[Ravok Quest] Meetings in Secret (Quest Participants only)

[Verilian]

Fiona was more than capable of handling her opponent by herself, as was made apparent to the unfortunate man when each of his attacks were easily turned aside by simple flicks of the wrist. The man stabbed at Fiona again but she easily stepped around his blade, landing a painful blow to his side with her fist. The man dropped his sword and Fiona kicked him hard in the ribs, knocking him off the dock into the water below. The Akalak was also having a relatively easy time with his opponents. Two were already down, one of them short an arm the other missing a head. It looked like the third would soon join them, and in truth, the Akalak seemed to be toying with the man. Bartrand was still having trouble with his foe, but had managed to survive up to that point and didn't seem like he would go down any time soon. That just left Ervis, Venidus, and the man with the crossbow. The bolt from Venidus crossbow hit the man in the shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon. Ervis, upon seeing the man wounded, turned to face Bartrand and his opponent. Behind them a spike of water rose out of the lake, quickly hardening into ice. The spike curved and shot toward the pair, impaling the man through his ribs. Bartrand's expression of surprise matched his now dead opponent's and in stunned silence he looked at the mage who simply shrugged and lowered his hands. As all this was happening the injured crossbowman was trying to reload his bow, which had fired into he ground when he dropped it. When it was reloaded he aimed at Venidus, hoping to fire off a shot before the Symenestra finished him. If Venidus did not attack, or even if he did but failed to kill the man, an icy bolt from Ervis would do the job instead. Meanwhile Fiona had turned her attentions to the wounded mage, Louis, who was still breathing though just barely. "Hold on Lou, don't you die on me. We'll get you to the safehouse and patch you up, I promise!" Behind the main group Harrol was finishing off the last of his opponents. The outclassed guard slashed at Harrol's midsection. The Akalak deflected the blow and punched the man in the face, sending him staggering back. Once he recovered the man tried again but Harrol side stepped, slashing the man across the arm adding another cut to the many he had received already. Harrol grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him towards him, raising a blue knee and connecting with the man's groin, the spun around and slashed him across the back. The man fell to his knees and Harrol smiled cruely, raising his blade. "Please.. I was only doing my job," the injured man whimpered. The Akalak smirked and started to swing down. "Harrol, stop!" The Akalak froze. "That's enough! Let's get out of here," Fiona shouted. Harrol hesitated, neither lowering his blade nor striking, and all waited in tense anticipation as the Akalak seemed to struggle with himself. Finally he relaxed and lowered his blade, the wounded man letting out a sigh of relief before collapsing at the Akalak's feet, and Harrol sheathed his sword. "Help me carry Louis to the boats, he might still survive." The Akalak nodded and silently moved to help Fiona while Ervis addressed Bartrand and Venidus. "Welcome to the resistance... You two get on the boats, I will clean up here." Bartrand nodded and went to one of the boats, leaving Venidus to decide for himself what to do. Ervis simply nodded to the Symenestra then turned away, walking over to the man Venidus had pinned to the wagon. Ervis held a hand to the man's mouth, holding it there for a moment before walking over to the one who had been left alive by Harrol and doing the same thing. When he was done he turned around and headed toward the boats. If Venidus was still watching he would say, "Come on, let's go." When they had all boarded and were out on the water, if Venidus were to look back at the docks he would see the two men writhing about gasping for air before eventually falling still. Ervis sat silently, his eyes facing straight ahead. OOCYou didn't mess anything up. DraSimon did by not showing up. He was supposed to be the spy and you guys were supposed to have a super secret meeting and he was supposed to try to get away with it an bring the info back to the Black Sun. But since we have two dropouts I had to change things up. Oh, and sorry but this is a kinda blah post..

