Fantasy Bitter Spite

[FireMaiden]

"Look, I have to go before they rebook my room. But if you want help, show up, it's your best bet," Amélie finished, running a hand through her hair. "We could use your help," She added, "Goodbye, Saverous." With that, she took a few steps back, before turning on her heel and leaving the palace grounds. Dalamus Ulom

------------------​

The streets were alive with the sounds of parties, music, and the overflowing chatter com the surrounding bars. With her rucksack hanging from her back, her armor donned, and having recently taken a dose of Wolf's Bane, Amélie was ready to get to work. She had checked out of her room at the shody inn she had slept in for the past week, and was on her way to The Shrieking Widow. Amélie had only been there maybe once before to meet with one of her clients, and it wasn't really busy if she remembered correctly. While she was lost in thought, she accidently bumped into a noble woman and her husband. "Oh, sorry," She muttered, trying to get past them, but the man stopped her. "I couldn't hear you mutt," He said with a bitter bite. Amélie decided to remain silent, causing him to scoff. "You dogs should just stay where you belong. You cause enough trouble just wandering," He said, taking his wife's hand, "You're lucky there aren't any hunters around, or else I'd..."He only then noticed that Amélie had walked away. He scoffed again, but continued on his way to wherever him and the shrew he was with were going. Amélie hates people like him, they've got no sense of respect or even common decency. A low growl came from her throat as she thought about it, but nothing more as she quickly pushed the encounter away. Golden or yellow eyes were the way you can tell if someone is a a werewolf. That and if they have a W shaped scar somewhere. Hunters mark them invade they escape, much like how some do with pirates. Amélie almost didn't notice she was standing outside the her destination, but once she realized, the wolf went inside. Scanning the tables, She found Iris, and sat. "Goodevening," She said quietly. Captain Gabriel

 

[Lekar]

Jamison
10 PM, Alleys - Shrieking Widow

The night was lively and full of laughter, cheers, and thunder - so much thunder. The young thief found himself curled in an alleyway, just as he had been the few nights before. "Ah of all the crummy nights to lump me in with, it has to be the one with rain..." He complained quietly. He shivered, yet his mask kept his face strangely warm. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a few spare coins, probably enough for him to grab a drink or two; he also pulled out Tretch, the smooth stone that had brought him company on nights like these, and probably nights to come. "What say you Tretch, a night drink to soothe the storm?" The rock didn't reply, as per usual rock customs. "Oi if you don't want a drink then just say so, but I'm getting one for myself. I ain't sitting in this blasted rain for another instant." The young man lifted himself off the ground, putting the coins and Tretch into his pocket; he slipped in the rain, but quickly caught himself, he was more soaked than he originally thought. "Very funny, Tretch, laugh it up." He opened a tall pair of doors, the sign above it reading 'Shrieking Widow', hardly a welcoming name but still the same familiar place to meet others. If he was lucky, he'd meet some regulars whom he had spoken with in the past.

The small bar was nothing short of impressive, for such a small place they sure knew how to work with it. Jamison caught a few odd glances as he slumped his way over, sitting himself on a stool. He placed a few of the coins he had on the counter. "Light one please, I don't exactly have the stuff to stay the night." He gazed the inn, everyone seemed intent on their own conversations, it was quiet, but cozy with the occasional crack of lightning. He was saddened to find nobody he recognised, but after a small drink he's sure he could work up someone into a conversation.

(Open for interaction.)

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

Saverous
The Shrieking Widow​

Saverous nodded as the woman walked away, before realizing that he didn't even know her name. With a light sigh, he headed back to the small inn he was staying in.

* * * * *​

The inn's door would open again, a few moments after Jamison had seated himself. The hooded figure stood nearly a foor taller than the doorway would normally permit, and the giant had to stoop in order to get through. By this point, it was obvious who he was. There had already been rumors circulating around the city that he was in town. Anyone who did not know his name would quickly learn it from the cacophony of whispers that the other patrons created upon seeing him.

"Saverous."​

After a brief moment of scanning the inn's common area, Saverous would spot Amélie sitting at a table in the corner, with a hooded woman seated with her. That must be the demigodess, Iris. Saverous would begin making his way carefully through the inn, attempting to not hit any tables or people as he passed.

Anyone who was even moderately skilled with magic would undoubtedly be able to sense the demonic energies coming from him, as the demon inside attempted to escape the giant body of a prison it had found itself in, to no avail.

Captain Gabriel FireMaiden
( Lekar because Jamison would probably notice the giant rune covered man eschewing demonic energy who has just entered the inn)

 

[Lekar]

Jamison
10 PM | The Shrieking Widow

Jamison took sip after sip of his drink, starting to feel the lightest bit of effect. He went for another, but was met with an elbow to the back. Nothing violent, clearly accidental, but nevertheless made him spill a fair bit of his drink. The young thief turned to find an absolute mountain of a man, one he had not seen around these areas, one he'd definitely remember if he had.
"Ay friend I understand you have a might in your step but you can't spill a man's drink and not at least talk to him!" He chattered. The whole of the inn seemed fixed on him, some whispering among themselves with all eyes on him, perhaps he was more attuned to the area than the thief thought. Jamison took another drink from his half-empty glass before setting it down. He could only hope he wasn't interrupting anything as he pulled out the empty stool next to him, "Come come, you must have some stories to speak - name's Jamison, yourself?" The thief knew very little of magic, but from whatever sources the mind could think of, this man was something different from your average spell-slinger. The aura from him was viciously palpable.

