Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: BlackRose on 14-10-2008, 08:10:55</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BlackRose</strong> on <strong>14-10-2008, 08:10:55</strong>
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				Jen figured that the news was false. He had heard the same rumors passed around time and time again, but it was always the same. Someone had managed to cross the mountains and came back with some special artifact or trinket, something that was remarkable. As was usually the case, it was found to be lies. This time was no different, albeit it was a much larger scale, Jen was sure of it. After all, the mountain pass had been closed for so long; was it possible that somehow a path had been forged over the treacherous mountains that had divided the lands of the elves that Jen thought only really existed in stories?<br><br>Sure enough, the rumors would spread fast. The Dragnonspine pass was open. For a human, this meant little. For the elves, this meant a lot more. Luckily, Jen was a human and didn't pay much mind to the growing buzz spreading through the elven population in the city. Not much attention, that is, until he watched the first dragons-tear emerald lifted from the small wooden trunk he had just finished picking. He had a policy in life. Never believe anything you didn't see with your own eyes. His other policy would come into play moments later.<br><br>The lock seemed pretty standard, he hadn't thought much of it. The trap wasn't much worse (although it had him stumped for a few seconds until he realized that nudging the tiny ball out of place would stop it from activating). The gem, however, was a completely new thing. He had never, ever seen something of such remarkable beauty. He hardly noticed the silvers being offered to him, lost in thought over where it could have come from. He did, however, notice the money and accept it, asking at once where the box had come from.<br><br>"Over the mountains, friend. The pass is really open!"<br><br>The gem had brought a measure of truth to the rumor that had been spreading. Of course, Jen wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. With scarcely a thought and a nod of his head, his hand slid into the pouch that his mark had placed the gem in only moments before as the older man turned to leave, liberating the brilliant green orb from it's fate to turn into a ring or necklace some months later. Jen's other policy was that he never allowed precious things to escape his grasp whenever possible.<br><br>If the pass really was open, and this gem had indeed come from across the mountains, then Jen was sure that there was plenty of coin to be made there. After all, how many years had passed since anyone from this side of the mountain chain had even seen the elven cities? How many years had it been since gems had been sold to merchants from over the mountains? Money talked in this age. It always had amongst humans. If you wanted anything, from food to a weapon, it all cost you some chunk of cash that often times wasn't there. Of course there were chores to be done around town, delivering messages, making iron for the blacksmith, sometimes even guildwork (not that he'd ever admit to anyone that the rogues guild even existed). Then of course, there were the more exotic jobs, involving escorting the rich from town to town, but those were usually left to those who took pride in their ability to crack skulls with giant blades.<br><br>Jen took much more pleasure in precision work. A club to the head is a lot less efficient than a clean slice across the neck or a well placed stab to the face. It took a lot less strength and a lot more dexterity in his line of work. Mainly, he worked as a locksmith. As was the usual case, there was never any shortage of adventurers running around, carrying in all sorts of locked trunks or strongboxes, golden coffers or silver chests, all with some kind of lock, and usually a trap as well. All of which required a professional hand. Jen had made a name for himself in town as one of the more reliable locksmiths. Among the other rogues in the town, he had made a different name for himself, one of the more reliable pickpockets. With the treasure of the East safely tucked away in his own pouch, he knew what needed to be done.<br><br>Not two days later, he found himself slipping through the forests as quietly as he could, getting stuck in the thick mud that threatened to steal his very boots with each step, and crossing a raging river on little more than an inch thick rope suspended from each end. There he was making the journey to the edge of the Dragonspine mountains to see if the rumor was true. Packed neatly in the satchel at his hip was that very bright, very beautiful emerald that had inspired this trip. He had spent the past two packing all of the essentials for a long journey, his prized lockpicks (in case of work), his dagger and buckler(in case of trouble), and his hard cover common to elven dictionary (in case he ran into any elves that didn't speak any common).<br><br>As he started to get closer to the mountains, he noticed that he wasn't the only one on the pass. The roads here converged as they moved onward, forcing travelers together. This offered the wonderful opportunity to find out ahead of time whether or not the rumors were true. However, everyone on the road that he passed happened to be going the other direction, each with a disgruntled look and shaking his or her head. He had heard more than once that there had been a cave in at one of the tunnels and the pass was blocked, but that wasn't going to deter him from looking for himself.