Umeida VI

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>  </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Missiledine's Archives</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Missiledines Archives"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida"><U>Umeida</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida II"><U>Umeida II</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida III"><U>Umeida III</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id164.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida IV"><U>Umeida IV</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida V"><U>Umeida V</U></A>   |   <B>Umeida VI</B>   |   <A HREF="id297.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida VII"><U>Umeida VII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id309.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida IIX"><U>Umeida IIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id327.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Umeida IX"><U>Umeida IX</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U><B>Archive Directory</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Umeida VI</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 126</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>       </div> <bR> <div>  While paddling, Umeida stays a bit more lower and careful than usual - She watches</div> <div>  out for any stalactites hanging low - It would be very embarassing to have succesfully</div> <div>  fought off the pursuit, only to get her skull cracked on a piece of rock.</div> <bR> <div>  After/if it becomes impossible for her to see, she quits paddling and lies low in the</div> <div>  boat, trying to hear any obstructions ahead, hoping that the stream will take her to her</div> <div>  destination.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 GM POST 127</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Time passes... There is no sign of further pursuit.  The darkness is complete except for the</div> <div> faint glow of churning water along the walls....</div> <div> The noise is pretty constant too, for along time it is an almost monotonous ride, then there</div> <div> is a change!  It's almost imperceptabple at first, then it becomes clearer, a new sound. A</div> <div> roar of water like you have not yet heard! It's getting steadily louder!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>     Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 127</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Umeida thinks that this must be the waterfall Gorthag mentioned. Now,</div> <div> unless she wants to get wet, she should land on a ledge before the waterfall.. She keeps</div> <div> on looking for the ledge, and when she manages to spot it, she tries to land her boat on</div> <div> it.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>     Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 128</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Spotting anything in this darkness will be difficult, even with your</div> <div> superior vision.</div> <div> The noise is growing in volume and you think the velocity of the water</div> <div> and the boat is also increasing, though it is hard to determine this in</div> <div> the dark.  You also get the distint inpression that the channel is</div> <div> getting narrower as well as lower... You guess that the ceiling is</div> <div> averaging four feet now, though that fluctuates.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 128</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div>  Umeida thinks that things might get really cramped.. She thinks</div> <div>  it is best to just stay low in the boat untill she can actually see</div> <div>  the ledge.</div> <bR> <div>  Anyhow, if she fails to land on the ledge, she still has the</div> <div>  alternative of trying to fly away when the boat goes down</div> <div>  into a waterfall.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 129</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> You are definately going faster! You can feel a wind rushing about you and the</div> <div> air starts smelling a bit fresher... Then you notice, ever so faintly at first,</div> <div> that there is a growing glow ahead of you.... Not the glow of a fire, but the</div> <div> brighter lite of the outdoors!  The exit is coming up fast!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 PC POST 129</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div>  Umeida makes sure that her equipment is securely with her. Seems that the speed</div> <div>  is too high for landing on the ledge - She prepares to jump and fly away when the</div> <div>  boat goes over the edge.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 GM POST 130</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Suddenly you are blinded by a dazzling rainbow of light!  Every hue of the rainbow is</div> <div> blinding you in its intensity... As you squint painfully trying to se ahead you</div> <div> realize that the sunlight is filtering through the mist of the waterfall, turning</div> <div> into a prismatic spray of colors that is intensely painful after such an extended</div> <div> period in the bowels of the earth.</div> <div> Your almost deafened now by the growing roar of the falls and you know you are only</div> <div> seconds from being shot out of the mountain.  The blinding glare, which now seems to</div> <div> be reflected back at you from all angles off the glistening walls of the cave, makes</div> <div> it impossible to see any ledge, so you have no choice but to ride the boat to the</div> <div> end!</div> <div> The boat seems to lurch sideways as it is caught in the death grip of committment,</div> <div> then there is an unsettling sensation of uplift as you sense the bow hanging</div> <div> unsupported for a long second....  The roar of water is all around you...You have a</div> <div> fleeting sensation of still wet air and you spread your wings to fly... When an iron</div> <div> fist slams the bow downwards and you are literally catapulted outwards into a wall of</div> <div> water!</div> <div> Hammered and buffeted by, what you realise in an instant, the water falling from a</div> <div> cave higher up the cliff face, you find yourself have swimming, half flying as you</div> <div> try and fight your way free of the grip of the water! A grip that surely means death</div> <div> if you don't win clear!</div> <div> The battering is tremendous! You feel as though you are being pummeled by a giant!</div> <div> You're tumbling in all directions, unable to spread your wings less they be torn off,</div> <div> yet needing their support to stabilize your fall...  Suddenly you break clear,</div> <div> falling head over heels, the world flashing before your eyes... a deep, dark, mist</div> <div> and foam filled gorge with jagged rocks, approaching at great speed and alarmingly</div> <div> close... the white wall of water still close enough to feel the chill from and the</div> <div> spray on your face... a flash of sky, darkening to twilight, contrasted by an</div> <div> incredible cliff face with dozens of spouting waterfalls seeming to shroud the stone</div> <div> like flowing tresses.... the horizon, dominated by heavily shadowed mountains with</div> <div> the setting sun deep in the crotch between two peaks... a flashing view of the even</div> <div> closer rocks below... the water fall.... Then!  At last, you wings are unfurled and</div> <div> biting the damp air, ending your tumble and showing your fall... You level out,</div> <div> headed west, away from the water fall.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 PC POST 130</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  Feeling a bit shaken after her ordeal, Umeida maneuvers for some altitude before</div> <div>  continuing towards west and the setting sun. If it seems safe enough after a while,</div> <div>  she will land on a mountain slope and collect suitable small stones for prodd</div> <div>  ammunition. Something like 20+ small stones would be nice to have.</div> <bR> <div>  Then she gains altitude untill she can feel the freezing winds of the mountain</div> <div>  peaks. Umeida continues west, hoping to get away from this inhospitable</div> <div>  region. She still remembers how good a cooked farmland rabbit tasted, this</div> <div>  thought drives her on towards the kingdom of Velitrium, as well as the very</div> <div>  slim hope of finding help for the countless innocents suffering within the</div> <div>  mountains.</div> <bR> <div>  If possible, she tries to fly all the way back to the farmland.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 GM POST 131</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div> You begin climbing out of the darkening valley, the bulk of the mountains have already</div> <div> plunged the lower slopes into the gloom of evening, but higher altutude promises more</div> <div> welcomed sunlight to warm you.</div> <div> Suddenly there is a boom of wings and a powerful draft of displaced air followed by a</div> <div> savage burning pain across your lower back and hips!</div> <div> Something large and dark flashes through your peripheral vision in a powerful dive from on</div> <div> high... You have a fleeting impression of dark leathery skin and batwings somewhat larger</div> <div> in extant then your own.... Even as you peer after the diving humanoid form and see it</div> <div> begin to spread its wings to brake its dive, you hear the sound again, again from above!</div> <div> Instinctively twisting sideways, though you cannot be ceratin which way is best to dodge,</div> <div> another winged figure flashes past you, this one armed with a wickedly barbed lance that</div> <div> tears a slight gash in your wing membrane as it narrowly avoids skewering you!</div> <div> As this figure passes you have a slightly better look at it... It appears humanoid in</div> <div> shape, but the horns and spikes that adorn its head, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles,</div> <div> to say nothing of its long tail, give it a distinctly demonic appearance....  Despite this</div> <div> appearance you know instinctively that they are not demonic in origin and in fact after a</div> <div> seconds thought you think you know what they are.... They are Gargoyles!  They are not</div> <div> originally native to this world as you recall, but so many have been brought here that they</div> <div> have established themselves permenantly... They are a deadly foe and you know that combat</div> <div> with them is very, very dangerous!</div> <div> The second one is spreading his wings to brake, the first one has bottomed out and is</div> <div> starting to flap hard to climb again... it appears to be trailing a long whip or lash,</div> <div> which corresponds with the burning pain across your back.</div> <div> At the moment you have the advantage of altitude.... Do you dive to attack, dive and try</div> <div> and seek cover in the darkness below, or try and out fly them... (or something completely</div> <div> different?)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 PC POST 131</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  Umeida realizes that she has two choices if the gargoyles keep on attacking; she either</div> <div>  outflies them or she dies.