D&D Snippets

[WhiteShark]

Mandolin? Seems likely.

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

Mandolin? Seems likely.

Oooh, close. A little bit too likely though.

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by absolmorph

Running a City
or, Golem Tackling as a Method of Election

Spoiler

Ezlo rolled his shoulders, mentally thanking the gods that he could finally take off his armor. It wasn’t too bad normally, but spending two months in the wilderness clearing out monsters had left it with a very distinct, and not very pleasant, odor. Thankfully, a nights rest, a warm bath and some clean clothes had improved things. He’d ensured his kingdom pretty much ran itself most of the time, so there wasn’t anything in dire need of his attention.
Things had improved in the year since he’d been given the reigns of Evermonde. Not only had he trained most of the population so they would be able to defend the city in an emergency, but he’d also built a decent standing army. Fortunately, the dwarves were being patient, allowing him to ensure their attack on the giants would be fast, hard and clean.
He mentally thought over the events since he’d left home for the monastery. He was a very different man, now. He’d become a paladin, spreading good in the name of Thor. He had joined a group of adventurers, found an ancient weapon, been turned into a mouse (he got better), met with a queen and become a duke.
As he opened the door to his office, he wondered how his visitor would react to that tale.
“Ezlo!” his father cried, “it’s been too long, boy. I’ve spent the last two years trying to find where in blazes you’d run off to. You’d better have got some good stories to tell.” The two men embraced, father and son reuniting after 9 years. I have some stories, indeed, Ezlo thought. He opened his mouth to speak, but his father was already talking again. “This is a nice town. How’d you end up in charge?”
“Oh, now that’s a tale. Take a seat, I’ll have someone get us drinks,” Ezlo chuckled, directing his father to one of the chairs. He stuck his head out the door and asked a servant to fetch drinks, then returned to his father.
----------------
He and his companions had returned from their trip about a week ago. They had only felt a few weeks, but months had passed. The “gnolem”, as they’d taken to calling the golem they’d fetched, had been quiescent. It looked like a caricature of a gnome, with a red conical cap, white beard and green jacket. So, the gnome golem became the gnolem.
Unfortunately, Count Grasply had tasked quite a few sages with working out a way to control the gnolem. Ezlo had a strong feeling this would not end well. As he heard distant yelling, rushing feet and the clatter of guards rushing to a fight, he unhappily realized he was correct. Following the guards, he ran from the hallway he had been wandering down to the main hall of the castle. There, he found chaos.
The gnolem had used its gaze attack to turn many people into small woodland creatures - an unpleasant feeling, as he’d found out- and the guards weren’t even bothering it. Seeing the druid standing nearby, he yelled “Liquify the stone underneath it!” and ran forward. The druid, thankfully, had something she could use to accommodate his needs. As he ran, the stone beneath the gnolem turned to mud and it sank slowly.
Ezlo leapt and landed on its shoulders, somehow managing to balance himself, a tall man in full plate armor. It sank quickly, and as its head disappeared beneath the muck, he leapt away and yelled “I got him!” He barely got his feet out before the stone solidified again. He stood slowly and looked around for any authority. Seeing none, he started organizing the unharmed so they could clean up. There was, unfortunately, nothing he could do for those turned into animals.
Searches for the count were unsuccessful, which, oddly, made the people happier. The chefs prepared a feast that night, to celebrate the saving of Evermonde. The feast was heavy on meat, especially rabbit and squirrel. When Borc, the sorcerer, found the count’s insignia ring in his meat, Ezlo realized what- or rather, who- he was eating. Suddenly feeling unwell, he took the ring and retired. The next day, the people of Evermonde decided he was better suited for running the town than anyone else and declared him the duke.
----------------
“… and that’s how I became Duke Ezlo of Evermonde.”

I enjoyed this not sure why he had to jump onto the golem, unless it was to make sure it got swallowed up, but that's an awfully inventive way to save the day. I liked it

Originally Posted by Machuchang

Sorry, not a dulcimer, though some lap dulcimers can actually have 4 strings. Hammered dulcimers (the big ones) tend to have much, much more though. (Sorry, I am a stringed-instrument enthusiast. I could probably keep going on about stuff like that. )

Pretty close in terms of size and shape with the violin, but not quite there yet.

I didn't think it was that either. My brain is just odd.

Viol then. Or Byzantine lyra (I am going to keep guessing until I get it right... perhaps you should just tell us).

Originally Posted by Machuchang

Look! He’s a pal’din! He kills evil stuff fer a livin’!

Love this line

Enjoyed all of them actually. I really like getting inside Natalia's head, and I'm totally ready to believe the worst about her father.

I have two in the works, but haven't had the time to actually finish either of them yet... I'm working on it.

[Quincunx]

"Bringin' Back the Joy" rocks my socks, and I'm not even wearing socks.

In return, a clerical vignette I didn't remember writing, but recognized once I recently unearthed it, and snickered all over again.

Valentine's Day
originally posted here

Spoiler

We stood rank by rank in the audience, which made it easy to reach over and walk my fingers up his leg. Most of it was sheathed in polished plate-mail, but at the top of his thigh, somewhere near (my eyes faced obediently forward, but certainly not for the droning ecclesiastical lecture), there was chain jointing. . .here. I poked my pinkie finger through the links--thankfully, he didn't have hairy legs--then eased my other fingertips into other links, and barely clenched my fingers.

Our row lurched as he doubled over, I yanking my pinched fingers free and howling about some oafs and their shields, the poor sap on his right fracturing some bones as he caught a high-quality spiked mace atop his knees. He caught himself, one hand on his knees and bent over slightly still. My eyes were still facing obediently forward so I had seen none of this, once he turned his glare upon me.

"What do you think you were doing?"

I curled my lips inward to suppress a grin. "Trying to draw off some of your holiness. I'm deficient."

For a full minute he teetered between taking that as truth or sarcasm. Whatever the decision, his eyes went away for a moment, doubtless imagining some exquisite martyr's death for me (I saw him grimace). With some effort, he stood at attention again, eyes obediently forward and lower lip barely between his teeth.

"I'd like," he bit, "to see you stripped of your rank and title and armor, in front of all of us."

"I'm not wearing the undersuit either," I retorted, rolling one shoulder and making the plate clink as it didn't glide on cloth paddings.

For such a nippy day, he looked ready to have a heat stroke. Maybe it was better that he'd remain bent over. Maybe it wasn't as good that he had decided to forgo the paddings. Holy he may have been, but as a paladin, he needed a lot of work. . .and lucky chance, I was in a preaching mood. There was still time aplenty to convert him before he took his vows--he wouldn't be a paladin then, but I was doing the paladins' college an unpaid favor, there.

[absolmorph]

Machuchang: I find 3rd person easiest as a style. And, honestly, I can't think of any other way to tell the story. It's just kinda inherently ridiculous.
I'm not sure who first said it, but "gnolem" was either a creation of one of the younger players in the group or the DM's. And, if you'd like, I can send you a PM about what Ezlo did and what the old ruler was like. It can't really be fit into this thread, though.
Also, his backstory never got to be really fleshed out, since that campaign has been on hiatus for 6 months (the meeting with his father was an idea for a framing device for the actual story, and never actually happened). Although, now that I think about it, that could make for another post...
Also, Trust in Your Senses made me chuckle.

Lady Moreta: Jumping on the gnolem was my split second idea for how to get its eyes covered by stone as soon as possible. It had a baleful polymorph eyebeam. It only fought in self-defense, but that still sucked. Especially when my armor rusted.

I'm glad my bit was well-received. I've started the next one, but I'm very sleepy and don't want to forget anything. All the ones I've read have been great ^.^

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by Quincunx

"Bringin' Back the Joy" rocks my socks, and I'm not even wearing socks.

In return, a clerical vignette I didn't remember writing, but recognized once I recently unearthed it, and snickered all over again.

Valentine's Day
originally posted here

Spoiler

We stood rank by rank in the audience, which made it easy to reach over and walk my fingers up his leg. Most of it was sheathed in polished plate-mail, but at the top of his thigh, somewhere near (my eyes faced obediently forward, but certainly not for the droning ecclesiastical lecture), there was chain jointing. . .here. I poked my pinkie finger through the links--thankfully, he didn't have hairy legs--then eased my other fingertips into other links, and barely clenched my fingers.

Our row lurched as he doubled over, I yanking my pinched fingers free and howling about some oafs and their shields, the poor sap on his right fracturing some bones as he caught a high-quality spiked mace atop his knees. He caught himself, one hand on his knees and bent over slightly still. My eyes were still facing obediently forward so I had seen none of this, once he turned his glare upon me.

"What do you think you were doing?"

I curled my lips inward to suppress a grin. "Trying to draw off some of your holiness. I'm deficient."

For a full minute he teetered between taking that as truth or sarcasm. Whatever the decision, his eyes went away for a moment, doubtless imagining some exquisite martyr's death for me (I saw him grimace). With some effort, he stood at attention again, eyes obediently forward and lower lip barely between his teeth.

"I'd like," he bit, "to see you stripped of your rank and title and armor, in front of all of us."

"I'm not wearing the undersuit either," I retorted, rolling one shoulder and making the plate clink as it didn't glide on cloth paddings.

For such a nippy day, he looked ready to have a heat stroke. Maybe it was better that he'd remain bent over. Maybe it wasn't as good that he had decided to forgo the paddings. Holy he may have been, but as a paladin, he needed a lot of work. . .and lucky chance, I was in a preaching mood. There was still time aplenty to convert him before he took his vows--he wouldn't be a paladin then, but I was doing the paladins' college an unpaid favor, there.

Absolutely freaking hilarious I loved it! This was just brilliant and funny

Originally Posted by absolmorph

Jumping on the gnolem was my split second idea for how to get its eyes covered by stone as soon as possible. It had a baleful polymorph eyebeam. It only fought in self-defense, but that still sucked. Especially when my armor rusted.

That makes sense, thanks

And, finally, because Machuchang asked for it...

How Lyra Met Ket'Thull
from Lyra's point of view

(warning: rather long)

Spoiler

I’m hungry. I know it doesn’t help anything to dwell on it, but after three days of no food it’s hard to dwell on anything but. Besides, the kids are counting on me. If I don’t steal, they don’t eat. The merchants are getting wise though – damn them. I can’t risk stealing food directly, not any more. I have to find a mark. Someone big, clumsy and stupid would be good. I’m so hungry.

