|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:12 pm
Tarathiel chuckled. There was an odd irony about this world, "to think, surfice elves banished my ancestors to the dark for being evil, only to follow them down there..." He turned and walked to the centre of the cell, standing literally on top of the bowl.
"So, what you do is now up to me, now where would you sever my purposes as well as your own, best..."
He laughed evily, "Would you like to kill D'Mitri with your own hands, or merely serve a part in the dance that is his doom?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:19 pm
"The surface has been uninhabitable for some time. We all do what we must to live."
She had to admit, she was enjoying his energetic amnnerisims. So much more interentsing than the giggly, lazy girls of the harem. She laid the bow across her shoulders, slung her arms over top of that and locked her hips. A very comfortable postion on her part, it stretched the kinks out of her back and neck.
"Which ever will get him killed faster, I don't care if I'm the one to do it or not." She thought a bit. "Though I suppose I would enjoy some sort of closer for his death. A trophy I suppose." She smiled, somehow it fit in with his evil laugh. I want what he treasures above all else."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:21 pm
Malik laughed lightly.
"Oh both of you. You never did understand me and my schemeing. the captian of your attacking ship employs slaves. not many, as the darts are a Drow weapon. at least one large one. he offered your surrender, rather than just killing you outright. That means he's after something. be it someone, or something..that's debatable. if I attract his attention, he comes here. I might not offer enough to get in on what's going on alone. my possible connection to 'surface' elves might give him reason to think twice about brushing me aside. not to mention, if he's using slaves, I may be able to barter in some buisness on my end."
A glance at Bode, and Onyx.
"Have a seat, eat."
Onyx listened and just stared. for the love of the ancestors, he never though malik was this complicated when dealing with someone. he always figured from Father's stories of him as a brutal, grab someone, collar and them and break them into submission type. But a shrug..if he brought him here, maybe he'd get a shot at Warhammer
"See if you can negotiate getting Whirlwind and Ironsdies back. OR I don't care how he comes to you I'm going to be killing people...drow, minotaur..whatever the hell is on that boat and in my way."
He sat down, bode in his lap and offered her a pastry, taking some of the cooked meats for himelf.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:22 pm
"Tell me that, and it is yours." The drow elf smiled, and held out his hand. The ground began to show signs of some kind of dark portal, dark mist edging up from an ever increasing shadow circle, spreading slowly about the room.
"Come, first to my ship, then to your temporary new home..." He smiled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fractured Moonlight Captain
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:30 pm
So easy to track, but now a new problem. Hm...how to get her out and on her own. He had pretty much blown the aspect of friend with her what with that little outburst at the tournament...maybe he could play that off. Or he could simply bribe her...after all, he knew things that she still wanted to know. Could work to his advantage. But still how to get at her? A look over the terrain, seeing Kieran still tending to a still jittery Nerian. And him...Kaden may not of been bothered but Terran was. Anyone going after her would have to go through both Kieran and Malik...and that didn't seem fun in the vaguest sense of the word.
Another roll of her eyes. "Understanding and turning a blind eye to are two different things Malik." Then she got that mocking tone. "Yes, by the way drow, I happen to be in league with this little surface born elven princess, and I'm sure that through her you can see the whole conquering things being quite easy now. Also on the side, I'd like to trade slaves with you." Okay...she was a little defensive about this that was for sure. Hey...she knew how elves worked, and she also knew that no matter how useful Malik made her look, in the eyes of a drow she was just something to be stomped really. With a click of her tongue, she tied her bandana back around her ears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:34 pm
The smile as no longer evil, it was ate. "I want his p***k. So I can feed it to the pigs. So I can have his won people eat his pride and joy." A nice person she was not.
She took the proffered hand after swinging her bow off her shoulders. She wondered what he meantt by "new home." She had thought the ship was her new home. Oh well, she'd find out wouldn't she? "Lead the way, sahib."
