|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:40:01 GMT -5
"This is a private discussion," said Frost coldly (OOC: sorry for the pun,) not even looking up, "perhaps another time."
When Astral did not leave immediately, Frost still not looking up.
"Look buddy, you better leave while you can still walk." said Frost
Barax kicked the chair underneath the table out, so that Astral could sit down.
"I said no." Frost re-stated, throwing his dagger into the back of the chair, knocking it over.
Astral placed his hand on the table, explaining that if he wasn't wanted, he'd leave.
Just then, Frost stabbed another dagger down into the table, in between Astral's closed fingers, parting them as it hit the table, but drawing no blood.
"Wow, that was amazing, perfect aim." Frost did not know who said that, it seemed to come from the falcon on Astral's shoulder, but Frost knew of no animal, besides a mage's familiar, that could speak.
"What are you talking about?" Frost replied to Astral, arseuming it had been him who had spoken, "I missed."
Astral realized he was not welcome, and was just picking up the chair to leave, when Frost's keen ears heard something that completely changed his mind regarding Astral. A large coin purse, full of gold pieces, jingling.
"well, you'd better sit down there Astral." said Frost, considering that actually gracious.
Frost and Barax made their peace regarding Alarseea, and then the night turned more jovial, Frost more than willing to drink his drink, Barax's, and when Astral wasn't looking, Astral's drink.
After that night, Frost considered Astral a good friend, he could hold his alcohol, and so could that bird on his shoulder. The next morning, after counting the money from Astral's coin purse, Frost would wonder if that bird had actually spoken at all. Frost had spoken at length with broomsticks many nights before.
It would not be until Astral got home that night, that Avio would realize the coin purse was missing, as were the coins. Considering it could possibly be Frost, they decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, after all, Frost was a friend.
- Sir Frost the Rogue
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:40:44 GMT -5
After a long night talking with both Frost and Astral, especially with a bit of hostility from Frost, which had now been sorted out, Barax stepped quietly out the tavern door into the thick darkness of the night. He had left Astral in the tavern drunk not sure exactly where he and his bird had to go for the night. Cracking his neck in a few directions he let the night air brush over his senses. It was actually a beautiful night he realized as his eyes adjusted to the velvet darkness. Looking up into the heavens he stared for a moment at the bright half-moon, letting the soft light of its cast seep into his soul. "Such a peaceful night," he thought. "This shouldn't be wasted asleep in the castle." Pulling the chain from around his neck, he slowly raised it to his lips as his breath once more stole through it calling forth from the ethereal plains the wyvern he had befriended.
As the wisps of smoke gathered and dissapated revealing his long time friend he heard the rustic draconic tongue speak, "Where to my friend?"
"Truely I do not know where to go," Barax replied.
"I do not meddle in the affairs of the hearts of mortals," the beast said glimpsing a look come across Barax's face.
Barax looked at the wyvern puzzled, how could it have known anything, he thought. Then hearing what he thought was almost a laugh from the lizard and seeing it look at the sword once again tied to Barax's hip, he slowly caught on, "So I'm being double teamed by a being from another plane of existence and a sentient sword? You guys never play fair," Barax said with a chuckle.
"We don't have," the sword sent through his mind.
"Well I do have a place that you may find soothing," the wyvern said, "but to get there tonight we would have to travel through my home plane."
"Sounds good," Barax said as he jumped on top of the flying mount. "Lead on."
"This should only take about a minute," the creature said as Barax felt his form shifting between planes. He looked down at his right hand, it was once again covered with skin, not the bleached bone it was in life. He could taste his mouth again, saliva sloushing over his tongue with its unique taste, and he noticed he wasn't hungry, as he always was. Since his hand was whole once more the machine churning out magical energies to keep the curse of the undead from spreading to the rest of his body and to hold his hand together didn't need to work anymore. He felt memories of his life rushing through him, what things tasted like, a life without constant hunger, he remembered it all, and he felt his ears had grown to what should have been the normal size for a true blooded high elf, almost as if his body had rid itself of every curse there was upon it. Then in a flash it all came back and left. His taste once more gone, the hunger back gnawing at him, and his hand, his hand once again uncovered and exposed bone. Also his ears once again reverted to the normal size of an elf cursed with human lineage. Then he realized that they were back in his true plane of existence, and a tear, a single tear rolled down his cheek for what he had given up, what he had been cursed with in his venture to obtain power and knowledge, and his accursed lineage. Then his eyes blinked away the gathering water as he focused on his new surroundings. It was a place beyond words. Peaceful. Tranquil. Serene. All seemed so small for this place. It was beauty incarnate. Barax felt mist from the nearby waterfall embrace him gently, and the smells, so vivid and distinct, but blending as one altogether. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.
Then he felt the wyvern turn his head and peer around him, "And we have another visitor I see."
Barax confused at first by this statement finally understood that someone had touched the wyvern as he transfered himself across the planes, but who, Barax thought as he quickly drew his right hand under his robes.
(OOC: this person can be whomever you guys want, you decide, if no one decides I can put another creature through from the ethereal planes, but i would prefer to have someone from the kingdom.)
