Fantasy The Kirkwall team: rp

[NeonFlow]

The sun was shining down brilliantly on Yoh’s straw woven hat, his green eyes peering out the shadow his face was hiding in. Kirkwall.... only two ways past that wall... or three or four depending on how determined or how capable of flight one is. Yoh was nearing the gates, a large armoured man and three normal sized men stood by dealing with those entering the farmlands from outside.

“Ten gold entrance fee, stay on the main road to reach a checkpoint. Glory to the wall... next!”
Yoh watched the people argue and enter waiting to be the last one past. As the man gave him the same statement as all others Yoh kept a calm composure as he took off his hat to show his smile.
“I know entering the city of Kirkwall costs gold, but not the first gate. I’m not paying”
The guards nodded and moved aside, happy the man waited before calling out the scam in front of others.

Yoh placed his hat back on his head and continued past the gate, the thick stone wall stretched God’s knows how far up and far... the shadow it casts is tremendous. The sound of whips cracked outside the guard barracks, the first building you see past the wall...

Yoh only heard a bit as he walked past,
Toni let a ogre by the gate on his shift. TOASTERxOVEN
Why?
Said it was sneaking... felt bad if he pointed it out
he paying for it now....

Yoh was happy to be out of earshot of the violent screams Toni let out. It would be a two day walk without rest to get to the city, Yoh couldn’t wait for the sun to quit shining, if he was by the checkpoint by then he could steal, drink, maybe bed a woman... a smile spread across the man’s face. It had been some time since he had gone anywhere near the tall castle, to think the two Amber kings are offering wishes for the monster lord’s death... why not wish him dead? How..no... can! They truly grant wishes? I bet it’s just word play... the reward is money, like all the money you could wish for or something...

In the actual city of Kirkwall, life as it always is bustled with a living hum of people moving about the stone streets, horses pulling carriages and produce toward the market. Guards chased petty thieves, wealthy men swagger towards their destination while the poorer sort loathe them.

Shen Anigans was speaking to all the students in Magi academy.
“And to conclude.... I want to mention the two kings bounty. I cannot stop you from trying, and I will not pick favourites to be chosen.. from what I understand they are holding a qualification test to all who come apply... at least I know from the part I play in said test gahaha”
He clapped his hand and his wooden puppet hand together in a joyous clap. The man must be close to one hundred years old, his voice and body showed it clearly, but his demeanour is still one of a cocky young man.
“You are all free to go about your day, come to me if you have questions about the the the two kings bounty” he left the table all other Magi instructors ate at and left for his quarters on the first floor where he was usually found.
Skitts

The city of Kirkwall is a massive place, to reach the tall castle from anywhere in the city takes a few hours. Pat SRUNewman
Guards patrol for any sign of violence or misbehaviour in humans or monsters of any sort.

The two kings did kingly shit waiting for a large audience to arrive during the next few days before holding the trials.

 

[SRUNewman]

Doran wakes up in his home with what could be the largest hangover he has ever experienced... this week. He slowly stumbles out of bed losing his footing falling on the floor and landing on a a crumpled up piece of paper. He reads over it and he remembers the fight from last night and he's pretty disappointed. "Geez why would i get in a fight like that. Damn hooch ruining my fun and my body..." He feels strong pain in his side and notices a larger than normal bruise "...I more ways then one."

He gets up off the floor and patches himself up. "Of course i thought healing magic was for weak willed bar maids. Well Doran looked what would be nice right now." He puts bandages all over and its pretty noticeable he is worse for wear. He puts on his armor and heads out of his slum of a home. As he leaves he sees some kids running around have as much fun as they can unaware of the life they will more than likely grow up too deal with poor and seen as trash.

After a few hours of walking and recovering he makes his way to the gate for the inner wall he gets stopped by the guards he's been through this gate before and stopped by the same guards and the guards before them and before them. "Guys lets be honest I've done jobs for people in this castle before and I'm at least well know through the gate you are stopping me from going through. So how about we just ignore the formalities of you being dicks and let me through." He puts on a dumb grin and awaits his response.

 

[TOASTERxOVEN]

Bertram stares at the stranger and tries to hear the conversation going on. He got through the previous check points, either due to pity or luck, but when approaching this one earlier the guards were performing full body checks.

It appears to Bertram that they no longer are doing the checks, but he sees the stranger giving them a hard time. This could be his chance to get in, or it could fail in totality.

Bertram approaches the guards and the stranger in a moment of pause between them, the stranger wearing a dumb grin on his face, he looks to the guards and says, "How're you lads today?", his rough scratchy voice bellows loudly, much too loudly for the likes of a human or elf. The guards regain their composure and stand still, offering no passage.

Blast! Bertram thinks to himself, and realizing he has some gold left from his last 'job', maybe a bribe could do the trick. So he reaches into his bag and pulls out 4 large chunks of pure unminted gold, worth much more than the gate fee would be. His thought is that since Ogres aren't allowed in, setting these guards up for a year vacation could get hin through and make him friends in the inside.

Bertram thrusts the pieces of gold into the hands of the nearest guard, and bellows out, "You two looked like you need a vacation, and thats all the soon to be money I can spare. How about you and your friend hit the whorehouse, Smiley and I can watch the gate for an hour, right stranger?", he looks to Doran with a glint of hope, praying he goes along with this. Just one hour, and they could be in.

