Tirasfell - A Kingdom In Peril

Started by FaeBorne, February 14, 2013, 02:31:02 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

knifeparty

The cavernous, god-forsaken mountain that held Maeryn was unforgiving. It had been cold for thousands of lifetimes, sustaining itself from the heat it sucked from everything it swallowed. The lightless pit she stared into stretched upwards, its maddening blackness licking her soul with the promise that it would be there whether she closed her eyes or not. The mountain wanted her, it wanted her deep in its freezing heart.

Somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, in that twilight of consciousness where reality and dreams bleed together she becomes aware of his presence. He’s a feeling that crawls up her backbone and pools in the back of her mind, where her madness resides. 

“Awaken...” She can feel his voice thrum in her ear but he’s nowhere close. Her chains are unexplainably gone and she’s no longer on the beam. The Orc guards are gone, and there is no sign they were ever there.

He is standing some distance away. He is a lean rake of alabaster, masterfully carved and balanced. Shadows draped his flawless flesh like the royal robes of a black king, wreathing him in eerie contrast that haunts his every exposed hollow. Only goatskin pants hang from his hips, so too does a piece of bone that looks to be some kind of crude ceremonial knife.

“Have you prayed for Hahrutyne to save you?”

His eyes glittered death in the darkness.

FaeBorne

#26

Her eyes flew open, dilated and blurry her sight was obscured by her own fingers as her hands covered her face as if she'd been weeping. A breath escaped in a cold mist as she looked down, instead of the chasm, she was kneeling on the ground behind the beam. Licking her lips she reached up her unbound hands and touched them tenderly to her mouth feeling the cracked dry ridges of the once smooth plump skin. The eerie sound of a voice made her blink and she lowered her hands from a jade colored gaze and stared at the porcelain figure ahead of her.

“Have you prayed for Hahrutyne to save you?”

A gasp escaped her as she struggled for breath when the voice made sense in her mind finally, the icy puffs coming from her as a seemingly soundless scream opened her mouth without sounding. Turning her head she stared at the beam that hung over the chasm seeing a bound woman, with lank red tresses falling across her dirty battered form. Head tilting the jade eyes widened, fear circling the pupils. Was she outside her body? She was still hanging over the pit that was to be her doom. Another gasp left her and she fell at the death-seers feet, grasping for the hem of his goatskin pants, he seemed just out of her reach. Dust from the ground paralyzed  her tongue and any words she had wished to speak were deadened by the feeling of the earth filling her mouth. Tears leaked from the corners of eyes that had not cried in years. She stared up at him, her voice echoing in her own ears, yet sounding so far away as if the words had never actually passed her lips.

"Have you come then Death-Seer to see me to Her?"

This was it, what the Orcs and the Barbarian Witch had wanted. To break her so completely, that they could strip Maeryn of her belief, and in doing so  her power would be theirs. She could not breath, deep gusting gasps escaped her as she stared up at the figure. There was belief and insanity riding side by side, the Queen was allowing her suffering to overtake her. But really she had held out so long already, how could she not be tainted with madness while awaiting a King who had yet to come.

selfexiled

The wind worsened as they left the confines of the trees and crossed the bare rock towards the feet of the mountain. One could scarsely hear thier own thoughts at times over the it. In its bitterness the land was beautiful, though bare small patches of green could be seen scattered about the rocks, even small shrubs tried to grow many with a layer of frost over them, the wind freezing any moisture in the air to their branches. An on looker may have thought each man had a fire burning inside him for each breath was a plume of steam as the chill took each breath from the air. But the base they did reach finally and finding an outcropping large enough to guard them from the elements they left behind thier horses.