- The Wise Mr. Barax
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:41:20 GMT -5
After she'd quietly slipped out the back, she had let a made straighten out her hair somewhat while she relaxed, reading an old scroll detailing the Elves' history and explaining about some of the more special creatures that dwelt within their lands. The creatures were often hiding even from elves, though some, as the Elven mounts... She stopped and tought fondly about her own stallion in the stable, being cared for by elven stable boys. Boys chosen because the stallion approved, and because she saw they knew their job. Smiling again, she returned to her scroll.
Later, when her hair were to her maid's acceptance, and her scroll was neatly rolled up and tucked away, she rose and found a fresh dress. This one, made out of light, almost see-through material, ran in sun-yellow and forest-green. Putting it on, she ventured down into the tavern's common room. She smiled at those she knew, and noticed those in the corner. However, as she recognized Frost's mood, she decided not to venture over there, and she settled down by the fire, nipping to her Kitten White, watching them from the side.
She observed, but kept quiet. They were speaking too low for her to hear them, atleast until the mood in the corner changed, and became less hostile. She pittied the avian, knowing he had to be new to the tavern, and that he wouldn't know Frost. She smiled down into her glarse. He would learn, she tought, he would learn. It was after all a long time since she had started to put anti-thievery spells on her belongings.
But it wasn't the young avian with the bird that had her real attention, it was the undead one. He looked undead, the little she had seen of him, but on the other hand, he did eat. She pondered again, and watched him, a little irritated he hid so deep in his robes all the time. Then, as the night started to turn into dawn, the worst hours of the night, the party seemed to calm down.
Then he rose. She waited a little, before using her magic to blend in with the shadows and following him on silent feet. Hiding in the shadows by the door, she watched as the wyvern appeared and heard a soft comment about the creature and something about a sentinent sword. She was understanding less and less of this guy. Who in the wide world was he?
As he jumped on the creature that had seemed to materialize from swirling mist, she struck out a finger and touched it. Soon after she were standing in one of the most beauytiful places she'd ever seen. In between had only been a dissying reflection of how her life had been, and what it could have been. She realized that the wyvern had spotted her, and smiled wryly at it, as the strange man turned around.
"Greetings" she said sarcastically, or should I jump right to the "Where in the world are we, and who in a troll's behind are you?" Drawing breath, she continued. "I heard you mumble about other planes of existence, and a sentient sword. I'd like to know. Besides being a lord in the Kingdom I belong to, who ARE you?" She looked at him, tapping her foot slowly, while she spoke. Then she fastened her eyes on his, and waited for a reply, an explanation.
- Lady Alarseea the Sorceress
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:42:05 GMT -5
Barax looked behind the wyvern and caught sight of her, of her, he couldn't believe it was her once more, but as his head cleared from the trip he realized it wasn't her, it was someone else that looked remarkably like her, the tavern owner, how it pained to see this lady of his kingdom, she looked almost exactly like....
"Besides being a lord in the Kingdom I belong to, who ARE you?" she said impatiently, snapping him from his reverie.
"As for where we are mistress," the wyvern answered, "I'm not exactly sure I could explain that. You see this Utopia as you would call it is almost like a hemisphere, a quadrant of the world, and young master Barax here along with many others come from many different areas of this world instead of being born and raised there. Barax himself comes from a place..."
"We don't need to go there, right now. It would take far to long to explain," Barax cut in.
"Lets just say we're still on the world in which Utopia is contained, we just happen to be very, very far away," the wyvern explained.
"Yes, that would be the easiest way to explain it," Barax said. "As for who I am, I am Barax," he said with a smile on his face, "and there's not much more i can explain for that. As for what I am, that would be easier to show," he said as he removed the great encomposing black robe from around himself. Standing there in a black tunic, black pants, and a whistle hanging from his neck he gazed at her. Slowly he moved his right arm away from his body, revealing to her the naked skeleton arm. He pulled the sleeve of the tunic up farther to expose his shoulder where an illuminating, multi-colored band seemed to twirl around where his arm should have connected to his shoulder. "As you may have guessed, I am not undead. The only part of me that is undead is my right arm. I myself put it through dark flames to command my undead legions, to become a necromancer. I had been told that if I gave up only my arm it would eventually spread to the rest of my body, converting me fully to one of the undead themselves. But I had found a secret, a magical machine invented by a ring of great mystics. It had been made to almost seperate the body from a diseased limb. The appendage would be held in limbo, the body still able to control it, but the disease staying exclusively to the arm or leg. Upon further research I found it could also be used to block out magical diseases. This is why only my arm is undead, and the rest of me is still living. No one bothered to mention in any books, scrolls, or manuscripts the hunger that came with it. It uses vast quanmilk shooteries of food to sustain the magically binding forces." Barax raised his tunic slowly to reveal the hollow pit of his stomach, then drawing what seemed like a small window with his other hand and chanting a few words the glarse hardened in front of his stomach showing the small round machine that sat in one side of his stomach. "I live with this for the command of the undead," he said raising his right arm, "but after i gave my arm I soon regretted it for I did not want to become fully undead, so I live also with this," he said as he pointed to the churning machine shown on the magical glarse. Pulling his tunic back down he waved his hand to dissapate the sickening image of his internals. "As I said, I'm not undead. Actually I share some of the same Elven blood that runs through you, but I also have my weightly