Staunton Bluffs Episode I: To the Borderstone

Rafael's and Skybolt's Online Campaign
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Le Noir Faineant
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Staunton Bluffs Episode I: To the Borderstone

Post by Le Noir Faineant »

"Closer, closer" sings the wind...

As no other shelter seems near, you finally camp just in front of the misty valley's entrance. Although you have assigned guards, you all fall into light and nervous slumber, until Lodissio, his animalish skin wet and hot from fever, wakes you.

"They're coming" he whispers, scuttling through the knee-high grass. And really, from a distance, angry shouts can be heard. Someone seems to have found the corpses you have so incautiously left on the open field.

You can hear the whining of horses, and feel the ground trembling from the force of running hoofs.

"Get up, quickly!" the satyr hisses.

"We have no choice but to enter the vale. We won't survive another attack!"

With these words, he hands you a rope. "Bind that on your belts and girdles, so we make a human chain. If you don't do what I say, you all will get lost in the mist."

The quevari a heartbeat away, you obey without discussion, and step into the darkness of the fog, Lodissio on the lead, followed by Shana, Alain and Stocker. Path in the middle, after him Nathan and Jarryd. [I haven't forgotten someone, have I? :) ]




The way through the vale is rocky and you stumble often, mainly because Lodissio, although mot even really able to stand on his own feet, stumbles and pulls you down with him.

He hastes on into the mists, and soon you cannot even see your own hands before you eyes. Without orientation and sight, you get slower, and the mist enters you lungs and reaches your hearts. You feel like numb, not sensing where you put your next step to and suddenly the rope doesn't feel so tight any more...

You dream of your younger days, of your youth in your homes and feel the caring touch of your mothers again while you walk and sleep at the same time...

"We, we, we" sings your mother, "we, we, we keep what we take..."

And sleepy from that caressing lullaby, you ask yourselves where your mother got that fangs from... It doesn't even hurt when they cut your flesh... Blood, so cold, like winter wind...




Suddenly, you step out of the mists, and find yourselves on the exit of the vale.

Lodissio, a few feet before you, white like a lichen flower, struggles for to get his breath.

"Now, that was close" he coughs, and you are aghast to see him bleeding from his hands, like if he had been cut with a sharp knife.

"What the hell...!" He points at Shana's direction. As she turns to get free from the rope that is still bound around her waist, she cries in shock: Where Path stood, tied on the rope like everyone else, now stands a complete stranger!
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Post by BigBadQDaddy »

Alain caught with such shock and suprise, stumbles back, only to find he is held fast by the rope. He immediatly puts his shaky hand to his sword handle and begins to question the stranger.

"Who are You? and what have you done with path?" he asks forcefully of the stranger. He then draws his sword.
"Answer!" he shakily demands.
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

[I'll withdraw until tomorrow night to give the stranger the opportunity to answer himself. - If he remains silent, I play this character as an NPC as well. :wink: ]
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Post by Mad Skipper »

* * * * * *

"Stocker!"

"Stooocker!"

The little boy scrunches his face into a frown. He has been staring (and poking) at the carcass of some unfortunate deer for some time now, trying desperately to ascertain the events that led up to its demise. After all, it is what Alanik Ray would have done, except, The Great Detective would know the exact details with but one look...

"Stooocker, supper...", the motherly voice repeats through the October-ravished forest. This time the boy stands from his crouch and sighs, before giving a frustrated shake of his head.

He steals one last inquisitive look at the carcass before turning and running for home.


* * * * * *

Still somewhat dazed (the rest of the 'dream' having been forgotten), it takes Stocker a moment or two before registering both Shana's cry and Alain's demand. Yet in as quick an amount of time, he has a dagger gripped in both both hands.

Eyes narrowed dangerously on the stranger, he awaits the response...
Last edited by Mad Skipper on Mon Jan 02, 2006 12:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by DamienJ »

Suddenly finding himself tied between into a human chain, the young man looks as shocked as the rest. He is of average height, with angular features framed by curly hair brushing his shoulders. All that can be seen of his clothing is a black cloak and dark boots. From beneath the cloak peeks the tip of a narrow scabbard.

