Gotrek awoke with a grumble, a sharp pain seared through his head when he opened his eyes.

What a hangover he thought.
He clambered off his small bed, and dunked his head into his water basin in an attempt to sober up. And it worked, but only a bit.
Shaking off his sopping beard and hair, he walked towards the pantry. He ate a meagre breakfast of porridge and cold water, and padded through to his forge and opened up the shop door. There was a human, dressed in chain mail, with a high helm.

A warrior, thought Gotrek. And by the opulence of his arms, obviously a wealthy one. He held a longsword in a sheath in his right hand. He walked into the shop and strode towards the counter. "Excuse me master smith, could you repair my sword for me?" asked the man in a fair voice. Gotrek grunted, and took the blade from its sheath. It was shattered in nine places, and the shards were, to Gotreks craftsmans eye, riddled with cracks from the initial impact. "Human, as a smith, I wouldn't take this blade, even repaired, into a battle with a gnat. I can repair it, but even if I did my very best, this blade wouldnt be much use if you are facing the thing which did this in the first place." He looked at the blade closely, and saw the mark of another dwarf keep, Karak Ungor.
"What were you facing Human, to shatter Dwarf steel thus?" asked Gotrek, puzzled.
The Human replied " I was in battle with the Necromancer's servants in the far north. Some evil being smashed my blade with his halberd when I fought it. I have come, as I heard that dwarves are the greatest smiths in this world. Its seems I was mistaken"
Gotrek growled a little and said "We are, but miracles are beyond us. If you are interested, I have a few blades for sale, of weight and size comparable to this one. Ill bring a few out"
"Very well, I shall see your wares" replied the warrior.
Gotrek wandered into the forge, and took a few longswords and a claymore down from the racks and wandered back into the shop front.
"Here we are human, see if there is anything that takes your fancy" said the dwarf in a rather bored voice.

The warrior stared at the row of weapons, and picked up a four foot claymore, with silver detailing in the hilt. "How much for this?" asked the human.
Gotrek took a look at it, and replied "twenty gold pieces human."
The human looked appraisingly at the blade, and made a few practise swings with it. The balance was perfect, and steel felt keen to the touch.
"Is it strong?" asked the human. Gotrek stared at the man, as if mortally offended. His voice grated back "Of course it is human, I made it, with dwarf mined iron, and personally honed it and balanced it. That sword will take almost anything you throw at it without even blunting its edge, never mind breaking it." Gotrek continued to mutter as the human replied "Ill take it master smith. Twenty gold pieces was it?"
Gotrek replied "Twenty one gold pieces for that last remark human" The warrior looked as if he would argue , but then he fetched the required money out of his purse and said his thanks as he left the shop. Gotrek took the gold off the counter,bit it to ensure it was real and placed it in his hidden chest in his own quarters.
He looked outside to see if anyone else was waiting, and saw no one.
Back to the forge to make some more blades....

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"This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? "

Raina nodded accepting Dara's explanation. "My clan, Andestea, was destroyed by the Necromancer and his followers." she replied her lips tightening in fury. "After the raid, he hunted as animals, slaying us one by one. If any of my kin are left, I have lost them in the wild." she remarked, her voice cold. "I intend to avenge myself against the monster, though I must move heaven and earth." she added with a sense of finality.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

“He has told you that you need to thwart this threat from the North, has he?” The speaker asks this as soon as he enters the home of Evander. He closes the door behind him and strides to the place where Evander is preparing to leave. He had hoped that this could not be true as the lad had been as family to him and furthermore he, being the leader of the settlement, thought that it should be his place to see to it that the lad stayed as they needed him here.

“Does he not understand that you are a farm hand and not a warrior, I wonder?” The leader asked as he did not receive a reply to his first question.
“Had he thought that I had not been capable of doing this, he should not have encouraged me to do so nor should I have been convinced of being able to do that which I knew I could not.” Evander responded as he finished putting his provisions into his pack.

“But to convince you to sign into the service of the ruler? Has he told you what you will be fighting against or has he left that part out?”

“I understand what it is that I am signing into.” Evander replied as he sets to preparing the saddle for his horse on the top of a small table which the leader leans onto seeming to search the face of Evander.

“They are not human and by that I do not mean that they are an elf or a dwarf. They are the undead. Those who were supposed to have died but have been brought back to life.” To this Evander does not reply but continues to prepare the saddle.

“All I am saying is this: You do not have to do this signing into the service of the ruler thing. Not one of us expect you to… And things are not going to be the same here without you.”

“I understand that I do not have to. This is a decision I made on my own.”

“So you are set on it then?” Evander nods solemnly. The leader places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it firmly then takes his leave of the house.

