[IC] The Sands of Blood (Dead)

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh was calmly thinking to himself about what that stuff Sana had at the tavern, in fact, was, when a hand clasped his mouth and muffled any words of objection he might have to say. It was Sana, as a matter of fact. The confusion was furthered by her squeaking the word "NO" and shaking her head at him. A very quizzical look came across Hugh's face after her last words, but his face softened its expression when she locked eyes with him.

He was at a loss, and his brain was stumbling over itself. If his mouth hadn't been covered, a grip that was now softened to covering his lips, he would have been stumbling with his words for what to say. It seemed as though time stood still, as he kept his eyes locked on hers before he said, "Was it," He paused "...really that bad?" He finished his question in a muffled tone, slightly understandable to the foreign ear.

[Ryu]

Varis, who was just a few feet away from the wagon, stared at the cocky marksman -- who we from now on would call her by the weird cocky marksman. His head then shifted slightly to stare at the man with the anger issues. Varis was rather intrigued by the conversation they just had, even though he only heard part of their conversation. His eyes then shifted over to the others who sat in the wagon, and after a few seconds of thinking, walked over to the front, only to stare at the drow for a few seconds.

It was either he could sit next to his "allies" and try to make buddy-buddy with them (or try to fall asleep to deter them from talking to him) or to sit next to the drow with the morally screwed compass. Varis sighed before climbing onto the top of the wagon using the footholds, taking a seat next to the drow.

"Would you rather I walk?" Varis asked the drow as his eyes darted over to the corner of his socket to stare at her.

[Kronshi]

Elis watched the scene between Hugh and Sana, he gasped for a second and then leaned in to whisper in Hugh' s ear, "I don't know what stuff you two are talking about but you just had what halflings call a celestial moment. No words, staring at each other, and no time passing by even though it seemed like hours." Elis climbed off his back and started to walk away, "I'll leave you two alone." Elis laughed and walked around before noticing Drizzak, "My my, I never thought I'd see the day that a goblin is taller than me."

[Salrynn]

Meanwhile Ellyn was busy writing more poems for the journey, she was... as you would call 'on fire'. She was writing poems non stop and continued to do so while keeping an eye on her harp. The moment she finished writing her last poem Ellyn dropped the ink pen she accidentally didn't give back to the barman and picked up her harp, plucking some of it's strings as she smiled yet another true smile.

[Afina]

"Yes," a squeaky voice said as Sana nodded her head rapidly. Slowly it dawned on her that his voice was muffled and it was because she had yet to drop her hand. Slowly she let it fall as she swallowed hard, a bit more embarrassed at her actions than her words. "I am so sorry," she continued, each word a drawn out a ridiculously staccato exclamation.

Sana looked quizzically at Elis as he climbed down and walked away, only hearing his last words and suddenly concluding he meant something by it even if she didn't know exactly what. She understood the implication he was making.

"You've got to be kidding me! I mean not that I wouldn't or don't but I, oh, for the gods sake," she stammered sqeakily before she realized it wasn't just a frog in her throat. Muttering a slew of curses, each one more ludicrously humorous than the one before as she fell back into her seat and tried to figure out what in the world was going on.

Then it dawned on her, a story from her childhood. Her people were known for their eccentric ways but also they knowledge of natural remedies. Traveling from town to town, trekking days on end only to have to perform instantly on arrival. Her mother used to make something that looked similar to what she had drank, the only time though she had see the side effect was when her mother used a different ingredient when she had run out. It wasn't harmful but it would last until she slept it off.

Grumbling like some deranged fairy dragon she looked back over to Hugh, she wanted to explain but couldn't bare it. "I'm okay. Drink. Gone in few hours," she cheeped as she sat there, crossing her arms across her chest, feeling mortified.

[Fatal Error 1337]

Bjoric dropped his pack to the ground as he arrived at their wagon, giving the odd creature the was hitched to it a wary eye. "Give me a moment to put me armor on." Leaning his hammer against the side of the wagon as he open the bag, pulling forth the scale mail and pauldrons. Shrugging into the scaled steel he heard something small nattering and squealing that had him reaching for his hammer.

Standing, he spotting what appeared to be a Kobold. "What in the nine hells is a Kobold doing in our wagon!?"

