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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4514387" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>[PLAIN][Realms #457] The Way Beyond the Green[/PLAIN]</strong></p><p></p><p>"I was sayin', who in the nine hells are you?" Noxin repeated, pointing his maul at the newcomer to dispel any doubt who he was talking to.</p><p></p><p>"Well, I am the relief force, so to speak," the man said, not betraying any fear of the angry half-giant as he went on. He gestured toward Ahlear as he spoke. "I was sent by my mistress, Akadi, to relieve your group of an 'ethical dilemma', and to insure that her loyal servant was not misjudged regarding his loyalty and sincerety. And to make sure that the interests of my 'Lady' were still seen to as well, of course." Morier snorted at the speech and turned away, seemingly disinterested.</p><p></p><p>"Well then, shall we call you 'Mr. Ethical Dilemma Solver'?" he quipped before turning back to their camp. The horseman drew himself up even taller and straighter on his ghostly steed and looked disapprovingly at the albino.</p><p></p><p>"Do you address every unknown person with such impolite insolence?" he asked, his tone acidic. "If you wished to know my name, all you had to do was politely ask me, maybe even introduce yourself first."</p><p></p><p>Morier did not respond and Shamalin and Huzair both gave him reproachful looks.</p><p></p><p>"Well, guy, that is a friendly greeting for this crew. I got the end of an axe shoved in my face by a smelly dwarf when I joined up. Your greeting was quite civil, by comparison. At least no one spit on your head either," Huzair laughed as he hit Noxin's rock solid arm and winced. The horseman raised an eyebrow.</p><p></p><p>"If that was nice, then we might have to adjust our expectations a bit, mutually, but fair enough. I hope we can be civil in any regard," he said, whilst bowing his head respectfully. "Well then, to satisfy your curiosity, I am Colonel Saelus Suhn, semi-retired that is... and you, good sirs and ladies are..?"</p><p></p><p>"Well, name's Noxin," the half-giant said, stepping forward with a grin on his face. "I'm not the guy to ask what's going on though. Just joined this motley crew a night's passage ago."</p><p></p><p>"Well met," the Colonel said with a nod already turning his eyes to the next in line. But Noxin wasn't quite done.</p><p></p><p>"I gotta ask... what are the interests of 'your lady' and how are you going to serve them?" he questioned.</p><p></p><p>"That, sir, I am not yet sure of myself. But I presume that helping you lot with your quest is the beginning of pleasing her," said the newcomer, once more looking to one of the others. Again, he was interrupted.</p><p></p><p>"I'm confused..." Noxin admitted, scratching his brow... something of a familiar habit, even in just a night's time. "Mind ya, that's not hard to do. You're sent to relieve us of a dilemma and to make sure we didn't judge the zombie?" He pointed at the silent Ahlear standing in the Colonel's shadow.</p><p></p><p>"Ahlear is a mummy, not a zombie. There is a fundamental difference," Saelus corrected. "And by not having him continue on with the quest it ensures that our intentions show we mean the best." This time, the Colonel did not immediately look away, but prompted Noxin with an 'is that all?' expression.</p><p></p><p>"How'd ya find yer'self lined up for that mission?" the big man went on, showing that that was in fact not all.</p><p></p><p>"Not by 'free will or choice'," the newcomer said. "Akadi made herself known to me via one of her servants, and she bid me to go after you lot. Which seems to be a conundrum for a goddess of freedom and independence." Saelus smiled at the irony and Noxin scratched his head again.</p><p></p><p>"Uh huh," he said, clearly confused. "So how'd ya find us?"</p><p></p><p>"That was easy almost," Saelus said with a nod. "I am good at following rumors, if I may say so myself." Huzair sighed.</p><p></p><p>"Well that likely means anyone else looking for us can find us too," the wizard observed looking at Shamalin and Morier. Only Shamalin looked back. "Like that stupid sorcerer who was following us around."</p><p></p><p>"What sorcerer?" the Colonel asked, his interest piqued. "Have you got a hound after you?"</p><p></p><p>Huzair opened his mouth to answer, but Noxin talked right over him.</p><p></p><p>"Wait up here, feller," he said and pointed his hammer at Saelus again, though not in an overtly threatening manner. "You're telling me that you tracked this group here?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes, in a way," the newcomer admitted. "I followed the stories and events that happened, and was able to travel much faster then a normal horseman would by means of some spells I have mastered."