Those Who Search for That Which was Lost...

[Peregrinus]

Falson rose slowly in the morning, Jae stirring softly besides him. Today was the day according to those who decided these things. Falson had came up with the plan to scry for Lone's soul, but others had taken control of the planning, until now Falson was just going to be the person who led the ritual to scry. The target had also changed, they weren't looking for Lone's soul specfically, but rather where it would be... a much more complicated procedure.

For now though, those who would be participating needed to assemble at Dragonwatch. Falson knew that the best place to preform the ritual would be in the Dark Druid's lands, their point of power on the hilltop. Breathing a soft prayer to Ea for guidance, Falson exited the tent to wait for those who would be helping.

((anyone who wants to participate in the scrying ritual, feel free to write yourself in anytime.))

[Vahene]

((This actually happening in game?))

Heaven stood to the side, entering Dragon's Watch again for the first time in weeks. She hid on one of the ramps, a few feet from a tangle of panthers who thankfully hadn't smelled the catnip in her boots yet. She was amazed she was able to slip inside the keep without Falson noticing her, but then again, he had probably all ready felt her magic .. as perfectly chaotic as it was.

[Shalandravv]

Shalandra stood within Dragonwatch, watching Falson rise from his tent in the early morn. These were dangerous lands they were going to, and though she knew little of magic, at the very least they would need a watchful sword to guard over them during this task.

She stood upright, her hair flowing in the cool, morning breeze. She approached Falson.

"Morning, friend. I heard you were headed out this day. Think you could use a hand?" she asked. "I can't even cast a small fire, but I know there are lots of nasty things to be had, out there."

[JaeEleutheria]

Jae knew when he left, but did not get up. She just wanted to lay here a little longer. She was so tired. He knew that she was willing to participate in helping Lone in any way. Falson would wait for her.

Skia poked her head in the tent and tilted her head. The cubs had been prowling around outside the tent as they were no longer allowed inside the tent.

The young sorceress yawned. "Just tell them to get me when they're ready. I'm gonna rest a little more..."

The cat nodded and went to relay the message. Jae was too tired and she was not certain she was totally ready to do this thing. So she decided to rest a little longer to ready herself.

[Cerberus]

Dorvan strolled into Dragon's Watch, his staff hefted over his back. It had been some time since he had arrived in Daris... and had decided to stay based on the sudden disappearence of his brother.

Coughing slightly, Dorvan was glad to be able to help Lone, lending his druidic power to help with the scrying. He wasn't too sure about how these things worked... to his knowledge it was the arcana that performed successful scryings more often than not, but still, any help he could give was better than none.

If Lone, born with elven blood, died before his own self, human through and through... Dorvan would be at a loss. It wasn't right.

Sighing, Dorvan looked up at the sky. Someting ominous was coming, and seeing as how it began shortly after Samael was taken, his bet was that it was related to Lone. Whatever it was, it was unnatural, and extremely powerful. He doubted he knew of even a Cleric that could hold that much power.

He didn't like anything that upset Nature's balance... and this sent it spinning.

Walking into camp, Dorvan calmly leaned up against a wall, silently. His pet hawk screed overhead, watching for anything that might interfere.

((With as massive as the Final event will be, and its planning is nearly complete, it was decided, for descriptive purposes, to hold the scrying on the board. After this is completed, a post will be made to discuss times for the story's big ending))

[Brenna E'lyana]

Isis slowly made her way from Daris to Dragonwatch. A sense of foreboding seemed to drag her steps. Since Samael had left Daris, something in the air just felt...wrong. The sound of a child whimpering interrupted her thoughts. This area was no place for a child, not with the spiders and driders populating the area. She broke off the path, her eyes searching but remaining quite silent in case of a trap.

She came upon a very small cave and there she was...a small elven child, alone, naked and afraid. Isis' brow furrowed and she remembered the female of Ishtar who had given her some clothing so long ago. She gently coaxed the child out and dressed her. The child was oddly silent and didn't respond to any questions.

Isis carried the child into Dragonwatch and gave her to one of the geomancers with orders to feed her and give her a place to sleep. Then she went to the central fire and waited. Her thoughts were in turmoil, her sweet face seemed nearly a mask. Something was terribly wrong and she feared that they were already too late. Her gaze drifted to where the child was sleeping. Something was not quite right there also, but at this moment Lone and this ritual took precedence. The mystery of the child would have to wait.

[Mon-Da-Oth]

Myles wasn't sure how much time had passed during he return to Dragons Watch. The herbs the Tathar had given him had managed to keep the demon in his head quiet if not away. How long that would last Myles had no clue.

