Fantasy A Quest to Die For

[Midnight Paragon]

A Quest to Die For
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Ah, the magnificent continent of Iriveil....truly, a wonder to the world! The continent itself is massive, and harbors many different biomes. It's still unknown as to how all these biomes exist together, but many just say that it's even more proof that the Gods keep the world in balance. There are six different biomes in Iriveil; the Plains, which take up a majority of the continent, which includes mountains as well as forests; the Desert, the second smallest biome, where mysteries abound, and is the biome that houses the crime-ridden City of Keerah; the Tundra, a relatively large biome that snows year round and is the home of most Magi; the Marshes, almost as big as the Tundra, and is home to many a wild animal and sprites of all kinds; and a special little place we Iriveilites call 'The Frost'. The Frost is a biome that is smaller than even the Desert, and is located at the top of Iriveil. It is a place where everything is perpetually frozen, and is almost always hailing, raining, or snowing. It's a difficult place to live, but produces the hardiest warriors.


In the very center of Iriveil lies it's Capital, Irvingstead. This is where the Emperor of Iriveil resides, ruling over all the lands and governing them with an iron fist. This is where you are traveling, my friend; you have been summoned to Irvingstead directly from the Emperor himself. Your skills have caught his eye, and he requires your aid on, what he calls, 'A Quest to Die For.' So what say you, my friend? Will you heed his call? Or will you brush away his plea for aid in favor of a life of relative peace...?

Character Sheet/Submissions
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[Midnight Paragon]

The sun peaked its head shyly over the horizon as the grand city of Irvingstead began to wake up from its slumber, little by little. Mothers and fathers woke their children to either get ready for their schooling or for the work day ahead. Shops began to unlock their doors and the merchant stalls began pulling up their curtains as people began to slowly fill the streets, all going about their business.


Castle Meranis, located in the very center of the busy city, was one of the few places in Irvingstead that never seemed to sleep though. The home of Emperor Levak Davul was always a busy place, and even more so for this morning. The maids and caretakers of the Castle ran busily around, scrubbing floors and dusting the furniture inside, preparing for their 'guests' arrival. The purple and silver banners of the Emperor hung on the railings nearly everywhere, and the purple carpets were spotless thanks to the care of the servants. 


The doors to the Main Hall of Castle Meranis opened up to reveal Legault, Captain of White Peak, and his eyebrows furrowed at the sight in front of him. The servants had spent all night moving very long tables into the Main Hall, and then the cooks spent over two days preparing a very large amount of food. Legault was sure they didn't mind; whatever the guests didn't eat, they could. At the end of the tables sat a large, impressive golden throne; the Shining Throne, the seat of the Emperor. Legault made his way to the end of the tables and sat down in the slightly smaller silver throne next to the Shining Throne. Being the Captain of White Peak and the right hand of the Emperor, it was only natural to be by his side. Legault produced a book from his side satchel and opened it up, his eyes flicking constantly from the pages to the grand doors to the Main Hall, which were now closed. Soon, the 'brave warriors', as the Emperor called them, would be arriving. Legault was still unsure as to WHY the Emperor insisted on searching for outside help; White Peak was more than enough manpower needed for this job, Legault was sure. But the Emperor, with the wry smile he always had, was adamant that these people were neccesary. Legault argued no further with the Emperor; there would be little point once he's made up his mind. Legault sighed as he leaned his head against his fist and tried to concentrate on his novel. He shouldn't have to worry; he needed only to evaluate them. Hopefully they would be able to find their way to the Castle, or be able to ask a nearby guard for directions....


@WantYourSoul @Iskolde @DarkSlayer 

 

[DarkSlayer]

I stared up at the castle, thinking on the bitter irony of my current situation: Not two years ago, I would have been employed to kill off residents of the noble fortress, and yet here I am, being summoned by the Emperor himself as a brave warrior and even a hero for killing Flint....a hero, for killing the best damned fighter the world has ever known. I sighed as I glanced over my shoulder at my "inheritance" from him before forcing myself up the many steps. To be quite honest, I was even jumpier than usual, as I didn't just have to worry about the usual assassin from the Lords of Shadow, but also the sheer amount of people that must have lived in such a large, confined space. All of them potential daggers, like I once was. The place may have been easily defendable, but just based on the architecture as I came ever closer to the door, it would be a tomb if the attack was from the inside.


