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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:29:40 GMT -5
Tenebrae no longer had capacity to cry out, with one end of her faithful Bloody Wire clenched between her teeth, the other from which was appended, at some distance below, around the rapidly-shredding leg of her corvine familiar. The undead bird flapped weakly, bringing a frenzied grunt from the woman, whose lips were already bleeding and teeth gritting due to the diamond-dust on the garrotte, fortunately not currently coated in the vile drowish poisons she preferred for it. Nor would she have the capacity to be immediately discerned by the rescuing party gathered, unless one of them were to notice the thin rope tied about a pointed rock and leading across, to the edge of the cliff, and down into the abyssal gape below. Suspended from this, forty feet down, the inverted Joliette had been forced to grip the wire in her teeth so as to hold to the rope with both hands, to prevent herself slipping head-first to a certain and sudden death. She had the rope firmly twined about her legs, and might have managed to somehow bring herself upright to make the climb to the safety of ground -- had she not felt a sudden jerk of the cord, as it frayed and partially snapped, the jagged rocks at the edge of the plummet wearing fast at the thin sisal rope. "Hnghth!!!!!" - was all she could manage now, every synapse tuned to the vibration and jolt that spoke of her imminent doom, and her once-goblin's too. Colin struggles in the blackened webs still," Veszmurss release me from these damned things." Glancing around as he heard the muffled yell," Oi, I think that was the madam." Rasja rushes in, hands holding her gown up and eyes scanning the area for Joliette. A sound was heard, a large sum of feet below, teeth gritting as she turns to the speaker. Quickly, she looks, trying with a keen eye to find where the madam was being held up and rushing towards it. She soon halts, as the others find it. Hands continuing their hold along her dress, she grabs for the rope, gown held in the palms of her hands in such a way so that her hands would not get cut or bruised in the process. She holds the rope, hoping to ensure that it didn’t break before she got to safety. Colin moves to help Rasja with the rope, his hands grasping at the fiber wound item as he attempts to pull back on it," Pull Rasja, back." Colin grits his teeth as he tries to push back, his feet kicking up dirt with each small step back, his hands brusing and starting to bleed slightly from the rope," Pull!"
Tenebrae was mentally cursing the bird below, the corvine in its half-rotted state being unsteady of leg and cloudy of eye, and staggered over the ledge. Only the swing of her wire had snared it from disaster, and Maladroit was further not helping matters by flailing about, ensuring her lips gained further damage. Hearing a commotion above, she sighed ragged relief, already plotting on how she'd punish her familiar for this predicament. Veszmurss looks into the Abyss from the edge, thinking. There would be no more room on the rope so he would attempt to device a more successful plan of actions. He knew it would take some massive strength to pull a being out and her crow, with that much rope displacement, "Hmmm."
Rasja digs the back of her feet into the ground, trying to make sure that the lady does not fall into the pit below. Through gritted teeth, and while feeling too close to the edge, while looking over it she calls out to Veszmurss, "Fix the blasted crow!" Whatever way to get Joli's thoughts back onto holding the rope and keeping herself safe would be fine with this one.
Rasja digs the back of her feet into the ground, trying to make sure that the lady does not fall into the pit below. Through gritted teeth, and while feeling too close to the edge, while looking over it she calls out to Veszmurss, "Fix the blasted crow!" Whatever way to get Joli's thoughts back onto holding the rope and keeping herself safe would be fine with this one. Veszmurss quirks a brow at the dancer, "I'm a mage not a necromancer." He thinks more, walking over the edge of the pit, "I'll be back." The wind rushes past the drow's stark white hair as he plummets down. Upon seeing the tiny form of Jolie he utters a quick incantation, slowing his decent to that of a feather. He surveys the scene, passing Joliette, he grins at her, "Just hang in there eh?" He would then utter off another and levitate back to the cliff edge, unless called otherwise. Colin glanced towards his own undead familiar," Sieg! Go shut h er damned bird up." the undead crow seemingly nodded mid flight and flew down towards Maladroit. When Sieg had arrived at the situation, he began to peck at Maladroits head, hopefully conveying a message to the other bird. Colin however, was pulling on the rope, his muscles starting to build with lactic acid," Pull!" Tenebrae was losing her grip.. on the wire clenched between her teeth, on the hold of the rope in her rubbed-raw hands and ... on reality, apparently, the inverted vampiress' long hair covering her sight, and a floating voice making mockery briefly. Grunting, she felt a struggle below, heard the sound of flapping wings and the wire in her lips jerked hard a few times, before falling still. She prayed for a moment that Maladroit had not fallen, but no, his weight was still felt, harshly.
Veszmurss lands on the cliff edge, "Good work shutting that crow up, but it'd take a giant to pull her up with that crow there." He thinks, "How strong is your crow Colin? Think it can hold up the other and manage to get back up here?"
Colin said to Veszmurss, "I don't know, Sieg could try however."
Colin yells out as he continues to pull the rope still, Sieg now attempting to carry Maladroit on its back."Vezmurss, help us!." the human was struggling, and he had no idea how Rasja was doing behind him.
Veszmurss shrugs, "It's better then nothing." He leans over the Abyss, "Joliette!! We're going to attempt something, if you can ever once -see- your familiar eye-to-eye, I want you to release it's tie!" He nods to Colin.
Veszmurss quirks a brow at Colin. He rolls his eyes and utters an incantation. An earth elemental of his physiology springs up and grabs to the rope to help pull. A drow dirty his hands in such a way? Heresy.
Colin said to Veszmurss, "Bah! You are useless, I hope she fires you for not helping yourself."
Deilakrion loped along the path through Vailkrin, rejoicing in the chance to stretch her legs. She dodged around many passersby, fleeing the city and its population (small though it was) to find more hospitable wilds. She dodged past a small gathering of people, slowing down to carefully manage the bridge, when she scented that familiar perfume. Brightening, she turned around, mincing off the bridge and searching through the group for Tenebrae. She scowled. The woman, easily spotted in most groups of people, was no where to be found. The rest, however, were familiar to her. She found it worth her time to edge around them, looking at them as if they might hide the vampiress. When Tenebrae was not produced, Deilakrion shook her head and glowered at the collective. "Where fierce hunter?"
Veszmurss points at his elemental that is pulling Vesz's load for him, "I am too helping you liar." He looks back over the cliff, his infravision picking out the three down in there, checking progress.
Tenebrae was glad to hear that shout - more reassurance that help was forthcoming - but was in the predicament of firstly doubting her flight-impaired bird might not fall to certain oblivion, and secondly that she might be able to shift that thick ebon swathe of hair from over her features without doing herself a deal of damage. But, there was nothing for it but to try.... Agonisingly, she set her jaw and lifted her head much as she could, the gem-dusted wire biting hard to her soft mouth again. With a delicate tilt of head, she managed to get her hair to shift away from one eye -- and looked down, to where Maladroit was studying the abyss below. "Grnph!!!!" She grunted, trying to get his attention. "Skhukhid Girkh!" Several furious mumbles to the like later, the bird looked up, and Joliette opened her mouth, suddenly relieved of the pain -- and her crow.
Colin said to Deilakrion, "She’s down there in the gorge, help us pull her up?" The human motioned to the rope," I'm sure she'd like it."
Rasja was pulling, boots continuing to dig into the ground as she tried to keep her grip-through her gown- and bring her to safety. She wasn't all too sure on what was going on below, but it seemed that the crow had at least been taken care of.
Tenebrae found herself wishing she didn't have a habit of carrying everything she owned in the large pack on her back, which was now, of course, adding to the small vampiress' weight considerably. Veszmurss intently watches the earth elemental heaving at the rope, "Colin you better have faith in that bird of yours!"
Deilakrion looked at Colin as if offended, backing away from that particular person as if he had announced himself diseased. Instead, she moved to the edge and peered over, noting blobs against blobs. Well, there was a rope going down there, and it held weight of some kind, but apparently the weight was too much. Deilakrion shrugged, and set her hands to the cliff edge. She manoeuvred her lower body over the side, and scrabbled for foot holds, upper body straining to hold her weight. The cliff was steep, but not without its pockets and divots. Ignoring the struggling crew, she moved down the cliff face, one agonizing hold at a time.
Veszmurss utters a few more incantations and three more earth elementals pop up. Grabbing at the rope where possible as they pull back, their feet would be fused into the earth until they wrenched them from the ground, preventing any regression of progress.
Loshe wanders along the road from the darkened city, her gaze on the ground and her thoughts far from dwelling on her current path. And thus, when she stumbles into the crowd by the cliff - though, such likely saves her from the fate of falling over the cliff. Her mind snapping back to the present, she looks around with a blink. "What's going on?" she queries of those gathered, a dark brow lofted upon her forehead.
Tenebrae 's lips, free of the once-goblin and wire, were also free for speech, if stinging like hell and bleeding profusely. A harsh tone escaped them, as with greater ability to move her head came a realistic picture of her predicament. "Oh gods... Help!" The sight of the blackness below had her twitching, which set the rope swinging, she and the pack crashing ungently to the wall of the gorge. That was about when her hands slipped... suddenly there was only air, and a single pale appendage snatched forth into that oblivion -- Fate for once giving her a break, had her fingers clamp down on the rope's end.
Tenebrae shouted, "Oh no... Maladroit! Where is he?"
Veszmurss pats the undead crow upon his shoulder, "He's good Joliette!!!" Deilakrion scampered down the cliff face, her longtime treks in the wilderness serving her well. Gradually she made it down the length of the rope, and came upon Tenebrae, clutching desperately at the rope. She tilted her head at the woman, and grinned. "Fierce hunter! Hunt?"
Tenebrae rolled her eyes skyward - which was probably better than the opposite option - and shook her head at the elf, grinning despite herself and the current concern for self-preservation. "Creature..." Joli raised her brows. "Uh.. yes, hunt, possibly. Should I manage not to plummet to my death. Down there." Of course, she looked down then. Big mistake.
Tenebrae 's crow, a baleful and smelly creature, wasn't all that pleased to be sat on the shoulder of a stranger as he was. The massive undead corvine, shedding stinking pinions as he was ever wont to do, expressed his displeasure by pecking viciously at Vaszmurrs' ear.
Ahkall is dragged behind Terra, leaving a thick trail of crimson vitae.
Terra continued to drag that rather large creature into the area littered with people. An exasperated glance is casted in seek of someone, anyone. "A bit of help, please? The ... thing will bleed to death."
Loshe looks from the crowd to the woman she once tried to feed from, as well as the being she dragged with her. "I would help, miss, but firstly, I am no longer a paladin. And secondly, well...something is going on here, but no one's telling me what. And I've no interest in going nearer to the edge of this cliff."
