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Topic: LC Avengers QnA
Subject: No worries, mate.
Don't worry about your background, I'm sure it'll be excellent. I simply get carried away every time I create one for a character. 
Evidence can be found here: Background thread
Posted on 2011-10-22 at 18:49:07.
Edited on 2011-10-22 at 20:40:54 by Raven
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Topic: LC Avengers QnA
Subject: Yay
Thanks! Probably could do some tweaking and rationalizing, but it's too long for me to go through again. 
Must finish the character sheet and send it over with the spell requests. First post should be a LOT shorter and done soon.
Posted on 2011-10-21 at 18:30:46.
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Topic: The Leather Coats Avengers
Subject: Danamar's background
A lone figure stood on the southern bank of river Feldiar and cast a longing, saddened look down a nearly invisible path leading into the majestic woods. If not for the open air behind him, he would have been nearly impossible to tell apart from any tree in the forest, so still was his form. The soft song of the river flowing behind him was only broken by a quiet little chirp of a tiny greenfinch dancing on the figure's shoulder. The man nodded slowly to the bird. "I know Chippy, I know. Leaving our home pains me too. But there is nothing for me in here any more, little friend."
The caped figure offered the finch his left hand and the bird jumped on it happily. The lean man dropped the bag he'd been holding in his other hand to softly and lovingly pet the little animal. "Chippy dear, you are free to go your own way back to your fellow birds. The city is not for your kind. There are predators there that would consider you a lovely dinner - cats, rats and people alike. Go on now, fly away." The man flipped his hand forcing the greenfinch to jump off and fly away.
Danamar Maeleneill took a deep breath and smiled at the little bird who didn't seem to know what to do. The druid had been a major part of its life for nearly as long as it had lived and certainly for longer than it could remember. The elf waved his hand at Chippy shooing it softly away. It was time for his last animal companion to leave too. Where he was headed, the animals would not survive. A city was not a good place for creatures people considered wild, especially a human inhabited one. He'd already sent Ulvar the wolf and Onda the owl on their way earlier. None of the departures had been easy for him and Danamar liked to think they hadn't been easy for his friends either.
The finch did a couple of more circles over the elf's head before finally flying deeper into the woods. Danamar's green eyes followed its flight as far as they could and lingered on the scene for a few moments longer. He then picked the bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder and head, grabbed his unstrung bow and started down the path following the river. There was nothing for him here anymore. His home was where he lay his head.
Some 87 years ago the Maeleneill family in the village of Sinaeth received their second son. Danamar sucked in his first breaths of forest air a few moments after the midnight under the watchful eye of a full moon. His mother Liathania had been expecting a daughter, but forgot her wishes the moment she laid her eyes on the elfling. The newborn's home was full of love and care and the village of 500 lived in peace far away from the dangers of Gnob wood.
Sinaeth was a smallish elven village of bit under 500 inhabitants roughly one mile south and 20 east of where rivers Saline and Feldiar meet. The villagers were simple people living of and for the land. The forest was as much a part of their life as they were part of the forest's. The elves made sure the life in Gnob Wood's northern parts was peaceful and in balance with nature's laws. They made nasty examples of the few solitary orcs and other evil beings that wondered too far west and north. A council of seven ruled the everyday life of Sinaethians with a hard, but fair hand making sure everyone knew his or her place in the society and delivered equally to the wellbeing of the village.
As with all elven children, Danamar's first years passed quickly. Little by little he grew up to resemble more and more his elder brother and father. His mother used to say It was as he'd been made with the same mold as Maren, six years his elder. So much they were alike despite the age difference. Danamar was just as sporty and daring as his brother was and he caused Liathania some grey hair and sleepless nights with his reckless behavior. Secretly she valued every moment the boy would spend with her, knowing it would come to an end soon, too soon. One day Danamar too would be his father's son, following Danathanil everywhere learning by mimicking the master hunter's every move.
Ten years of the youth's life had passed when he learned of another person who would be joining his family. Liathania was expecting again and this time she was certain it would be a baby girl. Danamar's parents were blessed to receive a third child, a rare instance in elven families as he would be told later on. The young boy rejoiced to have a sister. Now he would have someone to play with since Maren already considered himself a big boy and would not do anything with him anymore.
When the time came for Danamar to start his education for his future occupation, there was no question about what he would do. Danathanil, although still in prime age and excellent condition, would need someone to succeed him in the position of the master hunter of the village. Maren had already shown more skill in combat training than hunting and his path was clear. The Keeper of the Woods was also a member of the village council, but naturally that was not a position that could be inherited and when it would be time to retire, it only meant leaving his daily work as a ranger, but not the Council.
The years flew by and as Danamar grew he showed great promise to become a skilled young ranger under the guidance of his father. Most of the boy's days (and nights) were spend outside Sinaeth in the wilderness with his father and another trainee. And when they were not studying the forest and learning the ways of the Keepers, Danamar tried to hang around his big brother as much as possible. Danathanil had given Maren the task of training Danamar in the use of the blades and the bow. His firstborn was already an officer in the village's militia and destined to be its leader sooner or later. His skill with the chosen weapons of their people was remarkable, well beyond that of his fellow soldiers.
But little by little, year by year Danamar started feeling more and more uncomfortable on the trips outside the village. It was not due to the lack of conveniences their life in the village offered, but rather because of what was his and his father's job. He could understand the reasoning behind the need to cut down the numbers of predators and prey alike when one side threatened to grow considerably larger than the other. But even still the killing of the animals when they had no need for the meat or hide made him feel uneasy. In his mind it was mindless wasting of innocent life.
When his father was not with him, instead of cutting down helpless animals Danamar started to take some of the smaller ones back home with him as pets. Others he drove away making sure their old homes smelled like elf or even orc to keep them away. The boy thought he would be able to keep the pets in secret, but nothing he did managed to escape the watchful eyes of his father. After two rabbits, an otter and four squirrels, Danathanil had enough. One night, when the boy was asleep, he collected all the pets (including one rabbit from his daughter Kayaen's room), took them into the forest and killed them. On the following morning the head of Maeleneill family warned his children (although keeping his eyes on Danamar) not to bring in pets ever again.
