A World of Danger: Part One

[Mathron]

Sandor crosses his arms, frowning. Glancing over at Shelina, he says, "This is an interesting story this boy tells. What do you think of it?"

*OOC: Lief, I just recalled the Shelina *was* privy to Tal's proposal to hunt down Grim Wolf, so she probably would know what is going on. Not sure whether you knew and were hiding it, or just didn't recall. Either is fine. *

---

Arcon blinked his eyes, as water was splashed across his face. He stumbled up, then narrowed his eyes at the figure before him - an oddly bedecked stranger, wearing red leathers and a bright flamboyant cape and a widebrimmed hat.

The figure bottles up the water canteen he had used to awaken Arcon, and then raises his eyebrows. "You seem to be in a bit of trouble, friend." Amusement is heavy in his voice - and truth, for even as he speaks, wolves burst from the trees, and Tal and the others approach right behind them.

Tal shouts out, "That villain is ours! I know not your business, stranger, but you would best be served leaving him to us. He has hounded us twice now, and injured those of our company!"

The red garbed figure chuckles softly, and says, "My business in these parts is meeting with a friend, though I've no doubt your commotion sent him into hiding. So tell me more of this story - and I'd like to hear what this one has to say for himself, first, as well."

[Lief Erikson]

*Right, I'd forgotten about that. Okay then . . .*

"I think we've drunk this well dry," she said as she glanced back at the boy once more. "Thank-you for your information, boy, perhaps sometime in the future we'll have the chance to meet again. I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name?"

He told it and she smiled again. "Farewell then, until next time."

Reaching out, she took Sandar's arm and moved away into the trees, not looking back but speaking with the other man quietly.

The elf lad watched after them for a moment longer before shrugging and moving off in pursuit of his comrades.





"Most of what he said was a lie," Shelina said as they walked away in the trees. "I think an accidental one, though. And I didn't want to kill him, as this little conversation could help if we decide to join their company later on."

"Join them?" Sandar asked in surprise.

"It's our best bet, I think, to finding Orpholin. Surely one of them will have heard something of him, I had positive leads that he had gone to Edlyn."

"Maybe you're right," Grim Wolf said with a shrug.

"Let's move in a parallel direction with the others; the person they were chasing obviously couldn't have been you, and I'd still like to find out who it was."

[Tessar]

The boy finaly cout up with the others of the groop.

"why did you all run off like that? you forgot me!"

the boy finaly saw the stanger. *why do i feel like i have seen him before?* he wanderd. then with a tuch of saddnis he realised *he looks like dad* the boy suddenly realised that he axidentaly left his blade behined "I have to go back" he told the others "I forgot my short sword".

[Selwythe]

*OOC, an Elf having an evil man for a father?*

Arcon weakly tried to get up but failed and fell once more. His pale parched lips strained hard to speak and he finally managed some coherent speech.

"I, I, they hunt me...though I have done nothing wrong..."

That said, Arcon clutched his chest tightly and coughed up blood. He turned to his side and saw a strand of blood trickling down a blade of glass. He was going to die, he realised painfully, as he fell once more into a deep slumber.

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid looked at the man with a sad expression. He didn't think he did something wrong... He only killed the wolves. It was clear he was going to die. Probably for his best, for he would be haunted the rest of his life by wolves, if he'd live. She'd be very surprised if he'd do that.

The wolves all surrounded the dying man, to watch him in his last moments. They wouldn't attack him, but leave him in the pain he had right now...

[Selwythe]

*OOC, !What? Hey, don't let me die! I may die eventually but not so early! Someone heal me *

[Mathron]

Sandor looked down at the group from a small hill a short distance away. Glancing at Shelina, he said, "The man that just appeared is an... ally of mine. One high in the service of Melkor. Do you know aught of the one lying on the ground at their feet?"

---

The strange new figure looked down at the person dying before him, chuckling softly. Looking back at the party, he said, "Well, it seems both you and he claim the other as the villain. I am sure you can see my difficulty - How is one like myself to decide who is in the right?"

He paused, thinking a moment, and Tal tenses up, prepared to strike at any provocation. The man continues to speak, however.

"On the other hand, it looks like he has met whatever you consider justice, and likely will not last longer in the coils of this world. So you may as well leave him here."

He pauses again, and then looks as though a sudden thought has struck him. "Perchance does he have aught to do with the slaver's camp that is marching nearby? Oh, say, a half-hours run east of here? They seemed to be charging north with some speed, I would say..."

[Lief Erikson]

"His name is Arcon," Shelina said as she took a closer look, squinting between the thin branches and leaf covering which allowed them to see without being seen. "He was working with me, neither the smartest nor the most dangerous of the allies I've worked with yet. He probably brought this upon himself. But he is a fighter, of sorts. He probably has caused some harm to his opponents before allowing them to take him down.

"This other man is on the Dark Lord's side, you say? Interesting, perhaps he'll be of some help."

[Tessar]

OOC* ok im hear to rescue you.

"well i guess ill bandage him" sayed the elf boy and kneeling down began to do so.

[Mathron]

Tal looks down at the man lying on the ground, and then back at the newcomer, indecision visible on his face. Finally, with an audible cry of frustration, he speaks out, "Child, bandage him as best you can, then hurry after us if ye will! I can't let my true foes escape me, not when my sister still is in their grasp and they are so near!"

He takes off, sheathing his weapon, in a full sprint into the woods. Dain pauses, then huffs and hurries after him, and the others quickly follow.