Deilakrion tilted her head at Tenebrae, confusion blossoming over her glee. "Why fierce hunter here?" It didn't *seem* like the elf was teasing, but there was a playful air to the elf, perhaps the prospect of a hunt had gotten to her.
Terra sighed heavily at Loshe's explanation, glancing around at those gathered. "Anyone else, then?"
Ahkall snarls loudly, the sound echoing off the cliff walls; his two eyes beginning to drift. He hated it, this pain, this terrible pain. Damn humanoids and their pitiful forms. Rasja continues to hold onto the rope, stressed words slipping from clenched teeth, "After.. Miss Joli is pulled up from her run in with death, sure."
Tenebrae said to Deilakrion, "Well, it wasn’t by choice…” She spit a mouthful of blood, her abraded tongue-tip welling that fluid into the confines of her mouth. “Stupid bird fell over the edge.” She blinked. “Creature? Might you clamber back up there, please, and …” The next words were enunciated very carefully. “Help get me out of this mess?"
Veszmurss utters a few choice incantation words and a wind elemental springs up beneath Joliette to help ease the process of pulling her up for his earth elementals and RJ pulling on the rope.
Veszmurss utters a few choice incantation words and a wind elemental springs up beneath Joliette to help ease the process of pulling her up for his earth elementals and RJ pulling on the rope.
Deilakrion grew solemn, looking from Tenebrae to the long way up. "Rope go bad." She grimaced and gestured to the unravelling rope. "Fierce hunter climb." She pointed to the divets in the wall, looking back up to where the rope was unraveling. She moved upwards with the woman, noting how Joli's grip was precarious at best.
Rasja turns her head off to the side, watching the wyrm with a pout, she gingerly pulls at the rope, though does it in such a hasty motion to help pull the lady up to safety. With the help from the conjured hands, she felt that Miss Joliette would soon be saved- and then she'd have to begin on the beast nearby. Turning to Veszmurrss, and continuing her backward tug, she speaks, "How far is she.. from the edge?"
Tenebrae felt the jolt of the shredded sisal cord being slowly dragged upward, the blood on her hand making for slippery purchase at best, and at the elf’s suggestion she looked to her doubtfully. “Don’t know if I can…” Her arms, even with prodigious vampiric strength, were already badly strained. Still it was the best option she had, and gingerly she swung her other hands up to clutch the rope’s tail. Inch by inch, the unravelling rope was scaled and drawn from above. Nearing the edge, she could see the trouble all along – a niche in the crock providing a wedge, in which the rope has been getting stuck, periodically. With a frown to it, she glanced up, to where more frantic voices could be discerned, and a fierce bellow of some beast sounded. Frying pan to fire? She sighed, grappled at the stone ledge above.
Tuenian tears across the starscape of the eternal night that presses upon each passing day in the dark city, a blot across constellations as his variegated hulk catches the blanched moonlight; above a brilliant mosaic of colour, below but a void. He veers around, coaxing a wisp of cloud into a whorl in his wake, far above the level of the beings upon the earth, only perceptible to the keenest of eye or most attuned of sense. Large veins of bone and cartilage frame his skull in a sapphire cravat, his ears fanning out and focusing upon the small crowd below. He had come for the sake of one, but due to an inquisitive urge rather than altruistic intention.
Veszmurss said to Rasja, "She is right at it." He points to her hand at the ledge, "See?"
Ahkall is aloft, in his true form; several hundred feet of massive, black scales and serpentine figure ripping forth from a ruptured body. Immense roar bellows behind the two, Joliette the first to see the colossal beast, as it crashes into the ground. Tunneling, away from here no doubt; toward home.
Veszmurss runs over and helps Joli up onto solid ground.
Tenebrae 's knees hit solid earth, and she glanced up the the folk gathered with undoubtable gratitude. "You have no idea how I deeply I thank you right now..." The vampiress would take a moment to look about, pondering Deilakrion’s absence with slight shrug.
Tuenian loses sight of the creature that had roused his interest, the sand wyrm having buried himself within the earth itself, whereas the dragon could not even manage to walk upon it. Advantage was his own, however, being that there was little to no obstruction in the air, and that which might impede his progress was of the sentient and entirely mortal variety. As silently he approached, he was to become but a memory upon the wind.
Demont swoops in to see a small crowd gathered. Landing softly he fols his wings to his back, "Well, what have we here?"
Rasja falls back on her rump as the weight on the rope is released. Her gown- now sporting a gash running along both its sides- fell in a loose crumple with her, hands slightly red from the tugging, but not much other damage. Turning her gaze falls along the newly changed wyrm, the crash sending a slight tremor through her for before she makes her way to stand on wobbly legs. The beast seemed to be moving off and away.
Tenebrae stared at the burrowing form of the wyrm, it's tail-tip vanishing finally into the rock. She stood, on trembling legs, and looked at each of the gathered, her eyes coming to rest on the ragged corvine set on Veszmurss' shoulder.
Veszmurss grumbles as he hands Jolie back her crow, his ears fiercely bleeding and still assaulting the drow, "Take it!" Tenebrae took the bird indeed, the sluggish flapping of flightless wings no foil to her resounding slap, her hand descending on the creature sharply. "You mush-brained moron.." The sound of further pinion had her turn toward the recently descended Demont. "Ah.. I fell down a hole.." The vampiress' once-goblin familiar clacked its beak in silence, being void of capacity for anything else, and struggled from her grasp. "I was following that fool thing..." She pointed to Maladroit, who was already waddling unsteadily toward the Eastern bridge. Tenebrae said to Rasja, "Are you alright?" Her own tattered flesh would be offered the woman, a hand up, if needed. "And thanks, again."
Rasja rushed to Joli's side, arms spread wide before she moved to embrace the woman in a hug, "You're well!"
Rasja said to you, "I'm well too!"
Demont eyes Tenebrae, "I see. Good job I must say. You are?"
Thea wanders through the crowd in curiousity of what has happened. Spotting Tene she moves towards her friend, "What's going on here, Tene?"
Tenebrae embraced Rasja tightly, as though she were the trunk of a sapling. "Thank the gods, I've not been so glad to see solid ground." Well, not since the last time she fell. She turned toward further voices, first to Demont, as she'd not yet spied Thea. "I am Joliette of the Bloody Wire..." Though that weapon was nowhere to be seen, she noted with dismay, her eyes casting about for it. "And you..?" But at the pixie's question she'd wheel to face her oldest friend. "Thea! Oh, you missed a right disaster." She pointed to the cliff. "I was down there."
Demont said to you, "Jolie, for short I presume?"
Tenebrae would cast an appreciative nod toward the drow, whose bleeding ear attested to his aid of her crow,
Nemisis walks over to Veszmurss and takes out a red transparent rune with liquid inside. He says, "I went to a realm and studied how some humans can't tell when their hunger is quenched. Then I figured it was something in their brain that causes it. I applied it to the anatomy of a vampire and presto, your virus!" With that said he hands the drow the concoction he asked for the previous day. Almost forgetting to tell him, the draconian then says, "The rune can mentally connect with the one holding it. Think of the shape you want it to be. The victim must recieve the -entire- thing. Thats all."
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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:33:35 GMT -5
Tenebrae nodded to Demont. "Aye, that it is." She studied the avian a moment. "Not seen many of your type about."
Thea leans towards the pointing digit and looks down with an exaggerated, "Oooh!" Wrapping her arms about the woman's waist she exclaims, "Thank goodness you are in no worse shape for such a fall!"
Demont narrows his eyes on the woman, "You've something of mine, I believe. As to my type...I'd expect not. I'm the only one I know."
Tenebrae 's crow was, all this time, unsteadily making its way East.
Rasja loosens her embrace, turning to look over at the newest arrivals. One being the lady's friend, while the other, the man from before. "Still think you own the Hanging Corpse?"
Tenebrae clung to Thea now, seemingly grateful to hold anything that wasn't a rope. She spoke with a slight lisp, her tongue and lips cut with the diamond-wire, and she'd leave bloody handprints on the pixie's gown. "No, I'm alright." Demont's statement had her smooth forehead furrow with puzzlement. "Something of yours...?"
Demont said to Tenebrae, " The Hanging Corpse Tavern. But that is something we can discuss later. Seems you were following something, you said?" Thea arches a brow in reference to Demont's proclamation, viridians then turning to Tenebrae in question, "What is this one on about then?"
Tenebrae glowered slightly. "Yes, I think we had better discuss it. The Corpse is mine, by decree of the land's appointed guardians... and yes.... " She looked about wildly. "Now, where'd he go?" Hopefully not back over the cliff- she'd let him fall, this time.
Demont said to Tenebrae, "As long as you know, it is rightfully mine. My wife Atropos and I rebuilt it, she left, and as such left it to me. You may have it, as long as proper payment is given."
Tenebrae said to Thea, "Oh, I don't know, he's the third or fourth to make that claim, though the place was left fallow long enough..." She sighed softly. "Seen Maladroit, Pix?""
Thea lifts her gaze skyward, slender digit pointing to the east where the crow continues his flight, "Is that what you are looking for, Tene?"
Tenebrae stared at Demont. "And it was destroyed, and rebuilt again, by me. Still, we shall discuss it perhaps, in better circumstances.."
Tenebrae glanced up at the sky-bound bird. "Nope, Maladroit can't fly." She studied the road a while. "Wonder if he went on ahead already."
Demont said to Tenebrae, "You seem fine, and out of your hole. We will speak further another time. Follow your...whatever it was."
Demont flys away.
Thea laughs, "Aye, well..that one will make a good catch for something hungry I s'pose. I don't see him anywhere.."
Tenebrae , tired of standing about, shifted restlessly toward the East, hoping the birdish footprints in the road-dust were those of a feathered once-goblin. "This way..."
Tenebrae looked to the two women, and forward to the road ahead. "I think I have his trail, ladies. Will you walk with me a bit?"
Thea said to Tenebrae, "Should he come across another cliff, perhaps I should follow him this time, aye?"
Rasja nods.
Tenebrae snickered softly, spitting another mouthful of blood aside. "Aye, Thea, he's a clumsy one."
Thea nods in compliance, "Of course, Tene." Thea rolls her eyes recalling the days in the tavern when the sparsely feathered one would make scene with his antics. "I do recall that, yes."
Tenebrae said to Rasja, "Have you met Thea..." She would be heard at a distance, the vampiress treading quickly ahead. "Dearest friend and drinking-buddy..." Thea turns to Rasja with a smile, "Ello. As she stated, the name is Thea."
Tenebrae paused at the portal, a slight and low-placed rippling on that odd surface suggesting a diminutive body had passed through recently. "Wonder what he could want. He's been acting very oddly, ever since a day or so after Kasyr was killed."
Rasja nods, curtsying, with her newly trashed gown, "Rasja, pleased to meet you, Miss Thea."
