"EQ game semi-Quest- Griff and the Red Temple" By klimino (https://pastebin.com/u/klimino) URL: https://pastebin.com/fLQv8ZT4 Created on: Sunday 2nd of July 2017 09:47:20 AM CDT Retrieved on: Sunday 25 of October 2020 03:45:07 AM UTC Griff yawned, the suns light dim, the morning early, but the problem before him one too big to waste time over. He looked over the red Temple with hazy eyes, the thing an odd mix of Greek and Arabic architecture, the Writing a clear off-branch of the First, thus making the glasses nigh worthless, the translation too scrambled, and his own ability to translate minimum. He grumbled, rubbing a claw over the massive, flat doors to the thing, wondering if maybe he just needed to knock harder or something on the thing, but with a sigh, brought his claw back, looking over the inscriptions yet again, blinking slowly as he made no progress. He sighed, and with slumped shoulders, went to look over the sides again, what little there was at least, considering most of it was inside the mountain. Hours went, the sun rising, and still nothing, he sat in the shade of a pillar, idly munching on some jerky in disappointment as he stared at the door. Strange, he couldn't even see a crack in the middle of the thing, so there must be SOMETHING out here, or somewhere, to open it. With another heavy sigh, he pulled out his notes, looking them over for the thousandth time. He was no linguist, but had started to learn a bit here and there from his research, but trying to use one language you barely understood to try and learn thus another, was not something he knew he was up for. About ready to give up, Griff let himself slide down the pillar, simply resting his head on it as he clacked his feet together, idly chewing on some dried out gator as he thought back over all he knew about the Alliance and its cultures, hoping something would click. The sun kept moving, time kept going, as he simply thought, before, thankfully, something did click! Quickly getting up, he ran back to the door, splaying his claws over it as he went over the inscriptions. The only one he MIGHT be right about is maybe “protect”, but he couldn't be sure. It was enough though, to try out this silly idea. Thinking back to the castle, to Ruin, the Sword, he thought about it. If he wax right, another was in here, a place of religion, the Sword here important to that. If the other must be challenged to win, why would this one be any different? Claws shaking, he takes a few, slow steps back, looking up at the doors. Clenching his claws into shaking fists, he narrows his eyes. If he was right, and this was it, then by opening this door, he would have no chance to back out once he made his declaration. If it was like the other one, this might be his death.... “Homily......ahm sorry.....But ah need tah do this....” Sighing, he took one last moment to rush over to the nearest pillar, and setting down everything he didn't think he would need, he wrote a quick note. “To whoever finds this, Its Daneil, or Griff to most. I am probably dead, sorry.” Nodding, he folded up the note and stuck it into the bags, then went back over to the door, pointing at it like a madman. “Listen ere yah damn Temple, ahm ere fer tha Sword, ya know tha one! Ah...Ah challenge whatever guards it tah whatever ah must tah earn it, tah prove mah worth fer it! So, open tha fuck up!” He yelled with fury, with conviction, Fist raised, voice echoing against the mountain. And when nothing happened afterwards, he was about ready to off himself for the retarded display. But then the door started opening. Smiling, Griff started towards the entrance, until suddenly he blinked, stopping, yet not. As the door opened more and more, he blinked in surprise, as suddenly he was skidding across the ground towards the entrance, with nothing to hang onto as he was sucked into the temple. “Fuuuuuuccccccckkkk!” he cursed loudly as he slipped under the door, it starting to close behind him. Inside was a long, spacious hall, ending in a stand where, as he guessed, many religious items sat on a raised platform, Pillar or smooth, red stone leading up to the thing, the Stairs a nice dark blue stone, and of course, being in a volcano, lava was being used instead of torches. He would chalk that up to magic, as the door closed behind him, after dragging him a good twenty feet inside, hardly enough time to escape, not that he intended to. “Whelp....” He said to the empty room, standing up woozily, taking in the Temples innards with a nod. It was very well built, not a crack nor break anywhere, hell the pillars and even floor were still shiny and polished, despite how long this place had existed. “Tha Temple of Tha God o Fire....” He mumbled to himself as he started walking to the stairs leading up to the