bloonewb

Magic RP (Open to new players)

Hey, I probably should have mentioned, but for the last 10 days I've been on vacation. I just returned now.

Dragon's Mask

Riley looked out to where the mouse Dooa's nose pointed. What she saw brought back the memories of her adventure. In so little time, less even than one day, she had seen so much. She remembered the devious Howl, who tricked her in that same elevator, or one close enough. She remembered the giant table, with the sickening monsters in an endless marathon of glut. She remembered meeting little Nina, as huddled and afraid as herself, and making that mad leap out of the clutches of the dining horrors.

Still, something had to be done about this Gold Lady dilemma. To kill her, first Riley must find her, and to find her, she needed to try her luck at one of those buttons again. The symbols meant nothing to her. She had never seen them in her life, even in the old books she devoured in her earlier days. They were fairy symbols that never escaped into her world. She had to decode them somehow, unlock their secrets, and bring them with her to Scalby.

"Come, Arthur. Let's go into that elevator," she said, pointing over to the focus of her thoughts. She hoped, on some level, that she would see Howl again. To talk to him or hit him, she had not decided yet.

Magic RP (Open to new players)

Three thousand clawed feet stamped at the ground in reasonable unison. It was impossible to drill true discipline into an army that had just picked up the concept not one year ago, but Rebat felt that he had done a well enough job. Three thousand helmets glittered in the blinding sun, their glare extending out for miles around them. No doubt the troops were feeling quite uncomfortable under there. Metal is said to trap heat like cloth, and scorch the wearer like fire. However, he knew for a fact that some of those helmets have deflected glancing blows from dracon spears, and one of them saved his life in battle against a Meratid, so he insisted despite complaints that his entire army would be thoroughly equipped with plate.

Slowly, once again, the mountainous walls surrounding Hekaga rose into view. Most of the soldiers were rural folk, either living among the secluded tribes of the north or in the households of dracon slaveowners on plantations. Such majestic walls stunned most of them where they stood. Even beautiful Traeton, with its cracks filled in with gold, seemed small and decorative compared to actual walls with might and purpose. Rebat halted the army, not that he needed to. Most of them wouldn't go forth anyways. However, this is where he must make his signal. With a bow in hand, he drew one arrow from his hip. A flathead, with a red scarf tied around the shaft. He drew back the bow and loosed, letting the red signal fly upwards for all the city's garrison to see. Soon, he shall meet the Hekaga general.

Game of Thrones : The Pact of Ice and Fire (Always Open)

William didn't trust this woman. She knew more than she was letting on, he was sure of it. More importantly, he didn't believe a single word she said. "You must be drunk, mad, or something worse," he said, upending a full goblet. "I had hoped my reputation preceded me, but perhaps I will have to explain to every single horsebreeder in the North that I am not stupid. Do you seriously expect me to just eat up whatever nonsense you toss at me?"

"I expect you to eat the truth," said Cathay, with a cold stare. This was her brother, that she knew, but she couldn't quite understand how. This was the rightful heir of the Dreadfort? He looked the part, but was as far from the majesty of their common fathers as it got. He was drunk and deranged, and couldn't tell his sister apart from any other woman in the whole of the Seven Kingdoms. She never knew her father, but she had read the old records of the Bolton family, stories of conquest and pragmatism, and neither of those words seem to apply to this last of the flayed men.

"If I may, brother, I am of the belief that this woman is who she claims. More than that, if she proves not, what have we to lose?" Arak chimed in. Cathay's steely gaze passed over to him. Another disappointment to the family, it seems. She had approached this one, in the hopes that he was more easily persuaded. Apparently, he was. In five minutes, she had Arak occasionally referring to her as 'sister'. Then there was his endless love for the enemy in Winterfell.