[Venidus Larkspur]

The battle was over, and the sound of battle was replaced by deep silence. Blood stained the docks, its crimson color forming dark spots on the dock. Ervis said something that Venidus didn’t quite pay attention to but he figured it was beckoning him to the boats. The Symenestra made his way to the boats. A nearby blood splatter caught his attention and he reached down to feel it. The cold red liquid starkly contrasted his pale skin. He wiped off his right hand on a nearby body and the noticed his left hand had blood on it. The wounds he had sustained during his duel began to burn as the rush of battle faded. A small pool of blood was also forming at his feet from the cut on his calf. He winced as he shifted his weight onto the wounded leg and then quickly retrieved his shoes despite the sharp discomfort. So the death of Ravok begins now and I am its executioner... Visions and thoughts of violent retribution occupied the preacher’s attention as he made his way to the boats. With a bitter grunt, he hopped onto one of the boats, which rocked due to the uneven weight distribution. Venidus found a seat after a moment of struggle against the foreign transportation. The soft sounds of the water filled the air as the boats departed to the safe house. Venidus could see Louis in the other boat and silent prayer was given for his comrade. Louis definitely wasn’t in the best of shapes and the death that seemed to linger around him made the Symenestra uncomfortable. In addition, the group was so small that the loss of one took a large chunk out of their numbers and thus their effectiveness. Venidus let out a small sigh and absentmindedly watched the surroundings. The blood had begun to try so Venidus dipped his hand into the cool water and began to wash up his hands and leg. He looked around for something to use as a bandage but the wounds weren’t bleeding very much at that point and making some sort of makeshift bandage didn’t seem worth the effort. OOCSorry for short post. I was planning on doing another sermon thing to bring the length to my average but I had to go to just short of 3 hours of church yesterday thus am burned out when it comes to such things. I will probably update this post bit by bit to make it a little more substantial, but the core is all here.

[Verilian]

The twin boats floated quietly through the water, the only sound disturbing the air that of Louis, struggling for breath, and Fiona whispering quiet comforting words as she continuously hovered over him. Looking back Ravok was little more than a distant glow, an eerie light on the surface of the lake. It was almost peaceful if one could forget what had transpired only moments before and ignore the sounds of the dying man nearby. Finally the boats ran aground, a few feet from shore. Fiona and the Akalak gently lifted Louis from the boat and set him on the ground. The Akalak then pulled the boats up onto shore and into the trees, though he did not waste much time trying to conceal them. Using the oars and some tarp from the boat Fiona put together a makeshift stretcher, laying it beside Louis. "Harrol, you and Bartrand carry him," Fiona said as she turned and lead them into the forest. Fiona was in a hurry and moved at a rushed pace, bit even so it still took them some time to reach where they were going. If Venidus had any sense of direction or skill in the wild he might notice that they in fact seemed to be traveling in circles, or at least not in any single direction. Bartrand too seemed to notice the strange route Fiona was taking them and after some time he finally spoke up, "Ahem.. Uh, I'm no woodsman, but I think we already came this way. Are we lost? This man needs medical attention soon, if we're lost we should At least try to patch him up and make him comfortable." Fiona stopped in her tracks and let out a sigh, turning to glance back at Louis as she bit her lip uncertainly. After a few chimes she let out another sigh and turned northward. "Alright.. I guess we've gone long enough. Fifteen chimes.. no more than thirty, and we'll be there." Fiona set off again, this time leading them in an almost entirely straight direction. True to her word about twenty chimes later they arrived at a small clearing and Fiona came to a halt. Creeping to the edge of the treeline she glanced all around, and once she appeared satisfied she pulled off one of her gloves, holding her hand up and closing her eyes. The ball of light that came from the mark in the center of her hand flared brightly for a moment before vanishing, and Fiona pulled the glove back over her hand. Harrol, who was standing near Venidus, whispered quietly, "Fiona is one of the few of us who know where this is. Usually she would blindfold us and lead us in circles for hours before taking us here, but there was no time for that." A few tense moments passed as Venidus, Bartrand, and the others waited to see what Fiona's light would reveal. Sadly it was nothing spectacular, and when a torch appeared across the clearing waving back and forth Fiona nodded and led them across. The safehouse, which was really little more than a moderate sized shack, was a perhaps a twenty yard march through the tree's from the edge of the clearing. They were met by a bright eyed woman bearing a torch, likely the same torch bearer who had signaled Fiona moments earlier. "Fiona, I didn't know you were coming tonight," the woman said merrily, "Did something go.. Oh my! What happened!" Harrol and Bartrand brought Louis into view and the moment she saw them the woman with the torch rushed over. "We were betrayed," Fiona responded, "And attacked at the docks. Louis was shot, but there were no casualties on our side. Can you fix him." The woman examined the wound a bit longer before nodding. "I think I can handle it. Bring him inside. I'll get everything ready." Fiona followed the four of them in, motioning for Venidus and Ervis to follow too. The inside of the cabin was lightly furnished. There were two sets of bunkbeds against one wall. A few crates of trail rations and water were stacked against another wall, along with a small stockpile of weapons and arrows. There was a table for eating, which was now being used as an operating table, and a few chairs, as well as an unlit fireplace. One thing that might catch the Symenestra's attentions were the twin shrines on either side of the door, one to Priskil, and one to Rak'keli. While the shrines themselves were not spectacular, the added element of a second god to the mix might piqué his interest. OOCOkay, this thread will be wrapping up in the next few posts. I'm sorry it didn't turn out as awesome as I hoped, but there will be more adventure to come soon. I'll likely have all the details on that next week.

