Genesis Scrolls Round 1: {Forvitinn and Spinnekop: Guardians of the Cavern}

Name/Pseudonym: {Yaza}
Contact Info: {https://twitter.com/yazalight}
Ethereum Wallet Address: {yaza.eth}

{Forvitinn and Spinnekop: Guardians of the Cavern}

{
The cave spirit and spider observed as the cavern echoed with the crunching and cautious footstep the adventurer took. Darkness enveloped them and the footsteps had grown more annoying due to the slow pace of the adventurer.

“This is taking forever… he should have hit the trap already” whispered Spinnekop.

Forvitinn whispered back “I could float over and scare him to speed him up.”

“No I like it when it happens naturally. Plus, you bet me five flies and a small mouse he would miss the trap. They always hit the trap.”

“Do you like the flies that much? Honestly, I thought you were joking about the mouse…a-a-are you going to… eat the mouse?”

“In fact I do like flies very much. Oh I would never do that…I was more thinking about keeping it as a pet.”

Forvitinn glared at the jade spider in disbelief. “For a spider, you really are odd.”

“Firstly, immortal spider. The distinction is important. Plus, I told you that I think they mice are cute because they have only two cute little dark eyes and it can’t really hurt me since I can’t die… because I am immortal… so maybe I train it to bring me stuff.”

“Shhh. You talk too much…he is about to get to the trap door.”

So it was by proximity and their joy of watching adventurers perish that this unlikely pair became friends. However, even this entertainment had begin to wane as both were cursed to spend their an eternity maintaining the traps and to lead adventurers to their ultimately and untimely demise. Their original mandate long forgotten with the passage of time. Routine had overtaken their days and with it boredom.

Neither were strangers to observing the adventurers seek the treasures which rest within the belly of the cavern. They had seen many a weary adventurer enter but never leave this cavernous trap. The adventurer took two more steps forward as his torch began to flicker and dim.

Forvitinn uttered, “If I could still get old I would have died of old age.”

Spinnekop slowly turned toward Forvitinn and lifted its claw. “What if we help this guy find the treasure.”

The cave spirit dismissed quickly “Are you daft?”

“No wait, hear me out… we always watch these guys fall through the trap door, get shot by the arrows in the next area or get sliced in half by the swinging pendulum when they get towards the end. And we always reset everything for the next adventurer to wander in the next week. Why do we even reset the traps each week?”

“To make it fair for the next one? If I were a dead adventurer I would be mad that I made it easier for the next guy.”

The spider stared stupidly at the cave spirit as if to mock him.

“Fairness? You idiot. We were cursed to do this. I used to tend sheep like forever ago before that wizard turned me into this.”

“Now that you mention it. Why do we even protect that treasure? I don’t even remember that wizard’s name. He said something like protect … something…”

“He seemed pretty important but I am pretty sure he is dead cause he isn’t… immortal. He could have just become a spider but I guess being dead is better than being an immortal spider. Or so he thought…that’s kinda depressing now that I think about it.”

“Get back on track. You are right. He did kinda did trap us here for all eternity. We don’t owe that guy anything.”

“Plus, watching these simple adventurers die each week gets boring. Who knows, maybe if they get the treasure it breaks the curse?”

They both turned towards each other with new resolve. Forvitinn said “I’ll go introduce myself to the adventurer. I’ll say I am a friendly cave spirit.”

“Since when are cave spirits friendly?”

“Starting now?”

“It’s worth a shot. Good luck.”

Forvitinn floated towards the adventurer out of his line of sight and slightly above his head. Like a deflating balloon Forvitinn descended until directly behind the adventurer and whispered “Hey buddy. Don’t be scared. I’m here to - “

Terrified the adventurer leaped in the air and dropped his torch. The adventurer fumbled and strained to pull his sword from his sheath and Forvitinn looked on. Now the adventurer was backing away closer and closer to the trapdoor. The torch flicker and died with the smoke filling the air. The darkness surrounding and clouding the adventurer’s senses until Forvitnn began to give off a soft yellow glow. The sword unsheathed and a loud cry burst forth from the adventurer trembling lips “STAY BACK FOUL SPIRIT. I SHALL VANQUISH THEEEEEE.”

The adventurer sliced through Forvitinn to no effect. They both stared at one another unsure what to do. Forvitinn finished his sentence “help…I’m here to help. There is a trap door behind you.” Forvitinn floated toward the torch and lifted it. For a moment Forvitinn’s eyes glowed and the torch ignited with a bright flame.