 

[Skitts]

The headmaster disappeared through the door at the back, a string of quiet curses slipping from Chesra's tongue as she noticed. He could have at least stayed and waited for their meal to end - now he just might have fallen asleep like a log as soon as he reached his room. With few words of explanation, she left her food nearly untouched and rushed off with a grumbling stomach, gazes of her friends following her until she left the hall.

Several almost-trips over her own feet in hurry later, she was taking in a deep breath in front of his door. Three strong knocks. An invite to enter.

"Headmaster, thank you for letting me inside," she spoke as she closed the door. "I have come here to speak about the bounty. About Wolftooth." As she waited for his reply she wondered if the direct mention of Wolftooth would cause any sort of noticeable reaction in the man, given his hand was now long lost to the monster. She hoped not. She did not want to disturb him.

 

[Pat]

Lilith stuck to the shadows and shade of the city whenever and wherever she could on her way down the streets leading to the inner wall. The merciless sun burned her unprotected skin and eyes like leaves in a forest fire, and while she and her kind could withstand it unlike a great many other monsters that fearfully shrank from its gaze, she viewed it as a discomfort better avoided whenever and wherever possible.

Tired of ceaselessly walking as the hours passed between the checkpoints, she eventually took a brief moment to rest in a quiet alleyway. Sitting herself on the cleanest patch of cobblestone she could find, she shrugged off her knapsack, setting it beside her, and went to dig out her currency from deep within its depths to check how she was doing for money. Thankfully, the corrupt guardsmen demanding a toll at the outer wall's gate earlier were easy to get past when she encountered them. She liked to think her eyes and smile did all the talking she needed there, but she begrudgingly supposed her willing into existence of fire to deter wandering hands that lingered for far too long may have contributed. Regardless, whether it was charm or force that gained her entry, she was thankful for it. Otherwise, she might not have had enough to get through the gate of the inner wall, which to her recollection, did in fact require an actual sizable tithe to get through.

Counting thirteen gold sovereigns, nine silver pieces, and twenty copper coins, she was in the middle of putting them back when she sensed a figure with harmful intent rapidly approaching her. Reeling in her racing thoughts, she elected to play dumb and let them make the first move in a split second decision. Before she knew it, a calloused muscled hand latched on to the collar of her jacket and forcibly yanked her off the ground in one swift fluid motion. Pinned against a wall, her lungs emptied out and she was left breathless and gasping for air. Quickly brought face to face with a tall amber eyed woman not much older than she with short black dreadlocked black hair, she immediately regretted all of her life decisions up to this point, her coughing abruptly doubling in recognition of who she was dealing with. It was her old beloved from her traveling circus days. A strongwoman that she knew from personal experience could crack her skull open with her thighs alone. "Ninnie?" She rasped questioningly. The impossible pressure of the grip somehow tightened even more with the uttering of the familiar nickname. "Nindri," she hurriedly corrected herself. "You didn't have to look for me, I was just shopping for an anniversary present," the smaller woman desperately lied through her teeth, legs scrambling for any purchase they could find below her.

"For weeks on end? Halfway across the land? Without leaving so much as a note behind?" Nindri seethed, shaking Lilith back and forth with every furious syllable.

"I wanted to surprise you. It had to be perfect." Lilith half explained, half pleaded, both of her hands now frantically grappling with the arm lifting her up in a battle for control. Miraculously, she suddenly fell to solid earth, the sweet sound of her boots softly clicking against the cobblestone reaching her ears not a moment too soon.

"I know you better than that Lilith," she sighed, "why did you really decide to leave?"

"You're human, the most ambitious and daring and adaptable race in existence," Lilith hissed once she fully recovered, "you can be anything you want to be, and you're expected to pursue your dreams to the best of your abilities to make the most of your fleeting lifespan. That's why you continued to see me even when you learned what I truly was. That's why you came all this way to track me down. Succubi are the closest you can get to the antithesis of intimacy and commitment. It's in my nature to avoid what'll cause me centuries of heartbreak with nothing to show for it but memories I'll one day forget when I move on. Why can't you recognize your own when it's staring you right in the face?"

"I thought we were past this," Nindri quietly replied.

"We were." Lilith said hoarsely, walking slowly up to Nindri to caress her cheek with her right hand. "I panicked, okay? Succubi don't change. We can't die naturally. Happy endings are impossible for us. I didn't want to shoulder that burden in the first place, much less share it with you." She spoke. "And... I think I might have found a solution so that neither of us suffer."

"What do you mean?" The strongwoman asked warily, folding her arms across her chest.

"The bounty on Wolftooth's head. King Leo Amber and King Wert Amber promise to grant the wishes of those who slay him. They say no sane man dares to attempt a quest so dangerous, but I'm no man, nor am I mortal." Lilith smiled, flashing her razor sharp canine teeth.

"I'd say you aren't sane either Lilith," Nindri said, bringing the albino woman in for a hug, kissing her square on the forehead while she held her in her embrace. "I'll let you have all the time you need to find yourself and do what you must accomplish," she smirked, "but you'll have to make it up to me if and when you decide to come crawling back." Her roaming hands insinuated everything her words didn't, and Lilith blushed almost as red at their touch as when she was suffocating. She withdrew once she had her fill, departing down the alleyway the way she came. "You know where to find me? Don't you?" She said over her shoulder as she left; words that would ring in Lilith's mind long after Nindri had walked out of sight.

