Fantasy Crimson Streets

[CallSign]

"Grow up. We're adults, yet only one of us seems to think like one. I'm a contractor, you're the client, and the others are to be my coworkers. Once a contract is established, I fulfill it so long as the other end is upheld. You'll have no betrayal from me.


"However, what I want is not money. I've got a business bringing in plenty of that, and a month won't harm my sales in the long run. No, what I want is something more meaningful and less expendable. Please bear with me a moment as I explain the significance.


"As you well know, my family disowned me. I am no longer a Dorovich; I am only of their bloodline. Earlier, you incorrectly addressed me as 'Sir Dorovich,' an insult both to myself and to the Dorovich family. I contend that I retain my noble title due to my fortune and success as a businessman, not due to my blood. See, I have no need of any title provided on a basis of birth, for as my parents have shown, success does not play into birthrights.


"What I want from you is your blessing to start a new noble family, separate from the Dorovich family, with myself at its head. I certainly have the wealth expected of a nobleman, and, should I perform this task for you, I'll also have done a 'noble' deed, so to speak. And before you point out that your blessing will mean nothing if the Crimson Queen succeeds, you should consider things from my position." Isaac reached into the pocket of his coat to retrieve a blood-red envelope, emptied of contents to maintain the confidentiality of the correspondence.


"I'm sure you understand that it matters not which government gives me the blessing I seek. However, as we have some, er, history together, I decided I'd give you the first chance. So, what will it be?"

 

[Dragongal]

Empertrie D. White ~The White Queen~

​

The Queen could see her hands were tied. He'd be a powerful player on either side of this. However, old laws said that a person could only ascend to nobility after having done a great deed in the service of the kingdom, and proving themselves truly loyal to the crown. The fact that he had the red envelope was an obvious sign that he obviously didn't have the second la playing in his favor. He had become a black-market salesman through wit, not promises. Sh eloathed the idea of his helping her enemy; however, she had little choice in the matter.


In the end, she didn't trust him. And she really, really hated bargaining in almost any form. "How is it that I know you won't help the Queen should this endeavour begin to fail? How do I know you won't sell her information for the same promise? And how do you know they won't kill you if you side with them?"

 

[CallSign]

"Come now, you wouldn't have invited me if you hadn't already thought me worth the risk. I'm sure you have some information on my dealings in the black market and know what I sell - or, more importantly, what I don't. I never deal in information, as I could never put an appropriate price on knowledge. I also never discuss business dealings with anyone but the client involved. I find that clients are more willing to become repeat customers if they feel secure. You may consider everything discussed since my arrival at the castle to be 'business dealings' that I will never divulge.


"I honestly don't know how you already know I won't turn sides if the going gets rough, as I can't see inside your head. However, if our positions were reversed, I'd know you wouldn't turn on me after signing a contract because it would create a history of disloyalty, making the other side suspicious and much more likely to kill you after using you.


"My, that runs quite nicely into your other question, doesn't it? Anyway, I don't know that they won't kill me. However, I know that the Crimson Queen has quite a few powerful and very loyal subjects. That loyalty speaks of the trust they put in her, and that trust would not be there if they were afraid that the Crimson Queen would kill them. Thus, I find it highly unlikely that they would kill me after seeking my help themselves.


"I've answered you in full, queen. What will your answer be?"

 

[Dragongal]

Empertrie D. White ~The White Queen~

​

She had nothing to lose, as she'd had plans of her own anyway. Nothing of disloyalty or deceit, but as rewards. "If you complete the task, and work well with your 'business partners', then you will have your nobility as well as your monetary reward. Your record will be wiped clean. However, once you've been raised to the noble status, you cannot continue in your black market dealings. You'll have to find another source of income, because we will not hesitate to arrest you, as we would any noble who worked with the black market." She thought this very fair.

 

[CallSign]

"Very well. The contract is approved. Thank you for your time; I shall return to my room for the night if you've nothing else for me."


At the queen's dismissal, Isaac left the hall to return to his room. Once safely behind a locked and fused door, he held the blood-red envelope in front of him, eyes sparkling. He considered himself to be just as lucky as he was clever as he drained the blood from its fibers, leaving a white envelope with a name written upon it in ornate handwriting. Had the queen insisted to be shown the envelope, his charade would have been broken.


Isaac returned the envelope to his pocket before preparing for bed and returning once more to the land of fairy tales and, soon after, dreams.

 

[KnightofShadows]

Alexi had returned quietly to the room where Prudence still slept in tranquil peace, clearly the events of these past few days, culminating in the Queen’s call to service this night, had finally exhausted the deceptively vast physical and emotional reserves the poor girl possessed. “And why wouldn’t they for the love of the Gods?” he thought. “It wasn’t fair. She was so young and the threat that had been described to the kingdom that the Queen had shared, was clearly one of deadly origins and purpose for them all, let alone a child." He wished that Prudence would choose to walk away, though he feared that wouldn't be the case...


He set the heavily laden plate full of a vast array of delicious treats on the side table and sat in one of the high backed comfy chairs and gave a low but sharp “Thhht, hhht.” sound, summoning Mika from his dark home. He had seldom if ever been cooped up so long, and there was an excited squeak in return as he scrambled out of his on the road home and into Alexi’s lap. His curious nose caught what must have been the truly heavenly mix of enticing aromas coming from the piled goodies. He snuffed the air and chittered, as if to say “What are you waiting for, feed me already…”


Alexi chuckled lightly. “Alright hold your horses, we have to save some of this for our new friend over there…” he whispered, and reaching over he tore of a small chunk of the moist sweetbread and a sliver of the mouthwatering cheese he’d already sampled repeatedly in delight, and pressing them together held it out for Mika as he eagerly snatched it away in his little paws and began to devour it. The low candle light gleamed brightly from his small black gemlike eyes.


