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Sunday, August 08, 2010, 3:54 PM

Players:
Irial           Youthful appearing Sylanori elf. 4'10 red hair.       
Younger         A young-looking scamp, often shirt and shoeless.      

Synopsis: Eliday, Callem 08 20:13:30 1007. The full moon is up. The tide is high and rising.  Younger comes upon a grisly scene, and ends up being rescued by Irial.

         The gentle curve of the land bows to Solmnus. Massive and walled with a great river to the east, today it stands refortified through the efforts of a disciplined military. Soldiers patrol the walls behind the visages of archers, and marching to the tune of angry bellows of captains, corporals, and army leaders.

         The gates when open stand heavily guarded, and a placard outside declares the Laws of Vinas Solmnus, former glory of the Myrrish Kingdom.

         Beyond these walls lies the King's Preserve, although diminished from its former glory. Formerly a massive forest, the armies have cut back the once-proud trunks, rendering it difficult to approach the city unnoticed. Westward, the river continues, curving in a heady bend 'round the hills.

       Outside of the city out of eyesight of the walls the remains of two orcs may be found. Arrows stick out from them. Near the orcs is a small campfire as well as a well-cooked meal. In a tree is Irial, the elf climbing down from the apparent ambush.

From the Sewer, Younger emerges. Moving slowly, with great care, he makes certain to maintain quietude; watching his footfalls, watchful of bright noise, all of those things an experienced burglar does best. He is mostly successful. Any pair of truly sharp eyes has a more than decent chance of noticing the ne'r-do-well, but most others will never know he came or went. Sticking to the shadows at the base of the City Walls, Younger peers in the direction of the Gates, taking careful stock of the situation before him...

<OOC> Younger is stealthed, but is not incredibly skilled.

       Several moments pass as Irial scales down to the base of the tree. He moves to the two orcs moving to gather up a peice of wood from the fire. Eacj body is set on fire before the wood is stuck back within the fire. A moment is spared for him to gaze upon his work before he turns making his way off.

       Feet no longer bare, at least not for this jaunt, he wears soft leather lace-up sandals. Peering out into the night, he formulates a plan. Moving quickly, he darts here and there, moving across the dark but flat expanse outside the City. A most brazen move, regardless of the darkness.

       It does not take him long to reach forest's edge. Once doing so, he moves off parallel to the road, moving along it but never directly upon it. One can see the bulging sacks over one shoulder, if one were to be watching the young human.

       With his own task this evening Irial is not seeking out the human. He is moving away from his ambush now. The wild elf's strides take him swiftly away from the small camp site. He moves deeper and deeper into the woods, away from the corpses, blood, battle, and into the peace of nature.

       While Irial is moving away, by circumstance Younger is moving toward it. Guided by discreet marks upon the trees in key areas, the young man manages to not lose himself in the forest. Guided to a dead-drop for Resistance supplies, he drops his sacks without hesitance. Sniffing, he lifts his nose slightly.

       The smell of burning. The smell of burning meat, to be specific...

       Looking around, "Food." He whispers to himself, heading toward the smell. When he blunders into the field that containing the Orcs, there is a yell of surprise that goes out and echoes across the forest in the special way that only happens there.

       The shout does not go unheard. For several moments Irial remains silent his eyes falling shut as he focuses on something. A few seconds later he moves towards the direction of the human. A soft mutter on his lips now.

Younger panics. "Shit!" He says, whirling around suddenly to head back in the direction he came, only to find himself unsure of where to go. Taking a deep breath, he turns and looks to the fire containing what he thinks is Resistance comrades. So, he hides, as best he can. Melting into the bush, he simply waits.

<OOC> Younger says, "Oh, you don't have to roll."

<OOC> Younger says, "You just succeed."

<OOC> Irial says, "But the 1! But okay. :)"

<OOC> Younger says, "Use it, if you want. ;) But I'm level 1, I just assume all PCs catch me automatically."

       Returning to his camp Irial searches around for several moments. He pauses his gaze turning to the human, "This is not a good place. Orcs will see fallen orcs and be none to pleased." he gestures to the other, "Come."

"Shit!" Is exclaimed by the young, lost human. He's been discovered! When the person seems to be friendly, Younger emerges from his hiding place cautiously. "Those are Orcs?" He asks, his voice high-pitched in surprise. "I thought..!" He does as is told, approaching Irial. "I was just leaving supplies..."

Irial shakes his head, "Orcs." he points to one of them burning on the ground, "But for now let us not worry of that. We should be worried of the patrols." he closes his eyes for a moment as if focusing on something else.

