"If I had not intended to remain here, I would have long since departed to see to my own business." replies Ameena, splitting her cape again and flitting back into the sky. She hovers just outside the copse, easily low enough for Almulsis to see her ahead of him in the occasional glow of the moonlight.
"It is this way." she says, gesturing toward the northeast again before flitting considerably higher, keeping a habitual eye on the surrounding terrain whilst at the same time remaining within a certain distance of the wounded human below her. He probably can't see her, she knows, as human eyesight seems near-useless in the dark, but he appears to be making his way in roughly the right direction. Occasionally she descends when she sees him start to go a little off-course, flitting around in the right direction. But for the most part, she returns to relishing the feel of the wind through her wings. It has been a while since she has flown, and though the air tonight does not feel as good as it sometimes does, it is still pleasant enough.
Soon, the trees are visible from ground-level, and Ameena flits ahead to cast an eye on them from above, to see if there is any sign of activity. But there is nothing she can see or hear which may indicate a large predator, or anything else that might pose a threat to a human, even an injured one. A while after first leaving the copse (an amount of time which Almulsis might refer to as just under an "hour", though Ameena does not understand such things), Almulsis finally reaches the trees. Then it is a relatively brief walk to reach the calm waters of the lake, which is not very large, and is mostly surrounded by trees, like an oasis in the middle of the scrubland. Usual night-time sounds can be heard, though perhaps slightly more hushed than usual, as though the sense of a threat has permeated the air even here.
Since Almulsis has now reached the water, Ameena lands some way above him, as usual, on a sturdy branch which juts out over the water. She settles herself into a comfortable crouch and seems mostly relaxed, though she keeps a curious eye on the human below her. An eye not quite as bright a green as when she first met the human, though she has not noticed the slight paling in colour.
(RPG) The tale begins...
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Sophia
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Ettesus grumbled a bit to himself, as he trudged along the path, his tattered cloak-- for it had several holes burned into it from the hot embers-- wrapped around him. "A fine mess you've gotten yourself into," he mumbled to himself, glancing up at the sky.
He quickly whirled around. "Wha--" he said. He swore he'd seen some sort of a giant bat, or something. Maybe it was nothing. He chuckled a bit to himself, in a defeated away, shaking his head. He couldn't help but think that maybe it was a Reaper. No, no, if it had been one of those, he'd be dead. Or, perhaps, worse than dead. He didn't know what those things did to the people they caught, and he had no intention of finding out any time soon either.
"Giant bat it is, then," he mumbled to himself as he trudged onward. Poukal Village would not be that far away, if his reckoning was correct. If nothing else, he could buy a new coat.
***
Far off in the distance, a cold wind blew, and from the shadows, a Reaper emerged. It moved slowly, the vines of the forest wilting and leaves of the trees turning sickly shades as it passed. Animals stayed away-- their terror was instinctual.
It, too, had its business in Poukal Village.
He quickly whirled around. "Wha--" he said. He swore he'd seen some sort of a giant bat, or something. Maybe it was nothing. He chuckled a bit to himself, in a defeated away, shaking his head. He couldn't help but think that maybe it was a Reaper. No, no, if it had been one of those, he'd be dead. Or, perhaps, worse than dead. He didn't know what those things did to the people they caught, and he had no intention of finding out any time soon either.
"Giant bat it is, then," he mumbled to himself as he trudged onward. Poukal Village would not be that far away, if his reckoning was correct. If nothing else, he could buy a new coat.
***
Far off in the distance, a cold wind blew, and from the shadows, a Reaper emerged. It moved slowly, the vines of the forest wilting and leaves of the trees turning sickly shades as it passed. Animals stayed away-- their terror was instinctual.
It, too, had its business in Poukal Village.
Almulsis had walked as swiftly as possible during the walk, though he had felt himself weakeneing not strengthening.
He was glad to finally see the lake. Suddenly he realised that he had not thought through how to interface with the water - he wasn't going to stand fully into it unless his wounds were more severe than he thought.
He decided he could risk a wet leg, and sitting on the edge with one leg tucked up, pulled up his travelling robe to place his booted and trousered leg into the water. The coldness was interesting and his leg ached.
He then looked regretfully at his hand - he did not wish to get those wet. With great reluctance, he slowly pulled free the glove from his fingers, and...
He stared with shock at his hand.
He had expeted to see the withered and shrunked flesh that had plagued him all these long years. Instead, while his hands were certainly pale bordering on white, while the felsh was soft from their containment, they were healthy. New.
He pulled off the other glove in awe, and saw the same. He coulnd't believe it. For a moment his hand wetn to his facescarf, but at the last moment he dropped his hands away. No, too early, too strange.
With a final look in wonder at his hand, he placed his hand, the opposing one to his leg, into the water too. The sensation was strange of his bare hand in the water, but he concentrated on channeling any negative enrgies in his body, the black that clung to him, down his leg, while drawing new enegies back up his hand and into his chest.
He slowed his breathing, and resisted, in this medatative state, to drift off into the farsapce - he still felt the uneasy prickle of observation, and he still did not have his companions around to ask.
He was glad to finally see the lake. Suddenly he realised that he had not thought through how to interface with the water - he wasn't going to stand fully into it unless his wounds were more severe than he thought.
He decided he could risk a wet leg, and sitting on the edge with one leg tucked up, pulled up his travelling robe to place his booted and trousered leg into the water. The coldness was interesting and his leg ached.
