to see if there are any other lizardmen, Tezka bellows a deep and powerful roar down the tunnels, causing small stones to shake and dust to be kicked up. Tezka knew that even if the Skaven heard him, he wanted them to know that their demise was coming

 

Zuztle's words surprised and confused the priest for a moment, but he quickly nodded and gathered his gear, setting off in pursuit of Tezka and his carnosaur...

 

Xolek hands the crossbow back to the chameleon and turns to Quas,

"You and Hakal stay and guard the way, I am going to go find a priest, they will want to see this" the Oracle says to the hulking reptilian while also looking at Hakal. He knew this was a huge find and someone of real authority should see it, Xolek was just an Oracle, who was he to lead an excavation?

Turning towards the Salamander Xolek-Zi sees that her animal instincts are beginning to take over. Walking towards her the reptile turns her heads towards him, a forked tongue whips the air. The salamander's eyes are a bright orange and meet Zoleks own, the hand print atop her head shows though seems to be fading. Invoking Itzl Xolek begins to say ancient words between chirps and hisses as he begins to evoke and channel a powerful beast handling incantation to remind their minds and bring her back under her control (-1 beast handling). Knowing that keeping her under control to be important, especially down in the tunnels as one wrong spew of her corrosive bile could end the whole group.

After he gained control again he and the Salamander would race to the nearest priest, Xiuhcoatl with her scent finding abilities would lead the way out for the Oracle

 

It didn't take much to track the Oldblood and his Carnosaur. The latter had a very... specific... odor about it. If that wasn't enough, it also left very distinctive footprints behind. While Tezka had a had-start on Tik, the priest knew roughly where he was going and could move much faster. As he caught up, he was just in time to watch the Oldblood stand in the entry to the tunnels and roar a challenge into the depths. Smiling to himself, he walked slowly up behind the saurus, making sure to announce his approach by knocking against one of the gourds hanging from his belt. "It turned out that Zuztle could handle the rest of the mixing by himself, leaving me free to aid my friends..."

 

Hearing the familiar sound of Tik’s voice, Tezka turned his head, and what could only be the ghost of a smile spread across the face of the saurus. “Let us continue, there is work to be done if we are to cleanse the rat spawn.” Tezka then explained how he was going to follow the scent of blood, and where it was strongest, hopefully leading them to sight that needed cleansing. The small group then entered the tunnels.

 

Deep down within Xolek he could feel this was a part of the ruins and Temple that had been disturbed or had been threatened, Oracles had a way of or innate ability to sense such disturbances. The symbol of the winged serpent troubled him, it pulled at his being it seemed.

As he channeled and tried to connect again with Xiuhcoatl, a flash of light knocked him down (only he can see the light), a vision began:

Standing in front of the Temple of Kara, but this wasnt the same temple, it was back when it was still intact and not mostly overran by the surrounding jungle. High pillars in the shape of Saurian warriors and heads of revered beasts guarded entrances to the temple or stood guard high up on the temple such as gargoyles do in warmbloods cities. Bright colors painted on stone made the temple stand out in the jungle around it: Reds, Blues, Purples and other sought after colors brought life to statues and symbols that were carved on the walls of the temple.

The vision continues as a small winged Serpent slithers between his legs and begins to lead him through an entrance which is next to a river, Xolek thinks it's the same entrance he entered hours prior. The serpent continues on, skink priests and workers going on about their duties as if Xolek wasnt right infront of them, he wondered what and where they went. Further in he could hear cries as a line of warmblood captives were taken past him deep onto the heart of the temple, the serpent now turning down another corridor until it came to a large room which had multiple tunnels running out from it in different directions, he recognized where he was. The ghostly like serpent continued on, going down a long winding tunnel, down and then up for what seemed miles.

Finally they reached it, a door, a gem and silver lined door and outside of it five Saurus Temple Guards, all five of them having painted emblems in moon silver of a large feathered trio tailed Serpent. The serpent waited, until it finally let out a loud hiss and then spoke "Xolekkkkkk...X-xxoolllekkkk....the priest approachesssss....loook....loookkkk at-at what he holds-s-sss" a priest moments later turns the corner and approaches the guards, in one hand a scale, in another a plaque. Immediately without hesitation the lead guard places a clawed hand onto a stone block and presses it, slowly a the door begins to open and he walks in.

