private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

@@Torrent505,

 

Looking around at the docile, ungrateful whelps, Asrass grunted. They were wasting time - every second that they sat here was another moment that their many foes had to close the distance on them. Something magical had followed him here, and he had his suspicions what... and then of course there were the dangers that were yet to reveal themselves.

 

"Days burning..." He muttered, swinging a gloved hand around the thump the back of the engineers shoulder in a comraradry manner, though with considerably more force than was necissary. "We move: I'm not waiting around for more predators to sniff us out. You don't have to like me kid - just lead the way and you'll have your coin... then we can put all of this behind us and get back to normality."

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert sighed and shook his head. Apparently the hunter thought he was in charge now. Well, he was right about them needing to get moving, at least. Slowly getting up, he prepared to move out again, hoping that maybe he could be more useful against whatever challenges lay ahead.

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke grinned, "Well I am ready to travel," he gestured to the cart, though he sighed when he noticed Tugg busy rubbing up and down against it, "however I would think your party would want to wait for... Dresden?... to return with horses. However Miss Whisp you are welcome to ride with me. Can't have the... voice?... of our little band thrown off by a spooked horse, then we couldn't preform and then we couldn't get paid, right?"

 

Serafinno didn't want Whisper anywhere near the strange smelling moving metal thing and hissed at Clarke.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Torrent505

[Flying Ace 142]

@, @@Dji, @@Sanctified Absence, @@Shadow Dancer, @@Torrent505, @@RunsWithSquirlz,  

"So I see your back, what was going on over there?" The owner of the stables asked as Dresden returned. "Oh, just some women problem, time of the month. So, are the horses still open?"

"Yes, they are so how many do you want to buy?" Dresden pulled out the remaining pieces of silver, what can I get with these?" The man examined them closely before grabbing the nearest horse, a black  stallion, and handed the reins to Dresden. "This is it, each horse costs 5 pieces of silver." Dresden took the reins, "Well at least Whisp will not have to walk."

"Who?"

"My sister." Dresden thanked the man before gently pulling the horse. ​'Well, I got the horse and the supplies its time to head back.'

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Their small party pulled out once Dresden got back. Whisper politely declined riding in the cart, choosing to ride the horse instead. She rode next to the cart, entranced by the design of it. They shambled on down a dirt road for sometime; Whisper dreading the idea of singing in front of them. A silly insecurity; with everything else that had occurred to them thus far, but an insecurity all the same.

 

It was the late afternoon now and they had stopped to rest.

 

Tulla crouched by a small lake, makeshift spear in hand while she closely watched the water. They had some food with what Dresden managed to buy but a little more never hurt anyone. Tugg bathed in the light of the setting sun, keeping an eye on the tinkerer. The princess was reading the small instructions for the dye. She wouldn't cut her hair but dying it was fine. Whisper secretly longed for a bath, her clothes were itchy and caked with blood, she had done her best not to scratch it.

[Sekel 692]

Helena watched Tulla try to spear a shift with interest but soon got distracted by tinkering with one of her bolts again. She frowned as she remembered what the little girl said and had remembered needing to check Adrass's hands in case he was the one the girl had met. 'No ... that doesn't look right.' Helena thought as she carved a makeshift point onto the bolt with her dagger. She had no boltheads to put on the tip of the bolt so this would have to do for now. She felt around her cloak inside the pockets and felt something. Pulling it out, she realised it was the bag of metal shrapnel she took from one of her boltheads. "This won't do at all ..." Helena muttered and placed the bag back in its place.

[Flying Ace 142]

@, @@RunsWithSquirlz

Dresden was relaxing in the lake Tulla where Tulla was fishing, he always felt at peace when he was in the water it made him feel more at home. Dresden used the water to push himself upright as he looked around the lake; he could feel the fishes as they swamed though the water. He focused on one and started pushing it towards Tulla. As he felt the fishes swim around him he looked over at Adrass who still looked like he was in hell. "Hey, Adrass! Why don't you come and swim! You need the fun!"

Edited August 3, 2014 by Flying Ace

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke had parked his cart and now stood next to it muttering to himself, he had two hoses leading away from the machine and while it was damaged from the princess's fall on to it the cart still chugged away with shaking pumps and quivering gears. Both hoses used science to mimic magick; one hose released a tight flame and the other gave off powerful magnetic pulses on a minuscule range. Working with a hose in each hand he could adjust and refashion the metal. Soon he'd have his precise life's work back to a shining pristine condition.

