Fantasy The Aspect Saga

[Baconhands]

The Aspect Saga
Part 1: Help Wanted!
Towns and cities across the Nineteen Islands have awoken to normal days. Only in small circles have rumours begun to circulate that an artefact has been found, and these are still only rumours. However, across notice boards up and down the continent, a message has been pinned:
To whoever is reading this
My name is Kadri Laar. I am from Volk. I require assistance.
Currently I can't give too many details regarding what this assistance will rightly entail but respondents should be aware that there will be a lot of travelling as well as dangerous situations possibly involving combat
Rewards for assistance can be discussed but will include monetary compensation befitting the dangers that are involved.
If interested, please come to the Jester's Choice Inn along the Eastern coastal road in Volk before the next full moon​

 

[Baconhands]

The storms never announced themselves in Volk, and Kadri would have been lying if she missed the spontaneity of them. The clouds had built in the East, ominously painting the horizon in greys and blacks, and before she could so much as even try to pick up her pace the storm had made land fall. Rain lashed against the cobbled stones of the coastal path, and the wind howled its presence for all to hear. Lightning crackled in the skies, colouring the clouds in purples, whites, and blues. Then the thunder would roar, making even the wind cower; Arbuzs's children very rarely enjoyed being outdone.

Kadri relished every part of it; whenever silhouettes were illuminated in the sky, the lineaged felt a familial connection with whatever creature had brought the storm to the island, and this sense of familiarity nestled within her a great sense of comfort. Every droplet of rain against her skin reminded her of times that now felt so long ago - when she had traversed these paths with friends and family, when the wider world felt so far away, and when the amulet that hung around her neck was nothing but an afterthought in the religion of the Aspect Dragons. That comfort that had barely begun to rest in her mind soon drifted away as these new thoughts manifested. It was replaced instead by a profound sense of longing, and nervousness.

She was between cities, about halfway to Kaunu, at the outskirts of a small town that straddled the road that ran along Volk's eastern coast. Spying the Jester's Choice on the side of the road, maybe a few hundred feet from her, the lineaged hastened her pace. The rain that had been a source of divine nostalgia now carried a stinging, morose dread. The rain brought with it some form of foreboding, as if trying to warn her of an impending danger, urging her to get off of the road as quickly as possible. Kadri was more than happy to oblige.

The door was a heavy one, and when she let it go it slammed shut. The establishment was hardly one of great comfort, save for the fact that it was pleasantly warm and had few people inside it. It was home to half a dozen well-worn tables and about three times as many chairs. A fire burned gently at the side of the room, prevented from spreading by stone and metal. Kadri did not resist the urge to sit beside it for very long. There was furniture near it, albeit not close enough to be a hazard, and the lineaged took a seat facing the inn's entrance. As soon as she sat down, she started shivering almost feverishly, as the cold finally seemed to settle.
SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire SilverNova
Reo7 (once your character is completed)

 

[LazyDaze]

Every man dreams of death
Every death begins a dream
and the sweetest dream is eternal
Join the paradise
After life
Don't cry there's no time
Smile, laugh, cry, You're surely dead!
say goodbye, You're surely dead!
Dry your eyes, You're surely dead!
♪

Grim was singing a song as he danced along the road in the storm. The world had a strange way of speaking to your soul if you listened, and right now it seemed to be...shaking. Not in anger, or might, but the world seemed to be akin to a cornered animal who was finally about to strike back. Grim continued to splash through the puddles while twirling his cane. He wore the biggest smile despite it all. At one point his hat was blown away by the wind; however, he quickly caught it and continued to sing while the thunder became his choir. Rumbling and flashing every other second. Grim had been traveling for hours before hand. There was no destination in mind. There was no purpose. He would know his purpose when it came to find him, for if he learned anything, it was that chasing fate was futile. Fate was something that found you when it was ready, and the most you could do was prepare for it. However, you could bait it if you were bold and brave enough.

You're surely dead
You're surely dead
Will I rise?
I'll sleep instead!
Let me in the gates
Because I'll never leave my bed
Believe in dragons
believe in fairy tails
because reality always fails
to live, to live, to live
this world is dead
its surely dead!
♪

At the end of his song a wide smirk grew on his lips as he spotted the inn from far away. "Just what I needed to get out of this storm. I appreciated the duet; however, Lightning, you always seems to steal my thunder when I perform." The lightning seemed to crackle more violently afterwards as the intensity suddenly picked up. Grim held on to his hat even tighter as he looked up into the sky while laughing. "...I suggest we see other people." Grim finally reached the inn and flung the door open as if to announce his arrival. He stood in the doorway for a couple of extra seconds as he surveyed the room. He took a single step in, allowing the wind to slam the door behind him. Water was dripping from the brim of his hat and onto the ground as he emphatically twirled his cane before taking off his hat and bowing. "What great luck you all must have, for it is I, Azrillys Grim the Story Teller."

“Fate has brought me here today to tell you a great tale.” Some people were obviously eager to hear what someone as oddly dressed as Grim had to say. Some simply thought he was crazy while others ignored him. He flipped his hat back onto his head as he outstretched his arms and spoke boldly. Crazy, or not, you could tell he had done this before. "There was once a young man caught in a raging storm! By the mercy of the great dragons of lore he stumbled upon an inn where the innkeeper agreed to give him free bed and breakfast. THE END," He said, singing the last part as he looked directly at the inn keeper who appeared to mentally up the price as he made a rather scary face toward Grim. This performance earned him many snickers, and grumblings; however, he merely shrugged his shoulders and did a little toe tap as he made his way to the inn keeper in order to haggle prices. "You get what you pay for." Even though he was addressing the entire inn he had his gaze set directly on Kadri as he said this. It was an extremely brief, cold gaze, and one could not blame Kadri if she even questioned if he was actually looking in her direction. However, he was already off getting into trouble.

"Okay I'll give you a discount. 3 days, free bed and breakfast," He said as he slammed his hands on the inn keeper's desk in authoritative fashion.

"I don't think you understand how this works..."

"Five, final offer."