</p><p></p><p>"Spells you have mastered, huh? Are you some sort of sorcerer or wizard or something too, Colonel?" Huzair asked lighting up a cigar from his thumb in an effort to impress the man. "Maybe we can chat it up sometime about our magic experiences." The Colonel nodded accommodatingly.</p><p></p><p>"I would hope that you would have useful spells and that we could trade?" Saelus said. "I am of the disciplined arcane variety, a Summoner." Huzair nodded.</p><p></p><p>"I have taken a broader approach to-" he began and Noxin interrupted again, having just put some of the pieces together.</p><p></p><p>"What kinda trouble are you folks all in here?" he asked the room. "I mean, I don't want to be fightin' off every hobgoblin in the realm because you leave a trail of bread crumbs behind you!" The Colonel smiled indulgently.</p><p></p><p>"Anybody who travels leaves a trail behind if and when they come in contact with the 'locals'. And that way, when I roughly knew where I was heading, I had a good time of finding interesting events by which to follow the group," he explained. "It was easy for me. But then again, any pursuers might not be as expert as I am in regards to 'reading the rumors'." That seemed to satisfy Noxin or at least confuse him enough that he retreated quietly into his own thoughts.</p><p></p><p>Shamalin seized the opportunity to ask curiously, "What are the locals saying about us?"</p><p></p><p>"I am sure they are saying that the group is being masterly led by a clever and dashing dark skinned wizard to serve the powers of good," Huzair answered quickly, smiling broadly around the cigar clamped in his teeth. "I am sure I have left scores of maidens yearning for me to return." Huzair sighed then and looked sad for a moment, thinking of his little flower and how he would love to kill Hista to avenge her death. Shamalin saw the look cross Huzair's face and she could imagine his thought process. She frowned given the next question she wanted to ask.</p><p></p><p>"You didn't get your information from a severed flying eye, by chance, did you?" the Mercybringer questioned and Huzair shot her an angry look. Saelus' was much more confused.</p><p></p><p>"I have not had such an opportunity, no..." he admitted hesitantly.</p><p></p><p>"I guess I will have to whoop anyone else who shows up on our tails," Huzair said, his lip curled in disgust. Noxin looked at the wizard appraisingly, not sure he was fit to whoop much of anything. He shrugged.</p><p></p><p>"Well, looks pretty obvious you found us... that's for sure," the half-giant said to Saelus. "But on to somethin' important: What do you bring to the table in way of skills or training?"</p><p></p><p>"Ah! Well, in addition to my skills at intelligence gathering, I am an accomplished war wizard, a skilled swordsman, and a trained military tactician," Saelus said without a hint of boastfulness.</p><p></p><p>"So you cast spells and are a warrior, huh?" Huzair observed and got a mischievous look on his face. "Hey, Morier. At least this guy knows how to use his spells." Huzair laughed, but Morier didn't even look up from where he was breaking down camp.</p><p></p><p>"I can hit hard... move fast... and take a beating, so to speak," Noxin told the group simply. Then, looking a little bashful he added, "I like to think of myself as a puzzle solver. You know, traps and little clues left by people when you're looking for treasure."</p><p></p><p>"Okay, then. This question can be addressed to both of you," Shamalin said, looking from Noxin to the Colonel and back again. "What gifts would you bring the trapped essence of the goddess of nature?"</p><p></p><p>"You don't think a bunny'd be a good gift?" Noxin said, his feelings hurt. "My mom always liked it."</p><p></p><p>"I was thinking more along the lines of a nice plant? Or a bit of cool, clear water from a stream?" Shamalin told him. "Can someone trap a bit of moonlight or sunlight?"</p><p></p><p>"Hey! I am a ray of sunshine!" Huzair quipped.</p><p></p><p>"Please, Huzair, I'm trying to be serious," the cleric chided. "Maybe we should gather gifts that would represent the four elements, just as our swords do. If Dridana is irritable and unpredictable due to her confinement, maybe the gift of life would make an impression."</p><p></p><p>"There is a spell called Daylight," Huzair observed. "But I don't know it."</p><p></p><p>"Ayremac did," Shamalin said under her breath, too softly to be heard.</p><p></p><p>"And, at any rate, the light generated is not true sunlight," Colonel Saelus added. "There are certain druid spells that produce actual sunlight. <em>Anger of the Noonday Sun</em> comes to mind, but as we have no druid..." He looked sideways at Ahlear, but the mummy said nothing.