Confrontation RP - IC

[Frozen Feet]

Darks clouds obscure the sun. The wind is howling like a thousand lost souls as wind rattles the old wooden gate of Windmill village. The wall around it was dismantled ages ago, but the good folk decided to leave the gate standing as a greeting and landmark to visitors. A lone man, dressed in a black cloak and riding a mighty dark horse, passes through it without a sound. Grass wilts in the wake of his steed.

 

From the gate, the road goes on and runs through the center of the village, taverns, shops and houses on its both sides. Normally, the streets would be filled with people this time of the day, but today anticipation of oncoming storm and the feeling of creeping evil have led the townsfolk to hide in their homes, locking their doors and curtaining the windows. Stopping in between the first two buldings, an old forge and a tavern, the cloaked rider jumps from the saddle, his iron boots striking heavily to the ground.

"I know you are here!", he shouts as he straightens up, casting his wrathful gaze on the buildings around. His voice is horrifying, like rattling of a great bonfire, and it seems only bolstered by the howling air. His dark cloak billows in the wind as he steps forward, his feet leaving sizzling black spots behind. His face is obscured by a blackened iron mask, crafted in the visage of a leering demon. Through the sockets, red eyes glow like burning embers.

 

"This game has gone on for long enough! No more hiding! Come out and give me what is mine!"

 

---

 

OOC:

Click to reveal..

Imagine it's beginning of a book's closing act. The push has come to shove, and the Big Bad Evil Guy is standing at the end of the street, calling your characters out.

 

Who your characters are, and why or how they are there up to you. You can, and are encouraged to expand on this via flashbacks and character thoughts - but try to have each post nudge the plot towards resolution as well. The main goal is to overcome my character, the Black Rider.

 

Rules and advice:

• The setting is a generic fantasy kitchen sink - anything goes, as long as you're confident you can pull it off without detracting from the story.
• Don't control other people's characters without permission.
• Talk character fights through with your opponent via PM, AIM etc., so you both know what resolution to work towards.
• No godmodding, ie. letting your character miraculously have everything his way.
• Small OOC comments and messages in this thread are acceptable, just put them in spoilers. For longer OOC posts, like character sheets or long comments on the plot, should be put here instead.

Be polite to others - it'll be much funnier experience that way.

[Goldengirl]

"And it can tell time!" bolstered Jenny, waving around the pocket watch for all to see. A collective gasp came from the small crowd that she had gathered around herself. That was, of course, until some wizard on the other end of the tavern scoffed, muttered a spell, and showed the positions of the sun and moon, from which he gleaned the exact time.

 

Bloody wizard. The crowd dissipated somewhat, leaving only a handful of men remaining. Sighing heavily, she started packing up her gadgets - the pocketwatch, the blinking light, and the beeping machine - and placing them in her satchel.

 

"I know you are here!"

 

Her face went pale, and she wheeled around. Outside of the tinted windows, she saw that tall man's silhouette. Slowly, Jenny tiptoed towards the backdoor, her hand clutched tightly around her small crossbow, her goggles down over her eyes.

 

"This game has gone on for long enough! No more hiding! Come out and give me what is mine!"

 

Setting in a poisoned bolt in the crossbow, she creeped out the back door of the tavern. She peered around the corner at that great monstrosity. Pulling herself back around the corner, she looked around her for an escape route.

 

Nothing.

[Lord Safey]

He casted that cantrip of a spell to shut up that ridiculous merchant. Hopefully he could enjoy his drink in quiet now. Then he heard the accursed voice.

"I know you are here!"

The hood on his tattered dark blue robes obscured how pale his face went.

 

"This game has gone on for long enough! No more hiding! Come out and give me what is mine!"

 

He pulled out a fist full of the coins and slapped them down on the table

 

"Bartender give me the strongest swill you have." He shouted.

 

The bartender quickly pours him the drink. He downs it at once. The robed man stood up staggering slightly. He starts making his way up stairs muttering some incantation under his breath. He pauses momentarily as he notices the sudden stressed out look of the female who was impressing the crowd.

