The Midnight Plague

Log for furryfaire.org by Serin on 7/17/00
The Midnight RP

For convenience, information about the characters can be found here.

Session three can be found here.

Note: italic text was given OOC but too deliciously ironic to omit.

Player              Stat   Sex         Species ('ws #help' for help)
------------------ ------ ----------- ----------------------------------------
Jade                i2m    Female      Mephit (Nogitsune)
   Doing: ...
Foxtrot             WIZ    Male        Kitsune
   Doing: Living in Rapture with Jade.
Mika                IC     Female      Vixen
   Doing: Praying...
Lairu               IC     male        lutrai (otter)
   Doing: I want to believe
Strider             IC     Male        Jackal Hybrid
   Doing: The Shaft of this century.
>Watcher                   unknown     unknown                          |Serin
Serin               IC     male        ferret
   Doing: Looking for magic
Doro                i5m    female      Chinchilla
Kaelyn              i3m    Female      Anthro Unicorn
   Doing: I have absolutely No idea! ^.^
Vex                 WIZ    Female      Void Kitsune
   Doing: Dark plots. What else? ;>
Mabsant             IIC    Male        Brown Bear
   Doing: Aha! My potion is comple-- *BOOM*
>Small Fire Elemen Zzzz   unknown     unknown                      |Tiberious
Tiberious           Zzzz   male        Tiger-striped Skunk
--[ Found 13 characters. ( 11 Awake / 1 Asleep / 2 Zombies ) ]----------------

### Slow awakenings

Doro stands up to the help the bear get strapped into the armor.
Mabsant gives Doro a smile. "thanks."
Lairu picks up his gear and surveys the group, "Does anyone need anything before we move out?"
Strider snickers and shrugs up his shoulders, "Don't say I didn't warn you Doro."
You say, "Hmm... no. Where are we going?"
Doro murrs softly, "Well, if he ends up looking like a girl, maybe i can borrow some stuff."
Mabsant Puts on the armguards and chainmail himself. He allows doro to most helpfully secure his breastplate, greaves, and suchlike.
Mika fuzzles the Lairu and pads over to Doro. She inquires, "So, who are you, and what do you do? Other than help with armor? I do believe you were rather quiet last night."
Mabsant prepares for battle.
Mabsant poses. "How do i look?"
Mabsant towers over other furries, nearly seven foot tall and three feet wide. A Small mountain of dark brown fur and grey armour, The massive bear has the look of a knight of some sort. Clad head to toe in full plate armour, all of it a uniform, lusterless grey, he sets a menacing figure indeed. Under the storm-grey woolen cape around his shoulders, attached to the armour at the shoulders, a storm-grey shield with an upright pentagram in silver on it's surface is attached, to be removed by nescessity. He wears a great helm, completely obscuring his facial features, his green eyes sometimes visible through the squared slits for vision. His helmet bears no crest, though upon it's forehead is the same pentagram in silver. His paws, gauntleted, are wide and powerful, each gauntlet with a large moonstone set into it. From his waist hangs a sword belt with a plain longsword in it, much larger than almost any other fur's weapon, it's hilt of black marble and it's blade the same lusterless grey.
Prepared for battle, Mabsant is a twrrifying figure to the weak of heart and to any who know the meaning of his heraldric sign--Evil has no power here, wherever a knight of the Grey may be.
Carrying:
Dagger
Satchel

### Meat Pie for breakfast! And flying ships?

Kaelyn rolls it out, then finds some garlic, butter and digs into the spices, before applying them generously. she then throws the dough into a big pan, and steals some rabbit meat, and throws it into the mix along with a little water, and some more spices, and a few potatoes and cabbage, as well as a little onion." she then covers it with more dough, and throws it inna oven, before channeling a lil fire to make the stuff cook in only a minute ^_^
Strider steps up to Lairu, "Well sir? Shall we go and make heroes of ourselves so when we return the ladies will be quiet affectionate towards us?" He grins.
Mabsant says, "Or men, you mustn't forget men, strider..."
Lairu says softly, "We're going to Anasie, to investigate the plague there."
Serin looks up at the mountain of metal standing proud. And up... "Wow."
Strider looks over to Mabsant skeptically, "Ah... I'll take the women."
Doro murrs softly, "I'm Dorota DeAmon, most call me Doro, and I was a sea-farer, but due to my ship being sunk, I came inland."
Mabsant Holds his greathelm under his arm, unwilling to have the great hot thing over his head until he absolutely has to.
Kaelyn grins, then removes the huge meat pie, and walks into the main room with it... "Hihi all, food anyone? ^_^
Mabsant's stomach growls. "Rather than gruel that looks like body fluid, definitely."
Mika hmms thoughtfully and nods, slipping back to the paladin's side.
Foxtrot hmms at Doro. "We have a flying ship hidden away..."
Doro murrs softly, "Flying?"
Jade murmurs, "Or Raveena does, anyway."
Mabsant Turns his head quickly. "A flying ship? I remember something like that..
Foxtrot nods. "Hai. The Wraith."
Serin peeps at the sight of the meat pie. "Can I?"
Doro murrs softly, "Interesting."
Jade says, "You gave it to her, as I recall, Foxy."
Lairu raises an eyebrow, "Flying...ship?"
Strider tilts his head to the side, "A flying ship...?"
Serin cocks an ear. "There's no such thing."
Mabsant walks towards Foxtrot, clanking. "I would be quite interested to see this. I remember that there was a strange airship called 'Y Hedydd' that the church was keeping as a secret weapon for the crusades. i never got to see it..
Lairu grins, "There's something I'd love to see."
Doro murrs softly, "I would like to see this some time."
Mabsant says, "Of course there's such a thing."
Doro looks to Serin. "Why, just because you haven't seen it?"
Foxtrot nods to Jade, "True, but I think we could get it back. Not now though."
Kaelyn grins and nods before setting the huge pie onna table... "everyone's invited ^_^
Doro murrs softly, "Anyway, shouldn't we be off?"
"Well..." you say, "um. How does it fly?"
Foxtrot nods, "Definitely."
Jade wrinkles her nose and nods quietly.
Foxtrot nuzzles Jade.
Mabsant says, "Well, the Lark flew by magical propulsion and natural aerodynamics coupled with low grade fusion... though i doubt that last bit makes sense to anyone here."
Strider shakes his head, "Maybe we should just focus on the task of the day."
Lairu says softly, "Are we actually in fact cogitating on the prospect of taking a ship that...flies?"
Foxtrot says, "No, Lairu. Just offering to show Doro some time."
Mabsant hmmms... "It would make things much easier."
Kaelyn looks to Foxy and jade "yer both welcome to some of the meat pie... it's not got any red meat on it
Lairu looks immensely relieved, "Oh, blast."
Mabsant says, "Foxtrot, we could cover much more distance in much less time--as well as not expose ourselves to the plague."
Mika grins. "Showing ladies your flying ship, Foxtrot? You don't hear that one everyday."
Lairu says softly, "Ahhh...well...we could just take horses, couldn't we?"
Doro grins to Mika. "That's what I was thinking."
You say, "I read 'bout them in a book. But I thought they were just pretend!"
Foxtrot looks at Mika and blushes. "Err... well, it would take some time getting it."
Doro murrs softly, "Okay, since we can't get to the ship, we either walk or get horses, yes?"
Mabsant says, "Remember we're going into the desert--horses require food and water."
Mabsant oh.. "I see. hm."
Lairu says softly, "There are trade routes, I imagine."
Doro murrs softly, "Oh yes, plenty of those."
Mabsant says, "I hate to say this, but it would better NOT to take horses."
Foxtrot shrugs, and looks at Jade, but doesn't say anything.
Mika chuckles quietly with a glance at Jade and notes, "The kitsune have plenty of time to retrieve a ship, if they want. Of course, they'd probably have to be asked."
Mabsant says, "Their water and fodder will take up more space than they will."
Anya looks around quietly, approaching Kaelyn..
Doro murrs softly, "I've heard of desert bred horses that do well in the desert."
Foxtrot says, "Camels."
Kaelyn smiles "help me cut and pass out slices of the pie?
You say, "Camels. I've never rode camels."
Lairu says softly, "Titan would be mad if I didn't take him."
Foxtrot says, "They're native to Anansie, and take a king's ransom to purchase."
Mabsant snorts. "Noone but a heathen Moslem would ride a camel.
Doro murrs softly, "Well, don't want to have Titan mad."
Serin oohs, and loses interest in the silly horse talk to help Kaelyn with a much more pressing matter. ^.^
Strider folds his arms over, "I'll walk, horses or not."
Kaelyn oy's at mabsant
Doro shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Whatever." She pads over to get some pie.
Foxtrot hmms. "You know, if your horse ever makes it into the history books, they may call it Titan A.E., Lairu."
You say, "So what is a heathen, Mabsant?"
Anya begins serving pie around, nicely divided..
Mabsant crosses his arms. "well, out of courtesy to everyone, i will walk; i don't have a horse, anyway.
Doro murrs softly, "By the way Mabsant, what IS a Muslim?""
Serin carries a pie slice to Mabsant, eager to hear his answer.
Mabsant says, "er... people that live in the israel region, they worship a heathen god. We were crusading to get Jerusalem back from them."
Lairu says softly, "Alright, in either case, it will be slow going. If anyone has a horse and feels they can keep it in shape through the dry, then by all means, they can ride ahead and scout."
Mabsant waves his paw. "It's not important.
Foxtrot raises an eyebrow at Mabsant. "Realm-walker, hmm?"
Doro murrs softly, "Then how can only Muslims ride camels when there aren't any here?"
Foxtrot grins at Doro.

