Graded [Crow's Hollow Town] A Murder of Crows

[Sepokku]

Mentions: Goran Glacial
OoC: Sorry about the delay, with no further ado, let us get this RP underway. Any IH members, feel free to jump in at our leisure. No posting frequency set yet, and as such no end date. This will be a shorter story though, and serve as an intro to others. Please link your character Sheet in your first post.
Time: 11:00 am
Weather: Clear Skies, Temperate Conditions
Location: The Fae See, Crow's Hollow

"Welcome to Crow's Hollow, an Idyllic retreat in the Wilderness of the Fae See. Here, Humans, Fae, Constructs, and Beastfolk live mostly in harmony. In a few days, the 'Changing of the Guard' will occur, an annual ritual that asks for the Forest's protection. However, reports of monster attacks have the town council on edge, and all is not as it seems in the Hamlet."

• Narrator
• Ein Crowley

• "Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
  By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
  “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
  Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
  Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!"
  -Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
  
  
  
  
  Crow's Hollow​
  Crow's Hollow was bustling with activity, the annual Changing of the Guard set to happen in only a few days. The Hamlet was one of the places in the See where Humans, Fae, and Beasts lived in relative harmony. Children ran about, some wearing masks made to resemble animals, others had wooden swords and boasted of "being Champion." The smell of spiced drinks hung on the air, stalls lining the main road into and out of town as the inhabitants do their best to make money off of the extra supplies they had lying about.
  
  At the center of town, near a small Inn and Tavern named the Crow's Rest, a mostly empty Job board has several bounties for a "Jet-Black Dire Wolf," "Barghest," and "Hellhound," all of which appear to feature differing renditions of the same monster. Below these is a listing for "A Pure-Hearted Adventurer to Protect the Festival," and "A Fearless Adventurer to Euthanize the Beast," they seem to be in the same handwriting, and both list the quest-giver as "-Sorcha."
  
  Not far from the tavern, the town council got ready to convene for the eighth day in a row, and despite their doggedness, they were no closer to finding a solution to the monster attacks. Frustration and desperation were starting to reign supreme among the town elders, stress evident on the council folks' faces.
  
  Travelers come in and out of town, a resident madwoman yelling "prophecy" at them as they approach; the most recent arrivals are a fairly large caravan fit to fill the tavern to occupancy. Despite the reports of monster attacks, everyone seems in high spirits, and the Hamlet has swelled to nearly half its size due to the visitors. Small encampments dot the paths through town, as well as some of the nearby clearings. Traveling merchants who are particularly enterprising even have baubles for sale, "Good Luck" charms, that carry the visage of the Champion or Guardian.
  
  Those paying close attention may even notice a particularly dour-faced man with a vellum tablet, asking all sorts of suspicious questions and recording the answers. Trailing close behind him appear to be a pair of soldiers, a coat of arms conspicuously displayed on their armor.
  
  As the festival grows closer, some of the villagers have been asking whether or not they are in danger. Thankfully the council has assured them otherwise, and what reason does the council have to lie?
  
• 
  
  Ein Crowley​
  Ein sat plaintively on the ground, staring up at the branches of a nearby tree. Several corvids had alighted there: beady black eyes staring at her with unspoken knowing. She had no idea what they wanted with her and her men, but they had refused to leave for very long, even when shooed away. Rather than continue a practice in futility, she had taken to pondering their significance. They didn't respond to food or shiny things, and in that way, they were different than the crows back in Cydonia.
  
  The three knights that had remained with her sat in a loose formation around her, at varying states of attention, though she had no doubt they would be battle-ready in a moment's notice should the need arise. Exhaling, she rested her chin against her fist and admired the awkward beauty of the onyx black birds that had been following her for the past day. A crackling of branches signaled the rest of her entourage's return. Gleefully she stood up and made her way across the encampment to see her most loyal servant.
  
  Threnody was a clumsy and willowy man, but he was the smartest person in Cydonia, and capable of undergoing the same Hellish Changes that other members of Cydonian royalty were, which made him invaluable to Ein. He leafed through the tablet in his hands, a piece of sharp-edged charcoal tucked behind his ear, undoubtedly the tool he had used to write.
  
  "The village isn't well-guarded, just a local militia," He started to report. "Actually, I'm downgrading it to a Hamlet, there are only a hundred or so residents in the entire place." Grabbing the charcoal, he amended something on his vellum tablet.
  
  Ein smiled slightly, "Then let the assault begin, these birds are giving me a bad vibe, like they're watching me."
  
  "They probably are. The villagers reported a sort of kinship with local fauna, animals of above average intelligence aren't exactly unheard of in the See." He gave Ein an admonishing look, "We can't attack, however, as the Hamlet is being protected by a local Champion, and if the locals are to be believed, the wildlife will become hostile as well."
  
  With a frustrated groan, Ein drew her sword and slashed impotently at the air, "Then find me somewhere else to conquer. I'm STARVING!"
  Putting a hand on his Queen, Threnody assured her, "Patience. We will have our chance soon. In a couple days, the Champion will leave to meet with a Guardian of the Forest and conduct some sort of ritual. They will be most vulnerable then. In the meantime, I have several leads to follow up on. This place hides many secrets."
  
  "Secrets?"
  
  Threnody nodded, "Paths leading into and out of the area have been beset by a pitch-black beast. Most are calling it a wolf, but others are not so sure. A bounty has been placed on its head, and a local apothecary at the edge of town is willing to provide Adventurers undertaking the quest with specialized poisons. The town council will convene soon to discuss that matter more thoroughly. Furthermore, an old lady living by the tavern informed me that the Hamlet's traditions changed dramatically a decade ago, about the time their so-called 'Champion; arrived." He turned to leave, "I'll be back soon."
  
  Ein frowned as she watched Threnody walking back into the small township, a knight flanking him on either side.

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian sat atop a tree staring lazily at the village below as smoke trailed around him due to his cigarette. he giggled as thought of torching the whole place but thought better since he knew he was nowhere near strong enough to take the village on his own. he tossed his sorcerers orb from hand to hand with a look of boredom on his face before jumping down off the tree. He pocketed his orb before some soldier or some such thought to take his only focus. He then stood staring back at the nosy crow nearby before waltzing off in a relaxed gait. He wondered what mischief he could get up to this time well only that old man god would probably know, all adrian knew is he can't show a inkling of any evil until it was time. Till then he might as well hunt this wolf they keep talking about its been a while since he killed something and at least killing monsters is legal unlike back when he was human.

 

[Sepokku]

Ein Crowley​

Threnody finished up the last round of questions before the sun set, with any luck he would have time to start looking into individual adventurers tomorrow. At this pace, things would be perfectly set in motion by the time the Festival kicked off, and the Hamlet would be little more than a footnote in Ein's legacy.

Dragging his feet as he contemplated the easiest way to turn adventurers against the town Champion, Threnody noticed a particularly malevolent looking fae traveling by himself. Moreover, the Fae appeared to be a magic user and in need of a new catalyst. Machinations began whirling in his head as he approached the red-headed man.

"Hey, you there, with the tobacco cigarillo. Are you looking for work?" Threnody looked around, a few villagers were looking at them, but no one that would report anything to the town militia, he hoped. "My employer and I were hoping to find an adventurer willing to do a few odd jobs for us. We can't pay much, but I happen to be a skilled Artificer, if you were looking for high quality Catalysts."

Mentions: Goran Glacial

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa stood under the shade of a tree on a hill overlooking the village; the vampire looked down as she clasped her hands behind her back. They had traveled a fair distance from the cave; Zolgen wasn't in attendance this time around. Meaning she was going to have to deal with a village by herself which wasn't an issue. Nissa licked her lips as she set her pack down off to the side and opened it. Revealing several jars of blood that she kept. Which made is fairly easy to travel so long as she could replenish the stock of blood.

