Pirates: Chaos Rising

[Qoorl]

Cho'kar walked silently behind the group. Blazing eyes scanned the sky and his brow furrowed. It appeared that the woman was right. Ominous pink clouds were forming in the sky. Pink clouds...they reminded him of the daemonette prostitutes from the Slaaneshi brothel all those months back. They truly had come far and it made the Sav'ran contemplative about the future. He would find Bahamut's lair soon. Then what? What sort of challenge would the Beast of Wind have for him?

His thoughts were broken as they arrived at Inez's 'house'. Cho'kar raised an eyebrow. It was certainly....something. It looked more like an old shack than a house. Moss dripped liberally from the roof and strange scents wafted from herbs sitting in window sill gardens. Still, it seemed to be constructed of strong timber and their was a crackling...magical feeling in the air. A wooden stairway led up off the ground and to the slightly rickety looking front porch. A pair of old wooden rockers were going back and forth gently in the ever strengthening wind.

A sound like a high pitched wail burst out and the sky was cut by a bolt of green lightning. The heavens opened up and hail began to rain from the sky, plinking off the tin roof of the shack. Strange though, as they hit the ground, the hail sent up cries like that of a newborn baby. The Mage storms were beginning.

"It is time to get inside, and hope Madame Temple's wards are strong enough to withstand this... unusual weather."

[The Editor]

"I'd rather take my chances with the storm," said Ervan, looking the house up and down.
"I doubt Tzeentch would send me all this way only for my charge to die so soon," said Hart. "I believe we shall be safe inside this structure, frail though it may lo-" A wooden beam buckled with a loud creak, and the building leaned slightly to one side.
"... We'll be fine," said Hart.

[Keke Le Cat]

Inez frowned at the slumping house, then with a wave of her hand it righted itself. The abode seemed to stand up straighter all on it's own as she squinted at it.

“Come on, then. Right this way, everyone in.” She said as she shooed everyone into the house, herding them like a mother hen with her chicks. “Inside, inside. Into the spider's den, little flies.”

The one room was not large by any means, but neither was it particularly small. It seemed to be able to accommodate anyone it was required to. Somehow there were chairs enough for everyone, though Inez could have had no use for such seating arrangements previously. Each seat was comfortable and worn, but not rich by any means.