But Danamar's mind was not turned around so easily. He was secretly happy his father had only mentioned bringing the animals home. Danathanil's wording, when followed to the letter, did not prohibit saving the them. The boy had (or so he thought) a cunning plan. He would not take his pets back to Sinaeth, but instead he would build them a sanctuary within the forest itself.
It was at the very same time, when the orcs in the middle parts of Gnob Wood had begun to organize under the rule of Unk Oalbone - a monstrously large orc warrior with a devious and intelligent mind. Therefore Danamar's trips outside of Sinaeth had an additional goal. The Keepers were now supposed to look for any signs of orcs close to their village. The father and son were on one such trip, when Unk had gathered a strike force of 100 orc warriors and circled around Sinaeth to attack the village from west taking its guards almost completely by surprise.
The orc assault was futile. The bloodthirsty creatures had no chance of penetrating the village's defenses, magical or not. Few people were killed on both sides, but Maren, now a lieutenant, thought it all too easy. It was as if the attack had not been of full force, but rather a test of the elves' capability to defend themselves. But it worked the other way around too. Now the council of Sinaeth knew of the orcs were gathering forces and were wise enough to devise a plan before attacking. The elves would need to learn more about the orcs.
While the villagers were fighting to keep their homes safe, Danamar was busy building a small shed for his friends some 10 miles away. His father had left the other direction looking for signs of the orcs, so the boy made good use of the "free time" he found on his hands. Once ready, Danamar took in some animals on the next day and the one after that. But once again, the lad's secret did not remain hidden. Danathanil caught him in action carrying a young, wounded deer calf into safety and taking care of its wound. Danathanil had met a messenger from back home and was furious. His anger only got worse by his son's disobedience and for a moment the council member lost his control. In blind rage the older ranger cut the calf down with his blade and slaughtered the other animals as well. He only regained his senses in time to hold back his hand inches from Danamar's face. "We go home now boy and this will never be mentioned again." There was no place for discussion, no time for tears. The shock only hit the boy hours later.
Two nights later Danamar ran away from home. He'd had enough. He didn't blame only his father for what had happened but the orcs too. He hated their guts. Had there not been the attack, his pets would still be alive as would his uncle Teleniel, who was one of the casualties of the battle. The young ranger had made up his mind about one… or actually two things. He would no longer be part of killing innocent animals without a proper reason. And he would kill orcs. He would take the life of any orc he met without remorse.
The hunting trips had usually taken Danamar some 10 miles away from Sinaeth. This time he did not stop before the sun was already up high, in his estimate some 20 miles later. He made sure there were no tracks his father could follow by crossing streams, cliffs and a swamp on the way. Danathanil would no longer be part of his life. For the first time in his life the young elf felt really free. Only now he realized how restrictive the community had really been. Until now the young man had had really little to saying in his life.
It took Danamar the next three days to find what he was looking for. There was a tiny clearing behind an impassable rocky knoll surrounded by a a 50 yard ring of beautiful oaks followed by an equally thick copse of willows and hawthorn. Safe, quiet, his. Using the skills his father had taught him, the black-haired ranger built himself a shelter from the trees and leaves and wines he found in the vicinity of the place. There was stream nearby providing him with water and fish, and the forest was abundant with mushrooms, berries and other edible plants as other sources of food. Danamar had found his paradise.
For the next year or two the loner did not wander further than 10 miles from his shelter. He studied the flora and fauna of the area making friends with a number of animals after they'd realized he was no threat to them. As his mother had taught him some 40-50 years ago, Danamar kept sending his prayers to Oercus, the elven god of forests and hunting. Sometimes the young man would find himself coming out of mediation and prayer he had entered a day or even two earlier feeling refreshed and content. Danamar was happy.
But after some time the hermit started to miss other people, especially his sister Kayaen whom he dearly loved. There was no way he would go back to his family or even the village, but from day to day the urge to see little Sparrow, as he fondly had called her, grew stronger until one day he could no longer endure it. Packing only minimal gear Danamar set towards Sinaeth. At first he walked slowly, then faster, but soon the ranger found himself running with a smile on his lips.
In the coming decade Danamar visited the home village numerous times, but he never let anyone else than Kayaen see himself. They would meet on a clearing half a mile away from the closest houses, safe from eyes and ears of the villagers. Those were the happiest days of Danamar's life, but he could never return for good and little Sparrow understood him perfectly. She had grown into a beautiful young woman who worked as an apprentice for the village's weaver and studied magic too. There were no really powerful masters of the Art in the village, but strong enough to teach her spells to help in defense of Sinaeth.
And those skills and spells were needed. For the Ulgars had grown bolder and more numerous during the years. Unk Oalbone wasn't a young orc anymore, but he had gronw stronger and wiser since the last attack. Danamar feared there would be another soon, but Kayaen set his mind at ease by saying their scouts had Unk under surveillance all the time. Still some people had gone missing on their treks into the woods and orcs were the only suspect since Danathanil had made sure no bears or cougars lived too close.
On his way to and back from Sinaeth, Danamar circled around the village for a day or two looking for orc spies. And more of then than not he found some and killed them on sight. There was no need to inform Maren or their father about the orcs for the corpses were always found by the militia or the Keepers sooner or later.
However on one of such scouting treks which took him a bit further north than usual and nearly to the river, Danamar met creatures he had never seen before so close. Of course everyone in the village had heard the old wives tales about Lial beasts or feathered dragons. The green-eyed elf had even seen one flying high above their village all those years ago. There were wards over Sinaeth that were renewed on monthly basis in order to keep it safe from the dragons. So the mighty beasts had stayed away. Danathanil had once told Danamar that as long as the elves left the dragons in peace so would they leave the elves be in return.
