Pathwalker - RP

[plightofthepureblood]

At this Point, Monty would just as soon Bowen were dead.

Less competition to wait for.




OOC: Im thinking drace has forgotten about us.

[Dragonium]

Alziel frowned. Liara insisted upon him having the prize even if it would be her that won. Certainly, he wanted the prize, nay, needed it, but Liara would deserve it more...

"You have your reasons", he said finally, defeated. "I don't know why you refuse a prize, or why you have entered this competition, but all I know is you'll need protection".

Liara nodded and resigned herself to watching the room.

"Has anyone seen Bowen?", a guard called. The draw would begin momentarily.

A dwarf with a black beard slammed his fist into his palm and shouted to start the draw without him. People were understandably anxious to be selected. Many were confident that they would be chosen, and that they would win. Alziel was also becoming irritated at the delay.

[Moosetroop11]

The door creaked open and half the hall swung around to witness Bowen. "Sorry about that" he grinned. "I had something to take care of."

(From now on, just assume that Bowen is there along with the rest of the nameless competetors. If Drace comes back, the spotlight can return to Bowen again.)

[Dragonium]

"Excellent", the King called from the throne at the front of the room. Everyone turned. Nobody had seen him come in, accompanied by two assistants, but there he sat. One assistant stood at either side of him, each with one hand on the King's shoulder.

"I will now draw names". The Hall fell silent. The King closed his eyes momentarily, and began running his finger up and down the list of names which he held in his hand. After a second, he stopped, opened his eyes, and read off the name he pointed to.

"Grothin the Forth", he called. The dwarf with the black beard raised his arms and cheered loudly. A guard came down and he was escorted out of the room and to the gates of the castle.

Alziel watched the King as another name was read out. It was done slowly, apparently to build up tension. This time a tall rangy man called Mulcroft was escorted away. After a moment Alziel spotted something.

Though the King's assistant on the left was facing forwards, his eyes were down on the paper. Whenever the King's finger reached a certain name, the assistant gave a tiny squeeze, the finger stopped, and the name was called out.

Another name was called.

Alziel sighed. It would take quite some time for all the thirty names to be called. The draw would stop being fixed soon, and would become random. If Alziel had not managed to secure a place by now, he would have to wait until all the "desirables" were chosen and the draw became fair.

Either way, the draw was now underway.

[plightofthepureblood]

In the aniticipation, eyes scattered about the room....

Monty kept his eyes directed to Alziel....hoping to make eye contact.

"I need alziel with me...i need to show my information no another....and after last nights events, I trust his opinon more than others...." Monty thought to himself.....

Alziels eyes met monty's and on this contact, Monty signaled that he would need to conferr with him afterward. He did this using  a well known form of facial expressions and hand gestures, that was adapted from the drow sign languages of ancient times. Monty  quite hoped Alziel was knowledgeable in this form of communication...


The king slowly scrolled through the names...

MORTIMER FALLSCREST

A half elf to Montys left let out a light cheer.....


Turning to to Mortimer, monty gave some slight words : Congrats...but to cheer is vain, unless your prize is in sight.

[Kinslayer]

The King was drawing names, one after another. After waiting a while, the King stopped his finger over a name. He became a bit pale, and swallowed a bit of saliva, as he said: "Anyan... Leddwick".

Anyan stood up, smiling, and staring to the King, right into his eyes. He moved his lips slowly, resembling the words "I shall return..." and moved towards the Gate. On the way, he stared to Monty and whispered "I'll see you later".

Walking further, he could sense Ragnar's look. Ragnar sure looked a bit angry at him, because of his careless attitude. Anyan told him: "You take too much care for me, old man!"

"But you're nothing but trouble, brat!" answered Ragnar, nervously, but laughing at the same time.

Anyan watched the King again. He was smiling. Anyan could bet his life, swearing that the King was sure that he would die at the adventure. But Anyan sensed the need to survive, first than winning the contest.

"Now it's time to be brave... for you Dehllia..."though Anyan, as he went to the Gates, accompanied by a guard.

At the Gates, the other contestants were waiting. Anyan watched Grothin, the Forth, as the dwarf spitted on the ground.

The dwarf stared at Anyan and said, with a weird voice (he was drunk): "You there! Red haired idiot! You are the one that hurt my cousin at the feast! Not now, but ya'll be payin'!!!"

Anyan didn't reply nothing for a moment, but,since the dwarf was starting to be annoying, Anyan replied, in a quiet and yet harsh voice: "Listen to me, if you don't hold your tongue, I'll cut it off. And you will have to eat it for breakfast".

The dwarf decided to not reply. Anyan knew that he would have trouble with him on the future. The only thing left to do was to wait for the other contestants to come.

[plightofthepureblood]

Montclair watched the dramatic demonstration that took place after Anyan was called.

"Friend he may be, but discreet he is not." Monty thought out loud.

His thoughts were broken by the Kings deep voice...

"Montclair Simonson..." the king leered down at Montclair and gave a patronizing wink. A wink which Monty forwarded to a Nobleman standing to the kings far left....

Monty  Gave a nod to the group as he walked by the front of the pack, to the area of the elected. He took a stand next to anyan....

"Best to stay out of the center of activities if there is to be any chance of an onobstructed way to the end of this journey." Monty discreetly whispered to Anyan.

The Dwarf gave a sneer to Monty, when anyans gaze was turned away to Accept the message...A sneer with which monty rebuted with a smile and flirtatious wink....

"Do you think me pretty Grothin? Or do ye just stare alot?"
Monty encouraged the feud, despite his remark to Anyan.