Tenebrae glanced to the entertainer, grinning and wincing all at once as the smile cracked open the wounds on her mouth. "I hope you'll let me buy you a new dress..."
Thea 's brow quirks at Tenebrae's statement, "Kasyr was killed just a day or so after the destruction of Enchantment, no?"
Tenebrae 's features settled to an expression far more serious. "Yes, Thea. By a drow, I hear. Terrible news, I was most saddened. And then Maladroit started acting all odd, and Darian..." Her frown deepened. "He's a worry. Anyway, I finally gave in, and decided to follow the damned bird." One slender arms would sink into the mercurial surface of the portal. "I was sorry to hear about the Kingdom, too."
Rasja looks her dress over, "It's not too bad, besides we're out to accomplish.. something."
Thea nods towards Tenebrae, "Aye, I figured as much." Thea continues to walk aside her friend, mind reeling with recent events trying to piece bits together.
Tenebrae turned aside to Rasja. "You know, we'd be about the same size, almost. I have some things in my pack, but yes, probably best not to ruin anything, should we meet with more travail." She smiled wryly. "Which I somehow always manage to do."
Tenebrae pushed through the portal, disappearing into its shimmering and fluid field. On the other side, she bent to pick up a fallen ebon feather. Sniffing it she made a face. "That's his, alright." She turned to the east, studied the road. "Well, he's not headed Cenril way." She continued looking about for the crow's trail.
Thea is taken aback by the oddity of the travel. Even a creature of her magical competence could appreciate the sheer wonder of such a portal. Shaking then rustling her wings she emits a "whew!" . Thea eyes the feather, snapping forefinger and thumb together, "Rats. I cannot pick up energies from the undead or I could find him in a pinch." Tenebrae said to Thea, "The drow seem to be responsible for a lot of things lately."
Thea said to Tenebrae, "Agreed, but not the whole lot of them. I know of at least one house that still remains neutral."
Rasja stands back, listening to the two converse.
Tenebrae nodded. "They never mobilise without something nudging them to action. Why would they be seething to the surface now? They hate the place, but they always have. No," She shook her head very slightly. "Someone's behind this. All of it. Bet you ten gold coins." She glanced along the road then, worriedly. "Now, if we could only find that blasted bird's trail." Thea smirks, "I am not one to make a losing bet. We already know there is someone behind this, and from the shadows he comes." Thea sighs heavily, "My guess would be, not only has the one hiding in the shadows managed to morph into one of my kind, but Drow as well." Thea inspects the trail in search of tracks, "No way to call on him I s'pose? Or would he bother to respond?" Tenebrae shrugged lightly at the latter question. "He tends to come and go as he pleases, though it pains him greatly to disobey me like that. That's how I knew it was important to him I follow." She turned toward the pixie. "As to the other, might you tell me what you know, as we walk?" Just then blew in a dark feather, from the west, huffed into sight by a gentle breeze. "Ah, there we are.."
Thea nods and follows towards the west, "Aye..well.."
Thea said to Tenebrae, "Seems the head on the board in Kelay was a plant, facaded with magics. The barmaid, Nancy I believe her name is, saw a pixie of unusual size.." Thea pauses looking to the west to be sure they were still on the trail, "Seems this male 'pixie' was rather large and not of usual stature. Anyway, noting the strangeness of it all, Delacroix asked me to perform a spell to see if we could detect any strange magic afoot."
Thea said to you, "Seems the head on the board in Kelay was a plant, façaded with magics. The barmaid, Nancy I believe her name is, saw a pixie of unusual size.." Thea pauses looking to the west to be sure they were still on the trail, "Seems this male 'pixie' was rather large and not of usual stature. Anyway, noting the strangeness of it all, Delacroix asked me to perform a spell to see if we could detect any strange magic afoot."
Tenebrae listened intently as the women walked onward, the odd stray feather or scuffed toe-print indicating that this was the way Maladroit was leading. The vampiress' brow held a deep frown. "To what purpose, this ruse?"
Thea takes a deep breath, "As it turns out, Mr. 'Timewaster' himself was revealed from the shadows.
Tenebrae said, "Ah.... the chronomancer! I might have known." Thea turns with a smirk, "Indeed. Not a great surprise there, hmm?”
Calen , for the moment remains quiet while listening to the pair as they converse. Regardless of not wishing to interrupt, he does of course greet both, only waiting now while examining the customized crossbow always carried.
Tenebrae nodded to the apparent youth, hurrying after Thea. Perhaps he'd follow...
Thea blinks, "There you are. Alright..now where were we?"
Tenebrae thought a moment. "You were talking about Vur.. uh... the time-waster." Thea nods, "Ah yes." Thea notes their new companion on the trail and lowers her voice so that only Tene may hear.. Thea whispered to Tenebrae, "Perhaps it be best to discuss the rest in private later? I do not trust many right now." Tenebrae nodded quietly, glancing just then to the boy-shaped elder. "Ah, Calen, hullo again!"
Thea turns to regard Calen with a nod, "Good eve."
Calen greets both women by nodding to them, and to each, says, '"Evening. I trust you're both up to trouble of some sort?"
Tenebrae smirked softly. "Well, mainly we're just following on the trail of my crow, will you join us? Nice evening for a walk."
Thea looks back to the lad following along, "Know this one do you, Tene?"
Tenebrae bent to examine the ground, the grasses hiding any manner of footprint. "Damn..." She nodded to Thea. "He's Ryeanna's right hand, by all accounts."
Thea scratches her chin whilst giving nod, "Ah, I see. I have been away so long I can no longer keep track of who holds whom's body parts." She turns with a grin to the vampriss.
Tenebrae laughed softly. "Ah, there we are..." The bird-tracks had wandered to the road's verge, the crow clearly staggering in his progress toward.. wherever he was going. "Look! The trail..."
Thea does indeed look, and follows even. "Onward!" Tenebrae said to Thea, "So. Ryeanna is aligned with Vuryal somehow?"
Thea gives shrug of shoulder in response, "Honestly, I haven't a clue on that one. Anything is possible I suppose. I only know he and his puppet Gruz were once more on the rampage earlier today."
Tenebrae frowns and nods, focussing on the trail. "I'd love to know where he's taking us."
Thea simply nods and tries to decipher the trail. Calen says only, "I'd enjoy a nice walk this evening." after which, he waits to see where Tenebrae goes.
Tenebrae trudges along, behind Thea, grumbling about familiars and bloodbonds and hourglasses, and all manner of irritations.
Thea snickers upon overhearing Tene's rant.
Tenebrae said to Thea, "What kind of creatures would attack the Pixie Kingdoms?" Thea said to you, "The kind who wish to see it fall so that they may take the land and it's riches, not to mention it's magics for their own vile purpose." Tenebrae scrunched her nose up. "I smell crow."
Thea looking a bit weary from the days past nods and moves along slowly.
Tenebrae looked about, her already ruffled temper fraying further by the moment. "Where's that damned bird..." Tenebrae stooped to look for tracks lost among fallen leaves, whatever scent trail she followed swept away by the blustering breezes. The land, however, was looking very familiar. "Uh.. this is the way to the pixish lands, isn't it?" Thea looks to the south, "Aye, indeed it is, Tene. Something fishy here..or is that Maladroit I smell?"
Tenebrae shook her head. "Your nose might be finer than mine for the scent, Thea. My question is -- is this coincidence?" Her features looked troubled.
Thea 's brow furrows, knowing full well nothing of late was coincidental at all, "Highly doubtful." Thea begins to trudge southward, calling back, "And off we go."
Tenebrae gasped softly at the destruction that met her gaze as the women trod along the southward path. "Oh gods..." She stepped toward the blackened trunk of a tree, one of the great oaks that once stood proud sentinel to her friend's homelands, fingertips trailing the charred trunk. "What have they done?"
Thea looks on the refuge with saddened eyes, frown deepening with each step, "It gets worse.."
Thea now wiping tears from shimmering cheek turns from the others, "I have to face this once more on the morrow, but for now, I need to rest."
Tenebrae walked slowly toward the pixie, a hand coming to rest lightly on Thea's shoulder. "Listen, you need go no further, if it pains you. Clearly, this is where he was leading. I'll take it from here."
Thea nods and rests her hand for a moment on Tene's, "Thank you, Tene. I hope whatever he is leading you to will put another piece of this puzzle in its proper place. Fare ye well."
Calen stops once more and listens, waiting only for instructions from Tenebrae. Despite not seeming to be hostile, he is of course readying his crossbow for use, just in case.
Tenebrae nodded her goodbye, her voice lost to helpless rage, at the sight of Thea's distress.
Thea flutters quickly towards the first available sight of greenery, burrowing amongst the foliage to rest for the night.
Jabari stumbles towards Tenebrae, his eyes a bit bloodshot, "Something... Going on... I keep seeing crows, you and... This forest.... I hope.... I wasn't seeing me getting molested...." The assassin babbling a bit as he shakes his head, face quite pale as if he had thrown up.
Tenebrae was scrabbling around in the undergrowth, in search of Maladroit, when Jabari staggered up. Righting herself, she raised a hand to the back of neck and stared at him. "Jabari?" her features held an incredulous look. "Uh. what are you doing here?"
Jabari shakes his head, blinking at Tenebrae, "I... Seeing things... You were in them... I wanted to know what I was seeing..."
Tenebrae nodded slowly. "I .. see." She coughed lightly. "Well, since you're here, help me find my crow. He led us to this place, but his trail ended over there..." She pointed toward the dead oaks.
Jabari looks over to the dead oaks, trees doubling a bit as he starts to move that way, "Why.... Did he lead... You here?"
Tenebrae looked at the man, irritated. "I have no clue. If I knew that, I'd not be grubbing through bushes searching for him, would I?"
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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:35:57 GMT -5
Jabari shrugs as he starts to pull apart the weeds and dead flora, eyes searching for the crow, "You could know, and just have lost him, now having no idea where you are suppose to go.... I... Just..." The assassin blinking a little bit, looking back at Tenebrae, attempting to try and sneak a small vomit to where the woman would not notice.
Tenebrae heard the sound of retching and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Men." Stalking from the sound, she walked southward, where she could see the decimated city lying like a great wound in the forest. She stood and stared a moment at the destruction. "I have never understood the need to do something like this..." She shook her head. "There are better ways to control a people." With a sharp breath in, she set foot again on the path.
Jabari rubs the back of his neck, "What do you... Expect from Ogres?" Pushing around the bushes moving along with Tenebrae, "Smash smash, kill kill... That is just raising their children.... Foul things..." The assassin blinking a bit more, asking Tenebrae, "Wouldn't.... Happen to have water on you?"
