ooc:
I summon thee, JANUS!

The noise continues, unwavering, as you tap your book nervously. Boltat shifts in place beside you, groaning, and sniffing the air. The bear does not keep its gaze fixed on any one point. Then, without warning or explanation, the spine-chilling sound comes to a sudden halt, leaving a slight ringing in your ears.

Taylen

The wailing, just as steady and loud as it has been for the past couple moments, has become less prominent in your attention. As you look down, the immediate cause of your problem proves fairly obvious. The laces of your boot stretch between your feet, tied to each other at the ends, leaving only enough slack for short walking steps. Then a strange sound catches your ears; the sound of no sound at all. Someone stands over you, with bare clawed feet, the tip of a wooden cane landing on the edge of your sight.

Falaanla

Amidst his wild waving and glancing about, Relmido gives you what appears to be a slight nod. He starts to stammer, adding ever so slightly to the ever-present noise in the room. The fellin who caught your eyes walks towards the center of the room, leaning on her cane, and comes to a halt directly in front of Taylen, of all people. She turns her head to look at you again. Then, out of nowhere, a shimmering orb appears hardly a foot from the spot you selected for your spell. It bursts open into a shimmer of stars, which settle in a dome shape roughly six elf-heights across. The loud wailing ceases suddenly, and all the room quickly falls silent, as everyone turns to look at the shimmering sparkles fade to nothing.

Reyolen

The crowd shuffles around you, some continuing to stare at you, though others turn their attention to seek the source of the sudden loud wailing. For a moment, nothing seems to change, and the crowd grows impatient. Those who manage to ignore the constant wailing grow loud and insistent with their questions to you, though you cannot make out what they are asking.

Suddenly the noise stops. People around you quickly realize that they have been shouting, and silence themselves altogether, joining their companions in staring towards a single shimmering dome of light near the meeting hall's entrance.

As you bring your eyes level, they look upon a fellin woman, with orange fur, and white stripes in criss-crossed patterns along most of her body. She has on a loosely draped pink apron, hooked around the back of her neck and tied at the waist, and a knee-length skirt of dull white. The wooden cane supports her weight, clasped in one of her hands. A good head taller than you even without the added difference of the slanted floor, she stares off towards one of the balconies, where two daysprites hover. One of them you recognize as the winged girl who you met at the forest's edge a full two nights ago.

Then, out of nowhere, a shimmering orb appears a distance behind her, near the entrance to the meeting hall. It bursts open into a shimmer of stars, which settle in the shape of a dome as large as the single-domed huts you saw throughout the city's lower tier. The loud wailing ceases suddenly, and all the room quickly falls silent, as everyone turns to look at the shimmering sparkles fading to nothing.

Janus Krug

You find it difficult to follow the elves while lying on your back, so standing up makes the most sense. As you do this, you notice most of the elves gathered around each other beside you, talking quietly amongst themselves. The one in the middle, who had spent much of the trip chatting with two of the female elves, appears to have drawn the attention of the others as he speaks to Celbarin, Velmoor, and the others. Just down the ramp, the fellin, the large human, and the alligator have gathered near the grey-skinned creature, who now stands beside its female companion.

"What do you plan to do now, with your form as it is? You said you cannot go among others like you are."

ooc:
Can you hear me now? Good!

For a moment, you can see and hear nothing from within the large building. Boltat moves between you and the building, and blows a huff of air out its nose as it lays down in front of you. Though you can still see over the bear, there doesn't seem to be anything happening. A moment later, however, a slender-looking elven woman in long green robes carrying a long wooden staff steps out of the doorway, and stands still, staring at you. Boltat stands up again, and walks around behind you, giving your back a slight nudge.

Taylen

You have no difficulty setting your foot down again. As you lower the armor onto the floor, one of the crates within it slips. You manage to get your load down safely, with a slight clank and thud. The fellin woman begins to walk away, back up the aisle towards the entryway. Then, in the corner of your eye, you notice something move on one of the balconies. An elven woman appears there, where a moment ago you saw no one.

She climbs down slowly from the balcony, takes a long staff from where it had been leaning against a wall, and walks at a brisk pace towards the entrance. There, she stops, and simply stands for a moment, looking outward towards the spiral ramps you recall from when the wayguard escorted you here. The elf wears long green robes, and silver streaks run through her otherwise blonde hair.