Bode didn't take the pastry. Infact, she had lost her appitite, even thought it had been a day or so now since she had had something to eat. She turned her head away from Mr. Malik, tight lipped and refused to move.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:55 pm
The shadow circle suddenly became less substantial, and the pair fell through what appeared to be some kind of conduit and reappeared on the bbow of the ship. "Welcome, to Salmander's Whip."
The ship was back to normal duties, the crew maning the specific areas that they were required to man in order for the ship to function. Jin Djinn turned around and looked at the pair and shook his head. The deep gnome walked up to the pair and startd talking. "Mal-- That funny coloured Drow is talking about us, he wants to 'talk' to you to barter for slaves... That black cat thing asked him if he knew how to bait you, so he could eat us."
"I am glade I had my wizards spying on him... Should I stop in?"
"The cat would try to kill you."
"I guess I should go."
"Who is the girl. A new whore?"
"No, no... She's a partner in our drama, much like Dagger."
"A new whore?"
"No, a warrior."
"Who-"
"Never say that again." Tarathiel's eyes gleamed slightly at the disobedient gnome.
"Understood, captain."
"Now, I am sorry Aella, but I am going to have to deal with a few problems. Perhaps I should find out how to... Well, enough of my ploting for you for, now, I shall tell you more when I know more, feel free to walk about the ship and talk to whom ever you please, I might suggest not gettiing offended if the Drow don't think highly of you." The elf bowed, and walked towards the entrance to the cabin.
"The captain knows best. Never question him or his ways. He has lived through everything. Even being used as a sacrific to Lolth." The gnome said. "I am Jin Djinn, the only deep gnome on this vessel, and probably this half of the globe. If ever you wish to unit the crew against the captain, I'd be the only one on your side. He tricked me into selling out my kingdom, and kept me alive to live with the guilt." He looked at the woman. "We have more suitable clothes, or armour should you wish for them. I recommend you go say hello to Warhammer. He would be better able most willing to assist you."
Meanwhile, the beloved and most popular captain of the Salmander's Whip taped his chief wizarding ally on the shoulder, and smilled, life would be more interesting this way...
Several seconds later, Tarathiel materialed in Malik's dining area, and bowed ever so elogently, his ebony skin almost indistinguishable from his black armour, his twin scimitar's resting in his scabbords on his hips. "Greetings Lord Malik, I heard you wished to bargin for your lives and surrender, do correct me if I am wrong."
Before anyone had time to truly grasp the sudden appearance. "You made a marvelous impression upon me at the collusium not so long ago, I saw how easily you cast your magicks, as primitave as they were, and ran from those easy kills. How, noble and Surfice like of you. So, I hear you have an alliance with the surfice elves? Of course on this plane, that doesn't really mean anything anymore now does it? Then again, you are still relatively new to our plane, yes I know you are not native, your skin gave that away, and your aura of course... You extra planar creatures really should learn to hide that."
"And what is this I hear about you wanting my slaves? Don't your surfice elves suffice? I guess I should not fear them at all if they do not."
"Don't ye just hate a wizard owning pirate captain invading what you claimed to be your land, most unrightfully. Yarrr, eh."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:14 pm
Ship, yay. Mostly drow, not so yay. She waved at the hull. "Hi Sammy"
She made no move against the gnome who called her a whore, or at elast inqired...several times...if she was one. She filed away the information though, and decided to find out if it would hurt the captain terribley if she killed the creature.
"I don't tihnk to highly of the Drow, I cannot expect anything esle in return, can I?" Maybe she'd get a chacne to brush up on her insults. She watched Tarathiel leave.
"Am I to think that I am a slave here? Becasue if I don't like the Captains orders, I won't be following them." She didn't believe much of what came out of Jin's mouth. She scowled. "If ever I want a ship with a crew that will eat me as soon as looking at me, then you'll be the first I talk to." Subtle she wasn't.
She fluttered her silks. "I don't need armor, and I don't need more "suitable clothes." You've all seen naked women before, get used to it." She gritted her teeth. "I am punching the next person who asks me about my clothes. She didn't bother talking to anyone on the ship. She didn't care much about what they had to say. Strangly enough anyway, the one pointed out as Warhammer, a minotaur, looked the most approachable.
