Friday, January 21, 2005
Chapter 2 of Asheri Chronicles 11/30/ 2000 - 12/7/2000
OOC: Why was the last thread closed at p. 5? Can't such threads continue till at least p.7? Just wondering.
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God VT
Herm walked through the destroyed city, into the camp where lots of tents were disposed everywhere around a central tent with a fire camp, and after this camp he found his ship, in the middle of a huge and deep valley. G was waiting for him.
G: About time you came!!!How was the fight, Dragoon?
Herm: .....no more than impressive.
G: Uh...?
Herm: It was fun to see, but I didn't act at all in it.
G: What do you mean?
Herm: I need to learn some magic to be fighting along with them!
G: Hmmm......You have that ring.
Herm: .....
Herm raised his fist towards the dwarf's head, and a small fire arc went out of it, making the small man fall on the back, but nothing more.
G: That did not hurt a lot.....I know what you mean. Whjy don't you go see one of them to be teached some small attacks and such ?
Herm: Hmm....interesting....but I don't know if any of them have the time to teach me.
G: HEY!!!You'll soon fight for them!!!Without pay!!!!So they'll owe you that!!!!!!And maybe we'll make them travel into the ship!!!So you take your horse, and all your equipment, you return into the camp, AND YOU ASK THEM!!!
Herm: Ok, ok.
Herm took back Flare and went back at the camp, searching for Salamander Armada to teach him a bit of his knowledge.
cue Salamander. Just to have some lil very basic attacks and defense magics.
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Ezra Al'Teyr
Ezra held onto the bird in one hand, and to the letter in the other. He slowly read the letter and then handed the piece of paper to Kal.
"How would you feel about accompaning me to a certain kidnapper's abode?" Ezra mused.
"I'll go," Kal spoke in a determined voice, "I'll make this joker pay,"
"I will as well, master" Thinious spoke.
"Just Ezra please,"
"Yes ma.. er.. Ezra,"
"Let us send word to Keimal and Gaxx, and see if they would be so kind as to accompany us as well"
"Yes, that gypsy is sneakier than a Shadowseeker, he could be quite a help" Kal chimed in, obviously getting somewhat excited about going to rescue his parents.
"Gaxx is quite powerful as well, or so I sensed," Thinious grasped his staff in his hands. "He could be quite a help,"
"So it will be done" Ezra sebt a courier to both Keimal and Gaxx, asking them to come to his tent as soon as possible, and sent a letter to General Armada stating his intentions to leave the force for a time, to help his friend's family.
The three individuals sat in the tent and waited, Ezra with a bird in hand.
Cue: Gaxx, Thinious (if you want to), and Keimal
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Gaxx of the Crags
Gaxx was outside his tent conversing with his love when a courrier approached.
"Master Summoner Ezra Al'Teyr would like to see you in his tent as soon as possible."
"He does does he. Well Then I shan't keep him waiting."
With that Gaxx lifted himself into the sky and into his lover's arms. He picked out Ezra's tent and flew there. He landed outside the tent and with a flourish entered the tent.
"I am Gaxx of the Crags. Bringer of storms and caller of winds! I also cook a mean mutten."
Cue: Ezra or Thinious
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Thinious Delmond
A bright open sea. A strong wind. Two powerful forces. Even greater when combined. This was Thinious' mind. Always an open body of material willing to allow thoughts to sail quickly or wade quietly. The wind was new. It was indeed strong! This was the word of his new master, Ezra. Never before had the words of another individual moved him like Ezra's did. The mission wasn't clear, but it was the way that his new faith directed. Still, putting so much of his fate into one man's hands wouldn't be the most intellectual choice to make without further investigation of his new sire.
"Go Thinious......."
Thinious: Huh.....?
"Go, my boy, go!"
Thinious: Who...
"Don't speak! Just go and follow!"
Thinious: Follow who? Go where?
No answer.
A storm began to brew in Thinious' mind. All of this was too much. A new master. New voices. Waves began crashing, lightning struck the surface of the water, a great tempest grew. There was something in the middle of his mind. It the middle of this sea. A ship. A strong ship. Seemingly unaffected by the storm. Keeping a bold sense of direction, of self.
Thinious never saw this image when thinking.
"Is that me?" His storm was violent now.
"Or is this a vision of what the future holds?" Lightning strikes the ship. No fire is produced on the deck. The ship stays on it's path. "This must be a sign. The vision. The voices. I will go and accompany my new master"
The young mage ran to his sire after he regained some composure.
Thinious to Ezra: Sir, I shall acompany you on this mission. I have only one request. Help me hone my understanding of the Water Sphere. I know not how to wield the magic, but I want to study it's power.
Ezra: I would love to further your studies....after all....(With a serious face donned)thats my new job isn't it.
A silence is held between the two.
Thinious: If this is going to be a burden....
Ezra laughs.
Ezra: No. I just wanted to see your reaction. You are still very naive. The will of The War will change that.
OOC: Cue Ezra
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Salamander Armada
OOC:This is a smaller forum, so I archive before 6. I just felt like it. Keeps things compact, and this server has a memory limit. When we reach five chapters, the oldest one will be put on the main page.
Salamander paced in his large tent. "I'm hungry, I haven't eaten since last night. I wish I had some mutten."
"May I enter, General?"
"Who asks?"
"My name is Herm. I want to learn magic. You know, just the basics."
"Are you serious? It takes years of training for magic to be of any use in battle."
"But I wish to fight for Lunis!"
"Why would a native Nylian fight for Lunis?"
"Because I can see what the Emperor is turning my homeland into. I need your help."
Salamander sighed. "What do you know of magic?"
"Not much. I have this ring, though. He removed it, and handed it to Salamander.
"Hmm.. Not much power. Oh, all right. Since you want to use magic in battle, first you have to know how to use it out of battle. In a tertiary sphere, you should be able to dectect magic using an extension of your senses. You first test... Tell me what kind of magic..." He pulled the flap of the tent aside and pointed to a man. "Him. What kind of magic does he use?"
"I don't know."
"Go find out. Don't ask him, just walk by him and try to find something in the air that tells you. You should be able to know, he's powerful enough to leave a lasting trace."
Herm left the tent and took on his first test. Salamander watched him go. His stomach growled. "I wonder if anyone in the camp cooks mutton..."
Cue: Herm, tell me what kind of magic you think he uses. (Since you don't really have magic, I'll give you a hint. As you walked by him, you saw a tinge of blue in your mind...)
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Carlisle
It was a clear, crisp morning in the Daggerwood that day. Birds were singing, the sun was shining, and squirrels were playing in the branches. Hidden within the darkened recesses of the foliage of a gigantic oak, a young boy peeked from around the trunk to see a large grey squirrel sitting on a limb on the opposite side of the tree. Quietly, balancing on the balls of his feet, the boy moved around the trunk and towards the squirrel which sat gnawing at an acorn and watching the younger squirrels at play disapprovingly.
With a whoop, the boy leapt for the small rodent which immediately darted down the tree limb, jumped to another tree and was gone. Unphased by the animal's speedy escape, the boy caught himself on the branch as he fell and swung himself underneath it and back up and over to land solidly on the branch.
With a laugh, he walked back along the limb and found a place to sit against the tree's trunk where he could bask in the sun's rays. He smiled, another glorious morning in the Daggerwood.
[This message has been edited by Carlisle (edited November 30, 2000).]
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Enfineous
The dark place that is the mind of Enfinious began to wonder...
My messenger should have come back by now......Things are not right as they should be. Perhaps another letter should be delivered. And perhaps i should be moving from where we are now. Tis not good if the bird is followed.
With that, the man in the silken cloak strides forthmoving the prisoners from their cell. "You will all be taken to a new place to be kept whilst i take care of my home. If they do come, they will not come happily and you are my only leverage."
Now get moving, we have a bit of walking to do, and you old man better keep up this time...we don't want anything to happen to you do we?"
With that, he leads the family down the hollowed out tree that is his home to deep within the earth. This place is magically guarded to any enterece without the "secret word" They foolow this path for a while, the smeel of moss and rotten mud fills their nostrils. Soon the come to an opening in the narrow tunnel which become larger and larger till it turns into a giant cavern. A small stream trickles in middle of the floor and stalctites and stalagmites are seen everwhere. Through a few more turns and then into another narrow tunnel. It slowly seemed to be getting hotter, but they weren't that far in the earth yet. This mysterious heat soon left as the ground started to slant up. eventually they ended in a graet hole created bya fallen tree on a rock face, the hole must have been there forever, however, the fallen tree made it almost impossible to detect. They were now in a part of the forest which seemed to have a different type of tree. The dark man led the group to a small cave that was very hard to detct even by the keenest eye. There they were put with only a small skin of water and a loaf of bread. "use it sparingly, I am not sure when I will be back."
Another note was brought into the prince of Nyliams desk and yet again it was from the man know as Enfinious.
Dearest Prince, i am not happy that you have chosen not to contact me. I think it might be to your knowledge that the Regent of Dargent, Ezra and his few friends are on a mission to find me, they will, and if you wish, your men could be here waiting.
Enfinious of the Wood
The detailed instructions of where the meeting place would be were rolled up and put into the prince's coat pocket.
Cue: Ezra and cronies
Cue: Stromguard
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Carlisle
Marten stirred and opened his eyes. Morning and afternoon had passed him by it seemed, for the sun had climbed high into the sky and fallen back down until it only peeked sleepily over the horizon. Stretching lazily, Marten yawned and got up and slowly walked out on a limb holding his arms out to the sides for the balance he didn't need. He walked back and forth on the limb like that for several minutes scrutinizing the limb his feet passed along as though nothing else mattered for the moment.
After he had passed along the branch quite a few times, Marten suddenly stopped, crouched and leapt off the branch. He plummeted down through the oak's foliage catching himself on the occasional limb to direct and slow his descent. Finally, he alighted with quiet grace on the forest floor and sprinted off into the trees.
He ran through the darkening woods with the speed and grace of a young buck, laughing with innocent abandon until he finally came to the treeline. Without pausing, Marten ran on across the fields towards his village.
He reached the houses and slowed to a leisurely slouching walk. As he approached his home, he saw a small crowd of villagers standing in front of it speaking with his father. At their head stood Garth Telldon one of the village's leaders. Curious, Marten moved closer to hear what was said.
"I tell you that boy is cursed Jack," said Garth drawing mutters of agreement from the people behind him.
Marten's father responded nervously, "You and I both know that isn't true Garth. Why he's just got a touch of the magic is all."
"He's a devil!" shouted one woman in the back of the crowd and the others around her roared in conformation shouting "Devil" and "Unnatural".
Telldon calmed them down and turned back to Marten's father, "Jack, I know this can't be easy for you, but that boy's 'magic' ain't like nothing the scholars talk about. It ain't natural. He must be dealt with, the same way we deal with rabid dogs."
The crowd shouted in approval of Garth's words and Marten's father wrung his hands not knowing what to do. Frightened, Marten turned and ran back the way he had come. As he sprinted off, he heard a voice cry out, "There's the little demon!" The crowd moved to pursue the fleeing figure, but Marten was quicker than even the fastest of them. He ran out of the village and into the deepening night. He did not know where he would go, but he knew that he could not stay here any longer.
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Ezra Al'Teyr
OOC: Enfinious, are you just assuming that we are coming after you? Or do you "know". Just wondering.
Ezra stood in fron of his tent waiting for anyone else to arrive. He could see Gaxx sailing down out from the sky, but Keimal was not yet arrived.
"You know that if you wish to use water, you will have to shift your primary sphere of influence, don't you?" Ezra declared, "That will take some long time and getting used to if you wish to persue the water sphere, especially if you are shifting from such a polar opposite, like spirit, which I can olny assume you have come to me to be taught,"
"Yes Ezra, but..." Thinious held his toungue, thinking wether to tell his master about his strange occurrence.
"I could increase your understanding of the Air and Fire spheres, and of course, Spirit, but that's all I can teach you, unless you want to do some major work, and then I might as well send you back to the Crozius Arcanum,"
"I don't know, sir"
"Think on it for a time, it seems as if we wait for a while. This is unfortunate, we should be on our way as soon as possible,"
"By the light, we should," Kal chimed in, stepping from the shadows, he was nearly invisible even in plain sight because of a cloak that he wore.
"Gaxx, will you accompany us?" Ezra called out as the grizzled man landed
The man tipped his head, and seemed to be listening for something distant, and then he spoke...
OOC: Cue Gaxx and Keimal
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Carlanus Silverfinger
Carlanus awoke after his first night of sleeping on the open country side. It was the first time he hadn't slept in a bed. As he opened his eyes he heard the sounds of birds chirping, the breeze blowing, and other sounds of nature. He rolled up his bedroll, and took down his tent. He packed up all the things from his camp, and made himself a simple breakfast. Soon after he had eaten, he got up and resumed his journey.
"I suppose I had better get going," he thought to himself. "I can't believe I am finally loose upon the world. I will travel to the four corners of Asheri Lunis and learn everything I can. And maybe some day I will acquire the title of Master Inventor. Until then I will sketch everything I can and ask for the use of the facilities within the cities. My family is know well enough, surely I will be allowed to use these facilities to create my constructs."
Carlanus conected the frame of his special armor over his close. He donned his cloak and put his backpack on. He connected the crossbow to his belt as well as the staff in it's retracted form (about 2 foot long), he placed his helmet on his head, and strapped his musket to his back.
He continued his journey east, heading toward the city of Rysend. As he continued his journey, he traveled briefly into the mountains in order to find someting to sketch and begin the expansion of his archives.
As he jouneyed into the mountains, he looked all around admiring nature in it's fullest. He also took some time to practice his skill in the Magic of the Air Sphere. When he found a nice place to sit, he sat down and waited for something to sketch.
"This looks like a nice place," he thought, "perhaps I will wait here and see if something comes along."
As he laid back to observe and wait, he began think of the great things he'd like to do. He thought of how he would apply his minor ability in magic to the creation of his so called "constructs".
As he looked up into the sky, a couple birds landed nearby, and they didn't seem to notice him. He quickly took out his sketch book and drew the birds in detail to the best of his ability. He drew the way their bodies were built, the shape of their bodies, and various other qualities he thought important. Soon after he had finished, as if by fate, the birds flew up into the clouds.
"This will make a great start to my sketchbook," he thought to himself. "I could make a replica of one of these birds in no time, but adding a little life to the model would take a bit longer. At least it would give me some sort of companion to travel with, which beats traveling alone any day. Perhaps when I get to Rysend I will see about using some of their facilities, I know they are familiar with my family name."
Just as he was about to leave, Carlanus saw some wolves resting in a nearby area. They also didn't seem hostile, at least for the time being, so Carlanus began to sketch images of them. He also sketch images of the different trees in hopes that maybe he could use the sketches for something.
"I better sketch these wolves as well as long as I have the chance before I continue toward Rysend. I don't know what purpose this will serve either, but maybe I could use sketches of these trees for something."
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Carlanus Silverfinger
(At the end of the day.)
With that, Carlanus packed up his materials and headed back towards the road. He stopped to cook himself a meal, and then contiued on his journey. As the sun began to set, Carlanus again set up camp and readied himself for bed. But, before it disappeared he sketched the sunset and as the moon and stars came from the darkness he sketched some of them as well.
"How fast a day goes by when you do nothing but travel and sketch," he thought to himself. "I will become the Master Inventor, and when I do I will have my own airship. I will make it so."
With these thoughts in his head, Carlanus readied himself for bed, and fell into sleep.
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Ezra Al'Teyr
Quick note, sir Silverfinger, the name of the world is Asheri, and Lunis is a country within it. Asheri Lunis is the name of the website. Ok?
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Keimal Detryex
Keimal stirred slowly from a long and groggy sleep. The lifeweavers had done a great job. His burns were completely healed and his breathing was finally back to normal. Not a trace of river water was on his breath. All that ached now were his tired muscles. The nomad stretched somewhat painfully and took in the mornings fresh air. As he made his way to his feet, a carrier pigeon sailed through the flap of his tent and chirped noisily alerting Keimal to its presence.
"Hello little friend. What news do you bring?" Keimal laughed to himself as he unraveled the scroll from the birds leg. He hadn't talked with animals since he was a young child back in the Soulwood Forest of Farai. "Ahh, sir Ezra would have a word with me. This could be interesting." As Keimal thought of his meeting with Ezra, thoughts of the Milios Elders beckoned his attention. "The Farai people depend on me. I can make no obligation until my service to the anti empire movement is complete. I have news to relay."
The time had come to resume his mission to due everything within his limited power to thwart any or all Nyliam advances. The news he carried of the empires next move had to be delivered. As he was recomended to do by his previous dispatcher, Ezra Al'Teyr, he found his way to Salamander Armada's tent to relay his spied information.
"Please stand aside. I have pertinant information of Nyliam's plans for General Armada!"
Upon hearing such an outburst, the guards which stood vigilant watch over Salamander's tent parted and made way for the hurried gypsy.
"Sir Salamander, please exscuse my intrusion, but I have news of the Nyliam Empire's next course of action."
"Well then my boy.. if this is so then we had better hear of it. What news do you bring?"
"Upon a scouting run to the Nyliam camps, that is before they were destroyed, I overheard their commanders talking of another invasion."
"Please young sir.. this much is obvious. The empire is determined to overrun us. Of course their sending another assualt force."
