Story of the Staff, Administration

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This is a long-running cooperative story, and it’s time to see if starting a new chapter will bring in some new contributors. The idea is simple: you write the next scene. Adopt a character, add a character, kill a character (more on that below), twist the events. Where we go is up to you. There is no guiding outline (aside from the fact that I really prefer happy endings ) - if you think something needs to happen, make it happen.

Dramatis Personae:
Illith’Hen – an elf who found a mysterious wooden staff
Glamrod – a dwarf; Illith’Hen’s friend and traveling companion
Kibrani – a human thief who was seeking her sister
Callain – a human and former assassin
Sadi – a human alchemist and advisor to the King of Aeroth
Myrara – a human with Sight
Second and Third – human soldiers; brothers to the deceased First
Rracaw – an eagle who watches over the group
Snarskall – a goblin
Drogul – a once-human sorcerer who is now mostly demonic
Ragnar – a demi-demon; Drogul’s first lieutenant
Fate – a demigoddess

The story so far:
Illith’Hen and Glamrod found the staff and suddenly felt uneasy. Kibrani, Callain, and another elf – Melfdale – joined them in a battle against monsters called the Ulder’Gein. During this series of battles, Callain was turned into a vampire, Melfdale was revealed to be a traitor, and Kibrani’s sister was found to be dead. In an underground chamber they learned that the Staff was a branch of the Tree of Fate and it was their duty to take it to the five Great Woods of the world (Berwin, Shill’th, Draten, Droangur and Ykl), where it would be imbued with the power of the elements before they returned to the Tree itself. This happened in Berwin, where the Staff received the power of Earth.

They traveled on to the recently-ruined city of Tarsk, where they met a sorcerer named Lefkl and Sadi and faced Drogul’s goblin hordes. Kibrani received a poisoned injury and in the course of helping to cure her, Callain was cured of vampirism. However, it took rescuing him from the goblins for he and Kibrani to figure out that they were in love. Outside of Tarsk they also met Myrara and her stag-guide, Kale’panir. The soldier First battled the Lefkl to their mutual deaths, and commanded his brothers to carry on as their Master had ordered: to retrieve the Staff and kill those who bore it.

The next Wood to be visited was Droangur. There the Staff received the power of Fire and the group found out that Illith’Hen had been named the Guardian of the Heir of Fate (so it wouldn’t be a very good idea to kill him off too soon). Kale’panir was killed in a battle against the resurrected Melfdale (in demonic Ulder’Gein form) and Myrara has been descending into madness ever since, but not before she figured out that the Heir of Fate referred to the child that Kibrani and Callain had conceived (so you probably don’t want to kill Kibrani off, either).

So now they’re off towards the Forest Shill’th to receive the power of Air. Drogul wants to capture Kibrani, Fate wants to make sure the Heir comes to her at the appointed time and place, and Second and Third want to destroy the group and deliver the Staff to their Master. Kibrani has been given limited powers of Commanding Voice, Sense Danger, and Wish – but only with regard to the safety of her child. She and Callain want to find a way to keep the baby. Fate is trying to take Myrara as her tool by helping her out of madness. Snarskall has been relieved of command of Drogul’s forces by Ragnar, and has vowed to have revenge on Ragnar and restore the goblin race to greatness. Rracaw watches from the sky.

(NOTE - Past writers, please feel free to post any significant details that my aging memory has omitted. R.)

Have at it, y’all. After all that, I’m going to let someone else have the honor of First Installment. Let the games begin!

[ September 14, 2003, 14:01: Message edited by: Rallymama ]

 

OoC: (out of character) This was going to be a round of to the previous 'chapter' but it will serve as good a purpose here as there.


A goblin crept into the abandoned house that Ragnar had taken as his own, at least for the duration of his stay in Aeroth. Even though the walls on two sides were collapsed and the only warmth, and light, came from a few scattered candles, it was more comfortable than the streets where the goblins under Snarskall had been living.

Bowing low, Ragnar had instilled discipline into goblin flesh, the messenger opened his mouth to report that those they were watching were preparing to leave, but got no further than “Master, they –“ before Ragnar interrupted, “Yes I know”.

The human, his demonic blood was too diluted to have affected his actual appearance, lounged on a table staring at the ceiling. He was bored, bored enough that he was actually speaking with words rather than thoughts straight into the recipient’s mind. With a sigh he sat up and dismissed the goblin messenger.

