Part 5>>>The Shadow of Love (an LoF adventure)

[Morgeruat]

Morguerat

Looking a bit surprised Morguerat recalled suddenly that there was in fact a third person present. Turning to include the stranger he spoke quietly, "I believe I said before that I'm not sure where we are, and as such, a 'vague notion of the North' is the best indicator of where safety is. There is a weretigress after master Larry, and a Mad mage I believe as well.

Not knowing how far, or what direction, we are from them, I cannot say whether stopping at all is a safe plan. By going north we may be going directly towards them, So if you want to sit and rest for a bit, we may as well find shelter here and give you your rest." Morguerat dusted himself off, and tried to adjust a persistently uncomfortable piece of the suit while waiting for Larry or the stranger to respond.

[Larry_OHF]

Anarrima 57/67

She had a headache, and did not want to do anything but rest, but the excitement for what had occurred pulled her from the depths of faintness and revived her, and she sat up straight-away and beamed with a smile as she surveyed the work she had brought about. Never had she fully ressurrected two beings in one day even though she had been given the power to do so long ago. The blessings of the Goddess were wonderful, for merely having the ability to ressurrect a person is not enough. Anarrima viewed this as a special blessing of confirmation of the love her Goddess had for her.

She looked to the human, who was a cleric in his own rite, to the half-elf who seemed to have the good of the forums at heart, yet followed no destined path.

"My friends!, my name is Anarrima Culurian of Evermeet and this is Yevaud of Evermeet, my sworn guardian while we are passing through your lands. We have been brought here for a unique purpose, but we know not what, yet I am humbled to have been at your service in providing life again to your mortal temples."

[Larry_OHF]

Larry

Larry half grinned as he watched the big man pick at his armor. It made him remember why he joined Ironworks forums as a ranger so long ago.

He turned to the newcomer to the forums.

"Say...did you say you could find the sword he was talking about? Are you a practitioner of Magic then?"

[ 03-22-2005, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Cyril Darkcloud]

The passerby

He pauses at the warrior’s words. Surely, save for the lack of silver weaponry, no mere were-creature would pose much of a threat to this man. Unless, of course, this is no mere lycanthrope of which he speaks. And once more there is reference to a mage. “Clearly,” he says with a wry smile, “there be more to this matter than a lycanthrope and a wizard.” That said he holds up his hand, “But we are newly met and I understand the need for caution in speaking of such matters.”

Larry has turned to him, and he smiles at the young man’s question. A practitioner of magic! Always the same question regarding his craft. Still such lack of understanding has always served him well and the young man seems a bit free with his tongue. His external bearing betrays nothing of his thoughts, displaying only the relaxed and friendly caution of a man among new traveling companions. “Yes,” he says simply, “one might say that I am.” He steps forward and places a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Listening, my young friend,” he says in a companionable tone, “is a most useful skill and an art worthy of practicing well. I did not say that I could determine the location of this sword, only that it might be possible for me to do so ......”

He steps away from the young man that he might speak to his new companions at once. “Should we find a readily defensible location, I can see to its concealment from all but the most alert and penetrating of gazes. Seeking after this blade, however, requires a most unusual enchantment for I must look for it within my dreaming and should my sleep be broken before the dream has ended any vision I receive will be lost.” He turns directly to the warrior. “I will trust you, then, with my life.” After a pause, he continues, “But I do ask something of you in return and that is your permission to glance at those pages from which so marvelous a vision emerged.” A note of genuine excitement rings in his voice. “There is great artistry in spellcraft such as that ......” His voice trails off. After a moment he continues, “If, however, you would rather I not see the book, tell me, at least, what you know of such artistry and the one who has produced it.”

Turning to Larry he smiles at the puzzled expression on the young man’s face. “Yes,” he says, “it is a peculiar trade – the balancing of life against a glance at a book. But as a warrior’s life and his artistry with a blade are bound together, so it is with those whose lives are given to other arts. And one learns from a master whenever the chance presents itself.”

Looking again at the two of them he pulls up short. “But first things first,” he laughs. “I am called Joseph,” he says simply and extends his hand.

ooc: Joseph is at least as charismatic as Morguerat. This charisma does not express itself in terms of natural leadership, however, so much as it does in a natural and easy likeability and capacity to elicit trust.

[dplax]

OOC: Part 6 of Andrion's history.

Tunninni turned out to be much of the same mindset as Andrion. The first day after they had left the seaside town he stopped a simple man on the road, and when he refused to give them his money, he simply slit the man's throat.

