Keep your friends close....

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 4:34 pm

Standing just outside the gates to the town, Sean Elaski sighs as he watches the setting sun.

Taking out a bag he kneels beside it, opening it to reveal a small armory of throwing knives, ceremonial daggers, throwing stars and other types of various blades and toss weapons.

Taking out six of the throwing knives and about ten stars, he lays the knives aside, as he opens his robes, and slides the stars into two hidden pockets. After undoing his boot laces some, he takes the sheathed throwing knives, and slides them in one by one, three in each boot.

After he has placed five in his boots, he takes the final one, looking at it he speaks.

"Keep your friends close san....."

He drives the dagger into the final spot of the boot

"...And your enemies closer."

Tying up his boots once more, he stands and closes his robes, concealing the pockets and down past his boots.

Taking a final look at the sun, he shakes his head, and enters back to the city.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:59 pm

As night falls, A black cloaked man slips into the shop, meeting with a shadowy figure.

"Is it done?" He asks, almost in a whisper.

"Yes, hold on." The shadowy man opens a box, and takes out something. The shape in the darkness and sound of chains clanking indicate its a type of weapon.

"Excellent" The cloaked man rasps "May I test the goods?"

Handing the object over the shadowy man replies

"Be my guest!"

Gripping the weapon in the shadows, one can clearly see three chains holding three claws, as they clank from the movement.

The cloaked man strikes out at the wall, and the claws catch, sticking in, and in one movement, he yanks back and to the side......parts of the wall crumble to the floor.

"I see, very nice. And it will kill him?" He asks the shadowy man.

"With your skills, you can bet on it my good man." replies the shadowy man.

"Hmm yes, well.....how much do I owe you?" The cloaked man asks

"Five silver and thirty gold" Comes the reply

"Hmm well......" In an instant of clanking, and a flash of metal, blood sprays over the walls.

"wrong answer."

The cloaked man hides the body, before drawing his cloak tightly and slipping back out into the night.

Juli D · Post by **Juli D** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 2:50 pm

A tall, graceful figure slipped into the shop a few hours before dawn. Revealing long spiraling locks of flaming hair as she pushed back the hood of her cloak. She crossed to the tidy rack of weapons, curiously left unlocked for the night. In its usual place on the top shelf she found an old tin lamp filled with dirty oil.

A moment later, smoky light filled the little shop. The splatter on the walls greeted her like surprise decorations to which she gasped and looked around wide-eyed in childish wonder.

From a deep pocket in her cloak she withdrew the long, slender finger of an elf. A wide gold band encrusted with crushed diamonds, rubies and emeralds in a delicate, intertwining design still donned the pale digit. The flame-haired woman took the ring off and threw the finger to the floor unceremoniously.

Sliding the ring on her finger, she approached the blood-splattered wall. She touched wall and rubbed the tacky blood between her two fingers. "Looks like I wasn't the only one having fun tonight." Not able to take refuge in this shop for the night, the woman collected a particularly well-made dagger, blew out the lamp and exited to the dark streets again.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 4:07 am

After slipping past the mines in the day, avoiding many eyes, he sought refuge in the ceremony cave.

"My mind, is failing me......"
he looks at the blood stained weapon

"This terrible curse....I cannot live through it......I must complete my task....for all our sakes"

he slams a fist into the wall, hard, his cut knuckles leave small streaks of blood around the impact, and small pebbles fall from overhead.

"ARG! Damn this bloodshed!"

Hi sits and stares at the strange weapon.

"But I must.....I must....or else....or..." He trails off, and stares at the odd device.

"No....I wont fail.......I cant."

He gathers his things and leaves, taking a glance over his shoulder as he goes.

paul laffing · Post by **paul laffing** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 4:23 am

Paul sits in shadows on top of the shop, with only his blue eyes able to be seen. With the swoop of his cape, he jumps down the ladder and exits the building. Paul takes off his Laffing family signet ring and weighs it gently in his hand. He considers casting it into the waves as an act of symbolism of going against everything his family stands for, loyalty, honour, and above all, peace.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 7:25 pm

"Leave now, your not welcome here." Darlok says to Sean Elaski.