[Venidus Larkspur]

Uneven forest ground worsened the continuous travel through inhospitable darkness. Ravok’s soft glow on the lake resembled a sort of subterranean fungus, but the unsettling view was soon obscured as trees and thickets created impenetrable layers. Louis’s breathing, if it could be considered such, caused Venidus great anxiety. The Symenestra wasn’t used to having allies and the idea of a good man dying didn’t sit well with the lonely preacher. Keeping absent minded wasn’t an easy task however while branches and roots constantly attacked his face and feet. Bartrand made a comment about going in circles which piqued Venidus’s curiosity. Venidus obviously wasn’t comfortable or skilled enough in the forest to have noticed Fiona’s beguiling antics. The preacher’s paranoia turned to frustration as he began to believe the same trees and footings repeatedly assaulted him. Louis’s condition seemed to grow grimmer as the lengthy trek continued. Just when he was sure that Louis was on the verge of death, Fiona illuminated her uncovered hand. Harrol addressed Venidus on the matter unfolding before them, “Fiona is one of the few of us who know where this is. Usually she would blindfold us and lead us in circles for hours before taking us here, but there was no time for that." Venidus didn’t respond because the comment didn’t seem like much of a conversation starter. The Akalak’s words bothered the preacher quit a bit however. I don’t think he is kidding... Blindfolded? Are we not trusted yet? What hoops must be jumped through until we are treated as allies? I’ve fought beside these people and yet I am treated to this... A moment later, a torch responded in the distance. The last distance to the shack was not the relief it should have been. The Symenestra wondered what elaborate and spectacular hidden fort was worth risking Louis’s life and his time for. Venidus didn’t give his trust freely or often. The fact the trust was anything but mutual disappointed him more than anything. The safe house turned out to be little more than a shack. Venidus bit his tongue with his broken tooth. A woman approached them and examined Louis. Her overall positivity was unexpected but refreshing after a day of betrayal, battle, and bitterness. The Symenestra’s rationality slowly began to burn away the dissatisfaction and frustration that had been plaguing him since the journey from Ravok had begun. Now that the finish line had been reached all of Venidus’s pessimism melted away. Hope and relief washed over him like the light from the safe house. After hours of vulnerability and danger, the safe house offered something intangible but well worth the journey. Venidus couldn’t help but to grin as he entered the shack’s comforting embrace. While more pain and danger surely was ahead, the momentary reprieve was quite a pleasurable experience. The statue of Priskil immediately caught his attention and he moved to offer a sign of respect. The motion was an awkward combination of bowing and kneeling. A second statue was on the other side of the door. Vendius didn’t recognize it, but it was obviously some sort of goddess. The preacher, raised worshiping Viratas and also an avid follower of Priskil, valued the presence of multiple gods and goddesses, but this particular goddess was unknown to him. The preacher, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since the secret meeting, spoke in a quiet voice trying to avoid interrupting Louis’s aid, “Which Goddess is this?” The Symenestra didn’t turn around and look for a response. He wanted to reach out and touch Priskil’s statue or that of the unknown goddess. Would it be sacrilegious if I touched one of these shrines? They are so beautiful. Truly a shrine deserving of Priskil! In the end, the tactile urge was defeated and Venidus was left staring while his fingers fidgeted. OOCAaaaaaahhh you shouldn't say sorry for it not being epic! Two people left and there is nothing you could do about that. Also, I found the thread enjoyable and fairly epic. I am still pretty rusty when it comes to Role Playing so I am sorry that I couldn't help you salvage the nifty plot you had planned out. Looking forward to next weeks info!

