Chronicles of the Unrealm - a PuF RPG story

(Wow! Great portrayal of a city, Jing! I noticed you never said anything about the sewers , though...

Hmmm, and why do I have the odd feeling Trinity doesn't exactly like my lady healer? Well, anyway, here I go...)

The elf, the paladin and the young mage stood rooted to the spot in shock as the huge dragon landed just in front of them and the people alighted from its back -- three men, two women, two dwarves and a troll. Who were they? Were they friends? Or enemies? As if that was not enough, another two women suddenly came into the scene as well!

The paladin's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword and the elf got his dagger ready, while Rufus waved a hand over the emerald tip of his wand, which glowed brightly in preparation for the confrontation... Then Qu'ean Quicksilver's face broke into a wide grin...

"Natalya!" shouted the elf in delight. "Long time no see! How have you been since the last time we trained at the Foxfingers Thieves' Guild?"

Natalya was just as delighted to meet the elf. "I've been fine, Qu'ean. Such a joy to meet you again! I'd presume you've been well all along, too?"

At the same time, the old healer-mage recognized Rufus. "Say, you there! Don't you happen to be the apprentice and adopted son of the archmage Gandalf?"

"Indeed I am!" replied Rufus, a boyish grin on his face. "I still remember you; you're the nice uncle who often visited my mentor and discussed your magical researches with him!"

"Has my friend Gandalf been well?" pursued the old mage, waving a finger. "Have you been a good apprentice, or have you been causing him trouble? I still remember how you once animated a broomstick to do for you the work of fetching the water, and how you nearly submerged the entire laboratory as a result!"

"He's been well," grinned the young mage, face turning red. "And as for me... Well... I..."

"Well, I can see we're all friends!" commented Wolfram. "This is such a happy occasion!"

"Indeed it is!" said the paladin. "Come on, everyone, why don't we all get inside the tavern for a drink? I'd like to get to know you all!"

"As soon as I heal this lady..." said Chun-Li.

------------------------------------------------------------

Overhead, lightning flashed across a dark, malevolent sky laced with scarlet storm-clouds that had never parted for centuries. Fierce gales howled loudly. Below, a huge chasm in the earth several hundred feet wide and tens of thousands of feet deep stretched across the scarred wasteland from horizon to horizon. Lava flowed slowly along the bottom of the chasm, and mid-way down to the bottom a ledge jutted out from the chasm's side, a great black castle perched on the ledge. Hellsgate Castle.

Inside the castle's main hall, a skeletal figure stood near a large table. It was the arch-lich Lesstarot Guildenstren. Next to him, Count Dracula studied the manicure of his nails nonchalently.

"I never thought the Right Eye of the Golden Dragon would be so difficult to get hold of!" hissed the lich in anger. "And now those imbecile servants of mine have revealed a part of my plan to those mortal fools!"

"Don't get so worked up," counselled Count Dracula. "Look at the dark side; at least we've got my son back... Once I've successfully persuaded him to serve our cause, we could always let him go back to those fools to bait them into our trap..."

[Edited by Cammy on November 20th, 2000 at 08:51 AM]

uh, how many unwords did i use....?

The happy reunion, however, was not long-lasting. The Great Red Wrym spoke, its voice sounding like thunder rolling across a emtpy plains, "Thank you mortals, for leading me to this place of feeding. My young shall grow and feed on the flesh of these people. In gratitude, I shall make your deaths quick..."

__________________________________________________________
Elsewhere, in the heavens.

"Kwan Yin, your servant most humbly begs forgiveness for intrusion, but a royal personage requests and audience with you: Lord Hades of the UnderRealm." Kwan Yin was slightly startled at this, but then all at once knew what was to occur. This would be a most unhappy event, but had been necessary for the greater good of the realm; what choice did she have? The Unrealm was threatened with grave danger... yet only mortal beings, that which lives and can die, could walk the realm and directly influence it. No suitable receptacle could be found, so she had to work within those constrains... and work through her worshippers.

And now the cost. As unsavory as it was, it was necessary, lest a war start in the heavens, and then all would be lost on the Unrealm.
__________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, back at the 'ranch'
Chun-Li looked at her brother, eyes wide with surprise and the beginnings of fear, "I thought you had it under control?"

The dragon snorted, "As if I could be controlled by such pathetic magicks as can be conjured by this lot. Now, which of you wishes to be eaten first?"

The paladin raised his sword, gleaming in the moonlight. "No one of us beast; 'Twill be ye who falls this night!"

Suddenly, the moon is blocked for a moment by wings, wings such as a dragon might hold. Three glowing green lights gaze upon the scene. The apprentice, Rufus, was shaking. "Surely this cannot be good."

With a glint of steel, the winged shape dives downwards towards the group...

__________________________________________________________

"Lord Hades, to what do I owe you for this unexpected, but delightful visit? We honestly do not see enough of each other."

"I think we can do without the pretenses. But you are correct, you do owe me. Or more precisely, you have stolen from me. Two souls, which are rightly mine, you have taken for your own purposes, and now they reside here in your realm; you have not even forfeited them to the Yama Kings. This is an unfortunate action that you have undertaken in a time of unrest."

"Yes, I realize that. And the unrest is only furthered by the troubles on earth and the meeting called by Zurvan (4th dimensional being; the definition of omniscience). If you'll let me explain however, you'll see..."

"No. There will be no bartering. Much as you do, I have work to see to. I demand payment, or I will raise the issue with the Yama Kings, and there will be war between the heavens and hells to make the troubles of the Unrealm seem petty and laughable. Your handmaiden on Unrealm, the instrument of your ressurections, will be the price. You will either give her soul to me, or she will pay homage to me - the slaughter of an innocent for each soul she took from me, and periodic sacrifices. Let us say a greater beast every two weeks. Or if you tire of her, give her over to my worship..."

__________________________________________________________

The shape is clearly humanoid, but with large, black, leathery wings much as a dragons. His three eyes glow an eerie emerald green. With a face contorted in incomprehensible rage, he dives straight at the dragon with a tanto in his hands shouting, "DRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAGON!" There is the sound of rending metal as the person lands in front of the adventurers in a shower of dust. As he turns around, a single scale drops to the ground from the dragon's neck. The tanto gleams an evil purple color; most likely poisoned, but that is a futile gesture, like offering a field mouse to a ravenous gorgon. He is holding on to two bags, one a canvas bag ubiquitous in the realm and the other a leather knap sack.

"Dragon! You slew my village! And I return for vengence!"

The dragon grumbles in obvious anger at the minor injury. "So the man thing which thinks it is a dragon returns. As I recall You could not defeat me before." It's eyes narrow, and then the dragon coughs, a noisy affair of fire and smoke. You are certain everyone in S'mon Traska is awake now. And you realize just how dangerous and lethal a fight with this dragon here and now (on the east bank) would be. "I see, you raided my trove and now you wield the Tanto of Hellish Poison. The demon's blood may weaken me somewhat, but I will slay you as I did the previous owner!"

"Ah, but that is not all I took from your lair! I have freed the survivors whom you toyed with, and they have taken your treasure!" The smug look is suddenly replaced with an indefinable look of hatred. "And even as you took from me the one whom I loved, I took from you those whom you loved. Gaze upon your hatchlings."