"Yes sir, but this assault force shall never see the sight of Dargent or any of the Nyliam/Lunis border for that matter."
Salamander shifted from a disinterested personality to one of true curiosity as he stepped towards Keimal.
"General Armada, Nyliam plans next to threaten Lunis' EASTERN borders."
"Thank you young lad, this is something the war council will have to hear. Due pardon my abrubtness but I must now plan an appropriate action for such news."
OOC: Cue Salamander, I didn't want to take control there so the above Armada response could be taken seriously or as sarcasm. Its up to you Sal.
Upon his dismisal, Keimal thought it prudent to seek out Ezra in response to the message he had recieved earlier. A deviation from active scouting couldn't harm him. Besides, he could do no more for his people here. As far as he knew, the Nyliam threat was miles away to the East. Time to find Ezra.
The tall figure found himself winding his way through rows upon rows of tents until he had arrived at the abode of Ezra Al'Teyr, former appointed Regent to the city of Dargent.
"Ahh, Keimal. I was wondering if I would see you again. Your people have a way of remaining scarce."
"I shall take that as a supreme compliment sir Regent. Good Ezra, I have come in response to your message. You wished to discuss something?"
"Yes, of course. Someone very dear to our cause has been taken against their will. This has been a most unpleasant event for us all as you can imagine."
Keimal thought back to the original oppression of his forefathers in Farai. When the gypsies of the Milios tribe were condemned to the Soulwood Forest. "Yes," mentioned Keimal angrily with a tooth grinding snear, "I can imagine that quite easily. What can I do to be of service and how soon can we leave?"
OOC: Cue Ezra
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God VT
OOC: Blue tingle....eeehh...
Herm followed the mage in darkness. He was sure this man could not see him, thanks to his pendant, but he still didn't know if he could understand that man's magic, until he felt something.
He saw a blue tingle into his mind while following the man..."What was that?"He asked himself in thoughts. "Blue....blue........ehh...hard to tell...."
But he decided to go meet Salamander. He entered the tent.
Salamander: Back already?
Herm: Is it....water?
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Gaxx of the Crags
In Ezra's Tent*
"Well...just a moment." With that Gaxx poked his head outside the tent and said, "What do you saw love?" He listened for a moment and then nodded and turned his attention back to Ezra.
"I believe that I will follow you and be of any survice that I can. For I am Gaxx of the Crags. Bringer of storms and caller of winds. I also cook a mean mutten."
"Yes...well it is good to have you along."
CUE: Ezra/Thinious
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Salamander Armada
"It is indeed. You are correct. That man was one of the soldiers to whom I owe my life. Alright, follow me."
"Where are we going?" Herm asked.
"Not far. Just over there." Salamander pointed to a stack of dry wood. When they reached it, Salamander picked a piece of wood up and set in on the ground. "Set this on fire."
"How?"
"That's up to you. You can either choose to develop your own powers, which I recommend, or you can increase the power of the ring. For now, I suggest you use the ring to observe how magic behaves in response to your willpower, and then, once you have succeeded, try it without the ring. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a very important manner to attend to. I wish you luck."
Herm nodded, and turned his attention to the log. He pointed his fist at it expectantly.
Cue: Herm
"We need to send a messenger to Callendar. Prepare any ships we have, and buy or rent any merchants ships you can find. They will figure things out eventually, but don't disclose any information you don't have to."
"Yes, sir," the soldier saluted.
"The Nylian Armada is superior to our own. How can we defeat a naval army?" he muttered. They needed someone experienced in the ways of the sea. Salamander had never led an army anything but on foot. How could they win? What tactics could he use on the seas? Something told him it was time to visit an old friend in Balanum.
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Kalimdor Stromguard
Kalimdor sat in his private chambers, reading the two messages over and over. The person behind the notes held no significance to the young prince, but why did the young prince hold significance to him? Kalimdor pondered these and other thoughts before finally deciding to reply. He began scrawling on a sheet of parchment:
Dear Sir or Madam,
I know not why you continue to send me this information. Although I thank you on behalf of Nyliam for your support and aid in distracting Regent Al'Teyr, I am not in charge of the war. I have referred the letters to my brother, the Emperor, but I know not what will become of them. Again, I send my thanks.
Prince Kalimdor Stromguard
With that done, he attached the letter to the curious courier pigeon that had accompanied the original note. The bird, knowing only what it's master had planned, immediately flew for the window. Kalimdor gathered up the two notes and tossed them into the fireplace, leaving no trace of their existance.
OOC: I'd just like to remind all that just because you know things about other characters OOC, your character may not know this. To everyone in Asheri, Kalimdor is simply a Prince, with no real authority over the Empire of Nyliam. Most everything is conducted by Tiranus. what I have written is actualy only known by a select few, and they are trustworthy. My character would not compromise his current position.
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Enfineous
As he unfolds the clean piece of paper, Enfinious lets out an angry mumble of frustration.
"Does this pampered fool really believe that the walls do not have ears? Do not play dumb with me you piece of badger dung. I will not be taken lightly. You will pay dearly for thinking that I am as ignorant as the rest of the world."
"The walls have ears my dear BOY the walls have ears. Sooner than later the walls will give way to your scheme."
Carlisle
Marten ran through the night and into the morning. He headed south, directly away from his family home and never thought about changing his direction.
He was extremely frightened as he ran across the meadows. He felt exposed in such open country and longed for the safety of the Daggerwood. However, He was coherent enough to know to stay far away from his known haunts lest the villagers should discover him.
Morning faded to noon as the frightened boy ran. Even when others would have collapsed from exhaustion, Marten ran on as though he could breathe perfectly well. When his lungs felt like bursting, the magicks within him drew breath from the air. When his legs felt too tired to carry him further, the magicks drew strength from the earth. When he felt he must find water, the magicks drew moisture from the air and the soil. When he felt the sun beating down on him mercilessly, the magicks channeled the heat into his muscles spurring him to greater speed. And so Marten ran on.
Late in the afternoon, Marten began to see something on the horizon. As he drew closer he saw that it was a large expanse of forest stretching as far as he could see. With a cry half of relief and half of joy, the boy verily flew towards the forest's confines.
After what seemed an eternity, Marten reached the trees and entered the darkness underneath the canopy. Marten collapsed to the ground several yards from the treeline as all the exhaustion that the magicks had kept at bay washed over him. Blissfully, he slipped into unconciousness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------Carlanus Silverfinger
Another day had come and Carlanus awoke to the sounds of nature.
As he sat up and looked out his tent, he thought to himself, "Well, perhaps I should get going again. I have much to see of the world yet."
Carlanus got up and packed up everyting like he had the day before. Afterwards he cooked himself a simpe meal to start the day. "Perhaps I shall see about creating a wagon for myself in Rysend to give myself a sort of mobile workshop. The people of Rysend are sure to help one of the Silverfingers with his travels."
After he had finished eatig he put out his fire gathered anything he had left and continued Eastward toward the city of Rysend.
After traveling for awhile and stopping to sketch a spider in it's web, a couple squirrels frolicking around, and an image of a sight in the Shield Mountains, he finally came to the border of Balanum and Farai. He passed though the border created by the shield mountains and continued towards Rysend.
He came out on to the open planes, as he passed some other travellers along the road. "Hello there," he said to them as he passed. "Hello fellow traveller," they replied as they continued on their way.
"I thought there would be more people along this road," Carlanus thought to himself, "but perhaps they just don't like my industrial nation of Balanum. Oh well, I like it and seek to learn more."
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Ezra Al'Teyr
"Keimal, I think it would be best for you to stay here with Commander Armada. We could defniately use someone with your stealthily capacity here in the army," Ezra held the bird up to the sky, "Gaxx, can you help me support Kal's weight? I can do it, but it owuld be most taxing."
"Of course. I am the caller of Winds!"
"Come Thinious, we shall follow this bird through the sky,"
The four of them rose into the sky, following the bird as Ezra released it. It flew to the north, towards the lands of Farai. The four of them traveled after the bird for almost twelve hours before it started to decend into a forest below the travelers. Ezra noted the place where the bird landed. He set a beacon of shadow magic in the air above its landing point, and then brought the party back out of the forest, landing on a rolling hill, The group of travelers built a small fire, and because the night was already fully upon them, They decided to sleep here for the night. Ezra decided he would watch for the full night, knowing full well that Kal could wash away his weariness in the morning. However it would deminish his magical power slightly during the next day, he did not feel that he would be needing his full capacity. The group bedded down for the night, Kal washing the weariness of the day away from Ezra before he could resist. The Icy wave shot through his body, and he suddenly felt as if he had just awakenen from a night's rest, in body, his spirit was still slightly taxed from the day's flight. He felt a slight emptiness within him, one that he tried not to think about at all, but was unable to do so, especailly at times like this, when he was all alone.
The fire burned low, and Ezra continued to make circuits around the hill. After a while, content that his companions were resting comfortably. He extended his circuits a slight bit into the woods. The emptiness twinged at him again, and he saught a clear mind, however, his heart was too far strong for his weary mind, almost like a tsunami rolling into a dam, Ezra broke. Tears began to roll slowly down his face, and he continued to walk through the woods, slowly making his circle back around to his companions. He passed by, silently lamenting to himself, and re-entered the woods once again.
He walked onward in silent sadness, like a black wave had saturated the cloth that was his soul. He began to come upon a small clearing, and he thought he saw a person sitting in the clearing. He eventually composed himself and decided to investigate. He circled around the clearing, now suspending himself just above the ground as to make no noise. He slowly was able to make the figure out as a female, with flowing brown hair that seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. -How pretty, the way her hair sparkles,- Ezra thought. Her eyes were not visible, but shaded beneath her hair, that was presumably usually held by a bandana the figure held in one of her hands. The figure slowly put the bandana into her hair, and her hazel brown eyes seemed to shine as her hair did. Ezra could see several tatoos on her body, and he presumed thst she was one of the natives of this land, -But how beautiful she was. She was toned, beautiful and she had a mysterious air about her,- he thought.
Suddenly the woman looked up and directly into Ezra's lavender eyes, "Are you going to lurk around all night or come here in the light where I can see you," The woman spoke in a melodic tone, but commanding at the same time. It would have reminded Ezra of his mother if he had not been so surprised, and embarassed. His cheeks brightened against his pale skin, and he stepped into the clearing slowly.
"Hello," He spoke meekly, as a boy to his first crush, "My name is Ezra, Ezra Al'Teyr,"
The woman smiled slightly, considering him.
OOC: Cue Nascha Khay'Lar
------------------Ezra Al'Teyr
Linerin sat within his chambers. He looked out at the moon, and smiled as he sould see the dark weavings of protection about his windows. Nobody would disturb him here, in the Dark Wood. The creatures here were even open to him... somewhat. Some of them took persuading, and others took anhillation. Still, he sat studying the blood samples he had on his shelf, across the room. He seemed intent on a pair of the flasks of crimson fluid, wrapped in small flows of body magic to keep the blood from becoming less.... fresh. He stared intently at the two names, Zeravan Al'Teyr, and Luceria Al'Teyr, and cackeled.
------------------
God VT
Herm: Urgh...
Herm pointed his ring at the branch and a small arc of fire went out of it, burning it in one easy shot.
Herm: That was predictable...now.....how the hell does he want me to set wood on fire without anything......??
Herm concentrated....
(2 hours later...)
Herm: ........
Herm touched the branch, and concentrated a lot.
Herm: Now what the hell????that guy is joking me??????HOW DOES HE WANT ME TO DO THAT?????
On the outside of the tent, some mages turned back when they heard the loud man's voice yelling. One of them looked inside, and saw him touching a branch.
Mage: sir...
Herm: Don't you see I'm trying to do something important????
Mage: Of course....sorry.
Herm: Urgh...
Herm tried again.
Herm: .........Gonna have to try later....for now....I'll take a break...
Herm went out of the tent and walked into the night.
------------------------------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
As Carlanus continued down the road he passed by a few other people here and there, but it was still more empty than he thought a road could ever be.
As the day moved on, Carlanus continued to traverse the seamingly never-ending road. "It sure does make for a long journey when you have no one to talk to. Perhaps after I get a wagon and equipment in Rysend, I can craft a small metal companion to keep me company. Maybe I will even give it some intelligence with my power. I don't know if any spirit would wish to accompany me in a shell as small as a bird, but perhaps."
(OOC Ok, I know how I want this character's power to work, but how should I tell an Avatar about them, if I wish to keep them slightly secret?)
Carlanus continued the journey down the road. As he traveled further, he found some more sketch opportunities and sat down to take a couple hours drawing them. He also prepared himself something to eat.
As he sat to enjoy his meal, he looked all about himself looking for opportunities to further his collection of drawings.
"Perhaps I can use the clouds for something some day. I pray they still watch over me with my turn to technology and science. I shall still use my magic to help me along though. Perhaps if I can build a flying ship some day, I can get closer to you and see what you hide from ground dwellers."
Carlanus sat back and began sketching the clouds, and for some odd reason the clouds began to take shapes as he drew. Though not first recognizable, these shapes, Carlanus continued to sketch them none the less.
"I shall look at these pictures at a later time to see what the clouds were trying to tell me," thought Carlanus.
With that he turned his attention to his fire and began drawing it and the way the smoke lifted from it, and how the burning wood looked in phases. As he continued to draw, stragely enough the fire began to take on stragely familiar but not recognizable shapes.
"Burning fire what do you seek to tell me? Why do you and the sky speak on such strage ways, at least to me? Is it because I seek to study science and the world? I do not wish to shun either of you nor the Spirit Sphere for that matter. I only wish to further my own knowledge. I will always have your power at my side to use. You will not be forgotten."
After Carlanus had spoken those words the fire seemed to die down. "Strange," Carlanus thought to himself.
With one final blow the fire shot a blast of smoke into the air which caught the wind and drifted south, perhaps towards the Soulwood Forest which Carlanus had only heard about and new about where it was.
-------------------------------------------------------
Nascha Khay'Lar
She was aware of his presence and smiled softly; he was trying to stay hidden. It would probably have succeeded for someone not born in the mountains, someone not so aware. He was a handsome man, no denying that, if not mysterious and seemingly pained by something. I should probably say something, she thought, studying him out of the corner of her eye, so as he wouldn’t notice her eyes on him. It would be interesting if he ran into Sakim, she smiled to herself again as she replaced the bandanna. His eyes... they of a colour I have never seen and they sparkle so... She looked straight into those eyes and spoke in a calm, if not slightly commanding tone, "Are you going to lurk around all night or come here in the light where I can see you." He slowly stepped into the clearing and into the light where she could see him better. He is indeed handsome, and those eyes...
"Hello," He spoke meekly, as a boy to his first crush, "My name is Ezra, Ezra Al'Teyr."
(OOC: stole your line *g*)
Considering him she spoke, "And mine is Nascha, Nascha Khay'Lar. Of the Lok'miti tribe, from the Hollow Crags." She smiled at him. "What brings you here, to this forest, so near the mountains?"
"I, and some companions are going to.. ah.." he fumbled with his words, then continued on as if it were normal, she smiled musingly at him. "We are after some people who have been taken against there will, kidnapped, if you like..."
"I see," she said as she moved around the fire towards him. "And where are these companions?"
"They're at our camp, in the hills." She nodded and was now standing right in front of him, face to face. He blushed slightly when he saw how close she really was, and how her eyes met his. She smiled, and stared into those strange eyes. Silence descended upon the world, and with that she turned and made her way back to the fire. I enjoy playing hard to get, she decided with a smile to herself. "Come, sit by the fire with me," she gestured to a spot next to her. "So, do you know where these people have been taken captive?"
"In the forest a fair way away," he said as he placed himself carefully next to her.
"And you went all the way to the hills to camp?" She sounded puzzled
"No use sleeping too close to a wolves den."
"That reminds me, have you eaten?" He gave her a strange look.
"Yes, I have."
"Oh, do you mind, I haven't..." "Not at all," he smiled.
"Sakim!" She called, and a large, shaggy wolf came trotting, over to her, a rabbit in his jaws. Ezra looked at him with wide eyes. "It's OK," she laughed, "this is Sakim, he's been my friend and companion for a long time. I found him when he was only young - separated from his pack. I raised him, and now we are best of friends." She petted the shaggy animal and told him that he could go off hunting for himself if he had not already, or stay by the fire if he wished. Not that the animal would understand, but it would do as it wanted. Taking her second choice as if it understood her entirely, he placed himself down on the opposite side of the fire. She pulled out her belt knife and began to skin the animal. "Where are you from Ezra Al'Teyr?"
"Lunis," it felt good for once that nobody knew his name for what he was; the worlds best summoner.
"Lunis? That is where I've been travelling." She seemed to be considering him again as she began to cook the meat.
"Really, and why are you travelling to Lunis?"
She blushed slightly, "I want to find out more about 'magic'."
Of course, he thought, If only I weren't acting like a fool boy seeing a woman for the first time. I sense it now, some ability... "Well, I could teach you..."
"Really?" She looked hopeful, "it's just I... don't really understand it." She looked back at the cooking meat and decided it was about done, taking it, she offered him some…
OOC: Ezra, sorry I took so long! You can continue from here...
[This message has been edited by Nascha Khay'Lar (edited December 01, 2000).]
