The Gem of Immortality
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: The Gem of Immortality
Author: DeadBob
PROLOGUE
Mondain: I had it, you know, The Gem of Immortality.
Bartender: Right. <wipes Mondain's drool off the bar> Want another drink? Mondain: <nods>
Bartender: OKAY, One Dragon Drool Cooler coming up. So, what happened to it?
Mondain: What? Bartender: The Gem of Immortality.
Mondain: Oh. Sorry. I am getting very old. Immortality ain't all it's cracked up to be. You won't believe this, but some bumbling fool of a Stranger dropped it.
<chokes back tears>
It SHATTERED!!
Bartender: There there, now. You got your immortality, didn't you? Let's talk of pleasanter things. How's the family doing? Your Dad ok?
Mondain: <Glares> What do you mean by that!? I DID NOT KILL MY FATHER! It's just that... well, the Gem of Immortality powered his Pacemaker. I merely ... inconvenienced him, maybe.
Bartender: Of course, of course. Calm down now. Why don't you tell me all about it?
AND SO, Mondain reveals how he got the ... Gem Of Immortality!
MONDAIN REMEMBERS
Minax and I lived on an island in those days. We were young and in love and very happy, While I busied myself with my research, Minax spent her days doing Minax things to small furry creatures.
My research centered on the strange lights that flickered offshore. They were very bright at night and sometimes, blood would swell up into the sea from beneath the dancing lights.
Minax discovered this first. I found her one moony night keening and gibbering madly on the beach, naked and covered in the blood of the sea.
Only by letting her suck my neck could I sooth her long enough to get her to the water trough and bathe her.
I determined to discover for myself what lay in those depths. And, with the help of my trusty island pigmy assistant, Baldric, I built a diving chamber.
We loaded it onto a small ship and we sailed one evening to the spot where the lights came out at night.
As those devilish lights began hopping about the surface, I crammed Baldric into the chamber and lowered him by rope into the bleeding sea.
Although he lacked an air supply, Baldric had confidence in my ability to decipher his tugs on the rope. The mere frantic I ignored, but truly convulsive tugs meant his skin was turning blue and I would haul him up, much to his relief, for a wheezy debriefing.
Soon, a picture emerged of a sunken ship resting on the bottom. Before poor Baldric went into convulsions, I learned that the prow of that ship was adorned by a human skull pouring blood from it's eyes!
Well, that settled it. Baldric would have to go down one more time and get that skull. Of course, I was deeply concerned about Baldric. The way he was flopping around now, he could damage that skull in retrieving it. But we scientists must take risks so, shouting my instructions, I plopped him in one last time and prayed for the skull's deliverance.
And he did it! Baldric got the skull! He was never quite right after this, but he had always been a bit twitchy to begin with. And I had the skull!
I immediately saw the key clenched in the teeth of the skull. I pried the key loose and read the inscription on its side, "Pacemaker." This key would unlock my Dad's pacemaker! I could get the Gem of Immortality that powered Dad's pacemaker! Oh! WoW! Was I excited!
And well, you know the rest of the story.