He then looked regretfully at his hand - he did not wish to get those wet. With great reluctance, he slowly pulled free the glove from his fingers, and...
He stared with shock at his hand.
He had expeted to see the withered and shrunked flesh that had plagued him all these long years. Instead, while his hands were certainly pale bordering on white, while the felsh was soft from their containment, they were healthy. New.
He pulled off the other glove in awe, and saw the same. He coulnd't believe it. For a moment his hand wetn to his facescarf, but at the last moment he dropped his hands away. No, too early, too strange.
With a final look in wonder at his hand, he placed his hand, the opposing one to his leg, into the water too. The sensation was strange of his bare hand in the water, but he concentrated on channeling any negative enrgies in his body, the black that clung to him, down his leg, while drawing new enegies back up his hand and into his chest.
He slowed his breathing, and resisted, in this medatative state, to drift off into the farsapce - he still felt the uneasy prickle of observation, and he still did not have his companions around to ask.
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Ameena
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Ameena watches Almulsis as he removes the covering from one of his hands, then the other, and seems somehow startled by their appearance. She wonders why this should be, and then decides she may as well ask about it later. She watches for a little longer as he places one hand into the water and appears to be working his magic. Then she glances up at the sky, from which occasionaly moonrays filter down through the clouds to skip over the water of the lake and cause silver shimmers.
Then, after one last glance at Almulsis, she settles herself, sitting on the branch, and mostly-closes her eyes. Although as her appearance would suggest, most of her attention is now diverted elsewhere, she remains alert enough, as always, to detect anything which might come near, or cause a disturbance.
Then, after one last glance at Almulsis, she settles herself, sitting on the branch, and mostly-closes her eyes. Although as her appearance would suggest, most of her attention is now diverted elsewhere, she remains alert enough, as always, to detect anything which might come near, or cause a disturbance.
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Almulsis jerks his head upright - he had almost fallen asleep.
He pulls his pruning hand out of the water, still amazed that, wrinkled and white as it is, it is nevertheless whole. One more moment he allows himself to look, then with regret he fishes for his gloves and restores the black coverings.
It is an effort to stand up on his feet since one had fallen asleep. The other felt unusual and cold, and he squelched when he walked now. His robe, despite his efforts, was more travelled stained than usual now. He pulled it over the now scared but fully healed and repaired damage that had threatened his life not too long ago.
Somehow though, he felt much happier than he had in a long time. He somehow feels like his old self again - although he remembers hsis lesson of the Ekeel, and feels a slight twinge of emotion at what exactly has happened to his body.
This feeling lasted about as long as it took to remember that now he was to undertake a journey he said he would never do again - he was going back to Poukal Village.
He pulls his pruning hand out of the water, still amazed that, wrinkled and white as it is, it is nevertheless whole. One more moment he allows himself to look, then with regret he fishes for his gloves and restores the black coverings.
It is an effort to stand up on his feet since one had fallen asleep. The other felt unusual and cold, and he squelched when he walked now. His robe, despite his efforts, was more travelled stained than usual now. He pulled it over the now scared but fully healed and repaired damage that had threatened his life not too long ago.
Somehow though, he felt much happier than he had in a long time. He somehow feels like his old self again - although he remembers hsis lesson of the Ekeel, and feels a slight twinge of emotion at what exactly has happened to his body.
This feeling lasted about as long as it took to remember that now he was to undertake a journey he said he would never do again - he was going back to Poukal Village.
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Ameena
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Ameena opens her eyes a little wider, breaking her concentration a little as she half-watches Almulsis. It appears he is done with whatever magic he needed the water's help to perform. She wonders if he will need to do anything else - sleep, perhaps, or eat. He doesn't seem to be looking around for her. Perhaps he's forgotten she is there, or didn't see her land, though she had not attempted to hide herself when she did so. Well, if he decides to simply leave now, she sees little point in following him. Technically, she has no more reason to remain with him - he appears to have healed himself, and will probably now continue his journey to the Poukal Village, however far away that lies.
Ameena returns to what she was doing, her eyes almost fully-closed, but remaining aware enough to notice if someone or something nearby should make a sound, or if Almulsis should say anything to her. And the staff remains in one hand, held only tightly enough not to slip and fall from the branch to the water below.
Ameena returns to what she was doing, her eyes almost fully-closed, but remaining aware enough to notice if someone or something nearby should make a sound, or if Almulsis should say anything to her. And the staff remains in one hand, held only tightly enough not to slip and fall from the branch to the water below.
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
"Ameena?" asked Almulsis lightly, feeling his senses prickle more, intruding on everywhere he looks, as if the prescence trying to look in is pushing the realm of farspace through the scenery.
Almulsis continues very quietly, even though it would mean nothing to a supernatural observer. "I can feel...something...observing us. Not of this world not even on this world. Can you feel it?"
Almulsis stamps his feet impatiently as his body feels discomfort - it is time to go.
Almulsis continues very quietly, even though it would mean nothing to a supernatural observer. "I can feel...something...observing us. Not of this world not even on this world. Can you feel it?"
Almulsis stamps his feet impatiently as his body feels discomfort - it is time to go.
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Ameena
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Ameena fully opens her eyes but remains crouched on the branch.
"No." she says. "If I had sensed anything, I might have looked around for it, or informed you of its presence. Nothing has approached us - I remain aware enough to detect such things even when concentrating. But I imagine you can sense things I cannot - those creatures who follow you disappeared from my vision when I returned your stone, though I imagine they are still present."
