CIMORENE: *she raises her staff and follows him, keeping an eye over her shoulder*
mr80zExtreme: *you turn and go a few steps before you see them*
mr80zExtreme: *a group of figures all branishing 2 battle axes each*
mr80zExtreme: *elf figures*
CIMORENE: *she gasps and grips her staff tighter* What do you want?
NARRATOR: Elf:*straining to speak*You speak the old speech? *sobers up*What I want is all of you gone, and now.
NARRATOR: *melendar seems to be letting you be the diplomat and has his sword at the ready and his body tensed for the release of battle*
CIMORENE: *she draws herself up* We don't understand. What is going on here?
NARRATOR: Elf:Understand that it is high time that you all were off of this place. Leave and we will not hinder you.
CIMORENE: We just got here!
NARRATOR: Elf:Oh? Did you want a nights rest first?
NARRATOR: Elf:*musingly*Perhaps you can help us by going inside their den*points to the tower*and telling them our offer.
CIMORENE: No, we came to understand this whole big mess between you and the Galtairians!
NARRATOR: *melendar nods in agreement with you*
NARRATOR: Elf:Understand? Ah, you mean to know why we are asking them to leave now?
CIMORENE: Well, yes, for starters
NARRATOR: Elf:*smiles darkly*Well that group in there*points to the tower*are not quite valar... They got tired of their lonliness and tried to court some of women..... *stares at the ground*In their lust they went past the borders of kindness and soiled them.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*gasps*No...*looks with malace at the tower now*
CIMORENE: *she blinks several times* Wait wait wait..... you're saying they raped elf women from your tribe?
NARRATOR: Elf:*to melendar*Yes, they are vile.
CIMORENE: (insight)
NARRATOR: Elf:*to you*Ask them yourself! That isn't all.*to his tribe*We will give them till the morning....
CIMORENE: (13)
NARRATOR: *they walk off into the shadows*
CIMORENE: Wait!
NARRATOR: *you are uncertain whether he speaks the truth or not*
CIMORENE: *she slams her staff into the ground in rage with a growl of frustration*
CIMORENE: WHAT is going on here, Melendar?!
NARRATOR: Melendar:*with a knowing smile*This land is chaos, Cimorene.
CIMORENE: I couldn't even tell if they were telling the truth or not!
NARRATOR: Melendar:*thinking*I think they were lying in retrospect.
CIMORENE: Excuse me?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*thinker harder*Did you read their auras?
CIMORENE: No... I couldn;t
NARRATOR: Melendar:I sensed their power and it was substantial*pauses*and it was dark too.
CIMORENE: But if the Galtairians DID rape the elven women of this tribe....
.
NARRATOR: Melendar:That I am not certain of. What else I am certain of is that we are in the middle of a terrible conflict and no matter which way we turn *sighs stress* things will not turn out well.
CIMORENE: *she sighs* Well..... now what? We can either hunt down the mountain elves and make them answer our questions... wait till morning, see what we need to, then leave.... or warn the men of Galtaire and leave.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*sadly*We could split up and try to accomplish more than what we could together? Or perhaps that is a mistake...*thinks*
CIMORENE: Splitting up is not smart.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*very well*I'd wager tracking our own kin would be harder than most hunts we'd ever encounter. *knowing look*i've tried to before. What I think we should do is wait until morning to resolve a single thing.
CIMORENE: But do we warn the Galtairians?
NARRATOR: Melendar:That is another dilema. If we tell them that we know their secret, if indeed it is true, then we risk attack from them.
CIMORENE: But if we don't tell them and they get attacked, WE will be responsible.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Definetly a dilema. Why not tell them either way? I have a feeling we can stop them if it comes to a fight, they do not seem to be particuarily strong mortals
CIMORENE: *she shrugs* It seems as good a plan as any
CIMORENE: *she heads back towards the Tower*
NARRATOR: *he in tow*
NARRATOR: *you are let in as normal with the bowyers and all*
NARRATOR: *eventually the guard is let down and you are free to roam*
CIMORENE: *she glances at Melendar, speaking softly* We should speak to the leader
NARRATOR: Melendar:*to the nearest man*Where is Cale?
NARRATOR: *you find he is upstairs in quarters*
CIMORENE: *heads upstairs and knocks on his door*
NARRATOR: *melendar is watching your back*
NARRATOR: Cale:*half yelling*who is it?!
NARRATOR: *melendar sort of chuckles*
CIMORENE: It's Cimorene
NARRATOR: Cale:*surprised*Oh! Just a moment....
NARRATOR: *you hear a comotion*
CIMORENE: *stifles a giggle*
NARRATOR: *the door opens revealing cale and a shabby quarters*
NARRATOR: Cale:Cimorene and Melendar... and still alive. What can I do for you?
CIMORENE: *she smiles wryly* We need to talk to you.... alone.
NARRATOR: Cale:I am alone. Can't you see that? *points to his room*
CIMORENE: *she gestures inside* May we?
NARRATOR: Cale:Of course
NARRATOR: *melenar follows*
NARRATOR: *cale closes the door*
CIMORENE: What exactly is going on with you and the Mountain Elves?
NARRATOR: Cale:Elves. Is that what they are?
NARRATOR: Cale:*smiles*I rather like the sound of that name. *straight again*What do you mean what is going on with them? They are trying to harm us.
NARRATOR: Melendar:We have heard otherwise...
CIMORENE: But why
NARRATOR: Cale:I am not sure. I beleive that it all comes down to a territorial dispute.
NARRATOR: Cale:They think this is their land and we say the opposite.
CIMORENE: (INsight)
NARRATOR: *btw cale is speaking common elvish too as are all the others here*
NARRATOR: (roll on)
CIMORENE: (BOXCARS, baby!!)
NARRATOR: (whoa...)
NARRATOR: *what he just said was the truth and you are certain of that*
CIMORENE: (The truth as HE believes it)
NARRATOR: Melendar:That may be, but is their any other reason for the dispute?*his eyes gaze unblinkingly*
NARRATOR: (well whatever you say)
NARRATOR: (be a detective if you want more;:-)
NARRATOR: Cale:*to melendar*What else could there be?
