87 replies to this topic

[Charon]

By the time Ne'Kales had shadowwalked to the area of Ranthaks fire, a good few more soldiers had found their way to their deaths.
It wasn't that she wanted to kill them... it was just that they had tried to impede her, and now that she had shown some part of her skill... they really should have known better

"Heh, you say you'll let my dear sister come back to us?" Ne'Kales asked calmly. The words to her were crude, yet she managed to make the 'understandable' language eerily musical from her perch in the shadows

Then with a soft thud she leapt down, rolled her shoulders and stepped towards the little meeting Ranthak and Olist were having, showing little or no regard for the fight they were having- Indeed somehow she seemed eerily immune to it

The shadows that the darkness cast across her face only amplified the twisted look of pleasure in her eyes... and the look of distain that she had for her sister and her outcry.
To have been struck so- was to truly show weakness.

"My sister... considers herself prisoner, yet fails to strike effectively against her captor" she mused casually, kicking one of the unmistakably human bones on the ground into the ashes of the now dead fire, sending a spray of small flames scattering outwards before they faded back into the darkness Ranthak had sentenced them to.

She met Olist's gaze... and deliberately turned away from it. She knew she'd waited long enough to cast the doubt into her sisters mind, that dear Olist knew her agenda did not list 'saving sister' as its first priority.
Yes, her hesitation to dash in as the 'knight in shining armour' should have made her more than worthy of her namesake, as would the slight sneer on her face

"My sister shows her fear and waits for help. My sister..." a feral grin spread across the elegant Illythiiri's features, warping them into something far, far more dangerous "My sister was not able to remain alert. My sister... tells her goddess she expects to die- considers death and entertains weak thoughts"

"Who says that we would want our dear sister back?"

[Squee]

Olist's blade sliced through the thick skin on the back of Ranthak's. Blood gushed from the open wound but, again, Ranthak showed no expression of pain.

Though his right hand was forever rendered weak and much less powerful than his left, he would not let a slight "set-back" stop him now. Olist was still the little insect and would be crushed - his mind was set on it.

...Perhaps he would stick her head on to a pike and carry it for the rest of his journey...

Ranthak no doubt sensed Ne'Kales in the tent as well... but it was as if neither cared. As far as Ranthak was concerned, as long as she didn't interfere, she was to be considered... "friend".

[Crane]

Olist briefly caught sight of Ne'kales - a faint ray of hope glowed within her, but it was immediately destroyed when her sister turned away. Olist knew she had failed her... her outcry, failing to assassinate Ranthak, wanting help... she was defeated, and she hated to admit it.

And now she would eventually be ripped to shreds by this beast of a man. It sooned dawned on her that there was only one way out now.

"Usstan inbal hojjau dos dalninil, drill Usstan zhal naut rei xuileb bashuk, (I have failed you sister, but I shall not fall without honour,)" she called to Ne'kales, her voice now completely devoid of fear and filled with determination.

"You shall not take this body, Ranthak," she stared into his eyes, then she drew the dagger back and sliced her own throat, making sure her blood sprayed into Ranthak's face. Olist's vision blackened and her legs collapsed underneath her - a sense of tiredness began to overcome her, and she happily let death take her; she was ready for what lay beyond.

[Squee]

Squee's eyes widened greatly and he lunged at Europa, covering his mouth with a sleeve-covered paw.

<Speak naught of it!> Squee sent to the pacifist, keeping his mouth shut.

After a moment, he slunk back down and sighed, shaking his head.

"So...you know what I haf to do... Pwease don't say anyfing to anyone, I haf to do this by myself. People can't be bwought into it... It needs to be kept secwet."

(("So you know what I have to do. Please, don't say anything to anyone. I have to do this by myself. People can't be brought into it... It needs to be kept secret."))

[Charon]

Ne'Kales was momentarily taken aback by her sisters action, stared as the blood spurted... and then she chuckled almost lightly "Ssussun pholor dos dalninil"

"And that is the other thing about my sister" she continued softly "Determined though she is or was she was always short of sight, too willing to see what was infront of her and never quite alert enough to pay attention to it"

Ne'Kales knelt down besides the girl and sighed a little, closed her sisters eyes and picked up the dagger from her sisters now limp grasp.

"My sister, you see, sincerely believes failing me matters" the drow chuckled slightly "She forgets that I am hardly one to speak of the families desires. Poor fool... honour she might have maintained... Shame she had not the strength and determination to live that she had to die"

"She was the one I wished to be alive to see my... ascent"

And yet now... though she had cursed her sister before... there seemed little point now. Rivals though they had been the fact that the girl was dead meant Ne'Kales was, without doubt, the winner of their little rivalry, in fact...
<Ol jal kluthak s'enar de'natha wahven 'udtila naut ol? Xal... dos shlu'ta v'dri nin, xuileb treem natha keeshe wun l'rath a mzulst, dalninil. (It all seems sort of a waste doesn't it? Perhaps... you can sleep now, without fearing a dagger in the back at least, sister)>

And then once again, she turned from her sister. She was more than aware that one drow might be the same to any other to this man, that she might end up in a similar situation to Olist...

But at the same time she was not her sister. Dying was the last thing on her mind... unlike her sister she was not about to throw her life away when something could still be achieved.

<V'dri al dalninil... (Sleep well sister)> she thought with a dark grin before she smiled and began her treachery. Her sister may not yet have a grave but if she had... Ne'Kales next words would probably have been enough to make her turn in it.

"Olist may not have been prepared to offer you truce... but perhaps I am not she" she grinned up at Ranthak "Truce may not be the word I seek... perhaps 'alliance'? I do not claim to have the drow behind me but... you seek power, I seek power. I'm certain there is some way we could work together to achieve what the both of us desire?"

