Lannia

[Tiberis79]

She watched Donnel, still locked in his unnatural slumber. She had her brother back after 17 years... But she really didn't.

Connor and Feris were dead. She could say that now. They were dead. She knew which brothers to lay to rest, but she still could not answer which sisters to lay down. She had made up her mind. Once Donnel was awake and well so he could stand with her, she would plan the anchors next event; A rauthite funeral.

She and Donnel would set two empty funeral rafts into the harbor at Ulgoth's. They would raise their bows together (assuming he could fire a bow), and they would set the rafts ablaze and watch them until they were no more. Then they would drink, eat, and celebrate the dead with what stories they could remember of Connor and Feris.

She caught herself crying again. Gods she was insufferably emotional at times. There was a time she thought them all dead, and shed no tears for them... Somehow knowing made it different. Cider placed his head in her lap, and when she looked at him, he licked her tears away. She smiled gently and hugged him fiercely.

"My parents wouldn't want a funeral until all my siblings are laid to rest," She told Cider, who nodded solemnly.

"Your sister is safe," Cider said softly, "But... If there is no reason important to the realms for you to know her, the spirits are not likely to just reveal her. I know how unfair that must seem."

She looked into his eyes that used to seem so ancient and neutral, and noted the softness and humanity settling into them. She looked down at her hands and said, "I know... And perhaps that is best. She has built a whole new life. She escaped and is safe. Perhaps it is best left that way though my heart aches to meet her. I have decided I will look for one year. If I do not find her... I will lay all my sisters to rest and then my parents. When all their fires have burnt out, I will erect a small stone alter to them by the anchor."

Cider closed his eyes and nestled closer, "So it shall be so, as the wise seer says it shall be."

She stroked his fur, eyes again falling to Donnel, "I wonder if he will want to come work as security for the Anchor or something. I would love to have him close... I feel the time is drawing in. I will face Marius soon, and I will kill him."

She left those words on the air for a moment then continued, "The time is close for the darkness to bow and the light to shine."

The hair on the back of her neck rose as whispers flooded her ears, "The darkness is here... It's here... And it knows your name..."

Cider's ears twitched as though he heard it as well. He looked up at her, she closed her eyes and said, "I'm ready."

In her mind she dreamed of the end to all this running and fighting. Her, Derik, the inn, her family (adopted and otherwise), and future children... For some reason she felt like Derik would want a daughter instead of a son. What a sight.

[Tiberis79]

Lannia toiled in the kitchen with Mara, placing the final touches on a menu for a little get together. She finished just as Vala and Ronja arrived. It was going to be pleasant night in spite of her many worries these days. She was really looking forward to it.

Donnel was still in a coma. Linela was in trouble up to her eyelids that neither she nor Derik had any idea of how to fix. Marius was still out there, toying with them. There were people she didn't know that knew all too much about her. Tonight that could be in the back of her mind. Tonight she would eat, drink, and enjoy family.

They were laughing, enjoying food. It was going well when a very shaken Mara came up the stairs. She told the group some not-so-nice men were below and wanted to speak to them. Lannia and Derik told Vala and Ronja to hold upstairs for the moment. They went below to investigate.

Heavily armored men, one wielding a huge greatsword, were waiting for them. Diplomacy was of no avail. They were Marius's men, but they ignored her, and spoke to Derik instead. They told him they were there to collect as on the death of the grisly torturer, the one who had been present at the raid on Derik's home, Copperglen.

They were unarmored and unprepared. They only had clothes for the gathering. Derik always had warwake, but Lannia had only her hunting bow. Her thoughts as she was struck down next to Vala were...

"No please... Not my family... Not again... Please don't kill them."



The leader sneered and spoke of unworthy opponents. Heavily wounded as she was she rolled onto her side and tried to draw his attention.

"You come into our home and attack us without even our armor on and say that?" She hissed, "You are a bloody coward!"

He ignored her... Utterly, waving his men to the exit. For all his talk of dead men, he seemed to have no intention of actually killing them. Derik, bloodied and holding a gut wound shut with his gloved hands laughed for whatever reason. The door clicked shut, and she dipped into what was left of her strength to call upon her goddess to heal her friends with a Mass Heal.

The tension in her soul did not even begin to ebb until she saw each friend rise; Sirion, Ronja, Vala, and her beloved Derik.

Then she just felt naked... She looked around her home, where she'd felt safe, where she'd been protected, and she felt exposed. Those men just mopped the floor with some of the strongest on the Coast. Could she attribute all of that to surprise?

Suddenly, she was seeing it again... Her home in flames, and her grandfather incinerated before her. He was the man she always thought was invincible, and Marius took him just like that. She tried to shake the image as her blood boiled in her veins, but could not so she went upstairs.

She put on her full kit, and warded herself to the gills. Derik came up a bit after her. She prepped to ward him but he stopped her. He was not in his kit. This was his home and he was not going to be afraid here. She only stared. They argued for a good long time. In her head was that image over and over, of fire and her grandfather's corpse, mixed with every attempt she had made on Marius's life. Every failed attempt.

She was the shaman. The one who's will kept breaking her enchantments. Her kind heart would not allow her to remain his tool. Yet... She failed... Time and time again... 23 attempts... 23 failures...

If she had killed him, he would not have been around to order the attack on Copperglen. If she had managed to get herself killed, his attention might never again have found Derik. Now Derik was killing Marius's men for their hand in Copperglen, and Derik was married to Marius's favorite plaything.

Marius was all but ignoring her in these latest encounters. She didn't need to explain it. He was confident he would retrieve her, and the rest was a show for her benefit. Picking fights with her love, with her family, and leaving them bloodied? He was telling her, "You are never safe. I will come get you, and I will kill everything you love when it pleases me."

The fire... The fire kept burning in her head...



She bit her lip bitterly at how useless she had been down there. The thought that those men were going to take her back had all but paralyzed her. She excused herself from the argument with her husband and went fishing. She bowed her her in shame as she walked past Vala and Ronja, diligently scrubbing the blood from her floors.



She wielded her fishing rod like a weapon. What a sight; her in a full kit of armor viciously swinging her bait out over the full length of the pond. It worked though. Soon she had a stringer full of beautiful golden trout. She hurled it again, completely over-shooting the lake.

She looked at the rod, and her hands were suddenly small. She saw the fire again and she finally realized that for all her exploits and training she was scared. She was terrified. Her grip tightened on the pole until it snapped, and then the rain started. She drug herself back to the inn drenched and still clutching the broken rod.

Inside the inn was near spotless. One of the rugs had been rolled up and put aside, probably too bloody to salvage. She looked around in a bit of a daze, then looked at her broken rod which she placed by the door. Numbly, she offered to cook the stringer of beautiful, delicate trout as payment for their efforts.

Her movements were almost mechanical. She made an old, simple recipe that crisps the trout's delicate skin and keeps the meat whole. She brought out clarified butter with herbs and garlic with it. It was not fancy... But it was darn good, home-cooked food. It was meant to be comforting and satisfying. By the looks on their faces as they bit into it, it was just that.

And then she confessed. She told them everything. She told them how she'd failed every time to kill Marius because every time she tried she was six again. She would flinch or hesitate because she was that little girl taking aim on her monster; the monster that burned her world. She was never enough, could never be enough, and the world would fade to black and the real nightmares would begin.

Ronja and Vala stayed on the couches, gaurding the door. The crew of the relentless storm would be helping to guard them now until Marius was taken down. However, in Lannia's mind the damage was done.

He will come get me when ever he pleases... My world will burn... And it will be all my fault...

[Tiberis79]

Lannia popped a black cherry into her mouth as she finished her normal sunset meditation. A scry was felt and she allowed it though her shaman will could like have resisted. An odd smile played across her lips.

Below the cliffs, her home, the Last Anchor was in chaos. Two new residents and heavy guard made it significantly less inviting of late. She awaited the arrival of Halron, and much of her hope rested on his shoulders. Regardless this dance she kept with Marius was reaching its end. One way or another.

