NationStates Jolt Archive

"Fifteen. Enough to keep me occupied during the workday, but not so many that I can't give each the attention he or she might need...and I can still return home in the evenings, and spend time with my sons and wife."

"Yes I am weary, can you show me to someone who can show me a place to rest, before you leave again?"

"Fifteen. Enough to keep me occupied during the workday, but not so many that I can't give each the attention he or she might need...and I can still return home in the evenings, and spend time with my sons and wife."
"Ah, if you want, and my forms of runics are close enought, I'd be willing to serve as a tutor, in case any students get stuck on a concept." Costh offered

"Your concepts are quite different...and I can handle a few students. I've been teaching since...well, before my daughter was born...almost three hundred years, now."

"Your concepts are quite different...and I can handle a few students. I've been teaching since...well, before my daughter was born...almost three hundred years, now."
"Alright." Costh replied, "I still can't translate the age equation."

Ishrem laughed. "There isn't one."

"There will be by the time I'm done." Costh commented with a grin.

"Have you since turned to mathematics?"

"Not me personally, one of my fellow dieties happens to have a strong mathematical leaning." Costh replied

"I see...why don't you introduce us? At the very least, I would like to meet your wife."

"Next time I see them, I'll ask them to come visit." Costh replied

The mage nods. "That's all you can do, I suppose. Now, go on. You're young, and have indulged this old man long enough. Aside from that...you have a very important subject to speak with your wife on."

"Alright, I enjoyed our converstations." Costh replied as he stood to leave.

"As have I. Wun lilbh'iahin lu' bwael afya, dalhar."

"Wun lilbh'iahin lu' bwael afya, an'kin." Costh replied as he left.

Ishrem went back to his sketches as Costh left. He chuckled as he did so.

Dalhar only came to me to confirm the inevitable.

Costh had departed to the realm he lived, and sought out his wife to talk.

"He is a good man...you are familiar with the Kaelis Ra threat a decade ago? He was the one to defeat the demon."

"I wasn't there at the time, I was on Tiravano. But yeah, I know about it."

"I wasn't there...and I only learned about it later. But I know the man, and it is believable for him."

"I may meet, you never know"

"You'll probably meet him, if you stay here long enough. Or if you hang out long enough with the child that is my descendant...if you feel up to dealing with him for that long."

Her attention was now soley on Haldosir,"Oh? Why is that? He can't be all that bad, can he?"

"He is not a bad child, Lady Snake Eater...but you would have to know him to understand."

"Yeah, I've got cousins like that. Too many of them, if I'm honest"

"Ah, but children will be children. They'll grow out of it."

"Children are not children long enough... they loose their innocence too easily, and mostly at too young an age. It is a criminal injustice"

"We try to protect those few decades for our children...it is not always a successful endeavor...but we do try."

She smiled,"You measure childhood in decades, we count in mere years. Such is life, I see."

"Indeed it is."

She stood, and stretched her back, as if trying to correct a problem. Her back clicked audibly, and she grinned as it did so,"Ah, that's the stuff"

"Is there a problem with your back, Lady Snake Eater?"

"Accident when I was very young chipped my spine. It just makes it more uncomfortable to sit still for long peroids of time."

"You should go see a Gray Class about that. In a recent battle, I had an arm taken off...and later regrown. It's an uncomfortable process, I don't recommend going through it if it isn't necessary."

"Nah, it's no real problem. I've lived with it for thirty odd years, I'm sure I can cope another thirty"

Haldosir started laughing. "You are as stubborn as your brother, but he leanred to appreciate the talents of our healers. Trust me, Lady Snake Eater...the Gray Class intend you no harm."

Again, it was that change. Not knowing of Haldosir's reputation, she rounded on him, her eyes alight,"I have no brother. WHat are you talking about?"

"I have no idea...it came out...and I'm guessing it must be true, somehow."

"I don't think you understand me. I'm an only child, born and raised on Tiravano."

"And you somehow have a brother somewhere. And for me to make a subjective statement, I probably know him."

She began to walk away,"You people are just messing with my head. Maybe coming here was a mistake after all"

"Or maybe...it was fate."

"You make your own future. Nothing is set in stone, not ever"

"Or maybe fate causes free will...for you believe in the one, and I in the other, but is it not possible that perhaps they are the same thing?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it again as she couldn't find anything to say to reply well

He chuckles. "My apologies...an old debate with my friend Rildorath...you see, he believes in such a thing as absolute free will, as well. I believe that there is some free will...but also some fate, whereas Nervim believes soley in fate."

"Those names mean little to me, as I don't know the people involved, bar yourself, and I cannot claim to know you all that well. In fact, I know your name, and that is all"

He smiles. It's a warm smile, although a scar running down his face tells of a harder life.

"I am fairly well known in my own land. At least I was. But you are to be commended...after all, what is a man's reputation, and what is it compared to a man's reality?"

"I'm just a diplomat in training... or at least I was, until I came here. A man's reputation is only as solid as the man behind it"

"Fair enough, Lady Snake Eater...fair enough."

She had stopped some distance away, and resumed watching the sparring mages in stony silence. In profile, she was unlike Cougar in many ways. Her stance was different, for she leant against the wall as opposed to his standing unsupported. She had her hands losely by her sides, as opposed to having them in her pockets or clasped behind her back. She had changed clothes, and now wore a pair of trousers that complemented her figure, and a loose shirt. Her hair was still tied back though.

The two sparring with the fluid elements were joined by a geo- and a pyromancer, so that all four elements battled in a fiercer duel than before.

"The four elements, as defined by the Ancient Greeks. Fire, Earth, Water and Air. Also commonly used in reference to the Illuminati organisation."

"We have two other elemental magicks...Time and Space."

"Time and Space are dimensions, not elements"

"You wouldn't want to try arguing that point with a Gold or Silver class."

She shrugs,"All I know about science tells me that Time and Space are not elements. I'm just saying what I know"

Artemis rose. Cougar had shown him to a room last night. He looked around him, feeling slightly dis-orientated. He remembered where he was and got up properly. He put his clothes back on, and strapped the scimitar back on around his waist, the 4 pounds of it barely making a difference to him.

He left his room five minutes later, and resolved to find somewhere that he could begin his learning to become a druid. After nearly an hour of wondering, Artemis ended up on a balcony. He looked out and down to a couryard. There were four mages there, dueling with fire, water, air and earth spells. As Artemis watched he found himself drawn into the beauty of the flashing spells and was amazed.

Costh, having had a discussion with his wife, decided to see about dealing with Death.
He knew he had to talk with Mith so he headed to Mithdelmar.

Mith was busy at the time.

Costh, finding Mith preoccupied, decided to wait.

Artemis, when the four had finished duelling set out troughout the Tower. He asked everyone he met if they would teach him how to be a...Warmancer Druid, yet none seemed to be able to help. Unabashed, he kept going about loooking for the correct people to help him.

Artemis, when the four had finished duelling set out troughout the Tower. He asked everyone he met if they would teach him how to be a...Warmancer Druid, yet none seemed to be able to help. Unabashed, he kept going about loooking for the correct people to help him.

Eldrad approached him,"I hear you are making enquires about being a Warmancer Druid. Take my advice, young one. Choose one, not both. A Druid can still fight without being a Warmancer"

Artemis considered the Eldar's words. He answered,

"I would like to be taught to be a druid, and then ,if it is possible, I shall further my fighting skills. Who can teach me to be a druid, please point me in their direction"

Eldrad rubbed the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, thinking,"In all my years at the Tower, a druid has been a rare sight. They don't stay long... but if memory serves me correctly, another should be coming by soon enough"

Artemis gasped

"You can tell when someone is coming?? How long will he or she be?"

"If they shall be long, then I would like to learn how to fight until they arrive."

Eldrad chuckled,"I am what is known as a clairvoyant. I can see the past, the future, the history of things to come. It is not an ability to be used lightly, and many things are clouded by the fog of the mind. None are all seeing, but some of us who are more powerful can indeed see much. But, I can teach you to fight. Or, you can learn from the swordmasters here, they are extremely capable warriors, with many thousands of years expierence when combined"

"As I met you yesterday, and I like you, I would be honoured if yourself would teach me. There is but one other thing, where might I get some robes, and some wrk that I might buy some chainmail armour?"

"Robes are easy to obtain, there is a tailor nearby who does the work for free... something about a deal with those who run the Tower. As for armour, if you are set upon working, the local village has a number of jobs I am sure that you could do. It would not take long to save and purchase a set of chainmail. Again, some sort of agreement means that things are cheaper, and in greater abundance than elsewhere. Of course, some things are unique, such as my armour. It was wrought by myself, and as such it is completley unique"

"Well then if those things are indeed so simple to come by, then may we begin my training in the way of fighting with a scimitar?"

As he spoke he swept his cloak backwards over his shoulder to reveal his scimitar's hilt.

Eldrad suppressed a laugh at the theatrics,"Tell me, what do you know of swordplay?"

Knowing how foolish he looked, Artemis decided to get it over with quickly. He said

"Let me show you"

He then performed the same manouvre he had done to Cougar the previous night, and found again that he was easily beaten.

"That is all I know"

Eldrad smiled,"Don't be embarassed, everyone starts the same"

He paused, and then drew his own wraithbone blade,"Watch me, and watch carefully. Actually, follow me in the movements I do"

Artemis watched as the white blade seemeed to flow flow through the air. He followed the sweeping graceful movements as well as he could, and soon was keeping pace with the Eldar. He was beginning to enjoy himself, and feel he ws learning something.

