Free-Form Fantasy

Serris · **Reply #660 on:** February 25, 2010, 01:37:00 AM

Torvin unhitched the Strutho who went over to his paddock. Some of his assistants, consisting of Humans, Dracons and some other races, helped him unload the cargo.

Torvin picked up the load of steel and carried it into the smithy. "Cassia, I need to start heat treating a sword blank then I'll go on the expedition with you. Until then, make yourself at home," he said.

babidikrakenguard · **Reply #661 on:** February 25, 2010, 09:50:15 AM

Shal'thzar waited a moment for any signs of sound or vibration. Shrugging, she went to go explore but stopped when she finally felt the sound of vibration. She looked in the direction of the sound and vibration and finally caught a familier scent: Aurescia.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #662 on:** February 25, 2010, 09:50:23 PM

Just as the evil mage finished talking, the non-Dracons jumped to battle. Shiana drew her bow and let loose her enchanted arrows in quick succession at the lower-level mages. Youri honed in on the closest mage and stuck it through in quick speed with his blades jutting out the other end. Storm Paw, unable to fly, made up for his disadvantage by ramming the next Dracon. Halo twirled his parted staff and swept up dust and ash into the currently unhindered mancers...

Noname · **Reply #663 on:** February 26, 2010, 02:34:50 AM

Aurescia quickly went outside and met Shal'thzar. "Are you okay? Last time we met, you didn't seem so disoriented. Maybe you've been out in the hear for too long." Ophion's wife was always the most benevolent of souls. She had helped Emerald when he was hurt, and now was off to help the blind mage.

Meanwhile...

Cassia sat down in Torvin's place. He lived in a shop that was also his dwelling. Leaning back, the equine female stretched out and sighed. It was good to relax after such a long walk. Despite having feet hard enough to drive nails into, she was still glad to rest them; they hurt. Cassia could only imagine what it was like for the Dracons, who tottered around on feet with toes and soles. How could they walk around on such fragile things? She never understood how creatures without hooves could travel anywhere.

Back in Minbenthac...

Ophion and Silverfang unleashed a fireball and a lighting blast, respectively. Each of their shots found their mark, killing two of the less experienced mages. None of this worried the leader of the cabal, who was secretly happy to be rid of such lesser apprentices. If he was worried, it didn't show in his speech.

"Are you done yet? This game really is tiresome. Now let me show you some REAL magic!" With that, he pulled out his ceremonial dagger and stabbed the still-living mage that Youri had already stabbed. Out of that wound came a flow of blood, and a reddish glow. Within two seconds, the power of the apprentice transferred itself to the master, and he glowed with a similar red hue.

Ophion's heart sunk as he realized what was happening. They had been set up. The weaker mages had been intended to die. They were sacrifices for the master. His little ritual was a smokescreen, a decoy, a trick. Siverfang watched with horror as the corpses of the surrounding mages becan to glow red. Then the master mage began to transform, growing in size and power, with long horns and a stinger on his tail growing out, his claws becoming like daggers, and his fangs expanding to several times their normal size.

Serris · **Reply #664 on:** February 26, 2010, 02:47:08 AM

Torvin was busy stoking the fire in his forge to the proper temperature. As soon as the correct temperature was reached, he placed in a steel blank and heated it until it was red hot.

He then took it out and began hammering it into shape.

Noname · **Reply #665 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:16:06 AM

A few hours later, Cassia was resting on the couch, her eyes closed. The banging of a hammer on steel didn't bother her; in fact, when it stopped, she knew that Torvin was done with his daily tasks. The female equine was eager to get to know the male better. It had been so long since she could spend time with one of her kind, especially one so... virile.

Standing up and stretching, she approached Torvin, who seemed to be tired and sweating from his daily work. Cassia approached him and put her hands on his shoulders, reassuringly.

"Had a long day, Torvin? You can relax now, I'll make sure you do, if you'd like" Her tone was sensuous, but she wasn't thinking of anything serious with him. Not yet, at this time.

Serris · **Reply #666 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:20:34 AM

Torvin wiped his forehead. The steel blank was shaped roughly like a sword but he still had to heat treat it. He lowered the temperature of the forge and stuck the blank in it.

"Yes, Cassia, I'm done but I need to wash up before we go exploring," he said.

"Hey, knock it off!" the Strutho shouted from his paddock.

------------------

The Strutho was shouting profanities at some local children who were pelting him with rotten fruit.

Noname · **Reply #667 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:28:38 AM

Wash up... it was an idea.

"I should get cleaned up too. I'm all sweaty from the trip over here." The female equine could indeed use a cleaning, and she moved to wash up as well. Then she heard the noise from outside. Throwing her light armor back on, Cassia drew her rapier and stabbed a rotten apple in midair before it could hit the Strutho. Young dracons could be very mean to those not like them.

"Run along kids, or you'll see what I can really do with this thing!" To say that the crowd of hooligans dispersed quickly was an understatement. If they had run away any faster, Cassia would have expected to see an after-image. Of course, Cassia herself was much faster; that's how she fought: relying on speed, dexterity, and agility. Her armor was light, but protective, at least, over her chest and her more... sensitive areas. Her arms, legs, stomach, and head were all bare, but the armor she wore was made of chain mail, and crafted from a very light metal. It wasn't mithril, iron, or even steel, but argentite, a silvery metal as hard as steel which weighed a fraction as much.

