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| The Soothing Light; [P] swordhunter (GRP) | |
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| Topic Started: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:24 pm (463 Views) | |
| Shan Orison | Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:24 pm Post #1 |
 
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The large cart swayed as it moved through the depths of Imythess, the only lights those the slavers brought with them. They walk or rode beside carts stuffed with cargo destined for the subterranean laboratories of the mad. The cargo itself, people of all species, ages, and sizes, either squat or stood packed so tightly together that elbow room was a luxury only those next to the bars could afford. Any words spoken above a discreet whisper were met with harsh retribution from the guards, either in the form of beatings if the guilty party was found, or a skipped meal for the entire caravan if they remained undiscovered. When one skipped meal meant you didn't eat for a day, of course, the ranks quickly kept silent or betrayed their own to ensure they kept their own strength. Shan squatted among them, his back striped and bleeding from taking the blame away from a young girl who cried too loudly for her mother for the guard's comfort. How did he get into this mess? He'd heard about the rumors of torture and slavery below ground, and had investigated it with a few unlikely friends. They'd left after some interesting adventures with some of the slaves freed behind them, and Shan had gone on his own way, happy he survived and had a new tale to tell. And then he stumbled upon a major route for the slavers to the Obsidian Caverns just in time to meet a filled caravan, whose slavers decided there was always room for one more. It all happened a bit too quickly for Shan to react, and now they had his things, few though they may be, and he was cramped into a place that was too small, too cramped, too filled with the stench of human waste and sweat and despair. Shan did what he could, healing minor wounds and summoning food when the guards fell bored or asleep. It was far too little, though, and he was only helping one of five carts. He could probably escape at any time, but that would be abandoning these people, and he found himself unable to do that yet. Unlike the beaten down hordes that were so broken that their response to freedom was to stare blankly at the open gates, these people still had some hope, even if their strength was fading. The long black tunnel suddenly opened up to a wide cave, a huge stone dome studded with stalactites far above. Looming high above, dark and glistening with obsidian shards, was the Palace of the Drow Matron who had called the madmen and slavers here. He heard one of the slavers laugh at the sight. "We're finally here," he said to a fellow slaver. "Payday, finally! And we got a good load this time!" "We still need to drop them off. Don't slack off now." Shan looked around. He'd worked out how to get himself out, but, again, he wasn't able to stage a full scale rescue of these people, and all around them were more guards and soldiers and other employed to ensure only the right people enter and egress. Shan feared he'd waited too long, and even he wasn't going to be able to escape. Well, could he really expect anything less? |
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| swordhunter | Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:02 pm Post #2 |
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Aiden looked on at the scene with a growing wave of disgust. The elf, thanks to his own skill at evading detection—and more than a little luck—now squatted on an open balcony looking down into the “loading zone” underneath the palace. Amongst the incoming shipments of food and drink, there came cartloads of helpless looking humans, dwarves, and even a few elves. Beaten into submission and brought incredible distances from home, the newly enslaved streams of people which flowed into the palace filled the elf with contempt…and more than a little helplessness. Sent as part of a low key reconnaissance mission, Aiden found himself little able to help the poor new slaves. Doing so would draw more attention than he was prepared to deal with, at least for now. By his count, there were twelve heavily armed drow warriors overseeing the loading and unloading process. It would hardly be a challenge for Aiden—or so he hoped—but there was the more pressing problem of whether an attack would only draw in more guards. Or even worse, some of the mages and wizards rumored to be even deeper within the palace walls. There would be, he hoped, a time when he could come back and free the wretched souls being brought in below him. But for now, that time had not yet come. “Shame,” Aiden breathed, staying in the shadows as he watched five new wagonloads of people being brought in below. Cries of anguish and rage could be heard as the wagons came to a stop and cruel slave masters forced out the cargo. Men, women, and more than a few children could be seen crowded together. Most looked around in panic at their new, unfriendly surroundings. But some, apparently sensing the hopelessness of their situation, were simply cowed and submitted weakly to the demands of their new drow overlords. A tear sprang to the elf’s eye as he watched a young girl torn from her mother and thrown to the ground brutally. The mother wailed as she leapt upon her child, hoping to protect her from the ravages of the drow guards around her. The drow, uncompassionate and even angry at being delayed, drew their swords and advanced. The screams of the pair were sudden…and just as suddenly cut short. A wail came up from the crowd of people at the sight as Aiden turned away. The sound of a whip being cracked in the air brought quiet as a drow leader roared out orders to the newly assembled masses. Rage seethed within Aiden as he turned from the balcony and walked back down the corridor from which he’d come. His hood was raised to hide the red anger in his eyes and the lone tear which made its way down his cheek. Such cruelty was inexcusable…but Aiden felt as helpless as he had moments before. Fighting now, with no reinforcements or even a real plan, would be pointless and would likely lose more lives. For now, the important thing was to find out the sinister plans being concocted in this place and distribute that information to groups who could bring help en masse. Of course…there was no reason why Aiden couldn’t make a trip to the loading area on the way and do what he could to…shake things up a bit. . . |