She almost choked on the word 'together' but nevertheless she managed to force it past her lips with minimal distaste. Now... now all she could do was wait to see what this beast of a man would say to such an offer

Edited by Charon, 25 September 2004 - 11:36 PM.

[Crane]

Europa was slightly expecting Squee to lunge at him, and he willingly rubbed his shoulder.

"I will not speak of it to another mortal, my friend." Europa telepathically replied, using Amadora as a means to pass the message to Squee. Europa's gifts were not very strong, such as telepathy, and relied on his deity to help him amplify them.

As Squee backed down, Europa looked at him with some sorrow - he knew all too well that Squee intended to depart by mostly uncharted routes to the North.

"I fear for your safety, Squee," Europa expressed his concern, "You are a great one after recently becoming an Archmage, but this evil we both sense I fear cannot be vanquished by one person alone. I..."

"Let him go, Europa; you cannot stop him," Amadora warned him. It might have appeared strange that Europa suddenly stopped talking in mid-sentence.

Europa sighed. "Well, you know what you have to do. I cannot stop you, nor do I have the right to." He reached into his Halcyon robe and pulled out a pair of rather large flasks housing a lime-green, viscous liquid. "I have plenty of these potions to spare - I use them when the Undead attempt to mount a large offensive. They have proven invaluable to me, and may them prove invaluable to you on your journey." He held out the two Nightshade Elixirs, waiting for Squee to take them and then follow his destiny.

[Squee]

Ranthak grunted in acknowledgement to Ne'Kales as he licked the blood from his lips then ran a hand to wipe the rest off. He closed his eyes then spit the blood back out into the pit of dead fire.

"Talk quickly and get to the point," he finally said to her in a low voice, the blood-rage dying down in himself at a slow - very slow - rate.

"I have reason enough to kill you now so consider yourself lucky," Ranthak continued as he extended a long, hairy finger at the sheathed weapons that this Drow carried; weapons that each bore the insignia of his tribe.

"So consider yourself lucky."

Outside the tent, there was much commotion, not so much over the deaths of the lesser footmen that had recently been found dead but more because of the events that were soon to take place.

The 6 most able bodied warriors of the Horde each suited up in their horrible, black armours - the majority of which were actually smithed rather than pilaged. Three of these half-dozen men were simply generic males seemingly made in the likeness of Ranthak himself - they were big, bulky, dark-skinned and smelled of warmed over death. Each carried a sheathed long sword on their backs, jagged at the top and serrated towards the hilt that hung just past their knees. On their belts, they each carried two short daggers not made for throwing but would fly through the air swiftly if needed be. Lastly, these three men each wore leather armours on their bodies with plates of metal protecting the breast and the back.

After these three rather generic brutes came a man who seemed to resemble a snake if the light was shone on him in the right (or wrong, depending on what terms one knew him) way. His eyes were slanted and his pupils sat large and black in his skull. His body was lanky and thin and his skin was dried to the point where it seemed flakey (or scaley, again, depending on the light). His long black and oily hair fell down to his back in a single long braid. He never spoke much, even to Ranthak, and when he did, it was always said slowly and in a very low voice so his origins were a mystery to the entire clan. Ranthak called him "Garnath" though many believed that this wasn't really his real name. He wore dark clothes and his only weapon was a long bow made of black yew.

Still Leaf was another man choosen for Ranthak's expedition. His entire body (especially the left side of his face) was covered in tattoos of various animals - wolves, bears and eagles, mostly. Many assumed that he was a former druid-medicine man, promised power in exchange for his loyalty to Ranthak. He wore almost no armour what-so-ever and he kept most of his body bare and shaven as often as possible. Much like Garnath, Red Beak was the strong silent type - one who only said what had to be said and even then, it was rare to hear anything come from him besides a grunt. Red Beak carried with him several pouches of herbs and crushed roots at his waist and his weapons consisted of a single ivory dagger and a fist-full of darts (most likely finely coated in a layer of poison).

The last man chosen to travel with Ranthak as he descended the mountains was Tarnack, a bulkier man than Still Leaf or Garnath but still dwarfed out by Ranthak's mighty build. His entire body was covered in furs that padded his body tightly. However, his entire left arm he kept unburdened except for a leather glove where his pet would perch - a disgustingly large black raven. Rumours at Ranthak's camp told of how Tarnack actually stole the eyes from an eagle to fill his own sockets, gouged by himself. As such, his vision was compared to no other, even in the dark of night. As well, he had a naturally affinity with the birds of prey in most woods of the realm. If his eyes ever failed him, the birds would keep him just as aware.

These 6 men were standing at the end of the camp, surrounding a dying fire in complete silence, awaiting Ranthak's arrival and orders.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nightshade Ewixers...?" Squee whispered to himself as he took the bottles in each hand. He knew the kind of work it took to obtain just one of these... but two? He smiled happily and removed the hood of his cloak - something he rarely did in public, even to friends.

"Thank you, Euwopa... When I come back, I'll make it up to you... I pwomise," he said, as he refirmed his grip on his staff and turned to leave.

"...Don't fwollow me," he said suddenly in mid-step. "I'll be able to handle this by myself. Twust me," Squee finished as he continued to walk into the grassy plains north of Arilin. Though he didn't really believe the words himself, he humoured himself for the moment with thoughts of victory - the thoughts of his friends and family being safe for another day.

Squee turned and waved to Europa for a moment then continued, refusing to turn back towards Arilin until he knew that it was safe from the northern evil that was soon to come.

