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 Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 3:12 pm
This is a thread for Lupinus to embark on a secret mission from Majestrix Nox. The only people who should be posting in this thread are Lupinus/Angua von Uberwald and Nox/Sajhiri.
Date: This occurs after the plans are set for the New Year's Ball
Participants: Lupinus, Nox, NPCs (Sajhiri)
Setting: Castellum Umbra and a hidden Grotto in the Black Forest
The Scene:
Nox watched the members of her court file out of the Inner Sanctum one by one. The plans were set for the upcoming ball, but she still had one other matter to tend to.
"Lupinus, remain for a time. I have words for you." The dark-haired woman gestured to the lupine youth and she turned to stalk back to her throne, settling into it casually, her eyes following the departure of the rest of the court until they were finally alone.
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 8:08 pm
Lupinus had turned to leave with the others but halted when Nox called his name. Returning, he walked toward her and stopped a few paces from her throne. Remain? Perhaps he was finally getting his chances to be a part of things, and to be useful, active. He waited silently until the other fey were gone, forcing himself to relax and be patient. "You have need of me?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:53 am
Nox inclined her head, her smile deepening. "I have been investigating the many aged tomes my mother had stored away in this castle. It would appear that, at one time, our people had tamed a group of magical beasts from the deepest part of the wood, beasts which sucuumbed to our rule and served us as mounts. I need you to find them, if they still exist, and tame them for us once more."
She stroked a skull adorning her chair in a frozen state of screaming. "If they still walk the wood, you will find them in a grotto hidden behind the waterfall in the northeast corner of the wood. If you follow the ravine, it will lead you there."
The Ravine, of course, a good hunting ground, known by most of the fey. "Be mindful though, they have been free for a millenia, and will be wild again. I trust in your skills, Lupinus, to return them to us, as we will need swift land escape should our plans at the ball go awry. Flight will be too dangerous, we will have to lose them in the woods."
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 2:17 pm
His tail lifted slightly with interest, Lupinus listened intently to Nox's instructions; his mind was already running over the list of supplies he would want to take with him-- some of Aranea's paralysis potion certainly, and darts as well. He knew the ravine well, he'd certainly be able to find this place.
"I am honored by your trust in me," he sad. "I will not fail you." These animals would be difficult to tame, but once they were, he thought, they would make magnificant mounts. He paused to think a moment and continued respectfully. "If it is possible, I would like any other information on the kind of beasts to expect so I might prepare accordingly-- are they larger than a horse? Carnivores, perhaps?"
As he thought of the possibilities of the beasts he would encounter, he added, with slightly more assurance than he felt, "I am confident that I can succeed in this task, even if there is nothing more to go on."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 6:13 am
Nox grimaced slightly. "I've only been able to find a tiny bit of information on them. Carnivores I believe, as they are mentioned as "fanged beasts". You will know then because they will be fey marked."
The Majestrix rose from her throne, "I am trusting in your skills and your courage, Lupinus. Do not fail me." With that the dark lady drifted out of the chamber.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:18 am
((if I went too far, let me know and I'll back it up a bit... couldn't sleep, so I got kind of carried away >__<))
Lupinus bowed. "Yes, Majestrix." He remained where he was until she had gone. He had not expected to do anything so important before the ball, other than find a suitable costume, of course. He would have his kithain get him one, he supposed, in case he had not the time.
Fanged beasts... he exited the chamber, lost in thought. First he would need supplies. He returned to his rooms to change his clothing and collect the supplies he'd need. He selected several arrows of each color fletching-- he'd dyed the feathers to color code them to different potions Aranea had given him.
He slid a knife into his belt, and picked up his pack. Into this he tucked some extra vials into a and added some darts for the blowgun he'd made from a reed, which also went into the pack; they should be useful for paralyzing without doing too much damage, he thought. He found several lengths of rope, and added them to his pack as well.
Deciding he could forage for food in the woods, as he'd done often enough before, he set off. Shouldn't waste any time, he thought. It would take some time to reach the ravine, and even more than that to tame the beasts, he suspected. A flicker of doubt nagged at him, but he surpressed it, concentrating on making steady progress in his traveling.
He reached the ravine and followed it, moving quickly over the familiar territory. He kept up a steady, loping pace. As he covered ground, sometimes stopping briefly to rest or eat, he wondered what sort of creatures awaited him behind the waterfall.
The waterfall-- he heard it long before he saw it. He slowed his pace and stopped again to rest before approaching the roaring sound of the water, not wanting to be tired when he found the creatures. Lupinus neared the waterfall cautiously, his orange eyes picking up every hint of motion. He could not hear nor smell anything but the falling water before him. So, this was it. His heartbeat quicked and his palms were sweating slightly; he took a breath and began to search for a way inside.
It took him longer than he had expected to find a way into the grotto behind the fall. He finally found it, hidden both by the way the rocks stood, and the way the plantlife grew up around it. Edging through and into the grotto, he crouched near the entrance, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light before he crept forward to see what, if anything, was in this place.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:24 am
Many sets of glowing eyes peered at Lupinius from the nearly black cavern. Light penetrated through a large hole in the roof, which also let in rain and sunlight, permitting the bizarre underground forest to thrive. It was humid, chokingly so, as the pool of the waterfall was also a lake in this place. One of the sets of eyes, an eerie green, stepped forward with a low and sinister growl rumbling from it. A shaft of light streaking down from above illuminated the dark beast in the gloom. The fey marking around it's eye and on it's hip linked it to the legend Nox had spoken of, and the rest of it quickly resolved into a living piece of magical history. Standing 5 feet high at the shoulder, was one of the Dire Wolves of lore.  It sniffed the air, eyes narrowing in suspicion, as it circled the fey youth, taking his measure.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 9:44 pm
Lupinus froze as the wolf approached, eying it warily. Dire wolves-- they must be, and fey marked. He'd never expected to see one, much less... see so many of them. Sparing but a glance for the glowing eyes surrounding him, the fey focused on the large wolf before him.
"You're magnificant," he said quietly, and it was. Rising slowly to his feet, he stood straight, legs stiff, tail raised. He faced the wolf and met its green gaze as he took a careful step towards it. He felt sure that if this one accepted him, the others would as well- or so he hoped. Careful not to be distracted by the other eyes on him, he took a second step forward and waited, his muscles tensed.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 5:49 pm
Perhaps Nox's choice of sending Lupinus was deeper than his being a warrior, for wolf to wolf, the Dire one seemed to respect the fey. It padded forward a few steps, then in an act of submission and acceptance, it bowed to the warrior, folding his front legs under him, to give ease for the fey to climb onto his back.
In Lupinus' head came a voice, deep, wild, and dark. "The pact is once again made, we shall honor our ancestors alliance with the Moon Court."
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:01 am
Lupinus let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. So, he was still in one piece. He approached the large wolf and paused beside it for a moment. "I thank you for honoring our alliance." He climbed onto its back, feeling a connection with these wild, untamed creatures- Looking back at the many pairs of eyes, he raised a hand and motioned. "Come, then, and return with me."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:13 am
The great beast allowed him to climb aboard it's back, then with a howl, summoned the rest of his pack to follow.
((Angua, I need a name fer yer dire wolfie so I can cert him for you biggrin ))
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:08 pm
Lupinus held on as the great wolf howled and then exited the grotto, its pack following closely. Elation filled him as they headed back towards the castle. Nox would be pleased...
((Comus, please-- Thanks! biggrin ))
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