holy relics. However as he got close, from around the sharp corners of the bigger end room where the Raised areas was, came two large, red statues with eyes like gemstones, both looking arabian in nature, but with long snouted dog heads. He jumped back in shock, hand going to his axe, before he realized that would probably be worthless against giant, moving statues. “He who asks for that which we protect” Came a male voice from the left one. “Must first pass our Two Tests, yes.” Came a female voice from the left. Griff gulped, not afraid to die really, but of the pain that came with it. “Er.....ok?” he said meekly with a weak smile, hand gripping his axe as hard as possible. The statues nodded at him, the probably male one taking one more step forward to block his path, turning its head to better look at him directly. “My test shall be first, and I guarantee, a Griffon like thee will not succeed.” It says with a nod. Luckily, Griff had no pride left to smash, so the words meant nothing to him. “Right, well, uhh....lets get started then?” Griff suggested, not sure what he was supposed to do. He thought about maybe just trying to run by and find what he was looking for but....well....he didn't know if he could get the doors to open again if he didn't do it their way. The statues mouth slowly opens, a ball of energy suddenly firing out. Griff rolls away, before realizing it wasn't trying to vaporize him, the ball softly floating down infront of the statue and sitting there. Coughing, Griff gets back up and walks over, watching as the big ball of energy crackles, before becoming what looks like some sorta portal. “For the first Test, one must prove, their heart is brave, and true.” The statues says, pointing at the portal with massive hoof. “Well....im something alright....” He frowns, and with a shrug, walks through the portal. He screams as suddenly his world is one of falling at high velocity and swirling energy, little pricks of energy shocking him, before suddenly he is flat against dirt, 'oof'ing loudly. Quickly standing, axe out and ready, Griff takes in his surroundings, before he blinks, his axe slowly lowering. It was a forest, like straight outta a Disney movie. Clean, calm, birds chirping away, as the sun happily shines down through the leaves. His frown only deepened, the trap was obvious, but he had to play by their rules he guessed, as it was their game. Slowly walking down the path he was on, he eventually came across a village, his frown unable to go any deeper as he watched a bunch of colorful, happy Arabian citizen go about their daily lives, like nothing could ever go wrong. “lemme guess... monsters gon show up.” He grumbled, axe clenched hard as he walked into the village. The towns folk waved happily, some even walking up and introducing themselves, but he ignored it all, simply brushing them aside as he looked around, the happy folk simply shrugging and walking off as he did so. Perhaps if real, he might give them the time of day, but he wasn't here to muck around in some illusion for a test. He got to the center of the small village, looking around angrily as nothing happened, throwing his arms out in annoyance. “Wheres tha fukkin test ya big red brick!?” he said , getting some odd looks from some passerby's. [Perception roll,17] As he looks around though, he notices one pony out of place, looking nervous, scared, trying to avoid looking at him directly, or more so being caught looking at him. With some determination in his step, Griff marches over to him, the little Arabian almost trying to flee, but seemed to change his mind as the last second, cowering with a wide, scared smile as he waves weakly. Raising an eyebrow, Griff looks the cowardly green person over, wondering what was scaring him so badly compared to the others. “Whats up with ya? Ah aint gon kill ya.” Griff lied through his beak, more then willing to do what he had to to beat this test. Looking to each side, the nervous stallion shrugged. “N-nothing! Im just, weird, just a big ol weirdo! W-welcome to our” He suddenly grabs Griffs face and looks him in the eyes, panic clear. “You gotta help me man! This place is crazy, thee towns people are crazy! Your the first other outsider ive seen, I cant trust anyone else a-” Griff quickly pushed the man off, flapping his claws at him ot get him to back off a bit. “What ya on bout ya fukkin lunatic? This town seems bout as crazy as any other.” He says, though he only really had Outer Hayven to compare it to. The guy looks around again, and Griff notices they care getting some scowls now, some whispering to eachother. “You dont understand man, the mayor...i...i came here with a friend, b-but, soemthing happened. Hes gone. And I KNOW this village did something to him, cause theres nowhere else