[Salrynn]

Quickly giggling at what she heard, Ellyn placed her harp back on the table and walked out the wagon. Finding Bjoric's dwarven expression quite funny, but she kept that to herself. She looked to the Kobold dumbfounded and knew to stay away from it.

'it's ok... if you don't feel like attacking I can make the creature fall head over heels for me...?' she asked Bjoric in a kind manner, wandering if he will accept or decline.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh nodded his head awkwardly fast as Sana replied to his comment and reacted to how she had placed her hand on his mouth. She had since removed it, and he only gave a large smile in reaction. That smile soon faded after the little halfling spoke odd words into his ear, the implications very clear. "What?-No, why- I don't-" He stopped himself. "Just how old is this halfling?!"

Hugh realized soon that Sana had noticed what had been implied by the Halfling, and was in turn reacting to it. While Elis crawled off from his back, Hugh put up his hands as if he was defending himself, "No, he didn't say anything like that! It's alright!" He wasn't sure how to get a handle on it all for himself.

Hugh finally realized that the real problem with the drink was that it had caused something with her voice, as he concluded her embarrassment seemed to be due to her voice, and the vocal effect was directly involved with the drink. "Oh, I understand. I guess it was a really good thing I didn't mimic your drink." He started laughing quietly to himself, and then it grew stronger, as he started to lose control. He kept his hand over his mouth, and his eyes started to water. He was hoping that it looked more like coughing, as he tried to hide it, so as not to embarrass her.

He finally stood up and reached over to his horse, pulling out his pipe and tobacco from one of the saddle bags. He walked back up to the wagon, and climbed back on, seating himself on the bench adjacent to Sana. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized it had effected you that match." He said, whilst grinding some tobacco into his pipe.

He heard the little cheep sound she made, and couldn't help but grin. He covered it up by sticking his pipe into his mouth. Incidentally, he almost stuck the wrong side into his mouth, before correcting his mix up. "Hmmm, I need a light." He thought, not sure how to apprehend one, but simply keeping his pipe in his mouth, and chewing at the mouth piece a little.

He felt a little stupid for the embarrassment he had caused, or at least he felt he caused, to Sana. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, taking the pipe from his mouth. "Oh dear." Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by Bjoric the Dwarf, exclaiming about there being a Kobold in the wagon. "Oh dear." He said, memories popping up he had with them, as the small and mischievous creatures that they were.

"Wait, are you sure that's what you think it is? We might need a little, before we start poking swords all over the place." He concluded

[EWillden]

Vivian rolled her eyes at the whole thing, not just at Varis but what was going in back. "Don't tell me you just now noticed the goblin..." She sighed. "He isn't hard to miss with his current get up." She then looked to Varis to answer his stupid remark.

"As long as you don't mind sitting next to a drow, then I don't mind if you sit next to me." She then looked back to the two not in the wagon. "Get in the wagon, unless you want to be left behind." She remarked. She turned back to look at the goblin and sighed. She waited for a couple more minutes giving Ellyn and Bjoric plenty of time to get in before she flicked her wrist snapping at the reins. The Camel began to move forward. They didn't move to fast yet seeing as they were not out the gate yet. When they passed through she gave a nod to the town guard as she did. She then looked to Varis, her current company. Well this guy is going to be good to talk to. Perhaps he will change his attitude later on in this journey.

As soon as the wagon was far enough from the gate she flicked the reins once more increasing the pace at which the camel moved. With the wagon it would gladly take them less time to get to this abandoned city. Hopefully the locals wouldn't bother them.. much.

[Ryu]

Varis crossed his arms as he shifted his gaze from in front of him to the night sky, noting the numerous, bright twinkling lights in the sky. There seemed to be millions of them. They dotted the night sky all over, making the night a much more... beautiful sight to behold.

Of course, this wasn't the first time Varis had ever seen stars before, seeing as how stars could be seen practically anywhere as long as it was during the night and you were outside, but it was the first time Varis had stared at them. He didn't exactly want to talk to the drow, so he instead took to the skies.

As he continued to stare at the stars for a few minutes, a question popped into his head. His eyes darted once more like a predator bouncing onto its prey, except instead of a prey, his target was the drow. He stared at the drow with a great curiosity.

"So what's with you?" Varis asked, his pompous tone seemingly gone only to be replaced by a tone of curiosity. "Most drows I know... and by 'know' I mean read on, they aren't like you..." Varis shifted his eyes back to the stars. "By like you, I suppose I mean... you're not trying to kill any of us at first glance."

