Blades Story Thread

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:22 pm

This is a story thread for some people I have contacted. Others are welcome to post another story thread but I'd prefer it if we limited this thread to the people I've spoken too.

Thanks...

***

Two figures crested a hill, both a lot bigger than average size, they created an imposing force. The larger of the two, called Connavar, was garbed in Full Plate Mail. He had a Greatsword hung on a shoulder harness and a large Composite Longbow slung over his other shoulder. The other, called Matti, wore lighter armour, he was an extremely fast warrior and relied on speed over his enemies.

Both were Paladins, and both were out in the field with a purpose. They had been given a quest by the academy, and they would succeed, for it was part of Connavar's heritage and Matti had always been curious as to what was revealed in Connavar's journal, inherited from his ancestors.

"I swear, if I catch you dropping any more of that balck powder in a fire again, I'll spit you myself! I can't believe you did that! Those orcs wouldn't have seen us if it wasn't for your blasted experiments!"

"Who? Me? I would never do such a thing!" The man grinned and deftly pocketed a small pouch of powder.

"Good, I'm glad you have realised the errors of such a thing. Torm prays for you my friend, but Lathander and Tymora must be on your side, you are such a lucky..."

"Shush Connavar! See the fire in yon distance?"

He pointed to a fresh started fire in the near distance, roughly an hours travel of forced march.

"Shall we investigate then, lucky one?" Connavar grinned again and set off at a rapid pace.

***

The group of Clerics settled in the distance, but the newest addition to the group stirred restlessly, sleep was hard for him to find at the moment, he was plagued by memories.

When his lids finally began to close he caught two figures just entering the light of the fire.

He leapt up and shouted out.

"Hold! Be ye friend or foe?"

The other Clerics began to stir at the noise...

He waited for a response from the two figures...

***

OOC: Ok, this was just a scene setting post, Rail and I are Connavar and Matti, AJ is the restless Cleric, there are 3 other Characters that will be written in soon. Hold no fear other characters, we will meet you in a town soon!

With that, I'm on holiday for a week starting today, so I won't be able to post, can I trust Rail and AJ to take us to town? *Nippy looks at them...*

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 4:31 pm

Pick me!ME ME ME ME ME!!!!

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 7:11 pm

Originally posted by craig
Pick me!ME ME ME ME ME!!!!

Don't spam like this craig.
Contact Nippy via PM or email for something like this

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average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 11:02 pm

hm...i can account for my own character's actions, but I see you want me to account for your characters' as well. ok, i'll do my best, though you know them better than i do.....

***

Lying beneath the wide sky, Saien could hear the gentle snoring of his companions. He couldn't have slept, even if he hadn't been given first watch, for his mind raced as it had for days now.

For months he had journeyed with these traveling clerics, and he had grown close to them. But he would soon depart from their company. He had questions burning within him, and the root from which they all stemmed was found in the name "Blades of the Banshee." His companions had been able to tell him little, only that the name registered with them vaguely--a group of protectors forgotten. They had pointed him in the direction of the longer lived Elves, and tomorrow he would set out for Niire, an Elvish outpost on the border of the Lorell forests, where he hoped to find answers.

He did not relish the idea of leaving his present company, but the freedom of the road did call to him, and he knew Fharlanghn would watch over his journeys.

And he could always watch out for himself.

Saien had acquired a good sense of the road throughout his years, traveling them most of his life. Alone. He had been alone so long, ever since...

Saien's eyes jerked open. Biting back a curse for allowing himself to drift off, he slowly reached for his crossbow, lying behind him amongst his packs. He had heard something...someone drawing near.

In a fraction of a second, he was on his feet and aiming his crossbow at a slightly shocked man, hands in the air. "Hold," Saien cried. The man wore light armor, yet he was quite large. An even larger figure stood behind him, his full suit of armor gleaming in the light of the fire. Saien took in the large sword and bow the greater of the two had on his person, then calmly inquired of the pair, "Be ye friend or foe?"

***

I'm tired, so i'll stop with this intro to my character.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 1:18 pm

Matti stood completely motionless, holding his breath. He guessed Connavar, standing behind him, did the same. Light, where was his luck? He whispered as much to Connavar.