Tenebrae turned toward the assassin. "Ogres? Makes sense. But they're not usually creatures to wander past their own lands, without good reason. Why would -ogres- attack pixies, of all things?"
Jabari said to you, "Why would drow help ogres, real question to be asking...."
Tenebrae tossed him a leather canteen, strapped to her pack by Steadman, at Darian's command. "Yes, I'm aware of their nature. But the ogre-lands are miles from here. And ogres don't usually invade like this, it's all very odd, indeed." With a soft cry of triumph, she bent to take up a small black feather, caught in the twigs of a bush, and found another slightly to the east. "Oho! He's been here, perhaps."
Tenebrae said, "Drow.. helping them?"
Jabari pours the water into his hand, splashing it into his face, shaking his head a bit, "Need to move the chemicals... From that room...." His boots trailing eastwards now that Tenebrae has found the feather, "Too bad we are attempting to track a crow." Jabari said to you, "Was that not the big deal? Drow and Ogres attacking together?" Tenebrae scowled lightly. "Next time I'll get a parrot, or peacock, something one can at least -see- in a forest." She looked back as she tramped over the rubble of flattened and burned undergrowth. "Especially a burned one.. and I -told- you to take the cleaning things out of there." Shaking her head, she picked up pace toward the east.
Jabari clears his throat, "Steadman... Does not want them near the drinks...." Jabari blushing a bit, treading through the grass eastward, pointing over by the stream, further eastward, "Is... That another one?"
Tenebrae came to a stop before the blackened bed of what had once been a beautiful and serene stream. A memory stirred in her, of a woman with white daisies and a soothing voice, but it drifted away at Jabari’s words behind her. “Hm? Another what? And the drow and ogres are in league? That’s even more peculiar.” She muttered, distractedly, descending to the darkly sluggish water’s edge and peering in. There were widely-spaced stones poking out of the water, possibly enough to offer a crossing. Glancing up again, she pointed excitedly, turning back toward Jabari. “Oh look, there he is!” On the far side of the creek, Joli’s bird could be seen waddling awkwardly, its feathers spiked with moisture. “Maladroit!” But the creature paid her no heed, and kept on its way.
Jabari follows after the woman, "You are telling me...."
Tenebrae wasn't leading anywhere, right away. She was still standing at the edge of the water, trying to judge the distance between herself and the first stone in the oily-looking stream. "Thea seems to think there's a single motivating force behind it. I'm inclined to believe her."
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "That is why I said it was the question... Why they are aligned..."
Tenebrae dipped her chin in agreement, and leapt out to the stone, her arms spread wide to aid in her balance on the slippery surface. Her eyes strained ahead, trying to keep sight of the once-goblin, who was picking up pace. "There's too much division in the lands, these days. Miserable place, and full of petty men with dreams tom big for themselves." She hopped across to the next stone, body swerving dangerously when her boot lost grip. "Damn.. Maladroit, this'd better be good...."
Jabari slips as he is smacked, slipping backward and falling, whole body into the water... The assassin shaking his head in shock, body starting to shiver as he gets up and pushes across, even with his clothes soaked. His bloodshot eyes getting worse as he looks towards to hill, asking, "Where.... Did that boulder come from?" Senka had been restless, impatient and annoyed enough to be driven out of her territory. Following her impulsive nature, the wolf finds herself running from the island of Rynvale and deep into the land of Kelay. It's only at the sight of someone she recognises along with a stranger that the albino finally pauses. Blood red eyes take in the scene before her in curiosity even as her white fur, even if it's hard to tell in it's current dirty state, sways gently in the breeze.
Tenebrae had turned at the sound of splashing, meeting the sight of the drenched Jabari with a soft smirk, before her gaze was caught by the white shape standing on the opposite bank. “Oh no…” Her voice was low. “Don’t move, man!” But her urgent hiss came too late, and the wolf was looking at them. Well, at her, to be exact. “Jabari, sh, there’s a w…” But there was something about the large albino’s stance, her penetrating gaze, that had her pause. “I know you.” This was a soft mutter, to herself. But the thought behind it would be offered to a mind she knew was receptive to her thoughts. “Senka?”
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "I... Saw it... Seen it before...."
Jabari blinks, shaking his soaking head and rubbing his eyes, "I can swear there is a boulder over there..." Senka pauses for a few moments, her fierce eyes taking in every subtle move in the two of them while her body stays completely and perfectly still. Then finally the wolf lowers her head slightly and begins to lightly walk closer to the two without hurry. When Tenebrae spoke to her in a way she easily picked up her blood red eyes briefly flash to the vampire and seem to glaze over. But then, it must've been a trick of the light, for when her red orbs come to study Jabari, they're as sharp and wild as ever.
Senka told Tenebrae, "*as Senka's glazed eyes meet yours* I'm surprised you're not attacking me on the spot. Forgiven me for blocking your exit already?"
Jabari blinks, "Where did the bird go....?" Jabari staggering up the hill the bird disappeared over.
Tenebrae , as the wolf's mind met her own, would cast the lycaness a clouded look. She nodded. "I was.. not myself. So, it makes better sense to me now." She turned, jumped lightly to the next stone, which wasn't so far. "But if you take Leo from me, I'll kill you."
Senka blinks, several times, before rolling her eyes in a fashion that's much too human-like to suit her wolf's head. Lightly keeping up with the two of them, eyes flickering to Jabari yet again before returning to Tenebrae, Senka takes her time to respond which she's known to do when distracted. Finally her eyes meet those of the vampire again and as they glaze over, her somewhat familiar rough yet feminine voice enters the other's mind, "What is it with you two-walkers? Everybody I meet either expect me to change back for *their* benefit or to steal their mate. Honestly, I don't feel like taking the moody pup from you...I'm merely...tolerating his presence until he's got himself under control enough to return to you," A moody growl escapes the beast at the thought of said 'pup', someone who she hasn't seen in a while though she refuses to admit that this is bothering her. Again her eyes flicker to Jabari before she enters the necromancer's mind once more, "Whose the bird-seeking-idiot?"
Jabari said to Senka, "I don't expect you to do a thing." Jabari stumbles a bit, looking around, "I don't.... What's that?" His eyes squinting, ignoring the white wolf.
Tenebrae was mollified by Senka's response, the memory of the wolfess providing her no sense of untrustworthiness. "I believe you. And the idio.. er, the man with me is my janitor. Maladroit led us here, for some reason, and there's been some odd coincidences on the way..." She shot a look to Jabari. "Watch your manners a bit, Senka's alright." By now they were tramping up the hill, Joli not at all comfortable in the chafe of one wet, leathern boot. She'd have opened her mouth to add to the commentary, were it not for a sudden whirr of wings, and tiny lights clustering in the air al around them. Several human-sized individuals stepped forth from behind the ravaged stumps of the trees, and all appeared to be bristling with arrows and slender swords. "Uh.. " her eyes glanced wildly, sizing up the situation. "It's probably best we just stay still, for a bit."
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "I know the wolf..."
Jabari blinks at the multi colored men, head tilting, "Tavern entertainers?" Staying still a little more now.
Tenebrae stared at the man. "I order you to stay out of that closet. And no, not dancers. Angry pixies. Now, hush, let them see we mean no harm." Senka very much feels like snapping at Jabari that 'the wolf' perfectly understands him but figures that it isn't worth the effort. At the sight of the creatures Senka pauses, and her ear flickers towards Tenebrae at her comment, but the albino doesn't bother to respond. Her eyes darken in a predatory look even as her head lowers, her body tenses and her ears raise, taking on the intense posture any normal wild wolf would take at the sight of strangers.
Jabari rubs his eyes gently, "Rather.... Tired at the moment... Left my stuff in the closet.”
Tenebrae would send a hurried thought toward Senka. "We are vastly outnumbered, Senka, and these beings have just had thier home raped. They don't need any more fighting..." Very slowly, the vampiress raised both of her hands, her voice rising softly over the sound of wing-flutter and the gurgle of the ruined stream below. "We come unarmed, and with no malice." The pixish horde buzzed softly, a few lifting their weapons toward the trio. "Thea helped bring me here. And my crow..." She pointed toward the now-empty hilltop, her look pleading. "We will lay our weapons down here, if you will, and you can follow, all of you." At this, one of the men barked a shrill command, and the bulk of the troops flittered back to the trees. One pixie, a proud-looking female, stepped forward. "You came for the drow. You may take him, when we are done." Joli had no clue what she meant, but thought it expedient to agree. "Very well." And with that, the rest of the warriors melted away to the ruins, leaving the three - for now - quite alone. Senka let's out a moody growl at Tenebrae's comment in her mind, but nevertheless slowly raises her proud head again. No fighting for now...very well. Silently watching, as she's learned to do, as the vampire pleads with the pixies. Damn fluttery lil'....she'd love to get her fangs on one of those. Still they're greatly outnumbered, and though the wolf is impulsive, she's not stupid. Came for the drow? Is that why the other two are here? Tilting her head to the side in curiosity the wolf watches the warriors move away before raising her mighty head again to look at the other female in a way which clearly says 'so now what?"
Jabari presses east as the pixies go away, towards the crow without being told. Tenebrae shrugged lightly. "Carry on, I suppose, following the bird." She mused for a moment, on the pixish warrioress' words. "What drow...?" She looked to Senka. "There was one, killed Thea's nephew. Might be him. I suppose the only way to find out is to get on with it." A few paces took her to the hill's summit, over which she, too, vanished.
Senka is too curious for her own good, and thus can't help but follow the two. Nevertheless, even as the wolf lightly leaps onward, she can't help but feel she's getting herself in some kind of trouble. Following the necromancer's mate always does, so why should she be any different?
Tenebrae stepped into the field of violet flowers, uncanny survivors of the ogrish and Underdark legions. All was deathly silent, save for a vague hum coming from somewhere up ahead. At the end of the slight clearing stood Maladroit, wretched and bedraggled, most of his feathers gone and one wing hanging limply to drag on the ground below. “Oh, silly bird,” she breathed. “Why have you brought us here?” The former goblin clacked its dulled beak thrice, shuddered, and sank to the earth. She strode toward her fallen familiar, scooping up the limp, decaying body. “Never mind, Maladroit, I’ll get you a new one, as soon as I might…” As she looked up, as though to scan the sky for the ravaged body’s replacement, the vampiress let out a strangled cry and turned to her companions. “Down there!” her forefinger indicated the slope downward, where once stood the mightiest of trees. “Something.. horrible is afoot. Come, we must see!” She dashed toward the great, dead oak, from where rose many shrill cries, the trunk surrounded by another legion of pixish warriors shouting obscenities in their own musical language – some of these she recognised, from Thea – and all were swarmed about a single point, the object of their ire remaining hidden by the sheer numbers.