Reyolen

The dome of small shimmering lights slowly fades away, and slowly, the crowd begin to look around, picking up various conversations. The distraction seems to have shifted their attention off of you for the moment. Suddenly you see a familiar-looking elf appear on one of the vacant balconies, and begin to climb down. She wears a long, emerald green wizard robe, and her long blonde hair is streaked with silver. Moving at a brisk pace, she walks towards the entryway, carrying a long wooden staff. As she comes to a halt in the entryway, staring out towards the marketplace, a memory of the woman returns to you.

Many years ago, when you were still young, your father took you up to the fourth tier, into the Felesancienna. Though he went there on many of his visits, you had not been to the place before. You can still recall the volumes upon volumes of books, the many alcoves in the walls housing marvelous statues and odd crafts, and the many vaults, the contents of which you never learned. Your father lead you to a small room, and asked you to wait outside. He entered, and faced a curved table, with four elves seated behind it. This woman was among the four. She was an Elder of Destindeterre.

Falaanla

For a moment, the fellin woman continues to stare at you from beside your companion. Then, once the shimmering dome fades back to normal, the fellin turns, and walks slowly back towards it, supporting herself on her cane. You find it difficult to tell whether she suspects you of casting a spell or not. However, a sudden panic within you replaces any concerns you may have had about the fellin woman, as you find yoruself unable to move. Your wings cease to beat the air behind you. A single word, pluma, rings in your ears in a soft voice, and you slowly float down to the floor, unable to act, unable to control your own limbs, unable to fight against whatever has taken control of your body from you.

Drakkenmaw

"I do not know," the grey-skinned creature whispers voicelessly. "Time will tell. But I know," it pauses, "that others will not understand. They will need to understand."

Janus Krug

You find yourself unable to divert the attention of the elf at the center of the group. Only the one who offered you his hand up before now turns to you again. "She is a face stealer," he says quietly, "and he knew. He and she both knew," he adds in an irritated tone, motioning towards the others down the ramp.

Aanile, Ukko, Drakkenmaw, Janus

Before you can act any further, a female voice calls down to you from above, "The deceiver stays! Any others who wish to remain may do so. Any who wish to enter the city, proceed up the ramp now. The night has come, and we have no time for this delay." She sounds slightly out of breath.

"Stays... here?"

"Lizarrrdman, come. We find otherrrs." She says, holding her hand out to Drak. "Cannot vouch forrrr herrrr."

The forest on either side of the inclined path looks as it has for the past day or so, save for you being slightly higher above the ground. Above you, however, you find something more unusual. A bridge or overhang of some sort seems to cross above the ramp you now stand on, disappearing from view into the leaves on either side of the ramp. Leaning over the edge, you notice an elven woman, holding a bow in one hand, staring back down at you. She is too far away to make out greater detail than that, and offers you no response.

The elven woman beside you and Freya, however, does have something to say. "She will not stay here, do you understand?" she shouts upward. Glaring at the fellin, she snaps, "Eiasa is spoken for, because I am speaking for her. Do you underst..." she cuts off suddenly, as the grey-skinned being places a spindly hand on her shoulder. It shakes its head, whispers something in the elf's ear that you cannot make out, even at this range, then sits down cross-legged, facing off towards the forest. The elven woman sighs, and sits down beside her companion. "Then I'm staying too," she announces.

Trillee

The elven woman standing beside the grey creature seems to take offense to your words. "She will not stay here, do you understand?" she shouts upward. Then glaring at you, she snaps, "Eiasa is spoken for, because I am speaking for her. Do you underst..." she cuts off suddenly, as the grey-skinned being places a spindly hand on her shoulder. It shakes its head, whispers something in the elf's ear that you cannot make out, even at this range, then sits down cross-legged, facing off towards the forest. The elven woman sighs, and sits down beside her companion. "Then I'm staying too," she announces.

Ukko

Most of the elves also begin walking up the trail. Celbarin gathers up your axes from where he dropped them. One elf, however, does not walk up the trail ahead of you. Instead, he turns towards the elven woman and the grey-skinned being near the gate, and begins to walk towards them. However, none of them make any additional efforts to rebind your arms.

The elven woman near the bottom of the ramp shouts out, "She will not stay here, do you understand? Eiasa is spoken for, because I am speaking for her! Do you underst..." her yelling cuts for a moment, followed by a not-quite-so-loud declaration, "Then I'm staying too!"

