Episode One: The Order of the Twelve Willows

[celest]

Kiley looks up and over at Pol. She looks around quickly trying to spot whatever he had seen. She moves over closer to Pol unsure what she should do. She tries to watch more closely for a hiding place. Still finding little she turns to Pol. "What should I do?" she asks trying to hid the fear in her voice. I want to help fight but I have no battle skills. I can't see any place to hide if there is danger so I should stay with the group, on the other hand I don't want to be in the way.

[sagetim]

Pol simply replied, " Stick with me, if nothing else, we can stay out of the others way. " and if worse comes to worse, I can act as a shield.....or at least an annoying obstruction. in any case, I doubt our stalker will be firing off an explosive blast, and as such by sticking together we can cover for eachother.


((short I know, but.....eh....I can't really think of much more for him to do. ))

[celest]

She nodds and follows closely behind him. She looks around trying to see what ever Pol had seen. She thought for a moment of drawing her pendulem in hopes of atleast finding the direction where danger may come from but she pushed the thought aside deciding it was better to keep moving with the group than stand and concintrate and fall behind. She asks quietly, "What do you think you saw, and where was it?"

[sagetim]

As he continued to move with the group, Pol replied, " what I saw? I don't know what it was, but I do know it was to the left of us....it seemed to dissapear just as I focused my attention on it....if I were to venture a guess, it would be that the thing was otherworldly, or at least well practiced in the art of stealth."

[eunhathes]

"Otherworldly?" She says with keen interest. "Sadly, I may have to leave this fight in your hands, Pol. I know that I cannot harm a spirit. It is impossible, to say the least." She looked ruefully down at the ground. "I cannot strike what is not of this existence."

[artemi]

Deus strained his eyes, looking around in slight confusion. "I... see nothing. This must indeed be a careful spirit, if that is what it is..."

Carefully keeping an eye out any hidded attackers, he slowly moved between the indicated direction and the others. While he suspected he would not be all that useful in this sort of fight, he was determined to take hits, if needed. Best to use his powerful body for something...

[celest]

A spirit? That would explain why I can't see it. If we are to battle this spirit... I don't want to be in Pol's way. He may need space to concintrate or perform his rituals. i don't want to be a nusaince. She takes a step away from him. "Pol, I don't want to be in your way."

[Lylie]

ma'ia looks at kiley and tells her "will you stop it? if you dont think that you can do something well then you wont be able to do. get a back bone. stand up and start thinking that you can and instead of you cant. theres not always going to be someone there to hold your hand and say now dont worrie, ill be there to show you how you can stand up for yourself and protect yourself. you have to learn to do it. and your not going to get in anyones way unless you think that you are." she doesnt say this harsh but in a tone that says im telling you for your own good. she gives kiley a sympethic look and asks " who broke you down so much?"

[celest]

She looks at Ma'ia a bit startled at first. No one had ever told her things like that before. She lowers her head. "I am sorry. Most of my life I was told what I could do and what I could not. I given a role in the community and was trained to fulfill it and do nothing else. Any other person from my village would be more knowledgable than I am for they would have been trained in many things. I was only trained in one area and was not very sucessful. But because of circumstances my failures were over looked and I continued my training." She looks up. "I just was never given a reason to be sure of my self. I want to be more help but I don't want to be a problem either."

[Lylie]

"stop saying your sorry. start thinking you can. and stop leting other beat you down. that includes me." she steps infront of kiley and stops. she looks into her eyes and say "dont let anyone tell you what you can and cant do. you do that and your letting others decide your limitations." she turns around and starts to walk again. but stops mid turn and sees a butterfly. she starts to run after the pretty butterfly trying to catch it.

[eunhathes]

Tia stops suddenly. She stiffens, and then readies her polearm. "I just saw it too." She said, a tremor halfway creeping into her voice. "I don't think it was a spirit, unless the spirits can move the branches of the trees like that." Her partisan was leveled at a great ancient birch, whose trunk, though the height of a man in its girth, was still trembling from the shock of a body leaving it.

Kraln also noticed it, and said, "Circle to protect the... " His voice trailed off. Somehow, the party had lost track of the Grandmaster and her party. "This is indeed bad. Where is the Grandmaster and her Knights!?" Kraln was now genuinely worried. He drew his sword and readied his shield. He quickly prayed to the Willow for courage and guidance.