 

Serafinno was going back and forth between searching the forest for good smelling sticks to burn and pausing while he dropped them in a pile in front of Tugg so they could both watch the Tinkerer performing his unnatural work.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

"Oh, a fine idea..."

 

The hunter rolled his eyes.

 

"Frolic in the water and leave us undefended: I'm sure out enemies might appreciate the sentiment of 'fun' when it disarms us, but I do not."

 

He paced uneasily. Peering at intervals into the forest. Why had they stopped? They should keep moving - a minimum of twelve hours marching each day... did they think that this was a game? An outing to explore the forests and wilderness? He grumbled under his breath as he continued to step around the boundary of the clearing.

 

At least one of them was doing something sensible (and unlikely to damn her soul too!) by fishing. Fishing by normal, human methods at that. What did she call herself again?He couldn't recall - names weren't something he often bothered with save him own, and he had felt little need to pay attention to them so far.

 

"Engineer!" Adrass finally broke his slow, circular march to turn towards the tinker with a slightly (very slightly) less confrontational voice than he had used earlier. Of the group, he was another of the more reliable, the hunter felt. "Black Powder, do you have it? My own was ruined some time ago and a sword isn't ideal for protecting folk from the likes of Witches."

 

And on a more personal note, he missed his reloading ritual dearly. It was a constant: something he needed with such a nomadic life.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Cinderscribe

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Much like he had been earlier, Robert was off to the side with his lute, seemingly messing around with it. This time, however, he was practicing new applications for his magic. It was difficult to do so without altering the mood of the rest of the party, so he was trying to keep as quiet as he could. Right now, he was pretty much playing on autopilot, not really thinking about the kind of music that came out, and he found himself gently singing an old love song.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,  I was glade that we had to go it meant that it would be less time for the princess to press into my personal life, and it seems that she was determined to do so for whatever reason. It was afternoon when we stopped, I opted to act as a sentry, rather then deal with the insanity that was this group. I took to messing around with a ball of water that I had hovering over my hand as I watched for anyone behind us.

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke stopped his work with a sigh, he'd rather not use his own materials but the better armed this group was the more protected he'd be so it was more of an investment. "I could make some for your outdated toys, I suppose. If I start the process now I'll have it by the end of the day, my cart has the proper facilities to make it. Though I hardly keep it on hand, I'd offer you some of my own red sand mixture but I don't know if your weapons could take the force."

 

****************

 

Finn felt he had finally collected enough sticks and with a quick sigh of fire breathe created a little bonfire of the good smelling sticks. The smoke was thick and dark, but did have a spicy cedar smell. Serafinno instantly began to bat at and play with he rising smoke plume.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Torrent505

[Flying Ace 142]

Dresden floated on his back looking up at the sky; before swimming back to shore. "Well, I enjoyed that; nothing like a nice swim to wipe the stress away." Dresden waved his hand over him and the water rolled off his skin back into the lake. Hmm, I might have to use my magic more often since I lost my daggers. Dresden took a look at his hands and wriggled his fingers; he turned back towards the lake and reached into his pool of magic causing the water to start bending.

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Zaddion had been in an attempted meditative state ever since they had stopped, although the sounds of the tinkerer working among other things was making it more difficult than he would've liked. Although there was never any solid evidence that he saw, like many he was thought that one's emotions as well as their mental state could effect the Magick within them and at their command. Illia was certainly a strange place, especially for one who 'felt,' the world around them instead of just saw.

 

His attempts at keeping a clear mind were completely shattered as the feeling of disrupted Water prodded at his subconscious. Opening his eyes, the Mage spotted Dresden exercising his talents on the nearby lake. Normally he would've just waved it off but this time curiosity compelled him. "Just practising or do you have something in mind?" Zaddion kept his voice relatively low as he made his way to his feet and approached the water mage before him.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Sekel 692]

Helena finished carving the bolt point cand realised it more lik an aerodynamic stake than a bolt. "Best I can do." Helena muttered. She placed the bolt back in the quiver and stood up; stretching. She took a quick look around the group and saw Robert messing around with his flute.

@@Alex Kennedy

Helena walked over to him and sat next to him. "What are you doing?" Helena asked curiously, finding that he has a rather nice singing voice once she heard him sing gently.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@Dji,

 

((Lute, not flute. Big difference. Can't sing while playing flute, for one thing.))

 

As Helena approached he abruptly stopped his music. "I was practicing my magic. Of course, I have to stop while you're here or it could start to affect you. And while I'm sure there would be benefits to making you fall in love with me, I'd rather actually earn it. Kind of pathetic if I have to use magic to find a woman. And I'm also not entirely sure that's what would happen with this music. Only a theory. And on a different note, I know your legs work fine now, but if you ever want me to carry you again, I don't mind too much."

