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| Arrival; GRP with swordhunter | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Thu Dec 8, 2011 3:22 am (484 Views) | |
| Shan Orison | Thu Dec 8, 2011 3:22 am Post #1 |
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The great castle of ice floated serenely next to the City of Magic, its mere presense threatening the northern city. Upon its bridges marched armies of golems, guarding the magically created links between Striberg and the castle. On this clear cloudless day, you could even see the white dragon that fought for the ice queen circling the castles turrets. It was inspecting the troops, or perhaps just looking for any adventurers foolish enough to try and scale the castle from the freezing waters. For now, the fighting had ceased, and a steady mob of people came near - but never too near - the bridges to catch a glimpse of this strange new feature which demanded control of the floating city from the mages who dwelt there. In the constantly milling crowd, there were always enterprising people hoping to use the cities curiosity to pad their own pockets. There were several food vendors about, selling things from portable trays to those who decide they need refreshments. A couple more enterprising businessfolk had ordered various cheap souvenirs: crude carvings of the castle, stuffed white dragons that looked adorable but seemed poorly stitched on closer inspection, and small toy golems with moving parts that really fell off long after their purveyor had slipped around a corner. It probably wasn't very patriotic, but it was capitalistic. Managing to be heard about the crowd, a lone man was wrapped in winter gear except for the thin gloves on his hands to protect his fingers while allowing him to feel the strings of the violin he was playing. He watched the crowd as they passed, nodding to those who deigned to drop a coin in the case at his feet. More than that, however, he studied the castle, as he had for days from various vantage points, marking the entrances, the movements of the guards, and the comings and goings of the great white dragon itself. He didn't know what he'd do with this information, though an idea brewed in his head. To be honest, Shan Orison, traveling bard, was here mostly because he was curious about the White Queen. He'd been at the magical academy in hopes of finally focusing and learning some more about magic, his own knowledge being horribly meager, when the shouts of the castles arrival reached the academy's doors. When the demands arrived, gossip and speculation began to burn like a fire, leaping from tongue to tongue and spreading throughout the city. As a bard, Shan was well versed in sifting through the detritus of the the rumor mill to find the golden sheen of a good story, but no one really knew what was happening in the castle, and Shan was forced to admit that if he wanted to know the truth, he'd have to go to the source. Granted, he doubted he'd get closer than he was now. He wasn't a fighter; he had plenty of new scars to prove that. Still, he watched and took note. One never knew what might be helpful to say, another adventurer hoping to become a hero or die a smear on the pristine blue of the castle's icy walls. |
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| swordhunter | Thu Dec 8, 2011 4:37 pm Post #2 |
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Aiden wandered towards the hulking mass that was the floating castle, his eyes riveted to the rather wondrous sight. Aiden wandered towards the hulking mass that was the floating castle, his eyes riveted to the rather wondrous sight. “Rather impressive bit of magic, if you think about it,” he muttered to no one in particular as he made his way through the pushing crowds ringing the city. Despite the demands of the castle made upon Striberg, the citizens of the magical city didn’t seem threatened enough to not gawk at the floating sight…much less profit from it. All sorts of vendors were mingling through the crowds, hoisting their hastily made wares aloft and looking for signs of anyone silly enough to spend their gold. Meanwhile, shifty pickpockets snuck through gathering throng, looking for those paying more attention to the wonders of the castle than their pocketbooks. Aiden had already run into one such character, sending the ruffian off with a broken hand and more than a few scorch marks to reward him for his trouble. “A seaworthy castle shows up and suddenly the place turns into Balefire,” the elf grunted as he drew closer to the bridges joining the city to the newly arrived structure. From what Aiden had heard—from those sober enough to tell him—was that the castle had appeared quite suddenly to both the citizens and the city guards. Early attempts to investigate had been met with aggression and loss of life among those fool-hardy enough to go, leading to a general quarantine order from the mages and authorities within the city. The order didn’t keep anyone from standing out in the open and looking at the hulking mass…but it did prevent anyone from drawing closer to the thing and endangering themselves or, perhaps, the city itself. “The White Queen,” Aiden said, trailing off as he rounded a final corner and came face to face with Striberg’s massive harbor…and the full sight of the castle farther out. From here, the