NationStates Jolt Archive

((See OOC to join- http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=498646))

"Cardinal Vaisseau," said the man in the weather beaten cloak and travel worn jeans curtly, "I trust you've called me here for a reason? I hate to be kept from my work."

He eyed the commodious office around him with mild irritation, his deep blue eyes drifting over the nearly endless bookshelves, the high, vaulted ceiling the fireplace to his right, with its crackling embers, the portrait of a sword wielding angel, and finally on the aged, graceful elf that sat behind a massive mahogany desk. The room smelled of cinnamon and pine, pleasant scents that the man had come to associate with the Cardinal.

"Jack, nice to see you too. Have a seat." Vaisseau stated, his melodious baritone voice ringing faintly with sarcasm.

The man smirked and sat in the wooden chair in front of the cleric's desk, his legs crossed casually.

"Tell me, your Grace... why am I here?"

The cardinal frowned, and shifted in his seat, ruffling his scarlet robes.

"Surely you keep your ear close enough to the ground to hear of trouble in the Baronies, Mr. Hawthorne... His Majesty is concerned."

"I heard there was a revolt in the Baronies, that WarpStone was used, and that his Majesty's forces have taken control of the region. Why should I be involved in the matter? Better yet, why does this matter concern the Church?" Jack asked, running a hand through his straight brown hair. His ocean blue eyes glanced at the large crucifix on the wall behind the Cardinal, then settled back on the cleric.

"Jack, what have you heard of the man that led this revolt?" Vaisseau asked, his iceburg eyes studying Hawthorn over his slightly curved nose.

"A sorcerer, his name was something like Kurtz. He was killed during the battle."

"Ahah... it seems that our efforts to shield the truth from the public have worked better than I expected." the Cardinal said with a slight smirk, "No, it was revealed by my cousin, ArchDuke DeGrasse, that this Kurtz fellow is no mere wizard with some WarpStone... he is the creature you've been hunting for some time... the Magician..."

Hawthorn blinked, then scowled, "That's impossibl-"

"No, it isn't," Vaisseau interjected, "It is quite possible, and quite true. It also seems that the Magician is more than what you thought he was. Jack, he's a demon."

Hawthorn's frown deepened, the mocking glint in his eyes was gone. What had replaced it was a look of solemn gravity.

"Demon?"

" 'And He asked him, what is thy name? and he answered, my name is Legion, for we are many.' " the cleric replied, "That is from the Gospel of Michael. This is the same Legion that Our Savior, Immanuel, cast into a herd of pigs. He is back, Jack."

The witch hunter leaned back in his seat, his eyes cast downward.

"What must I do?" he asked quietly.

"Find him Jack... and kill him."

"I can't do that with-"

"You'll have all the help you need. His Majesty has selected several... citizens... of Avera that he feels will aid you the most in this endeavor. They should be arriving at the palace's main hall within the hour. Here are their files." Vaisseau said, handing a bundle of papers over to Hawthorn.

"How am I supposed to track this monster? It is a creature of many faces, if it is really Legion." Jack said.

"Good question, Mr. Hawthorn. I see your mind has not been dulled by the wilds," the Cardinal said with a slight smirk, "Here's how...."

((Okay, that's the intro. Some quick points- despite the fact that this post has alot of religious stuff in it, I dont really want to get into the theology of this world. Suffice it to say that the Church is Christian, there are four Gospels- Michael, Mattiaus, Leo, and James- their name for Jesus is Immanuel, many elves and dwarves are pagan- and worship their own dieties, as we will see- and most religions get along well. Anyway- RP your char entering the castle and waiting for the others. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU HAVE BEEN SUMMONED by the King, save that you are charged with a quest and will be handsomely rewarded. For evil chars- wait a bit, your own intro will come soon))

Aradia Victrix sat on the large boulder by the side of the road and held her aching head in her hands as gently as she could. Her stomach twisted again and she barely managed to lean over the side before she heaved up the nothing that was all that was left in her stomach. "Ugghg, I knew that fish tasted dubious, but I was so sure it was my own poor cooking." She moaned to her mount who grazed not far away.

The dark bronze Elfhorse stallion looked up, shook his head in amusement, flinging his long, silver white mane to fall on the other side of his muscular neck, and went back to grazing.

"You, Shadow Sun, are no gentleman" She glared at him as she took another sip from her water skin, in an effort to wash the foul taste from her mouth.

The stallion all but laughed at her. Of course I am not! I am a war horse, a stallion, and you aren't a mare little elf...now if you would find me a mare, I might be more sympathetic He replied silently through the mind link they shared.

"And if you had bothered to learn more than the most minimal basics of cooking, your efforts wouldn't been so horrid that you couldn't tell spoiled fish from bad cooking. And you refused to listen to me, when I tried to warn you." Tasman yawned displaying formidable fangs, and spoke aloud to emphasize how he felt.

Her familiar sounded far too smug to please Aradia, but she was in no position to castigate him at the moment. And he well knew it. He shifted his position as he lay in the soft grass, his body weight holding down the lead rope of her packhorse, a placid pale grey gelding named Moon. Tasman stretched around and gave his shoulder a quick grooming as added insult, but Aradia ignored him.

She'd put up with his sharp tongue and know it all personality for many years. She'd been utterly dismayed when a Fyrecat had answered her summons for a Familiar. She had also been certain last evening that he had wanted the fish for himself, and she couldn't have stomached yet another day of trail rations."Please Tas, just go find me some mint. Moon won't wander off, but I need something to settle my stomach." She pled. Mint was the only thing she could think of to settle her stomach. She had not made any great study of herbs beyond their uses in her arcana, or the simple cooking she knew.

And now her tattoos were itching again. She'd only had them for a few weeks, but they proclaimed to all who saw them, the delicate metalic gold, ebony, and cobalt traceries the spiraled across the backs of both hands and up her wrists, that she was a fully tested, trialed, and tattooed Shri'vraen, a warrior adept. Though she would readily admit that she was the youngest of the young, newest of the new... if she had to.

Tas took pity on her and gracefully leapt to his feet, seeming to weigh nearly nothing. However the FyreCat was fully seventy five pounds of solid felinid muscle. Silently he faded into the woods that bordered the wide roadway and headed for a near by stream. Mint loved cool damp places that never the less got a fair amount of sun. He wouldn't have to go too far.

Aradia went back to holding her head in her hands.

That had been hours ago, and the mint had worked. Shadow Sun had carried her with all speed to her appointed destination. The castle, with it's towers and walls and guards had loomed massively before the trio, but not a one of them had blinked, all three were used to such imposing edifices.

None had sought to deny the travellers entre. She had a written invitation after all and if that had not been enough - Aradia's disctinctive armor and tattoos, the elegant movement and metalic sheen of the Elfhorse stallion's bronze coat and the more than faint glimmer of fire in the Fyrecat's eyes would have had any one gaping at at the trio in admiration if no little trepedation.

Shri'vraen were few and far between, admitting only a scant handfull into their ranks from each generation, and she had been at disadvantageous odds being half human. That she had won through was an impressive feat, especially at such a young age, barely a hundred wheels old. Barely adult as her mothers people reconned such.

Shadow Sun was handed over to an awestruck stable hand - for elfhorses were very rare as well - for careful, respectful grooming and feeding. Moon too was taken to the stables for his own care and fed, his packs unloaded.

Tasman padded on silent paws the size of dinner plates at Aradia's side looking about him curiously. Like all felines he was endlessly curious and loved to explore new places. Nicely done and comfortable too He commented softly in the back of Aradia's thoughts.

She'd nodded in reply, as she too looked about with restrained, but barely, curiousity. She'd never been to the King's primary residence before, but she had spent enough time in various castles to have a sound appreciation of a well built one. She understood that the Cardianal had sent for a Shri'vraen, but she was unsure why he had reached out to the reclusive elvin Order.
Her mothers family had raised her to worship the elvin gods and though her father's side had taught her to respect the Church it had never been a driving force in her life. But he had called and the Shri'vraen had sent her as an answer.

http://www.atddm.com/trio.jpg

The Redhanded entered the palace as undramatically and unobtrusively as possible, a feat hampered by his titanic frame and rather apparent hand-and-a-half sword. The guards moved forwards to disarm him, but the first found himself suddenly lifted into the air and immense pressure on his throat as the left gauntlet hoisted him by the jaw-bone, whereas the second guard found himself staring down the point of a flaming sword.

"Ah come her on accou' o' tha king's ordahs. Try an take mah swor', and Ah'll roast ya righ' proper." The flames died, the lifted guard fell, and the weapon was sheathed. Walking past them, the Baronian went to look at the drink selection, asking as he did, "Naw, coul' someone tell meh why Ah'm her, an more importan'ly, where's the good Baronian whiskay?"

"I see you still haven't lost that filthy south barony accent, Leiffred," said a gruff, but teasing voice to the right of one of the many titanic columns that ran from the ceiling of the Great Hall to it's marble floor. Jack Hawthorn stepped foward, taking a drink from the waiter with a nod, and then looked back at the massive Baronian. His unshaven face, travel worn cloak and dirty boots looked very out of place in the oppulance of Delain's royal palace.

"I'm glad to see His Grace had the good sense to invite you along on our little adventure," the witch hunter said, "And I'm glad to see you came. It's been an age, Leif... I haven't seen you since that werewolf attack at Harringshire."

Hawthorn's royal blue eyes glanced at the rather attractive half elf that had just entered the Hall, and a smirk played on the edges of his mouth.

"Tell me, how have you been keeping yourself busy Leif?"

"JACK!" The Baronian was delighted to see his old friend. "'Tis true, it has been an age since the wee wolf attack, eh? Come 'Ere!" said the Baronian as he proceeded to squeeze the air out of of the unfortunate witch-hunter.

"So," he said, setting his old friend down once again, "His Grace sent word tah meh that ya was tah lead some sort o' expedit'on, so aye, Ah decided tah come. Ah've been well, so long as Ah've got monsters to kill an' evil to hunt. Wha' abou' yaself? An' Ah still don't have GOOD WHISKEY IN MAH HAND!!!" shouted the Baronian to the waiters, impatient upon the fact that if he was expected somewhere, there had to be whiskey if he was to be kept waiting.

"So, tell meh, wha' exactly am Ah doin' here, goin' with you on some sor o' expedit'on, an what are we tah be doin? Somethin' big to call both of us in on this, not tah mention that it looks as though others are tah be comin' in as well," Lieffreid glanced at the half-elf. One of the waiters scurried up with a large bottle of Whiskey from Lieffreid's home province, and the Redhand smiled as he noted the conspicuous lack of a glass. His titanium armor, hidden underneath his traveling cloak, clanked slightly as his gauntleted hand reached out to claim the bottle. "Tha's more like it."

"You'll get all the answers you need, once the entire group has assembled. Suffice it to say it has something to do with our old friend the Magician." Hawthorn said in his usual, dodgy manner, "This is a big one, Leif... alot is at stake... now if you'll excuse me for a moment-"

The witch hunter walked off to where the half elf was standing, apparently conversing with a large cat. Hawthorn smirked, elves were beautiful... but very strange.

"Ms. Victrix, I presume," he said, standing in front of her and bowing his head slightly, "It is an honor to have one of the Shri'vraen among us. Your order is much admired among my own. Thank you for coming. I am Jack Hawthorn, a Witch Hunter of Avera, leader of this expedition. I'm sure you have many questions, Ms. Victrix, and rightfully so... and I assure you they will all be answered in time. For now, I'd like you to meet my... colleague, Leif the Redhand."

Jack glanced at the whiskey slurping beast standing off to his left and stifled a laugh.

ooc: Pic of Venisar (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/DMG2005/Venisar.jpg)

Though a Champion of his people and a notable warrior during the battle of Orchard Hill Chapel, Venisar was by no means a household name in Avera. So when he received a mysterious and vague summons from the Emperor himself, it was all the more surprising. Needless to say the Elvin warrior would not deny such a honorable request, but still his curiosity ate at him during his journey to the capital city of Delain.

The elf, still young by his racial standards, had never in fact been to the capital, let alone to the palace of the Emperor. Sticking mostly to the rural countryside and small villages like the own he hailed from for their peace, friendliness, and tranquility. A city the size of Delain could only be filled with busy bodies hustling to and fro, Venisar imagined.

Having only returned home a couple weeks earlier after healing from his wounds dealt during the grand battle, Venisar received a warm and large welcoming from his friends and family... which happened to be the entire town. However, six days after his return a messenger arrived with a sealed parchment directly from the highest authority in the land. Already surprised to learn off the messenger carrying a regal note, Venisar was even more curious as to what it contained... perhaps just a thankful appreciation for his service. But as he read it, it was clear it was not a thank you note, though exactly what it was he could not discern. Never one to turn down a request, the veteran prepared to leave town at dawn the next morning.

As the sun arose and warmed the air of the sleepy little village, Venisar was waving goodbye to his parents as he walked down the main path that led out of the parish. He was leaving with just the clothes on his back, though in actuality he wore no shirt, the weapon attached to his hand and hip, and a seasoned map given to him by his kinsmen. Once out of the town limits, Venisar took a skip of a step and leapt into the air, flying high and an unprecedented distance with his power. When he came down he was nearly a mile further on his journey to the capital and one giant step closer. The journey was about two days on horseback (not that Venisar ever road horses), much more on foot, but less by leaping. His ability would allow him to arrive within the day and better yet, he would not be that tired from the trip as he was not jumping his hardest nor did it take any energy as he soared through the air. A wondrous way to travel that few and far between ever experienced...


Many hours later, when night had fallen and the stars took up residence in the opaque sky, Venisar landed for the last time about a mile outside of the city. Even from a distance it was impressive, having never seen it before, and in a few short minutes his powerful legs and long strides had landed him at the city gates. To some he might've looked threatening, but the guards let him pass without any explanation or inspection... maybe they were expecting him. The elf took his time walking through the city streets, taking in all that he saw and experienced. This would most likely be a once in a lifetime experience; not that he would have trouble coming back, but he would lack the reason and desire. However, after inspecting all that he could, the Elvin warrior made his way to the palace gates where he was promptly stopped by the royal guard. Venisar explained his reason for visit and showed the guards his note and after a brisk word passed between them, - which his keen Elvin ears allowed him privy to - he was allowed entrance.

Not one to pass up the moment, Venisar took in the impressive palatial estate as he walked from the gate to the main entrance. It was a remarkable architectural design that he had never seen before in his mostly quite and mundane life... well, until recently. Soon, after passing under the grand entranceway, Venisar entered the building and looked about for where he was to go from hear. The map had easily led him to the city, the most obviously marked place on the parchment, and once inside the palace was not hard to find as it stood out from all the other buildings in so many ways, but now that he was inside it wasn't as obvious as to where he should proceed.

He spoke to no one in particular, hoping that someone could direct him where to go or explain exactly why he was here, "Excuse me... I, uh... I was summoned by the Emperor."

Deo had just exited a large manor where he had lightened the drawers, closets and all the usual places people stored items that were small, valuable and easily sold as well as getting a rather long kiss from the daughter of the rich merchant, when he got caught by the royal guard. On reflection the kiss had been what did it, well that, and the fact that he'd gotten a bit complacent on the job. He'd been pursued by the royal guard before and slipped by them, one time picking the warrent for his arrest from the captain's pocket, but he hadn't been expecting them and was now on his way back to the capital.

"Mind telling me why I'm being dragged back to the capital instead of before local magistrate?" He asked the guard captain from inside the secured carriage as he shifted slightly to help prevent the manacles from chafting. "You are being returned to the capital and put before the royal court on the behalf of Duke Lorain and Bishop Marcel."

Deo blanched slightly at that as those where two of the ones who'd have the most reason for skinning him alive and then subjecting him to the stocks till he expired. He could still remember the silken feel of the hair belonging to Lorain's daughter on his stomach and the heft of the perfect double handful belonging to the Bishop's child. He shivered slightly at the most pleasent memory of two together before returning to the tedium of the road.

A few days later, the carriage and the guards arrived in the capital. Arriving at the palace, Deo had leg irons added to the restrictions on his mobility. As he was escorted through the castle to the throne, he caught sight of an elven maiden and smiled. He could tolerate imprisonment if she visited daily for a dalliance. He ended up in the antechamber in which the maiden, something he hoped to rectify, and two boistrous warriors were also waiting. With a sigh he prepared to cool his heels for a couple hours, days if fate was unkind.

"Marvelous..." he whispered quietly as his black eyes scanned the beast in it's cage. It seems to have once been some type of bear, as it had the same body structure, the same attributes...except for another pair of eyes and tusks.

The man, a black cloak draped around him, was hunched over parchment, his quill scribbling notes away at incredible speeds. He mumbled along, as though casting a spell on the parchment, his eyes moving along each word written.

"Reveal," he said aloud as he finished his notations. There was a quiet hum and a gentle whir as the small eight-legged automaton next to him extended a small hand with a greenish crystal attached to it.

The bear-mutant shied away and growled softly, as if knowledgable about the horrors it held. But deep in its eyes, the scientist could tell it longed to recieve the jewel.

That's what most things felt when it had come in contact with such marvelous a creation. Such a small trinket can have such devastating effects.

"I envy thou who wields thine power," the scientist said as he too stared at the crystal.

"New Idea, Malivious," came a scratchy voice at the doorway. The tiny green creature with long ears walked forth, his claw-like feet clicking quietly on the stone floor. "Warpstones may power automatons!"

The man known as Malivious scowled before turning around facing his 'cohort'. "Please, Grelch, remember my policy. Do not disturb while working."

Grelch looked at Malivious as if expecting something more, but shook his head instead. "You strange, Mal. You speak of power, but all I see is...expiraments. Grelch no need expiraments. Grelch builds and it becomes it."

Malivious set his notes and quill down on the spider automaton and walked slowly towards Grelch, his hard soled black leather boots making a loud tap as his foot touched the ground. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my dear Grelch. You build prototypes to test your theories...your ideas. They are expiraments in on themselves."

"Nope. As soon as activated, they work."

Now it was Malivious' time to shake his head. He hated arguing with the goblin. He was too stuborn to believe something else. He had to admit, the goblin was a genius in creation, as far as robotic mechanisms went, but his common sense was somewhat...lacking.

