Fantasy The Omegas (always accepting)

[Monstr Okhotnitsa]

@shadowz1995 @DergTheDergon


Vyrrasa stretched as she stood from the small table she had been seated at, letting out a small belch as the food she had just eaten settled nicely in her stomach. It hadn't been particularly lavish fair, but good nonetheless, and she had been hungry. It would not do to find a job on an empty stomach, or do much of anything on an empty stomach, in all truth.


She made her way for the board the available jobs were posted on, not wearing her armor at the moment - for some reason, carrying around an extra sixty pounds of armor when not strictly necessary didn't appeal to her. To her displeasure, she saw that the board appeared to be almost bare of prospective jobs, and the groups huddled together would imply that they were responsible for this. She sighed, approaching the board for the one remaining advertisement posted and skimming it as quickly as she could, not fully comfortable with the common language of the area.


A moment later, she realized that the two standing nearby and speaking to each other were discussing the guard assignment she was observing right this moment, and she made her way over to them, hesitantly introducing herself. "Hello there, I notice you are discussing the escort duty posted on the board? I am wondering if you would object to a third member." She fumbled with the words, the unfamiliar language strange on her tongue and in her mouth, and it was more than audible in her thick accent, unlike anything else to be found in the city, or on the continent. "Please forgive my skills with this language, I have only recently learned it. I am Vyrrasa, if you were wondering."

 

[DergTheDergon]

Sai'Iri was startled as, to her surprise, her conversation with Desh was interrupted the moment the pair began discussing thier departure. Puzzled at the odd accent this woman, her gender apparent by the sound and pitch of her voice, as well as an aura quite different from most people she'd ever met, Sai'Iri simply observed the woman silently for a few moments, before calmly speaking up. "That is fine, Vyrrasa, I understand. I've no objects to you tagging along, though I do not speak for Desh here." She turned towards the Aura of Desh for a response. @Monstr Okhotnitsa @shadowz1995

 

[shadowz1995]

"How could I object to having another lovely lady aboard? Names Desh. Nice to meet you Vyrrasa." As Desh saw her approaching behind the elven mage, he casted his eyes down immediately and proceeded to speak with her. They were now a party of three and this new addition seemed like a hell of a woman. Muscular, curvy, and sounded like she had a bit of a fighting streak in her. Oh how Desh loved the fighters. The better they were, the better they tasted. The vampire grins under his cloak and then turns in the direction the escorting mission indicated for them to go. "To Pyl's gate ladies. Let's not waste anytime and get this done quickly." Suddenly, Desh was looking forward to escorting duty. Probably the ladies now tagging along. Nothing gets a man spirits up like the chance at showing off.





@DergTheDergon @Monstr Okhotnitsa

 

[Imperator Penguin]

“Um, yes . . . sort of . . . it’s complicated.” Cináed wasn’t sure he wanted to explain Aodh to another stranger. He was sure he had already come off as odd to his other two partners earlier. “Aye, it is my first gryphon. I’ve heard of them before but I’ve never had a chance to handle one before. It shall be a learning experience.”


@JustCallMeAimee @Yesman @Hanzax

 

[Monstr Okhotnitsa]

@shadowz1995 @DergTheDergon


"If you do not mind, allow me a moment to fetch my belongings." Vyrrasa replied, eyeing Desh somewhat cautiously, "While I do not doubt my capabilities with spellcasting alone, I find it reassuring to have a large sword to back up the occasional fizzle. Or in case things are getting physical." Or, in case this guy tries something. She couldn't help but be suspicious and wary of him, and she figured he was a vampire, based on... everything. Hopefully he had at least a modicum of self control.


She flashed a halfhearted imitation of a salute and dashed off to her quarters, throwing her gear into the travel bags and securing her sword on her waist, where it hung down behind her buttocks until she needed it. It wouldn't do a whole lot against something large, but against even a vampire, or something worse, three feet of cold forge welded steel ought to be enough to dissuade any ideas. There was always the possibility that he wasn't eyeing them all as nothing but snacks, but from what she had learned of vampires in her time here, that was rather unlikely. The elf was something else, obviously blind and yet, not quite, it would seem. She would bear some further inquiry, perhaps some rudimentary treatment could be discovered for the ailment? Such a thing would be a medical breakthrough, and she paused to locate her pencils and paper, for taking notes.


Sighing, she slipped into her armor, first the gambeson, then the mail haubergeon and coif, and finally the durable lamellar, the familiar weight of it all still exceedingly heavy whenever she put it on. Hopefully the merchants would have some spare room in a cart for her to store it during downtimes, the mail alone weighed over thirty pounds.