I shook my head, straightening myself and lowering my hood before I approached the guards posted outside the immense doors; I had to look as inconspicuous as possible, "Excuse me, but I was summoned by-" I was cut off mid-sentence.


"We're aware, Fall." The guard on the right interrupted, using my last name. "Your expected in the Main Hall, with the others. You can't miss it." He was abrupt, and I could tell both were on-guard, but could I expect any less? No sane guard would let a known killer within fifty feet of their emperor without at least some caution. I moved to open the door, but the guard stuck his pole-arm out, blocking me from entrance. "Your sword and any other weapons you may carry stay here." Instantly, this set me on edge, and I took a step back.


"I'm not relinquishing my sword." I answered simply.


"Relinquish it or you won't be gaining entrance." The guard said, now holding his pole-arm with both hands in the air, most likely the position taken just before bringing it down to engage in battle.


Glaring fiercely, I grit my teeth as I took another look at my inheritance, my birthright, before ultimately seeing there was no other way out of this that didn't involve blood shed or me getting any answers as to why I was summoned. I was a fool to think I wouldn't have to surrender it beforehand anyway. Unstrapping Retribution from my back, i shoved the sheathed sword at the guard.


"This sword is worth more than your entire garrison." I stated before entering the Castle and into the Main Hall. 

 

[KingofAesir]

Rorik glanced up at the castle with an evident disinterest. He remembered from when he lived here with Aela that the castle was a rather grand building and might astound one who'd never seen it before but he had. Running a heavy gloved hand through his hair, Rorik straightened the leather cuirass covering his torso and began walking forward. The axe at his side clinked against the metal of his belt and the shield at his back glinted in the sunlight. The axe had just been freshly sharpened and shined by Irvingsteads blacksmith, whom Rorik had known for quite some time, and he was rather proud of the way the razor sharp edge glinted menacingly. 


While he was in the process of admiring his weapon a servant stopped him just pass the castle steps and informed him he'd need to leave his weapons. Rorik made a face, eyebrows creased and hand falling protectively over his axe. The man didn't feel whole without his weapon at his side and here was this small bodied boy asking him to asking him it over. Rorik debated for a moment whether the small boy told the truth and ultimately he decided to comply in order not to anger the Emperor.


"Be careful with that, boy. It was my fathers." The boy nodded and Rorik brushed past him through the castle doors where he was greeted by yet another servant ready to lead him to the Main Hall, Rorik waved the woman off,"I can find my own way. Thank you." He offered her a smile, which she returned, and continued on his way.


The doors to the Main Hall soon stood in front of him and Rorik placed his gloved hands against the door and entered the grand place to be greeted by one other fellow adventurer it seemed and a man sitting in the throne next to the Emperors. Rorik nodded to them, for once in his life he wasn't late.

 

[Midnight Paragon]

At the sound of the doors opening, Legault looked up, and spotting two of the 'noble warriors', his eyes instantly narrowed. One of them was in some shady looking leather gear; most probably from a background of thievery or the like. Legault groaned on the inside; he knew the Emperor would pull something like this. Calling for thieves instead of warriors? What help would they be on this quest?


The other one seemed to be a bit more u to his liking. An obvious warrior background judging from the gear, but still...something made him feel uneasy.


He sighed and shook his head lightly as he loudly closed his novel and set it on the table in front of him. He stood from his silver throne and gently made his way over to the pair. He realized he wasn't the most intimidating person, being only roughly six feet tall, and the faces of Grand Elves were always seen as...well, young. He stopped in front of them and looked them over once more before he spoke.


"Good morning. I am Captain Legault Rehimdes, right hand to the Emperor. You two must be some of the guests. Please have a seat at the tables and enjoy the food while we wait for the others to arrive. Any questions?"


His red-orange eyes flicked between the two, trying to read their expressions.


@Iskolde


@DarkSlayer

 

[KingofAesir]

Rorik scratched the back of his neck as the Grand Elf, who seemed to be the only other person in the room besides himself and the other man, introduced himself as Captain Legault. Rorik remembered that name from days past he'd heard Aela mention him once or twice after coming home from a job. Rorik smiled at the memory and a flashback came to mind.


