An Adventure

...for in character discussions, contributions and Wheel of Time themed stories.
Artal
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:17 pm

An Adventure

Post by Artal » Sun Aug 22, 2021 11:05 pm

* S HP:Healthy MV:Full > s
The Queen's Blessing
You step into this respectable looking inn. The common room is busy,
although not overcrowded. The bar patrons look well entertained by the
combination of pleasant music and strong ale. There seems to be some room
by the bar and you are tempted to sit for a few hours and enjoy some
relaxing company. The inn is much larger than it appeared from the outside.
You can see a door to the kitchen as well as a stairway to the guest rooms,
and there is a room to the east which has various bargames.
[ obvious exits: N E S U ]
A copper tap with free ale is here.
A board showing the rules hangs here.
A board hangs on a wall peppered with tales of glory, adventure and history.
A small dog is here, barking furiously.
A shapely young woman skillfully weaves amongst the chaos, taking orders.
A bartender serves customers with a greedy smile.

u
* S HP:Healthy MV:Full > Reception of the Queen's Blessing
The upstairs of the Queen's Blessing is as charming as the common room. A
thin rug leads through the length of the hallway, and a small window in the
wall lets you look down on the bustling streets of Caemlyn. You appear to
be fortunate in finding an empty room to rent, no easy feat in this crowded
city! A wooden board is affixed to the wall, covered with notices of
current information for newcomers to the city.

A ledger lies on a small stand.
[ obvious exits: S D ]
A gory tuft of flesh lies abandoned on the ground.
Taltos of Altara is standing here.
A small dog is here, barking furiously.
A bulky man with heavy-lidded eyes sits here, scratching a cat.
The innkeeper Basel Gill is here, smiling broadly.

* S HP:Healthy MV:Full > s
The Library
It's not every inn which offers you the use of a library, particularly one as
well stocked as this one. There are maps, novels, and bizarre texts of all
sorts. A comfy sofa and a few reading chairs are the only furniture of the room
other than the rows upon rows of books.
[ obvious exits: N ]
A bookshelf made from imported wood stands against the wall here.
A small wooden table with two chairs surrounding it sits here against a far wall.
You notice a soft leather pouch is hidden here.
A black dog is here, wagging its tail.
A stout looking guard is here, walking the streets of Caemlyn.
A ragged looking man asks for spare coins.
A young woman walks by.
A young woman walks by.
An old woman weaves a pattern on her loom.

sit chair
You sit upon the wooden chair.

look table

The wooden table is small and round, on its surface is various sheets of paper and a inkwell with a quill within.

read paper






An Adventure
written by Artal of the Queen's Blessing

-Written in a childlike hand-


The sun rose in the west, and fell in the east. The moon lingered on during the daylight hours and the sun during the evening. With winter came crops and festivals and the bustling in the woods of new life coming forth to greet the world. The spring meant cold, and a loss of all comfort that could be found. The boy knew these things, yet he ventured out with the coming of the spring. Forth into the woods when all others would seek shelter. Clad in furs and armed with shield and spear he moved outward, to hunt the legendary beast that lived in the woods beyond the small village. All others that sought out the creature never returned. Men and women alike came from all over, hearing stories of the creatures size, and its ferocity. All others disappeared. Soldiers and adventurers all, heroes of one story or another. His belongings, all leather and trimmed with fur the colors of the woods. Browns and greens, and cloaked in a black trimmed green cloak he looked the hero of a story himself, but he was just a boy. But it was his time, to become a man he would venture forth, to find the creature that all sought out. If he returned, stories would be written, songs sung. Over rock and root, under branch and leaf further and further into the woods he walked. Each step, singing a song upon the fallen leaves the trees had abandoned to the cold brittle breeze that kissed him upon his cheeks. Trees closed in all around him as he moved, closer and closer until only a small path was available to him. Straight through the wood, straight onward. Others knew of the path, and said it led directly to the beast, most turned back. He would not, could not. Forward he strode along the dark path, as trees arched over him, no light to be seen from the sun as the dark enveloped everything. Time dragged, as the only sound now was his breathing. The only thing visible the mist that formed with each exhale. Only the dark, and his thoughts as he moved. And his thoughts were all of the beast. Tales say it was ten feet tall, on all fours with claws that cleaved the earth, flaming red eyes that pierced even the darkest of nights and fangs that fell from its muzzle the length of a man's arm. Such a creature could not exist, and if it did it should not exist. Forward, the sun was visible, faintly at first. So he moved more quickly, forward and forward until it grew from a small sliver breaking through the darkness until he stepped forth, beyond the thin path that lay behind him now. Into the light he strode.