Alexi entertained himself in this manner, feeding Mika slowly till he’d had his fill of the rich and wondrous morsels and content, climbed up to perch at his right shoulder, nuzzling his ear gently before settling into a comfortable position to enjoy his pleasant state of contentment.


Alexi tried to catch a few winks while standing vigil, but sleep remained elusive. His body clock was wired opposite of his newfound colleagues, and it was going to be a difficult adjustment to make.


Right now, too many thoughts were racing about his mind, too many questions, and not enough answers…


He was grateful to have these quiet moments however, that he might take the time to begin to tame the teaming chaos of his mind into something that began to resemble some semblance order. Sets of logical inferences that with luck, would begin to reveal a path toward the inevitable truth and he hoped, to their victory…

​

@Luminescent

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

"Actually, I'm afraid I'm just a messenger this time. It's the Queen who wants you."


Her brows met in the middle, furrowing with confusion for only a moment before Elara relaxed her face and rolled her eyes. She muttered something along the lines of spoiled royalty and nerve beneath her breath when the movement of one of Polaris' dear vines caught her eyes, wrapping around it mistress' wrist and sending the girl leaping with surprise. Elara's gaze widened, though only slightly. Was the girl so tense that she lost complete control of her power...?


Realization began to dawn on the murderess and her stare returned to its tired, half-lidded state. She ignored Polaris' extra statement of her coming talk with the Queen in favor a meager, roguish grin.


"What's the matter, Miss?" she questioned, a short lilt to her tone. "Nervous? Scared I might turn wild again, perhaps attack you? Worry not. That time has passed. For now, anyway." Her smirk soon faded, a bland expression taking its place. Elara turned from the other and made her way back towards the entrance to the dining hall.


[ @Dragongal ]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


While Polaris usually tried to stay as kind and non-combative as possible, she had a policay about taking other people's crap. And it was, quite simply, that she didn't. If they were going to be travelling together, she had to set Elara straight now. The sooner this girl realized she was not her enemy, and advantages over each other weren't needed, the better.


Staying in the garden, she called to Elara as she walked away, "I'm not nervous about you, though I admit I was concerned you were in need of medical aid. The plant's reaction, it's just what happens when I don't pay attention before cutting off my connection to the plants, and we were speaking, so I thought it polite to give you my full attention. I've always been a jumpy person." She rolled up her sleeves to her elbow, which displayed a number of her deeper scars, and quickly walked past Elara, in the direction of her room, adding, "It's saved me enough times that I don't mind."

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

The noble had only just made it to the dining hall's entryway when Polaris so boldly decided to open her mouth. Elara paused her steps and turned first her head, and then her body as the other continued to speak. She cared not a bit for the girl's no-nonsense tone and her expression never changed when she revealed the scars lining her arms. Inwardly, Elara smirked as Polaris strode past her, catching on to the haughty air she left behind.


So, she had taken her words as a threat? Interesting, as the slave had not meant it in such a way; she was simply stating a fact. But should Polaris see it that way, then so be it--it suggested a thing or two about the nature-loving girl. However, Elara chose not to dwell on the matter and continued on towards the patient Queen, left behind from the fiasco of the feast.


"Yes, Your Majesty," she greeted, her tone heavy with exhaustion. "You called for me?"


[ @Dragongal ]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris opened the door to the room that was marked for her, sighing. The room was lit only by two candles, the rest had gone out before her arrival. She slowly ran her finger along one of the scars on her arm. She looked around the dim room, closing the door and rolling down her sleeves with shaking hands. The flowers in her room were live, in decorative silver pots, rather then cut. She put her hand on one of the pots near her bedside, making a number of the flowers glow. She sat down heavily on the side of the bed, taking off her sword and sheld, struggling with the buckles for a few minutes, setting them upright against the side of the bed where she could easily reach them. She laid back, tired from the day. She set her dagger on the bedside table and got read to sleep.


 
Empertrie D. White ~The White Queen~


Empertrie summoned some of her servants, who carried the unconscious Elara to her room. In all of the ways she had considered that conversation going, Elara fainting was not one of them. The Queen sighed; it had been a long day with uncertain results. She'd have to ascertain things with the group at breakfast. The Queen stood, and made her way to her own quarters for the night.


 

GM


After a long night at the Queen's castle, our heroes were woken up by knocks on the door, inviting them to breakfast. During the meal, the Queen ascertained from each of them that they each were willing to go. They were allowed to take as much or as little as they wished from the armoury (No Over-powered stuff, please guys? Don't take a lot of stuff. And guns don't exist. Please balance it with what you already have; also, you don't need to take anything if you don't want to) before their departure. The Queen told them to wait at the gate out of the 1st Stein should they get there early.


The target is simple: in the Second Stein is a man named Nedrem Tai. He is the holder of the first crystal, the fire crystal, discovered because of how sloppily he covered his tracks. There is potential for this to have been on purpose for a trap, but it is highly doubted. He keeps 3 guards around him at all times, who blend in as citizens. Any information that can be salvaged from his office is considered very, VERY high priority: if he is defeated too long before his office can be accessed, the information may be destroyed.


His office is on the top floor of a two-story brick building in the Second Stein's business district. This is a moderately populated area, few people should be walking the streets. Remember that he has 3 guards who are very good at blending in.


