OOC: both, and I want to make a novel about Gug's wild misadventures, now that you planted the idea in my head.

Yes, Gug becomes a debonair and skilled Secret Agent, hired by the AIA (Avariel Intelligence Agency) to hunt down and stop the plots of the evil Dr. Ashtar and the mysterious assassin Jaral.

There will be guns, there will be violence, there will be hot enemy spy-women (goblin, of course)!

Alec rolled over. Then he felt something brushing his face. It was the plant.

Alec groaned, then sat up. Gug was gone. Somehow, without any basis at all to judge on, Alec KNEW Gug was going to get himself into some sort of trouble.

Now, he saw in that moment he had two choices, each represented by a little shoulder angel. Go and follow Gug, or try to find his second coat.

Alec chose the second, going and finding the bag he'd brought with him when he'd first arrived. Contained within it was a second Ranger's coat, except the second was solid white for snow. The inside was a light grey for rocks and such. Alec's current coat had an all black inside.

He yawned then rolled the coat up like a bed roll, then slung it to the bottom of his current pack. He figured he had two things to do. Find Gug, or go back to sleep.

He chose the latter.

Metrius said nothing as the images faded, but his eyes revealed both pity and shock at what he had just seen. "Laine, I can't say that I know what it's like for something like that to happen to you. I can tell you, however, that when this is all over, I will try to help you find a way to rid yourself of the evil inside. Come, it is getting late. We should return to the city to rest."

"Very well. Your mother was very brash and confident in her abilities, as many female drow are when they're young. She learned later that she could have far more power than she already possessed, by becoming a priestess of the Spider Queen. She accepted, and took the vows entitled to that rank. The she met your father. A calculated yet humorous man, he'd always give a joke when things were at their worst. He was also a great warrior, never giving up, and I didn't understand his view for a very long time, long after he married your mother. I'm the only member of my family left, and it sickens me."

************************************************** **************
Antarrak pulled his gem from the folds of his cloak, his massive hand tightening around it. "Ashtar, I trust things on your end are well." Antarrak spoke into Ashtar's mind, using the powers of his eye to delve into it. "I see Jaral is with you. If I was there, we'd have a full congregation. The Prince is dead and Bastion is nearly taken. I believe it's time that we crush the futile resistance of the Elementalists. On the contrary, I have doubts as to whether Jaral's feelings on this matter are clear. His uncle and brother are in their ranks, after all."

OOC: Thank you, Dragonsbane. Oh, and I came up with another non-original, completely copied, totally pointless sub-plot for you. It involves Gwaethir. (And I wasn't the one who came up with the description of the sub-plots. Jaguar did that. He and I kid each other all the time.)

Laine looked up, and a smile played on his lips, but would not come. "Thank you, Metrius. I can forever call you a friend. And if we ever succeed in ridding me of my...curse...I will always be in your debt." He stood up. "You're right, it is getting late, we should be getting back." Laine spread his wings and took off, stopping just above the treetops to wait for Metrius, his newfound friend.
The funny thing is, though Laine thought, in all the years since she died, this is the first time I've cried about it.
With Metrius right behind him, he took off toward the castle.
A few minutes later, Laine walked into the room that had been prepared for him, like all of the other Elementalists.
A package was sitting on the table. Laine Novienta the writing on it said simply. Laine unwrapped it, revealing a celestial dagger, with angel's wings as a guard. A note was wrapped around the handle.

My dearest son, the note said in his mother's purely angelic (no pun intended) handwriting, this is for your employer, Gwaethir. He deserves it, for accepting your help.

Mother

Laine smiled. Mother, you work in mysterious ways, and I love you.
He called a servant, and handed them the re-wrapped package, enclosing a note, just like his mother had.

Windlord,
My mother sent this for me. I do not need it, considering I already have one. I instead, in turn, give it to you. Use it well. The magic inside of it will harm only those who are enemies of the wielder.

Laine

He sent the servant on his way. The servant, in turn, brought it to Gwaethir's private quarters.

Sarin bid the Windlord goodnight, and headed to bed. He would need sleep if he was going to fight alongside the avariel at Bastion tomorrow.

(OOC: Damnit, is Gug the only one without a subplot? And the only things I can think of have to do with food...so whats the completion goal for this chapter? Survive the harshness of Avariel hospitality? Have a subplot using only the concepts of basset hounds and Funyons? End a joke that starts with 1: Knock Knock 2: Who's there? 3: Angst? 4-5: (Fill in)? This particular chapter seems to have the ability to go on forever.)

Ooc: the chapter has grown larger than intended due to character development, which is a good thing. The point of this chapter will become the point of the next chapter.

Ic: Ashtar backpeddled and held up a finger, indicating for Jaral to pause for a moment. He lifted his hand to his temple and spoke.

"Nearly taken Bastion... Again!? You fo-" he stopped, remembering the company he was in. "You were supposed to wait until Gwaethir's men arrived! Break off your attack now!"

He calmed himself, and continued, attempting to prevent Antarrak's outburst before it started. "When using a net trap, you do not trigger it before or after your opponent arrives, you wait until he stands right in the middle of it! The Elementals will come. Remember that Patience is a virtue."

Shaking his head to clear it, he raised his sabre once again. "Now, where were we?"

OOC: MLA, remember that comic subplots are often the best ones. For example, since you seem to know quite a bit about MtG, when Gerrard and his band of heroes were stranded on Mercadia.

While Gerrard was dealing with his severe angst issues and getting into fights with Tahngarth, Karn was trying to mediate, and the girls were kicking ass.....where was the goblin? He was off eating bugs, hobnobbing with the Kyrens, and building a bigger fanbase than any other character.

Of course, he was also the one who discovered the Phyrexian hangar, while chasing a bug. See? Comic subplots can be better than serious ones!

Yes, I know this explanation is lengthy, but it was needed.

IC: Hakar nodded, "My father respected you greatly, but said that you seemed confused, as though you didn't know what your true cause was for a long time. He added that he pitied anyone who was ambushed by you...mentioning something about one of his friends being possessed during the first time they encountered you, when you were enemies." the younger warrior grinned, "You aren't the last member of our family, uncle. If I recall correctly, drow bloodlines and family names are passed down through the females, due to the matriarchal structure of drow society...a reversal of the human norm."

Hakar chuckled slightly, "Does that make me a Veldrin, then?"

************************************************** *******************************

Jaral raised one pale eyebrow, "I assume that was your pig-faced ally? If he had anything to say that concerned me, please tell me now, so that I can give him an appropriate response..." he smirked, even though he knew that Antarrak probably didn't care about the loss of two entire squads of his elite troops, but might be more annoyed once he found out that the second had been used by Jaral to 'practice' on.

Raising his weapon back into position, he continued nonchalantly, "We'll continue whenever you're ready, Lord Ashtar."

OOC: I was thinking about a humorous subplot transitions into mind blowing expose (like Gug drops a roll, knocking over Avariel left and right until one gets pissed off and kicks him, thereby smashing together some of machinery, then teleporting him to the Jaral duel, then teleporting him back where the teleporter has been replaced by the roll.) but I'd have to get permission. And since Gug is ten (and a goblin) no less, he can't have any flashbacks, much less a backstory.