"Boredom. One word to sum up a state of mind. Once said to be the
curse of the eternal races, it has now seeped into the minds of mortals."
Olysiousa sat by the dock in the Oasis of Marr with a quill and parchment in hand. She sighed to herself and scratched out the bitter quotation. All the eternal races had long since moved to the Plane of Growth to be near the Lady Tunare.
Bards were storytellers. They shouldn't get bored, and yet, here she was, in the Oasis with nothing to do and nothing to write.
Olysiousa let her gaze wander away from her page to the area around her. It was an odd sight, nothing but open ocean behind her and rolling dunes of desert sand in front. Her attention was pulled off to her left at the sound of shouts. Coming straight her way was a bunch of ugly orcs chasing a hapless monk. The young fighter was managing to dodge the slashes of the orcs behind him, but it was painfully obvious that he would not be able to continue doing so for long. Olysiousa grinned at the prospect of beating up a few orcs and managing to help someone all at once. (Mostly though, she grinned at the slaughtering of the orcs) She jumped to her feet, pulled out her gold etched flute and began to play a song. Two of the three orcs stared at her for a moment before their eyes seemed to get heavy and they fell asleep. Oly let her song continue for a moment more before she switched the flute for a set of hand drums. She played a fast rhythm, and as the beat sped up, so did the monk's fists. It wasn't long before the last orc turned tail and ran, leaving its sleeping comrades on the beach for the crocodiles to pick at.
The young monk bruised and battered as he was turned and smiled at her. "My thanks to you for the lovely music Girly, but next time a weapon might come in more handy." He turned and pulled out some bandages to tend his wounds. Olysiousa scowled, gritting her teeth at his back. She switched the drum the finely crafted lute she always kept in her bag. She played a refreshing melody, weaving the strange magic of bards into every chord. The young monk paused for a moment before he continued to tend his wounds. After a little while, Olysiousa stopped the song.
"Feeling any better?" She asked the monk trying to keep her voice placid.
"Actually, yes," He frowned a moment. "What did you do?"
"I played a song"
"Well that is obvious. You're a bard, aren't you? You travel, playing music and telling stories for spare coins. But did you have a druid heal me? I could swear some of the wounds those orcs inflicted are gone." Olysiousa stared at the monk in utter disbelieve. He had no idea about the world around him.
"Its… um... a little more complicated than that."
"Really? Well, my father was a monk, but he still told stories. Any dumb ogre could be a bard." He scoffed at her. Olysiousa choked back a curse at his arrogance. It wasn't really worth a fight.
"Think what you want, but there is more to music than simply making noise." She swallowed the insult that was resting on her tongue and turned on her heel toward the Desert of Northern Ro. "I hope that infernal Cazel eats you alive! Then you'll understand." She muttered under her breath instead.
Where to now? There was no one around to hunt with. Stabbya was off in Kunark keeping the Sarnak population down, Synnibar was questing something or other, Cerilik was off in the middle of no where as usual, and her mother Sopranoe, well no one ever knew where she was. Oly heaved another sigh and blushed as her stomach rumbled rather loudly. She had forgotten to buy rations on her last trip into Freeport. The gypsies at the camp here sold food, but as she hefted her purse in her hand, Oly found it every bit as empty as her stomach. 'Well, might as well head into Freeport and play at the gates for a little spare coinage.'
On that thought, Olysiousa headed through the desert sun in her heavy armor. She silently thanked the fates that had given her lambent armor, which was considerably lighter, and cooler, than plate or bronze. The sand was warm, even through her boots and she rolled her shoulders to ease the ache growing between them. She ran a hand through her short white hair, so resembling her mother's. She smiled to herself at that. It had been a fair while ago when she had finally found the woman again. Oly had no idea what she would have done if Synnibar and Lady Keyley hadn't let her stay with the guild family of the Unification of Norrath. The only reason they had taken her in was based on Stabbya and Sopranoe's recommendation.
Olysiousa snickered to herself as the guards came in sight. They were joking with one another at the expense of an inexperienced enchanter. There wasn't a doubt in Oly's mind that that enchanter would remember this day and be back when she had learned more.