The village would have been a great place for a goblin attack, the See has always been a place full of magic. She thought to herself resting a hand on her hip she squinted her eyes to look further below at the village. The best thing for the moment was to observe and then if she could sneak into the hamlet under disguise. She hoped there wouldn't be any truth-seeking orbs or at least not when she was around.

Letting out a sigh she looked back over at her honor guards, "Keep a low profile, we don't need to go alerting the little guard they have here." She ordered as the leader of the group nodded their head. Finding a log Nissa sat down and crossed her legs watching everything below for the time being.

Sepokku Goran Glacial

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
adrian looked around before sighing dismayingly 'great' he thought 'just what i dont want... attention' taking a deep drag from his cigarette adrian said with a bored tone "look i don't know you and i sure don't trust you plus you are drawing attention to me which i dont like." breathing out slowly making smoke rings adrian continued "also you should post said jobs at the adventurer's guild or a job board not approach someone like you did" looking at the villagers that were watching adrian decided to enter the village later. walking away he proceeded to find an obscure place in the trees to sleep perferably hidden.

 

[Sepokku]

Goran Glacial saxon OoC: Quick reminder for everyone to link their character sheets ~

• Narrator
• Ein

• As the sun makes its way through the sky over Crow's Hollow, the villagers continue their preparations for the festival, unaware of the malcontents amongst them. Amongst them, one stands out among the rest. Though physically they are fairly unassuming, the locals treat him with a sort of reverence that could only denote him as their Champion. Clad in leather armor, the cocksure almost waifish boy of a Hero made his way through the village, taking great pains to greet everyone who approached him.
  
  As if they had come with the express purpose of causing trouble, a group of three adventurers made their way up to the Champion the moment they set eyes on him. Without warning the first adventurer drew his axe and lunged forward. Expecting their target to dodge, the other two in his party prepared ranged attacks, but the dodge never came. The axe struck squarely into the Champion's shoulder, seemingly causing no noticeable damage. With a grin the boy flourished his hand, a dirk suddenly appearing in it as he darted forward.
  
  In a blur of motion, the Champion leaped over the first assailant and landed in between the other two. With a quick twist, and flash of metal the remaining two fell to the ground as the fight left their bodies. The dagger disappeared once more as the Champion crossed his hands behind his head and leaned back slightly, "Now, now, The Changing of the Guard is a time for revelry and rest, not petty violence."
  
  Though small in frame, the boy's words carried far enough to echo throughout the immediate forest surrounding Crow's Hollow. The resounding noise was enough to set several flocks of birds to flight, seeking cover away from the village. Though one such group of birds did not leave; a flock of crows, the most daring of which were staring at the newly arrived party. One of the birds even hopped out of the nearby trees and landed on the ground nearby Nissa. Its beady eyes looked up at her, as it craned its neck.
  
  Likewise, if Adrian were to awake from his nap, his superior senses would let him see the same nosy crow from earlier, curiously watching him from (what it thought) was a safe distance.
  
• 
  
  Ein Crowley​
  Threnody frowned as the Shadow Fae walked away, most of the other adventurers had at least one other partner with them, which made attempts at recruiting all the more conspicuous. "Very well," He gave a curt bow as the man walked away from him. Looking to the sky, he stuck out his fingers to measure their lengths before the sun reached the horizon. It had just started dipping, likely still early to mid afternoon. At least the villagers seemed to stop looking at them the moment the man turned him down.
  
  Crossing his arms behind his back, he pointed the way forward with his chin and let the two Knights take the lead. The most obvious course of action seemed to be acquiring the poisons from the apothecary at the edge of town, but she refused his requests, citing a lack of scruples; as if she could possibly know that at a mere glance. He'd had half a mind to cut her down then and there, taking the poisons by force, but on the off chance the village Champion traced it back to him... Ein would have been furious.
  
  Out of the corner of his eye, Threnody saw the village Champion cleanly take out three people in a span of two seconds. With a huff, he hurried back out of the Hamlet, intent on regrouping with lady Ein.
  
  On his return, he found her staring plaintively into the treeline as she smoked a rolled cigarillo. He did his best to be quiet as he approached, though he failed as his boot cracked a branch in twain, sending a resounding crack throughout the woods. Wincing, he made his way to her side.
  
  "Curious," She said in between drags.
  
  "What is?"
  
  "The Corvids, they didn't fly away at the noise. They haven't flown away, even when the knights got within striking distance."
  
  "And?"
  
  "And it's been a few hours now, it's odd. It's like they're watching us."
  
  Threnody chuckled, "Or perhaps they want something from you?"
  
  She shot him a venomous look, "I'm being serious here!"
  
  He put both hands up in mock surrender, "As am I! Remember what the villagers said about the animals near here?" The look she gave him this time was a lot more thoughtful
  

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian snoozed for a good while before he felt something watching him opening his right eye he spotted the crow or raven whatever the black winged creature was. he grew slack as he realized it was just a bird, laying comfortably on a branch of a tree he lit a cigarette taking a deep drag of it before blowing it at the crow with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. not one for sticking around for a reaction adrian jumped off the tree landing on his feet with his cigarette hanging from his mouth as he started walking towards the village ignoring most of the commotion. Where adrain stopped was an hunter's guild with a post about the wolfish creature terrorizing these parts. he walked up to the counter asking for a copy of the request while asking if he could hunt other carnivorous animals while he was at it.

 

[The Last Curse]

​

Clutching awkwardly to a hastily written note, Hope meandered past merchants selling assorted baubles, eyes warily darting between the "charms" on display. Tourist traps. Her mom always said they were only there to take advantage of starry-eyed folk with zero self-control. And Mom was right! By the time she'd come around the stalls for another look, her purse felt lighter, and her pack significantly heavier with knick-knacks and memorabilia. Maybe she was the target for these things, Hope thought as a giddy smile reached her eyes. But what did that matter? Everything about this place - about the See was just incredible!

Hope giggled with glee. The Rykeners had no idea what they were talking about! Saying the See was full of man-eating bugs and man-eating monsters, and man-eating this, and man-eating that. There was nothing but smiling faces here. And so many Fae. So many whimsical, magical people just like her!

Kalina would've liked it here.

Wincing to her herself, Hope's eyes slowly dimmed. Maybe Kalina wouldn't have been able to eat or drink anything, and surely, they'd give her a rough time for being a vampire. But this festival could've helped keep her mind off of Renee. After everything that happened, after everything Kalina had to do... Why hadn't she just waited? Sure, she was still scared. Sure, she'd need some time to recover. Renee's death had left scars on her, too. But she'd still made a promise. That melancholic blue still hung around Kalina. Faintly, but the hurt still vaguely palpable. And she'd promised to take it away. She'd promised to be there for every single step. That's what friends did.

Yet here she was.

Stopping mid-step, Hope looked behind her. Nothing but new faces passing by, chatting, laughing. Kalina was nowhere to be seen. An indescribable wrenching began to fill her gut. This was all a mistake. She should've been waiting in Ryken! She shouldn't-

A booming voice from behind ripped Hope from her thoughts. With a startled squeak, she jumped, quickly peering behind her again. Her eyes only widened even bigger once she saw a boy standing over three lifeless bodies. Nope, she thought. Even more reason to leave. But before she could dart back to the entrance, something about the boy looked familiar. As if she'd seen it hundreds of times. "Oh!" Hope exclaimed loudly, a hand reaching to pull out a single charm, "It's the, uh... You're the, uh..."Pausing, her eyes looked around wildly, "Check the note, check the note, check the note!"

