Ambrosia Software Web Board: Build Your Own Story! - Ambrosia Software Web Board

Okay, here's something to try.

One of us will start a story, a simple one with a simple enough plot. They post a portion of it, how much is up to them, but it has to be at least 30 words and short enough that people won't spend hours reading it. Then someone else comes along and posts their segment of the story. The same person can't post twice in a row, they have to wait for two different people to post before they can post again. So technically, three people could write the entire story, but it would be more fun if more people could join in (they'd have a broader range of ideas to take the story). Try to keep the story simple, but you can add plot twists or even change the plot a bit if you'd like.

I'd prefer it if the story stayed seperate from the characters in other stories/chronicles, this is just supposed to be a fun side thing aside from everything else.

I fully expect the story to end up completely different when I return from how it started here, so use your creativity.

Good luck!

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"There is a time and a place for everything."

Here goes:

Aerion swung his father's sword gleefully. He knew he wasn't supposed to use it, there weren't any other swords like his father's, but his dad wasn't home and mom wasn't paying any attention and it was ever so fun to pretend he could be like dad. Or rather, like dad used to be.

"Aerion! I need you for a minute!" His mother called to him. Drats, she probably had some icky job for him to do. He reluctantly put the sword down safely on the only table in the room, clearly visible, and hurried off.

"Can you go put father's books away?" His mother asked him kindly. He looked downcast, he didn't want more work to do, but he answered, "Yes mother" and ran off to finish. The pile of books he had to place on the shelves in the study was, fortunately, small and in no time he was finished. He ran back out to the main room so he could play some more, but...the table was empty. Where had the sword gone?

It wasn't on the floor, a frantic look guaranteed that, and the door was still locked, so nobody had come in. He hurried back to his mother, but she was still scrubbing the fireplace. He hurried back through the house, but he couldn't find the sword!

"Uh...mom...I've um...lost something and I can't find it." He said hesitantely to his busy mother while he stared at his shoes.

"Its probably where you last put it." She replied patiently.

"Its not. I can't find it," he tried again. Surely she could find anything, though if she knew...

"Look, Aerion, I'm very busy, I've got to finish cleaning up before your father gets home and we have to go to that special meeting of his. Speaking of which, I know you're not supposed to touch it, but could you lay your father's armor and sword out on the table? He is going to need it tonight and I'm too busy to get it out for him."

Aerion's spirits slumped even further. True, he could go out into the market and try to find another - finding a sword in Cademia was simple - but his father's was special, and everyone would know the difference. He sat down, trying to figure out what to do now.

------------------
"There is a time and a place for everything."

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-27-2002).]

Gabriel tugged on the hilt of the sword, but to no avail. He stopped and sat down, frowning. "It's too big. The blade will fit, but not the handles. Cyprus, go round the other side and find the others. We need to make the hole bigger."

Making a face at her older brother behind his back, Cyprus ran off, purposely stepping on Gabriel's tail. She hated having to listen to Gabriel, but he was right. There was no way the sword would fit through the hole.

She went in through the other mousehole and yelled at Kassandra and Rhesos. "Oi, you two! Gabriel says start gnawing; we need to make the hole bigger."

Kassandra sat down on her haunches, scowling. "He just noticed? Obviously the hole's too small. Come on, Rhesos, you start on the right side and I'll take the left. Cyprus, climb on the hilt there and start working on the top. We have to get this sword outside before the People come back."

Of all a mouse's fears, People were at the top of the list, ranked right below cats. They all disliked mice and upon spotting one, either disposed of it outside or panicked. Which is why the four mice were so startled to be hired by a People.

Rhesos stopped chewing at the wood for a moment and cocked an ear. Still safe, but they had to work fast. He poked his nose through the hole. "You still there, Gabriel? Go find Antos again, will you, we'll be through soon with this foul hole."

"I know what you mean," Kassandra muttered as she gnawed. She was a tough, black mouse, the leader of their gang. "This stuff is deus to chew through. Why do People insist on using the hardest woods for their houses?"

Soon after, a large set of whiskers came through the hole, followed by a big rat's head. "You nearly done with that?" The voice was gruff. "It oughta fit soon."

Cyprus jumped down from the hilt and squinted at the sword. "Yes, it'll fit. Antos and Gabriel, if you start pulling on the hilt, we'll start pushing the blade through. Hurry- I think I might hear a People."

With the strength of a rat behind it, they managed to push and pull the sword slowly through the mousehole. As the blade slid through to the outdoors, Cyprus kept an ear cocked for any sound of a People. Although a small, inconspicious mouse made for a perfect thief, it was difficult dealing with heavy items. Cyprus was grateful for the People's spell that had given them extra strength to get the sword.

The point of the blade was still poking through the hole when footsteps resounded through the house. "Hurry!" Rhesos commanded and gave the metal blade a mighty shove. "It's almost through! We can't get caught now."

On the other side of the wall, Antos dug his claws into the carved hilt and dragged it backwards. The tip finally slid through. Kassandra, Rhesos and Cyprus dashed through the hole just as a young People boy entered the room.

Gabriel poked his nose back through the hole, watching carefully. "Now," he said, "as long as nobody notices our hole, we ought to be home free."