Name: Derek the Slightly Odd
Age: middle-aged
Race: dwarf
Appearance: bald; braided brown beard streaked with silver; smaller and more wiry than average; leather armor and long green cloak
History: It's not often that you see a dwarf mage running around Karak Kadrin, which earned him the last part of his name. He's not an extremely competent mage either, or so he appears. He's a loner and survivor known for rare spurts of brilliance, which keeps him alive throughout his mercenary profession.
Weapons: yew quarterstaff, said to be enchanted; crossbow; mattock
Horse: four-legged beasts tend to violently dislike him

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[I'm about to play with the plot a bit. hope it's all right.]

"I'm here to see the Queen."

Just three seconds before, everything had been perfectly fine. The birds had been chirping. The trees had been whistling or rustling or singing, as the quixotical Elven poets so loved to put it. Oh yes, and the two Elven guards had been doing exactly what they weren't paid to do - lounging against the arched frameway to the throne room and essentially having a grand old time. Except... three seconds was a figure in the past.

Why do they always have to stare at the Dwarf? wondered Derek the Slightly Odd, with a shake of his bald head.

Indeed, both Elven guards jerked to vigilance as though struck by lightning, slammed their halberds into the flagstoned ground, and proceeded to glare at the visitor with daunting intensity. As if they hadn't been chatting about that one golden-haired Elfmaid in the Queen's court three seconds before, their halberds resting happily by their toes. Derek could just hear the wheels turning in their pointy-eared heads: A Dwarf? A Dwarf?! How dare he taint our alabaster halls with the inferiority of his ugly beard and ugly boots and ugly body odors! Perhaps if we treat him politely, he'll politely walk away.

Derek drummed his fingers against his yew quarterstaff and smiled.

Evidently the smile was disconcerting, for the first Elf opened his mouth and closed it again. The second Elf recovered a bit quicker, however. "Her Royal Highness is tending to matters of state. Perhaps if you return at a later time..."

"A welcome fit for a lord!" Derek cried, flinging out his arms for a Dwarven embrace. Smile widening at the expression of perfect horror on the guard's face, he threw his arms around the Elf's slender torso. He also pounded the Elf on the back for good measure - it was only politely Dwarven to do so.

"Her Royal (gasp) Highness (choke) does not (interesting stifled noise) see Dwarves!"

"What's that?" he said cheerily. "Your soiled eyepiece is making you sore?" Thirty seconds of jolly squeezing later, when the other Elf began raising his rather pointy halberd, Derek released his hug and stepped back. "You can read, good sir, I reckon? All righty, try this." He shoved a missive in front of the Elf's face.

His complexion darkening to a pleasant shade of plum, the Elven guard unrolled the parchment. He needn't have bothered, for Derek elaborated anyway, "I'm a mage, you see. Loner. Paid soldier. The one who gave your ol' grandmammy heart failure. M'name's Derek the Slightly - never mind that. Anyway. About this Necromancer and his masses of hopping skeletons. See, I've been hearing rumors 'bout this Alliance of Three Races, and I know you Elves are all nice and all, mayhap too nice to trust Dwarves and Men with the saving of the world. But this confounded world has to be saved, don't it? And I sure don't see you pointy-eared, tree-hugging sticks going off to try it. So I'm here to ask your gracious an' bonny Queen Alanna a gracious an' bonny favor."

Both Elves scrutinized the parchment. "This signature is authentic?"

"Nah, my donkey forged it. Seal, Thane Ironfist's handwriting, and all."

Glares. Again. Sarcasm not appreciated. "Wait here," the Elf said gruffly, and disappeared into the throne room.

"Hie your skinny buttocks, will ya?" Derek called after him. "Unless you got a chamberpot lying around this pretty courtyard somewhere, I'll be in big trouble real soon!" His smile broadened to a grin. Mayhap these Elves weren't so bad after all.

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Vincent listened intently as the two younger humans told their stories. When the rider on the horse finnished, it was his turn to tell his.
"I am not of a clan, rather a mixture of many. Such is the fate of one born in the capital city of the country. Though my father, when I was but a wee lad, went off to war and never came back. But I do not seek to bring down the Necromancer for vengence like most, but because I am a man of peace and would like to see the end of this war," he stared off into the distance as if lost in deep thought. He leaned more on his walking stick-or mage's staff-as if burdened like an old man. When he spoke again, it was sudden.
"Yet, one cannot defeat such a mighty creature with deamons at his command on ones own, no matter how strong or cunnning. Differences must be set aside, and those with a common goal come together in order for it to end. And what an end it will be as the Time Mages have told me. But 'tis not the place for such talk in forest in the dark hours of the night. Weary feet, hooves... and paws need rest as the sun goes down and the moon rises..."