As the men gathered to follow Gerald turned to them and said, "Find a place to lie in wait hidden from our enemy for Erich and the re-enforcements. Myself and Koreshian will accend a hidden pass to infiltrate the stronghold and open it up to you from the inside. May whatever God you believe in be with you." Before they could object Gerald turned and hurried after the barbarian whowas already making his way up the mountainside.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

After leaving his mount behind Koreshian had strung his bow and moved from sparse cover patch to sparse cover patch toward the hidden trail.  He then stopped behind a small rock outcropping as he watched the cliffs on either side of the entrance to the trail he had selected. He was actually using the king as bait as he could hear the man approaching from behind him. There, movement where he expected a human on one side and an Orc on the other. The big barbarian knocked an arrow as he watched the two centuries fixed on the approaching form of Gerald and not paying attention to the danger behind the little shelf of rock.

The human was armed with a long bow that would load fast. Orc with a crossbow more power and longer range but loaded slow. So it seemed the human died first, Koreshian leaned on the bow string that came to rest on the side of his nose and pressed on the curve of his chin.  The knuckle of his thumb on his draw arm found the little hollow behind his ear and with a whistle of string silenced by goose down the arrow was off. The human never knew what hit him the shaft went in one arm pit and out the other. The bow fell from the man’s numb fingers and clattered down the rocks. But Koreshian was already ducking as he heard the thump of the Orc’s bolt wiz past. Poor bastard was empty now.

A smile came to the massive man’s face as he calmly stood and watched the ORc frantically crank on the cable to re-load. While the clicks and whines of the crossbow being cocked could be heard across the blasted rock scape Koreshian mildly fitted another shaft on the string of his bow and came to full draw. He then whistled lightly to get the Orc to look up and when the creature did the shaft took him right between the eyes with a sound like the splattering of an overripe melon. Its head exploded in a crimson shower as its body toppled over the cliff edge.

As he swapped bow for ax across his back the massive mound of animated and agitated muscle looked to Gerald “guards are gone.” Then with a grin he set off for the trail they sought. Upon reaching it he kicked the two corpses out of the way and surveyed what lay ahead of them. It was a winding path with sheer cliffs on either side that gradually traveled up the mountain.  The wind whistled through the confines in a manner which gave it even more teeth than in the open as the trail slowly gained elevation. There was no room for two men to walk abreast on the trail. Koreshian looked at Gerald “yeah this is going to be bad if we get discovered while on this trail.”

selfexiled

The clatter of the human's bow got Gerald's attention quick enough to see the crossbow bolt whiz across the path towards Koreshian's outcropping. It occured to Gerald that he was the bait to keep the attentions of the guards, he'd not been used for that in many years it was both irritating and a relief at the same time. Because here was a man who took him at face value and not at his title it was an honorable respect. Most would scoff at such a notion when you were just used a bait, but Gerald would've done the same to Koreshian so atleast they were on the same page.

Seeing the orc's head erupt from the force of the arrow made him grin, it was good to spill blood on the battlefield again even if it's indirectly for now. Following Koreshian's gaze up the pass he couldn't help but agree that there was little to no cover to be found on the pass and to be caught unaware would be thier death. "Since you know the way you can go first, but don't kill everything if you can help it I want something to do too." After a moments thought Gerald chuckled, "To anyone who sees we're likely an odd paring," gesturing to Koreshian's bear hide, "A great bear being followed by a tree." gesturing to himself. "Of course I'm likely to be targetted first since there are no trees up here."
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

Koreshian grunted and set off the narrow pass clearly put the axman at a distinct disadvantage.  Axes being powerful weapons but slow and requiring room to wield properly.  As he picked his way over the rocks and occasionally put a hand on the rock face for balance he responded “to some yes, but those with much for brains would appreciate the symmetry.” He rolled his thick shoulders “I am a butcher not a surgeon so it helps to have someone nimble and quick along.”
   
After a while he reached a point the path curved and stopped to peek around the corner before ducking back.  He then motioned Gerald up to take a look and he would see the rock path lead to some roughhewn steps cut in the granite face. These oddly spaced footholds eventually lead to a pair of double wooden iron shod doors.  Koreshian whispered to the king “I would imagine they got more guards in some murder holes up there someplace I cannot see them though. So your time to have some fun even if it means using me for bait, but I am open to suggestions on how to not just get picked off crossing that open ground.”

selfexiled

"Well," said Gerald a little distantly as he scanned the surface of the rock all about the mountain seeking another way. Up above them there was a small outcropping that he might be able to sit on, it was barely two body lengths away but the face of the rock was near smooth, "I don't ask out of hand I know how close a warrior is to his weapons but allow me your bow and arrows." Waiting for Koreshian to reply or turn over the weapons Gerald begins a murmuring whisper while holding his hands to his mouth.