I’d been staring at the big half-orc for at least a minute before I finally realised what I was looking at. A big, clumsy and stupid mark. Perfect. Garret would be mad it’d taken me this long to figure it out. Garret doesn’t know what it feels like to be this hungry. Garret… no, best not to go there.

I slide to my feet and start towards him. Not directly, quick and quiet is the key. Don’t draw attention to yourself Lyra. Be careful. Be discreet. I weave my way through the crowd, using the sunlight reflecting off his heavy armour to keep him in my sights. He had a big sword too – really big. Wouldn’t want him to hit me with that. Wouldn’t want anyone to hit me with that. Would probably hurt.

Damnit woman. Concentrate!

I stop dead, letting the crowd move around me, ignoring the few annoyed voices as those near me are forced to weave around me. Focus Lyra, focus. If you screw this up, you’ll have to try your luck with the vendors again. And I really don’t think that’s such a good idea. From here I can see the stall run by the crazy halfling and his human partner. I’d tried to ingratiate myself in with him, even using his native language – thank you Garret.

It hadn’t worked.

Stupid halfling had I suspect, seen straight through me, and he’d had his hulking partner chase me out of the market. Jerk.

Concentrate. But I’m so hungry.

I started moving again and straight away found myself squinting. The big brute had taken his gauntlets off and was attaching them to his belt. And ahhh… there was my pay. There was a ring on his finger, and there, the musical sound of coins in a pouch. Looks like the big brute was planning to buy something to eat himself.

Now I need a distraction. Perfect. Those two fat merchants – they’ve never known hunger before. But they’re arguing about – who knows what. I don’t care, they’ll serve their purpose.

I duck around the two merchants, using their argument as cover to get me close to my mark. I snuggle right up close and -

“Hey! Watch out!” I’ve run straight into some fancy-dressed servant doing their master’s shopping. Without a word I vanish back into the crowd. My mark has turned his head, no intelligence in those eyes – but he doesn’t see me. No one sees me unless I want them to. I let the crowd swallow me and spit me out behind the half-orc. Safer to come from a different direction Garret always said. Garret…

The brute has tucked his coin pouch onto his belt right beside the gauntlets. How very obliging of him. Right. Now’s my chance. Duck to the left, sneak around behind this gentleman, thank you very much. And now come in again to the right. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Be careful. Be discreet. Don’t get caught.

The hand comes out and. …

I came to an abrupt stumbling stop. Something had my right hand in a vice-like grip. I looked up. And up. And up. I kept looking up til I was staring into the face of my mark. He’d caught me? He was certainly staring down at me, with an odd sort of – un-expression on his face. My that’s annoying. What was it Garret had always said? Don’t get caught Lyra, don’t get caught.

“Whoops…”

“That is one way of describing the situation.”

Oh damn… Did I say that out loud? I could feel the blood drain from my face and I knew I must look even paler than I usually do. Odd voice for a half-orc though. Deep, which isn’t surprising, but – compelling in a way. And very very calm.

A tug on my wrist and the deep voice spoke again

“Just what do you think you were doing?” Yup. It’s official. I’m in trouble. Think fast girl.

“I was… uhhh. I-” Oh, well done Lyra. Well done indeed. Idiot. I could swear at myself. I would swear at myself – I never have trouble talking my way out of a situation. I blame this on being hungry.

“Trying to steal from me?” Great. Now he sounds amused. Just what I wanted. To be some idiot half-orc’s comic relief. Lunch time entertainment. I’m not a bard damn it. Except he caught me. And no half-orc has ever caught me before. And they’ve tried. I would have to pick the only half-orc fast enough to catch a thief. Well done me.

“No!” I tried desperately for the sound of indignation – and would have found it too, if my voice hadn’t crackled on the last note. “I wouldn’t- I was… I…” my voice trailed off under his gaze. He was just standing there, staring at me. Knowing.

I give up.

I sighed heavily and my shoulders drooped. I’m finding myself close to tears, which is unpleasant. I haven’t cried since – since when? Mother? Garret? No, when I stubbed my toe the other day. Hey! It hurt! I’m so exhausted, and so hungry, and so…

“Oh hell…”

He laughed. Well, more of a chuckle really. But can you believe it? He laughed. Moron. Bet he doesn’t know what hunger feels like. Him with his ring and his gauntlets and his full coin pouch. It’s just rude really. Rude and impolite. It hurts my feelings. More than your stomach? The thought slams into my head with all the force of a raging, starving tiger – which funnily enough, is approximately how hungry I am right now. I’m staring at my feet, trying to emphasise how small I am. It works. His grip on my wrist relaxes and he speaks again.

“Now, how bad can things be that you’d try stealing from a paladin? We’re not noted for our valuables.”

No. No no no. Nonononononononononono. No. Not again. Horrified I yanked away, not again. Please not again.

The half-orc. The paladin pulled back. He was massive, I had no chance, and I knew it. His strength had me held in place.

“Hey!”

No no no… not listening. His hand around my wrist tightened and I panicked. Without thinking, I slammed my heel into his foot

“Yeouch!” Full plate. I forgot. Damn that hurt.

“Easy!”

The paladin tugged on me, oh no, I’m going nowhere with you. Mind destroyer. Family destroyer. I’m so tired, I’m so hungry. I’m never going to get away. Despair hit me full force, my mind was screaming Get away! Get away! I swung at him with my free hand. If I could cause a big enough scene, I could get free.

He grabbed my hand before it connected.

I stopped thinking.

I screamed.

He slapped a hand over my mouth.

“Calm down!”

Before I could take advantage of my freed left hand, he’d yanked on my right and had me pinned against him.

I kicked him in the shins.

“ENOUGH!” He hissed the word, and I could see in his face – anger, frustration.

He let me go.

“It is all right. I will not hurt you.”

I jerked backwards, desperate to get away and felt his fingers move against my wrist. He’d relaxed his hold. And then his words penetrated my blind panic. Will not hurt you. All I had heard was ‘hurt you’ and I already knew enough about that thank you very much.

I stared up at him, into eyes that seemed strangely gentle. My fingers uncurled from the fist I hadn’t realised I’d made. What on earth was this?

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I don’t- I didn’t mean…” I found myself trailing off uselessly. What was the point in talking? I was still caught. And a caught thief means an imprisoned thief. He shifted his weight, letting me go completely and folding massive arms across a massive chest.

“You didn’t mean to steal from me?” He sounded legitimately sceptical.

“Well, no… I didn’t mean to get caught” I stopped dead, hands flying to my mouth. What had possessed me to say that? Being hungry was destroying my better judgement. Destroying my ability to even think. I had to get out of here.

The half-orc paladin – what an odd concept – seemed to find that amusing, because he burst out laughing. I saw something else amusing. Nyn, Tel and Brin. They were hovering, hoping I could feed them, as they always did. A plan started forming. First, a distraction. I forced myself to pay attention to him again. Once again my mark.

“Well, an honest thief. That’s a new one. All right, little thief, what shall we do with you?” He keeps laughing… this is getting annoying. Okay, humour the half-orc. I can do that.

“You could just let me go” I peer up at him, doing my best to look adorable. I learned this from Terryn; she could turn men to butter just by turning on the ‘sweet and innocent’. It works for me – about half the times I try it. Bloody half-orc kept laughing. Plan B.

“I don’t think so, little thief,” he looked down at me, smiling. “I don’t think you’re really a bad person” – oh thank you so much. “Perhaps it would be best if you travelled with me for a time. Yes, that should keep you out of trouble admirably.”

I couldn’t believe it. He seemed smugly delighted with the idea. I was not. Time for more drastic action. I let my left hand slide behind my back, I knew the kids would be watching. I hastily curled my fingers around into the various signs and signals that screamed ‘distraction!’

“And exactly what sort of mission – quest… err, thing would a paladin be on that requires a thief?” I borrowed again from Terryn’s experience, putting as much cynicism and pertness in my voice as I could manage. All I needed was time, and I could already hear the sounds of the kids moving. The half-orc looked thoughtful. Good. The more time he spent thinking, the less likely he’d be to see what I was doing.

Nyn rant into him, going full-tilt and burst into noisy tears. Tel indignantly abused the ‘bad man’ in a shrill childish voice, while Brin skidded to a halt and started slapping at the armoured legs. Bless their starving little hearts.

I yanked my hand free from the loosened grip and jumped sideways, intending to dart past him. A flicker of hunger pangs shot through my stomach as I moved and I stumbled. And that damn half-orc was fast. He pivoted around and grabbed my shoulders.

I stopped, and my shoulders sagged. Was there nothing I could do to get away from this monster?

“You are going to be trouble,” he sighed the words. He looked like he wasn’t sure what he was doing himself. That made two of us. I still couldn’t understand why he hadn’t just thrown me over his shoulder and marched off with me. I knew he’d thought about it, I could see it in his eyes. I looked up at him, waiting silently. There wasn’t really much I could say any more. And for once, I was running out of ideas.

“Why are you so determined to get away from me?” He asked finally.” I’ve already told you I won’t hurt you.”

Resignation sucks. But what else was there? The kids had run off, and I didn’t blame them. Looks like I wasn’t going to be feeding them today after all. I can’t think, I can’t move fast enough to get away from this man, I can’t talk my way out of it. And all he does is tell me he’s not going to hurt me? And damn it if I don’t believe him too.

“I believe you,” I said finally. Wearily. Defeated. I’m too tired and too hungry to argue any more. Let him do with me as he will. “But in my experience being caught means only one thing. Trouble.”

That I was in trouble was the one thing I didn’t doubt. I just wasn’t sure where that trouble was going to land me.

“I have no intention of handing you over to the authorities.”

“You aren’t?” I sounded at least as stunned as he looked. Nice to know I’m not the only one being thrown off balance by this. Speaking of balance – why is he so tall? I took a step back so I could look at him without craning my neck. Why am I so short?

Nausea hit me hard, and my knees collapsed out from under me. I slipped on the dust and staggered sideways. Hands grabbed me and arms went around me and I was set back on my feet. The half-orc. The half-orc paladin – stepped back so I could see him clearly. He stood there, just staring at me, while I tried not to throw up on his feet. I’d caught glimpse of my reflection in water barrels, I knew I looked terrible. He looked like he was about to ask awkward questions.

“How long has it been since you last ate?” He asked finally. Yup. There goes that awkward question…

“A while…” I muttered, unwilling, or perhaps unable to admit the truth. Not to a paladin. Okay, so I doubted he was going to – do anything, but that didn’t mean I could trust him. And I wasn’t going to admit how long it had really been.