The guards lost their interest quickly, and were, as usual, bored. They were more than happy to hear a few epic tales and songs of Heroes and their plights around Norrath. It wasn't long before Olysiousa had what she needed, but she stayed around a little while longer to see if there was any news. Apparently there wasn't much going on in the world today, as the most exciting thing she heard was that there was new music up in High Pass Hold.
'Might as well travel then.' Oly thought. She bought some extra supplies got her instruments tuned at Marsheart's Chords, and switched her armored boots for more comfortable leather ones before heading out to the commons.
The grass felt pleasantly soft through leather compared to the metal boots she had before. Olysiousa breathed in the afternoon air as she passed the first inn on her way west. She even gave the Sargent a smile as she walked past. Yes, traveling was good. It made the world seem…cleaner some how.
"Maybe I should write a ballad." She chuckled to herself. Perhaps she might even find something interesting in High Pass.
She stopped by the tollbooth in the Western part of the Common lands to loosen her swords in their scabbards. She used the opportunity to inquire about dangerous sightings in the area.
"Nay, lass. Though ye should be wary of the Kithicor forest. Were I you, I'd not be getting caught there past dusk." The guard replied. Olysiousa knew the story, and knew enough to believe it.
"Thank you sire." She responded with a tilt of her head.
Olysiousa was young. Not stupid. Unfortunately the only way to get to High Pass was through the cursed forest of Kithicor. Unless, of course, she felt like a lark pas giants, griffons and gnoll galore in the planes of Karana. At least through the forest there was little chance of seeing any undead during the day so it was a relatively safe passage in daylight.
Dusk was coming soon, however, so it would be pointless to go straight to the forest only to be slaughtered like a lamb. Instead, Olysiousa headed for the local Druid rings. There were usually a lot of animals around there, so chances were she'd be able to pick up some pelts for tailoring if nothing else.
As usual, the rings were swarming with activity. People casting spells for money, druids offing teleports, and of course, young hunters selling pelts aplenty. Olysiousa grinned as she caught a glimpse of a familiar face watching the crowed. It was Juleeanna, more lovingly known by many of the UoN as Motherelf. Oly trotted towards her druid friend, waving in greeting.
"Greetings Jules! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off hunting something?"
"Mm…? Oh, good evening Oly. I'm just wasting some time and helping out the little ones." Olysiousa smiled at that. It was not without good reason that the guild family had dubbed this druid Mother Elf. "And what are you up to?"
'Similarly wasting time until dawn so I can pass through Kithicor." Oly replied, looking at the darkening sky. Juleeanna nodded and looked down at her spell book for a moment to mark her page before putting it aside.
"Ah, and what were you thinking of doing there? Helping the guards keep the gnolls in check?"
"Not really. I just heard they had some interesting new music and a friend was asking about a spell so I am going to pick it up for him. It is really just something to do."
"Bored again?" The druidess smiled.
"Yes. Do you happen to know where my mother is lately?"
"Sopranoe? The last I heard, she was in Velious with a few of the others."
"Oh alright. " Olysiousa plopped down accompanied by a rather unflattering metallic thump from her armor. She sat with her back against one of the tall stones that formed the enchanted rings and picked idly at the strings of her lute.
"Why do you ask?" Juleeanna went back to studying her spell book.
"Mm, no particular reason, really. I was just curious." She was just curious, well…mostly anyway. Olysiousa was also rather jealous. She has been told to stay in the area of Freeport to High pass until she was more skilled and could travel in remote safety. If the went with the others of the guild family, she felt like little more than a burden. Maybe if she could work on fighting in High pass, she could travel to Kunark and learn some stealth skills from Stabbya. After all, stealth was a rogue's specialty.
'This could be a long night.' she thought to herself as her boredom returned. She decided instead to practice her newest song. Or, rather, a very old son she had just learned. Olysiousa took the sheet music from her pack and frowned at it for a moment. She was still unsure of what effect the song produced other than nice sounds. Most likely it was a simple tavern song, used for entertainment as this one combined vocal and instrumental sounds where as most battle songs only had one element.
