Foxmoor Fiction
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SSD 4.41 - The Storm
🕑 Added 2023-06-01 18:28:45 +0000 UTCI really love storms. Not much more to say than that, haha.
“A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.”
-John Muir
==Zidaun==
The meadow had a different name now.
You have entered the:
Aqueduct Cascade Meadows
As we stepped off the drawbridge and onto the pathway, leaving the town and its walls behind, we could see other changes too. This path followed the aqueduct, the tall stone pillars of the aqueduct arching up into the air. Greenery grew in abundance around the stone, and tiny trickles of water could be seen here and there. Each bit of water was marked with a profusion of green moss and lacy curtains of delicate vines. Flowers bloomed like tiny multicolored stars in the deep green.
Outside the town were the ruined remnants of fields. Ancient wooden structures showed only the barest remains. Though a stone well showed mostly intact under a thick layer of choking vines and briars.
The fields themselves were mostly overgrown with weeds and a few small trees. The trees clumped together into tiny copses. A few segments of ripe grain persisted, their golden color striking among the gathered greenery.
Should go check out the grain. Let my people know they can harvest it.
“Let’s go look at the fields,” I said. “If we can harvest the grain, it would be a good food source.”
“Not really good for us, is it?” Gurek grumbled. “We certainly don’t have the skills to thresh it, and I think it has to be dried first…”
“What, you don’t know how to make bread?” Inda asked archly, one of her eyebrows quirked at him.
“Never said that,” he mumbled. “If it was flour, sure. I could make flatbread. Don’t have the skills to make it rise. Don’t want to try grinding flour by hand though…”
Gurek looked at me speculatively.
“You know, you could probably make a mill. Or maybe just crush the flour directly. Move a little stone around.”
I considered it for a moment. I didn’t actually know how all the gears in a mill were supposed to work. However, if I just needed to crush it down to flour, that was probably easy enough. I could imitate some of the dungeon powers, so I could probably force the grain to dry out with heat.
Eh, too much work. And I don’t have any idea how to thresh grain either.
“I probably could make flour, but we are going to be busy with other stuff. If the grain looks good though, I’ll let my Adar know. I am sure someone will know how to make it into bread. I’ll even get some for us.”
Gurek started to walk quickly.
“Well, come on, what are you waiting for?”
The rest of us chuckled as we followed.
The scudding clouds overhead cast alternating shadows between beams of light. The wind had picked up, making trees look like frenetic dancers, and the clouds moved faster with it. The clouds had grown thicker as we explored and now were dark and heavy. The air was rich with the scent of plants, earth, and humidity.
The fields were close, and only a minute of walking was required before we reached them. The fields and the area around them were dotted with large holes in the ground. As we approached, large plate-mice squeaked with rage as they emerged.
The battle was bloody and swift, none of us bothering to hold back. We didn’t see the whole colony emerge, as I could sense many still in the twisting tunnels below the surface, but more and more came out to fight from various holes as we got closer to the grain.
However, since they didn’t all emerge in a single rush, newbies should be able to stop and flee if they needed to retreat.
The grain itself was the perfect golden brown of ripe grain. I wasn’t an expert, but Gurek confirmed it was wheat.
“And damn good wheat, too.” He said. “Good enough to make quality pasta, if it was flour. You,” he pointed at me. “better get us some flour too.”
“Making food, huh?” Inda said. “Perhaps you should open up a restaurant here.”
For a moment Gurek’s face looked contemplative, before he frowned.
“Nah, but I can always charge you for what I make, Inda.”
She sputtered at him, glaring.
“That is not what I meant, and you know it.”
Gurek snickered.
Firi and I looked at each other and smiled. I rolled my eyes at him and his smile got larger.
“Time to go,” I said diplomatically. “I’ll tell the Adar later.”
Best to stay out of their banter.
Gurek’s face turned serious again, and we headed out of the field toward the road.
We dealt with more plate-mice along the way, but we reached the pathway soon enough.
We proceeded along the path, which was mostly variations on the same type of encounters we had dealt with in the Meadowsbefore. We went somewhat faster than we had before, not particularly concerned about the dangers here.
We were cautious enough that we could retreat easily, but we didn’t really expect any true danger.
Midway through the path, the clouds opened and it began to rain.
“Really!” Inda shouted at the heavens in futility. “Rain in a dungeon?”
“Makes sense,” Said Firi.
Inda turned her glare onto him.
“It’s meant to be the wilderness, right? So dealing with the weather is part of that.”
Inda’s face was sour but she simply nodded and sighed.
Tiny rivulets of water made their way down the path, and the earth grew damp. Muddy sections made the road slippery.
The rain intensified into a downpour, and curtains of rain flung themselves onto us, carried enthusiastically by the wind. Visibility was swiftly declining.
“We’ll need to stop!” I shouted above the rain. “Follow me!”
We were next to a hill, the pathway winding its way around the base of it, with the aqueduct to the other side.