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| Shan Orison | Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:20 am Post #3 |
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The cart rumbled on, the slavers chatting back and forth as if their load was cotton or wheat and not a frightened group of elves, humans, and dwarves. Shan watched and counted the guards around them. There were too many and too far apart. Even if he did stage a coup now, the guards weren't conveniently bunched together or failed to arm themselves with bows and crossbows. He guessed that any riot on the new captives' parts would result in mass execution. Shan sat quietly as they drew closer to some sort of loading deck. He was beginning to regret waiting to act now. Perhaps he could have overpowered the guards when they were on the surface. Perhaps he could have done something in the tunnels, where the darkness and narrow corridor evened the odds. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. He could make a score of them now, and it'd get none of them closer to freedom. Sadly, Shan was beginning to think he'd have to narrow his escape plans to just himself. Another sad perhaps is that the best way he could help was to make it out alive and tell others about this route. The cart ground to a halt, and the first cart in the caravan was opened and the captives forced out in a frightened herd. Those in Shan's cart looked better thanks to the extra food and healing spells, but even they knew hope was fleeting. Even if they escaped to the cavern tunnels, they could get lost. Shan knew this himself from attempting to navigate them before. Shan probably looked the most lively of the lot, and that would only be because he had a means to fight back and flee. That would mean leaving a great many things of his behind, but he had to admit that it was best if he could flee with his life. The second cart finished unloading, and they opened the cage door to the third. People began to stream off, and Shan would soon have to follow or risk more punishment and be seen as a troublemaker. He signed. It seemed he really wasn't going to play hero this time around. He'd be lucky to get out with his life. And his fiddle, of course. |
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| swordhunter | Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:59 pm Post #4 |
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Their drow masters in painful proximity, the newly arrived slaves were herded into groups. The men were separated into young and old and kept from the women and children brought in with them. Arranged into these groups, the drow shoved anyone too slow or inattentive to move on their own. “Get them to their zones!” the head drow—decked in black armor and carrying two heavy blades—shouted above the din. “Kill anyone too stupid to keep up!” The sound of cracking whips forced the groups into motion once more, each of them heading down a separate corridor. Wailing children and wives reached out in vain for their husbands and fathers as they were led in different directions. The men, knowing full well that any sign of emotion or hesitation could very well cost their lives, simply kept their heads down and marched ahead, resigned to their fate. . . Aiden was an elf. There wasn’t much point in hiding it, especially in the Underdark. It was a miracle fueled by deception and stealth that he’d made it this far—but to blatantly attack the drow in their own home was more than a daunting challenge. It was one with a very very small chance of success. VERY small. And yet, despite his limited mission, Aiden felt that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself without doing something for the captured souls on the floor below. But the problem was figuring out exactly what to do in this situation. Even if the slaves were freed, what would be done afterward? It was doubtful that any could be helped without alerting the other guards, much less any of the other drow forces in the Underdark. Delicate is an understatement, the elf thought as he stalked through the thankfully empty corridors of this strange upper floor. There didn’t seem to be any guards here, but then again, this didn’t seem to be a part of the main fortress either. The lax security clearly meant that the elf hadn’t gotten far enough into the palace to discover any secrets yet. That needed to be fixed as soon as possible. But first things first—what to do about the slaves. The dark corridor along which Aiden was traveling came to an end at another, much wider hall. Maybe ten meters across, the hall was large enough to accommodate a wagon or two if there was need for it. Must lead to another place deeper within for unloading goods, Aiden thought. He found himself on a landing just above the hall, though this time it was only a meter or two above the pathway. The elf found himself wondering exactly where the larger corridor led, his thoughts trailing to the point that he didn't hear the sound of approaching footsteps farther down the hallway. Aiden, get back! Eladrin shouted mentally, breaking the elf from his distracted thoughts. Reacting quickly, Aiden nearly threw himself back into the mouth of the corridor he'd just come out of. Pressing himself flat against the wall, he looked out into the hallway and saw another heavily armed drow. Holding a whip in one hand, the drow barked out orders to a mass of people