HEROIC REALMS

The still of the evening is broken by the loud snarls and growls of a lone kobold making it's way through the stronghold. It passes by the empty tavern and, smelling nothing to eat, keeps moving. As it makes its way down towards the lower fields, it stops and lifts it's nose to smell the air.

As it raises it's head, Orogom steps out of the trees behind it and calmly and cleanly kills the creature by cutting the back of it's neck open with one swipe of his knife. The creature falls to the ground, lifeless before it hits, and Orogom kneels down to see if it was carrying anything of value, but no such luck, however, Orogom stays crouched by the corpse.

With a flick of his wrist, the knife goes sailing end over end behind him and impales itself in a large tree, the shoulder of a person's cloak and shirt pinned with it. Standing up calmly, Orogom turns to the intruder and announces, "Around here, it's generally a bad idea to sneak up on people. Who are you, why are you here, and why have you been following me?"

The stranger, looking too scared to move, opens his mouth, but no words come out. Orogom approaches and pulls his knife out of the tree releasing him and looks full into the face of a lad who can be no more than 16 years of age. "Well? Out with it, boy!" Orogom demands.

"P-p-please don't kill me!" The boy cries out.

"Relax," replies Orogom, "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already, but keep standing there acting like a fish and I may yet." There is a mildly amused look on his face as he repeats his questions, "Who are you, why are you here, and why are you following me?"

The youth, seeming to become more at ease answers, "I am just a peasants son, m'lord. My father sent me here to pick up supplies for him, but I got lost along the way, and then I heard growling and snarling so I ran, and I got a little turned around and now I'm lost. I didn't know I was following you, I swear!"

Orogom looks at the youth and says, "Not a bad story, tell me another one. Why are you really here?"

The boy sticks to his story until Orogom holds up a hand and says, "First off, you are not a peasants son unless you stole that cloak from somebody. It's too expensive for a peasant's son...a few nobles might have reservations about buying a cloak like that. Second, I doubt that you are even human. By now, some blood should have seeped out of your shoulder...nobody can make a throw that clean, and I wasn't looking that closely when I threw. So let's try again, who are you, why are you here, and what do you want with me?"

All trace of human emotion drain out of the youth's face as he stands up taller. His voice dropping several octaves he responds, "Very good, assassin, you may yet live. I have come to give something to all in this stronghold." With those words, the boy pulls out an object from the folds of his cloak and holds it out. The object glows intensely with an internal light that is compounded by the effect of the setting sun.

Orogom looks at the item, then back into the lads eyes. "What is it?" He asks.

Without a word, the youth sets the item at Orogom's feet, billows his cloak out, turns around, and vanishes, leaving Orogom looking from the spot where he stood to the item that was just left. Taking a step back from the item, Orogom calls out, "I need somebody with an understanding of magic!" then sits on a nearby rock to wait and guard this new item, whatever it may be.

Tylia enjoying her day out in the trees spotted a group of Kobalds watching them and listening to them speak. their dialect interesting
she was only able to understand a few words like food, war, and friend...
so she jumped down and found them not so friendly yet not really eager for a fight either just curious as they (kobalds) can be. However they were nervous that one of their own has not returned a hunter out to find food for their group... so she understood. She then agreed to find him and help him hunt for their group in return of hopefull friendship.

So to her dismay when she finally tracks down the lost kobald it was to late to save him before she spotted Orgom kill it then search it for possable treasures ... she couldn't help but growel at the indignity of the poor beast... just as she was to pounce she then noticed the meeting... couldn't quite hear the words the two spoke but then she noticed the item given to him. reward maybe? her anger was to much so she sprung on him.

like a panther growelling/ hissthing screamming kicking "how could you!"
"they are poor beasts they are only looking for food do not kill another kobald again... they are under MY protection" Tylia warned histhing between words... "now i have to hunt for them"
(not to mention she may be tied to one of these magically so a seer once said)

after detaching herself from Orogom and dusting herself off she gives him one more kick to the shin befor going to the poor beast ... blessing the tree where she had seen him throw the knife and then giving a true blessing of her goddess to the kobalds body she then jumps back up into the trees with her burdon.
"I hope that item was worth a possable war with these peacefull creatures" she said to her back.
and hopes and prays that the Kobalds does not want war for this.

((Sorry Tylia, but if you read my post, I left the body where it was. I killed the kobold, checked for loot, then dealt with the stranger. In no way, shape, or form did I even mention hanging the kobold from the tree.))

A man approaches from the woodline. He removes the hood from his head and calls out to you...

"You there, I wouldn't hang around here much longer there are trolls about!" He approaches you...his short sword is drawn appears to be dripping blood from a recent kill.

