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The Halfling campaign
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Jason of the Fraternity
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Post by Jason of the Fraternity »

"Yes, well," Franklin takes a deep breath, "you work with what you have available. Fortunately, they remain pretty quiet and you don't see the faces and limbs very much on the inside."

The balding man smiles slightly, "I've taken care to decorate the interior a bit. Care to come in?"
[i]Pandemonium did not reign, it poured![/i]
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Cole Deschain
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Post by Cole Deschain »

Cole responds with a smile that served as the last sight of many of Darkon's enemies.

"But of course. Any port in a storm."

With much of his magic still available, the Darkonian mentally reviews a couple of his nastier tricks... just to be on the safe side, of course.
Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.
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Post by Coan »

"Is a welcome port indeed. But I think we are missing the point Mr Deschain, how does this relate to the feelings you have for your mother?" Charonne asked while circling Cole's couch, tweaking his large moustache and pointing at him with a pencil. Cole seemed to be back in the study room, outside the light had dimmed slightly but he could feel the warmth from the sun reflecting off the glass.

"I'd like to pick this up but I think we are running out of time..." Charonne looked to the sand cog clock which was nearing 3. Cole blinked but this time was still in the room.

****

Meanwhile Franklin also blinked. As his eyelids rose he was sitting down on a rather comfortable bench. A large lake was 50 to 100 meters infront of him with grass surrounding the bench and the occassional tree to his sides. All around the lake infront was grass and trees. Behind them stood tall structures of stone -standing out like unnatural blocks of teeth or pillars. It took him a while to realize he was in a park. Looking around more frantically he felt a paper bag in his hand. Inside were shredded pieces of bread.

He concentrated... it was rye bread and by the smell fairly fresh. Rye bread was expensive yet here it was shredded for some reason, in pieces to small to eat with.

Looking up he could see a deep blue sky with perfectly white clouds drifting slowly outwards.


"I think they're hungry." a voice said to his right

A gentle quacking sounded in front of him and looking down Franklin could see three ducks waddling nearby, looking at his bag with expectant eyes. Moving his view to his right, Franklin saw a man standing not to far off in a long brown leather coat and dirty old top hat. He wore black pants and a white shirt with spotty vest. Dirt and dust covered his clothes in a light smattering. He pointed a holy gloved finger at Franklin.

"Well? Can you feed them?"
[size=75]-Wake up... wake up and smell the ashes-[/size]
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Cole Deschain
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Post by Cole Deschain »

Now I KNOW I'm insane. Too bad. I have so much to do.

Cole experimentally smacks his Twisted arm against the couch, trying to see if he feels any pain while doing so.


"Bloody hell!"

Well, that solves that.

He stands and stretches, and takes a good, long look around the room
Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.
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Post by Coan »

Cole looks over the room. It was an office of some sort, wooden half-wall panelling covered the area with the plasterboard painted a soothing lime green. The floor was dark with a plush rug covering the centre. This, with Charonne's desk and fine french windows, all indicated an advanced land far away from wherever he should be. There were books covering one wall, some framed papers on the left side and a door opposite the shelving, he looked closer at the stacks and found he could read the writing on the spines though he did not recall the language it was written in. The closest books were all labelled in printed gold lettering; Look through my eyes to my very soul, Down the rough path of love, 3rd Sunset of our hearts, Row of Bishops ready to fall, From our emotions to our passions, The wandering Gypsy and Left over scraps of family.

Apart from this the window and desk faced off against the left side of the room forcing Charonne's back to the world outside as he sat on a high backed leather chair.

Outside he saw tall, evenly spaced buildings and could still smell the sea from earlier. A tree branch rose infront of the large dual window, it's leaves indicating the first turn towards autumn. He guessed he was on the 3rd floor from his view above the street below -empty save for a few people walking and cobbled with stones.


"Mr Deschain, is something the matter?"
[size=75]-Wake up... wake up and smell the ashes-[/size]
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Cole Deschain
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Post by Cole Deschain »

"Probably."

Cole surveys his friend's visage, looking for anything out of the ordinary

"I seem to be having a bit pf a problem with my sanity, that's all. Nothing serious. Just going absolutely insane."
Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.
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Post by Coan »

Charonne stands up and moves forward to Cole, arms outstreched in a comforting manner.