Hope peered down into the paper in her hands. Only scribbled directions and "Changing of the Guard Festival!!!" written sloppily in bold letters. No indicator of who this guy was. Nothing on what this festival was even for. She was completely screwed. "S-Sorry, I..." Shoving the paper into her cloak, Hope gave a quick courtesy, "I'm still a bit new here in..." She drew a blank. What was the name of this place again? "T-This wonderful village of yours!" Hope blurted, eyes darting to the adventurers at the boy's feet. That would be her if she didn't find a way to salvage this! "I-I'm Hope. And... you are?"

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa looked rather bored at his point as she waited for night to fall upon the hamlet, knowing that would be the best time to strike. She was about to take a little nap when a sound came from the hamlet. Opening one eye she sat up and walked to the edge of the forest line to see what was happening. Though she couldn't tell what exactly happened, she saw the flocks of birds fly off away from the village. She arched her eyebrow, bringing her hand to her chin.

What could that have been a fight? If that was the case, then something is going on already. Nissa thought to herself as she saw a crow land next to her and it seemed to be looking at her. Turning her attention to the crow she took a step toward the creature as she tilted her head as she looked to the members of her honor guard. There was something off about the whole thing but to what end she didn't exactly know. "Something Feels off; keep your eyes open," Nissa commanded as she rested her hand on the hilt of her longsword.


She quickly drew her blade and stabbed the ground next to the crow to see what the crow was going to do. Once she knew how it acted to that it was going to determine what her next action was going to be. Though she was hoping to be able to wait until the sun set at least that way they could have the cover of darkness on their side.

Sepokku Goran Glacial

 

[Sepokku]

Goran Glacial saxon The Last Curse

• Narrator
• Ein

• 
  The poor unfortunate crow that had deigned fit to spy on Adrian cawed pathetically as he blew a ring of smoke at it. Flapping its wings awkwardly, it took flight, headed into the forest, away from the Hamlet.
  
  Adrian quickly made it to the tavern where the Hunter's Guild was. As he approached the counter, the receptionist gave him a cheery bob of her head, "One bounty for the mystery 'Wolf' coming right up. Though, there has been some debate about whether it is even a canine or not." Grabbing a pen and inkwell she grabbed a piece of parchment and started fiercely scribbling some words. "I'll throw in a hunting permit as well. Feel free to bag any game you see, so long as it doesn't have white fur! I should warn you though, dire animals are more common in this part of the See."
  
  Satisfied with the permit, the receptionist slid it into a folder, along with information on the bounty, and then handed the folder to Adrian. "I went ahead and attached a map of the Crow's Hollow to the bounty, the Apothecary's is marked with a star. Last I checked she had a few poisons she was offering to anyone pursuing the bounty. Good luck!"
  
  On the other side of the Hamlet...
  
  The Champion barked out a laugh while he watched the newcomer before him fumble with their belongings, it was a far cry better than being attacked, they seemed nervous, though... He spared a glance to his assailants from earlier, 'S'pose first Impressions could've been better.'
  
  "I-I'm Hope. And... you are?"
  
  He was silent for a few seconds before answering, "Hope, huh? Crow's Hollow could use a little Hope!" Puffing his chest out slightly, he retrieved a coin purse tied to his belt, "I'm parched, but you can call me Asher. S'what all my other friends call me." With his free hand he signaled to one of the street vendors. The vendor brought him a few mugs of spiced wine, the heady scent of the mulling hung on the air as Asher graciously traded the entire coin purse for the three tankards.
  
  "First round is on me everyone!" Downing the first tankard of wine, he passed it back to the vendor and informed him, "Make sure to give yourself a big tip as well."
  
  Turning back to face Hope, he smiled and offered her one of the other two refreshments. "Let me be the first to officially welcome you to Crow's Hollow." His voice had an almost melodic tone to it as he spoke, "The Hamlet has always gotten busy this time of year, but with the war looming on the horizon, some undesirables inevitably found our little sanctum." He gestured plainly to the ne'er-do-wells from earlier. "Don't let a few bad apples spoil you, though! Our idyllic patch of the forest is one of the nicest in the See!"
  
  The Champion sauntered alongside Hope, continuing their rounds, albeit at a much more leisurely pace now that he had company. "So, what brings you to the Hollow, if you don't mind my asking?"
  
  On a hill overlooking Crow's Hollow...
  
  The Corvid on the ground let out an awkward squawk as Nissa stabbed the ground, its wings kicking up bits of dirt as they fluttered. Yet, it did not move from its spot. Cocking its head slightly, the bird continued to stare at her. Ruffling its feathers, the bird turned to preen itself for a moment, before turning back to Nissa. "Eleanor."
  
  No one could blame Nissa if she was momentarily confused, the voice having come from seemingly nowhere. Then the bird hopped forward a step and opened its beak again, "Help. Eleanor." This time it was unmistakable, the words had come from the bird. The sun started to set in the sky, the light on the horizon turning a range of pastel blues, oranges, and yellow as twilight approached.
  
  In the distance, Nissa could hear the sounds of soldiers marching, headed for the hill she was on. Were she to take a look, she would notice a group of seven moving towards her direction.
  
• 
  
  Ein Crowley​
  "Attention!" The Cydonian Knights stood stock still, almost inhumanly so. Two pairs of them stood facing each other, their spears crossed over head so that a sort of arch was formed over the head of Ein as she walked forward. Threnody watched them with an appraising eye as they did, their discipline hadn't waivered much since leaving the Castle, but one could never be too careful. He took a few notes about minor repairs he needed to do before stowing his tablet in his knapsack.
  
  The fifth and final knight had both of his swords drawn, the left-handed one held in a reverse grip, as was customary for Cydonian swordplay. The complex sweeping hilt almost covered the knight's hand in its entirety, the Damascus Steel of the sword contrasting heavily with the burnished dull sheen of his armor. It was a thing of beauty; one that would spread too all the corners of this world, one day.
  
  Lady Ein, for her part, had enticed the crow into standing on her hand and was affectionately cooing at the bird, which had alarmingly started sparingly uttering words in Common every so often. He didn't know who this "Eleanor" was, or why she needed "Help," but he didn't trust the bird any further than he could throw it.
  
  "At dusk, we begin a sweep of the perimeter. Standard formation will suffice, be on the watch for other corvids or someone named Eleanor."
  
  The four knights with intercrossed spears slammed their free hands against their chests, "Blood and souls for Cydonia!"
  
  "Defensive procedures only! The Champion is still active in the village, don't screw this up!" The knights saluted in a practiced motion before fanning out and beginning their patrol, the dual swordsman in the lead. Threnody followed closely behind them, Ein distractedly tailing them from further behind.
  
  Before long they reached the hill they had passed on their way to camp, and started a steady march to the top of it.
  

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian smiled crookedly as he received the hunting permit, he was very happy for the assistance and thanked the receptionist profusely. Adrian walked out putting what he didn't want to carry on his person in his shadow pocket. he walked towards the forest nearby before snuffing his cigarette before crouching down to rub some weeds and grass upon himself to make the smoke smell go away and smell more natural to the environment. when he was done he retrieved his sorcerer's orb from his jacket pocket before having it hover around his right hand it was his only catalyst and he be damned if he wasn't ready for every eventuality. when he was deep enough in the forrest he climbed a tall tree and hid himself amongst the foliage watching for anything not 'White' as everything else was fair game... unless there was something too tough for himself then he'd just let it pass by while he waited for another prey.

[Shadow pocket: Magic affinity E, Shadow Affinity F, Spatial dimension F - opens his pocket space between dimensions placed in his own shadow. - 1 post cooldown]

 

[The Last Curse]

​

Flinching slightly after Asher's boisterous laugh, Hope stared hesitantly at the beverage in his hand, occasionally looking back at him. She shouldn't. Free food and strangers were dangerous combinations in this life and the last. Yet, as the spicy and sweet aroma wafted into her nose, Hope felt the tightness in her shoulders ease a bit. How long had it been since anyone offered her anything good? And no one said anything about drinking, either. Maybe, at the very least, she could just take it. Carefully reaching out, Hope grabbed the tankard, "T-Thanks, Asher. Glad you can have me..." She held the drink close to her chest, nodding slowly as Asher addressed the assailants. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear. A place this pretty doesn't deserve something like that." She said, slight pain in her eyes as she glanced at the bodies. Even this world was plagued by wars. Some things never changed, magical world or not. "I thought the See was just full of trees and Fae. And everyone's so nice..." She shrugged helplessly, "Why would anyone want to fight a war here?"

