[Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#1

Inside his wood and stone carriage, Kuth rested on his massive bed; cave bear pelts making it comfortable to rest upon. Outside he heard the draft horses' hooves crunch down on mud and stone, and he heard Caldu and Enthril run on each side of the carriage in greyhound form. They were protecting their master, as was their job as apprentices. He was tired of reading, and a wyvern-leather bound tome, "The Mastery of Morphing - The Wyvern Form", slipped out of his fingers and down on the floor. Somewhere far away, he heard Vitoriel singing, her unearthly elven voice sending a tingle down his spine.

Aeomi walked beside Kuth's carriage, scrying into the Decuthrian Orb which she held in her left palm. In it she had bound the soul of Neckras - The Shadowfiend that had killed some of her kin in the village of Nurien. Whenever she thought of him, draining the life force of her infant great great great grandson, and then his mother, she felt the urge to study that orb hard and long, and she could feel Neckras studying her back. While she had warded the orb, so that his malicious essence could not influence the outside world, she could almost feel the enmity seep from him. Yet he was in her command, her eternal prisoner.

Greta's presence retreated immediately. This was the first time she had heard from her in days.

Vitoriel sat in the foremost carriage, and Elquin sat beside her. She had sung "The Covenant of the Broken", a song of lamentation for the Refugee Elven Nation. Elquin could feel the hurt in the song, and tears ran down his cheeks uncontrollably.

"Mistress Vitoriel! We can see Treskenmauer downhill in the distance! Remember that we are in the Kingdom, Mistress. Time to play your roles!"

Looking down on Treskenmauer from their lofty position, the group could see about twenty white plaster houses with solid wood beams supporting the walls, thatched roofing and brick chimneys. The houses seemed to circle a marketplace and was surrounded by fields that seemed to have been sown recently. They could even see farmers behind their oxen, working the earth.

Two kilometers to the north and west of the village they saw a large forest, with deep green leaves and a canopy forty meters above the ground. It was an elder forest, and it seemed to stretch forever.

Vitoriel could sense the forest, even from up where she stood. It almost whispered to her, and she could smell it on the wind. It was an ancient place, and within those woods the fae dwelled, of that she was sure. She could sense the wisps at the edge of the forest, and the isolated pockets of Sylvan trees: The soul of the forest itself, with trees come alive. And there was magic therein; and she wondered what its source was, if it was the fae themselves, or a refugee coven of witches, or an elder entity. Whatever it was, she could smell its power.

Aeomi Nefertiri Nebuchadessar was lost in similar thoughts. She too sensed the magic hidden beneath that distant canopy, yet to her it seemed alien and dark. Her ghost attuned senses could feel the sorrow therein, and it was a place of much misery, of that she was sure.

Elquin stood still, like a deer sensing danger. He had walked that forest many times, for it was just outside the Golden City. Mirkast it was called by the residents of the Dreamscape, and within Mirkast was the Oracle, the Bringer of Prophecy. Elquin exhaled, and he felt excitement, but also fear. For the tales of the Guardian of the Oracle were numerous. And... he had not expected to find Mirkast here; in the false world of the waking.

Kuth stood flanked by Caldu and Enthril. The Half-Giant felt nothing but the glaring eyes of the villagers. He was in the shape of a fat merchant, flanked by his greyhounds. He hated Silmarites. He hated them. He could stand the presence of those within the Monestary, but here he was in the presence of pure ignorance, the blind, hateful mob of the Kingdom.

It was as if they all sighed at once, and then they began their descent down to Treskenmauer.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#2

"Thank you, Elquin, for reminding me" Vitoriel smiled gratefully. "I will remind myself to either murder none of them - or all at once."
She was entirely earnest throughout the entire sequence.

The forest drew her curiosity in, her yearning for days gone and the innate longing of all earth-bound fey for Arcadia combining into a powerful affection for the shadowy boughs. A fascination with the dangers within, their ferocity and unbound nature, their fierce independence and defiance of the shackles of reality.
Her gaze turned back to Treskenmauer. Twenty houses today. Tomorrow the woods would be gone.

"Elquin, Ronal, find me a place for a ritual - preferrably in the hills. I have friends to call."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#3

Elquin wiped his tear-streaked cheeks clean. It was not often that he was moved by happenings in the waking world of late, and Vitoriel's song granted him a reprieve from his own thoughts for a time. The tale sung of loss and sorrow, and embedded further into Elquin the impression that the Exiled Elves were a fey and curious race.
As Treskenmauer came into view and a rare display of unchecked emotion sneaked onto his features before hiding once more; a sneer of distaste. It seemed that even though he had spend most of his life in Ketange-Ishatal, Elquin's Ethenorden heritage was still reflected in his opinion of Silmar.

Elquin then spotted the massive Elder forest, and he whispered "By the Stonewall of Sahr! Mirkast...! Can it be?" He was familiar with this forest; it had played nearly as large a part in his dreams as the Golden Palace. He remembered when he was but a child and before the Golden Princess felt his presence in the palace, He used to sit, hidden in the boughs of the great trees and catch glimpses of the Huntsman, leading his hounds through the forest to hunt the strange and wondrous beasts that existed in the Dream. A shiver ran down Elquin's spine... The huntsman only hunted in there in his dreams... Right?

But then a new thought came to his mind, unbidden. "Deep in the Forest Dark, " he said, not realizing he was speaking aloud, "Where the spirits thirst and long for blood. A sphere of cobalt hue lies in wait, submerged in crimson. Collect the marble, for though you have never owned it, it has always been yours. This is your first task."

"Elquin, Ronal, find me a place for a ritual - preferrably in the hills. I have friends to call."
Elquin turned to Vitoriel immediately after speaking, not realizing he had said those words aloud. "It will be done, Master." Elquin bowed respectfully, then addressed the group as a whole, "If you are to go in town to gather information, I will remain in the hills and scout the area today. Though there are no open hostilities at the moment, the colour of my skin will be enough to make conversations difficult, and I will not waste all of my dyes to blend in with so small a village. When night falls , I will find you. Master Vitoriel, when Ronal and I find a suitable place for your arcanery, I will send him back to lead you there, so I can continue getting a lay of the land. Remember the Silmar hatred of witchcraft and blend in well!"
With that said, Elquin and Ronal departed. The Thief couldn't help but worry for the Masters; they were powerful, yes, but Dieter was crucified and burned; Elquin knew well that being burned at the stake was a Silmar punishment for magic users - he had seen a few burnings in his missions to Silmar over the years.

