Strolen's Citadel

Freeform Archive · Legacy archive

The Rod of Lordly Might

Started by Alexia Mar 31, 2005 308 posts Locked

  1. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #161
    "Here!" Klaatu tossed a glass bottle of an unusual, thick pink liquid to the half-elf. She caught it and looked it over. He went on, "Braandu made this. Let him know if you like it. He is becoming quite good, quite good at separating and combining fundimentals."

    At the sound of his name, the guard turned to look, and nodded approvingly at the description of his talent.

    Klaatu went on, "Humans usually make soap from boiled lard, boiled lard, and ashes. That's why they stink. Disgusting. This is not like that at all. It makes bubbles, and I think it smells good."

    "I should probably try to sell some. Needs a catchy, a catchy name, probably. 'Swish!' or 'Tingle!' or 'Sir Bubble!' Something like that..."

    "Anyway, just take Braandu with you when you head down. Completely clean your wound with this." He tossed a corked vial. "I'll snooze, snooze here. You should rest, too, and we'll leave tonight."

    He took off his gloves, revealing several rings with a variety of large stones on his hands. He leaned back in a comfortable spot in a corner and pressed each ring to his forehead, holding each one there for a long time.

  2. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #162
    At Alexia's surprise, Tethons arms moved quickly, holding Alexia from sliding any farther from the saddle. It took only moments for his muscles to relax again.
    "Calm down." Tethon said. "If you jump any harder, I won't be able to stop you from falling off this horse next time. You know, If you tell me where we are going, I can keep the horse going for a time. Not too long or you will be bouncing around at night, but at least a nap to keep you going"
    It had only been a few minutes since she had fallen asleep in the first place.
    "Or, if you would like, we can make camp first so that you can lie down properly. At least some of the immediate danger is past."

  3. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #163
    The morning sun shone at an oblique angle on Braandu's metal form. The heat radiated into his body, adding to that radiating outward from his center, where the unique lump of dense material lay. Just as any living creature would do with its breathing and circulation, his system moved the heat from one part to another, so that all worked smoothly, automatically, without thought or overt action. He was truly alive.

    His form received heat and light from all directions, and reflected or radiated some. The silver and white portions more, the black or brown leather areas, less. He could "see" the birds flying, and "hear" them chirp. All was well. Nothing large was nearby; and certainly nothing warm except some rabbits. When they were in light brush, they could still be felt. If they had been wounded, their energy would be felt more clearly, since they would "leak". If they stood on rocky ground, they would be much harder to feel. Squirrels in the trees could not be felt at all, only seen.

    But all was well, for now. Tonight they would be at Uncle Brendalo's house.

    He kept wondering... Isn't the nice lady going to take a bath?

  4. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #164
    “We need to go back to that mole-man.� Her voice was set in a low tone after Tethon spoke. She didn’t anticipate jumping like that- it was just something on her subconscious mind- and she didn’t feel like telling Tethon that. It was also useless to break camp this early.

    A small sigh escaped her lungs. “Break camp two hours before suns down.� Even though the sentence was to a point of whispering, Alexia looked out once more to see the same dull shapes before falling asleep.

  5. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #165
    Andimia took the bottle and vial and hobbled down to the river. At its edge she took off her boots and all of her sheathes of daggers and swords, laying them carefully upon a rock. She did leave one dagger strapped to her right leg, just in case. The half-elf stepped carefully out in to the cool water and set the bottles and bloody bandages on a nearby rock. She quickly tied her hair up and began washing her leg in the knee-deep water. After removing all of the dried blood Andi untied her hair which nearly formed brown curly dreadlocks. Taking up the soap she glanced at Braandu and then back at the bottle in her hand, then went to scrubbing her curls with the water and pink soap. She decided it would be best to just keep her leathers on, they'll dry eventually. After she had wrung out her hair and finished washing her wound, and the bloody bandages, Andimia sat upon a rock at the edge of the river while the morning sun shone down upon her. Using the rags from her bandages she washed out her left boot, wich had become caked with blood. After retying all of her weapons to her person, Andimia walked up to Braandu and touched his arm. "I'm done." she said as she passed, holding her boots and the bottles under an arm, the clean bandages re-applied to her oozing wound. Her hair, in curly wet ringlets, bounced and dripped as she limped back up to the cave.

    Though in much better spirits now, she cursed the wound on her leg, it made her feel very clumsy and slow. She was proud of her speed and agility, that's what made her good at both of her jobs. But she knew that she was going to get fired from her waitressing job. She was already pushing it with going off to the last heist, and being out in the middle of nowhere and expected back yesterday, it didn't look good. She pushed it out of her mind. She'll find another legit job, she always does. Her mind wandered back to the Elven girl as she approached the cave.

  6. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #166
    OOC: For the Fourth of July, I’m going to Michigan for a week to visit some family. I might check in and I might not- it’s up to my Uncle and Aunt. Just wanted to fill you all in.

    IC:
    Alexia yawned, feeling the cold breeze brush by her face in a wake-up call. It took moments of blinking to finally see a blurred image of a familiar place. Something caught her attention, well her nose. Brushing back her white hair, she sniffed in the air for a moment and then frowned. It was a familiar scent also and it made her a little uneasy.

    “Tethon, do you smell that?� There were many scents and Tethon wouldn’t be able to recognize it quickly. Frowning, she shrugged it off for a moment, but couldn’t help herself. Then there came another familiar scent of blood and essences. There was another female- a half-elf.

    Dull ice blue eyes searched around, blurry grey blobs as her vision as the night was coming in from the darkness. Usually her vision was fine at night- actually the best. Something was happening off in the distance. Sulfur. Scents started rushing to her nose. Without realizing it, she was going blind.

    Orcs? Alexia sneezed twice, softly. The scents in the air were becoming nothing more than a headache. ‘I’ll ask the mole-man.’ Turning her attention back towards the cave she could only see shadowed blurbs move by- not telling if they were trees being blown by the wind or people.

