Legend of the Valkindolch

[manaman]

BEING THE CONTINUATION OF BOTH ADUASPIRE'S PUB AND VALKIN MOUNTAINS

SETTING

The band of unlikely companions that includes Brisu Bamon, Jareth Comet, Cloud, Gomrad, Vincent, Crissae, the Story-Teller and the recent Nemo has just united under a strange compact and traveled an even stranger series of miles confronting danger and keeping secrecy. Vincent, on Brisu's request has been watching Crissae in the darkness while Nemo has pondered every day on the loss of his companion, Dimitrius, who issued a warning and mentioned a few names as of yet cryptic for the rest of the party.

Brisu has been carrying the Valkindolch, a dagger of great power that's role in the story of Skerlar Maurning has yet to be understood completely. Crissae is carrying the tools of the dwarf, Gomrad. Gomrad is carrying the hope of using those tools on the dagger. The Story-Teller is holding wisdom.

The company is now in front of a series of great ruins on the far side of the Valkin Mountains which the month-long journey, direction of the Story-Teller and the complaint of Crissae and Gomrad has got the party to.

TIME

A storm. Present.

BOOK II

ACT I

SCENE 1

(The party is soaking wet and muddy. Brisu is in a strange mood, however:)

BRISU BAMON

My friends, I'm so glad we were reunited. Even if we are in this grim place at the foot of this grim mountain, at least we have each other. . . .

Just a note, while we will be working to wrap up the story contained in this role-play, you can feel free to import a character you like to Kuro's thread when we're done.

Also, feel free to kill/remove characters you've created or otherwise alter the story so that this continuation is fun for you. Enjoy! -manaman

[Jonasz]

Gomrad Stranglehold

Gomrad is in a very bad mood the weather is hitting on him why is he even here. He only wants his damn tools back and wants to protect that friend of his Brisu. Gomrad now looks Crissae straight in to the eyes. You may have been nice till now but if you dont give my tools back now ill make sure youll have one limb less even if it costs me my life.

[manaman]

BRISU BAMON

Gomrad!

THE STORY-TELLER

(Stays Brisu from approaching the dwarf and whispers)

Wait, Brisu. . . .

[Kurotadori]

CRISSAE

(She looks at the dwarf. Then she looks at Nemo; then at the Storyteller; next at Jareth Comet; she lingers a bit on Cloud; finally she rests her eyes on Brisu.)

"It seems I will have to implement my plan faster than I expected."

(Suddenly, an explosion rocks the ruins. The great dark figure of a man looms above them. Another explosion later, and the entire company is coughing in smoke. Nemo clears away the smoke with a stroke of his hand and realizes the worst. Crissae is riding on the back of a giant bird; she has Brisu in her clutches and is getting away; a large shadow has materialized in front of them; and the tall dark man has landed between the company and Brisu and Crissae.)

CRISSAE'S SHADOW

"Must destroy...must eat...hungry..."

BELGUSH

"I have caught you weaklings now! Say goodbye to the Pub Owner."

(To their horror, Cloud's throat was cut by Crissae in the confusion, and blood is pouring from his open wound. Belgush rushes at the company as the Shadow swoops down with a wicked black blade. As it approaches, it drops something--Gomrad's Tools!)

CRISSAE

"I'll see you all on the other side, if you can catch us!"

(She rises higher towards the mountain peaks. Still holding a struggling Brisu firmly in her grip.)

[Well, it seems that I've set off a whole chain of events. The tools are back, Belgush and Crissae's Shadow have been introduced, it seems that members of our party are in imminent danger. Dark Cloud, since Cloud is your character, I didn't want to overstep any boundaries so I just wounded him. Manaman, since Brisu is your character, I also didn't want to overstep any boundaries in your case as well, so you can decide whether you want to continue on as Crissae's kidnap victim, or manage to escape her foul clutches. I hope this works out fine for everyone. If someone has a problem with any of my actions in this post, then please tell me so that we can mend them right away. Have fun! --Kuro ]

[manaman]

BRISU BAMON

(Under muffled cries, Brisu lunges forward. Perhaps if he can reach the Valkindolch--the blade in his boot--he could break free)

THE STORY-TELLER

(Closes her eyes and meditates. These words enter into Brisu's mind:)

Do not fight. Do not expose the location of the dagger you carry to Crissae. Even were it to free you now, you are too high. I will be with you. If you can, you may attempt to contact me. Close your eyes. Concentrate.

BRISU BAMON

(The bartender, who's once portly physique has been slimmed and sculpted by the long and arduous journey thus far, closes his eyes, concentrates and feels as though he could just see the faint glimmer of the Story-Teller in his mind. The figure appeared as the shadows looked, only a negative image. Instead of a deep, black void, the figure of the Story-Teller appeared as a full, white light.)

Story-Teller? . . .

(Two minds connected in this moment. As Brisu rode on the back of the great bird--Crissae's hostage--he knew two things that Crissae did not: he was not really leaving his friends and he had the Valkindolch hidden on him.)