But this time there was not just one dragon, but two. And they were fighting each other. It was no biting in heat or fighting over domains. The beasts were totally different from each other. One was without a doubt a Lial beast. There was no mistaking the multi colored feathers it wore proudly. The second dragon was something else. It was somewhat smaller than the Lial and instead of feathers, it was covered in scales like the beasts in childrens' tales. It had a tail which was as long as its body and its shape reminded Danamar of an oak leaf.
The Tagean wyrm (as it later called itself) was in trouble. Both dragons were badly hurt, but the Lial beast had the upper hand. For some reason Danamar felt sorry for the majestic beast. He could not tell how or why, but in his mind the leaf tailed dragon was not evil and it needed his help. There wasn't much he could do to hurt the Lial, but the ranger knew he had to try. He quickly drew an arrow and took careful aim with his already strung bow. It was hard to know when to release as the dragons were rolling and trashing on the ground like two wrestlers. When the opportunity presented itself, Danamar let the arrow fly and before inhaling again, fired another missile at the feathered beast.
Both of the arrows hit their mark true. Maren would have been proud of his student had he been there to witness the shots. The arrows did little else than annoy the dragon, but they were enough to make it turn its head to find out the source of irritation. The moment of distraction was all the scaled dragon needed. With all the strength it had left, it lunged at the enemy's neck and bit through the feathers, flesh and bone alike with a sickening crunch. The Lial beast could not even scream in anger its surprise and pain, but simply died without another breath.
It took all of Danamar's courage to approach the wounded dragon. But the beast's state was so bad he trusted in his abilities to escape should it decide to take him down too. But to the elf's surprise the dragon merely followed him with its huge eyes and smiled weakly. Or at least the expression on the scaled face looked like a smile to Danamar or perhaps he imagined it. Whatever the case, the enormous being took him by surprise by opening its mouth and speaking halting common in a deep hoarse voice.
"Thank you, elf. You save my life. I save yours. Lial's poison breath burning still. I will die. Need water, much water. Must stop poison and swim river." The great head of the dragon dropped to the ground in exhaustion and it cried in pain. Danamar steeled himself and took the last few steps to reach the beast's side. Carefully he laid his hand on some intact scales on the dragon's neck. He could feel its heart beat fast, too fast, in attempt to pump enough blood through to veins to fight the poison. Sadness filled the ranger's heart and he let out a deep sigh. "Such a magnificent being, such a waste."
Danamar knew it was not the time of Solstice and sacrifices to Oercus might go unnoticed. Still he had to try something. The ranger pulled out a family heirloom from underneath his tunic - a golden necklace with a beautiful emerald inlay. He wiped the green stone clean with his thumb and laid the necklace on a rock in front of the dragon. Dropping to his knees, Danamar opened his arms and called out his plea to the Master of the Forest:
"Hear me Oercus. Hear me Lord of the Woods, Master of the Forest. Never have I requested anything from you for myself, but now I am in need of Your help. But I only have this small necklace to offer you in return… that and my everlasting gratitude and eternal service. Please Lord Oercus save the life of this mighty creature. Hold back the poison before it is too late. Do not let this beautiful soul die in vain. Help me Master, help him!"
The ranger had never come up with a prayer of his own before and was certain his feeble attempt would only anger the god even if would be strong enough to reach Oercus' ears. But deep inside his heart Danamar knew his god would do what ever was for the best. Whatever his decision would be, it would be the correct one. He sat there quietly and reached out with both of his hands to stroke the dragon's snout gently. "Shh… Lie in peace. Let your heart calm down and save your strength. Then we will make towards the river together. I will not let death reclaim you."
What happened next took Danamar by surprise even more than hearing the dragon speak. A hot, nearly burning sensation took over him and ran through him to the tips of his fingers. The elf could see an eerie, blue light glow flowing from his hands to the dragon's head. The feeling passed as quickly as it had come and the glow disappeared completely. Danamar found himself somewhat weaker as if something had drained part of his energy. He'd seen the healers of the villager cure wounded people as a child, but still it was hard for him to understand what had happened.
As the reality finally dawned on him, Danamar cast a quick look at the rock he had laid the amulet on. The necklace was nowhere to be found - there was no trace of it at all anywhere. The hoarse voice of the dragon pulled him out of his thoughts and the elf's green eyes turned to face it. "The poison… It not gone. But it burns not much now. Still need water."
Jumping to his feet Danamar pointed towards the river. "Feldiar is not far. We can make it. I will help you." Having said it, he realized how foolish it sounded. There was no way he could push or pull the mighty dragon three hundred yards to the river. But perhaps he could clear up the path a little. Springing into action, the ranger ran ahead a few dozen feet and started hacking at the trees with his axe. It was slow work, but the dragon wasn't moving fast either.
Finally an hour later they finally made it to the river's shores. The wyrm said its thanks again and muttered a few arcane words. Without further ado the enormous reptile slid into the slowly flowing water as fluidly as if it had been a snake one thousand of its size. Danamar stood on the riverside for quite some time, but the dragon did not come back up. There wasn't even a ripple on the surface, but the ranger had to assume the creature was fine. With a shrug he left the river to have another look at the site of the duel.
Some months later Danamar was back at his new home applying some herbs and bandage on an injured fox's hind leg, when the little animal began to shiver and whimper in fear. A heartbeat later a huge shadow blocked the little of the setting sunlight that was still able to get over the rocks behind the shelter. Danamar swung around in alarm ready to sprint to his weapons inside the hut. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that the dragon sitting on top of the knoll was not there to eat him, but instead the very same one he had helped to survive all those weeks ago. Softly the elf picked up the fox in his lap and calmed it down with kind words.