Olysiousa squinted at the music; it was getting too dark to see the music. She reached inside her pack searching out the spherical light stone that Sopranoe had given her. She studied the chords for a few moments before she started to play them.
"That is an old song. Where did you hear it Olysiousa?" Juleeanna had looked up when Oly had started playing. Oly noted with a small smile that the other woman's spell book was also illuminated by the light of a light stone. Together the stones created a nice little glow.
"Jakum Webdancer lent me the music back in Kelethin before I left," She frowned. " But, he didn't tell me what the battle effect was."
"Perhaps it has no effect?" Offered Juleeanna. "If I remember right, don't battle songs usually have only one sound element?" Olysiousa nodded thoughtfully
"I suppose I'll just have to find out on my own." She leaned back against the cool stone. She had decided long ago that armor was annoying. Her breastplate was a finely crafted piece of work. Harder than stone but light enough to move quickly in. While it fit, the breastplate was terribly uncomfortable to wear.
'As long as it doesn't rain, I should be fine.' She thought. At that particular moment, there was a clap of thunder and Oly sighed at her luck. She knew better than to think such things, it was always a curse. Perhaps it was just Bristlebane's sense of humor at work. She scurried underneath one of the over hanging stones and watched the people around the rings scatter in various directions in search of an inn and a fire. She smiled as Juleeanna followed her underneath the stone.
"I thought druids liked the rain Jules." She teased
"Only if they follow Karana, and I, you might remember, serve Tunare." Juleeanna sniffed. "Besides, it takes forever for my fur to dry." The druidess grinned and started casting a spell. Her image shimmered and she turned into a wolf. Olysiousa chuckle and pulled her flute out in exchange for her lute. She watched the people around. Many came and went, oblivious to the night and rain. Olysiousa shivered a little and switched the flute for her drum. She tapped an up beat tempo to keep herself and Juleeanna at least a little warmer. It was rather odd how she didn't have to think about playing some of her songs anymore. It was just automatic to use certain songs now. It allowed her mind to wander, and after a while, she was aware of Juleeanna saying a good bye as she teleported out of the area. At some point, she dozed off. It was usually safe to camp out at the rings, as there were always people around.
A violent shaking startled Olysiousa awake. 'Earthquake? No,' she thought. 'There have never been any earthquakes here.' The shaking came again, and the answer dawned in Olysiousa's mind leaving a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was a hill giant! She had the sinking feeling she was stuck beneath the rings. The shaking was close enough for her to get a rough estimate of where the giant was. If she ran, it would see her, but if she stayed put she stood less chance of surviving the encounter than a bixie would against an orc. Her heart sped up as she snuck a peak to see where exactly the giant was. Thankfully it was still a little ways away, but not far enough to make a difference. The Giant's huge legs would close the distance in mere seconds.
Olysiousa's mind raced every bit as fast as her heart. She tried to remind her self to keep her head. There was always the option of trying to put it to sleep, but it would have to be almost right beside her in order for the song to work, and even then, the chances were slim. The only other option was to pour her heart into playing a speed song and run like mad for Kithicor. She could head for the tollbooth, but that would put her running right between the thing's feet.
The hill giant was closer now, and oly could smell it already. Rotting meat and unwashed filth. It wasn't nearly as bad as a sand giant though, as they had the desert sun to deal with.
'It could be worse, that could be Cazel, or a Nightfall giant.' She thought. After all, Cazel casted spells and could regenerate. Olysiousa muffled a cry as the giant's foot landed not more than five feet away from the stones where she hid. There was a hole in its shoe, and its toe was sticking out. It seemed a little strange and she almost bubbled over with laughter. Olysiousa schooled her mind back from the fear that was threatening to drown her. She was trembling, time was running out. Any minute now the giant would find her. She closed her eyes and desperately wished she were somewhere else, even if that meant being in the middle of Kunark.
Her eyes flew open at the sound of a foolhardy battle cry. She gaped as a rather miss informed hunter lunged at the monster with his sword held high.