Malivious Dren was a vampire, albeit, a highly enhanced one. He expiramented on these creatures for the sole purpose of enhancing his physical and mental being. In his expiramentations, he discovered that he had made himself stronger in both mind and body. Another discovery was that of his elongated fangs, which had made feeding a much more pleasurable feeling, not to mention fulfilling.

Not that there was much to feed on out here...

"Grelch, there has been a predicament that came up recently. I find my crystal storage lacking as of late. Since there is no one here but us two, and my stores are relatively well guarded by your creations, I believe it is safe to assume that you have been taking them."

Grelch's smile faded slowly as his eyes widened. "No, Grelch no steal. He borrow. Miners mine as we speak. They bring large batch tomorrow!"

Malivious nodded and smiled as he turned back to his work. "As long as my stores are doubled by tomorrow night, Grelch."

As he walked back to his expirament, he frowned as the beast remained cowering in the corner. The vampire sighed as he picked the crystal up with his own black-leather clad gloves and stared into it.

"Kane, you genius...how did you make such a marvelous jewel into such a destructive weapon..." he asked himself. It was, of course, the question he's asked himself since he first heard about the cataclysmic destruction one of these "WarpStones" supposedly caused. And if Malivious could find out...he may be able to find a way to channel all this energy, this destructive potential, and be the most powerful creature in history...

The vampire laughed wickedly as he continued through the hallway to his next test-subject, a surprising visit. A lost elf...

Lieffreid went over to the half-elf. "A pleasure tah meet yeh Mizz Victris. Glad to tah see tha' we'll have a Shri'vreen wit' us." Then he saw the chained man brought in, and noted his light garb and quick manner. "Ya brought in a thief?" he asked, a small look of contempt on his face. "Can we be sure tha' 'ee won't be stealin' our food?" This was of paramount importance to the pyromancer. The only other things he carried were garments, the irreplaceable ones being his pieces of armor, too big and heavy for the thief to sneak away with, and his sword, which roasted any person with malicious intent to touch it. "Oh, Jack, rememer that vampire up nor' o' Fellshich? Ah brought 'is head as proof o' mah purificat'in. Yah know Ah'm bound to nae except bounties, but Ah do need a repaih for me shield. Is the wee forge still open?" Lieffreid's manner had become much more civil and cultured now that he had his whiskey. Angry barbarians had a knack for getting their wishes fulfilled, and Lief's mind had quickly grasped the concept.

"Bring him to his Majesty's library and unbind him," Hawthorn said to the guards dragging Deo, "He is no longer in your charge."

"Yessir," replied the captain, and led the rouge down a ornately decorated hall. Jack, Aradia, and Leif followed.

******

Hawthorn turned toward Leif, Deo, and Victrix, his deep eyes surveying each of them. They stood in a small, cosy reading room filled with dusty tomes and soft armchairs. A fire crackled pleasantly behind the witchhunter.

"We need one m-" he began to say, and the door opened. A servant led in a blond elf, and Jack smiled, "All here then. Welcome Venisar."

The witch hunter sat in a chair next to the fireplace and motioned for the rest of them to sit as well.

"You are all wondering, I suppose, why you are here... Well, it would probably make the most sense if I start at the beginning... at the Battle of Orchard Hill Chapel." Hawthorn began, and proceeded to tell them the circumstances of Kane's escape. In his tale he omitted the fact that their foe was a demon... some things were better learned in time.

"...He is an ancient, powerful sorcerer, with an intimate understanding of the abberation that is WarpStone. The war in the Baronies was a mere prelude to the violence he wants to bring on Avera... which is why you have been summoned. You are the best of humanity, the best of the elven race. Help me to restore order by bringing this lunatic sorcerer to justice. You will, of course, be compensated by His Majesty for your efforts- ten thousand drakes a peice.... What say you?" Jack concluded, running a hand through his hair. "Will you join me?"

Deo wondered if he should just leave but one of his underlying sins was a close to boundless curiosity. It's was in large part what lead him along the path he chose, the drive to find what rich men hid in their strongboxes, the contents of purses, the nature and talents of nubile and forbidden females.

With a shrug he headed into the room as he could always leave later, with or without permission. He looked at the man and frowned slightly, he'd expected the King, not this unknown. "First things first," He interjected as the man gestured for them to sit, "Who are you?"

After getting the answer, he sat back to listen to the story. As Hawthorn got to the part about the 'best of humanity' bit, he burst out laughing as by the standards of most he was amongst the worst of mankind. "First of all, do you honestly expect me to believe that your doing this for an altruistic reason?" He asked as he'd been listening closely and was almost certain the man had another reason to go after this Kane fellow.

"Second of all, why are you offering us chump change to do this. My terms are a full pardon with the king telling some of the nobles to bugger off, at least till I piss them off again, fifty thousand drakes, and a kiss from his wife and each of his daughters." Deo commented, "And should any of the ladies be interested, four hours of privacy."

"Listen, gutter rat, if you choose not to accompany me then I will send you to the noose right now. It is by my kindness that you were brought here and given this oppurtunity." Hawthorn snapped at the theif, "This is your chance at pardon, and enough money to buy half of Delain. If you don't wish to take it, you can hang. I'll find another, more understanding theif if I must."

"You send me to the noose." He scoffed, "Do you really think I'd take your offer when you are leaving out details you pompous wind-bag."

Standing he added, "You may find one more understanding, but none as good." It was said without a trace of false modesty and with good deal of truth as there were precious few thieves that could match him in his areas.

Jack shrugged disarmingly, "And what details would you like? All of our various skills will be needed in tracking down and killing a very dangerous sorcerer, I can't tell you how long the journey will take because I honestly don't know. Our first order of business is finding the one woman who can tell us where Kane is... the Snow Oracle, and she lives in the Almighty's Crown, a long way from here. If any of you are not interested, leave. But if you leave, theif, you will find the thugs of various merchants, traders, counts, and dukes waiting for you just outside the door, not to mention the royal guard, ready to drag you to the gallows. The only way you are leaving this city alive is with me. If you don't accept the price His Majesty has offered, I give you my word that there will be plenty of treasure to find along the way..."

"Like I said, you're hiding something beyond what you've told us. Also do you really think I can't avoid them. Lastly, I don't know about you but I'm no ghoul to loot corpses." He replied, "You really have to offer me something better if you want my help."

"I never said anything about looting corpses, leave if you wish." Jack said without much regret, "And God speed."

He rang a bell on the table next to him; the door opened and three armored guardsmen filed in. Outside stood five more, hands on the hilts of their swords or on the triggers of their crossbows.

"Take Master theif to the local Magistrate, gentleman, who I believe is his Excellency Duke Lorain." Hawthorn said to the soldiers, "He would rather hang than join me. Good day, Deo."

Apparently the Elvin warrior would not be meeting the Emperor at all. He was led to a private room by one of the servants where he was met by a small part of assorted people. The man who had been talking when Venisar entered the room had addressed him quite politely and apparently knew his name already.

"You are all wondering, I suppose, why you are here..."

The thought had most certainly crossed his mind in his day's travel and the night of preparation before. The summons he had received was quite vague, only entailing that the Emperor required his service and he would be paid in kind. Now however, it seemed he would be getting some information. And so the story began...

...At the battle of Orchard Hill Chapel... where so many good men, young and old, had perished in a bloody battle. However, the man continued on with the story and spoke of a powerful sorcerer who wished to bring war to the world. Needless to say when he asked them all for their service in capturing this wizard and bringing him to justice, Venisar wished it so. However, that would also mean venturing on a long journey where bloodshed would be common and death the objective. So much death had already been dealt in recent weeks and at this point in his life Venisar wished it all to end... the fighting, the killing, the sadness. Unfortunately, the elf was not foolish enough to believe it could all just disappear; he would have to fight for it... and fight for it he would. One more battle to end them all!

Meanwhile, as the elf sat in quiet contemplation, it seemed one of the others brought at the beckoning of the Emperor seemed certain to stir up trouble. A criminal he was - a common thief. Somebody Venisar would have no respect for. A barrage of comments, insults, threats, and pride were passed between the two.

Venisar would've sided with the one called Hawthorn after hearing it all out had he not wished to avoid confrontation. The other man had questioned Hawthorn's honor, honesty, and pride right off the bat. A holy trinity you just didn't question unless you were looking for a fight.

The terms seemed fair. The money is certainly more than I need. Besides, this thief was being offered a full pardon and payment or death... and he had the gall to choose the latter. And on top of it, he was questioning this man's motives and honesty... no respect, Venisar thought as he continued to sit quietly in his comfortable chair.

"Take Master thief to the local Magistrate, gentleman, who I believe is his Excellency Duke Lorain. He would rather hang than join me. Good day, Deo."

Just as the guards were instructed to take 'Deo' away, Venisar spoke for the first time since arriving, "I will join you."

Hawthorn's attention left the theif even as the guards came to arrest him, his dark blue eyes settled on Venisar.

"I will join you."the elven warrior said quietly, and the witch hunter nodded.

"Thank you," he said simply, "This dying world needs more of your kind."

"You sir are one of the most unethical people I've ever had the dubious pleasure to meet. I can learn quite a bit from you. For that reason alone, I think I'll work with you, for a while at least." Deo commented as he paid no attention to the guards. He'd escaped from worse but wasn't in the mood to bust his butt in such a manner again.

Hawthorn sighed and waved the guards away.

"I've seen things that would make a normal man go mad with a mere glance. I've fought the denizens of hell and chaos and lunacy since before you were born, vermin. If you even think of abandoning our little party once it leaves Delain, I will hunt you unceasingly... and don't be so arrogant as to think you can outrun me, gutter rat, as you do the town watch and local guards. I've tracked things far worse than you, master theif." he said in a voice that was not so much angry as bored, "Either you are with us, or not."

"That and a sixteenth bit will get you a lake side estate." He commented with a shrug, "As I said, I'll work with you for a while. How long that is depends entirely on you and the rest of this merry little band."

Jack smirked and cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing. Obviously, fighting with the stubborn bandit would do nothing but waste time... words did no good, he'd have to learn not to mess with a witch hunter the hard way.

"Have it your way," Hawthorn said, and turned towards Leif and Aradia, "Ms. Victrix, Leif are you with me?"

Several Weeks earlier, a trade road just outside the Barony of Eloh

The man in the black walked unhurredly down the empty dirt road, a smile on his lips and a bounce in step. The day was overcast, and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, but this didn't seem to phase the mysterious traveller. Unlike many of the traders, preachers, and adventurers that used this road, the man didn't carry a pack or any water skins. He wore a simple black overcoat, black pants, old boots, a broad brimmed preacher's hat, and a black vest over a frilly white shirt. Everything he wore was frayed and dusty with age. His face was lean and pale, but nonetheless good looking. Raven black hair ran down from under his hat to his shoulders. His light grey eyes glanced at a leaning sign by the road side, and his smile widened.
"Eloh, Two Miles." it read.

The man paused for a moment, glancing around. Silence filled the air, the dry prairie that stretched endlessly on either side of the road was still. Somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed morosely. A scorpion scittered across the road, in search of prey. The man in black stooped and picked up the little creature by the tail.

"Hello," he said in a voice that was cultured and pleasant, dangling the insect in front of his face. Casually the man threw the bug into his mouth, swallowing without chewing. The travellor began walking again, his eyes fixed on the dark speck in the distance that was Eloh. He thought about the war he had caused here, about the lives uselessly lost, and smiled. The Baronies were weak; ripe for the taking. It didn't matter that he had lost, for victory was never his goal... only death and chaos and lunacy. Now that the Baronies had nothing left to fight with, his true plan was about to be set in motion... the world of men was about to fall...

He suspected that the King and his pet Church would send someone, a paladan perhaps, or maybe a wizard, after him. The idea of one of Avera's lapdogs challenging him was amusing, but it was best not to take risks... hence his visit to Eloh...

Some Time Later, Eloh Town Square

"Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, step right up, see some auth-thenic magic!" cried the cheery voice of the thing that called itself Kane. He stood in Eloh's tiny town square, on a small raised platform used for hangings. A small crowd of curious locals had gathered around him, eager to be entertained. More were emerging from the various wooden buildings that stood on Eloh's main street, curious as to who was shouting in their quiet town.

"My name is Andrew Ketterling, I've traveled the world showing off my tricks, I hope you enjoy them!" the man in black shouted gaily. Then removed his hat. He showed the interior to the crowd, displaying its emptiness. He then turned it upside down, reached in with one hand, and pulled out a writhing, screaming fairy. The crowd gasped in amazement, several onlookers clapped. Ketterling laughed and stuffed the tiny creature into a pocket inside his cloak. He replaced his hat a produced a frayed length of rope from another coat pocket. He threw the rope into the air, and caught it on its way back down. For a moment the crowd looked beffuddled, until they realized the magician was no longer holding a rope but hissing, snapping rattlesnake.
He tossed the reptile aside casually, it slithered between the boards of the platform and disappeared.

"Alright... now for some card tricks," Ketterling cried, "I'll need a volunteer- and don't worry, there'll be no more snakes!"

"I know of several more prominent mages than that, Mr. Ketterling," came a feminine response.

The crowd gave way with mixed response. The woman who feared her, and the men who loved her. "But I would like to expose this...trick of yours, if you don't mind one mage to one mage," she smiled as she walked towards the man She flipped her long blue hair behind her as she continued forward, her hips swaying seductively. She kept her golden eyes on his, and smiled a little. She had to admit he was a looker...

Her blue clothing tightly covered her ample chest and muscular abs, but left the rest of her, pretty bare, her pale smooth legs, her delicated hands.

Several large burly men followed closely behind, weapons in hand, ready to defend their master with whatever they have.

Ketterling's grey eyes settled on the approaching elf, his cheerful smile widened.

"Very well, very well miss, step right up!" he cried, producing a deck of cards with a flick of his wrist.

"As you can see, Miss, this is a normal, untampered deck." he said, fanning the cards in front of her. "Clubs, Spades, Diamonds... and Hearts."

After he had shown her the deck, he stacked it again with startling speed. He fanned the cards once more, this time face down, and held them out to her,

"Pick a card, any card. Show it to everyone... but don't tell me what it is."

The elf continued to smile as she leaned on her left leg, showing off her seductive hips. She pursed her lips as she flexed her fingers and smiled as she looked back in his eyes as she pulled out a card.

She wrapped her hand around the back, so the magician wouldn't be able to see and stared at it. Four of clubs... she thought to herself before putting it behind her back for the audience to see.

"Ok, what now, oh magical one?" she asked with a tone mixed with mocking and excitement.

"You've drawn the Queen of Hearts" Ketterling said in a purely businesslike tone, though the grin never left his face. He stacked the deck with another flick of his wrists and began to shuffle them non-chalantly.

"Yes or no?"


((When she looks again, the card will be the Queen of Hearts. But dont look immediately... have some fun mocking him first :) ))

Leif are you with me?

"Jack, For 'ow long 'ave we known etch othah? Yah well knaw that mah oath bounds me tah such a quest. Though, unlike yon gutter rat, Ah can nae accep' paymen' in money. Ah've told yah of me oath offen enough, 'Is Majesty will pay in another form. Ah'll talk tah yah and 'Is Grace abou' it 'fore we leave." Lief drank the rest of his whiskey, then set down the empty bottle on the table. "Though the one thing Ah do need is a 'orse, as Ah can't keep up walkin' and Ah'm too fas' flyin'."

Jack smiled at the unusual pyromancer...

"His Majesty has provided horses, clothing, and supplies for the whole trip." he said, and turned his attention to Aradia, "Ms. Victrix... His Grace Cardinal Vaisseau has a task which requires the unique skills of a Shri'vraen. He has asked that you meet with him after I brief you on the situation. Thank you for coming, again it is an honor. Until we meet again..."

Aradia was quickly escorted from the room by one of the Cardinal's attendants, and Hawthorn turned his attention back to the two men and elf left in the room.

"Venisar your horse is being readied in the stables, please go retreive them, and any personal effects you'll need for the journey and meet me in the royal gardens at three o'clock. That leaves you four hours, until then, God speed. Deo... the royal guard would rather you not leave the palace. You will be accompanied to a holding cell until it is time to depart- good day and don't be late. Leif, if you'd stay for a moment, I'd like a word." Jack said, smiling casually until the two had left the room- the theif escorted by two bulky soldiers.

Once the door was closed the smile vanished from the witch hunter's unshaven face.

"Leif... the situation is far worse than I let on. Vaisseau believes this Kane is none other than Legion himself... I don't know if that's true, but he is far more powerful than I anticipated." Jack said, his eyes intent on the mountainous Baronian.

((Theao, feel free to slip away from the guard and do what you like (even the king's daughter :) ) until you are supposed to meet Jack))

The woman laughed mockingly as she looked back at the assembled crowd, who took her cue and began to laugh as well.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ketterling, but you are the wrongest of the wrong. Now leave this town and wallow in your shame. Perhaps one not as smart as this town will fall for your petty tricks..." she said as she held out the card, face down.

"Look again, my dear." the magician said, still smiling. His thin, long fingered hands shuffled the deck idly; his grey eyes stared unflinchingly into the Mayor's.

Leif... the situation is far worse than I let on. Vaisseau believes this Kane is none other than Legion himself... I don't know if that's true, but he is far more powerful than I anticipated.

"Ah knew yeh wehn't tellin us everythin'. Legion? Damn, bu' this is worse than Ah coul' imagine." The pryomancer grabbed another bottle of liquid, this time water, and began to guzzle that. "Ah can see why weh're 'eaded to the Snaw Oracle. Tha' lassie was the one tah tell meh where to find mah sword. Too 'igh for meh to fly. Looks like we'll git our answahs proper then, eh?"

He stood and began pacing. Which meant nervousness. "Jack, there's somethin' Ah need tah tell yah. If yah want tah kill meh, Ah'd understand, bu' this is import'n. Ah found Diana. The skull Ah brought back is one that she turn'd. Ah didnae catch 'er, but she 'as become a vampire. She's powerful, and though Ah don' relish tellin' yah this, yah need tah know more than any othah 'ere. If she shows up, yah need tah be prepared."

The Redhand looked at his slightly diminutive friend, finished his water, and began walking out. "If yah need anythin', yah'll know where tah find meh."

The witch hunter's face twitched slightly at the sound of her name, but he otherwise remained calm.