Soon enough, Hope found herself following beside Asher through the hamlet. As she leisurely peered down into her aromatic beverage, a tiny gasp escaped her, eyes widening for the briefest moment. She was supposed to be leaving! Why was she walking around? Her grip intensifying on the mug, Hope's gaze shifted to Asher just as he posed his question. Maybe just one more answer. "Well, I'm here trying to..." She paused. "Escape. From... everything, I guess." She said solemnly, tracing a finger along the rim of her tankard, "It's been a bad week, is what I'll say. Between friends, people I thought were friends. The things I had to say..." Sighing lightly, Hope looked back to the trail. Too much information, she thought. Asher didn't need to know about Renee or Kalina. Nor the decisions that brought them all apart. "I thought I might as well take a break. Look for someplace to stop and smell the roses." She looked back to Asher, slightly chuckling, "Plus, the folk in Ryken are always talking about how the Fae throw the wildest festivals. I also thought I oughta see it for myself!"

Walking a little bit taller, her eyes formed two glowing arcs, "And that's not the only reason I'm down in the See," She added enthusiastically, holding up a finger, "I keep hearing things about being a [Daughter of Source] and a [Shadow Fae] and the See's where all the Fae are, right? That's what I heard. So, maybe if I came down, they'd tell me all about how it is to be a-"

Stopping herself midsentence, Hope quickly shook her head. She couldn't confide that with a stranger. Much less someone born in this world. What would Asher say if he found out she wasn't? Was it obvious already? "Uh, sorry. I'm talking too much about myself..." She quickly bowed her head before pulling out one of her lucky charms, "But I remember reading about an 'Annual Changing of the Guard,' and your face is on... everything. What's that about, Asher?"

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa cocked her head with a confused look on her face, "Elaenor? Who would that be?" Nissa thought out loud as she scratched her silver hair. She let out a small sigh, moving her tongue to one of her fangs as she tried to place the name. They didn't sound familiar to her in the slightest, the aspiring demon lord simply shrugged her shoulders as she turned to her guards each of them simply shook their heads. So much to do and so little time, she turned on her heel and headed back toward the ledge when she saw several figures approaching. She counted five at first and then recounted and came out to seven.

No one said math was her strong suit, and she let out a small sigh of annoyance. "Looks like some knights are passing through; let's give them a warm welcome now, shall we?" Nissa smirked as she grabbed her sword from beside the bird and put it back in its scabbard, and looked at the vampires around her 10 in number easily could outnumber the knights that were coming up the path. However, she wasn't thrilled about alerting others of her presence.


She moved toward the ledge as she drew her sword and waited for the knights to get a little bit closer. Looking over her shoulder she smirked as she and the others jumped off the ledge landing by the knights. "Well boys seems to be your unlucky day, you wouldn't happen to know who Elaenor is would you?" Nissa inquired as the 10 knights started to move to surround the knights.

Sepokku Goran Glacial The Last Curse

 

[Sepokku]

Goran Glacial saxon The Last Curse

• The Surrounding Forest...
• On a Hill Outside of Town...
• Back in Town...

• Adrian sat a ways off the forest floor, perched on a tree branch looking down at passing prey as the sun disappeared over the horizon. Various woodland birds made their homes amongst the trees, though they may have been too small to truly be considered worth hunting. Making use of his vantage point, though, the Fae was able to keenly pick out several animals of a worthy size. The first to pass was a snow-white rabbit, its fur standing out as a stark contrast to the otherwise verdant woods, and true to the receptionist's word it was quite a plump bunny. The oversized animal shuffled about the undergrowth for some tiny, feasting on sprouting clovers as it did. It only ran away after being startled away by a proportionally large badger. To the best of Adrian's knowledge, the size of it meant it was either a truly massive normal badger or a very young dire badger.
  
  The large mammal went about its business with a sort of bored ease, starting to dig into burrows it found only a few trees away from Adrian. Several deer watched the badger from a safe distance, some tree lengths away, one of which was a sizable buck with a fairly impressive rack of horns. However, the thing that most caught Adrian's attention was a large briar patch with two eyes glowing in the darkness, the creature inside seemed to be roughly of canine build. From that distance, though, it was hard to tell if they were truly glowing, or if it was simply a trick of the light. Regardless of what caused the glow, however, it made it apparent the eyes were trained on the badger.
  
  On the very edge of his sightline, Adrian could also make out a lone crow, seemingly looking at him, just like the one that had been following him around earlier in the day, only this one was bone-white.
• Ein's retinue marched noisily through the forest, stealth had never been their strong suit. Threnody winced slightly each time they stepped on a branch or kicked a rock into another, he felt that by now half the damn village had to have heard them stomping about. Thankfully the festivities produced quite a bit of noise and none of the village watch seemed to be any the wiser. Toward the top of the hill, it became apparent someone had spotted them. Hanging back slightly, Threnody hissed a whisper at Ein, "We have company."
  
  She gave him a bored glance before turning her attention back to the crow, "So?"
  
  Resisting the urge to chastise her, Threnody prepared his catalyst, ready to undergo the Transformation that made Cydonians a force to be reckoned with. As he did, he continued to walk his troops straight into the ambush, if one could still call it that now that he was prepared for it. Taking a deep breath, he waited for the hammer to fall; then it did. Enemy knights dropped down from the hill above, enough of them that the Cydonians were outnumbered. "Swords out and hold!" As he gave the order, he started to channel the Transformation, but Ein put her hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
  
  "Haste makes waste, my dear." The Cydonian Monarch had a warm smile on her face as she turned her attention to the silver-haired woman with wings, "We were just wondering about the name Eleanor ourselves. According to my general, no one by that name lives in Crow's Hollow, and yet..."
  
  The crow on her hand flapped its wings wildly and as if on cue let out several caws of, "Eleanor! Help, Eleanor!" It ruffled its feathers and immediately began to preen itself.
  
  "And yet a little birdie told me that she is in need of assistance," Ein finished lamely.
  
  Threnody took the chance to observe the knights surrounding him, and their apparent leader. He was confident in his chances once Transformed, and the Knights fought with a bloodthirst that bordered on inhuman. Furthermore, the enemy knights didn't seem to be outfitted as well as his. Clearing his throat, Threnody stepped forward slightly, ensuring there was still a Cydonian between him and the nearest assailant, "If I may, perhaps we can help each other out. I am Threnody D'Fiala, of the Cydonian royal line. This is my charge, Ein Crowley, Cydonian Monarch. We are here to grow our base of power, and you seem," He gestured towards the Honor guard, "Powerful. If we could count you as an ally for the foreseeable future, I could look into providing you or your units with better armaments."
  
  Ein tapped her free hand against the hilt of her sword but didn't draw it, "For shame, Threnody. I sense a predatory nature in this one, she and I are alike in that aspect. If you open with attempts to supplicate, she will see it as a weakness. Although..." Ein's eyes practically twinkled in the starlight as she addressed the silver-haired not quite human, "Perhaps you'd be interested in joining our Hunt?"
• Asher smiled at Hope as she spoke, there was a sort of innocence to her, one that wasn't terribly common anymore; it was refreshing. "Can't say I rightly understand war too much myself. My birthplace had expansionist policies that necessitated it fairly often, which is part of why I left. Fat lot of good that did me though; seems to be one of those things you just can't escape."
  
