Whispering Leaves

[Avvy]

Through out Siranda the trees whispered, leaves rustling, telling each other of secrets beneath the soil, of words spoken in growls and grunts, of promises made.

Each city, each town, all were touched by the strange breeze. No wind blew, and yet the leaves moved.

In Annedhel; A bloody hand print marks the door of each building within the desert's edge town. Winds whip about the sands, creating a slightly more hostile environment to any who travel there.

In Baraban; the library, the tavern, the farm house, each bore the mark of a bloody hand print on their door. The trees of the Misty Wood were closer then normal, blocking off more light, giving off a feel of violence, of hatred, to those who enter it.

In Eledreth; Bloody prints marked each door as with the other towns, including the temple. The crystal within the town bore a matching print.

Faeloth Village; Even the remote village wasn't left untouched. The bloody hand prints marking each door in the snow strewn plateau. Even the partially built wall around the monastery was marked by the hand print.

In Kalaram the bloody prints were randomly strewn about, not just on doors but on walls throughout the city. At the entrance the vines that had stopped growing once again began to creep inwards, slowly crumbling the cobble beneath as they grew.

Luca; the coast city bore a prints as well, though the Shadowfist residence was untouched by the strange markings.

Ludor; The city leading to the Island Sanctuary was marked almost as much as Kalaram, the forest starting to grow inwards, vines and brambles slowly rooting in the stone streets.

Within the Ringwood forest the twisted, corrupted trees continued to whisper, at night wolves could be heard within the dark shadows, calling to one another as they guarded.

[karajix101]

*Saethe wanders up to the wall and wonders what it is, and asks if anyone can identify it before he rids the wall of it.*

[gatalis]

*Claire would look around, seeming to find the bloody handprints in Kalaram to be as natural as the rain, or the undead. She would however take note of the growing vines, whispering to herself...*

"Even I'm no fool... Something big is comming."

*If she enters or leaves the city she would take special care to step over the vines and plantlife*

[Bumlader]

*Zenstone would walk into the city of Fealoth's village and he'd notice the bloody hand prints..*

"Hrm, to many bloody hand prints..I dont think it's a undead."

*Zenstone would walk swiftly up to the Temple Grounds wondering if there would be a bloody hand print there too..And he'd find it..*

"I think..I might have a clue whats going on."

*Zenstone looks up to the sky, looking at the snow fall down to the ground. He'd sigh underneath his helmet..He'd begin to walk down to the village..Thinking.*

"I wonder if these prints are in other cities.." *He would walk down the mountains and check the other cities for bloody handprints*

[BALLS OF STEEL]

Lucien's orange eyes flick down to a newly grown vine at his feet. The fire-genasi crushes the sapling under his metal greave as his gaze turns to the forest without a sound. Hours later, thin smoke can be seen from the outskirts of Kalaram, accompanied by the sweet smell of burning wood and the acrid stench of brimstone.

[xkcdapostle]

*The marks in Baraban would be cleaned, the blood having been scraped from all the doors. Some of the Trees that crept closer from the Misty Wood would be mercilessly burned and the soil they moved into salted to deny any growth.

The Small Clearing would also be expanded, not by flame, but by a great axe cutting down the trees with its edge aflame and keen from magic. The axe cannot be seen to be wielded by any man, it simply floats and then swings into the trunk of the trees. Once an additional 5 metres on each side left and right of the entrance's was cut, only the entrances to the wood and the town would remain unchanged in the small clearing.

Those going to Baraban during this time would note the Farmhouse's chimney has smoke rising. In there a large cauldron of seawater is boiled and salt lines its rim. Passing to and from the Ringwood, a white line line divides the border between Baraban and the Wood. If one were to taste the line, it would be salt. It is not complete, only 10 metre's has been drawn into the ground on top of upturned soil, the grass by it seems to be losing its colour. Judging by the open shed in Baraban, a hoe and numerous tools for gardening have been brought out, and their blades are crusted with dry soil.