three huge bridges connecting the structure to the ice around Striberg came into view. In addition, the golems standing along the paths became visible too, even from this distance they were obviously numerous and quite formidable. Aiden whistled in spite of himself, knowing that the city had its hands full—if all of those golems came on the attack at once, in addition the dragon floating above, there was little doubt in Aiden’s mind that the city would be hard pressed to stay intact. And what are you going to do? Eladrin asked, the celestial’s voice a soft and gentle sound in the elf’s head. No clue, yet, Aiden thought in reply, I’d have to find a way in without alerting the guards here…and then worry about how to get back out again. From the rumors, I think killing the Queen herself is beyond what’s possible. For now, I think if we can somehow dislodge the bridges connecting the castle and the city, the city mages can think of a plan beyond that. You’re not overestimating your abilities here, are you? Eladrin thought, to which Aiden made no reply for a while. In truth, the elf had no idea what he would actually capable of doing here. His desire to help aside—not to mention the power of Eladrin himself—the path here wasn’t exactly clear. Aiden couldn’t take on an entire city alone. And if the city guards were unwilling to aid him, that’s exactly what would happen if Aiden attempted anything. “I wish I had brought more elves,” Aiden muttered, half jokingly and half wistfully. If only more elves could be coaxed out of Norwood to fight the dangers of the wider world… The elf allowed his thoughts to trail off as he suddenly picked up a strangely familiar sound floating in the air. The bustle of the crowd did nothing to diminish the sound of music. Violin music, to be exact. “Can’t be,” Aiden whispered in disbelief. His eyes searched the crowd looking for the form of Shan Orison as if he were looking for a haunting ghost. He was eventually rewarded with the sight of a man standing out from the crowd, wrapped tightly in winter clothes, but holding his violin aloft and playing for the passerby. Drawing close, Aiden lowered his cloak hood and smirked a bit, trying to get the young man’s attention. “I seem to run into you with alarming regularity,” he shouted above the combined din of the music and the crowd, “In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d say that you were following me, Shan!” |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:53 am Post #3 |
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Shan looked up at the familiar voice, smiling at the elven face greeting him. "If I was following you, Aiden, you wouldn't know it," Shan joked back, though his own common sense forced him to add, "Well, that makes it sound like I'm some sort of ninja or something, and I've never actually followed someone with stealthy intentions." Shan lowered his violin, turning his face aside with embarrassment. "Hey, um, sorry about braining you with my violin back in...sorry about that. It seems I'm a bit of a sore loser and, to be honest, I've never been a fight I was actually trying to win..." Shan bent down and picked up his instrument case, tipping it so the coins and various detritus it collected fell into a special compartment in the bottom. "Well, um, if you aren't still too upset about that to get something to eat with me, maybe we could have a normal social interaction for once, though I'm betting you're here more for the castle than the ambiance." Shan shut his violin inside its velvet lined home, the click of each latch assuring him it was safe and sound. "Besides, I never got you ask you about those wings of yours yet. Does soup sound good to you?" |
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| swordhunter | Sat Dec 10, 2011 4:31 pm Post #4 |
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Aiden narrowed his eyes at the thought of his recent tournament loss to the bard. It wasn't the loss itself which made him wince...it was the thought of the violin's impact on his head. "Yeah yeah," the elf muttered, waving his hands in a flustered fashion as Shan collected his earnings from the day. "Besides, I never got you ask you about those wings of yours yet. Does soup sound good to you?" Aiden's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You want soup in these circumstances?" he asked, his eyes drifting to the floating castle in the distance. Though he wasn't rejecting the offer by any means, the elf couldn't help but wonder how the bard could remain so calm in the situation. Perhaps he has information? the elf thought as he allowed the bard to lead the way. "I'm assuming you have a place in mind? Or are we going to wander until we find an appropriate shop? I'll admit, I haven't been here in quite some time...so I'm not entirely sure where to go, myself. . ." Of the three bridges connecting the castle to the city, the middle was the longest and widest. The golems there stood seven abreast with their massive weapons in hand. They stood silently, as if awaiting an order from the massive castle behind them to rain their deadly and destructive force on the expansive city before them. Above, the White Dragon flew above the entire scene, as if reviewing its troops. Soon, the dragon settled on one of the castle parapets, settling on its hind legs as its massive head swung towards the castle, awaiting the signal for attack. . . |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:47 pm Post #5 |