Night was at its peak, and the sunlight shined high above filling the entire area. Pinching his eyes shut he embraced the warmth it provided, and knew it would not last for day would arrive, and with it the light of night and its cold winds blowing as the moon shined above. Opening them once more he looked forth, looked over what could be found. The sky opened up before him, beyond his spot at the edge of the tree path. All before him an empty expanse that grew down into nothing. Above it a great ocean, spreading forth above the trees it was endless, filled with all manner of life that splashed down out of it before sinking back up into the great blue void. His view dragged from the endless sea above, to the opposite side of his place at one side of the everything that lay before him. Over toward a small girl, at the end of a path all her own who looked directly upon him. She was clad like he, in green and brown but where he wore a shield and held a spear she had a bow, bronze and gleaming in the light of night it twinkled. On her back a quiver, filled and ready to fly. To his left he saw another path, with a boy in similar wear, but he was facing away. Back toward the path. And to his right a girl doing the same, facing back into the deep dark of day that lingered in the path of trees away from the everything. As he moved to step forward, out into the sky the girl did the same, and the others appeared to step back into the trees. So he stopped, and moved back all doing the same. Birds flew forth from the great ocean, giving off their calls before descending once more up out of sight and sound. Turning back toward the forest path he looked, off into the deep dark. Red eyes waited for him, a snarling sound echoing from the trees. The clawing sound of something dragging against the bark sounded off before him so he looked over his shoulder. The girl now faced the wood as well, and the other two faced forward, looking upon the sky and ocean that filled the space in the center of the wood. Stepping forward again the girl did the same, but the others. They moved backward toward the wood. Stopping he turned his gaze back upon the wood, red eyes were directly in front of him now, a horrible mist blew from nostrils that were unseen and into his face. He could smell it's breathe, which could only be described as decay. Lingering thoughts of doubt had left, so he dove backwards, off into the sky that was behind him.


He soared downward, away from the circle of trees and away from the ocean above. Soaring through the sky he spread his arms as if a flight, and let the wind carry him away like a leaf. Off to his side the other boy was doing the same, and looking to the right he saw the girl holding a spear and shield doing the same as well. Tilting his head, the first he saw, the girl with the twinkling bow was there. Together they flew, in a small circle through the sky away from the ocean, and away from the red eyes. For an eternity they fell, together through their wordless flight. Together they moved so very far from everything they had known off into the unknown of the deep sky below. Finally, after sun had gone down and moon had risen and the light of night came upon them did they fall softly into a white cushion of the clouds far below. He lay there for a time, not wanting to move. Not wanting to rise from what appeared to be the softest material he had ever felt. Softer than fur, and softer than the grass he would lay upon. It spread below him and cushioned his every inch completely. From below it he saw the rays of light casting off above, off far toward the distance ocean and trees as they peered at him from far above, and dark came upon the world. And with it red eyes too peered from that far far place above. Standing slowly he bounced upon the fluffy surface below him. Bounced slightly as he turned, and cast his gaze upon the three other's who all stood looking at him as well. No words were spoken, none were needed. All had come for the same reason, all had come to slay the beast. And now they would do so together. He pulled shield high, and prepared. As did the young girl to his side, Facing upward, toward the land above they readied themselves as it's horrible howl filled the nothing they now stood within. Bronze bows behind them lowered, ready to fire down into the sky beyond. They waited, with breath held. Waited for it to come. Again and again the howl came and swirled about them upon the wind that blew down from the ocean. Fish flew by curious about what was happening at first, until the howl returned. They darted away fearful for what came. Fear filled him as well, swelled within as the moments between each howl grew shorted. But he was ready, this is what he. No they had come for. Together they were stronger, together they were one. They had fallen so far together, and they could overcome this. Darkness pierced the light where they stood at last, and the shrill call of the beast grew close. It was here, it had come.

Arrows fired down, deep into the sky one after another. As clawed arms came from the bright darkness beyond their circle upon the cloud. Each swipe deflected by shield, his or hers they drew together and danced around those who fired into the dark of day. Each arrow bringing about a new call not heard before from the creatures muzzle. A call of joy, a call of delight. Sun rose and moon fell. Over and over endlessly as they danced. Sweat drying up and disappearing with the effort of it all, until they were in a state of total relaxation. Until all pain faded away, and they were instead filled with joy, and comfort. Faces filled with happiness they continued to dance, one with another in the circle as arrows flew down below. The howls that had turned to joy, of delight not turned once more. Into a song, one not heard before. Long and with a voice never once had they heard it sang, of the joy of its end. Endless words that would be forgotten of the pain it had felt before, and of how many had come and gone. Now it would end, and as the song came to a close the cloud gave way. And they fell, together once more down down into the sky below.

Waking, alone in the center of the wood, the boy stood. None of those who came with him remained, but footprints he saw going back toward those paths. Toward the places they had come. Taking up his shield, and his spear he turned. Facing into the light of the path that now lay before him. And at its end he could hear the song, his song. As it filled the village that lay at the other end. The creature had been slain, and all that was right would return to the world as they knew it. The sky would be righted, and the ocean lay below. Forward would no longer be backward, and up would no longer be down. Pain disappeared, and exhaustion with it, as he raced forward into the light. Joy filling him once more, at the thought of returning to his family, his village, and his people.



The End.