Hope Never Dies - Part 1 : On the threshold of dawn

Kalanyr

Explorer
George stares at his other self, in contemplation.

"You could be a trap to lure me somewhere, but I can think of more effective traps. If we are a miner, how did we become so? And why do we even think of ourselves as seperate? And if this is a dream, where is Saxon, I only went to the isle to find him?"
 

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Festy_Dog

First Post
Saxon coughs and treads water, looking around him for any sign of the others, but for the moment finding himself alone.

Where's Mzarem?

"Mzarem!" he yells, and dives underwater in an effort to both locate his wolf companion and avoid the next wave.

He surfaces and splutters more water.

Hope the others know how to swim.

"Anyone!?"
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
When you enter the village, everything is in chaos. People are running everywhere shouting to each other, trying to gather their meager belongings over carts that have no chance to escape the charge of a knight, kneeling in prayer in front of wooden shrines adorned with flowers from the fields, stealing their neighbor his mule, fighting over something utterly pointless at the moment. Your eyes look for the girl in the narrow streets of the village, and you find her running around nearly blinded by her tears, completely forgetful that she should not speak elven in public. She can't be more than sixteen, and looks fragile as only an elven child can, her knee-long blond hair gathered in many little braids that a loving mother must have spent hours entwining and fixing with colored ribbons. She is wearing only a white nightgown and you think she was probably sleeping, and was woken up by the commotion on the street. She falls on her knees covering her face with her tiny hands, calling for her mother one more time, and that's when you notice that the street behind her is empty and strangely silent.
Then the first knight appears. Everything he wears is black, his armor, his horse's barding, his shield, his helm that cover completely his face. When he unsheathes his sword you are not surprised to see it is black as well.
 

hafrogman

Adventurer
Peregrine gets a grim expression on his face as he faces down the approaching knight. He reaches up with one hand, and grasps Laerad, pulling it free from his hair. As he steps forward the small hair peg lengthens and expands into a staff which he holds by his side.

When he reaches the girl he reaches down with one hand to lift her to her feet. He holds her still for a second and looks deep into her eyes.

"<<Go. I will find your mother.>>"

He takes a few more steps forward and takes up a position between the knight and the people in the streets. He stares at the blank black helmet and crosses Laerad across his body, standing motionless.

[ooc - all of this assumes that there still other people milling around in the streets behind me, and of course it assumes that I have time for all of it. <<denotes elven>>]
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
You shout as the rocks below come nearer and nearer.
Then, suddenly, two huge claws catch you and tug you up. Looking above, you see the wings of a giant eagle spread wide over you, and you hear a familiar laugh.
"
It looks like orcs weren't meant to fly, my friend. Hold on a moment, Llishriek here cannot carry us both for long. You'll have to pass through the marsh, I have something to do up here."
The egle flies down to a soft spot for you to land, and lets you go when you're about 8' from the ground.
"
See you at the camp! George and Peregrine are already on foot." shouts Saxon as he rides the eagle towards what looks in the distance like giant bats.
You find yourself at the edge of the marsh around the great river that divides Lysette from Tilnfall. It has no name, or better it has a different name for every tribe that leaves near it, and more again. You know that the quickest route to your tribe's camp lies through the marsh. Hopefully you should be able to find the way with your nose rather than your eyes, since the morning mists completely shrouds the marshlands.
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
"Traps?! We're in the world worst prison and you think of traps?! Oh, I see, you're still in denial. Since you pretend you don't remember I'll refresh your memory. We became a miner just like everyone else does. Do you remember that pirate from the east, the one with a scar all over his right eye? The one that used to shove our face in our supper everytime he met us? The one that made us lick his boots? The one that stank even for Hopeless Island's standard? Do you remember the sheer satisfaction we felt when we finally fried him? The lightning bolt hit him square in his chest. He fell on his knees and looked quite surprised to be dead. Remember now? We think of ourselves as separate because the night after that, right here, you decided to pretend it never happened. And when I had to kill the pirate's friend that had some wishes of revenge, you took advantage of the fact I could not sleep for all those days to escape! You left me there alone! You wouldn't do that to a friend, yet you did it to me! To us! Whatever! What has Saxon to do with our dreams? He's here as well, he's still a surfacer. You want to see him? Then come back with me. This stupid escape from reality has lasted enough. I need you down there. We can't go on this way. Don't make me come to get you."
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
You dive underwater, and another lightning flares above you. From where you are, it looks as if the whole surface of the ocean burst in a green flame for a moment. You find no trace of your wolf or of your companions, unless they have been somehow turned into three blue sharks.
 

Kalanyr

Explorer
George looks horrified at his double's explanation.