behind. Soon, a stream of assorted beings came into sight, shuffling along the hallway in chains towards their final destination. With a pang, Aiden realized he was looking at the slaves who had been brought in just minutes ago. Where are the women and children? he asked himself worriedly, hoping beyond hope that the worst hadn't happened. The drow weren't exactly known for their kindness, so the idea wasn't outside the realm of possibility. But still...murdering women and children? Aiden closed his eyes a bit and placed a hand into his tunic just below the collarbone. You're going to fight all of the drow, Aiden? This is a bit much, even for you... Not yet, came Aiden's reply as he touched his celestial tattoo. A wave of magic flowed from him and extended about twenty feet on either side of him. Aiden couldn't risk an outright fight for now, but the least he could do was use his holy magic to the advantage of the wretched souls below. Extending his Bless spell into the hall, Aiden waited--this wasn't the kind of spell that could go unnoticed by the drow...but maybe some brave, fortified man below would feel encouraged enough to risk the anger of the drow guards and begin to fight back. Distractions, distractions, Aiden thought, watching and waiting for the result of his spell. . . OOC: Ok, that should be the last "bad" post I have in my system. The rest should be a bit better haha |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:52 am Post #5 |
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The captives had been separated, the men from the women and children, the young from the old. Shan watched, heartbroken, at families torn apart, lives made even worse by separation. Now shackled and bound by chains, they were led deeper into the palace, despair driven even further at the though of how dark black walls were all that would greet them each day instead of sun or moon or rain or cloud. Shan moved quietly, watching passively. The captives with him were strong enough to stand on their own, even if they too were feeling the weight of hopelessness. Shan studied the guards, who were armed with confidence and weapons, while they were armed with...well, he supposed the heavy shackles they had did mean they possessed what amounted to a hammer on each arm, and the number of guards was a bit much for untrained fighters, but they were close enough that- Wait, this was a shift in thinking, and the drow guards were looking around in confusion. Shan stopped feeling and started thinking about how he was feeling. This uplifting surge of strength and optimism wasn't internal. Something was influencing him, and it made no sense for a drow loyal to place such feelings in a new batch of slaves. So that meant, possibly, an ally. Besides, things would only get harder after this point, and the drow had left him with hope themselves. They left him with his life... Shan raised his hands up, glad the chains were sufficient enough to stretch his arms apart to the proper distance. The guards started calling orders to each other and ignore the bard who knew his instrument so well that the mere imagining of it, the remembrance of its weight and texture, could bring it to bear. The image of mind took solid form in his hand. ...and he had his fiddle. Shan began to play a low, slow tune, drawing the guards attention away from the spell emboldening even the most timid of captives. Shan watched the guards, noting the one or two who weren't enthralled, and ceased playing. Suddenly, all the guards except the few who resisted screamed and clapped their hands to their ears, bent double or simply collapsing in pain. The shouts of the remaining guards only made the fallen's situation worse. Shan began to play again, focusing into his notes another spell, this one meant for the captives. Around him came the clanking of chains on stones, as the their locks cracked open, freeing the men of all but a single shackle whose lock was too difficult to unlock with a simple Knock spell. The violin silenced itself for an instant. The guards drew their weapons, but Shan had already begun again, activating another enchantment. Glory seared through the air, slowing and stunning the final two. Approaching them, Shan ceased playing and brought down his violin in two swift strokes, knocking them unconscious. Shan turned to the astonished men. "Grab a weapon, everyone!" Shan ordered. "They're drow but they're mortal, and this is the easiest it's going to get." Taken up by the mysterious spell and the shock of victory, men began liberating swords, maces, and crossbows from the fallen guards. A few did stare in confusion at the skinny man with a fiddle. "Who are you?" One asked, a man with a broken nose and scruffy beard. Granted, almost everyone had a scruffy beard in this group except Shan, who couldn't grow decent peach fuzz if his life depended on it. "I'm a bard," Shan said. "Now, do you want to argue my credentials, or do you want to find your loved ones and get out of here before finding them becomes impossible?" "Well, what do we do? What's the plan?" said another, this one blond and sporting a black eye. "I," Shan said, his fiddle at his shoulder, face set in steely purpose, hoping their benefactor had more to offer than just a spell, "have no idea." Spells Used |
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| swordhunter | Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:51 am Post #6 |
