C
Crystal Canyon
Guest
Even though Taryn and Caryn both thought that Donal’s nonchalant announcement about them being sisters was shocking, the fact that he would somehow forget to tell them that he had information on a secret Pirate hideout that may contain clues as to the whereabouts of their parents, was just deplorable!
The women’s fondness for the old man was the only thing that had kept them from losing their tempers due to his forgetfulness. Long ago they had realized that Donal needed to be dealt with softly, and at times, even slyly, in order to gain information from him. Taryn had also noted that cookies were a good way to accomplish this. If she fed him cookies, she could at least get him to sit long enough to be able to interrogate him - without him realizing what she was up to.
Donal had politely, already eaten one of the cookies off the plate that Taryn had set before him that day, but when she offered another in hopes of gaining more knowledge about this hideout, he grew a bit hesitant. He knew by the weight and the darkness of the cookies that they had not come from Falseprophet’s Bakery. So once again his aging mind began to wonder off the subject at hand, and he felt a need to know who had baked them.
Not wanting to reveal the fact that Taryn had herself baked the cookies and cause him to hastily leave before they could get him to divulge more information, the women both began to speak at once -yet never telling him the truth. Caryn insisted that she had something she had to check out right fast and went out the door, her hand over her mouth stifling the laugh that was welling up inside her. Taryn, knowing that they would have to react quickly, told Donal to have another cookie as she ran to the other room to jot down a message to be sent to the Citizens of Origin.
A Pirates Hideout! They both had realized at once that they were going to need some help with this. Luckily for them, the people of Origin were always ready and willing to do whatever necessary to help them search for the whereabouts of their parents.
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As was usual, once the message had been delivered to the people of Origin, they had taken heed and congregated at the EM building in Brit, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Taryn and Caryn. The note they had received, via pigeon, had not contained any specifics, yet they knew that they would not have been summonsed unless it was of utmost importance.
The room was buzzing with anticipation and wonder as Falseprophet, dutifully passed out cookies to the crowd in hopes of calming them until Lady Taryn and Lady Caryn could arrive. Within mere minutes, a magical gate opened before the crowd, and Lady Taryn stepped out, obviously as anxious as they were, to reveal what she had learned and give them direction as to what would need to be accomplished.
A hush fell on the room as Taryn began to tell them of Donal’s latest revelation about the Pirate’s secret hideout. The men looking at each other now with slight grins on their faces, grew restless as they imagined the possibility of an encounter with pirates. Had they not all, as children, dreamed of this very moment? And the women - well, their smiles and whispers were more brought on by the thought of getting a glimpse of the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow!
“There is a book, Donal told me about that might gives us more clues Taryn continued, “and he also told me where he had hidden it for safe keeping. But we will first have to get to a portal near the location that he was imprisoned, and we will have to gain access there to find it. If you are all up to it, I will take us to Donal’s prison.”
Without hesitation, the crowd jumped to their feet and mounted their trusty war pets, as a sign that they were ready and willing. Taryn strode outside, still concerned with the fact that Caryn had not yet arrived, but went ahead and opened the gate to Donals Prison. The citizens of Origin followed suit and bravely barged in… smiles on their faces and assumed victory in their hearts.
Immediately upon entering the gate, Taryn and her crew were thrust into the very cell that had once held Donal prisoner. It was a bittersweet encounter as memories of the violent war that had pursued there, came rushing back to the warriors, yet they wasted no time in seeking out the next clue.
It was soon discovered that a guard still remained inside, and this gave them hope that they could possibly learn something from him. Sadly enough, the conversation between the guard and Taryn proved to be of no value (as she deemed him to be quite…arrogant) and thus she suggested that they try to find something that resembled a portal.
Spreading out to search, the warriors combed the area with great determination. If there was something there that would take them to the hideout, they would surely find it, and they were right. Just east of the jail cell, a strange box was discovered on the ground. Though not a portal, it was defiantly worth checking out… and that is when the chaos began.
