Aeverlest: Legend of the Crystal Flames Prologue: Far away, in the land of Aeverlest, legends tell of a Golden Age millennia ago, when the streambeds ran with liquid diamond and gold was as plentiful as fonweed. Life was abundant, poverty was unheard of, food was plentiful, and all manner of ores lay just beneath the soil, ready for the taking. In this age, miraculous advances were made in all fields: science, agriculture, architecture, and smithery. But none of the advances were as wonderful, spectacular, or renowned as the advances made in magic, for it was in this age that the Greatflames were found. There were flames that had been found before then, of course. Red Flame was the most common, for the average man had long since learned to create it. It was used often: in cooking, smithing, destruction, war, creation of warmth, and entertainment. Green Flame was commonly seen arcing through the sky or pillaring toward the ground when the sky grew black with cloud and the voice of the wind grew deep with thunder. Many wizards and mages were known to utilize Yellow Flame and Blue Flame in their mysterious arts, and there were even a few White Flames and Black Flames known to exist, though few dared attempt to wield them. These were all Minor Flames, however. The six Greatflames, one for each color of magic, were gargantuan fires; nexuses of arcane power that emanated infinite magical energy which could be caught and utilized by magicians as the lesser flames, but on a much grander scale. Though the power granted by the Flame was limited to the Flame's unique element, the Flames were highly coveted and sought after. None truly knew if they exist, for they were told of in no legend, but rather were first conjured with pen and ink upon the theoretician’s parchment. Even so, the mere possibility of their existence was enough to drive many a mad quest to search for the Flames. Thousands of searches had occurred over a span of ages. All had failed. It is ironic, then, that the first Greatflame was found not by a wizard or adventurer, but by a simple peasant boy whose name has been lost in the time-spanning channels of myth. This nameless boy, called Clunes in many renditions of the story -- which translates to “Shepherd” in the old tongue -- is said to have lived in the village of Tekka at the base of Pyami Dehim, the Fire Mountain. The story goes that Clunes was tracking down a young stray sheep which he feared may have fallen down a cliff on the mountain slopes, when he discovered a cave out of which emanated a red glow. Clunes believed he had stumbled across the residence of a fur trapper and, since it was growing dark, he thought he would see if the trapper would grant him shelter for the night. Within the cave Clunes found, not a trapper, but an enormous red fire, burning without fuel and without perishing. Being a mere peasant, Clunes did not know of the Greatflames, and so did not recognize one when he saw one. Hence, the residents of Tekka saw a strange sight that night, as the shepherd came running through the village late at night, screaming like a madman about witchcraft, and seeking the town wizard, who is named Tacti-Kalshu in most of the legends. When Clunes brought Tacti-Kalshu to the Flame, he recognized it for what it was. Not wishing wars to break out over ownership of the flame, Tacti-Kalshu built a monastery shrine at the cave's mouth, where all wizards who studied the Crimson Arts could come and train close to the Crimson Greatflame. And over the years, the remaining five Flames were found and enshrined similarly: Verdant, Azure, Saffron, Ivory, and Ebony. All found, all enshrined, each in its own way. And so the Golden Age was prosperous and the people were happy. That is, until the Traal came... Rules: * Read everyone’s posts! Not only does this keep us all on the same page, its fun to know your posts are being read and acted upon. Respond to stimuli and events from other players’ posts. * Avoid writing one-line posts or extremely long posts. A range of 40-300 words is good to shoot for. * Edit before posting, we’re all here to improve as well as enjoy. * No God-modding or perfect characters. (Boring!) * Do not control or kill another person’s character without their express consent. * If a player is AWOL and holding up the game the character will be NPC’d (or offed) at the GMs’ discretion. If you know you’ll be gone for some time you may hand over your character to another player’s care. * Don’t flood the thread with long conversations or extensive actions. Give others a chance to post before moving on. * Keep in touch with the Discussion Thread. I am apt to post meta-information about the world in response to either a question or events, data which may be important for your character to know. Additionally, please discuss any issues in the Discussion thread or PM me with your concerns. Metagaming, talking out of character, and spamming up the story thread is counterproductive. * And lastly…the GMs’ word is law. Character Template Name: Age: Sex: Height: (approximate is fine) Appearance: Background: (you must have something very descriptive) Personality: Weapons/Armor: (keep it reasonable) Elemental school: (if magic user) Socioeconomic status: (Royalty, nobility, warrior, merchant, peasant) Metadata: *All player characters are personal acquaintances of Mon Ich, but none have known him for more than thirty years. None have known him as looking anything but his current appearance. None have known him closely. (no childhood friends or anything) *Human characters are preferred, but others are accepted with reasonable explanation (see my blog for basic information about other races) *I have a few special rare and hidden skills/curses that I am willing to parcel out but do not want to make public knowledge. PM me