Baconhands

 

[Flutterby]

Even after four years, she wasn't used to the rain. In the forests of the Fenn, even the strongest storms were dampened. The towering trees took the brunt of the wind, and the water would pool and run down the leaves, falling on them in giant drops. It was magical. This was miserable, with the rain hitting in tiny stings and the wind ripping at her hood.
All she wanted to do was get out of the rain. So when someone else mentioned the strom seemed to be a pretty strong one, she brought up the idea of an inn before the sentence was finished. The three traders shared a look and a chuckle- the girl from the Fenn didn't speak much, but when she did, it was just so obvious she wasn't from Volk.

The Jester's Choice appeared around the next bend, and Seren was the first through the door. She didn't carry that competitive drive, the one that had the other three hanging back to try and be the last one in, and thus the toughest. She just wanted to be warm.
When she stepped inside, the innkeeper was dealing with a particularly.. flamboyant man. Seren stared at the back of his hat for a moment, wondering why he would be wearing such a thing while traveling, before deciding that they might be a while.
LazyDaze
The fire was calling her name. There was someone already near it, a young woman with black hair and a blue tunic. She had taken a seat, but Seren did not.
Seren looked over at the stranger, taking in her features and the amulet below them. She gave a small nod of greeting, but focused mostly on standing closer to the flames and getting warmed up. The three traders came in behind her, and after making the same observation of the innkeeper that she did, they plopped down at a table and started discussing what they would have to drink that night.
One of them noticed her by the fire and called, "Hey, Fenn, you drinking with us?"
Seren blinked, a flicker of annoyance across her face, before turning and calling back, "Someone has to be sober enough to drag you lot around."
The three broke out into laughter, but Seren turned back to the flames with a tiny sigh. It hadn't been a joke. She absently rubbed the back of her arm, her sleeve shifting. The firelight reflected off of something above her wrist, something maybe orange, maybe pink, but not quite.
Baconhands

 

[SilverNova]

The journey from Silverun to Volk had been unbearably tiresome for Yvette. It seemed to her that at nearly every turn she’d encountered yet another group of soldiers or some other individual set in mind to rake in the bounty on her head. Her evasion tactics, though sloppily done on many of the occasions, had kept her out of trouble long enough for her to reach the quaint town that held what she was looking for, the Jester’s Choice Inn. Luckily too, the amount of travelers on the roads who were apt to pick her out as a miscreant from Silverun had greatly diminished the farther away she’d gotten from the nation’s borders. Here she’d become much more as ease knowing that for the most part she’d be able to go about her business conflict free.

In the air she could smell the familiar scent of a brewing storm, earthly sweet petrichor charged with the pungent chemical smell of lightning in the distance. She grimaced lightly. Under normal circumstances she’d pitch a encampment in the woods, preferably under the direct moonlight where the air would be the freshest. However, that became impossible during storms, when the rain would otherwise soak her through and bless her with its associated sicknesses and colds. Tapping the money pouch at her belt, she felt the sack compress easily without resistance. It was empty. She realized she must’ve spent the remaining coin after running into the coachman of a empty horse-drawn carriage on the road. She'd used his services to get to the edges of the town and after paid him off to forget about her ever having done so. Standing on the side of the eastern coastal road, she scanned the street, her eyes drifting over the other travelers and occupants of the town, all scurrying to find cover before the rain soon hit. At last her gaze rest upon a young man smoking in the back alley of her inn of interest. He didn't seem as concerned over the looming, crackling darkness swiftly approaching them as much as the other townsfolk were. That was curious, but Yvette took the opportunity of approaching the man anyways, after all he was generously dressed, seemingly the kind of man to carry an ample amount of the coin she desired.

She took a moment to fix herself, flattening out the soft leather tunic she wore and combing her fingers through her hair, then strode over to meet the man boldly. As if on queue the rains broke down from the skies just as she had reached his location. The man turned to leave and go back inside the inn, hardly taking notice of Yvette's presence. She bristled slightly. He had some nerves to ignore her like that. She moved to put a hand on his shoulder and when it touched the man spun to face her, growling, "What'd you want?". For a second she didn't respond, instead she quickly assessed the road. It was currently vacant from their viewpoint. Moving promptly, she met the man's lips with her own. His eyes widened, caught off guard by the sudden action, but after a few seconds he fell into the kiss, closing his eyes. She figured he took her for some sort of escort. What an idiot. From in her lungs she felt the swirling of noxious gas forming. Carefully, she parted the man's own lips with her own, exhaling a stream of the gas into his lungs as she did so. She felt as his body began to go limp, until at last he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Again for good measure she assessed the road and caught a glimpse of a peculiarly dressed man dancing in the storm, heading towards the inn. She froze, only relaxing her muscles after the stranger had fully disappeared from view. All he would have really seen was her appearing to kiss a man and it didn't even seem like he had saw her, but still she didn't want to risk her name getting put up on the wanted posters in Volk too. She pulled her victim up by the shoulders, dragging him as fast as she could down the alley till they were out of view of the surrounding streets. Then she began her search, patting the young man down until her hand brushed across his money pouch. She emptied it's contents into her own, not bothering to count it. She could do that later. Lastly, Yvette knew she had to finish the job. Whenever she was on the move she never had to bother killing off the innocent suckers she swindled out of money, but really she had no idea how long she'd be captive to this town and she certainly couldn't have this little happening come back to haunter her. Not now. Not after she was so close to redemption. With this in mind she slipped one of the daggers up off her belt and plunged it into his neck. A sickening gurgling sound bubbled out of his mouth and a pool of blood began to spread on the ground carried rapidly by the flood of water drenching them. She wiped the blade against the man's fanciful suede shirt then slipped it back into its scabbard.

The thief, now murderer, stood back up right and quietly made her way out of the alley. So far she was still in the clear. She faced the inn once more, this time with money in her pouch, and pushed the doors open to the surprising scene of the oddly dressed man who had danced down the street now arguing with the innkeeper. She decided it'd be best to stay away from that mess at present. Instead, Yvette moved towards the fireplace and rather feebly attempted to dry out her soaked garments. That is till her eyes caught sight of the bizarre amulet dangling around the neck of one of the women sharing the fire with her. Brusquely she asked, leaning closer in towards the warmth of the fire, "Are you Kadri Laar?"

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr Savage

“What a beautiful... mud hole!” Ivarr exclaimed sarcastically, though nobody was in earshot. “There must be no other place as prrretty as this town!” He then ravenously shoved a piece of salted meat into his mouth, the rapid gobbling producing grotesque noises. “This feels like a... picnic.”

