The Great Adventure!

Everyone was dumbfounded! Sure, he was polite enough, but his sheer arrogance rivalled even Roxton's! I definitely had to put this Dwarf in his place.

I stepped forward from behind the tents into full view of the Dwarf, my bow leveled at his head and I called his bluff. "Excuse me my arrogant Dwarven friend, but you are very much mistaken. As you can see from the shocked expressions on my companion's faces, you have gravely misjudged the situation. I know full well the directions to Stillwater and we are taking the most efficient route, following the river floodplain north."

The expression on the Dwarf's face had faltered somewhat and he no longer looked as confident as he had done.

"Further more, your own apparent lack of spacial awareness and your attack on my honour leads me to question your capabilities and suitability as a guide."

I knew that what I was saying would be offending the Dwarf and questioning his honour, but it was his own arrogance that had placed him in this position and not my own doing. By leaving this unchallenged I would be forfeiting my own honour and if he failed to realise this then his precious Dwarven honour was worth little in the first place.

Before the Dwarf could recover his stance, I used the end of my bow to quickly lift his map out of his hands and into my own, before turning my bow back to it's target. "This map however map could prove handy so I think I shall keep hold of it for now. I thank you Dwarf for your good grace in letting me keep it."

I put two and two together and then decided to test his resolve.

"Now, I should let you know that I found your camp over in yonder thicket and that I know you were sneaking around our camp late last night. Infact, I also have your watch that you so carelessly dropped. It is also highly likely that you were the one responsible for Roxton's current state since there is no evidence at all of any other animal activity in the surrounding area, other than your own."

I gave the Dwarf a wry smile. "However, I can't hold that act against you since we've all been dying to do the same." I quickly lost the smile and scowled at the Dwarf.

"Now, would you please mind enlightening us as to the real reason you are here and why we should let you join our band? What do you want and what can you offer us in return? If you've been following us then you should have seen the bandits a way back and thus know what we are capable of doing to anyone who tries to cross us!"

[OOC]
I thought it was about time I took proper responsibility. I'm not really nasty, but it looks to me, from what I've seen, that you are just another bandit trying to steal from us last night, and that you have waylayed one of our members and are trying to pretend that you are his rescuer to get into our band. I don't take kindly to being deceived.

You haven't really got a choice now. You either tell us why you're here (you don't have to tell us the whole truth, but we'll know you're holding something back. I'll also know if you're lying because of my diplomacy and persuasion skills.) or you'll find yourself lashed to a pole by your arms and legs.
[/OOC]

 

Kat's one-sided discussion with the dwarf reaffirmed my suspicions. I sat down and pulled out one of my knives and sharpening stone and began to sharpen it. The soft whisk-whisk of my blade on the sharpening stone seemed to unnerve others. I didn't believe it would work to well on this dwarf but it made me feel better.

I kept an eye on the dwarf during all this in case he decided to make trouble. I doubted he was that stupid but you never know.

 

[OOC]
Hello again I'm done with all the schoolwork and now I've got more then enough time to roleplay.
[/OOC]

My word! The woman which I now had been informed called herself Kat surely gave the newly arrived dwarf a good verbal thrashing!
It was rather unlady-like from what I was used to. The young women that frequented the finer astablishments in Tarant where often shy and complacent. They never had this kind of fire in ther voices when talking about whatever it is that young women talk about. I usually never paid any attention to what they where saying anyway as I found it to be mostly mindless drivel about dresses and makeup. To see a woman with such stern resolve was rather interesting and not at all unattractive.

The dwarf seemed to become unsure of what to do, looking left and right as if his brain was working at full capacity to come up with the right thing to say.

If Miss. Kat's theories on his real reasons for being here where to be corret, Then I owed this fellow a shot between the eyes. No one knocks down a Roxton unpunished!

I staggered closer to where Miss. Kat and the dwarf where having their little stand-off, still a tad dizzy from the blow I had received only moments before.