### Our Fearless Leader says, "Hey folks. Plague." And off we go!

Lairu says softly, "Hey, folks. Plague."
Lairu says softly, "Let's get moving."
Mabsant says, "Actually, it would be more like 'Accident'... The priest who was trying to teleport me from Cardiff to London, to be frank, screwed up very badly."
Mabsant says, "yes, the things at hand..."
Foxtrot closes his eyes and focuses, forming a palanquin for Jade.
Kaelyn cuts a slice and offers foxtrot a piece ^_^
Doro nods to Lairu and goes to get a few extra water skins full of water.
You say, "Lairu's right. I'll carry my slice wrapped in clof."
Lairu heads for the door,, saddle over one shoulder.
Mabsant follows lairu.
Kaelyn also offers jade a piece too... "it's nae bad, an it's made with rabbit ^_^
Doro munches on her pie slice as she follows along.
Jade smirks and tailbaps Foxy. "That's not necessary, silly."
Foxtrot makes it fade, and shrugs.
Serin picks up a thick slice of pie, wrapping it carefully in some cheesecloth. "Kaelyn? Kaelyn? We're leaving now."
Vex offers to take Mabsant by the hand with her.
Vex offers to take Kaelyn by the hand with her.
Vex offers to take Doro by the hand with her.
Vex offers to take you around by the hand. ("Hopon Vex" to accept.)
Vex offers to take Lairu by the hand with her.
Vex offers to take Foxtrot by the hand with her.
Doro takes Vex by the hand.
Jade hrms at Kaelyn, accepting the piece of pie and munching on it.
Mabsant grins at Foxtrot. "It gave me a permanent fear of teleportation in general!"
You take Vex's hand firmly in yours.
Vex offers to take Anya by the hand with her.
Mabsant takes Vex by the hand.
Vex offers to take Strider by the hand with her.
Vex offers to take Mika by the hand with her.
Lairu takes Vex by the hand.
Kaelyn takes Vex by the hand.
Strider takes Vex by the hand.
Mika takes Vex by the hand.
Foxtrot takes Vex by the hand.
Kaelyn nods to serin "Aye, I think we're leading
Kaelyn leaving @.@
Anya takes Vex by the hand.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Hawk's Freehold

You walk through the gate and see a large expanse of land at the
river's edge. TO the south you see a large emerald green paddock
bordering the river with low banks to grab a drink of the sweet water
when the mood strikes. In the paddock you see a few low hillocks to add
challenge to running, and the grass looks delicious to an herbivore. On
the other side of the path you see a few fields with corn and wheat and
other food that looks good to an equine. At the end of the path, in the
middle distance you see a low, sprawling building and during the day,
you can hear the chiming of a blacksmith's hammer. The building is next
to a huge, ancient, spreading oak tree that provides shade for the
house most of the day and all of the year.
Obvious Exits: Bridge (B), Path to Hawk's Freehold (PATH), Vagnus' Smithy (VS)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1375
Hawk's Freehold
from Path to Hawk's House and Smithy
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Serin hopes he's not leading!
Vex heads for the bridge.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Bridge over the River Lull, north end
You stand upon a great wooden bridge, spanning the wide banks of the river
Lull. The waters of the river are clear and fresh, as the river flows quickly
towards its salty destination, far to the east. The bridge is ancient,
constructed many years ago, but, is still in fairly good condition, wide
enough to allow wagon passage, strong enough to hold several. To the north,
is the road, leading to Furryshire. To the south, an unknown land lies before
you.
Obvious Exits: Towards FurryShire (N), Path to Hawk's Freehold (PA),
               South End of River Lull (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1482
Bridge over the River Lull, north end
from Hawk's Freehold
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex walks across the bridge.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Bridge over the River Lull, south end
You stand upon a great wooden bridge, spanning the wide banks of the river
Lull. The waters of the river are clear and fresh, as the river flows quickly
towards its salty destination, far to the east. The bridge is ancient,
constructed many years ago, but, is still in fairly good condition, wide
enough to allow wagon passage, strong enough to hold several. To the south,
the dark and ancient Anansie road lies as it twists into a bleak, rocky
terrain. The land takes a cold, dark appearance on this side of the bridge as
you survey the surroundings.
Obvious Exits: Jump into river (J), Towards North End of River Lull (N),
               Anansie Road (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1485
Bridge over the River Lull, south end
from Bridge over the River Lull, north end
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex walks off the bridge to the road.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
North Anansie Road
The road here is rocky, barely a road at all, it runs north and south. The
entire area is bleak and rocky, dull grey, the skies almost always overcast
and gloomy. Vultures are seen soaring the skies, waiting for a fallen
traveller. To the north you see the ancient wooden bridge, leading back to
Furryshire, to the south, the road winds further into this dark land.
Obvious Exits: (C)learing, East (E), Towards River Lull (N), Anansie Road (S),
               West (W)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1488
North Anansie Road
from Bridge over the River Lull, south end
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex walks off to the south.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Anansie Road
The rocky road continues it's twisty path into this torn land, rocks and
bounders and even bones litter the area, it's a wonder there is a road here at
all. Thoughts of bandits or evil creatures cross your mind as you travel along
this road. The road runs north and southeast here. To the southeast, the
beginnings of a petrified forest lie before you, to the north, the skies
lighten a little and some vegetation can be seen. To the south and southwest,
you can see nothing but open desert, though to the south you can catch a
glimpse of a gleaming white walled city.
Obvious Exits: Dirt Road (E), North Anansie Road (N), South Anansie Road (S),
               Forest Path (SE), Off Anansie Road (SW)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1491
Anansie Road
from North Anansie Road
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex walks off to the south.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
South Anansie Road
A petrified forest surrounds you, making an already dark road even darker.
Its difficult to tell the difference from night and day here, expect the extra
spooky noises heard here during the night. The road runs northwest, more
light seen from that direction, it also slides deeper into this dark forest to
the south.
Obvious Exits: Anansie Road (N), Petrified Forest (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#1494
South Anansie Road
from Anansie Road
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex bravely ventures south into the shadowy petrified forest.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Petrified Forest - Northen Edge
The trees rise up like walls of iron, cutting off both vision and
other sense for great distance. The path is a loghter shade than the
ground beneath your feet, winding inbetween the branches and shafts
of the trees. A small rustle in the brysh catches your attention, as
does a flash of dusky grey admist the trees. Looking up, the sky is
darkened by overhanging limbs of what was once a proud, and mighty
wood.
Obvious Exits: South Anansie Road (N), North of the Heart (S),
               Forest Retreat (W)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#2743
Petrified Forest - Northen Edge
from South Anansie Road
------------------------------------------------------
Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Vex carefully picks their way south into the eerie forest.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
North of the Heart
The trees actually gather more about you, suffocatingly tight in
proximity as you continue your travels.   The path still going
primarily north/south, but the way it winds about, you can never be
sure what lies around the next bend. You pull aside to rest for a
bit, taking a glance at at tree, the bark, grey as shale, and as
hard. Yet, it also flakes off, falling with a quiet sound at your
feet. The silence is overwhelming, and your hear your heart in your
ears.
Obvious Exits: North Petrified Forest (N), Heart of the Petrified Forest (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#2744
North of the Heart
from Petrified Forest - Northen Edge
------------------------------------------------------

