The Free-for-all story thread

[beowuuf]

Everyone can post a paragrah and keep building this story. Help craft a plot with a long detailed paragraph, put in a line, completely railroad it with a 'Meanwhile...', (which could happen even with my starting paragraph). No tone or intent to start off with, and I'm sure it can all change as people add stuff. There is this thread for comments and stuff. There you can announce an intention to post if you are worried about being beaten to the punch, or if multiple postings etc need resolved. The plot will get summarised for easy reference here.

Current conventions: Characters speaking to themselves in ' '. Dialect words in italics. Section breaks (include these if you want to end your section or start a new ones) using * * *.

Ready?


The embers of the fire were dying, slowly. Eight sat waiting with only the occasional crackle of the fire heard. All but two were strangers to each other, though the two did not announce this fact to the rest. The eight sat without fear, despite the unusual situation. There were some glances around filled with bemusement or inquiry. The rare raised eyebrow and answering shrug. Occasionally someone coughed or shifted, but none seemed able to break the strange palpable tension of silence that was around. Finally one man stood up, lowering the hood of his riding cloak fully from his head. He surveyed the group with an embarrassed smile, nodding to the looks he received. "I suppose I could start," he said, loudly after the unnatural quiet. "My name is Samuel Black"

[Gambit37]

He shifted from foot to foot slightly, catching the eye of a petite auburn haired woman who had flinched when he spoke. She was wearing a deep green robe and in her hair were flowers of uknown beauty.

Samuel coughed and spoke again. He looked embarrased. "And I'm an adventurer."

[Ameena]

A figure cloaked and hooded in black stared silently up at him, a faint glimmer of green eyes, illuminated by the flickering firelight, stared out at him from the darkness of the hood. This was the only indication that there was someone inside the cloak.
"Aren't we all?" she inquired softly.

[beowuuf]

There was a barely audible cough from the other side that had a different flavour from earlier nervous ones. The figure there was also fully hooded still. His meaning and interjection were both ignored.

[Zyx]

Yet beyond the circle of hoods, where the agonizing fire could shed no light, two eyes shot an inquisitive glance towards the fellowship, as if struck by a sudden thought.
Slowly, silently, the tall man turned away his head and went back to his watch, standing in the border of the glade, scrutinizing the darkness.

"Our tribal guide hasn't spoken a word in the whole journey, and never lost grip on his long bow", muttered a bearded man who caught the fleeting gaze. "I wonder what brought this man so far from the desert", he wondered half for himself, half for his neighbour.

[Gambit37]

As he spoke, his voice deep and melodious, the fire crackled and spat a large burning ember out into the clearing. Everybody jumped with a start, save the auburn haired woman who had been looking intently into the flames. She reached forward and gingerly tossed the glowing coal back into the flames.

Collectively, an audible sigh swept through the group. While it had surprised all but one, the angry fire had fulfilled a purpose. The tension seemed to dissipate and slowly the eight figures began to relax and chat quietly among themselves.

[beowuuf]

Samuel looked about, now embarrassed by the lack of interest in his prescence. He tried to look at the woman but she was staring deep into the firelight again, her eyes darting and dancing with the patterns and flickers. He tried to avoid the gaze of a furred behemoth of a man that was sitting, unfortinately, not quite opposite. The man's gaze flickered with the fire, not unfriendly but with obvious humour at Samuel's discomfort. Samuel wondered if this was the one that had waranted the bodyguards in the dark beyond. He felt his cheeks flush and turned looking for another's gaze. Green eyes were still looking up at him.

"I don't suppose you'd like to tell me your name?" he said, hoping to break the situation he found himself in.

[Ameena]

There was a pause, as though the figure was considering a response.
"I can't say I'd like to tell you my name, but I will, as you've given yours. I am Somena."

[Gambit37]

"Meaner than what?" replied Samuel, collecting his robes around him and squatting by the fire once again.

[Ameena]

There was a quiet sigh, and although no details could be made of the face within the robes, there was the distinct impression she was rolling her eyes.
"What are we doing here, anyway?" she asked of no-one in particular.

[Mon Ful Ir]

"Taking my gold," said Yexx with a grin at Ameena. "Two hundred gold pieces I offer, if you dare to earn it, as I promised you when we met at the inn."

With those words, the tall man took a heavy pouch of gold from beneath his cloak and showed the assembled group the fantastic fortune in cash that had lured them to this forsaken place.

