Okotan Adventures: Spider Saga

The Lord of the Undying Storm slowly glanced over his shoulder. Not far enough to actually see anything, of course, because he didn’t actually care. He turned back towards Twenty-Three.

“You’re disrupting the business of the only ‘master’ on this island worth mentioning.” He replied, relaxing somewhat with a heavy scoop of boredom. “Leave.”

“Unfortunately, that may be our only option to ensure Erebos cannot fulfill whatever plans he has in store.” Blaze said.

“Oh no, I would be a bad dog then. I must stay and record the comings and goings of the crater.”

“Oh, uh, them?” Kiva steps inside, placing the basket on a table. He rummages around in it for a second, withdrawing a plump yellow fruit and taking a bite out of it. The flap of the basket is left open, revealing many similar such fruits inside. “Help yourself, by the way. Uhhh… right, the elders.” He takes another bite of fruit, staring intently at the wall as he chews.

“I, uh, haven’t talked with them yet, to be honest. They tend to be pretty busy, you know, sorting out all the trouble we’ve been having, and I already had orders to check on you in the morning, so I just figured I’d grab some fruit and swing by, don’t have to bother them, right?” He quickly takes another large bite of fruit, chewing furiously.

Jaspar puts a hand on her shoulder, trying to hold her upright. “Sorry, forgot to mention that part. You just get used to it after a while, you know? Which I’m sure you would too, after a few rides.”

“Indeed…” the Mask Maker murmurs darkly.

“And what master might you attend to, ‘Twenty Three’?” He turns to face the wolf-like creature, regarding her with curious eyes. “And what interest might this master of yours have in such an auspicious location?” He remembered another such being from the events of three years ago: a creature who had assumed the moniker “Forty Four” in his dealings with Ekimu’s chosen adventurers. He had interfered with the party, going as far as to steal Masks of Power. Would this creature have a similar plan?

“I am pleased to be in the service of The Beast King! He is a most hospitable and generous host! Unfortunately he grows weak in his ailing years so he has us beast folk inform him of all the happenings of the world!”

As Kiva talks, he casually - and somewhat shakily - retracts a similar fruit and with an air of etiquette voraciously devours its insides by carving a hole in the base and ripping the insides out, stuffing them down his wooden gullet.[quote=“rainsong, post:3775, topic:47931”]
“I, uh, haven’t talked with them yet, to be honest. They tend to be pretty busy, you know, sorting out all the trouble we’ve been having, and I already had orders to check on you in the morning, so I just figured I’d grab some fruit and swing by, don’t have to bother them, right?”
[/quote]

“Good point, good point.” He mumbles, still quite audible through the fruit. “It, uh, it’s been a long while since- How have-”

He was catching himself up on his own tongue. Looking indecisive, the base of his leaves flushed a bright yellow, possibly due to the fruit he was consuming. “I beg pardon. Life has been unusually callous and I haven’t had anyone to talk to in, oh… Well, a while.”


The Lord of the Undying Storm squinted.

“Nothing has happened here. Not in three years. Could you please tell us why you are really here?” His hand casually crept around his back, feeling for his axe. “Someone in particular you’re watching?”

“Not at all, I’m here to record and report on any events that take place here.” She answered.

“Here? In the crater?”

There was no point in further questions, on his part. If he said anything else, Ekimu might feel the need to… Let’s not consider that as a possibility. Instead, he rolled his eyes and made every possible indication that he didn’t believe Twenty-Three.

“Exactly! Now you get it!” Twenty Three responded,“I’m a good note taker, the best!” She continued, giving a thumbs up, while barring her teeth in an attempt to smile.

“Bold of you to assume I’m ever doing that again.” Ilza remarks, grimacing. She tries to stretch her legs, waiting to get some feeling back into them before she feels safe to stand up again.

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“Oh wow, I didn’t think of asking you who you are! How thoughtless of me! Sorry about that!” She continued," So uh, who are you?"

The Lord of the Undying Storm crossed his arms. “None of your business.” He nearly hissed. What kind of an idiot does this thing take me for?

…And out of curiosity, the rest of the group?

Ekimu frowns, his brow furrowing beneath his mask. “Do you… not recognize this mask?” he asks slowly, as if the thought had never occurred to him.

Kiva says something that sounds like ‘oh’, though with the fruit in his mouth it’s possibly distorted. He swallows, glancing across the room to where Morrus is perched.

“That makes sense, I guess.” His eyes dart away once more, staring at his fruit instead. “That, uh, sounds pretty rough, to be honest.”

Jaspar can only laugh. “I guess that answers whether you wanted to take another gukko into the Jungle. Don’t worry, our destination isn’t too far of a walk; more east than south.”

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“Well, good thing my legs are working again, I guess.” Ilza replies, poking her legs and actually feeling something now. She offers her hand, “Uh, could you help me up, please? I don’t think I have that much faith in my legs yet…”

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The Lord of the Undying Storm can’t resist the urge to have his eyes glance towards where Ekimu is talking. Great. Great. Great. Want to mention how to open the shadow realm while you’re at it; maybe how to release Makuta?

It was becoming difficult to keep up the act in front of this distorted wolf, but he was beginning to think it didn’t actually make a difference.


Morrus gave something of a soft chuckle as he looked at anything except Kiva - the walls, the floor, the fruit rind he held in his hand…

“I guess I’m just old.” He muttered, turning the rind over as he watched the colour ever so slowly fade. “Strange how I don’t feel any older. Maybe that’s just how being a plant works? You don’t age, you just reach a point where you can’t go on living anymore…”

He was fully absorbed in his monologue by now, watching his fingers grow through the rind and out the other side. “And your mighty husk remains immobile to whatever winds may blow, a passionate monument to time itself…”

“Oh! My apologies your Mask-Makerfulness, I thought it was just good cosplay.” Twenty Three answered, dropping to one knee.

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Blaze seems uncomfortable in this entity’s presence.

“Hello there! I’m Twenty Three!” She greeted, sticking out her hand to Blaze for a shake.

“Blaze, apprentice to Ekimu.” He said, tentatively shaking her hand, “Forgive me asking this but does the name ‘Fourty-four’ sound familiar to you?”

“I have heard very good things about you, Apprentice Blaze. Oh yes, Forty-Four. He is bad dog, very bad dog. Cunning rouge who spreads fear and minsinformation and fire. He is being subjected to the extent of our laws at this moment. Or so I have heard. Wolfen have big ears, good for hearing.”