----------------------------------------------------
Keimal Detryex
Keimal watched as Ezra, Kal, Thinius and Gaxx rose gracefully into the sky. Gaxx truly had a nack for flight as the quartet disappeared into the expanding sky. Keimal turned from his gaze to see what would now be his home for an unknown amount of time. He felt the pains of home sickness as he contemplated his unwanted stay in Lunis. He belonged in Farai. Alas, the Milios entrusted him with a mission against Nyliam. Going home was not yet an available option.
Being one of the woods, Keimal had a distaste for ordered things. He liked the chaotic layout of the forest floor. The geometrically precise gridwork of the Luni Army's camp made him tense. "Time for a new roost," mused Keimal. He gathered his few belongings from the tent and found a brush laden area of land just on the outskirts of the encampment. From here, the gypsy could watch from afar and not be menaced by all of the structure. "Just like home," he thought.
Now he would wait and heal from his affairs. When the Luni moved, so would he... in the shadows in pure and true Milios fashion.
------------------Carlisle
Marten opened his eyes to find himself lying on his back on the forest floor. Day had departed while he slept and what little he could see of the sky was filled with twinkling stars. He was nestled against a tree root quite comfortably. Around him, the forest was eerily quiet. In the daggerwood, Marten had always been aware of the sounds of animal life moving about but here....here there was only darkness.
Marten stood up and brushed himself off looking deeper into the trees. Further into the woods, no light penetrated the thick canopy. With no small amount of trepidation, the boy started away from the treeline. The starlight dwindled to almost nothing and then vanished. Marten however was unphased. He had once been caught in a cave in the daggerwood after a cave-in and he had learned a little trick. He called on the magicks within him and his eyes began to tingle. Suddenly the light shifted into a glowing mosaic of reddish hues. Looking at his hand, Marten saw that it was glowing redly and he smiled, any animals nearby would likewise be detectable he knew.
Hours later, his eyes still showing him the heat traces of the flora around him, Marten found himself walking along a deer trail. He had still seen no sign of the animal life he had expected other than the track on which he now walked. He was just thinking about stopping when he felt something seize his ankle and he was flung into the air.
With a yelp, Marten wheeled his arms trying to find purchase. A moment later he found himself dangling from a treelimb to the side of the trail by a coarse rope. Idly wondering who might be setting snares in a place like this, Marten reached up and undid the rope.
As his ankle came free, Marten turned himself around in the air so that he would fall the short distance to the ground to land on his feet. As he hit the soil, however, he felt it give beneath him and he crashed through a frame of thatch into a small pit. He landed on his arm and his vision flashed with black dots as he felt his shoulder dislocate and he once again sank into unconciousness.
OOC: Cue me (just because I don't have anyone else to cue =-----------------------------------------------------------------
Salamander Armada
"How am I supposed to do it?" Herm asked.
"Here. I'll demonstrate using air." Salamander pointed his hand at the piece of wood, and a strong wind ruffled the cloth of his shirt sleeve and knocked the log over. Try to imagine nothing. Nothing except the log, and the fire. Push everything else out."
Herm nodded. He closed his eyes and focused. The log he saw, and he imagined the fire, but he kept seeing the camp at the edge of his mind. He tried to ignore it. Salamander put his hand on Herm's shoulder.
"I see what you're doing. Don't ignore the things at the fringe, push them out. Don't imagine the fire, see it." He glanced over his shoulder at someone. "I'm sorry, but I have something to attend to. I wish I could give you the attention and training you need, but with the war going on, you picked a bad time. Still, I'll help when I can."
Cue: Herm
Damn it, Ezra. I can't leave anyone else in charge, either you or I have to be here. And I need to talk to the leaders of Balanum about the airship. It would give us an edge. We need every advantage we can get. Salamander stroked his beard. This was not a battle to lose... ------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
I am getting no where fast," Carlanus thought to himself. "If I wish to reach Rysend sooner, then I guess there is only one thing I can do."
Carlanus extended his hands towards the heavens and cried out, "Carry me swift and carry me through, lift me up steadfast, hastily and true."
As Carlanus finished the incantations a light glow surrounded his body and his feet left the ground, and he flew with the speed of the winds towards the city of Rysend.
The breeze whipped by his face and blew his cloak, but it did carry him true. He flew and he flew until he finally landed and in the distance saw the shape of a city, and he headed towards it.
--------------------------------------------
Ezra Al'Teyr
Ezra took some of the meat and nibbled at it as only someone raised within a noble house could.
"Yes, I could teach you the rudiments of magic. They are essentially the same for every sphere," Ezra began to speak in a philosphical tone.
"Spheres?"
"Yes, spheres, magic is devi..... (Ezra explains the basics of magic to Nascha)... Do you understand?"
"Yes, but that was quite a lot to absorb," Nascha replied to Ezra's long monologue. She looked up into his eyes, and a glint of moonlight seemed to sheen acrosas her face. She was a devine presence to Ezra, as if she were sent from the creator. Ezra even thought, what if she was the creator? no that's not possible...
The two of them sat silently for a bit next to the dwindling fire, Ezra trying to sneak looks at her without her noticing, but fasiling in almost every non-magical attempt. After a while, Ezra rose slowly, his silk shirt blowing slightly is the wind.
"I need to get back to my companions, I have been away for too long," Ezra clearly stated, "You are free to accompany us, if you would wish me to teach you the rudiments of magic, or if not, I can direct you toward the capital of Lunis, where you could be taught by masters,"
"You are not a master?" She asked.
"If only I were not..." He wispered, but her sharp ears caught his cynical tone.
Ezra turned to leave, looked back over his shoulder, and smiled at Nascha. So much my opposite, and yet so perfect, he thought silently as he began to walk from the clearing.
Cue: Natcha
------------------Ezra Al'Teyr
Damn spelling errors.. Oh well, we aqll know what we're all trying to say, right?! er.. ok.. ------------------
Gaxx of the Crags
OOC: Ezra I hope you did that last spelling error on purpose..."aqll" If not you should have used the sword icon #7...The Blade of Ignorance. you know the one that looks like a club. Ha Ha! ------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
Carlanus awoke from resting after straining his magic to fly towards Rysend. He could still see the city in the distance and he continued his journey towards it.
"I am almost there," he thought to himself, "I will soon enter Rysend. Then, I shall go see my father's friend, Gorandar Crowen at his blacksmith shop. I know I can get some supplies from him."
Carlanus continued walking towards the city and as he entered the gates he got strange looks from some of the people. "I have a strange feeling they don't like foreigners in their city, or maybe it's just me," thought Carlanus.
He tried not to look back at the people that stopped to look at him and headed straight for Gorandar's shop.
As he approached the building he recognized from his childhood, he could see the smoke rising from the building like any blacksmith, although it didn't seem as thick as the smoke in his home.
Carlanus looked at the building for a moment and then entered. As he approached the smithy, the smithy looked up at him. "How can I help you sir," asked the man.
"I'm looking for Gorandar, have you seen him?" asked Carlanus.
"Of course I've seen him," said the man with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He's me, but I don't recognize you."
"You know my father very well," said Carlanus. "Does the name Falur Silverfinger ring a bell?" asked Carlanus.
Garandar stood up stroking his beard. "Ahh yes," thought Garadar, "good old Falur. I remember him well." "I haven't seen him for quite some time. How is he doing?"
"Very well sir," replied Carlanus. "Then, does that make you young Carlanus?" asked Garandar.
"Yes sir, that's me," replied Carlanus. "My how you've grown up," said Garandar. "Why the last time I saw you, you were just a boy and you and your sister were playing around the shop and ended up being colored black all over. Your mother had to take both of you to our house and wash you up."
They both laughed at this story.
"Well, what can I do for you, Carlanus?" asked Garandar.-----------------------------------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
"Actually Garandar, I am in need of a shop wagon, some horses to pull it, and some supplies to begin creating my own inventions," answered Carlanus. "I have some money with me, otherwise my father gave me a letter of credit to show you."
"I tell ya what," said Garandar if you can stay around here for the rest of the day, dine and stay with us tonight, I can have all of that for you by tomorrow morning. And you can keep your money for the road, I trust your father's letter of credit. How does that sound to you?"
"That would be wonderful, Garandar," answered Carlanus. "I'll be around the city then. Let me know if you need any help while I'm here."
"I will Carlanus, I will. Now go enjoy yourself in our fair city," said Garandar, "and we'll see you for dinner tonight."
"Thanks again, Garandar, and if it's all right with you, I'd like to work with some of the scrap metal from your work and see if I can do anything with it. Is that ok?" asked Carlanus.
"That's fine my boy, just fine." answered Garandar.
With that, Garandar went back to his work and Carlanus went to the extra work station in back of the shop and began shaping and dorming the metal pieces into something he could use. He worked and he worked. He looked at his sketch book for periods of time then he worked some more. After he had eaten dinner with Garandar and his family, he went back to work until he could keep his eyes open no longer. Then he went to Garandar's home and slept until morning.
------------------Keimal Detryex
"Enough of this nonsense. For days I have been waiting... waiting for more waiting. The elders would be displeased at my current rate of progress."
Keimal stood pacing a well worn path as he deliberated his situation. It had been nearly two days since his reconasance mission to the Nyliam camp. Now he merely sat on his bedroll, ever rocking to maintain his sanity, about a half mile from the Luni Army camp. To a soldier, such a wait was standard and tolerated but to a gypsy, the desire to move was demanding.
"I can't wait forever. I certainly am not in the mood to entertain orders from the Lunis officials either. The time has come for action. If the Luni are going to sit and wait, then I shall start my own trouble!"
With that, Keimal collected his horse and what few rations he had left and made his way across the river which seperated Lunis and Nyliam. It took some coaxing but the Farai born horse obediantly followed its master through the gentle currents of the river.
"Kyawww!!"
The horse reared back on its hind legs in respondem to Keimals mounted heels digging into its sides. As the lean animal's front hooves made contact with Nyliam soil it lunged forward with tremendous velocity. The gypsy was off, abandoning the stationary Luni Army. His best bet for travel in Nyliam was far away from civilization. He and his horse rode north to Lake Nyliam then pressed on due NW until he reached the edge of the Dark Wood forest.
The gypsy thought back in history. This is where his tribe had originated hundreds of years ago. His people were entertainers and bards, traversing town to town, constantly moving. A child like smile came to his face as he fantasized about better times long before his birth.
The Dark Wood forest lived up to its name. The Soulwood forest where Keimal had grown up was thick and dark but it had a welcoming feeling to it, at least to a woodsman. This place was far different. It had a foreboding loom to it. Keimal shuddered as he and his steed traversed the threshhold that separated Nyliam's plain from wood.
The foliage was thicker than Keimal had originally anticipated. He was forced to dismount and lead his horse through thickets of dense brush as he careened through a seeming catacomb of trees. Night was steadily approaching as he watched the sun's ever fading rays dissapate from sight.
"Time to make camp old friend."
The horse hopped and whinnied in agreement. The night sounds were all around the nomadic pair. Orchestras of crickets were playing their nightly symphany as the owls of Dark Wood added voice to the chorus. Having ridden hard all day, the duo had managed to reach the middle of Dark Wood, alas, the time for rest was at hand. As Keimal layed sprawled on his bedroll, chanting comforting sounds to his mount companion, the fog of dreams overcame him. Under the stars, amidst the wood, Keimal drifted to a child-like sleep. Back in the woods again, he was at home.
------------------Keimal Detryex
Poor Ezra... hukt on fonix diddint werk 4 him.. so sad.
Just kiddin' buddy-
------------------
Aeveris
Aeveris traveled swiftly, resting little and eating less. His love seemed to be his sole reason for being alive. Throughout the duration, though, Aeveris pondered the words of the strange old man.
"You're lucky you have friends where you don't expect them," he had said. Who were these friends? Aeveris had never known anyone outside of his tribe or nearby ones, with the exception of Her. Was there a connection? He knew his answers lied ahead.
OOC Sorry it's not much of a post, but I'm really busy. I just don't want to be kcked off or something.
------------------Carlisle
Marten opened his eyes. He was lying spread eagled on what felt like a web of robes. By all appearances, it was nearing twilight, but he could not tell how long he had been unconcious. Above him he saw only foliage and so decided he must not be in the pit anymore. He tried to turn his head to look at his surroundings, but he couldn't move. Though he strained it seemed all of his body was held fast against the robes on which he lay. His shoulder pained him terribly and he whimpered.
Seemingly in response to his whimper, a voice drifted to him from the twilight. It was sibilant and dark and, for some reason, Marten shuddered upon hearing it, "Well well well what have we here?"
When Marten did not respond, the voice came again, "Well boy? What is your name? What are you doing in the dark wood? You may raise your head now, but only your head."
Marten lifted his head and it came away from the ropes as though it had never been stuck. As he lifted his head, wincing at the twinges in his shoulder, Marten looked at what he was lying on. He gasped. He seemed to be attached to a large spider web with strands as thick as robes. The web seemed to pulse faintly with a dark light. As the voice had said, he still could not move his arms or legs.
Marten looked around him for the speaker but saw no one. He shifted his eyes into the red light again but still saw no one.
As Marten's heat-sensing eyes began to glow softly, there came a sharp intake of breath from the direction of the voice, "The fire sphere sings to you boy, who are you?"
Marten began once again to strain against his bonds without responding and the voice became angry, "Answer me! Who are you and why are you in the Dark Wood?"
Marten flinched as well as he could with only his head loose and let forth a small yelp at a stronger twinge from his shoulder. Not knowing what else he could do, he spoke hesistantly, "I am M-M-Mar-ten."
The voice came again, "What is wrong with your voice boy? Speak more clearly I say!"
"I d-don't make w-w-words good," Marten responded somewhat self-conciously.
"Is that so?" The web suddenly disappeared from under him and he plummeted a short distance to the ground. He landed on his dislocated shoulder and screamed.
As he lay there in a daze of pain, a shadow moved over him and a hand came to rest on his forehead. A pulse of energy came from the hand into Marten's head and he yelled in fury as he felt the figure entering his thoughts. The intrusion was quickly over and the figure stood and moved a little ways away, "Well Marten of Daggerwood, you seem to be a very strangely gifted young man. The elemental spheres sing to you in a way that I have never seen before. This intrigues me. Mayhap I can use your talents to my advantage. Go to sleep Marten."
Marten felt the command as a physical blow and, though he struggled to remain awake, he sank into slumber.
OOC: Cue an as of yet undetermined party.
------------------------------------------------
Thorgood Strutus
A small band of armed men slowly walk towards where the remainants of Dargent lie. They are practically invisible, using only the natural shadows to conceal their positions.
Galius, a small and agile soldier, moves toward the determined General,Thorgood Strutus.
Without uttering a word, Galius signals to him that he will go ahead and search for a possible area that the soldiers can go over their attack plans.
Thorgood has to hold his happiness in his stomach. That is where Thorgood holds a good majority of all of his feelings. He moves past the watery graves of his fallen men and curses the poor strategy used by the late general Leonard. He deserved his last resting place on the blood soaked battleground in Dargent.
Galius comes back and gives General Strutus word that there will be no time to prepare for battle. The camp is over the next hill and luckily it is not being heavily gaurded like he had anticipated.
"Fools" Thorgood thinks to himself all while he signals to Galius and the rest of the men to take their proper positions.
It is too bad that only a few of the Lunis men are about because they were instore for a bloody night. Instead of charging into a loud and fantastic battle of blood and yells and fury, this battle would result in many a Luni loss before anyone would notice. Although this encampment was large, it was Strutus' goal to slowly and silently to take as many men out before the call-to-arms was given to all of the encampment.
The men saw their first goal. A single guard, obviously being affected by the burden of having to stay wake througout the night has slumped up against a wagon wheel at the edge of this makeshift town. Thorgood gives the "word" to move and three of his soldiers slowly move down the hill. They cover the soldiers mouth and then cut his throat. A small smile is shown on Thorgood's face for but a moment and then it vanishes.
The rest of the men descend into the campgounds and begin to investigate and irraticate. Moving in a similiar fashion as the first three that touched toe on this new wetland, they enter the tents after deserning if anyone is awake or not. If they aren't awake they are killed without question. If someone is awake, the soldiers undo the flap of the tent and allow the wind to distract the tentative inhabitants, then they strike all while covering mouths and cutting throats.
The night, surprisingly moves quickly, with each soldiers head that hits the ground with a low thud.
Thorgood's group of night-time killers has a secret love for each other. Tonight, they are in a dance with one another. When one faults, the next picks up the slack. The waltz and foxtrot and tango through the camp, making sweet steps into greatness.
One, two, three, then dip
One, two, three, then dip
One tent, two tents, three and quit
Thorgood gives out a well-deserved breath when they have spanned half of the camp. He signals for them to retreat and though deep in their stomachs they wish to continue their dance of death, they know if they travel any closer to the opposite side they will meet with Salamander Armada and that would be a battle they aren't yet ready for.
They make a hasty retreat, after all, there isnt any reason to keep quiet on the side that has only deceased soldiers.
Trodding along the still soaked ground, Thorgood thinks to himself that he, personally, has made it up to the rest of the watered down soldiers that lost their lives the day earlier. The move quickly knowing that someone will find a body soon and then the call will be out, but by then the team of 'dancers' will be on thier way back to Farlarn to take rest.
OOC: Salamander might want to reply to this one
---------------------------------------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
Carlanus awoke in the guest room of the Crowen's home. He dressed himself gathered his things and went downstairs.
As he entered, Garandar and his wife were just about ready to sit down and eat breakfast. There was a third place set for Carlanus.