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Dara bowed his head to the one he considered to be an Elder, and smiled conpanionly at the girl.
"You are right sir, if you will only come a little way into the forest, there you may sleep peacefully for Fianna will keep watch." He said getting off the dog who gave a light bark and rushed to lick Vincents hand.

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Made by Lembas

*Waits for ELen*

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~Thank you to Estë Undómë for the Beeeautiful Banners & Avvie <3 ~

(@LDM:No problem,LDM

Ok, I’ll take the queen Alanna’s role only for this post. My sissy asked me to.I hope she’ll like it)

Queen Alanna sat in her throne. The whole room was filled with flowers like it was a living picture. But none of the blossoms could be compared to the Queen’s beauty: So elegant she was, but still there was sorrow in her deep green eyes.
And in this living image of the awakening Nature, the Queen looked like a touched by the frost flower.

In the throne hall a young Elf entered
“My lady” said she. “Amlis is here.”

“And what about Nerys?”

“I couldn’t find her”

“Go and search for her! There’s something I want to discuss with Nerys: something of great importance! Don’t come back until you find her, Narya!”

“Yes, my Queen!” said Narya. She bowed and left the room.

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(Back to Biara)

A horseman appeared between the shadows of the Forest of Darkness. He headed west and when he stepped on the road again, he checked for human troops. Then he turned around and waved with his hand, like he was giving a sign to someone to come out from the forest. The brunches of the bushes crackled: Ten undead left the borders of the forest and ran to the horseman:

“Grrrr! Quiet!” hissed Biara. “You’re walking so loud, that the humans will hear you even in their sentry towers! Now without a sound, move! We must get off the road as fast as we can!” She turned her horse and continued to ride in west direction. The group crossed the road quickly. After that they walked trough a bare field, covered only with grass and some bushes.

Suddenly Biara stopped and unmounted her horse.
“Why are we stopping?” asked one of the undead.
Biara didn't answer- only she walked carefully through the grass. She bowed down like she was looking from a cliff.

“What do you see” asked the skeleton again, walking towards her. But just when he was going to bow and look down, he disappeared with scream from the gaze of the others.

“Gah! I’m surrounded by idiots!” said Biara, shaking her head.
The field actually was ending with steep slops and the only way to go down was a secret path.
Biara just found it when the skeleton fell in the abyss.

“Now follow me and step carefully, or you’ll die like this fool!” said Biara and stepped on the path. Then slowly the group went down.

An hour later they were down. In the air there was a smell of a roasted animal.
That must be Azura thought Biara and looked around. She saw a burning fire on the nearest hill.

“Finally! We found her!” said Biara and went to the hill.

Azura heard steps coming from the east side of the hill and pulled out her scimitar and was ready to attack. A figure dressed in white came out the darkness.

“Lay down the sword, Azura! It’s me!”

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Return of the Rings 2011- make it happen

sig.set:by me;
my unbiological sissy is Aerlinn

Raina nodded in deference as to Vincent as well before returning Dara's smile. "Lead on." she said to the younger man as she dismounted from her steed and decided to join the others on foot. "Come, Thalion." she whispered to her mount who nickered softly in reply.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

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<center>


~Thank you to Estë Undómë for the Beeeautiful Banners & Avvie <3 ~

Vincent smiled as the dog licked his hand. In reply he stratched the wolf hound on the chin.
"I will follow you to this place you speak of, Dara Wolf hound Rider..."

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Holding the saddle in his hands and stepping from his house, Evander could see that all of the families of the small settlement had come to see him off. His heart became heavy at this sight as he had hoped that he could have been able to depart from the settlement free from farewells.

The children had been gathered around Epona but seeing him come from the house, they helped him by carrying his belongings from his house and handing them to him as he saddled his horse. Evander promised to tell them of all his travels as soon as he returned, though admittedly he had not been as confident as they that he would return. He then hurried through his farewells and upon bidding his final farewell he mounted his horse and rode toward the town.

Gotrek heard the shop door open, and the tread of several armoured feet on the wooden floorboards. He took his dagger and slid it into a pocket in his smiths apron, and went to the shop counter.

"What do you want?" he said to the men waiting. There were three of them, two unrecognised, and the one from earlier, the arrogant human who had bought that claymore.The other two were armoured in mail and plate, and the quality of arms was high,gold was enlaid on their breastplates, and silver on their tall helms. From a mile away, Gotrek could recognise the human watermarks on their blades.
The recognised human spoke, saying
"Master, my friends wish you to join us in a little venture we are on."

Gotrek looked hard at the man, and he replied "What type of venture manling, do you think would take me out of my smithy?"

"One that involves an offer of five hundred gold pieces, and twenty blood rubies for you to join it." replied the man.