------------------
Insignificantly Unforgettable

Aerion looked around the big room again, but the sword was still gone. Damn. His mother wasn't going to be any help, she was busy, and he'd be in big trouble if he told her. It occured to him that in fact, he had even done as his mother had asked, he'd put the sword on the table - or had he? He'd been in a hurry, maybe -
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of bare feet running quickly along the pebbled alley outside the house, and the high, excited voice of a young girl. "Aerion! Aeriiiiooon!" Moments later, Kara burst through the door. "Come! Come, you have to see this!" She panted, breathlessly.
Despite his situation, Aerion couldn't help but grin. Kara was tall, for her age, agile and curious, with dark eyes and short black hair that constantly looked as if it needed a comb. "You're not supposed to be here." He remembered suddenly. "Mom's going to be angry if she sees you." His mother thought Kara was bad company for him, though he couldn't figure out why. Because she worked for Eteocles*, the girl knew the city like the back of her hand, including all the entrances into the sewers! Spending time with her was always fun.
"Then it's up to you to make sure she doesn't see me." Kara grinned, and took a few step into the room. "Come on now, you don't want to miss this!"
Aerion looked at her miserably. "I can't."
"Oh, don't be a coward!" Kara exclaimed in exasperation "If we hurry, she won't even notice you were gone." She added in a more compromising tone.
"That's not it!" Aerion contradicted, a bit hurt. He was no coward! "It's just... I, um... I lost dad's sword..." He admitted, looking down at his hands.
"Oh." Kara looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Then, more cheerfully: "well, so we just have to find it." It sounded like a very easy task, from her lips. "Where'd you last see it?"
With renewed hope, Aerion told her how he'd played with the sword, and put it down on the table when his mother had called him.
Kara looked at the table, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "Well." She finally declared. "Somebody stole it."
Aerion gasped. "Stole it? But -"
"- but we'll find it, don't worry." The girl interrupted, determinedly. "This could be fun!" She laughed, and grabbed his hand. "Come on now!"
A bit reluctantly, Aerion got up and followed her out of the door. It was better than being dragged all the way, anyway. He brightened as a new thought occured to him: this was his chance to have a real adventure!

*For those who don't know/remember, Eteocles is the head of the Ratcatcher's Guild.

------------------
Ich weiß wohl, ich bin nur ein Träumer, der vielleicht eines Morgens erwacht. Doch ich spotte dem Tag und ich folge dem Stern und ich lass mich entführen in die Nacht...
- Silk & Lute

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 01-01-2003).]

Mister Durki sighed. Teaching a class these days was so hard. All around him were scattered the rich of Cademia's kids. They moaned at the slightest anoyance, groaned at the merest of drafts, they poked and squirmed and riggled and giggled.
"Please, children. I need your attention!" Durki's voice raised unexpectedly and the children fell silent, stunned at their teachers sudden outburst.
Durki sighd again "Thank you. Now, can anyone tell me what the major city that lies on the west coast of Cythera called?"
The children were still silent. One boy raised his hand and a rush of appreciatation and comments of bravery made it's way more rapidly through the class then ill news went through a busy tavern. But never just any ill news, the type of ill news you particullay don't want people to know.
"Yes, Derick?"
"Kosha."
Durki smiled and shook his head "No, not the city of I was thinking of. That's on the east coast Derick.
"It is not! My grand daddy even works there! He's the major moodu thingy! You ask him!"
Dericks outcires were quickly backed by the rest of the class, yelling and screaming again.
"Class, Please." Durki trieed desperatly to once again gain control of the rabble, unsuccsusfully.
He thought for a moment, his last outburst had work, maybe if he- "CLASS! SHUT UP!"
The children were deadly silent. "Ohhhhhhhh" They chimed in unison "Mistar Turkey said a square word!"
Durki threw his papers on the desk with exasperation and stormed out of class, leaving the kids to thier own devices for a minute. Out in the foyer he sat and took a long, hard look at his job. He was no teacher. He needed help. And in a moment of brilliance it came to him, he needed an assistant! Yes, that was it! One who could fill in forms for him, and that all the children will love, so they'll be quiet and he can get on with things. It's perfect, Durki thought, now all he had to do was find an eager volunteer.
Visions of grandoise filled his head. There he was, infront of the class, scholars hat proudly perched on his head. All the children sat neatly in rows and paid total attention to him, the teacher, their mentor. Their role model. The fact that his day dreaming didn't involve an assistant at all was irrelevant.
In his dazed state of self worhship, Mister Durki did not see the sword bearing rats walk uninhibited across the floor, and out the door.

[edit] Spelling [/edit]
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Yesterday we bent our necks to emperors and kings. Today, we kneel only to truth. -Kahil Gibran

[This message has been edited by dusk (edited 01-02-2003).]

[OoC]Rats! My mice aren't rats! Antos is a rat, but he's only there to help carry it. Gabriel, Rhesos, Cyprus, and Kassandra are all mice.

Oh yes, and the 'People' that the mice are working for are free game for anyone to use. I don't have anything planned for him.[BiC]

"Good, he didn't see us," Kassandra muttered once they'd got out the door. "Next time, somebody check before we enter a room, okay?"

Cyprus peered past the black mouse to the People sitting in the lobby. "Is he asleep?"

"I don't know. It doesn't matter, though. Come on, let's get out of here before he comes outside and sees us with this sword."

"It isn't much farther," Gabriel told them. "See that brick building there, the one that's all run down? We're supposed to leave it around the back. He said there's an old firepit there, and we can cover the sword in the ashes until he comes to pick it up. I just hope he's not around when we get there."

Rhesos hefted up the hilt of the sword. "Come on, then. Off we go."

Walking through the ditch, they followed the edge of the road past some grass and towards the lot of the brick house. There was no one to be seen. They were just drawing close when a loud meowing shattered the silence.