Eldrad was impressed,"You appear to have a natural talent for this sort of thing"

" Thankyou, I am sure it has something to do with the blade as well though."

Eldrad summoned a sword to his hand, and handed it to Artemis,"Put the other one down, and try again"

Artemis sheathed his weapon and took up the sword. It was a fine weapon, well balanced, nothing wrong with it. He looked at Eldrad and nodded. They began the movements again. Soon he had fallen behind Eldrad, and some of the movements were catcjhing him unawares, when he had instinctivly known where to go with the enchanted scimitar.

Still Artemis was comforted, although he was not doing as well, he was still managing to just about keep up, shwing that the young man did not have to rely solely upon the scimitar, he was happy.

He gave Eldrad back the sword.

"You have skill with a blade, that much is obivous. However, your theory that the scimitar aids you seems to have some merit. Tell me, where did it come from?"

OOC: ANd on that note, I have to go, school tomorrow.

"A dead banshees cave, my father found it and used it a lot."


Artemis turned and went to the village Eldrad had mentioned. He found work there as a farrier, his natural instincts with animals aiding him in shoeing the horses.

snip
Please don't.

She shrugs,"All I know about science tells me that Time and Space are not elements. I'm just saying what I know"
"Your ancient Greeks viewed elements as the corporeal things they could physcially sense, allowing for some bit of 'spirit' or 'divine spark' as a component for humans. Not so with us. We view elements as the pure substances that make up the world, with all its intricacies and complexities. You see, Lady Snake Eater...there are ten elements, and all in groups, almost all opposites. Fire and Water, Earth and Air, Time and Space, Chaos and Order, Good and Evil. We only practice six of these ten elements in Kaymiril...to work with the other four would be incredibly dangerous."

Costh, finding Mith preoccupied, decided to wait.
After a couple of hours, Costh was ushered into Mith's office.

"A pleasure, as always...what brings you here?"

After a couple of hours, Costh was ushered into Mith's office.

"A pleasure, as always...what brings you here?"
"I need your help, if truth be known." Costh replied

"With what?"

"Instructions on how to make a Wizard's potion." Costh replied

"Death's emnity? Costh...you might want to speak to her about it. Since the time the curse was earned, the stakes may have changed."

"Alright." Costh replied, "I'll do so. Thank you for your time and advice."

Mith nods. "Do you need access to her temple?"

"I don't actually know if I can get there myself. It couldn't hurt to have help thought." Costh commented

Mith opens a portal.

"I can get you in...if she wants you out, she'll send you out."

"Figured as much." Costh replied, "Would you please?"

"The portal's right in front of you."

"Alright, thanks." Costh said as he walked forward.

The change was immediate.

Mith's office was well kept, dry, and while 'closed', it felt comfortable.

This...this was incredibly different.

There was a dank mist that smelled rankly of decay, and there was a steel-gray river that ran about ten meters to Costh's left.

In the distance, a great, monolithic building rose out of the mist, a single harbinger of doom for a living traveler who dared to come to this place.

Costh began heading toward the building, making sure to keep track of the river, so that unless Death decided to play games, he could tell where he was in relation to where he'd started.

He was unmolested as he made his way to Death's Temple.

Costh neared the edifice, examining the architecture and design of Death's abode.

It was magnificent in a way that mortal eyes were never meant to comprehend, and many a god would quake at the very inscriptions carved into the wall.

The door was always open...for who was Death to deny any entrance into her realm?

Costh began reading the writing on the wall.

It was a record of mass death. The death of gods and their ilk was recorded elsewhere...but the doors stood open.

Costh quailed slightly at the death lists, but proceeded inside.

Cerebrus snarled at him as he entered.

The dead could pass...but the living...

"Hmmm, I wonder whether you still like honey cakes." Costh commented as he conjured a large crate of honey cakes.

A feeling of intense cold passed through the room...cold...and fear. Fear that would make even the strongest quail under its power.

Cerebrus sat and let out a thunderous howl, and then all was still.

Costh levitated the crate of honey cakes to Cerberus and asked, "May I come in?"

Another doorway slid open, although nothing would be visible to Costh from beyond it.

Costh decided the food had mollified Cerberus and that it was saying enter.
He headed into the door.

Death stood before what looked like a big cauldron. The mass inside of it cast a harsh bluish-white light about the room.

"You dare to approach here, Costh of Theao?"

OOC: It was more like Death had called off her dog.

"I came wishing to speak to you. I seek to deal with the debt I have."

"Your ancient Greeks viewed elements as the corporeal things they could physcially sense, allowing for some bit of 'spirit' or 'divine spark' as a component for humans. Not so with us. We view elements as the pure substances that make up the world, with all its intricacies and complexities. You see, Lady Snake Eater...there are ten elements, and all in groups, almost all opposites. Fire and Water, Earth and Air, Time and Space, Chaos and Order, Good and Evil. We only practice six of these ten elements in Kaymiril...to work with the other four would be incredibly dangerous."

OOC: What are you refering to when you say chaos and order. It sounds a lot like something from one of L. E Moddiset Jr.'s books. I may have misspelled the name, but I have read many of his books.

IC: Piekrom is busy in his room polishing the blade of his long sword when Cougar comes to the tower. He carefully examines the incredibly light 2 lbs 4.5 foot blade. He checks the curling scrollwork flame traveling up the blade to either side of the blood groove. The hilt with its two dragon's winding around it each head terminating at the blade making the fire scrollwork look like it is coming out of the dragons mouths. He carefully puts it away thinking about the father he never knew in the process. This blade had been his father’s. Apparently it was carried over from the other dimension that his father lived in till a mistake in a spell had pulled him into this world rendering his magik unusable. He then pulls out the throwing knifes he had specially made that could be thrown from a concealed shoulder harness in split second with deadly accuracy. Mostly they were meant as a hunting weapon mainly. He carefully polishes them and then puts them away. He then straps on his shoulder harness of hunting knifes his sword back in it's sheath and then takes his quarterstaff and walk out of his room. He soon hears that Cougar is back and instantly goes to try and find him.

"I came wishing to speak to you. I seek to deal with the debt I have."
"You should have come years ago. Then what you would have had to do would not be so demanding of what you must sacrifice now. You bring your suffering upon yourself."

"You should have come years ago. Then what you would have had to do would not be so demanding of what you must sacrifice now. You bring your suffering upon yourself."
"What is the cost that must be paid now?" Costh asked

"I am Death. There is nothing that is not mine. You belong to me, at the end. The only thing I do not have with me, and have no means of obtaining, is something truly alive. You will give me this."

Death allowed a moment for Costh to muse on her words.

"Within a year and a half, your wife will bear you a child. A year after that, you will bring it to me. It will be mine, consecrated unto Death, and the realm of the living shall be nothing to it except distant shadows."

"Unfortunately that is not within my power to give, nor my decision to make." Costh replied

"Did I say you had a choice? A year after its birth, the child is mine. It can come to me alive, or you can arrange in advance for its grave."

"You would damn or slay a child for the sins of it's parent. I would expect that of your predecessor, or Kajeenith, not you." Costh replied

"I would slay the parent for its own crimes. But I will show you the span destined for your child."

She reached into the cauldron, pulling out a thread maybe half an inch thick.

"A year."

"There are ways to circumvent the line of death, lack of conception being one." Costh replied

"You don't seem to comprehend. And you annoy me."

Death picks up her scythe as the door slides shut.

There is no escape from Death's plane when her wrath burns.

It would take someone like BelDragos to save Costh now...and BelDragos was not on the plane.

"Oh I understand you perfectly well." Costh replied, "I also know that you, should you kill me, would be violating an agreement my original predecessor made with the office of Death."

"You belonged to me before you accepted your office. You can be replaced."

She raised her scythe.

"You have but a second to decide. You give me the child, or I take you now."

OOC: Man this all seams kind of harsh.

OOC: you are probable right i would hat to have to go back that far in the posts just to get the necisary info to know how to respond to something like that.

"If you kill me, you don't get the child, nor could I give you something that doesn't exist." Costh commented, "Before my decision, might I ask a question of you?"

"I don't need your child, iranae. You barged in here like a fool thinking that I can't end your life as I please, when I please. You have two seconds before your life ends."

A woman walked into the tower. Her hair, was Grey, her eyes, were light blue. For dress, she wore the oddest asortment of Hides you ever saw, sown perfectly into a Dress. In her hair, purposly tangled into beyond hope of removal, was a Deer's antler. A long thin braid went down to her chest, and her hair, likewise, fell down her back to the same length. She carried only a club, belted by her side. Her nails were long and sharp, and she was quiet barefoot, and even though the ground outside was quite muddy, her feet were as clean as could be, it was as though Dirt could not touch her. She smelled of the Great outdoors. By her side, was a Wolf. It looked around and stood close to her protectivly, as a friend and guardian might.

Valanthe, head of the Warhaven Grove of Druidry, had returned to the White Tower.

She walked in closer, and surveyed the change that had occured to the tower since she was last here.

"Freke, Stay by my side, and bite none within." She said to her wolf.

"But there are strangers here, strangers who might harm you." Freke said in the language of the wolves. whines, short howls, long howls, mostly body language and looks, and yet Valanthe seemed to understand it all.

"I know there are strangers, but there will be trouble, if you Bite people uninvited." Valanthe said.

"But," Freke said.

