"Demon Winter"

[Nobody]

Curious to know how the demon threw a table with an arm that was already holding a knife, Seraph quickly evades the airborn table by jumping back behind the counter. in order to react quickly enough however, his weapon hand needed to be freed from occupation, leaving a poison-tipped dart protruding uselessly from the floor.
quickly regaining his stance, Seraph prepares himself yet again, unfortunately, the table presents itself as a major obstacle. although it would be easy for him to hop the table, that would leave him out in the open, with no real defenses against any sort of real fighter. instead, Seraph exits through the other end of the bar and runs under a table in the open room, using it, and the toppled chairs that had once contained guests, as cover from larger projectiles.

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  Sorry for the lack of description on the demon throwing the table....consider this, he had resheathed his dagger to inspect his poisoned arm.  Then when he started moving towards the elvin princess, he grabbed the table and threw it at Seraph as nothing more than a distraction to keep him from unleashing another potent dart.  Once he saw you mildly distracted, he drew his dagger once again from it's sheath to attack the princess.  Hope that makes for a better portrayal of what took place.  I will wait for more to respond before continuing the story.

[Shadoweagle]

Tsurin, in the meantime, was just recovering from having the breath knocked out of himself after bieng kicked forcefully into the bar. At this moment, however, he stands once again, leaning his quarterstaff against the counter, and he mutters angrily beneath his breath - he is not happy. His dextrous fingers curl to his belt where he grasps all three of those throwing daggers, holding one between each of his fingers. He does not throw them yet, however - with a quick, flourishing gesture with his free hand and a few words uttered beneath his breath, those daggers seem to sweat, for lack of a better word, creating thick sheen of liquid around each of them, which does not fall to the floor. Then, with the clenching of his free fist, that liquid abruptly freezes with a crystaline sound. Now, with his ice-cased throwing daggers, Tsurin gives a dextrous flick of his wrist, and all three glide effortlessly toward the back and neck of the demon who would be preoccupied in reaching the elven woman. Should these daggers make contact and pierce, the ice would not only make the wounds more painful, but they would shatter within the body at the sudden change of heat of the blood, causing further lacerations and making it quite difficult to extract every shard.

[Adel]

OOC: Just to make it clear I am going by Aden for this adventure! thanks for the discription It is a good Idea to have them as shape shifters Could cause a lot of difficulties!

IC: Aden is entranced by the blue orbs that are her foathers eyes. She missed her father, she longed to be by his side and feel his embrace. " father..." Aden said in a hopeful vioce. Then something recalled in her memory...." No...... Not my father, My fathers eyes are as green as mine own,  IMPOSTER!" Aden raged at the beast fire glowing in her eyes. " How dare you...." with this she noticed that the warrior behind the demon was piosed for an attack she would keep the demon destracted long enough for him to make his move... then... then in all of the noise and confusion as no eyes would be on her but on the beast instead she would make her move she would finish this demon and no one except the bear would know what happened.

OOC: Incase anyone is wondering the reason that Aden is still apprehensive is because she does not know that everyone overheard hers and the bears conversation, she still doesn't know how everyone will react. A major question is whether the people in the tavern will allow her to continue to believe that they know nothing? Please do not that I am trying to lead anyone to a conclusion that I want the tavern people to come forward, but the way that I approach a situation would ride on this singular fact. I merely wanted to explain why Aden is trying to conceal a secret that everyone already knows.
                                      "The strangers at the bar all overheard the conversation between Bear and the elf."

[Avasalaime]

Thengel rubs his throat.  He leaps back up and cuts at the demon with his sword.  He is having trouble catching his breath and he feels weak from such a long lack of oxygen

[Adel]

OOC: sorry its been a few days since my last post but we got hit by a tornado luckily it missed our house but man did it ever do a job on the trees around our house not to mention our nieghbors! The power has been out and I've been moving tree branches all day. Luckily their seems to not have been a whole lot of action here so I haven't missed any thing real important I will have to wait until someone else posts before I can further mine I guess I will check back then!  

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  Sorry all, was out of town for Memorial Day weekend.  Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday!  Now back to action!