or ask me in the discussion thread if interested. And so it begins... Seja mon Ich scanned the room. More had arrived than he expected. A large handful of knights and wizards, not merely a small one, stood in the Pyramid's vast central chamber. That's good, he decided. More people here means more may join, which in turn means higher chance of success. He stood up and addressed the group. "My friends, thank you for coming to such a remote location on such short notice. As time is short, I shall get straight to the point. "The reason I have called you here is simple: be you wizards or warriors, you are good at what you do. We have need of your skills for an admittedly herculean task. An army would be too cumbersome, and a small appointed squadron lacks the intuition and skillful variety of a band of indirectly hired mercenaries. "Most of you are no doubt aware of the coming crisis, but for the benefit of those among you with...paltry educations, I shall refresh your memories. Our world is on the brink of a turning point; the dawning of a new age. Soon, the two moons shall come into alignment and a great Cataclysm shall occur. The flow of magic shall change and...yes I see you snickering there. No doubt you believe the Cataclysm is naught more than an old legend. But I assure you, it and the dangers it pose are very real. After this event, the world as we know it will be utterly scarred and destroyed. "Few of even the greatest civilizations have been known to survive a Cataclysm. Even the strongest nations are disintegrated; reduced into a handful of warring factions. The stress of rebuilding a world is too much for most societies. "And that is why we need you. "Scattered across the world are six fires sealed in crystal, one for each color of magic. Once, they were the mighty Greatflames, enshrined and studied for the good of all. Now, they have been lost. "With the arcane powers in these Crystal Flames, we can heal this land from the scourge that is to come. Our King, Lord Danyu, Ruler of Hani, has personally agreed to this plan. "Unfortunately, there is great risk in this undertaking. Quite frankly, the King does not count on your success. Death and failure are the most likely outcomes. Yet, should you manage success -- even partial success -- we are prepared to reward you handsomely. "In addition to the immortal fame associated with reclaiming the Flames, you will be paid with whatever your heart desired. Money, honor, power, arcane knowledge...all these things shall be granted you. "So, who among you shall take up this burden? Who shall seek the glory of saving our kingdom?"
Juniper Travaren Nineteen Years Old Female Juniper is 5'2 and slender with a slightly boyish build. Her hips are shapely, but she is somewhat lacking in the bust department. Despite her boyish body her face is very feminine. She has thick dark hair that hits to the small of her back in usually tangled waves. She tends to braid her hair, when it is not tied back in a silver ribbon. Her eyes are large and almond shaped, a startling shade of violet. She has high cheekbones and a full mouth, her faces only flaw (according to her mother) is the nose Lady Travaren kindly describes as "strong". Character Template Name: Juniper Travaren Age: Nineteen Years Old Sex: Female Height/Appearance: Juniper is 5'2 and slender with a slightly boyish build. Her hips are shapely, but she is somewhat lacking in the bust department. Despite her boyish body her face is very feminine. She has thick dark hair that hits to the small of her back in usually tangled waves. She tends to braid her hair, when it is not tied back in a silver ribbon. Her eyes are large and almond shaped, a startling shade of violet. She has high cheekbones and a full mouth, her faces only flaw (according to her mother) is the nose Lady Travaren kindly describes as "strong". Background: The Travaren family has been known for generations for owning one of the finest vineyards in all of Aeverlast. They are only slightly less well known for the males ability to father large amounts of children. Juniper is the youngest child of seven, and her fathers favorite. Her eldest brother Alder is a knight in the queens guard, her two eldest sisters Lilly and Holly married strategically to prominent families, the younger son Hawthorne is poised to take the lordship and control of the vineyard and is betrothed to the queens niece. Rosa, Junipers twin sister, is being trained by Lady Jocelyn Travaren to run the household in preparation for her eventual marriage. Juniper is the only daughter who hasn't been reigned in and betrothed, much to Jocelyn's annoyance. Personality: Juniper is a free spirit with an insatiable curiosity. She has always been very intuitive, with very strong instincts when it comes to people. Her father, Lord Nathaniel Travaren, recognized her ability from a young age and has brought her to business affairs and social gatherings alike since she was seven. He values her opinion above all others and has always given her free reign as long as she is always ready to accompany him. She has always bee fascinated by people and history and loves meeting people of all walks of life. Weapons/Armor: Juniper wears no armor, but she does carry an ivory handled dagger her father had made for her on her 13th birthday. Elemental school: She is mildly talented in the use of blue fire. Her brother Hawthorne inherited an affinity for working with blue fire from their father, the talent passing from father to son in the Travaren line. They use their ability to freeze ripe grapes on the vine, making the highly sought after ice wine the family is known for. Socioeconomic status: House Travaren is of the minor nobility, owning a small but highly profitable vineyard. I will have my part of the story for her later tonight!
