Tales of Faerun

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen rode at the back of the group and with Argyros scouting ahead her skills as a scout weren't needed since he seemed doing rather well. It's been a while since she'd done any decent scouting and the drow felt rather useless because of it. "Don't worry. There will be time for that later." She thought to herself but then suddenly the group stopped and then somebody laughed. She got off her horse, and approached Argyros.

 

"Whoever she is, she's been watching us for quite some time." Nawen felt that they were being watched but didn't say anything because she always felt a bit paranoid, and that someone was watching her whenever she wasn't wearing her cloak, it was simply too warm to wear one.

 

She listened intently, trying to find out a more precise location of whoever was watching them. "She's there." The drow said and nodded to their right.

[Quintatas]

As usual, Xundus walked a small distance behind the group, stopping periodically to make sure they weren't being followed. It had been years since he'd left the Underdark, but it seemed old habits died hard.

 

The drow began to run as he heard a commotion up ahead. He hoped it would be a skirmish with a few bandits; maybe they'd have some coin. But no, it seemed there was no fighting - yet. Rapier drawn and ready, he approached the group, reverting to a walk as he did. Just as he was going to ask, "What is it?" Nawen pointed out the area the sound was coming from. This must be the rogue the centaurs spoke of, he thought. The one that's not fond of drow. Then again, it could be something else. Either way...

 

"This will be fun," said Xundus, an eager look replacing his normally placid face.

[Flipout6]

Everybody stopped when the mysterious voice echoed through the air. Weyland almost went for his sword, but thought against it, figuring that drawing weapons would likely only anger this hidden presence, whoever- or whatever- it was. It wasn't fear that stayed his hand, but rather diplomatic thinking. Who knew, after all, whether it had good or bad intentions?

 

That didn't stop Marie, however. She drew her bow, prepared an arrow, drew back the string, and aimed directly where Nawen indicated. She didn't fire, but she was more than prepared to. Amendale scanned the surrounding area carefully, before casting a detection spell and scanning his surroundings again. His eyes fell upon a strange shape behind a growth of trees to the right. It looked like a centaur, but something was off about it.

 

Sybille, meanwhile, simply shouted a response to the creature. "Nah, we're not here to hunt you down. Just passing through on our way to the Shaar, actually. We don't mean you any harm."

 

"Unless you intend us any." Marie added, her aim firmly fixed upon the line of trees.

Edited April 7, 2014 by Flipout6

[josh900]

Figureing that this was the "abomination" that the Centaurs spoke of, Tannin stepped out, putting a hand on Marie's shoulder, signalling for her to lower her bow before speaking. "Actually, I kind of wanted to meet you." He said loud enough for the owner of the voice to hear. "The Centaur's claimed that you were an abomination that needed to be destroyed. And I know they're a bit... uncompromising when it comes to interbreeding between species. You won't find such hatred with us I promise, would be rather hypocritical." He said with a short laugh. "So would you please come out and show yourself? We'd all rather this be a peaceful meeting I'm sure."

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Lucas had stayed close to Rhaine for the majority of the time he was with the group. The sudden sound of the feminine voice startled him, but he quickly regained his composure. "She doesn't sound... too dangerous." He said in a hopeful tone.

 

"Yeeaahh you say that." Azuris grumbled, his eyes darting around, scanning for anything. "Some of the prettiest things are the most dangerous." He advised.

 

 

[AurianaValoria1]

Argyros stared in the direction that Nawen had indicated with sharp silver eyes, and his normally calm expression grew stony; he was inwardly frustrated that he could not detect this creature, and he could barely keep his countenance from showing this anxiety. Conall and Zorica, riding in the middle of the party, remained quiet and alert, ready to pull their weapons if need be. Aodh hid behind the werewolf's shoulder, claws clicking as he clung to a metal pauldron and peered over the top of it with blinking eyes, watching the creature intently. Dagny, who clung to Azuris's belt, snorted quietly, "And some of the ugliest things have pretty voices, too."

 

Rhaine added her voice to Sybille and Tannin's entreaties, "My companions are correct. We do not seek a fight with anyone in these woods." Her brow was furrowed as she realized no one had related the centaurs' information to her, but she swept it to the back of her mind as she focused on the spot where Marie had her arrow trained. She dropped her hand away from her sword to emphasize her point. Azrael shifted restlessly beneath her, but she kept his reins taught.

 

"HA!"

 

The voice rang out again with a vicious undertone.

 

"You imply my sire and dam had a CHOICE in the matter! WHICH THEY DID NOT!" it shrieked.

 

There was a flash and a clatter of hooves as the owner of the voice suddenly became visible, landing in front of them with an astounding force. Rhaine had never seen anything like this creature before in her life, and her eyes widened as she beheld the so-called "abomination." Zorica gasped, Dagny's mouth dropped open, Argyros took a step backward, and Conall blinked in disbelief...