"I'll make the decisions here," William huffed, looking down at his cup. It was empty, because of course it was. There never seemed to be enough. He angrily slammed the goblet down on the table before him, trying to ignore the infuriating tag-team his twit brother seems to have made with the stranger. "I'll tell you exactly what we could lose, and exactly what is happening here. So let's say we let just about anyone into the family. Perhaps we think another claimant is not a problem here. She will stick around our castle, spending our reserves on frivolous pursuits, and then one day she'll find 'unfortunate' proof that her family doesn't include us. So she ambles off with all our money on her back, up to the Karstarks or Umbers or whoever else is up there, repeat process until rich!"

"I am Cathay Snow, daughter of Ramsay!" she shouted, standing up. "I am above such things! My fathers and their fathers are above such things!"

"Perhaps it would be best if we all rested a night before coming to a conclusion," Arak said, interrupting the two before they got physical. "Milady, allow me." Cathay shot one last glare at William, who was checking his cup again in case by some miracle he found it has filled itself up. Then she exhaled, and allowed Arak to lead her to the guest chambers. "Not to worry, sister. I'm sure I can talk him into the truth," he said, and left her alone. Cathay resisted the urge to throw one of the empty vases at the wall. A guest in her own home!

Magic RP (Open to new players)

Rughoi was pulled out of his thoughts by a brilliant light materializing right in the center of his meeting hall, looking for all the world like a tear in reality itself. He shielded his eyes from its blinding glow till it receded. When it was gone, Rebat stood in its place, already down in a kneel.

"Your Might, I bring good news," he said, with as much flourish as he could muster, holding out the sealed letter. Rughoi took it from his hand, then with one claw, broke the seal. His fingers were trembling as he read the letter, not able to hide his fear. He can't deny anymore that the powers that surrounded him were larger, crueler, and endlessly more powerful than he. Their demands he already knew would be unreasonable, but he would have to capitulate.

"Good news indeed," Rughoi muttered. The more he read, the angrier he became. But in that anger, an idea came to him, one that would hinge on the arrogance of the court of Hekaga and their disdain for the kobold forces. "There's no way out. I will have to honor our agreement. Rebat, you're our friend in their court. Bring with you three thousand legionnaires and send them back over to serve at the city of our new allies."

"But Your Might, that is no more than half of our whole army, probably less," Rebat said. He was never quick of mind, and he knew it, but he was beginning to catch on to the plan.

"They don't need to know that," Rughoi said. "March them around, flaunt their skill, make it look like that's our whole army. No doubt every dracon in this whole continent is sure we can barely scrape together a hundred. Now back to Hekaga with you, Rebat. Don't leave our friends waiting." Rebat bowed again, and left to assemble the army.

Magic RP (Open to new players)

"Thank you," Rebat said, bowing. "The spirits are tricksters, and they would not make my journey end before I search. For that I bless them." He bowed again, but it seemed like he was bowing towards something nobody else can see. "I return home, then, to Xigyll. The emperor shall hear of our talks, and make his decision. Perhaps you would be kind enough to allow me a portal?" The dracon magics were abundant and strong, that Rebat could see in his career as a general. Where the kobolds were strapped enough for healers, the dracons always employed a host of magic workers in their armies.
__________________________________
"Where has he gone!?" Rughoi shouted. The guard jumped, his teeth chattering in sheer terror. Rughoi was a giant of a kobold, which nobody forgot when he was mad.

"I don't know, Your Might!" the guard squeaked, his armor rattling as he trembled. "He was inside the castle, and now he's gone!"

"Thousand curses," Rughoi muttered. "Be on your way." The guard nodded, and picked up his spear, rattling his way down the hall. Rughoi looked around in anger. Kutur was not the kind to abandon his duties. Something must have compelled him to leave, but what? Dracon kidnapping? Are they so desperate to spy on his empire that they would strike with their magic, especially now? Ardasa called him paranoid, but he knew who the enemies were. With Rebat away on a diplomatic mission . . .

Worry was never Rughoi's friend. Worry chased him up and down the meeting chambers, across his own bed, never leaving his side. There was no end to it. He could only pray to the three for his own safety, a safety he cannot even ensure himself anymore. He roared, and tore down a banner from the wall. He hated to worry.

