Mouse
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Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:45:46 GMT -7
Why Shade has NO Horses.
Condok and CatDrgN ran, as only the undead can, eyes unblinking, teeth bared. It definitely made an impression and cleared a path. Whoever on the road from Cloven Pine to Coradale, who suddenly found themselves in the company of 2 halted undeadites of their level, would be a tad concerned.
As it was, only the occasional enraged rabbit or boar wound up in the way. CatDrgN nodded to Condok who had earlier stated his path split here, as he ran south to Byrendell, there it split. Indeed, lol.
So stopping in Coradale Pub to scare a coupla new players with some horrifying tale involving him and the Armor Melting Lava Rats of Slyythra, he was soon on his way. Chuckling, funny, but still a part of him had to think, ... he was going straight to hell for being so very ... tricky.
There was somthing he had t check out first before travelling on, something he noticed earlier, the sign of things to come perhaps. Something wholly unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. He went ahead and slapped 13 gold pieces down on the counter to room a room at the inn.
Later in the room, after catching up on messages, seeming the communications centre of his clan, he found and set up a large mirror.
CatDrgN removed his helm slowly, yep, no worse for wear, just the head underneath was drying up to a patchy furred leathery-skinned glaze-eyed, yellowteethed visage of animal magnetism. Undoubtably handsome, lol.
He smiled, leaned the bladed staff of Kryyn against the wall, a steelwood staff with retractable claws, much like his own, but far more deadly. but there was something else new about him..., He HAD to check, had to KNOW.
Dimming the room's main magelights down and lighting just three candles, he removed his cryptkeeper cloak, and and breathed, slowly, stretching his arms, stuck his chest out and spread out a pair of webbed, black scaly... wings.
He jaw chattered in wonder, a few tentative flaps, flexing them, folding un folding these wings, and wondering when Grimm would re-adjust his soul to his original form before this transformation became complete and the darkness in his soul consumed him completely.
Later as he slept, cocooned in a black aura, darker than any shadow, in fact it seemed a living shadow outlined his own true form, outside of his own body, and spoke to him in dreams, confident it's prophecies would not be remembered.
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:47:12 GMT -7
The Children of The City of Night!
Trik stood outside looking around, because I couldnt think of anything else to have him doing, lol!
CatDrgN ran up, from battling a pair of stubborn orc warriors.
"Hey Boss, whats the haps?"
"Cat, hey, morning to you. You notice anything on the way here?"
"Uhm nothing out of the ordinary, except that it took a little bit more effort to spell ordinary, rather extraordinary, I must be tired or..."
"No nonono, listen, when I was sleeping, last night, at about the time I usually sleep, you know? Well, just awake enough to hear things, I heard what sounded like, hah, maybe 50 or more children laughing and talking, then it stopped suddenly!"
"heh, 50 or more? How can you be so certain?"
Trik grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, almost lifting him off his feet. "No! I am Certain! Listen, I've entertained at enough social events and parties to know the size AND element of any audience by sound alone! There WERE 50 Children, something weird about them, out at night, laughing!"
"Okay, cool, just asking, can you set me down now?" He dropped a few inches with a relieved ruffle and shudder. CatDrgN tried to lead Trik back inside town, and he suceeded, and they went to the [Pub] to tip back a few cold ones, and have some drinks too, drinks being the beers, cold ones being the downright frigid waitresses demanding tips.
"Tell ya what, sir. You sleep, okay? Just go ahead and take a normal sleep, I'll stay up outside tonight and see, or hear if I can hear or see any kids out alone at night."
Trik thought about it for a bit, then nodded. "Yeah okay, think I'll do that, yeah thanks man, well goodnight!"
"Sleep Goodly!"
With Trik back in his room, sleepily so soundly CatDrgN could have snuck in and painted his face up, but decided not to, he wandered outside and messaged Reygar. "Rey, hey, yay hip hip hurray, way the day may parlay."
"lmao, your point?"
"Oh nothing,I was just checking in, uh, you know Shade better than I, and also more than me knows and have been here longer. Can ya tell me something?
.......
......
.....
....
...
..
.
"Sorry dude, I was battling a Cryptkeeper, tell you what?"
"Is there anything on the local population of Nachtsburg, particularly the Children."
"Nothing, the only children I know of are the ones you see in Byrendell chats, present company excepted of course, lmao!"
"Hawh hawh! Whatever!~ Okay thanks"
Later that night, perched atop the S.E. corner of the Nachtburg city walls, like a gargoyle, silhouette by a full moon, enshrouded in night fog, and trying to remain still and silent, fighting back hiccups, he waited...,
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:49:19 GMT -7
Dance 'round the Dragon, Hop o'er the Cat.
The Ogre Enforcer was getting increasingly frustrated, the small bits of rock pinging off his small ugly head and the constant tongue-clicking and cheek-popping and whispered assumptions of his parentage and critiques of his appearance were stretching it's nerves longer than this sentence.
It walked in circles, past anger, on it's way to tears, having come clear from curiousity, and now regretting even wandering over. "Pssst! boohoo wah wah, widdle pinhead fat-arsed no-account .... uh ... (sounds of turningpages) Vapid Cretin!" (hands Jagan's OED back to her gratefully, lol)
The Enforcer stopped, scratched it's head then sat down on the ground, weary of trying to figure any of this out.