"That Captain Legault fellow just won't quit!" Aela complained as she plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table, placing her head in her hands, red hair falling around her. "It's horrible for business! We can't get anyone to do anything because of the guard influx. their all scared!"


Aela was never scared. In the end, that had been her downfall. Rorik did as the Captain told him and took a seat in one of the many chairs at the long table in the hall. He found himself sizing up the man who commanded over the men who'd killed his best friend. The elf wasn't extremely tall, Rorik himself was only a few inches taller, but the grand armor that her wore had him appearing much grander and bigger than he actually was. Rorik turned his eyes back down to the food in front of him for a moment before speaking up.


"I have a question. What'd ya take my axe for? That thing was my pa's, you know? I like havin' it with me."


@The Lord of Sunlight

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Legault watched as one of the one who seemed the warrior type casually shrug and walked to a place at the tables and sat down. He looked back at Legault after a moment and asked him why they needed to take his weapon away. Legault figured that was pretty obvious, but he stared at the man with a straight face and answered his question.


"A precaution. We cannot have warriors we do not know running amok inside the very same castle the Emperor resides in, armed to the teeth. That's only asking for trouble. Surely you understand? Have no worries; just behave and mind your manners, and your gear will be returned untouched."


He turned to look back at the shady man once more before he wheeled about on his foot and began making his way back to his silver throne.


"Now is as good a time as any to tell you that you will be on your best behavior once the Emperor arrives. Any insult to him or his kingdom will be met with dire consequences."


He sat back down in his throne and grabbed his novel from the table.


"Other than that, feel free to enjoy yourselves with what we've provided."


He opened his novel and returned to the place where he left off.


@DarkSlayer


@Iskolde

 

[Elowyn]

Sylverna, the Cat's Emissary, otherwise called Verna leaped above the city relying on shingled rooftops as her main highways and byways about the Capital. Today was an important day. She'd meet the Emperor. A smile on her lips she somersaulted towards the castle ignoring the streets beginning to fill with vendors of any number of wares. The Meranis Castle itself was a big, grand thing as these sort of rulers liked. It didn't warrant anything more that a twitch of an ear in her case. A big palace... all the more places to roam and hide in. It was one of the reasons she liked Irvingstead. Adapting to the city structure took some time and she was pleased to have relocated a few years ago from the Barren Mountains and the magic practitioners that lived in the niches there. She had been ordered to go, so it wasn't like she could refuse and she didn't particularly have a reason to refuse. It was her mission, her destiny... her prophecy. A brief image of the felidine Seeress entered her mind, a conglomerate of blues and purples and the thick smell of incense and rosewater. It was the Goddess' will that she take up the Emperor's quest and she would obey. It didn't trouble Verna that she had no information on what the quest actually entails.


The nekomimi approached the door, was ordered to leave her weapons with the pair of guards. Shrugging, the cat-girl shed her hood and the attached weapons: crystal claws surrounded by a circular ring and hand-written seals used for spells. Within the castle walls she followed the recent scents of those who came minutes ago to a grand room filled with tables and food. Diamonds sparkled in her eyes. It smelled heavenly. Without further pause she made for the giant platter of roasted meats dimly aware of the few fighters who were also present and speaking to each other. 

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Legaults eyes flicked upward again as the doors opened once more and in walked a strange looking woman. Legault had seen very few of her kind, but he knew that Nekomimi were very sneaky kinds of people. Once again, he found himself questioning the Emperor's choices of warriors; he wasn't sure how a girl like this would be able to handle herself in a fight. He was about to get up and introduce himself to her, but her eyes fell instantly on the food on the tables and she began to feast upon it. Legault raised an eyebrow, but didn't move from his throne, returning his attention to his novel as he muttered quietly to himself.


"Not very ladylike, is she?..."


@Nyctophiliac

 

[DarkSlayer]

I sat down on the opposite end of the table, almost stifling a groan as I immediately recognized the elf who sat to the right of the Emperor's throne: Captain Legault. Flint had spoken about this one with a rare fondness in his voice, usually only found when speaking about his first few "jobs", when they were difficult, and speaking about the few great duels he had been in when those first few jobs. Captain Legault fell in the latter, as he was the only one to ever catch Flint off guard. I briefly wondered if the elf remembered that fight, or if he knew who I was. He didn't seem like he was on guard, having his eyes trained on the pages of the book in front of him, but that could have easily just been a mask put in place to put me at ease before I'm put in chains or get shot from above....I quickly glanced up in the rafters, scanning for any movement or jutting shapes.


