The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Verasaille on 02-02-2018, 02:02:41</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Verasaille</strong> on <strong>02-02-2018, 02:02:41</strong>
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				(https://img00.deviantart.net/1eaf/i/2012/337/3/0/elven_forest_2_by_thephoenixdark-d5mx7ug.png)<br><br>The Forest road was not often used for human traffic, it was an offshoot of the main trade route, called the King’s Highway. Bordering the river Thangris and skirting the edges of the Elven territory. <br><br>Most of the humans avoided the Forest trail, if only because of superstitious rumors of a haunted Woods just beyond the bend. Their tales were not far off the mark, as the Elves made it a point to discourage any humans from venturing down the path to their small village. It was not known by most of the population of the Midlands, but this elven village of Thorncliff was one of the oldest settlements in the land.<br><br>It was near this village that the elves had hidden a tunnel that connected elven lands with human lands. The tunnel was ancient, and damp, taking a long and deep route beneath the Thangris River. Some say the Dwarves built it, in an attempt to mine for mithril, the scarest and most valuable of metals. <br><br>The elves did not get along well with the dwarves, an ancient and really petty squabble over the ways of mining the mithril and using it to craft armor and jewelry. Each race had claimed their ways were the best, but the truth was, both methods worked. The petty squabble did not lead to a war, but it came close. <br><br>The elves forbid the dwarves from crossing into Aluvia, the elven lands to the east of the Thangris. For their part, the dwarves refused to trade with the elves, and so lost their ties to the trade that had been sporadic at best. Some of the elves took it more seriously and would go out of their way to make things miserable for the dwarves, who reacted in kind. <br><br>Humans would trade with both of course. Dwarven armor was the finest made and was highly valued, even if it was not mithril. Mithril armor was so expensive, only Kings and favored royals could afford it. <br><br>Elves fashioned very potent enchanted blades with mithril. Daggers and swords were favored by the elves, though they might use mithril tipped arrows for shooting very dangerous prey. The mithril held enchantments well, and would deliver a potent punch to the shot. Useful on magically created creatures that were summoned by rogue sorcerers.<br><br>The Forest trail was often used by bandits, who only went a short ways down it to hide in the woods, there to spring out on unsuspecting travelers. This added to the general suspicion of the trail, as the travelers were often killed and disposed of off the main road. The elves discouraged this, but even regular patrols could not keep track of all the bandits who ventured there. <br><br>Eril Meleneth was a sergeant in the Ranger patrols who regularly policed the Forest trail. It was her job to see to it that humans and their wicked ways of theft and general mayhem would not reach the village of Thorncliff. There was a patrol stationed at all times on the trail. A tall tree near the King’s Highway served as a vantage point for the scouts to observe. A signal was used to alert the village if any bandits decided to use the Trail. It was a magical signal that the invaders would not see or hear. <br><br>When the signal was sent, Eril gathered her rangers, ten of her best warrior archers. Mounted on the swiftest of steeds the agile horses were bred specifically by the elves for their use. It took them a short time to reach the crossroads, and what they found was mind boggling.<br><br>The bandits had been waiting for the wagon and it’s guards. The ambush was nearly successful, as the surprise caught the guards unprepared. A furious battle had been fought, and the wagon stood abandoned, the horses still hitched to it, and tangled in a thicket dangerously close to the river below. The driver was dead, and the guards had all died defending the wagon. But the bandits did not count on the ferocity and dedication of the guards and they all perished as well. <br><br>The elves took note of all the dead and caught and calmed the horses, before the wagon and it’s contents would be lost over the edge of the cliff. In the near darkness settling over the land as the sun went down, Eril found a bloody trail leading away from the wagon. “Someone might still be alive. I will see if I can find him. The rest of you stay with the wagon, and bury the dead.”