Hostel Fox

[Salinye]

Well, this rp has been going on in the conservatory for over a year now. I've decided that since we have a portion of the pen who don't like to read rp's, but do enjoy stories, that I would try to merge the rp into a smooth flowing story. This will mean editing a bit and cutting a few things out, but all in all I'm trying to stay as true to the original writing as possible. However, the original and ongoing rp link can be found here. :0)

 

I also will go through and add all the authors to this in the morning. I'm very tired atm and am afraid I'd miss people. :0)

 

A random IRC rp started this thread. What started out as a carefree meeting of friends has turned into quite an adventure! Originally I started this to sort of introduce Sal to The Pen and reveal some of her past. However, I've been here so long, the story may not serve THAT purpose.

 

Lastly, something to keep in mind is that this story started over a year ago. Sal (and I) were very new to The Pen. So she hardly knows the other characters in the story. That remains a writing challenge still in the rp. To write Sal as mistrusting and unsure of her Pennite comrads. Also, it took a lot of will power not to rewrite my own posts because I feel like my writing has gotten a little better since I've been coming here. (Which is a nice Kudos to The Pen!) So, you'll have to bear with some less than great writing on my end at times. :0) How fun to see progression, though!

 

I have been so honored to write among so many amazing people and talented writers. People whom I now call my friends. :0)

 

The peices of this story version of Hostel Fox were written by the following writers:

Salinye, Gyrfalcon, Tamaranis, Annael, Yui-Chan, Ayshela, Merelas, Alaeha, NTraveler2, Ozymandias

 

~Salinye

Edited June 29, 2004 by Salinye

[Salinye]

Chapter 1:

 

Salinye stood in the front room of her hostel, affectionately known as 'Custos Manor'. Taking a quick walk through its familiar corridors she noted it was mostly empty this eve' save for a few druids and rangers in the garden rooms. When she drew up the plans for the hostel she had rooms built into the outside back garden. The walls of each room were made of lattice, which would be incredibly revealing if it weren't for the various climbing vine like plants and flowers that were planted at the base of each wall. The lush greenery climbed the lattice enclosing the rooms with natural privacy. The rooms had been a huge interest to those of her guests who never did feel quite right inside walls and among carpeted floors.

 

Sitting down on one of the stone and marble benches nonchalantly tying her blonde locks back out of her face, she reflected on the events of the nights. Vampires! Who knew they truly did exist? The thought brought a fresh coat of goose bumps to rise on the wizardess’ skin. She had spent too much of two years in torturous dark elf prison to trust anyone associated with the dark arts. She always believed Vampires to be things of fantasy, created in the minds of adults to scare children. Yet, here she had talked to one, and apparently, he wasn't the only one at The Pen. This will definitely take some getting used to.

 

Her night had been spent in a tree, of all places. Gyrfalcon, a half elven ranger and Annael, a woman with black feathered wings and usually surrounded by butterflies, seemed friendly enough. It's not that pale Tamaranis wasn't friendly, she just wasn't sure of him. He, and his lifestyle, unnerved her. Then, of course there was Daryl. She jokingly threatened to win his affections and steal him for her own, however, she would never really. She could see the strong bond of friendship between the half-elf and were fox. She would never seek to disrupt that.

 

She liked the people at The Pen so far. She wanted to be part of them, wanted to trust them, but it wasn’t easy. Not only because she didn't know them well, but also because of the danger she could bring to them. Sighing she stood turning to walk back into the manor frustrated by her own thoughts. A movement in the rose bushes to her left caught her attention. Turning with lightening quick reflexes, she raised her hands in front of her calling a spell from the recesses of her mind to the tip of her lips. Her cobalt blue eyes turned deadly serious as she called out in a strong controlled voice. "I will not hesitate to disintegrate that corner of the garden and ask questions later! Nor will I give you a second chance! Show yourself now!"

 

There was only a mere half-second of hesitation before the movement in the underbrush began to slowly work its way forward towards her. Salinye held her ground ready to strike the moment the foe showed its face. Just as the very front leaves began to shake a red and white fur clad face poked his head out with a sheepish grin. (As much as a fox can grin) "DARYL!" Salinye said exasperated dropping her arms to her sides and falling back onto the bench waiting for the adrenaline to slow its racing pace through her body.

 

The wizardess anger was short lived as the fox leapt onto her lap nuzzling her beneath her chin with the top of his head. Smiling softly and shaking her head she pushed the fox back so she could look at him. "What are you doing here? Did GyrE send you?" Daryl simply shook his furry head side to side. "No?" Well then you should return to him right away! I'm sure he's missing you and wondering where you are! He'll think I stole you as I jokingly threatened to do!" In order to emphasize her point she stood picking him up and put him on the ground facing the large iron doors of the garden. "Now, off with you."

 

Daryl looked at the iron gates then back up to her, then to the iron gates again. Without further contemplation the fox turned with surprising and unexpected speed and darted away from the gates into Custos Manor leaving a surprised wizardess to smirk before turning to chase after him. "DARYL!"

 

Daryl scampered from room to room, always just a few steps ahead of Salinye, despite her better knowledge of her own hostel. Still, Daryl’s lack of experience finally led him into a corridor with no way out. He turned around and started to look sheepish, which was hard for a fox to do, when the door beside him opened.

 

"What’s all this racket?" the old druid said irritably as he twitched his sash tight. He didn’t even notice the quiet ripple of the hem of his robe as Daryl slipped by him and into his room.

 

Turning to confront Salinye, he put his hands on his hips. "Well? I was told that this was a quiet place to relax, but instead there’s all this Gaea-cursed racket! You’d think I was in a city!"

 

Salinye had to spend the next fifteen minutes soothing the druid’s ruffled feathers before he quieted down. By that time, Daryl was long gone out of the decorative window and loping towards home, satisfied that Salinye was safe for the short term.

 

The same could not be said for Daryl.

 

Barely fifteen minutes away from Salinye’s hostel, Daryl heard the baying of a wolf pack and cursed to himself in Fox, Kitsune, Werefox and Wolf. Of all the luck...!

 

Looking around, Daryl could find no place defensible enough to take on an entire pack of wolves, and so he ran on. As he did so, he mentally reached out, and was surprised to find their presences nearby. Pleased, the werefox called on ancient alliances.

 

We come . A voice responded mentally.

 

Daryl reached a clearing a short while later and stopped at the far end, turning to face the path he had traveled. Within a few minutes, the wolves arrived, and Daryl understood why they had chased him. Leading them was a great wolf with glowing red eyes- a worg. Daryl growled deep in his throat at the sight of the foul beast.

 

The worg snarled at the wolves, ordering them to spread out as it stalked forward slowly, thinking the fox had been brought to bay. It was planning now to slowly kill the fox, and savor its dying agonies.

 

A deep-throated growl from the bushes halted the worg. Foxes appeared all around the edges of the clearing, and the wolves seemed amused. Then larger forms appeared, creatures as large as wolves, with bony plates covering their foreheads and shoulders and extending down their spines. Lips pulled back from sharp teeth as the dire foxes snarled at the wolves.

 

Now the wolves turned back to back, realizing that they were clearly outnumbered. This effect was heightened further as Daryl changed to his hybrid form, standing easily.

 

"Fools! Kill them!" the worg snarled, turning its head away from Daryl.

 

A mistake.

 

Daryl charged forward, impossibly quick, claws raking across the worg’s face and neck. The beast tried to back away, but the werefox pressed the attack relentlessly, clawed hands batting the worg’s face impossibly fast. In desperation, the worg leapt for Daryl’s throat.

 

Daryl spun out of the way and landed a roundhouse kick that blasted the worg across the clearing, into a tree. The crack of its neck snapping echoed in the hushed clearing.

 

"Which of you is second?" Daryl said quietly in Wolf. A grizzled male stood out from the pack slightly.

 

"Leave this place, and trouble not the foxes of this forest. You will live- for now."

 

The wolf considered this, then lead the pack away.

 

Daryl turned to face the dire foxes. "Thank you for your aid." he said in Fox.

 

We honor our debts. The grizzled leader of the dire foxes assured Daryl as the gathered foxes dispersed back to their dens and ranges.

 

Daryl bowed formally to the dire foxes as they departed, then reached within himself. Changing back to a fox, he continued on his path back to the Mighty Pen.

Edited June 23, 2004 by Salinye

[Salinye]

Chapter 2:

 

Salinye smiled as butterflies swarmed around her, playfully dancing along the golden strands of her hair. Moving carefully, the cloud of butterflies parting, she reached the protective shade of the tree. Looking up she smiled as she could hear the murmur of voices hidden within the green canopy above her. Sitting for a moment on the soft plush earth, she removed her sandals. Standing again, she smiled as the sleek blades of grass poked up between her well-manicured toes.

 

Looking up into the leafy canopy she called out, "Hello up there, care for a visitor?" The murmurs from above fell silent for a moment before the leaves parted revealing an upside down Gyrfalcon hanging from his knees extending her a hand.

 

"Salinye, just who we wanted to see." He replied with a smile as she took his hand allowing him to help her up to sit within the branches. Leaning her back against the trunk she smiled to Annael.

 

"Miss Annael, thank you so much for allowing me to visit you in your splendid tree." The fallen angel smiled coolly back to the wizardess casually fluttering her black feathered wings. Gyrfalcon lowered himself from his branch to Salinye's with the dexterity and ease of a ranger. Straddling the branch he faced her, causing her to press her back a bit harder against the trunk of the tree in surprise. He too smiled, only his smile was of the sort she had never seen grace his features before. It was dark, edged with ill intent.

 

A rush of adrenaline pulsed through Salinye's body as the aura of danger grew stronger around her. Looking between her two new friends, confused and startled, her fear grew as darkness suddenly fell all around them. Looking up through the leaves she could see the twinkling of stars as night descended upon them. Bringing her knees to her chest and standing up on the branch she looked down considering her options. To her dismay the ground appeared hundreds of feet farther below her than it should.

 

"I...don't understand." She said softly looking back to her friends-turned-foes.

 

Annael laughed a deep demonic laugh while Gyrfalcon looked up from his perch answering coldly, "You don't understand much, do you Salinye?" The wizardess could only stare in horror and confusion before calling a spell to her lips that would magically whisk her away. To her shock, as the last of the spell tumbled from her lips, she found herself standing numbly right where she had been.

 

"Oh, did you think we would allow you to keep your magics? Where is the fun in torture and death if your victim can fight back?" Annael said as the ranger stood extending her a hand to help her to her feet.

 

Salinye stood numbed searching the recesses of her mind for a way out of this situation. Her search was cut short as the immediate area around them darkened a few shades while dropping several degrees in temperature, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Noticing a new smirk on Gyrfalcon's face, she slowly turned her head to follow his gaze. As she did so she found herself staring into the pale face of Tamaranis. He stood floating before her, his hands clasped behind his back. The vampire smiled, his fangs gleaming as he leaned towards her. Completely wrapped up in her fear and forgetting she was standing on the branch of a tree, she took a step sideways attempting to distance herself from him. In doing so she began to fall.

 

...And she fell...

 

...And fell…

 

As the branches above her got farther and farther away, she awaited death at any moment. Not daring to look towards the ground she squeezed her eyes shut bracing her body for the impact. I'd rather die in a fall than at their hands. She thought to herself.

 

Suddenly, all was still. Her breath coming in shallow terrified bouts, she listened, as all was quiet around her. Slowly opening her eyes she found she was lying at the base of the tree. Sitting up she noticed a small form in the distance coming towards her. Scrambling to her feet, still wary of the dangers above her, she was about to run when she recognized the creature lopping towards her. "Daryl" she sighed immensely relieved.

 

She attempted to take a step towards the fox when a cool hand encircled her wrist. The three from the top had at some point descended to encircle behind her. Trying desperately to free herself from Tamaranis' strong grip she looked towards Daryl for help. "Daryl, Please help me!" She called out to the fox.

 

In response, the slightly larger than normal fox, slowly morphed right before her eyes. His body contorted as it grew from the cute playful fox into a tall menacing Were-fox. Salinye was momentarily relieved as she assumed his change was in preparation of her defense. However, the truth of his intentions revealed themselves in the menacing gaze of his amber eyes as he stared at her crouched, claws extended and ready to attack.

 

Salinye slumped to the ground in absolute terror, her arm raised above her as Tamaranis still held her wrist. Without her magic, further resistance was futile. Her entire body grew tense, as her eyes remained locked with Daryl's. An unseen nod from Tamaranis sent the go ahead and the were fox leapt towards her. Salinye screamed in terror, turning her head and throwing one arm up in defense.

 

Her scream echoed through the nearly vacant night filled halls of the Hostel as she sat up in her chair, the smoldering embers of the fireplace the only light in the room. Brushing stray blonde strands from her face she mumbled an incantation and immediately a globe of light appeared next to her illuminating the room. It was just a dream, just a random nightmare. They aren't starting again, this was just a random nightmare, she told herself as her heart nearly beat out of her chest.

 

She was just getting her breathing under control when rushed footsteps could be heard coming down the corridor towards the sitting room she had fallen asleep in. The same disgruntled druid she had awoken earlier, followed by several woodsy type guests that had been occupying the garden rooms, burst through the entryway looking around alarmed.

 

"What is going on in here?" The disgruntled druid demanded looking at her confused to find no apparent threat. Salinye gathered her senses standing to face the small crowd embarrassed.

 

"Nothing, my friends. I'm sorry to have alarmed you, I...had a nightmare." The druid stared at her dumbfounded before spinning on his heels mumbling about getting more peace and quiet in the city. The rest of the guests required a few more assurances that she would be fine, as they were of the caring kind. After finally shuffling the last of them back to bed, the wizardess simply bit her lower lip softly sinking into her thoughts, silently convincing herself that THOSE dreams were not returning. This was just a random dream. Not one of THEM.

Edited June 23, 2004 by Salinye

[Salinye]

Gyrfalcon tossed on his bed, his covers cast to the floor by his dream-inspired movements. Perhaps, given the violence by which the bed was unmade in his sleep, nightmare would stand closer to the truth.

 

Much closer to the truth. Gyrfalcon was sitting in Annael’s tree once again, the night stars overhead. But something was strange... different. He realized as he tried to turn his head what the difference was. He couldn’t control his own body. Despite his frantic attempts to wrench control of his body back into his possession, nothing happened.

 

“Hello up there, care for a visitor?” a voice called up. Gyrfalcon felt his lips curve in a cruel smile for a brief moment before his voice called out “Salinye, just who we wanted to see.”

 

Through the events that followed, Gyrfalcon remained a helpless, horrified prisoner. As Salinye fell away into darkness, the half-elf bolted upright in his bed with a horrified shout, hand outstretched to catch a wrist too far away...

 

Meanwhile, in his own room, Daryl growled in his sleep, baring his fangs at the unseen force that bound him and forced him to watch as he leapt at his newfound friend, prepared to rend her limb from limb.

 

“Noooo!” Daryl said, coming awake. He shivered and rubbed the sweat from his face as he slowly lay back, ignoring the clammy sheets. “That dream... felt real somehow.” he shook his head and shrugged, determined that any answers would have to be sought in the morning.

 

Despite his attempts to sleep, it was many hours before he at least drifted into a restless slumber. But at least no dreams came to him.

 

He counted himself fortunate when he woke up a few hours later.

 

A short distance from the keep at the The Mighty Pen, a slender tower made of some dark stone reached towards the sky. It was not so formidable as its predecessor. A few months ago there had been a much larger tower, perhaps half a mile in height, warded with magic that would enable it to easily withstand a siege by any device not crafted by another archmage. Recent events had forced the archmage in residence to abandon it for a less hostile environment and construct this smaller version.

 

The tower extended as deeply into the ground as it did above it. At its very lowest level was a cramped, tomb-like chamber, almost confining enough to be a coffin. Floating in the air several inches above the ground in that chamber was the form of the archmage who had constructed the tower, sleeping.

 

He did not sleep as mortals sleep, however. This was not simply a quiet chamber. It was an artificially constructed nexus of magical energies. Power filled the archmage, restoring the reserves of manna he would need should he use the more powerful magic available to him. The archmage's mind spread outward along the lines of power that flowed into him.

 

He dreamed, not the idle dreams of mortals, but of events taking place around his fortress, keeping him aware even while he rested. Or at least that's how it should have been.

 

***

 

Tamaranis idly lounged in Annael's tree. It wasn't common for him to do something like sit in a tree, but this was a good way to stay connected with the populous of The Pen. Somewhere in the back of his mind it occurred to him that he didn't remember ascending into the tree, but it didn't quite surface to his conscious mind.

 

It didn't occur to Tamaranis that something was wrong until Gyrfalcon's manner towards Salinye suddenly became aggressive and predatory, not at all his usual personality. Annael, too, seemed as if she were ready to attempt to physically harm Salinye. Looking down, Tamaranis noticed they were now hundreds of feet in the air, but he definitely had not ascended.

 

odd

 

"I don't understand." Salinye softly said, trying to back away from Gyrfalcon and Annael. She seemed unaware of his presence for the moment.

 

"You don't understand much, do you Salinye?" Gyrfalcon taunted. Annael responded simply with cruel laughter. Something was definitely amiss. Tamaranis began considering his options. If violence erupted and he was the only person with a firm grip on his mind he would have to stop it. Considering Gyrfalcon's skill with a blade and the fact that Annael was a fallen angel, subduing them could prove problematic. Hopefully Salinye wouldn't go mad as well and make things even more difficult.

 

"Oh, did you think we would allow you to keep your magics? Where is the fun in torture and death if your victim can fight back?" Annael asked Salinye.

 

This was it, all hell was about to break lose. Tamaranis stepped forward, across open air, to interpose himself, hoping to diffuse the situation at the last minute. Too late he realized he wasn't moving to separate Salinye from Gyrfalcon and Annael, but was instead advancing directly towards the wizardess. Furthermore, he'd bared his fangs. Salinye tried to retreat from him, and in doing so fell from her position on the tree branch.

 

The vampire attempted to drop down and catch Salinye, but instead descended from the tree at a leisurely pace. He was not in control of his own actions. It wasn't frantically that he reached out with magic in every direction, trying to detect the power that was manipulating him. His mind spun outward quickly, but it was calm and methodical.

 

Tamaranis stood on the ground now, behind the unharmed Salinye. Gyrfalcon and Annael also stood nearby, though there was no way that Gyrfalcon, despite his dexterity, could have descended so quickly lacking the power of flight.

 

Daryl appeared suddenly, and Salinye tried to run towards him, but Tamaranis caught her wrist. At the same time that his magic unraveled the mystery of this, nothing here was real, he logically concluded this had to be a dream. Impossible as it was that he was having this sort of dream, it was far more possible than this really happening. Continuing to search about him he located the nearby souls of Gyrfalcon, Salinye, Annael, and Daryl. This was a shared dream, apparently.

 

It wouldn't do to attempt to break free just yet, there was nothing to indicate events in this dream would be reflected in the real world. It was better to see where this was going.

 

The dream ended in short order. Daryl assumed his hybrid form, and Tamaranis' head, seeming to act of its own free will, gave a nod, permission to attack. The werefox leapt forward, clearly to rip Salinye limb from limb. The elven wizardess screamed and raised her free arm in a futile attempt to ward off her attacker. And the dream was over.

 

***

 

In the tomb below his tower, Tamaranis opened his eyes. The wards around this place should have prevented any magic but his own. This sort of thing could not be permitted. Whoever had dared to attack his mind while he slept, he would find them. Clearly the psion or mage who had done this was clever, but he would find them all the same.

 

 

Annael sat up on her tree branch with a gasp, her butterflies fluttering around warily.

 

"What was that all about?" Annael said, then took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

 

Annael shook her head, the dream still strong in her mind. Never had she any intention of harming Salinye. And of course, Gyr and Daryl wouldn't either. Tamaranis, well, he was a different story. A story that she hadn't even begun to read yet. With a sigh, Annael hopped lightly out of her tree. She was going to talk to Gyr to see if he had had the same odd dream. There were powers at work in the dream that she knew weren't natural. Shaking her skirts down, she lifted the hem of trailing skirts and started to walk towards the manor, her bare feet not making a sound on the damp grass.

 

Stopping at the door of the manor, Annael let her skirts drift down around her bare feet and gave her wings a little shake. With a start, she looked down to watch two black feathers dift to rest softly on the cobblestones at her feet. She has to get Gyr to work his magic on her feathers again. She couldn't afford to continue to lose her feathers.

 

"And two more are gone. At this rate, I won't have wings left come the winter. Then what will happen to me?" Annael sighed softly, then pushed the door to the manor open.

 

"Just breathe. These are your friends..." and Annael walked into the brightly lit manor.

 

****

 

Elsewhere...

 

"aaaAAARRRRGGGGH!” screams the sand king. Any passing by the somewhat labyrinthine rooms of the Founder, pause in some concern. Inside, Ozymandias backhands the contents of his desk viciously, sending papers careening through the air and his inkwell shattering against the cold stonewall.

 

A tiny muzzle protruding from a black hood pokes into the room via a cornerstone in Ozymandias' "office".

 

SQUEAK? inquires the Death of Rats.

 

Glancing over at the slow black dribble running down his wall, abashed, the old man looks over to The Grim Squeaker.

 

"No, I'm fine. "

 

SQUEAK. Bobbing its head in a quick nod, it exits.

 

Frowning at the mess for a moment, Ozymandias stretches out his hand and incants.

 

"Rebund." On command, the papers shed all ink from their surfaces and restack themselves neatly into three piles. Then the inkwell reassembles, and the ink flies back into a single mass and reinserts itself into the jar, which now bears no sign of violence. The hoary archmage sits down heavily into a wooden chair. "I need a break. Or more sleep. Or coffee," he comments to no one in particular.

 

He shuts his eyes for several minutes before thinking better of it. I don't want any more dreams as colorful as mine've been the past few nights. With that, he stands, arranges his robes around the hilt of his sword, and strides to the door. Maybe Gyrfalcon's in the mood for drubbing me in a sparring match, he thought with a wry smile.

 

Violent dreams, emotional or otherwise, have been of great concern for Phantasm mages since an older time than most remember. Those who immerse themselves in the element of illusion quite often have to grapple with their fears and insecurities in person, if they are not careful.

 

 

 

To Be Continued...

Edited June 23, 2004 by Salinye

[Salinye]

Chapter Three:

 

Salinye sat in a window seat of the lounge her chin resting upon her knees, which were tucked up to her chest and watched the sun rise. She hadn't been able to fall back to sleep after her nightmare, so she decided to take perch in the window, cracking it open a bit to let the cool breeze calm her mind. It was just as she was admiring the orange and yellow hues of dawn that a soft rapping brought her out of her reverie.

 

tap..tap..tap..

 

Standing, the wizardess left her perch walking through the lounge into the entryway listening for the soft sound. Tuning her keen elven senses in with the immediate area only the soft rustle of her gown could be heard. The wizardess waited.

 

tap..tap..tap..

 

Salinye's eyes narrowed a bit as she slowly turned her head to look at the large oaken entry doors. The hostel received many visitors at all hours of the day and night, however, the wizardess called spell of defense (or offense if it may be) to her mind causing her left hand to radiate with a dim red aura. Tucking that hand behind her back she stalked towards the door.

 

tap..tap..tap..

 

Placing her right hand, which trembled ever so slightly, upon the brass latch she squeezed it and brought the door open finding herself looking into an empty courtyard.

 

 

"I'm looking for..." came a small voice below her. Startled Salinye jumped back a step looking down to find a young female human child standing before her. The girl had blonde locks that matched Salinye's color, only the child's hair hung in ringlets rather than straight down her back. She was poorly dressed and quite dirty as well.

 

Frightened a bit by the wizardess' reaction the girl took a slight step back biting her lip apologetically. "I…I'm sorry M'lady." Salinye quickly gathered her wits about her releasing the energy surrounding the hand behind her. Slowly she crouched down so as to be on even level with the girl and less intimidating.

 

"It's quite alright, I am the one that should apologize. It is impolite to assume anyone calling on Custos Manor would be my height." Salinye smiled warmly hoping to ease the child’s discomfort. Smiling hesitantly the girl began speaking again as if she had rehearsed her assigned words on the way over.

 

"I'm looking for the Lady Celestialgrace. I have a missive for her and can give it to no other." Salinye smiled silently wondering who sent this child messenger. Obviously poor, the child probably accepted the job eagerly in exchange for a few geld.

 

"Well, you are in luck, little lady, for I am Salinye Celestialgrace. Pray tell, who has sent you?" The child smiled pleased to have found her and seemed eager to complete her mission. Reaching into her shabby brown jacket she pulled out a pristine white scroll sealed with a wax seal. Salinye took the scroll turning it to see that the symbol on the seal was that of The Pen.

 

"Please, do not share this information with anyone. It is for your ben..ben.." The little girl stumbled over the last word finishing with, "..own good." With a quick curtsey she turned to scamper through the courtyard towards the woods.

 

"WAIT!" Salinye called out rising to her feet lifting the sides of her gown so that she could freely run through the courtyard in pursuit of the child. "Please, come back. I would very much like to speak with you!"

 

The little girl looked over her shoulder giggling she waved to the wizardess before disappearing into the enveloping darkness of the woods. Salinye stopped rigid just before entering into the shade of the trees calling out after the girl. "You really shouldn't travel through there alone!" The only response she was given was a now more distant giggle. Salinye stood silently weighing her options. Instinctively she knew the forest was dangerous, too dangerous for a young innocent child, too dangerous for an unarmed unprepared wizardess for that matter.

 

A flashback of sitting upon a log a bit lost leapt into the elven woman's mind. The feeling of strong drow hands grabbing her from behind…Salinye shuddered at the memory.

 

From above, a lone raven watched from its vantage in the branches.

 

"That's right. Ruin my fun. Run right into the woods alone like the pale rot fool you are. Run into the woods alone so I can have you taken now like I did the first time." The necromancer said leaning forward anxiously staring into the hazy scrying mirror.

 

Salinye shook off the eerie feeling of the memories deciding that if the child could make it through the woods to her safely, then she could make it back home. Glancing around f feeling suddenly vulnerable the wizardess turned to walk back through the courtyard at a determined pace.

 

Treil laughed a dark laugh sitting back in his chair once again. "That's right. Run back to the "safety" of your blessed hostel. Allow me more time to work on you first." The drow mused to himself.

 

Once inside the safety of her hostel Salinye broke the seal unrolling the scroll to read.

 

My Lady Salinye Celestialgrace~

 

I pray this letter finds you well. Forgive the hasty penmanship in which this letter is written, I don't have much time alone. I'm sending this to you out of grave concern for your life. You have unknowingly surrounded yourself with dangerous people. I don't have time to explain much, but there are some tomes in the library here at The Pen you might find of interest. Start your search beginning with one titled "Gyrfalcon the Mad".

 

"...the MAD?" Salinye said under her breath feeling her heart sink. She had become quick friends with the ranger wanting to trust him. "He's an elder, if he can't be trusted, then no one at The Pen can." She thought to herself saddened before reading the rest of the note.

 

I'll send you information on the others as soon as I can do so without being caught. I'm sorry to drop this on you without further explanation. Just please, M'lady. I beg you to heed my advice. Just know, you have one friend here. I'll be in contact again soon. TRUST NO ONE.

 

The letter was not signed. Salinye rolled the scroll back up and whispering a few words it disappeared into a place only the wizardess knew.

 

 

An hour later Salinye stood once again in the foyer of Custos Manor. This time she had wore a magi robe and her hair was tied back. (All but the loose strand she could never seem to get to stay out of her face.) She had left instructions with her staff who knew how to run the hostel with or without her. They alone, also knew how to contact the wizardess at any given moment.

 

Closing her eyes as the magic inducing words tumbled from her lips a portal opened up beside her. Simultaneously the front door of the hostel opened as a familiar looking woman dressed in white entered. If the wizardess hadn't been so focused upon her mission at hand she would have stopped to figure out how she knew her. Instead Salinye stepped into the portal, which would leave her standing outside the The Pen Castle.

 

Meanwhile....

 

Somewhere within the dark woods that reside north of Custos Manor a giggling child, a magnificent beautiful child ran expertly through the forest. It was before unseen eyes that she morphed from her human form into that of a quick dark beast. Returning to you, master.

 

*****

 

Whatever presence had entered Tamaranis' spire in order to affect his dreams, it had proven itself a master of magical stealth. Not only had it approached him unawares in his sleep, a more difficult task than one might think, but it had deftly removed all traces of its presence upon leaving. As such Tamaranis had no way to track down whoever or whatever was responsible.

 

Magical energies, primed to tear into unidentifiable pieces anything living that passed through them, caused a slight rippling of the air as the vampire passed through them on his way out of his tomb. At the same time servants were alerted to their lord’s activity and scrambled to meet him.

 

If anything suspicious wanders near here, pull it into the physical, Tamaranis broadcast his thoughts.

 

“Near here” did not refer to a specific distance from the spire, but instead to things from another realm wandering close to this one. Failing that, alert me, and I will attempt the same. In either case do your utmost to prevent it from leaving

 

We hear and comply. The mind that responded was that of a dragoon, probably wandering the between at the moment. Though the gigantic insects were monstrous in appearance, they were terribly intelligent, possessing natural psychic and magical abilities. Some years ago Tamaranis had hijacked a technological device designed to breach inter-dimensional barriers and used it to free the dragoons from a gods-inflicted prison. Since then there had always been several ready serve him voluntarily.

 

“Forgive my tardiness, milord.” A thin human man wearing the livery of continicium, though the country was now little more than a memory, rushed down the winding stairwell to meet his employer. “We had thought you’d turned in for the day.”

 

Tamaranis ignored the man’s apology, “Find Rea, have her check over my wards and determine how they were breached.”

 

“Yes, Milord.” The man scrambled back up the stairway.

 

Another servant approached and Tamaranis barked an order before any discussion could take place, “Have the third chamber prepared for a summoning, I need to contact Shesh-Oling.” Without a word the woman went to do as she was told.

 

The target of the dream, or at least the person intended to suffer most, had obviously been Salinye. Still, it was best to inform all those involved of the circumstances. The subterranean portions of Tamaranis’ spire held no purpose other than to serve as a component of the artificial nexus at the bottom. Because of this he climbed quite a few stairs before reaching small, unadorned room with a desk bearing implements writing.

 

Lady Annael

 

Tamaranis wrote with a quill out of compliance with tradition. Still, magic was involved in this as in nearly all actions taken by an archmage. Ink flowed from the quill evenly as it moved across parchment, needing no inkwell

 

I write this for fear of the small chance that you are unaware of the fact the unpleasant dream you had last night was not of natural origin. I too experienced the dream in which you, Gyrfalcon, Daryl, and myself attacked Salinye.

 

I am currently attempting to determine the nature of the force responsible, as of yet I can tell you nothing other than it seems to be capable of slipping through my most elaborate wards. I feel this implies a dangerous entity, I think you can conclude for yourself that it seems hostile as well.

 

Regrettably I have little else to offer, but I felt it best to ensure those involved are aware of what little knowledge I have acquired on the matter.

 

Tamaranis

 

Tamaranis applied his personal seal to the letter, and wrote another of similar content, but addressed to Gyrfalcon. He didn’t bother writing one for Daryl, Gyrfalcon would likely pass the information along before a messenger would succeed in the nigh impossible task of tracking the werefox down.

 

Another servant had been waiting at the door since shortly after Tamaranis began writing. “Ensure these reach Gyrfalcon and Annael promptly” he said as he handed the missives to him. “I have business to attend to.”

 

The darkness around the vampire deepened until he could no longer be seen, then began to yield to the faint, magically supplied light of the inner corridors. When it finally did yield, there was no trace of him.

 

The servant thought nothing of it, having long since become accustomed to the eccentric nature of his lord, and went looking for a runner.

Edited June 23, 2004 by Salinye

[Salinye]

Annael stopped several times to receive directions from various mages, first Peredhil who was already bustling energetically, and then Canid, who seemed to be engaged in trying to round up her purple fuzzies from running off and looting some mage’s quarters. It was ten minutes later before Annael realized that her pouch felt lighter, and discovered that the purple fuzzies had helpfully taken some of the weight of it off her belt for her...

 

Grumbling, Annael continued onwards despite her desire to go back and wring their little fuzzy necks. She restrained her desire, however, having been warned that the purple fuzzies were, for all intents and purposes, immortal.

 

That didn’t lessen her irritation, of course. Lost in her thoughts, Annael was reached Gyrfalcon’s door when the sounds within penetrated her consciousness. The song of steel on steel came through the doorway clearly. Narrowing her eyes, Annael opened the door a little and peeked in, trying to see what was happening.

 

She sighed in relief as she saw Gyrfalcon spin across the room, his katana darting out, deftly keeping a steel rod spinning in the air, each contact creating a steely peal, so like that of swords meeting.

 

She silently closed the door, and then knocked on it loudly. The clang and clash of steel on steel ended suddenly, and a moment later, Gyrfalcon called out "Who is it?"

 

"It's Annael,” the dark angel said softly. There was another long pause, and then Gyrfalcon opened the door with a welcoming smile and a slight bow.

 

"Please, enter." The half-elf said. She bowed her head. "Thank you,” she said, stepping through and glanced around, finally finding the metal rod tucked onto a practice rack. Glancing out at the grey pre-dawn light, she frowned.

 

"Isn't it a little early to be practicing swordsmanship?" she asked. Gyrfalcon looked surprised for a moment, then shrugged easily as he held out a chair at a small table for her, then sat down across from her.

 

"Normally, yes, but as I couldn't sleep anyway, I thought to do something productive."

 

Annael regarded him curiously, then decided to risk a blind stab. "Did you have a strange dream? A dream in which you... threatened Salinye?"

 

Gyrfalcon started and his eyes widened slightly. "How'd you...?" he began, then stopped.

 

Annael nodded slowly. "I think I had a similar dream. Did it go something like this..."

 

She laid out her dream in full, even relating the feeling of helplessness she felt when she could not control her own actions, as her body moved to threaten Salinye.

 

Gyrfalcon's face became impassive as she completed her story. Finally, he nodded. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you had reached into my mind and plucked the dream from my memories. Strange... that we should have the same dream."

 

Annael smiled, and Gyrfalcon noticed her butterflies rising around her in a swirl as she relaxed slightly. "It's good that it wasn't just my dream. But I agree, it's strange that we would have the exact same dream, down to all the details.... too strange."

 

Gyrfalcon stomach rumbled at him, and he smiled in embarrassment. "I think my stomach is saying that it is time for breakfast. Would you like to join me?"

 

Annael hesitated, torn, when Gyrfalcon added offhandedly "After that, we can look up Daryl and see if he had the same dream as well."

 

"All right." the dark angel said with a quiet sigh.

 

Gyrfalcon sat at a table in Celes' cafe, finishing his breakfast. With some amusement, the half-elven ranger noticed that his more or less permanent houseguest, Daryl, was onto his third bowl of cereal. Annael sat quietly, her black wings folded in tightly. Both Daryl and Gyrfalcon had made attempts to draw her into their conversation, but after a few words, Annael had faded out again. The two had respected her silence and stopped their attempts to draw her out... for the moment.

 

"Where do you put all that food?" Gyrfalcon asked Daryl, his voice light with suppressed humor.

 

Daryl, currently in his human form, paused to swallow his latest mouthful, then shrugged. "I don't know, but you make me run around enough that it's not like it has time to stick at all!"

 

Gyrfalcon laughed softly. "It's nice to have the help on the patrols. Thanks, Daryl."

 

Daryl grumbled good-naturedly "Oh please, your way of getting me out on patrol with you was "Time for you to earn your keep." You didn't sound like you wanted the company."

 

Gyrfalcon smiled and shrugged "What can I say? There were more orcs then I wanted to handle alone. Besides, you didn't really mind taking care of them."

 

Daryl shrugged, then looked past Gyrfalcon. "Hello." he said cautiously.

 

Gyrfalcon half-turned and smiled "Ozymandias! How are you this morning?"

 

The Lore master looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes. "I'm fine, Gyrfalcon. Daryl, Annael, hello to both of you as well."

 

"Please, sit." Gyrfalcon said, gesturing to the next seat around the table. Ozymandias took the seat with a murmured thank you and requested a coffee from the server who came over. Within a few minutes, the coffee arrived, and Ozymandias sipped it gratefully.

 

The three chatted quietly for a half hour until Ozymandias had worked his way through his third cup of coffee. Finally deciding that he was alert enough to put up some sort of fight, Ozymandias looked at Gyrfalcon and said, "So, ready to be soundly drubbed, my friend?"

 

"Any time you can manage it, Ozymandias." Gyrfalcon said with an easy grin.

 

"How about right now?" the phantasm mage said.

 

"Sure. East training room?"

 

"Sounds good."

 

Annael stood. "I think I'll be going now." she said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. Daryl stood quickly and grinned "Why? In fact, you have to go with me! Otherwise, one of these fighter people might hurt me!" the werefox said.

 

Annael smirked at him and shook her head. "Really..."

 

Daryl opened his eyes wide and looked at Annael "Please?" he quavered.

 

Annael giggled "Oh, very well, but stop that!"

 

Daryl grinned, content in his victory "Alright. I think I'll heckle from the sidelines,” he explained.

 

"Are you trying to make work for me?" Annael demanded as she and Daryl trailed Ozymandias and Gyrfalcon.

 

"Yep!" Daryl replied cheerfully.

 

The four quickly made their way to the east training room. After a few minutes to warm up, Gyrfalcon and Ozymandias faced each other holding sparring weapons and dressed in practice armor. Gyrfalcon bowed formally to his opponent, and Ozymandias returned the formality by saluting with his weapon.

 

Then the two dropped into crouches, weapons ready.

 

"Fight!" Daryl called from the sidelines.

 

The two fighters moved smoothly towards each other to meet, weapons clacking loudly against each other, the harmony of steel played out in wooden tones.

 

Ozymandias lunged forward for a quick "kill" with a thrust to Gyrfalcon's ribs. The younger man's greater speed gave him a solid clip to the ear for his trouble, as the old mage twisted out of the way of a throat bound counterattack. "Ack," he grunted. "Well, that'll be ringing for days," complained the Lore master in mock misery.

 

Shifting his footing off to Gyrfalcon's left as he swung himself left and upright from his hasty dodge, Ozymandias followed up by simultaneously swinging his bamboo sword in an arc from the right at Gyrfalcon's knees. It was the half-elf's turn to grunt in effort as he brought his sword down in an uncomfortably stiff armed block that pushed Ozymandias' 'blade' back toward its' wielder. Almost pirouetting in his evasive spin, Ozymandias retreated a few feet to catch his breath and begin circling the other man, who he noted, with some small annoyance, hadn't yet broken a sweat after five minutes of heavy combat. Despite it all, he grinned toothily at Gyrfalcon.

 

"Thank God I found you, Gyr." The half-elf raised an eyebrow as he made a (deliberately) crude, but vicious feint at Oz's right tricep.

 

"Oh really?" Ozymandias danced back another step, not spotting the feint until the maneuver had allowed Gyrfalcon inside his guard again. Thinking quickly, the aged Egyptian went with the option he bargained Gyrfalcon would least expect- he leaned back and kicked his opponent full in the chest.

 

"OOF!", gasped Gyrfalcon, as his falling back with the impact narrowly saved him his breath.

 

"Really," Ozymandias continued as he took the opportunity to drop backwards and spin forward on his left foot, left hand, and then land and finish his turn on his right shoulder as he swung his sword out to rap Gyr smartly in the ankles.

 

That was his intention, at least, until he found Gyrfalcon had swung himself around, prone, just as he had, and had his blade ready and waiting to crash into his slower opponent's unprotected wrist.

 

"OWW!", Ozymandias cried as he dropped his sword. Flipping easily to his feet, Gyrfalcon quickly but carefully pressed his sword's tip to Ozymandias' throat.

 

The Founder sighed heavily. "Je suis mort. You win. Again." Chuckling ruefully, he stretched out his hand to the smiling Elder. "Help an old man to his feet?"

 

Shaking his head in sympathetic amusement, Gyrfalcon replied, "Of course," and reached down to grasp the other man's hand. He saw the light in Ozymandias' eyes a moment too late, as the wiry old man had already risen into a crouch, and, still firmly gripping his hand, grasped his torso armor with the other hand and heaved. Gyrfalcon landed gracelessly on his back some five feet away, chagrined, annoyed, and amused, all at once. "*That* wasn't very sporting," he remarked dryly. Still grinning companionably, Ozymandias stiffly got to his feet and headed over to his fallen comrade. With a quick kip up, Gyrfalcon was on his feet again. "Oh no. No more tricks from you", he warned good-naturedly. Ozymandias held up his hands in surrender.

 

"Just remember. You are far more skilled, but sneakiness can do you in if you're not careful."

 

"I know," said Gyr, rolling his eyes at the "wily old man" show he knew Oz was so fond of putting on.

 

'I meant it though," the much (visibly) older man managed, in between deep, gulping breaths as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his tunic. "I really needed this; the adrenaline, the endorphins. I haven't slept well for days. Each time I try to, it's much the same, random, confused visions of our members attacking one another- viciously. And you can understand why I wanted to tread carefully away from *that*."

 

Gyrfalcon tucked his feet under himself and stood up, stretching to work out a kink from the landing. "With a mage of illusions as powerful as you are, Ozymandias? Indeed, I can understand why we all wish for your dreams to be peaceful and serene."

 

Daryl stepped forward with an easy grin, holding the wooden equivalents of paired long knives easily. "Mind if I spar with you, Ozymandias?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders to loosen them.

 

Gyrfalcon went to the benches along the wall where Annael stood and sat down near her, breathing heavily as he drew a cup of water from the bucket of fresh water Annael had helpfully drawn as he and Ozymandias had sparred.

 

"Gyrfalcon..." Annael said quietly, and he looked over to her. "Yes, Annael? And thank you for the water."

 

Annael nodded "You're welcome. I was wondering if you could do me a favor, though..." she said softly as wood clacked against wood on the sparring mat.

 

Annael held out a hand and opened it slowly, to reveal a black feather that could only have come from one of her wings. "Could you see if you could do anything about my wings? I don't want to lose any more feathers..." she said with a helpless shrug, ruffling her wings as she did so.

 

"Of course." Gyrfalcon said, stripping off his practice gloves and placing them on the bench beside him. He wiped his hands off on a towel and gestured. "If you'd sit facing away from me, I'll see what I can do about your wings." he reached into his Bag of Holding and after fishing around for a few moments, he pulled out a feather care kit. Placing it between Annael and himself, the half-elf opened the kit but left it alone for the moment.

 

Instead, he reached forward and began to inspect one of Annael's wings, carefully moving each feather and testing each feather. Any feather that seemed even the littlest bit loose was treated with a small bit of salve at the base that acted partially as a healing agent and partially to help keep the feather attached until the healing could do its work. On some of the looser feathers, Gyrfalcon concentrated and added a touch of natural energy, though he was slightly short of breath when he was done, as the nearest thing to nature was fifty feet away through three walls.

 

Finishing with strengthening Annael's feathers, Gyrfalcon had just pulled out a light oilcloth when Annael spoke for the first time since he had begun working on her wings. "So, about the dream we seem to have shared..."

 

Gyrfalcon's light brushing with the oilcloth paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know. I don't think it was directed specifically at us. At least, I don't have any enemies right now who could walk into my dreams like that and manipulate them. Do you?"

 

Annael shook her head after a long moment. "I don't think so."

 

Gyrfalcon frowned. "Besides... it really felt like the dream was directed at Salinye rather then you, I, or any of the others. I think we should go find Salinye and talk with her. I know for a fact that Daryl had bad dreams last night, and I'd wager he had the same dream you and I did. There, that should help you wings for the moment."

 

Annael looked over her shoulder as she fluttered her wings, noting hopefully that not a feather even felt like it wanted to fall away. "Do you think she might know why we shared this dream?"

 

Gyrfalcon shrugged as he replaced the kit in his Bag of Holding. "Honestly... I don't know. But since she seemed to be the focus of the dream, she's our best bet for finding out why we had the dream. If not her though, Tamaranis might know."

 

Annael nodded "You think he'd have the dream? He is a vampire, and they don't normally dream as you or even I would..."

 

Gyrfalcon nodded "A good point, and a reason to ask him. If he *did* have the same dream we did, it would mean that someone was manipulating our dreams, because as you noted, vampires and the other undead don't see the world the same as you or I would, and their dreams are decidedly different from anything we'd have when they have them."

 

A thump from the training area brought their heads around to see Daryl flat on his back, with Ozymandias' sword at his throat. "You win." Daryl admits.

[Salinye]

Annael smiled as she fluttered her wings a little. "I know that my wings are always safe in your caring hands. Thank you again."

 

Gyrfalcon smiled in return and sketched a small bow. "Anytime M’lady." Annael giggled at the title and performed a curtsy in return. Annael looked at the door to the sparring room as it opened with a soft sound to reveal a servant carrying two letters. Straightening from her curtsy, Annael shrugged her shoulders softly at the questioning look that Gyrfalcon gave her.

 

"Lady Annael, Gyrfalcon, my lord Tamaranis bade me give you these missives." Bowing before Gyrfalcon and Annael, the servant clicked his heels, spun around to the door and left with quick strides the way he came.

 

"Did that servant just click his heels?" Daryl asked as he and Ozymandias walked over to where Annael and Gyrfalcon stood near the wall. Annael nodded as she opened the letter addressed to her.

 

Lady Annael

 

I write this for fear of the small chance that you are unaware of the fact the unpleasant dream you had last night was not of natural origin. I too experienced the dream in which you, Gyrfalcon, Daryl, and myself attacked Salinye.

 

I am currently attempting to determine the nature of the force responsible, as of yet I can tell you nothing other than it seems to be capable of slipping through my most elaborate wards. I feel this implies a dangerous entity, I think you can conclude for yourself that it seems hostile as well.

 

Regrettably I have little else to offer, but I felt it best to ensure those involved are aware of what little knowledge I have acquired on the matter.

 

"Well," Annael said as she looked at the men around her. "I think that we have a serious problem on our hands here."

 

The former king of all Egypt immediately asks, face serious, "What is wrong?" Upon Annael's recounting of all the events that had transpired, with quiet agreements voiced by the others, the Lore master looks grave.

 

"This reeks of magic or mind-skill. Tamaranis, being another victim and due to his vampiric nature the only other expert I know of in our keep, save myself, in such matters seems uniquely qualified to tell us much."

 

"But he already said he doesn't know anything in his letter," replies a confused Daryl.

 

"His expertise may make him a prime target, I mean." Ozymandias draws one final, deep breath to compose himself. "Let us hurry to him."

In the silence following the reading of Annael's letter, and Ozymandias' statement that the small group would have to seek out Tamaranis to get a better sense of what was going on, Daryl brightly filled the silence.

 

"Did he really click his heels?"

 

Annael sighed, and Ozymandias shook his head, amazed anyone would miss the seriousness of the situation.

 

"I mean, really, how many people actually click their heels. When you think about it-" Daryl continued.

 

Gyrfalcon just chuckled. "Give it a rest Daryl."

 

Daryl subsided with a sardonic smirk. "Only because you asked so nicely, Gyr." he responded, racking his practice armor. Ozymandias and Gyrfalcon followed his example, neatly replacing their equipment.

 

"Excuse us, Annael, but I think we should go clean up a bit." Ozymandias said, and Gyrfalcon nodded. Daryl shrugged and grinned, starting for the shower room.

 

"Why don't we meet up in the Banquet Hall?" Annael suggested.

 

"That will be fine." Gyrfalcon said, bowing slightly to Annael. "We'll see you in a half-hour or so... well, however long it takes to dunk Daryl in a barrel of water."

 

Daryl turned around and smirked. "First you'll have to catch me."

 

-----

 

Thirty minutes later, the trio entered the Banquet Hall and joined Annael at her table, a somewhat damp Daryl still grumbling from having the contents of a barrel of water dumped on him by an exasperated Ozymandias.

 

"I don't suppose anyone knows where Tamaranis spends the noon hours?" Gyrfalcon asked. "Normally I'd just suggest wandering up to his tower, but since he's not as night-bound as his vampiric kin, He might be awake and about right now."

 

There was a discreet cough, and Gyrfalcon looked up. "Sir, this is for you,” the messenger said, offering a letter. Gyrfalcon took it with a murmured thank you, then looked up. "Please stay for a moment,” he said. He opened the letter, and read the signature first, finding that the writer was none other then Tamaranis.

 

The half-elf looked up. "Tell me, is your master still in residence at his tower?" The man bowed slightly. "He was when I left, but the master, he could be anywhere at the moment."

 

Gyrfalcon looked between Ozymandias, Annael, and Daryl, shrugging. He then looked at the servant. "Thank you, you may go,” he said. The servant bowed once more and left. Gyrfalcon quickly scanned the letter and nodded. "It's the same letter as Annael has." Gyrfalcon said, tucking the letter away.

 

Daryl looked curious "So, should we head off to Tamaranis's tower, or what?"

 

Gyrfalcon shook his head. "Do we know he's still there?" He responded.

 

Annael looked up from where she had been toying with her drink, listening quietly. "What about a divination spell?"

 

Ozymandias snapped his fingers as her comment sparked a thought. "I can easily do that. Tamaranis has most likely warded himself against a direct divination spell, but I can always find out what his surroundings look like. If the divination shows a black stone tower, then Tamaranis is home. If it shows someplace else, we at least saved ourselves a trip."

 

Daryl rose and quickly returned with a bowl full of clear water, which he set before Ozymandias.

 

"Thank you, you're not that bad for a foul-tempered werething." Ozymandias said affably.

 

"I didn't do anything to you for dumping that water on me!" Daryl protested.

 

Ozymandias just shook his head. "If looks could have killed Daryl, I'd have been a smoldering corpse." Not waiting for a response, the mage closed his eyes and grew silent for a moment, calling his divination spells to mind and selecting one.

 

Daryl grinned but stayed quietly as Ozymandias began to chant.

 

The water in the bowl clouded, then cleared. No longer reflecting the ceiling, instead it showed an aerial view of a neat stone building, which extended into a large, well-tended garden, including many rooms that seemed to be composed of plant life.

 

"Where is that?" Annael murmured, leaning forward to look. Daryl leaned forward as well. "That's Salinye's Hostel!" he exclaimed.

 

Gyrfalcon raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Lets see... near the forest to the north, about a mile from the stream?" Daryl nodded. "You pegged it." the werefox replied.

 

Ozymandias let the spell lapse and looked at Gyrfalcon. "You've been there?" The half-elf shook his head in response.

 

"Not really. My northern patrol takes me by it on the return leg of my journey, but I never stopped by." Ozymandias smiled and shook his head. Along with a few of the other ranger-types or otherwise restless folk at the Pen, Gyrfalcon patrolled the lands around the Pen, making sure no vermin, like orcs, were nearby and tending to any of the needs of the nearby communities.

 

"How long of a journey is it?" Annael asked quietly. Gyrfalcon shrugged. "Patrolling, about two days. But then, I'm wandering through the woods and I'm not really moving in a straight line. If we took the road and some horses, we could be there by late afternoon if we pushed ourselves a bit."

 

-----

 

Not twenty minutes later, they were mounted on three horses, Daryl preferring to take the shape of a fox and ride with Gyrfalcon, as he otherwise unnerved horses. Annael sighed and tucked her wings in as close as possible- she would have much preferred to fly, but she didn't want to risk her feathers until they had set a bit more. Besides, she'd rather not outpace her companions too much.

[Jechum]

Jechum floats in...

 

Wow Salinye a great task to perform.

 

Might be to late to ask this question but did you ever do this while the RP was running with your version being the official story line?

 

Anyway love the concept...

 

You wouldn't happen to have seen Zool?

 

Jechum floats out...