CatDrgN smiled, then the smile frozen on his face he slowly looked up, a few, a bunch, quite a bit, and now the exact number of... alot of strange lights were emerging from the gruond, and, an eery children's laughter noise escalated.
From behind him, a light came on in Trik's room and he could be heard yelling "There!! Hear them? That's them! Those voices!" CatDrgN waved his hand down to quietly quiet his leader down, but it was too late, the Ogre looked up and saw his rockthrowing, tongueclicking, cheekpopping Oxford-English-Dictionary word-firing nemesis atop the wall. He made his approach, but his approach was made incomplete.
The various colored lights encircled the Ogre Enforcer, and then spun around him in a tight searing circle, hooping it's head, torso, legs down to it's feet, eating the flesh right off the bones, and leaving the poor ogre to stand for a few seconds bereft of flesh, substance, and life before the structure of it's frame succumbed to gravity.
CatDrgN gasped, jaw almost hanging off his head, HE WHIPPED AROUND STAFF DRAWN As... as... Trik joined him on the city wall, startling him. "See em down there?"
CatDrgN nodded, "Yep and they just dissolved an ogre enforcer, I'm going down there."
Trik grabbed his backpack as he hopped off the wall, now he swung like a caught cat and looked up. Trik smiled, nodded and "Be careful down there, if you need any help just yell." Got it. "Yell and clap your hands." Oookay, got it. "Yell, clap your hands, turn sideways, whistle, and put your left leg out." ....Got it.
He was finally dropped to the ground, the lights all froze in mid air, then steadily floated toward him, giggling, whispering.
"Okay, uh Hiya, Heya, I'm CatDrgN, of Clan {Trk}, pleased to meet you all, good job on the Enforcer, that was very impressive, what are your names?"
.....
A musicbox calliope elevated and surrounded him, and the lights danced in patterns. "We are lost Innocence, We are abandoned Faith, We once were young and full of life, now each of us a wraith. Now we all float free of cheer and happiness keeping us bright, we are the signposts on paths to sorrow, we are children of the city of night."
"Catchy, kinda skippy rhythm, and you're all more like christmas lights than anything, heheh, uhm, your not laughing..."
The lights flickered furiously and all cried out in unison, wailing so loud CatDrgN was downed, clutching his head, clenching his teeth, fighting back an intense sense of despair, loss and regret. Trik leapt down from the wall, landing catlike next to CatDrgN, sword drawn and threw him over his shoulder. Trik backed away from the lights and they pushed toward them flickering and sparking angrily.
He then turned, tossed Cat back inside, turned again and spin-kicked the door closed, then leaned against it, ear to the wood, and peeped between a crack in the boards. Satisfied, he slumped down next to CatDrgN and chuckled. "Y'know, sometimes your mouth gets ahead of your brain."
(lmao) "Sometimes?" rubbing his face, eyes watering for some reason, knot in throat. "Well(coughermmm, sigh), now I believe you, I saw them for myself, but you saw them first, it's your call, what do ya wanna do about This?"
Trik put his hand on his chin, his finger up his nose, wait, upside his nose, and up a chimney he rose, oops, lol, he stayed sat, but had this to say."Okay, here's what we do, these are children, no matter how vicious, powerful, and outnumbering they are, they're kids! We gotta handle it like that. We got some research to do and then, ... well we'll see when we get there!"
Trik stood up and hauled CatDrgN to his feet, and headed back to the Inn, CatDrgN headed to the pub, for as many stiff drinks as his undead body could contain.
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:50:44 GMT -7
Playtime. The sun set again, after hours of it's help in lighting the dusty scrolls and ancient books CatDrgN sorted through. Sighing and closing the last book he remembered an adage his leader was once quoted saying. "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." It was getting darker than the insides of a dog, not that Cat had ever torn one apart to find out, but he guessed it could be quite similar.
Trik walked up smiling, it looked like his part of the to-do list had been accomplished satisfactorily, but as CatDrgN hadn't quite discovered anything of use, Trik seemed a tad smug. But his infectious cheer doubtless had an airborn vector because Cat wound up displaying symptoms of optimism as well.
"Well Boss, looks like you got something more than a twinkle in your eye, whats up?"
"Well kiddo, this little mystery's as good as finished, if not better than. How'd your idea pan out?"
"Nothing. I referenced old town registries and found not a one stinking reference to a census of Nachtsburg, let alone children."
"Anything before was unrecorded, in the Early Days of Shade only Grimm knew the behind the scenes history of the place."
"Could we ask him then?"
"He's busy lately, seems more server demons are on the loose and doing the same dirty deed V'ryzun did to you. Tel'huss and NehkStell have been claiming bodies by the dozens. Grimm's up to his chin in transfer requests, including your own. Patience is a virtue!"
CatDrgN nodded, true, but the darkness within him, the result of his curiousity with the dark side and the second chance his own existence erased gave him something of a chill mixed with an increasing awareness of the power Chaos granted to those who excepted his dark gift.
Darkness increased it's territory as the daylight ceded to a starry sky and now was the waiting. Patience was not a virtue Cat was born of, but a skill hardly learned, but was soon rewarded.
The odd cluster of colored lights again emerged from the ground, and swirled in lazy formations, giggling and chattering away. Trik reached slowly in his backpack and let drop a small stuffed giant bat. CatDrgN tossed a stuffed sewer snake down too.