</div> <bR> <div>  Gargoyles are likely familiar with the landscape below and maybe they can see in dark</div> <div>  as well, so darkness is of not too much help.. If she was loaded with prodd ammunition</div> <div>  (one shot left IIRC) and not so tired, she might stand a chance in aerial combat, or so</div> <div>  she would think, but at current state she is no challenge at all for well-rested and armed</div> <div>  opponents.</div> <bR> <div>  She shouts to the Gargoyles in their native language: "No! I am not your enemy! I only</div> <div>  want to go away! .. Please let me go!"</div> <bR> <div>  Meanwhile, she does her best to outfly her opponents. At least she is lighter than the</div> <div>  gargoyles, but it may be that they can compensate with raw strength.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 GM POST 132</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> The gargoyles are flapping hard to make up the space, one calls out  "Land Dark One, you are</div> <div> summoned! Land now and we shall not harm you!"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 PC POST 132</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div> Umeida: "I will land!"</div> <bR> <div> She lands on nearest cliff, mountain peak or other suitable surface and</div> <div> sits down, checking how bad her new wound is. She takes her knife and</div> <div> holds it in a way which allows her to stab herself to death effectively in</div> <div> case the gargoyles attempt to restrain her.</div> <bR> <div> After the gargoyles come closer, she speaks to them;</div> <div> "I am Veleda. I am a free demon, I serve no one."</div> <bR> <div> "My back hurts like hell and I am way too tired to fight,</div> <div> so if you try to imprison me I will have no choice but to</div> <div> kill myself. But I really hope it does not come to</div> <div> that.. What do you want?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 GM POST 133</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div> There is a bare rock outcrop about a hundred feet long and perhaps</div> <div> twenty feet wide, falling away on all sides... to your left it drops</div> <div> hundreds of feet into a gorge below, on the right it drops about eighty</div> <div> feet to the mountainside it is a part of.</div> <div> The wound, though very painful, is not very deep. From the nature of the</div> <div> wound you would guess that the lash that made it is barbed for maximum</div> <div> pain, hopefully it won't leave a scar.  The damage to your wing is</div> <div> slight and probably is not enough to hinder your flying.</div> <bR> <div> What you know about Gargoyles:  As mentioned, they are not originally</div> <div> from this world, but those that have arrived here have adapted well,</div> <div> though fortuneately they are still rare.  Though human like in</div> <div> appearance the females are egg laying and there is a very long</div> <div> incubation period, stretching for years, before they hatch.... The</div> <div> lifespan of an individual gargoyle is a bit over a century, but they can</div> <div> extend it over many centuries by hibernation.  During hibernation they</div> <div> letterally turn to stone, appearing to all the world as a monstorous</div> <div> stone statue.  They range in height from 5' to about 8' for the really</div> <div> big males. Their bat like wings have a spread of anywhere from 12' to</div> <div> 20' some are bigger!  They have horns, one or two, growning from their</div> <div> foreheads, horn like spikes protruding at the shoulders, elbows, knees</div> <div> and ankles, long spade tipped tails, heavy claws on their toes an a</div> <div> black, hairless leather like skin. Though they are generally naked</div> <div> except for weapon harness, it is difficult to distinguish male from</div> <div> female, except by relative size, in that the male's genitallia are</div> <div> withdrawn into the body while flying and in day to day activity.</div> <div> Gargoyles generally live in small band in high places that are</div> <div> accessible only by flight.  They are known to be slave takers, using</div> <div> intelligent races as labor while much of the band hibernates, and are</div> <div> not above eating an old or useless slave.  Some gargoyles are known to</div> <div> use magic, their preferred weapons are lances, nets and whips. In</div> <div> general they abhorr close combat, preferring to spear their victims</div> <div> after immobilizing them with whips and nets. Gargoyles are frequently</div> <div> mistaken for demons by ordinary folk. They have been known to ally</div> <div> themselves with powerful mages and others of questionable morals.</div> <bR> <div> The Gargoyle with the lance lands about fifty feet away, the one with</div> <div> the whip circles a few hundred feet out.</div> <div> "You are Summoned Dark One. Return with us or die.... There is no</div> <div> escape." The creature squats down slightly as it stares at you, lance</div> <div> aimed at you but held so as to ward off a rush by you rather then in an</div> <div> attack posture.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 133</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  Veleda, in cold tone of voice: "It seems that your word is not worth</div> <div>  a pile of birdshit, you just said 'shall not harm'. You are no</div> <div>  better than them honorless human bastards who hide underground</div> <div>  and who you work for. You offer me an eternity of boredom,</div> <div>  annoyance and suffering, and you expect me to be your slave just</div> <div>  because I would be afraid to die? .. If I die because of you, I will</div> <div>  quietly come back one night with some friends, and we will eat all</div> <div>  of your eggs while you sleep."</div> <bR> <div>  As she speaks, anger builds up inside of her, gives her new</div> <div>  strength. She shouts angrily as she jumps up on her feet,</div> <div>  there is an insane gleam in her eyes and her claws slide out;</div> <div>  "Whats more; I have news for you, stone for brains! I can</div> <div>  die but I always get better - I am a fragment from a godlike</div> <div>  being, while you are nothing but shivering shit taken from</div> <div>  the ground and given only one lifetime!!"</div> <bR> <div>  Instead of attacking the gargoyle, she jumps down from the</div> <div>  ledge and dives down rapidly, using her anger to ignore her</div> <div>  pain and to fuel her muscles. She intends to fly away so</div> <div>  low and fast that the gargoyles either dare not follow her</div> <div>  or will risk crashing into the rocks. She jumps down</div> <div>  towards the mountainside, and flies downwards and</div> <div>  away, sticking dangerously close to the ground or mountain</div> <div>  wall at all times.</div> <bR> <div>  After straightening from the dive (if she can do it), she</div> <div>  moves in the general direction of the setting sun, staying</div> <div>  very low and flying away at an insane velocity.</div> <bR> <div>  (OOC: This is the basic 'follow the leader' maneuver from</div> <div>  space opera combat system.. Results either in freedom or</div> <div>  a big stain of demon blood on a mountainside. Anyhow,</div> <div>  the crash will annoy her less than the torture she would</div> <div>  face if she surrendered. She has not come this far only to</div> <div>  give up, and at least this way she can be said to leave with</div> <div>  some style - in either case. ;)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 GM POST 134</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>     </div> <bR> <div> At your insult the Gargoyle snarls, showing fangs and teeth as black as its</div> <div> skin and it thrusts forward slightly with the lance.... When you threaten to</div> <div> return it hisses in anger.... When you jump to your feet and extend your</div> <div> claws, it advances the lance somewhat, keeping it aimed at you...  It is</div> <div> clearly wary of any physical confrontation with you.</div> <div> When you leap from the rock ledge the airborn Gargoyle dips and swoops after</div> <div> you, but your action took them both by surprise and you have a good lead at</div> <div> the moment...  The rock face flashes before your eyes as you plunge with</div> <div> apparant suicidal intent to the forest below....Flapping hard to brake your</div> <div> dive takes an immense effort, but you manage it! Just! You level off, clearing</div> <div> a dead snag jutting out of the forest below by a frightening few inches, your</div> <div> passage above the tree tops sends roosting birds scattering in all</div> <div> directions!  You turn west and as you settle into your flight you can dimly</div> <div> hear the Gargoyles screeching at each other above and behind you.  They are</div> <div> too far awy to make out what is said, but they sound angry and distressed.</div> <div> Looking back at this point would be a serious mistake as there are many</div> <div> branches jutting above the general tree line and in the fading light it</div> <div> requires concentration to bob and weave your way through them.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 PC POST 134</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <bR> <div>  Umeida continues low level flight untill she is certain that the</div> <div>  gargoyles are not within dive attack range. After this, she picks up a little</div> <div>  altitude (only enough for safe look-around) and takes a good look around her,</div> <div>  assessing the situation.</div> <bR> <div>  If it seems safe, she sets on endurance flight towards the setting sun,</div> <div>  enough above the treetops so that she can fly relatively straight..</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 GM POST 135</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <bR> <div>  The Gargoyle voices continue, though now they seem to be arguing, but they do not</div> <div>  seem to be any closer to you.  Risking a look around you see that they are about</div> <div>  four hundred feet behind you and maybe a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet</div> <div>  higher then you.  They are clearly pacing you and debating what to do.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>               PBEM Series 2 PC POST 135</div> <div>               PC: Umeida</div> <div>         </div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Seeing this, Umeida concentrates on her horizontal velocity in relation to the</div> <div>    gargoyles, rising a bit every now and then, looking back and then bleeding off the</div> <div>    altitude for more speed. She remains close enough to the treetops so that dive attack does not seem</div> <div>    like a tempting alternative for the gargoyles, as she can reduce altitude even more if they</div> <div>    start to get close.</div> <div>   </div> <div>    She cocks her prodd (but does not yet load it), just in case the gargoyles get closer</div> <div>    - Although she cannot really count on getting two reptiles with the same stone.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>               PBEM Series 2 GM POST 136</div> <div>               PC: Umeida</div> <div>         </div> <div>  </div> <div>   The chatter between the Garagoyles seems to have stopped, but they remain behind you,</div> <div>   still following, tho they are working harder to maintain the space.  They appear undecided</div> <div>   as to which is worse, a physical confrontation with a demon of unknown ability, or having</div> <div>   to explain to their masters how they lost you.