My dear lady, I do not think up a battle. When there is injustice, we must fight. When honour is at stake, we must fight. Yet I do not seek out these wars. They seek us.

OOC: I was actually thinking along the lines of a turn-based battle with an added time limit, but that is only part of the problem. Other than the chaos it is the powerplay that is the killer, and I think the best way to remove that is to find a way not to make people afraid to lose. They should not die, when kept alive the players can still take part in the fighting and be involved in the battle. But if there is nothing to lose, why fight at all? Busy busy busy... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Lady Galadria nods to herself, embarrassed to think of war as a game. But she does. She enjoys fighting evil, especially the Undead, as she got a Cartier Negative Plane Protection Amulet for her last birthday. She looks proudly at the trophy on the mantlerpiece, noting that her Leader has not told her to take it off.
OOC>>Yay.

OOC: Too bad Garnet is out patrolling so much....I really like Lady Galadria!!! ;)

Ehr, why not ask her to join Garnet on some of her partols? Campfire stories are always a lot of fun too ;)

Lady Galadria smiles sunnily at the Ranger, glancing down unobtrusively at the tiny mirror in her vambrace to make sure her makeup is OK. Satisfied, she says:"Thanks, Garnet, I'm predisposed to like you too.(Preens at the compliment) Any help you need on any lonely patrol in the Marches of the land, I will be glad to provide, with my good sword Salebringer and mace Powderpuff."
Later: At noon the next day, the Order building, instead of ringing with the sound of steel, is astir with the rustle of silks.Lady Galadria has brought guests for lunch.
LADY GALADRIA: Well, girls, what do you think of it?
IMOEN: Wow, Gal, this is great. Who are all these guys?
LADY G: Well, that tall gentleman over there is Sir Byronas, the head of the order. That one brooding over in the corner is Sir ReGin, and that one in leather, talking to that cute little Ranger, is Legolas.
VICONIA: (appprovingly) Well, they are all very handsome, abbil, but where is this Keldorn? I was looking forward to meeting him again, to tell him that I have changed my mind about many of the things of which we spoke, right before he left your party so abruptly. A shame it is that he did not continue with us to see the downfall of Irenicus, and, especially, Bodhi.
NALIA: Now, Viconia, don't be bringing all that up again. We're just here to have a nice lunch. Gal, this is very elegant. Are we going to have a cocktail?
LADY G: Sure, Nal. Waiter!
(The waiter approaches. He looks remarkably like Brad Pitt)
WAITER: Yes, my Lady? Something from the bar, perhaps?
LADY G: Yes.Girls? (they order)
IMOEN: So, Gal, what's up? Why are you treating us?
LADY G: Well, Im, since everybody was in town, I just wanted to bring you here to see my new club. It's nice and quiet, and the food is good.
IMOEN: Oh, can it, Gal. You're up to something, I know.
NALIA: Yes, Gal, the last time you bought us lunch,the next thing I knew, we were fighting that demon, what was his name, Meel'shaadrix? (laughs elegantly)
VICONIA: That did not turn out so ill for you, mzil plit. You met your husband on that trip, did you not?
NALIA: (blushes) Oh, Vickey, you've got me there. Odo says that it was the happiest battle of his life.
IMOEN: So, spill it, Gal, we're wise to your tricks.
LADY G: Well, since you insist, Attalus is planning another campaign. He's going to invite all the members of the Order, and you three, and were going on an adventure based on the Salvatore novel, Streams of Silver, which he always said was like a D&D game, and run it as the DM. It will be in January. So, are you interested? Or is aybody else?

Contiuing previous post.
NALIA: I don't knoww, Gal. Odo is planning a second honeymoon to Waterdeep.
VICONIA: (laughs throatily) So soon, mzil plint? Did you not just get back from the first?
NALIA: (blushes more deeply) Well, Vickey, you know Odo. He believes that anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
VICONIA: (laughs outright) I know that Odo beleves in "doing," Yes, I know that well.
(NALIA is too flustered to continue)
IMOEN: Oh, Vickey, now you've gone and embarrassed her. (pats NALIA gently) That's okay, Nal. I think it's sweet. You're just newlyweds. And, he's your first guy, ever, right?
(NALIA buries her burning face in her hands)
LADY G: Im, you're not helping. Vickey, behave!
VICONIA: (interested) Her first? Were you indeed unpierced, mzil plint?
LADY G: (commandingly) Vickey, I said to leave her alone.Just because you've had four husbands and I don't know who else...
VICONIA: You surely don't know who else. I try and try to tell you...
LADY G: Anyway, poor Nal simply didn't have the time. All that doing good...
IMOEN: So, Nal, when you slipped out at night, it was just to minister to the needy? No wonder Isea Roenall was so mean.
(NALIA recovers from her embarrassment)
NALIA: (with dignity) Kindly do not mention that man's name. I should have told you sooner, Odo challenged him to a duel. (excited interest)
LADY G: Odo challenged Isea? Did they fight?
NALIA: He did. I was surprised. I thought him too great a coward. But after Odo killed his father, his hatred was just too great. They fought at his estate, where Odo had gone to challenge him.
IMOEN: Ooh, Nal, neat. Were you there? Did you watch?
NALIA: (with satisfaction) I certainly did. I was there to ensure fair play.
VICONIA: (sotto voce) With your mighty magic, I assume.
(NALIA doesn't hear, but LADY G. does. She glares at the drow, who subsides.)
NALIA: Isea wouldn't even wear a helmet, he was so arrogant. Said it would muss his hair. Let me tell you, Odo mussed it plenty.
IMOEN: (wriggles excitedly) Ooh, this is great. I always hated him.
LADY G: So, he is dead?
NALIA: Deader than a dried smelt. It took Odo DAYS to clean his mace off.
WAITER: Ladies, here are your drinks. (To be continued, if Sir Byronas permits.)