The man they originally rescued from Marius was not Donnel. He was in the upstairs bedroom upset to find out the family that rescued him twice was not his real family. Lannia and Derik had suspected for some time that he may not be the real Donnel. They had told him so. Yet, it was still a blow. Lannia told him there was always room at her table for more family, and that their bond was deeper than blood. She had taken a tremendous blow to her stomach, near fatal, to save him, but this kind of mental trauma and disappointment takes time. She'd come to calling him Don to keep them straight.

The real Donnel was securely restrained in the basement, awaiting disenchantment as well. She prayed that, if she had any luck or grace to ask of the Gods, the removal of the enchantments would reconnect him to the gentle child he had once been. For now only a berserker, full of venom, spat back at her. She wondered how many bodies laid in his footsteps thanks to Marius...

Still if her own life could be a foreshadowing, the memories that were locked away from him were waiting to cause a cascade and bring him back from the brink. He husband was a killer. A killer for all the right reasons now, but a killer none the less. If Derik could walk tall and lead a wholesome life, then there may yet be forgiveness and redemption for Donnel Tannen. Her mind raced back to rescuing him

========================================

She'd been given visions and signs that the inevitable fate in store for her was to kill her own brother. It was just the kind of story Marius would pen. He had tried to force her grandfather to kill her, and now he was trying to force her to kill one of only two remaining live siblings.

She had drawn her longsword for this mission. All of the visions showed her loosing an arrow into her brother's heart, so she tried to stop it by simply not carrying her bow. As she came upon the two men, Don and Donnel, in the heat of battle she felt a certain hopelessness take over. She begged them to stop. She begged Marius, if he was listening, to take her instead.

Luckily Gaven deflected what would have been a killing blow from Donnel on Don. Lannia raced up between them and wrapped Don in a healing cocoon. The battle wore on from there, but she still did not know which of the two was her real brother. She had prepared somewhat for this, and removed her helmet.

It must have looked odd to the group; Her tossing her helmet off and revealing her normally wild red hair weighed down by beads and bones. It was the way her mother had worn it... She sang Donnel's lullaby.

The enforcer became completely insane with rage, spitting out that she had left him. She had saved an impostor and left him behind. Her heart ached at hearing it and he lunged toward Don in all his fury, but she was already between them.

There was no time to react. She could either take the blow or roll out of the way and leave Don to his gruesome fate. She knew now that Don was not her brother. Still... He was just as much a victim as she and Donnel. She stood firm, taking both wicked black blades to her gut.

She was dizzy... Lost for a moment form the blood emptying from the wound. Her instinct was to raise her blade. However, when she thought of raising her blade, all she could see was it slicing through Donnel's heart.

Time was so much slower suddenly. She looked up into the eyes of her enraged brother as he drew back his swords from her entrails. She saw the vision of her sword passing through his rib cage and all she could think was, "I just want to hold him... I want to hug my brother one more time."

And it all became clear. She was outside herself watching him take aim on her heart. She heard the panicked shouts of her companions as if they were coming from another room; strangely muffled and distant. Her mind wheeled back and she saw it again.

Her grandfather sliced at her left arm... Then to avoid killing her while he was unwilled he called the spirits of fire upon himself incinerating himself before her young eyes. Suddenly she understood so many things she'd overlooked. She saw it through his eyes. He was being forced to kill her, and in seeing her distress, must only have thought, "I just want to hold my grandchild... One last time."

She felt her weapon slip out of her hand and heard her shield hit the ground with a clack. She heard herself say something about being prepared to die for him. Even as she said it she wanted to apologize to her friends who must have been frantic to save her. She placed her faith in them to stop him, and prayed that they would know it wasn't their fault if they couldn't.

She opened her arms and leaned toward her brother with her eyes closed. She would hold him, if only in a dying act. The next she heard were his screaches of anger as his swords were deflected and he was brought to his knees by her friends. She opened her eyes with a hint of disbelief. She had no time to react as Tellae pounced upon her and stabalized her gaping gut wounds.

She was chewed out, rightfully so, the whole way home. Then they stayed around and chewed her out a little more. Each one had their turn at her, and she was sure her stupid smile only made them more angry. Aidan showed up and chewed her out for a completely different matter.

But she had never felt so peaceful, so alive, and so grateful. She had never felt so complete and connected to her grandfather. She placed Don and Donnel under heavy gaurd, had Donnel professionally restrained, and sent out the necessary runners to bring in a mage to disenchant both men.


Now all that remained was to deal with him...

Marius.

She popped another black cherry in her mouth and hoped that he was watching... 23 cherries left in today's shipment. All of them in a satchel on her hip.

Come get me...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OOC Thanks to AoS, ValarieJean, FireWolf, Derik, and DM Mimic for this event in spite of a few minor technical difficulties.

[Tiberis79]

OOC Note: The next several posts will cover a few events run by the insanely creative and patient DM Mimic. A pre-thanks before telling it goes out to every character involved. Thank you for coming along in the telling of an climatic part of Lannia's now nearing 2 year story.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PART ONE:

She held his hand until his hand went slack...

He stared numbly ahead, barely breathing. Even that was basal activity, the body sustaining itself. There was nothing conscious to it, nothing measurable as the man she'd known and cared for him since she mistakenly rescued him instead of her brother. She laid his body back and pulled the covers up, trying to remain calm. She reached for his spirit in his cold, vacant eyes.

Nothing... There was nothing there...

How could there be nothing there? How could a body persist without a spirit. What kind of foul necormancy could create a living, vibrant person from an empty shell. Was there a trap on the enchantments that somehow wiped out his spirit?

Halron looked at him, noted the enchantments were gone and said his work was done. Lannia was taken aback by his lack of empathy for the empty shell before him... Mystrans... She tried to remain clam. Maybe the mind just needed time to reset and was dormant.

Here stomach flipped, and she swallowed back against the acidic regurgitation it force to the back of her tongue. How could she be calm when the real Donnel was next? She glanced over her shoulder at the shell of a man in the bed, and his staring, empty eyes pointed at the ceiling. Gods help me...

They were discussing additional precautions for Donnel when Harlon recieved a sending and abruptly departed. Lannia and Derik stared after the departing mage in stunned silence. They looked at Donnel, snarling and full of malice, and wondered over what they might do. The Anchor was not a brig, so they moved him to the Relentless Storm.

They decided they would try a spirit circle, a ritual of her tribe, and attempt to reach Donnel beneath his enchantments and fight their way out from the inside. She look around her circle of friends:

Vala - the tempest representing the howling winds.
Rien - Wizard and calm adviser, the cool clear water.
Ronja - The battle-ready, the passion of fire.
Derik - her rock, her founding force, her solid earth.

She didn't tell them their elements. She smiled lightly to herself, wondering if they would agree. She represented spirit; the shaman's will. She began the ritual, praying to the Earthmother and entreating the spirits to guide them. Hers was the tradition of the elementalist and summoner... She called out to the prime, to the eight great spirits and was answered. In her mind Cider let loose a mighty howl.

The world went dark...

As their vision cleared, they found themselves in a field of white. There was nothing to be seen but themselves and empty space. Lannia opened her senses and listened. She and Derik seemed to pick up on the sound of a child, crying out in the distance. As soon as they sensed it the scene formed around them.

Lannia saw the young child she recognized as her brother. She motioned for the group to hold so she might aproach him. As she did, she focused. This was a place of dreams, of the mind, and so she tried to take a form Donnel would know at accept. It worked and she became her younger self. The ethereal form of a young Donnel smiled as Lannia's form shifted into that of herself when she was a girl. Tentatively, he took her hand to lead her.

"I've missed you, big brother," She said softly, "Can you show me the way out?"