Hunting for a nice, cleared and secluded spot for Vitoriel, after which he will send Ronal back. Elquin will then spend the rest of the day exploring the surrounding lands up to - but not inside - the edge of the forest, and the nearby surrounds, looking for landmarks, places of interest and so on. When night falls he will return to the group (sneaking in town if they are in there). I cant make any rolls, because i am on phone atm, but if AG or someone else can roll for me, it would be appreciated.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#4

Aeomi had been pacing Vitoriel's cart, preferring her feet to a numb bottom, at the mention of a ritual she pricked up her ears. "Let me know if you need my help." She offered, deciding at least to follow and bear witness.

The muddy "streets" and the hollow-eyed people were a sorry sight, disease, death, the eerie cries of too many deceased. "Man was never meant to live this way..." She mumbled to herself. Perhaps she could ease their sufferings with a sending or two. But she had other things on her mind as well. The fact that Greta's terms seemed reasonable made them all the more terrifying, she was sure there was more to come, if nothing else, Greta wanted a body of her own, that could be a heavy price to pay. She didn't allow herself to dwell too much on it, in case Greta was listening in on her thoughts. Seemed a terribly unfair prospect seeing as she couldn't hear her thoughts, but then again wouldn't that suggest the same was true for her. So many complications, dark times ahead.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#5

The caravan approached Treskenmauer slowly, the draft horses stomping and neighing. As they approached the children stopped their playing, staring wide eyed until their mothers called them back to the houses. And thus it came to be that the caravan of great sorcerers rolled into a tiny, superstitious border village of the Kingdom.

Aeomi was the first to meet up with the locals as the first carriage rolled into what passed for the village square; a well and some wooden stalls with vegetables and fish on them. But the locals seemed to have all retreated from sight, until an elderly woman with greying, long hair and a green peasant gown walked out of one of the buildings.

"Who be ye, trespassers, to be coming down from the mountains at this time of the year?", her voice was nervous, but her words were strong.

Elquin found an old place of offering, close to the road where they first spotted Treskenmauer. By the looks of it, it had been a place of ancestral worship in the ages past, but the years had not been kind to it and it had been tens, if not hundreds, of years since someone last made an offering here. His Ethenorden senses could feel a rift in the veil, however, and he instantly knew that this was a place where the Mistress would feel her magic flow freely.

After sending Ronal back, he continued his searching and exploring. Most of the lands surrounding Treskenmauer were uninteresting farmlands, but he did find a trail leading into the forest, and he saw a hut in there, but a hundred meters from forest edge. For an instance he even thought he saw a woman in there, but the moment faded and he found himself alone.

Exploring further, he found a patch of Wyldeling Roses, which he knew the Master of the Monestary favored for her famous potions. Looking further, he found a slab of stone next to the roses. He noticed faint traces of footprints that seemed to go back and forth between the village and the stone.

He had spent only three hours exploring, but without entering the woods or the village, or venturing farther away from the village, he felt he had exhausted his options in this area.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#6

Aeomi stepped up to the old woman, letting her staff lead her. "I be Aeomi Nefertiri Nebuchadessar, mistress of the summoning tower of the sacred circle of Ketange-Ishatal. And who be you to so boldly proclaim us as trespassers?" She took some of the edge off her words by smiling and raising an eyebrow.

"We are merely passing through and have no intentions to cause trouble in your town, if anything quite the opposite..." She assured the woman.

She glanced around at the gathered huddled masses, strange to see such bravado arise from such a downtrodden bunch.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#7

The old woman looked like she had been slapped across the face, her mouth was open, almost like a fish on land, gasping for air.

"Mistress of the Summoning Tower... The Ketange hereti... circle...", she stammered and stepped backwards, her eyes darted from Aeomi to the carriage beside her, to Vitoriel's carriage.

"WITCH! WIIIITCH! WIIIIITCH!", she cried.

A few secons went by as the old woman reeled backwards.

"WIIIITCH! WIIIITCH!", came the reply from the houses, and suddenly the doors opened and the peasants stormed out. Old men, young men, girls no older than early puberty, little boys, everyone just kept pouring out of their homes.

"KILL THE WITCH! KILL THE WITCH!", the elderly lady screamed, her face flushed and twisted in anger, an accusing, shaking finger pointing towards Aeomi.

They came at her with brooms and kettles, with knives and sickles. One had a scythe, another had a rusted longsword.

"BURN HER! BURN HER!", came the cries from some of the peasants.

Five grown men threw stones at Aeomi, but the stones stopped in the air before her, and dropped harmlessly on the ground.

OOC: Roll 1d10 for initative. The peasants rolled 7 and will circle Aeomi to stab her and grapple her to the ground.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#8

"Remember the Silmar hatred of witchcraft and blend in well!"

Kuth sighed. Where was the vaunted wisdom Aeomi was supposed to display? Caldu had more sense, and that was saying something.

He wanted to stomp, tear, crush, and the Gods and Aeomi were not making it easy for him.

Instead, how to do this without bloodshed? He sung a brief phrase of the Song of the Earth and stomped his foot.

(09:48:15) Minion: valadaar rolls 1d10 and gets 6. -2 so 4.

And, will use
Earthcall Periodically, he can call upon the earth to manifest its power - usually a powerful local earthquake that can knock many people down and/or tip over unsecured objects. This is draining and consumes X manna. If insufficient mana is available, the balance is paid in hp.

Given this is in line with his enchantments, I would like to swap it out for another perk since it does not make sense for his perks to reproduce his spells, especially when it draws manna..

Your call on manna cost for a 30' radius knock-em-on-their butt usage of this power...

In reply, the ground moved, as if it were some great puddle and the earth itself became the waves, emanating from the point of Kuth's footfall.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#9

With a mighty stomp of his foot, Kuth called upon his powers and made the earth move. His foot being the epicenter, the cracks in the earth spread out as if from the center of a spider's web, and there was an immense rumble, followed by a crack as the ground cracked apart. Screaming, several of the villagers fell to the ground.

Within a few seconds, five of the houses had minor damages. Somewhere an infant cried, his mother had dropped him during the rumble. Some villageers wailed, gruesome, horrible sounds, as they laid on the ground. The villagers' assault was over before it began; in it's stead a cacaphony of wailing voices, peasants crying and falling to their knees, begging for mercy.