challengedher's blood in my veins too, that of a human. As a young child I found a book that allowed me to give up physical prowess and youth to enhance that of my innate magical abilities. Using the brashness of my human blood, I gave up what should have been a normal life to embrace the powers of my Elven ancestors. Soon after that I began tampering with my newly found powers. I was declared an outcast from my family name, banned from my own village. I wandered from village to village, surveying all and trying to discover new powers lurking within me. One night I decimated an entire town as I tried to open a portal to another plane, after a night at the bar drinking alone. I succeded in opening the portal, but at the cost of so many lives. I was sucked into the portal as it was closing, roo inexperienced in my abilities and studies to hold it open or to stop the ensuing vortex. I was trapped. Where? I do not know, I only knew that nothing was there with me so I focused on the honing of my abilities. I became lonely there. Fearing I might lose my mind I managed to summon forth an enmilk shootery, a benevolent enmilk shootery, one that has stayed with me even after I left where I had sealed myself," Barax stopped for a moment looking down at the sword in his scabbard. "The enmilk shootery couldn't survive on its own in our plane, so it decided to reside within a sword. Eventually in this portal I had opened, I learned to bring forth great tomes of knowledge. I had decided I would spend most of my life gathering knowledge and developing my abilities, but once more my human brashness shone through. I found a tome that depicted a spell that would grant me vast amount of knowledge for the sacrifice of one of my senses. Studying the incantation further I decided that I would go through with it and give up what I could taste. This was only a short time ago, not many months actually. Soon afterwards I found another tome that lead me to the sacrifice of my arm. I had heard of the ring of mystics with the machine so I searched them out. I soon learned that they stayed most of their time in the ethereal plane, the thing we parseed through on our way here. I ventured through to find them but alas I could not. Then on one trip through I met this wyvern, he says I gave a bit of fun to his life. He was bord of just roaming the the ethereal plane so i devised a way to bring him to ours," reaching down to the chain, he held up the whistle, "this, is how I summon him to the material plane. He helped me find the wizards conclave soon enough and they were more than willing to sell the machine to me, not bothering to tell me of this insidious hunger that followed. Eventually through my wandering I was able to find a place in your kingdom to put my... abilities to use." Finished with that story he threw the robe back over his shoulders to fit him snugly. His almost black eyes with a ring of gold around them seemed to stand out strangely against all of the blackness surrounding his visage, the black hair, black robes, and then the white hand bound in magic. Looking out over the majestic scene, he paused for a moment as he tried to remember exactly what she looked like, the young apprentice of a mage at the time, yet she had freed him from his self made prison. They almost looked exactly identical, even her eyes... he swore he could see her in the tavern owner's eyes. The young girl, would she roughly be of this women's age due to the time altering effects of his portal. She had the same eyes, hair, and she was a sorceress, could it possibly be her? He decided to risk it, "Thank you," was all he said as he stared out over the night scene, thank you he thought, whether this be her or not, thank you...
- The Wise Mr. Barax
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:42:55 GMT -5
(OOC: Just wanna say BRILLIANT piece of writing Barax! Do we perhaps have the next David Eddings in our k.d? LOL) Astral had parseed out. As he woke, there were only a few people left in the tavern. All whispering and half drunk, as he was at this very moment. He tried to focus but got it right only half of the time. Where were Frost and Barax he thought? He totally underestimated them, they were great leaders and even better friends and they had a great night, a little bit too much to drink Astral pondered.... Although he have to admit he almost fainted when Frost stabbed the dagger between his fingers, was that intentionally miss, or did he make a mistake... Astral decided not to think about it. As he was thinking about the nights happenings, he sudden realized that Frost had heared Avio speak... and understood him! But how could he? Avio was a falcon and only Avians could understand their fellow predatory birds. Maybe it was the magical auras in this place that caused everyone to understand each other. Oh well didn't look like Frost or Barax took much notice of Avio in the first place... "Hey wake up, silly bird!" "Ugghhh, fly off!" Avio replied with a flap of his wing, "I don't feel to well..." "Well thats becuase you drank, and little falcons of youre posture aren't suppose to drink... now get up we got to get back to the castle, before my advisors find out. I am still too young to drink remember! And if Stelan finds out she'll give me a whipping like none I've ever had" "Okay, just give me a second..." With thas said Astral stood up, half dizzy, walked a few meters and fell flat on his face. "dern, I think I had too much..." "And you preached to me?!" Avio remarked. A beautiful lady walked towards them, smiling and nodding her head knowingly. "Hi, need any help?" Astral blushed, she was sooo beautiful. "That would be great, my first time drinking so much I'm afraid", blushing even more. "No problem, here let me help you up." The women took him by the arms, muttered a little incantation and Astral floated towards the tavern door. Outside it was a wonderful night, everything was perfect! "There you go" she said, and muttered a few more words. Astral slowly landed on the soft grarse. "The names Amber, and little avian boys shouldn't be out so late at night." she chuckled and walked back towards the tavern. "Thank you!" Astral shouted as she walked away. She only turned and waved gracefully, smiling as she did so, and dissapeared inside. "Wow, what a nice lady!" Astral told Avio. "Yeah, whatever, she's not my type" "Thats because youre a bird!, and I didn't mean it in that way... I'm way too young for a relationship" "Hey youre a bird too!, well half bird.." Avio smiled They both began to laugh and sat a little while longer on the grarse. "You don't think that I might be able to fly home?" Astral asked "Definitly not!" Avio chuckled, "I'll call Gryph, he'll come gets us" Avio momentarily became silent and focused, creating a mental link with Gryph, the house Griffin. "He's on his way" "Good, I'm very tired. Well we might aswell enjoy the brilliant night sky as we wait" They both took a deep breath of fresh air, each pondering on the night happenings and making plans for the future. Only later that night Astral will find out that he's precious coins were stolen by somebody... (OCC: Sorry Amber, but i had to get somebody to help me, hope you don't mind. Atleast we know each other now , oh and btw I'm the 'youngest' in the tavern, Avian years that is) - Sir Astral the Warrior