Looking at Veralion and the walls of the castle, Sean Elaski nods slowly.

"Go, as I said, your not welcome." Darlok continues.

Sean Elaski turns, his monks robes flowing behind him, as he walks out the castle door.

Stopping he looks over his shoulder.

"Your not welcome, anywhere, Darlok."

He chuckles, and shouts to veralion while walking

"I will catch you at a less busy time, vera!"

And Sean Elaski, slips towards town once more.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:32 am

((I might add to this thread NOW (seems I have forgotten earlier), anyone can join in on this quest, its player oriented, and I want a challenge to RP to))

Slipping out from the setting sunlight and into the labrary, Sean Elaski makes his way to the deepest regions, taking out a thick, white book, full of yellow dust and cobwebs, he sits at a table and begins to slip through pages muttering.

"Curse of embelishment......cuuurse.......of...........embelishment"

He flips for some moments before coming to a page

"Aha!"

he says looking at the page.

Using a limited power rah kel, spell he lights the lamp on the table, and begins to read.

Sevious Helios · Post by **Sevious Helios** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:24 am

Sevious slowly walked into the library after another long day of waiting... His short whiskers were a little longer than the last time most people had seen him. He walked in with his hood down and gazed around the library as he entered the area of the rows of books. After a few moments of thinking he walked over to the edge and ran his fingers through the book's names. Finding nothing of what he wanted to find he progressed slowly back towards the more ancient books in the deeper rows. He finally found a book that suited his interests near the center section of the sea of books. He pulled it out as it's cover was barely readable. Sevious took it over towards the tables near the back of the library again and sat down and began to read.

"Why can't I find anything...", he said to himself as he coughed slightly.

Sevious continued to gaze through the book, flipping from page to page. Dust flew out of the book's pages and soon the area around Sevious had a hasty view. Sevious sneezed and slammed the book shut slightly irratated he didn't find what was there. Right as he was about to head out of the library to continue walking, Sevious heard a noise further in the area near the back of the library in the sea of books. Sevious turned back around out of curiousity and started to tred slowly down the aisles looking cautiously. He heard another sound and quickly rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger in it's sheath.

"Who's there? Show yourself!", Sevious said a little louder than normal for whatever or whoever back there was to hear him.

He shook his head and continued to move to the last row...where there was a lamp lit on a table visible through the shelves. He quickly drew his dagger as no one responded to his question. He continued to move towards the lit lamp with his dagger drawn breathing as softly as he could. He moved silently and cautiously with ever step he took although he had already spoken. He took a gulp and peered around the corner to see what would be there...

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:50 am

As he reads, Sean Elaski hears a noise, raising his eyes slowly, he meets the gaze of the shadowy figure behind the books.

He slides his hand to a lump under his robes, hidden in the darkness and masked by the light of the lamp.

"Can I help you?"

He asks,in a pleasent......but somewhat annoyed manner.

Sevious Helios · Post by **Sevious Helios** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:53 am

Sevious revealed himself from around the bookshelf looking down at the man who he almost towered over at the height of 6'2". Sevious quickly put his dagger in his sheath and looked down at the man.

"Hmm. So it's you. I've seen you around of course I do not know your name...You are one mysterious character. Of course I think I know something you may want to know...you are in search of an orc? Or what is the deal there?", Sevious said as he scratched his head and awaited a response.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:58 am

"An orc? hmm, maybe you mean Veralion? I have spoken with him today....no need about that. But as for you, I do wonder who you are,and why your lanking about this deep section at this time?"

He raises both his brows at the tall man before him.

Sevious Helios · Post by **Sevious Helios** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:01 am

Sevious looked at the man and shrugged slightly.

"I only came back here to find out what such a noise could've been...I heard something back here that sounded like the flips of pages and it was as I heard it. I was about to leave when I heard it. Either way since you wish to know my name I will tell you. I am Sevious Helios, former knight of Darishnia and a master blacksmith. How about you stranger if you don't mind telling me your name? Of course nowadays I'm just wandering around mainly waiting for something...", Sevious said trainling off. He stopped and waited for a reply from the man.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:06 am

"Hmm yes, well I am Sean Elaski, Wanderer and Monk of Malachin, Former leader of Mephisto Empire,Preatorian Gaurds, and Black Wolf guilds of these lands. So, what do you wait for then? Seems like all we wait for nowadays here is rain."

