Darkest Nights

[Elfmaster XK]

Welcome to the Darkest Nights RPG thread. To prospective new players please enter via the discussion thread as opposed to disrupting the flow of the story. To planned players, welcome to the darkness. :D

______________________
The sun had just gone down and it's pale, dying glow disappeared from the horizon. The sky was dark and the moon had been waning several days now; light was limited. Isis had been walking along the beach quietly when she noticed footprints in the sand leading up to a dark cave on the hill. Just one opening of a great complex of underground caverns and ravines. She went to investigate, but what she found frightened even her...and now they were chasing her...she could hear them behind her. She had to keep running.

She reached the path aside the beach but no one was there, so she headed off into the forest beyond the entrance to the caves. She didn't care what they wanted but she had to get away from them...she could hear them again...see them just behind her...she ran faster...she had to.
***

Isis blinked. Still nothing. She sat up and her eyes adjusted to the blackness that surrounded her, but still she could see little. She frowned, remembering only that she had been on a beach just before. Standing she reached out a hand to try and find the wall, but before she could turn she heard something behind her. Spinning round she drew her dagger...
___________________________

[Nariel]

Seri didn't know where she was. She had woken up on the ground of a very dark area. Within a moment, she had flames surrounding her, lighting the place that she now knew was a cave. But it was silent. Very silent, except for the crackling of her flames. She hated this. It was the not knowing. She wanted to be in charge, to know what was going on. And suddenly here she was. It wasn't funny, and she was going to get back at whoever had done this to her. Get back in the worst way.

[Earniel]

Alethea sat on her mantle under an oak tree, not far from her home. It was around noon and she still had a long day ahead of her. She was testing some minor spells and documenting the side effects.

Her hand made a fast move, like the fluttering of a bird's wing and in the air before her appeared a small rotating snow crystal.

Feeling smug, she started scribbling notes in her book. But a whirring sound made her look up and the snow crystal she had conjured started spinning faster and faster. A little wisp of smoke rose from it. Alethea frowned, this had never happened before. She made a gesture with both her hands to freeze the crystal. But instead of stopping, the crystal burst in tiny fiery shards.

Alethea closed her eyes quickly to shield them. Yet when she opened them again she saw nothing, only darkness. Surprised, she jumped up.

"This wasn't supposed to... OW!" She yelped as her head hit rock that hadn't been there before.

"This must be THE oddest side-effect of conjuring a simple snow crystal ever documented." she muttered softly as she rubbed her painful head.

[Estel13]

Trin was walking along the beach, wondering if she wanted to do the job that Man had wanted her for. She had been taking os many bounties lately..."I just need some sleep, that's all." She collapsed down onto the warm sand, and fell asleep.
Two hours later, she woke up abruptly in complete darkness. "Wow, I didn't think it got so dark so fast. Not even any stars." She stood up, and immediately sensed that the air was different. Not just different like day to night air, but more like..."Like a cave, instead of out in the open." she said quietly. Just then, she heard someone to her right yelp in pain, and say "This must be THE oddest side-effect of conjuring a simple snow crystal ever documented." Trin automatically dropped and rolled to her left. When she stood up, she held a knife in each hand. "Who's there?! Speak up, or you're dead!" And I mean it, too. she thought grimly.

[Elfmaster XK]

There was definately someone else here. Isis' eyes had adjusted enough for her to see there were passages leading off in several directions. She heard the echoes of voices and feet whispering around her and fading back into silence. It reminded her of a day long ago when she was lost in the caverns of Halos. As she pondered this memory she saw a flicker of light before her, and just stopped before falling down the side of an underground cliff. The stones clattered on the ground below and as the dust settled she bent over the edge to see the ground only a few feet away.

"There's either been one hell of a party, or something weird is going on round here," she murmered, jumping down onto the level below.

Isis froze hearing the echo of voices again and ascertained their direction. She sheathed her dagger and drew her rune scimitars. Two long swords, one black, one white, each with a magical spell weaved into the runic words. Rounding the corner she was sure she'd find someone, but the darkness continued, and the voices still whirred around the damp air into nothing, but it seemed there was no one there.

[Earniel]

Alethea heard a slight shuffle and then the sound of metal. She froze, that sounded an aweful lot like a knife being drawn. Then she heard a voice demanding who she was.

Her pride flared up. Speak up, or you're dead? Somebody dared to say that to a witch? A very civil and friendly way get acquainted indeed. She briefly played with the idea of throwing fire at the voice that so calmly threatened to kill her. But she thought better of it, after all she knew not where she was and who it was that had spoken in the darkness.

She recalled a story her grandmother once told her about a witch that attacked a balrog with fire. Suffice to say that hadn't been the best of tactics. Alethea would be more careful: no attacking until she knew more about her possible opponent.

She purposefully let the silence linger a little longer before answering. The caves distorted the sounds, Alethea could tell by the echoes of the voice. So it was hard to tell where the speaker stood, not to mention how far or close she really was. The speaker could be corridors away or right behind the corner. A very tricky situation.

"Most people introduce themselves first when meeting a stranger in the dark. My name would mean little to you as it is. If these caves are your territory, than I apologize for tresspassing. I had no intention to stray into here, however accidentally I did." she finally replied.

