Border: Prologue

[Inactive Account]

The first rays of sunlight crept in through wide windows to light one of the many conference rooms in Selinel's capitol, dimming the lightglobes that dotted the walls to keep the room's light constant. Four members of the High Council waited, shuffling papers and speaking gravely to each other in muted tones. North, East, South, and Central were represented; the council members for Southeast and Northwest were absent, having opposed the council's move, and the remaining three members had other matters to attend to.

The group they were waiting for would arrive any moment now. A pilot and a spy had been the minimum agreed on; in addition to that, Central's councilmember had chosen some others to ensure that the mission would succeed: a mindworker and a soldier for protection, a scholar for information, a healer to keep the group well, a weatherworker and a rider to speed their travels. The appropriate offices had been contacted, and all had reported that they had found dependable candidates.

Outside the room, their candidates had gathered, milling about, unaware of what this mission was that they'd been recruited for. Some vaguely recognized some of the others, or at least their occupations, but for the most part it was an unfamiliar group, for now awkward in the haze of early morning and uninformedness.

They would have to be here by now, the council members agreed, and North finally took the initiative, raising a faintly glowing hand to open the door a crack from across the room. "Come in," she said, and it was time for the mismatched group outside the door to make its entrance.

"You've been called here with the knowledge of an important mission," South began once the group had filed in, and settled from the surprise of being greeted by members of the High Council itself. "If you've been near the Border lately, or spoken with anyone near it, you may have found out about the strange behavior it has been exhibiting within the past few months." One of the group, a woman marked as a weatherworker, was nodding. "To be brief, the Border is shrinking. Tightening. We don't know why." The Councilman of the South Reach paused for a moment, letting the weight of the information sink in. "The University in Merenna has sent estimates that if this trend continues, we will lose Merenna in a few months, the mines in the mountains shortly after, and the sea within two years. The Southlanders will likely invade in order to escape it. In five, Merenna estimates that the Border will have collapsed entirely."

"In addition to the shrinkage, the Border has been causing other problems," East took over. "Strange events of light, heat, and chill have been recorded, as well as the spontaneous deaths of local flora, fauna, and in a few cases humans. It would seem that the Border is also granting magic in ways we thought impossible, though these reports have not been officially confirmed."

"Your role," Central stated, looking over the assembled group, "is simple. There exists an artifact known as the Winged Key. It currently lies in four pieces, one in Merenna, one in Terin, one at the Domed Mountain, and one in Southernwatch Fortress. The pieces are known as the Dome, the Teeth, and the Wings of Light and Dark. Your mission is to journey to each location and gather the pieces, returning here and assembling them once you have them all. Once you have done that, you need simply to bring the Key to the high point in the center of the Border, in the sky above Selinel. When the Key is brought to the high point, the Border will dissolve. We do not expect retrieving the pieces of the Key to be a particularly difficult mission, but it must succeed." The Councilwoman of the Central Dominion moved as though to dismiss the group, but North held up a hand.

"I can see that you have questions," she said in her quiet, calm voice. "Ask now, before a lack of knowledge gets you into trouble. Once we have answered, we will send you on your way."

[HongLei]

Lou: I have a few questions.

Lou was curious to know the affects of the Border on plants. He wanted to know whether the plants were dead and useless, or whether they had been mutated into some new species of plants that would hurt rather than heal.

First, how is the Border affecting the plants? Is it killing them or mutating them?

Lou was also curious about what kind of injuries to prepare for in the journey. He wanted to know what kinds of herbs to bring. Maybe some aloe to treat burns or some kind of plant to concoct a sedative or painkillers.

Second, I assume the keys are valuable, so was there some kind of magical guardian set in place to protect the keys?

Lou also wanted to know how much money, he would be allotted to spend on herbs, and how powerful he could make the medications, or if he would be allotted very little, and be stuck improvising with lots of cheaper herbs and magic.

And my last question is, how much money do we have to get supplies and to prepare?

sorry everybody this is my first roleplay

Edited August 9, 2011 by HongLei

[scorri]

When they were invited in, Isra made sure to grab a seat that gave her a view of all her to-be-companions. While the council member was explaining the details of their quest, Isra was only half listening, taking the advantage to get a first impression of the others.

Mages, of course. Probably one of each type. A pilot and a rider. What appears to be a scholar, and, no surprise, a soldier. And me. Seems that I'll be one of the few, if not the only one, who knows how to deal with the common and underworld side of life. The soldier will probably just try to brute force his way through everything, and the scholar will look for an answer in books. The mages think their power will solve everything. The rider and the pilot may be useful in that part of this journey. Though I have to say, this quest sounds more like a fairytale to me. A hidden key that will help save our world? At least I'll be getting paid well. Ah it seems like we're almost done.

Isra settled back in her chair and waited to see what kind of questions her new companions would ask, and, hopefully from that, a better knowledge of what type of people she'd been placed with.The first to speak up appeared to be a mage of some type. He asked about the plants, the keys, and then money.