[Frozen Feet]

Outside, the Rider turns towards the tavern with loud, heavy steps. There's an inhaling sound, as if he's smelling the air. There's a flash in the distance, the first lightning striking through the air, soon followed by muffled roar. The black horse besides the rider gives a nervous neigh.

 

After a moment of hesitation, the rider closes with the tavern door in two long strides, and grabs the handle. A brief try proves the door locked. He gives it a furious shove, making it creak unnervingly as it almost gives in. Black scorch marks are left to the wood where he touched it.

 

"Open!"

[Lord Safey]

Finishing his muttering the blue robed mage turns when inhuman speed when the doors blast open. The mage summons three large scorpion creatures which rush the black clad individual as soon as they become solid. Two large brutish thugs rush the individual as well. The mage already has a wand out with a bright blast of energy rush towards it target.

 

What the mage took he can no longer give back.

[Frozen Feet]

The Rider curses loudly as the scorpions assault him, and push him back outside with their charge. "Your tricks will not help you, or your friends, sorcerer!", he shouts, grabbing one of the arthropods from its tail and flinging it aside like a ragdoll. Blink of an eye later, he has already drawn his sword, and plunges it through one of the ape-like creatures. The thuggish creation howls in pain as it is impaled, stench of burning fur and flesh filling the air.

 

As the wide light shoots at him, the Rider steps back, holding the dying creature before him to shield him self from the blast. A blinding light obscures the two for a moment, but then the black-clad figure emerges unharmed, pushing the torn remnants of the summoned creature off his sword. Still, three more monsters block his way to the tavern.

 

Inside, things have detoriared into chaos. People are shouting and drawing their weapons, bewildered of what is going on. Both the stairs and the doorway are soon swarmed by the panicking crowd. The horse of the Rider is scared by this, and trots nervously away.

[Goldengirl]

Perfect. The Rider's horse trotted away, nervously, its eyes looking positively satanic. Inside the tavern, yelling and explosions covered up all noise she might make. Running quickly, Jenny moved from her hiding place behind the tavern, to a nearby shop that was closed for the night.

 

Taking careful aim, Jenny fired a single poisoned dart at that evil stallion. From what she knew of horses, Jenny knew that that would most likely just feel like a bug bite to the spooked beast. The poison in the dart would certainly be enough to kill a man rather quickly, but with such a large, muscular creature, the effect would be far more delayed.

 

Not waiting to see if the dart hit its mark, Jenny broke into a stealth run. Her satchel was held close to her side, its dark treasure hidden deep within. This is what I get for playing with the Devil. Jenny kept sprinting, towards a shrine tucked away on the street.

 

Jenny had friends in high places.

[Lord Safey]

Aided by his close location and the speed afforded to him by his haste spell He quickly darts up the stairs and too his room before they become crowded . Grabs his bag climbs out his window which fortunately was facing away from the rider. Carefully he lowers himself down from his window. He quickly makes another giant scorpion, gets on it, cast haste on it, and rides off, abandoning this tavern and its occupants to its fate. Making efforts to hide his tracks he takes up a hiding spot he scouted out for this eventuality in the basement of a long abandoned shrine at the edge of town. He conjures for another ape looking like human creature that he had at the bar as guard in the collapses in the corner out of exhaustion.

[Dantius]

Father René sat in the temple garden. Despite the rapidly approaching storm, everything was peaceful and quiet. The fountains burbled softly and the birds were quietly chirping. His book of chants and rituals lay on the bench next to him. Taking out a small pen and a bottle of ink, he began to carefully gloss some of the more complex spells. This book would have to be simplified and compiled if he was ever going to have get the Archbishop to appoint him an Ecclesiarch. He marked down one note after another, and was so absorbed in his work that he failed to notice the that the birds had stopped chirping for a while. After several minutes he looked up. The silence was bothering him. There was not a sound to be heard- even the fountains seemed muted. Quietly capping his pen and ink, he stood up and opened the door of the temple. Peering out into the street, it was deserted. How strange. Shrugging to himself, he closed the door and headed to his chambers.

