Okay, this is just an idea that I've had for a while, so I thought I'd start a topic for it.

The biggest problem that I have with our group is the complete lack of serious, introspective character interaction. So, this is what I have in mind:

I am posting this story here, and ending it at a certain point. The goal of this thread is for someone, whoever reads this and is interested, to continue the story from the point that I ended it, using their own character and staying in character the entire time.

So, with that said, here is "Violin":

The forest sang.

In the middle of the small clearing, the black-clad man—seemingly young, but far from it—continued to play, the clear, sorrowful notes of the violin drifting quietly throughout the surrounding woodlands. As the song, timeless as the dark individual who played it, continued, an air of the surreal fell upon the forest. The air became thick with emotion, the very trees themselves seemed to sway and turn to view the nearly-magical spectacle of the pale stranger’s playing, and the nocturnal creatures that used the night to hunt down their unsuspecting prey stopped in place as the song gripped them and held them enthralled; the wind stopped, the buzz of insects died down, and there was only the music.

Had any of the forest inhabitants been able to resist the spell of the song, they may have noticed the peculiarity of the player: his ability to so easily connect with the ancient woods around him and his almost supernatural beauty marked him immediately as elvenkin, an observation that would have been backed up by the long, pointed ears that could just barely be seen beneath the stranger’s long, raven-dark hair. Clad as he was in black leather armor and a flowing cloak as dark as night, any passersby may have mistaken this unusual elf for some sort of forest spirit, had they been able to make him out in the darkness at all. His eyes were closed as he was lost in the music, but had they been open, the woodland creatures would have found themselves spellbound by his iridescent, amethyst eyes.

The song continued, its melodic, mournful tune echoing perfectly the internal emotions of the pale musician himself. As one who had lived a life filled with little more than pain and sadness, the black-clad elf tried his hardest to take as much joy from his music as he could, despite the heaviness of sorrow that punctuated each and every note. For a brief moment his glimmering eyes opened, eyeing wrathfully the heavy, black leather gauntlets that lay discarded on the ground before him. Those hateful gauntlets, so seemingly harmless and simple, that had come to be his own private hell, a prison from which there was no escape.

Eyes closed once again, the player continued his song, the notes sending ripples of unseen energy throughout the surrounding forest. As he played, the shadow-enshrouded elf lost himself in his music, his body swaying nearly imperceptibly as the violin continued to sing its mournful song, seemingly without any aid from the musician himself. Despite being so completely immersed in the melodic tune, the elf’s acutely tuned warrior senses missed nothing that occurred in the forest around him: he was aware of the glorious feeling of his bare skin against the strings of the violin, and the weight of the elegant rapier at his hip; he could sense the pulse of the trees and the creatures around him, could feel the cool night air upon hands that spent so little time away from their heavy, dark confinement.

He heard the footsteps approaching from behind.

Suddenly, the music stopped. As the final note drifted through the air, the forest was freed from its trance, and its inhabitants were once again able to continue on their nightly errands, having nearly forgotten the enchantment that had held them so completely in awe. Silence dominated the night as the seemingly-young man lowered his instrument, turning to look over his shoulder, locking his purple eyes on the figure who tried in vain to conceal itself—however skillfully—behind the bole of an ancient oak at the clearing’s edge. Neither the sorrowful musician nor his uninvited guest moved for several long, tense minutes, until finally the newcomer stepped around the tree, cloaked in a darkness that not even the black-clad elf’s keen eyesight could cut through. A single word was spoken in the night, a soft, barely audible question:

“Arius?”
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There you have it! Who is the mysterious newcomer? Well, that's up to whoever posts next to decide!

AMdG

PS: Feel free to start your own topics, similar to this one, so that we can start to develop some real relationships between our respective characters! Please!!!!

Febrien stepped from behind the great oak, straining to make out the form before her. The dark-clad man clasped his violin and gazed at her warily.

“I thought that was you,” the newcomer said, making her way carefully toward him. “None can match the sorrow of your song; or the beauty.” The ranger skirted the clearing carefully, silently moving to perch upon a thick, upraised root next to him, careful to avoid letting their bodies touch in any way.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his words missing hostility by a mere fraction of tone.