"Well, good mornin' my boy," said Garandar, "won't you join us for breakfast?"
"I'd love to," answered Carlanus.
"Do you remember my wife Miranda? asked Garandar as he gestured towards the woman. "It has been a long time since you have seen her."
"Hello Carlanus," said Miranda. "My how you've grown since I last saw you. Last time you were here with your parents, you, your sister, and our daughter Sheila were causing all kinds of trouble."
"I wish she were here to see you as well," said Miranda, "but she is off at the Magic Academy in Lunis training."
"I will have to stop and see her when I go visit my sister at the academy," said Carlaus.
With that they all sat down to a nice meal and talked for quite some time. They talked about the past. Carlanus talked about his future goals and ambitions and they all shared stories.
When they had finished eating, Carlanus helped them clean the table and dishes.
"Thank you so much for the room and bored," said Carlanus, but I really should get going. I have a long way to go."
"That's fine," said Garandar, "but won'y you accompany an old friend of your father's to his shop first?"
"I would be honored to, Garandar," answered Carlanus.
With that Garandar gathered his things and Carlanus grabbed his things. And they headed for the shop.
"Here, Carlanus," said Miranda, "some food for your trip, and would you give this to my daughter when you see her?" As she handed Carlanus a ring.
"Thank you," said Carlanus, "and yes I will give this to Sheila."
With that Carlanus and Garandar headed to the shop. As they approached, Carlanus saw sitting in front of the shop, a large covered wagon made of wood and steel, and two oxen connect to it.
"This, Carlanus," said Garandar gesturing towards the wagon, "is for you. It's complete with a small workspace, firepit, and anvil for your shaping needs, and of course a chimney. It also has a small workbench for you. The wagon is comletely solid and sealed to keep the weather out. There is also a sleeping area for you separated from the small shop. I stociked the wagon with as many raw materials, supplies, and equipment as I could spare, but I have to keep some for myself to stay in business. There is also plenty of storage under the wagon for rations and supplies for you and the oxen. There are also a couple secret compartments inside for more personal things, but I'll leave it to you to find them. Ha, ha. The oxen were chosen because they are better for long journeys than horses. But, they are some of the best oxen in the area, and very loyal to their owner. There is also plenty of space for you to modify the wagon if need be. Say for instance if you got really creative and wanted to build a steam engine for it. Ha, ha, ha. The doors have very good locks on them, and actually they are magically sealed to only open to the correct word or word phrase, that will be your choice. I have some friends in high places just so you know. When you are ready, just speak the word 'imprint' and then say your word or phrase to seal the doors. That should about cut it."
"Garandar, this is wonderful, how can I ever repay you?" asked Carlanus.
"Don't worry about it Carlanus, you showed me your fathers letter of credit. He is a good man and his son deserves as much," answered Garandar with a wink. "You better get going to continue your journey."
"I have to grab something I left in your shop," said Carlanus as he ran in and ran out with what looked like a metal bird and his sketchbook under his arm.
"What's that my boy?" asked Garandar.
"My first creation, Garandar," answered Carlanus, "a metal bird that I will animate to be my companion along the way."
"Whatever interests you, I guess," said Garandar with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
With that, Carlanus shook Garandar's hand got in the wagon and headed out of town. "Thanks for everything Garandar, I won't forget you," spoke Carlanus as he road away.
"Good journey to you Carlanus, and good luck," said Garandar as he waved goodbye to the boy.
With that, Carlanus headed out of town with his wagon home and shop and a lot on his mind.
------------------Nascha Khay'Lar
She watched him silently as he made his way out of the clearing, eyes on him until he all but dissapeared into the surrounding foliage. She let out a heavy sigh, he is not of your blood, not of your background... He's too different from you. It's all but forbidden to have feelings for someone not of Ferai. It is even frowned upon to feel this way about people of other other tribes... She told herself, as she sat down next to the fire, her mind racing. That was what she had been taught. She suddenly let out a bitter laugh, but none of my background should matter, erase that part of my life. I've been banished! No matter if I break tradition; I'm free... Sakim looked up at her from his place next the fire. It was strange how the animal could sense her mood. He got himself up and silently made his way over to her, placing himself down right next her, and looked as if he was prepared to listen. "Sakim, I'm as free as you!" she smiled, but deep down the pain was there, no family, no friends, nothing... Other than the wolf by her side. She gave him a heart felt hug; he was her companion, no matter who or what she was. "We will find him tomorrow Sakim, you and I. We will join him in his search, if he will allow it. We won't be alone any longer..." The night passed slowly, she saw most of it before retiring, the stars were a magnificent sight. Mysterious, beautiful, wondrous; they certainly were not alone. Though Sakim howled to the lonely moon. Maybe I should let him be free, find his pack or start his own... Those were her last thoughts as fatigue swallowed her.
OOC: sorry it's short, I've been busy! And if I miss posts or something, my computer is crazy!
CUE: Ezra, If you want to continue...
-----------------------------------------------------Salamander Armada
Salamander wanted to curse. He wanted to shake some sense into the guards. There were a lot of things Salamander wanted to do.
But he couldn't. The guards, and several soldiers were already dead.
He did bury his sword Sin Thesis into a tree, though. Such cowardice was displayed by the assassins. To strike in the night, like dogs. He pulled out his flute and blasted three notes, one low, then high, then middle. The elite guard congregated around him.
"I assume you are aware of the situation. We cannot afford to fight on two fronts. Find the ones who did this, and eliminate them. You have your orders." Salamander spoke through clenched teeth.
"Yes, sir." The elite guard returned to make preparations.
A few hours later, seven elite guards stood outside the enemy camp. None of them had moved for several minutes. One of the Nylians had spotted them and dashed back to the encampment. Any moment, they would emerge, ready for battle. The commander of the elite guard spoke to the others. "We know our enemies. Dancers. Fine. If they want a dance, they shall have it. After all, the ancient proverb says do not give a sword to a man who cannot dance."
Another of the elite spoke up. "Let's have a waltz. Endless dance of life, death, and battle. Three beats, an appropriate tempo for war, don't you think?"
"To attack in the night is dancing off beat. How uncharacteristic. I'll have to point that out to them, that by the very means of which they attack, they destroy a beautiful dance in progress."
"Any battle may be construed as an unwritten contract between two opposing forces. They both agree if necessary, to surrender their lives to the obligations of battle. It says in the wedding vows, 'till death do us part. I will leave this place victorious, or I won't leave at all, for I will be dead."
"That's enough. The time for waxing poetic is over. Look at battle from the outside and it's barren, pointless murder. Let's just do what we came here to do," the commander said.
"And that would be?" one of them asked, as the Nylians began to approach?
The commander of the elite guard smiled, with fire in his eyes. "We have been sent here to kill."
Cue: Thorgood Strutus, you are outnumbered, and outclassed. We have no intent to leave here while you live, we will become your dance partners until the music stops. But we have the magic on our side, the fourth beat to your three. Only good writing will save you now...
------------------
Thorgood Strutus
A wide-eyed Galius steps forth from his tent and stretches his tanned and seemingly weary arms. He looks out to the crest of the hill to see a commander and six "well-armed" Lunis soldiers. Galius squats and jumps up in a very over-the-top manner and pretends to be surprised and frightened all in one. He then makes his way back to his tent in a very loud and irritating manner.
The six Lunis soldiers and their commander stand mouths wide-open....
"Fools" The commander speaks.
The Lunis soldiers had never seen anything so stupid and unprepared in all of their lives....or was it so stupid?
Two more Nyliam assassins and Galius come out of the tent and Galius points again at the Lunis soldiers. They all, in some orchestrated song, begin to yell in a loud DISTRACTING fashion.
Then three hidden men, from the surrounding area, spring forth and all swing their swords to produce an awe-inspiring song right before it severs to head of the commander.
"HA HA! Lets dance!" Yells one of the Nyliam assassins.
OOC: Your boys are surprised and without a commander wield your magic wisely because you only have six of my men out and my general has yet to be produced....if he is even there. Be fair and I will do the same for you. Go!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Enfineous
As the day moves on, and night comes, the wooded home of the dusty man turns from a light brown to a deep umber. The shadow of the setting sun moved across the angular features of motionless man. Hours had passed since first the man began to meditate high in the trees. Many a thought had passed trough his mind.
What if the messenger never got to its location?
What if his plans would fall through?
What if he is were never reunited with the gem of trulean of which his ancestor created?
What if he were to die this very day?
Too many things were a whirl in his brain. It was too hard to think of his objective...this could mean disaster if he were to be found here. With that in mind, the brown cloaked man went to his lower quarters to place in his home that was so familiar to him. That place of unearthly warmth. ------------------
Salamander Armada
The captain took the point, the same man who waxed poetic before the battle. "Surrender your lives to battle, spare yourself."
"We will not sit this dance out!" One of them yelled.
"Fine, then. You cannot blame me for trying what is easiest first." He turned to the remaining five and smiled. Taking the fallen commander's sword, he raised it to the sky. "The commander was not one for poetry. Revenge from the outside is barren pointless murder, he said. But you should pay attention to the shadows from whence you came. Darker things lurk in shadows than you!" He strolled casually to the forefront. "What do you imagine in your dreams? Victory? Then stay asleep, because in the waking world, you have already lost!"
Five more elite guards emerged from the woods, all battle ready. One emerged too close for the comfort of one of the dancers. The surprised dancer swung carefully, attempting the same ill fated move that robbed the guard of their commander. The sword passed through the air where the guard stood, but no blood came forth. The dancer had no time to scream as a blade found a home in his stomach. Wrenching it free, the guard pushed the dead man to the ground with a boot to the face.
The captain spoke again. "The ability to teleport short distances without fail is invariably helpful. Especially when dealing with underhanded techniques like killing someone while they sleep. The Lunari have a reputation as noble soldiers." His eyes began to glow. "But dragons do not." With the last word spoken, a dragon appeared, slightly taller than the man who summoned it. "Fafnir, show these men what savage is." The dragon flew into their midst, knocking two to the ground, and piercing a third. And as if on cue, the battle erupted. Several of the guards from the forest engaged the dancers in a dizzying dance of blades. A song of steel erupted from the ground. The captain launched towards Galius, swinging the broadsword in a wide arc. It crashed into the ground. Galius held it there with his foot.
"Two conductors to a piece makes for a poorly played symphony," Galius said, grinning.
The captain grinned back. "Then you'll just have to die!" Pulling a short dagger from his thigh, he jammed it into Galius' side. He pulled his sword from the ground and jumped back, out of range. Galius winced, and pulled the dagger from its crimson sheath.
Another of the elite guard was standing over the commander's body. The captain turned over his shoulder. "No! I won't allow it! Don't, it's too risky!"
It was to no avail. "Commander, forgive my cowardice." Raising his blade to the sky, he summoned every ounce of magic he had within his heart. The corpse lifted into the air and righted itself. Engulfed in a veil of light, no one could see what happened next. The guard placed his hands on the fallen commander. His body began to lose color, and he fell limp. "For...ve.... ee..." It fell to the ground, and the Commander stood alone on the battlefield.
The elite guard had tried to ressurrect the commander. Such use of magic was almost discouraged, for the cost of success was one's own death. The commander, alive but weaponless, shook his head, and coughed up blood. "Am I more of a man than you? Your life was as valuable as mine. How will I deliver the news to your family that you died for me?"
He spun, his cape billowing out in the wind.
O fortuna...
He raised his hands to the sky. The dawn grew dark.
Velut luna...
Light flashed beyond the clouds. By now, only five 'dancers' and four guards remained, not including the Captain and himself. He looked at the faces of the remaining guards. Zares, a fellow windrider. Captain Loch, a summoner. Kered, a flamedancer. Duncan, another flamedancer. And finally, Reece, a waverunner. No! he thought, watching Reece go down, and seeing the dancer's blade move between the links of his mail.
Magic was the only hope. Two windriders, two flamedancers, and a summoner. How could they possibly use each other?
An idea sparked to mind in the commander's head. He picked up the closest weapon he could find. "Zares, the forest!" Leaping nimbly aside a dancer's blade, he called lightning from the sky. Seeking refuge from the onslaught, he gracefully darted from the lightning's path. It struck again, missing the dancer, but crashing into a tree, igniting it. "Duncan!" Duncan realized what was happening. Spreading his arms, the fire followed his command. Kered needed not be called. He crafted from the flames a torrent of flame, threatening to destroy the forest. But untended, a dancer ended his attempt, cutting him down. The flames raged out of control, and the Lunari were now outnumbered. Captain Loch continued to fight off the dancers, defending the mages, a snarling wolf by his side, no doubt the spirit Fenrir.
It was now Zares, Loch, Duncan, and the Commander. Duncan cultivated the flames, and cued the commander and Zares. "Fan the flames, Zares!" Zares, who took down the first dancer, began to call a strong wind. The commander did so as well, pushing to inferno towards the enemy encampment. Loch was aware of the sacrifice to be made. "If I die here, I'll give it everything I've got!" He began to call the most powerful creature he could, to no avail. Even with the adrenaline rush of death knocking at the door, it wasn't enough. The wall of flame engulfed him, and along with him, the remaining dancers.
Zares, Duncan, and Commander Keichi looked out over the destruction. Keichi turned to Duncan. "You know what this means, right?"
"No, commander, I'm afraid I don't."
"The General wasn't here. If he was, he escaped during the melee."
Zares turned his attention from his wounds. "Are all the bodies accounted for?"
After a few minutes of combing the bloodstained and burned field, Keichi returned. "All of the elite guard are dead except for us. I didn't count the dancers."
"We should report back to Salamander. He will be disappointed at the outcome. We should have won easily. We let ourselves underestimate the ene... The Nylians."
"Before we go, I think we should honor our fallen brothers. I think a poem would be appropriate."
Keichi hung his head. "I was never any good at that."
"It doesn't matter sir. Just put what's in your heart for your men into words."
He nodded.
Fallen on the battlefield,
you gave your lives for home and love.
Because of you, the battle's won,
Creator keep you well above.
"Let's go. There's nothing more here."
------------------Ezra Al'Teyr
Ezra made his way slowly back to the camp on the hill. The woman from the forest, Nascha, could not be put out of his mind. He emerged from the forest to see the sun begin to dawn in the east. He was able to make it into the camp un-noticed and was sitting near the bed of coals that was once a fire when the rest of the group awakened in the morning.
Cue: Whichever of the companions wants it.
------------------Enfineous
Awaking in what he knew was daylight up above, the man tingles with the magic that flows through this place. If anyone were to find it, the nyliam, or especially the lunis people.........Who would think that magic itself could be manifested into a raw form. This was his only true place to be. The vain of pure magic his ancestor found so long ago. I need to find that gem...it is the only way i will ever learn how to use this magical resource......and gain back her love..
------------------
Thorgood Strutus
A boot squashed onto the soft earth where the assassins had mad camp. The expected attack from the Lunis had come and gone and there lie General Strutus' famed assassins.
"Grrrrugh....."
Thorgood moved toward the noise. It was a Lunis soldier. He squated above the wounded soldier.
"What part did you play in this tragic ballet?" Thorgood questioned.
"I....don't...."
"Dance?.....That's too bad!" Thorgood shouted but inches from the soldier's ear.
He placed his hands on the soldiers chest, right above his lungs and called forth his magic.
"This should heal my armies wounds and this...."
His hands glow with a bright, glorious light.
"should heal yours."
The soldiers stomach was completely repaired.
"You obviously knew the steps this time, for your life has been spared. No go back to your camp and tell your precious General Armada that I am about to 'cut in' so to speak. NOW GO!"
With that the once fallen Lunis soldier moved quickly over the hill towards the encampment. A wheezing cry is heard near the tent that Galius once inhabited.
"Sir....I failed you." The bleeding Galius cried out.
"Not true, my boy. You obviously fought well and you knew the risks of our plan. How is the wound?" Thorgood asked
"Thank goodness they presumed me dead, but it is a horrible wound to my side, Sir."
Galius said
"Can you walk, Son?"
"With your help.....Sir."
Thorgood looked into the boys tear filled eyes and knew that it would be a long way back home. He would die halfway there, if that. General Strutus raised his sword, which had only ended the lives of the filthy Luni, and shoved it into the ground. He picked up Galius' blade. Galius closes his eyes, releasing even more painfilled tears, and swolled his final breath. Too full of pride to simply let it go. With that, Strutus drops the blade into his friend and fellow soldier's neck.
"There isn't enough time for a proper burial, but I will give my boys this."
Thorgood pulled the fallen Luni bodies together and dropped his Nyliam proper battle pantalones and began to releave himself upon them. Instead of truly enjoying this moment in time, he stops, pulls up his pants,and then screams to his stomach. No noise is uttered, no sound is heard. But Thorgood doubles over and vomits on his boots. He cleans the once tasty meat from his face and begins to make his way back to the capital city to direct the rest of his army. He had hit the Lunis army just as hard as he expected. He just didn't count on the loss of his loyal assassins, but then again, he had laid his baby inside the now infected soldier.
His boot again squishes upon the ground, but it was different this time. Changed. He knew that when this land was finally restored to the Nyliams, he would never look upon this once beautiful place with the same feeling.
[This message has been edited by Thorgood Strutus (edited December 04, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Thorgood Strutus (edited December 04, 2000).]