She found the big bull with ease. Wasn't easy to hide one of his stature. "Warhammer is it?" More introductions, how trivial.
Bode screamed, the memory of this man was still quite fresh. And she didn't like at all waht had happened the last time...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:18 pm
Malik grinned lightly at the display.
"Well met, 'cousin'. Primitive magic...well...by many standards, probably. after all magic is not my forte, only another means to an end. as for running..well. why waste time on humans. I had more pressing concerns at the present time. namely another Koada'Dal, named Terran Glade. and I don't intend to surrender anything to you. or bargain for lives here. Nor do I have any surface elven slaves. mine are human. and Ogre. but they serve thier purposes."
A slight grin.
"Yes, you coudl say that. another plane, Moon elves. royalty at that. I was perhaps wondering, since you employ slaves, if you might be interested in a purchase from me. not to mention there are two creatures you caputred form teh rafter that the winged Vah were on that might have some use to me that I'd like. a lizard mount, called Ironsides, and a woman, called Whirlwind. I think the black one has taken a fancy to her."
He got up, then and gave a slight bowing of the head.
"And where are my manners. oh yes, your talk of buisness pushed them aside for a moment. I'm Malik D'vinn. and you are?"
Offering his hand, watching this other darker drow with eyes of cold steel, despite kinder words.
Onyx got up, putting obde down in a rush as the chair flew back, though at a warning look from Malik he barely restrained himself. Malik knew better about drow..best pay attention to him for now. but his voice barely constrained his anger.
"I want my Ironsides and my Whirlwind back, you black skinned..." Another wanring look "...elf."
He was raidiating anger and rage right now, and he shook with teh need to rip that drow limb from limb or at least try to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:47 pm
The minotaur turned to face her, "Eye." He looked right into her eyes, and a calming aura irradiated off of him, as a servent of the Earth Mother, he felt a certain attachment to Aella. "I am called that after that which rests upon my back. For in truth, my name cannot be spoken in any tongue but my own." He knelt to look her at more eye to eye level.
"So, I see you are welcomed aboard this ship, a fate which would not have come to pass, if your little raft had surrendered the items... In truth, we just wanted rumours of Drow pirates in the region, rumours of course, we could have spread anyways... But, as you see, the Mother has brought us together..."
THe minotaur's eyes reflected a spirit of strength and endurance, but something hindered him. "As you see, we are all in the survice of Tarathiel... He holds us here through our own needs and wants. He calls the non drow slaves to appease his dark warriors..." The minotaur glanced at the nearest drow, "They seem to hate all non drow equally."
"I know that you have meet little Jin Djinn. He is a broken soul, he is a chaos. Trust not his words unless you wish to be doomed to the deep, for he so does enjoy tricking new sl-- non drow into betraying the captain... Attacking a crew member is betraying him, and his favorite ploy is to provoke... Gnomes, illusionists, rogues... the whole lot of them." THe minotaur said with some hint of grim truth.
"As long as you serve the captain's best interest, which oddly enough usually includes your own, feel free to come to me for aid. I am a skilled healer and oracle in my own right, and Earth Mother feels kindly to my words, often heeding my prayers."
"Of the non drow on the ship, I would only trust the words of Sstrl, and Aven. Tames is too chaotic, but very... predictable. He is out in the fields as we speak, unfortunately for the towns, a famine is about to begin... " The bull seeemed to regret that somewhat. "But, I do believe in the Captain's call."
Tarathiel looked at Malik. "Why on earth would I tell you that? Names are something wizards can use to their advantage. You may call me Captain. As for slaves, a lizard is not a slave... He was more useful to me as food than in any living service." The elf smiled devilishly, "Then again, I could be lying. Perhaps I put him where he was when I got him, perhaps not... What would i need with a lizard?"