[Arat-Falathion]

"Mithril ore I part from the mountain,
bring it back to me haaaaaal,
fine, fine chainmail, sturdy leggings,
shall I forge in me haaaaaal!

Mithril ore I melt in me oven,
make it mightily waaaaaaaarm,
fine, fine axes and heavy hammers,
shall I forge in me haaaaaal!"

So the dwarven miners sang on with their heartfull voices, stemming together in a mighty chorus led by the eager tempo of their spike and hammer. A dwarf, standing out from the rest with a long spike on his helmet and a twinheaded axe on his back, hammered heavily into a mithril ore he just had discovered. He had a feeling some special kind of treasure lay hidden here somewhere; -his nose told him so, his sixth sence of smelling all that was treasure.

"Mithril ore I crrrrrraft on meh, erhm, table,
make it miiightily strooooooong!" He grunted and sang in between his mighty swings of the hammer. "Fine, fine shields and mighty, hungh, weapons,
shall I forge in me haaaaaaal!"

Finally he got a crack into the hard rock enlaid with pure mithril, his eyes went wide and the hammer stroke in with such tremendous speed that the spike itself went hot. He didn't care though, the taste and thought of great treasure bound him in an extacy, and his song rang even faster and more forcefully through the mines. "MITHRIIIIIIL ORE I PAAAA..." He cracked through the stone, and was suddenly engulfed by a strange darkness comming out to swallow him.

*******

"...AAAAAaaart from the mouhf!" His eyes widened when he lost his hammer, hitting nothing but air through his mighty swing, and the forward momentum sent him stumbling to the floor. It took some time for him to struggle back to his feet and let his vision adjust to the deep darkness. He heard the hammer hit a wall in the distance and tumble to the floor.

"Where am I?" the dwarf grumbled, looking through the darkness as best as he could. He grunted unhappily. "All that mithril right afore me nose..." He looked about and drew the axe from his back. "...knew it was to good to be true!"

[Arcala]

“Oh, big brother, I can’t believe it! You’re going to become a mage!”
Sareenya jumped up and down beside her older brother, excitement shining from her face. She tossed back her long mane of red-gold hair behind one shoulder and said, “Tell me, brother mine, what mage-name will you pick?”

Her brother turned to her and replied, “I’m not sure yet, sister mine. The mage who wants to teach me says I’ve a gift for illusion. I could be called Raven, I guess…” He thought again about his favorite bird and decided that yes, it was a good mage-name. His sister didn’t think that it was much good at all, apparently. She giggled and said, “Raven? You’re no Raven. Well, you could be a fuss feathered Raven, I guess-”

“Listen, ‘Rena, just because I like my hair to look good, doesn’t mean I’m ‘fuss feathered’, as you put it.” Her brother was getting annoyed now.

“Don’t you take that tone with me, Phenial Rainshield! Just because you’re to be a mage doesn’t mean you can get all high-and-mighty-”

The young Phenial could tell that his sister was starting to work herself up into an apoplectic rage, changing moods in the blink of an eye. And there was only one way that he knew of to stop her.

He grabbed her and tickled her until they both fell on the ground, laughing all the while…

Raven awoke from his dream rather slowly. The first thing he noticed was the darkness. The second thing he noticed was the sounds of two people arguing nearby. So he got up, casted a mage-light to see where he was, and then walked out of the cave to find out where the arguing people were.

ooc: I hope that wasn't too strange.:D

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

Sarkas groaned and rubbed his forehaed. "Filthy evil minion of darkness," He said, recalling the elf he had quarelled with before being enveloped in a strange white light. He sat up slowly, examining his surroundings. He seemed to be in some sort of a cave.
"I knew it was too good to be true," a voice said somewhere near Sarkas.
"Who are you!?" Sarkas demanded.

[Legoles]

Ki walked through the forest near her home. She sang a soft song her friend taught her. "Hmm? Ahh....." she cried out as something hit her on the head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She woke up in a musty cave in a well lit area. "Hmm?"

[Aewionen]

Darkness. Cold. Everywhere seemed to be engulfed in shadow. Alaith looked around only to see nothing. Nothing at all though everywhere there seemed to be everything. Shouts of anger and cries for mercy sounded through the dark halls though not a sound was made.

Alaith awoke with a start. She was sweating and breathing hard. Looking around her she saw that of which was in her dream. Darkness and shadows lingered everywhere. "Who are you!?" A sudden shout made Alaith jump to her feet. She looked around desperatly for light. Though everything seemed to be silent, she heard a loud ringing in her ears. "Where am I....?" she said quietly to the shadows.

[Elfmaster XK]

Still searching for the place the loudening echo voices were eminating from, Isis had come to a large room. It was still dark, but there was a torch sheding an eerie orange light over everything in the room. The voices were now so close she could almost make out the words....but only almost.

"This is ridiculous!," she muttered to herself as she placed her weapons on the floor and examined the wall blocking her path to the sounds of other people. Running her hands over the stone, she notices how unusually cold it was. Even for stone, and she withdrew her hand quickly. Dust fell from the stones and she thought she heard a stone hitting the floor on the other side. She pushed against the stones again and they moved slightly, a stream of tiny pebbles clattering to her feet.