Lilith gathered her things and composed herself before moving on. Making good time, she found herself before the gate of the inner wall in the span of minutes. She saw and overheard a grizzled human mercenary and what appeared to be a badly disguised ogre trying to bribe the sentries. Oddly enough, neither wore any visible weapons, at least, ones she could see. The man particularly intrigued her. She would take him for a Guild of Champions brute, but she only knew Magi Academy scholars to be so seemingly unarmed yet militant in appearance. Praying for the first time in her life to the Gods, she sought her skin's flushed state to escape the notice of her potential future party members as she drew up behind them and waited to see if their ploy to gain access would be ultimately successful or not.

 

[NeonFlow]

SRUNewman
The guards look over the aged warrior and continue to be ‘dicks’.
“Aye Dorin” the guard agrees mispronouncing his name. “But the fact we know of you doesn’t exclude you from paying he entrance fee to the city”
Two other guards laughed before one added.
“You should have saved up to live in the city”
They all took a turn at sarcastically suggesting things Doran should have done to avoid paying ten gold.

TOASTERxOVEN the jokes were interrupted by a large.. ‘man’
When Bertram offered gold the guards took it without question and began letting a crowd of people in. This includes Doran and Lilith, Pat

One of the guards lightly tapped Bertram on the elbow to give some advice...
“You’re free to enter, cause no trouble... I’d suggest doing your business and leaving soon... I hear a lot of hunters are soon arriving..”
The guard may have meant bounty hunters or monster hunters.
“You can’t pay off everyone bigman”
————
The head master was sitting at his desk as he offered a seat to the young Magi.
His smile never left his face but his voice seemed to search for words as his eyes peered into Chesra’s very soul.
“I’ll answer anything I am able to, but I wouldn’t recommend traveling alone”
Skitts
———
Yoh walked the main road to the city, many dangerous sort of people rode by on horseback, man rode a large flightless bird, running faster then the horses. Yoh sighed jealousy... why didn’t I find a rikkuji...
the elf’s curse has added a lot of time to Yoh’s work. Eventually Yoh caught up to a band of marauders, eight men with a assortment of weapons, a horse pulling a wagon of various goods. Striking up a conversation resulted in Yoh finding a old friend, a former pirate captain named Bolo Jay.
“Yea It’s kraken season, better bounty on land deez days”

 

[SRUNewman]

Doran was a little confused by this ogre trying to pass himself off as a man but that fact that he paid for him to get in means Doran couldn't care less. He walks in and heads straight for the castle hoping to be left alone. He didn't want to be seen with the ogre in case someone lumps them together and Doran gets in more trouble then he would like. He walks a bit and finally makes it to the castle. There are guards waiting at the door but Doran hands them the flyer. "Welp, boys i believe that will work so i will see you later" The guards open the door and Doran walks in ready to get himself some wishes.

 

[Pat]

Lilith creates a telepathic bond with Bertram shortly after his act of charity in response to the guard's ominous warning to him as she leisurely strolls over to the castle, not too far behind Doran. An unchallenging task for her on all accounts, but he, on the other hand, might experience a light headache just from listening to her speech, let alone the strain that would come with replying to her message, that is, if he isn't already suffering from the perpetual hangovers stereotypically characteristic of his moonshining race. "I believe I owe you a round of drinks for paying my toll for me, ogre, but I think you'll prefer a favor instead. So long as you stay nice and quiet about our little chat, in your time of need, just reach out to my mind with this connection between us I've established, and I promise to do my best to come to your aid, no matter what dangerous circumstances may arise."

 

[NeonFlow]

Doran was a little confused by this ogre trying to pass himself off as a man but that fact that he paid for him to get in means Doran couldn't care less. He walks in and heads straight for the castle hoping to be left alone. He didn't want to be seen with the ogre in case someone lumps them together and Doran gets in more trouble then he would like. He walks a bit and finally makes it to the castle. There are guards waiting at the door but Doran hands them the flyer. "Welp, boys i believe that will work so i will see you later" The guards open the door and Doran walks in ready to get himself some wishes.

It took Doran four hours to reach the tall castle, and a bit more before he could reach the entrance.
The guards let a small crowd including Doran into the Hall, a server and two guards escort them to the courtyard.
So far around sixty three men and women are waiting, some spar others practice magic.
It is obvious many of these people have an alliance of some sort as groups wore the same style of armour and colour.

Artim yessok from the guild of champions spotted Doran, remembering his time as a regular member. “Hail Doran, the call of glory and prizes brings you back to the city?”
Some younger men stood by and beside artim,obviously the old man was leading them in this endeavour.
——
Many men can’t help but glance at the pale beauty, weak willed men unknowingly follow her scent.
———
Yoh and Bolo discuss wealth and the best way to acquire it, when the two kings bounty was brought up yoh asked if wishes were true...
Bolo having been across the oceans started to tell some of his stories.
“Ay I’ve seen magical tools an the like... I once had a staff that spoke knowledge... I used to throw it like a spear and it would dart back to my hand!”

Yoh laughed “only you would turn a magic artefact into a weapon”

 

[SRUNewman]

Doran winced a little when he heard that voice. Anyone but that voice. He turns to Artim and tries to put on a smile. But it honestly fails and he has his usual unimpressed face. "Well, hows it been Arty. The guild miss me at all." Doran notices the men by Arty. "I see you've brought your entourage." Doran wasn't a real fan of large crowds so he normally took jobs with the guild solo but Arty was always willing to work with others.