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>              PBEM Series 2 PC POST 136</div> <div>              PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida keeps up a good pace, trying to tire out her heavier followers.</div> <bR> <div>  She tries to look for visual cover or any terrain features which would allow her to shake</div> <div>  off the gargoyles. But if she cannot find any, she just keeps on flying onwards, hoping that</div> <div>  her wing area/weight ratio gives her sufficient endurance advantage.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>              PBEM Series 2 GM POST 137</div> <div>              PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> The lower slopes of the mountains are heavily wooded, but they quickly rise up to jagged rock</div> <div> faces bare of any appreciable vegitation.  The fading light leaves the recesses of the forest</div> <div> cover dark and brooding, making it difficult even for you to make out more than the barest of</div> <div> details as you swoop past.  Soon you will be in darkness, though if you gain some altitude you</div> <div> could enjoy a few more minutes of sunlight.</div> <div> Looking ahead it seems that you have only one last set of mountains to pass before the terrain</div> <div> falls away to the lowlands of Velitrium.</div> <div> (What kind of terrain features did you have in mind?)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 137</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> No reason to stay in sunlight any longer. She does not know for sure,</div> <div> but is fairly certain that Gargoyles do not have fully fledged dark vision either (such is fairly</div> <div> rare quality), so they will have harder time of following her in darkness.</div> <bR> <div> Suitable terrain feature might be a big hill or big rock she could get</div> <div> between herself and the gargoyles long enough for a slight course change which would take her</div> <div> out of their visual detection zone - Then if she could fly low enough in darkness, they</div> <div> might not be able to see her any more and would not be able to follow..</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 138</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Gargoyles are said to have good night vision, they are most active after</div> <div> dark, but you don't believe it to be as good as yours.</div> <bR> <div> Once you clear the last mountain peak, the terrain will begin to drop</div> <div> away... First there are Alpine meadows, then connifer forests, then</div> <div> further down are deciduous forests.  There are foot hills here, some</div> <div> would make for rugged walking, but overall the area gets much smoother</div> <div> especially when seen from above.  Your best bet to lose your companions</div> <div> might be to cut back into the mountain range and try to work your way</div> <div> through the narrower valleys, gorges and gaps.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 138</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Umeida changes her course so that she flies along the mountain range, and</div> <div>    makes an attempt to disappear into the mountains. After a while she does her</div> <div>    best to hide from her followers sight and dives away from the mountains,</div> <div>    hoping that she can at least get long enough distance between herself and</div> <div>    gargoyles before they realize where she went.. She flies low and fast towards the</div> <div>    lights of the big city and the big lake she saw few days earlier.</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Umeida thinks that the gargoyles propably will not follow her very far into</div> <div>    the airspace of Velitrium, as the kingdom is not exactly known to be</div> <div>    hospitable to their kind.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 139</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   You are still a long way from the city you saw, though you know its general</div> <div>   whereabouts you can't see it at this distance and altitude.</div> <div>  </div> <div>   You fly back into the mountain range, heading south and east which is the</div> <div>   direction of the steeper and rougher terrain and probably the best area to try</div> <div>   and shake pursuit.</div> <div>   About a mile ahead you see the light color of bare rock jutting outward from a</div> <div>   mountainside, looking like a curtain wall of stone... perhaps you can duck</div> <div>   behind that and find somewhere to hide or drop down into the forest a hundred or</div> <div>   so feet below.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 139</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida proceeds towards the curtain wall of stone, drops behind the terrain fixture</div> <div>  and swiftly dives down at first, disappearing from the view of the gargoyles. After</div> <div>  she is certain that the gargoyles no longer see her, she changes her course and</div> <div>  flies low and fast towards the kingdom of Velitrium.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 140</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> You dive towards the forest below, leveling out and banking right to put the shoulder</div> <div> of the mountain between you and pursuit. Once you put the bulk of the mountain between</div> <div> you and them, you turn towards the west and Velitrium.</div> <div> flapping hard you risk a glance back... There, rising high behind you are the two</div> <div> gargoyles.... Surely they can see you from their vantage?  But they don't seem to be</div> <div> following!  Did they miss your form darting above the tree tops? Or have they chosen</div> <div> not to pursue?  If that is the case why? Do they know something you don't? Or is it</div> <div> fear that keeps them from closing with you?  You suspect that they may well be stronger</div> <div> fliers then you, if so they haven't taken advantage of it.  As you watch they wheel and</div> <div> turn east, dropping from sight behind the crest of the mountain.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 PC POST 140</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>    Umeida takes some altitude and begins her gliding flight towards the big city. She plans on</div> <div>   </div> <div>    finding a suitable place to eat and sleep.. She has not slept for many days, and she does</div> <div>    need one nights sleep every week.</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Especially at first she is very careful and keeps on looking around her, as she suspects</div> <div>    that the gargoyles abandoned pursuit only because there is something more dangerous in</div> <div>    the vicinity.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 GM POST 141</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   The land below you is forest, a mix of various kinds of hardwoods, though this is difficult to</div> <div>   determine at night, from the air in the fall.  There are still many leaves on the trees and the</div> <div>   ground below is mostly hidden.  There is no sign of human habitation, lights, smoke, buildings</div> <div>   or roads in this area.</div> <div>  </div> <div>   How long will you fly before landing and what do you consider a suitable place?</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 PC POST 141</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida will keep on flying untill she reaches more inhabited farmland. If she can find the</div> <div>  small piece of woods with the pond she found earlier when she cooked her rabbit, it would</div> <div>  be fine.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 GM POST 142</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Finding that pond again will be a time consuming process at best.... You continue westward for some</div> <div> time.</div> <div> Judging by your flight times and what you remember of the terrain before going underground, your</div> <div> sojurn took you east and south of where you had discovered the entrance to the slaver's caverns.  How</div> <div> far south is hard to judge, maybe eight or ten miles, and you had traveled east perhaps as much if</div> <div> not more.  Most of this must have been while drifting on the winding course of the river since it</div> <div> doesn't seem as though you walked that far, though estimating distance, like time, is tricky</div> <div> underground.</div> <div> You have been flying for some time when you notice in the distance a rocky, somewhat barren hill</div> <div> jutting out of the forest. There are lights barely visible, clustered mostly on the western slope.</div> <div> It appears to be a small settlement with maybe twenty or thirty buildings.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 142</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Umeida flies over it quietly, trying to get a better idea what it looks</div> <div>   like, what race of beings has</div> <div>   builtit. This settlement looks different than the ones she saw in</div> <div>   Velitrium earlier, she had better be a bit</div> <div>   more careful now that she is wounded and tired..</div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 143</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Where the earlier buildings you saw were those of a farmer and related</div> <div>   famlies, this has the look of a village.  Oddly the agricultural area</div> <div>   seems small for the size of the village.  As you cross over you see</div> <div>   several buildings clustered around a pit or excavation near the top of</div> <div>   the hill and next to that a large pile of tailings.  There is a well</div> <div>   worn road from the village, which sits just below it, to the cluster</div> <div>   around the mine pit. Such is what you judge it to be, though exactly</div> <div>   what they are mining is impossible to tell from up here.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>  PBEM Series 2 PC POST 143</div> <div>  PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Neither is there telling how deep the mining pit goes?</div> <bR> <div>  There is the chance that this is yet another entrance to the underworld -</div> <div>  Also, it has very few lights and dim ones at that.. There is something</div> <div>  vaguely suspicious about this dwelling and its lack of agriculture.</div> <bR> <div>  So, Umeida decides to go on and tries to find the farmlands. At the</div> <div>  same time she is putting more distance between herself and possible</div> <div>  pursuit, so this effort wont go to waste anyhow.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>  PBEM Series 2 GM POST 144</div> <div>  PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Judging by the size of the tailings pile the mine has been in operation for</div> <div> sometime, but that is all you can say about its depth or extant.</div> <bR> <div> You continue west.  Only a few minutes after passing over the mine you notice</div> <div> lights ahead, west and a bit south of your present course.  They appear to be</div> <div> campfires or torches, though at this distance it is impossible to say except</div> <div> that the source is fire rather than magical.</div> <div> The area of the lights is wooded and they do not appear to be moving.  