The lights paused, and hesitantly approached the toys, then seeming satisfied there was no attack involved levitated the offerings between them. Trik ducked and applied some make-up and put in his most festive Shade Jester cap, handing CatDrgN one of his own and some heavy clumps of white and black facepaint, which was by necessity, alot to mask his undead features.
Both hurried down the stairs and slowly peeped out the gates, then "NOW!" and they charged into the midst of the lights, flipping, cartwheelling, hopping about very animatedly. The lights paused again, some backing away from the odd pair, dancing around and laughing along with the lights.
After awhile Trik and CatDrgN both slowed with tiredness and sat down "F" clearly displayed next to their HPs. Sitting down, some of the lights clustered on them, swarming, almost the same motions the made when devouring the unfortunate Ogre Enforcer, but instead some sat on heads, shoulders, laps, almost nuzzling, whispering. It was saddening, these were indeed the souls of dead children, lost misspent youth. CatDrgN gritted his teeth against a sympathetic feeling coming over him.
There was only one thing to do to cross this spirits over, and almost anyone in {Trk} could raise the spirits of those around them, why not these spirit children? Blessing them all, reassuring others, doling out feelings of true happiness, humor and honest compassion was dimming the lights, sending some rocketing straight up to the heavens. It was WORKING!
After the last light had departed, Trik stood up, stretched and yawned.
"All in a night's work!" He said modestly. "Now, I got a few night's sleep to catch up on. Thanks for partying with me! Nite." and with that he departed.
CatDrgN stood outside longer, musing, they'd cheered and cajoled a multitude of lost souls, confused spots of light that had finally found their place among the sparkling stars of the sky.
All except one... himself.
He shuffled his feet, until his feet decided on a long thoughtful walk back to Coradale.
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:53:36 GMT -7
Two more gems from the Treasure Vault of Imagination! (And some good news within!) « "Made in the Shade!": MultiAuthor Interactive Tale »
See, I get the feeling these stories are gonna make me, or break me, now to head to the Shade board and see if what I wrote makes people wanna break me, lol.
Dancing in the darkness, twisting the fog into arcane shapes both weird terrifying and absurd, CatDrgN killed time outside of Gloomy Vale dancing in tune to the rhythmic clacking of the struggling bone claw he had pinned under a rock for amusement.
Gloomy had been quiet all week, not a visitor for about a week, also, even. But often that was better, about as good as having the place to himself for a week could be. He was starting to annoy the patrons of some of the [Chat] areas, leaving bizzare, bizzare, well weird and lame messages scrawled on the tables and walls. He was urged to go play outside, and so this he did. After a week of silence, like the one previously mentioned, in fact the very one referred to previously above, he had visitors. Clint@n and @jolu@ of {Grm} had dropped by earlier in the day, just long enough to write "Entered" and "Left" in each area. But other than that, Gloomy's nights, were quiet.
Well, one of the cheifest lessons of Grimm, Grand Wizard of the Forces of Light and Order, etc etc, was that.... dramatic paws... "Whatever you fear most will meet you halfway" and sure enough halfway from running back to Gloomy to save on [Teleport] gold, he ran into a rock wall, with arms, legs and a head like an icebox wearing a cleaned and cured Orc head, two of them, rock walls, Stone Golems, both trudging slowing toward Gloomy and in their company was a Young Dragon!
These creatures were not exactly native to this precise area of Shade so CatDrgN ran up to one of the stone golems, and swung so hard he spun in place until one of the golems grabbed the top of his head to stop his whirling, but took the helping hand too far and throw him over the city walls into Gloomy Vale. He flew down, and landed in a barrel of green misty swamp water.
Coughing and sputtering dramaticaly for awhile, but as there was noone there to really notice, he ran back outside and continued battling in earnest, which was not something that really came naturally to him. Battling, sure that was easy, but earnest was a rare acquaintance. He walked up to a stone golem south of town, and drew a line in the mud, daring it to cross it. It did. He ran [North] and drew another line, it crossed it, and two more lines, now they were ready to battle!
CatDrgN smiled evilly, swung his sword in the air, howled in furious glee and drew a "O" circle in the corner of the gridded lines! The Stone Golem trembled in fear, rattling a little, and hesitantly marked an "X" above his "O". CatDrgN scowled, walked around the stone golem, sizing him up, and LEAPT! Quickly, he swiped another "O" to the right of his first "O". His Experience level was climbing as rapidly as a stalactite! The Golem was starting to fall apart, it weakly put another "X" down. For the killing blow, CatDrgN mercifully added an "O" for 3-in-a-row, and walked away at an angle that would show him advancing through the golem's falling rubble and dust in dramatic fashion. Appearances are everything! One more Stone Golem, and the Young Dragon to go. CatDrgN leaps and flips, and lands on the city wall to look down on the both of them, and wait for someone to come along and fight them.
After all, He'd fought his hard battle.
The threat of scandalous defacement and defamation with profanities scrawled on it's rocky hide with pink and lavander pigments proved too much for Stone Golem number two, and it ran off.... at one mile an hour... away from Gloomy.
The young dragon was left.