CIMORENE: A rumor.
NARRATOR: *cale stares at you now, confused*
CIMORENE: HOw free are your men?
CIMORENE: Do they wander the mountain freely?
NARRATOR: Cale:How do you mean "free"?
NARRATOR: Cale:Yes, we are not confined to this tower at all hours. That is enough to drive a man insane.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*to cale*How aware are you of their actions off of this tower?
NARRATOR: Cale:*to melendar*I do trust them if that is your real question *hesitates at the word*.... elf.
NARRATOR: *melendar gives a sarcastic grin at the word*
CIMORENE: *wisely steps between them a little*
NARRATOR: *melendar see's you and backs up and leans on a wall, relaxed now after your intervention*
CIMORENE: There are no.... women in this batallion, are there?
NARRATOR: Cale:*his face lights up like a candle for a moment and he blushes a little*No. We do not see a good women often. Not nearly often enough. Not nearly enough at all.
NARRATOR: (observe check)
CIMORENE: (16)
NARRATOR: (that with affinitys ?)
CIMORENE: (oops......)
CIMORENE: (20)
NARRATOR: (if you have conceal it is a +1)
NARRATOR: (should be 17 then)
CIMORENE: (it's conceal and what else?)
NARRATOR: (that's it for observe. search has like 3)
NARRATOR: *you notice cale check you out from head to toe VERY fast but carefully*
CIMORENE: (gotcha. 17 then)
NARRATOR: Melendar:Cale what is your rank in the Galtarian army?
NARRATOR: Cale:*stutters a little*I am a captain.
CIMORENE: Who is your superior?
NARRATOR: Melendar:Fine then *sarcastically*captain Cale. You would be wise to keep your focus.
CIMORENE: (?)
NARRATOR: *you can tell from that, that melendar caught that mans lust as well*
NARRATOR: Cale:*looks incredulous*What is this? An interrogation? *stands up from his seat on his bed*
CIMORENE: *she narrows her eyes a little* I was not offering myself, man of Galtaire. We have reason to believe that you were lying to us.
NARRATOR: Cale:When? Why?
NARRATOR: *melendar sighs frustration behind you*
CIMORENE: (at me or him?)
NARRATOR: (just in general)
CIMORENE: *she tosses a slight glance at Melendar over her shoulder* Maybe I should question him alone...
CIMORENE: I think you're scaring him. *winks*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*smiles*Should I leave you two alone? I fear for his safety*winks*. I'll be around when you need me.
NARRATOR: *melendar exits*
NARRATOR: Cale:*to melendar*You can't just leave.
NARRATOR: *no response as the door closes*
CIMORENE: *she turns to Cale* It's just you and me now, Captain. And we are going to get to the bottom of this, or die trying.
NARRATOR: *the word "die" seems to register with him alot*
NARRATOR: Cale:I was under the impression that we were threw everything Miss Ciomorene.
NARRATOR: *cale sits back on the bed*
CIMORENE: *she remains standing* No. You deserve to know the truth because you told me the truth earlier. This is a border dispute... or at least, that's what you believe because you were told. The Mountain Elves are giving you and your men until morning to leave, and then they will attack.
NARRATOR: Cale:They finally mean to kill us then...*he seems quite morbid*
CIMORENE: Finally? *she laughs ruefully*
NARRATOR: Cale:*surprised at your laugh*Yes. As I have said they have been attacking us lately but we have suffered no casualties. Nor have they.
CIMORENE: You don't know what they are. And you talk of "finally"?? You fool of a man! Are you so young and starved for attention that you will kill something before knowing its intentions?!
NARRATOR: Cale:*offened now*I know only that they will not listen to reason except for our abadoning our post or dying!
CIMORENE: They claim that your men raped women of their colony! *she is soft-spoken now, almost whispering*
NARRATOR: Cale:I believe no such thing! I am outraged at the acusation!
CIMORENE: I never said it was true, Cale.
NARRATOR: Cale:Good... So that is what they are truly after us for.
CIMORENE: What?
NARRATOR: Cale: Either they are lying or we have done that and I have not been told.
CIMORENE: Who would do such a thing in your camp?
NARRATOR: Cale:*shakes his head and rubs his brow*I cannot even imagine any of us doing such a vile thing.
CIMORENE: None at all? None who joke about women of any race, or have often spoken of missing women?
NARRATOR: Cale:*thinks*If you were to add that in, it could be one of many. You see*sheepishly*most of us joke about it under the circumstances. Like I say we do not see women so often...
CIMORENE: I understand. *Cool as a cucumber* Do any of the men disappear for long amounts of time? Any groups?
NARRATOR: Cale:We have a group of seven that do from time to time.
CIMORENE: Where do they go?
NARRATOR: Cale:*sudden realization*You think they did this don't you? You think my men went in and did that to those... elf.. women?!
CIMORENE: I beleive nothing right now, Cale. I just want to stop this and keep anyone else from dying
NARRATOR: Cale:I can round them up for you at once.
CIMORENE: *she lowers her voice* but I want more than anything to believe you.
CIMORENE: Is there a leader of the seven?
NARRATOR: Cale:How can I prove my innocence?
CIMORENE: You are innocent. You spoke no lies to me. I just want the truth.
NARRATOR: Cale:That, I think, would be Durilan.
CIMORENE: *she nods* I wish to speak to this Durilan. Would you be so kind? *She smiles politely.* And is there another room we may use? We've kept you awake long enough.
NARRATOR: Cale:*looking suddenly tired*Yes, I can show you our interrogation room.
CIMORENE: *she puts a hand on his shoulder* Sleep a few hours, then prime your men. Truth or not, they will attack at dawn.
NARRATOR: Cale:Very well. But I ask you two to do something while we combat them. I want you to look threw the lense and see if there is a host on the move.
CIMORENE: The lense?
NARRATOR: Cale:*clearly exhausted now*Yes. It is in the highest room. You look in the morning. *waves to the door*Now if you do not mind, I have some sleep to gather.
NARRATOR: Cale:Do not kill anyone please.
CIMORENE: And Durilan?
