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Protecting Rel's Grove

December 18th 1008 - Nimbus within Ged, Hunwald with the spirit's blessings of Diskordia, Kellerburan looking to the Druid, Tillion Bluemoon as the Dreamer. This happens in Rel's Grove, while Rel himself is asleep in his bedroom (locked in the Dreaming). The girls have all been sent away. This was a but a small taste of watching, and how powerful, when they work together, the Counselors could be. This is also the instance where Gods show that they can trump Runes, but at the time, Ged didn't know it. - Aven

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Kellerburan ran a hand through his dark hair, concern on his face. "Well, what preparations can be made? Luna's help may be good if she will give it."
"Aye," agreed Hunwald, sheathing his sword. He leaned forward to whisper into Kell's ear, and the werewolf nods twice in response. "I've figured out an armoured cloak of sorts and I have ideas for fireballs and quicksand, if you think that'll help, Hunwald."
The Servant of Diskordia laughed in response. "I'll check the house for arms in a sec."
"I have some armour you can use," offered Kell, placing a hand on Hunwald's shoulder. The Servant raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And when did you start carrying heavy armor around?"
Kell smiled as the young mage, Ged Loremipsum, spoke up quietly from his notes. "I have words for you both, as well. If you hear them say Iru, that is Fire. Counter with Dana, water. Pargon Iru Matsu should make a fireball you can throw."
"Oh heck no. None of that!" Hunwald's voice grew stern. "That magic ain't right!"
Kell removed the hand from Hunwald's shoulder. "Since I started pulling on the magic of the land, pays to be prepared," he responded softly to the Servant. A bit louder, he pondered, "Ged, you have useful mage phrases, yes? I was thinking of adding a few words to project the fire and hit an area. How would that work?"
Ged looked up into the branches of the canopy of Rel's Grove. "That may take a lot out of you, but yes, you could do that. Pargon Iru Matsu Redgemor, I'd say...use Antorbok."
Kell tilted his head to the side on the new Rune to his ears. "What's... what is a-n-t-o-r-b-o-k?"
"It means Project. You could add that in. Before the Redgemor, I think."
"Heh, you guys magic yourself up," Hunwald shook his head. "I'm no good with words and incantations. I'm going to go search the house for any useful weaponry." He shoves his hands in his pockets and whistles jauntily. The two watched as he left, Ged wondering how he could keep such an up-beat attitude in the face of possible death. It could come to him, Kell, Ged himself, the entire Grove. Kell, on the other hand, chuckled. "Typical. All these awesome gifts around the place, and he always goes for the mundane. He could be offered a king's feast and he'd still eat outside with whatever he found two days earlier. I wish he'd use what's given to him at times," Kell's smile turned slightly sad.
Ged pursed his lips together, keeping his own thoughts about the Servant of Diskordia not as audible. "Jiva is Heal. In fact, Heal Self."
"Heal Self... I was thinking Taara Narokath Redgemor for quicksand."
"I'd use Tara Dana Matsu Redgemor, because quicksand is earth and water."
"Any others you have? Iru Vimiku Aretak Tier Matsu perhaps to summon a phoenix?"
"Let me see," Ged shifted the glasses on his face closer to his eyes as he stared down at his notes. "Pargon Kara Riiya should make a rune which protects whoever is behind it, but also doesn't let them move. Tier needs to be the word to end a summoning. Wild summonings get us killed. Niru will stop a spell; Nekleth for Dispel."
"Do you know the mage word for space?" asked Kell.
Hunwald exited the house, poking holes in his cloak with his sword. Ged regarded him strangely as the Servant starting inserting branches and leaves into the holes, making a bushy, fuzzy covering. "Forgive me for interrupting, but where shall the attack come from?"
"I don't know. Possibly the gate, possibly they will magically enter."
"I see. Well, at least we'll be armed." He pulled a long glaive off his back, causing raised eyebrows from the other two. "Where the heck did you get that?"
"Diskordia loves me," came Hunwald's reply as he fixed his gaze on the young mage. "You were saying something as I came out?"
"...yes. Isa is the word for silence. Aretak Isa Matsu may silence a mage, making him unable to cast his spells. Or at least hindering him."
"Hmm, I'm planning on hiding and setting up to back-stab them when you guys get going with your wizard war. Any objections?" Hunwald looked over to Kell, who pressed his hands together, closing his eyes. "Luna will lend her aid through me."