### A mysterious petrified forest looms above us. Watching...

Watcher bounds in looking for Serin..
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
You say, "'s hot."
> Weather is not set up in this region.
Lairu grins, "Yeah, but it's a dry heat."
Foxtrot looks around at all the stone trees, fascinated.
Anya treads the path to the friendlier-seeming north.
Lairu says softly, "Wow...these trees are pretty old."
Mabsant whistles quietly.
Mabsant says, "this is like some sort of dreamworld..."
Mika taptaps Lairu's shoulder and leans to his ear. "Y'know... it'd be great to have some idea what we're doing. Why ARE a bunch of shirefolk going to a plagued city anyway? We have...what, a couple healers here, maybe?"
Serin just stares passively at the trees.
Mabsant Walks over to touch a tree, stroking it's bark pensively.
Strider flicks an ear and wrinkles up his nose, "This ain't normal."
Lairu says softly, "Or else some horrid cross between huorn and basilisk now walks the realms."
You say, "I think these trees died a long time ago."
Foxtrot looks around, "Where did Kyn'Elwynn go?"
Mabsant moves his hands, stroking the trees... "There are spirits here."
Foxtrot looks at Mabsant, "There are spirits everywhere."
Doro hmmms and picks up a piece of petrified wood. "I think he wandered off to do stuff on his own, Foxtrot-san."
Lairu looks over at Mika, "We should find out what happened closer to the middle of the plague region, perhaps for a better understanding of its source. It might be an evil sorceror or a malevolent curse, but then again, it might just be rats."
Mabsant says, "But if i can feel them.. they are... different. There are spirits in theese trees.""
You say, "The spirits are sleeping. They won't trouble us."
Kaelyn headtilts and listens
Foxtrot looks at Mabsant. "And that is different from other trees how?"
Strider frowns, "I hate rats..." He breaks into story, "Had a big one crawl up on me the other night. Made a mess of my floor when I was ... "disposing" of it."
From the top of one of the trees comes a strange rattling noise.
Mabsant says, "Because i don't normally feel spirits in normal trees."
Lairu glances up, lifting his visor.
"Silly Foxtrot!" Serin giggles. "There's lots of difference between dead spirits an' alive ones!"
Doro blinks and her paw is at her sword as she looks up.
Mabsant takes off his gauntlets and presses his palms against the side of a petrified tree.
Foxtrot grins at Serin.
A small white form sits at the top of one of the trees.
Lairu's eyes widen slightly.
Doro murrs softly, "What in the?"
Strider folds his arms over, watching thoughtfully.
Lairu says softly, "It's a little dough-boy...with a rattling head."
Mabsant Blinks, his reverie broken. he looks up.
Player              Stat   Sex         Species ('ws #help' for help)
------------------ ------ ----------- ----------------------------------------
Mika                i3m    Female      Vixen
   Doing: Praying...
Strider             IC     Male        Jackal Hybrid
   Doing: The Shaft of this century.
Jade                i6m    Female      Mephit (Nogitsune)
   Doing: ...
Foxtrot             WIZ    Male        Kitsune
   Doing: Living in Rapture with Jade.
Lairu               IC     male        lutrai (otter)
   Doing: I want to believe
>Watcher                   unknown     unknown                          |Serin
Serin               IC     male        ferret
   Doing: Looking for magic
Doro                IIC    female      Chinchilla
Kaelyn              i2m    Female      Anthro Unicorn
   Doing: I have absolutely No idea! ^.^
Mabsant             IIC    Male        Brown Bear
   Doing: Aha! My potion is comple-- *BOOM*
Vex                 WIZ    Female      Void Kitsune
   Doing: Dark plots. What else? ;>
--[ Found 11 characters. ( 11 Awake / 1 Zombie ) ]----------------------------
Vex, Mabsant, Doro, Lairu, Foxtrot and Strider have, for some reason, begun to fantasize.
Kaelyn[02:10], Jade[07:00] and Mika[03:13] have become quite petrified, almost solid as rock. Perhaps a nudge is in order?
Watcher lurk about seemingly unnoticed.
Doro looks around to see if there are others.
Mabsant says, "What is it? i can't see it clearly..."
Foxtrot asks, "Kodama?"
Mabsant squints upwards, taking off his helmet.
You say, "A... dough boy? That would be scary: a kid made completely out of dough."
Kaelyn blinkies and watches @>@
Strider shakes his head, "I must be missing something without magic..."
Lairu says softly, "I've seen things like this before. I think they're forest spirits."
Doro shrugs to Strider. "Same here, i guess."
The little white spirit looks down at the group. It rattles again, head vibrating.
You say, "Can't you see it Strider? It's that white thing right up... down here. o.o"
Kaelyn @.@
Doro murrs softly, "That is... wierd."
Doro murrs softly, "Well, just seems to be looking at us, I say we leave it alone."
Strider blinks and looks over, squinting, "Ah.. think I preferred having not seen it."
Foxtrot chuckles, "Kawaii."
Lairu tips his visor to the wood spirit, "I don't think he or his kind will give us any grief."
Serin creeps forward, one paw held out slightly. "H-hi. My name is Serin. What's wrong?"
Doro murrs softly, "Shall we go on then?"
Doro tucks the bit of petrified wood into a pouch.
The spirit, up in the tree, looks at Serin. It hopes off the tree, following the branches to the next one.
Lairu says softly, "Aye, just be mindful. The trees here have eyes."
Mabsant squints, his somewhat shortsighted eyes seeing only a white blob.
Doro nods.
Serin shakes his head. "It's trying to say something."
Strider frowns, keeping a wary paw on his blades.
Kaelyn watches @.@
Mika perks an ear curiously.
Doro folds her arms and leans against a tree.
Serin starts toward the tree, then stops turning slowly with a great force of will. "N-no. Lairu is our leader. If he says go, then the wood spirit will have to wait, or be less skittish."
Lairu says softly, "I have a feeling they'll be here for a wh -"
The little white form hops to the next tree and looks back. More 'rattles' can be heard from the trees.
Doro looks up
Lairu pauses, mid-sentence, "Well actually..."
Mabsant says, "I think he wants us to follow him."
Lairu nods.
Lairu says softly, "Let's go."
Strider frowns, "I don't like the idea of trusting little white rattley blobs."
Serin grumbles something about silly adults, and starts up the tree after the blob.
Lairu starts to follow the progression of the ghostly forest spirit, leading his pale warhorse.
Lairu can't help but shiver as he moves south.
Doro murrs softly, "Okay." Looks up at the first spirit s she moves to follow. "Lead the way then."
Lairu has teleported in.
Serin darns! "Sorry, Nell. I almost left ya there." and hops out of the trees onto his little donkey.
The spirits head south, hopping from branch to branch. Some mimic the group, walking like they do, little heads rattling to echo through the forest. Others ride each other, acting like furries on horses.
> There is no teleport pattern here.
Watcher wont be following you anymore, sorry.
Strider points, "Now /that/ - is just creepy."
You say, "Don't worry everyone. If we get lost, my friend can help."
Doro follows along and chuckles. "Oh, quit worrying Strider."
Kaelyn giggles "it's silly ^_^
Mabsant shakes his head. "they have an obscene sence of humour.
Doro murrs softly, "Obscene? Howso?"
"At least they didn't mount each other. ^.^," you say.
Kaelyn wickers softly, "they're just mimmicing..."
Lairu rummages around in one of his saddlebags and fishes out a curious turtle-shell rattle. It looks vaguely shamanic. He shakes it lightly.
The small spirits stop, and through the trees ahead you see small whisps of smoke. The 'kodama' pause here, the rattling fading off, and you can hear something else -- growling and tearing noises.
Doro hmmms and perks her ears forward.
Kaelyn oy's atta Serin.. "now that was just bad!" she then grins and tries to zapmagiefloof him ^_^ she then blinks and gets more serious as she hears the noises @.@
Lairu tosses the rattle over his shoulder, and draws steel.
You feel a bit chill.
Strider snorts, "I'm not worried. I'm just saying that some things should remain in drinking induced dreams."
Mika frowns slightly, catching Lairu's rattle in her off paw.
Lairu holds up one mailed paw.
Doro quietly draws her sword and looks to Lairu.
Foxtrot peers, then nods to himself, as if not surprised.
Lairu says softly, "Someone's hungry."
Mabsant frowns. his paw goes to the pentagram around his neck. he unshoulders his shield, and draws his own sword, reattaching his great helm.

