Wrath of the Dragonkin
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		<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Non-Adult Sandbox =&gt; Non-Adult Roleplays =&gt; Topic started by: Lady Jenn on June 27, 2016, 02:30:08 pm</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>June 27, 2016, 02:30:08 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Vennar was a tall, raven-haired, middle-aged blacksmith who stood over an anvil, beating his newest sword into shape, occasionally looking over his shoulder towards the doorway to his forge. His friends had yet to arrive, and after what had happened to his brother he feared for them being out alone in the city.<br><br>He picked up the sword, giving it a few practice swings and smiling as he saw that it was perfect as usual. This one was intended for a special use however, one he had long expected to come but had still dreaded. He walked over to where a small painting of a beautiful young woman hung, kneeling down in front of it and closing his eyes for a moment, before looking up at the image.<br><br>"I am sorry Ainur," he said quietly. "I have failed you. I promised I would stay out of the wars that scarred this world, but now I fear I have no choice in the matter. Even with help I am not sure this mission is possible, but for the sake of this world I have to at least try."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>June 27, 2016, 06:08:39 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Urhea searched frantically for his father’s whereabouts, carefully avoiding the watchful eyes of the king and his guards. His father’s disappearance was abrupt and mired in so much conspiracy that he knew not what his next steps ought to be. Apparently his father had taken a semester off from the university for something important but unmentioned. His students knew not of their professor’s whereabouts. However, one seemed particularly cautious about his answers. Urhea, thinking a dog always returns to his master, followed the student. His pursuit was rewarded by a clue as to the quest. Supposedly there was a quest to find the stormrider, connecting two of the three words he heard that night: quest and stormrider. The student, however, was nowhere to be found the next day. Urhea decided to go on the quest in hopes of finding his father but he had hoped to pull some details about the quest from the student.<br><br>The fourth night, it was a beautiful starry sky, but Urhea noticed none of this beauty for he was walking in the back alleys trying to avoid a persistent pursuer. He didn’t know where and how he attracted the pursuer’s unwanted eyes, but he channeled energy away from the lights around him, dimming them. The enhanced darkness helped him escape the pursuer. Shaken, he reached home and decided that he needed a weapon and who better to ask than the local blacksmith.<br><br>Next morning, he noticed something is wrong in his house. The air was fresher than usual as if someone had opened the door during the night. The floor felt warmer than usual as if someone had walked on it recently. The sun was barely up when he realized he is in danger. He packed a bag with the bare necessities and snuck out the window. Once out, he saw a carriage in front of his house with the mark of the king. He drew the energy from the wind around him. This left the air around him a bit weak unable to carry sound as well, thereby concealing the sounds he made as he jumped roofs towards the anvil. With one final jump, he found himself behind the anvil.<br><br>&nbsp;
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 12:11:24 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Taking a quick look around to make sure no one would see her, Shael let herself drop from the window to the courtyard below. It was a short run through the courtyard, keeping to the shadows by instinct, then a careful scaling of the courtyard wall, and she was in the city proper. <br><br>She had caught sight of a painting in the blacksmith's shop, a work that would, she knew, sell for quite a lot. With it, she might be able to buy her way out of the city, or even pay for enformation scouting about her former mistress. If she could just avoid getting caught... 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 02:34:06 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He was deep enough in thought he hadn't noticed the newcomers, only broken from his trance by a sudden loud knock at the door of the forge. Cursing under his breath he grabbed the large blacksmith's hammer, hiding it behind his back as he approached the door, unlocking it slowly. When he saw who awaited him on the other side however he relaxed.<br><br>"Carolina, thank the stars," he said, stepping aside and allowing an elderly woman in a long grey cloak to step inside the room, shutting the door behind her. "You are fortunate I didn't take your head off, you should have given me more warning."<br><br>"We both know there is no time left for warnings," Carolina replied with a tired smile. "Where are the others? You told me there would be many friends here to join you."