The Nine Swords

[White Raven]

Rain falls.
Your clothes, dripping and cold, cling heavily together. The rutted road is naught but a river of mud, catching the bottoms of your cloaks. You are weary; every step is a labour.
Rain falls, filling the never-ending darkness with torrents of icy water. You cannot tell how late it is, or how far you have come; but you begin to doubt whether you can keep this up. Already you can feel the night taking its toll on you, dragging you down.
In the distance, you see an orange spark. It gives way to a warm glow, tiny, but real. You can almost feel the warmth that radiates from it, and without another thought you begin making your way toward it.
You stumble across muddy fields, and soon find yourself climbing a gentle slope. the glow is larger now, and you can tell you are near.
At last, you find the source; on the hill, there is an overhang of rock, and nestled beneath it is a small, merry fire, tended by a female gnome. She's slim and short, not three feet tall; beside her is a horn, crafted of some vicious tusk or fang. A sparrow perches on her shoulder, and a wolf is curled up, asleep, in the back of the cave-like overhang.
As you study the scene, you are aware of footsteps behind you. Turning, you see more travelers approaching, entering the overhang.
Counting the others, you see there are seven of you in all:
The gnome, tending her fire and examining the newcomers. A stern elf, dressed in dark robes; his face has an almost grey cast to it. A young human, his person sagging under the weight of many odd devices and instruments bulging from a multitude of bags and sacks. Another elf, tall and noble; he wears a suit of gleaming, silvery chainmail, and a crimson cloak flows from his back. A great, powerfully built human, bearing many cruel scars and holding a vicious trident. A drow, his hair white and his skin deep black; he holds a cruel scimitar, and a shiver runs down your spine as you see that a great spider walks behind him. And a human woman, an ocarina slung across her back, and still looking cheerful despite the storm and this odd company.

[Rizban]

One of the humans steps forward and silently sits, setting his trident on the ground next to him. Doffing his soaked shirt, he wrings it out and tries to warm himself by the fire. With a small, forced smile, he mumbles a quiet greeting to the gnome.

"Sure is coming down out there..."

[Trodon]

The drow steps in and sits in another table a good distance from the fire, his spider right behind him curling up in a chair next to him.

"Excuse me may I get some water?"

[Elfin]

"A drow?"
The elf in chainmail steps forward, his face stern and fierce, a gleaming longsword held aloft, reflecting the firelight.
"Begone, taint of the underworld, that we might rest in peace; for if you purpose any foul device, I shall smite you."

[Trodon]

When the elf approaches Xar'rik smiles.

"You misunderstand my good man I mean you no harm I would just like to sit here and relax a little bit. Now if you will please leave me be." Xar'rik bows his head with the last statement and takes a drink of water when the gnome brings it to him.

[The White Knight]

The girl stumbles forward, nearly tripping over the soggy frills of her dress as she sinks in the mud. She huddles in under the overhang next to the others with a sigh and expression of relief.

Oh, heavens, am I glad to see some people for a change. I think I'm lost. Mind if I take shelter here for a spell, miss?

With the Drow's approach, she reaches into a satchel and quickly procures a waterskin.

Here, please, help yourself to some of mine.

She gazes upon him a moment in wonderment as she extends her waterskin; this is the first time she's seen an elf who looked quite like him before.

EDIT:

After the hostile quip from the armored elf, she interjects:
Please, sirs, if any of us intended any harm to any of the others, I think wandering in here in a big huddle is the last thing we'd be aiming to do. Let's not any of us get off on the wrong foot. I'll start: my name is Aria. She concludes with a warm smile.

[Elfin]

The elf glares suspiciously at the dark elf, but after a moment of hesitation stows away his sword. Still, though, he looks uneasy, and his gaze does not leave Xar'rik.
"Very well, drow. I shall not harm you, but mark my words: if you ever show but the slightest sign of evil intent, you shall truly feel the wrath of Arzimon."

[Trodon]

Xar'rik accepts the water and takes a sip. "Why thank you miss my name is Xar'rik pleased to meat you." He says as he bows to her.

ooc: I keep getting ninja'd.

Edit:"Thank you... Arzimon you said right? And well met Aria." He takes another bow to Aria.