### The spirits lead us to a clearing, but danger threatens!

There's the sound of more growling and tearing, then feral barks and the sound of snapping teeth ahead.
Serin backs up his little Nell, silently mouthing a speedy spell.
Mabsant looks to lairu. "What should we do, sir?"
Doro pads up quietly to Lairu's side, just slightly behind him.
Lairu puts his weapon away.
Doro murrs softly, "Not necessarily good either. But why did the little spirits lead us here?"
Strider keeps a paw on a dagger none the less, keeping eyes on all sides of himself.
Lairu says softly, "Maybe they thought it would be funny."
The sounds of growling and fighting stop, and it grows quiet.
Foxtrot looks up at the spirits, and says something in a rather... strange... language.
Lairu says softly, "Nobody fight until absolutely necessary, alright?"
Doro hmms and pads quietly forward a couple steps more to see if she can see anything as she nods to Lairu.
"Always," you say, "sir Lairu."
Kaelyn nods "gotcha ^_^
Mika mock-sighs. "Oh, if you insist." She winks at Lairu.
Strider nods, "Oh yah... I'll wait until they're crawling and clawing me up."
Mabsant says, "It sounds like they're attacking something."
Lairu glances at Mika, one finger leveled at her chest, "And -no- disintigrations."
Snowpony 's form melts out of one of the nearby shadows as it just seems to give her up to the world once more.
Kaelyn girns "okies, I'll disintigrate em then ^_^
Mika harumphs quietly, crossing her arms.
You say, "Maybe we should leave. Whatever it is they were attacking, either it or they are dead."
Kaelyn umms "how bout we go and check things out?
Foxtrot nods to the spirits in the trees, and draws his daisho silently.
Doro pads back. "okay, pack of dogs, they were munching on a gypsy camp. And they're spreading out."
Serin is trying not to look scared. O.O
Lairu glances back towards the source of the orginal growling and snapping sounds, or where it was a moment ago. The young paladin stretches out with his senses, searching for evil.
Doro murrs softly, "Seems they caught our scent."
Mabsant says, "We have to check to make sure that they haven't hurt anyone."
"Oh no. A gypsy camp? 'doon..." you say.
Lairu's eyes shimmer blue for a moment, and he narrows them to slits, cutting off the azure radiance, "I sense darkness here, but it is the land that is tainted, and not the dwellers."
Strider perks his ears, "Gypsies? I know gypsies well.."
Doro murrs softly, "The dogs were eating the fallen furs and now they want desert."
Mabsant crosses himself.
Doro keeps her ears perked for the sounds of the dogs approaching.
Mabsant says, "By god--eating them?! We have to go try to save anyone still alive and wounded!"
Foxtrot sniffs the air a moment, and wrinkles his nose.
The faint pad-padding of the dogs through the underbrush can be heard, as they try to circle the group.
Strider frowns, pulling out his throwing dagger, "Where are the little beasts..."
Serin gets off Nell, leading her to a tree. "If we don't get ready, we'll have to save ourselves!"
Mika hauls herself up onto Lairu's warhorse, patting it as she peers around.
Lairu says softly, "Easy...form a circle as they do."
Mabsant says, "Cidyn! If they surround us, we're doomed. we have to break their circle."
Kaelyn mrfs... she then sighs and snaps her fingers
Kaelyn snaps her fingers as a dark mist swirls around her, then coalesces into armor and weapons.
Lairu says softly, "Face outwards, protect the unarmored."
Strider snorts and tenses, "I can protect myself sirrah..:
The wild dogs slowly work around the group, and now they can be heard, snarling, mucus and blood dripping from their muzzles as they stare at the group. These dogs look near starvation.
Serin shimmys up the tree, getting a good seat on a stony branch.
Lairu says softly, "We're more than a match for them, but they may attack if they smell fear. Just remember...we -are- a match for anything these woods have to offer.""
Mabsant follows orders, taking a stand protecting the ferret kit.
One of the 'kodama' sits close to Serin.
Shinji fades in behind Kaelyn, his mind questioning.
Jade murmurs, "'Doomed' seems a little bit strong, don't you think?" She turns, stepping behind Foxy and drawing her crossbow.
Doro crouches low and backs up, not getting into the circle, but maintaining a protective stance.
Lairu glances at the dogs, trying to determine if they look sick, aside from the signs of starvation.
"Aww... the poor things are so hungry." Serin tells the spirit next to him. "I wish they weren't trying to eat us."
Foxtrot keeps his daisho out, facing outwards and shielding Jade.
Doro murrs softly, "Doomed my right eye."
Mabsant mutters to lairu... "Sir.. Canids are afraid of fire and bright light. You might know that kind of spell?
Strider keeps his throwing dagger in one paw and grabs the fighting dagger with the other, on edge as his eyes dart around.
Lairu says softly, "Aye. Or a sharp sound."
Lairu says softly, "Don't let them bite you...they may carry the plague."
Kaelyn shrugs and begins to concentrate as a ball begins to form between her hands... "bright light, fire loud noise, gotcha.." she says...
"Is that how it spreads." you say.
Serin hopes Nell is going to be okay down there.
Lairu tosses a pack of rations to the largest concentration of dogs, hoping to start an infight.
Mika watches Kaelyn and grins, saying quietly, "You go, oh healer."
Mabsant Shoulders his shield and takes a rosary in his off paw. he holds up his sword. "Father of all, blazing, burning, sacred force of summer's delight, be present with us, full sunlight gleaming, and bless this child with truth and light!"
*Official* Mabsant rolls 1d100+0 and gets 48 for a result of 48.
"Oh no. I hope he's not a sun priest." Serin says shading his eyes.
Mabsant's blade flares brightly, the brightness of a halogen bulb. he holds it overhead, a vertical torch.
Mabsant says, "hopefully this will help..."
The rations roll out among the dogs. They snap at each other as they tear at it, spilling it apart. Others circle the other way, and one leaps at Kaelyn, going for the throat.
Kaelyn thbts atta Mika and continues to make the ball up, she then tosses up inna air where it floats well above the group... then the she calls otu "Shield yer eyes ^_^"
Serin missed the obscure historical reference to halogen bulbs, but he's sure it'll scare 'em a bit.
Shinji closes his eyes carefully.
Strider growls, snapping the throwing dagger out towards one of the mongrels.
The dogs look like they're moving slower than you'd expect, the dog leaping at Kaelyn sort of hanging in the air.
Doro moves to thrust her cutlass at the midleaping dog.
Mabsant squints his eyes. "I disbeleive the illusion!!" (Every gamer's last words)
Kaelyn eeps as she turns toward the noise and the ball explodes, looking much like a magnesium flare, it giving a very loud report, she then launches hard backhand atta beast, trying to the armor on her arm to break the critter's jaw.
Serin throws a glowing red stone that splits into a dozen mirror images surrounding the dogs attacking Kaelyn in a hail of distracting projectiles. (1)
Spell finished.
Foxtrot sees one of the dogs walking back and forth, sniffing the air and growling at him. He grins at it, keeping his daisho ready, glad he doesn't smell alive.
Jade furrows her brow in concentration, tails still.
You say, "That oughta hold 'em. Kaelyn! Can you finish your spell?"
The dog gets knocked aside by Kaelyn's strike, the fragments scattering over its fur as it rolls away - again very slowly. The dogs snap and growl at the group, while others tear at the package of rations and devour it hungrily.
Lairu draws his sword and raises his tower shield, staying on the defensive but prepared to strike down any attacker that ventures too close.
Serin oh no's! Her spell already fizzled!
Mabsant Holds his sword in front of him, eyes shut, mumbling fervently. "White light, great light, day's embrace... The wheel turns as power burns, god of the sun that turns it.."
Mika lifts a paw to shade her eyes against all the magical light, watching the flow of the battle.
You sense some telepathic activity nearby.
Shinji slowly circles around Kaelyn, to go after any others who dare to get close to her.
Doro kinda hangs back then to be backup for those that need it.
Serin forgets to shade his eyes, looking worriedly at Mabsant.
Mabsant aims his sword at a dog, eyes still shut. a curl of radiance sparks along the length of his blade, and a ray of brillaint light shoots from the tip. (It's a beam of force, to knock it back, hopefully intoa tree, knock it out without killing it.)
Foxtrot frowns at the dog facing him, and opens his mouth. A cone of silver fire leaps out and grazes the dog, who suddenly bursts into flames with a howl of pain.
Strider barks at the attacking dogs, taking fighting dagger in paw and advancing to any who threaten to get too near.
Kaelyn ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmms, she then just shrugs and then concentrates a moment, before launching about 4 balls of fource, each one turns and targets a different dog and accelerate rapidly
Serin raises up the red stone fallen around the dogs, and splits it again into a thousand nips of biting hail, aiming for the rear of the Alpha of the pack.
The flaming dog falls over and roasts, while the ones struck by the balls of force get thrown about.
Kaelyn keeps the balls striking and pummeling at the dogs, then alters the spell slightly, causing those balls to split up and now all move even faster, near the speed of sound, and too fast to even be seen.
Lairu strikes down the burning canine, to end its suffering, and steps over the smoking corpse, shield ready to intercept lunging teeth. His visor is down again, a metal snarl.
Mabsant Continues to throw sun-sorcery around, which causes the area to be peppered by brillaint flashes every ten seconds or so.
The dogs tear at the wounded among their group, the rest circling and lunging at anyone coming near them.
Mabsant stops after around four more Rays of Force blast into the melee. he pants, and moves to assist lairu, the silver pentagram on his shild glowing from the residue of his clerical spells.
Foxtrot looks at the ones near him. "We'll have to kill them, they're infected, Jade-sama."
"What? How do you know?" Serin shouts from the tree. "Wait!"
Mabsant says, "Rabid? Oh no! All of you--If you get bitten, withdraw and wash the wound!"
Strider, having retrieved his throwing dagger, sends it flying at the next wolf he sees.
Serin stumbles a bit over Mabsant's strange words, but takes his advice to heart.
Jade frowns. "Then do it... I'm busy," she says back quickly to Foxtrot.
The dogs scatter and regroup, growling as they circle slowly. One yelps as its struck with a knife, and the one closer to it snaps at it. The two fight.
Shinji watches the dogs carefully, not leaving Kaelyn's side. If any act like they're coming closer to her, he'll act- but not until then.
"But we're supposed to *help* people wif the plague!! What good will killing them do?!" you say.
Foxtrot nods to Jade, stepping out. His wakizashi catches one dog leaping at him across the muzzle, the other one decapitating a second.
Foxtrot says, "These aren't people."
Doro leans down to pick up a rock and hefts it in her paw. She takes a sideways stance to hurl the rock at a dog, aiming for its head.
Strider takes advantage of this fight amoung the two dogs to advance on them. He attempts to use his heavier fighting dagger to launch at the second, unwounded wolf as of yet, wary of being bitten.
You say, "I meant when you said you'd have to kill the injured furrs in this battle."
Mabsant Engages a dog, slashing away attacks rather than blocking them with his shield, using his attacker's momentum as a weapon against them.
Serin draws the Headstone from his bag of tiddly-winks. It levitates surrounded by blue, spidery wisps of magic. (1)
Strider downs the dog not wounded, the other one leaping at him. Mabsant drops it, leaving one more to turn and devour its dead comrads.
You say, "Take this, you mutts!"
Lairu remains a defensive blockade to those dogs trying to move on the less armored members of the group. His silver blade whickers and arcs in the bright sunlight, shearing down another canine.
Serin sends the greyish stone surrounded in blue light hurtling towards what he thinks is the Alpha of the pack.! (2)
Spell finished.
Kaelyn drops her spell, then starts to concentrate again, this time weaving flows of earth, and fire, with a little wind added in. Quickly the weave begins to form together, and finally it locks in place as about 3 vortice's open up around her and a few meteors launch out of it and toward the dogs at hypersonic velocities.
The last dog looks at the incoming stone stupidly.
Strider growls, taking his largest and heaviest dagger to use against the wolf launching at him by holding it out to intercept the attack.