<br><br>"I have waited all day Carolina," he replied. "I have heard no word from them, we have to assume Myraz's men got to them first. It appears I will have to travel north alone at this rate."<br><br>"That is a..." she suddenly paused, looking around the room as if it had suddenly changed. "I am not sure you are as alone as you believe old friend. Vennar may be too distracted to see either of you but even MY old senses can see you mage, and as for the thief," she said, uttering a chuckle. "Before you consider stealing that picture I would warn you the last person who tried took a blow from Vennar's hammer that ensured they never got up again." She put a hand out to stop Vennar reacting. "Now is not the time for fighting, you may not know it yet but you all have the same objective, if we are to stop Myraz you have to work together."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 02:38:23 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once Urhea landed on the forge he tried to make his way in. Fortunately, the back door was open. “What an easygoing blacksmith he must be,” Urhea thought as he made his way in. In order to not attract unwanted attention, he wrapped himself in darkness yet again sucking some of the energy from the airparticles around him, making him quite and a bit harder to notice. However, five days’ frantic searching, last night’s escape and this morning’s exertion left him exhausted. He knew of this fact but had no choice but to make his way in, trying as hard as possible to sneak in to investigate before barging in form the front door asking for a weapon.<br><br>Once inside, Urhea noticed the large blacksmith walking towards the door with a massive hammer. “How can he carry such a thing,” Urhea thought as he hid, waiting for the guest come in. Once door opened, he saw a blurry figure talking in hushed tones. “Damn this spell,” he thought to himself as he realized how useless the spell is. Not only does it make it hard for others to see or hear him but it also makes it equally hard for him to see or hear his surroundings. However, the mention of his name by the newcomer was, perhaps intentionally, loud enough to pierce the darkness surrounding him. Unwilling to keep his presence a secret any longer as he was tired, he unwrapped the darkness and returned to the light. The brightness caught him off-guard and he put his hands on his eyes. Slowly adjusting to the sudden brightness, he opened his eyes and saw the blacksmith standing with a woman.<br><br>“I am sorry for the intrusion,” Urhea said in tired yet determined voice. “I didn’t mean to,” before he could finish his sentence, he heard a creak in the room. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 04:39:02 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael cursed her luck for the hundredth time that day. Sure, it had enabled her to enter this room, but before she'd managed to retrieve the picture, the room had filled up with people. Sneaking out now would be impossible, and then the woman's words hit her with full force. She could see through Shael's luck. That wasn't... Well, clearly it *was* possible.<br><br>She started guiltily, considering and discarding half a dozen explanations and excuses in quick succession. Then she noticed the rest of what the woman had said. "Quest? I'm not..." She bit her tongue. Maybe, if they thought that was why she was here, they would be willing to overlook the failed theft. "Er, right," she said. "The quest. So, uh, how do we begin?" Maybe she could just pretend to know what was going on until she got more information. That would work, she was sure, right up until the moment it didn't. Damn her luck.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 04:50:10 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"The advantage of having been friends with a real elf," Carolina said with a chuckle as she looked at the three's astonishment at her skills. "I doubt either of you two have anywhere near the magical capability to hide from someone who knows what to look for. But that is not why I am here."<br><br>"They're little more than children Carolina," Vennar said exasperatedly. "You cannot expect me to take them north with me?"<br><br>"This is not a task you can do alone," Carolina reply firmly. "For once bow to my superior age you old fool." She turned to the other two. "I am Carolina, this city's historian and one of the few who know the true dark secret that lies at its heart. Before we continue I would ask you two two questions: what are your names, and what do you know of the story of Myraz, the ruler of this city?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>June 28, 2016, 05:47:04 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Too tired to be startled, Urhea looked at the faces of the three. The woman stood in a demanding manner over the much taller blacksmith. However, he had seen the two through his double-edged veil. He was much more surprised that someone could conceal their presence without the use of magic. Urhea kept looking the tiny girl that walked out of the shadow dangerously close to his hiding place. Of course, he had read of thieves that could mask their presence but this was the first time he had seen one in real.