8 Descending Earth(Winters) [Through the Years of Strife]

[Persell]

Tonight was the night. The old woman had said as much. Tonight, the stars would be in the right positions, and her riddles could finally make sense. There was a bad feeling hanging about all of this, however. Too much could go wrong, even when everything went right. The oracle, Jala, had made certain that Vlad knew what could happen, what he might be required to give up. She had counseled him, and told him that, if the omens and signs pointed towards a sacrifice, he would have to give it up, if he was ever to end his curse. The Celestial gods don't bargain with mere mortals, however Exalted they may be.


As Luna reached her zenith, Jala began her ritual. In the center of the dark house, with its shadowed corners and rotting old wood, a circle was drawn, powdered jade mixed with salt, and in the center was set a knife and a cage, in which was a small rodent. Vlad, in the room, watched as Jala set up her ritual, and he noticed the twins staring from the doorway, wishing to watch the women they had taken as a grandmother do her magic. Jala payed them no heed, and as the set up was finished, she only asked, "Ready?"

 

[Mera'din]

Vlad ran a hand through his white hair. His fists clenched at the thought of finally confronting the shadow.


"Go ahead, I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Vlad's head twitched up almost nervously.

 

[Persell]

The oracle sighs, but gets on with it. It is apparent that she is a little bit hesitant about doing something like this, but she is resolved to go through with it anyways, for Vlad, if not for anyone or anything else. She starts chanting words, unlike anything which he has even heard before, a language which has been scarcely uttered on Creation. She kneels at four places of the circle, kneeling and cutting a line through her palm, letting the blood spill where it may as it falls over the marks of the cardinal directions. From this, she moves to the center of the circle, letting her chant keep a steady beat as she opens the cage, taking the rodent gently into her hands. Picking up the knife, she unceremoniously pins the tiny creature to the wooden floor, letting its squeaking death knell pierce the air before easing the knife back up from the ground. Using the blood dripping from its blade, she marks her own forehead with an arcane symbol.


And almost unearthly scream claws its way forth from her mouth as the symbol glows almost pure black, blacker than a starless night. Jala stands there, panting from the effort that she exerted, but soon, a kind of grim composure finds its way to her, but, as she reasserts herself, a shadow grows over her, subsuming her within its own features. Featureless, with two pairs of arms and a glistening black veneer, a smile seems to emanate from its blank face, and it only says:


"Hello Vlad."

 

[Mera'din]

Vlad's fist tighten, and a circle begins to glow on his forehead, a second later another circle fills in the center of the circle, to create the symbol for the eclipse.


The blowing wind of his anima ruffles Winters hair, "Why did you take my purpose from me? Why did you make me into an assassin? A killer!?"


The face smiled, "I have done none of these things. I gave you a gift, and you used it as you saw fit. All decisions have been yours. You could have been anything, but you decided to be a killer."


The shadow moved almost imperceptibly, "In fact I can see in your heart that you wish to destroy me. You want no deals, you want no arguements, you want death. But I am the first shadow cast by the Unconquered Sun. You cannot touch me."


Winter's jaw clenched, and his eyes seemed to fall into a deeper red hue, "Then where does that leave us?"


------------------------------------------


....Wow, I know that was a lot of taking over your role, but I hope that this looks as I was intending (as a description of what Winter is actually doing rather than what he is telling everyone he wants to do). Tell me if I should change anything.

 

[Persell]

The shadow sneers, and says, "At a stalemate, only against an inconceivably superior opponent. And, like any game of Gateway, the skilled one always wins."


It folds it's arms over its chest, and continues, "I'll tell you what. Get a ship, and sail out into the seas. Follow the omens. Go where the winds take you. You'll meet my representative along the way. He could be anybody. Walk the path until its farthest reaches, and then, and only then, will you be free."


Extending one of its ephemeral arms, the god only asks, "Deal?"


--------------------------


It's fine for now, but please, don't do it again. While the players will have a great deal of creative control, controlling the major NPCs is a little much. Have a bit of trust.