"Hmm. I wonder..." she began, smiling slightly as she picked up her swords. She closed her eyes, crossing the swords before her and took three deep breaths before leaping into the air. She hovered for an extended moment and then slammed herself down against the stones, slashing her crossed swords against the rocks, which crumbled and shattered. Rock and dust splintered and flew off in all directions and the sudden movement in the air made the torch flicker, and through the hole Isis saw shadows of figures in the room beyond.

She began to delicately make her way across the debris and into the dusty fog she'd created. Until it settled she could see nothing, so she did what she assumed to be the next best thing.

"Hello? Is there someone here?" she said, still squinting to see through the dust. "Hello?"

[Arat-Falathion]

"Who are you?!"

The demanding voice made the dwarf jump around, and then, as it echoed of the wall behind him, he jumped back again. "Ahhh! Yer trickster! Where are ye stupid goblin?"

He swung his axe back and forth, more to calm himself then to appose any threat.

"Goblin?" The voice snickered, making out the dwarven form some steps to his left. "Hardly any goblinoid. So this is where I am... in some dwarven cavecomplex?"

"Yer wishin! If this is a cavecomplex of dwarven make, then I'm a bearded gnome! Who are you? What is your intentions here?"

[Halbarad]

"ah the feel of the hunt" thought Brannawen.
He had been hunting the deer for a couple hours now.
He could have killed a long time ago but he enjoyed the hunt to much to stop. Little did he know that he was being watched.
"Come on, just a little closer," he thought.
He crouched in the bushes waiting to spring out on the deer which was galloping closer and closer.
Suddenly a vile smell passed through the air which Brannawen knew.
"No"

There was only darkness.

Brannawen awoke in what appeared to be a cave.
He heard voices. One of which was obviously a dwarf.
He walked quietly toward them. He heard the other voice and
felt cold go down his spine.

"Yer wishin! If this is a cavecomplex of dwarven make, then I'm a bearded gnome! Who are you? What is your intentions here?" he heard the dwarf said.

He came out of the shadows.
"I am Brannawen of the Forest. Who are you?"

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

"I am Sarkas Sadda," Sarkas said, "So if this isn't a Dwarven cave, what are you doing in here?"

[Legoles]

"Eti!"[ow in japanese] *looks around confusedly* "Where am I?" she got up and looked around. Her instincts took over and she scouted out the area she was in. It looked to be a long tunnel, brightly lit. She went on ahead and heard voices. "Hmm?" <I'll go investigate.> She drew out a small knife, and ran up the corridor. Sheran and got to a dead end in about 10 min. Why can I hear voices, even though there is a wall here.... hmm..."*Kicks door hard, and it crumbles to dust. "Ohh...." She walked out into a larger room with a man and a dwarf in it.
She heard"A bearded gnome." "I'm Kailin, a scou..." Her scentance was intterupted by some man named Brannawin had interuppted her. <Hmmph! He could've been more polite!>

[Arat-Falathion]

OOC: haha, you do not make this easy for me... 3 coming in at me at the same time! Be jentle with the dwarf, he can die of too hard tention!!

BIC:

Turgin tugged at his weapon, his knockles going white at his tightening grip. Then suddenly two voices spoke at once, "I am oiuabhdsfiby. asdifasd asdiufg babbfvyvnow basdfby."

"Who?" the dwarf said, taking a carefull step backward and looking about him hastily. He couldn't define if the voices had come from the same being or not.

Then a man suddenly was before his face. Turgin reacted with a surprisingly quick swipe of his axe, nearly taking the mans head of, but the man managed to duck. Turgin used his momentum to gain distance to the man and to regain his breathing. "Ye ough to stay away if yer not wishin to become one head shorter boy!"

"Are you insane?!" came the yelling reply.

"He is a dwarf..." the answer came from right beside the startelled man, who suddenly found himself facing a darkelf.

None of them took any notice of the human lurking in the shadows, the human scout, Kalin.

[Earniel]

OOC: You think you're having a rough time, Arat? What about me? :p ;)

IC:
Before the other one could reply a stone fell from the wall behind Alethea and hit her foot lightly. The witch nearly jumped in surprise.

Oh splendid, she thought darkly, if it isn't already bad enough to be in a dark place with somebody threatening to kill you, the cave has to choose this moment to fall apart.

But she quickly realised it was just a small section of the wall that was moving and not the entire cave. She heard the vague clatter of pebbles as if it on the other side of the wall.

Straining her ears, she tried to hear more but she heard nothing anymore. That silence can't be good, she realised. She quickly stepped sideways, away from the shaky wall and just in time to avoid the wave of debris and dust that marked the new arrival's entrance.

Somebody crawled over the remnants of the wall. "Hello? Is there someone here? Hello?" a new voice said.

This is getting better all the time, Alethea said to herself as she tried - in vain- to wipe the dust of her dress. The first one I meet threatens to kill me before we're even introduced. The second one tries to kill me as an introduction. If there's going to be a third one like that, he or she will be very sorry.

Still, this newcomer hadn't even mentioned killing anyone. So she didn't seem to be too dangerous.

"There is someone here." Alethea said. "As soon as I find out where here is."

[Nariel]

Seri got closer to the wall and realized that it wasn't a cave after all, but some sort of man-made (or dwarf-made) tunnel. The walls were cut of large stones and mortared together. As she moved along, she began to hear voices. She realized at this point that if anyone else saw her, all they would see was a floating ball of flames. Maybe this wasn't a bad thing.

