Alsurin listened to the floorboards as the women behind him shifted their weight uneasily. Jetamio seemed to still be at the door, while Kalsari was roughly three steps from the rooms center. It had been quite a nerve grating business to position the assassin correctly. Having his back to her had given Kalsari confidence, causing her to retreat less then the normal number of steps. Jetamio's appearance had also forced the Teir'dal's movements in his favor, although this unexpected factor had temporally thrown his calculations eschew.
The margin of error was definatly being leaned on to heavily for his liking, but the drakkin doubted the situation would do anything but deteriorate from here.
"Whatever you do, do not touch the pendant! You do not know what is at stake!"
The mage's mind broke apart the Elder tongue and distilled it with honed reflex into an understandable form. An unnecessary warning, aggressive sanguine were dangerous enough with or without a pendant, he had no intention of getting within a distance where jewelry would be an issue.
"Well now I am here...state your business with me."
He chuckled wryly, his voice clearly audible even with his back turned. "Well my freind that is really up to you I......." The coughing fit was not completely feigned in fact, the trolls rotting head was fast overcoming the scent of the herbs. Even while doubled over, he calmly observed the sun finally dropping below the horizon, the room for a moment bathed in its last note of glory. The runes upon the ceiling were instantly cast in stark definition upon a ceiling temporally devoid of other shadows. Sensing the glyphs reach the apex of their power, Alsurin managed to gasp one of the first words of planar tongue learned by fledgling magi.
"Light!"
The initial explosion was without sound, simply an instant rush of heat as now fiercly glowing runes crafted an apprentice trick into a weapon. Spheres of searing mana surged forth to rain from the ceiling like favors at a nobleman's ball, each white comet hitting the floor with bursts of concussive force. Rings of blinding azure spun though the air, slamming into any surface with an uproar of flame-less sparks. The Achmage stoically kept his back to the chaos, eyes protected by their unwavering vigil of the surrounding countryside. Then, feeling the final enchantments trigger, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Brilliant light washed through the room like a tide, the air crackling with bone-jarring energy, overwhelming senses and muscles with searing terror.
Alsurin spun around with a speed brought about by now surging adrenaline and produced a flawless pearl from a grey cloth pouch hanging from his wrist, not bothering to observe whatever his destructive artistry had wrote. Holding the stone before him the drakkin spoke a quick command in a otherworldly language whose words wove within each other like serpents. The pearl shuddered, cracks coursing through its substance like distressed veins, with a sharp crack it shattered into a powder that lingered in the air with obvious form and intention. Alsurin concentrated upon the phantom and whispered, "Stormfollower." At this, the ghostly cloud streaked through the ceiling like an avenging fury.
The room wavered before his eyes, and the mage leaned heavily against the wall, the strain of keeping the rune's energy in stasis and quickly burning so much of his body's mana was making itself harshly felt.
Hunted ((a little violence in first post))
Moderator: Candlelights
She didn't know if he had heeded her warning or not for his back was still to them. He started to speak then suddenly doubled over in a coughing fit, allowing the setting sun its last look. With Alsurin bent over the sun's rays hit Kalsari full in the face. Jetamio watched carefully, wondering how the young sanguine would react. Kalsari raised a hand to sheild her eyes, her attention still on Alsurin, while Jetamio looked on in stunned silence. Tajer had been able to withstand the sun for a time, though it pained her to do so. But this young woman did not even flinch, the sheilding of her eyes no more than any mortal would do when caught in such light. Composing herself and deciding to ponder this small mystery later, she looked back to Alsurin just in time to hear him gasp "Light!" in the Planar tongue. Before she could ask where he learned that the ceiling above her exploded into light, cascading down in spheres of burning mana.
"Gods above!" She cowered into the door, arms over her head to sheild her face from the sparks which stung her skin and singed her hair. She crouched down, uttering ancient words under her breath until a wall of transluscent ethereal crystal encased her, rendering her temporarily invunerable. Soothing magic flowed through her, healing her burns. She looked up through the crystal to see how the others fared under this assault but all she could see now was intense light with almost blinded her even through the purple tinted crystal.
"Gods above!" She cowered into the door, arms over her head to sheild her face from the sparks which stung her skin and singed her hair. She crouched down, uttering ancient words under her breath until a wall of transluscent ethereal crystal encased her, rendering her temporarily invunerable. Soothing magic flowed through her, healing her burns. She looked up through the crystal to see how the others fared under this assault but all she could see now was intense light with almost blinded her even through the purple tinted crystal.