He snorted. Nope, not telling him.

He glared at me in exasperation. Not. Gonna. Happen.

He sighed, and his breath stirred my hair. I glanced up. Oh bugger…

“About three days,” I admitted, my voice barely audible.

Nothing. Silence. I looked up. He was gone. What?!

Clinking and the thud of heavy footsteps and he was back and dumping a … a loaf of bread into my hands. I started at it, I must have looked like I’d never seen bread before. I glanced up at him, blinking. Not crying. Nope.

“Thank you,” I said it so softly I’m surprised he heard me.

First things first. I turned around and whistled – code for ‘it’s safe’. Instantly, Nyn, Tel and Brin appeared, beaming up at me – eyes wide with a hunger far worse than my own, doing their very best not to rip the bread from my hands. I handed the bread to Nyn, grateful for once for my lack of height. If I’d tried to crouch or bend I’d’ve fallen on my face.

“Wha’ ab’t you?” Tel demanded. He’s the oldest of the trio, and takes his duties as ‘big brother’ very seriously. He takes care of the others and tries to take care of me. I grinned at him, plucked the loaf from his hands and tugged a small piece free. Popping it in my mouth (and then I nearly did cry), I said,

“That’ll take care of me. Go. Eat. And stay out of trouble!” That last was yelled at their receding backs.

I turned back and abruptly remembered the half-orc. I eyed him through my eyelashes, squinting up at him. He looked surprised. I felt myself squirming.

“I learned that from my first guild,” I muttered defensively. “Anything that sparkled or shone we could handle as we saw fit.” I paused to remember some of those lovely things that had sparkled or shone. “But food was first for those who can’t feed themselves.” I set myself then. Waiting for the ridicule, for the laughter of those who imagined thieves had no honour. No compassion.

“You have a good heart little thief,” he said finally. He looked a little troubled. Obviously he was one of those who thought there was no honour or compassion among those who transferred ownership for a living. Serves him right.

“I’d say thank you, but that won’t really help me much,” I commented dryly. A sudden idea then, worth a shot. “Now that you know I’m not completely evil, perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement? You don’t turn me in, and I will – behave myself.”

“No, I don’t think so,” his voice was quiet, and almost pensive, but there was no mistaking the unmovable quality. Drat. Well, it’d been worth a shot. Jail here I come.

“I think you should come with me. There is good in you, you simply need to find the right path.”

The right path? What the hang is that supposed to mean? Besides, I already have a path, thankyouverymuch.

“And you don’t think I have that path already?”

The bloody paladin burst out laughing. Again. I’m getting sick of that.

“Obviously not little thief!” He was chortling. At me.

Then he stepped forwards, til he was almost standing on my feet. Forcing me to tip my head back so I could see his face. Panic slapped at me, and I ruthlessly shoved it back down. Standing on his feet wasn’t an option. Diversions weren’t working. I was running out of ideas. But I’d be damned if I’d show him how much he intimidated me. How much he – scared me…

“I won’t turn you into the authorities; but I think I will insist that you come with me.” He stared down at me, with that un-expression I’d noticed earlier. Did he even realise how badly he was freaking me out? “For a time at least.”

For a time. Now what does that mean?

But… for a time… Eventually he’ll get used to me, and then I’ll have a chance to bolt. One chance, when I’m not starving, that’s all I’ll need.

“I can see I don’t have much of a choice.” I said, being sure to let him know I wasn’t happy about this. “Fine… My name is Lyra.”

He smiled at me, stepping backwards at the same time. Bastard. He did know what his – closeness was doing to me. He did it deliberately. Right. Fine. When I leave, I’m taking all his stuff with me.

“And I am Ket’Thull.” He introduced himself genially. I suppose he felt he’d won, could afford to be nice about it now. “Now, young Lyra, we have a long way to go. Perhaps we should see about feeding you, since you so kindly gave up your previous meal to the less fortunate.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

“Now that I won’t argue with.”

Also, Teej suggested I write something to make you go 'awwwwww'... here is my attempt. I think it may be less 'awwwww' inspiring than intended.

Baby Fix

Spoiler

“Silver, can you hold Tella for me?” I waited patiently until she approached and stopped in front of me. She made no effort to reach out for Tella, and I had to put the child straight into her arms. There was a flicker of emotion in her face – something dark, something angry and – anguished? As fast as it appeared though, it vanished. Her face softened and she shifted my daughter in her arms until the child was upright. She started walking in little circles, bouncing as she did. The dark emotions I’d glimpsed gave way to delight.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A baby. I had a baby. I caught one flailing hand in mine and held it in the classic aristocrat’s position. Then we danced around the room. I didn’t dare sing. Babies love to be sung to, but I simply cannot. I am tone deaf – as my teachers reminded me almost daily. Tella gurgled a happy baby laugh, and I beamed at her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

I was happy. For the first time since leaving Domoth. For the first time since graduating from the Ariaethus. For the first time I didn’t wonder where Terryn was, or why she had left. I was happy. And I had a baby.

She squealed a couple of times, as I moved into an old dance of Celadia. I had been told there were more opportunities there for one with my skills than anywhere else on the continent, so I was practicing. Tella wasn’t exactly the best practice partner, but she was absolutely the most adorable.

My dancing must have been too energetic for her, because soon enough Tella started yawning. Her tiny mouth opening wide and those little eyes scrunching up to nothing. I sat down on the big, soft chair reserved for those with the baby and nestled her into my side. Her blanket was draped over the arm of the chair, so I picked it up and wrapped her in it.

I adjusted us both, then started rocking slowly, rubbing her back as I did. I may not be able to sing, but there’s nothing wrong with my speaking voice, so I started telling the story of the king who loved his maid so much he gave up his kingdom in order to marry her. It’s a lovely story, and my voice is soothing when I want it to be.

I sat and rocked in perfect contentment. I snuggled into Tella, even as she snuggled into me. I pressed another kiss to her forehead as she drifted off to sleep. Even then I continued to rock, holding her close. Protecting her. I was happy. I had a baby.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Here, I’ll put her to bed” I reached down to take Tella from Silver’s arms. She tightened her grip and leaned away from me. I don’t think she even realised she was doing it. Startled, I took my daughter from my friend’s arms and put her in her cradle. Silver’s head came up so fast it almost made me jump. I cringed inwardly at the look on her face. All at once fierce, protective, caring – everything that made a mother a mother. And yet, full of rage and hate and fury. But behind it all, buried behind her green eyes, I could sense a sort of despair. A grief. It made me realise how little I know this new friend of mine.

It was late, and soon we too slept. I woke in the middle of the night to feed Tella, and I could hear a strange sound. Curious, I carried my daughter to the door of my bedroom and peered out. There was Silver, curled up in my big, soft easy chair, deep in trance. But it didn’t seem pleasant. Elves don’t dream as far as I know, but she seemed caught in the throes of a nightmare nonetheless. She was crying – I didn’t realise she knew how. Silver is cold-hearted at the best of times. But she wept, begging and pleading for ‘them’. She wanted someone to bring her ‘them’ and it appeared ‘they’ didn’t, for she got angry and violent. Tossing and thrashing.

I stared dumbfounded, not sure whether I should wake her or not. Tella snuffled in my arms, and I looked down at her sleepy face. I remembered the look on Silver’s face, as she held my baby girl, and when I took her away. Suddenly, I thought I knew what it was Silver so desperately cried out for. Moving as quietly as I could across the dirt floor, I approached the chair where she sat in trance. Ever so gently, I reached out and laid Tella in Silver’s arms. The affect was instantaneous and almost frightening. Instantly, she wrapped her arms around my baby and curled protectively over her. Even in trance, she rocked back and forth, and a mumbled croon came from her lips.

I sat on the floor at her feet, just in case Tella started to cry and woke my friend.

“What did they do to you my friend?” I whispered, touching Silver’s knee with one finger. “What child of yours was stolen?”

I kept a vigil that night. On the outside I was calm. On the inside though… on the inside, my heart was breaking.

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Quincunx

Valentine's Day
[size="1"]originally posted here

Oh man...

That was glorious! Short, but filled with impact, and incredibly hilarious. I love the narrator's attitude, naughty, witty, and slightly sardonic. I'm also amazed at how much detail you were able to evoke with just a few carefully placed details, without ever being explicit, and I just can't help but wonder what happened afterwards. Besides that, I derived a whole lot of schadenfreude from that poor paladin's position, and now I feel I little bad. Fantastic work.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

How Lyra Met Ket'Thull
from Lyra's point of view

Thank you!

That one was excellent! I really loved being able to see things even more from Lyra's perspective, and I just loved how prominent her spunky personality was. You also did an excellent job with her hiding things from the reader, whether successfully or not, which added another dimension to the story for me. This one also met the 'awwww...' bar quite nicely, with her actions towards the children. But now you've got me wondering what happened to Garret and why Lyra is afraid of paladins! Lyra is really a fascinating character, and I just love getting into her head. Keep up the good work.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Baby Fix

Now if How Lyra Met Ket'Thull from Lyra's point of view met the 'awwww...' bar, this story broke the bar, then kept rising until it went back around to hit the bar again. And yes, I do realize that is not physically possible, and probably not theoretically possible either, but oh well. Great job! I really admired how you managed to tie in the mystery of Silver's daughter all the way back with Why Girls Shouldn't Kiss, and I just keep getting more and more sucked in by Silver's past and the world she lives in.

I am curious who the mother of Tella is though, and I couldn't help but wonder if the Terryn that Silver knew happened to be the same Terryn that Lyra mentioned in her snippet...


And I've got another snippet. I tried to write the set up for it, but it just didn't flow well and it fell into too many of the issues I had with Defiance. But basically what happened is that Varen fought a half-orange dragon gargantuan amphibious aboleth that was living in the magic lake, fell for some illusions, got slammed into the floor, slapped, scratched, exploded, lit on fire, crippled, slammed into the floor again, eaten, and shredded before cutting his way out of the aboleth's throat, killing it. Then Natalia drank from the magical lake...

Old Scars Never Heal

Spoiler

The first thing I saw was Varen.

He was covered in grime, slime, ash, sweat and blood. He could barely stand at all, and he was leaning heavily on his longsword. His armor appeared to have been torn off by some sort of explosion, revealing his torso and arms. I was shocked and dismayed at what I saw.