Then, there was the large warrior who entered, rugged and looking more and more like the type you would want to aggravate, so that he would be easily corralled, before taking him down. There was a lot in his features, but nothing discernible. Just stonewall-and that made him almost as dangerous as Legault. I took one look at the food in front of me, and thought better on it. Easiest way to be rid of the Emperor's enemies would be inviting them to a poisoned feast. However...my gaze shifted to the...I racked my brain...Nekomimi! The Nekomimi who was eating her fill.


I quickly swapped goblets with the empty seat on my left, took a small whiff, then drank heartily from it, not realizing how much my throat ached for this before hand. (@The Lord of Sunlight) "Pardon, Captain," I began, stressing the rank. "but I was curious if there were any garlic cloves." I spoke, calmly leaning back in my seat, and awaiting his response.    

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Legault looked up at the boy in shifty gear, and narrowed his eyes at him for stressing his rank. This boy appears to dislike him somehow; for what reason, it was not evident. Still, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that...he knew him from somewhere...


The boy kept a straight face and asked for, of all things, a clove of garlic. Legault raised an eyebrow. What kind of request was that? An entire clove of garlic? He didn't really care what was there and what wasn't, but he knew that the Emperor would scold him if he didn't take care of his guests. He sighed as he turned his head to look around and spotted one of the servants fixing a shelf of foreign potions, and he called to her. She came over with a bow and he spoke to her quickly.


"Please run to the kitchens and ask for a clove of garlic. One of our...guests has need of it."


He gestured to the shifty looking boy, and the servant nodded once more before she went out a side door, presumably to the kitchens. Legault turned his attention back to the boy.


"If you're worried about any of the food items, don't be. None of the drinks are poisoned, and the food is not tainted. Believe me, if we had wanted you dead, your corpse would already be in a grave dug just for you. As I said, enjoy yourself. This may be the last respite you enjoy for a while."


And he returned to his novel.


@DarkSlayer

 

[Elowyn]

Although she had never seen such a plentiful feast before, Sylverna realized that she wasn't here to feast. Actually, she knew that all along, but simply couldn't resist the high-quality food after living off of scraps comparatively and holding several jobs at once. Let's just say her calorie intake was high and she had a very efficient biological system as many cat-eared folk do. After a few pieces of roasted meat (duck, pork, and chicken by taste), she attacked the fruit bowl enjoying the juicy and luscious grapes, the bold taste of citrines, and a few sweet figs. Wondering where everyone else was-- surely there would be need of more people to eat all this food?-- she finished off by taking a handful of biscuits and nibbling on them, cheeks rosy with delight. 


Now she observed the other inhabitants of the room. Most noticeable was the male sitting on the right hand of the Emperor's Throne. Captain Legault... a Grand Elf hundreds of years old. The knowledge she had stored up from history lectures were coming to be useful now. He was apparently very skilled which made sense because how else would he be able to become the Emperor's right-hand man and survive for so long? Furthermore, there were two others here, both male as well. One was a young adult human by his scent. Her instincts told her that he was a man of the sword. The other was also human, but younger by his appearance but no less experienced. By her sensitive nose, he seemed to have dealt quite a bit with unsavory characters. Of what caliber she couldn't tell, only that the faint scent of mustiness and the bitter tang of the underground clung to him like a second skin.


It was the latter boy who asked for... garlic? The girl's endless curiosity was piqued. She also noticed upon closer inspection that he had the thinness of someone who had grown up impoverished, but that explained little. She waited, nibbling on her snack to see what he would do.

 

[KingofAesir]

Rorik went quiet once more whenhis questioned was answered, assured in himself that he'd be getting his axe back. He didn't touch the food, he'd eaten before hand at a friend of his home on his way here. The old man had been delighted to see him after such a long time. Rorik only ever came to Irving stead on the anneversary of Aela's death to mourn with the old man, who's name was Manx and he was a sort of giant race from the mountains. 