[Sekel 692]

@@Alex Kennedy

((Whoops. I thought I typed lute, not flute.))

"Practicing magic. Okay. Have you ever thought about trying different songs other than love songs to see what kind of effect they have?" Helena wondered about his magic and tried to think up of different songs that would go well with his magic but remembered it qas for him to figure out and not for her. "Thanks for the offer but I'd rather run than be carried. But if I do need to be carried then I'll let you know." She told him.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@Dji,

 

He shrugged. "I play songs of old heroes when I want to inspire people. Otherwise I just play to a certain mood or emotion. But I'm trying to come up with different ways to use it besides those. I've heard tales of old masters, and I'd like to be able to do the kinds of things they did. Music that could drive the body to heal faster and more completely, songs that could make an enemy put down their weapons and listen quietly, things like that. But it's hard. I was also thinking, if i can play loud enough and channel enough aggression, maybe I could use it as a weapon against people who hear it. All of that is just wishful thinking at this point, though."

Edited August 4, 2014 by Alex Kennedy

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Tulla speared the fish and threw it back onto the small pile on the shore. "I suppose that will have to do, unless anybody wants rabbit?"

 

"I want a bath." Whisper complained, exasperated with the bottle in her hands.

 

"Well miss princess, the lake is your tub. We might as well washt the blood from our clothes while we're still at it. We should go before the sun sets. Helena, do you want to come?" Tulla said while scanning for a private area by the water. She spotted a promising grove, not too far from camp but still not too close.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I let the spell holding the water go and try another experiment of mine I use shadow and combine it with fire, hovering above my palm is a fire that instead of oranges and yellows has blacks and grays. and was cold seeming to suck the heat and light around it. I dispelled it and dealt with the drain it had on me it was less then a normal fireball but more then just shadow I figured I would have to do more hybrid spells to save my energy when I ended up having to use magic to fight, as shadow magic was closer to tricking others and such illusion then offensive.

 

some of Its offensive spells were borderline vampiric in nature as I discovered when reading one of many books of shadow spells. Unlike Light magic, shadow took life. A skilled enough Shadow mage could leach his enemies life to heal themselves. It scared me a bit when I discovered what I could do with enough practice. It is also why most mage guilds were never fans of shadow magic.

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Sanctified Absence,

Dresden let the water dropped when Zaddion asked what he was doing. "Oh, hey Zaddion i'm just practicing my magic, since I have no weapons I thought it would a good as time as any to start using my magic more." Dresden asked rubbing his hands together, "to be honest i'm not a very good water mage, considering I barley used it." Dresden said rubbing the back of his head.

[Sekel 692]

@@Alex Kennedy, @@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena shrugged. "I'll leave you to it but since your magic is based on other people's hearing, you may want to try it out on people that are actually willing to listen rather than practicing on your own." Helena said, standing up. She brushed the back of her legs to get grass off of them and walked over to Tulla. "You wanted me?" Helena asked then looked over to the grove that Tulla was looking at. She figured out what Tulla wanted and smiled. "Sure, I'll help you hunt some rabbits."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

"You know, I've found you get better results when you have a short term goal to challenge yourself," holding out his palm and flexing his fingers, Zaddion generated a small sphere of pure white Light which hovered just above his skin. He wanted to see just how good Dresden was, finally something Magickal in practice to help pass the time. Casting the sphere to just above the water with a graceful gesture, an idea came to the Mage. "How about you try to hit that Light with the Water?"

Edited August 4, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Sanctified Absence,

Dresden watched the ball of light hovering over the water. "Hit the light, okay I can do that." Dresden flexed his fingers to form his own ball of water. He pulled his arm back and concentrated on the floating ball of light. Dresden swung his arm forward and let the ball of water go; it flew towards target but Dresden was off and it whiffed over it. "Crap, I missed."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Zaddion took a close look at the bolt of Water as it flew from Dresden's arm and towards the Light, he wasn't bad for someone who apparently had no formal training but there was still a way to go. "Pretty good, but it seems to me as though you're relying too much on your initial aim," staring out at the Light above the lake, he pondered the extraordinary possibilities of Water Magick and what Dresden might be capable of if he practised further. "Remember, you're in control of that ball until you stop yourself, you might physically let go but you never have to stop mentally shaping the Water. Try again except this time focus more on controlling it while it's in flight rather than your initial aim."

Edited August 4, 2014 by Sanctified Absence