Countless fresh slashes, bruises, and burns were spread all over his body, and blood was flowing freely from his mouth. I could even see pieces of shrapnel from his armor embedded in his flesh. But beneath all of that, there was so much worse.

Scars. Hideous scars that could only have been from torture. Lash marks, stab wounds, flensed skin, rope burns, he had them all. And they were everywhere. From what I could see, only his face had been left untouched.


Those were Crownbreaker methods.


I found myself overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. Shock, rage, and frustration fogged my mind. I felt horrible.

And then he smiled.

I couldn’t stand it. How could he still smile after all of that? After the aboleth, after the torture, after everything? I just couldn’t stand it!

I hit him.

I slammed my fist into his cheek. Probably not the smartest move given his current condition, but I wasn’t thinking straight. He hit the ground and stared at up me, a stunned expression on his face. He didn’t even have any idea that something was wrong. Even though I knew that he couldn’t have known, at that moment, it didn’t matter.

“GODS DAMN YOU!” I screamed at him. “GODS DAMN YOU, VAREN!”

“Tali?” he sounded concerned. Concerned for me still. I had just hit him, and he was still worrying about me! “Is everything all right?”

“NO!” How could he not understand? “LOOK AT YOURSELF! LOOK AT YOUR WOUNDS! LOOK AT THOSE DAMN SCARS! IS THAT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO YOU? HAS ALL OF THAT BEEN FOR ME?”

“Yes,” he said as he struggled back to his feet. And he said it so simply too. As though everything that had been done to him didn’t matter in the slightest. That just made me angrier.

“WHY?!” my voice echoed throughout the cavern. “Gods, Varen… Why? Why did you let that happen because of me? Why didn’t you just give up?” Why was I starting to cry now? Gods damn him…

Varen gently grasped my hand and stared me straight in the eyes. .

“Why?” he was so weak that he had to lean against me just to remain upright. “Because through it all, through all the pain, through all the fear, I kept telling myself that I would be there for you. That I had to be there. And when compared to that, all of that pain and that fear didn’t mean anything to me anymore, because I knew that nothing would stop me from getting to you,”

I was crying harder now.

“If you keep this up, you’re going to die you idiot! Then what? I don’t want you getting hurt over me!” I tried to choke back my sobs. “I don’t want you getting hurt ever!


"Dammit Varen, I love you!”

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Viol then. Or Byzantine lyra (I am going to keep guessing until I get it right... perhaps you should just tell us).

I don't think I'll reveal the Blue Bard's instrument just yet. I'm positive someone will figure it out soon...

Though I'll give another hint. It's not bowed.

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by Machuchang

Thank you!

You're welcome That one took me a while to write, Lyra kept arguing with me

Originally Posted by Machuchang

You also did an excellent job with her hiding things from the reader, whether successfully or not, which added another dimension to the story for me.

It wasn't intentional, but I'll take the compliment anyway! Well, I suppose it was sort of intentional... she was trying to hide things from Ket'Thull after all.

Originally Posted by Machuchang

But now you've got me wondering what happened to Garret and why Lyra is afraid of paladins!

For the first, your guess is as good as mine I have started a snippet that answers that, but haven't looked at it in a while, and I rather suspect both Lyra and Garret are going to fight me on it.

Second question - will partly be answered by the previously mentioned snippet. Short answer - the only paladins she's had any experience with previously are the crazy-ass Miko variety.

Originally Posted by Machuchang

I am curious who the mother of Tella is though, and I couldn't help but wonder if the Terryn that Silver knew happened to be the same Terryn that Lyra mentioned in her snippet...

*fights the urge to go 'awww' again*

Thank you I too am curious who Tella's mother is. I never bothered to name her. Terryn - sort of is and sort of isn't the same person. She is actually a character I came up with for the purposes of writing a story set in the same world as Silver (homebrewed setting by my husbandDM). I may in fact turn her into a character if Silver ever kicks the bucket and can't be brought back. I started writing the snippet from Lyra's perspective and felt the need to explain why she tries the 'cute to get out of trouble' thing and why it only works sometimes. I figured she learnt it off someone for whom it does work all the time. So, a bard essentially - someone for whom diplomacy and sweet-talking is second nature. And as Terryn is a bard (with some levels of rogue) I figured that would work. And I was too lazy to come up with another name. Also, the DM of the pbp game has never really identified the world we're in, so for purposes of my story in my head, it's the same world Therefore it's perfectly reasonable to assume that it's the same Terryn.

But mostly, I was just being lazy.

Also, technically Silver doesn't know if her daughter is a daughter or a son. She never found out. The succubus thing was DM fiat (and you know, because it was a succubus). Tella being is a girl is completely because my pastor and his wife have an adorable 6 month old baby girl, so whenever I think 'baby' currently, I think of her. She is literally, the cutest baby I've ever seen. All babies are cute, she really is exceptionally adorable. And that's not just the bias of an honorary aunty

Originally Posted by Machuchang

a half-orange dragon gargantuan amphibious aboleth that was living in the magic lake, fell for some illusions, got slammed into the floor, slapped, scratched, exploded, lit on fire, crippled, slammed into the floor again, eaten, and shredded before cutting his way out of the aboleth's throat, killing it.

Duuuuude... that is one hardass paladin. Half-orange though? I didn't think dragons came in that colour

Originally Posted by Machuchang

*snip*

Damn. Just damn. That was utterly brilliant. You create fantastic word pictures. I can just see Varen through Tali's eyes, and hear his voice in her ears. The torture thing hints at something you've not mentioned before (at least I don't remember it coming up) which makes me want to know more. You are really sucking me in to these two.

I don't know if it was your intention or not, but I'm very impressed at how you manage to suck me into Varen's story by writing from Natalia's perspective. It strikes me as unusual, but I really like the way it works.

I am also delighted she can see again... though I get the feeling she's not altogether happy about it.

Originally Posted by Machuchang

"Dammit Varen, I love you!”

No. You can't have him. He's mine

Originally Posted by Machuchang

I don't think I'll reveal the Blue Bard's instrument just yet. I'm positive someone will figure it out soon...

Though I'll give another hint. It's not bowed.

You're enjoying this way too much Ukelele?

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

For the first, your guess is as good as mine I have started a snippet that answers that, but haven't looked at it in a while, and I rather suspect both Lyra and Garret are going to fight me on it.

I look forward to maybe seeing it then.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Also, technically Silver doesn't know if her daughter is a daughter or a son. She never found out. The succubus thing was DM fiat (and you know, because it was a succubus).

I find Silver not knowing very curious, and now I want to learn that story even more!

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Duuuuude... that is one hardass paladin. Half-orange though? I didn't think dragons came in that colour

Yep, they're in the Dragon Magazine Compendium. They spit black goop that explodes. My DM loves his splatbooks.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Damn. Just damn. That was utterly brilliant. You create fantastic word pictures. I can just see Varen through Tali's eyes, and hear his voice in her ears. The torture thing hints at something you've not mentioned before (at least I don't remember it coming up) which makes me want to know more. You are really sucking me in to these two.

I don't know if it was your intention or not, but I'm very impressed at how you manage to suck me into Varen's story by writing from Natalia's perspective. It strikes me as unusual, but I really like the way it works.

I am also delighted she can see again... though I get the feeling she's not altogether happy about it.

Yep, all of those were my intentions, so its great to know that I managed to pull them off. Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

You're enjoying this way too much Ukelele?

You got it!

Enjoy your cookie. And 5 bonus points too.

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by Machuchang

I find Silver not knowing very curious, and now I want to learn that story even more!

I posted it a while ago the thing was that as soon as she gave birth she was a little spaced out and her mother took the kid without ever telling her. Hence she doesn't know if it was a boy or girl.

Story can be found here

Originally Posted by Machuchang

You got it!

Enjoy your cookie. And 5 bonus points too.

Wooo! A cookie! And bonus points!

And when I think about it, I can't believe it took me this long to figure out would you believe I actually resorted to google to come up with the viol & lyra... but when you said it wasn't bowed, ukelele was the first thing I thought of. I googled it just to make sure it only had four strings

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Story can be found here

How did I possibly miss that?
I thought I had read all of these snippets! Time to go thread-diving...

[Lady Moreta]

Heh

I was thinking of updating the first post with a kind of library catalogue to all the stories, so no one has to go wandering if all they want is to read a specific snippet.

Done by author, title of snippet and a brief blurb... I know sometimes I'm going looking for something specific and I hate having to wander through the pages looking for it, especially when I don't remember what they're called. Heck, I barely remember the names of my own! let alone anyone elses.

Seem like a good idea?

[big teej]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Heh

I was thinking of updating the first post with a kind of library catalogue to all the stories, so no one has to go wandering if all they want is to read a specific snippet.

Done by author, title of snippet and a brief blurb... I know sometimes I'm going looking for something specific and I hate having to wander through the pages looking for it, especially when I don't remember what they're called. Heck, I barely remember the names of my own! let alone anyone elses.

Seem like a good idea?

sounds like a great idea to me.
perhaps also (if its not to much effort/somebody helps) organize them by 'series' or 'character'
for instance, everything about natalie and varren could be put under 'varren' and 'natalie' as two seperate series, or put together under 'varren and natalie' or some such thing.
but that sounds like lots of work...

that said....................
-hangs head in shame-
I apologize profusely for not getting the guardsman snippet done, real life has been kicking my butt.
ramble

Spoiler

between essays, (trying) to get in shape for football, and my newfound group of friends (and their even newer found addiction to Quelf) I haven't been able to write or read anything at all lately, in this thread or any others. and I am rather perturbed that I have not been able to keep up with this most awesome thread

however,
my absence has born out some good things. (aside from the aforementioned new buddies)

I have at least 2 new character concepts I need to flesh out, and I plan to do it here.
Tylndyr the Resolute - an Elf cleric of Kaila Mensha Kaine
and
Gideon, Knight Errant

so after this week(end?) I will hopefully be able to go back to reading and posting...

/ramble/apology

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by big teej

sounds like a great idea to me.
perhaps also (if its not to much effort/somebody helps) organize them by 'series' or 'character'
for instance, everything about natalie and varren could be put under 'varren' and 'natalie' as two seperate series, or put together under 'varren and natalie' or some such thing.
but that sounds like lots of work...

I was planning to do that anyway

Shall we rise up en masse and kick real life's butt for you, so you can come back to us?

I have one snippet still to finish, and I think another to start - actually two more to start. One for backstory for yet another pbp character, and then we've actually done stuff worthy of snippeting in the Red Death one, so stay tuned for stuff from Rosalind!