"It's no doubt your luck that has kept our new acquaintance from pulling the trigger and putting a bolt through your head," Connavar whispered back.

The man holding the crossbow cried out. "No good sirs. It is my hesitation to put a bolt through an innocent fool that keeps me from pulling the trigger. Your luck will not make me hesitate to end the life of those who would do harm to me or my companions, however, so I ask once more....Be ye friend of foe? I'll not ask again." His accent was brisk, yet his tone was quite serious.

Connavar quickly spoke up, "You may lower your weapon, good sir, for we mean you no harm...nor your companions."

Matti continued to watch the eyes of the man before him. They had an intensity he did not expect for one so young. True, this fellow looked to be no older than he or Connavar, but he did not think the man would hesitate to end his or Connavar's life. And his hearing...it must be remarkable to understand the soft words spoken between the pair. Matti interjected, "We are paladins walking this land, and we came to investigate your camp, hoping we might find friendly company and a place to rest."

The man before them held his position. Truthfully, Matti was growing impatient with the situation. Who would continue to threaten a paladin, much less a pair of them? Tossing his powder into the fire might make enough of a distraction for he and Connavar to take cover, but he dared not make a move, nor take his eyes from the other's.

"Easy, Saien. These men speak true." One of the men who had been sleeping around the camp now stood beside--Saien was it?--and he had placed his hand on Saien's shoulder. Saien held a moment longer. "You should know I have a sense for such things," the man continued. Saien looked to the man beside him, then lowered his weapon.

"I'll trust your judgment, Hastin, though these two men have more luck than they might have guessed." Saien flashed a scowl at Matti, who finally exhaled. He would keep his eye on this Saien. Caution was a commendable trait, but Saien seemed the type to change moods quickly. Quicksilver. And Matti too had a sense for such things. He saw much of himself in Saien.

Hastin welcomed Matti and Connavar to the camp, and introductions were passed along to everyone. Appartently Saien was a Cleric of Fharlanghn, god of the roads, and he traveled with these men, all clerics themselves, though their deities were not all necessarily Fharlanghn. Nevertheless, they all seemed to have a common bond and a sense of comradrie.

They all talked of news and such that they had heard on the road. Saien seemed to have forgotten his first encounter with the two, for he joked continually with Matti. Perhaps Saien wasn't so bad afterall...though Matti still wasn't so sure.

Saigo · Post by **Saigo** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 10:28 pm

An emerald shadow slipped from the cover of the trees and started up the hill. Atop the hill were the shattered stones of a fallen dream. The Academy of the Blade had been the training ground for a legion of heroes.

Nolan Fairoak, son of Jayin, son of Ryan, was a cautious man. He crept from rock to shrub to grassy gully, keeping to the darkest of night's shadows as he climbed. The threatening rain was a blessing; the moon and stars would not betray him, and the things that had been tracking him for the last twenty days might finally lose his scent.

An hour after leaving the trees, Nolan reached the top. From there, he looked back over the hundred yards he had crossed to be sure the beasts were not behind him. Satisfied, he turned to the ruins. His grandfather had not lied: nowhere did one stone remain atop another. The granite bones of the old keep were tumbled and strewn across the plateau, making it a treacherous maze of stone, and in the center towered a lone monolith covered with faintly glowing runes.

Nolan hesitated. For whatever reason, the sight of this monument made him uneasy. He drew a cleansing breath, and then another, relaxing and focusing his mind in the way of his mother's people. He set off across the shattered landscape, toward the beckoning finger of rock. A light rain fell, softening the hard edges of stone. Mist formed a halo around the distant glowing sentinal.

The closer Nolan got to his goal, the harder it became to maintain calm. Crouching a few yards away from the stone, he unslung his bow and nocked an arrow. He felt the evil in the stone and hoped that the threat was merely a physical one. He moved forward the final few paces and looked up, sheilding his eyes against the rain.

At first, Nolan did not understand what he saw, but recognition gradually widened his eyes. The glowing runes were names he knew from Ryan's journal: the names of the escaped apprenti of the academy. A hundred or more, hacked artlessly into the face of the granite and painted with blood. As many as fifty more were yet unbloodied, his name among them. The names burned themselves into his mind's eye. He would not forget them.