<br><br>As he made his way through the last bends of the path that had seemingly been carved out of the dense forest only days prior, he noticed what everyone had been talking about. Right in front of him, the cave that was labeled To Kaz'Logan, the dwarven mining colony on the western side of the mountains, was filled in with massive rocks and boulders. Thankfully, Jen had been to the colony on an errand several months back, and knew the alternate route. Making sure his dagger was in its sheath at his calf and his buckler was fastened neatly to his forearm, he slowly began scaling the cliff not far from the mouth of the demolished cave. It wasn't a hard climb, but it did take nearly a quarter of an hour before he reached the top.<br><br>Once at the top, he immediately recognized the friendly faces of the dwarves that he had dealt with on his last trip. They didn't even notice him. With the cave in below, they were working overtime to get the tunnel cleared to open trade routes again. Rather than get in their way, he simply made his way through the colony to the other side of the plateau. He followed the signs in crude common that looked more like tourist attractions, pointing the way to the Zul'Logoth Mine Cart Ride. Some of the signs even mentioned that it was fun for the whole family and a ride no one should miss. He hadn't seen the signs on his last visit, thus he assumed they were knew additions.<br><br>At the entrance to the mine carts, Jen noticed a very gruff an annoyed looking dwarf wearing an outfit that no self respecting dwarf would have been caught dead in. He couldn't help but grin at the bright colored orange and green striped shirt and pants that the dwarf wore. He actually looked... clean. This was new for Jen, as most of the dwarves he knew were covered in all manners of things, but most notably dirt from the mines. Atop the dwarf's head was a garish top hat that stood almost half as tall as the man wearing it. Not amused by Jen's grin, he simply pointed to the sign that had the price for the trip. Once Jen handed over the silver coins, he was ushered through the archway and into an empty mine cart. As it lurched into motion, Jen immediately knew that this was no children's ride. Hanging on for dear life, Jen felt the mine cart speeding down the tracks, scraping against the walls in many places, nearly tilting off the tracks in others, and finally tipping downward and stopping so suddenly that Jen was literally tossed out of the cart and onto the hard stone floor of the tunnels of Zul'Logoth, deep inside the Dragonspine mountains.<br><br>After a few moments he collected himself and slowly got to his feet, made sure that everything was still intact and that he hadn't hurt himself too badly. A few minor scrapes from the landing, but nothing too bad. He shook himself off and continued following the signs until he arrived at the other side of town, at the entrance to yet another mine cart track. This time there were no signs that depicted the ride as something fun for all ages. Jen assumed it was because anyone who had made it into the tunnels alive knew it to be lies. After another death defying trip down the tracks and out of the tunnels, Jen was deposited once more out onto the hard stone floor of a cave entrance, much to the laughter of a dwarf wearing the same comical garb the first had been wearing.<br><br>After picking himself up off the ground for a second time after a mine cart death trip, Jen caught the first glimpse of something he never thought he would ever see. Before his very eyes, from this spot still high in the mountains, Jen could see nearly the entire expanse of the eastern half of Elanthia, the Elven Nations. Spread out over the land below, Jen could see the forests that covered everything up to the edge of the city. At the farthest edge of his view, he could see the outline of what stories had said was the Elven city that housed the Palace where the elf king ruled. Whether or not it was true, well he would just have to see. Up here, the wind blew stronger, rustling his chestnut hair. Against the near white backdrop of the mountains and stone, even he noticed how his tanned skin stood out.<br><br>The rest of the trip was not nearly as bad as the first half. A lot of it was down hill and the path, although not clearly hewn, was easy to travel. More than once he found himself squeezing through cracks in the wall of a cave to get passed a chasm, or edging along a narrow ledge scarcely wide enough to fit half his boot. However, compared to the death trap mine cart ride, this was easy. The path was easy and empty. Every so often he saw a travelers mark, an indication that he was indeed moving in the right direction. However, as he feet left the stone of the mountain pass and first touched the soft soil amidst the forest, Jen could feel the change. This place was different... He was hardly a welcome traveler.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiara</strong> on <strong>15-10-2008, 06:14:44</strong>