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

I was thinking of updating the first post with a kind of library catalogue to all the stories, so no one has to go wandering if all they want is to read a specific snippet.

Done by author, title of snippet and a brief blurb... I know sometimes I'm going looking for something specific and I hate having to wander through the pages looking for it, especially when I don't remember what they're called. Heck, I barely remember the names of my own! let alone anyone elses.

Seem like a good idea?

Yes! That sounds like an excellent idea!

Originally Posted by big teej

sounds like a great idea to me.
perhaps also (if its not to much effort/somebody helps) organize them by 'series' or 'character'

I definitely support this suggestion, but again, only if its not too much work.

Originally Posted by big teej

*snip*

Sorry to hear about real life kicking you around. I hope things ease up for you soon.

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by Machuchang

I definitely support this suggestion, but again, only if its not too much work.

Already planned to do it

I've actually almost done it - well, almost done listing each person's snippets and the appropriate link. I think I'm on page 8. When that's done, I'll go through and order them.

One question though - do people want to write their own blurbs, or are they happy for me to do it?

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

One question though - do people want to write their own blurbs, or are they happy for me to do it?

I'm perfectly fine with you writing blurbs for my stories. You would be able to make them sound a lot more interesting.

Though I'm going to have to be mean to you and introduce a whole bunch of new characters soon.

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by Machuchang

I'm perfectly fine with you writing blurbs for my stories. You would be able to make them sound a lot more interesting.

Though I'm going to have to be mean to you and introduce a whole bunch of new characters soon.

Yay! More stories!

While I'm here... do you want Varen & Natalia's snippets classed together, since they're from the same game, or would you like them separate?

And for that matter, I've been curious about this for a while and kept forgetting to ask... is Natalia a PC in your game or an NPC? I can't tell

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Yay! More stories!
While I'm here... do you want Varen & Natalia's snippets classed together, since they're from the same game, or would you like them separate?

Separate, please. They are different people after all.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

And for that matter, I've been curious about this for a while and kept forgetting to ask... is Natalia a PC in your game or an NPC? I can't tell

Natalia started out as an NPC. Then when Varen was knocked unconscious, my DM handed me a character sheet with her name on it and said "You will be playing a different character for a little bit. Have fun,"

Since then, she's been a PC.

[big teej]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

One question though - do people want to write their own blurbs, or are they happy for me to do it?

I second the blurbishness

yours will sound far more interesting than anything I could come up with*


*I would like the tiltles to remain intact, as I feel that some of those are actually humerous.

Originally Posted by Machuchang

Though I'm going to have to be mean to you and introduce a whole bunch of new characters soon.

same here, I am now kicking real life's butt and plan to spend the rest of psycheology ...psycology....crap..
my class, writing up a snippet... a background snippet.... for....................................


Tylndyr... or the Imperial guardsman.

EDIT: okay, I take it back, guardsman is off the table, I don't remember/didn't have enough to really make a go of it.... the campaign kinda flopped.

[big teej]

Lady and gentleman of the thread, I present to you Tylndyr's new eyes...

if there seems to be a huge shift in tone/verbage in the last paragraph I'm sorry, I wrote everything up to "I drank" this morning and just wrote the rest and popped it through spellchecker


enjoy.

Spoiler

Some things stay with you… even for one so long lived as I. Things of pain, of hope, of pleasure and joy, of grief…. For me, being rather young as my race measures time, I have thankfully encountered very few moments of pain that stay with me….. There are 2 events of my life that continue to dwell within my Reverie… and they are closely linked, very very close. My acceptance into the Priesthood of Kaela Mensha Kaine, the bloody handed God. And receiving my new eyes through Kaine’s blessing…..
Remembering the eyes comes far more often than the pride I felt at acceptance….“Initiate Tylyndyr!” My eyes open, they are blue, like the sky above our home… I have no surname; it is stripped from us as initiates and cast into the Cauldron of Kaine. We are instructed that once we enter the priesthood, we will be required to do great things that will earn us new names. I turn my head to see who has summoned me. It is one of the faceless retainers of Urial, high priest of this temple. “It is time?” I ask, knowing, and fearing, the answer. “It is” comes the voice behind the mask, it is the voice of a sepulcher, issued forth from a skull helmet made from bronze. I rise from my pallet and put on my robes, they were white once… though the closest they come to white is a few pink areas where blood rarely splatters, and the rest is a deep red and black of clotted gore. Once my time as an initiate is done I will throw these robes after my name. Into the Cauldron for Kaine’s glory…

The retainer leads me to the high alter, where the Temples Cauldron sits, smoking and bubbling, the blood within it never rotting. I cannot see them, but I know that every full-priest within the temple is present, watching from the shadows. With eyes like the greatest of augurs, searching my mind, body and soul for a flaw, a sin in my devotion to Kaine. Urial (I think it’s urial, though it could simply be another one of his retainers for all I know, with the mask the man wears.) Stands behind the altar, he carries a goblet carved from bone and skulls. “Initiate Tylyndyr, ye have been accepted into the fold of the priesthood of Kaine. “Saying this, he dips the goblet into the cauldron. “To enter the fold, ye must drink from the cup of Kaine’s fury and Kaine’s blessing… what say you?” To deny the cup is death… “I will drink from the vessel of Kaine’s wrath and Kaine’s bounty” I reply, as is custom.
The goblet is handed to me, filled almost to the brim, “drink then, initiate, and join us.” I take the goblet carefully; to spill a drop is to endure a fate worse than death. I look down into the crimson liquid within, bubbles swirl within the blood, a skull?! No… simply my imagination… I commend my soul to The Bloody Handed God, in the event that I am found wanting….

And drink…

Pain… lots of it, a molten, stabbing pain pushing into my eyes, running along my nerves and exploding into my brain! It feels as if liquid metal is being poured into the sockets of my skull, dissolving my eyes and seeping into my brain. Do I cry out? I don’t know? Did I fall to my knees? Perhaps, I have no recollection of doing so. Eventually, the pain recedes, I open my eyes… it is still dark within the chamber, it seems as if no time has passed, I stand holding the goblet – it has been drained dry as the bone as its made from – the only difference I can see is in the man before me, his armour… it shines, it’s like a mirror its polished so clear…. Surely it was covered up by his cloak earlier… this must be the case.
“Brother Tylyndyr” …hey that’s me…. “Brother Tylndyr, hast thou returned to us?” I open my eyes – they were closed? – And stare at the man before me in his armour. “I have dread lord.” I reply the priest gestures to his armour with one blackened gauntlet and states “look upon the mirrored surface of mine armour, and see what kaine has wrought.” I look into his armour, into the mirror that covers his chest… I see me, Tylndyr, initia- no, brother priest! Of Kaela Mensha Kaine. My robes are gone, I see them sinking into the blood in the cauldron. In their place I wear lamellar armour, the leather strips black with red highlights, the nails of polished brass… I look into my face, it stares back at me…. Where my sky blue eyes once looked out upon the world, now something different looks out upon the world… like two molten brass coins, my new eyes stare out upon the world…

…Oh the possibilities……..

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by big teej

I second the blurbishness

yours will sound far more interesting than anything I could come up with*

*I would like the tiltles to remain intact, as I feel that some of those are actually humerous.

I think you're all overestimating my capabilities

I wouldn't change the titles What about ones that don't have a title - like your one below?

Originally Posted by big teej

psycheology ...psycology....crap..

That word is impossible to spell.

Originally Posted by big teej

I rise from my pallet and put on my robes, they were white once… though the closest they come to white is a few pink areas where blood rarely splatters, and the rest is a deep red and black of clotted gore. Once my time as an initiate is done I will throw these robes after my name. Into the Cauldron for Kaine’s glory…

Ewww, gross. Effective, but gross

Originally Posted by big teej

Urial (I think it’s urial, though it could simply be another one of his retainers for all I know, with the mask the man wears.) Stands behind the altar, he carries a goblet carved from bone and skulls.

Slight error here... the bit in brackets shouldn't have a full stop, and 'stands' shouldn't be capitalised, since it's a continuation of the sentence. If what you want to stick in parentheses is particularly long, or could be a sentence in itself, you're better off to rewrite it as a full sentence on its own.

Originally Posted by big teej

Pain… lots of it, a molten, stabbing pain pushing into my eyes, running along my nerves and exploding into my brain! It feels as if liquid metal is being poured into the sockets of my skull, dissolving my eyes and seeping into my brain.

Very good description. I don't know whether or not to say I liked it, 'cause it's a bit nasty-sounding, but it was very descriptive and very good.

Originally Posted by big teej

“Brother Tylyndyr” …hey that’s me…. “Brother Tylndyr, hast thou returned to us?”

heehee... this is the only part that seemed a little out of kilter with the rest, but it worked. This guy's just been through a fair bit, it's reasonable he'd be a bit giddy with pain etc. I really liked it Very well written, and different from the usual heroics. Or at least, darker with definite 'evil' tones.

[big teej]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

I think you're all overestimating my capabilities

underestimating the abilities of the Lady Moreta?
poppycock.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

I wouldn't change the titles What about ones that don't have a title - like your one below?



That word is impossible to spell.

if you're talking about tylndyr, its called "Tylndyr's new eyes"
I just couldn't think of a suitibale 'or x' so I just left it there

also
I have conquered the word
psychology
it dawned on me rereading it that I said psyche ology
and I was like
UGH!!!

anyways

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Ewww, gross. Effective, but gross

yay ^_^
heh, I was only one letter off from provoking another 'awww'

thankyou

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Slight error here... the bit in brackets shouldn't have a full stop, and 'stands' shouldn't be capitalised, since it's a continuation of the sentence. If what you want to stick in parentheses is particularly long, or could be a sentence in itself, you're better off to rewrite it as a full sentence on its own.

that would be spellcheck's fault, mhm, my story and I'm stickin to it!

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Very good description. I don't know whether or not to say I liked it, 'cause it's a bit nasty-sounding, but it was very descriptive and very good.

haha, funny thing about head trauma, its an excellent source for how to describe pain in your head
*

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

heehee... this is the only part that seemed a little out of kilter with the rest, but it worked. This guy's just been through a fair bit, it's reasonable he'd be a bit giddy with pain etc. I really liked it Very well written, and different from the usual heroics. Or at least, darker with definite 'evil' tones.

yea, it jarred a little bit to me too, but I've seen so many people reduced to that sort of thinking from pain that it just kinda.... worked, ish... okay I couldnt' figure out what to say, so I went with my gut.