Doran sits for a bit his age catching up he needed to take a little breather after all the walking while injured and hungover. He really didn't want to be around so many people not to mention most of them seemed like they may be with the guild or the academy both places he has no good will towards and they don't have any towards him as well. "So Arty are you just wanting to chit-chat or do you have something important to discuss."

 

[NeonFlow]

Artim guffaws a loud laugh oblivious to the boredom of Doran, “well I came to offer advice to a old friend” artim was around the same age as Doran, joined the guild at the same time but stayed since then moving up the ranks.
He sat down next to Doran and spoke softer. “I have it on good authority that only a select few people will actually be given the task... the kings apparently have some tools to help. The trials determine who gets what” SRUNewman
With that Artim stood and left with his group to scout the competition.

Yoh and bolo’s crew made their way, reaching the checkpoint on the main road and stopping for food and drink. The smile Yoh flashed was wide as he spotted the flightless bird from before tied up drinking water and pecking at what seemed expensive meat.
But who owned the Rikkuji... ima definitely steal it... after buying a small feed of fruit and dried meat, yoh stood on the patio drinking and smoking in the shade.
A man with a longsword headed toward where animals were tied up before taking a seat next to the bird waiting for it to finish eating.
Yoh followed... With a single caltrop hidden in his fingertips he dipped it into his pouch of necessary evil as he approached. “That your bird? Fine creature the rikkuji.”

The man nodded and smiled “yep, rare you arnt scared boyo.. you know the name so you know it’s deadly don’t you?”
Yoh sat next to him and laughed before slapping him on the back with the caltrop piercing skin.
The man made a small noise of surprise before he fell to the side as if the strings were cut from a puppet
“All monsters are deadly friend” yoh spoke and propped the dying paralytic man back to how he was sitting.
“But rikkuji tolerate whose the strongest for food... smart enough to learn domestic natures but can never truely be broken. If you could ride her so can I.”

 

[Pat]

Lilith's shoulders shook in silent laughter as men all around her in the courtyard took turns sneaking furtive looks at her and inhaling her perfume as if it was ambrosia. She felt like a wolf amongst a flock of pastured blind sheep. If the contestants were comprised of enough undisciplined men such as these, the competition was her's to shape as she pleased. In the case there is appreciable free time between the trials they would have to together undertake, she could even find her way into some of their beds and dreams to sabotage and feed off their bodies and desires. She first reached out with her telepathic powers to those of the weakest resolve to her charm who possessed no visible group allegiance, in addition to leaders with low fortitude who belonged to one of the lesser parties, and methodically worked her way up from there; attempting to form a group of her own by bolstering and implanting positive and suggestive thoughts alike within her targets as she approached them one by one and attempted to then verbally flirtatiously beguile them into becoming her underlings in the final grand reaping of the seeds of corruption she planted in advance. While perhaps not necessarily the strongest individually, at least when it came to their minds, she hoped any potential followers she would gain would serve her well as disposable sacrificial lambs in the slaughter that is to come.

 

[TOASTERxOVEN]

Bertram considers the message Lilith left for him, still confused as to how that was even possible, but only for a short time. He strolled by the towns folk and straight into the gungiest tavern he could see. The kind full of unsavory types.

Sitting his large body down on a medium sized rock he had been carrying on his back, he bangs the table and orders a round for everyone, a round he knows he won't be able to afford. He does this for hours on end, his body being able to handle more alcohol than that of 4 humans any day. As patrons come and go, Bertram is still sitting there, pounding back drink after drink, and the people are drinking for free, yet he is still drinking alone.

After some time doing this, the tavern owner clearly getting concerned about the tab asks Bertram how he will be paying, to which he belches out, "Payment? I already paid to get into this city!".
The owner looks at him slightly put off by the response, and asks Bertram to leave simply by pointing to the door, Bertram listens, but not without causing a scene.

Bertram picks up the rock he had just been perched upon and throws it into the bar of the tavern, smashing it to pieces, followed by the owner and a few protective patron being thrown in a similar manner. Bertram then mossies on out into an allyway behind a stable, passing out in a pile of hay feed.

 

[NeonFlow]

Bertram considers the message Lilith left for him, still confused as to how that was even possible, but only for a short time. He strolled by the towns folk and straight into the gungiest tavern he could see. The kind full of unsavory types.

Sitting his large body down on a medium sized rock he had been carrying on his back, he bangs the table and orders a round for everyone, a round he knows he won't be able to afford. He does this for hours on end, his body being able to handle more alcohol than that of 4 humans any day. As patrons come and go, Bertram is still sitting there, pounding back drink after drink, and the people are drinking for free, yet he is still drinking alone.

After some time doing this, the tavern owner clearly getting concerned about the tab asks Bertram how he will be paying, to which he belches out, "Payment? I already paid to get into this city!".
The owner looks at him slightly put off by the response, and asks Bertram to leave simply by pointing to the door, Bertram listens, but not without causing a scene.

Bertram picks up the rock he had just been perched upon and throws it into the bar of the tavern, smashing it to pieces, followed by the owner and a few protective patron being thrown in a similar manner. Bertram then mossies on out into an allyway behind a stable, passing out in a pile of hay feed.

