Hazardous Times Part IX (fresh blood - not literally, please! - welcome)

[Galadria]

OOC>> Yeah, welcome, Madman. Watch out, I have a feeling that bar is going to be really hopping pretty soon. IC>
OLD MAN "I do not know know, my lady. I seem to be missing more teeth than I did before. (he spits one out) but I am glad enough to be alive, for they meant to kill me, or so they said, the swine. Ah, me, it's rough to get old."

ELIZA (Smiles slightly, as she helps him up) "I'll bet in your time, you would have taken care of them, all right."

OLD MAN "Yes, indeedy, young miss. The fact is, if they had let me tell them, I could have told them things that would be worth more than they could have taken off of me, but they were greedy and hasty, and see where it's got them." (He kicks one of the soldiers' corpses)

ELIZA (interested) "You could have? Are you a man of such knowledge, then?"

OLD MAN "Yes, ma'am, I am a soothsayer. I can give the answer to hard riddles, I can. My god (I call him Bax) whispers the answers in my ear. It's him, not me, I am just the conduit. I don't know the answer until the question is posed, but you must concede that it is a valuable talent."

[mistral4543]

Isaura

The hue on her cheeks reddens further and she remains standing, her eyes radiating hate at the audacious fiend ~ "Never! You are a scumbag, if there ever was one!" ~ Do not bow down, Isaura... you've done that enough years ago. ~ Her voice rising with each word she pronounces ~ "Death is too easy for you, and I see that the Heavens have dealt you a far more painful fate."

Tobias

"Shut up!" ~ Abruptly releasing her left hand, he delivers a stinging slap across her left cheek and curses loudly as she draws blood with her dagger, yet again on his cheek. Reaching out, he grasps hold of her neck and hisses menacingly ~ "I'd watch my words if I were you, Isaura... your life is in my hands." ~ But then, my dear, death, too, would be too easy for you... not after what you've said to me in public...

Isaura

In vain does she struggle, before submitting to her helpless position ~ "What... do... you... want..." ~ Half-choking, she blinks desperately, realising tears are welling in her eyes ~ Damn all of you! I'm not sad! Don't give him the wrong idea! I'm just choking, damn it! ~ Faces Tobias proudly but silently, issuing her final statement wordlessly: I will not say 'please', so there!

Tobias

His eyes narrow in irritation, before he unexpectedly bursts into a raucous laughter, the hollowness echoing in the silent tavern ~ "You've changed, my dear, exceedingly. You forget how willing you were to submit to my wishes then... all of them..." ~ Venom spilling from his mirthless smile as knowing looks and leering glances are thrown at Isaura ~ "I wonder how virtuous you are, these days..." ~ His right hand still gripping her neck, he now reaches out with his left hand to stroke her honey-coloured hair ~ "My, my! All this beauty surrendering to me... but we all know of the taint, do we not?" ~ Exaggerating a comforting sigh ~ "Tsk, tsk! Cry not in shame, Isaura! This mark upon your cheek reveals much of your past and I shall now help you erase the unpleasantness of it all." ~ Saying he bends down and forces a kiss on her lips, a thrill running down his spine.

Isaura

You vile beast!!! ~ Fury as she has never known now surges throughout her indignant frame and she closes her eyes, preparing for swift death even as she makes a last-ditch attempt to puncture his head with her dagger. Alas, the blow is not fatal, but hope rises within her breast as he cries out in pain. Blood begins to ooze from the wound on his right shoulder blade, and she staggers backwards hurriedly, thankful that the crowd, at least, seems to be aiding her escape.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Addison sits at the table with the newcomer and studies him closely, ignoring the ale on the table.

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I will pass for now. Past experiences have taught me to be wary of the generosity of strangers. Perhaps if we knew your name and the type of business you wish to discuss, my comrades and I would feel more comfortable accepting your hospitality."

Addison looks deep into the man's eyes as he waits for an answer. He uses his ESP spell to probe the man's thoughts and learn if he is a friend or foe.

[TAOWolf]

[img]graemlins/wavey.gif[/img] WELCOME, Madman

TAO glances briefly up at the man, then returns her attention back to the notes Addison has been taking, and reaching under the table, squeezes Raymond's thigh in a silent word of warning.

~Talk to him if you wish, but do NOT get riled....Addison and I still need to recover power~

She raises an eyebrow at the ale in front of her, and looks back at the man, her eyes glowing quickly, then looks back at the ale. "Thank you, but no....I have tea...Kind offer though."