<br><br>The bloody trail was easy to follow, and Eril grew increasingly worried. The amount of blood lost would make the victim very weak, and she would be lucky to find him alive. What worried her most, however, was how close the trail was getting to the cave system. She knew many of the smaller branches of the mine were scattered over the hillside and hidden in the rocks. Most of these were too small for anything larger than a dwarf, but predatory animals often used them as dens. It was not something she wished on even her worst enemy. Being torn apart by bears or the vicious sptted cats that roamed the hills would be horribe. <br><br>Then she spotted him, a man facedown in the rocks, with arrows in his back. How in the world had he managed to get this far? She hurried to him and felt his neck for a pulse, and to her amazement, he was still alive, but barely! She could not lift him by herself, and whistled for help. Two of her rangers came quickly and they made a litter to carry him, out of two long branches of the nearby poplar trees and their cloaks. <br><br>Gently carrying him back to the wagon, where they laid him down in the back. Moving a crate aside, they had no idea what was in it, but no time to look. “We have to take him back to Thorncliff for treatment, or he will die.” Eril’s orders were frowned at, but she was in command. <br><br>Only one of her rangers, Kaelen, dared to voice his opinion. “Is this wise? We are charged with keeping humans away from Thorncliff.” <br><br>Eril nodded. “Yes, but this man was a victim of robbery and we need to investigate why they were attacked. He might have some answers. He is unconscioius, so we need to hurry. The Healers will know to keep him sedated. Once he is awake we can return him to the human settlement of Graystone Keep. It is the closest. They will know what to do with him.”<br>As they traveled with the horses going at a moderate clip, Eril examined the crate. What she found inside made her gasp in surprise. “The Sceptre of Hawkwind! How did this group of humans come to possess it? Were they stealing it?”<br><br>“The Council must be told, Sergeant Meleneth. We can send a scout ahead to let them know…” Kaelen could get away with speaking to her this way, he was her brother. <br><br>“Yes, that is a good idea, Kaelen. You are volunteering?” she smirked at him. He was often trying to usurp her authority, but it was normal behavior between siblings. He was younger than she by twenty years, and still learning.<br><br>Kaelen blushed, not really wanting to be the one, but he nodded graciously. “Yes, I will go ahead and tell them what we found, and alert the healers.” He raced off on his black horse. <br><br>When they reached Thorncliff, the healers were standing by and carried the wounded man to their treatment building, a stone and wood shelter with the tall maple trees flanking it. Inside, they set to work on examining his injuries. He was alive, but fading fast. The head healer, Grendel, prayed over him, while the assistants carefully attempted to remove the arrows. <br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jinx</strong> on <strong>07-02-2018, 06:31:11</strong>
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				Evan’s horse plodded two riders behind an unremarkable cart. Unremarkable that is, save for the contingent of 5 heavily armed riders in front and rear. A scrawny creature with greenish skin, long pointy ears, rode a donkey in the lead position. It’s eyes darted nervously from side to side as the jagged peaks of the dragonspine range loomed in the distance.<br><br>“Yes, yes, this is the way” the creature whispered under its breath.<br><br>“He don’t know where he’s going..” the rider beside Evan complained, “We’re going in circles.”<br><br>“We have our orders.” Evan replied quietly, but firmly. He wore the same black chain and leather as his compatriots. His short brown hair was tousled and greasy from their travels. Evan eyed the cart cautiously. He was careful not to convey his disbelief in this ludicrous situation. He scanned the rugged terrain surrounding the party for any sign of others and satisfied himself that there were none.<br><br>“Hold. HOLD.” he called, “That’s all for today. Let’s make camp before we get too deep into the rocks.”<br><br>The riders dismounted, relieved after the long day and began to make camp in the void between two large boulders that protruded from the nearby hillside.<br><br>“Branf,” the leader called out to the largest of the riders. “Make our guest comfortable.” <br><br>“Gladly...” replied the large soldier with a mischievous grin.<br><br>The green skinned creature objected in a high pitched squeal, “No no. I’ll be good. I’ll be GOOD” his voice raised an octave as the large soldier scooped him off his feet and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.<br><br>“Yous was good last night because we tied you up.” the brawny man lashed a few loops of cord around a nearby tree trunk, tightly squishing him against the rough bark.<br><br>“Please, please” the creature begged. <br><br>Evan approached their bound guide and sat cross legged in front of him. He looked the creature over sternly for a long moment, then abruptly asked. “How much farther?”<br><br>“Not far, not far! I promise” the creature answered hastily.<br><br>“That’s what you said last night. Why should I believe you?” Evan replied.<br><br>The creatures body relaxed and he seemed suddenly calm. “Let me see it.” he demanded, “The master needs to know it is here.”<br><br>Evan shook his head, “Not happening. That was not part of the deal. We bring him the sceptre, he releases my brother. That’s it.”