He's younger. It shows. Clearly the Council will make sure we are well supplied enough to make it through this quest due to it being vital to the survival of this country. As for the keys being guarded, of course they'd be protected somehow, even if it's just that they're hidden very well. As for the plants, they said that they were dying. How much clearer do they need to be? Hopefully he's skilled in whatever his specialty is. Otherwise I'm not sure he'll be much use.

Edited August 9, 2011 by scorri

[Rothene]

Riban leaned forward and started fiddling with his spanner with one hand while his other took out a small contraption he was working on lately. The discussion bored him. All he needed to know was where to fly to and that was all. Eighteen years of flying around, he was confident he could handle any weather...so long as it was clear skies.

The longer he stayed away from Tella, his ornithopter, the fouler his mood became. These people think they're so tall, heh, once I get onto Tella, I'll show them who's got the height advantage, thought Riban grumpily.

For now, figuring out a way to make his newest contraption work was at least keeping his temper away.

[Inactive Account]

"All of the confirmed incidents involving plant life have been the spontaneous death of large areas of vegetation," East was the first to answer.

"As for guardians, you do not need to worry. The keys have instead been passed down through the years to certain officials; the Archmage in Merenna, the harbormaster in Terin, the commander of Southernwatch Fortress, and the mayor of Foothill at the Domed Mountain. We have letters for you, bearing the seal of the Council, addressed to each of these, which should be adequate to receive the items from these officials," Central explained. "As for expenses, we are providing you with a supply of food and medical supplies, as well as a budget for inns, repairs, and the like. The letters should also guarantee you room and board at each of your destinations."

"Are there any other questions?" North asked, as Central handed the letters and money over to the rider, known by occupation for trustworthiness. Several other questions were asked and answered, but soon the discussion drew to a close.

"You may choose the order in which you collect the pieces of the Key on your own, though we hope you will do so in a manner that conserves supplies. You may split up if you wish, though we recommend no fewer than three to a group if you do so," Central stated. "An aide will direct you to the courtyard where your supplies have been gathered; the other belongings which you brought with you have also been brought there." The door opened quietly at the wave of North's hand; an understated dismissal. The group, now aware of the weight of their mission, got up to leave the room.

OOC: HongLei, you don't need to use "script format" or anything, prose is fine.

OOC: In-character discussion of where we should go first and whether we should split the party is fine; out-of-character discussion of that issue should go to the Chat thread or the IRC channel.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Kiryn

[scorri]

Isra walked with the rest of the group as they followed the aid out into the courtyard. As soon as they arrived, she slipped her bag out of the pile and walked over to a corner before opening it. The first things she pulled out were her first pair of knives. She had taken them off for the meeting, but wanted them back so she could feel safe again. She strapped the longer one to her thigh and stuffed the slightly smaller one in the back of her waistband. The second thing she pulled out were her lockpicks. After doing a quick check to make sure they were all there, she stowed them in a special pocket in her tunic's sleeve. She also pulled out a small dagger, one of two left in her bag. One she would leave in there, mostly as a replacement in case she should lose one of her main pair. She contemplated the small dagger, considering hiding it in her boot as a last resort.

No, if it comes down to a boot dagger, I've already lost. I should be skilled enough to not need one. It's impractical anyways. Using one is really the mark of an amateur.

Placing the dagger back in her sack, Isra leaned back against one of the columns and watched the rest of the group try and decide which way they should head first.

North, south, east or west doesn't matter to me. Either way we'll end up in all four places at some point or another. Someone should just decide. Really one of those council members should have told us which way to go. That would have solved this arguing. Though I suppose this would be a good time for a leader to emerge. Should be interesting to see who that is. My bet is on the soldier or the weather mage. Both of their jobs are vital to the progress of the mission, and it would make sense for one of them to be the leader. Though I don't know if I'd trust the weather mage to be a good leader from looking at her. She doesn't seem to have the presence needed. Probably it will be the soldier. And I'll just stay in the background, where I like it.

Edited August 11, 2011 by scorri

[HongLei]

Lou followed the aide out just like all the others, he was silent the whole way out, contemplating which way would be best to go. Maybe we should go West first, get the key then maybe take a boat either North or South. I'll just wait to see where everyone else wants to go, weather won't factor into the decision, due to the fact that we have a weathermage ... actually maybe we should plan on going to where nature would have us go, this will allow the Mage to conserve her magic. I'll suggest something after we see the decisions presented.

[Nightmare]

Aeron suddenly hugs everyone in his enormous, huge-as-tree-trunks arms and tears stream profusely from his eyes.

"AHHH! You are my beloved companions on this adventure! Brothers-in-arms! Comrades! I shall protect you all with my life!"

He hugs tighter for a while, then lets go and wipes his tears.