Tia kept her weapon out front. She would be ready for this, this... thing. She licked her lips in anticipation of combat.

[celest]

Kiley looks around wildly for a moment not sure what to do. I still dont see it, but i guess we know now that it isn't a spirit. I think. Oh, what should i do? Pol, Pol said stick with him. Oh I hope I didn't offend him when I walked away. She moves cautiously back over to Pol. A look of fear is obvious on her face as she again search the near by gorund for some means of defence.

[sagetim]

After listening to mi'ia chaste Kiley for a few minutes, Pol looked over to Tia and kraln as they spoke. if it's not a spirit, then good, less work for me! er....well, at least I know I won't be alone in combat against it...either way, I'm going to stick in the middle....where it's probably safe enough to prepare my talismans. even if it's physical, I am kinda hoping it's demon enough to be affected....if not, well....I can try plan B.

As Kiley moves cautiously over to him, Pol leads them both to the center of the group, drawing a talisman from his belt pouch. wait a freakin minute! if the grandmasters are missing, this could all be a simple test of our awareness or abilities put forth by them.....we'll be lucky if it's only that.

"we may be lucky yet, if the grandmasters are missing, this could all simply be a test for us. if not, well....let's at least do our best."

[Lylie]

"that sounds like something that grandma mi'ia would do, and has done on occation." she backed up to kiley. she looked at her and smile "do not worrie i will stay by your side as long as he" she looks at pol "does not distract me by his shinny things" she took a fighting stance between kiley and where the thing was last seen.

[artemi]

Narrowing his eyes, Deus decided to grasp this problem head on. If the creature was some sort of tree sprit, like he hoped it might be, then it could just be greeting there presence...

"Ok, everyone spread out a little, and keep an eye out. I am going to try to flush it out. Make sure you watch the trees beside me..."

He crept forward from the line a little, easing a javelin from his backpack. Holding his shield lightly in front of him, he moved over to the line of bushes, he looked behind them, senses ready to leap backwards if the creature prooved hostile.

[celest]

She watches carefully as Deus moves towards the tree line. Oh Willow, please, let me help in some way I want to be useful. I want to protect those who are so willing to protect me. Please, help us. Help me.

[eunhathes]

The underbrush suddenly rustles. There is a chillness in the ether that is not the autumn air. Somewhere before the Supplicants is their target. The canyon, once rife with sounds of fauna, has since grown quiet in anticipation of some unforseen event. All the Supplicants are on edge.

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OOC: Kiley: roll SOUL stat, +2 Mod. Pol: roll BODY, +1 Mod. Ma'Ia: roll SOUL stat + Sixth Sense attribute, +0 Mod. You all want you modified stat or lower on 2d6 to succeed. I will PM you with results shortly.

[Lylie]

mi'ia speaks up "its not a ghost, spirit, ethral being, or what ever you want to call it." she takes up her stance infront of kiley. "dont worrie ill protect you untill you learn how to do so yourself, kiley." she looks back and give kiley a warm smile. then looks back to where the thing was last seen.

[sagetim]

As Mi'ia speaks, Pol begins to perspire perceptibly and is almost violently quivering with uncontrollable muscle spasms. what the hell is going on? I feel sick, as if I had spent too long in the sun, or perhaps.... with a wince, Pol doubles over and begins breathing heavily... if this is some kind of attack on my person, it is insidious indeed....too much pain to cry out....I will retreat to my happy place so I can sort this out, I'm just going to have to hope that they can handle this.

((by 'happy place' I mean a state of meditation....it really sucks to fail a body roll....you just had to choose my lowest stat, didntcha? ;D oh well.))

[eunhathes]

Kraln Massaed, the Knight charged with guarding and escorting these Supplicants, looked around to discern their general mood and welfare. His eyes looked in horror as Pol went to the ground. Quickly, surefootedly, he positioned himself between the topple Pol and the invisible foe. He brought his sword and shield into a defensible position and said to Pol, "Do not worry. I shall protect you."

Tia wipes a bead of sweat from her brow, unfurling her fingers from her partisan. She watches cautiously as Deus approaches the center of all this confusion and worry. The perspiration removed from her forehead, she wraps her fingers back around the weapon.

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OOC: Yes, so =P >.< Actually, you will understand soon. I'll be PMing you personally soon enough. >=D

On another note. The NEXT post is the O12Ws 100^th Post. So, I will also be handing out XP and such in my next post. Consider this so far one session.