When Bertram awakens, he does so in a dungeon. Heavy possibly enchanted chains weigh down his feet and hands as he hears a whole manner of inhuman noise...

Those in the courtyard of the tall castle may have heard rumours about the so called trials. Monsters of various sorts would be pitted against the would be adventurers... if you believe the guards talking shit that is.

Lilith would be somewhat dissatisfied as she realised most of the men under her thrall were the weak willed who followed her down the street. The majority of those waiting were much to strong to fall for effortless charming.
A Magi was keeping a close eye on her however, sniffing out her scent easily and wondering if the guards had started the test already.

 

[Skitts]

The head master was sitting at his desk as he offered a seat to the young Magi.
His smile never left his face but his voice seemed to search for words as his eyes peered into Chesra’s very soul.
“I’ll answer anything I am able to, but I wouldn’t recommend traveling alone”
@Skitts

Chesra flopped in the chair, arms stiff in her lap. She hadn't even thought of that. "Travelling alone? No, no, I wouldn't... I couldn't do that. I cannot take lives." She shifted to sit more comfortably, then sighed. "Could you tell me more about your encounter with Wolftooth?" she asked, then hurried: "It's all right if you cannot. I would just like to know more about...him. Any tips, anything you might have noticed that could be useful to know to those going against him? What does it all look like there, how many of his kind, or at least his underlings?"

She was curious about it. Imagination failed her at creating the image of someone as powerful as Shen Anigans being defeated by a mere monster that Wolftooth was. Was the creature magical like them - could it wield the elements? Perhaps there were henchmen? There must have been.

Was the question was too detailed for him - after all, it had been a while, now? Maybe she was supposed to take her time, one detail per one detail? She doubted the kings would give her and her future team the information they required, so it was best to query the headmaster, who last fought the monster, himself. Fighting off her nerves under his watch was impossible and she only managed to stay calm on the outside, her mind a tumultuous mess.

 

[Pat]

Absolutely delighted with her newly acquired thralls, Lilith ignored the distrustful Magi and moved to a relatively empty area of the courtyard to sit down, crossing her legs at her ankles with her knees pointing outward. Beckoning the members of her small reverse harem to sit as they pleased in a semi-circle in front of her, she asked of their names and abilities and histories as she rested her tilted head on her right fist. While they prattled on and on, she telepathically reinforced her control over their minds, only periodically tuning in to the conversation to hear the most prudent information.

 

[TOASTERxOVEN]

Bertram unable to move more than a few inches in any direction sat there, chained up, hungover, and emotional. Tears dripping from his chin, yet were they tears of sadness? No. Tears of anger, tears of a burning hatred for the mistreatment of his kind. For ages and ages, though his people had been far less violent and far less stupid than their larger cousins, the true, or greater ogres, people judged them and subjugated them for their appearance.

Knowing his fate may leave him dead, he waits. Planning, thinking, and hoping that pounding headache goes away.

 

[NeonFlow]

Chesra flopped in the chair, arms stiff in her lap. She hadn't even thought of that. "Travelling alone? No, no, I wouldn't... I couldn't do that. I cannot take lives." She shifted to sit more comfortably, then sighed. "Could you tell me more about your encounter with Wolftooth?" she asked, then hurried: "It's all right if you cannot. I would just like to know more about...him. Any tips, anything you might have noticed that could be useful to know to those going against him? What does it all look like there, how many of his kind, or at least his underlings?"

She was curious about it. Imagination failed her at creating the image of someone as powerful as Shen Anigans being defeated by a mere monster that Wolftooth was. Was the creature magical like them - could it wield the elements? Perhaps there were henchmen? There must have been.

Was the question was too detailed for him - after all, it had been a while, now? Maybe she was supposed to take her time, one detail per one detail? She doubted the kings would give her and her future team the information they required, so it was best to query the headmaster, who last fought the monster, himself. Fighting off her nerves under his watch was impossible and she only managed to stay calm on the outside, her mind a tumultuous mess.

Shen sighed before standing up and fetching a book from his shelf, the book had hand drawn pictures of each creature or monster the head master fought on his adventure.

“I fought Wolftooth seven times.. each time he escaped me growing more powerful retreating further underground.”
He opened the book halfway and levitated it into Chesra’s hands.
The pictures were odd, things like large dog creatures with dragon wings on its back and spider legs instead of feet.


“Wolftooth is a Lycan of the strongest sort. His magic is jet black, more evil and foul then necromancy.. he raises the dead only to fuse them into twisted slaves.. I don’t know as much as I used to about monsters. But I know a lycan isn’t supposed to be king of all monsters... even if a werewolf is strong and terrifying”

The book opened to the last pages. Sketches of Wolftooth, the first looked like a normal man, each picture was more animal until the last picture was a beastly shape on two legs.

“Wolftooth has parts of his very being locked inside trusted monsters of his choosing.” Shen screws his wooden hand off its stump to pull out a amulet that literally glowed darkness, as if it was trying to suck the light in the room away from the Magi.
“this is part of the Lycan kings strength, other monsters have his power inside themselves. The wolf is no mere beast. He has plans... and a magic I can barely comprehend”
He let Chesra read through the book but held the dark amulet out of reach.
————
Yoh rode the rikkuji with no problems, apart from the blinding speed. Humans weren’t meant to move so fast... in the sun anyway.
Reaching the gate to the city in less then a hour, yoh paid the entrance fee and quickly made his way toward the tall castle.
———
Lilith and her team would notice the Magi (single mage) go to other mages discussing something. With over seventy people in the courtyard rumours spread that the trials will be held when one hundred people litter the courtyard.
Pat
———
Bertram could hear something next to him. “Hush big guy, don’t you cry...I mean I want to but I have no eye” the voice sounded empty almost.