Gotreks eyes widened, as a dwarfs always do when confronted with such offers of gold.
"What do you want me to do, and what is the catch?" asked Gotrek in his most suspicious voice.

"The job is simple; we want you to help us guard an artifact of significant importance on its way south. We know that you were once a palace guard to the Dwarf king,and that we will need the services of an excellent smithy. Do you accept?" asked the human smoothly
"Show me the gold first" replied Gotrek.
"Very well" replied the human. At a single gesture, two men came in , with a large sack, and another with a smaller one. Gotrek peered inside, and saw the glitter of gold in one, and the deep red of rubies in the other. He took out a coin, and bit it; definately gold he thought. And he was not disappointed with the rubies as he stared through a jewellers eyeglass, definately not a piece of coloured glass.
"Very well, you have a deal, I swear it " said Gotrek, making a slight nick in his hand to show his solemnity. The humans gave him both bags and he disappeared into his quarters. He placed the gold into his chest, as with the rubies, and put them in the secret compartment in the cellar. No one would find them there he knew.
Gotrek took down his coat of dwarf steel mail, all his arms were made by his own hand. He placed a solid steel helm with silver wings on his head, his gauntlets he snapped onto his hands and his hammer was strapped to his back. He took down the axe, and the small pot of woad he had, ready to daub swirling patterns onto his skin before battle. Finally, he took down his beloved axe, the steel shining just as bright as it had ever done, and the strong ash shaft as smooth as it had ever been.
He returned to the humans, and he said "I am ready to go." They left the shop and Gotrek locked up the iron door. and they began to wend their way through the crowds.
ON the way to their quest...

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"This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? "

Amlis could barely countain her suprise, knowing about the alliance. the elves. allied with men and dwarves. it sounded so strange to her. she looked at Nerys face, who didn't express any feeling on her face. so the situation was worse than Amlis thought.

any chance of answering was interrupted by a Guard storming in the hall. Nerys drew her sword, and Amlis nocked quickly an arrow on her bow, pointing it to the door.

"....my....my....Queen! A Dwarf, here! He says to be a messenger from Thane Ironfist!" said the Guard.

Amlis lowered her bow, waiting for the Queen to give her orders. "Let them in" the Queen said to the Guard, who nodded and went out of the hall. "put away your weapons" she said to Nerys and Amlis "but remain here"

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Evander had been to the town on more than one occasion as he had helped to take the animals there to sell. Such an occasion had happened not too long ago and he took the opportunity to sign into the service then. He had been told to return on this day as that would be the time that his company would be departing.

The travel to the town would not be a long one as on foot one could be there by the afternoon had he departed in the early morning. As Evander is on horseback the time would be only a couple of hours. One would not have thought this as he had prepared himself for traveling much longer than this as he did not know what he would need once in the service.

Mayhap the threat about the chamber pot had something to do with it, but hie himself the Elf did, and, in just under thirty spins of a quarterstaff, the guard was returned, straightened and looking a bit more sedate. Compressed lips as thin as the blades of grass rimming the courtyard, he wrinkled his nose - though for what reason Derek couldn't imagine - and stiffly bent at his waist - that strange act the Elves called bowing. He managed a more or less polite, "Her Royal Highness will see you now."

Spinning his quarterstaff was a habit of Derek's to while away the time. A most dangerous habit, as evidenced by a particularly wide sweep that hit the second Elf smack in the abdomen. Blissfully unaware of the Elf's melodious cursing, Derek planted his quarterstaff on the ground and drew himself tall. "Well then! What in Kadrin's Trove are we waiting for? Hop to it!"

Apparently Elven vocabulary was short of the term hop, but the guard moved swiftly nonetheless, always five steps in front of Derek, quickening his pace whenever the Dwarf attempted drawing level to make conversation. By the time they'd woven through the corridors and found the ornate doors to the throne room, poor Derek found himself fifty paces behind, huffing and puffing to catch up. The Elf waited, the epitome of patience, at the doors as the Dwarf stumbled around the corner and collapsed against the doorframe, his chest heaving. The Elf waited ten more seconds for the echoing thumps of the quarterstaff to stop bouncing around the corridors, before throwing open the doors and announcing, "My queen Alanna, I present to you Derek the Slightly Never Mind That, emissary of Thane Ironfist!"

Entering the throne room, Derek was too awed to be indignant. He assimilated at one, two, three and more glances the arched windows, the vaulted ceiling, the gilded statues of Elven kings from ages past. So absorbed was he in the exotic grandeur of the place that he nearly tripped over the dais atop which sat the throne, atop again which sat...

"Gracious queen," he said gruffly, sinking to one knee and dropping his chin.

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