 

René had bareley closed the door on his chambers when he felt, rather then hear, the door imploding. The tavern was just down the street from the small temple, and he strained his ears to catch the voice. THis was not, in retrospect neccessary.

 

"I know you are here!"

 

René reeled, collapsing against the door. He had heard that voice, that terrifying voice, somewhere before. He was sure of it. But where? The memory tugged on the pack of his mind, but he could not quite recall it. The voice spoke again:

 

"This game has gone on for long enough! No more hiding! Come out and give me what is mine!"

 

Whatever it was, he knew that that voice meant danger. He had to get out of here. Fast. There was no time that he could afford to waste. He pulled his thin mattress that served as his bed off of the ledge jutting out from the wall. Lying in a narrow recess carved into the stone was a long wooden case. He quickly pressed a rune on it and with great care removed the dagger within. It was a weapon he had gotten decades ago, back when he was a chaplain in the Royal Army. The long, twisting blade reached perhaps sixteen inches and was made of purified crystal, perfectly clear. The blue pommel stone glowed softly in the semidarkness. He slipped the blade into a sheath and concealed it under his robe. With his only significant worldly possession in his plain robe, he silently slipped out a window into the garden.

 

Yelling and explosions from outside the temple filled the air. He cracked open the main door and peered out into the street. It was empty, save a young human woman running for her life. It was too far away for René to make out any facial features, but she did seem somewhat familiar. He turned away and intoned a low chant under his breath. A globe of force shimmered into existence around him and then turned invisible- the Sanctuary spell was complete, and he was safe. Now all he had to do was get out of here...

[Frozen Feet]

Jenny's bolt hits the black horse to its side. The pain makes the beast neigh and fasten its gait to gallop. However, the Rider notices this, and whistles to it - hesitantly, it slows down and turns to face its master, twitching nervously.

 

The distraction proves enough for the remaining thug to knock the rider down - however, as the beast tries to get on him, the cloaked man kicks it to its gut, sending it reeling backwards. One of the arthropod tries to benefit from the opening, but is smashed by iron-clad fist.

 

"You fools!", the Rider bellows as he stumbles up, turning to face down the street, where the shrine is. "Time of running is over! You've tried before, and failed! We'll settle this here, once and for all!" Pushing members of the frightened crowd out of his way, the Rider strides forward, eyes blazing with determination. The remaining scorpion tries to sneak on him, but the rider steps aside as it attacks and cleaves the creation in halves before it can get a second try.

 

The crowd abates around the black figure, realizing he's not one they'd prefer to be close to. He continues his way unimpeded.

[Lord Safey]

Vorn has a fitful sleep plague with dreams of memories of memories he tries hard to forget.

 

It is a stone room with a round table there are torches lighting the room but no windows. Around the table are seated 9 people with grim expressions and gaunt look about them. The oldest stands and with halting stuttering words speaks "The general's armies have failed. The enemy advances on our position, they will be here in days. The power crystal didn't make it to the pass before the enemy overtook it." He sits down. A hush murmuring and a sense of dread fills the room. A couple of minutes pass before a man dark blue robes and in his mid forties stands up "I hesitate to propose this but I beleive we have no other choice. Their is another way to power the portal if you all would allow it."

 

Vorn wakes to the growling of this thug, he quickly takes cover behind an old coffin. His hands have ice blue nimbus in them.

[Goldengirl]

"Father René! Forgive me, but there is great evil afoot!" screamed Jenny, breathlessly, as she rushed to the door of the shrine. She could feel the dark presence behind her, sending shivers down her spine in cold terror.

 

"You served as a military chaplain, under the aid of my father, Commander Reginaldio. He saved your life, do you remember, from the rebel insurgents. I'm his daughter, and I ask you now to repay that debt. Help me stave us this monster that pursues me, and I'll devote myself to your church, Father." Jenny spoke quickly, but clearly, all to aware, of the danger that loomed over them both.