"Demon-Lords! Dark-Lords! Oh Great Warlocks, spare us from your spiteful woe!", a young man begged, clenching to Kuth's other boot and kissing it.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#10

"Spare you?" the elf though.
"What is that 'spare' you speak of?"
To the extent of her knowledge, their vocabulary did not know that word.

The inhabitants of that mudhole were all flooding into the streets, so intent on letting a little murder or lynching brighten their day.
Vitoriel shook her head in disappointment.
There she was, an eyeblink prior reveling in nostalgia, memories of caressing spring rain and fragrant symbelminё, honestly determined to let them be, to focus on the task ahead.
As ever, as always, as every single time, fate conspired to remind her that the Elven Weltschmerz had its reason - the discrepance between the world-that-was, and the world-that-should-be.

Once, she could not have done it, but this day, Vitoriel so easily reached into the beyond, and brought forth the hunger of unbeing, a singularity of death, in the midst of the lynch mob.
The broiling necrotic sphere pulled much like whirlpool at the frail souls nearby, drawing them in, and leaving limp husks in its wake.

"I will not repeat Dieter's mistake" she growled, then added to her fellows between her gritted teeth: "The dice are cast; do me a favor, let none escape." The roiling blackness spun further, feeding on more of the screaming villagers. Thanks to Kuth for knocking them over - at least they had a harder time running!

"Cover me, kill at will."
Craving Abyss. I try to catch some important-looking villagers in the vortex to capture their souls; if I get the crone, so much better.
If anyone seriously threatens me, I will go Into Thin Air.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#11

OOC: Rolling for spell noise
(20:13:49) Minion: Ancient_Gamer triller 1d100 og får 93.
Being a 4 memorization point spell, the chance of noise is 4x3 = 12. So a roll of 89-100 invokes a noise effect. The power of this spell has woken up some powers. (A benefit of the monestary was that it was shielded from such effects)

The villagers went limp, one by one, as their very souls were sucked into Vitoriel's black sphere. After half a minute, all, from village crone to their infants laid unconscious, their souls snared by the elven enchantments. When she was done the village looked like a ghosts haunt, with partially destroyed homes and nearly hundred bodies in the mud of the village square.

None of the villagers had escaped, but an elderly lady came running from the forest. She wore a brown gown, and carried a woven wooden basket in her left arm. Tears were running down her cheeks, and she stopped but 10 meters from the sorcerous caravan.

She stared defiantly at Vitoriel.

"When Viktor was born, he cried all night. I gave his mother wolf's milk to calm his aching teeth", she said in a quivering voice.

"When Gunhilde shed her first blood, she came running to my cottage in the middle of the night. She laid in my arms all night long as I stroke her hair and hushed her", the elderly lady continued. Vitoriel noticed she had one milked over white eye, and another of deep brown hue.

"I beg you, witch. Whatever your reasons, I beg you to release these innocents, for it has been my life's quest to help them, and I do not wish to see them slain for no apparent reason"

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#12

"The reason is clear, and you would know, if you know them as well as you claim."
She sensed the captured, their minds alive - as long as she would let them.
"I could pry them apart, and tell of their sin, an unbiased account of the evil within."

"To cry murder upon the unknown, will sometimes succeed and sometimes fail. I have not sown the wind, crone, but I am the storm that blossomed from the seeds of wrath."

Vitoriel studied the strange woman, deciding what to do. She continued in a dispassionate mellow voice meanwhile.
"Once, man huddled in fear in the night, and showed what we mistook for reverence - t'was but wariness of consequence. Of what the unknwon, disturbed, in wrath upon them bestow might."

She sighed. "Fair enough, your tale is sad, and it is wrong to let the many suffer for the sins of the few. Step closer, look upon their sins within, and if they still appeal to you, I will set them free."
I'll suck her in if she falls for it, or toss her into the sphere with Cloudchaser if not.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#13

The old lady managed to smile and nod.

"Good, good. I am glad you see reason. I was worried that the Master of the Monestary had sent lun...", and with that she let out a short scream as her soul was ripped from her body. Her woven wooden basket rolled to the ground as she collapsed, and its herbs and mushrooms were spilled on the ground.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#14

"Search the houses, watch the hills. None may have learned of our passing."
She settled under a tree to study her catch. Once she was done, she'd wipe the traces of her magic; it had to be as if they never had been here.
As for the bodies, she'd think of a use or way of disposal later.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#15

Aeomi stood gaping leaning on her staff as realization dawned on her. Silmar.

"No! Stop wait! I..." The last villager fell unconscious to the ground.

"...." Aeomi stood staring, a whole village. It had happened so fast. What would she say to them? Well she knew one thing, she wouldn't admit fault.

"Right... I see they haven't changed much in a 100 years. You didn't have to do that, Vitoriel, I had them just where I wanted them. Well, it just so happens all is not lost, they may be stubborn fools but everyone deserves a second chance. We wait until dusk, then if you would be so kind as to return them their souls, I'll have a way of winning them over to our side without fault. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare."

With that she strode off, not wanting to hear any objections or complaints, leaving the persuasion to others. She went off alone behind some of the houses, she had to lean against a wall for support, her whole body shook, she sweated and panted. She held back bitter tears.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#16

At Vitoriel's command, Euridice and Ronal began searching for survivors. Euridice cried some tears, and Ronal bent over and emptied his bowels, but they did as the Mistress commanded. For the first time ever Vitoriel spotted fear in their eyes, but they were quick to avert their gaze, instead looking at her feet when they spoke to her.

The search yielded nothing, though Euridice returned with a silver chain necklace she found on the last crone that Vitoriel had murdered.

"She wore the Ketange-Ishatal Rune of Friendship, Mistress... She was an ally", Euridice stammered and held a silver chain with a thick plate with a rune engraved on it up, for all to see.

*****

Aeomi had left and Vitoriel was left alone with the Ketange symbol of friendship and her collection of souls. Looking into it, she found that the throng of innocents were blocked by the fury of the brown gowned crone.

"I CURSE YOU, WITCH!", she began, her voice quiverying with fury.

"BY THE WATERS OF THE RIVER KEUDREN, I CURSE YOU!", she was working her way up to a crescendo and Vitoriel could feel the old magic in her words, the buildup of a powerful spell. In midst of the words, she could sense images of the crone's past; she saw a young virgin, running across the field, and what seemed like a younger version of Dieter Sachshoff, a charming fellow with a gleam in his eye.