The abilities of the fire crystal include: burning items to varying extents (from a slight char to a pile of ashes) without harming anything else (more than a charring takes time, with the crystal held to the object/person), shooting balls of fire (3/min can be fired simultaneously), lighting things on fire (like a spark, not a conflagration) from a distance (2 yards), and sending out a wall of fire that lasts for 3 yards. Not exceptionally hot, but will burn exposed skin and set clothing alight (Can be done once every 5 minutes). DON'T FORGET HE ALSO WIELDS A SWORD, AND ONE OF HIS GUARDS COULD BE AN ARCHER.


He is wanted back ALIVE IF POSSIBLE. He is to be tied and brought to the gate of the 1st Stein, or all the way to the Queen's castle. The crystal is to be brought to the Queen by the group themselves. It must be kept secret. Discretion is key, as the less the Red Queen knows about the group (especially their abilities) the better.


Here our story picks up, on the road out of the First Stein, the gates about a kilometer away, as our heroes walk together toward their first mission.


(Everyone feel free to post. Be sure to include what - if anything - you got from the armoury. Feel free to talk to other characters)


(Also, your characters CAN BE KILLED by main enemies such as Nedrem Tai WITHOUT WARNING)
​

@Elvengarda

 

[TheStoicist]

Mutt had arrived at the Queen's palace much later than any of the others which had been invited, it was not that he made a habit of arriving late. It was simply that he had, had business to finish in the Third Stein before he left for this odd quest.


He had also left the palace earlier than any of the others and was presently waiting at the gate of the First Stein, he was used to running on only a few hours of sleep.


He had been informed by the Queen all that the other's had been informed of before him late last night and was actually a bit wary to meet these others. Not all of them seemed a threat, especially the children with more passive abilities, but he wasn't doubting anyone before he met them in person and could observe them for himself. He was also older than most of the others in the group and assumed that perhaps this would make him a leader in this ragtag band of the Queen's puppets, he wasn't keen on the prospect though. In all honesty, Mutt had no allegiance to either the Red Queen, Wunderheim, or the White Queen, as was to be expected of a foreigner. His purpose for accepting this duty from the White Queen sprung from only two reasons. Money and his interest in why the Queen had brought all of these seemingly unrelated people together. He now knew the answer to the latter, but with that a new question arose, why did all of these people have these powers? Surely they could not have been blessed by the spirits of the sky like he had, those deities only reined over his people, so there was another reason. And Mutt was not one to typically stick his nose where it did not belong, or not without the incentive of money, but this was somehow a different matter.


Mutt had visited the Queen's armory as well before he left this morning, and had taken all he'd seen as useful to himself before anyone else arrived. He'd taken a light chain-mail which he wore under an outfit of simple dark breeches, a burlap shirt, and new, leather, thick-soled boots which he'd worn for years. He also wore a thin, leather chest piece which didn't look like much strapped onto his chest, but at least looked inconspicuous, along with three, short-bladed iron daggers, and an iron short sword. Of course iron wasn't his first choice of material for a sword, it wasn't extremely conductive and he'd lose some volts if he charged it with electricity, but you really couldn't make a useful sword out something like silver or gold.

 

[InsanEleven]

Inanis walked on in silence as he watched the dawn flee the upcoming sun, and he had hoped he would have been able to enjoy the fresh morning breeze longer, but instead the summer heat already started to rise. He woke up several crickets slumbering in the knee-length grass with each striding step. It was a truly beautiful morning, but he couldn't ignore this heavy feeling of dread laying down on his stomach. There was not a single reason in the world to believe another such beautiful morning would ever be seen by him, though he knew that he had told himself that a few hundred times before, and yet here he was still breathing.


He had also never envisioned himself ever setting foot inside the royal armoury, but he had been there a mere hour before. Apparently he hadn't been the first one there, even when he had planned to start early and travel alone for a little bit, but it didn't matter, because he knew that he wouldn't have need for metal rings and plates. The only metal he really needed was pointy and most ideally in his hands. Instead he had moved more to the back of the armoury, beyond all the shiny polished stuff, and after a long search found what he was looking for. The queen of course had her need for spies, and those in their turn needed their own gear. He had nitpicked all the best parts from different sets, even when all were made with the same or similar material... and he just hoped none would mind some of the gloves and headpieces not matching the boots.


Right now he wore a dark, greenish-gray hooded cape, with an intricate pattern he had only seen a few times before on high ranked assassins within Lion's Irate, and he knew it was meant to hide you better in grassy areas. He had also taken a second cape with a similar style except more yellowish for sand and desert purposes. Besides that he wore a black leather chestpiece, made with both soft and hard leather, so he was protected but at the same time could move freely. Long black leather gloves (fingerless of course), tall boots and knee pads finished the upper layer of protection. Below that he wore very tight dark-grey cloth with a hood , and a black cowl sewed in. ((he has two hoods, the wider one of the cloak, and a smaller one of the cloth below, one for outside and the other one for when he is inside))


He hadn't taken any real weapons, though he had found a new sheathe for his wakazashi, made especially to keep it hidden to the side. It was easier to reach for, and not as tacky as keeping it in his boot, which already came with another hidden compartment for a very small emergency blade, the size of a letter opener. He was pretty sure he would find way more hidden things in his gear, probably things like places to hide sachets and vials of poison and even when it most definitely wasn't his style of murder, it would be foolish not to at least keep it on him.


