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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1384497" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>Of Horrors in Town, and the Party Hurries Off</strong></p><p></p><p>”DEAD?!” Tess asked incredously. “How can he be dead? Quinnie? He can’t be! You’re lying!” she snarled as tears ran down her face.</p><p></p><p>“He is,” Grumki repeated, his voice full of melancholy. </p><p></p><p><em>Quinnie’s dead? No...</em> Tess’ mind shrieked as she looked on her brother’s face. His eyes were still wide open, a look of surprise on them.</p><p></p><p>“Its my fault,” Tess blurbled quietly between tears. “Its my fault... I shouldn’t have let him come with... I shouldn’t have let him get involved!” As tears began flowing, she alternately clenched and released her fists. She sank to the floor beside her brother, cradling his head on her lap, and slowly started to rock back and forth.</p><p></p><p><em>Its all your fault, Tess,</em> her mind snarled at her. <em>You shouldn’t have brought him along... it was YOU that wanted the company and allowed him to come with when YOU knew the dangers...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Quinnie... please... come back...</em> she pleaded, as Siabrey came over and protectively hugged her as the bard’s frame shuddered with tears.</p><p></p><p>Amid the noise of the growing crowd could be heard Lucius’ voice, yelling at them to keep their distance and move along. A few town constables arrived, and after seeing Lucius in his armor (in all its noble finery) and his explanation, they began doing the same. Above this din came a loud series of clanks, as the four paladins of Hiereoneous jogged into the tavern and took in the scene for the first time.</p><p></p><p>“Dear god,” Pellaron said, taking in the broken up Tess now cradling her brother. Grumki’s sad look told him the entire story.</p><p></p><p>“Tess, I’m so sorry,” he said, joining Siabrey and circling her as she rocked, her normally strong spirit a broken shadow of itself...</p><p></p><p>Wisely Pellaron and the other paladins let Tess cry out her emotions for the next thirty minutes, before gently lifting Quin’s corpse onto their shoulders.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll take him to the Temple of Hieroneous, there he can likely be raised,” Pellaron explained to a still sobbing Tess. </p><p></p><p>“If we must pay them, I will,” she managed to get out between gasps as they cleared the threshhold of the small temple. The paladins patiently explained what had happened to the local priest, and carried Quin’s body into the sanctuary, only allowing Tess to accompany them. </p><p></p><p>After they laid his dead form on the altar, Tess leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, “You will return, Quin... take care my little brother.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>Siabrey, outside the sanctuary, could only see the priests talking to Tess and her friend bending gently over her brother’s body.</p><p></p><p><em>I can’t believe this happened!</em> Siabrey’s own mind sniffled as her own eyes welled up. <em>Quin is dead...</em> She turned to Lucius, and hugged him a little tighter. <em>It reminds me to be thankful for what I have, and that its still ok</em>. She looked up at him for a reassuring kiss, but saw his eyes were staring at something he was holding in his free hand.</p><p></p><p>“Whats that?” Siabrey asked, using her free arm to wipe her eyes again.</p><p></p><p>“I found this on the woman’s body,” Lucius said quietly, holding a piece of paper closer so Siabrey could get a look.</p><p></p><p><em>Check behind Fenrir’s Blacksmithy, five shops down from your inn. Dingalas sends his final regards.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>R.</em></p><p></p><p>And suddenly Siabrey’s tears were replaced with fury.</p><p></p><p>“That sonuvabitch!” she snarled, not caring she was within the temple of her patron god. <em>Why Dingalas? Why such a kindly old man?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>They are toying with you, Siabrey... they are toying with all of us...</em></p><p></p><p>”We should head behind the blacksmithy to see whats there,” Lucius said sadly. Siabrey shook her head no vigorously. </p><p></p><p>“We need to find Xanadu... I think we need to leave the city now, and he should know about all of this,” she said as she started to pull Lucius out of the temple with her. The other three paladins said they would tell Tess where the two went.