<br><br>Pulled back into reality by the woman’s questions, he sighed as he connected the dots quickly in his mind. He thought, “Maybe, just maybe, they are talking of the quest that has something to do with the stormrider and the king. Well, she did just ask me about Myraz’s story. Wait, his story? What should I say?” He placed his hand on the nearby wall to support his weak body and replied, “My name is Urhea Dragao, son of Professor Dragao from the university.” Running out of breath from whispering the few words, he asked, “May I have some water? As for the other question, I know very little of Myraz’s story, much too little to share. One thing I do know is that Myraz has some connection to stormrider and some magical artifact.” He made his way to the nearest chair and took a seat. He was concerned about the amount of energy he exhausted in the past few days, but he tried to hide his exhaustion, unsuccessfully. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>June 30, 2016, 05:47:54 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. She didn't have very much more information than the other gentleman nearby, but she wasn't certain how safe it would be to reveal her own lack of knowledge. <br><br>"I know he supposedly didn't come into power naturally," she volunteered. "Though its worth your life to say so nowadays."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>June 30, 2016, 06:58:50 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"The Stormrider artefact?"&nbsp; Carolina said, raising an eyebrow. "If only children listened in lessons more," she said with a chuckle as Vennar cleared space on his anvil. She took a cloth from under her cloak, spreading it across the anvil. "The story starts more than a century and a half ago, this city was ruled by a tyrant whose name has faded from history, who was dissimilar from Myraz. A young Myraz discovered he had stolen an artefact created by the dragons of the north. Seeking a way to break the king's hold on the city Myraz marched north, gathering an army around him, before finding his way here," she said, pointing to a mountain range at the northern edge of the map. "Dragonblight, fortress of the dragon lords and home to the Lord of all Dragons. Myraz made a deal with him: if the Dragon Lord would help him defeat the tyrant, he would return the artefact to Dragonblight."<br><br>"He even forged a new sword for Myraz," Vennar said. "Said to be enchanted with a magic far more ancient than even this city."<br><br>"They marched south, and a great battle was fought," Carolina continued. "The tyrant was defeated, and Myraz led the dragon into the treasure room in the dragon's human form. What happened next only Myraz can fully explain, we don't know whether Myraz was corrupted by the tyrant, corrupted by the artefact or had planned to betray the dragon all along, but he slew him with the sword he had been given. When the lord's son attempted to attack Myraz said he could destroy the dragon with little effort, so the creature returned north, offering a chilling threat."<br><br>"This is not over," Vennar said, putting on a dramatic voice. "When the time comes the Dragonstorm will fly south, and when it does every human will die in a sea of flame."<br><br>"The child who fled north was known, at least in human speech, as Stormrider," Carolina said. "If you are to overthrow Myraz you will need his help, but he considers humans his enemies, nevermind the task of reaching there in the first place. I cannot make any of you go, but as long as he has that artefact no kind of attack on him will succeed by any standard means."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 01, 2016, 02:17:46 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"How is my father related in all this?" Urhea thought to himself, but said, "Fascinating. Is none of this documented in the library? I have spent the better part of past 10 years reading every book in there. How could I have missed such an interesting story."<br><br>His curiosity replaced the tiredness as he contemplated the connection between the details laid out by Carolina and his father. He knew the connections existed to expose his father's location, but he knew not how to see them. The solution was simple, he had to gain more information and there was but one way to do so, accompany the large blacksmith on the quest. <br><br>As he came to this conclusion, his focus diverted to investigating the other guest, the thief. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>July 01, 2016, 04:55:35 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael tried to stop herself, she really did. But she burst out in derisive laughter anyway. "wait," she said, catching her breath through her mirth. "The plan is just to... redo the old plan? The old plan which, I'm sure none of you need reminding, ended up creating a tyrant? Is that the idea? Just keep reusing the same cycle which has been proven not to work?" She shakes her head and rises as though to leave. <br><br>"Right. The wizard might be too witless for corruption to take hold, but that seems like a crazy gamble, to me." She had to find her mistress. She didn't have time to be shooting down her own possible world domination on top of that. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>July 01, 2016, 05:23:27 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't think you understand the alternative," Vennar spat angrily at her. "There is one book in the library of this city which describes the Dragonstorm. To put it bluntly: if we don't act every dragon in that city will come south and burn everything in their path. It took a trick to kill one, how the hell do you think you'll stop an entire city of them?"<br><br>"This is helping no-one," Carolina said, her anger rising for the first time. "I cannot guarantee this will work, but the alternative is we allow this to turn into a war between Myraz and Stormrider, and you can be sure no-one in this city will win if it comes down to that." She took a deep breath to calm herself. "You don't want to do this, stay here, wait for Myraz's men to find you. But I have a cart waiting outside, and we have a small window to do this if we're going to do it at all."<br><br>"How are you getting three people out of a city in a cart?" Vennar asked, raising an eyebrow.<br><br>"There is a cloth over the back enchanted to render anything under it invisible," Carolina replied. "You want to come, get in the back of the cart, you have ten minutes to decide." With that she stormed out of the forge, slamming the door shut behind her.<br><br>"I don't know about you two," Vennar said, sheathing his new sword, strapping it to his back, and then picking up his hammer. "But I am not waiting around to be captured, you decide between yourselves if you're coming with me." He followed Carolina out, leaving the door unlocked so they could get out easily.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 02, 2016, 12:44:24 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				While a bit taken back by the thief's comment, Urhea did consider himself a witless person. Having seen the world from the perspective of the authors of the books he read, he realized he has no real world experiences. However, he smelled adventure in this whole ordeal, and having no prior experience in adventure, he couldn't give this chance up. Despite being afraid of what the journey will pit against them, he was overwhelmed by curiosity and made his way to the door. Additionally, all three clues about his father's disappearance led him to this quest.<br><br>Before leaving, however, he drank a glass of water and stuffed some bread into his pouch for the journey. As he left the room, with brief glance towards the thief, he said, "stay safe, thief."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>July 02, 2016, 06:52:58 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael hesitated. A cloth to render anything in the cart invisible.... This might be her chance out of the city. No reason she couldn't just break with the group later, once it was safe to do so and she was out of the city. <br><br>With a quick, supple motion, she fell into step beside the scholar. "Don't you think a war between Myraz and Stormrider seems inevitable anyway?" she asked him. "If we can get him to help us, it doesn't seem like he'll just give up once Stormrider appears. I've seen people in power before. Chase a thief down for stealing a worthless trinket they don't even need just to keep from losing face. What do your books say about it?" 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>July 02, 2016, 07:08:54 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"A war is almost certainly inevitable," Carolina replied. "The difference, if we do this, is Stormrider will only be coming for the king. If we do not he will see anyone in this city as worthy of being punished, and you can be certain Myraz will feel no obligation to protect even his own men. Now stay quiet, that cloth will stop people seeing you, it won't stop you being heard however." With that she pulled the reins gently, the two horses pulling the cart setting off at a gentle gallop. Although they saw guards in the streets they managed to go largely unnoticed until they reached the gate, where a soldier in ornate maroon armour stepped into their path.<br><br>"Halt in the name of King Myraz," the man said. "What business do you have outside our city?"<br><br>"Is that any way to speak to your favourite teacher Aryn?" Carolina asked with a sweet smile.<br><br>"Lady Carolina, my apologies," Aryn said, bowing. "I wouldn't ordinarily interrupt, but the king has ordered us to inspect all transport in or out of the city."<br><br>"Feel free to inspect it," Carolina said. "I have nothing to hide." Aryn signalled a younger man, who walked to the back of the cart. Carolina's heartbeat quickened momentarily, hoping beyond hope her passengers wouldn't give themselves away. After a few moments the soldier turned back, shaking his head.