The Lost Dragonling (semiOpen, come to the OOC)

[Remec]

The visitors came in the night.

It wasn't that they could not have come in the day, nor that they feared daylight...as is so often the case when it comes to mysterious visitors...but that their reason for coming to see the Lord of the Argent Tower required more cirumspection than would have been possible during normal hours.

"You're certain of what you have told me?" asked Barthrain Raiz.

The woman nodded in silence, while her companion sighed. "We are", he said in a flat tone. "The usual spells of detection have been to no avail. We thought, perhaps, your expertise in divination might tell us something different." He regarded the arcane Lord somberly, the dim glow of the fireplace glistened in his eyes.

"Indeed", remarked Barthrain Raiz as he stroked his long silver-grey beard. "I will see what I can do. I know some people whom I can trust to take on this quest and discover what has happened, and how."

The couple nodded. Slowly, they rose and made their way back out into the night. Behind them, the ancient wizard immediately began awkening his most trusted apprentices and set them to work combing the libraries of the Tower and the City for special texts.

Tomes of prohpecy to confirm what Barthrain Raiz already suspected. "Quendor," he muttered under his breath. "How could I not have anticipated this? I know the stories. Well, thought I did." He shook his head and then snapped his fingers and made a mystical gesture in the air.

A sleepyheaded elf with badly tossled hair appeared within moments, their sleeping garments still visible beneath badly bunched apprentice robes. "You called, Master Raiz?" Tolre asked.

"Yes...go finish dressing and pack for a short journey," Barthrain Raiz told the young mage. "I need to you to go into the Whispering Woods."

The apprentice looked surprised, but nodded. "I am gathering fresh herbs for something?"

Barthrain Raiz smiled and laughed lightly. "You are gathering something, true, but not herbs."

"Go find Rialle and ask her to come to the Tower." He turned to a large tome marked with a crescent moon, then glanced back at Tolre over his shoulder. "And, yes, she may bring that wolf with her if she wishes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OOC: Greetings! This is the beginning of a grand fantasy adventure (I hope) dealing with the search for a lost dragonling. Who is it and why are they lost? Who is searching and why? What will happen while they search?

Who knows?

But, if you'd like to join in, feel free to come to the OOC:The Lost Dragonling thread and drop a message. We'll work you into things.<g>

 

[Alerdene]

The young woman sat alone by a stream, idly tossing rocks in and smiling with delight as they skipped across the water before disappearing under the surface. Her long auburn hair was loose and stray strands occasionally blew across her face in the gentle breeze. The moon shone down on her delicate beauty, it's light falling across her face as she leaned back on her elbows and gazed up at it, the woods alive with sound as she sat there musing about her existence. She collapsed all the way to the ground as she listened to the sounds around her, the animals, the wind, the water as it rippled down the small stream. A slight growl caught her attention though and she sat up suddenly, her lips moving to ready a spell, her hand falling on the staff that lay next to her.

She watched curiously as the young mage came bursting through the brush, stifling a smile at his disheveled look. She grinned as he looked around her as if looking for something, though she knew he wouldn't find what he sought unless she wished it to be so. She waited, silently, knowing it wasn't a coincidence that he came crashing through the woods in the middle of night to the exact spot where she sat alone. Her hand did let loose of the staff however, releasing the spell on her lips without a sound as she tilted her head and waited for him to catch his breath.

When he did however, she almost wished he hadn't. She sighed, having expected this summons somehow. She'd dreamed about it several times over the last month and now it was here.

Master Raiz requests your presence please Rialle. As soon as possible.

She stared at him for a moment, her mind playing with the thought of refusal, though she knew it wasn't really an option. When the Lord of the Argent Tower summoned one... it wasn't a good idea to ignore it. She was about to ask him, when he waved at her and continued,

The beast as well if you feel it necessary.

Her full lips tugged up into a broad smile as she nearly laughed outloud again at the look on his face. She knew her companion was the source of many uneasy looks when she was around, though she couldn't for the life of her understand why. He was so gentle and sweet. Standing, she brushed the leaves off her backside and picked up the staff, smiling brightly at the young mage, her golden eyes sparkling. Her voice when she spoke was soft and musical,

Lead the way Tolre. I won't keep your Master waiting.