"No." she says. "If I had sensed anything, I might have looked around for it, or informed you of its presence. Nothing has approached us - I remain aware enough to detect such things even when concentrating. But I imagine you can sense things I cannot - those creatures who follow you disappeared from my vision when I returned your stone, though I imagine they are still present."
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Almulsis smiles behind the headscarf. "Yes, my 'owners' certainly would be useful at this moment in time, but as of now I am afraid not. Two are resting in their plane now, leaving the third to watch over me. They do not comprehend our plane well, so have no concept that the third one I sent chasing after our strange human enounter from earlier will not be able to look in on me either."
Almulsis looks around. "Whatever is observing either us or one of us or this area, I would recommend we leave now. I am ready to leave, and would advice movement even if not. I will continue on towards Poukal, though if I am attracting the attention perhps it would be best if you sought your hiding place for the staff on your own now."
Almulsis realises something. "If the attention shifts away from me with you, I shall try to come aid you," Almulsis says with a bow.
Almulsis looks around. "Whatever is observing either us or one of us or this area, I would recommend we leave now. I am ready to leave, and would advice movement even if not. I will continue on towards Poukal, though if I am attracting the attention perhps it would be best if you sought your hiding place for the staff on your own now."
Almulsis realises something. "If the attention shifts away from me with you, I shall try to come aid you," Almulsis says with a bow.
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Ameena
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Ameena shrugs.
"I do not see how you would manage that." she says. "Unless you have abilities of both flight and tracking which you have kept hidden until now."
Which, she knows, is entirely possible. Humans could be capable of all manner of magic - she is unsure of their limits, having encountered such a variety of both physical and magical skill in them during her existence.
"I will go, then." she says. "I will fly from here and hide the staff, and then..."
She pauses and cocks her head to one side, thinking.
"I do not know."
"I do not see how you would manage that." she says. "Unless you have abilities of both flight and tracking which you have kept hidden until now."
Which, she knows, is entirely possible. Humans could be capable of all manner of magic - she is unsure of their limits, having encountered such a variety of both physical and magical skill in them during her existence.
"I will go, then." she says. "I will fly from here and hide the staff, and then..."
She pauses and cocks her head to one side, thinking.
"I do not know."
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
"No, I am afraid I possess no such gifts, at least not to track one of your abilities - I merely assumed a shift in attention to be swiftly indicated. That is perhaps a foolish assuption to make"
Almulsis shifts his weight again, apparently his body is eager to leave even if his mind seems curiously reluctant to follow his own devices.
"Well than, Ameena, I shall bid you a farewell incase something occurs or you decide to follow a different path. I shall make my way north, and even if it is to a human settlement I do not doubt I shall be there a short time only, for it has never been a place that can abide me long. If you will, I would welcome your company again once you finsih your task - I shall try to have one of my guides, when they come back, give warning to you should danger follow me, and it be unsafe for you."
Almulsis nods to himself, and apparently with an effort that surprises the usually independant mage, he moves away. "Good luck on your journey - if you should find shelter after, then good luck to you for that aswell, but I fear the attention of the Ekeel demonstrate an evil that will overwhelm all, eventually - keep the staff safe and pray you never have to use it!"
Almulsis nods, and then makes his way carefully into the deeper forest, apparently testing every inch of the place with his eyes as if something does not match up well.
Almulsis shifts his weight again, apparently his body is eager to leave even if his mind seems curiously reluctant to follow his own devices.
"Well than, Ameena, I shall bid you a farewell incase something occurs or you decide to follow a different path. I shall make my way north, and even if it is to a human settlement I do not doubt I shall be there a short time only, for it has never been a place that can abide me long. If you will, I would welcome your company again once you finsih your task - I shall try to have one of my guides, when they come back, give warning to you should danger follow me, and it be unsafe for you."
Almulsis nods to himself, and apparently with an effort that surprises the usually independant mage, he moves away. "Good luck on your journey - if you should find shelter after, then good luck to you for that aswell, but I fear the attention of the Ekeel demonstrate an evil that will overwhelm all, eventually - keep the staff safe and pray you never have to use it!"
Almulsis nods, and then makes his way carefully into the deeper forest, apparently testing every inch of the place with his eyes as if something does not match up well.
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Ameena
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OOC - Since Ameena will be on her own for now, I may as well post up her entire staff-disposing-of trip in this one post (which will probably take about an hour to write, knowing me 
). Then you can make an Almulsis post describing what he does in the time she's gone, and then I'll post her heading back to meet him or something, unless anything else should happen in that time. But she flies fast and is used to avoiding trouble, so...
BIC - Ameena watches Almulsis go. Then she splits her cape again and leaps from the branch, taking swiftly to the air and ascending to a great height. From here, she can see a considerable distance in all directions, and wonders where she could leave the staff. Where, of the uninhabited places she knows of, would be best? Where is closest?
She angles herself to face in the direction of the area she'd been exploring a few days ago, before she first met Almulsis. Yes...a while before that, there had been some mountains...upper reaches permanently cloaked in snow, most areas completely impassable to landbound creatures and sometimes, when the wind is up, to flying ones too. Yes, there would be good - she noticed many small nooks and hideaways among the crags and larger caves of those peaks. She had sensed no-one there, nothing alive.
Good enough, then.
