I find myself lying in the dark, on cold, wet loam. Picking myself up, I see that we're in the middle of a dark evergreen forest, and it seems to be past midnight. Excellent. I'm in my element here.

"Is everyone here oriented?"

As the rest of my party stumbles to their feet, I rummage through my satchel, strapping my dagger to my belt and dipping a few more arrows in toxin. I carefully place these in a skin-lined metal compartment of my quiver where the toxins won't contaminate my other arrows. I have an inherent feeling of safety in the woods, but something about these surroundings makes me shudder. Realizing what is different, I pull my hood back into its near - eternally upright position and take another cautious look around. The air is cold, slightly damp, and heavily scented with pine needles and rain. There is a slight wind blowing and the sound of a creek not too far away. I pull out a leather waterskin from my bag and pass it around to my party, realizing with a sudden regret that I didn't even bring oatcakes for the journey. Whatever. Food can be attended to later. I hear a cracking twig off in the distance, and, shuddering again, morph my skin. It rapidly darkens to a deep shade of green, taking on a thick texture. Smooth scales ripple over it, almost giving me the appearence of a snake.

"And to think...in a photosynthetic state without a quantum of light."

I look over to Aya. She seems slightly disturbed by the change of scenery.

"Don't give it a second thought. You'll learn soon enough that once you get mixed up in a group like this, 'normal' is the most disconcerting thing you'll ever experience. Hmm...is that bow all you have? Pity you didn't get more time to practice with it. We'll have to make do."

I walk over to a small sapling, feeling it for strength. It appears to be a white oak. Taking out my dagger, I deftly chop it at the base.

"At any rate, you'll learn how to fight with a staff faster than that bow. Won't be any good without some short-range combat items. Take the stave and keep it with you, but I don't advise swinging it too much right now."

"So, Vix. I have absolutely no clue where the hell we are. You have any guesses?"

I look around suddenly, tilt my head up, cup hands as if to shout, and then whisper at a barely audible volume with the absurd appearence of yelling:
"Malus! Might you have considered sending this young un some armour at least? She's wearing jeans and sneakers for bryaphyta's sake!"

OC: I'm sorry I'm mentaly drained and time crunched so I haven't been able to churn out what's needed however without further ado:

IC:

*door opens Gaius and Kwai enter*
Gaius: Hello all, vix
Vix*shocked*: wow gaius malus had said you changed but not this much...
Gaius: I;m still gaius vix, I just have wings now
Gaius: any way you lot are going on a mission to secure an artifact of the last shade war, a very powerful staff which was used to seal away the shades, it is kept in a mighty citadel and defended by mighty beasts that are a threat even to immortals like myself. It is a hidden place deep within the elven forest *hands vix a scroll* that should lead you to the temple from the village of the elves Cawlenifer. I reccomend you spend the night in Cawlenifer and rest and prepare for the journey it shall be hard and losing your lives are rather likely, Aya I reccomend you ask around the village you may just find a lead to your elven parents there *tears open a hole in space* now if you'll all step through you'll be on your way *the party wlaks through, Vix pauses halfway through*
Vix: Gaius aren't you coming with us?
Gaius: I'll join you shortly but I have buisness to attend to first, I'll see you all later
Vix: alright *steps through, closes the portal*

Gaius: good luck you lot will need it
*malus rushes in*
Malus: Gaius are they off?
Gaius: yes my friend I just closed the portal, what's wrong?
Malus: It's the elf girl Aya, she's not an elf gaius
Gaius: then that means...
Malus: yes Aya is the only half elf in existance and the only known human/elf mating was you and...
Gaius: Marle, she never told me she was pregnant even on her death bed she didn't tell me she had, had my child
Malus: it's okay old friend Marle didn't tell any one as far as I can tell...
Gaius: if only I hand't been gone after the first month of our marrige, I might have
Malus: what known she was pregnant? you couldn't have saved her Gaius, but you can do right by your daughter
Gaius: your, your right Malus that's all I can do
Malus: I think you already have to a degree, she had Marle's bow didn't she?
Gaius: yes I don't know why but I just got a sense that the bow belonged with her
Malus: well now we know that it did
Malus: come on let's go find some warm red wine
and try to cheer you up
Gaius: alright let's go have a good drink
*they leave the now empty room*