When a girl with a very curious appearance appeared in the room, Rorik glanced at her cat-like appearance curiously and found himself laughing when she went immediately to the food not bothering to greet any of them. The other man, who'd been mostly silent, seemed weary about the food and Rorik watched as he switched out wine goblets. A smart man. Rorik nodded to himself, figuring the other probably had a bad past to be worried about such things as poison. It was then that Rorik wondered if he'd ever came into contact with Aela because of her "business". 


The shady chracter asked about cloves of garlic and Rorik found himself smiling at the curious reaction of the Captain and the cat-eared girl. He himself couldn't have cared less why the man would want a whole clove of garlic so he returned to staring st the swirling red liquid in his goblet.


@The Lord of Sunlight


@Nyctophiliac


@DarkSlayer

 

[DarkSlayer]

I found myself relieved that the small request seemed to only confuse-if not slightly anger-the captain instead of the reaction that I was dreading. I could breathe slightly easier, though letting one's guard down was simply idiotic. Speaking of which...I felt a pair of eyes on me. I slowly turned in the direction of the Nekomimi, who more curious than any other person I'd ever met previously. I smiled, both at her and the joke that threatened to make its way to the service. However, such a witticism would be in poor taste. Still, curiosity and cats...I hid my chuckle by taking another hearty gulp from the goblet before the servant came around with a small plate of garlic cloves. 


This is for you, old bastard. I thought sadly as i indulged in my old master's one and only guilty pleasures. Supposedly, garlic cloves were also supposed to work as stress relievers, supposed being the key word. For me, they were only a way to try and find some small measure of understanding of my mentor. The silence was steadily growing, thickening to the point of being able to almost see it. Even with four occupants in the room, everyone seemed to be waiting for a crack in the others' facades, myself included...or maybe, I was being too paranoid and looking too far into it.


Flint would have snorted at such a thought, saying only those lacking the ability to think or those naive enough to trust in their fellow man would not be paranoid...then he would launch into s surprise attack with either a thrown weapon or furious assault. 

 

[Elowyn]

The Nekomimi girl wrinkled her nose at the harsh smell of garlic. How do humans eat those things....? she wondered to herself. She herself could not stand garlic or vinegar or the ugly smell of oil. Basically strong scents overpowered her, crippling her senses. One clove wasn't too bad, but didn't stop her from asking: "How can you eat that stuff, Strange Human? Do all humans like it or only those with an impaired sense of smell? And does garlic actually taste good to you?"


@DarkSlayer

 

[DarkSlayer]

I turned to the Nekomimi girl and after a laugh gradually worked its way out of my chest, the first one I had in a very long time, I answered without revealing anything. "Very few humans like garlic, but i has nothing to do with impaired senses, either. The aroma reminds me of home, and the taste takes me back there." (@Nyctophiliac) It wasn't a lie. Life with Flint was hard, but it was the only home I'd ever known, and due to his damned love for garlic cloves, it always smelled as such. I shook my head lest I let myself drown in the memories and the sadness they carried with them. I hoped my features returned to somber once more before any of the others could see that small moment of emotion. If they saw, even a fraction of it, they would have some power over me, seeing passed the mask. No, I couldn't allow that to happen. I grabbed another garlic clove and drank from the goblet.

 

[KingofAesir]

Rorik watched as the cat woman and the garlic man talked to each other. He found that he much disliked being quiet in a state of company so he decided to speak up just as the man took another clove from the garlic he had been given.


"What about you, miss? You eat like you haven't seen food in days." He leaned a bearded chin into his hand, eyes filled with curiousity. He'd seen people eat like that before, but they'd only ever been people who Manx had feed off the street. The old giant had a fondness for the needy.


@Nyctophiliac

 

[Elowyn]

She regarded him for a moment longer, then mused aloud. "Home... huh?" A faraway look stole into her eyes. What she was thinking about couldn't have been guessed. The sound of another voice asking a question drew her from her reverie. She shook her head quickly as if shaking off remnants of deep thought. Anyway, that was a question answered for her, albeit guardedly.


Sylverna turned to the other man and a quirk came to her lips. "I haven't. These past days have been... busy. And I can always use the extra nourishment, but this is simply the best. What about you? Not hungry? Even this rich spread doesn't make your mouth water?"