### And the battle ends, victorious. Or is it?

Lairu sheathes his weapon as the final spell explode in a silhouetting bleve behind him, "Well that was quite flashy."
Mabsant Leans on his sword, panting. he looks very pale.
Lairu says softly, "Who got bit?"
Foxtrot looks around, "Nobody."
Doro murrs softly, "I'm fine."
Serin looks around for any remaining dogs he might be able to see from up here.
Lairu says softly, "You sure? You better be sure, in this case."
Lairu says softly, "I don't shed blood with desease bags and go without making sure."
Strider retrieves all his blood soaked daggers, using a cloth tucked in his belt to wipe them off, "Lousy..." He shakes his head and looks over the group.
Doro murrs softly, "I'm sure, with all the magical fires and stuff, I don't think a dog even saw me. Might wanna burn those carcasses though."
Mabsant Sinks to his knees, clutching the hilt of his sword for support. he starts to cough. a few flecks of blood land on his gauntlets.
Jade relaxes slowly, shaking her head a bit as her tails sway. She glances off toward the gypsy camp, looking for signs of any survivors' auras.
Shinji nods in agreement with Doro.
Lairu looks over at Mabsant, alarmed, "Hey..."
You say, "The plague... it was never supposed to get as far as the gypsies. They're practically next to the slums!"
Mabsant waves a paw, which trembles. "I'm fi--*cough*
Lairu drops to one knee beside the other cleric, "Are you alright there?"
Kaelyn erfs and looks to Mabsant
Strider blinks and goes over to the bear, his best friend, "Oh... you've gone and done something stupid haven't you bear?"
Doro looks to Serin. "We're not by the slums, kiddo, this is probably another gypsy camp."
Serin scrambles down the tree, whispering encouraging words to his donkey. "It's alright, girl. We showed 'em."
Mabsant has a streak of white in his headfur, and a general greyed appearance. "I channelled too much again. (cough)"
Strider blinks and kneels by his friend, looking up to Lairu, "Last time he did this he died momentarily."
Mika slides down off Titan without comment. The vixen regards Mabsant from where she is, one ear flicking.
Lairu nods to Jade, then helps Mabsant back to his feet, "Easy there...shouldn't push yourself too hard."
Mabsant tries to get to his paws, and succeeds. sort of. He leans on a tree for support. "I'll.. be fine in a little while.
Kaelyn erfs... "ya SHOULD know better'n channeling too much @>@
"Doro. The slums are in these woods. That's why I know 'em. I play around here all the time!" you say.
Foxtrot cleans his blades and sheathes them, then turns and snugs Jade.
Strider reaches over to help to steady Mabsant, "If you go getting yourself beat up, what am I suspose to do? You know how hard it is to find an acting partner?"
Your joints feel a bit sore.
Jade scritches Foxy's ears lightly.
Serin only collapses after about 7 more spells. ;)
Foxtrot purrrrrs.
Doro murrs softly, "Lairu, I'm going to go investigate the camp."
Lairu says softly, "We all should."
Mabsant Smiles a little and squeezes his friend's shoulder. "I'll be fine. I just need to stop using magic. I seem to fry myself every time..
Serin stretches stiffly. "I haven't been climbing in a while. Must be out of shape."
Shinji blergs.
Mabsant says, "Yes, we should... If there are any survivors, i can heal them."
Foxtrot looks at the spirits sitting in the upper branches of the tree, and talks with them again.
Shinji wickers, "Hon? There's something wrong here- very wrong."
Lairu says softly, "Hey Foxtrot, any luck?"
Strider thinks, "The gypsies come to camp only so often in the slums... but they were there right now.. this isn't the same group that's there right now though." He wraps a paw around Mab's shoulder to help him walk.
Ramses shouts "There is new MuckNews. "mucknews" to read. (automated message)" (Wiz-@all-shout)
Foxtrot hmms? "The dogs were sick, they said. So were the people who came into the forest with them."
Kaelyn nodnods "yep, shinji, dat's very evident @.@
Doro pads over to the camp.
"Well then we need to see if they need healing." you say, " 'specially if they're sick."
Shinji wickers, "Hon- I don't mean normal-wise."
Serin follows Doro.
Strider frowns worriedly, "Koji, Mom and Shelley... they're all staying in the slums right now..."
Lairu says softly, "Hold on..."
Shinji pats the earth beneath him. "Something's wrong with the Mother here."
Lairu says softly, "We need to burn the bodies."
"You might get to meet them sooner than you like, Strider." Serin says darkly.

### The Gypsy Camp is silent.

The camp consists of three wagons. The wagons look lifeless, and you see the bodies of four gypsies. Their hands and legs have been chewed on, and one has had his belly chewed open. The foxes -- it takes you a moment to recognize them, look wated, with boils and swelling.
Kaelyn wickers softly, " I know how ye mean ^_^"
Foxtrot stays away from the camp.
Lairu says softly, "I think I know how it's spreading..."
Shinji sighs and nods.
Serin gasps, covering his face with the leftover cheesecloth. "Awful..."
Strider wrinkles up his nose and turns, wincing, "It's worse then when a kill goes bad..."
Mabsant checks for any with life. "It reminds me of the black plague.."
You say, "Their own dogs turned against them. Sickness indeed!"
Mika argees with Foxtrot on this one - she keeps clear for the time being.
Doro pads back to the group. "Going to have to burn the gypsies and their wagons too."
"We can't go back to the Shire now." Serin realizes suddenly.
Kaelyn umms "big time burn from a distance?
There is a distinct lack of flies in the air, and the wind is stale, blowing through the trees.
Strider frowns, "I don't want my family to contract anything... Shelley's pregnant and Koji gets sick if there's a flu ten miles away."
Lairu pulls his arbalest off the back of his warhorse, and cranks it up, tilting the huge crossbow down to plant his foot in the metal stirrup, "We should see if there are survivors."
Doro murrs softly, "there aren't any, I just looked, Lairu"
Foxtrot says, "There are no survivors."
Lairu frowns, and nods slowly.
Mabsant sighs and shakes his head. "It is a good thing that men of god are immune to theese things.
Serin starts forward, then stops. "You mean like you said 'bout the plague before? Everyone dies?"
Lairu says softly, "I certainly hope so."
Shinji looks at Kaelyn. "Inter them, beloved?'
Foxtrot looks physically ill, just from where he stands. "There's a ... haze.. in the spirit world."
Serin thinks so! What with all the traffic going through there.
Lairu says softly, "This should all be burned. Any scavenger that eats the meat will spread the plague."
Strider looks over to Foxtrot, "That means this thing is magic based somehows?"
Lairu says softly, "I need three volunteers."
Shinji wickers, "Foxtrot: It's not just the spirit world. The Land is corrupted- hurt... sick."
Shinji wickers, "Sure, Lairu."
"Lairu, how do you know? This is worse than anything I've read 'bout." you say.
Kaelyn points out "This thing is magically created..." she then looks to Shinji and erfs...
Doro murrs softly, "Wha'cha need, oh paladin?"
Foxtrot says, "That isn't a given, Strider. Sickness has its mirror in the spirit word."
Mabsant raises his paw immediately.
Foxtrot says, "World."
Lairu says softly, "It's the best idea I can come up with in regards to the circumstances."
Strider frowns and looks back, "I'll help sirrah."
Kaelyn umms "how bout just spell em from a distance?
Mabsant says, "I have.. a spell stored in my rosary that will do it."
Lairu lights up a torch.
Lairu says softly, "Don't waste your magic..."
"Oh, no Mabsant." you say, " We want you to stay brown."
Kaelyn oy's "I'll waste it if'n it may keep any of us from contractin' that disease
Lairu passes a torch to Shinji, "Anyone else?"
Mabsant says, "And much better than nonmagical fire.... This particular spell, Wrath fo Lugh, is used to reduce stone walls to magma."
Doro waits for a torch.
Mabsant shakes his head and takes a torch.
Shinji takes the torch and ums at Lairu. "Kaelyn's probably right..."
Strider snorts, "How about we make a fire the old fashioned way?"
Serin rubs two sticks together?
Mabsant says, "I'll get the bodies together."
Lairu looks around, "Fellas, we have toches. If you're worried about catching the disease, then don't. You've come a lot closer to it just now than we will burning the camp."
Serin, seriously, goes around with a bit of flint and steel, lighting other people's torches.
Kaelyn mms "I'm just trying to cut down contact is all.
Doro goes to the gypsy camp with her torch to burn that mess there.
Kaelyn looks around @.@ "how bout a dragon? think I can get m'breath hot 'nough to light em?
Lairu looks into one of the wagons, and with Titan's help, starts to move them closer together.
You say, "We shouldn't go back to the Shire until we know if any of us are sick."
Mabsant checks the wagons for anything of value.
Strider nods to Serin, "Thanks kiddo." He goes over and sets flame to a wagon, making a trail of fire as he passes from one place to the next to light them up.
Serin just watches with hollow eyes.
Mabsant was, after all a crusader. After you've vanquished someone, loot their city. ;)
Lairu takes down a lantern from the back of one wagon, lights it, and dashes it into the interior.
Shinji shrugs, following Lairu's lead.
The wagons take some time to catch, but when they do, they begin to burn rapidly, the wood snapping and sparking, the flames spreading out.