[Charon]

"Ah come now sir, you're a fighting man yourself" Ne'Kales stood slowly. Her mind fixed on her goal, Ne'Kales had no shame for whatever tactics she must use to achieve it... he was powerful, she knew that and she did indeed consider herself lucky... certainly there was no need to stretch that luck too thin by making foolish and sudden movements. Her words were silken, carefully spun as her story made its way through her lips, as turns of phrase wove her words into webs of what was almost flattery

"Surely you understand that their deaths were... necessary. They got in my way. If they were truly worthy of your service they quite simply would not have fallen to me... if these soldiers of yours were felled by a single assailant surely they would not have been of any great use defending you in battle. Is it not better o learn of their ineptness now... than when it could cost you far more dearly?"

"However the one able to fell them would surely be of use? Would surely be worth... befriending at least"

She raised the shealth ever so slightly, her fingers tracing the symbol, the tribal marking that his outstretched finger had indicated before she smiled almost slyly

"Try to kill me if you feel you must, to avenge the deaths of those meager footsoldiers, but you and I both know they were expendable. And be aware that I... will not strike myself down to make things easier for you the way my dear elder sister did" she swept a stray lock of snow white hair back across her ebony brow and smiled as she moved closer, and somewhere inside herself her mind recoiled as her voice lowered "Why make an enemy... when an alliance would be more advantageous?"

She could hear the movement outside the tent, alert ears picked up the sound of scuffled footsteps and warriors walks. She was ready, ready if need be. A fight could be interesting but it was not what she wanted

"You and I are perhaps more alike than you might think..." she murmered softly, her bloodred eyes never leaving his own "So why, Sir, why not seize this oppourtunity to see just how alike we are... to see just how well we could achieve our aims if we were to work in harmony"

"What do you have to lose?"

Edited by Charon, 26 September 2004 - 03:13 AM.

[Squee]

((*read back* ...Oh my, it seems we wrote out Styx from this RP. ^^;; She was talking to Europa about how he should simply knock on Draco Honoris' door to check on Squee when (how I see it) Squee burst out and ran through the woods to Arilin... and seeing how he completely ignored Europa, I wouldn't be surprised if he dismissed seeing Styx in the Large Forest. Then, I suppose Europa broke away from conversation to give chase to Squee. ^^;

Of course, that's just me trying to fit logic into an RP. :s))

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranthak listened intently to Ne'Kales honey-sweet words; almost savouring them. The Drow made sense and what she said he deemed to be true. And how could she deceive him? He had never been deceived in the past.

...Though, that was mostly due to the fact that none dared to even try; a fact that eluded Ranthak to this day.

Looking at Ne'Kales eyes, his lips tugged and curled slightly, showing the blacks and yellows of his teeth - the biggest smile one could ever expect to see on his grim outlook. He looked down and ripped some cloth from Olist's attire (she wouldn't need it where she was going), tying it around his left hand, tightening it with his teeth to stop the flow of blood. Opening and closing his fist, he looked back to Ne'Kales and his smile (if it could even be called that) appeared again.

"You shall come with me to Arilin. There, we will see where exactly your loyalties lie."

"Skunktooth!" he called out in a booming voice in the general direction of the exit of the cave. A few moments of silence passed before a rather short man in fur clothes appeared; a bow and quiver strapped to his back in a cross-pattern.

"Lord Ranth-"

"Stow it! Give her what supplies she demands, she will come with my team down the mountain side today. Do it quickly, we are already behind," Ranthak boomed at him as he began to leave the tent. At the mouth of it, he looked back to Ne'Kales and that terrible expression he showed reared its face again.

"How rude of me... You already know my name is Ranthak but... what, pray tell, is yours?"

At that very moment, there was a cracking sound deep within Ranthak. Something deep within his core was giving way. Something with a warm and almost beautiful glow. The obsidian casing around his heart had begun to chip away - not a lot, mind you, but enough that he began to remember the things he had long given up - happiness, compassion...love. However, it would not be long until the cage around his heart began to mend itself.

The stubbyman named Skunktooth looked the Drow up and down then smiled an open grin, letting a small amount of his chronic halitosis seep into the air in Ne'Kales general direction.

[Charon]

Ne'Kales allowed herself to smile as she saw Ranthak considering her words, with any luck her skill was as it had always been. If you told people some part of what they wanted to hear they were often that much more willing to hear... and as his lips curled into some foul parody of a smile her eyes glinted. Yes... yes, he'd listened.

"Allow me" she said softly, forcing her gaze away from those decayed excuses for teeth, laying her hand across the bandage and tightening it slightly, the final tug his teeth hadn't managed...

"Arilin? Yes... a trip to Arilin could be fun" she grinned back at him, releasing his hand as he moved away, hiding the disgust she held for his own variety of that grin ... and turning to the diminutive fellow who'd walked in on Ranthak's beck and call.

Skunktooth, a strange name if ever there was one appeared and she stepped towards him, seeking for follow... she already had equipment thanks to her little forays with the guards, but it certainly wouldn't do any damage to see what else these men had. Ranthak strode past her, tall and terrible in a way no drow male could be... and halted

"How rude of me... You already know my name is Ranthak but... what, pray tell, is yours?"