He walked off the way he had come and she followed him, whistling once sharply, and grinning as it caused the mage to look back in her direction quickly. She was further rewarded with a look of annoyance as the great black wolf bounded from the underbrush to appear without a sound by her side. Her hand dropped to pat him gently on the head as they walked, frowning as the silver birthmark on her wrist began tingling again, for the fortieth time that day it seemed.

 

[AmandaAce]

Cor

In the heart of the forest, nestled into the crotch of a great and twisted black tree, two tiny pinpoints of light were suddenly visible in the darkness. The light of the moon had no effect on the pitch blackness of the huge tree, seeming to slide off it rather than to light it, to direct your eye elsewhere. The pinpoints of light rose to about man-height and began to move, slowly, out of the glamour of darkness.
The figure became visible by degrees, as it moved carefully out of the shadow cast by the tree -- first the feet, clad in soft black boots that looked as though they'd seen better days. The person, if person it was, was tall and lean, wearing black fighting leggings made of some sort of soft leather. As the torso emerged from the darkness, became clear that the figure was female. She wore a black harness to match the leggings, and across her back was strung a huge longbow. A dagger handle showed at her back, just above her belt.
She was possessed of a huge mass of smooth black hair, which she wore pulled back from her face. It cascaded down her back in a waterfall of matted dreadlocks, festooned with coins and feathers, charms and cantrips. Her skin was caramel in color, naturally, but she was so covered in tattoos that she may as well have been blue. Sigils and spells were tattooed all over her arms and torso.
Her eyes were blindingly white and so electric that they almost shot sparks. They flashed now as she looked around her, trying to find the source of the voices that had awakened her.
She always heard voices now that the magic had completely taken her over. Most of them were easy to ignore, but these were different. She'd heard the voice of an elf, definitely, and all around him she'd felt the crackle of magic. Strong magic. Good magic. And of course, he'd spoken the name.
Barthran Raiz.
The tall creature that had once been Princess Corianna Chastain turned in the direction the voices had gone. In two steps she was gone into the darkness, in pursuit of the magic Master Raiz was so obviously hoarding.

 

[Alerdene]

She followed Tolre silently, her mind ablaze with possible reasons for the summons. None making much sense... unless... she glanced at her itching wrist again and smiled. No. Shrugging, she gave up trying to figure it out and merely walked, enjoying the night air.

A shiver ran up her spine at one point and she turned, stopping, her eyes searching the path behind them. Seeing nothing, she ran her hands lightly up the goosebumps on her arms and laughed as she saw Tolre's expression.

Was nothing Tolre, continue on. Merely a cold chill.

They reached the tower with only a few hours of nightfall left and the elf magician escorted her in, smiling pleasantly as she whispered a command to the wolf and it bounded off silently into the woods, only its golden eyes visible as it lay under a bush watching the tower entrance.

Wanting to be sure he knew it was for the wolf's sake and not his, she smiled as she told him,

He's not fond of the indoors, I thought he'd like it better out there... he gets restless inside.

She managed to hide her grin until he turned around and she continued following him up several flights of winding stairs, finally he stopped before a door, pushing it open and motioning her inside. She stepped inside to see a waiting room of sorts and she sank down into one of the chairs near a crackling fire and stretched her long legs out before her, nodding as the man said something about Master Raiz joining her soon.

She curled her legs up underneath her, one hand going unconsciously behind her to rub the new marks on her lower back lightly. She loved the black and blue dragon that was there now, the marks only having recently been finished. She'd had a dream with the image of the dragon burned so completely into her brain that she'd insisted on having it inked onto her. Her parents had been stunned at her act, the look in their eyes one of surprise mingled with something else she hadn't been able to place, but she didn't care. She loved it.

Stretching again, she gazed into the fire, wondering again what Master Raiz wanted with her, her fingers lightly tracing the crescent shaped mark on her wrist as she waited patiently.

 

[Remec]

Rialle

The patient waiting became more prolonged. Then it started to get ridiculous, as Rialle realized that hours had passed while she waited alone in the room within the Argent Tower where she had been shone.

In another part of the Tower, Barthrain Raiz studied a large glass orb on a table before him. He watched the maiden through his crystal ball, taking note of the special auras and arcane notations that appeared upon the surface of the globe around her image. It was mostly what he had expected, although there were several shadows of chaos and dark magick that he had been a bit surprised by.

