Chapter 4 -- Salvaging Nepris

[Shan Gutarus]

Shan took one more step up to the door and pryed it open with his snout, looking in. The delicious vapors afronted him at once and peering into the snug cottage, spotting Pellegra holding a warm sheet of bulbous spice-cakes, a sugary glaze coating each and every one, and placing it on a wooden slab resting on the counter.

The old woman, her wrinkled features both softened yet wizened by gleaming blue-grey eyes, looked down with the creaking of the door to peer back into Shan's own lustrous orbs. The shingar, in turn, sent his lolling tongue licking his snout.

"Hungry, are we?" the old woman asked, her voice apparently devoid of the stress of the recent situation. "That can be remedied." Shanvorin nearly grinned as Pellegra went about busying herself while Herald hovered around her, nosilly, eyeing the spice-cakes. Shanvorin eyed him curiously, wondering what exactly compelled him to hang around. Any other sane person would have gone back down to the village by now, though Shan assumed that he must have had some business with the hag.

The cat's unimportant thoughts were interupted though as Pellegra whistled and placed a wooden bowl down on the floor. His heart and hopes in the dirt, Shanvorin stared forlornly down at the thick soup-bone, the tenderness and flavor stripped from the meat still clinging to it. "A hearty treat for a mighty animal!" Pellegra grinned, and Shanvorin could have sworn he saw her wink.

[Paladia Entonei]

Paladia listened to the last of their suggestions and ran a hand through her hair. Her taut ponytail was coming loose and dirty, straggling hairs fell across her brow. With a few quick movements, the long auburn strands were back in place and the thoughtful bandana where it should be. "My brother," she thought to herself, pensively, "Will I accomplish as much as you in my young life? Or will my acheivements end here among humans and sailors..."

The elven woman shook her head and stiffened her jaw in resolve, spotting Dominic's grim gaze before he turned away. "It's settled then," she began, though Pally's voice cracked. She was never nervous before a battle! What was going on? "It's these people and those watchful eyes...looking to me for answers" she figured, though Paladia was shaken from her thoughts with a rough hand on her slender shoulder. Pally looked up at the softly smiling sailor and nodded in return. "I'll see what I can do about the rooftop archers. You two start down just as I take down one. When you get to the back door," she started up again, nodding to Terra, "See if you can lead a few out for my own shot. I'll follow a bit behind with my bow."

[Warrior Kaelan]

Kaelan's eyes never really left the cat, a kind of listlessness pervading his manners. A thin smile forces itself across his face as the beast studies the soup-bone placed in front of it. It seems strange that such a large animal, and as dangerous and unpredictable as a shingar, could be so treated like a mild-mannered pet. Yes, odd, but apparently not impossible.

His eyes now wander back to the captives, and he forces himself from the spot he was leaning on, taking a short walk around, inventing a small patrol.

Why do you ask?

[Terra Artemos]

Terra nods to the plan as it is so far, but wants to be sure it is as well laid as possible as they have no idea exactly what is waiting for them.

"We should stay to the trees till we are ready to make for the back of the cottage. They may have lookouts we can't see from here, and if we can keep from being spotted till the last moment, we may be able to catch them off guard. If we can do that we will have a much easier time subduing those holding the mage."

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Paladia Entonei]

Paladia nodded stiffly and drew out a breath along with her bow. She locked eyes with Dominic for a while and saw his face was grim yet measured and couldn't help but wonder why he was so calm in the face of battle. "Strong man," she couldn't help but acknowledge, "For a human". Closing her eyes and gaining her focus, Pally notched an arrow and readied for position behind some brush.

"This is it. I trust you to move out when you are confident to do so and....good luck," she said quietly, not looking at them. She eyed the men on the rooftops and let her mind take her to her own world. Pally thought of her training, her tribe, her honor...what they had done, what they will do. She would bring justice and show that she can protect this town just as well as she will the forest.