“I was exploring the forest,” she replied, untroubled by his tone. Her gaze lifted to the millions of glittering stars penetrating the vast expanse of black sky. “It’s so much more peaceful and simple than the world of men. The trees carried your song on the wind, and when I heard it, I realized it was the same song you were playing on our last journey together.” This seemed to calm the man, somewhat, and the two elves lapsed into silence, their forms almost lost in the shadow of the great trees.

Febrien abandoned her senses to the forest, letting her mind wander as a warm breeze ruffled her dark hair. The trees seemed to creak and mutter among themselves, swaying gently in the night. Small animals scurried about, their feet pattering among the branches and in the underbrush. Far away, a lone wolf called mournfully to the dark, his howl answered by the baleful cries of the dire wolf pups in the group’s camp, equally far away. Slowly, the forest returned to silence, and a dark look crossed the slender woman’s face. Despite the tranquil surroundings, her troubled thoughts returned without fail to the voyage ahead. A chill ran down her spine as long-buried memories constructed the ruined city of Galdria in her mind. Her eyes closed against the images of broken towers and houses torn asunder, as the howling of a phantom wind and the screams of the dead assaulted her ears.

Noticing her discomfort, Arius turned to her.

“What troubles you?” he ventured.

“I have gazed upon the ruined city,” Febrien confided. “As you know, my mother and father traveled to Galdria before the great battle destroyed everything. They never returned, and when I was old enough, I traveled there seeking whatever answers were forthcoming.” The elf paused for a moment, reliving the scenes of destruction burned into her mind.

“After a day and a night of battling warped creatures of elven appearance and enduring the cries of the dead, I returned to Notinu with nothing more than fearsome memories and more questions. I believe that our path lies in Galdria, and I ask only that you take caution on this quest. There are things there beyond all thought and imagination.” With this the elf gave a shudder and fell silent, a haunted look slowly fading from her eyes.

Arius continued to stand in silence, considering what the woman had said. After a moment, of indecision, he raised his violin to his shoulder and drew the bow slowly across the strings. The first notes of the lament of the elven city’s fall flowed through the trees and away into the night. Sitting in the darkness, Febrien’s mind calmed as the music carried her away. As the melody continued, her low, beautiful voice joined the melancholy tones of the instrument to pierce the dark and still the forest’s quiet murmurings. The haunting elvish flowed from her throat and was lost on the wind, the harmony blending perfectly in the dark.

As the two continued, a distant figure made its way quietly through the darkness, stopping for a moment to listen to the wrenching notes. Lifting its head, it tried to determine the direction of the song, debating whether or not it should invade the elves’ solitude. After a moment, it made up its mind and set off through the trees.

Jeyld knew that Arius wished to be alone. Arius had always preferred to play alone. It was mildly annoying that they could not play together but after following him once and hearing the mournful tone of the violins strings, Jeyld understood. It was no slight against him, it was merely an escape. Besides, he thought with a grin, the lute and violin would only compete for attention instead of complimenting each other. One of an instrument of laughter and joy, the other, well, the other was one man's release of sorrow.

He was sitting in the camp, writing his latest masterpiece, the last one had gone over extremely well and had earned him a good bit of coin as well as an amazing amount of fame. He swore that people looked at him just a little differently now, appreciating his music just a little bit more now. He had watched Arius leave not too long ago, and recognizing the bundle he carried with him, had decided to let him go. He caught the barest of notes on the wind and marvelled at the expertise of one untrained, not for the first time. But his grin faded as he noticed the Sword Elf moving toward the grove that Arius played in. He knew they had been friends long before he had met them. But he also knew of the pain that Arius had been feeling and how he needed this time to simply be himself. He also knew how dangerous it was for her to follow him, especially if she forgot herself and touched him.

Just as he decided to follow her, he felt the pull of the stone once more. It was intense, almost painful. But as strong as it was it never lead him anywhere, never gave him a direction to go. He pulled it out and stared into it's many facets. It was, by far, more valuable then any of the other stones they had found and sold thus far. Yet he would never let it go. As he was staring he felt an answering call within him. A small part of him, calling out. Staring... seeing... almost... a flash...

"What is that?"