"None at all. Do be careful, though, something about you is helping this Place stay more protected than it would be..." Ged frowned, not understanding the reason behind it, but Hunwald just grinned, giving him a thumbs-up. "Hey now, no frowning. Can I help it if the Lady just likes me?"
Ged had a mind to tell Hunwald what he thought, but then all three suddenly cut the conversation, looking to the south.
Kell's ears receded back and changed over in a blink to wolf ears on the top of his head. They pushed backwards as he crouched, sniffing, then growling.
"I know, Kell," Hunwald put a hand on the glaive. "A large group is coming. Not an army, not that large, but heavily armed. Spell-casters are within the group."
Ged narrowed his eyes. "But how do you know that? Meaning physically? Or just kind-of 'approaching'?"
"They've hit the hard border of Nymphus Yarrow under cover of darkness, and are riding hard to our position. Physical. It makes the most sense to defend from outside the Grove." And Hunwald removed the glaive from his back. "If they get inside, then you'll know we've failed. Shall we prepare, gentlemen?"
"Indeed." Ged gathered up his notes, tucking them under his arm as he stood, eyes toward the gate. "Do you know some way to set a trap?" asked Kell with a growl, his eyes flashing brilliant blue.
"I'm not sure how to make a spell wait for a trigger, and I'm not about to start experimenting."
"I suggest we hide and take them by surprise." Hunwald whistled at Kell to get the changing beast's attention. "You said you had armor? Where is it?"
Kell described the place as his skin twisted and billowed out into gray lines of fur. "As for surprise, that's your area, Hunwald; we'll be your distraction. Any last minute spells you can think of, Ged?"
"No, but when in doubt, you can always add more Pargons."
To that, the werewolf chuckled/growled as he completely dropped to all fours, slinking off with his tail held high.
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Slipping into the shadows of the trees, Hunwald found a slight depression outside the Hedge, and smiled. Unfurling the cloak, he hid himself under the cut up fabric and branches; looking for all the world like a pile of brush. The tip of the glaive pointed at the likely approach of the Black Star Guild, and he dragged it under the leaves. "For cookies!" came the muffled battle cry.
The wolf revealed his position as he laughed, bouncing back from four legs to two as the shift finished. "All set?" he asked, tail wagging, canines revealed in a more human smile.
Ged didn't respond, but instead drew a circle in the ground, sweeping away the stray leaves. After making sure nothing was out of place, he stood in the circle, steadying his breath to a slow rise and fall. "Ulyaoth Redgemor Matsu Antorbok Jiva." he softly spoke the incantation while focusing on the circle. Please, let this circle heal us as we are injured.
A rush of magic passed Kell by, filling the circle as it turned Ged the young mage into a male-ish Nimbus, including the black and blue armor, with the personal heraldry across the chest. The hair tinged with shades of blue, with a bright circle of shining water appearing underneath him. A staff was created from thin air, placed in his hands, looking sharp and crooked, an amethyst floating around the tip. When he opened his eyes, Kell watched Ged remove his glasses and with a snap of fog from his fingers dismiss the spectacles. "Let us do this. For Rel, for our friends, and for Faerie."
Kell half-smiled. "We do what must be done."
Ged walked forward from the circle, stopping slightly behind the sight line for Hunwald, his changed vision seeking his enemies in the darkness. Kell fell into step behind the young mage's right, bowing his head. If only I could give more. Luna, Mother, we need more strength. ...what's that smell?
Ged arched an eyebrow and tensed up, spying movement as Kell gave the air a sniff. "It's Hermian!" he exclaimed, surprised.
"Hermian?! I thought you were going north! The Black Star Mages approach as we speak!" he yelled angrily as a panther ran up to the duo.
"They're minutes away! Kell, your goddess spoke to me," the panther halted abruptly, panting hard as he flopped upon the ground, the thin chest heaving up and down as he took in the luxurious air about him. "She said you needed one more."
"She sent you back..." Mother, thank you. "Ged, quick! What is Rel's word?"
""Kell, the word is c-h-a-t-t-u-r-apostrophe-g-h-a," Ged spoke through his feelings of annoyance. Once more, the gods interfere in ways that are helpful and yet not. You'd think they'd care enough to actually KEEP this Place safe, not just send yet another inexperienced adventurer into this fight. "And if any of you would be willing to invoke Gwydion, that could be a large help. I can spell that word as well."
"Understood. If you were asking me about Gwydion, his was the first symbol to break in the dream, so I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not. You'd know better than I, most likely."
Kell took a bended knee. "Luna, we thank thee for the battle that is about to come to our doorstep. May we fight bravely, valiantly, and most of all, prevail."