I'm glad you liked it -bows-

also, bout 'evil tones'.... funnily enough, Tylndyr and Kaine are Lawful Neutral (Kaine probably true neutral

*seriously though, don't get hurt. its not cool, having a concussion is NOT FUN, its even less fun when the doctors (who are the top 2 concussion people in the nation) say anything along the lines of "this is one of the worst ones we've ever seen" especially if thats what they say... verbatim... thats bad.

the whole 'eyes' thing, not quite my idea, credit goes to mister Dan Abnett for that

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by big teej

underestimating the abilities of the Lady Moreta?
poppycock.

Awwwww (heh, there you go, one 'awww' ) You just made my day

Originally Posted by big teej

if you're talking about tylndyr, its called "Tylndyr's new eyes"
I just couldn't think of a suitibale 'or x' so I just left it there

So you did, I'm blind.

Also *facepalm* that's the best way of remembering how to spell psychology I've ever heard. Now I just have to remember how to spell psych... 'ology' I can handle

Originally Posted by big teej

yea, it jarred a little bit to me too, but I've seen so many people reduced to that sort of thinking from pain that it just kinda.... worked, ish... okay I couldnt' figure out what to say, so I went with my gut.

That's why I liked it. I've never done anything particularly drastic to myself, but I have occassionally had bad headaches* and even those were sometimes enough to make me go all silly. If the whole paragraph had been like that, it might have jarred, but really for all that you wrote it over a couple of days, you can't tell. Heck, you mentioned it and I still couldn't tell.

Besides, you don't really think I write my snippets in one go do you? Each one usually takes me about a week. (Except Baby Fix that one I wrote in about half an hour.)

Originally Posted by big teej

also, bout 'evil tones'.... funnily enough, Tylndyr and Kaine are Lawful Neutral (Kaine probably true neutral

Evil probably wasn't the right word there... how about 'not in the heroic bent most of the snippets have been, and seriously creepy besides?' It's a good thing I like creepy.

Originally Posted by big teej

*seriously though, don't get hurt. its not cool, having a concussion is NOT FUN, its even less fun when the doctors (who are the top 2 concussion people in the nation) say anything along the lines of "this is one of the worst ones we've ever seen" especially if thats what they say... verbatim... thats bad.

I've had a couple of concussions - not serious ones, but enough to know they suck. Also - what the hang did you do to yourself?!?

edit:* much like the headache I have right now in fact...

[big teej]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Awwwww (heh, there you go, one 'awww' ) You just made my day

perhaps I should start a tally of "awwws" earned.... or perhaps keep count of how many 'awws' the thread has eliceted

also -victory fist pump- on making somebody's day

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

So you did, I'm blind.

Also *facepalm* that's the best way of remembering how to spell psychology I've ever heard. Now I just have to remember how to spell psych... 'ology' I can handle
[/size]

it's okay, my fellow students acknowledge the fact I"m a ninja.
and at first I was like
and then I saw what you meant
what I was saying though was during my repeated attempts to spell psychology I spelled it psychEology.. so it didn't look right (but my concious mind didn't get why)

and then I went back and reread it and facepalmed...
but I digress...

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

That's why I liked it. I've never done anything particularly drastic to myself, but I have occassionally had bad headaches* and even those were sometimes enough to make me go all silly. If the whole paragraph had been like that, it might have jarred, but really for all that you wrote it over a couple of days, you can't tell. Heck, you mentioned it and I still couldn't tell.

Besides, you don't really think I write my snippets in one go do you? Each one usually takes me about a week. (Except Baby Fix that one I wrote in about half an hour.)

uhm.... I believe either I severely mistyped something, or you misread something
only a few hours passed between me writing before "I drank" and the rest of it (6 to 8 if I recall the time stamps correctly)

I tend to sit down and crank out a whole snippet at a time.... what takes so long between each post is waiting for insipration to strike or for the idea to congeal in my mind in a manner that I am satisfied with....

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Evil probably wasn't the right word there... how about 'not in the heroic bent most of the snippets have been, and seriously creepy besides?' It's a good thing I like creepy.

ah, I see, well then I'd have to agree with you there
and yay, creepy was what I was going for, heroic can come later
after all, I still have to explain why he's known as "Tylndyr, the Resolute"
...but I'm waiting for inspiration to strike...

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

I've had a couple of concussions - not serious ones, but enough to know they suck. Also - what the hang did you do to yourself?!?

well, if you must know.
spoilered for rambling lengthly story/explanation

Spoiler

well... it was back in '09 football season, it was the first day of class of my first semester in college (haha) and also our first game week (game was friday, it was monday) and the coaches wanted to run hitting drills so we'd get used to contact and actually play friday night.
so the drill basically involves running into each other dead on, with the sole purpose of hittign each other (in hindsight, a very not-smart drill, but hey, it was my 2nd season, how would I know) anyways, my turn to go. I run up to the other player (don't remember/know who it was)
and I remember running up to him....
black spot in my memory (I distinctly recall the concept of 'impact', sorta how like you can still feel things with your eyes closed, but there's a black spot in my memory from 2 steps away from him, till about 5 stumbling steps away... there's simply nothing there.) anyways, I had a really bad headache after that (worst ever had I think) and I decided I didn't need to do that drill again till my head stopped hurting, by the time it did, drill was over (thank God) and I felt pretty good so I kept practicing.... did fine. we get to the end of practice however... and the offense (I was a starting O lineman ) was working on running plays, offensive coach would tell the quarter-back the play, QB would call the play, we'd walk up to the line, but by the time we were up to the line... I'd forgotten the play, so I'd ask the guy next to me "hey, are we running or passing?" and he'd tell me, and I'd get back in my stance..... but by then I'd forgotten again, so every play I had no idea what was going on....
after a few plays the coach noticed this and had the nurse check me out. I checked out fine to her (could follow her finger, stand up straight, etc) but my mother (who is an awesome awesome parent, and our water lady at the time) noticed that my speech was much slower and I was walking funny. the nurse told us that I didn't seem to have symptoms, but had me sit out the rest of practice and told us to go see the doctor if I still had symptoms in 2 days.... now, memory's kinda hazy about this (and it was for a while) but at some point in this I felt like I needed to cry... not in the emotional sense mind you, just that physical ick feeling you get when you're trying to cry... and that bugged me, I hadn't cried in years (still haven't) but anyways. moving on with the story... the next day I go to class, and its okay, sorta.... I think I had math that day... had to have been, I didn't practice...
anyways, so math starts, and I'm doing okay, but about 5-10 minutes into class (when numbers start getting put up on the board) I get this stabbing pounding, crushing pain in my head behind my eyes, I could feel the light running along my nerves to the back of my skull (sound familiar Lady Moreta?) so by the end of class, I was holding my hand over my eyes and just barely looking at the board trying to copy down notes... so anyways, we go to the doctor and they have me take the concussion test again and my scores were....... abysmal, whereas my baseline (taken during preseason) was higher than average. so it was bad, between that and them talking with me and me describing how I felt, I got that oh so lovely phrase "one of the worst I've ever seen"

so, time passes,
I make little to no progress, I'm irritible, I'm moody, I'm in pain, etc etc.....and most of the football season passes me by... with me simply showing up at practice and occaisionally helping with water. (yes, I realize there was no point in me going to practice... but you know.. lawful, I'm a real stickler for obligations and commitments and promises) so eventually, during one of my visits, I ask the doctors, flat out "am I going to play again this season?" and they said no....
I was crushed..... I missed practice that day

now, a few days before this happened (if my recollection of the order of events is right) I told my coach I probably wasn't going to play again this season. and he had the team pray over me.) so next day when I'm told I can't play this season, we go straight from the MD dr's office to our 'naturalist' doctor*. this is the guy who got me off my meds years ago (thats a story for another day) he examined me, took a look at me, found out that I had a compressed spinal cord (something the other drs didn't even test for) and told me that not only could he fix it, but that I'd be on the field playing in 2 weeks.....
so 2 weeks later after roughly daily visits with Dr. Song.... I'm feeling great (if really outa shape)

but we go back to the MD dr.s office (I needed them to clear me for game play) and took the concussion test again....
told me I had some of the fastest reflexes they'd ever seen on a test, deemed me fit to play and that my recovery was 'phenomenal'

I went on to play in 3-4 games before the season ended, and now I'm trying to make the college team.

granted, if I ever have another head injury, I'm done with the sport (I'm still slightly sensitive to light and sound) but... I have to know if I'm good enough to play on the next level...

so long story short, God is awesome, there really is power in prayer, and thats the story of how I had a really, really, really bad concussion.


*who I still refer to as 'the miracle man' and/or 'mister fix it'

tl;dr - (american) football practice
it got better.....

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by big teej

uhm.... I believe either I severely mistyped something, or you misread something
only a few hours passed between me writing before "I drank" and the rest of it (6 to 8 if I recall the time stamps correctly)

I misread I thought there'd been an entire day between writings, probably because that's how I write. Either way, you can't tell there was a break.

Originally Posted by big teej

I get this stabbing pounding, crushing pain in my head behind my eyes, I could feel the light running along my nerves to the back of my skull (sound familiar Lady Moreta?)

Alas, yes...

Originally Posted by big teej

so long story short, God is awesome, there really is power in prayer, and thats the story of how I had a really, really, really bad concussion.

Amen.

I will never understand American football though - I'm surprised there aren't more injuries the way it looks when played...

First concussion I got was from slipping over in the snow, I didn't hit my head, but I jerked it hard enough to rattle my brains anyway. Fun fact - I had a test the next day, worth 50% of my final grade.

Last one was me not paying attention while climbing on rocks (in a long skirt no less), I was paying attention to where I was putting my feet, not what was over my head. Naturally I slammed my head into the jagged rock above me. Fun fact - heads bleed. A lot.

I have a feeling there was a third one inbetween those two, but - ironically enough, I can't remember.

EDIT: NEW SNIPPET
made big and bold so it's noticable

Defiance
or, Why Lyra Hates Paladins

Spoiler

“Garret!” I screamed. He spun and saw me hesitating. He drew a slender dirk from his boot.

“Go!” he yelled at me. “Lyra go!”

I hung in a crystalline moment of indecision. The wizard, whose name I’d forgotten, was hanging back – as wizards do. But Tredan and Perin were advancing, keeping space between them, but clearly planning some sort of pinning manoeuvre. Damn them. I couldn’t leave Garret to face them alone. No matter what they planned to do to me.