If Bertram turned his head he would see a freshly reanimated corpse. Chained up by a single ankle, his eyes had fallen out and his skin was rotting off.
“I’d try and give you a hand, but I’m not sure how I’d put it back dahahaha”

Another humanish voice sounded out through the terrible jokes and wails of the captured. “STOP WITH THE JOKES YOU TWIT”
“Listen you can suck my decaying bone!”
“I’LL KILL YOU BEFORE THE COMPETITION!!!”
“Nah I got a big bodyguard!!” The zombie brags.
TOASTERxOVEN

 

[Pat]

Lilith bid the assorted peasantry and commoners of the impromptu militia she's taken under her wing: Newall, Pierre, Yves, Tyree, Norbert, Fidelius, Alvar, Bradyn, Latrell, Wetherby, Moises, Fred, Toffel, Bob, Jaylon, Burdette, Hobart, Winston, and Mason... To begin a collection of their coinage, a pile that she instructs her guardsmen Gerbert and Jarrod, and her more proper warriors Renault, Tobias, Ranier, Cullen, and Bertrand... To add to also. She herself personally donates three golds, nine silvers, and twenty coppers. A small fortune altogether, she supposed it would be enough to get the largely unarmed weaklings gathered before her outfitted with decent quality spears. They might not be the best fighters individually, but any group of idiots who can keep a cohesive formation they've learned yesterday with a pole arm extended outwards towards the enemy could readily kill a swordsman raised from birth to wield their blade. A tactic potentially effective against many if not all of the living obstacles they'd likely be combating soon she suspected. The tales of monster slayings may tell of heroes and hunters, but it was the people they saved who fought the creatures first with nothing more than pitchforks and torches and the clothes on their back. Brave mobs like that across the world probably managed to kill more demons than the Guild of Champions and Magi Academy put together throughout history without the accompanying glory. That is, if their fear induced suspicions proved correct and didn't just get some poor sap burned at the stake for nothing. "Gerbert, Jarrod," she spoke, looking to the guardsmen, "if it wouldn't be a terrible bother," her voice cooed, "find four of the best spearmen be out of this lot," she gestured to the rest of the citizenry who followed her into the castle courtyard, "and take them with you to get nineteen spears. Buy as much violet ribbons and dyes as you can with whatever money is left over. Get this job done well and as quickly as possible before the competition starts, and I'll have a reward for your timeliness when you get back. Doubly so if any of you happen to live nearby and can snatch something of use to the cause." She winked suggestively at them as they tripped over themselves getting up and leaving; immediately obeying her commands without hesitation.

Turning her attention to her remaining devotees, Lilith ordered Renault, Tobias, Ranier, Cullen, and Bertrand to instruct the rest how to form and hold a two man deep spear wall before reaching out to the minds of the guards throughout the courtyard to get an idea of what the first monster challenge would happen to be.

 

[Skitts]

Shen sighed before standing up and fetching a book from his shelf, the book had hand drawn pictures of each creature or monster the head master fought on his adventure.

“I fought Wolftooth seven times.. each time he escaped me growing more powerful retreating further underground.”
He opened the book halfway and levitated it into Chesra’s hands.
The pictures were odd, things like large dog creatures with dragon wings on its back and spider legs instead of feet.


“Wolftooth is a Lycan of the strongest sort. His magic is jet black, more evil and foul then necromancy.. he raises the dead only to fuse them into twisted slaves.. I don’t know as much as I used to about monsters. But I know a lycan isn’t supposed to be king of all monsters... even if a werewolf is strong and terrifying”

The book opened to the last pages. Sketches of Wolftooth, the first looked like a normal man, each picture was more animal until the last picture was a beastly shape on two legs.

“Wolftooth has parts of his very being locked inside trusted monsters of his choosing.” Shen screws his wooden hand off its stump to pull out a amulet that literally glowed darkness, as if it was trying to suck the light in the room away from the Magi.
“this is part of the Lycan kings strength, other monsters have his power inside themselves. The wolf is no mere beast. He has plans... and a magic I can barely comprehend”
He let Chesra read through the book but held the dark amulet out of reach.

Chesra stared at the images and skimmed through the lines of text paired with the pictures. Once a man... Wolftooth was corrupted. She glanced at the amulet in the headmaster's hand, not daring to look long at it. The darkness it emanated threatened to consume her light, her soul. And it was only a part of the power. A shudder followed the thought of what she were to face in the future if she chose to go ahead with the bounty.

"This... it belonged to Wolftooth?" she asked, nodding her head towards the amulet. She hesitated with the next question, but not for long. "Why did you not destroy it? It's so....dark." She pressed her lips together and frowned, eyes cast down on the book again. "Why keep it? And... is it also a part of Wolftooth, like parts of his power that are in his trusted underlings? What does that even mean, exactly? Does he grow weaker if one of those, uhm, creatures dies? Does he change back to humans? Is he more powerful with them? If yes, then why is the amulet not destroyed?"