From the canvas bag the man lets tumble forth the severed heads of three baby dragons. The lifeless eyes dully reflect the moonlight. The Red Wrym lets loose a mighty cry and a font of flame into the sky. The very earth trembles in respone, and it seems as though the sun has risen.

"But my vengence would not be complete dragon, without this! You Slew her in front of me, held me helpless to do naught but watch! Gaze now, at this! Your last egg!"

From the leather knapsack the man retrieves a large, pearly white oval; the dragon's egg. And smashes it upon the cobblestone in a messy explosion of ichor. The dragon rears to it's full size, fully 10 times that of a large man. It's trashing tail levels an empty grocery market behind it.

"And now I will have my own vengence. DIE DRAGON!" The man takes to the air and rushes at the dragon, tanto in hand.

__________________________________________________________

Kwan Yin wept for her most favored priestess. There was little she could do; the heavens could ill afford a war, on the situation on earth was rapidly degenerating to become as bad or worse than the unrealm... it would soon require her full attention. And all that was happening was drawing the concern of Zurvan, the god of time, and that was most ominous indeed. Zurvan had been present before creation existed, and would be present after it ceased to exist. He could perceive past present and future as it happens and as it could happen. That he was worried was something that sent most lesser (but still divine) beings in gibbering hysteria. What choice had she but to choose...

Du-de-es-ta woke from his dream with a start, his brows lined with perspiration.

"Es-ta, what's the matter?" asked Chun-Li, who had woken up earlier and was tidying her bed nearby.

"I... I had this terrible dream..."

"What was the dream, Es-ta?"

"I... had this dream in which the Lord of the Underworld approached Our Lady Kuan-Yin and demanded you as some sort of payment... And I also dreamt that the red dragon had broken out of my control, and then there was this being who wielded a great tanto that gave off a violet light..."

Then he quickly walked to a window in their tavern room and looked outside. The city was normal. The dragon hadn't gone berserk and started destroying houses and killing people. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What could the dreams mean?" said Chun-Li, feeling puzzled.

(P.S. This is a quick one. I'll be beefing it up a bit more shortly! Jing just brings in too many changes in the storyline, and these changes are far too ENORMOUS... I just feel compelled to water them down by making them just... a dream (for now)...)

The city elders had been worried for days. Worried over omens and signs. And When this new band of travelers had arrived on the back of a large red dragon, soon after an attack by animated corpses - the conclusions were easy. They must be stopped,lest the city be destroyed.

***

Deep in the maze of odd shops and taverns that made up the heart of the old town, an aged enchantress sat by a dying fire.
She woke from her trance and smiled. Her work was done. Du-de-esta's dreams, and his loss of control over the Great Red Wyrm - these were all her doings. Her dark meddlings came at a price though, and she smiled as she imagined what her master would pay her in return.
She smiled at the thought of the cool gold coins in her palm. Her master would have no trouble with this bunch. Others, and more powerful had tried before. But it takes more than a prideful bunch of ragtag adventurers to stop such as her Master.
She began to laugh as she imagined the dark forces he would unleash. She could hardly wait. Tomorrow, or the next day, certainly no more than three days hence, he would return. And he would wreak havoc.

Her laughter was interrupted as a man entered her hovel. He was broad shouldered and cloaked in a dark robe. His features were indiscernable beneath its folds. He was halt, but this handicap seemed to hinder him none at all as he approached her rapidly. Over his back was slung a dangerous looking bow and a quiver of arrows, and in his hand he carried an ancient tome.

"Where is your master?" He demanded.

"Eh? What? Master?" she mumbled, feigning innocence. "If you speak of my husband, youll have no luck, try the catacombs." She chuckled softly.

"Do not play the fool with me old woman, I know what I speak of, I will not be put off by your chatter. Where is the one who commands your evil deeds?
Where is Khaine?"

Even as Chun-Li pondered on the strange dreams Du-de-es-ta had, a column of light appeared in the room, growing larger and brighter. A beautiful female figure appeared in the column of light.

"Lady Kuan-Yin!" cried Chun-Li and Es-Ta as they prostrated themselves. "Your servants hear and obey!"

Kuan-Yin smiled. "I know the dreams you've had, my beloved servant Du-de-es-ta," said the goddess. "Rest assured that these are the greatest absurdities possible -- the Underworld Lord Hades never asked of me that I surrender your sister to him. He did visit me of late, though, to make an appeal to me concerning your actions."

"What have we done wrong, O Lady Kuan-Yin?" asked Chun-Li. Please tell us that we may not transgress again."

"The Underworld Lord was concerned that you've resurrected someone more than once within the space of twelve shih-ch'en (=24 hours). Such an act, if performed too often, would adversely affect the life-death balance of the Universe. I therefore hereby instruct thee that thou shalt not resurrect the same living being more than twice within the space of twelve shih-ch'en. Is that understood?"

"Yes!" replied Chun-Li and Es-ta.

(Gotta stop here, damn it. Will continue!)

well....

Natalya sat in her room in a small inn on the eastern bank of the River Erohw, idly flipping a dagger. she was in a foul mood, which explained the dagger lodged in the door jam, and the ashen-white faced inn mistress downstairs fussing around the kitchen. the inn's employees all now had strict orders NOT to disturb her under any circumstance.

She had to leave S'mon Traska, this was for certain. She cursed the stupidity of the looseliped elf. what was he thinking acknowledging the thieves guild IN A PUBLIC PLACE nonetheless!! she hurled her dagger at the door, and heard a loud squeak and the hurried swishing of skirts of the unfortunate housemaid who happened to be walking past Natalya's room. She would have to leave the town, and fast. Her guild had too many enemies for her to safely stay, and anyone on the look out for her personally would know that a female Guildmember was in town. It was unfortunate that she would have to leave, but she was through with the idiodic bumbling of the ill fated group anyways, she had more important things to attend to.

***

Come nightfall, Natalya silently slipped out her second story window onto the sloping roof below. she crouched there in the shadows only long enough to quickly scan her surroundings. Her quick appraisal revealed only a small cat on the next roof over and a loud drunk stumbling down the dimly lit street. thankfully, the town watch's night patrol was no where to be seen. she moved through the shadows to the edge of the roof and dropped silently into the alley below. from there, she silently moved to the stables. she nibmly picked the lock on the back door of the stable, so as to avoid the comotose elderly stable hand asleep in front of the main door. inside, she found a sleek black horse in excellent shape. she snickered softly at how dismayed the owner would be come morning when he realized his prize steed was missing. in the corner, she found a utilitarian black leather saddle with suprisingly tasteful silver decoration. she grinned again, she liked this horse already. she carefully eased into the horses stall. the horse tossed her head and whinneyed in a low voice in curiosity.

"there now girl, it is ok, you and me will get along just fine." Natalya said in soothing voice. Natalya reached out slowly, and produced a carrot she had pinched from the kitchens out of her robe. she softly rubbed the horses black nose. when the horse pulled back, Natalya started whispering in a soothing voice, and offered the horse the carrot. This greatly reduced the horses suspiscions of Natalya. The sleek black mare twitched its ears in pleasure as it happily munched the carrot. Natalya deftly threw the horses dark blanket over its back, and worked the saddle carefully into place. she patted the horse in apology as she kneed the horses ribs so she might tighten the saddle strap. she worked a simple leather wicker into the horses mouth, who gladly accepted it in place of its accustomed metal bit.

she gently lead the now very trusting horse out of its stall and out the narrow back door. they slowly worked there way through the streets to the wide open south gate. bless these quiet times we live in Natalya thought as she and the horse walked past two smiling guards. once free of the city limits, she hopped on the horses back and urged the horse forwards. they moved west across the bridge spanning the River Erohw, and galloped down the main road towards the forest, and eventually towards the chest she had left behind....