Jeyld whipped his head up. His eyes felt strange and he could barely make out who had asked him the question.

"Tis nothing. I... I'm going for a short walk." He gave his companion a grin and headed out toward the forest. His head cleared along the way and he nearly wept. It was so close. He almost had it. But gone now. Now knowing what his father truly was, he could not help but wonder at what the exact purpose of the gem was. Thinking of his mother, he walked into the forest.

He found the elves easily. He could hear the music on the wind once more and was suprised to hear Sword Elf's voice, singing along. Not bad, he thought, a few minor off notes but not bad. For an amateur. He grinned, taking whatever humor he could to ease his mind. He stood on the edge of the copse, watching them. Arius was no fool, however and Jeyld saw him beckon him over, giving an imperceptible nod at his lute. Jeyld smiled and listened to the music a little longer as he tuned the lute for the song. He listened to the words as Sword Elf sang them and notice a pattern. When he was ready he started to strum the strings, lifted his voice in song, and joined them. He lost himself in the music, as he always did. He could almost see images as the song told it's story. Tears streamed down his face. He remembered the time he first met Arius and the song he had performed that night. It was nothing compared to this, a mere limerick in comparison.

He lost track of time. It was hours or minutes later, he couldn't tell. The final notes were played and the final words sung. They stood together, in silence, listening as the forest returned to normal. Arius bent down, picking up his gauntlets and covering his hands once more, and started to rebundle his instrument. Jeyld watched, and turned to the Elven woman and came to a decision.

"It was a pleasure to perform with you... Febrien." He turned and walked away, back toward camp, never seeing the smile she gave him after finally earning her name.

Back at camp, one of their companions stared off into the forest. Wondering, and very concerned, at the strange way the gnomes eyes had physically changed before he walked off... the disconcerting amber color... and the alarming lack of pupils...

Out Of Character:

Amazing, you guys, simply amazing!

I wasn't really sure if anyone would take to this idea or not, but I'm glad you did, because this has come out SO much better than it would have had I written it entirely myself.

Well, one more post from another party member and I'll wrap this one up, okay?

Remember to start your own stories as well, so we can continue to develop the relationships between our characters!

AMdG

Back in the adventurers’ camp, Alaya sat cross-legged by the fire. The night was clear; the full moon turning to silver all it could touch with its glow, making the silver of her hair radiate as if it reacted specifically to moonlight. She could feel the warmth of the fire on her face and knees as she stared into the stars; thousands of pin pricks of light in the tapestry of the sky. It was a sight she grew used to growing up in the woods by herself. Now, life was just a bit different. Just a short time ago, she had ventured into the city and joined the adventuring company, realizing that a life spent in the forest was not all that she wanted for herself. What she really wanted…not even she really knew. She only knew that she needed more.

The silver forest that surrounded the little camp was quiet save for the almost haunting music that flowed through the tree branches. It seemed even the wind was under the trance; she could feel it caress her face almost in time with the long notes of the violin and lute. Above her in the trees, she could hear her red-tailed hawk Kyrie give a small content squawk as the tune lulled her into a deeper sleep. Alaya smiled to herself as she continued to listen to the melody. It invoked much of the same somber thoughts that the musicians must be putting into the melancholy harmony.

She stood up, leaving the rest of the group behind as she took the same path she had seen the others travel down, not really sure why she was headed there in the first place. The music drew her in, leading her to the rest of her … companions? Maybe too strong a word, but no doubt she felt a stronger bond between these humanoids ahead then she had to anyone in a long time. The tune grew louder, and in the bright lunar light she could see with her violet eyes that the trees thinned out into a clearing in front of her. Darting off of the path before she emerged, she hid behind the trunk of a great oak tree and peered around it. She could see the elves and the curious bard sitting there together, not in merriment, but still connected in their own way. She would never admit it to herself, but the feelings that tugged at her were the inescapable pangs of jealousy at the friendship they shared. She would never admit that she was lonely or that she needed this band of people. She knew that in this little group, though, she had found what she had set out to find without even knowing it.