 

[NeonFlow]

Chesra stared at the images and skimmed through the lines of text paired with the pictures. Once a man... Wolftooth was corrupted. She glanced at the amulet in the headmaster's hand, not daring to look long at it. The darkness it emanated threatened to consume her light, her soul. And it was only a part of the power. A shudder followed the thought of what she were to face in the future if she chose to go ahead with the bounty.

"This... it belonged to Wolftooth?" she asked, nodding her head towards the amulet. She hesitated with the next question, but not for long. "Why did you not destroy it? It's so....dark." She pressed her lips together and frowned, eyes cast down on the book again. "Why keep it? And... is it also a part of Wolftooth, like parts of his power that are in his trusted underlings? What does that even mean, exactly? Does he grow weaker if one of those, uhm, creatures dies? Does he change back to humans? Is he more powerful with them? If yes, then why is the amulet not destroyed?"

Shen gazes at the amulet a bit more before hiding it in his wooden hand again.
“This darkness is his magic... that I pulled out of my own body, the amulet used to be my mother’s lucky charm. I suppose I was lucky to Move the evil magic from my flesh to a object...” Shen waved his hand across from Chesra’s face, showing her what he had seen a few years ago...

Wolftooth stood on a black dragon as it flew around a massive Titan of a man, half as tall as the first wall. Shen was summoning clouds to strike the dragon down with thunder, Shen saw But was to late. He saw a flash of darkness obscure the Titans entire head, before the dragon flew off.

Shen spoke over the battle as if it were a play put on by children.
“how he poisons others though? I only saw it the one time. He made my trusted friend, a grand being with a iron will... he made that Giant his slave. As Ghelbaf’s eyes turned black, his mind turned blank. Only the Lycan’s influence remained... I had to slay ghelbaf as Wolftooth escaped...” the illusion was gone and the two sat in the headmasters room. A look of sorrow passed over Shen as he wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. “I need to be going Chesra, shall I escort you to the castle? I believe a few more applicants for the two kings bounty are waiting to leave as well.”
————
Newall Pierre and Norbert left to do as told, only one man by the name of bob (whose fear got the better of him) disobeyed Lilith, bob escaped but the rest of the impromptu militia practice and get ready. Pat
———
Yoh missed the rikkuji he had stolen. No way that bird running about the city would end well.... the tall castle was in sight, and the shade of the city helped for yoh to use his talents.

 

[Skitts]

Shen gazes at the amulet a bit more before hiding it in his wooden hand again.
“This darkness is his magic... that I pulled out of my own body, the amulet used to be my mother’s lucky charm. I suppose I was lucky to Move the evil magic from my flesh to a object...” Shen waved his hand across from Chesra’s face, showing her what he had seen a few years ago...

Wolftooth stood on a black dragon as it flew around a massive Titan of a man, half as tall as the first wall. Shen was summoning clouds to strike the dragon down with thunder, Shen saw But was to late. He saw a flash of darkness obscure the Titans entire head, before the dragon flew off.

Shen spoke over the battle as if it were a play put on by children.
“how he poisons others though? I only saw it the one time. He made my trusted friend, a grand being with a iron will... he made that Giant his slave. As Ghelbaf’s eyes turned black, his mind turned blank. Only the Lycan’s influence remained... I had to slay ghelbaf as Wolftooth escaped...” the illusion was gone and the two sat in the headmasters room. A look of sorrow passed over Shen as he wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. “I need to be going Chesra, shall I escort you to the castle? I believe a few more applicants for the two kings bounty are waiting to leave as well."

Chesra could not shake the image out of the mind, almost feeling the aura the Giant gave off as his eyes and mind changed. Having to kill your friend because there is no other way... But there must be a way, Chesra thought, closing and gripping the book in her hands as if her life depended on it. She wondered if anyone sent for the bounty would die. Well, probably. She would try and stop that from happening, if she went.

"The trial," she gasped at the headmaster's question. "Yes, please, thank you."

As she waited to depart, she wondered why so many people were going through the trials. There were many strong and intelligent people there, people who could form groups already and head off to Wolftooth without the silly trial. Was everyone scared to try without being tested? Was everyone doubting their skill? Normally, bounties were put up but never organised - it was a matter of who does it first.

This bounty, however, did seem different in so many ways. Much harder, farther, and more valuable. Also, perhaps everyone saw that possible interference of groups could end in everyone's demise. Chesra felt cold.

 

[NeonFlow]

Chesra could not shake the image out of the mind, almost feeling the aura the Giant gave off as his eyes and mind changed. Having to kill your friend because there is no other way... But there must be a way, Chesra thought, closing and gripping the book in her hands as if her life depended on it. She wondered if anyone sent for the bounty would die. Well, probably. She would try and stop that from happening, if she went.

"The trial," she gasped at the headmaster's question. "Yes, please, thank you."

As she waited to depart, she wondered why so many people were going through the trials. There were many strong and intelligent people there, people who could form groups already and head off to Wolftooth without the silly trial. Was everyone scared to try without being tested? Was everyone doubting their skill? Normally, bounties were put up but never organised - it was a matter of who does it first.

This bounty, however, did seem different in so many ways. Much harder, farther, and more valuable. Also, perhaps everyone saw that possible interference of groups could end in everyone's demise. Chesra felt cold.