Opening the box they received the message that it was “covered with treasure guardian’s magical power and if you touch it, you will need to beat them!”
Instantly, and just as the box had warned, the compound was filled with Chimearas, dark and ghastly, looking to wreak havoc on any, and all who would dare come near them.
But, much to their surprise, and against all warnings, the Origin warriors did go near them. And in a bloody battle that pursued until the last of the vermin fell, the warriors not only annihilated the wretched beasts, but they also looted their dying corpse of maps and other treasures!
Once again rallying around Taryn for their next command, the warriors decided to try the box one more time to see what would happen. This time, when it was opened, they saw inside, what looked to be a small ocean wave. It was a very strange object to be in there, but when Taryn suggested that someone touch it, they were instantly transported away. The box had become a portal and the group had finally found what they had come in search of… The Pirates Hideaway!
One by one, the warriors laid their hands on the mysterious ocean wave and were magically carried away into a hidden underground cave that served as a port for two large ships. There were also piles of shiny gold stashed about the room, and maps tiered on top of tables, that had no doubt at one time lead to treasures deep within the seas.
To the far north corner stood a rather gangly stature of a skeleton that didn’t hesitate in giving information once he was approached. The skeleton was actually what was left of Cervantes de Leon, who was killed by pirates that had thought he had stolen an artifact.
While everyone gathered around Cervantes de Leon, he began to tell what he knew that had taken place here.
“There was a tale of a magical artifact comprised of 3 pieces, a pedestal, a crystal and a star alignment tool, that could control the winds” he said, “Barbossa and the other pirates had brought it here to try to figure out how it worked. Given the fact that pirates don’t keep secrets very well, Adrian and Belanos had found out about the artifact and planned to steal it from them. But, I had heard of their plans and had decided to come here and steal it myself. I guess though their plans were better than mine because when I got it here it was already gone. Problem was, that the pirates were here also by that time and thought that I had stolen it. Since I couldn’t tell them anything about it, they chained me and just left me here.”
“Well what about a book?, Taryn asked.
“The book tells the legend of the artifact. That is how Barbossa knew what it was when he saw it. I just hope that Adrian and Belanos hid themselves and the artifact well. That Barbossa is smart, but very cruel…and arrogant. If he finds that artifact no one will be safe.”
Then the skeleton began to mumble something about a prisoner that no one could make sense of and Taryn seemed to suddenly become alarmed. She ordered everyone to start looking around to see if they could figure out what he was talking about.
Just about that same time, Shadow, one of the Origin Warriors that had been scouting the room for clues, discovered a chest. He opened it and found inside a book and a map, along with other unknown treasures. He summonsed the rest of the party to go take a look to see if any of it was of importance.
The treasures inside were all pretty baffling and didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to any of them. While everyone tossed around their ideas of what the objects may be or what connection they may have to any of this mystery, Taryn once again thought about Caryn and her whereabouts, but soon directed her attention back to the objects in the chest.
“I guess I could take the map and try to compare it with some in the archives. Maybe it leads to the pedestal?… or the crystal? We found the star alignment tool so…I wonder why it was out in the open?” She said aloud, to no one in particular. “Something is niggling in the back of my mind, but I just cant put my finger on it.”
After a moment of silence and more intense thought, Taryn informed everyone that she was just going to take the map with her and see what she could make it, and maybe the other would come to her. She also said that she was going to ask Donal if he knew where Caryn had gone and jog his memory… with a pan if she had to!
“As soon as I have more answers or more questions, I will be in touch with you all again,” she sighed, looking rather dishearten. “Please keep an eye out for anything that might help us in the meantime. And thank you for your help in gaining entry here.”
With that said, Taryn disappeared, most likely to pursue her mission of finding more answers and the whereabouts of her sister, Caryn.
*Let us all hope that Taryn does manage to jog Donal’s mind without having to resort to using the frying pan on him. The poor old fellow had had enough punishment for one day. After all…he did politely eat her cookies!*