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Aiden kept his eyes on the hall, noting how the captives reacted to his latent Bless spell. He wasn't disappointed with the results. Maybe thirty seconds had passed before a sudden movement caught the elf's eye. Moments later, it seemed that one of the captives had--of all things--a fiddle in hand. A melodic tune floated through the air, reaching Aiden's ears and causing an odd, yet not unpleasant effect. Barding magic? Aiden thought, familiar with the concept yet totally ignorant of its practical use. I've freed a bard among them then? Rather odd place for one to be I suppose, but I won't complain if he can fight. Aiden's hope was quickly redeemed as shouts emanated from a number of the drow guards, forcing them to the hall floor writhing in pain. Those few who were able to resist the sudden effects were disheartened by the sight of their fallen comrades, moving forward to determine the source of the noise. They, however, suddenly found themselves facing a mass of newly heartened--and now, for some reason, unchained--former captives. With shouts, the freed men moved forward and took out what guards were in reach. A pair of drow drew their blades, coming forward menacingly and forcing Aiden to move forward as well, his blade already in hand. Luckily, the apparent bard stepped forward, quickly ending the standoff with two quick swipes of his violin. With the fall of the drow, there was nothing between these captives and freedom...in theory at least. Good first move, Eladrin noted mentally, But what do you plan on doing now that they're free? I didn't quite expect it, to be honest, Aiden thought in reply, sheathing his blade as he did so. They were still supposed to be chained, actually...I thought I'd have to take the guards out myself. Though if they can fight... They can't beat drow, Eladrin barked, They're ragtag at best. Who knows how many of them can even wield a weapon? You should get them to hide until you find a way out for them! They'll be slaughtered otherwise. Calm down, calm down, Aiden replied as the bard stepped forward and seemed to take charge of the freed group. We'll figure something out. They'll need to hide, of course, but no reason they can't...well...never mind. "I'm a bard. Now, do you want to argue my credentials, or do you want to find your loved ones and get out of here before finding them becomes impossible?" "Well, what do we do? What's the plan?" "I...have no idea." "I might be able to help there," Aiden said, stepping forward into plain view and jumping to the hallway proper with a bound. "Though, you'll need to cooperate extremely well in order for us to pull anything off." The elf ignored the surprise registering on most of the faces around him--clearly the bard seemed to be the only one with any significant magical ability. And between the entire group, there were maybe a dozen good weapons...and maybe that many souls to wield them effectively. Striding forward to the unnamed bard, Aiden addressed him as the leader of the ragtag group. "Most of them will need to stay here and hide until we can plan a proper escape," he began, "The drow have been beaten here, but we remain in their fortress. It's doubtful that it will take long before they notice that they're missing some of their number. We'll need to drag the bodies of the unconscious into the network of halls above and keep them out of sight for now. . ." |
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| Shan Orison | Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:54 pm Post #7 |
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Shan turned at the sound of the voice, looking up just in time to see a lithe elf jump into the hallway. From his undrowish appearance and his quick layout of what was a good first step in a plan to freedom, Shan guessed he was responsible for the spell earlier. Still armed with the fiddle, he gave a small bow. "I'm guessing you're here to help," he said with a wry grin. "All good plans. I'm afraid I'm not much of a fighter, and, well," Shan turned back to the group of freed men. "We must face facts. I doubt any of you have had training with a weapon beyond the basics of a town guard, and most are like me and have had less than that. We're a bunch of rabblerousers that can easily be put down, but we're a group they aren't suspecting. That means we have a chance of getting out, all of us." "I say we just slaughter the lot of them!" one man shouted. He got some shouts of agreement. "We'll just be killed, and they'll kill my wife! You saw how many of them there are! If we just keep our heads down, maybe-" "Sod that, I saw them kill my son at the village, and I could only watch. Now, I've got a sword, and I'm gutting as many as I can." The men began arguing and yelling back and forth, ranging from a suicide assault on the citadel to simply laying down and dying now. Shan sighed, and began to play. The tune was sweet and soothing, slowing the heart and breath subconsciously, taming the fear and rage. Calm, Calm, the song almost whispered, and the voices died down. "Giving up will be worth nothing, if even a hint of the rumors are true about this place are true," Shan said as he played, praying none came to investigate the sound. "You and your families would just end up a failed experiment or food for a successful one. And don't let your rage and personal vendetta's get you killed attacking a superior force. You are too intelligent to believe that will give you anything more than a worthless death. Now, tie and gag these drow. They've plenty of spare cloth on them for that. We need a plan, and the elf here knows a lot more about strategy than any of us, so listen to him as though your lives and your families lives depended on it. You know they do." The men looked sheepish from their previous outbursts, the spell of calm forcing them to use their heads rather than their hearts and muscles. They began to work on the guards, knocking out those who were merely incapacitated by the Pain enchantment, and picking up the bodies to transport them away from the hall. Shan turned to the elf. "Thank you, I'd about given up as well until your spell came through. I'm trusting you do have an idea to help us, and I'll use what little magic I have to aid you. Names are probably not wise to share right now, so just call me Bard." Shan smiled. "I hope you do have a plan. I can only use that spell two more times today, just to warn you, but that chance to cool down probably solidified their understanding of how precarious this whole situation is." |
