Eiyuu Kishi Den

Z wrote:To save all our history for posterity, and boost members' post counts, I'm reposting old threads from the yahoo group and old forum. It may be a long and tedious task, but hopefully it'll be done and we can find all our history in one place!

The fractured party followed Ultarik's guidance along an almost non-existant road. In fact, it was little more than a game trail, but he was leading them almost directly southwest. A low lying range of mountains lay before them, which they would probably reach the foot of by evening. The Luboruza range was little more than high hills, like the range they had passed through where the mantises attacked.

Anisa had noticed ravens again, on and off during the trip. Flying overhead, or perched in trees and bushes as they passed. She had become very paranoid by now. Was someone watching them? Were the two monster attacks really just the price of crossing the Wildlands? Just where did Ultarik get that map? His original explaination at camp two days earlier was very suspicious now.

The half-elf's ears were alert, her rolling, graceful stride was dangerous and ready to spring at any moment.

OOC: I'll think of something to happen later.

Ooke kept pace, while humming a low dwarven war tune. He pulled out his book and began studying the pages as they walked. There was no better a time for him to brush up on his clergy especially now that the entire party already knew.

Toan quietly kept up with the party, leading his horse on foot by the reigns. Nearly everyone seemed on edge, and for good reason. Even he begame a bit agitated as he became aware of Ooke humming, and anxiously rubbed the silver bangle bearing a representation of Marfa under his sleeve. He began to hope that they would really regroup soon and remove a few from their ranks, as much as he hated to admit it. They were already a shoddy foundation with their group and the real meat of the journal hadn't even started.

Ultarik lead them along holding his horse by the reins, unaware of Anisa's suspicion he followed the directions on the map. The ravens did not disturb him at all, as he had one thought on his mind. A reunion that was promised should he succeed, he could once again be happy. Kaladorn had been generous, but after this what would he make them face next? If it involved magic he was weak, he would find it difficult. Having a priest of Kardis with them did not bother him, the dark priest would be no trouble if he was treated with respect.

"What is the name of that tune, it's quite nice."

He spoke as he looked back to Ooke for a second, he was trying to make an effort to get along with everybody.

Ooke paused for a second and took a quick glance around. “Lord Adoril Dagarkin the Much-Feared,” Ooke replied.
“He was a great Dwarven fighter who protected the great stone city, so lore has it.”
Ooke found it comforting that someone actually was talking to him and not in a violent manner.
They’re warming up to you again. his mind echoed. “They were never warm to me in the first place.” He said very softly and quietly in reply.
He then returned to his studies and humming with a bit of warmth in him.

Granite kept pace with Toan. She definately wanted to keep her distance from Ooke, and she felt closer to the dark elf than anyone else, aside from Alm. Toan was such a kind person, despite what his races was reknowned for.

After walking in silence for so long, Granite finally spoke up to Toan after hearing Ultarik speaking to Ooke about a dwarven tune he was humming. Every dwarven trait that heretic showed made Granite just a little sick. "I've been second guessing leaving home ever since last night," she murmured to the dark elf.

Anisa strolled along near Ultarik, walking with her graceful, rolling gait. While some of her companions were worked up over Ooke, she wasn't one to judge him. She couldn't imagine she was in Falis or Marfa's good graces either. Not that she cared much about gods. So far, her attention to Brahms changed little from the day before, despite what happened the night before. She wasn't done with him though, and if she had it her way, it wouldn't be the last time they were together.