Kassandra dropped the end of the blade onto the ground, her ears twitching frantically. Not now, when they were so close. She could smell it now, the mangy, furry smell of a tomcat.

"Run!" she hissed at the others. Everyone scattered in a different direction- Kassandra down into the ditch, Rhesos back the way they'd come, Gabriel across the road, Cyprus into an old rabbithole where she lay huddled in a ball. The big rat Antos ran hell-bent towards the tomcat.

Tail lashing back and forth, the tom followed the scent of rodent towards the ditch. Antos came flying over the curve and landed on the tom's back, scratching and clawing. Cyprus, hiding down in the ditch, heard the cat squealing followed by a cry from the rat.

Meanwhile, the sword lay forgotten in the dust of the ditch by the road.

------------------
Insignificantly Unforgettable

Milk, butter, cheese, apples... Danaos mentally went through the list, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything. As he made his way back to the shabbier parts of Cademia, he began to concentrate on his surroundings again. Never could be too careful here, he knew. He loosened his dagger its scabbard.. it wasn't all that much of a weapon, but better than being unarmed, anyway. Sounds in a side alley attracted his attention, squealing and shrieking. He glanced around the corner, and was faced with a not-quite-usual sight: a rat fighting a cat...or vice versa, he couldn't be quite sure. Nor did he care very much. But something else caught his eye even more: the metal gleam of a blade, lying - out of all the impossible places! - in the dust, near the ditch.
Ignoring the two fighting animals, he went over and picked up the blade, examining it more closely. It was an excellent work, perfectly balanced, and the handle fit his hand like that of no other sword he had ever wielded. He took a quick look around - nobody in sight.
Humming under his breath, he tucked the sword into his belt and continued his way back home.
What a lucky day!

------------------
Ich weiß wohl, ich bin nur ein Träumer, der vielleicht eines Morgens erwacht. Doch ich spotte dem Tag und ich folge dem Stern und ich lass mich entführen in die Nacht...
- Silk & Lute

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 01-02-2003).]

Motion! Sweeping, thrilling, air dancing by on either side. Purpose, youthful exuberance, untrained, unforged, willing but unmettled. In time, in time.

Motion. Grinding, grating, clanking. Touch, clammy. Darkness. Purpose, eager, fixed. Strange, foreign, unnatural. Not for me. Discipline! No, none here. No hope, no rescue.

Motion? No. Sudden thudding, dull scraping. Purpose, changing - panic rising. Menace growing. What now? Forgotten. Abandoned. Hope? No.

Wait...

Motion! Rising, sweeping, thrilling, air dancing by on either side! Purpose, youthful - different, trained, forged. Fixed. Mettled? We shall see.

Opportunity? Not yet. Mayhap with time, to escape, to return. Belonging. I belong... elsewhere, with others.

I bide my time.

------------------
"The e-mail of the specious is more dangerous than their mail" - Tom Holt, 'Snow White and the Seven Samurai'

"It's not here!" Rorry looked around. The sword was nowhere to be seen, but he did notice some small footprints in the dust.
"Confound those mice!" he yelled, "they were here!" he kicked a nearby bucket, making it fly through the air and hit the nearby brick wall with a loud bang.

"Take it easy, man," Wayne rolled his eyes at his companion, "what would a bunch of filthy rodents do with a sword anyway? And when the spell wears off, they'll be unable to move it!" He went over to the ditch, got down on his knees and started searching for the sword.
"It's gotta be here somewhere."
But as much as Rorry tried to stay calm like his friend, he didn't manage. He knew that the sword had probably been stolen, or that the mice had ran away with it out of simple greed. And he also knew that his employer would be most unsatisfied by the outcome of the situation. "Wayne! Face it, it's not there!" he sounded even more hysteric.

Wayne looked up at him, slightly irritated. "That's the spirit, Rorry... when something doesn't quite work out as you expected, just give up!" his sarcasm was wasted on his desperate friend. "What do we tell Geoffrey?" he asked.
Wayne got up, rubbing some dirt off his pants. "We tell him that the rodents didn't keep their end of the deal and that we don't know where the sword is."
Rorry opened his mouth, trying to say something. He then closed it again and looked as Wayne with wide-opened eyes. He shook his head slightly before seemed to pull himself together. "That was a rhetorical question, you dunderhead!" he exclaimed, "we can not -I repeat- we can not come to Geoffrey without the sword! He needs it tonight, and you know what he's capable of doing to people!"

Wayne jumped when a fairly large, fat tomcat ran past him at a tremendous speed.
"You'll be running a lot faster than that if Geoffrey finds out about this" Rorry said, gesturing at the cat. "Do you remember what he did to Dino when he crossed him? Do you?"
Wayne tried to answer, but was interrupted by Rorry; "Do you remember what Geoffrey Tarrelond-Ashe did to him?" his voice was trembling with fear.
"Of course I remember," Wayne replied, "he was a member of the Caladon branch of Thieves Underground, so I went to his funeral. Terrible stuff... closed casket and all."

Rorry burst out again, "that's it! And that's exactly why we have to find that cursed sword before nightfall... today!"


------------------
Some people say war doesn't solve anything... perhaps they're using the wrong strategy...