Where more resilient plants from Ringwood attempt to grow, they would be blackened and stout footprints would be seem in the ash. The trees, should they be Niamh's agents, would see a stout figure of 4 ft high in blue robes and cape, with gold trimmings lining the cloak and forming a pattern on the back. Holding a staff topped with a obsidian and a dagger with flame along its edge, the figure's face is concealed by a copper grill over his mouth on his blue helmet looks at these potential sources for scrolls. Gesturing to a great axe, the weapon would lift and float toward the trees, pruning the branches so that they do not over hang Baraban's open grounds.*

[Addendum]

*With over a week of activity, the salt ring to denote the salted earth strategy to shield the town of Baraban from the advancing wood would border the Ringwood, yet still would not be completed. Only a ring of turned earth denotes the incomplete parts. Imps are summoned and sent to collect ingredients, Alchemic Liquid, Dry Oil, Bluebaim Shards and Alchemist's Fire. They bring them back and end their service once enough has been stocked. The Small Clearing hasn't been expanded any further, and the trees that had their branches pruned would be slowly regrowing what they lost, were it not for the imps tasked with killing any budding branch on the trees then the wood would be advancing further and faster. Never straying into the wood during these activities, only along its edge, one could tell that they are not doing this to destroy the woods. More to prevent them from taking Baraban.

Watching them work and ensuring the undead here do not interfere with the progress, the Dwarf in Blue and Gold and Copper walks along the salt barricade. Some sections are disturbed by the dead and some the living. No matter, for the salt was not only placed on top, but amongst the soil to a depth of a metre to deny any root growth that would affect Baraban. Though with the trees able to go down further, only knowledge of Alchemy could stop it. For there are noted chemicals that can enhance growth; perhaps with a slight alteration, they can take the life from trees. Tricking them into absorbing a liquid mixture of Potash, enhanced with negative energies to weaken them as they drink it. The Dwarf stops and gestures to an Imp nearby, who flies to his side and lands atop his staff.*

"Master, to what do we owe this pleasure and honour?"
"You may dispense with the pleasantries Apostle, I am here to put this work back on schedule"
"I assure you Lord Vesur, my Imps are working as fast as they can."
"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them."
*The Imp seems fearful at this point and continues*
"I tell you this work will be completed on schedule"
"I do not share this optimistic appraisal of the situation."
*The imp then flashes his teeth*
"Yet you ask the impossible, I need more slaves."
"Then perhaps I should motivate you to perform more effectively..."
//If only I could say that Lucien is coming here, alas... the full scene of Vader's arrival on the Second Death Star is not complete...
"We shall double our efforts!" *The imp quickly says, then bows to the Dwarf*
"I should hope so Apostle, for your sake. Your masters in hell are more forgiving, than I am."

*Vesur dismisses the Imp back to its job and continues to inspect the work, destroying the undead where needed. Then he passes the logs of trees cut down, were you able to see his face, smiling as the logs are broken up to feed the cauldron's fire. Some logs lie on another pile and are left to dry...*

[There's something you should know...]

*Silence is Golden. However, returning from Castle Siranda and the Lab, after producing alchemical agents to assist the work, Vesur sees the work ended. Malicious small hands having damaged parts and in their escape leave burn marks. Walking to the Farmhouse, where the chimney no longer smokes, the cauldron inside lies on its side, some water lies within the pot and settled puddles stretch out on the floorboards. Passing these signs of pettiness one may expect of imps, Vesur collapses on the bed in the small room and sleeps in his clothing.

Hours pass and Vesur wakes, noting the cupboard by him has fists pounding at the door. Opening it, he comes to face one particular imp and grabs it before it can do anything to escape.*

"It seems I am most fortunate to find the I left in charge of this work. Before I freeze you with this Icestorm Orb I prepared, perhaps you would be so kind as to illuminate me of your fellows whereabouts..."