Dalamus Ulom

 

[Avari]

LUCREZIA WHITEFALL

Imperial Palace
Lucrezia's Private Quarters
10PM



Lucreiza’s office, housed within the southern most tower of the Royal Palace was as luxurious as one might expect. In fact, to refer to it as an office wasn’t exactly accurate - her personal space, after all, was larger than some real houses - and was Complete with a gigantic bedroom, en suite bathroom and a sizable study room, the Knight-Commander's private quarters could likely house a large family in relative comfort. For Lucrezia however, the luxurious nature of her private office was a secondary feature, as she had not returned to the Whitefall Estate since her father's passing almost a year ago. This was practically her home, and it reflected her personality.

Every wall was covered in paintings, diagrams and illustrations of all shapes and sizes. Pictures of hand drawn maps, castles, swords, ancient hieroglyphics depicting Satyrs and elves, famous battles, odd looking runes, old warriors out of song and even a genuine tapestry depicting the almost forgotten Vampire Wars which must have been worth a fortune.

What wasn’t used for paintings was used for bookshelves - which were filled to bursting with rare tomes that would make even the most self controlled historian let out a shriek of glee. There was also a fireplace that crackled merrily, the symbol of the Imperial Knights - the Wolf - was emblazoned upon its mantle. Lucrezia’s desk was a gigantic and ancient looking thing, covered in the wear and tear of a table that had been in constant use for centuries. Rolls of parchment and letters awaiting to be opened were piled neatly to the side, and there were three comfortable looking chairs that Lucrezia saved for extremely rare special guests.

As for the woman herself, she sat quietly at her desk efficiently working her way through as much paperwork as she could manage before she slept - after all, it would be unlikely she would have time for it over the next few days. She was not wearing her signature white armor, but a more comfortable silken nightdress. The storm outside and the crackling fire creating an enjoyable atmosphere. She sorted through a dozen stately invitations to dinners, parties and private meetings and several complex reports from Knights out in the field. There was even a wedding proposal from a Lord she had never even heard of, which while she had read with her usual blank stare, had left the tips of her ears slightly pink. (She wrote back a polite but firm decline.) It was then she heard a gentle tap on her “Office” door.

“Enter.” She said quietly, knowing her voice would carry easily as she set down her pen.

The large wooden door promptly swung open to reveal a young woman, dressed in the a practical but pleasant looking black dress - which showed that she was a maid. She was carrying an expensive looking tea set - ready to pour, judging by the steam gently rising from the lid.

“Apologies for the lateness, my lady.” The girl greeted as she skilfully performed a perfect curtsy - still with the heavy looking tray in hand. She was a pretty thing, all red hair and freckles. She recalled with some amusement that Harkness had once had quite the crush on her.

“Nonsense. Your timing is as impeccable as ever, Petal.” Lucrezia replied kindly as the girl gently lowered the tray to her desk. Petal had been her personal maid for almost a year now - having been assigned to her after her rise to Knight-Commander. She was fond of the girl - she was a good worker and polite, but also a surprisingly pleasant creature. She had learned Lucrezia’s needs quickly, allowing the Knight to focus on more important things and had become a enjoyable moment in her nightly routine.

The girl named Petal busied herself with the tea as Lucrezia leant back in her chair, considering for a moment.

“Petal, you have family living in Redwater village do you not?”

The girl nodded politely as she passed Lucreiza a cup full of steaming hot tea. “Yes, my lady. My father and my sister.”

The Knight-Commander gave a nod of thanks as she took a small sip of the drink, and a tiny smile escaped before returning to her usual blank expression. “Have you heard from them recently?”

Petal - to her credit - did an excellent job of hiding any surprise at the line of questioning. Lucrezia did not often engage her in conversation. “Y-yes, My lady. We write to each other monthly. I’m expecting the next one any day now.”

“I see,” Lucrezia replied simply, taking another thoughtful sip of her drink. “You should instruct your father to move to the Capital. Or failing that, somewhere closer by - such as Greenrun.”

The girl looked startled. Which was rather understandable, Lucrezia supposed. To her surprise however, Petal did not question Lucrezia’s instruction - instead giving a serious nod. “I will do so in my next letter.”

“Good. This is excellent tea by the way.”

“My lady is too kind.”

They stayed in comfortable silence for a while, as Lucrezia finished her drink and then placed it back on the tray. “I am travelling outside the Capital tomorrow, and will not be returning in the evening.”

Petal gave a polite nod. “I understand, my lady.” Lucrezia gifted the girl a rare, small smile. She always appreciated the girl’s lack of questions. Petal left shortly after, giving the Knight-Commander another perfect curtsy as she did so.

Lucrezia stayed at her desk for a short time after that, listening to the storm outside. It was a poor omen.

She very much hoped that Petal’s Family was still alive.

 

[Archdemon]

Diarmid
Location: Shady Alley -------> The Shrieking Willow

The Day Before:

Diarmid shook his head as the Lady gave him a lecture, telling him if Seth succeeds there will be no gold to earn. He merely chuckled, whether or not she truly believed what she said or was trying to guilt him, The Bard didn't fall for it. Even if a society falls, another will rise up and new forms of currency will be made so either way Diarmid would still make a living. Anarchy will always turn into a society, because leaders will always rise to lead people and you cannot destroy that which cannot be destroyed.