They spent the next few weeks visiting Tunninni's old contacts. Most of them had gone out of the business, but one of them had two hig risk, high pay jobs to offer them. One of them was a quest for a dragon's egg in the northern lands, where they had come from and the other was an attack on the mansion of a noble. Andrion managed to convince Tunninni to wait with the mission with the dragon until Kergan got back and they took the job of attacking the noble's mansion.

"So Tunninni, fill me in on the details of this. I heard that your contact said it was going to get us a lot of money."

"Indeed. Lord Jeripion is rich. My contact says that we keep fifty percent of whatever we find. There is a substantial guard force yet we should be able to cope with them."

Tunninni winked at Andrion and Andrion smiled back. The first time they met he had seen that Tunninni was a ruthless thief and murderer. And he was good at doing both. Of all the members of Kergan's group Andrion had been the only one to earn Tunninni's respect. Andrion had saved Tunninni's life twice in the same evening.

A certain respect developed between the two of them and although it was not friendship they learnt the strengths and weaknesses of each other and became a well-oiled two person team. When Tunninni's discretion did not work Andrion used his spells to blast through the situation.

Lord Jeripion's mansion was fifteen miles from the closest town in the middle of a small forest. While Tunninni approached the house from the forest, Andrion walked towards the main gate. The guards at the gate never knew what hit them as Andrion's pre-prepared spell hit them before they could ask any questions.

Andrion opened the gates with the key taken from the body of the guard captain and entered the vast gardens. Around him all types of exotic plants betrayed the wealth put into the garden. Andrion however disregarded the plants and made his way straight toward a smaller building at the back of the garden, which he knew was the guards quarters. He opened the door and three fireballs later it was over. The two dozen off-duty guards were all dead.

In the meantime Tunninni had stealthily reached the back of the home of Lord Jeripion. Picking the lock on the back door posed no problem for him, neither did the small trap in the kitchen. His well-trained eyes had detected it almost instantly and it had taken him only a few seconds to disarm it. He moved towards the main salon, when he heard Andrion's fireballs taking care of the guards in their barracks. That left him to take care of those inside the house. He found two guards running towards the back exit with their weapons drawn, but his darts made short work of them. Tunninni checked all the rooms on the ground floor and found five more guards, throwing a deadly poison dart at each of them. He went to the main staircase of the home and then decided to wait for Andrion.

Andrion made his way cautiously towards the house, knowing that by now the alarm would have been given. Indeed about a dozen guards had come out of the house and were spreading through the garden looking for the cause of the commotion. It took them less than two minutes before they reached the barracks and noticed their dead comrades. But none of them made it back to the house. Skull traps, delayed blast fireballs and different power words cast from scrolls took care of all of them.

Andrion smiled from the doorway of the house as he watched his spells going off. Those scrolls were going to be a worthy investment if the house held the riches they had been promised.

Andrion joined Tunninni at the base of the stairs. Together they made their way up to the second level, where reportedly was Lord Jeripion's treasury along with his private quarters. Yet they had not been able to get a description of this level and so they needed to search all rooms. The first few rooms they looked in were guest rooms, which were followed by the private rooms of the Lord. The before last room they entered was Jeripion's private study and they found him in there.

He was hunched over a book seemingly lost in his own world. He did not even look up from the book, nor did he seem to be aware that his house was under attack, and that most of his guards were dead.

Tunninni took out a dagger and jumped at the figure. The figure did not move, even when Tunninni's dagger struck it...and then passed clean through it. A voice came suddenly from all around them.

"It is but an illusion master thief. Or should I say Tunninni? As that is what your name is isn't it? And you, mage are Andrion Wilgor. Tales of your exploits in the distant north reached me before I knew you were coming here. You did a pretty good job in taking care of my guards, yet you shall not find what you have been sent for."

Tunninni had regained his composure after having struck at the illusion and was looking around to try to find where the voice was coming from.

"I did not know you were a practicioner of magic Lord Jeripion. I'll have to ask my employer for a higher payout."

The voice laughed, coming at Andrion and Tunninni from all sides at once.

"Your employer? Has he again tried to recruit someone for that dragon quest of his also? If you ever see him, then tell him that no one he can pay for would have any chance against Feldsproth, the black. I myself have sent several groups to try to acquire his treasure, but no one ever succeeded."

