Xaious, Master of Time

"If it didn't work the first time, you shouldn't have kept trying!" My mom. "If you start messing up, you may as well just quit." Also, my Mom.

(OOC: I don't know if I'll ever continue thiis, so this is, as far as we're all concerned, PART 1. You can comment in here, just don't be too surprised if one day you see a PART 2. Thanks...and comments are welcome... Vrinn Perin is an original character from Vincent Silver, and the Fading Light is also thanks to Vincent Silver...Enjoy!) The walls were covered in a light layer of smoke and the room smelled of ale and cooking meats. A long bar stood aginst the wall opposite the entrance, a fair number of stools running its length. On one side of the room was a luxurious fireplace, surrounded by multi-cushioned chairs and many tables, each of which with six chairs. On the other side of the room was a large staircase leading to the inn rooms upstairs. As usual, the Fading Light was filled with people, all laughing, eating, talking, and generally enjoying themselves. In front and beside the fireplace danced a smiling bard in rich purples and luxurious blues, a feathered fedora upon his head, strumming a joyous tune on his worn mandolin. Some danced to his merry tune, tipped him in copper and silver, the occasional gold piece. Others sat singing drunken lyrics to a song that had none, eliciting more laughter from those around them. Behind the bar, a waitress was taking the place of the pub's owner, out sick tonight. The poor lass was having to deal with lecherous old men and their younger kind, as well as remember who had ordered what drinks, and which drinks were in which barrels. The same leches were giving the other waitresses some hard times, but such is always the case. Only three men in the Fading light on this night were not giving them problems, and two of them already had wives. The other was more actually entertaining the poor maidens. "..and that's why not everyone can be wizards." The young man smiled, accepting another glass from his current waitress, who smiled back at him. The young ladies at his table didn't mind. "You can't be serious!" one of them, with fiery red hair that stopped at her chin giggled at him. "Don't believe me, do ya? Well, I don't suppose you know any wizards, do ya?" he smiled. This was turning out to be the best night since last night. "Well..." She stopped to think. "I guess you got me there..no, I don't..." she sighed. "No, but I do." a brown haired belle piped up. She never really did believe half the things he said, but he always proved to be worth listening to. "And let me guess, he said that wizards had to spend their time studying a load of scrolls in some dark and musty tower off in a far away land, eh? Well don't believe it honey, because that's just a facade." He grinned, brushing back a bit of his rich brown hair. "Where do you learn these things Isidor?! They're so fascinating!" This time it was a particularly busty young blonde, who was sitting across from him, resting her head in her hand and her elbow on the table. he lost his train of thought for a second, a ponderous look on his face. "Yeah, where do you learn these things, Isidor?" The red haired one chimed in. "Yes Izzy, where?" Belle had known him since childhood, so she knew this would be laughable. "Well, you see..." He faltered. Belle always chose the wrong times to work against him. "You see..." Isidor looked thoughful a bit longer. "Yes, Izzy?" The red haired Auraline decided she liked this nick name. Easier to say than his whole name. "I've seen it." Auraline and Pearl gasped in disbelief, while Belle just disbelieved. "Oh? Wow, I never knew that." Belle's sarcasm almost caused physical pain, but it did make Isidor wish she'd not talk for a small while. "When did you see these things?" "Well, you see..." He started again, giving the brown haired beauty a glance meaning he would very much appreciate it if she didn't ruin his stories anymore and thank you for keeping that in mind. "it was about three years ago. Sometime during the rainy season." "But...I thought everyone had to stay inside at that time..." The busty blond was confused, which surprised no one. "Yes, of course they did. And that's why I was able to find these things out." He smiled some more, and thanked the young dame who had just brought him another drink. Poor lass, some lech had just dumped his ale on her, and her shift was far from over. "Oh? But how?" Auraline was quite fascinated. "Well, with my crystal ball, of course." Isidor smiled: the two not Belle appeared to be buying his story. Even the waitress would take extra time when passing by his table. "Oh? Crystal ball, Izzy? I don't" "Yes, Crystal ball. The one I found a few years before then, you know, inside of that old hole in the ground?" This time his look told her that she remembered when he came back with a beautiful crystal ball five years ago, and it told the others that he couldn't believe she didn't remeber about his wonderfully notable crystal ball. "Well, you see, during the rainy season three years ago, I learned myself how to use that thing. And in doing so, I learned all these things." Smiling, and stifling a laugh, Belle decided that it would lead to more interesting stories if she went along with him for this one. But only after she made the mental note to kick him for gazing at Pearl's cleavage. "So...Wizard's