### Kaelyn goes dwaggie. Strider loses his pride. And his tail-tip.

Kaelyn shrugs and goes dwaggie, and exhail blasts of plasma atta the bodies and the like @.@
Doro acks and leaps back at the plasma blast.
Lairu watches, just to make sure the fire doesn't get out of control.
Serin EEEEEPS and ducks. o.o
Mabsant very nearly gets FRIED TO A CRUNCHY CRISP, thank you all...
Foxtrot just stays away.
Strider peers at some jewelry momentarily, licking over his lips. The jackal winces then, shakes his head and sets it all ablaze.
Mika has a seat, watching the work in the camp.
Shinji sighs. "Love? WATCH WHERE YOU'RE POINTING THAT!!!"
Kaelyn thbts atta shinji ^_^
Lairu turns around, back-lit by another gigantic explosion. His cape billows out from the heat wave, and he rubs his head, "You all sure like your magic..."
Foxtrot peers in the area, and nods. "The haze is lifting."
Strider blinks and jumps back, near falling on his rump in surprise. The jackal looks himself over to make sure he's alright then yelps, looking over his tail, the tip cinderized.
Mabsant Inelegantly scurries away from the blaze, shooting Kaelyn a dirty look.
Shinji wickers, "Lairu: No, that's normal for her. -_-"
Serin hopes Kaelyn doesn't thbt while she's still got fire breath!
Kaelyn thbts at Lairu "not using magic @.@
Doro pats Lairu's shoulder. "Seems most of those that have magic like to flaunt it."
Kaelyn @.@ "But I'm not flaunting magic @>@
Strider wrinkles up his nose, rubbing over his now blackened tail tip with a grumble, "I do not appriciate being made into coal."
Mabsant says, "I use magic because often it prevents deaths."
"I don't have any spells for lighting fires. Just a spell for making one." Serin holds up his flint and steel. "These work great though!"
Shinji wickers, "Hey Strider... Try being married to her. She does that just enough to char my face periodically."
Foxtrot shrugs to Jade.
Lairu says softly, "Just imagine all, if you will, the evil necromancer watching us in his crystal ball, learning all our powers, so that when we finally face him down in his fortress of evil, he will be ready for our every trick and turn.""
Foxtrot asks, "Necromancer?"
Vex pulls out her script and looks at it, frowning.
You say, "I always get a bad feeling when I'm being scryed."
Lairu says softly, "Oh, I don't know...insert the name of your favorite plague-wielding fiend. Dracolich, let's say.""
Strider snorts, "I know there was a reason I mated a non magick user."
You feel a bit chill.
Lairu says softly, "Or Baba Yaga."
Shinji wickers, "Demons, plaguebeasts, Dark Deities..."
Doro murrs softly, "Baba Yaga?"
Mika remarks, "It IS possible, thought we don't know anything of the sort at this point."
You say, "On... second thought. Maybe we should be a bit careful. Lairu?"
Kaelyn @.@
Foxtrot watches the gypsy camp burn, frowning to himself as he does a prayer for the spirits of the dead.
Lairu says softly, "She made such good pirogies."
Serin looks up with big worried eyes.
Doro murrs softly, "Anyway, folks, now what?"
Strider holds his tail to him, like a prized posession, "Indeed. Careful being the key word. Oh my poor tail..."
Mabsant hms at lairy. "You are right."
Lairu nods to Serin.
Lairu says softly, "We move on to Anasie."
You say, "There's no one scrying us... is there? It's just a plague, right?"
Kaelyn erfs.. "besides if'n anyone looked close they could see the dwaggie in me anyway @.@" she then morphs back
Shinji wickers, "I don't think so, Serin."
Lairu says softly, "Who knows. In my line of work a house fire could have been started by a demon."
Serin whews. But still shivers nervously.
Strider holds his tail towards Mabsant, still in grief over it, "Look! My gorgeous tail..."
Mika murmurs idly, "Or a wagon fire by a paladin - with good reason, of course."
Lairu leans back against a tree, the firelight reflecting in his heavy silver armor. He takes off his helm, and shakes out his long, spikey headfur.
Mabsant blinks at strider?
Foxtrot looks, "Do we stay here, or continue heading south?"
Lairu smiles at Mika.
Serin hopes there's no flowers poking out of Lairu's head today.
Lairu says softly, "Wait until the fire's out, then head on."
Lairu says softly, "Or at least until there's no risk of it spreading."
Strider looks down to his tail, "What am I going to do... it's as bad as losing a leg... I've been flawed."
Mabsant takes off his own helmet. His grey armour reflects no light, save for the silver pentagram on his shield.
Lairu looks at Strider, "Are you alright? What's the matter?"

### I heal Strider's poor tail an' make everything all better. (ominousthunder)

"Strider got his tail burned a bit. -.- Here, let me help." you say.
Doro looks to Strider. "you're whining about a singed tail?"
Serin holds a greyish stone over Strider's tail tip. (1)
You say, "C'mon..."
Serin glows with a friendly healing light, which flows from his body, through the stone, down to Strider's tail tip. (2)
Spell finished.
Strider wrinkles up his nose, showing off his tail to Lairu, the furs at the tip having been blackened by the spray of fire, "It's awful... my poor beautiful tail..." He erks and looks behind him to Serin, "You be careful with that thing."
Serin issa already done! Now that wasn't so bad, was it?
Doro rolls her eye and snorts in disgust as she pads off to look around, though not too far from the group.
You've got more of a fever now, feeling very cold.
Mabsant says, "Strider, i've had a fireball centred directly around me. i'm not whining."
Strider snorts and wags his tail, looking back at it appraisingly, "You've become my new best friend kiddo." He looks back, "But it's /me/."
Mabsant Grins a little and shakes his head, still oblivious of the white streak in his hair.
Serin shivers strongly. "Uhh. Cold night tonight..."
Lairu raises an eyebrow, not unkindly, "A blessed tail it be, and think of how much better off it is than those of those over there." He points to the wagon, then looks back, patting Strider on the shoulder, "C'mon, I'm sure it will be okay. You're lucky it wasn'y your face."
The fires finish, reduced to crackling and popping of charred wood, the wagons collapsing in on themselves.
Serin goes to his donkey for a blanket.
Foxtrot looks up, "mid-afternoon."
Lairu murmurs a soft blessing, a final rite, and turns to the group, "Alright, let's go."
FurryFaire MUCK time (US Pacific Standard Time) is: Jul 17, 2000 -- 8:52PM
Doro smirks as her ear flickers.
Shinji sighs and hugs Kae.
Vex can't help but shiver as she moves south.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Heart of the Woods
You now stand in almost complete blackness, not sure if the time is
day or night, as the sky has been eclipsed from your vision. A few
trees have fallen, but none lay in the path, kept clear for some
unknown purpose. Another rustle immediately gets your attention, and
you think you see something moving about, but you are unable to tell
exactly, for you can't focus your gaze or ears upon anything. You
decide to exit, and follow the narrow, windy trail along, either
south, and to a known safety, or to the north, and the unknown.
Obvious Exits: North of the Heart (N), The Desert Wastes (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [i5m] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#2749
Heart of the Woods
from North of the Heart
------------------------------------------------------
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Shinji appears suddenly by your side out of the darkness.
Kaelyn smiles atta hug...
Shinji pokes Vex for a hopon. =)
Vex offers to take Shinji by the hand with her.
Mabsant shoulders his shield and puts on his helmet again.
Lairu shoulders his arbalest and gets back onto his horse, helping Mika up behind him.
Shinji takes Vex by the hand.
Serin gives his donkey a friendly kick, urging her to keep up.
Vex moves on south, eager to be away from this place.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.