[Halbarad]

He blended back into the shadows as awaited an answer from the dwarf.
As he waited he started thinking.
"Where am I?" "Who are these people?" and "Why am I here?"
As he thought he leaned against the wall only to find out that it was made of soft, mushy substance and he thought he could go through it.
"Um... everyone else I can feel a soft spot in this wall and I think I can pass through it. I'm going to check it out" Before a respnse was made he jumped through the wall.

Something moved in the dark.

[Aewionen]

Alaith heard voices, some yells, and some very close to whispers. They seemed to be coming from everywhere, though they were no where in sight. "Hello? Does anyone hear me?" she asked into the darkness. Slowly and quietly she made her way through the dark twisting maze of the cavern.

[Estel13]

Damn, this woman's right. I cannot believe someone I don't even know is teaching me manners... "My name is Trin, and these caves are not mine. Who are you, and where are we?" I didn't sheath my knives. I had no intention of letting my guard down while I was facing an unknown. "Speak up, will you!"

[Earniel]

Alethea turned her attention again to Trin, but at the same time she kept a weary eye on third woman.

"And again I get commands," she said to Trin with a faint smile.

"You won't get the answers you seek from me by ordering me around, Trin. But for politeness' sake I will give you those I can. My name is Alethea. As for where we are, I'd say we're in a cave. Or better: a cave complex of some sort with here and there rather unstable walls," she said with a look at the hole the other woman had made in the wall.

While looking at both the assassins, she continued: "The questions I personally prefer to see answered are why we're here and how we're getting out."

[Legoles]

Kailin unsheathed a knife, in a quick throwing position. "I'm.."
"How were getting out." interfered with her sentance. <This is annoying.>
She lurked in the shadows, then, swift as a fox she stole up behind the man who had so rudely interupted her. Holding the knife behind her back, she crouched behind him, hoping that her slimness would hide her from the crazy dwarf.

[Aewionen]

Alaith walked down the shadowed corridor of the cavern, looking for the people who were talking. Soon, she felt as though she was really close, like they were only on the other side of the wall. She leaned up against it to see if she could hear better. Suddenly, the wall practicly gave way and sent her sprawling on the floor. She quickly stood up and brushed herself off. "What a way to make an enterance..." she said with a smile.

[Legoles]

The man turned around and tripped over Kailin, and cursed loudly. "E-TI!" She got down and tried to roll from under him, but she made sure that she put away the dagger first. He fell on her back and she cursed loudly.

OOC: Sorry to be manipulating a character of someone elses but we needed to get moving.

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

Drawing his cloak around him, Sarkas melted into the shadows. What a loud and crazy group. He thought.

[Elfmaster XK]

OOC: I am just going to do a bit of dialogue between us, if I'm making your character wrong then I'll edit.

IC:

Isis lingered in the shadows a moment longer. That first voice was one she recognised, but she couldn't place it. She held her swords loosly by her sides and stepped forwards to find herself looking at a short woman with dark hair and green eyes. She looked slightly elvish, but Isis was almost positive she was of the race of men.

"I agree," Isis said suddenly. "We really need to find out what's going on here. I saw a door through there," she added, pointing at the hole she'd made in the wall. "What's your name?"

"And what's to make us trust you?" A voice said from the shadows.

"What isn't," the human woman said quietly. "Aside from the flying through a wall at me."

"Ah. Sorry about that. Well I don't know about you, but I want to find out what's happening, so am going look around whether you join me or not."

[Nariel]

Seri heard the voices and approached the group quietly, extinguishing her flames so as to remain unseen. BUt someone was backing into her. "Hey!" she whispered. "Watch out!"

[Earniel]

Now that the dust had settled sufficiently, Alethea could have a better look of the other woman. The swords the second dark-haired woman wore drew her interest. Two swords, Alethea thought, not one but two and she seems to be able to handle them at the same time. That betrayed much skill.

And the other woman, Trin, was armed as well. If it would come to blows between the three of them, things could get ugly. It worried Alethea slightly though she didn't show it. Find answers first, she said to herself, worry later.

"I will join you in your search for answers, if I may. Strange things seem to be afoot. I'd like to get to the bottom of them. However, I would also like to know your name and how you got here in these caves. For I doubt you came here the same way I did."



EDIT: left my post unfinished to get some food, It's finished now.

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

Sarkas nearly had a heart attack when he felt something move behind him and heard a small whisper. He whirled around and drew his broadsword, "Who's there?" he said to the darkness. Not more people!

[Aewionen]

Alaith looked up quickly at the sound of a man's voice, "I am Alaith." She stopped almost instantly, Never go telling your name to people with their swords drawn.....Oh well... "Who are you?"

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

Sarkas turned at the sound of someone else. Where are all these people coming from?! "Why do you want to know?"

[Aewionen]

"Is it such a crime to ask for a name? I am usually not one to talk with a stranger in the dark in an unfamiliar cavern. Is this unusual for you or do you spend your time this way?" Alaith said sarcasticly.

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

"If only you weren't female....."

[Nariel]

Seri took offense. She issued flames all around her and grew larger, so that she was roughly the same size as the woman. "I beg your pardon. What did you say?"