She flits off in that direction, covering a large amount of distance quickly. She sees the distant glimmer of the still-burning temple in the distance as she heads off, but soon angles away from it to aim in the correct direction - she can usually remember how to find any place she's been to, or at least the direction in which it lies, and these mountains will be easy to find. Hopefully she can reach them before the night ends, to save her having to wait through the daylight for the soft cover of darkness to return.
Soon enough, she spots, on the dark horizon, the darker smudge of the distant peaks. She flies higher, catching air currents and diving occasionally to increase her speed. Normally she revels in the exhileration of flight, but this time she ignores it - she has something she must do, and she fully intends to do it as quickly as possible so that she need never think about it again. It will be good to free up her hand from clutching the staff. as well.
As the faint glimmer of dawn encroaches upon the eastern sky, Ameena swoops downward to meet the nearest of the mountains. The wind stirs, but it seems to be remaining fairly calm, for the time being. Flying lower and darting between cliffs and crags, Ameena flies deeper into the embrace of the towering peaks. She alights briefly on a large boulder and looks around. She can see nothing but rock and snow all around her, aside from the slowly-lightening sky above. Suitable. Now, she must find a suitable hiding place for the staff.
She takes to the air again, noticing that the wind is starting to stir up flurries of snow. Perhaps a snow-storm is coming. Yes...it seems that way. She darts around more quickly, looking here and there, and finally elects upon a narrow crack in the side of a rock wall - it is far, far off the ground below, which in itself would probably be inaccessible to any landbound creatures. Hovering before the crack, she peers inside. It is a little wider than her arm and doesn't appear to be too deep or go back too far. Her wings still rhythmically beating to keep herself steady in the air, she reaches in with her free hand. Indeed, it certainly feels suitable. She pushes the staff inside and makes sure it is secure. Now, should she need to return for it at some point, it will be a simple matter of reaching inside and picking it up.
The wind is stirring more strongly now, and as the Sun shows itself above the unseen horizon behind the mountains, Ameena flits down to one of the many silent caves which are dotted around the landscape. Then she simply crouches down and waits, for the end of both the snow-storm, and the new-come day.
OOC - Right, so (bear in mind I made all that up as I went along, so when I wrote the OOC bit I didn' tknow how I'd be ending the post...well, I decided ages ago she was gonna hide the staff in some mountains...but I'd forgotten that she'd find herself in daylight at some point), that's that done
. She won't be leaving there till nightfall, and then I suppose she'll head back to the lake, and from there, north, to see if she can find Poukal Village (once she decides that she's gonna rejoin Almulsis). Of course, that gives Almulsis a day in which to probably get himself killed again, or something 
. I estimate it was probably around midnight when Ameena set off from the lake in the first place, so by the time she gets back there it'll probably be midnight of the following night. But anyway, since Ameena's not moving her arse till it gets dark, that gives Almulsis the rest of the night from his PoV, as well as all of the following day before she starts heading back. And of course, as I said, she'll take a few hours to get there (imagine how long that trip would've taken if she'd walked!), assuming she can find the village. Aaaaaanyway, think I'm descending into waffly stuff here so I'll just post this here little (:twisted:) posty, and wait for Almulsis to do whatever it is he's gonna do all day .
). Then you can make an Almulsis post describing what he does in the time she's gone, and then I'll post her heading back to meet him or something, unless anything else should happen in that time. But she flies fast and is used to avoiding trouble, so...BIC - Ameena watches Almulsis go. Then she splits her cape again and leaps from the branch, taking swiftly to the air and ascending to a great height. From here, she can see a considerable distance in all directions, and wonders where she could leave the staff. Where, of the uninhabited places she knows of, would be best? Where is closest?
She angles herself to face in the direction of the area she'd been exploring a few days ago, before she first met Almulsis. Yes...a while before that, there had been some mountains...upper reaches permanently cloaked in snow, most areas completely impassable to landbound creatures and sometimes, when the wind is up, to flying ones too. Yes, there would be good - she noticed many small nooks and hideaways among the crags and larger caves of those peaks. She had sensed no-one there, nothing alive.
Good enough, then.
She flits off in that direction, covering a large amount of distance quickly. She sees the distant glimmer of the still-burning temple in the distance as she heads off, but soon angles away from it to aim in the correct direction - she can usually remember how to find any place she's been to, or at least the direction in which it lies, and these mountains will be easy to find. Hopefully she can reach them before the night ends, to save her having to wait through the daylight for the soft cover of darkness to return.
Soon enough, she spots, on the dark horizon, the darker smudge of the distant peaks. She flies higher, catching air currents and diving occasionally to increase her speed. Normally she revels in the exhileration of flight, but this time she ignores it - she has something she must do, and she fully intends to do it as quickly as possible so that she need never think about it again. It will be good to free up her hand from clutching the staff. as well.
As the faint glimmer of dawn encroaches upon the eastern sky, Ameena swoops downward to meet the nearest of the mountains. The wind stirs, but it seems to be remaining fairly calm, for the time being. Flying lower and darting between cliffs and crags, Ameena flies deeper into the embrace of the towering peaks. She alights briefly on a large boulder and looks around. She can see nothing but rock and snow all around her, aside from the slowly-lightening sky above. Suitable. Now, she must find a suitable hiding place for the staff.