As she made her way back to the board, she waved a hand at the two, "Now, I am ready. Shall we go?" Her tone belied her awkward phrasing, hopefully with time she would be able to converse normally in the language.

 

[DergTheDergon]

Sai'Iri found herself rather annoyed at the audacity of the one calling himself Desh. The womanizer type never impressed her, and more often then not they would try to take advantage of Sai'Iri for her blindness only for thier lust-born actions to backfire on them... painfully."Of course," Sai'Iri commented as Vyrrasa told the group she would go off to her room now, and fetch her things. Having been ready to go hours ago, having no more possessions than that which she can carry on her person at all times, she simply waited and passed the time by listening to the conversations of the others in the room.


After a short while of this, Sai' Iri noticed the Aura of Vyrrasa and thus respectfully turned towards her and Desh. After Vyrrasa spoke, Sai'Iri replied in her usual calm, even tone, her smooth feminine voice accentuating it with an undertone of gentleness. "I am prepared to leave if you are, Desh," Sai'Iri spoke, leaning over and grabbing her staff which was propped up against the wall as she was waiting. It was carved of a dark, sturdy wood, the end that faced upward carved in the shape of an eastern dragon coiling around an orb of clear crystal. She stepped towards the Auras of her party members, and prepared to follow them to thier destination. For obvious reasons, navigation wasn't her strong suit and so she would be relying on following the other two hired guards on this job.


@Monstr Okhotnitsa @shadowz1995

 

[shadowz1995]

"Alright! Let's ride ladies. I want this over and done before dinner. Haven't eaten in a while believe it or not hahaha. By the way, nice outfit Vyrrasa. Very intimidating." The vampire said everything in a very genuine voice. He liked to mess around but he could tell when people were starting to get irritated with his witty remarks. 657 years will teach you how to read people quite effectively if nothing else. He turns and taps Sai'Iri on the shoulder to indicate they were leaving. He had confidence the girl could follow suit without much guidance but still the male offered, "If you need some help traversing the terrain let me know Sai." Desh stretches his arms upwards and lets out a big yawn before shaking his head lightly in an attempt to shake off the weariness. Desh started headed towards Pyl's gate. The mission start point. Hopefully the merchants hadn't found anyone else for the guard duty. Then again, with the Omegas that was probably doubtful. The merchants probably already tried.





@DergTheDergon @Monstr Okhotnitsa @xCRAZYxFACEx


(Are we gonna time skip to the destination?)


(Crazy are you gonna control the npc merchants or should we?)

 

[Yesman]

Anima turned to Vincent and Cináed.


"I think we have a full party and we know all we need to know," he whispered to the other two. "Corpus and I are going to heading out first. Come join us once you're ready."


With that, both the zombie and ghost turned and headed out.


@Imperator Penguin @Hanzax

 

[DergTheDergon]

Considering Desh's comment about "not having eaten in a while," combined with the fact that she swore he almost introduced himself as Desh Byron of all surnames, he seemed to be alluding to his possible vampiric nature more than he realized. Or perhaps, that was just Sai'Iri's paranoia getting the better of her. Ever since the "accident," she has always feared that creatures of a sinister nature would be drawn towards her, but perhaps vampires were not among the creatures that would flock to her darkness despite thier widely-believed evil nature. Besides, Vyrrasa was also coming along, and her strong spirit, which Sai'Iri felt quite strongly when near her, would most likely not allow Desh to try anything on either of the females accompanying him on this job, which was reassuring. There was also the fact that her dark magics were sealed by the necklace she was wearing and they would only be detectable or usable when she takes it off.


The tap on Sai'Iri's shoulder was not exactly needed as she could sense when a person's aura was moving away, but the touch made it easier to understand the direction of Desh's physical body, in turn making her ability to follow out of the Omegas' hall easier. A being's Aura is a force that surrounds them and fluctuates, and isn't the most reliable way of following a person, especially in a mass of other living beings, such as a crowd within a city. Sai'Iri said nothing of it and began to follow Desh and Vyrrasa, turning to Desh after his offer and saying "I will keep your offer in mind, but I would appreciate it if you refrained from shortening my name when speaking to me until we've been acquainted for more than a few minutes at least." 'Sai' was a nickname Sai'Iri had grown to be annoyed by after quite a few friends and acquaintances have called her such.