tah go!” He says, grabbing Griff by the chest feathers and shaking him. “You gotta get me out of here, both of us!” He, yet again, pushed the crazy stallion off, Waving nervously at the passerbys, before turning back to the man. “What ya mean nowhere elsa tah go?” “Were in like, a canyon man, big cliff walls on all sides, smooth too, no way to climb out!” he says, biting his hooves. Griff grimaces at the display, but looking around, nods slowly. He could see it, tall cliff walls in each direction, high above the trees, looked smooth aswell. “Probly jus tah keep ya in tha Test zone.” He said with a shrugged. “does it even matter? That just means were trapped w-with these bastards!” He wails out. Griff quickly turns, and was about to question about if they guy knew this was a Test, before a much older, homely looking Arabian walked up to them. “Well, hello there newcomer! Welcome to our humble little village, im Mayor BreadBasket, this troublemaker here giving you any, well, trouble?” He says with a smile and a laugh. Griff narrowed his eyes, looking between the now pale, frozen in terror Green guy, and the mayor. “Ah reckon not. Jus getting tah know eachother.” He said with a shrug. The mayo laughed, shaking his head. “Well, I recommend better company. Say, if you ever need anything, come on down to my office though, always happy to help new faces!” He nods, and walks off, Griff watching him go with suspicion. “Ya say he did somethin tah yer friend? Seems bout as normal as anyone else here.” Griff said. “E-exactly, everyone here...too normal, its just not natural.” The Stallion said, waving a hoof at the rest of the town. Griff admitted, he had a point, but he chalked it up to this all being fake, more then anything. Though, this fella here seemed to have implied he knew this was a Test, so maybe not all of it was.... “So...Ya understand this all be some test?” Griff asked. “I...y-yes, me and my friend, we were adventures...f-found the temple, e-ended up here....that was a week ago....” The stalllion says, looking down and kicking at the dirt. Griff nodded.”Whats yer name then?” “Julius.” He says, looking up and giving Griff a weak, but genuine smile. Nodding, Griff looks back out at the Village, watching the folks as they now seem to avoid his gaze.... “Daneil” He says, before turning back, “Now why dont ya show meh tha last place ya saw yer friend?” Nodding Julius gets up, and leads the way through town. He lead him to the edge of town, and around the back of a building, where a table sat. Poinint at it, he sniffled a bit. “Here...he was eating lunch, and I went out to question the villagers....when I came back....gone.... Griff nodded, and walked over, looking around the area. [Perception, 2] As far as he could tell though, it was just an ordinary table, no signs of a struggle or anything. shrugging, he turns back to Julius. “Ya notice anythin strange fer this all went down?” He asks. “Alot. Besides the towns natural oddity, I have yet to see a viable food source. I cant be certain either, but im not even sure ive seen the same village person twice....they alll just, seem like copies of each other practically.” Griff scratches his chin, then nods. “What tha hell they eat then?” “well, lettuce, but it tastes funny and I cant figure out where they get it from. Its just...there, when its time to hand food out to the villagers...” Julius shrugs, putting a Hoof on the table as he sniffled some more. Griff didnt know what to trust, but looking out at the walls surrounding this place, he shrugged. “Well, ahm gon go see if ah cant find tha exit.” He said, walking off towards the forest. “W-wait! What? I-i already told you, theres no way out!” Julius said, running after Griff. “Maybe, but ah gotta see fer mahself.” It would take less time then he thought, the forest around the village small and sparse, but sure enough, the Cliffs surrounded every side, smooth, no way out. Sighing, Griff looked back at Julius, the nervous wreck of man having followed him like a scared, lost dog. Sighing, Griff sat down, the forest still oddly, unnervingly calm. “Alright, yer were right.....So, show me this damn food then....” Julius nodded weakly, an before he knew it, they were back at the village,hiding behind some barrels, watching the townsfolk line up outside the Mayors office, a stand handing each of them a head of lettuce, one by one. “Looks normal tah me, odd place tah git it though....” Griff said. “Looks normal, but doesn't taste normal. Wait here.” Griff nodded, as Julius went out, as the line thinned to nothing. He had to argue with the stand operator, but after a bit, he was given a scowl, and a lettuce head. Rushing back over, he put in down on the barrel between them. “Here, eat a bit.” And so, Griff did. It tasted....bland, even