Senka watches the crow in a mixture of curiosity as disgust. Honestly, why would anyone ever want to keep such a...unnatural thing? Even if it is kinda...fascinating. The necromancer's cry startles her from her thoughts, and the large creature hesitates before turning to Jabari with a look that pretty much says 'might as well...' So the large white wolf finds herself running towards the other female, curious about what has caught her attention. Her own massive head tilts to the side in puzzlement when she arrives and looks down upon the pixish warriors, but she makes no other move for now.
As the trio descended toward the ruined oak, the pixies – as if on some order - parted like a many-winged sea to allow them clear view of the tree’s trunk, upon which was a scene so gruesome as to wrench the gut of even the gore-jaded Joliette. It was the body of a drow, rent in great pieces, limbs, head and trunk positioned a foot apart but in roughly their rightful places. These were held in places by a network of glimmering threads, silk-fine roped of pixish weave, strung through the meat of the body, the pieces hung like ghastly beads. The body itself was hardly recognisable, so covered in wounds was it, and blood, and the mouth on the head gaped wide, so the blackened tongue lolled, entirely pin-cushioned with little arrows. Every inch of flesh held a like wound, or protruded a shaft, and even as the three inched closer, a few remaining pixies, their quivers emptied of weapons, poked the sharp ends of twigs at it, angrily. “Dear Mother of all Darkness…” Joli winced, looked aside. “It –must- be the drow that killed Thea’s boy. And they have had their revenge, in abundance.” She looked to Jabari. “There goes your fee, I’m sorry.” To Senka, she gave a worried glance and continued on, nearing the scene. There had to be a –reason- for her presence; the news of the drow’s death might have travelled easily enough… And with a gasp, she realised what that purpose was – her eyes had alit on the base of the trunk, where lay a sword’s sheath. A very familiar sword-sheath. She whirled to Senka. “I’m sorry, I know this is confusing. But they got the wrong one. The wrong drow. And when they find this out, they’ll be furious – I don’t know what they’ll do…” She looked back to the tree. “Listen. I’m going to dive in there, and get that sword. When you see me turn back to you – run, like the hells, out of this forest!” And then she was stalking toward the tree, with a singular intent.
Senka immediately takes off at Tenebrae's order, unused to taking orders from others as she might be. Ears flattened against her skull, snout wrinkled and eyes sharp and focussed, Senka uses every ounce of power in her muscle to get away, not far behind from the blur that is Tenebrae. Side-stepping several pixies, even jumping over one, the wolf can't help but realise that getting away might be a bit harder then she originally thought.
Senka carefully places her paw as she follows Tenebrae and Jabari downward, still wondering what she was doing here but not about to back out now. The glimmering of threads catch her attention just as she looks up when they reach the ruined oak, only to find herself staring at a rather...abused body. Hardly reacting at all at the sight of torn and muliated flesh, Senka merely tilts her head to the side and studies it for a bit longer before turning her mighty head to watch Tenebrae when she speaks to Jabari. Catching the worried glance, the albino's fur rises as she feels a bit uncomfortable for the first time since coming here. These pixies sure know how to tackle their prey....The second gasp of the necromancer makes the creature's large ears turn towards her. Somewhat dazzled by the amount of information, the lycan merely nods at Tenebrae's final statement before moving to a spot where she has a free path to run. Had she been a social wolf, she might've went to Jabari's side to make sure he'll escape as well, but since Senka isn't exactly the most social of the lycans...she simply makes sure she'll manage to get out herself. Intense red eyes flicker between the pixies and the necromancer as she finds herself, yet again, merely watching and waiting for what is to happen. Tenebrae dove toward the tree, bending to scoop up the ornate sheath-strap of the Ouroboros blade - and bolted. "Run!" The order was barked, the vampiress already a blur. What was to become of either of her companions might seem, for a time, a mystery - just getting out of the forest might prove an onerous task.
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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:37:17 GMT -5
--Northern Sage Forest –
Tristram is quietly consuming a bloody pulp of what once might have been some sort of four-legged forest-dweller of substantial size. Sanguine strands of saliva, mingled with blood, seep from his stained maw, and the only noise to interrupt the serene solitude of the surrounding area is the contented sound of tearing flesh, and crunching bone as the meal is devoured; not whole, mind, for he's no barbarian. Ebon scales glisten in the early morning light which filters through the canopy high above, a thousand colors reflected upon that dark reptilian flesh. The carcass is finally disposed of, tossed aside with a flippant toss of a bloody snout, as the great beast slowly lowers his head upon the ground, and allows grey-flecked, black optics to slowly close. It's not long before the steamy exhalations of expansive nostrils mingle with the early morning fog, and it appears our dreaded dragon has decided to conclude his breakfast with a much-needed nap. It should be safe enough ... aren't there things to be said regarding waking sleeping dogs?
Tenebrae bolted into the murk of the canopy's shelter from the west, a monochromatic blur of pale flesh, leather and ebon hair that was flown back to flutter behind her like a black flag in the wind, wisps of leaf and twig tangled in those tresses twirling as might twists of paper on the tail of kite. Clutched under one arm was an ornate sword's sheath, the form of it a mass of tangled serpents, and behind her hummed a veritable legion of clearly displeased pixies, the tiny creatures armed to the hilt, brandishing microcosmic bows and bristling with miniature swords. The angry cries of the horde sounded like a swarm of wasps, keeping the vampiress well-warned of their proximity even above the murmur of the locale's own magics, but the woman had run clear across the forest's deepest end to it's northernmost and even her vampiric constitution was strained to keep up the pace. Spying the presence of some large and obsidian-hued saurian creature resting in the glade among the grisly remnants of its meal, she balked for the briefest moment -- but whatever danger it might present if woken from slumber was, in her mind at least, immediately rendered moot by the dire fury of the pixish army following. So, with a final burst of speed, she sprinted past the bulk of it, rounding its great supine form to hide behind it as though merely a convenient boulder, so it stood between herself and that most annoyed swarm of winglings. Not the best position, as far as survival went, but chances were good the two might clash, and with a bit of luck cancel each other out.
Tristram is aware of the buzzing fury that infiltrates his quiet respite, his moment away from the toils and travels of his daily existence, and with the softest grunts of displeasure, squeezes one eye open. This same eye traces the movements of Joliette, and the pixie horde that presses ever closer. Motionless, the dragon waits, ever-still as the -- literally -- small army approaches with vengeance and vehemence to be heard amongst their incessant chirping and battle cries. Once they are practically upon him, he cranes his serpentine neck around, jowls opening in a violent display of incisors that could only be ivory daggers, still stained a macabre crimson. Those faes that lead the hunt come to an abrupt stop to avoid becoming dessert, while those in the back comically attempt to come to a halt as they barge into their predecessors. Tristram snaps, fiercely. Pixies scatter, frightfully. A bone-chilling roar resonates throughout the glade, sending birds winging from their lofty perches, and animals scattering from bushy retreats, and the pixies close to him flying backward from the meaty exhalation. No doubt assailed with a few small arrows, laden with magical boost, he is not, in fact, without some injury to show for his troubles, though the immense reptile hardly seems to pay any mind. Instead, that great neck cranes 'round about once more, this time so that an eerily familiar stare might rest upon the vampiress seeking sanctuary at his side. He breathes a lengthy sigh, perhaps of agitation, perhaps of simple exhaustion, perhaps simply to continue to exist. Lids fall shut to moisten a slitted stare, and were he capable of lofting an eyebrow, surely one would be touching the heavens at this juncture.
The dragon's truculent stare would first meet the sight of a smallish woman, eyes screwed shut and forefingers jammed to her ears that nevertheless reverberated from the force of the beast's mighty bellow. Then, were he not to quick to look away, he might glimpse a sheen of peridot glinting from one of those eyes as it opens a crack, and another, as both become wide at the sight of both the rapidly retreating army and, more imminently, Tristram's face, that jewelline gaze rounded above a plump set of lips that were set in the shape of the first 'o' in 'oh-oh'. There was something faintly and most disturbingly familiar, indeed, about that feral stare, a fact that nagged at the back of her mind. Odd, really, as she appeared about to be either consumed in a wrathful conflagration or ... simply consumed. Her own sword had been gifted to the Corpse's 'janitor', and the one still tightly clutched beneath her arm was an unknown quantity she would not explore unless it were proven absolutely necessary, so Joliette stood stock-still, nerves wired tight as a bowstring, body tensile in readiness to erupt to whatever defensive or evasive action the saurian's next move might require. What she did -not- expect was for her erstwhile saviour to lay its massive head back down in a gesture of utter disregard. This anticlimax was almost too much for the adrenaline-pumped sineater, and Joli could only stare for a long moment, eyes roaming the bulk of the creature noting places where pixish arrows had pierced tough hide and lodged under scale. Seeing as it hadn't felt the necessity of eating her just yet, she ventured forward nervously, one of those forefingers extending to prod with gentle touches a spot on Tristram's jowly cheek. Her reasoning - and the vampiress as ever had a logic entirely alien to most sentient beings - being that it might have saved her on purpose, and was thus due a small thankyou. So it came to pass that her first words to it were, "Uh. Thankyou." Tristram perceives the sultry creature at his side as less than a threat, and though she would make a delectable meal, alas, he's just eaten, and he would not want to suffer indigestion by consuming too much. Consequently, he had made to dismiss her completely, assured she would be on her merry way, and he could return to his merry nap, and that would be that, after all was said and done with; however, he is ever-aware of her movements, and when feather-light touches fall upon rough, nearly impenetrable scales, that liquid stare is revealed once more, obsidian meeting peridot, slits for pupils meeting a perfectly almond-shaped gaze in return. Her offer of gratitude is considered for some time in perfect silence, only the muffled sounds of the forest creatures interrupting the solitary exchange. He blinks to moisten his reptilian stare, the sound audible as his purpose is achieved. The dragon remains motionless still, until his tail flicks outward, arching upward, snapping downward, flashing and glistening in the warmth of the filtering light. The thud caused by the collision of the thick appendage and the earth shakes the very foundation of the surrounding area, trees creaking and groaning, birds that had ventured back to their nests taking to scattering into the heavens once more. When that muscled tail is brought into sight once more from where it had flattened a bush, impaled upon one of the spiked barbs is a large hare, with impossibly soft fur. This is brought to dangle in front of the vampiress; whether it be gift or bait is yet to be seen.
Thea passes by, no doubt on her way to see the local healer for a boost in magic when she stumbles upon a familiar indeed. A faint smile tears at the pixie's lips, "Hello, Tene. Found Maladroit I see." Thea cants her head in the draconian's direction then looks again on Tene, "Everything alright then?"
Tristram snorts, a plume of smoke emerging from flaring nostrils.
