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dinranwen
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 Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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A note is carried to by a young city of urchin of If. He will tell nothing of the person who gave it him, curious, you read the note. It reads,
I abouselty love this story. It is probably the best I've read for a long time, a very long time indeed.
Personally, I'm with DukeReg in fact if I been here early I would probably suggested as much myself.
I agree that the prophecy might very well have double meanings at that while the darkness, the earth, and the sea may mean different things, I personally hold that the Darknesss is Persivian, the earth is Minaar, and the sea is Jud'ami.
Although I have no clue what the prophecy will work out as, I agree with the others reasonings so far. As for the immiadete decision in front of us, I think the trio should find as much as possible about this Shadow King and his name. Perhaps his name appears in record books or something.
Something else to consider is that the Shadow King's name may be more than that, although I wouldn't know since it look like gibourous to me. It's obviously a foreign name, so look it up in the libaries. Find out what foreign language the name is from, where people speak that language, and what the name means in that language.
Although this research may not lead to much, it is at least a place to start.
Looking devotedly for more of this most interesting story.
Until another time perhaps,
I am ever,
The signature at the bottom reads, as follows.
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm amazed at the interpretation, and shocked that I didn't even consider it a possibility. However, if the vision does relate to Persivian, Minaar and Judami, I'm afraid it's not telling us anything. It's saying Persivian is blind (that's pretty well understood), Minaar is a guide (I should hope she intends to help us), and Judami can't help us when the going gets tough. That doesn't give us direction since we have every intention of using the help we have, and if Judami can't help anymore there's nothing we can do about it.
If the wind is an entity, then it would probably be Guia, and if she lives I should expect she knows a lot that others do not where she is. If the vision only tells us that she lives the vision is a useful and good one. But with so much speculation, I can't feel very comforted.
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DukeReg
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Lebrenth wrote: | | However, if the vision does relate to Persivian, Minaar and Judami, I'm afraid it's not telling us anything. |
Good point. Its one thing to come up with these theories, but a course of action is needed before we can test them.
If I remember correctly, the estate of the man they want to investigate is near the coast. That seems to be the place to go. It also ties in with some interpretations of the riddle.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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You guys are great. I'll keep your ideas in mind...
But I think since a lot of people have expressed their thoughts about the riddle, I'll give you (part of) the real solution so you can formulate a plan. You were right on the money with the people idea - Persivian is darkness, Minaar is the deep earth, Jud'ami is the sea. (It's a reference to the kind of magicks they use.) Remember, Jud'ami is a sailor, and uses magic of wind and water, which in my mind are the main elements of the sea. So the the next part... | Quote: | | The waves uncover many things, and the wind can hear what others do not |
is about Jud'ami as well. What you have to decide is what that means. In what role did Devanta see Jud'ami acting in, if he cannot follow his friends? What kind of person deals with secrets, with uncovering and listening?
That's all the clue I'll give you for that. So go on and make plans, I'll be waiting to see where you send our companions next.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
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Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
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| Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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...Two weeks. Has everyone forgotten me? I feel directionless and lost! Help!
If you have any new ideas, please post them. If not (or if you just don't care anymore) I'll wing the next chapter, and have them research the Shadow King's name to see where he's from and what his history is, if possible.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
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Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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Come on now, you know I'm keeping up. I don't have anything to add to the story though. The vision wasn't very helpful to me. I'd like to get moving to Elberron. Perhaps more research would be useful... but I don't expect much can be found about the elusive shadow king. Maybe we'll get lucky and meet someone who knows about this guy. In the meantime, let's try to find the footprints of the enigma and see if we can sniff up some clues.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:40 am Post subject: |
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The open-ended vision interpretation was a nice interlude, but I think its time has passed now.
I think its time to give us a single, specific question to answer, or put up a poll for where to go next.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I think you're right DukeReg. No more riddles; I want to write the next chapter soon.
I'm putting a poll up, with four options:
1) Research the name Kreysk dom Sella and try to discover what country it comes from, if it's mentioned in any records, etc.
2) Take no immediate action on the riddle; instead travel straight to Elberron and question Baden Criado.
3) As tunnels were in Devanta's first vision, and possibly alluded to in her second, search for any hidden tunnels or caves, around the harbor or near the Golden Star, the palace, or wherever.
4) Both 1 and 3 - the more info the better.
I'm sorry. I realize now I should have just put a poll up sooner, and that it's difficult to make a suggestion with so little information. I'm more used to writing linear stories, and I forgot that I can't just let information be shown in its own time in the story when that information is necessary for the reader to make a decision.
To that effect, here's what Devanta meant about | Quote: | | The waves uncover many things, and the wind can hear what others do not. |
She is describing a spy, basically; someone who can investigate, research, and listen where others might not necessarily be able to.
Anyway, happy voting, and I'll start on the new chapter soon.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:26 am Post subject: |
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Normally I like to arm myself with knowledge before going into a situation, but I think I'm too eager for revenge, honestly. I voted for travel. Maybe we can have someone research for us and send us word of their findings.
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| Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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Holy cow! I didn't realize it had been so long since the last chapter. Stupid school...keeping me from what's actually important.
Well, I'm proofreading the next chapter now, so it'll be up in a few minutes. Not the best chapter, but I really can't wait any longer.
By the way, the third chapter of Dreamwalker has been posted, and the story's been moved to Skiffyville, in case you didn't know.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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| Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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The three companions stood silently for several long moments, each considering the vision Devanta had presented them with. Then Jud’ami murmured, “I think what she saw was about us. The deep earth, the darkness, and the sea…our magic is tied to those elements.”
“I agree,” Persivian replied. “I am the darkness, you the sea…and Minaar the deep earth.”
“But if that is true, what is the next part?” Minaar broke in. “If you are to search, and I am to guide, why can Jud’ami not follow?”
Persivian began to pace, his feet splashing in the water and soaking the hem of his robes. “It couldn’t be…”
“What is it?” Jud’ami asked in concern.
“I just thought…if she says you can’t follow, does that mean…” the wizard was unable to continue his thought.
“No,” Minaar interrupted fiercely. “You can’t think like that, Persivian.”
“It is a valid concern though,” Jud’ami pointed out, his voice laden with melancholy. “So much death has come already.” When Minaar turned her incredulous gaze on him, the sailor continued, “But I don’t think that’s what it means. There is the second part of the prophecy to consider.”
“The waves uncover many things, and the wind can hear what others do not,” Persivian recited. “Your magic is of wind and water – perhaps she still speaks of you!”