This was not good, he and his fellow level sevens had no adequate defense against this menace. Though the newer players were of a large and prosperous clan called {RHC}, their skills would be tested in this situation. Feeling responsible for this problem, Cat stuck around outside too, to test his skills as well. 5 blasts of angry dragon exhalation sent CatDrgN back inside to buy and slam like fine ale, 4 large healing potions, heading back outside he saw the dragon still there, bracketted in between the two RHCrusaders. He walked around and took his place east of the dragon leaving it no options, no exits, no space. Figuring it was distracted, nope, figuring wrong. It still sent him back inside, this was not going good at all. He bought and drank 3 large healing potions, starting to miss his breathing self's ability to create these and more, on demand.., He ran back outside, Say whats this? He looked closely at the {RHC} patch on this warrior. Well Thank Zanden, it looks as if we have some reinforcements, in a major way.
DaOutlaw had arrived!
He seemed more focussed on the dragon than he, but then the {Trk} Emblem and it's bearers were known Shadewide for their honor. {Trk} can lighten your load, without throwing anyone from the plane. He patted DaOutlaw on the back encouragingly and hoped his own confidence would benefit for soon he was fighting the dragon again.
He was starting to wonder what he was doing being Named CatDrgN, when he couldnt even defeat a young dragon! He ran out and got 5 more hits on it's hide at decent damage, but so much flesh to damage, and it was still not cooperating and it sent him back inside for more potions!
BY the time he'd emptied his bank account, the dragon was a chest, DaOutlaw and his RHClanmates collected it and scattered to the three winds, the fourth one untaken. And so, breaking wind, CatDrgN took it, south, to train more, his comparative weakness still bothering him and powering him on forward. Coming Up Next!: The Shady Hawkins Dance Party! lol.
General connected a few more iron cables to the back of an immense wooden box with some finely wound wired wrapped tightly around iron tubes inserted inside of eachother twined tightly to leather drums mounted on teh front. Basically, General was setting up a medieval sound system! StormLrd walked in and patted General on the back, thumb-upped for him to clear a path and gave it a test jolt with a powerful but measured lightning spell to charge up the power cells. Pele tapped on the microphone, "Is this, uh check check, Hello, Guys? Can you hear me now?"
StormLrd gave another silent thumbsup and General said "Yeah sounds great, give it a yodel and see how she amps willya?" Pele laughed and cleared her throat, and "....Yoooodeladeeyodeladeeeyodeladeehoooo!!!"
The sound, if not the source, jk Pele, LOL, was clearly transmitted. General picked up a newly customised electric violin and waved as Vhelsing came in and seated himself to listen to the jam session. He draw out a steelwood violin bow and pulled it lightly across the strings, getting a feel for the volume and checking the tuning. StormLrd sat behind the drums, twirled a pair of Drumsticks of the Sly, and beat a stacatto rhythm of pure frenzy enthusiasm and a power that only the lord of storms himself could manifest.
Pele picked up a tamborine of the dragon eye, and rattled it with Storm's breakneck pace. VHelsing tapped his feet and clapped, this was rocking, damn good stuff. Even rehearsing, The Shadow Band, was an awesome spectacle for the ears to taste. (Wait, spectacles are seen and ears don't taste, if anything they taste like ears! Well Consider this, the source, this tale's bard has almost always been one board short of a barndoor.) General concluded his tuning and nodded to Storm and Pele, they soon stopped too. VHelsing stood up and walked to the stage. "Damn, guys! That was really really good!" General looked down, smiled humbly. "Yeah thanks, hey did you see to the other preparations okay?" Vhelsing muttered "Iwouldabutdadamncatdrgnsayshe'stootired...,"grumbling.
General looked at VHels for a translation, so it was explained that after the whole banquet adventure, CatDrgN and {Trk} were taking a break from the catering business.
General sighed, resigned himself to a lack of catering then, but came up with an idea. StormLrd smiled and gave a thumbs up. General looked at him and said "You really think so? Ya think they're up to it?"
Storm nodded and thumbs upped and gave the A-ok for an affirmative. General exclaimed "It's a done deal then! You go tell CatDrgN and his group there's free beer, food, dancing, bla bla bla, all that stuff, if they could just come and help decorate then!"
VHelsing walked out, scrolls in hand, sighed "if they didn't wanna come cater and serve food, what makes General think they'll come over to totally redecorate.... The Boar & The Skewer?"
CatDrgN was of course in Byrendell, where he planned cave trips and tried to interest newer warriors in need of some training to join him, always secretly hiding his fear of going in alone without anyone to watch impressed by his battle skill and chance to play hero.
VHelsing walked into the [Pub], and immediately spotted Cat, spewing forth his usual long winded declarations of nothing important mixed with weak humor and the strong odor of disgusting topics. CatDrgN saw him come in, scanned [Users] out of habit to check equipment and level, and smiled at a familiar face in this throng of inattentive or confused new warriors.
"Hey BC, (called sometimes by his old name from a previous life) What's up Bro?"
"The Answer is STILL NO, Hels, even if it IS General, I'm burnt out on cooking, pun intended and I'm not sure I can get enough {Trk}sters together t pull off anymore miracles... or debacles, like the last..."
VHelsing, waved dismissively, and shook his head, his widebrimmed hap almost concealing his smile, but not enough to put CatDrgN at ease, some was up..,
"No, General's okay with no food."
"General's not to my taste." "He only wants one thing."
"I cannot give it to him."
"He changed his mind actually!"
"Some folks are known to do that."
"Will you just hear me out?" "Speak."
"Free beer."