It was unavoidable. He was going to have to go and speak to the goblin ‘horde’. ‘Horde’ he felt was too strong a word, ‘rabble’ or ‘mob’ maybe but not ‘horde’. What possible reason Drogul had for using them was beyond him. Well, he thought, the reasons behind Drogul’s actions are unknown, even to me. At the moment. Coming close to smiling he checked himself in time, remembering that he had to talk to the ‘rabble’, yes ‘rabble’ was a good word for them, and explain that they were going to leave now.

They were just so stupid. He knew he was intelligent, very intelligent, this time he smiled, but ‘stupid’ was the best word he could come up with? Stupid. Stupid goblins. It fit perfectly, a simple word for simple scum. Ragnar strode out of the door, the smile faded to a frown, and went out to order his troops ready for leaving.


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

Illith’Hen strode out of the gates of Aeroth, the rest of the party in tow, the Staff held like a walking stick before him. The elf didn’t know exactly where he was going, nor did any of those who followed him. They were all bound up in the twisted net of Fate, and all they knew was that the Staff would show them the way.

 

If there were a disbeliever in the bunch, no one knew, for it was a well kept secret.
We go all over for this staff, but what does this staff do for us? So it came from a big tree, I don't care! The disbeleiver thought.
Yes, the disbeliever was utterly ignorant to the importance of the Tree of Fate.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ilith'Hen was filled with a sense of purpose, holding the staff in his hands. He could almost feel the power returning to it. He was begining to think that there was hope that he could do this afterall.

 

wow, rallymama! i see you have made my story quite stunning! you probably tought i left permanently and grabbed control of it, eh? well that plan won't work, becouse i have returned! muahhahaha! I'm reading the last part of the story right now, and I'll post my part in the new chapter soon.

 

Glad you're back, Ancalimon! Illith'Hen and Sadi are in desperate need of some personality...

 

lol, I'll do what i can, i missed you guys

 

I too dumb to join in, but I could spell-check the previous topics and put the whole ****e together, if you get my meaning, so it would be easier to read.

And some chick and guy falling in love and getting a kid? Ouch. But whatever, it's just me hating every fictional hetero couple I come across.

[ September 11, 2003, 21:36: Message edited by: Eze ]

 

Eze honey, you anything BUT dumb! If you're inspired to spice this up with some discreet, tasteful alternative action, go for it. The plot's the thing, after all - the rest is just gravy.

As for the hetero slant, cut me a break! I can only write what I know!

 

But I would like to put the story toghether, so people wouldn't have to bother with the searching and stuff so much.

I really don't think I could think something up.

 

Iliith'Hen watched. His eyes were sharp; he saw much of what the others missed. The eagle still circled. They were still watched. He glanced up; even now, it was there. His grip tightened on the Staff ---it's STAFF now right? Not STAVE?--- The dying forest outside of the walls of Aeroth was quiet... Though Iliith'Hen knew that there wasn't much in the way of wildlife in there, the silence seemed unnatural. Foreboding. He could tell Callain was unnerved a bit too, from the way the assassin's hand never strayed too far from his crossbow. So Iliith'Hen watched, for he felt uneasy.

Kibrani swallowed thickly, wondering if she hadn't been a bit daft in refusing to buy a riding beast. Her lower back ached, and her movements felt imbalanced, graceless.Not to mention her roiling stomach. 'Dammit, will you just be born?!' she thought in exasperation. She was beginning to really show, and she glared at her distended belly with ill humor. Yes she wanted, maybe even needed, this baby but... Kibrani groaned softly. She felt off balanced, in more ways than one. She was nauseous, her movements were limited, and she wasn't about to do anything to risk the child... So she felt vulnerable. She couldn't fight, couldn't defend herself. It might hurt the babe, and besides she lost most of her agility along with her slim belly. Kibrani laid her hand across her midsection, sighing.

The eagle cry startled them all. Heads turned up, to watch the great bird stoop and dive. The shriek echoed in the quiet forest, and sent the group into a flurry of action. Iliith'Hen clutched the Staff, Sadi drew his sword, Callain whipped around his crossbow, and Glamrod raised his axe. Myrara took up a stance, paling slightly. When the cloaked figure stepped from the forest, they were ready.
"I would not, were I you," said a low voice, as Callain sighted with his crossbow. Callain said nothing, merely narrowing his eyes. The eagle swooped at him, appearing suddenly to snatch at the weapon. The raptor landed on the cloaked one's wrist, a crossbow bolt laying broken on the ground.
"Who are you?" Demanded Iliith'Hen suspiciously. The hooded face turned to him.
"I was once called the Ninth. I was once a sacred guard."
"Once?" Repeated Sadi, frowning.
"I am now called Beroth."
"Beroth..." whispered Iliith'Hen. The word meant despair. Beroth once again moved his regard to Iliith'Hen.
"There are dangers before you, physical or not. I can guide you through them as no one else can. " Beroth looked at Myrara, and she shivered a little, meeting the shadowed eyes under the hood. Callain watched Beroth, his gaze reserved.
"How can we trust you?" He asked. There was a long moment of silence, then Beroth replied;
"You can't."