Jud’ami nodded. “That makes sense. If she does, then maybe I still would have a job to do here, so I can’t accompany you on your quest.”
“What sort of job?” Jud’ami only shrugged.
Tapping her chin in thought, Minaar said slowly, “In her first vision, Devanta mentions seeing icy tunnels. Then in the second part she speaks of darkness, earth, and sea…what if she spoke of a place? What if there’s some sort of cave we need to find, that will lead us forward?”
Persivian appraised the girl with a slight smile on his face. “I hadn’t even considered such a possibility, but it does make sense. Often prophecies have double meanings.”
“So perhaps Devanta’s vision was meant both to identify, and to guide.” Jud’ami sighed and rubbed his temples. “Why must they all speak in riddles?”
“Well, we don’t have to figure it all out now,” Persivian said. “We have some time to think about it. Right now, I think we ought to find out more about the Shadow King, if we can.”
The others agreed, and made one final check to make sure the room was as they had entered it, and that Devanta’s body was still laid out as well as it could be. It felt almost wrong to leave her there, all alone, but a colder part of Persivian’s mind knew that it didn’t really matter whether someone was there or not. It was not Devanta lying on the cot, only the shell of her. So they left the seer’s quarters and came back upstairs.
It was early morning by now; a handful of very early risers traversed the entry hall of the academy building, yawning in the gray predawn light as they tried to work in some studying. Everyone seemed tired – the mourning bell did not allow for a good night’s sleep. It occurred to Persivian that the bell would toll all tomorrow night too.
As they emerged from the door, damp, bedraggled, grieving and bloody, people turned to stare. Upon seeing Persivian, who they knew had been a friend of the Matron Seer, with teary tracks running down his face and blood on his hands, they began to murmur fearfully. One wizard, an older woman who worked as a kind of manager for the Academy, approached the trio with worry in her eyes. “What has happened?” she whispered urgently, looking between their faces with thinly veiled fear.
“Devanta,” Persivian replied, equally quiet.
The woman gasped. “No – not the Matron Seer! Was it an accident?”
Jud’ami shook his head. Taking the smallest step back, the woman whispered, “Not like Lehrar?”
Persivian hesitated, then said, “We believe the…” he shrank from saying murderer, “the culprit is the same.” The wizard heard the woman’s small noise of grief and horror, and told her quickly, “Please, have someone go down, to take care of her properly. She laid herself already, but I…she needs to be properly cared for. And please, be discreet.”
The other wizard nodded. “Of course,” she promised. “Did you say she laid herself out?” When the companions nodded, she sighed and said, “She must have seen it…the poor girl. Have you gotten any closer to finding the bastard who’s done all this?”
“Yes, but we can’t say more about it,” Jud’ami told her. “Please, take care of the seer.” The woman nodded and hurried off, talking to an assistant in a low voice. Both of them hurried on their way, and the companions continued on theirs.
The librarian halted them at the door. “You two may enter,” he said to Jud’ami and Minaar, “but I’ll not have your bloody hands near my books!”
Both Jud’ami and Minaar turned around, and saw the wizard’s cuts for the first time. “Persivian!” Minaar exclaimed. “How did you do that?”
“I tripped in Devanta’s room,” he explained as Minaar examined his palms, tutting to herself. “I caught myself on the basin.”
“You tripped?” repeated Jud’ami, frowning with concern. Persivian never tripped. Casting his eyes downward, the blind man didn’t answer. With a sigh, the sailor leaned over and examined his friend’s hands as well. “You’ll need to have them cleaned,” he said.
“I can do it,” Minaar told them. “I can heal them up some too.”
Persivian sighed, abhorring the delay. “We’ll join you as soon as she’s done,” he told Jud’ami, who nodded and continued into the library on his own.
“If you can take me to the nearest first aid office I can wash and bandage them properly,” Minaar said, so the wizard let them down the halls until they came to a small and presently unoccupied room, smelling of soap, and quite chill. A water pump was in the back corner, and a cabinet by the door held linen bandages, healing creams, and a variety of other healer’s apparatus. The main healing ward was in another building in the Academy complex, but the girl announced this would suit her needs and set about her business, beginning by scrubbing Persivian’s hands to remove the blood and clean the lacerations. The wizard winced as the pain returned to the wounds – he had forgotten them before, but now they stung from Minaar’s thorough ministrations.
Finally she finished, and Persivian sighed with relief as she set the soap down and placed his hands under the soothing water. Once his hands were rinsed and toweled off, Minaar rummaged in a pouch and pulled out one of her stones. “It’s the emerald,” she informed him, and Persivian felt its glowing aura as she rubbed it between her palms. “It won’t close the wounds completely, but it’ll speed the process along quite a bit.” The girl hesitated a moment, as if pondering how to go about her business, before folding the gem between Persivian’s palms and enclosing his hands in her own. The wizard’s pain faded for a moment, forgotten as he concentrated his mind instead on the smoothness of the gem within his hands, and the softness of Minaar’s skin surrounding them. Then Minaar hummed a low note, and concentrated. The soft aura of the emerald spread outwards and caressed his palms, warming them and causing the most curious sensation as the skin began to heal.
After a moment the glow waned, and Persivian felt the power of the green stone cut off. Gently Minaar opened his hand up again and washed the gem off before placing it back in its pouch. Then she examined his palms. “How do they look?” Persivian asked, as her thumbs traced across the cuts.
“Well enough,” she replied, sitting back and releasing her hold on him. “How do they feel?”
Clenching them slowly, he said, “Well, they don’t hurt as much. They itch some though.”
“That’s fine then,” Minaar said. “The should close up the rest of the way very quickly now. If you’re lucky they won’t even scar.”
Persivian shrugged; he had his share of scars already, and a few more wouldn’t hurt. “Why the hum?” he asked her as she prepared the bandages.
“It helps me concentrate sometimes,” she answered. “All right, let me finish and then we can get back to Jud’ami.”
As Persivian held out his hands again, a draft of air stirred his hair, and he knew the door had been opened. A moment later he caught the familiar scent of the ocean, and turned around. “Jud’ami,” he said. “Who have you brought?”
“A messenger,” the sailor replied, gently pushing a young student to stand in front of him. “He found me first, and I followed him to you.”
“Well, go ahead boy,” Persivian prompted.
The student looked a little flustered at having all three adults watching him so closely, but he said with only the slightest stutter, “Mistress Bodes sent me,” he began.
