My last story didn't get too much attention, so I think I'll start a new one. This tale is set in the Arcanum universe where magic and technology co-exist in an uneasy balance. I want the story to have roleplayihs elements, colorful characters and creative writing, so you will get much freedom in your writing, you can go on and adventure on your own or you can team up with me or someone else.

It was high noon in Tarant when something unusual happened: A town crier made an announcement that everyone who was skilled with the sword or the gun or were otherwise into the adventuring business were asked to immediatly report to the front of 44 Polton Cross, The "Tarantian" editorial office. There they will be handed out leaflets about a mission to the northern island of Mortharos. The king of Cumbria has apparently been assassinated and the leads point out that the murderer/s came from that island. "Tarant is unable to act on the matter due to political reasons, so a private person is holding a bounty-hunt, to whoever brings the murderers to the viceroy of Cumbria (dead or alive with proof), will be paid 200 000 gold pieces by lord Arangoth of Cumbria" It was well known that lord Arangoth was the richest man outside Tarant.
And it was also a well-known fact that Mortharos was a place of no-law, it was a hideout for those who do not wish to be found and those with no good intentions.

I will create my characters a bit later, what I have decided is that they are a pair of adventurers from Ashbury.




------------------
Mankind was once a small spark in danger of falling victim to even the smallest of breeze, but like all fires, this one started to grow. Now we are a firestorm, burning everything from our wake and we will not stop until we extinguish ourselves...or someone calls the fire department

My characters:
Dante Morath
A lightly built human male. A very social person with a tendency to gambling and risks, considered quite the ladies-man and his skill at the knife-toss are legendary in Ashbury. He likes to wear a black leather robe that resembles a trenchcoat. He is not exceptionally intelligent and he lacks the ability to make decicions, but he tends to be liked by most people. He is also good with words and can win any insulting competition.

Marketh Whitetoes
Marketh is a taller-than-average male gnome. Marketh was a child-genius, his father was a doctor who sold fake potions that were supposed to give people unnatural abilities, he got caught and was hung when Marketh was 19. Marketh was bitter to his father and so he used his mental gifts to create ACTUAL miracle potions, like mind-boosters or eyesight-sharpeners. But the people knew his father and refused to believe him, that's where Dante came in. They start a business together, Marketh created the products and Dante used his social skills to sell them, they became friends and they got into a lot of trouble together in Ashbury (mostly because of Dante's "close encounters" with young women).

After having business for a few years Market's and Dante's store got burnt by a group of rebelling half-orcs who then kidnapped the daughter of a well-known merchant (who was one of Dante's ex-mistresses). The two went after the half-orcs and were able to return the girl intact. The merchant offered to rebuild their store as a reward, but Marketh and Dante realized they enjoyed their little adventure, so they became adventurer's.

The two managed to get quite a reputation in Ashbury, with Marketh as the brains and the gun and Dante as the persuader and the throwing-arm. A few weeks back they had to leave Ashbury due to a scandal they caused (well, Dante caused) when Dante was caught in bed with the mayor's daughter by the local newspapermen and the mayor swore he would shoot Dante if he ever saw him again. So the companions set out to Tarant. After two days arriving to Tarant, they received a message from the town-crier and decided to get some reputation in Tarant by finding out who killed the king of Cumbria.

------------------
Mankind was once a small spark in danger of falling victim to even the smallest of breeze, but like all fires, this one started to grow. Now we are a firestorm, burning everything from our wake and we will not stop until we extinguish ourselves...or someone calls the fire department

OK, let's hope enough people know about the world, if you don't and are interested, go to http://arcanum.sierra.com/ and click the "world" button on the left panel, that should get enough information to get you interested in the game and maybe even writing this story I will write my first bit now thus starting the adventure for my two adventurers. In case you wonder just how much freedom you have, I will answer you: L LOT You can even twist the main plot in any way, I do have a little something in mind, but I will use it only if nobody has come up with something else. Have fun writing!!