He shook his head and pulled on her hand. She asked if her friends could come and Donnel nodded. They followed the boy deep into Donnel's memories. They found themselves in one of Marius's torture rooms. The look as she viewed Marius in the memory was purely muderous. It must have been odd to see on a six year old face. Without realizing, her concentration slipped, a sword finding her hand, though she knew the sword was a construct here. No more real than the "walls" that surrounded them.

The ethereal form walked over to his corporeal copy in the memory and stepped into him.

"L-let me go, please!" Donnel begged.

"Let you go?" Marius' smile was as cruel as she remembered, "No, foolish child. You are to be my contingency."

Lannia observed at first, being cautious in Donnel's mind, but her eyes bored into marius as he spoke. From the assertainable age of Donnel in the memory, this had taken place shortly after they were both taken and their village destroyed. Marius forced Donnel to watch as his torturers enacted cruel punishment upon slaves and prisoners.

"Donnel," She pleaded, "This is your mind... You don't have to allow this."

Weeks seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. In between the bouts of torture, Marius began also to force the boy to train. He taught the boy to fight. To wield weapons. To kill. Through it all, Donnel seemed to hold onto the hope that someone would save him.

"It was years," Lannia tried to comfort him, "Years... I know, but I have come, I am here, now..."

"Lannia, this is a shadow," Derik said softly, "He can't hear you I don't think."

They watched on helplessly as weeks became months, became years. She watched in horror as Marius warped her brother without a single enchantment. She continued to try to soothe his spirit saying, "I need to believe he can hear me."

One fateful day, a small mercy arrived in the form of another human slave. He saw Donnel and took pity on him. What's more ... he knows a way to escape. Lannia's eyes hit the ground. She knew Marius's tactics well. She forced her eyes up again... She forced herself to watch.

Together, they uncovered a secret passageway. They navigated its cavernous halls, striding upward, up toward the surface. They saw light at the end of the tunnel. As they stepped into it ... Marius and his warriors came into view. The passageway was not an escape at all - but one of his tests. Lannia shook with grief even though she had suspected it.

The other slave was killed before her still young brother. Donnel's training resumed, harsher and more cruel than ever. The images faded, leaving behind the ghostly apparition of Donnel once more. He looked smaller than before and weaker, and Lannia's own spirit cried for him.

[Tiberis79]

PART TWO:

She sensed the saddness in the ghostly image, the hopelessness setting into him. There was doubtless more to see, but the shamaness waited.

"You are a Tannen," Lannia started knealing down to face the small apparition, "I know you are hurting, and if all you want right now is a hug... I will give it to you. We can wait... We can sit here until you believe you can do it, because I know you can. I believe in you."

Donnel's spirit stepped toward Lannia and hugged her as hard as he could. She held him a moment, gently rubbing his back in small comforting circles. Then, he pulled on her hand again. The rest of her friends offered their words of support as they continued on, which seemed to boster the child-like image. A new door to a memory opened of its own accord as the ethereal vision of Donnel's innocence stepped through. Once more, he stepped into his corporeal counterpart.

Donnel was now a young man in the vision. The drow waited for his orders. Donnel had been assigned to lead them by Marius. Not as a reward, or for any expectation that he will command, but because Marius knew the drow would hate Donnel for it. Indeed, his soldiers abhored both having to serve under a human, and the man himself. Multiple attempts were made on Donnel's life by his own subordinates.

Some he survived by his own skill and the product of his merciless training. To the rest, he perished ... Only to be brought back to life by Marius' clerics. Through all of this, a spark of hope sprouted. Donnel's tenacity and persistence managed to actually earn him the respect and loyalty of some of the drow warriors. He fostered a loyal crew. Together, they planned to assassinate Marius.

"He tried," Lannia said sadly, "Like I tried. 23 personalities... 23 failed attempts on that maniac's life. I had groups like this a few times... Marius made me watch them die."

She made herself watch again. She made herself take it his suffering. The moment arrived. Marius came to make his inspection. Donnel made his move. Marius' guards were slaughtered by Donnel's loyal soldiers, but Donnel's blade could not pierce Marius' protections. With a whisper, Marius dominated his entire battalion. With a command, Marius had them all slit their own throats.

Lannia and her companions visibly winced at each dying scream. Donnel watched in horror as his companions are all slain by their own hand. Vala swallowed hard and looks away, while Derik let out a slow breath. Donnel hit his knees and whimpered as Marius left with a smug smirk on his face, "Someone will come for me. They will. They have to."

His image faded, leaving behind its ghostly child apparition. They again attempted to bolster his spirit. Lannia opened her arms to him and he rushed into her embrace. They all gathered, uttering their support for the sweet child before them.

"Donnel Tannen," She murmured, "You waited so long. We are here... As you believed... We are with you."

The camaraderie and solidarity of the party surged into the image of the boyhood Donnel. His form seemsed to enlarge, if only slightly. He smiled briefly, before tugging on Lannia's arm. The young Donnel led them to a new scene. Seeing the well-known tortured, Garth, again, Derik's hand found his sword, even though he knew the man was already dead. Donnel, stripped, save for his smallclothes, bears the brunt of a furious whippipng by Marius' hand. The mercenary Garth stood off to the side, blinking in no small amount of disbelief at the sheer fury coming off the drow.

"Your sister thinks she can escape from me?!" Marius wailed, "THAT SHE CAN DEFY ME?! SHE IS MINE! SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE! AND YOU WILL BEAR THE PENALTY FOR HER INSULT!"

Lannia visibly flinched. Even she was taken aback by an almost jealous rage pouring from the drow. Derik made a sound that seemed suspiciously like a small growl. Battered, bleeding, and practically broken, Donnel said nothing. The only sound that escaped his lips were pathetic mewlings of anguish and agony.

Garth cautioned, " ... you'll kill him if you keep going on like this. You know that."
Mairus spat his words at Garth, "You and your cult were supposed to be of use to me, but all you've done is take up oxygen!"

Garth's smile was twisted, "You want him to feel agony? You want him to suffer? Let me handle this."

They watched on as Garth and Marius conversed over Donnel's bleeding form. Suddenly, Donnel looked up. "My sister escaped you. She's free."

As one might have expected, his torture began anew. He quieted down as Garth began his torture. But under his breath, he whispered, "She'll come for me ... I know it ... "

Lannia's hand clasped over her mouth, and she shuddered with sobs, "I tried! I swear it!"

Derik put a hand on Lannia's shoulder as a cruel smile splayed over Marius' expression before he left to let Garth do his work. The scene faded and a yet smaller, weaker apparition appeared. Seeing his wife incapacitated by grief, Derik spoke, "Garth is dead now, Brother. I slew him."

Lannia hit her knees rather than kneeling this time. The party looked on in silent reverence of the aguish her brother suffered and continued to believe. She made her excuses, and though she knew she'd had no more power than he they sounded empty and impotent. The boy looked to the group, his expression one of sorrow and regret.

She broke into open sobs, "Please forgive me. I came... I came... I came..."

"We have wronged you," Derik added, "We should have been more precise... forgive us. We came. We came as soon as we could."

Lannia's sorrow caused the boy to reflect tears of his own. As they dripped down his cheeks, his form greweven smaller. Lannia opened her arms for him, "Donnel... No... My tears are for my love for you."

Derik and Lannia continued to try to build the boy back up. Derik called him to fight, he entreated the boy's pride and his family name. Lannia encouraged him to embrace and heal his wounds, "Tears are a gift of the gods."

"Fight... One... more... Time," Derik added.

"For when the emotion might otherwise consume us..."

"Your family is here now. Rest, then do battle..."

Their words seemed to resonate with the boy. He became stronger and more vibrant. He approached Lannia, but this time he did not share her embrace. Instead, he pulled her hand. The scene around them changed as Donnel's Innocence guided them through the corridor. The building had fallen to ruin, and was filled with rubble. It shows signs of a devastating explosion...

