RolePlayGateway™

(I Hope you three do not mind my intrusion into this forum but it does seem quite interesting)

Breathing heavily, Cross rushed through the wood dashing from tree to tree, staying in the shadows incase his trackers were still on his trail. Stopping long enough to look around, he spots what appears to be a small house not far off towards the south of him. Wasting only a few moments descision he takes off towards the house, running faster as he neared the house. Realizing only too late that the house is truly four times what he first thought. The lower 3/4's of it having been hidden by a high cliff from where he had spotted it. Digging his heels into the graveled ground he attempts to stop, flailing his arms out behind him in attempts to grab at something to help stop him. Each failing has he rockets forward off the cliff and falls directly towards the roof of the house. He covers his face with his arms expecting to crash into the roof to be followed by searing amounts of immense pain. Only to his shock to realize the house has opened a tunnel like slide infront of him in which he falls into to be spat out from the ceiling of the ground floor and land moments later on the ground with a rather loud thunk before bouncing up and crashing through a wall into a room containing three other occupants, where he lands unconcious with his black clothing torn to shreds from crashing through the wall.

OOC: Yes, I find this thread most intriging as well! Perhaps it will also awaken the Metaverse up a little; the place seems dead recently.

Innocent found himself once again in a strange, unknown place, specifically commanded by his superior to do so. Ever since Innocent had been forced into the organization he was currently employed to he had been going from one odd ball place to another, all in the search of rather peculiar artifacts, one type in particular being especially sought after. And so, Innocent was now traversing upon the soil of a forest which had not even shown up in the known map of the universe, seeking that special object which could realize his leader's wishes. However, he began to grow fearful of his surroundings; all of the strange noises and sensations, from bizzarre bird calls to the chirping of insects previously never thought to have exisited, began to take Innocent to the brink of hysterics. Yet, he held strong, as much as he possibly could, as he continued on his path, until finally reaching a building in the middle of the forest, of which was thought to have held that object he was so desperate to capture.

The building itself had about it a surreal look that made it look like the perfect setting of a horror flick. With a nervous step Innocent grew closer to the door of the building. His mission was simple; retrieve the item in question, and return to base. Yet, the simplicity of his objective did not make it any easier, for Innocent had no idea what could possibly be within the strange edifice. Perhaps the object wasn't in there at all? What if it was? There was no way of knowing without going within himself, and that is exactly what he did. As his shaking, timid hand reached out for the door knob, it eerily opened itself with a slow gait, revealing the content within: blackness.

In that great darkness Innocent took a step within, closing the door behind him so that from the outside the building would appear undisturbed. The place seemed vacant enough, however the 17 year old boy could not help but feel watched from the shadows. Running his hands through his long, wavy brunette hair in order to reposition the strands of hair obscuring his vision, Innocent, his hands towards his chest and with petite steps, continued to walk into the building, afraid that he would see something rather threatening at any moment. It seemed illogical, almost humourous, that such a tall, though lanky, figure would be hunched over in fear of what he could not see. But, had anyone known of who he truely was, no one would be suprised by his caution. And so, ignorantly believing that anyone who may have happened to be currently within the building could have understand his native tongue, began to spoke in the language of his people, as if hoping that one of his own would be able to guide him through the darkness of the home.

"Neteorg? Njiz re neeredei reih... eiw me nok naatsjib?"

In another corner of the room, a figure of a rather huge bird had been watching what was going inside that particular room all this time, however it got a shock when a man fell down from the sky right in the center of the room, the bird flapped it's wings a few times and quickly folded them back as soon as the little shock to it was over, as it stretch it's head slightly out of the darkness, it revealed a head of a bird that have never been seen before, it's head covered neatly with it's sliverish white feathers, and on top of it's head had a very weird looking.... crown, as two long sliver feathers bents down for about 30 cm long below the reveal head.