"Fool!" She spat. "Well, no guts no glory." She leapt out from underneath the overhanging rock. Shaking hands put the flute to her lips. Olysiousa didn't remember taking the flute from her pack, but that hardly mattered now. She played as loud and as heart felt as she could. It was a melody that seemed to spawn from dreams, memories and the most inner depths of the soul. Every want, every need was expressed in this song. This was Oly's most powerful song, yet strangely, it only worked in the most dire of circumstances. Olysiousa swallowed the overwhelming urge to run as the giant turned to face her, forgetting the ignorant warrior in front of him. The warrior too, sat stunned, watching her. She kept the song strong, forcing herself to stand in the full face of the giant's wrath. She had its full attention now. It growled something in its language as its anger seemed to seep away, transfixed on the melody. Unconsciously, she changed the tune. Not by much, just enough to suit the mind of the giant. The giant's eyes seemed to be seeing something far away, something no being other than a giant could understand. Slowly, it turned back the way it had come. Olysiousa wasted no time in tying the effects of the song's magic with a complicated ending to make sure it would hold long enough.
Without hesitation she grabbed the wrist of the still stunned hunter and dragged him with her. Dawn was still a ways off, but her song would not hold long enough to get past the giant to the tollbooth. The forest was the only choice, dangerous as it was. There was something of a safe path, which was their only hope. She saw the dark tree's of the forest rising in front of her. They weren't far, but that giant would be close to snapping the effects of her song now. Her booted feet slammed against the ground as she dragged the rather unwilling hunter with her.
"Move your feet warrior! I didn't save us from that Giant just to stall death. I know what I'm doing!" she snapped over her shoulder. Now if only she could believe that herself. There was a furious howl from behind as the giant regained its senses. It was coming after its prey. The hunter wisely sped up to stay with her.
The dark trees of the Kithicor were straight ahead. They looked like mangled hands where the corruption that had spawned the undead had seeped into the ground and water. Some where in this forsaken forest was the ranger Kithicor himself, surviving even through the evil, trying to save the forest. Oly dodged limbs, trying to see the hill that formed the pathway. Along its top where trees were scarce, ambushes by the undead were unlikely, although there was also little to no cover. She ran as silently as possible and as low to the ground as she could, praying to Bristlebane that the hunter had the brains to do the same. She felt more than heard the hunter stop behind her. She turned to look why he had stopped. The form of the giant, towering above the trees was crashing into the forest. It stopped, looking panicked. The frightening creature turned, trying to get back out of the forest, but it was too late. The giant's form crashed with a howl to the ground. The forest went eerily quiet; the only sound Oly could hear was the heavy breathing of her and the warrior. The young man was white in the face. There was a chilling scrape in the underbrush down the knoll from where they were. Olysiousa cursed herself for getting distracted. They had been seen by the undead now. She grabbed his wrist again tugging him franticly after her. 'Where is it?' Her heart raced faster and faster, the sound of it drowning out her footfalls. 'There!' The entrance to the tunnel that would mark their only hope was in sight now. It was still a good ways away.
"Where are we going?" The warrior shouted from at her from between gasps for breath. Oly guessed he wasn't used to running from giants and unseen foes.
"Rivervale!" she responded as she pulled him down the hill. There was no point in stealth now, only speed. 'Almost there' she thought. Her heart leapt into her throat as a blood-chilling howl came from behind them, the howl of an enraged Dreaded wolf. Those wolves ran fast, but it wouldn't matter now. The tunnel was less than fifty feet away.
The grass gave way to harsh stone and the thud of Oly's boots and that of the warrior's made their urgency seem all the more dire. 'How far to the spell field?' Olysiousa tried to remember. The howl came from the entrance as the wolf entered the blackness with them. The tunnel curved and a slight shimmer ahead marked the spell field. Marked safety. The shimmer was the spell barrier, set up by the halfling druids to keep their city safe from the undead and other hostiles. Olysiousa shoved her companion ahead of her before she leapt through the field herself, her shoulder making a hard landing on stone. She fell over in the safety of the grassy meadow that marked the entrance to the Halfling City nestled between the mountains and Bloody Kithicor. She snuck a glance to see the huge Dreaded wolf gnashing at them from behind the barrier as the guards secured the spell. She let herself fall back to the ground, closing her eyes, and lying on her back gasping for breath.
