Fast indeed and it appeared just enough to keep Celephai at bay (though she doesn't have her character sheet linked). The woman started to huff but called out as she ran, scrambling down the rather narrow tunnel which no longer was brick but instead was dug into the earth itself.
"Sonny! SONNY! Momma's in a hurry young man!"
The old woman looked back at Cel but continued to run, her wide eyes piercing the dim light in their fear.
Last Edit: Sept 2, 2011 22:43:31 GMT -5 by Grayell
This did not bode well. Whoever this lady was, she wasn't alone. Now she'd have to tangle with TWO suspicious characters in this hole in the ground... speaking of, how far down was she now? It couldn't be too far. Celephai continued to give chase, eager not only for a good meal, but now to find some answers as to why someone was living in this pit.
The lady in front of her suddenly vanished - quite literally swallowed by the dark. The descent in this tunnel had steadily grown more severe and before Cel could stop to think of what she would do next, she too vanished - as in downwards. Her cloak flapped in the dark for but a moment and then, with a wet thud; she landed. Landed on something smelling little better than the sewer she had ventured from. The light in here was almost no existent and there was no trace of the old woman.
Yet, a new sense of dread came over her: Now she had no idea where she was, and knew of no way to get back. Celephai took a deep breath, anger had gotten her to the bottom of this, now she needed to find this old hag and get out.
"Well, this is certainly strange... what might lurk under a village at the edge of the world? Who are you, crone, and what is your purpose here?" She spoke out, using the echo to get a sense of how large her surroundings were.
She needn't bother as flames flickered into life, spreading from one torch to the next. Cel laid in a pit that was filled with mostly furs but held other assorted oddities. The old woman, small as she was, was across from her and standing with a smile in a small doorway.
"She's all yours sonny."
Before Cel could react, something very large and very powerful wrapped it's hand about her waist, lifting her up with ease. It was quite disorienting but Cel turned to look up into the face of her captor.
"Ohhhh Momma, she so nice purty dis one. It mine?"
The large creature, who's arm was larger than Celephai; chuckled as she whipped out tentaclies and his side kick, spectacular suction boy. His whole body rumbled as he laughed and a large finger prodded her in the belly, roughly.
"It tickles me. Dis one is fun! Tickle tickle little fing..."
The brute wasn't loosening his grip and seemed entirely unphazed. His finger waggled on her stomach and chest, his attempt at tickling. Her robe parted some though, revealing some of her more tasteful curves - the non naughty bits.
Sonny's one eye got wide and his mouth opened, stayed agape.
Celephai was not amused by this creature's prodding and gawking. She wanted this thing dead, and soon, lest it get any more ideas. She pulled at his fingers, attempting to pry herself free of this damnable thing's grip. "Let me go, you wretched creature! If you do I promise you a swift demise!" While she wasn't sure she could make good on that threat (in fact, she wasn't sure this thing would die without dropping it off of a cliff), she was certainly willing to give it a good try.
Celephai finally hung her head in defeat. This thing was just too big for her to do any damage. While the idea of playing along with this scum was thoroughly unappealing, there weren't very many options left... but at least he thought she was pretty, maybe she could use that.
"...Yes. Yes, I would love to be a princess." Her voice was thick with sarcasm.
The big beast smiled wide, drool frothing at the side of it's mouth.
"Oh goody! You will be da princess and I will be da frog ok! OK!"
The big lug rumbled about for a moment and found something in the odd pile. He then presented her with a crown. At one time it may have been lovely, the pride of some royal bloodline - but now it was battered and worn. He picked the rotten skull from inside of it, blew off the cobwebs and placed it on her head. It was too big and sat lopsided, but he seemed entirely thrilled.
"Ok now princess, you sit right ere and I will come and rescue you! Be scared now!"
He placed her down as carefully as he could manage - which wasn't entirely careful - in the center of the room and clapped his hands, giggling and bouncing. Exciting stuff.
So, the purpose of this was to act out some sick fantasy involving a member of royalty and an amphibian? The people of this world were obviously beyond saving. She would definitely have to purge them all in a glorious maelstrom of fire from the Elder Gods. Right now, however, she'd just have to play the part. Of course, acting to eldritch horrors was... alien, to say the least.
Fear, unfortunately, was an unusual emotion for her. She'd seen it plenty of times, but had hardly experienced it herself. Celephai managed (not entirely too well) a look of mock-horror. "Oh, who will save me? Who will rescue me from such a horrible fate?" She'd managed melodrama fairly well, but she didn't know what she was supposed to me rescued FROM. Maybe a princess would have liked to be imprisoned by a dragon. They tend to keep warm during the winter, at least.
Sonny chuckled and scuffled across the floor, hardly a quaint thing given that he easily filled a third of this large chamber. He spat in his hands and slicked his few strands or ragged hair back and put a hand to his chest.
"I will protect you pretty princess, you tell me now, wot izit that freatens you so?"
He was clearly doing his best impression of being proper. It was failing, but he was at least having fun. His beady eyes glimmered with delight and he continued to drool.
The thought of being stuck down here with you for all eternity.
No, that would do more harm than good. She wanted nothing more to do with this inbred filth, but she was stuck with it until she could find a way out. Maybe there was a way to manipulate this creature...
Celephai took a deep breath. "I'm absolutely terrified of the old hag that imprisons me here. She has cast a spell that forces me to stay in this horrible place. If you could slay her, I would be ever so grateful." She was getting better, maybe because she had new, vicious intentions. Some Elder Gods could manipulate entire galaxies to their wishes... maybe she could take a page from their books.
Sonny looked around, shuffled this way and that and finally, plucked up the decaying remains of what may have been his last play-thing. Her blonde hair was pretty, but now wasted on a vacant, hollow stare from a grayed corpse.
He held her by her shoulders, pranced her across the mound that Cel was currently on and turned the corpse toward her. His was was shrill, he wasn't very good at adopting a female voice.
"Yoo there, I am the evil woman who has you stuck and stuff, you will do my bidding!"
The corpse was very animated, something of a puppet for the big lug. His voice then changed back to his princely tone.
"O there you evil hag, that there is my pretty princess and I will stop you!"
The corpse: "Oh noes! You will not, for I have evil magic and stuff!"
The prince: "Oh yes I will! Watch this!"
SPLAT. He crushed the corpse with his massive fist, leaving shattered, crumpled remains. He then looked at Cel with gooey eyes and smiled.
"I DID IT! I HAVE SAVED YOU AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR MY REWARD! YAYYYYY!"
He clapped, very thrilled with himself, still drooling.