The elf didn't even acknowledge anyone else in the room, "Only humans and ogres... Do you breed them together, that often creates a fine subspecies that is easily controlled, practically no will of their own, but I can see that you hardly take chances in that department..." He laughed, at Malik.
"Well, in a manner of speaking from a different plane, do you meant to say, you travelled the long way here?" That would change one thing, but that hardly mattered. Fighting Malik would never happen. Well, maybe if Malik would play a certain game...
"Whirlwind, but I love her. And she, of course loves me..." The elf smiled, half truths, she didn't love him so much as what he was offering, but to this instrument of chaos, that was one in the same. He paused, "Or I already killed her after using her as what most men desire of her, then again, I might have not. Maybe she told me what she wanted, and I have decided to help her, or maybe my men are... Well, I am a faithful drow."
"Food certainly is precious here, isn't it?..." The drow was thinking many interesting things to say, he was certianly not making a very friendly visit... Why make an enemy out of this fellow... Some allies worked more to your advantage than they would normally if they hated you, others not so much. "Then again, a drow who still lives in the stone age probably has more concerns about his personal safety... Like if a certain King found out where he lived... That would be useful to me..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:03 pm
"Warhammer is not very fitting, Warhammer. A soul is no one's weaopn." She rethought that, "except perhaps, your own." She shrugged. "My only worth is my body. It was the only thing of value on the ship." She left out "besides the other two people on board".
She smiled rufefully. "Rumours? Sounds a bit like something I was trying to do. Romours are powerfull things." She smieked. "Except it would have been more of an advantage I think, to attack a raft going into the city, rather than leaving it.
"I don't mind if they hate me. They have every right to, just as long as I am not expected to like them, then I am all right." Although he was of course, talking about this stringer than like and disklike. She'd deal with that if the time came.
She heard the slip, and coudl easily guess what he had been about to say. "New slaves? Jin got anothier tihng comming then." She wished the little eyesore had asked about her clothes.
"Thank you for the offer, Warhammer. I will keep it in mind. But the Earth Mother sees death as the natural balance to life. Should it be my time, adn you cannot help, don't be saddened." Who'd be saddened over a girl they just met five minutes ago? Ah well, this minotar loooked like he'd be saddened about crushing an ant.
A ship or rouges, outcasts...she supposed she too was an outcast. She wasn't a slave though. Shed keep that in mind, even if she didn' speak it out loud, least the...men here her. "Famine eh? Alot of innocent lives, just to get at a king."
Moonstone stood up as well. "Onyx, calm yourself!" Drow ere not as reserved as Malik was, as far as he knew. And having never encountered one, the Captain seemed unpredictable, pron to whims. The twins were not best in magic, relayed mostly on their skill in fighting, their size and their strength. Drow were thin, true, but stronger than the looked. If he had heard correctly that is...
Bode just hid her face. Really, waht was she going to do? More scary things....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:07 pm
Malik was silent.
"I have no need for servants that can't think. halfbreed ogres and humans make for stupid pets. decent cannon fodder, nothing more. Arena combatants need more brains, less brawn. and you coudl say we took the long way here. and you speak in riddles, trying to goad and pressure. I don't give a damn for whatever use you got out of the girl, or if you ate that lizard or not. I don't need a lizard, I have a Nightmare, and the 'surface' elves have Zephyrs. I asked for my black furred ally here."
A smirk.
"I don't employ wizards. thier magics are quick and often not painful enough for my uses. I employ necromancers, Captian. Whirlwind, as you might have guessed, was a slave. judging by what I've been told of her outfit, she was someone of high rankings property. that leave nobles and Dimitri. and anything taken from Dimitri is a good thing."
Malik's turn to laugh.
"Go ahead. hell, let me draw you a map. His 'personal guard' were pathetic humans, barely worth more than the two I killed in the arena. hell let him send his fleet. as I'm sure you know by now, I have the secret to the pillars of flame. be a shame if his armada was to run into those, wouldn't it."
Then a smirk.