  7. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #167
    The mole man looked up when she entered, and put his gloves back on. Then he waddled over. "Sit, sit down for a minute, please," he said. "If you don't mind, let's have a look, a look at that wound." He lifted the bandage, and peered under it at the grim hole. "With your permission, I will help this heal faster."

    "You know that healing involves two, two things: Preventing infection, and promoting regrowth. My purifier gets rid of all those pesky bugs that get into wounds and want to gnaw on your insides. They are too small to see, but they make a mess and your body wastes precious energy, precious energy fighting them and making pus." He seemed to be satisfied at what he saw. "Looks clean and purified. So that problem is solved."

    "The second is that you need to regenerate. We are not trolls, not trolls, so it takes us longer. Please relax."

    He put his hand on her leg gently. Warmth seemed to flow into the wound. He concentrated. "That bolt went deep. There is a large blood clot, that saved you from excessive blood loss. Your system is very strong. But there are many torn bits of muscle. Almost hit the bone." Silence. A few more moments passed. Then he looked up at her face.

    "There. Your blood vessels are recovered from the shock. You may be able to feel them regrowing very quickly, providing food and energy, and energy to the muscles. You will see... this wound will heal in a surprisingly short time. A day or two -- instead of weeks with a limp, and an ugly, an ugly scar. Stay well fed and don't get exhausted. And keep the purifier."

    "I'll have my cousin Brandalo check this again when we get to his place tonight. I may be a fine metallurgist, but he is better, better at healing than me."

    Braandu came in carrying two dead rabbits that appeared to have been killed with a sling, but he had no sling. Without a word, he handed them to his father, who said "Thank, you, son," and began to skin them. Then he set down his shovel, and rolled a huge round, flat rock over the cave entrance. The sun was almost completely shut out, but the torch on the wall cast a friendly glow. The cave's occupants could relax for the day.

  8. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #168
    Alexia could tell there was no more sun and her eyes had gotten worse. Through the darkness there came a smile as her side became warmer. Taking out the note, she held out her arm and continued to walk, finding a rock by bumping into it. Surely Tethon would think it rather funny since Elves were known to see in the darkness, but this had been a minor issue until now.

    Kneeling down to the rock, she unfolded the letter, letting the moon shine on the paper. The letters glowed brilliant white in her eyes, but in everyone else’s they were a dull silver.

    ‘Upon the silver lining you seek,
    Where the nights have become distant and bleak,
    There comes a light you must never forget,
    A tale of seven parts to a Rod some regret.

    To the dry temptress of a desert heat,
    Comes the Rod Of Sir Nomen Leet.
    Hidden and found by one lack of sight,
    Comes the true Rod Of Lordly Might.’

    Alexia repeated the words aloud, but soft enough where her concentration was focused. Shaking her head, she tucked away the note, still feeling its warmth and stood up slowly, ready to fall. Catching herself she turned and scrapped the jagged rock against her ankle, smelling fresh blood trickle on her foot. It was nothing more than a soft scratch she use to get climbing her home trees and falling down a branch.

    “Tethon, where is the cave entrance?�

  9. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #169
    Darkness was falling. Klaatu handed wholesome travel-bread to Andimia and some more of the cooked bacon taken from the trunk and fried as before. Munching on his share, the Mole-man packed up. Braandu shouldered the huge rock open and stepped out to look around. Nothing about but an owl diving silently on an unsuspecting mouse nearby.

    Night gave him the advantage, since the eyes of most others are dim in darkness. "Too bad I cannot be quiet" he thought. "But we are nearly there." He slung the trunk over his shoulders, picked up his shovel and axe, then hoisted his father up.

    The three marched along, with the armoured boy avoiding swampy ground, and then turned uphill again over rocky ground. He knew he should avoid footprints as much as possible over the last few leagues. Then, a hut ahead on the hillside. In front of it was seen a statue of deer; a large sculpture. It lacked detail, but its eyes seemed to look right at them.

    Suddenly, it moved! It jumped heavily over to the door of the hut and hit it with its antlers, making a loud rattle. Then it quickly turned, pawed the ground, lowered its sizable rack, and prepared to charge the intruders.

    The door cracked open, and a gray furry face stuck out. "" it squeaked at the deer. "" The mole-man stepped out, buttoning up a brown robe not unlike Klaatu's. The deer lifted its head, trotted over to its original position, and stood still again, although its eyes still moved.

    Klaatu scrambled down of his son's back. Uncle Brendalo scurried over to Braandu and climbed up on him to hug his chest and squeak to him. "" said Brendalo's wife to Braandu. In Common she said, with less enthusiasm to Klaatu, "Please come in and relax, and relax. And who is your friend?" looking critically at Andimia.

    Klaatu said, also in Common, "Priscela, Andimia is a comrade who is helping keep our centers warm and in one piece. Please extend courtesies to her, to her as well." Priscela said, "Please enter, enter, and be warm with us."

    Braandu took off his gear and stooped considerably to enter the door. He sat by the fire while Priscela fussed over him. Brendalo hugged Klaatu, although perhaps not wholeheartedly. He pulled out food and drink, and everyone but Braandu had some.

    The inside of the hut was rather small, but was set up against the hillside behind. To no one's surprise, Brendalo activated something, and the back of the room opened up to a much larger cave. It was warm and well lit. Numerous statues of various likenesses, small and large, stood around the room.

    A few were standing near the forge, which glowed with warmth. These turned to follow the newcomers with their heads and eyes. Some were stone, some were metal of different types. Some were painted, and some were plain. They ranged from small crawling creatures up to an enormous bronze bull with dangerous-looking horns.

    Klaatu walked over and picked up a silvery, glistening white-metal bird statue with great admiration. "Incredible work, incredible!" he said to his cousin. The animated construct quickly flapped its foil wings and fluttered back to its perch just above the forge, where it sat and watched again. Klaatu then slapped an unrecognizable blob-like object which seemed just as solid as the bird was delicate. It rolled/clambered over a few feet and settled back down on the stone floor. "No one has your talent, your talent!"