  As the duo walked along the main road that led through the Hamlet, the bustle of activity started to die down slightly as people got settled in for the night. Asher followed Hope's eyes as she forlornly stared at the trail, her words stopping for a moment. "Well, if you were looking to escape somewhere you can get a little R and R, you came to the right place!" The expression on the Fae's face seemed to go through several different emotions quickly as she said something she must not have meant to.
  
  "But I remember reading about an 'Annual Changing of the Guard,' and your face is on... everything. What's that about, Asher?"
  
  Puffing up his chest slightly, Asher began to walk with an exaggerated swagger. "Well, you see, as I had said earlier, it's lucky you arrived here when you did. Crow's Hollow could be called a place of great cultural significance to the Fae. Its inhabitants are greatly in tune with the surrounding forest and its inhabitants, but this wasn't always the case." He crossed his arms behind his back as he walked, "Some time ago, this place was infested with dire animals and a blight that threatened to rot the entire forest from the inside out. Supposedly, a Hero from another world made a deal with the surrounding forest spirits and used their help to seal the blight. Ever since then, a Champion has served in Crow's Hollow, making a pilgrimage every year to the site where the last of the blight is and renewing the Hero's oath."
  
  Turning back to face Hope, he shrugged, "At least, that's the story my predecessor told me when we first made the trek together. We actually get a lot of Fae adventurers coming through here, hoping to find that special connection the Hero had with nature."
  
  By now the duo was passing the tavern at the center of town; it became immediately apparent that the liveliest of the guests were having a boisterously good time. Drunken revelry and offkey singing could be heard drifting out of the windows as they walked by.
  
  "Three old crows sat on a tree,
  Just as black as crows could be.
  Poor old crow, poor old crow,
  Just as black as a crow could be.
  The crow that is so black, my love,
  will surely turn to white
  If ever I prove false to you,
  Bright day return to night.
  Bright day return to night, my love"
  
  Asher looks down and seems to become lost in thought as he mumbles along, "Return to night, my love." With a slight frown, he looks back up, "Er-" Eyes widening, he seems to remember himself and his face flushes several shades redder, "S-Sorry, song's a favorite of mine." Clearing his throat, he continued, "Feel free to stay as long as you like, if you tell Marla at the in that she owes me one, she'll give you a cot for free. Probably shared rooms on account of all the people but, what can you do? Oh!" Reaching into his knapsack, he retrieved a small trinket, a black and white chain that ended in a piece of metal fashioned into a bird's feather. Handing it to Hope, he informed her, "If you're more the outdoorsy type, this charm will identify you as a friend to the forest."
  
  "Anywho, I've got to do some last-minute howling at the moon, make sure everything is hunky-dory for the Festival. If you haven't already, you should speak with Elisheba, the Apothecary. Or the Village Elders, they'd be the most likely to know more about Fae history, or being a Daughter of Sauce. Though... Might be a little late for polite company." He gave Hope a cheerful grin then turned and dashed into the forest with the same speed he displayed when he was attacked.

 

[The Last Curse]

​

Hope eagerly nodded to Asher's explanation, eyes brightly glittering as he spoke. Adrenaline raced through her system when he mentioned a "Hero from another world." Did that mean what she thought it meant? Was there another person, alive or passed, that came here from another world? "Oh, my God..." Hope thought, feeling waves of apprehension beginning to shed off her psyche. Maybe it was just a fairy tale, some huge coincidence between her and a local legend. But what if it wasn't? What if there were folk like her, thrown into unfamiliar bodies from their comfortable worlds? What if she wasn't alone? "Wow! I-" Hope caught herself mid-sentence again. Stay on topic. Don't get too excited. Anything could ruin this feeling. Clearing her throat, she looked back to Asher, "I just never thought this place had so much history..." She sighed contentedly, "I've just been bouncing from place to place. It's good to finally... learn something for once. Thank you, Asher."

Weaving through town and still following beside Asher, the excitement behind her eyes never dimmed. Only when he announced his departure did Hope's shoulders sag a little. A shame; He'd been so generous, so much more thoughtful than most to a complete stranger. Good things never lasted, true, but it wouldn't have been too awful if he'd stayed a little longer. "Of course, don't let me keep you from the festival," Hope replied politely, "Thanks again, Asher. I'll see you around!" A smile resounded in her voice as she waved at him speeding away, "And for the record, I thought your singing was pretty great!"

Clutching onto the feather-shaped talisman, Hope quickly looked around her. Alone, but not entirely. She peered down at the charm, her eyes arching gleefully as she placed it in her cloak's pocket. She'd have to get this added to her catalyst later. But would that take a jeweler or an artificer? And were there any of those in this village?

She pushed the thought aside, squinting as Asher's words replayed in her head. Either Elisheba or the Village Elders would be a good place to go next. They'd know more about this Fae business. But which one first? "Maybe the Elders...?" She closed her eyes, forming an image of them inside her head. Old, definitely, wise, also definitely. And much like the old folk back home, maybe way too eager to talk about their past. Perfect! She'd be out of here in no time!

"Village Elders it is!" She muttered, starting off to look for directions. Another step closer to understanding this wacky world. A nice change of pace.

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa glanced at the knights as they drew their swords so did her honor guard. She turned her attention to the woman and the knight she had her hand on. Nissa kept her sword at the ready as the woman started to speak. "From where I'm standing, seven humans are wandering around the outskirts of the town. You will have to forgive me if I don't think that is a tad strange," Nissa replied as the woman explained they were in the same predicament. "Though it does seem like there is much more going on here than would meet the eye," Nissa concluded as she ran her tongue against one of her fangs.

As the crow responded again, she clenched her jaw, wanting to stab the damn thing. Though she had a feeling if she did either it wouldn't die or another would replace it. When the man Ein had her hand on spoke, Nissa's gaze shifted to him as he introduced them both. "Never heard of this Royal line," Nissa paused for a moment as she nodded her head and the honor guard lowered their weapons. Her red eyes shifted between the two as Threnody proposed his offer. Nissa squinted her eyes for a moment when Ein then spoke up again.


"Very well, I will join this hunt for the time being, but I do have my own goals to accomplish here, mainly the capturing of more cattle," Nissa replied as she motioned her head toward the village in the distance. She then put her sword away before the rest of her guard followed suit.

"The name's Nissa, I'm aspiring to become the Demonlord, I will consider your proposal once this hunt had concluded," Nissa stated before letting out a small sigh as her guard then started to reform behind her. Though there was a hint of boredom behind her eyes.

Sepokku Goran Glacial The Last Curse

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian laid down on the branch hidden amongst the foliage chewing a leaf as he watched the the rabbit skedaddle before laying his eyes on the badger he thought it would make good prey before he noticed eyes from the brush watching it too. "Hmm" he thought "that seems kinda wolfish maybe I oughta see what happens when it pounces" he knew better then to strike the badger at the moment as the saying goes *the mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind* and he rather be the oriole then the mantis any day. as he waited he noticed the white crow making him cock his head slightly. "thats one odd crow" he thought quite intrigued by its odd color of plumage. he wanted a feather but he knew better then to expose his position while hunting so he thought he should bide his time. so adrian waited for the badger to be pounced upon so that he could make his move continuing to chew a leaf.

 

[Sepokku]

Goran Glacial saxon The Last Curse

• In the Surrounding Forest
• On a Hill Outside Town
• Back in Town

• Adrian's patience was swiftly rewarded. A small distance away, the small white rabbit that had been startled away let out a shrill scream as it watched the badger get attacked. The beast that had been lurking in the briar patch bit deeply into the badger's flank, and though it was fairly dark by now, the animal was surely a wolf. Outraged, the badger flipped around, angrily doing its best to dislodge its lupine attacker.
  