### At last the desert! We're almost there.

{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Desert Wastes
The forest aburptly ends, showing before you.. a wasteland.   The
ground is arid, sun-baked clay, hard on your feet, but yet, a trail
remains. You follow along, the sun actually high in the sky, heading
towards some high dunes. The winds pick up,hot, and stinging as they
blow about, shifting the very sand under your feet. The trail heads
to the north into a dreadful wood, or further south.
Obvious Exits: Dreaded Woods (N), Northwest to a desert path (NW),
               Gates of Anansie (S)
Furries: [IC] Serin
         [IIC] Doro
         [IC] Kaelyn
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [WIZ] Vex

#2752
Desert Wastes
from Heart of the Woods
------------------------------------------------------
Foxtrot enters, with Jade walking along next to him.
Shinji grins.
Strider winces, "Oh my face... what a nightmare that would be." He follows along after, shaking his head, looking back once with a saddened, regretful expression. Though he puts on a smile once again, feigning optimism.
Mika murrs quietly behind Lairu, "I presume we won't be burning down Anansie..."
In the distance you see dunes. Thick, rolling dunes of sand, bleached by the sun. To the far south you see roiling clouds, lightning of stange hue smiting the land beneath it with a callous fist of colour and sound.
Doro looks to Strider. "I don't know, might improve your attitude."
Lairu says softly, "You do?"
You say, "Well at least it's warm..."
Doro murrs softly, "Lairu, I have a suggestion. Deserts are hot, so I suggest we travel at night when it's cooler.""
Kaelyn umms and points toward the clouds "dats the way we wanna go I bet
Lairu nods to Doro, "That's a good idea. It will be cold, but cold is easier to block than heat."
Serin presumes too. "They build their houses out of clay. Doesn't burn well at all"
Mabsant Walks, flanking Lairu's horse, deciding to himself to be the paladin's unnoficial bodyguard for the duration of the journey.
Shinji wickers, "Do we have enough water and salt?"
Mika murmurs, "Don't seem to be having trouble with sun under those clouds down there..."
Mabsant says, "Yes, it is... I aggree."
Mabsant says, "Why salt?"
Lairu says softly, "For horses."
Strider snorts, "Or worsen it." He looks to the group and nods. The jackal then scoots up aside Mabsant, "Nice hair friend."
Lairu says softly, "It stops them from sweating out all their water."
Shinji wickers, "And for us to- the sun will bake it out of us as well."
You say, "Mabsant... you haven't been in the desert often have you?"
Foxtrot peers out over the desert, and shudders at what he sees. He whispers into the wind, talking with the spirits.
Shinji wickers, "Well. Probably not me or Kaelyn if we create internal-regulation."
Doro murrs softly, "Another reason to travel at night then."
Kaelyn Umms and fuzzles Shinji "ummm we really don't need water or salt if we really don't want it @.@
Mabsant says, "Only during the crusades, that was a few years ago..."
Lairu grins at everyone, "Hot enough for ya?"
You are still shivering. You're also getting thirsty and dehydrated. And your joints ache.
Foxtrot shrugs to Lairu. "Temperature doesn't bother me."
Shinji scritches his chest. "The heart is further down that way..."
Shinji wickers, "Kaelyn: You or I don't- what about them?"
Kaelyn erfs... "shoulda brought my bathing suit...
Lairu says softly, "We should break here and move out at dusk."
Doro fuzzles Foxtrot. "We're not all kami."
"Well," Serin says licking his lips and shivering. "Salt's important 'cause wifout it you can't keep the water in."
Mabsant sighs. "I miss the nice, cool, misty hills of wales. Yes, we ought to."
Foxtrot eeps at Doro.
Strider smiles to himself, "I like the heat."
Foxtrot grins at Mabsant, "I've yet to see a whale that's misty and cool."
Serin sighs. "Can I have a drink?"
Lairu says softly, "How about a dragon?"
Doro murrs softly, "Wait till they spray you, Foxy. Then it's at least misty."
Lairu pulls a large waterskin out of one saddlebag, offering it to Serin.
Vex offers to take Snowpony by the hand with her.
Serin drinks gladly, careful to sip as little as possible, handing it back to Lairu.
Mabsant sticks out his tongue at foxtrot.
Lairu says softly, "Anyone else?"
Lairu offers the waterskin around.
Kaelyn headtilts "Dragon, lairu?
Mabsant Takes a small drink.
Foxtrot shakes his head.
Strider shakes his head to Lairu, having his own bottle of liquid affixed to his belt.
Doro settles against a tree and shakes her head. "I'm fine for now, thanks." She rubs under her eyepatch and closes her one eye to doze.
Kaelyn Hmmmmmmms, then grins and gets on the lee side of a dune, and begins to dig a hole...
Foxtrot offers Jade some wine. :)
Shinji follows Kaelyn, curiously. "What're you doing?"
Mika borrows the waterskin in passing to get a drink before sitting down. She traces out a pattern on the ground and murmurs quietly to herself.
Lairu drops down over the neck of his destrier, cupping water in both webbed paws for the animal to drink.
Jade blinks at Foxy and chuckles quietly. "Um... better not."
Kaelyn umms "making shade.
Snow damns - she is needed elsewhere...
Foxtrot waves to Snowy?
Serin is really glad for Kaelyn's shade.
Kaelyn finishes digging her hole and pulls two large sticks out of her bag'o'goodies, and drives them both into the ground, then grabs two large rocks, before stretching a large piece of fabric over the two sticks to the edge of the hole, then uses the rocks to hold the fabric down...
Mabsant sits quietly, watching lairu.
Shinji laughs.
Kaelyn takes two more sticks, and some twine, she ties the twine to the two sticks and anchors the two sticks... "there.. ^_^
Foxtrot pulls out a parasol and uses it for shade for Jade and himself.
You say, "What's that, Kaelyn?"
Mika lifts a paw and beckons Foxy. "Can I borrow you a minute?"
Strider sits down himself, "So, we're camping out until nightfall?"
Jade tilts her head, looking at Mika curiously.
Foxtrot hmms? He hands the parasol to Jade, and goes to see Mika.
Mika murmurs quietly to the kitsune..
Doro murrs softly, "Yes, might as well get some rest before we set out."
Kaelyn sits unner the shade she made and grins "shade ^_^
Lairu climbs off his horse and carefully pulls off the animal's barding, and the saddle as well. He makes a pile of metal and leather plating. He takes a drink himself, and squints up into the sunlight, dropping his helm.
Foxtrot raises an eyebrow and observes Mika quietly.
Mabsant rubs his paws together.
Serin umm... "Kaelyn, isn't your shadow supposed to move with you?"
Foxtrot frowns.
Serin ohs. The tarp.
Kaelyn umsm "pends on my mood ^_^
Kaelyn sits under the quick leantoo, sitting with her back against the dune as she relaxes.
Serin laughs softly. "Silly Kaelyn."
Mika nods and murmurs quietly, "Keep watching." She turns to Lairu and waves him over. "C'mere, paladin."
Foxtrot tilts his head, but nods.
Shinji laughs and cuddles with Kaelyn's neck.
Strider leans back on his palms, "I could use a big steak right about now..."
Serin lies down in the shade, blinking slowly. He starts to drift off...
Foxtrot asks, "Funny, doesn't Vex call Lairu 'priest'?"
Foxtrot looks concerned, but his tone is light.
Mika smirks at Foxy.
Kaelyn offers some jerkey? Home made jerkey, and offers shinji a few dried apples
Lairu slides one paw through his damp headfur, pushing it out of his eyes, looking around at Foxtrot, then approaching Mika.
Doro is dozing.
Shinji devours. =)
Mika motions Lairu to her side and murmurs to him as well.
Foxtrot listens?
Serin is long gone. ...zzzZZZzzz...

