Quest 1: A Wild Dwarf Appears! [Dictated/Action][Open to all - let me know if I messed up!!]

[fuckelves]

[Where is he? Why is there a book in his hand?]

...from the make of this place, I'd say this is Elf sorcery...

[To appease his curiosity, Thorin opens the book and finds not only his name, but the words he spoke not seconds ago written inside.]

...definitely Elf devilry.

[He tilts a brow and observes his surroundings - seems to be a lobby of some sort. Dwarves don't typically live in castles, so he knows this is not the work of his kind - and his kind would never demand the sacrifice that this castle did.]

Where in Mahal's beard am I?

Comments

[fuckelves]

Always repaired, eh?

[Well then consulting others on the matter hardly seems like a practical idea.]

Why would one elect to stay in such a place? Is there really no appeal to this place?

[lightbranded]

There is little else for us to do. Some of us move into the town and find residence there. And there are explorations out into the dead zone, but it is too dangerous for anyone to go there alone.

[fuckelves]

Ah...residence. Yes, there's that matter as well. This castle brought me here, but where am I to stay?

[Thorin's starting to wonder if the castle just magically grows rooms to contain so many residents.]

And what's this about a 'Dead Zone'?

[lightbranded]

There should be a room with your name beside the door. There are many empty rooms in the castle, and it never seems to run out of space for new arrivals.

The Dead Zone... [Will hesitates.]

I still do not fully understand it. But it seems to be a place where any special ability you have is lost. Even advanced machines do not work there. I do not go there, because I find the feeling very uncomfortable.

[fuckelves]

...does this castle miss nothing?

[Very detail-oriented, he notices.]

...is this a place people go to willingly? What of Dwarves like myself that possess little magic, but pride ourselves on our battle skills?

[lightbranded]

Very little, I've found.

A dwarf, really? How marvelous!

Ah, but I suppose you might do well enough. It seems to be those of us who are of magic who are most affected by that place.

[fuckelves]

[Thorin blinks a bit.]

Is it...not obvious what I am? Are there no Dwarves in your world?

[This could very well be the case; something he didn't consider before.]

It occurs to me, young master, that you know my name and I know not yours. Might I ask what you call yourself?

[lightbranded]

Not quite. In my world there are no dwarves nor elves nor dragons nor many other things beside.

I am Will Stanton. [The boy smiles, the expression almost disguising the weight of knowledge and oldness in his eyes.]

[fuckelves]

A world without Elves and Dragons...

[Thorin smiles for a moment. He could quite enjoy a world like that! But a world without Dwarves means a world without Fili and Kili. That's something he just can't live with.]

Pleased to know you, Will Stanton!

[lightbranded]

A pleasure to meet you as well, Thorin Oakenshield.

Ah, there is yet magic in my world. And the Light and the Dark and all the creatures of the Wild Magic. But there are none such races as dwarves and elves.

[fuckelves]

A world with magic, yet void of creatures such as Dwarves and Elves. It still seems a dull existence, if you don't mind my saying.

[Yes, because "creatures of the Wild Magic" sounds very dull indeed...]

Speak to me of this "Wild Magic".

[lightbranded]

I never found it so. [But his response is in good humor.] Plenty to deal with in it self, I always found.

The Wild Magic is the old magic of the earth and of living things. It cannot be controlled, and does not hold much love for humans. Or indeed for anything that is not itself. And the creatures which belong to it are much the same. They hold great power, yes. But their motives are their own.

[fuckelves]

So...they are not evil beings they are simply free?

[That's how Thorin views it anyway.]

It seems to me that this Wild Magic simply does not want to be tamed by Humans or anything else, as you said. Which I can actually understand quite well...

[lightbranded]

In all my world, the only beings that could be called evil are the creatures of the Dark. The Wild simply is. They may hold themselves to different moralities, but they are not evil in themselves.

[fuckelves]

Ah, understood.

Now, these creatures of the Dark, what manner of beasts are they?

[He's heard stories and had his own experiences with wicked creatures, and he wishes to compare between worlds.]

sorry about the length!

[lightbranded]

The Dark... [Will hesitates, uncertain how to explain something so very much a part of his universe.]

In my world there are many forces of magic, each with their own role to play in the workings of the universe. Above all sits the High Magic, which oversees the operation of the stars and planets, and which sits in judgement over all magic. And directly beneath the High Magic there is the Light and there is the Dark. They are opposites. Poles, you might say.

[Will's voice slowly picks up strength as he speaks, slowly sliding into almost lilting tones.[

At the center of the Light is a cold white flame that burns, and at the center of the Dark is a great dark pit as deep as the universe. All that is cruel, all that is hate, all that is fear and prejudice and darkness. That is the Dark. Their one goal, since the beginning of time, has been to see the creation of a world in which all of those alone are in the hearts of men. A world in which there could never be any question of goodness or mercy or humanitarianism or indeed any of the things that allow men to live in peace with one another.

As for what manner of form they take, it is often as men they appear. Sometimes only a shadow in the hearts of men, whispering to them of hate and fear. Sometimes in the form of an ordinary man, no different in appearance from any other. Sometimes as riders clad clad in black and white, never in the shades between. Sometimes the Dark even comes as animals, as rooks and polecats and milgwn.

But I will always know them. For I am an Old One of the Light.

Re: don't apologize! I love lengthy posts!! :)

[fuckelves]

An Old One you say? Yes, you speak with the authority of one...

[Or, write in this case.]

Our worlds are not so different, but what you speak of tends to be more the concern of the Wizards of my world. They are the ones who guard Middle Earth, and mind the balance of power between the light and dark.

We are fortunate enough in my time that we have lived in relative peace from great wars between the light and dark for about 300 years...but I am told it will not remain so.

Though, there are constant struggles that the forces of wickedness put up; the Dragon that attacked my realm being one of them.

[lightbranded]

[A child who spoke with the knowledge and temperament of an old man, that was Will.]

The Lady has told me much of Middle Earth. [He says this reflectively.] I have heard from other of your world that perhaps your wizards or istari are the closest to what I am.

The Dark always seeks to rise again. There have been two great risings in my world, and many smaller ones.

[fuckelves]

[Thorin nods, but shortly - not wanting it to be known that he agreed with an Elf.]

Aye. I'm told that the darkness seeks to rise again in Middle Earth. And it does not surprise me: Wherever there is light, does it not cast shadow?

That is the unfortunate truth, is it not? No light can exist without darkness.

[lightbranded]

For light and darkness this is true. But not, perhaps, for Light and Dark.

[fuckelves]

I did not consider these concepts to be very different from each other.

[Aaaand here's the stubborn Dwarf we were all missing...]

[lightbranded]

They are, and they are not.

[fuckelves]

...seems inconveniently perplexing.

[Thorin doesn't like contradictions...]

[lightbranded]

Important things are often very complicated, I've found/

[fuckelves]

Aye, an excellent point.