Order of the Dark Flame: The Adventures Continue (no spam-story)

[Harry2052]

It was just before dawn when Harry rode into the keep's courtyard and up to the stable. Dismounting he led the steed into the barn and a empty stall, removing the saddle and bridle. He left some hay and fresh water for the horse before making his way to the top of the hill to watch the sunrise and think about many things.
The warmth of the sun soon had him dozing on and off with his back to a tree.

[Gwalchmai]

Gwalchmai’s mood remained somber. He wandered the halls of the keep, hoping that something would divert his morose thoughts. As he walked by Nippy’s open door, he heard the young Paladin/Monk muttering to himself. Knocking, Gwalchmai entered the spare quarters and saw the Knight staring at some notes on a piece of paper. Nippy was holding the paper up to the afternoon light, and peered at it only a few inches from his nose, as though he were nearsighted. Nippy muttered something about demons and someone named ‘Belhifet’. Looking up, he showed the paper to Gwalchmai, “Have you ever seen markings like this?”

Gwalchmai looked at the symbols, noting that there was a certain Celtic quality to them, and he felt he should know them, but couldn’t place where he might have seen them before. To Nippy he said, “Oh, yeah! I’ve seen these down in the cellar. Do you want me to show you?”

Nippy eyed Gwalchmai suspiciously, doubting the druid’s tone of certainty. “Um, okay,” he said. Gwalchmai led him down into the Elven catacombs beneath the keep, into the cool room where the wine was stored. “Now, I’m sure I’ve seen some of those symbols before.... Ah! Here they are!” Gwalchmai removed two bottles of Elven wine from an upper corner of the wine rack. With a rag, he brushed off the dust, creating a small cloud around him. He handed a bottle to Nippy.

“I don’t see any symbols,” Nippy said, carefully examining the label.

“No, no. The symbols are inside the bottle. You have to drain the contents before you can see them.”

“Well, let’s just pour out the wine and....”

“You can’t waste good wine!” Gwalchmai yelled. “We’re gonna have to drink it!”

Smiling, Nippy pulled the cork of his bottle.

*****

An hour later, Nippy sat with his back against the wine rack, looking into the empty bottle in his hand, “I don’ shee any shymbols in thish one either......” He set the empty bottle down amid several other empty bottles. Gwalchmai was laying with his head on one bottle, softly snoring. Nippy soon joined him in slumber.

[dragon wench]

<<... cold... that was the first thing he felt when he awakened. Then the pain... Disoriented, exhausted, and naked, he lay on the ground trying to get a sense of his situation. Apparently all of his limbs were working... he pulled his legs up underneath him and rolled over onto his knees, catching his breath at the sharp pain in his ribs. He tried to rise but the waves of dizziness and nausea overcame him and he fell almost immediately. Attempting to regroup, he heard the sounds of horses hooves behind him. The full import of how helpless and vulnerable he was came home to him: no armor, no weapon, and a potential hostile encounter in the offing. He considered his options and decided that if he were to be struck down, he would do so as a warrior: on his feet. Crawling over to a large oak, he gritted his teeth as he slowly rose to standing position, steadying himself against the trunk. Then he turned slowly to face whatever it was behind him.

[dragon wench]

“No!” It wasn’t possible. A savage fury welled in her breast, in a leap she dropped to the ground. Brandishing her sword, she advanced, poised to slay the demon before her. Angrily she screamed at the apparition,
“How dare you assume his form? Even if it is my last act, I will ensure that you die!”

She raised her blade and sprang forward, cat-like, a boiling cauldron of emotion directing her every thought, her every action. Rage exploded within her, blinded by tears and burning anger she gripped her sword; focused only on her desire for vengeance, her need to finally welcome the oblivion that had so long eluded her, she charged towards the figure beneath the tree. But, as she neared, something, perhaps it was intuition, slowed her approach. The demon was not proceeding to attack her, despite her obvious intentions to kill; no crackle of magic greeted her enraged declarations. She stopped, and her heart began to pound…

Was it possible…

[dragon wench]

In the dim light of dawn and his own brain fog, Jerren first impression was only of an unamored fighter sporting a very lethal looking blade. He tried to summon the ancient energies, but he was unable to focus on the task. It... she had dropped to the ground, was moving toward him. There was something so familiar... She was screaming at him... then his eyes flew open in shocked recognition, a recognition so visceral and intense that he fell to his knees. It took him a moment more to realize that Dragon Wench was bearing down on him with her sword and he shouted, "Drina... NO! It is me... please... "

[dragon wench]

At his voice…the sound of the name that she had not heard for so long, she halted, her fighting arm paralysed in mid air. Her heart leapt to her throat, and trembling, but still wary, she looked at him. Dragon Wench gazed into the achingly familiar emerald-green eyes, took in the lines of the dragon tattoo emblazoned across his chest, his abdomen, along his leg. Desperately wanting to believe what her instinct told her to be true…she reached out her hands……..He stretched out his own…….Tentatively they touched. For a long moment they remained thus, saying nothing, losing themselves in the depths of one another’s eyes.