NARRATOR: Cale:You may question him, but know that any harsh action against him at this time will be considered a crime. *gets up* I will clear you to use the interrogation room with the keymaster. Melendar is not aloud to interrogate him, however. I do not trust him...
NARRATOR: *cale gets up and out of the room*
CIMORENE: *she grips his shoulder tightly* Thank you, Cale... and rest assured, we will stand with you as long as right is on your side.
CIMORENE: *she stares after him, then follows and goes up to Melendar*
CIMORENE: Wanna play more guard duty or explore an interesting device?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*wry smile*How did it go?
NARRATOR: Melendar:A device you say? *he turns into a kid in a candy store again*How can I resist?
CIMORENE: *she giggles* There is a group of seven men who disppear from time to time in the mountains. I'm going to question him about the rapes. There is something called a "lense" upstairs... Cale says it can see lots of things. We have permission to look through it in the morning.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*sad*We must wait for dawn still? Mortals sleep too long, i'll say it again. Then in the meantime we can find this dirty man.
CIMORENE: Cale does not want you questioning this man.
NARRATOR: Melendar:*another wry smile*No? I give that impression to so many...*chuckles*
CIMORENE: *she smiles* He also said that any violence towards this man would be considered a crime.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Then you try and be gentle while I guard you at the door?
CIMORENE: *softly* Of course, if he attacks me, I fully expect you to come save me.
NARRATOR: Melendar:As you wish my lady. *he takes your hand and kisses it*
CIMORENE: *she grins* There's an interrogation room. That's where we'll be.
NARRATOR: Melendar:I will see you to the door then.*waits for your move*
CIMORENE: *heads off, sliding her brown cloak off as she moves*
NARRATOR: *melendar glides along with you packing up his black cloak. you two are quite an elegant pair in this place*
NARRATOR: *you reach the barred interrogation room and find a man in there and a man at the door*
NARRATOR: Man:Cimorene I presume? *to you*
CIMORENE: *puts on all the charm she can muster as she walks towards the door, smiling and nodding*
CIMORENE: (IS trying to look prettier)
NARRATOR: Man:I am authorized to allow you and ONLY you to enter and question Durilan. *opens the door for you*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*to you*I will be right here if you need me.
CIMORENE: *she speaks low to the guard* May I defend myself if need be?
NARRATOR: Man:A word on that. I need all weapons from you. All in there are to be unarmed. *looks expectantly to you*
CIMORENE: *she shrugs and hands him her staff and twin daggers*
CIMORENE: (I cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed...)
NARRATOR: Melendar:*to man and looking imposing*If you don't mind i'll take those
NARRATOR: Man:*looks like a frightened mouse*Of course...
NARRATOR: *melendar takes your weapons and winks at you*
CIMORENE: *supresses a grin as she smiles at the guard* Satisfied?
NARRATOR: Man:*stutters*Q Q qqqquite...
CIMORENE: *she moves into the room, looking for a door* Good evening, Durilan.
NARRATOR: *the door is open and closes as you walk in*
NARRATOR: Durilan:Evening. A late one at that. Can we get this over with?
CIMORENE: *she sits down in a nearby chair and crosses her legs, flashing a little skin* Sure... just a few questions.
NARRATOR: (aha! finally turning the charm back on...)
CIMORENE: (damn straight)
NARRATOR: (very interesting...)
CIMORENE: (JUst to inform you. I plan on exploitng his lust for elf flesh, if indeed he has one)
NARRATOR: Durilan:Well then what did you want from me?
NARRATOR: (gotcha)
CIMORENE: You and your men.... I believe there are seven of you, yes?
NARRATOR: *durilan is a big strong guy wearing his clod weather furs*
NARRATOR: Durilan:What do you mean? I take orders from Captain Cale.
CIMORENE: *she smiles* Yes, but we both know that you and your group are special, right?
NARRATOR: Durilan:Special? I think the only thing that makes any of us special is the fact that we are locked up on a mountain for months at a time.
CIMORENE: You mean being stationed up here?
NARRATOR: Durilan:I do, yes.
CIMORENE: *she nods* I can understand how that would be hard on you. Especially with those people roaming the mountains.
NARRATOR: Durilan:Yes, the wild ones of the mountain. They seek to kill us you know? Those axes of theirs seem bent on our flesh...
CIMORENE: Indeed. They seem to be very ugly.... I hear even their women are hideous....
CIMORENE: *watches his face carefully for a reaction*
NARRATOR: (make a check?)
CIMORENE: (What would it be?)
NARRATOR: (it'd help)
NARRATOR: (i'm not sure what it'd be actually)
CIMORENE: (you pick it, I'll do it. Search?)
NARRATOR: (search i think so)
CIMORENE: (16. With the affinities)
NARRATOR: Durilan:What do you mean? If you are indeed one of them, I must doubly say you are mistaken.
CIMORENE: One of them?
NARRATOR: *you can see a flicker of pleasure under his surface*
NARRATOR: Durilan:Yes, if you beg my pardon. There has been talk amongst us in the short time you and your companion have been here. You two seem quite similar to the very people out there trying to kill us *points to the wall and beyond*
CIMORENE: Howso?
NARRATOR: Durilan:*sighs and wipes sweat from his head*Your pointy ears and this strange glow about you. That and your hair is a blond that I have never seen on any other man or women...
NARRATOR: *sort of stares off into you for a moment*
CIMORENE: So... the attackers look like me?
CIMORENE: *leans back in her seat a little*
NARRATOR: Durilan:No*seriously*. They are hideous compared to you.
CIMORENE: *she smiles a little, leaning forward to appear eager* You've seen them then. Seen them fully?
NARRATOR: (persuade or charm?)
CIMORENE: (neither)
NARRATOR: (at your discretion, ya hehehe)
CIMORENE: (i do NOT want this guy chained to me)
NARRATOR: Durilan:I have seen them. Fully? What are you implying?
NARRATOR: (hehehe)
NARRATOR: *he leans forward a little*
CIMORENE: You know what they are. No one else has been able to tell me what they are. Just vague glimpses and guesses.
CIMORENE: I want to know what they are. What they are like... I love learning new things...
