Jhiaxus
Member
*Your dreaming of Ewoks jumping up and down on your chest, while talking fish slap you in the face, eventually as you begin to get more coherent*
"So did he survive the joining or didn't he?" *one voice*
"Hard to say, I see eye movement, but no response?" *another voice*
"Well this will be a loss if he doesn't make it" *first voice*
Jhiaxus
Member
*You see two men, dressed in arms and armor from a time gone by, they continue talking*
"Giliam is gone, probably dead, 2 of the recruits dead either from the joining or darkspawn, and another that's seen better days." *first man*
"It looks like they were robbed too, filthy animals, it looks like he is coming around, I see the darkspawn blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth, he has to have partaken of the joining." *second*
"By the maker, and Andraste's will, I don't think he succumbed to the taint. Quick get him some water, let's find out what went on here."
*in about 10 seconds you feel someone trying to pour water into your mouth from a skin*
"Well, glad as I am that you all seem to know what's happening, I am unfortunately in the dark." I stand up and look at the others in the room with me, then look around for the feeling I should get as to where my katana (and other stuff) is. If I can determine such a sense, I will try to make my way in that direction.
Jhiaxus
Member
*You feel two pulls one to the Northeast, one to the Southwest*
*they look to stop you*
"Wait, we are Grey Wardens, the group you just joined, we aren't going to let you out during a blight without equipment. So what are you, a mage, a fighter, or a thief?"
*the other one sighs*
"That is Heythe, I am Seith, we were suppose to brief the group, but we haven't had one joiner survive in a very long time, not since 400 years back. Might we know our new brother's name?"
I listen to their speech pattern -- conjunctions yes, old english no. I adjust mine accordingly. "My name's Arziay. I don't know any thief skills, I don't know any magic, and I probably wouldn't be able to stand, let alone walk, in a suit of plate. So, I don't think I'll be much use to you guys. I do have some things. They're either that way, or that way.
Jhiaxus
Member
*they smile and push each other*
"That's really funny, so really what is your name?"
*they see your serious and start whispering with themselves*
"We need to goto Denerim, to the Grey Warden Archives, there is a book, and room, and if what you say is true, you will need to go there first before we can put you to task. Denerim is a few days walk from here, we think in order for you to figure things out, that should be our first stop.
Jhiaxus
Member
*You march out from a series of high towers and majestic walls, they head up the path, about 6 hours later, you hear a rumble across the bend to the north, in front of you stands a blue skinned Ogre and both the men excorting you draw their weapons and charge the beast, they exchange blows, the Orge connecting each time, the Grey Wardens wounding it, but not killing it, the Orge picks one of them up in his left hand and punches him to death with his right as the other Warden uses the time to deal severe damage to it, the Orge mule kicks him away and he hits a tree with a crack and a thud, the Orge turns his attention to you and charges, before it gets to you a sword flies through the air, impaling it through the back and it collapses mere feet in front of you*
Heythe is dead, and Seith lays dying
((horrible GE roll 23, with various attack rolls always going the orge's way))
well, I have no first aid equipment to speak of, so... I will go and kneel at his side, clasp my hands, and pray aloud, "God, if it is Your will, please save this person's life. His work in this life is not yet done until Your will for him is done. You and only You have the power to give life, so for Your glory, please save this man's life."
Jhiaxus
Member
*You heal the man with your prayer, he is well enough to stand and walk, but not fight*
1@1 Heal Other
*he grins*
"So your a Mage, and a Spirit Healer to Boot, interesting"
*he walks over to Heythe and kneels over the body*
"Damn them, damn the darkspawn to the deep roads, he was my friend, we survived the joining together. They knew we would be coming, that Orge was too powerful to just be here in wait, quickly, let us gather some things"
*takes an axe and chops some wood to make a pyre*
"I'm no Mage. You were dying and God saved your life. I need your help to get where I'm going, and I asked God in Jesus' name to help you. What He did was for His glory, not for me or you specifically but for the greater plan." Having witnessed God's power firsthand, I thank Him and pray for the safety of the man's soul and for the forgiveness of the ogre, who did not know what he was doing. While the fire is burning I will try to use my psionic bludgeon on the ground again. I want to see if I can do it reliably, or if it was just a fluke the first time.
