Tales of Faerun

[mythicdawnmaster]

Xallistine finished his 'meal' with a contented sigh... he felt strength that had long since left his weak body return... It felt brilliant, to have fed once again... He was full, contented, and would not need a meal for probably another few months. The Ulitharid looked down at his once ornate robes... they had been worn from all of the travel he had done, the battles he had been in, but every single moment was worth it, to be with a group he truly could call friends. Xallistine was an outcast of his kind, he was different... too human, yet at the same time, he still didn't understand. He was a strange creature, but he was devoted to those he travelled with. But that wasn't all that was keeping him with them... he had an unstable lust for knowledge,and even he didn't know what he would be willing to do to obtain it.

 

As he reflected his own feelings, he massaged the sides of his head, soothing the pulsing sensation that resonated in his entire head, he thought of the future, and suddenly remembered the book his slave, Juno had brought to him as he left the underdark... it was a planbook, a book full of glorious visions for the future, and just mental musings, all handwritten by the Ulitharid himself, and bound in a metal casing.

 

He took it out of his satchel, and unwrapped it from it's cloth covering, he perched upon a rock and read it with what would have been a smile. He got to work writing a new chapter, about his travels with Rhaine, as the group were resting, and licking there wounds.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine closed her eyes and almost drifted off to sleep just sitting there. She forced them open again, and her gaze once more fell upon the hydra. She frowned.

 

"Well. There goes my horse."

 

Her heart felt heavy as she remembered the noble Ghost. Though he was nothing like her dear Angel, Ghost had been a beautiful and courageous stallion, and she would miss him dearly. To take her mind off of him, she busied herself cleaning her doublet and breeches of blood. It was a poor job, though, as there was no water source nearby, save for what they had in their canteens and drinking skins.

[Naktis]

Nawen returned back to her bags and pulled out the remaining antidote potions. "If anyone needs it, I'll leave the antidote potions here." The ranger said out loud and placed them carefully near the tree.

 

The ranger heard what Rhaine about the horse. The hydra killed one, and it seems it was Rhaine's. She glanced at the other horses who were still stressed by the recent battle. Nawen walked up to the horses to calm them down.

[AurianaValoria1]

After a short time of cleaning herself, the Doomguide looked around. It seemed the whole event had rendered the group weary, wary, and contemplative. Feeling exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders and seeing the moon already on the ascendant, Rhaine took a few pieces of jerky from her pack and ate in silence. It was a paltry meal for certain, and she would be wanting more in the morning, but as of now, the acrid odor of the dead hydra was serving to stave off the worst of her hunger. She finished quickly and made a bed out of her cloak and saddle, eager for rest. The morning would come faster than desired, and they had a very long and hard journey ahead of them. It was only a matter of minutes before she fell asleep.

[Ithildin]

As soon as Mahira was out of sight, Echo made a beeline for the stable’s outer wall. As a ghostwise, and unlike other halflings, she had an inherent limited ability to speak without sound to a single creature within twenty feet of her location. She intended to make use of that gift, but didn’t want the stable hand to know of its existence; people who discovered her ability often became alarmed, fearing it was a dark magic used to penetrate the mind and reveal secret thoughts, when it was nothing of the sort. She walked silently along the outer perimeter of the stable, listening to the sounds within, until she heard the nearest horse shifting its weight from hoof to hoof. She leaned nonchalantly against the wall, then closed her eyes as if enjoying the sun's warmth. She concentrated, projecting a simple question: Can you understand me?

 

She heard a startled snort, footsteps, a heavy tool being set down. The stable hand murmured, “What’s wrong, girl? See a rat?” There were rustlings that suggested the man was running his hands gently over the mare's coat. To the surface of the halfling's mind rose a thought that was not her own: I understand. Who speaks?

 

My name is Echo. I am a hin, a sort of small human. I was inside your stable not long ago. Do you remember?

 

“Hin”, “stable” … strange words. I do remember.

 

”Stable” is your home, and the home of the other horses around you.

 

This is not home. I prefer the valley where humans captured me … that was home. I miss it sometimes; the long grasses, and my sisters.

 

Oh, you were born in the wild. I’m sorry you were taken from your home. Are you treated well here?

 

I am. I will return to my valley someday, but I like Best-Apples very much.

 

“Best apples”? You enjoy the food here?

 

Best-Apples is the human touching my face. I gave him that name because he brings me the tastiest treats.

 

I see, Echo replied, stifling an appreciative laugh. You said you remember me; did you see when I came in this morning with a taller human female and two ponies - horses smaller than yourself?

 

Yes, Ring-Eye and Star-Brow. They told me their humans are very nice. Do you have any apples for me?

 

Echo grinned. I promise I’ll bring some to you after I find “Ring-Eye” and “Star-Brow”. I like those names. The ponies are lost to us; my human friend and I think a stranger took them out of this stable. Did you see someone do that?

