A Conference of Wizards

[bobo_daclown]

Denoitnem:

"Where are those fools?" I ask the empty air in my chamber after checking to make sure the intercom is off from this direction. "To think, all they have to do is find a single copy of The Book. It's not like my library's very large. In fact, it's merely one room with three stories of text. Only ten or twelve thousand by my last count. Maybe I should hire a librarian."

My thoughts are inturrupted suddenly as a ringing fills the air. I look at the intercom, but the red light is not flashing. Suddenly, it hits me--it's my phone. After running my hands through all the folds of my robe, I realize that I already changed robes and pull the phone from the pile on the floor.

Looking at the display, I note the text:

12.00 am
BellWitch
Grilam
Press button to accept

For a moment, I try to rationalize my thoughts. My head races through the possible obscenities that my mouth could utter. Finally chosing the perfect set of four letter words, I depress the large button and hoist the phone to my face. Deeply inhaling to begin my strand of loosly tied together, vulgar words, I chant into the phone.

Or at least I'm about to when Grilam cuts me off:

 

[The GrandMage]

Grilam the Black

As soon as the phone, was picked up, he started screaming into it, wandering around the room at the top of his trower and waving his free arm about.

"Denoitnem! I know who's behind the haze! Oh Gods, I want back in on this! And as soon as you hear who it is, you'll know why! But you've got to swear you won't cut me back out once I tell you! Oh, that cocky bastard's gonna get it this time! Denoitnem, look, I'm sorry about before, but I was remembering....well, you know what memories would put me in that state. I know, it's been years. Centuries, in fact. But,...look, that's not importanmt. I'm sorry. Can we talk?"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Denoitnem:

"You had better have a damn good reason for not letting me verbally abuse you. Who is it?"

When Grilam threatens that I have to swear, I immediately reply, "No promises. Who is it?"

Although I would never cut any help out of my missions, my hostility is such that I refuse to let him get the better of me.

 

[The GrandMage]

Grilam the Black

"Alright, but you better not give me any of that 'too emotional' BS you did the last time. He's mine, now. I'm gonna make sure he stays dead. Mark my words, revenge will be mine. And it's Demordar, Denoitnem."

He leaned against the railing, looking down into the valley, wondering how he'd take that news. Denoitnem and Demordar had been close before he'd turned against the council so long ago. Grilam could hardly remember those times. But he remembered one things clearly enough.

And yet, he was getting only silence. "Denoitnem?"

 

[BlazeofLife]

Galyn:

"'...find me The Book...' he says."

Shaking his head, Galyn looks out over the vast expanse on library before him as he remarks wryly to Lord.

"He makes it sound so easy."

They stand at the entrance to the circular-shaped library, on one side of a large rotunda. To left and right, a walkway wraps the perimeter of the room, with a railing seperating it from the fifteen-foot drop to the floor of the central chamber. At even intervals, four sweeping staircases lead downward. Stepping up to the rail, the two of them can see multitudes of free-standing shelves stretching upward, with sliding ladders fastened to each.

"Wow. Those bookcases must be three stories high. How are we supposed to find one book in all of this?"

"Lord! Galyn!"

They both flinch as the intercom on the wall behind them springs to life.

"Ho hum. Use the intercom to call me when you have the book, chaps. We must be sure that it is, after all, The Book. Have fun!"

Shaking his head again, Galyn leads the way down the nearest stairwell, coming to a stop at the bottom and gazing upward at the massive task before them.

"'Have fun' indeed."

Galyn turns to his young companion, and motions him forward.

"I hope you have a better idea where to look for this tome than I do, young one. I have never heard of this 'Book of The Damned', before, and searching randomly for one book amidst all of this seems a daunting task."

 

[BlazeofLife]

OOC:- To bobo_daclown

Sorry for taking over your castle, I hope you didn't have a different direction in mind for what it looks like than what i've layed out so far. I'm not used to this yet, and I've been told I have a flair for this sort of thing. I'm better at description than interaction, anyway, so I'm focusing on it a great deal.
Just let me know when I go to far, or I start to wander from the path of the storyline.
Belated thanks to everyone for the welcome, by the way. I love this thread so far.

 

[bobo_daclown]

OOC:
Blaze, magnificent! I could not ask for a better vision of my library. Actually, I left the description bare for you two to fill in. Although it is not the haze (big gasp), it's helpful for description. Thank you for the great imagry and for my first ever thread, I am quite pleased with the plot.