for lettuce, and salty, which was not normal. “See?! SEE!?” Julius said, waving his hooves angrily at the lettuce. Rolling his eyes, Griff nods, but eats some more. Julius look at him with horror. “What? Ah cant eat grass like you folks.” Griff points out, which seems to release some of Juliuses disgust, but not worry. “Still...im not so sure you should be eating that....” “Ah agree.” Griff says, shrugging, “But ahm not gon solve this Test if ahm dead.” With that, Griff decides he knows what hes gotta do. Walking off, he watches Julius follow. “s-so whats the plan, Daneil?” he asks nervously. “Were gon sneak inta tha Mayors house o course.” Griff says with a slight smile. Julius stops, but only for a moment. “That sounds like a bad plan!” Griff chuckles. “It probably is yes.” He turns, his path made to take him around to the back of the place, but the long, less suspicious way. “But its all ah can think up of.” After a bit longer, they were in the forest behind the house, watching, waiting. Sure enough, the mayor eventually left, and with that, Griff approaches the back door. [stealth, 6] Trying his best to avoid any suspicious eyes, Griffs not so sure how he did, but knows he doesn't have time to waste either way. Quickly opening the surprisingly unlocked door, he strolls into the home, Julius quickly following. Looking around at the plain, homely little open place, it was really just an office, a desk, some chairs, display stands full of plates and other ordinary things. [Perception, 9] But Griff knew something had to be up, And as he saw something out of place, he quickly approached. The Desk seemed to be slightly resting into the floor, despite it not being built into it, ans sure enough, moving it revealed some sorta hatch. “Uh...G-Griff, we need o leave, i-i think someone saw us enter!” Griff cursed, quickly looking up, Julius by the window at the front door. Quickly, Griff opens the hatch, but frowns, realizing that the moved desk would clearly give away what the learned. “Ya think ya could move this desk back fer ya head out?” Griff asks. Julius looks at him like he was mad. “w-what? B-but, you'll be trapped!” Griff shrugged. “Gotta know whats down ere, simple as that.” Julius looked between him and the window, before sighing, nodding quickly. With that, Griff started the climb down the ladder into the unknown. It was dark, but not entirely black, as he stepped onto the cool dirt of the hidden passage, and into the narrow hallway it lead too. With little hesitation, he moves deeper into it, hearing no signs of anything down here with him. Eventually he would come to a open area, full of a few boxes of Lettuce on tables, a door on the other side. As he tried it however, it was locked, and he couldn't find a place to see what was hiding on the other side. The door seemed thick, but pulling out his axe, he smiled, and got to work. [chopping, 4] Griff grunted, the door sturdier then he expected, little progress made. Wiping sweat off his brow, he grinded his beak, and went in again. [chopping, 11] With some determination and more work, finally the door creaks open, Griff huffing heavily as the hard work pays off. But he blinks, looking over his shoulder, able to hear the clop clop of hooves heading his way. With nothing to lose, he pushes the door open, and enters. Inside, a odd smell hits him, one he kinda recognizes, but he cant quite make it out.... ...that ism until he lays a claw on something that makes him jump. Looking down, his eyes widen, as he sees tanned, lathered hides stacked up to his waist next to him, of a multitude of colors. His mind whirls as he contemplates what they might be, before he hears someone a ways behind him, and rushes deeper in, realizing he most certainly did not hide his presence down here. As he gets deeper, to the end, he enters a large room, and with a blink, looks around in confusion and disgust. Holding back vomiting, he sees skinned bodies hanging from the ceiling, and some sorta odd machine. The fact one opening is big and the other looks to drops cabbages into familiar looking crates only makes its intention obvious. “Salty, bland lettuce....right...” He hated to admit it, but he had still eaten more suspicious food. probably. “Well, your not supposed to be here, Griffon.” A familiar friendly voice says. Turning, Griff sees the mayor before him, holding a crying, sniffling Julius out, Dagger to his throat. He Frowns, axe still in his hands. “Now, Griffon my boy, I recommend dropping all those weapons, or this here boys gonna get a bit dead.” The mayor says, nodding. “o-oh god, D-daneil, oh Celestia, please dont let him kill me!” Griff frowned, but dropped his axe, the mayor laughing. “Good, now, drop the rest of them my boy, or I stick the little one here!” Griff