"My name sir?" she asked with feigned suprise, raising an elegant eyebrow "I'm known as Ne'Kales"

And yet all the while she was speaking to him her mind entertained thoughts of flaying skunktooth. He was shorter, less imposing and less dangerous than Ranthak, a subordinate who dared to look her over so... such a creature wouldn't dare to presume it could do so if they were within true drow territory.
She gritted her teeth together. In a camp of males perhaps... perhaps she would have to get used to it. A rotten smell made its way through the air with this second mans smile and now the name of 'skunktooth' didn't seem quite so ludicrous. She wrinked her nose at the odor, swallowed hard and tilted her head before a forced, acrid glare stared back at the man

"I beleive he told you to get me equiped?" she murmered, nose still wrinkled and distaste evident "Perhaps you had better lead the way. I wouldn't want to keep your Lord from his trip"

((Lol yes, I'm more than aware that the sticks were trampled into the bracken in the hasty flights of Squee, and Europa in his tread. I shall write Styx out properly shortly... and be sending in a replacement ))

[Squee]

Ranthak gave a happy grunt of acknowledge meant (if a grunt could ever be called happy) then left the tent, committing the name "Ne'Kales" to memory. Out in the snow, he approached the fire in the circle of his expiditioners.

"Another one is coming with us. Fair warning," he growled to the group. Most of them stayed motionless, only slightly nodding their head in agreement. All, that is, except for Tarnack.

"...Another? What? Don't you think we can handle this? We don't need any more bodies; we'll take out Arilin in a blink of an eye. Whoever this is, he'll just get in the way," Tarnack said as he rose to his feet, trying to look directly into Ranthak's eyes (which he could not find the strength or courage to do; still, standing up to Ranthak is a feat in itself).

Almost before the last word escaped Tarnack's lips, Ranthaks' mighty hand was wrapped around his neck and his fingers squeezed tightly. Slowly but surely, Tarnack's feet were pulled off of the snowy ground.

"She is not useless. She has more skill in her pinky than you do in your entire body. Do not underestimate her... or I will make you regret it. Understand me, Tarnack?" Ranthak said through gritted teeth, putting an obvious strain on the man's name.

There was a slight gurgle from Tarnack and he was dropped to the ground, rubbing his collar with winces of lingering pain.

"She is drow and if I hear any... any comments about it, I will personally gut you and use your entrails as a belt," and with that he walked to the opposite end of the camp to organize his remaining troops, clarifying his orders to them. He didn't even bother to look back for acknowledgement from his party of 6, he told them something and it would be suicide not to do so; everyone knew that.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'll takesh you to-sh the war tentsh," he said in a terribly accented voice; like talking through your teeth with a mouthful of spit. He almost waddled out of the tent and led her not too far from Ranthak's.

"I don'tsh know your sh-ize-sh so you'll have to picksh it out for yourshelf," Skunktooth continued as he walked into a fairly large tent (a bit bigger than Ranthak's living tent) and sat near the entrance.

Inside were expected weapons of barbarians and savages; axes, wide-bladed swords, spears, and spiked maces and clubs, all on racks. Hardly anything "subtle" except for the odd dagger here and there. As for armour, mostly hardened leather that were light-weight but quite burdensome.

Edited by Squee, 28 September 2004 - 01:55 AM.

[Charon]

It took the drow a few moments to decipher the mans words, and a few more to stiffle a chuckle at his unusual waddling walk. To keep this man as any sort of underling seemed bizarre to her but... well, many things were bizarre to her.

"That suits me fine" she murmered cooly as she followed him, stepping inside as he... stood guard?

Inside the tent Ne'Kales swept a disinterested gaze across the armours... even from looking at them at a distance she knew they were too cumbersome for her. She picked up one of the leather pieces but it was harsh to the touch and much too... flat... to fit her comfortably, as she tried it on she found she couldn't move quite as she wanted.

And that was that, the leather armours disguarded, the helmets passed by due to the effect they would have on her balance and vision... and she turned to the rows of weapons. Again in all honesty she knew the axes were too hefty for her... and even so, yet again she lifted one to check... the blade sliced through the air with a whistle, swiftly... but the swinging circle was far too large, and if she missed- something doubtful but not an option to be overlooked- it would have left her wide open to attack.

She could barely lift the large swords, though they were undeniably better made than the brittle shortswords she'd already aquired... she had no choice but to leave them behind. There were very few daggers, most of them inexpertly made or sharpened... it was a weapon she was familiar with so it didn't matter. Daggers she lifted, pocketted or strapped. It didnt matter that some of the edges were blunt, if they weren't well weighted... she'd compendate.

She moved along yet again... If she was not going to be well armoured, it would be in her advantage to be wellweaponed. She loosened her belt ever so slightly so that a spear could be strapped through it across her back. easily removable. Yes, the spear would be the first weapon leased, to free up her movement and from there...

The clubs were clumsy but the maces... Ne'Kales had always had a fondness for the maces, though it was rare to find one of drow make. Of course some travellers held the weapons dear... and any such travellers didn't last long if she saw them.

She picked one up, her fingers trailing over the spikes... put it back. She knew it wasn't what she wanted but was sure that somewhere here... she ran her fingers along the rack until she felt pain, then slipped her hand down and pulled the weapon out- A mace with gloriously sharp spikes. The gleaming metal had an almost black sheen... whether that was because the metal was black or because it was reflecting her obsidian reflection would be debatable, but either way she was happy.

As she turned back to the tent entrance where the speach impaired warriors could just about be seen through the gap... a row of shields.

Shields... more cumbersome artifacts, but this one... she couldn't deny that in an attack likely more than necessary. She wasn't used to frontal assaults she was used to infiltration, shadows... assassination... she somehow doubted these barbarians would use such tactics.
She swept up what she evaluated to be the lightest and smallest of them and slipped it over her arm, aiming to leave her hands free for weapons... flexed her fingers to check movement...

"I've got all I can get" she said simply to Skunktooth as she emerged from the tent, testing the mace in her hands... an almost threatening glint in grinning eyes. Was it worth asking? She supposed it couldn't hurt

"Tell me Skunktooth... I know why this will be fun for me... but what does your Lord have against Arilin" she asked softly as she shifted weight and started looking around the camp from her place in the tents doorway "If I'm to fight... I should surely know why"

Edited by Charon, 28 September 2004 - 02:24 AM.