@Iskolde

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Legault looked up from his novel and sighed, observing the characters once more. He knew this wasn't all of them, but if this is a preview of those to come, he worried about their chances of completing the quest. There wasn't much muscle among the group he saw now, and while did believe in brains or brawn, muscle was going to be a neccesity. He closed his novel and set it back on the table as he grabbed an apple and began to snack on it, still watching them. They seemed to be getting along...but for how long? 


A thought popped into his mind as he watched. Maybe he should just ask them their skills now, save a little time testing them later. It sounded like a good idea; or at least a way to kill time. He spoke to all three of them in a commanding voice.


"I understand you're all warriors of some skill. Would you care to tell me what those skills would be?"


It was less of a request, and more of an order. One way or another, he was going to have to know.


@DarkSlayer


@Iskolde


@Nyctophiliac

 

[XTrump_CardX]

-Somewhere in the Second Plane


Ta'lak was in a bit of a mess. He had been on a warpath as of late and right now he was surrounded by the enemy. All around him were the broken bodies of his fellow daedra. They had been torn apart by the demonic beings that now had Ta'lak in their sights. He turned in a slow circle, surveying the situation. The demons knew he couldn't go anywhere and were slowly coming closer. Breathing hard, he glanced at the blade in his hand. It was dripping with blood. Soon to be dripping with more. With this thought in mind, Ta'lak summoned his strength and raised his sword in both hands. In a voice that would give a dragon chills, he spoke from behind his helm, "Let my blade bring you into everlasting darkness, foul beasts."


With a small smile, Ta'lak swung his sword into the shoulder of the first demon to come at him. His strength cleaved the being nearly in two. It was then that he sensed the rest react, scrambling for a taste of his blood. Swiftly uttering a spell, his body was engulfed in dark purple flames. As the horrid creatures touched him, they squealed in pain before falling back. The ones that came into contact with the powerful magic screamed, watching the curse climb their limbs, distorting and killing their flesh. Ta'lak started dispatching them, receiving little resistance. Finishing off the few that escaped the cursed touch, he grunted a curse of his own, "May A'zul deliver you unto hell."


After returning to the camp, Ta'lak issued some soldiers with the task of recovering the fallen daedra he left behind. They immediately went to work finding a cart. Walking between the many tents was an odd experience for him. The soldiers around him gave him a mix of salutes and stares. Some of the stares were not awe-inspired but, rather, jealous in nature. Ta'lak made his way to the Underlord's tent, his tent. He was surprised when he went inside. Standing before him was the Ruling Fist of the kingdom, the High Lord's right-hand daedra. It was Dagon R'uen himself.

 

[WantYourSoul]

Abel Of The Ninth was technically late, but she arrived on her time. It didn't matter that it was by the king's request, she bowed to no master and had no use to try and garner respect. Plus, the servants were always better company than stuffy nobles- Better gossip, too. She already knew exactly where it was she was expected, and was growing tired of the help's reaction to her inherently infernal visage. Others had already arrived, but she wasn't the last one to make her entrance. A moment passes as she listens to what was being spoken of behind the closed door.
"I understand you're all warriors of some skill. Would you care to tell me what those skills would be?"
This was her cue, the roguish tiefling sashays through the entry with a practised air of nonchalance.
"I'm quite offended you haven't already heard of my many skills," she calls out towards the speaker with a sharp-toothed grin,"I have many talents of roguish persuasion, but if I were to list them we'd be here into the night." She had made her way to a seat, the gesture appearing oddly graceful. She takes in the rest of the banquet hall's occupants, serpentine eyes making it hard to tell who precisely she was focusing on. It was a game to her, seeing who reacted first."I nearly forgot to introduce myself. Abel Of The Ninth. Rogue For Hire. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if you already knew that." If she had any eyelids, she would have winked.


(Kinda short and weird, just wanted to get SOMETHING out)

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Legault raised an eyebrow as the doors flew open once again, and a tiefling swaggered inside, interrupting the conversation. Immediately, Legault knew this one was going to be trouble. One only needed to take a glance to see that. They way she introduced did nothing but add to that suspicion. She introduced herself 'Abel of the Ninth', a rogue for hire. He looked her up and down once before he responded to her, eyebrow still raised.