Inez directed the men to place Keke on the bed and set about mixing a poultice for her wound.

~~~

Keke dreamt strange dreams of a dark man she didn't know...

“You can let go now.”

“I didn't hurt you, did I, my Lady?” As emotionally drained as she, he laid beside her and stared up into the darkness.

“Hardly.” She rolled onto her side and smiled in such a strange way that he found himself unable to remove his eyes from her lips. “I had never realized before this night now strong you are, my Lord Priest.”

“I... Umm...” He began, heat infusing his cheeks. “Please, call me Daerid as you have always done, my Lady. There is no need for... ahem.” He broke off as her hand slid across his stomach. “My Lady, I-...”

“Oh, then you must call me Camilla as well, there is no need for such formality.” She leaned up on an arm and trailed soft, biting kisses along his jaw.

“Camilla, what are you...”

“Comfort me.” Was all she said.

Daerid's hands seemed to have minds of their own as they roamed across her back. Her skin was so soft but still firm, like velvet stretched over steel. He found he could not get enough of it.

Camilla sat up abruptly and asked, “Who is Daerid?”


OOC: More of the evening the memory from whence dream came can be found here: http://pokedream.com/forums/showthre...815#post383815

[The Editor]

Hart noted with a little interest the way all of Ervan's muscles seemed to tense when he heard the name.
"Daerid is dead," said Ervan. "That is all that matters."

[Keke Le Cat]

Bitter tears of self pity gathered in Camilla's eyes but she refused to give them freedom to fall, though she felt she might choke on them. She knew somehow that she had never been a crier. She could remember crying while her father looked on helplessly, unable to comfort her. Since that time she had vowed to be strong for those around her, even if she wanted to cry for all that she couldn't remember, but especially for what she could.

“Dead. He's dead?” Keke asked hollowly, “Is everyone I know dead?”

I'm alone, she thought desperately.

OOC: dammit keke stop being such an emo, want a razor blade to go with those tears? Srsly.

[Keke Le Cat]

Inez muttered under her breath in French as she frantically searched through her hut for some mysterious item. Magical residue hung so thick on the air that it nearly made it difficult for Inez to breath, and she paused her searching to cough, then began muttering again.

For the second time in as many days some mage had called upon the forces of magic to rain down a storm on the region. The blanketing of thick magic saturating the area stretched thin the web of time and distorted the spell, creating unfortunate circumstances.

Inez would give a pretty to know who had created this second storm, or the first for that matter. Why? Why then and there? Didn't they have any magic sense? It made no sense at all.

All her life the area had been quiet, well settled. Women traveled from far and wide to visit Inez, looking for spells or charms. She received news slowly, but she knew that someone would have informed her if another witch had settled the area. So who could have made the storm?

And now a new magic user, a demon, and two mage storms all in the same week. Surely the world was a strange place full of wonders.

The Veil was thinning, the mists parting. It was unsafe. Who knew what might creep through from the ether? Crying hail and monsoon rains from pink clouds might end the least of their troubles.

"Here we go, cher!" At last Inez found what it was she sought, and before he knew what she was about she plunked the stone she pulled from beneath the bed onto Hart's armor. It stuck like a magnet and no matter how he might try, the demon would be unable to remove it.

"Don't you worry about that, not one bit. It won't hurt a thing." She said with a smile. And it wouldn't hurt him, but it would help her. Yes it would. "It's pretty, ain't it?"

She knew demons, you see. She knew them to be tricksome and wily and full of wit. The stone merely made it impossible for him to speak any untruth to her. He could lie through his misty teeth to anyone else, but to her he must always speak the truth.

Tilting her head she listened to it rain for a moment, then strengthened the wards surrounding the house. She smiled in a self satisfied way and dusted off her hands. All in a days work as a witch.

[Jason854]

Elsant looked around the house. There were many magical things in here. He might be able to trade with her.
" Excuse me, but would you be willing to trade for some of the ingredients that I have found in the caves?"

[Keke Le Cat]

Her smile never wavered, but Inez eyed him shrewdly, "That depends on what you are looking to barter for, cher. I might be willing to part with something without seeing the color of gold."

She laughed and then winked at him to show she meant no harm. There were several things lying about she had no use for, especially if she was going to be leaving. Inez was certain she wouldn't miss them if they were gone, and wouldn't mind giving him one hell of a deal. "Just let me know what you need, darlin'."

[Jason854]

"Well, I could use some fly antimantia and grapes. And some pine bark."
He reached into his bag for some gold bits. He held them out.
" I hope this will be enough?"

[Qoorl]

Cho'kar stared out the window at the mage storm. Trout rained down outside in great flapping torrents. He has seen a storm like this before.

Ygypt. His first attempt to reclaim the Stone of Histories from Rama Doom. He had made it to Cario, bundled up in the truban and robes of one of the nomads of the desert. It had taken him some time to make the contact necessary to learn where the God King might be holding his tribe's heirloom. There was a temple here and he planned to raid it tonight. He had done some dangerous things for equally dangerous people but now he had the information he needed. The high priest of the Temple was terribly loyal to Doom and it was rumored that the God King had entrusted him with unlocking the Stone's secrets.

