Fantasy The Land of Lynthia

[KatsaNovari]

It looks like the Xillies have struck again. But this time, in several different locations. All along Lynthia, the night was filled with screams of terror and fright as the ghastly beings invaded their homes, crashing through doors and striking pass weapons. No one had been prepared for this, for they decided to attack the smaller and less protected of towns, at the dead of night and while the moon was absent from the sky. However, despite their caution, they did not get far.


In these towns were well skilled or intelligent persons, most gifted, and they fought back against the dark menace. Whether saving themselves from being caught or to aid those in need, the Xillies were matched and before long they were sent packing out of the towns, and most of the townsfolk were saved. News of each one had reached the ears of the King, and once he was able to identify the names of each "hero" or "heroine", he sent them all a letter of invitation.

Dear [insert character name here],


You are hereby invited to a meeting with King Jair, along with several others. Your heroic deeds of the previous night's horrors have not gone unnoticed, and it is with great gratitude that you be invited to the King's Castle and thanked face-to-face. More will be discussed once you have arrived, and in the meantime, your visit will be greatly anticipated.


~ Sincerely,


The Royal Adviser

Beneath this letter is the time and date of when the meeting will be held, which is several weeks from now, allowing plenty of time to reach the castle. Obviously, refusal of such an invitation would be unheard of, for despite the letter's pleasantries, who had ever heard of refusing the King's request and gotten away with it? Best to just go along with it and discover the reason behind such a letter, even if the receiver would rather be doing other things.

 

[DrBones]

The inside of the castle hall was... unimpressive. Marble had been removed from its resting place and carved on-site instead of being hollowed out and turned into a home like a true architect would. Guards were placed in conspicuous, easily-covered positions instead of hidden behind false walls and murder-holes. Common metals like silver and gold were woven haphazardly into the attending nobles' clothes, with no attention paid to what the Sacred Texts demand. Worst of all, plains flowers were used as decoration and garnishes instead of hardier mountain flowers and luminescent algae growths! All in all, it was possibly the worst feast Yorick had ever attended. After this was through, he'd need to give whatever boor had set this up a lecture.


However... the work on the dining ware was quite good. The forks and spoons were made of aluminum, an astonishing rarity. Even though the metalwork was rife with andesite impurities and would probably shatter the second anyone put effort into spearing their food, it was admirable that the king had bothered to bring out his best dining ware. The plates were somewhat less astonishing in the metal used. Fine pewter was relatively cheap, especially for use in plates, but the designs on the plates themselves were quite interesting. They depicted various scenes from the human mythology of the kingdom... brutish copies of the monomyth and stories of lawbreaking all, but rendered masterfully.


Yorick deeply regretted volunteering to go on this trip. The kingdom of Thwore demanded at least one envoy was sent to each of the human kingdoms once a year, and Yorick had volunteered to be the envoy to Lynthia Castle's surrounding towns. He had hoped he could glean new gemcutting and weaving strategies from the king's seamstresses and jewelers, but had not yet found anyone who had bothered to innovate. Still, that letter from the king had been rather serendipitous. He'd decided to go to this meeting, listen to what the king wanted them to do, and head home. The issues of enlightened men didn't need to concern the Endarkened, after all.

 

[BoysPlantGraves]

Eldion Que Tangely


Location: Castles waiting room


Interacting with: No one


It hadn't been something Eldion had necessarily wished for nor something she had expected. The action had been performed by the womens inner instincts nothing that she would have intentionally done on her own personal accord if in a scenario of a simpler setting. No, of course not, for she would hold no reason to, she wasn't an individual who prospered with internal desires of humane tendencies.


Neither was she one who held a distinct love for the frivolous actions of swinging a weapon about and playing the role of a hero, such a thing as that to the pixie sworn to a category of stupidity.


Running about with flailing hands, hoping that your motions will have a pleasurable outcome, these were the thoughts and actions of a child. A child who hoped they wouldn't trip over their shoelaces as their fights were for fun without punishment, as their sticks were their swords without the ability of drawing blood and taking lives, as they dress in clothes they'll only ruin by rolling about in the mud.


Being a hero held no appeal to Eldion, which caused her to question her current appearance in the castle she would gaze upon from her home in the distance with fondness in her eyes.


With the same curiosity as when she had first received it the womens pearly fingers pinched the carefully kept letter, drawing it from its secure position as the crescent whites of her nails skimmed the surface while her eyes danced along the words once more, though they have done such an action as this so many times before.


Her,'heroic deeds' had merely been her evacuating the pub she had been performing at that night and retrieving a boy before he was a Xillies next victim. What of that deemed her worthy of even standing inside the same building as their kingdoms current king.


Eldion knew nothing of what those surrounding her had done on that night shrouded in terrifying events though she imagined they were all in some form moreastounding with their efforts then herself.


Among her were many of peculiar appearances and obvious races, though it seemed she had been fairly 'fortunate' to find she was the lone pixie in such an extravagant area as this. It was all especially endearing, the two guards who had patrolled beside her on her short travels to the kingdom caused her to feel both royal and obvious in power with their stoic expressions, though it hadn't been very pleasing to be interrupted as she was in her evening clothes.


Eldion reached to her left side and lifted her purple cloak delicately as her right hand slid the letter back into its past position within the interior of her lavender sash which decorated her waist, its color alike to that of her eyes.


She had to rise to the greeting with her complacent persona upon her expression before she had thrown together the outfit she was currently strutting about in.


Though here she was, the evening young and portrayed through her hair as it pulsed with the warm colors which decorated the sky. The skies reds and oranges faded into one another pleasurably through the fish tail braid she had tugged her long hair into, the woven strands swirling with unmistakable life as it wouldn't remain the same for longer then a bundle of seconds.


As she had been pleasantly surprised to find she had been one of the first to enter the room that falling night Eldion had taken one of the seats placed around the table, fingers now laced into each other and tenderly skimming her own skin in gradual movements atop her wrinkling skirt while she internally dreaded the suffocating silence which no one had taken up the task of breaking yet.