NARRATOR: (wow!)
CIMORENE: (What?)
NARRATOR: (nothing... hehe)
CIMORENE: (*is blushing hard here*)
NARRATOR: Durilan:I have seen the men and they look more like your companion*points to the door*. They are dark and mysterious. The women*pauses a moment and rubs his chin*their women are dark and mysterious and beautiful. A beauty that I have never ever encountered on the ground below...
NARRATOR: Durilan:You, I think, know all about their kind of beauty. You have it yourself*smile*
CIMORENE: How is it you saw the women? *smiles brightly in return* I assumed that the men did the fighting while the women hide in caves....
NARRATOR: Durilan:Well it is true that almost none of the women come out of the caves to fight. We assume that the men prefer to do the fighting. I saw them in the caves. We, saw them there.
CIMORENE: How did you manage to battle your way into the caves?
NARRATOR: Durilan:*seems vane here*Well I had a cunning plan, you see. I managed to find out when many men would leave to go hunting and one day we managed to go in at the time the men were hunting. Simple as that*licks his lips*
CIMORENE: *scoots her chair forward, towards him, her face eager* And what happened then?
NARRATOR: Duralin: Uh...*thinks*Were with them for a time.
CIMORENE: *she puts on her best puzzled look* What do you mean?
NARRATOR: Durilan:Uh...*hesitates*
CIMORENE: *she gasps softly and covers her mouth with her hand* You don't mean you and your men....? *looks scandalized, not angry or repulsed*
CIMORENE: *her purple eyes are huge and gorgeous at this point*
NARRATOR: Durilan:*tries to read you*We spent some time with them intimately. Yes. *looks deeply into your eyes now* There was love
CIMORENE: What kind of love? * looks so interested now she doens't even have to pretend*
NARRATOR: Durilan:*sharp stare*Just what authority are you here with?
CIMORENE: Authority?
NARRATOR: Durilan:You are a civilian for all i've heard and yet you come in here to interrogate me and I want to know just how much I need tell you of anything.
CIMORENE: That depends....
NARRATOR: *he raises an eybrow to you*
CIMORENE: *she smiles* On how nice you want me to be.... (small charm)
NARRATOR: (roll on)
NARRATOR: (you have the option of hiding your bearing which means you can take out your bearing mod)
NARRATOR: (but your bearing mod for everything goes off as well. You can lower it and put it back as you want)
CIMORENE: (*throws her dice across the room* Really? 13 then)
CIMORENE: (With the bearing off)
NARRATOR: Durilan:*persuaded*I would love for you to be awfully nice.
CIMORENE: Then I would love for you to tell me about the women.
NARRATOR: Durilan:*clearly in a provocative mood now*What would you like to know*sly face*
CIMORENE: What did you mean by love?
CIMORENE: (ewwwww)
NARRATOR: (ewwww!)
NARRATOR: Durilan:*looking at you the same way*We made love.
CIMORENE: Were they willing.... or did you just exert your manly, manly power?
NARRATOR: (yuck...)
CIMORENE: (no kidding..... but she has to know the truth... *is planning on washing her mouth out and her hands too after this*)
NARRATOR: Durilan:I cannot speak for us all but my woman was perfectly willing. Maybe i had the same charm to her that she had to me. I had to have her. *looks at you with lust*
CIMORENE: *smiles a little and stands up, moving away from him a little* So.... you didn't rape them.
NARRATOR: Durilan:I did not rape my woman, no. I cannot speak for us all. there were many of us...
NARRATOR: *he seems to realize how stupid he's just been*
CIMORENE: Was there any rape that you knew of? If there is, you'd better tell me..... right now.
NARRATOR: Durilan:I am not sure either way. I was.... preoccupied at the moment if you take my meaning. Why are you rushig off?
CIMORENE: I'm not rushing anywhere. Please.... I need to know if you and your men.... raped women like me..... * conjures up a few tears*
NARRATOR: Durilan:*gets up and walks a little towards you*It's alright. To be perfectly honest I think there may have been 1 or 2 that did.
CIMORENE: Which ones?
CIMORENE: *backs up* Please.... stay away.... I can't bear that you would command men like that....
NARRATOR: Durilan:I command no one.*he seems helpless* We were all on a short leave. I cannot name them to you. What kind of man would I be then? *that last line was to himself*
CIMORENE: One who is willing to stand up for what it right. If you have any information, you must tell me. Honor is at stake here.
NARRATOR: Durilan:Yes my honor is at stake and though I want to tell you, I would be an oathbreaker to tell you.
NARRATOR: *he moves a little closer to you*
CIMORENE: *she speaks softly to him, moving closer* Tell me the names of the ones that hurt the women, Durilan..... please....
NARRATOR: Durilan:*a tear or two from him now*I cannot... I would be cursed
CIMORENE: by whom?
NARRATOR: Durilan:I swore to keep their secret under pain of death
NARRATOR: *he seems to be in an inner crisis*
CIMORENE: Fine..... tell me one specific thing about each man. Something I can use to indentify them then. I will find them myself. That way you, Durilan, can be safe.
CIMORENE: (damn...... brb)
NARRATOR: Durilan:*cries just a little*I will tell you. I will be a man...
NARRATOR: (k)
NARRATOR: Durilan:There were 5; garl, nevan, afav, marin, and levistula...
NARRATOR: Durilan:*terrified*I will be dead and soon. Please understand these are good men under extreme circumstances. They have families in Galtaire*knowing glance*. Please show some measure of mercy.
NARRATOR: Durilan:*to himself*I am damned now.....
NARRATOR: (*goes to put car on driveway*...)
CIMORENE: *she moves up and hugs him tightly, impulsively* Please do not fear. I will not question them, as long as you give me your most solemn oath that they did rape the Mountain Elf women. *she is deathly serious now*
NARRATOR: Durilan:*he's surprised you'd touch him clearly*I give you my oath...*laughs hard and ironically* under pain of death
CIMORENE: *she releases him and smiles* Speak of none of this. The men will be dealt with by your Captain, not by me. Be glad of that. Thank you, Durilan. You may have just saved this entire outpost, as well as Galtaire. *she moves to the door*
NARRATOR: *the keeper lets you both out*
NARRATOR: *melendar returns your equipment*
CIMORENE: *watches Durilan walk off before she moves again*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*curiously*How did that go?