[Estel13]

nevermind

[Gulio, Strength of Many]

"I didn't mean it like that," Sarkas explained, "It's just not chivalirous for a man to fight a woman."

[Legoles]

"Gerrroff me!" I roughly turned around and shoved him off me. "Oh, yes... sorry bout that. Name's Kailin, I'm a scout."

[Nariel]

Seri laughed. "I've been working very hard at the rumor that we're legends." She loved picking on travellers. When they got where they were going and told everyone about her, they were all laughed at and written off as crazy. It was great fun."And I am glad, sir dwarf, that you have redeemed yourself."

[Arcala]

ooc: This is Group One, right?

Raven approached the three people, listening to their conversation but not joining in. Gently he blew out his mage-light and wondered if he really wanted to join these people.

Oh, well...

He stepped forward.

"I will join your search as well. My name is Raven," he said slowly. Looking around, he took note of weapons at the sides of two of the women, and made a mental note to be wary of them. The third woman appeared to be a mage, and unarmed. He wondered suddenly if she was as strong as himself or not....

ooc: I hope this was okay.

[Aewionen]

Alaith smiled, "Well, then if you will not give me your name I will just call you Man. Does that suit you?" Alaith stopped, wondering if he caught the sacracsim in her voice, "I am only joking." she added.

[Earniel]

Alethea turned to look at the man that had showed up so suddenly. As she quickly assessed the possible danger he could pose, familiar little alarmbells went off in her head.

Magic, she thought. He has magic and no little amount either. She decided to be on her guard. Afterall she had ended up in these caves through magic and then suddenly there was this wizard that wanted to join their little group. A little too much coincedence to her taste. He might have something to do with this.

Alethea noticed he was studying her aswell. So he knows how to recognize witches too. Good, she thought, then he knows better than to try anything....ill-advised agianst me.

"Very well, lord wizard." said Alethea to Raven. "It would seem a lot of people have strayed into these strange caves. So I think there will be more people here besides the four of us. At least some of them might have the answers we seek. Let's go look for them. "

"Now, that door that you saw..." Alethea said turning to Isis.

The other woman nodded and stepped back through the hole in the wall. The other three followed suit, everyone still rather wary of eachother.

[Legoles]

Kaliln ran after the others, then sprinted ahead to scout around. She ran back as fast as she could. "Hate to break it to ya but, there are goblins, orcs, and trolls ahead of us. Better get your weapons ready. I killed a few of 'em but there are more where that came from."

[Estel13]

ooc: Hi.

ic: "I think we can handle them. We have more than enough firepower for a few dimwit trolls." Trin smiled at the thought. She drew both swords and started spinning them so that they glinted faintly in the dull mage-light. "Let 'em come. The more the merrier." Trin smiled, and in the dull light, her teeth looked pointed, almost as if they were fangs. Just then, half a dozen orcs came charging around the corner. Trin whirled, and, with a wild war cry, dove into the battle, swords flashing so fast, that they appeared to be extensions of her arms. She hewed off two heads, leaped in the air and did a back flip, landing on her feet behind the remaining four. "Come on, what are you waiting for?! They're only orcs!" Just then, she heard a very loud growl coming from behind her. She launched herself into the air, landing in front of her companions. A huge cave troll lurched out of the shadows, swinging a huge club and bellowing at the top of its lungs. "Oh hell," Trin groaned.

[Earniel]

OOC: Estel13, please go to the discussion thread (http://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9183&pagenumber=4)

[Legoles]

Where's Halberd?

[Elfmaster XK]

Trin looked away from the group and brought her knife sharply down on an Orcs head when it vanished into a puff of smoke, and her knife went striaght through. It clanged on the cold stone floor and she almost lost her balance.

An odd throbbing noise seemed to fill the place momentarily, and then it was gone. Only the breathing of the companions and the shuffle of their feet remained.

Isis glanced around. "Interesting," she muttered. She walked past Trin and through to the other side of the wall. "Well what are you all waiting for? The door is over here." She stepped out towards the door when a voice stopped her.

"Don't you find that just a little odd?" Raven asked, his tone of voice accusing as he glanced at Alethea.

"What?" Isis said.

Alethea picked up the hint. "Well, just that something very unusual just happened right before us, and yet you are not remotely concerned with it? Not concerned about what may be beyond the door that can produce that kind of magic."

Isis turned. "And what exactly are you implying?" she said, taking a step back towards them.

"Nothing," Raven said. "I just find it a little odd."

"I see. So what would you rather do? Should I panic? Should I sit and examine the area for traces of orc blood? Should I wait in the hope they'll return so I can destroy them? Or do I make a mental note of what happened, and carry on as normal until I find a reason to do otherwise? I think so." She turned away again, walking towards the door. "Besides, no one is making you follow me."

As she walked away she heard someone behind her mutter something, but couldn't quite hear what was said.

[Earniel]

Alethea suppressed a little smile. This one is definately not easily brought off-guard, she thought as Isis walked ahead without looking behind who would follow. She apparantly expected Alethea and the others would follow anyhow, which betrayed a lot of confidence.

Alethea debated briefly if she would not follow the woman, simply out of curiosity to see her reaction. But seen the orc-illusion, there would be plenty of other things to keep the witch her attention. Besides, if there were other orcs as well in these caves that did not vanish in puffs of smoke, having company could prove an advantage.