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"I know a place," Shan said. "I've been in Striberg for a while. Hoping to learn a little more about magic and, well, hoping to make some connections here." Shan didn't feel up to mentioning his encounter with the serial killer Cutter with Aiden, mostly because he was certain the elf would insist on hunting him down. Shan didn't particularly want to meet the blackhorned man again. He just wanted to find the "Lady" Cutter seemed frightened of. His efforts had been slow, since he avoided going out at night, but he was willing to take his time. "And perhaps there's a dangerous castle with a powerhungry queen with a dragon about, but I've learned to remember the simple necessities in life, like soup. Can't fight on an empty stomach, Aiden." They began walking through the crowd. "Anyway, I've been performing around here for awhile, since this is where the rubbernecking mob has gathered. Not a great deal to do with the Academy rushing about to deal with the invasion except play and watch." Shan didn't mention what he'd been watching. He felt Aiden could guess from his location. "But we've got a lot to catch up on, I'm sure, and doing it over soup seems like a good idea to me -" Anything more Shan planned to say was interrupted by a earth trembling roar. Technically, Striberg is on an iceberg, so it's an ice trembling roar. Yes, Logic, his inner bard said, annoyed. Thank you for that bit of narrative destroying correction. Shan looked up at the ice trembling call of the white dragon. The golem troops stood in perfect lines and began to march at the dragon's signal. The dragon itself took to the sky, its wings thudding on the wind with each downbeat. Around the two, the mob began to panic as the golems marched across the bridge. They'll be crushed! They're too scared to get anywhere but each others' way! his second thoughts said. Shan summoned his violin to his hand and began to play, giving a quick apology to Aiden as he did so. His Mesmerizing enchantment drifted over the crowd in a wide circle, ensnaring the minds of each listening in a pleasant dreamy trance. "Everyone who can't or won't fight!" Shan called out to his audience, each ear tuned to his command. "Leave the area in a calm, orderly fashion! Get to your homes or somewhere safe! Go!" It became, perhaps, the quietest and most orderly mob in history. The people only moved at a brisk walk, but with no one blundering into anyone else, the area around Shan and Aiden cleared quickly. When most of the people had left his area of influence, wondered what they were doing, remembered, and continued to get out of the area, Shan ceased his playing. "Sorry, but, um, I felt that was the best way to cut down on civilian casualties. We should probably get out now too before the golems and I forget who I'm speaking with." Shan sighed, but gave a smirk, too. "So, Aiden, should we flee and escape the oncoming army of magical soldiers, or do you want to stay and play with them a bit? I know what I want to do, but I'm willing to abide by your choice. Can't leave you out here alone, after all." |
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| swordhunter | Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:17 pm Post #6 |
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Aiden followed Shan, a guide of sorts under the circumstances, as they both made their way through the bustling crowd. As the bard led the way, Aiden couldn't help but admit to himself that he actually was a bit hungry. So when Shan said that he knew a place, the elf couldn't help but give a smirk of relief. "Anyway, I've been performing around here for awhile, since this is where the rubbernecking mob has gathered. Not a great deal to do with the Academy rushing about to deal with the invasion except play and watch. But we've got a lot to catch up on, I'm sure, and doing it over soup seems like a good idea to me -" The elf's reply was cut off by the air splitting roar suddenly emitting from the castle. The sound caused the elf to whirl around, his cloak flapping a bit as he placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. In the distance, the grand dragon sitting atop a castle parapet raised its wings and beat them once, rising in the air ominously. As if on cue, the golems occupying the main bridge from the castle began to stir...and then marched slowly towards the end of the bridge and into the mass of people milling about. "No!" Aiden shouted, his Lan blade in hand in a flash. But the Bard was faster as his violin suddenly appeared in hand. The people in the vicinity let up a great shout and began to rush away from the oncoming danger, pushing past the elf and his ally in their desperation. But then just as suddenly, Shan began to play a tune laced with magic, almost instantly producing an effect in the people nearby and comforting them in their disquiet. "Everyone who can't or won't fight! Leave the area in a calm, orderly fashion! Get to your homes or somewhere safe! Go!" Aiden stood, impressed as he watched the calmed crowd dispersing in an orderly fashion. "Still a nice trick," he muttered, "Especially when it's not aimed at me." As the crowd thinned, the elf took stock of the situation. The