Serris · **Reply #668 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:34:45 AM

"Thanks," the Strutho said. "I only wish that I could have kicked one of them. The same quality that makes us Strutho prized as 'draft animals' allows us to kick with devastating power," he added with a sigh.

Torvin emerged from the house in clean clothing.

"Erm, Cassia, Struth, what happened?" he asked, noticing the rotten fruit that was scattered around the paddock.

"Dracon children, that's what happened!" Struth replied.

Noname · **Reply #669 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:37:16 AM

"I chased off some punk kids, nothing to worry about, Torv." Cassia looked around and smelled the air. Torvin was much more appealing now that he didn't smell like he had caught on fire. Getting to know a metalworker was a very interesting thing indeed. "So, What do you want to do now, my strong smith?" She hoped he would notice her interest.

Serris · **Reply #670 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:40:06 AM

"Erm, I did mention that there is an old mine nearby right?" Torvin said with a blush. "And I planned to explore it with you."

Noname · **Reply #671 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:42:54 AM

"Oh great. Another chance to get dirty" Cassia thought to herself. Still, she had planned to explore this area, and it was something to do with Torvin. She'd call it a date.

"Good idea. Just make sure you take a weapon. I've heard a tribe of kobolds is around here, and we might run into some of those little whelps. I'll bring my rapier." The old iron mine had been exhausted years ago, but it was by no means empty or quiet.

Serris · **Reply #672 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:46:02 AM

Torvin picked up a length of steel bar. "I really don't have any weapons but this will do," he said. "Now let me get prepared for the exploration," he added, ducking into his house.

The Struth backed into the harness of the his wagon, which was at the corner of his paddock. "Cassia, if you and Torvin are going on an expedition, I'd assume that you'd want a little help carrying the spoils back?" he asked.

Noname · **Reply #673 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:55:21 AM

"Sure thing! It's nice of you to offer, er... I didn't catch your name." Cassia replied to the Strutho while pawing the dry dirt with her left hoof. How embarrassing not to know the name of a creature who was willing to act as a beast of burden just for pulling around her stuff. Not that she expected to find much in the mines. It was the thrill she was after, and maybe some intimacy with a strong male. Yeah... that was the life for her. An exciting life, filling with intrigue, romance and action, and... she needed to reign it in. Realistically, she was just going to check out an old mine and maybe stab some kobolds.

babidikrakenguard · **Reply #674 on:** February 26, 2010, 08:27:11 AM

"Sorry about that.." Shal'thzar said, lowering her head slightly. "I noticed everything was awfully quite when i got back. Sniffed around and noticed that this place smelt of death." Shal'thzar then tipped her head to the side slightly. "Is everything alright?" Shal'thzar said.

Noname · **Reply #675 on:** February 26, 2010, 12:10:08 PM

Aurescia smelled the air, but didn't detect the scent of death. Then again, her nose wasn't as strong as Shal'thzar's. The blind's other senses were stronger to compensate for their lack of vision. "Everything is fine, mostly. There's some creature that needed my help, but I've taken care of him. I'm just waiting for Ophion to return. He said he was going to investigate something about that mage attack from earlier."

babidikrakenguard · **Reply #676 on:** February 26, 2010, 01:08:29 PM

"I see.." Shal'thzar said, then grinned slightly. "Actually, scratch that. I hear." She added in with a laugh. She sniffed the air again. It was strange, there was something in the air that smelled of death. Shal'thzar shrugged and pushed the thought aside. "I've collected more items of interest i think. Not much, just a bunch of scales and talons like last time. Interested?" Shal'thzar said, taking out a bag with said items. "Also, i've been thinking of finding a job, but i know of no one that would hire a blind Dracon like me. Any tips?" Shal'thzar added in with a smile.

Noname · **Reply #677 on:** February 26, 2010, 03:06:30 PM

"Well, I can purchase those scales and talons. I see that they will act as good components in a number of spells. As for a job, I might have something for you. Are you familiar with astral meditation? It doesn't require use of sight, or any other corporeal senses, for that matter. For it to work, you only need magical powers and the use of one's own mind and soul." Aurescia was a master at ritual based spells done in the safety of her own home, or else a secure location. This was a common kind of magical for Dracon sorceresses, especially those who found combat magic to be distasteful.

Serris · **Reply #678 on:** February 26, 2010, 05:28:18 PM

"Just call me Strutho," the Strutho replied.

Torvin returned from his house with a backpack full of supplies.

He tossed them into the wagon and hitched up the Strutho to the wagon. Torvin got in.

"So where is the adventure going to be?" the Strutho asked.

"The Brimspark Iron Mines," Torvin replied.

The Strutho nodded. "Ah yes, one of the finest iron mines in the land. Also produced a fair amount of mithril. Pity that it has been abandoned for decades," he said.

Noname · **Reply #679 on:** February 26, 2010, 05:49:31 PM

Cassia, Torvin, and Strutho prepared their gear and went down the rocky road to the old mine. Their hooves clacked along the stony path, making much noise, but no one was around to mind it. The mine was a deep pit, exposed to the air. Cassia had never seen it before, and had assumed it was some kind of cave. If this was a "dungeon", it would be one of those rare open-air kinds. Reading the draconic sign, it was clear that this was the Brimspark mine, or rather, the hole in the ground that was left of it.