I stopped right next to Miss. Kat, who noticed me being there even tho she could only see me with the corner of her eye. What she thought of me being there I could only guess.

I tried to look as menicing as I could as I desided to reinforce the ladies arguments. If he had done what she suggested, He was no friend of mine.

"Speak up you cad! Miss. Kat has brought up some very valid points. Why are you really following us? Are you the one who is responsible for this ghastly headache of mine? I demand that you answer the lady's inquiry this instant!"

 

At some point during our return from the camp, Kat and I were separated in the forest. Well, it's not like she can't find her own way back. She certainly knows how to handle herself. After running for a few more minutes, I realized something was wrong. I definitely should have been back at our camp by now. Blast! I must have gotten turned around somewhere, and I was worried about Kat finding her way back! Pushing my anger with myself out of my mind, I concentrated on getting my bearings. Spotting a hill, I ran up it, hoping that I could spot a landmark I recognized.
Once at the top, I saw our camp and felt rather foolish. Well, I suppose feeling like a fool is better than being lost alone for days. Remembering what had caused our abrupt departure from the other camp, I again began running towards our camp. Now that I knew where I was, I was able to make good time back to the rest of the group, where an interesting scene was unfolding.
"Now, would you please mind enlightening us as to the real reason you are here and why we should let you join our band? What do you want and what can you offer us in return? If you've been following us then you should have seen the bandits a way back and thus know what we are capable of doing to anyone who tries to cross us!"
"Speak up you cad! Miss. Kat has brought up some very valid points. Why are you really following us? Are you the one who is responsible for this ghastly headache of mine? I demand that you answer the lady's inquiry this instant!"
Both Roxton and Kat were addressing a dwarf dressed in a small suede suit. Roxton was holding his head, possibly in pain, while Kat held her bow drawn with an arrow notched in it. Turning my attention back to the dwarf, I took a closer look and something in my mind clicked. Wait a minute! He's the one who was in the alley when I dealt with that fool back in Tarant.
It's you, I saw you in Tarant. What are you doing all the way out here?

 

When Luinil came running into the camp I immediately jumped to my feet before realizing who it was.

"It's you, I saw you in Tarant. What are you doing all the way out here?", Luinil said to the dwarf. OK, this is gettin weirder by the minute. I took up a position near Ari in case someone was with the dwarf and was sneaking up on us. With the others concentrating on Ragnor, they might not see anyone until it was too late. I whispered such in Ari's ear, then pulled out another knife so I had one in either hand.

 

[OOC] Well, I’m not lying about this, since I WAS indeed hunting for something [/OOC]


I was suddenly beginning to doubt my plan, but I held my head high and stared and the people surrounding me… I was used to humans trying to boss me around, and usually they had ended up on the wrong end of my gun. But these where both too many and not important enough, so I decided to let it slip.
“Well… As I said, I am a hunter, and I have been camping out here for the last few days.” I looked directly into the eyes of the girl who had taken my map. ““And mind ye, I could have walked away without even talking to ye, all that being the same… But no, I came over and talked to ye, and how do ye repay me? With angry looks and distrust!.” I gave them all a stern look... “When I said that ye where off course, I simply meant that this way aren’t as fast as the one I know! Oh and don’t bother looking at my map… I had foreseen that ye might be like this, so unless ye can read the ancient language of my clan, I seriously doubt that ye will be able to get anything out of the map!...” I took a deep breath. “Noting personal, mind ye, but that map shows places best left alone, so I would be willing to forget that little misunderstanding if ye would just give it back”
I looked at Roxton, who was waiving a curdled fist at me… I gave him a little smile, while I clinched my eyes as I took a closer look at the man.
““I don’t really think I’m entitled to such verbal punishment from a Gentleman like ye, and as for ye’re assailant, I would suggest to looked a little closer at ye’re “Friends”… Mr. Roxton, was it?… I’m getting the impression that a lot of people here don’t really like ye all that much, even the Ogre over there seems to display quite an amount of hate when he looks at ye..” I motioned at the Ogre who looked angrily at Roxton as I said his name. Then, I turned back to the girl who I talked to before
“Oh, and I must say, ye’re right about that watch being mine, and I have been looking for it all day! But since it is in ye’re hands, what proof do ye have that ye did not steal it from my camp, while I was away?... So if I were ye, I would not go around and accusing people in that manner!” I stuck my left hand in my belt and said;
“And if ye must know the reason for me “rummaging around” in ye’re camp at night, it IS pretty obvious… I was hunting, and I had tracked my prey to ye're camp, but I lost it after that blood chilling scream, which I guessed either scared it away, or caused it.”