IC:
The library, littered with parchment and tomes of unknown years, was still quite stuffy. During his lifetime, Denoitnem created quite a work of disorganization. In fact, most of the books had never heard of the Dewey Decimal Doodoo.

Since nobody had entered the library in months, the doors creaked as Gayln entered, followed by Lord. The dry air moved slightly in the silence as each of the wizards looked around the room in awe and frustration. The cackling voice over the intercom and the soft voices of the two wizards broke the silence.

One of the wizards turns to the other talking about The Book. At the sound of its name, the very air shushed the wizard. Books rattled in their bindings and entire shelves seemed to move.

"Not here."
"Try somewhere else!"
"Go away, we don't like your kind."
"Damn wizard, don't use that tone with me."
"Umm, check upstairs. There are all sorts of evil books up there."

One by one, the bookcases level with the wizards disown The Book and echo their mutual distrust. They hint toward the upstairs room where evil books are stored. Maybe Denoitnem organized a bit. Unfortunately, evil magic books don't talk.


Denoitnem:
Grilam finally tells me and my voice betrays me. I cannot speak; my breath holds itself.

Finally, with a gust of air powering my forceful words, I scream into the phone, "WHO!"

Realizing my inconsideration, I quickly instruct Grilam before he can respond, "Sorry, chap. Just grab whatever might help and get over here, post haste. I have to find The Book, right away."

With that, I rudely hang up the phone and depress the button on the intercom, "Oh chaps, I will be in the library in just a moment. Also expect my parrot."

 

[BlazeofLife]

OOC:

Thanks for the encouragement, and I can't believe this is your first thread. One word, man. Wow.

IC:
Galyn:

Smiling slightly at the rather whimsical nature of his host's library, Galyn climbs quickly to the uppermost section of the library. The rasping voices from the other levels had guided the two searchers upward, and Lord's suggestion that they explore the third level seemed to have borne fruit, as the air became increasingly dark and stagnant.

"Illuminus."

A softly spoken word, and the air above his outstretched hand coalesces into a glowing sphere of light. A gesture, and the pulsating object races forward into the gloom, sending undulating shadows scattering before it.
Glancing around, both wizards are struck by the incongruities in the room. Where elsewhere everything was well-kept, and tended lovingly, here resides only darkness, and the stench of evil. The radius of illumination cast by Galyn's spell does not trail off into the night, as with any normal light; rather, the surrounding gloom laps at the edges of the field, reminding Galyn of nothing so much as a pool of oil surrounding a bubble of water.

Fortunately, the room is small. As they advance farther, and the stifling murk becomes palpable, their gazes lock on a large tome resting on a pedestal at the far end of the room. Stepping near to it, it seems almost to radiate an aura of evil intent.
Gesturing Lord back, Galyn steps forward and claims the dark object. A wave of disgust and a feeling of perverted violation washes over him, but is banished almost immediately by an incredible sense of power surging through his being. It calls to him, promising him power such as he has never known. He sees himself standing at the head of a great host, leading his armies to victory after bloody victory. He sees himself atop a black tower, a paragon of the darkest of the dark arts, and the heavens tremble before his might. He sees himself...
He shakes his head. These thoughts are not his, are of neither his design nor his desire. They conjure nothing of the glory or pride inherent within such accomplished through normal means, but bring only grief and despair to all those who experience them. With this admission, his consciousness rallies, and the book becomes little more than a burden in his hands, a sullen aura all that remains to remind him of its deadly lure.

Galyn shivers, aware he has come perilously close to dangers he cannot begin to fathom this day. Hurrying back, he grabs Lord and drags him bodily back to the entrance to the library, anxious beyond reason to escape from this place of learning.

"Some things", he thinks, "are better left unlearnt."

"Oh chaps, I will be in the library in just a moment. Also expect my parrot."

He nearly drops the book, so great is his startlement as the noisy intercom warbles to incessent life once again.
Settling back on his heels to wait, he has time for one last thought before the shuffling sound of slow footsteps begins to echo down the hall.

"Parrot?"....

 

[bobo_daclown]

Denoitnem:

I finally climb the last set of stairs, with my parrot clinging to me. I swing open the trap door and drop into the upper level of the library where Lord and Gayln are searching for The Book.

They turn around in shock at my sudden entry. I watch their faces change from surprise to intrigue as they note the parrot that clings to my robe. Now perhaps these two wizards are too young to remember what parrots really are; or, maybe they have never seen one intact before; however, this hideous beast is beyond belief.

No doubt crosses my mind that when some lonely reader stumbles across my manuscripts years in the future, they will have never even heard of a parrot. Indeed, I own the only four parrots that live on this lovely world. Perhaps, I will start a sanctuary for the miserable beasts. However, I will try to breed out these traits.

Let me describe the picture that Lord and Gayln first saw as I dropped into the room: First, in my dark robes, my skin is the only thing on me not fully black. My black beard drapes off of my pale face, reaching halfway to the floor. My dark cape follows me, trailing the floor for several feet. The most odd feature is the parrot. If you can imagine a bird--so evil, so deadly, so vicious, then you are halfway there.

The black feathers are marked with bright colors at the tips and a blaze of fire glows on his back, or so it seems in the candle-light. A muscular jaw curls down in a sharp beak below glowing round eyes. Finally, talons. Reaching fully around my waist and razor sharp, the feet of this parrot are ridiculously deadly. On the ground, it stands nearly four feet tall and is hardy and rigid.

Two elements of the bird make it truly demonic in nature. First, it clings to anyone crazy enough to show it love. Second, it repeats everything you say--sometimes, before you say it.

True to that fact, the parrot squacks at my guests, "Chaps, you are welcome in my library, and to meet my bird." Then, menacingly, it rearranges the words and repeats, "To my bird, you are meat."

 

[BlazeofLife]

Galyn stumbles back at the sight before him. The parrot seems almost a caricature of evil, and in his present mindset, after his recent trials in the library, this seems an ill omen.

"Chaps, you are welcome in my library, and to meet my bird. To my bird, you are meat."

Remembering his lessons from his youth, and information aquired over a lifetime of poring and perusing the writings of scholars, he dredges forth the little he has ever heard about these birds. His knowledge on the matter proves woefully incomplete. He can recollect little more than the fact that they are infamous artists of mimicry, and have bonds of love with their owners which last forever.
This one, however, seems ill-suited to descriptions of love. The candlelight behind Denoitnem casts them both into shadow, and seems almost to ignite a blaze upon the parrot's back, so vivid are it's colored markings. Clinging to the older mage, it reminds Galyn of nothing so much as an evil imp, ensconced upon it's host like a dark, symbiotic plague.

Throwing a glance towards Lord, who stands off to the side, he reassures himself with the knowledge that neither of his wizard companions seems perturbed in the slightest by the bird. Denoitnem's relative ease can be attributed to his ownership and familiarity with the creature, but Lord's comfort seems harder to explain. Apparently, the child fears nothing from the bird, but whether such bravery stems from confidence in himself or simply ignorance of threats around him remains to be seen.

Trusting that his host would not bring a demon among them, he relaxes somewhat, and waits for the darkly-clad mage to speak, holding out the musty tome in his arms for inspection as he settles back patiently.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Denoitnem:

When I see Gayln extend the book toward me, I shake my head and wave my hands in front of me. "Don't give it to me, it is much too heavy." The bird clutching me parrots my remark, "Don't give it to me, it is much too heavy. Heavy it is, give it to me!"

With that, I begin to walk down the steps, calling for the wizards to follow me. With every word I breathe, the parrot echos up the staircase and changes the meaning on the second echo.

I finally convey my point to the two wizards: that I want them to follow me down to the main study (or, in the words of the parrot, perhaps that I want them to run off a cliff, into dragon manure, and eat pigs feet as they are being kicked in the face by a panicing boar).

 

[The GrandMage]

Grilam the Black

"Grab whatever will help and get over there!?! Indeed. I'm the dark wizard! What's he think I keep over here, kiddie toys? Anything could help if you use it right. Bah. One day, I'm going to get him to hand over those books he walls away in his tower. And really, getting The Book out, now? I wonder if he'll let me borrow it..."

Pushing such thoughts of learning even more of the Dark Arts out of his mind, he grabbed his feline Golem, casting a shrinking spell and putting the kitten sized cat in a pocket of his robes as he rushed to his 'Room of Eternal Peril and Doom'. He raced in, deciding to change the sign on the door one day, and began rummaging through the boxes in the room. Not that it was an easy task. The 'Room' was actually a long halway filled with boxes and chest and crates. Piled haphazardly on top of one another, they all seemed ready to fall at any moment. The hallway was dark, lit only by a few torches lining the hall. The piles of crates blocked most of the light, leaving only a dim hallway with menacing shapes and shadows abounding.

He shoved most of a pile of boxes to one side. They crashed to the ground, taking other piles with them. The sound echoed around the hall as the boxes slammed to the ground, spilling their contents to the ground. Bottles, pouches, weapons, armor, and any other object imaginable spilled forth as he threw open the box he wanted, rifling through its contents. Grabbing a leather belt, he pulled it forth from the other miscellulaneous item. He strapped it around his waist, and grabbed a sheathed sword from a nearby rusty set of armor. He ran back out of the room, racing down the halls as the golems went about their business. An occasional stone giant would pass through the halls. Eventually, Grilam raced into the teleportation room. Raiseding his hands, he quickly yelled a short spell. The room glowed, the walls and floor appearing hot as the ceiling turned to liquid evil. It raced down to meet the wizard, and a flash of light exploded.

Grilam the Black crumpled to the ground outside Denoitnem's residence. Raising himself weakly from his knees, he rested on the door for support, pulling one hand away, only to begin pouding on that which supported him. "Denoitnem!"

 

[Guest]

Galyn

Smiling inwardly to himself, and attempting to ignore the incessant insulting suggestions of his host's increasingly irritating companion, Galyn follows Denoitnem downstairs, and into the main study.

Once there, he glances around to see if Lord has followed, having forgotten about the youth until now. "Odd", he thinks, "the boy has seemed distracted of late. It's almost as if he weren't really there..."

 

[BlazeofLife]

OOC:

Whoops.
Sorry, that last post was mine. Lit didn't put my name on it, for some reason. Oh well.

(BTW, The GrandMage, you're probably one of the best writers I've ever seen. Keep up the good work!)

 

[Lord]

Lord

ooc: heh whoops i got gamecube and i was hooked...whooooops

ic: Lord ran down the stairs after he bent down to look at his shoes as supposed to tie them, when he rememberd they were magically enchanted so he looked up and they were gone. He ran down and saw them and ran after them

"Hey...hey grilam - whats that bird's name again? I seem to have forgotten from my last visit"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Denoitnem:

I turn sharply as I hear Lord finally join us downstairs.

"Grilam?" I ask the young boy. "I wonder if he is here. Oh, and my parrot doesn't have a name, of course. Parrots hate names."

As I walk to the fore window, I look out to the courtyard. The bird twists back and cackles at the pair of wizards, "Grilam is here! Grilam is here! I wonder if parrots hate names. Parrots hate names!"

Indeed, the parrot is correct and I rush down to the courtyard to help him to his feet. Of course the idea of rush and my old body do not exactly mesh. So, actually, I stumble to the wizard who has already regained his balance. "Allo, Grilam. Nice of you to finally join us. Lord was thinking of you. We may need to get hime glasses."

 

[BlazeofLife]

Galyn

With a sigh, Galyn listens to Lord's banter, shaking his head when the boy refers to their companion as Grilam. Noting the change in Denoitnem's bearing where he stands by the window, Gayln glances out into the courtyard to see Grilam slumped against the wall. He quickly follows his host, and the small group makes its way down to where their new arrival has finally regained his footing.

"Allo, Grilam. Nice of you to finally join us. Lord was thinking of you. We may need to get hime glasses."

Studying the dark mage while Denoitnem speaks, Galyn notes a tension in his demeanor not present in his earlier observations.
Assuming that it has something to do with their situation, he nods respectfully and waits for the other to speak.

 

[The GrandMage]

Grilam the Black

He looked first at Denoitnem, then Lord, and finally Galyn. He frowned, and looked back to Denoitnem, and the parrot. He looked down Denoitnem's black robes, and his frown deepened. "Of course he got confused. Look at you! Even I'd be confused as to who is the Dark Wizard around here! Bah. Pulling out your parrot and The Book, what are you trying to do? Give me even more competetion to deal with?"

He sighed, and waved his arms around a little. He stepped forward, and his hand immediately reached out, fingers clasping around The Book, which Galyn was holding. He looked the other wizard in the eyes, and let go. "You watch that book. Just because you saw through the direct trapping doesn't mean there isn't more."

He turned back to Denoitnem, and smiled weakly. "Well, shall we get on with it?"

 

[Lord]

Lord

"Oh shit, i mean denoitnem!" Lord exclaimed "BUt than again, grilam is right you two do dress a like"

Watching as Grilam took the book out of Denoitnem's hands, he observed his motions. Denoitnem scowled and sneered. Grilam looked at Denoitnem and smiled laughing. Grilam set the book down and opened it up

 

[BlazeofLife]

OOC:

Lord, pay attention if you're gonna post.

First, Denoitnem is not holding the book, Galyn is.
Second, Grilam did not take the book.
third, he already left it in the possession of of Galyn, therefore, how could he set it on the ground and open it?

Don't make me borrow The GrandMage's stick, Lord. He only threatened you last time, but you're starting to deserve it.

 

[BlazeofLife]

Galyn

Indeed, let us get on with it, thinks Galyn. He watches warily as Grilam steps away, his eyes still searing from the intensity of the dark mage's gaze. Clutching the aged tome to his chest, he feels a sense of power welling within himself, but he dismisses it as mere fancy, and it disappears the moment his mind returns to Grilam's warning.

Completely ignoring Lord's nonsensical blathering, he begins paying attention again abruptly when Denoitnem begins to speak.

Unbeknownst to him, the first tentative stirrings of dark power begin to thread themselves through his intellect, overshadowing his thoughts and contriving new uses for the powers he harbors...

 

[silverwolf]

sorian

ooc:i'm sorry i have not posted but when i finally got a com i could do this on again you were already to page 4.and i figured you were pretty frustrated to have me bug out but i would like to get back into this if thats alright.if someone could write me in it would be appreciated thanks.

 

[bobo_daclown]

OOC:
1. Blaze, thanks for pointing that out.
2. Lord, watch that your replies flow with the story. All of us (me too) make mistakes.
3. No thwapping Lord with GrandMage's stick
4. Welcome back Silverwolf. Since last post about you was in Grilam's castle before he went drinking, I suppose you disappeared for a while.


Denoitnem:

Watching the dark wizard I note that he looks quite bothered about something. Almost as if something heavy is on his mind. Then again, I probably look the same way, thinking about the haze.

"Indeed, Grilam, we should go inside." Then, I notice that Lord is acting very weird. After telling me that I look like Grilam, his eyes suddenly go crazy, rotating in gloom. I can tell that he is beginning to experience hallucinations and I summon a nurse from the castle. As she runs back into the castle with Lord on a stretcher, I lead the other two wizards into my den.

Suddenly, I start to notice some strange happenings. First, my vision clears up. Second, I sense something wrong with Gayln. Third, I sense some other magical presence. Just as we're about to sit on the sofa, and I'm just about to voice these concerns, the other magic pops into presence.

"Sorian!" I begin to question the wizard who suddenly appeared in the air. "Chap, did you get lost in Grilam's castle?"

 

[silverwolf]

sorian

ooc:thanks alot i appreciate the help

ic: "yes i seem to have gotten lost,i guess i'm not used to all the non magical travvel though i did eventually find you." i said as i servayed the area.looking at him i see he is concerned about something "what is wrong.is something amiss" i ask as i sat down

 

[The GrandMage]

Grilam the Black

He made a few grunts and nods of acknowledgement, but kept his eyes on Galyn, and the book he holds. It wasn't that he was afraid of what the book might do, slowly sinking its claws into the unknowing wizard if he held it too long. It was more that he was afraid what would happen if he was ignored long enough to feel the need to open the book.

Devious things that the books of Dark Arts are, they always tried to get one to learn what they had to offer. Grilam, being the Dark Wizard, knew how to handle such things. Denoitnem, the High Wizard, had quite a collection, so he was sure that he knew how to handle such things. In fact, he was so old he might forget the powers they had over those unused to them.

Grilam moved towards the other wizard, and his fingers clasp 'round the book again as he searhed the wizard's face. "Here. Let me carry that. I'm sure you don't want to lug this around all day."



OOC: I shall use the stick upon all those who dare to defy the laws of logic and reason! And no, Blaze, you can't borrow it. The pleasure is all mine. And Lord, I know reading everything takes a little time, but skimming isn't helping you at all...