Jhiaxus
Member
*considers as he gathers some wood*
"I do not know of this profit Jesus, our profit was Andraste, and for the most part we worship the Maker. I do not know if your god is our god, the chantry could answer that better than I. I can appreciate faith, and the power it provides, as a Grey Warden, however, we have the attitude that while the Maker watches us all, we are on our own to do what is needed to be done for the good of all."
Jhiaxus
Member
*He gathers the rest of the wood, as you try to do the TK Bludgeon, but it's a no go, and it feels different, like it's not going to work here, he puts it in a pile and starts a fire, and places his friend on top of it*
"Not all of us meet our end in the deep roads, by the Maker's and Andraste's grace, may your journey home be a safe one my friend. We will miss your sword and quick wit my brother."
*he watches the pyre for a few minutes before getting his things and looking at you*
"We need to go now, it's a still another day and a half to Denerim."
*begins to start moving*
Jhiaxus
Member
*You head out, it's slower going to start, but you notice very quickly that he moves faster, and in about 10 minutes, he looks like he is at full health, it's good you were looking for an ambush, you saw about 100 Orcish and Goblin like things, with a couple of Orges waiting in the bushes and growth a mile up the road, they have not seen you, Action?*
((GE roll 23, Intuition roll 14 success))
Somehow, I feel we have no chance. I'll shake Seith by whatever part on him I can reach and point two fingers to my eyes and the point in the irection of the ambush, then start trying to show him on my hands how many enemies there are, with much opening and closing of my hands, then just hold my hands out and open helplessly. I whisper very quietly, "The way I see it, we can either die like men, try to sneak away and go around them, or I could try to make up a magic spell, though i don't know one and I'd have to wing it."
Jhiaxus
Member
*he looks at your hands and nods and point his eyes to go around*
*whispers* "They are waiting for us on the road, let's give them a wide birth, they aren't the brightest, our best chance is to go around."
*he starts heading off the road to the right with the heavier cover, and walking 90 degrees to them*
I will follow him, but keep tabs on them without lookin directly at them until they are out of sight. I grew up in a swampy woodland, so I'm about as much at home off the path as on it. I'll watch for vines that could trip and dead twigs and leaves that could snap and crackle, and also keep a sharp eye out for poison ivy. I don't know if it exists in this world, but I know what it looks like and am extremely allergic. I'm also trying to be aware of anyone lying in wait in the woods, and anyone else moving. If we see animals on the way I'd like to try my empathy: animals ability.
Jhiaxus
Member
*You begin to sneak, and put your hand on a tree to avoid stepping on a twig, but the weight of bracing was the last bit the tree needed to topple over, and it took out three other trees when going down, and you hear a bit of commotion over where the darkspawn are, and behind you, you hear*
"Well, well, well, it seems we have a clumsy set of travelers on our roads, I think they will need our protection, I think 50 silvers would be a good enough donation to ensure that."
*you see about 30-40 shapes in the forest, human and elven, wearing leathers, with swords and bows, it looks like they were heading to make a toll on the road*
I'm assuming that Seith doesn't have that kind of money. "Well met, sirs, and you are correct in your assumption that we would love some protection, but wrong to assume that travellers such as ourselves would be as rich as that. However, I will be indebted if warriors such as yourselves would protect us, and do whatever I may to gratify this debt."
Jhiaxus
Member
*Seith looks nervous, like he can sense them coming behind you*
((Persuasion check 15 success, Willpower 14, success, they made it closer to their target number))
*the bandit leader shakes his head*
"Such exotic clothes, no, I do believe you must have some coin on you, and your friend has a sword and armor, so that must make you a merchant."
I try for a facial affect I hope is amusing to them, as a man upset for his circumstances. "An able merchant I was, to be sure, but my wife kept all my coin for herself and left me. I would be more than happy to trade my exotic clothes for some more ordinary, in case you find comparable worth for these with the protection we seek."