[Tiberis79]

PART THREE:

Marius inspected the ruin with Donnel in tow. In the time between the last memory and the one now, Donnel has reassembled a cadre of loyal drow warriors. Something was different in his eyes, however. His will was broken. There was no spark of rebellion. No fire of defiance.

"The invaders have destroyed this lair, Master," Donnel said.

Marius answered with a cruel smile, "Invaders? No, not invaders. They were our guests."

Donnel looked to Marius with disbelief as Marius added, "Did you not recognize your own sister, precious child?"

"My sis -- Lannia?!" Donnel cried incredulously.

Marius' dark smile was all the confirmation Donnel needed, but the drow was not one to leave a wound unsalted, "You said once that she would come for you, Donnel. Take a look. She's come and gone. Do you know how easy it was to deceive her? I sent her the false vision with your impostor as a lure. She came running, without question. She did not even recognize you when you traded blows."

"Nor did you recognize me," Lannia pleaded, "He designed it that way, Donnel."

"Even the spirits that tried to warn her from her course could not convince her," Marius laughed, "She passed you over for a complete stranger! Have I convinced you now? Do you finally understand?"

Lannia closed her eyes and approached the vision of Donnel. She spoke to him gently, "I know you listened to him then Donnel.... I know you believed him... Hear -me- now."

"Lannia," Derik said sadly, "He can't... He can't hear you."

"He can!" Lannia barked back at Derik, "He -must-..."

Donnel's face was overcome with anguish, with despair, with utter defeat as he realized his sister saved the wrong man. Lannia continued to plead, "I saw through it only a short time later... That is why I came again. Not just to save the imposter, but to save you from having his blood on your hands. I took your swords to my body -for you-."

Minutes passed as Donnel struggled to process the revelation. Despair gave way to wrath,"I'm going to kill him. I'M GOING TO ANNIHILATE HIM!"

"Command us, Brother," One of Donnel's faithful said.

"Come with me," Donnel growled, "I'm going to hunt that impostor down and then I'm going to kill him in front of her! I WANT HER TO KNOW WHAT THIS BETRAYAL FEELS LIKE!"

A spark of his innocence no bigger than a figurine stood at Lannia's feat. She held a hand out to him, "I know you are tired of believing... I know it feels like it would hurt worse to believe than to try."

The small figure wept. She cooed, "Please believe just one more time."

As the figure approached her... Derik and the others disappeared. She looked around, vaguely aware of movement. Her body was moving somewhere. She took the small glimmer of hope that was left into her hands and held it gently. Deep in her own soul she knew...

"Marius has us," Lannia said softly, "But I am here... And I have a plan, brother."

[Tiberis79]

PART FOUR:

Some weeks ago a shamaness realized that her prior drow master must know where she is... She began feeling his scrying. The man she thought was her brother was returned to her, but she had so much more to lose. Derik, Ronja, Vala, Marnie, Teris, the names went on and on. The world that she had built could burn at any day.

So she made a dark decision... By cover of night she left her home.

https://www.bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 88#p813988

She hopped as many boats as she needed to arrive in roaringshore.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=17632&p=813991#p813991

Eventually she met with the alchemist in Soubar and acquired a very deadly poison. She never showed her face. Then she stepped into a whirlwind of leaves and vanished. Some time later, Lannia was seen in the market arranging for daily shipments of cherries. Small shipments at great expense to make it worth the courier's time to deliver them every day.

https://www.bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 51#p814251

https://www.bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 52#p814252

Lannia put out the cherries for her staff and friends, selecting the finest 25 of every shipment. She took those cherries to the place she hid the poison and poisoned exactly one of them. She carried those cherries in a pouch on her hip. The deadly payload was always with her. Cherries were Marius's favorite surface fruit...

Some time later the woman in black was seen again just outside the Upperdark, talking to those that dared to venture further... A message was delivered.

[Tiberis79]

PART FIVE:

When Lannia awoke, she found that all her wards had been stripped. She'd been left with the bare minimum of clothing, and that she was now trapped in a magical prison with her brother. She rose, without even looking up to see who was there, "It took you long enough..."

Derik, Ronja, Reineke, and Vala were nowhere to be seen. Fear welled up that he had killed them, but she quickly stomped it down. She could not let herself panic. She turned to face Marius.

The Drow Warlord smiles,"My precious child. My treasured spirit shaman. At last, we are reunited."

Lannia was afraid... She was well aware of the terror all through her body looking upon this man... His tone, his possessiveness, was making her feel ill all over. She dusted off and said, "I sent word."

An aged and gaunt Zachary was standing behind Marius. His eyes had no focus and he did not seem to have any awareness of his surroundings. Marius smile and said, "I saw. How lovely of you to do so."

"Why all this?" She asked waving about at her magic cell and implying the retrieval while she was surrounded by friends, "I was alone often enough."

"I had to be sure you were not plotting, sweet girl," His tone and posture where predatory, almost in a way that could be termed seductive if it didn't make her skin crawl, "That brilliant fire that resides within you ... it forever burns in defiance. I had to make sure it could be smothered. So tell me ... do you still think you can resist me?"

She folded her arms with a sarcastic smirk and fired back, "Well you have all my armor, my possessions. Exactly how much harm do you think I can do now? "

She smiled sweetly and cooed at him, attempting to disarm him, "Of course not."

Now Lannia was many things and skilled in many ways... Lying was not one of them. He wagged a finger at her, and he could not quite hide a look of disappointment in his eyes. "You are quite resilient, it seems."

She could not hide her defiant smirk at his disappointment, "You have not idea."

"Your brother was far easier to break," Marius said, trying to distract her.

Her eyes flitted to Donnel, who sat with his shoulders slumped. If she could not lie... Perhaps she coudl bargain, "But the problem here, My lord... Is that you think you have to break me. A shaman's will cannot be broken. You have to win them, and you have leverage."

"You are so confident, my dear," Marius' smile never faded, "Even after all your mistakes. Even after you saved the wrong man and condemned your brother to despair."

She walked up to the edge of her cage, "Promise me to care for him. Promise me to do him no more harm."

His tone was genuinely amused, "Oh? And what will you give me in return?"

She slightly grazed the cell's shimmering edge with her fingertips and said, "Whatever you want."

Lannia narrowly avoided being electrocuted by the force-field that caged her. It was however a brilliant display of her reflexes. She chuckled at it, attempting to seduce the warlord with the only thing he truly valued; power. She smiled and said, "Look how much stronger I have become."

"Indeed," He appraised her quite openly with that same predatory smile, "But I cannot help but feel you still mean to turn that strength against me. I think, perhaps, some time sitting with all your failures is needed. Yes... I think perhaps you ought dwell on all the misery you have caused."

She shrugged, "As you wish, my lord. Think on my offer... And don't let them eat my cherries... Please."

A broadened and cruel smile reflected, "Come, Zachary. Let us go for now."

Zachary's eyes lingered on Lannia's form for only a second before he suffled after Marius like a zombie. Donnel watched hopeless after them, " ... there is no beating him."

"There is," Lannia assured, "But even if we cannot find it, I will find a way to get you out of here. Even if the only way is to be his shaman as he asks."

He laughed, but it was entirely devoid of any humor. " Empy promises. Empty words. I waited for you - for someone, anyone - for years. My reward was watching as my sister saved a fake."

Lannia walked over and cupped his face gently as she spoke, "I will do everything I can... Until my last breath. When you are free, and I am here in your place... Just promise me you will try to forgive me then."

His body tensed in surprise. A faint a spark of hope flared behind Donnel's eyes. He quickly looked away, but he could quite hide it. She smiled. That was enough. That was all she needed to keep fighting. That and knowing her beloved Derik was out there, likely tearing apart the coast to find her.

[Tiberis79]

CAPTURE CONTINUED:

Their hopefullness was not long lived. Marius had Donnel extracted from the prison and carried off to his own. Donnel's screams of agony could be heard even from her now lonely cell. For days she was given nothing, told nothing. She only left to listen to her brother's begging cries.