A look from Valanthe silenced any further objections.
**********************************************************
Close to Ishrem, Scria walked over, and set up her own Canvas to paint.

"Hello firend, I haven't seen you in a while, Family still okay?" she said conversationally. From out of her pockets came a variety of sealed paints and a brush made of vizzerdrix hairs.

Close to Ishrem, Scria walked over, and set up her own Canvas to paint.

"Hello firend, I haven't seen you in a while, Family still okay?" she said conversationally. From out of her pockets came a variety of sealed paints and a brush made of vizzerdrix hairs.
"My family is well, thank you, Scria. My first grandchild was recently born...a cause of great celebration, in three families. And what have you been up to, in the interim?"

"I developed an ability, found only in legends originally. I developed the ability to make what I paint, come to Life." SHe said. To demonstraight, she scetched a quick picture of a Bird, it flew around the Canvas in its blank white world.

"I developed an ability, found only in legends originally. I developed the ability to make what I paint, come to Life." SHe said. To demonstraight, she scetched a quick picture of a Bird, it flew around the Canvas in its blank white world.
"Ah, yes...I've heard of a similar legend. Very well done."

"Why do you want a child or more precisely, a child of mine?" He asked

"It goes further, by why needlessly create something? I shall paint this bird a home. Sure anyone can conjure something, but I can make new things as well, things that did not previously exist. If I wanted to, I could pull that bird out of the Canvas, and it would become a real feather and blood bird, but then it would die. My canvas paintings, will live forever. If I wished to make something real, as I said, I could paint it on canvas, and pull it out, or, I can solidify air, and paint upon it as a canvas. Then, make my painting live." Scria said in explaination. By this point, The bird, it had no real details, so it could not be defines as any one species, landed on a streak of green Scria intended to be Grass.

"Why do you want a child or more precisely, a child of mine?" He asked
"I intend the child itself no harm. I will raise it, as a student...and it will be mortal, able to make its own decisions. A child of yours, in particular...do you not know? The idea is that you foolishly acted, and got yourself into this mess. To get out of it again, something great must be sacrificed. In your case, your firstborn child."

"It goes further, by why needlessly create something? I shall paint this bird a home. Sure anyone can conjure something, but I can make new things as well, things that did not previously exist. If I wanted to, I could pull that bird out of the Canvas, and it would become a real feather and blood bird, but then it would die. My canvas paintings, will live forever. If I wished to make something real, as I said, I could paint it on canvas, and pull it out, or, I can solidify air, and paint upon it as a canvas. Then, make my painting live." Scria said in explaination. By this point, The bird, it had no real details, so it could not be defines as any one species, landed on a streak of green Scria intended to be Grass.
"Interesting, to be certain."

OOC: Seeing as how I do not understand the argument I shall stay out of the conflict.

Scria paused a moment, and summoned one of her early paintings, Flowers. The smell of a feild of sunflowers wafted up out of the canvas. She showed it to him, then resumed her painting.

Piekrom']OOC: Seeing as how I do not understand the argument I shall stay out of the conflict.
OOC: didn't you want to be a druid, or was that someone else? If it was you, get down to the entrance of the White Tower, and I'll teach you.

Scria paused a moment, and summoned one of her early paintings, Flowers. The smell of a feild of sunflowers wafted up out of the canvas. She showed it to him, then resumed her painting.
Ishrem, meanwhile, was filling in facial details on his daughter's portrait.

"Pretty, I assume she's your daughter?" Scia asked.

"Pretty, I assume she's your daughter?" Scia asked.
"Yes...left home a couple of decades ago to marry...and gave me the grandchild I told you about."

OOC: didn't you want to be a druid, or was that someone else? If it was you, get down to the entrance of the White Tower, and I'll teach you.

OOC: No that was zombie person. Rather i was going to train under Cougar to control my fire type magic. Then I was going move to someone else for water then go to spirit so that I could combine the two.

Scria nodded.
"I never had children myself. Born without the ability. Kahlan offered several times to fix it, but I decided not to gainsay what Fate handed me. That's all right. I think of my students as my Children, all 15,000 of them." She said casually as though every teacher in the world had 15,000 students.

Scria nodded.
"I never had children myself. Born without the ability. Kahlan offered several times to fix it, but I decided not to gainsay what Fate handed me. That's all right. I think of my students as my Children, all 15,000 of them." She said casually as though every teacher in the world had 15,000 students.
"More children than I would care to have. More students, as well."

Back on Riptide, it seemed a bleak and weary day. The weather reflected Arianna's mood. She made it so. If she was depressed because she missed her husband, despite his attitude, then everyone else should be depressed.
Aldur cried everyonce in a while, because, as like all children do at times, he wanted his daddy, and no one else in the whole wide world would do. Gypsy seemed upset alittle even. Despite her best efforts to remain neutral, Fate seemed to take a rather depressing turn, as of late. Despite his sour attitude, he was still loved, and sorely missed.

Then, Arianna and Gypsy remembered Warfare's wish to have a Celebration.

They talked it over for hours, just talking about it seemed to cheer them up. Then, they began making plans. Of course the Slivers would have to be involved. Cid needed to begin making Rides, The Archwizards seemed to want to help as well. But, what of their Allies and friends? Wouldn't they want to come to? but for what reason, just because? No, they probably wouldn't want to come just because it was there.

That was when Arianna had an Idea to make it a Celebration for the Length of time they had been friends and Allies, so, she whipped up offical looking correspondence, and sent it out, to evryone associated with the White Tower.

**********************************************************
From: Arianna, Queen of Warhaven, Goddess of Nature, knowledge, and peace.
TO: All Nations of the White Tower
Reason: Celebration invite.

Dearest friends and Allies, We have been friends and allies for so very long. Nearly a Decade now, I believe. We've shared many bad times, Kaelis Ra, Death, Kajeenith, and now perhaps, we should share a good time as well, after all, what are friends, if their not with you for the Good times and Bad? To this end, I write you and the citizens of your nation to attend a Grand celebration celebrating the long peace we've shared, the knowledge we've shared, and the time we've all spent simply growing closer as allies.

A date is tentavly set for a Four weeks, three days, nine hours,twenty minutes, and 30 seconds from the Date at the Top of this Letter, Standered White Tower Time.

Please Send a Reply on this same Parchment, by the same Wolf that delivered at, A.S.A.P. with your Reply, please note, that if it is better for the date to be changed, it can be.

Yours in Friendship and peace,
Arianna.
**********************************************************

Arianna then pointed at what she had just written, and made muliple copies of it. She then Rolled them up, and called her Pack of Wolves, put them in Diplomativ harnesses, gave them the message with the attached note, and teleported them off.

One trotted up to the Valshanth, and sat infront of the Gate guards. In his mouth, sat the perfectly dry note, and a Note that read
"This Note is for the Queen and the Queen only, I shall deliver it to none other" And indeed, the Wolf looked like it would not allow anyone else to obtain the Note.

Similar wolfs appeared on Snake Eater Prime, and in the Capitol of Balrogga. As well as a note inviting any within the White Towerm appearing next to the door to the tower.

"I intend the child itself no harm. I will raise it, as a student...and it will be mortal, able to make its own decisions. A child of yours, in particular...do you not know? The idea is that you foolishly acted, and got yourself into this mess. To get out of it again, something great must be sacrificed. In your case, your firstborn child."
"You may have the child," Costh replied, "But any respect you held for me, either as Mith, or as Aras is gone. I can understand the reason I must suffer, but the suffering to a child..."

"Your ancient Greeks viewed elements as the corporeal things they could physcially sense, allowing for some bit of 'spirit' or 'divine spark' as a component for humans. Not so with us. We view elements as the pure substances that make up the world, with all its intricacies and complexities. You see, Lady Snake Eater...there are ten elements, and all in groups, almost all opposites. Fire and Water, Earth and Air, Time and Space, Chaos and Order, Good and Evil. We only practice six of these ten elements in Kaymiril...to work with the other four would be incredibly dangerous."

"Then it is one point on which we must agree to disagree"

<snip>

"A banshee's cave... interesting"

"I don't teach all 15,000 directly. More like only a couple hundred, the more advanced students. Each level of mastery teaches the levels beneath it. The only reason I teach so many, is because in order to obtain a Guild Liscense to practice Magick at all on Warhaven, one must demonstrate at least basic mastery of runes. All Wizards are required to have at least basic mastery in all areas. Archwizards are required to have at least intermediate mastery in all areas to even be considered for apprenticeship to become an Archwizard. Any caught without a Guild Licence, or a learning permit, are immediatly stripped of their powers, pending a hearing. If found Guilty, their powers are never returned, if found innocent, then they are returned after a 30 day penalty for not carrying their Guild Licence. It is Warhaven Law, handed down directly from Warfare." Scria said. Her licence was in her robes.

Piekrom']
Piekrom is busy in his room polishing the blade of his long sword when Cougar comes to the tower. He carefully examines the incredibly light 2 lbs 4.5 foot blade. He checks the curling scrollwork flame traveling up the blade to either side of the blood groove. The hilt with its two dragon's winding around it each head terminating at the blade making the fire scrollwork look like it is coming out of the dragons mouths. He carefully puts it away thinking about the father he never knew in the process. This blade had been his father’s. Apparently it was carried over from the other dimension that his father lived in till a mistake in a spell had pulled him into this world rendering his magik unusable. He then pulls out the throwing knifes he had specially made that could be thrown from a concealed shoulder harness in split second with deadly accuracy. Mostly they were meant as a hunting weapon mainly. He carefully polishes them and then puts them away. He then straps on his shoulder harness of hunting knifes his sword back in it's sheath and then takes his quarterstaff and walk out of his room. He soon hears that Cougar is back and instantly goes to try and find him.