"BY THE MOUNTAIN KNOWN AS THE KIEBRAL, I CURSE YOU!"

Vitoriel saw the crone, now a virgin no longer, as she played with Dieter between the linen, as he taught her spells of healing and of protection. She saw the crone meet with the Master of the Monestary, and saw her get the rune and a promise of protection.

"I CURSE YOU IN THE NAME OF DIETER SACHSHOFF, IN THE NAME OF DIENNIA MYRABEL!"

Vitoriel knew she had two choices. She could let her cast her curse, and attempt to withstand it; a risky venture, but one that might have a small chance of success. It was either that, or she had to snuff out her life force before she could finish her curse; a curse invoking spirits of power of such magnitude, it would certainly have a dire effect.

Aeomi tried to breathe, but breathing did not come easily. For a while the world seemed to turn, and she gripped for something to hold on to. Then she saw Enthri, Kuth's apprentice, as she huddled in between two buildings. She was shaking heavily, and Aeomi understood she was crying. Then Aeomi spotted something beside Enthri; a little girl? It was as if Enthri tried to hide her, and slowly the two made their way between the buildings, perhaps finding their way out of the ruined village.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#17

Elquin plucked a couple of Roses from the ground and stashed them in his pack. He considered entering the forest to investigate the hut, but at that moment with a rumble and a shudder, he felt the ground shake. Kuth's work, no doubt. It seemed the others had blown their cover already! They'd better not be killing everyone - more information could be gathered from a living individual than a corpse.

The door of the hut opened and an old woman ran out. Elquin hid behind a tree as she passed, and then considered following her for a moment. Finally, he decided that the Masters are fully capable of defending themselves. Elquin followed the path into the forest to the hut and quietly entered.

A quick post because I run out of time. Elquin's going to go ahead and investigate the hut for anything interesting. For breaking and entering and such, my Thievery roll: (08:15:01) Minion: Shadoweagle rolls 1d100 and gets 48. Against 95 Thief skill (-5 in daytime due to perk)

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#18

Vitoriel raised one eyebrow at the outburst, then shrugged.
"I would say that if they had not changed much in a hundred years, they would have had second chances aplenty until today."

Deserving.
Well, not everybody gets what he deserves. Usually, they don't. Which seems to be an universal problem.

"Eurydice? I still do need you to retain the grand scope. We were attacked without provocation; there is a sole fate for such as you at the hands of Silmar. For me, there is a choice of two: death - or being raped for all times to come, regretting forever that the first option wasn't mine. This is reason enough for me to prefer that none of Silmar know of our passing. Would you agree?"
The elf nodded towards Ronal.
"Now, please collect the hardened mercenary off the floor, then count how much blood the Daughters of Theriastrazza will ask in exchange for their service. Ronal - you are on watch."

There were no such things as universal justice, no kind force of the cosmos seeing to it that everybody received his fair share.
Once, she had wept, her tears a memento to her belief in fairness, for despite her pleas, there was none, and never had been. Whatever fairness you wished to have in the world, whatever level field, you had to create and uphold.

Oh. The midwife still lived. Vitoriel might have remedied the woman's error and returned the soul - but the crone's fury and dire curse gave her little choice but to snuff out her life-spark, and to unravel the spirit, browsing the strands. If she was so involved in the matters of this wondrous hamlet, she would most likely know whether anything had befallen Dieter here, and what the forest could hold.

Stupid wench. Stupid lucky wench. Vitoriel shook her head, but spent unnecessarily long on the images of Dieter, before she condemned them to oblivion. She could have had him, had she wanted.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#19

The crone held up a defiant shield of pure will, but Vitoriel's will was like the sun, searing a hole in her defenses. As she perished, snuffed out by Vitoriel, the elven woman saw brief images of Dieter, passing through the village. He was in a hurry, and spent only one night in the crone's cottage. Then Vitoriel felt the crone await his return some months later, nd she felt her tossing restlessly at night, wondering what fate had befallen the all-powerful Fire Mage.

For Elquin, entering the cottage in the forest was all too easy. A primitive lock, defeated in less than two seconds, and he was in.

The interior was simple. A brick fireplace with ample firewood; birch by the look of it. A single and half bed, made from carved timber and painted black. Three tomes under the bed. A huge, out of the place oval silver mirror. A black cauldron in the fireplace; a staple of witchcraft and mirroring the one in the Master's chamber in the Ketange Monestary. And six shelves full of herbs, mushrooms, roots, salts of various colors and dried small animals like frogs and fish and squirrels and... three duck heads.

Walking over to the bed, Elquin found an embroidered pillow. "Dieter

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#20

The surge of power was irresistible. Spells of magic. Spells of such magnitude, elder forces had to be at play.

The roots creaked and protested, entwined around its arms. For centuries it had wiggled and pried, wrestled and fought. For centuries the roots had held it down.

With a whipping sound, the roots snapped, all at once, and it rose from the soil.

It was hungry.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#21

Vitoriel went for the soul of the mad crone who had started the incident next - how could an elderly woman, in an armpit like Treskenmauer, five weeks distant from the monastery, identify Aeomi on sight? The master of the Summoning Tower hardly ever left the monastery's blessed walls, even less so in the recent decades.

There was more at work here than backwoods inbred troglodytes trying to murder a witch of their own.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#22

There were no mysteries to be unwrapped in the village elder that had confronted them when they first arrived. The old lady, though but a child in comparison to Vitoriel, was a biased, envious and fearful individual, sheltered from experiences outside that of the small village and its outlying fields and farms. The farthest she had ventured was to the foothills of the Cyllereans, where she once saw a Half-Giant eat a goat alive, and that was that. She knew not of Aeomi on sight, but she had heard of the monestary by word of mouth in the local tavern. Also, a month ago, a Hexenjaeger patrol had passed by and warned them that the traveler Dieter Sachshoff in reality had turned out to be Dieter the Conjuror, a known accomplice of the Ardenwald Coven, the Ketange-Ishatal Cabal, and that he and his like found sexually perverse delight in demonic rituals.

Ever since the patrol had passed through, she had represented the villagers, ever catious of diabolical travelers and their succubus ilk.

