The Creeping Sleep ~ D&D style fantasy rp

[b10n1cl3k1n6]

"Nifty," Vence muttered, an impressed look on his face as Veleth dissappeared, bringing with him Felix and several other moonmaw. An idea came to him, though he wasn't sure how many of them here would approve.

Of course, he would have to wait for Veleth to get back to speak his mind, so he simply stood casually where he was, listening in to Craban and Orla's conversation. He glanced over to the rest of the moonmaw, who looked a little uneasy still. Most likely because their leader had just vanished out of thin air.

He had seen stranger, he admitted, but even so, it was a bit strange. Most encounters he had with dark power never turned out good. And consequently, it was by pure chance Veleth was working with them now. Before he had been on Lolth's side, if he remembered correctly. But he wasn't using the same kind of dark power he was familiar with. It was different, more instictual, natural. It wasn't "tainted;" it was true darkness.

"Very nifty," he corrected himself, a small smile appearing on his face. He would have to ask Veleth about it later.  

[dragontamer363]

Craban was stunned she didn't understand, but on closer inspection he guessed that a creature who lived purely in nature wouldn't ahve need for such things.
"a closet...it's like a storage device. you know, for clothes?" he tugged on his tunic a little in absent-minded demonstration. "if you have a permanant dwelling you usually have one - i mean, drow elves and humans often have them. The phrase comes form the idea that you're hiding a secret. like if you kill someone you put the body in the closet so no-one finds it for years - a skeleton in your closet. though usually it's used as a more lightheartened expression."
A icy feeling collected in his chest as the turn of phrase -now neatly analysed- hit home with him. When, all those years ago, he had killed his wife he had not hidden teh body, but the assosiation with murder unsettled him. His humor dwindled noticably.
he cleared his throat and folde dhis arms, trying to force another smile. "you see? we all..i mean you must have secrets too - thinsg you don't wnat others to know."


Suddenly everyone's shadows in teh room shivered and Veleth returned. The moonmaw were not with him and he looked a little worn. he soon straightened his back, ready for business again.
"They arrived successfully." He said. he was too worn out to change back into his human form, even though he disliked the severely limited range fo expressions his 'natural' demonic body could portray.


---


Elsewhere at Lolth's castle gates, Felix crowded with his soldiers and tried to stay alert while the dizzyness of their transportation subsided. he couldn't shake the feeling of violation still present in him from veleth's transportation - somehow touching their shadows felt like ut had touched an inner core somewhere. he shivered and forced himslef to get over it.
"get your weapons ready - we don't know what's waiting for us..." he warned the others.  

[b10n1cl3k1n6]

Vence nodded as Veleth said the one statement that everyone wanted to know. So they were safe. Which meant more trust in him and more morale to those that needed it.

He did look a bit worn down by the effort thoguh. perhaps it would be better escort less people? But, then again, Veleth probably would have his pride get in the way. It would be unacceptable to him. Sounds like him, he thought to himself.

"Excellent. So..do you need a rest, or will we continue as is?" Vence asked him, glancing at the others. "There's quite a number of people here, after all. We can't have you passing out on us."  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

Orla gave a slight nod in understanding the explanation. "So you want to know a secret about me?"

"I suppose it's only fair.....though it may take a moment for me to think of one of these skeletons," she replied.

Before she could respond with an answer Veleth reappeared and her eyes darkened a little.  

[dragontamer363]

"I will not pass out." Veleth said stuboornly. "I was trained in endurance, as well as other skills. This is nothing."
he knew he was overselling his abilities - elemental magic liek thsi was completly unfarmiliar to him in all respects. but he knew how much his body coudl take and the signs it gave.
" Give me thirty. we need this done quickly." he said, looking to the rest of the moonmaw. he remined straight and stiffened by his efforts to appear nonchalant. once they were gathered togetehr he took a few moments to breathe before starting teh whole process over again.


Craban noticed orla's expression and leant in to whisper to her.
"You really don't like him, do you?"  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

"I suppose I find a shifter difficult to trust....especially one who used my own kind to get to me," Orla confessed as another feeling of nausea set in. She reached for her quiver and pulled out a leaf that smelled of mint and munched on it.