The Tagean wyrm was called Xansor and it was one of three of its kind that had entered Gnob Wood a year ago. They had come this far to rest and heal. Danamar and Xansor had some very interesting conversations about dragons, elves, orcs and the nature in general. The dragon struggled with his limited common language, but it was clear to the elf his new friend was very old and wise. It even shared some of its knowledge about the times before the Winter Dark - some things even the elven elders of Sinaeth had never told Danamar's parents, let alone him. He learned from where and why the orcs had come to Gnob Wood and how the humans had been forced to retread from the area.
As a farewell gift and as its thanks for saving its life, the well healed dragon offered to give Danamar some of its secretion. Xansor adviced the ranger on how to turn it into unbreakable sharp weapons as was often the habit of the forest folk elsewhere. The elf carved two molds from oak for the secretion, one for a dagger blade and another for a spearhead. After some days the secretion had hardened into steel-like substance and Danamar was a proud owner of two very rare weapons. Naturally they needed some shaping and sharpening, but the young elf had more than enough time on his hands. Some weeks later Xansor left behind the forest with its kin in order to return to its home in the Tagean sea.
A year later Danamar had visitors for the second time in all the years he'd lived in his new home. This time it was not a dragon or orc or even an animal. He was recuperating from nasty wound he'd received in a fight with seven orcish scouts, when two figures dressed in simple robes entered the clearing. The men, one human and one elf, introduced themselves as members of a nameless druidic coven located some 50 miles east of Danamar's shelter. Without wasting any time the druids set to healing the lone ranger. Danamar passed away.
A day later the men returned with a proposition. Apparently they had been observing Danamar's work from afar for many years and were happy in what he'd done. Now the druids were hoping he would join their diminishing number. The druids would have great use for one so dedicated and skilled. And in return for his services, they would be teaching him the ways of the druids - spells and other abilities that would further help him better carry on his work. Danamar didn't need long to make up his mind.
For the following five years Danamar was a student again, this time of something he was much more interested in - something which was close to his heart. It was a surprise for the elf to learn there were others believing in the same things he did. A surprise, but a pleasant one. The coven's major task was caring for the nature, assisting animals and plants alike. Every now and then when the orcs came too close or were hurting the forest too much, the druids needed to do something about it. Those were the times when they especially valued Danamar's abilities. Their spells were powerful and a very effective way of scaring off the snoutfaces. But sometimes it was physical fighting skills that ruled the day.
Two summers later Danamar decided it was the time to see Kayaen again. He packed his gear and weapons and started off towards Sinaeth with happy thoughts. It had been a long time since he'd seen his little sister last and there was so much to tell little Sparrow. Despite the urge to get to the village as fast as possible, Danamar decided to take his customary rounds looking for any signs of orcs. Nevertheless as was usual to these little treks of his, the ranger jogged lightly most of the way following animal paths and made good progress.
Having completed most of the way Danamar knew he was close. He jumped over a small bush expecting the path to continue behind it. But instead he found the forest floor a couple of inches lower than it was supposed to be and the ground had been trampled by a large group of booted feet. Only the elf's great agility saved him from stumbling and falling over as his feet touched the ground again. It didn't take long for Danamar to figure out what had passed. And the direction of the trail was awfully clear too: an orc war party had been heading towards Sinaeth. Judging by the state of the tracks, the ranger was too late. Few hundred yards down the trail the smell of smoke hit his nose. The terrible combination of burning wood and flesh made Danamar almost sick with disgust.
Running faster than ever the ranger finished the last half a mile in no time. The tracks led him straight to his home village as he had known they would. Sinaeth was now in smoking ruins. Torn bodies were lying everywhere, orc and elf alike. Gasping for air and nearly vomiting with the horror, Danamar noted with a quick glance that his people had put up a good fight taking down as many orcs as they lost lives themselves, and even more. Before taking a closer look, Danamar ran to his old home finding it burned down like everything else. Digging through the smoking wood and burning his hand in the process, he ignored the pain and pushed away the tears in his eyes. But there was no stopping them when he finally found his parents lying dead with Liathania holding Danathanil's head in her lap. Closing his emerald eyes, Danamar muttered his thanks to Oercus as he saw the half a dozen black shafts of orcish arrows sticking from both their bodies. At least his mother and father hadn't burned alive.
The gruesome job of sending everyone on their way to Oercus's domain took Danamar the next three days. When he was finally done, he fell on his knees on the grave of his mother, father and brother. He'd found Maren buried under a pile of dead orcish warriors with most cut in half by his beautiful elven blade. His head had nearly been torn off by a strike of something more powerful than a regular orc, perhaps even Unk Oalbone himself. Holding his elder brother's sword in his lap, Danamar fell into reverie beside the graves and was out for a long time.
In the following morning Danamar had packed everything he could save from the Maeleneill house, which added up to nearly nothing. He had some emeralds from his mother's box of gems, Maren's sword and half of his father's map of the Gnob Wood and its surroundings. He laid one last look at the graves and the ruins of Sinaeth, still smoking here and there. He now had only one goal, finding Kayaen. The girl's body had not been amongst the dead, but there was a second, though much smaller, trail of orcish tracks leading south of the village. And amongst the large and heavy orc tracks were some smaller and lighter elven ones, with the villages apparently tied and dragged behind the orcs. It was impossible to tell if Sparrow had been amongst the caught ones, so Danamar had to find out.
A year later Danamar found himself on the crossroads of the two rivers. He had made his decision to leave Gnob Wood behind. He had not found any trace of Kayaen or a some other disappeared villagers. He had tried and even managed to save a few from the hands of the orcs killing as many of the monsters as possible in the process. He felt like he was giving up, but staying back in the forest trying to kill all of the orcs would have been futile. In the end an orc arrow or rusty blade would have found a hole in his defense putting him out of his misery. Although it wasn't a completely uncomfortable thought, Danamar decided otherwise. He wanted to live, he wanted live with the hope of one day finding little Sparrow alive.