In the end Vitoriel was left astounded by the fear she felt radiate from the old woman. Such fear that rivalled, or even surpassed, the fear her elven clan had felt on the run. She was afraid of strangers, of magic, of the gods, of elves and other "demons", of night, of thunder, of spiders, of snakes, of the forest, of the midwife Astrida, and there were no end to her fears. And where the fear ended, envy began. Envy of her neighbour, of the farmers, of Ylva, a young girl that had once had a fling with her husband, 20 years ago.

All in all, this was an old woman, with a sharp tongue, quick to point an accusing finger, but in reality a really small and forgettable person.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#23

Kuth shook his head, how had he blacked out so?

Kuth was angry to the point of near breaking - but he had to hold it in. So close, so close.

"You will return the souls at dusk as Aeomi asks. We need not become like them. I have not studied for years to rise above being a monster in soul to become one so quickly, and I will not abide others who do. There is no negotiation on this point. Do so or we are enemies. "

"You - " he pointed to the departing Aeomi with a voice drenched with rage, "if that is an example of your learning in the monastery, then you require many, many more years there. Let us hope their fates will at least teach you the value of thinking before you speak."

"Apprentices, gather the fallen, safeguard their bodies and make them comfortable for their return. Caldu, keep watch and take wing to me if anything transpires."

Again, Kuth wanted to crush and destroy, but Gods, at least make them worthy...

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#24

"Enthri!" Aeomi whispered as she hurried towards the apprentice. "Wait, please. I promise this child's parents has not perished nor has the rest of the village! Give her to me, I'll protect her. Even if I have to wrest the souls from Vitoriel herself, noone dies tonight! By dusk, I'll have them all back, you have my word."

Aeomi's eyes were filled with hurt and regret, but her jaw was set, she was determined to fix this wrong.

(15:33:25) Minion: Gossamer rullar 1d100 och får 54. If you need a persuasion check or something.

And if I failed my communcations roll (50), here's a magic roll to boost me up if need be (15:38:52) Minion: Gossamer rullar 1d100 och får 70. Which is 75

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#25

Elquin browsed the interior of the hut carefully; he didn't know what to expect and honestly wasn't so sure why he had even bothered entering the place - except that it was secluded away from the village proper in the forests edge. An oddity that warranted investigation, he supposed.

Curiously, there appeared signs of witchery within the hut! Herbs and dried animal parts and such. He found three books of some significance under the bed - they were significant because the thickness and length of words on them were beyond Elquin's' grasp; so why did this elderly woman have them?
Finally, before leaving, he chose to study the mirror more closely - it was out of place in such a humble hut as this.

After his duties within the hut were completed, he left and trailed his way back to town, following the path the old woman had taken. He began his entrance into the village with caution, but soon found there was no more need for that - the scene of arcanic chaos that lay before him showed that clearly the situation had gotten out of hand.

The frustration was obvious on Elquin's face for some time before he retained his composure - these Masters... They could tear down the fabric of reality and turn flesh into stone with a wave of a hand... They were book smart and incredibly more learned than Elquin could ever hope to be... But when it came to something so simple as interrelations with other mankind? It seemed the stuffiness of the libraries has dulled their senses on the real world! It was becoming more and more obvious to Elquin as to why The Master had chosen The Thief to come along. Perhaps he should have gone in the village alone, and let the masters scout the land...

Swallowing his frustrations at the lost chance for questioning, Elquin remembered the mantra that had been passed to him by his dealings with the Dreamer; Faith is a luxury - faith in your god, or in yourself, or in others - one must not trust to faith, but Instead have the serenity to accept what course may come, and the will and ability to act wisely in reaction to that course. Still - he had no love for Silmarites, but they were peasants...
"And the whispers in the hall suggest I am the one going mad...? Since we seem to have nobody left to question, we may need to extend our search into the forest."
His voice was carefully neutral, however the disapproval was apparent; there were no words of respect, and this day for the first in many years, Elquin did not bow to his Masters.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#26

Vitoriel was disturbed from her musings over the hateful wench, casting the worthless shards that had been her into the winds of the netherworld.
"I do not take kindly to threats, Kuth - I believe we have established as much."

She gave him a faint smile, it flitted much like shades cast by gossamer across her face. Her features were without wrath, without malevolence, that fey distant look, infinitely patient and uncaring.

"If you so much value reason, the very reason behind which you cage the beast inside, then convince me with reason to let them go. Maester, I listen."
She bowed slightly, more of a nod, and walked amongst the unconscious villagers, studying them.
"But before you begin, I would tell you a few choice words, to set into a frame anything we do or say."

Her voice was that of a storyteller by the fireside; the weight of memory can be seen in one's eyes and heard in one's words.
"My fair Valthirion, my birthplace, haven, is still at Low War with Silmar, though its walls no longer stand. I have read that pompous declaration of war myself, and it promised in no unclear terms death upon me and all alike. Man, woman, kianna, or child. We have offered High War, a fight of single champions, to spare the lives of simple folk. It was denied. That war never ended, no accord of peace was signed. Thus, even if I were to extinguish them all, it would be slaying an enemy combatant, not murder. Both in name and in spirit, they freely identify themselves as subjects of Silmar, and carry its legacy."

She picked up a knife, a scythe, a hammer, even a broken bottle, and handed them one by one to Kuth.
"They were armed, and began the conflict - against a woman carrying no weapon, who came bearing greetings with outstretched hands, her name upon her lips."
A particularly nasty butcher's cleaver found itself in Kuth's hand, playfully placed there by the girlish elf.
"I am not you, and I am frail. This threat is sufficient to be lethal to me, in a single strike."
"I am a poor unarmed young woman, and Aeomi a venerable elder, and yet they would offer us lethal force?"
Vitoriel shook her head, in apparent disappointment at the villainy of man.

"There is no moral high ground, it is not yours, and it is not theirs. There is a war, and they chose a side. My side was forced upon me."
She smiled, and her flowery scent filled the air, as she stepped out in a pirouette.
"Would you blame a tiger for killing a man who threatened him, Beastmaster? Would you blame a river for breaking a dam laid in its course?"

At rest again, she concluded: "I care not for good or evil, Kuth. Tell me what I have to gain from their continued existence - and it better not be 'the absence of your axe in my gut', dear."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#27

"It is a testament to chains of spirit that they are only threats at this point.

When I came to the Monastary, I came as a Half-Giant. As a monster, for my fury had few reigns upon it. Time and training have strengthened those chains, but always there is strain. What matters of my people I have left behind. I am of the order. No more. As you should be.