"As for a secret of mine......my first kiss was with a human," she lifted her chin diligently. "Not really a skeleton in your mind, but it was something unimaginable among my people. You're the first person I've ever told."  

[dragontamer363]

"That's understandable." Craban nodded, although he didn't feel if he was in her shoes it would have affected him as badly. he listened intently and smiled at her secret, almost unaware as veleth began to transport the other moonmaw.
"A human? That's not so bad. it's quite sweet actually, was he nice?"  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

"He was...nice enough I suppose," Orla replied. "We were but mere children at the time. However he left the island not too long after that. Who knows what became of him. He had grey eyes....that's all I remember of him."

She watched Veleth continue with the transports.  

[dragontamer363]

"that's sweet." craban agreed, his mind lingering over his own romantic past.
"well i suppose you gave me a secret so i must do the same. ask whatever you like and I'll answer truthfully." he smiled. he liked teasing Orla out of her shell - she was so withdrawn usually. "I won't be offended."  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

Orla smiled in returned. Glancing up she asked, "What do you dream or wish for the future, Craban?"

It suddenly felt like a strange question and wondered if he thought the same.  

[dragontamer363]

Craban blinked. he expected something more rude and entertaining, but thsi was actually surprisingly personal on a whole otehr level. he dropped his eyes and fought against his ingrained response to shut down. Drows didn't deal with emotions, and after many years on the human world he still wasn't very adapt at bearing his emotional weaknesses.
"Wow..um..." he forced hismlef to lok up again and exhaled with a half laugh at how foolish he was. He willed himself to just be honest - after all, it was Orla.
"Honestly? Just to be happy, that's all I want. It would be nice to have a home somewhere...somewhere permanat and peaceful where I can just be myself. but I'm always drawn to wander. actually...my dream is tied up with the reason I'm always travelling. you see i'm...i'm sort of running from the person I love..becuase i'm in love. Love scared me. When I dream of my future I dream that it's just us two together until that person lifetime runs out. The problem is that i...I really hurt that person by running away so i don't think it'll ever happen."
His voice grew quieter as he went on.
"Silly isn't it? That was - is- a human too, you know."  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

Orla smiled warmly at Craban's honesty. She could also tell it brought some discomfort to him. "I've heard life is full of second chances....and perhaps forgiveness can be found along the way-I'll wish that for you," she replied placing a hand on his shoulder.

She smiled again. "We're an odd pair aren't we? Both falling for a human...." she laughed lightly.  

[dragontamer363]

Craban nodded half-heartedly. "but...I don't want to hurt him again....he deserves better." he then laughed without much feeling.
"Humans are more trouble than they're worth, ey?"  

[0Moon_Maiden0]

"Perhaps," Orla replied-mildly surprised at his love being a him but she wouldn't show it. "However love isn't easy. Conleth and I had our own differences and quarrels to work through. But we worked on them together." She paused a moment before continuing. "Does the one you love know this fear of love you have? If not then perhaps you should tell him.....finally admitting it now is a step on the right path, I think. There may be hurtful words and anger in the beginning, but forgiveness and understanding will follow if the two of you truly care for one another," she said firmly. "And judging on how you think yourself unworthy of love, Craban, you care deeply for this person-enough to want to protect him from yourself. But I'm guess is he doesn't want protection-just you."

She went silent again for a moment. "Sorry....my ramblings probably didn't make any sense....." she said quietly.  

[dragontamer363]

Craban nodded to himself, smiling at the kindness of her words.
"No..you make perfect sense. I think he knows that I'm afraid and not that I don't like him. You see, he did a lot of the work to...kind of 'humanise' me, if you see what I mean. he knows what i'm capable of more than even I do. I've never even said that i loved him, not even in the quick note I left behind when I ran off, but he must know. He was an emotional guy, you know? Sometimes too ruled by his feelings."
He smile dturned ot fondness and he sighed.
"Maybe if I live through this i'll try track him down, at least to apologise."

he paused and mused over that, turning his mind to Orla and Conleth. He had almost forgotten that she was a widow. He felt the way her sadness often eminated in its intensity and wished he could help.

"How longw ere you and your husband together?" he asked tentatively, not wanting to upset her, but curious.