Alrighty, here's a quick recap...

<font color="lightgreen">The merry party of Jaime, Galadria, Rrang, Eliza, Delita and Sorsha have been waylaid by a band of unidentified riders. Once again, by some miracle, they survive the assault and are currently wondering who their attackers are...</font>

<font color="gold">Dalben has retreated to a private spot, obscured by the bookshelf at his home...</font>

<font color="magenta">Isaura, unveiled, is now reeling back in horror at the sight of Raymond...</font>

<font color="cyan">The corpses lay harmlessly on the ground as the party surveys the carnage around. As Galadria awaits Jaime's reply (as to who the assassins could be), the companions are distracted by a series of piercing shrieks in the sky.

Glancing up, they see a mass of winged creatures in the distance. The creatures seem to be heading towards them at an incredible speed.
It is impossible to tell if they bear good or ill intent...</font>

<font color="lightblue">Jaime

"When will it ever end?" </font> <font color="silver">Jaime cried out at the sky. He began looking around for something to hide under, but as he was thus doing so, he noticed a mark on a dead soldier's guantlet. It was a peculiar mark. A green serpant entertwined with a man. Where had he seen that before?</font>

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<font color="lightgreen">Bazguul

Servant: "My Lord! We have sent your riders to persue the fools! I also prepared a special surprise for them, just in case they prove the victors of that battle."

Bazguul: "You have done well, Snake. I am pleased with your work. Tell me, What of your friend...this Azure? Why does she not join our ranks?"

Snake: "Sire! She does not believe in you, I'm afraid. She may be a hinderance in your plan."

Bazguul: "Then bring her to me. I will show her..."
<font color="skyblue">
Azure: "You will show me nothing, you demon!"</font>

<font color="silver">The two look up in the chandelier that hung from the ceiling to see Azure perched there, holding her bow pointed at Bazguul's heart.</font>

Snake: "Azure! What the hell are you doing! Put that thing away and come down here! How did you find us?"

<font color="skyblue">Azure: "There is only one person that can follow your shadow through these streets, and that's me. I suspected you after that death in the tavern. You are slipping on your tact, old boy! I cannot believe you turned against us! Betrayed Jaime...AND ME!"</font>
<font color="silver">Azure changed the direction of her aim, and let loose the arrow. It found Snake's heart with a thud. He fell over, his lifeforce fled. Turning back her attention to Bazguul, she saw him nowhere. He had escaped, somehow. She quickly made her escape from this dungeon. She had to get to Jaime and warn him about all this. </font>

OOC>>> Great follow-up, Larry [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

IC>>>
<font color="silver">Sorsha

Fingers clasped firmly over the pendant, she hurriedly lifts it above her head and places it once more in her pocket ~ Dalben, why would you do this to me? ~ Nervously, she licks her lips, her eyes scanning the area.

What's this? ~ Approaching a mass of bushes, she extends her hands to pull the branches apart. Her heart skips a beat as she makes the discovery ~ "Over here!" ~ Gesturing at her companions to follow her.</font>

<font color="cyan">Scrambling towards the bushes, the companions find themselves crawling in single file, along an astonishingly long tunnel of leaves and twigs. Finally, they halt, nearly bumping into one another. Sorsha's soft voice floats from in front ~ "There's a trap door here... it seems to be locked."

Turning around, she heaves a sigh of relief to see Jaime ~ "Would you be able to pick this lock?"</font>

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]</p>

<font color="gold">Dalben

It seems that caution always rewards... ~ Wryly, he continues on his way, the soft light revealing the passage ahead ~ How long it has been... ~ He stops in his tracks for a moment, his eyes a little troubled ~ I hope I still remember the way.

The absurdity of the situation suddenly hits him, and a low chuckle ascends from his throat ~ "Ah, Dalben, Dalben... age is your greatest enemy now." ~ Muttering, he stares pensively at the three doors ahead ~ "Now, if I could only remember which door leads there..."

Thankful for the mild ventilation of this underground world, he walks towards the leftmost door ~ "This should be the one... I think." ~ Frowns slightly, then reaches to turn the knob.