went for his knife, dropping it. Then his daggers, holding them out to both sides, and let them go. Then, reaching over his back, he slid his hand down, to the hand crossbow that couldn't be seen from here... “Now the big sword, easy now, Julius here needs you to do it.” The mayor smiles, laughing. And so Griff tries to quick scope the fucker, pulling the thing out and with as much aiming as he could, tries to put one between the mayors eyes. [ranged, 14] and so he pulls the trigger. Time seems to slow, the bolt releasing, the string shooting forward. The mayor blinks, hoof going to move, Julius screaming. The bolt hits, deep into the mayors chest, he falls backwards, Julius forward, crying and crawling towards Griff, who wastes no time, leaning down and grabbing his daggers and lunging forward, the mayor cursing, trying to get up. [melee, 9] The mayor was no slacker though, kicking out with his back hooves, knocking Griff back, and getting up on his feet. “Your gonna be lettuce, boy!” he says, lunging forward, Griff going to meet him with a yell. [melee, 21] Easily meeting the mayors knife with one dagger, Griff brings the other across the mayors neck, and then kicks him backwards, watching the man sputter as he topples backwards, hoof reaching out to Griff as the life drains from his eyes. He wastes no time, Pushing the man down with a leg and digging a dagger into his chest til he doesn't move. Turning, he goes to ask Julius if hes alright. [reaction, 14] Be jumps back, his own axe suddenly diggging into the dirt of the wall next to him, julius on the end, hiss at him as he pulls it out. “Godamn, what!?” Griff says, angry and confused as he dodges another swing, trying to keep his balance a he is forced into the hanging bodies. “i-im sorry Griff, b-but the whole village is in on this, I cant le you go, otherwise itll be me next!” “Damnit boy, they killed yer friend, ya said so!” He goes for a block. [block, 15] Julius is scared, panicking, his attack easy to catch, and throw aside. He meets Juliuses eyes, seeing the fear, the terror deep within them. “And if I dont do this, ill be next.” Griff frowns. He didnt know what to do. This was insane, and Julius seemed real. He was scared, terririfed. “...we can fight them, together...Julius, c'mon....they killed him...dont let them do this ta ya...” [persuasion, 21] Julius sniffles, but seems hesitant, looking around the room, his hooves shaking. Griff, slowly, sheaths a dagger, and takes a step, reaching out slowly and grabbing his axe, taking it slowly from Julius. He meets the scared stallions eyes, watching him shrink back in fear. “th-theres too many Daneil....” “The we die taken as many o em down as we can, then we die doing what we gotta, whats right...” Daneil says, puttign a claw on Juliuses shoulder. “I...a-arnt you afraid? I-i just dont want to die....” Griff frowned, looking around. “Ah ahm....but ahm more fraid o what happen if ah dont do this, if ah dont stand up fer what ah gotta...ah reckon, its what allows fer shit like this tah happen....” Julius, slowly, nodded. “I...i guess...your right....w-we gotta do it, no m-matter what, r-right?” Griff nodded, a stern look on his eyes. “jus say behind meh, ahn ahll git us through this.” Julius nodded, and picking up the Mayor knife, followed Griff as he lead them towards the ladder. But as he does, suddenly, the world goes all static, and suddenly, looking around, hes back in the Temple. Julius next to him, looking around just as confused, before Griff looks up at the statue. “Passed the first Test, this Griffon has, against my expectations, he has lived, standing bold and true, save his friend, he tried to do.” “huh...you were actually real....” Griff said, looking back at Julius, who simply say, blinking. “I...yes...im....free...i...” and suddenly he sparked with red energy, and was gone. Grif jumped, and angrily turned to the Statue. “What did you do to him!?” He yelled out, Axe up and ready. “Failed the test, that one did, out of the Temple, he now is, his part in this over, but yours, only just beginning.” And with that, it stepped aside, and the female one stepped forward from the left. Griff felt himself grinding his beak, a bad habit, considering its condition, but with conviction, he stepped forward. “Alright then ,ya big ol statue, whats yer test then?!” He spat out. “Of bravery and will ,the first test did combine, but of your purity and honesty, still to conclude.” The statue said, and crossing its front hooves, sat down infront of him, getting way too close for comfort. “Right right, well get on wit it then!” He said, rolling his eyes at the thing. He did admit though, he felt a bit...pumped up, as it were, over it all. The village was an easy to see as a test, but the challenge itself had still