*Vesur holds the imp firmly and with his other hand holds a glass sphere with ice raging inside like a rather violent storm, trapped in a snow globe.*

"If it pleases my Master, then I shall be most obliging." *gasps the imp* "I do need to breath..."
"Very well," *Vesur loosens his grip slightly* "you are most polite for an imp, one reason I made you my new familiar."
"I'm sure..." *mutters in infernal, then the imp returns to common* "They knew when you died, for they could do as they pleased."
"I care not for the geas' completion. Where are the imps?" *Vesur then peers down more so*
"Or rather, why did you hide in the cupboard? No... You were left there- ah I see, they were most kind to leave you to me... A small price before they go back to Baator."
*The imps looks at the dwarf, wondering when he can get the pain over with, then smiles*
"They were going to burn the library, I managed to stop them... Before they put me in the cupboard" *The imp leaves out his part in drawing the bawdy images of male genitalia on most of the scrolls left there...*
"I see, so you believed I would come back. A most reasonable assumption. You have yet to answer where the others went."
"Some went back to their plane, the others fled into the woods and the coast. They wanted to have some fun. Leave this place behind in a bang-"
"Quite... No matter, Baraban is lost. I shall have to accept that my attachment to this Library will be my undoing. Kalaram shall have to be the focus of my assistance, assuming that my observations are correct in the Druid being behind this. It is most likely that she will attempt to reclaim all the towns. Something that will not be of great assistance to the archiving of scrolls."
*Vesur then releases the Imp*
"Now Apostle, go. Find Lucien and inform him that I shall offer my assistance in exchange for his. Else I will ensure that your fate will be the same as any who left this work."
*The imp seems relieved at being released, however still looks bitter before leaving the house.
Vesur exits the building, as he leaves a chest follows him. An arm hangs out of the lid, which Vesur promptly puts back into the chest and shuts it. Zombies walk by, not perceiving the Dwarf and chest, both invisible to dead and living alike. Only the wolves of the wood may sense this Dwarf as he travels, any in his path would be a momentary distraction; however they seem to be wise enough to not attack him. Perhaps they will once he reproduces the vision he sent that spy who scried him in the lair. Yes... They will see all as he had foreseen.*

[gatalis]

The brambles and weeds around the entrance to Ludor would have seemed to be left unabated for some time... Months passed without action taken towards them. Their treck onward into the town left unchecked.

A change, a stir. Unholy green fire and light would rain from the sky, destroying the vegetation that had taken root unabated within the small port town for so long. A figure clad with Black and Green plated armor would seem to cast the spells, the symbol of a clenched fist in her opened left palm. Though her face would be covered by a strange skull mask, the wild rage in her eyes would be apparent. An Erinyes nearby would seem to be writing something down on a scroll, looking over the green fires with glee.

As the job is completed, and the vegetation has been pushed back into Ringwood, the dark-clad woman would seem to dissapear as fast as she came about. Those of divine training could definetly feel an unholy presence around the ash.

[Bumlader]

May 26, 2012 23:14:27 GMT -5 gatalis said:

The brambles and weeds around the entrance to Ludor would have seemed to be left unabated for some time... Months passed without action taken towards them. Their treck onward into the town left unchecked.

A change, a stir. Unholy green fire and light would rain from the sky, destroying the vegetation that had taken root unabated within the small port town for so long. A figure clad with Black and Green plated armor would seem to cast the spells, the symbol of a clenched fist in her opened left palm. Though her face would be covered by a strange skull mask, the wild rage in her eyes would be apparent. An Erinyes nearby would seem to be writing something down on a scroll, looking over the green fires with glee.

As the job is completed, and the vegetation has been pushed back into Ringwood, the dark-clad woman would seem to dissapear as fast as she came about. Those of divine training could definetly feel an unholy presence around the ash.

*Zenstone would walk into the city with haste, though being to late..he'd find the ashes..He'd kneel down next to it..then to Ringwood*

"Last time I was here, there were plants coming from Ringwood.. Who would destroy part of the forest that lives in Kalaram..Could it be Lady Kiara?? I'll need to ask...It cannot be Lucien, he stays in Kalaram. The Banites have been doing things here such like pretending to be a good god when all Bane is, is a cretin."

*Zenstone thought to himself..He shakes his head and pushes himself up and looks around..Thinking of something.*

"I need to inform Saethe to stop hunting Lucien down and help me with these Banites. The Arch Druid will probably aid us if I inform her about this."

*Zenstone would cast Death Ward and Negative Energy Protection on himself.* "Might as well look around the city." *He mumbled..Then he started to walk around the city..Hoping to find a specific person out in the open..Though he would find nothing and shrugs* "Nobody is home at the moment" *Zenstone turns and exits the city of Ludor and heads over to Niamh's home!*