The Key to Victory

[Fangor the Fierce]

"Well, more to the story unfolds as we near Nandirly. Vester is a green dragon. How fitting..."

Mal looks to the group, with a smile on his face. "If the Reavers do find the treasure, it is also that which was stolen from the Treylor, to incite this whole war. Vester was mad, for being chased from what he considered his lair or home. Scheming, he sought a way to get it back, and by stealing something from the Treylor, something very heavy and requiring many people to move it, he succeeded."

Unconsciously continuing to work on the dagger, Mal continues. "Emma warned us of this, and now hearing it from Tira, you can see that Emma was telling us the truth. These Reavers, they are Vester's followers, his cult, so to say. Emma used the term 'kalamti'. Do any of you know what that means?"

He looks to each of them listening, as he continues. "It means a loyal follower. Not a mindless servant, but someone that has been deemed worthy of tutelage. Worthy of learning arts and skills not normally given so freely."

Mal stands, stretching his legs once more, as he inspects the dagger, which is in MUCH better shape than before. "I too am given the title Kalamti, but by Emma, my teacher. She is opposed to Vester, and for that alone, it should be enough for us to hold her words with some weight behind them. Somehow, our paths are now crossed."

He then faces the newcomer, and his eyes tell it all. "Nobody can understand all the choices in life. You can only learn from them, and choose to continue, or change your life. I don't see you as being a Reaver anything but giving us hope. Do you think that it was chance that led us, those seeking the Reavers and their stolen treasure to this one cave, of many? To the one Reaver that wants to change for the better? To someone that knows the Reavers and how they work and can help us?"

Shaking his head, he turns to the others. "We are lucky, for I believe she can help us. People change. I know I did. And some of us change for the better..."

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

"And Emma is a dragon right? A shiny one perhaps?" Aver says, still studying his spellbook and making occasional notations - several of which look like indecent sketches.

"Anyway Ernestine, don't get so hung up on what you have done, big deal its in the past, don't do it again. Problem solved. If I got upset every time people had wanted to hang me for alleged crimes of property redistribution in the last few decades I would never get anything done."

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

"And Emma is a dragon right? A shiny one perhaps?"

Holding up his gauntlet, he smiles. "Of course she is! Where else would I get Copper Dragon Gauntlets?"

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

"Crocodile and some paint?" Aver replies, winking, "I had a very profitable line of green dragon hide armors for a while."

 

[Dragonwriter]

Ignoring the words from the rat-faced, whiny elf, Jareth continues his calming work. But then, there are interruptions enough to break his focus...

At Tira's first statement, Jareth quietly says, "Ex-Reaver."

As she goes on and he presses her for more information, the fiery-haired chain-wielder stops his arrangement of the chain's pattern. He snorts at Aver's sense of entitlement, rolling his eyes. And once again, someone else's words stop him, though this time they come from Mal.

"Interesting... And I suppose this slow healing I saw earlier today and back at the Harkon battlefield is one of these arts and skills? Amazing. Someone actually managed to answer a question before I had to ask it," he says with a sardonic half-laugh. "But you put it well. Everyone has their mistakes and regrets."

He looks down at the chain-pattern, stopped where he stopped, making an 'infinity' symbol. He bends down and traces it, absently mumbling to himself, "The pattern flows, back and forth through time, to be repeated again..." A harder look crosses his eyes as his hand grasps one of the chain's heads. He takes a firm hold and crouches. "But in one smooth motion of events," the spell-wielding warrior says as he draws the hand and the head back along the pattern's arc, "the pattern can be broken," his hand shoots out forward again, whipping the entire chain in one continuous movement and extends the weapon out fully so it sits as a straight line of barbed links. "Which leaves us to make our own fate."

[sblock=OOC]
Uh... I really don't know why that last paragraph was screaming in my head to be written... Jareth seems to be on a meditative bend at the moment. Still, better than pacing anxiously and biting people's heads off. We'll see how long his personality change lasts.
[/sblock]

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

"Yes, she has granted me powers, and they grow as well. I am able to keep those allied with me and close enough from falling to wounds. It heals slowly, but believe me, if I had not had it up and going through that battle at Harkon Manor, there would have been more deaths of the villagers. I do not like needless killing, and I did what I could."

Smiling, he also remembers his other power. "And you have seen another of such power. The acidic retribution on foes. Should foes engage in combat within my aura, they are lashed with acidic retribution. A little deterrent to warn them. But I can only have one such power in effect at any one time. Keep that in mind, and I will try to do my best to aid the group in the best way possible. Healing, Acid against foes, better protection from attacks, and a little something extra for when you do manage to hit a foe in combat. That's what I can offer in battle as auras."

As he watches the chain snap, Mal also sees the change in Jareth. It seems that he has taken Emma's origin quite easily. "I have no secrets. That's Emma's job. And speaking of which..." he says, eying the ledge behind them.

"I would like to see what is on top of that ledge. I think Emma awakened another power within me... one I would have to test now, while the chance can be taken. Care to help out?"

If agreed, he will attempt to climb the wall, using Spider Climb, and see if the ledge above holds a way out, a safer place to hold up, or anything of interest. He will also attempt to tie a rope up there so that others can climb up if they want.

OOC - Bed Time!!!

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

"Let me just finish up, need another few minutes..." Aver says, scrawling faster.

OOC: Aver prepares Lesser Orb of Acid x 2, and Light of Lunia x 2

 

[ghostcat]

Trinham is momentarily distracted as the girl he is talking to suddenly sits up and her clothes fall away. Finally managing to get has mind, and eyes, back on the problem in hand, he realises that he doesn't have to say anything as Aver, Mal and, surprisingly, Jareth are doing a good job of smoothing things over.

However, as Mal prepares to climb up to the shelf he says "Mal. While I agree that the shelf needs checking out. Wouldn't it be better if we waited until we have rested and regained some of our powers. I for one and almost out of spells." Trinham has a further thought and continues "Oh yes. I need a full 8 hours rest, so can Moggins and I have the last watch please."

 

[jackslate45]

Ern continues pacing for about 5 minutes, mumbling under her breath about all the caves she went into. She could hear the conversations in the background, but did not speak up when spoken to. Finally, stopping mid stride right next to her bed, she stops and just looks into empty space.

She turns around to say something, but noticed, at last, that most people where shuffling off to sleep or preparing watch.

It can wait till morning then. "Ill take last watch then, as well."

It was at this point she noticed her shirt and bandages on the ground next to her sleeping bag. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she pulls them back on and tucks in for the night.

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

"Eh, well I've got my spells prepared now. Don't really do the whole sleep thing, some perks to being an elf. So I can stand watch for half the night without being tired and grumpy. I'll take the last four hours since they seem to be the least popular." So saying he folds his legs beneath his torso and begins slowing his thoughts from their normal frenetic blur to a glacial pace.