“Kuria Bodes?” Minaar interrupted, sounding startled.
“Aye, m’am,” said the student. “She bid me tell you that when you are able, you might pay her a short visit. She says she has some information that might be helpful to you.”
“Is that all?” Persivian asked.
The boy replied, “It is, sir.”
“All right then, thank you,” the wizard said. The student bowed to the three and left the room.
Turning to Minaar, Jud’ami asked, “Isn’t that the name you gave to the truthsayers?”
“It is,” she said. “She’s one of Oculdo’s friends. They work together sometimes, and she’s one of the ones assigned to investigate the old Emperor’s death.”
“I see. What do you think of this then?”
Shrugging, the girl replied, “It just surprised me that she would contact us tonight. I thought the interrogation would take longer.”
“Perhaps the truthsayers contacted her before they began questioning Verrad?” Persivian wondered.
“I don’t think they would do that. It doesn’t make sense for them to talk to her without knowing something,” Jud’ami answered. “I’m not sure about this…do you think we can trust her?”
“Absolutely,” Minaar answered. “If she contacted us now, there must be a reason.”
Persivian didn’t have to see Jud’ami to know what he was thinking, because he shared the same thoughts. They had trusted Borgen as well, but now he was suspect as traitor. So what to think of this new friend, and what priority did her information have? As Minaar finished bandaging his hands, Persivian wondered, How do we approach this now?
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:08 am Post subject: |
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Definitely visit Kuria Bodes. If she has pre-packaged information, we could use it. Anyway it would be rude to deny her request. Just be cautious and ready, as we should always be.
What about searching for secret passages or caves? Are we still doing that?
Keep it up Dragon_Fire. A lot of the veterans of IF have moved on but there's still readers, and the number of storygames has dropped so we could use your help!
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| Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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They should meet Kuria Bodes, but beware of trickery.
I must admit I was a little put off by the lack of research into the name Kreysk dom Sella and hidden passages. I guess that will come later.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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I'm so sorry! I was in such a desperate hurry to get something posted, it didn't occur to me that I forgot to include the last chapter's decision point.
Well, we still will research the names, and the hidden tunnels and such, I promise you that. It'll just be later than anticipated.  That can be part of the decision point for this chapter too - do you want to carry on with the research first, or go to Bodes? Do you want to split up again, or go together? What piece of information has the most priority right now?
I really am sorry about the last chapter. It was so lackluster anyway...I'll be very glad when we can actually get going on the quest. The Academy is fast becoming tedious.
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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I'm all right with skipping a random tunnel search when we have a clearer lead, and I would rather get someone else to do the research for us too.
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| Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:47 am Post subject: |
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Well Bodes is the clear priority at the moment. I think they should go together to meet her.
However, no matter what they hear from Bodes, they should research the name before they go running off into the countryside on any new tangents. There could be important information attached.
As for the tunnels... I don't think they are going anywhere, so they aren't a priority, but they should be looked into in good time.
I was mainly thinking that the latter things should be done eventually because it was the option that won the last poll. Its customary to include winning poll options in the story at some point  
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| Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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I was going to post a poll, but I don't think I will. Unless anyone objects, all three will go see Bodes while the librarian man researches tunnels for them, and after the meeting they will come back to research names. I don't know when I'll start the next chapter, hopefully soon though.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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| Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Greetings Dragon-fire, as usual I have found myself lurking all alone in the city with time on my hands.
So I wandered in here. Although it has been a long time since I have found time (or my one pair of unscratched glasses) to read or comment on this story.
I look forward to your next chapter, Dragon-fire, and hope that it will be just as intriguing and mystifing as the chapters that came before it.
Good luck and happy writing,
Dinranwen
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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I'm happy to say that DF has resurfaced, so I'm moving this one out of the vault and back into Fantasy.
Looking forward to the next chapter DFire. 
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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Freakin' finally! (that was directed towards myself, by the way - it's taken me so long to get back. But then you knew that.)
Anyway, here it is. And unfortunately, it's not even complete, though it's long enough to be. The next part will be much shorter, and we'll finally finish our research in the library. After that, it's up to your vote - though I suspect we'll (finally) be out of the Academy and on the road. I know i'm looking forward to it.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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The wizard made up his mind swiftly. “Let’s talk to her now,” he said. “We can ask the librarian to do the other research for us. Although, perhaps it’s best if we don’t throw the name around too much…”
“We can research that after we’ve talked to Bodes. But there should be no harm in someone else looking into tunnels or hidden passages for us.” Jud’ami said this slowly, as was his way, and Persivian nodded swiftly in agreement. A moment later, Minaar finished with his hands, and the wizard stood.
“All right, let’s go talk to Kuria Bodes.”
Jud’ami led the way as they first stopped at the library and asked for information about hidden tunnels and such to be gathered for them, and then left the building and went the western edge of the Academy, where some of the wizards not working as teachers lived. On the way Persivian asked about the woman they were going to see. He was a little surprised he hadn’t heard of her before, but then he hadn’t been at the Academy for years. Jud’ami hadn’t heard much more than Persivian; again not surprising, as much of the time he was at sea or other ports around the empire.
Minaar didn’t have much to tell them, other than that Bodes and her brother were very close, especially after the old Emperor’s death, and that he had trusted her with his life. Bodes (she preferred to be called by her last name) and Borgen had met during their schooling, and as both used light to work their magic, they worked as colleagues during the creation of the Star. After the murder of the Emperor, they were assigned to work together to gather information. Minaar had little idea what she may have to say, and though she assumed it would be about the Shadow King, there was no real way to know. Persivian only hoped she was right, and that this meeting would not be a waste of time.
Though, a waste of time would be better than a trap, and the wizard didn’t want one of those either.
Walking outside made Persivian realized just how long they’d spent delving into this mystery. Though the bell still tolled, it was very close to dawn – this much was clear by the chill air and stillness, spread like a blanket over the city. Soon the sun would rise. Persivian stifled a yawn and continued to follow his friends.
Jud’ami led them along the white graveled walkways, till they were almost upon the Academy’s western wall. From there Minaar directed them, until finally they stopped before a small cabin that she pronounced was Bodes’ home. A moment later she was proven correct, as the wizard herself emerged from the building.