Apparently, prior to his vist with the Shai, he had stopped eating as well as resting and it was only his physical weakness that had prevented him from searching the lands around Dragons Watch for the creature that was trailing his sister.

It had been sometime since he had seen his sister. She did not leave with Samael and Den when they Left dragon watch so he simply assumed that she was holed up one of the tents or wagons studying some scroll or tome that she had discovered.

Tathar had been here and about while Myles regained his strenght. On the few times the old Ranger spoke Myles would listen with amazement at the stories he would tell about life in the wilderness. Had things been different for Myles he would have followed the path that Tathar had chosen for himself but his life had taken another path with only a few regrets.

Myles was resting when Shalandra approached Falson but upon hearing her voice he scrambled for his bow and quiver and rushed to stand slilently behind her at the ready for his path was to protect the Lady Velvax as best he could when he could.

[Pvt.Zombi]

Den sat in a dark corner of Dragonswatch, preparing himself and his equipment for what he knew has coming, sharpening his blades as Shalandra taught him, Meditating on the "weave" as Falson had described it, re-stringing his bow and checking his arrows as Chi had showed him when they where young.

A small pixie fluttered toward him.

"People are starting to arrive for the scrying, Den"

"Right"

Den finished securing his gear and stood up, a determined look in his eye.

"Let's go save the world then."

Den gave Aria a half smirk and made his way over to the gathering group.

The pixie, named Aria, flew after Den. Looking around at the heroes and mages, all assembled to save the man named Lone and stop evil from taking this world, all ready to risk their lives for the greater good.

Look at you Den, you've grown up so much. Everyone here is here to help, to do the right thing and you're with them. I thought I'd never see the day...

She gave a bright smile to Den that he didn't see, which is just as well she supposed.

[Stormknife]

I looked up at the half-orc that stood on the other side of the table from me. He had this look on his face that practically screamed he knew something I didn't. Well, that he thought I didn't, anyway.

"Boss, they're gathering at Dragonwatch for something big."

"They?" I raised an eyebrow at Monev, who just shrugged.

"Heaven's there, so's Falson, and so's Den."

I nodded. "Alright. Send Zivitch, and anyone we can spare over to Dragonwatch. They ain't to be seen...they're just there to make sure nothing disturbs whatever they're up to."

Monev looked like his face was imploding, but I knew that to be his way of frowning. "Eh? Since when do we pull guard duty, Hax?"

I glowered. "Since I say so. Now get to goin'. I'll meet with you guys if I can, but you know how Delade and Rum are."

Monev nodded and walked out the door. I could hear him barking orders just outside of the room, which was just fine with me...he likes thinking he's still in the Redboots sometimes.

Me? I got some business to deal with.

[Peregrinus]

((for reference folks, I'm going to make four posts, already made the first, the next will be setting out, then arrival, then the actual ritual itself. Hopefully, I'll be able to post the setting out tonight and the arrival will post in the morning, then the ritual tomorrow night. Anytime before the ritual begins, feel free to throw your character in to help in any way you desire.

[Peregrinus]

((keep a note on this, characters involved in this thread once the scrying begins, shouldn't be played on the server per request by Artorius...

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"Your blade is always welcome at my back, Shal," Falson smiled at his sponser in the Kingseekers, "we'll need it, those of us preforming the scrying will be unable to defend ourselves properly, and I doubt we'll be very welcome by the Dark Druids."

"Dark Druids?" Shalandra looked startled, "why?"

"I'll explain to everyone in a bit," Falson began moving towards the center of the fortress where the Dasarian standard hung limply.

Those gathered in the fortress began making their way towards the mage. Heaven remained in her corner, the weave dancing about her, no long dark, but almost lively in its chaos. Jae still was not up, but Falson was unconcerned. Dorvan seemed peaceful, but his eyes showed their concern. The Hunters Den and Myles were speaking softly to each other, their magic faint, but perhaps still useful in this project. Isioviel came up to Falson, tears barely contained, holding a small child.

"Isioviel?" Falson turned to the elven cleric, "who is this?"

"I don't know," she mummured, "I found it."

Falson looked at the child, his eyes surprisingly gentle and soothing. He whispered something to the baby and smiled at Isioviel.

"I hate to say this, but perhaps you should leave the child here," Falson whispered to the cleric, "Ariadne and the Brutes would take good care of her."

He then turned and sighed, so few had come, this would make things harder. He thought back to his last ritual, there had been about as many, but their objective was simpler, this time it would be much harder.

The sorcerer turned towards his tent and poke Jae with a staff.

