The Cold Road (18+ sexy and violent)

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mr duncan
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by mr duncan »

A different inn, a different bed, a different girl.

This time Xujja didnt try to get up early when he woke, he instead reached for his book and decided to read until Lace had woken up herself. When the two had curled up in the bed together she had mentioned how nice it would be to wake to more of their passions, and the young tiefling had every intention of waiting for her to wake.

He sat up in the bed with the book on his lap, one gray hand rested on Laces head, stroking her hair. She stirred slightly and cuddled closer, still asleep.

Xujja felt a sense of well being, a comfort with more substance than the physical comforts of a soft bed in a dark room. His black eyes drifted away from the pages of the book and over the sleeping form of the redheaded girl lying next to him.

Where does a persons value really come from? Certainly not from the opinions of others... but isnt my own craving for women just really a need to be accepted? Can your worth come from what you know? Who you have killed? Or saved from death?


****************************************************************************


The tiefling boy was just barely 15 years old, and scrawny. He wore rags and heavy chains like all the other captives that day. The door on the top of his overcrowded cage swung open and a ladder was lowered. Spear tips descended into the crowd of slaves and singled the tiefling out, poking and prodding him to ascend the ladder.


The sounds of the city grew louder, almost deafening as he came up out of the pit and onto the stage.

Around him was spread the black and smoky city of Luskan, a few approving nods came from the crowd waiting to buy slaves as they saw a tiefling come up for sale.

Xujja was horrified at the curling plumes of smoke from all over the cityscape. The stench of the city was just as bad as its sight, and its citizens looked no more pleasant. A spear stuck into his back, pushing him further out onto the stage.

A beautiful woman in spiked armor and wearing the symbol of a lash made the first bid. One coin.

One coin for a scrawny human child might have been enough to secure a purchase, but the scrawny child was a tiefling. A muscular orc with skin so dark it looked soot-black made the next bid.

The bidding between the two went back and forth till the blonde woman declared. "I am not spending more than 10 coins on a sacrifice, tiefling or not."

The orcs final bid stood, a bell rang signaling the sale. Xujja was dragged off by a guard as the next captive from below was brought up for auction.

12 coins. Xujja was worth 12 coins.


*****************************************************************************


Marcus was wasting time. He seemed interested enough in talking to the girl, but when she actually gave him any attention he became meek and pensive.

The young wizard that had interrupted their walk to talk to them, to Lace... but now he seemed to be looking for a way out of the topics the girl seemed to love talking about. His face grew red when she spoke of indulgences and wild free passions.

"But you lay with /any/ man? All men? Old ones, fat ones? Poor ones?"

Marcus hesitated a moment before adding more.

"I Really prefer getting to know someone first. If you just give it away to anyone, it becomes worthless."

Xujja had grown bored of the conversation and turned to watch a wolf across the river as it sniffed about for something to eat. For a flicker of a moment he was jealous of the wolf, Xujja was sure the wolf never had to endure such boredom as hearing Marcus grow more and more meek by the moment.

Just when he thought it wouldnt possibly get any worse... Marcus invited himself along, and Lace agreed.

Aside from the boring conversation, Xujja had no care to waste a moment in the company of one of the helmites errand boys. The city mans rejection of Ingriss had worked out pretty well for Xujja, but that didnt endear him to the tiefling at all.

No girl, even one as beautiful as Lace, was worth keeping the company of folks like that. When they were ready to continue down the road, Xujja made his goodbyes.

"Ill let you two get on your way" He said.

The other two asked the predictable questions that he wasnt listening to as he walked off, he called out his farewell over his shoulder.

"Stay sharp."


*****************************************************************************

"Eight! Nine! Ten!" The lashmaster called out each time the whip connected to the scrawny boys back.

It was tradition, to teach the slaves their place... they were introduced to the whip with ten lashings, just so they would know what to fear for failure or disobedience.

Xujja had watched 6 other slaves go before him, and after each of their beatings they were offered a sick bargain.

A priest of the Tyrant stood nearby, offering salvation. Those who broke and wanted out so very bad they were willing to sell their souls were given the chance. If they but gave up their gods for Bane, they would be paid one coin a month for their slavery.... once they paid for themselves they could become free men and slavemasters themselves.

Xujja felt like vomiting each time he saw one of his tribe bowing to city gods like Bane, even the ones who hated and beat him back home. Xujja witnessed this 4 times in the six people going before him. He began to fear his own reaction when it happened to him.