It's blood red eyes fixed upon the unconscious man, very cautiously it stepped out of it's cover revealing a sliver bird about half the size of a fully grown man (head to talons), and it's tail feather's length adds onto the abnormal hugeness of this bird by a full 45 cm, the feathers on it's belly are short, fluffy and white, it's beak and talons golden in color.

As it moves silently around the room towards the unconscious man, dragging it's tail feathers on the floor, already sensing that several eyes are on this bird of fantasy, feeling shy it expands it's wings and flew back to where it was perched upon before, a straight wooden pole in a dark corner, as the shadow of the bird, shows it's full length, and it continues to observe the room, if any will approach it, out of curiosity

Cross slowly pushed himself up from the floor, grumbling about the stupid jinxed house or whatever created the slide that he fell through. Standing up fully he shifts causing nearly every vertibrae in his back to snap as it twists back into its rightful place in succession. Looking around he sighs. "where the hell am I?" he wonders aloud while dusting debris from the wall which he crashed through off, noticing out of the corner of his eye that the wall had already fixed itself.
Glancing at the bird flying around, he makes a mental note to try and find out what it is later on. He glances around once more before leaving the room to explore the house, taking off his ripped and torn jacket, leaving only his white shirt which his ripped to shreds as well to cover him. The map upon his back exposed through the tears as he heads in and out of the light eminating from the sconce style lights in the main hall.

A tired, small women about the age of twenty or so stood along the out skirts of the forest. Her violet eyes drank in the sight of the building before her. She stood about five feet maybe an inch give or take, wearing a long black shoulder strapped dress. As Lirita walked towards the building, her overly sized black boots slipped every now and then from her feet. Sighing, her hands balled in to fists and rubbed her eyes softly, while her pink lips parted to yawn. Her heart-shaped face looked pale, sickly pale. Walking for so long as left her weak and tired. Lirita looked almost like a child, she had an innocent aurora around her, and hardly spoke much. Her body did not look that of a women, however most men were appalled by her looks, with silver short length hair and unemotional face. They thought she was a strange creature of some sort. Lirita was human. She was no creature. She might be crazy, and... a bit unsteady. Lirta, hears voices. Not just voices randomly in her head, no... not that crazy. Lirita can speak to the dead, she can listen to those who passed away, hearing their stories, their worst fears and dreams. Most often the ghost would frighten her so bad she'd scream, and no one would believe her.

Reaching the front of the building, Lirita placed her hand on the door and pushed it forward. Scanning the hall way, She took a step in then quickly stepped back out. What if someone owned the building and she wasn't supposed to be there? What if it was a trap? She whimpered softly to her self and took a few steps back down the walk way. Staring, her hair swayed in the light breeze, causing her to shiver. Lirita took a deep breath and finally walked in to the building. She crossed her arms as if to hug her self and make everything alright. Her eyes began to droop down, as the hallway began to spin. Was it spinning? Shaking her head she looked again. It was.. it was spinning and she was getting dizzy. Whimpering a sound she spoke a soft word, “Troy...” before Lirita found her self falling to the ground, with a loud thud echoing along the bright halls. Her body laid in a small pile on the ground, eyes closed breathing soft and slow. Alive and breathing, her mind was not conscious, she had worn herself out. No food for the past week, along with hours upon hours of just hiking the woods took a toll on her.

((Okay, I'm back everyone. I haven't had net all winter and I'm so sorry for being gone offline so long.))

*Aiko would appear in the main room. Her eyes flashing as she looked at how busy her little find had suddenly become. She had been gone a rather long time trying to see about funding and talking with her Guild back home to see about setting up part of it as a place for pleasure. Her eyes danced as she examined everything and she shook her head. It had been way to long. She didn't even remeber much about this place and she wondered where that snake of hers had gone. Well, it wasn't her snake it was more of a companion and friend but it seemed to not be here although quite a few other beings were now. The darkness lit up with her thoughts, not much..just enough so that there was light. She then perched on the bar. She wore a tight pair of leather pants and a strapless crimson top. Her wings spread behind her as she looked around wondering what sort of trouble these beings were and what types of trouble each one was in. She just had the eeriest feeling that all she'd attract was trouble here. The tattoos on her shoulder glowed along with that black flame tattoo on the upper part of her chest. The top was rather low cut so that the upper parts of her chest could be seen but nothing that could be considered to showy. It was kinda like how some of those bar wench costumes were from renassiance times.*