Alethea exchanged a brief glance with Trin and Raven. She shrugged and followed Isis. "Wait up," she called.

[Legoles]

<Man, never seen magic like that before...>

[Aewionen]

ooc: I'll just follow the rest of you.....

ic: Alaith watched as the others began to leave, "I'm coming too!" she said aas she caught up with the rest of them.

[Earniel]

OOC: I'm having the slight feeling I'm speaking only for the walls here. Legoles, Aewionen, did you read the discussion-thread? Please go there (http://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9183&pagenumber=4). :)

[Aewionen]

ooc: ah...I see. okay, sorry:)(Just ignore that post) So group 2 is fighting the goblins and stuff right?

ic: Alaith drew her sword and looked up ahead. A faint glimmer of light that was probably from a torch could be seen.

[Elfmaster XK]

Isis drew level with the door and stopped, running a hand over the markings. It seemed the door was stone mainly, but silver edged it, and in the centre was a massive golden circle. There was a strange emblem on it that nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn't place it. Alethea stepped up beside her.

"Looks pretty solid," she said as she gave it a push. Isis nodded in agreement as she ran her fingers over the edges.

"Ow!" she snatched her hand back as the metal cut into her fingers.

"Perhaps One shouldn't be so hasty," Raven said, also joining them to look at the door. "It may be trapped."

Isis glanced at him, wondering for the first time what his occupation was. Often, those who were obsessed with traps and tripwires led interesting, and dangerous lives. Raven looked young still, but he certainly looked wisened by experience. She backed away from the door as Trin approached it.

"Perhaps some leverage?" she said as she rammed her dagger between the two doors. As she tried to lever it nothing happened and she turned back to face the Isis. "Nope..."she began, but before she could finish a huge waved of smoke pushed her forwards towards Isis and Alethea. Isis pushed Alethea and herself out of the way just in time, before Trin came flying forwards, hitting the floor with a thud.

"This is very strange," Isis mused as the smoke began to settle, and she noticed a bluish-grey glow, just visible from the tiniest of gaps under the door. "Alethea? You are a mage, yes? Any idea on the kind of magic we're seeing here?"

[Earniel]

"Witch, if you please," said Alethea, mainly out of habit. "There's a difference."

She knelt down to have a better look at the faint light.

"It's no natural light, so it can only be magical. But it seems to be caused by something behind the door and is thus not necesarily connected to the door itself. It looks much like the kind of magic light that is used for illumination only but it's hard to be sure with so little to go on."

She ran her fingers over the edge of the door, carefully not to cut herself.

"The door itself seems to have some protective spell on it against being opened with violence as it demonstrated on Trin," she said as she stood up and studied the complete door for a few seconds.

"I wish I knew what that symbol meant but its importance somehow eludes me. Yet I think the door might be opened with a mild opening spell. In any case, it will be intresting to see the effects of such spells on the door. " she said with a faint smile, remembering her studies of side-effects.

She turned to look at Raven. "Or would your mage-talents suggest a different approach, Raven?"

[Arcala]

Raven fumed a little to himself. That girl Alethea was starting to get on his nerves, and the assassin, too. Imagine not checking a door for traps before you attempted to push it open! But he kept his anger carefully veiled under an impassive face.

“Well,” he replied, “let me see…” He probed the door carefully with his magic, using the finesse he had acquired over the years. But he found nothing out of the ordinary other than the protection spell, and that unnerved him. It wasn’t often he’d come up against a door that didn’t have some sort of trap.

“Go ahead,” he said to Alethea, who nodded. “I’ll be shielding us, in case.”

[Legoles]

Guys, I must withdraw from this htread. Sorry

[Elfmaster XK]

OOC: That's okay Legoles. :)

IC:

Isis watched Raven very carefully as he performed his tests on the door. She tried not to openly watch him, knowing it would make him suspicious, but she couldn't shake the feeling she'd met him before. The way he moved, the way he spoke, even the way he looked...it all called out to a memory burying itself at the back of her mind. For some reason, her mind did not want her to remember. As he turned back to Alethea, speaking quietly to her Isis looked away. Trin was now walking around the cave, looking at the walls and tapping gently on the rock. She knew she was checking for hollow walls whilst the sorcerers examined the door.

Glancing back Isis saw Alethea approach the door and raise her hands, but as soon as she did the door started to open. Isis stepped back, drawing both swords quietly as she did, waiting.

Then it stopped. The door had opened just enough for the four of them to see a bright blue-white light shining a short distance from them. Leaning forwards, Isis thought she could make out a figure, but she was unsure.

"Did you do that?" she asked Alethea. Alethea shook her head and looked to Raven, who was also looking puzzled. Trin joined them again and they looked again through the door at the light.

[OOC: IMPORTANT! - Willow is going to introduce her character soon. The next post is not necessarily reserved for her if anyone else wants to add their part, but she can post if she wants. And will need to do so soon. So, yes. Enter now whenever you're ready Willow.]

[Willow Oran]

OOC: Finally.

"I did it."

They turned towards the light and as they watched the it consolidated into a indistinct humanoid form. The thing looked as though it might possibly be female and it was regarding them with what could have been curiosity. Finally it straightened up and spoke again.