“Here, this won’t go out. Take it.”

The adventurer was confused but with one trembling hand gripping the sword he reached out with the other for the torch. He grabbed it and pulled away quickly, turning to see the trap door mere inches away from his position.

“You…you saved me?”

}

Part 2…coming soon…

2 Likes

New title: Guardians of the Cavern
Author: Yaza

Unable to edit the original post. Revision below.


The cave spirit and spider observed from a distance as the jittery adventurer slowly made his way around the narrow limestone path. The spider yawned as the adventurer cautiously stepped forward and tapped the ground lightly as if testing the integrity of the earth itself. On one side of the path was the cavern wall, the other a bottomless abyss. With each footstep the unsuspecting adventurer inched closer to the trap they had set for him. The crunching of each cautious footstep echoed through the cavern and began to annoy the duo. It seemed as if the adventurer’s pace slowed with each step. The once eager pair were filled with excitement in anticipation to see yet another adventurer succumb to the traps and treachery of the cavern. However, this particular adventurer’s cautious disposition had replaced that excitement with annoyance.

“This is taking forever… he should have hit the trap already” whispered Spinnekop.

Forvitinn offered “I could float over and scare him to speed him up.”

“No. I personally feel much more entertained when it happens naturally. Don’t forget, you bet me five flies and a small mouse he would miss the trap. They always hit the trap.” The spider began to spin a web to occupy itself from boredom.

“Do you like the flies that much? Honestly, I thought you were joking about the mouse…a-a-are you going to eat it?” The dimly lit sphere shaped spirit turned toward the web which was nearly complete. Its face had two dimmed closely positioned circular sockets that served as eyes and a round mouth that never shut. Because of the proximity of its features it appeared as if the spirit were in a constant state of awe.

The spider paused for a moment to hang upside-down from its web, “In fact I do like flies very much. Eat the mouse? Oh I would never do that…I was more thinking about keeping it as a pet. What do you think of me Forvee? A monster?” the spider curiously hissed.

Forvee glared at the jade spider in disbelief. “For a spider, you really are odd.”

Roughly the size of a common street cat the spider was an imposing size for an arachnid. It leisurely rotated on the thread of web towards the spirit until its eight violet eyes locked with the two empty sockets. “Firstly, immortal spider. The distinction is important. Besides, I told you that I think mice are delightful creatures because they have only two cute little dark eyes.” The spider turned away to hide its delight in the idea of owning a pet mouse. Rotating back towards Forvee it continued explaining “It can’t really hurt me since I can’t die… because I am immortal… so maybe I train it to bring me stuff.”

“Spinny!…Shhh. You talk too much…he is about to get to the trap door” the pale spirit responded. They both turned and watched the nearly motionless adventurer move half an inch forward.

“I really hate this guy” muttered Spinny. Forvee nodded in agreement.

It was by mere circumstance and by proximity that the two unlikely pair became friends through their joy of watching adventurers perish in the Stygian Cavern. Admittedly, even this entertainment had begin to wane as they had seen every variation of an adventurer meet their end. Both were cursed to spend an eternity maintaining the traps and to lead unsuspecting adventurers to their untimely demise. Their original mandate long forgotten with the passage of time. Routine had overtaken their days and with it boredom.

Neither were strangers to observing the adventurers who sought the treasures which rest within the belly of the cavern. They had seen many a weary adventurer enter but never leave this treacherous cavernous trap. The adventurer took one more micro step forward as his torch began to flicker and dim.

Forvee uttered, “I wish I could die of old age. This is unbearable watching him. It’s not like he is going to make it to the treasure.”

Spinny slowly turned toward Forvee and lifted its claw. “What if we help this guy find the treasure.”

The cave spirit dismissed quickly “Are you daft?”

“No wait, hear me out…we always watch these guys fall through the trap door, get shot by the arrows in the next area or get sliced in half by the swinging pendulum when they get towards the end. And we always reset everything for the next adventurer to wander in the next week. Why do we even reset the traps each week?”

With a clueless resolve Forvee said “To make it fair for the next one? If I were a dead adventurer I would be furious that I made it easier for the next fellow.”

The spider stared stupidly at the cave spirit as if to mock him.