Name: Trucido Aer Furtim Velox Neco Fabre Age: 21 Sex: Male Height: Few inches under 7 foot Appearance: Tall Alfar male. Trucido has bright, clean blond hair that he keeps slicked back. He keeps clean shaven and has bright, iridescent green eyes that are framed by his sharp facial features. Usually wears fairly expensive clothing, including an emerald and jade pendant around his neck shaped like a dagger being engulfed by wind and lightning. To keep his Alfar descent hidden Trucido wears his hair so that is covers the pointed tips of his ears. Background: Trucido is the last surviving heir of the infamous Fabre family. The Fabre were known to the public as a rich family of fast and efficient merchants. But to many, they were much more than that. They were an elite group of assassins and thieves. Using perfected stealth and speed spells through a master of green fire. During the day they were merchants who used green fire to evade bandits and improve their speed. By night they were ruthless assassins who used green fire to hide within the air itself but still attack with the force and accuracy of lightning. Since the country of Hani distrusted the Alfar, the Fabre family was forced to take up a second identity while trading and working in Hani. While in Hani they referred to themselves as the Furtim family, often covering their pointed ears with their hair and using simple green flame spells to disguise other distinguishing features. That's what the Fabre family was. The Fabre family had owned an entire island. The island sat on the coast of an overseas country, not far from where the emerald flame was located. At least that's where they had lived until the fateful day of Trucido's 16th birthday. The 16th birthday was a very important turning point in a man's life within the Fabre family, so the entire family had traveled to the family estate. That's when tragedy struck. Right before midnight, on a night when Lasaur, the smaller of the planet's two moons, was full, just as soon as Trucido's father had finished the ceremonies to induct Trucido into adult hood, a shadow fell over the island. The massive shadow belonged to an immense enraged dragon. The dragon was so large, so powerful, so destructive, so full of raw power, that it destroyed almost the entire island. All that was left was Trucido. No one knows how Trucio survived, not even Trucido himself knows. Few even know that he survived. He is the last of his kind. Since the death of his family Trucido has studied everything about his families techniques possible. While the main family estate had been destroyed, there were many other family estates that survived. Some of which had extensive libraries detailing the families techniques. Since Trucido is the only heir Fabre left, he inherited everything, a truly massive fortune for any one person to handle. So he handled it. He put a massive fortune of valuables and gold into banks, but he hid the rest of the fortune, the most valuable of the valuables, all of the secret archives, and the majority of the gold, away. No one knows where it is. Trucido currently has been searching for clues as to how to find and kill the dragon that killed his family. Of course, he spends a lot of his time continuing the family business of assassinations and shipping. His plan; find the great flames, and use the emerald flame to kill off the dragons once and for all. He met Mon Ich through business. Both kinds of business. Personality: Trucido is a bit antisocial. His attitude is harsh and cruel, and he generally doesn't get along with people very well. Some people would go as far to call him a reclusive a** hole. Although, he does have a nicer, more caring, almost friendly attitude towards those that he knows well and has developed a rare good relationship with. On a side note Trucido hates dragons of all shapes and sizes, no matter the circumstance. He also has an odd hatred for the smaller of the planets two moons, Lasuar. Of course, this is probably due to Lasuar being full on the night of his family's massacre. Weapons/Armor: Trucido wears no armor to speak of. He wears only the normal, if not very expensive clothes on his back. He does carry a number of weapons though. Trucido carries a wide and varied array of daggers and knives with him at all time. A few are clearly visible on his person, but an outrageous amount are hidden all over his body. He also carries a very special dagger with him at all times, it is the last remaining Dagger of Fabre. An enchanted weapon designed to always return to its owner, never be stolen, and fly through the air like wind and strike like thunder. It also serves as a positive proof of one being of Fabre blood since only a Fabre can wield it properly. Elemental school: Trucido specializes in green fire. Specifically using it to attain great speed and stealth while using the lightning aspect to add a deadly touch to his attacks and the range aspect to allow for attacks from great distances. Socioeconomic status: Higher Nobility. Although Trucio himself is relatively unknown, the pendant around his neck is a one of a kind symbol that proves his bloodline. His Dagger of Fabre also does this.