"It's you, I saw you in Tarant. What are you doing all the way out here?" I looked at the man who had just entered the camp, it was Luinil, and he was shouting at me as he came near the others... “And ye there, mage!”
I said to Lunil, “Ye’re right, ye have seen me before!, in the boil, the day where ye almost got ye’re noggin punched in by those muggers, who ye killed without a hint of mercy, I might add!…“
I sighed, “After I saw ye in the ally I made a deal with a man in Tarant who told me that he was looking for someone to hunt a very special prey, so I came out here to hunt it, as people of my profession do!… Now, would ye please tell me what I have done to make ye all so high strung all of a sudden? I mean, if it helps ye relax, I’ll put Martha down so ye can see my peaceful intent”
I put my rifle down on the ground in front of me, and put both hands behind my back.
“So I was thinking of helping ye to Stillwater, as I know the quickest route there, and since the chances for finding my prey again is rather small in the moment”


[OOC] Nothing in this post can be considered a lie… Btw, the first to lose his/her temper is a rotten egg! :razz: [/OOC]

 

I couldn't tell if he was lying or not. It certainly wasn't the whole truth, but he didn't seem to be lying either.

"You can have your map back - if or when I feel you can be trusted. It's true, I cannot read this language, but then how do I know what it contains? I'm certainly not going to deliver it back into your hands until I know you can be trusted and that whatever is in this map cannot affect us in any way. After all, as you said so youself, if there are places 'best left alone' then that implies it contains something dangerous to us."

I could see he wasn't pleased about this, but I hadn't said I wouldn't give it back for sure. In the adventurer profession you had to be cautious. Things often had a way of not turning out exactly as planned...

"Also, your story doesn't quite run true. I've seen your camp so I know you've been here at least one night, but as I have said before, there are no tracks or signs of animals other than yourself. Especially around our camp. If you are hunting something then it can't have been around here for a while or it would leave some sort of trail, which bring up the question of why you are still here. It also means that noone scared it off last night so that part of your story doesn't hold true either."

Of course, it could have been that he just wasn't very good at his job, but I wasn't going to further insult him by questioning his abilities in addition to the insults I'd already baited him with. There were other things that didn't add up too...

"I know you're not telling us everything, but that's ok; everybody has their right to secrecy. However, not when the safety of the group is in question. Can you blame me for being curious considering your caginess and the fact that you were in our camp last night and one of our group has been attacked? I think not. It's only sensible."

No matter what the Dwarf thought he had to accept that. There was no other reasonable course of action to anyone with common sense.

"However, I have to conceed your point on the attack on Roxton. There is no evidence at all that you are the perpetrator, but you have to admit that it's a rather close coincidence between Roxton being attacked and you showing up. I will continue to regard you with suspicion with that repect, although I cannot hold the attack against you without proof."

I could see that this pleased the Dwarf. It was only fair after all, whether he committed the act or not. And Roxton didn't appear to know what had happened either.

"Regarding the watch though, I found it last night inside our camp boundary, in the presence of Ari. She can vouch for that. In addition, Luinil here can vouch that I showed him the watch before we even found your camp. Yet further proof. I am thus confident in my claim."

I lowered my bow to point at the ground and I relaxed the strings slightly. I could still fire a shot clean through the Dwarf's throat in under a second if neccessary, but the posture was far less threatening.