 

So! Things are moving along now and getting interesting.

EZE!!
If you are really interested in doing that, PLEASE do. That story needs to be rid of all the rambling and going around in circles.
Did someone accuse me of exacty the same

 

Kibrani approached Beroth slowly, Callain a half-step behind her. She stared deeply into the eyes within his hood, then cautiously extended her hand. Rracaw let her stroke his head with one finger.

“Maybe we can’t entirely trust him,” she said, turning to the others, “but he doesn’t mean us any harm.”

She’d expected Callain’s frown, Glamrod’s snort and Sadi’s skeptical look, but not the reactions she got from the others. Second and Third moved forward swiftly, stepping between her and Beroth. The mental warning flared briefly as they forced her to stumble back a pace but died quickly when Callain caught her. Myrara gasped and started as though she had been slapped.

“What are you saying?” she whispered. “How can you know that?”

“Call it a gut instinct,” Kibrani replied, pressing one hand where her waist used to be. “I’m sure I’m in no more danger from him than from the rest of you.” She looked up at Second’s impassive face, remembering the prickle in her mind and wondering just how true her words were.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Beroth’s appearance did little to alleviate Illith’Hen’s unease. How many more mysterious people were going to show up before this whole strange business was over? He might have been named as the Guardian of the Heir of Fate, but it was plain that any physical threat to Kibrani would have to get through Callain first and Illith’Hen didn’t give that much of a chance for success – so did that leave him to combat enemies from other quarters? What was it that Sadi had said he was to do? Something about making sure the Heir was safely born and delivered to Fate’s care… He had come to like and respect his companions; would he be able or willing to force them to give up their child against their wishes? What would happen if he couldn’t?

And the Staff itself – what would happen to it when all this was resolved, for good or for ill? He didn’t like the way it hung in his mind even more heavily than in his hand. He felt as though he were being stretched between the different forces, Earth and Fire, and that only the Staff kept him from being pulled apart. Without it…Illith’Hen didn’t like where that line of thought was heading. He needed to separate the Staff from the powers it had given him, if only to make sure that he didn’t get lost in the elemental storm it contained.

 

Yep. I'll do different versions. First is pasted together and grammar fixed. Second is grammar fixed and made coherent. Third is all of the above but also description and stuff.

Is it okay like that?

*why am I helping ppl like that*

*shakes head*

And how will I divide it? I mean, like into chapters. We can't have one long mumbo-jumbo or what?

 

Sounds like a great plan! Thank you, VERY much!

As for the chapter divisions, make your best guess. If someone can present a good reason for altering something later, it shouldn't be too hard to revise.

 

And the character's appearances. I pasted the whole story together and am now starting to edit it.

But what about the appearances?

I haven't seen any comments how they should look like, but I don't want to make every thing up myself.

Here are my visions on few character's appearances I pondered on.

Kibrani: I think her with shoulder-length brown curly hair and with warm brown eyes. (LOL) Well, she's like middle height with a toned body. (even more LOL)

Callain: Er, maybe blue eyes, black hair, pale skin quite creepy looking and in black like I understood from the story.(LOL)

Sadi: For some reason he stroke to me as a lithe Arabian looking guy with two daggers. (LOL again)
Maybe it's the name, it sounds Arabic.

The Three: Maybe they would all be like lookalikes. Blond hair and black eyes, really tall and dressed in plate mail, all carrying swords and wearing black cloaks.

That's all I have thought in those moments I pasted the monster.

Hehe.

 

Wow. That's pretty close to what I envisioned for Kibrani, Callain, and the Three. I had no picture for Sadi but what you describe works. The only changes I would make are that Kibrani is fairly small (5'3"/160 cm) and Callain is tallish (6'0"/193 cm). The Three should definitely be big.

 

Do I write it with the appearances like we have thought together?

I have nothing else to do, so yeah. *LOL*

 

Sure.

EDIT - Oops, I think I said in one place that Kibrani has very long hair, like down to her hips and worn in a braid or bun. But that can change.

 

Well, after the spell check I'll start working on the thing. When it's ready, I'll send it to you and you could send it to other Staffers and so everybody could nitpick, comment, ask and offer ideas.

If the character has been described somehow, I'll try to work it together, so it'd fit.

*goes off to spellcheck*

 

I like that image of the Three!!!!!