Oblitus
| Oblitus by ChildOfAB |
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A three-eyed, betentacled eldritch man-eating monster and a fungus-based druid learn the meaning of love and also kill a whole lot of stuff. Vaguely D&D-related, but does not follow the rules strictly.
Plot
Chapter 1
The quest begins by introducing Viktor, an emaciated creature who has been locked in a small room with several coins, gems, and a sword for many years, possibly centuries. He has gone without food or entertainment this entire time, and has gone so mad with hunger he no longer remembers who or what he is or why he is there. He is roused from his catatonia by people outside: an elf rogue and a human barbarian, looking for treasure, who unlock his door. Viktor promptly eats them. He realizes that he digests organic materials extremely fast, and when he does so, he restores a bit of his mind (he has a vision of a floating city made of coral) and gains new abilities. He also discovers a vast system of underground caverns inhabited by mole-like humanoids called talpids.
Viktor hears a scream and goes to investigate. He discovers Ivet, a mushroom-like female creature, being attacked by several talpids, with whom she communicates using a language Viktor does not understand. Viktor promptly devours all the Talpids, but spares Ivet because he does not find her fungus-based body appetizing. Ivet is initially shocked by Viktor, but warms up to him when he learns he isn't a mindless killer. She tells him that she came from a society of Fey creatures, which had recently entered hostilities with the talpids after they began following a man espousing gods that allegedly existed before the current pantheon. She says that she was tagging along with her friend Avara, who she described as an important diplomat charged with something to do with ending the hostilities. The talpids, she says, collapsed the tunnels connecting her society with theirs, and killed Avara, leaving her to barely escape with her life. Viktor agrees to help her return to her homeland, but she needs to rest for the journey, because the outside area is a desert and she is out of spells and unprepared to endure it.
Viktor leads her (with a new staff from one of the talpids) back to the room he had been sleeping in, where she is shocked to see the immense wealth he had been sleeping with, and identifies the sword (bearing an image of a horned birdlike creature) as cursed, as it hurts both of them when they touch it. She also identifies the gold coins as belonging to the Ungolan empire, which has not existed for centuries, making the coins worth even more than normal gold.
While Ivet sleeps, Viktor goes off to investigate another living creature he heard deeper in the ruins. He approaches to find a vast hall with a throne in the center bearing a sundered crown, as well as a large bird-like creature called the Ash Crow.
The Ash Crow explains that the ruins once belonged to an ancient being known as the Bone Lord, a necromancer of considerable power, whom the Ash crow served, or who served the Ash Crow (it claims not to recall which). Long ago, according to the Ash Crow, the Bone Lord was struck down by heroes, who "would strike down even the gods with their ignorance." However, the Ash Crow continues, the right "voice" could make them walk again.
The Ash Crow and Viktor then do battle, and Viktor prevails by using his new camouflage ability to deliver a devastating sneak-attack, then finishing it off with a pillar and devouring it. While eating, he has a vision of a bird-like creature bearing gold-plated warriors through the sky, and the bone lord raising one of the birds as a zombie.
Viktor returns to Ivet and sleeps in the room with her. After they both wake and she prepares her spells for the day, they experiment with his new shapeshifting abilities to create a passable human form for him, which can discreetly carry all the coins and gems, as viktor determines that the bird on the sword matches the one in his vision but seems less like the Ash Crow (lacking a third eye and tentacles). They then find their way out of the ruin, which comes out atop a mesa in a vast desert. She identifies her homeland as a giant cloud sitting at ground level in the distance.
Chapter 2
The chapter begins with the readers in control of a deer-like fey named Cerin, who is near the border of the city. The city is identified as being essentially a massive crater in the desert, covered with plant life and enormous trees. A pillar of energy in the center rises out of the crater, passes through the palace of the local sovereign, Mother Oasis, and then branches out and turns into a cloud that covers the entire area, protecting it from the sun.
Cerin sees Viktor and Ivet entering the city and recognizes Ivet, but he can't recall from where. He tries to use mind-altering magic on Viktor to convince him to leave so he can seduce Ivet, but it fails to work. Ivet then uses the same magic to convince Cerin to follow them into a secluded spot in a nearby nymph pond, where Viktor can eat him without attracting attention.
Ivet and Viktor decide to unwind from their harrowing ordeals by going to a local party that the nymphs tell them about. While they walk back to Ivet's dwelling and get ready for the party, Ivet explains some of the particulars of her city. She explains that the desert was once an ocean, and that what are mesas now were once islands where the Fey's magical homeland overlapped with the world. Many years ago, the oceans dried up, and the Fey homeland collapsed. Mother Oasis, a powerful lamia-elemental hybrid built the city as a haven for the Fey, connecting it to the global teleport hub and enabling trade with the local desert races. Over time, her interest in the desert races and trade outweighed her interest in helping the Fey, and Ivet describes them as second-class citizens who have developed an independent social structure not involving money and living primarily on public property because of it. Ivet's home, for example, is a hollow inside of a tree, with a magical door that opens to her touch. She explains that her ex-friend Jen, who is a Wizard, helped her make the door, as well as set up several abjurations on her home. Because most Fey are essentially squatting on public property, Mother Oasis's enforcers, called Cloaks, can arrest nearly anyone with impunity. Meanwhile, the traders and merchants and other legal businesses and property owners live primarily in the buildings near the center. There is also a recently-built church to the god Lunaras, whom the desert races worship; the building of this church was seen as an affront by many of the Fey who worship the nature/fertility goddess, Utia. Additionally, several public functions are housed in four buildings around the rim of the crater, each of which has a portal to the elemental plane of water, and each of which is the source of a river that flows into the center of the area and fuels the cloud cover.