(Didn't occur to me to let the elf-thief keep quiet about the Guild. Were there that many passersby to catch that, though? Well, perhaps a thief or two around in the shadows... Ah, well, my mistake, okay?

I'm honestly beginning to suspect that everyone here hates my ideas and characters. Well, I'll play along a bit more for the time being and see what happens...)

"Excellent," said the goddess. "Now I just need to tell you, I would have to visit you far less often in future, as the frequent presence of the divine in the mortal realm would greatly upset its natural balance to the detriment of all living beings therein. Be ye therefore a lamp unto yourselves, my beloved servants. And fight strongly against evil. I have one last thing to give you before I take my leave."

Kuan-Yin produced a girdle and handed it to Es-ta. The girdle was immaculately crafted, with sparkling gems set into it. "This is the Girdle of Giant Strength worn by Thor, he whom the peoples of the Northern Ice worship as the God of Thunder. Anyone who wears it will have his or her strength and endurance increased a hundredfold. This should greatly aid you and your friends in your quest to restore the Left Eye, to find the runesword and ultimately to defeat the Master of Fear. But remember, this girdle is only loaned; every Freya-Day (Friday) it will vanish and return to its owner, but at the end of each Freya-Day it will return to you and your friends. Use it wisely."

Chun-Li was just thinking that this would be the ideal gift for Wolfram when someone opened the door and came in, much to the shock of Chun-Li and Es-ta. But the goddess merely smiled. It was Rufus.

Rufus stared in shock at the goddess. "W-Who are you?..." Nearby, Es-ta tried to motion to Rufus to kneel down in respect. But he was totally taken in by the goddess' radiance.

"Never fear, sweet child," said Kuan-Yin. "I am Kuan-Yin, she whom the Cathayans worship as the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion[/i]..."

"I... I never saw my mother all my life..." stuttered Rufus. I always tried to imagine how she looked... You look just like how I imagined she'd look..."

The goddess walked to Rufus and kissed him affectionately on the forehead. "I love you just like my very own, sweet child. Be good, and stand with your friends against all adversity! You have my blessings, child!"

Rufus was dazed. "I thank you, mother..."

"I must take my leave now. Farewell, beloved servants!" and she vanished in a flash of light.

Just then the door opened again. It was Isis. "Hey, fellas! I'm afraid we've got some trouble with the city elders!"

[Edited by Cammy on November 21st, 2000 at 08:28 AM]

Time for me to throw something in

Something was wrong.
The Gods were meddeling again.
Asteph'theroc Draco swore, a word that had not been used in a millenia.
Some meant well ......others not, but they were still to young to understand the consequences of what they were doing.
They were creatures of belief, sustained by the believe of every prayer, veneration and act performed in there name. When a god lost all of its believers, it lost its higher consicouness, all its powers dispersing back into the mana weave, only to be re-emerge as a another new god when belief swung back the other way.
In the beginning, before the mortals evolved, there were no gods, only the mana weave, the heart and lifeforce of the universe from which everything else has sprung.
"Mortal, immortal or divine, we are all still children of the weave", muttered the figure in the shadows.
Asteph'therocs' race had been one of the first born. Some of those races had died out in wars whilst others had evolved and moved on.
One race, the closest to Asteph'theroc Dracos' own had sought power and in doing so, had lost themselves in their lust to have more, becoming what the mortals called shadowfiends.
Asteph'theroc Draco laughed a short bitter laugh. That had marked the turning point. Disrupting the weave to allow the emergence of HIM, starting the chain of events that had led to the Great War. The slaughter and imprisoning of his people.
But in doing this, what were to be later known as shadowfiends had doomed themselves. They had forgot that power is nothing without will and had become, over the years, a pathetic remenent of their once powerful race.
With a start Asteph'theroc Draco emerged from his meditation.
A horse, approaching rapidly from the nearby city, about two miles away he determined, listening carefully......and behind that, a group of 3 in a stealthy pursuit.
Asteph'theroc Draco shifted slightly and peered at the crossroads where he knew they would converge.
Something must be done soon, to either convince the various panthenons to stop meddeling, an virtually impossible task he thought, or remove their ability to directly intervene temporarily.
Each time they acted, the quicker the restraints on HIM were loosened.
Neither Asteph'theroc Draco, nor the rest of the world, were ready to withstand HIS full power yet, more time was needed.....

Horses.

Asteph'theroc looked on as the woman edged her black mare into the concealment of the trees on the other side of the road, her hood pulled up concealing her features. Fifteen seconds later the group of 3 arrived, reining in and stopping their horses in the centre of the crossroads.

"Come out pretty thief!" teased one of the armed knights looking around warily.
Some type of city guard thought Asteph'theroc to himself.
Looking back over to where the thief was he saw her dismounted trying to keep her mare quite.
The mares in heat realised Asteph'theroc, and all three of the men are riding stallions, she can't keep that mare quite for lon.....

The mare whinnyed a greeting.
All three heads of the knights turned round in the direction of the sound, swords making a scrape as they came out of scabbards.

She can't take all of them, thought Asteph'theroc, not daggers against platemail.

The thief obviously thought otherwise, slapping her mare and sending her out of cover.
The knights heads swiveled after the mare but as soon as they realised noone was on the horse they snapped back to where the thief was....had been.....just in time for one of them to take a thrown blade in the face and a split second later another to fall as his horse collapsed under him, disembowled as the thief had rolled under it just after retrieving her dagger from the head of the dead knight.
Crunch.
The thief went flying, having been caught out not realising that the remaining knight was on a trained warhorse, which had kicked her as she was darting round to attack the remaining knight from his blindside.
With a crunch the thief landed 10ft away from him, her daggers out of reach and her ankle twisted painfully under her.
Just sprained realised Asteph'theroc, though it will probably feel like its broken, and a fractured rib.
Then Asteph'theroc Draco looked at her face.

Llaersil?!?!

What?

Looking again he realised that she was just a mortal, a human, but the resembalance was uncanny!
What can this mean he thought frantically to himself ..... is she meant to aid me in what I must do, what if she....

"Time to die pretty thief" sneered the approaching knight.

No!

Asteph'theroc Draco didn't realise he had shouted this until he saw both the thief and the guard turn round abruptly to look at him.
With a scream he called upon his powers, feeling the weave, letting it flow through him, altering it here, bending it there, bringing millions of myriad different forces together in perfect harmony, before encasing himself in its aura as he leapt from his hiding place, traveling faster than the mortal eye could see, swinging his sword.

The resulting sound echoed thorughout the forest.

"Ow!" yelped the thief, "Why did you go and have to do that for, I can hardly bloody hear now?". She looked at the discoloured smear on the ground, all that was left of her opponent, and then at the tall muscular elfling with the fierce golden eyes and alien, though striking, appearence.
She grinned suddenly, "I was going to stick him anyway", she said moving slightly and re-sheathing a hidden dagger that she had been concealing underneath.