<br><br>"My apologies m'lady," Aryn said. "I hope your journey is successful." He stepped aside, signalling the guards manning the gates themselves, the gate slowly creaking open. Carolina pushed on through the gate, riding until they reached the imposing treeline that lay to the north of the city walls.<br><br>"This is where my part in this journey ends," she called to them. "Get out, I have two presents and some advice to give you before we part." Her two horses were visibly distressed at being so near the forest, making her still more uneasy.<br><br>"This is the Forest of Shadows?" Vennar said as he jumped out, almost jumping out of his skin as a loud howl echoed through the forest.&nbsp; "I used to think this place was a small grove of trees exaggerated to scare small children, but even I have an uneasy feeling about it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 02, 2016, 11:35:34 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Urhea stepped out cautiously, not knowing what to expect. He looked around and came the same conclusion as Vennar. He put his hood up and put his hand on the ground to feel the energy of the forest ahead. The forest spoke to him in hushed tones, whispered of the great perils that lie hidden. Yet, surprisingly, he himself undeterred by the upcoming challenges. <br><br>He stood up and spoke, "Do we travel through the forest? If so, we better be prepared for some rough days ahead. How are we going to handle our supplies? What map are we supposed to follow? Finally, we ought to establish some rules: food rationing, sleep cycles etc." <br><br>As he ended his sentence, he looked from tree to tree as he took in the magnificence of the forest. The massive trees towering towards the sky, casting a shadow to all things in the forest: befitting it's name "Forest of Shadows."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>July 05, 2016, 06:21:38 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael stepped out of the cart and looked around warily. This place was&nbsp; setting all her instincts on edge, and she wasn't quite sure why. It should have been a wonderful cover, but it wasn't. There was a wrongness in this place that Shael wanted to get away from as quickly as possible. <br>The scholar looked to be having some kind of communion with the trees, or possibly just a fit from being out in the sun, so she kept her distance from him while she reached down to withdraw the small dagger she had concealed. Having it in hand relaxed her somewhat as she continued to look around for some sign of the threat she felt had to be nearby. <br><br>"I'll take an early watch," she volunteered. Maybe after a few uneventful nights, they wouldn't think anything of her taking first watch. Then she could just slip away, giving her plenty of time to gain a lead before next watch.. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>July 05, 2016, 06:48:39 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Vennar couldn't help feeling cautious about his two travelling companions, he could only hope Carolina's instincts were sensing something he could not see.<br><br>"You mentioned gifts?" he asked Carolina.<br><br>"Ah, yes," she said, reaching back into the cart and pulling out a red gem on a small, golden chain. "This is a Dragonsblood Gem, if you believe the old tales they contain the literal blood of a dragon. Whether or not that is true, this serves two purposes: firstly, it glows whenever a dragon is near, secondly it enables both you to understand them and them to understand you. Believe me if you lived as long as Myraz has you would still understand only a fraction of their language." She threw the gem to the mage. "Whatever you do, do not displace this. There are only six in existence and there is no record as to where the other five are. Now for my second gift," she said, reaching back and pulling out a scabbard.<br><br>"A sword?" Vennar asked. "I have a sword already, and with all due respect to my companions neither of them look able to handle a bla-" The words died on his lips as she withdrew the blade, a gasp escaping his lips as he saw that the blade glowed even in the near-twilight around it. "What kind of blade is that?"<br><br>"This is the Dawnhammer Blade," Carolina replied. "What you see here is a rarity north of the great sea, it was forged by the great elven smiths of the southern lands. But its use isn't just in a fight, this is a symbol of an ancient alliance, there are those north of here who may give you aid simply for see this sword." She re-sheathed the blade and handed it to Vennar. "You see now why I told you to have space for two blades on your back?"<br><br>"You mentioned advice," he said, placing the sword across his back.<br><br>"I have two pieces of advice, both of which I advise you all listen to carefully," she said, eyeing the thief closely. "There is a reason why even Myraz's toughest soldiers do not enter this forest. The Forest of Shadows is sufficiently dangerous that if there was another way for you to reach your destination I would use it. Do not leave the path except as a last resort, there are wolves and far worse out there, and they all know this forest better than any of you do. And if you meet one of the rangers of the forest, tell them Carolina sent you, they are more likely to offer you aid if you do so. But now I must leave, good luck." With that she turned the car back towards the city."