Almost shyly, Dragon Wench drew Jerren a little closer. Trembling, she awkwardly held her lover, as if for the first time. Seconds elapsed into minutes; hesitating, she slowly wrapped her arms around him, and allowed her body to respond to the nearness of his presence. Then, her eyes still lost within those green pools, she stepped back slightly, her gaze traveling across his naked body.

“You must be freezing,” she murmured, and dove into her pack where she found a worn blanket.

Wrapping the cover around him, she felt a constricting knot building in her throat, and again she pulled him close. Nearly unable to speak, she finally, in a choked whisper, asked the question reverberating through her every fibre.

“How……….?”

He didn't answer for a long while. She wondered what he was feeling, what he had been through. She had so many questions.... "The last time we were together," he began hesitantly "... you... I drifted in that endless void but you never left me... I couldn't bear to leave you." She felt his embrace tighten in an almost possessive way, as if defending something very precious from being lost. She responded in kind, tentatively opening herself to him, allowing herself to believe that perhaps the impossible...

And then, a moment later, her voice shaking, she spoke again, “I’ve missed you more than words could ever possibly express…….”

He pulled back from her slightly so he could look at her. Her eyes held so much that he needed to hear. A slow, weak smile came to his lips. "Try... "

How could she articulate the aching grief, the yearning forever buried within her soul? Then she remembered the darkness of the void that had held him…..

“No matter the occasion, whether it was a time for celebration, or one of sadness…I always carried you with me. In combat, it was always you whom I defended…at night, when I finally succumbed to sleep, it was of you that I dreamed…and I would wake up, and reach for you, and ache because you weren’t there.”

[dragon wench]

He reached up and gently touched the side of her cheek, but as he moved to speak, Dragon Wench put a finger to his lips. "There is nothing more I want then to sit with you, Jerren, to drink in your eyes and listen to your voice. But it is not safe here. We need to get back to the keep. Can you ride?"

"Yes."

"Then we should go." She gently helped him to his feet, still feeling like she was in a dream, and assisted him up onto her stallion. He grimaced as he climbed up, then noting her look of concern he grinned and said, "It's rather dangerous, putting me back here." She laughed, hoisted herself unto the horse, and replied archly, "I'll take my chances." With a feeling of exhilaration she had not felt in a long time, she spurred her stallion back to the keep. >>

[Harry2052]

Rage, depression and fear were all Harry had been feeling since the death of his wife and it gave the Shadow Master a chance to try to subvert him.
It started with a dark whisper in the back of his mind not quite heard and the voice slowly grew in clarity ... insisting that his wife would still be alive if not for DP escaping from the drow and if the Flames weren't as powerful.
Harry didn't know what to do or say ....

(OOC i can drop this idea easily from here if it's going to be a problem, it'd only take another post i think )

harry

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: Harry2052 ]

[Yshania]

Yshania had eventually drifted into sleep, but again she was unsettled. She awoke with each restless turn until, resigned, she rose and moved to the window. The night was still, and the moon full, reddened like she was bleeding her own grief, lonely in the vast black heavens. Yshania loved the night, so intimate, so pure, so cleansing and full of new promise...

She pulled on her clothes and her cloak, deciding to go out and indulge in the peace the night offered. She crept through the keep, careful not to wake the others, then quietly let herself out. Lifting her hood against the chill she headed for the stables to check in on the mare. On entering she was surprised to notice that Dragon Wench’s steed was gone. As his stall was intact, Yshania presumed Dragon Wench was also restless and had gone for a ride…not a bad idea. She smiled…

The mare seemed to have calmed considerably since they had managed to get her into a stall, Yshania wondered whether the horse would accommodate her. She decided against a saddle and lifted some spare reins down off a hook on the wall. Ducking through the bars, she entered the stall with the mare, talking quietly to her and smiling at her snickered response. Yshania marvelled at her beauty, she was a deep brown - rich like chocolate - with a white blaze on her brow, she stroked her jaw amazed at the creature’s gentleness as the horse nudged her shoulder in response – she reminded her so much of the mare she had lost. Yshania whispered to her as she gently fitted the reins. Opening the stall she lead her out into the night…minutes later they were galloping freely across the lands – oblivious to any direction…exhilarated and released…

[dragon wench]

Still dazed, Dragon Wench settled into Midnight Spirit's gait. She tried to focus on the journey ahead, suddenly realising that the return trip to the keep would likely take much longer. She hoped, vulnerable as they were, that no danger would befall them before reaching safety .