You</div> <div> see two groupings through the foliage. One consists of about seven or eight</div> <div> lights, the other five or six.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 144</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Military units out in the wilderness, or primitives - Perhaps both, Umeida</div> <div>  thinks.</div> <div>  Still, it would be well worthwhile to check them out by gliding over them quietly</div> <div>  - It might be possible to see what kind of people are camping out there, and if</div> <div>  they seem like a friendly sort, perhaps they could offer some hospitability to a lone</div> <div>  wanderer..</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 145</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> You swoop down silently towards the lights...</div> <div> The group  of seven or eight in number is the first set of lights you come to.  As</div> <div> you pass above the tree tops, some sixty to eighty feet above the light sources, you</div> <div> can see that they are torches and a small campfire with at least nine or ten huts and</div> <div> cottages nestled under the trees and with some structures in the trees themselves.</div> <div> Suddenly the tree tops below you explode upward in a great cloud of roosting birds!</div> <div> In the dark it is hard to tell just what kind they are, in fact from the sounds it</div> <div> may even be multiple kinds....</div> <div> As the raucaus cawing, shrieking and tittering fills the night air, you hear voices</div> <div> below..."Intruders!  To Arms! TO ARMS!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>        Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 145</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <div>        Very effective 'watchdog' system.. Umeida turns sharply back and away</div> <div>        from the cottages  and the birds, before the arrows start to fly..</div> <div>       From what little she was able to see,  this looks a bit like elven or human dwelling, so she</div> <div>       thinks that perhaps she should  check it out on foot, in a more appropriate form.</div> <div>       </div> <div>        She flies back away for a mile or so, lands and shapeshifts into her</div> <div>        elven form,  looking at her mirror image in her shield to make sure</div> <div>       she got it right.</div> <div>        Then she  tries to clean herself up a bit, if possible, and starts</div> <div>       walking towards the  small village in the woods.</div> <div>       </div> <div>       </div> <div>      </div> <div>        Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 GM POST 146</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <div>       The birds do more then just raise an alarm. They dive at you pecking and</div> <div>       buffeting, forcing you to shield your face lest they attack your eyes!</div> <div>       Fortunately it is dark and most of these birds are diurnal so they do</div> <div>       not pursue or press the attack after you turn away, though a few follow</div> <div>       you for perhaps a quarter mile shrieking at you before they give it up.</div> <div>       You have a few minor scratches and peck marks where they drew blood, but</div> <div>       the overall damage is inconsequential.  The attack was not particularly</div> <div>       damaging, but it would have prevented you from doing much else while in</div> <div>       the air. Aiming missile weapons, even casting spells would have been all</div> <div>       but impossible.</div> <div>       The voices you heard were human, the language was Velitar.</div> <div>       You land and complete your arrangements with ease and start walking</div> <div>       back.  You have gone perhaps a half mile when you suddenly have the</div> <div>       strongest feeling that you are being watched.</div> <div>     </div> <div>    </div> <div>       Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 PC POST 146</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     </div> <div>      Seleniadriel speaks in Velitar with cute elven accent, and looks</div> <div>      around: "Hey, is anyone out there?" She continues walking onwards</div> <div>      peacefully with no hurry, not making any effort to move silently.</div> <div>     </div> <div>    </div> <div>       Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 GM POST 147</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     There is no answer but something long, low and animal like glides through the</div> <div>     edge of your vision to the right.  Glancing that way you see an absolutely</div> <div>     enormous wolf pacing you at a distamce of maybe 60 feet. Glancing left you see</div> <div>     a similar beast pacing you on that side.  There is a flutter of wings in the</div> <div>     branches over head.  What ever kind of bird it is, it is lost toi your sight</div> <div>     in the fall foliage.</div> <div>     The wolves make no move to attack, but their attention is clearly on you.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 147</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Seleniadriel keeps an eye on her animal companions as she moves on towards</div> <div>    the village peacefully and calmly. Occasionally she hums in an ancient elven</div> <div>    tune, so that she wont startle any armed guards hidden in the woods.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 147</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   (GM Note:  Umeida has Gift of Tounges which allows her to speak and understand any</div> <div>   language, but that does not give her detailed cultural knowledge of any race she</div> <div>   encounters. I have assumed a certain amount of cultural knowledge, focusing</div> <div>   primarily on the Velitar and those races, like the Goblins, which have a history of</div> <div>   consorting with the Dark Lore.  (The Velitar are by no means the only human cultural</div> <div>   group.)  In short, Umeida may look like an Elf and talk like an elf, which will fool</div> <div>   most humans and non elves, but you won't be able to keep up the pretense for very</div> <div>   long with actual elves or even humans who spend their lives living amongst elves. To</div> <div>   accomplish that you would also need skills like Elven History, Elven Savoire Faire,</div> <div>   Area Knowledge: Elven regions etc... For someone who grows up in such a culture</div> <div>   there is a presumed basic knowledge built into their IQ roll.  An American citizen</div> <div>   may not be able to name all the Presidents with out a History skill, but he will</div> <div>   know the names of those presidents in his life time. (Well, maybe. I do know some</div> <div>   really stupid people.)  If this changes your mind about continueing forward then</div> <div>   ignore the post below and let me know.)</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 147</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  No problem. Umeida just hums some innocent tune instead, then.</div> <bR> <div>  OOC:</div> <div>  I was just assuming that because it is so very difficult to learn new forms for the</div> <div>  Shapeshifting skill, they could also include little something beyond mere appearance</div> <div>  - Since she has spent great efforts on learning the forms, she ought to know at least</div> <div>  something of what they represent, not necessarily anything in depth.. While she does</div> <div>  not know that the Silvermoon Clan was actually destroyed hundred years ago (or</div> <div>  not), she might know some of their lullabies and the like - she has the singing skill,</div> <div>  and can speak any elven clan dialect after all.. Presumably her form is that of an</div> <div>  elven maiden who ended up in hell hundreds of years ago, and Umeida interviewed</div> <div>  her on some key topics before helping her to escape her tormentors.</div> <bR> <div>   Through the trees you start to make out the gleam of lights, but all is quiet as you</div> <div>   continue to approach.  Ahead you see the trees open up a bit, though it is not yet a</div> <div>   full clearing, the underbrush has been cut back and you see the first of the</div> <div>   cottages and overhead several tree houses.  As you break into the clearing a voice</div> <div>   from above, you presume one of the tree houses, says "Stop!  Make no sudden</div> <div>   moves...  Who are you?"</div> <bR> <div>  Seleniadriel, looks up with a smile, making no sudden movements and says:</div> <div>  "Seleniadriel, of the Silvermoon Clan. I come in peace, I am looking for a place</div> <div>  where I could rest while my wounds heal."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 148</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> There is silence, then two beams of light, so bright that the source can only be magical,</div> <div> illuminate you. The voice says "Elf?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>              PBEM Series 2 PC POST 148</div> <div>              PC: Umeida</div> <div>        </div> <div>         Seleniadriel, blinking her eyes and trying not to look directly at the</div> <div>         lightsources, takes  off her helmet with a stylish slow movement, her long silver hair</div> <div>         sparkling in the light, and  replies: "That is correct.. Who do I have the honor of meeting?"</div> <div>        </div> <bR> <bR> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>              PBEM Series 2 GM POST 149</div> <div>              PC: Umeida</div> <div>        </div> <div>         The lights are adjusted not to aim into your face, though they continue</div> <div>         to illuminate you. There is a whispered conversation, then a hooded</div> <div>         figure steps forward, you see only a shilouetted shape, the figure</div> <div>         speaks, it is a woman. "Welcome Sister, to the Grove of Farn. I am</div> <div>         Gheenla, the Memory of this Grove. Are you injured?"</div> <div>         You realise that this is a Druid Grove.  You don't know a lot about the</div> <div>         Druids, from what you do know the Faith has existed since long, long</div> <div>         before Blar or Mitra came to this world.  The Druids believe, or so you</div> <div>         understand, that neither force belongs here, that they both are</div> <div>         disruptive and destructive and that eventually they will both be gone</div> <div>         from here.  The fact that the forces that stand with the Light are</div> <div>         somewhat more reliable neighbors then those that serve the Dark causes</div> <div>         the Druids to lean that way. But to the best of your knowledge they have</div> <div>         no knee jerl animosity to the Dark.  On the other hand, they may regard</div> <div>         you as an unnatural abomination, as opposed to an evil abomination...</div> <div>         The Druidic faith as practiced by Humans, is very close to that</div> <div>         practiced by Elves.  There is a long established and close alliance</div> <div>         between the two groups.</div> <div>       </div> <div>      </div> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>             PBEM Series 2 PC POST 149</div> <div>             PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <div>       </div> <div>       Umeida decides to keep up her masquerade for now, unless she is</div> <div>        discovered by the druids. No sense in upsetting these kind people</div> <div>        with the truth, at least not untill she knows them better.