Ok, now I'm hoping there will be enough of a delay while the darkspawn fights the bandits. Unless Seith grabs me and interrupts my casting, I will try to cast a magic spell which makes every person within three feet of me invisible for ten minutes. The casting ritual is that I will curl up in the fetal position on the ground, cover my eyes with my hands so that I can't see anything, and repeat "you can't see me" in a sing-songy voice over and over for one minute. If I am interrupted the casting will fail. Kind of going out on a limb with this one.
Jhiaxus
Member
*Your spell doesn't work Seith grabs you by the back of your clothes and carries you back to the road and then onto your feet so you can run, he starts running in the direction you were headed, with a few darkspawn in persuit, you end up following behind, and he grabs you and fireman carries you, running like it's a marathon, they are running like it's a marathon, he slows down, they slow down, and then he picks back up, and they stay slowed down, he runs with you on his shoulder for 3 miles before he lets you down while he collapses from exhaustion*
"You.....need.....to.......get....in....shape....." *wheesing*
((90 for spell, fail, 20 GE roll, Stamina Checks: Seith: 11, you 26, Them 11, Seith 26, Them 24, Seith 12, them 29))
I do feel bad, and I agree with Seith that I need to get in shape. "Listen... thanks for saving me, but I won't blame you if you go on without me. Your friend has already died, and I'll live on even if they get me; as you've just saved me a good deal of pain, I'm in your debt and will continue on with you if that is your intent." If so, once he's recovered we will continue on along the road.
Jhiaxus
Member
*He gets a skin of water and drinks a good bit down*
"We are getting you to Denerim, and that is that, we have lost too many already."
*He takes fifteen minutes and gets back to his feet and you continue through the day and into the night, he finds an overturned wagon, that you two sleep under for the night, there is hay, so it's more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, and in the morning you are off again.*
*In a few hours, you begin to see the gothic towers of Denerim in the distance, the city is massive, about the size of modern day New York, and you start to see regular patrols and merchants traveling to and from the city using the various trade paths and roads, it takes another few hours but you are at the gates*
*Seith looks at the guards at the gate*
"Grey Warden business"
*they nod reverently and open the gates without a second word, and he starts to head through the districts*
I accompany him, hoping our diffiult travel bears good news for him.
(Just for the sake of mentioning, Arziay is pronounced "R Z A", the spelling I've provided is an attempt to phoneticize it. and I am interested in learning more about these Grey Wardens -- all in good time)
Jhiaxus
Member
*he speaks in low tones as he pushes into the market district, navigating between the merchants selling wares*
"Did you actually drink of the blood? The joining chalice was gone as well as the senior Grey Warden gone. I have to know, it determines everything, if you don't know, you would. If you didn't dream of the darkspawn when you were asleep, then you didn't and that's the first thing on the agenda."
*he pushes away an elf who is trying to hawk his wares as you head toward the main road in Denerim, there is a fortress and a tower in the center of the road in the distance*
I consider briefly, then decide that Seith deserves as close to a representation of the facts as I think je'll understand; he risked his life for me, after all. "Look, a bit of an explanation is in order, and was in order before I dragged you through this entire ordeal. I believe I'm not from this world. It still sounds crazy even to me, but every time I die I wake up in another world. Before, in the world I'm from, I had just been given a... an item, and there was an accident, I died and woke up in another world. In that world someone I met explained that I'm a verser and will travel from one universe to the next every time I die. I drowned, because... while I was experimenting with magic, there was an accident. I assume that I was unconscious when I arrived here; I suppose someone could have poured blood from this chalice into my mouth before I woke up, but I have never seen any of these darkspawn, except in fantasy pictures, before.." *hesitates, remembering the carnage and not sure how best to phrase the event which transpired* ".. before that inhuman creature ambushed us and killed your brother in arms."
Jhiaxus
Member
*looks at you*
"Then that will be the first thing we do when we get to the compound, then the vault."