Name: Seja Donwick mon Ich Age: Appears around mid-30s, but is known to be older Sex: Male Height: 6'4" Appearance: A fairly tall man in brownish-yellow wizarding robes, sporting a fairly long beard. His hair is a pale blond color, which makes it difficult to determine his age. Background: For the entirety of this age, the mon Ich family has served the royal family of Hani. The latest in the line, Seja has personally served since the very day of King Danyu's coronation (both the previous King and the elder mon Ich were killed in the same assasination). A close friend of the king and a skilled wizard, mon Ich has been involved in a number of various missions -- scouting, attack, adventuring, even assassination -- in Hani and nearby kingdoms. As such, he has picked up a number of contacts in the freelance warrior field. Personality: Tends to have a direct, businesslike personality. Though he is capable of some imitation of the social graces, he tends to skip formalities and get straight to the point. Weapons/Armor: Wields a gnarled staff, which he uses to focus his magic Elemental school: Tends to use the yellow flame, but has shown to have better-than-average skill in both the white and black Socioeconomic status: High Nobility, personal friend of King Danyu However, mon Ich himself will not be accompanying you on your journey. He is sending... Name: Thydore Age: Unknown Sex: Appears male Height: 3'5" on feet, 4'8" on hands Appearance: A squat, imp-like creature with long, gangly arms. Wears ratted old clothes and gloves, but in so many layers that no skin whatsoever is visible. The most striking feature (beside the arms) is its mask; a strange facial facade that seems to simultaneously express every emotion. Personality: Loyal and energetic, Thydore seeks primarily to please his master first, and anyone else second. Despite this, he gets bored easily and is prone to mischief. The common tongue does not appear to be his first language. He speaks with a high, warbling accent, bizarrely inaccurate grammar, and tends to interject a birdlike chirp, "tgiwliw," in his statements -- a word which none in the party know the meaning of, if any. [Note: this character, grammar and all, was developed before the LOLcat meme. Similarities in grammar are coincidental.] Background: A servant of mon Ich. That's all you know. Weapons/Armor: Wears no armor, carries a small dagger Elemental school: Unknown, if any Socioeconomic status: Servant of mon Ich
Name:Zeb Korning Age: Sex:Male Height: 5' 8" Appearance:White, with thinning blond hair he keeps hidden under his broad hat. His skin is tanned and a bit wrinkly with steel rimed glasses perched upon his nose with a scare from the man who killed his family creasing his cheek, more scars of war hidden under his clothing. He is a thin man but by no means a twig well toned muscle from walking everywhere he goes. His hands show the wear of many years of hard work. He has blue eyes that soften his otherwise hard appearance from years of war. Background:After a long time as a soldier, during which time he was known as "cunning Korning" for his preference to maneuver around his enemy and utilize speed and mobility more than brute strength, he rid himself of the company of death, more specifically after his wife and daughter perished at the hands of his enemies he vowed the deaths of these men would be the last he causes and he has devoted his life to atoning for what he sees as his sins. Becoming a traveler of the world and a scholar in search of the knowledge of peace learning what he can in his travels and assisting those he meets in any way that he can he is well liked by those who know him. He earns just enough money to get by by doing odd jobs for people in the villages he meets, leaky roofs, squeaky door hinges, and other such things. He believes in the service of others even if it brings great danger to himself for his reputation as a once great soldier sometimes brings him work as a guardian of those who have the money to pay for such a thing. Personality:A calm collected man most of the time he is not easily aroused. He has a soft, gentle, and soothing voice, quiet but not reclusive. He does however have a very dark part of his soul he prefers to keep hidden the part of him which his humanity was stolen and makes him a man who has seen to much of death. He loves to read and loves even more to teach what he knows to those who want to learn as he has. He is no adviser to a king or noble but instead prefers to share his knowledge with the commoners. He is zealously dedicated to the preservation of life and will not under any circumstances take the life of another. Weapons/Armor:Zeb carries a long walking staff that he is very skilled with in speed and accuracy. As for armor he has no more than his normal fairly plain clothes and a long brown leather coat to protect himself from the cold and harsh weather. Elemental school:well versed in green fire allowing him to generally avoid his enemies as apposed to killing them a skill he started to learn in battle allowing him to barley avoid his own death from his enemies on nothing but the speed of his green fire elemental. Also studied in red flame as a complement to his study in green. Socioeconomic status: A freeman with a extra degree of freedom being that he is not tied to a home or family, but in being a traveler he has not much in the way of riches.