--------------------------------------------------Ezra Al'Teyr
Ezra waited paitently as his companions rose from their night of slumber. Kal was the first of tham all to awaken, and the chill flows of Body magic that flowed through his body as Kal grasped his head between his hands were refreshing, if not bone-chilling. Ezra actually wondered if he wasn't just the cold that made his body wake up, but he felt quite well, other than the picture of one native of this land that kept flowing through his mind.
Eventually, Gaxx and Thinious rose as well, and Kal distributed dry rations to each person for breakfast. After a meal, Kal cynically suggested entering the woods to look for the captor of his parents. Shortly thereafter, the four companions were quite deep in the forest, standing on the ground directly under the beacon of shadow magic that Ezra had set the previous night. In flight, Ezra had discussed many magical procedures with Thinious, and had met with a talented, if not overeager student.
As the four friends looked about through the thick foilage, they could see nothing about them. They continued to look around for some time, until Kal suddenly stopped them all and pointed a finger upwards. When they all looked up, they saw a wonderous construction of timber in the trees above them, forming a dwelling in the trees.
"Our nemisis likely lies above," Ezra wispered, "Let us go,"
Cue: Enfinious, or any of my companions
------------------Ezra Al'Teyr
Linerin Gheral stood outside his abode, a hill within the dark wood, with circular onyx windows, and a riveted iron door, sealed with his dark magics. He checked to see if his preperations were complete. His spear was safely attached to his back, and his clothes made him to look to be a nobleman. He made sure he could see the razor thin bands of barbed wire spinning about his body, as he walked into a shadowy cave just out of sight of his abode. As the light deminished around Linerin, his body became less and less in the cave and more and more.... Elsewhere...
Linerin stepped out from the dungeon. He had been imprisoned here years before, for "Crimes against the people of Asheri". The previous ruler of Nyliam was a fool, and stubborn at that, Linerin thought, as he passed through a corridor. Two guards of the dungeon simply stood at their posts as Linerin walked past, shielding himself from their sight by bending the light around himself. Sure, he couldn't see for as long as he did it, but nobody could see him either. It was a good tradeoff. As he walked into the courtyard of the Imperial Castle, he couldnt help but laugh.
"Fools! In mere years this will all be gone!" He cackled "I have begun the cycle, and this world will come to pay for what it has done..."
Linerin laughed aloud, the demented lauigh of a madman, as he proceeded toward the Nylian Imperial exhibition hall, for that was the resting place of what he had come to take, the Shadow stone.
------------------Nascha Khay'Lar
Morning was upon the clearing as Nascha arose; the small slumber was enough to refresh her for the day, for this day was going to be one of change. She packed up her camp; tried to make it so her presence was never felt there and found her companion in a nearby thicket.
"Sakim, today is going to be a new beginning for you and I!" She placed her hand under the wolf's muzzle, staring directly into its eyes. "We must search for him... and his companions. If you see any sign of human life Sakim, find me! Now go, please Sakim." She straightened herself and the wolf looked at her once as he trotted away. "I will search too my friend." And with that she began silenty trough the forest. The foliage was denser than she was used to, but her agility and speed were all she needed. She was soon used to movement through the dense forest and increased her speed. I must find him, I have to...
As she was searching from the shadows, a flash of movement caught her eye, she sunk back further into the surroungding foliage and waited silently, hopefully... Waiting to see if the movement amounted to anything. Minutes later she thought she saw something else out of the corner of her eye. This movement turned out to be a large shaggy wolf. "Sakim, you've found them?" He looked towards her, then started off thorugh the forest, following him she kept a wary eye. The animal suddenly stopped, keeping it's distance from a small, furry creature. She approached with caution, and her heart sank when she saw what had he had led her to. "Sakim, I said humans!" The small creature let out what resembled a howl. A wolf. "Just like you Sakim... Lonely and lost, just like you," she paused. "Just like me..." She let out a bitter laugh. Today was going to be an interesting day...
CUE: Me, someone else! We'll see what happens!
------------------------------------------------------
Carlisle
Marten opened his eyes and yawned and stretched. To his surprise, he found that his shoulder has been popped back into the socket while he was asleep. He found himself laying on the floor of a small hut. Little light spilled through the windows, but Marten new that didn't indicate the time of day in this forest. He looked about him and finally saw his captor.
The man was an imposing figure. He sat in a chair across the small room from Marten writing in a book. As Marten watched, the man's head came up as though sensing marten's gaze and swiveled around. It was the eyes that first struk Marten. Cold, lifeless white orbs sunken below the man's heavy brows. His face was stern and expressionless and Marten shivered at the blind gaze directed his way.
"So you are awake at last boy," said the man, "Good. Your abilites intrigue me most greatly, and I believe you may serve me some use as a scout sense I cannot leave the confines of this forest. But before I entrust you with such a task, I must give you a test. There is a man in the Dark Wood, a gypsy by the look of him, I want you to go and find out why he is here. Merely watch him until he leaves and then come back to me. Do you understand?"
Before He could think about a response, Marten found himself nodding as though some invisible force pressed him to agree.
"Wh-Who are y-y-you?" Marten asked hesitantly.
The Man smiled chillingly, "My name is Cadwallon the Grey, Marten of Daggerwood. That is all you need or wish to know."
Marten found himself nodding again in spite of himself.
The man pointed towards the door, "No go Marten and complete your test."
Marten got up without even thinking about moving and moved to the door. He left the hut and headed through the forest to find the gypsy Cadwallon had spoken of. Strangely enough, he felt a pushing in his muscles as though something were directing him where to go and looked back towards the hut in silent fear.
A few minutes later, Marten sat in the branches of a tree looking into the gypsy's camp. The man was sleeping by his campfire and so Marten knew he must settle down to wait. Without a sound, Marten placed his hand on the trunk and pushed gently. His hand sank into the wood followed by his arm. With a small shiver of elation at this communion with nature, Marten slid all the way into the trunk and turned to look with his mind's eye out into the gypsy's camp.
OOC: should I post a profile for Cadwallon in the npc list?
CUE: Keimal. Keep in mind that Marten is both physically and magically in his element and, thus, is about as undetectable as they come =) Plus, about the only way you would end up finding him is if you knew to search for him. If you can come up with a good reason to find him, and you WANT to find him then more power to you =)
-------------------------------------------------
Salamander Armada
OOC: You don't have to post a profile unless:
1) He has abilities which we avatars may find questionable
2) He will be very active in your part of the story
IC:
The soldier was dead when they left. Commander Keichi was sure of it. When Loch returned to the camp, alive, he had not believed it. General Armada did not know what to make of it.
For a few days, Salamander went about the business of preparing for the attack on the east. Then, on the third day, tragedy struck. The soldier who had returned, miraculously cured, died. His body was found decayed and sickly. That day, several fell. A plague. He had been dead, and was returned a trojan horse to the Lunari.
The plague swept throughout the camp, taking lives with wan abandon. Salamander quarantined himself to his tent, surrounded at all times by a full complement of body mages.
On the fourth day, Salamander began to display symptoms.
---------------------------------------------------------
Carlanus Silverfinger
As Carlanus left the hustle and bustle of the fair city of Rysend, he got himself and his new wagon on the road and headed south towrds the city of Pavarini. After he had gotten a few miles outside of town, he pulled the oxen to a hault and got off the wagon and went back to the doors of the wagon.
"Imprint" he spoke out loud as Garandar had instructed him to do. With the speaking of that word the door took on a bluish glow and Carlanus approached it closely and whispered a few choice words or a phrase, being very careful as to not let the winds or anyone else hear him, in case they would come back and betray him to an enemy,speak these secret words that would work as the opening mechanism.
He had no friends or enemies yet, and preferred to keep it that way, at least for the time being.
After he had spoken his own special words, the glow subsided and the door sealed itself.
After he had spoken those words, he went back to the front of the wagon, got, on, and urged the oxen onward.
He continued south a long the road for a few more hours, and then directed the oxen to take his wagon off the road a little ways so they could all take a break. When he had found a spot he like, he hulted the oxen and got off the wagon. He went to one of the compartments underneath of the wagon and got some food for the oxen. He then gathered up some pieces of wood and whatever he could find to build himself a small fire and cook himself a meal. After he had eaten, he climbed on top of the wagon to look for anything passing buy that he could sketch. he took the time to sketch the wagon and the oxen. As he sat waiting a large shadow passed over his head. As he looked up he saw a sight that he hadn't seen in a long while, and he stared at it in awe. It was as airship, he didn't know which one of the two current ones it was, but he was still amazed. He took the brief amount of time that he had before it was gone to get some pretty rough sketches of it. Then, the ship was gone.
"One day," he thought to himself, "I shall have one greater that either of the ones now to traverse this world and any others I can with."
The he looked back to the plains scattered before him. He caught a few animals on paper here and there before he saw no more or the same ones.
He also managed to sketch a grasshopper that had jumped and landed near him, as well as a butterfly.
After he had sketched these things, he checked the oxen and went into his new living quarters and started a fire in the pit and continued to finish up the project he had started working on at Garandar's shop.
After several hours had gone by, and the sun was beginning to set, Garandar had finished his project. It was a Metallic Falcon that he had created from his sketches. This falcon would soon become his travelling companion, but many preparations had to be taken before this could happen. Carlanus would have to use his powers and take a couple days for all the preparations. Maybe one day if he really worked at it.
However, for the time being Carlanus wanted to gain some more ground before the sun went down, and the next day he would start the process of automaton and mind share.
And with that in mind, he got back on the road, and contiued south.
------------------MightyMac
Trokkard had seen the world. Often, he felt as if he played tag with the Sun, sometimes
sailing east, trailing far behind Its golden rays, sometimes sailing west, hoping to catch It by suprise before It woke the world. He had iced his lungs breathing the cold air of the Northern Seas, he had choked on the sands of the Karakian, and he had savored the scents of the greatest cities of Asheri. Truly, he had not only seen the world, he had breathed it. He was thankful for these experiences.
Within a day, he and his fleet would reach the mouth of Niven, the river that, like a vein, flowed from the heart of the greatest of empires...Nyliam, Nyliam, ancient city and
ancestral home to the Royal Blood of the House of Stromgaurd.
He walked the deck, thinking of the trees that had to have been felled to provide the wood needed to make this massive ship; a small price to pay for such an awe inspiring vessel. Awe inspiring, that is what the Crimzadwire and its sister ships had once been. But, after the invention of the Steamship, and now, the Airship, his greatest designs, the Titan Vessels, were forgotten; fallen ships left to be commanded by a fallen admiral.
The sun was setting, and his men were readying themselves for the evening. After dark, he did not require that the deck be entirely manned. Of course, Timmerman would remain to pilot the ship, and Stankel would be there to navigate the stars, but the rest of the sailors were given free reign to do they pleased. Many captains wondered why
Bhulenpazzen allowed his men such freedom, especially at night. He had his reasons. He
knew. Mariners would not conspire when given the chance to drink throughout the night, and they would certainly never dare to speak of conspiracies in the light of day. Thus, Bhulenpazzen was indeed master of the Crimzadwire. He would sleep well tonight.
“Stankel, things square for the eve, yes?” spoke the Captain.
“Yea-Sir. Methinks we’ll have non-a-bit o’ trubble. Should be a fine night...fine night.”
“Ya know, me ol’ matey, I do regret doin’ away wit that boy last night, I do. Prububly
shoulda not doneit, ya thinks?”
“Cap’in, yer actions are not mine to judge, but a lil’ bit o‘giveness ne’er did a cap’in any harm.”
“Yea Stank, yer prububly right. But ‘twas a costly mistake he made. We coulda noosed
‘em at Dargent, you know that. We really coulda noosed ‘em. I was plannin’ on the
earnings we would have acquired...that cockelnanned Riley, ha. Oh well, right?”
“Of couse, Cap’in, oh well. Smooth sailin’ and a fine night for it.”
“Right now. Eve’n Stank. Next week, I won’t make ya do the midnight watch, how’s the sound o’dat?”
“No need t’ git al’ soft on ol’ Stank. I’ll be doin’ my duty. Bet’r I anyways. Don’t need no more Rileys now do we?”
“Right again, me boy,” and, that being said, the Captain turned and left.
Stankel had been entirely correct. Sometime during the night, the fleet had caught the
Southern Stream, and the warm winds had pushed the ships effortlessly toward the Niven. The Sun brought daylight, and daylight brought sight of the mouth of the Great River. Trokkard was up before dawn. He wished to survey the traffic as the Crimzadwire set sail toward the capitol.
He had made his way up the mighty Niven many times, and he never tired of the trip. He
had visited the great port cities of Callendar and Kenoblious, sailing alongside the lithe vessels of the Lunari, witnessing the magics of the Windriders. He had been to Pontifar and sailed with the Mondai, famed whale hunters of the Northern Seas. He had been to the wild, western Coasts of Farai. Still, nothing compared to sailing the Niven. Entering Nyliam upon a ship was unlike any other experience. He breathed the air and smiled.
Ahead, he saw ships sailing abreast, spanning the width of the Niven. It was the Nyliam fleet. Trokkard had not expected to meet the Imperial Navy.
------------------
Thorgood Strutus
Strutus found no relief in the land as he made his humbled journey back to Nyliam.Never before had this wall of a man felt so much remorse for his men after a battle. They knew the danger, and still Strutus couldn't let it die
Just then, the good general heard a loud racket and turned about to see where the noise had originated. He saw a fast-paced wagon advancing on him. Thinking that this would be yet another attack from the bloody Lunari, he ducked into the ditch. The wagon began to slow until it adopted a medium pace, as though it where surveying the area.
The wagon neared Strutus' position and then the beast took over. Stutus' face began to boil. All the men! All the tim to prepare! All the blood! Die, you Lunari scum, die! General Thorgood Strutus leapt from the ditch and landed atop the wagon. His sword raised high in the air and ready to end the life of the soldier. The word whistled for a moment and then stopped right before the neck of the driver. His common sense had kicked in. Dark skin. No uniform. No weapon. This man was Nyliam.
"Sweet Bessy and good dancing dwarves! Who the hell are you?" Asked the driver
"Grrrrruuuuugggghhhh!" Thorgood yelled
The beast still flowed thru his body. The old man seemed to give Strutus an inquisative look and then motioned for him to come down from the top of the wagon.
"Son, if you need a ride, all you need to do is ask?"
"Where......are.......go?" Thorgood belched out
"To Nyliam, my boy! The greatest capital in all Asheri! Quite the marketplace. Thats where my forute lies. Baha!" The man was obviously pleased witht he idea of getting rich from selling carpet and pomagranets, but Thorgood was in no shape to discuss.
"Go!" Thorgood yelped as he slumped down. The beast was beggining to wear of due to no immediate danger. He went inside of the cab of the wagon and fell asleep.
"Damn near lost my head on that last one! I need to stop pickin' up those damn hitchhikers!" The old wagon driver muttured to himself. He laughed a bit and then yelled to his horses.
"Get a move on! To Nyliam we will fly and in no time shall we arrive!" With that said, the wagon quickened it's pace to what it had previously been when the general had fist spotted it.
-----------------------------------------------------Thinious Delmond
OOC: Set during the time that Ezra and Thinious spoke of magic teachings
IC:
Thinious tried to hide his astonishment. Was there really that much more about magic that had been hidden from him, for so long? A world of knowledge was being poured into his melting pot of a mind and began to mix all of the essential ingredients for a well-taught mage. Ezra knew the amounts, knew the temperature, knew everyhting there was to know about creating this 'Mage Soup.' He stirred to the bubbling mixture over and over. The more Ezra added to the conversation, the hotter the pot boiled. Thinious' brain began to overflow into his neck and the to his arms and finally to his fingertips and without warning a batlike creature flew forth from his burning hands!
Thinious: "Ahhhhh! What have I done?"
Ezra: "You have summoned your first creature!"
Thinious' eyes grew wide. His first creature? How marvelous! A new experience. All the teachings in the world didn't mean a thing unless you had experiece and right now was one of those moments for the young mage.
Gaxx swatted about wildly tring to dispatch the unearthly demoned, but the bat was too quick for his attacks.
Ezra: "Call him back to your fingers before SOMEONE, who will remain nameless, crushes him" giving Gaxx a sligh glance of disapproval
Thinious: "To my hands, creature of....."
Ezra interrupted: "Not with your voice. With your mind and your fingers."
Thinious moved his fingers about creating sparkling paths of magic and in his mind called "To my hands, creature of my soul and lay there until summoned again." The bat soared straight into the boy's hands and vanished.
Without thought, Thinious dropped his hands and hugged Ezra.
Thinious: "Oh thank you so much! I can't explain how happy I am! Thank you!"
Ezra: "You are most welcome. Enough of this embrace, for look above. We have founda most peculiar place of residence." The travelers had indeed found a most interesting abode that lay aloft in the trees.
Gaxx: "Be ready! Only a beast of a man woul find a home in natures quarters. If there be a man in those trees, he will be wild and strong. I know because I used to live in the hands of nature up in my Crags!"
Ezra: "He speaks the truth. Be ready for anything!"
----------------------------------------------------
Ezra Al'Teyr
Linerin's eyes glittered as he proceeded across the exhibition hall. Blood was spattered across the chamber, staining the columns that ran the length of the chamber, the walls, the rugs, and everything else. Three men lie dead on the ground, but no one other than Linerin could have ever known that was their state before what he had done. He moved silently, as a viper, towards a glass case. Inside the case was a mithril necklace inset with a stone. The stone was black with dark purple veins running through it, as if it were an odd strain of marble. Linerin could feel the wardings on the case, and took careful time to unweave the fire magics that would have exploded if he were to have smashed the case as he had originally intended. Within moments, Linerin had unwoven the wardings, and raised his spear to smash the glass and take what was rightfully his.
