You think you found a good opportunity to sneak north.
It's night.
In a dark forest.
There are six obvious exits: northeast, east, southeast, south,
west, northwest.
A black-toothed red-eyed male elf and Toloto.
You remember the black-toothed red-eyed male elf as: Morv'ren.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: ...Toloto. I knew you'd be back eventually. You're alone as always, yes?

Toloto says melodically in Common: U-um...D-Daddy...about that...

Ok, you stop hiding yourself in the darkness.
Morv'ren turns to face you.
Morv'ren peers intently at you.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: Toloto...who is this man?

You speak clearly in Common: My name's not important...Morv'ren.

Morv'ren's eyes suddenly shoot wide open, and he turns back to Toloto.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: You little wench! You stupid, foolish girl! You will tell NO ONE about me!

You speak clearly in Common: I think it's just a little too late for that, don't you? And besides...she's not the one who
told me about you.

Toloto shoots you a strange look, obviously confused.
You concentrate upon your ring and send Toloto this tell: Trust me on this, okay? Just play along...
Morv'ren hisses in Common: So if she didn't tell you...who did? And why the hell are you here?

Morv'ren glares at you hatefully.
You speak clearly in Common: I'm just here to make sure you don't lay a hand on her. And as for who told me...well. If I told you, that would just ruin the surprise, now wouldn't it?

You smirk.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: Oh, I get it. You think you're here to play the hero, don't you? You're going to get between me
and my own daughter, make sure I don't harm her anymore...is that it? I get it...you're the one she loves, aren't you? You're
the son of a bitch who converted my daughter to that wench goddess, Evren!

Toloto reaches a hand out to Morv'ren, and says melodically in Common: Daddy, no! Please! Don't hurt him!

Morv'ren tells Toloto in Quenya: Quiet, you little bitch!

Morv'ren swings an open palm towards Toloto's face.
Toloto's eyes widen in fear, but she waits for the blow. You grab Morv'ren by the wrist just before his hand reaches Toloto.
You speak clearly in Quenya: No such luck, Morv'ren. I speak Quenya, too. And am I mistaken, or...didn't I just tell you
you're not going to touch her?

Morv'ren spits on the ground.
Morv'ren wrenches his hand free of your grasp.
Morv'ren looks at you.

You are a mature well-tanned male human, presenting yourself as:
Minstrel Vashniir Vaughn of the ArboRea Skalds.
You see a man with wavy, light-brown hair and a fairly muscular build.
His chilling blue eyes almost seem to glow. There is a long, cleanly-cut
scar which reaches from cheek to cheek, across the bridge of his nose.
You have scars on your nose.
You have blue eyes.
You have short brown hair and a very short brown beard.
You are tall and lean for a human.
You look wonderful.
You are in good shape.
You are extremely alert.
You are wearing an iron gorget, a leather quiver, a left warglove, a long
midnight-blue cape, a pair of black leather boots, a right warglove and a
soft midnight-blue headband.
Under that you are wearing a black leather shirt, a gemmed golden ring, a
golden ring, a leather belt with one scabbard attached to it, a leather belt
with two scabbards attached to it, a padded tunic, a pair of black leather
trousers, a pair of leather thigh-guards and a runic ring with a large clear
crimson-red jewel.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: And just what are you going to do about it? Do you really think that silly little neck band is
going to keep you from being...changed? Or didn't you know...?

Morv'ren flashes a truly satanic smile, revealing extremely long razor-sharp fangs.
You speak clearly in Common: Oh, trust me, I know. And I also know that not even a vampire can bite through thick iron so
easily.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: If that's what you think, you've obviously never been in this sort of situation.

You think: . o O { ...bluffing...isn't he? }
Morv'ren hisses in Common: So, you think you can protect her...well, let's just see if you can live up to your word!

Morv'ren tries to ram his knee into your groin, but you avoid his attack.