"Are you the ones they sent?"

[Elfmaster XK]

Crossing her swords at her feet in front of her Isis stepped forward slightly, her head inclined to the left as she surveyed the strange being in front of her. She glanced at Alethea slightly before speaking, seeing the Witch also weary of the person before them.

"Sent? By whom? We are all unsure how we came to be here," she said calmly, watching every slight movement the woman made, though she did not move forward, she simply looked interested.

[Arcala]

Hmmm, thought Raven. Yes, the assasin did start to look familiar to him, now that he thought about it. The way she spoke, moved, even her wariness combined for an interesting match to a person he was sure he'd known before......And try though he might, he couldn't remember who! Now he must be even more guarded. If this person from his past was an enemy, he hoped to figure that out before she attacked.

He stopped this paranoid train of thoughts quickly and waited a little impatiently for the mist-creature to answer.

[Willow Oran]

The spirit thought carefully about the question before answering, and when she did answer, the reply made little sense.
"Sent by them, to here. They need your help and so they brought you here."
Isis sighed and tried again. "Yes, but who are they and where is here?"
The spirit looked confused, "They are... well... I'm not sure, but they created us so they must be something, but I don't think they are anyone specifically, and as for here, this is nowhere."

[Earniel]

As amused as Alethea had been by Raven's veiled anger, so surprised she was at the appearance of the new woman. The answers she gave were a little vague to say the least and Alethea was reminded strongly of the vaguity of the Elves she had met often at her home. But she now knew for sure there was more going on than a little misfired spell.

"What help of us would they need of us? And what is your part in this?" she asked the woman, watching her with curiosity and interest.

[Nariel]

Seri heard voices. The others she had been with seemed to disappear, and suddenly she was in a room with many others. A little firghtened, she returned to her normal size, with an orb of light surrounding her.

[Elfmaster XK]

At that moment another being seemed to stumble upon the meeting. Isis turned to see the light the newcomer weilded. She was small, and by the looks of it, a fire creature. The spirit, who had remained silent even for Alethea's question, smiled on the appearence of the fire creature. It seemed she expected her. Isis' patience was beginning to wear thin.

"Okay, can you please explain what in the name of all that is sacred is happening?" she said to the spirit. "How can this place..."she walked to the wall and rammed her white sword into it. "This, solid place..." she removed the sword and some dust and stones fell around her feet. "Be nowhere? And who are they? I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to believe we were brought here, to nowhere, by no one." She put her hands on her hips and looked to the spirit. The spirit looked unmoved. Isis sighed.

"What's your name?" she asked, directing the question at both the spirit and the fire creature that had just entered.

[Willow Oran]

"My name? My name is Iliya, and you were not brought here by no one, it is simply that this place is nowhere but here and those who brought are undefined, but they are not no one. As to why you are needed, that is simpler, I am to tell you that something has gone wrong and a doorway has opened between your world and a less pleasent world. Suffice to say there are now demons and all sorts of nasty creatures coming through into your world. Those who create brought you here and they need you to get rid of the invading nasties. Is that clear?"

[Earniel]

Alethea noticed the fiery new arrival. A sylph, she thought amused, these 'they' who need our help really like some variety among their chosen people. But before she could say anything to the newcomer, something Iliya said captured her attention.

"A breach between two different worlds?" asked Alethea amazed. "Then I'd say that something that went wrong is quite big. The power needed to open a passable doorway between worlds is no small amount."

[Elfmaster XK]

Isis glanced at Alethea as she spoke, all irritation dissolving immediately.

"And surely, something of that much power...I mean, if they can't deal with it what can we do? There's nothing special about us." She looked at the few who were gathered there, thinking that this task better be assigned to a grand army than these few creatures. She looked back to Iliya.

"Why us?"

[Willow Oran]

The question seemed to amuse Iliya, "Why you? Why not? I have not an inkling of an idea of why you were all chosen. I'm sure there is a mystical reason having to do with finding hidden talents and all that but if there is I am not privy to that knowledge. As I said before, I am merely the messenger, and the chauffer. Are you ready to be taken to the first creature you are needed to slay, it is a demon and I shall tell you more when I know you are ready."

[Earniel]

"Ready?" Alethea wrinkled her nose in dissatisfaction. "You've given us but very vague reasons for why and where we are here. I can understand you may not know much of it either, Iliya, as you said that you're only the messenger."

"But we," Alethea said with an armgesture that included the whole group, "hardly know eachother. In fact, a good hour ago, we had never even seen each other before. So how are we supposed to work in team? That is, I assume is the meaning of this since we're all brought here together. "

"Also, I'm not overly fond of cleaning up somebody else's mess. No one should toy with the walls between worlds unless they have enough power to address the consequences. It's common sense. A lone demon, I can handle," she continued, "but I do not look forward to spending the rest of my life battling invading armies, certainly not with that little information to go on."

[Willow Oran]

"Invading armies? Oh no, you will not have to do that, just one demon at a time I promise. And you will be able to rest in between. It is not cleaning up after someone else's mess, I guess you could say that it is keeping the mess from spreading while others clean it up. I realize that this is all very sudden and confusing and that you don't know eachother very well, but it will have to be well enough for now. The longer you spend here the more demons there will be to get rid in the long run. You'll be best off if you start now. Now I ask you once again, are you ready?"

