Bewitched

[Agmasek]

((Intro RP for Yonmei))

Far off the beaten path, in a nameless stretch of mountain country rests a simple village, prosperous as a decent farming community ought to be. Numbered among these people, are mountaineers, a village militia, and even a local wizard. Little troubles these people, that is until recently. Petitions for aid have gone out to all neighboring towns, and even any passerby on the roads, asking for help, while at the same time, warning simple travelers to stay away. What malady troubles these people? The petitions state it clearly enough, night after night, the men of the village have been leaving in the night, and never returning. This began with the younger men, which wasn't as big an issue, as when husbands began to vanish. Now, pleas for aid reach out as far as they can.

[Ogrim]

(OOC: Not much of a start, but I'll bite.)

A life lived on the road, when other duties allow the freedom, darkly clad figure, draped in cloak and deep hood, having come across the requests for aid, travels by summoned dire wolf. A most unorthodox mount, but cheaper and easier to maintain than owning a horse. Upon nearing his destination, this peculiar sword-equipped wizard, dismisses the summoned beast, and finishes the trek on foot. No need to cause anymore uproar than necessary, for Silinrul has trouble enough on occasion a passerby recognizes his manner of dress, emblems on some of his equipment, as Drow. Sure, he could abandon wearing such, but despite a lingering desire to follow in the path of another Drow whose existence was only ever known to him in rumor and often dismissed as a myth, this rogue Drow, upon the surface world, still carries some pride in being what he is.

Now to see if that prideful attachment to his origins will plague him anew, venturing into this distressed little farming village, he instructs his Imp familiar, Iejir, to keep out of sight, and allows his twin pair of rapiers to be seen.

[Olba'id]

Jandar was on the search for contracts when he found one of these petitions for aid. Smelling an opportunity he travelled towards this town on foot, as is his custom. With his longsword at his hip and openly displaying his black chainmail with a with a large spade on the background of a white circle on the chest. Jandar is six and a half feet tall and and about three feet wide at the shoulders. All of it solid muscle. His long black hair is kept back behind his slightly pointed ears with a black bandana that displays the same design as that on his mail. He sees this dark stranger in drow clothing behind him entering the villiage and decides to confront him and make sure that he will not be trouble. He steps out in front of the stranger. "Sir!" he states loudly, "what business do you have here?"

[Ogrim]

Silinrul keeps his head down and hood up, even confronted by this muscular man in armor, "I might ask you the same thing. You hardly look like a local. These people hardly look like they can afford to hire a professional mercenary. Fortunately for them, I don't want their coin." His hands smoothly shift to rest upon the pommels of his rapiers, whilst a mental instruction to Iejir, has the hidden imp preparing a spell, in case this gets out of hand. Some surfacers just can't resist the temptation to test their mettle against Drow, or so it seems to him.

[Olba'id]

"My fee is small. Usually only room and board, possibly provisions for the road. I only charge full fee for nobles and the like. Anyways, I meant no offense. It is just that these people do not need any more trouble than has already befallen them. Usually dark, hooded strangers garbed in drow clothing cause trouble, intended or not."

[Agmasek]

Just in time to catch the tail end of that conversation is perhaps the [b:3fa4yarg]only[/b:3fa4yarg] man in the entire village, somehow apparently unaffected by whatever plight has been robbing the village of them. Perhaps this in itself is suspicious, but one look at the robed figure, clearly human, and middle-aged, he would appear to be a mage of some variety. He appears, albeit discretely, and quietly, until this very moment, announcing himself with a clearing of the throat, and then commenting, "Usually the only people who wear Drow clothes, are Drow, and have plenty of cause to hide it. But I know a fellow wizard, when I see one. Our darkly clad friend, could have done great harm already, if he were here for that. We were hoping, I admit for more than two adventurers to answer the summons. Please, come inside, it is best you both are informed of the situation." Toward the small cottage within which he apparently dwells, this local wizard directs, and leads the way, trying to avoid any commotions.

[Olba'id]

Jandar follows the old man towards the cottage. "I have learned never to assume anything when it comes to race. I once met a halfling follower of Gruumsh. I thought he was a goblin until I got a closer look at his face."

[Ogrim]

A low chuckle arises from Silinrul, sharply remarking, "Curious how you have learned so much, only to be so out of practice, in face of a singular individual of a people most of you surfacers fear encountering at all. What might you have done, if I lived up to the reputation of my 'kind' and was the advance scout for a raiding party?" Confidence just oozing off of him at the moment, he continues on, following the village wizard without delay, or waiting for a response, hoping this armored fellow keeps up and doesn't try anything from the back. There's no eyes in the back of his head, but he'd see it coming, with but a split-second delay of telepathic communication between himself and Iejir.

Never the less, he instructs the imp to return to his shoulder, bringing the minor devil down from hiding. If nothing else, it clearly marks his affiliation with magical arts, seeing as the little baatezu is clearly the subordinate in this pairing.

[Olba'id]

Jandar laughs good naturedly. "Why, I would have torn your head from your shoulders with my bare hands" He says cheerfuly. "Besides you've probably had worse than that from others due to your race. He probably doesn't help much with their reactions either."

[Ogrim]

Iejir, upon assuming his perch on his master's shoulder, glares menacingly at Jandar, growling as a stream of insults and wore begins building in his mind. Such incredible loyalty for an imp in service to a wizard who is not exactly of the evil sort. Even as his voice begins to form the first syllable, the pale drow's hand snaps up and grabs that foul little tongue, "Iejir! Save it! We're not here to fight haughty humans, even if they do need a lesson in thinking before wagging their tongues." He then releases the imp's tongue, which is promptly followed by the argument, "But Master Silinrul..." again promptly cut off by a side-ways glare from the hooded figure, "I said behave yourself! That is unless you'd like another dousing in Holy Water?"

This of course brings the infernal little creature to a wide-eyed state of cowering and shivering, terror-stricken into obedience, it would seem this young wizard really is callous enough to 'abuse' his unholy familiar in the name of discipline. Were it not a devil on his shoulder, it may seem evil and cruel, but then again, who but a goodly person would so abusively coerce an infernal servant to serving a goodly cause?

Silinrul then looks past Iejir to Jandar himself, "You are hasty and brash, useful traits in certain situations. Fortunately for you, I am not like most Drow, in more ways than even the best of us. I do hope, we can work together on this matter, for I suspect already there is some manner of magic afoot, and you'll do neither of us any good if you rush off and get ensnared by it."

[Olba'id]

Jandar smiles "Of course we can work together. And it wouldn't be wise to assume that just because I prefer to be forthright and direct I've no way to deal with magic" Jandar continues towards the inn giving the impression of cheerful confidence and of ignoring the magic user"s familiar. "By the way, my name is Jandar."

[Agmasek]

A faint smile spread on the lips of the local town wizard, he had of course heard the tales and rumors of other talented Drow, who had left behind the vile ways of their Underdark kin to forge a new destiny on the surface. A little pride he found himself having, helping start the legends and stories of another such individual. Listening to the conversation behind him, put his mind at ease, for he too harbored concerns about how well these two would work together. His long silence breaks as he nears the door to his home, and begins to explain, [i:1a4qnnnp]"By now, you two might have noticed, there's not many men in town. I assure you this is not my doing, though I wouldn't blame either of you for thinking so. There are, of course, rumors and stories that some of the women in town might tell you, of witches and curses. As the local wizard, I am frequently kept busy trying to give answers, while analyzing one dubious theory after another. People here look to me for answers, and now for security as well, else I might have tried to investigate these disappearances on my own. Considering the phenomenon seems to center around men disappearing, I have been reluctant to leave the village. I can provide you with what little information I have on this matter, if you'd care to join me in my house, otherwise, you could always ask around town, if you prefer, although I am skeptical if the superstitious ramblings of old wives' tales will be of any help."[/i:1a4qnnnp]

Along the way to his door, the once active village, now so quiet has filled with a portion of activity. Though small, it is a few of the younger women of the town, some of the older women too. There are those who come out on their doorstep to see the would-be heroes go by, others who only watch through their windows, gazes of all filled with despair, weariness, and yet ready to cling to any thread of hope the moment it is offered to them. As this attention builds, it becomes increasingly evident that there is not a single other man to be seen in the whole town, and not a single child is seen outdoors. Fear rules over the lives of these women.