"To earn it, you must wait three days in this place," Yexx went on. "I will return in three days and place the pouch of gold in the centre of this circle. You can share it as you desire among those who remain at that time."

[cowsmanaut]

"It certainly took you long enough to show up" commented Colin, looking up from polishing his scimtar.

"You make us wait here for no known reason, show up when you feel like it and tell us to wait three more days? what are you playing at? We deserve to know what we're being paid to do?" he snarled casting his cloth aside and standing with a meaningfull tilt of his blade.

[Ameena]

"Indeed." added Somena, eyes narrowing. "You know full well I only came on this venture because I had naught else to do. Money means little enough to me, but simply sitting around here doing nothing isn't something I'd like to be doing right now. Perhaps you can give us a more specific reason to stay?"

[beowuuf]

There was a sigh across the fire. The fully hooded figure stood up, his head almost lost at the edge of the firelight. Something about him caused all to stop and look, to give him the time he took to cast back his hood slowly. The face revealed was young, but only the eyes and round face told this. Skin pulled tight and sallow and a deathly white face could make the more superstitious think they were seeing a ghost. Some tried to hide the religious symbols they made to themselves.
"You told me..." he began, wheezing, "I was the only one when we met last" There were some nods around in agreement.
"Of your kind," said Yexx, sardonically. "I don't think I lied, exactly"
"That has always been your problem," said the standing man, turned around and walking out of the firelight away from the group. He was heading in the direction of the guards, and fact that caused one of the group to tense. Yexx noted it and smiled a small unpleasant smile.

[Trantor]

"It seems not all of you are interested why I summoned you all here", Yexx said, looking after the disappearing pale man. "You may not know this, but this is a very special place we are standing at."

"I know it", the auburn haired woman suddenly said with a quiet, dreamy voice, still gazing into the fire while everybody else turned to look at her. "I have felt it ever since I have arrived here".

[beowuuf]

"I can feel nothing about it," murmered Samuel, mostly to himself. 'And that worries me' he didn't have to add, his face was an open book saying it for him.

[Zyx]

Upon these words, all turned speechless, looking to the place.

The last remnants of the fire had stopped crackling and were quiet. The halo of the embers was reduced to glowing pins. No wind, no cold breeze could then have explained the sudden chill the adventurers felt along their backbone.

The silence was deepening, thick like tar. It was claiming its territory, and for a moment, they realized they were only a small bunch of fragile mortals, treading an ancient ground, stemmed from an age unknown to mankind. A spiteful force beyond their comprehension was slowly overwhelming them.

"Call back your savage!", uttered a deep, angry voice from the woods; and it broke the spell as if it were a simple dream, and shook the adventurers.

Beneath a thorned tree, the tribal guide was standing in front of the pale man, eyes locked into his. In a strange gesture he was pressing with both hands his bow against the forehead of the angry man, the string against his mouth.

[zoom]

* * *

Far, far away in a distant land -where the sun had not yet set - the grey bearded mage was in his secluded tower.

He was sitting on an old, massive couch which, if it had possessed anything close to colour in its former times, would've been best described as that of a sickly green. He was clad in a blue robe of similar hue, with nearly completely faded yellow stars imprinted on it, his white struppy hair floating optionatedly in all directions as if charged with electricity.

Positioned before the furniture, a small round table stood that had had been made of thick oakwood, probably the same age as the mage.

It supported a crystal sphere the size of about a child's head, resting in some kind of retainer. The chamber was draped with ancient, used up heavy velvet curtains. Nothing was distracting him from his concentration.


The aged man peered intensely at his crystal ball while he embraced it with his very long fingernailed hands.
Flickering, reddish light radiated from the perfectly round globe, casting playful, dancing shadows everywhere, reflected in his dull eyes letting his features look like they had had hewn in stone.
There was no sound, apart from the slowly breathing lungs of the crouched man, clearly visible as condensed fog in the cold air, rasping unhealthy through the silence, like a device.

The mage was lost in thought, eyes now closed shut and a frown was visible on his gray brows.

Finally, with a wave of his slightly gitty and shaking hands his scrying device went dark and five candeliers popped with a loud crackle simultaneously into life.
Wearily, he got up as much as the small height of the ceiling would allow, took a deep blue silken cloth as if routine from the table and carefully covered his beloved little toy.

He moved the curtain aside and made his way out of the chamber's twilight. He felt terrible, stretched and joints popped loudly.