<br><br>"Let's enter the forest," Vennar said, trying to calm his nerves. "I'm not sure why, but I'd feel less uneasy about this place inside than I feel stood outside." With that he stepped into the forest, not going too far so that the other two didn't lose track of him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 05, 2016, 09:36:13 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div style="text-align: justify;">Urhea caught the chain cautiously and looked it over. He eyed the red gem in the middle, remembering some bindings he had learnt of about a year ago. Using a binding spell he could create a channel between two objects, more similarities between the objects the stronger the bond. In theory, it is possible to use the channel to transfer energy and/or information. However, Urhea has never been able to accomplish this, although he can feel the presence of the object through the connection. <br><br>So, he held the gem in his hand and drew energy from the surrounding air. The air quelled a bit as he converted the energy into a bind between the gem and Urhea's blood. Although the similarity between the gem and his blood lied only in color, he thought the strength was enough to track the gem in case he misplaced it for such a valuable thing should never leave his body or worse fall into the wrong hands. Satisfied with the bind, he placed the chain in his pocket. <br><br>As Carolina didn't provide a map, he tried remembering the location of the forest in the local map. He localized himself and the party in the map, but he didn't know the details of the forest. His memory only provided with the general area they were in and the direction they were facing. He had no recollection of the path. However, his curiosity peaked by the caution, he followed close behind Vennar, a bit excited and a bit scared at the possible dangers that lie ahead. <br><br>As he walked, he glanced back at the thief and wondered if it was a good idea to trust her with the first watch. He kept his doubts to himself, however. He made sure his energy reserves were primed for battle and focused on the surrounding air and ground in hopes of foreseeing an attack or someone sneaking around them as they began the adventure that might turn into legend someday.</div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gjevv Übryzdā</strong> on <strong>July 07, 2016, 10:52:23 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>“Cnëbra damnit, you’re such a rotten fool”</em><br>Why on earth he thought that the Forest of Shadows would be a good start for this journey, he’ll never know nor understand.<br>Perhaps danger equaled high reward? Nah, to hell with that. He was just a good old<em> cjet olta (moron)</em>. <br><br><em>“The Forest of Shadow’s just a story for the kids, they said. You’ll be fine, they said”</em> He muttered to himself, cutting away some blasted brush covering the one itty bitty pathway in the forsaken forest. He cursed in pain as a thorn bit into his left leg. With a little more force than necessary, he ripped it off and tossed it away.<br><br><em>“If I ever see that bartender again, I’m gonna’ beat him bloody.” </em>He scowled.<br><br><em>“Listen here, Cnëbra, that Forest, ain’t nothin’ to it. Y’just take an itty pathway, brush a few cobwebs off y’ shoulders, and off y’are. It’s simple!”</em> The cursed bartender had worn this smug grin, as if he were the only expert worth talking to. And how long had Cnëbra been stuck in this twisted place? Minutes? Hours? Days? Who knows? <br><br>Getting there was easy, Cnëbra had pranced around the fools for city guards perhaps dozens of times. This was no different.<br><br>It was once he reached the forest that things went downhill, for all Cnëbra could tell, he’d only walked in maybe thirty meters, and he was going at a snail’s pace. It was ridiculous. <br><br>The thought crossed his mind, of turning back. But that’d be oh so embarrassing. His reputation could be harmed, or worse, ruined! He’d be a mockery for months. <br><br><em>"Did little old Orphan Cnëbra get scared by a few trees? Did the squirrels rattle your nerves?” </em><br><br>Cnëbra scowled something fierce. No, screw them. He wasn’t coming back, not ever. <br><br>With that thought still in his head, footsteps caught his attention. He scurried to the side, wrapping himself around a thick tree. He stood there, unbelievably still, eyeing the newcomers. <br><br>It appeared that he wasn’t the only one making a journey through the Forest.<br><br>Such a strange group, they were. <br><br>A rawboned looking lass, just a teenager. Cnëbra didn’t know her, but he knew what she was. A thief, she had the walk, the look, the eyes. Constantly looking around, sometimes drifting and locking onto what was obviously not hers. No doubt about it.<br><br>The second one looked only a bit taller than the girl, their features obscured by the hood they wore. A mage, Cnëbra reckoned. No one else would wear such a horrid looking hood.