"Who?"


It was then that her being a tiefling really struck out to Legault. Demon-spawn? What in the world was the Emperor planning, calling for demon-spawn? This quest wasn't THAT urgent....was it? To ask a demon-spawn for help meant that he was truly getting desperate. Legault had known the Emperor for a long time, enough to say that he hated having to deal with anything to do with the underworld. Perhaps this quest was a bigger deal than he thought...


@WantYourSoul

 

[sevenstars]

Knowing she would be late on arrival, Ezra soared over the countrysides of Iriveil with excitement. Although she had no particular loyalty to the Emperor, she couldn't wait for a real adventure, and took his summons as a great opportunity rather than a responsibility. The flight took a couple of hours, but to her it felt like a matter of minutes.


A small crowd gathered around the courtyard as she began to lower herself into the castle, all staring in awe at her divine beauty. She was used to this by now, and did her best to seem apathetic and not draw too much attention. Most simply watched, speechless as she walked towards the doors of the main hall, but one drunk man attempted to run madly towards her. She waved her hand, and black and green tendrils erupted from the ground below him, rooting his feet where they stood. She entered the main hall with a confident smile, excited and a bit nervous.

 

[XTrump_CardX]

-Ta'lak's tent


The first thing that Ta'lak did was stand at attention  and salute, waiting for his superior's instruction. He simply could not think of a single reason as to why R'uen would be here, on the Second Plane, in his tent. The campaign was going well, better than most. The enemies were savage and unorganized. This made it quite easy for Ta'lak and his forces to kill them. Not one reason came to mind. So why is he here?


Dagon R'uen was something to behold. He was not as tall as Ta'lak but what he lacked in height, he made up in muscle. Dagon's shoulders spanned four feet, easy. His biceps were thicker than Ta'lak's thighs, and that was saying something. Ta'lak was considered a high ranking daedra, but Dagon R'uen was considered a god.


After a minute of observing him, R'uen saluted back and said at ease. Ta'lak eased out of attention and took off his helmet, walking past Dagon to his desk. There he set his helm down and took a seat himself, gesturing at the chair by Dagon. After he sat down too, Ta'lak cleared his throat and inquired, "What brings the mighty Ruling Fist to my tent? The campaign is coming to an end, little to no problems have arisen."


Dagon R'uen looked into Ta'lak's cold eyes before responding, "This visit is not about the campaign, D'aam. I bring news...from the Seers."


The sentence caused Ta'lak to raise his eyebrows, he was surprised even more so. The Seers were powerful daedra, learned in the most powerful arcane arts, the stuff of the gods. Their knowledge allowed them to see throughout space and time, this made them arguably more valuable than the High Lord himself. If news got out from them, meant for me, it must be important. Ta'lak chuckled at that understatement. Rubbing his chin, he spoke quietly, calmly, "And what do the Seers speak of? What significance am I in they're visions?"


"They speak of evil that threatens the very Planes themselves. What they saw was not clear but they sensed it was not good, not by anyone's definition of the word. They spoke of you, and your role to play. R'uen, you must travel to the Earthen Realm, to the land of Iriveil. It is there that you will find the City of Irvingstead, as the mortals call it. Speak to the King and he will reveal more. That is all I know."


The Earthen realm, a place for humans and the like. Ta'lak did not like the sound of it, but he never questioned his orders. "Very well. I will go to this Irvingstead, I will not let my kingdom down." With that, Ta'lak Stood and saluted Dagon R'uen before leaving the tent. He needed to see the mage.

 

[Tsuna]

A young man with pale silver hair and a dark cloak made his way toward the castle. He had been following not too far behind the rogue Abel when someone else landed in front of him. The male watched the two females (Abel and Ezra) walk into the castle.


Tsuka had previously thought he had been summoned by the emperor to be questioned or perhaps enlisted for a personal quest. However, as the young swordsman walked toward the main hall, he only found himself further puzzled.


Nonetheless, the male walked into the main hall with a humble nod towards those seated. The sword resting on the outside of his black cloak showed in great contrast to his quiet entrance.


He thought to introduce himself, but didn't want to speak out of turn. That and he knew whoever summoned him here already knew who he was.