 

Without waiting for a reply, Jenny jogged into the shrine, beckoning in Father René with her. Locking another bolt into her crossbow, she waited for the priest to say something, practically sweating arrows.

 

She had gone to great lengths and dangers for profit, before, but never this great. Nor would there ever be a time as great as this again, either.

[Frozen Feet]

As the Rider closes to the shrine, he sheathes his sword and beckons his horse closer. The mighty beast trots beside him, its gait swaying oddly - however, the Rider doesn't notice. He lifts a long, iron bow from the saddle and pulls out a blackened arrow from his quiver.

"Come out", he calls, his heavy steps sounding like funeral bells to Jenny and the Father inside the shrine. The rider's bow creaks omniously as he pulls the arrow back. "I might not dare enter a holy place, but my arrows care not of such obstructions."

 

The rider stops, aiming his arrow to the doorway. He can't see those inside, but neither can they see him without stepping into his line of fire. "Once you are dead, all I need is to burn your precious shrine to the ground and claim what's mine from your cooling ashes. Step out willingly, and I might consider sparing you."

[Nioca]

"Faster, faster!" Lyna urged her horse. She was galloping full-pelt toward Windmill Village. From the outskirts, the village seemed deserted. She could easily guess why.

 

The horse slowed to a trot as she entered the village. Lyna gracefully dismounted and tied the horse up to a nearby hitching post... No point carting that exhausted beast around, not that its best miles had just been ground out of it. It neighed nervously as Lyna set off toward the center of the village, her dark leather armor and cloak rendering her a silent shadow against the street. Only her venom-green eyes were visible... they seemed to have a light all their own.

 

"You fools! Time of running is over! You've tried before, and failed! We'll settle this here, once and for all!"

 

A pair of obsidian knives slid silently out of their concealed sheathes as the voice crashed over her. A fleeting thought crossed Lyna's mind... Just how appropriate were the Rider's words? Her eyes easily discerned the crowd fleeing from the tavern; taking refuge behind a tinker's shop, she watched as the Rider pursued his quarry, a young woman, to a shrine at the edge of town.

 

"Alright..." Lyna breathed to herself. "Now what?" She knew directly engaging the thing was hopeless; she was strong, but the Rider was stronger. She needed to even the playing field... Somehow.

 

"Wait, why am I worrying? I've hit impossible targets before... Archmages, rulers, adventurers... by comparison, the devil himself should be easy." Carefully taking the obsidian knives by the tips, Lyna continued to spy on the Rider.

 

"Come out," the Rider called at the door of the shrine. Once again, his words were as clear as day, and she could just make out a drawn bow. "I might not dare enter a holy place, but my arrows care not of such obstructions."

 

One knife, coated in Yarthin Powder... in theory, it'd be all over. But she had experience with those of supernatural predispositions before. She needed to make sure she didn't blow her advantage of surprise, especially considering that the being might very well just shrug off a poison knife to the back.

 

But there were others... and those others might just hold the key to beating the monstrosity. No, she would bide her time... She was in no hurry. One of them had to go. And either way, it was going to end tonight.

 

---

Click to reveal.. (OoC)

Primarily an introduction. Not really in a position to take any real action just yet.

[Dantius]

René was torn. He could easily escape- but he had see and heard what the young woman had to say. Even if it might risk his life, he couldn't leave her to die and disrespect Reginaldo. Cursing most unlike a priest, he cancelled the Sanctuary spell and ran inside the entry of the shrine.

 

"We don't have much time. Get inside to the Sanctum, this should delay him for a bit.."

 

Kneeling on the doorstep, he quickly etched a large rune over the vestibule, so entrance would be impossible without touching some part of it. Anyone entering the shrine with intent to harm those rightfully within would be in for one hell of a surprise. Finishing up the spell just in time, he grabbed Jenny and pushed her into the inner sanctum of the shrine. But before he could enter, he heard the voice of the rider call out behind him:

 

"You fools! Time of running is over! You've tried before, and failed! We'll settle this here, once and for all!"