Hearing the voice from behind him Tunninni whirled round, but there was only the wall behind him. The voice laughed again, but suddenly stopped laughing as it realised that Andrion's hand movements had not been totally random. The voice started casting a spell, but Andrion got his spell finished first.

For all but Andrion time came to a halt. For Tunninni it all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, but suddenly several spells shout out from Andrion's outstretched arms. The private study became hell on earth, as three Horrid Wiltings hit it. Having thought of problems, Andrion and Tunninni had bought rings making them immune to the spell and thus the only casualty was Lord Jeripion himself.

His dead body became visible standing close to the window. A staff was clutched in his dead hand. Tunninni walked over and prying open the fingers took the staff. He smiled to Andrion.

"This is what our employer wanted. All the rest is ours."

Andrion searched the study and found hundreds of scrolls, spellbooks, tomes of ancient history and small magical items. He took out a bag of holding he had brought and started putting the items in it. Then the two of them moved on to the other rooms of the mansion.

The total value of what they took amounted to tens of thousands of gold pieces. They stashed most of the items in a secret hiding place, which only the two of them knew about and took only what they intended to sell.

They took the staff to their employer, who thanked them for a job perfectly executed and even congratulated them on having killed Lord Jeripion, as he had not been expecting that to happen.

With their newfound wealth Andrion and Tunninni parted ways agreeing to meet up a month before the time when they had agreed to meet Kergan and his brother.

[Larry_OHF]

Larry

"Well then! Joseph. I think I would feel safer with my friend here baring a sword to his liking, so maybe we should get moving on that."

He looks toward Morgeraut to emphasize the need for moving on from here. Then he turned his attention back to Joseph.

"I just wished that I knew that my friends were alright. I left two of them back there in that castle with the afore-mentioned servants of the Mage of Shadow. I would feel better if they were here now, but to at least know that they were not in need of help would make me feel more comfortable. Are your powers able to let me know of their situation? I will try to pay you for the services if that were an issue."

[dplax]

OOC: Part 7a (I noticed it was getting much too long to post part 7 in one part, but it really is supposed to be one post so this is 7a [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) of Andrion's history.

Sitting in the dockside inn Andrion mused how fast the two years had passed since he last saw Tunninni. The cool breeze moved the leaves on the trees outside making their long shadows cast by the setting sun seem to be alive. Some would have called the scene idillic. But for Andrion it was just another sunset as the last fifteen he had seen, sitting at the same table.

Tunninni should have arrived more than two weeks ago. Andrion knew that travel over longer distances could suffer delays, so he was not overly worried, but still the thought that Tunninni had never before missed a meeting did trouble him slightly.

Andrion watched the unloading of a cargo ship. Crates and barrels were being unloaded by a small crane and by men walking up and down the gangplank. Then suddenly Andrion saw a dark shape move at the aft section of the ship. He blinked, but when he looked again the figure was gone.

Could it be that he had made himself see what he wanted to see? The figure had strangely resembled Tunninni. Chasing away the thoughts Andrion ordered food and another flagon of wine.

When two hours later Andrion went up to his room he found a plain dagger on his bed. Anyone else would have gotten scared senseless, but Andrion actually was happy to at last have heard of Tunninni. He picked up the dagger and was just about to put it on the small table when he heard a noise from behind him.

You're losing practice. You didn't check under the bed. I could have easily killed you."

Andrion turned smiling to see Tunninni just climbing out from under the bed.

"Nice to see you too."

Tunninni returned the smile and then sat down on the bed.

"Kergan's dead. His brother killed him over a year ago. He has now set up a group of his own operating a smuggling group, who also attack other ships."

Andrion nodded gravely.

"Straight to business as you always did Tunninni. Although Kergan's departure does not make me overly sad, we need to find someone to replace him for the mission we had in mind."

Tunninni smiled his almost characteristic smile at Andrion and stood up from the bedside. He opened the door and checked to see whether there was anyone outside. Satisfied he closed the door.

"Kergan's brother had captured me while I travelled the seas. The only way he wanted to let me go was if I let him in on the job. He wants us to work with him on this."

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking then this shall actually work for us."

"Indeed."

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

"Welcome aboard Andrion. Nice to see you again Tunninni."

Kergan's brother, Huti seemed to have gotten fatter and much better off since they had rescued him.

It had taken Andrion and Tunninni two weeks before their ship got "captured" by Huti's pirates. Now they were on the third ship of a four ship large convoy moving on the seas towards the northern lands, where the dragon lived.