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| swordhunter | Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:47 pm Post #8 |
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Aiden remained silent throughout the exchange between the bard and his newly freed companions. The elf was tempted to speak up, but he was curious to see what exactly he was working with. If the men couldn't be calmed, or at least silenced for now, then working together to achieve a complex plan of escape would be impossible. It would be far better to leave them with the drow if they couldn't contain their passions and work as a group. However, the elf's worst fears failed to materialize as the bard quickly took charge of those around him...with the aid of his violin. Such a fascinating thing, that magic of his, Aiden thought, truly distracted as the bard continued speaking, I've really never quite seen anything like that. I wonder what the extent of his powers are in other situations...what spells can he use in conjunction with sound? I wonder if this works equally as well if the opponent can't hear... Aiden...you're starting to sound like a child at Torar, Eladrin's voice echoed, citing a favorite holiday of the elves in Norwood. You should probably wait until we're out of the UNderdark before you start pestering him with those sorts of questions! You're stifling curiosity here, you know? the elf thought back in a rare moment of levity, What kind of celestial host would I be if I weren't curious about the magic around me!? Honestly, I think this is a bit hypocritical. I have a number of insults to throw at you the second we get out of here. Just remember that. Aiden couldn't help but smirk as his attention was brought back to the moment at hand. The men around him were dispersing, moving to odd jobs of either moving the drow guards or directing those clearly unable to fight to the stairways leading to the floors above. "Thank you, the bard said to Aiden, I'd about given up as well until your spell came through. I'm trusting you do have an idea to help us, and I'll use what little magic I have to aid you. Names are probably not wise to share right now, so just call me Bard. I hope you do have a plan. I can only use that spell two more times today, just to warn you, but that chance to cool down probably solidified their understanding of how precarious this whole situation is." "No need for the thanks...bard," Aiden replied, pausing a bit at the odd choice of designation. "You can call me Aiden. I doubt "ranger" or "elf" would do much good down here anyway and we're in enough danger for name sharing to not be too detrimental." Turning his head up and down the hallway, Aiden continued, "Though we will need to move quickly. I'm not sure how long this hallway is, after all, and the sound of your spells might have traveled faster than we realized." Aiden moved back a bit, moving his arms quickly to get the attention of those gathered around him. "I won't waste too much time explaining who I am or why I'm here," he began, "But you should know that I'm on your side. And I intend to do what I can to bring you and as many of your family and friends to freedom. To do that, however, I'm going to need your full cooperation as our young bard here has already noted. You'll just have to trust me for now and do what I say if you want to make it out of here successfully." "Why?" asked a young man, probably not much older than 18 or 19. Aiden fixed the young man with a steely glare, but one of curiosity more than anger or frustration. The elf didn't have to look far to know that there were others who were mentally echoing the question. Trust was hard to gain in the Underdark, after all. "I'm a ranger," Aiden said, throwing a bit more caution to the winds, "And I'm an elf. I have no allegiance to either the drow or those who occupy the fortress built around us. I didn't come here to free slaves...but I can't very well let those I find continue to sit in squalor. It's not much, but it's the only reason I have for you to trust me. If you still don't, I can understand...but then I only ask that you don't endanger others by a refusal to trust." Aiden let the comment hang in the air while he met the eyes of as many men as he could. "And the first step is getting everyone--young and old--into the passageways above us. The bard and I will continue forward and do what we can to find an escape route...otherwise, we'll have to exit through the way you entered." Silence hung once more as the elf allowed everyone present to realize what that kind of fight would mean. "If there's nothing else, get moving," Aiden said, his voice not very loud but full of a commanding tone. "Everyone but the bard needs to get up the stairs and wait in the rooms and passageways above. They were empty when I traveled through them, but nonetheless you'll have to remain vigilant until we return!" |
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| Shan Orison | Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:19 pm Post #9 |
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"Just to let you know, Aiden, I wasn't kidding about being unable to fight. I can aid you, but I'm worthless with a sword." Shan's withholding his name wasn't about a lack of trust in the elf. Shan was quite certain he was everything he said he was. It was mostly a number of fears and phobias colliding. Shan was cautious with his name because he didn't wish to become famous, not even as a bard, and he knew there were a number of nasty magicks that could be worked on a person if their name was known. Granted, those spells were ancient and most didn't know that even existed, but Shan didn't need the publicity or to take the chance when surrounded by a palace full of drow and madmen. Thus, Shan would be known as Shan the bard or that damn Bard with the magic fiddle. He never wanted to be known widely as both. Let's just hope he's not terribly offended and make introductions when we're out of here. his second thoughts said, shutting down those worries before they escalated. "Let's see, I can make illusions with sound, I can fix inanimate objects, I can inspire with the songs, cast a cloak of silence, and um, a few other things. Some are attacks..." Shan looked around, glad the men were barricading themselves. As a defense, their weapons and skills should aid them. He just hoped they trusted two strangers enough to not take matters into their own hands. "Well, I do have things I'd like to get back along with saving them, and I know we can't save everyone in the palace, so you don't need to say that, and I'm willing to help you get...whatever brought you here. Oh, and I'm good bait, if it comes to that. I'm horrendously cowardly and weak, so, well, no one expects me to do anything except scream. So, shall we go?" |