    Brendalo shrugged, although he was clearly pleased with the praise. ""     he squeaked.

    Brendalo looked directly over at his cousin and squeaked "?" Klaatu took off his gloves and started handing rings to Brendalo who greedily put them on and quickly put them to his forehead one after another. He handed a couple to Priscela who did the same. They in turn handed rings to Klaatu, and even to Braandu, who took off his gauntlets and held one in each hand quietly. The boy's large hands were human-like, except that they were completely shiny and glistening silver in color, and perfectly smooth, lacking fingernails, hair, or veins.

    All four were totally silent, in sudden concentration.

    For the Graandu, it was just another small family gathering.

  10. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #170
    When the "communing" was done and the rings returned to their owners, Klaatu leaned over to Brendalo. "" he squeaked to his cousin.

    Brendalo said "" The two of them left the large cave and retired to a back tunnel. The door shut, and squeaking was heard -- Squeaking that was not terribly happy, from the sound of it.

  11. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #171
    In a bit of a fit Alexia pulled out the stone and held it in her hands. She cocked her head, white hair cascading down her back. “Mole-man if you can hear me, how do I get back in your home? I can’t see a thing!� Frowning she waited for some impossible answer. She didn’t want to be rude or non-humble, she was in a bit of a hurry and needed answers.

  12. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #172
    The two mole-men talked/squeaked for some time. The door opened, and the two rejoined the others. They must have become warm, since their robes were off. Klaatu's goggles were off his face, and his eyes were clearly not real. They were made of smooth, clear stone, like rainbowed glass. But one who was observant could tell that he could see, if only myoptically. One who was particularly observant might have noted that Brendalo also had metal fingernails, sharpened to points, and that one of his feet was covered in fake moleskin... and was actually metallic beneath.

    "Braandu, Andimia," Klaatu said, "I am sorry, but we will need to leave, to leave right away. Brendalo has given me important, but disturbing news. We need to get back to king Benu, Benu of the Benauh elves back home."

    To Brendalo, he said, "" With some additional squeaking, he gave several items from the trunk to Brendalo, and some to Priscela. In exchange, they brought him what he needed, and it all went into the trunk. Braandu was watching his uncle. Brendalo was particularly reluctant to give up the metallic bird, but instead gave Klaatu a cold and lifeless copy. There had definitely been some agitated squeaking and quite a few gestures over that trade. Klaatu folded up the model like it was a prized butterfly and put it carefully inside his robe.

    Priscela gave them food and refilled their flasks of drink. There were hugs and nose rubs all around, and invocations of ooloo's warmth and blessing. Priscela even reached up and gave Andimia a soft and furry mole-hug.

    "Let's go!" said Klaatu. As they stepped outside, the deer statue stepped inside to warm itself by the fire. The bronze bull strode out and took up the guard position, watching and occasionally patrolling the property as the three travellers disappeared down the trail.

    From his perch atop his son, Klaatu looked down at Andimia. He didn't look very happy. "That elf-girl is in some sort of need, some need. I can feel it. I don't think she is in terrible danger, but something, something is not right. We will go to her first, and you can receive your pay."

    He rocked back and forth up there for several minutes as they headed back toward home. Something else was clearly bothering him. He seemed to be struggling with whether he should say anything or be silent.

    Then it blurted out.

    "Andimia, have you ever been to the northeastern range? The humans around here call it the Ranger's-Head mountains. It looks like we may need a good guide."

  13. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #173
    Tethon came back from scouting ahead and began to prepared a fire. "The strange mans cave is gaurded by traps. I do not think that we would avoid most of them. We should wait here for him, trying to enter the cave unmolested may prove very hard. There is still plenty of food, and now that we are safe from danger, I can hunt for more."

    Tethon did not mention Alexia's missing eyesight. What was going on there. something, but what? It was very unnerving to say the least.

  14. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #174
    Klaatu thought to himself, "There. I said it. Now she will know that I am what the humans call 'daft'. I'm not, am I? I cannot be."

    But everyone knows that no one just "visits" the Rang 'Shead mountains.

    Not if they wanted to return alive.

  15. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #175
    Braandu listened as he pounded the ground, carrying 300+ pounds of trunk and 140 pounds of dad. He worried.

    "Why would we go to the Rangershead mountains? That is a bad place. Father has been worried about me. Is it me? And the nice elf-lady who trots alongside us. Or is she human? Why doesn't she answer? Something is not right. Is it me?"

    ["You are stupid.] The voices spoke, between his heavy footsteps. ["You are the problem. You should be dead BUT YOU ARE NOT! YET!!!]

    Braandu clumped along and tried not to listen to the voices. He wanted to hear what the nice lady would say. He hoped she would stay with him and his father, and not just take gold and go.

    Gold was worthless. Humans thought it was pretty, and fought to kill over it. But he had worked it as a child when he was... well, when he was not in this form. Gold was soft, and easy. It melted so easy. It took no effort. Gold could be amalgamated with other soft useless metals, or drawn into a fine wire. Dense, but not the most dense. Less dense than what the humans called white gold, or platinum. Less dense than father's arrowpoint metal. He forgot the name of that; don't tell father.

    He realized this concentration on his lessons was working, again. It drove out the voices. Braandu started to feel somewhat less stupid. After all, Graandu cannot go crazy. Only humans and other races are crazy.

    Was lady-Andi going to say something?

    They were nearing the cave.

  16. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #176
    A stray thought flashed through Klaatu's mind. Today was the date the humans of the now-extinct "country" of Uleseria used to celebrate as their foundation. A long time ago. They had lasted for several hundred years as a nation before being overrun. By some forgotten group or force. Klaatu couldn't remember which one. It didn't matter. They were powerful, but things changed and now they were gone.

    A few hundred years was nothing. The Graandu had been "civilized" for over five thousand years. Barely enough to accomplish anything of worth. Perhaps it was the fact that they had avoided outside contact; that is, with the violent races on the surface.