CatDrgN's jaw fall off, Hels politely picked it up and slapped it back in CatDrgN's face. "Well BC, whats that jaw of your's got for a reply or does it want to fall off again?"
CatDrgN scrutinzed him, walked a circle around him. "Free beer, you say?"
"Absolutely!"
"Dancing too?"
"Yeah... hey how did you..."
"I'm writing the tale, I scrolled up."
"Ah."
"There's gotta be a catch."
"Well, yyyyes, there is a bit of one, I have to admit."
The table was slammed with a bony fist for being too close to an irritated CatDrgN when a catch was revealed. "I KNEW IT! Damn, how could I have ever thought all that merriment could come for free....Outside of the Clan that is..."
An anonymous Chr-#### whispered a "HeyBaby,wutsyername?"
CatDrgN scowled at an obviously confused level 1 Male, and pushed his chair over with Chr-#### still in it. Smiling now and in a better mood after this, he regarded VHelsing and ventured a question about the "Catch". VHelsing unrolled his scrolls, floor plans, wall planograms, diagrams, schematics, and ingredients. Pointed out a few details enthusiastically, a little bit overselling the idea, but omitted one crucial factor, Location!
CatDrgN never thought he would ever, ever, ever in a million updates have a reason to go down to Boar & Skewer. As BarnCat he made the trip fine and stayed a few days decently, but this time was different, almost about everything was different. He and his clan were decoraters, and he was now Undead, which one was more strange and puzzling?
He messaged for reinforcements.
It was Rare that all of {Trk} clan was in chat at the time same, same... time, but it happens does... does happen!
(Angrily kicks Yoda from the office chair, regretting suggesting he do the transcribing, mourning the fall of the Jedi Order and the subsequent rehire of surviving members into local temp agencies, they can't type for beans, but you should see them paper-shred! WOOHOO!)
CatDrgN detailed the plan as given from VH as to their new mission, poorly used prepositional phrases notwithstanding, the plan seemed agreeable to all depsite teh bad spelign and typos. And south was the direction they all ran, a mighty clan surging forth, a wave of warrior might, a scene right outta Braveheart, I tellya, really! Trik and Reygar of course outpaced everyone, further convincing CatDrgN that despite the bad smell and the odd cannibalistical dark urges he felt from time to time, being Undead definitely had it's perks!
(To clarify, I'm Not Undead to display any loyalty to the Dark Armies, as anyone who knows it's simply a game, It's only a phase I'm going through, and to mostly just say Yeah I've been there, something new and interesting to tide me over and sustain my interest until Grimm frees me from the state of Undeath with the transfer, all that and, lmao it dusgusts some people, so that's alllllrrrriiight by me!)
Stopping his aside to the audience, he sees the clan has already ran completely off his screen, so running south to catch up, he finally enters Boar. Now, He's in Boar, as in The Boar & The Skewer, he being Me, lol.
General stood up and shook hands with all assembled and sat back down. Trik, Reygar, P!NK, Dayday, Condok, and CatDrgN sat down and then plans were further expanded on. VHelsing soon joined them, after realizing that {Trk} had already left Byrendell.
"Well sir, I got em, as many as could or would come."
"Good work, man. Great, now that we're all here, I'm sure Vhels has apprised you of all you'll be getting in return for your services, correct?"
Reygar: "Dancing!"
CatDrgN: "Beer!"
General: "You're missing something."
CatDrgN: "I lost it when I went undead, the way it kept pulsing and beating was annoying anyways."
General: ....
CatDrgN: MY HEART! Nooo, lol, not that, I was referring to my heartbeat, the other, deal... I still have.
General: "Hrm! :S I was referring to the Food! The free food you'll also be getting... in return... for your help. VHElsing must have forgotten to tell you of this..., VH!!!"
VHelsing: "Yes sir?"
General: "Have I not Commanded you? Be thorough, be complete, be detailed in what we were planning for this dance party? Now, Go look for the light in the darkness, those'll be the candles we need for setting up lamps around the dancefloor!"
VHelsing: "Sir! Loud and clear!"
Vhelsing walked quickly off. General stood up and handed out instructions written up earlier on Decoration areas.
CatDrgN and Condok were to run bait duty keeping the monsters away from the outside of Boar allowing Trik and P!NK time and space to string up the magelights onto the city walls, while Reygar and Dayday cast the ice spell that summons a sheet of swirling ice blades at multicoloured sheets of paper therefore creating confetti, you know the one.
Wordlessly, CatDrgN ran east two leaps and stood near two stone golems, waving his sword around acting blind. Condok ran north, west, walked south, attracting some Imps and one flame lizard, then brought them over to where CatDrgN was storing his Stone Golems.
Trik, thanks to nimble gear, was agilly leaping from post to post, uncoiling magelights. wrapping them snugly and bounding to the top of the next post. I would have had him jumping on Pillars, but the Pillars are nice folks, we don't need ta be jumping on them and strangling them with party lites, do we? Hell no, lol.
SO posts it is.
Soon all was nearly in readiness, as it was good to be in readiness, a good place to be, readiness, right?
lol.
Reygar was ripping up the dancefloor, literally, the old boards stacked outside and new boards freshcut from the elf forest were brought in, though some of them had the odd habit of vanishing for a few refreshes, then returning exactly where they were left. Rey decided discretion the better part of humor and went ahead and nailed them in with the rest.