The song ended, and after a moment of silence the bard began to head towards the path. Alaya darted silently back to the camp where the others slept and resumed her previous position by the fire. Her thoughts now turned to the gnome who would be approaching in a few moments, and recalled the way he had acted right before setting out to meet with the elves. He seemed to have lost himself for a moment; her people, wherever they might be, would have said he looked as if he were possessed, if just for a fleeting moment, like he forgot who he was. She was neither superstitious nor spiritual beyond the elements of nature, but Alaya decided that the gnome bard would require some watching, if only to make sure that her…friend…was okay.



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Took me a bit but I finally got something out! Made me really think about my character and who she is as a person and how she interacts with the rest of you - I also think that its good to get out some of what I already know about her so that you guys know her a bit more as well.

Arius waited for her to approach.

He was no fool, and despite her impressive woodland skills, Arius had known the very instant that Alaya had come upon the clearing. For a brief moment, as the song had ended, Arius had found himself surprisingly tempted to call out to the ranger, to invite her to join this impromptu get-together, but something had stopped him. Still, despite having fought at her side, despite the disturbing trust that he was somehow building with her, Alaya was still a human.

Though, the pale-skinned adventurer was forced to admit, she is the closest to being an elf that any human could ever hope to come…

He sat quietly on the ground, his back leaning against the trunk of the great, ancient oak, his violin resting upon his lap as his ungloved hands caressed the smooth, warm surface of the instrument. On the other side of the tree, remaining as silent as her companion, Febrien sat, her knees drawn up under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs as if to ward off a chill, though the night was far from cold. Jeyld had left several minutes earlier, leaving the two elves alone in the darkness.

Thinking of Jeyld caused a stir of confusion with Arius. It was true that, even lost as he was in his song, the cursed elf had sensed his closest companion’s approach to the glade, yet there was something decidedly wrong tainting the gnome’s aura. It was this unusual, disconcerting sensation that had drawn Arius’s attention earlier, just before Jeyld had joined Febrien and him in their song…

It’s that stone…

The thought did nothing to help the swirling feelings of worry and confusion that clouded the black-clad elf’s mind, and he shivered slightly as he ran a rarely-ungloved hand through his shoulder-length night-dark hair. Sensing his distress, Febrien spoke.

“Arius, are you cold?” she asked, the concern in her voice cutting through her long-time companion’s dark thoughts.

“No,” he responded simply, standing to his feet. “We should head back.” Without another word, the elf mercenary carefully—almost lovingly—wrapped his precious instrument in a long piece of dark blue silk, tucking the prize safely away within his pack. Crouching down to pick up his discarded gauntlets, Arius paused, his hands trembling as the reached down, stopping barely an inch away. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the elf warrior picked up the heavy black gloves, closing his eyes in sorrow as he pulled them slowly back over his quaking hands.

“We’ll find a way to break the curse,” Febrien said softly as she came around the tree, standing over the still-kneeling Arius. “I know we will…” Her voice trailed off as Arius stood, shaking his head in dismay.

“For ten years I’ve been telling myself that,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of cold that made the cool night breeze feel has hot as dragon’s breath. “And for ten years I’ve found myself disappointed. Every time I come close to breaking it, every time I think ‘this is finally it,’ something goes wrong.” He looked over his shoulder, opening his iridescent eyes and gazing intently at Febrien. “There is no hope for me, Febrien; the only thing that keeps me going now is vengeance.”

Without another word, Arius left the clearing, not even casting a backward glance to see if his elven companion was following. Had he looked, the cursed elf would have seen Febrien standing alone in the small glade, her expression one of steely determination.

We will find a way to save you, Arius, she thought, clenching her fists as she eventually followed after the dark-cloaked man before her. I promise… We’ll find a way.
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Well, that's that! Thanks to everyone for making such a great story, and I can't wait to see some of your stuff up soon!

AMdG

Well done, everyone! That turned out absolutely fantastic! I can't stop gushing over it - someone's gonna have to smack me to my senses any second now...

I absolutely loved doing this... and would love to do it again sometime ... not sure if I'll start anything myself but I'll gladly build up on anyone else's. Oh... and it was awesome to be able to see inside some of our characters heads... especially Alaya since she's been kind of an enigma so far

I agree, that was amazing. Thanks everyone for making it turn out so incredible!

AMdG