Instinct led her to sheild her eyes as the sun hit her full in the face, the fiery rays blinding her for a second. She cursed inwardly, remembering she had pulled the hood down and her skin was exposed to the sun. She waited for the pain that Tajer had described, a stinging on her skin and a deeper ache within. But it never came, she felt no different than she did at night. She lowered her hand a little as she adjusted to the light, but quickly raised it and her other arm above her head as something above her exploded at a word from the Drakkin.
Balls of light pelted off her and burst into sparks, and she heard the other woman yelp as she too was caught in it. But Kalsari did not have the limited shelter of the door, she was in the middle of the room. Throwing her cloak around herself she curled up on the floor with hands over her head still, the spheres bouncing off the cloak, singeing it. She peeked up when she thought the balls were coming less often only to be stunned by an intense burst of light that seared through her, rendering her paralysed for a moment.
Balls of light pelted off her and burst into sparks, and she heard the other woman yelp as she too was caught in it. But Kalsari did not have the limited shelter of the door, she was in the middle of the room. Throwing her cloak around herself she curled up on the floor with hands over her head still, the spheres bouncing off the cloak, singeing it. She peeked up when she thought the balls were coming less often only to be stunned by an intense burst of light that seared through her, rendering her paralysed for a moment.
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Stormfollower
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- Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:05 pm
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As the magicians power summoned him forth, both mind and body of the leader of Wolf Cult met in a surge behind Kalsari. In an instant Stormfollowers spirit lept forth to seize control of the dead musculature structure of the blood drinking assasin, but to no avail. His spirit revulsed at the touch of these once living tissues and bucked back into his body draging with it the hidiouse aura of taint that surrounded all undead. Left with only a phisical attempt at her confinement he flipped the finely wrought mithril net up over the creatures head and deftly snaped it tight into its full circumfrance. The shaman had no control of the speed at wich things fell to the ground but wished dearly that he did. Time became protracted. He could see the concern in Alsurins eyes now that he was spun around, and it did not speak well of thier odds. As the net fell with agonizing air resistance Stormfollower began the call to what faithfull watchers of the spirit realm he knew, knowing full well that if this trap failed he would be in for a fearsome fight.
A strange sensation swept through her for a fraction of a second, releasing her muscles from the stun. But while the shaman had not been able to possess her, he had managed to knock free her mental hold on the beast. Her kind where not the mindless minions of the caverns under the Lesser Faydark, they did not call themselves vampires though in essence they were. They were Sanguine, vampires with enough humanity left in them to be concious of their own actions and desires, a delicate balance between the vampire and the once mortal being's mind.
But Stormfollowers attempt had knocked the fragile balance off, dislodging Kalsari's consciousness. With vamparic instinct in control, she started to get up, only to suddenly find a net being thrown over her. With an inhuman scream of rage, eyes glowing bright crimson, she leapt at the shaman with fangs bared. But the net came down on her as she landed on him with the force of charging bull, pulling her up short and sending her sprawling in a tangled mess.
But Stormfollowers attempt had knocked the fragile balance off, dislodging Kalsari's consciousness. With vamparic instinct in control, she started to get up, only to suddenly find a net being thrown over her. With an inhuman scream of rage, eyes glowing bright crimson, she leapt at the shaman with fangs bared. But the net came down on her as she landed on him with the force of charging bull, pulling her up short and sending her sprawling in a tangled mess.
Finally her vision cleared again and the crystal was starting to fade quickly. She began to stand up, in time to see Kalsari lunge at Stormfollower in a blood lust fuelled rage. Only once before had she seen it happen before, and she had hoped never to see it again.
She landed on him with incredible force, though Jetamio couldnt see if she managed to sink her teeth in before the net pulled her short.
Another scream of fury punctuated the air as she fought like a demon possessed to free herself.
Jetamio got up, the crystal having faded completely now and ran over to them, trying to pull the thrashing rogue off of Stormfollower. She tried to make contact with Kalsari's skin through the net, hoping her blood would burn the sanguine, only to realise with dismay that the healing effect of the crystal had healed her hands too.
All the time she kept repeating Storms name, hoping with all her being that he was not harmed.
She landed on him with incredible force, though Jetamio couldnt see if she managed to sink her teeth in before the net pulled her short.
Another scream of fury punctuated the air as she fought like a demon possessed to free herself.
Jetamio got up, the crystal having faded completely now and ran over to them, trying to pull the thrashing rogue off of Stormfollower. She tried to make contact with Kalsari's skin through the net, hoping her blood would burn the sanguine, only to realise with dismay that the healing effect of the crystal had healed her hands too.