"Omens and prophecy," he sighed. "Why is so much of the Art still couched within such things? Cannot even magick be straightforward?" He shook his head and arose from his padded chair. Invisible servants brought him his robes of office and the stout staff he bore when in public.

The lowest whisper passed from his lips. "Tolre," he said. "I am coming down. Please take our guest food and drink." The soft words did not even echo within the small chamber Barthrain Raiz occupied, but the apprentice elsewhere in the Tower heard his master as if the mage was standing at his shoulder.

"Of course, master," Tolre replied, the magick of the Tower taking his answer to Barthrain Raiz' ears just as easily.

Moments later, the door to the room holding Rialle opened and Tolre entered with a small cart. It was laden with several bowls of fresh fruit and bread, a large platter of assorted cheeses and cuts of meat, and an elegant ewer of green glass with silver goblets that had stems resembling the Tower. "The Lord of the Argent Tower will be with you shortly. He has asked me to bring you food and drink."

Tolre smiled slightly, his eyes traveling once more along the druidess' legs. "I may be overstepping, but I am sure he would also wish to thank you for your time in waiting."

A laugh and a low, but powerful, voice came from the open doorway. "Indeed, to both." Barthrain Raiz stepped into the room and crossed to stand by Rialle. His gaze fell upon Tolre, but the apprentice had dropped his eyes to the floor and bowed his head. "If I had had more of a message for you to take, I would have said so, Tolre. But, I can appreciate how you might want to remain on the good side of such a wild beauty as young Rialle here."

He dismissed Tolre with a turn of his head and brought the focus of his attention to the druidess. "Welcome once more, my dear. It has been too long since you have been to the Tower. You have been well, yes? No problems concerning your...mark?"

 

[Remec]

Scream

In a dark and unpleasant part of a dark and unpleasant city, a man reclined upon a much too expensive lounger and sipped cold wine from a large goblet. The couple that hung from the ankles several feet away from him whimpered and shivered in the dankness of the room.

It wasn't particularly uncomfortable, temperaturewise, unless you had the misfortune to be naked. Especially if you were naked and had been sprayed down with water drawn from a deep well that was as cold as if it had come from the purest of mountain streams.

Which the couple were.

Guildmaster Lekh'ron set down his cup upon a small table by his seat. Taking up a knife from the table, he spun it easily within his hand...letting it flow about his fingers...and then slid its thin blade through a fair sized block of cheese. He caught the slice upon the flat of the knife before it fell to the table surface and lifted it to himself.

He took it in his free hand and gently smelled the smoky, spicy scent before taking a bite. "Mmm..." he murmured as he ate the soft cheese. "So delightful...you would so enjoy this...oh...well, you would when you still had tongues." Lekh'ron shrugged, sitting up and then standing, and brushed the crumbs from earlier morsels of bread and cheese from his garments.

He waved off the attendants that stood by the couple as they dangled in the middle of the room. "Let's leave our little lovebirds for a while. Perhaps they will be more inclined to write down some answers for us when the blood has seeped out of their lower extremities and begun pooling in their brains."

The servants gave a short bow and rolled the cart of implements back into the storage room. As they were leaving, Lekh'ron snapped his fingers. "Beecher...have we heard from Scream yet? I thought they were staying in the Guildhouse."

"No, Guildmaster, our reports say that Scream set himself up a room, but has been staying out in Shawl proper. But, he have heard that he has arrived. I belive he was under the impression you were...busy..."

Lekh'ron smiled. "Oh dear, I suppose I was unclear. Very well, tell him to meet me in the main dining hall in half an hour...we shall discuss his next assignment over a meal." The Guildmaster turned and looked at the couple behind him and snickered.

"I've already finished the predinner entertainment...."

 

[Alerdene]

Sitting for awhile looking around the room, she soon became aware that she'd been there quite some time. She stood and stretched, trying not to yawn as she sat back down, arranging herself comfortably in the chair.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she frowned and began fidgeting with the laces that ran up the front of her vest. Sighing she leaned forward and began playing with tiny spells, just fun ones, nothing that would cause any harm. She smiled as a tiny violet flower sprung up at her feet, and she leaned over to pick it, tucking into her hair.