Another burst of light strikes Xoleks vision as now he is in the room, relics, gold and ancient writings are everywhere he looks. A mumbled conversation begins but only the priest is visable, then he heard a few words "Scale....Spektezuma...secure plaque here in Kara...". The priest was then gone, but the plaque on the table...walking forward Xolek goes to look at the tablet, all he can see are a mountain range and a swamp, he recognizes the mountain range as the Spine of Sotek but more specifically the Sky Watch Peaks...and then the room disappears

The Serpent spoke again, however the serpent was large now, eyes piercing like the full moon, wings and scales crackling with magical energy, "Find the Plaque and the scale....moon serpents it will reveal, a way to free me....you...you are the prophet...." the voice faded and so did the vision

Coming back to reality Xiuhcoatl face comes into view as Xolek stares upwards from the floor of the tunnel, happy her saliva was not dripping on him. She seemed less primal, he had hoped his incantation and link had worked with her before the vision struck him...

 

"I... guard..." responded Quas with a deep echoing voice and ending his sentence with a hiccup that resonated even louder. With eyes fiery and bleary and a crocodile smile he leaned his back against the wall, his orange back plates scratching the surface, straightened his pose and folded his giant arms. Indeed he could stand there for days, his only enemy the constant urge to take another nap.

 

With the scent of corrupted blood still heavy in the air combined with the roar that bounded down each and every tunnel like a running beast, there was no doubt any latent Skaven would know of the Saurian’s presence.

However, clearing away the rubble was no easy task. Boulder after boulder had to be lifted only to be cast aside before any progress was seemingly made. After several intense minutes, Tezka’s muscles were soon numb, the world zoned out as both the beat of his heart and the panting of Texcoco’s breath filled his mind as the group continued to scramble away and this mountain of debris… It was seeming more and more like a hopeless endeavour after every additional minute spent on the task…

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Precise, Chameleon eyes still adjusting to the fog of darkness that flowed through the air almost like a thick mist Xlauax snatches his weapon before walking forward. Each and every step disturbing the ancient earth the sound of the outside tunnel that housed the rest of the group was muffled and quiet Leaving the chameleon in dead silence, One that had hung over this chamber for far too long. Clutching Qul’toq’s amulet tightly, Xlauax can see its light fight the darkness as it struggles to not become enveloped and smothered. Each and every breath causing the light to pulse or dimmer the chameleon holds the amulet up allowing it to illuminate a fraction of the room…

Tall walls stretch upwards all around him. Their surfaces coated with cracked, Shattered reminders of the purpose they had now lost, Only a fraction of the carvings had survived the onslaught of both time and a barrage of indentations and fractures, Marks that had been caused by hateful hand and iron tool… At that moment the darknesses shadow almost slithered around the chameleon as if it were a coiling serpent for but a split second before once again diffusing back into the air with a hiss. A primordial fear threatening to overcome him Xlauax pressed on revealing more and more of the scorched, broken and ruptured until a defined structure loomed out from the shadows filling his mind with dread and causing his hands to quiver and shake… It was an altar. Untouched by vile eyes the surface of the altar remained intact, much unlike the rest of the room which had suffered so greatly.

Walking closer Xlauax could see the distinctive stain of ancient blood coating the altars surface, the crimson liquid had in ages lost flowed from the middle basin into perfectly coordinated grooves etched into the stone creating what seemed to look like some form of celestial map surrounded by rings of ancient saurian verses to some sort of ritual. Aligned perfectly to each other several different shaped orbs surround the central crescent-shaped basin depicting what could only be described as the many cycles of the moon. Staring upon the structure Xlauax’s eyes are drawn to what would be the full moon for the orb was not of stone but instead, crystal that thirsted for the light produced by his amulet, drawing it in before reflecting it across the room in faint projecting beams...

Drawing down from the cresented basin is a large channel that disappears into the floor, its surface coated in a film of clotted, red ichor...