Now the Sav'ran stood on the roof of a nearby building, the monkeyfiend chirrupping in his ear. There were two guards posted outside, humans. He timed their patrol and as one disappeared around a corner he leapt into action, dropping from the roof behind the remaining guard. The Fangs of the Hunter flashed out bleeding out the guard quietly and quickly. The orc slipped inside the temple.

He saw his target. The high priest had his back turned, facing a sinister looking golden altar. Cho'kar crept closer, silent. Until suddenly the priest spoke and the Sav'ran froze in his tracks.

"I assume you are a thief come to pillage the temple? I am afraid you have come for not. The only thing you would find valuable is the altar and this place will be surrounded before you could move it."

He slowly turned, revealing a face ravaged by time. The priest was in fact little more than a skeleton. His face a grinning rictus.

"I am hear for the Stone of Histories that was stolen from my tribe. You will give it to me, abomination." Cho'kar said, the Fangs of the Hunter gleaming in the torchlight.

"Ah, I have studied the stone but I do not possess it. In fact, I do not even know where our God King has hidden it, but it is surely in a place with defenses that a mere savage could never hope to penetrate. Still, your coming may aid the God King. Yes, I feel something about you. You have a connection with the Stone. Perhaps, yes, it makes sense. Your kind were it's keepers and so it must require one of you to tap into it's knowledge. Yes I will let Rama Doom know immediately." The priest's empty sockets began to glow faintly green.

The orc wasted no time, he leapt forward, driving the khukri's into the servant of the God King. The priest looked down, his eyes glowing brighter. Cho'kar growled with rage and ripped the khukri's out of the priest's chest, spinning them and bringing them across the neck of his enemy. The light faded as the head rolled backwards, hitting the ground with a loud thud that echoed through the temple. With guards on their way, Cho'kar fled.

He didn;t know how the God King knew what transpired, undoubtedly some form of dark magic. But for the next seven days, the heavens opened with a storm, the city had not seen in centuries. Lightning in a rainbow of colors arced down amongst the populace, day and night. Great winds whipped the sand about, and everything that died got back up to attack the living. Fear and Paranoia swept through the city and the more bizzare the storm became, the more dangerous normal citizens got.

When the Mage Storm had at last abated, Cho'kar left the city, heading toward the land of the Merchant Princes. It was there that he would meet Maurietta and be set upon the road that led him here now.

The orc pushed aside the memories and turned to those gathered in Inez's hut.

"Madame Temple, we thank you for the refuge, but once the storm is over we must gather our wits and head north. It is only a few hours by even the smallest of boats to the mainland. We have reached China. We must find the Tower Keke saw in her vision, and I must find Bahamut. Our enemies gather in strength every moment that we lay idle."

[Keke Le Cat]

Inez listened to the orc talk as she tossed some of this and some of that into a cloth sack, adding the feather of a crane and the toe of a newt on a second thought. With a smile and a wink she threw the bag at Elsant. “Here you go, cher.” she said, waving away his gold. “No need, no need. I was just teasin' ya.”

It may appear that Inez had ignored Cho'kar, but she was mulling over his words. It took her some time to think through how to express her thoughts. As she worked it out in her mind, she puttered about putting water on for tea. The kettle went onto a hook which she swiveled over the fireplace. After only a few seconds, she grew tired of waiting and squinted as she wove delicate strands of fire around the cast iron kettle.

“Look here, I might know a way to shave days off your journey. Might, I say.” She poured the boiling water into clay mugs and threw tea leaves into it. “It all depends. Whatcha need to get there in such an all fired hurry for?”

She sat at the table and motioned for Cho'kar to sit across from her, “Sit. Talk.”

[The Editor]

"That depends," said Ervan. "Who do you know?"

[Keke Le Cat]

"Right now, the only person I know is... You." Keke blinked wide green eyes filled with tears, and as she did so two spilled over and streaked down her cheeks. Her bottom lip quivered and she seemed on the verge of an emotional outburst.

[The Editor]

At this point Ervan considered giving Keke a hug. In the past this would probably have resulted in him receiving a slap, but who knew what change the amnesia had wrought? He gave her a light hug, readying himself for the blow.

[Keke Le Cat]

Burying her face in the crook of his neck, Keke let herself go and surrendered to the tears that had been building behind her eyes. It felt a dam had opened up inside her, and the warmth of relief spread through her heart as she let go the pressure. It was so good to just let it all go without worrying about appearances. Clinging desperately to him, she cried for all that she had lost, but mostly she cried for what she didn't know.

When she had finished, she leaned back slightly and looked up into his eyes, "I'm sorry, I seem to have gotten your shirt wet." She said, giving Ervan a watery smile and sniffling bravely.

[The Editor]

"That's okay," he replied, smiling. He liked this new Keke. "Are you feeling a little better?"

[Keke Le Cat]

"Uh-huh." Said Keke, blinking red-rimmed eyes. "Where are we? Is the monster really our friend?"

[The Editor]