 

[Zerohex]

While a massive, muscular foreigner that travelled the roads on foot and was seen smashing legendary bogeymen apart stood out like a sore thumb, actually getting the missive to him proved challenging. He had, after all, no set address and had the tendency to move on at a whim, dashing off with no particular route in mind and moving quite erratically as befit one with no set destination, equally driven by wanderlust and the thirst for new challenges. For Ajax was a fighter, it was his life, and he had spent most of it on a now seemingly eternal quest to be the greatest, all to ensure his vengeance would be unstoppable should he ever find a way home.


With all this in mind, it's entirely logical that such a message had to be provided by hand, by groups of people scouring the land for this single wanderer aided by Patrol Scouts, which likely delayed the scheduling of the final meeting by a good deal and soured the mood towards him quite a bit. It's also entirely logical that the people who finally caught up with him, an entire squad of armed and armored peacekeepers since this person had violently destroyed creatures of legend by hand only recently, were less than pleasant toward Ajax, secure as they felt in the power that a King's summons conferred them.


What happens when you take an extremely proud fighter who lives for a challenge and a bunch of armed men who feel they can safely act like his superiors because of a piece of paper? Well, we can't really call this a fight. They couldn't so much as scratch him, not even the wolves. This actually saved their lives, however, because Ajax saw no reason to kill them. In less than a minute, only three men were still standing and only two remained in good health, and Ajax decided to actually stop and read the message. Well. It was actually a fairly pleasant invitation. A shame it was not passed along personally and was instead handed to a bunch of louts.


He idly considered taking this as an excuse to ignore the summons but decided against it. His curiosity got the better of him, he could smell the adventure brewing in the horizon, it was bound to be interesting. And yes, he read the letter and took a moment to think about things while the last three men standing just stared in bafflement. They could utter no words when Ajax got on his knees, raised his arms, and asked for them to place him in stocks so they could properly take him to the castle. It took them a minute to do as he asked, and only after he very nicely promised he wouldn't fight back.


Their return trip was fairly uneventful, with Ajax peacefully napping inside the back of a large, covered cart. This was obviously not the first time he'd been placed in stocks and chained down from head to toe. The only thing that broke the monotony of the ride was a completely necessary stop by a healer's, to get all the wounded patched up to full health. Ajax insisted they do this, as it meant he could ride even more comfortably. Of course, it was all for free since they were the king's men, clearly having fought and subdued an extremely dangerous criminal or perhaps some kind of savage beast.


And that was why Ajax was escorted inside the building like a common, if dangerous, prisoner; flanked by a pair of guards wearing battered armor and damaged weapons and who looked rather dazed, as if they could still not quite wrap their heads around the absurdity of the situation as they announced the arrival of Ajax Diagorides, boxer and guest of the crown as per the Royal Adviser's summons.


"Is it dinner time yet? I'm starving. Thanks for the trip, boys, but you should really carry some rations or something next time".

 

[Boomrocker]

The huge armored form of Riese Vatar, The Fabled got more than a few odd looks when he entered the dining hall. This was to be expected. He was a glowering golden giant, smelling of metal and brimstone, so it was only natural that he stuck out. His guard escort had of course asked him to remove his armor before he entered, but a comment of "What art thou? Plebian?" had cowed them. Or so he interpreted. In truth he simply ignored them after speaking and what the guards were doing now was not his business. These rent-a-militia soldiers with their toy weaponry and armor made of paper could not touch him anyway.


The appearance of the Xillie in the fighting pit of Karcoon those weeks ago had come as something of a shock to all of the other brawlers, but Vatar had approached the challenge with relish. He alone tangled with the monster, and with his unholy weapon he had rent the beast in twain. Then he of course sent it to a taxidermist to have it stuffed. It would be another trophy for his little cabin in Windradchen that nobody ever visited, as it was believed to be haunted.


It was during his nights of boozing and revelry as the Saviour of Karcoon that the letter arrived, and since Vatar had never learned to read he needed to have the taxidermist explain exactly what it was. At first he believed it was yet another indictment from the courts, but he was incredibly amused to learn it was an invitation from the king himself! His motion to dispose of the letter was met with something resembling scorn from his newfound 'friend' the taxidermist, and he was implored to attend. For no one refuses the summons of a king!


It was with great luck that Riese Vatar was in a charitable mood that day, otherwise the taxidermist would have found himself one head short of a complete human set. He obliged, if for nothing other than amusement, but had made a mental note to one day refuse the king's summons in the future just so he could brag about being the first person to have done so.


So there he stood, giant, armored but not armed (because it was impolite to come armed to a formal banquet, he had been told, courtly matters being foreign to him) alone in the middle of the hall. The arrival of the man mountain clad in chains, however, had caught his attention. Clearly his guards had been in an altercation with a raccoon, or perhaps a particularly ferocious mouse, damaged as they were. Pitiful.


His mask, twisted permanently into that strange expression of mockery, perfectly matched the words he spoke. "Mountain man," he said. "Did these peons strike thee down? Art thou not mighty?"

 

[Thinslayer]

A young wolf scampered into the den with an envelope tucked between his teeth, which he dropped at the feet of an elder gray wolf. He bowed deferentially and stood back to let the elder read it. The wolf extended a claw and traced it along the edge of the envelope, which fell open to reveal a letter written in the standard Lynthian manuscript.


Dear Fang,


You are hereby invited to a meeting with King Jair, along with several others. Your heroic deeds of the previous night's horrors have not gone unnoticed, and it is with great gratitude that you be invited to the King's Castle and thanked face-to-face. More will be discussed once you have arrived, and in the meantime, your visit will be greatly anticipated.


~ Sincerely,


The Royal Adviser





Fang folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope. What the King asked of him was not easy by any stretch, even if it was just for commendation. He had just reintegrated with his pack only a week prior and had to fight to reestablish his position as Alpha. He missed his mate and cubs, not to mention his brother Pawsmack, with whom he shared a strong rapport that few other elder wolves did with their younger siblings. And hardy as they all were, they would not survive long wandering through the wilderness without an experienced leader to guide them. Other packs were already chewing at the bit to take a bite out of their flesh and cut them down to size.


But perhaps it was better this way. Knights had to be on call, ready to serve at all times. The pack needed a leader who could stay with them. Pawsmack had done an admirable job keeping the pack together despite the misgivings of the younger warrior wolves, and considering his many years as a father of nine cubs, he was an equally admirable leader and hunter.