Huti had recruited a crew of three hundred to combat the dragon. Although at first this would have seemed to be overkill, both Andrion and Tunninni and even Huti himself knew that most of his pirates and smugglers would be of no use against the dragon.

After a four month long journey they made landfall in the frosty north. They still had to combat the frosty plains and treacherous mountain passes before getting near the dragon.

By the time they reached the Pass of the Frozen Warrior already fifty of Huti's men had died due to the cold.

On the way down Andrion slipped on the icy path and nearly fell off the path, only barely managing to hold on to a frozen rock. As he tried to gain a foothold he looked up to see Tunninni standing above him. His eyes seemed cold and measured, but then to Andrion's surprise he extended his hand towards him and pulled Andrion up.

Shaking the ice and snow off himself Andrion looked at Tunninni.

"I owe you one Tunninni."

"Just consider me repaying you for the two times you saved my life over three years ago."

That night they camped for the last time before reaching the dragon's cave.

[dplax]

OOC: Part 7b of Andrion's history.

As the sun rose in the east it lit up the mountain peaks in a golden, almost unearthly light. The more supertitious among Huti's men took this as a good sign and already started preparing how to divide up the loot between themselves.

Andrion had spent a great part of the night preparing and memorising spells. Tunninni had dissappeared in the middle of the night. He reappeared shortly after dawn. He did not tell anyone, but Andrion where he had been. He had scouted out the area around the dragon's cave and had found very recent scorch marks and melted snow.

"So he is active."

"She."

Andrion nodded. He had always thought of the dragon as being male, and being a female did not change too much. Unless...

"She was out of the cave. There are eggs ready to hatch in the cave."

"So she shall be fighting against the last breath. Damn."

"The less that survive the more we get."

Tunninni then went to tell a well-tailored version of what he had seen to Huti.

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

Feldsproth had smelt the humans, while they were still at the pass. She had seen the scout, but wanted all of them in her trap. The humans were foolish to assault her in her own lair.

Huti did not know of the danger he had put his men in. He sent two hundred of his men at once into the cave, intending to not put himself into danger. Less than a minute passed after they entered the cave, when a hot burst of acid came flying out the main entrance, carrying fastly dissolving bodies with it.

Huti wanted to rush in immediately to get the dragon while it was out of its breath weapon, but Tunninni held him back. Andrion nodded to Tunninni and then walked into the dragon's den alone. The stench of acid was horrible inside, but Andrion seemed to not notice. Half dissolved bones littered the passageway.

A deep rumbling voice speaking in the common tongue came from ahead of him.

"Do not trouble me foolish human. Don't you see that I have killed your companions already?"

Andrion walked on silently until he reached the main chamber. Tunninni had given him a pretty accurate description of the cave and Andrion knew what was where. Feldsproth was facing Andrion, close to the center of the chamber standing behind Andrion and her pile of treasure. All her muscles were flexed and ready for the pounce at Andrion. Andrion however stopped and adressed the dragon in its native draconic tongue.

"I have to but point my finger towards the eastern wall of your cavern and unleash my spell in order to destroy all of your eggs. I'm sure you would not want that, so I'd like to suggest we have a talk if you don't mind Feldsproth."

No one had ever blackmailed her before, and lived, yet this one seemed to be capable of damaging what was the most precious for her. Although it went totally against her nature she relaxed her muscles. She was going to be able to talk herself out of this. She had done harder negotiations before.

"You threaten that which is precious to me. Tell me what you want, so that we might negotiate." - she replied in draconic.

"We want the amulet of Xewals, along with several other, less worthy magical items."

The voice of Tunninni, coming from behind Andrion surprised Feldsproth. She had neither heard nor smelt him. He was a stealthy one to be sure. Tunninni then listed the items they wanted.

"You seem to know pretty well what I have in my hoard. Take the items you wish and leave me in peace."

She intended to kill Tunninni when he got close enough, and Tunninni knew this as well as she did, but still he moved towards the great black dragon.

As soon as Andrion saw the muscle twitch in the right leg of the dragon he released his spell. With a sickening squashing sound several rocks collapsed on the dragon eggs.

Feldsproth's eyes turned a bright red in fury, and momentarily forgetting about Tunninni she sprang at Andrion screaming in fury.

Disregarding Tunninni had been the last mistake she ever made. Moving at a blindingly fast speed Tunninni withdrew several shock darts from his belt and threw them in rapid succession into the dragon's soft underbelly.