"So? If we stop him then I expect gold as a payment, if we don't I'll use whatever currency is available then. If he wins then I'll keep my head down till everything blows over and I can continue my trade like I've always done."

Diarmid has been living on his own for awhile now, he knows how to keep out of trouble and sight. Weall he now has some idea of what to do for awhile, might as well see where this little plot goes. So The Bard left the alley and made sure to look up some new Tavern/Inn.

Two Hours Before Midnight:

The bard entered the Shriekinh Willow with a sort of swagger to his step. He noticed the table where Iris sat and saw a little commotion, and Demonic Energy. The Bard eyed the man whom the energy originated from, but really he couldn't care less. He sat down at the table and placed his feet on the table, leaning his chair back a little. He didn't talk nor questioned anybody, but he was looking at everyone though. He looked toward Iris who's hood was down, which he preferred it that way. Then he looked at the other girl at the table, she looked nice but something was off about her, he can't describe it so he won't. Then he looked to the Moutain of a man he sat next to, well he seemed to have quite a bit of demonic energy so there's that, also his name is Saverous? Apparently it's kinda important but Diarmid heard many names and forgets many. Then to the masked person, nothing special except for the mask he wears.

All in all this was a pretty strange group of people. Diarmid chuckled as he waited for a waitress to come over and take his order for some Ale.
​

Captain Gabriel Dalamus Ulom Lekar FireMaiden

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

Kyros Manearys

Imperial Palace West Wing

Kyros walked closer to the woman. Her acceptance of his help clearly meant that she had some sort of vague idea of what he could do. He figured that he could ask for details as soon as possible so that he could prepare. But if it was some boring crap like guarding he would just leave the area. "So what can I do for you then? I am capable of espionage, anything requiring stealth or a ranged attacker. I would need a day to prepare my equipment however, as I would not like to start any mission unprepared." Kyros then stopped once he got close enough to her. He then remembered and offered her his hand. "Oh I never asked. What is your name?"

Alteras

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

Saverous
The Shrieking Widow​

"I am sorry, good man, but I am busy at the moment," Saverous told the little masked man. He hadn't even felt his elbow touch the odd fellow.

"Besides, I doubt speaking so kindly to me will win you many friends in this town. And if you really feel you must know, my name is Saverous. It's unlikely you haven't heard it before. But anyway, I do have an appointment I must keep," With that, the giant of a man would continue to the table in the corner, sitting himself down beside a bard.

"Good evening, ma'am. I was told if I wanted to help, I should come here and speak to you,"

Lekar FireMaiden Captain Gabriel Archdemon

 

[FireMaiden]

She turned her head towards the door as Saverous came in, causing her to smile a bit. He had changed, if he showed up to help them. Though it quickly dropped she she saw the bard saunter over, only to sit down with his feet up.on the table. She made a disgusted face, glaring at him. "Were you raised in a barn?" She questioned, scooting a bit to the left so she didn't have to look at the filthy bottoms of his shoes. But her attention once again turned to Saverous as he sat down. "Glad you came," She told him, before a glass of bourbon was sat down infront of her, her attention quickly going to her drink. Captain Gabriel Archdemon Dalamus Ulom

 

[Alteras]

Jabel Vazeran
Imperial Palace - West Wing

Jabel looked at the man. "There's a group of adventurers that's going to the border villages. They should still be in the city. Their leader is a self proclaimed demigoddess, Iris. Goddess of love or what not. I want you to follow them as part of their group. One of my own might also be following them, but they'll stick out like a sore thumb. Pay them no heed. That should be all." Jabel raised her own hand and clasped the man's. "Jabel Vazeran, Marshal of the Cabrinate Empire. And yours?"
The_Omega_Effect (Sorry for the long delay, really tough week)

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

Kyros Manearys

Imperial Palace West Wing

"Kyros Manearys. Umm..." Kyros wanted to think of a title of his own but all that came to his mind were things that could very well land him in jail. He then suddenly remembered a name that was given to him by a certain merchant that he had helped. "The...Blue Raven. Not as well known as you I am afraid." At this point, Kyros had already dissolved the smoke that he had summoned as he no longer needed it. As Jabel went on, he started to ask questions in order to better understand his mission. "A demigodess of love? Might it just be a magician with access to charming magic of sorts? I guess I will have to find out once I get to them... You are asking me to gather information on them to report to you correct?" He then heard about another person that she had sent. He knew that he had to be acquainted with this person as soon as possible so as to not get in each other's ways and to work together. He also had to ask as "a sore thumb" did not sound too descriptive to him as there was still the slight chance that he might not figure out who, an uncertainty he wanted to avoid. "And might I ask who this one of yours might look like? If yes, then when and where I can meet them? I do believe we can do better if we were to work with each other."