 

René heard a menacing creak of a large bow being drawn. He closed his eyes and muttered a quick prayer- in his haste to ward the shrine, he had forgotten to close the doors.

 

"Come out. I might not dare enter a holy place, but my arrows care not of such obstructions."

 

René sighed in relief. Without turning, he spoke:

"You know, the first spell any military chaplain worth his salt learns to cast isn't a healing spell."

 

"It's a spell to protect one from arrows..."

 

The rider fired his bow, but he was too late. René had completed his spell, and the arrow stopped harmlessly ten feet away from him and fell to the ground.

 

"My turn. Sunburst!"

 

René gestured wily over his shoulder and a bright golden ray of holy energy was lanced at the Rider. René took advantage of this distraction to duck inside and close the door before checking whether or not his spell had actually hit. Speaking loudly enough for the rider to clearly hear, he turned to Jenny.

 

"Quickly! Let's escape thought he back alley!"

 

Grabbing a heavy candelabra from at table, he hurled it into the large stained glass window at the other end of the sanctum. The glass shattered. Muttering another spell, a two pair of footsteps appeared in the dirt outside the now-broken window leading away from the chapel. Pulling Jenny closer, René whispered:

 

"There's another way out through the Catacombs under the village- it leads out of town into the graveyard or the forest or another shrine. Priests used to use them to escape and hide from armies. I see no reason we can't follow their lead."

 

Pulling Jenny into a transept, René made a quick gesture ate a blank plane of wall. It slid aside, revealing a long, winding staircase down. The two quickly began to make their way down the winding staircase, and the door closed behind them without a trace.

 

Long rows of coffins on either side led down the passage to an intersection. The only light came from globes of magical energy every hundred feet. René lead down the long rows and aisles of bone, until he lost track of how long they had been travelling, though he still knew their exact destination. Eventually, he stopped at a small unmarked door.

 

"Here we are. This should be safe enough."

 

Muttering another spell, the door opened in much the same way that the previous one had, revealing what lay beyond...

[Lord Safey]

Vorn jumps out and almost finishes the spell blasting at what ever was about to come through that door but see its not the rider and stops it in the nick of time. He sees the two individuals standing at the door way.

 

Vorn "I know this may seem strange but you weren't who I was expecting."

 

His guard stands expectantly.

[Frozen Feet]

His arrow being halted came as no surprise to the Rider, but the flash of light blinds him and makes him stumble back. However, the sound of shattering glass doesn't go unnoticed by him. He blinks his eyes a few times to regain sight, the darts around the corner of the building, howling in anger. His horse follows hesitantly.

 

Kneeling beside the false footsteps, the Rider notes their direction, and even follows them for a moment, but it soon becomes apparent to him they are a ruse. Enraged, he smashes his fist against the shrine wall.

 

But this is just another setback, in a long line of setbacks. This close to his prey, the Rider does not despair. His chase will come to an end this night...

[Goldengirl]

The grim dust of the abandoned shrine choked at Jenny as she stepped through the threshold, clutching her satchel close to her. The wizard from the bar stared back at her, and she squinted at him in the half-light of this new holy place.

 

"What are you doing here?" Jenny barked, looking expectantly at the old man. While she waited for the wizard to explain himself, she pulled a funny looking wand out of her satchel. Handing a small piece of lead to Father René, she asked him to bless it, make it holy, so as to destroy an abomination.

 

"The Rider will no doubt find us soon. And he's right. Now is the time to kill, not the time to run. There has been too much running... We have to make our stand here, prepare our defenses, and destroy that monster for good."

 

Again, she turned to the wizard, waiting for him to say something, or to cast some defensive spells on the area, anything. Nervously, she cocked another bolt into her handheld crossbow.

