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A talk
Feb 28, 2004 14:53:16 GMT
Post by Brother Strange on Feb 28, 2004 14:53:16 GMT
*Young Grimwold heads through the village, away from the Crazed Heifer towards his home, deep in thought about Motley, his past and the recent events in the forest.* *As he passes a side alley, a figure steps out.* *Brother Strange is once more wearing his heavy browen cassock, his weatherbeaten face looking out upon the world. Nowhere is there a trace of the horrific figure he was revealed to be in the forest.* *As always, however, he moves with a silence that is not altogether human. A silence which is broken by his voice.* "Young Grimwold!" "I would speak to you a moment, if you are willing."
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A talk
Feb 28, 2004 18:45:55 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Feb 28, 2004 18:45:55 GMT
*Young Grimwold, deep in thought, is a little startled to hear someone addressing him. Nervous that he has not had time to rehearse the opening lines of a conversation, he looks up; and is reassured to see someone he recognises. Although he has spent time at a monastery, he knows that Brother Strange is not a conventional monk.*
Brother Strange. Yes, I am willing. First, let me thank you for helping me at the Forest Forge, and throwing my club back to me. FrightKnight and Hordriss are resting at the Inn. And... I'm sorry, it was you that wanted to speak. Please, go ahead.
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A talk
Feb 29, 2004 13:39:48 GMT
Post by Brother Strange on Feb 29, 2004 13:39:48 GMT
It is I who should apologise.
You save my sanity, if not my life, and I left without even a word. I hope you can understand that I was somewhat overcome by feelings.
For decades I have hidden my state of being from the world, fearful of their anger, hatred and mockery. Afraid of what I had become. And when finally I was revealed to a group of people, some of whom I had only just met, I encountered only acceptance, pity, even compassion.
The story of how I came to be this way can wait until I have you, Hordriss, Frightnight, Tom, Ursula and Rob together, or at least as many of them who wish to hear it.
However, on the subject of being overcome by feelings, you seem somewhat upset, as I am sure at least one tree can attest.
If it is not an imposition, what is wrong?
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A talk
Mar 1, 2004 14:43:45 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 1, 2004 14:43:45 GMT
*Young Grimwold feels an eruption of nausea in his stomach when Brother Strange mentions the tree. 'It serves you right that someone saw you, throwing a strop like that,' says a voice in his head. But YG quickly muffles this voice before it can castigate him further.*
*YG looks at his interlocutor. For all his mystique, he seems vulnerable, even pained; YG trusts him. A chat with him can only be a good thing. YG is not sure how much he wants to reveal - especially when so much of what happened still confuses him. But he recalls something that a jester (not Motley though) once said to him:*
*'Misery acquaints a man with Strange bedfellows.'*
The tree, I am sure, did not deserve my rather zealous pruning. I saw someone in the Crazed Heifer... someone who reminded me of something very wrong that I did to someone whom I cared about. Something far worse than small-scale deforestation.
[OOC: The quotation is from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.]
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 16:03:44 GMT
Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Mar 3, 2004 16:03:44 GMT
[Continued from 'Time to Rest' in the Wolf's Howl Inn] *With a look of amusement on his face, Hordriss listens to Young Grimwold's anger and confession, and raises an eyebrow when he hears of Brother Strange's wish to tell his story. None of this is present in his aspect when he emerges, however, which is all the usual kindly Hordriss* Secrets can rankle Young Grimwold, and you are amongst friends here. Pray excuse my arrival, one could not help overhearing, although if it helps one believes that much of the noise was covered by the roars of derision inside this establishment. Secrets can be such a dangerous thing however, and it seems that you both hold such in your hearts. One wonders if one can assist?
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 17:07:12 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 3, 2004 17:07:12 GMT
*Young Grimwold is mildly sceptical of the mage's motives in joining the talk. A voice inside him says, 'Yes, Hordriss, you can reimburse me for your board at the Inn, then go off and mind your own business.' But this voice is muffled by swift guilt. YG was hoping to confide in one person, though he is unable to assess Brother Strange's current mood. Of course, YG remembers, Hordriss was around during his time in the Dungeon, and remained a dramatis persona afterward - he may know everything anyway.*
*So YG looks at Hordriss, takes a deep breath, and utters the single most bittersweet word he knows...*
Mellisandre.