A rich voice echoing from the depths of his throat commanded the younger wolf, "Bring me my brother. I wish to commune with him."


A short time later, Pawsmack paced into the den. "'Sup, bro."


"Pardon?" came the confused reply.


"It's one of those newfangled Lynthian phrases."


"Ah."


"Do you like it?"


"No."


"Aw shucks, no need to flatter me now!"


"I'd imagine so."


"Alright, joke's over. For what purpose did you call?"


Fang lifted his paw and slid the envelope over. Pawsmack dumped the letter out and read it. "I see. Let me guess: you need a new Alpha, and that Alpha is me," he surmised. Fang nodded. "Exactly. When I joined the Lynthian Patrol, I was under the delusion that I could serve as both guardian of Lynthia and Alpha of the pack simultaneously. It is now obvious to me that I can no longer continue this charade. I want you to be the pack leader."


Pawsmack squinted. "What makes you think I can pull that off?" he asked.


"I've seen you, brother. I've watched you become the finest creature this pack has ever spawned. Don't think I wasn't impressed when you coordinated the attack on the behemoth a few years back and tore out its throat all on your own. I was there when we suffered through the long winter and you relentlessly hunted the forest for food despite your own failing health. I was watching when you negotiated peace with the Northeast Wanderers pack, even through my own belligerent foolishness. I believe you are a capable leader. I believe in you."


The younger wolf sat on the stone floor and dipped his head. "But..." he muttered, "I'll...I'll...miss you."


Fang paced over to him and nudged his forehead with Pawsmack's. "I'll miss you too, brother."


They shared a moment of silence. Then Fang pulled away and strode out of the den to meet the rest of the pack.


"Brothers, sisters, friends! Lend me your ears!"


The wolves in the pack stopped their activities to listen.


"The path I have chosen calls me away once again, this time permanently. I can no longer serve you as your leader. I have chosen Pawsmack my brother to replace me. This is my last command, that you obey him and follow him, to the ends of the earth if need be. I shall not suffer debate over my decision. Know that I shall still watch over you from afar, and should wind and time drive me, I may return to you once more, but as a servant, not as a leader. I bid you farewell."





Every wolf in the pack bowed their heads. Fang came down from his perch to pass through them, and each wolf placed a paw on his back and offered a silent prayer for him. Some shed tears and whispered pleas for him to change his mind. None could dissuade him.


When at last he ventured beyond the boundaries of their lands, he could still hear their grief-stricken howls to the wind.


__________


Fang arrived at Castle Town a few days later. The town was its usual hustle and bustle at this time in the morning. He bobbed and weaved through the crowds, danced between the wheels of passing carts, and gave the stink eye to anything else that tried to challenge him. He passed through the castle gates and into the inner sanctum, where he was met by a pack of curious humanoid individuals.


One was a dwarf, about 5'2" and as muscular as any Naugrim Today model. How any humanoid could possess so much hair was still beyond his understanding. Even lions and centaurs weren't nearly as bawdy. It was a boon to dwarf hunters, who used the beards to pin down the dwarves without too much risk of staying within range of their near-mythical punching arms. Why the dwarves hadn't adapted yet baffled even the mountain wolf packs.


Another was a human cub, not much taller than the dwarf, and armed with a strange sword. It only took Fang a moment to recognize it as the legendary sword Dunhaveneim, a weapon renowned for its unbreakable blade and miraculous gifts to its wielder. That but a child should wield it brought him a moment's grief; even the most vicious wolf packs would never send their cubs into battle. Sadly, it was not unheard of for humans to do so. Perhaps there was an extenuating circumstance for this monstrosity; he had half a mind to approach the boy and ask, but he decided to wait until the meeting. The reason might come up on its own.


The female elf was a more interesting subject. Slender, pale, and radiant as the morning sun, she was one of the most beautiful humanoid specimens he'd ever laid eyes on. Her demeanor seemed just as beautiful to him, and he couldn't help but feel at home just standing in her presence. He had half a mind to nuzzle her leg, but thought better of it and kept his distance.


The male elf seemed similarly attractive, but his demeanor was so sour and arrogant that any charade of beauty melted away to naught. Fang couldn't even stand to look at him for more than a few seconds before having to fight off the urge to bite him.


And then there was that creature. It looked like an elf, but with wings. The word 'griffon' came to mind at first, then 'pegasus,' and once his mind cleared, 'fairy.' But 'pixie' was probably more accurate. Intrigued, he approached the creature and deferentially bowed his head.


"Greetings, Most Mysterious Creature. I am Fang, Former Alpha of the Hayo Pack and Honorary Knight of the Lynthian Patrol. Pray tell me, with whom do I have the pleasure of making acquaintance?"


@BoysPlantGraves

 

[Parsnip]

Billy Bane was currently being dragged bodily through the woods by his right arm, face and clothes smeared with dirt and dried monster blood, eyes glazed over from fatigue. He was headed- or rather, one would say he was being driven towards- some small monster-infested cave or another.


"Oi, geddup."


"Dun wanna.", Billy mumbled


"Come now, where's your sense of adventure?"


"Lef' it behin' a day n' a half ago. Where're we even headed?"


"There's monsters, my boy! Monsters to slay!"


"Wha'? Where you gettin' that from?"


"I can smell 'em, Billy! Plain as day I tell ya!"


"How can you smell if you haven't even got a nose?"


"Same way you can stand without a spine, boy."


"That was uncalled for."


"So is your opinion. Anyway, we're here."


Billy struggled to his feet, days worth of fatigue and sleep deprivation taking their toll. He swayed lightly back and forth, and seemed as if he would collapse at any moment.


"Can we take a break after this one? My vision's all cloudy n' stuff."


"Ugh, fine, if you're gonna be a bitch about it. C'mon."


Billy staggered into the cave, his blade held aloft. In his brain-addled state, he couldn't really tell what was happening- it was just a vague blur of AIEEEEEs, thunks, hurks, splorchts, snaps, and PAY ATTENTIONs that blended together in a tornado of violence. Sometime later, after he came off autopilot, Billy collapsed onto the severed upper half of some unidentifiable furry thing, falling asleep atop the rapidly-stiffening corpse-chunk before he even hit the ground.


"Pansy.", his sword spat.