"Come love, it is time."

Jae moaned in protest as Falson turned back outside. He rested his right hand on the hilt of his Katana and in his left he held the Staff of Valmaxian, its top a glowing vortex of magical energy. Breathing deeply he looked at those gathered.

"I will explain precisely what we are doing here today," he began looking at all those gathered inside the old battlement, "we are gathering to attempt to scry for where Lone's soul will be. This is more complicated than a normal scrying as that only deals with where something is in the present, rather than where something might be in the future."

Falson began to slowly pace.

"This complicates matters, but does not mean its impossible," the mage took a deep breath, his eyes growing concerned, "those of you who request or prepare their spells be sure to invest heavilly in divination type spells before we begin, us sorcerers will basically be providing more raw magical energy."

Falson moved to Isioviel and put a should on her hand.

"The magic itself will be woven by myself around Isioviel, it should be harmless to her, but words spoken a while back seem to indicate that she is the linchpin to this endevour."

"Now, the critical detail, I know it sounds like we could do this anywhere, but all this magic would become nearly impossible to control without something called a place of power. These are natural points where magical energy converges and is amplified. I know of two points of this nature, the carine stones in the goblin controlled lands, and the Dark Druid's hilltop."

"We go to the second one."

There were a few cries of alarm, and Shalandra clenched her blade.

"This is the more powerful of the two points, the last time I preformed this type of ritual I used the cairn stones, but this time we need a more powerful one. I know that to be a much stronger place of power, and also know a few secrets of that site that will make this easier."

"Those here who are weaker in magic and do not have their own magic, your job, once we arrive, will be to keep the Dark Druids away from us, they won't be happy to have us in their lands."

Falson turned, his robes whispering as a cold wind caught them.

"We set out now, hopefully others will meet us along the way, I will describe the ritual itself once we arrive."

The sorcerer headed out the gateway, behind him a shadow slunk as a panther dropped down from a tree near the entrance of the fortress, and the small group of people headed west, towards the lands southwest of the Lendose River.

[Oye99]

Hakiseth arrived at Fortfalson .. er.. Dragonwatch's gateway, and supported himself up against the wall, trying to catch his breath. After a few minutes, he raised his head, to notice that teh groupe had already left.

He then turned, and questioned one of the Brutes,

"Er.. *pant* Where's tha scyin' groupe..", he asked.

"Er.. theys already left for power place, Falson said to keep watch on baby", the guardsman replied.

The red clothed man sighed heavily and then began his trot in hope of catching up with the already departed groupe, mumbling under his breath,

"Damnit Den.. when I get a hold of ya, oooh... heh, way ta let me know.."..

[Cerberus]

Dorvan followed along silently. He would not be much in a fight, and his powers were no where near as strong as other druids might be... he was out of practice, had been too far away from the forests as a merchant. He had come to renew his love for Nature and his powers grew once more, but he could only live and hope that it was enough.

Dorvan stayed close to Isioviel during the trek away from Dragon's Watch, she seemed a total wreck... and he wanted to make sure his future sister-in-law would be able to move forward.

Kaami, his pet hawk, came and landed on his arm. Conversing silently with it, he launched it once again into the sky. Dorvan looked at Falson and nodded, pointing behind them. "A man with red clothing tails us from behind, Lord Falson." Dorvan said with respect. "I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that."

Nodding to himself, knowing he had done his part, he kept walking. He had his full trust in Falson. ...he liked the guy, one, but two, because he had no choice but to believe. He knew that without him, Lone could be lost forever.

[Vahene]

Heaven sheathed herself in invisibility, knowing she had no need to tell Falson, or any other mage she was present. Any mage that was in touch enough with the weave knew her instantly by the chaotic mass she brought to everything she touched magically or otherwise. Somehow she knew she wasn't alone, knowing that Haxley was keeping close tabs on her. If he didn't come himself, she wouldn't be at all surprised if he had someone else come for him.

Walking more than a few paces in front of everyone else, she drew a dagger slowly from her belt, looking warily around.

-H

[Brenna E'lyana]

Isioviel walked with the others almost mechanically. She was feeling more and more detached from this realm. Is this what all the stories wrote about? The fairytales her mother told her of elven princesses that withered away when they lost their love?

Oddly enough she felt no fear , not when Falson explained that this ritual would take place around her, nor when he spoke of where the ritual would take place. Indeed she felt it hard to feel anything at all. She did wonder about the child a moment. Who would be so careless as to lose a child? Isioviel shook her head, knowing that the paladin Ariadne would care for her.

Those who knew the cleric well worried.