  It had no such luck. The wolf dug its fangs deeper into the badger, crimson fonts of blood staining the forest floor as they struggled. Desperately, the badger managed to slam the wolf into the tree Adrian was perched on, causing it to let out a yelp of pain and let go. In the distance, the bone-white crow let out a few raucous caws, flapping its wings as it sidled from one end of the branch it was perched on to the other.
  
  Instead of being deterred, the wolf seemed only to get more upset. It let out a short howl, and a few moments later, a much louder howl could be heard, not far in the distance as it resounded throughout the forest; the sound of which caused the nearby birds that had been roosting for the night to panic and take flight in alarm. Oddly enough the white crow did not react right away, instead, it stared at the two animals on the ground before letting out a few angry-sounding caws. Then it disappeared. Adrian couldn't be sure, but it almost seemed to have teleported away.
  
  On the ground, the wolf leaped forward, stopping its attack just shy of the badger, causing it to attempt to swipe at the wolf. In a blur, a large black shape barreled into the badger. Due to the darkness, it was hard to make out exactly what happened. However, the aftermath was clear. The badger lay on the ground, bloodied and unmoving. The large black blur that had attacked it could be heard loping away, further into the forest.
  
  The wolf that remained, the one Adrian had been hunting, let out a yelp of delight and happily began to dig into the feast that lay before it. Curiously enough, Adrian would be able to find several oversized feathers near the badger and wolf.
  
• Ein gave the aspirant Demon Lord a serene smile, "Harvest as much cattle as you wish, I have no need for weak blood." She could tell Threnody was still tense, undoubtedly upset that their new acquaintance had never heard of the Cydonians. Turning back, she chided him, "This far into the See, are you really surprised?" That seemed to do the trick as he visibly relaxed, his fingers no longer straining against the metal bands of his catalyst.
  
  As the enemy's guard stood down, hers moved to do the same. The small army of people on the hill stood in silence for a moment, the sounds of the summer night taking over the conversation. In the distance, a blood-chilling howl could be heard, startled birds taking to the skies as it echoed throughout the forest. Doing a quick headcount, Threnody reformulated his original plan, then cleared his throat. "We have a large enough force to storm the town if we do it tactically."
  
  "Oh?" Ein's eyes sparkled under the moonlight, "You were adamantly against it before, what changed?"
  
  "There's more than twice as many of us now, along with another 'Officer' type," He gave Nyssa a slight bow of his head, "No offense." Turning back to Ein, he continued, "As long as we attacked from the right spots, in a coordinated effort, we should be able to put the odds in our favor before the city's Champion can mount a proper defense."
  
  Frowning, Ein used the index finger of her free hand to pet the crow that was perched on her other hand. "Oh, but then we might never find out what happened to Eleanor! Not saying I particularly mind, but..." She stared at the crow, thoughts muddled with how best to proceed.
  
  The crow cocked its head before croaking out, "Elisheba! Ask Elisheba. Help Eleanor." Ruffling its feathers, it turned back to preen them.
  
  Threnody took out his notebook, thumbing through the pages, "Now that is a name from the village. Let's see..." He found a glossary of everyone in the town, arranged alphabetically, and found where the 'E' names started, "There! Elisheba, the village apothecary."
  
  Ein looked at Threnody, "I guess someone was bound to know her." Then she turned to Nyssa, "Seems we have a few options, fledgling Demon Lord. To attack the village, or set an ambush. Speak with Elisheba about this 'Eleanor,' or cut her down like the rest of the cattle. Either way, the Hunt remains the same. The head of the Village champion is the prize." She raised the hand that the crow was perched on so that the bird was outlined by the light of the waxing moon. "As a show of good faith in what I can only hope will be the beginning of our long alliance, my knights and I shall yield the first move to you."
• A kind villager pointed Hope in the direction of the village council, the smells of food vendors closing up shop for the night mixed with the fresh scent of the summer forest as she walked. By now even the tavern was settling down, a quiet hush overtaking most of the hamlet. The howl of a canine could be heard deep in the forest, it was somehow reassuring, despite the fact that it caused all the roosting birds in the area to temporarily panic.
  
  If the village was growing quiet and sleepy, the exception was the Town Hall. "FOOL!" A booming baritone echoed out of the window of the Hall, his voice hard by anyone who made half an attempt to, and some who didn't. "The sudden surplus of corvids in the area is all the proof we need. The town is CURSED! We never should have let that outsider don the mantle of Hero." The doors to the building were opened wide, the roaring fire burning in the hearth easily seen from the walkway that led through the hamlet. A group of elderly villagers was assembled in the building, seemingly continuing a conversation that had been continuing for quite some time and saw no sign of ending soon.
  
  A silver-haired willowy woman answered him in a reedy voice, "Hush Peleus, you make a fool of yourself. The Champion of Legend was an Outsider as well, and Asher's Watch has been nigh on impeccable. Besides," She turned, taking a few steps towards the doorway, and looked at Hope. At least, it appeared she was looking at Hope, even though her eyes were milky-white with cataracts. "We have another worthy Outsider joining us." Taking a hand off her walking stick, the woman gestured towards the Shadow Fae. "Come, [Daughter of Source], I have waited a long time for you."
  
  Without waiting for a response, the old woman strode back into the hall, making her way to a seat near the hearth. The baritone voice spoke up again, a squat barrel-chested man seated next to her. He had cat ears on his head and arms made of corded muscle, "Just what we need, another Hero type looking to empty our coffers in exchange for 'Help,' bah!" He spat on the floor to punctuate his distaste. Mumbles of dissent and agreement could be heard from the other assembled members of the council, seven people in all, including the squat man and thin woman.
  
  Ignoring him, the woman continued, "Welcome child of the See, to Crow's Hollow. A most auspicious time for your arrival. I am Grandmother Willow, I don't suppose you are simply here to peruse the street vendor's wares?"
  
  "She is undoubtedly here only for her own selfish needs," The squat man accused, "Speak woman, and prove me-" Grandmother Willow put her hand on the man and his voice ceased as his form was forced into that of a raven's.
  
  She waved a hand at him as he squawked with dismay. "You are dismissed from tonight's council Peleus. Go home, and rest, before you embarrass us further."

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa looked at Ein as she smiled, "Well I don't plan on harvesting them here, they will be coming back with me, but so long as reached an agreement, I suppose." Nissa turned to look at the village, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. She didn't perceive them to be a threat for the moment and was more focused on the village itself that they were close to. She brought her hand to her chin and rested her head in the palm of her hand as she gazed out into the night.

When the knight spoke, Nissa glanced back over her shoulder as he proposed an attack on the village. "Do you have any information on the village itself? Saying we have double the manpower doesn't mean anything if we don't use it efficiently. Intelligence wins the day over brute strength and superior weapons and armor," Nissa explained as Ein seemed surprised about the change in her captain's strategy.

As she was mentioned, she met the captain's gaze again, "So then we just have to strike hard and fast, though do you have any information on the champion itself?" Nissa turned to face the group again as the vampires found some tree cover and made a defensive formation as they waited for the next move to be decided on. "I don't care about this Eleanor either, though a mystery left unsolved would be rather annoying I suppose," she relented walking closer to the tentative allies.


As Elisheba was brought up Nissa cocked an eyebrow as the group seemed to know more than they were letting on. But at least in her mind that meant they had looked around at the village at the very least. "Well then I suppose things are going to be a lot more interesting," Nissa concluded as she rested her hands on her hips as she paced back and forth for a moment.

"I think if we move in tactically we could accomplish both, providing Ein and me can get to the apothecary and you all can hold off the guards until we get the information we are looking for," Nissa suggested as she glanced toward Ein and the captain to see what they thought about the idea. The plan would knock out several birds with a single stone.

