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Arcana · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:32 am Post subject: Stuff of Nightmares

Arcana sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her eyes and trying to dimiss the troubled thoughts of her eventful evening from her mind so that she might find some much needed rest. Nightmares had been troubling her sleep for weeks now, and they were growing worse.

She had one hand on her bootlaces when she heard the dull bang of Riverrun's sturdy oak doors being thrown wide. Guttural, rough voices followed and the stomping of heavy feet. An all-too-familliar smell wafted up to her room. Orcs.

She swore and ran to the balcony and looked down. A lot of orcs. And they probably weren't here to sample Nkai's ale. She swore again and grabbed her bow. The orcs were searching the house now and it was only a matter of time before they found her. She hurridly tied a lock of her hair to her hair to her falcon's leg and launched the bird from the balcony, hoping the swift-flying raptor would find someone.

She ran downstairs, and half a dozen orcs spotted her before she could reach the door. "Ugh der! Iz da fem!" one shouted gleefully and nearly a score of orcs converged on her, surrounding her and pawing her roughly as they bound her arms and stuffed a foul-tasting wool gag in her mouth. She struggled in vain; there were simply far too many of them, and she was roughly pushed through a red-tinted moongate accompanied by the orc's coarse laughter.

Those friends who came looking for her found naught at Riverrun but a small sign of the scuffle and the pungent reek of orc in the air.

Arlin · Slightly Crazed Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 1464

Arlin sat at his desk, going over report after report from his ever growing army. A pidgeon landed on his window sill, and at first he paid no attention to it, untill he noticed something different about the message it carried. Instead of a note, it was a lock of hair.

Arcanas hair.

He immedietly recalled to River Run, Arcanas estate, and was accosted by the pungent smell of Orc.

He sent out an alert to all Frontiersmen, and by the time he arrived at the Abbey, a large rescue force had been assembled. Arlin spoke little, but spoke rapidly. A gate was opened and the charge was led against the Orcish forces consolidated there.

Arlin charged out, holding his scimitar high over his head...and ran straight into a pool of mud. Despite Arlins best efforts, he couldnt free himself, and he found himself lying on his back in the mud after a few moments, arrows portruding from both his shoulders and his leg.

He watched as his army fought valiently, but against the Orcs feshly sharpened weapons and thicker armor, they were no match. The half-ogre plucked the arrows from his chest, and by the time he had gathered himself up, he was standing face to face with a particulary nasty looking Orc. No doubt the leader of this band.

'Ju kum wit meb' he huffed, and turned around. Arlin followeed him, after telling his soldiers to go home and tend to thier wounded. The rest of the orcs sneereed and jeered at Arlin, as the Orcish Warboss led him upstairs. There, bound and sitting at a table, was Arcana. Arlins heart plummeted. 'Wut da fem wurt to ju?' One Orc asked.

'Ill take her place, just let her go free...' Arlin had let her down, and he couldn't live with himself if she got hurt. He had to make sure she was safe.

'Ju lub da fem den? Awww, dey gunna kizz!' This comment drew a cloud of guttural laughter from the gathered orcs, untill the warboss turned around and told them to shut it.

'Jub libden to meh, ogor. Ju stay outta orc lanz, and we nub budder ju in da flowah lanz. Bub if ju helpun dem Yewbies attackun da orc lands...'
The orc drew his finger across his neck for emphisis. 'Ju know, ju an meb culd bein' guuden frens, 'elpin ta push dem Yewbies outz.' Arlin growled, and demanded Arcana be releashed to him now.

The orc warboss nodded, cut the bounds on her hands, and Arcana and Arlin limped out of the Warfort, watched by the hoarde of gathered orcs. They made thier way back to Arcana's estate, but not before Arlin had blamed himself for failing to protect her.
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As the fire fades to night, remember always the ember that started it all.

Deidle · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:50 am Post subject:

It was late and Deidle was just about to head off to bed. He went to the window to take one last look at the peacful sky for the night. Suddenly a screech came from the darkness and a hawk came out of the nothingness and landed on the window. Deidle smiled.