Alteras

 

[Alteras]

Jabel Vazeran
Imperial Palace West Wing

"That's more or less the gist of it. I don't expect you to report everything, but anything you deem important, just report it to me through any of the local commanders." Jabel sighed. The manner of speaking informally was needed but not one she's quite use to. "As for my person, I doubt that they'll be following in the group, so you don't have to worry. I know that's not an answer, but in the interest of the empire, I'll have to keep it secret for now."
The_Omega_Effect

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

Kyros Manearys

Imperial Palace West Wing

Kyros understood what he had to do for now. It was nothing more than a mission of espionage. He just had to keep an eye on a bunch of random people who followed the "goddess of love" and report the important things to Jabel. He could also, depending on what this group wanted to do, gain some monetary value along their way. With her mystery agent being unknown to him, it seemed that he had to work alone. That was no problem though. "Alright then. I will prepare for today in terms of equipment, and I will track them down in the morning, at which point I can join their group. If I am not able to find the time to talk to one of your commanders, I will try to send you letters which will contain my reports with greater detail." Kyros then reached into a pocket of his with the hand he shook her hand with, and grabbed a certain coin which he flipped to her. The coin was dark, did not look like any of the currency used however. It instead had this symbol, protruding from both sides.

"That is the symbol on my wax seal which all the reports I will be sending you will have, stamped on top of dark blue or dark red wax."

Alteras

 

[Alteras]

Jabel Vazeran
Imperial Palace West Wing

Jabel nodded her head and studied the coin well. "That will be all. Good luck. Pay will be adequate." She turned and headed for the council, signalling the end of their meeting. She began to wonder how she'll discuss this before the council, or if she will at all.
The_Omega_Effect

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

Kyros Manearys

Imperial Palace West Wing

Kyros nodded in response and turned around to leave. As he was walking away, he put his cowl back on, completely hiding his face once more. He started to think of all the preparation he had to do for this new mission of his. He walked out of the Imperial Palace using the same way that he entered it. Questions also popped in his head, regarding who he thought would be his partner in crime, or law in this case. He had a feeling that it would be the silver-haired woman he saw earlier but there was just as big a chance, if not, a bigger chance of it just being some random soldier instead. Whatever the case, he had to be wary of their moves as well. Feeling overall happy, due to the promise of an adequate pay, he decided to pay the guild of alchemists a visit.

Alteras

The Alchemists' Guild

Kyros knocked on the door, to which an old man had answered. He was easily let in, due to him being a frequent customer of them.

"I am going to need to replenish these vials of poison with ones that I had purchased last time. Compliments to the brewer, they were exceptionally effective." He said while laying out the empty vials he had from his backpack and onto the table.

"Oh yes. I made sure that they were. I brewed them myself you know." The man turned around and got a flask full of the poison and a pipette which he used to fill the vials up before placing the corks on them.

"I am sure your years of experience has allowed you to create such intricate substances. I am going to be heading out of town for a bit. Just make sure to not die." said Kyros while laying the appropriate amount of gold on the table.

"I have lived this long already. Don't think I will be gone anytime soon. Good luck wherever you are going." The man pocketed the gold and gave Kyros a smile with his crooked teeth.

"Thanks." And with that, Kyros had left the building. He then went to the market to buy some more arrows.

The Common Marketplace

Kyros then headed to the city centre, where the marketplace was in order to buy some arrows which he had to enchant. He also had to buy other things that would help him on his mission. He went to the hunter's workshop and bought the same arrows he had always bought. They were not the cheapest ones out there, but they were most definitely the most reliable ones. They travelled well, they travelled accurately, and the person creating them, made them in all of the varieties that Kyros used. After that, he went to the store of another merchant. From here, he bought a few sticks of dark blue, sealing wax, some candles, a notebook, some paper, an envelope, and some ink along with a few feathers. These things did not take that much space however, as they were not the biggest or the heaviest of things. He then headed to a tavern where he would spend the rest of hisday.

A Tavern

He rented a room for one night which did not cost him too much. Most of the money that he spent here went to him buying himself alcohol. He always liked the heavy drinks that they sold here, always refilling an empty flask of them which he kept with him at all times, in case he craved a drink. Afterwards, he had some roasted lamb with a few potatoes as dinner, before going upstairs. He had not had food for the whole day which more or less justified him eating that much food at that moment in time, even though he was not one for eating a whole lot. Inside his room, he laid out all the normal arrows he had bought.

He first enchanted quite a bit of arrows with frost magic. To do so, he took out a book of magic from his bag. He then opened the enchantment section and started to work his magic. Although he could summon certain amounts of the actual magic by itself quite easily, it needed a bigger process to enchant things, at least for him. But this way was more beneficial as it allowed for him to concentrate quite a bit of magic within one arrow, allowing for a sudden burst of magic without having to expend too much energy. Afterwards, he enchanted a small number of heat arrows and some smoke arrows. He then used the last of the energy he had to enchant the remaining arrows with explosive capabilities. Those took the most energy out of all the arrows. If it had not been late at night, he might have passed out. He placed all the arrows back in his quiver, cleaned his clothes, made all the necessary and tedious preparations. Afterward he was done, he equipped all of his gear and then went to learn more about the group.

 

[Archdemon]

Diarmid
Location: The Shrieking Willow

The Bard chuckled at the lady who told him if he was raised in a Barn. To be perfectly clear, The Bard actually looked clean. His clothes weren't dirty, the bottom of his boots did show some dirtiness but it wasn't that bad as there wasn't any mud, blood, or shit on the bottom. He looked at the girl with a smirk on his face.

"No but I've been in many to make up for it. And most of the time it's been with many companions. Though me and you could... Tumble in the hay..... But I doubt that since you seem like a total Bitch."