His ten lashes were done, he knew what was coming next and he didnt even want to be tempted. He lifted himself up, trying to stand, and came up with an idea. He said something that partly true and partly a design to evade any words with the priest.

Xujja turned and looked and the giant orc lashmaster and forced a smile.

"Pathetic.... Bane my ass! My /mother/ beat me harder than that, you cock-swallowing weakling!"

He didnt have to sit through the preaching, instead he was treated to 10 more lashes for defiance... and then 10 again when he tired to bite the guard taking him away.

Xujja learned that day that spite and rage were two possessions that could not be taken from anyone, even a slave. In chains, in rags, in slavery... Xujja still owned treasures his mother had given him.


***************************************************************************


Ingriss had left him alone to go into the village. Xujja remained where he was in the shade of the trees outside Rivermoot, reading the book Ingirss had gotten him just a few days earlier.

At first he thought the sound of approaching boots was Ingriss returning, so he kept reading. The boots didnt return to her place however, and so Xujja looked up to see who it was.

He had to blink in suprise, the girl standing there was a gorgeous stranger. After a moment to take in the girls appearance he noted the bright red flower she wore in her hair.

Red flower on a tempting girl... a bad omen.

As she came up and sat down next to him he decided he would have to be a bit rude or something to get rid of her. He was thankful that Ingriss finally returned to distract her.

He was set on ignoring the pretty girl and letting Ingriss talk to her... but when introductions were made, he changed his mind.

"I am Lace Winters, of Sembia. She said.

Thats a much bigger, better, omen than a red flower. This girl has a holy name.

Ingriss saw the shift in her friends attitude, and even moreso when Lace began sharing the Dogma and philosophies of her goddess, Sharess.

Ingriss smiled wide and gave Xujja a little wink as she made an excuse to leave them alone.


****************************************************************************


The young tiefling straddled the goblin as it was trying to get away. Xujjas arms were filling out from all the work he had been doing in service to Luskan, and he was putting those muscles to good use now.

Over and over again he hammered his gray fists into the goblins face while the rest of his chain-gang watched. No one made a move to stop them, in fact the rest of the slaves on his chain looked on rather eager. No matter who won... /someone/ was going in the cooking pot. That meant a slight increase in that days rations.

It was the first thing he had ever killed, besides fish and bugs. Xujjas bloody fists still hammered down on the broken skull several more times after the thing went limp.

*****************************************************************************


Xujja saw Lace again a few days later at High Hold. She sat back down with him and complained for a long time about the bookish men who thought their studies and roommates were more interesting than her.

He was thankful that the girls time with Marcus had gone poorly, as he had hoped she might come around himself more often.

They sat there talking for the whole day, even enduring the company of the gnome that Xujja knew only as "snot-nose". The gnome seemed to have said everything he could to discourage the girl from dallying with Xujja. But when he pointed out how many girls the tiefling had been with, this only encouraged her to sit closer.

Once they had gotten rid of the gnome they returned to sharing Winterwine and talking about more interesting things, each other.

"So on another subject..." she said as she settled closer.

"Whats that?"

Xujja thought it very strange that such a normally forward girl would blush, but she did when she spoke.

"I am rather curious as to how you... kiss."

"Well theres only one way to find that out."

Xujjas was pretty wrapped up in the moment, but he still took a second to "accidentally" knock the red flower from her ear as they started to tear off each others clothes and armor.

There, in the grass on the side of the road within sight of High Hold, the two pushed their kisses further and further till they were deep into their impassioned lovemaking. The two had spent the whole day talking, and now spent the whole night locked together.

The two lusty lovers were so wrapped up in their moment and each other that they didnt even notice the halforc Gruuhilda stop to watch them mating a moment before walking on. No one but them existed for those hours from their first kiss till when the rising sun warmed their exhausted flesh.



****************************************************************************


Heh... glad no one came by to see that.


Most people will seek out a bed when the chance to mate surprises them, not so for the two lying in the grass amidst their scattered armor and gear. It was only after they were done that one of them mentioned a bed.

Lace looked up at him from where her head had been resting on his chest. "That was wonderful... I really needed that, and now I need a bed."

"How about we share one?"

Lace smiled wide for him again. "Id like that a lot, lets go."




_______________________________________________________________________________________







Thanks again to everyone still reading my stories.... and thanks to those players that have, by their RP and encouragement, gotten me to get back in the habit of writing.