"A message from our guild lady it seems." but it was much more than that. A simple lock of hair. Deidle knew that this must have been a message of urgency. Arcana must have been to hurried to write. The hawk took off as quickly as it came but did not go back in the direction of Arcana's home. Deidle waisted no time. He mounted up and headed to Riverrun.

Upon his arival at the guild house a pungent smell offended his nose. "ORCS!" he yelled. Busting through the already opend door he saw that the main room downstairs was in shambles. There was no sighn of his guild mistress. It was obvious that somthing foul had happend. Deidle sat in disbeleif and tears began to well up in his eyes.

"ARCANAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" the yell rang all the way from Vesper to Fire Isle. Deidle waited in silence, for he knew the others would be along soon. Then the Knights would have work to do. To find their lady, and make the Orcs pay. A KOS scout had reported that the orcs did not want the Knights in their fight but they now had them. Indeed the Knights would now fight, and the orcs would regret this day.

Deidle looked outside as he heard some scuffles. Two shadows, one small and looking very frail at the moment. The other large and holding the other as it walked. It was Arcana and Arlin and Arcana did not look to be at her best. Deidle rushed over and helped Arlin with his guildmistress. You are safe m'lady. He gave a quick glance to Arlin as a sort of thank you for he knew that Arlin was not one for pleasentries. Besides, this was not the time to be a knight. Deidle sighed, Arcana was safe in her home at last.... but this changed nothing.
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*The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.*

Arcana · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 11:27 am Post subject:

As the battle was joined, the orcs hauled her to an upstairs room in their fort. So much for trying to slip away in the chaos, she thought unhappily, her initial relief at the appearance of a rescue party of AOF and H*G forces turning to worry. Hopefully the orcs would keep Arieus and Arlin distracted from trying to kill each other.

They secured her bound arms to a heavy stone table and left her with two guards. The guards – two orc females – possessed, at best, four teeth between them and chattered incessantly to each other and at her. Her orcish was rusty, but she caught the mocking gist easily enough. Unfortunately, her rude retort was spoiled by the gag still in her mouth. One of the females, amused, removed the gag. Arcana spat a few wool fibers out of her mouth.

The orcs continued mocking her and threatening dire things to befall her, but she only half-heard it, concentrating instead on the sounds of battle coming from outside the windowless room. Above the brutal orcish battle cries she heard the dying screams of humans and elves.

An ominous silence followed and orcs began filling the room. One of their lords – Snarfu she heard him called – loomed over her, grabbing her chin in his dirty paw and forcing her head up to look at him.

“Now yub see da powar ob da Bludgud!” he chortled. “Ib ju tink ju ken hep da armee ob dat ogor clump da orcs, mi ruin jur lif!”

Arcana angrily jerked her chin out of his grasp and glared at him defiantly. “You and your god can rot in hell,” she snapped. The orc leader only chortled harder and barked some orders to a few of the waiting orcs.

More jeering from the orcs, and they returned leading a tall, battered figure into the room. “Arlin!” she cried in a mix of relief at seeing him and dismay that he might now be a prisoner too. Snarfu and Arlin began a near-violent, heated negotiation in orcish, but Arcana was too distracted by the taunts of the orcs to follow much of it. One brandished a lit torch dangerously close until his lord angrily put a stop to it. Two other orcs sat nearby, discussing possible uses for her skin after they’d removed it. A fourth looked at her speculatively as one of the orc females egged him on to kiss her. The first of those feckers to try it, Arcana thought, her eyes glittering dangerously, is going to lose his tongue. She held onto her anger grimly to keep her rising fear away from panic.

Abruptly, Snarfu cuffed and cursed her disappointed captors away and cut her bonds. She chafed at her wrists to restore the circulation.

“Go wit ogor. Ju lebe!” he ordered. “Ju no fite orcs wit hiz armee ur elsz,” he added, drawing a thick finger across his throat for emphasis.