Truth be known, it wasn’t picnic weather. The psychopath was merely more cheerful in gloomy, rainy weather—the weather that would depress anyone else. He was getting drenched, his somewhat fluffy hair flattening. The only unfortunate part was that his makeup was running, the light blush turning blotchy in some areas, revealing deathly pale flesh underneath.

Nearing the inn, Ivarr stopped beneath the roof overhang to smudge away the old makeup with a rag and apply a fresh coating. From there, he hastily dried his hair with a towel, then flicked his cape, a glittering sprinkle of water droplets flying free from it. He looked ready.

Flinging open the inn door, the voice immediately started to fray his nerves. It quickly became evident some plebeian was trying to persuade the innkeeper to provide a free room. The sight of this man trying to negotiate was... quite pathetic. The assassin wasn’t pleased to be seeing this while on vacation. “How about a joke?” he purred, addressing the entire room as he sashayed towards the bar. “A man haggled with an innkeeper over a minute fee and was put out, into the rain.” Having delivered his dig at the stranger, Ivarr poured a small handful of coins onto the bar. “Now, how about your best available room and one hell of a stiff drink?”

While waiting for some strong liquor and a key, he glanced back towards the other patrons. ‘Now where’s this Kadri jackass? Better not be another no-show... though I’d welcome a visit from a kill squad if that’s what’s going on here.’His ears twitched at the mention of that name, making him think there was a chance of this being legit.

Baconhands LazyDaze Flutterby
SilverNova

 

[Baconhands]

The entrance to the inn was a veritable hub of activity after Kadri had settled into her seat. Seven travellers had entered in the brief moments following her own entrance, and a sense of paranoia settled in the young woman - she hadn't thought too many people would be following her in. This wasn't exactly a large town, and therefore relatively unknown to foreign traders, nor was it renowned amongst the people of Volk for anything particularly unique. The only thing, to Kadri's knowledge, that this settlement had going for it was that it was between two large trading cities, and thus occasionally had some moderate traffic that was dependent on the season. Some of the paranoia left her - how many of these travellers were responding to her request for help?

Clearly the man that had gone to barter with the inn keeper was here on his own business... or so she thought, until he glanced at her. That statement, and the movement of his eyes. That had felt purposeful. Or maybe it was coincidence. Kadri was uncertain. It was only a brief action, and the lineaged started to think that perhaps she had simply made eye contact with him at the very moment his eyes had landed on her when he had scanned the room.
LazyDaze

Preoccupied by her thoughts, Kadri almost jumped when she was joined by the fire. A woman, not too much older than her by her own estimations, with red-kissed brown hair nodded her a greeting. Somebody called her Fenn, an unusual name; when she spoke, she had an odd accent, and Kadri was suddenly interested by this mysterious figure who was now sharing the warmth of the fireplace. The slightest glimpse of something metallic around this newcomer's wrist prompted Kadri to venture a question, though her shivering ensured that it was asked in a way that was anything but graceful.
"Who are you descended from?" She asked curiously, pulling back her own sleeve to reveal the clusters of ocean coloured scales on her forearm. In the firelight, the edges seemed be shaded an azure blue. Kadri offered a weak, albeit reassuring smile as she continued, "It's rare to see a fellow lineaged travelling on the same road. Especially since you have... well, I'll call it an intriguing accent. I want to say Commonwealth, but I wouldn't know which... area exactly."
Flutterby

Yet another newcomer came over, come to share the fire. Kadri was immediately put on guard when the stranger spied her amulet and then asked if she was who she was. The young woman took a moment to consider her options before she responded. Her voice was still choked with the cold, and came out quiet, almost meek, "Yes... yes I am. Are you... responding to the request for help? Did you bring anyone else with you if so?"
She mentally sighed. What a good way to show off some confidence and authority.
SilverNova
Goonfire

 

[Flutterby]

It took a moment for Seren to realize the other woman was talking to her. She turned her head in a slow, calm way that didn't seem to match the nervous flickering of her gaze. The woman's face, to the amulet, to the other people in sight, back to her face. Her gaze held on the woman as she revealed scales on her arm.
Her stomach flipped. She had been wandering for four years and had never met another lineaged, and yet here was one in some random little inn on some random road. Seren did her best to hide her reaction with a soft clearing of her throat, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Even in her excitement, she hesitated. Long enough for them to be interrupted.

Seren's eyes narrowed slightly, her brows twitching inward and then down. She spared a moment to throw a glance at another loud entrance, who made a comment at the hat-man who was haggling. The three traders she was with joined in on the laugh, feeling a little freedom because of the drinks in front of them. While Kadri responded to the new woman, she took in her features. Short hair, dark. In the firelight, her eyes flickered between dull amber and bright gold. She was armed, and leather-clad.
Seren's eyes flickered between the two of them. Hesitantly, now conscious of both her apparent accent and the weaponry carried but the newcomer, she spoke up.
"You're here.. to meet people? What do you need.. help with?"
Normally, she would mind her own business. Normally, she would have gotten something to eat and gone straight to bed. But this Kadri was lineaged, the first she had found. Her first real chance at finding answers.
Baconhands SilverNova

 

[SilverFlight]

Graham had come to the inn at once when he had seen the flyer. Not many people here would know her by her name. But Graham did. He knew exactly who Kadri Laar was.
People trickled in and Gray watched them all, studying each one from the shelter of a hood, puffing his pipe thoughtfully, all the while keeping the young woman Kadri in the corner of his eye.
People should begin to approach her, not that the notice had been placed. He noted the rather eccentric man try to charm his way into the inn keeper's good graces to...minimal effect. Good effort though, but Graham had known mules more accommodating than the keeper of the Jester's Choice.
The woman that approached first Graham could tell was dangerous just at a glance. She moved like he did, with careful purpose. Dangerous was good, provided it was pointed in the right direction. Still the inn was filling, and Graham was worried he may miss something crucial and so, he rose and crossed the room.
He didn't speak immediately, simply went to stand behind Kadri's chair like a sentry. Beneath his hood his eyes shone with a bright and nonthreatening light and an easy smile played at the corners of his mouth. To anyone approaching he would look like her bodyguard, so hopefully, that is what they would assume. Nobody had told Kadri however, and he waited for her to notice he was standing there, smiling at the women she was speaking to.
Baconhands Flutterby SilverNova

LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[SilverNova]

Yvette carefully observed as another man barged into the inn. This one too was eccentrically dressed, not too dissimilar from the haggler attempting to freeload off the innkeeper. They both had whiteish hair and red tinted eyes. She wondered offhandedly if they might be related in some fashion. Though when the second man's voice carried obnoxiously across the inn, making light of the first man's efforts, she considered that it may just be an uncanny coincidence. Yvette's eye's narrowed at their loud banter. She wasn't too fond of the flamboyant behavior they were displaying. Nevertheless she opted to remain silent in the matter, hoping they'd get sorted out quickly by the innkeeper and be out of the common room as soon as possible. Ultimately she reminded herself that she hadn't traveled so long and to such a miserable drenched town to get into a verbal boxing match with a pair of simple-minded foreigners.

