Lixas Garden

[aeonwn]

(note: these stories were actual RP's with real players)



Part 1... A most unusual mushroom patch

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The sounds of her light feet echoed in the dank cave, quickly followed by the pitter pat of a myriad gol feet. The clanking of their rusty old ill fitted armor penetrated the darkness. Lixa ran fast, being in great shape having survived so long alone out here. Her sleek and rugged form bounced over the small cobble stones.. and before the pursuing gols lay a large patch of land sitting on a lake.

The small island was littered with mushroom patches of all kind. To the untrained eye, nothing would appear out of order. But to a keen flora observer of the Underdark, it would be easily obvious that most of the species here are not native to this area of the caverns. The water surrounding the island is dark from the lack of light, but crystal clear. The cascade of fresh lake water from the surface coming down slightly off in the distance, tickling the ears of anyone nearby.

The gols must have though they had a chance... because the large group ran with great vigor to get here. A large devilish smile spread across Lixas face as the eight gols charged her on the island. "HOOTOO CRISTO SHAR MANUR!" she screamed, and instantly the gols turned to stone. "Hmmmmm... now how to move them.."

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What a strange sight it must have seemed to Thyfiir Pravok, a rather large Duerger dwarf clad in shiney full plate. He slowly made his way across the small cobble stone bridge, obviously put in place by someone sentient. The eerie statues looked almost lifelike... their eyes staring into space and the looks of horror on their face frozen. Haphazardly strewn about the area, the statues were seemingly laid out to accent what appeared to be gardens of mushrooms.

An icy chill ran down his spine, as he got the sense he was being watched by something terrible and frightening.

He slowly made his way across.. and then suddenly he almost jumped off the floor, totally startled by the crimson eyes staring at him from a small cave off across the other side of the island. She stared at him a long uncomfortable while with her piercing eyes, as if a spider was sizing up a prey item stuck to her web.

"Do you like my garden? " a rather rugged but feminine voice came from her obsidian lips.

"yeah.. its uhh... rather nice..." came the cautious reply.

"I especially like this piece here" she said as she slowly slinked out of the shadows and approached one of the stone gols..

The gols face was twisted in utter horror, its spear held up high as if it was attempting to stop something that was coming at it. Its equipment and clothing were amazingly fluid and lifelike. She slowly ran her hand over the gols arm.

"What is your name? " she asked, still staring at the gol before her and not looking his way.

"Thyfiir.." came the reply.

"I am Lixa" she said rather of factly.

Lixas gaze again turned to him.. and she stared a long while as if sizing him up, not knowing what to do with him.

"Dont you think its beautiful? " she asked as her gaze remained locked onto him.

"I am not sure how much beauty there is around here..." came his reply.

Her face quickly twisted into a horrible sight as she displayed clear anger at his answer.

"Here.. let me show you.." she said rather abrubtly and disgusted. "You see that waterfall?" she said as she pionted to the cascade of water. "That is a stream which comes from the surface.. and the water is great for drinking and bathing as well as cooking." she motioned for him to follow as they approached a small patch of mushrooms. "And these? I gathered them from another part of the Underdark.. they are really good for eating. Very sweet once boiled."

Thyfiir looked at the rather plain mushrooms and then out at the waterfall and silently noded as he folllwed her around, unsure of what his fate would be. It was clear to him that this drow female was much more powerful than him, and he was at her mercy.

"Look at these!" she said as she points to another patch. These mushrooms were oddly colored, almost rainbow like and had a very sweet and pleasant smell. "I use these to fragrant myself after I bathe. That way i can smell better. I guess it brings back memories of long ago..." her words trailed off as she stared into the darkness blankly.

"These few patches over here, some serve as medicine.. others poison. They look almost the same. Only a very keen and experienced eye can tell the difference." she said. Thyfiir however, was having a hard time paying attention as the army of gol eyes stared at him from behind their glassy stone tombs.

Thyfiir followed her around to a few more patches before she finally turned to him, an odd and twisted look on her face. Lixas mind raced and her eyes narrowed. "Do me a favor... fetch me that stone over their" she pointed to a rather normal looking small stone near the water side. As he walked to pick it up, he felt as if impending doom was about. Lixa stared at his back as he turned around.. slowly her finger pointed. She felt the weave building up inside her. How long she had come from a wild mage who could barely control the weave enough to emit a simple cantrip. The words began to come to her mouth.. then suddenly she felt regret. Her hand lowered, Thyfiir never knowing how close he had become to being a statue in the garden...

"How else will anyone ever appreciate my wonderful work" she thought to herself.

Thyfiir returned with the rock which he held out to Lixa. Lixa quickly grabbed the stone, hurling it into the water with a splash. "Hmm I wonder.." she began to think out loud. Thyfiir was clearly wanting to get out of the whole area. Lixas mind raced. How beautiful her garden would be... of only it had more variety. An where else can one find exotic variety than on the surface realm.

Lixa was no stranger to the surface, many a night she stalked the land invisible, watching and observing with somewhat keen interest. Lixa quickly imagined a garden full of humans, elves, dwarves and halflings.

"Xas!" she said out loud, her laughter echoing in the cool soft glow of a rather large luminescent mushroom. Thyfiir was now at the edge of the island, and seeing an opportunity began to run for his life. Lixas gaze quickly turned to him.. except she let him go. "I will find that one again.. and he will see my new garden next time... "

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The suns rays seared her eyes through her eyelids as she squinted tightly. At last.. the surface again. The soft humming of a human voice several yards away drew her attention as it headed towards the ruins on top of the hill...








To be continued...