1296/Sarracenia is at it again!

Sarracenia is at it again!
Date of Scene:	10 June 2015
Location:	Middle-Earth
Synopsis:	Sarracenia tries to put a tower in Thranduil's lands.
Cast of Characters:	Sarracenia, 592

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Sarracenia has posed:
     It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Birds are singing, beasts are going about their business. Orcs are no doubt causing trouble somewhere. Just a usual day in Middle-Earth.

     Unfortunately, that serenity is fleeting at best. And today it flees in the wake of three large airships that suddenly appear through the warp gate. They look like wooden sailing ships, but they have propellers where the sails would usually be. Standing at the bow of the lead ship is a tall princess in a red dress holding a hammer as tall as she is. "Oooh, yes. This area should do nicely." she says as they approach Mirkwood.

     She looks back along the deck of her ship, where a score of strange plant creatures are tending to the rigging. Pirahna plants, to be exact, with roots for feet and large leaves for arms/hands. These are decked out in sailor outfits, complete with the hat. "Ready the main cannons. We must clear an area if I am to set up a tower here."

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     The Silvan Elves that sit in the trees and patrol the ground are on high alert, starting to chatter amongst themselves when they see the ships approaching, wondering what is coming to torment them this time. They draw their bows and ready their arrows, uncertain.

     What they do know, however, is that Thranduil is coming back from a trip to the North, and his entorage should be there any minute. All the more reason to ward off whatever danger is about to befall thm.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Even if the elves are unfamiliar with such things, the sight of cannons coming to bear should be obvious enough. The three ships turn with their broadsides facing the forest, then with a thunderous roar they start bombarding.

     Fortunately it is only a single area, about 100 feet across, so the number of elves injured is likely to be zero. Unfortunately, it is still a bombardment that is meant to clear out the trees and foliage in that area. Within moments, assuming these are not magical trees, the circle is leveled, with the trees and plants reduced to splinters and ash.

     The bombardment lasts only about 30 seconds before the ships float over the treetops to that area. A rope ladder is lowered from the side of each ship, long enough to reach the ground, and those plant people start decending. Despite the bombardment, these do not appear to be soldiers. More like workers, engineers, builders. The princess stays up on her ship. She would be easy to spot at the bow of her ship, her flowing red hair and billowing red dress fluttering in the wind.

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Elves scatter for cover, making their displeasure known. When the dust settles, they begin to emerge from the brush, bows drawn and daggers at the ready. They don't come close to Sarracenia, but they don't have to with their accuracy. Animals are still scurrying around, looking for shelter. THey are tainted animals, however, and a few dark squirrels come running for the plant people, barking and chittering in agitation.

     "Who are you?" One of the Elves asks, keeping his bow ready.

Sarracenia has posed:
     The plant people look surprised when elves come out of the woods. And at the sight of the bows and daggers...they panic! They run around in random directions that are generally away from elves and angry squirrels. As they run, more soldier-like plants slide down the ladders. They have long spears and armor similar to that of a conquistador. They form a quick perimeter around the builders before Sarracenia herself drops down from her spot on the bow of her boat. She stands on the head of her hammer as she falls, and when she impacts it is with considerable force. Enough to cause a small shockwave, but not really enough to hurt anyone. "Who am I? I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, crowned princess of the Sundew Kingdom." she says, a smug little smirk on her face as she uses the upturned shaft of her hammer as a pole and lazily swings around it a time or two before hopping off the head of it and lifting it with seemingly no effort to rest on her shoulder. "Is this...um..." she looks around, then back at the elf, "...beautiful place already claimed? I merely require a small piece of it for my project. This area that we have cleared is all I require."

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     The squirrels give chase after the plant people. It is never a good idea to piss off a squirrel. The Elves watch as Sarracenia drops from the ship and lands on the ground, causing them to stumble just a bit. They take a defensive posture, prepared to let loose their arrows.

     "You have entered the woodland realm of Mirkwood. It is the kingdom of King Thranduil." The Elf that speaks is a young looking male with long brown hair and eyes.

