You ask, "Anyway.. are we all ready?"

Your mouth turns up as your face breaks into a smile.

Putrefied glen.
A smattering of clouds fills the sky, lacing it with spiderwebs of grey. The thin circular track reaches its pinnacle at this, the northernmost tip of its path. Eczematous flakes peel from the trees around, huge scabs that fall in a cloud of dust. Their bark is dry and crumbling, fungi and maggots feeding on these dying plants. A thick black mist weaves through the dense undergrowth, dimming perception of the surroundings and creating the impression of creatures weaving through the trees. To the south, the trees are blackened and twisting, as if a great blast has melted the huge trunks until they have been reduced to fused corpses that cling to the ground. Casting darkness all around, a shadow totem thrusts up from the ground, chilling the air. An obsidian eye sigil is here. A mature rowan tree stands proudly here. A glittering black rose pushes up from the ground here. There is a campfire here, roaring merrily. Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark is here. He wields a viola in his left hand and a golden sunburst shield in his right. Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse is here. She wields a midnight black tear stained violin in her left hand and a blood stained scroll in her right. Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd is here. He wields a worn lute in his left hand. Maestro Maellio Oushi is here, sprawled on the floor. He wields a simple mandolin in his left hand. Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist is here. He wields a ravenwood viola in his left hand. Wyrm
Cellyn, Ward of the Wyrd is here. He wields a massive marble battleaxe in his left hand.
You see exits leading southeast, south, and southwest.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist says, "Yep!"

Ghaloaire nods his head in agreement.

The warmth of the merry campfire drains away your tensions and worries.

Maellio tilts his head and listens intently.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist plucks at his viola strings and adjusts them accordingly.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd tunes his lute.

You have emoted: Kamilah holds her viola beneath her chin, before bringing bow to string and drawing out a long, mourning note that causes the plantlife surrounding her to quiver.

Maestro Maellio Oushi begins to whistle something faintly akin to birdsong, yet within its echo resounds a melody wholely unnatural in origin.

The sound of wings flapping heralds a screeching murder of crows flying overhead.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist closes his eyes and hums softly, taking in Kamilah's tune. Softly he begins to beat on the back of his viola with his paw, his claws scratching at it lightly as he builds up an almost feral rhythm.

You have emoted: Kamilah pushes the bow forward, causing a sudden screech to sound, as a scream amidst the trees, though she draws it back just as quickly, much lower in tone.

The warmth of the merry campfire drains away your tensions and worries.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd begins to beat his wings in time with the beat, causing the air to pulse around the area.

A large shadow flits across the edge of your vision for a bare instant, vanishing between the trees.

You have emoted: Kamilah shifts her wrist ever-so-slightly, sending a pulsing note into the air, one that mimics the sound of an approaching swarm of locusts. As moments pass, the volume increases.

Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse drifts off a little bit into her own world, drawing her bow over the strings of her violin in short strokes, creating a tense, almost malevolent baseline as the low notes echo in the trees.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist lets out a guttural growling as he flips his viola over and rests his chin against it, drawing his bow along the strings quickly as he continues to beat on the hard wood.

Cellyn claps his hands together merrily.

Wyrm Cellyn, Ward of the Wyrd says, "Bravo!"
.
You have emoted: Kamilah leaps nimbly forward, kinking a bit of dirt into the fire, causing it the flare. As the embers leap into the air, she sends another scream into the performer's surroundings.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd begins flicking his fingers over his lute strings, never quite striking the strings hard enough to produce a solid note. An eerie, shivering whine is instead the result, the rising wings of a storm.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist prances and stomps around a bit, his robes flowing and tail swaying behind him, his visage given an eerie glow by the dancing flames of the campfire. He continues pounding his viola, harder now, making the rhythm more intense as he plays quick, low notes on the strings.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd continues his strange playing, causing the leaves to shiver with the sibilant whisper of his lute.

weave improved 1 The thrumming buzz continues to build until it is nearly deafening. When it seems as if it could grow no louder, it shatters into a million pieces, which take the form of small, shadowy locusts that dart around the location.
You weave your illusion.

Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse steps to the left, leaving a ghostly image of herself behind, and your ears register the addition of a second violin accompanying her.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd suddenly strikes his lutestrings with a vengeance, causing them to shrill with a pulsing, deep song that entwines strangely with Ongaku's beat.