 

[DrBones]

Yorick scratched ineffectually at the layers of cloth covering him. All dwarfs wore their clothing in layers, and Yorick was no exception. For such a special occasion, he had put on some summerwear: two layers of robes--one hemp, one llama wool--, one layer of dog leather--worn on top and emblazoned with pictographs depicting Yorick's greatest deeds--, and a layer of light chainmail--his nightwear. Altogether, his outfit weighed forty pounds and was nearly impenetrable. Sure, one could easily grab some of it, but to actually get to Yorick's arm and get a solid grip, one would need a handspan twice the length of their forearm.


Yorick looked around the room, and saw nobody of note. The dog, however-- it was vaguely familiar. Wasn't it one of the king's personal dogs? The sentient ones that still lived in caves despite being completely civilized and sapient? Nah, it had to be one of the servants' packdogs-- it was far too mangy to be a royal soldier. The dog gave Yorick a dirty look. Evidently, servant dogs shared some heritage with the mountain wolves, however little.


That man in chains, however... he was interesting! Was this feast an execution? If so, where was the hammerer? Was that the king's job? Was every one of the guests going to get a chance to swing at the prisoner? All these questions buzzed in Yorick's mind like a hive of hornets! He approached the well-stocked Ajax, and attempted to break the ice.


"Looks like t'king's got beef in stock t'dee, eh? Wotcher st'ry, big boy? You t'vent o' t'day, or'a you jus' a sp'ctater?"

 

[KatsaNovari]

Raven Erimentha and Jeremy Opal Wick


Current Location: Castle waiting Room


Interacting with: No one


The sudden appearance of the Xillies had come as a shock to the townspeople on that fateful night two weeks ago. But to Raven, it had only been a minor surprise. After all, hadn't Notices been placed everywhere to warn others of their presence? Of course, very few paid any heed to such warnings. They would rather live in their own disillusions of safety and peace, with a sole thought occupying their minds until there was no room for any other, a belief that no harm would come to them and this sort of thing happened to other people, not them. If the mage was the type to do so, she would of taken a morbid satisfaction of seeing the people scurry and run about in such an unorganized manner, making the situation much worse for themselves than it actually was. No fear had graced her features that night, as any emotion ever did, and she hadn't felt it knotted in the pit of her stomach. No, the only thing she felt was annoyance. The screams, while dreadful, raked over her ears like nails tearing through her eardrums. They made her head ache, the commotion and confusion around her not helping in the slightest. What drove this annoyance more than the pain in her head was how utterly stupid everyone was behaving around her. Surely not all of them were so helpless? So clueless? If not for this fact, and perhaps a bit of urging on Jem's part, Raven would have simply minded her own business and slipped quietly away. That night, however, she confronted the threat, if for no other reason than to make all those around her shut up.


It was a night which carried pockets full of night terrors, sprinkling them about among the people with its movements as it strolled by with the use of its beasts. Jeremy wasn't a man of bravery nor a man of physical strength, not like those who were trained to be knights in Leih-Ley as young men were meant to be and especially unalike to his fair companion. Though to Raven the task of defending themselves against the Xillies or simply protecting the townspeople wasn't initially seen as important at first glance. Fortunately with a few frantic motions and emotional glares from Jem held the ability of persuading her otherwise.


Though what he was meant to do during this duration of time in battle was puzzling, once more he was normally the one which would find comfort in the sidelines or behind a trash bin. Though as his inspection for a hiding spot began it seemed he hadn't been the only one of this nature as that night he had spotted several bundled figures hidden away in an alley. Though the nerves which danced through him in alarm had screamed otherwise, with the speed in which his long legs could produce he had retrieved these now known to be children with the luck of finding none were injured before distributing them out to those who they spoke to be their parent or guardian while they ran about.


It was truly something Jem wished to never experience again, it was terrifying though when he returned to Raven it was overt upon her expression that she wouldn't think the same.


For just as she had anticipated, the Xillies weren't too much of a problem when dealt with accordingly. It took a moment for most of the villagers to realize the threat was no longer present, but how long Raven didn't know. She took advantage of the situation and left the scene, not interested in hearing words of congratulations or answer questions. Urging her companion along, they left the town to rest elsewhere, which- though it wasn't particularly draining for her- she needed after that fight. Jeremy, himself, made it his primary goal to perform what he must to improve the young womens conditions after each fight they encounter, aware of the affects they bring though she doesn't express them.


She hadn't thought she'd hear any more about that night, but to her surprise, more genuine than last time, she and Jem were approached by two knights of the King as well as a Patrol member. She had no reason to be wary of them, but even if she did, she would never show it.


While Jem formally played the role of a nervous jailbird who had recently gotten out of arrest and held no skill of remaining casually composed. Though the knights presence was passive and formal, not holding an air of malice or the intent of arrest. They asked for their names, which Raven politely gave for them both, and then they were handed a letter. Reading over its contents, while her facial appearance didn't show much, her increased surprise could be sensed.


And that was how she and Jem found themselves where they were now, within the castle walls and among others of varying races and descriptions. Since first arriving in castle town, the experienced mage had kept the hood of her robe well over her face, hiding it and her hair completely. When light shone, the glint of her eyes could occasionally be seen, but only barely. She, on the other hand, could see everything else around her quite clearly.


Seated at one of the chairs around the table, Raven observed her surroundings while keeping her head completely still. Jem fully exposed without physical fear stood above her as his gloved hands gripped the head of the chair, eyes inspecting the surroundings rather then the people to free himself of any unintentional interactions.


Raven was no more than a shadow in the background, that being how she liked it. Two others had been here already before she and Jem had arrived: a dwarf and a pixie. She gave no acknowledgement toward them and simply took her seat to wait along with them. As others began to enter the room, both barely stirred, only the slight turnings of Ravens hood showed she was still very much awake and aware of them, but saying nothing for the time being though the interactions which had picked up.


*Collab post with BoysPlantGraves

 

[BoysPlantGraves]

Eldion Que Tangely


Current Location: Castle Waiting Room


Interacting With: Fang @Thinslayer


It seemed that as the evening grew elder the rooms occupants grew livelier with their antics, the actions seemingly more popular in the manlier of the two genders currently within the rooms walls. The men truly living up to their own personal stereotypes of being mindless brutes, though, after unfortunately performing for such an amount of men like these in pubs she held no necessity for further information to back up such a belief as this.