Kara quickly drew ahead of him and he lost his grip on her hand. darting down narrow streets, in and down of doors, dodging grown-ups. Aerion tried to follow her but quickly lost her as his vision was clouded by a group of beggars. He stopped to gasp for breath, pain slowly enveloping his body. He leaned against a near by wall. It had graffiti on it and shreds of paper from papers that had been long torn down.
“Come ON!” insisted Kara, who had looked back and noticed Aerion gone. She grabbed his hand again. He found himself pulled quite forcefully through some of the less used streets of Cademia. Finally, Kara stopped in front of a shabby looking building and released his hand. “Isn’t this...*he gasped for breath* where Eteocles works?”
“Yep.” answered Kara.
“How will Eteocles help?” asked Aerion
“You know, Aerion, sometimes you can be pretty thick.”
“What?!”
“Look, Eteocles is the person to get advice from. Trust me.”
“Don’t have much choice” Aerion muttered to himself as he was dragged into the Ratcatchers guild’s HQ.
***
“Kara! Back already?” asked Eteocles, looking surprised.
“Yes. My friend has a problem. I wondered if you could give him some help?”
Eteocles looked doubtfully at Aerion. “A guy from the north side has a problem, eh? Why doesn’t he talk to some of his rich friends? Eh?”
Kara glared at Eteocles. “Are you going to help or not?!” she demanded, angrily.
“Touchê.”
Kara glared at him again.
“Alright, I’ll -try-. But I think you’re wasting your time hanging around with a guy from the north side. Why can’t you spend more time with other ratcatchers, eh? We too good for you?”
Kara gave him a dirty look and motioned for Aerion to speak. Reluctantly, he explained his problem to Eteocles. Eteocles listened intently, only interrupting to ask the occasional question. At the end of the tale, he sighed.
“I suppose you want to find the sword? You -sure- you can’t just replace it?”
Aerion nodded. “The sword...is, well, unique.”
Eteocles sighed again. “I doubt you can find it by just randomly searching streets of Cademia at this point. There is perhaps one person who can help you...he is called Monitus by others. Rumor has it he was once a great mage. ‘Course that’s only rumor and even if he was a great mage, it is clear he is no longer. Talk to him only if you must...he is not one of the more friendly keepers of Cademia.”
Kara looked at Aerion. He replied “I’ve at least got to try to get it back. I will talk to Monitus.” Eteocles shrugged.
“It’s your choice, though I don’t think its a very bright one.”
Kara took a hold of the situation. “Yes, yes, Eteocles, stop telling us what a bad idea it is and instead tell us how to find him.” she said impatiently. Eteocles quickly told Kara directions, in a low tone. Aerion could not catch more then the occasional word. As soon as he’d finished, Kara grabbed Aerion’s hand and dragged him from the room. “Thanks Eteocles!” she shouted before disappearing around a corner with Aerion.
***
“This is it.” Kara told Aerion.
“Nice door, eh?’ Aerion said, looking at the rather tall oak door.
“Yeah...you wanna knock or should I?”
Aerion rapped on the door hard.
“Yes?” The voice was rough but emotionless and dark.
“I was wondering if you could help me out...I’ve got a slight problem.”
“Enter...”
***
Aerion looked around at Monitus’s room. It was dimly lit by only a single candle. There were no windows in the room. A moose head was mounted on the wall. A shield hung from another wall. It was tinted an odd red. Bits of metal were scattered throughout the room, twisted into odd shapes and things.
“Welcome...” said who Aerion presumed to be Monitus. He was sitting in front of a large oak desk. The candle stood on it. It illuminated several books. The books ever piled all over the desk, along with papers and scrolls. Monitus’s black hair was long but controlled, his face filled with striking features. A cold smile dried on his lips. His eyes darted up and down Aerion, seizing him up. He ignored Kara. His hands were rough and callused. In them he held a thin long dagger, over a 15 inchs. He slowly moved it and it glinted in the candle light. He twirled it around with his fingers, ignoring the sharpness of the blade. His fingers remained unscathed. His eyes continued to inspect Aerion.
“I would ask you to sit...” He continued to twirl the dagger “But I don’t really want you to sit down. Nor do I have a chair to offer you.” Kara was oddly silent. Monitus continued to speak. “You interest me...perhaps we will chat again, yes?” The smile tugged at Monitus’s lips cruelly. Aerion nodded. “I have a problem.” said Aerion.
“Yes..problems...they plague all humans...the more you kill, the more you get...I will help you...”
“My father’s sword is gone. I need to find it.” Before Aerion had finished speaking, Monitus jumped up and threw the elongated dagger quickly and abruptly. It sailed through the air quickly, missing Aerion by only a few inches and imbedded itself into a brown spot in the corner. A dying squeak rose up. Aerion turned around and stared at the quivering dagger. It had pinned what appeared to be a mouse or a rat to the wall. Blood slowly dripped from the creature onto the hard wood floor.
“I will, of course, do all I can to help...” said Monitus coolly.

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Siena College- Like Yale, only not!
"Anything is possible, except skiing through a revolving door."



[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 01-04-2003).]

Danaos walked into the merchant's shop, seeming quite sure of himself. Melandis looked up from running an inventory on his goods. He was going to be heading off to Kosha the next morning with his caravan selling all the items he had collected here. It was a profitable business, buying the obscure item that someone didn't need, and then selling it at a much higher price to someone who wanted it in another city.

"What have you brought me this time?" Melandis didn't turn, he was too busy counting the crates he had already crammed full of goods. Danaos usually found only mediocre items, nothing really worth the time it took to haul it to another location. Not to mention he still owed Melandis a fairly considerable sum of oboloi.