<br><br>The final member, well, he was a beast. The man stood taller than the others, practically by a full head. He had the look of a blacksmith though, his apron still draped around him, and swords at his side. <br><br>If it weren’t for the girl, he’d have sworn this group would be easy pickings, if they had anything worthwhile. <br><br><em>‘Ha, everyone always has something worthwhile”</em> he thought to himself.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>July 08, 2016, 12:56:57 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael almost jumped out of her skin as she heard something rattling in the trees behind her. Breaking off from the group, she stalked towards the sound. You're being ridiculous, she thought to herself. You'll see, there's nothing here, and then you'll feel stupid for being so jumpy. But at least she'd have an answer, could call the empty space to mind when she'd managed to convince herself there was something to fear. <br><br>When she actually did see someone, she was as surprised as anyone. Her hand reached instinctively for the collar of the newcomer's clothing. "Any more information you think maybe we should be aware of?" She asked aserbically, looking in the general direction of the departing Carolina. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>July 08, 2016, 03:20:57 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You've been in this forest five minutes and you're already ignoring what the ONE person who knows this forest told us?" Vennar said, walking up behind her and raising an eyebrow. "Or did you think the 'Don't step off the path' message was an optional suggestion?"<br><br>Suddenly a loud howl cut through the still air, echoing enough that the direction of its source was impossible to ascertain.<br><br>"Great Gaia," Vennar muttered under his breath, grabbing the sword he'd forged from its sheath. "Get back to the path, NOW," he growled to Shael. "As for you, I don't know who you are or how you ended up in here, but I suggest if you like being alive you come with us." As he turned towards the path he froze, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly standing on end. "We're being watched, be careful where you're walking."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 08, 2016, 09:28:02 pm</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Urhea stayed back as Vennar and Shael tracked the unknown threat. Unlike the other two, who were hardened by battle, Urhea had never felt actions such as this before, other than through the words of authors. As such, his movements were clumsy and hasty, stemming from his fear. His head darted every which way in search of the threat, although he was smart enough to not jump out of the path in pursuit. Afraid, he stood in the middle. Every time he convinced himself he should calm down, a rustle of the grass behind him would sent jolts of fear up his spine. <br><br>"No, this is ridiculous," he though to himself. He slowly focused on the environment. The wind felt more rough, the air more stiff, the ground more soft. He was afraid, but that didn't mean he was useless. The wind rustled around him and reverberations from the ground spoke to him. Through much noise, he felt the vibrations of a body rubbing against a tree. His senses weren't keen enough to pin-point the location but he knew the direction. Out of a 360 degree search radius, he had narrowed it down to 90, then 60, then 40. No matter how hard he focused, he couldn't narrow it down anymore. <br><br>He yelled, "Vennar, Shael, go to the right. He is behind a tree, around two o'clock from me. Break up in two, I don't know the specific location." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gjevv Übryzdā</strong> on <strong>July 10, 2016, 11:55:50 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The gal had her hand on his collar before he could so much as react. Damn girl moved faster than he had expected.<br>He threw his hand up, gripped her wrist, and ripped her hand off his collar. <br><br><em>“Easy wit’ my merchandise girly.”</em> He grinned. <em>“I paid a high price, y’know.”</em><br><br>Once he caught the others’ voices, he knew full well that any attempt to hide would be pointless. He stepped away from the tree, and the girl, out onto the pathway.<br><em><br>“I don’t mean no trouble”</em> He exclaimed, speaking a bit quickly. <em>“Y’spooked me is all. Well, only little bit”</em>. <br><br>At his last utterance, Cnëbra was reminded how much he hated his accent. He always had problems with ‘th’ words, as did many others, but he in particular could never get words like ‘bit’, ‘hit’, or ‘sip’. They always sounded like ‘beat’, ‘heat’ and ‘seep’. This very accent got him into trouble quite a bit. Apparently foreigners weren’t always a welcomed sight. It didn’t help that he usually forgot ‘the’ and ‘a/an’ when he was speaking too fast.<br><br>The howls kept him from his thoughts. He never did like animals. It was probably best to heed their offer, safety in numbers and such.<br><br><em>“Y’seem like nice folks, maybe we can be friends?”</em> He smiled nervously.