Cougar had indeed returned to the Tower to check on Artemis. Having found him in training with Eldrad, he had left the two alone, and was now sparring with the elven warriors in the courtyard, having long ago earned their respect. Having fought in many wars, against any multitude of enemies, Cougar was a solider well versed in the sword and the gun. He was a dead shot with a rifle or a pistol, he could fight at close quaters with only a combat knife and still come out on top. He was a master of CQC, and an accomplished swordsman. He had sparred with the legendary hero, Ridolrath ((sorry about the spelling Kay, it's always the one I get wrong)), and was then only man alive to be considered the superior to the highest Paladin in all Warhaven.

When Piekrom found him, his custom Gunblade (forged by the Gods themselves no less) was flashing with the blades of the swordmasters. The sounds of the metal connecting rang round the courtyard. The blade itself was black, made of solid Darksteel. The handle was wrought silver, and accomadated a magazine, the only Gunblade in existence to accomodate a semi-automatic pistol within it's design. At the very base of the blade, the Cougar symbol shone brightly, as did the shape of a roaring moutain lion, from which the solider took his name. The balde was wreathed in flame, but it was not red, nor orange or yellow, but purest white.

Upon finding Cougar in the courtyard Piekrom withdraws his sword and plants the point into the ground holds the hilt in both hands and gets down onto one knee. and bows before Cougar and asks that Cougar take him up as a student and train him to controle his innate magik. He then goes on explaining the story of his magik from begining to end even including the drying up of an entier lake.

OOC: Alright snake, cooperate with me here, I posted a wolf bearing a message appearing in Snake City, help me out man.

IC: The wolf bearing Arianna's message looked around lost. It sniffed a building curiously. Arianna had sent him to the from of thr proper building, just not inside it. Thus, it was this building the Wolf was sniffing. It had never been inside a Stone Forest before, (OOC: What the Wolf thinks of a city as) and was really quite Nervous. It looked around for someone to show the note indicating that the Wolf was intended for Lord Barbarossa, so that he could get out of here soon. How he longed to run in the Forests again.

OOC: was me the druid wanter Warhaven.

IC: Artemis smiled. He brushed his new green cloak and tunic with his hand. These he had got free, yet he had spent the money earned in the village well.

Underneath the tunic was a suit of light chain-mail. The forger, it had turned out, had known his father (OOC: Anyone mind?) and had offered to give the young man a suit of steel chain mail for free. Yet when Artemis had offered his money, a fairly small sum, the man had reconsidered, and gone into the back.

He had come out five minutes later with a coat of shining silver. Artemis had slipped it on and it had weighed no more than a thick shirt. Artemis could not guess at it's value, and when he had asked about it to the armourer, the man had ony huffed and gone about his work. Artemis had promised to pay the man back, albeit slowly.

He now walked down the stairs towards the doors. The person who could teach him had come back today, according to Eldrad's predictions. He was looking forward to his first proper lesson and was brimming with excitement.

Valanthe sat in an empty chair contemplating a flower. She looked up as this new man entered the Tower.

"Well, hello, Might I ask who you are?" She asked. It was obvuious by her appearence that she was a Druid. Freke sniffed the new man with intrest.

OOC: Alright snake, cooperate with me here, I posted a wolf bearing a message appearing in Snake City, help me out man.

IC: The wolf bearing Arianna's message looked around lost. It sniffed a building curiously. Arianna had sent him to the from of thr proper building, just not inside it. Thus, it was this building the Wolf was sniffing. It had never been inside a Stone Forest before, (OOC: What the Wolf thinks of a city as) and was really quite Nervous. It looked around for someone to show the note indicating that the Wolf was intended for Lord Barbarossa, so that he could get out of here soon. How he longed to run in the Forests again.

The guard knelt to the Wolf,"Hello boy, what are you doing here?"

Upon finding Cougar in the courtyard Piekrom withdraws his sword and plants the point into the ground holds the hilt in both hands and gets down onto one knee. and bows before Cougar and asks that Cougar take him up as a student and train him to controle his innate magik. He then goes on explaining the story of his magik from begining to end even including the drying up of an entier lake.

Cougar looked at him,"Alright, fair enough. I'm not the best teacher, as even I am a student. But, I will help you as best I can. But, first things first. You don't bow, you don't kneel, you don't do any of that stuff ever again."

He sheathed his own blade, and sat upon the air, using his own magick to keep himself aloft, and bade Piekrom sit,"You first need to learn control, just like I did. First though, I want you to learn to meditate, to look inside yourself. Close your mind to all distractions, and close your eyes. Looks inside yourself, and tell me what you see"

The guard knelt to the Wolf,"Hello boy, what are you doing here?"


The Wolf moved its head a Little. A note appeared under the Scroll.

"This Scroll is intended for Lord Barbarossa, Emperor of Snake Eaters. Please Escort me to his presence that I may accomplish my Task, I will not bite, I promise." It was in Arianna's hand writing, not that everybody would know her hand writing.

Artemis looked at the eccentric looking woman's appearance. He noticed with a start that a wolf was licking his fingers.

" I am Artemis, I have come to the Tower to learn how to be a druid. I had hoped to be a Warmancer Druid, but was informed it would be too difficult. Forgive me for asking, I see that you are a druid, yet who are you?"

The Wolf moved its head a Little. A note appeared under the Scroll.

"This Scroll is intended for Lord Barbarossa, Emperor of Snake Eaters. Please Escort me to his presence that I may accomplish my Task, I will not bite, I promise." It was in Arianna's hand writing, not that everybody would know her hand writing.

The guard bellowed in laughter,"Oh, that's a good one. He's President, not Emperor... oh, I'll be having a good laugh with that. But go on in, I'll send word to him"

Artemis looked at the eccentric looking woman's appearance. He noticed with a start that a wolf was licking his fingers.

" I am Artemis, I have come to the Tower to learn how to be a druid. I had hoped to be a Warmancer Druid, but was informed it would be too difficult. Forgive me for asking, I see that you are a druid, yet who are you?"
OOC: the wolf would not lick anyones fingers, its nice, but not that nice. The Wolf is my Character, please refrain from posting his actions in the Future.

IC: "I am Valanthe, head Druidess of Warhaven. If you wish to Learn, You must realise that the Road is difficult. Warmancing is diffrent altogether, it might be possible to combine the two, however, I have never known Gaia to allow a Warmancer Druid, and I pride myself on knowing well most of the history of Druidry. Perhaps you shall be the first. Are you willing to face the challenges of Gaia to become a Druid?" Valanthe asked.
Her tone was all business. She was really quite serious now. The answer Artemis gave, would determine the next step.

The guard bellowed in laughter,"Oh, that's a good one. He's President, not Emperor... oh, I'll be having a good laugh with that. But go on in, I'll send word to him"
The wolf crept cautiously into the building. He did not like being inside, and felt sort of trapped. However, he had to do this, the nature woman asked him to. Somehow, he could not turn her down. The Wolf was not blessed with the ability to read, and wandered hoping to find whomever he was suppossed to deliver this message to.

OOC: Sorry bout that, just got a little carried away

IC: Artemis looked at the woman. He saw how serious she was. He took a breath, thinking back to the events that had brought him here. He wanted those events never to happen to anyone ever again. He met her grey eyed gaze

"Yes"

The wolf crept cautiously into the building. He did not like being inside, and felt sort of trapped. However, he had to do this, the nature woman asked him to. Somehow, he could not turn her down. The Wolf was not blessed with the ability to read, and wandered hoping to find whomever he was suppossed to deliver this message to.

Lord Barbarossa knelt down next to him,"Hello boy, I heard you've got a message for me"

"You may have the child," Costh replied, "But any respect you held for me, either as Mith, or as Aras is gone. I can understand the reason I must suffer, but the suffering to a child..."
Fool. He doesn't understand, even after explanation. Nor will he ever.

"When does the parent suffer more than when he knows the child is suffering and there is nothing he can do about it? Be gone. I will return after the allotted time."

There was a whirl, and he was back in Mith's office, although the mage himself was gone.

"Then it is one point on which we must agree to disagree"
"Perhaps it is thus, Lady Snake Eater."

"Perhaps it is thus, Lady Snake Eater."

She smiled,"Perhaps it is, but it is no bad thing."

She smiled,"Perhaps it is, but it is no bad thing."
"We are unaccustomed to having disagreements linger...is this a human concept?"

"Call it a friendly disagreement that is left to linger. It has no adverse effect"

"...No wonder your race is so short-lived."

She smiled,"And here was I, thinking that it was simply evolution"

"You let so much stress accumulate that it tears you down."

"And on what do you base that evaluation, good sir?"

"Observation."

He flicked his thumb toward Cougar, at the other end of the courtyard.

At that moment, Shan came careening down the corridor. As he passed, Haldosir grabbed him by the back of the neck.

"I know you've been told not to run on marble floors."

Rose looked down the corridor, and jerked slightly as she looked at the man there. She then turned her eyes onto Shan, and raised an eyebrow,"I'm guessing this is the mischief maker you were talking about?"