*there is no more resistance on the way, some tough types look like they might have started something, but they take one look at him and slink back into the shadows*
*you get walked up to the fortress, it's a walled compound, old even for the architecture for, you see two armored figures guarding the main door, wearing full plate, shining unnaturally in the light, in fact many people have weapons and armor now that you think about that sheen like that.*
Jhiaxus
Member
*the figures part and state:*
"In war, victory" *the one the right says*
"In peace, vigilance" *the one on the left says*
"In Death, sacrifice" *Seith says as he leads you into the main hall, a man clad in black full plate with a crest of two griffons walks up to Seith*
"Report warden"
*bows his head*
"I went to escort the new recruits back, only Arziay remained alive, the other two, ravaged by darkspawn and Desmond was not there, his body, nor the joining chalice were there. Heythe didn't survive the trip back, the darkspawn were tipped off as to our path."
*the commander considers, he looks to be a man in his 40's silver/black hair, down to his shoulders, one blue eye, the other covered with a golden patch, wielding a two handed axe on his back with a wicked sharp doubleblade, in a non conventional design*
"So Arziay eh? As the first foretold. Did he go through the joining?"
*Seith Responds*
"No liege, I do not believe so."
*The commander responds*
"Did you collect a sample of blood?"
*Seith nods*
"Off the Orge Commander that killed Heythe"
*The commander nods*
"I shall get the chalice"
*he heads off through the double doors in the center and comes back, liquid already in a bright silver chalice, and has Seith pour the blood into it*
"Take of the chalice like your brothers and sisters did before you Arziay"
*he offers it to you*
I take the chalice, and, looking first from one man, then to the other, not hesitation from fear, but from the awkwardness of being in a situation you don't fully understand. Then, I hold my breath, tip the cup to my lips and begin to force myself to quaff as if this were medicine or alcohol, expecting a malodorous, foul-tasting brew.
Jhiaxus
Member
*You place the chalice to your lips and drink, it is defiantly tainted tasting blood mixed with what can only be described as peppermint mouthwash, if such a thing existed here and you go down like a ton of bricks*
*Resistance roll 20, failure*
*You awake later in a bed in a small room, Seith keeping vigil on you*
"You survived the joining, welcome brother, now I do believe there is that business of a destiny, and I am to excort you to the vaults."
*he waits outside your door, for you to get yourself together*
*he leads you through a maze of passages, and town two sets of stairs, to a set of golden yellow doors, with what look to be two runed Iron Golems standing guard on either side*
*He looks them each on the eyes and then presses on the door to open it up and leads you in. You see piles of gold, weapons, armor, jewels, relics and books on shelves, chests and on the ground, he heads to one chest in the center and opens it up. Inside you are surprised to see the following three items. A 24 inch flatscreen TV, a Xbox 360, and a Wireless Xbox 360 controller. Seith picks up a book also in the chest*
"The first said someday a Warden with the name of Arziay would come and know how to use these devices, and become what he wished to become. He would also be presented with a set of arms and armor befitting him of his choices."
*pauses and waits for you to activate the "arcane" device*
lmao. well, assuming it isn't already ready to go, I know generally how to set up a game system; I've never personally set up an xbox 360, but based on the assumption that it's generally the same as other systems, I shouldn't have too much trouble getting it ready to go, assuming there's a power source here of some sort with an outlet. I'm assuming that I am able to get it up and running and that I can choose between three classes, mage, fighter, and thief... I'll choose thief if those are the options.
Jhiaxus
Member
*You see the cables are plugged in, the power source if is a rigged blue potion, the power cords are dangling in it. You turn it on like any gaming system and TV, and they come on. You push the button on the controller and you are able to move around, and it goes right to the Dragon: Age Origins, new game screen, and it's chosen automatically, it also chooses your name, and your race, human automatically, as well as the most appropriate appearance and voice automatically. You see a stat allocation screen, you have 100 pts to distribute between Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Willpower, Magic, and Cunning, with bases of 10, and 3 points to distribute between the following specialties: Assassin, Bard, Ranger, Duelist, Legionnaire Scout and Shadow*
((OOC: Feel free to cheat and look up what the skills and specialties mean on websites, to save me the trouble))
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