CIMORENE: *she pulls him into the interrogation room and shuts the door firmly behind her before she starts shaking*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*puts his arms around you*What is it?
CIMORENE: *she turns and shakes hard in his arms, almost crying* They did it.... the elves were telling the truth, Melendar! The truth!
NARRATOR: Melendar:They are all guilty then? *confused now* That does not change the dark aura of those kin of ours...
CIMORENE: It may be that they are evil, and that this started as a border dispute.... but they will raze this Tower because five men raped elven women
NARRATOR: Melendar:Should we stop them?
CIMORENE: I don't know, Melendar..... I just don't know.....
NARRATOR: Melendar:No. We cannot turn our backs on the innocent. The other 5 are a different matter. Perhaps we can give them to our kinsmen to stave the conflict?
CIMORENE: *she stops shaking almost immedietely and looks up at him* That's up to Cale.... I promised Durilan that we wouldn't punish them ourselves
NARRATOR: Melendar:*musingly*Quite a bargain... Then we should go to Cale as soon as we can and ask his opinion. Maybe he will agree under the circumstances. *further thinking*I wager, though, that he will make us take them to Galtaire for proper punishment
CIMORENE: Probably. But, Melendar.... the elves are in the forest. I know they are. They're the ones who threatened us earlier, I think. I-I fear that the Elves are the great host
NARRATOR: Melendar:You think that our kin will march on Galtaire? Impossible... yet... no. That cannot be. I do recall somewhere in my mind that there we those of us that followed the shadow long ago. Could these be them?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*twitching and rubbing his temple suddenly*I can almost remember something. *he seems forced to sit in a chair now*
CIMORENE: It very well could be. We must report to Cale, then decide what is to be done. We must accomplish our goal of...... *she stops suddenly*
CIMORENE: What do you remember?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*strains terribly*I cannot exaclty figure it out.
NARRATOR: Melendar:I think I am to blame for some of this somehow...
CIMORENE: *she takes his hand in hers* What can I do to help?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*smiles up at you*You can keep on being my compass.
CIMORENE: *she smiles back, then looks off, distantly* If the Elves are against us... if they mean to destroy Galtaire.... we must know why. *she stands* If we see Elves in the "lense" tomorrow.... I'm going to demand to be taken to the leader of the elves in the mountain.
NARRATOR: Melendar:If you do I will be as curious as you are to know how far they have fallen.
CIMORENE: Are ou offering to come with me?
NARRATOR: *melendar seems beat*
NARRATOR: Melendar:Was there every any doubt*wrly*
CIMORENE: *she grins and kisses his cheek* Go get some sleep, love. I'm going to find Cale.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Are you certain you will be alright?
CIMORENE: *she nods*
NARRATOR: *he just smiles at you and gives you a kiss on the cheek. then he goes off*
CIMORENE: *reports to Cale*
NARRATOR: *a very tired cale lets you back in the room*
NARRATOR: Cale:*dark ringed eyes*Yes Cimorene?
CIMORENE: *tells him everything Durilan said except how she got the information*
NARRATOR: Cale:*eyes wide now*This is very serious indeed. So we truly are to blame for this conflict.
NARRATOR: *he seems deep in quick thought*
CIMORENE: I'm not sure. The elves have an evil aura about them. But I swore to Durilan that I would not punish the men myself. He broke an oath to tell me their names
NARRATOR: Cale:Did he? I will deal with him later. As for the others... I will have to contain them.
CIMORENE: They will kill him.
CIMORENE: I can't let them do that,
NARRATOR: Cale:*awake now*No they won't. I will gather some men and we will have them all imprisoned within the night. It will be bloodless
NARRATOR: *he is putting on more proper attire*
NARRATOR: (not like undressing or anything)
CIMORENE: Cale.... if the Elves are moving on Galtaire, I must go into the mountain to stop them. But Galtaire cannot be left undefended and unwarned.
NARRATOR: Cale:Hold on Cimorene. We do not even know if it is elves down there. Wait until morning
CIMORENE: It's elves.
CIMORENE: (scratch that)
NARRATOR: *cale is up now and gets his sword*
NARRATOR: (k)
CIMORENE: (Misread the line)
NARRATOR: (k)
CIMORENE: *she nods* Do you need my help?
NARRATOR: Cale:Only if you feel comfortable being known in this thing to them...
CIMORENE: *she shakes her head* I'd rather not, if it's all the same.
NARRATOR: Cale:That is perfectly alright. *smirks briefly*We can handle this in house.
NARRATOR: *he leaves off down the late night halls*
CIMORENE: *she nods and heads out among the men to find Melendar's sleeping space*
NARRATOR: (*gonna need an observe on that*)
CIMORENE: (14)
NARRATOR: (good enough)
NARRATOR: *you find melendar off meditating in a dark corner near the fireplace and it's now-embers*
CIMORENE: *she sits next to him, keeping watch until he wakes up*
NARRATOR: *his black cloak is on and his hood over his face*
NARRATOR: *he wakes up in another hour and a half*
CIMORENE: *she meditates after filling him in on what happened*
NARRATOR: *you are stiffled awake*
CIMORENE: (stiffled?)
NARRATOR: *you wake up to find Melendar fighting a din dair *
CIMORENE: (........ shit)
CIMORENE: (End now and I'll kill you)
NARRATOR: *he seems hurt, but so does the demon*
CIMORENE: Melendar!!!!!
NARRATOR: (we're still rolling)
NARRATOR: Melendar:*in a quick gasp*Cimorene, my love! Come clean this mess up!
CIMORENE: *leaps up and grabs her staff, rushing at the monster*
CIMORENE: (I can tell them apart, yes?)
NARRATOR: *a shadow bolt hits you for 9*
NARRATOR: *melendar looks himself and the demon looks like a large shadow monster*
CIMORENE: *Charges the dindair fighting Melendar*
NARRATOR: (making a roll?)