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				Kalandriel sighed as she gazed into the west. As she leaned against the elven-wrought rail of the balcony the sun glimmered upon its filigreed leaves, setting into the western maw of the Dragonspine Mountains. They appeared to her as jagged teeth against the sky, gnawing on the subtle yellows and pinks of the horizon. They were a mystery to her, just as they were a mystery to any elf of her age. The Great War was so long ago that only the elderly remembered it. Her grandfather was one of those, but at the time her father was not yet old enough to see battle. <br><br>“Come, you must prepare yourself.” Kalandriel gave a start at the voice from behind her.<br><br>“I really do not think that this is necessary.” She closed her eyes and turned away from the sunset towards the arched doorway to her chambers. Her father stood with the heavy door ajar, the deep mahogany a sharp contrast to his fair complexion.<br><br>“It is the wish of my father, and so it is mine.” His face was chiseled stone that melted as Kalandriel strode to him and softly kissed his cheek.<br><br>“As you wish,” she slipped through the door and beyond gossamer curtains, “but what is it that you fear?” <br><br>“Your grandfather knows of them firsthand, he had to fight them…” Following her inside, he casually strolled across the earthy stone-tiled floor to peer into an empty chest. The color slowly drained from his face. “He was a witness to the slaughter of many elves. I care only for your safety.”<br><br>“I understand that he did have a bad experience, but that was during war. Our king, Lyrian, does not think of them as a threat. He has said that they will open the world to the elves - that they should help us to prosper.”<br><br>“King Lyrian is still young.” <br><br>“He is over twice my age.” Kalandriel quickly closed her wardrobe door before her father could start packing her belongings. <br><br>“Yes, and you are still an infant to me. My child. And you will prepare to leave by dawn.” He spun on his heel and left the room, his finely made boots clicking until the door shut behind him.<br><br>Kalandriel stared incredulously at the door where her father had just left. He was not going on the journey with her, neither were any of the other diplomats. She was to be shunted out of the city with the daughters of the noble houses, guarded by a few soldiers. To her it was to be nothing more than an over glorified camping expedition, and quite unneeded at that. What good could it do to head a few miles from the city, except to irritate her? <br><br>Diplomats from all of the lands across the mountains were scheduled to arrive within the week, and now she would have to miss the chance to see even one human. She wanted to know what looked like, if the paintings from the war were accurate or not. They seemed so strange with rounded ears, and thick bodies. She thought that humans must look like tall dwarves. She did see a dwarf one time; he visited the palace when she was very young. Her grandfather was not particularly fond of dwarves, but did respect their differences. He never told a bad story about them. The humans on the other hand, he had always called them savages and barbarians, and so she had to be protected. <em> Father has always wanted to play on the safe side… </em><br><br>She shook her head slowly and turned to the wardrobe, wrapping her fingers around a carved knob and pulling one of the doors open. Dresses of many colors and designs were hanging inside, soon to be deposited in the chest that was waiting in the middle of the room. One by one she took them out, carefully folding them, and packing them away. She took out one green gown and laid it on the foot of her bed. Golden embroidery crawled across the hem and up long slices in the skirts, they were cut for riding. When she finished emptying her wardrobe of what dresses would fit comfortably in the chest, she pilfered her drawers for her underclothes and a few hairpins. <br><br>Shadows danced across the room when she was finally ready to fasten her luggage. A lantern sputtered a lone flame near her bed, where she crawled exhausted, to sleep for the last time before her journey. <br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BlackRose</strong> on <strong>15-10-2008, 08:05:28</strong>
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				Jen could tell from the first moment that his foot touched Elven soil that he was out of his element. He was used to sneaking around the town where the only cover that one had was the shadows cast by buildings. Well, aside from the buildings themselves. Here it was far too different. He could already feel the watchful eyes on him of those he could not see. It was strange to be on the other side of the shadows. He looked around quietly, squinting his eyes momentarily. With a soft sigh and a shake of his head, he dismissed it all together.<br><br>His legs carried him swiftly through the edges of the forest, determined to follow what he remembered to be the direction toward the Capital of the Elven Nations, Ta'Illistim. He figured that the large city he had seen had to have been the capital city, as he didn't see any others at all. From the stories he had been told, most of the Elven cities were hidden within the dense forest, unable to be seen from the mountain pass. Due to the size of the Capital, however, it had been plainly visible. What little light filtered through the canopy above helped guide him. However, he had another problem that was getting worse by the minute. The sun was setting.