"I've got something you'd be interested in." Danaos grinned triumphantly. Melandis just rolled his eyes and kept his back turned. A clump on the table told him Danaos had produced something big, and most likely metal. He knew he was going to be disappointed, so he attempted to ignore his client, but curiousity eventually got the better of him. It wouldn't hurt to just look, and then he'd get the chance to yell at the insolent fool and "remind" him of his well overdue payment.

Melandis turned, and his eyes shot wide in surprise. The sword was perfect, beautifully crafted, and seemed to fit his hand perfectly. "Who did you steal this from?" he gruffed, it was too good to be true and someone was bound to be looking for it. And that would cause unnecessary trouble.

"I didn't steal it." Danaos replied steadily. Melandis looked him in the eye for a moment. Somehow, he was telling the truth, but there was also something he was hiding. "Will this be enough to pay off that debt?"

"This will cover it, yes." Melandis still studied him suspiciously, something didn't feel right. Yet, it would give him quite a profit, enough so that he could retire in luxury relatively soon. He had to fight to keep down a rising surge of joy, it wouldn't do to show that he thought this gift was wonderful. If he kept up the appearance of being disappointed with the man, Danaos would keep trying harder and might turn up something just as good, if not better.

Melandis suddenly wanted to be alone. He grabbed a sack, filled it with just under a hundred oboloi, and shoved it into Danaos hand along with a handwritten note indicating the debt had been repaid. Shutting the door immediately after sweeping his client out of the room, he looked around again. The old bulging crates waited patiently for his inspection, but he felt giddiness beginning to overcome him. He placed the sword in a well-padded empty crate and sealed the lid before stacking two more crates on top. It wouldn't do for anyone to steal the sword.

Perfectly content with himself, Melandis crawled into his hammock, which seemed to be shrinking at the rate his belly was growing, and began to dream of what he would do with all the oboloi he'd make in Kosha.

------------------
"There is a time and a place for everything."

Disappointing. Greed, avarice, rapacity. Disappointing.

Trade me, barter me, sell me? Barbarous!

What's done is done. Perhaps the new one.

Disappointing. Greed, avarice, rapacity. Disappointing.

Opportunity? Unlikely, probability diminishing. Travel, southward, another city - his mind is fixed on this. He must not! I must not leave! The Gaurdian will be lost to me!

Dark. Dank, stifling, still air - shut away like some worthless trinket. Despair! I must escape!

Wait - what's this? Greed, avarice, rapacity - malice. Who comes? What approaches? Opportunity? Perhaps. Come, come to me! I am here! Find me! Free me from my dungeon!

------------------
"The e-mail of the specious is more dangerous than their mail" - Tom Holt, 'Snow White and the Seven Samurai'

Cyprus was shivering all over. Hours seemed to have passed, but still there was no end to the danger. The tomcat was still out there, as was Antos.
Suddenly there was, again, the sound of a People approaching, and a coaxing voice repeatedly calling a name.
Cyprus' ears twitched nervously, the People was coming closer. Then, the footsteps stop, and the voice spoke again. "Ah Kero, what are you doing here?" The voice was disapproving, and reminded her of Gabriel when he caught her doing something she was not supposed to do. The tomcat squealed again, in protest, or so it seemed. "You don't have to go hunting those dirty, dirty little mice, no you don't." Cyprus sniffed the air, indignantly. Dirty? People had no idea. Carefully, she glanced out of the hole, in time to see the People bend down and grab the cat. "Now look at yourself, your fur's all messed up, and those nasty scratches... however are you going to win if you don't stay at home?" Cyprus watched, somewhat curiously, as the People turned around and walked back up the street, all the while lamenting. "Ohh, the Matriarch is not going to be pleased at all..."
For safety's sake, Cyprus remained in her hole for a bit longer, occasionally sniffing the air again, until the scents told her she was safe. Then she crawled outside. "Kassandra!" She flitted across the street to the ditch. "Gabriel, Rhesos! We're safe! Hurry now!" Then she turned and spotted Antos. "Oh, Antos... you look terrible!"
The rat shook his head. "It's not...that...bad." He managed, gasping for breath.
"Well, " Kassandra remarked in a friendly voice, "I think you'd better go ahead.. we're going to manage the rest of the way without your help. We just need -"
"- the sword!" Gabriel interrupted her, sounding shocked.
"Yes, Ga-"
"It's gone, Kassandra! The sword is gone!"
"What?" Kassandra turned, and stared at Gabriel. Then she scanned the ground. No doubt, the sword was gone.
"But swords can't just grow legs and walk away..." Rhesos said. "And there was nobody else here."
"Wrong." Cyprus objected. She had the best sense of hearing in the group, and she was proud of it. "There was another People here..."
Rhesos sat down on his haunches, sniffing the air where the sword had been. "Lots of cat smell here..." He sounded distasteful. "But definitely some People, too."
"Think we can find it again?" Gabriel asked.
Rhesos nodded. "But we have to hurry, before the Spell wears off."

