Pathwalker - RP

[Dragonium]

Frowning, Alziel unrolled the map. He had taken it from Ragnar's bag again.

The level of quiet chatter rose again, and everyone seemed to relax somewhat. They were covering distance, though it seemed to be only a short amount, and perhaps they'd soon be at the surface.

He wasn't worried about the Bugbears. He'd hunted large animals before. He'd do it again.

What worried him was the symbols and markings on the map surrounding the blank space they were aiming for. There were trees drawn, and patches of water, and small drawings of reeds, and the word "Svarn" scrawled close to them.

"Abell", he said, not taking his eyes off the map, "What does 'Svarn mean?"

"Swamp", Abell replied cheerfully.

Alziel sighed. Just as he suspected. The Gnome earlier had spoken of large dangerous creatures living in the swamps, and he expected that their journey into the blank spot would be hindered somehow.

"Swamps are dangerous", Abell said from the front of the group. "We should be thankful we are avoiding them, no?"

Alziel sighed and realised that nobody had informed Abell of their destination yet.

[Kinslayer]

The group had stopped in the dark. Anyan soon felt something inside him. "My magic is back... jeh, I missed it." he thought.

The tunnel was dark, so he focused and drew the Viper from it's sheeth. After a few words said in a whisper, the Viper's edge bursted into flames, as it had done weeks ago, in the fight against Broadsword.

"A nice torch" he said, as he kept hearing the others talk, while litting the cave a bit.

[Moosetroop11]

Liara wandered across to where Anyan was walking.
"You look better" she smiled. "How're you feeling?"

[Kinslayer]

Anyan smiled back. He was comfortable, his eyes were bothering him, but still he was fine...

"I'm allright. And you do seem better as well, these little time of relax has thankfully brought your smile back to us..." he said.

He was happy about Liara's more cheerful state of mind. Besides his confessions about his position had given him more confidence with the group.

"Still, these tunnels don't suit me. I'd prefer a plain, or even a forest, but I'm not used to this kind of place..." he said, still with his weirdly seen smile.

He wondered inside were would Abell take them.

[Ben]

Abell turned to the group and whispered "We not far off now. When you feel the tunnel begin to...." Abell struggled for the word she was looking for, and motioned downward with her hand

"Descend?" Liara added

"Yes" Abell agreed "When tunnel Descends, we must be silent...you will smell it...bugbears foul stench...If we are quiet we may sneak past...But if they wake up...we can not retreat...we must push through...they will call out to others in nearby dens, and we will be lunch. We mustn't speak any more untill in safety. Follow the breeze, if your eyes fail."

The group looked uneasy.

Soon enough, the tunnels altiude began to drop...cold air wisped by, giving the impression that the outerworld was near, and with the cold air came the stench of old death...enough to make a strong stomach wretch...Abell led, in front, with her lizard steed beside her...for a creatur so bulky, it seemed to move with gracefull silence...Abell watched its ear-flaps twitching. It could safely be assumed that the creature had superior hearing to her...wich was impressive, given the half-elven hearing of Abell.

Before long the tunnel opened into darkness, and the air grew humid, and the death smell slightly more putrid...

the sound of many large creatures breathing in slumber seemed to drown out the sound of ones own thought....

Abell tiptoed through the sleeping near-giants, as her lizard creature Seemed to skitter off, clinging to the rock walls with impecable silence, much like an insect would....It was definatly impressive to those unfamiliar with the sight...but now was a very precarious time to be overwhelmed with the abilities of a Reptile.


The Dull glow of the flaming swords' light was all that Illuminated the room...Large heaving masses of flesh could be seen slowly rising and dropping, And occasionally the glint of the flame off of a steel axe or broadsword could be made out...




*******************************
"My gods" Abell thought to herself
"If these adventurers wern't with me I could silently kill all of these vermin. Foul accursed bugbears"

One of the few races detested by Abell, the bugbears were often her prey when hunting for treasures to sell

"But The light is too dim, and there are too many here for me to move with stealth. Had I been proffient enough in their own language, I may have been abel to create a strategy....
If one happens to wake up though...I shall drink the blood of the foul beasts...I prey that my new companions fare well in close combat. The dwarf would serve well here...but a sprite would surely have trouble in these evirons."

****************************



Abells frustration was pushed back

[Dragonium]

Alziel held his breath and stepped as lightly as he could past one of the sleeping creatures. He could move quietly, nigh on silently, but he could not match Abell's silence.

Here and there one of the great heaving beasts would stir or grumble in its sleep; it was not enough to wake the others, but Alziel tightened his grip on Leyland's hunting knife nevertheless.

The chamber's opening was within sight, but it appeared to be a great distance away, and there were still many more of the beasts to pass by. He observed a few of the creatures as he passed. They vaguely resembled bears, but they were much larger and more muscular, twice the size of any bear Alziel had ever seen, and their fur was a darker, duller brown. Their faces were flat and ugly, and the two bottom canines jutted upwards above the lips, so that each creature seemed to be perpetually snarling.

Alziel caught sight of Liara fluttering behind him; she was walking, but using just the slightest wingbeats to lighten her step. He admired her grace; even in a place like this, she still maintained her beauty. He would have sighed, but at the last moment thought against it and kept his silence.