Finally Marius returned, Zachary in tow, and has Donnel dragged before Lannia's magical cage, battered and bloody. Lannia's eyes moved to Donnel, the healer in her quickly assessing his injuries before flitting back to Marius. He settled onto the couch lazily, popping a strawberry into his mouth. She watched Marius with a cold sapphire blue gaze. Marius didn't say a word to Lannia, but instead simply directed his guards to begin beating their victim.

Her hands clenced to fists,"What is it you want?"

The whip lashed it across Donnel's back. Unwilling cries of pain sprang from the man's lips. Marius merely smiled, and nodded for the guard to continue. Again and again. The moments between lashes seemed to last for an eternity of dreadful anticipation, and yet each also somehow seemed to come too soon. Lannia moved right to the edge of her prison where Marius lounged on the couch. She glanced back at Donnel and let her cold defensive posture drop, "Please..."

Then, even more desperately, "Please stop..."

Upon seeing her change in demeanor, Marius' smile grew even wider. He sent his guard a look, and immediately the torture stopped. Tears flowed down Donnel's cheeks even as he loosed a breath of utmost relief. Lannia swallowed hard over her pride and addressed Marius,"What is it you want, my lord... Command me, and name youre price to allow me to heal my brother."

"That's much better, my dear child," Marius nearly purred at her, "This is how you should be; compliant. I want you to serve me, sweet Lannia. Unquestioningly. I want you to know every breath you take is one by my will, by my leave. Just as our old friend Zachary now knows."

Zachary stared listlessly at Marius and Lannia, but there was no recognition in his almost-lifeless eyes. Lannia's eyes slide over Zachary breifly before she responded, "I told you all you needed to do to obtain that was to let my brother be... He is all I have of my blood in this world."

She made herself look down submissively while her gut screamed for the drow's blood, "I would do anything, to ensure his safety."

"I've no doubt you would do anything to make up for your transgression against him," Marius prodded, "Why do you think I captured him rather than kill him like the rest of your family? I knew from that moment I saw that spark of fire you invoked ... you would not be easily tamed. I needed leverage. And that boy ... he has served me so well in that regard."

Her jaw flexed lightly, "Then why all this? You know you have me... Please... Don't hurt him."

"Do I?" He asked stroking his chin thoughtfully, "What guarantee do I have that you will not flee from my side once more? I wouldn't have to hurt him if not for you, sweet Lannia. He has you to thank for his life ... and you to thank for all the suffering he's endured."

She looked up from the ground slowly, "I have no words that will appease you... I can only prove it... Let me heal him. I will return to my cell without casting any other spells."

She continued to plead with Marius for some time. The drow danced around allowing it just to watch her beg a little more. Eventually, the anti-magic feild around her was dropped and she healed Donnel only to have it snapped back up again. Lannia's spell did not take long to fully heal her brother. He remained exhausted, but he managed a look of gratitude to Lannia.
Lannia knelt where she had been standing in her cage before Marius. Marius himself smiled with satisfaction at seeing Lannia's submission. She swallowed a lump of bile that rose to her throat and vomited out, "Thank you, my lord."

"I have told you," She added, "Aand will ever tell you, promise me his comfort and safety and I am yours."

A cruel smile was cast toward Lannia before he turned once more to his drow, "Lannia has undone your work. It seems you have to start all over again."

The torture began anew, aAll the while, Marius' attention was focused on Lannia. She stood, walked over to the edge of the cage and growled, "If you continue this torture, I promise you I will escape. I promise you I will find my way right to your side and I SWEAR. You will suffer 10 times for every lash. Hurt him... Kill him... and I have NO reason to not spend my every waking breath hunting you"

Cruel mirth expelled from his lips in a mocking laugh. "It seems you have not learned the lesson after all. Return Donnel to his cell. We will return another time to see if sweet Lannia will finally understand that her defiance will only to be her brother's detriment."

Another day passed with the agonized cries. Marius returned, this time alone. She watched him enter, but her eyes turned down to the floor. Days without sleep, food, and bare minimum of water were taking their toll. She was still shaking from the near constant screams she heard from where ever they were keeping her brother. She convinced herself the only way out, was to give him what he wanted. Maybe not even then...

How long would Donnel last? How long could she? Light and her life with Derik was already becoming a distant memory.

"I submitted, and you tortured him anyway," She asked dejected, "Is there no way to please you?

Marius came bearing a plate of assorted fruit from both the surface and the Underdark. Her inability to meet his gaze seemed to please him, but her question sparked annoyance. He growled out, "I told you what would please me. I want you to be thoroughly and utterly mine. Of course, that is your fate no matter what ... the only question that remains is how long it will take."

she glanced at the plate of fruit and then away again, "What will it take to prove that I am?
"If I told you, it would be no proof at all, would it?", He said as a brief smile flashed. Then he threw the plate of fruit at her in frustration.

She blinked and steps back, but the plate hit her square on as she mewled, "My-my lord? Please..."

Marius noted her attempt to dodge with seething rage, "Donnel will suffer today. Let his screams be your lullaby."

She curled up and let it sink in. Even an attempt to dodge like any animal would had inspired his wrath. She knew what she had to do now, and she sealed herself inside. She let the fire within her roar. He would give him perfect compliance... And then he would burn.

[Tiberis79]

CAPTIVITY CONTINUED:

It is another two days before Marius returned. Zachary shuffled in behind him, and Donnel and his torturers came soon after. Lannia immediately knelt and made no attempt at eye contact. She said nothing unless spoken to, she remained on her knees awaiting command. With a snap of his fingers, Marius began Donnel's latest round of whippings before Lannia.
Donnel's eyes bulged and begged for salvation with every lash, but the drow do not stop. A few tears escaped, but she remained. Donnel begged and she let his despair settled into the fire in her viens. A force of will... She did not move.

She felt Marius' eyes land upon her with intense scrutiny. Finally, Marius held up a hand. The whipping immediately ceased. Lannia remained still, and waiting. A wide smile emerged on his lips. Seemingly satisfied, the drow warlord departed with his retinue without another word.

Donnel, in a word, looked bad. He would not take much more. She frowned at her own thoughts, but obeiediantly awaited him again, hoping Donnel would last a bit longer. Only a few hours after the latest session, Zachary shuffled into the chamber. Lannia watched him neutrally, attempting not to tip her hand and unsure of how cowed Zachary really was.

He said to the gaurd he had returned to fetch something for the master. He voice was broken and monotone. He went about looking with stiff, old limbs, and a gaunt expression. She tried not to show her heartbreak at his chilling tone. When her eyes were turned from the gaurd, they softened. Zachary was the reason she escape the first time. She had him to thank for actually having a life and a future. Eventually he shuffled on, and she mourned his broken spirit.

Marius returned a few days later with Donnel. Donnel looked on the edge of complete defeat. She said a silent prayer, that this would be the last he endured. He was beaten again without mercy, his hoarse voice let out only pathetic mewlings, unable to manage any volume from the week of constant howling. She remained still, complacient, and let each lash fuel her drive to continue.

Finally Donnel fell...

She didn't dare to lift her eyes to see if he was dead. She muttered all manner of promises to the gods to perform all manners of service. If he was dead, she prayed to be able to reach him in time to raise him. All the while her form was placid. She knelt with her forehead to floor... Waiting...

Cold outside and burning within... She waited. she stayed bowed before him, head against the tiles as her brother was drug away and she was left alone with Marius. Her voice a submissive whisper though she screamed within, "Do I have permission to speak... My lord?"

Her supplicant query brought a thousand sparkles of cruel delight to his eyes. "Speak, Lannia."
She did not lift her eyes, raising only her voice at his command, "Does this please you, my lord?"

"It does," His toned was likely intended to be silkly, but to her it was slimy.

"I await your command," She said, face still down against the floor.