 

Standing before them, almost seven feet in height, was a magnificent centauress. Her tanned skin was striped with black down her arms and all over her blood-bay horse body, her legs a glossy ebony below the knee. Her oddly cloven hooves were also jet black, as well as her shimmering tail, which was so long that it puddled like obsidian silk on the ground. She stared at them with brilliant brown, almost red eyes, from behind a curtain of thick, straight hair that was auburn at the roots, but transitioned to black at her shoulders and fell almost to her waist. From her forehead sprang a spiraling, obsidian horn, half a foot in length. Her facial features were chiseled like an elf's, and she also sported an elf's pointed ears with many decorative piercings. Her toned torso bore a skimpy patchwork vest of fur and leather, adorned with many chains with stones, shells, beads, and feathers. In one hand, by her side, was a shortbow, an arrow between her fingers and ready to knock. A quarterstaff was strapped across her back.

 

On the tip of this staff perched a small faerie dragon, its deep turquoise scales glinting in the sunlight and its butterfly wings fluttering softly every once and a while. Aodh, upon seeing this familiar, scrambled off of Conall's shoulder to hide beneath Zorica's hair, his scales changing colors to disguise himself. He gave a quiet squeak as he looked around her ear, hoping the faerie dragon didn't notice him.

 

The centauress's expression was one of ferocity, and she lifted her other hand to let a swirl of flames dance about her fingertips.

 

"So," she spoke again, this time her voice bearing a charming smoothness, "They told you of me, told you I was an abomination, and told you they wanted me dead...but you are not here to fulfill their wish? I find that hard to believe." She chuckled softly, "You amuse me. For now."

 

The centauress slowly paced back and forth as she looked over the party members, her hooves thudding on the road, "I'm supposing they also told you my name. But no matter...I shall introduce myself anyway. I am called Theia."

 

She extinguished the flame in her hand and lifted it to let the faerie dragon perch atop it, "And this is Kyli."

[Deleted6317247User]

Shalena was still sitting on her horse when Theia appeared from her hiding spot. "She really knows how to make an entrance." The pirate commented. She could not understand why others of her kind called her an abomination, she was far from being one, but then Shalena knew nothing of Centaurs and their ways, nor she was interested in learning it.

 

Nawen stepped back a little when Theia landed in front of them, and continued to keep her distance. The other centaurs really called her an abomination and want her dead? She couldn't help but wonder what else the centaurs said that Tannin for whatever reason didn't share with those who could not speak elven. She edged closer to the half-drow.

 

"Any other details you forgot to share with the rest of us?" She asked him rather quietly.

[GrueMaster]

Upon seeing the centaurs approach the camp, Tak'we made himself scarce inside one of the tens; it had been many moons ago, but the thri-kreen still remembered the tensions that lay between his people and the horse-kin. He heard his clutchmates speak with the horse-kin, but couldn't understand them. I really wish I could understand what others were saying, he cursed silently as he waited. Once they left, he stepped out and began helping pack up. As he did so, he noticed that Rhaine looked particularly angry about something.

 

"What is wrong with winged pointy-ear?" he inquired of no one in particular, wanting to go speak with her, but, seeing as she immediately went off to talk to Tannin, Tak'we saved the question for later and went back to packing, chittering softly with concern. What is going on with clutchmates...? he thought in quiet distress.

 

 

Tenebris listened in to the conversation with the centaurs, controlling his urge to laugh. Abomination, eh? he thought sardonically. I wonder what they'd call me? Keeping his peace until the centaurs left, the half-vampire gave a side comment as he went about gathering up his things.

 

"Abomination... I rather wish they were more forth-coming with information than that. I mean, all of you travel with me and you don't consider me an abomination, yes?" he inquired innocently, before smiling and finishing up his packing. He saw Conall and Rhaine come back, both with grim expressions on their faces (Though is that anger in the latter's visage? he thought silently), and a newcomer, whom looked like a young squire or some sorts. Tenebris gave a quiet nod, but didn't bother introducing himself further, more interested in the quiet discussion Rhaine was having with Tannin.

 

Hmm... what does fate have in store here now? he mused in his mind, before getting on the horse he had made sure to purchase earlier.

 

 

Dri hid the wince that flashed on her face as the centaurs mentioned the so-called abomination, thoughts going towards herself in regards to the conversation. What am I? she thought, lost in pondering her own identity, before shaking her head and tidying up her pack. She gave a quiet greeting to Lucas when they met, but she stayed quiet; the look on Rhaine's face as she took Tannin off to the side concerned her.

 

What is going on with those two? she wondered curiously, before saddling up behind Weyland and the group took off.

 

======================================

 

Tak'we was clicking softly to himself, wondering how to approach his clutchmates about things bothering them and he, when Argyros motioned for them to stop. He froze immediately, then brought his scythes to bare when a female voice called out to them. The thri-kreen looked towards the direction Nawen pointed, but still could not see anything.

 

Come out, nrak-tck! he thought angrily, feeling a little aggravated; he had been mulling heavily over his clutchmates, even failing to enjoy the good weather, and now this.

 

When the creature calling herself Theia came out from hiding, Tak'we tilted his head in bewilderment; she looked like a horse-kin, but her softskin was off for a centaur, and... "Iss that a horn?" he spoke in surprise, not realizing he spoke out loud, surprised as he was. Did my ancestors forget to mention this? he thought, confused as to how this came to be...