The prick of the darts was nothing compared to the pain the shock caused to Feldsproth. Andrion's enchantments were released as soon as the daggers hit their target. Only able to make a shaky step after the darts hit her Feldsproth collapsed to the ground in agony, severely wounded.

"Nice one Tunninni."

Andrion walked over to the lying dragon's head and watched it for several seconds, contemplating what to do. Deciding on the solution he took a scroll and started reading it. After the first two lines recognition entered Feldsproth's eyes and she tried to struggle against her momentarily paralysed limbs. But it was in vain. Andrion finished reading the scrool and pointed a finger at Feldsproth. A thin bolt of lightning shot out from Andrion's finger and hit the black dragon in the eye, frying her brain immediately.

Five minutes later Huti rushed in only to see Tunninni and Andrion with a handful of items prying off a few scales of the dragon.

"How did you..."

He never finished his question though as a dart thrown by Tunninni caught him in the neck.

"That is for Kergan, and mistreating me."

Huti fell lifeless to the floor and his remaining followers stood motionless.

Andrion and Tunninni left the cave and made camp outside it, where the snow had been melted. The remaining survivors eventually joined them. They celebrated their victory until nightfall when Tunninni and Andrion took the first watch. However fate brought it that Tunninni fell asleep while Andrion continued to watch alone.

Andrion brought out the amulet they had taken from the dragon's hoard. The moment he had touched it he had felt the power coming from it and knew that he would never want to share it. Not even with Tunninni. He took out a knife and walked over to the sleeping figure of one of the pirates. Silently he slashed his throat.

Five minutes later Tunninni was the only one still asleep as Andrion had killed all the others. Andrion held the point of the dagger at Tunninni's throat. He could not make himself do it. He just simply couldn't. He could not kill the man, who had saved his life less than a day ago.

With a barely audible sigh Andrion put away the knife and pocketed the amulet along with a few lesser items. He then brought out a piece of paper and wrote a message on it.

You are lucky to be alive. For the first time in more than ten years I did not manage to kill someone I intended to kill. I wish you luck on further journeys, but I feel that we shall meet again. Oh and do not try to follow me...

Andrion put the note where Tunninni would find it and shouldering his pack started out on his long journey towards the south. As he reached the top of a small uprising he turned back one last time. Then to his surprise a voice, faint and distant carried to him.

"Andrion, you bastard!" - Tunninni's laugh could be heard then. - "Wherever you may go I wish you luck! May we meet again."

Andrion turned and started descending the mountain.

[Cyril Darkcloud]

For KayLisa Greywolf

The Druid Stones

Stern and silent, these great stones rise out of the rich and fertile soil of this forest to stand like mighty sentinels. How long they have kept wordless vigil over this grove none can say, for always, it would seem, have these stones been here, set into place by long forgotten hands. Through the long roll of generations, and even the passing of blue forums into brown, they have stood and the circle they have defined has lost nothing of its shape. And the space they define is sacred space, consecrated with an ancient hallowing, and even the noise of the wind and the calls of the creatures of this wood are muted as they move within it. This muting is perhaps why the woman’s wolves might still move enough to cringe and whimper as the terrible and blasphemous monotone of the banewolves violates this space.

Here, as the dirge of the grave drones within the circle defined by mighty stones, a horrible truth becomes manifest. That these creatures be the enemies of the living is a thing so obvious as to need no proving, but theirs is a hunger after more than the merely living. The woman. They seek the woman, but they seek more than the woman alone. Should she fall here, so too would fall this most sacred of places, lost to the blasphemy of the grave. Should she fall here, the Ley Lines, having already lost their guardian, are forever lost. Should she fall here, the evil she is sworn to oppose shall run unchecked until that is held sacred by the woman be devoured and lost.

Banewolves are these, and the dreary monotone that deadens the hearing of the ear rings out its blasphemous call among these stones. Then suddenly the note falls silent, but the stink of the grave hangs heavy in the air that surrounds this holy place.

[Larry_OHF]

Andrion the Owl decided that South was the way to go, in search of an even larger prey. Larry Silverfall.

He flew South and searched for any signs of passage by anyone. He saw nothing. Only the traces of animals.

=================================================

Kynnen the Lucky Drow was in search of another way out of the Castle, since his main exit was blocked by the presence of new arrivals. He backtracked and crept silently along, until he came to a window on the second story floor, which had been hastily barred shut with planks. Would he take this exit? Was there a better one somewhere else?

[ 03-27-2005, 06:08 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]