<br><br>Suddenly a muffled scream pierced the air and then died out. Evan spun around. He was about 100 yards away from the main encampment where he could now see a flurry of activity. The horses bucked and fled. Arrows shredded the dim twilight, tearing into his men from afar. He saw movement as several dark figures rushed between the boulders, shimmering swords glinting in the last rays of the setting sun.<br><br>Evan charged blindly into the fray. His blade glowed faintly, and hummed with arcane energy as he darted into battle. His men were caught off guard, but had fallen into a defensive formation around the cart. These were his father’s best men and they fought bravely, but it wasn’t enough. One by one they fell, taking as many of the enemy with them as they could. <br>&nbsp;<br>Evan caught an arrow in the back, spun around to find the source, and another pierced him from the other direction. They were surrounded. Blood spattered his face and dripped from his sword. His vision began to recede and it was all he could do to stumble forward, behind one of the boulders. It hurt to move, but he slowly dragged himself to cover.<br><br>The din of battle died down. Was it over? He heard nothing. No voices. No cries, no groans of pain, nothing but a faint ringing in his ears. It looked dark in front of him. Was it just a crevice in the rock, or a cave? He dragged himself inward. Delirious with pain. He could feel a warmth coursing through his veins. Perhaps poison. He couldn’t be sure.&nbsp; He pulled himself deeper inside. Slowly. His knees and feet scraped against the rough floor of the cave. His arms gave out under him and he fell to the floor.<br><br>The blackness seemed infinite, punctuated only by an occasional fevered dream. A face, not like any he knew, but concerned. Not vengeful. The sensation of being loaded into a cart. His head rolled to the side and he saw a hazy view of the precious crate. The cart began to move beneath him and his consciousness slipped again. Then later, a cold table. Strange words rang in his head. And then searing pain in his back that seemed to intensify uncontrollably. He awoke with a scream. Eyes, swollen and sunken. He started to sit upright, but the elven priest and his attendants were able to quickly restrain and mollify the wayward lord. Evan breathed loudly and quickly through his nose. Eyes wide and darting from one face to the next as he drifted off to a more peaceful sleep.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Verasaille</strong> on <strong>09-02-2018, 22:45:32</strong>
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				The human was rather violent, when he awoke and they were attempting to remove the arrows. Grendal had no choice but to spell him to sleep, so they could work on him. The powerful spell was one he used on all his patients, and he wasted no time making sure the young man was relaxed and unconcious before they went back to the process of removing arrows, and staunching bloodflow. His armor had to be cut away to reveal each wound. It was a slow and meticulous process, as the arrows were in deep, one very dangerously close to a lung. Grendal chanted as he worked, his assistants working beside him in harmony. Jaher sat by the man's head and monitored his breathing and pulse, whispering soothing spells and keeping the man stable. Holian used his deft fingers to ease the shaft away as Grendal carefully manipulated the barbed tips out of flesh with a long bladed tool. After the third and last arrow was out, Grendal murmured a spell to remove toxins and speed the healing process. All of this standard procedure they had used many times. "Humans are the only ones I know who use barbed arrowheads. They make them specifically to cause pain and suffering. At least Elven arrows are easily removed from game and prey alike." <br><br>Soon he had the assistants clean the area well of blood and he let them wind bandages from the man's neck to the waist, one arm covered to the elbow, the other left bare. Then and only then would he check one final time for more wounds, but it appeared the young man had only minor cuts and bruises. Once these had been cleaned and bandaged, Grendal ordered him moved to the recovery bed, where he would whisper the incantation to wake him. He waited for the sergeant to appear, knowing she would.<br><br>Sergeant Melenath had made her report, and changed clothing before stopping by the infirmary to check on her human. The Council was not pleased. The Sceptre was a sacred object, why was it on a back road and subject to thieves? Was this young man a thief? All these questions she had for the human when he awoke. She entered the room where he lay face down on the bed, covered in sheets. Eril cleared her throat and stood by the bedside as Grendal chanted the spell to wake her prisoner. For that he was, for now. She had assigned two guards to watch him round the clock, in shifts. Turning to Grendal she queried him softly. "How is he doing? Will he survive? I have many questions of him." Her query in Elven.