Olysiousa sat by the dock in the Oasis of Marr with a quill and parchment in hand. She sighed to herself and scratched out the bitter quotation. All the eternal races had long since moved to the Plane of Growth to be near the Lady Tunare.
Bards were storytellers. They shouldn't get bored, and yet, here she was, in the Oasis with nothing to do and nothing to write.
Olysiousa let her gaze wander away from her page to the area around her. It was an odd sight, nothing but open ocean behind her and rolling dunes of desert sand in front. Her attention was pulled off to her left at the sound of shouts. Coming straight her way was a bunch of ugly orcs chasing a hapless monk. The young fighter was managing to dodge the slashes of the orcs behind him, but it was painfully obvious that he would not be able to continue doing so for long. Olysiousa grinned at the prospect of beating up a few orcs and managing to help someone all at once. (Mostly though, she grinned at the slaughtering of the orcs) She jumped to her feet, pulled out her gold etched flute and began to play a song. Two of the three orcs stared at her for a moment before their eyes seemed to get heavy and they fell asleep. Oly let her song continue for a moment more before she switched the flute for a set of hand drums. She played a fast rhythm, and as the beat sped up, so did the monk's fists. It wasn't long before the last orc turned tail and ran, leaving its sleeping comrades on the beach for the crocodiles to pick at.
The young monk bruised and battered as he was turned and smiled at her. "My thanks to you for the lovely music Girly, but next time a weapon might come in more handy." He turned and pulled out some bandages to tend his wounds. Olysiousa scowled, gritting her teeth at his back. She switched the drum the finely crafted lute she always kept in her bag. She played a refreshing melody, weaving the strange magic of bards into every chord. The young monk paused for a moment before he continued to tend his wounds. After a little while, Olysiousa stopped the song.
"Feeling any better?" She asked the monk trying to keep her voice placid.
"Actually, yes," He frowned a moment. "What did you do?"
"I played a song"
"Well that is obvious. You're a bard, aren't you? You travel, playing music and telling stories for spare coins. But did you have a druid heal me? I could swear some of the wounds those orcs inflicted are gone." Olysiousa stared at the monk in utter disbelieve. He had no idea about the world around him.
"Its… um... a little more complicated than that."
"Really? Well, my father was a monk, but he still told stories. Any dumb ogre could be a bard." He scoffed at her. Olysiousa choked back a curse at his arrogance. It wasn't really worth a fight.
"Think what you want, but there is more to music than simply making noise." She swallowed the insult that was resting on her tongue and turned on her heel toward the Desert of Northern Ro. "I hope that infernal Cazel eats you alive! Then you'll understand." She muttered under her breath instead.
Where to now? There was no one around to hunt with. Stabbya was off in Kunark keeping the Sarnak population down, Synnibar was questing something or other, Cerilik was off in the middle of no where as usual, and her mother Sopranoe, well no one ever knew where she was. Oly heaved another sigh and blushed as her stomach rumbled rather loudly. She had forgotten to buy rations on her last trip into Freeport. The gypsies at the camp here sold food, but as she hefted her purse in her hand, Oly found it every bit as empty as her stomach. 'Well, might as well head into Freeport and play at the gates for a little spare coinage.'
On that thought, Olysiousa headed through the desert sun in her heavy armor. She silently thanked the fates that had given her lambent armor, which was considerably lighter, and cooler, than plate or bronze. The sand was warm, even through her boots and she rolled her shoulders to ease the ache growing between them. She ran a hand through her short white hair, so resembling her mother's. She smiled to herself at that. It had been a fair while ago when she had finally found the woman again. Oly had no idea what she would have done if Synnibar and Lady Keyley hadn't let her stay with the guild family of the Unification of Norrath. The only reason they had taken her in was based on Stabbya and Sopranoe's recommendation.
Olysiousa snickered to herself as the guards came in sight. They were joking with one another at the expense of an inexperienced enchanter. There wasn't a doubt in Oly's mind that that enchanter would remember this day and be back when she had learned more.