The attic was a mess. Rubble lying abound on every inch of the rather big, squared floor plan . The air was dense and had a foul odour,emitting from the things scattered around or put onto shelves that lined the walls.

Many things could be seen - books of all kinds, many coloured potions in small and slim or broad and tightly shut or slightly ajar bottles.
Powders- clumped and wet or dry, some sizzling and smoking.
A collapsed nearby cupboard, was standing next to an enormous, untidy glass table. In the centre, a stairway leaded down, packs of parchments and scrolls lining each step.
Plain wooden beams supported the cone shaped roof, and it seemed as if the tower was always in some kind of motion, maybe caused by the breeze outside.
An ominous groan hinted at the fact that the construction was about to collapse every minute.
Having being used to all this for too long to remember, the mage didn't stand upright long and bent back into his crouching posture, and, while sliding his feet over the littered floor, did not heed kicking little boxes and dusted glasses out of the way. You could even think it made him happy.

He found his path through the unnatural smoggy twilight facing all kinds of sickening smells, apparently immune to the nauseating effect.
He made halt at the glass table, a faint smile hushing over his wrinkled face.

He had at last found what he had sought for so long...

[zoom]

...a woman with green eyes...

* * *

[beowuuf]

The reactions of the group split in two, Yexx noted, betraying how professional each was. Some gasped and stood, gripping weapons. The professionals didn't appear to react at all. Yexx was therefore surprised when Somena stood up.

What he couldn't know was that not only was the sheer presence of the glade starting to get to her, but she could also feel a susurration on the edge of her hearing. Her name repeated over and over again as if someone was trying it out. She couldn't tell if it was part of the eeriiness of the glade or something else, but she had stood as if she could get her head above the wave of it, breath again. She took a look at the frozen vista of man and bow and guide. Without appearing to, she also checked her peripheral vision for the reactions of the others. She then let out a bored theatrical yawn and looked over at Yexx.

"So is this what happens to those of us that do not wish to stay here for three days?" she asked. Yexx waved expansively. "This has nothing to do with me, I assure you"

"Yes it has," said the sallow man still at arrow point. There was tension in his voice, but it seemed directed at Yexx and owed nothing to his predicamet. He hefted an object in his hand even though the sound of a straining bow made others wince. It was a double bladed axe, seemingly too heavy for the frail arm that was revealed holding it. With a dismissive toss he threw it on the ground near Yexx. "You know what this cost me to get" he said, and by the bile apparent in his throat it was obvious the cost had not been monetary.

The bile was so apparent and real infact that the sallow man started coughing, lurching forward with the violence of it. The tribal guide let the bow ease a fraction, and then let it go altogther as a thin set of fingers jabbed him hard in the throat, knocking him down to the ground.
The sallow man was still bowed over slightly, now using the longbow he had grabbed as a support while the wheezing eased. He appeared more intent on this than on the twin scimitars that had appeared at a criss-cross along his neck. One was held by a second tribesman that had appeared from nowhere. The other was, surprisingly, Colin's. Both appeared to notice the similarity and raise suspicious eyebrows at the other, for Colin was no tribesman in appearance. The sallow man seemed to be ignoring it all, more intent in slowly twirling the arrow in his other hand. His fingers intertwined with the shaft, and slowly and deliberately while looking at Yexx he shifted each finger in turn and broke the arrow again and again, flicking the pieces dismissively from his fingers after. He turned and offered the longbow back to the fallen guide who was glaring daggers at him and Yexx. He was ignoring the fact that this caused the edges of the scimitars to draw tiny beads of blood on his neck. He turned back after the bow was yanked from his hand angrily, and regarded Yexx cooly.

Yexx ignored the men and the potential violence in the air and the shocked group around, and picked up the axe. Coming forward fully into the firelight, all realised that as tall as he was, Yexx was impressively broad too. He easily hefted and span playful arcs one handed with the axe, like a child with a toy. The tribesman and Colin lowered their weapons slightly even though Yexx had said or done nothing. The fallen guide glared daggers but remained fallen.

"To answer your question, Somena," he said as if nothing were happening, "you are all, of course, free to leave. I simply offer you payment for the service of staying here for three days. If you all wish to leave, I have...contingencies...in place" His look to Somena then betrayed some strange flavour. Samuel noticed it and shuddered, wondering is she had spotted it also.