Eldions pale lips hovered over one another as the castles clean air skimmed their creases with a fitted tenderness while her fingers had begun thoughtlessly filtering through the lowest section of her braided hair. A light of the skies warm colors permeated from her hair atop her fingers, giving them a healthy hue though her naturally pearl like skin.


Eldion remained in such a state though the words which were being flung about within the room, remaining passive and silent though she mentally formulated her fantasies of each loud individuals mouth being hidden away behind any substance which would allow the earlier quiet to befall the quarters.


The letter had indeed mentioned the existence of other guests though she had hoped that in some form they'd be aware of proper etiquette, or be aware of when their pants were to big for them. With a fluttering temptation to stand and question one of the guards on whether she'd be able to await for the king in another room, Eldion swung her head towards her right, to instead find a snout before her.


"Oh..." The exclamation fell through her lips in a whisper along with a quick exhale of air, while her lavender eyes widened subtly as they traveled to the animals own on instinct. They were dark and at first a threatening sensation overthrew her, but she soon sensed no true feature within them nor in the wolves structure which would cause her to truly fear him to any intense degree. As she came to this internal observation the being spoke, which was when she attempted to appear unfazed and in some form comfortable with this, however, as her eyebrows perked upwards even farther she knew that she had betrayed her own self.


"It is my pleasure to meet you, Sir Fang" the women paused in an act of thought while the scarred index finger of her right hand reached upwards to flick a stray strand of her hair from her vision in a fluent motion before continuing.


"I'm Eldion Que Tangely, though I'd prefer to sound honorable and professional myself, I hold no ranks like your own."

 

[Zerohex]

Ajax endured the comments from those he figured were other guests with a stoicism that only came from the complete certainty that the chains around him might as well have been seaweeds for all the good they would do in holding him back. It was also because he could see that one of the men before him was worthy of being called such, a burly fighter with a strong body and skilled in the art of war, one that relied on weapons and armor but better than most nontheless. And the dwarf, well, dwarves were famously hardy, and at least he'd been witty. He was kind of surprised no one else reacted to a man in stocks and chains being introduced as a royal guest, but he had been to stranger lands with stranger customs, like people not batting an eye when a man suddenly burst from an empty wine cask.


"Oh, this?" he said, making enough motion to cause every chain on his body to clink noisily. "This is just courtesy. You know, the guardsmen aren't terribly dangerous but they'd look mighty stupid if they brought me here free and unharmed after the beating they took". He took a moment to chuckle merrily, as if retelling a casual tale of tavern exploits instead of admitting he attacked what amounted to royal envoys before surrendering himself. "I'm actually here by the king's summons. Name's Ajax Diagorides, boxer by trade. Apparently those puny dogmen are some kind of legendary old spooks called "Zilys", so the people tell me, which means fighting them gets you a kudos from the king? All I care about right now is whether the food's ready, because the ride here was not exactly luxurious".

 

[TheJipan]

In a pub, you would expect to find many joyous drunkards of all varieties, carelessly drinking their health and their worries away. There are many pubs in Lynthia, and all of them are filled with different people, warriors, scholars, and sometimes even royalty. However, in none of these pubs would you expect to find a small girl with cat ears wearing a fancy black and white dress. Now, as unlikely as that might sound, you would indeed find this girl sitting in one of these pubs, sat at the end of the bar, staring at a piece of parchment with a rather upset atmosphere around her. This girl was Catherine White, or Cathy, as she would rather you call her, and the parchment she was staring at was a summons from the royal advisor to meet with the king. Now, you're probably wondering how such a person would receive such a thing, and you would be surprised to know that she received the summons for defending, or at least helping to defend a nearby town. Now you're probably wondering why the girl has such an atmosphere surrounding her, or maybe you're wondering how a small girl dressed in Lolita clothing defended an entire town... No, no, definitely the aura you're wondering about. Well, if you took a look at her, the answer would become obvious. There was a small cut in one of her ears. No, not her actual ears - the fake cat ears she's wearing. You see, those ears were rather hard to come by, and they'd be even harder to repair. Alternatively, she could have been trying to get someone in the pub to buy a drink for her out of sympathy... No, she's way too innocent to do something so fiendish. But, then again...


Strange. One of these suckers usually buys me a drink much sooner than this. thought Cathy, staring intently at, but not actually reading the piece of parchment. Maybe it's just a slow business day here. she reached a pale hand up to tentatively touch her wounded ear, as if it might have magically healed itself since the last time she had touched it, a few very long minutes ago. Alas, the ears were still damaged, and she knew deep down that it would never heal.


Sighing, Cathy lowered her hand again. It's too bad I can't read this, she thought, it might be someone offering a reward for something. For all she considered this, she couldn't think of a reason why anyone would give her a reward. Except, maybe, what happened yesterday. But all she did then was flash some lights - she didn't really do anything. Either way, she wasn't going to get anywhere just staring at the thing. Keeping her head low, she looked around the pub, trying to find someone who might be willing to read this thing for her. It wasn't long before she did...

 

[DrBones]

Yorick looked the very stocky Ajax up and down, and nodded. "I knew t'humans'a this place're soft! T'take more'n three boys t'take ya in's a d'sgrace! Coodn't blery well see a fine dorfin Martyr get t'kin doon bay ya! Naw, yer a big boy, but y'aint t'worst a dorf kin fight."


Yorick briefly looked over to Riese Vatar. This giant of a man, clad in armor, piqued Yorick's interest. The make of this armor was... while not unusual, it was certainly something of note. Yorick, meanwhile, maintained his scornful tone.


"An' wot'a ye, y'big yellow poof? Wot's got ye 'ere, then? Y'kill a wee smoky puppy too? Aye, I bet ye a load'a these boys're nuffin' but Xeelie killers-- nothin' worth feastin' over!"

 

[Boomrocker]

Vatar looked at the dwarven punk addressing him. To onlookers, it simply appeared that his head turned slightly. His eyes were invisible in the helmet. Did he dignify the dwarf with a response? Hell no. A proper response required a demonstration of martial prowess, and a demonstration of his martial prowess required his sword, and as he was currently without said sword it would have to wait.