All the time she kept repeating Storms name, hoping with all her being that he was not harmed.
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Stormfollower
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:05 pm
- Location: Unknown
The air popped out of his lungs just before he could speak the last word of his pact with the wolf spirits. The force of his fall seamed out of proportion with the weight that had hit him yet Stormfollower found himself flat on the floor instantly. In a seconds the maniac thrashing of the beast ontop of him had them both entangled in the fine mithril strands. Back to back they lay with hardly a loose strand between them as finally Kalsari`s violent thrashing subsided.
Eventually Kalsari began to regain control and she realised her thrashing only entangled her worse. She ceased her struggling, though her eyes still flashed crimson as the vampire sought release to wreak its havok. But brute strength and rage would not win here.
Biding her time and energy, the rogue lay still for a few moments as she weighed up her options and kept her own wits about her.
Biding her time and energy, the rogue lay still for a few moments as she weighed up her options and kept her own wits about her.
The mage opened his eyes, breath now coming easier. Struggles between Stormfollower and the assassin had ceased apparently, perhaps the now silent tension would prove more dangerous in the end. A knock upon door jarred Alsurin from his thoughts, the innkeeper's timid voice inquired if his 'lordship' was alright. He strode across the room with the gentle padding of bare feet accompanied by the soft rustle of robes, keeping his eyes averted from the tangled form upon the floor. The plumb man in the hall was quite troublesome at first, yet the golden smile of coins as they were tucked into a fleshy palm had little difficulty in assuring the barkeep that books falling from a shelf could indeed make that much 'racket.'
He shut the door, listening for a moment as heavy footsteps thudded back down the hall. Satisfied, Alsurin closed his eyes and drew a small handful of malachite powder from a sack attached to his belt and held it before him. Taking a deep breath, he shut out the small sounds of the room and drew a portion of mana from his inner well. Then, with a whispered incantation, the magus send his call across the barriers between planes, letting warm power flow from him as the promised payment. There was a rush of otherworldly voices and a gust of displaced air, the drakkin opened his eyes to see a huge green orbs staring into his soul.
"State thy bidding."
Alsurin moved away from the door keeping his white-less blue eyes locked within the gaze of the massive creature of stone. "Go," he pointed,"Stay, Guard, ....by the Pacts my wishes demand fulfillment." With the grate of mineral upon itself the elemental lumbered over to kneel with its back against the door, arms crossed before it as if ready to ward off blows.
"By the Pacts you receive vigilance unending."
Assured that passage in or out was now sufficiently impeded, the young man sat cross-legged on the floor, not far from his servant's huge bulk. "Now...I suppose you are now wondering towards what end we expend all this effort," he said in a steady but obviously tired voice.
He shut the door, listening for a moment as heavy footsteps thudded back down the hall. Satisfied, Alsurin closed his eyes and drew a small handful of malachite powder from a sack attached to his belt and held it before him. Taking a deep breath, he shut out the small sounds of the room and drew a portion of mana from his inner well. Then, with a whispered incantation, the magus send his call across the barriers between planes, letting warm power flow from him as the promised payment. There was a rush of otherworldly voices and a gust of displaced air, the drakkin opened his eyes to see a huge green orbs staring into his soul.
"State thy bidding."
Alsurin moved away from the door keeping his white-less blue eyes locked within the gaze of the massive creature of stone. "Go," he pointed,"Stay, Guard, ....by the Pacts my wishes demand fulfillment." With the grate of mineral upon itself the elemental lumbered over to kneel with its back against the door, arms crossed before it as if ready to ward off blows.
"By the Pacts you receive vigilance unending."
Assured that passage in or out was now sufficiently impeded, the young man sat cross-legged on the floor, not far from his servant's huge bulk. "Now...I suppose you are now wondering towards what end we expend all this effort," he said in a steady but obviously tired voice.
Last edited by Alsurin on Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jetamio stood back from them when the vampire ceased her struggling, seeming to regain some sort of control of herself. Seeing Alsurin seem to recover a bit too calmed her a little, though the stone being he summoned to guard the door unnerved her. She did not like to be caged.
She stepped back out of reach of her tangled husband and vampire and watched Alsurin wondering what he was up to.
She stepped back out of reach of her tangled husband and vampire and watched Alsurin wondering what he was up to.