Note: Gaius isn't a philanderer he's been married several times to human women but they died of old age or disease, the last of these marriges was Alex's great-great grandmother after that Gaius swore off getting close to mortal women because the pain at their deaths was so much. Shortly after that he met Marle one of the elven folk which meant she would live as long as he would, until her life was cut short by a terible disease

out: i'd like to comment that it's been nearly five hours rather than one. topic suggestions:

1. more about the shades that are attacking...
2. maybe throw a prophecy in the mix so that one of us has to cope with the burden of saving the world from evil magic users...

these are just suggestions, but anyone who wants to come up with a storyline can use these.

ok, will do

Vix: nope I was just told to show up

OCL folks this is what we call a stalling tactic till amp's sad, schitzophrenic brain can churn out another long one so that we can advance the plot (that I have become the keeper of for some odd reason, so I call a one hour break, come back at noon and I'll gethings moving again

oh, i'm Aya, by the way... in case you didn't figure that out from malus' introduction...

soo... do you know what we're doing?

*apologizing to vix*
sorry about that... although if you hadn't opened the door, i would have hit the target for the first time....

OC: Here Comes a New Challenger

Name: Vixen(real name not known)
Sex: Female
Age: appears to be 25 (frozen in time)
Eyes: Emerald Green
Hair: Copper Red, Low Back Length, give the impression of a lions mane
Height: 5' 5"
Weight: 134 pounds
Skin: tan
Body: Dangerous Curves ^_^
Clothes: Black leather, pants, top and jacket, wears combat boots(black leather of course)
What: Kunochi (female ninja)
Weapons: Katana, Kung fu fan, pistol, Shruiken
Lives: on the road
Qoute: get the hell out of my way
History: Born in to the ninja village of the Koga-ryu the child of an Irish immigrant to japan and the female heiress to a prestigous kunochi clan, Vixen (or vix as she is called by her friends) grew up rather normaly (well normal for a ninja in training any way) and became a presigous ninja by age 22, on her 23rd birthday japanese goverment forces attacked and destroyed her village leaving her one of the only survivors. Fleeing Japan she fled to china where she was taken in by a Shaolin Temple, there she befriended a young kung-fu master named Kwai who taught her how to fight with a fan, eventually they both left the temple and traveled together. Eventually on top of a sacred mountain the Gods made them immortal (age wise) so that they could preserve their traditions for the future when their arts would be severly persecuted (see cultural revolution) after this encounter of the heavenly kind the continued to wander the earth and having a series of mis-adventures with Gaius and Malus

I see Vix as the greatest character acting challenge I have to date

IC:
Kwai*tucking in Liz*: I can't belive that two diverse young ladies would have such emotional issues, poor girl wore herself out just talking about it *leaves* I guess I better find Vix she said we were here for a reason

changing scenes:
Malus: I had better find those girls we need to get them moving as soon as vix and kwai...
Vix: get here malus?
Malus: well it's good to see you again Vix, where's Kwai?
Vix: he went on a walk Malus, he tends to do that if you'll recall
Malus: yes I do, I suppose I better get you to the rest of your team so Gaius can brief you
*vix's eyes light up*
Vix: Gaius is here?
Malus: Gaius is in charge
Vix: really well isn't that intresting
Malus: Vix gaius has...changed
Vix: how?
Malus: you'll see
Vix: damn vampire, all ways have to be so mysterious
Malus: damn right I have to be
*opens a door and enters only to have to dodge an arrow*
Malus*glares at a sheepish looking aya*: I shall pretend that never happened. Shadow, Aya, Rhizod I'd like to intorduce you to Vixen *she enters*
Vixen: call me Vix
Malus: she and her companion Kwai shall be leading your team
Rhizod: to do what exactly?
Malus: Gaius shall explain when he gets here, until then i have to work to do so I shall leave you to your own devices
*exits mumbling something about nutjobs with bows in his castle*