Dragon's Mask

The little mouse, Dooa, began squirming ever harder in Riley's grip. She gritted her teeth, determined not to let him hop into the grasses and disappear. She didn't know what to think of this whole conversation. One thing is for sure, though. She didn't trust this Gold Lady. If she was capable of turning people into animals and toys, capable of enslaving children like herself or Arthur, there can't be any sympathy in her heart left. "There must be other ways to return to the real world," she said, defiantly. "Some way that we don't need any help."

Mum always said that everything has a beginning and an end. When Riley had come home one day after hearing one of her classmates talk about someone he called "God" who lived in the "Church" parish, she became all huffy, saying that God didn't live in Church or something along those lines. Riley herself couldn't understand most of it, but she knew that this Gold Lady must have an end, and therefore a beginning. There has to be another way to get back to Scalby! Already, a plan was forming in her mind, a plan that can only end in blood. She would find the Gold Lady, and kill her. "There's only one way to find out," she said, a quiet whisper to herself. She raised her voice into the most commanding tone she can muster and spoke. "Show us the way to the Gold Lady."

Dragon's Mask

@drewccapp Me too. It really helps to first read a bit of Calvin and Hobbes :D

Dragon's Mask

Riley is probably one of very few, if any, that can claim to be experienced with the fairies. She had technically, in a very loose sense, done battle with beasts far larger than herself, and she came out of it near unscathed. However, she was not prepared to face this weepy boy. Crying unnerved her. She never knew what to do.

". . . I'm Riley," she said, slowly, as Arthur's crying subsided. "From Scalby parish. You wouldn't happen to know it, would you?" Probably not, sadly. Saying the name of her home, however, gave her some sort of hope. Scalby parish, where she was born. Where she would hunt for the fairies, dawn till dusk, if not filling her head with books of the old stories. She wanted to return to her mummy and da so much, it pained her heart. This boy was no different from her in that regard. She looked back at the shattered window, with its glass spilling across the ground in near-invisible shards of razor painfulness. "We probably should not go back that way."

Magic RP (Open to new players)

Rebat silently took the sealed paper. He knew what the words inside represented. The difference between peace and dissolution rested now on the shoulders of his emperor. He silently prayed that Scen would send him the right decision. "One last thing before I go," Rebat said, recalling something important. This was one of few things he could never share with His Might, even with his loyalty. "The kobold empire at Traeton once had two wise kobolds who held the coveted title of general. His Might has not given it to anyone since. One, Merat, was slain by a joint effort when he revolted and created a schism. The other, Rama, deserted in favor of dracons. I seek the latter, on behalf of Rughoi the Unbound. Have you seen a kobold, somewhat taller than I with a lighter scale tone by any chance? He may have passed through."

_______________________________________

"What brings you here, master?" Kutur asked, putting the finishing touches on one of his books. The pages occasionally let out a soft crackle or a burst of light, showing their magic. The human woman nodded, somewhat impressed.

"Your skills have grown since you graduated . . . marginally," she said. "But you know as well as anyone I am not here for no reason." Kutur nodded. His master never tolerated what she deemed 'nonsense'. "I am here because of Archmage Lionus. He has passed away in his sleep." Kutur stood up, shocked. Archmage Lionus was old when Kutur had stepped on the Bythesea shore, but still it seemed unimaginable that he would die.

"Another will have to be chosen," Kutur said, looking at his books and scrolls. He had been busy since the founding of Xigyll, recording his observations for future kobold aspirants of the Red Discipline, should there be any.

"Yes. All former students of the Three Disciplines, magister and up, are being called back to Constantsea. There, we will cast our votes." Kutur didn't know what to say. On one hand, it was his duty as a scholar to choose the next Archmage. On the other, his emperor needed him, as well as the realm. He would be far from his home, his kinsmen, in a land populated by humans. Still, he didn't think very long about it.

"Let us go," he said. His master nodded, and opened a portal in the room. Rughoi would have to function without his advice for but a few days.