Tenebrae attempted to still the muscles of her face, a perfect serenity kept throughout the lofting of Tristram's massive tail and the subsequent crash and rumble of its descent; for a moment she thought herself to be the target of the colossal cudgel's swing, but that logic withstood-- there was nowhere she could run to, at least not in time to evade a jet of flame or sweep of tail, not in her present state of near-exhaustion, so the best she could do was keep her features from furrowing in terror and present the calmest possible facade. Were it to be death, she'd meet as she had life, with a certain innate pride rather than quailing like a... Rabbit? Her Marianically becalmed features quirked a tad, as the hare was presented like a furry, bleeding worm on a hook. What was this? Her eyes shifted from prey to ebon dragon, and back. In the mirror-sheen of those great black eyes that so studied her, she saw herself blanching, and mentally steadied herself, stepped forward and unhooked the carcass, the limp form soft as cotton in her hands. Transferring the grip to a single set of fingers, she slung the Ouroboros Blade's strap to one shoulder. "I.. um." Her smile, slightly ragged still from the abrasion of the garrotte earlier in the day, was hopefully rather fetching anyway. "Don't eat rabbit. But thankyou, again. The fur is rather pretty." Before he might answer, she indicated the nearest arrow-wound. Minor, but surely of annoyance. "And I'd help you with that, but you know.. dragon.. blood.. vampire." She swallowed lightly. "Do we uh.. know each other, from somewhere?" Yes, it was a nervous chatter, but it filled the dire silence of a forest where the birds, for the moment, refused to sing.
Thea folds her arms over her chest with a bemused grin, "Interesting little trick there, fellow. I've been known to do the same on occasion..though it is rather tough on the sinuses."
Tenebrae stepped back from the emerging steam, hare clutched in her fist, and looked about to Thea. The undead corvine's remains were slung haphazardly across her pack, hooked there by a makeshift skewer made of sharp stick. "Oh, Thea..." What relief in that voice. "Yes, I did but he... needs a new body and .. look!" She gesticulated, perhaps a little too brightly. "I found a dragon."
Thea chuckles, head shaking at her friend's nervous banter, "Aye, I can see there is a dragon, Tene. Rather hard not to see him in fact.." Thea takes a moment to admire the scales, how the pixie did love these creatures in their majestic stature, "And what do you mean needs a new body?"
Tenebrae did not entirely remove her gaze from Tristram as she responded, "Well, he's not always the same crow, you know. He just.. likes to dwell in them. But they wear out, very quickly, and he hasn't had a new one since I went.. you know..." She chewed her lower lip, wincing at the sting and taste of blood. "I'm afraid your people are a teensy bit cross at me."
Tristram rumbles, a low purr -- or menacing growl -- echoing within the vocal harbor lodged deep within his expansive throat. Once the carcass of the hare has been released from his barbed tail, the appendage retracts, and curls about his lengthy frame, a cat-like movement. It remains to be seen whether he understands human speech, more or less prove able to speak it. More smoke wafts from flaring nostrils, and tremendous jowls part to reveal twin rows of ivory daggers once again. He watches the interaction wordlessly for the moment, head soon canting minutely at an angle, as he appears to be studying the nuances of the duo's speech. That horrible grin continues to drip blood-tainted saliva, and his head dips, as if entreating the woman to remove the bothersome arrow despite the peril involved.
Thea 's features take on a more serious expression, brow arching at her friend's claim, "Oh?" Thea can only imagine what trouble Tenebrae has found this time, with a grin pulling at her lips she queries, "Do tell me you've not joined the masses that have fallen addict to the dust and robbed a poor soul of his robes to acquire it." Thea had known this to occur on a separate occasion by a certain elf. Thea turns a cautious stare to the dragon awaiting Tenebrae's response.
Tenebrae shook her head gently. "I just.. disturbed them, at their.. play. Tell you later." Peridot would shift back to the dragon. "This fellow saved me, and harmed none of them. Least we could do is perhaps.." She tilted her chin at several minute wounds marring the sheen of scale. "But I can't. Blood, and all." She glanced with mute appeal to the pixie. Thea offers a look of perplexion to her friend, "Aye later on that then.." The Druidess looks over the scaled creature in their midst, his discomfort obvious, "As for you, big fellow..if you saved my dear Tene, then aid you I shall." Thea moves at a slow but steady pace closing the space between herself and the dragon, hoping to inspect his wounds without much resistance. "Now then, what seems to have you so grumpy.." Thea didn't expect a reply, but it was her nature to speak to any creature in a manner of affection less they crossed her.
Tristram snorts in a bellicose fashion as if to make sure his presence is marked, and marked well. He evades Thea by extending his serpentine neck, forming an 'S' shape, snout bent towards his chest, nearly parallel with the silver expanse of his neck and underbelly, overlaying ebony scales shimmering as they quiver with the motion. His tail swishes belligerently, uprooting a tree that happened to be placed within his destructive path, the thing crashing in an array of leaves and branches. As the forest quiets once more, almost immediately, a deep rumble is heard, this time the origin emanating from his throat. Words are formulated, the tongue no doubt unfamiliar, and spoken in a violent hiss. "Si, ichl, daewl ekess vucot svabol wux caitu ekess wer munthrek vynnetias." Each word is punctuated by a plume of smoke which escapes nostrils which continue to flare ominously, while a forked tongue tastes first the air, and then seeks to taste Joliette herself in subtle curiosity. Thea is regarded with a beady stare, liquid optics continually moistened by eyelids which flit open and closed every few seconds.
Thea now taken aback by the sudden shift of the dragon's massive form, viridian eyes widening in awe at the scaly underbelly soon turn towards the crackling sound of wood. With haste the pixie takes flight so as not to be crushed by tail nor branch thanks to the falling tree. Brushing off her gown, Thea stands and gives glance to Tenebrae with a slight chuckle, "Aye, well..he doth speak it seems."
Tenebrae winced, that calm façade faltering as once more the dragon’s lashing appendage besets the surrounding greenery. Of course, she had no clue as what he might be saying, as guttural sibilants drawled from that neverending throat. When that steam-warmed and slick tongue lashed out over dagger-fangs to lathe her flesh in a meaty, wet embrace, her face would only screw up more. “I’m not..” She squeaked. “All that tasty, you know. Bit tough, really.” Her eyes would once more slide a look to Thea that begged aid, as the freshly pinioned hare dangled limp and bloody and quite forgotten, from her fingers.
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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:39:16 GMT -5
Thea watches the scene stifling a giggle, "He seems to have taking a liking to you, Tene. Understandably so.." Thea attempts her approach to the dragon once more, wishing only to help the poor creature, "Perhaps, you could go on about what happened with the pixies whilst I tend to him, hmm? May keep him in a calm state to hear your voice." Thea knowing well now that the dragon understood their words issues a wink to the scaled one. "Now I cannot help if you won't let me get any closer you know?"
Tristram is content, with just the sampling he had managed to procure, and that devilishly forked tongue soon vanishes into his maw once more, only escaping through the small watermelon-shaped space where he lacks lips to completely seal closed his mouth. Slitted pupils scan the perimeter once again, and the deep rumble of his vocal chords resound throughout the glade as he answers, "Chiili't wealdid doutan. Si hefoc sia meals mrith vi bit gocahel rhyaex shafaer asta illings." The equivalent of a draconic chuckle ensues, the beast clearly finding amusement in his retort. However, Thea's response elicits a snort of displeasure from the dragon, ebony scales rippling once more. Nevertheless, he obliges, and his head soon lowers until his chin rests in the mossy carpeting of the forest. His silver-tipped, barbed tail swishes idly, though thankfully he's cleared out any flora and fauna within its lengthy span already. Scaled eyelids flick open so that his grey-flecked stare might rest pointedly on the hare for a moment, as he continues in a mixture of hissing and growling, "Batobot's lowaar. Wux zklaen sone coi jaka."
Tenebrae remained rooted to the spot, through ‘tasting’ and speech both, afterward staring blankly at the hare, to which the dragon had taken its baleful watch. “Yes,” she nodded, completely ignorant as to any meaning the dragon might have imparted. “It’s lovely, will make a delightful pillow.. or.. something.” Her smile was shiny. To Thea she said, “Well, I was following Maladroit, after you left, and came upon a couple of acquaintances.” She eyed Tristram, maintaining the smile through which she spoke. “And wound up at that stream that used to be so pretty. And not far from there, we found the body of a drow, strung to a tree, with a sword at his feet. I liked it..” She wasn’t about to give the whole thing away, just in case. “So, I took it. And they – the pixies – got a little bit annoyed. So I ran, and ended up here.” The tale sketchily given so, she fell silent, waiting to see what might transpire between Thea and the beast. With luck, she’d do something to stop him staring at her like that.
Thea simply blinks then lends a gentle stroke to the massive jaw now residing on the grass below, her gesture meant to reassure the beast she would do him no harm. Moving along with her inspection she finds a stray arrow lodged between two scales near his snout, wincing as she knows this will pain him and undoubtedly irritation will ensue, "This is going to hurt but for a moment. Try to keep in mind, once removed you will no longer wish to bite my head off."
Thea tries to distract Tristram by continuing the conversation with Tenebrae, working quickly to pluck the arrow from his scaly hide. With a grunt as she pulls Thea questions her friend, "A drow you say? And you can only imagine their agitation of late, Tene. No wonder they gave chase with murders being blamed on them and the like, they are on full alert right now." Thea hoped the dragon would not make too much fuss as the head of the arrow finally tore free.
Thea questions her friend, "A drow you say? And you can only imagine their agitation of late, Tene. No wonder they gave chase with murders being blamed on them and the like, they are on full alert right now." Thea hoped the dragon would not make too much fuss as the head of the arrow finally tore free.
Tristram snorts, dual plumes of tepid mist arising from nostrils which protrude from an ebon snout. Perhaps the fae might be clouded in the ensuing gust, before the smoky exhalation thins and soon vanishes. Despite whatever discomfort he may be causing, an obsidian stare remains fixed upon Joliette, inquiry and curiousity written into that snake-like gaze. In the coarse, draconic tongue, Tristram answers with a simple, "Yth'll keffal." Again, his tail flicks in agitation, swinging outward and coming perilously near swiping the bystanding vampiress from her feet. Of course, the dragon is currently complacent; his belly is full, his hunger sated. Heavy lids squeeze shut once more, as he completely ignores the pixie's administrations; or he tries, anyway, for with each pull, a low, ominous rumble arises from the silvery expanse of his throat.