A tall figure about 6' 2" entered and took a look around. He had been wandering the woods for some time now, a bit tired from his journey. He adjusted his breast plate trying to shift the weight a little so that it wouldn't be so heavy. With a soft sigh he spotted a tavern, finally he could get some rest. He slowly made his way to the doors, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his shield on his back. he pushed open the door of the tavern and looked from one side of the room to another surveying the people before he entered. His armor was black as night, a red dragon on the shoulder and shield. he slowly walked to a table and took a seat taking his helmet off and setting it on the table in front of him. His long dark hair falling to his lower back, as he sighed with relief. He took the shield from his back and leaned it against the chair he was sitting at, his blue eyes then turning to the others in the tavern as he continued to watch. he wasn't much for words, preferring action over anything else.

She pulled her cloak more tightly around herself as she walked through the dark woods. Her feet made no sound despite the twigs and leaves scattered on the forest floor. Amber orbs glistened in the moonlight and her pale skin seemed almost translucent. Raven curls tumbled over slender shoulders framing a lovely if not haughty face. She stepped out from beneath the canopy of leaves and stared up at the large tavern looming before her. Crimson lips curved upwards in a soft smile. There was something predatory in that smile, a danger lurking just beneath the surface. Gripping the handle she opened the door and stepped inside. Her boots made no sound on the floor as she approached the bar, those catlike amber orbs surveying the room with keen interest.

Her brother had been right. She did need to find something to entertain herself. A girl can sure get into trouble if she's allowed to be bored for too long. Idle hands are the devil's playthings after all. Not that that ever concerned her before. It's not like she had much of a conscience or would ever pretend to. And this place looked like somewhere where she just might find some kind of amusement, or at the very least a plaything or two.

That smile turned into the most devilish of grins as she made herself comfortable on a nearby stool, crossing one slender leg over the other. Perhaps she'd see if they were hiring. It had been awhile since she'd held a job. She didn't need the money but she might enjoy the work. Of course she didn't know what kind of work an assassin/witch would find in a tavern in the middle of the woods.

Tolrin took the hood of his tunic off as he walked up to the gigantic tavern that seemed to come out of no where as he exited the forest. Maybe I can hide out here for awhile... He thought to himself as he approached the giant doors. He had been running for weeks, dodging the legionnaires that were sent to kill him. They wanted to kill him for being a werewolf. A year before when he was 18 years of age he was sent out of his village to live on his own for a year as part of his coming of age and to signify that he had become a man. While out in the woods on a full moon night he was attacked and bitten by a wolf that carried the werewolf disease. The result was Tolrin carrying the curse of the werewolf and turning during every full moon. He has yet to learn how to control and harness it, he has yet to use it to his advantage.
As he walked into the tavern he looked around and called out, "Is anyone here?"

She looked to the three newcomers, her eyes glowing golden shot with flecks of crimson. She growled realizing she had accidentally borrowed her brother's pants and although they fit her well, they were to long. So she rolled up the ankles which revealed a small tattoo. It was the mark of Hell's assassin and thieves guild. She smiled moving out of the shadows toward Tolrin. She figured she may as well see what she could do to help him. She sniffed at him a little and smiled a bit. She recognized a bit of wolf scent to him. "Good evening..if it is evening of course. It's so hard to tell with all these shadows. Every time I ask for light it seems to get darker. Silly building is playing with me I think. How may I help you, Lad?"