You have emoted: Kamilah plays a quick series of notes as the swarm of insects dance around her. With each cross of bow and string, the creatures seem to multiply, singing an in time with her strokes.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist places his viola on the ground and begins shaking his bone fetish around, the wings and fins rattling in a strange pace and rhythm. He growls and snarls in different pitches as he stomps about the fire, closing his eyes finally and letting out a wailing howl.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark sits himself atop a stump on the far side of the clearing, a good distance away from the others, his viola supported in the crook of his chin.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd joins in with a counterpoint of Kamilah's melody, enhancing and reinforcing the drive of the music.

weave illusion Many of the locusts dive into the small campfire, causing it to rage suddenly in dark hues of violent and green.
You weave your illusion.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark slides his bow slowly across the strings of his viola, experimenting, a low, piercing cry issuing forth and mingling lazily with the distant sounds.

You have emoted: Kamilah casts a smile towards Ghaloaire, slowing her music down while adding an extra layer of complexity, drawing a dizzying tune of longing from her instrument.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist rattles his purse around along with his fetish, causing the coins within to jingle lightly. He growls and wails in harmony with Kamilah's melody, drawing out many small creatures, rabbits, skunks and gophers, which gather around the campfire and wail along with him.

Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse and her shadow let out a screeching note on their violins in perfect unison, the note becoming so high pitched it becomes inaudible. You become aware of the flapping of leathery wings as bats begin to swarm around, picking the insects from the air.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd slides his fingernails along the strings of his lute, sending shivers of music into the air that twine sinuously with Kamilah's changed song.

The sharp sound of a twig snapping echoes behind you.

You have emoted: Kamilah kicks another cloud of dirt into the air, killing her notes in the same instant. Silence clings to the air around her, and clings tightly, until the dust finaly settles. As the air clears, she picks up the dirge as if she had never stopped playing it.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist picks up his viola once more and sets down his fetish. He places his purse around his arm and begins playing a fevered melody on his viola, picking up speed as the coins in his purse jingle with every slight movement of his right arm drawing the bow quickly across the strings. Suddenly and without hesitation, he runs forward and leaps over the fire, playing his furious melody all the while.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark stands and begins to play in earnest, dragging the bow up and down quickly. The sound builds around him, a fierce, vibrant tune that builds higher in intensity with each note.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd lets his last note hang in the air as Kamilah's song pauses, a shadow falling across the glen as the note quavers out.

A large shadow flits across the edge of your vision for a bare instant, vanishing between the trees.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd strikes back into the song at once with a powerful melody, slowly knitting all the songs and sounds in the forest together into one symphonic whole.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist tilts his head back and howls as he plays, "F'AI GLOMDORING!!!" He wails the words several times as he stomps the ground, then leaps over the flames once more.

You have emoted: Kamilah takes to the air with a single beat of her wings, gliding effortlessly towards Vanatul. As she lands, she twirls, sending motes of mauve light into the air.

Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse and her shadow slow their playing, their notes becoming lower and lower pitched. The Bats begin to writhe in purple flames, falling to the ground. As they do so, the flames are snuffed out, and they run away as rats.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark plays faster and more intently, the vibrations of redolent life forming great, booming structures that blur the air around his solitary perch atop the stump. He turns towards Kamilah and directs the driving notes towards her, a shimmering tide of noise rushing headlong towards her own.

The wind whistles eerily through the branches overhead.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist begins playing a slower, mellower harmony on his viola, the notes twisting and turning like the branches of the Master Ravenwood Tree. The small animals around him growl and snarl as an ebon shadow curls out from the strings of his viola, flowing towards the small creatures and engulfing them completely.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd switches focus, strumming low, ominous, quavering notes that enhance and empower Ongaku's song, causing the shadows on the ground to swell and darken.

You have emoted: Kamilah drives her bow hard against the strings, sending up a crow-like shriek. And again. And again. Her hand speeds to a blur, bringing to life the call of a full murder. As the individual caws rise into the air, transluscent crows erupt from her strings, diving around Vanatul with burning red eyes.