CIMORENE: (oh! I was waiting to see if I was allowed to. What do I add for charging?)
NARRATOR: (+1 armed combat for the action. -3 to any dodges or parries for the rest of the round. you do 1.5 times damage)
NARRATOR: (it's 2 actions though)
NARRATOR: (i make a test to see if the din dair is thrown to the ground too)
NARRATOR: (what is your strength?)
CIMORENE: (25 then. charging)
CIMORENE: (12)
NARRATOR: (25 to hit?)
CIMORENE: (yup)
NARRATOR: (superior success, +1 action in this case)
NARRATOR: (roll damage)
CIMORENE: (27)
NARRATOR: (you added in the .5 right?)
CIMORENE: (yup)
NARRATOR: (wow)
NARRATOR: *you strike it very hard and it actually falls to the ground rattling the entire structure*
NARRATOR: (1 more action)
CIMORENE: (sense power)
CIMORENE: (16)
NARRATOR: *you feel melendar and the dindair*
CIMORENE: (good)
CIMORENE: (I'm done)
NARRATOR: *melendar gets hit with a bolt*
NARRATOR: *a bolt misses you*
CIMORENE: (whew)
NARRATOR: *it forms into a man all the sudden and it is standing up*
CIMORENE: (should I roll initiative?)
NARRATOR: (no)
NARRATOR: *the man throws a spear at your leg and it goes into it*
CIMORENE: *screams*
NARRATOR: *13*
NARRATOR: (...)
CIMORENE: (What?)
NARRATOR: *melendar lashes out at the thing with a flurry of sword slashes and it falls down*
NARRATOR: (13 to your leg isn't good)
CIMORENE: (yeah, but my armor knocks some off, right?)
NARRATOR: *the man vanishes inot shadow*
NARRATOR: (ya i'll just give you the armor in this case)
CIMORENE: Melednar..... what's going on here>
NARRATOR: Melendar:*pants once*It appears one of our culprits was a demon right under our noses. Perhaps his influence began this whole mess*his face wrinkles at the thought*
CIMORENE: By all the Valar...... *whirls about* What about everyone else?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*sadly*I think 3 or 4 fell in the battle, but they are victorious in their deaths, now. The other 4 men were taken into custody without incident.
CIMORENE: We have to find Cale...... but first, do you need healing?
NARRATOR: Melendar:Which puts the defense of this tower down to 23...
NARRATOR: Melendar:Yes, please. I need your strength in me.
CIMORENE: (.....)
NARRATOR: (he's just being fancy!)
CIMORENE: Tanka tel' taurnin *heals him for one level*
NARRATOR: *he seems a heck of a lot better*
CIMORENE: *yanks the spear out of her leg and smiles at Melendar* We have to find Cale
NARRATOR: Melendar:Wait. *he heals your wound*
CIMORENE: (I'm not even down a wound level)
NARRATOR: *you gain 4 hit points*
NARRATOR: (i know)
CIMORENE: (all righty)
NARRATOR: Melendar:Let us find the Captain...
CIMORENE: *hurries out into the common area*
NARRATOR: *looking around it is apparent that Cale is not present even as a corpse*
NARRATOR: *the place seems very much broken, though. a battle had clearly been waged*
CIMORENE: (Is there anyone left alive?)
CIMORENE: (ALL THIS WHILE I WAS SLEEPING?)
NARRATOR: (battles happen in seconds laura remember that)
CIMORENE: (gotcha)
NARRATOR: *yes there are only 3 corpses*
NARRATOR: *people are walking around*
NARRATOR: *all in their pj's*
CIMORENE: *grabs the nearest man* Where is the Captain?
NARRATOR: nearest man:He's by the jail last I sawed.
CIMORENE: *heads for the jail*
NARRATOR: *you find cale at the jail and there are 4 inmates*
CIMORENE: Cale!
NARRATOR: Cale:*downtrodden*Cimorene. Melendar. It looks as if I underestimated the enemy...
CIMORENE: I think we all did, Cale. We fear the enemy of Galtaire has tricked you all. You and the Elves both, perhaps.
NARRATOR: Cale:I don't know...*trails off*
NARRATOR: Melendar:Do not lose hope, Cale. *with conviction*We are here to make sure your land is not harmed by such underhandedness!
CIMORENE: Indeed. What time is it?
NARRATOR: Cale:I don't even know anymore. If it is the lense you seek, just go upstairs. Your arrival is expected now...
NARRATOR: *melendar is already ready to leave*
CIMORENE: Melendar, go up there. Cale, please let me speak with these prisoners. Please?
NARRATOR: *melendar nods and is off*
NARRATOR: Cale:Why?
CIMORENE: Because they may have information that can help us.
NARRATOR: Cale:Very well*slowly goes off*
CIMORENE: (Cool..... I didn't mean he had to leave)
CIMORENE: Cale, wait. Please, stay.
NARRATOR: (he's not in a spectacular mood)
CIMORENE: (8shrugs8)
NARRATOR: Cale:What? *his voice is small* Yes I can hang abouts...
NARRATOR: *he finds a nice wall*
CIMORENE: *her heart softens* You can go catch a few more hours of sleep if you wish
NARRATOR: Cale:I cannot sleep right now. Talk to them, then
CIMORENE: *she whirls on the men in the jail, her face hard* Well, gentlemen?
NARRATOR: *they all don't seem to know what you mean*
CIMORENE: Your careless rutting after elf flesh has put this entire command, as well as Galtaire in danger! What do you have to say for yourselves!?
NARRATOR: (what were there names?)
CIMORENE: (arl, nevan, afav, marin, and levistula...)
NARRATOR: Marin:I think I speak for us all when I say "what do you mean?"
NARRATOR: *they all tell you how they don't remember doing any of this*
CIMORENE: (insight)
CIMORENE: (15)
NARRATOR: *it is the truth*
CIMORENE: Do you remember going into the caves and seeing the women?
NARRATOR: *a unanimous "yes, but we didn't rape anyone*
CIMORENE: Did you make love to any of them then?