Alm had stayed quiet, an unusual event for the usually talkative grassrunner. He was watching his companions, watching their reactions, their movements and their expressions. His lips curled with an incidious smile, his eyes took on a dark gleam. If things would go as planned, this would be the last time he would see Brahms alive. The clever grassrunner had lost to his darker impulses and the more authorative side of the young fay took over. He would murder the useless one in his sleep, and soon after he would selectively kill the others who stood in his way. There was no reason to keep fools around that wouldn't listen to his inherrant wisdom, even if half of it was psychotic or delusional ramblings of a shattered brain. "One death meets blood, one man meets death, upon the row of bones, our companions fall bereft. Speaking of the dead, long since have they passed, our keepers secret life, a thing which kills quite fast. Horror of the shaken bones, heathen words of wisdom's scorn, call us to this very night, the child of the broken horn." Alm muttered under his breath. His poetry wasn't for chipper ears. With a crooked smile on his lips he burst out laughing and pointed at Brahms. "{First.}" He spoke in Alecrastian.

Anisa only heard bits and peices of Alm's ramblings behind her. What she did hear was several mentions of death and morbid themes. Her ears swiveled to try and hear more. When he laughed and said "first" in Alecrastian, Anisa glanced back at the grassrunner curiously. Damn, he's one crazy little bugger, she thought.

Alm's dark impulse flooded Ooke's mind. "I know there is more to that grassrunner then meets the eye. He's up to something, something dark" Ooke's mind would feed on these words until it knew what was happening. Ooke put his book away and glanced over at the rest of the party, taking an extra eye full of Granite. He then turned to Ultarik. "I've come across many a warrior in my time but, never one who looked as troubled as you. I wonder if with the time we have, you would share with me what burden, plagues your mind?" Ooke asked the silent warrior.

Ultarik looked to Ooke and broke his silence, he was not doing this for them and maybe the dark priest might understand why. He kept his reply brief as for the moment it was best, so nobody knew.

"I'll tell you what I can, when we have the time and are not continually on watch for trouble. They don't trust you, maybe you can tell me more about things on your end too then."

He then went back to his silent watch, as they travelled.

~Fenix~

His nerves were already shot to blazes, and Ooke's tune didn't help them any. When Alm said something he couldn't understand, he just looked back at the Grassrunner with raised brow. He understood several forms of languages, but unfortunately Alecrastian was not one of them. "Strange little poem, grassrunner. Did you write that?"

He said idly, giving Alm a sickeningly sweet smile before turning his attention back to the road ahead. He had no intention of traveling with several of the companions once they reached town. Toan, Anisa, Granite... it would cut the party in half, but he had a feeling that the chances of survival would actually increase because of it.

(Ebil OOC reminder: Anisa, Ooke, Granite and Toan might have picked up what Alm said "under his breath", but I doubt human ears are quite so sharp.)

Alm grinned baring his little teeth. It seemed his poem that he meant to mumble had attracted attention from the human he wished to slay. "Yes, I wrote it myself. I write all my poems myself, I can do that, you know. It's part of being a lyrical person, we tend to speak in rhyme and riddle to confuse and disorient people."

While the party traveled onwards, Karla's emissaries had laid another trap ahead of them. The scent trail of a Giant Ant worker had been laid to entice others. With a dead deer to hold their interest, they were left to wait alongside the trail the adventurers were following. The workers had been stirred into a frenzy as they quickly stripped the carcass into peices. The deer was nearly gone, but they would soon have fresh meat.

The swarm was hidden in the deep grass, but a soldier guarding the workers sensed the approaching party. It couldn't be certain if the people were a threat to their meal, or a potential meal, but it wasn't going to take any chances. It quickly went to gather it's comrades, then led three others to investigate.

As Ultarik approached the hidden swarm, the three soldier ants emerged from the grass and snapped their jaws menacingly. Their bodies were raised high, ready to fight. It was their first intent to scare away the intruders, but if they proved aggressive, the rest of the ants would be warned and swarm the party.

OOC: These ants are about the size of a large dog.

~Fenix~

"Whoa..." The mercenary said, holding his horse back. He was ready for another fight, although he eyed them warily. They held back, it was defensive. Seemed that way, anyway. "I don't think we should attack. Since when has anyone here seen only three ants?"

Taking a step back, he motioned for the rest of the party to do the same. "We'll just have to find another path. I'm not in the mood to see how many giant ants we can come across."