Younger nods, kneeling down and listening carefully. Looking to Irial, he awaits his next move. When Irial opens his eyes once more, the young man begins using handspeech! If Irial can understand such things, he would understand that Younger is awaiting his move, and that he only needs to get back to the highway and he can make his way back to the city proper.

       There is a nod of Irial's head, "Follow me. They are comming from the north." as he moves no tracks follow in Irial's wake. His steps are swift and hurried, but is movement leaves no trial.

Younger does follow; Though his movements are slower, he too is stealthy. Unable to keep up with the Elf properly, he is a bit sheepish. However, it is no time to slow down, even if he cannot quite see.

       It takes several moments for the elf to notice Younger moving slowly. His hands moving once more, "Your eyes." he pauses to offer his arm to the human, "We move together more secure."

GAME: Younger casts Low-Light Vision.

Younger mutters quietly, weaving mystical energy with his fingers as he does so. A gentle glow flashes across his eyes, and he looks around carefully. With his hands, "Much better." He gestures for them to move on, with a glance over his shoulder toward the north. His bare chest is scratched and knicked from the rough pine forest.

Irial looks over to the other, "I can teach you to move with nature... perhaps." his hands say before he swiftly begins to move once more.

Younger has no time to answer, taking a deep breath and plunging ahead after Irial. With Irial's guidance, and his sudden gift of sight, the young man makes much better progress. Only the hushed sound of his breathing, and the gentle crackling of pine needles and cones under foot. He is not quite as stealthy as the Elf, but they make distance.

The pair make their way off into the woods. Moving to a quiet place even further away from the beaten path. It is there Irial pauses his gaze moving to his companion, "Are you okay?" he asks his tone filled with concern now, "You are not injured?"

Younger nods, huffing slightly, out of breath. "No, no. I am fine." He answers, leaning on a tree with one hand. "Thank you for coming to my aid... I fear had you not arrived, I might have met a different fate."

Irial nods his head, "I am pleased you are not in danger." he pauses leaning against a tree, "But why are you not in the city... or did the smell drive you from there as well?"

Younger smiles, shaking his head, "No, I was dropping off food and medical supplies for our Comrades outside the City." He explains, quietly. Standing up more straight now, his breath under control, "I normally follow markers from the highway, but I got curious..." He smiles, sheepishly. He knows it was a potentially fatal error.

Irial grins, "I enjoy exploring as well it is why I was sent from my village to this world here." he laughs, "It is quite diffrent form that I am use to."

Younger smiles a little easier, the Elf putting the young human at ease. "Very well. Something in common, then..." He grins. "I was sent here for my insatiable... curiousity, of sorts." He laughs knowingly, and looks around, "I like to climb, and to get where I am not supposed to. It is fascinating, but not very amusing to the Guard."

Irial smiles, "Nor the elders of my village." he shakes his head, "But I love moving quietly and sneaking about. It is nice to place flowers in the room of a maiden and sign the name of a friend."

Younger laughs! "Marvelous! I had never thought." He shakes his head in amusement. "There is nothing quite like moving unseen and unheard... I am glad I could find some use for my talents here."

Irial laughs, "You are an interesting human." he pauses, "But you have no hair. Are you a human child?" he watches younger for several moments, "Did your parents send you here?"

Younger blushes, "I'm twenty and five years. A bit of a runt..." He rubs his chin, to emphasize his lack of hair growth. "My folks?" He laughs out loud, "No. Certainly not... I got caught lifting a bit of semi-precious art from an Alexandrian Noble's summer home. He pulled some strings, and instead of prison I was sent here..." He gestures around himself. "I'd still choose this over a rotting cell."

Irial looks confused, "Then you are an evil human to be slain?" he studies the human a bit more now watching him closely, "You do evil work?"

Younger laughs nervously, holding up a hand, "No, no. Evil? No." He says, nervously assuring the Elf. Assuming he nixed those Orcs, Younger is in no mood to have him thinking he is evil! "I'm just... not incredibly mindful of the Law. I don't hurt anyone..." He pauses, "To be honest, I have only slain once, and he was tryin' to kill me and that wasn' 'til a fortnight ago. I ain't even hit a person out ah anger, 'cept maybe one of my Brothers..." He hand-speaks, "I am part of the Resistance effort. I am here to help liberate Solmnus."

Irial's hands swiftly begins to move, "Thieves, mercenaries, orcs, hobgoblins. Is there anyone good in the resistance?"

Younger furrows his brow, the affront visible even in his hands, the way he emotes; "Yes, those things, as well as others... Regardless, they are all commited to the resistance. That has been spellt in our blood."