It was at that instance that the door swung open and she nearly jumped out of her skin, certain that she was about to be scolded for using magic in the Tower... though come to think of it, she had no idea if that was forbidden by visitors or not.

She nearly laughed with relief as she saw it was Tolre. She smiled at him as he brought in the food and drink, and her smile got bigger as she noticed him staring at her momentarily as he mentioned her waiting so patiently. She'd have probably flirted with him some... it was rare a man paid attention to her in that way. Not because she was ugly, far from it in fact... but most of the people she was around seemed almost intimidated by her, though why, she had no idea.

Before she could say anything however, Master Raiz's voice caught her by surprised, and she blushed as he spoke and moved to her side, as if he could somehow sense her thoughts. She nearly blushed again as he commented to Tolre about her, but managed a weak smile.

She began nodding as he spoke to her about being away too long, she had expected that, she'd not been here nearly as often as she probably should have been, but somehow, she was so much more comfortable out in the woods then she was with other people. She was shy and tended to get tongue-tied when dealing with others sometimes. She raised her hand to cover her birth-mark as he asked about it, but noticed in time and forced her hand down as she shrugged.

It itches sometimes, especially as of late.. and the last full moon it... well...

She regretted saying anything the moment the words left her mouth, though by the look on Master Raiz's face, he wouldn't let it slide now, so she spit it out in a rush, in one long breath.

The last full moon it changed colors. Just the one night, the next morning it was back to normal, but that's when it began itching and it hasn't stopped since and today it's been driving me absolutely insane.

He looked at her expectantly and she waited for him to speak, but he just continued looking at her. Finally she glanced at Tolre who was busy studying his shoes and was of no help.

What? That's it, I swear. It just itches.

She would have sworn she saw the Lord of the Argent Tower's mouth almost quirk up into a grin at her comment, but he managed to supress it and merely asked,

Color Rialle. What color did it turn to that night?

Oh. Red. Well crimson really. I thought my wrist was bleeding at first, but it was just the mark. And it was back to normal the next morning.

She knew then she wasn't going to like the reason she'd been called here and she wondered if it was time. She knew bits and pieces of what might be coming, the Elders could only hide so much from her, when her name was on the tip of their tongues every time she turned around. It was yet another reason she spent so much time alone, she couldn't bear to hear the whispers that stopped suddenly when she would walk into a room.

She sat waiting, her hands folded in her lap, her appetite having left her now. She looked from him to Tolre and back again, Tolre refusing to meet her eyes, and Master Raiz simply looking at her.

 

[amon_darknight]

Scream

He looked to the sky and he sighed. Why was he still working for this man, he couldn’t even do his own dirty work, he had to hire people to join his guild. Only by greed people joined, that is what made this guild so weak Scream thought. He joined this guild a long time ago, before this Pasha took over.

“I should just kill him and take control, but I am not suited to be a fat Pasha…”

He looked to his rare Katana and shook his head.

“I am better than this, I am the best fighter in the realms, best killer. Trained by the cold heart, held no emotions when it came to a kill, what will come for me in the future.”

He had just come back from assassinating a trade leader in the next town that did not agree to a price cut with his Pasha, that assignment was far to easy. It seemed as if he was sending him on rookie missions and he did not understand why. He slicked his long white hair out of his face and he tied it back into a pony tail, the tail was full of sharp hairs that kind of spiked up. He than looked to see a messenger running to his new place, he waited a few seconds and Scream let loose three throwing daggers, that pierced through the door.

“What do you want?”

The messenger told him that the Pasha wanted to see him in 30 mins. And he left, Scream looked to the sky again and he jumped out the window to be on his way to the guildmaster. He got there early and he walked into the room undetected by anything.

“Pasha… You have summoned me?”

He bowed to him.

“Have you my payment, the magical item I asked for. The knives of returning and speed, only two meager items, they come with a bracer, like I requested. I would get these things myself, but I find it easier for you to do that talking for me, so I don’t just kill these traders, and for my next assignment I would require a enchantment on my Sword and stronger magic for my armor.”

He knew he asked for a lot, but he had his own plans in mind.

 

[katalynn]

Raven ran with the massive black tiger, was more than capable of riding on his back. Sometimes it was needed, but she didn't like doing that do him. If she wasn't able to get there by his side, Raven would find another way.