[Elfin]

Arzimon turns to the woman.
"As am I. Hail and well met; I am Arzimon, warrior and student of the Bright Annis ."
He spins and faces Xar'rik.
"Arzimon indeed. What name do you go by, Drow, and what brought you from your secret cities?"

[The White Knight]

"Pleased to make your acquaintances, sirs," Aria says, with a nod to each. Whew, glad that didn't escalate, she thinks to herself.

She takes a seat on a rock and pulls the bottom of her dress out of the mud and tries to ring some of the water from it. "I hope this passes soon..." she mutters.

[Trodon]

"Well met Arzimon I am Xar'rik Mizzrym apprentice druid, my spider friend is Elg'cahl. We seek to travel the world seeking long lost druid artifacts."

[The White Knight]

"Spider... friend?" Aria says meekly, as she cautiously eyes the spider standing next to Xar'rik, and cowers back a bit. "Does he bite..?"

[Elfin]

"Very well."
Arzimon scans the group.
"We have quite a rabble here. What has brought all of you to this road?"

[Trodon]

"Only when I tell him to don't worry your safe unless you harm me or him." And with that he uses one of his drow powers (detect magic) sitting there softly chanting.


Edit: After chanting for about 15 seconds Xar'rik's armor,shield and weapon glow.

[White Raven]

For Trodon:

Spoiler

Show

Magic auras emanate from everyone.

[The White Knight]

"Ah, okay..." Aria replies to the drow, with some hint of reluctance in her voice, although she ceases to cower.

"I'm just sort of wandering..." comes Aria's answer to Arzimon. "I was headed between towns, but I think I got some bad directions. Once the downpour started, I got a little lost."

She gazes out into the storm a moment, then continues, "It's really rather beautiful once you're out from under it, isn't it? I've always liked the rain."

[Trodon]

"Yes it is beautiful we never had anything like this in my home *sigh* the wonders of the surface world."

[Elfin]

"Yes...it is indeed beautiful. It rained often in the Deluge Jungle, where I trained for many years.
I, too, wander; for I seek glory that my deeds might be ever remembered in song, and thus I purpose to perform many acts of valour; and chief among these deeds are the slaying of drow whom I despise."

[Trodon]

"So you slay drow for honor? That must be a strange and difficult life indeed."

[The White Knight]

Aria leans in and mumbles to Xar'rik, "Yikes, you folks sure don't seem to get a lot of appreciation up here, do you?"

"That sounds wonderfully exciting, Mr. Arzimon. I'd love to hear some of your tales sometime; perhaps I could even spin you a song or two!" She concludes with a merry laugh, the warmness of which makes the rain seem pleasantly distant.

[Trodon]

"No I don't. It pleases and surprises me to meet someone as open minded as you out here. If you don't mind me asking why are you not timid around a drow like myself?"

[Elfin]

Arzimon seems to brighten.
"Indeed; that sounds like a fine idea.
Xar'rik, perhaps you do not realize this, but most drow are evil, wicked creatures, ever scheming in their dark holds ways to wrest the grip of light from this world. My tribe are fierce warriors of good, and the drow are chief among our foes."

[Trodon]

"Why thank you Arzimon for making sure that I understand this but yes most drow are evil,vile creatures but my family as been separated from most other drow for many generations by there choice." Xar'rik smiles as he explains this.

[The White Knight]

"I prefer to decide for myself who deserves hating," says Aria matter-of-factly, "and I hadn't met you until just now. I'm capable of hate where hate is due, but I'd prefer to fill my world with positivity where possible."

[Trodon]

"And that is a very good think to do ma'am."

[Elfin]

"Then I apologize, Xar'rik; nine decades of battling ruthless drow have not left me with a kind impression of your race, and I was overly hasty in judging you."

[The White Knight]

"Aria, please. "Ma'am" is my mother's name," she replies coyly, with a wink.

[Trodon]

"All is well Arzimon I understand. If I fought dwarfs for ninety years I wouldn't like them ether." "My dearest apology's Aria." He says with a bow.

[Elfin]

"I am intriuged, Xar'rik; what sorts of exploits have you gotten yourself into, living on the surface?"

[Trodon]

"In the short sixty years that I have been on the surface world I haven't done much, I did help free a small village from goblins about forty years ago but that's all, not to say I didn't try a lot of town don't want help from a drow."


Edit: Well I guess i should say that Xar'rik is standing up. It is obvious from all the bowing however.