Sean Elaski shrugs and lowers his brows as he awaits a response.

Sevious Helios · Post by **Sevious Helios** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:10 am

"I await on many things...the draught to end and rain as you said heheh. As well as to see my finacee'. She has been to busy at all to see me. Of course I've not been around when she is about in town...I guess it's because I sulk to much outside of town in the northern parts of this island where the odd island tip is that can barely be seen...anyways that is just about it. That is all I know.", Sevious said as he turned towards the books and began looking for something again.

"Of course...what are you looking for? I'm looking for something on counter curses...no luck yet...", Sevious said as his finger scanned the ancient almost untouched books. He awaited an answer while doing so.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:16 am

Sean Elaski raises his brows again.

"Counter curses ay? well, this book might be sufficient for that, I was just finishing...."

With a quick flick of the wrist, he silently but accurately tears about five pages of the book out and slides them into his pocket.

"In Any case, I bid thee a farewell, Sevious, Maybe we shall meet in town again and may malachin bless you."

He stands, a slight clank is heard, as he stretches, does a quick bow, and disapears down into the sea of books.

Sevious Helios · Post by **Sevious Helios** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:19 am

Sevious blinks once or twice but then notices that Sean is gone.

"Farewell then...", he says in a late in good bye.

Sevious walked towards the table and looked down at the book. He quickly picked it up and began to flip through the pages. Of course it had counter curses in it. But the problem was finding which one would help Sevious.

"This will be usefull in the future...I'm just going to borrow this...", Sevious says as he slips the book into his leather bag.

Sevious quickly licks his index finger and thumb and squeezes them over the flame. The flame goes out with a sizzling sound and then Sevious quickly strides out of the library with his bag over his shoulder and then into the shadows towards the northern forest in the night.

paul laffing · Post by **paul laffing** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 5:30 am

Paul sits right on the outside of the shop, a pen and parchment in his hands, bags under his eyes. His ring-finger is lighter than this morning and his fingertips are scorched from practicing magic. He seems to finish writing on the paper, but just as suddenly crumples it up. He sets it on fire with magic and throws it in the shop. The shadows beckon...

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 8:42 pm

Sean Elaski wanders through the shop, he'd noticed one of the pages he tore is gone so hes been looking to see where it could have ended up.

He suddenly stops, his foot still raised from the floor, looking down he noticese the finger of an elf, dirtied as though it had been there some time.

"Oh my..." He picks up the finger, and analyses it. Before slipping it into his pocket, he walks back towards the back, and also notices a finger smear in the dry blood on the wall.

"Hmm, it would seem someone was here after me......"

He speaks, looking at the smear.

"But I wonder who, or why.....and if they found the body I hid."

He hears a noise behind him, and quietly slips away and up to the roof of the shop.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 2:53 am

In this day, Sean Elaski seems somber.

but it does not seem due to his deeds.

with sad eyes and an angry face, he trudges face down towards the reamainingforest, almost purposefully, like a child whose duty was to get punished.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:13 pm

Sean Elaski sits on a stump in the wood, his angry bloodshed unslept eyes scan the dead forest.

He scowls

"Fools.....damn drought.....what in Cherga's realm has gone on in my absense."

He grinds his teeth, then gets an idea.

Opening his bag, he takes out a fine wooden flute and begins to play a melody, as the sound itself seems to return trees, and birds, to there places, but of course, its only an illusion until someone ends the drought.

The magical notes float to the city, as he plays will into the afternoon....

Josefine da Vince · Post by **Josefine da Vince** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:21 pm

Josefine wanders through the city, she looks around to see if she knows someone, maybe she even looked for someone special, but nobody knows not even Josefine does.
Sudenly she hears some fine tones of music, she listens to it for a while and then she starts walking in the direction she thinks the fine melodie comes from.
She passes the gate and enters the forest, as she wanders she thinks about what happend to her and what is going to happen.
When she looks around she sees Sean right infront of her, sitting on a stump and playing the flute, she smiles at him and says:

"Hey there my friend, what are you doing all alone on such a nice place?"