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>tangela</strong> on <strong>July 11, 2016, 12:22:32 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shael blinked in surprise as the newcomer casually brushed away her hand. He must have had some training, she thought. And then she heard it. the howling. <br><br>"Did you think the order to stay on the path was an optional suggestion?" the blacksmith yelled. <br><br>"No," she yelled back. "I thought if we were going to be followed for the next 50 miles by, uh, I don't know, a kingsguard, we should get a look at him before he had a mind to stab us all in our sleep." <br><br>Turning back to the newcomer, she cautiously gestured for him to follow her. "I don't know who you are or what you're doing here," she said gruffly, "But maybe you should come with us and we'll sort the rest out later. Unless you fancy being a wolf snack." <br><br>Shoulders hunched, she ran as quickly as she could back for the safety of the path.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lady Jenn</strong> on <strong>July 11, 2016, 03:18:29 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Wait Urhea, something is wrong," Vennar said, stopping short of the tree he'd indicated suddenly. What happened next seemed to occur in the blink of an eye. First he heard a thunk and turned to see a dead wolf metres from him with a green-feathered arrow buried in its neck. Before he could move to investigate however, he heard another thunk and turned to see a second arrow in the trunk, inches from his head. His heart skipped a beat as he turned, trying to see where they came from.<br><br>"Who dares intrude on the forest of Ithi'lien?" came a loud voice from somewhere nearby. "Answer me quickly or the next arrow will find your throat. And mage, in case you are tempted to try one of your tricks, be aware I have been using magic longer than you have been alive, so don't even THINK about it."<br><br>"We meant no offence," Vennar called out. "We seek passage through the forest, we got lost along the way." He turned to the others. "Play along, whoever this is, they have the upper hand on us."<br><br>"You must think I was born yesterday," the voice said with a dismissive laugh. "No human takes a stroll through here, I said to tell me the truth."<br><br>"You're right," Vennar said with a sigh. "We're on a mission, we must reach the high mountains, but we have no idea of the paths of this place, if Carolina had-"<br><br>"Carolina?" the voice said suddenly. "I thought her long dead." Suddenly the source was revealed, stepping from behind a tree near to where Shael had ran to was a figure taller even than Vennar, a long green cloak hung over its shoulders, a hood hiding its face and a pair of thick leather boots on its feet. "If you are here on her orders, there is no way you can mean ill, I am sorry that I reacted in such a way." A pair of gauntleted hands reached up, pulling back the hood to reveal a pale-skinned elf, a pair of ice blue eyes just visible beneath the fringe of a long mane of silver hair.<br><br>"Ariadne?" Vennar asked, realisation suddenly dawning on him. "Friends, you can relax, you are in the presence of one of the Elven rangers left to defend this forest, one I'm glad to say I consider a friend." They hugged tightly, both smiling. "It has been far too long, we have not spoken since..." he trailled off, looking a bit distant.<br><br>"I know, I am sorry," Ariadne replied. "You are lucky I found you, you have alerted the wolf packs to your presence." She gave the others a look, a faint smile crossing her face. "Vennar, I didn't realise you kept such attractive company," she said, letting out a soft laugh."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Wrath of the Dragonkin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EloquentWizard</strong> on <strong>July 12, 2016, 01:59:56 am</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The unknown threats revealed, Urhea's nerves calmed down as he looked at Ariadne. Her tall figure was unlike any he had seen, her arms holding the bow as she demanded no interference from him. He wasn't scared, but he decided to obey her demands. Once Vennar revealed her identity, Urhea felt a rush of relief flow over him. He was certain of only the thief hiding behind the tree. Neither the wolf nor Ariadne were visible to him. He thought a bit as to the reason. The most satisfactory reason he could come up with was that he had focused too much. Basically, when he was searching in the widest angle, the strongest vibrations were apparent. As such, only the thief was visible. Once Urhea detected one anomaly, he focused in on it too much, missing the other two threats. He shook his head, rubbing his eyes. He wasn't tired but he was disappointed. <br><br>Learning from this encounter of what to do in case of an ambush, he faced Ariadne and Vennar as they exchanged pleasantries. Despite his state, Urhea's curiosity was boiling inside him to know more about the elf for he hadn't had the pleasure to talk to one yet.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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