As he steadily walked further, his hood covering his hair and the scarf put all the way up so only his eyes were left visible, he saw a distant figure appear near the border of the first stein. He slowed down a bit, examining carefully what he now saw was a man, it wasn't anyone he had seen before at the dinner table, and yet the figure just stood there, waiting. Had they gotten more comrades in the midst of the night? Perhaps, and he couldn't just get into conflict every time he didn't trust someone... which was always anyway. So he quietly moved next to the man, which seemed older, and pretty roughed up. Distantly he recognised the Nordic characteristics, and he wondered what such a figure would be doing in service of the queen, if he even was at all. Looking up as the man was quite tall Ina silently nodded, soft violet eyes meeting the electric blue ones. Now he just had to wait for a reaction to see where his alliance laid.

 

[TheStoicist]

Mutt, or Isaac as he'd come to be known by the people in this illusioned country, hadn't been waiting long before he took notice of another figure, cloaked in forest green, drawing near to him. He wondered if this new arrival was the first of the Queen's assembled less-than-hero's to join him. But as the figure approached, the tall man tensed, and narrowed his eyes to view the cloaked one a bit better. But if this one was his teammate, Isaac hadn't thought that anyone would come this soon, perhaps then this person, who's gender was not easily distinguishable from the coverings which wrapped the majority of their body, was not the sort that enjoyed being apart of the main event. Someone who liked to go about unnoticed and did not derive pleasure from making a show of himself. And Isaac was a bit glad for this if it was the truth, he was not about to deal with a group of flamboyant nobles for whoever knows how long.


But as the figure joined him nonchalantly, it was apparent from the broad shoulders and eye and nose shape peeking above the scarf, that this one was most likely a young man, perhaps only a few years younger than Isaac. But Isaac didn't want to make the boy suspicious of his intentions, so he did not spend too long analyzing the boy once they were face to face. Instead Isaac looked down, meeting the curious violet eyes, he wondered what heritage the boy was of to received these odd eyes, with hardened blue as he greeted the boy's nod,


"You are apart of the Queen's new task force?" Isaac's low voice was a bit mocking at the last words, though if one wasn't paying close attention they were likely to miss the sarcasm, as Isaac's expression did not shift as he said it. Ans he knew that if this one was not in fact one of his to-be comrades his words would amount to not much more than the ramblings of an strange man, though he highly doubted this one a citizen, it was not at all that common for someone in the First Stein to be dressed like this, as if they were ready to slip into the shadows. Isaac continued on to introduce himself, his voice no longer held a Nothern accent like it had when he first arrived in this country, a time where he had taken to imitating the accent of those in Wunderheim in order to keep attentions off of him, now that Wunderheim accent was a real one mixed with a undertone of something old and foreign, like a childhood memory,


"I am called Isaac Keefe, or Mutt. Though I do not mind being called either way."

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


When the servant had knocked on Polaris's door early this morning, she had reflexively rgrabbed her knife off the bedisde table. It took her a few moments to figure out where she was before she remembered, quickly replying, "Yes, sorry, I am up, thank you!" before getting out of bed and getting ready. She was one of the first up, and proceeded to the breakfast table as asked.


Upon hearing of their first mission, she had to suppress a sigh; she hated fire. She had no real reason for it, she just hated fire. And travelling with Syrann would make it hard to remain inconspicuous, but she was nonetheless glad to have him accompanying them, especially if he truly had fought a dragon and lived. She ate little for breakfast, instead opting to go to the armoury sooner.


She strode past the racks of swords, bows, and knives, ignoring them in favor of the armour section. She had all the weapons she'd need anyway. She ended up choosing a leather chestplate and a dark green cloak, happy with just those two. Metal wasn't necessary for her armor, since she had all the protection she needed with her shield, and the extra encumberance wasn't particularly welcome. Besides, by her figurings, she could blend in a bit better this way. She then waited for the rest of the group so they could begin the journey.


On the road out, she noticed the small patch of oddly high grass she'd influenced, wincing slightly. While they were walking, she kept her sword and shield on her back, over her cloak, but kept her knife on her belt. Though Inanis had walked ahead of the group, she didn't mind staying with the rest of them. She noticed the man standing at the gates, seeming very out of place, more so when he began speaking to Inanis. While the man was tall, he wasn't as tall or intimidating as Syrann. She managed to hear the end of the conversation. She caught her hand straying for her knife, and played off the action by adjusting her cloak. It was possible that this man was an enemy trying to cut them off before they could begin.


She stopped next to Inanis, glancing at the man. He wore armor and weapons as they did, however, she didn't know him. However, Inanis wasn't reaching for a blade, so she could assume he at least halfway trusted this man. She did however, have a slight concern that this man had some form of gang or even Red Queen related, because of his piercings: though she did not recognize any pattern, they could be some sort of symbol similar to the tattooing or branding some of the groups used. She smiled civilly to him, saying, "Good Morning." She wasn't willing to reveal anything else until she had more information.

 

[Luminescent]

Prudence Caroline Ashford


Prudence awoke to the sound of a knock on the door. Her eyes fluttered open almost immediately. She didn't move for a few moments. She just laid there and stared at the intricate white ceiling and let the air flowing in the cracked window wash over her. After a few moments she sat up. She admired the room in its entirety. She smiled at the vase of bright red poppies sitting on the small table near the door. Poppies were her favorite. She admired a few moments more before getting out of the tall bed. Her feet had a hard time reaching the floor on their own, and she had to fall a few inches before they reached. Her toes curled when they touched the cold floor. She walked over and shut the window before fixing her hair and exiting the room.