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| swordhunter | Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:34 pm Post #10 |
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"Just to let you know, Aiden, I wasn't kidding about being unable to fight. I can aid you, but I'm worthless with a sword." Aiden waved off his new companion. "If we get into a situation where we need excessive swordsmanship, it means we failed anyway. We'll try to stay out of trouble for as long as we can." "Let's see, I can make illusions with sound, I can fix inanimate objects, I can inspire with the songs, cast a cloak of silence, and um, a few other things. Some are attacks..." "Good enough, for what we have to do," Aiden replied, shifting the sword on his belt. Reaching behind, the elf removed a mid-sized buckler from a strap on his back, quickly fastening the small shield to his arm. Before he entered the Underdark, Aiden had made sure to darken the normally bright shield with a mixture of clay and dark color so as to attract less attention. "At most, we may need use of your silent spell...the drow aren't great magic users generally, but their darkness spells might be a problem if we're caught in a bind. We'll just have to be alert then." Aiden prepared to turn and head down the hallway when the Bard spoke once more, grabbing his attention before he could move away. "Well, I do have things I'd like to get back along with saving them, and I know we can't save everyone in the palace, so you don't need to say that, and I'm willing to help you get...whatever brought you here. Oh, and I'm good bait, if it comes to that. I'm horrendously cowardly and weak, so, well, no one expects me to do anything except scream. So, shall we go?" The elf stood, a bit perplexed, as he stood and stared at the Bard. "Bait?" he asked, wondering if the man was kidding or not. "I don't think I'll be using you as bait...for now, anyway." Aiden's voice became hushed as he came closer and put an arm around the Bard's shoulders. "Though, I must say that if at any point it seems like we're in a spot of trouble, it is you that should get away. Regardless of what I've done here already, these people probably trust you more than me to begin with. If I should be held back or even fall, you have to get here and do what you can to get these men to safety." That said, Aiden straightened and walked forward moving down the hallway at a brisk pace. "We'll need to move quickly if we hope to find a way out," the elf said as he moved, "Maybe if we can reach then end of this hall, we can find a proper exit inside of the fortress. I can't imagine that a place like this doesn't have a few small passageways for secret entry. . ." |
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| Shan Orison | Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:56 pm Post #11 |
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Shan nodded. Considering the fabled duplicity and secretiveness of the Drow, there was no way this palace was built without some means to move about without notice. Granted, Shan had no idea how to locate such places, but they had to be around. "I was just throwing the bait idea out there. I'm fine with not doing that, trust me." He followed Aiden down the hall, sticking to the shadows as much as he could. Granted, that wouldn't help much against a race that lived underground, but he felt the better for it. He began to hear sounds of activity down the way. Rounding a final corner, Shan peeked around the corner to see a small group of drow with loaded carts heading deeper into the fortress. One of the drow, who looked more like a guard with his uniform than the other, who were pushing the carts and dressed more like servants or workers, directed them to cart the their load in "with the rest of the slave's things." Shan pulled his head back and rested against the cool black wall, his heart leaping with new hope. "Um, as a question, do you think we could try finding my bag? I know it's a side trip, but they took everything I own when I was captured, and it does have some things that might be helpful. And I really like that bag." He heard the carts begin to rumble in, moving to wherever his things had been taken. "I'll follow your lead, though. They aren't worth dying over." That honor was reserved for his fiddle, and he didn't need to worry about that. |
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| swordhunter | Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:56 pm Post #12 |