OOC: Sorry bout that, just got a little carried away

IC: Artemis looked at the woman. He saw how serious she was. He took a breath, thinking back to the events that had brought him here. He wanted those events never to happen to anyone ever again. He met her grey eyed gaze

"Yes"
"Alright then, no metal. Yes, Metal is natural and apart of metal, however, all Druids swear an oath to never use metal, and only that which can be grown. If, you manage to pass, then if you can get Gaia to agree, you may use a sword and Chainmail, but only if Gaia agrees. Gaia, is the Spirit of Nature, from which all Druids get their powers. Now, these test will not be easy. First, you must get to Riptide.

There is a path leading Northwest to a cave. This Cave has odd properties, allowing one to be Teleported to Ephseus, folow the path out of the cave on Ephseus, and continue to another cave, this will take you to the flying city of Shevat, where you will be teleported to Riptide. Once on Riptide, find my Grove, and you will have passed the first test. You must do this, without your sword, and your armor. You may however, take a wooden club. You must also survive on nothing more than what you can find. I will be kind enough to warn that there will be poisionus fruits and nuts, dangerous animals, trees that eat people, and a giant spider. This is the easiest test. Give me your sword and armor, and you will get them back on Riptide." Valanthe said.

At first, some thought she was joking, but when she didn't stop waiting for his sword and chainmail, it became painfully appearent she was not joking.

S -- "The one and only. I'm called Shan, but people call me Trouble, mostly." He gives her a rougish/boyish grin. "Does Cougar know his sister's here?"

Lord Barbarossa knelt down next to him,"Hello boy, I heard you've got a message for me"
The wolf sat, and had the message in his mouth, much like a dog might fetch a paper, the note was dry, with no slobers on it. It was the invite to the celebration.

OOC: don't forget your wolf kay.

S -- "The one and only. I'm called Shan, but people call me Trouble, mostly." He gives her a rougish/boyish grin. "Does Cougar know his sister's here?"

"I have no brother, why do people keep saying I do?"

"I have no brother, why do people keep saying I do?"
"You're not related? Wow. You look nothing alike, but I could have sworn..."

He looked over and called over the din of the elemental duel. "Hey, Cougar, there's a new human here!"

H -- "You are incredibly loud, Dalhar."

S -- "I've spent time around humans."

"Hey, I know you Drow are quieter, but we're not all that loud, you know," she cried indignatley.

Cougar was busy 'training' Piekrom, and as such, only shot a glance at Shan, lancing a message onto the boy's eyeballs

Quiet when I am teaching

Artemis shrugged and took off the scimitar. It pained him to part with it, he had thought he would be allowed to use it, linked to nature as it was. He then went and slipped out of the light chainmail. He came back, holding a wooden club, and gave his metal items to the druid.

Without waiting he walked towards the doors. Once outside he found the path and followed it to a cave. Once he had found the cave, he turned and ran towards the nearest woods. His life as a forrester had helped him, and he came back out shortly with a couple of days of supplies, as well as some minor plants that contained minor antidotes. He stepped into the cave.

He kept walking through the cave, and came out the other side. Yet this was not the logical other side of the cave. He had come out in Ephseus ( OOC: Whats that?) and followed the path. After half an hour of walking, he came across another cave. He continued in, and came out into the hustle and bustle of a floating city. So far, the directions had been fairly simple, even easy to follow, yet now, Artemis was hopelessly lost, not knowing where to turn.

S -- "Ow. Wael." He shot off some spell to hit Cougar back.

H -- "You do not think you are loud, Lady Snake Eater. We hear differently, your race and mine."

S -- "Ow. Wael." He shot off some spell to hit Cougar back.

H -- "You do not think you are loud, Lady Snake Eater. We hear differently, your race and mine."

R -- "That is indeed true... but at least some of us try to be quiet"

Cougar blocked the spell with a pure Order spell, magick that was far beyond the level that Shan had studied too, and looked at him again, giving the impression of saying,"Just stop it now, I'm working"

H -- "Shan. Enough."

He dropped the boy -- which he'd been holding a good three inches from the ground, and let him go off.

"Trust me, Lady Snake Eater...you cannot help your humanity."

"Don't we know it at times... all humans seem to cause is death and pain to others"

Artemis shrugged and took off the scimitar. It pained him to part with it, he had thought he would be allowed to use it, linked to nature as it was. He then went and slipped out of the light chainmail. He came back, holding a wooden club, and gave his metal items to the druid.

Without waiting he walked towards the doors. Once outside he found the path and followed it to a cave. Once he had found the cave, he turned and ran towards the nearest woods. His life as a forrester had helped him, and he came back out shortly with a couple of days of supplies, as well as some minor plants that contained minor antidotes. He stepped into the cave.

He kept walking through the cave, and came out the other side. Yet this was not the logical other side of the cave. He had come out in Ephseus ( OOC: Whats that?) and followed the path. After half an hour of walking, he came across another cave. He continued in, and came out into the hustle and bustle of a floating city. So far, the directions had been fairly simple, even easy to follow, yet now, Artemis was hopelessly lost, not knowing where to turn.
OOC: Epseus is a planet, and the Floating city is on a diffrent plane entirely.

IC: A thing, a hideous thing, walked up to Artimes.
"Why hello stranger, I see you travel the pathways of Creation. Where is your destination, perhaps we can teleport you there. Shevat is of course, the central nexus of the magickal pathways the cross creation, that is why we sit in the elemental plane of Air." The thing said.

"Lord Typhoon, a storm heads our way from the southeast, whence should we turn?" A man asked the purple monster.

"Ah, I believe northeast, skirt its edges,and continue on our way." the monster known as Typhoon said.

He started to fade away.

"Whoops, gotta go. If only you were a Druid, then you could help us with the storm. I, am being summoned." Typhoon said, then he was gone.

"Don't we know it at times... all humans seem to cause is death and pain to others"
"There are good and bad things about every race."

"Very true, although I cannot see your weaknesses at first"

"Study up on Drow...you'll be amazed you can see our strengths."

~snip~
Strange animals were generally not allowed onto the Valshanth grounds.

"Study up on Drow...you'll be amazed you can see our strengths."

"I don't see the strenghts of man, I see only the weakness. The wickedness, the spite in our hearts. The Holocaust for example. What drives someone to do such a thing?"

The Wolf showed them the Seal of Warhaven on its back. It obviously was sent by either Warfare or Arianna directly. He showed them the note indicating that the sealed Parchment was for the Queen herself. he really hoped he could get this over and done with. He wanted to go back to his forest and romp with that beautiful She-wolf. Maybe she might like him to. The thought of puppies brought a sense of happiness to him.

Artemis looked at the space where the thing had been. He looked at the man beside him now.

"Please can you help me. I am training to become a druid, and was told to come here and be transported to Riptide. Can you help me?"

Artemis looked at the space where the thing had been. He looked at the man beside him now.

"Please can you help me. I am training to become a druid, and was told to come here and be transported to Riptide. Can you help me?"
"Oh sure, come with me." The man said. He led Artimes downstairs to a teleportation room. then, Shevat was buffeted by feirce winds. Th man got knocked against a wall.

"I'm sorry pal, no teleportation now, not when the winds so tough. Could accidentally end up sending you into a Star, ya know? your tryin to become a Druid? isn't there something you can do to calm the storm a little? Maybe a quick prayer to Gaia or something?" The man said.

OOC: Hope you don't mind if I just quickly control blokey

IC:" Err..... Yes I suppose I could try, urm..... are there any gardens or parks or forests around here?"

The man quickly led him to a small garden, the nearest one.

Feeling slightly foolish, Artemis knelt down quickly and closed his eyes.

He started mumbling to Gaia under his breath, asking for salvation from the winds, asking for a few days more of peace in the skies. He kept this up for several mintues, praying for anything that could help the floating city.

He finished and stood up.

"I suppose we now have to wait"

While the wind didn't stop, it did calm down enough for Shevat to regain control. Artimes found himself in a wood area.

A familier voice said "Welcome to Riptide, can you find a Druidess within her forest?"

Fool. He doesn't understand, even after explanation. Nor will he ever.
"When does the parent suffer more than when he knows the child is suffering and there is nothing he can do about it? Be gone. I will return after the allotted time."
There was a whirl, and he was back in Mith's office, although the mage himself was gone.
Costh simply disappeared, knowing that Death knew nothing of what she spoke of.

Kajeenith was strolling along the top of his Fortress-Castle. Naradas had been discovered by Xos. This was unnacceptable.

"I need information, on how Warfare and his pet Mortals are doing, after all these years." Kajeenith said to Daigalleon, his most feared Dark Paladin. Of Course this wasn't the Real Kajeenith. The Real one disappeared right after Kamigawa was freed, though no one new this.

"My dark Lord, I shall go with a hundred men and capture some people for information." Daigalleon volunteered.

"No, even you I fear, would be found out. No matter, I'm not surprised, your all Mortals. Mortals seem to know each other. No, I shall go myself." Kajeenith said.

"But, my lord, surely they will find you out. If not that upstart Queen in Kaymiril, then surely your brother will. And if neither of them succeed, then Leviathan.." Daigalleon was saying, but was interupted.

