The Horizon and Beyond

OOC
The plot has officially begun! Feel free to make a 'resume of the night' post. I know you're all going to hate me, but I am (*cringes*) going to take those people who have 'arrived' at the castle and have you arrive to see Pens at about the same time. Those of you who weren't, we will pretend opted not to stay at the caste. So try and arrive at around the same time, or a little later since you have the excuse of having to walk there. Unless you tell me to go ahead, I will try and wait for everybody to post at least once before starting. So make it a good post, since it will be the 'first impression' for most people.

IC

The next day...

Advisor Pens was dressed in his finest outfit, wishing to show that he had the utmost respect for those he was entrusting with this task. He stood before the throne, nodding to Ayudial. She had arrived as he'd requested, though she would be hearing what he had to say for the first time along with the others. She didn't look particularly please to be there.

As they arrived, he felt concern rising. They were all quite young--though Ayudial was proof enough that age had little influence over ability--so he would have to ask them why they had come. He needed to be certain they could do this task.

The first to arrive were herded in (politely) by the servants. One was a young looking elf accompanied by a wolf. Pens smiled politely, managing not to be intimidated by the animal. She introduced herself as Tama. The next he greeted was another elf, but this one with the gait of a killer. She named herself Storm, though from her walk he could only wonder if it was her true identity. Ryder ws the next to introduce himself, he looked tough, though enough despite is youth. The last of them was a woman who wore a heavy cloak, she only responded to his greeting after a moment, and said only "Lea." before starting to look around.

Pens looked to the head messenger, who had arrived with them. "There are more," he said assuringly.
Pens nodded. "We must wait for a few more to arrive, I will have the servants bring some refreshments while we wait."

When they had all arrived, he would tell them the bad news.

OOC
If you don't mean to arrive before Pens starts, or intend to arrive just as he starts (you know who you are) PM me with your 'entrance' and I will work it into the pos where Pens gives you all the quest info.

Advisor pens opened his mouth to speak, careful not to give anything away. Everyone turned to him, and the chattering subsided. There was a beat of hooves on the ground, and the guests cast sharp glances to one another. The goblets began to shake from side to side, the water shivering in the cups.

The doors swung open, and a tall man, clad in a long black cloak on a great brown steed, galloped into the air. His hood rolled down in the updraft. "Sorry, I couldn't find the stables," said, smirking at Advisor Pens. "What did I miss?"

Aedomir, Pens decided. Prat. Never listens to orders. Although, to be fair, I did spit on his face and cut his stupid hair off when we exiled him. He forced a nervous smile onto his face and gestered to a spare seat at the side.

Lea hid a smile as she took another sip of wine, pretending to be busy admiring a painting. She was really asking herself how hard it would be to relieve the statue by the door of the lovely silver laurel crown it was wearing.

Deciding it would be an easy task, and knowing she would have to resist, her turned her attention to the others in the room. The elf, Tama, was one to watch, of course. And Storm could be nothing less than an assassin, though it was only the fact she'd run into so many that made it easy for her to tell, there was definitely something about Storm's eyes that misled a person into thinking she wasn't a killer.

Lea looked at the new arrival. Pens had looked very odd when he arrived, and he hadn't introduced himself--a sign they had met in the past. Though without his name, she had little hope in guessing his identity.

She turned back to the painting.

Storm-

Storm watched the last guy to ride in on a horse. She growled inwardly, she had a feelign he was going to get on her nerves big time. He obviously thought a little to highly of himself. She kept her eyes gaurded though and just watched waiting to catch every little hint abou theses people she could.



Ryder-

Ryder looked around at the people. The girl to his right, Strom, kept a guarded exprestion on at all times. She didn't look at anyone, but seemed to study themn all. He looked around the room again as Advisor Pen stayed quiet, there were obviously more people coming,.

Kaoli stifled the urge to roll her eyes at this advisors pompous ceremony. She strode into the room Raku trailing behind her. The cat's back went stiff the flames roaring to life when he spotted the wolf. She turned toward the advisor and smiled brightly letting none of her inner emotions show.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I'm afraid I had a little troubele on the way here." 'Namely giving the city guard the slip at the market.' She thought wryly. "Is everyone here yet? I'd like to get started."

((Ayudial))

Ayudial stood beside Adviser Pens, her arms crossed on her ribs. She surveyed the room in front of her. Aedomir and his horse moved to the side of the table and Aedomir sat down. The dignified outcast motioned for a cup of wine from the servants. The servant girl hesitated, and reluctantly walked over to give him a glass of wine. He took it and nodded a dismissal.

Another girl walked in with yet another excuse.

Adviser Pens answered her question the hadn't reached Ayu's ears, "No, not quite yet."

The elf stiffened but turned to take her seat, her eyes not leaving Pens. She leaned back into the chair and crossed her arms, waiting.

So many rude people here. Ayudial thought to herself. She was uncomfortable with these people. Ayu used her first magic of the day. She focused on the air around Pens and made a few signs with her left hand. A spiderweb barrier of fierce blue surrounded Pens. No one but those with magic sight could see it and Pens would be protected.

At Lea's beckon, one of the servants hurried over with a fresh bottle of wine. He raised it to pour, and found it gone from his hand the next moment. Without a word, Lea went and sat down at the table bottle in hand. Resting her elbow on the table, she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a deep swig.

In the reflection of the glass, she looked at the people around the table, considering. They were all obviously talented--Pens should feel lucky to have them. As if called, he apraoched, siting down gracefully beside Ayudial.