J
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Riotnrrd
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Riotnrrd »

Awesome. Great story, great PC. It's really cool to see how your PC's story has unfolded, and contributes such a unique perspective to the writing of a group narrative. Keep it coming.
danielmn
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by danielmn »

Very fun as always, glad to see so many coming into this essential story of the server.
Swift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
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<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.

"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
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kiyoti
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by kiyoti »

mr.d, mr.d, you never fail to impress my friend!
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mr duncan
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by mr duncan »

Lace and Xujja settled down with bottles of fresh wine in the grove outside Rauvinwatch keep. The two had spent most of the day together already, and now settled to relax and talk in the shade of one of the larger trees.

"Ohhh.. its a lot like the Winterwine." she declared as she sampled the new drink.

Xujja watched her instead of drinking, he would work on getting drunk in a bit. Looking at Lace was a greater priority.

She had worn a pretty blue dress, knowing it was a color Xujja would like to see her in. Lace set aside her bottle of wine and ran a hand over her leg as if appreciating her own beauty as much as Xujja did. Her fingertips caught the edge of the dress, pulling it upward to reveal more of her silk-clad and perfectly shaped leg.

"I do love fancy clothes." she said.

She pulled the dress up just a bit more, revealing even more of her shapely leg. Xujja felt his mind, or maybe some part of his body, would burst with lust. Lace kept talking.

"Its so sexy... its such work to remove them." She giggled "A little bit of a challenge when tipsy."

"A challenge is a good thing, especially when theres such a sweet treasure to be won."


*****************************************************************************


"Youre serious?" The gray skinned nobleman had asked him.

Ixazix, Ingriss, and Xujja made their way through a dark dank cave. The echoes of growling gnolls could be heard. Any other group of adventurers would have been planning their tactics, and speaking of gnolls.

This team, however, had worked together so well and so often that they spoke of other things while they crept down the length of the cave... this team of warriors was busy gossiping.

"I am serious, always about this." Xujja replied.

"So, you have been sleeping with... Ingriss here AND some other pretty girl?" Ix smiled.

Ingriss nodded. "Ive seen her... she is really pretty."

"As pretty as you?" Ix asked her.

"Maybe not that pretty" she said. "But I would have fun with her." she added.

Ix returned his attention to Xujja, who had been peeking around the corner counting gnolls.

"Two girls in-" Ix was cut short by Xujja.

"Well... those two girls while my darling Iranne is away, it would be three if she were around." the tiefling said, stopping Ix and forcing a smile to the other mans face.

"So you got over that one-woman idea, I see?"

"Aye... Didnt I say I just wanted to try it with Dawn? and when she left me... Id have all the time in the world for more girls?"

"I suppose you did.... Well damn Xujja, Im proud of you."

"If you are proud of me for trying new things... dont bother. But if you want to be proud one of your crew has great taste, sure."

Ingriss added. "He DOES have great taste in ladies."


****************************************************************************

Ingriss, of White-Pines hammered a nail into her sons hand. Blood spurted over the rickety old table as she hammered away. The old woman smiled wide as she brought the hammer down on the iron nail one more time before picking up the next nail and readying it over her sons other outstretched hand.

****************************************************************************


Ingriss, of the Moonshaes came out of the guard tower and up to where he had been waiting for her return.

"What now? You going to head back to High Hold and look for your pretty girl... Lace?" she asked him.

"I dunno... I looked all over for her already. I doubt she will be found again till she wants to be found." Xujja shrugged.

"Well, I am beat. I am going to turn in for a nice long sleep."

The priestess of Umberlee stepped closer to him, putting a hand to his cheek, stroking it.

"Will I see you when I wake, Xujja?"

"Youll be sure to see me when you wake... if we go share a bed now."

"I can guess that pretty little Lace must be... draining. Are you sure you are up for me after exhausting yourself on her?"

"I spent the day relaxing, and fishing... I think I am back in one piece for you now."

"Alright. I suppose a day of rest can get you back in shape for more play... lets go."


****************************************************************************


Ix had always fancied himself in a bit of a fatherly role to the tiefling, and he couldnt help but show some pride as they talked over the bodies of 9 slaughtered gnolls.

"So.. you are happier, arent you?"

Xujja took a minute to think. He was busy stomping out one of the gnolls campfires.

"Aye. I /am/ happy now. I knew Dawn would abandon me... dont think I didnt. I said as much, I just wanted to t-"

"You thought she was the only girl that would ever look at you, admit it." Ix said.

"I guess maybe I did... Ive been guilty of showing fear when it comes to my thoughts about girls."

Like Laniara.