golems were advancing in mass, but they were still moving rather slowly. Their advance could be stopped, though how effectively or for how long was the question. "If they get close enough to the city, perhaps the mages here can guard against their advance more effectively without risking their own defenses...but should we let that happen in the first place?" "Sorry, but, um, I felt that was the best way to cut down on civilian casualties. We should probably get out now too before the golems and I forget who I'm speaking with. So, Aiden, should we flee and escape the oncoming army of magical soldiers, or do you want to stay and play with them a bit? I know what I want to do, but I'm willing to abide by your choice. Can't leave you out here alone, after all." "Come now, bard," Aiden replied with a smirk of his own, "I don't like running and you know it. It's so...uninteresting." His face hardened as he turned back towards the golems. "But on a more serious note...do you think you could help me stem their advance? If we give the guards more time to prepare, perhaps a more effective defense can be drawn up." We need to destroy the bridges, Aiden continued in thought, But we can't do that unless we have more help. And neither of us can summon that help if we both remain here... Turning towards Shan with a solemn look, he said aloud, "You might have to leave me here alone for a short time, my friend. One of us needs to go get a contingent of the city guards or mages who can help us stop them. We need to stop their advance and the only way to do that is to destroy the bridges before too many cross. But to do that, we'll need more firepower. Can you do that while I try to hold them back, Shan?" |
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| Shan Orison | Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:42 pm Post #7 |
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Shan wanted to argue. He wanted to tell Aiden he couldn't hold out on his own, that Shan had to stay and help him, that Cascadia was a wonderful city, especially this time of year. Perhaps we could visit. Except you know that Aiden's right, his common sense said. The two of you aren't enough, and the guards are spread out over every bridge from the castle, not just this one. To hold this battalion off, you needed help, far more than what you'd accomplish on your own. So the only words Aiden heard, filtered past Shan's worry and fear, were, "Alright," and he sprinted off. But who to get? Where to go? Aim for the nearest guard tower, his second thoughts recommended. They'll have people on duty there. Talk to one and they can send messengers to everyone else far more efficiently that you could on your own. Shan realigned his feet to point to the nearest guard outpost, a place he usually avoided since he hated how guards looked at you as if sizing up what you were guilty of. It made him feel itchy. Yeah, his nostalgia reminisced. Back home the only guard was Otto Tuttle, and he's also the mailman, royal announcer, butler, and chief aide for a king who spends his afternoons farming, and the standing army of the hills, except for when he's lying down. Shan had to admit that the political and judicial system back home was quite a bit simpler. They only had a king because the hills always had a king, and it was populated with people who didn't break what seemed to work, though they also didn't listen to the king unless they felt like it. Even Otto was going to take an order from his mum over that of the king. With that bit of homesickness behind him, Shan burst through the wooden door ahead of him, his breath heavy but strong enough to speak over the guards rushing about as they organized for the attack. "The main battalion," Shan breathed out. "Heading down the largest bridge. It's too big to stop when it gets in town." A tall gruff man in battered armor stared at Shan for a moment, assessing him, and turned to a man with thick, wild eyebrows that seemed to wriggle about on their own. "Constable? Do the reports match this?" he asked. "Well, sir, from looking out the window it seems that way," the constable said. "The guard is spreading out to cover all the bridges now, as per orders, and-" "Can't do that!" Shan interrupted. The man in battered armor, who was probably a captain or Sergent or something, glared at him. "Sorry, sir, but you need to build up defenses right there. They're throwing too much down that bridge to divide your forces." "And we can't leave the other bridges unguarded," the sergent or captain said. "Dammit, I've been calling to get those bridges down, but higher-ups kept saying peaceful resolutions could be reached. Now we've got our hand forced. That bridge needs to come down. Lance Constables Kyle and Edgar, get to the the nearest towers east and west, spread the word in case they haven't seen what this queen is up to now. And...dammit, I don't have to men to get someone to the mages..." "I'll go, sir!" Shan said, raising his hand. He was prepared to make the trip anyway. "Boy, didn't they ever teach you to never volunteer?" the guard shook his head. "Gods know I don't have the time to argue, though. Tell them Captain Viccers sent you. We need magical firepower to bring that monstrosity of architecture down." "But sir, orders are-" "Lance Constable Sunny, you will never get promoted if you don't learn how to filter orders properly. We're to defend the city and that damn queen and her dragon will still have two bridges if they suddenly want to talk. That main bridge, however, is coming down." Shan was already headed out the door, rushing up the tiers of the city to the academy. They at least knew him there, and hopefully the Captain's endorsement would get him far enough the hierarchy to recruit some real help. Hope Aiden's doing alright on his own, his second thoughts worried. |