She turned her attention back towards those sharing the fire with her, surprised to find another had joined them. This one she could see had a notable red tattoo streaked across the bridge of his nose. She briefly pondered the significance, if there was any, of such a marking. He, like her, was also visibly armed. Perhaps he too would have a name printed out on some handbill out for his arrest. He certainly seemed the type. Underneath his thick hood she caught his eyes in hers and her eyebrows raised slightly, silently questioning his presence, but once again she said nothing. In some aspect she found it humorous that the woman he stood so nonchalantly behind was so blissfully ignorant of his presence. In response to her question, Yvette shifted to grab a nearby chair. It scraped against the hardwood floors jarringly as she pulled it up to the group before collapsing down in it. With the seat facing backwards she was able to cross her arms and prop them against the stiff backrest. "Yeah, I'm responding to your request. And no, didn't bring anyone with me, but, as this one asked," She pointed a thumb in the direction of the second girl, "what exactly is it you need assistance with?" Then backing her next words up, Yvette's eyes slowly scanned over Kadri's belt-line and dark blue tunic for evidence of coin, "And as mentioned, there will be compensation for this, right?" Once she finished the question, her eyes rested back on the strange amulet on the girl's neck, analyzing the runic lettering in the stone. She supposed if the answer was no she could always just swipe the charm off the girl's neck later and pawn that off instead as reparation for her travels.

 

[LazyDaze]

"A week for free! How could you pass up such an opportunity," Grim said demonstratively. He was fully intent on getting a free room. In fact that was his main purpose. His secondary purpose was to satisfy his curiosity at who in the hell would be stupid enough to place random help posters without listing specifics. There was no specific purpose, no specific reward; in fact, those accepting such a quest whole heartedly without question were beyond stupid...they were desperate. Speaking of some strangely dressed man besides himself waltzed in like he owned the place. He spoke loudly and boldly; however, Grim ended up being the subject matter for his material. "4 weeks and I will even allow you the pleasure of reading me a bedtime story on weekends," Grim said as he ignored Ivaar and those who took pleasure in his joke. He didn't feel like entertaining a battle of wits with someone who appeared to be pouring the rest of his brain cells in a bottle. It would be akin to arm wrestling a cockroach...fruitless. Besides, getting into an altercation would probably have them both kicked out...or at least the person who wasn't going to pay.

A sudden feeling of great nostalgia took over him. When he saw a group of people laughing as if drunk with happiness. No...more like happy with drunkenness. That lady...she looked familiar. More than familiar, he remembered exactly who she was. She was making out with some guy outside of the inn. I mean, sometimes when its time its time...but still, in a storm? Even stranger was the fact that he did not come in with her. Beyond that fact, it would seem Kadri was already getting interrogated although she was by default the party leader. First impression....she was hopeless. The group would die before even getting close to their destination.

Deciding to finish up his business with the innkeeper he decided to implore his immunity to shameful behavior and tactics. "W-What was that? We can discuss details later in your room? Sure my good man, I appreciate your charity!"

"W-wait what? I didn't-"

"What was your room number!? When should I come?"

"Quiet down you're getting weird looks," the innkeeper whispered. Grim flashed a smile that only he could see which seemed to say, 'no we're getting weird looks.'

"Weird looks, what do you mean," Grim asked rather loudly as he turned the tables by actually telling the truth this time. As he looked around he could see some had caught wind of their conversation. Some have been invested in how this would turn out since the beginning, and some uncomfortably tended to their own business. Of course the trained actor feigned ignorance until the last moment in which his face flushed red as he hid his face behind his hat.

"Mr. Innkeeper," he said appalled. The innkeeper was so shocked, he had no idea what to say first. "I might be desperate, but my body is still sacred! I-I-I can't believe I have stumbled in such a situation, but if I have to go through with this to live...even just for a day..." Grim was now laying it on thick. His face held no hint of this being a ruse. Just as he was about to continue his speech of sacrificing purity, the innkeeper pulled him toward the desk.

"Jeez okay, one night, no breakfast and you have to be gone by sunrise. Just stop talking! You'll run me out of town," he whispered rather aggressively....which didn't totally help his image.

"Deal, we can discuss the details later in my room!" Grim shouted back much to the inn keepers dismay."AND THAAAAT'S THE END OF OUR IMPROMPTU COMEDY, 'STUCK BETWEEN AN INN AND A HARD PLACE!' EVERYONE GIVE THE INN KEEPER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE," Grim shouted after delivering the final punchline. That was how you told a story, THAT was how you set up a joke. Grim winked at Ivaar as he accepted the applause of those gathered in the inn. Once people realized he had been setting this up since the beginning when he first promised to tell them a story, even some of the most reluctant clapped softly. He might have been a scoundrel but he took pride in his ability to tell a story. The icing on the cake, he simultaneously cleared the innkeepers name, so as to stifle his wrath. Of course there were some who just couldn't understand his genius...ah the life of someone not understood in his own time.

He twirled his cane while holding his hat out for anyone who wished to tip for his performance. It was an interesting comedy, but it served two purposes. To get him a free room, and to approach Kadri and the others.

"Hope you enjoyed it," He eventually arrived at the group surrounding Kadri. He held his hat out for anyone who was charitable enough to tip Grim the Storyteller. He then turned to Yvette while still holding his hat out. "Your boyfriend really missed out," Grim said slyly. His eyes held a gaze that seemed to hold more knowledge than he was letting on; in fact, he wanted her to know that he knew more than what he was saying. Lastly, with any luck he would overhear some important details of this venture. He didn't plan joining a suicide mission, but as a Katharkian it was worth his while to check it out.