 

[Mera'din]

Winter smiles and extends a pale hand to grasp the shadow's gaunt one. As his fingers curl around the hand, warmth seems to leach away from his universe. The warmth of the sun, Winter reflected, had never felt farther away.


But he hangs on for an intermidable age, staring into what he thinks are the Shadows eyes, "Shadow, to be free of you, I would journey past the end of chaos. Know that we will meet again, and next time, you will not be able to look down on me."


Vlad pauses and reaches into himself. HIs eyes began to beat a brilliant red, which reaches out to tinge the golden wind swirling in the room, which slowly builds to a thunderous roar. Winter's lips twist as ancient oaths pour out of his lips. The wind seems to freeze in the air, and then it dispers in a crack of sound.


Winters withdraws his hands, which he notices absently has aquired a light layer of frost, "Our deal has been made, Shadow, now begone from this place. Your services are no longer needed."


--------------------


Is describing minor things like the "cold hands" too much as well? Or is that okay?

 

[Persell]

The shadow continues smiling, and says, "Never shake the left hand." Acting as though it has won, it disappears back into the old lady, the ephemeral strands flowing back into her eyes, into her mouth, before they are finally gone.


She eventually assumes her own posture, and, sputtering, she gets up to her feet, having fallen while the shadow forced its way back into her. Tired, she moves over to the wall, leaning against it before asking, "So? What did he say?"

 

[Mera'din]

Winter shook his head, and reached up to lower his mask, which had already started to bleach gray from that brief exposure. Winter kept a supply of the things, both full black and the pure white of a bleached mask.


In fact, he almost had more white outfits than black outfits.


It might be time for an outfit change, he thought as he gently helped the old oracle to her feet.


"He said we had better get ready to pack up and leave, because we're taking a ship out of Darkmist come tommorrow."


"Are you going to need help with anything? If not I'm going to collect some of the herbs in the shop, and start packing them away."


"And stay away from lefties. Apparently the sinistro has leaked through into my life."


-----------------------------------


Yay! I get to leak a language pun into this (sinistro is the Latin word for left-handedness, and is the origin of the devil attachment to lefties)

 

[Persell]

Jala nods, and doesn't ask any further. Any words that the shadow spoke were obviously meant for Winters, and if there was anything which she needed to know, she would ask when the matter came up. She politely refuses the offer for help, and moves to do what she needs to.


Scurrying off to her own room, she motions for the children to do what Vlad says, but as she does so, Vlad can see the frightened look on their own faces. It is obvious that what they saw today will be forever burned into their minds, even if they don't know exactly what happened.


-----------------


also, what you were asking earlier about the cold hands, a description like that is fine. As I said, you do have a bit of license

 

[Mera'din]

Winter looked about the store front he had sold his herbs at for almost a decade now. It was disturbing realize that this too was transitory, a testament to a life that few would remember, and fewer still would mourn to see leave.


As Winter slowly finished putting the last of his medicines into a box, he frowned. His years of work seemed so small here and now. He found that he couldn't summon up the faces of the people he had helped. The only thing that appeared in his minds eye was the two small boxes that stored his material wealth. Winter sighed as he hauled his box up to his room to collect the rest of his things. He grabbed outifts without looking at them and tossed them into a small case. Out of habit he glanced back at the door before prying out a board in his wall and drawing out two boxes. He reverently pulled back the lids to gaze down at the two outfits, one a night black, the other stained white as the freshly driven snow. Winter snaked his hand into the white outfits and pulled out a chain that sparkled with the radiance of the sun.


The chain links seemd to flow up his arms to snake around his neck, and as Winter settle it in position it pulsed with a glowing happiness.


"I missed you too, boy."


Winter stood, stroking the weapon that hung around his neck as if to comfort it.


He went down the stairs and glanced into the Oracles room, where the children and her were busy packing.


"We leave tommorow." He said simply and walked out the door.


Winter pulled up his greying mask to cover his face as he dashed up a wall and started his leaping way toward the harbor. It was finally time to cash in some favors.

 

[Persell]

As you leave the room you can see Jala nodding in response, but as you continue on to your destination that moves to the back of your mind, replaced by more important concerns.