"You don't have to worry about what you think is happening to you. You are here to be helped, we all have problems and sometimes -through no fault of our own, our minds respond in ways we wish we could prevent. Only if..."

Suddenly blinding pain hits Cole between the eyes. The room shifts violently and the words of Charonne seem to be being repeated.

"if...if ...if...if if if ifififififififififif"

The world spins and the light darkens when suddenly a man comes rushing through the door yelling something. The room stops and Charonne is finishing a sentance -the pain is gone just as the new strange stops his burst through the entrance.

"analyse the issue, the very boundries would be expanded and our lives much happier." Charonne finishes then looks up at the man "Ah hello?"
[size=75]-Wake up... wake up and smell the ashes-[/size]
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Post by Tadelin »

A little more visibly shaken at the room than anyone in it is to his appearance, the red-headed man looks about the room in awe, then looks back through the door as if to try to find where he came from. Seeing nothing but an outer office, he looks back to Cole and Charonne. He stands maybe six feet in height and his eyes - being solid black with rings of red for irises - scan both individuals thoroughly trying to figure out where he is now, and what just happened.

In his right hand is a halberd, looking well used, but not recently. As he crosses to the window on the far side of the room, he looks out over the city, then speaks to one one in particular.


This is wrong. This is all wrong. He speaks in High Mordentish. I shouldn't be back here. Not from underground. Not so quickly.
One of these days, I'm going to get it right. Until then, I guess I can just keep being a fool.
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Post by Cole Deschain »

"Good to see I'm not the only confused party..."

Cole extends his left hand towards the newcomer

"Cole Deschain, great t'meetcha. What do you mean by 'underground'?"
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Post by Tadelin »

The flame-haired man continues to stare out the window for a moment or two before turning to look at Cole. He then looks down to the outstretched hand for a moment, before bringin his eyes upward again.

We were in the mountains. I'm not sure where. The last three days has been a strange jumble to me. But I was just walking down a tunnel deep underground. He pauses for a moment. Now I don't quite remember who I was with. I know they introduced themselves. We were fighting...

His voice trails off as his eyes drift to his halberd's bade. It shows the wear and tear of normal use, and he holds the weapon as if he is well versed in it's use. The halberd also looks to be of a design at least fifty years prior to anything that Cole would have considered current. At least by the standards of the world prior to him appearing here in the room.

This place out here looks familiar, yet I don't recallit looking like this. Where are we?
One of these days, I'm going to get it right. Until then, I guess I can just keep being a fool.
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Post by Cole Deschain »

"You've got me. I'm having a bit of a... situation, I suppose, with my state of mind."

Cole surveys the newcomer critically

"So... before you were 'underground,' where were you from?"
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Post by Coan »

Charonne looks to the new comer with a puzzled expression then something dawns on him.

"Are you my next patient? If so I am afraid you will have to wait, I'm still in a session."
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Post by Tadelin »

Next patient? What trickery is this?

He looks rather annoyed with Charonne at the moment. The man closes his eyes, then shakes his head as if to clear it. When nothing has changed after opening his eyes, the man sighs, then turns to Cole.

Since you appear to be the sane one in this room, I can only suppose that you have some idea as to where we are, along with why we're here?

Almost as an after thought, he realizes that he hasn't introduced himself. I'm so sorry, Monsieur Deschain. My name is Albert Cauchemarde. And by underground, I mean deep inside of a mountain. Though for the life of me, I can't remember who I was with. Albert pauses for a moment, then starts checking himself for wounds that should still be there, realizing that his clothes along with his body are undamaged by his recent adventure.
One of these days, I'm going to get it right. Until then, I guess I can just keep being a fool.
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Post by Cole Deschain »

Sane. Right.

Cole shrugs


"I don't suppose you'd remember where this mountain was, by any chance?"
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Post by Tadelin »

Ah... Albert pauses with his mouth slightly open, obviously searching for the answer. I think they said we were in Barovia. Though I can't be certain, because the land was quite new to me.

The man's expression changes again, looking towards the door once more. Did I walk in through some fog? I can't remember if I saw any before I left the mountain or not.
One of these days, I'm going to get it right. Until then, I guess I can just keep being a fool.
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