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:48:17 GMT -5
Oh, I agree...Lady Alarseea is the one I would go to, too... ...besides, you can't see me... - Lady Amber the Rogue She had studied him intently as he'd told his story. She weren't exactly sure about everything he said, but some parts of his story made ressonances within her own soul, within her memory. When he turned her back on her, she reflected over his looks and his story. She still felt there were things he hadn't mentioned, and were going to ask him, when his soft "Thank you" reached her ears. Suddenly, memory flushed her, she remembered her youth, her training, and she remembered the void and it's prisoner. She had always been strong, her powers at been strong. According to her mentor, exceptionally strong, and she had been trained well. There were however a few blank parts in her memory. She remembered the void, and she remembered waking exhausted, her mentor displeased with her for having used all her strength in one go. She couldn't recall what she had done though, or why. As time parseed, she had forgotten. Now she remembered again, but the day were still a blank spot in her memory. Walking closer, standing beside him, watching the water in the light of the stars, she softly said "Whatever I did, you are welcome" then she thought a second and added softly: "Was it worth it?" She let her spirit be wrapped in the mist of the waterfall, the stars shining over her head, and waited for his responce. - Lady Alarseea the Sorceress
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:49:06 GMT -5
"Was it worth it?" She asked him.
Was it, was it? He wasn't sure. He had vast amounts of power at his fingertips, but for what? It all seemed for naught. His taste, his physical health, his arm, at times his mental health, and most of all: a normal life. Was the power that coursed through his now feebled body worth all of it? Was the curse of power trully this great of a thing? No he decided, it wasn't worth it, but if it came to it he knew in his soul that he would do it all once more if it was the only thing that brought him to this same place in his life, staring out over this wondorous place next to her.... but if he hadn't done the things that he had he never would have known her, the kind and gentle soul that had freed him from the portal and taught him how to traverse back and forth between it without becoming trapped once more.
He let his arms fall limply to his sides as he spoke, "A man's life should not be judged while he is still walking among the living." Then looking down at his price for the undead he replied, "but since I walk both worlds, I would say no, but at the same time I would say yes, for without what sacrifices I gave up would I be the same person I am today?" Drawing his left hand against the cursed arm, he looked thoughtfully over at her looking at the stretching landscape. Removing the scabbard from his hip he let it slowly drop to the ground.
He smiled then grasped his right arm tightly, "No master you mustn't," the sword cry split the air, but Barax didn't hear, he was beyond hearing at the moment. Yanking with every ounce of physical and magical strength in him, he wrenched his right arm free of his body. Doubling over from the pain he dropped his newly free limb to the ground, gasping in pain he managed to remain on his feet.
"Wyvern, make sure she gets back home, no matter what," seeing her move towrds him he threw out his hand locking her in place for the moment, but still able to see and hear. Then placing his hand over his stomach and letting energies seep from his hand over the flesh he slowly removed the small device that lay there, dropping it to the ground beside his right arm. He looked over at her, "Now that was worth it," he said feeling himself almost slip from consciousness. Pulling the whistle's cahin tight, he snapped that from his neck throwing it to her feet. "You now have full use of my wyvern if you want, I can make myself another whistle where I'm going. Wyvern, take the sword and deliver it to my advisors telling them I shall return three days hence, and thank you, both." He waved his hand once more opening the door to his once long prison. He looked at her one more time realizing she was breaking the holds of the spell. "Thank you," was the last thing he said as he stepped through the portal, leaving the sword, wyvern and Alarseea on the cliff side they had been standing. His arm and machine left in front of them. Three days to them, a year and a half to Barax with the time effects of the room set in place. A year and a half to recouperate from his self inflicted wounds and study once more. The portal slowly closing behind, but maybe not fast enough he thought.
- The Wise Mr. Barax
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:50:03 GMT -5
Astral landed on the now familiar soft meadow infront of the tavern named Dumblewhip's, the place that now brought joy to his heart.
He quickly dissipated the thought of his drunkeness two nights ago. He met two kingdom lords, Barax and Frost, and now his two new friends. As he thought of that night a smile spread across his face, as he found out that very night that his coins were stolen, probably by... nah he thought, he couldn't have, he's a friend now. And quickly shaked the image of Frosts' hand taking his pouch...
As Astral walked towards the Tavern, wondering if maybe Frost or Barax was inside, ready to take his mind off his advisors, which by the way gave him the speech of his life, becuase he got drunk! Suddenly saw all the birds in the sky flying into each other, and crashing into trees... the next thing he knew Avio crashed rigth into him!
"What in feathers name!" Astral shouted!
"Somethings wrong, VERY WRONG!" Avio said in a startled voice..."Very wrong indeed..." looking very much bewildered...
"Have you lost youre mind, why did you crash into me like that! And for feathers sake whats going on with the birds!" Astral said in an irritated voice, becuase the confusion just took away a happy thought and spoiling the day...
