[outside Vers] northern road

[Julton]

The bushes rustled. The nervous mage peered around into the dark depths of the trees. This time he was sure he saw something moving, but without any way to prepare there was nothing he could do but keep walking, slow and alert.
Snap.
A dry twig just broke, right over there. I know that sound and i know someone is back there...if only i knew how many...and what they wanted...well, i'll just have to keep walking, slow and alert. slow and alert.
Suddenly in a loud crash and rustling of branches the world was spinning and growing dark. Dust ground into his traveller's cloak and a heavy pressure on top pinned him to the ground. The darkness clawed at his mind, overwhelming his senses until all the world was blackness.


The three men all glanced up as they heard a familiar rustle of bushes, the same that had slowed this one on his way into their trap. They looked at each other, and one man, still leaning on his knee in the victim's back, waved a dismissive hand and reached down to search for valuables on the body beneath him. The other two looked up at each other and shook their heads. The one holding his pack open kneeled to help the one pinning their victim. The other began to walk up the side of the road and squint as he peered into the distance. All three looked up in alarm as a giant form leapt from the bushes at the side of the road.


He landed hard on the dusty road with a heavy thump and stopped to look up at the men standing, kneeling, and on the ground before him. Their expressions of mild alarm grew into fearful looks, then terrified masks of fear. In a moment they were up and running down the road to the north, and the menacing form of the orc was left with the unresponsive traveller in the road. The creature peered down at the slumped body, then up at the fleeing men, then back down at the traveller. With a shrug of its large shoulders, the orc bent down to lift the man from the road. As the orc hefted the limp man over a broad shoulder, He began his slow trudge south along the road.

[Rabid]

There was not a sign of the three thieves anymore, for they travelled faster than the orc, and did not stop. The only other person Julton encountered was an dark skinned elf in a cloak, who was riding what looked like a warhorse. She had a long midnight blue cloak tied around her neck, with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung around her shoulders. She was riding at such a fast speed that even if Julton had wanted to speak with her, he probably would have to step in front of the large charging horse to get her attention.

After a short bit of walking, the small body over Julton's shoulder squirmed and let out a quiet moan. The orc could feel the man stop breathing for a few seconds, and could tell he had woken up. "Wha.... What in the blazes?" He asked himself, before starting to squirm to try to loosen the orcs grip. "Uh..." It took a moment for the man to think, "Lemme down! Lemme down!" He started to shout, squirming around. Even though the man squirmed a lot, the grip of the orc's was too strong to escape from.

[Julton]

He only took short notice of the passing elf, as he seemed lost in thought until the man began squirming and screaming. The orc heaved a sigh as he gently and slowly knelt and bent to set the man down on his feet securely on the ground. Taking a deep breath, he thought a bit as he rose, then began to speak slowly in a deep voice, softer than expected from such a rough looking creature. "You was out. Me pick you up, bring to safety. Go road away from" this followed by a rough word of orckon, then a frown of thought as the creature's brow furrowed. "you call...bad men, take money. They run, you see?" His quizzical expression at having to puzzle out words in an unfamiliar language was broken by a short smile, then returned to puzzlement as he prepared to speak again. "You...me...You take me, go Manling city yes?" His confusion melted into a somewhat confused and yet hopeful smile full of sharp fangs, his imposing figure, bare except for a loincloth, revealing his blood red tattoos, contrasted the smile greatly, making his attempt at friendliness seem more like a threat involving eating, yet the hostile feeling found in most orcs was clearly now replaced with an attempt at friendliness as the creature spread it's large hands palm open to indicate no threat. After a moment of pause while his stunned traveller simply stared, his brow knotted for a moment, then returned to his hopeful smile. "You understand yes?"

[Rabid]

When the man was put down, his knees buckled, but he did not fall. A bit unsturdy on his feet, he took a few steps back as he listened to the uncommon common the orc spoke. He blinked, trying to make out some words. Manling? Where in Telath was Manling? Had this orc saved him? Well, he wasn't one of the attackers for sure. He was not there when the mage was getting mugged. If only it had been just a little longer! He would have achieved Clara, and then there would have been no stopping him!