“I didn’t expect you so soon,” she said, her tone both brisk and anxious. Swiftly she stepped aside, inviting them in. Though Minaar crossed the threshold with no hesitation, both Persivian and Jud’ami were far more wary, their senses alert for any sign that something was amiss. They found nothing, or at least, nothing that would harm them. Both, however, noticed the spells of protection laid thickly on the property, including the symbols carved into the inside of the door and the window frames. There were also auras of many spells designed to hide and disguise. Many of these spells were new, but others had been cast long ago, and together there were far more than seemed necessary. The last think Persivian wanted to deal with now was a paranoid informant, but perhaps he was being unfair. He had no idea what she had to say, so he remained quiet and stepped inside.
“At the risk of sounding rude, I’ll jump right to the point,” Bodes said as she snapped the door shut behind the companions. Persivian noted her short stature and upright manner, but she was curiously hard to study. The wizard saw why a moment later, when he felt yet another protective spell centered in a steel chain around her neck, designed to make her presence fade. A casual observer would hardly note her should he walk by, and it also cloaked her from magical discovery. An enemy would have a very difficult time tracking her down. It was obviously a powerful enchantment, if Persivian had trouble studying her while standing right next to her. He also noticed that the spell was almost brand-new.
Whatever it was she’d discovered, its danger to her was obvious.
As he realized all this, the conversation carried on. “You have something to tell us,” Jud’ami remarked.
“Two things,” she replied, before focusing her attention on Minaar, “though one will likely be more important to you than these gentlemen.”
Minaar leaned forward, eager anxiety in every motion. “About my brother?” she asked.
Bodes nodded. “Yes.”
“Are you planning on going somewhere?” Jud’ami inquired suddenly. Persivian extended his senses and a moment later noticed what Jud’ami had seen; in the next room, a trunk sat open, nearly full, with a cloak lying beside it.
“I am,” the woman replied, after a moment of nervous hesitation. “It doesn’t seem prudent to stay here any longer, after what I discovered.”
“And what would that be?” Persivian asked quietly.
Bodes waved her hand and led them to a small sitting room. As she walked, she began to speak. “My first discovery, as Minaar guessed, is about Borgen.” Looking back at the other woman, Bodes warned, “You’re not going to like it.”
Persivian didn’t need sight to notice Minaar’s glance. He is no traitor, it said, but the wizard had his doubts.
Bodes continued to speak. “You may not believe what I say, but I swear it is true.” She took a deep breath and said, “I’ll get right to it – your brother has unwittingly betrayed us.”
Minaar jerked her head up. “Unwittingly?” she breathed. She turned on Persivian and exclaimed, “I knew it! And you wizards were so keen to believe – ”
“We weren’t keen to believe anything,” Persivian replied, irritated by her accusations. She obviously had family loyalty to spare, but somehow it seemed to make him and Jud’ami the enemies.
Bodes must have been looking confused, because Jud’ami explained, “We also received information that Borgen Jortierra was a traitor, but we did not know whether it was intentional or not.”
“I see. Well, it was not, and through my sources I learned why.” She motioned for the companions to be seated before continuing her explanation. “For some time I’d been noticing a problem in the things Borgen discovered – some slight discrepancies between his information and that of others. There were also times where, if someone shared with him a possible lead, it would suddenly dry up. I didn’t discuss it with him, though. I thought it would be a bad idea. If he was a willing traitor, he would either deny it or silence me.”
“Did you actually believe him a traitor?” Minaar asked incredulously. “Surely you more that anyone would not!”
“No, I did not believe it,” Bodes replied curtly. “I felt that I would surely know my partner better than that.”
“Partner?”
The woman turned her eyes to Jud’ami and unabashedly replied, “He is my lover.” Then she continued, “I also knew that my instincts could be trusted, and what I had seen was the greatest of coincidences if I was wrong. If Borgen was being used by the enemy, as I suspected, then he’d want me to find how without alerting him or the enemy to my suspicions. So for a long time I watched and investigated, but didn’t find anything.
“And then last night, I came to the answer. It hit me suddenly, unexpectedly, on the back of a different revelation. There are many ways to cast a spell on someone without their permission, or even knowledge, but few ways to do so without having to ever see that person face to face. I watched Borgen well. He never met anyone, physically or magically. So I knew, if the person was far away, the most effective and least suspicious way to use an innocent as a spy would be to bug them somehow, with a long range spell or a spelled item. I’d considered these things already, but disregarded them. Such a long-range spell would be very difficult to maintain. As for an item…we had already decided, those of us who’ve been involved in the investigation, that no one could accept gifts or items from others, for fear of just this sort of thing happening. I believed that he would never violate that rule.
“But last night I discovered something else, and I was…well, I suppose I panicked. I ran to Borgen, though I knew it was not wise. But perhaps it’s good I did.
“I ran to his home, and my fears increased tenfold when I saw signs of a break-in and felt the magical auras of the attack. I went into the center room and found the aura of the portal, and many other spells. I could almost taste the magic residue. And it was there I found this.” Bodes held up an object then, a glass sphere about six inches across. It had a powerful spell laid on it, to cancel and block spells. At first Persivian was confused, until he realized that the object she had found was not the sphere, but something inside it. The spell on the glass blocked his senses of what lay inside.
“What is it?” he asked.
“It is a locket,” Jud’ami answered, “a locket in the shape of a leaf.”
“I found it on the floor, beside the table. I assumed it had fallen off before he could put it on again. At first I didn’t understand, but as soon as I opened it I knew that this was the cause of his betrayal.” Here the woman paused; in pain or remorse, Persivian couldn’t tell.
“How did you know?” he prompted.
“Because it was me,” was Bodes’ murmured reply. “On one side was a portrait of the two of us, and on the other an inscription, from me to him.” She shook her head, and said, “I never gave him that locket. I’d never seen it before. And I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t mention it to me, if he thought it was a gift. So I searched for an explanation.
“It didn’t take as long as you might have expected. I know Borgen, and I had ideas about what he would consider ideal hiding places. Soon I was able to find a box, filled with letters and notes from – well, everyone.”
Minaar snorted a little and remarked, “He always was a packrat.”
“Yes, well, that habit served me well. I found a tiny scroll inside the box, again written as though from me. It told Borgen that the locket was spelled to protect him from harm. It begged him to wear it always, to break our rule just this once, for his own good and my peace of mind. The locket was a symbol of my love for him, and if he wore it he’d be safe. The letter also instructed that he not show or mention it to anyone, even me, because it would be confiscated if someone knew about it.” Raising her eyes to theirs, Bodes remarked with bitterness, “He never would have broken the rules for anyone else, but the letter was from me, he thought – even the handwriting was mine. He accepted the locket and followed the letter’s directions, hiding it from me all this time.”