"I don't know, the Alo Zara plane is...ummm..." Avio tried to speak, but began to screech uncontrolably.
"Calm down, calm down!" Astral was worried now, Avio never behaved like this!
"Now start again, what about the Alo Zara plane?" Astral waited patiently
"IT'S GONE!" Avio screeched horrified!
Just then a little kestrel hit Astral against the head! and landed dead on the floor, with Astral bleeding.
"Oh my! I'm bleeding, we need to get to the tavern or something, this is chaos!" Astral picked up Avio and ran into the tavern, which was now more packed than usual as all the common folk outside had the same idea as Astral to get away from the falling birds.
Astral got the table where he and his friends sat last. People were talking and shouting, and the tavern was buzzing with converstaions...
Astral turned to Avio. "What do you mean the Alo Zara plane is missing?" "We'll it's not missing, it's moved!" "Huh?" Astral sighed "Have you allready forgotten what the Alo Zara plane is? You really should be more attent in youre clarsees!" "Nows not the time to give me a speech, just tell me!" Astral said irritated.
Avio took a deep breath to calm himself. "Well you know that all the birds in utopia use the magical planes to navigate, right?"
"Yes, that much I know... continue"
"Alo Zara, Nal Zartha, Vino Lato and lastly Hano Tsi, the four magical planes representing north, south, east and west are all mixed and matched. We birds don't have a feathers clue where to go and how to get there... You know these planes are like our navigation tool, and now with them all mixed..." Avio sighed "chaos will reign in the sky"
"But how did this happened?"Astral thought aloud.
"I'm guessing somebody very adept at magic is the cause behind it. It's almost as if somebody just ripped a hole, a portal of some sort, in the very fibre of magic. Disturbing the natural eb and flow of it, and by doing so also disturbing the magical navigation planes we birds use..." Avio became silent. "Hey this happened a couple of months ago aswell, but not on such a big scale, I heard some reports of something similiar happening in a distant land, but thought naught of it, thinking the birds from other lands were kinda crazy"
"Well what now?" Astral asked "We wait it out... it should HOPEFULLY parse"
As the two friends waited in the tavern birdies were falling all around them and crashing into the tavern windows, cracking a few of them, and little kiddies cried and screamed. This was indeed chaos... The magical realm was disturbed. And SOMEONE was responsible....
- Sir Astral the Warrior
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:50:55 GMT -5
Frost was inside the tavern, as was usual. Sitting at his booth in the back, the one place in the tavern that was silent amidst the turmoil that seemed to have enraptured the rest of the tavern. Frost was however, content to remain wrapped in the cool silence of the shadows.
Frost felt many of his fellow nobles easily frazzled. But, a cool, level head was something that came with age. And age, was one thing Frost had to spare. Frost sighed, remembering his troubled youth, that had brought this curse upon him, this curse of eternal life...
Early on in life, Frost had shown great talent for thievery, indeed his skills were beyond that of any who had ever lived before him. But, as oft happens to youth, Frost's ego grew. He had heard of a powerful deity, who lived atop a mountain, in the tower of the stars, who had in his possession, a necklace that granted its wearer eternal youth. Frost had secreted his way into the tower, and worked his way to the necklace's sanctum. Frost had just reached it, but when his hand touched it, the magical ward he used to part the spells of the deity faltered. And, there appeared before Frost, a horrific beast that would haunt his dreams forever.
"SO? You dare to defile my sanctum with your presence? I shall grant you what you so desired, for it shall become a curse in and of itself. I grant you, life eternal." And then Frost had been cast out. At first, laughing that he had faced a deity, and won. oh, how he would learn to regret it however- Just then, Frost heard a horrible storm outside. 'What rain is this?' thought Frost, 'no storm is supposed to be able to penetrate Alarseae's spells.'
Walking to the window, carrying his plate with him, he noticed Astral, and sidled up next to him, perhaps he had refilled his coin purse. He was, however, taken aback by what he noticed outside the window. Birds were crashing, left and right. There was even a dead bird who had ran full speed into the window. Walking up next to Astral, he turned to his new friend, offered up his plate and said "Want some chicken?"
- Sir Frost the Rogue
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:51:46 GMT -5
She was fully unprepared when he tore off his cursed arm, and moved toward him instantly, prepared to help. He cought her by surprise, freezing her in place. Annoyed at herself, she watched him as he talked and left the whistle and the machine he had had in his stomach. All the while, she worked furiously at breaking the spell he had cast on her. As he stepped through the portal, and it started to close, the spell broke.
She ran for the portal, but even as she ran for it, she understood that he would need time alone to think, and she slowed. She knew she could have made it through the portal if she had hurried, but instead she were content as she put her hand against the edges of the portal. As her fingers touched the closing fabric, she shuddered as memory flooded through her.
She were young again, learning magic from her mentor. In her spare time, or when she was tired, she ran off, making a portal and wandering the planes and realms she could get to. Her mentor knew she did this, but tried to discourage it. He said it wasn't good for the realms to be "portaled" so often. She'd listened and forgotten. She were too inexperienced with her powers, too young, to "shift". Then one day when she made a portal, she couldn't remember where anymore, she felt this being inside the portal walls. A trapped being. Not thinking very far, she kinda stopped mid-stride while walking through the portal, and instead poured her powers into the walls, searching for the soul she had sensed. She had in the end located him, and been able to get him out. She had taught him how to portal decently and safely before returning to her mentor, exhausted, her magic reserves depleted.