The door swings open to reveal another passage. His eyes widen at the now familiar sight ~ "Yes, it is as I thought..."</font>

OOC>>>
It ain't over yet, dear! I have a whole big plan with my PCs... ;)
I just need to figure out how to get Jaime in danger again and how to get Azure to our party...

<font color="lightblue">Jaime

"Hey! My specialty!"</font>

<font color="silver">Jaime extracts a small leather bound wallet from his pocket, opens it, and takes out one of many small gadgets. Trying this one in the hole, he shakes his head, reaches for another smaller gadget, inserts this into the hole, and wiggles it around. A click is heard. Asking everyone to stand back, Jaime studied the area for traps. Deciding it was safe, he opened the heavy lid. A cool musty scent like moldy earth found its way to the party's noses.</font>

OOC>>>Mistral...Help me out in understanding a little moer of Isaura. She lost her baby long ago when it died of freezing to death, since she had been in the woods looking for food, and the fire died, leaving the house cold. She feels guilty, and sad, and scared, but what is the symbol and the veil, and that remark about her ashen face? Help me out,, here...

<font color="white">Raymond
<font color="silver">
"Suddenly awake and alert for any creeping things, Ramond inquires,</font> Isaura! Pray tell! What's wrong! What has happened? You're crying!"</font>

OOC>>>ps...I am still working on something big for Raymond, but I do not know when is a good time to drop it on'em.

<font color="magenta">Isaura

My fate is sealed...

Hearing Raymond's distressed question, she turns to him, her cheeks burning with shame and misery ~ "It is not your fault..." ~ Softly she whispers ~ "I owe you an explanation, I suppose..."

Rising to her feet, she stands facing him, that look of humiliation still evident ~ "Years ago, I set out for the world just like you did. And I met someone... someone special." ~ Her voice trembling, then hardening almost instantly ~ "Or so it seemed. We... had a baby... her name was Joy." ~ The irony almost tearing at her heart, she struggles to contain the haunting grief ~ "He left. That someone special, I mean. And I was left with my little Joy." ~ Her look alternates between hatred and that of fond memories ~ "She was my life. I wanted everything for her. But I had no money."

Money... it meant power. And a life for Joy. ~ "One day, I left in search of fruit. As usual, I left Joy in the cottage, as I thought it was safe..." ~ Seeing the incredulous look on Raymond's face, she suddenly snaps ~ "I was only fifteen! How was I to know?!" ~ Then her voice drops to a whisper, wistful and hopeless ~ "She died. The fire in the cottage was blown off by a strong gust of wind, and my Joy... she died of chill."

For a moment, the raw pain seems to wrench her voice completely and she stares right through Raymond as if he were completely transparent. An eerie hoot from a lone owl draws her back to reality and she speaks once more.

"I came across a temple. Full of remorse, I begged the clerics to imprint this symbol to remind me of my folly." ~ She runs her finger along her left cheek ~ "Oh, I begged for days... they finally relented." ~ Her eyes flutter involuntarily ~ "Still it was not enough. So I vowed to wear a veil to cover my face partially..."

By now, her cheeks have once more turned to a bright scarlett ~ "... and I vowed that the day my veil was removed and my face revealed to a man, he would be..." ~ She turns away, her voice trembling with fear and shyness ~ "... my husband."</font>

OOC>>> There, Larry! All clear now? :D

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]</p>

:eek:

[img]graemlins/hidesbehindsofa.gif[/img]

<font color="white">Raymond

"You...Y..Me...Ma...umm..."

<font color="silver">What was Raymond to say to that one? Did he even know this girl? What if she didn't really like him, but was forced to marry him now, because of him accidently seeing her unveiled? Married? Him???? He was a nobody! He couldn't get married. He needed a job and a good home and ...well, alot of stuff! </font>

Bu..bb...how...you ...like..me??? I ...hmmm....Hold on a minute...I...I can't talk good. ...</font>

<font color="silver">Raymond tried to relax, tried to not take things so hard. Maybe things would be ok. He had to clear his mind. </font>

<font color="white">"May I take a walk in the night air?"</font> <font color="silver">He inquired...</font>