[Verilian]

The statue was truly beautiful. So masterful was it's craftsmanship that it truly seemed a living statue. If Venidus did choose to touch it he would be surprised to find that, while hard as a statue, it was warm as a living thing. Perhaps it was merely some trick of magic, or perhaps it was truly a living being. Whatever the answer, Venidus found himself instantly filled with courage and a strong feeling that being among these people, no matter how strange their ways might be, was right and just. The other statue was just as lifelike in craftsmanship, though it was not warm to the touch, and should Venidus touched Priskil's statue a second time it would no longer be warm no have the uplifting effect, at least not in the sense that it had the first time. "She is Rak'keli," answered the woman who had greeted them outside when Venidus asked his question. She was now busy clearing a table to lie the injured mage upon. "Goddess of Healing, sister to Avalis, Goddess of Visions." Once Louis was in place she pulled a dagger from her sleeve and began to cut away his shirt, opening it to reveal the bloody wound on his chest. "And since you are so curious, fetch me some whiskey from that crate and I will show you what she can do." The woman pointed to a crate against the wall, waiting for Venidus to move toward it before addressing Harrol and Bartrand. "You two will have to hold him down. It is good you did not remove the bolt, otherwise he would be dead already." When Venidus arrived with the whiskey she took it from him, setting it aside as she dabbed up as much of the blood as she could. At one point she paused to push aside her bangs which were getting in the way, revealing for the first tine the twisting opal sigil on her forehead that showed her as marked by the goddess. The woman looked up at Harrol and Bartrand. "Hold him now," she said grimly as she grasped the bolt. Louis cried out in pain as the woman pulled it from his chest, and cried doubly so when she poured the whiskey on the wound and began cleaning it. Harrol and Bartrand held the man down firmly as he writhed in pain, but when the woman set everything aside and held her hands over the wounds he instantly calmed. When her hands touched his flesh the wound began to mend, and before his very eyes Venidus watched the wound close up until all that was left of it was a thin red scar. The man had stopped writhing in pain and the woman whispered, "Rest now, and regain your strength. Harrol, take him to a bed, I don't want him on his feet for the rest of the day." Harrol did as he told and the woman began to tidy up as if nothing spectacular had happened, cleaning up the blood and putting away the whiskey. "Thankyou Meredith," Fiona said before motioning to Venidus and Bartrand. "I apologize to you both for things not going as intended today.. Sadly when battling the god of chaos it is difficult to predict everything." Fiona motioned to encompass the whole of the room. "This is our main safehouse and base of operations. Though it may look like a simple shack, there is much more beneath the surface. This place is holy ground to Priskil and Rak'keli both. That is why we strive so hard to keep it's location secret. Should any one of us be caught we could reveal it's location and risk everything. Never take a direct path when coming here, always make sure you are not being followed. And if you are lead them as far away as possible. Meredith or another of the Rising Dawn will always be here to signal you in when you come. If you do not receive a signal that it is okay to enter, leave, for it is no longer safe." "You are safe here now, however, and may stay as long as you like. My real name is Siriana. I am a member of the Order of Radiance, and founder of the Rising Dawn. With Priskil's blessing I came to Ravok and went under cover, searching for a way to cleanse the city. I recruited others to the cause, and we are growing in strength. We have a plan, though for your own safety it will only be revealed to you as it is enacted. Rhysol's agents are powerful, and the less you know the less likely they will come for you. When you leave here, we will contact you when you are needed. This is a covert organization.. for now, so do not expect to hear from us daily. But soon a day will come when we must stand before Rhysol and the Voice and face him openly. On that day we will know the fate of Ravok. Until then, we must be vigilant and fight where we can. If you have any doubts that you need alleviated, speak them now. If not, then I welcome you to the Rising Dawn." OOCStill awaiting approval for future Rising Dawn activity, so that will have to be sent out via PM later, but as far as this thread goes feel free to ask any questions you like. Or if you are ready to end it, make a final post. Whatever you want to do.