She had slept for three days, almost in a coma. When she woke, she couldn't remember what had happened, and her features were visibly aged. Then she'd forgotten it all and gone on with her life. Somehow certain there were nothing to regret in those periods of amnesia, and not wanting to find out at the same time.
Slowly returning to the time of now, she noticed that the portal were gone, closed. She smiled vaguely, knowingly and walked towards the wyvern, picking up the whistle, hanging it around her neck. Then picking up the arm and the machine, putting them away in a magic fold, ready to be taken out when she wanted them. Lastly, she picked up the sword, slowly caressing it while she walked over to the wyvern. Talking slowly, softly with the wyvern, she seated herself on him, and braced herself for the shifting back to the tavern.
As they came out over the tavern, she realised something were very wrong. The birds were knocking into each other, into buildings, into her and her mount. The wyvern had huge problems landing, the way the birds were behaving. Finally he got his feet on the ground, and she dismounted, sending him on his way to Barax's lands with the sword, and the message. Then she concentrated on the birds again. She sensed their distress, and frustration, and remembering something about birds navigation from her young days, she realised she had to do something while she, and anyone who wanted to, tried to find a solution.
Stretching out her arms, mumbling incantations, she poured her magical reserves toward the birds, towards anyone using that particular navigation system in the entire kingdom, and anyone entering it. She identified them all, and slowly pushed them outside the ordinary time flow. They would move, but it would be so slow, a human eye would not catch it. To protect them, she also infiltrated a protection spell, making them untouchable. As the chaos over her head slowed down, and then became silence, her arms lowered, her strength and magic depleted, but the birds were safe.
She stumbled toward the tavern, and got in, spotting the Avian with his bird, and Frost standing beside him. She made her way toward them, nodding at Frost, before turning her attention to the young Avian. "Greetings, young lord, I'm Alarseea. I just thought I'd inform you that if your bird leaves my premises, he'll be caught in the same web that the other birds are caught in. It's a time spell thing, I'll explain later. Please..." This time she looked at them both "Please find the reason for their behavior and a way to cure it". Then her strength gave out on her and she sank to the floor, her eyes locking on Frost, and she fainted just as she said "Frost..." the word sounding like a plea.
- Lady Alarseea the Sorceress
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:52:49 GMT -5
Frost reacted immediately, catching Alarseea as she fell.
"Alarseea!" Frost yelled, "Alarseea, what's wrong?"
Alarseea did not answer, could not answer, and while Frost did not know what was wrong, he knew it was serious. A crowd gathered around them as Frost sought to wake Alarseea, but they kept their distance. Even the drunks had learned their lesson when one of the servers had tried to touch her forehead to check for fever, and nearly lost their hand. "No one touches her," said Frost, "do so, and die by my hand."
Realizing that this crowded room was no place to treat Alarseea, Frost whisked her up to her room, jamming a dagger in the lock as he closed the door behind him, to prevent anyone else from entering. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a sealed bottle.
"I know I vowed never to use you again," he said speaking to the bottle, "but, I know nothing of magics, and this is nothing like I have ever seen before. Her fever burns to such an extent that I fear she will be consumed in mere hours..." He hesitated, for but a moment, looked over a Alarseea, and spoke "Imp of Pateete, I beseech you, come to my aid" There appeared before him, a small creature. So foul and horrid was the creature that, though this was not the first time Frost had laid eyes upon the imp, he was paralysed for an entire hour, speechless with horror. After much effort, Frost muttered out two words. "Save.... her..." 'You realize what this means Frost?' spoke the imp, its voice being the only thing possibly more horrible than its appearance, 'you realize that if I grant you this boon, you will be bound to myself eternally, no more will I grant your requests, however, when you die, you will go to the abyss, where I dwell. Every morning, I will come to you, I will slowly, and painfully crush every bone in your body. I will consume your organs, and you will die. Then, every night, you shall awake to life once more, unable to sleep, you shall remain awake, waiting for my next visit. Madness will not save you, I will not allow it. All this you realize, and you accept?' "yes... I..." Frost looked once more at Alarseea," Accept." 'So be it, she should not have cast a spell of that magnitude, I doubt even I could have performed that with no ill effects, hers is a magical fever, beyond any healing skills known to mortals, but this place this upon her, it is the legendary Golden Fleece of the Argonauts, within a day or two, she shall return to health, her mystical engergies stronger than ever before.' That said, the imp disappeared.
Frost placed the fleece upon Alarseea, and retreated to a chair in one corner of the room. He would not leave, nor sleep, until she had awakened, and had regained her strength. 'Perhaps eternal life will not be so bad,' Frost thought bitterly, 'if that is what awaits me should I to die...' But, looking over at Alarseea, he felt no regret.
- Sir Frost the Rogue
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:54:26 GMT -5
"No thanks Frost, not very hungry at the moment"
The two sat there not talking very much, cause Astral wasn't in the mood and Frost didn't like talking in the general, just enjoying each others presence.
All of a sudden Avio swirled into the air! "I CAN FLY!" He exclaimed excitedly. Astral was so taken aback that he fell off his chair. "Look Astral..." "Yeah buddy I can see, youre in the air" Frost only looked as normal as every not even noticing that Avio launched himself at a gazillion miles a hour into the sky, almost hitting the ceiling.