</div> <div>       </div> <div>        Seleniadriel: "I have a small stabbing wound in my stomach and quite</div> <div>        painful cuts across my back, I hope they are not poisoned. Gargoyles</div> <div>        have no manners.. I will be very grateful if you help me."</div> <div>       </div> <div>      </div> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>             PBEM Series 2 GM POST 150</div> <div>             PC: Umeida</div> <div>      </div> <div>       Gheenla bechons, "Come, we shall tend your wounds and get you some food</div> <div>       Sister."  The lights are redirected at the ground and she leads the way into</div> <div>       the village, heading towards a small field stone cottage.  A compact, muscular</div> <div>       looking man trails along closely beside you, the rest of the group begins to</div> <div>       disperse back to their normal routines. There is no sign of the wolves.</div> <div>       The man bobs his head in your direction, "I am Druse, welcome."  He says this</div> <div>       with a smile, but there is look about him as though he is analyzing you.  He</div> <div>       is carrying a scimitar, it is in it's scabbard and its belts trail along in</div> <div>       the dust. Clearly Druse had grabbed it in a hurry and had not bothered</div> <div>       buckling it on.  He is not armored either, and wears only a light leather</div> <div>       jerkin over his clothes.</div> <div>       Gheenla says, "It has been many years since one of the Eldred passed this way.</div> <div>       There are so few of you in the Valley.  Is all well in Minfolin?"</div> <div>     </div> <div>    </div> <div>        Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 PC POST 150</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     </div> <div>      Seleniadriel responds to Druse with a nod and very disarming smile, and</div> <div>      says: "Glad to meet you."</div> <div>     </div> <div>      To Gheenla, she says: "I have to admit that I have never been there, but I hope</div> <div>      all is well. I have been walking my paths alone for a long time now, others of</div> <div>      my kind would propably consider me an outsider."</div> <div>     </div> <div>    </div> <div>        Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 GM POST 151</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     Gheenla looks surprised, "You are not from Minfolin? You are new to Velitrium? But</div> <div>     you speak Velitar so well!"</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 151</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Seleniadriel: "I can speak many languages well. Some I have learned, some I have</div> <div>    acquired from my dreams - I am quite sure that it is an actual magical ability, I have</div> <div>   </div> <div>    never met anyone I could not talk with.. I have been walking my paths in Velitrium</div> <div>    for some time now, but of course I am not yet fully familiar with your kingdom, I</div> <div>    have been mostly to the frontier regions."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "You seem to have a very nice place here, I feel very safe here. What can you tell</div> <div>    me about the Grove of Farn?"</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 152</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   She looks a bit puzzled at your question, clearly she thinks that an Elf doesn't need</div> <div>   details on a Druid Grove</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 152</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Using diplomacy skill;</div> <bR> <div>  Seleniadriel: "No, I mean; what has your Grove's recent history been like, I have noticed</div> <div>  that you have some quite unfriendly neighbors in the mountains?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 153</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> The Druid nods her understanding. "Yes, we are out on the edge. There are no garrisons</div> <div> hereabout, though the gnomes at the mine are always happy to lend a hand.  Actually though, we</div> <div> taught the Goblins such a lesson back in the Rebellion that even now they leave us be.  And of</div> <div> course we have the Greys if we need them."</div> <div> She opens the door to the cottage and gestures for you to enter first.</div> <div> The room beyond is cozy, warm and comfortable. The ceiling is low, with massive beams, the</div> <div> floor of flagstone. A fire burns cheerily in the hearth, the furniture, tho locally made, is</div> <div> comfortable and well crafted.</div> <div> "Please, sit and we shall get you some food."  You can smell something good cooking in an iron</div> <div> pot hanging in the hearth.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>      Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 153</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Seleniadriel: "Thank you."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Seleniadriel, shows her back to Druse: "Druse, could you please tell me how bad my back looks</div> <div>    like, I can only feel the pain and can't tell whether or not the wounds there are really serious</div> <div>    or not?"</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Then she sits down, but is careful not to lean on anything with her sore back.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>      Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 154</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Druse studies your back for a moment without touching you. "It looks nasty, but I don't think its</div> <div>   very serious, but it will probably leave an ugly scar if left untended."</div> <div>   Gheenla comes over and looks at it. She makes a quiet clucking noise then says, "Your right Druse,</div> <div>   we must do something about that."  She rests a reassuring hand on your shoulder, "Do not worry</div> <div>   Sister. We have some very skilled Healers in the Grove. After you eat we shall go to the shrine and</div> <div>   have that tended. Unless it hurts too much to eat? If that is so, we can go now."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 154</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>  Seleniadriel: "As long as I do not lean on anything, I think I can ignore the pain for a while longer.</div> <div>  I haven't eaten for quite some time now, so I must admit that I am quite hungry now."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 155</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div> Gheenla puts bread, cheese, and a large bowl of vegetable stew in front of you. "Would you prefer wine or</div> <div> beer?" She asks holding up a flagon of beer and a jug of wine.</div> <div> Druse throws some wood on the fire and excuses himself and leaves the cottage.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 PC POST 155</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Seleniadriel: "Either would do just fine, but I would prefer wine with</div> <div>   two thirds of water in the cup, thank you. I apologize in advance if my</div> <div>   table manners seem a bit less classy than what you would expect, but I</div> <div>   haven't had a good meal like this for days.."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   She says to Druse, as he leaves: "Good night, Druse."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   She uses her fine large knife to cut off slices of bread and cheese, and</div> <div>   proceeds to eat untill she is hungry no more.</div> <div>  </div> <div>   After she has eaten: "Oh, thank you so much for this most excellent</div> <div>   meal. Should I go see the healers right away?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 156</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Druse nods and smiles as he leaves.   Gheenla sits down across the table</div> <div>   from you, sipping some wine.</div> <div>   "Where are you from Seleniadriel?  The Elven lands north of here, or</div> <div>   those far to the west?"</div> <div>  </div> <div>   "We'll go when you feel ready. My colleagues know you will be along."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 156</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div>  Seleniadriel: "My parents were born in the far west, but my clan has been</div> <div>  living the life of nomad hunters for centuries. However, for quite some</div> <div>  time now, I have been walking my paths alone - My clan chose to</div> <div>  walk different paths."</div> <bR> <div>  "I think I am as ready as I can get, I'd like to see the healers first, get</div> <div>  these wounds treated and then get a nice long sleep."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 157</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> <GM Notes:  As a creature of the Darkness, a minion of the Legion of Blar, you</div> <div> know very little about Druidism. The religion predates the coming of Blar and</div> <div> Mitra by many, many ages... The Souls of Druidic followers are locked into a</div> <div> cycle of Reincarnation and are not drawn into the Otherworlds dominated by</div> <div> Light and Dark...  You do know, mostly by ancedotal evidence, that the Groves</div> <div> are their Holy places and are a place of great power for the Druids</div> <div> themselves.  You have no idea what the Groves are like, what their powers are</div> <div> or what the consequences of a non-believer entering one is.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Gheenla listens intently, getting you more food as needed and refilling your</div> <div> goblet.</div> <div> "When you have satisfied your appetite we shall go.  The Healing ceremony won't</div> <div> take very long, and if you want to Commune before sleeping you will be able</div> <div> to."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 PC POST 157</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Nonetheless, Umeida is quite willing to take some risks to get herself well</div> <div>  again. Druids are not supposed to be as opposed to real her as the followers of</div> <div>  Mitra, and so it would make sense that their healing powers would not actually</div> <div>  kill her or send her back to hell..</div> <bR> <div>  Seleniadriel: "I am not a very religious person, I hope my presence does</div> <div>  not offend your grove.. But I see no other way I could be healed, so</div> <div>  lets do it."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 158</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Gheenla smiles as she takes your empty dishes. "Do not fear, one of the Eldred is</div> <div> always one with the Grove. Come, let us go and see to your wounds."</div> <div> She will lead you outside and down the path that lies in the center of the little</div> <div> village. At the far end you see two large, old holly trees between which the path</div> <div> passes. As you pass between them the trees rustle and seem to shudder. Gheenla looks</div> <div> up in surprise. "It has been some time since a stranger has passed them." She</div> <div> apologises.</div> <div> The path winds through the woods. Though it is a dark night the way is easily seen,</div> <div> not just because of your vision, but it is as if the gloom were not as deep on the</div> <div> path. Ahead you see a wall of holly trees, presumably the perimiter of the actual</div> <div> Grove... There a series of standing stones flanking the path as it approaches the</div> <div> holly trees and you see an arching break in the vegetation.  