"Thank'ee," Hawthorn said quietly, as Leif left the room. Water welled in his dark eyes and a single tear slid down his unshaven cheek.

He'd been afraid of this all along, though he hadn't admitted it to anyone, including himself. What if Kane found Diana? What if he sent her to kill him? Would he be able to raise his sword against her, she who had brought so much light and love to his life... even if it was only briefly.

Jack sat, alone, in the library for a very long time... thinking about his former life and love. Afraid of what Leif's terrible news must mean... afraid of the thing that called itself Kane.

Deo just smiled slightly as what the royal guard did or did not wish was not something he cared about. As one of those responsible for his raising had said, "Life's full of disappointment, don't like it and I shall ensure that life troubles you no longer".

After walking a few steps with the guards, he slipped away. While tempted to go back and eavesdropping on the annoying man but decided not to waste his time. Heading down a somewhat familiar corridor, he followed his 'nose'. His 'nose' was in part responsible for his skill and reputation as a thief.

Through some sense that he couldn't ascertain, he 'knew' where either female or valuable things were in a secure building. Those who knew him well knew that Deo didn't differentiate between an attractive woman and a pile of money, thought if forced to choose would almost invariable follow the rustles of silken skirts over the melodious chimes of gold.

Walking down the corridor lined with tapestries, he could tell he was nearing his goal as the subtle change from a more martial to a more pictoral tone indicated he was nearing the quarters housing the king's daughters. His suspicions were confirmed when he began smelling fresh-cut flowers and hearing the giggles and verbal noises indicative of youthful persons of the fairer sex.

With a gentle rap upon the door that concealed the source of the noices. A few seconds later one of the ladies in waiting opened the door, "May I help you?"
"Yes you may. Is my hearing correct in informing me that Princess Melissa, Fiona and Andrea are within, and if so may I enter?"
His polite but winsome tone and handsome face were sufficiant to sway her perhaps against her better judgement and the lady stepped back to let him in.

"Hello and who might you be?" Andrea asked in a slightly suspicious tone as none of the sisters had been expecting guests.
"May I first say it is an honour to be in the presence of three such visions of loveliness. My name is Deo ..."
"Deo, not Deo the Scoundrel?" Fiona gasped
"One and the same." He replied as he held up a hand to stop the lady in waiting from pulling the bell pull to summon the guard, "Rest assured I am not here for purposes more nefarious than thier Highnesses will permit. Unlike many of those who claim kinship of craft with me, erroneously as it may be, I have and shall never request more from a lady than what she would willingly give to me."

With these words, the door was shut and he departed not a once till ten minutes till three and whilst the ladies waiting on the princesses were quite scandalized, not an immoral, illegal nor even indecent act went on behind those closed doors.

In the city of Delain the High Elf Eldascar was entering a local tavern where he was meeting a number of his fellows there where they would discuss about the establishment of a new chapter of their growing host of people who sought to lower the other races to their servants and reestablish the might and glory of the elven Empires of old.

Walking into the tavern he went to the elven barkeep who was a member of their group who had kept a muffled room in the back where the others were already waiting. Bringing him back he knocked on the doors in a strange pattern. Answering it was an elf who opened it and bowed to Eldascar. Then the barkeep left to tend to the bar and also sent to members of their group to guard the back.

Entering the back room Eldascar looked around the room and saw a few dozen of the leaders who led various houses of high elves and also the leaders of non-noble elves who had pledged themselves to Eldascar and the restoration of the elven empires of old.

Entering all of them bowed and said,” Long live our liege lord Eldascar. The descendent of many great High Elf lords of old and the inheritor of the elven empires of old. He will be the one who shall rebuild our ancient empires and restore us as masters of this world.”

Sitting back down Eldascar replied,” Ease my loyal kinsman and comrades. Today we are here to discuss the furthering of our labors by establishing a new branch in a the Baronies where they shall establish a secret base of operations so that we might communicate more with our brothers in the Witchwood and the Northern wastes.”

After a lengthy discussion all the group said aye to the plan and a couple of the elves went off to gather some of their followers and send them to establish the new outpost. So to relax a bit Eldascar and a few of his closest followers went to the bar and ordered some wine. There he and his followers conversed in an ancient elven tongue that had long follow out use. There they spoke of how the world was changing and what might happen in just the short life of a human.

OOC: Here is a rather simplistic picture of Eldascar: http://bfme2.heavengames.com/albums/renders/aad.sized.jpg

The woman smiled coldly as she turned her card over, a hint of surprise in her eyes as she stared at the card.

"Well, I'll be..." she laughed quietly as she inspected the card further. "You certainly are a surprise."

And there, before her very eyes, was the queen of hearts.

She blinked, before her smile turned to one more seductive. "Mr. Ketterling, allow me to introduce myself and to formally invite you to more... comfortable a place. I am the mayor of Eloh, Alexandria Beauregarde. And perhaps, we can speak more, one on one over dinner?"

***********************************************************

Grelch sniffed the frigid air and shivered slightly. His mechanical monstrosity of a suit plodded slowly a few paces forward before it stopped.

That's when it happened. A series of barks. A wolf pack, but not your ordinary wolf.

These wolves had muscles ripping through their skin, wicked fangs that rose above their lips, and massive jaws that could snap a man in half.

And they sped towards the goblin at incredible speeds.

A loud crack, and one beast whined as it fell into the snow.

"One thing, Grelch. Invent a gun that reloads faster," Malivious said out of the corner of his mouth as he reloaded his musket.

"Right on it, boss," Grelch replied as he pushed a series of buttons on his suit.

The six muskets underneath the cockpit opened fire. Four of them managed to hit something, none doing anything lethal.

Nearby, several more muskets fired, two more beasts tumbling to their ends.

Within minutes, they lunged at the small group, smashing into a few small mechanical creations.

Malivious cracked off one more shot, taking out a beast, before pulling out two pistols from his belt and unloading those into the hide of another wolf.

Grelch's suit wrapped it's hands on the lower and upper jaw of the nearest beast and snapped it upwards, breaking the jaw and eventually, killing the creature.

Several spider-like automatons spit a type of deadly poison, blinding a few more of the wolves, before slicing them apart with their deadly blade-like appendages.

An apelike automaton fought in much the same way as Grelch's suit did, pounding its targets into bloody pulps.

Malivion had stabbed one of the demonic wolves through the eyes, piercing it's brain, before pulling out and slicing another's paw, before pushing his rapier up the beast's mouth, through the top of it's muzzle.

With not enough time to retrieve his sword, he spun around, and rolled away from another of the beast's massive paws, before letting loose unholy energy on several of the wolf corpses, which slowly rose to life...or death.

But again, Malivion rolled away from another paw swipe, before falling to the ground as the beast pounced on him and attempted to eat the vampire with it's massive jaws.

But Malivion, due to enhanced strength, even for a vampire, was able to hold the jaws open, before muttering a minor curse, but would cause devastating effects.

As he finished his spell, he coughed out a small cloud that floated down the wolf's throat, before exploding in a light puff.

But the wolf backed away and whined as it could feel it's organs dissolving from it's own stomach acid, which had just become incredibly acidic.

The creature attempted to cough out the cloud, which only resulted in coughing the acid up into it's throat.

Within minutes, it fell to the floor, reddish ooze dripping from it's mouth.

Malivious smiled as he walked over to another of the slain beasts and sunk his large fangs into it, sucking deeply as he felt the wave of hunger escape him.

As he finished his feeding, he licked his fangs and walked away, examining the carnage. About fourteen wolves were in that pack.

"The blood of these 'infected' is so...delicious," Malivious said as he licked his lips. "You can taste the power..."

Grelch raised an eyebrow as he wiped blood off his green head. "Mal can have. Grelch no want wolf blood. If any, Grelch eat goblin or something none...mutant."

"Mutant...it is so incredible that these creatures can be mutated...without any signs of direct contact of the warpstones! There has got to be a source of incredible power from which these creatures come from...the motherload," Malivious said as his smile widened. "But if this small venture was just for several more stones, imagine the creatures nearby the motherload?"

"Ahhh Ms. Beauregard, as much as I would adore... dining... with you I simply must be moving on, but first, allow me to show you one of my favorite tricks." he said, and a murmur of shock went up from the crowd... no one refused the advances of the Mayor, not in this town.

With another magical flick of his wrists, Ketterling tossed the deck of handpainted playing cards over the heads of the crowd- where all 51 cards left in the deck prompty turned into gold coins and rubies that showered the townspeople. Gasping with joy they scrambled to pick up as many as possible, and quickly fell into fighting amongst themselves. Soon the crowd turned into a money hungry riot, punching, pulling, biting and bashing one another for the Magician's treasure. No one was left paying attention to Ketterling or their mayor.

"Now that we are alone, Ms. Beauregard," the illusionist cooed, running a thin hand through the elf's silky blue hair, "I have a gift for you..."

Ketterling pulled the most beautiful peice of jewelry anyone in Eloh had ever dreamed from his sleeve. It was a fine silver chain, from which dangled a brilliant, glowing green gem in the shape of a teardrop.

"Would you like it?" he asked, swinging it slowly back and forth in front of her eyes. Someone in the crowd below them, perhaps a child, screamed in pain... but it seemed to be lightyears away.

"Call me, Alexandria, Mr. Ketterlin-" she began quietly but as he pulled out the beautiful jewel, she stared wide-eyed at it, her mouth slightly ajar.

She couldn't keep her eyes off of the strange necklace. Her eyes followed it back and forth as she could feel something radiating off of it.

Her hand slowly raised itself to grab it, but Alexandria stopped it right before it ruined the rythem of the swinging jewel.

She took her eyes off the jewe after a minute or two, and nodded slowly to Ketterling.

(OOC Pls post that kind of thing in the OOC thread, Scandin. And delete the post above this. Your intro was fine.)

"Alexandria, it is yours," he said, his smile soft, tender and only slightly mocking. He ran his free hand down her cheek, his shallow grey eyes never left hers, "I will be yours, all yours... your King of Hearts. But you must do something for me first..."

Still swinging the green gem in front of her eyes, he told her what she needed to do in order to gain his love. When he was done, he slipped the necklace over her head, and, smiling softly, gave her another playing card... the King of Hearts.

Alexandria moaned softly as he let his hand run down her cheek. Her hand slowly wrapped around his as she moved just slightly closer.

As he told her what to do, she listened intently, her eyes never blinking. As he slipped the necklace over her head, she finally snapped out of her trance. She closed her mouth and smiled as a small blush entered her pale cheeks. With it, she recieved the King of Hearts, and she smiled as she held it close.

"Ketterling...wait. I will do it...for you and you alone. But, I want just a taste of our future together," she whispered as she walked closer to him, her eyes closing as she waited for the moment.

Ketterling opened his mouth in a lunatic grin, and drew closer to the mayor. A small brown scorpion crawled out of his gaping smile, grabbed Alexandria's lower lip with its pincer, and stung her on the nose.

Before Beauregard could react, even open her eyes, there was a rush of cold air and Ketterling vanished in a puff of blue fire. The villagers brawling in the square suddenly stopped, shocked to find that the gold and gems they had been fighting for had suddenly turned into chunks of copper and gravel.

Lieffreid went to the offices of the king. He was asked his business, and putting forth his letter, stated only that he had to speak with His Majesty "abou' cer'in arrangemen's requirin' 'Is Majesty's ear." He was ushered in, this time without an attempt on his weapon, and brought before the Cardinal and the King. "Majesty," said Lief, drawing his sword and saluting point up, pummel at his lips, "Yeh Grace," said Leif, flipping the blade so that the pummel touched his forhead, and inclinig his head.

He set the sword back in its scabbard, then began. "Mastah Hawthorn 'as informed meh of yeh inten' to find and kill Kane. While Ah can appreciate the rewards offah'd, mah oaths mandate tha' Ah ask for a chartiy endowmnet instead. Ah understan' tha' a new parish is tah be built in Lorkesburgh. For mah services, mah fee is tah 'ave tha' parish buil' with an orphange, nevah tah be closed as long as the 'Oly church stands. Gold is naught tah meh, but the suffrin' o' children is. These are mah terms. Ah need an answah."

His Majesty looked at the pyromancer, the cardinal, then back at the firelord. "Done. I'll endorse it myself. Remember though, Lief, it is I that am king."

"Fire is universal, mah king. Though yeh are a wise and powerful leader, the laws set down by God and 'Is angels apply to all creatures of this earth. Ah do no more than what the Divine Law mandates o' meh. God be with yeh both."

"And with you," said the Cardinal, as Lief turned to exit. The fire-bender exited and went to the training yards, where he promptly drew his sword, pummel up, and stuck it in the ground. Thus he set his challenge of sport, asking any to come test their skills with him.

"Is it really your wish to be beaten again?" came the gruff, slightly sarcastic voice of Hawthorn as he stepped into the courtyard, "Your strong, old friend, but let's see if you've gotten any faster."

The witch hunter faced the other on the springy turf of the training ground, a freshly rolled cigarrette jutting from his mouth, unlit, his hands at his sides, unmoving.

Lieffreid removed his cloak, revealing his titanium, fire-proof armor. Igniting, he became a statue of living flame, grabbed his sword, and ignited that too. Then he stepped sideways, or an avatar did, as what was one became two identical stautes of fire. Then four. Each held out its sword, and on the grass between the pyromancer and the witch hunter, two words were burnt. "Come On."

Alexandria yelped as she jumped back, nearly stumbling over the side.

"Ow..." she said quietly as the crowd slowly turned to look at their Mayor. She felt along her nose and nodded to several of the burly men who accompanied her.

"There's nothing more to see here," one of them shouted as they started to push the crowd away.

Alexandria raised her free hand and looked at the two cards. The king and queen of hearts. She sniffled a bit and stuck them on her belt as she walked off.

"Gerrard, make sure to keep your eyes out for a group of people ordered from the king to search for someone. They are to be killed," she said calmly as she walked back to the governor's manor.

"I will increase guard patrols, my lady," he nodded before walking towards the barracks.

As the beautiful mayor walked alone, she had time to recollect what had just happened. She had fallen in love with a grey eyed magician, who promised to marry her, should this group of people be killed.

Who were these people? Why were they after her potential fiance?

No matter. She would do whatever is needed to kill these fiends.

"Interesting..." Hawthorn muttered with a smirk, and pulled a battered metal boomerang from his belt. With a simple flick of his wrist he sent the metal device whirling out towards the pyromancer, Where it punched through the chest of a flaming avatar. It did no damage to the apparition, but did prove it to be false. The boomerang, now white hot, punched through two more of the avatars before striking Leif with a clank and falling harmlessly to the ground.

Jack, now aware of which pyro was real, stepped foward slowly, his run down boots crunching on the fresh grass. His hands still hung at his sides, but anyone who knew the witch hunter would have understood he was ready to draw his sword in a split second.

"I've met my share of sorcerers, Leif, and they're an odd bunch... but you a by far the strangest."

Malivious grinned sinsterly as he walked out of his manor, Grelch following close behind, along with several undead wolves.

The manor itself was quite a massive structure, several smaller buildings surrounding it, the labs, workshops, and the expirament's quarters.

The manor happened to have once been the fortress of the elves that once inhabited the land. The ghosts of the past haunting the once glorious building.

"You know, this elf is showing incredible data from these stones. Injections, feeding, direct contact...incredible," the vampire said gleefully as the goblin followed close behind, fiddling with a tiny metal box in his hands.

"It gross, Mal. Grelch no understand why you do this on elf girl. Grelch don't understand Mal at all," the goblin said queitly as a loud snap came from the little box, along with a quiet curse. "I mean...why not get machine suit like Grelch. No mutations."

Malivious laughed aloud as he pulled out his notepad and examined a very different expirement.

One of the undead wolves he had raised a few days earlier with a warpstone imbedded in it's forehead.

It had grown even larger, it's tusk-like fangs jutting from it's lower lip. It's decayed skin, however seemed to be ripping all along the beasts body, revealing grossly overfilled organs dripping from the cracks, a massive rib cage the only thing keeping them from falling to the floor. The rib cage itself had poked itself through the wolf's side, ending in deadly spear-like protrustions from it's sides.

The creature growled as Malivious walked forward, but bowed it's head in servitude, as though it was alive.

"Funny you should bring up mutations, my little friend. You would never be here had your brethren dealt with these warpstones like I have."

"Perhaps Grelch be proper speaking elf instead," the goblin said quietly as he put the box into a small pouch hanging from his belt.

Malivious raised an eyebrow and smiled. "That could be true."

The vampire remained silent as he walked towards another expirament, a large plant with whitish pedals, it's roots glowing a greenish tint below the snow covered ground.

"Hello, Malivious..." said a cheerful, careless voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Wolves howled to the east; thunder boomed ominously overhead, "I'm glad you've been enjoying my handiwork."

To the vampire's right, out of the swirling mist and snow, stepped a figure covered in greyish black robes. A hood was drawn over the apparation's head, showing only gleaming eyes and a flashing smile. Lightening ripped open the violent badland sky, striking a distant mountain top. The stranger's eyes settled on the mutated wolves following Dren, his smile flashed again.

"Warpstone's a beautiful thing, is it not?"

((OOC http://www.jaestudio.com/ShadowBolts.jpg- looks sort of like the figure.))

"Your handiwork?" the vampire asked as he turned around. "I believe you are mistaken. I have worked on these creatures all by myself, with no help from a random stranger."

Grelch raised an eyebrow, but otherwise remained quiet.

"However, I must agree. Warpstone is quite amazing. The effects it can have on a creature are so...enticing," Malivious said with a dreamy demeanor, before focusing at the situation at hand.

"Now, who are you, and what do you want?"

"Your unquestioning loyalty and service actually," the figure said with another of his lightening-flash smiles.

This caught Malivious off-guard as he gave Grelch his notepad.

"What makes you think I would join you?" he growled. The wolves began to walk towards the floating head. "I serve no one. Especially no man dressed as appalling as you."

"Such arrogance is to be expected from one who thinks himself so 'powerful' ... it is ironic you know nothing of true power." said the stranger, "I'll give you one more chance to submit freely...."

Malivious narrowed his eyes as he stared at his opponent. "Don't be so foolish. I am a vampire. One that has felt the power of the stones. I have become the epitomy of what the stones can do."