"I suggest we go to the north. It is the best direction," he says as he sparkles.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Lagiacrus

[scorri]

Having escaped the giant group hug simply by being too far in the corner to be reached, Isra just stared. Not the personality I was expecting... Not. At. All. However, at least someone has made a decision. Note to self though: stay away from the soldier as much as possible. I somehow doubt he would react well to a dagger in the belly simply due to a hug. And I really don't want to have to deal with the consequences.

Shouldering her pack, Isra silently waited for the rest of the group to recover from the surprise hug.

Edited August 12, 2011 by scorri

[Rothene]

Upon reaching the courtyard, Riban learned a valuable lesson on how not being tall was at times, so much better. The huge soldier's arms encased all his other team members, barely missing him for two reasons. One, he was standing on the outer edges of the group. Two, he was so short, the arms just swung barely above his head.

Shaking his head, Riban took a slight few steps away, letting his eyes dart around nervously for Tella. He needed his constant fix of flying to act properly these days. If anything, the soldier's attempts at being friendly only served to fuel his dislike of the man's careless attitude. Or maybe Riban was just jealous of not being hugged?

[Inactive Account]

The weatherworker yelped and unsuccessfully tried to dodge the soldier's hug, sidestepping away once released. "Er... I don't see anything wrong with going north," she conceded. She was a bit dubious about the man's reasoning, and his sanity, but she'd also been thinking about suggesting Merenna as their first stop; they would likely gain a wealth of information about the Border if they asked at the University. "We can ask the mages about the Border, and I know my way around up there. That said, does anyone else have other suggestions? Also, shouldn't we introduce ourselves, since we're traveling together and all? I'm Adri, Adri Therru," she offered, smoothing her skirt and picking up her packs.

[Nightmare]

"Ah, how rude of me. I am Aeron," the soldier said, "and my family have been serving the High Council for generations!"

He poses fabulously and sparkles fly everywhere.

[Rothene]

Seeing others introduce themselves, Riban thought it was only polite to do so. No harm anyway since not letting others know his name might lead them to namecalling along the lines of 'shorty', 'dwarf' or worse things.

"I am Riban Ira, your pilot for this quest and you must all bear in mind that my ornithopte does not go by any name. She is a fine creature, and thus deserves a proper name. You must all refer to her as Tella.," said the pilot trying to sound important with one hand pointing his index finger at Aeron.

[HongLei]

"umm ... I'm Lou." Lou said. And he just stood there surprised that the soldier was not what he expected. Looking over his allies Lou decided that Riban seemed to be the type to take a lot of pride in his work, therefore he must be a great pilot or very cocky. The soldier Aeron seems to be friendly, trusting, and loyal. Adri seems to be your typical mage, and appearing uncomfortable by the recent hug, she just wants to go where she feels comfortable. The other mage doesn't seem to talk much, can't tell much from that. And the other girl seems to be very secluded, and not very trusting.

[Inactive Account]

"Well," Adri said, glancing to the rider, the spy, and the scholar, none of whom had deigned to introduce themselves, "I suppose we ought to head for Merenna, then." She continued to think out loud: "It will probably be easiest to take the Great Road North... we can make it in three days, if we stop somewhere tonight, and then in Karita the next night. It looks like the skies are clear enough for now, but if anything comes up, I'll keep the rain off us."

----------------------------------------------

After introductions, the party collected the provisions and the packhorse the Council had arranged for them, loaded up, and were on their way. The Great Road North was already busy; merchants from outside the city headed in to sell their wares, and other travelers started journeys to all parts of the country. While slightly more mismatched than most traveling parties, they fit right in to the northbound traffic.

Though the crowds hurrying around the group did not know it, the mission to retrieve the Key and open the Border had begun.

OOC: Anyone who hasn't but still wants to introduce can do so; please do so in the Prologue, not in Chapter 1.

[riariadne]

Richard quietly sat through the briefing of the mission. A quest for the parts of the Winged Key, he mused. It doesn't seem too difficult, as has been said, but surely in our travels there will be somewhere my skills will apply. It is a most excellent opportunity to prove my method of experimentation.

"Merenna it is, then," the previously silent man spoke up. "My name is Richard, a mindworker. I will be on this journey with the rest of you. If that's all, let us begin."

OOC: late much

Edited August 30, 2011 by Luka M

[the_whistler]

Rane glanced at the other figures gathered outside the doors. What a group of misfits, and no riders among them either, pursing one corner of his mouth. Hearing a voice summoning them inwards, he took a chair and sat down, listening with an ear. Accepting the letters and coin, Rane calmly walked out minutes later, aware the briefing had ended. Watching the thief arm herself out of the corner of his eye, Rane was about to check on his horse when the soldier swept the group up into an unexpected hug.

Taking a few seconds to regain his composure, he forced a clean smile over his true expression. "North sounds excellent," he responded eventually. Too slow, Rane, he chided himself silently. Can't have the weatherworker paying more attention than me to the conversation, now can we? At least everyone agrees on our destination. "Rane Morther, at your service," politely acknowledging the party.