In the armory she walked around looking at all the metals in awe. She noticed a small chain chestplate just her size. She walked up to it and tried it on. It didn't look fitting over her dress so she put it back. Perhaps she shouldn't wear a dress. She strode up to the rack with the clothing on it and picked out some brown trousers and a dark green blouse. She didn't mind if they fit or not, as she wouldn't be visible most of the time. She hid in a corner behind a rack and disappeared. She appeared a few moments later and stepped out wearing her new garb. She picked up the chest plate once more and it looked fitting. She tied up her hair into a ponytail and smiled at herself in the full length mirror hung on the wall. She noticed a small leather bag hanging on the end of a rack. She took it off and swung it over her shoulder.


I look like a boy. No... I look like a warrior.


She walked over to the door and stood beside it, waiting for everyone else to pick out their armour.

 

[InsanEleven]

Ina nodded as the man spoke, asking if he was part of the queen's taskforce, but stayed weary, perhaps the man was sent to intercept them before they had even started. He felt the corners of his mouth curl up slightly at the thought, that an assassin sent would have the misfortune of meeting him first, but then quickly subsided that initial bloodlust, and he just hoped the man hadn't seen it. A bit ashamed because those violent thoughts had pierced through him again, he looked down, meanwhile the man didn't show any hostility and even said his name. The fear of seeming impolite to this new, confident companion and upsetting him took over, and Ina quickly removed the scarf to reveal the rest of his face, now probably looking even younger and inexperienced than before.


"m-My name is Inanis v-Vox, nice to m-meet you mr. k-Keefe." His stutter had come back now this new person showed up, and he never felt comfortable when he had to look up to someone, even less so when it was a person who emitted such an air of toughness and masculinity. It was too bad he already had to look up to nearly anyone, and that masculine figures weren't exactly rare in the third and even the second stein.


At that moment he saw that Polaris had caught up, and she too said her greetings, though it didn't seem like she was fond of this sudden addition to the group, and though for now it seemed like the man did not have the intent to hurt or kill, he shared in her worries. The rest of the group wasn't that far behind, and he wondered how they would react.

 

[TheStoicist]

The arrival of the girl, apparently one who travelled light, was duly noted by Isaac, even if his eyes only flickered to peered at her for a short moment and he gave a slightly surly nod in acknowledgment before focusing back on the stuttering young man.


Isaac was glad to see that the boy had warmed up to him a bit and chosen to reveal his face, the girl obviously wasn't too pleased to see Isaac, but he wouldn't be either under these circumstances had he been her, so though he could still feel the muscles in his shoulders coiled, Isaac tried to appear not so guarded, even if the intimidating stance and expression was a habitual standard for the taller man.


"It is good to meet you too Inanis," Isaac offered. And if he recalled correctly this boy was the one possessing the teleportation and illusion abilities, it was odd, when Isaac had first spotted the boy approaching he'd thought he carried himself with a sort of knowing ease, but now addressing Isaac, the youth became nervous and unsure, it was curious to Isaac. Isaac wondered if all of the ones possessing abilities like his were slight oddities like Inanis and even Isaac himself seemed to be.


Isaac only remained silent a moment more before explaining himself a bit, it was important for him to gain at least a bit of trust from these kids, even if he himself had no faith in them yet,


"I arrived at the palace very late last night so I wasn't able to attend to the feast. The Queen has filled me in on our objective though, so I won't be dead weight."

 

[KnightofShadows]

Alexi


The night had passed in quiet and Alexi had managed little sleep, only able to nod off after he was quite sure that Prudence was sleeping deeply and it was doubtful that she’d awaken.


He had nodded off at last in the wee hours, but woke a short time later before sunrise. Prudence was still comfortably sleeping he was happy to see, when he slipped out the door. The only evidence of his nights watch was the near empty plate he had smuggled away from the feast.


It had been since the night before their summons that he’d had any real exercise, and he desperately needed a run. He always did some of his best thinking when his blood was pumping and his body was in motion.


He drew upon the power of his mind and let its cloaking waves roll out ahead of him as he started off down the hall toward the direction of the courtyard. He imagined he would have less chance of being disturbed there, and he could run, flip, tumble, somersault and vault about to his heart’s content there. Not a soul would even know of his presence, should he chance to encounter anyone…


The thoughts came and went, as he put his body through the familiar exertions. He was a bit nervous about the entirety of the situation he found himself in. Not for himself so much, though he couldn’t deny a sense of trepidation. His unease was Red and for the rest of the Rat Pack. If he didn’t make it back, he only had the hastily formed agreement from the Queen that she would help them, but there was no plan in place, and no other party he imagined that might step up to protect them and their interests other than Polaris, and Gods forbid something happen to them both. Then everyone he loved, along with his dreams of a better life for them would be in the wind. He would just have to trust in the ability of this misfit crew to get the job done. He would have to trust the Queen, and he would have to trust in the goodness he saw within Polaris.


He brought his session to a close in meditation and stretching, as he watched the first light of the suns arrival begin to light the peaceful courtyard. He was feeling much better after the clearing of his head, a bit tired from the lack of sleep over the last few days, but he was young. “There will be plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead.” he mused. Then, “Let’s hope that’s not anytime soon…”


He had made his way to breakfast, and was thrilled to find Prudence there, looking well rested and nibbling away.


He’d smiled widely at her, and gave her a kiss on the head as he’d found a seat, and true to form his own appetite. It wasn’t difficult given the delicious spread the Queen provided. He ate well and stashed some sweet rolls in a napkin for later, allowing one for Mika to nibble on.