His smile was wide and victorious. The lever was pulled. The prison shimmered away. There was a moment of hesitation as he pulled the lever; even then he half suspected she would betray him. She remained where she was and her continued compliance ebbed away what reservations he had.

He slid into the couch again and bid her to his side. He offered her to partake of a platter of assorted fruit. "I will wipe away your pain, sweet Lannia. You did so well, watching your brother fall. I'll take it away, so you don't have to see it. I'll make it so you never knew he existed. I'll make it so that your devotion to me will bring you only joy."

He was speaking of enchanting her again. Her skin crawled. He fed her a cherry before taking one of his own. The bright red juice spilling over his lips gave him the appearance of a vampire. How fitting. Inward a smile was forming. Marius was utterly letting down his guard. He believed he had cowed her, broken her will to defy him.

Wait... Cherries?

She checked to see if the cherries were the cherries she brought with her, trying not to be obvious about checking them out. 2 cherries eaten... There should be 23 more... She continued to feed him, counting as well as she could.

He began to talk to her in a tone she was sure he thought was charming. He spoke of his affinity for many things of the surface word in a way she could only call creepy. She kept him talking and kept the cherries going in him, convinced they were hers.

"I am sure my lord is a good deal wiser than any normal drow," She fed his ego as well.
He ate whatever Lannia offered with unadulterated glee. She had him. By the gods! She finally had him. The cherries kept going in, but she alternated his favorites, trying not to draw attention to the fact that she was trying to feed him all the cherries.

"Eat, sweet Lannia," He purred at her, "You must be starving after all this time."

At his instruction she took a piece of fruit for herself. He watched her eat with satisfaction and stopped her from giving him the last cherry, "It's the last cherry ... I found these on you ... you must enjoy them too, no? Have the last one. I want you to know that your compliance will be rewarded."

The curses she uttered inwardly would make a sailor blush. As she looked over his smug contenance, and considered the deadly nature of the poison, there could be no doubt that he had not yet eaten the poisoned cherry. For the breifest of moments she considered that death by that poison might be a better fate.

Then it occured to her... All his silky tones, and his fascination with her suddenly shone in a new light. Not just a master, possessive of a powerful slave... Was it possible he was attracted to her? She remembered a game she and Derik would play.

Forgive me, Derik...

She smiled a small pleased smile and cooed at Marius, "If... My lord wished to reward me... May I make a small request?"

She took the last cherry bringing it close to her lips and his eyes followed. Marius smiled and said, "Speak it."

"I would share it with you," She purred, lifting her eyes and staring at his lips to make her intent clear, "If you would honor me."

He dove into the resquest. She repressed the urge to vomit at the thought of what he might have been doing with her all along if she had not escaped the first time. He would not be satisfied if he took the whole cherry. She gave her appologies to Donnel, to Derik, to all her family as she decided she was willing to die to rid the world of this vile creature. She bit into the cherry, making sure he got the lion's share in this kiss and prayed to Chauntea to save her.

He swallowed eagerly and did not relent in his kiss. Lannia felt no effects from any poison ... but what did that mean? As their shared kiss concluded, he leaned back on the couch to enjoy a view of Lannia in full. His arm stretched out to tousle her hair, but it could reach her.

He stared down at his arm for a second in disbelief. He didn't understand why he'd lost control of his limb ... or why he suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood. Lannia had never been a cruel person. She thanked every God available for the small miracle that she seemed unaffected.

Now... It was her turn to smile cruelly, "My lord? You need help?"

She toweled his mouth lightly and mockingly, "Should I call for help, my lord?"

Scarlet liquid poured from his lips, staining his chin, his tunic. His eyes dilated with fear as he looked from her to the platter of fruit. He tried to answer, but his voice was gone. He tried to get up, but the poison had already worked its way through his veins. She stood and backed away.

Years of pain and loss... Years of fear rolled off her in a seething sentence, "You deserve so much worse!"

He looked to Lannia with utter disbelief. He couldn't understand how this was happening. He couldn't comprehend how she'd beaten him. She relished the anguish, the hopelessness that settled int his eyes, and the suffering could continue for minutes but...

That was not who she is, and she raised her hand, "Perish... Spirits of fire take him! Burn him into the great book!"

All he could manage was to grasp for her with the last bits of his strength before his body erupted in vengeful flames. All that remained of him was ash. She allowed herself only a moment to stare at the pile where he once stood. She then allowed herself one angry, disgusted swipe at her mouth to rid the taste of him.

She expected company, so her next move needed to be finding the armory. She needed chaos, she needed a distraction. Marius's ranks were full of both the faithful and those waiting to rebel. She called out into the hallway, "Marius is murdered! The master is dead!"

Using her spirit journey she evaporated and walked the halls undetected in the growing chaos. At first a slow, steady move through the scrambling minions.

Derik... I did it...

Then a brisk jog...

My love... I am Free! Donnel... Donnel, I'm coming!

Then a gleeful run broke out.

I'm coming back to you all and I'm free!

A few tears of joy as she found the armory and strapped on her gear. She remembered her and Derik's promise to each other...

"If Marius ever takes me," She said cupping his face, "I know now whom I am meant to belong to. If that happens we will just meet in the middle over the bodies of those that stood between us... Gods have mercy on them."

Derik purred as he kissed her, "Because we won't"

Derik... Derik! I'm coming!

[Tiberis79]

Freedom's Calling....

===========================================

What was in her hand...? A fishing pole...?

Right, I fish and hunt for a living. I walk from town to town and it's been that way since... Since I was 12? 13? Why does everything feel fuzy?

She baited her hook and started fishing. Time passed, as time does and yet it felt slower just now. A man walked up. A very handsome man. Lannia could not remember ever being in love and a voice in her head told her it was dangerous to linger. Still she let herself admire him. There was no harm in letting herself appreciate a prime bit of man. He was tall and strong, and had a friendly smile.

"Good evening," He said as he approached, "Mind if I join you?"

"Good evening," She responded, "By all means. They are biting reasonably well."

"Oh, good," He smiled and readied his pole, "But I apologize in advance when the stop now that I'm here."

She grinned slightly. Was he flirting or just making small talk? Well, she was going to flirt.
She'd be in a new town by tomorrow anyway. She turned her sapphire eyes to him and cooed to him, "You think you're bad luck, eh?"

"Nah," His smile was so easy, "Fish just hate me is all, but few pounds of smoked fish wrapped in wax for your travel kit... nice welcome change to hard tack and jerky."

He had these large, warm, brown eyes, and he obviously had never had her jerky or he'd not worry about having too much of it. She smiled and offered, "The good news is, that no matter how much they hate you, its a game of numbers. Put the line out enough and you will have your smoked fish."

"Smoked Marlin is actually pretty good," He added.

"It's good that you like it," She almost laughed as she spoke, "If you catch one you will be in fish for months."

"Nah," He said, "Smoked fish doesn't last that long unless you seal it really, really good. I usually take what I need and either sell or donate the rest."

He also didn't know how to preserve smoked fish well enough. She looked at his strong arms and broad shoulders. He was a warrior. It was evident. He looked over at her and offered his name, "Derik, by the way. Derik Ranloss."

"Lannia Tannen," She offered in return.

"Well met," He said, "Haven't seen you on the shore before. New to Beard or am I just unobservant?"

She grinned hard, "I could have fun with that answer, but I am just new."

"Was kind of why I put it out there," He chuckled as he continued, "New to the Coast in general?"

Okay, that time he was flirting. She smiled and answered, "I am, but I don't really have a home port either. I've always just sort of wandered around. You?"

"Been on the coast little over 6 months," He answered absently, "From northeast of the High Forest, but been caravan guarding for the last 7 or 8 years."

The small talk and light flirting continued. Then an old, blind man appeared, sitting on the broken hull of an up turned boat. He snapped a twig a few times as he gazed out to the ocean that he could not see with his eyes. Lannia continued to torment Derik for his poor fishing skill.