</p><p></p><p>"What happens to the mummy?" Morier called out without turning.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes," the Colonel said, dismounting and offering the reins to Ahlear. "The mummy goes the way I came, by Akadi's providence."</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"Prepare yourssselvesss," Histah told them and a spiral of light began to form in the air beside the altar. It gradually grew in size and intensity until it was fully ten feet across and painful to look at. A smell wafted out onto them, like moss-covered earth and the meadow after a rain.</p><p></p><p>Morier could feel the Pull intensify as the portal opened and he nearly fell over from the unexpected strength of it. But he mastered himself quickly and, grim-faced, stepped through and disappeared. A moment later, he did fall, a pain throbbing in the center of his skull, a painful wave of stings and bites playing maddeningly across his face and neck and shoulders.</p><p></p><p>Something wet was on him and he felt himself shaken this way and that...</p><p></p><p>Shamalin slapped him.</p><p></p><p>"Morier!" she cried out into his face and shook him again. Struggling, his eyes focused on her and he saw that she too was wet. Water was falling on them both.</p><p></p><p>"I can't..." he muttered. "I can't think! The Pull... so strong... It's here. The heart is here!"</p><p></p><p>"Where?" Huzair asked, wiping water off his face. The <em>Mark of Fire</em> burned on his naked brow, unaffected by the drenching. He looked around, disturbed by something he couldn't quite pinpoint.</p><p></p><p>"Yeah!" Noxin agreed. "There ain't much to this place!"</p><p></p><p>He was right - to a point. The entire area was only a few hundred feet across at most and completely flat. A dense growth of rubbery, green plants grew to waist height all around the clearing in which they had appeared; a few trees, stark and dead clawed upward, their branches stripped of leaves. There was earth and stone beneath their feet, but the place was utterly unnatural apart from that. The ground ended abruptly in the distance all around them in a mass of swirling iridescent clouds that encapsulated the area. Water fell like rain onto the spot where they stood, draining away into a narrow crevice a few paces away.</p><p></p><p>It wasn't rain, however. Above them, hovering dangerously in the strange sky a hundred feet over their heads was an irregular island of dark rock. The water poured over the side, becoming like rain as it fell.</p><p></p><p>"There!" Morier managed, pointing to the island. "Up there... is where we need to be."</p><p></p><p>"Can you feel that?" Colonel Saelus asked Huzair. "This place is charged with magic power... Unstable magic power. I'd be careful about casting spells if I were you."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 4514387, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Realms #457] The Way Beyond the Green[/PLAIN][/b] "I was sayin', who in the nine hells are you?" Noxin repeated, pointing his maul at the newcomer to dispel any doubt who he was talking to. "Well, I am the relief force, so to speak," the man said, not betraying any fear of the angry half-giant as he went on. He gestured toward Ahlear as he spoke. "I was sent by my mistress, Akadi, to relieve your group of an 'ethical dilemma', and to insure that her loyal servant was not misjudged regarding his loyalty and sincerety. And to make sure that the interests of my 'Lady' were still seen to as well, of course." Morier snorted at the speech and turned away, seemingly disinterested. "Well then, shall we call you 'Mr. Ethical Dilemma Solver'?" he quipped before turning back to their camp. The horseman drew himself up even taller and straighter on his ghostly steed and looked disapprovingly at the albino. "Do you address every unknown person with such impolite insolence?" he asked, his tone acidic. "If you wished to know my name, all you had to do was politely ask me, maybe even introduce yourself first." Morier did not respond and Shamalin and Huzair both gave him reproachful looks. "Well, guy, that is a friendly greeting for this crew. I got the end of an axe shoved in my face by a smelly dwarf when I joined up. Your greeting was quite civil, by comparison. At least no one spit on your head either," Huzair laughed as he hit Noxin's rock solid arm and winced. The horseman raised an eyebrow. "If that was nice, then we might have to adjust our expectations a bit, mutually, but fair enough. I hope we can be civil in any regard," he said, whilst bowing his head respectfully. "Well then, to satisfy your curiosity, I am Colonel Saelus Suhn, semi-retired that is... and you, good sirs and ladies are..?" "Well, name's Noxin," the