Veilward Expedition Log: Cavern

[JustMeMorgan 2065]

 

Veilward Expedition Log: Cavern

“Oh My…”

 - Veilward Member stumbling into the expedition

 

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Issued [274SA 13th of Snow’s Maiden, This excavation log is available within the Veilward Library, for academic use and also historical accuracy.

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Premise

As to teach the novice mages and acolytes of the Veilward various tactics and strategies, it was deemed best that they explore the underground complexes beneath the Veilward Monolith. The complex itself is used as a training ground: an active underground ecosystem which seemingly twists and turns and is full of various cavern flora and fauna. It has been used frequently, from small gatherings of focus crystals and magegold, to larger ventures into the depths.

 

This adventure, due to the group’s size, was deemed acceptable for the students to do without staff overshadowing- though staff could be called at any time to aid if desperate. The students who went into this were a variety of ages, species and prowess.

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“Onwards!” he’d call out to the group, despite his fear, he remains chipper. 

- Edmund

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The Stream grows faster

As the students began their initial steps into the cavern, one such individual was ambushed by an insect about the size of a small boar- some large cavern beetle. This conflict had taught the students their first lesson it seems on lighting and the requirement of sight to produce effective magic. One thankful apprentice produced a magelight, allowing another to send forth a deadly chunk of Arcane rock into the beetle’s side, saving a kha on the venture. From this moment on, the group had lit three lanterns and delegated the mages to carry them- those of a more mundane inclination would lead in front. Venturing forwards the group had begun to realise the scent laid into those too close to the dying beetle had provoked- or rather agitated- a larger accumulation of such insects further in the cavern.

 

As soon as the group came up to the precipice over the ledge- having been planning how to pass such beetles, it is where they realise their chatter and activity has provoked a much more pressing threat- seemingly larger bipedal insects: Tarraskan Beetles had come.

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“Three bugs in the rear! Start casting fuckers!” he called out, his voice sounding excited for the fight. 

- Daemon

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Fright: Fight or Flight

As the small pack of beetles advanced, so too did the frenzied students: filled with chipper and zeal they turned back to their flank, one of them- a bold younger man- flurried forth with blades in hand, seeking to make an impact against such beetles. Joined behind by his allies the original man had seemingly struck the first beetle with uncanny surprise and pierced into its chitinous form- only to be met with an attempt towards his helmet from a vicious claw. Furthermore, of the two other beetles, the largest of them all went directly to pile into the man, the third moving quickly towards the rest of the group to cut off aid.

 

In desperation, the mages behind had begun their spells: the Earth Evoker had started charging additional projectiles- aiming to splatter the beetles. An adjacent pyromancer too worked on sputtering to life Arcane flame. The youngest of the travelling party bravely went to rescue their ally. The cavern was alive with action and magic.

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He closes his eyes, praying to GOD for his possibly final moment.

- Edmund

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The Rapids

As the gathering charged ahead, they were met with the vicious scene as their ally, the man who had charged forth originally, was smashed into a wall and had his helmet bludgeoned with a pincer. Though still alive the man could only see as his friend- the youngest- was charged by a herculean sized beetle, which had overtaken the approaching tarraskan beetle. Although alive, this man still had the threat of one beetle remaining on him, seeking to open him as if a tin.

 

Furthermore, to the dismay of the larger gathering up on the higher ground, they had failed to check their flank as a small swarm of beetles seemed to assault the scent-covered kha, pincers aiming to drag the furred being to the ground. Panic set in, the Earth Evoker retreating to an angle, the pyromancer’s flame still not prepared. And the young man who had dared step forwards to rescue his friend held his blade outwards ready, praying to his GOD that he could skewer the beast before he was crushed.

 

Though- not all were in horror, in the distance of the tunnel a voice was heard; an echo of a shorter and stout student, a man of the name Macintosh. He had been late seemingly to the beginning of the expedition and sought to catch up only to find that the students had not managed too far.

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“What the bloody hell is going on here!”

- Macintosh

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Sinking

The battle trickled on, the kha was bitten into with large ferocious pincers, though the beetle dissuaded from further conclusion of its meal from a fierce kick into the side of its head, his friends however… One made its way towards the pyromancer, the other looking to finish work on the Kha.