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 17:27:16 GMT
Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Mar 3, 2004 17:27:16 GMT
*Outwardly Hordriss does not change, his face is a picture of fatherly concern. Inside he gives a short, mirthless laugh, he recognises the timbre to the ogre's voice.*
Thinks: So, the ogre is in love, how useful. I wonder if this 'Mellisandre' is around the area still... The ogre would be a most... yes... most satisfactory. Hmm... even a lock of her hair may do, and this love-struck creature may just have been smitten enough to keep one.
*Hordriss turns his eyes to one side to disguise a shadow flitting across them for a moment, but makes it look like a bowing of the head in recognition. Then he speaks aloud.*
Ah... Mellisandre. One had wondered... Please, take your time....
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 17:51:49 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 3, 2004 17:51:49 GMT
Erm... she was someone I knew, back in the Dungeon. If you remember me from those days, do you also remember her, Hordriss?
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 17:55:09 GMT
Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Mar 3, 2004 17:55:09 GMT
But of course, Young Grimwold, but she meant little to me. A nice enough lady I am sure. But to you.... much more, one supposes?
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 18:41:56 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 3, 2004 18:41:56 GMT
*YG stutters.*
She was... We were...
'She walked in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies...'
Whereas I... walked as an ogre does.
*YG looks away.*
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A talk
Mar 3, 2004 20:35:04 GMT
Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Mar 3, 2004 20:35:04 GMT
*Hordriss is prepared to speak in great sympathy, to listen patiently to his troubles and to generally comfort the figure before him. Then, at the corner of his mind he senses the approach of the Ringmaster. Even a mage as powerful as Hordriss would normally be fooled by Rob's invisibility, but Hordriss is..... not quite himself.*
Thinks: Well, Ringmaster, you are not here yet, let's see how far you can follow..
*Outwardly sympathetic, he reaches forward to lay a hand on Young Grimwold's*
One understands... only in the words of Byron can you express such emotion... Ah, youth....
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A talk
Mar 4, 2004 7:41:22 GMT
Post by ringmasterrob on Mar 4, 2004 7:41:22 GMT
*Rob calmly walks within range of Hordriss and unleashes a devastating blast of short range fireballs, these lift Hordriss from the ground and slam him against a wall. His robes and hair are now aflame.*
Rob: *shouting* Brother Strange, Young Grimwold this is not Hordriss, someone or thing has possessed him. He has stolen one of my rings and replaced it with a fake. Do NOT allow him to leave!
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A talk
Mar 4, 2004 18:39:37 GMT
Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 4, 2004 18:39:37 GMT
*Young Grimwold has a mental image of himself jumping out of a giant frying pan, diving through a black void, executing a triple somersault, and falling into a blazing fire. He emits a confused yelp, too quiet for anyone to hear. His instinct, unusually, is to run away - he suspects that if he tries to intervene in a magical crossfire he will only get hurt, or worse - but he hesitates for now, wondering what will happen next.*
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A talk
Mar 4, 2004 19:13:08 GMT
Post by ringmasterrob on Mar 4, 2004 19:13:08 GMT
*Rob uses the time Hordriss is taking to stumble to his feet to cast a powerful spell. The time field around Hordriss is disrupted and he stops moving completely.*
Rob: *calmly* Sorry to disrupt your talk, I went to Hordriss to seek his help identifying a curse I may have and I felt and still do feel ill around him. He asked me to put my ring into a bowl and when it came out it was tarnished, I feared trickery and when I went outside then my ring was no longer magical and even Hordriss' magic could not have done this. I must seek the truth!
*Rob goes to the frozen Hordriss, checks his robes and his fingers, in fact anywhere Hordriss could've hidden the ring. He cannot find it, he searches more furiously and decides to try another tactic. He binds Hordriss and despells the time freeze. Hordriss cannot use magic nor can he move, he can only speak*
Rob: Now whoever you are, for I doubt you are Hordriss, where is my ring and why have you taken it?
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A talk
Mar 4, 2004 20:09:47 GMT
Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Mar 4, 2004 20:09:47 GMT
*Hordriss looks up, a shadow passes across his eyes. It feels as if he is staring directly into the Ringmaster's soul. This time the feeling that rises isn't even nausea, it's simply wrong, wrong....*
Finding it a little hard to look me in the eye, Ringmaster? Perhaps you are not the man you think you are... You can believe what you like, but in fuelling the anger in your soul you are merely hightening the curse. Soon, perhaps the feelings will fade, but do not be fooled, they are merely retreating deeper into your mind....
That is true about so much of life, isn't it? You never really know what is going on until...
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