Marketh and Dante walked out of one of Tarant's inns and continued their walking towards a more isolated part of town. Marketh glanced at Dante's arrogant smile and sighed loudly
-You just got lucky or my persuasion elixir failed, so stop your obsessive grinning before somebody beats...no, I will beat you
-Oh come on Markie, I'm just good with cards, you just depend on your goos too much
-My ELIXIRS are always useful, your big mouth is not! And stop calling me Markie, my name is Marketh!
-Whatever Markie
-I swear, some day I'm going to...
Suddenly they heard a scream from a closeby building with boarded windows. "sounds like someone's in trouble and it sounds like it's a woman" Dante said with an excited look on his face, he took out a pair of throwing daggers and started running towards the house. "Great!! Just what we needed propably another mayors daughter that will wind up in a scandal with you...WAIT FOR ME!!" Marketh pulled out a finely crafted revolver and a syringe which he slipped to a leather strap attached to his wrist and ran after his friend.

Dante kicked in the door and they both charged in. They saw a woman surrounded by dozens of orcs with their weapons drawn. Marketh quickly glanced at the woman and saw that her skin was greenish and she had pointy ears - a half-orc. "Run like hell Dante!!" he shouted "it's a trap" Dante threw a dagger at one of the orcs and stormed out the door almost running over Marketh. Marketh shot his revolver to the orc's feet making them stop and then went after Dante, but the orcs were faster than the short-legged gnome and they kept gaining on him. Marketh turned his wrist so that the syringe attached to his arm sunk into his skin and the liquid in it started coursing through his vains, one of the orcs almost grabbed Marketh, but suddenly the little gnome launched off with speed enough to make an elven scout jealous, he ran Dante down, took out another syringe and jabbed it into Dante's side. Marketh expected Dante to gain similar super-human speed, but instead he made a strange rattling sound with his throat and fell to the ground. "OH CRAP!!" Marketh shouted and turned around to face the orcs.

Marketh used his revolver with deadly skill taking out two orcs before they even reached them, then he pulled out a little dagger and used the skills he had gained with the elixir. He ran around, under and between the orcs stabbing every once-in-a-while, the orcs started to take it more carefully after losing another one of their comrades, these two... well this one should not be underestimated. Marketh felt his elixir wearing off and he was running out of breath, so he started shouting like a madman and charged at the orcs with such fury that it knocked down two of them and they were almost three times Marketh's size. He quickly finished off the ones lying on the ground and the rest decided the night was still young to rob other people, so they ran away shaking their fists at Marketh.

Dante was lying on the ground rubbing his head, then he threw up. "What the hell happened to me, I remember we ran away from the trap, but..." "You were ran down by an orc that knocked you out!" Marketh quickly interrupted, "I had to defend you with my life" (Marketh saw no reason to tell Dante he had accidentally given him a syringe that was designed for gnomish physics, not for humans) "Oh, you are my hero! Would my hero mind telling me how the hell I got this syringe sticking out of my side?" Dante replied scoffingly and punched the gnome in the shoulder. "Ouch!! Even I can make mistakes you know" Marketh shouted. They got up and started laughing at the whole affair. "Hahhaa, you gave me the wrong syringe you genious! And you say they are always useful" Dante chuckled sarcastically. "Yes, after all, a little noxiousness, unconsciousness and sterility are not that bad side efeects" Marketh said and grinned. "Yeah and...WHAT!!! STERILITY!!!??" Dante suddenly screamed out and looked at Marketh almost panicing. "I was only kidding! Heheehhee!" Marketh said and nearly fell over laughing "You have a sick sense of humour, gnome" Dante replied angrily but obviously relieved, then he started laughing again.


Yes, the beginning of the story was pretty pointless for the plot, but I just wanted to get used to my characters As you can see, humour is very much allowed and appreciated, and a little drama is always welcome too, so get writing people

edit: I really suck at writing english fast, the amount of misspelling would make linguists turn in their graves

------------------
Mankind was once a small spark in danger of falling victim to even the smallest of breeze, but like all fires, this one started to grow. Now we are a firestorm, burning everything from our wake and we will not stop until we extinguish ourselves...or someone calls the fire department

[This message has been edited by Morpheus (edited June 02, 2002).]