    He thought wryly: "I brought peace to the human nation of Telaxis for nearly 200 years. And what did it accomplish?"

  17. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #177
    ooc: sorry, been having net problems and I just moved into a duplex last Friday and have been working seven days a week, and I should mention that I'll be in England from July 7th to August 3rd. hopefully I'll be able to get online at least every other day.

    IC: Andimia shuddered at the mention of the northeast range. "why do you need to go there?" she shook her head. "I have never been there myself but I have heard many tales of it while working in the tavern back home--" She stopped. Never had she mentioned her legitimate job to people who knew that she was a thief and vice versa. The half-elf cursed under her breath for the slip-up. She tried to change the subject. "So.... what did you and your friend discuss back there?" she asked as she tugged at a curl.

  18. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #178
    OCC: This last post went bad and I had to re-post. Hope it comes across all right...

    IC:

    Klaatu noticed that the half-elf trotting alongside was nervous about something. Talking about the tavern? He would have to think about that.

    "To answer your question, that was my cousin, an in-law we went to visit, to visit. His name is Brendalo, Brendalo. He was related to my wife."

    "I suppose there is nothing to lose, to lose by being honest to you about the problem. My son, Braandu, is... shall we say, in a condition. You obviously can tell that he is not of flesh, of flesh and blood. He was almost killed 42 years ago after the nearby human kingdom of Telaxis to the west was overrun. You probably heard of that, that. You probably also heard that the king had a "wizard" on his side. That was what they called me, although I am not a wizard. I am only Graandu, although I am handy, handy in some ways. In any case, the attackers managed to hire a Battle Mage, as well as an accursed army of orcs, goblins, and not a few trolls."

    He looked down at his son and squeaked,

  19. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #179
    The mole-man composed himself and went on...

    "...They found my wife and children in my lair. Endera, my wife, and my teenage daughter Queesa put up quite a fight, quite. The orcs finally overwhelmed them and killed my daughter, and, and they captured my wife. They left Braandu for dead... but you were too tough to die, weren't you Braandu? He was eight."

    The image of his tiny mole-son impaled to the stone wall with numerous spear-points Klaatu had crafted flashed through his mind... he struggled to put that picture aside.

    "I got there after they left with Endera, and managed to transfer Braandu's essence, his essence into the form you see. The, the "statue" was a project I had been working on. I'll tell you more about that later. The truth is, I have some skill as a Sersian. My people have been able to move a living essence from time to time under precise conditions to an inanimate object. That's why some call us sorcerers, or necromancers, or worse. But it's not like that. We preserve life, we help fulfill it, and return to the earth-mother, to ooloo in peace."

    "The problem is, no one in recent memory has ever succeeded in moving an essence back to a living form. And Braandu is only eight inside. Yes, Braandu, I know you are learning much every year! Please be still."

    "I have been honest with Braandu, but I have sheltered him for too long. We have been hiding for over 40 years, and I have not found a way to get him out of this, this GoolooMendu form."

    "My cousins may not be too happy with me, but they care for Braandu. Brendalo has travelled to the Graandu oldlings and done research at the Ancient Tomes. He found that there are very old references to GoolooMendu reversal in the distant past. There was a powerful artifact involved, which had something to do with the Ranger's Head range. The legends say the location and description of this artifact is supposed to be known to the leader of the Benauh elves. So we were hiding near them and didn't have any idea of how they could help Braandu! Obviously, we're going there now."

    "Now that I've told you, I hope you will come, for my son's sake. I have plenty of what humans call riches. It means nothing to me. If you help me resolve his condition, I can make you a wealthy woman. But it will be a difficult road to success, I am sure."

  20. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #180
    OOC: Sorry guys I’ve been out of town for a week and I’ll be returning on Sunday!

    IC:
    Alexia sighed, folded the note and fondled the rock until finding a better position to sit down on. Bringing her legs to her chest and placing her head on them, thinking she closed her eyes she drifted off into concentration about the mole-mans words. After minutes of thought her dull eyes were closed as her head came up as a tear rolled down her cheek.

    “It’s not that we can’t get past it, I can’t see it.�

  21. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #181
    This return trip had been quite a hike. Braandu had slogged on all night, all the next day, and evening was coming on. But he wasn't the one who was tired, at least not physically. His father riding on top was tired. Andimia was exhausted, to look at her. At least Braandu had carried her pack and bow.

    But they were back, to the bottom of the hill of the first cave. Klaatu got down and dug his nose in the soil for a minute. He then stood up and announced, "The elf-girl and her companion are nearby! I wish I had caught her name." Then louder he called, "Hello, hello! Where are you? Do you need help, need help?"

    He scurried up the hill and disarmed the triggers on a few traps on the path leading up to the cave opening, which was still hidden. Braandu plodded up the trail and put down the trunk at the mouth of the cave. From that position, he clearly felt the fire that was distant down the other side of the hill. Silently, he pointed his shovel handle toward the campsite so his father would know exactly where it was. Klaatu hurried down to meet the elves. Braandu paused to open the cave door, looked at Andimia, and then also walked down the hill after his father.

  22. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #182
    "It looks like help has arrived. This will all work itself out in the end." Tethon said quietly to Alexia.

    "Over Here. We need healing now!" he shouted towards the mole-man.

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


    Meanwhile, from the trees, Kivval waited silently. Over the course of time, The eyes of that girl had lost the shine they once held. True, those eyes had always been dull to Kivval, but never like this. It would be unfortunate if Kivval was unable to solve this very unusual puzzle simply because she went blind. If things progressed much further, there would be no point in continuing. Kivval might need to take a more...direct...method of finding answers. That was not a favorable approach. A little more time maybe, but maybe not too much.

  23. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #183
    Alexia closed her eyes for a moment, feeling something tingle on her hairs. Standing up and brushing the leaves off her bottom, she slowly walked towards the forest exit, stopping at the entrance and looking up, as though hearing another breath besides Tethon’s and the mole-man. She could feel her hair tingle against her skin, remembering how white it was.