The guards lost their interest quickly, and were, as usual, bored. They were more than happy to hear a few epic tales and songs of Heroes and their plights around Norrath. It wasn't long before Olysiousa had what she needed, but she stayed around a little while longer to see if there was any news. Apparently there wasn't much going on in the world today, as the most exciting thing she heard was that there was new music up in High Pass Hold.
'Might as well travel then.' Oly thought. She bought some extra supplies got her instruments tuned at Marsheart's Chords, and switched her armored boots for more comfortable leather ones before heading out to the commons.
The grass felt pleasantly soft through leather compared to the metal boots she had before. Olysiousa breathed in the afternoon air as she passed the first inn on her way west. She even gave the Sargent a smile as she walked past. Yes, traveling was good. It made the world seem…cleaner some how.
"Maybe I should write a ballad." She chuckled to herself. Perhaps she might even find something interesting in High Pass.
She stopped by the tollbooth in the Western part of the Common lands to loosen her swords in their scabbards. She used the opportunity to inquire about dangerous sightings in the area.
"Nay, lass. Though ye should be wary of the Kithicor forest. Were I you, I'd not be getting caught there past dusk." The guard replied. Olysiousa knew the story, and knew enough to believe it.
"Thank you sire." She responded with a tilt of her head.
Olysiousa was young. Not stupid. Unfortunately the only way to get to High Pass was through the cursed forest of Kithicor. Unless, of course, she felt like a lark pas giants, griffons and gnoll galore in the planes of Karana. At least through the forest there was little chance of seeing any undead during the day so it was a relatively safe passage in daylight.
Dusk was coming soon, however, so it would be pointless to go straight to the forest only to be slaughtered like a lamb. Instead, Olysiousa headed for the local Druid rings. There were usually a lot of animals around there, so chances were she'd be able to pick up some pelts for tailoring if nothing else.
As usual, the rings were swarming with activity. People casting spells for money, druids offing teleports, and of course, young hunters selling pelts aplenty. Olysiousa grinned as she caught a glimpse of a familiar face watching the crowed. It was Juleeanna, more lovingly known by many of the UoN as Motherelf. Oly trotted towards her druid friend, waving in greeting.
"Greetings Jules! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off hunting something?"
"Mm…? Oh, good evening Oly. I'm just wasting some time and helping out the little ones." Olysiousa smiled at that. It was not without good reason that the guild family had dubbed this druid Mother Elf. "And what are you up to?"
'Similarly wasting time until dawn so I can pass through Kithicor." Oly replied, looking at the darkening sky. Juleeanna nodded and looked down at her spell book for a moment to mark her page before putting it aside.
"Ah, and what were you thinking of doing there? Helping the guards keep the gnolls in check?"
"Not really. I just heard they had some interesting new music and a friend was asking about a spell so I am going to pick it up for him. It is really just something to do."
"Bored again?" The druidess smiled.
"Yes. Do you happen to know where my mother is lately?"
"Sopranoe? The last I heard, she was in Velious with a few of the others."
"Oh alright. " Olysiousa plopped down accompanied by a rather unflattering metallic thump from her armor. She sat with her back against one of the tall stones that formed the enchanted rings and picked idly at the strings of her lute.
"Why do you ask?" Juleeanna went back to studying her spell book.
"Mm, no particular reason, really. I was just curious." She was just curious, well…mostly anyway. Olysiousa was also rather jealous. She has been told to stay in the area of Freeport to High pass until she was more skilled and could travel in remote safety. If the went with the others of the guild family, she felt like little more than a burden. Maybe if she could work on fighting in High pass, she could travel to Kunark and learn some stealth skills from Stabbya. After all, stealth was a rogue's specialty.
'This could be a long night.' she thought to herself as her boredom returned. She decided instead to practice her newest song. Or, rather, a very old son she had just learned. Olysiousa took the sheet music from her pack and frowned at it for a moment. She was still unsure of what effect the song produced other than nice sounds. Most likely it was a simple tavern song, used for entertainment as this one combined vocal and instrumental sounds where as most battle songs only had one element.
Olysiousa squinted at the music; it was getting too dark to see the music. She reached inside her pack searching out the spherical light stone that Sopranoe had given her. She studied the chords for a few moments before she started to play them.