@shadowz1995 @Monstr Okhotnitsa

 

[JustCallMeAimee]

@JustCallMeAimee[/URL] @Yesman @Hanzax

Turning her head back to glanced him over one last time as if assessing. Sighing through her nose she nodded softly, "all I can do is wish you luck." Glancing around the rest of the group she watched them then turned back to Cináed one lest time getting a feeling he didn't wabtvtovtelk them something, simce that isn't her problem she shrugged it off folding her arms.

 

[xCRAZYxFACEx]

@DergTheDergon @Monstr Okhotnitsa @shadowz1995


The trio headed out towards the gates, where the merchants would be waiting. They maneuvered through the crowds, which was easy considering the wide berth they were given. They didn't need to climb any stairs to get to the top levels, thankfully, and soon they found themselves outside the walls.


The merchants they were to be guarding were already there, waiting. One of them stepped forward as the group approached. "Greetings. I assume you're the group the Omegas sent for our protection? Good. We're ready to head out. I am Mr. Auric. And you all are?" After greetings were exchanged, the large group began heading westward. It consisted of six merchants, three pack mules, and of course the trio of guards. At length, Mr. Auric explained why they couldn't use the Aeres Towers.


"The bastards don't allow pack animals onto the platforms, they say they have a tendency to make a mess on arrival or bolt off the tower to their death. That means traders like ourselves have to make do with traversing the continent. Only people who are mages or know mages can bring any meaningful amount of goods to trade through the Towers. They just make a bag that can hold three times what its size should hold, and poof! They can carry anything with them. It's maddening, I tell you. And don't even get me started on the fee just to use the Towers..."


Their destination was a small town called Coalfell, a hundred miles or so from Pyl's Gate, and almost directly in between Pyl's Gate and Thanadan, one of the other large cities. They were stopped for the night, at a town called Portface. The merchants had traded a few odds and ends with the townsfolk, though they were still holding the majority of their merchandise for their destination. At the rate they were going, it would take the group another three days of walking to get to Coalfell.

 

[Monstr Okhotnitsa]

@xCrazyxFacex


Vyrrasa's hand ached from all the notes she had been scribbling down as they made their way through the countryside. She wasn't quite sure just why the Aeres towers were refusing to allow them use of their services, but all in all she didn't mind. While they would've made the trip that much quicker and less exhausting, it would've also robbed her of the chance to observe the heart of the Durian continent and to grill the merchants and residents of Portface for as much information about the land as she could. The combination of her unusual appearance and accent completely unlike anyone else continued to make her something of an interest to the curiously minded, but for the most part she avoided divulging information about her own home beyond vague statements about the vast deserts and high mountain plateaus.


Thus far, nothing had attacked them, but while she was not a superstitious person she saw no reason regardless to tempt fate and remark on this. At least back home, the rule for traveling over land or sea was to always be prepared for the worst, because that way it usually never happened. The worst tended to prefer striking those least prepared. As such she was now practicing with her sword against an imaginary opponent, flowing smoothly from one attack to another with the grace of a ballet dancer despite her heavy armor. While it wasn't visible to the untrained eye, electricity coursed through her blade, and were it that she had a more open space to practice in, she would've included some electromancy in the practice, as she would do so in an actual fight.


As it was however, her feet were growing rather sore despite having exceedingly comfortable boots for them, and she dispelled the lightning clinging to the steel, sheathing the weapon as she retired to the area the merchants and other Omega guards were staying.


Slipping out of her equipment, she lay the bulky garments on a table and propped her sword up against it, retaining her knife in its sheathe on her hip. She looked between her two companions, unsure of which one to speak to. Desh seemed somewhat an interesting character, but he was a vampire, that much was obvious. However, despite having been taught in exacting detail by a friend in Din Ghulda how to recognize the creatures, she didn't actually know all that much about them or what made them tick. Then there was the elf, Sai'Iri, who was blind, but could recognize her presence even if she did not speak or make a sound. Vyrrasa entertained some theories on how she managed that, but the only way to actually know would be to ask the Elf herself - and it seemed in poor taste to inquire about her blindness having only known her for a day.


Desh on the other hand, seemed like the type who wouldn't be too offended if she quizzed him about the mechanics of vampirism, what made vampires tick, and more importantly, why they favored human blood above others.