Turning to the man behind him, he attempts to make a bow, but is brought up short by the rope around his waist.

"Greetings, good sir." He speaks in flawless Mordentish. "I know naught of this path you seek, though it appears I have lost my own. Perhaps you may help me re-find it. My name is Nicolas Remas, lately of Richemulot. I was on my way to Vallaki. Last night a heavy fog surrounded us, and today I am here."

While waiting for a response, he begins undoing the rope around his waist...
"Listen to them, children of the night! What music they make."
- Bram Stoker, [u]Dracula[/u]
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

Lodissio seems torn between running back into the mist and staying here and remain alive. He steps as near to the fog as he dares, then starts screaming: "Path! Paaa-aaath! Where the hell are you?"
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Post by BigBadQDaddy »

Alain looks to Nicolas with an expression of anger which turns to concern.
"Well, Monsiur Remas, You have caught us at a most troublesome time."
He lets go of the handle of his longsword and lets it drop back into his scabbard.
"We are currently in the midst of a crisis of no small proportion. One of our companions, a Monsiour Rendar, has just gone missing. So if you please, pardon my suspicion. It is just that you now stand in the very spot, tied to the very peice of guide rope that our dear Monsiuer Rendar was tied to." He then runs his fingers through his hair before resting his hands on his hips.
"My name is Alain Guischard. And I shall give you the benefit of the doubt untill proven otherwise. Also it would be a gesture of good faith if you could help us attempt to find our dear freind." He then looks over the other members of the group seeing their troubled faces.
So, Monsiuer Remas, will you assist us?"
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

"Who says he isn't another twisted horror from the mists?" -Lodissio has taken up a dangerously looking dagger and steps near the stranger. "If he bleeds, we know he's human..."
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Post by DamienJ »

"Well met, Alain Giuschard. I deeply apologize for the trouble I have inadvertently caused. Yet, I will gladly help..."

Suddenly noticing Lodissio moving against him, Nicolas tries to jump back, again hampered by the rope. Unable to change his position, he deftly flicks back his cloak and draws his rapier.

"Kind sir," he addresses himself to Alain, "if you will give me the opportunity, I can prove that I am indeed human. I have no wish to shed blood when I have been in your company for less than five minutes!"

[OOC: If you wouldn't mind giving me a short description of yourselves, I'd really appreciate it! Sorry about the redundancy... :P )
"Listen to them, children of the night! What music they make."
- Bram Stoker, [u]Dracula[/u]
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Post by BigBadQDaddy »

Alain looks to Lodissio and then back to Nicolas.
"Well Monsiuer, Unfortunatly I do not speak for the rest of the party. You see, Lodissio here is a man who holds little faith in people who appear out of thin air. Believe though Monsiuer, if you are to put away your weapon, as a sign of good faith, I beleive good Lodissio here may be more inclined as to not attack you."
He then gives Nicolas a look which seems to say he is very sincere in his statement.

OOC: Alain kind of looks like a nerdy matt damon with shaggy blonde hair and green eyes. He typically dresses in outdated Dementliu-ish fashion, except for the tights(he wears regular pants and boots)to signify he is not of the highest class. Typically in blacks and drab colors. He also sports a drab blue cloak with frayed and tattered bottom, signs of great travel. If anyone is familiar with kartakas, His studded leather armor seems to have qualities that hail to there style. He also carries a long sword at his hip.
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

Before Nicholas can do anything else, Lodissio, quick as if the satyr wasn't as badly wounded as he is, grabs the young man's rapier and breaks it with his bare hand.

A heartbeat later, his right paw lands in Nicholas stomach, so hard that he falls back on the ground and regorges.

Lodissio stands over him, suspiciously watching every move of the young man. "Doesn't bleed, but vomits. Seems we have a living being here."