"The fact is that we want only one thing at the presant time," the mage continued, fingers tapping his knees with meditative regularity. "You possess a necklace which was taken from the body of Jetamio of Kelethin. Her beloved husband wishes it back, there being a custom among many cultures of burying the dead with those possessions which they valued highly in life. I'm not an adherent to such beliefs as justice or appeasement, but Stormfollower was convinced that the presence of such a treasured article in the hands of his love's killer would cause her spirit to be ever restless, and as you can see, northmen can be most insistent." The lies flowed with pleasant inflection from Alsurin's lips, who spoke with a manner befitting one who is telling friends of the minor irritations of the day that led to him being horribly late for dinner. A listener was half overcome with the impression that at any moment he would pause the narrative to politely offer tea to his strange assortment of 'guests.'
"This token you wear upon your person, apparently at all times, has been confirmed as the object we seek by both the revered shaman and young Fa'lesni of Kelethin, who graciously agreed to aid the spirit of her grandmother's childhood friend. Now Kalsari of Neriak, you are likely a far better tactician then I, surely one can see there is no purpose for refusing our somewhat ungracious request. Your escape is barred and your very movement confined, to say nothing of four individuals who are capable of making egress much more difficult for you. Some rather unpleasant methods of achieving our goal have of course been suggested, but as you are obviously a being of reason, I'm sure that such barbaric measures will prove quite unnecessary." He gave a friendly smile that did not seem to warm the chill glint of his blue eyes. "Please Mi'lady, will you surrender the necklace so that all of us can be on our way?"
"This token you wear upon your person, apparently at all times, has been confirmed as the object we seek by both the revered shaman and young Fa'lesni of Kelethin, who graciously agreed to aid the spirit of her grandmother's childhood friend. Now Kalsari of Neriak, you are likely a far better tactician then I, surely one can see there is no purpose for refusing our somewhat ungracious request. Your escape is barred and your very movement confined, to say nothing of four individuals who are capable of making egress much more difficult for you. Some rather unpleasant methods of achieving our goal have of course been suggested, but as you are obviously a being of reason, I'm sure that such barbaric measures will prove quite unnecessary." He gave a friendly smile that did not seem to warm the chill glint of his blue eyes. "Please Mi'lady, will you surrender the necklace so that all of us can be on our way?"
Kalsari glared at him through the net as he spoke, though a flicker of confusion ran across her features. She glanced at the redhaired Fier'Dal when he mentioned Jetamio of Kelethin, her he spoke of this woman as Fa'lesni. She thought she saw surprise in the Druids golden eyes for a moment and realised that while these people were seemingly allied, they had not discussed tactics with each other...or at least not with her, being that the shaman had been in on the act.
As for the necklace, this baffled her. Once upon a time it had shown her visions of another life, another being, whom she was certain was this 'Fa'lesni' that stood back now watching her with those hawkish eyes. But while it had not shown her such things since she became immortal, she was rather fond of the necklace. The effort they had gone to to lure her here and contain her suggested that it was valued far more than she had thought and made her more determined to keep it.
But the mages words rang through her also, she knew she was outnumbered here. Despite her superior strength and speed, she could do little when her arms were pinned by the entangling mithril net which alone was not easy to break. She wished now she had paid more attention to Tajer's mental abilities and taken the time to learn them but mental powers, along with magic, had held little interest to her.
There was one mental gift however, that came as naturally as breath to a mortal. But touching upon that might again release the beast that she held back with her focused fury at the Drakkin. Deciding she had little choice, she touched the bond with her mind.
~Qualla, xxizz uns'aa. Wun biu el'inssrigg wun l' Rivvinen, l' maelthra senger mire uns'aa... xxizz...~ Rage and humiliation laced her silent plea, her request as much for some way to keep control of herself as it was for him to come to her. She had no way of reaching the Assassin who seemed to understand her a bit better but right now even a scathing remark about her failure here would be more welcome than the predicament itself.
She shuddered involuntarily as she struggled to hold her own but it was only a matter of time before the beast would over rule her, her eyes already beginning to glow crimson with bloodthirsty desire.
As for the necklace, this baffled her. Once upon a time it had shown her visions of another life, another being, whom she was certain was this 'Fa'lesni' that stood back now watching her with those hawkish eyes. But while it had not shown her such things since she became immortal, she was rather fond of the necklace. The effort they had gone to to lure her here and contain her suggested that it was valued far more than she had thought and made her more determined to keep it.
But the mages words rang through her also, she knew she was outnumbered here. Despite her superior strength and speed, she could do little when her arms were pinned by the entangling mithril net which alone was not easy to break. She wished now she had paid more attention to Tajer's mental abilities and taken the time to learn them but mental powers, along with magic, had held little interest to her.