    Guessing herself to look out to be a fool, she could only help but wonder if anybody was there. For a good moment there came nothing but the sudden urge to know someone was watching was strong. Turning around she felt the vibration of the mole-man and smiled for once.

    “Tethon, I wish to have words with you privately- and soon. She said it low for him to hear and in Ancient tongue as she frowned trying to face the direction of the mole-man. Once accomplished, she took a step and then stopped abruptly turning around in her old direction. Biting on her lip, she felt as though playing hide-and-go-seek only she was seeking something that couldn’t possibly be there.

    Sniffing, she could smell something else, but it could have been the mole-man. Confusing soon took place, and then different aromas filled her nostrils as she frowned. Inhaling she looked out to see nothing but blackness as it seemed to have consumed her.

  24. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #184
    Klaatu trundled over to Alexia. "Well, there you are! And you, master Tethon, welcome, welcome back. What is wrong?" Then he noticed her eyes. They were clouded and she wiped at them in an unnatural manner. He had to stand on tip-toes to peer into them.

    "By the Lava-Luks of Lomar, I believe you are blind!" he exclaimed. "What happened? Let us go up to my home, my home and let me see if I can help. Braandu, please carry their luggage."

    There wasn't much luggage. Obviously, the two had been travelling light. Everyone moved up to the cave and entered. Klaatu lit the lights and quickly prepared food, while his son closed the the entrance rock. The clever metal racks over the forge reflected heat into the meats and bread, heating them in next to no time at all. Everyone was hungry and enjoyed the meal.

    Klaatu then said to Alexia, "Fundimentals are in place in your belly, and spreading health to your parts. Please let me look, look at your eyes." He peered from only inches away, then removed his goggles and peered again closer yet. He placed his large paws on her head in various places here and there for a minute, being careful not to poke her with the sharp metallic fingernails.

    "What caused this? I see no injury. I feel none. You could see, could see last time we were together!" He then placed his hands over her eyes and the warmth again flowed from them, very subtly.

    "There. That's what I can do to help for now, for now. Let us rest for tonight, as we all are tired. The cave is sealed, sealed and we are safe. Tomorrow we will feel better, and I would like you to tell me what is going on."

    He turned down the lights a bit while Braandu produced a couple of bales of hay from within the recesses of the cave. Everyone had a comfortable pile to sleep in. Braandu leaned his shovel against the wall and stood upright without moving.

    Klaatu said to the visitors, "over there in that room is a potty-hole and running water, so you don't need to go outside. Be warm and may ooloo grant you balance in your dreams."

    With his glove off and his hand upon his head, he thought to himself as he fell asleep, "Eyes cannot always be healed, as I found out 50 years ago. Endera, please give me your guidance while I sleep."

  25. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #185
    OOC: Guys!! I have good news!! I’m BACK!!

    IC:
    Alexia frowned for a moment when she greeted the mole-man. ‘Master Tethon? I’ll ask him about that later...’ When she felt a tug she shrugged off the frown and jumped back quite startled at his voice. He must have been talking regularly, but it killed her ears to say the least.

    “There’s not much to say. I’ve always seen blurry vision- and it just started getting worse until tonight...I couldn’t see anything.� She sighed to herself and then listened as he spoke of thing in her body. It made her feel rather fluttery inside but decided against it.

    Following the crowed by his touch she hated the feeling of being dependent and always liked the sort-of-freedom. Although, Tethon took care of that days ago on her first mission- then again he had all the reason too. She wanted to cock a mere grin to Tethon, but then again he probably would be clueless.

    When they seemed to have reached the cave she glared at nothing and continued her stroll, almost clinging to the mole-man, counting and feeling slightly embarrassed as her cheeks went flushed. She wasn’t tired, merely excited. ‘About what? I’m apparently blind, counting numbers in my head and everyone is talking too loud! What’s wrong with me? Arg!’ And then he mole-man spoke of running water.

    She could almost feel the water lapping against her skin, cleansing of everything. Since it had been a day or so since her last bathing- of course babysitting Tethon was hard enough, she waited for everyone to leave before slipping out towards this running water. A bath did seem almost too intriguing. ‘Maybe I can think better...’

    When sure enough she sat down quietly, making sure nobody was around, she snuck out, hitting rocks and biting her lip not to make any noises, she felt along the cool rock and listened for rushing water. ‘Maybe it’s not so bad...wait he said there was a potty-hole...oops, wait, I think the water is this way.’ Almost landing near the hole she smiled and walked towards the water. ‘Think! Father always said if you closed your eyes, listen to your surroundings! Well I’m blind, doesn’t that count? Oh curse you all!’

    Frowning and nearly in a tantrum she stopped feeling water at her toes. If she could, she would roll her eyes and give a mental note of her slight stupidity. Smiling she removed her clothing and scrubbed herself, giving herself time to think while she held her breath and thought for a while.

  26. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #186
    OCC: OK, so I got creative. I drew a picture with a pencil, scanned it, and tried to upload it. No good. So I got some help in shrinking it, but Strolen still said it was too big. So I loaded it into Paint and clipped it some more. Now it uploaded to Strolen, and we'll see if it shows. I think it will look pretty poor after all this. Please let me know how scanning and uploading a good picture is supposed to be done using Windows programs. I cannot draw with a mouse worth a darn.
    .
    .
    .
    IC: In his sleepy state, Klaatu wondered that Alexia seemed startled at his voice. Was her hearing suddenly very acute? Was it associated with her blindness? Was her condition making her do foolish things? ... foolish things?... foolish...

    Then he woke up. His relatives had told him to. Something was wrong.
    Alexia was doing something foolish. She had slipped outside the cave.

    The mole man jumped to his feet, and grabbed his staff, which was standing next to where he had slept. He hustled past the sleeping figures and pressing a button on the staff, activated the light. It gleamed with a small, but intense blue flame.

    Yes. As he had felt. The cave door was cracked slightly. Prehaps Braandu didn't close it properly, and now blind Alexia had gone outside.