A noise, claw on rock, and Nolan spun to face it. Searing red eyes and a flash of teeth raced toward him. Nolan fired and ran. If he had looked back, he would have seen two sets of eyes and teeth set in the bodies of hideous demons. He had outrun them for twenty days. He hoped he could keep it up.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Tue Feb 12, 2002 3:35 pm

Bah! Humans...

*Thalxall spits on the ground, mutters, and leaves*

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Fri Feb 15, 2002 3:54 pm

As the two paladins approached the fire, the rest of the clerics could begin to make out their conversation.

"I'm telling you, I could have caught it," the smaller of the two warriors was muttering under his breath as he waved a gloved hand in front of his face as if batting a fly.

"You could NOT have caught a crossbow bolt with your bare hands, Matti," the other said smiling.

"I don't know, Con. I'm feeling pretty good today." The smaller man in light chain flashed a smile and a nod at the hospitality of the one called Hastin. The paladin wore a rapier at his side and a greenish grey cloak that seemed to fade naturally into the shadows.

The larger man in plate rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Ever hear of knowing your limitations? When was the last time you thought you couldn't do something, eh?"

"I didn't think I could teach you a sense of humor, did I? But look at you now."

The taller one laughed as he waved a curt greeting to the group of travelling clerics. There were brief introductions, and Connavar listened to the various clerics, frowning ever-so-slightly at the mention of a few of the clerics' dieties, though he greeted them all with warmth and courtesy. Following the formalities, Connavar settled down close to the fire, removed his gauntlets, and began to warm his hands from the chill evening air.

Matti chatted amiable with many of the others who did not return to their bed rolls, and occasionally he apologized if his laughter caused a few of the others to turn over in their blankets. These clerics were an open group and had exactly what he had been looking for, a warm fire and friendly conversation. Not one without the other. However, Matti still wasn't sure what to make of Saien, but the trigger-happy cleric seemed to bear no ill-will toward the new-comers. He couldn't help but remember that intensity and focus Saien had shown, far too serious for a young man his age. Perhaps the priest had been through much tragedy and trials, though he hoped this was not the case. He decided to try and see what he could learn about the young Fharlanghnan cleric.

"How goes the road?" It was clear Matti was comfortable talking to just about anyone. "We've encountered nothing but other wayfarers, merchants, and an occasional orc this side of Arbordan, though one of your faith surely can see more than our eyes."

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sun Feb 17, 2002 10:28 am

Saien chuckled to himself, and, flashing a wide grin, he replied,

"My faith? No, my friend, you have it wrong. Any knowledge I have of the road comes not of my faith, as it is a new-found faith, but from years of experience. I have traveled these roads for some time now, and they are my home. Nevertheless, the danger on these roads grows as time passes, especially to the south near Soberdan. I'm sure, however, that those of your repute have no need to be told of the lawlessness that abounds in that land."

"What repute might that be, Saien?" Connavar asked from across the fire.

"Well, it's no secret that Paladins are men of the law," Saien answered. He laughed once again, and continued, "Stricter company than I'm used to, I must admit." Much stricter company, he thought to himself.

Connavar seemed intrigued by this statement. "And what about yourself, Saien? Surely you hold faith in the law."

At this remark, Hastin roared in laughter. "You're wasting your breath talking to this lad of the law. I'm not for sure he'll ever find value in such." Noticing the shocked looks on Connavar's and Matti's faces, Hastin continued, "He's a good enough fellow, though. Don't ge me wrong."

Saien interjected, "What Hastin means to say is that I've had a few sour encounters in the past. But I'm trying to leave that all behind me now, and I'm more than willing to make up for any mistakes of my younger days." Pausing momentarily, Saien eyed the two paladins before him. "What about you two? I've told more than I would wish of my tale, and I find myself wondering what cause would bring two paladins so far out into this country. Tell a bit about yourselves, if you don't mind..."

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sun Feb 17, 2002 5:21 pm

"Our story? What do you want to know? There are many things we can say, but to say them may mean we that we reveal more than necessary..."

Connavar took on another grim look but Matti nudged him on the shoulder and coughed with a smile.

"Shut up Conn you great big idiot, can you not see these people are good? They will do no harm!"

"Fine, fine. We are newly trained Paladins from an academy. I started with a quest to find out about a secret guild of days gone bye and Matti here, was some how able to tag along..."