They moved at a gentle trot, rather than the unfettered gallop that had carried her to this unexpected rendez-vous, as though her horse quietly sensed the accomplishment of a mission. Again, she wondered why Midnight spirit had raced to Ogre Falls.....

As if reading her mind, Jerren suddenly asked, "what brought you to Ogre Falls this night?"

Quietly, Dragon Wench told Jerren about her nightmare, her desperate need to flee the keep, and the way that Midnight Spirit had brought her to him.

She felt his hold on her tighten in response, "perhaps it is part of the connection that we have always shared....I do not believe that us meeting in this way was accidental."

Dragon Wench closed her eyes, finally daring to believe that the night was real, and not part of a dream from which she would brutally awaken. Intensely aware of his breath against the nape of her neck, the warmth of his body against her own, she breathed inward and attempted to concentrate on the ever-present dangers of the surrounding forest.

[ 11-18-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

[Gwalchmai]

Gwalchmai’s head thumped painfully against the kitchen table. His blood-shot eyes studied the wood grain as though it might hold some secret method of stopping the frightful pounding in his head. Nippy hummed happily to himself as he energetically cooked up a large pan of scrambled eggs with diced vegetable, biscuits, and fresh orange juice. The smell of cooking food was making Gwalchmai’s stomach do flip-flops, which was further proof, as far as he was currently concerned, that Paladins do not make good drinking partners. There must be something about “Lay On Hands” that works on hangovers, while “Cure Minor Wounds” does nothing for them. Gwalchmai never considered the possibility that young Nippy could simply hold his liqueur better than he.

So there Gwalchmai sat, his pack fully provisioned, his armor and cloak at his side, and his staff leaning against the wall. He was in a foul mood with a raging headache. He desperately hoped that some adventure would present itself so that he could whack something.

[Nippy]

"Good morning Gwally! I'm glad to see you are up, I thought you might not be able to hold your drink!" Nippy grinned happily as Gwal stared a hole into Nippy's head.

"Here, drink this coffee, it might make you feel better."

Gwally's red eyes swivelled round to the steaming mug, his eyes misted and his head hit the table.

"Tsk, these old men, when will they learn!?" Nippy grabbed a nearby blanket and pillow and stuffed it into his bag. He sat down and ate, waiting for Gwalchmai to finish his meal.

OOC: @ Gwally, sorry I didn't post recently, I've just been really busy with an aquahockey tournament...

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Nippy ]

[Vivien]

Vivien slowly walked to breakfast, trying to put a spring in her step, to stop feeling so worried. But her eyes continued to search the windows as if expecting something, and the ring on her finger was warm again.

Putting such thoughts out of her head she entered the kitchen smiling at Nippy and Gwalchmai. The druid didn't look at all in his usual humor, so she decided to be very polite that morning. Taking a bit of bread she sat across from Nippy, and they exchanged some morning pleasantries, but behind her smile was the same worry...

[Gwalchmai]

Gwalchmai took a few tentative sips of the proffered coffee. After a few seconds, his stomach seemed to respond favorably, so he continued drinking. He even took a bite or two of biscuit. After a while, his head began to clear. He was still in a foul mood, mostly because Nippy seemed so jubilant, but things were looking up. Eventually, he felt human enough to be able to speak, “So, Nippy. You seemed pretty interested in those strange markings you had in your notebook. I hope they do not portend any urgent business for us. I fear we may be called out on another matter quite soon.”

“What makes you think that?” Nippy said while shoveling eggs into his mouth.

“There is a haughty, wild-looking woman upstairs with Thantor, Georgi, and Jennabard. Things seemed rather tense, and I’m betting it has something to do with the Shadow Master and what Thantor found when he had been captured.” Gwalchmai tried a small bite of eggs, which were starting to look a little more edible.

“A wild-looking woman, eh?” Nippy muttered, his interest peaked. Then suddenly, he slammed his hand against his forehead. “Anicka!” he shouted, “I’d forgotten all about her! Her men still may require aid! Are we too late?”

“I don’t know, and please don’t shout,” Gwalchmai said while rubbing his temples, “I had forgotten about her too. She hasn’t left her room very often, and Thantor hasn’t seemed in a hurry. I have a feeling, though, that its all going to come to a head soon. In the mean time, we can talk, quietly, about your notes. What have you been able to decipher?”