The arrow was brought back, the wood creaking with what she considered excitement, and let fly. The fine elvish make soared through the air and another arrows was in place as it neared the mark. The first struck it's target, taking the person on the far left silently and quickly in the throat. The second followed quickly and took it's mark right in the center of the chest, just as the companion turned to his fallen neighbhor.

The third began to yell as the thud of the fallen alerted his attention. Paladia cursed her carelessless. "Being cocky gets me nowhere." she berrated herself for her temporary hope that she would get them all off easilly, " 'You can only defeat failure by acknowledging it' "

The fourth rooptop villain had taken up his own bow and was beginning to fire for Paladia as his remaining standing partner slumped to the ground, a second arrow the right of his chest. Paladia bit her lip, a sweat beading on her temple. The last arrow let fly and, to her temporary releif, struck her victim. Unfortunately, it took him in the eye and his cries could have woke the dead.

[Herald the Bombastic]

“Those delicacies seem to emit quite a pleasant treat for the olfactories m’Lady.” Herald eloquently admitted, taking a large, yet not impolite, sniff of the room. He had been hovering behind the lady for sometime, peering over her frail shoulder at the tiny delicacies on the tray. It had been a good while since the elderly man had tasted the pleasant, subtle ‘twing’ in the back of his throat from the spices so expertly forged into cake-shape. Ahh, it would be a delight to try one. But, it seemed that every time he reached for one she would seemingly inadvertently move it just slightly away, yet enough to prevent him from grabbing the elusive treat.

“Do you mind if I partake of one?” Herald casually asked, his voice fading slowly as she put the sheet down and walked towards the…

It was in fact a giant cat. However Herald’s mind seemed to be grappling with this simple fact. If it was a cat then he would faint yet again… and if he collapsed once more he would without a doubt suffer a nasty bump to the head; which wasn’t at all a pleasing thought. So, instead, the old man’s subconscious took control. It wasn’t a shingar any longer, it was an… ox. No, that wouldn’t do… it was, quite factually to Herald, an underdeveloped horse; in all actually what he was seeing in his mind was a pony.

Yes, the herbalist who had just made the spice-cakes was walking in the direction of a pony. A precious, sleek pony. Herald ceased paying attention and proceeded to scoop up several of the pastries, putting all but one in various fold-like pockets of his flowing robe.

He took a careful bite of the cake and savored it. When he was finished with this next bite he quietly muttered, “ah, the simple pleasures of existence.”

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
-- Jonathan Swift

[Isaraldor Glamthail]

As the sounds of men yelling filled his ears, Isa gained some hope. He knew they were coming, it would only be a matter of time before his companions found him. For now he would rest, but with a slight smile on his face, for he knew that his captors were recieving thier just reward.

sig made by gararion

Can you withstand my eternal onslaught of wind and water?
Isaraldor Glamthail-Santharia

[Shan Gutarus]

Pellegra glared at Herald and her hand snapped out faster than Shan could have reckoned possible. Her frail, but bitingly quick hand, lashed out and had plucked the spice cake from Heralds jowls.

"Excuse me, sir, but I would suspect a man of your...agreeable...age to behave with a little more civility. You can have one with our tea, now if you would be so kind as to lay the cups and saucers out. They're in the cabinet," she instructed without a second thought, used to her authority rewarded by her age. "And while you're at it, son, be gracious enough to lay out the napkins as well. Second drawer on the right."

The old woman hustled past the shingar who had come to gnaw miserably on his soup bone. She scratched at his heavily muscled neck with a gnarled hand as she passed and stepped outside. Looking to Kaelan, Pellegra beckoned him. "You, sir. Inside. A bit early, I reckon, though you've business to attend to soon and I'd like tea done with before you boys are on your way."

The herbalist shuffled outside a little further and looked to Cole, who was looking quite miserable himself. "Come on, boy. You must be peckish and you've had a rough day. That's it, lad. If you behave well I might just give you a sweetie from the pantry," she said, a little more sweetly to the pale young man, before shuffling in. With a reluctant glance to his father, who was in no shape to be doing much moving, Cole patted him on the good shoulder and headed on inside, a bemused smile on his otherwise grim features. Every kid in Nepris knew that Pellegra's pantry sweets were as old as she was.