Go on Galadria.

Lady Galadria bows gratefully to Sir Byronas.
Continued from last post.
(as the women sip their drinks, SIR KELDORN approaches the table)
SIR KELDORN: Good afternoon, ladies.(Glares at Viconia, who merely looks demure) Galadria, may I see you in my office?
LADY G: Certainly, Sir.(She rises) If you ladies will excuse me?
(they all exchange looks of amused apprehension)
IMOEN: Uh, oh, our Gal's in trouble
(LADY G and SIR K go off together)
(They enter SIR K's offfice. It is small and sparsely furnished but festooned with memntoes of K's career. A picture of his wife and children are on his desk. He sits down)
SIR K: Now, Galadria, what's all this? I have heard many tales of you and your husband going about the realms, smiting evil and being well-thought of as Paladins, but now you come here, to my very Order Building, flaunting that evil creature, Viconia. I have made it clear to you my opinion of her, and must ask you to take her and leave.
LADY G: Sir, the lady of whom you speak is under my protection and that of my husband, and I must ask you to moderate your language when speaking of her. I have told you that you were too hasty in your opinion of her, and now formally demand that you, as a Paladin of the Order and an Inquisitor, examine her here and now, to determine her true nature, I will stand by your judgment.
SIR K: (sighs) Very well, Galadria, I will examine the crea...lady, and render judgement. But you must abide by it, and if she prove to be evil, depart these premises. If you continue to associate with an evil creature, your Paladin status may be in jeapordy.
LADY G: Sir, it shall be as you say.
(Goes out, returns with VICONIA. They stand before SIR K's desk)
LADY G: Sir, we are ready.
SIR K: Let her speak for herself, Galadria; you cannot always stand between her and the forces of Right. (to VICONIA) Woman, are you ready to undergo the Trial?
VICONIA: (amused) What can your trials be against the tortures I have undergone in my home, male? Get on with it.
SIR K: (Casts Detect Evil; VICONIA, to his astonishment, does not prove to be so)
SIR K: (Turns to LADY G) Well, Galadria, it seems I owe this lady and yourself an apology. I may have spoken too hastily in Viconia's case.
VICONIA: We need no apologies from you, Sir Keldorn. I indeed provoked you. I was very confused and afraid at the time, and Galadria and Attalus have convinced me of the error of drow ways. I think ,as a people, we are all under Lloth's evil spell. I have met with Drizzt Do'Urden about this, and we intend to campaign to rescue out people from her sway. For , there are others who feel as we do. Soluferen, for one.I now know that he was feeling the same misgivings that I was.Show a drow mercy, when he or she expect none, and the axioms of the way of Lloth do not seem so sure. Show a drow true friendship , as these have done, and we can find the right path. I intend to go back to the Underdark, and find him and aid him, if possible.
SIR K: A worthy task, indeed. Go, Viconia, with my blessings.
(Lady G and VICONIA go out together)
(They sit down at their friends table)
IMOEN: (eagerly)Well, how'd it go?
LADY G: It went well, Im, I knew it would. Keldorn is a fair man, and we all know Vickey has changed since he last had that run-in with her.
NALIA: Then that calls for a celebration! Waiter!
(Waiter comes to the table)
WAITER: Yes, my lady?
NALIA: Take these glasses away! Champagne all around! Do you have the Dom Perignon '75?
WAITER: (taken somewhat aback) Yes,my Lady, but it is very expensive.
NALIA: Who cares? I'm rich. Fetch it,
(The wine is brought, and the celebration continues far into the afternoon)
The end
(Tip of the helmet to Russ, who provided the hint that got this little playlet started)

Ahhh, all is well that ends well, although, I was a bit frightened Lady Galadria, that I would be forced to combat the friend of such a noble paladin as yourself, had Viconia proven herself of evil intent, but I would have stood beside Sir Keldorn, as I am sworn to serve Torm the true, and my duty would have been painfully clear.

"But enough of that, allow me to welcome your friends, hello, lady Imoen, the tales of your beauty do not do you justice.

"and welcome and good morrow to you, Lady Nalia, welcome to our Order building, and I greet a most unusual specimen of your race, Mistress Viconia, I do hope that your mission will be successful and bring about the salvation of many drow otherwise doomed to an eternity in the Abyss."

Regin looks over to the ladies..
*Hmm...the one with the short red hair looks cute..I wonder if I should talk to her?*, he thinks for himself..
He decides not to.. [img]tongue.gif[/img]