Janus Krug

Six of the seven elves gathered near you turn, almost at once, and proceed up the trail. Only the one from the center of the group remains behind, as he walks slowly back down towards his two companions. You hear the shouting of a female voice from nearby, "She will not stay here, do you understand? Eiasa is spoken for, because I am speaking for her! Do you underst..." her yelling cuts for a moment, followed by a not-quite-so-loud declaration, "Then I'm staying too!" The large human also begins to walk up the trail with you, making a stiff pace that lets him quickly catch back up to you.

"Ithar...Ithar? Whats going on? I...cant move. nothing. Can't talk, can still see but cant look anywhere else...do you know what this is? I heard a strange word...and then couldn't move..."

For a moment, you hear no response. Then the little bird replies to you, "I not know. You tell me? I hungry." You feel a slight fidgeting in your shoulderbag.

Spotting the woman quite quickly after her appearance, she jumps to her feet, assuming a relatively dignified stance fairly quickly, disrupted only slightly by the bear's nudge, and the nescessity of tucking her spellbook back under her arm. She slowly approaches the elven woman, eyes flickering between the strong gaze of the elf, and the organic "ground". Maybe I'll get some answers soon. But more likely a larger number of questions. Twirling the tips of her hair with her fingers, she politely curtsies as she approaches the lady.

"Ithar, this isn't any fun. I wanna fly back up there...Idun like bein here on the ground, I'm so small, someone might step on me! And don't worry, soon as I can, I'll get ya some food...but first I need to figure out whats holdin me here!"

She reaches for Drak's hand, gently, to lead him ip the directed path.

Boltat follows you towards the building, staying close behind you, and lies down beside the entryway. In response to your curtsey, the elven woman smiles, and gives a small curtsey of her own, with her hands loosely out to her sides, crossing one leg behind the other to avoid spreading her robe too much, and leaning on her staff with one hand for balance. She then mouths something, though making no sound, and walks into the building again. Behind her, you see Ralora making her way up from the center of the building. The two of them pause just inside the doorway, motioning with their hands, then Ralora walks to the side, out of sight. The two guards reenter the doorway again, now standing right beside you. You can see several other people deeper into the room.

Falaanla

You feel more fidgeting in your shoulderbag, then something gently pokes your arm. "Head out!" you hear Ithar exclaim. After a few more seconds, you notice a slight tugging on your sleeve. From somewhere around you, a series of dull thuds reach your ears, growing slowly louder, then they suddenly stop. A fellin's face, orange with black stripes, appears in front of your eyes a few feet away. "Don't struggle," she says, looking at you, "it will wear off soon. Then you can explain why you were trying to scare the people here."

Taylen

Whoever tied the knot in your bootlaces did a very tidy job. You have difficulty removing the complex series of knots, and the process takes a moment of your undivided attention and concentration. When you look up again from tying your laces properly, the fellin woman stands below one of the balconies, staring down at something. The woman in green robes now faces towards you from the doorway, and the two guards have vanished from sight again.

Reyolen

The Destindeterre Elder continues ot stare out the entryway for a moment, then turns around, and begins communicating with an elderly fellin woman, using a series of hand gestures. The fellin then walks off along the edge of the room, passing under several balconies, until she comes to a daysprite hovering beside one of the balconies. The daysprite backs away slowly as she approaches, then flies over to the other side of the room. Ignoring the little flying person, the fellin looks down at the ground.

"Ithar...I may have a way to get you food soon. I hope this'll work, just act like you are really hungry so this cat lady will believe you. OK?"

"But... what of them?" Drakkenclaw turns towards the fellin, speaking with confused pauses in his voice. "Are... are we going-"

As she reaches her hand to his, he halts his words - beginning several others.

"Wait- ...they... should we..." Finally, he sighs. Taking her hand gently, he speaks with a soft, sad tone.

"As you wish."

"An odder bunch than in any of the stories..."

Not bad, not bad at all.

[ 03-28-2003: Message edited by: Dr. Pvednes, PhD ]

ooc:
Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Work's been hectic.

"I no need act," Ithar complains, as you hear a chirp from nearby. "I hun-cat? Ithar no food! Ithar no food!" A flutter of wings bats against your arm, followed by a small blue blur slipping past the corner of your vision. The fellin woman's face slowly brings itself closer to you. A soft, padded palm strokes your forehead. After a moment, a tingling sensation washes over your body, like sitting by a warm fire on a cold day, and a pulse runs up your spine, making your body shudder slightly. "There, that wasn't so bad," the fellin's voice says.