Ten men and five women all of varying ages of teenage and older waited in a room for the headmaster. Only a small round table with a blue crystal upon in, Once Shen and Chesra entered the room all took a moment to listen to Shen explain teleportation, then linked hands as Shen spoke some hushed words and touched the crystal on the table. In a flash all in the room were at the tall castle in a similar room with a blue crystal. Shen led his party to the courtyard before excusing himself “I Have matters to attend to, you all should be grateful you didn’t wait as long as the rest of the people” with a small smile he waved his hand to gesture he was done as he walked off to find the two kings wizards.
———
Lilith’s telepathy eventually comes across a guard captain. It reveals that monsters would be used in some sort of mass battle at some point, but those with magic are tested separate to those without it. Also a number of people are hungry regretting coming early to secure a spot. Pat
———
Bob was happy to be out of his trance. Dear lords... why did I follow that small white woman? These hands... these muscular arms... my perfect physique from working and training from a tender age. To think I’d join some strange rag tag group to kill the monster king? I’ve never been violent. I don’t think I could hurt anyone really I’ve only ever fought to defend the farm... I’ve always enjoyed farming. Raising my family. To think I would throw it all away in some yoh bumped into bob as he stole a coin pouch from well fed drunk. “Bah shove off!” Bob couldn’t help but growl as yoh scurried off.
My day has been all over the place.
———
Yoh bought some chicken from street vendor, the man cooked on a magic flame cast by his daughter. The food tasted abit better then average but there’s probably a reason this man isn’t employed somewhere with a building...stomach was feeling more satisfied however.
Yoh left the markets to head toward the tall castle, if bolo joined the trials all hell could break loose... they hopefully won’t make it in time..

 

[Pat]

Lilith sees to it that her small army uses the violet ribbons and violet dye once her expedition returns without Bob to distinguish themselves from the other groups as they take a brief break in training. She focuses much of her remaining mental strength on binding her two guardsmen and her five warriors, Gerbert, Jarrod, Renault, Tobias, Ranier, Cullen, and Bertrand, to her will entirely. It would be hours until she would be able to use her telepathy again unless she fed off her underlings or the prey around her. As prepared for what's to come as they'll likely ever be, she begins to organize her forces. Gerbert and Jarrod are both appointed to the rank of captain, each man being given a squad of nine spearmen to command and discipline. If their fear proves greater than their love for her, she envisaged the two captains could keep them in formation with their experience and authority as guardsmen of the capital. Renault, Tobias, Ranier, Cullen, and Bertrand, on the other hand, are knighted by the succubus. They are to serve as her personal bodyguard and mobile shock troops.

Lilith takes what would have been the traitorous Bob's spear into her hands and quietly accustoms herself with its operation. It couldn't be too hard to fool the tournament officials into believing she wasn't a mage. She was far more athletic and armored than most of the spellcasters around her in the courtyard after all. A physical weapon would only hammer home the illusion. Hopefully, she thought, she wouldn't have much need for fireballs at her finger tips with the path she's chosen. She was strong, yes, but in a different way; she was quick on her feet, whereas the mountains of muscle she would be competing alongside and against were more built for giving and taking punishment. Whether that meant her trials prioritized weeding out the weak or the stupid, she didn't quite know, but she was confident in her abilities either way. If the former, she could just use her allies to pave the way for her. If the latter, her intuition told her she could manipulate the others far more easily here with the Guild of Champion hunks than she would otherwise amongst the Magi Academy types.

Tucking a violet flower Gerbert brought back as a consolation for Bob's escape into her hair behind her ear, she approaches Artim Yessok. As she went to bow her head to him, she in one fluid motion swept her left leg behind her and crossed it with her right leg, bended her knees outward, and then raised the heel of her back foot, tugging the bottom edges of her gambeson jacket out from her body, in a polite curtsey. "I believe introductions are in order between us, given I suspect we will be seeing much of each other during the trials." She spoke, ending the curtsey to gaze the man in the eyes as she addressed him further. "I am Lilith, the woman who leads the large party drilling over there," her hand gracefully flourished in its direction, "and I have come to propose a mutually beneficial understanding between my many followers and your comparatively fewer but stalwart companions, if you desire to listen to what I have to say."

 

[NeonFlow]

Artim strokes his greying beard as Lilith introduces herself, he and his men look over her followers as she gestured towards the groups. They waited for Artim to speak but one or two couldn’t help but look Lilith over, for... competitive reasons.
“Hail Lilith,” he stated standing up to tower over the small succubus. “I am Artim, third captain ranking over the guild of champions. I somehow think we won’t see much of each other dear Lilly. Monsters and Magi have separate trials. The boys here and myself have no magic in our blood, just combat skill and determination.”
Pat
———
Yoh waited patiently to be let into the tall castle, looking around the crowd he saw no sign of bolo jay and his crew... lucky for me. Many mages and Warriors asked questions, many assumed the mention of wishes meant they could somehow receive the wish if it would help the bounty be fulfilled...
Make me the most powerful wizard in the world!... or something...
the guards answered questions with only one answer.
“The kings will explain the trials.”
Yoh walked out into he courtyard and immediately started looking about. All these people were potentially enemies. The guild of champions is easy to spot, the fine heavy armour with monster pelt finish... many wizards... a lot more... common folk then Yoh would have guessed. Lots of tough looking loners sprinkled about glaring at more friendly sorts...