"If you don't catch anything, I have a nice red snapper I can sell you!' She Laughed.

He cast again, glancing over at the old man on the boat and offering, "Hey old timer..."

He then laughed at her offer, "Thanks... I'm stubborn enough to keep going till I catch something though."

The old man put the end of a twig in his mouth and nodded, "Hey young timer."

Derik glanced back at the man as he tried to catch something, "What's the word?"

Lannia smiled over her shoulder at the old man sweetly. Then she noted his eyes and blushed. The old man gave Derik a shrug and grunted, "Word is there's some punk kid who thinks he can dismiss a curse."

The old man could not help but smile at his own brash words. Derik quirked a brow, looking over the ocean as he tended to his rod. He called back to the old man, "Yep... those kids with curses... such a pain. What about this kid?"

"A young fellow," The old man grinned, "Not attached to anyone far I can reckon."

Suddenly feeling she was in the middle of something she studied her casting and looked for quick exits out of the corners of her eyes. With no seeing eyes, the old man seemed to sense her frantic clamoring, "No need to fret girl. I'm just an old man."

"No," Derik answered a bit sadly, "Don't reckon he is really. Had some potential at some point, but... you know how that goes when someone else comes along and turns heads."

Lannia glanced back at the man, wondering how he might have known she was looking for an escape. Still, she was not going to leave him unchallenged, "No fretting here, I have a set of young, fast legs. I am pretty sure I can outrun you."


The old man addressed Derik first, "Well if that's case kid why not toss that Blade into the water and be done with it?"

Then he chuckled at Lannia, "Probably. Can't say I haven't chased anything your age in some.. oh, 50 years maybe. Of course, women wore dresses then."

She listened, slightly more at ease and teased back, "Yeah, made them easier to catch too."

"Probably," The old man chuckled.

He then turned his attention to Derik, who was smiling at Lannia. Derik then looked back at the man and gave his answer, "He could then, I suppose. But then the question wouldn't get answered. Not to mention, it might find its way ashore.... find someone else to ask the question. Besides, answering the question's given him a bit of focus it would appear. Not to mention, just because he doesn't have someone in his arms, doesn't mean he has noone."

The old man and Derik continued to converse. As strange as the man seemed, Derik seemed at ease, so she just kept fishing. The old man talked to the young one about battles and the time between battles. Derik frowned, "Oh, I'm pretty sure the young man thinks about the stuff in the middle pretty regularly... Just hasn't had any luck at it of late."

The old man grinned knowingly, "You even get that young girl's name behind you?"

"You want to ask her yourself, old man?" Lannia teased.

The banter continued, and was interrupted as she struggled and grunted with what she had on her line. She leaned back, using her body weight to help her pull it in. Derik set his rod aside and moved over to Lannia to help her pull in the catch. She blushed wildly at just how natural it felt to be tucked into his strong arms. He smiled down at her, "Got it?"

She blinked down at the flipping sail of the marlin, "By the gods, bob must put spider silk on these lines!"

They continued to talk, forgetting the old man a moment. Then he broke in smugly, "I think shes flirting with you."

Lannia fired back to the old man she preferred older gentlemen, "Aged to perfection."

She reached down to drag the marlin off to bob and then stopped dead as the old man stepped toward the water and was gone in a blink. Derik smiled and teased, "Welcome to the Sword Coast, Lannia."

She drug her catch in and collected her gold. Then she heard a cruel cackle, "Hey Bob."

She could feel eyes upon her. Stiffly, she walked back to the beach trying not to draw attention.

Three men followed her and one cooed to her, "Hey girly, girl, girl."

The second laughed, "Where you runnin to?... oh whats this?"

The eyed Derik. She hated herself for leading them to the lone warrior, but for some reason she felt that was her best chance. The third one grinned, "Looks like she ran over here."

Derik looked over at the three with tired sigh, "Really? Guys we're fishing. You're scaring the fish away."

"I can see that you nitwit," One spat.

She stowed her rig and looked for quick exits while Derik had their attention. Derik took off his hat, slipping a helmet on. One taunted Derik, "Yeah well where gonna scare more away then just fish."

"He means you," another added.

The leader grunted, "We're here for the girl."

The look Derik shot them was a deadly promise. He voice was even and cold, "Gentlemen, you have about 10 seconds to bugger the hell off."

The exchange continued. The men spoke of a bounty and drow that would pay handsomely for a woman of Lannia's talents. When Derik did not back down, they offered him 30 bags to stand aside. He just rolled his neck as he quite pointedly inserted himself between them and Lannia. If she wasn't already somewhat smitten by the raw energy coming of him...

"Classic hero," one man mocked.

Derik smiled and shrugged, "I read a lot."

She blinked at the rush of heat that flooded her cheeks. Then it began and was over before she could react. They were standing... Then they were not, and Derik casually searched their corpses. She, being a fisher and hunter, was not used to such sights and shuddered.

"Heh," She breathed out, trying to steady herself, "All that experience guarding people I wager. I... I, guess I owe you one... What is your normal fee? What do you charge?"

He shifted slightly as he rubbed the spot one with a mallet hit through his arming tunic as the healing magic of his cloak began to set in. He grunted, "For putting down raging arse-holes? I don't. "

She asked what this display was all about. He lifted a bounty notice for shamans. He said, "No idea. Drow city nearby though. Probably thought you were a shaman or a druid or something."

He looked over his shoulder at her, "Are you?"

As they spoke they crossed the facts that she was largely untrained and this was a very large bounty. He growled lightly, like an animal sensing danger to something it wanted to protect. He looked her over and said, "Come on, we're done here.. just in case more fools show up. You wanted to know the price? Price is getting off the beach to somewhere I know you won't get hurt for a bit."

He lead her to the Muse where she met Urth, Aidan, Adelaide, Luke, Fingal, Ronja, and so many more that would end up being her family. Captain Aidan Thatcher gave her shelter upon the Twilight Rose, and paid Derik's fee to gaurd her, "Indefinitely, if needed."

===============================================

It was the beginning of her life... Her real life, beyond being a paper doll with false memories. As the caverns shook with chaos she couldn't help but think that this was the end... The end of the past that threatened all she found that night. She drew her sword and stowed her bow. There wouldn't be room to shoot in the narrow halls.

[Tiberis79]

Upon getting a sending, Derik gathered those he trusted that could be reached on short notice. He wasted no time, "I just got a sending that Lannia may be in the underground passages near the ruined inn south of Soubar. I'm going. Now."

Lannia had been missing more than a week. Upon the slightest chance that he might find her the Tempurian had geared up. Derik looked armed for multiple wars. Vala nodded, grabbing her gear and checking her weapons, "I'm coming too."

"Me too," Ronja said firmly with a decided nod.

"This is probably a trap of some sort, and we could all end up dead or worse," Derik, "You are all friends and family whom I trust to have my back... But I'm going now... time is short..."

He pulled on a teleportation scroll and trusted his friends to hang on. Ronja and Gaven placed a hand on Derik. Vala grabbed Ronja, and Mizz grabbed Gaven as Derik hastily cast the spell.

As they strode into the tunnels the sounds of battle grew louder and louder. Gaven grunted, scratched at his chin, "Seems someone else is here mate...we should not linger too long.."

Tremors and earthquakes shook the foundations of the earth and entry path is caved in and sealed shut - there's no turning back. They paused trying to assess their situation and just what in the hells they had walked into.

"Marius is dead!" Both angry an joyful voices shouted, "The master is defeated!"

"Mm...ye lot catch that?" Gaven asked.

Derik's brow inched up, "Come on... let's go... we've walked into a rebellion."

A rock rumbled to the side, sliding open unnaturally and revealing a secret room. Lannia emerged from the hidden chamber - the armory where she recovered her equipment. She was in a full sprint and skidding to a stop in the rubble as she stared at her friends in wonder.

"Well," Lannia breathed out with a smile, "If it isn't the calvary."

