Dark Magic

[Tessar]

you first

[galadriel88]

well i would do something but I'm kinda suffering from writers block right now...how bout you guys?

[Shenna McBain]

OOC: I'm kinda waiting for someone to run into (though not literally) or start following my character to add to the story... *waits patiently*

[Renille]

OOC: okay...see what I can do!

BIC-
Elyssia rides her pure white steed faster and faster in pursuit of her older sister. Finally, after many rough jolts and rude shouts, she is able to stop and dismount at Tasha's side. "What are you doing here?" She whispers..."Isn't Stravis (OOC-Notice...I got it right!) coming to visit today? You're supposed to be back at the palace."

[Shenna McBain]

Tasha looked quite frustrated at her sister, "Elyssia, you shouldn't have come. I am leaving Rohan... I can't marry Stravis. Father is under a spell of some kind, but no one will listen to me. I have to go... you must return to the palace."

Elyssia's shock was apparent as Tasha spoke, but Tasha continued on as Volanna watched the street. "They will realize soon enough that I am gone, and you do not need to be with me when they begin searching. Volanna and I are going to escape this land, and seek refuge in Gondor if possible. Now please, go before hey think you've run away also."

Turning to leave Elyssia, Tasha stopped and with a look of great saddness spoke again. "Keep this secret for as long as you can, and tell mother I never meant to cause her pain."

Tasha and Volanna then turned to leave once more. Making their way down a quiet side street, heading for the outskirts of town.


*************************************************

OOC: Things might be slow until after the 10th of January as I am getting married on the 5th... I hope to be able to post a few more times before then, but who knows how busy I will be over the next week... if I don't make it back before then everyone have a safe and happy New Year!!

[Renille]

OOC- Congratulations, Shenna!

BIC- Elyssia looked quietly at her sister, thought and frustration mixed in her face. It was an extremely complicated desicion. Should she obey her sister and go home, or...
"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Shouted Elyssia...and ran on foot down the side street to where Tasha and Volanna were fleeing. "I've got to...don't you see?" she pleaded. "If father really IS under a spell, he's not going to care which one of us goes to Lord Stravis. Stravis wants father's realm; it's obvious. So when you're gone, they'll turn to me. And if that happens, they won't let me get away. If one of us flees, the other comes, too. I'm coming, and there's nothing you can do about it."

OOC- sorry...I'm being the annoying Pippin type, aren't I?

[Shenna McBain]

OOC: Thank Renille, the big day is this Saturday!

IC:

Frustration passed over Tasha's face, as she looked to her sister once again. "Elyssia, I won't be returning to Rohan for a long time, do you really wish to leave everything you're accustomed to?"

No futher words were needed, she could tell Elyssia had made up her mind. They were too alike in this way, and once they made a decision they stuck with it. Tasha threw up her hands in surrender. "Fine you may come, besides I couldn't imagine you married to Stravis either. There are things about both of us he could use to his advantage."

Elyssia looked slightly confused at the last statement. She had yet to realize that she held the same powers that Tasha did. Tasha had only recognized her powers in the last year, and begun working in secret with Master Tigard. It was Master Tigard who had warned Tasha of Stravis' evil intentions for their marriage.

Now the three women began their perilous jorney, and in her heart Tasha wished they had a guardian to see them safely out of Rohan.

[Scarfair]

Hard eyes watched as the three women dismounted and made their way through the rutted and misused side streets. The curious stare followed their progress as they led their horses among the shadows, heading for the city gates.

The city gates teemed with soldiers and merchants, serfs and peasants, all coming and going in a riot of noise and motion even in the late hour, for the Merchant's fair was still open and would be until the sentries cried midnight. Though all looked like confusion, Tasha could tell that the guards were being especially careful with out going travelers because it was dark. She knew that her small party would never make it out without detection. She needed a diversion soon, for the three of them to be milling about the gate was sure to draw attention. She cast about desperately, hoping for some kind of inspired bit of action to initiate which would turn the guard's backs, if only for a moment.

Suddenly a Roader of dirty and dusty mien strode proudly down the street, a drunken swagger in his boots. He marched directly up to nearest sentry and annouced himself as though this were jousting day, and he a champion who served as his own herald.

'I am Lasser-Lante! Greatest tracker an' scout since that ol' elf, Thingol Greycloak hisself!' the filthy braggart drew his sword, unsteadily waving it like a pop-a-day streamer. 'They call me Narbeleth, the elves do...not many men get named by elves, yah know. They purdy particular 'bout stuff like tha'. You know what tha' means, Narbeleth? You! Soldier!' he pointed his blade at the nearest sentry, a blear in his eyes, and rancid ale wafting into the sentry's nose.