[Venidus Larkspur]

Venidus only caught the last word the woman said because his attention was lost deep in his mind’s labyrinth musing over frivolous thoughts. The goddess Rak’keli was one that the preacher was not familiar with. His knowledge of Mizahar’s pantheon arguably surpassed most of the population’s, but personal experiences with followers of Gods and Goddesses marked the limitations to this knowledge. The woman was the first follower of Rak’keli he had met and her example conjured a wind of curiosity in Venidus’s mind. She continued speaking, “Goddess of Healing, Sister to Avalis, Goddess of Visions.” Avalis was another name that didn’t quite ring a bell for the Symenestra, but the preacher quickly added Rak’keli to his list of respected deities. Feeling more comfortable now that the room was becoming familiar and the people inside more friendly, Venidus reached out and touched the hand of Priskil’s statue. The statue felt warm! A short shriek and jump later, the preacher was examining the statue from a slightly greater distance. His heart was pounding out of his chest as if he had touched the core of divinity itself. The statue... This statue felt alive! I-I felt as though Priskil herself occupied the vessel the moment I touched it. Venidus reached out a second time and gingerly touched the hand. The lack of power or life the second time disappointed him, but he had no doubt the first experience was truly divine. Hope, confidence, strength, and courage had been erupting in his heart since the initial touch. The burning hot fervor melted any guilt, doubt, or apprehensions remaining in the Symenestra’s heart. The woman asked him to get her some whisky from a nearby crate in order to help with Louis’s procedure. For the first time in months, the preacher moved with a sort of spring in his step. After retrieving the whisky, the woman went to work... and it was glorious! The woman obviously knew what she was doing, and when one reaches a particular level of skill, action becomes art. Venidus overcame a wave of faintness induced by the fairly gory wound. The preacher had induced many such injuries but from a much greater distance. After the preparation was complete, a mere touch from the woman mended the woman. Harrol proceeded to bring Louis to a bed under the woman’s orders. The preacher looked over and saw that Meredith had a distinctive mark which he surmised was a gnosis and the source of her healing abilities. What a magnificent ability! A person able to practically erase the harm evil inflicts. Sealing the wound as if it were merely an illusion or trick. Fiona thanked the woman; whose name was apparently Meredith. The issue of the woman’s name hadn’t even registered in Venidus’s mind, as things seemed to be moving at such a lightening pace. Fiona addressed Bartrand and Venidus before he had a time to go on a mental tangent about Meredith’s name. She revealed that the shack was more like a shrine on holy ground, a fact that made Venidus feel guilty for doubting the legitimacy of the safe house. The preacher took the information about the shack being located on sacred ground to validate his previous divine experience. Fiona revealed her true name to be Siriana and explained a bit about herself and her quest. Most of the information was elaboration on ideas or facts that could be gathered through the nights events, but Siriana’s openness and trust truly honored the Symenestra. Venidus accepted the omission of further plans for his safety and simply nodded as the Prikil-blessed woman spoke to him and his new companion. When asked if he had any doubts or questions, the preacher simply shook his head and grinned. Doubt no longer occupied his mind. Venidus saluted Siriana and spoke in a voice more tired then he had expected, “It is truly an honor to fight by your side! I will aid the Rising Dawn with every muscle and fiber my body can muster!” Venidus decided to accept Siriana’s invitation to stay a while. The Symenestra didn’t feel like taking a bed with so many others who could use it in the room so he decided to take a spot on the wall next to the statue of Priskil. After placing down his crossbow, whose absence was welcome to a weary body, he rested his back on the wall and slept. Despite his sleep, the words he had been thinking bubbled forth form his slumber. In a quiet mumble almost too quiet to hear, the preacher began to preach for the first time in a while, “The culling of evil has begun. A new era devoid of Rhysol and his kingdom waits on the horizon and all we must do is travel to it. The road to the future will be... paved with... the bodies of Rhysol and his people...” There was a silence as Venidus drifted away, but it wasn’t long before he began again, “Chaos will be tamed and conquered... A civilization will be built from the ashes and, like a phoenix, reborn. Reborn under the guidance of light... Nurtured and kept pure... Clear of corruption... Clean of the scars Rhysol has inflicted...” Another silence formed as the talking became completely incoherent. Annunciation returned once again, “Truth and justice will be the anvil and hammer between which Ravok will be reformed. We, the Rising Dawn, will sever each extremity, each limb, and, finally, the beast’s head. Salvation comes... like... like a war chariot’s wrath. The wrath of our hands will be felt with inconceivable power and might. The bow is drawn and aimed... we... must... only let the arrow fly... Ravok is no... haven or escape. It will soon be a trap... and a prison for the... sinful...” Another silence followed as the preacher seemed to be dreaming of some great battle. His arm moving slightly as his fingers twitched faintly. Just as it seemed he was about to start again, he grunted and slid into a horizontal position. Rest finally settled on the weary.