"Not healthy at all, my fine horned friend"

Ingriss spoke as she collected loot from a felled gnoll. "You really thought that? I guess it makes sense... she is pretty, but not pretty enough for your relationship to make sense to me, Xujja. That girl is a mouse... just not suited to having a man like you."

"Aye.. I really thought that. I thought a lot of stupid things." Xujja didnt want to add more, but he did. "She told me a lot of lies, and I was stupid enough to believe she loved me."

Ix spoke up again. "Well now thats all over and done, like I said it would be... you learned about bear traps and now you have the affection of better girls."

"He sure does." Ingriss added.

Xujja felt relief and a bit of sadness. He wondered tadpoles felt this way when they became frogs.

He didnt really know how to feel, but both his friends were smiling... so he smiled too.



****************************************************************************


How does she go from tempting me with her leg to blushing with embarrassment?

"Thats adorable, when your face turns pink like that." Xujja said to Lace.

"Awww... really?" she blurted out, stopping as if thinking better of it. Her face turned another shade darker. "Stop it... you are making me blush more."

"So when say I like your blushing.. you do it more for me? That /is/ adorable."

She sighed, moving closer to him. "You really know how to push a girls buttons... I like it."

"They are just true things, but Ill say them more if you like to hear them."

Stares turned to kisses and soon the couple forgot all about the wine they had brought with them.


*****************************************************************************

Xujja and Lace were interrupted, they had been rather busy staring at one another and flirting... but now Marcus was on the bridge with them, and Marcus turned Lace sour right away.

"Oh.. its you." she scowled. "Are you and your roommate... homosexuals?"

Xujja knew she was mad, but couldnt help but laugh anyway.

"You two /ignored/ me... so you could talk to another /man/ about your little arts."

"Hey, that worked out nice for me, thanks Marcus" Xujja added.

Marcus gave a bit of laugh too, as he seemed to not know what to say... so Lace said more instead.

"Really... ignoring a girl like that, you deserve to die alone."

She looked a bit regretful for being so mean, but only half muttered her restatement of how he should suffer to some slightly less degree.

Marcus looked to the tiefling. "Enjoy your prize, Xujja."

"I sure will." was his reply as Marcus walked off.


**************************************************************************


"So... wait a minute... you mentioned a /third/ girl too?" Ix asked as the three came out of the cave, covered in blood splatters and bits of gnoll.

"I did. The more serious of the girls." Xujja answered.

"Serious? Given that you have had some weird ideas about girls before... Ill ask... are you getting stupid over her like you did Dawn?"

"No."

"Well do you want to explain?"

Ingriss looked a bit annoyed and wanting to hear an answer too.

"Well... Ingriss an me are like... friends. We lay about together cause its fun... but she has a devotion greater than any man. Lace... Im sure I am something temporary to her, she thinks of men like men think of bottles of wine. Iranne does say she wants to be with me, to stay... she wants a home, and children too."

Ingriss liked the answer and returned to an appoving smile.

"And you are going along with that? Dont you like cavorting with many ladies at once... and isnt that an elf name?"

"Yes, its an elf name. Iranne of Evereska. And I dont see why I would feel tied down to a girl that wants to stay with me, but also approves of my time with other girls."

"Oh damn... that is a gem of a girl. I suppose she is as pretty as these other girls?"

"Very" Ingriss answered for Xujja.

"You met her?" Ix asked Ingriss.

"I saw them cuddling." she said.

"I have clearly been spending to much time away from the crew... you people go crazy the minute I turn my back. Crazy in a good way, I guess... but I feel like I have been missing too much."

"You want to hear crazy... Ive been sleeping in buildings, in a bed, for the last week." Xujja said with a smile.

Of all the things Ix had heard that day, this one made his jaw drop for a moment.


****************************************************************************


As it turned out, the young couple hadnt torn each others clothes off. Xujja had pulled Lace closer, to his lap, and they wasted most of the night talking quietly at the base of the tree. As the night had worn on they both grew to tired to get up and find a bed.

The two fell asleep there, the Sembian girl curled on his lap with her head to his chest. As Xujja drifted off into sleep with arms around her, he realized that this too was a gift of the Cat Queen as much as the sex was.

Any pleasure of sensation was a gift from this wonderful new goddess.

There had been a time when he thought simple pleasures were lost to him, but feeling her breath evening out as she feel asleep on his chest reassured him that he had been wrong.

Praise and glory to Sharess, the Cat Queen.







_________________________________________________________________________________________




Thanks again to everyone still paying attention to my writing.