"Halt! By Imperial order, I command you to desist and surrender!" A young guard, wearing chainmail armor, with spear in hand stood at the end of the room Linerin had entered from.
Linerin moved like a cat, smashing the case with his spear, and reaching through the glittering spray of glass to grasp the stone in his hand. As he grasped the stone, shards of glass tore into his hand, for he clasped it as tightly as he physically could. It felt as a wave of sheer shadow energy was attempting to wash him away. Linerin had to momentairly struggle to contain and control the energy, to prevent himself from being destroyed by the sheer Shadow. He quickly composed himself, and faced the charging young guard.
"Die", Linerin commanded as he raised his free hand at the boy.
An arm thick beam of blackness projected from Linerin's open palm, moving with his hand like a flashlight beam. He pivoted his body to strike the boy with the beam, and then released the immense flow of Shadow. As it struck the guard, he burst into raging black flames, and was incenerated by the black magics. Linerin looked around to hs surprise. He had never been able to use the Shadow's Embrace, as it was called, as easily or as powerfully as that before. Before all he could manage was a laser thin beam, and that was not useful at all, except for torture. The beams of Shadow's Embrace erased whatever they touched from existance. He could see slots through the columns that ran the length of the room, and even in the walls of the chamber, cut by the Embrace. Linerin could feel the blood running off of his hand. Linerin could feel the Shadow coursing through him. He began to laugh.
He slowly unclasped his hand, and hung bloody chain about his neck. As he began his walk back to the dungeon, he pulled the shards of glass from his hand. He killed the two guards on duty in the dungeon, and laughed in manner only befitting insanity, as he began to release all of the prisoners. And then he was gone.
------------------nemesis
Pharys awoke to a deep mist. In the mountains around Hillslay, a mist often came in at night from the sea. He thought again of the proximity of his group’s camp to the town and shuddered. It almost felt too crowded, but at the same time, where there are people, there is money, and having his camp in the mountains had protected his group from the imperial army of Nyliam so far. The army wasn’t outright aggressive to the Free Knights, but they weren’t all that friendly either, and tended to harass them with various official inspections, with no basis of course. The Free Knights had tried camping near the Dark Wood a few months before, which Pharys did not mind at all. There were never patrols anywhere near it. His men, however, obviously did not enjoy it. When the first dozen had died of apparent fright, he decided to move camp. Can’t have a mercenary group without mercenaries he thought to himself.
Pharys walked out into the mist, seemingly becoming one with it. His men thought him a ghost at times. He ruled over them by fear, not love, not loyalty, not even respect. How could they respect him, he thought to himself. He used them like they were nothing. They were nothing to him, and he didn’t want their respect. He wanted them to obey. And they did, most driven by the booty they aspired they could receive. Men that survived their service with the Free Knights left very wealthy. It was the surviving part that was tricky.
Yes, the empire here in Nyliam was not his style at all. He could march away. He could turn tail and leave, go towards Dargent, set up his own city if he wanted to. He could leave Nyliam. Or he could go straight into it’s heart. He could march to the capitol, Nyliam, one of the greatest cities on Aheri. The possibilities for profit there are endless. Nyliam is where the excitement is, and that is where he would march.
Pharys watched his men rise. A guard just getting off midnight watch came to report in.
“Not a peep durin the night sir, not a blomin peep. It was too quite sir, or it could just be me nerves”
-------------------------------------------------------
Enfineous
Time moved on, as did Enfinious' will to be still. He stood up and walk the thin corridor of this thick vein of absolute magic. This was such a wonderous place. He would have never guessed it were here if he had not built his home on this very spot. Of course he had intended upon building his home over the cavern witch he has found, but were it not for a strange feeling in the back of his mind, he would have never stumbled upon this place. The nein itself seemed to never want to be found for it guarded itself from the wandering minds of mages. It was due to a false step and loss of balance that Enfinious even found it. Perhaps that is the way his ancestor wanted it. If anything this was done by fate itself and for that, he was thankful. The distant halls of this magic crop go on for miles, Enfinious never got the gumption to find out where the end was. If this were found by anyone, it would mean sweet rewards. But for now, it will stay his own personal secret. If anyone was looking for him, all they would find at most is an empty home in the trees, and if they delved further, and passed the magical portal, they would simply find a massive cave whitch would take days to search if anyone even tried. Finally his last stand of defense was this hidden place where not even the most trained magician could find him. At first thought, Enfinious was unsure about the power of this place and wether or not it could hide him if need be....but the fact that it itself, pulsing with raw magical energy was not found due to its own protective auras was enough to quell his fears. For now, he must mediatate and attempt to contact his ancestor as he had done so many times before. "Damnit I know this won't work, I'm a danmed body mage, but I HAVE to try."
------------------
Gaxx of the Crags
Gaxx was the first of the three to enter the strange tree house. The first thing he noticed was the musty smell that only occurs in the wild. The smell was very familiar to Gaxx, but he was still a bit unnerved. He took a couple of steps into the house to let Ezra and Thinious in behind him.
"Ah waht is that horrid smell?" asked Thinious.
"So the young one has not smelled the wild must, as I like to call it," Gaxx said.
"Yes Thinious, there is a certain musty smell that only occurs in the wild," added Ezra.
"So where is the person who lives here?" Thinious asked.
"I don't know," Ezra said.
"Ah, no person lives here," Gaxx said. "No person would be able to survive with this smell for long. Believe me I know. Me cave had this smell when I took it fer me home, but I cleaned the thing out to make the smell go away. Not to mention my love helped a bit too." As he finished a slight breeze wafted in through the open door. Gaxx cocked his head and said, "Why your weolcome my dearest."
Ezra looked at Gaxx like a man would look at a talking horse. "Well we should look around for any clues of who lives here."
They all began to scour the tree house for any sings of who might live there. They searched for a couple of hours, but found nothing of interest.
"Well I can find nothing that would lead us anywhere," Gaxx said. "I'm going back outside to be with my love. The air in here is not right."
"Perhaps Gaxx is right," Thinious said.
"Yes well for now we will go outside for a break for lunch." With that they followed Gaxx out into the open air. They had a lunch of the same pack rations that they had had for breakfast, and for the time being enjoyed the sun's rays.
"I must be with my love for a bit. I will be back shortly"
"Do not go to far Gaxx," said Ezra.
But gaxx was off into the air before Ezra even finished.
"He sure is a strange man," Thinious stated.
"Yes. Yes he is Thinious. Strnage indeed."
Cue: Ezra or Thinious
------------------
Ezra Al'Teyr
Ezra and Kal looked around the rotten smelling home.
"Thinious, can you sense the presence of any magic?" Ezra motioned about the dwelling. Kal seemed to be scanning the room while harnessing some sort of magic.
"Yes... Body magic... faintly... it goes into the floor though..." The apprentice trailed off..
"Exactly," the elder mage decared, focusing a stream of heated air with his fire magic, he cut a hole into the floor of the dwelling, where the traces of magic dissaperaed into. The floor fell away, revelaing a ladder leading down into the darkness.
"I can feel them, Kal" Ezra spoke, "They have a spirit imprint similar to your own, Can you feel it Thinious?"
"Ye.. Yes... No..." He stammered. "Faintly,"
"It is alright, it took me some tiome to even recognize that everyone has a spiritual imprint that follows them through the fabric of reality, it will take oyu some time to learn to sense and follow it,"
"Shall we go" Spoke Kal impatiently.
"What about Gaxx?" Spoke Thinious and Ezra in almost unison. Kal seemed to growl, he was getting frustrated, Ezra knew, and he wanted to get his parents back as soon as possible.
Cue: Any of the companions
------------------
Gaxx of the Crags
Gaxx returned to find that his companians were back inside the house again.
"Yes Love I don't like it in there either. You know how much I hate to be seperated from you." Gaxx sat and listened to the wind for a few more minutes and then said, "Well do you want me to stay out here with you or go back and help those nice men?"
Again Gaxx listened to the wind. "Well Thank you dear. You know I shall think of you all the time whilst I'm inside. I love you."
With Gaxx entered the house to find the three others standing around a hole in the floor. "How in the hells did we miss that!?!"
"We didn't miss it," Ezra replied. "I made it. We senced some traces of body magic and we are going to investigate. Are you going to join us."
Gaxx hesitated. Then he replied, "Yes I do believe I will." But as he said this he looked longingly out the door to the open air.
He turned suddenly and said, "Well Lets get going. We hate good byes."
CUE: Ezra, Thinious
------------------Keimal Detryex
Though the sleep had seemingly crept over him slowly, it certainly had a dominant duration. Keimal squirmed about the ground as his mind lay in a plain between dreaming and conciousness. He could distinctly see his vision. He was at home in the Soulwood Forest, lost in a conversation without words with his tribal elders of the Milios. Though he heard no audible responses to his thoughts, he concluded that the elders had demanded his obedience. The dream continued to speak without actual words...
"Keimal, you are one among us and we are one amidst you. Our bond stays strong in the face of oppression as it has for generations. However, this bond can last only so long. It is your duty as a Milios Gypsy, traveler of the Creator's Land Asheri, that you defend this bond at all costs. You must venture deep into the infadels lands and strike at its very heart. Such is the will of your tribe and soforth is your mission entrusted with the faith of your woodland brethren of Farai."
With such a scene enacted, Keimal awoke.
Sweat had formed a seeming ecosystem on Keimal's brow. How long had he been sleeping? The day was now at full crest with the suns rays shining down on him offering the ground no shadow.
"Noon, what the... how did I?... what am I supposed?..."
His now well rested horse reared up and whinied in confusion. "I see boy, your as boggled as I. Fear not old friend, the answers shall make themselves clear as we make our journey."
After some maintance of his gear and the packing of his small mobile camp, Keimal mounted his horse and thrust his heels into its side. The gypsy horse responded with no time lapsed. The duo sped through the foliage. Hours passed as the two wanderers jumped, swerved, and dove through the thick brush of Dark Wood forest. Eventually they tired and stopped for a short rest. The pair had come quite a way. Only a mile more and they would be clear of the western front of Dark Wood.
As his mount grazed and calmed itself, Keimal wandered into a small grassy clearing. The patch was not all too large but easily noticed. Among the tall prairy grass which grew all around the clearings territory, there stood a tall and lone Oak tree. The tree had a proud aura to it. It had survived centuries of weather and had bore witness to the rise and fall of countless governments. As Keimal drew closer to the tree, he noticed a faint depression in the massive hulks bark. On finer inspection, he noticed several more. The carvings were intricate and entirely recognized. The runes on the great oak tree were in the written language of the ancient Milios. The marks described the first great migration. When Nyliam first oppressed the gypsy's, the Milios tribe made a pilgrimage through Balanum and then poured into the free lands of Farai where they roam to this day. Also on the tree was a map of ancient Nyliam.
"So, the capital was there. I'd be willing to bet that it still resides right here," Keimal mused as he fingered the treebound map. "What do you think friend?"
The horse trotted towards the tall nomad and reared its head beckoning its rider to mount.
"Sounds right to me!"
The gypsy again mounted his horse and darted out of the clearing, through the woods and across the plains of Nyliam towards the capital. His journey, however, had taken the duration of the days light as the sun had begun its nightly slumber beneath the horizon. With the final fleeting hours of the day, Keimal sprinted Northward in search of a place to remain unknown in enemy lands. He careened towards where he had hoped to find the Taren Woods as he had seen on the map. With the luck of the Creator and the will of the Milios, Keimal found his way within the sanctety of the forest.
With the night upon him again and once more resting in the woods, Keimal drifted to slumber, comfortably sprawled on his bedroll. Tomorrow he would make his break for the capital.
"By the trust of the Milios, I will learn of my missions objectives and see them fulfilled." With that very thought, Keimal was asleep.
------------------Carlanus Silverfinger
When Carlanus awoke, he dressed himself and went outside his wagon to check on the oxen. They had just begin to stir as he exited the wagon. "Well my friends, it seems that you were as tired as I. I guess we did cover quite a bit of distance yesterday. I'll have to lighten up and not press you as hard," Carlanus spoke to the oxen with a chuckle.
"Well," said Carlanus, "how 'bout some breakfast for all of us."
As if the creatures understood him, their ears raised up and they approached Carlanus.
(At night, the wagon could be locked down so it is very reluctant to move, and the animals are given a little bit of freedom to roam in the area right around the wagon so they don't leave)
Carlanus went around to the side of the wagon and took some rations and water for the animals out. As he walked towards them, they nudged at him and his hands, as if they new what was coming.
"Just a minute you two, I'll have it down for you in a minute," said Carlanus.
With that he put the food and water out for the animals and they began to eat.
After the oxen were taken care of, rather than start a fire to cook some food, Carlanus took some dry rations out for himself and drank from his canteen.
After he had finished he went up to the animals and said, "You two can take it easy for awhile, I have some things I need to work on before we get back on the road."
As if they understood him, they both layed back down and relaxed.
Carlanus went back into his "mobile workshop" and looked at the metal falcon that sat on his bench, "Well my friend," he said, "it looks like it's about time to give you a bit of life and the ability to think and act like myself so that we can become friends."
Carlanus made a couple final adjustments to the body or "shell" as well as some of the inner working mechanisms. Then, he closed up the bird and began the incantations spells that would take him a couple of days to complete.
"For today," he thought, "why don't we just work on the minor magic of automaton, so you can at least move and follow simple instructions. After that, we can start on the mind sharing from me to you, to allow you to think and act on your own, as well as mentally talk with me."
With that, Carlanus donned his Mechanus Robes and began the incantations.
"As life comes for a time and is taken away,
The machine's will goes on forever and a day,
As I infuse you with the will to live on
A shell you are now, but soon will you don,
A power unknown buy none but these eyes,
You can and you will take heed and arise..."
Carlanus continued these incantations on into the day before he grew weary and decided to travel some more distance before the night came creeping. Just as he went to begin the journey again, there was a slight movement in the shell of the Falcon, it was then that Carlanus knew that his power was working.
------------------
Carlisle
Marten waited patiently in his hiding place for hours on end. As he watched, the gypsy's sleep grew agitated and he tossed and turned in some distress. He cried out inchorently on several occassions and perspired so heavily that Marten began to worry for this man's health. Marten watched the gypsy sleep through the night and on into the day until the man finally awoke around noon.
He sat bolt upright shouting, "Noon, what the... how did I?... what am I supposed?..."
Taking stock of his situation, the man arose and prepared to leave. Finally, he climbed on his horse and sped off into the woods. Marten leapt out of the tree so quickly that there was seemingly no transition between wood and flesh. Summoning the essences of Air and Earth, Marten sped off after the horse, keeping pace easily though at a respectable distance.
On and on ran horse and rider with their shadow right behind until they came near the forest's edge. Marten stopped and frantically looked about himself for a suitable tree. In a clearing to his left, there stood a gigantic oak tree which would do nicely. On silent feet, Martin ran to the tree and slid into its trunk just as he had done with the tree at the gypsy's camp.
As Marten watched, the gypsy dismounted and let his horse graze while he walked into the clearing in which stood Marten's tree. The man strode up to the tree and brushed his hands against the truck muttering to himself in some tongue that Marten did not recognize. Marten could feel everything that the tree felt however and he knew that the gypsy's hand had brushed a cluster of peculiar scratches on the trunk's surface.
Marten was beginning to think the man would leave the wood without providing him with any information to take back to Cadwallon when the man said something that piqued his interest. "So the capitol was there. I'd be willing to bet that it still resides there."
The man then turned from the tree and went back to the horse which came trotting to meet him. Saying something to it before mounting, the man rode to the treeline and headed west.
Immediately, Marten slid halfway out of the trunk and turned to look at what the man had been studying. It seemed to be writing and a map of some sorts. Delaying no longer, Marten slid all the way out of the tree trunk and sped off towards Cadwallon's hut dreading the coming meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------Gaxx of the Crags
*Gaxx's "dream" sequence*
Standing next to his master, The Hermit, Gaxx looked upon the sky in a whole new light. His master had shown him how to bend and shape the air and most importantly he showed Gaxx how to love the air. Except Gaxx's love for the air went beyond the normal idea of love. Gaxx was truely in love with the sky and the air itself. For some reason his master resented him for that love because he too wished to be that close to the air.
His master turned to him and said, "Come with me my student. I have something to give to you." He motioned with his staff, Tempest, to the cave where he made his home.
"What is it master?"
You will see."
He led Gaxx into the cave and to the back wall. He pressed his hands against the wall and produced a small shock. A secret door slid open. Gaxx stared in amazement. With out a word Gaxx followed his master into the corridor that lay behind the door. Gaxx was only able to follow The Hermit by looking at the shifting sky that ws his cloak. The walked for many minutes and finally came to a small alcove with no other exits. Inside the alcove stood a man who wore brown clothing and looked as if he was of the earth itself.
"This my dear Gaxx is my friend." He pointed at the man as he said this. "He is the master of the earth as I am the master of the air."
"As I am also a master of the air."
"Yes Gaxx," with a bit of sarcasm that Gaxx did not pick up. "He has come to help me give you your a gift. A gift that I have given to all my students. Now you must face the back wall and when I tell you turn around."