Name: Rainin Grinward Age: 30 Sex: Male Height: 5’10” Appearance: Rainin is a somber man of medium build, with grey eyes and dark hair. He travels light with only leather armor, and a small pack containing what is needed to survive in the wilds. Background: Rainin was raised in a small and poor village. He was an excellent hunter and outdoorsman, in addition to working his family’s fields. When a feud between local lords broke out the young Rainin was quick and ready to join in the battle. He was a successful scout in the militia but could never becom comfortable with killing. Upon returning to his birthplace Rainin found his entire village burned to the ground and his home, his family, and everything he had ever known destroyed. Since that dark day Rainin has wandered the lands searching. He searched at first for survivors from his village, but over the years that glimmer of hope died. He now searches for an end to the misery and loss he feels. Selling his services to the most dangerous of hires he has become a mercenary that takes no joy in his many successes or even his own survival. So far none have proved a worth match for his cunning and skill and Rainin continues to seek out the fateful adventure that will give his tortured heart its final peace. Personality: Preferring solitude Rainin is a brooding dark figure. Brief glimmers of his former self shine through his dry sense of humor, but are quickly quenched by the darkness that follows him. He is slow to anger or passion, but will stop at nothing once properly motivated. Weapons/Armor: Rainin relies on simple leather armor, and uses a short sword and dagger as his weapons, but in times past was also skilled in archery and the staff. Elemental school: Rainin has learned a few very basic combat spells but has not ascribed to any particular elemental school. He shows considerable aptitude for magic, though he has never pursued his talent. Socioeconomic status: Peasant, mercinary (see above)
Name: Alaz Alzidden Age: 51 Sex: Male Height: About 5' Appearance: Scorpion-Clan. Wears black cloth robes which cover his entire body from head to toe, with only a shadowy slit where his eyes are. His tail is black, though he never reveals the rest of his body. Background: The product of a secret love affair between a beautiful maiden named Kvak and the infamous Sizkin'kva (Sandbandit), Alaz and his mother were abandoned by Sizkin'kva shortly after Alaz was conceived. Soon after he was born, and for reasons unknown, he was taken by an ancient secret organization called Shvvaklacarr (no english translation), which would raise and train him to become one of their own. He soon showed signs of magical ability (rare among the Scorpion-Clan), particularly in an old Scorpion-Clan art called "sandcalling." He was trained among the finest masters of this art, and gained considerable skill in sandcalling. When Alaz turned 20, as was customary among the Shvvaklacarr, he received two young sand horrors (centipede-like creatures which swim under the sands of the southern desert) which would be his servants and companions for many, many years. Several years later, he finished his training among the Shvvaklacarr and became a full-fledged member. Personality: Mysterious, secretive and quite, Alaz rarely speaks and trusts only his trained sand horrors. Weapons/Armor: His hands and some cloth. Elemental school: Yellow Socioeconomic status: A full member of the Shvvaklacarr.