There was one mental gift however, that came as naturally as breath to a mortal. But touching upon that might again release the beast that she held back with her focused fury at the Drakkin. Deciding she had little choice, she touched the bond with her mind.
~Qualla, xxizz uns'aa. Wun biu el'inssrigg wun l' Rivvinen, l' maelthra senger mire uns'aa... xxizz...~ Rage and humiliation laced her silent plea, her request as much for some way to keep control of herself as it was for him to come to her. She had no way of reaching the Assassin who seemed to understand her a bit better but right now even a scathing remark about her failure here would be more welcome than the predicament itself.
She shuddered involuntarily as she struggled to hold her own but it was only a matter of time before the beast would over rule her, her eyes already beginning to glow crimson with bloodthirsty desire.
Alsurin frowned as only malevolent silence answered his request. Was she insane? Were these sanguine truely so far removed from the living that reason no longer reached them? The drakkin paused as he observed the vampire's body contort sickeningly, her eyes now beginning to glaze over with a red tide.
He peered at Kalsari with almost child-like curiosity, barely resiting the urge to move in for a closer look. "Ah, so this is the bloodlust that I have heard ever so much about...truly fascinating ...does..."
A cold chill washed down the Archmage's spine, leaving him shuddering. The young man turned to his companions with an irritable scowl and rolled his eyes. He hadn't felt a something cast that clumsily since his stay at the academy in Freeport. With training, any being could learn to sense the ripples within the ether caused by the use of spell, invocation, and so forth. Whatever Stormfollower or Jetamio attempted had sounded like a gnomish firework display.
Ro's breath, he was going to have this headache for quite a while. Rubbing two fingers against his forehead, the magus began to ponder once more how he had ever been talked into this.
He peered at Kalsari with almost child-like curiosity, barely resiting the urge to move in for a closer look. "Ah, so this is the bloodlust that I have heard ever so much about...truly fascinating ...does..."
A cold chill washed down the Archmage's spine, leaving him shuddering. The young man turned to his companions with an irritable scowl and rolled his eyes. He hadn't felt a something cast that clumsily since his stay at the academy in Freeport. With training, any being could learn to sense the ripples within the ether caused by the use of spell, invocation, and so forth. Whatever Stormfollower or Jetamio attempted had sounded like a gnomish firework display.
Ro's breath, he was going to have this headache for quite a while. Rubbing two fingers against his forehead, the magus began to ponder once more how he had ever been talked into this.
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Stormfollower
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:05 pm
- Location: Unknown
Stormfolower tenced in his bonds against the captive Kalsari, sitting up slightly he thudded them both sharply against the floor hoping the brunt of the force would land squarely against the vampires head.
"The neclace Bloodsucker, lest I be forced to act apon an ancient rede"
He slamed his full weight back apon her again
"Your kind deserveth no less than the full vacuume of blackest oblivion... Vampires!" He spat on the ground beside them.
"Leaching thy existance off the vital life force of others. Draining the world of the best of us. Depleating the spirit of goodness and virtue in the name of a sweet drink. Thy foulness radiates from thee like cold shards of broken glass." Again he thrusts backwards in an attempt to injure Kalsari.
"Return that wich is Jetamios and ye may yet return to thy sad sup, though ye shall ever be marked as dead."
"The neclace Bloodsucker, lest I be forced to act apon an ancient rede"
He slamed his full weight back apon her again
"Your kind deserveth no less than the full vacuume of blackest oblivion... Vampires!" He spat on the ground beside them.
"Leaching thy existance off the vital life force of others. Draining the world of the best of us. Depleating the spirit of goodness and virtue in the name of a sweet drink. Thy foulness radiates from thee like cold shards of broken glass." Again he thrusts backwards in an attempt to injure Kalsari.
"Return that wich is Jetamios and ye may yet return to thy sad sup, though ye shall ever be marked as dead."
She barely heard the mages words, though a deeper level sensed his curiousity. Suddenly the shaman behind her lurches, trying to slam her into the floor. While she was physically stronger, the barbarian was at least three times her only slender forms body mass, and bound as she was she could not use her strength to her advantage. He tried again, serving only to anger her more and loosen her hold on reality. Enraged, the vampire found a reserve of strength and lashed out, ripping a hole in the net with her elbow's brute force. The action brought her off balance though, unable to resist the shaman's third thrust. With a resounding thud as her head slammed off the floor, she lay still.