J
Last edited by mr duncan on Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:03 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Mick
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Mick »

Again, nice. :)
Talk less. Listen more.

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Riotnrrd
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Riotnrrd »

always entertaining :)
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kiyoti
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by kiyoti »

gotta love our little horned "crew" slut! :hail:
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AsteroidX
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by AsteroidX »

Love the depth of story telling. I think I found an excerpt from X's tortured past:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf6uE2Af ... F9865A7293


I lol'd and rolled over in my dead pc's graves when I saw this.
mr duncan
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by mr duncan »

"I should have trusted you. You are an honest man, and they are not." Lace had been apologizing for a while now.

She had taken more than a few moments to try and explain that in her homeland of Sembia people befriend their foes, and solve problems with sly words and knives in dark alleys. It wasnt very appealing to Xujja at all, but he knew the type... he had been a slave in Luskan, and in that time had gotten a good dose of city-thinking.

If I am such a bad influence, why come back and apologize. Who was she lying to, me or them?

He let her talk for a while, stewing in the mistake she had made. At first his plan was to let her talk and ignore her, to listen for things that would at least make it easier to stop thinking about her. She wasnt making it easy with her gentle voice and just the right amount of pleading in her eyes.

I guess this isnt the same as Marcus and Ingriss... I never asked her to make a choice.

"Forgiveness is not in my nature." He said. Lace glanced downward, murmured apology coming to a halt. Xujja waited a moment before adding more.

"But I was just forced to seek and be given such from Laniara, only moments ago."

Lace looked back at him, Xujja kept talking.

"...and I just dont see how I can stay mad at such a pretty girl."

Seeing her embarrassed blushing again made him feel like /he/ was the one being forgiven.

"So if things are back to normal... why are you so far away, and not on my lap?"

Lace smiled and got up to move closer.


****************************************************************************

Xujja laughed. The tiefling laughed hard, so hard he had to stop walking. The things Ingriss was telling him about Rathalan were just to enjoyable to keep walking without stopping.

"I drove him to pull his sword and threaten to attack me." Ingriss said with satisfied smile.

"After all his prattle about following the law... he struck a citizen." Xujja said after a deep sigh to control his laughter.

"He showed himself to be weak, all to easy to taunt. I was hoping I could get him to attack me... Id have run, but he would have attacked a citizen, a girl, because of some words."

"Right. He claimed that at one point people threw rotten fruit at him and he still did his duty to guard them... what bullshit. If he cant handle people using words, theres no way in hell he ever would have been a dutiful guard to someone throwing fruit at him."

Xujja loved hearing about her pushing back at the pushy self-righteous hands of Helm, but he couldnt help but feel Ingriss was letting ego stand in the way of success.


******************************************************************************

Xujja wasnt used to apologizing, but that was just what he had been doing. For her part Laniara had been gracious, even sweet about it.

Laniara patted his hand as she stood. "Theres no need to apologize, everything is fine as it is but I do need to go now."

"Thank you, Laniara."

"Sweet waters, Xujja." she said. It was a simple farewell but it carried acceptance and forgiveness for the worried tiefling.

Her timing was perfect, Laniara stood to leave just as Lace was returning.


***************************************************************************

A troubled brow was worn by the tiefling as he stood with arms crossed over the railing of the bridge, watching the tadpoles in the black water. He was so intent on his brooding that he didnt hear Lace till she was right up on him.

"Xujja!" she exclaimed as she picked up her pace towards him.

The tiefling found it impossible to not start smiling as she walked up and gave him a hug.

"How have things been?" She asked him.

"Not as exciting as it is with you around."

"Aww, thank you." she blushed and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"And you? What have you been doing?"

"Just walking around, looking at the countryside... did you have any plans? Anything you were wanting to do, Xujja?"

"I didnt... but now that you are here, I thought it would be nice to do nothing... and let a fistful of days slip by with you."

"I like that plan."

She settled even closer into his arms and they stayed on the bridge together talking for many more hours. Her soft manner and soft words soothed and relaxed him, the sweet things she said put all unpleasant thoughts from his mind.


****************************************************************************

"Xujja... we need to talk." Ingriss said to him.

It didnt sound like it would be a pleasant conversation, and he had been having such a nice few days lately. The gray skinned tiefling followed Ingriss out of town and waited for her to speak.

"Its your woman..."

Xujja was instantly worried. "Iranne? Whats wrong? What have you heard?"

"No... not her, Lace."

"Well... as much as I would like her to be mine... Im sure you are overstating. Iranne is the only girl that calls herself mine."