I understand you are frail physically, as is Aeomi, and, if unaware, so am I. We still have more options to deal with fools than simply the gift of death. Seeking the easy path, the pragmatic path, is not something we trained so hard for. They were cowed before you acted - the seizing of their souls was unnecessary.

It will take no genus to determine what happened here, even should not one of these live to speak against us. It will be just more fire to add to the endless cycle of war, and could very well bring more armies upon the Monastery.

These people are no Tigers, though they have teeth, and they are no Dam to our river. They are prostrate, captured with barely any effort on our part. Your argument is false. Save your fury for those who know better.

Again, if you do not free them, at the very least our travels together are over. You will indeed be the Demon Lord that peasant called me. There should be no requirement to explain why _not_ to kill, only the choice to do so. "

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#28

I'm gonna go ahead and assume I convinced the apprentice, only because this game is moving so fast right now. I'll change the post if I failed.

"He's right Vito. How many years have I known you now?" Aeomi said as she emerged, flanked by a cowering Enthri and the village girl.
"Would you oppose your fellow maesters? Your friend? I can see no reason why and for such a great cost. I understand your concerns, but grant me at least the chance of doing this in a way that doesn't upset most of our stomachs. I would like to show you due respect in this, but understand that I can't leave this up to your whims, one way or another those souls are going to be returned."

Aeomi outstretched arm gently placed the tip of the staff to the ground, her face neutral but her gaze unyielding.

"I ask for your trust but nothing more." She added.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#29

"A simple argumentation, and not addressing my concern, nor my reasons."
"A simple view of a complex matter."

The connections were so easy to see - for her at least.

"Have you ever stopped to think what they would do, after Aeomi's heartfelt introduction? Though they might be cowed by your display, the very first moment of our absence, they would scream for their masters, to wreak upon us what they themselves could not."
She eyed him, curiously.
"Can you claim to change the heart of every single of these fools? You cannot, and you cannot learn whether you succeeded."

"Thus, what is opposed is not only gain from their living, but also loss - loss of secrecy, and an enemy at your back, ever growing in strength and power."
"As for the culprit of this incident being unequivocally us, a few sword strikes will blame the bandit and brigand, omnipresent in the enlightened nation of Silmar."
She shook her head.
"And as for the traces of magic - have you never learned to wipe away yours? I have learned to hide mine."

Then, Vitoriel added: "The monastery taught me to resolve issues expediently, for there always is a task ahead. By lingering on and commenting on my conduct, you actually threaten the mission, as you do by threatening to leave."
"Your choice to give up your roots was yours, and easier than mine. For incarnated in Valthirion, I have witnessed the best this wretched world can offer, and I know it can never be reborn while the folly of Silmar stands. I know my people may not live while Silmar breathes."

Her eyes were fey, lightless.
"I already am a demon in their eyes, by the very nature of my birth. How much worse can I become? Their perception of me is meaningless, especially if none live to tell. The beast in my argument is me, they have just chosen the wrong beast to hunt. Verily, the unprepared hunter alone is to blame."

Vitoriel shrugged.
"I have presented my position clearly, openly and honestly, and refuted your arguments, Kuth. What more do you have to say? I respect you enough to listen further. Do your best to save these fools, for at this moment, letting them die is far less effort than letting them live."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#30

"YOU are letting your personal choices interfere with the mission. My reticence on the unnecessary taking of life is a mark of sanity.

I would rather take on an entire Henjager army then allow these people to die. That would have honor. This, this is purely the way of rat, the beast, the coward. You are better than that.

If you don't see that, then no words of mine will convince you. "

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#31

"Likewise you, Aeomi - feel free to make a point, for we are creatures of reason. But please, do not continue with appeals to stomachs, for then anyone could refute anything by claiming weakness of the bowels."

Vitoriel likewise valued Aeomi's company, but appealing to friendship was a cheap shot.

"You won't let this be decided on my reason, not whim, yet I shall yield to yours?"
She sighed, actual disappointment.
"Use an equal measurement, unbiased, unemotional, and make your point why I should trust you do deal with them better than I have. Please, take your time, while I study what can be learned of them."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#32

"Reason?! There are children in this village, most of which are in your orb! I am a master of the monastery, as are you. I have in my powers a way, a possibillity to appease everyone without this turning into us murdering eachother over you acting like a pertinent child, wanting to pull wings off a fly! I had everything under control until you both started flinging your magics around! If you can't trust in me, then trust in the master trusting in my abbilities! I ask for but one chance, Vitoriel! One!"

Aeomi gripped her staff hard, there was no calmness in her now.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#33

The heated discussion continued for some time as Elquin stood there. He had nothing to add to the conversation; it was what it was, and he was in no position to argue against the whims of the Masters. One thing he did learn from the conversation though, was that those within the magical well were not yet lost; that depended on the will of Vitoriel. As time drew on, a dreary fog began creeping along the scene, blanketing the town. Elquin gave a fairly rare smile at the feel of the familiar mists upon his skin, and a thought came to him,
"Respectful Masters. We can debate until the World is consumed and the Dream takes us all and still not come to a satisfactory result. May I offer a compromise?" He stepped towards Vitoriel, "As you know, we Ethenorden are attuned to the mists. They carry us, and those who we choose to where we will, so long as they are around. Spare these ignorant villagers, but not before we bind their bodies securely. I shall lead them through the mist and drop them to The Monastery, where they may be kept securely for some weeks. Once we are returned from our mission, they may be deposited back to their town and believe what they wish. Who knows, the masters may even convince some of them that the monks are not so horrible after all! This will spare their lives, appeasing Aeomi and Kuth, but also keep them out of touch with authority. It would look better for the Monastery if we were not tagged as village-slayers and town-razers by the end of this. We would not wish to start a war."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#34

OOC: THIS GOES BEFORE SHADOWEAGLE'S POST!

In the cabin, Elquin had spotted a girl in the mirror. No, not a girl, but a young woman, perhaps 23, wearing a hide helmet of deer skin, with antlers. She seemed to be reading at a desk, and Elquin touched the mirror; he remembered the girl as one of the girls he had played with in Mirkast while just a kid. The Antler Witch she was called, and the forest abided by her rules. Once he had played hide and seek, and instead of hiding behind the trees, the trees had hidden her. It was one of the weirdest dreamscape adventures that Elquin had ever had, but he remembered the Antler Witch well. She did not notice him, however, and she just sat there, reading.