Her mind made up, she approached the man, leaning against a wall as she addressed him, trying her best to seem approachable and maybe even friendly instead of interrogative. "So I can tell you're a vampire. What confuses me is why you're acting so atypically compared to most vampires I have encountered. Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

 

[DergTheDergon]

As the trio came upon the caravan they'd been escorting Sai'Iri stayed a step behind the other two to adjust to the auras of these merchants until the Omegas were asked to introduce themselves, at which point she stepped forward next to Vyrrasa, on her side opposite from Desh. It was clear Desh unnerved her, and it was hard not to act that way constantly feeling the dark energies in his midst so acutely as she had trained herself to. She introduced herself as Sai'Iri, freelance mage, of course... no other title of hers would be suitable to use in a work environment, unless she wanted to be captured and killed. One thing she had been wondering as they made thier way here, is why traverse the danger-filled countryside when one could simply make use of the Aeres Towers. Of course there were quite a few reasons mired in politics, capitalism and status favoritism... Sai'Iri found herself annoyed just thinking about the progress that could be made if trade was not restricted in such ways by the greedy power mongers at the top of the human food chain.. or perhaps her perception of this was born from stories her father told her, her father who had a very blatantly negative opinion of other races, and thus should be taken with a grain of salt. The mysterious mages who rescued Sai'Iri had taught her to keep an open mind, so she would endeavor to do so on this trip, old habits, beliefs and prejudices aside.


The road was long, and Sai-Iri occupied herself with feeling the auras of local wildlife, and any sentient beings that passed by. During part of the trip, walking beside Vyrrasa and Desh as usual, her perceptions were disrupted by use of unfamiliar magic by Vyrrasa, just on the edge of her sense for magical energy. She spoke nothing of it, of course, but the longer Vyrrasa channeled the electrical energy through her sword the more it disrupted her senses, to the point where she had to focus on positive thoughts and thinking through one of her magical theorems to keep her from feeling on edge. It was not Vyrrrasa fault of course, but the curse of being so perceptive to magic, and nearby and unfamiliar technique for so long.


Sai'Iri kept quiet during the journey unless spoken to, as that way she was less liable to say something that saddened, offended or angered someone. Until she got to know these two fellow Omegas better, she would most likely stay that way. Every time she did so, she felt thier inward feelings towards her words, making the guilt more impactful to her than those not gifted with Energy Perception. No matter how well a person seemed to take her slips of the tongue by thier verbal responses, on the inside it was clear that they were hurt more than they let on. Yet again, anothe curse of her sense for living energies. There were many blessings as well, but at times they were outweighed by the bad. Life was a balance of things though, and slowly Sai'Iri has learned to let go of the feelings caused by her perceptions.


That evening, stopping at the town known as Portface, Sai'Iri refrained from commenting on the odd naming conventions of human towns and roads, and quietly retired to her room in the Omega's quarters. Doing her evening meditations before sleeping, Sai'Iri couldn't help but overhear the nearby conversation between Vyrassa and Desh. She found herself appalled that Vyrrasa would be so... blunt about such a thing. What if one of the merchants overheard? That could cause a great deal of trouble. Sai-Iri found herself silently observing their conversation, observing thier aura's Desh's in particular, to "see", for lack of a better term the true feelings underlying thier speech.


@shadowz1995 @Monstr Okhotnitsa @xCRAZYxFACEx

 

[shadowz1995]

"I....damn that obvious huh? I wasn't even trying to intimidate anyone and my mannerisms were never that vampiric. My adoptive family...uh chastised me for it quite often. But if you have questions for me then go ahead. Long as they aren't too personal. And keep it down please? People don't exactly like vampires very much." The vampire male let's out a long sigh before propping up against the opposite wall of the warrior woman. The journey had been long and absolutely boring. Nothing had happened so far, the merchants were annoying with their complaining of taxes, Sai'Iri seemed to dislike Desh even though he didn't do anything and Vyrrasa was incredibly (and annoyingly) wary of him. Couple that with the fact Desh hasn't fed in a two days made the vampire not only irritable and sensitive but also more instinctual. He was going to need to feed soon and if it was around these girls they would probably kill him for feeding on a "innocent civilian". Or....try to anyway. He highly doubted they could catch him if he ran.


The vampire takes off his hood and looks Vyrassa dead in the face for the first time. His magma ire locking onto to her eyes and holding it there. It Is said that when a vampire gazes directly into the eyes of a human/humanoid the feeling that came was similar to locking eyes with a feral tiger. Desh was aware of the effect but he wanted to show her that there was no nonsense about him now. He would answer any questions he could honestly. Sai-Iri's scent wafted its way into Desh's nostrils and it drew a grin from the warrior. She might as well know a few things about him as well. Might make her a little more at ease.