You are currently fighting in defend mood.
Toloto runs foward, in an attempt to seperate you and Morv'ren. Toloto says melodically in Common: Daddy! No!

Morv'ren hisses in Common: I said quiet! Stay out of this!

Toloto backs away, looking to you helplessly. Toloto says melodically in Common: V-vashniir...don't hurt him...

You remain silent.
Morv'ren swings his clawed left hand at your torso, but you dodge his attack with a swift move of
your body.

Morv'ren swings his clawed right hand at your neck and cuts slightly through your skin.
Your wounds start to bleed.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: What's wrong? Too weak to even fight back? You're more pathetic than I thought.

Your wounds stopped bleeding. You speak clearly in Common: So it's come to violence, has it? I'm clearly no match for you...I guess you'll want to know
who it is that told me about you, won't you?
Morv'ren hits you with a hard kick and bruises your abdomen.
Your wounds start to bleed.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: So you're willing to talk once you experience a bit of pain? Heh, humans...I'll never understand
them. Very well, I give up. Who told you?

Your wounds stopped bleeding.
You speak clearly in Common: You really want to know? Okay...it was the woman who is supposedly your wife. That girl's
mother.

You point at Toloto.
Toloto gasps in astonishment!
Morv'ren pauses for a moment, then laughs raucously.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: You moronic fool! Do you actually believe that I'll fall for that? Ha!

Morv'ren lunges at you and attempts to pierce his fangs into your neck.
You rub the gemstone and suddenly it starts to shine in a bright red light
illuminating your surroundings.
Morv'ren stumbles a bit back away from you.
You start to sing 'Singin' in the rain'.
A bright aura forms around you illumating the surrounding.
You hum the melody of 'Singin' in the rain'.
Morv'ren screams loudly!
You wield a throwing dagger in your right hand.
You changed your fighting mood.
You thrust your throwing dagger at Morv'ren's right arm and drill it deep
into his right arm, causing a nasty, deep wound.

You changed your fighting mood.
You unwield a throwing dagger.
You speak clearly in Common: Careful, now...don't think I can't fight back.

You stop singing 'Singin' in the rain'.
The bright aura vanishes.
You speak clearly in Common: And anyway, if you don't believe me...why don't you go ask her for yourself? I know you're
holding her...nice and comfy, just like home? Right?

You think: . o O { Tell me I hit it right on the head... }
Morv'ren growls.
Morv'ren hisses in Dark Speech: Son of a...

You think: . o O { Bingo. }
Morv'ren's muscles start to twitch. His body seems to twist and change form, until eventually, with a loud screech, he
takes the form of a small furry bat.
The small furry male bat is bleeding heavily!
The small furry bat flies out northwest.
The gemstone on your ring starts to flicker and finally stops glowing.
You speak clearly in Common: Perfect...I've got you right where I want you, now.
Toloto asks you in Common: Just what do you think you're doing, Vashniir?!

You tell Toloto in Common: Please, just trust me. We're going to find your mother...just stay here.

You see some blood on the ground, leading a trail northwest.
You feel your mental powers decrease.
You feel refreshed.
You drink from a cloudy potion with a label on it.
You follow the blood trail to the northwest, occasionally ducking from view among the trees.

---

It's night.
In a dark forest.
There are two obvious exits: cave, southeast.
You are looking around for a good possibility to sneak cave.
You think you found a good opportunity to sneak cave.

It's dark.
In a small cave.
There is one obvious exit: out.
A fine-boned skinny female elf and Morv'ren.
Morv'ren slaps the fine-boned skinny female elf.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: Did you or did you not converse with someone from the outside?!

The fine-boned skinny female elf whimpers in Common: N-no! How could I?!

Morv'ren growls.
Morv'ren spits on the ground.
Ok, you stop hiding yourself in the darkness.
You speak clearly in Common: Well, well, well...

Morv'ren turns to face you with a malevolent stare.
Morv'ren hisses loudly in Common: You! You bastard! You lied, didn't you? Didn't you!?