He looked at Julton, as a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. Was the orc about to mug him? Wait! Being mugged twice in one day! That would be a story. Quickly, he looked away from the orc, and started to feel his body with his hands. He felt the wallet in his loose shirt, his ring was still on his finger, his boots were still on his feet. Yes, all valuables were there. He let out a sigh of relief, then jumped back, again realising the situation. "N... No, I d'don't understtand..." He stuttered. Clearing his throat, "Where in carnation is M'Manling...?"

Again, he took a step back. He was about five paces away from the orc now, but only four orc paces. The orc had told him he was going to Manling city with the orc! Was he being taken hostage? He couldn't allow this... His chest rose with air, then collapsed as he let the air out. Trying to clear his mind, he would try to achieve clara, then form an aura of fire! It would protect him! Obviously this orc wouldn't be able to tell what he was doing, so he would have some time. He continued to stare into the orcs eyes, as if listening. Really, though, he was bringing out the mage he had tried to let loose earlier.

[Julton]

Hearing the stuttering man speak, the orc again took a moment to think over what was said, and the appropriate response, all the while simply staring off into the distance beyond the startled mage. Finally he began in his slow and broken speech again. "Manling city. You city..." a pause as the unfamiliar grammar structure came slowly to his mind. In a staggering, yet very carefully thought out effort, the orc spoke. "I go to youer city. i live there. you help, yes?" Waving a large tattooed finger in the mage's direction he smiled again, revealing more of his fangs, clearly now stained and yellow from a life without cleaning. With no response in sight the orc simply dropped his hand and stared, dumbfounded at the mage, clueless about how he could possibly explain his point to the ever shrinking mage, with mezmerizing eyes that looked as if they were looking at something behind him. In a moment of fear, he whirled around to find empty road as far as he could see, and stared at it for a bit before slowly returning his gaze to the now confident looking mage...

OOC obviously shrinking is not literal...i just want to make that crystal clear.

[Rabid]

The mage stared at the orc blankly for a second. 'Man... ling? Did the orc mean a city of men? Well, the closest city was Vers, which was a bit of a walk down the road.' He had been travelling down that way in the first place, but had, of course, gotten mugged. But then again, the orc said 'I live there.' If he lived there, why did he need the mage to take him? He continued to stare blankely at the orc, until he finally gave up. It had been a while, so he had lost his attempt at clara.

He stepped forward, holding out his hand in a reach to shake. "Well, Mr. Orc, my name is Havengara Alborithius Malgonianon, son of Jebonia Dekuthon." He plastered a fake smile apon his face, "I would say it was nice meeting you, but... Right now I am afraid you're gonna kill me."

Haven felt a shiver go up his spine, as he thought of the orc suddenly attacking him. Maybe he should make another clara attempt? It would only take him a few seconds. Thing is, this orc didn't seem the dangerous type at all.

[Julton]

The orc returned the blank stare and kept it up throughout the speech and for an awkward pause afterwards. Finally, with slow, unsure movements, the orc held his hand out in front of him in the same manner and smiled hopefully, yet still with a question as to whether he was doing the right thing. This small gesture was followed by another stammering attempt at normal speech "I...am Dak'tor. Dak'tor my orc name...Juhl-Tahn...Julltan...Julton my name. my real name. you name...hav...ung...havi. You name havi, yes? I not kill you. Kill not fun. you...take me to city?"

[Rabid]

The fake smile became real, as he heard that Julton was not going to kill him. He shook the orcs hand with a firm shake, then let go and turned around. "Vers, the city, is this way." He mentioned in a friendly way. He looked behind him to see if Julton was following him. A bit confused about the orcs name, he assumed it was Julton. "So, Julton, why do you need to go to Vers?" Havi was trying to make up friendly conversation by inquiring about Julton and his past.

Over the course of the past half hour, a few clouds had blown in, making a spot in the sky here and there. In the horizon to the East, towards Vers, there were large dark billowing clouds blowing in towards them. It looked as though a storm was about to come, and a bad one at that. It was best to get moving, for Julton and Havi could already feel a drop of mist on their cheeks, and a strong breeze trying to stall them.

Ahead of them, the trees slowly stopped, creating an open field for them to walk to. A distant farm house could be seen on the horizon of this field, which meant they were nearing civilization.

