An elf was running through the woods. Behind him, several of his own kind were chasing him with clubs and slinging insults. So far the fugitive elf had been faster. His breathing was getting ragged though. He didn’t expect his pursuers to chase him so far into the nearby woods. Normally they were quite content to let him have a few apples and a bit of bread. Then again perhaps he shouldn’t have stolen a full pie. Did a pie really warrant such a chase? It did not matter. The elf – Resin – had no intention of getting caught. Bad things would happen to him if he got caught. The fact that he was only 5’5”, strangely short for an elf, did not improve his chance of not getting beaten once caught. He was one thing though: fast. Very, very fast. Living in the woods had its perks too. He knew every branch. Every root. Every- Resin tripped over a broken branch on the ground. The apples, the bread, the pie, it all went flying out of his hands as he fell headfirst into the mud. For a second he didn’t understand what happened. He knew this forest like the back of his hand! How did he miss that branch? A moment after that he tried to get up. He couldn’t do so in time. The villagers were on him. The first swing of the club hit him straight on his head, dropping him again. After that they beat him all over his body. Resin balled up and cried out in pain. The villagers had no mercy though. Not for a filthy, useless thief like him. He couldn’t help out anywhere, and he was weird. Too short. After a while he started to stink as well. In the end he became a total outcast. Only a few minutes passed when Resin’s punishers started to walk away. “Stay out of Hackem.” One of them, a baker, said as he spat on the small elf. Resin stayed on the muddy ground a little bit longer. One time, when they had caught him before, they had come back a little bit later after he got up. When he was confident they wouldn’t come back he finally pulled himself up slightly and sat against the tree. Dark clouds were gathering overhead. The first few drops heralded the rain storm. Resin looked at the soiled pie and apples. A crow had already started to eat one of the apples despite Resin being so close by. He tried to shoo the bird away. It just looked inquisitively at him, then turned back to eat the apple. Resin let out a weary sigh. His stomach grumbled. It had been grumbling for the last three days. “Might as well.” He thought to himself, as he reached for the pie. When you’re hungry enough, even the worst bit of food tastes delicious. Rain started falling. Resin felt like he should find a dry spot somewhere. The canopy here didn’t offer much cover. If he got too wet, he could die. Yet as he was being drenched while sitting in the mud against a tree that prospect felt almost enticing now. [color=gray]“You seem tired.”[/color] Resin looked around him. Where did that come from? He couldn’t hear branches breaking. Only the hunters of the village didn’t crack twigs in the forest. They wouldn’t be out now though. Not in the rain. [color=gray]“Perhaps you would want some… help?”[/color] “Who goes there?” Resin said. The voice was coming from in front of him, and it sounded close. So very close. Then the crow landed right in front of him and opened its beak: “Who I am matters little.” That same voice said. “What I can do… now that is important.” The voice spoke softly, yet its words were drenched in sweet honey. [color=gray]“You must be tired of how they treat you.”[/color] “I am.” Resin answered. Perhaps he was hallucinating. Certain mushrooms could do that. Though he hadn’t eaten any in the last few days. Maybe it was the exhaustion or the onset of sickness. [color=gray]“Do you want revenge?”[/color] The thought had never dawned on Resin before. He had always been too meek to do anything back. Even in his wildest fantasies he just ran away and never had to see Hackem again. But he had to stick around. Hackem had food, he needed food. As much as he lived in the forest, he couldn’t forage. He’d be dead from a poisonous berry in just a few months. “Yes.” [color=gray]“Do you have a possession on you? Something… personal?”[/color] A price? Why not. Resin pulled off the wooden ring he had on his finger. It was something he had stolen a long time ago. He had it on for so long, it almost felt like second nature to wear it. He offered it in an open palm to the crowd. [color=gray]“I offer you… an accord, Resin of Hackem.”[/color] The voice said. [color=gray]“I offer you power and guidance. In return, I only ask you to fulfill some tasks for me. Do you accept?”[/color] The voice hadn’t talked about tasks before. In fact, Resin realized he still didn’t know with what exactly he had been dealing so far. Yet it felt so enticing. There was something about the crow and the voice that made it seem real. As if the power truly was literally at his fingertips. “Might as well.” He muttered to himself. “I accept.” [center]~[/center] This power was awesome! [color=#B2BEB5][i]I have another idea.[/i][/color] A hissing voice said in Resin’s mind. When he first heard it he was deadly afraid of the Shadow’s voice. Now – laying atop a thatch hut surrounded by fruit pies, cakes, and fresh loaves of bread – he was used to it. “I’m all ears, Shadow.” He said out loud while stuffing his stomach full with cake. [color=#B2BEB5][i]We take some rotten bread, grind it up and mix it with the flour.[/i][/color] Resin knew well enough it would make a ton of people sick. Not to mention the baker would probably get punished for selling bad bread. A massive grin formed on his face. Of course, he was going to do that. The baker had beaten him so often so far, it would be good payback. [center]~[/center] [color=B2BEB5][i]The boss has a job for you Resin.