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| swordhunter | Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:59 pm Post #8 |
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Aiden watched as Shan hesitated, then finally agreed. The bard sprinted off as Aiden turned back towards the approaching mass of golems. Part of him wanted to count how many he'd be up against, but decided against it. He was here to delay, not fight. No reason I can't combine the two and test them out a bit, though, he thought with a smirk. He set off at a light run, his right hand holding his Lan blade tightly as he thought up a plan. There were few things he could do to really stop the golems, as he noted before. But perhaps if he could knock a few of them out using magic... Magic will likely be the only thing they're vulnerable to, Eladrin cautioned, Rarely do physical attacks work on golems of this sort. And even more unlikely--you wouldn't be able to really attempt them unless you got them one on one. Which won't happen in this situation. "Lend me your strength then!" Aiden shouted as he quickened his pace into a full sprint. Deciding to test these new opponents and gleam what information he could, Aiden muttered a quick incantation and swung his Lan blade forward. "Tadesi!" A quick flash of light emitted from the Lan blade before a sudden spiral of pure magic energy shot forward towards the nearest golem. The spiral expanded as it covered the maybe fifteen meters between the charging elf and its target. By the time the magic made contact, it had become a powerful net of star energy, encasing the golem in an unbreakable web. Smirking in satisfaction, Aiden muttered, "Now if only I could do that...ohhhh, about 100 more times, I think we'd be set." Knowing full well that the idea was silly, Aiden continued his sprint, this time picking another spell to through at the coming onslaught. As he drew within a couple of meters from the golems, he slowed to a stop, raised his left hand, and pointed it at the marching mass. "Thosi mys!" he shouted, his eyes glowing red as he began to draw on his powers as an Infernos. The air almost hummed with energy as Aiden poured magic into the space around him. The temperature skyrocketed as a wave of fire suddenly burst forth and surged forward, engulfing a conical area in front of him in powerful red flames. The golems, including the one encased by Aiden's earlier spell, sent up a roar, almost in pain, as the flames tore through their ranks. Wisps of steam drifted into the air as the fire burned through the ice around the spell. Smiling in satisfaction yet again, Aiden grunted before moving ahead once more, brandishing his sword and preparing to do all he could to buy more time. . . Spoiler: click to toggle
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| Shan Orison | Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:27 pm Post #9 |
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Shan burst through the impressive doors of the Academy, breath heavy. "Golems...attacking...main....bridge..." he gasped out. "Yes, we know," a robed woman said amid the bustle of activity that was the main foyer. "...What? How...?" "We've been scrying that place since it showed up," she said. "Also, we have windows." She gestured to the large picture windows that let the watery light of the northern sun into the hall. "If you want to help, go get the guard to hold them off. It'll take a while for us to take down the bridge." "I...I did that..." "Good for you. Now get home. Let professionals handle this." She bustled away, finished discussing things with the bedraggled bard. "Well," Shan said to himself. "That was anticlimactic." He turned and left. Hopefully Aiden had been managing on his own, or that the guards had arrived to help. And, as a side thought, what are they planning with such an obvious diversion? his second thoughts said. If the guards have arrived to defend the main bridge, it might be best to ask if you and Aiden could check the other two bridges. He ran back down, taking steps two at a time. Hopefully, Aiden wasn't a icy smear in the streets. Above the city, the dragon soared. |
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| swordhunter | Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:38 am Post #10 |