Through this gate you</div> <div> catch a glimpse of a large grassy area with more stones, a large pool and some</div> <div> scattered trees. Gheenla will lead the way in.</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Velitrium Campaign</FONT></div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 158</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  As she follows Gheenla, Umeida attempts to keep her mind totally clear of dark,</div> <div>  hostile or even questionable thoughts. Some of these plants might be able to read</div> <div>  her thoughts, and she very much hopes that this healing won't revert her back to</div> <div>  her 'natural' form - that might be very embarassing..</div> <bR> <div>  Seleniadriel, nods at Gheenla's words: "Stranger and an outsider I am, even among</div> <div>  my own people."</div> <bR> <div>  She follows Gheenla through the gate, determined to face without fear what</div> <div>  awaits her.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 159</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Passing through the gate, you see that the area encompassed by the holly wall is probably</div> <div> a bit over two acres in size. At the far end are three large oak trees of great age, set</div> <div> in a triangular pattern.  Between the gate and the trees lies the pool, a kidney shaped</div> <div> body of perfectly still water. Set around the pool and in various places around the</div> <div> enclosure, are more of the monolithic standing stones.  In amongst the trees are four more</div> <div> robed figures.  As Gheenla leads you across to the pool, they come out from amongst the</div> <div> trees and take up posistions along the outer curve of the pool's edge.  Gheenla leads you</div> <div> to the edge of the pool in the center of the inward curve.  She leaves you standing there</div> <div> and walks around the pool to take up a center posistion directly opposite you.</div> <div> Once everyone is in posistion there is a pause, then an unfelt breeze seems to ripple both</div> <div> the water and the grass about you. As this happens Gheenla says, "Who are you stranger,</div> <div> and for what reason do you walk amongst us in the guise of our brethern?"</div> <div> Simultaneously two things happen... First, the grass on which you stand writhes about as</div> <div> though it were animate and sentient, it twines itself about your feet and ankles....</div> <div> Second, the water of the pool goes completely still and you see your reflection before</div> <div> you... Your TRUE reflection, the image of Umeida the Demoness.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 PC POST 159</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   After a short initial shock of surprise, Umeida calms herself and</div> <div>   proceeds to use her diplomacy skill, speaking with peaceful tone of voice;</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Umeida: "I have several names and several forms to accompany them. If</div> <div>   you so wish, all of my names I can tell you, except my true name.. What you see as my</div> <div>   true form, you may call Veleda. Regardless of what I look like in your eyes, I mean</div> <div>   you no harm.</div> <div>   To the best of my ability, I oppose Blar and his legions, I oppose truly</div> <div>   evil beings of all kinds whenever possible. Those who serve Mitra oppose my very existence,</div> <div>   but I do not blame them for that, it is nothing personal. I serve no one but my</div> <div>   own conscience."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   "I thought it was quite obvious why I would have to wear disguises while</div> <div>   walking among you - In my experiences, my true form either scares off people or makes</div> <div>   them want to kill me, and I do not wish for either effect.. I haven't slept for a</div> <div>   week and I am wounded after fighting the evil ones who live under the mountains, I came here</div> <div>   asking only for hospitability and healing, nothing more."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   "If I have offended you in any way by wearing this disguise, I want to</div> <div>   apologize. I thought it was only polite to appear as something which you would find more</div> <div>   pleasant to look at. Do you not prefer to see an elf instead of a demon?"</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 160</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Gheenla says, "You know nothing of us, Veleda. Many of our brethern are</div> <div>   shapeshifters, we are well familiar with the signs of such."</div> <div>   Another of the hooded figures speaks, a man. "You are of the Legion's</div> <div>   spawned by the interloper known as Blar, yet you say you oppose him, how</div> <div>   can one oppose that which gives you existence?"</div> <div>   Yet a third , a woman, says, "We prefer that our guests do not seek to</div> <div>   deceive us."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 PC POST 160</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida: "You are correct, I haven't had prior contact with your kind. I just</div> <div>  know your faith has existed long before Mitra and Blar, and I think that you</div> <div>  might be kind and reasonable people - besides that, I don't know much of</div> <div>  anything about you."</div> <bR> <div>  She smiles at the man who asked the question, and replies: "I think my own</div> <div>  thoughts, therefore I am - I have free will. While I cannot destroy Blar</div> <div>  anymore than I could stop a thunderstorm with my bare hands, I can do smaller</div> <div>  good deeds, or at least I can try - It is not very easy to do these kinds of</div> <div>  things all alone."</div> <bR> <div>  She looks at the woman: "When I saw your lights, I had no idea who you</div> <div>  are. In fact, you are the first to see through my guise. I do not like to</div> <div>  deceive people either, but so far I have had no choice - In my true form, vast</div> <div>  majority of people would see only a demon, not an individual.. If you so wish,</div> <div>  I can resume my true form now, although it will be quite painful experience with</div> <div>  my wounds."</div> <bR> <div>  She looks at the grass which holds her feet.</div> <div>  "Do you mind if I sit down? I don't feel too good."</div> <bR> <div>  She then looks at them all and says: "I am sorry if I have offended you</div> <div>  or broken any laws I was not aware of, if there is any way I can undo any</div> <div>  annoyance or harm I may have caused to you, I will. My life is in your</div> <div>  hands, will you heal me or will you kill me?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>   PBEM Series 2 GM POST 161</div> <div>   PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Another figure, a man who has yet to speak, says. "Sit if you will."</div> <div> The first man continues with his line of questioning after a pause while you</div> <div> sit. "You oppose that which is your very essence? That is as if we were to</div> <div> oppose the Elements that make up our flesh. You can no more deny your true</div> <div> nature then a tree can deny the earth."</div> <div> Everyone seems to await your answer</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 PC POST 161</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div>  Umeida: "True demon nature is to be evil, sure, but individual demons have full</div> <div>  freedom of choice in this matter - how exactly to implement their nature.. My</div> <div>  evilness is the betrayal of my creator and kind, betrayal of the Legions traditions,</div> <bR> <div>  embracing of good ideals such as compassion and tolerance. That is my true</div> <div>  nature, my very sense of purpose - I do not deny it, I embrace it."</div> <bR> <div>  "I understand that this could confuse you, so I shall explain further; I am quite</div> <div>  exceptional and as far as I know, unique.. Metaphorically speaking, I am not</div> <div>  like a tree firmly planted in earth, instead I am more like a parasite insect in the</div> <bR> <div>  tree, drawing my sustenance from Blar against his will, slowly eating him from</div> <div>  within. If I am succesfull in what I am doing, in few centuries I might attract</div> <div>  some fame and following among the other demons.. You surely know how</div> <div>  even the mightiest oak will eventually become weak and crumbles down</div> <div>  when hundreds of tiny insects eat it from within.."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 162</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> "And yet the parasites you speak of are an innate part of the cycle... The tree grows,</div> <div> dies and is born again.  Do you believe that the power that is Blar can be destroyed by</div> <div> its own progeney?  Dissent amongst the Legion's of Darkness is no new thing, it has</div> <div> perhaps weakened it in the conquest of the forces of Light, but it will never destroy</div> <div> it."</div> <div> The man who told you to sit  speaks, "To destroy Blar all of his life must be gathered</div> <div> together in one place. Should that happen, and it is the goal of the Legion, then the</div> <div> Other, Mitra, will be drawn to the same place. The conflict that results will be</div> <div> cataclysmic."</div> <div> Gheenla says, "It would destroy this world and all life therein. That is why it may</div> <div> never be permitted to happen."</div> <div> The second man adds, "Neither may Mitra ever be permitted to manifest himself on this</div> <div> world. Should such happen, then all the scattered life of the Demon Lord shall again</div> <div> congeal and the Final battle will begin. Neither of the Outsiders may ever be permitted</div> <div> to achieve their goal."</div> <div> Gheenla continues, "As Velitar we support our King and, to a lessor extent the Church of</div> <div> Mitra for the simple reason that the Mitraens are better neighbors to our Flock then the</div> <div> followers of the Dark Lore."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 162</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Umeida: "I am not willing to destroy this world, I would do everything I</div> <div> can to prevent such a disaster.. I am satisfied if I can do some good</div> <div> deeds, cause some damage to the followers of Dark Lore and perhaps even weaken Blar's hold</div> <div> over this world."</div> <bR> <div> "I am not sure if Blar's own progeny could destroy him in his own realm,</div> <div> maybe, maybe not - I guess that it would in the very least take a large</div> <div> group of powerful demon warlocks working together. It takes more than one insect</div> <div> to bring the whole tree down, after all."</div> <bR> <div> "I agree, Mitraens are much more pleasant people than followers of Dark</div> <div> Lore - I have seen what the Dark Lore excuse for civilization looks</div> <div> like, and take my word for it, in some ways it is actually much worse place than Blar's</div> <div> home realm.. I tried very hard, but I could not find a way to free some poor slaves</div> <div> from there - After that it was difficult to get away alive, I had a Talon and whole bunch of</div> <div> cultists after me,outside I got into a fight with gargoyles, I got wounded but I eluded</div> <div> them, and then I came here seeking for healing or at least for a place where I could sleep.."