Viktor drops off his wealth in Ivet's house and they proceed to the party. Viktor meets Teak, a friend of Ivet's, who tries to play matchmaker between the two. Viktor also runs into Jen, who suggests that Viktor not become romantically involved with Ivet, because she doesn't share her boyfriends with other people (presumably an uncommon trait among the Fey).
Viktor does a decent job of socializing and fitting in, until he is stabbed by a man claiming to be trying to get into the thieves' guild. Confronting the man, he learns that he was magically compelled to stab him by the unknown apparently half-elf onstage with a huge earth elemental.
This man triggers several magical symbols that cause nearly everyone at the party to go insane and attack each other, then reveals himself to be a shapeshifter like Viktor. He begins eating the partygoers, while Viktor attempts to flee. He is stopped by the Earth elemental, as the unknown shapeshifter expresses incredulity at Viktor's ability to flee rather than attacking him in a hunger-crazed frenzy. Before he can force the fight, the Cloaks arrive and put a magical barrier between them. Viktor transforms into a Treant, then the cloaks teleport Viktor to prison just as he sees the Talpids digging a tunnel for the unknown shapeshifter to escape by.
The teleportation separates Viktor from both the elemental and Ivet. Viktor asks the warden to see Ivet, then waits in his cell while the rest of the partygoers are teleported in and taken away. He is then interrogated by another member of the organization, who seems more interested in finding Ivet for her part in the failed diplomatic mission than learning about the attack. The interrogator expresses disdain for the Fey population, claiming that they are piggybacking on Mother Oasis's taming of the desert and deserve to be eaten by predators for living in the wild. The interrogator then orders her bodyguards to kill Viktor, but to "leave a body to raise, just in case." Viktor proceeds to kill them all and smash the wall to the interrogation room, only to find several magic users milling outside.
Chapter 3
This chapter starts with the readers controlling Padma, an undine working at the library where Viktor falls after his altercations in the interrogation chamber. She is attracted to him, being a fugitive and the only tentacled creature she's seen since being exiled from her homeland, and she offers him the assumed name "Grath", which he accepts. She tries to "help" him identify what he is by giving him a manual for interspecies mating. He is shocked to discover how sex with species similar to his works, and accepts Padma's invitation back to her place after her shift is over.
A kobold officer enters the library, looking for the escaped treant. He is shocked to see a dragonborn he hasn't met yet, and explains the circumstances of the treant-Viktor's escape to dragonborn-Viktor. Padma overhears, but thinks he is exaggerating.
Padma checks out several books for Viktor, and they proceed to her apartment, where they have sex and Viktor promptly starts reading again. From all the books, Viktor learns about the various gods and suspects he might be related to Teyu, a god of secrets and the ocean worshiped before the Ungolan Empire collapsed, now apparently missing. The other six old gods seem to be present in altered form in the current pantheon of up to 23 gods.
Viktor leaves Padma's apartment while she is sleeping, leaving behind a note telling her that he has to look for his friend and revealing his name as Viktor. He takes the form of a raven and flies to Ivet's dwelling, but no one responds to his knock on the door. He then travels to a crowd of rebellious fey he saw earlier.
The fey are being attacked by cloaks and summoned creatures. Viktor arrives and searches for Ivet, but a member of the crowd suspects him of being a wizard's familiar. He finds the caster, who is invisible, and knocks her mask off, revealing her to be Jen under mind control. Viktor transforms into his treant form and captures Jen. The rebels cure her and make her visible again, and the rebel leader, Davin, confronts Viktor about his presence here. He agrees to help Viktor find Ivet, but only if he proves himself not to be a spy by participating in battle.
Viktor meets Lothar, the head of his strike group, who is a half-demon warlock who recognizes energy similar to his radiating from Viktor. He teaches Viktor to use this power to create a blast of magical energy from his hands, and mentions that he should have other abilities as well. They agree to try to keep the rebellion safe and ensure there is always an exit, but the lack of resistance as they enter the city makes them think it's a trap. Viktor and Lothar talk Davin into putting the rest of Lothar's team in charge of repurposing the rebellion to spread word of Jen's mind control to the populace, while the three of them search for Ivet. On the way, Lothar explains that Warlocks' souls are forfeit to the god who gave them their powers, and that his is owed to Kestephon (whom Viktor previously read about as the god of Creation and Chaos, one of the six current gods which share aspects with old gods) upon his death.