OOC: I'll drop in the first post a bit later.
Posted on 2011-10-21 at 13:18:39.
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Topic: Gauging Interest for a Party of Avengers
Subject: Good news!
Yay!
Posted on 2011-10-18 at 16:07:46.
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Topic: Gauging Interest for a Party of Avengers
Subject: Whew!
You got me scared there for a moment. I was sure I'd be reading something like: "Since there's no more interest, I'm calling this game dead before it started." Whew!
So that's not happening, at least not now. Excellent. Seems like an nice system and very, very interesting world too.
So come on people! Take two steps forward and join us on this epic journey into Airhde - world of magic and mayhem. Don't be intimidated by the rules or the world. We'll learn along the way, together. The System is quite familiar - very, very much like the DnD you're used to.
Posted on 2011-10-13 at 18:02:34.
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Topic: The New Entertainment Category
Subject: Nice
That's cool Tann. Must check the tour dates, if they're coming to Finland again this time.
Posted on 2011-10-13 at 07:10:18.
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Topic: Gauging Interest for a Party of Avengers
Subject: Still interested!
The plan was to get a background for the character done before the weekend, but it's looking tight right now as I'm playing a single dad until Friday.
Posted on 2011-10-11 at 18:13:15.
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Topic: Gauging Interest for a Party of Avengers
Subject: Yay
Excellent. Thanks, that really cleared it out for me. Now we only need more interested people. So Innmates, join the call.
Posted on 2011-10-07 at 18:15:34.
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Topic: Gauging Interest for a Party of Avengers
Subject: Yeeessh...
Sounds interesting. As I have no more running games (due to the sad reason we all know), I'm very much tempted to join in should you have me. If you can give me a few days to look into the system and the setting, then I'll get back to you on this.
Of the given race/class combinations, I'd be most interested in the elven druid/ranger or perhaps some fighter/rogue type. Ofc as always, I'm available for any type required.
Posted on 2011-10-04 at 21:28:18.
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Topic: OSRIC not Ostrich
Subject: No worries
Also available here: Knights and Knaves
Posted on 2011-09-29 at 00:44:22.
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Topic: Demon Wind Q&A
Subject: Nice
Awesome post from our dear DM. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to respond with anything even remotely resembling a proper post last weekend / start of this week.
I was on a work trip last week and today went more or more with our younger daughter at home. She's caught some evil virus and has fairly high temperature, so I won't be going to work tomorrow either. I'm also afraid I won't be able to drop in a post in time this round.
Terribly sorry about that. Please don't hold back because of me.
Posted on 2011-09-12 at 19:09:58.
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Topic: How cool is that?
Subject: How cool is that?
I'm sure many if not most have already seen this, but for me this was something I'd even heard of and it's verrrry cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy8-NNlE80A (also the following parts ofc)
Posted on 2011-09-05 at 18:55:01.
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Topic: Demon Wind Q&A
Subject: Nice
Posted I have. A short one it is, but unfortunately that's all I have time for right now. I'll be heading on a work trip in the afternoon, but will be back in time for next week's posting. Perhaps I find myself with too much time on my hands and drop in another post. Who knows. I do enjoy this game immensely.
Posted on 2011-09-05 at 10:20:19.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: Morning strikes back
Riding ahead on the road towards the mountains Danamar found himself content about the way the things had turned out concerning the inn. He was quick to remind himself that the loss of many lives was not a happy outcome, but he was glad to leave the inn in Tomas's hands. It was easier for himself and his companions and they were able to leave the place quickly behind. It was of course selfish thinking in a way, but the priest did not let it ruin the day. It was a harsh world they lived in and not a single soul survived life, although his own people were certain to claim otherwise.
Their party had lost two members and gained two pairs of helping hands in their stead. Or that was how things now appeared. There was no telling as of yet where the loyalties of Sebastien and Siraya lay. He would be keeping his eye on them both and Danamar knew he was not alone. It was of course clear that both of them had helped MV6 in defeating the dreadful shadow, but had that been for their own good or for everyone's, he couldn't say. But that didn't matter right now. The newcomers had joined them on the journey and that's it. Tomorrow was not here yet. There was plenty of time to worry about it when it was.
The ride went nicely without any incidents and when the evening dusk caught them, Daldren had already found the team a good camping site. The watch turns were quickly distributed with Danamar taking every suggestion under consideration. He was happy to give the mercenary the first shift. Daldren didn't appear to be worn by the trip at all, although the cleric was well aware of the human warrior's abilities to hide his feelings. Danamar shared Irael's worry about Mendez's shape. But he didn't consider himself in any special need. There'd be plenty of time to rest and recover his strength during the night even with a watch turn included.
Therefore Danamar decided to share Sebastien's turn. The look on Irael's face had not escaped the syl's sharp eyes as the Rydor's champion had announced his will to guard in the morning. It would take more than a few jokes and a single fight to gain their trust. The priest would spend his hours in the morning light the way he always did, in prayer.
Posted on 2011-09-05 at 10:18:37.
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Topic: Happy Birthday Queen Hugglepounce!
Subject: *hugses*
Happiest birthday dear DA!
Posted on 2011-08-30 at 13:26:05.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: Finally a post from me
Two more dead. Two more souls lost to the evil spirit. Two more lost because he had been too slow to decide what to do - too slow to fully trust himself in the hands and in the power of the Battle Lord. Danamar knew the fault was not fully his. He was not responsible for releasing such an aberration into the world. He had not given it the freedom to destroy the lives of innocent beings to quench its insatiable thirst for life. Yet the pale skinned sylvari priest could not stop wondering whether Anna and her wench would still be alive had the thought of banishing or using holy water come to him sooner. Not that he could take credit of Tadirien's quick thinking at all or would would want to for that matter.