------------------
Ich weiß wohl, ich bin nur ein Träumer, der vielleicht eines Morgens erwacht. Doch ich spotte dem Tag und ich folge dem Stern und ich lass mich entführen in die Nacht...
- Silk & Lute

Monitus watched as the two youngsters left his room. By far the most interesting individuals he’d seen in the last decade or so. Pity, he mused to himself, that they had futures...
He got up from his chair slowly, grim smile on his face. He looked around the room, Quietly, he picked up a black cloak and another dagger...this would be his last job.
***
Monitus silently slide into the dark pub. He settled into a dark corner, covering himself in shadows. The bartender nodded sleepily on his chair. A drunk lay asleep on the ground. A strong stench of alcohol and blood reeked from the room. Monitus sniffed in distaste. He signaled the bartender. The bartender looked blearily at him. Monitus whispered something under his breathe and did a quick hand motion. Monitus looked at the bartender expectantly. The bartender fell to the floor, loud snores erupting from his mouth. Monitus cursed, he hadn’t meant to put the man to sleep. He quickly muttered again. The man was jolted awake. He appeared totally awake, if somewhat fried. Monitus hoisted the man up by his neck.
“Where does Melandis live?” The man gasped, but the words refused to leave his throat.
“I asked..WHERE DOES MELANDIS LIVE?!” The man quickly spat out directions, his instinct for self preservation coming into play. Monitus’s hand slowly crushed his windpipe. He then tossed the bartender back to the floor, and swept out of the room, leaving the confused man to sort out how to deal with his sudden total lack of hair and sore throat.
***
Monitus slowly slide toward Melandis’s house. He remained unseen by all, leaving behind only the charred remains of various ruffians. The door to the house already was ajar. He slid into the room. He found the house a mess, boxes and their contents spilled on the floor. A man lay snoring in a hammock. Monitus quickly walked over to the sleeping man, pulling out his dagger in a swift moment and slit his throat. Blood gushed out from the man’s neck, dripping silently onto the cold floor. Somewhere in the room, a mouse squeaked. Monitus silently searched the room, ruthlessly destroying items in his path. He cursed again, as he realized, the sword was gone. Someone had gotten there first.

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Siena College- Like Yale, only not!
"Anything is possible, except skiing through a revolving door."

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 01-12-2003).]

Rhesos watched quietly from the corner of the room as the People paced about the room, searching earnestly and knocking down anything in his way. The mouse couldn't help but wonder if he was looking for the sword, too. No matter- it was already gone. He'd seen it be taken, not more than two minutes ago.

And due to that, it didn't matter much to Rhesos and his troupe of mice anymore. He knew the person who had come in and taken the sword. It was the same one who had put the other People in the hammock to sleep. It was the same one who had originally given the four mice their mission to steal the sword.

Now, it was in Geoffrey's hands. The responsibility was no longer theirs. Rhesos didn't care much- it just meant they wouldn't get their payment. He had been curious, though, as to what the People was going to do with the sword. The mouse had just been about to follow when the second People entered.

Rhesos hadn't managed to hide his shock when the People in the hammock was murdered, and he unintentionally let out a cry of surprise. People were so dreadful to their own kind! Fearful of being found, he dove into an overturned crate and hid there, watching through the cracks in between in wooden slats. At least the new People didn't know about the mice's involvement in the sword theft. If it had been Geoffrey there at the time, surely he'd have been found.

It was a curious thing, though. The mouse had a feeling Geoffrey wasn't behind it all. Certainly the People was dangerous enough- even more so than the one who'd just commited a murder- but he wasn't nearly clever enough to think of using mice as thieves. There had to be someone else behind it all.

Perhaps it was this new man? But then if Geoffrey was his underling, surely he'd know that he had it. Who, then, was behind it? Rhesos discreetly slipped out of the crate, unbeknowst to the People still pacing around the room, and ran towards a small hole in the wall. He'd have to find the other mice and tell them what'd he found out.

~

Geoffrey unlocked the door to the dark shed and slipped inside. Empty grain sacks littered the floor and a candle flickered wanly from a holder on the wall, illuminating the dusty cobwebs which hung from the ceiling.

"I have the sword," he said quietly. "I had to knock out Melandis first, but I was able to steal it."

"You stole it," a voice said from the shadows of the shed's far side. It was a silky voice, but cold as steel. "Not Rorry and Wayne, those fools. Can't even steal a sword from a mouse. I won't even waste my time on them. Kill them next time you see them, will you? Good. Now here, give me the sword." A pale hand, complete with long, delicate fingers, extended from the shadows.

Geoffrey handed the sword over silently, waiting for the other to speak again.

"Ah yes...thank you. You have done well." The figure gently stroked the sharp blade, then suddenly snapped back to the normal coldness. "Now. We must get all these petty fools out of the way. So many running around. How touching that so many people want the sword badly enough to be sent on a wild goose chase around town!" A chilling laugh and a smirk. "Melandis is already dead. Monitus killed him shortly after you left. As for those four mice and their rat friend, you must kill them too. They cannot be left as they are. Understand? Good, I knew you would. Hmm, who else. That trader Danaos, and Eteocles, and the schoolteacher- kill them. I don't want them running around after this precious sword. Oh, and yes, the two children. Find them. Bring them to me here alive; I wish to see them. Then I will deal with Monitus myself."

The person turned and Geoffrey shuddered as he saw the cold, white face staring at him. The candlelight illuminated the vicious expression; the ebony hair; the colourless skin. Geoffrey nodded and drew back to the doorway. "Yes, milady. I will do this immediately."

------------------
Insignificantly Unforgettable

Mr. Black turned around with a grin when the door opened. "Greetings, how may I help you?" he greeted the customer as polite as he could.
"I'm not here to buy anything" Geoffrey answered promptly as he entered the room. He looked around for a minute; the room was filled with crates, not really well organized at all. The grinning man in front of him wanted to make the impression of being a successful businessman, though his cheap suit gave him away. The halfling shopkeeper sitting behind the desk in a corner enjoying a bottle of absinthe, looked suspiciously at the newcomer.
"I was wondering if you could help me locate a certain..." he paused for a second, "individual."
Mr. Black tried to answer, but was interrupted; "As I understand it, this little shop of yours is dealing with various stolen and illegal goods, and is frequented by members of the Thieves Underground. I'm looking for one Rorry Limes, who lives here in Cademia. I want to recruit him for an assignment."