“In your writing?” Minaar repeated. “But you didn’t write it.”
“No,” the other woman agreed. “But I examined the letter very closely, and the locket before I put it in the globe. At first I couldn’t find anything on the letter, and only the aura of a protective spell on the locket. But I kept at it, and finally discovered spells on both ‘gifts’.
“On the scroll was a spell of illusion, masking the writer’s actual handwriting with mine. On the locket, as you’ve probably guessed, was the spying spell that allowed our enemy to see and hear everything Borgen did. Into both of those spells was woven another that masked their auras so well, I’m a little surprised I found them at all. These objects turned him a traitor against his will, because of his love for me.” Bodes stopped speaking with her head down and fists clenched.
Though Persivian knew time was short, he could not withhold a few words of comfort for the woman before him. “It is a terrible thing when love and trust can be used to force betrayal,” he said slowly. “When it happens, I do not think any blame can be given.”
Cloth rustled as Bodes sat up straighter, and Persivian felt her small smile. “Thank you,” she said, but her voice was heavy all the same.
“Actually, I want to thank you,” Minaar told her. When Bodes looked at her in confusion, the girl added, “Without your story, I could never have completely trusted his innocence.” Her voice now cast to Persivian, she said, “There would always have been a small doubt.”
Well, it’s not the best apology I’ve ever heard, Persivian thought to himself. But it’s better than none.
“You said you learned this information because of a different revelation,” Jud’ami said, his deep voice quickly bringing them back on track.
Bodes stood and began to pace. “Yes, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get to it. It’s far more important.” The wizard forced herself to stop and take a deep breath before saying, “I know the Shadow King’s plan against us.”
Persivian’s heart gave a jolt as he straightened in his seat, and Jud’ami repeated, “You know his plan? How?”
She shook her head. “I cannot say, even to you. I know you’re all friends of the Empire, but I cannot compromise my sources. But I did discover it, and I’ll share it with you.
“As I’m sure you knew, or at least guessed, the Golden Star was created using natural metals and gems, enhanced to amplify their magical properties. It is a process still taught in the Academy, but never used on such a large scale till now.
“But what isn’t taught is that there is another process, that works almost as the opposite of the first. It is more difficult, and far more dangerous, because the results could only be used with malice – no good can come from them. With this process, the inner properties of natural materials can be warped, twisted – and reversed. Instead of working against negative forces, they would accentuate them. Do you understand?”
Minaar spoke, “So if this process had been done on, say, an emerald, instead of healing – ”
“It would channel pain and illness into the patient, not out of them,” Bodes finished. “You see why this process is kept hidden? Whoever mastered it could become a walking curse, spreading pain, weakening the minds and souls of others, using objects that were meant by God to help, not harm!” Bodes’ voice, a moment before so loud and agitated, dropped to a low murmur. “Do you not see his plan? Do you still not guess it?”
As Persivian stared blindly forward, utterly still, he felt as though a hand of iron was squeezing his heart. Its touch was cold as he considered the implication of what Bodes had revealed. “Surely,” he said, “surely he could not…” But he was unable to finish.
“He could, though,” the light wizard replied. “He could, and he will.”
“He must have learned the process from spies,” Jud’ami mused. “Over the last year he would have worked to perfect the technique.” The sailor sighed and rubbed his temples, eyes closed in weariness. Then he said, “So, he is going to use this ability to distort natural properties to create a…mutant Golden Star. For what purpose?”
“What we always suspected,” Bodes replied. “To destroy the Empire. He will enslave us with the power of his dark creation. He hates the Emperor,” she said, raising her head to look at them intently. “I don’t know why. But his passion against us runs deep.”
Jud’ami shook his head and leaned forward. “I don’t see how this could work,” he protested. “This Shadow King may be able to make such a creation, but it wouldn’t have anywhere near enough range to affect the entire Empire. Even the Golden Star only magically affects people who are near to it.”
Bodes frowned and began to reply, but Persivian interrupted. “I think Minaar can tell us about that,” he said, before focusing his gaze upon her in an uncanny way that belied his blindness. “You knew about this plan, didn’t you?” he said quietly. “Or at least, you suspected something.”
“We did,” the girl replied, seeming very small in Persivian’s senses. Conscious of the stares leveled her way, Minaar exclaimed, “But not all of what you’ve said, I swear!”
“So what did you know?” Bodes demanded. “And for God’s sake, why didn’t Borgen tell me?”
Minaar veritably leapt to her feet, retracing Bodes’ earlier path with her pacing. “We didn’t knew enough,” she replied. “Borgen found out that the enemy planned to use the warped power of gems to carry out some plan, but we didn’t know what the plan was. We really couldn’t even be sure about what he discovered – there wasn’t enough evidence for the theory to be held up.”
“But you did believe that warped gems and such would be a part of his plots?” Jud’ami said, watching her agitated movements.
“Yes,” she agreed.
“What did you think he would do?” Persivian asked curiously.
“We could only guess. Anyway, it’s irrelevant now, isn’t it?”
“That is true,” Persivian conceded. “But that’s not everything you need to share.” His mind was pulling up a memory, from back in Borgen’s house. That’s where I come in, the girl had said. Then, they had been interrupted; afterward, it had been forgotten. Now, the time was ripe for the telling.
His companions were watching him, waiting for him to continue. The wizard did not disappoint them, and asked bluntly, “Earlier tonight, you started to tell us why you were being hunted. You never finished.”
Minaar stopped pacing, but did not sit down. Persivian could almost see her, standing with her arms crossed as if to protect herself from something, biting her lip, her eyes staring far away. “Perhaps it’s better,” she finally said. “I didn’t trust you fully then, despite what I told my brother.
“I am not a wizard, but I have magic, and power. You saw it earlier,” she said to the two men. There was no need to ask what she spoke of. Both of them vividly remembered the explosive anger she displayed before, though perhaps volcanic would be a better description. Minaar continued, “While I cannot control my power, someone else could use it, if he was strong enough himself. By all the accounts we’ve heard, the Shadow King is strong enough. That’s why he’s been looking for me. His plan is to warp the natural properties of gems, materials from the earth. My magic is from the earth, and my power could…”
When she hesitated, Persivian finished her sentence, with her brother’s words. “You could bring his plan into fruition.”
“Yes.”
“How?” Jud’ami demanded. “The Golden Star was made without your aid. How can you make a difference with this one?”