spells....are cast....with ordinary words...in the common language?" The thinking required for that one almost made the blond's head hurt. "And so low that it just sounds like it isn't." The red-headed one seemed to understand. And Belle just laughed to herself at how readily these two believed him. Or rather, how readily anyone believed him. But it was always a fun time. "Right" Isidor stopped his story for a short while, thinking up the next tale he might tell and enjoying his drink. And watching his lady friends. Belle was sitting back, enjoying her mug of ale. Never much of a drinker, she was still only on her second mug, and they'd been there for quite some time. Pearl was leaning forward, sipping at her mug. By now she had drank a good five mugs, and was feeling good. She was also, unknowingly, resting her bosom on the table, much to the delight of Isidor. And to his right, Auraline hadn't touched her drink. She had been too busy enraptured in Isidor's tales to drink. Which was good, because otherwise she'd have drunken herself drunk, and had to have been helped out of there, ruining everyone's fun. However, now that he ahd finished his tale, she remembered about her ale. And downed it in one go. And now that the tales of Isidor had finished for the night, no one was going to stop her. Isidor looked around him. It seemed that the only people left in the Fading Light were him, Belle, Auraline, Pearl, the little halfling bard, and the waitresses. And the bard was finishing up his last song, which coincidentally happened to be the town's favorite drinking song. The lasses who had been working were now coming over to Isidor's table with more ale, and chairs too. Even the temporary bartender was on her way to the table. As they took their seats at the table, they passed everyone a new mug of ale, all breaking into smiles and laughter. "Good evening, ladies. I hope there weren't too many problems tonight?" "Well, except for this.." The soaked lass tugged on her shirt to unstick it from her. "Nothing much happened tonight." one of the others finished for her. "Other than the usual lecherous old bastards." chimed in the girl now sitting to his left. "And the young ones. Can't forget the young ones." The bartender added. "Well, yeah, but they should go without saying." "I wish they would go without saying. One of them tried to grab me!" This time it was a new face. "Oh, hello...You're the new girl, right?" Isidor put on his most charming smile, which caused her to blush. "Y..yes, I'm new here." She spoke between choked smiles. "I'm... I'm...I'm Julie." She smiled at Isidor, who smiled back. "Well Julie, it's a pleasure to meet you." He was wasting no time memorizing her face. And the rest of her, for that matter. The halfling bard had finished picking up for the night, and walked up to the lass who had been in charge tonight. "G'd evenin mate. Ah don't suppose it's too late fer me teh get a room, eh?" Laura looked over to the bard. "Sure thing hon." She handed him a key. "First door on the left, on the house. But one thing." "Yes?" "What's your name, friend?" Laura smiled to him. "Mah name is Vrin. Vrin Perin." He tipped his hat to her. "Well, I'll be off teh mah room then, and g'night to you all." "Good night Vrinn!" The gathering bid him, and with that, Vrinn left for his room. "You know ladies, I think our friend Vrinn has a point. It is getting late. We should probably get going sometime soon...." One of the waitresses thought aloud, attempting to sound as though she weren't infering what she was implying. "You know, I think you're right." Pearl joined in, catching the innuendo--though a bit later than the others. Isidor smiled. "Alright then, but where are we going?" Everyone was standing up and pushing their chairs in, their empty bottles on the table. Isidore kept smiling. His every night could go like this, and he wouldn't mind. Tonight he would be staying at one of these lovely lasses house, with all the lovely lasses, telling more tales until he was too tired to talk, or they were too tired to not sleep. If it had been anyone else, such would not be the case, but everyone knew of how god a person Isidor was. And he was glad too, because that meant free meals, free ale, and a free places to stay the night, whenever he needed it. And most importantly, all the pretty damsels in the town loved him. Once or twice, there were fights over him, until they realized that they could 'share' him. He never did anything more than kiss, anyways. Isidor was always thankful for his ability to talk. He had even considered leaving the town and becoming a wandering bard. He knew how to play the lute, he could sing quite well, and he could tell tales like there was no tomorrow. But that would require leaving his life-time friend, Belle. It would also be dangerous, require a bit more money than he had--having never the need for it anymore, Isidore adopted the policy of helping out traveling bards--as well as leaving the rest of the towns-folk. "Hey, Izzy, you alright?" Belle was right in front of him, holding his hands and squeezing them a bit. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm alright. Was just daydreaming a little bit there." "Oh..You done yet then? " She was so pretty when she smiled like that. "Yeah, I think I'm done then...So..Where we off to?" Isidore smiled back, and then turned to the others. "So ladies, whereto?"