He just casually said the words like they didn't mean anything to him, nor did he say them with any malice or hatred. He didn't have a real opinion of the Girl, but from what he has seen so far and from intuition, he concluded that she's a Bitch. In the act of not giving a fuck He ordered a drink, namely the best ale the tavern had, and waited for when it arrived. When it did he put his feet down and started to drink the ale. It was quite strong but Diarmid has like an Iron will, or at least he felt like it because of yesterday.

He kept his eye on the girl to see her reaction, he had to entertain himself somehow while he was in this tavern full of slightly boring people.
​

Captain Gabriel FireMaiden ((I hope you don't take what my character says personally, he's a prick so many of what he says will be rude.)) Dalamus Ulom

 

[FireMaiden]

"Oh, no thank you. I don't fool around with immature little boys," Amélie replied, shrugging off the intended insult. If he wanted an angered, upset, or even some kind of emotion as a reaction, he'd have to do better than calling her a bitch. Worse names had been sent her way, bitch was a compliment, and in a way, she was one. Both figuratively and literally. Amélie ordered another drink, still waiting for the "goddess" to say something, but in the meanwhile, why not make small talk? She didnt take what he said to heart, knowing that his oppion may change. Or not, she didn't really give a fuck. But she may as well try to learn a little about someone she would be digging with. "You're a bard right? Self taught or did you learn from the college?" She asked, actually a bit curious. Archdemon

 

[Lekar]

Jamison
11 PM | Shrieking Widow

Jamison shrugged, he expected a warm conversation. He finished his drink, pulling the small bit of his mask back over his mouth. He felt much more comfortable. He tried to get some conversation going with some of the other bar-dwellers, but was mostly met by cold silence or abrasive tones. The storm outside hadn't changed, it still roared and continued the onslaught of endless blank noise. The thief sat back in the corner of the inn, reaching into his pocket to find his trusty friend Tretch. "Ay Tretch, this place kinda stinks..." He whispered to the dumb rock, "I could maybe afford another drink, last chance to speak up if you want it." Again he was met with silence. "You're no fun sometimes, Tretch."

As the thief went for his drink, he was stopped by a peculiar sight. Near where the mountain man who called himself 'Saverous' sat a small group of people, one in particular who seemed out of place, bored. He heard the word 'bard' through the commotion. That was that, Jamison's curiosity had been piqued. He pulled up a small chair to the table, giving a familiar, awkward nod to Saverous. "Sorry to barge, this place is a drab and I'd rather not sit alone like a drunken fool." Jamison looked towards the bard in particular. "You're a bard, yeah? Your kind usually has interesting tales to speak, if I remember the customs right."

Archdemon FireMaiden Dalamus Ulom

 

[Reinhardt]

Caius Levinhart​

Current Location: Imperial Palace - Interrogation Chamber​

The rain started to pour upon the lands. Thunders roared from above. This night was going to be a long one.

Back at the chamber, Harkness stood guard, preventing anyone else but the Knight Commander from entering the said place. In there, Caius sat down, his back behind the wall, and could be easily identified to be dozing off. However, this his sleep produced no ordinary dream - he was sweating, his breathing was heavy, and his hand gripped tightly on the sword by his side. Heck, the man was even gritting his teeth.

"Caius.", a voice called upon him, but Caius could only see nothing but the pitch black darkness. Everywhere he gazed, there was nothing.

"Caius.", yet again, a voice called upon him. But he could not find its source. The sound echoed throughout the blank place, and every step he took seemed to lead him to nowhere. He was confused, and slowly getting frustrated.

"Caius.", he was name was called upon once more.

Finally deciding that he was not going to have any of such nonsense, the aggravated man shouted. "Reveal yourself!"

And just as he had commanded, several figures began to appear before him. Some familiar, some not. But there were a few that caught his eyes - and those were that of his closest friends and family. His father, his mother, his adoptive brother. Even his bride-to-be.

They were all there, standing still. Calling his name, whilst staring at him blankly.

Caius's hands trembled before the sight assembled before him. Seeing them all alive and well could have easily brought him to tears, but he knew what was coming. The very second he decided to move, unseen tendrils from the pitch black darkness restrained him and pulled him back. And for every struggle he made, the grip on his body and the tug of the pull only became stronger.

In that very moment, a thunderous metal clanging echoed throughout the area. They all began to chant his name chaotically. In their voices were the sounds of despair, pain, and misery. Their eyes stared right through the tortured man's soul.

"Caius. Caius. Caius. Caius. Caius. Caius."

Their uncoordinated voices soon overwhelmed the echoing metallic clanging. Their chant became faster as the second passed.

"No.", Caius said, closing his eyes and looking away from them. "I don't want this. Stop it."

Their voices grew louder, as the unseen tendrils forced Caius to open his eyes and stare at the figures assembled before him.

"No! Stop this! Stop it now!"

The figures began to be deformed and ruined. No longer did they look alive and well. Their appearances slowly turned into the corpses that they truly were. Rotten flesh and bone, blood dripping from their unsightly bodies. And what's worse was that behind each of them were the atrocious beings that slew them mercilessly, ready to repeat the same unfortunate fate they went through.

Caius struggled even further. With all the might he can muster, he attempted to break free and move forward. To stop the inevitably and painful sight before him from occurring. Alas, his efforts were futile.

"Stop! Stop now! Aaargh!", he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Just as he was about to witness every death he has witnessed back during the old, dreadful days of the Gothic War, he woke up, continuing his powerful yell and alerting Harkness who left him to sleep in peace earlier. His grip on his blade was firm as ever, and he was now standing. Simply by looking at his posture, he was ready to attack. The target, however, would be nothing, since there is literally nothing but air before Caius.