[OOC: No prob, Nippy ]
[edit: Sorry Viv, didn't see you come in! ]

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Gwalchmai ]

[thantor3]

Thantor came in a few minutes later with Anicka, who appeared to be fully recovered from her previous wounds. They both said good morning to everyone, though Gwally noted that Thantor's greeting lacked its usually hearty quality that was so annoying at this time of the day. Despite his foul mood, he managed a wry grin at the rather lumpy appearance of Thantor's jaw, but said nothing. Georgi came in soon after, followed by Jennabard. Both women acknowledged the group, though they couldn't have been more different in their moods, Gwally thought. While Jenna seemed very quiet and withdrawn, Georgi was restless and edgy. Neither Georgi or Thantor acknowledged or spoke to each other. As Georgi sat down with her flagon of ale, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and dragon breath chili, she asked, "Has anyone seen Dragon Wench or Yshania? I went by their rooms earlier and neither of them were there."

"I saw Dragon Wench riding off on her stallion on the way back from.... " Jennabard stopped, tried to finish the sentence, couldn't. "I thought she was just going out on one of her midnight sojourns...." her voice trailed off.

Thantor was beside himself. "WHAT were you...", then stopped himself. With a great deal of effort, he regained his composure and said slowly, "Given the current hostile situation, we should organize a search party for her after breakfast if she hasn't returned. It isn't like her to just ride off without telling anyone." Jenna was about to respond when suddenly a gated portal began to form in the air. Everyone was instantly on their feet, and drawing their weapons when Simbul stepped through the portal. "Good morning," she said lightly. "Please don't get up on my account," she said to Gwally, who was the closest to her. "A man of your advancing years could certainly use the chair much more than I." Georgi threw her chair across the room and advance on Simbul, ending up in her face, sword at her throat, "If you *ever* do that again..." she stopped in midsentence as she watched her sword turn into a gleaming black leather whip and slowly droop like a flaccid limb. Simbul smiled happily. "I think that suits you oh so much better, don't you 'orgie?" she said, as if talking to a two year old. "And speaking of suits..." With a wave of her hand, Georgi's clothing started to change transform into a matching two-piece black leather bikini, which was becoming smaller and smaller with each passing minute -- except for the spiked leather bonnet on her head. Gwally's initial irritation with the strange, persnickety woman was momentarily distracted by the pleasant change in scenery. Despite his best efforts, Thantor was unable to keep a smile from his face, but gallantly stripped off his tunic and threw it to Georgi, who gratefully put it on, glaring all the while at Simbul as she ripped the leather bonnet off her head. "She has a point," remarked Thantor, "you could use door like everyone else."

"You only get one chance to make a good impression," Simbul retorted quickly. She looked over and caught Jennabard's eye, nodding to her in a familiar way. "Good morning, Jenna," she purred. "Perhaps you could introduce me to your friends...?" To Gwally's amazement, Jennabard not only became self-conscious, she actually blushed. "Um... everyone. I would like to introduce you to the Simbul".

Simbul looked around at the group and mused, "Hmmmm... well some of us are going on the next round with the Shadow Master, but one of you is not." Her eyes, narrowed. "Which one of you is the weakest link?"

[Gwalchmai]

Vivien, who had shyly kept to the back of the room since Simbul’s dramatic entrance, quietly cast ‘Detect Illusion’ on Georgi. Sure enough, the whip in Georgi’s hand was revealed to be Flame Tongue, fully intact and gleaming, and her armor was unchanged. Gwalchmai witnessed this, and it did nothing to improve his mood. He hated the affect this woman had on Georgi, and Jennabard’s reaction to her was very disturbing. Of course, being called ‘old’ yet again didn’t help matters any, either.

“’Weakest Link’?” he shouted pulling himself up to his full height, towering over Simbul. “I’ll have you know, no one in this group is weak! Together, we are formidable, powerful, and balanced!” His red eyes blazed as he drew closer to the wild woman, “Your damn, paltry illusions will be of little help against the machinations of the Shadow Master, and we don’t need the help of some supercilious, arrogant, snot-nosed b!tch! Now, get the f*ck out of here before we all help Georgi cut out your loathsome heart!” At his last words a small string of spittle flew out of his mouth, landing on Simbul’s shoulder.

No one had ever heard Gwalchmai use such language, nor speak with such ferocity. The silence in the room was deafening.