"And you, ragged man. What can you possibly do to me when I am surrounded by such behemoths?" he growled as the wolves began to circle the man.

"Send you into the swirling chaos of the abyss if it suited my purposes... but it does not. I am offering you a chance at great power, Malivious... don't be a fool." said the man in his cheerful, spritely voice as he pointed a thin, long fingered hand at the vampire... "Bow to me now, or get hurt and bow later."

Malivious paused and stared coldly at the man. "What power can you offer me?"

He waved his hand slightly and the wolves began to growl as they walked closer to the man.

"The power to bend reality, to create life..." the man said, pointing his hand at the wolves, "The key to the universe..."

As the first wolf lunged, a steak of greenish flame shot from the stranger's hand, incinerating the undead puppet. The apparation laughed, a high pitched, bitchy screaming sound that hinted at extraordinary insanity. The other hounds turned on their former master, their eyes glowing a feirce green.

"The power of WarpStone."

Eldascar finished his discussion and then said in the common tongue to the bar keep,” The time is coming prepare for it and gather your friends for all shall be needed within this generation of man.”

Saying that he and a half dozen of his High Elf kinsmen and left the bar and walked down the alleyway to where they would head for the main square where they would meet up with a blacksmith who was a member of their group and would from him buy more swords and armor in a rather secret transaction with him.

As well, they planned to meet with a High Elf sorcerer who had a relatively unique sword which he wanted to give to the group in return for his membership in it.

As they were walking they knew that there was a chance they were being followed, but they headed on any way as they could easily hold their own in a fight.

Malivious frowned at the show of power. "Ok, you have my attention. However it may very well be an illusion. I want proof. Something grand to show me that you are as powerful as you say you are."

As the vampire spoke, his hands fell to the pistols he hung from his belt, in case the man tried to kill him. Or attempt it at the least.

A jet of flame erupted from the ground at Dren's feet, throwing the vampire backwards. The stranger lifted his left hand in the air, which crackled with electricty. Bolts of greenish lighting lept from his fingertips at the now prone vampire...

"Now you feel the true power of the Abyss..." cooed the travellor gaily, sending another bolt at the necromancer.

Lief allowed his head to be shown, smiled, then covered it again in fire. "A decen' trick laddie."

All four apparitions charged Hawthorn. While not able to harm him physically, each of the avatars could burn the witch hunter. They wedged, the real Lief to the rear but in the middle, and bore down on him. Hawthorne could draw his sword in a flash, but it was little if it couldn't harm an apparition that starved him of air.

Jack rolled quickly to the right and out of the flaming warband's way. In one, almost casual, fluid motion he drew his sword and pointed it a the nearest avatar. He muttered something in Vulgate and the flaming spirit crumbled in a pile of ash. He sliced his weapon through the air, cutting down another charging mass of flame without touching it. Smirking, Jack twirled his weapon twice more and banished the remaining golems.

"Ah, Redhand, your magic tricks won't hold up against me. I was trained by Vaisseau remember? He was called mage-bane before he joined the clergy." Hawthorn remarked, pointing his weapon at the pyromancer.

((Vulgate: Avera's equivalent of Latin... the Church's language))

As Eldascar and his entourage were going through the city a High Elf, who was of lower nobility, who was a member of a their group who had yet to prove his loyalty to the group was sent a to a market area of Delain. There he stood up on a box and said to a crowd of many mixed peoples ranging from humans, elves, and half-elves and said in a loud voice,” My fellow elves the time for the arising of our people is coming and I have come to tell you of many things. All true elves most rise up against the lower races and half breeds of this world and either destroy them or make our servants. From there we shall be led by our leaders to recreate the elven empires of old and restore the glory of our race of old and we shall again rule the world.”

Lieffreid touched the first pile of ash, and it sprang back to life. "Aye, yah were trained by the mage-bane, but Ah'm a bender of Holy Fire, and nae church words can defea' the power of God." Thinking for a moment, however, Lief then allowed the avatar to die.

"For fairness' sake, though, Ah'll show yah that Ah have indeed gotten faster." The flames on Lieff died as his blade whistled, foregoing his former direct strikes and instead beginning with a series of glancing strikes and parries that would put both through their best paces.

After being dismissed from the meeting by Hawthorn, the Elvin warrior knew not of what to do. He had no connections or knowledge of Delain, nor did he have anything else to collect before they left on their journey. Besides it simply being too long a journey to go back and get anything from his home and return in time, Venisar actually didn't have any other possessions besides the stave and claws he carried with him.

Without anything to do, the curious elf wandered about the castle, studying its design and contents. It was so grand, so large, so lavishly decorated... like nothing he had ever seen before. Venisar was used to the quiet countryside, the shade of a tree, and a quaint little village with small homes and few objects. This was a whole new world...

After seeing enough, Venisar found himself at the training grounds where he took a seat on a grassy knoll and watched as the soldiers drilled and trained. No doubt they had lost countless friends during the horrendous battle that plagued the world. Hopefully... hopefully he could help end this once and for all so that they would never have to experience such horror again...

As the elf sat in quiet contemplation, the corner of his keen eyes caught Lief, one of the men from earlier in the room, throwing down the proverbial gauntlet to all challengers. Venisar certainly wasn't one to fight needlessly, even if it was just between contemporaries, but he decided he might as well watch and learn something about one of his venturing companions... or maybe two as the apparent leader, Hawthorn, took up the challenge. He watched with most of his focus as they began to clash...

Before the bolt hit, Malivion sprung backwards, baring his fangs. "Clever...but you haven't taken me yet," he snarled as he straightened up and shot his pistol at him.

The Badlands

Green fire flew from the fingertips of the weird stranger, shattering the musket ball midair.

"Good shot old man," the sorcerer taunted with insane happiness, "Only misfires against me though, I think. Sic 'em"

The undead wolves, their eyes glowing fiercly, charged the vampire while the robed figure hurled bolt after bolt of warp tinted lightning.

"AHAHAHAhahahahaha!!" came the shrill, laugh of the lunatic wizard, "Dodge that, my boy!"

Delain

Hawthorn grunted with pleasant suprise as he nimbly parried and returned the Baronian's heavy blows, "Ye have gotten faster, my old friend," he said, ducking a swing, "But not fast enough."

The witch hunter rolled backward, away from the hulking pyromancer. In his right hand he held his sword aloft- its tip pointed at Leif.

"If I went for my guns, Redhand, this match would be over... but I won't waste a bullet on ya."

Malivious raised an eyebrow as he placed his pistols back in their holsters.

The vampire growled as he leapt out of the way of one of his wolf creatures. The idea of sending these creatures back to the graves struck in his mind, but seeing his expiraments just dissolve in front of his eyes didn't appeal to much to him.

Instead, he concentrated on the figure launching bolts of energy at him.

He cast a curse on the figure that resulted in his next spell backfiring on him. Depending on how lethal the spell would be, he may be dead by his next shot.

The dark wizard raised his hand to cast another bolt, but the greenish energy exlpoded in his hand... sending the robed figure backwards.

"HA, foiled at my own game!" he cajoled, rising lithely to his feet, "But thats enough fun for now, I think."

The sorcerer's hands crackled with greenish lightning, the air grew hot and heavy.

"This'll hurt alot," said the figure, cackling. He raised his fists into the air and hurled two enourmous bolts of energy at the vampire, hitting him in square in the chest. The bolts enfolded the hapless Dren and lifted him into the air, where he hung as though suspended by invisisble chains. Lightning jumped and raced up and down his body...

"Exxxxcrrrruuciating?" the wizard laughed, "Ain't it?! This is a mere sliver of WarpStone's potential... Imagine if I had marched on Avera with it, instead of stopping in the Baronies? Ahhhh... powwwwerrrr. Oh, that's right... how very rude of me. Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm known to some as Kane.... though that's not exactly right. I've been around for many a long year, and have gone by many titles."

Malivion screamed as energy rushed through him. He squirmed and tried to escape from the energy that had him floating in mid-air.

Grelch continued watching, unsure of what to do.

When the stranger identified himself as Kane, Malivion was greatly surprised.

"K-k-kane," he gasped.

"The one and only," the stranger said, letting the vampire fall to the ground, "Join me Malivious... and attain the full power of WarpStone. Become a god... or stay here and freeze as the mysteries of the rock elude you. The choice is yours...."

The wizard produce a chunk of glowing green rock from the folds of his robe and held it in one, long nailed hand. The faint outline of a face appeared under the sorcerer's hood in the stone's eerie glow... but it was hard to define, as though it constantly changed.

Malivious slowly got up as he began to heal rapidly. His black clothing letting off small clouds of smoke.

"Kane...the man behind the stone. Your expertise truly does marvel me," Malivious coughed. He bowed his head low. "I pledge my support to you, Kane."

"I want more than your support, Vampire..." the sorcerer said with dangerous good cheer. He advanced on Dren and grabbed him by the front of his robes,

"I want your soul..."

"My soul?" Malivious asked with uncertainty in his voice. "Kane, I thought vampires...had no souls?"

Malivious had no idea what the man would do with a soul, nor how he could obtain it.

Kyoko came later that night. The dark castle stood ominiously in the dark, with the moon shining down on it. Creepy, but Kyoko was invited. She instinctivley reached for her staff, on her back. She proceeded to the doors.

"Perhaps I should knock." She knocked, and the doors opend, and she walked inside. Down the long hallways, pass many portriates, suites of aurmor, and other decorations. She walked into the main area, where apparently everyone was massing. It seemed there were a few duals going on already.

The wizard laughed, hysterically...

"No soul! hahaha! Trust me my man... you may have forgotten your soul in undeath, but you have one- twisted and useless though it may be. Don't buy everything the handbook tells you, my boy!" he said, "And since you're not using it... you may as well give it up, no?"

Malivious raised an eyebrow and looked past Kane's shoulder at the goblin who shook his head slowly.

Then, the vampire looked back at Kane and smiled. "And you promise me godlike status?"

Why not? If he was a god, he could merely steal a soul back from some fool.

Lieffreid lowered his sword. Then he started to shake, finally bursting out in full laughter. "Jack, yah insolen' fool, will yah nevah learn? Yah're too far fo' swahds tah be used, an' by the time yah get a shot off, Ah'll 'ave erected a wall o' flame melting yeh bullets. Close me, an' we'll keep bashin' each othah, distance yehself, an' we can't touch each othah. Besides, Ah could waste mahself by ignitin' your guns righ' now, but then where am Ah? Ah don' need tah be fastah than yah Jack, Ah just need tah be smahtah. Smaht enough to now know that yah an' Ah have nothing tah fear of the othah."

The redhand left his sword stuck in the earth, got his cloak, returned for his sword, and left. "Thanks for the wee exercise Jack. It was fun."

The Baronies

It was a stormy night in the farm land of the baronies. However Aurellia wasn't driven off by the piercing rain. She was on her way to the Chapple, where she would pray to the Spirits for strength and power, in taking back what was hers. Since she was attacked, she's been dying for some payback. The chapple was dimly light, by dark candles and the ocasional flash of lighting. She took off her hat and knelt. A small red-headed girl came and knelt by her side as she prayed.

"Ms. Aurellia, you came here, all the way here in this storm?"

Thunder crashed.

"Yes, Mackenzie. I need strength. It's only a matter of time before I join in the Baronies wars, and shouldn't you be wearing your veil?"

More thunder and lightning. Mackenzie put on a transperent purple veil. She left it parted over her face, and just let it hang to the back.

"Ms. Aurellia you really musn't. So many have died in the revolts, and violece. That's why I'm a ward of the church. My mother and father died, I don't want you to die. Your like a mother to me."

That caught Aurellia by suprise. "It is a shame you have to wear that. You have such bueatiful red hair. Just pray for me extra hard, when I do leave."

"Okay. You know you can always stay in the Church. No one would mind so long as you stay out of the way of the Clergey's."

"No. I know I'm a devout Spiratualist but not that devout.."

"When and if you do join the fighting, becareful."

"I will."

((OOC Sorry for not posting earlier, been really busy today. Nice post Kanami. MS, it is not night out so please edit your post and have your char meet us at the stables, thanks. ))

Delain

"Garrish thug," Hawthorn said with a friendly grin, walking away from the pyromancer. He lit his cigarrette, his blue eyes scanning the sky... there were storm clouds on the horizon, an ill omen.

"Leif," he called behind him, the humor gone from his voice, "Head for the stables, we're leaving early. I want to beat that storm."

The witch hunter's keen eyes spied Venisar on a grassy knoll nearby, and he hailed him,

"Venisar!" he called in a powerful, clear voice unlike his gruff speaking tone, "Head for the stables! We depart soon."

The gun fighter looked around him and cursed under his breath, "Where's that theif..."

The Badlands...

"You have my word..." giggled the sorcerer, "The secrets of WarpStone will be yours..."

The High Elf in the square began to be pressed on by a group of people who were severely offended by the speech. Yet, in the crowd he had gained support and there were also some members of the group to protect the High Elf speaker. The scene began to escalate as scattered fighting broke out into a full fledged brawl between the supporters of the cause of normal persons. But, from a distance Eldascar and his entourage watched as the speaker had done his duty and achieved the desired objective. He then began to plan on how he would get the High Elf out of prison who had stirred the crowd to riot.

Deo had gotten to a window overlooking the garden some eight minutes before the designated time. Whilst the others sparred or were otherwise occupied he had opened a window and onto the branch of a large sturdy oak.

Having made his way closer to where the others were, with all the grace and stealth of a squirell, he had eavesdropped for a period. Hearing the arrogent annoyance grumble about him, Deo smiled.

Looping his feet around a lower branch, he swung down so he was somewhat on eyelevel with Hawthorn. "I thought you said you could track me down wherever I ran." Deo commented with a smirk before flipping down to land on his feet in front of the gunman. With a grand bow he asked in a tone just this side of sarcastic mockery, "What are your orders glorious leader?"

"Stables, Deo." the witch hunter grunted, and walked off in that direction himself, "I wanna get moving pronto."

"As you command." He replied with another bow and a smirk as he followed Hawthorn. The man was too serious to be fully enjoyable to mock.

"Then my soul is yours," Malivious replied with a devilish smile.

Grelch slapped his face as he shook his head slowly. "This no end good..." he whispered.

Lieffreid nodded his head, noticed the unimpressive display of acrobatics on the thief's part, and headed for the stables after pouring a bucket of water through his great mane of red hair. A small amount got on his armor, but it was quickly steamed off. Grabbing his great shield, he followed Jack as the other two did likewise. Catching up in long strides, Lief lowered his voice so that only Jack could hear him. "Ah know that walk, and Ah know how yah feel, an Ah feel the same. But tell me, is't what we know abou' our targe', or what we don' know that makes yah nervous?"

"Both Leif, both." Jack grumbled, puffing heavily on his smoke, "I am not only worried about Kane 'imself... but who and what he might have fooled into helping him. WarpStone magic makes your pyromancy look like kiddie's fireworks and my guns look like slingshots."

Deo had followed the two old friends, staying close enought to eavesdrop but far enought to remain outside the sphere of awareness of the average person. It was a known fact amongst the criminal community that people rarely took notice of things more than a few meters from them and outside of that area, you were essentially invisible.

Taking a few steps to catch up with them, when he heard the mention of warpstones, he asked, "So what other nasties have you been keeping from us plebs?"

"The next time you wanna to eavesdrop, try to be less amatuer. Your tricks may work on drunk nobles and their pretty daughters, but not on witch hunters." Jack said, looking at Deo as he walked, "As for the warpstones, I tol' you about the wizard's love of 'em. There'll be plenty of other nasty fish ta fry too, I think. Goblin's, muties, mayhap a vampire or two?"

((mutie = slang for mutant... ))

"Why should I expend the effort on you?" He asked with a sarcastic tone. "So a bunch of stuff you don't have the balls to deal with alone."

He simply stepped past the two as he headed to the stables before giving Hawthorn a chance to reply.

Lief looked at the thief with a sense of disgust. Then, as he got the saddling for the largest, and by default his, horse, he spoke to Jack, doing the same next to him, too low for the thief to hear. "Ah know yah've got yeh reasons, Jack, but 'ee's a liability waitin' tah happen. Why is 'ee with us?" Lief sighed as he thought. "Ah know what tah expect from Kane, and what Ah can generally expect from 'is minions. Ah'm afraid, mostly since Ah know that if Kane is Legion, Ah know me worst fears are realized. Even if it is only the Warpstone, Ah still know that our chances are migh'y slim." Lief picked his shield up from where he had set it next to the horse, and strapped it on to the saddle. Looking through the provided pack, he found everything he needed, including a large bottle of the grain alcohol that the court alchemists used for their fire experiments. "The card'nal 'as thought o' meh. Righ' nice o' 'im."

"Why is 'ee with us?"

Jack smiled slightly, his dark eyes glanced at Deo and then focused back on Leif.

"We'll see, won't we?" he said, cryptic as usual. The witch hunter grabbed his saddle, pack and bedroll and walked over to his horse, Wing.

"But," he muttered to Leif as he adjusted his saddle atop the stallion, "Keep an eye on him, Leif."

He then turned from the Redhand to Venisar, who had just entered the low roofed stable building.

"Venisar, your horse is in the corner, along with your pack, waterskins and bedrolls." he called, then looked back at his fellow witch hunter,

"I'm glad, old friend, that you're here... in all my travels, I've not found a Slayer so skilled, or dedicated, as you." Hawthorn said, snuffing his smoke between his fingers, "There's no one on Earth I'd rather fight alongside."

"Or tah the end o' life, if that be Our Lord's will. Ah've met few like you Jack. Now, where is that 'alf-elf?"

Deo glared at the horse the stableboy brought for him. He was not a fan of horses by any stretch. They were too large, smelled, had a distressing tendency to try and bite him and left a smelly trail.

Scowling at the animal, he swung himself on its back and swayed with the obvious lack of balance of someone unfamilar with horses or riding animals in general.

"She's on a related assignment from the Cardinal." Jack said, rolling a fresh cigarrette, "We may see her, we may not... the Shri'vraen are a mysterious cult."

The witch hunter patted his pockets for matches, and grunted a laugh. He held the smoke out to Leif, who was now saddling his horse in the adjacent stall, with a smile.

"Gotta light?"