I trudged toward the base of the hill, the earth soggy and slopping beneath east step. As I got closer I could sense a small cave hidden into the hill. Fortunately it had no occupants at the moment.
Fortunate for them. I wouldn’t have bothered to fight, I would have simply crushed them with the surrounding earth.
The cave was rather small, the entrance hidden by layer of plants. I pushed them to the side as I shouldered my way in. I crouched in the entrance, unable to stand up fully, and the others followed me inside.
I shored up the cave with more stone, closing my eyes, focusing and tuning out the rest of the world. Then I gradually expanded it, make it taller, and the entrance larger. Plants fell off the entrance as they lost their grip, the dirt giving way to stone.
I opened my eyes, and Firi caught them with a smile.
Inda and Gurek were, quietly, bickering, obviously trying not to interrupt my work.
Someone had activated several heat stones and set them on the ground. They warmed the cave, even with our wet clothes.
“Welcome back,” Firi said.
I chuckled.
Around us the cave was a mishmash of stone grown up into arches above our heads. They were enough to maintain support for as long as we were here.
With the plants removed, their was a clear view out into the storm.
The wind howled, and the grass was flattened in waves only to stand up and be flattened again. The rain lashed the earth with whips of water, leaving welts of running streams behind. Mist sprung up from the cold rain, obscuring the view, only to be reduced to tattered shreds by the wind, making the view intermittent.
Growing streams of water joined into a flood, cascading through the meadow over small cliffs. The lower section of the path we had followed was now buried beneath a growing rush of raging water. Rapids raged over rocks in the low valleys between the hills.
We would have been safe enough in the upper sections of the path, but lower areas were deathtraps now. The water would sweep away anyone who tried to get through it without the proper skills.
The scene was beautiful and deadly, and I was sure it was an omen of things to come. A uniquely crafted blend of the two, that would define the experience of this dungeon.
“It’s beautiful.” I said.
“It is,” Firi softly agreed.
Firi and I came closer to each other and I rested my head on his shoulder and we stared out into the storm. Mostly warm, and getting warmer as our clothes dried, we stood together. Each of us enjoying the others company.
Eventually, the storm blew past, the wind settling back down. The clouds parted and sunlight streamed through the cracks, filling the world with light once again.
Now sufficiently dry, Inda was scribbling out a map with a light stone held in her other hand. The storm over, we prepared to resume our exploration.
The ground was still soaked with water, but the floods had emptied almost as quickly as they had come. Small bits of branches and stones were scattered, where they had been ripped free and carried away by the wind and waters.
Everything glistened, the greenery shining with a coat of shedding water. Drops of water captured the sunlight, making ephemeral gems that sparkled with inner light. Tiny beads gathered together only to drip off the ends of leaves into small pools, rocks, other plants below, casting out ripples and the faint sound of water splashing and dripping. Each single drop was almost inaudible, but together sufficient to paint the world with the sound of water gently dripping down. Insects added their own music, faint creaking and chittering.
We didn’t talk, just walked through the stillness left in the storm’s aftermath. A stillness that was not disturbed by the sound of the dripping water, but rather punctuated by it. The sound of the water only acted as an emphasis to the calm, a reminder of the storm’s previous rage now stilled.
The stillness shattered when a monster leaped out to attack us.
It was nothing special, merely a monstrous centipede and we removed it instantly, but it broke the spell of an enchanted world.
Sadly, we had to return to business.
We we about midway through the Meadows when we came upon another change. A spillway in the aqueduct unleashed a wide waterfall that plunged into a large pool below. The path gave way to a short stone bridge, just above the water, and it passed over a narrow section of the pool where the waters rushed between the still depths. The pool fell in another waterfall to our right and became a rapid rushing rocky river. It wended round and through the hills, carving out its own path, and out of sight.
Comments
Potion
We we about midway through the Meadows -> We were about midway through the Meadows
bbk
They need a skill to rise flour, the don't know why they need to wash their hands. Caden needs to beat germ theory into them
Zarik0
Yeah you said it better than me, nothing against the author and the story like you said, its just this prick character and his thoughtless action without thinking and global (and millions of death) repercussion and problems it will create Really Hope when it come under the light, Zidaun will yell at him something like 'What did you DO? You wanted to save some life???? Did you think that you have saved life by your act here?!!?! Did you not realize that your thoughtless act here will kill MILLIONS of these live of these young ones that you wanted to save and a lots of others??? and will create war/conflit and country or even maybe whole race disappear?'
Foxmoor Fiction
We will get to it relatively soon, but Caden is going to be unavailable for at least a week in that world's time. I will still be showing some of his perspective, but everything now it heading toward the end of book 1.
ShadeByTheSea
Honestly if there's war with Adar people over this I'd rather it happen off screen. I feel it would take too much focus away from Cadan's awesome dungeon building.