"My name is Natyala by the way", she said, "now are you going to give me a hand getting up or not?"

What can this mean?!?!?
Asteph'theroc Dracos' thoughts churned wildly in his head as he tried to make sense of what was going on, why this happened, why this thief resembled someone lost long ago, his soulmate.
Asteph'theroc Draco blinked, quashing his doubts underneath his will.
This must have meant to be, maybe she will aid me, he thought to himself.
Extending his hand he took her proffered arm and helped her up, pulling one of the deads knights swords to him via his will for her to use as a crutch.
"My name is Asteph'theroc", he spoke, "and I believe we will be traveling together for a while".

"Where to?" questioned Natyala warily.

"The where does not matter, what we will do there will probably upset the majority of gods, but it is only for there own good, as well as the good of the rest of this world. If we succeed they might even forgive us"

"Is it dangerous?" asked Natyala, "might there even be a large amound of gold, trade goods or precious items to.....ummmm... aquire?"

"Yes on both counts", Asteph'theroc replied confused.

"Sweet" grinned Natyala

with the aid of the sword Asteph'theroc had handed her, Natalya gingerly rose to her feet. determined not to show weakness before the strange man who had appeared out of the night, she tested her ankle, and fell uncerimoniously into a heap of dark green cloth and leather onto the cold ground. Asteph'theroc leapt to her aid with a strange, almost lovingly concerned look on his face.

"you really shouldn't attempt to walk on that ankle, it is a rather nasty sprain," Asteph'theroc said as he lifted her to her feet and offered his arm for support.

"bah, it is nothing," Natalya mumbled, obviously wincing in pain. she gladly took his arm for support, she new her ankle would give out again if she tried to put any weight on it. she was impressed by the quiet strength this stranger held.

"fortunately we do not need to start our journey immediately. the evils we will be facing take little note of mortal beings conceptions of time. the earth will not fall into utter peril it we spend a small amount of time to bandage you up," Asteph'theroc said in a mockingly serious tone.

Natalya laughed

"how nice of these unearthly evils to be so consiterate of my needs. speaking of unearthly evils, where is that she-devil of horse i had the misfortune of stealing. if it hadn't been for her raging hormones, those guards would have never found us."

it was Asteph'theroc's turn to laugh.

"I think you will find her over there, acquainting herself with one of those war horses. besides, she cannot be all evil, for if not for her "raging hormones" you and i would have never met."

an amused look came over Natalya's face

"some how i sincerely doubt that." Natalya said, a slight smile forming at the edges of her lips.

[Edited by WAnk on November 21st, 2000 at 08:17 AM]

after an awkward silence, Asteph'theroc lead Natalya over to her horse. Natalya took hold of the pommel on the black mares saddle, handing the guard's sword back she had used as a crutch back to the elfling. He then took a few moments to give the two living warhorses a firm smack on the flank with the flat edge of the broadsword, and to retrieve Natalya's daggers before returning to her side. she thanked them, and quickly cleaned them on the horses saddle blanked before deftly returning them to various places beneath her cloak. Asteph'theroc wondered with a small smile how many of these daggers she had hidden about her person. He was also fairly certain he would not like to be in a situation to figure this out.

He lead Natalya and the mare back to the small clearing he had been using as a temporary camp. he tied the horses reigns onto the same tree branch as his own horse, a beautiful blue roan stallion. the black mare knickered a greeting to the grey horse, which merely shook its head in annoyance. although he didn't really need a horse, Asteph'theroc travelled on one for the sake of ambiguity. A man travelling on horseback drew much less attention than a man travelling at unhuman speeds on foot. besides, his horse had proven an interesting companion, if nothing else.

Before taking Asteph'theroc's arm for support again, Natalya took the mare's nose in her hand, and gave the horse a menacing stare.

"you and i are going to have a long talk tomorrow, missy," Natalya said in a stern voice. The horse flickered its ears, bobbed its head, and almost managed to look embarassed. The elfling watched this strange conversation in amusement, his smile fading as Natalya turned her glare upon him.

"don't look at me, i am not the one chasing down strange male horses," Asteph'theroc stuttered

Natalya grinned in response, cheerfully taking her new travel companions arm again.

"i think you and i are going to get along just fine, my dear fellow."

Asteph'theroc chuckled as he led her to the tree he had been using to ponder the quest ahead of him before Natalya had unexpectedly burst into the roadside before him. She greatfully lowered herself off her feet, and gave the elfling a thankful look. he responded to her look with a happy smile, and went to work taking off the mares saddle and blanket. when he was finished, he walked to his own saddlebags and produced a linen bandage. Squatting before her, Asteph'theroc carefully worked Natalya's soft leather boot off of her injured ankle. Natalya grimmaced slightly, but in all was taking the paid better than he had expected. despite her feminine form, she was a surprisingly tough woman. as he bandaged the thief's ankle, Asteph'theroc made idle small talk.

"I am sorry, but i do not have a bedroll or anything for tonight."

Natalya gave the elfling a bemused look. "that is quite alright, i have grown accustomed to travelling without such luxuries."

"as have i, travelling light does have its advantages," Asteph'theroc said in a knowing tone. "There we are, all bandaged up. That should remove some of the mobility, at least. It should be better before you know it."

He helped her put her boot back on, and Natalya thanked him again. She was indeed very curious about this strange man who was helping her, and about the quest that lay before them.

Zeus returned from the mortal plane, reaching between his legs and massaging away with sheer pleasure. Ares passed by and saw him.

"Went down there to screw another gal again, I presume?" asked Ares, eyebrows raised.

"Shhh!" said Zeus. "Not so loud, Hera might hear! Yes, you bet -- and it was an elf this time, too! Hee, hee, such pleasure!"

"Honestly, Zeus, don't you think the denizens of the mortal world are having enough of this? To say nothing of the danger of upsetting the natural balance in the energy cycles of the mortal plane? I mean, this is the hundredth time you've gone down there in a single mortal year!"

"I couldn't give a f***ing damn!" replied Zeus. "Who cares what those stupid mortal worms think -- such as that presumptuous Asteph'theroc fellow! His mind sends out the loudest signals of displeasure at my entry into Unrealm, I'll give you that -- but if he's not happy, let him come see me and tell me that -- I'll blast him to smithereens with a thunderbolt faster than you can say 'Anaxagoras'!"

------------------------------------------------------------

In a stable in S'mon Traska, sparks of light suddenly appeared. Brighter and more numerous they grew, and then suddenly there was a flash and in their place appeared a knight on horseback.

"Ohhh... What happened?" muttered the knight. Then he remembered how this stranger leapt towards him, throwing at him a multicolored orb of light as he pursued the she-thief. "Damn that man -- he must have been an aide of that no-good bitch!"

Just then another two knights on horseback appeared in the stable in like manner. "Ohhh... What happened?" they groaned. One of them felt a stinging pain in his face -- as if he had been stabbed there...

------------------------------------------------------------

"My master Khaine's been out to sea," replied the old woman, realizing she could no longer hide the truth. "He should be back soon, though I have no idea when."

The man could tell that the crone spoke truly. "Well," he sighed, "guess I'll have no choice then but to await his return."