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Gwalchmai ]

[Harry2052]

No one had ever heard Gwalchmai use such language, nor speak with such ferocity. The silence in the room was deafening.
"Bravo and I believe this pitful creature was the weakest link" came a deep voice from the door.
Everyone turning in that direction, what they saw brought a gasp from everyone but the Simbul who took on a look of anger and sadness and Thantor who went pale. It was Harry in body but with a vastly different personality judging from the aura of pain and hate he radiated as well as the suffering and evil that could be seen deep in his eyes.
"What's this, I'm not invited in for breakfast?" the newcomer laughed in a mockingly disdainful way.

(OOC i await the responses to this with bated breath and with the hope no one lops my head off )

[thantor3]

As Vivien moved back into a defensive position, Jennabard cast Protection from Evil on the group, while Simbul cast a spell that Vivien has never seen before. It was like Time Stop, except that the only person who was frozen in time was Harry. Simbul then turned to Gwally and looked at him for a moment, assessing him. Finally she said, "You have but a moment to decide -- what do you wish to do... Dark Poet?"

[Darkpoet]

Darius stood silently, in the light rain. He was standing next to an unmarked grave, near the River Reaching. Ria’ya approached quietly, “Is it true? Is Darkpoet really dead?” She asked quietly. The dragon shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid it is. Menadir, came to me himself and told me. They are still trying to find out, who did it. They know it was not the Drow, they have pretty much left the area.” He answered.
“What about T’lainya, does she know?” Rai’ya asked.
“She is in Evereska. Menadir is heading there now. He wanted to know if you could, let the Dark Flames know and to give Yshania, a letter. He told me, she would understand it and know what to do. Pal’lith is a changed village and they need her there. Yshania does not realize, how important she is to the village.” Darius look at Rai’ya, he then took his wing to protected her from the rain.
“Ria’ya, you have been given a second chance, more than ever the Dark Flames need you. With Kramor and Loner leaving, who knows what the others will do. Only you can give them the answers and guidance they need. Vivien is the key, only she can unlock the doors, of unanswered questions, the others might have. One other thing, destroy the room. You do not need to be reminded of the past, you need to look forward. You have a kingdom to take care of it might not be as vast as it was. But, you have people who believe in you and look for your care. The Flames are there to help, especially your heirs. The gods have made it so.”
Ria’ya stood in deep thought, as Darius transported them back to the castle with a spell.

[Gwalchmai]

“Darkpoet? Decision? What decision?” Gwalchmai yelled, his voice gaining pitch as he became more exasperated, “You are crazy! Crazy!” Grabbing his staff, pack, and armor, he stormed out of the kitchen, stopping long enough in front of Harry to look the changed thief over and mutter, “Okay, I may have been wrong about the ‘weakest link’ thing...”

Once outside, Gwalchmai stopped to take a deep breath. Still, the rage within him roiled. Another deep breath, but calmness wouldn’t come. He spied a large pumpkin in the garden. One swing of his staff and the vegetable flew into several chunks with a satisfying thumping-cracking sound. With a wry grin, Gwalchmai’s rage diminished somewhat. He spied a small bunny nibbling on a leaf of lettuce, but decided that destroying a cucurbita would have to suffice.

He couldn’t understand why everyone else seemed content to stand around and allow themselves to be taunted by some crazy woman who professed a supposed desire to hunt the Shadow Master. Obviously the missing Dragon Wench and Yshania were more urgent concerns. Gwalchmai examined the tracks around the stables. He could identify DW’s horse in the sign, as well as another, but there were too many comings and goings for him to make sense of the overlapping tracks. This was a job for a ranger. “Thantor is never around when you need him,” he muttered to himself, “That man is about as useful as gonads on a mule, sometimes.”

Finding a semi-comfortable rock, Gwalchmai tried to focus on casting the spell ‘Farsight’, but it took him several tries to get the words right. His internal rage made him somewhat incoherent. Finally successful, he began systematically scanning each of the roads and paths that lead away from the keep looking for any sign of Dragon Wench or Yshania. As he scanned, his mind drifted. He thought of Simbul, that infuriating whelp whose slight but imperious form seemed cloaked in chaos and anarchy. Anathema to every conceivable form of balance there is. As he thought of her his fists clenched into tight balls and his teeth ground. He nearly lost control of the spell and he had to fight to regain his composure. More scanning. He lost track of which roads he had looked down and had to repeat a few. What was up with Harry? What was going on? He didn’t know him very well, but in his brief appearance in the kitchen, he had seemed locked in some sort of desperate internal struggle. Once again, another job best left up to Thantor and his ‘ki field’ palpitations. Gwalchmai promised himself that he would go and look for another pumpkin as soon as the Farsight spell wore off.


[OOC: Welcome back, DP! If only in spirit if not in form... ]