"We are on an island somewhere in the ocean. I don't know where exactly or even roughly we are, but Inez may be able to tell us. And as for the monster, he is no monster at all, despite his appearance. Cho'kar is a hero, and he is searching for the power he needs to save the world from Chaos. He has already acquired the power of the Phoenix, and is now trying to find Bahamut. He is a brave fighter and a good friend."

[Keke Le Cat]

"I'll take your word for it." She said, but didn't look convinced. In her mind, orcs were abominations. Elves tortured with magic until they forgot themselves became orcs. Cho'kar surely had descended from a tortured elf. They weren't natural.

Keke made up her mind to take no action against him, instead giving Cho'kar the chance to prove that he was no monster, though she still had many reservations.

[Solly]

"I'm in it for shits n' giggles," interjected Dart into Keke's and Ervan's discussion, after jumping away from an eyeball in glass that just moved towards him, "Well that an' the world endin' kinda puts a damper on livin' a nice life drinkin' an' lovin'," Dart gave a hearty laugh. It was good to have someone fresh to talk to, even if they weren't actually fresh.

---

"Zhè ge qí guài de shì shén me zhōu shì duǎn de rén?" a voice said. It was a strange voice. In fact, what he was saying was also strange. had opened his eyes to see a man. At least, he thought he was a man. He had yellower skin and slanted eyes. Perhaps he was an elf-human cross-breed? Had did not know. Still he decided to see if the man could help him.

"Greetings, strange man. Might you know were we are?" Had asked in an innocent voice. The man jumped back, startled. Had looked to the side to see another strange man beside teh first man. Both were wearing strange hats, they looked like they had taken wheat and threaded them into dinner bowls over their heads. Had approved of their hats, though. It was stifling. He made to take off his clothes, but the man cried out.

"Zhè zhǒng shēng wù， tā huì dòng ó!" the man approached Had, and looked at the other man, "Wǒ men yīng jiè cǐ ...dōng xi xiàng dāng jú."

"Hǎo de," replied the first. He picked up a stone and struck had across the head with it. Everything went black.

OOC: Ignore the obvious racism before, it's just that Had has never seen an Asian field worker before. Chinese translation:

"What is this strange, short man that has washed up?"

"The creature, it moves!" "We should take it to the authorities."

"Ok."

[Keke Le Cat]

(this thread was taken from the thread we are not using as part of this continuation and altered to suit our purposes)

...As the last of the flames of Daerid's pyre flickered and died away, a laugh sounding on the brink of madness echoed down the hill from the Tor. A booming female voice hammered at their ears, seeming to come from all directions and none, “Older magicks than you can realize dwell in this land, in this Tor. I thank you for the sacrifiiiiice...” The word dwindled away into a shrieking cackle as a unseasonably cold wind blew through the glade.

Daerid found he was once again in utter blackness, this time without the dim glow of the bubbles of light. He spun, frantically searching, or he tried to. There seemed to be no movement, no force, he simply was.

A sultry female voice whispered, “Do you not wish revenge?” It seemed to stroke his very core, pulsating all around. The voice was the blackness. “The orc, your murderer, will misuse Camilla and toss her aside. The human will defile her mind, her soul. She is unfit, they are unfit. Do you not wish revenge?” She asked again and he tried to answer, he tried to focus, but all he could do was listen.

“Do you not wish to fulfill your oath?” The blackness fogged with light and he could see a vision play before him.

A boy no more than 12 years of age stood over a cradle, fumbling with a sword that was made for a man's hand. Inside the cradle a newborn babe slept, downy white hair blending into the pristine swaddling. The boy cut his arm and swore to protect her with his very life, protect her from herself and from others. Guide her, love her. An oath nothing could break. The boy extended his arm, and clenched his fist. Drops of blood oozed from the wound to drip onto the girl's face. They were connected deeper than life, it was an oath stronger than death.

The fog swirled, and he once again floated in the blackness that was a voice.

“Do you not see?” The husky voice whispered.

“I see what I must do.” He could speak, wonder of wonders!

“You must kill them all.”

“I must kill them all. I must avenge what cannot be saved. But can she not be salvaged? Why must she also die?” Daerid responded.

The voice purred a laugh. “She is already my creature, she has been touched by chaos. She is an agent that has yet to be activated. As were you.” The blackness laughed again. “I can give you revenge, I can give her power. The plan has been set into motion.”

“Where am I? You say many things, wench. How can you fulfill these promises?”

“Trust in my power. I can give you a new body, you can walk among men again. You will wield magic greater than the pitiful healing powers of Freyr. You will serve a new goddess, you will revel in my divine glory and beauty!” The voice broke off into mad cackling laughter. “Do you swear to uphold my name and fulfill these promises you have made this night?”

He hesitated. He was unsure, he was a child of Freyr, he was sworn to uphold... Protect... But revenge would taste so sweet... Still, he was a Holy Priest...

“Swear it!” The voice thundered, pain buffeted Daerid, the blackness seemed to squeeze with tremendous force. “Swear!”

“I swear.” He choked out, and the tightness lessened. “I swear it by all that is Holy-” He broke off. “I swear it in the name of my new goddess, I swear I will see this task to it's end.”