"Bad dreams?", Harkness asked from afar, staring at the awakened man.

Caius turned his gaze to Harkness, and realized that it was all but a nightmare. A terrible dream that continues to haunt him of his past. He stood properly, and released his grip on his blade. He took a deep breath, and calmly replied. "Bad memories."

Tags: ---

 

[Captain Gabriel]

Iris Cripthar
Location: Shrieking Widow

The girl looked at everyone enter and sit at her table. She smiled and took off her hood, placing her hands on the table.

"Thank you for coming. I think we shouldn't waste time and get right into the plan. My...friend has found us a way in through the eastern wall. There's a small tunnel that leads directly to the Emperor's quarters. It's used for quick getaways and it's fairly hidden. We will get in and then rush to the Throne Room...hoping for the best." She explained. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was everything they could do at the moment.

"As for the guards...I'll be distracting them. I always figure something out~!" She said, smiling warmly again, getting up on her feet. "Let's not waste any more precious time and get to work." She said, leading the way to the Eastern Wall of the Imperial Palace.

As they got there, Iris darted her eyes around the wall for a bush. A slightly lighter-colored bush compared to the others was what she was looking for and, after a couple of minutes of searching, she located it. The girl approached it and burned it to ash and underneath it was an iron trap-door. She melted the chains locking it down with a powerful burst of fire and pulled it up, opening it. She went down the ladder and reached a dark tunnel. The walls were very moist and covered in moss and the smell of wet dirt was very intense. She snapped her fingers and a small-sized flame appeared in her hand, which was more than enough to make them able to move without fear of what could be in front of them.

After a good fifteen minutes of walking, they arrived in another chamber in which there was a ladder leading up. "I'll go last, make sure to stay put." She said with a rather calm tone. Once everyone climbed up the ladder, Iris also went up the step-stool and reached a small, metal-walled room with a steel-door closing it down. Iris looked through the door's keyhole and made sure nobody was on the other side.

FireMaiden Birdsie @nghg Archdemon Mach1ne_H3ad Dalamus Ulom Reinhardt Ms. Sparrow Lekar Alteras

(Don't go any forward. Just stopping here to let everyone post and catch up.)

 

[Archdemon]

Diarmid
Location: Shrieking Willow ----------> Secret Passage

Diarmid laughed a little, shaking his head. "Immature boy? Oh my poor aching Heart! Woe is me!"

He then started acting all dramatic doing various sad poses in his chair. But in the end he was smirking, which was all he cared about. He took another swig at his ale and wiped the foam off his face. This is what the Bard enjoyed most days, doing jobs and having fun at the taverns. What more can a man ask?

His attention returned to the girl who sat across from him, as she asked him if he was from the college or self trained. He sighed, he never like the college as everyone there was in each other's business plus he'd be dead bored in there.

"The college? Nah, I was trained by a master. Someone unaffiliated by the college. Plus me and the College aren't on good terms at the moment, don't ask cause I don't even remember why."

He turned back towards his drink and took another gulp before the masked person came over again. He asked Diarmid that if he was a bard and then made a comment about them knowing tales. He sighed, then he turned to the masked persons direction looking at him.

"Yes I'm a Bard, and yes we tell Tales. It's 'Tradition' that we tell tales when requested. I honestly don't give a damn about Tradition since it never did me any good. So if you want tales of glory and of ancient history, I will do so for price but otherwise I won't perform them. Skalds are more suited to that sort of work anyways, I prefer musical instruments."

He made a simple gesture towards the lute he carried with him. He was about to drink until Iris spoke saying that they're going through a secret underground tunnel into the emperor's chambers? Hopefully this demigoddess knew what she was doing.

The Bard quickly finished his drink and followed Iris on her mission.

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

It seemed forever, but they made it through the long and complex tunnel. Hell he was almost burned at the start of it, well at least the traps were all avoided. So once they got to a ladder and everyone climbed it. Diarmid played a little tune and suddenly out of nowhere a Rat appeared. He placed the beast on his shoulder as he climbed as well, and when everyone was in the room he placed the creature down and whispered in its ear. The creature then ran off and disappeared. He turned to everyone and spoke quietly.

"He's going to check around for us and tell us where any guards and people are and if they're patrolling. And if people see him and kill him well they won't know it's from a magical bard such as myself."

FireMaiden Birdsie @nghg Captain Gabriel Mach1ne_H3ad Dalamus Ulom @Reinhardt Ms. Sparrow Lekar Alteras
​

 

[FireMaiden]

Amélie couldn't help but chuckle at Diamard. She would never admit it outright, but fake dramatics were something she found highly amusing, and she was pleased he answered her question. "Hmm, I guess that's a good as any school. Sounds like more fun as well," she added, taking a sip of her second drink delivered seconds earlier. Though of course, that's the time Iris decided to leave. Not even everyone was even there yet, so maybe they missed out on their chance? Oh well, Amélie quickly downed the rest of her bourbon and stood, patting Saverous on the shoulder. "Let's go big man."