Reyolen

The Elder watches you approach, and returns the bow you offer her with a slight curtsey. However, she seems not to notice your introduction, as she turns in the same direction as the older fellin woman nearby, and walks away from you at a brisk pace. Though she leans on her staff, you do not hear it hitting the ground until she has taken several paces from the entrance. A young-looking human woman enters the room a second later, looking around.

Taylen

Silvan walks past you, headed for the entrance. He pauses a short distance away from her, and bows, receiving a curtsey in return from the elven woman standing in the entryway. The elven woman, who appeared from nowhere a moment ago, now walks in the same direction as the elderly fellin in the pink apron went a moment ago, walking along the edge of the room. The crowd behind you slowly breaks up into smaller groups.

Pvednes

The building appears even larger from within than it did from the outside. Your eyes scan a single enormous room, with its floor sloping downward towards the center. Rings of tangled-branch benches run around the room, broken occasionally by clear walk paths. The room could probably accommodate the population of a midsized town. Above you, the entire ceiling glows, lit by small dim-glowing lights of some sort in the ceiling itself. Balconies line the edges of the room, with branches jutting out of the walls beside them, almost like the rungs of ladders.

People of many different races litter the room in small groups. Humans, elves, and fellis appear to chat with each other and amongst themselves. A couple dwarves stand by themselves, and you notice three lizardmen with blade-ended poles standing under a balcony. An elf in simple traveler's garb with a good deal of gear on his back stands closest to you. The elderly woman with grey-streaked hair has headed off along the edge of the room, towards Ralora, who appears to kneel down over something on the floor. Oddly, you hear no conversation, nor any sound at all.

Janus Krug, Ukko, Trillee, Drakkenmaw

As you reach the top of the ramp, more of the city of Destindeterre comes suddenly into view. The ramp was only the first of many winding paths, all formed of tightly woven branches. Scattered in every direction, wooden domes dot the edges of the paths, just large enough to serve as small huts. Everything is lit by a soft, dusk-like glow. Slivers of light emanate through the walls of a few of the domes, as elves wander here and there along the paths.

Two elves, one male, one female, and both armed with bows, await you at the top of the ramp. "Welcome to Destindeterre, city of the elves," one of them says pleasantly, though his voice carries a stern tone. "Now, if you would kindly come with us, we have already tarried too long."

Miss Fellin, I'm sorry, I'd call you by your name but I do not know it. I am very sorry for trying to scare the people here, I had no ill intentions. You see, my familiar and I, we haven't eaten for some time...and then we got here to town...we were hungry, very huntry...but we were rushed here...and nothing has happened...we didn't leave, or anything...

We figured if we scared the people and everyone left, we could sneak out and maybe get some food...

Please don't be mad at us, miss. I promise I won't do that again...

Sae then thinks...

"Ithar, come back. The cat lady wont eat you, she is nice..."

[ 03-29-2003: Message edited by: Falaanla Marr ]

ooc:
Reyolen, she didn't leave the room. Please consult the closeup map I've provided.

Ukko asked me to treat his character as an NPC for a few days, while he deals with other matters. Please note that the group won't actually start moving until everyone in it posts, or gets forcibly dragged.

The fellin woman listens to you quietly, her ears perked slightly. After you finish speaking, she places a palm gently across your belly, and closes her eyes. Her hand from heel to claw spans the width of you, and could probably hold you down if she pressed, but her touch is gentle. A wooden cane longer than your own body supports her, and even while kneeling over you, she leans one hand on it.

"Nice lady cat? Like nice owl, no eat me? Okay." The little bird reappears a few seconds later, as it lands on the finger of the fellin woman's hand atop her cane. He chirps once, looking at her, and bobs up and down on her finger, "I hungry!" Your belly whines a bit in response.

An elven woman appears behind the fellin, and places her hand on the latter's shoulder. Silver streaks run through the elf's otherwise blonde hair, and her eyes glisten in the dim light. "She isn't hurt, is she?" the elf asks. "I would hate to have that on my conscience."

Reyolen

It's hard to tell if the human girl comes from an important family or not, but you see no tiara in her hair, nor any other similarly obvious indications of noble ties. Her clothes look like they may have been of decent make.

As you pursue the elven woman, she walks up behind the elderly fellin, who now appears to be kneeling over something. Both of them have their backs towards you.

Janus Krug, Trillee, Drakkenmaw

"Oui, let us hurry, I wants see my wife again!" the large man exclaims as a broad grin stretches between his ears. He walks towards the two elves hastily, and looks down at them while bouncing excitedly on the balls of his toes, "I will follow you."

"Very nice Cat lady, Ithar."