CatDrgN and Condok had exterminated the local vermin outside and what they didnt kill CatDrgN lied about, to most everyone's satisfaction. Trik flipped twice in the air, landing nimbly, and landing as silently as a pink panther, P!NK landed too, beside him, from up, on the posts they were up upon, decorating. (Sees his chances of earning a Bard title flushed down the toilet, leaving No floaties, lol)
Dayday rolled in the barrels of confetti where CatDrgN and Condok could carry them up to the rafters and tie them to pulleys designed to speed them overhead pouring confetti over... heads.
CatDrgN smiled, almost done and invites to the party were in his backpack, strangely leaving no room for other items he could have [Pick(ed)Up] outside. The Shadow Band was set up, decorations were in place, the dancefloor and stage were set, what could possibly go wrong?
He suddenly fell underfloor as a board vanished from beneath his feet! Everything went black. Funny thing, nobody ever counted on that Boar and Skewer had [Catacombs], did they? They don't? Damn, then what must have happened was...,
"RRRREEEYYYYGAAARRR!!!"
Reygar: "Dammit! where the hell am i? it's so dark in here."
Seeing he was not the only one down in these [Catacombs], CatDrgN glared at Reygar.
"Wood from the elf forest you said?"
"lmao!"
"hahaha damn you, you took some from the Elf Tree didn't you??"
"Lmao! Oh that's what it was! I just saw this like really big tree so I figured, hell, why not eh?"
"Rey, you're a loon, let's get back up there and patch that up before the rest of our plan falls through."
A pair of glowing green eyes flashed from the corner of the dark underfloorage. They were not alone. Reygar drew his sword and CatDrgN stood staff at the ready. A deep growling voice full of menace and mirth spoke "Stay your hand, Brother Rey, I mean you no harm, this is between Me.... and that one!"
CatDrgN snarled, yellowed undead catfangs bared. "The hell it is!" He lunged at the stranger, somehow familiar to him, but he couldn't place the scent. The stranger parried with a skilled block of his own, with another bladed staff of Kryyn, caught CD's staff in the retractable blades and twisted the handle of his own, flipping the staff from his claws. This guy, whoever he was, was good, but wasn't fighting to kill, still he froze in place when the staff's blades held position at his throat.
"It would be sooo easy to take you out right here and now, but this isn't going to be necessary, no, for Grimm has decreed there be some changes here, yes."
CatDrgN snarled, this being was one smug... his eyes widened as the figure stepped from the shadows. Garbed in a nightshade robe and nightshade dark helm, green eyes flashing with live twin fires, Could it be?
BarnCat strode forward and chuckled, smiling, he circled CatDrgN tracing a circle around his throat with the bladed. Reygar stood at the ready, not sure if he was seeing what he was seeing. Reygar finally loosened his dry mouth and asked. "Barn? Sh__! That really you? Grimm did the...uh..."
"Grimm did! Yes, here I am, in living color, as I live and breathe even, and any other cliches and witticisms we can apply to this situation."
"Damn man, well hey it's great to have you back!"
"It's good to be back."
CatDrgN felt his resolve slipping, he thought about it, this chance happening, he was back, shouldn't he be happier? He chewed his fingerbones thoughtfully.
Reygar stood between them, so he could get a look at the both of these versions of his clanbrother. Yin and Yang, the two sides to the same gold coin, how the spirit within prevailed in both bodies, powering both with the same sense of adventure, the same compassion for his fellow warriors.
Red eyes and green eyes looked back at him. CatDrgN spoke up and "Well you might as well draw a picture, you're not going to see the likes of this ever again. In his bony hands, he held his own chewed off fingertips, claws a dark black. CatDrgN kneeled, head bowed to BarnCat. "Now is the time I must depart, to make room for myself to live, to be, the parting gift I give to thee, is but a parting of my own, parts of your own claws, your bones. Do with them as you like."
A black aura flared within him and spread out, blacker than the darkness they stood in, it grew, totally enveloped CatDrgN in chaotic might, rumbling almost audibly in the air, then it vanished, taking CatDrgN, leaving the claws.
Reygar stooped down to retrieve them at the same time BarnCat also went for them, their heads knocked together almost painfully and definitely with a comedic ringing clang of helmets. BarnCat laughed and scooped up the left claws.
Reygar smiled, "Well what're you gonna with those old things?" BarnCat smiled solemnly and handed Rey five of them for his own. "Make a necklace outta them, I dunno, whatever, these are your's. Reygar, brother, you stood by me in my darkest hours, you were my right hand man, so here ya go, lol, my right hand, er, claws, lol!"
"Gee, thanks, I'm Honored."
"Anytime, now let's get up outta here, we have a surprise announcement for those waiting above." They leapt up and climbed out. Trik nearly dropped his wad of confetti he was going to throw at P!NK, but resumed the throw, then reacted with mild surprise. "BARN! YOU'RE BACK!"
This announcement turned a few heads, the Shadow Clans looked up, right, left, and at BarnCat. "Hold up, that face seems familiar!" said General, StormLrd gave TWO Thumbs-up and as he was never really a mute "Welcome back furface! Got to level ten somehow, didnt ya?"
BarnCat returned the thumbs up, leapt up and grabbed one of the iron speakerwires, making a necklace from the lefthand claws, and wearing it proudly.