 

On the other end of the battlefield, the tide was rising and soon it seemed many would find themselves swimming or drowning. The young teen who set forth their rapier found it connected, though not before the creature barreled into him, sending him flying backwards. The armoured one who originally dove into conflict first was tackling a beetle of his own stuck in incredibly close quarters, being lifted and returning with violent stabs. Furthermore the field doctor had found one beetle- the third one that had so far remained out of the conflict- gripping at their legs in the hopes of dragging them away.

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“Ahernhan” Azaril shouted, turning from the beetle as Daevos’ projectiles were sent flying towards it. He turned towards the main adversaries. From his hand a stream of superheated fire bellowed forth, scorching the rear end of the herculean beetle.

- Azaril

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Drowning

Though the young boy was struck hard into a wall, he still- thankfully for Faculty’s sake- survived though in incredibly poor state. What was worse was the doctor and pyromancer now faced beetle threat- the herculean one, covered in the sputtering of flames charging fanatically towards him, and the doctor seemingly smashed into the ground by the beetle that had grabbed them earlier.

 

The group was truly in a grave moment- and in a brief thought, one member of faculty had to step in from the outskirts to deflect a potentially lethal blow. Though it was not all dire it had seemed…

 

Daemon, who was the first to charge out, the first to become pinned and so far has been chewed and wrestling with various of the bipedal insects had now finally managed to overpower them, managing to use a precise thrust into its chitin from the weakened gaps to get into the creature’s skull, in addition, Macintosh behind had come approaching- blade in tow and ready to finish off the creature. 

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The Cursed Child fell to the ground, the beetle on top of him. Gripping his shovel he seized the opportunity to try and shove the shovel straight into its neck. Attempting to brutally pop the head from the rest of the insect’s body.

- Ilzar 

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Swimming

And as the air became vile and full of flame and ash, the ground soaked red in the blood and viscera of bug and person, the noise of cracking ribs and ripping bones, a ray of hope glistened through the cave: The doctor from the back seized forwards with violence and merciless resolve, Macintosh and Daemon sought to bridge the gap- resolving their previous issue. The pyromancer, in a fit of fear managed to let out a brisk step out of the way of a violent blow- the Earth evoker however suffered a fracture to their arm in such an incident.

 

One bug down, the Herculean next - as Macintosh and allies pushed forwards the creature’s senses were destroyed, now blindly panicking and swiping at those nearby. Ilzar, the cursed child, the doctor, with a maniac move had torn the creature’s head off with the shovel, almost as if using its chitin as the leverage!

 

The kha- still battling and bleeding heavily, had rescue on his way, having put up a fierce battle up on the precipice and at least stalling smaller beetles that came over the edge the Kha was faced with the harsh return of reality as his leg was severed by the pincers of one of the beetles. It was deemed best that the Faculty intervened- having blasted the remnant beetle off of them as to prevent the loss of a good student.

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“Hey! Over here! Over here, you disgusting freaks! He shouted towards the beetles his lantern held overhead.

-Azaril

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Floating

And so finally the group had begun to retake the ground, Azaril bravely trying to distract the remaining beetles near the Kha so he could be treated. Unfortunately, Macintosh and those near him would face the thrashing almost death-throes of the herculean beetle. Of which struck all three back again in its flittering blind fury. They were now left with a leftover pair of small beetles, and the disorientated Herculean. The group, as a whole, had sustained heavy harm, fractured ribs and arms, a severed leg- unluckily for a kha coated in pheromones, and more bruises than to count.

 

It was the final effort of Daemon- the dagger fanatic it seems- that put an end to the Herculean beetle, as the remaining beetle fed on the Kha’s severed leg, the others killed. The group had sustained incredibly heavy injuries, the kha having to be stabilised on scene for the amputated leg thanks to one particularly hungry beetle.

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End of Report

 

Saneral,  Faculty.

Head of the Riverbend Lineage

[TrueValkonen 65]

Edmund hyperventilates from the excitement, it was too much for him,

But the figure that saved him was forever in his heart

[Ches 70]

Lying in the clinic, days passed before the report reached So’Tlacuhenemi’s bedside.
He read it in silence. A smile crossed his face at the words written, of survival. 

 

The parchment trembled slightly in his claws. Tears left his eyes as his ears flickered back, 

the sounds of the beetles eating him alive kept him up for the many nights that followed. 

Edited February 26 by Ches