Sae then heard the elven women speak, and thinks for a moment, but deicdes not to try to dig herself in deeper...

No miss, I'm fine. Just hungry is all...

She starts tapping on her book again curiously, and glancing further around the room, begins to wander along the edge of the room towards Ralora.

[ 04-02-2003: Message edited by: Dr. Pvednes, PhD ]

She keeps a watchful eye out on the lizardman, making sure he stays with the group.

"What... what did you DO to this place?" he softly asks. "Why would you... what would ever bring you to... by the leaves of the Shalm, why?"

[ 04-01-2003: Message edited by: Drakkenmaw ]

ooc:
I'm rushing the second part of the group along a bit, to catch them up with those already at the meeting hall. This post takes the four of you as far as the marketplace.

The silver-haired elven woman reaches Ralora first, and looks down at her. Shortly afterwards, the elven man who had been staring at you when you entered reaches them. Between the three of them blocking your view, you cannot see what Ralora has kneeled over, even though you now stand only a few feet back from them.

Falaanla

The elven woman looks down at you, and smiles gently, placing a hand on the fellin's shoulder, "I'm certain our loving caretaker can help with that once the rites are over. The sun has already gone down, so it won't be long. Are you alright with her, Ralora? I know you already have a charge in your care."

"I think I can handle this one," the fellin replies in a soft, soothing voice, as she turns to look at Ithar. "The girl I found by the entrance has come with me. Her name is Tania, and she's Vistan."

"Yes, she does look a bit better. Less pale around the cheeks, I think. And we have other familiar company as well. Have you met Silvan Koras?" the elven woman turns, as Silvan walks up beside her.

The fellin woman, however, shows little interest in Silvan. Her eyes remain on your bird, and she lifts her palm off your belly to rub Ithar's chest. "Hello there, little one," she says, with a pleasantly rolling undertone in her voice. She then begins speaking in a language you don't understand, consisting of rolling words that run one into another.

Ithar chirps, and tilts his head, staring at her. "Yep, nice cat lady. What she say?"

Reyolen

As you walk up to the elven woman, she appears to be speaking to the elderly fellin. "Have you met Silvan Koras?" she asks just as you walk up. Then you notice what the fellin is leaning over. Lying on her back, you see the little winged girl, Saeessira, whom you met not two nights before on the edge of the wood. Her tiny blue bird has perched on the fellin's finger, and chirps as the fellin rubs its chest.

"Hello there, little one," the fellin woman says in the Common tongue. Then, changing over to Auran, she continues, "You're the familiar, aren't you? I've heard such interesting stories about familiars. Do you have any stories for me, little one? You're hungry too, aren't you? Yes, your mistress is hungry, and you are hungry. Not to worry, woodfriend, you will have seed soon."

Janus Krug, Ukko, Aanile, Drakkenmaw

"You shall have your answers in due time," one of the elves answers the lizardman, "but for now, please keep pace." As you walk away from the ramp, a second gate closes behind you, sealing the ramp off from the inside of the city. Hardly a moment later, another elven woman comes running up behind the group, bow in hand, and steps in line behind the fellin and lizardman, following the two of them. These three elves, whom Velmoor calls Wayguards, lead your group into the heart of the city.

Small, dome-shaped huts quickly give way to larger structures, with vertical walls of thin branches grown tightly together, covered by arcing rooftops of large leaves. The buildings appear unlike anything you have seen before, even in paintings. Walking past them, with the soft glow of evening lights emanating through window curtains of dried moss, it seems as if the forest itself has grown this place to meet the needs and desires of the elven folk.

A few elves wander about, mostly women with children, some tree tenders, and a few folk armed with bows. Other than the children, no one pays much mind to your group, giving you a wide enough berth to stay out of sword's reach. The wayguards lead you and your companions to the center of the city, where the three winding ramps rise to the higher tiers, coiled around a great trunk many paces across. As you ascend, you have an opportunity to survey the entire first level. The city reaches out in all directions, beyond its three entrances. Small domes make up most of the outlying buildings.

When you emerge from among the branches, you find yourself in the middle of a large marketplace, filled with small shoppes and kiosks. Most of the shops appear empty, though a few remain open, selling assorted goods. The two wayguards at the front of the group pause, and wait for everyone to ascend. "It isn't much further," the male elf tells the group, "just past these shops here. Follow us." With that, they make their way past the shops, towards a tremendous building in the shape of a flattened dome. The six elves slowly follow.

[ 04-07-2003: Message edited by: Ford Prefect ]