 

[Monstr Okhotnitsa]

Vyrrasa shook her head slowly as Desh responded, sitting down herself. In a quieter voice than before she continued, "Please do not take my inquiry for hostility. I am simply unused to encountering vampires who did not attempt to feed on me the moment my back was turned, or even outright attack me. Your not doing so is a curiosity to me, and I wish to ask you a few questions on just how vampires 'tick' so to speak, as nobody has seen fit to tell me." She pulled out a pencil and a few sheets of paper, "Now, before I begin, you actually weren't obvious at all - to a regular person. I spent two years in Din Ghulda, and during that time a friend I had met taught me what I believe to be almost everything there is to know about recognizing a vampire, so the fact that I knew you were one is not representative of how you blend in otherwise."


Clearing her throat, she looked at him quizzically meeting his gaze with her own steely expression, "These may sound like inane and senseless questions, but where I come from vampires have never even been heard of, let alone existed as an actual entity. As such, I am curious. Now, I know some things from my time on the continent of Durian, such as methods of transmission, et-cetera. But as I have not exactly been presented with abundant chances to speak with vampires about the condition, I do not know 'what it is like', if you will, and this is something I would like to document."


"Now, just a few what I think are smallish questions for now. Why the preference for human blood? I know, I think, why the consumption of blood in general is necessary, but what intrigues and bemuses me is the preference for human blood. What is it about it that is different from say, a deer or dog? Second, is the suggestion that sunlight can cause you physical harm truth or falsehood? I cannot find a single definite answer, and there is much conflicting material. Third, a bit different of a question, is there anything I can say or do if I encounter other vampires that will allow me to converse with them without them seeing me as simply a meal?" She adjusted herself in her seat as she finished speaking, pencil at the ready as she watched him intently, "As a side note, you probably think I am wary of you, and this is true, but that simply comes with my prior experiences, and I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. You mentioned you hadn't eaten in a while, which leads me to another smallish question, do you need to kill somebody to feed off of them, or is that merely superstition as well? Since I presume you do not intend to starve yourself. And again, my apologies for not speaking this language better."

 

[shadowz1995]

"Ah so a stroke of bad luck then. That has happened to me a few times. Usually it ends up in a city chasing me down for a decade or so unfortunately." The vampire sighed and relaxes his gaze, his features taking on a much softer tone. Desh had dropped his guard a little and he felt like if he could trust her a bit. She seemed genuine enough but he had been wrong before. Being wrong about these kinds of things can get a vampire killed really quickly. So while his face softened, the glint in his eyes never left, indicating he had relaxed but he did not trust her much.


Desh sat quietly and listened to all of her questions and inquiries. Her curiosity and at the end he chuckled lightly. The questioned were so innocent and curious that he felt like he was talking to a child rather than a full grown warrior of a woman. When she was done, Desh stood up and moved toward her slowly with his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Watch ok? I am not going to hurt you but simply observe and you will see an interesting reaction." The male continued to approach very slowly and warily. He didn't want to rile her up but he also didn't want her to take this chance to attack while he had his arms up like that. It came to the point where he was a mere foot away from her and he knelt down to her level. The vampire opens his mouth and reveals his fangs to her. "Noaa waaashhh." (Now watch) The male closes his eyes and takes a deep, long breath in. He drinks in her scent and how she so matches his preference. A skilled warrior. How he loved the smell and taste of a fighter. And female at that. A....good looking one too. The vampire's fangs elongated roughly an inch and came to an even finer, sharper point than they were originally. So sharp they looked like they could bite through steel. Desh then closed his mouth and backed away from her, admittedly a little rushed. His eyes were now visibly glowing rather than simply luminescent and hunger was clearly dominating his eyes. He takes a deep breath, focusing on the fresh air rather than her intoxicating scent, and exhales it slowly. When he opens his eyes again they are clearly not as bright but they still glowed their lava like glow.





"Imagine you are starving. You haven't eaten in 8 days. The hunger is killing you. The hunger feels like it's tearing you apart from the inside out like a beast trying to free itself from your stomach. I'm sure you know the feeling of being truly hungry. Then a sudden traveling gourmet comes around and cooks something for you. He cooks you your favorite meal. Maybe its a juicy steak with all the right seasonings and grilled to absolute perfection. Steak is an example, use anything that comes to mind. He also makes a decorative salad in a separate plate. The gourmet tells you that you can only eat one or the other. Which would you go for? Obviously your favorite meal no? That's how it is for vampires. We can sustain ourselves on animals but when our favorite meal is right in front of us and SO MANY of them....come on." The male lets out a laugh and gives a pause for her to write down anything she found interesting before moving on to the next question.