So he tromped away from the dwarf and the man in stocks, content he'd learned enough about them to last a lifetime. Who else was around for him to scope out? Why, there was a man who was additionally a wolf! A curious thing! Such beasts were slain wholesale back at his home! He needed to identify what the wolf was doing here. Surely he could not have been summoned, the man-thing looked fragile enough that a stiff breeze would snap him in half. A Xillie would eat him for breakfast. Or not, as the fur would surely be poor for digestion. He set aside such entertaining thoughts as he approached the wolf man and the awfully pale girl with with the dreadful kaleidoscopic hair. Clearly she needed to stay in the sun for a period longer than five minutes. But then it occurred to Vatar that she might burn to death. She could not be a pixie. Pixies did not exist and any thought otherwise was ridiculous.


"You," he said, interrupting Fang with his succinct address. His voice was the tone of gravel, his body language and expression completely unreadable. "Why art thou here?"

 

[Thinslayer]

Fang was about to tell the pixie how delighted he was to make her acquaintance when a metal man rudely interruped him. "You!" the man barked. "Why art thou here?"


Fang lifted a paw and blew a speck off his gauntlet. "I am an honorary member of the Lynthian Patrol, here at the behest of the King himself. Why are you here?"


@Boomrocker

 

[Yonsisac]

@TheJipan


(I have been sent by the GM to save your soul!)


"Come on! dont tell me you cant with little old me now can ya?"On one side of the Inn a Dark green Haird Elf,well was Clearly elf because of its Long ears with there fancy Green Tip,but compared to any other elf she seem different,her skin and her hair seem oddly shiny like if she took a bath in Oil or somthing making her skin like that,but aide from that she seem to be with a few men as one was sitting infront of her on he table,she places her elbow on the table and her hand raise,the mad did the same and grab her hand,seem they were arm wrestling,the man seem build indeed but the elf dint seem like she was gona win,soon one of the men would tap the table and soon start Making forze and both of the strain as they do forze,they seem to be tie but the man takes advantage but then the elf,but then the man,the people looking were just rambling about who would win and all that,but sudently the elf would slam the mans Fist on the table and make a clear smacking sound of wood,she cheer and raise her fist as the man that have lost hands over...a odd small vile of some Transparent liquid,judging might be some Potent Liqueur or somthing,as she would Grab it and look at it as the man says "Be carefull....that i not somthing for-"he is sudently cut off as the elf says "Yea yea whatever...I win,i keep simple...well thanks for your "Donation"





She said with a Grin as the man would chake his head and both would shake hands and depart,the elf dint seem to move,she just sat there on the table,raising her legs and plasing them on the table,her Metal coverd hands hold the Vile of the odd substances with the Letters "DL" On it,with a Grin she would remove the quork and would take a smell,Her head darts away and her face wrinkles,seems thi was something VERY strong,she would close it and put it in her Pouch on her waist,sigh escapes her lips as she would lay back on the chair and close her eyes "Im gona save this for later...maybe important Matters"she said to herself sofly as she hang there,her eyes look around seeing all the Drunk but oddly....she sees um...some person? with cat ears and she seem kinda um..to fancy to be here...Oh well,she shrug and close her eyes and relax placing both of her metal coverd hands on the back of her neck and cross her legs on the table as she did know some people would look at her for her Shiny skin and hair....if only they knew why was it likes this...


(Is this good? sorry in a rish /~\)

 

[Boomrocker]

@Thinslayer


The metal man remained immobile. What the man-giant was thinking was impossible to tell. He could be making silly faces for all they would know. The only constant was the mocking visage that formed the mask of his helmet. But he didn't move. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was really about five seconds The Fabled spoke again.


"Thou art a beast," Riese Vatar finally said, his voice unchanging. No answer to Fang's question came. Just mockery. "A large beast. Far from human or similar stock. Yet thou art here. Dost thou pretend to be human, so? Dost thou dress thyself? Adorn thyself with gems and jewelry like a human?" He wasn't letting up with the mockery any time soon. "Tell me, beast, is it true? Dost thou wear rings? What rings dost thou possess?"


Dramatic pause.


"Knave."

 

[Zerohex]

Well, these people were quite rude, not one comment about food or drink even though he had asked twice. He'd have to teach them a bit about courtesy. But not now, he was hungry. He might as well go and help himself, then. As the two turned to other matters and the rest of the guests continued to pay no mind to the man in stocks talking as if he owned the place, Ajax just took a deep breath. From this simple, apparently harmless action his chest expanded in a freakish manner, a bulking mass of rock-solid muscle that caused the myriad of chains around his body to clink and strain as they tried to contain his girth.


The stocks groaned under the sudden pressure they were placed under, struggling to keep their captive immobilized. Ajax, for his part, simply appeared to be slowly stretching himself. First came the splintering, then the loud cracking, and then the final snapping pop when the foreigner's arms finished their spread to his sides, showering his surroundings with bits and pieces of wood. From there, a quick turning of the neck made what remained of the stocks crash loudly on the ground. And then those scarred and callused hands that seemed closer to a beast's paws went to work on the chains that had already begun to bend and break.


Overall, it took Ajax about five or six seconds of no real effort and a lot of noise to break free from the heaviest standard stocks and chains offered to the imperial patrolmen to apprehend their captives with. His overconfident, arrogant smile implied he could've done it faster and with a lot less racket as he sauntered towards the table where, to his great joy, foodstuffs and various drinks had indeed been set down. He looked around for a serving girl of some sort but found them all understandably cowed at the apparent criminal that had just broken himself free of his bonds, so it looked like he would be helping himself after all.


And so he grabbed hold of an entire roasted chicken by one of its legs with one hand and an entire jug of mead on the other, alternating between taking a bite and a swig with ravenous appetite. Soon, his battered and dirtied robes had earned a collection of new stains. He took a moment to spit out a little piece of bone he could've chewed through in the direction of the dwarf (@DrBones) before turning in the direction of the pixy (@BoysPlantGraves) and the wolf (@Thinslayer) currently engaged in coversation with the armored man that had spoken to him before. Ajax, of course, hadn't heard a single word they'd said, he'd been busy gorging himself.


"Ey gurl..." he took a moment to help a sizeable amount of chicken down with alcohol before continuing. By this point he smelled of sweat, dirt, blood, chicken and plenty of alcohol. "Nice to see they let you keep your pet at the table. My pa would've disciplined me if I'd even tried to have my dog eat like a human".