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Wisps of smoke drifted from the felled bodies of the golems in Aiden's path. The elf, for his part, was still on the attack, his blade practically spinning as he cut through attacker after attacker with a mixture of bladework and magic. The air smelled of singed metal and burning leather as the golems fell. "This seems a bit too easy," Aiden muttered, taking a quick break and hopping out of range. "There's no way that this is the main attack force. The guard could have dealt with this without breaking a sweat." As he spoke, a golem charged him, a stone mace hefted in its magical grasp. Stopping his retreat, Aiden held forward a hand and shouted, "Thastaeroji!" A column of fire suddenly strike from the sky, halting the golem in its tracks and felling the creature just a handful of feet from the elf. "Aim's clearly getting better," Aiden muttered, smirking, even though he knew that this was a disturbing bit of information indeed--if these golems were so weak, would the "White Queen" have issued such a threat to Striberg? "Of course not," Aiden finished aloud, "These things are a bloody joke. The main attack's got to be coming from somewhere else if this isn't it...or maybe they're still waiting for something else...? If so, what could it be?" The dragon, soaring far above the scene in the distance sent up another air splitting roar, though didn't seem to be making any moves towards joining the battle. The creature was an ominous audience to the gathering attack against Striberg and perhaps was the most nerve wracking factor in this whole affair. If that dragon set its sights on the city, even Aiden would be forced to retreat unless there was a force behind him. "Speaking of which, where the heck is Shan?" Aiden felt a tad more comfortable than just a few minutes ago. Bodies of golems littered the space between his current position and the golems massing at the end of the bridge. Perhaps a score or a little less of their number had been felled by the elf's assault, a tiring task to say the least. And now, apparently respecting the power of Aiden in holding their advance, the golems seemed to be more than willing to wait out their opponent...which only further reinforced Aiden's fears that this was simply a diversionary ploy by very smart strategists in the castle. "Destroy the bridge," Aiden muttered with finality, "That has to be my next task if nothing else. But I need a distraction...I need that bloody bard!" |
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| Shan Orison | Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:30 am Post #11 |
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Shan reached the bridge, pausing some distance away to regain his breath. It seems Aiden's holding up alright, his second thoughts said as Shan surveyed the pile of broken golems. The ones on the bridge seemed hesitant to continue forward as the lone elf stood blocking their way. Shan, his stamina refilled, ran forward and screeched to a halt beside Aiden, his violin sending a Blast at the front line of golems. The ice that made them fractured and cracked under the force. They weren't destroyed, but they were weakened. "Hi," Shan said to Aiden. "The guard should be coming soon and the mages are planning something but it'll take a while to use, it seems," he said in one loud burst of sound, sending another blast at the golems who started advancing. "Anyway, I'm not sure what's happening here. This seems stupid for an attack, and the queen and dragon don't seem stupid. So, I think it might be a distraction or maybe just gauging how fast Striberg responds to an attack, which is rather dismal, to be honest. I mean, at least the mages had something planned. The guards are technically under orders to not attack, though they're going to since the Queen moved to attack first. Um," Shan Blasted again. "I suppose we should be fighting until the guards get here, right?" |
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| swordhunter | Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:32 pm Post #12 |
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Aiden leaned to his right, using the sword as a brace as he watched the scene before him, punctuated by the unspoken, uneasy truce now in place. The ice golems hadn't moved in some time as their armor and weapons gleamed in the daylight. Never seen anyone put leather armor on an ice golem before, the elf thought to himself, passing the time until Shan returned, Then again, I've never seen a floating castle before, so I suppose that's not really saying much. The elf turned as the sound of rapid footfalls got his attention. He saw the bard running towards him, a bit redfaced and out of breath. The young man paused for a moment as the elf looked on, bemused. "Any luck?" he asked, a bit nonchalant. Shan didn't respond for a few long moments, taking out his violin and blasting the golems with his magic-laced music. The attack was effective, splintering the ice golems with loud cracks which sounded over the maybe fifty foot distance separating them from the lone pair of defenders. Hi,[/i] came the bard's response, "The guard should be coming soon and the mages are planning something but it'll take a while to use, it seems." "Not surprised in the least," Aiden muttered, straightening again. "Sometimes those mages plan too much for their own good...but I suppose they know what's best." "Anyway, I'm not sure what's happening here. This seems stupid for an attack, and the queen and dragon don't seem stupid. So, I think it might be a distraction or maybe just gauging how fast Striberg responds to an attack, which is rather dismal, to be honest. I mean, at least the mages had something planned. The guards are technically under orders to not attack, though they're going to since the Queen moved to attack first. Um, I suppose we should be fighting until the guards get