Only problem she truly had at this point. Was not knowin where to begin. Hell, she wasn't even positive that this dragonling was and actual. She'd do anything to protect it if was though, but stories and those..... humans... have a way of putting code names for items and othe great treasure. If indeed it was treasure, perhaps she will gain a little something out it. If it was truly a dragon though, she would put her life down for it. Just like dragon had done to her. Within her blood holds the blood of a dragon, it was how the dragon saved her life.

The first path she took was a simple path to the city, of which she hated. It was a long path, but it was an easy one.

After about a three day travel from her own home, Raven closed the cloak tighter around herself, pulling the hood up over her head. It wasn't the fact that she didn't want to be seen, she did not care about what people thought of her. Plus, with the huge ass ... to most... a wild cat by her side, it kept the fools away from her. No, she hid within her cloak so she wouldn't have to see the city people. Putting on blinder persay to their gauking eyes and whispers, the pointing fingers.

This town was of mixed races, but Raven was a rare find. A drow yes, but she did not look like one and made it made people draw attention to her. Also, a black tiger did not help matters either. Though, she never left him alone anywhere. Even in the city.

Walked into an inn she knew well, the bar keep gave Rage and big cow bone as a treat, giving Raven a key to her usual room that was big enough for the both her and the tiger.... Rage getting his own bed of course.
After three long days, a bath and some rest was sounding very welcoming right now. Then, she would seek out the one person that know more of where to find what she was after.

 

[Remec]

Scream

The room was dark. Small, three-armed candelabrae sat here and there about the spacious chamber. The soft glow their candles shed mingled together to make the entire space take on the semblance of early dusk or predawn. But the dining hall of Guildmaster Lekh'ron was large and paneled in dark wood that made it seem shadowed and dim in spite of the lights dotting its walls and tables.

A slight wavering in the light made the large assassin turn to look at that corner of the room and discover someone there that he'd not noticed come in.

Scream he thought with a shake of his head. Damn, but I hate when he does that. Lekh'ron motioned his supposed follower and underling further into the chamber. He knew Scream was one of the, if not the, best among all the agents the Guild used on a regular basis.

Scream was, as usual, direct and to the point. He'd greeted Lekh'ron and made inquiries as to his payment for both his previous assignment as well as what he was there to be assigned to.

"....and for my next assignment," Scream was saying, "I would require a enchantment on my Sword and stronger magic for my armor."

Of course you would thought Lekh'ron, but the older man just smiled. "I see. And what enchantment and magic you would like placed upon your things, or shall I have several prepared and let you choose among them?"

He paused for an answer, but then continued with a nod of his head. "We have taken on a contract to discover what business the Argent Tower is undertaking. Our client was told what we had found out...that Barthrain Raiz is looking for a dragonling that has gone missing, and that it may be related to several various prophecies...and they would like us to slip an agent into the old mage's search party to find out more and, if necessary, to prevent the dragonling from fulfilling certain specific oracles."

Guildmaster Lekh'ron poured himself a fresh glass of wine. He gestured towards an empty cup by the bottle and raised an eye to Scream. "You're early for dinner, but we could seal the agreement with a drink."

 

[amon_darknight]

Scream

He looked to the Guildmaster and he again bowed.

“You seemed surprised every time you see me, I am an elf by blood, and a silent mover., but beyond that. You can make your items for me and I can choose from them.”

He drew his famed Assassin Blade and looked to it and he eyed you.

“But this blade here, is what takes the lives from those you tell me to end, and I do expect to have something to compare to its ever so thirsty life draining abilities.”

You saw the evil blade glow for a second and he only grinned as he sheathed it. He than looked to you and grinned, at the thought of how sweet it would be to suck the life out of him. The one person that ruled his life, well that might all change soon.

“As well for my sword, I wanted a poison magic enchanted into it, something that when I struck someone and chose not to kill them, the poison would more than make up for it, making them believe that they survived, until the poison seeped in and took there life. But that is for later, right now I believe I requested my daggers of speed and returning with the bracer. I left the instructions with your lackey, ohhh wait a minute, I killed him.”

Scream only grinned as he forgot to tell the Pasha that. He pulled a parchment of paper from his pocket and he tossed it to the Pasha.