 

[KatsaNovari]

The guests present were indeed of a wide variety. Raven couldn't say she took a particular interest in any of them, save for the sudden appearance of the criminal when he first entered the room (@Zerohex). Well, "criminal" was the first thought to come to mind. He was well decorated with chains and shackles, each link rattling together with each movement. They appeared to strain against the man's almost bulging form, and while she didn't find it hard to believe he gave the guards a good beating, she had to wonder why he had to fight them in the first place, and why, of all things, the same guards brought him here. Even when the man explained he was summoned here, she was skeptical. No one could see her visage from beneath the hood, but even if they could, it would of made little difference. Her eyes remained the same even as the large man began breaking the chains without any noticable struggle, the increased size of his muscles the only sign of effort showing. As the shackles broke and fell, one of the knights that were already in the room, much more advanced than the simple guardsmen sent to deliver the messages, shook his head as if exasperated by the man's actions. After all, these kind of chains didn't just come from anywhere. With a brief whistle from his lips, he made a gesture to the chains. Two of the guards who had escorted the man, their armor showing the obvious signs of their struggle, hesitated for just a second before approaching to pick up the useless chains and take them away. They'll be mended back to use soon enough.


Raven wasn't impress. The man's attitude annoyed her, so she returned her attention back to her barely touched plate. The dwarf's heavy accented voice could be heard as well, asking questions the heavily armored fellow simply ignored (@DrBones & @Boomrocker). Instead, the armored fellow turned his attention to the wolf and pixie that were just a few chairs down from her. She had politely left them be while they conversed, but now her attention was drawn back to them by how rudely the armored figure addressed the wolf, even after his position was given. There was an ever so slight movement of her brows as they lowered even further, the only sign of her irritation. Not that anyone could see. This man was almost as bad as the other, who also decided to take notice of the pixie and wolf, both of whom differed greatly from most of the room (if the man within the armor was indeed human, but who could say for sure?) save for the dwarf perhaps. While Raven respected others out of civility and to be polite, the wolves of The Patrol held a better position for her than most, which was not easy to obtain. And she did not appreciate how these two figures, wearing their arrogance more heavily and more obviously than either chain or armor, spoke through out their short time here.


"Jem," Raven spoke for the first time. Her voice was as passive as her expression, which she turned to her companion now. As she continued to speak, her voice lacked the mockery or arrogance of either man, and instead was simply matter of fact. She raised her hands to show to Jem, plain for all to see, and she turned her pale fingers around as if inspecting them. "Do you see rings on my fingers? Bracelets perhaps? No? How about a necklace?" Raven felt around her own neck. "Nothing there, either. Hm, I guess that means I'm not human then."


The shifting of her hood showed she turned her attention to the large man next. "Judging from your eating habits, I, personally, think your manners are worse than that of your dog."

 

[DrBones]

Yorick patiently watched Ajax violate his meal, quietly noting the fascinatingly visceral way chicken flesh and bone were masticated in Ajax's ivory grips. When Ajax spat a hunk of bone to Yorick, he snatched it out of the air, and delicately placed it in a pouch in the folds of his robe. Such a champion eater and quaffer would be worth placing into the journal, especially considering the horrid quality of the rest of this adventure.


With a smile hidden underneath his bushy beard, Yorick gave Ajax a hearty wave goodbye, and scanned the room. The others here were all humans. Idiotic, headbanging, selfish humans. However, there were two non-humans.


One was a Sapient Wolf. Dwarfs held them in very little regard, for a variety of reasons. What use did they have of exquisite clothes and art if they couldn't even hold a brush? Why did they insist on living in primitive packs and in burrows and caves when they clearly had enough intelligence to earn royal attention? Why did they insist on making judgements on people they haven't even seen yet? Clearly, Fang was not of pertinent interest to Yorick.


The other was a Pixie. Though pixies were often capricious and reveled in convincing "lesser" races to engage in banditry and rebellion against one another for the sheer fun of it, their constant exposure to magic was phenomenal. Pixie haircloth was always in favor in the Dwarven lands, as their inherent magicalness and relative smoothness made them excellent buffers for enchanted stones and studs. If a Dwarven family had the funds and the chattel to keep a pixie occupied, they would have a fantastic source of income sourced straight from their family pixies. In exchange, the pixies were often kept safe from the consequences of their actions, and were taught basic morality and social studies.


Just such a pixie was in front of Yorick now. Though he didn't know her name, Yorick eyed Eldion Que Tangely with interest. Her clothes were dyed purple, a dye so rare that only the wealthiest families would be able to afford a whole outfit dyed purple. Clearly, Eldion belonged to a very wealthy family, who clearly trusted her enough to send her into the human kingdoms as an envoy.


Yorick, his interest fully piqued, quietly made his way over to Fang and Eldion Que Tangely. With a characteristic Dwarven forwardness, Yorick attempted to catch Eldion's attention.


"Hoy there, pixie! An' oo's yer fam, then? Yer oodles lucky for 'em t'give yeh soo much! Treadw'k ain't much, but yer dye... wotcha! S'prised ye look soo plain f'r all'a t'purple ye got!"

 

[Zerohex]

Ajax didn't really have it in him to pay Yorick or his banter with the pixie any mind now, as he turned his attention towards what appeared to be a little witch. "HAH!" came the response, swift and cutting, Ajax's voice bellowing across the room. Some would've found her cold demeanor and somewhat hidden face offputting, but after you stare down wild beasts from time immemorial that kind of thing just starts looking like child's play, something the harmless do to appear mysterious and menacing. "Manners, dogs have no use for manners and neither do I. Lots to admire in beasts, it's a simpler living, but beasts beneath us they remain. The distance between man and animal isn't so short, girly. Try living in the wilds sometime and you'll understand".


He set down the mostly devoured chicken and near-empty jug and stopped to look at Raven up and down as if she were some kind of object on display. Stuffy robes typical of magicians and their ilk or perhaps religious folks, he could see the pale and youthful skin under the hood which failed to wholly cover her mouth, the thin, bony and obviously frail hands that heavily contrasted with his own mitts, callused and deformed from a lifetime of relying on them to survive. He smiled a toothy, predatory grin at her; equal parts human arrogance and malice with sheer animal instinct of sensing vulnerable prey. His more rational part wondered if this sorceress expected him to be some manner of brute incapable of stringing two words together, but it wasn't really important.