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:34 pm

Sean Elaski looks up at Josefine.

"Alone, doesent that seem to say it all." He says, then he smiles

"But then, why are you alone?"

He lowers the flute and looks to Josefine.

Josefine da Vince · Post by **Josefine da Vince** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:44 pm

"um...there's no special reason why I'm alone, i'm just wandering around and heard this nice little melody. So what are you up to? Just sitting here and play the flute?"

Josefine still smiles at him and sits down in front of him.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:51 pm

Sean Elaski's smile widens for a second, before he takes upon a more serious tone.

"Whether is the melody of the flute, or the music of thought that of which I create. But of course, thought and melody have nothing without beauty, and this..." He motions to the rows of dead trees "Is not beauty."

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:38 pm

It had been hours since Sean Elaski met Josefine, or days........he couldent even place if it happened at all.

However, it had been minutes since he visited Ishan again at his house....

The broken man still staring at the flames in the fireplace, angered him for some reason.

Maybe it was becuase of the dirty look Drathe flashed him in the shop earlier......he did not know, time was a blur now, a red blur.

The prayer was soon, and he stood over the cliff looking out at the sea, far north on the island and thought.

He was wearing his monks robe, and aside from his two handed Falchion
was unarmed.

He took out his flute once more, before trekking to Falkners shrine, he plays again

and again the illusion of nature returns in the song as he plays, the ILLUSION he thought.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 1:39 am

An hour passes since the prayer, two, and three.

Sean Elaski thought long and hard.

"I Swore I even saw Drathe praying" He says to him self "But......its Drathe....the anti-believer...."

He remembers a disscussion with Drathe, weeks ago it seems

"In alot of things."

He grunts slightly remembering the broken man in front of the fireplace he saw earlier.

"even if I hadent.....why did he attend.....and what was with that headache."

He looked at the rows and rows of dead trees again.

"What a mess the people have caused here......such a mess...."

Then it hit him again.

"ARG!" His head pounded and his heart beat drew faster "WHAT.....IS.......HAPPENING.....TO........ME!"

The pain worsened

"MALACHIN GUIDE ME THROUGH THIIISSSSSS!!!!!!"

and suddenly he drops to his knees, the two handed Falchion slips from his hand, and thumps harshly on the parched ground.

he lets out an inhuman scream, heard even in the town.....and falls.....

Lightning strikes around his lifeless body for a few moments, and then the sound of dead silence.

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 3:42 pm

The sun rises over the island, the dead island...

Laying in a poolof blood, surrounded by scorched earth, a body...

And beside it, a man stands from a kneeling posistion.

"Am I dead?"

He speaks looking to the ruined body of Sean Elaski.

He looks at his own hands

"What....is this?"

He looks down at his clothes

"No....no it cant be....."

The man was Sean Elaski, however, by some magic or another, he was torn from his body and replaced in that of a young knight.

He wore brilliantly polished platemail and long brown hair, he had brown eyes and a clean shaven face, his eyes darted around, like a child who had finally gotten that one gift as a present.

"I'm Free!" He lets out a laugh, and searching the body beside him, grabs the flute and Falchion, and with a Rah Sij, burns the ruins of his past, and the curse with it.

"The gods listened! oh how they have listened! THANK YOU SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS!"

The Reborn Sean Elaski runs into the woods, happily now free of his curse......

But his quest is FAR from over

((new Sean Elaski description, Human,mid-late 20's, long brown hair, brown eyes, about 5'8,medium muscular build))

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 5:47 pm

Sean Elaski walks slowly through town, looking at the people around him.

He saw the bitter faces, hopeless faces....

He knew someone had stolen the tree seedlings. The mass prayer he had hoped would suceed, failed.

He was angry, furious, at the lact of selfessness of the people here, he was tired of it.

He had to help them to see their err......but how.......or even why anymore..

he sits inside the gates of town and watches the people doing their daily business, wondering.