You speak clearly in Common: Well, I think that would be obvious, don't you?

You are physically slightly hurt and mentally in full vigour.
You are very tired.

You feel your mental powers decrease.
You feel refreshed.
You drink from a cloudy potion with a label on it.
Morv'ren hisses loudly in Common: You think you're smart, don't you?! You just wanted to find out where I was keeping her...
but you forgot one thing! What you're going to do once you find out! Well, allow me to tell you what happens next...

Morv'ren shouts in Common: Now, you die! Or, better yet! Now...now you will become like me! And together we'll finally
complete Toloto's transformation!!

Morv'ren's eyes flash a horrible hue of bloodred as he lunges towards you and pierces through your iron gorget with
his fangs.
Morv'ren slowly removes his fangs from your neck.
Morv'ren laughs tumultuously.
Morv'ren hisses loudly in Common: You're nothing but a fool! Until the very end of your possession of your own pathetic
soul, you really thought that gorget could stop me from transforming you! Ha! What a joke!

You laugh silently.
Morv'ren stares at you.
Morv'ren hisses in Common: What? What's so funny?

You remove the iron gorget.
Blood slowly drips from inside of the gorget, but not from your neck.
Morv'ren hisses quietly in Common: What...what is this...
You speak clearly in Common: All this time, you thought you were the better fighter. And granted, you were. But there's
one thing you don't realize. Not all of life is fought with violence. I'm glad I finally got to meet my wife's father,
Morv'ren, but...during all of this, we haven't been fighting.
You speak clearly in Common: No, we've been having a battle of wits. A battle which, unfortunately for you...I've just won.
Go ahead, take a look. Examine that blood you've got dripping from your fangs.

Morv'ren slowly reaches a finger to his teeth and wipes a bit of blood onto it.
A small cloud of steam rises from Morv'ren's finger.
Morv'ren hisses quietly in Common: No...it can't be...

You speak clearly in Common: ...holy blood. In the gorget. I never thought this gorget would protect me from your bite,
just to spell your fate.

Morv'ren hisses in Common: No...no! No! I'm not going out this way...with the last of my strength, tremble in despair!

Morv'ren gathers his energy and lunges with his fangs at you once more, but suddenly stops right as he reaches you.
Morv'ren breathes haggardly and falls to the floor in a heap, revealing Toloto standing behind him.
Toloto unwields a wooden stake.
Morv'ren died.
You speak deeply in Common: Toloto...what did you...

Toloto lets out a small sob.
Toloto says melodically in Common: I didn't want to do it Vashniir, even after all he's done to me and Mama. I almost couldn't, but then when he went to change you...I'd never forgive him for that, never. S-so I...
Toloto gestures to the fallen stake and sniffs, still crying slightly.

You speak deeply in Common: Toloto...

Toloto shakes her head, firmly wiping her eyes.
Toloto thinks . o 0 (I refuse to let him haunt me, even now...)
Toloto says melodically in Common: W-what's wrong with your voice, Vashniir?

Toloto sniffs slightly.
You speak deeply in Common: It's nothing. Come on, Toloto...let's get out of this hellhole.

Toloto goes and helps her mother stand up, and the two hug each other tightly.
You tenderly touch your fingers to a small, almost unnoticeable mark on your neck.
Toloto is part of your team now.
Toloto says melodically in Common: C'mon Mama, it's okay. Vashniir's a good man, you don't need to be afraid.
Toloto smiles softly at the fine-boned skinny female elf.
The fine-boned skinny female elf hesitantly nods, and looks to you.
The fine-boned skinny female elf introduces herself as: Aurana
Aurana is part of your team now.
You feel your mental powers decrease.
You feel refreshed.
You drink from a cloudy potion with a label on it.
You travel a very short distance out.

---

// Written by Vashniir and Toloto, with much help in planning by Ezdreli. Comments are welcome and appreciated.