"Leviathan? Leviathan? You think HE can discover me? Even if he had Psionic powers, that CHILD couldn't discover the true intent of a Mayfly, and let me fill you in on a little secret about Warfare. He's powerless. You know those Sacrifices of my Soul, they affect him to. Only I grew stronger, because I let the Glorious Darkness fill the places where my Soul was, in the processs, killing off our Father. Warfare can't even rise to his position. Yore's in to many peices at the moment. He'll never pull himself together in time for Warfare to stop me. As for, the Kaymirilian Queen, why should I be afraid of her, She's a Mortal, Mortals can barely think for themselves, let alone outwit a God. It was only because of my brothers Hoar of a Wife that Kaymiril seven was able to resurect Warfare. She would never have thought of it on her own. Secondly, She's a Woman. All Women are idiots without exception. The only thing their good for is having children. I agreee with the Nazi theory that all Women should be relegated to being nothing more than Birthing machines. Why doy you think Its illegal here for any woman to wear clothes, of any type, and for any woman to refuse a Man? Men here have the right to Force themselves on a Woman should they so choose. Tell me one reason why I should fear Queen Kaymiril or any other Woman?" Kajeenith asked Daigalleon.

Daigalleon merely stood in silence.

"I thought so. You know my seal, the mark of the Mad God, right?" Kajeenith asked Daigalleon?

"Yes sir, is the plan going into effect today?" Daigalleon asked.

"Yes. No more traitors running to weaklings in fear. Those who turn, will automaticly Die." Kajeenith said.

"What of the Queen sir?" Daigalleon asked.

"The Queen is my pet. don't worr of her." Kajeenith said.

Daigalleon saluted, and turned and walked off.

Unknown to them both, Layla was listening at a window just underneath them.

"Now, I believe I shall use my Old drinking disguise as a harmless old man, and go a spying at the White Tower." Kajeenith said with a Grin and a chuckle. He disappeared, but did not appear at the White Tower.

Layla let out a Sob. She hated it all. She wanted out of here. She decided she would show Kajeenith who was weak. She may not have had the power to stand up to Kajeenith herself, but she knew someone who did.

A few hours later, a note would somehow show up in the Queens mail. It read:
"Dear Queen Kaymiril,
I know you don't know me, may not remember me, but we met at one time. You were a princess at the time. Congratulations on your coronation, but that is not why I write you. I write to warn you that Kajeenith is on the move again, and he moves against the nations of the White Tower. He goes there to Spy, to see your strengths, your weaknesses. Please, Please stop him. He believes many terrible things, and I do not wish to become his personel Birthing machine, as all women in his empire must do to any man. I have not the power to stand up to him, though I'm sure you could.

Yours,

A helpless woman on Kamigawa.

P.S. He is disgusied as an old man."

Then, Layla sat all alone in her tower, and cried herself to sleep, lamenting her decision to ever help him.

Queen Kaymiril VII got the letter at the same time as her staff informed her of the wolf.

"Send it in, I'll trust it not to bite," she said absentmindedly, reading over the letter.

She then sent a note to Haldosir, who she knew was at the Tower presently.

Haldosir took the note, then turned to Rose. "My apologies, Lady Snake Eater...there is a task I must take care of."

*posted as Warhaven, darn puppets.*
The Wolf sat down next to Anna, and layed the celebration invite ever so gently in her lap. He then sat there, calm as could be, but still nervous about being inside. It didn't feel, natural to it.

She does some time conversions.

"I'm afraid I have a diplomatic assembly then." She writes a note saying she will be unable to attend, but hopes that the carnival is a success.

An old man entered the white Tower with another Old man. Both seemed to be nearly breathless, and very tired from their long journey.

"Gus, you think they've got anything to drink in this Tower?" Said one
"I don't know Charlie, this might be a Dry tower." Said the other.
"Who's Charlie?" the old man that was appearntly Charlie asked the man who seemd to be Gus.
"You are you fool, Who's Gus?" Asked Gus.
"You are, you fool?" Charlie said.

Neither seemed to have an ounce of power in them.

She does some time conversions.

"I'm afraid I have a diplomatic assembly then." She writes a note saying she will be unable to attend, but hopes that the carnival is a success.
*Warhaven*

The Wolf puts the message in a pouch in his Diplomatic vest, and retreats outdoors. Then, he sits on his haunches, and lets out a long lonely wail that echoes accross the terrain. As he howls, he disappears back to Riptide.

The invitation goes through Kaymiril, that whoever wished to go might.

***********************************************************
Two elderly men...it might serve well to just observe...

Haldosir stood in shadow...and Shan was in the lobby, like normal, bouncing that stupid ball.

Gus and Charlie seperate. Gus goes to Haldosir.

"Sir, I am not but a common scholar. I have no magickal abilities what so ever. I come merely to study magick from an outsiders perspective. But first, is there anything strong to drink within, I haven't had anything to drink for awhile."

Charlie meanwhile, went to Shan.

"Young man, I am a common man from far off. I have come here to study magick from the perspective of one who has none. I used to, but alas, I lost it over the years. Never knew why. Now, I wondered, if I might simply observe the goings on within this Tower." Charlie asked Shan.

"I myself am unaware of anything alchoholic in the Tower, but there is water in abundance."

Shan looked at the old man. Something's...weird...

"Well, no one's been turned away yet...but it can be dangerous here for a non-magick user. Very dangerous."

Gus gives a sigh.

"Ahh, water. I thought I spotted a town on the way in. Perhaps they will have a pub." Gus then wanders off to the Library to read, and start there.

Charlie meanwhile, decides to argue.

"I assure you young man, I can take care of myself, and stay well out of the way." Charlie said.

Sweat was glistening off his forhead, with Shan's Drow eyes, he would barely be able to make out a mark of some sort on his forhead.

Haldosir communicated to Rildorath, who was in the library at the time, to keep an eye on the old man about to come in.

S -- "Were you in some sort of battle once?"

charlie made the fatal mistake of wiping the sweat of his forhead. The Mark shown through and through. It was the Seal of Kajeenith, the Mad God of Darkness, and it even seemed to glow a little.

"Who, me? why yes, once. With a very Evil man that Sought to stop me from doing the greater good. You see, a very evil man was about to be released from a very very old seal. I knew it, and I knew how to stop it. My father, a legend from the days of Yore, taught me how to keep the seal up. It required a single Soul, and I volunteered my own. This Evil Man was my own Brother, a master of Warfare. He called me mad. We fought, and in the end, I lost my powers. Now I study magick to regain my own lost ones before the Evil man is released." Charlie said.

OOC:Remember this story.

Shan stands, and his ball suddenly glows with spell power, and his eyes glow vivid red.

"Kajeenith. Get out of this Tower...or I will throw you out."

How he was going to throw the guy out, he had no idea, he was a god, for crying out loud...but he would do it or die trying.

Charlies eyes glowed with power.

"Do not be foolish child. you couldn't possibly stand a Chance against a Dark Elder Wargod." Kajeenith said. How had they found out? He told no one he did not trust.

The Body of Charlie disappeared, there was a Dark empty Cloud, then Kajeenith appeared, Dark Energy eminating from his body. It absorbed the Fashka in the air, the Fashka in Shan, the Fashka in Haldosir, the Fashka in everyone else around them, not all at once, but little by little.

The Sacrifice, Kajeenith's own blade, came out of its sheath.

Kajeenith, Mad God of Darkness, was in the Tower.

Haldosir sent word up to Rildorath, who hurried down.

S -- "I don't care. You will not pass me, while I yet live." A replica of Haldosir's sword emerged from the ball he held.

Haldosir, too, stepped out.

"You have failed. You wanted to spy us out...leave now, and you might retain your limbs."

R -- "Or you might not. Depends on how irritated you make us."

"It doesn't matter eitherway. Four expert Swordsmen, one a Demi-God. the odds are in our favor, and *feels Kajeenith's powers.* Your not even the real Kajeenith. Sending an Avatar to do a Deity's Job. Kajeenith is slipping." Said a fourth voice behind them, who turned out to be Rahegalhoff.

"The mad God has his reasons. Run run little mortals while you still can. The Mad God seeks to unleash The Nameless One." Kajeenith's avatar laughed.

"Fictional characters do not frighten me." Rahegalhoff simply stated.

Kajeenith unleashed an everlasting Dark Energy Drain, to slowly and continually drain all the energy from the White Tower of Hoeth and all there in. Then, he vanished.

Rahegalhoff walked into it, and released his Holy Aura, and dissolved it.

"Send word to the Queen and Barbarossa, Kajeenith has gone and left an Avatar, which may begin attacking anytime soon." Rahegalhoff warned. Then, he walked off.

Cougar looked at him,"Alright, fair enough. I'm not the best teacher, as even I am a student. But, I will help you as best I can. But, first things first. You don't bow, you don't kneel, you don't do any of that stuff ever again."

He sheathed his own blade, and sat upon the air, using his own magick to keep himself aloft, and bade Piekrom sit,"You first need to learn control, just like I did. First though, I want you to learn to meditate, to look inside yourself. Close your mind to all distractions, and close your eyes. Looks inside yourself, and tell me what you see"

Piekrom then stands up sheathes his blade and says, "Thank you Mr. Cougar for accepting me." He then sits on the grass of the court yard and starts to concentrate finding his center like he always does when he fights with his blade. He clears his mind and looks at a blank white plain. Then some images begin to form some are of entire cites being destroyed and ravaged some are of exploding volcanoes. Then the image seems to zoom out and he is then looking down on the world. A great evil darkness seems to be descending on the planet. Suddenly a few pinpricks of very bright light start burning and start spreading to what seems like other points they all burn very quickly and brightly all the while spreading. a few others are set off but they seem to burn dully do not spread out to others and take a long time to burn. the lights seem to eventual chase away the darkness then the lights start to go out and the process repeats itself. it seems to be a history of the world. Then all the images disappear. he then looks upon a man who looks like an older version of himself yet is not him at all he is on a platform going through a time shift plain then the platform disappears and the man starts falling. he rips open a gate and falls through it. when he is out of the gat he is looking upon his home land smaller then what he remembers last seeing it but definitely his homeland. Then he is returned back to the white plain and all images stop. "I have never seen those images before. I never went beyond the white plan never knew that would happen. I had simply used the white plain to gain a deaper concentration during my sword traing and battle."