<br><br>Soon the light from overhead had disappeared entirely. Having not thought to pack anything that might emit any form of light, he knew he was going to be in for a long night. He hadn't counted on being able to make it passed the mountains in a single day, but he had moved faster than he planned and his body was beginning to ache with fatigue. Straining to see in the dark wasn't helping him either. If it hadn't been for the fireflies that seemed to come out at night in droves, Jen didn't think he would have been able to find the nearest tree without stumbling into it.<br><br>He wasn't a bad at climbing, but in near total darkness, a tree of the elven forest was no easy thing to climb. He had heard stories of the forest coming alive at night, crawling with insects. Whether that happened in the elven lands or not, he wasn't entirely sure. He also wasn't about to find out. Slowly but steadily he made his way up into the higher branches of the sturdy tree. Had he spent more time amongst the forests on the Western side of the mountains, he might have felt bad that he had no idea what kind of tree this was. Being that he was city born and bred, Jen actually spent little time in the outdoors. He was much more the kind of person to sit around town and enjoy all the luxuries of being what he was, a crowd pleaser.<br><br>Still, this was here and now. He had no pillow or blanket, no down bed to lay in. This was the hard branch and cold air of a night at the base of the mountains that separated the two nations. Grumbling at the speed with which he had managed to make it this far, he pulled his pack up to attempt to use it as a pillow and wrapped his smooth spidersilk cloak about his body, trying to keep warm. As the night dragged on, he continued to twist one way or another, trying anything he could think of to attempt to get comfortable and failing each time. He was constantly worried he might fall off the branch he was on and hit something important on the way down.<br><br>What little sleep he did manage to get was quickly interrupted by the sounds of the forest around him. Each time his eyes closed he would hear another rustle of leaves or growl of a predator hunting in the night. Twice he even thought he could hear voices, talking about something he couldn't make out, but he discounted that as simple tricks played by his mind in this foreign land. He kept muttering every time something spooked him out of the light slumber he managed about how he should have just stayed the night in the dwarven tunnels. At least they had beds.<br><br>The hours of night passed with his pitiful attempts at rest, and as he was just managing to find a comfortable position (attained by lumping various things beneath him), the first rays of the morning sun began to poke through the canopy. Already Jen was looking forward to winning his way into the heart of some sweet elderly inn keeper that he might find a soft bed to sleep in until he decided to head back home. Then again, any sweet elderly inn keeper might remember the great wars and kill him in his sleep or poison his food... Surely there had been enough time to pass that the elves wouldn't just kill him outright...<br><br>With a soft sigh and a little grumble, Jen knew he needed to get moving again. The sooner he managed to find a town or village of some sorts, the sooner he might find a bite to eat or a nice place to actually get some decent rest. His body twisted slightly to the side as he rolled off the branch, dropping the short distance to the ground below. He brushed the bits of bark off his cloak that had clung to the spidersilk from the long night and slid his pack over his shoulder, groggy but intent on finding other living beings. Though he hadn't actually seen anyone yet, he knew that the elves had to be around <em>somewhere[/].</em>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiara</strong> on <strong>16-10-2008, 04:17:01</strong>
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				“Kalan… wake up.” A female voice called as she gingerly shook the sleeping form awake. “It is after first light.”<br><br>Kalandriel’s almond shaped eyes burst open as she sat up in bed. She frantically looked around the room as she slid off the side of her mattress.<br><br>“He has already left for the conference,” the other woman assured her, “but he did not seem happy when you were not downstairs with the rest of us.”<br><br>“Nadi, it will be alright.” Kalan said as she slumped her shoulders; she was well aware that she would hear about this again. Her father, though loving, kept a strict household. <br><br>An elf of the royal guard entered and bowed briskly before lifting her trunk of belongings. Kalan splashed water on her face from her wash basin and studied herself in the oval mirror hanging above it. Her hair was an unruly mess that she twisted back into a bun, held by an exquisite wooden pin. The chestnut color of the wood got lost as it blended into her wavy locks. She unclasped a few buttons at the nape of her neck as the guard left the room, then let her wrinkled dress fall to her feet. It was unlike her to sleep without changing into something more comfortable.<br><br>“Nadi,” Kalan was pulling at her twisted corset, “Can you help retie this?”<br><br>Nadi’aya was a close friend of Kalandriel’s. She was born to nobility as well, to the Siltrin family, closely related to the king. Nadi did not say a word in response to the question, but her dexterous fingers had Kalan laced up again as if the undergarment was freshly laundered. <br><br>“Thank you.” She got into the green riding gown that was lying on the foot of her bed and slipped her feet into a pair of supple leather boots.<br><br>“Come on! We must hurry!” Nadi glanced out the window to see their horses saddled and ready below.