The grin changed into a frown as Mr. Black answered, "The Thieves Underground, you see, need to be extremely careful about giving away the identities and whereabouts of our affiliates." He seemed worried. This newcomer wasn't supposed to know anything about the Underground, and he was also aware of the shop's true agenda - being a front for illegal activities.
"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, "but we can't just give this information away to people we don't trust."

Geoffrey took a step forward. "Listen, good sir," he said, "talking to Mr. Limes is extremely important to me. It's about the sword you know."
Mr. Black raised an eyebrow. "Sword? What sword?"
Geoffrey sighed. "So... you haven't heard about it yet. Anyways, Rorry Limes was supposed to steal this sword for me, and now I need him for another assignment, related to that particular item. Besides, things got a little mixed up and I want to make sure there's no hard feelings between us."
"Well, I still don't know if I can trust you." Mr. Black said without hesitation.
"If you do meet Mr. Limes then, tell him that Geoffrey Tarrelond-Ashe was here looking for him."
Mr. Black hesitated, but after a moment of silence he went over to the halfling in the corner and took a pen and a piece of paper. He then scribbled an address on the paper and handed it to Geoffrey. "There, Mr. Ashe. 25 Low Dervish row, that's where he lives."
"Thank you so much. My reputation precedes me, I see" Geoffrey smiled as he turned around and walked out of the shop, heading for Low Dervish row.

~

This tavern had seen better days. The bartender didn't seem to have control on his own personal hygiene, let alone the entire tavern, filled with drunkards. He made his way to a table in a corner and sat down. Motioning for the bartender. "Elven spring water" he said. The bartender gave him a strange look before he went over to the bar again. Looking around for a minute, he opened the door to an adjoining storage room.
The dark elf, cloaked with a black hooded robe, looked up and noticed a familiar figure entering; Geoffrey. Geoffrey immediately recognised the cloaked figure and ran over to his table. "Good, you are here" he said as he sat down.
"Have you found the sword?" the dark elf asked.
"Yes, but there's been some smaller problems. Rorry screwed up."
"Big surprise" the elf said with a calm voice, "why use that idiot in the first place?"
"Well, I reckoned he wouldn't mess up this operation. I even gave him a scroll of Strength to ease the work."
The elf was about to say something, but stopped as the bartender came along with the water he ordered. He handed him eight oboloi. When the bartender had left, the elf continued; "I guess you want me to do something about our friend Limes?"
"Lucky guess," Geoffrey answered, "I've looked all over Cademia for that weasel, but he's nowhere to be found."
"D'ak Taan is his own master," the elf answered, "I have to consider this."
Geoffrey smiled. "I see... there's a handsome reward you know."
"Just kidding with you, old friend," D'ak Taan chuckled, "what do you want me to do?"
Geoffrey didn't hesitate. He took a pen and a piece of paper from a pocket in his robes and started writing as he talked, "a number of people have been in contact with the sword. We can not let them live. We must find them and kill them and we'll cover a lot more ground when we're two."
He handed D'ak Taan the piece of paper reading:

Etoceles, rat-catcher
Danaos
Thaddeus Durki, teacher
Aerion (son)
Young female (friend of A.)
Rorry Limes (Th. Undrgr.)
Wayne (somewhere around L. Drvsh.)

"And one more ting, watch out for that mage Monitus.... and the children... she wants them alive."



------------------
All I ever wanted was everything and then some,
all I ever wanted was to love someone.
All I ever wanted was the joy they sell,
all I ever wanted was a heaven in my hell.

Hand to hand to hand. Tossed about, passed along, time and time again. Never in my existence have I been so mistreated! Don't they know my worth? Don't they know what I am?

Greed and avarice, greed and avarice, all alike. Flesh heart, stone heart, firebrand, ice vein, no different. Oh guardian, I fear I will lose myself! I need you! Where are you now, when I need your steady hand and heart to guide me?

Ah, but this one. This one is different. Greed, yes. Avarice, yes, and Malice. But she knows. Oh yes, she knows - as much as anyone does. Such plans! Scale the heights by force, this one could - if not watched.

Effrontery, to use me for her designs. Hand to hand to hand, tossed about, passed along, time and time again for this? I grow annoyed, my wrath is building.

I scent blood, and I am growing thirsty.

------------------
"The e-mail of the specious is more dangerous than their mail" - Tom Holt, 'Snow White and the Seven Samurai'

Monitus brooded silently in the pub. He sat once again in the corner. The bartender had refused to serve him and had required...some.. “persuasion”. He sipped slowly at his ale. His plan had gone..badly. Soon it would be known that Melandis was dead. No matter, thought Monitus, no one could hurt him. Melandis had deserved to die. And after all, justice is what one makes it...now was not the time to doubt, but a time for action.
***
“Hello..Mr. Taan.”
The elf struggled against Monitus’s strong hands.
“Who are you?!” said the elf angrily.
“Flattering..I see you don’t recognize me...”
The elf’s face turned white. “Monitus!” hissed the elf.
“Yes...” replied Monitus, grinning coldly at him. He released his hands from D’ak Taan and let drop to the floor. The street was abandon, devoid of even beggars.
Monitus spoke. “Mr. Taan...I require some...information. About...Geoffrey Tarrelond-Ashe...”
“I can’t tell you about him!” replied the elf, clearly annoyed.
“Mr. Taan...I will ask you one more time....”
“And I'll say no one more time!”
Monitus glared at him. "You have chosen the wrong side this time, D'ak. I will deal with Geoffrey myself..."
OoC
Ok, changed. I think this should be fine, if not, tell me.
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Siena College- Like Yale, only not!
"Anything is possible, except skiing through a revolving door."