"Yes master," Gaxx said as he turned to the far wall. Gaxx heard and felt what sounded like rockslide down the crags, but still stared at thefar wall.
"Turn around student." The Hermit emphisized student and he also sounded very muffled.
Gaxx turned around and say that the only exit of the alcove had been sealed completely with stone.
"Do you like your gift?" The Hermit asked with heavy enough sarcasm for Gaxx to pick up through the thick rock.
"What have you doon to me!?! Let me out of here!"
All Gaxx heard was laughter. "Fool boy. You must be INSANE if you think I am going to let you out of there and steal my love from me. Yes, you must be truely...INSANE!"
Something in Gaxx clicked at hearing his long time master call him insane. He did not know what it was, but it was there and fueled by the fires of anger. Gaxx tried to restrain himself, but the storm inside him would not surrender, so Gaxx Gave into that storm. He brought it into him fully and then released it.
Outside the alcove the two mages stopped laughing. They heard an unearthly howl eminate from behind the newly erected stone wall. To The Hermit it sounded like the wind of some great storm. Then they heard a great booming sound much like lightning. It shook the whole mountain. They backed up a step and then noticed something that should not have been there. A small crack had formed in the middle of the wall.
"What is that crack doing there?" The Hermit yelled. "I thought the walls you made were unblemished."
"They are!" the earth mage screamed back. They both just stared at the wall. Another boom shook the stone. The crack began to widen and other cracks had formed. The two mages looked at each other and then turned and fled in all hast.
Inside the alcove there was indeed a storm of the blackest cloudes and standing at the center of it was Gaxx. He was one with the storm. With but a thought he let loose a a blast a searing lightning. It slamed ino the wall and resonded all around him. The sound made Gaxx stronger. He threw another blast of lightning at the wall and another and another until the wall nothing more the dust that was blown away by the winds of the storm.
The living storm that was Gaxx sped through the corridor and didn't even stop when he saw that the secret door ahead was closed. He launched a great bolt of lighting and the door shattered as he flew out. Whe Gaxx exited the cave his master, The Hermit, and the earth mage were waiting for him. All was still for just a moment as Gaxx looked upon his master.
"Now," shouted The Hermit as he let loose his own lightning and the earth mage called down a shower of meteors form the sky.
As if in slow motion the lighting flew towrds gaxx and huge meteors fell from the sky. Gaxx seemed to absorb the lighting and the meteors were tossed aside by the winds of the storm. Bith mages looked on in sheer terror. Now it was gaxx's turn.
Gaxx, while floating amidts the storm, raised his hand to the sky and called forth a tempest of such strength that a storm of this magnitude has never been seen on Asheri. The great swirling winds of the tempest caught hold the earth mage and almost instantly shifted to pull at him in different directions like that of the rack. The earth mage could do nothing but scream as the winds pulled him apart at the seams. He seemed to explode in a flury of blood and gore as his arms and legs and head were all carried by the wind in different directions.
As gaxx turned to meet his master, The Hermit called out to save his own life, "You h-have p-p-passed my test. Y-you are now a master of air!"
Gaxx just stared hard at his once loved master. The Hermit noticed that Gaxx's eyes were now like miniature storms that raged in his eye sockets. Then Gaxx quietly said, "No one calls me insane."
The winds of the storm ripped The Hermits staff and cloak away from his body and brought them to Gaxx the cloak seemed to drape itself over his shoulders and the staff seemed to give itself to his hand. Before The Hermit could utter a reply a thunderous bolt of lightning sturck stright down through his head. The Hermit was instantly vaporised.
The storm within Gaxx fianlly had run its course. As the last winds died away Gaxx fell to the ground exhausted. just before he fell into unconciouseness a small breeze wafted over Gaxx and he heard, "It had to be done my love. He did not love me, he loved my power. You are my one true love as I am yours. Sleep well my dearest. You are not alone."
___________________________________________________
"Well Gaxx are you coming into the hole with us?" Ezra asked annoyed.
"Uh, mm, oh I'm sorry I was daydreaming. Ah yes I will accompany you in this hole for no hole can hold me...Gaxx. Bringer of storms and caller of winds!"
"And you make a cook a good mutten?" Thinious finished for him.
"Why yes. Yes I do."
------------------
Thorgood Strutus
Bump, splash, crash! A vase from the fallen city of Dargent had smashed upon Strutus' weary head and beckoned him from slumber.
"What on the Creator's good land is going on? Where am I?" Thorgood grumbled.
He stood up and opened the door of the wagon's cab and sat next to the driver.
"Baha! I see you only broke one thing before waking up! Good job!" the old man chuckeled
"I believe it was your chaotic driving that brought that pot upon my head!"
"You wouldn't be entering Nyliam's city limits without my 'chaotic driving' as you put it!"
The exchange looks and finally Thorgood gives in.
"Thank you for taking me home. I am sorry about the way we met. I have been under great stress with this war in effect."
The wagon slowed to the gates and Thorgood jumped off and thanked the driver with a nod.
"Your are most welcome General Thorgood Strutus! Baha!" The old man chuckeled
After identifing himself to the guards posted at the gate, Thorgood made his way to Emperor Stromguard's Castle.
------------------------------------------------------------God VT
OOC: Guys, don't you think we should make a limit of posts per day, something like 1 or 2??Cuz I'm COMPLETELY unable to follow you guys' rythm....really unable!
------------------
MightyMac
OOC: God VT, if you take a look, most individuals don't usually post more than twice a day. There are exceptions. Every once in a while, you'll find Ezra, Thorgood, and Gaxx posting more than twice, but it doesn't happen too often. I'm sure that we won't place posting limits, but we might be able to write a weekly summary of the major events that have transpired. That would help keep everyone on track. We'll see what happens...
------------------
Exar Kun
It was hot in Nyliam, Vodo was sure about it. The truth of it was, Vodo didn’t seem to care nor did he mind that he was in this group of vandals, believers, scoundrels, and common folks. In a word: followers. Of her, Selenia, she barely spoke, and usually when she did her lip quivers and Kun always took over for her. Saturninus always in the tent meditating. The three of them smiled, Selenia commanded the most respect Vodo was sure of it. The fact was, something was special about Selenia, she captivated the farmers, and shopkeepers simply by a gaze. That was the most interesting thing, her language was different, she seemed like she cared. But it didn’t matter to Vodo, not like the other fools. Selenia this and Selenia that.
“Did you know that she can raise the ?” says an idiot.
“I heard she never sleeps, only for two minutes, that Saturninus and Kun are her angel guardians!” The people were fanatics.
Vodo: “Sure, sure and Lunis is falling into the sea. I’ve heard it all before, pirates are coming, the sword shall be removed. The return of Archangels.” Vodo chewed slowly on his horse stew, why were they forced to eat this ? Vodo wasn’t sure. But he swallowed anyway, along with the watered down ale. Soldiers rations. Only they weren’t soldiers. Sure Kun had been training a few, but he never mentioned battle. Saturninus sure as hell didn’t either, he just nodded his head smiled among the people and assured them that everything was all right. Off to meditation he’d go. A flurry of enlightenment. Kun would show off his swordsman skills and train the people who were willing to learn from him, which day by day, seemed to Vodo to be more and more people. Vodo should leave, go to an inn and eat some real honest food. But this group seemed important, Vodo knew that in the end he would get what was coming to him. Riches. But they didn’t see it his way.
“The upheaval of corruption!”
“ Equality,!”
“Class system destroyed!” The cheers never ended. Silence always in her presence. Kun, with his long black hair in a pony tail stood close to her as she spoke, head bent towards the ground arms folded. Contemplative. His qualities were almost feminine, but his language was as coarse around the men as any other villain Vodo had met. She never ate with them, Kun or Saturninus would eat with the men every night. Usually rotating, one of them always with her. The Dark Wood, was only 10 miles away. No one was fearful. Camp was a bustling place, traders would show up almost nightly. Farmers would walk miles to give them food and assorted things. This band was shaping up to be an army Vodo thought, but where exactly would they march. And why were they marching. Didn’t seem to matter to them as long as they were with Selenia. He remembered her speech it was only hours ago, yet it seemed like a dream.
“SELENIA! SELENIA! SELENIA!” they shouted. She rose to a table, looked up. It was at this time that Vodo noticed something, her eyes. She didn’t have pupils, but they were white surrounded by green. Almost looked like a planet. This was freakish to be sure, but the men seemed captivated. But not only men, women were joining, and more women were training as guards and soldiers. Some were even creating cavalry with the help of Exar. The Hazeriders…whatever that meant. Her lips parted they silenced without a word or hushing from the crowd. As if her presence demanded an unknown collective of consciousness about them. At that instant even Vodo knew that they were one. She almost whispered it seemed as if it was only for him. .
“I understand that you are all unsure of why you are here. It is also that you have been told what is truth for you by people above. This creator, Archangels, are sent upon the land to further the goal of those who control Nyliam. They do not understand what it is to live among you, live in truth. They have created, have been created by a force beyond their own. The prophecies, spoken as truth by some of the most powerful of men, mages even. All false. Their God is a weapon of , a weapon of destruction. Because they did not understand what is before them, the destiny that awaits them as well as you. In a sense you have been misled by them, however your soul is , and you know deep in the very essence of your being that those who control Nyliam, who control….who control…YOU, are guilty of their own ignorance. They are misdirecting truth for their own will, by bloodshed. Greed, all you simply want to sit with them in an inn and call them your equals. They simply want to use your blood to be Gods themselves. I don’t want to lead you, but you let me. Some of you work the land, you love your families, others are warriors by trade. But inside you for years you have wondered what is your destiny? You will learn. You believe fables of things that never exist. All I want is to show you truth.. Those who are not willing to follow truth to remove what has been a shackle upon the people. Power in the creator is no more, the magic will leave the magic users. For they are absent of what is before them. Tyranny will end, it must end. This isn’t religion, it is truth. It is who we are. There is no fear, no , nothing that the false creator has put into place is true. Soon there will be justice, in a word. Perfection. All I can do is show you, all I am capable of is truth. That’s all I have, the rest is up to you.”
No one said a word. A young boy not nearly fifteen began crying, in sobs. Sad desperate sobs, his father yelled at him. As he was to strike the boy Kun shouted:
“Stop!” Saturninus mouthed the words as Kun screamed and jumped on the father’s arm. Selenia moved towards the boy. Looked him in the eyes, stared deep for a second.
“Only truth will bring you to your destiny, you will learn..” Whispering but Vodo heard, they all did. Vodo looked Kun in the face, wondering?
Vodo: “What next”
Kun “Tomorrow, we march” What have we done?
------------------------------------------------------
Ezra Al'Teyr
Kal was the first down the ladder, Followed by Ezra and Thinious closely, and Gaxx finally. The tree's hollow interior opened into a massive structure. Complex caves and tunnels seemed to eminate in several directions from the central chamber. Ezra could still follow the spiritual imprint, but it seemed as if there was almost an excess of magical energy in this area. How odd, Ezra thought. He led the companions for some time, in the direction of the spiritual imprints, until they came upon a magic barrier of some sort. It seemed as if they had been imped by their persuer once again.
Cue: Gaxx or Thinious, if Thinious is still around?
------------------Gaxx of the Crags
The companions stood around the magical barrier for a couple of moments contemplating their next move.
"Well I have no clue of how to get through this barrier," Gaxx said "Perhasps I could blast it apart."
"Lets not try anything brash Gaxx," replied Ezra.
"Well if you want me to blast the damned thing then just say the word."
So Ezra, Thinious, and Kall went about searching for someway to open the barrier without having to blast it.
CUE: Ezra or Thinious...OOC: I really have no clue other than blow it up.
------------------Carlisle
Marten was not able to reach Cadwallon's house before nightfall so he found a place to sleep on the forest floor. Morning came and Marten pressed on, reaching the hut quickly. He raised his hand to knock on the door timidly and flinched as the man within spoke, "Come in Marten."
The frightened boy opened the door and crept inside keeping his eyes fixated on the man sitting in the shadows at the far wall.
"Well? What did you discover?"
Marten licked his lips nervously and opened his to speak, "H-h-he read a tree and l-left."
"He read a tree?" The man sounded slightly amused, "Come here Marten."
Marten started to back away slowly only to find that Cadwallon's words came back to him echoing and reechoing in his ears so loudly that the boy could do nothing but obey. As Marten approached, the old man raised his hand and placed it on Marten's head. Marten felt that sense of intrusion into his thoughts that he had felt when Cadwallon first captured him and shuddered uncontrollably.
Finally, Cadwallon took his hand away and nodded, "You did well boy. I believe you will indeed proove useful to me. Everything that goes on in this forest is known to me, but I know nothing of the outside world. I want you to be my liason. You will go where I tell you to go and find out what I tell you to find out. Do you understand, Marten?"
The boy nodded dumbly and the man reached into his robe and took out a small tourqoise pendant. "Marten," he said, "Whenever you have accomplished a specific task that I have set you I want you to grasp this pendant tightly in your hand. As you hold it, focus your mind on the magic within it. That magic is an echo of your own though it is quite different. In doing this, you will signal me and I will come into your mind as I have done here to learn what you have discovered. Remember, do not use this pendant's magic until you have accomplished a task I have set you or if you are in dire need. Do you understand?"
Again Marten nodded.
"Good," Cadwallon hung the pendant around Marten's neck and sat back in his chair, "Now. I already have your first.....assingment. There is a man in the Dark Wood. I do not know his name or why he is here. This bothers me for he is the only thing that remains unkown to me within the borders of this forest. Yesterday, this man traveled to the city of Nyliam through the use of shadow magicks. I know not why he went or what he brought back, and I want you to go to the captial and find out for me. Do you know how to ride Marten?"
The boy nodded and the man smiled, "Excellent. You will go to Miltus in the same way that you came to this wood. In Miltus, buy a horse and ride on to Nyliam. Once you are there you will sneak into the royal palace and discover why this man I have told you of traveled to the capital."
The man took a small pouch and a belt from the floor next to his chair and handed them to Marten, "The pouch contains all the money you will need to purchase a steed. Godspeed boy."
Barely taking time to consider what he was doing, Marten walked from the hut, fastened the belt and pouch around his waste, took a deep breath and began to run. The magic within him began to hum as Marten gained speed, driving him faster and faster towards the edge of the trees.
As Marten reached the treeline, he looked out across the plains. Clouds were beginning to gather in the skys and distant rumblings of thunder could be heard a long way off. A storm was coming. Far away on the horizon there was a black smudge, Miltus.
--------------------------------------------------
Salamander Armada
The body mages entered the tent on the seventh day. Salamander was pale, and had been rapidly losing weight. He was stripped of his armor, and cold, damp rags covered his face and arms.
"General." One of the mages lightly touched his shoulder.
"Uhh..."
"We've found something that may help." With that, the mages began to lay their hands on the General's body. The head Lifeweaver held out a small stone. It looked like golden topaz, only it glowed with white light. Tiny tendrils of light began to weave down towards his chest. Salamander arched his back involutarily. The light began to thread its way around his body, the little streams flowed all over his pale figure, and began to lose their glow, fading into his very flesh.
"He needs time to recover. One of you stay here. When he wakes, inform him that we have stopped the spread of the plague."
"I will stay," said a mage.
The rest of the mages left the tent. The young soldier who remained watched silently as Salamander's breathing became less ragged, and stabilized.
------------------Thinious Delmond
OOC: Thinious still exists....I have finals to worry about here people!
Thinious searched about in a very chaotic fashion. In a very inmature and ill-prepared action he screamed.
Thinious: Damn it! I can't do anything!
Ezra: Settle down boy! You'll give our position!
Thinious: I can't help. I don't even feel like I'm helping anyone. I am still very weak and trying to learn!
Ezra: Fair enough! Sit back and let REAL mages do work!
Ezra never usually raised his voice to young mages, but he knew that this one wouldn't act normally.
True to Ezra's thoughts, Thinious jumped up and began to search with his mind, with all his might. No thing came to him, but he finally picked up on the strength of the barrier. He smiled. A small victory for Thinious. A great victory for the master. He knew a secret button that he could push when the boy began to grow inmature.
Still true to Ezra's words though, the stronger mages continued to search.
OOC: I know it's not much, but I have to stay true to the fact that Thinious is still unexperienced. Go my companions, GO!
------------------Keimal Detryex
Morning had arrived. The soft Asheri sunrise blessed the grounds of the Taren Woods with its brilliantly scattered rays of light which penetrated the dense canopy of the forest. A few of the bright lines had connected with the face of a slumbering gypsy from Farai.
Keimal awoke, and did so much more relaxed than the previous day. No sweat plagued dreams or omens perplexed his gentle sleep. Instead, on this day he woke rested and clear of mind. The time to move was now. After finishing the last of his rations and packing his sparse belongings, he mounted and rode out of the Taren Woods. The impressed map from the great oak tree in the Dark Wood forest was still clear in his head. With such thoughts in mind he bolted his way across the rolling plains of Nyliam to his destination, the capital city Nyliam.
As Keimal approached the city's outskirts, he reflected on his tribes moto, "I shaln't be seen!" By such a code of living, entering Nyliam through the front gate was strictly out of the question. "I'm going to need a more subtle entry. Some place that's not guarded, where we can slip in," Keimal whispered to his horse. It promptly whinnied seemingly in response.