<br><br>Kalandriel’s face lit up and she gave a youthful laugh. “Let us make this an adventure, like we used to when we were small.”<br><br>“Second one there has to eat an occé berry!” Nadi lifted her skirts and swiftly left the room.<br><br>“Not fair!” Kalan called behind her as she too darted out the door. <br><br>The halls of the building were still a bit dark, as the sun had not yet fully risen. Enchanted lanterns emitted a faint bluish light, and the orange of the morning peaked through cracks in the doors lining the corridor. The halls were not as spacious as the Palace where the King and his family lived. Instead they were cramped, though the workmanship was just as great. The Telakhiers have always shared the manor with the Siltrin family, it was a periphery of the royal palace; the elven people often referred to it as the palace of the south, as it was located at the southernmost boundary of Ta'Illistim.<br><br>She reached the end of the hallway and came upon the staircase leading to the main floor. There were only two flights, and she could see Nadi just ahead of her. She practically flew down the stairs after her friend. She knew that once she reached the bottom it was only a sprint to the foyer, where the massive arched doorway awaited. She would only have to gain a few paces to catch up with Nadi at that point.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>“Nadi, wait!” Kalandriel skidded to a halt as she noticed her grandfather standing around the corner in the foyer. Nadi stopped and looked up to see him, then put her first two fingers to her forehead and sunk into a deep curtsy. Kalan followed suit, repeating the actions of Nadi. “Hello grandpapa.”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Farrod Telakhier was a kindly looking man. His dark hair had streaks of grey, and lines of worry creased his face. “You ought to be more careful, child. It is not safe these days.”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Kalan rose from her curtsy and nodded.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>“I do mean it… those humans are a dangerous sort. Beware of them.” Farrod strode to her and smoothed her cheek with his hand. “Go now, and be safe young one.”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>“Yes, grandpapa. My heart is with you. Will you tell father the same?” She waited for his answer, then grabbed Nadi’s arm to pull her alongside her.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>“I suppose it will be a tie this time,” Nadi winked at Kalan as she looked over her shoulder to make sure they were alone, “and a very close call. Do hope that does not reach your father’s ears.”<br><br>“Yes. <em>A fine diplomat I will make one day</em>.” Kalandriel chimed in a mocking voice.<br><br>It did not take them much longer to reach the stables where their escort was waiting. Kalan was not surprised to see that there was only one more woman in the group, from the eastern manor, but she was not very acquainted with her. The two guards were sitting together in the driver’s seat in a carriage; Nadi’aya and the other woman climbed in. Kalandriel opted to mount her mare.<br><br>They set off into the lush forest, on a narrow road to Eldallé, a villa that was a day's ride to the south.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Somewhere Over the Dragonspine (BlackRose and Kiara)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BlackRose</strong> on <strong>01-11-2008, 17:42:45</strong>
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				Jen trudged along through the forest. His mud caked boots had begun to smell somewhat of the foul swamp that he had to trudge through to get to the mountains themselves. They had dried and covered with dust from the harsh terrain of the mountains, but that hadn't helped the stench that seemed to grow stronger with every step that he took. He tolerated it for a few minutes before realizing he really needed to do something about it.<br><br>He tilted his head back and took a sniff of the air, though it didn't do much as he only really could smell the stench of the mud on his boots. His nose wrinkled as his head shook, trying to get the smell out of his nose. With a soft sigh, he trudged off in a direction that he hoped would lead to some form or stream or river or something. Luckily it wasn't far to the nearest stream and he was able to pry his boots off carefully and start washing the mud off in the quickly running water. "I seriously hope that I am not defiling some ancient shrine or something by doing this..." He spoke softly, shaking his head in the process. He highly doubted that it would be held against him for using the stream to clean his boots, how else was he supposed to do it?<br><br>After cleaning away the last of the mud caked on his boots, he slipped them on and glanced up in time to catch a glimpse of a small elven boy, who quickly disappeared behind a few trees. Soft as the boy's footfalls were, Jen's senses were quite good for a human, and he could at least tell the boy was running away. Curious as he was, he wasn't about to just let the incident pass, and quickly got to his feet and started off in the same direction, though not nearly as fast. The last thing he wanted anyone to think was that he was chasing the poor child. He simply figured the boy new where the closest town was and, hopefully, he was headed for it.