“Here are the instructions on what I want. The sword and armor will come later, unless you are feeling giving today or something. But I do not expect that from you.”

He than listened to the Pasha about his next assignment and he wondered what was about this dragonling.

“So you want me to sneak into a Mage Tower and steal a dragon baby, so it wont come back to bite you in the ass, am I right? Hmph.”

He slicked his white hair out of his face and he looked to him.

“I accept this mission, for killing mages is something I find quite amusing. Especially if it means taking the life force from a powerful mage. Have my sword after I get back from this mission. I also left that on the paper for you.”

He looked to the wine and than looked to the Pasha.

“Don’t feel like getting poisoned tonight. Always remember Pasha, D.T.A., it will keep you alive a whole lot longer. I will report to you when I find info out.”

He turned and walked out of the dinning room. He had to prepare some poison’s and his Hand Crossbow.

“Magic…”

 

[Remec]

Rialle

Barthrain Raiz regarded the slender elf maiden thoughtfully. To his side and just behind him, the apprentice Tolre shuffled a foot and tried to keep his eyes...and thoughts...upon what his master and the druidess were discussing. Barthrain Raiz knew how difficult that could be for a youngling like Tolre, however, especially when confronted by such an intriguing and enticing woman such as Rialle.

"Crimson, eh? Appeared to be...." the mage's words trailed off as his mind suddenly jumped to a passage from one of the works he'd been perusing earlier in the day.

"'And the bloody moon shall be the first sign,'" he said.

Tolre looked up at his master, and Barthrain Raiz could see the slight brush of fear in Rialle's eyes. She worries, but is curious at the same time. This is good. "That is from the Oracle of Belas. Curious, that a foretelling by Dwarven seers should seem to point towards the Elves. It is typical of such prophecies, full of doom and gloom but ending with a message of hope."

Barthrain Raiz pulled up a chair and sat by Rialle. He looked over her once more, taking in each inch of her delicate form, and pondered the whims of Fate that placed such a potential burden upon such a petite, graceful frame. He leaned in to let his large silver-blue eyes peer into the druidess' face. He seemed to be almost staring into her mind...or soul.

"A quest has arisen. And you are central to its fulfillment. Old...very old...friends have come to me to aid them in finding a precious thing that has become lost. Now I have come to you."
He sat back once more, but his eyes still seemed to be filled with nothing but Rialle...who she was, had been, and might yet be.

"How versed are you with the ways of dragons?" he asked.

 

[Alerdene]

'And the bloody moon shall be the first sign'

Her lips parted in surprise and she felt the first hint of nervousness about being there... but at the same time she couldn't deny a hunger for knowledge about what the elders were always whispering about.

She sat back in her chair as he sat down next to her and looked her over, his light eyes seeming to pierce her very soul as he gazed into her own golden eyes. He finally spoke again and her high, delicately arched brows burrowed in confusion. A quest.. friends of his.. she frowned slightly at his next question.

How versed are you with the ways of dragons?

She took a deep breath and glanced at Tolre again who once again seemed to be looking everywhere but at her, though at this point she had no idea if she was making him nervous or if the subject was. Turning back to Master Raiz, she shrugged slightly,

I know the tales children are told. I know they are rare and wondrous creatures. They hold even rarer and wonderful powers... powers of destruction... and creation. I've read the lore that I was allowed.

She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the question, her hand going unconsciously to her lower back where the newly marked picture was. Ever since her dream and insistance on having the picture inked, she'd read everything she could get her hands on about the majestic creatures.

I know not what is true and what is fanciful tales though... why... why do you ask?

She chewed on her lower lip, a sure sign of her nervousness now, her small frame suddenly becoming very fidgety as she sat there. Her eyes lit up suddenly as she scooted to the edge of her seat, several emotions flashing across her easily read face... excitement, curiousity, and a hint of fear.

Your quest involves a dragon?

Frowning again she sat back suddenly,

Why am I central to it's fulfillment? I am young.. not even completely finished with my studies, though Nilan told me last week he thought there was not much more he could teach me. And what's started with a bloody moon? It can't really mean me can it?

She realized she was beginning to ramble again and she stopped, looking to him for answers.