"As such, you'd better stay with our group and no objections. I'd rather not leave you behind us if your intentions are bad and besides, I'll be keeping your map and watch for safe keeping. We can also keep an eye on you if you're near. I'm afraid that whatever creature that you were hunting, if indeed you WERE hunting something will have to wait. When we get to Stillwater you'll be free to go your own way, but until then, you're coming with us!

I slipped my bow and arrow away. "OK everyone, we should move out. If you haven't done so already then stike your tents and pack your bags. We leave in half an hour or we won't get a full day's travel in."

 

I didn't trust the dwarf much, but Kat wanted him in the group so I wasn't goin to bother him. I walked over and struck my tent. It took me a little bit since I hadn't been camping in quite some time. When I finally got it down and in my pack most everybody was finished.

I walked around to some of the others that didn't have their tents down, they were the others I didn't figure had been adventuring or even out of the city much, to see if anyone needed help.

 

"I do declare Lady Kat, Are you sure letting this, this, this bounder come along would be appropriate?"

I didn't trust him further then I could throw him. But the lady with the bow stood firm in her decision and ordered me to tend to my things. Miss. Kat had somehow taken a lead position in our group. Normally, I wouldn't let some weak minded woman boss me around but there was something different about her. She had been crude and uncaring towards me before, sure. In return I had originally shown her the same respect I usually show to the occational lady of the evening that visit my estate.

Burining the hatchet at least temporarily might be the most gentlemanly thing to do as this point. I did as she asked and went over to my tent. On the way, I stopped at the campfire and took the kettle hanging over it to pour up some warm water for my delayed lunchtime cup of tea.

Comming up to my tent, I got inside and ones again ruffled throuh the sadde-bags and soon found the small cloth bag where I kept the delicate tea leaves. As the water turned dark-yellow and the sweet smell made its way in to my nostrils, I sat down and felt strangley calm. I had missed this outdoor life more then I thought...

My half-ogre bodyguard suddenly walked over to me. He still seemed angry over what had happened this morning but the fire in his eyes was gone. He pleaded to me about being hungry. I sighed but said:

"Alright. I guess you're no use to me if your not fed. Here!"

I threw him a cupple of biscuits. He managed to grab them all, not letting any of them get away.

"If you want more, You're going to have to catch it yourself, I don't care. Maybe you could feast on that dwarf?"

I pointed at our new arrival and snickered. My bodyguard looked over and then back at me, he wasn't sure what to do or say.

"Nevermind you big ninny... Now get going! Neither you're smell nor you're face is particularly nice company!"

The half-ogre left, stuffing his face with the biscuits I had given him in a most unattractive way. As he left, I yelled to him:

"You've got 20 minutes! After that I want you back here to pack the tent! And I hope the horse is ready or you'll get the whip again!"

 

Return from the mines.

[ooc]
I'll use brown then. Here I go!
[/ooc]


"That was a miserable adventure! The mines were desserted!"

I was fuming. Our group had just wasted an inordinate amount of time searching some mines that were supposed to be filled with Dwarven riches. However, the whole place seemed to be abandoned!

At least I found some precious stones and some old technological junk. I could at least sell that and use the gold for my next expedition.

Where had all the Dwarves gone to? An empty Black Mountain Mine. Some dwarf must surely know. If only they would even speak to ME....

I turned to my expedition. "It's getting dark, we better set up camp." I looked around for some people in particular. "Reallas, Casile, set up camp."

We set up camp for the night. Everyone was a little disappointed at not finding much in the mines and they just went about their business. The night itself passed without incident and soon it was time to leave again.

At dawn, we struck camp and started off for the village of Stillwater. The morning was clear and sunny and the disappointment of the previous day seemed less vivid. As the day warmed up, our spirits rose.

Just before noon, we were ambushed by some bandits. Or rather, they just attacked us because they were in clear view. As such, we had been keeping an eye on them. You can never quite tell what bandits like that are going to do and it pays to be prepared.