    "Young lady!" he called. "I said there was running water and a potty-hole in the next room -- not outside! It can be dangerous out there. Please come back inside and let me close the door properly."

    Braandu did not wake up. Recent events had been stressful to him, since they had seemed to be all about him and his condition, and he was just standing in a dream-state. No one knew of his dreams because he never told anyone about them.

  27. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #187
    OOC: Sorry to say it looks rather...mmm...invisible. Not to be rude. Oh, in this post I also must add, the italics are nothing more than her thoughts. Usually she’s speaking to Tethon in Ancient tongue, but these are collective thoughts for now.

    IC:
    Alexia frowned under the water, her thoughts cluttered and then she heard something. She frowned and heard a familiar voice shouting at her. Gasping softly for her breath of air from the surface, she pushed back her hair from her face. Clenching her jaw tightly, she wanted to curl up and shut her ears as his voice left echoes piercing and sending off rather high-pitched rings.

    She only frowned at her childish play. ‘I was sure to count right!’ Sure enough she was naked in a rather warm lake and let alone bathing- while being yelled at as if she was nothing more than a child. ‘I’m a princess you nit-whit! Her thoughts remained silent. As it was, she was a guest and being rude wasn’t going to get her anywhere.

    “I couldn’t sleep. I thought this was the running water you were talking of.� She only smiled and walked out of the water very much naked. Luckily she had long white hair so it covered her body, except her navel and legs. She must have looked like a fool wandering around blind and ending up outside.

    Taking her clothes and putting them back on with no shame of any eyes, she counted once more and found herself touching the same rock the mole-man lived in. “Sorry, but I honestly thought the running water was the steps I counted from the cave. Apparently, I found myself outside. As for being up, and waking you up, my apologies. As tired as I am, I couldn’t find myself asleep once I laid my head down. I guess you could say I have thoughts tugging at my ears.� She chuckled at her foolishness. ‘Tethon is sure to have a riot on my head in the morning!

  28. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #188
    In the dead quiet of this particular night, Tethons voice, barely audible, and in Ancient elven.

    "You know, there is no shame in needing help. We all need assistance from time to time, even the most hardy of us. I myself am not the most fond of adventures. Probably why I was assigned here. I would take a warm bed and a cozy fire over hard dirt and and freezing cold any day. Adventures are rarely what they seem in books and stories and I find that most who actually live them, would rather be without the memories"

    Tethon was actually posing a sort of test. A hearing test. If she could hear his words, then she had better hearing then he did, and if not, then nobody would be the wiser that it was not the murmerings of a dream.

  29. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #189
    Alexia wanted to frown in protest but instead, she sighed softly. She heeded Tethon’s words and would probably find her protest earlier in the day. “What one eyes can see makes the mind race. What one does makes the heart ache. An adventure we are all on- all the time.� She said it low enough for Tethon to hear back in Ancient Elven. She faced towards the mole-man and half smiled. “Guards!� She flung her arms and her protest but counted back from where she would be sleeping.

  30. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #190
    Klaatu got it. Alexia's eyes are dim and her hearing was augmented. He also thought to himself, "The maid is daft!" although daft wasn't quite right, since his base language didn't really have a word for insane, and Graandu never got drunk.

    Anyway, it was clear that she had heard Tethon's low and distant voice. That was remarkable. Her hearing was even better than the mole-man's. Still, it was eyes that he needed on his quest to help his son. His own eyes were destroyed so long ago, and the replacements were myoptic at best. One of the few things his people had never been able to really duplicate.

    Eyes. His deal with Andimia had ended at this doorstep -- unless she would take him up on his new offer and lend her vision, and her obviously considerable skills. Andimia. She was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. She seemed capable of anything, but she was hiding it fairly well.

    Good. Alexia was returning to the cave to sleep. Klaatu really, really wanted to talk to her in the morning. She acted like a chipmunk who ate too many fermented nuts, and didn't seem to belong out here at all.

    Tethon belonged, all right. He was collected and capable. Probably very dangerous when it was called for, but he was obviously disciplined. A soldier? A guide? The relationship between Tethon and Alexia was seemingly upside down. He was in charge, but then suddenly, she seemed to be. And then, there was the troublesome matter of that period of unconsciousness. What was that all about? Was he back to normal? What was 'normal' for him? Another mystery to explore. That would have to be done carefully, however. This elf was not someone to have crosswise in your tunnel.

    In any case, Klaatu desperately wanted to get to King Benu and get information on that artifact. The best way was to get everyone back in bed and rested so that tomorrow they could talk! He was getting frustrated. Night was for getting things accomplished, while the surface world slept. And here he was kit-sitting these elves. "Patience", thought Klaatu. "You've cared for your share of kits before. Tomorrow, we shall start out on an adventure. The first real step to success since our lives were shattered 50 years ago."

  31. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #191
    It was quite. Yes, quiet. That was the word for the dead silence. A couple of snores, heavy and light breathing- but all in all, everything seemed to be quiet. She sat up, a wet head against the rock as she exhaled. She was not tired, she was not fatigued, nor hungry. She bit down on her lip, feeling the vibration in ache against it.

    Upon the silver lining I seek...what am I seeking? A silver lining- that could be anything: a rope, force field, sun rays- no those are golden...

    She had finally encountered sleep...

    Morning had risen, it was early, half-an-hour before cock’s crow. She was having nightmares, talking in her sleep of the paper. She blinked, the world became fuzzy and distant, but she could see hazily. Blobs, shapes, figures, colors, even outlines. It wasn’t clear, but still she could see her places and know what rock not to hit. Her foot throbbed even mentioning it.

    Yawning seemed appropriate as she stood up to stretch. Her hearing had died down a little, the light breathings were not heard of anymore. She wandered the hallways and stopped short towards Tethon. She walked in and cocked her head to the side, brushing back her white hair. She shook her head then, letting it fall straight and then turned around.