"So let it be," Hermian rolled onto his side and shifted, whispering a quick thank you to a fox spirit, revealing a jester's outfit as queer as could be under all the panther skin. Ged's annoyance switched over to pure confusion as Hunwald snickered from his vantage point. "Nice duds."
"...Well, Hermian, Luna seems to be helping greatly so if she asked for you to return, I will accept your help. And I will apologize later, but for now we have a battle to win so forgive me for being short." The young mage glared across the field as the men heard yelling and chants flying up into the air. Lights at the end of the pathway for Rel's home flickered on as figures jumped off horses and began charging.
Using his spell-casting skills, Ged quickly spelled out Gwydion's Key Word to Hermian, adding that him staying in 'a Masks mode' might be better for the fight. The were-panther, confused, asked quickly for Masks's word and was shocked to hear back that he didn't have one. The ears went back against his head as the Black Star Guild and their mercenaries bore down upon the path, running full tilt.
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"Sir?" a man wearing green pants and a vest with a brown shirt approached the mage in blue.
"Speak," his voice thundered down from a-top his horse.
"Err, well... Master Jeremiah, there are only three people on the horizon, and we know the scarlet mage Rel Zhirah is asleep against his will within the holding. Why not leave this place to the Torch, or better yet put it to the torch? Less men involved... it seems like overkill."
"Wintas Yarwen, was it? Yes. Wintas, my dear boy," Master Jeremiah smiled under his black beard. "We hired the mercenaries because if we're successful, that is what the neighbors will blame their deaths on, not us. Secondly, those from the Hammer Sect work well with the Shield; most of you are dressed as common soldiers and bear no real heraldry save the hidden favors. So, what's a few less Hammers?"
The man frowned. "Master, you said 'if we're successful'...?"
"Oh yes. You say overkill, Wintas. I say a test. Now, unless you have anything else useful to say, I suggest you hold your tongue and watch how the battle progresses."
Wintas Yarwen edged away from the blue mage atop his horse, worry crossing the brow. Nothing but a test...?
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He has a Rune.
What? Who said that?
I did. The Story-Teller. I'm going to whisper it to you, so you can be like an Entertainer, a Dreamer. Like Masks, the Counselor of Sky and Space.
I--I don't know if I trust you!
Do you have time not to?
Luna, if this word is bad, please, please save me!
I'm sure She will. Now listen.
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"Chattur'gha Pargon Kara Taara Santek!" summoned Kell, red swirls of fire and heaves of earth responding to his incantation and changing him as the earth built a shield of leaves, earth, and rock in front of him as tall as a pike. The werewolf snarled as he raised a hand and looked around the shield wall, about as tall as a pike. There was a roar as the first wave spilled out, and Kell's mind raced to fill in all the stats. Leather armor. Short swords. Nothing special. I'll churn through them like butter! "Chattur'gha Pargon Iru Matsu Antorbok Redgemor!" And without much concern for the fellows, he thrust the hand forward, sending a wave of fire in all directions. Many were caught in the blast, screaming.
"Hermian! Do Pargon Pargon Isa Santek! you won't be able to talk, but do it!" called out Ged, clutching the staff tighter as he stared down the fiery mess Kellerburan had created. "It's just a bunch of armored bandits!"
He's wrong, you will generate Paradox. Repeat after me in your mind: Pargon Santek Antorbok Isa Othala.
What does all of that mean?!
Please trust me, young master. Your Luna will keep you safe, I swear.
The remainder of the first wave, not seeing Hunwald, made straight-away for Ged and his oddly-dressed companion. Kell chuckled as tribal markings in bright crimson appeared on his wolfish body in response to his summons. "I see... you become that which you call after a fashion. Well, Rel seems like a pretty cool guy!" He bared his teeth in a smile at Ged, but the blue-ridden mage was too busy to notice.
"Matsu Iru Magormor!" The staff began to glow with a fiery tinge, and Ged held it outward to parry the oncoming attackers. The tribal markings continued their move, writhing up Kell's arms and back as a ball of fire rose out of the earth, as big as a man's head, suspended for a moment before him. His eyes flickered with their own fire as he spoke in two voices, not one: "Screw the Runes, I'm a Druid. Let's have some...fun."
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(End Page 1)
Created by Janna Oakfellow-Pushee at 08-25-11 01:56 AM
Last Modified by Demetria Highwater (Rhiannon Chiacchiaro) at 11-05-12 04:17 AM