     A horn sounds, its deep tone resonating through the trees. The feeling that the woods are closing in ona person might be getting stronger, instilling panic in some. A large Elk comes down the path with a rider wearing an outfit so radiant that along with his haira= and pale complexion, he nearly glows. "What is happening to warrant such va sour rerlstiondz//

Sarracenia has posed:
     Oooh! A king! That gets Sarracenia's attention. And as the elf on the elk emerges, Sarra can only assume this has to be the king. No normal person looks that radiant. The princess lowers her hammer and sets it on the ground, head first, then curtseys politely. "Greetings. King Thranduil, I presume? I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, crowned princess of the Sundew Kingdom. And, my apologies, sir. But, a forest like this is not usually populated by people. At least, not -civilized- people, which you and your elves obviously are." She then gestures toward the flattened area. "I would request permission to build a tower on this land. I occassionally run operations in order to find heroes, and this area seems like a perfect spot to attract such heroes. Once I am done, your people may take possession of the tower. It will be large and heavily fortified, a wonderful outpost for any strong people."

     She looks around at the elves, then back at Thranduil. "Ah...does the queen not accompany you on your outings? Surely such a strong and radiant king must have an equally strong and radiant queen." she says, smiling.

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Thranduil looks a bit suspicious and looks around the circle of devistation. "Our kingdom lies to the north. So long as you do not come near it, you may temporarily occupy this portion of the forest. I warn you, though, this forest is sick, tainted by evil magic. I will not risk the lives of my people to save you should you fall victim to misadventure." The tall, regal Elvenking folds his hands in front of him. "There is no longer a queen." Thranduil says a bit quietly. "Nor has there been for many centuries."

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia curtseys again as permission is given. She turns to her plant people and says, "Begin construction." Then, she turns back to Thranduil. His words draw a light frown from her. Well, he may be a king, but he seems not to be the heroic type. Still, she bows her head. "I am sorry to hear that, King Thranduil." she says, even as smaller, fighter-sized ships deploy from the large ships, bringing building materials down. The worker plants quickly get to work building the base of the tower. "I doubt I will be here long enough to experience this evil magic. Still, thank you for the warning." She looks toward the north, then back to Thranduil. "If it is not too much of an inconvenience, I would be honored to see your kingdom. The kingdom of Sundew is always looking for new trade partners. As producers of weapons and defenses, we have much to offer a troubled kingdom."

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Thranduil watches the ships with scrutiny, then turns his eerie blue eyes back to Sarracenia. "I will permit you and you alone to visit the entrance to the kingdom. I assume you are not afraid of heights." He begins walking, taking his Elk by the reins. He is rather short and straight to the point, so as he walks he assumes she has the sense to follow him.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarra blinks, then hmphs softly to herself. She picks her hammer up again and follows after. "He did not even offer me a ride..." she mutters to herself as she follows on foot. She looks around at the other elves as they walk, leaving behind the construction site. "And, what of trade negotiations? Is there nothing you might like that you cannot aquire here? Perhaps building materials? Weapons? We have special items called 'power-ups' that can offer extraordinary abilities so long as you avoid harm. What sort of trade goods does your kingdom produce?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Thranduil can often come across as rude, but it is just the way of his people. "We produce weapons, armor and goods with special properties. We also produce wine, and crafted items such as furniture. It is difficult to say what would be worth trading. I am intrigued by these items called Power Ups, however. Our building materials are the finest in Middle Earth. We have several trade agreements with other lands to acquire regional specialties."

Sarracenia has posed:
     "Oooh. Wine and furniture are good, and I would not mind trading a few weapons, even if it was just a minor transaction to see what you have to offer. Perhaps we could exchange sample goods. I have with me a few of those power ups I mentioned. I think my favorite is the frog suit~" She giggles, then smiles. "But, I suspect a radiant elf like yourself would have more interest in a power star or a fire flower. If you glow now, you will glow even more with the power of a star making you temporarily invicible!" the princess says before reaching into her purse and rummaging around before pulling out the afore mentioned star. Or, presumably. What she actually pulls out is a yellow and brown block with question marks scrolling over it. "Here, as a gesture of good will. If you wish to use the star, simply smash this block and it will emerge. But, be careful! It has a mind of its own, and will try to bounce away. They are such playful little things, these power stars."

     She holds the question block out to Thranduil as she walks beside his elk. "Or, you may wish to save it for an important or dire situation. Either way, it will make you sparkle and glow like a star, and provide you with about 30 seconds of complete invincibility."