"Did you hear me?" ..."why are you staring at the ground?" "Are you under some kind of spell?"

The man appraoched closer with caution...he waves his hands in front of your face..."hello, is everything ok?" "Did you hear me????"

"What are you looking at...oh?" "What is that?"

Tylia jumps down , wiping the fresh blood of the kobald onto her cloak.

"blood, payment. i hope you all enjoy it while you can."

she then sits down by a near by rock with a tired sigh.

(she reaches down grabs a fist full of dirt to help wipe away the excess blood that has driped onto her body from her burden of carrying the dead kobald to it's not to happy clan)
(she keeps an ever watchfull eye onto the stranger and orogom with a histh on her breath)
"Trolls uh? does this mean they still want their missing club?"

Orogom, gazing at the crystal, finds himself unable to look away. When Tylia comes and grabs the body, he doesn't even notice, nor does he notice the newcomer. Gazing into the crystal, he sees patterns, and within those patterns, more patterns in an endless convultion of lines and shapes, he can feel himself being pulled further and further into the crystal, but is helpless to stop it. Silently, for he finds himself unable to move his mouth, he cries out for help.

(silently sitting on her rock watching the two look at this strange item, finally realized that they hadn't moved or talked for quit some time now. that was then she heard the gergled cry from Orogom. The thing must be magic yet it was not effecting her? why?)
(standing and walking over she rips off a bit of clothing from her already tattered rags of clothes and covers and grabs the object from the ground where it layed and quickly puts it into her side pouch)
'shaking Orogom' "are you back amoungst us now? have you finally learned from your greed yet?"
'turns to the stranger, smelling his sent' Trolls, yuk. they must still be after their club.
"what is it with men and their greed?!"
"VICA!"
Tylia turns to leave to see if she can find help.

(the wood was silent, that to Tylia was a hidden warnning... so she did the only thing she could do) "howwwweeellllll, bark, bark, howwwwweeellll" with desperation into her loud call for help.

"VICA, STARK, ANYONE! howwwwweeelllll, baaark, baark"

(The wood was silent and Tylia stood rock still ready to jump for the trees)

*Suddenly the clang of steel on steel is heard not far off*

"BLOODY TROLLS!!!! I will kill you all."

*The fight continues for another couple of minutes and then the sound of boots moving quickly across the ground and suddenly Stark pops out of the brush with nothing more than a scratch or two and coated in soot*

What in the god's hells is going on out here, I'm sitting there at my forge and all I hear is you yelping like a wounded moose.

*He then notices Orogom and the stranger staring down at the object on the ground glances at it quickly and turns away from it even quicker*

OOOOHHHHH SH#$, Tylia give me your cloak I'm going to cover that stone and wrap it up so we can get it over to the temporary sanctuary. We'll need someone to look at this, alot more powerful than either of us. And hopefully these two will snap out of it.

(Tylia, shakes her head in agreement and 'pulls' out the already covered object out of her pouch. and hands it to Stark.)
"They seemed to be entranced by this object, magick yis? They're greed gotten to them, It no effect I. I should keep it safe no? I have good pouch."

"what about these two? they seem to be still frozen into place..."
(Tylia walks over to check for pulses, then tries to shake Orogom out of his transe once again)
"See, what i mean."

"help Tylia yis? to take them to a relitivaly safe place tell we can help with this."

(Tylia picks up the Stranger, and starts to drag him to the Druids Circle, not that she doesn't trust in the 'new, but temporary' Sanctuary)
(after arriving at the Druids Circle, where Tylia can feel her goddess's power slowly growing with her aid, she then BLESSED the stranger to see if that would help?)
(all Tylia can do is to stand vigual over her charge to make sure nothing happens to him tell he can come around.)
(and wait for Stark to return with the object...knowing full well that she will never see it again...strange? why would she want to?)

The shapes and colors float past Orogom's eyes, too quickly too see, but somehow pleasing and relaxing. All around him he sees rainbows of color dancing in every direction. He turns to follow one, but realizes that his feet won't move, but it's okay...it's okay if he were to never move again...

realizing that Stark has yet to come to the Druids Circle she went out leaving the Stranger behind to see what has happened. She first went to where she first found Orogom....yup still there...

so she picks him up and drags his body to the Druids Circle and gently as possable places it next to the strangers body. rechecks his pulse...good strong and steady...

Tho she could feel her goddess's power strong within her she could not bless Orogom like she did the stranger...tho it seemed it did not work cause he is still just as frozen as orogom here is.

now she has her two charges to watch over and hope they snap out of it... snap out of it...hmmm
she walks over with her club.
*Wack* she hits Orogom with it...then checks his pulse..."common, snap out of it..." *Wack* Tylia heard some ribs crack so she checks his pulse again..."wake up" *Wack* this time it was just a simple slap but hard across the face... in fear of causing to much damage to his body.
Tylia stands to look down at the two and hopes Stark brings news fast...
Tell she heard a sound...so she hid into the brush ready to pounce.