Then Frost said "Hey the birds stopped crashing into each other"... "Yeah you're right. Looks like this ordeal is over, althought theres a lot of birds dead I think..."
Just then lady Alarseea appeared, walking towards us... She came and stood next to the table. "Greetings, young lord, I'm Alarseea. I just thought I'd inform you that if your bird leaves my premises, he'll be caught in the same web that the other birds are caught in. It's a time spell thing, I'll explain later. Please..." She looked at both of us "Please find the reason for their behavior and a way to cure it".
"Hello my nam..e.." Astral stopped in mid speech as Lady Alarseea fell to the ground. Frost was with her in a second. Picking her up and running with her to her room.
"Hey wait Frost!..."
"What does she mean 'Find a cure'?" Avio asked puzzled, "Look I can fly then" "Didn't you hear what she said, it's her spell that enables you to fly, the planes are only temporarily 'fixed', it's gonna wear off and we'll have the same problem again" Astral concluded worriedly. "We need a VERY adept mage at fixing the magical navigation plains, thats all I know. Theres nothing I can do, we two are crappy at magic in anycase. Our spells fail 20% of the time!"
Pondering for a while, Astral decided to go look how Alarseea was doing. He stood infront of the door, and knocked... "Frost open up,it's me Astral..." Astral waited for his call to be answered...
- Sir Astral the Warrior
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:55:44 GMT -5
*She stirred* Her heart were razing, she couldn't catch the bird and she felt it was imperative to catch the bird. Then, when she had nearly caught it, the air filled with birds, and she felt she had to catch them all. It was hopeless, impossible, too many birds.
The dream changed, she saw strands and strands and strands. All stretched out, holding a bird. She didn't understand the significance. But she knew all the birds were caught, and this time it was her duty to free all of them. But she couldn't find a way to cut the strands, or open their grip on the birds. She screamed in despair and frustration. *She moaned softly, and stirred again* Again the dream changed. She saw many people enter, and started to kill the trapped birds. She tried to stop them, knew she had to save the birds, but whenever she got near one of the killers, she got cut with a knife or hit with a fist. Soon she were bleading all over, but were still fighting. *She thrashed, moaning* Then she saw lords and ladies of her kingdoms, people she had befriended through the ages. They stopped the killers, and pleaded for her to heal the birds and let them free. She didn't know how, she didn't know how. *she screamed, a tearing, heart-shattering cry, filled with pain* *Suddenly she opened her eyes, looked square at Frost, and said "Save them", with a frenzy in her voice. Then she fell back down in the bed, apparently in deep sleep again.*
(OOC: The *'s signify real events. The rest is her dreams.)
- Lady Alarseea the Sorceress
***Amber sensed that something was wrong...perhaps one of her kingdom mates was in need...perhaps a spell to banish all negative energies from NewDumblewhips was called for...Amber usually let others alone unless they cried for help...but something was disturbing the balance in the kingdom...using her mana (and sending positive energies towards the Lady Alarseea) she enriched the tavern with wishes for peace and contentment...It may not take care of everything...but maybe it would help for awhile.
- Lady Amber the Rogue
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:56:47 GMT -5
(OOC: I hurt and my brain is still gone from staffing that derned convention, so if my post doesnt turn out good, bite me lol, not that i'd be very tasty, hmm maybe a bit like chicken Frost and Astral lol)
As he studied in solitude in his time altering room, his mind clear and fully working since the constant pang of hunger was gone, he devoured book after book of knowledge and wisdom, every day knowing more than he did the previous, storing it within his sage like mind, able to recall any and everything he had ever read without much difficulty. He found a way to restore his lost arm, but thought that the missing appendage would serve as a great reminder to think his actions through before sacrificing parts of himself for things. He developed his magical abilities to an extent where nothing he could get outside of a mystic conclave could help him grow further in his abilities. And yet still after this he continued to study, to summon forth the great tomes from the greatest libraries of every plane, he had even managed to get his hands on a few books that were never meant to be seen by mortal eyes.
He looked around his room, he had learned now that it was in a place held in limbo between two planes, a sub-plane, the time altering effects of it were amazing, six months in the room was only one day on the material plane, his home. He had even materialized a few things in the void to make the room more comfortable, a stone floor, a great oak table upon which the current tome he was reading was placed, a huge chair which dwarfed even the tallest orcs of the land, another table nearby upon which a summoning circle was placed so he could instantly call forth real food instead of expending more of his magical energies, and a fireplace that never seemed to lose its calm inferno. He had even insmilk shooteruted a fake gravity spell so he could actually walk normally on the floor seeing as there was no gravity here. He had put no walls and no ceiling in this place though, felling as though it confined his thinking, he just let the blackness of this void surround him, showing him that there was always more to be explored.