[Here some ideas of how Lodissio could look like:]

Image

Image

[I don't know exactly why the other players haven't responded so far - I assume that they're still out for hte holidays. We'll go on in any case.]
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Post by Mad Skipper »

Frowning at the brutal logic of Lodissio, Stocker sheathes his knives and frees himself of the rope wrapped around his waist. He then positions himself between the satyr and Nicholas.

"Lodissio, let's go see what became of Path," he suggests, motioning with a nod towards the direction from which the group came.

"There has to be a discrepancy in footprints somewhere..."

To Lodissio he says in a low voice "Let the others interrogate the guy...for now..."

He slaps the satyr's shoulder with a gloved hand (partly out of camaraderie, and partly to draw his attention from the new arrival) and again motions for them to go retrace the group's progress.



Image

((Stocker, just throw on a wool hat, give him a two week beard, and picture him in a worn suit of leather armour, a tattered/many-patched cloak, and basic gear that are all proof enough that he is a man who lives by his own means, and off the land.))
Last edited by Mad Skipper on Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by Boccaccio Barbarossa »

OOC: Sorry guys - hectic hjolidays. But they're over now!

And by the way: You forgot AVRA in the chain! :shock: (I'll just assume I was at the tail end...)

-----

Avra has said little for quite some time now, content only to watch the porceedings and follow the others... When they stop, he unties himself from the rope immediately so as to free himself if the enemy strikes.

When Lodissio sucker punches the newcomer, he cannot help but thisnk to himself that the satyr's methods are bound to get him, and possibly the rest of them, killed. he is secretly thankful to see him walk away with Stocker.

However, that is not to say that he does not share his suspicions... But, if we observe hm long enough, he will reveal his true character...

Avra walks over to Nicholas and helps him to his feet. "Namaskar" he says, bowing. "Please forgive our strange friend, but our experiences over the last few days have made us all somewhat nervous. I am called Avra. I am a warrior trained in the kalari style of weapons fighting. I hope to find traces of my scattered family during this trip." He helps the starnger with the rope and offers him his arm to guide him to a comfortable place to sit. "Please. Tell us about yourself and what you seek. I suspect we will be travelling together at least for some short while."

-----------------

OOC; Avra has dark chocolate skin, dark eyes and hair as well as a full, well-kept beard. His clothing is exotic with his pants being made of several feet of wrapped cloth. He sports as well a tunic and a sleeveless robe. He carries a small shield and a curved sword.

Image
Barbarossa Vineyards - Fine Brandies. The choice of true connaisseurs. (Located an hour's ride outside of Karina.)

A loose collection of writings about our (sometimes) ongoing campaign. http://ravenloft.inoveryourhead.net/
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

Mad Skipper wrote:Frowning at the brutal logic of Lodissio, Stocker sheathes his knives and frees himself of the rope wrapped around his waist. He then positions himself between the satyr and Nicholas.

"Lodissio, let's go see what became of Path," he suggests, motioning with a nod towards the direction from which the group came.

"There has to be a discrepancy in footprints somewhere..."

To Lodissio he says in a low voice "Let the others interrogate the guy...for now..."

He slaps the satyr's shoulder with a gloved hand (partly out of camaraderie, and partly to draw his attention from the new arrival) and again motions for them to go retrace the group's progress.
Lodissio follows Stocker and moves away from the poor newcomer.

He stares into the misty wall behind them for a moment, then shakes his head. "Path is lost over there. If he's still alive, he'll find our way to us. If not, we risk too much going back. The mist horrors and the quevari would be the only things that await us, I am sure."

He'll wait a few more moments for the others to comfort themselves, then will urge the group to move on.
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Post by Le Noir Faineant »

Boccaccio Barbarossa wrote: And by the way: You forgot AVRA in the chain! :shock: (I'll just assume I was at the tail end...)
[Good to have you back!

I am so sorry! You'll soon find a small compensation for my mistake!]
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