It made no difference who did what and who not. Everyone had put their lives at stake as they had sworn to do when joining the Militia Verriculum in the first place. They all served under oath to do their masters' bidding, but at the same time serving the realm was something everyone took seriously. Common people might not be aware of who the members of the militia really were and they might not always be able to show their gratitude for the work done to the right people. But Danamar was fairly certain none of his team, as it really was now his team, were in it for any thank you's or pats in the back. Money was always needed, but not necessarily the only driver either. Definitely not for himself.
So when the cleric, Daldren and Irael made it outside the inn and found Bil sleeping unawares in the stable, the sylvari could not help the genuine smile that leaped on his lips. Fortunately for the lad as well as the team itself, the stable and the horses had been spared by the evil. Bil took the news in a bad way, but that only strengthened Danamar's view of his employers. They'd been good people those two, loved by their servants and patrons alike. And they deserved a proper burial.
The priest laid a hand on the boy's shoulder and spoke softly: "Do not be ashamed of your tears, Bil. Let them feel your love, for I am certain Kendal and Anna are watching you from behind a beautiful white cloud. Let it all out and when you feel like you have the strength to come inside, do so. You must be strong now." In all honestly Danamar wasn't at all sure the spirits of the innkeeper and his lovely wife had survived the dread's attack. For all he knew the evil shadow might have dragged them both into the deepest of hells with it. But a little white lie for the best of a little damaged soul would not hurt.
Taking a deep breath Danamar rolled his shoulders a few times and went back inside into the common room and found the rest of MV6 already there along with the two strangers. Before Tad had the time to present him with the letter, the syl had already noticed Tariel was missing. He accepted the note with a nod to warrior. Danamar knew what it contained even before he read it. Tariel and Elessarae had been close. They were a team in itself. And although the scout had an obligation with the Militia, she had a stronger bond with the bladesinger. Honor could be a funny thing, but yet no laughing matter. Holding back a sigh, the team's leader opened the letter and read it aloud:
"“I have gone after Elessarae… I can not let her embark upon this journey alone… I am sorry… Tariel Miriellee”"
Folding the letter twice, Danamar pocketed it for safe keeping. He would have to explain Tariel's departure to his superiors. He would make sure they'd understand and would not call her a deserter. For the cleric was sure the decision had not been easy for the ranger - breaking one oath to uphold another. Danamar saluted both sylvari silently in his mind and turned to address his fellow militia. However Siraya beat him to it.
“I’ve been looking for any group affiliated with Militia Vericulum. Do you think your leader and your group would consider allowing me to join you on your mission? I need to help in any way possible against the … the troubles that have been plaguing our civilizations.”
Danamar gave Tadirien enough time to wave his hand towards the team's leader before responding: "It seems you have found what you were looking for. Not the easiest of feats to accomplish as we rarely reveal our routes or the purpose of our travel in public." The warrior priest turned his green eyes on Tad for a heartbeat before carrying on. "You have certainly performed well helping us defeat the dread. However, as I am certain you understand, we cannot place our trust into the hands of any or every stranger we come upon on our travels. Therefore I cannot reveal you our mission for now, but would definitely like to hear more of whatever evil or misfortune you have met previously."
The tall priest offered his arm in greeting to the lady and eyed her reactions closely :"Elen sila lumenn omentilmo" (A star shall shine on the hour of our meeting). I am Danamar Amarillis, son of Alanmir. I am a servant of Nim'megil or Therassor if you like, a Warder of the Gate defending the light against the darkness and evil. I also the servant of the Militia Verriculum and have been honored by its leaders with leadership of this skilled team. As such I am not in power to accept you as a full member of the militia, but I am authorized to hire you as a helping hand which I will gladly do. I cannot say anything of the pay you are entitled to while working for the realm, but I can promise you a compensation for your efforts." Turning his gaze to Seb Danamar nodded. "The same naturally applies to you, should you wish to join us on our journey as well."
"Now then. We have a lot of work ahead of us. But first there are more urgent things we must take care of. Unfortunately, as you all know, the stableboy Bil is somewhat too young to handle the Inn by himself. I am not aware of anyone having a claim over the establishment, family or lender. But that needs to be found out. However, in the case of no one having such a claim to inherit the inn, I am willing to give it over to Bil and his family should they wish to accept it. If you have any other knowledge or objections on the matter, please share them now. If not, I will make the necessary documents."
With a weak sigh Danamar cast a glance at the dead innkeep. "In the meanwhile, I would ask the rest of you to dig graves for the deceased in a place as peaceful as possible. When you are done, we will hold a short ceremony for their souls before getting back on the road again."
OOC: After sorting out the inn, MV6 will carry on with the assignment.
Posted on 2011-08-30 at 10:02:51.
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Topic: Demon Wind Q&A
Subject: Yep
Gaah! At the summer cottage and I only now noticed Sunday is coming in fast. So it may be that I won't be able to post before Monday. Very nice posts in the game again. I'm starting to like these new characters of ours very much.
Posted on 2011-08-26 at 19:27:19.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: It's dead Jim
The flash had blinded him momentarily and Danamar was surprised to find himself lying on his back on the kitchen floor. And the surprise only mounted as Danamar found himself nearly too weak to stand up again. Slowly the cleric pushed himself up as his team members reported in. The syl was grateful for the good judgment his friends seemed to posses. Though no knight, the noble-blooded priest would have felt shame inside his heart had someone offered to assist him. It was foolishness of course and he knew it. In other circumstances help would have been given and gladly accepted. Now he was simply drained of energy by the successful turning of the shadow dread and didn't really require anyone's help.
Even without observing the situation or listening to the others, Danamar had immediately known he had been able to banish the malevolent spirit. It was as if his lord had spoken to him without any words. He could feel Nim'megil was pleased with what he had done. Defeating evil in combat in the name of the Battle Lord was the greatest honor a Warder could do or receive. It was a reward in itself. For a short moment, Danamar felt happy…
But that feeling quickly faded away as his green eyes fell on the maid's corpse on the floor. Anna! They would have to check out the situation of everyone in the inn, the Innkeeper's wife included. And what about the stable boy Bil? Was he still safe and sound? Suddenly he felt more energized and was about to ask to his team mates to have a look around, but as Danamar scanned the kitchen and the common room, he could see they were already on it. The realization made him feel proud to be part of MV6. They were good people one and all despite their different backgrounds and personalities.