“He can make his own creation without my power, but it will have no more affect than the Golden Star. But for its effects to reach the entire Empire, the Shadow King needs far more power than even he has. He believes mine would suffice.”
“You don’t have the ability to make that kind of effect,” Bodes scoffed. “You can’t have that much magic in you.”
Persivian felt Jud’ami’s glance, knew what he was thinking, and agreed wholeheartedly. Minaar could easily hold deep wells of untamed power within her. Whether or not it was enough to create the kind of effect the Shadow King desired, he didn’t know. But at this point, nothing was impossible.
Bodes saw the expressions on her three visitors and shook her head. “I don’t believe it,” she said, but despite her words, her tone was less sure. “Not wholly, at least. Such an immense amount of power cannot come from only one person.”
“Maybe not,” Minaar said, sinking into her seat again. “Maybe not.”
For a moment the four sat together in silence. Then Persivian felt warmth on his face as the sun rose, shining through the window. The night was finally over, and it felt like the longest in the wizard’s life. He wondered briefly how many such nights lay ahead, before rising to his feet.
“We cannot linger here,” he said. “Even now, time presses.”
“You’re right,” Bodes said. “I also must leave soon.”
“Where will you go?” Minaar asked curiously – and a trifle accusingly, Persivian thought.
“It wouldn’t do to tell you that,” the other woman answered with a smile. “Defeats the purpose of leaving at all. Suffice it to say that I will not be far, and that I will continue the search. I’m not running away, you know,” she said. “Just retreating to a safer place. Too many people know I live here, and too many people have been hurt or killed for knowing too much.”
“There is a truthsayer interrogating Verrad in the Prison Keep,” Jud’ami told her, “and we’ve asked him to contact you should any further information be found.”
“Give me his name and I’ll tell him how to contact me.” The sailor did as Bodes asked, as she escorted them to the door. “Good luck in your quest,” she told the companions.
“And in yours,” Persivian replied. The door shut with a click, and he turned away.
“Where to now?” Minaar asked as he strode down the path.
“Back to the library, I assume?” said Jud’ami.
The blind man nodded. “I think it’s time to find out about this name we’ve been given, and to see what the librarian has found for us.”
“And then?” prompted the girl.
Persivian closed his eyes and breathed in the morning air. “Then our journey really begins.”
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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Wow...that was long.
If you're still awake, I'd like you to consider what to name part two of this story, which will emerge in a new thread in the new storygames forum after the completion of the next chapter, chapter nineteen. I know, another lame dp, but it's the best I can do at the moment.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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Chinaren
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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Nice chapter DF, as always.
Next chapter title eh? Well, 'Hunt for the Shadow King' is a bit obvious. Maybe, The Shadow of the King. Meh. In the Shade of the Shadow King. Mmmm, not much better.
I will kick my brains into action.
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Kalanna Rai
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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WOOT! D-Fire is back!
I F5 China and 'Hunt for the Shadow King'.
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Well, the orginal was called Uncertain Quest so how about a play off that?
Such as Shadow Quest....
Or Imperialed/Dangerous Quest?
*muses* Healing Quest....or Certain Quest.
Or perhaps something using the prophecy from earlier?
Perhaps...."I see three"?
Or "The Darkness Searches"....
Or the "The Darkest Quest",
Or even "Devanta's Vision" in her honor?
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Lebrenth
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:37 am Post subject: |
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Oh... I suppose I should have looked in here before commenting in Dreamwalker....
WELL
Welcome back Dragon Fire! Looks like you picked up where you left off quite nicely. As for a name for the next part.... hmm... How about "Visions of Shadow"
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dinranwen
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Ow I like Leb's Idea...I take away my ideas to f5 Leb's.
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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K, putting up a poll for the title, and working on the next chapter. Don't expect any miracles though - it won't be up sooner than a week, I'm sure. Sorry 
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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The companions were greeted by a highly animated librarian as they reentered the massive room. “I never knew,” he was saying, “I had no idea, but I found it, I did!”
“Found what?” Persivian asked with no small amount of confusion, but the man only ushered them along to the desk. Several books lay open, their covers preventing a faded old scroll from rolling in on itself. He gestured to it.
“Never expected to find this here.”
To Persivian it was nothing more than an old parchment, soft with age. But to Jud’ami and Minaar, it was an extensive and highly detailed map of the city and the surrounding area, but from a rather different perspective than was usually seen.
“This is all underground,” Minaar breathed, her hair swinging forward as she bent over the map.
“Are these natural tunnels?” asked the sailor, mimicking her action.
“Some of them,” the librarian replied. “Others, like these, were excavated, and some were made magically.” He traced a few of the paths, his finger rasping against the scroll.
“There is an entire tunnel system beneath us?” Persivian asked, trying not to be frustrated by the lack of explanations.
Jud’ami nodded, saying, “They connect natural caverns and caves, coming up all around the city and at some points within the walls, mostly near the palace and harbor. And you knew nothing of this?” he asked the librarian.
The man shook his head. “I have never heard of it, but this is not unusual considering it was in a special access section of the library. I can see why it was hidden.” So could Persivian. Such entrances to the city could be supremely helpful, or extremely dangerous.
“What about this one?” Minaar asked, tapping the map lightly. There was a tone of intense but concealed interest in her voice that the wizard did not miss.
“From what I see in these books,” he replied, gesturing to the tomes before them, “that one appears to be magically made, and leads west, all the way out of the city.”
“Strange…it’s very similar to the road to the pass?”
“It lies in almost the same place. I believe it goes under the mountains, though I must keep researching – very close to finding it that’s true or not.”
“Icy tunnels,” Minaar murmured, drawing both her companions’ gazes. “Devanta said…” her voice trailed off as she studied the map again, but she had said enough to get Persivian thinking. What if this was what the seer had meant? It seemed so long since they had received Devanta’s vision, and he had not even thought of it till now. But suddenly it was becoming sharper…he began to pace.
Behind him, Jud’ami continued considering the map. “This tunnel that leads under the mountains…it connects to a cave in the cliffs, just east of the harbor.”
“Aye, it does,” the librarian agreed. “But I must keep searching if I am to determine where it leads…” Still muttering to himself, the old man began flipping through the pages of one of the books, searching rapidly but thoroughly.
“Persivian, what is it?” Minaar asked, watching his agitated movements.
“Never mind,” he replied, waving his hand without halting. “We’re not done here. Minaar, if you would assist the librarian and study these tunnels more…I believe we’re getting very close. Jud’ami, if you would search for the name?”