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Thranduil looks down at the block and ponders. "It sounds like a valuable artifact. We have armor varying in quality. The best quality armor is reserved for those who have proven themselvs worthy of being called Elf-Friend. We do not give such a title lightly. I would be willing to give you a bottle of wine or a sample of lembas bread. With the war between the Union and the Confederacy, we do not want to be in the middle and give one group an advantage over others.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Princess Sarracenia waves a hand dismissively. "It is just as well. I have no need of armors at the moment. A good bottle of wine would be wonderful. What is lembas bread?" she asks, still holding up the block. She waggles it, as if trying to let Thranduil know he should take it. "Oh, and be warned, this artifact is one-use only." she adds. Then she sighs softly. "How far is it to the gates of your kingdom?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Taking the block, Thranduil examines it closely. "Lembas bread is a bread that rejuvinates the body and refreshes the mind. It is invaluable on long journeys that can take months to complete, or during a gruelling battle in which having your strength back can mean the difference between winning and losing one's life." He looks forward. The part of the forest that is green in sections is visible from here. "Not much further."

Sarracenia has posed:
     "Oooh! That does sound useful! Although, a princess like me hardly ever has to partake of month-long travel plans. But, being able to recharge mid-battle would be useful." Sarra says as they near the green section. She looks around, watching the terrain change. "This must be powerful magic if even elves can't drive it back. I thought elves were the most magical beings in most worlds?" she adds as they pass into the green section. "What is causing the forest to wither away?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     "There is a necromancer that took over Dol Guldur, the fortress that lies to the South. He was once forced out, but he has returned and has an army at his disposal that is able to overwhelm the Elves. We do not fare well against the undead when all hope seems lost. It is our greatest weakness." He gestures for the gates to be opened when they get to the narrow bridge crossing the river.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia makes an 'ew' face. "Necromancy? Who would want a bunch of dead guys as their servants?" she asks as they cross the bridge. "If this necromancer threatens your lands, why not hire some mercenaries to deal with him?" she says, then headtilts. "Wait, why does facing the undead automatically equal all hope is lost?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     "It is much more complicated than that. He is not a mere man. If you choose to travel to Dol Guldur, you do so at your own peril. The undead are...strange. When faced with many of them they instill an overwheming sense of dread. It affects Elves more than other races. I cannot explain it in a way that you would understand." THranduil seems to be giving away their weaknesses tonight, which is a bad idea.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Usually that is true. And it may prove true eventually, but today Sarra is just here as a tourist. Of course, Thranduil's comment can easily come off as being condescending. Which Sarra does not particularly like. "You could try. How do you know that I could not understand until you give me a chance?" she says, as they pass through the gates. "Oooh. These halls are very impressive." the princess says as they enter. "Do you get visitors often?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     "We do not care for visitors but since our world arrived in this Multiverse, we have had more visitors than we would like. We prefer our security. I could explain it to you, I suppose. When faced with the undead, they exude a feeling of dread and hopelessness. Elves are sensitive to emotions and such feelings will overwhelm an Elf, causing them to become unable to move. If not removed from the area, they will collapse."

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia listens to the explanation, then giggles. "That is not so hard to understand. You underestimate your visitors, I think, King Thranduil." She smirks, feeling like she has triumphed. "I would not have guessed your people were suceptible to emotion, considering how disciplined you all seem."

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     "Elves feel emotions more strongly than the other races. We are quite disciplined, but we do enjoy celebrating. We have some of the finest parties here in Mirkwood under the stars. They give the Silvan Elves the opportunity to act freely."

Sarracenia has posed:
     "I see. Well, I will have to try and procure an invitation to one of your parties sometime." the princess says, then smiles. "It has been an honor, King Thranduil, but I should return to the construction site. Now, where is that wine you promised?" She looks around before up at the king. "After all, a king should keep his word, should he not?"

Thranduil (592) has posed:
     Thranduil makes a small sweeping gesture with his hand, and one of the Elves goes down a path leading into the depths of the kingdom. "Of course. I gave you my word. " The Elf returns within a minute or so and Thranduil takes the bottle, offering it neatly to Sarracenia. "Do not drink too much at one time. It is sweet but it is strong."

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia nods at the instructions, then curtseys. "Thank you again for the brief introduction to your kingdom. I hope you and your people are able to cleanse your lands." With that, she turns to head back out the gate. She seems unafraid of the creatures in the forest. Or unaware...