Conn grinned and flashed a white toothed smile at Matti, and for his efforts some dirt was thrown at his face. He grabbed the smaller man and put his weight on him, using him as a stool.

"Now sit there and be a good boy!" Laughed Conn

Muffled grunts and curses could be heard.

"Maybe you can help us with our task? It is the one thing that we have to do to graduate with honours and get into the real task of helping those in need. We need to find out about the Blades of the..."

"...Banshee" uttered Saien. He looked on in a mixture of awe and horror as Connavar got off of Matti. They looked at each other eyes wide and Matti looked at both of them wondering what had happened.

The whole area around the camp was silent and the crackle of the fire barely registered to the shocked group.

A loud bellow pierced the silence and a group of orcs poured into the clearing. Matti was the first to react, rolling into a fighting stance rapier drawn. The rest of the group soon followed.

"I told you these buggers would follow us!" Shouted Conn.

"Shut up and get to what you are good at doing!" Replied Matti.

A strange red gleam was apparent in the orcs eyes...

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sun Feb 17, 2002 7:58 pm

"Bloody ashes!" Saien exclaimed. Hastin glanced at him in reproach, and Saien shrugged. Now was no time for a scolding on language. Focus came over him, and a colorful shield surrounded Saien none too soon as an arrow deflected from just in front of his face. He quickly fired his crossbow, taking an orc between the eyes that was drawing up on Matti's flank. Matti...the rascal and his friend, Connavar, had brought these orcs down on their camp. That duo brought new surprises each passing moment. Saien hefted his quarterstaff and charged towards his new acquaintances, already deep within the orc party.

His foes fought fiercely, but Saien found himself drawing strength from the protection cast by the other clerics of his party, most much more experienced in hard battle. And Matti and Connavar knew how to use their weapons. Matti's rapier flashed through the air, felling orc upon orc.

The conversation had taken a turn for the surreal when Connavar had mentioned the Blades of the Banshee, just before the peace broke. Questions welled up in Saien's mind. Falling flat, he barely dodged the powerful swing of an orcish scimitar. His mind better get back in this fight, or he would never have a chance to ask those questions.

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 2:56 am

"How in the name of the gods could these orcs have followed us", thought Matti, as he confronted another of the beasts. It's savage but clumsy swing was easily dodged by the nimble paladin as he slid his rapier through it's chest, turning to focus on another. "I crept from their camp without a trace." He parried a blow from a spear as two other moved to his flank.

"Just a little more time, you stinking kobolds! Can any of you fight, or are you all this bad?" His style of swordplay was both flashy and effective, much like everything else he did, or so he liked to think. He made an extra effort to make a show of himself in hopes of attracting more of the creatures to himself and buy just a few more seconds for some of the clerics still emerging from their bedrolls. He kept a dagger close at hand in case one of the orcs decided to move for the easier kills.

Flinging his cloak before him, he managed to wrap it aroung the spear shaft. His rapier followed and severed one of the hands of the orc, who dropped the spear and ran screaming from the scene. Perhaps the beast will think twice about attacking humans in the future.

How did that Saien know about the Banshees? Matti was bewildered by that unexpected revelation, even if Conn kept saying he'd find the others. Matti had his doubts, though the man never ceased to amaze him. Perhaps that's why the Prelate and the clergy had given Matti his charge to protect the larger paladin, though it usually seemed to happen the other way around.

Matti rushed one of the flanking orcs before they had time to fully get position. In a flurry of steel, he disarmed the creature and sent him to his knees with a boot to the groin. Orcs were not that different from humans afterall!

He heard the thud of a crossbow bolt hitting another behind him and nodded sincere thanks to Saien, even as the cleric was savagely beset by an orc of his own. Spinning and hurling his dagger, Matti saw in satisfaction as it sank deeply into the back of the beast, knocking it to it's knees before the cleric. It's scimitar fell from lifeless fingers.

Matti didn't see the first orc he'd cut down rise to it's feet, unnaturally silent behind the paladin, that strange red gleam in the creature's eyes and a gaping hole in it's chest.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 4:40 am

Connavar was beset by two Orcs, the largest of the group, and they were beginning to get agitated, Conn was able to keep them distanced with big thrusts of his two handed sword, but soon the Orcs would be on either side of him. They would have him surrounded and he would be speared on both sides.