 

[AmandaAce]

Cor

In the forest, a small brown rabbit was making its way through the underbrush. Foliage rustled and cracked as it snuffled busily around the base of a tree. Locating a particularly sweet bunch of clover, it settled down to eat.
The rabbit's name was Marcus. He hadn't been a rabbit long.
As Marcus sat there munching, a thick and compact darkness began oozing its way between the trees behind him. He noticed nothing, smelled nothing.
He had been a man once. A thief, he had been, though not a very good one. The rabbit curse was the result of mucking about with some nasty buried treasure.
He wasn't turning out to be a very good rabbit either.
The darkness, now swirling close behind Marcus, began to lift.
It grew less indistinct as it came, the dark tendrils forming a human shape.
Marcus, his rabbit senses kicking in much too late, turned just in time to see Cor, her glamour of darkness gone, swoop down on him, her hand, tattooed with charms of strength and speed, suddenly crushing the life out of him. He bit and kicked, but she held him tight, her eyes crackling fiercely. She opened her mouth. Her tongue was scorched black with the heat of the magic she so freely consumed. Her teeth were blindingly white, so strongly magicked that they dazzled the eye.
Cor's horrendous magic maw was the last thing Marcus saw as she bit into him, taking his face off with one chomp. The curse magic looked like black lightning as Cor sucked it from the dead rabbit's neck. It flowed down her chin like spilt wine, pooled in the corners of her eyes and dripped down her cheeks like tears. Her hand tightened on the corpse of the rabbit, squeezing as much as she could out of it. When there was no more left, she tossed it aside and threw her head back.
She was hovering three feet of the ground, dark magic crawling across her face and neck. The spells on her skin flashed myriad colors. Her eyes were wide open, and they shone like twin searchlights.
The voices were ear-splitting. They shrieked at her from every direction, mocking, screaming, pleading, sobbing at her. Steeped in magic, they sliced into her brain like knives.
Cor screamed, a single wailing note that went on and on. She sank to the ground, sobbing and clawing at her ears. Her eyes, as always, were open , and dry, but her face was contorted with suffering. She wailed on and on, waiting for the moment when the voices would finally kill her, just split what was left of her brain in two.
She lay there for a long time, weeping, until she realized the voices were gone. As gone as they ever were, anyway. She could hear the faint crackling of a conversation in the Argent Tower. She tried not to focus on it. Her head throbbed when she did that. She was going there anyway.
Cor picked herself up off the ground. She was too drained to perform her glamour of darkness, but she managed to cast a spell of indistinction over herself. Now she was simply nondescript, nearly invisible to human and animals alike.
Taking a long drink from her waterskin, Cor turned her long strides east, towards the Argent Tower, to see what she could see.
She took off at a fast walk, head still aching. Every ten steps or so, she gave a little hop.

 

[Remec]

Rialle

Barthrain Raiz regarded the young elf maiden before him and nodded quietly. He seemed to be thinking on just what to say. Off to the side of the pair, Tolre fidgeted and pondered interrupting the Master to see if he should leave. He was merely an apprentice, although closer to journeyman than to simple errand runner or cleaner of erasers and laboratory equipment.

He'd been at the Argent Tower for almost a dozen years, practically as long as it took a human to grow from babe to adolescent, yet sometimes it seemed as if he'd arrived yesterday. Always there was something new to learn or experience.

Dwarven oracles?

The Master has friends who treat with dragons?

The current bearer of the silver crescent was a druidess who made his heart race and jumbled him up body and mind?

He sighed without realizing it, and Barthrain Raiz glanced back at him. Tolre knew his cheeks were flushed without even needing to look at the nearest glass, and swallowed nervously. The Master dismissed him with a nod of his head but smiled at him.

Tolre hurriedly bowed and started to go, but then stopped and bowed to Rialle as well. He tried to make it simple yet elegant, but he fouled his foot in the throw rug on the floor and let his gaze linger over long on Rialle's slender neck and the cleavage her top showed.

Barthrain Raiz laughed lightly as the door shut behind Tolre. "He is much more capable than it might seem," the Master of the Argent Tower remarked. "As are you, it would seem."

"The acknowledgement that there is more for you to learn is a mark of wisdom that many much older than yourself have yet to discover. And if Nilan says there is naught else he could school you in, well, it would seem the time has come for you to look elsewhere for your education."