"Aye," said the pyro. He snapped his fingers, and a small tongue of flame appearred on his finger tip, which levitated over and ignited the tip of the cigarrette. "Those things are deadly yah know. Jus' the four o' us then, eh? Lead on, Cap'n."

((GTI, MS pls delete your above posts. I'll post why in the OOC later, thanks))

Hawthorn puffed on his smoke thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded...

"Aye, onward," he said and motioned for Leif, Deo, and Venisar to follow. He rode out of the stable and into the enclosed royal pasture before turning to face his companions.

"I want Delain at least ten miles behind us by sundown, let's make haste through the city. And mark it well, lads, this may be the last time you see it." he said, then urged his horse towards the palace courtyard and city beyond.

"Ah'd be 'appy if it was the las' time Ah saw't. Don' enjoy cities." Lief followed easily after Jack. While not a world renowned horseman, Lief did have the training to ride one, mostly as a form of speedy travel when accompanied by those that had no other means of keeping up with him, such as this group. It came in handy, and Lief was glad he could use it. "Will we be 'untin' tonigh'?"

"Aye," Hawthorn said, absently scratching at his left thigh. Some years ago an enraged werewolf had tossed him off of a cliff, shattering the bones in his left leg and leaving him with a faint but noticeable limp and a deep ache that hectored him whenever he rode a horse.

"Deer are plentiful once we clear the farms around the capital."

In the capital the riot became worse as a number of people had already dropped to the ground from the fighting. As well, a number of elf radicals with their reurved blades began to fight in the square. All in the meanwhile Eldascar laughed at the scene as he knew now the time was coming as the racial tensions were all high. Yet, soon the riot would draw the attention of the authorities…

As the group made through the city and out into open land, the horses sped up, allowing Lief a moment to drop into the rear. Leaving the job to his horse, which he had been told was called Rufus, he looked unto the slowly emerging points of fire in the sky. His ears heard the slow, distant rumble of thunder, a rumble that would come close very soon. Lief briefly thought about changing out of his metal, but decided against it. After all, what was lightning but the Fire of God?

Taking a moment to note Venisar's unique claw-like weapon, he urged Rufus up a little to draw even with the elf. "So, Venisar, wha' exactly do yah call yon claw?"

Several days had passed between Malivious' soul exchange and the present.

The vampire remembered the terrible searing, as if his organs themselves were trying to burn their way out of him. The pain was near unbearable. Infact, he remembered blacking out several times before the process was over.

And now, Malivious could feel power coursing in his vains. His stretched muscles were more defined now, causing his normally loose clothes to be slightly tighter. His mind felt clearer, as he practically felt a genius, able to process several things in his mind as quickly as he used to with one. His eyesight expanded beyond belief, along with his reaction time and his other senses. He truly began to feel like a god.

But there was more bad news. Bad news Kane never mentioned...abandoning his lab...again. He quickly packed everything he needed, test tubes, chemicals, several cases of the crystals he had grown so attached to, thousands of books.

Most were placed on several worker automatons of Grelch's, originally intended to load and unload large batches of snow or warpstones.

But Malivious also had, absolutely had to bring his most favored expirament. He'd grown attached to her, constantly seeing to her every needs.

He named her Crystal, for the fact of her enormous intake of the warpstones.

The poor little elf girl who had stumbled upon his land was now his little expirament, past sadness and grief, only curiosity and fear.

When the vampire had first found her, she stood around five foot one, having a fairly seductive shape to her. Her hair was a dark auburn and she had bright green eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips. Almost anything a normal man would want.

In fact, Malivious did want her, more than anything. Except his curiosity, of course.

And her enormous intake of Warpstones certainly showed it's effect. Her green eyes almost glowed, especially visible during darkness. Her slender arms were longer and muscular. Her shoulders were much larger now, surpassing her bosom in width and her teeth were pointed and sharp.

Her pale skin had become greenish and her lips were almost a blackish green. Her auburn hair began showing greenish highlights as well. But deep in her eyes, one would notice pain and suffering. She was now five foot ten inches at full height.

Malivious smiled as he gently stroked her hair, settling his palm on her smooth, greenish skin. "It's alright my darling. We are moving to a new home," he whispered, giving her a small kiss to the cheek.

She shied away, but otherwise continued walking with the vampire. Not that she had much choice. A long black leash was tied to a collar around her neck, as though she were a dog.

She used to cry, but when she realized all hope was lost, she gave up...

***********************************************************

For several days the foursome climbed up the mountain known as Raven Peak, the mountain of the elves. And still, they were not even midway up the slope.

They had, however met thousands of wildlife creatures, mutated and demented by the warpstone's energy. Several mountain lions had become deadly sabertoothed six legged creatures with spiky tails. A lizard grew fur and had teeth like a steel trap and claws like a hawk. A bear that was a titan, being atleast twenty feet tall. It's muscles had ripped through it's skin, but each step it took shook the ground around it. Not to mention the roar it would give, especially with it's second head.

The fight was a ferocious one, Kane leaving the three to fend for themselves and watch how they progressed. Malivious had used several bolts of the greenish lightning that the wizard himself used on the vampire only days ago. The elf was a wonder in herself. Her speed was incredible, and she attacked the bear with her own clawlike hands, making surprisingly good progress.

Several of Grelch's spider machines climbed on the bear's back and even into his ear, where they killed the beast with several well placed stabs.

And that wasn't even the least of the creatures they encountered.

Several of Grelch's mechanisms had trouble getting up the mountain, but the goblin would make repairs on the run, his tiny size able to get him within most of the automatons themselves.

After some rest for Grelch, who seemed the only one tired, despite his lack of walking, and some more "feeding" of the elven girl, the five continued on their journey, before finally finding themselves at a long winding river. There was a half-ruined bridge above a very green river of water, almost glowing, much like the elf's eyes. Malivious could only conclude that the water itself was filled with the nutritious crystals.

He could also feel that the elf knew that as well, for she began to shiver as she slowly walked across the bridge.

The forests on the mountain were gnarled and for the most part, bare. What little needles remained on the evergreen trees seemed to teem with life. They were abnormally large, probably able to be used as a weapon for a limited time. One of them seemed to ooze green sap, which again, made the vampire smile and the elf get slightly jumpy.

Kane seemed to be whispering to himself as he walked up to an enormous gateway, surrounded by snow covered gears and levers jutting out from the sides of the mountain. Upon closer inspection, Malivious noticed that Kane was reading inscriptions off the door.

As Malivious marveled at Kane and the Warpstone liquids, Grelch looked at the elf. Their eyes met, before she turned away and sat down. Grelch stared at her before looking away, shaking his head slowly. "No creature deserve fate like that..." he whispered as he examined the mountainside. That's when he noticed that machanisms sprouted from the snow. Thousands, maybe even millions. There were mechanical faces of golems, automatons, machines of all different shapes and sizes.

Grelch moved towards one, and looked into it's pitch-black mask, only to be met with a shriek and a featherless bird flapping away. The creature was strange. It used it's skin flaps to fly, and had a long tail trailing behind it. It's bald skin was a dark green, it's veins showing within the skin. Grelch shook his head again. "We be in cursed area," he whispered as his machine continued to walk around.

The quiet being that was the Elvin warrior had deftly made his way from the grassy knoll overlooking the training grounds to the stables in just a few short jumps. Strong yet delicate, Venisar had landed with barely a sound or sense of disturbance.

Hawthorn was kind enough to point out the elf's horse without him even having to ask. As an elf Venisar was a skilled rider, not to mention that he had had two centuries of life to refine his skills, but at the same time he did not ride that often. With a quick step and short hop he moved through the air and landed perfectly on the horse's saddle. Before they left on the beginning of their journey, Venisar whispered a few words in an Elvin language directly into the horse's ear. They were soothing and calming to the steed as well as created a slight bond and understanding between the two... something special that those of nature could produce.

Then they set off out of the capital... very possibly the last he would see of such a large city. The ride was quiet as usual for Venisar. While the others talked, he was content to drift in and out of listening as he enjoyed the surrounding nature.

After falling behind briefly, Venisar noticed the one known as Lief ride up next to him. "So, Venisar, wha' exactly do yah call yon claw?"

Though a quiet person, he was always willing to talk so long as it was civil. The elf let the horses stroll for a little before responding. "I've never thought of what to call it. Never needed too. I guess it is a gage of blades or gauntlet of claws or something...."

"I've never thought of what to call it. Never needed too. I guess it is a gage of blades or gauntlet of claws or something...."

"When we make camp, would yah mine' showin' meh 'ow it works?" Lief asked Venisar. "It looks migh'y in'ristin'." The contraption was odd, but it looked neither frail nor weak. It had sparked Lief's interest, and Lief was rather eager to see what it could do.

The Magician peered at the massive steel gates jutting out from the sheer rock before him with childish glee, his eyes running up and down their length, muttering the inscriptions writ upon it in an ancient language.

"Erlos, krezzat Azhapt" he said softly, and a featherless bird overhead died at the sound. Kane turned towards Malivious, his grin wide under his black hood. "Enter, Behold Our Might." he stated happily, "That's the rough translation, though Azhapt means both 'behold' and 'despair' in Cra'yvan. A fancinatingly subtle language it was... a pity it's died. Do you know where we are, my dear Malivious?"

The sorcerer looked around him, his smile flashed in the faint green glow of the river.

"I assume not, since your arrogance often dulls your perception... but I'll let you in on the secret. We are at the cradle of the ancient Cra'yvans power, the entrance to their lost city... Al'Kravan." he said, "Underneath this mountain lays the forgotten wonders of the Northern Elves, their buildings, bodies, machines, weapons and warpstone... all for the taking."

With a flick of his wrist the dark wizard produced a small teardrop shaped fragment of warpstone, which shone faintly in the fading moonlight. It pulsed with sickly power unmatched by the unrefined fragments that littered the ground.

"Ahhhh," Kane said, admiring the beautiful rock, "The key of Al'Kravan..."

"When we make camp, would yah mine' showin' meh 'ow it works? It looks migh'y in'ristin'."

It took a little getting used to, but Venisar picked up on Lief's speech and understood what he was asking. "Tis a pretty basic design," the elf responded as he looked at the claws on his hand. "Just some strong metal blades connected to my hand so that they move in time with my fingers... But I will indeed 'show you how it works' when we make camp."


[ooc: I am deciding whether or not the claws can retract back into a piece on the back of his hand or not.]

Hawthorn rode a few paces in front of the others, puffing quietly away at his cigarette, his hat pulled down to shade his eyes. Around him the cobblestone streets of Delain bustled with life. Merchants, mothers, dukes, bandits, paupers, lunatics, conmen, soldiers and priests all went about their business, ignorant of the horsemen among them. People in Delain saw the bizarre every day, what was a few witch hunters and an elf? The only one who seemed to be getting any attention was Deo, as his Wanted posters papered half the city.

Jack's perceptive eyes picked up all of this, but he saw none of it. His mind was elsewhere, in a small town north of the Baronies... with a girl he onced loved.

In front of him the cathedrals, palaces, and crowded shops of Delain were replaced with the massive battlements of the wall, bristling with spires, catapults and archers. After the war in the Baronies, the defense of Avera's capital was ever-ready.

The witch hunter rode through the massive city gates, only casting a cursory glance back at his companions to make sure they were still with him. Leif and Venisar were talking amiably enough, that was good, and Deo was riding along silently behind them, and that was even better. Hawthorn wondered if the playboy bandit was ready for the horrors that lay ahead...

The low lying mountains and green feilds of the Averian countryside replaced crowded city streets as the company rode away from Delain. Farm carts and hay wagons trundled along the road leading out from the city. Jack's eyes flicked to a wooden sign by the road side saying "Delain, 20 Wheels East. Salem, 45 Wheels South. Arborridge Pass, 15 wheels West."

"That's our road, gents." he called, pointing to a dirt road heading west off of the stone paved trade road. "We make camp in the Arborridge pass tonight, the elf-mage will meet us there."

Two Hours Later...

Slanted, forested banks stood on both sides of the narrow road as the Hawthorn's group entered Arborridge pass. On either side the Arbor mountains rose gently, mere shadows of the massive peaks of the West. The road was quiet, but not abandoned; the occasional merchant or horse cart passed by. Sunlight shafted pleasantly through the twined branches overhead, and birds twirped cheerfully in the distance. On the Western horizon, thunder rumbled ominously... but it was not close enough to threaten them.

Pointing to a grassy clearing off to the right, Hawthorn called to his group.

"We make camp here, gents. Don't bother with the tents, that storm shan't reach us." he said.

He rode over to the clearing and dismounted Wing, tethering the horse to a sturdy branch. He unloaded the cookware, asked Venisar to fetch some water from the nearby stream in the cooking pot, motioned for Leif to start a fire, and walked off into the woods in search of a rabbit or deer.


((Tanara, have your char meet the party here- as per the Cardinal's orders. Feel free to control the Cardinal in her memories.))

"One such as you should not make assumptions," Malivious replied. "But you are correct. I had no idea that this marvelous area was in existance. However, I anticipate the inside, if the outside is so grand."

Images of things Malivious could bend to his will went wild in his mind as Kane described what could be found inside this cave of wonders.

"Open it up already! I want to let my eyes feast on the treasures inside," Malivious said as he continued to walk closer to the gate, his eyes mad with curiousity.

Deo kept silent as they road, thought he did occasionally blow kisses and silently flirting with the cute girls in the city. The others in the group were so very tedious, all stoic faces and with a collective funny bone that wouldn't make a rat laugh.

By the time they got to where Hawthorn or as Deo had nicknamed him, 'Glorious Leader' decided to stop, he felt like he could barely move. It was perhaps understandable as he travelled by cart, carriage or foot, very rarely by horse.

Rolling off the back of the beastial brute, he found a section of soft grass and earth and flopped down to try and recover some feeling in his body. If Glorious Leader insisted on keeping up the pace or, lord forbid, tried to increase it, it would take a great deal to get him to stay.

Kane tittered laughter and placed the peice of warpstone in a teardrop shaped notch in the massive gate. For a moment all was silent... then there was the hiss of escaping steam and the rumble of subterranian machinery. Rusty levers squealed into action, and the gates slowly swung open, revealing a gaping black tunnel that led spiraling downwards. Huge crystals of warpstone grew from the passageway's rocky walls, illuminating everything with a sickly green light.

"Now, my friends," the dark sorcerer laughed, "Our work begins..."

The Cardinal had welcomed Aradia graciously and wasted no time in explaining why he had sent for a Shri'vraen. The information he gave her made her go slightly pale, and agree instantly to what he requested of her. He professed every confidence in her, and while that was pleasant to hear it did not soothe her inner worries about being able to carry out the daunting task set to her. She kept that hidden though, as she refused to add her inner doubts to the burdens he already carried.I refuse to fail either him or the Order! She thought fiercely.

He'd blessed Aradia and sent her to the castle's Chatalain to gather any provisions she felt needed replinisheing. He'd advised her as to where the group she was to join would be camping the first night and Shadow Sun would cover that distance easily. Once she her travel rations and other needs packed in the panniers that Moon carried she headed to the kitchens to beg a quick meal. Not dawdling however she and her companions wwere soon ready to set out.

They had travelled briskly and had caught up with the others shortly hafter they had halted for the night.

"Ho the camp" Aradia called out as she spied them just getting settled. "I'm sorry to be joining you so late."

Lief tethered his giant beast and then went to work. Taking a spade, he dug out a fire pit for use, and then began gathereing wood. He gathered a number of rather large bows, and even found a medium sized dead tree perfect for use. Taking his right foot to it, he felled the fuel source, and then began chopping it up by using his fire as a scythe to cut into manageable pieces. Loading the kindling into the fire pit, he then set the logs up in a conical form.

Hearing the half elf hail the camp, he returned the salute, before spitting a fireball into the pit. The kinddling erupted, and veryquickly the logs were aflame. "Aye lassi, welcome tah our fine encampmen'. Ah trus' that yah 'ad a fine ride up 'ere?"

There came the sound of six quick gunshots from the east, followed by a satisfied grunt. Several minutes later Hawthorn emerged into the clearing holding six dead rabbits. He walked over to the fire pit, his limp quite pronounced after a day of riding, squatted on his haunches, and began to skin his prey with the quiet efficiency of a skilled outdoorsman.

"Well met, Ms. Victrix, I didn't expect you so soon," he said, his ocean blue eyes giving her an appraising glance, "I hope you like rabbit stew... though you are no doubt used to better fare than mine in the monasteries of the Shrivraen."

He asked Venisar to fetch some water from the nearby stream in the cooking pot.

As the Elvin warrior dismounted gracefully from his steed, he picked up the cooking pot that had been attached to one of the horses and set off to accomplish his duty.

With his powerful muscles and brisk speed, Venisar had arrived at the stream in no time. After dunking the pot fully under the war, he pulled it out completely full. No doubt they wouldn't need all of it to cook a stew, but it was easier to dump some out then go fetch more. Besides, it could be poured into another container for drinking or washing...

Venisar set off back for camp with the pot hanging easily in his left hand despite the weight. As if it was no burden at all, he walked calmly and not abnormally as it would be common to see with someone carrying a heavy load.

Upon arriving back at camp, the elf's eyes picked up on the newcomer to the group... the one Hawthorn had been talking about before; Ms. Victrix, he had called the half-elf. With a tip of his head in the lady's direction, Venisar brought the pot to where the fire would be made and then found his way to the trunk of a sturdy tree where he relaxed quietly.

"Excellent," Malivious said as he noticed the cave walls brimming with warpstone energy. He wanted to just reach out and take as many as he could carry, but why should he? This was there new resisdence.

Grelch smiled as he saw the mechanisms at work, clacking and cranking noisily together as the stairway downwards opened up.

Aye lassi, welcome tah our fine encampmen'. Ah trus' that yah 'ad a fine ride up 'ere?"

"Yes, it was most pleasant." Aradia replied with a smile as she began stripping the tack off of Shadow Sun. Once that was done she turned to Moon to take care of him.

Tasman, who had been sleeping atop the pack that Moon bore woke as the pyromancer lit the campfire. "Ah, some one with fine sensibilities" Aradia's familiar commented as he leapt down lightly and padded into the flames. He so loved a good hot fire.