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Aiden and Shan moved down the hall, keeping to the sides of the passageway in an attempt to stay out of sight. Aiden's eyes roamed quickly, constantly on the lookout for any signs of trouble. Though thankful for the apparent lack of security, the fact that there wasn't more of a drow presence this deep in their own fortress was a bit troubling to the elf, to say the least. Could be the least guarded 'fortress' I've ever encountered, he thought, wondering what it could mean. Perhaps the drow were massed deeper in the fortress proper? Maybe they didn't concern themselves with the presence or issues of newly enslaved masses, leaving them to a weaker, less trained force of guards? Whatever the reason, Aiden had no reason to think that he and Shan would have an easier time as things progressed. That sense only increased as the sound of voices and creaking wood eventually met Aiden's ears. He and Shan paused before creeping forward silently, peering around a bend in the hallway and spotting a group of drow pushing carts into the fortress. "Um, came Shan's voice from behind, as a question, do you think we could try finding my bag? I know it's a side trip, but they took everything I own when I was captured, and it does have some things that might be helpful. And I really like that bag." Aiden turned to look at the bard, wondering just what could be in that bag to make it worth being discovered by a group of drow. Peering back ahead, the elf counted what they were up against: perhaps one proper warrior and six or seven other drow, apparently of the servant classes. "Wouldn't be difficult, I suppose," Aiden whispered, "We would need to gain entrance to the fortress proper anyway, and I'd assume it'd be close by..." Turning to face Shan fully, Aiden asked, "What should we do? Perhaps we should wait a bit and follow them until they open a gate or something? If we attack them here and come to a place where they are expected, we could be barred entrance...or worse." Turning back towards the caravan, Aiden watched as the drow continued down the path, gaining distance and drawing closer to their destination. Long seconds ticked by before Aiden turned back to Shan, this time unbuckling his sheathed sword. Handing the blade to the bard, Aiden stood and said, "I'll be back. Wait here, please." Without another word, Aiden rushed forward, his footfalls barely making a sound over the creaking of the wooden carts. Closing distance, the elf decided on attacking the warrior first. Without a sword, Aiden was forced to rely on brute strength and the element of surprise as he drew within a few meters of the still unsuspecting drow. Then suddenly, to Aiden's surprise, a globe of darkness engulfed him, the caravan, and the surrounding drow. At first, Aiden thought that the warrior had detected his presence and used the spell against the charging elf. "Pas mol!" Aiden incanted, slowing his onward rush as his spell returned his sight...only to see that the six or seven 'servants' were just dressed down warriors. And they all had daggers or shortswords at hand arrayed against the elf. "Perfect," Aiden muttered, as his hand shot to the hilt of his blade...the blade currently in the hands of the bard further down the hall. Don't show yourself! Aiden thought, vainly hoping that the bard--a self-admitted nonfighter--wouldn't try to involve himself in the rather sticky situation. It was hard enough fighting eight angry drow without defending someone else, after all. Clenching his fists, Aiden watched as three drow charged forward. . . |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:27 pm Post #13 |
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Shan watched from his shadowed corner as Aiden crept forth, staying still and blending with the darkness as best he could, which was very well when he kept still. Things seemed to be going well. Aiden advanced with smooth easy steps, the drow paying him no mind, until the scene was enveloped in blackness. It wasn't that the lights went out. A sphere of darkness bloomed and engulfed Aiden and the drow. Oh, no. They spotted him, his second thoughts moaned. We must help him! his chivalry, ever heroic cried, prepared to lead a charge. How? We can't see in that, so we can't find Aiden or avoid the guards. We could play any number of enchantments, but all of them would reveal our location except for Silence, and for all we know he's navigating in that with his hearing alone, not to mention he'd be unable to cast spells. Why not cast Silence on the guards, then? his logic said. And make it so Aiden can't hear them? his common sense said. Not very helpful, overall. So, in short, what we have is a sword we can't use, a violin we can't play without getting into deeper trouble, and a running streak of our help only making things worse. Perfect, his pessimism said. Could we follow along the wall into the other entryway? It's possible we could go a bit further in and find our bag. Hmm, I wonder how much that could help us... Well, Curiosity's idea is at least a bit more exciting than staying here. his common sense said, Though it'd be best to stay put until this is over one way or another. Shan agreed, except he'd been creeping around the pillar just as one of the drow popped out of the dark sphere and spotted his movement. He grinned at the sight of easier prey and stalked forward. Change of plans. Into the dark! his second thoughts said, nearly taking over Shan's legs in the rush. The bard kept close to the wall, one hand against the cool stone to guide him forward through the blackness. He couldn't rely on his sight here, but hopefully neither could the drow. A hiss of air like the nearby passage of a blade suggested to Shan that the drow could see well enough, thank you very much. Shan stumbled further forward, listening as best he could. How close were those footsteps? Was that the drawing of inward breath signaling a strike? Shan raised the sheathed sword as a makeshift shield, somehow blocking the blow. The Drow, however, laughed at the sight of the cowering man, grabbing the sword away from Shan and tossing it over his shoulder. Well, with that gone, we can at least play properly his common sense noted. Shan raised his violin. He might as well. With the drow this close to him, though he only had one enchantment he'd use, and he was afraid of hitting Aiden in the black. Granted, he could now aim his spells to affect only allies or foes, but the Blast was a cone of pure, destructive, sonic energy. How were you supposed to aim that? The drow raised its sword for a killing strike. Shan played a frantic succession of notes that, when slowed down, would be a children's song about songbirds. "Flatis vox" Shan whispered, and the world ahead of him quietly exploded backward, flinging the drow away with it, or so the sounds of thudding suggested. Shan's hand reached out and found the wall again. Alright, his second thoughts said. We lost Aiden's sword, but we're still alive. Let's keep going. |
