A Path to the Past and Future ... (Lichen and Golash)

[Ardyne D'Enae]

30th Brightening of Imperos, in the Season of Autumn, Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum

She had found herself wandering Carmelyn a bit. Ardyne had doubted her instincts and taken up the offer of a ride from a passing trade caravan that headed Northeast, back in the direction of Archadoon. When she had climbed into one of the wagons, she was faced with an angry old man. "Meh, women! Always wandering about on their own without a crown's worth of sense. And you! You don't even know where you're going!" He would say, usually in jest. She had taken offense to it at first, but found that she honestly couldn't explain herself. She knew she had to find answers to her past, but she had left alone with no plan. In a way, he had a point, though after a day or two, he often smiled telling her how smart and brave she was to be seeking her past.

They had traveled for about a week, and the old man had found someone to talk to. She enjoyed hearing the tales of his travels. Many of them were quite exaggerated, but he quite enjoyed relating them and she found them entertaining. He smiled and jabbered on about odd objects he had found and the strange places he had seen. He thought he had a way of interpreting dreams as well, though her dreams seemed far too complicated for him to comprehend, he convincingly gave her his insight. She would smile and tell him, "That must be it, then." To which he would nod his head assuredly.

One brightening he truly caught Ardyne's attention. He was jabbering on as usual, yet this brightening was different. He seemed more agitated, like he was speaking of things that were forbidden and yet he couldn't keep them locked away in his mind any longer. He told Ardyne of a city. A city built by druids, with rumors of a dark city beneath it. The more he spoke and described what he knew of these places, the greater her anxiety. She felt as if someone had just told her where she could find a secret treasure and she was nearly jumping out of her skin to be on her way to find it. She had soon left her newly made friends and joined a caravan headed SouthWest to the city of Acumin.

Ardyne was jostled around a bit as the wagon she was in moved over the rough terrain on the road to Acumin. She could sense she was getting closer to what she was seeking, though she didn't even know what it was.

[Golash]

Golash strode briskly his large steps striking firmly against the soil as he made way to the ranger hall once more. It was a place it seemed Tom liked meeting at probably because Nia was a ranger and whatever else. The giant smiled at the thought of Nia and Tom the unlikely yet likely pair to be. The giant druid gazed about as he approached the meeting area and noticed nothing at all had changed.

There were more caves and other type earthly hole to discover it was a principal of prudence. In reality it was a measure for survival for the small yet quaint village of Acumin. The giant grinned slightly at the sure fact that Acumin both ravaged and strangled remained such a proverbial nail in the foot of the Vyssi who dwelled in Horrazel. It was quite the fact that the Vyssi were raiding caravans or anything heading into Acumin. The roads were poor and the Acumin people not all that much industrious. It made the druids happy and so to Golash, but with all the troubles Acumin faces it is hard to start anything that could be economically unique to the city of Acumin.

However, it depended on those caves and in particular even more that laid undiscovered. It was possible however there would be no real trouble this trip, but as much as it was a hope Golash could only wait and then see.

[Lichen]

The old mans name was Filius Grainsworth, a dwarf of considerably vast and varied talent. While normally, Filius explained, he stayed in Acumin and worked various jobs therein, his cousin in Primus had been sick and they’d been in need of someone to help with the caravan that ran across the province to and from Acumin. While none of his many talents included more skill with fighting than one usually obtained in a bar, he did have a fair hand with horses and navigation and knew his way around wagon repairs like none other. He, several merchants and their hired guards had departed several brightening prior and now they were returning, their wagons heavy with herbs and cloth and other things that they could not obtain in Acumin. Pots, pans, ceramics, decent alcohol and many other things weighed down the two wagons, heavy on their axles.

”Not too far out now,” Filius said quietly, walking beside the slow moving back wagon. They were forced to trade places on occasion to alleviate the strain on the horses, but eyes and ears were always welcome, especially those that the merchants did not have to pay for, and so nobody complained when Ardynae took her turn, as long as she took her turn at watch.

The normally cheerful dwarf was quiet now, and for the past few hours the group had fallen into a strange silence, ever since the edge of the forest had disappeared behind them leaving them lost within the trees. The horses did not whinny, their plodding footsteps rapid but quiet. The men and women of the two wagons watched with careful eyes, scanning the forest around them. Watching, and waiting, with something like dread in their eyes.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the forest, Tom Tavers was reclined against a boulder, noisily chomping into an apple. Red and shiny, its fluids dripped down his chin and onto the ground below. So loud was his eating that Golash actually heard him before he saw him.

