Silver Insanity

Precious, Valuable Madness
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:46 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
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The Arkwood, the great central forest of western Harcylon, is ancient beyond mortal reckoning. And, as is the nature of such places, it has acquired a reputation for danger far beyond what an average traveler might encounter. It is said that packs of man-eating dire wolves roam its darkened depths*, and that the trees bestir themselves to squash any so foolish as to intrude upon their contemplations.

Today, an intruder might notice that the trees are gratifyingly immobile, the birds are singing cheerfully, and the air carries the sweet scent of wildflowers that somehow manage to eke out an existance in the perpetual shade of the forest floor. In fact, the only thing marring a scene of otherwise idyllic vegetation, is the sound of voices from the far side of a particularly large and gnarled tree trunk.

"So this is the Arkwood? I expected something more... ominous."
"Quiet, Alfred. We don't want to risk waking her up before we get there. Or anything else, for that matter. You know what they say about the Arkwood."
"I don't hear you keeping your voice down," Alfred responds acidly.

A third voice cuts off the first two. "Both of you, enough. Assuming Tamin's spell worked the way he said it did, we're no less than a hundred feet away. There will be time enough for stealth once we start moving. So, oh mighty wizard, which way?"

After a moment, and a sound suspiciously like pages turning in a large book, a fourth voice begins to intone the convoluted utterations that so distinctively mark spellcasting.

________
* There is, in fact, a pack of dire wolves. But they are haughty, and aloof, and regard mere human prey as beneath their dignity.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:50 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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As quietly as possible, Twill moves so that he can glance around the treetrunk and see the people talking. After a quick look, he scans the area to make sure they don't have any friends on lookout.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:39 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
On the far side of the tree are three figures in dingy, travel-worn white cloaks over blackened armor.
One of them wears leather armor and carries no visible weapons. He seems alert and attentive, though apparently not quite perceptive enough.
The second wears a breastplate, and carries a heavy shield (also painted black) along with a plain iron mace. His face is set in a dour expression.
The third has his back to you, and carries a massive two handed sword etched with faintly glowing runes.
A fourth figure, wearing a pristine and unsullied white cloak over black silk clothes, stands chanting with an ornate book held open in front of him.

As far as you can tell, these four are the only ones here aside from yourself. They also seem to have simply appeared here - there are no tracks leading to their current location.

After a moment, Tamin stops chanting, closes his spellbook, and slips it back under his cloak, where it vanishes without a trace.
"She is that way," he intones, pointing off to the right.

The third figure nods. "Marcus, you have point. Make sure we aren't walking into any traps. Remember, if Tamin or Alfred can't get in spell range she'll just teleport away and we'll have to start all over again. And Marcus, we want her alive if at all possible."

Marcus, the one wearing leather armor, looks offended. "Sir, I am a professional! I do not kill by accident."
Shaking his head, he glides silently off in the direction the wizard indicated.

After a few moments, the other three follow.


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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 8:08 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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I try to get ahead of them while remaining quiet and unseen, see if I can find "her".


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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 1:55 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
Marcus is moving slowly, searching every step of the way, and thus travelling at maybe as much as twenty feet a minute. Even being careful that you're not seen or heard, you can move ten times their speed.

In a bit under two minutes, you come upon the remains of a camp site. There was a cooking fire here, now carefully extinguished. The creator of this place, however, is not immediately obvious. Until she moves, anyway.

A raven-haired young woman lies curled up amidst the roots of a tree. She is not the most beautiful woman you've ever seen - but, even with the disadvantage of being one of those furless short-eared human types, she's in the running. And, unlike far too many sorcerer types you've seen, her beauty hasn't come at the cost of exaggerated features and the strength of a diseased snail. Instead, she is small - petite, even - and lean and fit, with a build you'd tend to associate more with a martial artist than an arcane spellcaster.
Her choice of clothing is similarly atypical: supple leather blouse and breeches. Well made, and clearly expensive (leather that lightweight and flexible does not come cheap), but chosen for practicality and durability rather than appearance. The only decorative items she is wearing are a pair of silver bracers (each set with a single plain white stone), and a simple silver torc around her neck.

As you watch, she twitches again, and you realize she is asleep - and does not seem to be sleeping well. In fact, if you're remembering your studies of human physiology correctly, those darkened patches under her eyes mean she hasn't had a good night's sleep in some time. Or good day's sleep, as the case may be...


Approximate time remaining until the white-cloaks get here: twenty minutes.


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PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2007 9:11 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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I intentionally make a noise -- rustle some branches or something.


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PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:11 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
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Rustling fallen branches produces no effect. Stepping on one, however, produces a nice sharp "crack" that snaps the sleeping woman awake. She sits up and looks around, with the slightly befuddled expression of someone who really isn't awake yet, and eventually focuses bleary green eyes on you. She blinks, and rubs her eyes, and blinks a few more times before finally collecting herself enough to at least pretend to be awake.

"Thank you for waking me from that nightmare." She rubs her eyes again, as if trying to wipe away the obvious exhaustion. "I'm afraid I don't have much hospitality to offer a fellow traveller - I've had a very bad week, and I simply haven't had the time to hunt for anything beyond my own immediate needs." She pauses again, and then "Oh, introductions! I'm sorry, I must be still asleep... I'm Lauren Greywind. And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"


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PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:18 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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Have I heard of her?

I bow deeply, sweeping my hat from my head. Then I indicate the monkey. "Fair lady, might I have the honor of introducing to you Her Imperial Majesty the Tsarina Ekaterina Alexandrovna Romanova D'vai? As for myself," I bow again, "I am merely her humble servant, Twill."

I straighten up and adjust my hat. "So, my dear, would you happen to know why four men are headed this way with the apparent intent of capturing you?"


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PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:58 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
She giggles a little bit at your introduction, but sobers up at your last sentence.

"That... would go back to 'it's been a very bad week'. Suffice to say I engineered a... setback in a research project on military applications of second age artifacts."

Lauren sighs, and, very carefully, stands up. She's shaking slightly, and is using the tree next to her to help keep her balance, but her expression is one of determination.

"Right then. I had hoped to simply outrun them, but that's clearly not going to work. We'll have to face them down here."


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PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2007 7:52 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 pm
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"That sounds like a positively marvelous week, actually. Anyway, 'we' will not be doing anything. *You* will retreat into the nearby trees with the Tsarina, My Lady Can't-Stand, whilst *I* shall await them."


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