" You may be telling the truth, I've long feared to lose control and do that, but I do not believe that I would deny it happened. I suppose at the very least I owe it to myself to see if you tell the truth."
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
Many of the villagers behind you run as they see the knight, but others are stuck looking at this weird crazy elf that with a staff that dares challenging the black knights.

The knights points his sword at you and you hear his rough, sort of metallic voice: "
Fool. You should have run while you still could. Now die!" he kicks his horse and charges you, but you manages to avoid his blow at the last moment.
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
The other George breaks into a wide smile.
"So you're coming back with me finally? Great. I thought I would have had to beat you into submission. Give me your hand, and we'll be as one again."
He offers you his left hand, palm up.
 
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Voadam

Legend
Kur howls again, a deep cry of anger, rage, and promised blood. With a sniff of the air and flaring of his nostrils the orc lopes out into the mist-filled moors, shiv in hand, ready for anything to jump out at him as he races across the marsh, led by instinct.
 

hafrogman

Adventurer
Peregrine gives a sharp shake of his head.

"I will not run."

He ducks under the knight's blade as the dark rider charges and swings upwards with all his might in an attempt to knock the knight off of his steed.

[ooc - I don't know if we're actually running this rules wise, but if so. . . power attack for one. . . attack +10, dmg 1d8+5]
 
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Kalanyr

Explorer
George stares at his double suspiciously for a moment.
Okay, that doesn't sound a lot like something I would say. But if he tells the truth it is well to know it and if he lies, well let us see what substance lays behind it...
George reaches out with his right hand and grasps the offered hand.
 
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Festy_Dog

First Post
Sharks... but no sign of the others.

Saxon ponders if the sharks are hungry enough to warrant him getting worried. He thinks fast, trying to determine whether it's safer to brave the storm in human form or in the form of an aquatic creature.

What kind of sharks are they? If I know their eating patterns...

[ooc: Knowledge(nature) +12]
 

Voadam

Legend
As he runs, Kur sniffs the air for any scents he might pick up, orcish ones, his companions (human, elf, and canine), or of any others.
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
No familiar scent comes to you as you stride across the still fogbanks. Except one. You stop abruptly as you feel it, and that's what saves you from being skewered by three javelins that land just in front of you. Lizardmen! They must be hidden in the mists too, and are proabably waiting for you to make a move to pinpoint your position.
 

Lichtenhart

First Post
Laerad strikes so swift that the knight can't raise the guard soon enough and you hit him solidly on his steel mask. From the growl he lets out you can tell he didn't enjoy it very much.
As you hear the shod hooves of the rest of the army thundering in the distance, a peasant, probably inspired by your courage grabs a fork and charges the knight as well. The black sword is ready to deflect the blow, but at the last moment the farmer plunges at the horse instead. With an high neigh of pain, the horse crubles to the ground, carrying the rider with himself.
Unfortunately he can pull himself free of the dying beast, and pointing the sword at you he speaks again with a voice so cold you can't believe it to be human.
"
Now you'll all die and we'll have fun with your women and children."
 
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Lichtenhart

First Post
The other George clenches your hand tightly as an expression of pure bliss paints on his face.
"Oh, I've desired this for so long. Finally I'm free!"
A wave of exquisite pain washes over you leaving you trembling and breathless. You feel like his hand was scorching hot and acid at the same time, as if he was draining your life and blood out of it.
"How does it feel now, great slaver? I hope it's painful like being locked away for years in that dark little cell in your heart, with nothing to do but screaming in your dreams as you let our life go to utter waste. 'I cannnot trust you. You are too dangerous. You'll make me hurt people.' Guess what? I dunno if I would have hurt people but I'll sure do now, as soon as I'm done with you and I'll be in charge, starting with that annoying, ever yapping dog. I dunno how you got us out of that hell, but now that we got another opportunity I sure won't let you waste it too. Welcome in your own little personal Hopeless Island, George. Another few moments and finally your rage will break loose as it was meant to be. Enjoy the trip."
 
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Lichtenhart

First Post
These are blue sharks. They aren't very big, about 8 feet long, but they are fast swimmers and amazing jumpers, and are known to prey on everything they perceive as weak. Shipwrecked sailors tell tales of sharks with long fins eating on their friends one at a time, one piece at a time. You wouldn't call them good company, in a storm like this. You can't keep your eyes on them, if you want to keep breathing, but you know they're circling around you keeping themselves about 20 feet away. They are waiting for the storm to get worse, it seems. It also seems they won't have to wait for long. Winds are getting stronger by the minute. This is starting to look like an hurricane in the making.

blueshark2.JPG
 
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Kalanyr

Explorer
George growls as the pain rushes through him, before trying to pull his hand away from his double.

"I will not allow you to hurt people."
 

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