"Sunlight....ahhhh sunlight. No, sunlight does affect vampires negatively. Though vampires that live in different areas tend to develop different traits. Same as most beings. The vampires from where I'm from are hurt by sunlight. It will burn me like if you were pressing a hot iron against my skin while for some vampires it merely bothers them. The brightness bothers their eyes. However, one universal fact is true to all vampires. The longer we go without feeding, the more adverse the effects become. If I am blood-starved I could very well combust into flames should I take a direct shine from the the sun. It's because the longer we go without feeding, the more vampiric we become. We get closer and closer to our roots and in turn we become stronger. As I have seen, the stronger a vampire is, the more effective vampire repellents become." Again another pause for her to take notes.


"You asking me, if there is anything you can say or do that will prevent a vampire from attacking you, is about as profound as me asking if there was anyway to get humans to stop hating me or fearing me because of what I am. It varies greatly from person to person." Desh's eyes narrow slightly and a subconscious but dangerous tone comes into it. Anger. Anger from so many centuries of humans doing the same over and over. The worst part was that Desh himself didn't even notice his voice took that edge. "Vampires are SENTIENT. Every choice they make is ,for the most part, a conscious choice they made. That includes if they simply attack you outright. We are not simply mindless monsters. So to answer your question with another question. If a man, who was stronger and more skilled than you, caught you off guard and pinned you down. He's trying to defile you and rape you until his rampant lust was satisfied and you were left humiliated, broken, shamed and distraught. How would you prevent that from happening? ....It isn't a question that has a definitive answer because human beings are not bears. You cannot just play dead and they will lost interest. Vampires are the same. It varies greatly from vampire to vampire because despite what they are, it does not change the fact that they are still people. Just like elves are still people. Dwarves, draconians, drow, orcs, fae, dyrads...All sentient. All different in their own right from each other. You can't judge the whole race because of the actions of one or even many. There are all their own people. Hence why I chose to join the Omegas. I'm 670 goddamn years old. I think humans have had enough time to wake the fuck up and if they wont, then I will forcefully open their eyes to the truth."





@DergTheDergon @Monstr Okhotnitsa

 

[xCRAZYxFACEx]

As much as he wanted to take a look around town, he decided going with the mage's advice would be the best starting point. This whole teleporting affair had been more of an experience than had expected. The sights from their vantage point were practically to die for as well! It wasn't often he had access to such nice methods of traveling. "If you don't mind, may we head downstairs to the visitor's center first? I would like to get a little information before we set off." Darrick asks his companion.
@Ullr

Miles shrugged. "I don't mind," he replied. In truth he was still disoriented from the trip they had just taken, and he was getting used to the area still. For the moment he'd just follow Darrick.


Entering the visitor's center, they could see numerous signs espousing the many great attributes of the city. Reading some of the signs, the duo (or at least Darrick) could tell that the city was very temperate, being right on the edge of a lake. The city itself was very defensible, with a desert and badlands to the west, large mountains to the east, and the lake to the north. It made sense that most of the defenses were concentrated in the south.


The city wasn't a multi-tiered behemoth like Pyl's Gate, fortunately. It meant they could walk down the streets and still see the sky. The city was a complete sprawl, though, with narrow, winding paths and tall buildings that served multiple functions. Just by walking down the stairs to the visitor's center, though, the duo could tell the city was in a bit of a recession. If not for the Champions of Altag and their tendency to keep rabblerousers and troublemakers away, the city might have been in a worse state.


Numerous people were free to talk to at the center, men women, humans, elves, even a sarben or two. If Darrick wanted to learn more, he'd have to choose someone to talk to...

 

[CoreyXIX]

Miles shrugged. "I don't mind," he replied. In truth he was still disoriented from the trip they had just taken, and he was getting used to the area still. For the moment he'd just follow Darrick.
Entering the visitor's center, they could see numerous signs espousing the many great attributes of the city. Reading some of the signs, the duo (or at least Darrick) could tell that the city was very temperate, being right on the edge of a lake. The city itself was very defensible, with a desert and badlands to the west, large mountains to the east, and the lake to the north. It made sense that most of the defenses were concentrated in the south.


The city wasn't a multi-tiered behemoth like Pyl's Gate, fortunately. It meant they could walk down the streets and still see the sky. The city was a complete sprawl, though, with narrow, winding paths and tall buildings that served multiple functions. Just by walking down the stairs to the visitor's center, though, the duo could tell the city was in a bit of a recession. If not for the Champions of Altag and their tendency to keep rabblerousers and troublemakers away, the city might have been in a worse state.