'Aye,' the sentry answered,' That's elvish for "yer head be deep in yer cups" Now, come with me gent, the hard mount of the stocks may sober yah up.' He made to grab the drunkard, but found his hand full of empty cape. The Roader had slipped out of his cloak, and returned a hard left fist that hit the sentry like a brick. The other two guards that stood watch lunged into the fray, and now confusion really did reign at the gate.

Tasha was trying to make up her mind whether to make a dash for it, when she caught the grey eyes of the Roader staring at her in spite of the fray he was involved in. He almost imperceptively nodded, and Tasha somehow knew it was a signal, she nodded slightly back at him, even as he brought his sword's pommel cracking down on another sentry's skull, and a mailed fist clouted him hard upside his own head while his attention was drawn.

'Ladies, mount up, we move. Right behind me, and if we gain the gate, run south along the walls. And don't spare the horses!' Tasha whispered.

Tasha and her party mounted and broke cover from the wagon they stood behind, they began to make their breathless escape...

[Lady Midnight]

I'm really glad to see that you guys RP here! I only wish I'd found this place sooner. Can I join in? It looks like a good one. I've done a few RPs on another BBS and I tend to go for female characters, usually a little 'different' and misunderstood if you know what I mean, well intentioned but with a bit of a rebellious streak and often a dodgy past (so you can never be entirely sure which side they're on although they definitelyshould be trusted!) They are always of noble birth.

So any ideas?

[Scarfair]

(pssst, Lady Midnight? I joined without asking, I think they're mad at me, no one's posted since I entered... . If you do join up, kill off my character, hopefully that will make up for my lack of manners...heh. pleasure to meet you.)

(PS, I started a thread called 'A Recurrent Theme' ((please excuse the pun in title)), feel free to jump into that one if you wish, but you're right, this thread shapes up to be much more fun.)

[Lady Midnight]

Awfully good job you don't RP with the people I've had to RP with then Scarfair. To put it mildly some of them are much less relaxed about this kind of stuff. I think like it better here.

[Renille]

OOC-I'm not mad at you, scarfair! I just couldn't think of anything to post . And Shenna is getting married tomorrow, so she won't be here for a while, I guess. She probably hasn't even seen your post yet. I highly doubt she's mad. And PLEASE feel free to join in, Lady Midnight!


BIC- Elyssia rode skillfully accross the country on her horse, galloping as only a trained horsewoman of Rohan could. She blessed the many lonely hours riding across the moors on her good friend, her horse, Sarin. Elyssia turned to see the scene on the wall. The strange man was still holding off the guards,but more were coming. "Thank you." She said to him, though she knew he couldn't hear. She turned back, and asked her sister, "Who was that? Who helped us back there? And why?" Elyssia realized suddenly that she was still young, impatient...waiting for an answer for something none of them knew. A mystery that had to be put aside for the present.

[Aragorn]

*Alright, since nobody wants to reply to my post that I made a LONG time ago, I'll get a sub-plot going for myself.*

Just then, what Duriel didn't expect came. An arrow shot out from the woods, imbeading itself in the ground right before him. He looked around quickly, and saw nothing. He didn't seem to have control of his limbs, they worked all on their own, and he ran. He ran as fast as he possibly could.

Two more arrows shot out, infront and behind him, both barely missed. But the important fact was that they missed. It didn't matter how close they were. They missed. Duriel didn't look back. He didn't know what was chasing him, or even why it was chasing him. All he knew was that the had to run.

An arrow wizzed past his ear. Another striking slightly to his right. He dove into a bush and two arrows flew right were he had been, now above him. He crawled as fast he could. A crawl turning into a crouched jog. A crouched jog turning back into a sprint.

An arrow struck him in his left arm. He almost cried out in pain. He was going to start running again when an arrow struck his right leg. He fell. His arm and leg ached with pain. His head pounding. His heart beating faster than ever. Slowly, ever so slowly, he slipped into unconciousness.

[Scarfair]

The Roader at the gate watched as the women rode from the city, an escape made cleanly, he hoped. He couldn't watch for long, however, the guards were now swarming him, threatening to take him down by sheer weight in numbers. But then, with the Princesses free and clear, Lasser no longer had to act the drunk.

He stomped hard on the insole of the sentry that gave him the most trouble, clipping the man with a bust to the temple as the guard bent and cursed the broken foot he now had. That sentry went out like a bentwick. Two more guards barreled into him and Lasser used his right knee to meet one of them, bringing the flat of his sword down onto the helmet of the other with an iron thump. They went down also, but only momentarily.

Lasser peeked to the walls above him and saw guards along the top of it shooting arrows into the forest behind him. He had no time to ascertain if a threat loomed there, at his back, because four fresh guards now bantered out of the gates advancing on him in lockstep. He had no choice but to backpedal, fanning his blade in wild sweeps before him to hold his pursuers back.