[Afina]

Sana leaned back against her seat and sighed deeply, she was beyond embarrassed at this point. She had acted the fool, lost her composure once again, stumbled over her words and to add insult to injury she now sounded like a mouse who was caught in a trap every time her lips parted. Looking at Hugh as he stammered over his word and exclaimed an attempt at an exclamation she felt her face go red. Turning away from him quickly and shifting in her place she attempted to cover her reaction. She was mortified and felt matters couldn't get any worse. Of course, she was wrong. As most know you should never believe it can't get any worse, it always can. And it did.

It was soft at first but it slowly became a sound that couldn't be ignored. Hugh sitting there laughing whole heartedly and doing a horrid job at attempting to cover it up. Her head turning slowly to look at him out of the corner of her vision, her eyes slitted in frustration. As he got up to go to his horse she squeaked a shout as best she could. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!"

Grumbling she picked up her pack and dropped it in her lap before bending down and resting her head upon it, arms wrapped around it and hands locking on opposite wrists to stay in place. She refused to look back over to Hugh as he returned or answer him. She rocked slightly on place as the wagon pulled out and a bit more once again as speed picked up outside of the city. Hopefully now she could get some rest and wake up in the morning, this whole thing nothing more than a bad memory, but she knew the substance would keep her away for a while longer.

[EWillden]

Vivian took in the words Varis spoke to her and she let out a big sigh. She looked to him seeing his features, some of them hidden by shadow due to the light of the moon. "Your right, I am not like most drow." She said and looked forward once more before she continued. " I used to be though, being a female I had better standings in the family sense we have a matriarchy. The women lead while the men do the fighting." She paused slightly. "The reason why I left was that it was not as easy as one would think. Not many on the surface do not know what it is like to live like a drow. Perhaps some due in some regard. The constant looking over your shoulder and the constant untrust between comrads, even your own family could not be trusted for the desire to be on top and to survive is that great. I grew tired of that living, and when there wasn't that. We would send our war parties to burn villages to the ground. I did not like it, not one bit."

She looked back to Varis to try and read what he was thinking just from his outer appearance. "What made it worse, was that I fell in love with a member of my house. He was charming ,and handsome. He did not much care for the life either and would indulge me with stories of another drow city who had a house war. One of the drow from the houses had escaped from his family and eventually made it to the surface and everything went well for him. He made friends much like I have here. Well it was close to that same relationship. What furthered my desire to leave was the day of sacrifice. We had made peace with these illithids, the deal was we would give them one of our own. Lets just say, it was like a death sentence when the flayers took you. What they do to person is beyond horror. My love was given to them and now he is dead. The insides of his skull used to nourish some sick monsters taste for a good brain. I hated my family, and my so called friends. Before leaving I killed those responsible for taking what was mine away." The last sentence was said with a bitter voice. Full of hate and anger. "Now I am here, trying to start again. Perhaps I will find what I am searching for. I doubt I will find love up here with me being a drow and all ,but I don't need love. I need companionship,.. a friend." She had to smirk at her last words and held back a laugh. "Which is just as hard to do as a drow. You likely understand what I have been through, or maybe you don't. Who knows. Perhaps when I am done with this mission I will gain some sort of fame and respect. Perhaps I can make a few friends along the way."

It was strange, talking to Varis about her past, of all people to talk to. She felt rather better afterwards though. As if letting a bit of history out of her put her at ease. The talking helped, and helped a lot more then it should. She still was afraid about one thing though. The horrors of the underdark coming after her to take her back. To take her back so she can answer for her crimes of murder and betrayal. Which was as much of a death sentence then any.

[Ryu]

"I see," Varis said as he glanced over to the drow, letting a long pause of silence between them as he continued to stare at the bright dots in the sky. He didn't exactly feel empathy for the drow and her desires, seeing as how assassins weren't the ones to really make friends, and if one did make a friend, it would usually just be to further the goals of the assassin himself -- which was the exact thing Varis was doing right now.

"I don't know what it's like to have friends," Varis began, his pompous tone seemingly gone for now. "I've... always been on the move, I suppose," He chose his words carefully, trying to hide the fact that his moral compass pointed in the direction of, "wicked" by being a murderer for hire. "But, if it's friends you're looking for, you can find them here..."