Tenebrae nodded, a hand raised to rub her cheek, which was aching from the continual smile. "It was Bane, the one who killed Kasyr. But my feeling is, they mistook him for .. the other." A shift of eye, toward the dragon. "Hence, their not liking my interference. Your people Thea..." The smile slipped. "Exact a harsh and ugly revenge at times." She stepped back hurriedly as the dragon's worded exhalation steamed at her skin, and that vast tail thrashed too near. "Perhaps a winter muff, or some gloves..." The smile returned, almost an agony now. She began to eye the forest, wondering whether a hasty retreat might be garnered, once those reflective obsidian eyes were shut.
Thea pauses in her task after retrieving another arrow that was lodged in a more shallow manner, "Bane? Oh dear.." Thea moves along the scales with care after spotting yet another small dart, "Aye, that they do. Can't really say as I nor any other could blame them given the current status of things really." The pixie strokes deft fingertips along a few shimmering scales beneath her with affection, "There now, not so bad eh?"
Thea looks down to Tenebrae and chuckles, "I take it he offered that to you?" Calen appears from the forest beyond without so much as a sound made on his part, and casually, leans against the tree closest to him while observing. For now, he's content merely to watch, not intervening but regardless making sure his crossbow is well stocked, in the event it's needed.
Tenebrae looked down to the dead hare. "That he did." Her brow furrowed, though lips remained in the semblance of cheer. "I have no clue, Thea, what it's saying to me. I'm hoping it's not some sort of.. blessing prior to supper, you know?" Thea nearly bursts into a fit of giggles, deciding to lean towards her mischievous side a bit she jests to her friend, "It can mean only one of two things.." The pixie pats Tristram, "he wants to breed with you.." She stops short on purpose to let Tene's mind wander a bit.
Tenebrae 's smile disappeared with an almost audible snap. She waited, with not a little anxiety, for a viable alternative.
Thea snickers, "or he simply wishes you to eat it."
Tenebrae blinked. "Eat. It." She looked down at the carcass, and back to Thea, to the dragon, and back to the hare. "But it's..." Pert nose wrinkling in disgust, she shook the body. "An animal. Ugh."
Tristram continues to allow his barbed tail to flick back and forth in mild irritation. Company was fine, really, though he could only take so much of it, especially when nap-time rolls about. His tongue flicks out, sampling the air, sensing any prey foolish enough to pause nearby. Inexplicably, two great wings unfurl and extend, spanning the clearing in which he sought to slumber with a mighty swoosh. Scales of ebony gleam, reflecting an entire color spectrum as the sun beats down upon him. If only he had a nice big rock to perch upon, he'd be quite content. The petting draws another grumble from the dragon, and the exchange between vampire and pixie soon elicit an urgent exclamation -- in draconic, of course. "Breed with her?! Breed?! Setairiem, be damned, I'll not be ... one was enough! Trouble. Troublesome creatures, these women, with their charms, and pleasures. Then they bear you little troublesome women, that bend you about their fingers. No. I'll not be breeding. Not again." He pauses to snort yet again, punctuating his indignant discourse. Thea giggles once more then takes on a matter of fact expression, "Why, Tene, are we not all animals of some distinction?" Thea shakes her head and continues her ascent along the fine scaled flesh, tugging hard at one final barb from it's burrow.
Tenebrae paled significantly, with Tristram’s outburst clouding the canopied grove as though a sudden fog had rolled in, the whorls of steam sent roiling with residual draughts from the wingbeats that’d sent her hair hither and thither and mussy. However, an idea began to form in her mind, his reaction to the concept of breeding providing her with a possible out from the onerous task of chewing a raw rabbit. “Yes, we are, I suppose, Thea,” she said, quite clearly. “You know, he is rather –handsome- isn’t he?” She laid the hare on the ground, carefully, and sauntered toward one stilling wing, her fingertips gliding along the soft leathern exterior of flight-designed struts. “They –do- take human form, don’t they?” She’d have smiled, did her face not hurt so much. “I bet he’s homely, though. His human form couldn’t at all match the magnificence of his dragonish one.” She sighed. “I dare say he’d be quite the let-down.”
Thea grins at Tene then looks over the one perched on the rocks, "Aye, but they are all handsome in this form to me." Thea sighs heavily, frown taking place of her smile, "And now I miss Talaryn."
Calen's presence hadn't escaped her sharp perception, what with her senses of late trained toward the scent of lycan... But --which-- lycan? Her heart beat a little faster, stolen blood pumping it hard. Thea's reply, though, had her attention diverted back to the immediate moment. "Talaryn?" Some things still escaped her, though her mind was knitting together more closely each day.
Oh, he is none-too-pleased, none-too-pleased at -all-. A rumbling of the mossy earth he lies upon is felt as he pulls his legs under him and lumbers into a stand. His underbelly gleams like a reverse night, intermittent black flecking a pristine silver surface which outshines newly minted currency just placed into circulation. His wings remain loosely at his sides, though his muscles bunch and coil, as he seems poised for flight at any moment; this is one battle he may be willing to run away from for he's clearly in over his head. "Wux tepoha vi golden ooble, svabolen drips wer lastu tempting di poisons." The ebon, leathery appendage twitches under Joliette's touch, and the opposite lifts out of reach, as the dragon seems caught in a battle of wills. Dark lids moisten dry optics, one wing remains draped casually upon the ground, accepting the affection, encouraging it even, while the other meticulously folds out of reach. In his agitation, he snaps at the pixie, great jowls rending the air in twain repeatedly before he stills once again and glares ferociously at his current company in attempt to intimidate them away for the time being.
Tenebrae risked the face-ache of another smile. “Thea, we should –probably- be going now…” She’d take a step back, away from the stirring reptilian. And another. At least he’d forgotten about the hare. “I have a .. thing. To do.” She nodded, enthusiastically.
Thea jumps back at being snapped at, steadying her stance as she looks on the male with a smirk, "So delighted to see you are appreciative of my services and it has so vastly improved your mood." Sarcasm dripped from her words to Tristram before turning to Tenebrae, hand waving in dismissal, "Aye, Talaryn..another time perhaps. For now, this one has indeed clouded my own mood. I bid you well."
Tristram said, "Axun. Batobot ui vi bensvelk ulhyrr. Thric breeding." He nearly bobs his head enthusiastically -- a more human response, one he has to watch, lest he betray his dual form. "Bensvelk." Tenebrae raised a hand, a weak wave given the pixie's departure. That left her and... the dragon. She couldn't keep one cheek from developing a slight tic. Muscle-strain. Thea walks away muttering something about ornery dragons and the like, turning back briefly to Tristram she makes a final statement, "You would do well to gain a sense of humor you know?" Not waiting for reply she simply travels north.
Tristram grumbles, literally grumbles, at the departing pixie, before turning a gruff countenance upon Joliette. "Thric breeding." With that, great wings extend, eluding her touch once more, to bear him with a mighty beat from the glade, and into the air, where he is soon just a black streak winging above the forest. Tenebrae breathed a -huge- sigh of relief, allowing her featured to meld to the comfort of a scowl. "Blasted creature, I really thought he'd make me eat that..." She bent to scoop up the hare, a knife from her belt making a few strategic incisions, before she tore the skin free in the way one might remove a sweater. Only the head remained attached to the now inside-out pelt, which was deftly removed with a flick of the blade. Tucking the bloody pelt into a strap on her pack, she left the carcass for whatever forest-creature might enjoy it. Tenebrae pursed her lips and whistled, low. "And you," she called, after. "Hiding in the trees. You can come out now." But there was no reply, and so she hurried off, keeping sharp ears out for signs of being followed.
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Post by Joliette Thorne on Jun 8, 2007 3:41:49 GMT -5
--Hanging Corpse--
Tristram had entered and occupied one of the large armchairs, looking thoroughly content with himself.
Tenebrae pushed the door open with perhaps too much enthusiasm, never being so glad to see the inside of a tavern. Well, not for a while, at least. Tromping toward the bar, she gave the establishment a satisfied once-over, and unhoisted her pack, complete with ill-smelling crow carcass, bloodied hare-skin and sundry twigs garnered in her forest adventures. The great bastard sword she kept at her opposite shoulder for now, ungainly as it was. "Gods, Steadman, a drink. From the bottom shelf... Make it a double." Slapping the oaken bartop, she sank to a chair and sighed. "You wouldn't believe the day I've had." Sundry patrons were given a polite once-over. Loshe : The young vampiress, having simply been standing around until now, meanders to one of the many vacant chairs in the tavern, sinking into its plush confines while setting her book on the accompanying table. Her gaze flits idly to the two others occupying the tavern with her - unaware of the nature of the dragon, and equally unaware the other is the proprietress - before flipping the tome open to a marked page, scanning through the words until she finds where she left off. And thus it is that her lips just barely mouth the words she reads as she studies that which she was commanded to study in her training as a mage.
Tristram muffles a chortle, by cleverly masking it as a fit of coughing. To maintain the facade, he takes a rather lengthy pull from his purchased beverage which resides on a small stool next to him. Once he's finished ... with everything ... he lazily kicks his feet up and rakes a hand through black-streaked hair. Upon close examination, the gleam of mischief in black-flecked, grey optics would be unmistakeable.
Tenebrae took up the neck of one of the bottles the one-eyed barkeep produced, a brief conversation regarding the day’s business ensuing, spoken in quiet voices and accompanied by several furtive glances toward the half-dug cellar to the south of the room. As Steadman bustled off to other duties after, that spritely gait warning Joliette that the man was likely fallen of the wagon again – she swivelled in her chair to face the main of the tavern’s interior. The studious vampiress and the slothful-seeming figure of a man whose features were obscured by a chair’s back were noted, no troublesome types immediate, and moments later Joli was strolling toward the fire, still chill form the damp of the creek on her leathers, and the perspiration engendered by her encounter with the forest-dragon. Turning her back to the flames, she rocked gently back and forth on the toes of her boots, hands clasped behind her back once her bottle was ensconced on the mantel. And stuck in her mind was the ghastly image of what a dragon and vampire –breeding- might entail. Shuddering, she turned her mind to wages and profits, and perhaps how to breach light conversation with… glancing now to the male figure, she froze. “Oh hello again.” Her smile was tight, for several reasons. “It’s you, from the swamp.”
Thea enters the tavern looking a bit weary if not tattered for her recent travels. Brushing a bit of dirt from the hem of her gown she issues a nod in Steadmen's direction then a wave of hand to Tenebrae.
Tristram has to muffle yet another chortle, this time cleverly masked by a somber expression, and tight-lipped, polite smile of greeting. "Mm. Yes. Me, from the swamp. Lady Joliette of the Bloody Wire, was it?" The smile spreads into a charming, beguiling smile, as if he might be thinking the same exact thoughts, but in a more ... probable ... scenario. Afterall, he was not one to deny himself the pleasures of the flesh, by any means. "I hope you don't mind that I stopped by. I just ate, and found myself lacking any sort of refreshment. So naturally, I decided to come here, if only to catch a glimpse of our lovely proprietress." What's that about golden tongues dripping poison? He sips slowly, to conceal the smirk that might betray his not-uncertain amusement concerning the entire situation. The studious Loshe is afforded a once-over, and a mental note to engage perhaps when his current ambition might be absent. "How's business, m'dove?"