Arcana clenched her jaw and said nothing but hurried to Arlin’s side before the orc changed his mind. She had a feeling of sickening dread about what her half-ogre might have been forced to do in order to save her.

Her. The obvious chink in Arlin's armor. A lever to be used to bend him. She felt horrible.

As she and Arlin hurried downstairs amidst the crowd of orcs who gave them liberal farewell shoves, Arcana heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats and the whinny of a horse. Defenders Merlina and Enix galloped into view on lathered horses, weapons drawn. “My lady!” Enix cried upon seeing her.

“I’m freed,” she said quickly, “Return to Riverrun at once before they change their minds.” Her two knights-in-training nodded and formed a close escort, though their two blades would have been small defense if the orcish horde chose to interfere.

A short time later, Merlina dropped the heavy bar in place behind Riverrun’s doors. For once heedless of the presence of her knights, Arcana threw herself into Arlin’s arms, hugging him tightly, allowing herself this moment of weakness before she had to pull herself together and lead.

Arlin · Slightly Crazed Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 1464

Arcana threw her arms around Arlin, and Arlin hugged her tightly, rocking her protectively. She was safe now, but things could have been much, much different. He could have lost Arcana, who meant more to him then anything had ever before. She, who had brought him back to the light, taught him what it was to love.

He had failed her, he had put her in harms way. It wasn't fair, that she should suffer for his foolish ambitions. He turned his head away from her, and hung it low. 'I's sorry Arcy...I couldna protect ya. I couldna save ya. I failed ya...' He trailed off, as she looked up at him, he crystalline blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

'You did your best Arlinl. And...I'm safe, for now. Thats all that matters, come, sit with us.' She motioned to a table, where her two knights were already seated. Arlin plopped down, his shoulders sagging, not so much from the wounds of battle, but from the defeat. How could he claim to love Arcana, and yet be unable to defend her at all. 'Arlin, what exactly did you tell the Orc, that they let me go?'

Arlin sighed. He had hoped she wouldn't ask this question. 'I agreed ta not fight the orcs fer Felluca Yew. If I did...they said...' He looked down. He couldn't even bring himself to repeat what they had said they would do to Arcana. It was too horrible a thought, but what was left unsaid, was more then enough to speculate on.

'Arlin, you can't have agreed! You can't just continue to leave Fel Yew in thier paws! You're going to leave them alone, after what they did to me?' Arlin groaned and his heart twisted. There was no way he could win it seemed. He'd have rather taken Arcanas place, then let an entire city continue to be ruled by the orcs. But he couldn't leave the woman he loved in thier clutches.

'I agreed Arcy...I...I cant imagine life witout ya!' He pleaded with her. Her two knights watched, and Arlin couldn't help but admire he resilience. But she didnt realize how close he had come to losing her. She wanted to go and fight the orcs, but what if they captured her again? He hadn't been able to rescue her this time...

Just then, the Orc Warboss, Snarfu, moved out of the shadows, and Arlin lept to his feet, drawing his scimitar and facing off with the battle hardened Orc. Battle, it seemed, was not what the Orc wanted...
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As the fire fades to night, remember always the ember that started it all.

Snarfu (ORC Warboss) · Visitor Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Yew

"Ugh Frend" Snarfu bellowed as he watched the two young Knights move into a defensive position around Arcana, by the looks of then they couldnt have been more than 25 human years and so Snarfu dismissed them entirely.

"I aint ya friend Orc" Replied Arlin, rather quickly.
As the Lady Arcana wept quietly over in the corner and the 2 young warriors eyed the Orc in front of them, Snarfu got down to business

"Meh am glad weh hab an unndahstundin, ju stey owt of Grishnakopoliz, and ju kan hab flowah land all tu ju selbes. Da Orcs will deel wit da yewbies."

Arlin rolled his eyes in disgust and nodded. "I told ya Orc, Ya aint gots ta worry 'bout them. They're as much my enemy as yers"

With that Snarfu Growled at one of the young knights, sending him falling back over one of the tables, and headed for the door......