“Fairness? You yaldson. We were cursed to do this.” Looking up and to the right, the spirit recognized this all too familiar expression of nostalgia overcome the spider as it began its monologue. “I was merely a simple shepherd tending to my flock of sheep. I led a quiet life and lived off the land without a sorrow or need in the world." The spirit began to mouth the spider’s words mockingly. “It has been so many ages that I have been trapped in this form that I have forgotten my own appearance. This cavern is all I know now. All this because because that warlock turned me into this bucket sized spider for refusing to sell him my favorite sheep… Woolma.”

Pausing for a moment, the spider exclaimed "Why do we even protect that cumberworld warklock’s treasure? I don’t even remember his name or why we need to protect it. He said something like protect … something…I forgot what the one important piece of the treasure looks like. What good is loot to a spider or a spirit?”

The spider gracefully leapt from its web next to floating phantasm. “He seemed pretty important back then but I am fairly certain he is dead as he was decrepit looking all those years ago. I bet he is not immortal as he had difficulty getting around. I suppose he could have just become a spider but maybe being dead is better than being an immortal spider. Or so he thought…that’s kinda depressing now that I think about it.”

Trying to snap his friend back to reality, “Spinny you really are a loquacious crawler. Unlike you, I don’t remember my past. I remember awakening and the warlock being there. He taught me how to set the traps and some simple magic but I don’t remember anything else. I have always wanted to leave the cavern in hopes of learning more about myself but we can’t pass by the magical barrier.” The warlock entrapped the spider and the spirit by placing a seal on the cavern’s entrance that prevented them from escaping.

Resigning themselves to the familiar acceptance of their fate the spirit casually mentioned “Watching these simple minded adventurers die each week gets deathly boring. Who knows, maybe if they get the treasure it breaks the curse because there is nothing for us to protect?”

The shared epiphany struck light a bolt of lightning. They both slowly turned towards each other with new resolve. Forvee excitedly said “I’ll go introduce myself to the adventurer. I’ll say I am a friendly cave spirit.”

“Since when are cave spirits friendly?”

“Starting now?”

With a shrug the spider resigned itself to the stupidity of the idea. “It’s worth a shot. Good luck. Don’t scare him to death.”

Forvee floated gracefully outside the frozen adventurer’s line of sight and floated momentarily above his head. Like a deflating balloon Forvee slowly descended until directly behind the adventurer and whispered “Greetings friend. Do not fear for I am a ‘friendly’ spirit of the cave. I’m here to - “

Before Forvee had an opportunity to finish the terrified the adventurer leaped in the air and dropped his torch. The adventurer fumbled and strained to unsheathe his sword and the spirit looked on awkwardly at this exercise in futility.

Overcome with desperation, the adventurer’s backed away from the spirit drawing closer and closer to the trapdoor. Meanwhile, the torch flickered and gave its last breath filling the air with smoke. The unending darkness clouded the adventurer’s senses and panic gripped his heart. Forvee began to give off a soft moonlight glow. The sword unsheathed and a loud cry burst forth from the adventurer trembling lips “STAY BACK FOUL SPIRIT. I SHALL VANQUISH THEEEEEE.” His heart racing and his lungs empty.

The adventurer sliced through the clueless orb to no effect. They both stared at one another unsure what to do. The empty sockets staring aimlessly at the adventurer. Forvee finished its sentence “help…I’m here to help. There is a trap door behind you. I know because I helped set it.” The spirit floated toward the torch and lifted it slowly. For a moment the spirit’s sockets glowed a deep fiery orange and the torch ignited with a fantastic bright flame.

“Here, this won’t fizzle out. Take it and may it light your path sluggish adventurer.”

The adventurer was confused but with one trembling hand gripping his blade he reached out with his free hand for the brilliant torch. He gripped it tightly and pulled back quickly, turning to see the trap door mere inches away from his position.

With quivering lips the wide-eyed adventurer looked at the expressionless spirit “You…you saved me?”

In a moment of brief yet woefully inept contemplation the spirit flatly replied, “Well… I suppose if you look at it that way I can understand how it may ’appear’ to you that I saved you but it isn’t because I like you. I actually had a bet with Spinny earlier regarding your untimely demi-…” abruptly catching itself mid-word as it felt the eight violet glimmering eyes hanging from the cavern’s ceiling pierce its formless soul.

A quick whisper darted from above “Shut up you fopdoodle. You’ll give away our plan.”

The arachnid lowered itself menacingly from above on its silky shimmering thread behind the stunned adventurer. The reflection of the flickering fire made its eyes glow like embers as it nonchalantly hissed “We need you alive to test a theory. You haven’t really got an option if you wish to survive this treacherous place.”

{part 2… in the works!}