Tenebrae glanced up from her fireside conversation with Tristram as the door opened. "Thea!" The vampiress has, of course, no clue that man and dragon are the same entity. "Steadman, an under-the-counter special for my friend there." Her own bottle was lofted, for a swig. "Never thought we'd get away from that dragon, the great gormless thing. He was rather pretty, though." She shivered. "Just don't ever mention "breeding" to me again."
Thea laughs heartily, accepting the offered drink with a much appreciative wink, "Aye, by the gods I always have loved those scaly things.." She pauses to sip from the bottle and continues with a cocked head, "particularly the moody ones for some reason."
Tenebrae turned back to Tristram. "I'm hardly your dove. But business is well, as am I. And cut the 'Lady', will you? Never was one, never will be." She offered the man a little wink, sooty lashes descending to pale cheek briefly. "Hungry, are you? I believe we have a special on rabbi..." She wrinkled her nose. "Make that venison. And -do- by all means have a drink on me, your pleasure of choice." An eyebrow was lofted delicately. "And how go the alligators?" She couldn't supress a chuckle at Thea's retort. "You just like living dangerously, Pix. Ought to follow my example, and live a good, clean life." Her earnest expression would almost make one believe she was being genuine.
Thea had caught a bit of the exchange between this man and Tene, giving him a once-over she asks quietly, "Am I ..interrupting something here? Tenebrae shook her head, grinning. "Just a bit of fireside banter. Bring your drink, and join us?" Jabari enters the tavern, the wet assassin still having semi-bloodshot eyes as he carries Rasja on his back. Tenebrae stared at the entering pair. "I don't remember 'beast of burden' being in your job description, Jabari.." She gave him a deadly serious look. "But I do believe I might add it now."
Thea feigning innocence with lash meeting rapidly to shimmering flesh states in the most sincere manner she can muster, "But I do live a good clean life, Tene. I just happen to be fond of dragons and their great horny..scales? Or..appendages, yes." She sips once more from the bottle and gives an enthusiastic nod.
Jabari blinks at Tenebrae, "Wha... Why? I eh.... What are you talking about?" the assassin's eyes going a bit wide at Tenebrae's words.
Tenebrae was highly amused, all 'round, though was trying very hard not to smile. She'd done more than her share of that activity today. "Thea, you're wicked, there's no denying it."
Tristram chuckles heartily, Thea thrown a transient glance, and polite nod, before his attention returns to Joli, a hint of mirth gleaming in ebon-flecked optics. "Just ate, actually," he reiterates, continuing, " ... and the 'gators are fine, thanks for inquiring. And, I'll just content myself with this refreshment I've already procured, and take you up on your offer the next time I swing by." He leans forward, eyes dropping to somewhere along the floor just before her, though his lips come perilously close to brushing her ear. "Good, clean lives are overrated anyway, but I think you are well aware of this, Joliette of the Bloody Wire."
Tenebrae said to Jabari, "So, I see you escaped the forest alright?"
Rasja hops off from her recent piggy backing experience, she scrambling to get to her post behind the bar. A curious glance is sent to the newest face-at least to her- in the tavern.
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "Not without seeing so very violent images...."
Tenebrae winced, the man's ear-tickling words cracking her lips in a grin. Albeit a wolfish one. "Over-rated? I suppose so. Much like the titles men give themselves. Here one day, so much paste on the bottom of another army's shoe the next." She turned her face toward Tristram blithely. "I doubt you'll ever have a clean life, stuck in that great mud-hole you're running. But we've a nice bath upstairs, if you're ever up for one." Tenebrae gave Rasja a little wave. "Ello pet. Thanks again for your help today. Nice bonus in your next pay, trust me." Jabari was offered a frown. "Yeah, it wasn't all that pleasant. Still, he deserved it.."
Jabari shakes his head, "That doesn't disturb me... I saw other things.... Needless to say... I have not slept yet...."
Tristram is amused, this time. He's enthralled, and ever-so-taken with the witty vampiress. A respectful cant of a black-streaked crown ensues, lips drawing upward into a wry grin. "I suppose a bit of company to go with that bath is out of the question? I would ask Steadman, but he's not my type." One step ahead, one step ahead. He withdraws, sinking back into the armchair once more, arms crossing over his chest in subtle challenge. "And I'm rather fond of that mud-hole. Suits my dirty tendencies, you see." Malicious wink, cocky grin. Rib. Bait. Parry. He randomly grins towards Rasja. The draconic male is in high spirits, like a colt let out to paddock.
Jabari starts to move towards the cleaning closest, backing away gently and instead makes from the broom, the assassin starting to sweep up for the floor.
Tenebrae stared at the man in the chair, blinking slowly. "Bit full of yourself, aren't you?" Pot- meet Kettle, perhaps, but his manner was too blunt for her amusement. "Quite." With that, she turned to the hapless Jabari. "Run into trouble, after we bolted?"
Jabari blinks, rubbing his red eyes, "The trees.... Started to turn into screaming women... And men... Beating them... I... Deer eating a cheetah... And... I saw it...." Tenebrae said to Jabari, "You're absolutely forbidden to sleep in that cupboard again, do you hear me? You're quite addled with it. Take your bedroll upstairs, we have several empty rooms."
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "I... Think I liked it..."
Tenebrae said, "For. Bid. Den."
Jabari said to Tenebrae, "And I saw that boulder again.... It was hiding something...."
Tristram dips his head once more in response to her sharp teasing, exchanging a mumbled, "Aren't we all?" in response before falling silent, and stoic, only a twitch at the corner of his lips threatening to betray his amusement. Rasja chuckles, hands falling along the bar as she leans in with playful form. A smile brims along her lips in turn at the sound of a raise, "That is truly unexpected, to say the least- but thank you." The man, who seemed to have a friendly way of speaking with the Miss, was given a polite a nod. Pushing off the counter slightly, she sidled over to where Ryou's general area, "Would you like something drink?"
Tenebrae 's gaze on the 'janitor' sharpened. "Hiding what, exactly?"
Tenebrae too was masking mirth, Tristram's seeming sulking hitting her funny bone. But serious matters needs attending to first...
Jabari blinks a moment, rubbing his red eyes, "The screaming woman... She cracked it.... She was loud... How did you not hear her? But... She cracked the rock... And... There was a sword... The man... He was afraid..."
Tenebrae said to Jabari, "You're blithering, man. Slow down, take a drink and speak slowly, I have no ken of what you mean."
Tenebrae coughed softly, an ingenuous look to Tristram bestowed. "Are you aware that my clan's headquarters lie on the border of your swam... erm. Nation?"
Ryou 's eyes fill with attention as Rasja's voice seems to bring him out of a daze. First glancing to his left, then to his right, the vampire orients himself in his "new" surroundings, before focusing on Rasja. "Um...sure. I'll take a dark vodka."
Jabari shakes his head, gulping a bit, taking a small shot from a hip flask, "A woman screamed loudly, and the boulder... Just broke.... The man who was beating her, he was afraid once it broke... Or maybe it was because I was around... Tristram said to Tenebrae, "Are you aware that some sort of clan headquarters lie nigh directly on the border of my beloved kingdom?" Tenebrae snickered softly at the simultaneous enquiry. "That's the home of my Cabal. Odd place. I don't recommend you explore it." All humour dropped from those amber-lit peridot eyes, as she continued. "Tristram, there's such horrors in that place..." Changing the subject abruptly, the hollow look drained away, to something warmer. "I trust you'll not impede the comings and goings of my people?" Algarliapet sits at the same table as he did last night, still woking on scrolls. He continues his scribblings, the scrathy sound of the quill echoing off the walls if it is quiet enough. He steadily fills out the 1 fot by 7 foot scroll of parchment, barely looking up to acknowledge those he knows with a nod.
Tenebrae offered Algarliapet a congenial wave.
Algarliapet nods to Tenebrae, too busy working to formally wave back. His quill continues its scratching incessently as arcane words and symbols pour onto the page. Tristram leans back, folding his arms across his chest once more, and adopting a pensive expression upon her earnest declaration. The humor is dismissed for the moment, so that he might cant a cooperative nod. "Of course, dove. And I'll not have issue with your Cabal's business, but there's been sightings of some strange creatures about. Big, black. Rather ornery. Tell your people to be a mite careful, if you get a chance." He stands, to offer a curt bow in effort to secure a dismissal.
Rasja searches the newly organized bottles, pulling out the appropriate one and placing it along the bar. Bending down, she swipes a clean mug from the rack beneath and places that on the counter as well. Uncorking the glass, she pours the dark liquid into the thin cup, leaving a few bits of space from the cup's lip. Closing the bottle, she pushes the mug towards Ryou, "There you go." Algarliapet said to Rasja, "4 poison wines please."
Tenebrae stepped toward Tristram, as near as she could, and tiptoed to find proximity to his ear. "Thankyou. And we must speak of these 'beasts', sometime. Do try to bathe, before then, won't you." Jabari said to Tenebrae, "It was... Weird..."
Algarliapet said to Tenebrae, "That was a rather uncalled for insult wasn't it madame? I mean, you could be shunting away customers with talk like that." Tenebrae marvelled at Algarliapet's ability to hear whispers, and shot him a look that might peel varnish from a table. Tristram instinctively places a hand upon the vampiress' hip to steady her, as she stood on tiptoe. Fingers lightly graze her blouse, and remain there until he finishes his own reply, which is exchanged in a low whisper, meant for her only. Once spoken, he departs, a few dead leaves scattering into the tavern as the door closes behind him.
Algarliapet said to Tenebrae, "Blame my ears." Sure enough, he wiggles the pointed things "Sorry ma'am." Ryou leans back a bit atop his bar stool, patiently watching Rasja retrieve a bottle of vodka rather generously into the mug. Meanwhile, Ryou reaches under the flap of his satchel, sifting through and retrieving a handful of coins; stacked orderly in the entanglement of his fingers, Ryou finally sets the coins down on the counter and slides the stack towards Rasja. "Thank you," he says, while taking the mug in his free hand before taking a hefty drink. Tristram whispered to Tenebrae, "Perhaps you can supervise, so I might be acceptable company. Indeed, I'll require it. I'll not be anything less than my best in your company, m'lady. I'm glad we've discussed this and come to such an accord. Truly, my heart is at ease."
Rasja said to Algarliapet, "Alright.."
Tenebrae watched the man go, a glimmer in her eye at his soft words, a shake of head in incredulity given. "That man. I think I'd almost prefer the dragon."
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