[/i][/color] The elf was looking into the hearth fire when Shadow talked again. Hackem was quickly becoming too small. First, he had stolen food until he couldn’t eat anymore. Then he had stolen items until he didn’t want anything more. Now, really, there was nothing left to steal. So he was getting bored. “What is it?” [color=B2BEB5][i]He needs you to steal something significant from the village’s chief, a letter. You should get it tonight.[/i][/color] Getting into the central hall at night was easy enough. Especially when you can step from one shadow to another. This ability to move through the darkest of shadows unnoticed and even displace oneself had been invaluable. So far things had been too easy though. There was no more challenge in stealing mundane items. Got upstairs fast. “Where is it?” He whispered, knowing Shadow could hear him. [color=B2BEB5][i]In the bedroom. Second door to the right. It’s on the desk.[/i][/color] Resin moved quickly. Despite his powers, despite Shadow’s guidance, he still felt somewhat vulnerable here. Back in the beginning, when he only just got his powers, he had made the mistake of stealing stuff in broad daylight and got beaten up again. He got his revenge after that of course, but he was not invincible. Slowly he opened the door. There was one person in the bed. Resin peeked inside. There was no one else. [color=B2BEB5][i]On the desk.[/i][/color] Resin moved quickly. There was a bunch of clutter there like ink, a letter opener and was. But also the letter. “This?” He asked. [color=B2BEB5][i]Yes. Take it. Also, kill the big one.[/i][/color] “Kill the big one?” Resin felt himself getting grabbed and tossed over the wooden floor. His eyes were wide in surprise. He sank through his own shadow on the floor. Just in time, as the leg of a large, muscular elf stamped down. A moment later he appeared from a closet and came face to face with the chief of the village. “Shadow, I need some help here. How do I get out of here?” Shadow didn’t react. The large elf charged at him. Resin dodged just out of the way and ran towards the desk. “Shadow!?” He yelled again. No response. He scrambled over the desk. There was a bunch of clutter there. His eyes caught the letter. He grabbed it. “Shadow, I need to get-“ A chair slammed into Resin. Again he fell to the floor. His back hurt like hell. Again he sank through his own shadow to get away. A moment later he fell down from a shadow on the ceiling. “Not there!” He yelled out. “I need to get out.” “You’re not getting out, Resin.” The village chief said. “I got you now. I don’t know how you do it but I’ve seen you. And when I’ve got you for sure, I’ll bring you to Earthwall for a good reward from Celestine.” Earthwall was not a prospect Resin was looking forward to. He and the chief began to circle each other. Resin was still waiting for some miracle to save him. Shadow wasn’t responding though. The village chief moved swiftly. Resin was caught and slammed against the wall face first. The big man’s arm was wrapped around his throat and squeezed. The air was squeezed out of the smaller elf. He was being strangled. With growing desperation, he reached for whatever he could on the desk. Until he felt a dull pang across his fingers. He stabbed the elf chief in his tight. He screamed out in pain and released his strangle hold. Resin turned around with a letter opener in hand, a trickle of blood was running from his own cut fingers. But he had no mercy in his eyes. In one smooth motion he pushed the forehead of the chief back and stabbed down at the larger elf's throat. [center]~[/center] The sun would rise in a little bit. Its light would illuminate the entire forest, including a blood-stained Resin. With a grim expression, he watched the letter burn in the small fire. “I thought I could trust you.” [color=B2BEB5][i]It was a test.[/i][/color] Shadow said. [color=B2BEB5][i]A useful one. You’re capable enough Resin. The boss likes that. So now it’s time for your next step.[/i][/color] “What am I stealing now?” A rather unamused Resin asked as he observed his own bandaged fingers and the wooden ring that had given him all these powers. [color=B2BEB5][i]Magic.[/i][/color] [hider=Summary]We are introduced to Resin, a very small elf that steals to eat. He's chased, caught and beaten up. Then a certain force offers him power, in exchange for doing some odd jobs now and then. Resin accepts. A bit later Resin is living the good life. He quickly became a very good thief because of the power granted onto the wooden ring which is an artifact. Shadow, the consciousness of the ring, speaks to him about a new job. He has to steal a letter from the village chief. So he sets out and quickly infiltrates the central hall. He finds the letter easy enough, but the chief is awake. Resin and the chief fight though Resin loses and only survives through his power. Shadow is no longer around to guide him apparently. Things get desperate when Resin is strangled. He manages to grab a letter opener and stab the chief. Then he kills him. A bit later Resin burns the letter in the forest and is informed of his next task. He has to steal magic.[/hider] [hider=MP & AP] Ithril Start: 5MP/5AP - 1 MP: Make Resin a hero - 2 MP: Make the "Shadowsworn Ring" - The Shadowsworn Ring allows its wearer to blink from shadow to shadow. The shadows need to be close in the vicinity of each other or the destination shadow needs to be visible to the wearer once he melds with the shadows. He can't meld if grabbed. The ring also has a guiding consciousness named Shadow. Ithril End: 2MP/5AP [/hider] [hider=Spirit] Resin start: 0 Spirit +1: Featured in a post beyond passing mentioning +1: Post is +5.000 characters +1: Post is +10.000 characters (10.022 characters) Resin end: 3 Spirit (Embarks upon divine quest: Steal magic) [/hider]