"Hey, this is a party right? Dancing, Beer, Music, Food! Right?" VHelsing blurted: "Food?"
BarnCat answered "Yeah, food, hey y'all I don't know about any of you but I am STARVING! Feels like I have'nt Eaten for WEEKS!" A fried boar was hauled into the room and set on the table. BarnCat drew his staff as if to attack it.
"Hey Hey heyyyy, Barn man, what are you doing, it's already dead!"
"I know that, but sheesh, if you'd been through what I have, you KNOW Death aint always what it appears to be, and... besides, I gotta get a feel for how a breathing body fights all over again."
So... in agreeance, they all stood back and let BarnCat have his homecoming battle, against a dead boar, and to noone's surprise... HE WON!! Gods, it's good to be back! Pages: 1_2_3_
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Mouse
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amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:55:26 GMT -7
A "Lost CatTale": The Man Who Fell To Shade! Checking the tightness of the cork on the vial holding the shards, he then set it down gently and looked up.
"These are the ones, there is no mistaking the essence and colour."
"Then I have a deal? We... have a deal?"
"Not hardly, hand over the other vial you have hidden in your tunic's boiled leather pocket protector, Poindexterity!"
He hated being called by his full name, but nevertheless he handed the second vial to Accuracino.
"Ah there we go, you have no idea what you have here do you, not even the slightest concept of what I've sent you to get, these?"
"Nope, colored rocks and crystals aint me pr'fession, I just went to the locations you told me, and got em."
It was too much to tell, but Accu and Poindex walked out of the Pub and straight to the fountain for their auction.
Once stage was set up and the contents of each vial divided up into marketable portions, the auction was held.
Long ago, on a blackened sunless sky most still call Night, and maybe other names too, the stars foretold an event. At least one did, and must have been so eager it had to deliver the message because it plummetted, and also fell to earth, but this was no star. He was still a Newbie then, lol.
Streaking down from the coldness, now white hot burning with atmosperic friction, and heartburn, it struck terra firma, and the ground with a thunderous force that almost tipped over a rainbucket outside.
If anyone chanced along this crater and looked down within, they'd expect maybe the podship with a baby superman within, but we might be getting to cliche' as is... so..., Instead, laying there seemed visible a humanoid shape, but oddly, he seemed made of or coated in a dark blue sheen, as dark as a very early morning sky, or... fishtank crystals.
He immediately and quite fortuitously found a chest on the ground containing a leather helm and mage robes and dressed himself as he's proven time and time again to be capable of doing, without hesitation. Then walked into Byrendell, seeming confused. Out of place.
Accuracino shook one of the vials thoughtfully, remembering it all but still wanting to conclude that flashback scene for now. Guilt overtook him momentarily, but nothing could shake him from the profits he thought he could realise from selling these remains... Even if they Were... HIS!
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:57:53 GMT -7
Lost CatTale, Continued: The Man From L.O.T.R.M.E.W. (u.n.c.l.e., get it? hyukhyuk!) The mysterious TWIRT sat alone in the Byrendell common areas, usually, this time he found himself surrounded by beings of unimaginable might, because, well, THEY PLAYED! lol.
The auction was in full swing, local vendors like DonOmar and BRD set up booths and displayed their wares between running to the [Bank] and back. Poindexterity
(starting to realize what a stupid name that is, may have to kill him sometime in the story..)
and Accuracino
(also must die)
had their vials set up in a wooden bracketted rack made of wood. Glass containers these, contained mysterious flecks and shards of blue and black translucent particles of mysterious origin.
(For those reading outloud, this disclaimer for all my stories... DON'T. I cannot claim liability for those who fall out of their chairs wheezing due to lack of oxygen!)
TWIRT ignored the proceedings, pretended to leave and then came back to see if anyone had said anything about him, then gave up and left. The bidding began.
50 Gold was offered for one. The rest were clueless as to why they should buy this, what use they had, and other stuff. ShdwDrgn remarked they seemed familiar.
He bought his equipment that same day, adapting to this new world easily. The basics, Shield, Weapons, Armor, Helm, and a basic beginner spell of each of the two types. He had to stop, pause, close his eyes, he got a sense of a numerous populated land, far more citizens than he'd ever seen from his ravaged wartorn homeworld, but how could he explain this to people.
Oddly, he noticed some familiar names, names he knew from before, but had not seen in some months. One had come from his original clan, but then that was another place and time, and the winds of change, as always, blew away old foundations like dunes in a storm.
He tried his hand at hunting outside. Snakes? Sewer Snakes! There were rats, bats, but Snakes, and easy kills. He noticed a path leading up north and walked up it. An anonymous Chr-#### blocked him, he moved left, it moved left, and STRUCK! He moved right and the Chr- matched his move expertly. Futility and a knowing smile crossed his features breifly, he saluted in greeting to this rowdy warrior and ran south.
He entered the [Pub] and sat down to wait out the time any attacker would be impatient to conclude.
The rowdy Chr- came in and yelled jokingly "Damnit! hold still! LOL!" He had to smile, this wasn't an attack out of hatred, but a form of play. Gods tyhis was a strange land, but he could get used to this.
Later, Luck struck! AbbyLynn was in seling a Chaos Helm and Silksteel Robes! He hazarded an askance and she named her price. Yes, confirmed that the price was steep, but it never hurt to ask, he had to humbly back out.