### A nightmare.

In your dreams, you see a corpse-like figure crawling up the dune towards you, body rotted and corpse-like.
Lairu looks at Mika, eyes a little wide. He remains silent for a moment, then murmurs to her.
Serin shifts as though disturbed by a strange dream.
Mabsant walks over, and pulls a thin blanket over serin.
Foxtrot listens?
Strider grins and nods to Kaelyn, "Thanks." He gnaws on the jerky hungrily.
Mabsant meanwhile sets about getting his armour off.
You say, "Mmm..."
Kaelyn umms "who else brought travel rations?
Lairu gently draws Mika into his arms, "Okay...it's alright."
Doro raises a paw.
Strider smirks, "I brought victory rations..." He indicates the bottle of whiskey.
Mabsant Frowns, looking down at himself. but he says nothing, continueing to take off his armour.
Mika closes her eyes and nods.
Doro opens her eye, stands up and pads over to help Mabsant out of the armor.
It keeps coming towards you, and you smell the stench of death on it.
Lairu closes his eyes, and utters a soundless prayer. His mouth moves around silent mantras, his holy symbol starting to glow faintly, "Just hold still." A pale blue glow spreads into the paladin's paws, through his embrace, fusing into the vixen's form with a soft wash of radiance.
Foxtrot blinks, then gasps, "Lairu, STOP!"
Kaelyn umms and smiles to Shinji "oh, at some point we need to.." she then blinks and looks to Lairu and Mika @.@
Lairu's prayer is interrupted by the sudden shout. He winces, and the glow flashes out.
Doro looks over at Foxy's cry? "What's going on?"
Jade has connected.
Mika has connected.
Strider blinks and looks over at the two.
Mabsant Frowns, sitting down next to the pile of his armour. he begins rubbing his paws qith a worried expression.
Foxtrot peers at Lairu carefully. "You have it now.."
Serin moans softly, rolling over in his sleep.
Mika frowns deeply.
Mabsant looks over. "have what?"
Lairu ...
Kaelyn @.@
Mika has disconnected.
Kaelyn wickers softly, "uuhhhohhh..."
Lairu looks at Foxtrot, "What?"
Doro murrs softly, "What? Oh, baka."
Foxtrot frowns at Lairu, then at Mika. "It's.. hard to notice. But you both are.. sick."
Shinji winces. "Crap. Can unicorn healing work on it?"
Doro pads over to look at Lairu and Mika, not getting too close tho."
Lairu says softly, "I wouldn't try..."
Lairu says softly, "I guess I was wrong...it must spread in very different ways."
Mika smirks at Foxy. "I oughta knock you senseless for speaking up. So it can spread backward through paladin healing..."
Foxtrot blushes and meeps softly.
Doro murrs softly, "It spreads through magical energy?"
Lairu says softly, "Just one possibility."
Foxtrot says, "Gomen nasai, Mika-sama."
Mabsant Furrows his brow...
Lairu looks down at himself, then at Foxtrot, "You're jerking my chain..."
Mabsant says, "Foxtrot, would you take a look at me, please? i'm feeling very peculiar..."
Mika tailsnugs Lairu lightly. "Feh. Done is done, 'sune. So what did you see when it happened?"
Serin chrps and shifts again, frowning over his closed eyes..
Your dreams are worse, the corpse pulls flesh from your body, pushing it into its own, stripping you of your life as it does so.
Kaelyn umms and looks at Lairu and mika, trying to see exactly what's happened @.@
Foxtrot says, "The.. grey.. in your aura reached out, and impaled Lairu's aura, spreading into him like fibres."
Foxtrot nods to Mabsant, and peers at him carefully.
Doro murrs softly, "Is it going out to anyone else?"
Lairu looks at Mika, then at Foxtrot, "You weren't testing a theory, were you?"
Kaelyn ummms....
Serin kicks away the blanket, clearly agitated.
Strider flicks an ear, listening in.
Foxtrot looks Mabsant over, but shakes his head, "I don't see anything."
Mabsant Rubs his paws.. "My joints ache; i feel very cold.
Mika nods slightly. "Okay... did it jump, or did it only spread because there is some sort of link during the healing?"
Kaelyn wonners if unicorn purification would work here, considering it doesn't require a link to use it, only a -lot- of power @.@
Kaelyn taptaptaps her chin and thinks...
Foxtrot looks at Mabsant, then answers Mika. "It.. spread. But there was an.. aura of sickness while it was doing so, like it was reaching out for me."
Mika is trying to figure that sort of thing out, Kaelyn. ;)
Lairu looks down at his paws, and closes his eyes, "My healing powers will be useless..."
Meanwhile, you stare in shock as the undead thing tears into you. It reaches for your face, and you wake with a scream of terror, feeling your jaw tear (in the dream).
Doro rubs the back of her head. "Anyway to figure out the source? Trace it back or something?"
Kaelyn umms "So it attacks the soul, and the body follows as the soul sickens.
Serin screams in agony, sitting bolt upright, panting.
Lairu looks back up ay Mika, "How did you get it?"
Mabsant says, "And if there's something wrong with me, if it's the same thing, so will mine--Serin!"
Foxtrot leaps in surprise, daisho immediately in his paws as he turns to Serin.
Mabsant rushes over, limping from the pain in his joins, and scoops up the kit. "What happened?"
Kaelyn @.@ and falls over
You say, "I... I..."
Jade has disconnected.
Strider blinks and steps over to the youth quickly, "Hey kiddo? What's the matter?" He puts a paw to the young ferrets brow.
You're THIRSTY. Your joints burn, and you're freezing. Over the dune, you see a strange, corpse-like figure crawling its way towards you.
Shinji must brb- sigh. parents.
Mika glances at Serin, perking an ear. She shakes her head and looks back to Lairu. "Like I know? I didn't fight the dogs, I didn't enter the camp. If it _is_ mana-based in some sense, that might have something to do with it."
Serin shudddders, hiding in Mabsant's breast. "So cold... don't let him get me!"
Kaelyn umms "how come I don't have it?
Mabsant holds the kit protectively.
Foxtrot looks at Serin's aura, shaking his head, "I can't see anything.. I don't know, it could be the land's sickness clouding this, but he looks okay."
Kaelyn wickers softly, "I been castin' tons of spells @>@"
Lairu backs up against a tree, "Kij's aura should protect me from disease...I don't feel anything..."
Mika runs her fingers through Lairu's hair. "Foxy... is ANYONE else in the group infected currently?"
Strider rubs over Serin's back, "What's the matter kiddo...?"
You say, "No, over there... it's a corpse coming for me. No..."
Mika grabs Lairu's tail as he backs up.
It's crawling closer, reaching for you as it claws its way through the sand.
Lairu's never been sick before.
Doro murrs softly, "Take it easy Lairu. If it's going through magic, must be something made by someone, possibly to prevent any threats getting to him, her or it."
Foxtrot peers through the group once more.
Strider sighs and fuzzles the ferrets headfur, "Kiddo.. kiddo.. it's alright."
Serin tries to struggle free of Strider's grasp. "No! Let me go! It's coming..."
Foxtrot nods. "I can't see it in Lairu anymore, but I can see it in Serin and in Mabsant. And.. err.. it's a bit bigger in Serin."
Kaelyn @.@
Doro murrs softly, "Oh, peachy."
Kaelyn meefs "looooovely...
Lairu tries to sense for evil again, to see if this plague presents any sort of malevolent nature...perhaps a solid shape.
Strider frowns, "He's really warm.... but he's shivering." He looks over at Lairu, "I think he's really sick.."

### And Mabsant has to go. RP is over for today.

Serin gives STrider a biiiiig kiss.
Vex giggles! :>
You say, "We'll have to see next time, won't we?"
Strider bahs!
Doro laughs.
Vex purrs, "So you know, I'm not being mean about this and just picking on anyone. There's certain triggers, and that's when I checked. I just took some of my checking offmuck, so I'd not spam ya all with dice."
Doro murrs softly, "fair enough"
Vex just loves the fact you passed water to the sick guy first, then handed the bottle around. ;>
Snow shivers ;)
Strider says, "Trigges?"
Mika smirks.
Lairu didn't know about germs.
Kaelyn umms an wonners if da uni's are safe from this junk @.@
Shinji is glad he didn't drink. =)
( Triggers rather. )
Doro is glad she wasn't thirsty yet. :)
Snow is glad she isnt' really here ;)
Serin is glad... well maybe not.
Mika just doesn't wanna have to resort to Proteusing herself better or something like that. o.o;;
Vex noddles to Strider. "Triggers. Things that make me check to see if 1) You catch it. Or 2) It gets worse."
You say, "So we come back here, Wednesday same time?"
Vex purrs, "Wednesday. :>"
Doro eeeews atta Mika
Foxtrot raises an eyebrow at Mika. That would be.... interesting....
Kaelyn's a unitype anna well, we're supposed to be safe from disease, it's why our horns are wanted so much @.@
Lairu says softly, "I take it this is a magical disease, then...it would have to be if my aura doesn't block it, would it not?"
You say, "Yeah, there was something I did a lot more than anyone else. Got a guess?"
Vex purrs, "Would I tell you if you're right or not, Lairu? ;>"
Lairu says softly, "Just a guess."
Mika says, "On the other hand, Foxy said it left you, which could mean it's not quite powerful enough to off a paladin. Hard to say. ;)"
Lairu says softly, "Maybe it didn't like me."
Mika looks at Foxy. "Well, I've never _known_ you to be wrong about auras. But anyway..."
You say, "Aw, nothing could dislike you Lairu."
Foxtrot shrugs, "It's really hard to see... there's a ... pall... in the aether."
Lairu nods.
Foxtrot translates, "It's hard to guage, since Vexy's making me roll every time I check."
Mika pounces Lairu!
Lairu snugs Mika and gives her a soft kiss.
Foxtrot snuggles with Jade.
Strider hrms..
Lairu grins, "Now you've got the plague!"

Serin is Copyright 2000, Starling. All other characters are copyright their owners.
Please do not reprint without permission.
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