Danamar turned to Daldren, faithfully standing by his side, making sure his leader was safe. Many things could be said about the man, but dependable was the first one that popped into the syl's mind. He opened his mouth to suggest changing back the swords as he noticed the other man was looking at something intently. Following the gaze, the cleric saw the servant of Rydor standing by the bar with a mug of beer in his hand. As he watched, Tadirien walked up to the warrior and requested his assistance as a knight of the realm. Understanding Daldren's concern, Danamar nodded as he offered the rapier to its rightful owner. "Aye. We will need to keep an eye on that one."
There was something familiar in the way the female newcomer, Sirya she called herself, moved. Her narrow face was beautiful and her voice full of song and she did remind him of someone in the past. Being still somewhat dizzy from the fight, the black-haired priest couldn't quite place the familiarity. The emerald eyes lingered on Sirya for a while longer and Danamar was forced to pull himself out of his memories into the reality. The woman had done well in the fight as her actions with the blessed water had probably saved Tad's life. He made a mental note to have a chat with her when the inn had fully been secured.
Taking a deep breath Danamar let his pulse return to normal while sheathing the enchanted sylvari blade. Without turning to Daldren, he started towards the doorway the wench had come from. "Well done, old friend. Seems like our companions have the inn covered. Let us check out the back rooms and the outside premises and make sure there are no more of those monsters lurking about."
OOC: What a piece of crap and late too. Sorry about that guys.
Posted on 2011-08-22 at 12:05:35.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: Die you monster!
The vail, though terrible, made Danamar grin wily. Daldren's brave attack had driven the shadow back into the hallway and bought Danamar and his companions a valuable moment. Now they knew they could hurt the shadow dread, not only scare it. Yet the sylvari cleric wasn't overly confident in his team's abilities to kill the creature, but perhaps they might be able to weaken it enough for him to drive it back to the netherworld it came from. There was only one little thing stopping Danamar… He wasn't exactly sure how to do it. Once again the priest would have to place everything in the hands of his god and hope he was worthy enough of receiving some more of Therassor's attention and grace.
Another newcomer entered the kitchen - a woman this time. Danamar cast a quick look at her and nodded his greeting. There was no time for introductions now, not with the gaseous monster around. As none of the others had taken up Daldren's slim blade, the syl quickly picked it up from the table. He had no idea whether it was of any use, but he was hoping the enchantment was potent enough to hold the dread at bay for a while.
MV6 was now in a fairly good strategic position. They were like a final line of defense between the enemy and the families back at home. If the creature had any need to use stairs, it would have to come through them or head outside at the back and circle around to the front. Danamar wouldn't have bet on that though. The thing was practically immaterial. What would it need to use human made portals for? Thy cleric caught himself nearly chuckling at the thought and shook his head slightly instead. Brandishing his holy symbol once more, Danamar took a deep breath and spoke with an even voice: "Do not follow it into the hallway. It would only have to worry about one of us at a time then. Our best chance to defend ourselves is right here in the kitchen. Let's hope it decides to come back." This time he did smile.
OOC: Turn undead, cast spell, do whatever Danamar can do to banish the shadow dread
Posted on 2011-08-14 at 20:24:12.
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Topic: Fade to Black
Subject: Great song that one
Well played indeed. And nice to hear my countrymen in the background too. 
Posted on 2011-08-14 at 05:28:02.
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Topic: A Borderland by the Keep
Subject: Nice!
I love the idea. I too will definitely be following this one closely.
Posted on 2011-08-09 at 18:51:28.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: *gulp*
The plan had formed into the syl's mind quickly. He had no idea if it would work or if they would have time to complete it. It was clear that the shadow dread was drawn towards sources of light. It's behavior proved it and it fit the description Danamar had read in a tome a long time ago back at home. The terrible creature fed on souls. It drained the life from a man's body so fast its victims seldom had any possibilities to run or defend themselves. The cleric had seen Mendez fall as a tendril of shadow touched him and he feared the worst. The mage barely got out a cry of pain before he slumped on the stairs, apparently lifeless.
To the fortune of everyone else, it seemed like Therassor's holy power was too much for the dread to handle and the formless creature escaped the divine force by disappearing right into the wall. But there was no time to celebrate, the threat was far from over. The writings in the holy book had said that it was almost impossible to kill a shadow dread for good. The monster was bound on this plane by some powerful magics and the only way to stop it from killing innocent people was to banish it back to its own plane of existence or perhaps kill the person or creature that had summoned it in the first place.
Now they had to move fast. But before taking care of (or trying to) the dread, there were more pressing needs at hand. Danamar had to make sure Mendez was really dead or if not, do his best to keep him amongst the living. While considering their options, the leader of MV6 had wasted valuable heartbeats, but fortunately Daldren - quite unlike his usual demeanor - had already moved to look after the fallen mage. The syl's sharp eyes caught the suspicious movement of the mercenary hiding Mendez's head from view, but he had no reason not to trust the man. They'd fought together before and he knew Daldren was an honorable man in his own personal way.
The black-clad priest sprang up the stairs and knelt beside the fallen form of a friend with a grim look on his face. He laid a hand on the human warrior's shoulder and offered the hilt of Naaradkhelek to Daldren. "Take my sword and keep our companions safe until I can join you in the kitchen. The flames from the hearth will summon the dread back and it will not spare any of us unless we manage to banish it somehow. The blade will obey it's name: Naaradkhelek." Knowing Daldren would comply without questions, Danamar turned his attention to Mendez's. There weren't any visible wounds on the poor man's still body, but he felt incredibly cold to the touch. Taking a deep breath, Danamar checked the sorcerer's pulse and eyes to see how he faired.