Maestro Maellio Oushi crouches low to the ground, falling to all fours like some predatory beast. Suddenly he jumps into the air, twisting and contorting in an arc above those gathered with a serpentine grace, landing in handstand only to launch off into the air again.

Mistress of Nocturne Melodies, Sybl, Phantasmal Theatre's Muse ceases her playing altogether, her shadow vanishing as she focuses on Kamilah.

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist groans softly as he plays intensely, turning towards Ghaloaire and forcing the shadows seeping from his viola to swirl around the Trill's body. His tail sways behind him, keeping time for him as he plays in an erratic rhythm, the small animals shivering and wailing as the shadows consume them.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark laughs, his lips splitting into a hysterical grin. He bends over his viola, crouched, arm pumping pistonlike as he coaxes more sound from his instrument, resonant beats that skirt the edge of the aural spectrum pulsing outward around his form and driving off the diving crows.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd drives his fingers over the strings of his lute with abandon, causing the shadows that spiral around him to twist and dance in a tortuous whirl of ecstatic power as he squeezes a song of power from his strings.

You have emoted: Kamilah smirks, crouching low for a moment, though continuing her cacophonus sound. With each note, the shadow-like crows grow larger, and with each strike of her bow on the strings, they grow louder. Within moments, the take on a
life of their own, and as they dive once more, she leaps forward as well, landing bow-to-bow with Vanatul. She smiles as she plays, whispering softly, "F'ai Glomdoring."

Maestro Maellio Oushi suddenly ceases his acrobatics, only to swiftly join the melody, his claws seemingly a blur drifting over the strings.

One crow careens sharply, rounding to dive at Vanatul from another angle.
Cawing fiercely, the crow rapidly hurdles towards Vanatul

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist growls deeply and plays a bit softer, the notes from his viola sporadic and distant. The shadows swirl about, twitching now and then as if in pain. "Nothin' matters but Glomdorin', Nothin' matters but Glomdorin'.
Glory be t'Glomdorin', Glory be t'Glomdorin'," he chants softly as he begins beating a rhythm on his viola once more.

A large shadow flits across the edge of your vision for a bare instant, vanishing between the trees.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark cackles and straightens his back, heightening his notes from a low throb to a keening cry, rising on currents and building into a triumphant climax. As the sound rises like pealing thunder the hurtling crow is stricken into wisps of shadow, the others forced back. He presses the attack, stepping down to meet Kamilah, lightning dancing in the clouds and supplementing his sounds with air-rending cracks.

One of the crows dives past Vanatul, straight into the fire!
Sparks erupt upwards from the fire, the sparkling motes lingering in the air a moment, spelling out "F'ai Glomdoring" above the heads of the gathering.

You have emoted: Kamilah pulls her bow fully from the strings, reaching out to slip it across Vanatul's cheek. The faintest bit of blood is drawn, and as quickly as it touches the bow, she draws it back to kiss the strings. Crimson flames burst to life around both Vanatul and herself. She speaks this time, saying sternly, "F'ai, Glomdoring."

Ongaku Nil'Goeth, Primal Hymnist closes his eyes and allows his melody to die down, still chanting softer and softer.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd plays quietly, letting his counterpoint fall into silence.

The night sky is clear, and the stars twinkle like diamonds.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark smirks at Kamilah's display. "I'll do you one better." He strikes the bow across the strings once more, setting his vibration in place, and as the air shudders about his form he raises his arms above his head and draws his bow down his opposite forearm, opening his flesh in a shallow cut from wrist to elbow. He returns to his playing position just as his last note begins to fade, blood pouring freely down the strings of his viola, and takes up the song once more. Swaying unsteadily he places the bow across the strings and pulls it across lazily, causing the ground to rumble and the clouds to darken overhead.

Maestro Maellio Oushi throws his head back, sending a deafening howl up to the heavens that reverberates through the string of every instrument, forming a choir of thousand echoes that ring through the air with screeching dissonance.

You have emoted: Kamilah lets out a laugh that falls into a smile. She matches Vanatul's rhythm, but at a slightly higher pitch. As they both play, she slowly begins to quicken her strikes, building towards an obvious crescendo.

The screeching of a crow echoes through the dark woods, sounding almost like harsh laughter.

