Curse

Ristaron · Apr 18, 2006, 12:11 AM // 00:11

Ristaron was at a complete loss for words at that moment. He had run into his people once since his exile, and it was a chance meeting in the mountains of Southern Ascalon.
He had barely come out alive, but not untouched, nor not stained with more blood of his people.

As he considered Nekra's words, he came to realize the logic in them. Ristaron was an adequate tracker, skilled enough to hunt for food and follow a group of people. But the mountainfolk were probably miles away by now, a task better suited to something with a sense of smell unrivalled by humans and humanoid peoples.
Ristaron looked to Morgan, her bright green eyes reflecting a hidden intelligence uncanny to a creature of her species. The enormous beast returned the stare, and the ranger knew she had understood.

Though she didn't understand mannerisms such as nodding assent, Morgan had no trouble conveying to her close friend her willingness to comply to his wishes.

"Why are you a better keeper of the tool than my people?" Ristaron asked Nekra, returning his gaze to her. "They, too, know it is dangerous and should be put away somewhere safe, if not destroyed."

Edit: w00t, Rocinante! 750 posts.

NinjaKai · Apr 18, 2006, 12:31 AM // 00:31

"Ristaron the difference is your people despite their knowledge do not know the means of how to destroy. For it was never documented, the only living records are the memories I keep inside my blood passed to every member of my family. For five millenia have they worked in the shadows of Orr in the attempts to forge a way to destroy the weapon. It's only in the last few generations that the method had been finished. They just didn't have the magic to do it. Which is why they bred a mesmer into the family, my purpose for being born was to destroy that weapon. I shall fulfill that duty no matter what." Nekra said as he stopped suddenly. "I sense lingering spiritual energies. The undead are nearing our area. Ristaron while you may prefer your ranger abilities to avoid conflict. MIght I suggest a mesmers approach."

OOC: My character is male by the way.

Ristaron · Apr 18, 2006, 03:56 AM // 03:56

OOC: Yes, I know, but it's hard to remember... Nekra sounds very much like a female name... no offense to your choice of name for the character.
Do you want me to edit my last post, where I made the error?

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Still a little shaken by his close encounter with three Zaishen fighters, Ristaron would have preferred to meld into the shadows and destroy his enemies with his arrows. But in the company of other capable travellers, as well as his faithful lupine companion, Ristaron had no objection to meeting the threat head-on.
Nodding his assent, he looked to Mylena, who had remained silent for the past few minutes, in case she objected.

Symeon · Apr 18, 2006, 07:28 AM // 07:28

Mylena watched as the other two moved off in the opposite direction of the tomb. Reluctantly, she folowed. She could not see the argument being resolved, however.

With a sigh the ranger sat down beside a tree, and let her thoughts wander away from the conversation the other two were having. She thought of her early days in the Ascalon Arena, and how easy it had all seemed.

But abruptly, she was jolted back to the present as the other two stopped talking. She noticed Ristaron looking at her.

"Well... what are we doing, then?"

NinjaKai · Apr 18, 2006, 12:16 PM // 12:16

OOC: It's not important. Just making a point for future reference.

"Let me put it this way Ristaron, Mylena. My method is a way to kill these Zaishen and not be detected. Remember what I told you about mesmer illusions once cast the ones under its effect their senses become ensnared. That and I plethora of spells with which to enhance and support during combat."
Nekra said as he held out his hand. Within the form of a weapon became apparent, with its long blade and spikes guard.
"This is a ritualist weapon spell. To be specific its called the Nightmare Weapon. For each time it hits it strikes an enemy it transfers some of their vitality to the user. However, when used with the Illusionary Weapon spell used by mesmers. You have a weapon that passes through armor and takes the enemies health."
Nekra said as he made the weapon disappear.
"Just figured i'd give you an small example. So as you can tell Ristaron our chances are not as slim as you might have originally thought. Do you have any objections Mylena? Since we need everyones approval." Nekra said as he turned to face her.

Allanon Dark · Apr 18, 2006, 09:41 PM // 21:41

Relyana watched as the three strangers talked.

"Why can't they just move on and let me gather my loot?"

Bored with the precedings, Relyana crawled belly down back into the safe comforts of the woods. When she felt she was safely away and could not be detected she stood and brushed herself off. While doing this she examined the state of her body.

"I've let myself wither away," said Relyana as she observed herself. Her once full and healthy body had been wracked with the hardships of life. Long ago she would have been called beautiful but now she doubted whether a man would even glance at her, let alone a second glance. Her arms were criss crossed with scars from past battles and her legs where as thin as branches. Her face was also crossed with scars and her hair, once long, was cut short as to not impose a hinderance to her while fighting. She was just a shadow now of what she once was.

Her next thoughts where cut off as she sensed a large creature tearing through the woods. Quickly moving her hands in a ancient arcane pattern, Relyana focused her mind upon the upper branches of the tree above her. A familiar feeling of being pushed through a tight leather sack surrounded her and she knew her shadow step had worked. Quickly flatening herself, she waited for the creature to come. It was a large wolf, possibly from the mountains, but what was a mountain wolf doing down so far away from its home. She followed the path the wolf was going and saw that it was headed towards the three travelers.

Once the wolf was safely away, Relyana allowed her mind to relax and she felt herself being transported back to the base of the tree. Relyana moved further into the trees to retrieve her belongings. She knew exactly where they where and could easily find them, even when blindfolded. During her training as a assassin Relyana was trained to hone her sense of smell to superhuman levels. When she had mastered this, she was taught to make a compound of herbs that, barely recognizable to the average human, could easily be picked up by a trained assassin.