There is still life in the tree that has become Gerald's armor and now he calls on it to give his fingertips roots to crasp the smallest crevases in the rock face so he can accend to the outcropping and take aim at the guards. It takes a few second for the roots to take a grip so Gerald begins climbing even before he has the weapons. "Once I get up there get the guards to appear in whatever fashion you are comfortable with, I'll take them out."
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

Koreshian handed over his bow and quiver as Gerald did some of that foul elfin magic. The massive barbarian moves as far to the other side of the path as space would allow because he really hated magic especially that of the elves. But he was not so foolish as to discount a tool that his companion might have even as he loathed it himself. Give him the riddle of steel any day. He then looked toward the hold and grunted “do not take too long for my life will not burn long.”

He then placed Bane in front of him and used the bit of the massive battle ax to help shield his body. Crouching and making himself as small as possible behind the blade and keeping as tucked into the rock walls as much as he could. He then began a slow advance down the path feeling virtually naked but there was nothing else to be done. He kept his eyes peeled and when the first bolt streaked toward him with a loud twang that indicated a crossbow he reacted by instinct and moved Bane to bat it aside.  The next shaft was already nearly on him by the time he recovered and he flattened against the wall and got his chest split open with a burning slice under both nipples for his trouble. But at least it had not gotten deep and was more an aggravation than anything though that would soon change if Gerald was not fast.

selfexiled

Though not quite all the way up Gerald could atleast see over the lip as he heard the hiss of a bolt flying through the air and the clang of it hitting metal taking half a moment to look down he saw that Koreshian was using his broad axe head as a shield but the next arrow was to close for comfort. With urgency he jumped from his position to the ledge and quickly drew back on the bow, it was harder than he thought it would be but then given the size of the man it belongs to he should've expected such. He saw the crossbowman easily as reloading such a thing was not a subtle task. *Ffpp* went the string as the arrow launched through the air catching the orc in the neck under the ear, it wasn't fatal though but he wouldlikely drown in the blood from the wound draining into his windpipe. It was a hasty shot in truth, now with a better understanding of his weapon he was able to draw smoother and hold longer as he found the other archer. His eyes were moving back and forth between Koreshian and searching for the person who just killed his fellow guardsman. Fate does not reward the hesitant. *Ffpp* this arrow was a guarenteed kill as it hit solid in the center of the chest.

Gerald strung again and started scanning for more targets, while he expected Koreshian to be moving forward.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

knifeparty


He remains beyond her reach, stalking back into the embrace of the shadows like a coyote. A desolate silence follows, leaving her to flounder in her own despair, reintroducing her to the isolation she’s come to know so well while, hung out there over the abyss. When his voice returns she doesn’t hear it, but rather senses it dripping into her consciousness.


"Her abandonment will see you to her arms, eventually... "


There is a flicker of pale flesh as if he has to cut his way free, before the barbarian death-witch comes wading out of the oily shadows. He crouches with an unnatural fluidity, getting to low look her in the eye.


“But she won’t even let you die quickly.... I hope she’s worth the suffering. I won’t let you die either. I can end your suffering.  Are you cold, Maeryn? I will bring fire to this place. Do you wish to see the blood of your guards pouring like rivers into the abyss? Do the bindings hurt your wrists more and more every day?”


He’d drawn his blade, and now it rasps across the earth.


“Ask me what you would ask of Her. And I will answer.”

Retribution

Koreshian looked up as Gerald provided cover but two more human archers appeared in the rocks and now they were well aware of the other danger. Blood oozed down the big barbarian's chest from the slice from the arrow head, but he did not have time to worry about it. He pulled his hand ax in case he got close enough for a throw but he had a long way to go for that. Bane still held in front of him he charged down the path deflecting arrows as they rained down on him but it was getting close as one quite literally pierced his ear. But at least if their were raining arrows on him they with luck were giving Gerald shots.