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>    PBEM Series 2 GM POST 163</div> <div>    PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> They are silent for a long time. You are not sure whether they are</div> <div> thinking, waiting or, in some imperceptible way, communicating amongst</div> <div> themselves.  Finally Gheenla speaks.   "You may rest here tonight. We</div> <div> will look to your wounds if you wish. But know this, none but the</div> <div> Faithful may benefit from the Power of the Grove without incurring a</div> <div> debt that must be staisfied.  You may rest in the village without</div> <div> obligation, but if you desire our aid in healing, you must be prepared</div> <div> to assume a burden. Choose carefully."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>     Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 163</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida:  "I have no idea what specific kind of burden you are talking</div> <div>  about, and I do not have much to pay a debt with - So far it seems that I</div> <div>  might heal naturally on my own, so that is what I will choose for now."</div> <bR> <div>  "I thank you for your kindness and understanding, I don't need to sleep</div> <div>  often, but now I do feel very tired.. Later, if there is anything I could</div> <div>  help you with, you need but ask me."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>     Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 GM POST 164</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> The grass binding your feet slowly unravels. Gheenla says, "You may rest in</div> <div> one of the huts.  You may not enter the grove again. Other then that you have</div> <div> the run of the village."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 PC POST 164</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  A bit shakily, Umeida stands up: "I understand, and I will abide. Do you wish</div> <div>  me to change my form?"</div> <bR> <div>  After that she is ready to leave the grove.</div> <bR> <div>  After leaving the grove, she asks if she could have some bandages for her</div> <div>  back.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 165</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Gheenla nods, "Yes, resume your elven form. The young ones will not find it quite</div> <div> as alarming.  One of our people skilled in the, mundane healing arts, will attend</div> <div> to your wounds.  Come with me."</div> <div> She will lead you to a one room cottage with several bunks, a table and chairs, a</div> <div> sideboard and a hearth in which a cheery fire is burning.</div> <div> "This is our guest cottage. You may stay as long as you wish."  She points to the</div> <div> side board. "You will find food and drink there.  I will send our healer along</div> <div> shortly."  She excuses herself and leaves you alone.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 165</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     </div> <div>      IC:</div> <div>      (I thought Umeida was in her elven form already - That only her mirror image in the</div> <div>      pool appeared as her natural form - Earlier she felt no pain associated with changing a</div> <div>      form while injured.)</div> <div>    </div> <div>     (You are correct, my error.)</div> <div>    </div> <div>     </div> <div>      Umeida: "Thats very nice, thanks, I really would like to get these wounds bandaged..</div> <div>      Good night, Gheenla."</div> <div>     </div> <div>      After Gheenla has left, Umeida sits down on one of the bunks and starts to do her</div> <div>      maintenance routine on her equipment.</div> <div>     </div> <div>     </div> <div>    </div> <div>           Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 GM POST 166</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <div>    </div> <div>     Perhaps ten minutes pass, then Gheenla returns with a young man who is carrying a wicker</div> <div>     basket. She says, "This is Kohl, he is highly skilled in the arts or Herbalism and</div> <div>     healing.  He will tend your wounds and assist you with anything else you may need. To aid</div> <div>     in his efforts I have explained your otherworldy origins.  You may be assured of his</div> <div>     discretion. Good night." She smiles pleasantly and departs.</div> <div>    </div> <div>     Kohl smiles pleasantly and unpacks the basket. There are rolls of bandages, small jars of</div> <div>     ointment or salve, a pouch of dried leaves and several small bottles of liquids and</div> <div>     powders. From the side board he takes a cup and fills it with fresh water from a crock.</div> <div>     He also puts a kettle of water on the fire.</div> <div>     "The Council has instructed me to use all my skills and remedies." He explains as he</div> <div>     works. "Are you in much pain?  I have something to alleviate it."  Finished with his</div> <div>     preperations he says, "Please, show me the injuries."</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 PC POST 166</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Veleda: "Good night, Gheenla."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    After Gheenla has left, Veleda returns Kohl's smile with a subtly seductive one, and</div> <div>    says: "Although I can take considerable amounts of pain when necessary, Kohl, I</div> <div>    would most definitely welcome your treatments."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    After asked to show her injuries, she removes rest of her armor and equipment quite</div> <div>    sensually, carefully piles up these over her shield and gently takes off her</div> <div>    bandage. She says with an encouraging smile: "Come take a closer look, I wont</div> <div>    bite.." More seriously, she goes on: "It was some days ago that I got stabbed into</div> <div>    my abs with a skever by an evil cultist called Vance, here - After that I never had</div> <div>    any time to rest and allow it to heal, but I think it's only a flesh wound.. What really</div> <div>    hurt me some hours ago, was a metal-fragment whip wielded by a gargoyle who</div> <div>    managed to surprise me from behind - While the wound may be superficial, it feels</div> <div>    like I have a private hell of my own on my back, to put it mildly.." she smiles</div> <div>    surprisingly playfully for someone with such nasty looking wounds and adds:</div> <div>    "but I am confident that it is you Kohl, if anyone, who can heal me and make me</div> <div>    feel much better."</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 GM POST 166</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>   Kohl watches you disrobe calmly, but you detect a slight glint in his eye that leads you to</div> <div>   believe that the performance is appreciated.  When the bandage is removed, which he assists you</div> <div>   with, his demeanor becomes totaly professional and he frowns slightly as he studies the</div> <div>   injury.  His touch is firm but gentle and shows his experience.  After examining the injuries</div> <div>   he turns his attention to the materials he brought with him, preparing an ointment to apply to</div> <div>   the wounds, then putting a fresh bandage on them.  As he works he says, "I do not believe they</div> <div>   will leave any appreciable scar, but this ointment will help ensure that."</div> <div>   Next he prepares a cup of tea which he gives you to drink.  When you do, you immediately feel</div> <div>   better.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 PC POST 166</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Veleda: "Your skill is truly amazing, I feel better already. I am so grateful Kohl, thank you."</div> <bR> <div>  She winks an eye and adds very seductively: "Say, would you like to stay here for the</div> <div>  night?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 GM POST 167</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Kohl smiles, "I think you will want to sleep tonight. The medicine that has made you feel so much</div> <div> better will soon make you want to sleep.  Fear not, no harm shall befall you while you rest."  He</div> <div> gathers his things.  "It would be best not to, uhm exert yourself, for a few hours while the healing</div> <div> takes effect.  My arts are not as instantaneous as those of the Priests."  He throws some more wood</div> <div> on the fire before picking up the basket and going to the door. "I will look in on you tomorrow.</div> <div> Good night."  He leaves</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>     PBEM Series 2 PC POST 167</div> <div>     PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Veleda: "Point taken, and really, I haven't slept in a week.. Good</div> <div>   night, Kohl."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   After she has finished maintaining her armor, shield and prodd, she goes</div> <div>   to sleep,  confident that the ancient might of the druids will protect her from the</div> <div>   cultists  tonight..</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>        Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>        PBEM Series 2 GM POST 167</div> <div>        PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   Even before you finish your maintinance work your eyes are getting heavy</div> <div>   and it is an effort to finish the tasks.</div> <div>   As soon as you lay down you are asleep and remain so until morning,</div> <div>   apparantly undisturbed.  It is quite late when you awake, looking</div> <div>   outside the sun is already up, you would judge it to be about three</div> <div>   hours after sunrise.  You can see some activity in the central area of</div> <div>   the village. Over by the smyth, two men are wrestling a wheel off a</div> <div>   wagon, and the large, muscular smyth is pumping the bellows of the forge</div> <div>   in preperation of the job ahead.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>       Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 PC POST 167</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  Umeida eats some breakfast before cleaning herself up and putting on her</div> <div>  armor (sans helmet - it seems unlikely that she would get into a fight</div> <div>  here).</div> <bR> <div>  If she feels well enough, she explores the village and wanders to the</div> <div>  central area, curious about what may have damaged the wagons, and if she</div> <div>  could</div> <div>  be of any assistance. (She leaves her shield, sword, lamp and prodd into</div> <div>  her hut.)</div> <bR> <bR> <div>       Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 GM POST 168</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Somebody has left bread, fruit, cheese and cider on the sideboard. You are</div> <div> pretty certain they were not there last night.  After eating you venture</div> <div> outside.</div> <bR> <div> The village, which is very small and consists of maybe seven or eight cottages</div> <div> set around the clearing here, and an unknown number of tree houses located</div> <div> randomly around the clearing and deeper into the woods.  