She takes to the air again, noticing that the wind is starting to stir up flurries of snow. Perhaps a snow-storm is coming. Yes...it seems that way. She darts around more quickly, looking here and there, and finally elects upon a narrow crack in the side of a rock wall - it is far, far off the ground below, which in itself would probably be inaccessible to any landbound creatures. Hovering before the crack, she peers inside. It is a little wider than her arm and doesn't appear to be too deep or go back too far. Her wings still rhythmically beating to keep herself steady in the air, she reaches in with her free hand. Indeed, it certainly feels suitable. She pushes the staff inside and makes sure it is secure. Now, should she need to return for it at some point, it will be a simple matter of reaching inside and picking it up.
The wind is stirring more strongly now, and as the Sun shows itself above the unseen horizon behind the mountains, Ameena flits down to one of the many silent caves which are dotted around the landscape. Then she simply crouches down and waits, for the end of both the snow-storm, and the new-come day.
OOC - Right, so (bear in mind I made all that up as I went along, so when I wrote the OOC bit I didn' tknow how I'd be ending the post...well, I decided ages ago she was gonna hide the staff in some mountains...but I'd forgotten that she'd find herself in daylight at some point), that's that done
. She won't be leaving there till nightfall, and then I suppose she'll head back to the lake, and from there, north, to see if she can find Poukal Village (once she decides that she's gonna rejoin Almulsis). Of course, that gives Almulsis a day in which to probably get himself killed again, or something . I estimate it was probably around midnight when Ameena set off from the lake in the first place, so by the time she gets back there it'll probably be midnight of the following night. But anyway, since Ameena's not moving her arse till it gets dark, that gives Almulsis the rest of the night from his PoV, as well as all of the following day before she starts heading back. And of course, as I said, she'll take a few hours to get there (imagine how long that trip would've taken if she'd walked!), assuming she can find the village. Aaaaaanyway, think I'm descending into waffly stuff here so I'll just post this here little (:twisted:) posty, and wait for Almulsis to do whatever it is he's gonna do all day .______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
OOC: Actually I was going to have somehting weird show to Ameena as she flew, but I'll now include that as an incidental. I don't really have any inspiration for anything happening on the way to Poukal village, so that's why I haven't posted yet. When I'm less distratced I'll think of somehting I am sure!
Ameena's trip was uneventful, except for one strange occurance. Emerging into sunlight, and seeing her shadow play on clouds and even as a distant spec on the bumping lands, it was certainly unusual to then see it whip perpendicular away at one point. A blink and her shadow was again playing on the ground below, and it was an occurance easy to chalk up to a momentary blip in concentration. (OOC: Unless she would wish to chase it up)
Meanwhile, Almulsis felt vulnerable now that Ameena had left. He did not have his interested compnaions fussing around him for the memont, and even after the bathing in the lake he still felt weakened, or at least exhausted.
He decided he needed sleep, until his companions came back, perhaps until Ameena retruened, and certainly until the morning came so he could make the journey alone fresh at worst.
However, he now had enough strength to cast some of the more mundane magics he could control. Drawing on the natural energies of the trees and grass around, he decided to draw wards. Some subtle that would make curious animals, or people seeking answers to the burning temple avoid this area. The other wards were as a warnign to Almulsis incase stronger minded creatures and hunters were to come this way - they would wake Amlmulsis, and could be twisted with his last reserves to a less benign effect.
After a hesitation, he then drew inviisble wards in the air that removed some of the precious store of void energy he had accumulated and would reply on to turn his other wards. For these new wards he drew them around his body and even around his imagination and mind - he had no idea what could come to him unawares in the night.
While he was still filled with the pressure of the prescence from farspace, and the desire to see Poukal village, a second voice was telling him that walking in the dark without his full senses was sounding more and more liek folly if he could not rely on the sharper eyes of Ameena and companions to balance his temporary weakness.
He settled his back against a tree, but found sleep only came unawares in stolen snatches all night until the first fingers of dawn turned the land into friendly green once more.
Ameena's trip was uneventful, except for one strange occurance. Emerging into sunlight, and seeing her shadow play on clouds and even as a distant spec on the bumping lands, it was certainly unusual to then see it whip perpendicular away at one point. A blink and her shadow was again playing on the ground below, and it was an occurance easy to chalk up to a momentary blip in concentration. (OOC: Unless she would wish to chase it up)
Meanwhile, Almulsis felt vulnerable now that Ameena had left. He did not have his interested compnaions fussing around him for the memont, and even after the bathing in the lake he still felt weakened, or at least exhausted.
He decided he needed sleep, until his companions came back, perhaps until Ameena retruened, and certainly until the morning came so he could make the journey alone fresh at worst.
However, he now had enough strength to cast some of the more mundane magics he could control. Drawing on the natural energies of the trees and grass around, he decided to draw wards. Some subtle that would make curious animals, or people seeking answers to the burning temple avoid this area. The other wards were as a warnign to Almulsis incase stronger minded creatures and hunters were to come this way - they would wake Amlmulsis, and could be twisted with his last reserves to a less benign effect.
After a hesitation, he then drew inviisble wards in the air that removed some of the precious store of void energy he had accumulated and would reply on to turn his other wards. For these new wards he drew them around his body and even around his imagination and mind - he had no idea what could come to him unawares in the night.
While he was still filled with the pressure of the prescence from farspace, and the desire to see Poukal village, a second voice was telling him that walking in the dark without his full senses was sounding more and more liek folly if he could not rely on the sharper eyes of Ameena and companions to balance his temporary weakness.