NARRATOR: *bunch of "no, but Duralin did"*
NARRATOR: *cale seems shocked*
CIMORENE: *she whirls to Cale, a look of horror on her face*
NARRATOR: Cale:*to you with reflected horror*What sorcery is this?!
CIMORENE: Why can't they remember but Duralin can?
NARRATOR: Cale:*grim face now*We'll probably never no; Duralin was killed.
CIMORENE: *she slams her fist into her open palm* Someone's played us a very dirty trick....
NARRATOR: Cale:Yes, and I only wish I knew who really deserved our spite...
NARRATOR: *the men ask to be let out*
CIMORENE: *she rounds on the men* (Display of power)
NARRATOR: (roll on)
CIMORENE: (passed)
CIMORENE: (intimidate)
NARRATOR: (roll your intimidate;majesty)
CIMORENE: (22)
NARRATOR: (wow)
CIMORENE: (I just want her to seem tall and terrible)
NARRATOR: (you got it)
NARRATOR: (now say what you want for the duration)
CIMORENE: You will be let out IF I deem your next words helpful to me! Tell me everything your dead friends did in the caves!
NARRATOR: *they relate that they went into the caves and that duralin and one elf seemed to have feelings towards eachother. beyond that, their dead 5th member was saying strange words to them and they remember doing no bad deeds in the caves. *
CIMORENE: Is that all?
NARRATOR: Cale:We figure their 5th member to be the demon...
NARRATOR: *that seems to be all, yes they thought the elves were beautiful but none say they took such advantage of them*
NARRATOR: *they seem to wonder if duralin was under a spell like they must be too*
CIMORENE: Where's the last man?
NARRATOR: Cale:He was the one who gave us resistance and fled to try and escape. His body is not accounted among the dead and invariably must be the demon
CIMORENE: No, there were seven men in Duralin's group. Wasn't there?! *To the frightened men*
NARRATOR: Cale:That means there are 2 unnacounted for... *gasps*If duralin is dead and we have these 4 and 1 was a demon....
NARRATOR: Cale:*turns immediately*I have to gather the men...
NARRATOR: *cale goes off*
CIMORENE: *races back upstairs*
CIMORENE: (scratch that)
CIMORENE: *turns to the men* Who is the seventh man?
NARRATOR: *they all have no idea who it was*
CIMORENE: *races upstairs*
NARRATOR: *you are allowed in threw the small door that leads into the large chamber with a palantir on a pedestal that melendar is looking at*
CIMORENE: *stops dead in her tracks*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*to you like a kid*It is amazing don't you thi....*concerned now*Cimorene what is wrong?
CIMORENE: *in a strangled voice* Tell me you didn't touch it....
NARRATOR: Melendar:No I have not yet. I am studying it.
NARRATOR: Melendar:What is wrong?
CIMORENE: *hurries over and yanks him away from the thing* It's a palantir.... a lost seeing stone.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Something seems strange. It is not old by what I can tell.
CIMORENE: Saruman had one... he used it to communicate to the Dark Lord
NARRATOR: Melendar:The dark lord? Is that who we are fighting?
CIMORENE: *looks at him with haunted eyes* Let us pray that it isn't.
CIMORENE: There's a missing man. And Duralin may not really be dead. The four who are in jail have no memory of anything Duralin described.
CIMORENE: They just remember him having feelings for one woman.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Foul play then... At the very least my confidence in men as a species is restored some
NARRATOR: Melendar:Then there is not a moment to lose. This other is probably a scout off to his master... we should pursue if that is the case.
CIMORENE: *she stares at the palantir, walking around it slowly. She hands her staff to melendar* If I start screaming, get that thing out of my hands....
CIMORENE: *reaches for the palantir*
NARRATOR: Melendar:Cimorene are you certain?
CIMORENE: *she nods* Yes.
CIMORENE: *touches it*
NARRATOR: *you see... much*
NARRATOR: (wait...)
NARRATOR: (willpower test)
CIMORENE: (lol.... out of ideas, Mr. Narrator?)
CIMORENE: (9)
CIMORENE: (11)
NARRATOR: *the stone is blank*
CIMORENE: (.....)
NARRATOR: (no laura, just reading the palantir rules)
NARRATOR: (it's a willpower test to activate)
CIMORENE: (wonderful)
CIMORENE: *she draws away, puzzled* Strange....
CIMORENE: (is it higher than 15?)
NARRATOR: (no)
CIMORENE: (ok. Then there's hope)
CIMORENE: *touches it again, a puzzled look on her face*
NARRATOR: Melendar:What are you trying to do?
CIMORENE: (14)
NARRATOR: *the stone is blank*
CIMORENE: (lol)
NARRATOR: (it's very precise)
CIMORENE: *she draws away from it* I don't have the power to use it... I'm not strong enough.... but YOU are.
NARRATOR: Melendar:Cimorene i'm confused...
NARRATOR: Melendar:What do you want me to do*he is not afraid*
CIMORENE: Meledar, this is a Seeing Stone. It connects with the other stones, and allows you to see things. Future, past, present events. It's very dangerous... someone could be controlling the other stone and try to hurt you. If anyone asks you anything in your mind when you touch it, think of a brick wall. Nothing else~
NARRATOR: Melendar:Alright, my love, I will do this for you. You want me to see if there are armies and where this scout could be?
CIMORENE: *she nods* I will try one more time.... but then you must do it.
NARRATOR: (we're on the honor system here)
CIMORENE: (me and you?)
NARRATOR: (ya)
NARRATOR: (hehe)
CIMORENE: (*glares at him*)
NARRATOR: (just makin' sure;-))
CIMORENE: (10)
NARRATOR: *the stone is blank*
CIMORENE: *she growls in frustration*
CIMORENE: (Can only one person use it?)