The trio go to the tree where the party was to find the start of the scent trail, only to find that it was blocked off by vines and Ivet's scent can't be found leaving the area. Viktor enters to find a strange, very large dryad necromancer, who makes cryptic references to the singer and indicates that she has reanimated the corpses of those that died at the party. She then reveals that Ivet turned into a vulture and flew away, and gives Viktor a scroll of Symbol of Insanity (the spell the singer's minions used to drive the partygoers insane) that was left behind at the party. Davin finds the scent trail of a vulture headed back towards Ivet's house, and they return there to find Ivet at her house. She says that she stayed up all night waiting for Viktor to return but fell asleep at some point in the early morning, which must have been when Viktor came by. At this point, Davin prods Viktor for details about his whereabouts last night, and Viktor tells them both about what happened after he got arrested, including the sex with Padma. Ivet goes inside after hinting that Viktor should eat Davin and Lothar, and Viktor and Davin butt heads, resulting in Viktor learning how to use his first invocation.
Characters
Viktor
The protagonist of the quest. When last seen in his natural form, he was a massive three-eyed creature with greenish-grey skin and horns, totally covered with tentacles. He stood at about 14 feet tall atop two muscular legs with four clawed toes. His arms were larger, more muscular tentacles, with smaller tentacles draping from them like feathers on a wing, with four more primary grasping tentacles splayed out in a star pattern at the end. His voice is naturally very deep and guttural, but he has displayed marked eloquence and intelligence at times, when not overcome by hunger. He is able to reshape his body at will, able to change its shape, composition, color, density, and mass, and is currently exploring other new magical abilities. A full listing of his current abilities can be found below.
Ivet
Ivet is Viktor's friend and sidekick, and is a mushroom-based creature created from the union of a myconid and a dryad. She is about 5 feet tall, humanoid, with reddish skin mottled with white dots. Her body shape is overall that of a thin, athletic human girl, with the exception of her shins, which end in large flat stumps like a mushroom stalk, rather than feet. Several parts of her body sprout a thin, white covering like the ring of a large mushroom; she usually has this covering over her arms, legs, and head, simulating long sleeve gloves, thigh-high stockings, and hair, respectively. She can also selectively grow various fungi on her body, and has done so to simulate a skirt, cap, and pigtails. Ivet is generally fairly excitable, and has a tendency to ramble when she is nervous or excited. She seems to trust Viktor, and may have feelings for him. Currently a level 6 Druid.
Talpids (aka molemen)
The talpids bear much resemblance to bipedal star moles with large, white eyes. They have their own chittering language, which Ivet understands, but Viktor does not. They are advanced enough to at least forge metal weapons and armor, as well as having spellcasters in their midst.
Ash Crow
A large bird-like creature whose wings continually rain ashes. It has three eyes and horns, like Viktor, as well as four tentacles protruding from its beak. It claimed to be either the servant or master of an ancient necromancer. Was killed and eaten by Viktor.
Cerin
A deer-like Fey. Whether he's as big a ladies' and dudes' man as he claims to be is unclear. What is clear is that he's edible.
Teak
An elf or fey friend of Ivet's. Runs an ale stand, and knows lots of gossip. Taken by the cloaks during the party, current status unknown.
Jen
A harpy wizard who was a former friend of Ivet. Kinda bitchy when drunk. Taken by the cloaks during the party, mind-controlled to attack Davin's rebellion, cured, and returned home, but then asked to help aid the rebellion.
??? (AKA the Singer)
Much larger and more powerful than Viktor, with a similar set of abilities. Also, either a spellcaster or with spellcaster minions. Affiliated with the Talpids. Appears to have returned underground following the events of the party.
Padma
An Undine librarian from the elemental plane of water. Looks like a bluish human woman with a segmented shell on her back and six tentacles for legs. Likes books, pretending to be adventurous, and sex with tentacled creatures. Viktor last left her at her apartment while she slept.
Davin
Another deer-like fey who is the leader of the rebellion group, the Hunters. Ex-boyfriend of Ivet. Has a pet ape and a grouchy demeanor. Was aiding in Viktor's search for Ivet, likely due to jealousy.
Lothar
A tiefling (half-demon) granted powers by his demonic heritage. Pale, with horns, fangs, and a tail. Soul is forfeit to Kestephon upon his death. Laughs a lot. Currently travelling with Viktor and Davin.
Current Abilities
- Eating meat-based intelligent creatures. Eating enough of them grants him new abilities. - Sticks to walls and ceilings - Extremely strong and fast - Shapechanging: -- Sretch and shrink -- Change colors -- Change composition between many natural materials like muscle, bone, scales, bark, and hair -- Mimic other creatures or objects, including changing his voice -- Vary in size from about the size of a mouse to twice his natural size -- Alter mass (magical ability): --- Minimum mass is normal mass for a creature of his current size or his total mass, whichever is lower. --- Maximum mass is normal mass for a creature four times bigger than his current size or his total mass, whichever is lower. -- Change between two forms without reverting to normal form in between, as long as he has assumed the target form before. - High sensory acuity, able to sense things by smell or vibrations and detect edible life through concealing objects (magical ability) - Line of acid breath weapon (magical ability) - Immune to mind-affecting effects and can see through illusions - Poorly-understood magical powers: -- Shoot beams of energy from hands -- Other(s)?