half-giant said, stepping forward with a grin on his face. "I'm not the guy to ask what's going on though. Just joined this motley crew a night's passage ago." "Well met," the Colonel said with a nod already turning his eyes to the next in line. But Noxin wasn't quite done. "I gotta ask... what are the interests of 'your lady' and how are you going to serve them?" he questioned. "That, sir, I am not yet sure of myself. But I presume that helping you lot with your quest is the beginning of pleasing her," said the newcomer, once more looking to one of the others. Again, he was interrupted. "I'm confused..." Noxin admitted, scratching his brow... something of a familiar habit, even in just a night's time. "Mind ya, that's not hard to do. You're sent to relieve us of a dilemma and to make sure we didn't judge the zombie?" He pointed at the silent Ahlear standing in the Colonel's shadow. "Ahlear is a mummy, not a zombie. There is a fundamental difference," Saelus corrected. "And by not having him continue on with the quest it ensures that our intentions show we mean the best." This time, the Colonel did not immediately look away, but prompted Noxin with an 'is that all?' expression. "How'd ya find yer'self lined up for that mission?" the big man went on, showing that that was in fact not all. "Not by 'free will or choice'," the newcomer said. "Akadi made herself known to me via one of her servants, and she bid me to go after you lot. Which seems to be a conundrum for a goddess of freedom and independence." Saelus smiled at the irony and Noxin scratched his head again. "Uh huh," he said, clearly confused. "So how'd ya find us?" "That was easy almost," Saelus said with a nod. "I am good at following rumors, if I may say so myself." Huzair sighed. "Well that likely means anyone else looking for us can find us too," the wizard observed looking at Shamalin and Morier. Only Shamalin looked back. "Like that stupid sorcerer who was following us around." "What sorcerer?" the Colonel asked, his interest piqued. "Have you got a hound after you?" Huzair opened his mouth to answer, but Noxin talked right over him. "Wait up here, feller," he said and pointed his hammer at Saelus again, though not in an overtly threatening manner. "You're telling me that you tracked this group here?" "Yes, in a way," the newcomer admitted. "I followed the stories and events that happened, and was able to travel much faster then a normal horseman would by means of some spells I have mastered." "Spells you have mastered, huh? Are you some sort of sorcerer or wizard or something too, Colonel?" Huzair asked lighting up a cigar from his thumb in an effort to impress the man. "Maybe we can chat it up sometime about our magic experiences." The Colonel nodded accommodatingly. "I would hope that you would have useful spells and that we could trade?" Saelus said. "I am of the disciplined arcane variety, a Summoner." Huzair nodded. "I have taken a broader approach to-" he began and Noxin interrupted again, having just put some of the pieces together. "What kinda trouble are you folks all in here?" he asked the room. "I mean, I don't want to be fightin' off every hobgoblin in the realm because you leave a trail of bread crumbs behind you!" The Colonel smiled indulgently. "Anybody who travels leaves a trail behind if and when they come in contact with the 'locals'. And that way, when I roughly knew where I was heading, I had a good time of finding interesting events by which to follow the group," he explained. "It was easy for me. But then again, any pursuers might not be as expert as I am in regards to 'reading the rumors'." That seemed to satisfy Noxin or at least confuse him enough that he retreated quietly into his own thoughts. Shamalin seized the opportunity to ask curiously, "What are the locals saying about us?" "I am sure they are saying that the group is being masterly led by a clever and dashing dark skinned wizard to serve the powers of good," Huzair answered quickly, smiling broadly around the cigar clamped in his teeth. "I am sure I have left scores of maidens yearning for me to return." Huzair sighed then and looked sad for a moment, thinking of his little flower and how he would love to kill Hista to avenge her death. Shamalin saw the look cross Huzair's face and she could imagine his thought process. She frowned given the next question she wanted to ask. "You didn't get your information from a severed flying eye, by chance, did you?" the Mercybringer questioned and Huzair shot her an angry look. Saelus' was much more confused. "I have not had such an opportunity, no..." he admitted hesitantly. "I guess I will have to whoop anyone else who shows up on our tails," Huzair said, his lip curled in disgust. Noxin looked at the wizard appraisingly, not