IC:  The Demon continues his raspy cackle as he dives through the air to impale the princess with his dagger.  About four feet from the princess, the demon straightens out in mid-flight and comes crashing to the floor hard.  As the demon hits the floor boards it lets out a painful grunt and begins trying to reach it's back.  Everyone can now see three projectiles frozen in place inside the demon's back.  In a explosion of intense pain, the demon lets out an inhuman roar and it's dagger goes flying across the room clattering on the floorboards.  You will notice the red flare leaves the blade as it is released from the demon's grasp.  The demon is now lying at Aden's feet moaning in pain.  It is completely defenseless and black thick blood is draining from the wounds inflicted by the frozen daggers.  In another attempt to remove one of the potent weapons, the hilt of one of the daggers breaks off causing the demon to wail even louder.  He begings to shout..."It matterz not that you have defeated me in this pitiful form....others will finish the work I have attempted here tonight.  The guardian will be slain before he can form the squad of saviors."  With a look of complete confidence, the demon looks directly at the princess.  "Nothing can save you all now from the death that will come sweeping down this mountainside."  The demon stretches it's neck 180 degrees to look at the approaching Bear.  Everyone could hear the bones popping and snapping as it's undead neck broke.  It continud to taunt, "Even now, my brethren move to destroy the sacred armory.  You will be too late mortal.  The aftifacts will be lost to you and your pitiful fold before you can reach them.  The master will rule the world because of your ultimate failure!"  After the last is spoken the demon begins to spit up more blood from it's mouth.  It again, begins to laugh as it crawls towards it's discarded weapon across the floor. More howls can be heard from the wolves occupying the nearbye valley forest.  They sound more startled and alot closer than before.  The wind begins to whistle even louder through the doorless entryway to the Inn.

[Alec_Shadowkin]

From deep within the blackness: the sounds of the wolves call. Struggling upward through a black curtain, trying to reach light. It would feel so good to just sink down forever.... NO! I will not stay in the darkness!!

Suddenly the frostbitten man coughs, raising himself to his knees and elbows. His vision clears and he sees a rough wooden floor, covered with stains, probably alcohol. "Water...." He gasps in a coarse, barely understandable voice. He fights the darkness still trying to drag him back down. The wolves are frightened and need him....

[Nobody]

"Shut up" Seraph says as he throws a paralysis dart at the other arm of the nearly immobilized demon. "Would have killed him, but he might have some information. Hope he is not immune to pain" he says as he pulls out a needle from his cape. "if this does not get him talking i dont know what will"

OOC: If for some inexplicable reason, the dart does not hit the creature's other arm, then Seraph would follow up with a few more darts until he gets it right. I am assuming that the creature is not currently the most dexterous thing around.

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  I noticed you were not pleased when one of your darts missed it's mark earlier, but understand at that point the demon was operating under normal circumstances with his full "supernatural" abilities in play..that is why it was able to knock aside the first dart!  Yes he is quite vulnerable now.

IC:  As the demon squirms his way forward on the floor using only it's good arm a dart wizzes by and impales itself on the demon's only good arm.  With another yelp of surprise the demon is left totally imobile.  It turns an ugly glare towards Seraph.  "My brethren will especially like the taste of your blood fool!  We all see through eachothers eyes and mark my words well boy!!  They now know our face and the sting of your darts."  More laughter ensues but is cut off immediately by the swish of Bear's great axe.  While the others were watching the demon's antics Bear had walked to the door and retrieved his lost ax.  After the demon's admission of the others being able to see through it's eyes, Bear had wasted no time.  The ax fell, and the demon's head went flying across the room.  Both blue glowing orbs were extinguished and the body began to melt away to an oily black icor on the floorboards.  Bear motioned for Hawk, a village warrior/hunter and gave him a nod signifying his authorization to begin organizing the towns defenses.  Next he turned to the Aden and asked, "Can you help the stranger on the floor?"  Without hearing her reply, he turned the gathered group of strangers and stated, "You have all arrived during a time of great importance.  The world has need of us!  Any one of you with the courage and the much needed skills to fight or aide in a dangerous campaign, speak now!  Time is growing short and the "Demon Winter" of legend, is now upon us!  Now, I ask again, who has the courage!"  Bear brushed his hands down to stop the predictable questions from escaping their lips, "I will only explain what is happening to those who will stand with me when the fight for our good world begins.  To much is left to prepare, and right now all I need to know is what kind of warriors stand in my bar tonight!"  With that being said, Bear grabs a wash cloth and starts cleaning his Battle Ax.  His eyes never leave the group as he takes in their facial expressions and reactions to his blunt speech.