 

I did. The … “stranger” … was a human male, taller than Best-Apples, with a light coat and dark mane. I’ve never seen him before. Do you think Ring-Eye and Star-Brow are safe? That human was in a great hurry, and not at all gentle, when he led them away.

 

I certainly hope they're safe! About the stranger’s “mane” - that's likely the hair on his head, but “light coat”? Do you mean something he wore, or perhaps his skin?

 

I mean the color of his face. His forepaws were covered, so I know not whether they matched his face; Best-Apples' coat is a little darker than the stranger’s.

 

I see; thank you. I call his "coat" his skin. Did you happen to listen as they were leaving? Could you tell in which direction they went, maybe toward the river?

 

What is "river"?

 

That’s what humans call the long body of water that flows nearby.

 

Oh, yes, I call it a water-snake. I could hear them walking away from the water-snake - the "river".

 

Thanks again, friend. What do you call yourself?

 

I am White-Nose, named for the long stripe down my face.

 

Thank you kindly for your help, White-Nose. When I come back, I’ll bring apples for you, as many as I can carry. Echo launched herself away from the stable wall, heading toward the road that led away from the river.

[Alaylyne]

After looking around her, Sefris was about to walk down the passage she assumed Ravenna had gone before, but the witch was already returning.

 

"There you are. This floor's clean, as far as I can tell." the fey'ri said, looking to see where the Fallen is.

 

She did feel a bit better after spilling blood, but she still didn't really like being in a forest. Too much memories she wasn't really fond of.

[Naktis]

Nawen ate nothing nor did she slept. The stench coming from the dead hydra was too much for her sharp senses. She sat in front of the fire and re-read Illius' letter yet again.

 

"How many floors does this place have?" Aedan asked as he noticed Ravenna. "We should burn it down when we leave."

[mythicdawnmaster]

Ravenna nodded in greeting to her companions, and listened to there words. "This was only a small tribe of bandits, i doubt they have occupied any more rooms or floors than this." She replied honestly to Sefris. She then looked at Aedan and said "No, we mustn't... this place is too valuable to destroy... I plan on returning here once our quest is over.." She remarked with a small smile. "I have the eye." She said, opening her hands, which had been clutching the ornate artifact "Now we must search the rest of this forest for the dagger." She activated the mechanism on the stone throne, and it descended to the ground once more, barring the passage. "However, if you need a reward to sate you both for now, there is a treasury in one of the back rooms, the lock's shouldn't be too complicated, at least, not for those with brains like you two, these barbarians had no luck." The witch smirked. "Now i must find the surviving women, and sate my hunger."

[tokyobiohazard]

Taking her cue to ready herself for bed, Ianthe stroked Brook's muzzle and murmured to the horse about the loss of her twin.

 

Reona sighed to herself as she watched her sister, feeling a bit jealous of her, for some reason. It wasn't a very common thing for her, being jealous. She didn't like it...

 

"It's okay, Brook. I've lost someone, too. Someone very dear to me." Ianthe cooed and murmured to the horse for a few more minutes, before her frame suddenly began to quiver and shake. Her face obscured by her hood, Ianthe took the opportunity to cry over Alphonse. Her heart felt as if it'd been shattered, and it was a new sensation for her.

 

Noticing the violent tremors, Arva rushed over to Ianthe's side and wrapped an arm around her. "It's him, isn't it?" Burying her face in Arva's chest, Ianthe sobbed harder and nodded. He walked her over to his bedrolls and gently helped her to lie down, then wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry to her heart's content.

 

Looking up from her meager rations, Reona noticed the caring gestures, then finished eating as quickly as she could, making her way next to them and lying down behind her sister. She wrapped her arms around her from behind and whispered, "Things could be much worse, sister." It was all she could think to say.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine woke at dawn to the sound of her stomach growling...though that quickly turned to nausea when she caught the scent of the hydra once more. She looked over at the corpse of the beast, bathed in the orange light of the sun. It was decaying at an alarming rate, the flesh practically rotting before her eyes. She suddenly became concerned that it might draw predators of some sort, so she armed herself quickly. She donned her armor and strapped her sword to her waist, then ran a comb through her hair and pulled it back into a loose bun. No longer needing her horse's tack, she placed it and the saddle bags into her bag of holding. All that remained was to find out who was willing to share their steed with her.

 

The Doomguide looked around, noticing how hilly and sparse the landscape was. It would be difficult getting the horses through this rough terrain, and she wondered how the steeds pulling Ravenna's carriage had managed it. Pebbles and stones littered the plain and would constantly pose a threat to the horses' health. It was like trying to run through a corridor filled with caltrops.

Edited October 10, 2012 by AurianaValoria1