"Stone age to you, perhaps. but then as you've said, I'm new to this plane. I don't know the levels of magics or weaponry Drow here have been able to achieve. Something I wouldn't mind learning about. I'm offering at least a surface alliance. Drow to drow. I want the girl and the lizard if you have them. and lets say that you do, and both are in good condition. what would you ask for in exchange? perhaps I have a little something I use on certain ogre servants you may find useful. makes them unable to feel, period. cut of thier arm, they won't even notice. legs..whatever. hack and slash all you want, they don't even know they have things missing until bloodloss kicks in. works on some humans..they have to be a bit sturdy I find. or it has a nasty habit of paralysis."
Onyx held Bode when she screamed, and glared at the 'captian' his claws where itching to get to him. but the captian wasn't teh real one he wanted. he wanted Warhammer.
"Where's the bullheaded coward? he owes me those horns on the top of his head."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:23 pm
Warhammer looked at Aella, "A wizard has power of any person who's name he knows, knowing Warhammer grants him nothing."
He looked upon the girl, "Should death come calling, and I do not use the mother's gifts to keep you here, did I do her bidding? If she gives me the power, would it not be her will?" The minotaur looked at her, and realized some truths.
"I was once not much more than a slave. On this ship, I am only called slave because I am not drow. I am a lesser race amongst supirior, mind you, look how they revire me?" HE stood up, and a few of the closest drow couldn't help but look up to him.
"You think that you are the only treasue on that ship becuase you think in terms of human cargo. The captain thought of you as merchants out on an enjoyable little picnic... Imagine how it looks to him, a small enclave of a child and a guardian walking with an elogent woman... He wanted your weapons and your gil, nothing more, and nothing less... You coudl then be free to tell the world that you had engaged a lone drow on the high seas, ebony skinned and ready to invade..."
"Haste and lack of forsight, or pride, got you captured." The minortaur kneeled again. "Earth Mother smiled on you, and brought me to you though. Never feel alone, never feel valueless, for you are you, and non other..." the bull could feel her apathy... Or emity, or both... "When this is over, you can still have a use..."
"I surrendered my services for my brothers. Tarathiel spared them, and I became his... He has treated me well, and trusts my judgement, and my ability to be myself. Don't feel that you cannot earn such... power."
Tarathiel looked at Malik, and saw that he had nothing. "Oh. So that is all you can offer? Ogres... Strength, and endurance... And how many? I would need thousands to even consider an allaince with a familyless rogue who knows nothing of magic." How ignorant. Had this rogue never seen a wizard rip the soul of a dragon straight out its body?
"So, you beg me for the girl and the lizard for that?" The elf pointed. "Rogue, familyless, and allied with... animals? And you are offering to destroy the fleet should I point them at you? Well, I guess I get everything, you get nothing but to see what you think is me." The elf tilted his head.
"And is that your sword?" Tarathiel pointed at the sword, through what ever obsticles that lay through. "You do know that some wizard actually put a curse on it, and if you speak the command word, the blade falls off?"
He smiled, "Must have been one of your Surface elves, it wreaks of their magics."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:37 pm
"He can onlly use the name if you let him use it. A wizard does nat have that kind of power in himself."
She smiled a bit. "Aye. It would be her will, but she would not throw you into disfavor if you did not seek her help. Just as I would not hate you not saving." She didn't expect anyone to look out for her, watch out or save her. Perhaps that's what landed her here in the first place. She couldn't relay on people.
"I find it commical that none of us had any gold, and the cat only had a couple of daggers. You mistaken me with one who does not care for her own life. She does, she just has other tihngs to attent to firt. She didn't know what she would do after the task was complete...this had been the only tihng on her mind for so very long. Find her own home again? They were probably all dead by now.
She chuckled. The captain had already offered a measure of power when he asked to be granted permission to ask mroe questions. She was going to oush it, and see where her bounderies were.
"But again, I have no interest in power, even as little as I might have with Tarathiel. But all the same," she held out a hand. "I appreciate the offer of freindship."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