The blackness trembled and shook. Daerid felt the horrible hand gripping his soul once more, he felt himself being pulled at as though being sucked through a humongous vacuum. The pain ripped and tore at his essence, the pain was all, it annihilated thought. Then it simply was no more.

He was crouching on a red rag rug in front of a flickering fireplace, completely naked. He ran his hands from his neck to his toes, marveling in the feel of his own skin. He could feel. He could hear the popping of the fireplace, see it clearly, smell the pungent smoke. He wagered he could even taste, if there was only anything to taste... He looked around the room. The walls were bare gray stone, completely sealed. There were no windows or doors. Panicked touched him, until he looked up. He was in some sort of pit, or oubliette.

His goddess would see he was released. She wouldn't waste her time giving him new flesh only to watch him waste away...

There was a bed with cozy patchwork quilts covering it, at it's foot was a small chest. A rocking chair rested in the corner, and beside it a stand mirror. He rose to his feet a little unsteadily, the effects of gravity were hard to accustom oneself to after one spent much time weightless. He nodded to himself.

He stumbled to the mirror and smiled at his image. He didn't look much different at all, his hair was nearly the same. As he gazed his features... melted. He began to look more like himself. His eyes faded from deep chocolate brown to icy blue, his nose sharpened, his skin paled, his cheekbones raised. Wait... Something was off. He was shorter! By at least a foot. This was not right. He was a tall man, women had to look up to him. It was the way of life. He looked down at his body. He would bet his life that he was no taller than Camilla. “This is not just! I am a tall man!”

The voice that had been the blackness purred laughter from behind him. He spun, and there she stood. A slender vision in black gossamer silk, even as short as he now was she barely came up to his chin. Her dark hair fell down her back in glistening waves, and her obsidian eyes seemed to drink his soul. Her skin was as dark as tea, and glimmered faintly in the firelight. Her exotic beauty was breath-taking.

“What is wrong? Do you not like the body I have found for you? The limbs are straight and perfect, you are young and fit for battle. I assure you, this was the finest body that could be found on such short notice. The orc is not one of my creatures, and I had not planned for you to end in such a way. Never fear, the body adjusts to the mind, but the soul adjusts to the body. Soon you will forget you were ever taller than you are now.” Her voice flowed like honey, it soothed and relaxed.

“It is a fine body, I beg forgiveness if I have offended. My mistress is kind. If I may ask... What is your name?”

She laughed again, a noise filled with malice. “Yes, a faithful dog should know his mistress's name. You may call me... Frigga.”

Daerid bowed, and effected a flourish with an imaginary cloak. “Great mistress, I am yours.”

“I know.” Again with the laughter. The bloody woman laughed more than any two wenches he had seen to date. “You may dress in the clothing you will find in the chest. You will wear my livery once more. You have ever worn my colors. Did you not find your desire for dark colors odd, for all that you were a 'servant of the light?'” She laughed even harder at that. “A fitting weapon rests in the other corner. Once you dress, lie down on the bed holding the Ashandarei. Do not be alarmed if when you awake you are in a room in The Palace of the Dragon Emperor. Wait in there, your old 'friends' will cross through soon. Have faith.”

Daerid turned toward the indicated corner and spotted a long, thin, black spear with a sword blade curving at an angle at the top, the blackness of the blade seemed to drink the light. Twin ravens were embossed on both sides of the blade, and the following words decorated the haft:

Thought is the arrow of time; memory never fades.

“Is that what you mean by Ashandarei?” He asked, indicating the spear, but when he turned, she was missing.

Seeing no alternative and never being one to waste time he went to the chest and dressed. When he was finished he stood once again before the mirror. He wore tight fitting black pants, black boots with sheaths beside the ankle and small daggers tucked into them. His shirt was the color of blood, and his cloak was black with deep red scroll work embroidered around the edges. A pouch tied at his belt contained quite a lot of gold.

Daerid smiled at his image. He may be as short as most women, but his features were still perfection incarnate. Truly, he was a wonderful looking man. He winked at his reflection and flexed an arm before retrieving the strange spear and lying down on the bed.

Sleep was long in coming, but finally darkness closed over his mind. Dreams of floating weightlessly in a sea of lights, without form assaulted him. It was terrifying.

[The Editor]

Suddenly Ervan kissed Keke on the lips.

Why? Who cares!?

Ed.

[Keke Le Cat]

Woah!!! Keke thought. There was a long moment of awkwardness before she asked confusedly, "I thought you said we were friends," she blinked, unsure how to continue. "Does this mean we are..."

Keke scrubbed her hands over her face to erase the remaining tears. There were so many questions buzzing around her head, and she had no idea where to start or how to ask them. Some remnant of propriety stayed her tongue with the bulk of them. "Are we..."

[The Editor]

"We weren't, but we've been dancing around it since we met," replied Ervan. He paused for a second. "Not that you'd remember..."

[Keke Le Cat]

Keke blinked back fresh tears, there was so much she didn't remember. "There is a lot to take in... Where are we going? What do we do? Why are we here?"