He settled his back against a tree, but found sleep only came unawares in stolen snatches all night until the first fingers of dawn turned the land into friendly green once more.
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Ameena
- Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
- Posts: 7517
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
- Location: Here, where I am sitting!
- Contact:
OOC - I'm not sure when Ameena might have seen that, since you mention sunlight but the only daylight flying she did was a quick swoop down to seek shelter in a cave, and that was jsut as the Sun was emerging so I don't think there'd have been enough light. Plus she doesn't tend to spend her flight-time looking at the ground .
I'll wait till you've posted Almulsis's activities of the day before I post Ameena again - bear in mind she's inactive until sunset, now. Then she'll start heading back and should be back at the lake around midnight.
.I'll wait till you've posted Almulsis's activities of the day before I post Ameena again - bear in mind she's inactive until sunset, now. Then she'll start heading back and should be back at the lake around midnight.
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Almuslsis stretches for the twentieth time that night, realising that it is infact morning. He twists against the tree trunk, ready to try to steal another hour, but the quick pain wakes him too much.
With a slight grin despite his groggy mind he painfully got to his feet and shook out the sleep from his head and the stiffness of his muscles. With a final stretch to touch the lower branches and greet the morning, and as low a stretch to his toes as his still bruised ribs would allow, he felt ready.
As he put his pack upon his back and looked for a suitable piece of deadwood to use as a walking staff, he decides to see if he could pull at least a fraction of the energies back into himself. What he doens't expect is too feel nothing. No magic of the wards. No prescence as he felt yesterday, but not because it is gone.
He looks left and right. His guidies haven't come back, and he can't feel Ameena's prescence either. He pushes, and can feel farspace if he concentrates. However, somehting is not right. There is a certain dullness in his higher sense, and worse he does not know if his wards were deliberately removed or if he is simply that weakened.
With trepidation Almulsis made the preperations to move on, trying to make his concerns not register in his movements. A quick look at his hands reveals the strangeness that his skin is still smooth. Odd.
Almulsis discards the dead branch he has found soon enoough as his stomach rumbles. Instead he takes a still living brach that has newly fallen, and lets it trail on the ground. A small amount of green energy flows back and force, a small spark of red energy.
A little woodland animal comes tentatively over, overcoming its fear as it feels the little enticing swirls it cannot fully perceive with any sense. It finally comes close enough to Almulsis that almulsis can bob it gentle with the staff, as if pushing it gentle out of the way.
The creature falls down stunned by a shot of red energy, oblivious to everything. Almulsis has squatted quickly and with a quick twist of his wrist and a small snap Almulsis has food for breakfast and a small puff of void energy.
As Almulsis pretends to concentrate on preparing a small cmapfire and his catch, his knife easy in his hands, his mind uses the oid energy to probe around him. As he suspected, the numbness on his senses and the tripped wards are because some prescence has diffused itself all around him. Not centred enough to be detected by normal means, and nothing that Almulsis has ever seen before.
He finishes his food and kicks the small fire out in contemplation, walking towards where he remembers the Pouakl trail is as the morning takes full hold on the land. Despite the sun, all Almulsis can feel is the odd cloud centred around him.
With a slight grin despite his groggy mind he painfully got to his feet and shook out the sleep from his head and the stiffness of his muscles. With a final stretch to touch the lower branches and greet the morning, and as low a stretch to his toes as his still bruised ribs would allow, he felt ready.
As he put his pack upon his back and looked for a suitable piece of deadwood to use as a walking staff, he decides to see if he could pull at least a fraction of the energies back into himself. What he doens't expect is too feel nothing. No magic of the wards. No prescence as he felt yesterday, but not because it is gone.
He looks left and right. His guidies haven't come back, and he can't feel Ameena's prescence either. He pushes, and can feel farspace if he concentrates. However, somehting is not right. There is a certain dullness in his higher sense, and worse he does not know if his wards were deliberately removed or if he is simply that weakened.
With trepidation Almulsis made the preperations to move on, trying to make his concerns not register in his movements. A quick look at his hands reveals the strangeness that his skin is still smooth. Odd.
Almulsis discards the dead branch he has found soon enoough as his stomach rumbles. Instead he takes a still living brach that has newly fallen, and lets it trail on the ground. A small amount of green energy flows back and force, a small spark of red energy.
A little woodland animal comes tentatively over, overcoming its fear as it feels the little enticing swirls it cannot fully perceive with any sense. It finally comes close enough to Almulsis that almulsis can bob it gentle with the staff, as if pushing it gentle out of the way.
The creature falls down stunned by a shot of red energy, oblivious to everything. Almulsis has squatted quickly and with a quick twist of his wrist and a small snap Almulsis has food for breakfast and a small puff of void energy.
As Almulsis pretends to concentrate on preparing a small cmapfire and his catch, his knife easy in his hands, his mind uses the oid energy to probe around him. As he suspected, the numbness on his senses and the tripped wards are because some prescence has diffused itself all around him. Not centred enough to be detected by normal means, and nothing that Almulsis has ever seen before.
He finishes his food and kicks the small fire out in contemplation, walking towards where he remembers the Pouakl trail is as the morning takes full hold on the land. Despite the sun, all Almulsis can feel is the odd cloud centred around him.