[No, no, I think you did a TERRIFIC job of getting these events in motion. Let's have fun with this fresh start. Book II looks promising! Let's get to it, guys! -manaman]

[Dark Cloud]

Arragh (Cloud clutches his throat hoping to keep from bleeding to death. He holds his throat with one hand while gathering magic in the other. He quickly puts the magic directly to his wound, the gash in his throat seems to lap up the magic very quickly. Slowly the wound heals shut.
Damn that traitorous bitch! I should have killed her when I had the chance. Now that we have found each other she gets away. (His throat is still horse from just being slashed by the knife. So that wench has a dark shadow too.
We must make haste (cough) and catch up to her while we can. That dark shadow with her was strong as well. Looks like Gormad forced her to inplement her plan quicker than what she wanted. So Demitrius was right, Tyrano, Belgush and the other one are the ones we must be ready for. Rar (He grabs his throat in anger) that traitorous wench is lucky that I didn't get a scar from this.....She will pay.... At least we now are stronger I think as we go we should introduce ourselves. I guess Jareth you can tell Nemo about me now, she must have seen through me somehow. I know Gormad but who are you atranger? (indicating Vincent)

[Dark Cloud]

Vincent

Ahh, I Vincent Belmont and old retired vampire hunter years past. I don't look like it but I am older than I look, I can use some magic as well. I used it to make myself younger again. What is your name now? Your face looks familar somehow.

P.S Sorry I have introduce two characters that I have made and have to double post-Cloud

[manaman]

THE STORY-TELLER

Yes, Cloud, we have been caught off guard. But, at least we know she too has been. You said it yourself, "Looks like Gormad forced her to implement her plan quicker than what she wanted." However, we're not clear of this mess yet. CRISSAE'S SHADOW and BELGUSH--YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT US!

(With that, the Story-Teller reveals from her robes a large staff. The air surrounding the staff is charged and reality distorts itself around the hand the Story-Teller is using to grip the staff. She picks a small, jagged stone from the ruins at her feet and places it in the tip of her staff while simultaneously flowing--for that is what her movements really are--between Cloud and Crissae's Shadow. She speaks silently towards her staff:)

Stone crafted from our fathers, mortar crafted from their toil, fathers born of mothers, mothers raised from daughters--come to our assistance. . . .

Everyone focus on that man--I'll take the shadow!

So, Shadow, you show yourself at last--I was waiting for this moment.

(The Story-Teller smashes her staff towards the ground and a rupture is sent towards the Shadow threatening to engulf it. The earth closes up behind the rupture, ready to snare the Shadow in the earth.)

[Dark Cloud]

No, time for introductions now, it will have to wait. She has brought the shadow to us. We can only try to assist her with magic we can't get close to the shadow.
(Cloud picks up a stick and it turns into a mystic bow. He turns another stick into a quiver with arrows. He shoots a firey arrow into the sky and hundreds of fiery arrows rain down from the sky. Let the story-teller worry about the shadow, Belgush is our target.
Quickly Jareth we must keep Belgush on the defencive. We all must attack as one. We must not allow him to escape.

[Kurotadori]

CRISSAE'S SHADOW

"Must feed..."

(The Shadow passes through the collapsing earth effortlessly. The dark sky has made the ground full of shadows. The Shadow dissolves into the shadow of a broken pillar, near where the Story-Teller stands. A long finger of the Shadow shoots out, cutting the Story-Teller in the leg. Suddenly, hundreds of fingers are shooting from every direction as the Shadow manipulates its own surface area.)

BELGUSH

"Come fight me, weaklings! I will swallow you whole."

(He spreads out his hand and tiny bubbles float from the tips. As the bubbles knock into one another, they pop, causing small explosions.)

"I'm going to dismember all of you, one extremity at a time!"

[Jonasz]

Jareth Comet

Cloud Come here ill imbue your weapons so that you can d osome serious damage on the shadow. if it attacks you.
Jareth empowers allt he partys weapons. Now charge.
Jareths eyes turn in to fireballs As he storms at belgush Lets see what your made off you wicked evil.

Gomrad Strangle hold

finally awaks from his daze. what ... just happend.... That wicked wench she took brisu and my tools. Ill get her. His daze is soon overcome by rage.
dont think you humans will take all of the fun out of this battle. Gomrad sprinkles some gray powder on his axe. come here you apperation of evil ill kill you like that wench who took my tools. Gomrad charges for crissaes shadow

[manaman]

[Jonasz, didn't Crissae drop Gomrad's tools? And Cloud--sorry, I didn't see your edit or double post when I was working on my post. Introductions are a good idea. Let's get to that. -manaman]

THE STORY-TELLER

So, [Crissae's Shadow's real name that can't truly be heard by the others], you have prepared for this battle? . . .

(The Story-Teller glances at her wound, but she is ready for more battle. In a swift movement she tosses her staff towards the heavens. It stops with the stone skyward. An arc of silver emerges around the staff and then flies straight towards the Shadow. While the staff is still hovering, the Story-Teller moves towards the Shadow. She dodges each thrust of empty blackness as it tries to cut her again. She moves as though the battle was a dance. She leans back as Crissae's Shadow leans in. She leans forward as the Shadow leans back. All the while, the silver arc spreads into a ring surrounding the two fighters.)