The trees of the forest had him penned in, and now those sentries along the top of the walls trained their shafts dead at his chest. Whatever target they had been shooting for must have been brought down. Lasser cursed, because he knew his own game of diversion had him caught neatly, and it seemed a long stretch in the stocks was awaiting the one that elves called Narbeleth, after all...

[Shenna McBain]

OOC: Well I am now an offically married woman!!! YEAH! I am very happy and can't say I'm sorry I've been gone! Welcome to all who have joined and no I am not mad at anyone for joining in the more the merrier! This is shaping up well I must say!

IC:

The trio made their way though the thick forest with great speed, Tasha and Volanna were also skilled riders as were most in Rohan. Relief ran through Tasha as they put more distance between themselves and the city.

Suddenly she thought of their rescuer, he would have surely ended up out numbered before long. Her father's guards were well trained and would overwhelm the man quickly. She had to help him, but she wasn't sure if her magic would work from this far. Tasha had to try.

The song-like words drifted from Tasha's mouth as she concentrated on the face of the man who had helped them. She trusted her horse completely and closed her eyes as she kept her head low to avoid being thrown by a low lying branch. The man's face came to her mind, and she could see his peril clearly. The spell changed now as she spoke and attempted to cast a spell of ignorance on the man's attackers.

Oh how she hoped it worked... after all it was the least she could do.

[Nariel Starfire]

okay, I'm gonna post something happening in Mirkwood, to give me an intro, and then I'll join you guys... when I get down to wherever you are.

In the dark and smelly hideaway, a group of pretentious young Dwarves whispered rather noisily concerning the mound of money on the table which they were surrounding.
Each had a mug of warm and very potent beer. They smelled as if they had been labouring in the mines for many a year. Most had.
The leaders of the group, two Dwarves named Smiol and Fiol talked quietly alone in a corner of the room.
‘What about the rest of them?’ Fiol asked.
‘They can’t count. We’ll give them five apiece and tell them we divided it evenly,’ said Smiol.
‘Fine, but –‘ Fiol cut himself short.
‘What?’
‘Did you hear something?’ Fiol asked.
‘No,’ said Smiol. ‘Did you?’
‘It must have been my imagination.’
They continued their deceitful conversation. Then, suddenly, Fiol heard a swishing sound and, before he noticed that Smiol had been shot, there was another swish and he himself fell to the ground, quite dead. The other Dwarves now also looked up, noticing that Smiol and Fiol were both shot. More swishes led to more dwarves falling to the ground. Not one arrow missed its mark. Finally, all the dwarves were dead on the ground. All except one younger than the rest, hidden in a corner. His name was Dinfli. When the room went silent, he looked up and saw a tall Elf standing above him. Quickly, Dinfli retrieved a knife and jumped up at the Elf. But, quick as he was, the Elf was quicker. He had also drawn a knife, and had loaded it into his bow, ready to send it flying into Dinfli’s breast at any moment.
‘What do you want?’ Dinfli asked.
‘I want you to return this money to the Treasury,’ said the Elf.
‘But I was not even involved in the theft of it,’ complained the Dwarf.
‘Were you to take a share of the spoils?’
Dinfli looked at his feet. ‘Yes, I was.’
‘Then you were involved. And you shall return it.’
‘Very well.’ Dinfli submitted to the Elf’s command, considering that he obviously held the advantage. ‘What do you wish me to do?’ Dinfli asked.
‘Put the coins in that sack.’ The Elf said, indicating a brown cloth bag sitting next to the mound of money. The dwarf obeyed.
‘Now take the sack and sling it over your shoulder. Walk in front of me, and do not delay in taking the straightest path back to the Treasury. If you do, I will return the gold and by dawn you will be found here, with evidence that you had killed your cohorts. Now proceed.’
Dinfli reluctantly obeyed. There was silence as they walked back to the city. Finally they reached the outskirts of the city Esgaroth. The Elf knocked at the gate and spoke the password. The gates opened noiselessly and the Elf nudged Dinfli forward. They took the shortest route to the Treasury in the middle of the city. When they arrived, the tall building was dark throughout. So the Elf proceeded to tie Dinfli’s hands to the front door-handle of the Treasury. He tied to Dinfli’s feet the sack of gold coins. When the Elder of the Treasury came in the morning, he would find a Dwarf tied to the money he had no doubt not even noticed was stolen, considering the group had broken into the building after the Elder had retired for the day.
‘I suggest,’ said the Elf. ‘That you try to sleep a bit and not shout. For if you do, you will be discovered early and placed in the dungeons until morning. Then, and only then, will you be given a chance to explain your plight. Here, however, you will receive a fair amount of sleep and will not have to endure a night in the dungeons.’ With this last bit of advice, the Elf vanished around a corner and into the night.