A short time later, Snarfu was sitting in the nob council chambers thinking to himself if the message truly had gotten across, or if the half Ogre was a stubborn as some of the others he had faced in his time.
He sighed a deep long sigh and muttered under his breath.

"Meh am gittin tu uld fer dis"

-Snarfu
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Et, Drink, Clump humies

Gorgon · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:57 pm Post subject: Soulz

"BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD," The Orcish Horde screamed as they plunged into battle.

The sharp quick sounds of blades sliced through not only the tension, but the flesh of man, Orc, Ogre, and Elf. The smell of crisp magic and the fumes of the undead filled the tormented battle.

Thud. Thud. Thud. The spattering of arrows hissed through the air, converging on the alliance and hitting their marks. Snarfu the warboss rammed through the enemy lines, hacking and cleaving appendages[Some Elves got rather unlucky!] from torsos. Grig'nag charged down random do-gooders and gave them gentle, long-term dirt naps. Yigog made random warriors sizzle in their places. Gorgmogi shouted war chants and blessings to both Oblivion and the Bludgod alike.

The result: Fresh servants and test subjects.

Gorgmogi's mind was still the same. Of all the humans and what-have-you there, he wanted to sacrifice the female they originally took captive. But the bludgod would have so settle for second best, elbzies!

Arcana · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 11:49 am Post subject:

Some nights later, Arcana and Arlin sat in the office at Empath Abbey, trying to plan a quiet evening for themselves later in the week. It would be very nice, she thought, to get away from the demands of leadership, the constant interruptions from the Army, the scandalized looks of some of her knights, and... Tir'Og the orc busrting into the room and attempting to slay Arlin while being followed by half the Army.

"That's it!" Arcana snarled furiously, drawing her bow.

Although wounded, the agile orc made another circuit of the room, somehow managing to avoid the multitude of weapons arrayed against him. That did not, however, save him from Arcana's arrow, which burried its barbed head in the orc's back with a satisfying thump.

The dying orc staggered and was caught by his pursurers and quickly finished off. Several soldiers spat on the corpse, but Arcana did no such thing. They'd crossed blades many a time over the years, and Tir'Og was a good fighter. He deserved some measure of respect for it. All the same... she prodded the body with her toe and felt rather satisfied with the outcome. One dead orc and some of the score settled with the Stormreavers.

Acejuk · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 6:35 pm Post subject:

Acejuk spat on the ground from the unguarded East side of the Abbey with him and his small group of Nel'Garok water orcs with him. He was planning on a small hit and run... Ace gave the signs to Waruk as he and them snuck up on a few snoozing guards, and an AoF mage. Chuckling at how incompetent their guards were, Ace asked the mage for tribute giving him sufficient time to hand it over. Infortunately the only thing that was given was several bolts in the back which, in course, woke the guards.

"Hey its ORCS!" squalled one before Gur'nag and Waruk pounced on him giving him an orcish necktie. The other was a bit smarter... if it had not for him being outnumbered his sheild might have lasted long enough for him to get away or recieve help.. This wasn't the case.

Then came a shudder, it seems the AoF mage had sent out a pidgeon to those soldiers patroling Yew, two mounted and menacing knights drove up hitting the orcs hard from behind. Instictively, the orcs bunched together to help their comrade who was on the verge of death. They had made a mistake though... They had stayed in the same spot long enough for one of the other more nimble orcs to toss a bola to the Frontiersmen, rendering them useless. The orcs dispatched him. What had originally been planned as a hit and run was turning into a life or death situation.
Acejuk, realizing what was about to happen, decided it was time to high tail it out of there. The orcs made their get away just as they noticed Lord Vaen Swiftar riding out of the abbey, but being distracted by the invurnable knight of justice, Malicite had seemingly stumbled across the orc group. Brave as he was it turned out as everything else had.

As Acejuk's age crept up on him, he realized that he himself was lucky to have survived the night, and should probably be more careful in the future.
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Who steals from the thief? The government, thats who.