The sound of sticks breaking and leaves rustling draws your attention. The distinct sound is evident that someone or something is nearby...
A breeze begins to pick up and the leaves begin to dance among themselves as if magically enchanted. A snarl is heard near by, but the wind displaces its whereabouts. A moment later the breaking of sticks can be heard again...something seems to be edging its way closer and closer. Behind you the sound of a young girl’s voice can be heard calling out a name "Sorrrrrrrrrick...where are you?"

The voice seems to startle whatever it was approaching you in the woods. The sounds of breaking sticks and leaves rustling can be heard but fade as the pitter patter sound of footsteps fade away in the distance.

"Sorrrrrrrrrrick...where are you?"

Tylia goes to the voice of the female (still hidden) watching her.
waiting to see if anyone else better can help her than poor Tylia.

Where is Zeeza, Vica or Stark? When then realizing that noone is around but her she had to act.

Tylia using her magic she walks right up to her hopefully without her seeing.

Stands at guard behind her waiting for the girl to realize that Tylia was behind her not wanting to scare or startle her even further...or does she?

Yet still keeping an ever watchfull eye out for any harmfull animals or abominations of the wood. Tylia couldn't help but look around nervously and on full alert. with a hissth on her breath. Tylia simply says "come." and hopes the Girl has brains enough to follow her to the Druids Circle. that isn't to far away.

'where is Stark???' Tylia thought to herself. 'I can't do this alone.' Tylia frowns in response to her own answere... 'that he may have fallen victem to the stone as well.' This is definantly not a good day. It will be night soon enough and Tylia will need help...

not carring if the Girl followed Tylia or not and deep into her own thoughts. Tylia went back to the Druids Circle and began her ritual to call forth the Awthorns.
and wrote a scratchy message for her mentor Bardon for help and sent it via falcon.
it is time to take some action.

*missive, written messely and hastely*

Master Druid Bardon,

strange magic rock frozen half the populace...I seem to be immune but changed. need help.

You know where to find me.

Tylia

(Still no response... Tylia worries to the point that she leaves the Druid Circle to look for the others)

"Barrrrrroooooo, bark, bark. Warroooooo... is there anyone here?" she yells as loud as she can. "Bark, bark, barrrrrrrrroooooooo, VICA, STARK!"

(and she then jumps to the tree's for safty waitting to see if anyone approaches.) *hoping that Stark may come by with the stone...Tylia so wants to see it again... wait no she doesn't does she?*
Tylia whispers aloud.." Master Bardon, where are you?" and she then settles into a nich of the tree to hide herself from full view.

"Heeeeeelp..."

The voice echoes off the swirling colors, reverberating endlessly, "heeelp, heelp, help, hel, he..."

Orogom searches for the owner of the voice, but he is alone in...wherever he is. He tries to take a step forward, but his feet seem rooted to the floor. Looking down, he sees roots growing out of his feet into the...well, there is no ground, but he is literally rooted in place. "Is anyone there?" he calls out to the swirling mass of color and lines.

Looking around, trying to peer through the fog of colors, a movement catches his eye. He squints, trying to determine what it was he saw when out of the haze a figure strides towards him...

*As Stark heads for the manor house to put this strange stone into Lord Elescirts keeping, he realizes it must have more power than he first assumed. Every dark creature that roam these woods are being drawn out and right into his path. So, far bugbears, trolls, orcs, and a few things Stark didn't even recognize have had to fall at his blade. The fights were vicious and crazed on both sides, the creatures want the stone but Stark wants the stone more and his actions and mind are starting to bend to the dark madness of the stone. The look in his eyes is feral and he is basking in the glory of his enemies blood, suddenly a sharp sound is heard and here come at least four more wood trolls. Stark turns, looks and laughs a deep menacing, crazed laugh and charges the poor creatures not knowing what they were coming up against. As the four trolls fall Stark begins to realize what is happening and starts running toward the manor house*

*While banging on the door* "Open the door, Open the door. Its Stark I need help you must let me in and take me to the deepest, darkest, and the most secure dungeon or room in the manor."

Tylia moves from tree to tree...trying to find anyone that may be able to help her. Darkness came and gone and there were no Awthorne's or Barden...'Where IS everyone? I am abanded.' Tylia thought.

"Barooooo, Bark, Bark Wooooooo ZEEZA! VICA! Baroooooooo" Tylia screamed at the tops of her lungs, not carring if she attracks all maner of creatures or not...

times call for desperate measures.