here, right?" "Technically," Aiden muttered, "Though I was more worried about that bridge. I'd much rather take it out, if at all possible...though I'll need your help with a distraction of sorts." Using his sword as a quick pointer, Aiden explained, "Draw what attention you can while I make for the bridge. Use whatever magic you deem necessary in order to attract the bulk of the attention, if you can. Meanwhile, I'm going to sneak around and see what can be done about that bridge. Once your job is done, get away. I'll return as soon as I can, hopefully with the path destroyed, but if not, at least I'll have a good idea of what remains to be done." Turning towards the bard, Aiden asked, "Sound good?" The elf waited just a moment before sprinting wide to his right, not waiting for an answer at all as he began a circling movement, hopefully one which would end at the mouth of the bridgehead itself. . . |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:54 am Post #13 |
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"...Alright," Shan said to Aiden's retreating back. He felt somewhat annoyed. Granted, we don't have any ideas, but he could at least let us respond, said his inner critic. Hey, golems ahead, his common sense said, drawing him back to the present. Best to deal with those first. Do golems even have ears? his curiosity wondered as Shan set bow to violin again, the familiar weight and tension focusing his mind like a beloved poem. Well, they heard the dragon shout, his arcane knowledge said. They're servants, so they must have some means to hear orders. Hypothetically, if they can hear it, they can be affected by it. Now, let's put that hypothesis to the test. Shan played, weaving his Mesmerizing enchantment into the melody and aiming it at the golems. It didn't seem to quite work as well as on living subjects. They didn't move forward, however, as the fascination aspect of the music took hold. They milled about uncertainly, trying to follow orders and simultaneously... "Stay still," Shan ordered. ...trying to obey the funny thin man before them playing the nice song. Behind him, Shan could hear the clatter or armor feet approach and stop. One set continued slowly forward until it was just behind him. "Lad," said the voice of Captain Viccars. "I'm not sure exactly what we're suppose to be here for if you're able to command them so." A few of the golems, pushed from behind by those not able to hear the melody, came closer to the head of the bridge. Several others took a few more steps before Shan ordered them still again. "I didn't know if this would work, Captain, and there's a chance it'll stop working at any moment. I have a powerful friend who has a plan to take down the bridge, and the mages have their own solution. If you could stop any golems that do manage to cross..." "Aye, lad. We can take one or two of those things at a time. But...you say you have a friend that's going to bring down the bridge? Is that even possible?" That's a good question, his curiosity said. Shan had to smile. "I honestly don't know, Captain," Shan said aloud. "I would like to find out, however." |
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| swordhunter | Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:20 pm Post #14 |
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Aiden sprinted away, leaving Shan and any potential opposition behind rather quickly. The elf felt guilty for not at least giving the young man some forewarning...but he felt rather determined to do this, whether or not he had any support. Rather silly thought, though...he offered me soup, after all. He probably wouldn't have refused regardless, no? More importantly, do you actually have a plan here, elf? Of course not, Eladrin, the elf replied with a grin, This is 'make it up as you go along' time for the both of us. I thought you knew that. Aiden could just picture the exasperated sigh of the celestial as he continued forward. There was a plan, of course, though the elf wasn't quite sure about it's level of success...much less what would happen after. But that thought was thrown to the wind as Aiden changed his trajectory, running along the waterline as he closed the distance to the bridgehead. Quite impressively, the golems which had already crossed the bridge were slowly stopping in their tracks as the sound of violin music drifted through the frigid air. Aiden noted that the golems still crossing onto the shore hadn't stopped yet, perhaps suggesting the limits of Shan's spell. "Useful," Aiden thought, heading directly towards the bridgehead. As he ran, he began an incantation, taking it very slowly and gathering as much magic and control as he possibly could. He ducked between the golems under Shan's control as he counted down the distance to his preferred spot in his head. Seven meters. Aiden raised his Lan blade, not watching as the edges of the sword began to gleam with magical energy. Five. The sword burst into flame almost spontaneously as the fire magic Aiden was molding became too much for the metal to contain on its own. Three. The air was now humming with energy and started to shimmer a bit as the temperature rose dramatically, a fact that even the golems seemed to register as Aiden's eyes glowed a bright red. One. Aiden leapt into the air, raising his sword above his head with a powerful shout. "Tandrae