"That is an old song. Where did you hear it Olysiousa?" Juleeanna had looked up when Oly had started playing. Oly noted with a small smile that the other woman's spell book was also illuminated by the light of a light stone. Together the stones created a nice little glow.
"Jakum Webdancer lent me the music back in Kelethin before I left," She frowned. " But, he didn't tell me what the battle effect was."
"Perhaps it has no effect?" Offered Juleeanna. "If I remember right, don't battle songs usually have only one sound element?" Olysiousa nodded thoughtfully
"I suppose I'll just have to find out on my own." She leaned back against the cool stone. She had decided long ago that armor was annoying. Her breastplate was a finely crafted piece of work. Harder than stone but light enough to move quickly in. While it fit, the breastplate was terribly uncomfortable to wear.
'As long as it doesn't rain, I should be fine.' She thought. At that particular moment, there was a clap of thunder and Oly sighed at her luck. She knew better than to think such things, it was always a curse. Perhaps it was just Bristlebane's sense of humor at work. She scurried underneath one of the over hanging stones and watched the people around the rings scatter in various directions in search of an inn and a fire. She smiled as Juleeanna followed her underneath the stone.
"I thought druids liked the rain Jules." She teased
"Only if they follow Karana, and I, you might remember, serve Tunare." Juleeanna sniffed. "Besides, it takes forever for my fur to dry." The druidess grinned and started casting a spell. Her image shimmered and she turned into a wolf. Olysiousa chuckle and pulled her flute out in exchange for her lute. She watched the people around. Many came and went, oblivious to the night and rain. Olysiousa shivered a little and switched the flute for her drum. She tapped an up beat tempo to keep herself and Juleeanna at least a little warmer. It was rather odd how she didn't have to think about playing some of her songs anymore. It was just automatic to use certain songs now. It allowed her mind to wander, and after a while, she was aware of Juleeanna saying a good bye as she teleported out of the area. At some point, she dozed off. It was usually safe to camp out at the rings, as there were always people around.
A violent shaking startled Olysiousa awake. 'Earthquake? No,' she thought. 'There have never been any earthquakes here.' The shaking came again, and the answer dawned in Olysiousa's mind leaving a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was a hill giant! She had the sinking feeling she was stuck beneath the rings. The shaking was close enough for her to get a rough estimate of where the giant was. If she ran, it would see her, but if she stayed put she stood less chance of surviving the encounter than a bixie would against an orc. Her heart sped up as she snuck a peak to see where exactly the giant was. Thankfully it was still a little ways away, but not far enough to make a difference. The Giant's huge legs would close the distance in mere seconds.
Olysiousa's mind raced every bit as fast as her heart. She tried to remind her self to keep her head. There was always the option of trying to put it to sleep, but it would have to be almost right beside her in order for the song to work, and even then, the chances were slim. The only other option was to pour her heart into playing a speed song and run like mad for Kithicor. She could head for the tollbooth, but that would put her running right between the thing's feet.
The hill giant was closer now, and oly could smell it already. Rotting meat and unwashed filth. It wasn't nearly as bad as a sand giant though, as they had the desert sun to deal with.
'It could be worse, that could be Cazel, or a Nightfall giant.' She thought. After all, Cazel casted spells and could regenerate. Olysiousa muffled a cry as the giant's foot landed not more than five feet away from the stones where she hid. There was a hole in its shoe, and its toe was sticking out. It seemed a little strange and she almost bubbled over with laughter. Olysiousa schooled her mind back from the fear that was threatening to drown her. She was trembling, time was running out. Any minute now the giant would find her. She closed her eyes and desperately wished she were somewhere else, even if that meant being in the middle of Kunark.
Her eyes flew open at the sound of a foolhardy battle cry. She gaped as a rather miss informed hunter lunged at the monster with his sword held high.