"Whatever, Xujja. This isnt time for humility. I just heard her making sweet with the Helmites."

"What? Say that again... but try to make more sense this time."

"She went up the tower with them and explained how you were a bad influence on her... and gave profuse apologies to Marcus."

Why am I surprised? Just like with Dawn, I believed lies because they came from a pretty girl.

Ingriss was still talking while Xujja got distracted with the unpleasant thought.

"Are you still listening to me?... Xujja?"

"I wish I wasnt... but, aye, Im listening."


****************************************************************************


His ancient withered mother hammered the second nail through his hand and into the table below.

"You are an ugly boy, and no one will ever love you... are you listening to me, boy?"

"Yes, Mother."


****************************************************************************

"Havent you considered that you are risking our goals by pushing the guards too far?" Xujja said to Ingriss as they continued down the road.

"What? YOU always taunt them... you do the same things as me!"

"No, I dont really. I tease and taunt them... but I go away. If you lurk on them and insult them like so.. you WILL snap them. These are men who measure themselves by their rank... weak things, easily broken."

"And so what if they do snap? He broke the law by striking me!"

"Right and wrong are just some lies that people like them get hung up on.... think about this, what if he does get you locked up for say... 10 days?"

Ingriss stomped a foot. "SO WHAT!?! I dont CARE if he beats me... or if I get jailed a few days."

"You arent thinking about this in the right way."

Xujja hated playing the role of leader, but he was being forced to do just that now. He kept talking.

"How much longer do you think it will take us to save the money for our trip? Our goals?"

"A month, maybe two." She replied.

"Right... and now if you are locked up for 10 days, we are set back 10 days."

Xujja looked at her, making sure his words were sinking in before going on.

"More than 10 days.... because when we go to make up those 10 days we will still have to work 10 days for the time we are playing catch up too.... 10 days to do 20 days work."

Ingriss was fuming mad, but she needed to hear it.

"I like taunting and nettling them, prolly more than you... but consider our profit, consider our goals... and how you are compromising them when you go /too/ far. Are their feelings being hurt as important as US getting the things we want? I only taunt them when THEY stop and focus on me... dont go seek them out, they arent that important."

Ix's words coming out of my mouth.

"Drop this... if its up to you, dont press charges."

"WHAT? He HIT me!"

"He did... but how long will you be wrapped up in this court system trying to punish someone for something you knew would happen.... and not making ANY money?"

"I have to have satisfaction. I want him to rot!"

"I have a better idea."

Ingriss looked angry still, Xujja said more.

"You can ask Ix to write another song... that will bite deeper, and he cant argue with a song. It will free you up to work, and a nice humiliating song will satisfy your egos demands."

Ingriss finally smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

****************************************************************************

Lace must have heard Ingriss asking Xujja to talk, she came right up to them.

It was hard for him to listen to Lace, she was busy trying to explain at first how she wanted to be friends with both sides. Xujja was only partly listening as Ingriss told her what she thought of what had happend, and then walked off annoyed.

Just like Marcus did to Ingriss... next she will be trying to tell me that I can benefit from her friendship with them, or she might try to explain the benefits of having a spy in their ranks. Probably both.

Xujja knew all to well the oily ways of city folks, it was only a breath later that Lace tried to convince him of exactly what he had expected from her.

"And with someone friendly to them... its easy to learn what they are up to, and their weakness." She whispered.

I already know their weakness, the helmites weakness is their empty philosophy. Seeking to find value in their souls by guarding a door. I dont need a spy to learn that.

Xujja was disgusted. Not so much that she would undermine them for him... but that she was willing to lie about him to get in their good graces. She put more value on her spying than on her relation with him.

He was sure he said something about the weakness of the helmites, and how their need to rely on dishonorable tricks like spies was beneath him... but the exact words he was saying were lost to him, it was just to hard to pay any more attention to the situation.

"Stay sharp" was the only part he was sure he said as he walked away, leaving Lace standing alone.


****************************************************************************

His mother was teaching him a lesson. It was hard to listen to her with his hands nailed to the table but focus through pain was also a lesson.

"You saw me beat that man with a stick yesterday.. do you understand what you saw? Did you learn anything?"

"The shaman was weak."

A slap to his face let him know he was wrong.

"He was the shaman of White-Pines, and no weakling. Still he was armed with a magical spear and had 3 helpers... but he was bested by an old bitch with a stick."

The little tiefling boy was scared to speak, he kept quiet and tried not to show too much of his fear while his mother talked.