They charged at him and Conn caught a glance of flashing steel, he hit the deck and rolled out of the way just as the spears clashed in the middle, he roundhoused and roared as he met resistance of the Orcs necks but he was able to cleave his way through.

He stood observing the scene, assessing the battle. The Clerics were defensively casting and Matti and Saien were both in the midst of combat.

Connavar felt his heart skip a beat, ever since a recent battle with some petty demon servants he had obtained a strange sense of the unnatural, he would, for example, be able to detect evil from the abyssal or infernal gates, he felt that evil in particular...

An Orc rose up from the ground, it bellowed in rage and shouted out in defiance...

"STOP THIS FOOLISH MORTALS! CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT EVEN YOUR BEST EFFORTS DO NOT DEFEAT US? WE RISE FROM EVERY SLASH, THRUST OR CUT YOU GIVE US? ADMIT DEFEAT AND YOU DIE QUICKLY"

The group stared on in awe but Conn knew what was about to happen.

"BROTHERS! SHED THIS FOOLISH SKIN! REVEL YOUR TRUE SELVES!"

Conn blinked and the 10 or so Orcs suddenly became 10 or so very angry lesser demons. They were a hideous site, their bodies bristled with tense muscles and sharp claws, fangs and spikes gleamed with a black, evil and malicious intent.

The group of Clerics reacted first, they all began casting a same spell and soon they were finished. A large, very bright burst of sunlight errupted from the clearing and white light made the eyes blink furiously. The light receeded and the group of demons were reduced in number.

It took a large group of Clerics, all casting the same spell to remove six of them but there was still four of the evil left. The corpses poured black, acidic blood and their skin was blistered and burnt. Even some of the survivors were hurt badly. The leader, however, stood in defiance. He looked on at his fallen and looked at the survivors.

A guttural roar erupted from them and the rushed at the valiant defenders. They stood prepared for the onslaught and Connavar chose this moment to call on his God.

"Torm! I call you! Grant me the strength to remove this pestilence from the land!"

His drawn greatsword changed from the dull colour of steel to a blue tint. Connavar grinned and screamed out in defiance.

"TORM TAKE YOU!"

He too charged at the demons and they met with a furious pace. Matti stood, ever a friend at his side and Saien met the two. They were in deadly combat. Their mortal lives depended on the outcome...

Conn's eyes gleamed in the firelight...

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:37 am

By Fharlanghn, what was Saien doing. Any other day he'd have been on the road running the other way. Great blades, these were demons! And if the fool-headed pally-pair wanted themselves dead, Saien should probably oblige and leave them to it. But somehow he found himself side-by-side with Connavar and Matti, doing all he could to keep vicious claws and scimitars from his flesh. He supposed for all their talk of righteousness, paladins just did not have enough sense to know when to run and when to play the hero. Well, he would not leave them to their own foolishness.

His fierce gaze met that of a great red beast before him, eyes burning like fire. Saien felt his limbs stiffen, not from fear, but from immobility. The gaze of the demon had him pinned to the ground he stood over. With a triumphant smile, the demon raised its blade, and brought it crashing down...into the dirt.

Saien, lying to the side of the demon, drew his dagger from his boot and hurled it into the great red eye of his enemy, fire erupting from the pierced socket.

Saien would never be held by the crafts of another. It was a small benefit he received in his service of Fharlanghn--the ability to move at will for small periods during the day. He quickly thanked his god for yet another escape from certain death, then was on his feat again, swinging his staff.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 9:06 am

Connavar repeatedly bludgeoned into the back of one of the demons, his blows were like hammers and he continually hit the same spot with an unrivalled fury, with one final shout and yell of defiance he thrust the blade into the back of the demon and was rewarded with a high-pitched wail and the spasm of a broken back.

There were three enemy left, the one that Connavar had just broken the back would slowly mend, a trait of demons, but he would have time enough to finish it later.

Saien had just blinded one of the demons with a sharp throwing knife when Connavar had an idea. He bought himself some time and began casting one of the small spells he was granted as one of Torm's chosen. He created water in a spare water pouch he carried and then finished that with a bless water spell.