[Squee]

"You shreally shink that thish ish about Arilin?" Skunktooth said, stiffling a laugh.

"Arilin ish shmall cookiesh! It'sh Harabec that mattersh," he continued as he began to walk out of the tent backwards so he could still keep an eye on Ne'Kales.

"Jusht between you and me, rumoursh talk about how Ranthak used to be a high ranking officer in Harabec'sh court. It wash then that thingsh shtarted to go wrong... Some shay that Ranthak wanted to expand the Harabec Empire but King Housheme-"

Suddenly, a flint arrow head protruded through Skunktooth's forehead and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. There was a struggle for breath just as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground, slightly to the side.

Behind him stood Ranthak, bow in hand. He was standing tall and proud with the wind throwing his wild, black hair to his side. He let out a low grunt as a bit of steam escaped his nostrils. He threw the bow back to Garnath and shook his head to Ne'Kales.

"Expendable, right?" he mouthed to her.

[Charon]

Ne'Kales never even blinked as the mans slithering lisp faltered, her expression never changed as the man collapsed, an arrow to the head obviously too much for the man to be expected to live through.

Her eyes narrowed at Ranthak behind him for one reason and one reason alone... if Ranthak's aim was not the best that arrow could easily have been intended for her.

His implied statement was more than enough to prove it hadn't been. "More than expendable" she sneered, looking down at Skunktooth in mild disgust where he now lay in the snow, her own eyes as cold as the frost even now forming on him.

<Indeed> she grinned down on the body... yet another to join the many already dead before the true fight had begun <Indeed it was just "between you and me"> but she knew even as she stepped over him and walked towards Ranthak that she would be unlikely to find anyone else who desired to confide in her so... which was a shame.

"Whats wrong Sir?" she murmered almost silently to Ranthak as she stopped besides him, head held high, though she never turned to look him in the eye, never turned to give him the full effect of her playful expression "Afraid the rodent would tell me something I shouldn't hear? Is there such a thing, one wonders...?"

She trailed off aptly before for the slightest of moments giving him a beaming yet dangerous grin... and moving forwards past him, coming face to face with the 'elite troops' of the hoarde, the six 'men' who had been gathered for this attack that Ranthak had been speaking with mere moments before

"I take it these are the ones you do not consider expendable" she stated softly enough that they shouldn't be able to hear her and yet that Ranthak still might
Her eyes passed over each in turn, noting how their weapons were weighted in their arms, how they were standing... estimating their ability and weighing possiblities in her mind.

"Good to meet you" she said, the observant features of her face slowly twisting into a darkly lit grin as her 'examination' ceased "All of you... Generals of some sort I assume?... It will be interesting to see what the more capable of dear Ranthak's troops are capable of:

Though I'm certain none of you could rival your Lord himself, it shall most certainly be an interesting little journey"

[Crane]

Europa waved at Squee until his figure was barely recognisable against the backdrop of the landscape. He still worried for Squee, even with the Nightshade Elixirs in his possession.

"Squee will not be safe out there, will he," Europa spoke worriedly to his deity.

"Squee has a strong spirit and much skill in the magicks," Amadora replied,"But if all is not well, we will come to his aid at a moment's notice, Europa,"

"Come to his... but how?" Europa gasped. Amadora did say anything, but gave Europa something that looked like a wink.

[Charon]

"He-yas" Helevorn chirped up, having watched the meeting and parting of the two figures. Quite where she'd come from couldn't quite be told- it was almost as if she simply appeared out of the landscape itself. As she walked towards him the staff strapped across her back tapped against the ground with her steps. She brushed back a strand of her auburn hair that had refused to be bound back before curtseying before the man (Europa) gracefully

"Tis nae ay-veri day-ya that ya see a man tal-keen t' hemseylf. Nae that... that be a mo-wast un-yew-shew-al thyng" she grinned, a mischevious smile spreading across her face, a light flickering in her dark eyes. She spun around a little before tilting her head back to look at him again

"Ey-va neyver seyan y'arownd afore, ley-yast not that I hay-yav now-tice-sed" she almost sang the words to this gentleman. Some might think her habbit strange, but it was one she was long used to "So-wa... D'ya my-yand if I ayask sah? Just who-wa might ye and the chiyald o'er yonder(Squee) be?"


[Heyas]
[Tis nae every day that you see a man talking to himself. Nae that... that be a most unusual thing]
[I've never seen you around before, least not that I have notice(ed) So... do you mind if I ask sir? Just who might ye and the child over yonder be?]

[Charon]

Styx merely watched as Squee dashed past, his robes trailing behind him as he fled the honoris keep. She practically had to leap out of his way, but he was so focused that she didn't believe he even noticed her.

She turned back towards the meadow, about to say something about there no longer being any need to knock on the door... but Europa had already gone too

"And of course its nice when people speak before disapearing" she murmered softly, staring at the empty meadow. She hadn't seen where either had headed... towards the east of the meadow into the forest likely, but from there there were too many routes that could have been taken...

"I'm sorry, my friends, but you lost me" she murmered to the winds and the sky as she looked up at the starts overhead... still they gleamed against the black sky that marked the dead of night... how long it was to sunrise the paladin couldn't tell "It looks like I... won't be able to join you after all, all I can do... is give my blessing and wish you luck"

As she walked back across the meadow she couldn't help but stare at the forest...
A sense of loss welled up within her, she couldn't explain it but it was certainly there

"So you said the spirits were restless?" Styx murmered, almost as if Europa were still there... then she shook her head and smiled realising that talking to herself wouldn't get anything done.