sure he was fit to whoop much of anything. He shrugged. "Well, looks pretty obvious you found us... that's for sure," the half-giant said to Saelus. "But on to somethin' important: What do you bring to the table in way of skills or training?" "Ah! Well, in addition to my skills at intelligence gathering, I am an accomplished war wizard, a skilled swordsman, and a trained military tactician," Saelus said without a hint of boastfulness. "So you cast spells and are a warrior, huh?" Huzair observed and got a mischievous look on his face. "Hey, Morier. At least this guy knows how to use his spells." Huzair laughed, but Morier didn't even look up from where he was breaking down camp. "I can hit hard... move fast... and take a beating, so to speak," Noxin told the group simply. Then, looking a little bashful he added, "I like to think of myself as a puzzle solver. You know, traps and little clues left by people when you're looking for treasure." "Okay, then. This question can be addressed to both of you," Shamalin said, looking from Noxin to the Colonel and back again. "What gifts would you bring the trapped essence of the goddess of nature?" "You don't think a bunny'd be a good gift?" Noxin said, his feelings hurt. "My mom always liked it." "I was thinking more along the lines of a nice plant? Or a bit of cool, clear water from a stream?" Shamalin told him. "Can someone trap a bit of moonlight or sunlight?" "Hey! I am a ray of sunshine!" Huzair quipped. "Please, Huzair, I'm trying to be serious," the cleric chided. "Maybe we should gather gifts that would represent the four elements, just as our swords do. If Dridana is irritable and unpredictable due to her confinement, maybe the gift of life would make an impression." "There is a spell called Daylight," Huzair observed. "But I don't know it." "Ayremac did," Shamalin said under her breath, too softly to be heard. "And, at any rate, the light generated is not true sunlight," Colonel Saelus added. "There are certain druid spells that produce actual sunlight. [i]Anger of the Noonday Sun[/i] comes to mind, but as we have no druid..." He looked sideways at Ahlear, but the mummy said nothing. "What happens to the mummy?" Morier called out without turning. "Ah, yes," the Colonel said, dismounting and offering the reins to Ahlear. "The mummy goes the way I came, by Akadi's providence." "Prepare yourssselvesss," Histah told them and a spiral of light began to form in the air beside the altar. It gradually grew in size and intensity until it was fully ten feet across and painful to look at. A smell wafted out onto them, like moss-covered earth and the meadow after a rain. Morier could feel the Pull intensify as the portal opened and he nearly fell over from the unexpected strength of it. But he mastered himself quickly and, grim-faced, stepped through and disappeared. A moment later, he did fall, a pain throbbing in the center of his skull, a painful wave of stings and bites playing maddeningly across his face and neck and shoulders. Something wet was on him and he felt himself shaken this way and that... Shamalin slapped him. "Morier!" she cried out into his face and shook him again. Struggling, his eyes focused on her and he saw that she too was wet. Water was falling on them both. "I can't..." he muttered. "I can't think! The Pull... so strong... It's here. The heart is here!" "Where?" Huzair asked, wiping water off his face. The [i]Mark of Fire[/i] burned on his naked brow, unaffected by the drenching. He looked around, disturbed by something he couldn't quite pinpoint. "Yeah!" Noxin agreed. "There ain't much to this place!" He was right - to a point. The entire area was only a few hundred feet across at most and completely flat. A dense growth of rubbery, green plants grew to waist height all around the clearing in which they had appeared; a few trees, stark and dead clawed upward, their branches stripped of leaves. There was earth and stone beneath their feet, but the place was utterly unnatural apart from that. The ground ended abruptly in the distance all around them in a mass of swirling iridescent clouds that encapsulated the area. Water fell like rain onto the spot where they stood, draining away into a narrow crevice a few paces away. It wasn't rain, however. Above them, hovering dangerously in the strange sky a hundred feet over their heads was an irregular island of dark rock. The water poured over the side, becoming like rain as it fell. "There!" Morier managed, pointing to the island. "Up there... is where we need to be." "Can you feel that?" Colonel Saelus asked Huzair. "This place is charged with magic power... Unstable magic power. I'd be careful about casting spells if I were you." [/QUOTE]
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