Surprisingly outside a fearsome being appeared next to him, so he stood, resisting the urge to run back inside, as usual, he tested the intent of all new beings in this way. He received almost his body weight in gold, and he knew where it was going! He thanked DEATH and ran back inside, eager to inundate AbbyLynn with gold to buy the gear. She appeared outside later and loaded his pack, but the wild Chr- was having none of that, seeing it's prey standing still, he struck.
Limbo, rats, could he not WAIT? How rude, lol. After messaging Abby he went back outside and got a smoother transaction. Equipped now, a mixed blessing, for though as he now felt more empowered, ther was a priceon his head, literally, as numerous level 5 and the such soon were asking, or demanding the Chaos Helm from him, some offering gold, some offering death.
It was time to move on, time to find places less populated, and the town he moved north to beckoned to him.
Accuracino, shoot we'll just call him Accu, stared deeply into the vial containing the blue crystalline element, seeing himself reflected almost a hundred times over inside, he was almost entranced. So many tiny blue faces brought to mind a story he'd once read about a race of tiny people who lived in mushrooms, but who'd have ever believed not all blue folk were small?
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 0:59:27 GMT -7
Lost CatTale#3: The Man the World Sold Out. After some few weeks, fighting, training up his strength and accuracy and enhancing his knowledge of the magics of Shade, he had walked the path of so many new warriors, to Slyythra. Some of the faces in the common areas were becoming familiar, and some had even abandoned their distant and suspicious nature to speak in more relaxed tones around and to him.
Some of these warriors were undead. Something he'd never encountered before. He came from a world of many different races but they at least were living, but here conversing as normal-as-you-please were Undead and Lichs! He grew curious. He asked how they got to be how they were.
South, the volcano, he cringed, but stood still, holding onto a rock wall for support while the Great Flame Lizard approached. Fire, death, and then everything went black, including himself.
Where his normal Cobalt coloring had been was a blackened glass appearance resembling unpolished Obsidian. Damn, no matter the color he was still absent minded, so he ran south to get the Chaos Helm and Silksteel robes he'd foolishly allowed to fall as he did. They were nowhere to be found, discovering instead he now had running speed and stamina previously unhad.
(UnHaD?!?)
He sat in Slyythra, musing about his new phase of existence. He chatted with a more experienced warrior named Locus. He learned the benefits and losses of being undead, and soon was in the possesion of a Black Heart Scimitar and a Shield of the Dragon Eye! He wuold have to find som way to repay this unexpected but wholly appreciated kindness.
His path doubled back started with returning back north to Cloven pine.
BarnCat sat in the pub, 3rd disguise in a row and another sack of gold for the bidding, 2 vials of the blue and black sandlike matter in his bank. 3 to go.
"SOLD to NoVaCaT! for 300 Gold! C'mon people, are only folks with cat-names buying this precious matter?"
BarnCat walked out with another vial, laughing mischieviously. BarnCat, CatDrgN and NoVaCaT were quickly becoming the most avid collectors of the one type of material that it seemed only they had any use for.
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Mouse
Mouse Secretary
amanuensis to the cat
Posts: 143
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Post by Mouse on Oct 4, 2005 1:01:27 GMT -7
Lost CatTales Finale: "You can Never go Home again."
]Ravage[ sat awaiting the next to final vial to be sold, after this one, one more to go! So close... SO CLOSE! Accu stood proudly and announced with some note of finality, the LAST VIAL'S BID? What happened to #4? Where did it go? Damn, BarnCat... aherm ]Ravage[ HAD to have All of them! He held up three digits for the bid.
Obsidian came out of Cloven Pine feeling more of an inner peace and comraderie than he'd ever felt. This may have been commonplace for the folk here, but back on homeworld this amount of fellowship rang more hollow and empty with it's towering absence.
The rushing wind, the running being, black as night but glowing with a newfound inner light and drive to proceed that could nto be diminished, or so he THOUGHT!
Receiving a message from a fellow refugee from former places told of a war going on, and warned him to not return, don't get involved.
Curiousity was a killer, and in this case, killerS.
He looked up at the nightsky, ebon eyes reflecting stars, as they beckoned him, he knew then he had to return, no matter the result.
Even as an alien to this land of Shade, he felt welcomed, but was still feeling the grip of inner restlessness and obligation. He was seen no more, his cobalt spirit, his obsidian strength rocketted up and out of Shade, leaving nothing but pieces of himself, the results of the sculpting of mind body and spirit that battling often does, in forging mighty warriors. pieces not forgotten as they now filled auctioned[/COLOR] vials! 5 of them there were now, gathered from various locations.
At least there were supposed to be five...,
BarnCat stalked out of the bank, cursing whoever bought #4 while he was away. Angrily he stomped muddily, loudly into the swamp, and kicked a crater into the greenish muck underfoot. Uncapping his vials he dumped them all into the hole and covered it over and vanished into the fog.
The fog works in mysterious ways though, it produced a figure from it's misty tendrils to replace the previous inhabitant. This being uncovered the hole filled with black and blue shards, uncapped a vial of it's own! He poured it in and looked up at the nightsky, stars reflecting in his cobalt eyes.
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Post by barncat on Oct 4, 2005 20:38:17 GMT -7
So prophetical some of these. Claim Neutrality as strong as I tried to, it seems the Darkness patiently awaited my homecoming.
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