The three demons had rallied around Saien and Matti, and the Clerics were frozen in place, stuck by one of the demons powerful gaze.

Conn threw the blessed water onto one of the demons and it screamed again. A horrific stench followed as the skin burned and blistered.

The demons became distracted and ran after Connavar, if he had holy water, he was a dangerous enemy and the demons were clever enough to realise that.

The demons gaze broken, the Clerics became active. Defenses kicked in and they had seen what Conn had done. A small empty keg left by one of the Clerics was quickly filled with water and blessed with the potency of more than five gods. They threw the water at the demons and more damage occured. The group of Clerics and Paladins surrounded the three demons and began casting more damaging spells.

Two of the demons vanished into a portal, but the leader remained. He said one thing before he, too, vanished.

"REMEMBER MY NAME MORTALS! WE WILL COME FOR YOU AND WE WILL DESTROY YOU! REMEMBER GHAT'KHAN!"

The last remaining demon was quickly trapped in a Magic Circle against Evil. One of the Clerics quickly casted tongues and spoke to the demon in it's innate language. It was crippled, blinded and could not detect that it's enemies were now it's 'allies'.

The Cleric spoke to him carefully, saying that it had collected it from the mortal realm and why it had been on there. It spoke of it's past and it's permament task of finding the group called The Blades of the Banshee and eradicating them. It slowly regained it's vision and saw the true nature of it's inquisitor. It bellowed in rage and shuddered as it drew it's final breath. It seemed a Geas was on the demons and if it revealed it's task, it would die...

"So now we have demons to run from too, eh Conn?" Laughed Matti

"Aye, it seems that way Matti, it seems that way indeed, but it's no laughing matter..." Conn sighed again.

They all sat down around the camp fire again and somehow Matti was able to procure a small bath of Firewine from one of his many sources. Connavar needed a stiff drink for sure...

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 3:49 pm

"And here's your dagger back, you big oaf!" Matti flipped the knife he'd thrown at the orc attacking Saien back to it's rightful owner.

Cannavar looked confused for a moment, glancing back and forth from the knife to his belt. Matti smiled. "Next time you decide to use me as a seat, I'll do more than filch it. I'll use it. You wrinkled my tunic comething fierce!" He went about straightening out his outfit, half jokingly. It just wouldn't do to be looking unkempt if they should encounter some lady-folk.

He was pleased at the battle with the demons. These were the kind of foes he'd been longing to tangle with for a long time, though he knew the risks were great. This was the reason he'd wanted to become a paladin in the first place. He had not the patience to heep his nose buried in scrolls and preach, as most clerics he knew, and he lacked the discipline of most paladins, but he had wanted to make a difference and he was not afraid of a fight, though he preferred to talk. In fact, running his mouth was practically a hobby.

Matti turned toward Saien and gave him a thumbs up and a wink. "I appreciate you aid in the battle, my friend. You are my kind of cleric, more actions than words." Snatching his Firewine back from the unsuspecting Connavar, he offered it to Saien. "I think we ought to talk a bit more, though. You have some uncommon lore about a certain Academy, and I'm dying to find out the story behind that knowledge." He glanced over at Connavar who leaned forward with interest so the three could talk in quiet tones undisturbed.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 4:24 pm

More action than words?...Saien thought to himself. If Matti had known that Saien had almost left the two fools to their own stupidity, he might not think so highly of Saien. Action indeed! Matti must think himself invincible charging into the fray like that. In fact, once those demons had shed their skins and revealed their true nature, Matti almost looked to be having fun! Those foes were certainly not any that Saien hoped to encounter again anytime too soon. Not that he was afraid. Oh no, Saien feared little. But demons! That was a great deal different than the roadside vagabonds whose heads he had knocked in the past. Oh well...Connavar and Matti seemed decent enough, and he supposed they needed protection just as much as any one else. And he did want to help the innocent....Plus, they obviously knew something of what Saien sought.

"No problem...friend." Saien smiled back at Matti. "As for lore, I'm afraid I am sorely lacking knowledge on such things. All I have is the name from my father," Saien paused at mentioning his father, "and a vague sketch that the Blades of the Banshee were a group of protectors. That information was given by my friends now around this fire."