-------------------------​

Oh lord this was absolute hell. If the smell of wet dirt was intense for the humans, a werewolves senses were supernatural compared to them, it was safe to say that Amélie was nearly suffocating. Mildew, mold, moss, dirt, and everything you'd expect to find in a dirty hole like this were assaulting her senses. She pushed through it of course, with only the occasional gag as they passed heavily saturated areas. She was more than eager to get out of that damned hole, even if it was now in a room that smelled of metal and body oder. At least she was use to those smells. "Iris, pleasd tell me that's the only dark tunnel we have to go through for a while," She said, taking something off her belt. It was a small pouch of some sort of dark bean. Amélie would take a few quick sniffs, the smell helping to clear her nose form that god awful stench. "Anyway, now what?" Captain Gabriel Archdemon Dalamus Ulom

 

[Alteras]

Jabel Vazeran
Imperial Palace - West Wing

Jabel went to the guards barracks and small captain's office. It was late at night, but the requests shouldn't wait till the day. There was definitely a lack of personnel in the palace. Even for the night time shift, there should be way more people, but it couldn't be helped. Most of the guards in the Imperial Palace also serve as constables and local law enforcement, as there was a significant lack of manpower after Seth's rebellion. Jabel entered the small office. Dim moonlight lit the room, showing a wooden desk, and several stands filled with weapons, armor, and a small medal. The guard captain would be asleep right now, so she would have to write the request herself. She pulled out a matchbox from the desk and lit the oil lamp, before picking up the pen and ink to write on a small piece of paper.

After a few moments of the sound of pen scratching paper, a message was written. Rolling it up, she turned around and opened the window. The cool summer night came in and the flame in the oil lamp flickered just a bit. Looking down on to the streets, she saw a guard standing beyond the fences. "Hey! Guard!" The guard turned curiously, definitely surprised that anyone was in the office. "I have an urgent message. Send it to the military barracks!" She said before tossing the roll of paper down to the guard below. It was caught and briefly looked at before the guard began his ran to the barracks.

Jabel closed the window and left the office. She would begin patrolling the Palace for the time being. It was definitely out of rank to be doing so from her position, but having encountered one intruder already, she didn't want to risk another. Within time, her own men will arrive at the Palace to bolster its ranks.

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

Kyros Manearys

Tavern
The Tavern was not too busy. Only a quarter of the tables were full. At later times like these, the more dangerous taverns seem to be busier than the safer ones like these. It was no bad thing as it only meant less sound for Kyros to be annoyed by. He sat down on one of the tables and bought a cheap mug of ale just to keep him occupied while he could think of something to do for himself. He thought of tracking the group down at that moment. But that would be difficult as finding someone with that sort of information at that time of the day sounded like an impossible task. And even if he did find someone, they would most likely want to part with more gold than Kyros was prepared to give. Sitting close to two bodyguard looking fellows having a conversation, he could not help but eavesdrop.

"Did you hear that the Crimson Slayer was caught by the guards?"

"Heh. Probably caught killing some random priest thinking it was responsible for the murder of his family. The guy is a total nutter."

"You got that right. The fucker is a complete idiot. Like why the hell are you just randomly murdering people?"

Kyros had enough of their mindless conversation. Listening to people like that was very annoying for him. But he did extract one sensible piece of information from their conversation. Caius Levinhart, otherwise known as the Crimson Slayer, was caught by the city guards and most likely kept in the same palace he left. He thought whether going was a good idea or not. He was very desperate for something to do and meeting this character could provide some sort of entertainment. Besides, he was working for the marshal which gave him some sort of access to certain areas, meaning he could more easily talk himself out of a situation like so, if caught. Leaving the half finished mug of ale on the table, Kyros left the tavern to visit the the town square to find some information. And then he was planning to give Caius a visit.

Town Square

Kyros had managed to get to the town square. It was the middle of the night so finding information would be a different sort of challenge than it would be in day. Because in the day, there are a numerous amounts of witnesses that can be asked but rarely does one find any that provides good quality information. However, at night the case seems to be different as one can rarely find a witness, but if that person is found and gotten to talk information of greatest greatest detail can be extracted. That was what he concluded from his experiences working in the town and all over the empire.

Kyros first approached a weapons merchant. The man seemed was the same one who had sold him the arrows earlier that day and throughout his entire time working in that city. He went by the name Carver which was quite fitting to his profession. They had formed quite a weird sort of friendship. Carver recognised him every time Kyros visited and was friendly to him every time. Kyros just went along with it most of the time without giving a reaction in some cases. But the man was persistent. With him working all day, Kyros had bet that this man would have seen a lot about who passes here.

"Have you seen a group of peculiar looking warriors run around here by any chance? They are led by a ---"

"Not really a group per say. But some people have been telling me that they are going to, or already met at the tavern. I did see a couple of characters that really stand out walk through here that did not fit in with the robed assholes, the peasants and the big dumb orc types. Me and the boys have been talking all about them. We think that they are gonna fuck some shit up but we could give a crap if we tried. A woman with yellowish eyes and white hair walked through, the blacksmith saw a real pretty one strutting around, some say they even saw Sadima of all people, and I saw a BIG fucker, this tall." He said while raising his hand to exaggerate his height. Or he might have been telling the truth. Kyros was not sure.

"You know which tavern they were headed to?"

"Beats me. I guess you are going to have to ask around a bit more."

"Thanks for the information Carver. "

"Heh. No problem. I guess you haven't been doing that well recently in terms of them contracts. The last big one was 2 years ago, now that got you a lot of gold didn't it."