As he was almost to the steps he came across the struggling orc who had a arrow in a very uncomfortable place.  The big man did not even break stride as a backhand slice with his hand ax sent the creature screaming to meet whatever god it worshiped. And then he had to dodge another arrow that got way too close, but at least he was on the steps now and was climbing higher.

FaeBorne


Her eyes closed his voice seemingly coming from inside her taunting the inner most reaches of her insanity riddled conscious. She tried to lift her hands, but found they would not lift. Her face held an incredulous look, as if she was seeing into the beyond. There was fear there, the Queen in her brought low, the rage beginning to simmer. Her head jerked up, and eyes fully opened, blazing green and full of anger as she stared at the cause of her anguish, the being taunting her from the very reaches of her mind.

“But she won’t even let you die quickly.... I hope she’s worth the suffering. I won’t let you die either. I can end your suffering.  Are you cold, Maeryn? I will bring fire to this place. Do you wish to see the blood of your guards pouring like rivers into the abyss? Do the bindings hurt your wrists more and more every day?”

The words rippled through her like a spell. She yanked her hands up finally, showing them to the man. Her words whispered out into the abyss she was bound over, seemingly to no one, as they filled the air like a fervent prayer.

"They hurt, they hurt, they hurt...Kill them all, fire, blood... all of them for betraying me..they hurt THEY HURT."

Repeating it, as if she would not feel the burn of the ropes if she continued to chant, rant and scream. Her eyes went wide and she stared down into the chasm her bruised face showing confusion as she finally shut her eyes again. She could see herself then. at the edge of the cliff, her tormentor inches from her face. But it was all a dream wasn't it? Wasn't it??!! His words so deathly sweet to her ears, green eyes lambent and flickering with memories of a life lived for a Goddess that forsake her. 

“Ask me what you would ask of Her. And I will answer.”

A giggle ripped from dry cracked bloodied lips. A shiver wracked her body, her eyes rolled to the whites and she jerked on the pole the Orcs had her bound to. Her voice was deadly sweet speaking to the cavern below. In her minds eye, she leaned forward towards the man her lips a whisper in his ear.

"I ask her for vengeance, in her name and glory.. Bloody death to those who doubt her. I ask Hahrutyne. Give me vengeance."


selfexiled

As the guards missles whisteled through the air Gerald returned fire as well as he could while dodging the incoming fire, though it was spuratic since they were divided between himself and Koreshian which made his job a little easier. The remaining guards seemed to be shooting from portletts in the gate wall making them hard to hit, he would have to rely on his armor for a few moments while he gauged his shot... *ffpp* The shot was true passing through the portlett and into the guard but he was exposed to for to long no sooner did he release than he was sent spinning nearly falling off the ledge.

They called it iron wood for a reason though, the arrow was imbedded into the plate but not enough to draw blood, though he would likely have a bruise there afterwards. Thankfully it was not a crossbow bolt as it likely would've not been withheld by the plate and he would be dead or dying right now. He considered pulling the arrow but thought otherwise, often enough these men were superstitous so by leaving it there he would seem more unearthly as such a strike is usually fatal.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

knifeparty


The whisper from her cracked lips was like an opiate. He opened his jaws and let the ecstasy of her vengeful heart escape him in a low hiss. Something uncoiled in the depths of his soul, awakened by the fate of Maeryn renouncing her Goddess, it was made of teeth and hatred and after a lifetime it opened an eye...

"She doesn't hear you. But I answer..."

He raises his hand slowly to her face, from elbow to finger tips its slick with thick, red blood, as if freshly dipped in an Orc corpse. She can smell the copper in it and feel the heat of it, the first warm thing she's felt here in weeks as he spreads the ichor across cheek and mouth.

"Follow my red, right hand....then kill them all."

He slowly drives his bone blade into the earth in front of her, letting go of it.

"Go back to sleep."