I will now start with the main plot, join in people!

Jerry Monroe checked the leather strappings of his wagons to ensure the safety of his passengers' luggage, everything seemed to in order. He fed his horses and talked nicely to them for a while to relax them, it would be a long run to Blackroot, not to mention dangerous. Tarant and Cumbria were living in an uneasy peace after Cumbria lost the war to Tarant and now things got much more complicated. Many cumbrians made up all sorts of conspiracy theories about Tarants involvement in the assassination and many people thought Tarant was directly responsible for the whole affair. Jerry wasn't worried though, he knew he could defend himself against most bandits and now that adventurers started to pour to towns with harbours he was sure to get at least one of them on board and that would make it easier to defend the wagon. Jerry started to whistle merrily, but suddenly stopped as a knife charged towards his throat from behind his back and stopped a few inches away from his neck.

Dante Morath and Marketh Whitetoes followed the signs on the streets towards Jerry Monroe's fine delivery and wagon service. Dante knew Jerry, as they used to be neighbours in Ashbury when they were very young and of course Jerry would remember his old friend Dante and give him some discount for a trip to Blackroot.
-Have you ever been to a big ship? Marketh asked his partner
-No, but I once did go out to the sea on a little sailboat when I was visiting my uncle's seaside villa. Dante replied
-Oh, was that the time you embarassed yourself in front of your whole family by falling off the boat and screaming "IM DROWNING!!" even though the waterlevel was so low you could stand up?
Dante blushed
-Who told you that?
-One of your girlfriends. You know, Miranda, the one who thought all gnomes were cute
-That b...I never really liked her!
The streets echoed with Marketh's hearty laughter

Dante and Marketh arrived to Jerry Monroes fine delivery and wagon service after walking around Tarant for an hour. Dante went in first with Marketh right after him. The whole place was tidy and well kept, other passengers were sitting on comfortable benches waiting for departure, overall it looked like a fine establishment. Dante walked over to the counter, where he was greeted by a dirty and devious-looking human. "Good day! Are you Jerry Monroe" asked Dante. "Nope, He's out of town, I'm filling in for him" The man replied and spat a slimy lump of chewing tobacco on the floor making the lady across the room gag in disgust. The man just grinned at the lady with very dirty teeth and turned to Dante "So, you here to idle about or pay me for a ride?" said the man. "So much for the discount" Marketh whispered to Dante and left his side to explore the room. In such social situations Marketh was usually just a burden to Dante because of his lack of patiente for less civilized people and his sarcasm had turned several conversations to violent arguments. After a few minutes Dante left the counter with an angry look. "What a pig, not only he demanded a full price, he demanded extra from me because I carry a gnome! I swear, I will kick his butt!" Dante snarled, but Marketh stopped him, he was too smart to take offence. "Let him be, I just want to get to Blackroot" Marketh whispered and sighed, then he smiled and said: "After all, we can kick his butt after he has taken us to Blackroot"

A few hours later, the man filling in for Jerry Monroe came in to the waiting room and said announced everything was ready for departing. "After you milady!" The man said to one of the ladies and slapped her bottom. The woman's face turned red out of embarrasment and anger, the man just made a dirty smile and turned to Dante, who would have attacked the man unless Marketh wasn't pulling his sleaves, instead he just gave the man a cold look and walked past him with Marketh behind him. "I swear, once we get there, I will personally make this man unable to walk for several weeks" Dante whispered to Marketh, who was surprised how easily his friend let the matter go. "I'm right behind you friend" Marketh replied and smiled deviously.

