From quinn@fazigu.org Fri Jun 10 14:56:18 2005 Return-path: Envelope-to: quinn@fazigu.org Delivery-date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 14:56:18 -0400 Received: from yami.57thstreet.com ([216.110.12.54]) by work.fazigu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1Dgofy-0004xQ-JG for quinn@fazigu.org; Fri, 10 Jun 2005 14:56:18 -0400 Received: from moo.ghostmoo.org (yami.57thstreet.com [216.110.12.54]) by yami.57thstreet.com (8.13.1/8.13.1) with SMTP id j5AIwWT2061674 for ; Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:58:32 GMT (envelope-from quinn@fazigu.org) Message-Id: <200506101858.j5AIwWT2061674@yami.57thstreet.com> Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 13:58:32 -0400 From: "Quinn@Ghostwheel" To: quinn@fazigu.org Subject: Ghostwheel Message(s) 256 - 262 from *storylines (#5236) X-Mail-Agent: Ghostwheel (moo.ghostmoo.org 6969) X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.2 (2004-11-16) on work.fazigu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.9 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_50 autolearn=ham version=3.0.2 Status: RO Content-Length: 13305 Lines: 250 Message 256 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Tue Apr 12 20:38:47 2005 EDT From: Shandryl (#24740) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: Magic School Shandryl's dreams were finally coming true. There were now plenty of students and teachers for the magic school. The wards and runes were set. The necessary shields were in place. The dorms were filling up with the voices and hexes of young seekers and magisters. And the dark arts... well, those too would be taught for those that had the gumption and skill. The path leading to the school still held the charm of being overgrown and full of traps for those curious to find out what lay beyond. But only selected mages and hopefuls were able to see past that. The time had come to teach the arts she held very dear. Just one more teacher was needed. She knew the man she wanted, but he had dreams of his own that he was trying to see come to fruition. Well, she could scratch his back as well as he could hers. There were more than gravedancers and snakes living in N'Orleans. Much more. A dark smile spread thinly across her face as she went to make the necessary arrangements. The school would open soon. Yes, it would open soon. -------------------------- Message 257 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Wed Apr 13 22:30:37 2005 EDT From: SnowHawk (#24690) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: Sorrow is not so sweet... SnowHawk is surprised to find a fine katana while kicking through the ROUS remains. An old blade of great workmanship, she reads the name of Sorrow within its markings. Not wanting to leave it for another ROUS to add to its hoard, she slips it into her pack and heads to the R/T. She posts a message on the Bulletin Board, 'Contact SnowHawk if you are looking for Sorrow'. Smiling to herself, hoping the missing owner will think to look here. Snow knows that she would be frantic to get back a decent blade, and this one seems very special. She draws it, but returns it to her pack... she doesn't use another's weapon, especially one as fine as this, without permission or in dire need... Today the call came. On her comm. The male voice sounded somehow familiar, a slight accent. She asked him to describe his sorrow... he replied it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. This had to be the owner. She would meet him at the R/T. Walking into the Lounge she didn't expect to see HIM. Bandulu. A slight hesitation, but what was right was right. He had robbed her twice. But, this was his blade, and she returned it to him. Something unexpected, grateful words and a sincere thank-you, followed by pleasant conversation. She asked him of his home, he spoke briefly of his island. Then of his home now, and how he would fly here on a spendid flying creature. What? What other splendid creatures could there be besides the dragons where she now called home? Bandulu grins anxiously... come see! come see! They took the platform up, and there... it was. Great. Powerful. A rush of sickening putrid malice turning her stomach. Undead, glossy bones moved as pinpoint reddened eyes looked her over. A wyrm. She felt ill to her stomach, her head pounding as she took in the ghastly creature. Suddenly, Tess appears on the platform, exchanging rememberances from long ago with Bandulu... Snow not really remembering what was said as her mind and body pulsed with the presence of the dark creature. Bandulu mounted and the beast lept to the sky. -------------------------- Message 258 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Wed Apr 13 22:41:58 2005 EDT From: SnowHawk (#24690) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: More Sorrow .. SnowHawk and Tess stand stunned on the top of the R/T building. Within moments of Bandulu's departure Mik' swoops down with Ydhana. Dismounting, Ydhana joins the two women as Snow recounts her finding and returning of the katana, and the presence of a wyrm with Bandulu. Questions arise about the blade, and just what a prize Snow may have let slip through her fingers. Suddenly the rush of powerful wings... and another, larger wyrm lands carrying Laurent and his precious Ruby. Heated words exchange... Tess should not have called the wyrm an oversized turkey carcass. Guess we found out that a wyrm can be sensitive, as a putrid vaporous breath unleashed knocking Tess out. Ydhana's quickness grabbing the fallen Tess, and calling for Snow to mount Mik, the three of them rose to the sky and to safety, passing Bandulu's mount returning. Dark times... the first known wyrm attack on a member of the new aeyrie. And much to ponder. -------------------------- Message 259 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Wed Apr 13 23:01:02 2005 EDT From: Fortitude (#24841) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: GW rumour of the month Night would soon set in over the Ghostwheel region. Far in the west, the sun was sinking below the horizon, casting long shadows on the ground. A lone figure stood atop Falcon Ridge, his hand resting on the hilt of a rather nondescript broadsword. In his mouth was a toothpick, which he was deftly rotating end over end with his tongue. "What a waste", he thought to himself. "Been here all day and not one damsel in distress. How's a guy supposed to get some tail 'round here?" His musings were rudely interrupted by the keening wail of an executioner bird as it swooped down out of the air, passing close by his head. The startled young man dove to the ground and rolled, drawing his weapon in anticipation of another attack. As he rose, he coughed, spitting out the toothpick that had nearly choked him. With his blade held ready, the warrior looked around for the beast, and was surprised to see it flying off to the east. In the distance, he could just make out a pack of cainids that also seemed to be headed in the same direction. His blood was pumping now, and soon he was running along the ridge to see what was drawing the attention of so many critters. In moments, he had reached the edge of a giant gravel pit. A hundred metres away, in the shadows of the pit, a lone hunter was at work harvesting crystals from the local wildlife. She wielded an odd, three-pronged spear that he'd never seen before, and a long whip was coiled around her waist. Equally strange was the light blue tint of her skin, and the parallel slits on her neck. She was also naked. She wore only boots, which she was currently using to deliver a vicious kick to a cainid's unprotected flank. It crumpled to the ground, and a thrust from the trident ensured it stayed there. The strange woman continued to fight, and he was entranced by the way her toned body moved with each dodge, parry, and stab. Before he knew it, the dust had settled, and piles of crystals littered the rocky ground. As the woman finished gathering her prizes, she noticed the man and gave him a wink before disappearing into the darkness. -------------------------- Message 260 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Sat Apr 16 17:42:14 2005 EDT From: Ruby (#12541) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: A Step To Freedom Eyes brimming with tears as she left the lounge, Ruby trudged to the secret spot to meet in the dark desert, she waited. "I'm not what they say..." she repeated over and over, the sand flying to mix with her tears. .......she could hear the wings of the dead beast...... the smell would soon follow For a brief second she let her mind play on the image of Sagi, his simple words, the touch of his fingertips. The girl mounted the Dragon on landing, her slender form nothing but a spot of spit within the dying flesh and bones. On the flight she twisted at her collar, the silver digging into her skin, drawing blood as she tried in vain to pull it free, beneath she could feel the green ribbon. Upon landing, the child removed all her clothes, her fragile body taking under the moon light to show the scars of others insanity. Insanity she mistakenly took as affection. Folding everything in a nice, neat little pile, blood dripping to a line of stain that traveled between her breasts. Sorrow turning to anger, she took to her toes, dagger in hand, she headed off to find the one she called Master. -------------------------- Message 261 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Mon Apr 25 23:48:35 2005 EDT From: Menominee (#37246) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: Vision Quest enter Menominee sits inside the Sweat Lodge, stoking the fire for about an hour before he starts to gets uncomfortable. He then begins to throw sage in the flames as well as some of the rocks from around the Lodge. Once the rocks are HOT, he dunks them in the bucket, creating steam and an intense heat. As the heat inside the Sweat Lodge intensifies and the sage-infused smoke fills the chamber, Menominee begins to feel the real effect of Rill's mushrooms. He starts to get dizzy and swoons. Lying on the earthen floor, the ceiling rips away and Menominee sees the sun. It's bright light encompasses him as it gets closer and closer. He feels warmth and comfort, and nothing more. The light complete surrounds him and he becomes one with it. Slowly, out of the light he sees a females face. It is young and pretty, but has lived hard. As she comes more into focus he notices she is an aborigine with dreadlocks down to her knees. Her smile is warm and inviting. "Greetings Menominee" she says gently. "I have been waiting a long time for you to find me. Look" she motions behind her. He looks and everything falls away. Suddenly Menominee is a bear cubhis father and mother next to him. He feels loved and cared for with a true family. He is part of the natural order of things. He nuzzles against his mother and smiles. His father comes up and playfully starts to wrestle. Menominee sudden rips his father apart with his claws and teeth. He stands over his father's dead body, covered in blood. His mother looks at him sadly and then walks away. Menominee violently starts to shake himself, desperate to awake from such a vision. As his looks around, he has returned to the Lodge. He crawls quickly out of the lodge. Then he begins to climb down the tree. He reaches the end of the trunk, but it does not touch ground. Shocked, he looks around. The tree is hundreds of feet above the earth, and its roots just hang in the air. It is removed from the earth and its people. He starts to climb back up the tree only to notice that as he climbs, his claws are digging deep into the rotted flesh of the tree. Termites and other boring insects are crawling all around. And the higher he goes the weaker the tree becomes. He reaches up and grabs bones. A desiccated body sits among the branches. Then he realizes that all the branches hold bodies. The bodies are old, corrupt and diseased. They are dead, but they are so connected to this tree that they cannot move on. He stops and tries to crawl back down. But he sees that the rotting is worse near the roots now. Slowly the tree is overcome with the wasting disease and he falls. It seems like forever that he is falling, then suddenly he sees the ground looming up to him. He is caught in warm, furry arms. Then pull him to their breast and hug him deeply. He looks up and sees the face of the mother bear. She releases him and smiles. Then she slowly melts into the Earthhis mother and the Earth are one. He feels connected and loved for the second time in his life. His thought fall to the first time, his mate Nachieya. She loved him and he felt connected with her. He begins to see her face H smiles and looks deeply in her eyes. He notices that has similar features as Major, then he notices she looks a little like Rill, then he sees fangs like Mirg, and Ruby's innocence, then he notices features of Xavier, Baron Ozwater, Einar, Ydhana, Scorch, Owen and everyone else he has met here. She is in all the people he knows. Shocked, he pulls away and trips, falling to the ground inside the Lodge. He suddenly realizes he is choking on the smoke and steamhe claws his way out of the Lodge and into the cool night air. Night? How long has he been in there? He lays in the branches and looks up at the stars. But he can't shake the feeling of corruption from the tree. He crawls away and falls to out of the tree hitting the ground hard. He lays there and tried to catch his breath. He feels the cold air and the pain from the fall and he passes out. -------------------------- Message 262 from *storylines (#5236): Date: Sat May 7 01:33:41 2005 EDT From: Ruby (#12541) To: *storylines (#5236) Subject: Business Adventure Her arms hurt, the vigorous exercise was not something the child was used to. But she pounded all the same. Finally, the stake in place, holding in place a small wooden sign. -Bathes And Massages * Ten Creds*- it proclaimed in a childish scrawl. Standing back, Ruby admired her sign as it stood at the entrance of the bathes. "You see Laurent, I can make it on my own.." she whispered to herself, her eyes lifting to find her equal. No words needed, the large cat took heed after the child's heals. His massive body not far behind as Ruby made her way down the stairs to the sea. --------------------------