Thantor turned back to face the party. "I'm looking for a man named Anomen Delryn." The reaction was palpable and mixed, which Thantor noted. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find him, do you?" he asked innocently. He knew what was coming, but he hid the amusement from his face and mentally kicked back to enjoy the fireworks.
Those who will play with kitties must expect to be scratched.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Vivien heard the mutters around her and closed her eyes for a second, trying to sort through her own reaction. Surprise, sadness and confusion were foremost.
"We seem to be on a similar path." She said quietly while trying to breach the shadows of his eyes.
"Anomen...Anomen Delryn has apparently committed several heinous crimes. I do not know if... Well, we will find what we find."
She fell back and watched as another from the Dark Flames stepped forward to give her own opinion.
"Anomen is indeed our concern, and the reasons are our business, friend. Why do you seek Anomen?" Georgi's hand moved protectively to her sword hilt. "These killings... they aren't like Anomen at all."
"Anomen is.... out of balance, and needs help. His recent - alleged - actions belie deeper problems. This requires investigation." <Besides,> Gwalchmai added to himself while eyeing Jennabard, <there are others who clearly have balance issues.> Gwalchmai turned to the stranger. Tall and dark as this stranger was, his thin, frail hands could clearly never give a decent massage. Gwalchmai took a small pleasure in this realization. "Investigation must come first, before any rash action. What are your intentions, if I may ask?"
That there; exactly the kinda diversion we coulda used.
Standing in the doorway of the couryard. Kramor watched a light rain fall, he was tired of doing nothing. Taking his sword, he started practicing with his left hand. Starting with simple moves, up to the more complex ones. Out of reflex, he would switch hands, the pain would drop him to his knees. The pain helped him to concentrate more, going back to his left hand, he would start over again. He continued until he had no more in him. Kramor dropped to his knees, leaning his head on his sword.
"Hello friend."
Kramor looked up, he was looking a two men dressed in green and black.
"Looks like we can in time. Anomen wanted uo to send you a message."
The two pulled their swords, and came at Kramor. Kramor sluggshly got to his feet, holding his sword in his left hand. His arms and legs quivering, not to mention his wound.
As the two came forward, one of them went down with a knife in his throat. Kramor charged the attacker, forcing him back. The man was no novice, he didn't make things easy for Kramor. The pain intensified, Kramor tried to block it out. The attacker made a mistake, Kramor found an opening and stabbed him in the chest. Kramor collapsed to the ground.
Darkpoet walked over to get his kitchen knife. "You alright?"
Kramor shook his head yes, and waved Darkpoet away. He just needed to be left alone.
Loner, hearing the commotion from the direction of the courtyard, came running, just in time to see Darkpoet dragging a body away from the Keep. She ran to him. "What is going on?" she cried.
DP just looked at her. She gazed down at the green- and black-clad figure, as if studying it. Then she looked back up at DP, and saw in his eyes what had gone on. She started to run back toward the courtyard.
"He's all right, Loner!" Darkpoet yelled after her; but she kept running, till she arrived to see Kramor on his knees.
Watching the conflicted responses of the group before him, Thantor felt a pang of regret that he had not been more forthcoming in his response. No, he said to himself stubbornly, I had to know ... and old habits die hard. While he had expected Georgi's response, he was surprised by the lack of response by jennabard, who was still looking daggers at him. She's feisty, he noted approvingly. She'll certainly need to be, he thought grimly, to survive the Shadowpath with her sanity intact. He was also surprised and moved by the depth of feeling in the replies by Vivien and Gwalchmai, who, judging by the size of his hands, must have been truly legendary on the massage mat. He looked at Gwalchmai. "My intention, sir, is to discover the truth about this matter and to ensure," giving Vivien a reassuring look, "that no one is harmed prematurely or without just cause." He looked down at the ground for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then looked up at Georgi. "I do not know Anomen, but from the information I have gathered these incidents are indeed not like him. An old friend asked me to intervene, fearing that this matter might be handled ... indelicately. Typically I would not involve myself in a situation like this, but I have a personal interest in this case. Through my network of contacts, I discovered that a former student of mine is involved with Anomen. I do not accept students lightly and I can proudly say that each of them was a person of exceptional quality and skill. It was puzzling to me that one of my students would become involved with someone reputed to be so ...", the scene of the massacre he had so recently viewed came flooding into his mind, "depraved. Knowing her as I do, I thought there must be more to this than a fallen knight on a power trip." A steely look came into Thantor's eyes. "I will strive to be objective in this matter, but if he has hurt her in any way ..." His voice trailed off.
Curiosity piqued that Thantor's student was a "her", Vivien asked, "What is your student's name?"