[Shadoweagle]

Tsurin gave a faint smirk as the demon was toppled by his daggers, then henceforth destroyed by the swing of an axe. The blue-clad man grabbed his staff from the counter and made his way to where the demon perished, retrieving his daggers. A faint, indiscernable word is uttered from the mans lips, and the remainder of the ice on the daggers melt away and drip to the floor, purging the weapons from the black ichor stained on them. At Bears words, Tsurin gave another faint chuckle, whilst idly pressing a hand against his bruised ribs, testing how much pain came from it - nothing serious. "As I said - We all die sometime. Considering I am trapped in this town for a while anyway, I'm sure I can put my services to use." He gave a faint sigh, glancing down to his daggers before sliding them back behind his belt - if all the demons saw through that ones eyes, they would know about his dagger trick. Hopefully they wont realise it extends to more than daggers, however.

[Adel]

Aden now determination set in her viridian eyes kneels down infront of the strangers and states clearly, " I offer any services that are mine to give."  with this she closes her eyes and cups her hands. Her lips uttered words but no sounds came forth then with no hesitation water formed in her hands not a single drop falling from her grasp as she offered it to the impared stranger.

[Nobody]

OOC: Actually, i was rather expecting the demon to evade one of the darts, i just thought that since the second dart was colser to his face, that that would be the one to miss the demon. I really was not expecting it to hit him in the shoulder. He was looking at Adel, so a small dart almost out of his sight range should have hit, while the second dart was actually designed to test his abilities at dodging and blocking my weapon. To be honest though, i was actually quite pleased that the poisons had any effect at all. With the whole arm-regeneration thing that he did, I was not sure wether or not that I would be of use. It would have made my character useless as a fighter, and I probably would have had to split the campaign.

By the way, Seraph can throw about a dart per second. So that is just something you should know.

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In reply to Bear's request, Seraph just walked to the wall and threw an unpoisoned dart, landing it in the dead center of the red ring where Bear's mark still stood. "I believe you owe me twenty-five gold pieces, and if I survive this, I expect to be paid in full". At that, Seraph went about the room collecting the two darts in the demons shoulders, the dart in the floor, and the remaining dart sticking out of a chair that had been knocked over (although while he was back behind the bar where the dart was, he did grab a bottle of alchohol and slip it under his cloak without so much as a clink from the bottle)

[Alec_Shadowkin]

He turns onto his back as the beautiful elf maiden kneels next to him, creating water seemingly out of thin air. He drinks it greedily, feeling warmth beginning to flow back into his limbs.
"Thank you, Lady. He shakily gets to his feet, wobbling for a second, then holding the bar counter with one hand to help steady himself.
"I can certainly offer my services in this matter. I am a well-known chemist where I come from, and I think I may have a few things that could come in useful." He grasps the sides of his coat and holds it open allowing view into the dozens of pockets sewn into it. Numerous small vials, strange metal objects and many other seemingly random things are seen in some of the pockets before he closes his coat again.

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  I assume Thengal will be in?  

