A Coal Black bat, the size of a Great Horned Owl, flutters in an unsteady fashion into the cavern, from somewhere else or another place.
As it passes over the head of Sanriel a scrap of linen cloth is dropped into his outstretched hand and then the Bat disappears into a cloud of smoke.
For Sanriel:
On the scrap of cloth in fresh blood (it seems) is a missive.
Shivered is indisposed at this time. I have incorporated a new assistant as well as some additional assistance for yourself to accomplish the next tasking. They may not realize they are there to aid you in aiding myself. The Lady In Linen
The druid eyes the image in front of him as the woman who had yet stood there wavered like a mirage.
"I have learned in my years that one who aggressively desires your attention is either a fool, or possesses a very persuasive argument"
The man straightens slightly examining the walls before nodding
"Show me the path and I shall hear your desire, and perhaps if you prove to be the second category of person we can mutually benefit each other. If you've the resources to track me down then it is obvious you would know what I desire without my need to say so."
"Very Well, Shivered will contact you anonce with when and where you will meet up with a few others."
The apparition seems to take a long hard look at him.
"Perhaps you will be one like here to spend a longer bit of time in my service than most others. A point for you to consider, if such is to a liking."
The apparition fades out from sight (think Cheshire Cat like but all at once)
The deformed and twisted green skinned creature gives a yellow smile, its chipped and rotted teeth bared in excitement.
The chitinous creature in the back of its puppet is still, and the goblin swings the flint blade at the vision.
The goblin's voice is harsh and grating, "If you can fulfill your end of such a bargain, my services are at your disposal. If you break the deal... You will be my next meal." it threatens. Glowing red eyes are locked onto the apparition until it dissipates
"My end is the simple part," the apparition to it says in a cold feminine voice, "The more difficult part is your working with my other friends to accomplish a few simple tasks."
The spirit lady, if that is what she is, does not smile nor frown.
"My herald, as such others would term her, will contact you with directions to meet with a few others also accepting my offer of assistance in their own goals and dreams. It will happen very soon little goblin."
With the word goblin coming out she does smile and evaporates like a wisp of smoke in a breeze.
Clikk heres the basic idea of how Clikk looks though with the addition of a pair of wings that generally remain tightly closed against her sides when not in use. The avatar is pretty much the closest thing I could find heh.
'Help' 'please!' a young voice called out drawing the attention of a quartet of armored individuals, a small group who had made the choice to delve deep into the Darklands for reasons only they knew, the tallest of them clad fully in shining metal armor called for a halt and a with a quick exchange of words the group began to reroute itself one of the smaller less armored ones pointing out the direction of the voice the four began to spread some as they began searching for the source of the voice and every few moments just before there resolve would fade the voice would call out to them again leading them deeper and deeper into the forest into her lair.
Getting the group to move how she wanted was simple, she had learned well that many were quite eager to come to the defense of a child in danger, abovelanders especially were prone to falling to this sort of trap and these four had barely even needed any convincing just a few calls every now and then had them trudging deeper and deeper into her lair. Her village had been as of late become far less dependable of a food source she knew it was her own fault for this, she had hastily attacked a trade caravan while particularly hungry and it had gotten her noticed. Now they KNEW she existed, she was more than a legend to them, she was a threat, and much like if she had poked at a nest of bees the village was buzzing with defensive activity.
So for now she would hunt those a bit further from her village, lone travelers on her roads, small trade caravans, and much like now foolish glory seekers. They were deep in the forest now and with a few minutes of silence it became apparent that they were lost and that they needed...
A voice, much like her own natural one in timbre spoke,
"Hello pretty one. Sorry to interrupt your meal, but I was wondering, if you would like a chance at fresh prey, fresh options, fresh opportunities away from this forest? Working for me, with access to delicacies to pick and chose from. Only not those you are working with of course, but others, many many others, some you have have never dreamed of before."
The voice, female like her own, echoes off the trees around her, teasing her.
"I will ask my herald to contact you, to see if you would enjoy what I have mentioned to you. Just answer when you are ready and I shall know."
I love traits. Choosing traits based on mechanics, then applying them to your background makes for a great way to come up with an odd direction for a character to go. Also, like Sanriel, this is way more than I realized I would be writing when I sat down to do it.
Xizor walked through the mostly empty streets of the city slowly, the emptiness disturbed only by the occasional drunk finally stumbling home from a late night at some tavern or another. With his dark cloak pulled around him, and purpose in his step, few would approach the ominous figure, and their mild apprehension tickled Xizor's senses the way passing a bakery might a human. On another night, he might have selected one of them to provide a meal, but tonight he had more important things to be about.
It always takes so much longer to get there on foot, the creature thought to itself, reveling in the sensation of simply putting one foot in front of the other. But it's a pleasant night for a walk. And it's been a productive one, too. Feeling a bit self-reflective, he mused I wonder why I feel so differently than the Others about these things.
Eventually, Xizor reached his destination: A merchant's shop, which was long since closed for the night. However, this particular shop had a special back entrance, which Xizor approached. He delivered the current sequence of password knocks quickly and as quietly as possible, and a slit in the wall was opened just enough for the watchman to peek out, before sliding the rest of the hidden door open just enough for the figure to step through, and into this small branch of the local thieves' guild.
Once the door was shut, and Xizor had passed into the inner chamber where his contact waited, the still-hooded figure said in an oddly discordant voice: "Our information was right. He is an addict. Elven absinthe. I watched him take a dose myself." The other man in the room replied "Good. I know just who to sell that information to. The...
"Good Twilight to you Xizor." there a human seeming female, looks more like a beggar than anything else. One of those that are not good at either begging or stealing based on how malnourished she appeared. A very pale complexion and dressed all in dirty cloth strips and robes.
"I have a proposition for you if you would be willing. One that would allow for much to come your way, in exchange for some of your time and particular talents. Think it over and rest on it. I will come to you in a dream as well."
She smiles, teeth more like weathered ivory than teeth.
"Unless you wish to just say yes now of course."
An apparition appears in front of your eyes. It is translucent, the background shining lightly through the insubstantial flesh. No heat, no shadow, no hint of a presence, just a vision. More like a dream or a projection than an actual entity.
Inside your mind, words form, drifting up from the subconscious.
“All you would wish for, all you could desire, all can be yours if you pledge to aid me for a time?”
She smiles, a human sort of smile. She is dressed in dirty linens, wrapped about her emaciated form. Looking more like a beggar than a wish fulfiller.
“All you need do is to speak to my herald and she will direct you. Once done than she will convey your desires and they will be worked on for your reward.”
The Lady in Linen, her name appearing in your mind like an image or hieroglyph, smiles at you.