[Nariel]

Seri realised that this would be fun. "Sure," she said, increasing in size and her light waning. "I'm ready if everyone else is. I do like a good battle here and there." She stopped growing and ended up the size of a human, with no light emanating from her. "Shall we proceed?"

[Earniel]

Alethea decided to be satisfied with the answers Iliya had given. All would probably become clear in the end, she decided.

The witch quickly made a mental inventory of all the possible offensive charms and spells she had to fight a demon with. She found she possessed enough. With a quick glance at her companions she tried to rate their weapons and skills.

"The sooner we start this, the less demons we have to fight. Well, then. I suppose I am as ready as I will ever be,"she said at last.

[Elfmaster XK]

Isis sheathed her sword again and nodded to Iliya.

"Well I guess I am ready too then. I suppose we can't delay if such evil has indeed gotten free. But one thing I must ask...how do 'they' know we are the right people to send on this quest? Or is this, as I suspect simply one of many groups who will live and die for this quest?"

[Willow Oran]

Iliya smiled, "For my part I suspect that you suspect right. But that doesn't matter now. You have said you are ready so let us stop delaying." With that the cave faded and the group found themselves on a windy dock in an unfamiliar city.
"Where are we?" Isis demanded.
"You are where the first demon has decided to settle." Iliya called over the crashing of the waves, "It is your job to slay it or send it back to its original dimension."
"But you still haven't told us what type of demon it is!" Alethea cried.
"There is no time, I must leave you now. I will return when you are finished. Good luck! And be careful, this demon is stronger in water!" So saying the spirit dissapeared, presumably, back to the cave where they had found her, just as the demon erupted from the water behind them.

[Nariel]

ooc: Ha Ha! good thing we have a fire nymph!

ic:
Seri immediately shrank back to normal size and got behind the demon, who hadn't noticed her. As it fought the others, she stayed behind it, keeping it from jumping back in the water. Whenever it turned, she created massive flames covering the surface. Once the creature caught on fire, it weakened a little, and the others moved in on it.

[Elfmaster XK]

Isis saw Seri's lead on fighting the demon, and she jumped sidways as it hissed and spat at her. She slashed a sword through it, but it had little effect on the water creature. It did howevrer, give Isis an idea.

"Ssssssssssthea! You cannot send me back..." it screeched before taking another swing at Raven who easily glided out of harms way. Isis grabbed Alethea's arm and pulled her aside quickly.

"Alethea, can you freeze him? It'll take a lot I imagine, but if you do then I can smash the pieces."

[Earniel]

"I should be," said Alethea thoughtful. "But it'll also take time. Judging by the size of him it might take about 2 minutes for the freezing spell to immobilise him completely."

"Good enough for me, do it," answered Isis as she let go of Alethea's arm.

The witch drew her own silver dagger. Seri's fire had chased the demon out of the water and now it stood on firm ground, much to its own displeasure.

Alethea ducked under its swinging arm and crouching, she threw a faint, sparkling dust at the demon's feet.

Then she hastily retreated well out of the reach of the demon and sat down on the wood of the dock. As she started to sing softly, ice cristals started to form on the demons feet, slowly creeping upwards over his legs. Sweatdrops formed on Alethea's face as she continued to sing and the ice crept slowly over the demon's watery body, solidifying it. The creature screeched in rage.

[Arcala]

Raven could see that Alethea's spell would soon freeze the demon completely, but he could also see that it might not be soon enough. And right now, they couldn't take any chances.

So he glided higher in the air, the mist sparkling around him as he formed his favorite attack: ice shards. He aimed them at the creature's face and neck, and fired. The stinging missiles did not do much damage, but it enraged the creature and Raven watched with pleasure as Alethea's spell enveloped it completely.

It was frozen now. Raven and Aleathea stood back to admire their handiwork as Isis leaped forward.

ooc: I don't mean to say that Alethea couldn't have done it without Raven, but I just had to find something for him to do.
:D

[Elfmaster XK]

As she watched in almost utter amazement, Alethea and Raven froze the water demon eaisily together. The ice crept up the creatures' body and it screamed in rage as the two magicians worked together in their attack. As soon as the creature was frozen comepletely, Isis drew her second sword and leaped forwards. She gracefully somoersaulted through the air and with all her might brough the black and the white sword down upon the creature's frozen form. The blades dug deeply through the ice, fractures forming and digging themselves deeper. As she wrenched the swords out the ice shattered and the pieces fell to the floor in a glittering, crashing finale to the battle. They slid across the wooden dock and a few fell back into the water, but most simply halted at the feet of the victorious warriors and a silence awaited them.

[Earniel]

Alethea prodded a few ice-shards with her feet, half expecting the pieces to melt together again into the water-demon. When they didn't move Alethea looked up at the rest of her fellow-fighters.

"Well, then," she said, breaking the silence, "that seems to have taken care of our first demon. This went relatively easy. Iliya! Could you reappear again?"

[Willow Oran]

At the call Iliya reappeared, looking vaugely sulky. "Done already? You're supposed to take longer but that was one of the easy ones. This next one will be a bit more challanging. Do you think you are ready? Or would you like a rest?"

OOC: Sorry for the delay, My attention was elsewhere...