The sailor stepped close to Persivian, who paused in his step. “Is it the vision you’re thinking of?” he murmured quietly. When his friend nodded, Jud’ami stepped back satisfied. “We will keep searching,” he said, before returning to the library atlas to search for the name they had been given. Minaar watched with dark eyes, before turning back to the map once more. Persivian continued to pace.
I see three, she had said. The darkness searches, the deep earth guides, but the sea cannot follow. Was that them? He had thought so, still thought so…but there was more. I saw the ground rushing along beneath me as I flew towards the eastern coast, through the icy tunnels and away from the setting sun. Their way lay towards the east, through tunnels…the tunnel under the mountains Jud’ami had seen on the map? Its mouth lay at the cliffs above the harbor, a cavern of darkness, in the earth, near the sea, connected to a tunnel that led east beneath the mountains. Visions are meant to guide one’s path – had Devanta guided theirs?
But what of the waves, the wind? That had to refer to Jud’ami, who used both wind and water in his magicks. If he was to be left behind, this had to reveal the purpose. The waves uncover many things, and the wind can hear what others do not.
And then it clicked.
Once, years before, both Persivian and Jud’ami had been employed as the Emperor’s detectives, dealers of justice…and spies. Though Persivian had left that profession, Jud’ami still had occasion to do so; he traveled near constantly with his ship, with many opportunities to serve the Emperor in the meantime. Why could he not do it again? If the sailor were to stay behind, what could he discover? What was he meant to discover…
“Persivian!” The gentle voice of his wizard companion broke him out of his reverie. He crossed the library floor to his friend, expertly weaving between the tables.
“What is it, Jud’ami?” he asked.
“I believe I found some references to look at, but there are many.” The unspoken question being, are you ready to look, or must you think some more? Persivian simply nodded.
“Where are they at?”
While gathering the histories Jud’ami had found, Persivian considered how to best make his suggestion to his friend. He was almost certain that this was what Devanta had seen. Jud’ami had the connections and the skills to discover more answers to this mystery than would be possible if the companions continued in the search as a group. It made sense…but it also but the sailor in greater danger, especially considering what had happened to Lehrar, and almost happened to Borgen. What if…Persivian didn’t know if he could stand losing another friend.
But what was the alternative? For Jud’ami to go with them, of course. Persivian dearly wanted that; he had been away from any sort of close companions, save Guia, for a very long time. He would be with Minaar, true enough, but he barely knew her. Could he rely on her as he did on Jud’ami?
The wizard was forced to stop his brooding when Jud’ami floated them down to the library floor to peruse the books they had found. They found Minaar studying the map and a dust-covered tome with a creased brow, looking between them darkly. “What is it?” Persivian asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.
She started under his touch, but replied, “I was just seeing where this tunnel seems to lead, and where it came from.”
“What have you found? And where’s the librarian?”
“Getting another book,” she grimaced. “He seems very excited. But let’s discuss it when we’ve both found more, shall we?”
Jud’ami had already settled in a chair and was pouring over a large tome, so Persivian followed suit. He pulled the nearest book towards him, and cast his reading spell. It was entitled, A Recent History of the Malkeiado War, and seemed to have been printed not very long ago. Strange…how familiar Malkeiado sounds, he thought. Then he opened the cover and began to read. It did not take him long to realize both the reason behind the familiarity and the relationship to their quarry’s name. Unable to help himself, he began to laugh.
Both his companions looked at him with some concern, because there was no mirth in his voice, only scorn. A moment later they realized that Persivian aimed it at himself, as he pressed his forehead into his hand, “Idiot, idiot, foolish man,” slipping out between his chuckles.
“I take it you found something,” Jud’ami said dryly.
“Indeed,” he replied, trying to calm himself. “Forgive me, I just…I couldn’t help it,” he managed, before laughing again. The fit didn’t last long, however; he was not unaware of the expression on Minaar’s face that suggested she thought him slightly unstable. Taking deep breaths, he straightened up and began to explain.
“Several decades ago, many years before we were born, the empire came was attacked by a nation from across the eastern see, called Malkeiado. They were a proud people, the nation both large and strong, and they coveted our lands. Our late Emperor was only a young man, barely to his twenties I believe, when this occurred.”
“Ah yes, I remember from our studies,” Jud’ami murmured.
Minaar watched expectantly, so Persivian continued. “We may be small, but our empire is strong, far stronger than they anticipated. We fought them off…at a huge cost, life lost on both sides. But we persevered, and they fled, back to their home across the sea.”
“Fleets from the East…” Minaar muttered suddenly, and her eyes snapped up to Persivian’s face.
“It was not the future then,” said Jud’ami, “nor the present, that Devanta saw. She was seeing the past war?”
Persivian continued, “After the Malkeiadians returned home, largely crippled and sore from battle, they never troubled us again. They were still watched carefully, of course, as it was believed their aggression had not sunk with their defeat. Rather, their respect for us rose, even as their anger beat against us, and they did not attack again. But their pride had been wounded after being overcome by such a small nation, and they spurned the messengers our old Emperor, newly come to the title after his father fell in battle, sent them in hopes of peace. It was largely due to his prowess that the empire was able to survive the attack mostly intact,” the wizard then remarked.
“Especially notable, as he was younger then than his son, our current Emperor, is now.”
“Yes,” Persivian agreed. “He was an exceptional man.”
“How does this connect with the name, then?” asked Minaar. “And what was so funny about it?”
The corners of his lips turned up grimly as Persivian answered, “Because dom Sella is the family name of one of the generals of the Malkeiadian force, and Kreysk dom Sella was the son of that general.”
Minaar gaped at him, and Jud’ami picked up where Persivian had left off. “One large part of Academy education is the learning of history. We studied this war fairly extensively once; because it was so recent, and because its effects so dire. The Emperor did not want us getting complacent – he wanted us to remember that the strongest tower may shake, and even fall, as we nearly did.”
“I should have seen it!” Persivian exclaimed. “I should have remembered the surname at least, made the connection – it makes so many things much clearer.”
“As should have I,” agreed Jud’ami. “They fairly beat it into us, how could we not have made the connection?”
“I can think of several reasons,” Minaar muttered. “But let me get this straight. Devanta saw a vision of the past war, the fleets coming from and returning to Malkeiado. The Shadow King is from that country, the son of a general in the army defeated by the old Emperor’s forces. He hates us because we beat them, and now he wants to finish what they started?”