Mon Ich nodded at those who had stepped forward. "Very well. Come with me. The rest of you are free to go." He led the group into a smaller chamber, adjacent to the large hall. It was musty, and smelt vaguely of stale mold. Once again he addressed them. "Do not bother me with your motivations. They are your own business and, frankly, I do not care in the slightest. Now, I do not know where the crystals now lie, but I do have a strong lead: a day's travel north of here lies Pyami Dehim --the Flaming Mountain-- where the Crimson Greatflame was first discovered. A...colleague of mine, Higgen L'lyagi, resides in the monastery there. I have reason to believe he knows where to find the Flame. Now be warned, though he is my colleague, he can be a bit...touchy. He may not easily part with its location." Reaching beneath the oilskin cloth on a dusty table, mon Ich retrieves a small wooden chest. Opening it, he begins passing its contents, small silver pendants, among the group. "This pyramid has been protected with a memory charm, to keep those not worthy of the mission from remembering its details. These trinkets will protect you from its effects. You may take them with you; perhaps they will prove useful on your journey. However," he warned, "They are both difficult and expensive to produce, so I will want them back. Any questions?"
Mon Ich kept the meeting short and to the point. Trucido liked that about him. He had done buisness with Mon Ich a few times, and the man never disappointed. No fluff, just facts and business. Trucido Aer Furtim Velox Neco Fabre; or Trucido Fabre to most, and Trucido Neco to the people of Hani, had sat in the corner of the room for the first part of the meeting and remained towards the back of the group for the second part. Any questions? Mon Ich, as always had done a good job of detailing necessary information for the job, and hadn't left anything important out. So Trucido had only a single question. "When do we leave?"
Juniper was so focused on Mon Ich that at first she didn't notice the attention of the man beside her. Her violet eyes snapped to his face as he lifted a gloved hand in offering. Looking down to hide her curiosity she wished she could see more than the glint of his eyes beneath the dark cloth obscuring his face. "Thank you, sir," she whispered as she accepted the silver pendant. Slightly disappointed she spared a glance around the room, quickly realizing she was the only woman present. Most of the men in the room carefully focused on not betraying their emotions as they listed to Mon Ich. Juniper caught the sad grey eyes of a man in the back, keeping a careful distance to the group. She offered him a brief smile before their host once again caught her attention. "Any questions?" Mon Ich asked, his eyes briefly resting on each person in the small must chamber. A long silence settled in, each man seeming to wait for another to speak. Just as she stepped forward to break the silence a strong voice behind her asked "When do we leave?" Turning to find the speaker Juniper was surprised as her eyes looked up nearly two feet before meeting his sparkling emerald eyes. "My question exactly, my lord," she added, finding her voice. As she felt the eyes of her companions settle onto her shoulders she began to wish she hadn't spoken.
Alaz made no movement as he listened to Mon Ich. He scanned the aging wizard's face, looking for any sign of lying or deceit. Alaz doubted what he said was a lie, though the moment one let his guard down was the moment one needs it most. He focused on the speech, examining every word. When Mon Ich finished, which didn't take long by any standard, he noticed the woman beside him glance his way. She was young, curiosity and innocence written upon her face. He wasn't surprised that she was startled when Mon Ich tapped her shoulder. He gave her a strange pendant, apparently magical. Mon Ich said this place had a memory spell upon it, though he already knew that. It had been done well, with only subtle clues alluding to it, so subtle that he did not notice them until after he passed within its influence. Mon Ich handed another pendant to him, which he examined first before cautiously taking. At first, it appeared to be a normal pendant, perhaps a trick to make them think they were safe. Though again, ever so subtle clues told him that it was enchanted, though he could not discern what that enchantment was. Alaz decided to do a small test before leaving, and placed the small pendant in a hidden pocket within his robes. "You may take them with you; perhaps they will prove useful on your journey." Alaz considered this statement a moment. That was a little too... foreshadowing... Perhaps it was a warning? Or some trickery? "Any questions?" There is always a question to be asked... "When do we leave?" And always an answer to be found...