Vitoriel had studied the souls. Each and every one of the 97 souls in her possession. There was hate in there, and fanatisiscm, and ignorance, true. But in between the darker shades of grey, she found patches of purest white; innocent souls that did not partake in the Silmarian hatred, and souls that knew magic, yet hid it from everyone, mortally afraid that they would be burnt at the stake. In the end she revealed an intricate web of interdependencies. She could snuff out a few souls, perhaps eight or so, without the web unraveling, but in the end the pure souls relied upon the tainted ones for protection, for food and for friendship. She found no easy way to snuff any of them out, for the ripple effect, the level of trauma induced on the undeserving, would be far too great for any pure soul to withstand.

So she set them free, to the relief of Kuth and Aeomi.

The day became evening and with evening a mist rolled down from the highlands. Elquin was returning into town, where Vitoriel had released the souls. Children and elders were crying, huddling in the mists, and an aura of depression, anger and fear dominated the little village. He heard the voice of Vitoriel, then the bellowing voice of Kuth and Aeomi. Apparently the masters were not agreeing to things.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#35

Deserving or undeserving, that had never been the question - the universe did not deliver what you deserved, and neither did it spare you from what you didn't deserve.
It was a sample from a human population as any other - except for the fact that so many of them knew magic, far more than the human standard of one-in-a-hundred.

Meanwhile, Aeomi was working up a severe bout of hysteria.
Vitoriel had never taken her for so impractical, but there they were, arguing about trivialities, while there was a mission ahead. Despite their performance today, she believed they had a greater chance at success together. The world would show them its reality soon enough.
She sighed deeply.
"Alright, alright. Stop. You have convinced me."
"I have judged them and seen bright souls in their midst; such as would redeem the rest with ease. It would be a terrible waste for this world to see them died, and they have mellowed my heart."
Whatever was she supposed to do with those peasants when they were free?
She was stumped for a solution, when Elquin made his offer.

"Thank you, Elquin - this was the best idea I have heard spoken here today. Thank you again for having come along; the Master was right for having chosen you."
And off they were, the bleary-eyed villagers and their misty guide.
Who knew? Perhaps the talented villagers would stay at the monastery, and the others would know something else than Silmar?
Either that, or they were at least five weeks away. Good enough for her at this time.

Seeing the mist close behind the last peasant, she turned to the other two masters.
"Certainly, I would have preferred if you had approached the matter ahead in Elquin's fashion. I came to expect better problem-solving from my students than what was shown here today."
Then, she lightened up.
"But it's no secret that my students are the best."

She sat down to some peasant's unfinished cheese and bread - they would get better at the monastery.
"I did slightly misjudge your... preferences. Please, share with me your desired approach, so that we may avoid conflict in the future."

After she listened to their preferences, Vitoriel used an idle moment to stand next to Aeomi.
"Dearest Aeomi, if this is personal, I again apologize for handing you drink and dragging you into the revelries. I had pinned you for the religious sort."

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#36

And so, into the mists the Ethenorden Thief stepped, a rope train of peasants trailing behind him. It was an ethereal experience for all as the fog surrounded them, quickly becoming far denser than it should be. The sound of the Masters was quickly drowned out, as was the sight of the landscape, leaving nothing but the empty mists and the silence. Yet Elquin seemed to know exactly where he was going.
Some villagers wept. Others yelled defiance. Some just walked solemnly along, yet they all followed. To a few, it was as though they had actually died, and the mysterious mistwalker was some fey guide into the next life. It seemed a lifetime indeed passed as they traveled though the silence, yet suddenly the mist appeared to lesson; sunlight began to shine through just ahead... Their destination was close.

Hakros made his way through the white-petaled trees below Falcon's Dive within Ketange-Ishatal. The half-giant had just completed his errands for The Master and was making his way back to the Monastery to meet with her once more when between two trees a split in reality appeared to slide open. From the tear, heavy mists rolled out, quickly covering the grounds and causing the petals on the trees to droop, heavy with moisture. Within seconds, the area was heavy with fog, and from it Elquin emerged. Trailing seconds behind him was a train of roped peasants. Elquin walked up to the dumbfounded Hakros and smiled faintly, "Szhalim. I see you are keeping well, Hakros. Will you aid me? We had some difficulties on the road and need to deposit some folk here to avoid slaughter. Might you help me take these folk to the Monastery?"
Elquin knew the mists would last no more than an hour in this clime, and he wished to know the peasants were secured and The Master updated on the progress thus far before he returned.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#37

An icy atmosphere had settled in the village, with Vitoriel and her apprentices keeping to their own, while the rest talked in incensed voices around a bonfire some thirty meters away. The village felt incredibly empty, now that everyone had been gated away, and just the abandoned corpses of two elderly ladies remained.

Evening arrived as the sun set in the west, visible over the verdant canopy of the Ardenwald. The mist drifted around in banks, and Aeomi studied one out on the fields, about to swallow an oxen that walked around aimlessly. Then it hit her. When they arrived they had seen farmers on the outlying fields. They had seen farms on the outlying fields, and the famers had seen them. And there she saw an oxen, still wearing its harness, plodding aimlessly around on field, ever closer to the village.

"Antler Witch!", it hissed. "Show yourself!"

But no answer came, and it slashed violently into a nearby giant tree with its greatsword, making it tremble visibly.

"I will find you, witch!", it hissed again and then it glided off. It was ravenous after its centuries of imprisonment. It needed to feed, and soon.

Ten minutes after it was gone, she dared breathe again. The woman known as Antler Witch was pale when she emerged from the bark of the tree the Ekauri had cut. She was bleeding profusely from the wound, but she did not dare use any healing magic. Instead she pressed a patch of moss against it, stemming the flow.

"Something has happened. Something has let the Ekauri loose!", she whispered to herself.

The Silmarite had severe trouble adjusting to it all, they screamed and cried and tried to run away from these outlandish magic using beings. In the end the Master called upon Sirli of the Enchanters Hall to calm them down, and she wove an enchantment and soon they walked around with dreamy eyes, touching the air and each other, mumbling words like: "Beautiful..." and "I love you all!".

The Master seemed visibly shaken at the mention of Astrida's death. "She was our one link to Dieter... I gave her a promise of protection... And she died by our hands...", she was stammering, obviously shaken by the loss of an ally.

When Elquin brought up the quarreling among the masters she shook her head.