"Let's hope everyone is silent until we reach the exit", he thought to himself, crossing his fingers for luck.

[Red XIII]

Ragnar walked silently, through the room.

"Well... Let´s hope everyone stays quiet" he thought.

He passed right next to one of the creatures, and observed it.
"It looks big... and hard to kill. Damn monsters!"

Suddenly, Ragnar felt glad to have his blades with him.

In that moment, the creature closer to Alziel made a strange noise and moved.

For a second the group didn't breathe. Alziel prepared his knive...
the creature made a groaning sound, turned around and kept sleeping.
Alziel and his companions looked at each other, and kept moving as silent as they could.

[Moosetroop11]

Liara realised that she would be of little use in the cave. If one bugbear awoke it would have to be killed instantly- an assassination that Monty might have specialised in... she tried not to think about that. Alziel would do it, or Anyan might have the speed. But as soon as one of the creatures was able to let out a cry or roar, the entire cavern would become a heaving death trap. Magic, noise and light, was not an option.

She felt her dagger at her side, still unused in combat. The rays of light refracted through the falling dust promised an exit, so close now she could almost feel the envigorating warmth. As long as no-one did anything stupid...

[Kinslayer]

Anyan moved as silently as he could, the exit was at hand...

"In the name of the Gods... we have to move quick..." he thought.

Suddenly, another groan, and the group froze again. A bugbear, next to Anyan, began to move. It was awaking...

Quickly, Anyan drew the Viper, and made a slight cut through the beast's throat. It didn't even scream, and fell softly to the floor. Thought the cut was slight, the poison acted fast, and the beast would have a peaceful death.

Anyan stared to his partners and whispered: "Let's keep moving..."

[Ben]

Abells eyes darted back to meet anyan. If Abell had heard the noise from such a distance, then it was already too loud. In the darkness that pale yellow glow of Abells light sensitive eyes looked annoyed.
In the faint silhouette of the caves opening, Abell's animal cohort could be seen in a blur of darkened motion, falling from the cieling above, and twisting catlike in midair, landing silently....Silently it darted out of the corridor after giving a twist of the head in oberservation.

Abell the reached the mouth of the cave where she quietly motioned the others to make haste...the darkness of the caves were begining to hone her senses and tweak the latent demonic abilities she usually tried hard to keep at bay in the presence of others...She turned her head sharply to the right and gave a quick nod to her steed.

"When the last one leaves the cave mouth...I will hunt..." Abell thought to herself... "Then nobody will be stuck in the path..." Abell continued internally, silently mouthing the equivalent words in her native tounge..

He teeth were clenced, and the yellow glow of her eyes intensified slightly...She had zeroed in on the largest bugbear, presumably the alpha male through the dark...And her postured stooped low, like that of a stelthy hunter, as opposed to the tiptoeing tresspasser..

With her hands she motioned the group toward the grottos mouth and into the stone corridor that eventually would lead after many spires and twists, ouside...

"The quicker they are out...the quicker the thirst will abate"

[Red XIII]

Ragnar moved quickly to get out of the cave. He didn´t like the bugbears, and he had noticed something strange about Abell.....

After leaving the cave, Ragnar saved one of his blades and prepared his crossbow, leaving the other sword in the ground next to him.

"If anything tries to leave....... I'll show them!" Ragnar thought, while taking a covered position close to the cave entrance.

[Ben]

Abell's beast flitted across the walls, spider like and cat-like at the same time...Soon it was hidden in the ceilings shadows, and the last of the group was into the corridor....Abell gave a whisper to Rangar's ear...

"Nothing is to enter, and nothing is to leave...Until I give word." Abells eyes suddenly flashed a phospourescent yellow and darted into the Den...The group Looked uneasily at eachother, And the came the faint sound of a slice.....And another....Barely audible....Rangar tried to peer in to see what was happening, when a loud, falcon like cry echoed throughout the tunnels....It was deafening to say the least.....A flash of bright blue light shot from the den, and in the ear-ringing aftermath, a few minutes of clattering and growls ensued. The cave was dark again and things were seemingly silent once again.....

The silence was broken by the faint sound of trickling liquids....
A gutteral, bubbled cough was heard, and silence again reigned in the unseen battle of sounds.

[Kinslayer]

"What in the god's name...?!" whispered Anyan as he saw Abell enter the darkness by herself.

Something told him that she was better off alone... but still, he stood next to Ragnar, and if something went wrong, then he'd hurry up, with his blade lit in flames...

[Moosetroop11]

Liara had felt the tension in Abell's voice but had not expected such a sudden change of character. She sounded almost bloodthirsty, one with no true allies when in the heat of battle. The sprite was unable to appreciate the cool night air and endless skies whilst she watched, as confused as the others, huddling to Alziel for warmth and some level of assurance. This new ally was certainly not all she had initially seemed.

[Dragonium]

For the first time, Alziel allowed Liara to huddle close to him without pulling away. He had come to appreciate that she needed protection; from enemies, and now, it appeared, from allies.

He had never really trusted Abell, she had always seemed too suspicious, and now she was showing her true colours, it seemed.

Dusk had fallen. Alziel pulled his overcoat around Liara's shoulder to protect her from the wind.