OOC: if this was not what I was supposed to be doing just tell me and ignore this one and I will write a new one in the proper way.

OOC: It might also help if you reacted to the fact that you were just in the presence of a Dark God. A fact that reaches through even meditation. Everyone at the tower felt something.

OOC: I am supposed to be doing this before you came. I am on a bit of a time delay because of college and everything. I was asking if it was alright to have preminitory images.

Upon geting out of the meditation he seen that someone who seems to disturb everyone appears. then he feels some energy leak from him so he goes into him self again and wraps up his energy in iorn so that none may touch it but some still leaks out.

Piekrom']Upon geting out of the meditation he seen that someone who seems to disturb everyone appears. then he feels some energy leak from him so he goes into him self again and wraps up his energy in iorn so that none may touch it but some still leaks out.
OOC: Time is a funny thing here in the Tower, we have yet to agree in a constant continual flow of time. Its usually whatever suits the current story. And for future Refrence, The Sole purpose of Dark Energy is to Steal Energy. Its a Precursor to The Nameless One's powers, and well, heh. The time it takes for The Namelessone to appear depend on both the speed at which Balrogga finishes up a Project with me, and how hard S.E. and Kaymiril push Kajeenith. Either way, its all on a Time Limit, currently set to go off AFTER S.E.'s next RP.

Cougar had been aware of the problem, and would have aided had he been given the chance. Unfortunatley, he was now teaching a student who had little to no control over his power, and James knew from expierence how dangerous that could be.

He cast a Holy spell, using the pure Holy energies contained within his body to suppress any Dark magick that came near him and his student, before saying,"Tell me, is that a dream or vision that you have often?"

"As I said I used the white plain as a place to concentrate on my sword often to bring it into my self as a part of me to gain finer control. This dream i have had in my sleep once or twice and once my concentration during a training match went over into it a bit. but no i do not see it often.

"Perhaps it is possible to use the same technique as with your sword training to aid you in controlling your latent magickal talents. I know that it was useful to me."

He gestured with a hand, repeating the first exercise that his master had put him through when he first arrived at the Tower. A chair floated over, and settled on the ground,"Focus on the chair. Don't try and destroy it, simply try and move the chair."

OOC: I assume Riptide is a forest?

Artemis looked around. There was no one there however. He looked into the dark forest around him, edging in on him. He smiled.

He had grown up in worse forests than this. In his forests the men had to hunch right over and hack their way through tangles of briars. Artemis wouldn't do that here though, he would do as he had done in his own forest.

He went over to a tree and was about to start climbing when he remembered what the druid had said.... Trees that eat people . He stopped and picked up a length of wood. he pushed it towards the tree. Nothing happened. He then cut his thumb on a thorn, and wiped a small amount of blood onto the end of the wood. He pushed it towards the trees again.

Suddenly a vine came down and whipped the wood out of his hand. He smiled, and then did the same to the next tree. When this one had not responded, he had decided to climb it. He went up, hand over hand. He performed the trick with the piece of wood and the blood on each tree, and went away on the safe trees. He didn't know where he was going, yet he decided to follow his instincts. After a while he quickly ate a meal of the berries he had brought, from outside the Tower.

He set off again, and found himself above a clearing. With a definate feeling he knew he was above the grove. He was preparing to drop down, when he heard a rustling and clicking behind him. The clicking of a huge spider.

He turned around. The spider was bigger than him. He was in no condition to fight it with just a club, and plus, he was balanced on a tree, it had 8 legs to keep balance. He thought about it, and he realised tha maybe the spider could be calmed like he could do with other animals. He quickly cut himself again and smeared more blood on the tree branch he was on, and back away again.

As the spider cam nearer, he locked gazes with it, trying to calm it or even befriend it. He didn't know if that would work though.

OOC: Warhaven, it's up to you to see if the spider will calm a bit

"Ok I will try." Goes with in himself and returns to the white plain and places the chair in the middle of the plain. He focuses on the chair calling it to himself trying to become one with the chair. In real life the chair begins to shuder just a little and scoots forward about half an inch then stops.

OOC: I assume Riptide is a forest?

Artemis looked around. There was no one there however. He looked into the dark forest around him, edging in on him. He smiled.

He had grown up in worse forests than this. In his forests the men had to hunch right over and hack their way through tangles of briars. Artemis wouldn't do that here though, he would do as he had done in his own forest.

He went over to a tree and was about to start climbing when he remembered what the druid had said.... Trees that eat people . He stopped and picked up a length of wood. he pushed it towards the tree. Nothing happened. He then cut his thumb on a thorn, and wiped a small amount of blood onto the end of the wood. He pushed it towards the trees again.

Suddenly a vine came down and whipped the wood out of his hand. He smiled, and then did the same to the next tree. When this one had not responded, he had decided to climb it. He went up, hand over hand. He performed the trick with the piece of wood and the blood on each tree, and went away on the safe trees. He didn't know where he was going, yet he decided to follow his instincts. After a while he quickly ate a meal of the berries he had brought, from outside the Tower.

He set off again, and found himself above a clearing. With a definate feeling he knew he was above the grove. He was preparing to drop down, when he heard a rustling and clicking behind him. The clicking of a huge spider.

He turned around. The spider was bigger than him. He was in no condition to fight it with just a club, and plus, he was balanced on a tree, it had 8 legs to keep balance. He thought about it, and he realised tha maybe the spider could be calmed like he could do with other animals. He quickly cut himself again and smeared more blood on the tree branch he was on, and back away again.

As the spider cam nearer, he locked gazes with it, trying to calm it or even befriend it. He didn't know if that would work though.

OOC: Warhaven, it's up to you to see if the spider will calm a bit
Two eyes versus many is quite a feat. The spider shakes itself, and lets out a gigantic hiss. Fortunatly, the hiss also alerted a Roc flying overhead, who swooped down and carried the Spider off to its nest full of nearly grown Rocs.

Artemis can see many Druids looking up at him. Most, with a smile of amusement on their faces. They step into the trees and disappear. The forest suddenly seems empty.

OOC: Riptide has many landscapes, not just Forest. You just happened to be put in the right one.

Cougar smiled,"Well, better than I did. I destroyed it, if I'm honest. But you are, like I did, concentrating too hard. Relax, loosen up slightly, and have no emotions when you work magick. To do so is fundementally flawed, as your emotions will affect your magick in ways that can never be determined before they happen"

"Humm so I am to tense? i suspected that emotins were influential in magik after all that is what got me into trouble. Very well then let me try again." He then goes deep inside himself and concentrates he by passes the white plain at first and searches himself for all his emotions and feelings and puts them into a box with his mind. Then he goes to the plain and envisons the chair again this time he does not call the chair but rather he just lets his mind flow over it letting it seep into himself of its own accord. Void of all emotions his concentration is far lighter. The chair then begins to float about half a foot above the ground. he then moves it about 2 feet to the left then it falls and one of the legs brakes off.

OOC: I think you're a little confused...SE, teach him how to first harness the fashka. He's clueless.

OOC: Good idea

IC: Cougar repaired the chair, and shook his head,"You're using far too much tupora fashka. Carry on like that, and you'll end up killing yourself, and nobody wants that"

OOC: So did i do something wrong with the way I accesed the power, or is it more like you are comenting on my failiar. If it is the failiar am I not supposed to fail the first few times. If it is the way are we not supposed to be able to develope our own style.

Piekrom']OOC: So did i do something wrong with the way I accesed the power, or is it more like you are comenting on my failiar. If it is the failiar am I not supposed to fail the first few times. If it is the way are we not supposed to be able to develope our own style.

OOC: Theres a general concession regarding way that power if regulated here. We all agree on one system, which is the one of fashka and tupora fashka, introduced by Kaymiril. Once Cougar explains it to your character, you can call it what you want, but ensure the principle stays the same, and it makes life slightly easy. Other than that, your style is your own.

"humm what do you mean tupora fashka? What is the difference between it and other magik? How about you explain to me the theory first."

OOC: Ok I will follow your magik rules do not worry, but I have to leave to school soon so I will compleat this later. This is a night class so yea it takes a while.

Piekrom']"humm what do you mean tupora fashka? What is the difference between it and other magik? How about you explain to me the theory first."

OOC: Ok I will follow your magik rules do not worry, but I have to leave to school soon so I will compleat this later. This is a night class so yea it takes a while.
OOC: It's all cool. This is really the only rule.

IC: Cougar rubbed his temples slightly, and nodded,"Alright, there are two main types of energy in the world. Fashka is the energy that is all around us. It is that energy that can be harnessed for magick to work, and is in fact essential that you employ it. In order to use it effectively, you must draw the fashka from your surroundings, and use it to fuel your inner energy, which we call tupora fashka."

He paused for a moment, then continued,"Now, you can work magick just using your tupora fashka, but you have only a limited supply before you exhaust yourself, and thus loose not only your inner energy, but also the capacity to harness fashka. By drawing in fashka, you can avoid using your tupora fashka, and thus last longer in a magickal battle. Think of tupora fashka as your natural magickal stamina, which you can only keep for a limited time. BY using fashka, you can rebuild it, maintain it, and avoid using it as far as possible. Do you understand me?"