From the brother of the Master of Time (Alkinae): "that would require like, a knife shaped car." (singing, now...)"If you like tunacolada, gettin' drunk in the rain" "But I get a negative fifty when using ranged weapons." There's plenty more...when I can think......

Aye, and a good story it was! Wonderful use of the 33!

And there was much rejoicing. Yay!

Ya know, this sounds like fun. Sign me up. Me too! And me! Yes, sign me up! ..Er...That's all just the one me..er...Yeah.....

Knowing full-well that he's no good at cooking, and even doubting his ability to solve riddles, Xaious signs up for the riddles......

Now to hope I win at least one of the ones I'd want....

Click the image for full size By the light of a single candle, the army would be forced to march. Neither side could prevent the oncoming slaughter, only hope, pray to be the victor. Soon, the order would come. Soon. ----------------------- The power was out, and a fair few games were played by the light of a single candle. As outside, the snow desired to fall, the lines bringing power snapped under the weight of ice and branches, conditions practically never known unto them. The kerosene burned elsewhere, logs in the fireplace ablaze, and a spare candle, for the candle-light chess games. The Lousiana Ice Storm of Christmas 04 was a wonderful thing. Had my batteries not been dying within my camera of the digital persuasion, Then I would have taken more, better pictures of the games. But nevertheless, enjoy this, the prelude to a candle-light war.

For the love of god, no, I repeat, NO! I do NOT want another warm Christmas! It was bad enough sweating the hiney off for Halloween AND Thanksgiving, I refuse to suffer another warm Crhistmas! (Trust me, there's nothing so sad as being able to walk around at this time of the year with shorts and short sleeved shirts. Trust me...[Althought, we've been a little lucky the past few days...really effin cold, so don't wish warmth on us for that day....it's warm the entire year, if not simply hot...])...Ok, I'm done ranting......For now.... But yes, it will be happy. =)

Anything else: The hero's weekness is the number...33..It causes him to twitch when he hears it.

Dear Ayshela, You know, I've never been any good at saying anything that wasn't in some way shape or form confusing, sarcastic, or seeming to be words with no meaning, but I'm going to try this anyways. I know I've never said it, or not said it enough of how much I appreciate what you do around here, and how you've always been the best Ayshela an Ayshela can be, and of all the wonderful things you do and whatnot, so here it is. Along with a box of cookies that I...acquired....from a certain reptilicus.... Thank You. Sincerely, Xaious, Master of Time Dear Shadows (Purple Shadows, that is), Hey there. Hows it going, and whatnot, eh? How are the cute li'l vermin doing? But that's besides the point... I'm writing this to let you know how much I....appreciate you. That's right. All the time spent talking to you, it's all wonderful time spent. And trust me on that, I know time. And I've yet to find a better way to spend that time..Well, not really, but I don't think you'd believe me if I told you what the best way to spend time actually is.... Seriously, You wouldn't believe me. But anyways, here it is. Along with some serious huggles and a box of cookies that I...acquired....from a certain reptilicus.... You're a wonderful person.. Sincerely, Xaious, Master of Time