"The Masters are supreme rulers of their field of expertise here at the monestary, Elquin", she said. "But when they argue, they do so loudly, and with much panache! Vitoriel is probably among the most powerful of the masters, rivaling, or at least coming close to, the might of Dieter Sachshoff, though his extreme invokations would undoubtedly have turned all of my masters to ash, should he have turned upon us"

There was a distant look in the Master's milked over eyes, as if she was remembering another time, another place.

Then Elquin revealed a surprisingly accurate sketch, of a man in full plate, with regal cape and all. The Master held it up, and studied it closely.

"This is a Hexenjaeger General, and a Royal. You have just sketched one of Silmar's infamous Paladin Princes, my good, good friend"

Then Elquin brought up the presence of the chained man in his dream, being held by a leash.

"The leashed man could be a 'sniffer'. A Silmar, or slave of another race, who has the latent talent for magic but was never trained in its use, captured and dominated through torture by Hexenjaegers, and never taught the use of magic. Beaten into submission and treated like animals, this sniffer could be used by the Hexenjaegers to sniff out magic users and hunt them down. Just my theory, Master", Elquin stated.

The Master smiled mysteriously, then clapped with enthusiasm.

"Your instincts serve you well, Elquin, for you describe a Mage Sniffer, able to hunt down and track the scent of magic and magic users for miles and miles. They are practicioners of the arcane, that the Kingdom has captured and broken."

He took a look at the tomes from the cottage along with the master. "Sachshoff's Treatise on the Fires of Cahrynae" was the first. The Master leant over it, opening its first page. The small horns in her forehead began to glow red as she did so, and she quickly shut the book close.

"Careful, Elquin. This is one of Dieter's works, and it is warded by his fire enchantments. This book must be opened by a Master, and only by a prepared master"

The next book was smaller, but with an iron cover. The Master turned it over to its first page. "The Annals of 913 - The Massacre of Thracien"

Now the Master looked troubled. "How could it be?.. How could it be?..", she said over and over again, then she moved the book to the side. She had a truly worried look now.

"This book...", she pointed to the last. "Let me see it!"

Elquin brought up a black fur book; a tome wrapped in black bear fur. The Master opened it, and warrant posters were inside.

"Wanted for crimes against humanity: Victor Haydn, Foul Consort of the Dead. 3000 Silmar Crowns. Last seen in the vicinity of the Ketange-Ishatal Monestary", she read aloud, holding up the loose warrant poster.

She dug up the next: "Wanted for witchery, sorcery and consorting with demons: Dieter Sachshoff, Arsonist and Murderer of Children, Elderly and Women! 13500 Silmar Crowns. Last seen in the vicinity of the Ketange-Ishatal Monestary"

There were six posters, even one on Vitoriel, with her portrayed as a murderous witch and promising 400 Silmar Crowns to those who would bring her to justice. The tome itself started behind the six wanted posters. It was a heavy tome, and the Master read its title aloud.

"The Evils of Sorcery: Ketange-Ishatal, a Viper's Nest secluded away in the mountains. A horror story told by a daring and patriotic infiltrator"

"Elquin... This here... Well, the tome is not penned by Astrida. I can tell you that much. But these posters, this tome... Silmar has its eyes upon us! You must find out more, but please, Elquin, caution the masters. Tell them that we must have more information!"

With an incantation a silvery mirror, much like the one Elquin had seen in the cottage, detached from the wall and flew over to where they stood. The Master held the last book in her arms, in front of the mirror.

"Hechras Miras", she said, then she spat at the book, then at the mirror. She reached into the mirror, and retrieved the mirror image of the book.

"You keep the original!", she said.

The Ethenorden realized that the Master was not thinking about him anymore, that she was lost in thought, so he returned to the bewitched villagers.

"Did Astrida have many visitors?", he asked several of them, walking dazedly in the village or among the trees on the outskirts of the walled compound.

"She had one man, many months ago. And she helped my aunt perform childbirth three weeks ago!", one young girl replied, before she traced Elquin's face with her fingers. "You look so beautiful!", she said with stars in her eyes. Then she moved on, hugging a tree.

In the end, Elquin was alone with Hakros the Spear Slayer. It was about ten minute till the rift closed.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#38

Vitoriel diligently put up the Sibylant Shield, and let the wind's gentle whispers erase the traces of magic, tiny air wisps feeding on trace spell residue, and cloaking their bands natural emanations, and whispering to all who would listen that this is a place of no relevance, and these just nondescript drifters of no concern.

Nothing to see here, move along.

It was long since she had last been in Silmar, but at that time, she had held up the spell for days on end. Luckily, the wisps were humble.

"Ronal, please carry them to that place of worship you found. I will take over when it is done. They deserve a burial in style, I would say."

Using that word, assigning an universal fate to someone or something, is so deceivingly easy.
Vitoriel hated lies, deceit and hypocrisy. But then, there were ends to be met, and possible means.
So serpentine.

She sighed.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#39

Ronal put their bodies on an abandoned cart, and within minutes he took off, soon disappearing into a floating bank of mist.

Vitoriel sat watching her bonfire, Eurydice was tossing a Silmarian Crown absent mindedly, working on mild adjustments to her telekinesis spell. So she flung the crown into the air with a flick of her thumb, and the coin was stuck mid-air, before it was forcefully pushed back into her palm. The next time it was stuck mid-air, spinning forcibly, until it became a blur. The girl had always had a certain knack for telekinesis and animating objects.

Vitoriel lifted her gaze and studied the legendary Ardenwald forest. She had even heard of it among her people, though their old lands laid on the other side of the mountains. The Realm of Dusk her great-great-grandfather had once called it. We don't enter the forest without permission, Vitoriel. No one enters the forest without permission.

Then she noticed something. A man in black plate mail, and a tattered, soiled black cape was dragging his greatsword behind him, walking briskly towards the village.

Her elven eyes made out no distinguishing features. He was tall though, nearly as tall as Kuth in his full height, and his jet black greatsword was easily three meters long. There was a determination to his gait, and he was heading in their direction.

Re: [Coldforged - 1423] Ardenwald

#40

"Attention, band, your chance at heroism is at hand. I believe we may be faced with a knight in dark plate, with an endless blade, but I will try and negotiate."
And that she did, stepping out, ready to fly off at the sign of danger.

"Hail, who wanders through the coming night? Is there a way we humble travellers in your quest you assist might?"