He stepped to a bookshelf and took down a small box from one of the upper shelves. He set the box down on a table by Rialle and motioned for her to open it. "In there you will find sufficient funds for you to outfit yourself for a journey of several weeks," Barthrain Raiz told her. "And enough left over to secure something else you will need."

The mage leaned down and lifted Rialle's chin to meet her eyes more directly. "There is a man in Dawnsgate, at the edge of the forest, who knows much of elves...but is human and will be useful on your journey. He is a mercenary and a soldier, but one who I have been told is trustworthy. Seek him out and hire him to watch your back."

He could see the protest beginning and raised a hand. "The wolf is not able to help in all the ways that you will need assistance. Pack what you need, and leave in the morning."

"The human's name is Harlot. You will know him by his mithril armor and eyes the colour of the deep woods."

 

[Remec]

Harlot

"I'm afraid I cannot take your gold," the waitress told Harlot. "You have had a patron set you up with room and board both for as long as you choose to be here."

Here was the Falcon's Wing, an inn and tavern in the mostly jointly human and elven town of Dawnsgate. It sat upon the eastern edge of Taur-en-Anor, and was a main stop for anything and anyone passing into the Elven realm from Pleneth and vice versa.

Caravans, pilgrims, adventurers hoping to secure Elven arms or armor...all of these, and more, could be found wandering the streets of Dawnsgate or lounging about her alehouses. Harlot was not much different, except for one thing.

For almost a score of years, Dawnsgate was the closest he came to entering the human kingdom that had so badly dishonoured him and his family.

Most of the time, he stayed within the forest. Occasionally, someone might pay him enough to get him to go into the deep territories below the surface realms, or to sail on barge or trading vessel down the river into the greater Elven kingdom of Olythyr...once, maybe eight, ten years ago, he'd even ventured into Belas to help safeguard a family of dwarves looking to reclaim their ancestral mine. But, mostly, he wandered until work or fate decided they needed him.

Until a week ago, that is.

Seven days ago, he'd received a note to come to Dawnsgate. It has come without a name upon it, but bore the stamp of the Argent Tower. While he'd had less call for the use of spell and ritual, he had lived among the elves long enough to know he should at least see what this was about.

So he came. And now, it seemed, he waited without knowing for what or whom. But, at least, without losing money on the deal.

Yet.

 

[Alerdene]

She sat quietly, trying not to squirm under the Master's thoughtful gaze. She heard Tolre sigh and she glanced at him, almost gratefully for breaking the thick silence following her questions. She smiled nervously at him as he tripped in his rush to leave and she nearly frowned as she attributed his rush and trip to merely wanting to be away from her.

Sighing she turned back to see Master Raiz with a smile on his face and remarking about Tolre. She was about to nod her agreement, no matter how much she liked to tease him about his unease with her wolf, she thought he was quite talented. Would have to be to have studied here for so long. The words never left her lips however as he began talking about her continued education... elsewhere.

She watched as he stepped away and reached to the top of a high case, taking down a box and setting it near her, motioning for her to open it. She lifted the top carefully and her eyes widened as she took in the contents even as he spoke again.

In there you will find sufficient funds for you to outfit yourself for a journey of several weeks. And enough left over to secure something else you will need.

She looked up at him curiously, wondering what she could possibly need, though she was still stunned with this turn of events. Where exactly was he sending her and what was she to do? His next words were more stunning then the contents of the box however and she began a protest which he silenced before she could even speak it.

The wolf is not able to help in all the ways that you will need assistance. Pack what you need, and leave in the morning.

The human's name is Harlot. You will know him by his mithril armor and eyes the colour of the deep woods.

She nearly sputtered with her annoyance. Not only was she being sent away from the solace of the forest, but she was to find a human to 'babysit' her as well? A human!!? She shut the lid to the box and stood, her confusion plain on her face.

A human? You want me to hire a human to come with me? Come with me where!? How am I to know where to go or even what I am seeking for sure? And how do you know this human will even agree to accompany me? Most people tend to shy away from me rather then be around me.

Her mind was already mentally taking notes however, for one did not argue with the Master of the Argent Tower. If he meant for her to go, then go she would. With a human in tow apparently.