"... Behind you, in the wagon, of course." Varis stated as an afterthought, not wanting to really become "friends" with this drow. Even if he did become friends with the drow -- or any one of his other allies -- he wouldn't be able to tell. Due to his "father," he never had time to make friends as a child.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh looked back over to her, "I'm so terribly sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. I'm so sorry." He hurriedly said. He seemed finally composed and had positive control of his laughter. He was a little bent out of shape, now, and was unsure of how to go about repairing the situation. He put his hand over his eyes, "I'm so so sorry."

Feeling a little embarrassed himself, he stood up and, acquiring a light for his pipe, using a piece of cloth, and the lamp, brought it into his pipe and made the tobacco start to burn. Soon he was puffing on a very pleasant tobacco. After giving it a good amount of puffs, he offered it to Sana, "Would you like some of this? It could help." He had no real idea, but he was sure it couldn't hurt, after all. "It's very good tobacco." He really had no idea if she smoked the pipe at all, but that was the point of offering.

Hugh was beginning to feel guilty, no doubt in his mind that was Sana's goal. "Offended the only other human in the group, you've gone and done." He was at a loss for words, as he had thoroughly embarrassed her, and was trying to make it up, but it wasn't appearing to work. He stood up, crouch walking as the cart was rolling forward, and made his way to the other side. He plopped himself down, next to Sana and offered her the tobacco.

[Salrynn]

Ellyn looked to everyone in the wagon the moment she got back in, sitting down in her little spot once more and picked up her harp with such elegance. She effortlessly plucked a few of it's strings before she started to play it full on. She didn't sing nor she didn't add poetry and hoped this somehow will keep everybody entertained, as she kept plucking her strings to the current song she was playing she looked to her allies and knew that she needed to make a impression on this dungeon or she could possibly get killed right off the bat.

'I will show them that I can be useful... I really will!' she repeated this to herself in her own head.

[Afina]

Sana sat there, her head buried in her pack as people talked of their lives and the music played. The sounds it produced were beautiful, reminding her of her time as a child when she would listen to performers. Even though she had left home long ago, she was what she was, no amount of time away would ever change that and it caused her to long for the sound of a violin from time to time. At least the harp was the soft sound of fingers and strings instead of the beating of drums, it was something she could relax to as opposed to preparing for battle. It allowed her to calm herself and clear her head. She couldn’t hold it against Hugh for his laughter, knowing had the position been reversed she would have reacted in the same manner. Sometimes in life things just struck you as funny and you couldn’t help it, this was one of those times.

Feeling Hugh return and sit next to her, she took a deep breath and turned her head revealing her features. A slightly remorseful look came from her eyes as her lips thinned, nodding as she looked up to him. Wanting to say something, let him know that it was okay, but she dared not speak again unless it couldn’t be helped. All Sana could think to do is reach out and pat his knee gently, giving it a slight squeeze, a small touch to hopefully convey that everything was alright. Straightening up and resting back against the wagon she waved off the tobacco. She never was one to partake in the leaf and she was afraid of any other unknown side effects at this point. Pointing to her throat and grimacing slightly she shook her head no.

Glancing out the back of the wagon for a moment, she hoped the effects would wear off soon enough. She felt herself becoming less awake and slightly drowsy, apparently what the barkeep had given her was not near as strong as what her mother used to brew and she was grateful. To think it may keep her awake for the next ten to twelve hours didn’t sit well with her. Letting out a sigh of relief she looked back over to Hugh and smiled slightly before turning her head away and stifling a slight yawn.

Resting down as best she could in her seat, she attempted to get comfortable but the wagon wasn’t exactly the best place for it. It wasn’t exactly like the wagons she grew up with, grand and opulent, a fully functioning home on wheels. Right now she would have paid a kings ransom for the soft deep feathered beds and colorful sheets of her youth. For now she would have to settle with the hard wood of the wagon.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh was relieved to see that he had been forgiven by Sana, or that was at least how he took the gentle squeeze on his knee. He relaxed and sat back and continued to puff on his pipe, keeping a slight haze of smoke around him. He hadn't really thought she would accept his offer of tobacco. It was almost too relaxing anyways, giving him the realization that it was not good for warding off the ailment of sleepiness. Even so, he did not feel so tired as to doze off, but rather letting himself drift off into thought.