SilverFlight Flutterby SilverNova Goonfire Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

Rollo Solveig

The burly man rushed through the street, hair disheveled, cold rainwater dripping down his bare chest. Flowers sprouted in his tracks, all the way to the inn. With two hasty motions, he swept his hair back again and flung the door open with a little more force than he should’ve. The door rattled as though it was about to fall off its hinges, barely making it out of the hulk’s way so he didn’t take it with him. “Am I late? Is uh...” He paused for a moment to consult a drenched piece of parchment. The ink had been smeared, the message nigh-illegible. “Did Kidra Luur leave without me?” Surely, this barbarian didn’t mean ‘Kadri Laar’...
Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

"Currently that information is... less than completely available," Kadri answered the first woman somewhat hesitantly, albeit as honestly as she could. "It... would not be easy work in the slightest..." she said, addressing the both of them, "I can guarantee that it will be dangerous, but I can also assure you that it would pay well, once the work is completed. Exactly how much can be negotiated as... well, as we travel." The lineaged paused, "I'm... I'm certain that you'll find the reward to your liking."
Another pause; the sounds of the fire filled the silence for a couple of seconds. Kadri lowered her voice, "Once we get away from possibly prying ears I'd be more than happy to reveal what the work will exactly entail. I... would like to see if any more people show up. The full moon is tomorrow and I believe the help wanted notice stated that they had until the full moon to get here."
Flutterby SilverNova

The self-proclaimed storyteller did not get any applause from Kadri, nor did she give him any money when he came over. "I'm... not exactly interested in those kinds of stories." She professed slowly. The lineaged wanted very little to do with him - he seemed far too crass for her liking and came off as rather full of himself. Needless to say, Kadri was not impressed.
LazyDaze

The heavy door swung open again, and three more people stepped in. One, a woman, was dressed in crimson red robes that had a gold trim, embroidered in runes not entirely dissimilar to the ones that were etched into Kadri's amulet. The robes seemed bone dry, and looked almost ancient, as if they had been crafted a millennium ago. But beyond her eyes, which were grey and venerable, and her clothes there was little that spoke of age. She had porcelain skin, youthful features, and long, healthy, blonde hair that hung loosely just past her shoulders. The two that followed her had their features hidden completely, and they seemed to sway with every step they took. The trio took a seat at a table, near the entrance of the inn, seemingly scouring the room for faces.

Kadri spotted her immediately, and took the opportunity to hide the amulet down her tunic, and pull her hood up in a somewhat fruitless attempt to hide her features. Her eyes widened slightly, and a quick thought process ran through her head.
"If you'd like to help me, meet me in the stables next door in maybe five minutes or so at the latest. I'd... if anyone else comes in looking for me, point them in that direction too. I can answer your questions properly once we have started travelling; I wanted to answer them tonight but... the situation has changed."
She stood up quickly; the chair she was sat on shot backwards straight into Graham. "Sorry!" She exclaimed instinctively. The door swung open again, and a giant of a man walked in, asking for... she mentally sighed - he was asking for her. By the Aspects this couldn't have gone any worse.
SilverFlight SilverNova Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[SilverFlight]

Graham was one of the ones who applauded. He was still chuckling when he put a coin into the man's hat.
"Oh aye, a true comic thespian. If we run inte any trouble I'm sure you could act our way ou' of i'."
The door opened again and the woman who walked in gave him pause. She moved with a dangerous grace of someone who had more power than others in the room, and knew that fact well. Kadri seemed to react like a canary in front of a cat, she stood up so quickly she ran straight into him. He caught her shoulders in a lightning reaction.
"Steady on there."
When the large fellow spoke her name Graham winced visibly.
"If anyone else comes looking for me." She said, Graham could have smacked his forehead if he wasn't already moving to follow Kadri.
"Aye, anyone bu' tha' one over there." He gestured subtly to the woman, who had likely already been alerted to their presence.
"Look, the work is dangerous sure, bu' the pay is worth i'. I can promise you tha' a' least. So if you're comin' come, I've no need for cowards an' dead weigh'."
Graham went to follow Kadri with a nod at the others, his words the last of the discussion.

"You couldnae 'ave used an alias or somethin'?" Graham asked as he caught up with her just at the door to the stables.
"Please tell me tha' she-devil trackin' you doesnae know your name..."

Baconhands Flutterby SilverNova LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[Flutterby]

Seren slowly became aware that a man, who had been seated across the room, had come to stand behind Kadri. He had soft brown eyes that helped soften his face, but their effect was at odds with the tattoo across the bridge of his nose. He was also armed and leather-clad. He smiled at them. Seren didn't smile back. With the number of people who were (fairly heavily) armed in the room increasing, she was starting to wonder if this inn had been the best choice.
SilverFlight
Now Seren's eyes moved between the three of them- Kadri, (as she had decided to call them) Short-Hair, and Tattoo-Face. Kadri didn't seem to be aware of Tattoo-Face, but Seren figured that her looking at him would be enough to notify her if needed. Short-Hair was looking for money, as this 'notice' had promised.
So, Kadri had put out a notice asking for help, promising compensation, that had attracted people who carried many weapons. That implied that it would be dangerous. She wasn't looking for dangerous. She was looking for safe passage to the places of learning in Lumia, where she had heard there was a light-lineaged man who could teach her. But Kadri was sitting right there, more real than any rumor. Her scales were blue, but she was still lineaged. Could she teach her things? What if she was headed toward Lumia, faster than the traders?
SilverFlight Baconhands SilverNova
Seren's thoughts were interrupted by the ever-increasing volume of the innkeeper and Hat-Man. She turned her head partially to keep an eye on it. The traders she was with were full on staring, with mouths either agape or full of drink. They broke into applause at the conclusion. Seren did not. When the man appeared near them with hat out, she looked at it like she had no idea what it was for. She knew the traders would pay him for his entertainment. And she didn't want to.
LazyDaze
He picked out Short-Hair to speak to personally, lucky, because Seren was trying to lose interest. She had turned to ask Tattoo-Face if he needed something, when the door opened again. Three more came in. The leader was dressed in.. extravagant robes. The other two hid their features completely, and Kadri immediately got nervous. Nervous enough to leave.
Seren jumped a little when she pushed her chair right into Tattoo-Face. Very subtle exit, Seren mused, even though she knew that she was at least partly blocking Kadri from the trio's line of sight.
Now what am I going to do?
In the next few seconds, as Tattoo-Face was speaking, she made her choice. She had spent too long on safe travels and rumors. It was time for a direct source.