Yexx continued to the rest of the group, ignoring the sallow man. "Of course there is a third option. I have errands to run, and those who wish to join and help me are welcome. I am afraid for this though, I can only offer 1000 in gold. Each." He smiled innocently as the group's minds caught up with their ears.
"What errands?" asked the furred man, his voice as gruff and roaring as the creature that would have been killed to make his coverings.

"To answer your comment," said Yexx ignoring the furred man and looking at the standing ghost opposite him, "I know exactly what it cost you to get this item. But I am sure there is one here who knows its true worth." He said this looking down at the fallen guide, who was clutching his bow with extreme tension. Some may have thought the guide was the one refered to, but others noticed Yexx and the guide seemed locked in a different kind of glare. One daring the other to look elsewhere and one resisting it.
Yexx caved first, dropping the axe back down to the ground. "No matter, as those who wish to stay may come to realise," he said with barely a supressed smirk at Somena, "there are thing here you do not understand yet. I assure you, you will in time. Stay, come with me, or turn your back on riches both physical and personal. The coice is yours, all of you."

The sallow man merely coughed a dismissive laugh and sat back down, not caring this took him back beside the tribal guide who had barely righted himself. Colin and the other bodyguard, now caught standing facing off against each other, took steps back and awkardly found seats. Some of the group, feeling ill at ease and confused, sat down again. The tribal guide finally found his feet, and stood up to join Somena, Samuel and the furred man.

"Where are you going?" asked Samuel nervously, again aware of a gaze of the furred man. He hoped it was filled with humour, not aggression this time.

"I have to be at the far edge of the desert and back in three days," said Yexx, shrugging.

The tribal guide shared a look with the tribal guard and spat towards Yexx, laughing mockingly. "The desert is infinite! There is no far end, silna-cata-si! It took weeks just to get here, let alone three days there and back - the words you use, 'the far end of the desert', you talk of death itself, do you not?"

Yexx laughed and sighed. "The deserts end, my friend. The sun has not even set on parts of this world. But you are right, I would not expect you to be able to lead us across the desert and back in three days." He paused then continued. "However, who said anything about crossing the desert?"

Yezz stopped again, letting every eye in the glade fall on him and the tension build. A showman. "Why don't we ask the one you brought about surmounting the impossible...?"

[Mon Ful Ir]

* * *

A quick show of hands revealed - predictably - that some would go with Yexx, some would depart the place in disgust, and others would remain here for three days to earn their money.

It had not escaped the attention of the more intelligent members of the group that the next three nights were the nights of the full moon. Nor, indeed, had they failed to hear the recent rumours of werewolves hunting this area. Of those who remained in place, therefore, many had silver-tipped arrows, silver sling bullets, or other suitable preparations. Others, seemed oblivious of the risk - but perhaps this was a sham.

Those who departed the place were heading generally southwards towards the road back to the city. Opinion was divided about whether they were the wisest, or merely cowards.

Of those who chose to travel with Yexx, not all were motivated by money.

The tall man led his group a short distance to the side, and then began an incantation. Some of the observers recognised his words as those of a summoning, and they wondered what manner of beast Yexx intended to conjure up for their transportation...

* * *

[zoom]

Duresim was sweating under his cloak. He felt terror.
The dark haired archer was very aware that this night was a night of the full moon, but what he didn't knew was whether he had the force to withstand.

Until now, he could resist, but it was getting harder and harder each time. He made himself no illusions and his spirits left him, for soon, very soon he would be changed; transformed into one of those beasts he hated so much. But he sweared that he would kill many of them before it was his time..

[beowuuf]

The rest in the glade were blissfully unaware of the danger within, prefering to focus on the danger without. Or at least only some were.
"Are you feeling like we are fools for staying here?" one asked, looking longingly towards the dense forest where Yexx had gone.
"Yes," said the furred man, looking towards where two of the others had gone with two tribesman bodyguards as guides, the route back to the city.
The first picked up the tone. "You do not believe in werewolves?" he said mockingly. Then shivered as the eerieness of the glade got to him again. "And you cannot think cooling our heels here for three days is a good idea." he said quietly to himself.
"I've been a warden of these forests for many years," said the furred man, "and I have never seen a werewolf."
"Then what..."
"All I have ever seen are the bodies." The furred man checked an array of silver daggers on his belt. "I have no problem spending three days here. The three nights...those should be interesting parts."