IC:  .....Bear takes in the five brave souls and can't help but think back on the prophecy.  "And the Guardian will lead the five heads of justice into the battle against the d**ned.  Armed with the power of the gods, they will be a mighty fold set to battle for the souls of the world...." he mumbles to himself.  Snapping back into reality, Bear grunts his approval.  "Please take a seat at the bar everyone"  he directs them with his hand.  As everyone takes their seats villagers begin to fix the solid wooden door to the inns entrance.  "As you all have seen, a menace is once again unleashed upon the world.  We are the only ones who can stop its spread before the winter freeze ends and the passes open up to the plains and world beyond.  If these, "demons" are able to spread out into the world we will be powerless to stop them.  I do not know how they were released, though I have my own speculations.  All I know is we must travel to the tip of the Dwarven Anvil and find the Lair of the Guardian.  Within this lair, the weapons of the Gods can be found.  We will need them to stop the necromancer from freeing himself from the Phantom Peak." Bear sighs.  "I wish I knew more.  But rest assured, it will all come back to me.  I think."  He raises his hand to stop the impending questions.  "I am the guardian my friends.  I have lived for centuries, although I can't remember my past lives.  All I know is that I am here to lead the generation's chosen warriors against the demons and their master whenever they find a breach back into our world.  According to the old texts, I will only regain my memory when the demons are released.  And then, only piece by piece.  A built in precaution to prevent me from acting or releasing any information I knew prematurely."  Bear smiles to disarm their exasperated looks.  "It will come to me.  At least we know what the first step is.  Finding the lair of the guardian.  My lair according to the texts.  Now, now that you know some of what we are up against, here is what I know of our enemy.  The demons can possess initially when they are released from their prison.  Mostly creatures weak in the mind or corrupt in spirit.  Once they have been in their host for 7 days, they become material in this world and can transform into their normal forms, thus assuming their true powers.  These powers can vary once they are in their original forms depending on what class and or type of demon they are.  The old writings do not go to deeply into this category I am afraid.  Finally, this is not the first time they have escaped their prison.  They have been doing so for centuries, and every time they have, myself with the help of the chosen have defeated them and sent them back.  We must do so again.  Now, please tell me, what skills, powers do you all possess.  Please do not keep secrets, it is vital that we all view ourselves as a team.  Right here, and right now!  Only as a team can we defeat the terror that has been unleashed upon this world."  After the last is stated, Bear takes a seat and wipes the pool of sweat from his brow.  You can clearly see that he is worn from concern.

[Shadoweagle]

Tsurin listened into the story with great intrigue, taking in every word. His gaze shifted momentarily to each of the members of this group, to study their reactions to what they were hearing. Personally, he was slightly shocked, but accepting of it. To him, it sounded like an adventure - and he always enjoyed adventures. "In terms of weaponry, I am proficient in using quarterstaves, and precise in aim with properly balanced daggers. Apart from that, I have the ability to alter heat - to change temperatures of places or objects dramatically. Control of the elements, you could say." Tsurin gave a small chuckle to himself, and a quick glance to Aden before continuing. "I've also tried my hand at summoning, but am only able to bring one creature to my aid, currently. A Familiar, more than anything." Tsurin, shifted, stretching his bruised muscled from his collision with the counter. "When this is all over, 'oh guardian', I'm going to expect a drink, on the house!"

[Adel]

Aden looked back at Tsurin and gave her head a slight bow. "We have mucn in common young warrior, As you have all seen I to am what man call an elemental. I however cannot control the elements I can commune with them, I can ask them to do what I wish and if my intentions are pure they will often oblige me. the elements are as I can best describe them Fire, earth, wind, water, and heart. To further clarify what I mean by heart, it seems to be the only element I ever receive questions about. As the elven folk have long since discovered their is......... how can I describe it.... something of a life force connecting us all. For me this is the the most difficult connection to make, the creature must be willing to allow me to commune with it. As of yet there are only two people I have been able to commune with one being my father, and If all is well I shall keep the second to myself it has no importance here.  All the same I ask you all to be eased I can not peer into your minds that is beyond my powers, I cannot do anything to you with out your knowledge or concent. I was apprehensive of sharing my gift here because Outside my home my "rare and special" gift has been met with nothing but resentment.  My story is my own and I will ask you to leave it at that, however if there are any questions about the powers that were bestowed about me I will kindly answer any.

[Alec_Shadowkin]

The man listens intently as the guardian and the first two of their little comraderie speak, then he stands.
"Well, I guess I should start by saying that my name is Gerrard Ferris. As I said, I am a chemist. I know the properties of most plants and minerals and can typically make a substance out of what I find. My area of expertise is explosives, though my most powerful creation is this." He reaches into his coat and pulls out a small vial of dark blue liquid.
"I'd like to show you what it does, but I have a limited supply of them left, so would rather keep them for emergencies. Beyond that, I can blow up most anything you need blown up, and I'm not too bad with a spear, though I lost mine in the snow somewhere." He shrugs and sits back down at the bar.