The young woman turned and looked at the massive man that had come in, and gave a soft huff. She strolled toward him, and called out, "I think you mean Vidria. I'm the one you're looking for. Give me one moment."
Seren leaned over the traders table, and spoke in a low, dark tone.
"My time with you is done. Pay me, now, or the barbarian crushes your skulls."
The traders first looked like they might laugh, and then one by one glanced at the man. Quickly, with many hushed whispers, they pooled their coins to pay what she was due. Seren took it, gently, and then looked back up at the man.
"You'll do. Come with me." And then she brushed past him, back into the rainy night.
Goonfire

 

[Goonfire]

The mix of shock, dread, and confusion actually made the wrestler self-conscious. His eyes scanned the patrons, but thankfully a woman finally addressed him. “V-Vidria?” he repeated, consulting the ruined letter. “It’s really smudged, so that could be it... I guess you sent for help if you know what I’m talking about, right?”

With things somewhat sorted out, Rollo watched the girl drive a hard bargain and receive the compensation she deserved. Assuming this really was the job, he crossed his arms. “That’s right! Every copper piece or I...” he stopped to think for a second. “I’ll suplex you up the stairs!” That did the trick; they may have shelled out a bit extra to ensure Seren was satisfied, though their hands were moving so quickly, he could hardly identify the coins.

Once finished, Rollo was instructed to follow, and so he did. “That was easy,” he pointed out with a shrug. “So was that it? You have anyone else who’s been cheating you, lady?”
Flutterby

With his head turned away from the other prying eyes, Ivarr gritted his teeth. ‘That bastard ignored me. I’ll murder him for free,’ he thought before straightening up. Some mysterious schmucks had entered, followed by a loudmouth. ‘And here comes the muscle...’ Ivarr didn’t mind; this specimen was eye candy, as well. There was a lot of eye candy present, in fact; if Kadri Laar was looking for models, she sure as hell found them...

The real Kadri was headed to the stables, he heard. So naturally, he finished the tankard of booze with a dissatisfied sigh. Slipping his room key into his pocket. The assassin was about to shut the door, when he shot a discreet, sharp, menacing sideways glance in the direction of the three obvious cultists. ‘What awful style,’ he told himself. Robes like those went out of style when? A few centuries ago? ‘Oh wait...’ That was when those three became suspicious in Ivarr’s opinion.
LazyDaze Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

As soon as she stepped out into the storm, Kadri felt her panic temporarily dissipate. The hood of her cloak held firm against the wind, and the lineaged took a moment to enjoy the sounds of rumbling thunder in the distance. She proceeded to the stables, hand on the door, listening to the sounds of the falling rain and the whistling wind when her newly found serenity was shattered by the arrival of the man that she had apologised to. She barely contained herself from jumping; when she turned to face him, she bore a face of annoyance and confusion. It was a quick conclusion that he was here for her, however - she suspected that he was perhaps answering more than just the notice when he asked if the 'she-devil' knew who she was.
"At this point... I'd say it's almost a certainty that she does," Kadri admitted. "Not that an alias would make too much of a difference at this point. She shouldn't have gotten here this quickly. We were on the other side of the Continent when I last saw her. I'll explain when I can. But for now, we need to head inside."
She spied one of the women by the fire place had made it out into the rain, apparently escorted by the oaf of a man that had come in asking for one Kidra Luur. She briefly made eye contact with the woman before she stepped inside.
SilverFlight Flutterby Goonfire

The stables were cold, empty, and barren. There were a few pieces of straw scattered about the small building, and it was obvious that it had not been cleaned in many months. This didn't exactly surprise Kadri, but it didn't stop her from being disappointed by the lack of care; there was evidence that some horses had been kept in there recently, but she imagined such a thing was a rarity and likely didn't last long. She also couldn't imagine any horse staying here for longer than a night being anything less than incredibly irritated by the lack of space and lack of cleanliness.
A sigh escaped her. "I'm going to have to trust you here. You're the judge - if people seem like they are here to help, let them in. Else... well, do your best to turn them away. This might take a minute."
SilverFlight

The lineaged focused for a moment, turning to face the end of the stables. One symbol on the amulet began to glow blue and white. It was only faint at first - it would not remain so for long.
"Saukti, Aezi," she uttered. With every syllable, thunder roared in the sky and the symbol of her amulet shone brighter. As the last letter left her lips, lightning crackled across the heavens, and the shadow of a rearing horse with great wings could be glimpsed in the sky for a couple of brief moments. The light of the symbol on her amulet shone with such an intensity that it became blinding for Kadri, and she looked away. When she blinked back, a pegasus stood in front of her, with perfect white hair. The creature's wings, which were folded against its side, did not consist of feathers, but of lightning, and its hooves crackled with blue and white energy. On occasion, purple bolts danced across its fur.
The lineaged practically collapsed against the pegasus after it was summoned, her breathing heavy, her energy sapped.
SilverFlight SilverNova Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[SilverNova]

Much to her dismay, Yvette watched as the man who had been harassing the innkeeper made his merry way over to the group at the fire holding out his hat. The majority of those in the group easily shot the idea of tipping him for such a performance down, save for the mysterious stranger that had been lurking behind Kadri's chair. Yvette too would have shot him down if it weren't for the last string of words that had come out of the storyteller's mouth mentioning her boyfriend. At this short remark she felt her stomach roll and internally couldn't help from thinking out a few profanities, but outward she kept herself calm. She didn't really know how much he had seen exactly, but, assuming the best scenario, she played along with his words. Nodding to him, she said, "Mhmm, I guess he did. I'll have to tell him all about what he missed out on later I suppose". Then she took the moment to dig a few of the stolen coins from out of her pouch, dropping them unceremoniously into the outstretched cap.