</p><p></p><p>“I really think we should go to the blacksmithy,” Lucius pressed as Siabrey let go. She looked at him, and with a voice filled with command, she firmly said no.</p><p></p><p>“We can’t afford to split up at a time like this,” she added. <em>I would kill myself if something happened to you... </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Poor Dingalas... he was such a kindly old man... but he was with the army. Wait... how did... oh holy ****! The army must have been destroyed too!</em> Siabrey’s fast walk broke into a run, and she didn’t notice when Lucius slipped away from her, heading towards hte blacksmithy.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey burst into the weapon’s shop she had seen Xanadu at earlier, and with no introduction, forced her way into the back room. There, she found several others gathered around Xanadu... their eyes going brassy every now and then as his did.</p><p></p><p>“Who is this?” one of them asked, rising hurriedly until Xanadu motioned for him to sit.</p><p></p><p>“She is a friend, kind Carmalgun,” Xanadu said quickly. “What happened in the city? We gathered here because we heard there were murders by your tavern! Is everyone sa...” he began until he saw her face. He looked down.</p><p></p><p>“Quin’s dead,” she said quickly, “and so is Dingalas... the army to the south has likely been destroyed, and there might be more assassins in this city. We need to go now!” she said urgently. Xanadu nodded, and rose.</p><p></p><p>“I... I have learned what I needed to here. Take me to where the rest of the party is, and we shall ride. I can accompany you for a while, but then I must leave.”</p><p></p><p><em>Leave for what?! Xanny, if there’s any time where I’d want a 200 foot dragon backing me up, it would be NOW!</em> Siabrey managed to only nod curtly, and turned to tell Lucius to look to the horses... </p><p></p><p>...only to realize he wasn’t there.</p><p></p><p>“S***!” she snapped, and grabbing Xanadu, dragged him to the blacksmithy. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Lucius standing there, fine save the greenish look on his face as he held a box away from his person.</p><p></p><p>“Lucius! I <em>told</em> you not to run off!” she slugged him int he shoulder. It wasn’t a playful one, it held actual force in it. “I would kill myself a thousand times if something happened to you!” Lucius in response proffered the box to them. Xanadu took it, and opened it, before shutting it hard a second later.</p><p></p><p>“What was it?” Siabrey asked guardedly.</p><p></p><p>“Dingalas’ hands,” Xanadu said quietly. “We should ride...”</p><p></p><p></p><p>The three ran back to the Temple, where they found Elenya and Shaun had already gathered the party’s horses. Pelee volunteered to stay in Obash at the Temple to watch over Quin as the rest of the party continued on its ride northward, now with a new sense of urgency; as a price for raising Quin, the Temple of Hieroneous had requested that the party during its northern journey rid the roads between Obash and Hamatas of the miscreant sorcerer that was stealing tapestries... evidently he’d waylaid several church caravans. </p><p></p><p>The party rode hard for several days and nights, scarely without rest. It was on the third night, however, that the first of the noises began.</p><p></p><p>As Tess and Siabrye sat on watch, off in the distance came a rumble, a roar, sounding like the wind thundering over rocks and the massive deep bass of a huge creature. The noise was loud enough that everyone was roused, and most, including Lucius, threw themselves prone and tried to hide in their fear. Noticeably, Xanadu sat, moving his ears to try and tell its direction.</p><p></p><p>As the noise died, Siabrey asked him fearfully, “Xanny... do you know what that was? Should we prepare for battle?”</p><p></p><p>Xanadu smiled distantly. “No... that was one of the desert folk... a siabrie. I can’t tell who it was by his voice, but it was either Malthasar, Haran, or Kelir...”</p><p></p><p><em>A siabrie?</em> Siabrey’s heart jumped, despite the fearfulness of the noise. <em>Father?</em></p><p></p><p>“Yes, it might be your father,” Xanadu said distantly. “That you heard was nothing bad... it was a warning. We are on his territory, he is merely letting us know and telling us to keep our distance. However,” Xanadu smiled, as he started to stand, “you will have to head towards him should think.”</p><p></p><p>“Why?” Shaun asked... still frightened by the noise. He couldn’t imagine the horror that had caused sound to rend through the air like that.