Reallas and Casile easily despatched most of them. A few quick thrusts to their guts and they were soon out of action. It was almost disappointing really.

I hadn't realised though, but we'd been outflanked. One of the bandits had sneaked up to me from behind. However, I noticed him at the last minute so he did not catch me unawares.

I spun round and and confronted him. "Put that down or you'll hurt yourself!". I pointed at the bloody rapier, which he was waving around. He ignored my warning and advanced on me. I really hate being ignored!

My mind traveled beneath the ground and caused a tiny weed to grow at a tremendous rate. It rose above ground, entangling his feet. It crawled upwards until he was immobile.

Reallas knocked him out with a blow to the head and that was that. The scoundrel had nothing with him. They all had no possesions so we left them.

The journey ended without incident. We reached Stillwater at night. Reallas left me to continue south to Tarant. Casile and I parted. He left with heavy pockets, jingling merrily.

I retired to my bedroom in my hut south of Stillwater. I had a feeling tommorow would be an interesting day. I fell asleep with a slight smile.

 

The curse of the Black Necromancer

I slept uneasily that night. I fell asleep easily enough, but I felt something nagging me at the back of my mind. Then I dreamt...

It was dark. Dark as the void. Swirls of purple mist drifted around obscuring vision. Two torches burnt by an old and decadent gate. They dimly lit the gateway in all its eerie silence. Against my will, I stepped throught the now open gateway and ascended a flight of neverending steps. A voice, similar to my own rung about in the back of my mind, beckoning me to continue upwards, forever upwards...

Suddenly, a vast disc-shaped platform of basalt spun towards me and stopped at my now weary feet. Involuntarily, I took a step forward, then another and another...

A cloaked figure surrounded by swirling mist appeared before me. It smelled of rotting flesh and evil necromancy. I could not see a face, just two evil, cold eyes staring wickedly back at me. They glowed like red hot embers. A chill spread down my spine; the eyes held a deep hatred, a hatred I wished was not towards me.

A strangely familiar reptilian arm slid out of the cloak. A heart-stopping sight greeted my eyes: a child's skull was grinning at me from the middle of its palm. A red-black glow flickered to life within the skull's eyes.

Once again the indiscernible voice commanded me, this time to touch the skull. I fought it with all my will. In horror I watched as my hand reached for IT!

Somebody cackled wickedly.

The glow shifted from the skull to my fingers. A white-blue glow blocked it at first, but it soon vanished and the red glow spread upwards, twisting around my arm and going throught it. A hot burning pain spread with it. Surely this was a curse for only that could cause so much pain. I SCREAMED when it reached my heart.

I was still screaming when I woke. It was snowing heavilly outside. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I could still feel a little pain. Slowly, it lessened until there was none left. I dismissed it as a bad dream. But I did not wish to return to my slumber. Instead, I sat up waiting for dawn.

 

Darkening spirits

The next two days passed without incident.

But the nights were sleepless and turbulent. Wintry gales and wailing blizzards swept throughtout the night. The storms outside reflected the state of my mind.

I could not get the dream out of my mind, try as I might. The dream had lost some of its vividness. I couldn't remember it clearly anymore. Questions were asked but none were answered. My curiosity grew everyday.

At night, I tried to stay awake, fearing that the dream would come again. And yet my burning curiosity wished for another dark visit by the mysterious reptilian man. And deep in my mind, bellow the layers of my consciousness lied a great urge to be embraced by the darkness the was promised with a touch.

This night I waited for the dream, knowing that it would surely come but not knowing when or what it would bring or mean. Some questions must be answered, but if some were answered, more would come.

And its coming was felt. Pain, pain of the deepest kind engulfed my mind, body and soul. And then a deep slumber washed over me.

 

The tainted soul

Once again darkness surrounded me. I stood in the middle of the basalt disc platform. Swirling mist and violet haze met my eyes, obscuring them. I hadn't notice before the immaculate symbols carved into platform. There was one for every college of magic, forming five rings of symbols of different sizes. There were also seven symbols spaced evenly around the platform, one a circle with dots that looked like powder within. I could also see one that looked like an anvil. The rest were too far away. Various other symbols and lines were dotted around the platform. Beyond the platform's boundaries, all was emptiness.