The vision is over. When next she opens her eyes she's lying at the base of the beam, completely untethered. The warmth of blood on her face remains - she's lying in a pool of Orc blood that runs from rich veins of her dead jailor.

A glistening hand print of red stains one of the walls, a streaked trail dragged from the print towards a pathway leading somewhere into, or out of the mountain.

FaeBorne


Jade colored eyes flickered and then opened wide, a large gasp of breath intaking and then hissed out between her clenched teeth. The smell of warm fresh let blood was overwhelming and she shuddered at the sickly slick feel of it beneath her body. What had happened? How had she been freed? The dreamscene replayed in her head, her eyes closed and his words echoed in her mind as she took in the scene before her. Tears spurted from the corners of swollen eyes and she resolved  through the pain, that she would do as she had been instructed.

"Follow my red, right hand....then kill them all."

Raw wrists burned as she rolled to her knees and slipped messily through her jailors essence she looked for a weapon. His thankfully were left on him, and so with a cry of tribulation she pried the large dagger from his fingers and struggled to her feet. Wiping the back of her hand over her blood stained face she finally saw the streaklike prints upon the wall. Bloodied hands to lead her way. Groaning in agony, her weak ravaged body fought for supremacy in the battle to move and finally won. She clutched the weapon and stumbled her way along the wall, her hand tracing the print as if it was holding her own like a lover leading the way.

"Follow my red, right hand....then kill them all."

Vengeance fueled her thoughts, and the face of her tormentor flashed once more before her eyes as she followed the trail left for her back into the mountainous caverns that held the Orc's fortress. She would kill them all, even at the cost of her own soul. On that she swore a life's oath as she dragged herself lamely along the streaking trail of red hands. She would find herself staring into the eyes of yet another slain Orc, and then another. Her way having been paved for her in treachery and blood. Licking cracked dry lips she clutched the dagger and limped onward. Eyes closing as dizziness swept her again. She would not be recaptured, she would fight until they killed her this time. Another dead bloodied Orc corpse and she found herself on a treacherous set of stairs carved into the mountain the hands leading her downward to safety.

"Follow my red, right hand....then kill them all."


Then they had stopped, she looked further on the walls that surrounded the narrow steps and cried out. How could he have left her now, like all the others? She spat angrily, her mental state like that of a fugue or worse. She trembled in her rage, and drew herself upright taking the steps with a regal gate. She would not let any see her brought so low, no matter how worse for wear the Queen's visage was. She was Maeryn Vayos Dragonbane, Queen of Tirasfell, feared and respected, she would not be brought low. The whisper in her head, reminded her soundly... she had been brought low, forsaken and unhelped by the Goddess that she pledged her fealty. The words swirling on a hiss through her brain as she continued down the stairs towards either her doom, or her freedom.

"Follow my red, right hand....then kill them all."


Her voice hissed out an answer finally each word seemed to echo about the caverns sealing her fate and emblazoning themselves to her Destiny.

"I will kill them all..."

Retribution

Gerald may not have gotten all of the guards but he got all but one. And at this particular moment it really sucked to be that one. Because Koreshian was terribly fast and agile for a man of his raw size. It was after all a large part of what made him so dangerous.  Lumbering mounds of muscle were a dime a dozen but this one had brains, speed, and agility.  And the poor sap with bow still in hand now found himself face to face with one very enraged mound of flesh bearing a massive ax. The Wolf barbarian had made it up the steps with seeming impossible speed and he only allowed the last guard time to try and reach for his short sword before cleaving his skull.

He then turned and looked int Gerald's direction and motioned with his bloody ax for the man to join him. He then approached the massive doors and pondered a moment before going back to the guard he had just slain. A cursory search revealed a set of keys because well those guarding the doors needed to be able to get in the doors after all. Koreshian spun the keys on their holder in a mild circle around his finger as he waited for his companion.

selfexiled

Seeing that all was secure now Gerald jumped/slid down from his perch landing a little more wobbling than he would've liked on the narrow path below and ran up to the doorway. Offering back to Koreshian his bow and arrows which were fast dwindling now, "Well stage one complete. Shall we begin our next tour on this fine holiday." Gesturing towards the door with a smirk and a slight bow. "I might have some powder you can put on those wounds to stop the bleeding."