Spoiler: Inspiration For Altar

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Dazed and unyielding Xolek struggled on the floor, his body half-submerged in the putrid, blood-stained stagnant water. Muscles twitching and eyes open yet blank the oracle finds himself struck once again with a vision… Heart racing, limbs numb, veins pulsing to the beat of the fighting’s distant echoes. It was almost as if this place and the surge of combat had awoken something deep within him, Almost as if the scent of battle in the air, the splash of unworthy blood upon his molten scales, on the buried stone tiles of these once hallowed, once sacred grounds had made memories of both his own and this land manifest in the form of true revelation…

Now back in the seat of power over his conscience and thought Xolek could feel what could only be described as Ethereal. Laced over the jagged stone of the walls were ghostly pillars and stone blocks, a flicker into what these tunnels once were. He was so far below the surface, years of solid earth, rock and memories separating him from the sky yet he felt as if it was watching him, the long-dead spirits that are shadows hiss and wait, these spirits, however, were not invoked by Potec, but of another…

His head throbbing with a strange, ringing pain Xolek was forced to lean against the wall in order to get back to his feet, All energy leaving him the oracle could barely scrape forward toward Xiuhcoatl forcing him to watch as the beast instead came to him.. Having seemingly tapped into the reserves of latent power, Xiuhcaotl’s instinct once again becomes the battleground for both her own and the skinks' already weakened will. (+1 Exahusted State)

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Almost pushing Hakal out of the way Quas’s words reverberated back and forth as he leaned back against the wall, the sharp, jagged nature of the stones doing little to prevent the kroxigor. Now having fed Quas felt as if the tunnel had grown smaller, its walls and ceiling enclosing to wrap around him, Perhaps this claustrophobia was only born from the fact he no longer had the priority of eating distracting him from it. Taking in a breath of the stale air Quas once again scanned the room until he was suddenly interrupted by what sounded like his stomach rumbling… no, an echoing roar, a roar that sounded as if it was from another lizard…?

 

Scenting the blood, Tezka once again roared, not in challenge but in fury at the difficulty of clearing the rubble. Knowing his muscles were numb, he sat down, and decided to rest. As he did so he looked around to see if any objects could aid in the rubble being cleared

 

"That was loud not" - Quas reeled off. A phrase some Saurus warrior was overusing while the latter was doing a contest of roars with his equally audible friend somehow engraved in his slow paced mind. And it was always the Kroxigor cook that made them both shut up... in a deafening fashion.
He took a deep breath, massive chest growing so that one could see the soft body between the scales. Leaving little time for his companions to cover their ears he let out a thunderous cry that could as well be used in place of a heavenly wind blast, cavern stones only amplifying the effect and sending ear-piercing echoes.

 

With Tezka sitting down his muscles began to cool off and the stinging of labour ceased as he focused his attention to the rest of the room in search of something, anything to help clear the rubble.

Head throbbing he looked around the room. At first only darkness. Next, bare walls, stagnant water… These tunnels were stripped of everything but the piles of boulders and the fleeting sign they were once inhabited which came in the form of the occasional worn carved block or pillar. All around nothing but testaments to both time’s corruption and the unwavering grasp of darkness, of isolation which in turn breeds evil, an evil that must be burnt out.

Without warning a thunderous roar explodes into the room causing both Tik to stumble and Texcoco to immediately stand, nose sniffing the air, teeth bared in anticipation. Ears ringing Tezca can hear the sound rebounding down the split tunnels whilst the carnosaur’s gaze flicks around to glare to a nearby twisting passage. The thin mist that had once smothered the tunnel had been disturbed by the noise as too was the water below which whispers and chants in response…. This was no doubt the direction from which the noise had came from…

 

The sudden burst of noise from Quas shook Xolek to his senses, knocking him to high alert. In the same moment Xiuhcoatl let out her own call but one of fear as the juvenile salamander ran into the black, Xolek let out a sigh as the ringing in his ears persisted. Looking at Quas from down the tunnel way the Oracle gruffs as he stands to his feet, ears ringing he begins to head in the direction that the reptile had sprinted in.

Walking down the way they had come Xolek steps over dead skaven, some black and charred with smoke still billowing from bones or little bits of fur that were somehow untouched, others were cleaved and bloodied. The smell of death and battle still lingered in the air as the Oracle walked on he noticed something different, the tunnel itself was different; as if another vision the hallway became furnished with ghostly pillars and stone blocks with carvings on them telling stories of ancient battles, Quetzl and Tepok being mentioned numerous times, another was mentioned but the name had been scratched away it seemed. Looking closer at one of the stones he noticed a name he recognized, "Izqux". Taking a moment he thought on this, why was the Star Seer mentioned? Is he mentioned as a future telling or is he more ancient that he lets on? The thoughts raced through his mind.