    Being the stubborn lass she was, she took out a sheet of paper and wrote: Be back shortly. At the bottom of the page she wrote in Ancient. If need to find me I am no more than fifty paces from forest floor. Do not worry, I am out finding food. The least I could do was pay the curtsey of making breakfast. I shall be up no later than cock crow. Tethon, I would also like to have words. ~Princess~ She frowned reading it and then crossed out Princess, putting Alexia.

    Feeling more satisfied she inhaled calmly and left, after figuring out how to open the entrance...

    It was quiet once more. She felt much better and then slowly her vision came. Still the blobs were there but they defined themselves. She stopped at the forest entrance and looked up- darkness still shrouded her, but it was a blue. The sun was going to rise within thirty minutes. She felt no presence as before and looked at the base of the forest floor picking up thick pine needles and weaving them into a small basket.

    The berries were going ripe, which would do for bread. She did not lie, staying within fifty paces of the forest entrance. She looked deeper into the woods and wanted to pass with genuine curiosity, but decided against it. Cock crow appeared and sun was rising slowly. She smiled letting the warmth touch her face. She had missed it, always missing the sun through the darkness.

  32. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #192
    Alexia walked through the woods. If she had felt eyes watching her, she would have been right. Just off to the right, and just a few feet in front of her, it came into sight. So close that, had it been a snake, it would have bit her...except that it was a snake, and it did not bite her.
    With it's natural camoflage, it was almost invisible even if you knew where to look. If it had not moved, it might never have been seen.

    It simply watched though, with those eerie eyes that would almost send goosbumps down your spine. And it moved...lethargically; in a slow manner that made it seem half asleep, but the eyes were crisp and clear.

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

    Tethon walked at a brisk pace towards Alexia. Even if he had not known the exact location, his training as a youth would have allowed him to track her. He had been awake at the first sign of movement in the camp, and had simply waited while Alexia wrote her note and placed it by his side. She would be wanting some space, and for once, it seemed to be a good idea to let her have it.

    It was all a balance. Don't let her kill herself, but don't restrict her too much either. There was more than one reason for that. For starters, she had knowledge and skill that Tethon did not, and if she depended too much on him, she might never act on it.

    Still, she had had the worst luck so far, and not much sense to balance it. That incident with the arrow was still too much. All a balance....

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

    Kivval watched Alexia. Had Kivval not been vigilant, she might have slipped by unnoticed. Why did all of these Elves have to be morning people. Could none of them just sleep in? It grated on the nerves

    Still, Kivval was alone with the girl, and a better opportunity might not present itself. Then again, something would have to be done with her gaurd, and then there would be the issue of the mole-man. The mole man had known that Kivval was nearby earlier, would he be able to track Kivval now? And even dealing with the mole-man, the sightless giant would be very hard to get rid of.

    And that assumed that everything with Alexia went well. If it did not, she would have to be carried away, and they would definately be able to track the girl down, and Kivval with her. No, it would have to wait, at least a little while. Her eyesight did seem to be returning. Had this been only a sickness of these elves? Kivval could think of none, but that did not mean that none existed.

    It was enough to cause insanity. Too many loose ends, and not enough time to hunt down all of the mice they belonged to....

  33. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #193
    The only noises left were the crackling fire and the whispers of the all-but nonexistent breeze through the tree leaves. The crickets and other night sounds had fallen silent. Taygrim Maurok, known simply as Grim to those few who knew him, looked about with his eyes only, keeping his head still, setting the kriss he’d been sharpening down on his crossed legs, next to the small piece of parchment he had with him at all times. He caught the split-second glint of firelight off of steel, estimated the intruder to be about thirty feet to his right, then lifted his blade and began sharpening it again. He saw another flash of light, closer this time and called out.

    “Think carefully of what you are doing, friend. Turn around and you may find easier prey tonight.”

    The silence returned, as if the would-be assailant was trying to decide whether Grim was bluffing. Grim sighed, already knowing how this was going to turn out; he’d already lived though the same scenario countless times.

    A moment later, the attacker leapt from the foliage. Grim dove forward, rolling to the other side of the campfire, the flipped up onto his feet. He spun around, facing his opponent. The bandit was of average height and weight, wearing leather armor and wielding a short sword. He shifted weight from one foot to the other, obviously nervous.

    “Give me all your valuables!” The man demanded. He waved his short sword toward Grim. “I can always just take them with you laying on the ground if you want!”

    “I already told you that you should go away. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will defend myself if you press this. You have one more chance. Turn around and walk away.” Grim spoke in a low voice, desperately wishing the bandit would listen to him and just leave, though he knew it wasn’t going to happen. As he spoke he moved his right arm out to the side as his left hand slipped the scroll piece back into his belt pouch. He slowly closed his fingers as the darkness of the night began to shift and bend in his grasp. A kriss coalesced in his hand, blacker than pitch, a seeming duplicate of the one he'd been sharpening, now laying beside the other side of the fire.

    The thief dove toward Grim, sword whistling through the air. Grim stepped to the side, deflecting the stroke with the flat of the shadow-kriss. He quickly pulled the weapon down, slicing along the criminal's chest. The man shrieked in surprise, anger and pain. He saw in Grim's eyes no fear, no worry, only a deep sorrow, and his own stupidity. His eyes flashed with the realization that this "prey" may not have been as helpless as he appeared. He held his free hand to his chest, feeling the blood run out, then took one more look at Grim and his shadow-weapon and fled into the night, dropping his sword.

    As the man stumbled through the underbrush, Grim only shook his head, a frown on his lips. He opened his hand, the shadow-blade dissolving back into the darkness. The same story. He'd lived it for the better portion of the last decade. He absentmindedly rubbed the tattoo on his wrist, the mark that resembled a deep blue eye pierced by a black dagger. The Shadow-Kin had accepted him not quite nine years ago, and he would never change that, though sometimes his solitary life became rather lonely.