[The_Warlock]

(Phantom Peak).....Five feet from the smashed seal, five dark clad figures kneel on the cavern floor.  Each is a figure of complete darkness.  They are garbed in black cloth from head to toe to include a full faced mask that only reveals their eyes. (picture ninjas) This was a key in differentiating between them.  They were known throughout the world through fireside tales of horror as the Dark Elements.  Each had a different glowing eye color.  Colors to match the elements they controlled.  White for ice, Red for fire, Green for earth, blue for water, and gray for wind.  They had all been summoned as their ancestors had whenever the master made an attempt to re-enter the world.  Now was such a time.  All five knelt awaiting their instructions.  As time passed by a slight tremble could be felt on the cavern floor and walls around the five.  None of them dared to move.  Then the voice, a raspy whisper, entered their minds.  "Rise my slaves.  Time has come for you to prove your worthiness and earn your place as lords of the new world.  A new world I will forge once I am released from this prison.  Your first task is no easy one.  You must not fail.  You must leave this peak, seek out the guardian and his fold, and destroy them before they can reach the Lair of the Guardian.  I must leave the details of tracking them to you, for it is not within my powers at this stage to seek the lair.  It's location still eludes me in my weakended state.  You shall go forth in teams of two.  Fire and wind search to the south.  Earth and Water search the north.  Ice you will remain in the Phantom Peaks to safeguard the seal and bide me time so I can finish the preparations to leave my imprisonment.  Do not fail me!  There are worse things than death and if you fail me, be assured, you will learn these things by my hand!  Now go!  Already, I have seen the guardian through one of my other servent's eyes.  They prepare even now, to travel to the Lair of the Guardian.  They must be stopped.  Now go!" After the last is spoken in their minds the tremble in the cavern subsides and the five rise and take their leave to begin the hunt.  

OOC:  Waiting for the others to post their powers so I can continue from the Inn.  Hope you enjoy the new twist I have added up above.

[Adel]

OOC: just a question, but are not water and ice the same element? If you can without revealing to much of the story explian the difference between the two and if any of thier powers overlap, meaning can the water elemental ninja guy utilize the power of ice?  Just a question. I think that it is best to keep things thorough! thanks a bunch!  

[Shadoweagle]

OOC: In terms of spells and the like, water is associated with calmness or poisons. Examples are such as disease, sleep, paralysis and so on. Ice is more hostile, with things such as Glacial spike and freeze, and so on.

That's the only difference I can really think of them

[Adel]

So you are claiming that since water is the only substance that can assume all three forms of matter, each should be considered a different element? I understand the harshness of one and the potentially dangerous calmness of the other, I however always just portrayed the water element to one of  extreme particular mood, versitile in the way it could potentially attack. Another question to answer then if ice and water are considered different is the third form that water takes considered one too? Inorder to allow my character to follow the bylines set by this game I feel that it is important to understand the terms in which we are playing thoroughly! thanks!

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  Without reading too much into it, my ice elemental is a master at manipulating ice!  He can turn water into Ice, freeze you where you stand, harness a blizzard and direct it in a certain way....etc....his domain is changing the temperature in an object towards the negative on a thermometer and then weilding that object!  The water elemental can manipulate water, not change temperature.  He could cause a tidal wave in a lake, cause water to turn into a toxic poison or purify it.  He has the power to both heal and kill with water.  That is the difference between them.  They are not the elements themselves, just can manipulate certain properties of the existing elements, much as a wizard uses what is around him to mold into spells.  To make things easier, look at them as wizards who specialize in the different elemental properties characterized by their names.  Hope this explains all.

[Alec_Shadowkin]

OOC: Would it be at all possible for people to get back on track so that we can do something here? We've been sitting around asking OOC questions for a good three or four days now, and I personally would like to continue roleplaying.

[Nobody]

"Wait", Seraph chuckled. "You're telling me that I am some divine hero going to save the world?". He sounded unconvinced. "Well then," Seraph said, "let me reveal to you who I am. My name is Seraph, and unlike our poor little elf girl, the "resentment" I get from others has no beneficial reward or concealability, and all that keeps me alive, is slitting the throats of those who would have mine, while they sleep". As he said this, he pulled the grey hood of his cloak down revealing a face like that of a rat or a mouse. "As you may yet know, my weapon of choice is poison. specifically on the end of a dart." As for powers, well i don't really have any. So feel free to look for others for help in battle, cause im not the noble little guy you were hoping for."

(However, in his little speech, Seraph failed to mention that his other specialties including assasinating people, escaping from particularly dangerous situations, and robbing people blind while they did not know it. Nor did he mention his ability to see clearly at night, his heightened sense of smell and hearing, or is aability to climb just about anything that had not been polished)

OOC: you could have just claimed elemental power over cold. Why it has to be "Ice" specifically, does not make any sense.