FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Cut Scene: In The Previous Episode Of Sythkyllya

Terrowne is revealed as the Dragon of Shadow, a creature out of urban myth known only from blurry and static-spoiled pictures, that destroyed the entire Azatlani underworld in one dusk to dawn killing spree. Cleo is mainly annoyed that he did not take their money.

The expedition arrives in Uruk, noted for its walls of twice-fired clay brick, where a tournament of sorts is being held amongst the best fighters of the day. Wrestling is the main drawcard for the Uruk citizenry, but additional events are being held in a range of open categories, such as fighting with knives, swords, spears, or whilst riding an animal (most of the animals in question are small shaggy ponies, but the event attracts a surprising number of mounted archers). The initial outlay to enter is relatively modest compared to the potential rewards of placing well, so after some discussion most of the party decides to have a shot at it. Since all of them will heal eventually from any non-lethal injuries, the risk seems relatively small.

Whilst out shopping in the market district, Cleo and Terrowne spot an unidentified sethuress and give chase, but lose her in the crowd. It seems unlikely that this is Keselt, but it indicates that the sethura have an undeclared presence in the city and are up to something. Terrowne suggests that they may have simply had the same idea and be in it to acquire regional cash, influence and respect (they don't actually need money, but having local media of exchange would simplify their plans). There is a possibility that the sethura may be offering cut diamonds of a type unknown in Uruk, which are in fact just pieces of internally trademarked black diamond crystal that has been grown in bulk. These jewels appear remarkable but are in fact nothing special.

To determine what is going on, and avoid the nasty economic implications of this influx of money disguised by the excitement of the tournament, Sethkill determines that they should should continue in the competition. With help from Gilgamesh, the former ruler of the city who has spent his time in exile adventuring, but has now returned and is expected to win the big wrestling event, Cleo and Terrowne cause trouble, attract attention to themselves and ask awkward questions.

Cleo, with her crowd-rousing sense of style, manages to place for the final event in the swords and long blades category, to be held after the big wrestling event. Terrowne casually throws a match in the knowledge that his full skills would give away the fact that he is no normal man, whilst Sethkill competes in the spears and open weapons class, but is hampered by having two of his toes chopped off near the start. He glues them back on in the knowledge that they'll simply reattach themselves, maybe not completely before the next round, but certainly by the end.

Contestants who place get to bring guests for the final event (it's very exclusive) in which they are supposed to face the previous winners. Since the last tournament was held in a far-distant land, the identity of these champions is unknown and secretive. Cleo invites Terrowne and Sethkill to come along to the event, which is being held in a new, as yet unconsecrated temple building still under construction in the market district, that has assimilated four city blocks and aspires to become a ziggurat, a stepped pyramidal temple, to a new deity that will soon be revealed.

It seems likely that it is sethura resources that have funded this act of construction, and combined with all the secrecy it seems to almost certainly be a trap of some kind. The winners of each class are sufficiently brash that they are walking straight into it, unaware that as mere fighters they will have no chance against the sethura. So Cleo uses her 'special skills' to smuggle in a loaded firearm with a single clip, hidden where no-one would ever assume she could fit it (at least not under a costume like that).

When Sethkills brother Kilseth reveals himself, planning to invite the winners to become part of a secret group and go forth with unimaginable money and resources at their disposal to spread his word and secure his grasp upon the world, Cleo acts with decisive resolve and, pulling out her gun, shoots him several times as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, Kilseth is prepared and protects himself with an aegis shield.

The exclusive event rapidly becomes a free-for-all as some of the attendees, convinced of Kilseth's divine might by this act, act to fight at his side, only to discover that the Dragon has no patience for martial arts mystique and is perfectly happy to cheat. Cleo tackles Kilseth with her sword, which seems like a logical choice against a shield, only to catch a set of claws to the side of her muzzle and get her eye torn out.

Having bought some time, Kilseth retreats through the stabilized singularity he is using as portal to travel to and from his main base, which seems to be somewhere atop a series of rocky spires in a place where forest grows out to the horizon. Sethkill pursues him and attempts to engage him, only to take even worse damage than Cleo as he is struck by some sort of unidentified energistic attack that burns his left arm clean off and inflicts secondary scorching all over the side of his face and ribcage as it goes past. He manages to flee back through the portal before it collapses entirely, leaving the temple empty and the Dragon unable to pursue (although it is convinced that it could sniff out the traces of the portal to its origin, if it got close enough).

Sethkill awakens to find that although his burns have healed, whatever Kilseth did seems to be preventing his arm from regrowing beyond the point at which it was completely destroyed. This is probably fixable somehow, but only if he can get back to his home in Khem. Until then he will be short one arm. Meanwhile, Cleo has reconstructed her eyelid with a whitish bone button and some thread, and her eyeball is growing back perfectly well and is almost complete.

Terrowne is sympathetic to Sethkill's plight and proposes an ingenious surgery which can almost certainly be performed even under the primitive local conditions, which will allow him to cut back Sethkills upper arm, install a connecter of sorts inside the bone itself, and then create a form of artificial arm using pieces from several armoured gauntlets, bracers and arm-guards that were left behind after the events of the tournament. It is something that would never work on a human, but for someone who can regenerate from all injuries, it is a workable alternative.

They attempt the procedure and Sethkill tries to remember his childhood telekinesis skills, with which to operate the articulated limb. It's too exhausting to use continuously, but the weight on his left side restores his balance and it's good enough for eating and other essential tasks. As healed as they are going to get, the party departs for Khem to seek help and try to take action against any further activities that Kilseth may be planning.