"Well, back where I come from, there aren't very many holidays and the sort..Well, none of the world-over variety like Christmas over here and whatnot. I mean, there are things we celebrate in mass and all, but..I guess I'll skip the rambling and go straight to it, I suppose." Xaious cleared his throat with a glass of water that hadn't been there the second before, and wasn't there a second later. "You see, back on Alandrynn, we have this enormous party, at least once a year. Well, it used to happen more often, but at still happens once a year, at least. And, for you to understand why the celebration is held, I have to tell you a bit about the plant-life of my home-plane, and some other stuff, too." "There are these plants, you see, and these plants are very vrey important. Or something ofthe sort, I'm sure. Well, these plants, they are very similar to the ferns that grow on Earth, with a few differences. For one, they're small. Very small. I mean small like the size of a halfling small. And it's blue. It's not a bright blue, but a dull nblue, which is why it's so hard to find..Oh wait, I haven't informed you onb how hard they are to find. Well, let's just say that they're so hard to find, that everytime one is found, there's a celebration. And this celebration, the festival that ensues, well, it's one of thsoe things that..eh..heh heh.." Xaious began to fiddle with the collar of his shirt at this, taking another sip of his water.... "Well, if any of you have been to Earth, the best I can describe this festival..celebration...is Imagine Mardi Gras. And even then, you'd have to have been to a very specific place on Earth to know what that's like, so.... Let's just say it can easily be referred to as the 'Sinners in Street Ships Sin-credible Suare'..But that's because I've pretty much forgotten it's actual name." "Now, I know, 'A celebration over a pathetically small plant? Why?'. Well, the plant has some all-in-all incredible things about it, along the lines of..um...Ok, let me retry this. When a person eats this plant--it's not poisonous--, Err, no wait, that's a different plant... But this plant is the single most flavorful vegetation on the face of Alandrynn, and-surprisingly enough-One little plant can feed an entire town for a week, oft times with some left over. And onec a year, no less at least, someone finds one of these plants. The celebration is litle mor than a giant party, which starts with the preparing of the plant--this is what makes it able to feed the entire town for so long--and goes on as the people drink and eat, making merry over the fact that they do not have to cook for a whole week." With this, Xaious sighed. "Oh, and this plant also holds ..." Xaious suddenly began to laugh. "Actually, no, that's not it. But in my hometown, around this time, it's ...it..It's like this: We call it the Obligatory Sequence of Excessive Stretched Truths and Dishonesties. And every year, at about this time, everyone takes a week off, as the citizens take the time to excercise their brains--in most cases, at least--and lie out of their hind-quarters to each other, usually in story form. The tradition started a good many years back, as everyone kept lying to each-other, at this season exclusively, so now we do it for fun. And, my friends, You've all just witnessed a home-town tradition from...my home-town. It would have been better, but..um...Well, it wasn't..." With that, the Master bowed, and went to another seat.