Slowly she walked back to where she'd been before. If the spirits were restless it was probably best that she go back to them... and so the paladin slipped past the gates and into the graveyard, dissapearing amongst the headstones.

[Squee]

Stern and cold, Ranthak said nothing. She was pushing him and if she kept it up, he'd just push her right back - something clearly seen in his slanted, dark eyes as he stepped away from the group a few feet.

As Olist talked to the men, it seemed as if they were all deaf. None of them moved (except to poke at the dying fire) or turned to look at her. All, that is, but Tarnack. He stood to greet Olist, though weary at first.

"Ranthak spoke of you. I'll welcome you to the group seeing how everyone else seems to be asleep. You may call me Tarnack. That is Still Leaf and there, sharpening those arrow-heads, is Garnath," he said as he pointed to the men respectfully, naming off the remaining three men as he did so.

"I suppose you could call us Generals... those in charge of smaller expedition. However, Ranthak oversees all our doings - in fact, I've not seen a day that Ranthak had even so much as the sniffles nor has he ever sustained any wound that prevented him from leading us."

"...And between the two of us, he scares me a little. There's a look in his eyes and a strange feeling you get when you stand around him too long, I'm sure you've felt it already, too," he continued, leaning closer to Olist, lowering his voice. Tarnack was one of the few men within the horde who was lucky enough not to be a womanizer; or maybe he was just able to tell that this Drow was not one to anger lest dire consequences arise. Consequences he was in no rush to see.

Just then, as Tarnack began to retract himself into proper posture, there was a shrill and ugly cry from above. Above head, a small fraction of the sky was blotted out by a large bird. It cawed again, this time descending just a tad.

However, it never reached a point where any fine features could be seen upon it. From its talons, it dropped a small piece of black matter. Tarnack caught it once he could and put it in front of his face, peering at it curiously and sniffing at it.

"Still Leaf, what do you make of it?" he snarled as he threw the blackened feces to the near-naked druid.

The bald man did not look up but caught it and brought it to his face in all one motion. There was a small growl from his throat then a slight mumble; a coarse voice as if the man was tired or weary.

"Bear chips. They go to the river near Arilin often to catch fish or larger prey that go to drink."

There was another pause as Still Leaf smelled it. He shut his eyes and let his thumbs glide over it then, it broke off a small piece and put it in his mouth. There was another moment then he immediately spit out the dung into the fire.

"It is calm there. I do not think we will be interrupted." Then, as if nothing ever happened, Still Leaf dropped the feces to the ground and continued his "open-eyed meditation", staring blankly into the fire. Tarnack took back his seat near the fire then looked to Olist.

"You can sit if you want."

[green_mantis]

Snowstrider hops up out of the hole, covered in spider entrails.
"Oh, I hate spiders." He says as he shudders and removes the entrails from his bowstring.
"You're lost to me Opie. I can't chase you down there with all those spiders around." He looks around, and sighs.
"I s'pose I might as well go back and have more gruel." He says as his stomach growls.

Snowstrider quickly begins heading back to arlin. Stomach growling loud enough to alert a deaf 7th grader.

[Charon]

"...And between the two of us, he scares me a little. There's a look in his eyes and a strange feeling you get when you stand around him too long, I'm sure you've felt it already, too,"

"Is there now?" the drow asked almost mockingly... she didn't see the point in that statement. Yes Ranthak was... offputting to say the least, had a threatening aura perhaps but... what Drow didn't?

She could tell she was getting to Ranthak and she didn't need someone else to tell her such a thing was dangeorus... but Ne'Kales was in a tighter spot than anyone not knowing her nature could realise. She knew Ranthak was dangerous. she knew she didn't want him to reach breaking point with her, knew that such a thing could be deadly... and yet to work with him... she by nature pressed boundaries, tested the water until she knew where the breaking point was. When in the caverns that were the home of the Drow part of the enjoyment of interacting with others, playing their 'games' was being able to skirt the edges of their wrath, getting close enough to humiliate or push ones luck without ever quite getting retaliated against.

To live that way required knowing someone, required knowing where those breaking points were... and in this case his near continual anger meant she couldn't tell. Her nature pressed at her to keep going, to see just where his limits were...

But Olist had pushed it too far and been forced to take her own life, Skunktooth had talked too much and his life had also ended.
She didn't really want to join them

Tarnack... yes, that was the name he had given himself... he truly thought he was warning her. Truly thought he was telling her to be aware- "I'm sure you've felt it already too" as if to bring it to her attention, perhaps to try and form some sort of comraderie...
In all honesty what was more strange to her was that Tarnack seemed genuinely interested in 'warning' her to back off... and she considered that, in a way, much more interesting... however the more she pondered over his words... was he suggesting Ranthak was unusual among these men, that he inspired fear or fought illness?
<Why would he show his troops the weakness of illness? Wouldn't they then lose respect for him?> the question tore at her mind <What good is a leader... if he doesn't scare you? How else would he enforce his will, ensure it was carried out?>

It was something... she just didn't comprehend. Still if he'd thought he was helping... what was that delightful phrase traders uttered after you conned them out of money? When they seemed genuinely happy that they'd gained something they wanted, at your expense, or when they thought they'd been given useful knowledge... tha... thank... thanks? Thankyou? Yes, that sounded about right

"Thanks for the thought, anyhow" she smiled, voice dripping with contempt though she tried to hide it, quickly smothered the smirk with a smile that looked almost normal.

Until she watched their little act.

