The search...

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 3:50 am

A young looking man in a dark suit slowly makes his way toward Troll's Bane, never losing his composure and never losing his steady smirk. He hisses through his teeth and a snake crawls up around his leg onto his arm. He puts a message in its mouth, to bring to the people of Troll's Bane. It reads:

I seek a man of uncertain origin. It seems he left without my regards. I doubt he would be doing naught but trouble. Please... hold him till I arrive.

The snake quickly slithers, but the man walks at the same pace.

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 4:39 am

Malinne sees the snake and kills it with her shovel as it crosses her path. She picks up the message that falls from its snapping mouth and reads it.

Hmm... Whoever wrote this should be a little more specific. It depends on what side this person is on, and what would be considered trouble.

Feeling no pity for the snake she brushes the snake aside beneath some nearby bushes.

Perhaps someone will recognize the handwriting, or at least know what this person is talking about...

She nails the message to the wall.

Konstantin K · Post by **Konstantin K** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 7:25 pm

Browses through the message quickly. He sharpens his blade; its metallic surface flashes for a second in the sun.

So there you are... - the stranger thinks - Took you long enough... Well, if you are the one I think you are, you better not be looking for me, because I am ready and waiting, as always...

Two grey eyes shine maliciously from under the hood, as the man in the black overcoat hurries to escape from sight into the darkness.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 9:34 pm

Drei, not getting a reply or a returning snake, sends out a basilisk under the cover of night. It has a paper with a message tied around its neck. The message has a small symbol on it:

Beware of the eyes of the snake

Drei walks at his steady pace.

Nonchecker · Post by **Nonchecker** » Tue Jun 10, 2003 11:47 am

A dwarf comes a long and looks puzzeled as he reads the message. Then he adds another piece of parchment.

What does this snake refer to. In the current situation of Trollsbane every other new danger must be handeled with care. Please give us further advice in order to prevent us from "the eyes of the snake", whatever that means.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:15 pm

Drey can see the town in the distance. He laughs in satisfaction. A basilisk crawls up to him, the one he sent to town. It lacks a note with it, so Drey smiles as he says:

He'll be there.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:30 pm

Grant hears rumors of a snake, a large snake delivering messages and smirks "He is coming" he says to himself.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:38 pm

Drey takes a small bottle out of his coat and takes a swig from it. He spits it out onto a small rodent, immediately killing the rodent. A snake hisses, and Drey looks at it. He nods toward it and ties a message onto its back. The message reads:

If you are, please send back a message on the snake. I can assure you it is an entirely safe way of exchanging messages.
Drey grins at this.
What name do you go under now? Of course, I figure that if you saw the previous messages you would know who I am.

Drey throws the snake, and it scrambles toward the not-too-distant town.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 2:50 am

Drey sits upon a rock at the outskirts of town. He looks into a large snake's eyes, grinning. He looks up to see a man approaching...

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 5:11 pm

Grant sees the figure in black robes sitting upon on a rock. He hadn't seen Drei for many months, maybe even a year. As he got closer he saw the man's balisk coiled up in a bush.
"Hello" Grant says "Long time no see."

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 9:27 pm

Drey laughs.

So they were right, eigh? I knew the bounty hunters could track you down.

Drey looks down at a small, red basilisk in a bush.

He missed you, you know. But thats not why I'm here. Have you heard news of the old kingdom? I have some...

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Sun Jun 22, 2003 9:11 pm

Yes, tell me of the Kingdom, it has been ages since I heard news of it, and what do you mean bounty hunters tracking me down... I never knew there was a bounty on my head...

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Sun Jun 22, 2003 9:12 pm

Drey chuckles.

No, there was no bounty on your head. It was the quickest means I could think of to find you.

Drey's smile vanishes.

Your father is dead.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:44 am

Grant's world begins closing in on itself, could his father truely be dead? What was happening to the Kingdom back home? How could his father be dead, he was so healthy when Grant left...