The pair circled the city's walls from a far distance as to not be seen, at least not by passive onlookers. The day had once again reached its crest as the noon sun scorched the Nyliam plains. Frustration had begun to set in as Keimal had thusfar been unable to locate a weak point in Nyliam's defenses.
"I guess this is why its the capital," frustratedly murmured Keimal.
The dull thud from the horses heavy steps suddenly changed to a high pitch percussive noise. The lean rider looked down so see a road beneath his mounts hooves.
"If we wish to remain unknown in these lands, we had best depart this area old friend."
Keimal dug his heels in and sent his horse realing into the visible horizon. After finding a spot not frequently traveled, the gypsy dismounted and set camp for a days break.
"If I wish to find a way in, it will have to be in the style of a Milios thief. Unseen in the shadow of night," thought the young man.
After several unsuccessful attempts at a days nap, the pains in his stomache could not be ignored. "We need food, don't we boy?" His horse looked up from its harty grazing and glanced curiously at its addresser. "OK, ok, so 'I' need some food."
For the first time since he began this quest from his home in Farai, he pulled a weapon from his horse's saddle bag. As he unsheathed the finely finished oak crossbow, rays from the overhead sun reflected in his face causing him to squint.
"You and I rarely miss old friend. Let's hope our accuracy hasn't faded over time."
With his praises spent on his weapon, Keimal made his way to a tall hill and nocked an arrow. Then standing tall amidst the bleak landscape, took a ready stance and watched for his prey. Nearly an hour had passed without any activity. It mattered naught to Keimal. He had nearly three hours of daylight left to kill. However, soon after lamenting his poor luck, a blur of motion stirred in his eyes. A large pheasant had taken flight no more than a hundred feet from where he stood and made its bearing right towards the gypsy without a worry of danger. This is what Keimal had been dreaming about since he first felt his famine pains earlier in the day, a nice clean and easy shot. He raised the weapon to his shoulder and took aim. *Ffloing* The arrow loosed with dreaded accuracy sending its razor sharp head through the animals breast plate, piercing its heart. "Good to see I've still got my marksmanship," mused Keimal, "such skills may come in handy!"
------------------
Keimal Detryex
After making a small campfire, finishing his meal, then covering any evidence of his presence there, the nomadic youth had finally spent the last learing hour of daylight. As the last few rays of light dwindled in the atmosphere, Keimal again approached Nyliam's city walls. He returned to a point that seemed unwatched as no towers were present.
"Most likely a commoner region of town," he thought. "Well boy, this is where we break company. Go home boy, and don't be seen."
The gypsy horse bolted off after Keimal relinquished the crossbow and quiver from the weight burden of his trusty mount. Gypsy horses of Farai, were noted for their ability to follow simple worded commands. Most likely when and if Keimal returned home, he would find his horse peacefully grazing in a meadow there.
The task of scaling was familiar to the young thief. Many a high story window had been entered by him in search of bounty to help support his tribe. The walls of Nyliam were no exception. Luckily, Keimal had picked a good sight. Just as he had speculated, as he jumped down the other side of the wall, he found himself in a commoner region of Nyliam. No guards would wander this area unless they were expecting trouble. Keimal in Nyliam meant trouble, but his reputation held true in keeping that trouble unforseen. At least so far. As he careened through the city streets, he pulled his hood so that no passerby's would notice his tribal inkings or piercings. Both were a dead give away of a Farai gypsy. As he neared the center of the town, he entered a wealthy area. Most likely if he were to continue in that direction, he would find the palace. Unfortunately, with the upper class came more security. Roving guards scoured the streets keeping the low classed peasants away from the aristocracy. To make further progress, Keimal would require more planning.
As he made his way back to the commoner's square, he found a home with no light eminating from its dark windows. This is where he would make his nights stay. Using a few of the thieving tools he kept on person at all times, the gypsy made short work of the doors lock. Once inside, after resetting the lock, he scurried past the sleeping occupants and made his way to the attic. Finding some hay insulation, he crafted a small makeshift bed and drifted slowly to sleep. It was much harder this night than the night before. The evenings illegal excitement had created a steady flow of adrenalin, alas, he after some time, again was asleep.
------------------Carlanus Silverfinger
Carlanus awoke again and went thorugh, what had become his typical morning routine. This time he traveled for a share of the day first and appeared on the outskirts of Parvini.
Instead of continuing on into the city Carlanus set up camp on the outer edges of the city limits and continued the work he had begun the day before with his magic.
He went through a couple more hours worth of his Automaton incantations. After he had finished these incantations, he looked at the construct and it stood up and moved a little bit. He stepped away from the workbench and asked the metal bird to fly to him after a it had worked out the kinks in its wings, it flew to him.
"It's woking," he said out loud. With that he asked it to go back to the table and rest and it did.
After the "construct" had settled down, he continued his incantations, but this time he moved into using the incantations for Mind Share.
"As I share my mind with you
Think of all the things we'll do.
Remember to always be there for me,
And to follow thorugh and help me see.
I give unto you a form of my thought,
And in return I tell yo u I sought.
My mind is my own, but with it I give,
That which you need to help me and live."
Carlanus continued these incantations throught he rest of the day and on into the night. He worked all night and continued on into the next day. Then, when he became exhausted, he took a break and went to sleep.
As he drifted off into sleep, he thought to himself, "I will serve Mechanus to the best of my knowledge and when the time comes, I will free him with the aid of my creations and defend Asheri to my full capability even if it means the death of myself.
------------------Nascha Khay'Lar
After gaining the trust of the young animal and tending to it for a while, Nascha, Sakim and the young female wolf were on their way. "So, what shall we call her Sakim? She is rather pretty do you not think?" Nascha was planning on finding this Ezra, wolves or no. "How about Chitsa? It means fair one... Or Dakapaki... A blossom." "Naama means pleasantness, Olathe... beautiful. How about Lumai? The humming of birds wings...? I like that one." She turned to face the large wolf walking behind her, then looked at the creature in her arms. "What do you think? Lumai? I think that will be her name." She quickened her pace, and found it much harder to move with the bundle in her arms. "Well, at least it's old enough to eat meat. We would have been in trouble if it wasn't!" She continued through the woods at the quickest pace she could maintain under the circumstances. "Well, we finally got you a companion, eh Sakim?" "She's a little young for you though," Nascha laughed, "you old thing, you could probably be it's father! Ah well, when she grows, you never know! I don't know how things work in the wolf world." She stopped abruptly as she noticed a group of trees with what seemed to be a timber dwelling in the midst of their branches. She placed the creature down and instructed Sakim to stay with it while she went to investigate.
She made her way up into the dwelling, trough the trees. She had been taught to climb as part of her training. Scouts and bowmen worked well from the trees, where a good view of the surrounding area could be had. It was important to make the least amount of noise possible, and blend in with the surroundings, so as not to be seen. A musty smell hung in the air about the dwelling, no one could have lived in there for sometime, but that was not what intrigued her. There was a large hole in the floor of the dwelling, which must travel down a hollow trunk into the darkness below. She knelt by the hole and peered down, noticing the makeshift ladder travelling down into darkness. She begun down the hole, something pulled at her; told her something was down there, that what she sought was there. She found the end of the ladder and made her way though the darkness....
CUE: Ezra or his companions, if you want to run into me wandering around the caverns you can, if not, I'll work it out!
OOC:And if I've missed anything, sorry, but you all posted so much!!! ;)
-----------------------------------------------------Gaxx of the Crags
OOC: The reason I used the Angry Sword is because Gaxx is annoyed with the situation.
After the young magling's outburst Ezra and Gaxx went to work. Again their searching proved toeveil nothing.
"Ah to the bloody Crags with this!" Gaxx stated angrily. "Everyone go back around the bend and wait. I'll get rid of this balsted door."
"Are you insa..."but Thinious wisely pulled Ezra around the bend before he could finish his thought. As Gaxx raised his staff in his right hand, the storms that were his eyes seemed to build in intensity. Like he had done long ago in his master's cave, Gaxx willed a bolt of lighting from his hand. The bolt hit the barrier with such force that the barrier simply ceased to exist.
"It's taken care of," Gaxx quietly said.
The other three walked around the bend to find that the barrier indeed was no more. They looked on Gaxx with astonishment.
"He must be immensly powerful," Thinious muttered to Ezra.
"Yes," Ezra replied with equal respect. 'I'm not even sure if I could have blasted my way through that," Ezra thought to himself. 'Let alone not be exuahsted with the effort.'
"W-well done Gaxx. Now on we go." With that Ezra took up the lead and Thinious followed close behind. Then Kal followed and finally Gaxx. Gaxx wished his love could have been here to witness this. Oh how she would be so happy.
Cue: Ezra or Thinious
---------------------------------------------------
Salamander Armada
Spam with a purpose. Gotta convert the colors.
------------------
Exar Kun
Saturninus awoke with a start. Sweat drenched his sheets on his already soaked cot. He shivered with the thought of memories he couldn’t place.
Saturnine: “KUN! Get in here” The shout emanated throughout the camp that was exhausted after hours of marching, no one stirred. Marching where and for what purpose was unknown to all. Saturninus looked eagerly as Kun entered the tent with Selenia close by, but not inside.
“Exar what the hell happened to me, what did she do? How and why?” Images fleeting, a dream. Swords crashing, plunging deep into his mortal heart. His gaze was soft at Exar Kun, whose dark empty stare gave him nothing to go on. Nothing to figure out his own secrets. Saturninus whispered as soft as he could, so perhaps he would never hear it.
“I am .” Kun smiled a soft smile, a long knowing smile. It had been a long time they have traveled together with the young Selenia.
“You’re not , not yet anyway. You won’t die either if you stay close to her, she wouldn’t allow it. I wouldn’t allow it. You trust her don’t you?”
“Completely, but that’s not the point…”
“Yes it is, with trust everything shall be accomplished Saturninus, you know that” Kun’s stare smirked at the man. A knowing grin and then a whisper.
“Did you kill me?” Kun looked and laughed.
“No it was not I who killed you, and I won’t of course. All you have to do is live, and remember.”
“Remember what?”
“Who you are” It was Selenia who spoke these words, Saturninus was startled, he hadn’t heard her come in. What was it that she had in store for him? Her eyes, those eyes had tears in them and a war all encompassing smile. Saturninus fell back in his cot and sighed.
“Well who am I then?”
Selenia merely smiled at him again. And then they were gone from his tent and he closed his eyes to forget what he could not remember.
--------------------------------------------------------
Enfineous
A loud thunder was heard in the back of Enfinious' mind. This is very peculiar, they must have broken through the barrier. With that, he left his hidden home away from home and decided to investigate things. He knew that if anyone had tried to follow him, they would soon be lost in the underground catacombs of his hideaway. This disturbed him because if it really was Ezra, he stilled needed his help. Perhaps things were going to work out after all. With that, he moned out into the dank caverns hes knew so well, in search of who was in search for him.
------------------
Aeveris
OOC: I like "The Choppa!" I guess you know what to expect now...
IC:
Aeveris traveled for days, seeing nothing but terrain for miles. Animals scurried around near him, and birds would flutter from tree to tree, but there seemed to be no sign of any human life nearby. On the fourth day since seeing the old man, he began to wonder once again what role he played in this world. Deep in thought, Aeveris failed to notice the silence that grew around him, and the sudden disappearance of wildlife until it was almost too late.
A slight murmur of words was all it took for Aevirs to break from his reverie. He dove to his flank with only moments to spare. A blast of fire scorched the ground where he had been standing. His twin axes were immediately drawn, one flying into the brush. In moments it returned, carring with it a tiny amount of blood. A yell came from the brush as a man stood up. Surprise came across Aeveris face for a moment as the familiar old man smirked, and muttered an incantation. The moment of surprise was all he needed as the ground rose around Aeveris calves, and he was trapped in place. He began to throw his axe again, but more threads of rock twisted about his shoulders and arms, rendering him motionless.
"Hah hah, foolish boy!! You fell straight into my hands!! I can't belive that you fell for my ploy. Your naivety has become your downfall!" The old man cackled in delight, his face now contorted with evil.
Aeveris stood there, struggling against the earthen tomb. "What do you want from me?"
"You, my boy?" returned the elder figure, "I want nothing of you than to simply die! For each soul I take, my master rewards me!!"
Aeveris became even more confused at this statement. "What do you speak of, old man?"
Anger flared across the old man's face, and he yelled abruptly, "Ahh!! No more questions!! My Master commands, thou must die!!" The earthen bonds around Aeveris tightened. Pain coursed through Aeveris, and he felt helpless against the mage's powerful magics.
The old man cackled once again, drawing closer to Aeveris. His withered hand reached up to grasp Aeveris jaw, the loose, soft skin contrasting with the strong, tanned skin of Aeveris' face. "Heh heh, you and your foolish 'love,'" the evil mage whispered, "I bet that girl didn't even care about you, to just leave like that. I bet she's a tra..." The mage's voice gurgled as Aeveris arm broke free of its prison and grasped the wizard's flabby throat. Anger shot through Aeveris' body, and the earthen shell crumbled to the ground. The mage staggered backwads, but Aeveris kept his hold. Soon, the old man fell limp, and Aeveris tossed his decrepit body to the side. As he began to walk away, he turned around and started at the body for a moment. He quickly pillaged the corpse, hoping for a clue where to find Her. Unfortunatly, the body carried nothing, so Aeveris left it to the crows. He bagan walking towards his home. His mind took over his actions once again.
"It wouldn't make much sense to follow that twisted old man's directions..."
------------------Carlisle
Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as Marten ran across the Nylian plain. He couldn't be sure if he was running towards something or running from something else. He only knew that he had to get to Nyliam. Cadwallon's commands were ever present in his mind. The old man's face loomed at him everytime he closed his eyes even for a moment. He had to get to Nyliam.
But first, he must reach Miltus. The city grew slowly in his vision as he ran with the magic surging through his veins like his own lifeblood. He ran straight across the plain, stopping for nothing. If a gorge lay in his way, he leapt it as the air sphere called to him. If a copse of trees loomed in front of him, he tore through the underbrush like a juggernaut as the earth sphere called to him. If he must cross a stream, he swam it as easily as a fish would as the water sphere called to him. And when anyone else might have collapsed, he ran on. He was filled to bursting with energy and determination, his every sinew suffused with the will to go faster and faster still as the fire sphere called to him.
If Marten could have seen his own eyes in those moments when all of the elemental sphere's sang in harmony with his soul, he might have recoiled. There was something otherworldly about his eyes in those moments, something wild, something primal. The boy did not understand that such things were unique, however, for he had lived with the magic all his life. Running as he did was as natural to him as breathing.
After what seemed an eternity, but couldn't have been more than half a day, Marten arrived on the outskirts of Miltus and collapsed. He clutched at the earth that he had fallen on taking huge gulps of air and biting back tears at the aches in his muscles. The magicks had left him. After he had recovered enough to stand, Marten lurched to his feet and surveyed the city. Miltus was a huge, bustling city of trade due to its central position in the empire. Though trade was somewhat slowed lately because of the war.
Knowing that he could not sleep outside in his condition, and not wanting to sleep in the open anyway, Marten started down the road and through the gates. The guards at the city gates only gave him a cursory glance just as they did with the rest of the throng moving into the city.
Once inside, Marten was struck dumb for a moment at the scene before him. All down the large street that led from the gate people thronged going hither and thither and yon. Street vendors lined the way shouting of the wondrous goods they sold. Shopkeepers stood in doorways to try and entice passerby to enter. The noise was so defeaning that Marten had to cover his ears for a moment before he adjusted to it. However, it was still quite painful to the boy.
Coming to his senses at last, Marten shook his head and looked for a place to stay for the night. There was an inn down the street a ways and he made for that. The sign proclaimed "The Mug and Staff" as Marten entered to find a common room bustling with patrons. Nervously, the boy found the innkeeper and requested a room.
The innkeeper looked Marten up and down, "A little young to be traveling by yourself aren't you boy?"
Marten shrugged noncomitally and the man continued, "Rooms are half a silver crown for one night. Meals are seperate."
Marten fished in his pouch and pulled out a silver crown and handed it to the innkeep. The man pocketed the coin and handed Marten a few coppers and showed the boy to his room. It was very small with barely enough room for the bed and washstand, but Marten didn't have any problem with that. There was a window he could look out if he started to get claustrophobic. Taking little time, Marten collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
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Kalimdor Stromguard
"General Strutus, this way, please." The guard showed Thorgood down a hallway, and then into a dark, desolate room. His lantern pierced the darkeness of the room, and it appeared empty. The guard thought it strange Thorgood should be sent to an empty room, but those were his explicit instructions from the Emperor. Thorgood was shown to a seat, and the guard left him alone in the darkness.
Moments passed, and Thorgood sat in silence. Soon, he grew impatient, and yelled, "Dammit Kalimdor, where the hell are you?"
As if being beckoned, the young prince stepped forth from a seemingly flat, solid wall. "You and you damned shadow magic..." the General muttered.
"Patience," began Kalimdor, "is a virtue, my friend. Now what news do you bring me?" Kalimdor listened intently as Thorgood realyed his epic. "Excellent. Do not worry about your men, they can easily be replaced. I have a plan, now. We shall go by sea, and strike them with the might of Nyliam's Navy. I need to travel to Lunis. The Lunarian Stone is within my clutches!"
"Yes, my friend. Speak with the Emperor, and I shall begin to gather the necessary ships and men. We shall be ready to sail within a day."
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