When Venisar returned with the cook pot full of water and nodded at her she returned the quiet greeting with one of her own.

Aradia was in the midst of giving both horses thorough groomings as Hawthorn returned. She gave him an equally appraising glance in return for his, mentally noting the limp.

"I hope you like rabbit stew... though you are no doubt used to better fare than mine in the monasteries of the Shrivraen."

That brought a carole of laughter from her. "Oh our fare is filling and healthy but most nobles would turn their noses up at it. And I am certain that your stew will taste wonderful. And I'll gladly do the clean up chores rather than risk us all with my poor cooking."

"She slept through far too many of the cooking lessons" Tas called from where he relaxed in the cook pits flames.

Aradia blushed but acknowledged his comment with a wry grin. "Aye, I can keep water from burning but that is about the whole of it. And please call me Aradia."

Once the grooming was complete she pulled a ceramic jar out of her pack and brought it over to Hawthorne. "Work this into the muscles of your leg and it will not only ease the pain but keep you from being so stiff tomorrow." Healing classes, though she had not innate Gift for such, were ones she had notslept through.

Jack's eyes widened in momentary shock, as though such an act of kindness was the last thing he expected from the half elf.

"Many thanks, Aradia," he said, softly "Though I cannot accept yer gift. My leg was broken by a werewolf's bite many years ago- and though he did not break my skin and turn me into a beast- nothing soothes it... I've tried every herb in the forest. 'Sides, I've grown accustomed to it's ache- 'tis not a bother and not a hindrance in a scrap."

He smiled gruffly at the sorceress and thanked her again, before turning his attention to Venisar.

"Good muscle's lad, drop it there," he said, pointing at the fire pit. He dropped the peices of rabbit he had prepared into the pot with several herbs and local vegetables.

"Leif, wake sleeping beauty over there." he grunted, jerking his thumb at Deo. The witch hunter was turning back to his stew when he reconsidered and called back to Leif, "Don't roast him, Redhand."

"Good muscle's lad, drop it there."

Venisar modestly ignored Hawthorn's compliment about his muscles. It was all too obvious and apparent that the elf was jacked like there was no tomorrow, but he didn't like boasting about them. The only reason he didn't where a shirt was that he found he moved better - especially in the air - without one.

After setting the pot down where their group leader had indicated, the passive warrior made his way to a tree he had his eye on since they arrived at their camp for the night. It was strong and sturdy looking; its trunk was at least five feet across and more than an arm's grip around.

He took his time settling in, but for some reason he just couldn't find the right spot. Perhaps it was because of his strange company, but Venisar just couldn't get comfortable on the ground... so without saying a word, his powerful legs propelled him up twenty feet to a thick branch on the tree where he rested calmly behind the thicket of leaves.

In the square the High Elves now began to kill people using their recurved swords which forced Eldascar to flee with his entourage knowing now that they may well be arrested just for being at the seen of the crime and now decided to go to a house of a member of their group to stay low for a while. In the meantime the High Elf that had spoken ordered for the other elves of their group to begin to kill everyone in the square.

'Sides, I've grown accustomed to it's ache- 'tis not a bother and not a hindrance in a scrap."

"I am sorry to hear that nothing eases it Mr. Hawwthorne, but it good that it does not hinder your fighting abilities." Aradia replied softly before turning away to return the crock to her pack. "Let me contribute some bread and cheese to our evening meal - I can promise that it's not of my baking and thus should be safe to eat." She smiled impishly as she brought over a loaf of bread from the castlesx kitchens and a partial wheel of cheese. She proceeded to slices them both and set them out for the taking.

Once that was done she grabbed a towel and soap from her pack. "That smells delicious already. While it cooks I am going to wash up."

Tasman sighed and stepped carefully from the fire making sure that no ashes went into the stew. He prefered his meat raw but well understood that humans didn't. "I'll stand watch while you bathe, then find my own dinner" he said as he padded after her. "You and your fascination with water. Ought to just keep your self clean like I do." He made his customary grumble as the pair headed out of the camp and down to the fast moving stream.

"Sorry my tongue is not a scrub brush thank you" Aradia teased back. Heading a shortways down stream she found some convienent brushes to hang her supple leather armor and under clothes from. Then she waded in hip deep, sighing happily as the cool waters of the stream washed over her.

Don't roast him, Redhand.

"Wha', yah think Ah woul' char a member o' our wee par'y?" Lief looked at the sleeping form of Deo, and ran through his options. He decided, rambled off for some water in a small canteen, and after making sure that it was indeed Deo's sleeping form, he poured the water over his mouth and nose. "Rise an' Shine, yeh grea' sewer rat."

"Bugger off you pyro-loving monkey." Deo snarled as he got drenched before sitting up and groaning. He was stiffer and almost as sore as when he'd laid down.

With a scowl, he got up and headed off toward the sounds of water, not realizing that a newly arrived, female, party member was already there and in a state of advanced undress.

The hard milled soap smelled strongly of lavender, and foamed up admirably. Aradia scrubbed herself well, removing the travel grime, then dunked completely in the stream that was just deep enough, if she was careful. She worked up a hand full of soapy foam and went to work on her thick mane of hair. Once it too was clean she let herself flaot in the cool water, recharging herself just though contact with her strongest element.

Her schooling in the monastary had been complete and she knew Arcana for all the Elements, but water was her strongest by far. Letting her conscious thoughts drift, she was secure in the knowledge that nothing could get past the watchfull eyes of Tasman.

Cityboy is heading your wayTas's tart mind voice drew her back and she sighed.

Thank you dear she sent in reply and stood, beginning to wade out of the stream and toward where her towel lay on a pile of thick leaved cress at the edge of the stream.

He's moving as slow and stiff as a wooden puppet Tas noted ascerbically. He's more of a danger to himself than to any one.

Aradia giggled aloud as she climed on to the bank and began towelling off. "Now be nice Tas, he must have some use if he is part of the party."

Lief went back to sit with the party. "Me'thinks tha' our friendly thief is a wee bi' sour abou' 'avin' tah wake up. Shame, 'e'll miss yeh stew," Lief said to Jack. Lief looked at the fire, obviously irratable about the fact that it was taking so long, and made his decision. The flames under the stew pot rushed up, and the heat increased considerably, though Lief managed to contain that around the pot. A minute passed before he pulled the piping hot chow away from his fire.

"Dinner's rea'y," he called up to Venisar.

Deo had heard the pyromancer's comments but decided the lummox wasn't worth talking with, especially when he could hear water that might help with the aches and pains of riding. As he walked, he began pulling off his shirt and pants until he was as bare as a newborn babe. Dropping them all in a pile he headed toward the water, unintentionally toward the spot that Aradia had choosen for her bath.

"Dinner's rea'y," he called up to Venisar.

A faint echo of an elf's voice met Lief's call with a response of acknowledgement. Though the leaves hadn't rustled and the limbs hadn't shook, the Elvin warrior had already disappeared from his perch. Just for fun, Venisar had taken the 'long way around' and a moment later silently dropped out of a tree on the other side of the fire.

It was only a few paces with his long and powerful strides, and soon Venisar was standing aside the roaring fire. "Smells delightful," he said - many a word for the quiet elf.

"Aye, it does," said Hawthorn with a slight smirk, "I cooked it after all. Deo went for a bath? Not with Aradia I pray?"

Here he comes, rather unprepoessing in the all together. Tasman's made a mental sniff. As far as he was concerned no one was good enough, no matter their looks or abilities, for Aradia. And all humans looked unprepossessing as far as he was concerned. No fur, just 'uggh, bare skin' no fangs, no claws, and the whole, ridiculous 'walking on hind feet' thing.

Aradia just sighed and moved over to where her cothes were draped. The Shrivraen accepted both men and women into their ranks and they lived and trained communally. She wasn't ashamed of her body but she knew well that flaunting it could cause unnecessary troubles.

With a flick of her hand and a very minute expendiature of Arcane power her clothes were as clean and unwrinkled as if they had been freshly laundered. She slipped on her underclothes and the light shift she wore under her armor. Her silk hosen went on next then her thigh high supple leather boots. The dark blue and gold armor went over her arm, she wanted to check it over in the fires light, and despite how comfortable it was to wear she didn't intend to wear it to sleep in.

Deo walked over and stopped when he noticed the woman in a state of dress rather than his prefered state for an attractive woman, that of undress. His own lack of garb was almost artfully concealed by a shurbbery.

"Are you a member of Hawthorn's group?" He asked as he took her appearence in. "If so, my name is Deo, and if I may be so bold, may I enquire as to you name?"

"I also hope not to offend your sensibilities but my body is insisting on a soak and my garments and body have presently taken leave of each other." He added, pausing for a few seconds so she could avert her eyes, stare or focus her eyes however she wished, before stepping out and walking into the stream with the gait of someone unuse to riding and having been forced to ride.

"I also hope not to offend your sensibilities but my body is insisting on a soak and my garments and body have presently taken leave of each other."

Tasman gave a mental snort but kept silent from his perch on the massive lower limb of a near by oak.

"I'm Aradia, and indeed I am a member of yon party. It is a pleasure to meet you, Deo." She answered his question courteously. She noted his stiff, painful gait as he made his way into the stream, ignoring his nudity. "I have some muscle balm that you are welcome to use when you get back to camp." She said then turned, heading back to the fire's warmth and the savory smells wafting from the stew pot.

The fyrecat snorted once more to himself and leapt silently down to hunt up his own dinner. He was more than half tempted to drag the theif's garments from where he had discarded them willy nilly and hide them, but he figured that Aradia might make a fuss.

"Thank you, and if it would not be too much of an imposition, would you be willing to save me some stew? I would be quite grateful if you were to apply the balm for me..." He commented suggestively as he let the water help deal with the stresses riding had forced on his body.

I would be quite grateful if you were to apply the balm for me..."

"I will ask that they save you some stew." Aradia called back, "but as the application that you will have to do yourself." She shook her head with a grin that he couldn't see as she continued back to the camp. I may be young but I am not naive She thought, - his arch tone and words gave her good insight into his character, or lack there of.

The soap went back into her pack, traded out for a boar bristle hair brush and her towel she spread out to dry. Finding a spot by the fire that did not encroach on anyones space, she began brushing the tangles out of her hair.

"Deo would be most appreciative if we saved him some stew." She mentioned as she had siad she would. "It seems that he is unused to much riding."

Hawthorn sniggered as he ladled soup into a rough wooden bowl. The witch hunter pulled an old looking tin spoon from his pack and sat on a log adjacent to Aradia. He watched with faint amusement as Venisar snuck from his tree to where Leif stood, and then began to eat.

"Aradia," he said between mouthfulls of rabbit stew, "If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to earn your tatooes there? I'm always interested in the traditions of the Elf-schools... and you Shri'vraen are a mysterious bunch, the last time I spoke to one of your order was nigh five years ago..."

I'm always interested in the traditions of the Elf-schools... and you Shri'vraen are a mysterious bunch, the last time I spoke to one of your order was nigh five years ago..."

"Oh it took me absolutely forever. The Council is very cautious about accepting some one who's not fully Elvin. I had to learn much to compensate for not having inherited all of my mothers natural abilities. Though I am given to understand I earned mine in what is nearly record time, thirty years years. I underwent the final ceremony just three days after my hundreth birthday" Aradia replied with just a tinge of pride in her voice. She smiled at Hawthorne knowing that to humans she looked only about twenty at oldest.

"The Arcana was the hardest, they nearly required me to leave back when I called for my familiar and to their astonishment and vast dismay a Fyrecat was sent, and I attuned most closely to water!" She laughed remembering the priceless looks on her teacher's normally serene faces. "Though they made very sure that I am well rounded in all elements and spheres." She added reassureingly.

With her hair now dry and gleaming obsidian in the fires wavering light, she rose to put away her brush and bring out a bowl of her own. Deftly she served her self a portion of the stew and took some of the bread and cheese.

After soaking for a while in the water, a dripping Deo stepped out of the stream. Deciding to let himself air-dry he picked up his clothes with his toes, twisting his leg rather than his waist. Walking back toward camp, he realized some of the others might be a bit disturbed by his nudity and decided to put on his underleggings but otherwise leave it as that.

Walking into the camp, he could see that there was still stew left and a distinct lack of bowls in sight. "So where are the bowls and spoons?"

Hawthorn looked at the pantless bandit with slight dismay, "Your pack has yours, lad." he grunted, putting down his bowl, "First, get dressed... there's a lady present."

The witch hunter rolled a cigarrette, his blue eyes drifting lazily from Deo to Aradia... the Cardinal used to have a saying, 'A millenia in a classroom doesn't equal a day in the feild...'

Though nearly fifty years her minor, Jack guessed that he had seen more in his travels than Ms. Victrix would ever care too. Aye, experience made up for age.

"That's impressive, Aradia," he said, lighting his smoke, "I've always much admired the skills of the elves."

He drew one of his revolvers absently, flipped open the chamber and popped out the shell casings he had used to kill the rabbits. He replaced them slowly, with almost loving care, with bullets from his belt.

"I'll get dressed when I'm dry." He replied as he headed to the horse he'd ridden on and began digging through the saddlebags. Emerging triumphant a few seconds later with the bowl he returned to get some stew while adding, with a faintly suggestive tone, "Beside Aradia didn't mind me nude..."

Venisar entered the circle of comrades after stopping off at his horse to gather a bowl and spoon for the stew. The great thing about the little whisper he made to the steed earlier was that it would almost never run away from him, so he didn't need to tether it up... it was a win-win solution for both of them. Freedom from bondage for one and worry for the other.

The elf scooped some of the broth into his bowl and sat down on the firm ground quietly. Making sure to be delicate about his manners, - as he was raised to be - the warrior crossed his legs and brought his bowl closer to his head so as to limit the time and spills caused by consuming it.

Aradia, the half-elf he had noticed before his nap, seemed like a nice enough person, though there was certainly a tinge of pride in her voice and step. The thief, Deo, on the other hand was, expectedly, rude and unmannered. However, Venisar said nothing about his attire or attitude... confrontation was best left to those who were willing to fight futility.

As usual, he was a quiet and stoic enigma with little to say or offer...

Beside Aradia didn't mind me nude..."

"Thats because there was nothing there to be bothered about." Aradia said calmly as she finished the last of her stew and looked at Hawthorne.

"I know how new I am sir, and I'm not fully elvin. I just hope that I can live up to the duties of my Order." Her face was fainly troubled. "I also know that how ever much potential and skill tha6t I have, that even as little as a thousand years ago I never would have been accepted, due to my human blood." She tended to look at think in an odd mix of the immortality of the elves and the bright shortness of human span. She herself might live as long as eight hundred years or so.

"We of the Order are so few now. I am surprized to hear that you met a Shri'vraen five years ago, most are retired to the Monastary or on long travels far outside the known lands. I was the first new applicant accepted in nearly seventy years and six of the Order went "to the Winds" during my training."

'To the Winds'... Elves could be killed, and there were a few disseases that troubled them but they were rare. What humans called old age never touched them, weakened them, hampered them. But they could take on what some considered a melancholy, a longing to return to the brightness that they had come from, and thus they gave themselves 'To the Winds' their physical form dissolving, returning to the eath as a rain of gleaming dust, and they, their selfness, returning to the Whole.

"Aye lass, I was suprised to find a Shri'vraen five years ago myself... but I have travelled far and wide and have seen much stranger things." Hawthorn said, and popped his gun back into its holster. It was impressive that a half-elf had been accepted as a Shri'vraen warrior, but that in and of itself did not mean much to Jack... Aradia's actions on this journey would speak for her skill, not her past.

"Now that we are all here, I think its wise to go over our route once agian." the witch hunter said, turning his attention to the group, "We're heading straight west, through the Baronies of Hamburg, Smithton, and Eloh and from Eloh across the Green river and into the territories. We'll follow the Dwarven Spice Road across the Territories, through Greenwood, and into the Almighty's Crown. The road will continue on to Durnham, the Dwarfish capital, and mayhap we'll stop there, mayhap not. Our business is with the half-elf witch that dwells on Crow Peak, a wheel or so north of Durnham. If anyone can locate our quarry, it is the Snow Oracle... though she may demand payment..." Hawthorn's blue eyes glanced at Deo then back at the group, "That is our route, once we reach the Snow Oracle we'll plan out the best way to get to Kane. I suspect he's retreated East, to Cathay, but he may have different plans. If none of ye have any objections, I say we get some rest... we have much ground to cover if we are to make it to Hamburg tommorrow."

((Please RP your char going to sleep after they say/think/feel/do what you want them to))

"I hope you don't plan to ride those damnable beasts all that way." He commented with a scowl at the horse. "Oh, and if you plan on using me as payment or something similar, you can kiss off."

Frankly, Deo was annoyed with the whole plan as it involved far more time around a horse than he was happy with.

Oh, and if you plan on using me as payment or something similar, you can kiss off."

Aradia sought to defuse his annoyance, by appealing to something she was sure he had a lot of ...vanity.

"I am just guessing, but it is more likely that he is thinking of your prowess with women." She turned her head just enough so that Hawthorne was the only one with a clear view of her face and gave him a quick wink.

She had no problem with Hawthorne's announced plan, he had been praised by the Cardinal for his skills and many years fine work. And there was just something about him that she found trust worthy.

She stood up and began collecting the bowls of those who had finished, after checking to make sure that no one wanted seconds.

Once clean up was complete she laid out a small amount of grain for Shadow Sun and Moon, to supplement their overnight grazing. Neither would wander and both Shadow Sun and Tasman would warn her if anything remotely dangerous approached while she slept.

Still she asked, once she had returned to the fire. "Do you wish a rotating nightwatch posted?"

"Do you wish a rotating nightwatch posted?"

After assisting in the clean up of camp, mostly the mess left during the process of preparing and eating their dinner, Venisar stretched his muscles, flexing and straining them, so that he would be less stiff when he awoke the next morning.

As the half-elf finished up, she made a comment as to the nightwatch, which to the likely surprise of the others, Venisar answered first. "Aye, I shall take the first watch..." the Elvin warrior commented. "I bid the rest of ye a pleasant night." And with that he leapt into the sky and disappeared... most likely landing silently in one of the nearby trees.

Malivious Dren was allowed to wander a bit on his own as Grelch set to work repairing equipment.