Then suddenly the old woman sensed something terribly wrong. Her spell had been undone by a divine power! Furious, she uttered a piercing scream. Even the man was taken aback somewhat. "My spell... It has been broken!"

"No matter..." snarled the witch between her teeth. "This time I'll try something much more dramatic... I'll truly break the Cathayan man's hold on the dragon, and his means of controlling it!"

seriously though cammy.....

note....

post unnecessary, problem solved much more eloquently by PMB in later posts

[Edited by WAnk on November 21st, 2000 at 06:48 PM]

Seriously though, Wank

"Well, actually," said Asteph'theroc, "what I've said is just a generalization; not all their religion is nonsense, though a lot of it is. There actually are a very few Cathayan deities who are real enough, and whose wisdom and power are in truth far greater than mine... Such as the wondrous goddess Kuan-Yin... Indeed, if I were to worship any god at all, she would be the one..."

(If you can put words in Asteph'theroc's mouth, Wank, so can I... Oh, and thanks so much for offering me such great challenges! )

[Edited by Cammy on November 21st, 2000 at 05:45 PM]

I'd actually rather none of you did. if its out of character, contradictory or crap.

"Belief can be a powerful thing", Asteph'theroc spoke to Natalya .
"It is what defines what you call gods, gives them there powers. Disbelief works the same way. Cursing a gods name benefits it as much as a prayer to it will".
Asteph'theroc paused briefly briefly before continuing.
"To me the gods mean nothing, I walked this world with my people and many others, before they existed , before they were born out of the mana weave, their parents mortal minds beliefs".
"Subjective reality is the closest you can get to it in normal terms. I do not believe....nor do I disbelive in them, therefore they can have no effect on me. The only way they might inconvience me ... slightly..... is via there mortal followers. If we accomplish our mission we will not have to worry about them interceading with their faithfull for a short while. If the mortal races are to survive what is coming, the only way they can do it is beliving in themselves."
Asteph'theroc paused then, staring at Natalyas face.

"What!" exclaimed Natyala, sort of freaked out by the intensity of his fiery golden eyes.

Asteph'theroc blinked.

"Sorry.... you just remind me of someone from long ago."

Natalya grinned.

"I'll roll you for first watch", she said, producing a couple of dice out of a pouch, "high roll gets first watch".

"Agreed", siad Asteph'theroc, a tiny hint of a smile appearing for a fraction of a second, before his face resumed it's normal unreadable mask.

Natalya rolled first. "Two fives", she grinned, before picking up the dice and swiftly switching them for her low rolling set as she passed them to him, "now you roll....HEY!"

"What", asked Asteph'theroc, "I just rolled a five and a six, I get first watch............ is there a problem?"

Natalya grimaced, she knew he must of cheated somehow, but the only reason she knew was because the dice he now had should have rolled a two and a three. She couldn't argue that one, no matter how good she was at bluffing.

"Ok I get second", she muttered, curling up by the small enclosed fire that Asteph'theroc had got going a few minutes earlier.
"Make sure you wake me", she muttered, glaring at Asteph'theroc.

Natalya hated second watch, you were always shattered by early evening the next day.

"Of course", Asteph'theroc muttered leaning forward, touching her forehead gently, "I won't".

Asteph'theroc pulled his hand back from the now sleeping Natalya. The acceleration he had placed on her natural healing process would last the night and when she woke from her ensorcelled sleep she would also most be as good as new, though she might still feel slight bruising around her ribs.

"Sleep well little one, I have no need", whispered Asteph'theroc, settling his back against a tree, his sword unsheathed across his knees, his eyes fixed on Natalya, awaiting the coming of dawn.


__________
PMB

[Edited by RumpleForeskin|PuF on November 21st, 2000 at 06:37 PM]

I'd far rather not...

...but for the indignity to which my pet characters would be subject. Anyway, here I go...

In an ancient temple, next to a font, a young girl woke up.

She had died. Or at least her former self -- her former identity as a slave of the great Asteph'theroc. By powerful magicks he had bound her to him; but then, after seven years, he gave her the Kiss of Liberation and the bonds were broken.

Now, after seven days of deep, restful sleep, the life energies Asteph'theroc borrowed from her had been rejuvenated. She was free -- free to start a new life. And she recalled her former master, no longer with dread, but with fondness.

She hurried back home, unable to wait to see her family and friends! How happy they would be to see her again! Unfortunately, none of them knew of the dark forces now besieging the world of Unrealm...

It would seem that the unrealm has already reach the evil disaster we all wrote about

[Note: I would like to point out that as an equal participant, I have EQUAL say in what is and what is not real in this realm. And I write on behalf of several unnamed others, because quite frankly I think we are ALL a little tired of having to bend over backwards to the dictate of someone who didn't create the unrealm. And what is written here does happen, is not the result of some dream unless otherwise noted, and in inescapable.]

Little did anyone know, the gods were very real. And unfortunately so...

The arch magus Jing strode into the Tavern. With a flick of his wrist, the patrons turned to stone. The adventurers stood, weapons at ready. The Arch Magus began to laugh hysterically. It was very strange. He brandished a jar in his hands, as if some weapon. Moreover it appeared to be empty.

Chun-Li looked around with wide-eyed surprise. "I'll not let you torment these people so!" She began to pray to her goddess. "Oh Kuan-yin, here my call, I beseech you to..."

She was interrupted with loud laughter.

The arch magus held the jar out towards her. "Now now, why don't you speak to her directly?" A tiny figure, that of Kuan-yin, could be seen inside the jar, futilely banging against the jar shouting "Let me out! Let me out!"

More laughter. With a snap of fingers and a spoken word, Chun-Li explodes into many fleshy bits...

The peasant farmer awoke with a start. Never had he had such dreams before! Of witches and adventurers, the undead and dragons! What did it portend to? And why had he been a female? He ambled out of bed...the sun had yet to rise, and the many chores awaited doing. His favorite cow was pregnant, and he thought he might name the calf after the female in his dream...it had started with a C, what was the name now? Cam-Li? The more he thought about it, the more and more ridiculous and inconsequential the dream became. And he had much to do if his family was to continue eating.

Elsewhere, a warrior named Wolfram was stirring after being knocked unconcious...

A leather clad woman rode silently through the night atop a sleek black mare, her dark green cloak billowing behind her in the cool autumn breeze. she ducked to avoid a low branch that hung over the small, ill-kept trail. the events of the past few weeks required her to stay out of the public eye, and off of main roads where she might be seen by a passing guard or spy. Once she reached the Daryethian border and crossed back into her homeland she would be safe, but for now stealth was very necessary. soon she would be back home, her mission complete. she had learned to suppress her the moral doubts her conscious always threw at her after these types of missions, but still a tear came to her eye as she idlly fingered the fox head tattoo hidden under her clothing. What she had done was necessary, a mission of upmost importance. there was a reason she had received the job, she was one of the best at what she did, one of the few who could have done what she had just done successfully, and made it away alive. even that she had almost done. Her cloak now had a large tear in it, slashed by a palace guardsman, and her face bore a thin red scar from another man's dagger. Another man not quite so skilled with those daggers as i she thought to herself as a smile crept across her face. the wind picked up, and she shivered and nudged her horse to move down the trail faster

Lets try again shall we?