Her mind is racing in a hundred different directions as she studies this man, "~a brawler could come in handy in the days to come~"

Thunder, the wolf she sent to follow Sir Blandamour interupts her thoughts with a brief message......

She gazes back down at the papers, as she hides a frown, "So, Gala and Blandamour have been split apart, and the young girl becomes his squire? This is interesting.......and could become complicated..." she thinks to herself...

Turning to Raymond, she motions him to rise, and as she grabs her staff while donning her cloak she turns to Addison, "Raymond and I are going to the edge of the forest for awhile, if you need us" she places an amulet in Addison's hand, "just send me a message thru this".

To Raymond she says, "Perhaps while we wait, you would like a lesson in.........controling your temper, yes?"

[ 05-07-2002, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: TAOWolf ]

[Galadria]

ELIZA "So, you are a soothsayer? Can you perhaps answer a few questions for our saving your life?"

SOOTHSAYER "Indeed, milady, I am most grateful to yerself and the good knight, hedre." (Blandamour has ridden up and is observing the little scene curiously.)

ELIZA"Can you tell us then of this demon army?"

SOOTHSAYER (His voice changes to the deep tones of the god Bax) "Aye, woman, that I can. Ask your questions, for you have my gratitude for saving the life of my devotee, here."

ELIZA "Who leads it? What is his power? How can it be defeated?"

SOOTHSAYER "It is led by a demon, Bazguul'tek. He has considerable power of his own, but his principle power is an amulet that he bears, containing the life-forces of a powerful wizard. He may be defeated by destroying or stealing the amulet, or perhaps by freeing the wizard, who would then doubtless turn on the demon."

[Skydracgrrl]

A slight figure covered with a powderblue cape walked lightly into the bar. Setting itself down in a shadowed corner, it pushed its hood back with a stretch and a sigh. "Goodness, haven't been to a bar in ages. Elven mead over here, please." the young half-elf woman addressed the barkeeper, who smiled and went to fetch the asked for drink. The girl had dirty-blonde hair, almost chestnut, and a peculiar shade of amethyst-hazel eyes, with a smirking smile that made you want to join in on the joke.
--
OOC- Hey, mind if I join? Skye's a blade bard, good neutral. Very easy to get along with, and good at making friends and stopping fights. A joker, but sometimes tends to be clumsy, and a brilliant fighter. ^_^

[mistral4543]

OOC>>> Of course we don't mind, Skye! Welcome

IC>>>
Two men now step forward to grip Tobias' arms, steadying him and yelling for a rag and cold water. Gradually, the tavern is back to its bustling mode, with few even bothering to glance in the vagabond's direction. As for the lovely lady with that foreign mark, several were now placing bets on who would first discover her hidden charms...

[Skydracgrrl]

OOC- Yay! ^_^
IC- Skye sipped at her drink, looking about her with an amused expression. 'Ah, it feels good to relax. Haven't done that in a loong time... at least not since the last time I saw Lyulfe.' she frowned slightly at this thought, but shrugged it off. She looked about, and wondered if there would be anything interesting to do here.

OOC- Um, if you've participated in any threads that I've used the character Skye in, you should know about Lyulfe. But if you haven't, I'll fill you in some. Skye had found an egg that hatched into a song dragon, which is Lyulfe. In the process, she and Lyulfe bonded since she was the first thing he saw when he hatched, and they became partners. Thus the strange shade of amethyst in her eyes, which was an after effect. She's also able to mentally communicate with Lyulfe, and they're able to sense when one or the other are in trouble. They've recently parted ways, in search of adventure. That should do for now. ^_^

[ 05-07-2002, 09:33 PM: Message edited by: Skydracgrrl ]

[mistral4543]

OOC>>> Thanks for keeping all of us informed about the familiar, Skye [img]smile.gif[/img] I'd suggest that you're in the tavern with Addison and the rest so you won't miss too much of the action going on. My characters tend to be away from the group, cos I'm on a different timezone and I don't want to hold the others' back unnecessarily

[Cerek the Barbaric]

OOC>> It would be great if Skye were in the tavern with Addison and Madman. I have a feeling things are about to start jumping pretty soon there.

BTW, Skye, Addison is a dual class monk/mage. He is 6'3" and is built like a fighter instead of a mage, but decided to study the arcane arts rather than the art of war.

He also has a "pet" dragon that he raised from a hatchling. It is a standard pseudo-dragon. Unlike Lyulth, however, his companion (Skrith) is always close by, although usually hidden. We also share a telepathic link, so I use him to scout ahead whent I travel.

Welcome to you and Madman both. I'm new here myself, so it's good to have some more "fresh blood".