"Ahh I see now so because of how I called the chair making it a part of my self and moving it like it was a part of me and put my energy into it i had released a part of my self into the chair and thus depleated my natural body's energy but if I was to call upon the air or the ground for its energy I would sustain my self more.

Cougar had to blink in surprise, simply because the previous statement had come out as a single, garbled sentence to him. After a moment, his mind cleared, and he waved his hand in the air,"Yes... and no at the same time. You were using your own energy to move the chair, without drawing in anything to replace it. If you don't do that, you can't work as well, and it eventually leads to death."

"ok I got that. Now how do I call on the outside energy within my surroundings."

Cougar demonstrated how to do it, by making the energy surrounding them more visible. He then showed the student how to absorb this energy, and use it to his advantage.

OOC: Sorry, brothers, with modem dial-up etc

IC: Artemis was a bit stunned, he would have hit the spider on the head the moment it would have bent to taste the blood, but this seemed a better way.

He quickly shinned down the tree. He looked about at the clearing, that had been full of druids. He called out

"Valanthe....I am here, I have passed the first test!!"

"So you have. The first two tests must have been easy for you. Now your third." She said. She walked over to him.

"You will find yourself in a Cavern, full of hungry lions and Tigers that have not eaten in a week. You appear to have a natural ability to calm and control animals, something all Druids posses to some degree. It will be tested to see just how far it runs. You will be given a days supply of raw bloody meat. Your test, is to keep the creatures from attacking you, attacking each other, and all must be alive by the next day, including you. No harm, no scratches, and you may not feed them your meat, for while it will not harm you, it will kill them instantly. Challenging, but if you possess the potential to become a Druid, you shall accomplish this task. You will either live through it, or you will Die from it. You may have your Chainmail armor, but not your sword. While it may have a link to nature, this is a test of you, not your sword, after all, if your sword is not with you, what will you do? Thus the tests, thus the training, thus the ancient rules that we have followed for many millennia." Valanthe said.

She touched him, and he felt himself teleported, to a Cavern large enough to comfortably hold 10 lions, 10 tigers, Artimes, and a prelit Campfire, with enough wood to last exactly one day. A ventalation shaft at the top provided air, and allowed smoke to escape, however, climbing out of it would be impossible. Artimes's chainmail glinted in the Firelight.

The Cats looked at him with hunger in their eyes. They had all had Man-meat before, from previous candidates who had failed. Dinner had arrived. They all growled, and licked their mouths.

OOC: Gee, wonder where I got this test from. Anyone care to hazard a guess? And no zombies, you may not make it seem an easy test, unlike the first portion. This test will be very hard, very life threatening, and you will be very lucky to escape it alive.

OOC: Cor blimey, may well have a small problem here.

IC: Artemis looked around him. He backed into a corner of the cavern. The cats held back for a while, since he held a burning piece of wood. He then quickly moved all the unburnt wood to the corner of this cavern. He then ay the meat out behind the wood. Quickly he made a ring about himself with the wood, then lit it. Although the fire would not take as long to burnt out like this, he now had a bit longer to attempt to calm each of the beasts.

He looked at the nearest of the animals first, a tiger, and calmly looked into it's eyes over the fire. It would be a long day.

Hungry Tigers and Lions do not calm easily. Artimes was right, it would be Quite a Long day. A lion and a Tiger started Growling at each other. It was obvious that Artimes would have to leave the safety of his Ring of fire.

"Artimes, learn to trust me." A still small voice seemed to say from inside Artimes somewhere.

Artemis cocked his head.

He listened for the voice again, fully preparing to follow it's commands, if they could help him.

The voice seemed to be that of a higher source. Artimes still had to calm those two cats down before they killed each other, voice or not. The Tiger Roared.

OOC: Ure too rite, not easy...rite time to improvise.

IC: Artemis realised that the two cats were going to start a proper fight soon. He thought quickly, and grabbed a handful of burning sticks by their non-burning ends. He threw them, attemting to seperate the cats. They simply shied away, and Artemis jumped his ring of fire and ran to each of the animals. He knew ways to calm dogs, by rubbing them in 1 3/4 circles on the back of the neck,. he hoped it mite be the same for lions and tigers, and did it quickly. As soon as the cat's growling had subsided, he turned again and dived through the flames, narrowly escaping a tiger.

A lone individual entered the room and approached the meditating occupant. It prostrated itself and waited to be noticed.

The figure meditating noticed the individual and began to traverse the paths to full consciousness. After a few seconds he spoke.

“Speak.”

“Sire, there is a wolf messenger at the gates to the palace. We have allowed it into the foyer out of politeness but we are awaiting you decision to allow it any further entrance. It claimed to have a message from someone named Arianna.”

Nhur-Galladu thought for a moment.

“Have the messenger escorted to the garden. I will meet with it there in 10 minutes.”

“Yes Sire.”

The Aide quickly left.

*zombies*

"Your meat is poisoned. While not harmful to humans, causing heavey slumber at most, it causes Feline throats to swell shut, blocking the passage of air, thereby suffacating them to death. The poison is easily cooked out. Mushrooms on the wall behind you are edible by humans." The voice said.
**********************************************************
*Balrogga*

The wolf paced nervously in the garden. it sat and whined, wanting to be done and Gone.

OOC: Did think of that, but thought mite be too easy :p

IC: Artemis quickly gathered a large flat slab and placed bits of meat onto it. He put it inot one of the fires, and used it as a hotplate. He soon had the first piece of meat cooked. He decided not to throw it out straight away in case it caused a fight. He quickly cooked all of the meat, and then left his harbour area. He stopped in front of each large cat and placed a slab of meat on the ground before it.

He decided to leave the mushrooms for now. He still had some f the edible plants left from the forest near the Tower.

"Tell me Artimes, why do you wish to become a Druid?" The voice asked.

IC:"Well "he began, then realised that he didnt need to speak. He though insted, and pictured his family being buried after the beastman raid again....

I want to help people, and help animals. I have grown up around natre, and always felt connected to animals and the plants. To be honest, I can't really explain, it it's an urge that keeps me going, it's something I feel I have to do.

His thought trailed off and he wandered over to the nearest animal. It was small, small for a tiger, and it now lay in the calm sleep of those around it. It bore the obvous marks of one that had been beaten for food or mating a few times.

Artemis looked at it, looked it in the eyes. After a while he felt it was safe to approah. He stroked it's head, then sat down beside it.

later, he would hear a very menacing growl beside him. it was, nearly seven and a half hours later.

The Tiger he had layed down beside, was standing protectivly infront of him. It was facing off against a Lion nearly twice its size.

Artemis quickly got up.

The fire had burned out, yet there was some hope still.

He moved to the head of the small tiger, then infornt of it. The large lion eyed him hungrily. It had obviously not had it's fill of the food, and there was hardly any left. Artemis reached into his pack to get the rest, then subtly wrapped it in a leaf. The leaf contained a harmless knock out drug, though it had been hard to come by, for the animal who ate the leafoff the tree would have been then eaten by it when the animal had fallen asleep.

Artemis placed the meat and leaf on the ground before the lion, and backed away again.

Five minutes later, the Lion was sleeping peacefully.

OOC: Thanx for that, didn't know what else to do.

IC:Artemis turned to the small tiger. He stroked it and scratched behind it's ears. He sat by it again, looking at the tiger. He liked it, and decided to think up a name for it, just in case.

The Tiger sat by his new friend. Time slowly passes.

Artemis could see it was a male, he thought about it, then said

"What do you think of Errtu for a name my friend?"

Cougar demonstrated how to do it, by making the energy surrounding them more visible. He then showed the student how to absorb this energy, and use it to his advantage.

After taking a carefull messure of the different magiks in the air and ground and in everything around him and watching how it was used. He atempted once more to move the chair. This time when he went to the white plain he focused not only on the chair but tried also to see the lines of energy surronding the chair. He then moved the different lines of energy to surround the chair and directed them to do the work of moving the chair for him. The chair then began to hover above the ground moved over a foot to the right then setteled down.

Artemis could see it was a male, he thought about it, then said

"What do you think of Errtu for a name my friend?"
The Tiger really didn't seem to respond, however, it began to purr, after awhile.

Nhur-Galladu entered the garden. The lush indoor rainforest pleased him. He found the greens relaxing and the sound of the water falls soothing. He approached the pavilion in the center and took a seat. The messenger was then allowed to approach him to deliver it’s charge.


OOC:

Take over the meeting so we don't have to make these small posts. I will allow you to make small unimportant moves for my character for now.

The Wolf sat in the Garden of the Emperor. He was a bit frightened to see a Man that was not really there, arrive for the message.

He realized though, that this must be the Emperor. He fished in his Jacket, and, like a Dog delivering the morning paper, delivered Arianna's Invite. Then, the common Artic Wolf sat back down to await a Reply.

Minuets passed.


The Emperor rolled up the Parchment, and handed it back to the wolf. The wolf saw that, it changed, but how? This Ghost thing was scary.

The Wolf put the parchment away, sat down, and Howled a haunting howl that would echo as far as it could. As he howled, the Wolf disappeared.

An innocent Butterfly landed on a Flower. The emperor paused to consider the beauty of the Butterfly. Then, without even a whisper, the Emperor faded away, going elsewhere on important business.