A look of fondness came over Thantor's face and he smiled, more to himself than to anyone in particular. "An exceptional, if somewhat stubborn, warrioress gifted in the use of ki. Her name is Loner. Have you ..." A gasp from the group stopped him in midsentence.
[ 06-06-2001: Message edited by: thantor3 ]
Those who will play with kitties must expect to be scratched.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Loner approached Kramor. She knew him by now, and she knew that at this moment he wanted to be left alone. And she would have left him alone, as she always did at these times, but she wanted to say goodbye before she set out. She knelt down beside him.
"I'm leaving," she said quietly. "DP and Dragon Wench will stay here on guard."
For the first time since meeting the stranger, Georgi smiled. "Well, she happens to be a very good friend of ours. Strange, though, that she never mentioned your name."
Loner shook her head. "No," she said. "I won't have you traveling, you're not ready yet." She looked into his eyes, pleading for him to understand. "I can take care of myself," she said.
Kramor smiled. "Oh, I know that --"
"No," she broke in. "You don't."
She paused. "There's a lot you don't know about me," she said. "No one does. Please, just trust me, and let me go."
Kramor was about to object, but Loner took his face in her hands and kissed him, long and deeply. "I will come back to you," she whispered. "Please, Kramor, don't follow me. I know what I'm doing. Be well, my love."
Then she was gone, faster then Kramor's wounds would allow him to follow.
{OOC Ehhh...hope that doesn't get me banned or anything... }
Watching in the shadows, Kramor looked beaten. Kramor took his sword with two hands, and threw it into the tree, the sword went through up to the hilt. Kramor fell to his knees hold his side, he got back up and walked inside. Darkpoet, knew how he was feeling. He got on his horse and rode to the Sacred Heart.
Just beyond the churchyard gates. Where the grass is overgrown, he saw the writing on her stone, he thought he would suffocate. He felt so empty as he cried, like a part of him had died. And as her image, wandered through his head. Darkpoet cried like a baby, as he saw her dead. He had to suffer one last time, to grieve for her and say goodbye. Relive the anguish of his past, to find out who he was at last. Touching the headstone, he whispered. "Goodbye Odessa, I will never forget you."
Wiping his face, Darkpoet getting on his horse, he knew he would never come back. He slowly road back to the Keep.
Thantor didn't reply, looking down at the ground, and shifting from one foot to the other. Georgi decided the subject was best left alone... at least until later. "Well, now that we've established that we all want the same thing, perhaps we should get back to it and leave the rest of the introductions until we're safely back at the keep?"
By Naturae, Thantor was thinking to himself, is there anyone these people do not know? Still considering his options, he asked Georgi, "Is Loner alright? She has not been harmed?"
Those who will play with kitties must expect to be scratched.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Loner stopped by a freshwater stream, to allow her horse to rest.
The look on Kramor's face when she left...She only hoped he could forgive her. She looked north, in the direction of the Keep. "I will come back to you," she whispered. "I promise."
But first, she thought, there are things to attend to...
The attacker was on Loner before she knew what hit her. He had been stealthy and fast, and there was no time to draw a weapon. Loner had not engaged in hand-to-hand combat in a very long time; but now, somehow, that training came back to her. After an awkward scuffle, the attacker was thrown. His neck broke when he hit the ground.
Now on guard, Loner was ready for the next one. The instant he appeared, Loner stepped right up to him and extended her hand toward his face with a cry. He fell back. She drew the Katana and finished him.
She gazed down at the green-and-black clad figures. Just like last time, she thought...
No, not like last time. This time it was all right...
She took a deep breath, shaking off the memories. Either she was being followed, or she was getting close to this group.
Kramor didn't like the idea of Loner, going by herself. But, in his heart, he knew she could take care of herself. Kramor knew he had to get a new sword, that sword wasn't going to leave the tree. He started packing his things, in saddle bags, he had to get out of here. Saddling a horse, Kramor left before Darkpoet arrived. Kramor headed to the Temple ruins, but first he stopped at the Trademeet. He needed a new sword, and some other items.
OOC: Could we have list of what everyone is? I'm just curious
Viv: Pure Mage, class enchanter. (Hmm...but I've forgotten which spells are left out, so maybe I should choose invoker?)
IC:
Vivien relaxed her grip on her staff, a bit relieved that the tension was now gone.
"Well, I guess we should be going unless there are further questions?"
Georgi gave a nod, and the group quickly reformed, with Thantor taking a forward position. Viv took her typical spot in the rear, amusing herself by trying to identify the trees that surrounded them.
Edit: ROFL!!! I received two messages on this one I meant Georgi, and couldn't figure out why people telling me that Loner wasn't in our group yet!
)