    Grim layed down near his fire as the flames died down. He all but disappeared as he rolled over, pulling a blanket of shadow over his body. He slept soundly, though when he awoke after about 8 hours of sleep, he still felt tired, an oddity he'd been experiencing for the last several months. He rose and kicked the last few embers out, then ran his hand through his long, loose black hair, the grey streak from his right temple had a stick tangled into it. He made sure his parchment piece and kriss were in his belt, then began heading toward the forest exit.

    An hour or so later, after picking some mushrooms for breakfast and eating them as he walked, he suddenly heard a noise, as of someone else walking through the forest. He quickly slipped to the side, pressing his back up against the trunk of a large tree, standing in its shadow.

    He watched as a girl slowly went by, moving her head oddly. Grim's brow furrowed as he thought. Perhaps her sight was impaired. The hair! He suddenly noticed the pure white. This was the girl he was told of. The other keeper! His heart began to quicken with excitement. He moved his hand into the black of the tree's shadow, creating a kriss of darkness, as he had the night before. As the girl walked past his tree, Grim leapt out, slamming her into another tree and holding the shadow to her throat, allowing it to press, but not cut. A warning to stay still.

    "Are the you one who keeps the scroll piece?" He narrowed his dark blue eyes....

  34. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #194
    OOC: Guys we have a new person, I’ve filled him in already. Be nice and don’t bite too hard! :)

    IC:
    Of all things there had to be eyes watching her! There became no such thing as privacy anymore. She frowned at the pair of eyes watching her, waiting for the light to hit it. She promised she wouldn’t pass the fifty pace line, but it was too tempting as well as regretting. She looked to the left and saw a patch of berries. Ignoring the love to be ‘bold,’ she thought it best to come later in the day rather than at this time.

    Squatting down, she took the back of the leaf and touched the berry. Feeling it unripe she moved onto the next one and picked the ripest ones until her small basket was full of different berries. She looked up and grunted. There wasn’t much time left and Tethon would probably be in a fitting rage if she did get back later than what she addressed. Standing up and brushing off her clothes.

    Then it hit, slamming her towards a tree. Out of the oblivious she was held firmly by the throat by some black see-through thing, almost as if it were a shadow. She held still after letting out a persistent yelp, learning her lesson fast. She shook her head in confusion, dull ice blue eyes glaring back at the man.

    She wanted to cry, not because she was held hostage, but merely the fact that she couldn’t walk fifty paces to be nice and make breakfast for anyone without something happening tragically. She stared for a long moment, puzzled and then thought about it, glaring at him. “What scroll might that be?�

  35. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #195
    The sunlight filtering through the trees lit the girl's face, accenting her stubborness. Grim grunted and backed up, the shadow-kriss dissolving. He tossed his hair behind his shoulders as he examined her. Her eyes were the only oddity besides her hair color. They were clouded, and she wasn't quite looking at him. Her eyesight was impaired, though Grim couldn't guess how badly.

    "I apologize. That was not how I should have introduced myself. I've just been searching for you for many months and the excitement overcame my sensibility." He held out his hand, helping her back onto the path. "My name is Grim. I was sent to find you, though I didn't know who you were. My mentor found a part of a prophecy which I followed to find you. Now, please tell me, do you have a piece of a scroll? One that is special in some way?"

  36. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #196
    Besides the fact he had thrown her to a tree and then now acted to be a gentleman, she straightened herself and walked past him, picking up her berries. They seemed to be the only one’s unharmed. She turned to face him, rather annoyed with his strangeness. She looked up through the trees and to the base of the mole-man’s home. She then turned her gaze to the man. “Come, follow. We wash for breakfast and talk of it. Who knows who is out in these woods.�

    She frowned at the thought of him searching for her. It was unusal and so many thoughts crept in her mind. ‘Who is he? What does it matter of the scroll? Who is his mentor? How is he able to move by shadow?’ She sighed and walked over to the lake, the sun touching her face once more. “So why are you looking for me?� She started to take one berry out and wash it in the water.

  37. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #197
    Grim silently watched as she washed her food and began to eat. He realized that, while this slowness was agonizing to him, after waiting all this time, she was stubborn enough to not allow him to force her into going faster. He let out a sigh as they walked.

    "I have this." Grim pulled the scroll piece from his belt, holding it out for her to touch. "There's something strange about it, but I don't know what. I was told that if I found the white-haired girl who carried another piece I may find answers."

  38. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #198
    Alexia shook her head and put the washed berries in the weaved basket. Turning her attention back towards the man she glared at him and then she looked down at his scroll. She took a second and pulled out the identical one- to his. Putting it away quietly she looked towards the forest floor. “I have no answer to give you. For your information I’m not a girl.�

    Giving a frown she picked up the weaved basket and turned her attention to the mole-man’s house. “You realize you will be patronized for me picked up a guy in the forest.� Alexia raised a brow and then started walking towards the cave. “I’d be on guard, with no weapons and if you think of hurting any of them- I’ll kill you.� In a satisfactory shrug she knew how dangerous her position was in and then continued. “Besides calling me ‘White haired girl’ try calling me Alexia.�

  39. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #199
    Grim shook his head again, silently berating himself for his rash actions. "Again, I apologize for the way I leapt at you. I have no intention of hurting anyone who doesn't try to hurt me first. I have a lot of experience with being attacked and I guess it just comes back out of me sometimes. I give you my word that I will not harm your friends, nor will I even form any weapons unless they are specifically needed to protect us. And yes, I can call you Alexia, now that I know your name." He smiled at her and followed her to her friends.

  40. The Rod of Lordly Might

    #200
    OOC:Whoa whoa guys I think that we are jumping the gun here. Remember in the begining when I said a post per day. Now lets stick to that. Alexia, c'mon you should know better. I mean, where is Andimia for starters. I would hate for a year of posts to go by in such short order because she missed two days.

    Now , if all of you will check my last post, it does happen to be today, even if it was midnight, but special occasions like player introductions deserve special treatment so I will post just after this, however, you two should try to remember that there are other players here.

    In the meantime, Alec, long time no see. Welcome



    -Nobody

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