<br><br>"He is strong and almost violent when awake. But I suspect that he will be too sore and weak to do anything until he is recovered fully. That might take weeks. Humans are notoriously slow to heal. He should wake soon, when he does, he may be confused and unable to remember anything. I suggest you give him a day or more to recover. We will treat him as any patient and let him relax and heal." He glanced at the assigned guards. "He won't be going anywhere fast. Perhaps the guards can wait outside the room?"<br><br>Eril nodded and the two guards moved to just out of sight on the other side of the door. The one window in the room was not open enough for anyone to climb through, and it was small anyway. A fresh breeze wafted through it, smelling of flowers. The sergeant waited patiently for the man to wake. The healer stood on one side of the bed and she on the other. Grendal murmured the spell to reverse his earlier sleep spell. Slowly the spell released its hold on his consciousness. <br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jinx</strong> on <strong>10-02-2018, 19:50:25</strong>
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				The sleeping spell kept Evan's mind free of dreams. He remained peacefully unconscious and relaxed while the elves applied bandages and disinfecting salves. He had no idea how much time had passed when sensation began to creep back into his body. <br><br>He felt a thin mattress beneath him. The light began to filter through his eyelids causing a faint pink glow. He felt the air fill his lungs. There was a dull but heavy ache in his back. He knew he was wounded,&nbsp; but not how badly. There was hushed talking nearby, male and female, but he couldn't make out the words. He knew they stood over his bed. <br><br>As the fog in his mind began to clear, the wounded soldier suddenly recalled scenes from the battle. His men, screaming in agony as they were cut down. Evan's forearm shot up and he grabbed Grendel's arm firmly but weak. Even the old wizard could wrench himself free&nbsp; with little assistance. "My men," he uttered hoarsely, "Where are they?"<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Verasaille</strong> on <strong>12-02-2018, 05:17:35</strong>
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				The elven healer was quite prepared for his patient to wake, and rather than jerk away in disgust and risk hurting the human even more than he was, Grendal gently disengaged his arm. "You are safe here. You are grieveously wounded, however. Please try to relax. I believe Sergeant Mellenath can tell you more." His elven blue eyes were kind and compassionate. It would be a shock of the man did not know the fate of his men and they would now have to tell him. <br><br>(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c8/db/7a/c8db7a6caf60d8c2e11ab67981959216.jpg)<br><br>A warning glance was given to the sergeant and she nodded in understanding. "Please relax, I will answer your questions. I have a few to ask you as well..." she tried to smile with reasurrance, though it was hard not to feel a bit wary of the man. When he turned to her, he would see an angular pale face, with her elegant ears pierced in several places, as her rank allowed. The glint of silver and gold in her long raven hair, indicated jewelry of the finest sort. "You are in Thorncliff. Your men and horses are still in your camp, near the main trade road." She hesitated, as she wanted to be honest with him, but still the questions burned in her mind. "Who are you? And where are you from?" She asked these basic questions first, to see if his mind was all there, and not fuzzy yet from the spell. Later, when he was more recovered, she could ask more pointed questions. For now, he was to be healed and allowed to rest. <br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wayward Lord and the Elves-Verasaille and Jinx</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jinx</strong> on <strong>12-02-2018, 16:57:01</strong>
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				Evan's hand fell back to the recovery bed with a dull thud. He sighed and tried to relax his sore muscles. His eyes opened to reveal light brown irsises, out of focus at first, but the pupils slowly adjusted to a better diameter for the room's light. He tried to turn to look at Sergeant Mellenath, but was only able to turn his head before he winced in agony. He was shocked that a creature of such refined beauty would be called Sergeant.<br><br>"Ah good," he said, "then it was just a nightmare, and I am still dreaming." The pain told him he wasn't, but he couldn't think of no other explanation. "Come then, I must see to them. Fetch my armor." They could tell he was accustomed to giving orders. He tried to sit up, and grimaced through the pain.&nbsp; He knew something was wrong. He didn't remember being struck by the arrows, but the screams of his men were seared into his mind and he was severely wounded, but out of sheer instinct continued trying to sit up.
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