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| swordhunter | Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:44 pm Post #14 |
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Aiden backpedaled as three drow charged forward, their short blades drawn and ready. At first, the elf considered simply retreating until outside of the globe's range...but then realized that it would be of no avail if he accidentally revealed the bard's presence as well. No choice but to fight, Aiden thought, planting his feet and gathering magic around him. If it was a fight they wanted, he'd be more than happy to oblige. "Thosaerdar!" he shouted, rushing forward as two large orbs of fire sprung up at his hands. The drow continued their headlong charge, but faltered a bit as they saw Aiden running forward through the darkness. It was too late for them to stop, however, as they simply continued forward and prepared to strike. Unfortunately for two of them, Aiden stopped his forward momentum, instead leaping to the right as he threw his hands forward and shot off the two fireballs in hand. One caught a drow squarely in the chest, sending his smoking body hurtling through the air while the other caught a charging drow at the knees. The injured drow screamed silently as pain--and flames--swept across his body. The third drow continued his charge, raising his blade just as Aiden made contact with the ground. The elf deftly rolled as he hit, twisting on a knee and raising his arm. With a clang, Aiden's buckler halted the blade attack of the now clearly surprised drow--the degree to which he was now outmatched was...unfortunate, to say the least. "Sorry," Aiden grunted as he pushed up hard, throwing the drow off balance before making a hard punch forward. The attack caught the drow in the midsection, stealing his breath as his blade fell to the ground with a clatter. Aiden quickly bent down, retrieved the shortsword, and took his breathless opponent out of his misery with a well placed sword strike to the chest. Forgive me, came Aiden's wordless thought as he quickly withdrew his stolen blade from the drow's corpse. Turning quickly, Aiden saw that there remained only three more drow facing him. What's happened to the other? Aiden thought as the apparent warrior of the group raised his blade and began muttering an incantation. The other two flanked their leader, warily watching the elf for any sudden moves. At first, Aiden had no idea how he could easily dispatch this group without being hit by whatever spell the drow warrior was preparing. "Great," he muttered, moving forward slowly as he thought of a plan. And then suddenly, the answer to the problem fell from the sky. Literally. A move to his left caught the elf's attention, then his eyes widened as he realized that his sword was coming through the air towards him. "You're kidding," Aiden muttered as he caught the blade's hilt in midflight, letting the scabbard fall away without a thought, "I don't think I could have written that to go any better." "Rogard diee niich-" the drow warrior said, raising his arms as his voice gained volume. "Enough of that," Aiden said, swinging the blade forward with a simple incantation. "Moji" With the spellword, a blast of lightening shot forth from the blade, sweeping forward and catching it's target full in the face. The drow was sent rocketing backwards as his two companions stared behind them dumbly. Aiden took the opportunity to sprint forward, his sword upraised. When the two drow looked back at their opponent, the elf was already in striking distance. His blade nearly danced through the air as Aiden dispatched the drow in quick succession. Looking around, Aiden cleaned his blade on one of the drow corpses as he looked for the remaining drow fighter. Then suddenly, his vision cleared as the globe of darkness faded, its original caster now dead. A few feet away along the corridor wall lay the still body of a drow, his face in a permanently disfigured look of shock. "That answers that," Aiden muttered, looking around for his companion. "Bard!" he called out, looking farther up the hall. . . |
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| Shan Orison | Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:31 pm Post #15 |
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The globe of darkness vanished, and Shan found himself standing by the wall back down the hallway. It seemed Aiden had managed to deal with the drow and the magic caster that summoned the black, and the drow that attacked Shan... "Oh, no, is he dead?" Shan asked, though the dark elf's rather twisted neck and expression answered that nicely. "Bard!" he heard Aiden call out. Shan stepped out from the shadows and waved his hand. "Right here. Um...I didn't mean for him to hit the wall that hard..." Shan said, still looking at the dead drow. He felt a bit ill. Granted, the drow was going to kill him, and Aiden would have probably ended him if Shan hadn't, but killing was not something Shan dealt with well. He kept his stomach in line, though. He didn't need to start heaving now when he needed to focus on finding his things. "I'm, um, I'm just going to look on that cart. Hopefully my bag's on it." Attempting nonchalance horribly, the bard trotted over to the cart and began opening chests. He'd been able to put all his things in one place before they were taken, and he was happy to discover after rummaging through four chests that they had decided to keep what looked like a ratty, nearly empty bag. "Got it," Shan said, hopping back down. He slung the bag onto his back. "Um...it has hats in it," Shan explained. "Um, magical hats...They might help. Um..." Shan caught sight of the dead drow around him and felt ill again. "Well, um, I'll follow your lead, then." |
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