NARRATOR: (yes)
CIMORENE: (darn)
NARRATOR: *melendar gently takes your hands off the stone and rubs them briefly. then he puts his own on*
NARRATOR: *the stone lights up*
CIMORENE: *She keeps one hand gripping his*
NARRATOR: *it is a brilliant assortment of lights*
NARRATOR: *his eyes are in another place now*
NARRATOR: *this goes on for minutes, he does not seem to be in pain*
NARRATOR: *after 7 minutes he suddenly has his hands grip the ball hard and the lights turn very very dark*
NARRATOR: *he starts to mumble*
NARRATOR: *and growl*
CIMORENE: Melendar! Melendar!!! *tries to shake him*
NARRATOR: *he shakes but does not let go*
CIMORENE: *tries to knock the ball aside with her staff*
NARRATOR: *as you are about to the lights turn to bright again and the ball turns black once more*
NARRATOR: *melendar puts the ball down and leans back into you a little weary*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*tired*That was quite an experience...
CIMORENE: *drops the staff and envelops him in her arms* Melendar! Oh, love, are you all right?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*looks up happily at you*I am now
CIMORENE: What did you see?
NARRATOR: Melendar:I saw what we wanted
NARRATOR: Melendar:There is an army and there is a scout
CIMORENE: Where? And of what?
NARRATOR: Melendar:They are some hundred miles or more from this place. They are made up of what I could discern to be men and some trolls. Grim and dirty they were.
CIMORENE: Marching here?
NARRATOR: Melendar:I do not know their purpose or destination. I only know that they march in this direction on the ground but on both sides of the mountain...
CIMORENE: You were growling....
NARRATOR: Melendar:It will be a pincer attack that shall destroy Galtaire. Our scout is on his way north. No doubt to tell his master
NARRATOR: Melendar:Was I? I had to wrestle control of the stone from another.
CIMORENE: Another? *grips his arms tightly* What did he say?
CIMORENE: (Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamge)
NARRATOR: Melendar:He said little. He knew me by name and called me a fool. I said nothing to him but used all the energy I could summon him out of my mind and I did just that.
NARRATOR: Melendar:He had a hideous and horrible cackle. I have never heard such a noise before.
NARRATOR: *the grips you tightly to out of exhaustion but he is not scared or terrified*
CIMORENE: *A deep fear begins to grow in the pit of her stomach* I think I have.....
NARRATOR: Melendar:*looking up at you*What do you mean? Have you done this before?
CIMORENE: No..... but I know someone with a hideous cackle
NARRATOR: Melendar:Whom?*he is very curious*
NARRATOR: Melendar:*realization*It is the one who haunts you in your dreams! It is Luin Ruth...
CIMORENE: *covers his mouth with her hand* Do not speak his name!
NARRATOR: Melendar:*kisses your hand*I am so sorry. I did not mean for that to be so loud.
CIMORENE: Can you stand?
NARRATOR: Melendar:*an arm on your shoulder as he leans on you*Does this count?*weak laugh*
CIMORENE: *she smiles a little and leans him against the wall, covering him with her violet cloak* Stay here.... I have to warn Cale.
NARRATOR: Melendar:You do that, don't worry about me.
CIMORENE: *she kisses him and runs out to find Cale*
NARRATOR: *you find him in the main hall taking care of the corpses*
CIMORENE: Cale!
NARRATOR: Cale:Cimorene? I don't think I am going to like your words by the look on your face...
CIMORENE: *her face is striken*
NARRATOR: (hehe)
CIMORENE: (lol)
CIMORENE: You have a palantir.... and we have seen the enemy's plan.
CIMORENE: Galtaire will burn.
NARRATOR: Cale:The lense, yes. *with a small shot of courage*Not if I can help it. * goes off with purpose*We set the warning first!
CIMORENE: We have a warning?
NARRATOR: (the beacon remember)
CIMORENE: *follows closely* There's a scout!
NARRATOR: Cale:That was the 7th man then?
CIMORENE: Yes. He heads North. There's a huge host of orcs and men marching on Galtaire from both sides of the mountain. They are a hundred miles away and closing,
NARRATOR: (no orcs, laura. men and trolls is all melendar said)
CIMORENE: (ssory)
CIMORENE: (trolls then)
NARRATOR: Cale:They cannot reach our position for a few days now. We have some time to warn Galtaire*think frantically*That scout will likely warn the host of our small threat...
NARRATOR: Cale:*sudden realization*The elves Cimorene! They are coming soon to kill us all! They do not know of the deception!
CIMORENE: The elves must fight with us
NARRATOR: Cale:*marching on grimly*What a trick that has been played against us all... our enemy is very cunning.
NARRATOR: Cale:*stops and turns to you*Fight with us?
CIMORENE: Yes. They will join us against this enemy.
CIMORENE: Or at least they will stay out of it.
NARRATOR: Cale:*lets out a small laugh*You cannot be serious. They are savages. Now let us forget that nonsense and gather some men to light the great fire to warn Galtaire so far away...
CIMORENE: *she nods, then thinks* Is it dawn yet?
NARRATOR: Cale:Nearly...*thinks*You can try to reason with them. At the very least I will be able get more time to light the fire as you fight....
CIMORENE: *she nods hard* Or we can leave.
CIMORENE: If we leave now, then the elves will leave us alone, and we can return to Galtaire to help strengthen their lines
NARRATOR: Cale:*shocked*Impossible! This is my duty. After the fire has gone for a long enough time I will consider leaving.
CIMORENE: *her voice is harsh* You cannot help Galtaire fight this horde by staying here!
NARRATOR: Cale:You and your friend can leave if you wish but my men and I will be here a little longer still. It is our duty. We can help them by warning them right here and now!
CIMORENE: *she nods* Do as you must. *she hurries down the stairs to the main gate* Open the gates.
NARRATOR: Cale:It is locked from the inside, let youreslf out...
NARRATOR: *cale hurries off to gather his men*
CIMORENE: *mentally kicks herself and goes out* Cale..... tell Melendar I love him..... *disappears outside, shutting the door firmly behind her*
NARRATOR: (what?)
CIMORENE: (huh?)
NARRATOR: (you're leaving him?)
NARRATOR: (i'm shocked is all)
CIMORENE: (Yup. He's not strong enough to fight the elves yet. She's going to try and talk to them when they arrive)
NARRATOR: (oh)
NARRATOR: Cale:*from a distance*I will if I see him
NARRATOR: Cale:good luck
NARRATOR: *he is gone now*
CIMORENE: (*is seriously dragging here*)
NARRATOR: END