"Of course, you don't look like you could survive a day on the road, let alone a trip into the wilderness". He took a second to take a quick gaze at the man she had adressed before and found him just as wanting in respectable qualities as the little sorceress. "And your man doesn't look like much help either. Have either of you considered exercise?".

 

[TheJipan]

@Yonsisac (sorry for the wait)


It was an Elf. Perfect. thought Cathy, Elves are usually very nice. I cab get them to read this, for sure! It would have been beyond her to realize how ridiculous that would have sounded to any normal person.


Cathy elegantly hopped off of her stool, dropping the half a foot to the ground with ease. She needlessly brushed off her clothing, then grabbed the parchment and began walking quietly over to the Elf. As she walked, she brushed her hair around a little with her hands, and adjusted her dress and posture to make her look even smaller and cuter.


Upon reaching the Elf, she grabbed a small piece of her clothing and began to tag on it like a child to get her attention. "Excuse me Miss?" she said with her well-practised childish demeanour, and held up the parchment for the Elf to see, "Can you read this for me?"


(short post is short.)

 

[Yonsisac]

@TheJipan


The elf Relax with her eyes closed as she sat there with her legs on the table,a yawn escape her mouth as honestly was preaty good relaxing here....But she needed to go later,she was Invited by the Royal adviser but that could wait Honestly,she had her paper in her Pocket as she dint need it so maybe she would throw it away once she reaches the Castle,but rest now was needed.Soon she felt some one Very lightly Pulling her clothe,her eyes slowli open and would streach and shake her head,she look to her side and saw...Of Dear...Was....Waitwaitwait What is a Kid doing here?The tall elf look at her kinda confused but soon would see her small arm extend foward and Offering a paper and hear her delicate voice to read her this...oh she cant read? well alright.


"Oh...sure"The elf would reach for it but soon not,she would reach for her Pocket and get out a tissue,she dint want to get the Ladies Paper Dirty now was she? soon reaching for it with her hand and carfully take the Parchment with the Tissue making sure her slimy Hands dont get it dirty,she would open it and Clear her Throat,hey was similer to the one she got...Huh...seems she was not a kid but just looks Very Youngh but she read


"Dear Miss Catherine White


You are hereby invited to a meeting with King Jair, along with several others. Your heroic deeds of the previous night's horrors have not gone unnoticed, and it is with great gratitude that you be invited to the King's Castle and thanked face-to-face. More will be discussed once you have arrived, and in the meantime, your visit will be greatly anticipated.


~Sincerely,


The Royal Adviser"


"Well Congratulations!...seems you aswell are going to the castle...Bet i will meet ya there"She said with a Grin and would hand the Pice of paper pack to the Girl inbetween her 2 Fingers...she made sure was not Dirty because of her...But The elf was curius of her age..i mean...she look like a kid to her,maybe was a elf but meh she dint know,But meh she dint need to ask.

 

[Archangel]

Zion Caedaren


Location: Ze castle~


Interacting With: Nobody specific...





"Oh, come on, what've I done this time?"


The two bemused knights shared an increasingly confused and increasingly suspicious glance with each other as they panted, red faced, after having finally chased down and cornered the elusive madman with silver hair. Said madman just watched, unimpressed, bare arms folded over his chest.


Silence.


"Seriously, can I start running now?" They just continued to gulp for air, the arrest he expected not coming. One hastily flailed his hand in a floppy gesture he vaguely interpreted as a 'no'.


Zion visibly brightened. "Well, if I'm not getting arrested again, then I'll take my leave-"


"W-Wait..." one of them puffed out, reaching deep into his pocket and rummaging around with fumbling fingers. Much to Zion's surprise, it wasn't the familiar scene of handcuffs being brandished; it was, instead, a letter.


His silver eye stared at it in bewilderment for a few good moments before it was swiftly plucked from the knight's fingers and opened before the man currently being boiled by the sun in his metal suit could even react to the sudden empty space where the parchment once was.


"...Well, fuck."

~ ~ ~

​

It was a loud 'Hah!' that welcomed Zion to the party, loud enough to ring around the room as well as inside his head. The guards that had been tailing him out of sheer suspicion had left him when he entered the palacy-castle thingy, so it was Zion alone that stepped softly through the threshold.


There was a kind of subtle tension in the air, mixed with the aromas of food, wine, metal and awkwardness. He could feel it. He half listened to one man speaking in a decidedly ungentlemanly fashion to a lady concealed in a cloak as his one visible eye skimmed through the room's other occupants, lingering on no-one. Instead, his attention was swiftly captured by the alcohol, calling to him as it sat on the table close by. Without hesitating he moved over with obvious intent, completely disregarded the mugs and tankards as he claimed a whole bottle of his own before swiftly finding a chair and placing his fabulously shiny boots up on the table. Who ever said table manners were his strong points?


For a few short moments, he simply gazed at the bottle like a man in love, before levering the lid off with a knife and taking one long draught. He didn't really know what said alchohol was, but it was good, so he didn't care.


His highly casual manner didn't fail to completely conceal how aware and alert he was. He certainly seemed pretty oblivious, but in truth, he was far from it.


A small, hidden smile curled his lips as he took another sip. He had a feeling it wasn't going to be quite as dull as he thought.


(I am so so so sorry it's so late.. This week has been absolutely crazy, and I haven't had too many opportunities to do anything, as well as losing my first draft It's short, but it'll get better!


Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with the details, don't worry, but there you go. My responses should be a bit quicker from now on!)

 

[TheJipan]

@Yonsisac


Well, what do you know. Thought Cathy, It was a summons. You would have thought that receiving a royal summons would require a bit more than some flashing lights, but she didn't mind that they made a mistake. If it meant she could get some more attention - and that she could fix her ear - she would take it any day of the week. Except Sundays. Sundays are her day off. (pause for laughter) However, what the Elf said intrigued her...


"A summons?!" Cathy said excitedly, taking the parchment swiftly from the strange elf, who was using a tissue to hold it for some reason, "Why would we get summoned?"[/i]