The boy quickly ties a strip of cloth around Arcon's torso, where most of the bleeding comes from. He looks up, seeing if there are any more bandages, to find himself alone with the stranger.

The red garbed man kneels down beside him with a grin, and says softly, "I think you best hurry after your comrades, boy. I shall see to this one's care from here out."

Tessar opens his mouth to speak, then closes it with a snap, and nods quickly, before gathering his stuff and hurrying onward.

---

After they are gone, the man glances up towards where Grim Wolf and Shelina are concealed, and crosses his arms.

"Well, Sandor? I've cleared out those strays, whatever they were doing here. Care to show yourself and introduce your companion?"

(edit - addition to hopefully speed things up. )

Grim Wolf slowly jumps down, and walks out of the brush, Shelina following hesitantly behind him. He nods at her, and says, "I encountered her wandering nearby, looking for a man named Orpholin. She has been made into one of the dark lord's servants, though I can't say I know much more than that."

The man nods, slowly, still grinning, and says, "Well then, child, what can you tell me about yourself, eh?"

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid sadly shakes her head. She knew that they could keep on running, but that wouldn't do any good. She needed some time on her own, and she ran deeper into the forest, followed by the wolves. She would find and fight the servants later.

[Tessar]

OOC* geez im going from god posting to wimp posting am i pathetic or what?

the boy ran after his frends well actuly he started out running but by now he was down to a jog, when quite unexpectidly he saw the others not to far ahead searching the ground for sighns of the slavers.

[Lief Erikson]

"My history . . ." Shelina hesitated, eyeing the man. A pained expression came onto her face for a moment, and finally she shook her head. "No, I'd prefer to keep my history private for the time being. It is painful to say the least.

"But I can see you two know each other. How did you meet?"

[Mathron]

The man laughed. "We've worked together in the past. I've been trying to enlist him in some... business endeavors... for a while now. "

He stops, then glances at the man dying on the ground, frowning slightly. The, shrugging, the turns back to Shelina and says, "You look for a man named Orpholin, eh? I may be able to tell you more of him, if you should tell me why you are interested in him."

His eyes darken, and he smiled grimly. "And I would like to hear every detail of your mission, now. You may keep your past to yourself, but whatever mission you are on you will make known to me."

[Lief Erikson]

"I don't want him, my master does. He is a servant of Morgoth, a man named Vardor. I don't know why he wants him, but he has ordered me to collect him and bring him to a certain place where he'll be transferred into Vardor's hands. I know little more than this, but that is my mission. To capture him.

"My mission is now revealed to you and I wasn't trying to hide it from any who will help me in this endeavor. This man, Sandor as you call him, has already agreed to help me so I told him all. Now you know to. But you promised me information about Orpholin. Let us speak on that, now."

[Mathron]

The man frowns. "Vandor, eh? Never heard of him. Shall have to look into that..."

Trailing off, he glances back up as she stares at him impatiently. "Well, I am afraid I require Sandor's ears now, but shall give you the information you need. The man you seek, I believe, travels with the group that ran off from here not so long ago, heading west. Moving as fast as they can, I believe. You may be able to catch them, should you hurry as soon as you can."

Grinning, he sits on the ground and prods Arcon's form, which results in a groan that fades into silence. Then he glances back up at Shelina, and raises his eyebrows, as though surprised to still see here there.

[Tessar]

OOC* Slewythe, I DO NOT HAVE A EVIL MAN FOR A DAD!!!! HE JUST SLIGHTLY RESIMBLES HIM!!!

[Mathron]

Tal finally stopped in the midst of running, almost freezing in place. A few yards ahead of him, the woods ended in a clearing - and within, he could see a small camp of maybe a hundred mercenaries, and a small camp of slaves in the center of the tents. No sentries seemed to be stationed at the moment, though.

He glanced behind him, and saw Dain, huffing and puffing as he caught up. The others approached too, although Irid had vanished. Tal frowned.

"So, who is with us, now that we have found our goal?"

OOC: Guys, if you are still active, now is the time to post...

[Lief Erikson]

"I'm no fighter," Steward said with a frown.

"But I am!" Erenfor said, seizing Tal's sleeve. "Give me a sword and I'll prove I can fight as well as anyone! Better! A sword to put through orcish throats, to cut them apart. Perhaps then I can avenge El'nela!"

"Avenge?" Tal asked, his voice quiet.

"Perhaps not, perhaps so," Erenfor said, his brow creased. "Give me a blade and we'll prove to her what we can do! I should never have given in to her. Should never have . . . It was my fault, all my fault, mine and the other woman's. Shelina. Must kill Shelina when I get the chance. But give me a sword!"





"Will you be coming with us?" Shelina asked the newcomer. "We could use your assistance, two might not be enough; some of them looked like fighters. And wolves run with them."

[Irid al'Menie]

*OOC: AAAAAAARRGH!!! It's impossible to stop!! way too interesting!!! i stay, i'm at the merceneries camp!*

They were running at full speed. Irid knew she had to stay with Tal, but not why, so she followed his tracks. A wolfpack from this forest came with her, together with the remaining wolves. She came just in time to hear Tal ask who was coming.

"Wait for me! I'm fighting with you. I want you to find your sister."

Right now there were 31 wolves. She instructed them to stay together, and not fight alone. She'd say when they could attack. Runner had given his leadership to the leader of the other pack, and he stayed with her. The rest of the wolves waited for the signal.