"LANNIA! " Derik howled, and droped his weapons as he dashed over to her.

Vala collected Derik's weapons and smiled as the large warrior took up his wife into his arms and kissed her soundly. Ronja smiled with a relieved sigh and Gaven grumbled, "Oi! We nay ahve time for that, mate! This place is coming down around us."

Lannia only laughed and sheathed her sword as her husband asaulted her with affection. Gaven snorted softly glancing down. Lannia finally did push him off a bit, "We have to find Donnel."

The earth shook angrily around them. Derik grumbled and released his wife, retrieving his weapons from Vala, "Alright... let's get Donnel and get out."

They encountered Zachary mere moments later. The old enchanter was full of knife wounds, laying face down in his own blood. He lay before a scrying mirror with a sending amulet in one hand and a note in the other. Attempts to raise him failed. Where ever he was, he was at peace there.

This was all I could do. I pray they come for you in time. Forgive me, Lannia.

The origin of the sending that brought Derik to them was clear. Lannia said a small inward prayer for him and they continued into the dark, winding tunnels. Lannia kept a near-frantic pace, "Donnel may be dead as well. If I am to raise him I must reach him soon."

The encountered a few already bloodied patrols and made short work of them. Lannia tried to keep a few alive to see if they knew where Donnel was, but the battles were fast and intense. The chaos of the crumbling tunnels did not leave much room to consider ones strikes. Derik tried to question Lannia as they ran through thr corridors, but there was no time.

Moments passed like hours in spite of the intensity as they frantically searched. Finally they came upon Donnel's motionless form.

"Donnel," Lannia spoke to him softly, rolling him over and checking for signs of life.

He was still and cold, eyes unseeingly staring ahead. Derik cursed as the rest of the party set up a perimeter around the shamaness so that Lannia may do her work. She placed her hand on his head and continue to call to him, "Brother... I did it. I killed him... Return to us and be free."

She called upon her own power to recall his spirit, hoping he would be compelled by her familiar energy. Because they had maintained his innocence while traversing his mind, a spark of hope remained within him. He answered his sister's call. She smile gratefully, joyfull tears spilling over her face. She said it again to him, "I did it... I killed him, brother. Now we need to get out of here. Do you know the way?"

She quickly wrapped him in a healing coccoon. As Lannia's healing spell restored him, he nodded weakly, but gratefully, "You ... saved me."

"It's what we do," Derik said, "But this place is coming down. We need to get out."

Lannia begin to bathe Donnel in Wards to protect him on the way out, "Here are some wards, get us out of here."

Another tremor nearly caved in the tunnel around them. Gaven held his shield up to protect himself from the falling rock and gave an impatient bark, "We're all gonna need saving if we do nay move!"

Donnel nodded weakly. It didn't look like he'll be any help in battle, but he could move and guide them at least. "This way ..."

They shaking grew more violent the further they got. Smoke and angered cries filled the echoing tunnels. Derik blinked and asked, "The hells did you guys do?"

"Umm," Lannia smiled sheepishly, "It was mostly me."

The tunnel widened to a large cave adorned with shamanistic runes and a large summining cirlce on the ground. Lannia's eyes scanned it, knowing the ritual well. She was not surprised to se a large, angry spirit hovering over the circle. The flickering spirit surrounded by dark energy shimmered into place becoming larger and stronger before their eyes.

"Torm keep us," Gaven murmured as he observed the massive and malevolent specter.
Lannia growled, clearly recognizing Marius's twisted spirit. Her friends fought demons and armies... Spirits were her skill set. She stood in front of her friends, growling ferally.

"Did you think you could defeat me so easily, Lannia?!" Hs distorted voice ehoed.

The imposing spirit leaned down to looked into the determined sapphire eyes of the rauthite shamaness. Derik cautioned Donnel back. Recognizing, this was Lannia's wheelhouse, he stood ready behind her.

"She daft?" Gaven breathed out as Lannia stood between the monsterous sight and them and moved up beside her, unsure.

Derik just grinned, "Probably."

Lannia held her green steel sword pointed at the apparition and answered it, "I did once already, Marius. Stand aside. Go in peace lest I send you beyond by force."

"Years of experimenting on your kind has given me access to powers unknown!" He ground out, "I will not rest until I have exacted retribution!"

"hmm?" Lannia mocked, "Ohh did you say something? I heard, blah blah, wine, moan."

Derik followed her lead with an amused smirk, "Blah blah blah... I see a dead man wanting to be re-dead."

Gaven looked at them both like they had collectively lost their minds. Ronja quirker a tiny smile, her eyes remaining on the spirit and Gaven shook his head and said, "Wrong time but ye two are quite alike."

Lannia gave a snarl and lowered her voice to a threat, "You are a spirit now... Thanks for coming back. You died WAY too easy the first time."

Marius's spirit howled in anger, "You thought what I did to your brother was cruel?! I'll show you true despair!"

The battle was engaged, the spirit indeed had many fowl spells to unleash. it all but fell the entire party within minutes... Except for Lannia. Her favor with the spirits allowed her to absorb the attack, striking back viscously with her own spiritual energy. She weakened and chastised him, cripling him as she healed her comrades.

They rallied and swarmed the weakened ghost as wave after wave of divine spiritual energy sprang from Lannia's finger tips, erupting in holy blasts. Thier attacks left the vengeful spirit defenseless and Lannia's magic cast his ethereal form to its final end. The dust settled and she glared at the space the spirit once occupied as she ground out, "Damn beast... You died too quick a second time."

Cider howled and disappeared into the veil beyond sight... Likely to drag Marius to the hells that surely awaited him. The group clamoured over the carnage and rubble falling around them toward the light and fresh air...

[Tiberis79]

Freedom...

At last they were free. Marius was dead. She and Donnel stepped into the light, felt the sun on their skin, looked to each other, and fell into an embrace. Brother and sister held each other, trembling with joy. After 17 years, nearly 18, apart, they were a family once more.

Lannia offered Donnel a job at the Last Anchor. He only shook his head. Though he'd been a slave all his life and had no idea what free life would bring him, he wanted to make a go at it. He wanted to see the world, to feel the sunlight and rain, and to be his own man for some time. Lannia smiled and placed the seashell necklace around his neck.

She told him she would send for him when she was done planning the funeral for their brothers. Together they would send of Connor and Feris in a proper Rauthite ceremony. Derik tossed the man a sending amulet and told him to send for his family if he ever had need. Donnel nodded somberly. It was a reality he'd grown up with. Only Lannia had lived of all his siblings. That was when Lannia told him one final thing...

They had another sibling, a sister... Somewhere out there... Alive and well.

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OOC:

Lannia's sister is living and well according to a DM event with DM Hera. The spirits did not tell Lannia which sister lived. She only knows that she is alive, well, and hidden; likely living under a false name. Lannia's sister has been left open to a player character. If you are interested, give me or the DMs a holler. I prefer she be played by a long term player who has intent to stick around and play her for a long while. Mostly because I have had a number of players offer to play her who never actually created the character and then disappeared.

Notes: Lannia's sister is not a shaman. Lannia was the only one of the sibling group to show that potential. Any of Lannia's sisters is fair game, just be ready with an "escape and survival" story of how or why she got away on the day of the massacre and where she ended up. You might want to think on if she ever looked for her other siblings, what she might have found, and then consider that Lannia is now reasonably well-known throughout the coast. She has participated in heroic events from Naskel to the cloakwood and back to Neverwinter, Selune's Bracelet, and Waterdeep. There's really not a part of the coast she hasn't touched. Now she owns a lucrative inn in Ulgoth's beard that has held mutliple "open to all" events. There would have been plenty of opportunity for word to reach her sister's ears.

I am fine without knowing you are coming. If you want to collaborate, I am more than happy, but if you want to appear suddenly the DM Group is more than capable of directing you. DM Mimic is likely to be the most familiar with her story.