Fantasy Tales of Ristafel

[Reinhardt]

To ensure that the story will flow smoothly without hindering the joy of role playing, I have implemented rules:


Rule#1 - There shall be no OOC post in this section. Violation of this rule will cause your post to be deleted without notice.


Rule#2 - Make sure that before you post here, you have already been accepted and that you have posted your character in the character sign-up.


Rule#3 - Even if a posting order is not being implemented, please make sure that you allow other role players to equally interact with each other. Two people's posts filling a page and a half is not good to the eye in a group rp like this. Please avoid that as much as you can.


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It was the start of a pleasant day. Things were going well, the sun has just risen, the birds are chirping, the chickens clucking and the wind gently blew from here to there granting a small sense of relaxation. Markets started to open, taverns started to ready their tables and people have began to leave their homes and head to work. For most people, this would be a great day to do the usual routine - to wake up, eat, and go to work. But not for some. Some choose to laze off, others choose to go spend the day in a productive way. But for some individuals, this day was a great way to start an adventure, an epic tale of their travels and battles, a good day to begin etching their names in the history of Ristafel.

 

[DergTheDergon]

After waking at the crack of dawn in his small tavern room, Vallen began his morning meditations. Sitting crisscrossed with palms together in front of his chest, eyes closed, he breathed slowly into his nose and out his mouth, awakening his senses to the Yier he could feel, to the noises in the tavern below and in the streets outside his window, and to the smells surrounding him. Once mindfulness was achieved, he dressed, gathered his belongings and slipped on his bursting Palm Gauntlets, fastening his chakram to his side. He exited his room and went downstairs. His glowing blue eyes passed analytically over the people that were gathering here in this tavern, trying to scope out any interesting indivuduals, particularly those that seemed to be adventurers like himself.

 

[Xenonia]

Emerald's awakening was a very pleasant one. She had spent the night in a mossy grove, letting nature do as it would, a gentle stream running nearby to lull her... She sprung forth from her bed of lichen, well rested and upbeat. Humming to herself, she went to the stream to wash her body, and upon finishing, made her way towards the town nearby. If she was to help the needy, she first needed to know who the needy were. And what better place to learn the plight of the downhearted and defeated than the local tavern? Emerald entered, scanning the room for any hint of meekness or desperation, finding nothing that fit that description. The only person of interest she saw was a very humble-looking Etherborn like herself. He didn't seem troubled at all.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

Hachi awoke to a gnawing sensation on his head.


"Mnngh? Kyouko? Kyouko, quit it~!" he giggled, prying his head from the hornet's massive jaws as he pet its antenna. Having a flying mount was useful; he still hadn't bothered to learn foreign money, and people rarely checked their roofs for intruders. As such, he saved a ton on bedding in cities. Of course, many were disturbed by the loud buzzing, but rarely for long. Kyouko was very affectionate, but it was generally always a good idea to wear one's helmet.


Standing, he gave his shoulders a stretch, and bowed to the Sun.


"Good morning, Sun!" he shouted, before turning and jumping off the side of the roof. Standing straight, he dusted off his overcoat as Kyouko gave a happy buzz, climbing down the side of the building.


"A good day starts with a good breakfast, Kyouko. Go forth. I'm going to make heads or tails of this barbarian currency." Hachi stated. As the hornet flew into the distance with saddlebags in tow, Hachi entered the tavern, silently eyeing the patrons. The only people of note were some monk and a green girl, both obviously foreigners.


Hachi crossed his arms, and said nothing, just standing in front of the door.

 

[DrBones]

Beltway woke up in a familiar bed, one owned by the tavern's barmaid. Striking away a vicious hangover and working the pain of last night's events out of his fingers, Beltway employed a technique taught to him by Two-Dogs Bower many years ago. Within seconds he was out the door fully dressed, clothing, armor, lute, and all. Panting heavily, he turned to the barmaid and gave her a wink.


"Hello again, m'lady! Last night's festivities were quite entertaining, if I may say so myself. T'would be apropos to liken it to a fox's night in the henhouse, if thou art privy. Marry, 'twas a raucous occasion for all involved! I would be honoured to be held as a patron again, to continue our bobbish affair, if thou art privy to my language."


The barmaid gave Beltway an incredulous look, and bluntly informed him. "A good song and the removal of vermin can only go so far, bard. I already paid you in all the warmth and comfort I'm willing to afford. Unless you agree to help out, I'm afraid my charity will end here. Now, c'mere... have one last drink before you get going. The guests are about to wake up, and they'll need some hair of the dog before they'll be ready to go back to their wives."


Beltway's eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers in exaggerated inspiration. "Methinks another good song shalt heighten these barflies' spirits! Prithee, allow me to the stage once again, to astound and soothe their wounds!"


"Couldn't hurt, I suppose. Don't s'pose you've got any bawdy songs?"