"Vel'bol natha tet equidai (What a charming skill) " she murmered in disgust as she watched Still Leaf, before she looked down at the man suggesting she sat

"Thankyou, I intend to" she nodded simply before she sat alongside Tarnack, though this time she actually meant what she said and her tone was neutral, her thanks a little more sincere... still...

"Talkattive bunch aren't they?" she asked, raising her eyebrow to him with a wry smile as she jerked her head at his comrades.

[Squee]

"Yeah, well, we're all used to it. If you talk while you are moving, you can't hear the things around you... which can end you up dead," Tarnack whispered to Ne'Kales as Ranthak came back to the fire facing Still Leaf.

The two men conversed in whispers for a moment then Ranthak began to walk away.

"We're going now. We've wasted enough time as it is. By the end of the day, we should be at the foot of the mountain in some kind of forest or jungle. And we won't be able to travel through there at night."

He turned around briefly and coldly stared at all the men then to Ne'Kales. He said nothing and simply headed off to the south.

All the men followed closely behind minus Tarnack who stayed next to Ne'Kales.

Edited by Squee, 30 September 2004 - 11:34 PM.

[Crane]

((Squee, I think you've got Olist and Ne'kales mixed up - Olist committed ritual suicide))

[Squee]

((Yes, that's my fault. XD Sorry about that. ^^;))

[Charon]

"I have no objection to stealth" Ne'Kales grinned dangerously "I happen to like stealth... silence whilst not moving... well- its only useful if there are undesirables sneaking around"

She watched in what might have been amusement at the way the men practically jumped to heed Ranthaks orders, very few daring to stop once he said they were going... "by the end of the day" he had said...

<Tangi?? (Day??)> the Drow moved herself to her feet but she was now drastically aware of the hour. Looking up at the sky... if she could have gone pale she would have

"Trust me" she murmered too softly for anyone to hear "I, at least, would get through that forest of yours a lot better by night"

"Don't wait at my behest" she said a little louder, turning to Tarnack as he was the only one not to have dashed away in pursuit "I wouldn't want to get you in trouble or anything"

And at that moment... she started walking without another word. It would not be good to be seen as a hinderance... especially when she might later become one. It would be a good idea to make sure she was keeping up, staying near the head of their entourage well before then.

((You called her Olist in the one before too ))

Edited by Charon, 30 September 2004 - 11:43 PM.

[Squee]

As they began to trek through the snow, Still Leaf pulled out an elongated pipe which had a small bowl at the end. As if second nature, he pulled a pouch of tabacco out and sifted it into the pipe through his fingers. Once he was done, he struck a match and set the end into a subtle flame.

He inhaled deeply from the pipe and began to chant very loudly.

"Kee rah fa la ra la. Kee rah fa la ru lu. Kee rah tee-rock."

And, as he did, he handed the pipe to Garnath who did the same; inhaled deeply and joined into the chanting. Tarnack caught up to the others after Ne'Kales gave him "permission" and he was next. The 3 other men followed suit, as well. By now, the chanting began to ring aloud through the mountains.

Ranthak was the last of the men to inhale from the pipe. Once he was done, he gave the pipe back to Still Leaf. As expected by all, Ranthak's chanting nearly drowned out all the others. It almost seemed like the tips of the mountains quivered at the great booming of his voice.

Still Leaf found a way back to Ne'Kales and handed the pipe to her, using both hands. He didn't say anything but looked at her as if to say what she had to do.

Tarnack glanced back briefly to Ne'Kales and nodded his head slowly for a brief moment before marching along side the others, chanting as loudly as he could.

[Squee]

Squee sighed as he wiped his fore-head; he wasn't used to this kind of strenuous work. He wanted to rest... but he wouldn't let himself. As he trekked on-ward through the northern plains, he reached into his pack and pulled out a few pieces of licorice to tide him over until it was time for lunch.

Squee already knew that these parts of the world were uncharted and few had ever dared to go there so he had no trouble letting down the hood of his robes, letting all see his facial disfigurations. The grass and birds wouldn't mock him...thankfully.

[Charon]

The drow squinted as she tried not to catch herself staring at the sky above. In all her time she'd rarely been out at day... the light made her dizzy, burned at her eyes if she dared to look up at it for too long.

Still she clambered over brambles to keep up, though she seemed to continually remain behind them, much to her own disgust. As they began chanting she raised her head... a battle chant? Some sort of ritual?

<Ji mzilt whol (What happened to:) "If you talk while you are moving, you can't hear the things around you... which can end you up dead,"?> she thought a little wryly but she was intrigued... even more so when the bald man managed to straggle enough to end up besides her, handed her the pipe without a word.

She took it carefully briefly and unnoticably passing her thumb through the flame as if to see if it were truly alight. She'd never seen such a contraption... she glanced at Still Leaf but he seemed to think she knew what to do, looked to Tarnack and he only nodded

<T'yin Usstan sieva usstan xun iz' nind xun? (Then I assume I do as they do?)>

She raised the pipe and inhaled deeply... oh it was foul
The tobacco smoke swept through her senses and her red eyes threatened to water. Only her pride allowed her to supress the violent coughs she could feel welling up in her throat.
She stumbled purposefully, pretending to trip long enough to lose the expression from her face... only when she could hear their chant begin again did she raise her head and dare to join in, if a little hoarsely

"Kee rah fa la ra la?" she said the words along with them, quietly at first, but then, as they had, raising in volume. Unlike their own cries hers were neither harsh... nor truly challenging. It was... slick, her voice not quite able to meet their volume but instead... well, instead perhaps harmonising with it, enhancing it?
Subversive perhaps... that ever smirking tone of hers found its way into their words as she let herself get carried by them, passing the pipe back to Still Leaf as she picked up pace to keep up with him "Kee rah fa la ru lu. Kee rah tee-rock."