"Do you see a lesson?"

"He... made a mistake? You said the dogs-"

"Good... you are getting there, Ill give you the rest of the lesson."

"I beat him because I knew how to take his advantages away, I wasnt arrogantly sure I would win... his magic spear made him foolish."

Xujja still didnt speak.

"Weapons are really meaningless compared to the warrior. If you give a child a magical blade he is still a child... if you give a master killer a /stick/ he will still be a master."

The tiefling boy smiled, he understood.

"A cutters best weapon is their mind... keep that sharp and you can conquer the world with a stick. Put your trust in your enchanted blade rather than /yourself/ and soon enough someone will strike you down to take that magic weapon away from you."

She stood slowly, crutches scraping over their rotten floorboards.

"What is the name of your weapon?"

"Xujja is my weapon."

"Good boy, you gave some good answers tonight. Mommas goin to sleep now and you are gonna stay here nailed to the table to contemplate this lesson for the night. I want it to sink in deep, it needs to take root not just in your mind but in your soul too."

Xujja nodded. "Yes mother."

The evil old woman smiled at her little boy with bleeding hands stuck to the table by two iron nails. She called out over her shoulder to him as she hobbled to her room.

"You done good boy. Tomorrow, after your morning beating, Ill let you go fishing... if you dont cry."


****************************************************************************


It was a relief to have her curled up on his lap again, smiling and kissing. He realized the things he liked about her were also born of the city... her sweet scent, her practiced tempting voice, her silky sexy clothes, even the way she would run her hand over his hair seemed so deliberate, perfect, and practiced.

If I could grow beyond the wild and find some balance.. some appreciation for the soft things, to become corrupt, so too can she learn the traits such as honesty.

The tiefling lifted his chin a bit so she could kiss on his neck more.

This girl isnt Dawn. Dawn would never apologize for hurting or betraying me... she never even took one step towards me, never would have admitted any but her ways were the best. So sure her way was the only right way, she tried to raise a black-blooded tiefling baby as a sun worshiper. It would be wrong of me to judge Lace because of Dawn.

Xujjas hands slid up the girls back, she was now straddling his lap and showering his face with kisses, her fingers in his hair.

I cannot be like that. Even though Lace did a dishonorable thing, I should be able to accept that she knew no other ways. If she apologized, her mind is open to learning.

Xujja let go of his attempts to reason, it was becoming steadily harder to think about anything other than the pretty girl on his lap... especially when she started to unbuckle some of his armor.

It wasnt the first time they had made love but it was the first time they had done so while sober.




_____________________________________________________________________________________




Thanks again to everyone still reading.

J
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Mick
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Mick »

Again very enjoyable. :)
Talk less. Listen more.

Current PCs: ?
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Aitana
Dancing Queen
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Aitana »

Great story from start to current...

I always enjoy rping with you, and the journal entries that come from it.

I see why I have missed gaming so much... cant wait to get back into game.

Aitana
Mikayla wrote:ALFA is truly the Magic Kingdom
mr duncan
Owlbear
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by mr duncan »

Xujja didnt deal well with loss.

The aftermath of the earthquake had taken two of his folk, his pack, and he had taken to dealing with his problems the way he usually did. He drank. He had wasted a small fortune on his drunken stupor in an attempt to not have to focus on his thoughts. The drink had the opposite effect as hoped, forcing his thoughts inward and settling them on the most unpleasant things he could summon to mind.

Empty black eyes looked down at the water from coffinfish bridge.


*******************************************************************************


It felt so good to have Umraely back from her long trip to Waterdeep. At some point they had been talking about old times, but they had long abandoned that and started kissing.

A couple of commoners walking into the village made a joke about the lusty teenagers, but the couple being so accurately labeled, did not notice.


*******************************************************************************

Once the others had left the glacier, Xujja turned around and went back deeper into the snows...

The bodies of two massive ogres were busy staining the snow with the last bits of their blood. Xujja had killed one of these huge monsters, and it was to that ogre that he returned. The young tiefling grunted under the weight of the thing as he shouldered it over onto its back.

After a glance behind him to make sure that none of his companions had come back to look for him, he knelt over the giant head and tore out its eyes. He devoured each one in a single bloody bite.


******************************************************************************


Tock and Xujja sat on a sunny riverbank somewhere near the village of Rivermoot. Aside from their duties to fight for their crew, they were also responsible for feeding their companions. They shared this responsibility because they were both skilled fishermen.