Beltway chuckled capriciously. "Tunes of brutish comedy are mine own mother's milk! Pray, give me time to prepare and I shall have the crowd roaring as would the seashore!"


Beltway shook off the haze of the early-morning out of his mind's eye, and stepped up on the stage. He experimentally plucked and tuned his lute, ensuring its light twangs would serve the mood well. He began strumming, filling the tavern's rooms with music. Beltway cleared his throat, and began to sing a tune known well by bar patrons across the country. A story whose context was long ago forgotten, but whose content remained just as appropriate. A song of loss and love and comedy. The very first stanza brought a pair of drunkards who had found their beds at the foot of a table to full awakeness, who began drumming their hands on the table in time to the beet.


"And it's oh, dear what can the matter be?


Seven old ladies got stuck in the lavatory!


They've been in there from Sunday to Saturday!


And nobody knew they were there!"

 

[DergTheDergon]

After a while of hanging about the Tavern seeing no one of particular interest, a young woman entering caught his eye. She was certainly an Etherborn like himself, with an Aura of green about her. She seemed lost, looking for someone or something she didn't seem to be finding. Soon after another figure entered, a human silently standing by the door, arms crossed. Vallen decided to approach the Etherborn girl for now, see if he could assist her in some way.


As he slowly approached her, waiting until she had noticed him, the bard who had kept him awake for a while the night before began to sing a very lewd tune at the top of his lungs. Although it annoyed him, he could feel the yier within it that energized him. 'If only his music wasn't so... unpleasant' Vallen thought. He shook his head and tried to catch the Etherborn woman's attention. "Hail there," he said to her in a friendly tone. "What brings you here?"

 

[Xenonia]

Emerald turned to the man, smile still on her face, and began to recite a clearly memorized speech. "Uh, hail there, downtrodden fellow! I am Emerald, a wanderer of the wilds. I help those in need and, uh... Dang it..." She was clearly having trouble remembering what she was supposed to say next. "Oh yeah! And I deem you "in need". So, fair citizen, what is it you need helping with?" She reached out her hand. "Do you perhaps need to be accompanied to some form of gathering, or protection from some kind of gang?" Clearly, she misinterpreted the man's meaning of approaching her.

 

[DergTheDergon]

Vallen was slightly startled by this woman's idea of a greeting, although not made uncomfortable. It was slightly amusing actually. He shook her hand firmly and began to speak. "It's Wonderful to meet you Emerald, though you seem to misunderstand. Allow me to clarify, my name is Vallen and I am also a wanderer who assists those in need. I was looking for like-minded individuals to put together a party, so as to be more efficient in my endeavors. I seem to have found one sooner than expected. Well met."

 

[Diavolo]

Awakening to the sound of a classical folk song, Stephen rolled out of the straw pile he had been sleeping in. While stables generally aren't the most comfortable of beds, he has slept in far worse. Deciding a duet would be a great idea, he began to shake the stray hay from his pants.


Entering the tavern, he gravitates to the stage, bumping into the a patron on the way over. The small feminine eitherborn he bumped into falls to the ground.


"Sorry, but geddout my way" Stephen grumbles. Moving to a table near the stage.

 

[Xenonia]

Emerald shook as she fell to the ground. "Oh, e-excuse me, sir... I'm sorry for standing in your way. Do you... Perhaps, need help?" She was going off script a little, but she had just been knocked to the floor by a potential client in need of help. After all, Emerald saw the good in everything. Perhaps this man was simply in a bad place. "Are you in need of assistance?" She reached out her hand to the man, grasping at his pant leg as he walked away from her. "Sir?"

 

[Diavolo]

"DONT FUCKING TOUCH ME YOU BITCH!" Stephen yells. Kicking his leg at her as she grabs for him.


"The fuck do you want from me! I already paid my dues! I did my job! I've seen some shit cause of that! if you want to help me, I've got a special problem that you can handle." He says, bringing both his hands down toward his groin. Leering grotesquely as he does so.

 

[DergTheDergon]

Vallen glared at the human male for his outburst. "Were you raised by wolves, human!?" Vallen looked down at Emerald, an apolegetic look in his glowing blue eyes. "If he needed help he doesn't deserve it from such a kind soul. here" he offered his hand to Emerald to pull her up, his tone soft and understanding. "Are you injured?"

 

[Diavolo]

"This isn't your fucking problem. This bitch asked me for help, and I told her how to help me. What's your damn issue?" Stephen said, shoving at the blue eyed eitherborn lightly.

 

[DergTheDergon]

In response to that pathetic shove, Vallen gave a much harder push with one hand that knocked the human to the ground. "When one lashes out at another that does not deserve it in my very sight, it becomes my 'fucking' problem, as you so profanely put it. Get up and leave the girl alone before I take drastic measures." His tone was calm, almost monotone.

 

[DrBones]

"The third old lady was little Miss Bartlett


She paid her penny and straight in she darted


What a waste of a penny, 'cause she only--"


Beltway's attention was torn away from his lute by the ongoing conflict between Vallen and Stephen. Hmm, he thought, what could possibly be the cause of this? He looked over at Emerald. Ah...!