A slender figure entered the tavern and looked around, she could tell the people that were here were already going to be an interesting lot. Her long blond hair that fell to her lower back was a little matted, but that was what happened when she played around in the trees. On her shoulder a small black dragon perched eying everyone before licking her cheek gently. She giggled at the dragon's tongue and petted it gently on the head with a smile. She looked around wondering who she could con into getting her a drink this time and spotted the man in black armor, blushing a little. she had a thing for men in armor, her fangs slightly showing, but not enough to give herself away as she walked up to the man, " excuse me, may I have a seat?" she smiled, her long black dress flowing. The dragon eyed the man, glaring somewhat.

She petted the dragon once more and kissed it gently on the cheek. It had been with her for a few years and saved her from a bit of trouble. and for a hatching, it wasn't that bad. She put her bag down cause it was starting to get a bit heavy from her journey. The dragon shifted it's gaze from the man to the others glaring and protective. Sensing the wolf she looked around, a small glare in her eyes. She couldn't stand wolves and was a little afraid but didn't let it show.

He looked up at the woman not sure what to make of her but gave a small nod, she was awfully forward about things it seemed. None the less any company in a place like this was better then none he guessed, "sure thing.." he then stood and walked over to the bar not paying much attention to the others but then looking to the woman at the bar. He smiled to her and then looked to the tender. " Something strong.." The bartender gave a small nod lightly and then went to work on making the drink. The bar tender came back after a few moments with his drink, " there you are sir." He gave a small nod slightly and took his drink leaving the gold on the counter. "what ever the lady is having is on me." he looked to her for a moment and then took his drink and started back. The bar tender gave a small nod and then went back to cleaning glasses.

He gave a small sigh as he rejoined the lady that wanted to sit with him and looked to the dragon. " so how, do you pick me to sit with out of these other people? after all, I'm just a soldier." he downed the drink and then slammed the glass on the table. this stuff was a bit stronger then what he was use to, but none the less it was just what he needed. he looked to the tender and gave a nod as if to ask for more and the tender went to making a pitcher.

There was something different about this girl though. Not just the dragon, but something else. It didn't really bother him considering he was more then what he appeared but at least he was an expert at hiding it. He had just preferred a human for cause it was less trouble to get around in, not to mention it was easier to blend in.

This bear is thirsty for some delicious rum.

((I hate to be a sour puss but...do we have to one-line? That surely isn't enough for a decent rp.))

Far in the shadowed lands, under the baleful moon of eternal sleep, deep in the recesses of the monolithic castle a figure tossed and turned in a fitful slumber. Slowly the dreaming queen focused her attention on a small image in a holon far removed from her. The great dreamer stirred in the shadow-haunted chambers. In a holon far away from the dark planet stands a man offering new experiences. The queen roared in her dreams, a roar that echoed through the dream threads of all the Xindhi and they shuddered in their slumber.

In the grand hall, one form stirred among the elongated shadows that stretched across the dusty marble floor. Rising from the elaborate sarcophagus a figure emerged, the dusky colored chain armor rang hollowly as the metal brushed the hard obsidian that had encased the body. The armored form peered around the mist-haunted gloom; a brief crackle of energy echoed through the eerie, silent halls.

With a singular purpose, the figure stepped lightly on the marble, as he did so the eye sockets blazed with an amethyst fury, the miasma of energy swirled around the face and drifted upward to dissipate a scant few feet above his head. Facing the large elaborate sarcophagus, the man took a knee, the harsh clack of the metal knee upon the marble echoed loudly in the grand hall.

“My Queen I rise and serve…” rasped the voice as the amethyst energies focused on the vast stone structure that dominated the hall. The great dreaming queen smiled as the voice reached her, “Skallagrim, I seek understanding of this holon. I can think of no emissary better to represent me than you.”

With a slight rasp of metal on leather, the figure stood solemnly. Grasping his swords from their place in the sarcophagus, he placed them in their creaking leather sheaths. With a nod towards the dreaming queen, Skallagrim murmured, “I shall ride forth and observe this holon, whatever secrets may lay with in I shall study, note and understand.” With a slight bow of his head, Skallagrim spun and marched along the resonating path that snaked towards the great gateways of slumber, every step echoed through the vast and silent halls.