Saien looked around at his friends, some with wounds being tended too. He thought again at what they had just faced, and thanked Fharlanghn for victory. If there had not been so many men of faith in this camp, the battle might have gone much worse.

He then told Connavar and Matti of the day he was orphaned, how cloaked shadows had come from the forest surrounding Saien's home, and how his father had died defending Saien, his mother, and his sister, both of whom were also slain. He told how his father had spoken the name "Blades of the Banshee" in his last moments, and told Saien that he must leave and never stop. Thinking about that day was not as hard as it had once been, since Saien had long dealt with his past. But now that he had a chance to finally learn the reason for the death of his family, he felt tense. It was almost hard to breathe.

"Now, I have told you what little I know. Will you do the same?"

Hastin came over to the three saying, "Yes. I too would see some light shed on this lore that shades Saien's past. For he was soon to leave our company to search for the very thing that you now discuss."

Saien and Hastin both looked to the two paladins.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 4:45 pm

"I think, perhaps, it's time to show you something."

Connavar reached into his breastplate and pulled out a small plain necklace with two crests on either side. It glinted and flashed in the firelight and a crest of Torm greeted Saien. Conn flipped it over and showed the otherside to Saien. At first, the writing was unclear and garbled, the centre piece, too, was unclear to the eye.

Slowly Saien's eyes cleared and he could easily make out the crest in the middle and the writing came to his eyes easily. It read the Blades of the Banshee...

Hastin looked on. He was unable to make out the crest on the necklace and questioned Connavar on it.

"It is like a test. Fate, it seems, is a strange thing. Those who go with the Banshee are able to see it, and those who don't, won't see it."

Conn looked at Saien and he nodded. Saien was part of the bloodline of the Blades...

Connavar reached into his sack and pulled out a leather bound book. He showed some of the entries of the journal to Saien and Matti interjected, with, for once, helpful comments.

The notes written into the book outline possible sites for the old Academy and possible allies from days gone bye.

"This was my grandfathers journal, it was given to me by trainer and mentor, my friend Jarral. Matti did not know of this when we set out and found out when I was looking at it. He was able to read it. He too, is a Banshee."

"None of my family were ever members though. They never spoke of it and my father or mother were never combatants."

"So this means I am to be a Banshee?"

"It seems that way Saien, it seems that way. It may be that you can find a way of renouncing your past, but I have no idea of how that can be done. It is your choice. It is my quest, along with Matti's to find out about the Blades..."

Conn looked at Saien and a weighty decision was upon him. He sat in silence waiting for a response.

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 4:53 pm

OOC: Alright, Nippy, your post wasn't there when I started writing!

* * *

"I am sorry if my questions brought you any pain," Matti said, looking in sympathy as Saien finished his story. The young paladin then turned toward Connavar, nodding in in approval. "Our fates seem to be tied together, then, Saien. For this is our goal at the moment, to learn all we can about the Blades and find others who are tied to this organization. It was indeed a noble group of protectors, something I think the lands could use once again. There must be others like you guys, all trying to track your heritage. What say you?"

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 9:44 pm

As Saien looked through the journal, his mind swirled with the possibilities. Had his father been a member of the Blades of the Banshee? Saien had never known anything of it...he had lived his whole life--at least what he remembered--at the small cabin in the woods. True, his father had come and gone, serving as a guide. Maybe in doing so, he had also served out another role? Saien did not know his grandparents, for they had passed on before he was even born. Connavar's grandfather had been a blade...perhaps that is where Saien's bloodties originated.

And what did this mean for him? Did he have a choice in this path before him? What were the chances that he had met Connavar and Matti on this night of all nights?

Looking to Connavar, Saien remarked, "It is my quest as well, though not for a duty to anyone else, but for myself. Under advice of Hastin, I was to leave this company tomorrow morning to set off for Niire. My hopes were that the longer lived elves might have knowledge of the Blades. Whether you think this a good plan or not, however, I think fate has brought us together, and I think it best if we stay together for the time being. So, I will pledge my cause to your cause, and my skills to your safety...if you will have them."

"But whatever your decision, I'll take that drink now. My head is spinning too fast and I need to settle it." Saien took the wineskin from Matti's outstretched arm, and took a deep swig.

***

I had to throw in those last few lines.