Still playing a tune, he sauntered down from the stage and up to Emerald. With a gentle, sing-songy voice, he spoke to her.


"It seems your beauty has attracted conflict between these two brutes. Mayhaps we should away to a safer place, while we wait for this thing to boil over. Prithee understand that the quickest way to drive hostilities downwards is through removing the glittering gems being fought over."


Beltway cocked an eyebrow at Emerald, and gave one final strum as he stopped playing. He presented his hand to Emerald, beckoning for her to take it and follow him.


"Shall we, m'lady?"

 

[Diavolo]

Landing on the ground, Steven rolled backwards, smashing through a table. Inhaling inwards, he infused his lungs with yier and began breathing out a low amount of flames wreathing them in a spiral a foot around his head.


"This ain't shit I never seen before. i just tie the cord, kick out the chair and your dead. Your sight and your business ain't worth shit to anyone besides you. So don't force your shit on me." As he said this, he placed his left foot forward and brings his hands up into a more defensible position.

 

[Xenonia]

"It's... It's fine... I'm sure he means the best." Emerald was trying her hardest to remain staring at the ground. She did not want her fellow Etherborn to see the shame in her eyes, nor for her assailant to see the fear. The whole confrontation was scaring her when the pleasant sounding musician from the stage approached and offered his hand. "Thank... Thank you." She quickly took it and fled with him to the back of the bar. "I don't want to cause any trouble..."

 

[DergTheDergon]

Vallen sighed, and looked towards the emerald and the bard as they walked off. "Thank you my musical friend for offering the lady safety." He looked back towards the human, and comepletely put his guard down. "As long as you're done acting like a feral beast towards an innocent, I've no reason to fight you. If you insist on being foolish, we should settle this outside." He turned away and exited the bar, standing outside calmly.

 

[Diavolo]

Seeing as the threat had left him, Steven seated himself at the bar.


"I'd like a tankard of the strongest thing you have." He said to the barkeeper. After receiving it, he began to sip.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

Hachi's foot stamped on the ground, wroth with impatience. He knew to expect little, but he wanted a hostess, not a bar fight. A buzzing seemed to echo from his armor as he stamped over across the tavern, eventually placing both hands on Emerald's shoulders and staring intently into her eyes from behind his faceless helmet.


"I've been waiting so long. You said you want to help, right? Show me where I need to sit." his voice came through.


"Party of one."

 

[DergTheDergon]

Vallen waited outside for a few minutes before sighing in relief. Well, he's not as dumb as he is hot-headed, at least.


He calmly strode into the bar, comepletely ignoring stephen as to not add fuel to the fire, and walked towards were Emerald and the bard were located, greeeting them. "I apologize for the ruckus. Twas' not your fault milady, I've simply seen far too many men act like that one to let such behavior go unwarned."


Vallen gave Hachi an odd look as he approached emerald. "Not from around these parts, I presume? Patrons are allowed to sit wherever they like here."

 

[Xenonia]

"Oh... That's okay. I should have stood up for myself, but... Thankfully, this man here was willing to step in and calm things down." She hugged the bard, Beltway, very tightly. "I'd like to thank you, but... I'm not sure what use I can really be after that fiasco." She sighed. "I'm no good at this adventuring thing. It always ends up with me getting mugged or embarrassed." Her eyes began to water. "I'm so... So sorry for wasting your time."

 

[DrBones]

Beltway scoffed at Vallen, and patted Emerald on the shoulder. He gently stepped towards Vallen, angling himself between Vallen and Emerald .


"Forsooth, m'lady! The brutish wretch from before now thinks himself a cultured gentleman! 'Prithee, good sirrah, 'twould be best for you to find a woman more receptive to your advances. After all, 'tis only fitting for a predator such as yourself to seek out a beautiful emerald fawn such as... my apologies, my good lady. I have hardly had the presence of mind to ask you your name! Please, m'lady, if you would be so magnanimous as to give me something to scream to the sky themselves in blind love, 'twould be worth more to me than all the jewels in the world!"

 

[ComradeSenpai]

Hachi's head slowly turned, shaking, toward the white-haired man. Who was this man? Why was he saying such nonsense? Everyone knew that, excepting a street vendor, you always wait for the hostess to seat you. This green girl had the assets necessary to make a decent hostess.


"Are you trying to waste my time with your nonsense? Shut up and let this girl show me my seat." he said, his hands still firmly gripping Emerald's shoulders.

 

[Xenonia]

Emerald wiped her eyes, looking up at Beltway again. "I'm Emerald. My father named me that after the color of my eyes... And presumably, of my heart." She forced a smile as she turned to Hachi. "I... I don't actually work here, though I'm sure you can sit where you'd like." She waved her hand around, indicating the many open tables. "I'm sure you'll find any of these tables suitable."