Numerous people were free to talk to at the center, men women, humans, elves, even a sarben or two. If Darrick wanted to learn more, he'd have to choose someone to talk to...

As Darrick looked around the city he took some small comfort in knowing it was a bit smaller than Pyl's Gate. At least here he could see the sky. The only downside is the place was built like a maze. But then again, when wasn't a city eventually made like one? The city's appearance of slight decline did little to make him uneasy. All in all, it reminded him a little of previous home. The rest of their time would hopefully go smoothly. As he looked around the center he decided some investigation would be done here before they made to the monastery, just to see if the bears he and Miles were going to hunt may have been spotted closer to town as well. Knowing all the places they have been seen could help get a feel for where their liar may be.


After a few moments he approaches one of the elves to ask some questions. "Excuse me, a moment of your time? We're here to help some of the local monasteries with their bear problem and were hoping to get a little bit of information." he inquires to the elf.

 

[Imperator Penguin]

Cináed took one last chance to fill up his stomach before heading out to join Xacular at the farms. He hoped the others had some coin to get them through the time it would take to hunt the griffin because he certainly didn’t have any. While he could hunt to survive, if they needed to purchase anything, he wouldn’t be of much use.


@Yesman @Hanzax @xCRAZYxFACEx

 

[Yesman]

Xacular Corpus and Anima was standing a distance away from the farm. Anima had reasoned that although he and Corpus were not hostile, the farmers might not take it so well if they saw two undeads approaching them. As such, both the ghost and zombie now waited for their living companions to arrive.


@Hanzax @Imperator Penguin @xCRAZYxFACEx

 

[xCRAZYxFACEx]

As Darrick looked around the city he took some small comfort in knowing it was a bit smaller than Pyl's Gate. At least here he could see the sky. The only downside is the place was built like a maze. But then again, when wasn't a city eventually made like one? The city's appearance of slight decline did little to make him uneasy. All in all, it reminded him a little of previous home. The rest of their time would hopefully go smoothly. As he looked around the center he decided some investigation would be done here before they made to the monastery, just to see if the bears he and Miles were going to hunt may have been spotted closer to town as well. Knowing all the places they have been seen could help get a feel for where their liar may be.
Th


After a few moments he approaches one of the elves to ask some questions. "Excuse me, a moment of your time? We're here to help some of the local monasteries with their bear problem and were hoping to get a little bit of information." he inquires to the elf.

The elf nodded, smiling in an almost sincere way. "Of course. The town of Hosman's Watch is home to the Order of the Deluge, who believe the world will be washed away in a great catastrophe. That is why they reside on the mountainside, you see, to escape the flood. They are very isolationist, and only true believers are allowed inside. Nonetheless, a small community has grown around them, to facilitate trade and supply them with resources in exchange for their unique medallions and metals. Recently, bears have been more aggressive with their foraging, and at least one villager has died, unfortunately." At this she frowned. "Up to five bears have been sighted at once in the town. As such, the mayor of the town has had no choice but to enforce a curfew on the villagers. Further complicating the issue is the fact that the monks won't let anyone in to their sanctuary, despite the villager's protests and pleas. Was their anything else you needed to know?"

 

[CoreyXIX]

The elf nodded, smiling in an almost sincere way. "Of course. The town of Hosman's Watch is home to the Order of the Deluge, who believe the world will be washed away in a great catastrophe. That is why they reside on the mountainside, you see, to escape the flood. They are very isolationist, and only true believers are allowed inside. Nonetheless, a small community has grown around them, to facilitate trade and supply them with resources in exchange for their unique medallions and metals. Recently, bears have been more aggressive with their foraging, and at least one villager has died, unfortunately." At this she frowned. "Up to five bears have been sighted at once in the town. As such, the mayor of the town has had no choice but to enforce a curfew on the villagers. Further complicating the issue is the fact that the monks won't let anyone in to their sanctuary, despite the villager's protests and pleas. Was their anything else you needed to know?"

Hm, this was certainly a lot more information than he had anticipated. Not that the human wasn't happy for it. On the contrary, this elf almost single-handedly saved him the trouble of having to ask around further! Darrick had to admit, he hadn't expected to be assisting a village housing what was essentially a doomsday cult. He just hoped their belief was erroneous. Failing that, the 'great catastrophe' not happening in his lifetime. On the bright side, five bears was what the ex-inquisitor had been hoping to bag instead of just the required three. Still, the curfew may prove troublesome. They had best get on the move and quick! "Thank you for your information. One last thing I need to know. Can you give me good directions to Hosman's Watch?" he asks her.