“ ‘One is left behind…’ to what purpose? Was it by accident or purpose that he stayed in the Empire?” Persivian mused aloud.
“And why does he wait till now to show himself?” Minaar asked.
“One would think if he was deliberately left, he would have attacked long ago, when we were still crippled by the war’s aftermath.” The sailor’s words were slow and thoughtful, and he gazed ahead with a frown.
“But if it was an accident and he now seeks vengeance, he would have had to build his power before setting any plan in motion,” noted Persivian.
Minaar shook her head. “I cannot see one so filled with rage and hate waiting for over forty years to make any showing of himself. He would need infinite patience for that.”
Persivian laid his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. His mind was swimming with the possibilities and implications, but fatigue was waging war on his senses. “We cannot determine more about this from mere speculation,” he muttered. “Minaar, did you or the librarian find more with the tunnels?”
“Yes,” she replied. “This one here that we noted earlier heads almost straight east, but it splits into three forks. The middle path surfaces in the eastern foothills of the mountain range. The northern one follows the mountains upward until it reaches the coast. The map indicates that a city used to stand there, but I know of no port in that area.”
“What about the southern fork?”
Minaar shrugged. “It’s hard to say – there is an entire natural network of tunnels in that section of the mountains, and the southern fork gets lost among them. I imagine the middle fork would be our best bet anyway, so we wouldn’t have to think about it at all, I think.”
“Unless the natural tunnels are inhabited,” Jud’ami remarked. “There are many subterranean creatures that would love such a place.” The girl grimaced at the thought.
“Was there anything else that caught your eye?” Persivian asked.
Peering down at the map again, she answered, “Yes, there was another tunnel…this one here.” She pointed to it for Jud’ami’s benefit, and continued, “This one begins about a two day’s journey out of the city, but it leads directly under the mountains and comes out about the same distance away from where Baden Criado’s estate is. Unfortunately, to get to that one, we’d either have to try to figure our way through these twisty tunnels here – ” the parchment rustled as she traced it with her finger, “ – that lead from under the city to right near its entrance, or we would go overland.”
“That seems a lot safer a course,” Persivian remarked.
“Yes,” Jud’ami agreed, “except that Nuiden Castle stands in the way.”
“Ah,” the wizard said, leaning back in his chair. That did pose a problem. Nuiden Castle and the forested land that surrounded it was an immensely dangerous place, with good reason. Centuries before when the last Nuiden heir had fallen, the estate had been claimed by a powerful lich. His battalion of enslaved soldier spirits guarded the vast woods from intruders. From that stronghold, he had rebuffed any attempts to remove him. While he generally did not harm anyone outside his land (the only reason past Emperors had stopped trying to destroy him) he dealt mercilessly with anyone found trespassing within the forest.
“Could we not go around the Nuiden lands to get to this other tunnel?” Persivian asked.
“Actually, it lies just within the southern border of the lich’s forest,” Minaar answered. “If we went that way, we’d only have to cross a few miles to get to the tunnel’s entrance.” Which would still be very, very risky.
“I see no other possibilities,” Jud’ami said. “It seems there are less passes under the mountain than there are over them. Those roads are open to us as well.”
Persivian considered the possibilities. Underground there were two - the first tunnel, accessible from the city but emerging much further from their destination, and the second tunnel, ending exactly where they needed to get to, but beginning days away in very dangerous territory. Both of these would probably have the same traveling distance, and though it seemed the first option was far less dangerous, there was the possibility of horrible enemies lurking belowground in either case. Never had Persivian traveled extensively underground before, and he simply could not estimate the dangers. They could take the surface roads and avoid those unknowns altogether, but would it be wise to discount the possible meaning of Devanta’s vision? Besides, there were many possible hazards above ground as well.
Two choices faced the companions now, and Persivian pondered both. Which road would be the best to take? And should Jud’ami walk it with them? What am I going to tell him? Indecision circled in the wizard’s mind as he decided his course.
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I was wrong it seems. Here is chapter nineteen, the last in this thread. I could say more, but I'm far too tired and must get up absurdly early tomorrow, so I'll just shut up now. By the way, if you see any errors or anything in this chapter, let me know, because I haven't proofread it yet (too tired!) and I'll fix them later.
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Hey y'all, I didn't know if nobody had noticed the chapter or if they simply didn't care to reply, but here it is...has been...whatever. But that's not why I'm writing. After this week I should be able to be slightly more regular, and I will begin working on a summary of the story to post at the beginning of the new thread, which will be entitled Visions of Shadow unless the poll changes drastically. Apart from that, I await replies to this chapter, as it does end in a decision point. Keep an eye out for the summary, sometime in the next two weeks I would guess.
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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Chinaren
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I missed it somehow.
Mind you, if you leave a story for a long time experience shows that it takes a lot of work to recover the reader levels. Possibly because the people who were following it are not even around anymore, and the ones that were have forgotten the plot.
It may help to post a synopsis when you return.
Now, having said all that, I don't have time to read the chapter just now, but I promise to do so later! 
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Chinaren
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| Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Phew, that was a long read! Long but good.
Well, I say he should send Jud off. It's risky, but the good of the many and all that.
As for the tunnel. Well, it simply has to be Lichville. For three reasons:
Perhaps he can cast some kind of masking spell to make detecting them harder, and sneak in. He isn't your ordinary traveller after all. Maybe also bring some kind of cleric along to help defend against the undead just in case.
It's faster too, and the other route isn't without risks no doubt.
Finally, it's just so much cooler, and I want to see hard core undead action.
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LordoftheNight
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| Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with China about heading for Lichville - mainly for the reasons he said. However - just to be different - I'd advise bringing Jud'ami along with them, but don't tell him anything. Yet.
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Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox
A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
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Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
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dragon_fire372
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| Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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I'm back yet again, and thank God for summer. At long last the summary of the story is posted in a new thread, Visions of Shadow. I'll be posting the poll there as soon as I get enough responses. Again, I'm truly sorry I let the hectic-ness of my life get in the way of this story, and I hope everyone can enjoy it again this summer as they have in the past.
And I will keep up with it this summer, or else I will find the tallest building in the City of If and jump off it.
To view the new thread and summary, click here.
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:28 am Post subject: |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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Polls up in Visions of Shadow!
_________________
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ~ Edmund Burke
Sans Dieu Rien Without God, Nothing
Visions of Shadow - 2nd part of Uncertain Quests! Chapter Two
Dreamwalker - Relocated to Linear Lane Sixth Chapter
Linear Story Nightrobber Now Complete!
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