Leaning back in the great chair he let out a sigh, he had been studying about sub-planes lately. Mostly he had been looking for a way to extend the time inside of it, possibly make a year or two equal one day still. He thought he might have stumbled upon it, but it was more on how to link a buildings doorway to the sub-plane. He had also learned that opening these portals messed with some of the nearby area's magical fluxes, but that this could be worked around by casting a certain energy confinement spell around the area where the portal was to be opened. He closed his eyes for a moment of rest wondering what it would be like to open a sub-plane library or even a training area for the lords and ladies of his kingdom. He chuckled at the thought for the magical energies that had to be used to keep the confinement spell and door open were beyond that of even most of the great elven conclaves, where many sorcerers had spent years upon years perfecting their art almost down to an exact science. He looked back down to the book and began absorbing the knowledge from it once more. Finally he stumbled over what he was looking for, his eyes opened wide when he saw it, but gradually they fell. The opening incantations to even tap into the magical webs required too much energy, by the time he would've gotten into weaving more magic into them he would be almost fully exhausted. He might be able to add a day or so to the time about every week if he was lucky. He stood up and stretched, arching his back to stretch himself even further. He walked over to the fire and felt the heat ripple over his bare chest, lately he had taken to wearing just his pants in this room and had started to tone his once feeble body now that it didn't have to fight for food. He was still of a small build, but now his toned muscles added a certain definition to his body. He knew he would soon have to return to the kingdom. He returned to the tome and closed it sending it back to the library from where it came. Grabbing his tunic off the bed he pulled it over his head to realize it was trully uncomfortable. He laughed once more as he realized it clung tight against his toned body after so long of it hanging loosely. He threw the tunic on his nearby bed and grabbed his robe, throwing that over his head. Smiling at the comfort in which he found in his black robe he grabbed the new whistle off the book table and restrung it once more from his neck. Then using his magic he pulled his new magical item over his hand, a black leather glove that came up right below his elbow, and tightened the side straps down with his teeth. The glove was covered with etched runes to increase the potency of his spell casting. He was proud of his creation and cleched his only hand to get the feel of the leather just right. He raised his hand and sent his magical energies through the planes to where he wanted to open his portal, casting the confinement spell, then he focused his energies back to the room and opened the portal, he stepped through to face Dumblewhips door. Retracting his energies from the portal it closed behind him, then withdrawing his energies from the confinment spell, it too dissapated. Focusing back on the door he could tell something was very wrong, he sensed the magical aura that imposed peace, but why would it be around the tavern, unless something happened to Alarseea... Barax opened the door and walked through looking much healthier than the last time he had been here, even though a bit distraught. He hadn't even noticed the bird slowly parseing behind him as though it was forcibly moving against some unseen force.
- The Wise Mr. Barax
|
|
|
Post by Kevinness on Jan 2, 2005 3:58:14 GMT -5
Frost had spent many an hour wandering the room. Alarseea's sleep was like that of the dead. No breath, No pulse, nothing to indicate that she was alive. Yet, Frost did not worry. She would heal, the imp could not take Frost without her living throught this ordeal, the imp may hate Frost, but their bargain had been struck, the imp must fulfill his part. Frost had little to do while he waited, and took the time to study the books that alarseea had collected in her room.
Frost had once dabbled in magic, but upon the realization that he would never grow powerful enough to change his weightly challengede, he had given up. Indeed, all he could do these days was sense mystic presence in objects, Frost knew not to study the mystic tombs, knowing that without the proper words spoken, before reading each book, the proper inflection placed on each syllable, he might very well go mad from looking at a single page. Finding a beastery, that had no ambient mystical field around it, Frost settled down to read-
Just then, he heard Alarseea begin to stir. Frost was up in a moment, the book falling to the floor forgotten, Alarseea slept uneasily, but, at least now, it was obvious she slept. She screamed, and shot up, "Save them!" was all she said, looking into his eyes, and then she collapsed once more into unconsciousness. Frost, having been around people on the brink of death all his life, noted that finally, her sleep was a restful, healing one.
Rubbing her forehead lovingly, Frost spoke "Worry not, dearest, the problems of this world will take care of themselves this time, you just concentrate on yourself." Despite the knowledge that she could not hear him, Frost would have sworn he saw her smile ever so slightly.
Once more wandering the room, Frost looked through the window and his gaze caught Barax walking into the tavern outside.
All in the tavern heard the thud, and looking around, a dagger seemed to have appeared in the doorway, a note attached. Being the closest to it, Barax grabbed the note, pulled the dagger from the wall, allowing the door to finally close behind him. A confused look overcame Barax's features however, the paper said simply "Save them."
- Sir Frost the Rogue
Astral saw a momentary glimpse of steel as the dagger parseed about four meters infront of him as he sat at the table, pondering on a solution for their current problem. The dagger shot into the doorway as Barax entered the tavern, picking it off he read it and Astral saw the confused look wich slowly spread across his face.
"Barax!" Astral shouted and ran to his friend. "The Lady Alarseea..." is all Astral got to say before Barax ran towards her room. Sensing that she was fighting to regain her health non-the-less.
"Frost won't let you in!" "Whats going on here" Barax shouted almost feverishly... "It's a long story! Right now Lady Alarseea is, well not feeling very good. Frost is with her. All I know is that she casted a time-altering spell which drained her of her energies... I think the spell was to complex or something, I'm not good with magic in anycase. Maybe you could convince Frost to let us in..."
Barax was silent, he slowly lowered his head to the paper, "And what does this mean?"
Astral took the paper and read it aloud, "Save them..." after a momentary silence Astral spoke again, "I thik she's talking about the birds..." "Birds?" Barax stared at him confused.
Astral slowly tapped Barax on the shoulder, "We have a lot of talking to do" and he led him to the table where they always sat. Avio sleeping in the meantime...
- Sir Astral the Warrior
|
|