You shall not leave this ring, Shadow. You SHALL NOT!

(Crissae pulls from her robes a stone and throws it towards Belgush outside the ring. The stone erupts in a cloud of smoke.)

ATTACK, FRIENDS!

And for you, [name unwritable]. . . .

(The Story-Teller moves forwards and presses her index finger on the forehead of the Shadow. Contact. . . . The Story-Teller waits.)

[Kuro, since the Shadow concept was really your idea, I'll give you free reign to come up with what precisely this contact means. -manaman]

[Kurotadori]

CRISSAE

(She and the struggling Brisu are starting to disappear over the mountain peaks, growing more and more distant from the battle they are leaving behind them.)

"Brisu, where is the HOLY BLADE? You must give it to me. We must use it to stop the evil that has tainted this world. I must get my life back."

[Before they disappear from sight, and into a new thread--it was only when I had put the events into action that I realized we could start a new thread with Brisu and Crissae's journey--I will let manaman have the last word in response to Crissae's request. --Kuro]

CRISSAE'S SHADOW

"Errrahhhhhh!"

(The shadow makes a hollow scream, causing the Story-Teller to wince in pain. However, The Story-Teller's will is far greater and she maintain's the contact with her and the Shadow...)

[Now comes the fun part! --Kuro ]

A young girl is sitting beside a stream. In the water is a fallen man; blood flows easily from his wounds. "Father..." she says, lamenting the man. A harsh laughter envelopes her and a dark creature expels itself from her body, the laughter is now coming from the girl...

A young woman is standing beside a mound of earth. She kneels down and lays lilies at the foot of the mound. "Father..." she says. "Father, I have wept and raged. I have sworn vengeance for your death and the deaths of our family. I will use the gift I was born with to silence our enemies and return the Valkindolch, our HOLY BLADE, to where it rightfully belongs. We will have revenge and I will meet you at the end of the world..."

A woman stands at the center of a burning village. People are running about, screaming. Soldiers chase them, lighting women and children on fire. The screams echo throughout the blackened sky, lit like day. Soldiers form around the woman, with their spears and their swords out. "We will kill you for trying to interfere with General Mourning's plans!" they shout. They move to strike, but are stopped dead in their tracks. A dozen headless corpses lay where the men once stood around her. She is covered in blood from head to foot. "A monster! A monster!" the people cry. The soldiers flee. A man approaches her. "I am Jareth Comet," he says. "I have come to stop you, you fiend!" He rushes at her, lit by the flames of his magic. He stops, his magic has left him completely. She seizes him by the throat. He is too quick and draws out a sword with lightning speed. She writhes on the ground in pain, clutching the stump of her arm...

Crissae stands beside a mound. It is raining and she has a silver arm. "Father..." she says, "I will avenge us both!" Her shadow lingers about her, breathing, breathing...

(The Story-Teller is hit by a blast of one of Belgush's explosions.)

[manaman]

THE STORY TELLER

(The connection is lost. In an instant all the haunting images swirl into deeper recesses of her mind and a new series of thoughts and emotions come to the forefront. The Story-Teller collects herself off the ground where the blast deposited her. She looks up at Belgush who has been raging war with the others. He has somehow broken through a small corner of the outer ring of the two that surround her and Crissae's Shadow. The Story-Teller can see the liquid-like flow of the ring trying to fill the new gap. If Belgush gets completely through, this means that he could theoretically get into the outer ring and none of the others would be able to get inside the newly healed outer-ring.)

This was not . . . expected. . . .

(The Story-Teller looks at her companions who are weak and bruised from the battle. There is only one thing she can fathom to do. She casts her staff one more time towards the heavens. Five new rings spill forth from the stone, encircling Belgush. Seven rings now encircle the Story-Teller and Crissae's Shadow. The Story-Teller is exhausted, but turns towards her friends.)

RUN! YOU MUST GO . . . AFTER BRISU AND CRISSAE! GOMRAD!--USE YOUR TOOLS! JONASZ!--DO NOT FORGET FROM WHAT AND WHERE YOU COME! VINCENT!--REMEMBER YOUR FATHER AND YOUR GIFT! CLOUD!--REMEMBER THE STORY I TOLD YOU ON OUR JOURNEY AND YOUR PART IN I--

(Crissae's Shadow yanks at the robe of the Story-Teller.)

FLY! FLY ALL OF YOU! LEAV--

(Crissae turns toward the Shadow.)

Crissae needs you. You cannot remain like this, though. You have to fight the hate, the rage, the anger. For her. Go!

(The Story-Teller senses, though she might be mistaken, a hesitance on the part of Crissae's Shadow to leave. The Story-Teller stands in the middle ring, waiting for Belgush to come in.)

FLY EVERYONE!

[Dark Cloud]

Cloud

He gathers energy into his hands and then combines them into one. Suddenly huge blasts of golden light erupt from his hands as they come toward Belgush. With a wave of his hand the beam's path follow his command while he directs them with his hands.