As the goblin and baby troll removed themselves from the stage, a large half-orc sauntered up onto it. He wasn't no ordinary halr-orc, this one. The crowd murmered to themselves about the seven-foot-two half-orc, who was dressed in bright and gaudy clothing of every color, with clean hair, in the same fashion as one the Beatles, but with big bushy eyebrows, and lips so big that Steven Tyler would be jealous. When he reached the middle of the stage, he pulled out his mighty Axe--it was a greataxe with a slightly longer handle, two knobs at the end without the axe-head, and two strings running down the length of the handle. Then he began talking: " 'Ey, mah naim ish Krug, an' ah'm 'ere ta play yas sohm sohngs." The big guy informed the crowd, adjusting the little knobs, occasionally plucking the strings. Seemingly satisfied, Krug began plucking, to remind himself of how to play his song. "'Aight, thish wun ish naimed...er..ah dun' gott a naim forr it, so Ah'ma jush gonn playe it forr yas." And Krug began his song. *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Ale" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Half-orc" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Women" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo badabum bada bumbum bumbumbumbedoooobadabooo* "Preferablynotatthesametime" Krug paused to look at the crowd: Some people were laughing, others were trying to figure out what that last line said. This was good. *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Halfling" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Ale" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo* "Dwarf" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo badabum bada bumbum bumbumbumbedoooobadabooo* "Thay'rboththaperfectsize" "Soloh!" *bum bummbumbum bumbumbum bum bum be doo badabum bada bumbum bumbumbumbedoooobadabooo bumbumbum badabum badbadoo badabum bum bum badaboo beboobabedoo* Krug played on his two stringed Axe for another minute or so, the crowd cheering: It's not evreyday you get to listen to a half-orc bard singing his heart out. And aftr another minute of plucking and strumming and picking and thumbing the strings, Krug's song finished. "Thankh yas fohlks, thank yahs. Ah 'preshiaytid yoo hahvin' mhe 'ere." Krug bowed as the people cheered and clapped for him. Waving, Krug turned towards the exit, and shouted: "Ale!"

1: All things have their breaking points, and the human skull is no different. And after being pounded with so many cold, hard, heavy and small steel balls, one should be afraid if they don't hear the sickening cracking and splintering of bone or the odd squishing sounds as the bone shards rend the flesh as another smooth projectile thuds into the flesh, intruding on the brain. And, supposing that human were not made to forfeit life from the sickening mess of his forehead, then surely would he gag as the righ crimson and rusty penny taste of the his life-blood reached his mouth. 2: Rough, brown, and more akin to bark than I've yet informed, tough and stringy, smothered even with the red semi-solid of ketchup or the glowing yellowed of some dairy product, cardboard makes the better delicacy. This seed-home from the forever green pine tree dead and brown the cone with the seeds, waste not your time on this, for the flavor, god-awful. (I know the second one from experience...heh heh.....Trust me when I say that Magic Cards taste better than Pinecones......(bland flavor is better than bad flavor).....)

Yeah.. Before I got a description from him and drew that, all I ever saw in his place was a person-shaped Fog. But, to be fair, that's how I see most of the Pennites. Of course, some (like the Salaciously Silly Salicious Salinye Celestialgrace [god I love saying that!]) I see what they might look like..But at most, it's just their clothing with a person-shaped Fog inside......(except, of course, for those instances where I've gotten ahold of some descriptory text...)

And another one. I want to see who can guess who these people are, and then, what you think of them, if I got them right, etc., etc. Click on the image for full size.

I can assure you, it could have been much much better...

Thank yous. But what can I say..I've been practicing.. (all my life..heh heh)...

Tribalous Dragon From a different angle, differed dragon. Mid-flapping Another Dragon... This one was done/named after my friend, blake..who was a Pen Member... I don't really care for this..I need to get better at painting... And that's what I've got online. =P Yeah, they are kind of an addiction....The POWER!

Yay, goodies! (I do quite believe all will turn out for the best, eh [hah, optimism woo!]) *hugs the Salaciously Silly Salicious Salinye* =P

Ah yes, my D&D character.. Perhaps the only..wait..Yeah, the only one I had any sort of reference for... (aside from the memory of how Tim looked...) That reference: A picture I drew last year of one of my friends... (Grant it, the original drawing wasn't nearly as..um...good...) Thankies again! *huggles Salinye*

Thanks! Yeah, that's the second Standing man.. The first one was just pencil lines.. Yeah, the depression look is very....there....

This one is an insignia with my initials in it..I was bored in Freshmen Studies... This faerie, she's either mad and angry at what people have made her earth into, or she broke a nail. Standing man. A very Handy Zombie Vorg, the Half-Orc Barbarian Fighter Azalie, my D&D character. A Pureblood Elemental I..Am an Enchanter... Yeah.. Do make sure to read the descriptions underneath the pictures.

*huggles* That sucks.*huggles*