got his heart racing.... Sticking it to some bastard, real or not, certainly had felt good too. “For the second test, to start you see, a simple question, I ask of thee. To see them again ,your loved ones I mean, would you trade it all, this life before yee?” Griff nearly laughed, his beak going to open, before he stopped, blinking, as he thought back on it all. “ah....” He frowned, scratching at the back of his head akwardly, before shrugging, his mood soured heavily just by the memories. “Ah reckon, if ah had a chance? Tah bring em back on earth?...yes....ah would....but not ere, not ever. Ah wouldn't ask fer none tah suffer this world, not like us in town at least...” He chuckled, looking up. “But ah, could I? Ah'd never be able tah look em in tha eyes, specially if ah knew they knew what id done, or ah knew they'd been ripped from someplace bett'r....But if ah knew it would make em smile.....yeah...ah just cant be sure it would....” After a moment, the statue continues. “The first question asked, and the answer was given. For the second one, I ask of thee, do you deserve this weapon you seek?” It said, its head going sideways a bit. “No.” Griff said simply, before shrugging, “But tha town ahn tha good folks in it dont deserve tah have ta risk their neck fer it ahn tha chance it'll give us, so ah'll gladly be that one ta do it instead.” Nodding, the statue leans forward. “An what proof of your motivations do you have?” 'Fuck' Griff thought, leaning back nervously, unsure of what proof he actually had. “er....ah...” He frowned, but leaned forward, looking the statue in the single eye he could. “Cause ahm ere, risking mah neck in tha first place. “ The statue pulls back, nodding. [trust, 7] “Your words seem true, your intentions pure....but your heart is heavy, and your mind cannot truly be trusted. Because of this, we can let you pass, but to find the right object, your own luck and skills you must put faith in.” The statue steps aside, and Griff looks up at the stairs. Sighing, he starts walking up, before both talk one last time. “Be warned though, little one, for once one picks an item up, they will be sent out and may not return, and there is no guarantee, that a relic will accept thee.” “Right...” Griff said, and with a nervous, heavy heart, walked up and to the relics. Griff frowned, many interesting relics sitting on many a table, as he walked among them. Worse, there were many a sword, and while some seemed quite obviously a bad idea to touch, many others all looked like they might be what he was after.... “Oh boy....Luck, fer once, please help me out...” He said, gulping a bit. But after thinking, Griff took a long breath, and a moment to let his mind think. He had seen two blades, and many a thing based on Minotaur culture. Surely, if he just thought, he might be able to think over common factors in them all... [thinking, 11] And he got a bit of a picture, but sighing, he just knew he hadnt seen THAT much of it, not enough for it to make this decision easy. Looking around, he knew he would have to make a decision.... [find the damn Sword, 20] Griff was about to just pick at random, when a sparkle caught his eye, making him turn. Blinking, he spotted a sword, a bit big, clearly a sword for a bigger creature, but not one so big a smaller one may use it. Slowly approaching, he looked it over. Its blade was sparkly, odd, like polished, rainbow quartz or something, but still looked metallic. The guard was of that black metal, inter folded with something silverish like his own chest plate, and seemed to have familiar Minotoric symbols on it. “Well, ah gotta choose somethin.....” And with a sigh, he picked it up, holding it out infront of him. It glowed, a pure, bright light, warm, comforting. 'Perhaps you are worthy....but such things are fickle, and only time may tell if you are truly ready when the time comes...' He blinked, hearing the voice, familiar, from inside the blade....and then, a white light, and he was standing outside the Temple. Looking around, he blinked, the calm, humid air around him, the sounds of jungle about as he took a long, deep breath. “Ah....did it? Huh....” He said, scratching his head a bit. Resting the large, but oddly light, sword on his shoulder. “Well....maybe...maybe ah finally did something right....maybe...” He smiled a bit, until he noticed his bags were gone, a note sitting on the ground. Tilting his head, he walked over, reading the thing quickly. “Sorry Daneil, but I wasn't gonna stick around to see if you lived, and needed supplies if you died.” -Julius. Griff blinked. And blinked again, resting the sword on the ground and leaning on it, looking out at the jungle before him. “Fukkin hell, goddammit Julius, you little faggot......” And with a sigh, Griff headed home.