       For his part Irial doesn't appear to notice the umbrage which was caused, "How good can the cause be if it continues to have its mantle carried by evil." Irial shakes his head slowly watching Younger closely, "Or do you fight here to make up for your harm done to your people? To redeem and become good once more?"

Hands move rapidly, Younger hand-speaking, "My crimes caused no harm to my victims, if you wish to call them that." He explains. "I am not violent -- Never have I resorted to violence, never to blackmail. I simply trim a bit of fat from the belly of the rich; These baubels, these paintings, they have no true value beyond the..." He pauses, searching for the motion in his mind. "Facade, created by their avarice, lust, and envy. What I take will shortly be replaced... Like sheering a sheep, next season it will grow anew."

<OOC> Younger wants to point out Younger's rather high intelligence, so you don't think I'm playing outside his stats, so to speak.

       These words are considered for several moments before Irial offers a small nod of his head, "Then why do you fight instead of run off? I believe your morn hurting others without violence. Tainting their hearts with fear and wish to make amends. You are noble."

Younger stands a little straighter, "At first, I wasn't going to... I was hoping that I could steal enough to get a way out of here. Maybe steal onto a..." He pauses again. Hand-speech is not for such complicated subjects. "Dirigible. To get back to Alexandria. When I found that to be impossible, I decided if I must be here then I shall make the best of what is available. It's dangerous, but fulfilling... We recently captured a warehouse of food being stored away for an opulent dinner. My Comrades and I liberated that store-house and gave it to the Resistance, so that the people could eat."

       "I came here with a human to aid, but he is gone and now I am very much confused of the natures of humans. Many of my brethren are not." he shakes his head, "Why do you believe in killing some orcs and yet allow others to be near you?"

The young human grins, "Many of my Brethren are confused, as well. The nature of Man is frenetic, often hard to pin down." He considers Irial's question, "It is the merit and quality of one's nature and their actions that determine their worth, in my eyes. I find little reason to kill, aside from those who wish me harm. Not all Orcs mean harm and destruction."

       "No that is what makes an orc an orc. They are creatures of great evil." Irial lets out a heavy sigh, "It is like asking a rabbit to eat meat. An orc cannot be good. Or they go mad like that hobgoblin which attempts to hug everyone." he shivers.

Younger laughs, in that quietly dismissive way young people do when confronted by Old Ways. He does not sign in return, letting the subject drop. "Perhaps I should get back soon. My Comrades will be worried."

       Irial sighs turning to speach as well, "I am tired of always being out alone. Can you remain a few more hours before returning. The sewer bothers my nose and I wish for company. Perhaps you can tell me more of human cities and its people. How humans view good."

Younger considers it, his stomach rumbling loudly in the dark of the night. "If I do not return, they will think I am missing. They may send someone out after me..." He explains, putting a hand on his belly. "It is getting chilly, and my stomach is rumbling. We are still having a bit of a food shortage; I've already missed supper, but I may be able to get scraps if I hurry."

       Irial smiles, "I am a wild elf I can find food out here in the woods." he smiles, "And if you wish you may use my shirt and tunic." he twists his lips, "I can perhaps even see about getting you clothing of your own." his shoulders slump, "If humans come out this way I will ask the trees to tell me." his shoulders slump, "Please..."

Younger wrinkles his nose slightly as he considers it. He seems to empathize with the Elf, seeing that he seems quite lonely. "I will be alright. A bit of a chill never hurt me..." He sighs, "Yes, I will stay. But I must return before daylight... It is difficult to return to the sewers after that."

The elf smiles removing his cloak, "There is no need to be cold. I have spent over a decade within the wilds." he moves his cloak offering it to the other, "I am Irial. I shall work on making us a smokeless fire." he pauses removing his tunic as promised, "You will be warm and I shall find us some dinner."

Younger takes the cloak, draping it over his own shoulders. "I am Bruce The Younger, but you can call me Younger." He says, by way of introduction. "Shall I wait here, then?"

"The younger of your brothers?" Irial asks, "If you wish or I can teach you how to hunt?" he smiles tossing the tunic as well, "Or if you wish you may tend to the fire as I hunt for our dinner."

Younger nods at the first question, "Seven of us." He says, briefly. Shaking his head at the last question, he catches the tunic. "I would only get in your way. I will stay and do what I can for our fire... Have you a length of rope?"

Irial shakes his head, "I do not really. If need be you can turn my cloak into one." he pauses gathering up some wood. It takes him longer than may be expected, however a small fire is started soon enough. The flame is not exactly smokeless, however it is less than normal, "I shall return Younger." with those words the elf quickly darts off to gather a bit of food.

       It is a good time later when Irial returns, a small rabbit in his hand, "Dinner." he says softly, pride showing in his voice.