((OOC: If he's dead, then he is. There's always time for mourning later. If not and Daldren's potion (of which Danamar probably knows nothing) has started to take effect, Danamar will join the others in the kitchen. Should there be anything he feels he can do to help the poor man, he will do it.
Having done his best with Mendez as quickly as possible, the sylvari warrior-priest stood up and joined his companions in the kitchen. "Listen up. We cannot kill the shadow dread. It is beyond our power. But we might be able to banish it back to the hell's it escaped from. The flames will attract it and it will doubtlessly try to attack any or all of us too. But it is our task to rid this place of the baneful thing and we must save the others even if we could escape ourselves."
The syl's stern gaze passed over everyone in order to make sure they've understood what he is saying. Either they will drive the creature away in one way or the other, or they will die trying. "Daldren, you and I need to work together. It seems to fear the cold flames of my sword as well as the power of Nim'megil. As I call forth the power of Therassor once more, you need to make sure the dread will not escape again. Understood?" " The rest of you will need to keep your eyes open and try to divide its attention between you, so that it will hopefully hesitate long enough for me to banish it."
OOC: Not much of a plan, I know. But since we cannot kill it, we might try to banish it instead. Let's hope Danamar is not too weak to succeed. And I hope you guys have magical weapons or ways to defend yourselves. So sorry about this guys. Was nice knowing you.
Posted on 2011-08-09 at 12:12:05.
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Topic: Demon Wind
Subject: a dread shadow?
Slow. Too slow. There was nothing Danamar could do to save Kendal from his grim fate. Perhaps if the newcomer hadn't charged in through the front door and caught his attention, there might have been a chance to help the poor innkeeper. But this was not the time or the place for 'if's' and 'why's' . No amount of blaming and pointing would bring the kind human back. The only thing the Warder could do now was to stop the malevolent being from hurting anyone else anymore. It had to be destroyed here and now.
The green eyes cast another quick glance at the empty husk of what once had been a friend and turned a fiery gaze towards the darkness in the corner. Daldren would be safe, Danamar knew. Therassor's might would protect the fighter from the evil entity's touch for now. But the cleric was not powerful enough to summon more of his god's energy to extend the cover to all of them. The rest of MV6 himself included had to find other means to avoid sharing Kendal's fate.
The sylvari cleric was about to summon forth more of his Lord's power when the stranger spoke. As it seemed the shadowy darkness was not attacking any of them right now, Danamar allowed himself a heartbeat's pause to hear the warrior out.
“Forgive me if I speak forwardly, but in the name of Heironeous this thing must be evil for it has killed. I am afraid I must not run, I must fight. These are the vows I have taken and I do not wish to desecrate them. Stand with me new friends and we shall not let this evil prosper.”
A knight? Perhaps he will prove to be useful. Keeping his eyes still on the darkness, Danamar swallowed the words he had been about to say as the man carried on:
“I believe that the creature is attracted to natural light, we need a candle to attract it or another form of light and I nominate myself for the task of the bait. As surely who could harm someone of Heironeous's pleasing, and how can I please him more than to prove myself before him.”
Again, the leader of MV6 was cut off before he had chance to speak. This time it was Mendez, rash to act as always. Danamar had often said the mage's impulsive behavior would get him killed one day. He could only hope today was not that day. The man muttered a couple of quick syllables and small flame appeared in his palm to light up the room. The syl had to blink a couple of times to see better due to the sudden appearance of a light source.
NO!” Mendez cried… “It is a shadow dread… I can not let more harm come to those here.” “I will lead it away…” he cried as he disappeared up the stairwell.. the shadowy thing starting to move towards him.
"Mendez! Don't lead it upstairs. There might be other innocent people there. We'll need to stop it from leaving this room." Danamar cried hastily. All of a sudden, a plan came to his mind. "More light!", the warden yelled and turned his gaze from the beguiler to the warriors. "Daldren, Irael, sir knight, we need multiple light sources to hopefully slow it down." The newcomer had mentioned natural light, but that was something the cleric didn't have at hand right now. He would have to do something else instead.
With eyes on the terrible shadow, the priest's free hand grabbed Therassor's holy disk from his chest and lifted it towards the abomination. But before he called once more on the powers of Nim'megil, he raised the beautiful slim long blade he was holding in his right hand and muttered weapon's ancient name: "Naaradkhelek". Immediately blueish white flames leaped up from the steel and danced around the blade adding a silvery tint to the yellow light of Mendez's spell. Danamar was no expert in battling the undead, but the ones he'd faced had not enjoyed the touch of the enchanted blade nor the frosty fire it carried. He was hoping this one was no different.
Determined to destroy the evil being, the cleric took a steady step towards it and called out to the Honored General: "Lord of the Battle, hear my plea! Cast your glorious light through your faithful servant and let me banish this creation of evil from the world in your name!"
Posted on 2011-08-02 at 08:07:35.
Edited on 2011-08-02 at 08:10:15 by Raven
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Topic: Demon Wind Q&A
Subject: Damn those shadows
Does Danamar have any knowledge of beings called "shadow dread"? I'm sure he's battled his share of undead during the years and even if he hasn't met one before, he might have heard of one still?
Also, Haruspex, might I propose that since this game is set in Audalis, you could swap the name of Heironeous to Therassor or Rydor instead? Gods of Audalis
Posted on 2011-08-02 at 07:23:18.
Edited on 2011-08-02 at 07:23:38 by Raven
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Topic: Demon Wind Q&A
Subject: Again
Sorry about this oh DM, but I will not be able to post this weekend either. For some reason our internet connection hasn't been working for the last few days. Isp is investigating, but who knows when they get it fixed. Sorry again.
Posted on 2011-07-30 at 19:55:03.
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