meanwhile Gaius is walking the halls and runs into Kwai-
Gaius: Kwai my old friend! I'm glad you made it!
Kwai: all ways good to see you, you old war horse
Kwai: uh Gaius have you changed?
Gaius: Unfurls wings, slightly old friend
Kwai: made the dragon bond huh?
Gaius: uh huh with claw
Kwai: so his old rider died?
Gaius: yeah malk was a solid old fellow but he was getting up in the centuries
Kwai: aren't we all?
Gaius: well come on Malus just told me that Vix is already at the briefing so we'd best not keep them waiting
Kwai: what exactly are we up to Gaius?
Gaius*grins*: Nothing much just the usual
Kwai: oh lord why do I feel I'm about to go on another of your outrageous, insane and life threatining adventures again?
Gaius*laughs*" quit being so fatalistic old friend and let's get a move on!

oh, i understand that i'll need practice... the only other time that i've ever held a bow was six years ago in fifth grade camp, and my aim was terrible

Yeah, that's pretty normal for elves. You'll soon learn that just because the bow feels "right" doesn't mean you won't need practice. You'll learn amazingly fast though.

* turns bow over in hands *
Huh. I've never even seen this type of wood before. I'll have to talk to Gaius about it.
* nocks own arrow in string and draws it back *

That's a good 30 kilo string. The fact that you can draw it on your first go is pretty damn impressive.

Just for kicks, I'm updating my stats with some more details.

Weight: 125
Height: 5'4"
Hair: Gray-brown, dull, cropped short
Skin: Normally tan and heavily scarred, in camouflage/battle mode thick, leathery, green, and with a scale-like pattern
Eyes: dark brown, almost black, and intense
Body: female, but slightly androgynous
Clothing: Black ankle high boots, dark gray canvas pants with drawstring, light gray hooded canvas shirt (long sleeved and mid-thigh length), forest green cloak for cold weather, green webbing belt worn over shirt
Armour: chain-maille hobaurken with hood, leather gauntlets
Weaponry: heron-fletched ashwood arrows with iron bodkin tips, yew wood longbow, arrow toxin, short dagger
Other items: drinking flask, cloth satchel, quiver, deerskin for sleeping, flint
Skills: archery, camouflage

okay.. i figured out how to string the bow... i can pull it back, but i'd be willing to bet that you'd have a hard time with this one... the only other thing i know about it is that it feels good... right ...for me to have it in my hand.

All you need to know is that he's old. Very, very old.

Alright then. I take it you've never shot one of these, seeing as you're new to elven craft. I'm clearly not an elf, but seeing as my powers don't earn me much in combat, I've had to learn how to fight with these. Tell me what all you know about archery, and I'll see what I can add to your skill.

i have no idea... gaius...who's gaius, anyway?... left it for me in my room while i was out...

I'm actually new to this place, but most fortifications like this should have an archery range on the grounds somewhere. Interesting bow. That doesn't look like yew wood. What is it made from?

hmm... maybe i should find a target to practice with these on...
i wander outside and try to find my way to an exit. as i walk around, i notice the woman with green skin is sitting in a room, braiding a bowstring. I go up to her and ask:
"excuse me, but can you tell me where a good place to practice with these is?"
*gestures with bow*

Again, I find myself sitting idly in a room, absentmindedly nocking an heron-fletched arrow and pulling it back and forth. I notice that my bow string has been getting thin and worn, and pull out the materials to start twisting a new one.

i pick up the bow and hold it. it radiates power that i've never felt in an object. i string the bow and test the draw. amazingly i can pull it back with ease, though i guess that has something to do with the fact that i'm stronger than the human i thought i was

I follow Malus, keeping a careful watch of my surroundings and taking in the citidel.

having slept for nearly a full day, I wake up to find myself in a nicely, albeit sparsely furnished room. the alst thing that i remember is telling my story to the chinese kung fu guy-what was his name? oh, it was kwai. and then...nothing. although, i have to admit that that was the best night's sleep that i have had since before....since before. sitting up on the bed, i notice that there is a chair and a desk, and a wardrobe in the small room. then i notice that there is a quiver of arrows and a bow to match. i get up to examine the weapons, and i notice that there is aa note fastened to one of the arrows:
Aya, my great-great-grandson told me about his meeting with you yesterday. even though you are newly exposed to your heritage, you might need these. i look forward to meeting you in the near future.
-gaius