Kane isn't quite what I expected... Malivious thought to himself as he traversed a small corridor, passing by several warpstones growing off a wall. Behind him, his favorite expirament, his 'love', slowly walked behind, silent as can be.

She paused before the wall of warpstone and reached out for one. Malivious turned just slightly to see her reaction. She had grown so accustomed to the stones, that she seemed to hunger for more. He knew she wanted more, as he always wants more. Yet, something within her prevented her from actually getting it. She slowly retracted her hand and noticed Malivious watching with a raised eyebrow.

She bowed her head low and muttered a "sorry."

Malivious was somewhat stunned. He hadn't heard her speak since the day he captured her. She was quite a friendly one. She spoke of her family, her friends, her possible fiance, all over dinner. In fact, she spoke too much, for him.

The last he heard from her were screams of terror and sadness as he imprisoned her in a cage.

"No need," he said warmly, gently bringing her closer and wrapping her in a small hug. He could see small greenish tears falling from her cheeks, dissolving as they hit the ground. He smiled as he could feel the power from her. She was indeed a source of energy from her supply of warpstones, however, she didn't seem to know how to channel it all. Perhaps when during the 'final phase', he'll teach her how to do so.

As for now, he'd have to watch her progress through the stages and keep her in check.

"Come, we must find out all we can see," Malivious said quietly as he continued his journey through the dangerous tunnel.

He almost tripped over some strange object, but his 'expirement' quickly took hold of his robes and pulled him back up, surprising him greatly. Even faster reaction time than I...and I am a vampire...

"Many thanks," he said quietly. He couldn't help but feel that she had begun to break down in front of him. She began to cling to him as her only friend, despite it was he who had put her through this. She simply had no one else to turn to.

Malivious looked down, and summoned a greenish orb in his hand to reveal what it was that tripped him. He gasped quietly as an elf, relatively young, lay there, his lower half of his corpse seeming to turn into a greenish goop, while his upper half remained relatively well preserved. His once handsome face was now mutilated with strange little green needles that glowed underneath his skin. His mouth was opened completely, as well as his eyes.

Malivious frowned as he reached down and picked up a long stick. No, a musket...or atleast it had the general shape of one. It, however, had two barrels, both of them having a small, cylinder-shaped warpstone in each.

He picked it up, out of the relatively warm body and examined it closer. Well, he meant to examin it closer, but instead was dreadfully curious as to how warm the corpse was.

He lowered his head so he could look at the man.

Only to have the elf spring up at him, elongated teeth snapping at the vampire. The vampire's expirament jumped back with a yelp, while Malivious hissed at the corpse and pulled the trigger.

The elf's head basically disinitgrated. Actually, whatever was left turned into a reddish-green goo...the one that was where the corpse's legs were at one point.

"Amazing..." he whispered as he let his hands run along the sides of the gun, before setting it on his shoulder, barral upwards.

"Come now. We'll be more alert," he said.

And they certainly were more alert. The farther they had gotten, the more corpses they had found. Some completely disintigrated, in that only their shadow remained on the wall, to goo-people, to regularly killed people.

Amongst the corpses, of course, were thousands of mechanical devices, small or large.

"Grelch must be loving this place," Malivious said quietly as he stepped over corpses.

Suddenly, he could hear a gurgle sound behind him. Again, it came from a corpse, and again Malivious was absolutely curious as to find out why it was making such a peculiar sound. Yet this time, he did not get close to it. Instead, he kicked it with his foot, greenish blood pouring out of the elf's mouth. Suddenly, the mouth opened wide with a horrendous crack as a pair of hands slowly pulled a long spindly creature out. It seemed to be made of the backbone of the elf, but had a long, mosquito-like head on it. With a strange gurgle, it leapt out at Malivious who stepped back with a raised eyebrow.

"That is one ugly creature!" he shouted as he shot the remaining bullet into it, vaporizing it in an instant.

However, that wasn't the least of his worries. A particularly bloated elf, practically exploded as three burst out of the elf's stomach, spraying both Malivious and his expirement in blood.

Malivious pulled out his pistol and shot once. Missed. With the other one. Direct hit in the head, exploding it.

His expirement, however, surprised Malivious again. She growled and flaunted her massive fangs and grapped one of the creatures from mid air and split it apart with her bare hands, before grabbing another and biting it's head off.

Malivious smiled deviously as he clapped gently for the girl, who stood with wide eyes, blood dripping from her mouth. She spat it out and wiped her mouth with a small giggle.

"Fine job, my girl," he said at the carnage. "Fine job indeed..."

***********************************************************

"Work work work...Grecl work this, Grelch fix that," Grelch the Goblin grumbled as he tightened screws and replaced parts of several gears. Around him, he had remade several elven machines to aid in his work, using Warpstone to power them, and rebuilt a few of the others, most of them working on either the large gears in front of him or a strange looking pipe nearby.

"Ah'm claimin' thaird watch. Need tah watch the risin sun," said Lief, helping with the cleaining. He had remained silent while the others talked, and had agreed with Aradia, there wasn't much to be bothered with when it came to Deo.

As the others moved about, Lief charred himself a sleeping spot, then removed his armor, revealing the metal-link garments he wore. Noting the glances, he commented, mostly for Aradia and Deo, "Ah burn through normal cloth tah fast fer propah use." Packing his gear up, he set it next to him, and stuck his sword point in the ground at the head of his restin' spot. "Whoever takes oveh from Venisah don't need tah bother with wakin' me, Ah'll rise tah 'ours before dawn." So saying, the near giant warrior set himself down and quickly fell asleep.

Deo had finished drying off by the time it was to go to sleep. Going to root around the pack, as he figured there would be a bedroll of somesort, he emerged triumphant a few seconds later.

Unrolling it, he looked for a position that was on higher ground and had decent protection. Finding a likely spot, he went over and unfurled the bedroll. Curling up in it, he wondered if they'd included him in the watch roster as if they had, they'd be sorely disappointed. Without a decent amount of sleep he became crabby and some might say violent.

Al'Kravan, the lost city of the Elves...

"Ahhh, Hades," tittered Kane in his melodic-yet-hysterical voice, "It has been too long..."

The sorcerer stood before the wall of what had once been the royal palace of the Cra'yvan, an impressive underground fortress of metal pipes and smooth stone. Rusted cannon, warpstone muskets, and dusty bones littered the ramparts of the castle, mute reminders of a terrible war which had consumed the dying Cra'yvan in their final years.

Surrounding the vacant stronghold were the massive ruins of the elven capital- iron, cement and stone remains haunted by warpstone mutants and rusty, shambling automatons. Everything in the subterrainian metropolis was illuminated by a sickly green light which eminated from the vast warpstone crystals growing up from the earth.

A spider the size of a house cat trundled busily past Kane, paying the demon no notice. A bloated rat was clamped in it's fangs.

The necromancer watched it go by with a smirk, his light grey eyes glittering wierdly in the emerald light. He pulled the homespun black hood off of his head, revealing the pale, lean, handsome face that had ensnared Alexandria Beauregard so long ago. His smile gleamed in the darkness... the world would soon fall...

Avera, the Arbor Mountains...

"G'night then, lads and lass." Hawthorn grunted, and rolled out his bedroll under the boughs of a short oak, "I'll take watch after Venisar."

The witch hunter kicked off his boots, placed his guns carefully next to his bedroll, and closed his eyes....

((Everyone pls see the OOC thread.))

"And I after you Mr. Hawthorne" Aradia said her goodnights as she too found a comfortable spot and unrolled her thick bedroll. Her Crystal Casters were tucked out of sight here she could reach them without having to move. Safer than normal pistols, the Arcane energies that they shot at targets were even more damanging than a bullet, and totally silent. Their draw backs were they required their user to have Arcane ability to be used at all, and the crystal rods that made up the 'barrel' were slightly fragile, and hard to replace.

She pulled off her boots, and fell asleep quickly, with Tasman curled up against her to keep her warm.

And dreamed...

She didn't recognise the man but she knew his sort well enough. A travelling magician, better dressed than most, handsome, perhaps too handsome, and smiling with affable good humor.

"I dont know you."

"But you will, if you are wise, if you want to survive"

"Nothing survives forever" I know not what makes me deny this stranger, distrust him, but the caution from my inner self is undenyable.

"Oh but that is not true, but if you do not heed me it will be your END."

And some how I know his prognostication is deeper than just the ending of my physical self. I bare my teeth at him, in what is most decidedly not a smile, and make no pretense of it. I speak agressively, something my teachers worry over, for I am not agressive enough they contend. "Heed you? A stranger that makes my hackles rise by your mere presence in my dreams? You are most presemptuous, to act as an oracle"

"Presumptious? Perhaps? ut I have been sent, I am here by a deeper will. One that knows of all your fears and weaknesses, and knows how unprepared you are, oh littlest of the Order, accepted only to stave off fears of obsolescense and the end of the Order."

"So you know them. I know that you are a liar, oh invader of dreams. I know that the Order does not fear that it is ending. All things go in cycles, and if our numbers are few now, they will grow when the need is there." And Aradia knew that she spoke true of the Order. She knew why they had accepted her, she knew to the depths of her soul. Because one could not became a Shri'vraen without experiencing the glory of Unity.

"Then know this" The magician smiled agreeably at her and a cloud of dense black smoke enveloped her and within all her deepest fears asssaulted her.

But just as she could not have become a Shri'vraen without being able to expereince Unity, so could she have not become a Shri'vraen without facing her fears and going on past them. She emerged from the cloud- tears trailing unchecked down her face and sobs choked in her throat but emerge she did, standing tall, walking surely. And with a swipe of a blade she had never seen before, but some day she knew would be hers, took the head of the invader of her dreams.

Lief slept peacefully, his dreams recalling the gloious battles of the past, his mind going through them like a true Baronian bard. that was when a shadow crept in, and grew into the shape of a cloaked man.

He came slowly, standing before Lief, not as tall, but the upper portion of his hood gave him extra height. "Lief, you have waited for far too long. You know that your firend Jack grows unstable with each passing year. He has never forgotten his lost love, and the time may come that he fails you utterly. Wait not, and let wisdom guide you."

"Who are yeh that woul' insin'ate such?" Lief looked at the cloaked figure and tried to pin him down. There was nothing to mark him as wrong, yet something played at Lief.

"I am only a messanger, sent to bid you with words of the truly greatest. Hearken my wisdom Lief. Do not let Jack jeopardize your mission." The voice grew more hollow, and Lief heard it.

"An' then what? Lead it mahself? Aye, but Ah cannae doso while Jack breathes."

"Then let him not breath. You are by far the most powerful of the group, that task is easily within your grasp." And the hooded figure's voice became raspy and twisted, vile as though it was spewing poison.

"Yeh are no messanger o' God. An' now Ah see yah for what yah truly are. A demon, sent tah destroy meh."

The demon laughed, and his cloak drew back, revealing a handsome, yet dark face. "Your quest is hopeless, barbarian. Stop while you can yet live. Or better yet, join me, and grow with power beyond your dreams. All you have to do is silence Jack Hawthorne."

"An' become an evil creature like yehself. Ah think not, Kane. Or shoul' Ah say Legion?"

"You know me. That is good. Yet I fail to see why you hesitate. Evil is only perspective. And if it isn't, then think of the good you can accomplish with my power. It is within your grasp."

Lieffreid the Redhand drew his sword and pointed it at Kane, who shied away slightly. "The will that cast yeh decrepit spirit from 'eaven is still in this blade. Even if Ah fall, another will take it up agains' yeh. There is nothing that yeh can do that Ah fear, for God gets mah soul an' a worthy un gets mah power. Ah will meet yeh in due time. Prepare yehself."

Kane smiled. "I will. But remember that what I said about Jack still stands. I simply want to see you at your best, so that when I destroy you, your fall will be legendary." Kane swirled his cloak, and in an instant, he was gone, leaving Lief to himself, before another showed.

"You did well."

"An' who are yeh?"

The new man simled, and revealed his clothing, armor to match Lief's, and a red robe with the color of flame. "Your patron. And the true owner of that sword."

"Balahur," said Lief, kneling in the angelic presence.

"Remember the strength of fire, Lief. Remember that the divine flame shields you from the deep infernal. Remember your Faith. When the time comes, you will need that when all other armor fails you. Kane is far more powerful than you. But you walk with God, and I will stand behind my champion."

"Aye," said Lief, rising and saluting his patron. The angel smiled, and then he too disappearred.

Deo had curled up in his hollow before drifting off. His dreams were much the same as normal, and aptly named as naughty.

Deo was chasing a willing, but playful, kitchen maid around her kitchen. As she looked back with her teasing smile that promised sensual delights when he caught her, the dreamscaped dissolved into a buisness room. Looking around he spotted a man, wearing a cloak that obscured most of his body and face, sitting at the table the faint glow of a stick of one of the myrid narcotic substances presently popular in the world in his mouth area.

"Who are you, and what buisness are you doing crashing my dreams?" Deo asked as he took the opposite chair. The man's general posture was the mix of oilyness, chummyness and trustworthyness that a professional con man would kill for. It said don't buy this horse.
"I'm someone with an interest in a little quid pro quo." He replied, his voice confirming Deo's initial impression in him.
"So what is this quid pro quo?"
"I need Hawthorn dead, maybe not immediately but sometime in the near future, and I'm willing to be quite generous."
"How generous?" Deo asked, intrigued as he disliked Hawthorn in the first place and if it was worthwhile, well the possibilities were open-ended.
"What would you like?" The mystery man asked
"How about the riches of the kings and a harem fit to shame the greatest of the nobility?"
"That much? I guess I could swing it."
"Then I guess sometime in the future Hawthorn will die." Deo replied as he looked to where the eyes of his 'employer' sat. "Now if you don't mind, I have some further buisness to conduct and you're jamming up the works."

With that, he returned to his kitchen maid and kitchen merriment.

The Elvin warrior watched through the bundles of leaves until his traveling companions had all fallen asleep. Once he was sure they had, he leaned back against the heavy trunk some forty feet up and began to pass the time until his shift would be over - not that he mined staying up to keep guard.

With his powerful grip he had ripped a small branch from the limb he was resting on and began carving it. Besides being a weapon of death, the clawed hand he sported was also a useful knife should he need it to cut food, rope, or anything else like foliage. But now he was using it for his entertainment. Years of time spent under a tree or by oneself taught the art of whittling well... and not just shaving a branch down, but actually creating an intricate and elaborate design. Sometimes he had been known to whittle people or houses, even once what he thought was an impressive castle from a book (now dwarfed by his image of the Delain), but right now it was just a simple bird...

Venisar carved for a few minutes, but being a master of the craft he was done with the bird in no time. He reached his arm back and hurled the little carving through the foliage and high into the sky...

But by some odd coincidence, a black crow came flying down just a moment later and landed on the branch opposite the elf. For some reason, Venisar was captivated by the series of events and mysterious looking bird. His eyes locked with its and slowly he became drowsy before falling into a daze...

The sky was dark. Winds howled through the land, carrying screams for miles. Blood, fire, death... they were everywhere.

Images flashed of small towns illuminated by the spreading fire of doom.

Goblins and Orcs roved the lands, killing innocents and slaying what brave warriors. Humans... elves... dwarves... none were spared.

And then a powerful image appeared... a most impressive image... an oh so very chilling image. The mighty city of Delain, that city on a hill for all to strive for, the capital of Avera... it burned. An inferno had taken up residence, destroying the once powerful city and sending countless thousands screaming in horror. One voice louder than the rest...

"Hah... haha... ha.... HAWHAHAHAHA!"

Venisar fell...

Hawthorn's rough, callused hand shot out and caught Venisar's limp arm with incredible speed. The witch hunter grunted, grasping the tree with his other arm, trying to maintain his perilous balance.

Jack stood on a large branch midway up the tree, his worn out boots balancing precariously on the creaking wood. His left arm was wrapped partly around the plant's trunk, the other was holding a dangling Venisar by the wrist. Unable to fall asleep, the witch hunter had begun climbing the tree to relieve the elf of his watch... it seemed that fate had smiled on him. Had be not been there to catch the warrior, Venisar would undoubtedly have broken a limb- or worse.

"Dammit, Elf." he grunted, hauling Venisar up to the branch, "Wake up, lad!"

"Dammit, Elf. Wake up, lad!"

As Hawthorn roared out, Venisar had already regained consciousness and would have landed deftly on his feet, but the gesture was nice enough.

"I thank you kindly," Venisar commented as he looked up to the man, Jack, who was gripping him by the wrist.

After an impressive acrobatic movement through the air, Venisar was standing on the branch directly next to the Jack. "I... I must have dozed off. It shan't happen again," the warrior said, slightly embarrassed by his mistake.

He leapt off the limb without any sign of his presence ever being there, and landed delicately on the ground. In but a moment he had fallen on the firm ground, worn out by long day...

Wake up, lad!" Hawthorns cry brought Aradia upright. Unusually for her she felt groggy and disoriented. She shook it off in a heart beat, though part of her was still troubled by her dream. She watched, silently, as Jack displayed an prodigious strength by drawing Venisar up back on to the limb that he had apparently begun to fall from.

Dear one, he is more than he seems. Tasman sent to her as he stretched, and changed position.

I know he is, oh warm and cuddly one

Hey watch it with the sweet stuff.Tas grumbled as he fell back to sleep, though his watchful guardianship never wavered. He was a spirit of fire, conviently embodied as a large felinid, not a feline in truth, and so sleep wasn't needed at all.

Aradia, took a few centering breaths, drawing upon years of discipline and in seconds she too was once again asleep.

Hawthorn grunted and sat down on the tree limb, his long fingered hands cleaning one of his revolvers with the mindless efficiency of the well trained.

Grunts, moans, and strangled cries occasionally erupted from his sleeping party... each seemed afflicted with their own nightmares. Jack himself hadn't been able to fall asleep, every time he had neared slumber the smiling, warm face of Diana swam up into his minds eye, lurching him awake.

Somewhere nearby, a raven croaked hoarsly. The pleasant Averian air picked up a faint, uncomfortable chill and the witch hunter shivered and drew his cloak tightly around him. Something bad was coming, something unexpected... Hawthorn was, for the first time in a long time, scared.