</p><p></p><p>“I will have to take my leave of you tonight... there are younglings...” Xanadu began, before shaking his head. “It will take too long to explain. I must go. Find Kelir, he fought with me here long ago, he knows the way and he will help!”</p><p></p><p>“But you can’t go!” Tess said, growing teary eyed again. <em>First Quin... now Xanadu...</em></p><p></p><p>“But I must, dear Tesseron!” Xanadu walked over to her, and gave her a hug. “You are strong, young human. I have faith in you.” He pulled back, and took out a stylus and piece of parchment. For several minutes he busily scribbled, before handing the letter to Tessoren. She tried to read it, but it was in a language she couldn’t understand.</p><p></p><p>“What’s this?” she sniffled. <em>Xanadu is right, I must be strong! I must be strong for the others!</em></p><p></p><p>“Its a letter detailing that you are here on my behalf. It is written in Draconic, a language he would know that you do not understand, to add credence to your claims.” He then slowly began walking away from the party, taking off his half elven clothes as he did, “Please be careful... I shall watch you as best I can while I deal with the crisis!”</p><p></p><p>“You... you have children Xanadu?” Siabrey asked quietly.</p><p></p><p>“I... I have many things to deal with,” he replied slowly and evasively. “There aren’t many younglings left to replace us old ones... but I must be off! Follow the noise to the siabrie! And ask them for help!” he said as his form glowed and shifted into a magnificent dragon. “Kelir will help you!” he called as he charged forward, and his great wings rent the air as he took alight. “I will be watching! You won’t be alone!”</p><p></p><p>It was later that day when Siabrey began the trek off into the desert, against the advice of Lucius, and the misgivings of some of the others.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know if we should be going after whatever made that noise,” Lucius said uncertainly as he helped Siabrey out of her tunic. She shifted her wings so they poked out of her undergarments, and flapped them in the wind… it was an effort to make sure that whichever siabrie they met would see that she was not a threat.</p><p></p><p><em>I hope its my father,</em> her mind said as she turned to her lover. “Hon… Xanny said it was the only way. I want you all to stay behind me… 100 yards or so. I don’t want it…”</p><p></p><p>“Hon, no way… what if something happens? I want to be close enough to help you out,” Lucius said, his voice nearing a whine. Siabrey grimaced, and then caved in.</p><p></p><p>“Alright… 100 feet. Ok?” Her scowl couldn’t help but change to a small smile at the grin of relief that covered his face.</p><p></p><p>“Alright… We’ll keep behind you hon. Lead the way.”</p><p></p><p>Some two days later, as the group was cresting a low ridge, the strange noise of clanks, shouts, and dull <em>whacks</em> rose over the rising sunshine… and Siabrey’s back bristled…</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1384497, member: 15043"] [b]Of Horrors in Town, and the Party Hurries Off[/b] ”DEAD?!” Tess asked incredously. “How can he be dead? Quinnie? He can’t be! You’re lying!” she snarled as tears ran down her face. “He is,” Grumki repeated, his voice full of melancholy. [i]Quinnie’s dead? No...[/i] Tess’ mind shrieked as she looked on her brother’s face. His eyes were still wide open, a look of surprise on them. “Its my fault,” Tess blurbled quietly between tears. “Its my fault... I shouldn’t have let him come with... I shouldn’t have let him get involved!” As tears began flowing, she alternately clenched and released her fists. She sank to the floor beside her brother, cradling his head on her lap, and slowly started to rock back and forth. [i]Its all your fault, Tess,[/i] her mind snarled at her. [i]You shouldn’t have brought him along... it was YOU that wanted the company and allowed him to come with when YOU knew the dangers... Quinnie... please... come back...[/i] she pleaded, as Siabrey came over and protectively hugged her as the bard’s frame shuddered with tears. Amid the noise of the growing crowd could be heard Lucius’ voice, yelling at them to keep their distance and move along. A few town constables arrived, and after seeing Lucius in his armor (in all its noble finery) and his explanation, they began doing the same. Above this din came a loud series of clanks, as the four paladins of Hiereoneous jogged into the tavern and took in the scene for the first time. “Dear god,” Pellaron said, taking in the broken up Tess now cradling her brother. Grumki’s sad look told him the entire story. “Tess, I’m so sorry,” he said, joining Siabrey and circling her as she rocked, her normally strong spirit a broken shadow of itself... Wisely Pellaron and the other paladins let Tess cry out her emotions for the next thirty minutes, before gently lifting Quin’s corpse onto their shoulders. “We’ll take him to the Temple of Hieroneous, there he can likely be raised,” Pellaron explained to a still sobbing Tess. “If we must pay them, I will,” she managed to get out between gasps as they cleared the threshhold of the small temple. The paladins patiently explained what had happened to the local priest, and carried Quin’s body into the sanctuary, only allowing Tess to accompany them. After they laid his dead form on the altar, Tess leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, “You will return, Quin... take care my little brother.” Siabrey, outside the sanctuary, could only see the priests talking to Tess and her friend bending gently over her brother’s body. [i]I can’t believe this happened![/i] Siabrey’s own mind sniffled as her own eyes welled up. [i]Quin is dead...[/i] She turned to Lucius, and hugged him a little tighter. [i]It reminds me to be thankful for what I have, and that its still ok[/i]. She looked up at him for a reassuring kiss, but saw his eyes were staring at something he was holding in his free hand. “Whats that?” Siabrey asked, using her free arm to wipe her eyes again. “I found this on the woman’s body,” Lucius said quietly, holding a piece of paper closer so Siabrey could get a look. [i]Check behind Fenrir’s Blacksmithy, five shops down from your inn. Dingalas sends his final regards. R.[/i] And suddenly Siabrey’s tears were replaced with fury. “That sonuvabitch!” she snarled, not caring she was within the temple of her patron god. [i]Why Dingalas? Why such a kindly old man? They are toying with you, Siabrey... they are toying with all of us...[/i] ”We should head behind the blacksmithy to see whats there,” Lucius said sadly. Siabrey shook her head no vigorously. “We need to find Xanadu... I think we need to leave the city now, and he should know about all of this,” she said as she started to pull Lucius out of the temple with her. The other three paladins said they would tell Tess where the two went. “I really think we should go to the blacksmithy,” Lucius pressed as Siabrey let go. She looked at him, and with a voice filled with command, she firmly said no. “We can’t afford to split up at a time like this,” she added. [i]I would kill myself if something happened to you... Poor Dingalas... he was such a kindly old man... but he was with the army. Wait... how did... oh holy ****! The army must have been destroyed too![/i] Siabrey’s fast walk broke into a run, and she didn’t notice when Lucius slipped away from her, heading towards hte blacksmithy. Siabrey burst into the weapon’s shop she had seen Xanadu at earlier, and with no introduction, forced her way into the back room. There, she found several others gathered around Xanadu... their eyes going brassy every now and then as his did. “Who is this?” one of them asked, rising hurriedly until Xanadu motioned for him to sit. “She is a friend, kind Carmalgun,” Xanadu said quickly. “What happened in the city? We gathered here because we heard there were murders by your tavern! Is everyone sa...” he began until he saw her face. He looked down. “Quin’s dead,” she said quickly, “and so is Dingalas... the army to the south has likely been destroyed, and there might be more assassins in this city. We need to go now!” she said urgently. Xanadu nodded, and rose. “I... I have learned what I needed to here. Take me to where the rest of the party is, and we shall ride. I can accompany you for a while, but then I must leave.” [i]Leave for what?! Xanny, if there’s any time where I’d want a 200 foot dragon backing me up, it would be NOW![/i] Siabrey managed to only nod curtly, and turned to tell Lucius to look to the horses... ...only to realize he wasn’t there. “S***!” she snapped, and grabbing Xanadu, dragged him to the blacksmithy. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Lucius standing there, fine save the greenish look on his face as he held a box away from his person. “Lucius! I [i]told[/i] you not to run off!” she slugged him int he shoulder. It wasn’t a playful one, it held actual force in it. “I would kill myself a thousand times if something happened to you!” Lucius in response proffered the box to them. Xanadu took it, and opened it, before shutting it hard a second later. “What was it?” Siabrey asked guardedly. “Dingalas’ hands,” Xanadu said quietly. “We should ride...” The three ran back to the Temple, where they found Elenya and Shaun had already gathered the party’s horses. Pelee volunteered to stay in Obash at the Temple to watch over Quin as the rest of the party continued on its ride northward, now with a new sense of urgency; as a price for raising Quin, the Temple of Hieroneous had requested that the party during its northern journey rid the roads between Obash and Hamatas of the miscreant sorcerer that was stealing tapestries... evidently he’d waylaid several church caravans. The party rode hard for several days and nights, scarely without rest. It was on the third night, however, that the first of the noises began. As Tess and Siabrye sat on watch, off in the distance came a rumble, a roar, sounding like the wind thundering over rocks and the massive deep bass of a huge creature. The noise was loud enough that everyone was roused, and most, including Lucius, threw themselves prone and tried to hide in their fear. Noticeably, Xanadu sat, moving his ears to try and tell its direction. As the noise died, Siabrey asked him fearfully, “Xanny... do you know what that was? Should we prepare for battle?” Xanadu smiled distantly. “No... that was one of the desert folk... a siabrie. I can’t tell who it was by his voice, but it was either Malthasar, Haran, or Kelir...” [i]A siabrie?[/i] Siabrey’s heart jumped, despite the fearfulness of the noise. [i]Father?[/i] “Yes, it might be your father,” Xanadu said distantly. “That you heard was nothing bad... it was a warning. We are on his territory, he is merely letting us know and telling us to keep our distance. However,” Xanadu smiled, as he started to stand, “you will have to head towards him should think.” “Why?” Shaun asked... still frightened by the noise. He couldn’t imagine the horror that had caused sound to rend through the air like that. “I will have to take my leave of you tonight... there are younglings...” Xanadu began, before shaking his head. “It will take too long to explain. I must go. Find Kelir, he fought with me here long ago, he knows the way and he will help!” “But you can’t go!” Tess said, growing teary eyed again. [i]First Quin... now Xanadu...[/i] “But I must, dear Tesseron!” Xanadu walked over to her, and gave her a hug. “You are strong, young human. I have faith in you.” He pulled back, and took out a stylus and piece of parchment. For several minutes he busily scribbled, before handing the letter to Tessoren. She tried to read it, but it was in a language she couldn’t understand. “What’s this?” she sniffled. [i]Xanadu is right, I must be strong! I must be strong for the others![/i] “Its a letter detailing that you are here on my behalf. It is written in Draconic, a language he would know that you do not understand, to add credence to your claims.” He then slowly began walking away from the party, taking off his half elven clothes as he did, “Please be careful... I shall watch you as best I can while I deal with the crisis!” “You... you have children Xanadu?” Siabrey asked quietly. “I... I have many things to deal with,” he replied slowly and evasively. “There aren’t many younglings left to replace us old ones... but I must be off! Follow the noise to the siabrie! And ask them for help!” he said as his form glowed and shifted into a magnificent dragon. “Kelir will help you!” he called as he charged forward, and his great wings rent the air as he took alight. “I will be watching! You won’t be alone!” It was later that day when Siabrey began the trek off into the desert, against the advice of Lucius, and the misgivings of some of the others. “I don’t know if we should be going after whatever made that noise,” Lucius said uncertainly as he helped Siabrey out of her tunic. She shifted her wings so they poked out of her undergarments, and flapped them in the wind… it was an effort to make sure that whichever siabrie they met would see that she was not a threat. [I]I hope its my father,[/I] her mind said as she turned to her lover. “Hon… Xanny said it was the only way. I want you all to stay behind me… 100 yards or so. I don’t want it…” “Hon, no way… what if something happens? I want to be close enough to help you out,” Lucius said, his voice nearing a whine. Siabrey grimaced, and then caved in. “Alright… 100 feet. Ok?” Her scowl couldn’t help but change to a small smile at the grin of relief that covered his face. “Alright… We’ll keep behind you hon. Lead the way.” Some two days later, as the group was cresting a low ridge, the strange noise of clanks, shouts, and dull [I]whacks[/I] rose over the rising sunshine… and Siabrey’s back bristled… [/QUOTE]
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