"Pick no quarrel with my friends and youll pick no Quarrel with me, stupid Dwarf."

[Emerates]

"Baerius of Cavebech," the king called.

Saine stood from his bench and crossed to the guard waiting to escort him across the hall.  The bastard had paid a hefty bribe to be entered into this, with money he had stolen from Saine, and Saine had repaid him with a slow death and a stolen identity.  The noblemen's death went unnoticed, as Saine had written a notice of vacation for the incompetent man.

Saine could sense the raised eyebrows of the man standing by the woman.  The man could tell something was out of place, but it was impossible for him to know exactly what that 'something' was.  Saine would retain his stolen identity for the sake of appearance, at least until they reached the West.

Saine reached the others gathered by the gate.  Several nodded quietly, acknowledging him but not actually welcoming him to the group.  Saine smirked slightly.  Given time, he could identify every person in this hall, having a copy of the list of entries hidden safely inside his robes, but not now.  For now, he was Baerius of Cavebech, noblemen inferior, not Saine, half-human drifter.

It would serve him to well to stay that way... for now.

[Red XIII]

"Ragnar Lodbroke"
Ragnar proceeded to the next room, escored by the guard.
When he entered, he took a quick look to the people inside the room.
He had to pretend to be calmed when he saw the Dwarf. "So, Gronthin is his name... this fellow is going to get some of us killed"
Ragnar thought.
He had seen Gronthin talking with others outside, discusing about booze.
Ragnar closed to Monty and Anyan and whispered (So low that only them heard): "I can´t believe they let this dumb dwarf in... Mark my words, he´ll probably get us in troubles. Big troubles"

[Dragonium]

Alziel sighed. Roughly twenty names had been called out, all characters whom Alziel had not seen before, and there were not many places remaining.

He looked at Liara, still intently watching the King reading from his list. He hoped she got in, because she certainly deserved it.

The King looked at the next name on his list, and frowned.

"Alziel Her'Shal". He stuttered over his words as he read the name. Alziel Her'Shal, a member of the Wood Hawks. They had been the group of bandits framed for the murders in town... Fortunately only a few people knew the real reason for the deaths, and they would say nothing.

The King tried to think of an excuse to say this was a mistake, before finally deciding that he may as well put this man through.

Alziel sighed in relief. He was through to the contest. But this was only the first stage; there were far greater challenges ahead...

As he was lead away by the guard, he was aware of the envious stares of those not selected, and of Liara watching him leave from the other side of the hall.

[Kinslayer]

Anyan stared to Monty and whispered: "You have a point there, still I have no more need to become the center of attention... Let us wait until all the contestants arrive." Then, he turned to Ragnar and said, as he laughed: "It seems you're in ol' man, heh I hope you can be as useful as before, and that age doesn't affect you".

[Moosetroop11]

One by one the names were called out. Shell was selected and strolled over to the waiting area using his staff as a walking aid- not out of need but of habit. He didn't know any of the people in the group, but knew that his time would come soon enough.

Finally a familiar face entered the waiting area as Bowen appeared and nodded to Shell. "So far you've been right. I'm impressed, looks like I might owe you one."

***

Liara, on the other hand, was still in the hall, which was filling with the restless frustration of the individuals left behind. Places were running out, and although Liara had been assured a place she was beginning to fear that the imp had not held up his end of the deal. She was pleased, however, that Alziel had got through.

An advisor beside the king, a lean man who might have once been a soldier, frowned and the king took longer than usual to decide. The man recieved a note and read it carefully, seemingly weighing up the options. Finally he folded the note corner to corner and placed it in the pocket of his royal jacket, and moments later the King chose and read out the name. "Liara Sprite".

[Dragonium]

Alziel stopped outside the door and waited. He had taken a swift count of the people in the room, and has realised that as Liara, Shell and Bowen entered, there were twenty-eight people here. Two more lucky contestants, and then the draw would be over. The thirty selected would be going to the Western Lands, the unlucky ones would be going home disappointed.

A name was called. A tall drow with white hair walked through into the waiting area and sat down with a slight smirk.

Everyone whom Alziel had spoken to previously was here.

"And...", came the call. The talking in the waiting room died down to silence, so that everyone could hear. The main hall was silent, a charged silence where every man held his breath. One in there would be going through. The King took longer to decide, building up tension.

"Cefan of Flintbay!"

A dwarf with a brown beard smiled widely, and walked through the glares of the unlucky ones to the door. He excused himself and passed through into the room politely and silently.

There was an array of groans and sighs from the room. The guards moved together and shut the door so that the waiting room was silent.

Glances flicked around the room.

"Well, there we go", Liara said at last. "It's up to us now".

A few people nodded. Most were silent.

Alziel waited. Many people would need his hunting skills to survive, and unless he got any offers, he would have to observe for a point to strike a bargain...

[Kinslayer]

Anyan was cooling down his mood. After facing the King and joking with his good friend Ragnar, Anyan was more chilled out than before, just standing against a wall and watching the blue sky.

"It's beautiful..." he said: "... but it's going to rain badly. Shameful, really..."

He just stood, waiting to see how the others would react with each other.

[plightofthepureblood]

Monty Waited, observing.....waiting.

When would the boats leave?

How long would the Voyage be?

Did anyone else have information on documants, or have possession of items that would shed information on this sure to be arduous voyage.


Time could not pass quickly enough. Now that the decision was afinalized, Monty thirsted for action. He was putting his "game-face" on, and he could see others doing the same. The time for mirth was over...And the time for the beginning of the rest of their lives had begun.