[Lord Safey]

Vorn spoke "I came to the region under some duress. In a supply cache several days travel here I hid a few things that I wanted to keep but not travel with. Be kinda of awkward if I was caught traveling them. Among them contains a book with which I could figure out how to preform a ritual to banish the individual, who so rudely barged into the bar today, permanently, or well at least by the time he undoes it we will be long dead and our bones dust.

Killing him will likely only send him back to his place of origin for a very short period of time. I warn you though the material components need for this are not likely to be common but I can not know what they are until I see the ritual. If you wish to accompany me I would appreciate it. For now I must rest and gather my strength."

 

With that the old wizard slumps back into floor next to a coffin and is sleeping again. The ugly looking thug keeps himself between his master and the two newcomers.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Susan had heard the commotion at the tavern as she made her way into the town, but had been too far away to do anything. Possessing less of a sense of self-preservation than the townspeople, she had followed the Rider as far as the temple. By the time he had darted around the corner of the building, Susan was in range; however, she hesitated. Clearly it was chasing someone in particular... perhaps if she followed it she could better aid whomever it was chasing...

[Lord Safey]

The wizard, after a couple of hours, wakes up. He yawns briefly.

He stands and speaks "Gather your stuff we must leave soon. I feel him coming. I will plant a trap for him. It most likely won't kill him but could make his day a bit more unpleasant and slow him down. He walks down the hall occasionally cover the ceiling or support in acid. He lets sits for a few minutes, until he hears the groaning of stone getting ready to shift and then freezes it all over with several well placed spells.

 

Walks back into the basement of the shrine. He grabs his bag. Vorn "Lets go". He walks up the stairs of the shrine, heads to heads to the back door of the shrine, cracks it open and then uses a mirror to scope out the area. After seeing nothing dangerous he slips out, not even checking if the others are following him.

[Frozen Feet]

Unfortunately for Vorn... he is mistaken. A black arrow shoots from the darkness towards his chest as soon as he steps out. "I see the rabbits have decided to come out from their hole", the rattling voice hisses from the darkness, accompanied by an omnious creak as another arrow is pulled back. "Pray tell me, why did you think your underground excursion would throw me off for this long?"

[Lord Safey]

His thug jumps out in front of him taking the shoot in the chest. It just roars and charges onward towards the darkness, oblivious to the feathered stick protruding out of his chest. Being able to see into the darkness, he figures the the rider is over the tunnel he releases the energies keeping the hall below frozen. With a loud crash and large billowing cloud of dust,the ground beneath the rider begins to collapse.

 

As the dust settled the three mighty creatures that Vorn has summoned appears. One looks a lot like a beholder expect its eye is bigger. It is flanked by two very large and very ugly ogre looking creatures. They are all shimmering with the magics of the various the spells of blessing and protections that Vorn is casting. They move forth to meet the rider's challenge.

[Nioca]

Lyna watched the foolish woman follow the Rider. Apparently, the simpletons of this village were unaware of the proper protocol when it came to supernatural beings in demon masks; that is, to stay the hell away unless you know exactly what you're doing.

 

However, she also saw a shimmer about her... a faintest trace of magic. Fool she might be, but she could prove useful. Drawing a kattari and carefully slipping across the distance between them, Lyna grabbed the unaware woman by the shoulder and yanked her into a nearby ally. "Are you insane?" She hissed, pushing the point of the kattari into the mage's stomach. "Or are you just that stupid?"

 

----------

Click to reveal.. (OoC)

I (like to think I) am nice and do not intend to offend. Lyna... not nearly so much.

 

Anyway, getting the ball rolling on contact between Susan and Lyna.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Susan wasn't really as unaware as Lyna thought; however, her focus on locating the Rider prevented her from noticing the other woman as soon as she would have liked. Just as she was about to turn to see who it was, a hand grabbed her by the shoulder, preventing her from turning to see who was dragging her into an alley with a dagger to her stomach.

 

"Are you insane? Or are you just that stupid?"