He’d listened intently to all she had shared with the group about their mission, silently mulling over all the details until all was concluded. Then he had made his way to the armory. There wasn’t really much he had thought to seek, but a thorough search yielded what he desired. He found a rugged black leather backpack, 30 ft. of a silken corded rope and grapple, 3 flasks of oil, a bundle of oil rags used for polishing armor, flint, and tinder box. It was the unexpected treasure that brought a wicked smile across his face. Caltrops, three bags of vicious four pronged iron that would ruin anybody’s day in a hurry. That was it…


He slung the thankfully light backpack over his shoulder and seeing that Prudence waited patiently at the door, he smiled and signaling he was ready the set out to meet up with those still waiting to depart.


He joined the remainder of the group as they set out for the First Stein gate and walked along in relative silence, trying his best to pace himself with the hulking form of Syrann, making what use he could of the man’s sizeable shadow. The summer sun’s unforgiving brightness and heat were already a source of discomfort and his all black garb was far from ideal.


He pulled his further forward, making full use of the cowl’s depth to shield his eyes.


Soon they approached the gate to find Ina, waiting there in the company of another. An as yet, unfamiliar man, though he could easily discern from his appearance and towering height and well-muscled frame , that he was the last member of their party whom the Queen had described this morning over breakfast. He wasn’t thrilled to have a late comer join their ranks, simply because of the lack of opportunity to have grown familiar with who he was and how he might fit into their already fragile dynamic.


However, if the man proved amiable enough, cooperative and trust worthy, Alexi welcomed the added muscle to their endeavor. He looked formidable enough, that was certain.


They had arrived in the midst of their conversation it appeared. Just in time to catch the low voice of their new member as he explained. "I arrived at the palace very late last night so I wasn't able to attend to the feast. The Queen has filled me in on our objective though, so I won't be dead weight." Words that Alexi deemed a good start.


Polaris was the first among them to offer greeting. Alexi followed her simple, polite “Good Morning.” with a nod of respect and a similarly curt yet warm, “Good day sir. I am called Alexi. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” from the depth of his hood.

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

The bright and blinding sunlight shone unhindered through the windows of Elara's room, its rays falling brazenly upon her closed eyes. The sleeping noble squeezed her lids shut as tight as her eyes would allow before slowly blinking them open to find white-washed wooden ceiling unlike any else she had known. Elara bolted upright, her hands above her shoulders as she reached for her blades only to to come up empty. Her daggers were gone. This realization sent a wave of panic through the girl and she burst to her feet upon the bed in a rather feral stance. Lips parted with a snarl, her head swiveled from side to side, gauging her surroundings.


White. White everywhere. White stone, white wood, white metal. The bland, colorless scene was only broken apart by the occasional blue velvet pillow or drapery, and even stuffed animal dolls piled high in upon the plush chair at her bedside. A closer look sent her eyes stretching--all bore the mark of the House of Farlance.


Memories of the day before flooded her mind and Elara felt herself falling, collapsing onto the bed and then through it, through the floor, floating almost in hazy cloud of the past. The envelope. Her name, her full name. The guiding guard. That strange Dorovich man, the White Queen, a girl named Polaris, Inanis, Syrann, Prudence, Alexi, meltdown after meltdown after meltdown after melt....


Elara forced herself from her daze and sat up with scream. Her eyes stung, yet nothing fell from them. A knock upon her door shattered the silence left behind.




The armory seemed to shine with some sort of ethereal light that was much more than glittering silver and gold. Elara couldn't find it in herself to stop the slight smile that spread across her lips as she moved from once set of weapons to the next set of armor, alone and undisturbed. The guard at the door informed her that she was one of the last of the Queen's recruits to come through. The information troubled her slightly; she wanted to take her time, browse, recover from the night's events, but others had yet to wake. She would not be able to take as much time as she would like.


Her gaze snapped to the side; there, in a corner of the keep, stood a mannequin braced in gorgeous, sturdy leather armor. Elara hurried forward to inspect the piece--tough and sturdy, light and maneuverable. Each piece expertly crafted and sewn whole with thick bindings. Markings similar to elven runes--or perhaps actual elven runes, Elara couldn't be sure--lay burned into every available space, yet stole nothing from its defense. Were those marks useless? More than likely. And the slave hated useless. However, nothing else in the room stood out to the girl and it seemed to her she had little choice in the matter.




Once again, the sun's rays struck Elara's orbs and the poor murderess was reminded of exactly how much she despised sunny days. The halcyon skies seemed promising of good things to come, but she knew better. And so, the murderess strode forward slowly, her mahogany tresses left loose, her form freshly clad in the inscribed leather armor with brand new silver daggers sheathed upon her back. In addition to these, she had browsed through the rest of the keep to pilfer a royal blue cloak hemmed with white; thin leather gloves, perfect to maintain grip; as well as a belt along her waist fitted with pouches, some empty, others filled with darts and throwing knives. The girl's feet, however, remained bare, everything below mid-shin where her trousers cut off clad in nothing but skin. Besides that one oddity, she looked much like the noble she was meant to be.


Her sun-spotted vision turned clear to reveal the group of last night, minus one member, but plus a new other. Elara paused her steps while she remained a few yards away and glanced at the newcomer. Tall, lithe and rigid, with a look about him more similar to elves than the humans of Wunderheim. Handsome, perhaps, but older and foreign, indeed. He was an unknown. The others around him appeared at ease with his presence, but the slave was not so trusting. He had not been there for the events of the night before, suggesting either lateness or arrogance, or perhaps both.