You can hear voices</div> <div> from up in one of the trees, a young female voice is singing to a crying baby,</div> <div> there is the sound of children playing coming from behind a cottage, from</div> <div> another building comes the sound of hammering.</div> <div> The men have the wheekl off and are rolling it to the smyth who is waiting</div> <div> next to a whell stand, kind of an upright axle set in the ground that will</div> <div> hold the wheel as it's worked on.  They lift it into place and step back for a</div> <div> short break as you approack.  The smyth smiles at you, "Good morning Miss. You</div> <div> must be our guest. How do you feel?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 .PC POST 168</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Veleda returns the smile, speaks with her clear and pleasant voice: "Good morning.</div> <div>   </div> <div>    Those who know my true nature call me Veleda. I feel better now, I think I will</div> <div>    survive - Mr. Kohl's healing skills are quite impressive, to say the least."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "It seems that those wagons have been damaged, how did that happen?"</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "Is there anything I could help you with?"</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>          PBEM Series 2 GM POST 169</div> <div>          PC: Umeida</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>   <GM Note:  Commoners with some skill, authority or posistion are generally referred to</div> <div>   as 'Master Kohl'</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  OOC: Lets just assume that Umeida called Kohl a master instead of mister.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>   The smyth and the two men appear a bit puzzled at your introduction but te smyth seems</div> <div>   to recover easily enough. "Master Kohl is very skilled in the arts of herbalism and</div> <div>   healing. You are lucky he is visiting at the moment."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   One of the two men who was working with the wheel answers your other question. "Achhh,</div> <div>   I just wore it daun a bit. The rim needs replacin cause of the bliddy crack runnin</div> <div>   daun it, tis nebbit ta fret abot."  His accent is clearly different then the smyth's,</div> <div>   Kohl's or any of the others present in the village.  The wagon is your basic farm</div> <div>   wagon.</div> <bR> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 PC POST 169</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div>  (OOC: Scottish accent? ;)</div> <bR> <div>  Veleda: "Yes, I guess I must be quite lucky.. First, I escaped from under the mountains,</div> <div>  and then I managed to travel here despite my wounds, and it just happens so that you</div> <div>  have a master herbalist visiting.. I can tell you that a gargoyle battlewhip makes for</div> <div>  a truly nasty backscratcher."</div> <bR> <div>  "Master Kohl said that I should not overexert myself, but I sure could do something</div> <div>  while I am here, so is there anything I could help you with?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>         Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>         PBEM Series 2 GM POST 170</div> <div>         PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> (OOC: Scottish accent? ;)  "Aye, Cap'n!"</div> <bR> <div> The smyth smiles at your offer of help. "If Master Kohl said no exerting yourself, then you</div> <div> should do as he says. But your more them welcome to stay and keep us company, perhaps tell</div> <div> us of Elven ways."</div> <div> The other  two both brighten at that suggestion, nor do any of the three seem adverse to</div> <div> some female company while they work.</div> <bR> <div> <They do not seem to know of your otherwotldly origins</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>           Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 .PCM POST 170</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    Veleda finds a barrel or something to sit on, and talks to the men while they work. She</div> <div>    has nothing against observing a muscular man like the smith working, quite the</div> <div>    opposite.</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "I don't know if there really is such concept as common elven ways, really. Among</div> <div>    elves there are several different cultures, much like among humans.. Common thing about</div> <div>    most elves is that they just have to be 'elegant' and cool at all costs, this is what shapes</div> <div>    most elven cultures. Many elves believe that they are inherently superior to any shorter</div> <div>    lived races, while in fact it has been clearly demonstrated on many occasions that</div> <div>    dwarven technology is far superior, and that human organizations are more effective</div> <div>    than elven ones.."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "Me, I don't belong to any of those racial supremacy movements or mainstream elven</div> <div>    cultures. I am more interested in individuals - It is a good heart and mind which mean</div> <div>    the most for me, not the race of an individual.."</div> <div>   </div> <div>    "On my latest adventure I found out that my fighting skills were not up to the challenge</div> <div>    - I was unable to save the poor slaves recently taken by the Scarlet Cult, just barely</div> <div>    got away alive in fact, so I am looking for an exceptionally good teacher of the</div> <div>    combat arts. Do you know of any?"</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>           Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 GM POST 171</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <div>   "Well," The Smyth considers "We 'ave some stout lads ere about, but none that I'd say could teach</div> <div>   the likes of you much that is new."</div> <div>   The man with the odd accent says, "Och, iffen ye want te learn the art of war, ye need ta see the</div> <div>   Knights of the Wall, they be the best!"</div> <div>   The Smyth laughs, "Ten years outta the Frontier, Drew, and yer still prattlin on about the</div> <div>   Knights of the Wall!"</div> <div>   Drew just smiles and says nothing more.</div> <div>   "Your best bet be in the City. They have some real Masters there, they train the Army troops,</div> <div>   even the Avengers." The third man, whose name you learn is Gallin</div> <div>   "Aye," The smyth agrees. "They say that the Avengers are the best of the best and who ever trains</div> <div>   them must really be sumthin."</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 PC POST 171</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Veleda: "I have had some bad experiences with mithraic fundamentalists, they have tried to hurt or</div> <div>  kill me for religious reasons on several occasions before.. These organizations you talk of, are they</div> <div>  not mostly made out of mithraic fundamentalists?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>          Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>           PBEM Series 2 GM POST 172</div> <div>           PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> The Smyth looks surprised, "The Church trying to kill an elf?  They honor the Pact, or so I've always</div> <div> heard."</div> <div> Drew also looks surprised, though for a different reason. "Never thought ta meet an elf that doesn't ken</div> <div> the Knights of the Wall! Ye are from Minfolin?"</div> <div> Gallin answers your question, though he too looks a bit puzzled.  "The Knights of the Wall, or the Order</div> <div> of Barren, is an order of Knights founded by King Barren to guard and garrison his wall.  Barren's Wall</div> <div> is a fortified wall running along the northern edge of the Kingdom, it is intended to keep the Jhensari</div> <div> out of the Kingdom.  Membership is by invitation and merit, or so they say...."</div> <div> Drew interrupts hotly, "Tis trew! Only the Best!"</div> <div> Gallin ignores him, "They are the darling's of the Frontier because they keep the people safe from the</div> <div> Jhensari head hunters."</div> <div> "Cannibals!" Pipes up Drew</div> <div> "That is a myth." The Smyth cuts in. "And you know it Drew. You heard the Memory."</div> <div> Drew grumbles something and Gallin continues. "The Avengers is an Order created by our King, Urien, some</div> <div> fifty years ago. They aren't knights but they are tough as nails!"</div> <div> Even Drew doesn't seem inclined to argue that.</div> <div> "The Avengers were created by Urien to go out into the Wilds and attack the enemies of the Kingdom in</div> <div> their own homes, just as they do to us. There ain't very many of them, but they are a force to be</div> <div> reckoned with." Gallin concludes</div> <div> The Smyth says, "In answer to your question, they ain't Church groups, though I suppose there be Church</div> <div> people in em."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>           Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>            PBEM Series 2 PC POST 172</div> <div>            PC: Umeida</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div>  (OOC: I will propably be offline untill monday, attending a local con.)</div> <bR> <div>  Veleda: "I am not from Minfolin, and I am more than meets the eye.. Symbols of Mitra burn me like any</div> <div>  other demons, and the priests have sworn to slay all of my kind - It would not matter for them that I am</div> <div>  on their side, faith is blind."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>      PBEM Series 2 GM POST 173</div> <div>      PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> (OOC: No problem)</div> <bR> <div> "Demon!" The Smyth and Drew both exclaim simultaneously.  Gallin takes a step back  "Your joking!" He says.</div> <div> Its more a statement then a question.</div> <div> Clearly none of the three had any clue to your true nature.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 PC POST 173</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <div> Veleda, nods at Gallin and smiles: "And a lame joke it is. Really, do I</div> <div> look like a demon?"</div> <bR> <div> She goes on, explaining more seriously;</div> <div> "You see, it just so happens that for some reason - perhaps it is a</div> <div> powerful curse of some kind - symbols</div> <div> of Mitra burn me, so every time any devout Mitra worshippers find out</div> <div> about this, they immediately</div> <div> assume that I am a demon and try to kill me, nothing I say never makes</div> <div> any difference.. This makes</div> <div> life more than a bit difficult for me - Although I have nothing against</div> <div> Mitra worshippers, I have to</div> <div> avoid them."</div> <bR> <div> "So, do you know of any exceptional combat trainer who would not kill me</div> <div> because of my</div> <div> condition?"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Velitrium Campaign</div> <div>       PBEM Series 2 GM POST 174</div> <div>       PC: Umeida</div> <bR> <bR> <div> The three men exchange uneasy glances, despite your assurances, what you</div> <div> describe sounds very much like a demon!</div> <div> "Errr, not off hand." The Smyth says.</div> <div> The other two both shake their heads.</div> <div> The Smyth adds, "Mitra is the official religion of the Kingdom, the</div> <div> Church is very powerful."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>