"Fool!" She spat. "Well, no guts no glory." She leapt out from underneath the overhanging rock. Shaking hands put the flute to her lips. Olysiousa didn't remember taking the flute from her pack, but that hardly mattered now. She played as loud and as heart felt as she could. It was a melody that seemed to spawn from dreams, memories and the most inner depths of the soul. Every want, every need was expressed in this song. This was Oly's most powerful song, yet strangely, it only worked in the most dire of circumstances. Olysiousa swallowed the overwhelming urge to run as the giant turned to face her, forgetting the ignorant warrior in front of him. The warrior too, sat stunned, watching her. She kept the song strong, forcing herself to stand in the full face of the giant's wrath. She had its full attention now. It growled something in its language as its anger seemed to seep away, transfixed on the melody. Unconsciously, she changed the tune. Not by much, just enough to suit the mind of the giant. The giant's eyes seemed to be seeing something far away, something no being other than a giant could understand. Slowly, it turned back the way it had come. Olysiousa wasted no time in tying the effects of the song's magic with a complicated ending to make sure it would hold long enough.
Without hesitation she grabbed the wrist of the still stunned hunter and dragged him with her. Dawn was still a ways off, but her song would not hold long enough to get past the giant to the tollbooth. The forest was the only choice, dangerous as it was. There was something of a safe path, which was their only hope. She saw the dark tree's of the forest rising in front of her. They weren't far, but that giant would be close to snapping the effects of her song now. Her booted feet slammed against the ground as she dragged the rather unwilling hunter with her.
"Move your feet warrior! I didn't save us from that Giant just to stall death. I know what I'm doing!" she snapped over her shoulder. Now if only she could believe that herself. There was a furious howl from behind as the giant regained its senses. It was coming after its prey. The hunter wisely sped up to stay with her.
The dark trees of the Kithicor were straight ahead. They looked like mangled hands where the corruption that had spawned the undead had seeped into the ground and water. Some where in this forsaken forest was the ranger Kithicor himself, surviving even through the evil, trying to save the forest. Oly dodged limbs, trying to see the hill that formed the pathway. Along its top where trees were scarce, ambushes by the undead were unlikely, although there was also little to no cover. She ran as silently as possible and as low to the ground as she could, praying to Bristlebane that the hunter had the brains to do the same. She felt more than heard the hunter stop behind her. She turned to look why he had stopped. The form of the giant, towering above the trees was crashing into the forest. It stopped, looking panicked. The frightening creature turned, trying to get back out of the forest, but it was too late. The giant's form crashed with a howl to the ground. The forest went eerily quiet; the only sound Oly could hear was the heavy breathing of her and the warrior. The young man was white in the face. There was a chilling scrape in the underbrush down the knoll from where they were. Olysiousa cursed herself for getting distracted. They had been seen by the undead now. She grabbed his wrist again tugging him franticly after her. 'Where is it?' Her heart raced faster and faster, the sound of it drowning out her footfalls. 'There!' The entrance to the tunnel that would mark their only hope was in sight now. It was still a good ways away.
"Where are we going?" The warrior shouted from at her from between gasps for breath. Oly guessed he wasn't used to running from giants and unseen foes.
"Rivervale!" she responded as she pulled him down the hill. There was no point in stealth now, only speed. 'Almost there' she thought. Her heart leapt into her throat as a blood-chilling howl came from behind them, the howl of an enraged Dreaded wolf. Those wolves ran fast, but it wouldn't matter now. The tunnel was less than fifty feet away.
The grass gave way to harsh stone and the thud of Oly's boots and that of the warrior's made their urgency seem all the more dire. 'How far to the spell field?' Olysiousa tried to remember. The howl came from the entrance as the wolf entered the blackness with them. The tunnel curved and a slight shimmer ahead marked the spell field. Marked safety. The shimmer was the spell barrier, set up by the halfling druids to keep their city safe from the undead and other hostiles. Olysiousa shoved her companion ahead of her before she leapt through the field herself, her shoulder making a hard landing on stone. She fell over in the safety of the grassy meadow that marked the entrance to the Halfling City nestled between the mountains and Bloody Kithicor. She snuck a glance to see the huge Dreaded wolf gnashing at them from behind the barrier as the guards secured the spell. She let herself fall back to the ground, closing her eyes, and lying on her back gasping for breath.