the power of friendship.

[adelicateflame]

The Caves of the Arimoi are an extensive network of caverns, winding through the earth. Who maintains the torches which light each passage with a dim and flickering luminescence? Who placed here these treasure chest, filled with artifacts both ancient and obscure? What is it even doing here, as it is clearly not part of the Queen's domain? Nobody knows, or at least nobody is answering. But here it is nonetheless, and it is both ancient and strangely beautiful.

You are not alone in these caves, however. Echidna's children lurk, jealously guarding treasures and preying on unprepared explorers. Here a woman with the lower boidy of a dragon lurks, vicious teeth dripping with venom. There, a formless, shapeshiting mass strikes out with its terrible barbed whip. There, hydras and chimaerae patrol, and in some places the beautiful woman you stumble across may not be what she seems...

How are you supposed to make nice with creatures like these? That's up to you to figure out.

[ooc: A more detailed description of the Caves and Monsters can be found on the setting page. We will be tagging into threads with NPC monsters, if you have a specific monster you would like to encounter please leave a note in your thread.]

Comments

[adelicateflame]

It's very quiet in the caves, which is fairly normal when one is just entering. However, it can also be called too quiet. All that can be heard is the course of a stream somewhere deep inside.

And the sound of skittering in the nearby darkness.

[reverentresistance]

Ky heads deeper without any hesitation. This is what she needs to do -- where her duty leads her.

"Is there anyone there?" she calls out once she's made her way from the entrance to the cave. "I'd like to speak to you."

[adelicateflame]

The skittering stops abruptly at her voice, something tensing in the shadows. When next the rustling is heard, it comes from above. It is uncertain what and how many of the things are watching, but there is the faint glitter of many eyes peering down from the ceiling.

[reverentresistance]

Ky has the unpleasant sensation of being watched, and looking up confirms that fact. Okay. The horrible monster creatures probably won't drop down and kill her. Hopefully. Her hand clenches on her hilt.

Ky continues heading into the cave, "If you have the power of words then it would be nice to exchange some of them."

[adelicateflame]

A chittering replies, laughter--(the clicking of mandibles)--and a long bloody tentacle extends downwards, a lone eyeball blinking expectantly at Ky.

Well. Speak.

[reverentresistance]

Oh God. There's no part of that which is natural. Ky shudders, but then refocuses on the eyeball. "I come in peace," she says, though she can't help but mutter a, "For now," under her breath.

[adelicateflame]

Another tentacle lowers, an eye of a different color, but both tentacles oozing with dark blood. They come together to make a mismatched pair, something cold there. For now?

"I hearrrrd that."

The voice is slurred, coming from an unseen mouth above, one not made for human words.

[reverentresistance]

Ky stares at the eyes, her own eyes not missing the blood there. "Fine," she says firmly, not annoyed to have been caught out. "I come in peace, unless I am attacked, in which case I shall defend myself. Does that seem a reasonable enough pattern of behavior for you to replicate?"

[adelicateflame]

The creature above makes an obnoxious little squawking noise, some thick green drool dripping down onto Ky.

"Your condescension is noted."

[reverentresistance]

Ky grimaces, and wipes the drool off of her. "What, just that? Look, my apologies if I've offended you." Just how is she supposed to approach horrible monsters anyway?

[adelicateflame]

There is a slurp, the next wave of slime being swallowed down in lieu of the apology.

"There's a girl."

[reverentresistance]

Now who's being patronizing? Ky grimaces, trying to think of what else exactly she's supposed to say. "Have you been here long?"