[Verilian]

Rysen Londell +1 Rehtoric Lores: The Irony of Ravok, The Fiona Special, Conviction, The Rising Dawn (Poor) Venidus Larkspur +1 Preaching +1 Observation +1 Rhetoric +1 Tactics +2 Crossbow +1 Intimidation +1 Wilderness Surival Lores: The Fiona Special, Overcoming the Racial Stereotype, The Rising Dawn (Basic), Thinking Logically, Taking a Stand, Lore of Rak'keli (Poor), Lore of Healing (Basic), Lore of Avalis (Poor), Touching Hope, Location of the Rising Dawn Safehouse, Fiona's real name: Siriana, Member of the Rising Dawn Rising Dawn Membership : Being a member of the Rising Dawn offers certain advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Access to the Safehouse: Members may stay at the safehouse for free, however frequent coming and going is discouraged as it risks revealing the location to others. This does not count as free lodging, as the safehouse does not have enough supplies to sustain someone for long periods of time, and genearlly members will be expected to leave after about ten days unless there are special circumstances involved. Free Healing: Assuming that an injured member can make it to the safehouse, and assuming that Meredith is there, free healing is available to members of the Rising Dawn. (All healing threads must have mod approval.) Quest: OOC, players with Rising Dawn characters get first dibs on any Rising Dawn Quests. Disadvantages: You are hunted by the Ebonstryfe. If you are ever found out, you can expect torture and probably death. You Question My Logic? : Okay.. so I'm not explaining all that.. but if you have questions or concerns, feel free to PM me. Notes: I had fun, and I hope you did too. Sorry it didn't quite work out like it was supposed to, but I hope you enjoyed it.