[Warrior Kaelan]

Kaelan obediently broke off his patrol and headed toward the building, glancing over toward the prisoners as he did so.

Why do you ask?

[Terra Artemos]

With the plan agreed apon Terra lead Dominic off through the trees being careful to keep the woodcutters cottage in sight, but not to move out of the trees and be spotted. As they come around the back side of the cottage still hidding within the trees, Terra draws her Moon Blade in a single graceful movement. Only a slight ring is produced as the long, slender blade comes free from its wooden scabbord, and Terra prepares to charge the cottage, taking a quick look to Dominic to be sure he is ready as well.

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Shan Gutarus]

Dominic followed after Terra quietly, watching with a quiet admiration as Paladia picked off the members on the roof. It was that blood curdling scream that made him break a sweat...this would not be easy. The sailor nodded stiffly and cracked his knuckles and then, with a steady push from his right hand, snapped his neck with a sigh.

The big man charged down the hill silently and, looking back, caught Pally's eye. He could see from her stance that she was getting into position to follow in after them. Turning back to the cottage, he noted grimly the three men coming out to see what was going on.

Dominic was on the biggest of the three just as he let out a cry, cracking a fist across his jaw with a sick crunch and wrestling him to the ground. The other saw Terra and labeled her a bigger threat because of the menacing weapon. A moderately muscled man with a foreign look, he took out a scimitar and charged in on her. The third, a lanky man with feathery blonde hair, pulled out a throwing dagger and seemed to be deciding between the two combatants.

From inside the cottage there were some harsh calls and a crash of something being knocked over, and three flickering figures could be seen getting into position around the door.

[Terra Artemos]

Following Dominic down the hill, Terra notes the the men coming from the cottage. Dominic wrestles one down, apparently the largest of the three, a second drews steel and charges at her, she also notes the indescission of the third with throwing knives. In stead of continuing to charge directly at the swordsman, Terra turned slightly and continued in on an arch, her blade on the outside of the arch ready to strike at the right moment.

Terra and the swordsman continue to charge at each other, the swordsman being forced to charge in an arch as well to try and meet her head on. Terra to compensated for the swordsmans movement her arch became tighter, then she brought her sword around on the swordsman. With the speed of the charge, and being on the outside of the tightening arch, Terra's MoonBlade came to bear at increadible and power.

Though she is not particularly strong she had learned that power does not mean strength, speed and also lend itself to power. Using her speed and agility Terra hopes to keep him off guard, and keep him from bringing his strength fully to bear on her.

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Illix]

Illix and Darien made their way to the Inn, Illix still with arms wrapped around Darien like some sort of vined plant growing along a post.

as they entered the building illix was busy cooing and purring into Darien's ear, and held onto him as they walked up to the Clerk's desk. She waited patiently for him to ask the clerk for a room, knowing that her plan was about to come to fruition...

(OOC- Darien, if you don't post soon I may be forced into puppeting you, and that will not abode well for you...)

Here I go, playing the Hero again...

[Darien Gulath]

Darién:

Darién carefully looked over the woman again, and he could not help keep noticing her beauty; But he also noticed that this was not merely a street-prostitute. He could sense the hidden temper inside the woman; And that was exactly the way he liked it. He could hardly wait to rip her clothes from her body and to begin his sexual domination. He would force the woman to do (*~ Insert evil sexual fantasy’s here~*) and the more she screamed the more he would force it. During their walk his thirst had gone away and his thoughts had more and more wandered of towards the oncoming situation.
Bartender a room please! He called impatiently, He hoped the costs wouldn’t be too high because he probably had no choice then to pay the prostitute too. Well,… Maybe he wouldn’t, It would depend on his satisfaction…

Zerigron:

Zerigron watched down from his tree with his arrow ready to fire but he was in not position for a clear shot. He had spotted 2 of his enemy's already and he thought that they where not aware of the full force that was still in and around the house. As he was about to give the order to fire the arrows with a simple wink towards those on the roof he could see the stealthy kills that happened at the very same moment. His comrades where strucked with arrows one by one and there was nothing he could do about it. He focussed his arrow on the onrushing 2 people and assumed that there still was one “hidden”… The archer! He could definitely not get any clear shots since the big bearded fellow (Dominic) and the sword’s lady (Terra) where mingling their selves around his fellow comrades in a bloodthirsty battle. As he watched the first phrases of combat he knew the time had come to do something. Nobody could see him but that didn’t help the situation much. But what he feared more was the hidden archer still in the bushes who could still shoot down all of his forces without facing any opposition. So he pulled him up from the branch and slid down the tree landing softly on his agile feet. He crouched trough the bushes towards the location of the well skilled opposition and he strung the poisonous arrow on his bow during his soft walk,..
And as he reached the area from where the arrows where shot from he noticed someone indeed; A woman with a bow aiming indeed at the woodcutters house. He quickly ducked behind a tree to avoid getting seen and as he had visualised her position he concentrated, ducked back from behind the tree and released the string. The arrow shot with a supreme accuracy towards the woman’s head.

Radirez:

Furiously he had smashed the table during their meeting when he heard the devastating scream from the rooftop and he instantly ordered half of his men to go outside... Several others followed however half of the men stayed as personal protection of Radirez.
Angrily he tossed a chair against the wall inside the room cursing and yelling over and over again. Darién’s name was called several times… “Damn that friend of Areytuk!” I knew we couldn’t trust him! He lead our enemy’s straight towards the house and we clearly agreed that he would take them all into the unknown trap that we where preparing! His arrival is premature and not part of the deal! I will personally make sure that Darién will receive loads of extra torture once we have him here bound to the chair,…For every loss we suffer! Even tough he did not knew that Darién hadn’t even arrived on his destination yet and that the guy had his mind set on entire different things at the moment…

For a moment he stood still and his last words echoed down in his mind… Torture,…, Bound to a chair….
He still had a prisoner! Follow me he commanded one of the criminals and he walked trough the hallways peaking down trough the open door on the battlefield for just a short while but resumed then trough another door and moved right down the stairs towards the mage; Isaraldor. The first thing he noticed was the chair with cutted roped and a dead guard near some piles of wood. He drew one of his many weapons; The steel sword and rushed down on as fast as he could. His armour making a clinging noise as he arrived at the bottom. He carefully watched around the room with his comrade next to him.
Curse you Elf! Where are you?!
And the tought of taking Isaraldor up as hostage slowly faded out of his mind and changed into a killer’s awareness. It would be their or the captive’s live. And Isaraldor had no way of escape since the 2 sword-drawn men blocked the stairs…

Edited by: Luca the Thief at: 6/29/05 22:44

[Illix]

The bartender jumped at Darien's order for a room. He looked like the type who was easily frightened. He stammered out that the first room just upstairs and to the left was unoccupied, and before Darien could even pay the man she whispered in Darien's ear "I'll get ready while you pay this gentleman, Darien dear. Just don't be too long, I'll be waiting..." and with that she slipped off of his shoulder and went upstairs to the room, closing the door behind her.

Once inside she worked quickly and surveyed the room. It was rather plain, just a Bed, a simply curtained window, and a small table to the side. And on this table is something that Illix had hoped for, because it would make this all the easier- a Vase.

It held no flowers but was decorated with a simple floral pattern. Illix didn't really care, since she could tell it wasn't very well made or - more importantly for her purposes - not very expensive. She picked it up in her free hand- it had some weight to it, that was good - and she moved behind the door to the room, vase in one hand fan in the other, waiting for her "client" to come through the door...

Here I go, playing the Hero again...

Edited by: Illix at: 6/30/05 4:58

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