A few streets away, the Elf stopped in a rarely-used alleyway and put down his quiver. He took all of the arrows out, and removed a lovely gown from underneath them. He then removed his cloak and tunic and put the gown over his undergarments. At this point it became evident that ‘he’ was an Elf-maiden. She removed a stone from the bottom of the wall behind her and placed her bow there. Her clothes she placed in her quiver, replaced the arrows, and hid it in her skirts. She then emerged from the alleyway and made her way along the streets casually on her way back to her home.
A few corners from her home, and a few streets from the Great Hall, a hand came down on her shoulder. She turned quickly to face a fair Elf, slightly taller than she, looking at her smiling.
‘The night is old. You retire late tonight, Lady Nariel Starshine.'

[Scarfair]

Lasser-Lante steeled himself, his only possible option was a headlong, foolhardy charge. Yet, before he could barge forward the six guards who pressed him stopped their blades, loosened their shields, and stood at the line in sudden dullness; as though preoccupied in some deep musing. Their eyes became unfocused, their limbs stilled, their weaponpoints slowly lowered to the turf. Lasser stared along the walls, watching incredulous, as drawstrings relaxed and arrows fell from nocked.

'What be this bit of chance?' he wondered, grinning a thief's grin; for a chance it was, and Narbeleth took it glady. He turned with silent aplomb and disappeared into the forest, letting the sentries and the darkness puzzle upon the mystery that let him go.

[Renille]

Elyssia gazed at her sister, astonishment and wonder filling her being. "What...how...what did you just do?" She asked quietly. "The guards...they just...forgot. How?" Elyssia had never known of Tasha's power; never realized why Tasha had always been studying with her master instead of roaming the fields for the better portion of the day. She had assumed that Tasha was trying to please their parents. But now...now she knew the true reason, and in a way, felt closer to her sister than before.

[Aragorn]

*Alright, I'm not to clear on your post Renille. If you're talking about my character he is far from there. I have a pre-planned sub plot. I will tell everyone when they can interact with my character. But not yet.*

Duriel awoke. He tried to move his arms but found they were bound together. His legs the same. He fealt a warm and thick liquid on his leg. He looked down and saw the blood. He was wounded. It came back to him. The arrows firing at him. Him running. Finally he was hit.

"Well well, it looks as if our prisoner is awakening."

Duriel looked up to see three men. Each had knives. One had a shining sword. Thieves..., he thought. The sword must have been stolen.

"Hah, you gave me a run for my money, but I got you in the end."

Duriel smirked.

"Fool. You obviously are poorly trained with a bow and arrow. You wasted about a hole quiver on me and even then had to shoot me twice to get me to fall. Yet, I was in an open field."

One of the other two thieves snickered. The man who spoke, obviously their leader, glared at him. He turned back to Duriel.

"You...you...worthless wanderer!"

The thief boss kicked Duriel. He, of course, could do nothing to stop this.

"You didn't even have any gold or weapons! You're nothing but a beggar!"

Duriel spat on the man.

"And being a petty thief is any more better?"

This only enraged the thief boss further.

"You think you could do better?!"

Duriel smirked.

"A squirrel could do better if you gave it the chance."

The thief boss was boiling with anger. The other two were trying desperatly not to double over with laughter.

"Kill him!"

The thief boss turned from Duriel. He swung around his legs and tripped the boss. The thief's knife fell down and Duriel picked hit up. He struggled but eventually cut his hand bindings and quickly cut his feet bindings. Duriel dove and dug the dagger into the boss' throat. One of the other thieves threw his dagger but Duriel dodged it and flung his at the thief.

"Argg!!"

The knife dug itself into the bandit. He gurgled and dropped to the floor, spasming. Not a pretty sight. The other and last thief threw his dagger but it missed. He unsheathed another one but Duriel ran and dove, tackling him. They struggled and fought into a large pond. The knife flew from the bandits hand and onto the ground not far from the pond. Duriel kicked the man in the stomach. The bandit fell to his knees but punched Duriel in the groin. He doubled over in pain. The thief dove at the knife but Duriel pulled him back in before he could grab it and kicked him.

"I'll get ye' for that ye' beggar!"

Duriel dove and grabbed the knife and turned in time to plunge it deep into the bandit's heart. With a shocked look and a gurgle he fell to the ground beside Duriel. Dead. He got up and limped to the thieves' camp. The water had washed off the blood and Duriel patched up his wounds with the little supplies the thieves' had. He spotted the bow and arrows. The quiver had three arrows left. He picked them up and swung them over his back. He took the knives from the thieves' dead bodies and put them in his travellers bag the thieves' had gone through. He took the sword and it's sheath from the boss' corpse and hooked it onto his belt.

"Well, at least they're good for weapons."

He left the camp and made his way through the woods.

[Renille]

sorry... I was talking about your char. I guess I'd better delete that part...I thought that's where he was. Sorry again...