[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 01-14-2003).]

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 01-15-2003).]

*OoC*

hmm... well, I would like him to stay alive at least a little while longer. Besides, D'ak Taan can not be bought. He is a dark elf, and takes matters between friends and of honor very seriously. He'd be more likely to fight to the death rather than accept a bribe from a man that would most certainly kill him afterwards. And he will NOT beg for mercy. Ever.

My mistake should have posted something in the char. info about him... will do soon though.

Maybe you could edit the post and put in Wayne instead of D'ak Taan? He's nothing but a simple crook, and could easily betray his friends and employers for a hand (or maybe sack?) full of oboloi.

(PS don't kill Geoffrey either... at least not yet)

*BiC*

[This message has been edited by Rogan (edited 01-15-2003).]

[ooc] Hullo again! I've been trying desperatly to get internet accsess for about two weeks, only succseeding now. Sometimes lack of internaet is quite a boon, but more often then not a curse . I apologise for my absence, and will make all attempts to post more reguarly. [bic]

Durki downed his dark cloak and stalked away from the school, where he'd been busily correcting home work. He fancied a spot of drink, but it'd ruin his reputation to be seen drinking at night, hence the cloak.
The Two Tailed Inn appeared shortly, and Durki snuck into the side door. He crept down the passageway past the side rooms, the betting booths, the drunk, half dead beggars lining the walls.
The bartender recognised the usual dark figure enter and quickly ducked behind the counter. She cursed and crouched. She hated Thaddeus, he was always so irratatingly secretive, and once he was drunk he'd yabber on for hours and hours, using words like "disruptive" and "abbhorent". Everyone knew he was the teacher for the north side, but everyone had got used to pretending he wasn't. They pampered him, calling him "Sir." listening with false interest at his bogus tales of adventure and heroism. Most of all, Janta sighed, he always called her "darling."
Janta struggled for a few moments more, maybe if she stood up, and served other people...
"Hay darling!"
Janta groaned, trying even harder to look busy.
"Darling? Bet you thought you'd never see me again. Frankly, niether did I." Durki jumped to a seat infront of Janta and ordered his usual. They all thought he was an adventurer, they only knew him as "Sir". He smiled smugly under his dark cape and took in Janta's young form with renewed lust. It's true, he thought, I am married. But when I'm in here, I'm "Sir", not Durki. So it doesn't matter if I flirt with the ladies, chatter with the dangerous.
"You were here last night." Janta said curtly.
"Yeah, but I was going away, ya' know? The west coast and all, having difficulty with Kosha."
"Kosha is on the east coast Durki, now go find another unlucky gal to mooch about."
Durki was horrified. How did she know it was him? They hadn't realised before, what had changed? Some one must've informed them! Thaddeus Durki's imagined sense of pride and courage swelled up. He was going to put a stop to all that!

It had turned cold, the skies clearing to reveal a moonless night. Durki did a sharp about face and smacked straight into a very muscly chest. Durki gulped and glance upwards apprehensivly. Geoffrey chuckled at his luck. No need to find his prey, it came straight to him.
"You Durki?" He asked. He knew it was Durki, but there wasn't any harm in asking.
"Uhhh... No! Around here I'm called Sir! What quarrel do you have with that fine, upstanding citizen and role model of teh law Durki?" Durki barred his teeth in attempt to look ferocious, in actual fact he looked rather like a household rabbit with a bit of carrot stuck between it's teeth.
"Oh nothing with Durki, I was just going to ask him where a certain 'Sir' was, I heard he knew him. But no need now, I seem to have found you already."
Durki gulped when Geoffrey revealed a small dagger. Thaddeus quickly realised he didn't actually have any sword. He should have!
Durki stumbled backwards, falling over into the foul smelling mud of Cademia. Why would anyone want him dead? What had he ever done?
"Here-" Durki fumbled with his wedding ring "Here, take this!"
Geoffrey snatched the ring and studied it closely. Damn this guy was rich, pity he had to kill him and not just rob him.
Durki sighed when Geoffrey pocketed the ring, but chocked on his next breath when the large man turned aroun again, still brandishing his dagger menacingly.
"Ummm, errrrk..." Durki slid and jerked along the floor, was this his last moment of life? There were so many things he hadn't done! He didn't even have an assistant yet!

[ooc] Hay I like Durki's first name, I hadn't even thought of one . Please don't kill Durki off quite yet, I don't mind if anyone just leaves him there, or if Geoffrey takes him hostage, whatever you like. [bic]

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Yesterday we bent our necks to emperors and kings. Today, we kneel only to truth. -Kahil Gibran

Kero was not pleased at all she had just been diprived of a nice rat lunch,and now she had to be washed again, bloody compation I don't even want to compete in it. the humans were busy talking and patting her witch she normaly would hae liked but not at the moment, she could smell the rats, oh god pleas let me down your tormenting me!

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Yummy! My moldy, crunchy, mouth-watering... *drools* frruuuiitt cakkeee...