Is this true Drey? It can't be true? He was so healthy when I left... But you were my father's druid and he trusted you with his life... If what you are saying is true, I must begin to leave...

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:55 am

Drey's hand comes out from beneath his cloak and grabs Grant in one solid movement.

Wait. Listen to the full story. It gets worse...
Your father was assasinated. Then, the neighboring land of Tethlu invaded Herion when Herion was in chaos after your father's death. Of course you know that they have been waiting to take Herion since that bloody feud years back... wait, that was before your time, but you should still be familiar with it. Well, the invaded. Your brother was killed along with most of the army. Those of the army who weren't killed in the battle died in a more gruesome death. Their heads were cut off and put on pikes around the capital. Your mother was imprisoned in the basement of The Castle. Frevy Im, the Prime Minister, tasked me to find you. You are the last hope, but you can not do it alone. Right now, an army of snakes are on their way to help you. I shall always be with you, if not in person.

Drey takes out a sack that seems to contain two objects. Unbeknownst to Grant, it contains a bottle full of snake venom that can cut through any item and a magical amulet that can communicate with Drey because he has the same amulet.

Take these, they can help you on your journey. You shall know when you need them.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 3:21 am

Grant takes the sack and feels the bottle, he looks into the sack and finds the ammulet, he places back into the sack and looks at the clear venom.
Thank you for this Drey, though I know you are not strong enough to fight in combat, I still wish you would come with me... But you are to old..
Well, I believe it is time for me to return. But how am I to accomplish that... I will need a boat...
Goodbye, my good friend, my good fortune be with you.
Grant begins his journey, he has a day's worth of walking til he gets to the nearest city with a harbor, where Grant will have a chance to find a boat.

Hmm, I hope I find a boat, and a crew that will be able to get me to the continent where Herion lies...

Grant stops at his depot where he gets a few loaves of bread, some fish and meat and a few mana potions. He also brings his armor, his firesword and new knights shield along with his wand. All together the weight of his items is bareable, he begins his journey home!

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 3:37 am

Suddenly, hundreds of snakes stop right before Grant, seemingly awaiting his command...

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 4:00 am

Grant looks at all the snakes not know what to do. He had seen Drey command his pet snakes when he was younger, he never thought he would have a chance to do the same... Grant remembered Drey spoke in common but the snakes understood... So Grant tried himself...

Snakes, servants of Drey listen to my words. I am on my way to out Kingdom Herion. But I cannot go with you fore I need a boat, unlike you who can simply swim accross the vast ocean. I command you... no I ask you to go ahead of me, you will get to our kingdom a few days ahead of me, by then I hope you will have done some damage, perhaps beaten the Tethlu army back into their own borders.
Heed my words!

Grant waits to see if the snakes leave and follow his command.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 4:03 am

The snakes hiss loudly and look toward each other. They seems to understand each other. All the snakes go under Grant and lift up him. They proceed to carry him toward the docks.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 4:10 am

Grants lets out of gasps as he sees the snakes get underneath him, Grant trips onto his back and the snakes take him to the dock. Grant is astonished that the snakes would be clever enough to do this. On the way to the docks Grant thinks over what he will do when he gets to the docks, he must first find a sea captain that has a boat and is willing to take him to the mainland.
Of course Grant realized that coming up to any man with an army of snakes behind with scare the wits out of any person, so he told the snakes to go on their own path after they go to the outskirts of the docks.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:03 pm

The snakes drop Grant off on the outskirts of the dock, they then head into the ocean begining their journey to the mainland. Grant walks over to the dock, it is mid-day now and there are 3 boats on the dock. One is a small raft far to small for a journey accross the massive sea, another us a very large boat which Grant could use, but he saw that it was an elven war ship, he didn't want to try it.
The third and final boat was made of solid wood, roughly 50 feet in length. It's was large enough for roughly 7 people, and it was large enough for it to sail accross the sea to the mainland.
Grant eyed one of the sailors that was on the boat, it was a stout female dwarf. She was carrying crates of food Grant guessed onto the boat and into the belly of the ship. Grant approached the dwarf.