(had a long talk with WAnk in irc and we both agreed that we really liked where we were going with this, so we agreed to redo it after the "reset" button was pressed by Jing. Rather than WAnk posting his stufff again I've combined them in one post and neatened up the dialogue/grammmar/spelling a bit in an attempt to make it a bit more readable

NOTE (25/11/00): I've altered it slightly so I suggest you re-read it. My character is no longer regards gods with apathy... he's quite intrigued by them ).

A few minutes later an armed company of men on horseback arrived, one man lightly dressed in leathers running ahead of them, peering intently at the ground.

"She went this way, we're about 5 minutes behind", the man whispered back to the horseman following him.

"Lead on", commanded the nearest horseman, "soon we'll have this murderesses head on a pole. That, a few executions and burning a few houses down should be enough to quell the general populace again".
As one the guards kicked their horses and followed the trail

__________________

Something was wrong.
The Gods were meddeling again.
Altering reality just enough to introduce an uncertainty factor.
That uncertainty factor had been enough to tilt the balance, albeit very briefly, but just long enough to allow HIM to reach through the barriers to impose HIS wishes on this world.
It had taken a vast concentration of his will to snap this timeline back to it's correct destiny, even he had almost been pulled into that other dimension.
If not for the intervention of some the gods he would have been lost.

That had suprised him.

Astepth'theroc hated suprises.

Some of the gods had broken away from their eternal bickering and pursuit of their own satisfaction, to act in concert to help seal the breach in the weave.
Even some mortals had somehow - Astepth'theroc had no idea how - managed to alter the weave, help block HIM long enough for the weave to repair itself.
"Maybe I have underestimated them......maybe..".

Asteph'theroc Draco swore, a word that had not been used in a millenia.

Some meant well ......others not, but they were still to young to understand the consequences of what they were doing.

They were creatures of belief, sustained by the believe of every prayer, veneration and act performed in there name. When a god lost all of its believers, it lost its higher consicouness, all its powers dispersing back into the mana weave, only to be re-emerge as another new god when belief swung back the other way.

In the beginning, before the mortals evolved, there were no gods, only the mana weave, the heart and lifeforce of the universe from which everything else has sprung.

"Mortal, immortal or divine, we are all still children of the weave", muttered the figure in the shadows.

Asteph'therocs' race had been one of the first born, born before the mortal races had arrived and created the gods. Some of those races had died out in wars whilst others had evolved and moved on.

One race, the closest to Asteph'theroc Dracos' own had sought power and in doing so, had lost themselves in their lust to have more, becoming what the mortals called shadowfiends.

Asteph'theroc Draco laughed a short bitter laugh. That had marked the turning point. Disrupting the weave to allow the emergence of HIM, starting the chain of events that had led to the Great War.

The slaughter and imprisoning of his people.

But in doing this, what were to be later known as shadowfiends had doomed themselves. They had forgot that power is nothing without will and had become, over the years, a pathetic remenent of their once powerful race.

With a start Asteph'theroc Draco emerged from his meditation.
A horse, approaching rapidly from the nearby city, about two miles away he determined, listening carefully......and behind that, a large group of riders in hot pursuit.
Asteph'theroc Draco shifted slightly and peered at the crossroads where he knew they would converge.

Something must be done soon, to either convince the various panthenons to stop meddeling, or remove their ability to directly intervene temporarily.
Each time they acted, the quicker the restraints on HIM were loosened.
Neither Asteph'theroc Draco, nor the rest of the world, were ready to withstand HIS full power yet, more time was needed.....
Maybe some of these mortals gods could help keep the balance.....

Horses.

Asteph'theroc looked on as the woman edged her black mare into the concealment of the trees on the other side of the road, her hood pulled up concealing her features. Fifteen seconds later the group of riders arrived, reining in and stopping their horses in the centre of the crossroads.

"Come out pretty lady!" teased one of the armed men looking around warily.

Some type of city guard thought Asteph'theroc to himself.
Looking back over to where the thief was he saw her dismounted trying to keep her mare quite.
The mares in heat realised Asteph'theroc, and the majority of the men are riding stallions, she can't keep that mare quite for lon.....

The mare whinnyed a greeting.

All the heads of the men turned round in the direction of the sound, swords making a scrape as they came out of scabbards.

She can't take all of them, thought Asteph'theroc, not daggers against platemail.

The girl obviously thought otherwise, slapping her mare and sending her out of cover.
The knights heads swiveled after the mare but as soon as they realised noone was on the horse they snapped back to where the thief was....had been.....just in time for two of them to take a thrown blade in the face and a split second later another three to fall as their horses collapsed under him, disembowled as the thief had rolled under it just after retrieving her dagger from the head of the dead knight.

Crunch.

The thief went flying, having been caught out not realising that the men were on trained warhorses, one of which had kicked her as she was darting round to attack a man from his blindside.
With a crash the thief landed 10ft away from Asteph'theroc, her daggers out of reach and her ankle twisted painfully under her.
Just sprained realised Asteph'theroc, though it will probably feel like its broken, and a fractured rib.
Then Asteph'theroc Draco looked at her face.

Llaersil?!?!

What?

Looking again he realised that she was just a mortal, a human, but the resembalance was uncanny!
What can this mean he thought frantically to himself ..... is she meant to aid me in what I must do, what if she....

"Time to die pretty lady" sneered the man approaching her

"NO!"

Asteph'theroc Draco didn't realise he had shouted this until he saw both the thief and the guard turn round abruptly to look at him.
With a scream he called upon his powers, feeling the weave, letting it flow through him, altering it here, bending it there, bringing millions of myriad different forces together in perfect harmony, before encasing himself in its aura as he leapt from his hiding place, traveling faster than the mortal eye could see, swinging his sword.

The resulting sound echoed thorughout the forest.

"Ow!" yelped the woman, "Why did you go and have to do that for, I can hardly bloody hear now?". She looked at the discoloured smear on the ground, all that was left of her opponent, and then at the tall muscular elfling with the fierce golden eyes and alien, though striking, appearence.
She grinned suddenly, "I was going to stick him anyway", she said moving slightly and re-sheathing a hidden dagger that she had been concealing underneath.

"My name is Mirya by the way", she said, "now are you going to give me a hand getting up or not?"

What can this mean?!?!?
Asteph'theroc Dracos' thoughts churned wildly in his head as he tried to make sense of what was going on, why this happened, why this thief resembled someone lost long ago, his soulmate.
Asteph'theroc Draco blinked, quashing his doubts underneath his will.
This must have meant to be, maybe she will aid me, he thought to himself.

Extending his hand he took her proffered arm and helped her up, pulling one of the deads knights swords to him via his will for her to use as a crutch.
"My name is Asteph'theroc", he spoke, "and I believe we will be traveling together for a while".

"Where to?" questioned Mirya warily.

"The sea. It was foretold that the first one, the instrument of HIS will, would come from over the sea."

"Is it dangerous?" asked Mirya, "might there even be a large amounts of gold, trade goods or precious items to.....ummmm... aquire?"

"Yes on both counts", Asteph'theroc replied confused.

"Sweet" grinned Mirya

"Excuse me", asked one of the previously forgotten guards with a sneer on his face, "sorry to interrupt your little union but she's under sentance of death and if you don't move out the way we'll kill you as well"

"For what reason?" Asteph'theroc asked, fixing his eyes on the nervous guard.

"Murder", growled another one.