I drew my sword and took a deep breath.

Garret gave me the barest of sideways glances as I stepped up next to him.

“Bloody fool” he hissed between clenched teeth. I ignored him, he was probably right and the odds were good we’d both be bloody before long.

Tredan shot a look over his shoulder at the wizard behind him

“I don’t care what you do with the halfling,” he snapped. “But we need the girl alive.”

The wizard shrugged his shoulders, he didn’t care. I snarled, he didn’t care – as long as he got paid. Well, I didn’t get paid for this. And neither did Garret. Not in coins anyway. I would pay with my mind, my sanity. Garret? He would pay with his life.

Not if I had anything to say about it.

I hit the ground with a thud, my elbows slamming into the cobblestones. Garret rolled off me onto his feet, dirk still in hand.

“Pay attention!” He snarled at me, his voice low and angry. Over the shoulders of the two advancing on us I saw the wizard throw something angrily to the pavement. He had tried to cast a spell on me, a spell that had failed when Garret knocked me out of the way. He was right, if I didn’t pay attention we’d both pay for it.

I scrambled to my feet, twisting my hand around to get a better grip on my sword.

As Tredan and Perin moved in, I realised we had one huge advantage over them. Sure, they were in armour, and neither of us wore anything heavier than stiff leather jerkins. Their weapons were large and clumsy, ours were light and quick. They would move slowly, we were quick. More than all of that, Garret and I had spent a year working together, sometimes even living together. We knew each other – better than most married couples know each other! These two idiots were too busy vying to be in charge.

Tredan moved straight towards Garret, who grinned up at the tall human, and promptly threw a neat forward somersault between the paladin’s legs, slicing with the dirk as he went.

I grinned as Perin moved towards me, his heavy mace swinging ponderously from side to side. He swung at me, and I blocked him, straining to keep his heavier weapon away from me. Abruptly I stepped back and he stumbled forwards. Garret moved in, stabbing between the armour plates to a sensitive spot in the kidneys. Perin screamed and staggered to the left. I danced past him; he wouldn’t be a problem for a while.

“Why do you fight us, devil-child?” Tredan’s words chilled me, despite my best efforts to ignore him. He is ignorant and foolish and I find it hard to believe he has the favour of any god. But he has terrified me from my earliest childhood – and he knows it. He moved towards me, step by slow step. I stared up at him, trying to force frozen muscles to bring my sword in front of me.

<Don’t get caught Lyra! Don’t get caught!> Garret yelled the words in halfling, even as he raced past me towards the wizard, who looked suddenly alarmed. Don’t get caught Lyra. How many times had I heard Garret telling me this? Drumming it into my brain as he taught me how to steal.

My sword spun around, sparks flying and the sound of screeching metal assaulting my eardrums as I blocked Tredan. Barely.

A scream and a cry of delight. We both spared hasty glances to the right – Garret grinned at me, full of triumph, even as he pulled the dirk from the eye of the wizard. Whose name I still couldn’t remember. I grinned back.

Tredan swore, quite viciously too. I giggled, and he glared at me as he stalked away towards Garret, who was already running. I slashed at Tredan as he moved away from me and missed. Offering up a swear word or two of my own, I dropped into a crouch and tugged the dagger from its hiding place in my boot.

“LYRA!”

My head jerked up. And stayed there. I moved my hand. Nothing. I twitched my fingers. Nothing. I turned my head. Nothing.

Then I heard footsteps behind me. Perin. We had both forgotten about him. Whatever he’d done had me held fast. He stepped up alongside me, I could see him in my peripheral vision as he kicked my now-useless sword away, and plucked the dagger from my fingers.

Touch me. I thought fiercely. Go on, touch me! You’ll see that holding me in place doesn’t make me any less dangerous.

He moved in front of me, staring down self-satisfied. I hated him. He ignored me then, instead watching as Tredan stalked towards Garret. My little halfling friend grinned, ducking once again between the paladin’s legs slashing and stabbing as he went. I saw fear flash through his eyes as he came out of the tumble and saw me, frozen.
Perin swung his mace at Garret then, a massive overhand blow that would have taken his head off had it connected.

I screamed. Wordless, soundless, my jaw frozen.

I had seen what Garret, ducking to avoid Perin’s mace, had not. Moving with surprising speed and silence for a man in heavy armour, Tredan had closed with them and then, with a sudden clanking crash, dropped to his knees. His sword braced with the hilt against his shoulder.

Garret danced sideways and back away from the mace.

Garret danced sideways and back into the sword.

There is a sound metal makes when it contacts bone, when it hits and grinds and screeches. When it slams into the back of your ears, and howls through your eyes. It’s accompanied by the liquid gurgle of blood flowing. When it splatters over your feet. When you can taste it as bile in the back of your throat.

It was then I discovered that a spell that prevents you from moving doesn’t stop you from crying. Tears ran down my face and into my mouth, threatened to choke me, I couldn’t swallow them.

There is a sound the mind makes when it pulls free from a spell. When pain splinters your mind in two. When you can feel a force pulling, tugging, forcing. It’s accompanied by a scream of rage and pain. When vision contracts to a single focus. When sound and sight and death and fury all become one.

I screamed as I wrenched free of Perin’s spell. And then I was moving. He had barely enough time to turn to face me before I was on him. I wasn’t interested in him though.

I touched him.

In the past, I have been wary about using my curse. Garret calls it a g- This time I was not so wary. I pulsed every ounce of power I could find through my hand, slapping scraped knuckles.

I felt the familiar ache in my mind, in my whole body. The pulling, desperate wrongness seeking to embrace me with oblivion’s dark arms. I ignored it. Garret…

I heard Perin retch behind me. Good. It worked. That was all the thought I had time for. Tredan was ahead of me. Tredan who had killed my friend. My only friend. The man who found me in the gutter, clouding minds day after day just to stay alive. Permanent headaches, my wrongness my only companion. Cursing my mind day-by-day, I had been on the verge of cursing my body as well. And now he was gone.

I would tear him with my bare hands, this murderer. This stealer of the only family I had left. My fingers became hooks, I saw them sharp as knifes – as the dirk Garret carried. He was standing now, gaping at me in shock. Good. Let him see me. Let him face his death.

I sprang at him. Teeth bared and fingers bent. I would not rest.

My head rang on the cobblestones.

I… I wha?

I tried to lift my head. Something pricked my throat. A sword point. Tredan’s sword point. He had… he had. I felt despair rise up to swallow me whole. The shield. Tredan had grabbed his shield and knocked me out of midair. I had landed on the cobblestones. This is why my head aches and I can’t breath. No wind.

I stared up at him, at the shining point of his sword. The sound of Perin retching gave me no pleasure, but a bleak and hopeless satisfaction poured out of me. It must have shown in my face, for Tredan knelt and put his face close to mine.

“I don’t know what you did to him, witch. But I will see you pay.”

I ignored him. My hand was on something soft. Something I had just realised was Garret’s leg. Don’t get caught Lyra. Don’t get caught. His first and last lesson and I had failed it miserably. Tears filled my eyes and spilled over, pouring down my cheeks. It felt like a river.

“Huh. I didn’t know witches cried.” Perin. Still retching, still throwing up, he had crawled over. Tredan pulled back from me and shot him a look.

“Are you all right?” He asked. Oh, concern, how touching.

“I will be,” Perin choked, gagged and threw up again.

My head was swimming, all the wrongness within me, oblivion’s dark fingers, and the cobblestones hard hitters swarmed over me, pulling me down.

Still, I smiled.

I smirked.

I was wrong. Garret’s last lesson to me wasn’t don’t get caught. It was defiance.

Fury in his face, Tredan lost control. His armoured fist swept down and slammed hard into the side of my head.

[darkpuppy]

Originally Posted by big teej

I tend to sit down and crank out a whole snippet at a time.... what takes so long between each post is waiting for insipration to strike or for the idea to congeal in my mind in a manner that I am satisfied with....

Yeah, I do that too, hence my long time between posts. I'm working on some right now, but I'm also working on 50 squillion other things... like toning down my hyperbole.

Originally Posted by big teej

well, if you must know.
spoilered for rambling lengthly story/explanation [rambling, yet awesomesauce true tale]

Well, I didn't have anything nearly as bad as yourself, m'friend (I did almost drown, but that was just one of those things, and in defence of a friend, to boot) , but I will quite happily share the story of how I broke my own nose (the first time), because it tends to make people laugh, and will hopefully cheer everyone up (speaking of which, daaaaamn, that was a bad end for Garret, Lady Moreta! I really felt Lyra's pain there!)

How Darkpuppy Broke His Own Nose (The First Time)
A True Life Tale, also known as "Pride Comes Before A Gush"

Spoiler

This was back in my comprehensive school days (I suppose americans would call it most of High School), and life was not exactly great. I was the outcast of the class, but in gymnastics, I could forget all that for the most part, and just have a good time. If it weren't for this, I wouldn't be so nervous about doing further gymnastics, but hey, life goes on, and it's still a funny story, in its way...

My class were doing gymnastics, with our gym teacher Dave Manley (who, I later discovered, played for the Scarlets (Llanelli rugby league team)), and the setup was, as far as I was concerned, pretty simple. Trampet, small horse lengthways, trampet, large horse sideways, crash mat. All we had to do was jump, vault, jump, stand, summy, and land. Simple as. Except, of course, even something that simple can go horribly wrong...

...I could see, as I leapt, that I'd judged the angle wrong, and was going to hit the trampet too hard. But, of course, momentum is a bit of a bitch, so I had to do the best I could. And the best I could was still pretty good. I vaulted, almost tearing me bloody arms off in the process, and, despite a misjump, misvault, and another misjump, I was on the large horse...

...On... the edge of the large horse. The rounded edge. So I had a simple choice: Fall on my arse, which would hurt a little, but would also get me noticed... again, in a class full of bullies. Or I could jump. And, by damn, I summied!

Now this, ladies and gents, is where the story diverges. You see, I know damn well I blacked out as I somersaulted, but the class say I hit my face as I landed. Regardless, I woke up, face down on the crash-mat, with the next guy yelling for me to get up. Of course, I was still a little woozy, and did just that. Nobody had noticed, nobody except Mr. Manley was even vaguely concerned. School's like that. Anyways, I realised what had happened.

Realised I was alive and well, after all that.