"Hello there dwarf. I have noticed that you are preparing to depart from this island for a land journey. I assume that you are heading back to the mainland, am I correct in assuming this?"

"Aye you are correct in assuming this. Cap'n says we leaving
'morrow 'orning. Course Don't know how he expects for us to be leaving, we only 'ave tree sailors cluding meself. We need four... Say I dont s'pose you know anyting bout sailin do ye?"

"Yes! I know how to sail, I was taught how to do when I was younger and have forgotten a lot, but I am sure I will remember quickly, do you think I could possibly join your company?"

"I bet ye could, gotta talk to cap'n first though. You go talk to 'em he'll be in the cap'n quarters writing on his charts. Just go down that door on the deck and follow the stairs and you'll reach his quarters, behind the stairs are the sailor's quarters. By the way, me name is Anora Rona." Anora says.

Grant thanked the dwarf and ran onto the deck and opened the double doors that were on the deck, they opened up to a flight of stairs. Grant counted 20 stairs when he hit the bottom, in front of the stairway was another pair of doors. And behind the stairway was a room of bunkbeds where the sailors slept and stayed at night.
Grant opened the pair of doors that lead to the captain's cabin...

Drathe · Post by **Drathe** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:21 pm

Sitting at a desk of plain but polished wood is the captain. The Room is sparsley furnished, other than the desk and chair that the captian resides at there is only a book shelf, half empty. The floor boasts no rug or carpet nor do the walls show grace of painings or a decoration.

The broad shoulderd man at the desk looks up. His close cropped dark hair parted at one side by a thin strap holding in place a leather patch over one eye. His looks would be that of a moderatly hansom 30 year old if it wasnt for the angry scar, angled accross his forhead down over his eye and round to his ear, the top half of which is missing.

'Who, and what tha 'ell are you doing on my ship!' he asks the snowy haird man firmly.

Anora Cobble · Post by **Anora Cobble** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:42 pm

With flaming red hair and clothes that could pass as rags, Anora stood behind the white-haired man, hands on her hips, and an air of youthful smuggness about her.

"Found 'em loiter'n on da docks, Cap'n. Say he be wantin' a job. " She rocked back on her heels and cocked an eye to the man.

Drey Jol · Post by **Drey Jol** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:46 pm

One tiny, red basilisk slithers into the room and climbs up Grant's leg. It goes into the pocket of his coat. Despite its brilliant red color, Grant is the only one who notices, but smiles.

Drathe · Post by **Drathe** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 10:15 pm

Captain John Carpathia looks to the side of the stranger at Anora Cobble.
'So he wants in does he,' he says sternly before looking at the white haird man then back to Dwarf.
'Well we are a littl' short on crew Anora, what with that...' He opens his hand out as if to feel the weight of his words, 'that fiasco but the other day.
The Captain stands and looks the stranger up and down before staring into his eyes. The Captain openly takes a dagger from the desk and flipping it catches it by the flat of the blade. He chuckles to him self.

'They are fine clothes you have on there,' John Carpathia looks down at his own worn leather shirt and trews.
'If you want to join the crew I am afraid you will have to give me them there clothes for safe keeping and wear the ships uniform like the rest of us.' He grins broadly showing a silver front tooth. 'If your...happy with that then you are in, wether you can sail or not is no importance, you'll be pulling ropes and you'll learn fast... or...' The Captain shrugs with a crook grin.

'Oh by the by, I am Captain John Carpathia, tho you call me anything other than Captain and its the salty sea you will be calling home.'

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 11:12 pm

Grant makes the easy decision of giving the captain his clothes. Right now saving his Kingdom is a lot more important then looking rich.

"Sure thing captain, whatever you want..." Grant starts to remove his clothing and gets down to his underpants. Grant gives his clothes to the captain and waits for the captain to give him the crew's uniform.