"Ho, there!" says Almulsis to a man he sees on the side of the path. The man is tending one of the small boxes that are spaced along the road as it leads to the outskirts of Poukal village. It is a strange concept, a small juvenile Kolt dwells inside. This flying hunter usually over-extends its killing habits, as if preparing for a family to feed later. Passing travellers are welcome, occasionally at the risk of their fingers, to raid the habitats for the meat that is left lying at the side of the thick loose grass and moss that composes their bedding.
"Ho there, does the creature peck hard?" asked Almulsis again. The afternoon sun is descending creating a welcome golden glow on many aspects of the road and its landscape. The expression of the man as he turns aroudn with the dead hunter in his hand is not one that is aided by the sun.
"It's dead...but then that is to be expected - you are the mage! Darc'tala!" With that the man pauses a second longer to look with hate at the beige-robed figure, and then hurls the Kolt, turns and runs.
"Darc'tala! Darc'tala is back! Fear! Fire! Darc'tala is back!" comes the fading yell. Almulsis nods with a smile to himself, and decides to stand with his hands folded on his staff and wait, appreciating the dwindling afternoon even as he awaits whatever will come out of Poukal. It is, after all, good to be back here.
almulsis does not have to wait long before he sees, in the distance, a large mob. They do not come fast, but the tide is inexhorable. They apparently are not eager to reach him, but each person infront is bouyed by those behind pressing, eager to see the mage, and then the faster movement of the leaders force the stragglers to move forward faster.
"Ho there!" says Almulsis again, and casually brings his makeshift staff up in greeting. The rock that was flying towards him is bashed sideways before it reaches him or the staff, and the mob begin to grumble as the communal memory re-surfaces of the man.
"Make way, make way..." says a small voice, "make way I say, so eager to see the man, make way..." In the mob a small channel forms, that suddenly splits apart like a chasm a second later. A wave of pressure builds in Almulsis's mind and with a quick barely audible sound he urges his hidden guides, who have came back, to desert him again.
Almulsis blinks, leetting his breathign slow as he tries to see the surroundings with the intrusion of farspace delicates touching. He grimaces, glad it is hidden behind his face-scarf. Some bright point of light is at the head of that crowd-parting, and some pit of darkness is at the tail of it.
"Make way!" says the voice again, and the final few people infront of the crowd turn and part from each other. A small man is born, a man that Almulsis recognises, but not from his previous visits here. It is the old man from the forest earlier, the one who advised him to come here. The few people behind him sudden;y trip over themselves to move away as a second figure comes out of the shadows - shadows Almulsis should ahve realsied should nto have been there.
The old man nods and smiles at Almulsis, while the Reaper stands tall at his side hissing. "We've been expecting you," says the old man with a wink.
"Ho there, does the creature peck hard?" asked Almulsis again. The afternoon sun is descending creating a welcome golden glow on many aspects of the road and its landscape. The expression of the man as he turns aroudn with the dead hunter in his hand is not one that is aided by the sun.
"It's dead...but then that is to be expected - you are the mage! Darc'tala!" With that the man pauses a second longer to look with hate at the beige-robed figure, and then hurls the Kolt, turns and runs.
"Darc'tala! Darc'tala is back! Fear! Fire! Darc'tala is back!" comes the fading yell. Almulsis nods with a smile to himself, and decides to stand with his hands folded on his staff and wait, appreciating the dwindling afternoon even as he awaits whatever will come out of Poukal. It is, after all, good to be back here.
almulsis does not have to wait long before he sees, in the distance, a large mob. They do not come fast, but the tide is inexhorable. They apparently are not eager to reach him, but each person infront is bouyed by those behind pressing, eager to see the mage, and then the faster movement of the leaders force the stragglers to move forward faster.
"Ho there!" says Almulsis again, and casually brings his makeshift staff up in greeting. The rock that was flying towards him is bashed sideways before it reaches him or the staff, and the mob begin to grumble as the communal memory re-surfaces of the man.
"Make way, make way..." says a small voice, "make way I say, so eager to see the man, make way..." In the mob a small channel forms, that suddenly splits apart like a chasm a second later. A wave of pressure builds in Almulsis's mind and with a quick barely audible sound he urges his hidden guides, who have came back, to desert him again.
Almulsis blinks, leetting his breathign slow as he tries to see the surroundings with the intrusion of farspace delicates touching. He grimaces, glad it is hidden behind his face-scarf. Some bright point of light is at the head of that crowd-parting, and some pit of darkness is at the tail of it.
"Make way!" says the voice again, and the final few people infront of the crowd turn and part from each other. A small man is born, a man that Almulsis recognises, but not from his previous visits here. It is the old man from the forest earlier, the one who advised him to come here. The few people behind him sudden;y trip over themselves to move away as a second figure comes out of the shadows - shadows Almulsis should ahve realsied should nto have been there.
The old man nods and smiles at Almulsis, while the Reaper stands tall at his side hissing. "We've been expecting you," says the old man with a wink.
* * * *
Night is drawing in, and Almulsis contents himself to sit in his cell and await those he know will come. Soon enough a discussion is hard, a light voice arguing with much gruffer tones. The light voice wins out, and before long the door at the end of the corridor opens and Almulsis once again feels the strong frozen stirings of dark fear that eminate from the reaper. The simply cloathed old man walking without a care before it sees Almulsis waiting expectantly, and seems to have a warm smile.
"How are you finding the accomodation? Not too troubling, I hope."