It was getting dark when the first gunshots echoed from the forest near the road. The women started screaming and Dante (of course) went to calm them down. Marketh looked out the wagon's window and saw several men on horses holding rifles and pistols, he told the driver to increase speed, but instead the man told the horses to stop. "What the hell are you doing man!!??" Marketh shouted to the driver. "Sit down my good gnome, this is a robbery and we will shoot you if you don't behave!" The man shouted back and pulled out a gun. Marketh quickly withdrew back inside and told Dante what happened. "I knew that guy was bad" Dante said and took out his knives. Marketh remebered he had left his guns with his luggage and he was unarmed. "Dante, look!! One of them is attacking the ladies!" Dante immediatly turned around and Marketh jabbed two syringes to Dante's thighs. "OOOWW!!! Not again!!!" "Don't worry, this time I checked they were for humans" Then Marketh quickly whispered to Dante what the substances were for.

They all sit still as one of the robbers stepped in and started pulling out the ladies. "Come on sweeties!! I promise I wont hurt you" The man said and kissed one of the women in the mouth, the woman kicked the man in the groin and the man fell out the wagon with his comrades laughing at him. Dante used the chance and walked out of the wagon with his eyes closed. "Please, help! I'm blind, what is happening!?" Dante yelled with a panicing voice. "There's nothing wrong with his eyes! BEAT HIM" The man who had driven the wagons said. Two of the men approached Dante and three men were pointing their guns at him, one was guarding the other people inside the wagon and one was going through their luggage. As the men approached Dante opened his eyes that were glowing dark red "What the hell..." one of the men screamed. Dante attacked like a lightning punching one of the men in the chest sending him on a flight at his friends with the guns knocking down two of them, one of them tried to fire his rifle at Dante, but he had already rolled under the wagon and threw a knife at the gunman's knee, the knife went straight through leaving the man on the ground screaming in agony. Dante rolled away from under the wagon and grabbed one of the attacker's hand and broke it with his grip making the man drop his gun. Two of them attacked Dante with knives, Dante dodged each and every slash and stab and jumped off the ground and kicked them both in the face. The one who got the harder kick broke his neck and the other got a broken nose, Dante kicked the living man again braking his skull with a loud *crack*. The driver tried to make an escape, but Marketh was able grab his whip and used it to trip the man over. Dante finished off the two men who had been hit by their own comrade and then came up to the driver, he grabbed the mans throat. "I REALLY have a problem with the way you treat people, would you mind milady" Dante said to the girl the man had harassed and the girl kicked the driver in the groin and punched him in the face. "Please don't kill me, I promise you that Jerry is OK, just let me GO!!" The man begged. Marketh took out one of the larger trunks, emptied it and started stabbing holes through it "I'm sorry for your trunk ma'am, I will let you use my bags to hold your belongings" Marketh said to one of the women. Dante stuffed the man in the trunk and swinged it to the top of the Wagon with the rest of the luggage. "I will take over the wagon now, youd better hope I don't TRY to hit every little rock on the way" Dante said and the rest of the passengers went back inside the wagon, except for Marketh who sat next to Dante on the driver's seat.

"What the hell was that stuff you gave me?" Dante asked Marketh. "I could break a man's skull with a single punch" Marketh replied: "One of the substacnes was demon blood and one was an antidote to the poison in the deomn blood" Dante looked shocked "God I hate you, gnome!" He said.

------------------
Mankind was once a small spark in danger of falling victim to even the smallest of breeze, but like all fires, this one started to grow. Now we are a firestorm, burning everything from our wake and we will not stop until we extinguish ourselves...or someone calls the fire department

I guess I aint gonna get any other writers here either. Well, since I like doing this story, tell me if you are reading this, if enough people are interested in reading the story, I will finish it (it'll be a bit shorter than planned, but I wilol finish it). Just post if you are reading the whole thing, thank you.

------------------
Mankind was once a small spark in danger of falling victim to even the smallest of breeze, but like all fires, this one started to grow. Now we are a firestorm, burning everything from our wake and we will not stop until we extinguish ourselves...or someone calls the fire department