<br><br>Jen quickly doubted the entire notion as he lost track of the child and saw no signs of civilization in the slightest sense. The dense forest stretched on as far as his eyes could see. He couldn't help the feeling that he was lost. This whole idea of exploring new land seemed like such a great prospect... Why did it have to be so difficult? Jen sighed again, shifting his weight at the last moment before a large axe came tumbling down into the rich earth below, wielded by one of the ugliest things that Jen had even seen. Only half startled, he turned his entire body, sinking back into the shadows of a tree. His dagger slid free of its sheath as the creature spun about, trying to find out what had happened to its quarry.<br><br>It took a few moments of careful observation before Jen jumped out of the shadows, drawing the dagger across the throat of the creature, splitting it's green skin from one end to the other. The hulking brute dropped it's axe, both hands rising to favor its neck, which was spilling out globs of its blood. Jen kicked it's back, pushing the creature forward and causing it to huddle onto the ground. He grumbled down at the green liquid dripping from the edge of his dagger and bent to wipe it onto the grass. Something didn't seem right to him though, the creature was still moving, still writing, still making sounds that it shouldn't.<br><br>Jen slid his dagger into his sheath and was moving to pick up the creatures axe, not quite sure how good it would do him when the creature began to stand back up, turning to show the grim smile that Jen had given it was now healed and just spotted with the green blood that he had spilled. It grunted something out in a primal language, baring its long teeth and claws as it watched Jen pick up the axe. Of course, he was used to handling a dagger and not a cumbersome axe meant for something much larger than him. He didn't like his odds against a creature that didn't want to die. "I thought elves were pretty and soft skinned!" He jumped back to dodge a claw, attempting to parry with the axe but his speed served him better than the weapon.<br><br>A spray of some bluish green liquid shot out from between two trees off to Jen's right, coating one side of the massive creature, eating away it's arm in the process, as well as much of its left side. The creature looked dumbfounded for the moment, and then sank down to the ground as it's smoking flesh giving off the scent of burnt skin and bone. Jen looked entirely confused, but to his surprise, a child, in his eyes, slipped out from the trees, the same young boy that he had seen while washing his boots. Jen shook his head in disbelief, but he couldn't discount the fact that the child had just saved his life. "Thanks kid."<br><br>The child crept closer, and Jen could make out something he did recognize, a circular disk that was possibly a little more than a foot and a half across, that simply floated along after the boy. He made a few elaborate gestures with his hands and spoke in a language that Jen only partly understood was magic, and then lifted the axe carelessly from Jen's grasp as though it was light as a feather. He placed it on top of the disk and watched it sink into the thin object before waving at Jen and slipping back into the forest.<br><br>Now it was Jen's turn to be dumbfounded. He stood there staring at the corpse of what he was beginning to recognize as a troll. Things had began clicking for him at the realization of the liquid being acidic, and the boy being a Mage. The regenerative properties of the creature had given him understanding that the slash to it's neck had only wounded and not killed, and that wound was quickly healed. Jen slipped forward and did what any self respecting rogue would do, he searched the creatures corpse for valuables while saying a prayer to Tonis, God of the Wind, favored by nearly all the rogues he had ever known.<br><br>The creature crumbled to dust as He finished his search, coming up with nothing at all. He was about to begin lamenting on the idea that this creature that had nearly taken his life did not have a single thing of value on it, which gave understanding to the reason the child had taken the axe, when he spotted a gleaming silver chest settled near a tree where the troll had originally attacked from. Jen wasted no time moving over to the box. It was heavy, but not overly so, possibly around thirty pounds, tough he was sure nearly ten of that was the chest itself. He hoisted it up and settled it among the other things he had packed in his satchel. Hopefully it wouldn't be too far before he found some form of civilization.<br><br>Off again, slightly encumbered by his new piece of treasure that he would need to open later, Jen trudged along through the woods, looking for a sign of civilization. He knew it wasn't worth following the Elven child, who was most likely older than he was, as the boy was probably out hunting trolls for their axes or something along those lines. It would be a while before the child returned to a town. Instead, Jen found himself coming along something he never imagined he would, a road, carved through the forest. On closer inspection it looked more that forest had been shaped around the road, cobblestones laying the way in both directions farther than he could see. One glance up at the sun left him wondering, so he just turned to his right and started heading in what he thought was a southern direction, as that was away from the capital city and he didn't really want to show up at the capital, not yet...
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