”G’lash!” Tom said cheerfully, mouth full of dissolving bits of apple. He stood on still-wobbly feet, the injury from a spider bite months ago never truly healing and leaving him with a bit of a limp. ”Glad you could make it – Nia bowed out, can you believe it? Said that goin’ down tunnels with me was a fools errand she would perform only for coin, not for pleasure!” He shook his head. ”I told her it was a safe one, but she just laughed at me like that was a ridiculous thing to say!” Tom finished the apple, tossing the core to the side. ”It is safe though, bud – behind a waterfall, beautiful place, perfect place to train.” For that was the purpose of today’s outing, after all – practice and training. The giant and the human had bonded during previous subterranean adventures, and Tom had offered him training in caving and climbing in return for a climbing partner. ”You brought your rope and gri-gri, yeah?”




OOC: Would it work for you guys to change the date to about the 30th of Imperos? If not, no worries - I might be able to include another PC if it does.

[Ardyne D'Enae]

OOC: We're willing to change the date to the 30th of Imperos.

IC: Ardyne was uneasy. The members of the caravan were always watchful, but they were more so than usual. It seemed that everyone had the same feeling ... something wasn't right.

Filius approached the wagon and spoke with a quiet urgency, "Alright, let's give the horses a slightly lighter load. Come on down." Ardyne nodded and obediently descended from the still moving wagon. She felt goosebumps ripple along her arms and almost shuddered as she watched the forest. It was far too silent.

She found her pack in the corner and brought it down, rummaging through it to find her sheathed dagger as she walked. She quickly clipped it onto her thin belt and threw the bag back into the wagon. Leaning down to the dwarf Ardyne whispered, "What's wrong, Filius? Do you see anything?"

[Golash]

Golash's expression quickly shaped into a huge smile as he heard Tom . In the most jovial tone "Tom! Good to see you limping around and looking lively." The giant chuckled at Nia's comments "does not shock me all that much she never did act quite the same after that spider bite of yours. Who knows perhaps she will come around eventually." Golash never did stop looking and researching for solutions on Tom's leg something the giant always felt bad about.

The giant druid was fascinated "Waterfall? sounds beautiful I am telling yea Nia is missing out Tom. Those sites alone are worth it. Rope and gri-gri check." Golash was looking forward to the trip really as much was on his mind, and these trips often kept the giant calm. Given that caves held either peril or peace it seemed more like the unlikely blissful mind freeing trip. However, they the trips were rewarding and Golash was beginning to look forward to them.

[Lichen]

Filius shook his head, his dragon earring waggling erratically, tendrils of his hair catching against well-licked lips. ”Yeh never see ‘em comin’, lass,” he muttered, eyes scanning the foliage. ”If we did, wouldna be so bad. May not come out this time o’ brightening, anyhow.” Filius looked to the sky, shading his eyes with his hand. The suns were still out, looming and bright through the yellowing leaves of the overarching canopy. Though it was a bright, crisp autumn day and Ardyne knew quite well how bright it could be, beneath the leaves it was dimmed, illuminated by beams of light rather than the whole sun. It gave the bushes an eerie look, shadows and fear making everything ominous.

Filius glanced at her dagger. ”Aye lass,” he said approvingly, ”best be prepared. Have ye any training in the blade?”

In the distance, Tom grinned at his companion, completely oblivious to the drama playing out in the dolwoods far from him. ”I just have to get on her good side again, then con her into it,” he said cheerfully. ”I’ll probably just buy her some candy from the next shipment. Big old sucker the size of her torso or some such thing. Well then, come on,” he lugged his own bag up onto his shoulder, ”cave’s waiting!” He began to walk eastward, pace long and strong despite his leg. ”You ever gone behind a waterfall? It’s beautiful, let me tell you, just beautiful. Water sparkling all around – and on a day like this, with so much light, it’s like a glowing curtain. Of course, you have to be careful, with the water and all. But this one’s young, it hasn’t got much undercut or force to it, so you can just swim out. Erm,” Tom looked at Golash, one eyebrow raised, ”you can swim, right?”

OOC: Awesome! S'lon will be joining us, then, as a caravan guard.

[Golash]

Golash nodded his head "to tell yea you the truth I have seen many splendors, but not a waterfall from the inside. Come to think of it that will be wonderful to view. I do look forward to seeing what awaits us there." The giant pondered and remembered where he has had to swim once before . . . in a deep portion in a sewer long forgotten by the people of midpoint. The giant druid reassured Tom "Yes, I can believe it or not, though when we swim it has to be quite deep in most lakes, but as lumbering as it looks I can swim good enough to get where I need to. A trip to the ocean would not hurt me though maybe learn a more technically correct way to swim."