"I have been in worse here," says Almulsis drying, ignoring the threat stanidng with hissed breathing closeby. There is a feeling as if Almulsis is slowly dying, as if little by little all the energy is being sucked fom his...
"Oh, don't mind our companion here," saus the old man cheerfully, "Just between you and me, I do not believe it is fully under control, but I do not see a reason for it to attack us just now."
"Perhaps you should not have summoned it, then," saus Almulsis with simple tons of concern. His words make the old man laugh.
"Oh, that is a good one - I did not summon it! It arrived as an emissary from an interested party just before you did...strange timing, is it not? No, it is under it's own control, but I believe it will behave to the terms of our treaty, won't you?"
The reapar does not turn nor indicate that it has heard anything. Apart from it's not attacking the two of them, it infact demonstrates nothing human at all in its actions nor perceptions.
"An emissary?" asks Almulsis lightly.
"Oh, you are really quite an interesting fellow," says the old man, "trying to probe me with questions!"
"You did say that the High Priest of Poukal knew much."
"Oh, indeed he does - wherever his soul is now!" says the old man. "I am afraid the High Priest, and indeed the temple, was dedicated to the Rising Sun sect. Not for the moment, those with power seem to have deserted those without. I am a caretaker, tryign to keep the peace."
"I am sure the emissary of the Setting Sun understands perfectly your put upon position then."
Again the old man looks quizzically before laughing.
"Oh my, you think the Settign Sun had anythign to do with a creature this powerful? Oh my no, no, this is something... perhaps I say too much." A sigh. "No, I am here at our guests request to ask you why you are so unwelcome here. Before my time, I am afraid."
The old man stood looking politely, but perhaps a quiver in his voice betrayed his nerves. Or the quiver could easily be from the effect Almulsis still felt from the Reaper, the slow extinction of his life just from its prescence. Almulsis shuddered but kept his tone light.
"Quite simple really," said almulsis, "there was a plague here and I had a hand in killing some of the citezens with it."
* * * *
OOC: Ameena, you can probably start comign back now and we can sync up again. Almulsis has no wacky plan for escape, well, not just now and not fully - so hopefully you will be checking out the situation somehow soon!
Night is drawing in, and Almulsis contents himself to sit in his cell and await those he know will come. Soon enough a discussion is hard, a light voice arguing with much gruffer tones. The light voice wins out, and before long the door at the end of the corridor opens and Almulsis once again feels the strong frozen stirings of dark fear that eminate from the reaper. The simply cloathed old man walking without a care before it sees Almulsis waiting expectantly, and seems to have a warm smile.
"How are you finding the accomodation? Not too troubling, I hope."
"I have been in worse here," says Almulsis drying, ignoring the threat stanidng with hissed breathing closeby. There is a feeling as if Almulsis is slowly dying, as if little by little all the energy is being sucked fom his...
"Oh, don't mind our companion here," saus the old man cheerfully, "Just between you and me, I do not believe it is fully under control, but I do not see a reason for it to attack us just now."
"Perhaps you should not have summoned it, then," saus Almulsis with simple tons of concern. His words make the old man laugh.
"Oh, that is a good one - I did not summon it! It arrived as an emissary from an interested party just before you did...strange timing, is it not? No, it is under it's own control, but I believe it will behave to the terms of our treaty, won't you?"
The reapar does not turn nor indicate that it has heard anything. Apart from it's not attacking the two of them, it infact demonstrates nothing human at all in its actions nor perceptions.
"An emissary?" asks Almulsis lightly.
"Oh, you are really quite an interesting fellow," says the old man, "trying to probe me with questions!"
"You did say that the High Priest of Poukal knew much."
"Oh, indeed he does - wherever his soul is now!" says the old man. "I am afraid the High Priest, and indeed the temple, was dedicated to the Rising Sun sect. Not for the moment, those with power seem to have deserted those without. I am a caretaker, tryign to keep the peace."
"I am sure the emissary of the Setting Sun understands perfectly your put upon position then."
Again the old man looks quizzically before laughing.
"Oh my, you think the Settign Sun had anythign to do with a creature this powerful? Oh my no, no, this is something... perhaps I say too much." A sigh. "No, I am here at our guests request to ask you why you are so unwelcome here. Before my time, I am afraid."
The old man stood looking politely, but perhaps a quiver in his voice betrayed his nerves. Or the quiver could easily be from the effect Almulsis still felt from the Reaper, the slow extinction of his life just from its prescence. Almulsis shuddered but kept his tone light.
"Quite simple really," said almulsis, "there was a plague here and I had a hand in killing some of the citezens with it."
* * * *
OOC: Ameena, you can probably start comign back now and we can sync up again. Almulsis has no wacky plan for escape, well, not just now and not fully - so hopefully you will be checking out the situation somehow soon!
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Ameena
- Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
- Posts: 7517
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
- Location: Here, where I am sitting!
- Contact:
As the day's light fades, the blizzard having abated some hours previously, the slim dark figure of Ameena slips out from the sheltered spot she entered at dawn. She splits her cape and leaps into the air, quickly flitting high and heading out of the mountains, back the way she came the previous night. The distant glimmer of sunlight on the horizon fades as night returns, a dark night with much cloud and little to see of the stars.
Remembering exactly the way she flew the previous night, Ameena heads back in the direction of the lake, many many miles distant, where she left Almulsis.
Remembering exactly the way she flew the previous night, Ameena heads back in the direction of the lake, many many miles distant, where she left Almulsis.
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Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!