Edited by Charon, 05 October 2004 - 10:54 PM.

[Crane]

"He-yas" Helevorn chirped up, having watched the meeting and parting of the two figures. Quite where she'd come from couldn't quite be told- it was almost as if she simply appeared out of the landscape itself. As she walked towards him the staff strapped across her back tapped against the ground with her steps. She brushed back a strand of her auburn hair that had refused to be bound back before curtseying before the man (Europa) gracefully

"Tis nae ay-veri day-ya that ya see a man tal-keen t' hemseylf. Nae that... that be a mo-wast un-yew-shew-al thyng" she grinned, a mischevious smile spreading across her face, a light flickering in her dark eyes. She spun around a little before tilting her head back to look at him again

"Ey-va neyver seyan y'arownd afore, ley-yast not that I hay-yav  now-tice-sed" she almost sang the words to this gentleman. Some might think her habbit strange, but it was one she was long used to "So-wa... D'ya my-yand if I ayask sah? Just who-wa might ye and the chiyald o'er yonder(Squee) be?"


[Heyas]
[Tis nae every day that you see a man talking to himself. Nae that... that be a most unusual thing]
[I've never seen you around before, least not that I have notice(ed) So... do you mind if I ask sir? Just who might ye and the child over yonder be?]

Europa was used to being teased like that, and chose to play on the Druid's comment.

"You talk to Gaea and Cerrunos, do you not?" Europa rhetorically questioned Helevorn.

"I am a High Pacifist by the name of Europa," he told her with elements of passion and proudness in his voice, "The Undead are at their most active during the night of the New Moon - it is this time that I seek to release their tortured spirits."

He looked over at Squee as if he had only just spotted him disappearing over the horizon, knowing that he could not break his promise and tell her it was Squee.

"Adventurous and courageous, that child is," he smiled, admiring the little Archmage's determination to carry out what he was destined to do.

((EDIT: Will someone please tell me how to spell Cerrunos!))

Edited by Crane, 06 October 2004 - 12:25 AM.

[Charon]

Rhetoric was lost on this girl, as the pacifist was about to discover... yes she'd recognised his tone as that not to be answered... but since when had she bothered about such petty social rules?

"Taw-alk to them?" she asked with a grin as that single pesky strand of hair once again found itself dangling over her eyes "Why-ya do ya think I-ya woold ne-yad to ta-walk to them, whey-na they hey-yar me al-la-ways?"

"Whey-yan I day-ance, whey-yan I break aynta song... they see me" she trailed off but not for long. Leaves fluttered past her, danced to her melody in an annanounced gust of wind... almost as if framing her words "They see-ya mey, hey-yar mey... and aww-wal the owth-ers who follow the cawl of fayre nay-tur, what-tay-ya-ver its guy-yass may bey"

"Gaea, the fayre mother... Cerrunos, weyal, perhayaps he governs a fewa too maynee ay-rey-ars for one of the ly-yat ways" dark eyes smiled softly, though they showed no reflection as she took a bow

"Why, tis a trewly good thee-ying t'meet ya Hiya Pay-see-feyst Yu-row-wapa" she smiled brightly "I'm Hel-le-vo-run" she spun away, the quarterstaff tapping against the ground one last time before she effortlessly swept an arm around as she spun, whipped it out... and came to a halt leaning forwards onto it

"Or just Helevorn" she nodded "Or Hel" for just a moment she dropped the strange lilt she'd held in her voice, but it was back near instantly, returning to song
"But Mo-wast Hiy-ya Pay-see-feyst Yuro-wa-pa... you meytion but tew owv a payn-thay-yon... the fayre mowther ay-yand the Hor-raneyd One... they-ya aren't the ow-na-lee ones who-was prey-san-ses are feyalt in nay-tur

Ayyand that chy-yald to veyn-ture al-low-wan is trewly brayve... mayya those preysances guard him"

--

[Talk to them? Why do you think I would need to talk to them, when they hear me always?]
[When I dance, when I break into song...they see me. They see me, hear me... and all the others who follow the call of fair nature, whatever its guise may be]
[Gaea, the fair mother... Cerrunos, well, perhaps he governs a few to many areas for on of the light ways]
[Why, tis a truly good thing to meet you High Pacifist Europa. I'm Hel-le-vo-run]
(Or just Helevorn. Or Hel)
[But most High Pacifist Europa... you mention but two of a pantheon... the Fair Mother and the Horned one... they aren't the only ones whose presences are felt in nature...And that child to venture alone is truly brave... may those presences guard him]

((I'll tell you what- by picking out Cerunnos specifically you either know me far too well or got very, very lucky ^^ ))

[Squee]

Still Leaf let out a funny and almost awkward laugh as he ran to catch up to Ne'Kales and, ultimately, the entire party. Standing close to Ne'Kales, he spoke in a very hushed voice.

"It means, 'Creator, give us strength. Creator, give us courage. Creator, give us victory.'"

And, almost as if it were planned, Ranthak stopped his chanting and the rest of the men soon followed.

Ranthak turned around for a split second, looking over his troops. Scanning them one by one through his terrible eyes; it gave them all the men shivers.

"We go now. If you stray, you die," he said sternly as he turned back around and began to march down the mountain, his footsteps terribly heavy. Everything below his soles was trampled soundly down; stones were pushed into the soft earth, snow was trampled flat and living things were simply left for dead in his wake. However, this provided a seeming path behind him in which the others could follow swiftly and with relative ease.

Quickly, all the men followed suit and tried their best to keep on Ranthak's heels. Ranthak had set a terribly harsh pace and it would be hard for any man to keep up, much less stay kept up.