Golash took his solid steps in pace with Tom and marched eastward to this cave behind a waterfall. So far the day was not looking all that bad and with Tom's care free curiosity it was easy not to worry all that much.

[Lichen]

”Well, it is not something you should miss,” Tom said cheerfully as he walked along. It was bright and chilly, perhaps not the best of brightening to fall into a waterfall pool should that come up, but not the worst ever either. The leaves were just starting to turn orange and yellow, precocious ones sparsely decorating the forest floor. The grassy and mossy ground was damp and muddy in some areas, for it had rained the previous darkening and the wetness still lingered.

Which was why they came across a set of prints pressed deep into the soil. Had it been dry, they would not have been able to tell that these tracks were made by the booted heels of some humanoid creature - and likely more than one. They cut directly across their path, and Tom knelt down with a frown, his knee cracking audibly in the cold weather. ”Odd,” he said, touching the thick outline of one of the bootprints, mud still slick and soft beneath his fingers. ”I don’t know who else would be out here. These tracks are fresh, see how the mud is wet but hasn’t fallen back into the track yet? I don’t think the rangers are out, and these grooves,” he ran a finger over the heel of the print, where irregular and erratic grid marks rested, ”they don’t look like any shoe print I’ve ever seen before.”

He stood, wiping his hand on his pants. ”They head towards the road,” he said, still frowning in contemplation.

[Golash]

Golash and Tom marched pretty well for Tom having a bit of a bum leg. IN reality though Tom seemed to move quite well on it something that made the giant feel a tad better about. The brightening had a bit of a chill in it a sign the druid felt that winter was approaching. Some of the giants steps met with large squishy thuds as some areas were a bit damp and others not.


Before any new conversation could really begin or arrival to the waterfall possible there were footsteps. The muddy trucks of some humanoids littered the area and trailed off to the road according to Tom. Gazing at the tracks himself Golash could only agree as it made the most sense. The tracks were not odd in and of themselves, but it was peculiar how direct they were. Golash peered a bit longer and asked Tom inquisitively "No rangers you say, hmmm looking at my weight versus them is very obvious to distinguish in a foot track. However, how far from human or elf would say those are, could you tell Tom?" Golash was not quite yet insinuating anything but he did have an idea. He then asked Tom inquisitively "If you do not mind Tom i would like to test an idea out real quick, you’re a pretty good sized human who is wearing some equipment. If you do not mind Tom step into some of the mud and let’s see how far the mud absorbs your step. Do so as well as if you were in a bit of a rush. If I am right I am thinking an Elf would carry a little less and weigh a little less."

Golash was sure he would not see a dramatic difference, and even with Tom's gimp leg he moves well enough. If on average Tom's steps were a bit deeper than the rest on average it was possible these humanoid steps were not human in stride.

[Brahkula Hun'viir]

Lady Of Angels was adorned in formidable white leather armor with ivory fur trimming while her face was concealed by a porcelin mask. And a rather large and flamboyant white hat rested snuggly on her head to keep her entire body shaded while a doves feather bobbled atop.

Brahkula also wore a white cape that drapped down her right side and concealed her deadly guantlet, and on this cape was the Hun'viir family crest it bore reckognition and struck terror and fear into the hearts of even the most valient vysstichi warriors this tribal mark identified her as a dread lord of the 5th house.

Her second weapon was a short sword that was loosly hung around her waist and easily accessable to her right hand, its blade was forged as if a kriss and it was designed for piercing but not limited too. Its wavey edges were designed to inflict a mortal wound that would not heal or mend on its own accord bleeding its victim to death. Unless the use of some kind of magic or medical treatment intervened.

Each of her fingers on the right hand, contained these sinister looking barbs that could cut flesh like razor blades. While the wrist of the right hand contained a wrist bow that carried a grisly depiction of a bat.

Her weapon of choice was an ornate full plate metal ebony gauntlet that spanned from her shoulder to her fingers, and from the pointer finger to the pinky finger was graced with a strong and durable twelve inch razor-sharp blade that could have been called a pig sticker. While on the thumb there would be a much smaller blade designed like a dracon claw. It was a sickening and perturbing instrument of torturous demise that spoke in volumes how brutal and merciless this particular individual was.

To explain the peculiar tracks that did not fit the description of an elf was coincidental to the fact that when brought to light that this particular woman was rumored to be a vampire.

She was out there somewhere with the a vysstichi raid part, waiting patiently to ambush the caravan.

After all she had an eternity.