Many small, glowing red eyes peer out at you from beneath the trees, only to vanish moments later.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark allows his song to merge with Kamilah's slowly, his rising pitch chasing her own higher and higher, the ground practically heaving as though the very forest is moving to their rhythm. At least he can play no higher, the enormous power of the performance reaching one exquisite, unified peak. He holds it for a moment, exalting, and then tears his bow away from the strings with an obvious effort, flashes of blue energy dancing between the two. As the final note explodes into the night a bolt of black lightning comes searing through the heavens and strikes him, sending him to his knees.

Maestro Maellio Oushi ceases his howl and drops his mandolin to his side, his ears trained on the contest of Kamilah and Vanatul.

You have emoted: Kamilah smirks at Vanatul, closing her eyes and turning her back on him as he is forced to kneel. She continues her own crescendo, letting the flames around her dissolve into motes of scarlet light. Her music builds as the wisps
rise, until finally, one one long note, they simply flare and fade away.

You have emoted: Kamilah lowers her viola to her side and raises her bow to the sky.

You yell, "F'ai Glomdoring!"

Midnight shadows coalesce around a new day, and Mother Night embraces the land in utter darkness.
It is now the 25th of Urlachmar, 161 years after the Coming of Estarra.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd says, "F'ai Glomdoring."

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark leans back on his haunches, viola resting on the ground as he runs his fingers flowly over his wounded flesh.

You see Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark yell, "F'ai Glomdoring!"

Maellio claps his hands together merrily.

Ghaloaire's mouth turns up as his face breaks into a smile.

Dilim's mouth turns up as his face breaks into a smile.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark twists his fingers into the dark, rich soil of the glen and then balls his hand into a fist, seeming to anchor himself to the wyrden soil.

You have emoted: Kamilah turns and looks at Vanatul, shaking her head slightly.

You say, "You try too hard."

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark says, "Absurd."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

You say, "Truth is often absurd."

You say, "Until one opens their eyes to it."

Maestro Maellio Oushi says, "Heh..."

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark says, "Truth?"

Vanatul smirks.

The sound of a distant scream echoes between the trees, only to be suddenly cut short.

The night sky is clear, and the stars twinkle like diamonds.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark says, "To which guild did you belong before the Harbingers, Lady Song?"

You have emoted: Kamilah sighs softly, shaking her head once more before turning back to the rest of the group.

You say, "Thank you all for joining me in this."

Ghaloaire nods his head sagely.

With a flourish of his arm, Dilim bows deeply.

Ghaloaire, Whisper of the Wyrd says, "It was my pleasure, Lady Song."

Ghaloaire's mouth turns up as his face breaks into a smile.

Maestro Maellio Oushi says, "A pleasure indeed, I hadn't planned on joining...and yet it seems the sound got to me too well."

You flash Maellio a joyous smile.

You say to Vanatul, "And, if you must know, I was a Blacktalon."

Vanatul nods his head emphatically.

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark says, "Truth is meaningless."

You smirk.

The screeching of a crow echoes through the dark woods, sounding almost like harsh laughter.
.
You say, "Truth is Glomdoring."

Vanatul, Murmur in the Dark says, "Turn back and save yourself to serve another day or spend your life in one glorious bloom. As long as it's in service to Glomdoring and the Wyrd, right and wrong do not apply. There is only the glory of triumph."

With a flourish of his arm, Vanatul bows deeply.

Vanatul leaves to the south.

You ask Maellio, "He hasn't learned much, has he?"

Ghaloaire shrugs helplessly.

Maestro Maellio Oushi says to you, "Time...give him time..."

I'm a sucker for overdoing things. Just my style. *shrug*

There was a whole lesson to be learned from the you getting outguilded thing, though. And it was supposed to center on you being a 'sucker for overdoing things.'

Actually it was because I got pissed off and called you a bitch over GT. Anyway, I'm notoriously bad at learning from my mistakes.

Remind me why I let you back in the guild again?

Remind you why Kamilah let Vanatul back into the guild, you mean?

"I can Arrrr-Pee better then you can!" "no you can't I CAN!"

I found that strutting around wearing, and not enjoyable in the least.

Meh, I was under the impression we didnt have a choice

Fallen, grow up, you're so petty sometimes.