"Justice" spat back Mirya from her position on the ground, "he was a murdering tyrant who butchered and stole from his own people. He deserved to die, me getting paid to do it was just a bonus"

"Enough!" shouted a guard, "she dies now, as will you.... charge them!"

Ten of the remaining guards leaped off their horses whilst the others wheeled theirs around and set their lances.

Asteph'theroc plucked at the weave again, creating a bend in TIME where he once again stepped outside it. Calling on his innate powers he started glowing gold, filled with his feelings, of rage at HIM, with loss and bitter sadness over the fate of his people, filled with remorse at what he was now doing, but converting all that emotional energy into a weapon via the strength of his will as he set on the guards.

"Now I suggest you leave unless you want to end up like your companions", Asteph'theroc told the guard in front of him.

"What....", the guard looked round puzzeled, then blanched white. All that was left of his company were a few pools of blood, entrails and severed limbs, some still attached to the horses they had been riding via the stirups.

The guard ran.

with the aid of the sword Asteph'theroc had handed her, trying to keep her stomach from turning at the way all those men had suddenly just exploded, Mirya gingerly rose to her feet.
Determined not to show weakness before the strange man who had appeared out of the night, she tested her ankle and fell uncerimoniously into a heap of dark green cloth and leather onto the cold ground. Asteph'theroc leapt to her aid with a strange, almost concerned look on his face.

"You shouldn't attempt to walk on that ankle, it is a rather nasty sprain," Asteph'theroc said as he lifted her to her feet and offered his arm for support.

"Bah, it is nothing," Mirya mumbled, obviously wincing in pain.
With a resigned sigh she reluctently took his arm for support, she knew her ankle would give out again if she tried to put any weight on it, but hated having to rely on others.
She was impressed by the quiet strength this stranger held, if - she looked over to the remenants of the palace guard - not by his way of making a point.

"Fortunately we do not need to start our journey immediately. the evils we will be facing take little note of mortal beings conceptions of time. The earth will still turn if we spend a small amount of time to bandage you up," Asteph'theroc said in a mockingly serious tone.

Mirya laughed

"how nice of these unearthly evils to be so considerate of my needs. speaking of unearthly evils, where is that she-devil of horse i had the misfortune of stealing. if it hadn't been for her raging hormones, those guards would have never found us."

it was Asteph'theroc's turn to show a slight smile.

"I think you will find her over there, acquainting herself with one of those war horses. besides, she cannot be all evil, for if not for her "raging hormones" you and i would have never met."

An amused look came over Mirya's face

"Some how i sincerely doubt that." Mirya said, a slight smile forming at the edges of her lips.

"It was fated", replied Asteph'theroc, who then looked rather shocked that he had spoken what was meant to be a private thought aloud.

After an awkward silence, Asteph'theroc lead Mirya over to her horse. Mirya took hold of the pommel on the black mares saddle, handing the guard's sword back she had used as a crutch back to the elfling. He then took a few moments to give the two living warhorses a firm smack on the flank with the flat edge of the broadsword,and to retrieve Mirya's daggers before returning to her side.
She thanked hom, and quickly cleaned the blades on the horses saddle blanket before deftly returning them to various places beneath her cloak.

Asteph'theroc wondered with a small smile how many of these daggers she had hidden about her person. He was also fairly certain he would not like to be in a situation to figure this out.

He lead Mirya and the mare back to the small clearing he had been using as a temporary camp. He tied the horses reigns onto the same tree branch as his own horse, a beautiful blue roan stallion. the black mare knickered a greeting to the grey horse, which merely shook its head in annoyance.
Although he didn't really need a horse, Asteph'theroc travelled on one for the sake of ambiguity. A man travelling on horseback drew much less attention than a man travelling at inhuman speeds on foot. Besides, his horse had proven an interesting companion, if nothing else.

Before taking Asteph'theroc's arm for support again, Mirya took the mare's nose in her hand, and gave the horse a menacing stare.

"you and i are going to have a long talk tomorrow, missy," Mirya said in a stern voice. The horse flickered its ears, bobbed its head, and almost managed to look embarassed. The elfling watched this strange conversation in amusement, his smile fading as Mirya turned her glare upon him.

"Don't look at me, I am not the one chasing down strange male horses," Asteph'theroc responded

Mirya grinned in response, cheerfully taking her new travel companions arm again.

"i think you and i are going to get along just fine, my dear fellow."

Asteph'theroc chuckled as he led her to the tree he had been using to ponder the quest ahead of him before Mirya had unexpectedly burst into the roadside before him. She greatfully lowered herself off her feet, and gave the elfling a thankful look. he responded to her look with a happy smile, and went to work taking off the mares saddle and blanket. when he was finished, he walked to his own saddlebags and produced a linen bandage. Squatting before her, Asteph'theroc carefully worked Mirya's soft leather boot off of her injured ankle. Mirya grimmaced slightly, but in all was taking the pain better than he had expected. despite her feminine form, she was a surprisingly tough woman. as he bandaged the thief's ankle, Asteph'theroc made idle small talk.

"I am sorry, but i do not have a bedroll or anything for tonight."

Mirya gave the elfling a bemused look. "that is quite alright, i have grown accustomed to travelling without such luxuries."

"as have i, travelling light does have its advantages," Asteph'theroc said in a knowing tone. "There we are, all bandaged up. That should remove some of the mobility, at least. It should be better before you know it."

"Gods willing" muttered Mirya,

Asteph'theroc started at that phrase, reaching out and holding her chin whilst staring fiercly into her slightly startled eyes.

"Belief can be a powerful thing", Asteph'theroc spoke firmly to Mirya .
"It is what defines what you call gods, gives them there powers. Disbelief works the same way. Cursing a gods name benefits it as much as a prayer to it will".
"To me the gods mean nothing, I walked this world with my people and many others, before they existed , before they were born out of the mana weave, their parents mortal minds beliefs".
Asteph'theroc paused briefly, his mind considering the possibility that he no longer belived that in light of there recent aid in fighting back HIM, before continuing.
"Subjective reality is the closest you can get to it in normal terms. I do not believe....nor do I disbelive in them, therefore they can have no effect on me. The only way they might inconvience me ... slightly..... is via there mortal followers. If we accomplish our mission, or ...", he paused briefly, then continued with a wry grin,"Gods Willing, we manage to convince them to stop taking a direct hand, we will not have to worry about them interceding with their faithfull for a short while. If the mortal races are to survive what is coming, the only way they can do it is beliving in themselves."
Asteph'theroc paused then, staring at Miryas face.

"What!" exclaimed Mirya, sort of freaked out by the intensity of his fiery golden eyes, as well as his rather theological speech, "it's just a saying".

Asteph'theroc blinked.

"Sorry.... you just remind me of someone from long ago."

Mirya grinned.

"I'll roll you for first watch", she said, changing the subject and producing a couple of dice out of a pouch, "high roll gets first watch".

"Agreed", siad Asteph'theroc, a tiny hint of a smile appearing for a fraction of a second, before his face resumed it's normal unreadable mask.

Mirya rolled first. "Two fives", she grinned, before picking up the dice and swiftly switching them for her low rolling set as she passed them to him, "now you roll....HEY!"

"What", asked Asteph'theroc, "I just rolled a five and a six, I get first watch............ is there a problem?"