Following the scent of her marker, Relyana moved towards her stash. She found it quickly enough. She had hidden her supplies and weapons in a small crook in a tree that was just wide enough to put your arm through. Reaching through the hole, she felt the familiar touch off her sword hilt. Pulling it out and staring at it in the light revealed its beauty.

The sword was made of a strange material that was said to have fallen from the sky. The strange metal danced with shapes and colors and followed no pattern. The hilt was made of iron covered with jade with intricate runes weived into the jade. The runes had the effect of amplifying the damage of her blade with the power of the elements. Feeling the blade from tip to pommel made her feel whole again. Sheathing the sword in a plain leather scabard hid it well and helped to avoid any unwanted confrontations with theives and vagabonds.

Reaching her hand back into the whole reveiled a long bow. The bow was plain except for the pattern of runes on it. These runes allowed for Relyana's arrows to drive deep into her enemies. Deeper than when fired normally. Putting her hand back in the whole and taking it out showed a small haversack that appeared to be empty. Attaching this to her waist, the sword at her side, and the bow across her back Relyana moved back to where the travelers were.

Upon returning she saw the travelers still engaged in their conversation. The male mage and the male fighter were talking. The female ranger was sitting off to one side with her back to a tree. Seeing the large wolf at the heels of the male fighter made Relyana think it was his pet which would make him a ranger. The length of the conversation between these total strangers was odd. Feeling her curiosity aroused, Relyana produced from her pouch a small powder that would cover her smell with the smell of the woods.

Creeping slowly along the edge of the woods, Relyana moved in close enough to hear the conversation between the travelers. Even with her herbs, Relyana was cautious and stayed upwind from the wolf as best she could. As Relyana listened to the conversation her intrigue was deepened further. She waited in the shadows listening, waiting for the conversation to end and contemplating the idea of following the travelers.

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OOC: sorry for the long post but as of right now my character is just listening and will get involved with you guys later (if you dont mind that is).

NinjaKai · Apr 18, 2006, 10:12 PM // 22:12

"Let us rest for the night. For in the darkness the undead will have the upper hand." Nekra said as he held out his hand in thin air. His body glowed as power flowed from his body. Where his hand lay out stretched the space around it began to distort until the area of space around them appeared to be in distorted barrier. "This is my greatest form of protection. The ability to distort reality forms the base of most mesmer illusions. This requires a higher level of magic apptitude and concentration. I must meditate in order for the barrier to remain. Rest well you'll need your energy." Nekra said as he sat down closing his eyes falling into deep concentration. Nekras empathic abilities became more lose as his concentration was drawn on the barrier.

Ristaron · Apr 18, 2006, 10:46 PM // 22:46

Biting his tongue, the dark-skinned ranger managed to keep his harsh words to himself. A younger Ristaron would have let the man know what he thought of the stranger's rather imposed suggestions, would have torn a fair-sized hole in the man's self-confidence. But this mountainfolk had lived through too much to fall to such petty levels, now entering what he thought was his third century (really, he was a several seasons past its start). He decided to follow along with the wisdom in the instructions.
Let the mesmer waste his energy maintaining a barrier that was useless with two wilderness-wise travellers around. Stroking Morgan affectionately behind the ears, Ristaron found a place against a large oak tree and quickly made himself comfortable by its base. No stranger to a forest floor, the ranger was soon drifting into a serene light sleep he had learned to rest in while travelling the rugged and dangerous wilderness of Tyria.

OOC: I gave the RP sort of a timeline... Ristaron was born roughly 850 A.E. ... if he's a little over 200, that makes it a little later than 1050 A.E., not long after the Searing.

NinjaKai · Apr 18, 2006, 11:16 PM // 23:16

Nekra let down the barrier. "Ristaron if you know how to guide us around the 200 undead the area. By all means do so, I personally have no objections." Nekra said as he faded away hidden by one of his illusions. "And I do not waste my energy. You haven't been around mesmers for a long time have you."

Symeon · Apr 19, 2006, 03:29 PM // 15:29

OOC: Kai, Ristaron did not say that out loud, only thought it. How do you know what he is thinking?

IC: Mylena nodded. She saw no other possibility herself, and knew of the powers of mesmer illusions. But it was getting dark, and the other two seemed to be in the same mind as her. On Nekra's suggestion to rest, Mylena walked into the trees and found a shady spot, so she put her bow down and lay down on the forest floor. She saw Ristaron doing the same.

She had almost dozed off when some quiet rustling nearby reached her sensitive ears. Opening her eyes, the ranger scanned her surroundings in the darkness. She could see nothing, and so let it slip on the assumption that it was a small forest animal of some sort. Yawning, Mylena lay back down on the ground, and fell asleep.

Ristaron · Apr 20, 2006, 12:40 AM // 00:40

OOC: Please, please tell me you merely misunderstood my writing, NinjaKai. If your character can feel someone's disposition and emotion, that's one thing, but reading the minds of other main characters is simply tactless. Mesmer or not, it demeans all other characters who join with the mind-reader in the party, and removes the element of individuality.

IC: As Mylena drifted back to sleep, Ristaron remained alert. Keeping his midnight eyes closed, the ranger aknowledged every sound around him as the undead slowly closed in.

NinjaKai · Apr 20, 2006, 01:11 AM // 01:11

OOC: Sorry Ristaron. Wasn't wearing my glasses at the time. I'll correct it shortly.