[zoom]

* * *

The setting sun turned all golden and blinded Iaido as he was about to reach the hilltop. Glimpsing down the far side he was seeing the ancient tower looming above a thick forest like a spider in her web. Glistening, purple smoke billowed out of the grey building and dissipated down into the green golden mass of leaves.
"Hamito no Katai - death to the wizard!" Iaido shouted while clutching his sword firmly.

Meanwhile, five miles away, the mage formed a teleport spell in his mind.
"Poor fool. You won't survive the night"
And with that he cast it at Iaido who was already running down the dusty slope.

With a 'Zap!', Iaido felt ripped out of reality . Next thing he knew, he was half running half stumbling in darkness. He fell down and smacked hard against a stone where he blanked out...

[zoom]

Iaido regained conciousness and opened his eyes. He got up and looked around. He was standing near a moonlit glade where, in the middle, three people were sitting at a small fire .

[beowuuf]

Iaido stepped carefully when he got nearer the group. He was not worried about betraying his prescence, merely avoiding death by the two arrow points and spear tip that he felt on his neck and back behind him. If only he had his sword he would not fear these odds, but he had lost it in the confusion the fall.

"So, the wizard wins!" he said "Already I lose one day of the three, and now I am in the hands of his cronies!"

The three by the fire stood up, a furred man and a tribal looking man stood up in surprise. An auburn haired woman of great beauty stood up almost as if expecting him.

"Gentle warrior," she said, "I do not fully understand your meaning, but there is no wizard here, and I sense you are not from these parts" She motioned for the three tribal guards that had stayed behind with the guide to lower their weapons, even though she had no power over them. The guide behind her gave her a look, but then motioned the same with his bow.

"Also," she added, "do you speak any common tongue?"

* * *

[cowsmanaut]

Colin looked around at their new surroundings, taking it all in. He wanted to be aware. He didn't trust Yexx and Yexx knew it. His reasoning for joining him was that old teaching. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Not that Yexx was an enemy exactly. Rather just someone who had far too many secrets. Secrets that could kill. Colin wanted to be sure to keep an eye on him and his dealings. He felt that following him would be the best way to not only prevent him from doing harm but also to know what was going on back at the glade. Yexx was the source of it all.

The Spell Yexx had cast took them to a small oasis. He was not fully sure where but as with any portal spell it would have had to be a place Yexx knew well enough. That was the problem with such spells. They could not take you anywhere you had not been.

It was simple and had there already a man with carriage. It had large lightly colored canvas draped about hanging from small support beams in sweeping contrasted arcs. A large pair of Chella Lizards were geared in front of it. A favored of the tribes here for their speed and little need for water. The beasts carried small sacs of water in their bodies on their underside, they looked like slightly bulging bits of leather skin. They could survive a month on such storage and they had obviously recently refilled at this small body of water. He also noticed the small markings on their heads. The beasts were marked with that of their tribes symbol. This was to prevent any stealing of their animals. This was a common event between the smaller tribes as desert life has always been about survival rather than polite society. That was what Colin apreciated most about the people here. He had little taste for "Society".

The tribal marking was that of the Yeent'sa, a tribe who primarily traded in water and roots. This had to be one of the 3 oasis' in their area. Their main reason for their common exports. This proximity to such sources made them very wealthy indeed. Colin suspected from Yexx's demeanor that he was of this tribe. It easily explained his income as well.

He knew a lot more than he had before, all there was to learn was what was behind the purpose back at the glade, and where was Yexx taking him now?

[beowuuf]

Eh, thought I'd ressurect this thread to see if there was any interest

* * *

Iaido blinked when he realised that the woman before him, nor those around them, spoke his language. What intuition this auburn haired woman used to decern his meaning, and what talent she used to implant hers into his mind, he did not know. Her aura did not cause him fear, and indeed her prescence and beauty stirred somehting in him.

"Madam," he said, bowing low and seeking words learned long ago, "even though my quest is of the utmost importance, I pledge you any aid I can be should you need it."

"What is your purpose here?" asked the furred man gruffly.

"I seek to stop a foul wizard, and find a woman who could be instrumental in preventing a great evil from occuring, or could become the cause of it - a woman with green eyes"

The group infront of Iaido shifted uncomfortably as they remembered the sparkling gaze of Somina, and remembered under whose 'care' she currently resided. Iaido was trying to work out how much time he had lost, since the light had changed since he had lost consciousness.