 

She let out a sigh of exasperation. "Not at all," she replied. "I was merely observing. From what I saw, it seemed not to care about anyone other than its chosen target as long as they didn't get in the way. At least, none of the townspeople I saw between tavern and shrine seemed to have a lack of life." She tried to push the dagger away from her stomach. "And might I add that pushing a dagger into my stomach when you claim to be acting in the interest of my welfare is a touch contradictory?"

[Frozen Feet]

The three glowing monstrosities walk into the dark and peer around in the wreckage. However, there's no sign of the Rider where the ground sunk in. The monsters move cautiosly forward, not keen to go too far from the one they're protecting. For a moment, their steps and grunts are the only thing audible in the night.

 

Then, a heavy feeling, like a downpour of boiling water, strikes Vorn and the other at the tunnel entrance, wrenching their guts and pushing them backwards. "Why do you fight, wizard?", the rattling voice comes from above and behind Vorn. His summons turn to look over him and bellow in rage. "I'm not here for you today. Run now, and I might let you escape. Stay, and I will not bother with mercy. Your choice."

[Lord Safey]

Vorn passes out and slumps, he put to much energy into creating these creatures and the attack just pushed him over the edge. This enrages the three monstrosities and they attack the black clad rider. The beholder looking creature fires off a powerful bolt of energy with at the rider. The two ogre looking creatures charge only slightly behind the bolt of energy,hollowing in rage at the creature and barely miss stepping on their masters head.

 

A humanoid with a arrow stuck in his chest quietly come and picks and carries off Vorn in the confusion of battle.

[Frozen Feet]

The rider jumps to the side, the bolt of energy wheezing past him and explosion akin to a thunderbolt lights the night as it strikes a tree behind him. The rider draws his sword and lifts it to block a blow from the first troll, but the creature is much stronger than expected and the rider is thrown from his feet. He quickly rolls backwards to his feet, but only narrowly avoids the next blow by darting to the left. The troll howls in rage as its fist meets nothing but mud.

 

The oppressing feeling is still weighing heavily upon those at the tunnel entrance - but the way is open. With the Rider combating the three abominations, Jenny and the Father have a clear way to the shadows of the forest...

[Goldengirl]

Jenny watched the fury of the battle unfolding before her, and saw her chance. Pulling out the bizarre wand she had earlier, she ran towards the forest, clutching the Father's wrist as she went.

 

Then, at the edge of the forest, she turned back. Aiming the wand with trained precision, she let loose a single fiery shot. Not waiting to see if the bullet hit its mark, she ran quickly into the forest.

[Dantius]

As soon as Jenny and René reached the edge of the forest, René stopped dead. Jenny turned around curiously, and René grasped her by the shoulder. He closed his eyes and muttered a single word. Colors ran and the world bent and spun around them. It felt he he was being squeezed through a tiny hole. Suddenly, it was over, and he and Jenny popped back into existence in the street in front of the temple. Several bewildered passerby stared at the priest and the young woman that had materialized in front of the shrine, but René ignored them. Thinking quickly, he pulled Jenny into an alley across the street and spoke to her:

 

"Word of Recall. Sorry about that, it's not exactly a pleasant experience. At any rate, the Rider should be far enough away that we will have more time to prepare. I don't know how he got into the catacombs without activating any of my wards, but at least we'll have advanced warning if he tries to come near us again."

 

Jenny responded to René: "We shouldn't remain here too long. We need to find the ritual of banishment Vorn spoke of if we are to rid ourselves of this abomination."

 

René shrugged. "Of course. But do you know where he hid it? He wasn't very specific on the location. All points several days travel, on foot, would cover an area of several hundred square miles. We can't search all of that by hand, we need to find Vorn again and have him locate the ritual for us. But I can't reverse the Word of Recall, and it would be dangerous to confront the Rider."

 

Jenny shook her head. "We need to remain several steps ahead of him. That could be difficult. He has powers and resources that would be difficult to trump"

 

"Yes, but now we have advanced knowledge of him, his current location, and what he wants. The exit he chased us out of was a old tomb in the forest. He's at least two hours travel from here by horse, more by foot. We have many more options now. Plus, ow that I know he's coming, I can ward the town gates to place a spell on him so that we know his exact location. We should have enough tricks up our sleeve to foil him for long enough to retrieve Vorn and the ritual."