Ahead the great horned guardian, ever watchful, opened the massive gates, as he did so the myriad of holons, the multitudes of existence streamed past, their future, past and present all as shimmering dream substances to be entered and explored. With a deft touch of the translucent amulet that hung around his neck, the Cughtagh summoned his destrier from the dream memories of the great Scathach. Slowly the clop of shod hooves upon flagstones carried from the deep gloom. Suddenly a flare of amethyst energies pierced the shadows, a great skeletal horse, the hooves shrouded in amethyst flames, the great eye sockets illuminating the area with the energies that flowed and coursed through its body.

Mounting the great beast, Skallagrimi nudged it into the swirling holons of existence, as he did so he reached out with the resonance of darshan and prana to locate the thrumming of the experience the great queen sought to understand. Feeling the echo of the holon where a new experience beckoned, slowly the Cughtagh began his journey.

As the flame shrouded hooves cleaved through the holons, passing through the dreaming state as a shadow, a nightmare, a disturbing presence to the holon, recorded in the memory as a flittering shade. Every holon, be it science or metaphysical, advanced or primitive, sacred or profane, all recorded the eternal watcher as he rode silently through. Only those who still believed, still remembered the legends of the hoary past of the Xindhi, would feel the passage as a subtle breeze along the strands of their holons memory.

As he approached the holon of the disturbance, he eased up the long-legged gallop of the destrier, as the shimmer mirror of a dream flashed before him; Skallagrim the Cughtagh felt the thrum of resonance of this holon reverberate through him. In an instant the skeletal horse and rider were on a patch of incongruous land near the subject of curiosity. Sliding off the mount, Skallagrim tapped the amulet and the dream substance that comprised his horse swirled and drifted off as if a wind were carrying it away.

The odd little place had been the focus of then energy trail, standing before the door, Skallagrim allowed the prana to flow from his form, the energy that swirled and miasma's in the eye sockets flared a brilliant hue of amethyst casting eerily against the wooden door. A subtle touch of the door and then the Xindhi was through the door, the being merely framed the interior in holon memrory, framing each individual inside and their position in relation to his. Stepping inside Skallagrim allowed the door to shut behind him, the gloom flowed back into the dark interior. The energies that swirled and coalesced in the eye sockets flared brilliantly then dimmed as the skeletal being moved with assurance towards a small table. Taking a seat, Skallagrim canted his neck and rasped, "Hello...."

Aiko felt power enter her little tavern. Her golden eyes flashed with concern as she left Tolrin's side despite the male not answering her yet. She went to Skallgrim and frowned a little bit trying to figure him out. Her tattoos glowed a bit as she pushed hair behind a pointed ear. The demoness seemed a little bit surprised by him. As if he were a mystery or something. She curtsied politely to him though knowing it was always best to be polite even if this was her establishment, sorta anyway. "Good Day to you. Welcome to the Tavern of Shadows" She spoke in a musical form of common. Her own native tongue showing through her accent. There was a hint of high demonic in her voice as she shook head looking to the strange man in the armor <shadownight>. At least that patron seemed to be doing alright. "How can I help you, Sir?"

The female seemed startled by the presence of the Xindhi, as if she had expected something…other to have come through the doors of this small building. Prana flowed, cascaded and caressed the woman as Skallagrim framed her features, her body language, her every movement in the holon. Her voice lilting, musical, clearly not a normal tonal sound for a human, that itself piqued the interest of the Xindhi. Swirls of energy illuminated the creature in a soft amethyst energy, the eye sockets seemed to vanish under the brilliance of the energy. Then slowly as the energy dissipated and carried away into nothingness, the outer edges appeared again.