Drathe · Post by **Drathe** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 11:39 pm

The captain takes the clothes and drapes them over one corner of his desk with a toothey grin. He looks the man up and down again and try as he might, can not keep him self from chuckleing.
'Well, now you are going to be part of the crew I suppose you had best know our emidiate plans,' the ships Captain leans with his hip onto the desk. 'We set sail tonight for the mainland. There is a good head-wind blowing so we should make land fall in just over a day. We wont be staying long, there is an...'old friend' I need to see about a ship.' The tone of the capitain voice show his untold anger for his 'old friend'.

He looks at the Red-haired Anora.
'Take him bellow deck and give him the 'uniform,' he says sternly before tunring his back and sitting down at his desk.
'oh and Anora, once he is clothed and you have shown him a bunk with the others, reoprt back to me.' John taps the top of the desk with his finger before turning his attenting to the chart spread out accross the table.

Anora Cobble · Post by **Anora Cobble** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 3:44 pm

Anora chucked at the man, standing unashamed in his skivvies before the Captain. "Come along, partridge."

She led Grant back to the sailor's quarters and pointed to one of the top bunks. "That'll be yours." The mattress jigled on its own and a family of rats scurried out.

The dwarf threw open the lid of a chest. The air within the chest smelled of urine and mold. She threw a dingy and yellowed shirt and a pair of holey trowsers at Grant. "Here. Get dressed and get back up top. "

She left Grant with the rats and made her way back to the Captain. "You needed to see me, Cap'n?"

Drathe · Post by **Drathe** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:24 pm

Captain Carpathia stood with his back toward Andora, now in well fashoned shirt of royal red and a fine set of black trews. He tunrs from the window as her voice pulled him from his thoughts.
I take it he is pleased with his new lodgings. He paused for a moment as if to wait for an answer, but then abruptly continued. 'I for one am not, this stinking cespit of a rat barge is worthless.' His voice was angry

He returned to his desk and pulled out a small hip flask from his pocket, unstoped it and took a hearty swig. His voice was clamer now. 'That bastard Ventran, selling us false information. We lost thirty men on that plunder raid dead or wounded. There is now what? ' he holds up seven fingers, then an eighth one for the new recrute.' We are left with a skeleton crew and this here floating coffin with a single cannon and no pluder, not one bent gold coin. I have sold everything I can of vaule on the ship, made about..pft, 280 gold. This Island makes me sick.. Trolls bane, what a stinking soup of races all mixed, their smells, languages culutres all of them as tight fisted as the each other. John hawks and spits on the floor.

'Dont tell are little partridge of why we are short on number we dont want to put the creeps up him just yet, I am sure you will be doing that with the cat 'o' nine tails,' he grins brifely. 'ahh forget waiting, the wind is good enough now. let us be rid of this place, I grow tired of its smell. Make ready to set sail as soon as is possibly ready. You are in comand till I come up on deck.
He motions the Dwarf out of the room and leans back in his chair rubbing at his ruined eye under the patch.

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 9:15 pm

Grant looks at the rats scurrying away in disgust. The ship he came to Trolls Bane in was a beautiful rat-free ship. But he had to tough it out.. It would only be a few weeks on the ocean and it he could tough it out. As Anora left Grant put on the ripped up trousers and the yellow shirt that fit very tightly to his body and he was afraid if he did hard work in it he may rip it.
After he put his clothes on he put his bag full of food, armor and weapons on his bunk and the sack Drey gave him he put under the sheets. After this he decided he best go up on the top-deck and see if he could earn his keep.
So he left the sailors quarters and went up the stairs. He ran past a few other sailors, they were mixed of men and dwarves, Anora seemed to be the only female on board. However Grant did see on the deck 1 lizard, he assumed was a male, the lizard was pulling ropes and such, Grant decided he would talk to the lizard later on, but before then he had to see what Anora wanted him to do.

"Hello Anora, I am ready, what do you want me to do?"

Illarion.org

The search...

The search...

He could be after me...