Mirya grimaced, she knew he must of cheated somehow, but the only reason she knew was because the dice he now had should have rolled a two and a three. She couldn't argue that one, no matter how good she was at bluffing.

"Ok I get second", she muttered, curling up by the small enclosed fire that Asteph'theroc had got going a few minutes earlier.
"Make sure you wake me", she muttered, glaring at Asteph'theroc.

Mirya hated second watch, you were always shattered by early evening the next day.

"Of course", Asteph'theroc muttered leaning forward, touching her forehead gently, "I won't".

Asteph'theroc pulled his hand back from the now sleeping Mirya. The acceleration he had placed on her natural healing process would last the night and when she woke from her ensorcelled sleep she would also most be as good as new, though she might still feel slight bruising around her ribs.

"Sleep well little one, I have no need", whispered Asteph'theroc, settling his back against a tree, his sword unsheathed across his knees, his eyes fixed on Mirya, awaiting the coming of dawn.

[Edited by RumpleForeskin|PuF on November 25th, 2000 at 04:44 PM]

"Heavens, whatever could have caused you to have a dream like that?" asked the peasant farmer's wife with deeply knit brows after listening to his accounts of the wild dream he had. "What special significance could all those things possibly bear?"

"I wouldn't have a clue at all," remarked the farmer, shrugging his shoulders. Then he recalled their pregnant cow. "Say, June, has our cow given birth yet?"

"No. Why?"

"I'm thinking of naming the calf she'll bear after the heroine of whom I dreamt…" answered the farmer. "She just struck me as a most noble woman…"

"What?" cried the farmer's wife, eyes going wide. "How could you think of using such an outlandish name for our calf? And besides, that heroine you spoke of died a gruesome death. Would it not therefore be a most inauspicious thing to use her name? Do you want our calf to die like that too, huh? Use your brains, John!"

------------------------------------------------------------

"Oooh…" groaned Wolfram. "What happened?"

"Easy, Wolfram," said Chun-Li. "We and our dragon just got chased out of the city of S'mon Traska by hordes of angry peasants."

"We tried reasoning with them," joined Freyja. "It was useless. The sight of the dragon convinced them that we are the source of all the troubles that have recently occurred in the city. Before long they started confronting us with sticks and stones, and in the commotion you got knocked unconscious. We didn't want to harm any innocent civilians, so we just picked you up and left…"

"Freyja and I actually reached the city last night way in advance of you all," joined Isis, "precisely with a view to visiting the city elders and telling them not to be alarmed upon sighting the dragon. Evidently our words had fallen on deaf ears…"

"I wonder what we shall do now…" sighed Du-de-es-ta. Then he noticed someone was missing. "Say, where's Natalya?"

"She asked me to tell you all she had to leave on account of certain personal matters," answered the elf-thief in a soft voice, as if sorry about something.

He actually had been lying. Even as he told this lie, he fingered the note Natalya had left him in his pocket, in which she cursed him for his sheer stupidity in letting out her being a trainee in the Thieves' Guild. How could he have been so careless? How could he let a moment of elation carry him off like that? He cursed himself endlessly, but it was too late.

"Don't be so downcast, friends," said Rufus. "Maybe we can come over to my -- "

Suddenly the dragon roared loudly, as if in great pain, thrashing its head from side to side. Everyone turned to look at the dragon in shock. "What's going on?" asked the paladin. "Why is the dragon suddenly behaving in this way?" Moy and Doy were so frightened they ran behind Wolfram and the paladin.

"I… I can sense it!" cried the old mage-healer. "Someone somewhere is working some kind of evil magic on the dragon!"

"Yes! I can sense it, too!" confirmed Freyja. Du-de-es-ta quickly reached into his sleeves for his bamboo flute with a view to taming the dragon again with his music. To his horror, he found the flute… broken…

"H-How could this be?" cried Es-ta. "What could have broken my flute?"

The dragon continued to roar for a while. Then it stopped and glared evilly at the adventurers. "Thank you, adventurers!" hissed the dragon. "Thank you for bringing me to this city! Now I can feast upon its thousands of inhabitants! But first I shall start with… all of you!"

<this brings the Ash-en back into sync with everyone else - I'm assuming that Asteph'theroc's battle to deal with "alterations to reality" really happened >

The Ash-en and their new allies made significant headway in the next few hours, travelling with a definite direction provided by the necromancer, Von Schwartzentodder.
Tzchee-inki had decided to accept this strange Urnamu's advice and head for the city of S'mon Traska. Obviously something strange was occurring near that city, for Von Schwartzentodder's Zombies to suddenly break from his control (he had only admitted this fact some time into the journey - apparently feeling some embarrasment that such a simple spell could
fail on him).
While they marched, the Hunting-spinners ranging far ahead, invisibly stealthy in their motion, the group's numbers slowly swelled.
The Urnamu Dead-raiser called upon his powers as he walked
beside the Scry-princes (who were curious to investigate this alien magic) and gradually skeletons and zombies began to emerge from the ground beside them, falling flawlessly into step as soon as they were free of the earth's reluctant grip. By the end of the sixth hour, there were as many of the undead as there were Ash-en, although the two groups remained very separate (the undead flanking the spider-people on both sides).
It was at this point that Von Schwartzentodder seemed to relax, a low moan escaping from his lips as he tied off the complex motivating spell which had been formed.
The Scry-princes besiged him respectfully with questions about the process that they had only imperfectly percieved, and the Urnamu happily (though tiredly) tried to answer.

For a while Tzchee-inki listened in on this discourse, learning that the undead were motivated as a whole, not as individuals, which was (the Urnamu cryptically pronounced) both their strength and weakness.
Tzchee-inki thought she understood; being joined as one by the web of his spell, these Urnamu-shells would respond instantly to everything around them - if one were destroyed, all would know of it. Conversely, if the web itself were destroyed, all of the undead caught within it would fall free to the ground and be lost. Feeling she understood all that she needed to, the En-keeper diverted her perception to matters of business, studying the weave of the world nearby...

Quickly, Tzche-inki discovered that the weave was filled with myriad tiny snarls and knots for hundreds of li [approx. 2 leagues]. With this distracting background, it was challenging to uncover the texture and flow of the weave itself...without which even the most simple divinations could not be performed. Even as she observed, more snarls grew up, apparently from nowhere, until the whole of the weave was opaque with twisting torsions.
There was a wrenching feel, a sensation the En-keeper had never experienced before, a sense of two forces battling to unravel the weave and remake it in new patterns.

Suddenly, the feeling passed, almost dreamlike now that it was over, and the tiny snarls had all vanished from the web of life. All but one, which lay a few li ahead on their current path, somewhere near the Urnamu city of S'mon Traska. Tzchee-inki looked around at her entourage, feeling the irrational need to check for any changes amongst them, but it seemed as if no-one else had noticed.
Even the Scry-princes seemed unconcerned, still deep in conversation with the Dead-raiser Von Schwartzentodder.
Something strange was happening, beyond the power of anything Tzchee-inki had ever experienced...

Minutes later, there was a rasping cry, pitched higher than Urnamu ears could hear. The vanguard of Hunting-spinners had discovered something on the path ahead, and had decided to capture it. Anxious to explore any possible connection
to the strange occurances, the En-keeper pushed her allied forces ahead at double pace...