"While we wait, I was curious to know why each of you volunteered for this task," he said diplomatically. Lea took a deep swig, smiling when he politely looked at anyone else.

I'm going to have to step out of this one. I can't keep up. Sorry!

-Mays

~ Aedomir ~

Aedomir made is way into the crowd, snatching a wine goblet in the process. Do hope the entrance wasn't too... Dramatic He thought, taking a sip of the flamboyant wine. The taste of a decent drink had not downed him for almost a decade. He drained his cup and snorted. When was the last time I was in a crowd, and not fighting them? With a weak chuckle, he made his way further in, studying the fellow guests. They seemed nice enough, if a little... odd.

I'm outta this one. I've missed to much and am involved in too many things.

Tamaru~

Tama smiled at Advisor Pens, as Tsune grew and shrank at his own will. "I volunteered because I was a little bored. All I've ever done was hunt and run through forests. I will admit that I am not experiance in all this war-fighting and such but I am thankful for this...um...honor as you humans might call it. However, just because I'm not experianced does not mean on any circumstances that I am worthless, wolf garbage." Tama said trying to keep her speech at a humans level instead of growling. Tsune stopped growing and stayed at his normal size. He tucked away his wings and layed down, giving a sigh.

"This is boring. I wanna hunt horses." He growled in wolf speak. Tama put her index finger to her lips to silence him. Tsune growled and walked out of the room, only to take off in flight and go hunting. Turning her attention to the next person who began to speak, Tama smiled.

OOC: Woot everyone has posted at least once, so I will start the speech. But I highly encourage you all to post how your character would have answered Pens question: "What made you volunteer for this task?".

Seeing everyone had arrived, Pens stood.

"I thank you all for coming, but I must warn you that the task you take will not be an easy one. So far, we have kept it from becoming public knowledge--but the King has been kidnapped. This comes at a horrible time, for Saquesh breathes down our necks and threatens us with war.

"The king went missing along with a valuable magic gem, which was meant to be given as a gift, to appease our neighbor. If we cannot retrieve the stone, this realm will be destroyed by war... and if we cannot bring back his majesty I fear the result with be the same.

"Therefore I have called you hear, humbly begging your assistance in a vital task. The King and the gem must be retrieved, before the fall harvest.

"I had hoped it would be a simple matter, but I fear it will not. My spy-master has taken great risk to learn what little we know about this matter. The King and gem were taken together, by a man known as 'The Shade'. Across the sea, in Ghela, he is a renown assassin said to have a powerful gift.

"Sadly, that is all we know at present. I have arranged passage for you all on the finest ship this realm has to offer, and once you arrive in Ghela you will be met by an agent who will give you what new information they can."

Pens looked very tired then, like a man who hadn't spelt in weeks. "I had hoped I could give you the Levan ring--it's stone is a small peice of the gem you seek, and when close by both call out to each other--but it was stolen from my king this past year and we have been unable to trace it."

Lea paused, bottle halfway to her lips. Her expression was unchanged, but her mind filled with a number of profanities and she quickly took a long drink. Damnit, she thought. No good deed goes unpunished. So much for selling the thing.

She looked back to Pens just as he looked everyone in the eyes. "You are our only hope."

Pens then excuses himself and the servants, leaving you all to make your acquaintances.

OOC: Check the DT ('Currently being discussed'), I've got a question for everyone.

((Ayudial))

As Ayu watched Pens exit the room a scowl crept across her face. She hated it when he gave a pretty speech like that. The only problem was that this speech was actually for a good cause. She wiped the scowl from her face and looked around. Most of the people here were warriors, plainsmen, and assassins. Looks like she was going to do all the protecting.

"I'm sure you're all tired from your journeys." Ayudial started. Everyone stopped talking and looked up and the red haired girl next o the head of the table, "If you'll follow me, I'll take all of your to your quarters."

Ayudial placed her hand on the table and hauled herself up into a standing position. She strode past the countless windows to the door that led to the Great Hall. She didn't look back to see who was following her but she led everyone up the stairs and into a huge living room.

The towering ceiling was adorned with chandeliers hanging down and lighting the room with a comforting glow. Long windows showed the view of the forests and the faint sparkle of the sea beyond. A door led to where all the beds were placed and another led to a few bathrooms.

"You can all do whatever you please until we depart. The ship sets sail the morning after tomorrow so stock up on what ever you need in the market place tonight or tomorrow night. You may stay here when you need a place to go. Other than that, meet everyone in the entry hall the morn after tomorrow."

Ayudial turned away from the group and went to sit on a black satin chair. She slipped her boots off and set them aside. Ayu turned and relaxed in the arms of the large chair.

~Aedomir~

Aedomir scowled at Pens as he scurried out of the room, tail between his legs. Pathetic. Can't even face the people who could be saving his carreer. "I'll have you," he muttered under his breath.

So, he thought. The king exiles me, after being framed too, and then his right-hand man expects me to follow his every bidding? He snorted loudly and drained a second cup of wine. "I think I will take that bedroom after all!" He called to the servant, shivering in fright. "Oh, and take Helfort to the stables will you?"

The servant looked rather offended, although after looking Aedomir up and down he thought better than to argue and forced a smile onto his face. "This way sir," he said, fully aware of the outlaw background. How did an exile get a better room than a loyal servant?

Tamaru~

Tama found how this man was like a weak wolf running from the stronger one after being beaten. She smiled and whistled silently for Tsune, who appeared at her side in a second.