As Yvette observed the next few instants of people coming and going she mulled over Kadri's words. The thief wasn't fond of the fact that even after meeting the woman who had posted the help wanted notice she was still given vague answers. She was of half a mind to just abandon the group then and there. Without them knowing any details other than that their mission would be a dangerous one, it was remarkable that Kadri could hope to pull in all these people that had responded to her note. However, the thief sulkily harked back to the sole reason she had left the comfort of Silverun in the first place. Money could be made and taken anywhere, but the life she longed for, one of tranquility, free from running and evading the law would require her to clear her name. She knew that she was too deep in the workings to do so by simply stopping theft cold turkey. Plus she still enjoyed the little bit of revenue that such acts brought in for her. Her only real choice was to join in on the types of quests that people like Kadri posted. Maybe then the name she would make for herself would clear her off those gods-forsaken wanted posters.

When three lavishly dressed travelers entered the tavern rather inauspiciously Yvette set her jaw. They weren't dressed quite the same as the fanatics she had come to know and dread encountering Silverun, but it was close enough. She'd been pursued enough times by the cult of alchemy to know how cultists in general covered themselves and acted like. Thus when Kadri made her exit, prompting them all to join her outside, Yvette easily had no qualms in following suit.

Inside the dirty stables she focused on Kadri, raising her eyebrows in slight surprise after a lightning-winged horse soared in from the skies to join them. Yvette had taken a even keener interest in the amulet after the affair, and lesser so in the revelation that Kadri too was lineaged. "Huh, I've read a fair bit on the accounts of the various lineaged and their magic, but I didn't know the lightning aspects could summon something like that," she raised a shoulder and tilted her head in the direction of the mythical beast. "Unless," Yvette glanced back at the previously blinding piece of jewelry, "there's a lot more going on to this story than just you getting hunted down by a couple of yahoos". She moved over to Kadri, attempting to slide her arm around her and help the collapsed girl back on her feet.

 

[Goonfire]

Once outside, Ivarr waited a moment, then dipped under the inn’s front windows, doing his best to sneak back to the stables. He could smell the damned odor from at least ten feet away. To announce his presence, he knocked before entering.

“Gods... I thought you said the stables, not the pigsty,” Ivarr complained in a pompous, somewhat fruity tone. His disgust and pretentious attitude soon faded to wonder as he strode toward the lightning pegasus. “What have we here? A magic creature? Some... elaborate hoax?” His red eyes focused on the pendant, which bore markings like those on that one woman’s robes. “Or... perhaps our client—who hasn’t shown us a single coin yet—has a dirty little secret.” Pacing around the girl, the assassin placed a hand on her shoulder. “Tell me, honey, what skeletons are in your closet? What drives you to take a gamble and hire a cheeky shyster, a musclebound halfwit, some other... uh, warriors?... and a gentleman with style to rival the greatest villains?” Of course, he motioned to himself when listing that last item.

Baconhands LazyDaze

 

[LazyDaze]

Thank god for drinks. It made people think anything was hilarious, or at the very least, it made them so confused that they just complied. Of course he knew this table would be the most difficult. He was intruding on an important conversation after all. Most were reluctant to give him some coins; however, their were a few...or maybe one that could appreciate high quality are...or begging. "A pleasure to meet a fellow genius. You are a man of fine taste...(too bad you're going to die following this broad.)"
SilverFlight

The woman who arrived with the traders acted oblivious, of course. He had half a mind to violently shake the coins out of her pockets; however, the entire bar would pounce him if he gave them a reason to act on the brewing instinct of a brute inside of them. He simply smiled as he took the coins from the traders who were probably too drunk to realize he placed his hat in front of them twice. However, his main target was still Yvette. She seemed reluctant at first to even acknowledge him, but after speaking of her escapade, her demeanor shifted as she placed a coin in his hat. He was very appreciative of the gesture...blackmail at its finest. He wasn't totally sure of what she did or didn't do to the man, but he got paid, so he could let it rest for now. "So you shall. Your patronage is appreciated. Be sure he doesn't catch a cold," Grim said with a grin as he flipped his hat back onto his head. The coins he had collected had magically disappeared.
SilverNova Flutterby Baconhands Goonfire

He had heard almost all he had to hear when the doors flung open and a trio of what looked to be cultist appeared. Immediately after that, Kadri, who was visibly uncomfortable, decided it was time to move. The sequence of events spelled out their connection perfectly; however, the icing on the cake was the giant man shouting Kadri's name to the high heaven's in just a few seconds afterward. Grim held a hand over his mouth as he attempted to stifle his laughter. He couldn't have written a better scene. 'Woman posts a come one come all event and is then surprised when all comes. Brute gives her away.' Perhaps she would make it in showbiz. Almost immediately Vadri was the next to give up her name....if that was her name. Apparently she was not with those traders for the long haul. Using to commotion as a chance to leave, Grim headed out into the storm but after a flash of lightning he was gone. He had turned into a shadow and had begun moving from shadow to shadow until he reached the stable. He slipped in under the door in his shadowy form and resurfaced in a dark corner, watching Kadri's display of power. Just how deep were the murky waters that awaited her arrival. Her journey did not have any sign of being a simple one...one worthy of being written down. After her display of power he had to listen to Ivarr's display of discontent. He had to give it to him....the questioned needed to be asked. How long did she plan on keeping everyone in the dark...speaking of which, Grim stepped forward into view, seemingly coming out of nowhere. "Ah, you misunderstand...I haven't been contracted by this woman, but I do appreciate your admiration of my stylish ensemble," Grim said as he purposely misunderstood Ivaar's last statement. "Now let's address the Pegasus in the room....where is the cheeky shyster you speak of? He must be pretty small..."