[Lichen]

Tom frowned, but did as requested, walking rapidly through the mud and watching as he left slightly heavier but not markedly larger steps in the ground. ”You’re right, they were in a hurry,” Tom said, looking at the length of his stride compared to the bootmarks. ”And about my size, if a little lighter.” His eyes narrowed. ”The caravans are due to return a brightening from this date. Do you think – vysstichi?” He shrugged his pack onto his shoulder quickly. ”We must hurry, Golash – the rangers will not be expecting an attack this far from the town, or for the caravan to have moved so quickly.”

Meanwhile, perched in a tree was Ilha Melervs, a dark skinned woman of incredible height and rather a lot of wrath. Currently, however, it was not dedicated to the light skins who had dealt her the unseeming scars across her face. Rather, it was their light skinned ally perched in the branches above her, sitting all in white in the shade like a gigantic bleach-dipped bird. Ilha had protested the Hun’viir woman’s presence most fiercely in the raiding party. Vampire she may be – and of that, Ilha had her doubts, for though she had avoided the beams of light the diluted forest did not burn her skin – but useful in a raid she was not, sitting there like a fething sign – “BANDITS IN THE BUSHES.”

Fortunately, the scouts had not yet heard the faraway steps of nervous horses, and Ilha still had time to rescue the mission before this woman turned it into a disaster. ”Mistress Hun’viir,” she said, staring upwards and trying to hide the loathing on her face. ”Unless you wish to act as bait, may I perhaps recommend a shift in attire? I am certain we can find a way to conceal you so you are not so… bright.”

[Brahkula Hun'viir]

And what would you know of winning anything, Ilha?

Just a little word to sting her pride and knock her back into place, she didnt need to speak about her failure in reclaiming sylanen and how a meager handful of peons had thwarted her advance. It was vysstichi politics at work, if she was to be made a fool it would be an insult to her matron and her matron Elize would not think kindly of being insulted. She had been an obnoxious bitch since the party had been organized, her whines complaints and whimpers were like finger nails grating on a seemingly endless chalk board.

Yet, if this tasty tid bit wanted to act like the leader then she would at least listen to what she had to say.

If not to amuse her, then herself.

What do you suggest?

[S'Lon]

oocapologies for the delayed entry

The Rangers might not be patrolling that far out as yet, but that didn't mean that no rangers were about for S'Lon had yet to decide if Acumin was to be more than a passing place to be and currently was earning his keep as caravan guard instead.

That there might be others about would hardly be a surprise for the dark haired man who currently walked, even though his horse, on a long rein followed him. Sometimes he rode, but more often than not, when not in any particular hurry he walked. He'd wandered aside from the caravan, judging that his skills were more suited to scouting than to waiting to be ambushed, something that wouldn't be hard for a slow moving caravan on a predictable path, but as of yet he'd not seen anything to raise his concerns.

[Golash]

Golash inspected closely as Tom conducted the experiment. It indeed seemed that these steps belonged to some type of party that seemed to indicate Vyssie activity. The steps to the road and the nature of the steps pointedly if not caught nearly red handed indicated vyssie. The giant druid sighed but did not dwell on it to much as Tom was right about the Rangers not being in the area really. If anything it was a switch in normal tactics by the Vyssie going further up the road like they did.

Golash called for his arcane staff "Crosus" grasping his staff firmly the giant quickened his pace. The giant nodded in agreement "Let’s move". Not much more raced through the giant's mind other than to hope the carvan was well enough. However, not uncommon in Acumin, what was supposed to be a pleasant explorative trip turned into a trip of possible peril.

[Ardyne D'Enae]

OOC: Welcome to the thread everyone! *chuckles* A lot more people than I expected, but looks like it'll prove to be rather interesting! Sorry about the delay, real life has only let me post rather sporadically, but here I am!

Filius glanced at her dagger. ”Aye lass,” he said approvingly, ”best be prepared. Have ye any training in the blade?”

Ardyne glanced at her dagger as well almost unsure, before looking back at Filius. "Not much and I hope I won't need it, but I'd rather be holding onto something just in case. Who is out here, Filius?"

Ardyne's amber eyes scanned the woods around them as the soles of her shoes sank slightly into the moist ground with every step. The wheels of the wagon left deep grooves in the path, making it plainly obvious to anyone that they had just recently passed through. The rays of light danced along the path, filtering through the canopy that shielded them from the hot suns. Had it not been for the tension in the air from this small group of people, Ardyne would have considered it quite beautiful, whereas this brightening it seemed quite sinister.

Ardyne looked ahead and took a relieved breath. The caravan guard that Filius had told her about seemed to be scouting ahead. He didn't look worried, just watchful. That had to be a good sign. The man was taller than she, and sort of ruggedly handsome she would suppose. She hadn't interacted with him, but he didn't seem unkind, for now just distant? She couldn't quite place him as she watched him lead his horse down the path ahead of the caravan.