-------------------


where exactly are you going exactly? I need to know so that I can set up some flavour text.

 

[Mera'din]

Vlad landed in a crouch in one of the darker shadows. He pushed his hair out of his eyes as he squinted at the surrounding boats.


I think that's the one, he thought, looking out over the darkened water.


Winter glanced around, and finally surged forward, feet slapping lightly against the water. The ship loomed nearer, and Vlad narrowed his eyes. There, there and...


And he was up the side of the ship and flipping up to sit atop the mast head.


"Ho the ship!" He cried quietly as he waited, not quite touching the deck.


--------------------------


This would be Winter's Shadow calling in some old favor (which I suppose is a contacts roll). I didn't write a fanfic for this, but one of the major events of Vlad's life was when one of the Silver Princes agents contracted with him to destroy a Lintha pirate ship that had taken to raiding areas around the Darklord's territory (Vlad isn't sure why the Silver Prince didn't use his own agents). Vlad took out the ship and it's crew (which thankfully had no demons), and has a fairly good reputation with the merchant ships of the area because of it as Winters Shadow (since I figure that he wouldn't be tossing around his other identy).


Should I roll to see if they recognize me and/or are willing to help me?


And I have now spent 6 personal essence which puts me at 10 personal essence.

 

[Persell]

The sailors, engaged in their midnight revelries, look with a puzzled gaze towards your position, and one of them eventually runs to fetch the captain. The man soon pops out of the captain, and you can see a soft light and plush furnishings within.


He is a burly one, dressed in the richest, softest clothes a man can buy. Cane in hand he walks towards you, before bending over to get a closer look.


"Winters? Is that you?" He squints a bit more, before yelling out to the whole crew, "By the sun, moon, and stars, everyone, it is Winters! How are you man?"


------------------


I'll have you roll contacts a bit later when he's learned of what you intend

 

[Mera'din]

Winters walks, cat slick, down to the waiting deck.


"I'm fine Captain," He says, and looks about the ship's eves, cloaked in nights shadows, "Show me around?"


As the bemused captain begans to lead him away, Winters leans in, "I need a favor. My dependents and I need a ship to room on for the forseeable future. I can offer a little money and my services as both a doctor and a sailing man to any ship that will take an old woman and her two grandchildren along as well. Is there anyone you know who would be willing to accept such an offer?"


--------------------------------------------


So confused...trying not to metagame, but I'm not sure if I know his name or not. (would you like to make one up, or may I?)


And I should post a little more regularly now that finals are over.

 

[Persell]

"Well, of course I would!" the captain responds, "I've had too much time away from the open sea, and I won't let you pass this off to anyone else. What exactly are you intending to do?"


---------------------


you can come up with a name if you wish.

 

[Mera'din]

"Well, Tzak, I suppose I just need to be on the water. I don't even care where you're headed." Winters said as he strolled under the dark ropes.


He swung out briefly to gaze at the water. The water seemed very peaceful in the night, the ocean lapping against the hull.


He came back in, "Wherever you're going, I'm pretty sure I need to be. Call it a hunch."

 

[Persell]

Tzak looks a bit concerned at Winters vague statements, and instead says, "Well, whatever you are intending on doing, I'll be more than willing to help. You mentioned an old lady and two kids. Are they here with you?"


He has quieted down a bit, but realizing how the joy has somehow slipped from his mouth, he asks mockingly, "You didn't happen to keep 'em in the water while you popped up for a chat, eh?"

 

[Mera'din]

Vlad laughed, a full throated sound, and clapped the Captain on the shoulder.


"No, I'm afraid that they need until the morning to prepare for a journey on the water."


"I suppose I should finish up some of my own preparation, Captain. If you could send a lifeboat out to pick us up, I would appreciate it."


"And I shouldn't be wasting any more of your precious time." Yeddiv said as he strode across the deck, and hopped upon the rail.


"I shall see you tomorrow, Captain." He said, before leaping from the deck.


He rolled as he hit the water below, and let his feet slap wetly against the water as he sped back to the shore.


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I figure since 20 minutes has yet to pass that Feather Foot Style is still active