Gerald only hoped that they were not to late and that the passages were wide enough for them both, it would be bad to funnelled into a location where only one of them could fight at a time, given that more often than not these mountain strongholds were underground kingdoms with a population befitting such a name.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

He accepted back his bow and quiver and slung them over his back, but kept his ax in hand before handing the key ring over to Gerald. “I have no idea what waits for us on the other side of those doors” he then looked up toward them. “But there is only one real way to find out” so he hiked the ax over his shoulder and approached the doors waiting for Gerald to find the right key. “You’re not my king but in situations like this there can only be one leader. When we go through the doors you are it because it is your Queen after all.”

Koreshian tucked his hand ax back into his belt then and used a rag he produced to wipe the blood from his chest. He refused the powder of course but the bleeding seemed to be stopping. That made sense really when one had seen his disdain of magic.

selfexiled

Gerald made his way through the keys trying each one in turn before finally hearing the click of the lock. "Ha there we are, you know I'm surprised you waited for the keys. More than likely you could've bashed the door in with your weighted axe." Though without waiting for a response from Koreshian, he eased the doors open. Which moved rather well considering the builders.

The open doors revealed a dark maw of intermitten torches scarcely providing enough light to see to the next torch. He considered it to be this way only because they were still standing in the sunlight and thier eyes were not adjusted yet. But to keep from making a silhotte in the doorway for anyone to shoot at he stepped in quickly. But remaining near the door to let his eyes grow accustomed to the darker world they were about to enter. While standing there he caught a strong scent of blood but attributed it to the bodies he had just left behind. Satisfied with the how his eyes had adjusted he gean moving inwards. He could hear Koreshian follow behind him, the man was quiet for his size but these passages were to quiet for his taste nearly every hair was standing on end cautious of every shadow.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

Koreshian closed the doors behind him while they both waited for their eyes to adjust. No, reason to advertise their presence though on some level he suspected it was already known. The entire place stunk of magic and that put the massive barbarian on edge. Ax in hand he trailed after the king and was more than a little shocked to see how quiet and deserted the halls were. He murmured to Gerald "I do not like this and the place is putrid with magic" he continued to follow figuring the king had some elfin way of finding his Queen now that she was close.

But then a small sound to his right and behind caught his attention. And in the way of experienced warriors he saw without looking, the Orc sneaking out of the secrete side passage in an attempt to back stab him. Foolish Orc the ax flashed in a sudden backhand motion and the Orc was separated from his head so fast that the body stood fountaining blood from the severed neck a long moment before it joined the head on the floor. Koreshian looked back at the still twitching corpse "they seem to be the sort that like to sneak up behind a fellow." He did not comment further as the plainsman really did not think of such things as dishonorable. Simply another tool in the arsenal of a warrior.

selfexiled

Nodding at Koreshian's comment on the level magic in the place Gerald readied for any kind of magic attack along with that of any standard blade and bow strike which he would've preferred. Honestly he shared the barbarian's distaste for magic but saw its uses when in a pinch.
The sudden movement and juicy cutting sound of the axe made him turn in time to see the orc head roll across the ground and the body still standing in shock before collapsing. "They seem to be the sort that like to sneak up behind a fellow." Koreshian mentioned in a somewhat dettached fashion. Eyeing the body for moment as it twitched in its death throws, "So it would appear. Ambushes have they're uses but are generally a tactic of the weak and dishonorable. I suppose we should check the shadows more closely from now on."
It was true that magic seemed to drip from the very walls of this place but it was foul and putrid, the queen's magic though dark at times was not foul in its essense. Gerald stopped a moment and tapping into the power of the spear tried to seperate the magics from each other to see if he could locate his queen's presense or at least get a direction to start.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

Koreshian followed Gerald a while and felt him use some of his elf craft for lack of better term. Also after a while in such close proximity to the pervasive magic he could pick out different threads. It was a gift of his magic disdaining people "lighter thread this way." He pointed to a rough hew passage that lead ever downward "and they are taking on the tactics of those who are weak in numbers. I do not think there are as many of them as they would like us to believe. So they use terrain and trickery as opposed to raw numbers."  He leaned in and sniffed down the passage he had indicated while taking the time to pull on oil coated rag and calmly wipe the blood from the bit of Bane.