Elara narrowed her chatoyant gaze and continued on. She gave only a nod towards the group upon reaching them. Not even a wave of a 'good morning' altered her form. She assumed they were waiting to gather together and go off in pursuit of the evil, awful, no-good Nedrem Tai, but this noble had other plans. No, she would not join them, at least not now. Not when her family, the little that was left, stood so close yet so out of reach. Elara continued past the group without a single word.

 

[InsanEleven]

Ina watched as the rest of the group joined, all greeting the second Isaac. It was interesting that both he and Dorovich had the same name, and he decided it would be better to just use their last names then. He started to feel uncomfortable again, now the space between them started to dwindle fast, and while the rest were occupied, he took a few steps back, only to nearly bump into a silent Elara. For a moment he thought she was simply avoiding a new companion, as it was not entirely out of her personality to do so, but as she continued to walk on, saying nothing and eyes focused on the horizon, he wondered what she was doing. It was too late to ask though, and she had already passed, leaving them behind.


It occurred to him that perhaps she had refused the queen's offer, and she had all the rights to, but that didn't mean she had to leave without saying anything... though he realised it was a bit of a hypocrite thought, as he himself also preferred to go wherever he wanted without notifying people. It was her own business, and truly he didn't know her enough to judge; she surely had her own reasons to reject.


Meanwhile the sun had now risen fully, and it had become too hot to wear a cloak, it was also quite useless right now, unless he wanted to roll around in the grass or something similar. So he took it off and folded it neatly into a small square, then carefully put it into his messenger bag. He adjusted the straps of his bag a bit, so it was tight and moved it to his back. Now he could move freely and fast if he had to, though he doubted he would for quite a while. The fun really wouldn't start until they reached their destination, and he just hoped he was still good enough to kill a few guards and steal all the information he could lay his eyes upon. It seemed simple enough honestly, and he might even would be able to pull the mission off on his own if it had been given to him a few years before, though he didn't doubt that a magic crystal would hinder things. Still... it wouldn't be a problem if you never got caught in the first place, and that was after all his signature skill.

 

[Unwavering Knight]

The Clipped Wings


A passing of moments, awakening, tapping Kaatl's snoozing form upon his breastplate to shake her awake, then stretching to get rid of the stiffness resulting from sleeping in full armor. Another thing he never seemed to get used to. The locks of the door are undone, then the crippled knight stepped out, ignoring the servants indications towards the royal armory. He already had what he required.


The road to the gate was lined with the meticulous decorations of the First Stein, serving the eye of the beholder a feast to pass the time between the long march to the gate. The knight remained predominantly silent in thought. A quest had been accepted and Syrann's thoughts ran wild as he contemplated the consequences.


The group neared the gate and a new arrival introduced himself. Mutt appeared amiable enough, not that Syrann didn't suppress any preconceived notions born of experience, but at least he wasn't the only one towering over everyone else anymore, something that served as the ever-sobering reminder of his own questionable appearance.


"Hail, newest quest-mate!" the young knight's voice thundered out of the helmet with bright cheer as his hand was raised in a friendly wave, a gesture mirrored by the fairy reclining on Syrann's shoulder, giving the smile the knight could not "In the struggle for goodness, all with heart and mind are welcome to join!"


The somewhat clandestine exit of lady-madam Lady Farlance was noted with a hint of sadness, digging through his conditioned fear. Perhaps she was not a person of great principles, but certainly it was nothing a proper quest wouldn't solve!

 

[CallSign]

Isaac stood in the armory, considering what he might need for the journey. Armor was a given, as he could not both protect his torso and wield his lance in battle. The problem there was what armor he would wear. He would also likely need some sort of ranged weapon that would work well against someone whose main gimmick was flame. It would take some thought, but Isaac was confident he could come up with something.


Isaac was always confident.


A plan formed, Isaac began gathering materials as he continued pondering his armor choice. Chain mail would work well under his outfit, but it would clatter too much to be passed off as coins in his pocket, even if he muffled each link with cloth. No, he'd stay away from chain for now. Full plate mail was also far too conspicuous. Plus, Isaac's vanity wouldn't let him walk around in a full set of royal armor. It also wouldn't do for him to look like some sort of Khornate berzerker, so plate mail was entirely out of the running.


An idea struck him. Why not both? With a small enough amount of chain the noise would be small enough to pass off. Plus, there was an armor that would suit both his defense and fashion needs: the brigandine. He made his way over to the armor and gave it a look over. Sleeves of chain. A chest of metal plates riveted inside a leather body, with cloth on top of that in order to look presentable.


The only thing wrong with it was the obnoxious white color that adorned most everything related to the royal family. Luckily, he had a fix for that, too. Isaac produced a chunk of charcoal from his materials sack. He gently pressed the block against the white cloth, willing the charcoal to spread through the fabric as a dye. It worked fantastically, and the armor now fit perfectly with his normal outfit.


Once fully equipped, Isaac left the armory and headed to the nearest bathroom. Some things just needed to be taken care of quickly, after all. He entered the room, then left only seconds later, a towel in hand. As he walked to the group's designated meeting point, he padded his metal protection with cloth from the towel, muffling the sounds he made as he moved. It made his clothing somewhat stuffy, and combined with the general stiffness of armor, it wasn't altogether very comfortable. However, Isaac was by no means a stranger to the discomforts of armor - one didn't steal eggs from dragons without protection, after all.