[Julton]

As julton walked along, easily keeping pace with Havi, he tried to ponder and work out what he could tell in the common tongue. Between frustrated grunts and sharp orcish words and the broken common spewing from the fanged orcish mouth, the story of his clan of orcs living deep in the forest along which the road runs. He spoke of his tribe's body art and explained that the blood of the slaves and hostages that the clan did not need was used in making the body art. Every time he mentioned the tattoos covering his body he would stroke some of the markings, drawn along thick patches of skin, something only brought on by wounds on an orc, indicating that the tattoos were made only after making cuts along the intended path and allowing them to heal. After speaking what he could of his clan he explained that when they let him go he simply kept going towards the rising sun. In an attempt to explain that his happening on the road was an accident, all he could manage to say was "i get to road, oops. now i go to city."

After he related his entire story, he simply began to look around, seeing the farm houses becoming more common, closer together, and the road showing more signs of travel. He also began to see people, glimpses of them as they hid and suspiciously glances out at the orc clad in just a simple loin cloth traveling with a human mage. Julton, curious as to why the people were hiding, peered around carefully trying to catch any glimpse he could of the frightened and confused folk. After a few minutes he turned to his short time companion and asked "why they hide?"

[Rabid]

Havi looked around at all the townspeople. Two kids were brought inside by their mother, and the father (a farmer, by the looks of it) peered out from behind kitchen curtains. Why were people looking at them wierdly? It was because strange people and races were not widely accepted in Vers. Usually, orcs were rude violent creatures that harmed others, and the people of Vers, being a smallish town, tried to not accept violent races as to try to keep their home a safe place.

Havi looked back at the orc. "Oh..." The accidental expression on his face gave away the fact he was not telling the truth. "Travellers... They don't usually arrive at this time of the day... Because..." Havi looked away from Julton for a second, "Because the forest around here is dangerous." He paused for a second then cleared his throat.

The eyes that were following Julton kept glancing behind them, so Havi looked back down the road. There was another traveller on horseback, wielding a large spear. He had a large green cloak draped over his shoulders and head, and a cross bow slung over his torso. He wasn't travelling at a fast pace, nor a slow pace, but he was catching up quite quickly. Havi could not make out the mans face, for hte cloak covered it. However, he could tell the man was probably an elf, due to the slim figure, and a soldier of Vers, due to the type of sadle on the horse.

"You..." He cleared his throat again, looking at Julton. "You'd better have your plan ready, for what y... you are doing in Vers..."

[Julton]

Julton followed Havi's glance back down the road at the approaching rider, and, hearing havi's advice, immediately reaching under his loincloth and drawing forth a grungy looking imperial visa covered in every sort of grime imaginable, yet still retaining resemblance to an official document.
"I ready" He said, with a nod to the grungy document as he brushed off some of the grime from it, so confident in the document that it seemed as if it would protect him from all harm by the way he held it and looked at it.

[Rabid]

It took a few minutes, but eventually the 'clip clop' of the falling hooves of the horse approached. Instead of people staring at the orc from a distance, people just stood where they were and stared to see what was going to happen. As they did this, the soldier looked up, revealing his face. The elf looked to be about 80 patterns old, fairly young for an elf. His eyes did not show friendliness when they fell apon Julton, but of seriousness and question. The character sat straight up on his horse, and looked around at all the people.

"There is no show here, folks. Be on your marry way." The elf spoke in a firm voice, and had a look on his face that almost commanded the people to walk away. He then looked at Havi. "Greetings, brother human."

The soldiers horse passed the two at a slow pace. "Serale sir," Havi said, "Having a pleasant d'day?"

The soldier, once in front of the two, turned his horse to block their path. He looked down at the orc from his seat on the horse. "An orc, huh?" He muttered under his breath. "You know, we don't like loose folks around these parts." The elf lowered his eyebrows at Julton. Was he hoping the 'loose' comment would upset the orc?

[Julton]

Julton, meanwhile, simply watched with a half-hidden tinge of wonder as the soldier rode up in front of him. By the time the horse blocked his path, he had already stopped to gaze at the majestic look of the rider upon the horse, at least majestic to his eyes so accustomed to seeing the rough figures of orcs generally grimy and with little clothing. The image of the cloaked rider on a horse that, in comparison to julton, was quite clean, set a gleam in Julton's eye and a grin on his face as he finally registered that something had been said.

The next step in his comprehension of the issue at hand was to hold up his visa and say, in a tone that indicated that he was half-copying what the elf had just said, "Greetings. Here is my visa. I am Julton." This followed by a smile that indicated that he barely understood what he said, and simply expected that to elicit a good response.