Sepokku Goran Glacial The Last Curse

 

[The Last Curse]

​

As night began to fall, Hope kept her gaze low, carefully following the walkway. She felt her [Darkvision] adjust, a warm, tender sensation spreading from the back of her eyes, the encroaching darkness dissipating into illuminated clarity. Sighing exasperatedly, she rubbed away the soreness with the heels of her palms. Another annoying "quirk" that'd just popped out of nowhere - just like everything else with this weird body. Was this just a thing that happened to Fae here? More questions for the Elders, she supposed. They'd make this easier. They could finally make her understand.

Hope stood just outside a building a few moments later, peering cautiously into the roaring fireplace. Two voices were speaking inside; one kind of sounded like the campus cops back home. Deep, authoritative, not very friendly. Contemplating entering, a knot formed in her stomach, and a lump grew in her throat. "Just introduce yourself and ask your questions," Hope nodded to herself, "In and out. How bad could it possibly-" She almost shrieked as one of the voices started to address her. Never mind as a [Daughter of Source] but an Outsider, no less! Could they use appraisal too? How'd they figure it out so quickly? "O-oh!...Hi!" She squeaked, clumsily sliding into view, "I've...been wanting to talk to you, too! Um..." Hope paused, spotting the figure slink further into the building. A clear enough invitation to enter.

Legs growing wobbly, Hope followed into the flame-hit hall. She watched an elderly woman sit beside a council of seven, her eyes beginning to warily study all their faces. They'd all look the part: earnest, competent, resolute. Then there was the man with the cat ears. Hope almost gasped. Those ears with those muscles? So adorable! But that thought waned as soon as he started accusing. Hope winced at his scathing words, even more so as she'd heard the murmuring between the council. Everything about this was off to a bad start. They'd never give her answers like this. And after watching Grandmother Willow turn that man into a bird, that was it! She'd have to make a good impression!

"E-Excuse me, while it's true that I'm here for the festival, that isn't entirely why I'm in the See," Hope said as politely as she could, "There's still a lot of things I don't know. About the See. About being a Fae. Almost everything. I thought coming down here could help me re-connect." Nodding, she slipt one hand into her cloak, retrieving the charm Asher gave her, "I met with this boy earlier, Asher. He said you could tell me more about this village and Fae history. So, if you could please spare me your time. I'd love to hear all about it." Twiddling her fingers, she looked to Grandmother Willow, "Grandmother Willow, you were expecting me, you said?" She asked tentatively, "I'm here, and my ears are open. But what were you expecting me for? And how'd you know all that about me?" Then, with a short pause, her eyes shot open. Her name! She didn't tell them her name! "Oh! I-I'm sorry. Look at me asking questions," She curtsied to each council member, "I'm Hope. A great pleasure to meet you all!"

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian watched in delight as the badger was killed, although curious about the white crow's conniption, adrian brushed it off while he focused on the wolf. Adrian grabbed ahold of his sorcerer's orb and aimed it at the wolf that was eating casting his shadow arrows from the tree branch just barely in range of his ten feet limit using magic targets he aimed for the head and torso of the wolf. afterwards he hopped down of the branch ready to use shadow punch if necessary. he wanted this kill and he will have it or be damned.

~Uses:

• Shadow Arrows - Magic Affinity E, Shadow Affinity F, Magic Range F, Magic Targets F - Shoots arrows made of shadow at multiple targets, amount of targets depends on Magic targets, Range of shot depends on Magic Range - 1 post cooldown~

 

[Sepokku]

Goran Glacial saxon The Last Curse
OOC: Sorry for the short delay, had to deep dive lore/rules a bit ><

• In the Surrounding Forest
• On a Hill Outside Town
• Back in Town

• A heavy barrage of umbral arrows erupted from the orb clutched in Adrian's hand, tearing fur and flesh from the wolf as they shredded its front; the casting was surprisingly more powerful than usual. The canine snarled at him, as blood fell from its muzzle, fangs bared in defiance despite its heavy wounds. However, it would quickly become apparent the dog was all bark and no bite, as only seconds after it would collapse from its wounds.
  
  It heavily resembled some of the bounties that had been posted, but not the ones that made the creature out to be more fantastical; surely the beast that the town on alert could not have gone down so easily, or did Adrian simply find himself in the right place at the right time? Regardless, he would not get paid the bounty without at least bringing back proof of his kill.
  
  It was quiet in the woods, the bodies of the wolf and the badger seeming to be the only nearby company. The black blur that had interceded on the wolf’s behalf disappeared as quickly as it had come, deep into the forest. The waxing moon lit up the night sky as it continued to rise over the Hamlet, slowly but surely. Sometime later, another howl cold be heard, in the direction the blur had raced off in.
  
  Directly above Adrian, almost far enough up to be unnoticeable, stood a lone white crow, its eyes watching with keen interest.
• Threnody frantically flipped through his vellum notebook, "The Champion himself... Details were spare, the villagers treat him with reverence, and most refused to answer questions about him. Supposedly he was a student of the last Champion and hasn't been bested in combat since taking over." With a shrug, he continued, "As for the rest of the Village, Elisheba was described as a talented Veneficus, and the village elders are all supposed to have been adventurers at one time or another." He turned to Ein, a scowl on his face. "Lady Crowley?"
  
  "Huh?" She looked up from the bird that was rubbing its head against her gloved finger.
  
  "Some input, please?"
  
  "Nissa's got a good plan." Cupping her hands, Ein let out a heartfelt sigh as the crow plopped down into a blob of feathers.
  
  "She has- What plan?!" A vein stood out on Threnody's forehead as he tried to keep his composure.
  
  "Her and I go around the Hamlet, so that Elisheba doesn't see us coming until it's too late, then you and the knights hold off whoever comes running." She looked up from the bird that seemed to be falling asleep as she held it. "Simple, no?"
  
  Pinching the bridge of his nose, Threnody grumbled, "So you were listening." After a few long moments, he looked up, "What's stopping our new friend from eviscerating you once I leave your side?"
  
  Ein responded with a bored shrug, her attention entirely devoted to the bird in her hands.
  
  "Right," He sighed, giving an evaluating look to the Nascent Demon Lord. His fingers tightened around his catalyst, "Well we'd best get to it then, before the sun rises." The Cydonian soldiers grouped into a loose formation around him, weapons at the ready. With a tired expression, he looked down at the village and pointed to the far end, where the moon was reflected in a placid lake. "Elisheba lives by the lake, in a shallow cave. I'll show you the way."
  
  He started marching to the opposite end of the town, taking great pains to give the villagers a wide berth, while still making sure Nissa and her knights could follow. About halfway there, however, he could no longer shake the feeling they were being watched. Raising a gauntlet, he closed his fist and signaled for the formation to halt. As he did, he could hear something whizz by his ear and embed itself in the knight next to him. Turning around, he caught a glimpse of a throwing knife slice into one of his soldier's chainmail, a gout of blood spraying from the resulting wound as the soldier fell to the ground. Someone was attacking them, and he couldn't see who.
  
  Two more knives flew out of the treeline, colliding with two of the unsuspecting Vampire Honorguard, and dispatching them in the same instance, knives embedded in their throats. Chaos erupted amongst the ranks of Cydonians and Vampires alike. Threnody let out a growl and began the Transformation process, siphoning energy from Lady Ein to do so.
  
  Nissa's keen senses identified their attacker, or at least the direction they were attacking from, nearly a hundred yards from the north. The blood of their assailant had a peculiar lupine quality to it, though it was definitely a Human and not Beastfolk. A vicious howl erupted from the north, a bloodcurdling cry of vehement animosity.
  
• Grandmother Willow watched with milky white eyes as Hope explained her reasons for visiting. She smiled softly when the Shadow Fae produced the trinket Asher had given her, a note of sadness in her expression. "Ah yes, Eleanor's Lucky Charm... Perhaps he saw a bit of her in you."
  
  As Hope introduced herself, the town council grew silent, with various expressions of concern, excitement, and disbelief on their faces. All except for the elderly Willow, who simply chuckled, "You're awfully polite for a Hero." She stared at Hope for a second, eyes looking through her, "I was expecting you because you decided to come here. I can't control the threads of fate, I simply see the bigger picture the Loom of Destiny creates." She tapped a knowing finger against her head. "And since you're here, I've a story to tell and a favor to ask."
  
  "Someone get the door, please, it seems I've quite a tale to recount." Wordlessly, one of the Elders stood and made their way to the entrance in a few quick strides, closing the door quietly behind them. It was quiet for a moment as Willow looked up at the ceiling of the building, shadows danced along the interior as the fire crackled and burned in the hearth. The other Elders did their best to steal glances at Hope without making it look obvious that they were staring.
  
  "Where to start..." Willow's soft voice broke the quiet as she lifted a wrinkled hand and pointed upwards. "A long, long time ago the See was a wild and chaotic place, a fitting birthplace for the fickle creatures known as Fae. Nowadays Fae are inherently creatures of Magic, some are tied to nature, as the Nymphs or Dryads are, and others, are tied to elements, like Ifrit or Undine. Back before Crow's Hollow existed, this land was filled with primeval power which rendered it forest nearly uninhabitable, the creatures that lived here were as cruel and wicked as the land itself, some of the first Fae." As she spoke, the shadows on the ceiling swirled and coalesced, until they formed into several distinct silhouettes.
  
  "These Fae did not draw on particular affinities like Fire, or Nature, but rather from the [Source] itself. Creatures like Redcaps or Biloko, that attacked most things on sight, even each other." As she spoke, the shadow puppets on the ceiling jumped on each other, viciously tearing into their foes, "At some point, one rose above the rest and named herself ArchFey, or Le Fay, depending on who you ask." A single figure formed out of the conflicting shadows, one wearing a crown and wielding a scepter. "It is said that she is where all Fae get their hatred of the other races."
  
  The room grew darker yet, the shadows seeming to drown out the light from the hearth; Hope's [Darkvision] adjusted effortlessly. "Through power came order! The See grew as Fae were forced to cease their squabbling and join her or be destroyed." The haft of Willow's staff slammed against the ground, punctuating her sentence as the shadows on the ceiling began to ooze and drip down, forming shadowy figures that stood eerily around the room, marching in place. "Her army might have taken the whole continent, were it not for the first Hero."
  
  Fractals of darkness appeared in the center of the room, hovering off the ground as they slowly fell into place, creating a pair of raven-black wings that flapped once, dispelling the marching silhouettes around the room. "All the Archfey's might could not stand against the weapon used by that Hero, and only a year after their arrival, the See saw peace, for the first time."
  
  Willow opened her mouth to continue but was interrupted by a shrill howl that resonated throughout the forest. The light returned to the room, shadows fading away like the magic Willow had used to manipulate them. "That boy has a mouth like a cannon, always firing it off." Slowly, she stood up, two of the other Elders rushing to her side to help. Once she was on her feet, she smiled at Hope, "Feh, what an inopportune time for an interruption. Would you be a dear and escort an old woman to the northern end of the village? I have a feeling Asher may be waiting for us there."

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Adrian Banfield~
Adrian quite pleased with his kill, lit a cigarette taking a deep drag before opening his shadow pocket and pulling out the information on the wolf. he thought it too easy for something that terrorized the village but shrugged afterward, a kill was a kill and nothing was popping up in his danger sense so he was fine. however he got the feeling he was being watched still looking around he failed to notice the white crow up above, shrugging again he crouched down tearing a steaming piece off the badger that had no bones but possibly muscle and ate it. such was his habits while hunting before in another life as long as the corpse was still hot he had no fear of diseases when it cooled however was a different story. at the moment he was too weak to kill humans and other creatures of sentient intelligence but he would get stronger and eventually accomplish his mission to terrorize this new world. wrapping the corpses in leaves and vines he hung it over his shoulder as he trotted back to the village hopefully his kill could get him a cold mug of cheap ale or some other kind of cheap alcohol even if it wasn't the beast in the posters snuffing his cigerette before the village he made his way towards the hunting guild with a bit of skip in his step pocketing his orb in his pants pocket before entering he went to see how much he could get for the wolf and badger both.

 

[The Last Curse]

​

Flickers of wonder and amazement glimpsed on Hope's face as she looked to the ceiling. She nodded knowingly as shadows danced about, forming figures and displaying countless years of history. Goosebumps formed on her skin. It didn't make sense. She'd never heard of this tale before. But something about this just felt right. Nostalgic, even. As if the knowledge was there, somewhere inside her. Pitch-black hands trembling, Hope looked down at them in the darkness. Still unfamiliar - still so weird. But there was history underneath that skin, wrapped in a past of unrivaled chaos, magic, and...weirdness? Flexing her fingers, Hope chuckled to herself slightly. Probably not the best way to summarize. At least she was learning something.

As the story moved on to Le Fay and the Hero, Hope looked more inquisitively into the manipulated shadows. Focusing on the tenebrous pair of wings forming in the center, her heart began to race. The hero, an outsider, was capable of saving the entire See? When they weren't even from this world? How? Puzzled, she looked down at her catalyst, slowly twisting the brilliant jewel between her fingers. Did the hero have powers, too? Some supernatural ability or weapon bestowed on them when they came to this world? Were they meant to save the See? Hope paused as the questions reverberated in her head. Answers, she needed answers.

Before she could ask, a piercing howl from somewhere in the woods made her jump. Hope looked to Grandmother Willow with widened eyes as she stood from her seat. Curious enough that she'd wanted an escort after that ghastly howl, but she also seemed completely unfazed. Maybe she'd gotten used to it. Or whatever was out there wasn't all that bad. Both options made this a lot less scary. "O-of course! It'd be my pleasure, Grandmother Willow!" Hope said, recovering from her stupor and moving to Willow's side, "After everything I've learned, that's the least I could do." Then, looking at the council, she said, "Thank you all for having me. I didn't mean to intrude like this, but at least I left with something new. Have a wonderful festival."

On the way to the northern end of the village, dutifully walking beside Grandmother Willow, Hope fiddled with her catalyst. So many questions to be asked. Where could she start? "Grandmother Willow?" She looked to the elderly fae, warmness in her eyes, "That tale was amazing. Really insightful. I didn't know we had all this history!" Hope said dreamily, "But I want to hear more about this hero. What they're like, what they did, where they are now," She caught her breath momentarily before a scene replayed in her mind. Slowly, Hope looked back to Grandmother Willow, a hint of uncertainty clouding her enthusiasm, "But wait, you said I was a hero before saying everything. I'm... not really sure what that entails."

 

[saxon]

Nissa
​

Nissa nodded her head as the group started to move along the path, though it didn't seem like the knight captain didn't seem too thrilled about the plan. But he seemed more than glad to take the group that way; when the group started to move, Nissa motioned for her guards to follow. I wish we knew more about this champion, but I suppose we will find out one way or another, She thought to herself, clasping her hands behind her back.


Nissa made sure to keep her eyes toward the village as she didn't want them to see the group. The vampires would no doubt certainly gain a lot of attention and she wasn't one to ruin a surprise. So for the time being at least she figured it was best to keep a low profile keeping a safe distance from the village as they followed the knights. She brought her hand up to her chin as her mind started to wonder, But I still wonder what this whole crow business is there is still too many unknowns. Looking around she eventually shrugged as they paused for a moment along the road.

That was when the knives started to fly out from the north, "From the North about a hundred yards! Honor guards follow me." Nissa commanded as she drew her blade and surged forward attempting to use the trees as cover trying to get into range where she could fire off a spell or engage in melee.

Sepokku Goran Glacial The Last Curse