ceji!" The elf thrust the blade into the icy ground as he landed. Simultaneously, a powerful cracking sound filled the air as a hairline fissure branched through the ice. The fissure radiated on both sides of the elf, making its way until it reached the waterline before slowly expanding. Aiden watched with satisfaction as the thick, icy supports for the bridge cracked under increased duress. The ground started to shake as Aiden extracted his blade as quickly as he could before running back through the mass of golems at top speed. Suddenly, a powerful his filled the air as the fissure expanded more rapidly, ice and still golems falling into its expanding maw. Steam launched upwards as a sudden burst of magma shot forth, arching into the air before landing among the golems...and the still sprinting elf. Aiden hissed as the lava came dangerously close, coating an icy golem in fiery hot magma just feet away. Then the elf broke from the pack of golems, still running as fast as possible, but now there was little between him and Shan but open ground...and a gathering number of soldiers. "Hope they don't mind a transformed harbor," Aiden muttered as he ran ahead, not bothering to watch as his spell cut through the ice, creating a newly minted chasm across the bridgehead of the floating castle...and cracking the supports of the bridge spanning the distance. As magma continued to shoot into the air, landing with a hiss on the snowy expanse and the water of the harbor, the bridge sent up a loud crack as it finally gave way, roughly five feet of the expanse crashing into the water as its heavy load broke what strength remained in the supports. . . . |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:19 pm Post #15 |
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Shan scuttled backward as the gout of magma gushed upward, smashing the bridge apart and melting any ice golems unlucky enough to be covered by the melted rocks. It was making a mess of everything, really, but Shan wasn't about to complain. The bridge was now impassible, and most of the golem forces were now becoming mere puddles of wet armor. "He did it!" one of the guards behind him shouted. There were more cheers as the captain sighed. "Don't know how I'm going to explain all this to my superiors," he said. "Hope they don't mind the harbor being redesigned. At least I can say it was a rogue adventurer. That'll help out. Bit less paperwork." "At least that attack failed," Shan said, hoping Aiden didn't fall to his own attack. He was really going easy on you in the tournament, eh? his second thoughts said. Still confused on how you won. ~~~~~ Far above, the white dragon's eyes narrowed. The small display of force had been thwarted, as it assumed it would. It was heartening to see the people below panic and run about, and how the defenses were rounded so slowly. However, now the bridge was destroyed, most of the golems shattered or melted, and it was all caused by two individuals. Two! It was shocked at the ridiculousness of it all. It would be best, the dragon decided, to end these two now before any serious assaults were attempted. It would have been pleased to simply crush them now, but a magical missive from its mistress gave it different orders. It seemed she wanted to play with them. It made no difference to the dragon. Either way, the two wouldn't be around to thwart future plans. On wings far more silent than their size suggested they should be, the dragon angled its flight downward, speeding up as it dove. As easily as plucking a flower, the dragon grabbed the two in its massive claws, first the warrior mage and then the musician. It's wings snapped open and turned it's downward swoop into a climb, circling back toward the castle and depositing the two into a high garden near the center of the castle, the flora and fixtures carved from delicate ice that never melted. Its task done, the dragon returned to its duties. They were now in the White Queen's domain. They'd not trouble it again. ~~~~~~ Shan only had time to gape as the dragon came out of seemingly nowhere, snatching up Aiden before flying further at an impossible velocity and grabbing him as well. His violin tumbled out of his startled grip, falling into the boiling harbor below. His stomach roiled as the dragon flew ever higher, and he shut his eyes at the sight of the world below growing smaller. He's going to drop us! his paranoia panicked as the flight continued. We're gonna die we're gonna die we're gonna splat and die... He almost passed out as the dragon did release its grip and Shan fell, but the fall was far short of terminal. He rolled on the cold ground, hearing ice crunch under him, but refused to open his eyes again until he came to a stop. He looked about, amazed. They seemed to be in the fortress, if the surrounding turrets and towers were any indicator. Closer at hand was a beautiful outdoor garden. There were no living plants, however. Every flower, every bush, every leaf and tree were the whitish blue of ice. Even the grass that crinkled and broke underfoot were masterly crafted blades of ice. Shan inspected one. It even had the veins and contours of grass. "So, um, Aiden? Are you okay?" Shan asked. "And do you think you can fly us out of here before someone official looking shows up?" |
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2:46 PM Jul 11