Today none of the crew was around, and neither had any work pressing them, so they wasted most of the day stuffing their bellies with the bountiful fish of the Silver Marches. It was the feral hin that spoke first.

"When I go... I want some animal to eat me just like we eat up the fish! Just toss me to em... something, anything wild with big teeth!"

Xujja finished a bite of the fresh uncooked fish. He wiped his chin before replying with another of his mothers sayings. "You shouldnt plan your demise, only plan ways to escape it."


******************************************************************************


Just outside High Hold, Xujja sat at another riverbank with someone else. He had wanted Umraely for a long time, but had been with Dawn the last time they had seen one another. There were no such inhibitions this time. A bottle of wine was already gone and they were seated close to one another. She had been curious to know what had happened to pull him and Dawn apart. Most of the story seemed to please her.


"So you changed your mind about loyalty and devotion when you got over your little kitten lover?" she asked him.

"Do I have to have decided what I like yet?"

"You did, you liked it."

"I liked hearin sweet things, promises an such, when I thought they was true things, sure."

"Such promises never are true."

Xujja wasnt sure he agreed with Umraely this time, but she was right a lot, so he kept quiet. He was not totally sure that his disagreement simply might be some weakness in him. Or worse, it could mean he missed Dawn. He listened to her go on.

"The only promise I will ever make is the promise to drive you mad with pleasure."

"Well... as long as you are telling the truth."

"Why dont you come find out?"


****************************************************************************


Xujja didnt like Tock following along so close. Normally the halfling did all the scouting, but Xujja was worried there were winterwolves out here on the glacier. He wanted to be able to run from them away from the warband and lead the creature off to escape it without harming the beast, should they find one.

They did. The first sign of the white wolf in the blinding white snow was its blast of icy breath.

The icy blast tore at the halflings skin, shredding part of his face. It caught Xujja too, but nothing happend to him like it had to Tock. The jagged ice simply clung to his gear and covered his chest. The tiefling waited, he would let Tock run first so that the wolf would turn on him. He could outrun wolves, he was sure.

Tock didnt move, either he was stunned by the sudden blast or the little malarite was to overwhelmed at seeing such big fangs. Either way, he hesitated and the winterwolf did not. It grabbed Tock in its white maw and shook him once.

Why didnt he run? I hesitate to strike a holy white wolf to save my own skin... I cant fight it to save Tock.


Xujja took off running, he glanced back and saw the giant white wolf shake the last bit of resistance out of his halfling friend.

Glory to the names of Auril and Malar

*****************************************************************************


Atop coffinfish bridge Xujja waited for Ingriss to finish her prayers over Umraely. As her prayer came to its end, she doused the girl with seawater and forced a pearl into Umraelys mouth.

"Alright Xujja, you can lift her now" Ingriss said to him.

Xujja picked up the limp form of Umraely, her armor cleaned and redone, and set her on the railing of bridge facing him. He hugged onto her tight and gave her a long kiss goodbye before letting go, and letting her fall to the water below. The weight of her platemail quickly pulled her out of sight into the depths.

Glory to the sea mother, Umberlee. Holy terror of the deep, and maker of sharks.


******************************************************************************


His tent was a wreck, and his overindulgence in drink had left him aching. Xujja heard some footsteps but didnt care to look. The voice he heard was the voice of his Dambrathan friend, Ix.

"What a stench!"

Xujja still didnt care to move.

"Didnt we agree that five days was enough to lie about slobbering drunk and lonesome upset?"

Finally Xujja spoke. "Has it been five days already?"

"Its been ten."

As the tiefling struggled to force himself up, Ix cast a bit of minor magic. The spell fixed all of Xujjas disorganized gear and cleaned him instantly from head to toe. It was one of the most useful bits of magic he had ever seen, it even left him smelling like his cinnamon oil.

Standing up and picking up his pack, he only looked renewed. Like his hangover his nagging empty loneliness wouldnt fade with a simple spell. There was a place Xujja went to remember the value of emptiness, to remember how to let go.

I need to hike back to the glacier





_______________________________________________________________________________________




Thanks to those reading my story. Very sorry to write about the loss of two characters, hope you two liked the story and rejoin us with your new PCs soon.


J
Last edited by mr duncan on Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Muse
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Muse »

wow
M

As your attorney, I advise you to tell me where you put the goddamn mescaline.
-hst duh


<Mikayla> I think Muse's sin is not sloth, however, but Wrath.
Magile
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Re: The Cold Road

Post by Magile »

Well, the latest ending certainly shocked me..
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