ShadeByTheSea
Idk I'm a little disappointed. I've been waiting for a proper conversation between Zidaun and Caden and it feels like the story is delaying it. That's likely not what your actually doing, but when you open every chapter hoping for an event but not seeing it can kinda get you down. Even though all the chapters have been great.
Foxmoor Fiction
This comment doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I am quite flattered that I was able to bring out this level of emotion. And yeah... Gurek wasn't thinking everything through. Of course, there is the irony that his oath meant that he couldn't give any clarifying details...
Novel Cat
The following is a Rant brought from the frustrations of such a realistic situation cuz just because it's realistic Doesn't mean I Hafta like it! 😡😑😤 And yeah, I tried to ignore it by going into this chapter but seeing that Prick walk around so Carefree after what he's done just Riled me up even More..... So this is gonna be an Angry Rant lol. Btw Foxmoor? This isn't anything against you or anything like that I just wanted to rant and curse out Gurek (and his accomplice). So please don't take this personally 🙏🏾. And if you feel that my words Might hinder your muse then PLEASE DON'T read further!!! 😅🙃😊 You have been warned lol. ~~~~~*~~~~~ I'm honestly still pissed about Gurek's Betrayal... He's literally risking the existence of an Entire Race Of People AND the Dungeons they live within because of something They Can't Control..... What's worse is that he was TOLD as much when Z said that the Sapient dungeons are extremely RARE, but this self serving idealistic fool ignores the Obvious because he doesn't want to see others die..... CASUALLY forgetting that dungeons are literally MENT to be Dangerous!!!..... Do you think it's Normal to walk up to ANY Predator and think it's CASUALLY NORMAL to Pet it on its head and Snuggle up to it?!??? No? You wouldn't??? Then WHY did you think that Every Dungeon is going to be like This one simply because it's Different?!??? THE FACT THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S DIFFERENT SHOULD BE A DEAD GIVE AWAY THAT THIS DUNGEON ISN'T NORMAL AND THAT YOU SHOULDN'T HOLD THE WORLD UP TO THE STANDARDS OF ONE EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUAL YOU FLAMING FOOL!!!!!!!!! So EVERYTHING that was Already Said is MOOT??? It doesn't exist?!? NONE of the conversations your had with the others about Secrecy MATTERS?!??? The fact that an Entire Race kept this Secret as Part Of Their RELIGION from Forever means NOTHING TO YOU?!????????? Because you HOPE to save more lives?!??? You would destroy more lives than you would save by your actions but you wouldn't care about that would you? A possible Genocide, Enslavement, and/or DESTRUCTION of an ENTIRE RACIAL GROUP means absolutely Nothing to you. Because you hope to save a few lives... Yet you waltz around as if you Didn't just put a ticking time bomb above the heads of ALL of Z's people AND their Homes because of your past traumas..... What about the lives of those whom you're relegating to untold and possibly Innumerable TRAUMAS in the future Because of Your Actions?!??? Did you think that Vow of Secrecy was simply a passing Fart without Any Meaning or Reasoning made Behind It?!????? Self serving little Prick. I hope that you feel EVERY BIT of torture and possible Destruction that you've let loose upon this world while you burn in the lowest level of hell for what you've done. ~~~~~*~~~~~ ..... Still pissed, but that's about the gist of how I feel about that JUDAS. ~~~~~*~~~~~ Especially since he could've tried talking more with Z about ways they could move towards helping new dungeons learn their sapience faster so that there could be litre of a buffer zone. OR, Even Better, why isn't he Mad at his own Adventurers Society for not being as Strict with their training of newbies as HIS Instructor was with him?!??? He even Admitted that it was the Grueling Training that helped him to Survive! And if they can Organize to have a specialized Scouting Team; then why can't they have a Mandatory (Grueling) Training Period that newbies can pay off overtime with their delves?!??? Yeah it'll be hell for them for a while, but better stressed than dead Right?!??? PLUS, that grueling training period would also help weed out the weak and foolish Before they lose their lives..... 👀🙄😒 That is unless his guild (and country) Doesn't care about the newbie lives lost because they understand that deaths are how to make dungeons stronger faster... Which would then mean that they're More interested in the monetary gains than their newbies lives. But he thinks it's the Dungeon's fault for being a predator... ~~~~~*~~~~~ I would Prefer that NONE of those Horrors would be let loose on unto Z's people and I PRAY that there's a good to Decent compromise that could happen to Not let the Worst happen. But it's all in the author's hands so Please 🙇🏽 🙏🏾🙇🏽 let there be a way for them to survive and still thrive Without them being abused and/or tortured for personal gains in the end... 🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽🙇🏽 Just a personal request if at all possible. But if not, I understand.😓😢🙁
Crazy Abe
Thanks for the chapter!
fity0208
Last paragraph, "we we about" tyfc
ZCochraine!%
A very good quote that fits the very good chapter.
Foxmoor Fiction
I have been waiting to use that quote for months.