 

[xCRAZYxFACEx]

Hm, this was certainly a lot more information than he had anticipated. Not that the human wasn't happy for it. On the contrary, this elf almost single-handedly saved him the trouble of having to ask around further! Darrick had to admit, he hadn't expected to be assisting a village housing what was essentially a doomsday cult. He just hoped their belief was erroneous. Failing that, the 'great catastrophe' not happening in his lifetime. On the bright side, five bears was what the ex-inquisitor had been hoping to bag instead of just the required three. Still, the curfew may prove troublesome. They had best get on the move and quick! "Thank you for your information. One last thing I need to know. Can you give me good directions to Hosman's Watch?" he asks her.

"Of course," the elf replied. "If you head east, you'll see one of the main gates opens up to a road up the mountains. Follow the road and you should arrive at the village in a few hours. It's really quite easy."


Their destination set, the duo headed out. Once they were out of the visitor's center, Miles asked, "I wonder how much damage some bears could really do. Sure, they're big, but... don't they normally stay out of people's business?"

 

[CoreyXIX]

Darrick nods as he mentally takes note of her directions to where they need to go. It wouldn't be hard at all. When they left he heard Miles chime in with a very good point. Darrick stopped for a moment to consider it. "Now that you mention it, that is pretty odd. They usually leave people alone unless they're in their territory." There apparently hadn't been much of an issue until recently, so that begged the question of what has changed. He sighed. "There may be a chance there's more to this than some rogue bears." the human just hoped he was worrying for nothing.

 

[Monstr Okhotnitsa]

@DergTheDergon @shadowz1995


Vyrrasa hummed thoughtfully as she penned the notes down on the paper, scribbling them down quickly in a strange alphabet understood only to her. Desh had provided interesting answers, but for the most part, not quite the answers she would've liked. Looking back up to the vampire she folded her hands, "That is not quite what I meant. Allow me to rephrase, if you will."


"I understand why you wish to feed on human blood. I too would do so in the same situation, were it really a scenario such as you describe. Some would find it reprehensible, but some are not always hungry, I do not take argument with this. What I wish to know is exactly why it is the blood of other humans that is the best. I accept that your justification for its consumption, but I already knew this. What I wish to know is why exactly, it tastes so good?" She looked at him and watched in silence for a moment before continuing. "Continuing on with this, would you describe vampirism as a fire then, perhaps? The feeding being the addition of water to the flames to dampen them and make them less obtrusive, but at the same time greatly diminishing their benefit in that they are now that much smaller, and by contrast when allowed to grow large their power and strength are much greater, but with obvious downsides."


She paused to allow him to respond, and to take notes on what he said, and then continued, completely unphased by his outburst. "I do not ask for a magical pacifism spell that will stay a vampire's wrath. What I wish to know is..." she paused, "I am from a continent an ocean away. A vast, incomprehensibly massive ocean, and my people have only just now discovered this continent. Back home, there are no vampires, or elves, everything is radically different. We, my people, do not care about sex, race, and would not care about vampirism past scholarly interest and concerns over feeding, which could easily be solved by blood banks I am sure, there is a market for everything. I personally hold no prejudice against you, beyond concerns for my personal safety based on prior events. I understand your outrage, and beg pardon for how I phrased my question." She paused, brushing a strand of hair out of her eye.


Fixing Desh with a similarly intense gaze, she continued further, "Were a man to attempt to rape me, I would electrocute him. Several have, I traveled overland to Pyl's Gate with naught but a pack horse and the occasional companion, bandits were a frequent occurence. All of them died. But there is a difference, in my opinion, between a vampire and a rapist. One is a horrific monster that preys on the weak, defiles the sanctity of the body, and ought to be purged at every opportunity. The other is a vampire, who in my opinion is simply an individual with a rather unfortunate lot in life and a hostile world that will not attempt to understand, save rare instances. So I ask you again, Desh, as sincerely as I can, as one of those rare instances, laugh at me if you wish, attempt to kill me, whatever you desire - is there anything I can say to another vampire that will tell them, 'I am friendly, you can trust me'? I do not enjoy killing, even if I do not hesitate to do so if necessary, if there is anything you can do to help me avoid killing another who does not deserve it, please." She was silent after that, leaning back into her chair as she watched him. She'd not put that much emotion into a speech in years, and it was slightly tiring if anything. It had been a struggle to keep her voice down and still deliver the message, but she had managed it.


Now she just had to see if it would have any effect.