 

 

Dri jumped a little when the voice cried out. She had felt something almost ever since the Chondalwood had appeared at their side, a sense of anxiousness reaching out to her in the shadow of the woods. The girl summoned Lonesome, but didn't bring it to bare yet, not wanting to appear as a threat quite yet, and tried to discern where the speaker was hiding.

 

When a horned centauress revealed herself, Dri gasped. She is the abomination?! she thought incredulously, and sat there in awe, wondering what else the centaurs had failed to mention to them...

 

Tenebris stayed where he was calmly, not bothering to move when a lilting voice cried out to them. If someone is taking the time to talk to you, they usually aren't going to hurt you, he reasoned. Well, not quite yet, at the very least... Echoing the sentiments of his companions, he also spoke out. "I am the spawn of a human and a vampire. I think we are quite used to 'abominations', good lady."

 

The Jergali raised his eyebrows as Theia, as she called herself, came out into the open. A horned centauress... not what I would call an abomination... he mused quietly. This shall be interesting...

Edited April 8, 2014 by GrueMaster

[Brutii]

Daud shivered slightly, but not from cold, as the voice spoke. He was shocked... or rather slightly dumbstruck, by the appearance of the horned Centaur, and though his hand had moved to his blade long before it's appearance, he managed to refrain from drawing it. Despite the shock, he managed to keep his composure and though his hand fingered his blade, he prevented himself from doing anything aggressive for now, save mumbling something quietly under his breath. Though... He may not know much of centaurs, but he was quite certain they were not supposed to have horns.

He listened to the conversation between them, and he again remained quiet, eyeing the centaur suspiciously. Maybe this would make sense if he had been able to understand the original conversation, but of course, he hadn't. Luck was certainly not on his side. Well whatever, he'd try to work out what he could.

[josh900]

Tannin couldn't hold back a grin when Theia appeared. He certainly hadn't seen anything like her before. "Well aren't you a beauty? No lady Theia, we are not here to harm you. Especially not when you're the most original thing I've seen in years. No I'd be VERY upset if something were to happen to you. No we're simply on our way south to destroy a great evil and rescue our dear, very valued friend.......Who's name I never bothered to learn." He said as a thought suddenly crossed his mind. "How was he our friend anyways? He was with us for like... a week? All I remember about him is that he had great colored hair and eyes." He said with a smirk. "But seriously, we're after him becauuuse?"

 

"Because he's in danger." Azuris said with a roll of his eyes.

 

"So? I was in danger before and no one helped me."

 

"You didn't need it."

 

"It's the principle of the thing."

 

Azuris responded with a bored glare to which Tannin just shrugged. "Alright alright." He said looking back at Theia. "We're off on our ways to be heroes then, my mistake."

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Lucas all the while was starring at Tenebris with a puzzled look on his face. "So wait... one of your parents.... was a vampire? Aren't they...undead?................... how would that work exactly?"

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine leaned sideways to whisper to Lucas, "Vampiric seduction, squire...or if a woman is bitten by a vampire when pregnant. Both are terrible violations."

 

Theia shifted restlessly from side to side, "South? That's where.." Her eyes then narrowed suspiciously as she continued to look over the group, and she suddenly danced backwards as she saw Nawen and Xundus, "Dark elves! You harbor them in your company!?"

 

Kyli hissed dramatically at the two drow, fluttering upwards from Theia's fingertips. Aodh, angered and defensive of his friends, shot like an arrow from behind Zorica's shoulder and in front of Nawen, hissing back at the centauress's familiar.

 

Zorica spoke up from the back of the company, obviously infuriated at Theia's reaction, "And what of it? We travel with whom we like, centaur. What...do you think of us as abominations?"

 

Theia reared up in anger, red-brown eyes flashing, "I was born of the machinations of the drow, you fool! They CREATED me!"

 

She spun on her heels and danced back and forth in front of them in agitation, "Did they tell you THAT little tidbit, hmm? That I was created from the forced pairing of a corrupted unicorn and a captive, enthralled centaur from a local tribe? That they magically accelerated my aging process until they thought I was old enough to reproduce? All for the sake of making more minions for themselves!?"

 

She halfway raised her bow and then stopped, a look of desperation in her eyes, "I am an abomination. I am the result of an experiment, nothing more. But...my creators only halfway succeeded in their goal. I...am unable to reproduce. I am the only one of my kind."

 

She dropped her weapon with a thud on the road and held up her empty hands, "I can do nothing against you. Perhaps the other centaurs are right. Perhaps it would ease your mind to end me now. Perhaps...it would be for the best."

 

Conall and Zorica exchanged wide-eyed glances and both began simultaneously, "Now, wait..."

 

Dagny shook her head rapidly back and forth, "Er...what did she just say?"

 

Aodh made a confused snorting noise and hovered midair before Nawen. Argyros stood beside them in seemingly stunned silence.

 

Rhaine held up her hand, "Stay your weapons, all of you. Theia...we don't intend to do you harm, for any reason."