 

It was at this point that René noticed something that he cursed himself for not noticing something that should have been painfully obvious on entering the alley. He was not alone. A short woman wearing a battlemage uniform and another woman wielding a knife in her hand were facing them with curiosity. They looked at them with interest, as it was clear that they recognized them. This was odd, since René had never met either of them. Renee opened his palms in a gesture of peace, and then walked up to begin speaking with them...

[Lord Safey]

The large burly humanoid with a arrow in its chest and a man slung over his back came to a hut on a farm. He promptly kicks in the door and enters. A couple second later two naked people of opposing genders coming running out in their birthdays suits. The are running in the direction of town.

 

Once inside the monstrous humanoid lays down his master. The mans breath is shallow and his face pale. The creature stares at the man with a puzzled, confused and scared look with no clue how to help him.

[Frozen Feet]

The rider notices Jenny at the last second, grabs one of the trollish monsters and pulls it on the bullet's way. However, this gives the other one chance to tackle the Rider to the ground, and last glimpse Jenny gets of the scene is the Rider grappling with one of the beasts.

 

---

 

As Jenny and René discuss their plan on the alleyway, thunder strikes again in the distance. The wind is picking up, and if they want to travel, they ought to get moving soon.

 

However, if they pay attention to the horizon, they might notice that curiously enough, something else is illuminating the sky in addition of the thunderbolt. A crimson glow is emanating from the direction of the forest - a fire has started among the venerable trees. It's not a pleasing sight.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Noticing the priest approaching, Susan pushed Lyna's dagger away and wormed out of her grasp. "Greetings, Father."

[Lord Safey]

The large ogre creature bellows in rage. The wound hurts it but is far from fatal and the holy energy has not effect on it. The one in the grapple seems not to be effected by the hot touch of the rider. It holds the rider with one hand and starts to punch it with the other. The rider has trouble utilizing its sword he has no room to swing it. The other tries to grab hold of the rider's sword arm too shake it violently. The Beholder like creature sits back and analyzes the combat waiting for an opportunity. All parties seem oblivious to the fire in the forest.

[Frozen Feet]

The troll punches the Rider again and again, his mask starting to crack under the barrage. Enraged, the black-clad man detaches one hand from the creature and reaches towards a tree burning in the distance. A gust of wind picks up several heated embers from its smoking trunk and throws them on the beasts back, causing it immense pain.

 

It gives the Rider just enough time to push the creature back and kick its jaw with bone-crushing force, knocking it off of him. The Rider rolls up, and casts his hateful glare on the beholder. He reaches towards the sky and pulls - and with ear-shattering roar, a lightning bolt descends from the blackened sky, striking the aberrant being.

 

Though the fight is not over, the Rider does not feel like wasting any more time with it. He lets out a high-pitched whistle, which echoes through the forest, mixing with the howling winds and paradoxically growing in magnitude as it schreeches through the air. The ghastly wail reaches even Windmill village, causing chill in the spines of those who hear it.

 

Somewhere in the forest, Rider's steed wearily rises to its hooves in response to its master's call, galloping towards the fight.

 

The hunt is not over.

[Lord Safey]

The beholder explodes into a million pieces, it is no more. The two Ogres like creatures hesitate as the whistle screeches through the air. For a brief moment terror can been seen in their eyes, but then something clicks and they start raging once more. One then charges forward with no sense of self preservation. The other with a broken jaw picks up a sizable tombstone and hurls it with startling speed at the black clad rider.

----------------------Farmer's hut-----------------------

Seeing the approaching flames, the brute decides its time to move. He picks up his master and heads down the road in the direction that the two people ran.

----------------------Village------------------------------

Running past an alley way two people running , while doing their best cover their shame, in to the village, frantically yelling "Help, help some moster broke into our house he almost killed us"