Once Isaac came into sight of the group, the towel was gone from his hands; whatever excess he'd been left with had been discarded on the side of the road some time before in the form of a mudstained rag. He couldn't leave a trail leading back to the queen, after all. In the distance he saw the beast girl walk past the group without stopping, but was unable to tell who exactly she was at that distance. Once he reached the group, however, it became glaringly obvious.


Gathering from the fact that the stranger's body wasn't already lifeless, Isaac gathered that he was a newcomer to the group. "I take it you're joining us? My name's Sir Isaac. Who might you be, stranger?"

 

[TheStoicist]

Isaac greeted the group as they arrived, introducing himself and his purpose with each new arrival. The escape of one woman, who had intriguingly neglected footwear when she'd dressed this morning, did not go unnoticed by the Northerner, but as a newcomer Isaac did not comment, he was not looking to disrupt any precarious balance that had already been established in the group. He needed to meld, seamlessly preferably.


The appearance of the last three members of the newly formed group were what especially piqued Isaac's interest.


"Thank you for the warm welcome cousin." Isaac had replied to the large knight. An eloquent fellow if not anything. Though the knight and the girl oddly perched on his shoulder seemed much more than just well-spoken. The knight's appearance was one that made even such a confident man as Isaac a bit cautious, he had barely ever met a man taller than himself, Isaac was tall even among the Northerners who did have the blood for great height, also the full armor, an awfully conspicuous outfit, of the knight was a curious thing. Isaac really did wonder what was underneath the metal visor, but as the knight seemed a harmless man at this point, Isaac did not allow himself to press the matter further than a fleeting thought.


The girl who accompanied the knight was also an object of fascination, Isaac was lost as to how she could ever come to meet the knight, obviously it was not under any normal circumstances. And obviously she was not as normal as she appeared, then again none of the people here were quite average, including Isaac. But as the girl had not spoken a single word yet, Isaac did not speculate more than this, he would wait to pass his true judgement on her.


And then there was the nobleman- an Isaac as well apparently. As Isaac turned to greet the other man, letting his eyes inspect the man for a short moment before settling on the other Isaac's eyes,


"Yes, I'm called Isaac Keefe or Mutt, I have no preference between the two names. I arrived last night, too late to meet like these others like you have." Sir Isaac as he called himself, had made Isaac curious even before their meeting now. It was not his appearance, because Isaac had not been given faces to match names to last night when the Queen was informing him of the others and his powers. It wasn't even the man's power which had caught Isaac's interest, all of these people had equally intriguing powers, and the fact that there were others with similar abilities to his was more concerning to Isaac than the actual abilities.


It was, in fact, the tone of the Queen's voice as she spoke of Sir Isaac which had pulled Isaac's attentions. The Queen's voice was a pleasant one that held softness and grace, but as she spoke of this other man her voice had taken on a aspect of slight bitterness and her lips had curled into a slight frown. The Queen was a cordial and amicable woman, no doubt, as little as Isaac liked this country and its government, and he had been curious- what sort of man could she dislike so much after only, what he assumed was, one meeting? Isaac had some expectations, and not necessarily great ones, of this other man.


Yet these thoughts were only allowed a split-second to show themselves on Isaac's foreign features, before his expression was once again a serious and slightly disinterested mask.

 

[CallSign]

"Isaac is such a wonderful name, no? I do believe I shall call you by that name and not the other, much lowlier, name. You do seem worthy of at least that much respect, after all." Sir Isaac watched the other Isaac's face as he looked Sir Isaac over, reading his every expression. Businessmen thrived on reputation, and the easiest way to gauge what another thought of them was to look at the details, after all.


"I take it the queen has briefed you - otherwise you wouldn't be here to meet us. I'm sure she read out all the information about us to you as she did to us; however, we've heard nary a whisper about you. So, if it isn't too much trouble, would you tell us about yourself, Isaac?" Sir Isaac swung his pack around in front of himself, now wearing it backwards, and stuck his hands in without breaking eye contact with Isaac. "Don't mind the bag - I'm preparing a few tools for the upcoming confrontation."


@TheStoicist

 

[InsanEleven]

Ina watched as Sir Syrann and lastly Sir Dorovich appeared, and quietly listened to their introductions. He never had liked all the chitchat and such, perhaps because he didn't have anyone to chitchat with besides himself for years. He preferred pragmatism, objectives and key information, who did he have to kill, what manner, and if applicable, what should he take back. Though he did know that he perhaps knew more than most would seem to think, secrets mostly... Information. Information many a man would, and had died for. He didn't exactly have a photographic memory, except when it came to writing and drawings, maybe a side effect of his ability to make an illusionary copy, or maybe that ability was his because he could remember.


Of course he would never reveal he could remember beyond his ability, and because he couldn't do it with other types of input like scenery or sounds, not many ever found out. Sometimes it just came in real handy to know all those maps and charts by heart, especially knowing passages in and out of towns. It did help that walls were of no concern to him, so a sewer passage below was just as accessible as taking a next step in the streets.


He had been drifting again, trying to plan in which ways he could enter and leave that office. Hidden guards would prove difficult yes, but all he needed was five minutes to look at everything, if he planned it well and his sneaking wasn't awful he would be able to make it without too many problems. His only doubt was about taking down the guards, if he wasn't certain he could take down all three of them, he simply couldn't interfere without sounding the alarms. All he could do was hope that wouldn't hold down the rest, maybe if he was quick enough he could join in on the chase...


((Sorry, I accidentally pressed enter O.o ))