"Don't talk about that to anybody alright? If that becomes common knowledge I might be in big trouble."

"Alright alright no problem... What do you think of the whole Seth thing going on?"

"The necromancer that revolted?"

"Yeah that's the one. His followers have been popping up a lot lately. A few rolled by and bought a fuck ton of weapons from me and the other weapon making boys. They might be up to something."

"I will be ready to face them then. Or join them. Whatever side brings me the most."

"Heh. You double crossing son of a bitch. I'll be seeing you around then."

Kyros then nodded and then turned around. He went towards the direction Carver had pointed him in anyway hoping to run into someone that could give him information. The city had obviously changed. Kyros had noticed that recently the amount of people labelled as "followers of Seth" had been increasing. Since he works mostly at night, he had noticed more and more of these people pop up, to a point where he would see them 3 times a week. The feeling of something huge happening found its way into him. He figured that even if he found the group, they would not easily let him join them. It was very likely that he could be put under charm magic and force to tell them what he was there for. And due to that reason, he had to find ways to quickly answer incriminating questions like that truthfully so as to not give himself away. With that thought, he no longer pursued the group.

With that simple conversation, Kyros had gained a lot of information about this group. Most important of all, he knew that they were in the process of planning something. Them meeting in an organised fashion like they did only pointed to as much. After asking around and gathering information for a bit longer, he decided to go and report his findings. But first, he had to pay Levinhardt a visit.

Imperial Palace

Kyros noticed a distinct lack of guards around the Imperial Palace. It made it very easy for him to sneak in as the few patrols who were on watch, were not able to pay as much attention as possible due to them being tired. Nevertheless, the less time he had spent in there, the better were his chances of not being caught. He did not know the layout of the palace that well, but he logically made the conclusion that the area with the most guards would be housing the dangerous people. Would he be even kept here? If his memory served him right, the man only killed the enemies to the empire and would not be awarded criminal status instantly due to his history with the empire. While walking he was almost caught by a patrol as he was lost in his thought. He used his invisibility powers due to the night and found a cover to hide him. Even if he could not be seen in plain sight, he did not want to risk anything and wanted to be extra careful. One of the guards split off from the other to go down a different path when stopped by his partner.

"Aren't we supposed to move the new prisoner from the interrogation chamber to the jail?"

"Nah. It's the Crimson Slayer that's in there. And we are not allowed to move him because of the Knight Commander's orders. I do believe that Harkness is standing guard for his room."

"Fine then. But next time you know things like that just tell me okay? Its not easy being new here."

"Not easy? You just walk around in circles around the fucking palace, running the occasional errand. Now lets get back on patrol."

"You can be a real ass you know."

The newbie reluctantly followed the other guard as they left. Kyros had learnt a few things. One, Caius is kept in the interrogation chamber, and two, the interrogation chamber is the way the newbie tried to go. He left his new cover and headed along the path. It took quite the bit of walking, but he came across a corner, where turning gave him the sight of a lone guard. This one was dressed in much more fancy armour though, leading to the conclusion that he was a knight or a commander of some sort. Regardless, if Kyros asked to talk to Caius and Caius himself agreed to due to him still having some sort of authority, he could sneak in a conversation with the "legend". Kyros took the middle of the small corridor and walked up to the man. He was obviously tired due to deprivation of sleep and pure boredom.

"Is this where you keep Caius Levinhardt?"

"Wh-What? What would you want from him?." He then changed his posture and reconsidered what he wanted to ask. "What are you even doing here? What authorisation do you have to even be inside the Imperial Palace? I am afraid I will have to put you under arrest." He then grabbed the handle of his sword, ready to use the single gram of energy he had left to fight him. Kyros could easily kill him right there, but Jabel would not deem him killing her men as acceptable.

"Don't worry. I work for Marshall Jabel so that counts as some form of authorisation. I am here to merely talk to the Crimson Slayer."

He loosened up but still was ready to draw his sword at a moment's notice. "I apologise but the only one allowed to enter is the Knight Commander."

"Why don't you ask him? I am sure that I could at least see him through the bars."

Harkness chuckled and then tilted his head towards the cells of the door, awaiting a response from Carius.

Reinhardt

 

[Lekar]

Jamison
11 PM - ??? | Shrieking Widow - Passageway

Jamison felt the bard's word. The lack of belief for tradition rang well with that of the Masked Exiles.
"I hear ya, friend. Tell you what, I'll tag along, when we make it back, I'll buy you a drink - then you can humour me with some tales, eh?" He turned to the giant, again greeting him. "And you never told me of your stories friend, I hope we can make up for it later." The lady at the end of the table brisked away her hood and spoke fine volumes, and before he even knew it, he was out and along. He felt a very strong sense of nostalgia from his early days of thievery.


The rain still fell, the smells of mud and mildew filled the air. It was a familiar smell to the thief, one he had come to appreciate. However, not everyone felt the same, as proven by the gags and displeasure from one girl. "I take this to be the first time you've done something like this, aye?" He chuckled, poking idle fun at the brown-haired girl. "I guess I can't be a fair comparison, I've been doing this for a good portion of my life." The thief stepped over some large rocks, the place was clearly not made for ordinary use. He turned to the hooded woman who had offered to go last. "I'm usually not one to ask about these jobs but, uh... what exactly are we doing here?"

Captain Gabriel Archdemon FireMaiden Dalamus Ulom