Laughed at the ridiculousness of it.

Sniff.

WHOOSH!

I didn't even blink, just reached for my nostrils, pinched hard, and said something along the lines of "Oh, great, somebody get me some tissue paper, will ya?" After all, I used to have lots of nosebleeds, so this was nothing new to me. I sat down (the tissue, quickly found, was bright scarlet quite quickly, and another was found, me f-ing and blinding, not from pain, but in frustration at how I needed a new tissue so quickly. Again, a tissue was brought, and both my gym teachers (the other, Mr. Jones, was a real trooper) were looking at me with some concern. Mr. Manley touches around my nose, asks me the usual things ("how many fingers?" "Three", all that jazz), and then, out of the blue, says "We'd better get him to the hospital, his nose is broken."

My reaction? "Oh, okay!" Didn't hurt, didn't mess me up any. And there, m'friends, is the amusing tale of how I broke my own nose, and, apart from a more cautious attitude toward gymnastic stunts, no real damage. xD

EDIT: Weird thing about that story... I know, damn well, that my body still remembers, and I could do that whole routine with no problem, but I also know that every time I visualise anything as dangerous as that, I get butterflies and second thoughts unless there's a friend nearby to make sure.

Well, after that, I think we need another snippet! so, for the first time, a snippet of the best characters I've ever seen in a roleplaying game in my area... The Axenshield brothers!

The Axenshield Brothers: A Remembrance (As Told To Volothamp Geddarn)
Or "Ne'er Were There Two So Grand... Or So Stupid."

Spoiler

What, the Axenshield twins? Tymora, I remember that pair. We split up after a while, when they finally worked out where their home was, but, by Elminster's beard, those two were interesting to be around!

We first met them after our foray into the Underdark. Bad times, we lost two down there, and they never received a decent burial... but imagine our surprise when, instead of coming out where we thought we should, we end up in the middle of the Anauroch, blazing sun beating down on us, and two dwarves in spiked plate and helms, arguing over a map! It was... surreal...

...So yeah, the conversation, when you got down to it, was bewildering. Here were these two dwarves, in the middle of Faerun's hottest desert, arguing in full plate, steel plate, about this map. "I told ye we shoulda turned left at Waterdeep!" "Yeah? Well which one o' us decided it would be a good idea to jump into that portal?" "Hey, at least I dinnae buy a map that neither of us can read!"

That gives you a damn good idea of what they were like. In battle they were terrifying, kept yelling about a guy called "Pwent", and how they were carrying on his legacy... looked like they had the shaking fever when they grapped someone, but it was effective... sliced their enemies to ribbons with their spikes, or impaled them on their horned helms when they charged... Of course, when they missed, they would embed themselves in doors, or bend their spikes... oh, Beshaba's bosom, when they bent their spikes! They'd be inconsolable until they were all straightened out, treated their armour better than they did!

But the one thing that stuck in my mind? The sphere. That was one mean trap, and these guys... well, lemme start from the beginning. There was this trap, a sphere with two rock doors on either side. You stepped out the one, and you would fall. But you wouldn't stop falling. You'd bounce off wherever you hit, but without losing speed. We swear, when Hammer Axenshield did it, he was starting to burn up, he was moving so fast. But he made it, and we saw what happened next.

Our elven ranger, she couldn't look. He was headed straight for the opposite door, a stone door, about 3 foot thick, at a speed you wouldn't believe... and... he just tucked himself into a ball as he hit... went straight through it, and...

...I need a drink for this part. Zzar, something strong like that. You'd need one too, if you found what we found when we got across safely. Flail, of course, went the same way Hammer did. He knew he was as tough as his brother, after all.

So Hammer and Flail Axenshield were there, standing on the other side of this door. About 50 feet down the corridor from this door, to be precise. Hammer was a little woozy, but that didn't stop him calling his brother a coward for not having "so much fun!" first. That's seriously what they said... and, inbetween the shattered door, and the two Axenshield brothers? Perhaps 8 or 9 kuo-toa. They'd been ripped to shreds, and, judging by the gore on Hammer's bent spikes, we'd guessed what happened. We also knew he was a bit concussed, because he hadn't noticed the bent spikes yet. Or his broken helmet horns. Gods, he was upset about that helmet!

He'd gone through them. Literally... this spiky dwarven ball had... gone through them, at that amazing speed... he'd skidded on the floor another 10 or 12 feet, and then got up. You see now why I drink so much now? Those two... they were honourable, great warriors... and certifiably insane.

Another drink? I would love one. Only make it a stronger one. This zzar isn't helping me forget that story I just told you...

True fact: After Hammer went through, he had 5 HP from unconsciousness left. And Flail had 7. After 24d6 and 19d6 respectively. They were tough. Level 7, I believe...

[Lady Moreta]

Originally Posted by darkpuppy

(speaking of which, daaaaamn, that was a bad end for Garret, Lady Moreta! I really felt Lyra's pain there!)

I'm sorry! He's not actually dead...

Originally Posted by darkpuppy

How Darkpuppy Broke His Own Nose (The First Time)
A True Life Tale, also known as "Pride Comes Before A Gush"

Ouch. You poor thing

Originally Posted by darkpuppy

*snip*

Awesome. Awesome awesome awesome.

Can you tell I liked this?

I loved the personality of the storyteller, you really got across his awe and sense of 'just damn' really well. The brothers were brilliant, funny and well written. I have a beautiful mental image of two dwarves yelling and screaming in a desert, and then crying over busted armour.

I think it was one of the most realistic snippets in the thread. You just created the entire world so well. It felt like a real place.

Only one thing... I'm not sure if 'zzar' was an actual name of a drink or if you made it up. But the first time you mentioned it, it wasn't clear if that's what you meant, or if it was just meant to be some sort of exasperated exhalation "oh zzar..." Made sense the second time, but just thought I'd mention it.

[big teej]

on topic:
excellent work everybody, I can always count on reading this thread to be a enjoyable experience


off topic:

Spoiler

so apparently my computer hates me, as it refuses to connect to the internet. "but teej" one wonders "how are you typing this if your computer isn't cooperating?" simple, I am in the lobby of my dorm hall using an obsolete piece of cheap junk to post, in an attempt to check my email and my social networking site of choice. only to discover that said piece of junk refuses to do as I say

I'm hoping that the problem has sorted itself out by tomorrow, if not, I get to go bug the techies in administration.

it is unlikely that I will be posting any more snippets until this is resolved, so I am afraid I must announce a (hopefully very very very brief) hiatus from posting snippets. hopefully I'll manage to work up the mentality to write some out in this absence....

the fat man is not happy

/rant.

[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by big teej

*BIG TEEJ IS A BADASS*
tl;dr - (american) football practice
it got better.....

That, my friend, is pretty damn impressive. Glad to hear everything turned out all right for you for the most part, and excellent story. Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Defiance
or, Why Lyra Hates Paladins

Well, I guess I finally got my answers. They made me really sad though...

But really, excellent job. The narrative voice was very well done, and Lyra's personality was prominent, as it should be. I loved how it hinted at past events throughout, and I was very curious about how that whole confrontation got started, and am even more curious as to the exact nature of Lyra's condition. I'm really looking forward to more!

Originally Posted by darkpuppy

How Darkpuppy Broke His Own Nose (The First Time)
A True Life Tale, also known as "Pride Comes Before A Gush"

Wow...

That's pretty crazy. In comparison to you and teej, my sports-related injuries are nothing! While I'm sorry that that happened to you, it was really an awesome story.

Originally Posted by darkpuppy

The Axenshield Brothers: A Remembrance (As Told To Volothamp Geddarn)
Or "Ne'er Were There Two So Grand... Or So Stupid."

Now this is just epic. I love the narrator's tone, gruff, witty, and humorous, though that last one may not have been intended. The story of the Axenshield brothers is really just fantastic as well. I especially loved the dwarf-cannonball bit! All-in-all, the world really just came alive in this snippet, and I have to say that I'm really impressed. Good job!

But now I want to know who the narrator is and who the guy he's telling the story to is...


And since I just love to participate so much, I have another snippet. With a NEW CHARACTER! You guys were probably getting sick of Varen and Natalia anyway.

Anyway, I now proudly introduce to you Abigail Weathers, Witch Apprentice!

The First Time is Always the Hardest
(or Civilization's Scarier Than You Think!)

Spoiler

I definitely wasn’t ready.

In fact, I was deathly afraid. But Gramma needed those herbs badly, and I couldn’t let her down! Besides, she said there was nothing to worry about, so I would be fine, right? Right! Gramma knew everything! I could handle this!

Feeling much more confident, I threw on my cloak. I couldn’t help but admire it. It was just so black and silky and pretty after all. Gramma said it was a family heirloom, so it was very important that I wore it whenever I was out of the house.

…Wait, she said a lot of stuff was important, huh? I had to make sure I had everything!

Cloak? Check. Boots? Check. Spell component pouch? Check. Bag for the herbs? Check. Money, just in case? Check. Yep! I had everything!

But just as I opened the door, I heard a shrill voice from behind me.

“Abigail Weathers!”

Uh-oh…

“Surely ye weren’t goin’ t’ leave lookin’ like that?”

“S-sorry Gramma…” I mumbled. What did I do wrong this time? I had the cloak!

“Ah bet ye doon’t even know what yer missin’, do ye lass?” her tone was very critical. And I had tried so hard this time too…

“Yer hat, girl!” Gramma held it up and shook it in front of me. “Really naow, how d’ye expect anyone t’ see ye as a witch if ye doon’t wear yer ‘at? Yer eighteen years old f’r gods’ sakes! They need t’ see ye as a witch so that they’ll respect ye oot there, y’noo?”

“R-right, Gramma!” I took the hat and twirled it nervously in my hands. It had a wide brim and long, tall point, and just like the cape, it was black and silky. I couldn’t believe I was about to forget it! It was even more important than the cape! Whenever people saw a hat like that, they immediately thought ‘witch’, after all. How could I have been so stupid? I even liked it and everything!

“There,” Gramma smiled approvingly as I put it on. “Naow ye’re ready t’ go oot inta the world!” She ushered me out the door. “Go on naow! Doon’t take too long! Ah’m not gettin’ any younger!”

I waved back to let her know I would be fine, and satisfied, Gramma closed the door.


For the first time in my life, I would be going into town on my own.

And with that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you guys for a while. School seems intent on keeping me busy, and college application due dates keep getting closer and closer. And I'm not very far as of yet...