The cloaked one appeared in a flash. A tail sticking out from behind the cloak caught my attention. It swished around silently, like a deadly wip, ready to strike.

"Look here, your ideals take a change for the better," he hissed. My gaze moved to his outstretched hand. Claws the size of swords stuck out of his fingers. Then, I saw it, a white mist floated in between his claws. A dot of darkness appeared in the middle. Slowly, it bloomed like a drop of ink in a basin of water.

I also felt pain.

"You will be consumed by the darkness. You shall embrace it. Your soul shall be tainted by it. And the light will be torn asunder. It is a curse and a blessing. Receive it!"

My hand opened automatically and the white-black mist spilled into it. Cold spread down my fingertips. I felt as if I had done something very wrong. Then four men in white robes appeared at the edges of the platform. The cloaked fiend put his hand on my shoulder and I knew that he wanted me to destroy these four pious men. I had no choice. I was empowered with a burst of deadly magic by him. My mind acted of its own accord, targeting all four and quenching their lives. Amidst the screams, it dawned on me that *he* was tainting my soul, making me kill mindlessly.

The mist in my hand shuddered, gaining my attention. Then, I saw it. The colours in the mist formed a spiral, struggling to gain supremacy. The darkness grew. I looked up to see mist and nothing else. It was now as thick as a wall.

Before I knew it, I was choking. I gasped for air but only an emptiness filled my lungs. I tried for for another breath and another, each one in vain, each causing more pain. I could feel my consciousness going. I took another breath...

I was still choking when I awoke. I felt fire in my throat and smoke in my lungs. I felt the pain in my chest dissapear with amazing speed. Then, I collapsed on to the wall, shaking with exhaustion. Tears welled up in my eyes. Sadness, anger and hatred in my heart.

 

The curse awakes

The clouds in the sky lessened until there were none left. The sun melted the snow with great speed that the streets were filled with water and dirt. The wind was but a breeze, blowing the blades of grass merrily from side to side. The villages laughed, talked and strolled without any sign of worry. The streets, although too dirty for any proper gentleman or lady to step in, were brimming with early morning activity; bustling with unusual liveliness only witnessed at carnivals and public gatherings.

But neither the weather nor the gayness would bring to me a renewal of spirits. I watched as couples partook in walks and giggled with myrth as though they were already man and wife. The birds twittered with joy and landed upon my shoulder to tease me. I decided that the people surrounding me would not be of help, therefore, I went upon one of the nearby hunting trails, though not for hunting.

I sat upon a little rock and drank from my flask. The walk hadn't improved my spirits either. There was still a sense of foreboding which usually appeared before some rigourous and impossible trial that had to be done with with no choice at all. At least on the trail, I could speak to my squirrel friends. They were the animal that I was most attuned to and we struck a mutual friendship that knew no bounds. Wherever I went, the squirrels would be there to speak to me and listen to my ramblings. I told them of the dreams. They were not pleased. They too felt that some evil would befall me. That gave me little reasurance, except to prove that I had not gone mad.

As I returned to the village, I was accosted by a small group that I recognised. They pleaded for my help, saying that one of theirs had been poisoned by a sorceress serpent. They immediately invited me into their tent. After one look at my patient, I asked to be left alone to carry out the healing. I did not usually do this but I felt like it this day, and since it was not questioned, I did nothing about it.

The man was quite old and very weak from the poison. Definitely snake poison and quite strong at that. I sat down, poured scented oil in a bowl and took in deep breathes. My mind concentrated on the poisons of his body. And the cleansing began.