Baconhands Goonfire

 

[SilverFlight]

"Normally I'd say tha's a bad decision. You should never trust someone you jus' met, however in your case, with me, you'd be righ' te do so. I kin explain why later."
They stopped in the stable and Kadri gave her instructions. Graham nodded, taking the order without question. Before he could take up guard at the door however Kadri pulled her trick with the amulet. Graham recoiled from the animal as if he'd been shocked.
"Setla's frosty tits! What is tha'?!"
Graham was not a horse person. He was especially, not a magical lightning horse person. It was better if all animals, magic or not just stayed away from him.
In the moment of his aberration there were several faces that came through the unguarded door. The actor, the woman and the...talking behemoth.
Graham had about as much desire to get closer to the beast as he did getting struck by actual lightning, but when two in the party moved to put hands on Kadri, he moved like a bolt himself, stepping between them and her and suddenly a dagger had manifested in one of his hands.
"I'll thank you te no' do tha'."
He looked over his shoulder at Kadri. "Are you all righ' lass? Wha's the plan?"
Baconhands SilverNova Goonfire

LazyDaze Flutterby

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr Savage
Ivarr rubbed his left eye to cover up the visible twitching. He still maintained a thin, cheeky snicker as he thought to himself, 'This one's a winner. He needs the Lathyrus, for sure.' "How astute, knowing when even an indirect compliment is meant for you," he finally eked out through his gritting teeth, followed by what may easily be the phoniest and most effeminate giggle one has ever heard a man produce.
LazyDaze

This other man—an assassin or a thief, by his choice of weapons—was rearing for a fight. Ivarr backed off, feigning a swoon. He leaned against a wall and lamented dramatically. “Oh, mi amor! Why has it come to this? Why must we fight?” His cape swished about with the absurd, overdramatic act, revealing the crossbow and sword underneath.
SilverFlight Baconhands

 

[Flutterby]

Once safely out into the rain, Seren slowed and looked at the man. In a flash of lightning, she saw a glint of dragon scales.
"I need you to listen closely to me." Her face was earnest, almost pleading.
"The woman you are looking for is actually named Kadri. I've already met her. Kadri is being followed- did you see the woman in the weird robes? Kadri ran out as soon as she saw her. I think she's dangerous."
Seren paused, catching sight of Kadri near the stable. She returned the tiny nod.
"Really sorry I lied, but I didn't want you to accidentally alert that woman. My name is actually Seren. We're meeting Kadri in the stable. I think the rest of this journey is going to be a lot harder than the that." There was a pause, and then she added, "I do appreciate your help with those traders, though. Now come on."
Goonfire

She lead the way through the stable door, and abruptly stopped.
There was a lightning-winged horse standing in the middle of the room, Kadri was on the ground with Tattoo-Face defending her with a knife, Short-Hair was either trying to help or kill Kadri, and the jokester from inside was being dramatic with to Tattoo-Face but obviously showing how armed he was. Hat-Man was there, but chosing not to help with the situation.
"Is there really time for arguing who has the bigger weapon?" Seren said it as if she were blissfully unaware of the double meaning. She wasn't.
"Someone will notice the light from that thing." Seren glanced at the winged horse with a flash of distrust. She didn't know what it was, how it got there, or what it had to do with anything. But she did know that the beautiful, terrifying light coming from it would be visible underneath and around the door. If the woman happened to glance at the stable at the right time, they'd be discovered.
Baconhands SilverNova Goonfire SilverFlight LazyDaze

 

[LazyDaze]

Grim smiled back at the annoyed Ivaar. To be honest Grim could get a general sense on the kind of person he was; however, he could more or less figure out why others would be interested in Kadri's quest, but this man seemed to be a complete wild card. He did not look like he was in the need for money. He didn't seem to be some nameless hero interested in some greater good, nor did he look like a mercenary seeking adventure. In the midst of his thoughts communications broke down. Grim was actually surprised it didn't turn out this way sooner.

Goonfire

Yvette did what any normal person would do by attempting to help out a nearly passed out Kadri, the man with a good sense of humor cut in between them. He wasn't too kind about it either. Ivaar seemed to take this as a chance to passive aggressively threaten....the opposition? After a brief pause Grim burst into laughter after Seren spoke. It was ten times funnier due to her dead serious expression. Honestly, Grim could care less what became of them. He just tagged along because he thought something important would happen. His hunch was proven right after Kadri summoned the powerful horse thingy; however, sometimes potential remains just that....potential. They didn't look to be going anywhere fast and if they died here then Grim would have to just go with plan b.....or plan BAIL as he liked to call it. "Once upon a time there was a group of strange travelers gathered for one purpose. A Pegasus appeared and then they all died, the end. Pretty anticlimactic if you ask me...," Grim said as he played with a deck of cards, giggling to himself as he thought about how lame of an ending that would be. Seren seemed to have her head on straight. They would do well to listen to her.

Flutterby SilverNova SilverFlight Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

Everything seemed to be happening at once - a small congregation had found its way into the stables, and though Kadri was struggling to stand she was perfectly aware of the tensions that had flared around her. Help was offered to her by one of the women who had been by the fire place, but it was quickly refused on her behalf by the tattooed man. Another had gotten so close to put a hand on her shoulder, and again the tattooed man had tried to keep him back. A thought wriggled into the back of her mind, and she had a feeling she knew why he was being so defensive. She suppressed her suspicions for a moment as she struggled to her feet. As the squabbles continued, she looked to the pegasus, who seemed to give Kadri a knowing look that seemed to say, Really; we're bringing this lot?
It let out a huff, and then spread out its wings - they reached from wall to wall. The pegasus reared back a moment, and then stamped down with its two front hooves to get everyone's attention.

Kadri let out a shaky breath, less of nerves, more of exhaustion. She raised her voice, and tried to sound confident, but her nerves shone through quite clearly as she addressed the assembly, "I-I hadn't been planning to leave this early. But the situation changed for the worse quite quickly. And so we'll be leaving in a couple of minutes, maybe sooner if she happens upon us before then. Um... so... for those who weren't answering my... well my request for aid, my name is Kadri. I'm from Tallin about nine miles south of here. The... the task ahead of us is... well I can't really hide it much from you since you're well... here."
She placed a hand on the pegasus, and indicated to the amulet with the other, "This is Aezi. He is... he can be summoned by the person who possesses this; this is the Aspect Artefact crafted by Arbuzs. It was... it was gifted to me by one of Arbuzs's first children about two months ago." She allowed a pause, first to let that settle in and second to collect her thoughts. "They assured me that the other nine artefacts are out there somewhere. When... when I went to Silverun to try and collect one of them, I realised I would need help, for two reasons. The artefacts are guarded by creatures far beyond the power of just one person even with an artefact. But... I'm not the only thing hunting them."
The lineaged found it tough to maintain eye contact with any of them as she continued, "I-I want to ensure that the artefacts are protected. And out of the hands of the creature that is hunting them down. And I can't do that alone. Hence the notice. You... you will be well compensated for... for the dangers we will inevitably face. Possibly an artefact, if the Aspects are willing."

SilverFlight SilverNova Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire