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[sageridder]

Simple rules:Try not to turn the direction of the story with a single sentence.Humor is more than exceptable,just try to stay within the general framework of the setting.Post as often or as infrequently as you like and have fun.
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Havendale was a quiet little harbor town.A town that thrived on trading, often enough a powerfull magic or rare spice could be found in the markets for the right price.A town some foolish enough might think would be worth raiding.But those that know of the "protectors" dared not think of plundering.The town was founded By the pirate Haven the dark,and before he turned to piracy known as Sir Ronald Haven of king Efrieties armies some three hundred years ago.The "protectors" of this burg are none other then Haven the dark and his men cursed by strong magics of King Efrieties to sail the seas always. longing for the reward of eternal sleep,but allways remaining as cursed to walk the earth as the living dead.Thier protection comes with a price every 6 years on all hollows eve there must be a sacrifice of one first child between the age of 16 and 19 years.The citizens came up with a plan 300 years ago that still stands today A lottery.This is the year of the lottery and only one day till the drawing of lots.This year there are only 4 who meet the standard.Elissa the elven girl who works with her father at the archery range.Henrey the dwarf who has worked the town blacksmith for the last 9 months on his own after his parents died.And sahar and karen human twins working as wizards apperentices in the temple for the last 2 years.They all except there potential duty,and born citizens of Havendale are magically stopped from leaving during the time of the lottery.
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So add players,situations,interactions,ect.what happens to the bunch?

 

[Riva Iron-Grip]

It had been a while since Henrey had visited the tavern. Usually, he was too tired to do anything but sleep after a hard day at the smithy, but this year was the lottery. He wouldn't ignore the urgings of his to do something, just in case he was the one who was chosen.
Henrey walked through the double doors of "The Queen's Blessing", light bathing his body and laughter pouring it's way outside as he entered. The usual crowd was there; the dicers in their corners, the women of the night by the bar, the bard on his bench by the fireplace, and the bouncers by the kitchen.
"Henrey? Ish that you? Wow, i hashent seen yer face in tha longeshed time," exclaimed a drunk man with a scar running from his forehead to chin.
"You just can't give it up can you Ishlee?" asked Henrey as threw his arms around Ishlee's shoulders, as he laughed at the drunken fellow.
"I can gives it up anytime that I want to you dwarf," replied Ishlee as he sat down at a table.
"Uh huh. Here, the next rounds on me Ishlee. It was good to see you too," said Henrey as he started towards the dicers corner. Henrey always had a bit of luck with random things. Maybe tonight would be his night to make a few silver marks.
As Henrey sat down, the tavern owner walked over to his guards " Do you see that dwarf? Keep an eye on him boys, he has been chosen for the lottery." The two men nodded their approval as they pulled a mug from behind the counter for the two of them...

 

[sageridder]

"Father,if i am choosen just what will become of me?"Elissa losses the arrow at a target and strikes it dead on."Let's not think on that,your chances are three agianst one.You will not be the one."Evenn's voice trembles as he speaks."I am not a child father tell me."Elissa stares at her father using all her strenght not to shake."Right then If you must know.The choosen one is ferried to the isle of black sand half a mile out of the harbour.What happens there is in some dispute tho.Some have armed themselves with magics and weapons hoping to end this curse,as you know that has not worked yet.Some say if you can hold your own till dawn breaks you have won the right to keep your body and soul.Others have said you are given the choice to join his band"A tear runs down his cheek."A truly grizzly thought.I don't think any living being knows for sure."Evenn wipes away the tear,Thinking i will not lose both you and your mother.He hugs the girl for all he is wirth and kisses her forehead."You have grown into a fine young woman,you remind me more of your mother everyday beautyfull and headstrong."A smile is on his lips for a moment."But fair daughter if tonight might be your last it should not be wasted in the company of an old man.Go now down to The Queen's Blessing perhapse young Henrey the blacksmith is there as well."Elissa blushes "Father""Now child I may be old but I am not blind I have seen the way you look at him.Have a night worthy of your last do not let your true feelings go unspoken." She turns to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek "I love you father." And with that walks down the path into town..............

 

[Riva Iron-Grip]

Henrey's luck had been running low all night. Never rolling more than a pair of 3's. He had lost 5 silver marks, and had only won 2 coppers. "this is my last roll boys," said Henrey as he looked up. He couldn't believe it. Elissa, the love of his dreams, was walking in the door, looking as innocent as always. Their eyes locked, and henrey stood up, throwing the dice one last time. He rolled perfect 6's, every single one of them. Henrey looked at them "Keep it guys, i wont need your money after tonight." Henrey stood up, slowly rubbing off his tunic, and started to walk towards Elissa. Elissa motioned towards a table in the corner, and Henrey moved to acknowledge. "With this being our possible last night Henrey, I just wanted to spend it with you," said Elissa as she threw her cloak in the corner. "Me? Why me Elissa? You are beautiful, and rich, you could very well have any man in town," replied Henrey as his face suddenly grew colored....

 

[sageridder]

Gabban calles for quiet,"On this night ,and this night only Ishlee. all drinks and food are.....(cough cough) half...... Damn it ,Allright on the house."The crowd cheers and rushes the bar before the cheepskate changes his mind.He raises a mug,"Our fate rides on these young ones,their is no way you could repay you but tonight we will try like hades." His lip quivers as he says "Minsterils you have been paid,now here is double." throws a handfull of silver "Play on." for a moment they scramble for the coins and then play many happy tunes,people are dancing and talking yet under the surface you can see that all there faith for tomorrow coming lies in these young ones.

 

[EricBess]

Meanwhile, at the tower, there was more talk, but of a different nature.

"Sister, come, I wish to show you something." Karen followed Sahar to a secluded room in the tower where there were four slips lying on a table, each printed with a name:

Karen
Sahar
Henrey
Ellisa

"Brother, what is this?"

"Choose one."

Karen hesitated and then picked up her own name. When she looked again, she was surpised to see the word "Ellisa" in her hand and "Karen" still on the table. "Sahar, what have you done?"

"We have more important work than they, Karen. Mine will select Henrey, it is still equivalent odds for the others."

"That's cheating. I'll have nothing to do with your plans. I've been studying the history books and..."

"Enough with your self righteousness! Tell me you want to die this week!"

Karen had never seen Sahar quite to angry. "Do as you must, brother," she backed slowly out of the room.

 

[sageridder]

Elissa now was blushing as well."Henrey you are a good kind hearted man.You are kind to your friends and strangers alike,but most of all I admire the inner strenght you have shown by the way you have carried on after the accident".
Henrey's face grows flush,and he twinges at the mention of that fatefull day.Elissa sees his discomfort,"I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." Henrey stops her "It's allright it just surprised me,I..It still hurts sometimes but I just try to rember the happy times we had togher."
With that they are both interupted by Snerd the busboy."Me lord,Me lady, complements of the house."He sets several plates on the table before them containing rost lamb,vegitables,and fruit,along with two goblets and a bottle of wine of better quility then you normally see in the "the Queen's Blessing"."Please be seated"
Henery helps her to her seat and takes his own in turn.She smiles at him in a way that melts his heart.
Snerd whispers to them before he leaves "It would break noone's heart to see it be that evil Sahar instead of one of you,That man is just plain mean."

Meanwhile.......
Evenn is making plans of his own."I'll not lose elissa as well if i have to fight them myself."while a fine adventurer in his days he is no longer the man he once was.He is busy cleaning up his old armor,and weapons and rummaging through his gear.Blowing some dust of a bundle he smiles and says "I had almost forgotten about you old friend, Yes you will come in quite handy."
He unwraps the cloth and is admiring a short wand perhaps ten inches in lenght with a miniture skull at it's top.The old man smiles and puts it into his pouch,"Now what else do I have in here?"

 

[EricBess]

"You know," says Henrey, "They only treat like this because of the lottery. Day after tomorrow, I'll be back to being just a common dwarf. Assuming, of course...."

"Don't talk like that Henrey, regardless of the outcome, we'll be heros. For at least another 6 years that is."

"For you, maybe. I've seen it before when a dwarf is involved. Everyone is hoping that I will be the one. I had a cousin that was resented for years when he survived."

"You speak nonsense. What was that he was saying about Sahar. He has always seemed a decent sort to me."

"Yes, decent on the surface, but there are rumors." Seeing Elissa's eyes widen, he continued. "He has proven himself to be strong with his magic. Some say that he is too strong for his age. That the only way he could be so powerful is to...Well, lets just say there have been a lot of small animals go missing near the tower. Some say he resents his sister because she was born first. This is his way to get back at the world..."

"Oh Henrey, that's nonsense. Everyone knows there are wolves near the tower."

"Still, rumors don't get started for nothing. I know it's bad luck to speak of it, but it would be a lot easier for everyone if Sahar were chosen."

Meanwhile:
After speaking with Sahar, Karen retreated to the library. She loved her brother dearly, but sometimes, he could be so bull headed. She needed to get away and she had seen something in the library the other day that had her curious. She wanted to see if she could find any more information.

She had a knack for finding information in books and within a short time, her hard work was rewarded. There was a prophecy about the Havendale pirates. A prophecy concerning, "The year of the four"...

 

[Riva Iron-Grip]

As Karen leafed through the book, her eyes stuck upon a certain line. "When the four are to rise, the Pirates shall rise instead."
"Wow. I wonder what that means," exclaims Karen as she thumbs through a few more pages.
"If that is what is to happen, then maybe we dont have to worry much about anything. And maybe Sahar's little trick won't work." said Karen as a smile spread across her face.

******
"Henrey?"
"Yes?"
"Did you ever read the prophecies?" asked Elissa as she looked into her goblet.
"A few. Why do you ask?"
"Well. I read this one, and it said that the Havendale pirates will return in the year of the four." said Elissa as she frowned
"Really? WOW. Can you show me?"
"Of course. Hurry, follow me," exlcaimed Elissa as she ran out the door......

 

[EricBess]

After Karen left, Sahar grabbed the slips of paper he had been practising with and threw them to the floor in a crumpled pile. Karen had been surprised when she found out that there were only four for the lottery this year. Most years see at ten and some as many as twenty children. No one really worries about it because everyone just assumes that someone else will be chosen.

But Sahar had done his research. He had known since he was ten that there would only be four for this selection. He had been working on special magics that could be used against the pirates, but they weren't ready. His real research had taken a back seat to this project for the last few years. Not even the Mentors knew that he had been working on it.

The mage's duty was to protect the town. He had been working on a new spell to shield the town. In theory, it would even keep the pirates out. However, up til now, everything he had tried casting it on had simply disappeared.

People thought him cold and heartless. If that was the image they chose to see, that was fine. They didn't understand that sometimes sacrifices are necessary. He didn't have time or patience for social nicities.

If only there was someone who knew his work as well as he did. He would gladly have volunteered for the sacrifice knowing that his work would be ready in a couple of years. He would have done it just to make sure that his sister wasn't the chosen one.

There were profecies in the books. He knew that there was a chance to stop the pirates soon, but the immediate price was too high. Acting too soon would have disasterous concequences. He knew Karen had started looking too. He didn't want her to worry so he had modified the text of the prophecies slightly. It was a simple spell. The text would be restored if the books ever left the tower library. Considering the library was a public building and the books had been enchanted so they couldn't be removed, he didn't see that as ever happening.

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Karen was interrupted from her studies when she heard the door open. Very few people came to the library during the day and she had never found anyone here at night. She went to see who it was.

"Oh," gasped Elissa, "We didn't expect anyone to be here."

"I recognize you," stated Henrey, "You're Karen, aren't you?"