But something went wrong. My concentration and healing failed, stoping the spell midway. The spell had only removed some of the poison. As I tried to resume the healing, a mad urge took over me, possesed my mind. Then, in horror, I unleashed a reddish glow(harm) upon him. He choked in pain and died. My heart wanted to stop then as well. My emotions poured over, causing me to break down in a fit of sobbing. I had killed him.

As I emerged from the room, I saw that everyone was crying as well. They already knew. When asked how, they showed me a middle-aged lady lying dead on the ground. They told me that she was his soulmate and died because she could not endure the impact of losing him, because theirs bonds were tight and intimate. I broke out into another fit of crying. They did not blame me, they did not know; they thought it was the poison. And they were right, I was poison. I should have told them then and there but I could not, the words would not come out.

I returned home with a solemn face and a distraught heart. I locked the door and isolated myself the rest of the day.

[ooc]The curse slowly gives me free necro black spells but spoils my necro white spells. I also have no control over my actions when the curse takes over. It will take over when...oops. Have I said too much? Uh huh.[/ooc]

 

[OOC]
This is a long time in coming and it's not much, but I guess it's time to get the thread going again.
[/OOC]

It had taken a little longer than 40 minutes for us to get the camp struck and the gear packed. One eye has been kept on the Dwarf at all times to make sure he kept out of mischief, but so far he's just stood around, moping.

It was now midday and we were well on our way along the next leg to Stillwater. The group was a little jittery. Some were still affected by yesterday's encounter and others were still upset by this morning's encounter with our bearded 'friend'.

I kept my own bow slipped loosely over my shoulder, just in case...

 

The morning went by quietly. I hung back slightly from the group, I wanted to keep and eye on the dwarf. I was twirling one of my blades between my fingers. Something just wasn't quite right about him.

 

[OOC] This tread seems to have died because of me... I apologize for this, but I have recently been very sick, but now I'm back, so I'll try getting on with the story unless people have abandoned it totally [/OOC]

The morning sun was at it's highest as the caravan slowly crawled towards Stillwater... My newfound "companions" were all rather hostile towards me, but I was sure they would loosen up once they got to know me.
I looked up at the sky and muttered; "Looks as if it's going to rain, better put a move on before all hell brakes loose eh?"
I had moved up besides Luinil, and smiled.
"Ye're a real mage aren't ye?... I knew from the start that ye were something else. In fact! I got something here that might interest one such as yerself"
I pulled out a small box from my sleeve, and held it in a streched arm towards Luinil.
"I dunno what it does, but I got it from a shopkeeper who said it is rumored to hold great power and such. Not that I belive in that kind of thing, but it might be right up yer ally, eh, partner?"
I threw the box to the mage, who grabbed it in flight as a reflex.
"Never got the damn thing open, but call me if ye manage to get anything out of it, right?"
I gave him a warm smile and went down in the rows of people, heading towards Roxton, sitting on his horse, looking all high and mighty...

 

[OOC] I can barely believe it, I disappear for a month and expect my role in this thread to be almost entirely eliminated, but instead, we haven't moved at all. Well here I go again. [/OOC]

As VerZreV walked away, I turned my attention back to his gift. Great power, that could be interesting. I suppose it can't hurt to see what's inside. Expecting a challenge I was surprised when the lid moved quite easily when I lifted. Then I screamed. At least, I think I screamed. I felt a burning that covered my entire body in waves of pain. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. I blinked and looked around and found I was not where I had been. I looked around feeling very dizzy and confused. The world spun and I collapsed onto the ground.

[OOC] How's that for a return post? [/OOC]

 

I looked on with my mouth open as Luinil suddenly vanished in a blinding light. The box seemingly stood still mid air, and then fell to the ground. An disturbing silence spread as people noticed what had just happened.
"Time for me to get out of here" I thought to myself as I slowly edged past Roxton on his horse.

 

Everyone stared wide eyed where Luinil had been a moment before. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the dwarf seemed to be sneakin off. Oh no you don't! I took off and caught up to him in a few long strides. A knive appeared in each of my hands out of hidden sheathes in my sleeves.

" Just where do you think you're goin?"