Aradia awoke refreshed, for she needed far less sleep than humans. Looking up to where Hawthorn kept watch, she waved catching his attention. Pulling a sturdy mug from her small pack she had laid by her bed she also held up a tea bag, silently asking him if he wished some tea.

The night air had grown unseasonably chil and ground fog was creeping though the forest. Tasman stretched and padded silently off to check on the horses, though Shadow Suns senses were nearly acute as his own and the burly stallion would not hesitate to ring out a equine challenge if anything untowards ventured within range.

The witch hunter smiled slightly and climbed down from the tree with suprising grace. He walked over to Aradia, his limp barely noticable, "I'd fancy some tea..." he said in his low growl of a voice, "Can't sleep a wink."

"Can't sleep a wink."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Hawthorn." Aradia replied, her voice soft, as she pulled out more tea bags, a second mug, and a jug of golden honey.

"Disturbing dreams?" She asked as she dipped water from the pot steaming over the banked coals, dropped in the tea bag. She handed it and the jug to Hawthorn, then turned back to fill the second mug.

"I wish," Jack murmured, sipping his tea, "I can't even fall asleep. Too much to think about, I suppose. Why're you up so early?"

Lieffreid woke to see Aradia and Jack sharing tea. He wondered if either had been plagued by dreams as he had. Still, his dream had shaken him, and now he needed to perform the ritual. Taking his sword, he rose and stalked off, calling to Jack as he passed, "Ah'll be back soon. Jack, make sure tha' the sewe-ra' don' touch meh stuff. The ritual." The last two words were enough for Jack. The ritual of the pyromancer was the most well kept secret amongst their kind. Those that had attempted to speak of it to another not of their kind were consumed with flame from the inside out, done in a matter of seconds. It wasn't pretty.

Why're you up so early?"

Before Aradia could answer Hawthorn, the pyromancer, Lieffreid, awoke and went off to perform some ritual. Aradia gave him a smile, and a accepting nod. Her Order had it's own rituals.

Once he'd left she looked back at the witch hunter and replied. "I don't need much sleep, Mr. Hawthorn. And while it has it's disadvantages, it does allow me more time to read" Her lips curved in a gentle smile, as she remembered many a stolen hour in the monastaries vast library. But the extra study had served her well.

The hot tea and honey might help by soothing your body." She looked a little shy and offered "I have some chocolate." Chocolate was vanishingly rare and very expensive. However five pounds of the worth more than gold delicacy had been gifted to her by her parents in celebration of her Tattooing.

Lieffreid made his way to the stream, then moved up the current for a few minutes before finding a suitable site. Disrobing, he immersed himself in the water, and raised thetemperature till it boiled as it flowed around him. Submerging completely, he surfaced, stood, and then moved to the western bank.

His sword levitated out in front of him, aflame, and beneath its point a tongue of flame fell to the earth, which then expanded to form a solid circle of fire, Lief sitting cross legged above the center, shielded by the flame. Then, he began his prayer.

The tongue was ancient, the foundation of the Baronian tongue that was Lief's first language. He cast out, speaking the ancient words, asking for the guidance of Providence in this manner. He was answered.

"What do you want, my fiery friend?" the maniacal face of Legion asked.

"Tah know where yah are tha' Ah may gut yah."

"Patience is a virtue, as you and your faithful say. In due time, I will destroy you," the laughing reply came as the face disappeared.

Lief continued to gaze into the fire, letting his resistances lower as it grew hotter for him. He had his mark. Now he had to make his offering.

As the fires died down, lief sat on the earth, silent, yet unbelievably so. the Ritual had been done to completion. His powers normally protected him against fire, but during the process, one had to give in to the all consuming fire. His flesh was charred and disfigured, burnt to a state of extreme agony and beyond. Still silent, Lief returned to the stream, allowing it to take what the fire hadn't. And with the small flecks of his body went Lief's sins, his weaknesses, his seperations. Again the water boiled, and again Lief submerged, only to reemrge as fully formed and as whole as he had been the minutes before the ritual. It was complete.

Gathering his robes, he slipped into them as he made his way back to camp. While not nerely as unimpressive as that rat of a man, Lief didn't exactly feel like prancing around as if he were some stage actor. Seeing Hawthorne and Aradia, he sat across from the two, asking "May Ah get some o' that tea?"

Hawthorn smirked slightly and said, "I think just a small peice would be nice, I've not had chocolate since my last visit to Durnham, nearly three years agone. The Dwarves are legendary for their candy."

"May Ah get some o' that tea?"

Jack glanced back at his fellow witch hunter and nodded, pouring him a cup. He knew Liefs cleansing ritual was a trying task, and sympathized. His own daily meditation ritual was quite a painful experience, though it involved levitation, not pyromancy.

Hawthorn reached for the kettle, meaning to refill his half empty mug, when the fire flashed green. For a moment Jack saw the grinning face of Diana in the flame, and his hand dropped automatically to the butt of his revolver.

Hahahahahahahahaha! HA! screeched a cheery, tittery voice that was not so much heard as felt, and then the fire returned to its normal color. The sorcerery had not lasted longer than a second, but a cold sweat had already broken out on Hawthorn's back. The power he had sensed from that flash of flame... it was incredible... and scary.

"Witchcr-" he began, when a single playing card fluttered out of the flame. On it's front was the hand painted image of a handsome, grinning jester.

He glanced at the others, then at the card.

"He knows we are coming."

((Each of you will probably have seen something different but equally disturbing in the fire))

When the fire flashed green, Lief saw, for but an instant, Legion's head appear, and wink at Lief. Then he heard Jack.

"Ah think it woul' be best tah move on. Or prepare for im'nent dangah. Or both," said the pyromancer, moving towards his armor, which he began o rapidly strap on.

Aradia shuddered as for a split second the fires once cheerful flames licked up to become a roiling orange mass that roiled sending forth waves of putrid scent. Then as quickly as it manifested it was gone save for a long second of vapid tittering.

"He knows we are coming."

She nodded someberly and stood as Lief did, moving over to her own armor, and began settleing it about her. Once it was comfortable about her she pulled a hung of the chocolate from her pack and broke off five hunks.

"It's excellent for quick energy as well, and Lief is right, we might need it. I'll wake Venisar and Deo." Aradia said as she gave two of the hunks of the rare sweet to Jack, so that he could give one to Lief when he'd finished armoring up.

Then she moved over to where Venisar lay, and touched him lightly on the shoulder "Wake up please" She spoke softly

Lief finished with his armor, flicked the piece of chocolate from Jack into his mouth, then moved to Deo. Lifting him by the arm, he put a hand to his mouth to stiffle any complaints, and whispered, "Shh! Weh migh be expec'in a wee bi' o' company."

Had Lief not being wearing armour, he'd have found out the colour of his own insides. Those who believed in the transfer of ownership were quite frequently tightly wound individuals and Deo was no exception. Very rarely did anyone try and waking him by brute force for any good reason and thus the fact that he slept with a knife in hand came in handy.

Lief heard the ding of a knife on his armor and smiled. "Good 'abit tah 'ave. Yah may fin' that we are abou' tah see yah use it." Lief wasn't bothered by Deo's reaction, if anything, it afforded the thief at least a small bit of respect from the flame-warrior. But now was not the time to talk about politeness and courtesies. Removing his hand from the thief's mouth, he repeated his first statement "Try tah keep yeh mou'h shut."

Deo just glared at Lief and replied in a calm, low voice, "Try that again and you'll find I don't miss a second time." He then turned and walked over to the fire.

"Easy lads," Hawthorn muttered, throwing Deo and Leif a dark look, "We have enough trouble, even without us killing one another."

The witch hunter quickly readied his horse, checked his guns, and extinguished the fire while the others donned their armor and sharpened their blades.

"We're not stopping 'till we get to Eloh," he grunted loud enough for all to hear, "Get ready for some tough riding."

Deo returned the scowl as he in no part a morning person. As the others began getting ready, he just took a seat against the base of a tree. "Are you trying to kill me?" He growled at Hawthorn when the witch hunter mentioned the hard riding. There was a miniscule chance the hunter would get him on the damnable horse again.

"Wake up please"

As a soft and delicate touch rubbed his shoulder, the elven warrior stirred gently and turned his face to see what had awoken him. A light smile crept onto his face when he noticed it was the half-elven woman. "Thank you, m'lady," he responded courteously. "I hope I haven't overslept and kept us long..."

His long travel across the plains of Avera the prior day had tired him out, and so after his watch was up, he fell fast asleep, deeply indeed of a rejuvenating slumber.

Though still mostly asleep, Venisar's waking brain caught the sound of Jack's voice announcing their rough trip to Eloh. As an experienced elf, tough riding was not something new for Venisar, but still he thought perhaps it be better if he used another 'means of travel' to accomplish the journey.

"I hope I haven't overslept and kept us long..."

"No, not at all, tis early, but there may be trouble soon" Aradia smiled back at Venisar, reassureing him that he had not held them up. "I fear there will be no time for breaking fast now, so I hope you like chocolate." Her eyes twinkled as she offered him the sizeable chunk of the rare treat.

Once he had taken it, she went to where Deo slumped defiantly against a tree. "Don't be such a spoiled brat!' She said in a low, but rebuking tone of voice. "Think of something else besides your own selfish desires for one in your life. And here this will sweeten your mood." She held out the large piece of dark chocolate.

"I'm not a morning person, and there is no way I getting on the back of that damn beast. Not if you want me to be any use anytime in the future." He replied as her rebuke fazed him not a bit. When she held out the piece of chocolate, he took it and after looking at it asked, "Is this some sort way of avoiding having to suffer riding a horse?"

"I could shoot you, if you prefer..." Hawthorn muttered to himself, and mounted his horse. He took a swig from his water skin, then turned to the others... "Keep your eyes open, once we pass out of Avera... Kane still has some support in the Baronies.."

Aradia had turned away from Deo without answering him, she'd let him find his own motivation for mounting up. Once she'd gotten her packs redone and straightened she'd whistled for Shadow Sun and Moon, and tacked them both up quickly but unhurriedly. she made sure that every thing was distributed correctly on Moon's pack, then swung up on Shadow Suns back.

Her shr'isword was settled comfortably in it's saddle sheath, as was her horse bow off the other side, and her crystal casters were in their holsters, low on her hips. Her riding cloak fell about her, hiding them and the various knives she wore as well, and keeping the predawn chill from her. Her gloves she smoothed down once all was settled and she took up the hackamors reins in one hand.

Tasman joined her, silently appearing off to one side.

Considering he'd done absolutely nothing to make his horse comfortable, such as unsaddling it, staking it down or anything else, it was likely in about as bad shape as he'd been. Looking around, he tried to find the evil beast that people called a horse.

As he tried to find the horse, he took a tentative bite of the chocolate, and found it neither palpatable or unpalpatable and put it in his pocket.

Lief swung up onto his horse after grabbing his pack. He maneuvered over to Venisar, asking "If the need awrises, Ah migh' need yah tah take meh horse. Ah notice'd that yah didn' bothah with tyin' up yeh horse, so could yah do that little trick to keep meh grea' bronco in line? Ah 'ave a ten'ency tah play rear guard."

"No, not at all, tis early, but there may be trouble soon. I fear there will be no time for breaking fast now, so I hope you like chocolate."

"Trouble?" Venisar questioned as he leaned up and wiped the slumber from his eyes with his mighty hands. However, the question need not have been answered as it was all too obvious that any trouble would be coming from the haunting demon that they were hunting demonically.

As the half-elf offered him a piece of 'chocolate,' Venisar looked at it in the palm of her hand for a moment before taking it gently in his own. "I have never had the pleasure before..." he commented as he inspected the brown substance.

Seeing that Jack and Lief had already hopped onto their steeds, Venisar put the sweet snack in his mouth and gave Aradia a slight nod of appreciation. "I guess we'll be off then," he added as he leapt easily onto his mount and was ready to set off...

Malivious smiled as he stepped over a small spider automaton that dusted and cleaned the palace. His palace. The vampire smiled at the realization and walked towards the large throne at the back of the great hall. It was currently being occupied by a spider web infested corpse. An elf skeleton, who remained in relatively good shape. As to how the man died, the vampire could not guess. As long as he did die...

Malivious circled around the dead king and with sudden speed, he grabbed the skeleton around the ribs and tossed it to the floor with one hand, while taking off it's crown with the other.

He smiled as he dusted it off and set it on his head, before examinging the throne itself. The back of it seemed to be made of a huge gear. In fact, the whole throne appeared to be some sort of device. He'd have to get Grelch to look into it...

Malivious and Grelch had been working feverishly once Kane had left them to do their own work or play within the dead city. Grelch had been set to work on remaking or repairing the automatons and weapons, as Malivious had set to work at raising the undead to serve as his bodyguards or soldiers. A king always needed it's soldiers...

The Vampire laughed as he sat in the throne of the previous king. The time of Malivious, Kane, and Grelch is at hand and no one can stop them...

"Venisar, call for Deo's mount... it seems he's lost it." Jack grumbled, lighting a cigarrette, "I don't want to linger any longer than we must."

The elven warrior nodded in affirmation and cupped his hands around his mouth to project his voice through the lands. "Tula sinome," he called to the lost horse. His voice was strong yet calm and after a moment where it rang through the land and then died, it began echoing across the terrain.

The horse returned in less than stellar shape. Rideable certainly, but neither in a good mood nor able to be ridden hard. "Since you seem bound and determain to try and use this beast as the means of my execution, shall we get on with it?" Deo asked as he mounted the horse.

"Try tah 'ave a little sym'thy for yah 'orse, Deo. 'E 'as tah carry upon 'is back a creature lower than mud. Mah own braw 'orse 'as tah carry a titan-size' example o' the epitahmy o' manhood." If Lief had to deal with social scum, he would at least have his fun while doing it.

"Easy Leif," growled Hawthorn, and rode a little ways in front of the group.

"Let's ride," he said simply and eyed each them, nodded, turned his horse around, and began to trot West.

The look that Aradia turned upon Deo was scathing as she took in the untended condition of his mount, though she said nothing, for the time being. She had grown up tending to her own mounts, and to see the animal so misused upset her greatly. She now knew for certain that he was indeed, lower than mud.

"Why should I have sympathy for something trying to kill me?" Deo asked with a rolling of his eyes at the retorical question. He was tempted to add that if Lief was the peak of manhood, his horse was god incarnate. The fact that they disapproved of his treatment of the horse wasn't really his concern as he could count the number of times before this debacle that he'd been on a horse on the thumb of his left hand.

Without a further glance at Deo, Aradia nudged Shadow Sun gently and the Elfhorse eased into the long legged gait that he and Moon could keep up for hours. Her eyes watched the lands about them, seeking out any sign of impending attack, and Tasman ranged out extending her already keen senses even further.

As Hawthorn set the pace for their trip, Venisar whispered gently to his mount and the steed took off. As usual, the elven warrior remained to the back of the motley group and took up a 'rearguard' position; though more than guarding he was simply staying away from any arguments and remaining his normal calm and coolness.

The party traveled swiftly through the Averian countryside. By daybreak they had put Aborridge Pass behind them, and by noon they past the last village in the kingdom, a small farming town. As the sun arced across the clear sky, Hawthorn's fellowship passed from the green feilds of Avera to the dry pasturelands of the Baronies. At the setting sun they arrived in Smithton, their only stop until Eloh, and the territories beyond.

Smithton was a rough, one road town with three saloons, a jail, stables, and some simple stores. It catered to the ranchers who owned the surrounding pastureland.

"Alright," Hawthorn said as they rode through mainstreet, "We'll rest here fer tonight. Good riding all, get some rest, we've another long day tomorrow. The town is yours, we'll meet in the Sheep Head Saloon at daybreak. 'Till then, watch yer asses."

The witch hunter dismounted Wing, tethered his horse, and limped into the nearest bar, a cigarrette jutting from his clenched mouth. He planned to drink off the day of riding (and Deo's constant blatting), and his growing sense of unease.

Lieffreid took his horse to the stable, then went to the Cattle Horn Tavern. His entranced was marked with only a glance or two, and one woman, holding a cup with dancing flames in it, raised it in salute. Lief sat at her table, took off his gloves, and accepted the Baronian Whiskey that the comely wench offered unto him. "How's yah family, Mairi?"

"Fine, yeh grea' lad. Yehself?"

"Busy. Investigatin' some nuisance ou' east o' 'ere. Werewolf probably." Lief downed his drink, then turned to the lass beside him. "So, do yeh got a room, or do Ah need tah ge' one for us both?"

"Upstairs, secahnd door on the left." Mairi stood and walked up. Lief ordered another drink, downed it rapidly, then followed her instructions. He found her in bed, and stripping of his clothing, slid in besides her. "Ah miss yeh."

"Then show it. Give up the mantle, Redhand. There will be othahs tah take up the fight."

"Balahur guides us all. When he gives me a propah adept, then Ah will be glad tah lose this duty. Until then..." Lief smiled, and bent over to kiss Mairi. He wouldn't get much rest tonight.

Upon entering the small town and hearing that they would be stopping for the night to rest, the veteran warrior swiftly dismounted his steed in order to let it relax from his weight. As usual, the horse would remain near, never wandering far, and drink from the communal horse watering buckets.

The elf wandered off from the rest of the party and found his way to a stable where he promptly purchased a healthy dose of hearty oats for his mount. The horse had done well carrying him far and long without complaint and deserved a good meal. Venisar would need a meal eventually too, but for now he leapt into the sky and disappeared out of sight...

Deo dismounted and tossed the reins to his horse to a stableboy. "Take care of this beast, and he's paying." He said to the boy and pointing to the limping Hawthorn.

After the boy nodded and assuming that since they rode in together it was acceptable, Deo headed toward the seedier side of town where he could find a proper place to relax.

After soaring through the sky for several moments with the wind blowing across his bare skin, Venisar landed delicately and without a sound on the roof of a lively tavern. Inside, the roaring fire warmed the pub's patrons and poured out through the windows. Much drinking and singing was going on as a bard plucked his instrument and sang a hymn. All of this the elven warrior took in as he relaxed on the roof of the tavern.

As the tunes reached his ears, he started to hum and sing a little ditty he made up on the spot. The actual words got muddled in the reverberating sounds of drunken townsfolk, beyond even the ability of an elf to distinctly make them out, thus Venisar created a new ballad of an ancient warrior...