He stared at the smoke, shapes beginning to take familiar forms and make scenes to play with. The scenes were soon turning to memories, as his imagination trailed off to times long gone. He had seen enough hell and misfortune to not wish to dwell on the past, but the past would always haunt him. His sudden choking on his smoke brought him out of day dream land and back into the present.

Hugh certainly felt at ease. He was with a rather pleasant company of experienced adventurers, all with their own pasts and beginnings. Some with no doubt more peaceful pasts than others, but all just as interesting.

Hugh enjoyed the music the bard brought, but he wished for fiddle music. It was the instrument he had always enjoyed most, and listened to the most. It was more associated with the taverns and was usually for parties, along with flutes. Harps were for the more elegant and civilized types.

Finally, Hugh began to drift into sleep, letting his pipe drop from his mouth, still in his hand. He leaned his head forward, slowly, giving way to sleep deprivation. He hadn't even realized he was sleepy, but now, he was just about completely gone from the present. He had tried to return the smile Sana gave him, but he just began to drift off too quickly, nodding in and out of reality.

[Fatal Error 1337]

Bjoric's mood was soured by the goblins presence. He wanted nothing more than to run the filth off, but since everyone else seemed indifferent to its being on the wagon he resigned to keeping an eye on it.

As he sat quietly in the wagon he overheard the drows story and was drawn to memories of his ancestral home. "Tis a hard thing, leaving ones home. Even willingly." sighing, he shook himself of the memories before he was drawn in too deep.

Feeling the beginnings of sleep trying to take hold he hoped out the side of the cart, deciding to remain awake since people were already beginning to dose off. His armour lightly clanging as walk with the slow pace of the cart.

[Horrid]

Drizzak

---

The landscape widened before the excited goblin's eyes as his eyes acclimatised to the yawning void that stood ahead of the wagon. Nothing but dust and trees out there. Nothing interesting for him to see. What a boring area for him, almost not worth ruling over. Lumped with a bunch of warm-bloods that didn't have nearly the same fire or hunger that he did. It was enough to make Drizzak cry, the dullness of it all. He needed action, blood and flame, to roar as he tore a mans arm from its socket. 

He ground his teeth and turned to hop back into the wagon from the steed's back. The sack upon his back hit the wooden floor as he sifted through its contents. The short warm-blood had spoken about him. About his height. Strange that he was taller than a man from a race his former clan had once warred with for so many years. Grabbing a vial of dark, thick liquid, Drizzak dropped what looked like a few teeth and flakes of brown gunk into the liquid. The dark was immediately dismissed by the liquid igniting into firey reds and oranges, lighting up the wooden boards of the wagon. He chuckled darkly, turning to the halfling slowly. 

"Drizzak no goblin. Drizzak more. Drizzak dragon. Remember, halfman."

With a indiscernable whisper and another foreboding chortle, the vial have off a puff of acrid smoke and fizzled as Drizzak corked it and fixed it to the inside of his costume with a length of leather strap. Still giggling maniacally, he immediately set to work on stuffing another vial of dark liquid with strange white paper before spitting in it and shaking. The liquid swam with smoky grey before becoming a uniform white, undulating slowly before it was corked. This too was fixed to the inside of his costume. He was ready. 

With his preparation complete, Drizzak tried to find himself a seat. The dwarf, the stoneman, he was yelling. Screaming of lizard-whelp and throwing accusations. Drizzak's teeth seemed to bear all on their own, lips curling up to show the maw full of jagged fangs. 

"Stoneman rude. Drizzak say he dragon. No small-scale! You see!" The dragon's wroth had been teased, prompting Drizzak to yap and draw back the hood of his costume, faint light front within illuminating his form to reveal his pointed ears and leathery, ash coloured skin. 

"Stoneman use eyes right. Drizzak no in mood to take out."

[Kronshi]

"Forgive me Great Dragon, I did not mean to offend thee." He watched as the goblin made a brew of potions and then snapped at the dwarf, pulling back his hood. Elis took this opportunity to snatch the orange vial and stow it away, hoping the movement of the beings garb would be dismissed for when Drizzak pulled it back. Goblins aren't exactly the brightest bunch. Elis walked over to the two lovebirds still sitting at the edge of the wagon, "Come on tall ones, enough embarrassment for one day. There is beautiful music playing and I say we enjoy, get up and dance with me."