Soon the Ethereal vision began to fade but not before seeing the small serpent one more time before it disappeared into the darkness, its wings glowing Xolek could feel energy running through him again, a warmth consumed him. Flexing his muscles a bit he continues on, soon coming to where he had set a trap for any reinforcing skaven he began to dodge the spear heads he had wedged between the stone flooring. Looking about he noticed no new blood which gave him hope that Xiuhcoatl had made it past this area with no error, however a skaven slave had not been so lucky. Xolek figured the slave must have ran and hid during the battle and ran away after the party had moved on, unaware of the trap that had been set. Labored breathing could be heard almost a gurgle with each inhale and exhale of air. Now towering over the slave Xolek looked over the skaven, cuts were everywhere but what was keeping the whimpering creature in place was its foot being impaled on a spear head. Xolek thought about his next course of action: Did he simply kill the rat spawn or leave it to its slow painful fate? In a moment he made his choice and simply began walking on, the slave wouldn't last long he knew and he did not want to waste his energy.

In a bid to either anger the skink into killing it or in a bid to find compassion the slave screamed out in an anguished voice, "We-we steal stone with writings, lizard-things plaques, Masters make us, yes-yes" a cough lets loose as the slaves lungs strain to produce oxygen to the slave. The slave continues, "Rituals, ancient texts, spells of frog things....long forgotten serpent-wing creature-beast, yes-yes!" Fury is all that Xolek feels in that moment, his eyes ablaze with whatever magical energy still coursed through him, he turns and glides towards the skaven in divine purpose. The slave looks on in terror, he can feel it he can feel the end coming, "let it be swift, let it be not like the masters wrath" the slave thought to itself, but wrath did not come. Instead a scaled hand reached down towards the gnarled foot of the rat spawn and in an instant was ripped free of the spear head, but not before Xoleks tail with carnosaur tooth was at the skavens throat.

"You are coming with me" Xolek yanks the slave to its feet, using its tail to help balance itself on its injured foot the two begin to navigate the tunnel. Keeping an eye out for Xiuhcoatl Xolek keeps the tooth poised towards the slave to strike if needed while his dual laced whip was in hand also ready to rip into the soft flesh with its obsidian barbs.

They continue down the tunnel towards the entrance when he hears another roar, a frustrated roar...not of a Kroxigor, but of a Saurus...but not a young Saurus, he knew the roar was of a more tested and older Saurus, likely an Oldblood.

 

Xlauax approached the crystal, the amulet in his left hand and his Pain in his right. Qul'toq's amulet grew brighter as Xlauax drew near to the large crystal. Standing amidst the phases of the moon, Xlauax uses his Pain to cut his left hand and let enough blood to fill a small cup fall into the basin leading to the crystal. Seeing blood flow through this sacred channel filled Xlauax with a sense of strange joy, it reminded him of the blood he lost for ten years at the hands of the Druchii, the blood he spilled of the Skaven, and the blood he would spill in his final act of Vengeance against the Druchii commander. The blood was thick like the haze that would grip Xlauax's mind through his torture, it was that haze that allowed him to survive the torture, to block out the endless agony he experienced. To this day he struggled to sleep, instead of the desired darkness of sleep, Xlauax was forced to relive every instant of his torture, every scream of pain he experienced. And it was with these thoughts that Xlauax decided to figure out what this strange room was, for Qul'toq.

 

Upon hearing the roar, Tezka leaps up. Sniffing the air Tezka attempts to find what made the sound. As he does so he tries to clear away a small enough hole in the debris to peer through in the hopes that he will find roared. The scent of blood, the roar, and the fury of not being able to clear his way through drove Tezka into a frenzy, causing him to madly scrape away debris, growling and hissing as he dug.

 

Thinking for a moment, Tik could only smile. He knew the roar that echoed from the darkness. "That can only be Quas," he said quietly. Reaching into a pouch, he withdrew a small amount of reddish dust. "Tezka, you are looking tired. Come here for a moment, I have something that will help..." When the saurus cast the red powder a curious look, Tik calmly explained that the red powder was called Fireroot, and would help grant him the energy he needed. "It is up to you if you wish to use it or not, but I think you need it at the moment."