An ancient and hoary voice, lost to the ages of legend rasped, "You are the reason I have come. You have drawn the attention of the Dreaming Queen, you have become an anomaly in this…tavern." Even as Skallagrim spoke he moved slightly forward as if her were trying to understand the nature of the glowing symbols on the form of the being before him.

The grinning death's head peered at the others in the room, focusing shortly on each, sizing them up, before moving to the next. The female in front of him seemed to hold some measure of power, perhaps that is what called forth the great dreamers curiosity, perhaps this female held some other secrets, some other experiences that Skallagrim could witness, could frame and record. The prana flowed and swirled around the skeletal being, those attuned to such matters could see a faint luminosity that seemed to diffuse from the seated figure.

"Come…what is your name? Why have you summoned the Xindhi from the great dreams and nightmares to such a place as this…" Rasped the ancient voice again as the energy filled sockets seemed to focus squarely on the female again. "Why do you exist in this holon? In the present, in the future, in the past of this building that resides in a forest long forgotten to all but the most ancient?"

The female was unafraid of him. The mention of a queen simply made her smile a little bit. She was powerful, yes, very powerful. She was something that shouldn't be but was. She looked around feeling the building' s awareness brush against hers playfully. She laughed a bit as she gave the building the image of some gardens to keep it busy. That and she wanted a place to plant her herbs. She was a witch but she was more than that. She smiled at the male a little bit as her clothing changed to a gauzy royal purple gown modeled after the dresses of dryads. Power flared around her, the black fire that was hers alone to control sprouted in her hair a little bit as those large black wings spread. He amused and attracted her but that was not her main concern at the moment.

"I am Aiko, daughter of the third of the twelve" She spoke of course of the 12 lords who ruled hell under their Queen, Lilith. The mark on the back of her shoulderblade was Belial's mark, the one on her upper chest was the mark of the Blood Moon Guild, and there was a black rose on her wrist...the mark of the Queen of Darkness. She smiled at him a bit. "I am here partially because of my brother's spell. His portal spell went awry on Samhain and I was dumped on the porch of this mansion." She shrugged a bit thinking for a few moments before speaking again. " I decided to stay though of my own free will. This place calls to me and it helps me to avoid a forced marriage or worse...a position I do not wish for in my own realm."

The misty woods had left him felling lost. it looked both familiar and strange. It seem as if he where wandering in circles, but this was not thee woods he had been hunting in. The mist parted a little large structure, first to one side, then the other, then right in front of him.
He let his hips shift and pushed himself up to walk in two-legger fashion, His ears flat and tail low he approached the building. his emerald green, slit pupal eye glowed in the dim light. A knee-length leather tunic formed over his body as he approached the doors.
As the doors opened he paused for a moment to see what was within.

Even as the female spoke, her appearance changed, the clothing shimmered and shifted to a purple color, an ebony flame seemed to flicker in her hair, and large dark wings spread slightly. Every action was captured and framed in the holon, the existence, the memories of this place and time. Canting his neck so he could better observe the glowing runes that marked the body, he listened as the woman explained further her nature and reason to be here.

"I have heard of this hell you speak of, it changes many times in many places, even the names while the same or similar hold different connotations." Rasped Skallagrim as he peered at the smiling figure, "I have encountered many who claim lineage to the beings of hell, to the powers that reside in that land of pain and flames. I have encountered those whom claim bloodlines of angels and demons, scared and profane, what makes you any different than those beings. Oft who reduced themselves to petty bickering of their status among each other."

Skallagrim was intrigued, this woman held some measure of power, but very few who traveled in this long forgotten land did not have power of some sort. As he observed the woman he felt a subtle shift of the prana, something was coming towards the doorway, something that was more than what would appear. As the door swung open and a figure stood framed inside it, Skallagrim's miasma of energies flared and illuminated the doorway, casting a pale amethyst light on the being.

"It would seem we have more whom have found themselves paths to this place, this nexus of worlds, of times and of lives." Skallagrim said as he nodded towards the doorway.