He did not bother to tell Gerald to check out what he had sensed because any idiot would know to do that. In fact the massive man had probably spoken more since they had entered the hold than he had during the entire trip. While he waited though Gerald could see the wheels turning in the barbarian's mind and at last he added "so who is the traitor in your court? They are taking the sneaky approach to things so it would tend to reason your QUeen was taken by treason."

selfexiled

Even as Gerald was locating the thread that would lead to his queen Koreshian seemed to sense it as well. Unique peoples these barbarians, for having such a disdain for magic they seem to be able to root it out like a pig with truffles. But never the mind foreward and down it seemed was their path for the time being.

"So who is the traitor in your court? They are taking the sneaky approach to things so it would tend to reason your queen was taken by treason." Koreshian proved to be astute of his surroundings and deductions.

"I wish I knew." After a moments pause, "They came in through a secret passage, those who knew of it could be counted on one hand. All are dead save myself and the queen and... our chief advisor." A few moments more of silence, "It couldn't be, he has been faithful to the queen even before I knew the name of her kingdom." To any who cared to notice Gerald's mood darkened as his jaw locked in determination, "He'll provide such answers when I return be it at the end of my spear or on it."
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0

Retribution

Koreshian cleared his throat as they headed down the winding tunnel. He let Gerald take the point not out of cowardice but out of sense.  The ax is a fearful weapon, but it is slow even in the most nimble of hands. So the wise let the quicker warrior take the lead to keep enemies from getting inside the ax man’s reach.  In exchange the one in front has the pleasure of having a pure wall of destruction with their back. “I suspect you do not doubt yourself so that leaves your Queen or your advisor and while it is not unheard of I doubt your Queen double crossed herself.”

The smell of sulfur soon rose to meet them from the bowels of the earth and it was swiftly becoming evident that they were indeed heading in the correct direction as they traveled down. For his part the barbarian remained silent after his rather blunt observations.  Though the fact he was capable of making such observations probably made it more clear how he and his Jarl quarreled. Stupid son’s that end up dead or not if there was a barbarian side of the equation for those who took the Queen they would most likely not like someone of Koreshian’s standing around. But thoughts were put aside as the big man stopped suddenly and held up his hand.  Then one could hear it the drifting voices of human’s and Orcs up ahead.

selfexiled

The crude voices of orc mixed voices of man rose up to meet them as they passed through the darkness. Light could be seen near the end of the passage, it seems to open up into a cavern but of what size could not yet be determined. Acknowledging Koreshian's motion to halt Gerlad did the same and sat and listened trying to determine the number of voices in the room.

Either the orcs outnumbered the men here or the men were just not talking but Gerald could pick out only three human voices at the moment and atleast six different orcs many of them carried the same tone to their voice and it was hard to tell them apart, time was not thier friend, eventually someone would come down the passage and find them and they would have to fight anyways. Better to start it now with surprise than to be surprised and have the whole of the fortress rain down on them. Edging closer to the opening, Gerald looked and saw that his numbers were correct there were only nine voices... talking. Another four had thier faces buried in a table of food and several lumps on the floor that could only be sleepers were on the edge of the shadows. So thirteen, not counting however many were asleep, not really the numbers best suited for two attackers but Gerald had a feeling that Koreshian would revel in such a battle his great axe more than a match for anything in the room.

Turning Gerald motions the numbers he sees and waits for Koreshian's response while mentally running the fight through his head to try and foresee an outcome before it began.
Originality is fast becoming obsolete, to make a trully unique world all your own is the mark of a great writer, artist, thinker.

Uhm ONs/Offs link
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=134455.msg5990414#msg5990414

Absences:
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=180093.0