"When do we leave?" Mon Ich nodded. "You may leave immediately. It is still early; with decent haste you will reach the mountain soon after nightfall. I trust you have no other business more pressing than saving our civilization." Despite the sarcasm in the statement, these last words were spoken with a tone of complete sincerity. "Unfortunately, do to the secrecy of the mission, I will be unable to accompany you. In my stead I send as a guide my servant, Thydore, who awaits you at the pyramid's entrance. Do not be fooled by your first impression of him. He proves to be a valuable companion." Without a word of farewell, mon Ich turned and disappeared down a dimly lit corridor. You return back the way you came, through the maze of hallways, until you once again arrive at the entrance of the temple. Here you find a small, vaguely manlike creature squatting in the doorway, a wooden mask obscuring his features. The creature is absorbed in the little game it is playing: it carefully selects stones from the gravel lining the path -- flat, smooth stones without a blemish -- and dexterously stacks them into tiny castles and villages, only to send them flying, scattering with a rapid kick from its short legs. Looking up, it fixes its hollow, painted eyes upon you and drops its handful of pebbles. "Yes! You are the questers! Yes! Yes! You have found me! You have found me! You have found Thydore! Tgiwiliw!" It makes a strange, chirping sound. "Now we leave! Yes! Now we leave! Now we go! Tgiwiliw!" Without waiting for any sort of response it bounds off into the bushes, galloping on its hands.
Trucido found the eyes of a shorter woman looking up at him with oddly purple eyes, quite pretty really, as mon Ich answered his question. As soon as he received his answer his answer, Trucido headed out quickly, the cape that he happened to be wearing flapping behind him. Once Trucido and the rest of te group reached the entrance they were confronted by an odd, disfigured creature that called itself Thydore. Trucido found the creature quite disgusting really. It's arms were too long, it's mask hideous, it's clothes ragged, it's speech just plain horrible. And that chirrping noise was just annoying. Trucido stood for a moment watching the odd creature bound off before them in an odd apelike gait. "Disgusting creature." Trucido said before climbing onto his horse which was sitting nearby. The horse was a massive one. It stood at least six feet tall and had a beautiful brown coat with white boots. "Let's go Aurum." He said to the horse urging it forward at a walk after the creature that called itself Thydore.
Zeb pondered the "usefulness" of the little pendent as the group followed after the little creature who was now leading the way to the monastery. Everybody in the group seemed to have their own strangeness about them which served to stimulate his curiosity to the fullest. The young girl defiantly took away from the grimness that seemed to emanate from the other men around him, but from the many people Zeb had met in his journeys he had learned never to judge somebody from the first time you meet them. For all he knew that young girl could be the most dangerous of them all for it is not only how skilled one is with a blade that can make them a valuable weapon.
[ooc: I'm a bit late to the party >.<] Name: Neil Erberich Age: 25 Sex: Male Height: Barely over six feet. Background: A performing acrobat in his younger years, he became famous in his teenage years as the son of a posthumously revered painter. His father died unexpectedly, of a disease unknown, as they were too poor to have it diagnosed. After the death of the only parent in the household, he spent a grand total of six months taking care of his two siblings at the age of fifteen, doing odd jobs here and there, before a foreign art collector decided that his father’s paintings were too exquisite to let go unnoticed. This left the family incredibly wealthy, and relieved Neil from his duties as a substitute parent. He enjoyed the money and the social opportunities for a few years, mostly by drinking and sleeping around, and then settled down as a hunter of rare animals for the lazy and wealthy who’d like to have unusual animals lying around. Personality: Neil is outgoing, extroverted, both easily amused and bored, loves being the center of attention and has a very short attention span. He believes himself to be quite charming. Although he is now a rich man, his father neglected to teach him the subtleties of social prudence, leaving Neil with an often obvious lack of diplomacy. Weapons/Armor: He uses a longbow, and the occasional dagger when he needs to do close quarters combat. He also finds armor to be too heavy to carry around and use effectively, so he limits himself to normal clothing. Elemental school: Not much, besides a green flame speed spell and the occasional enchanted arrow. Socioeconomic status: Nobility. ------------- Neil examined the rest of his party, as they followed the bizarre creature. It was composed by older men, a couple of stranger men, and a young woman. It was intriguing, to say the least, that the party summoned to 'save civilization' was populated by such different people. Then there was the fact that mon Ich chose to stay rather than come, which made the whole thing stranger and more awkward by not having a common connection between the whole of them. It also made everything more interesting. He wondered what they would do once they reached the end of their quest, if they ever did. mon Ich had promised, literally, everything they wanted, but how accurate was that? A more nondescript look would have been fine. A floating castle, too. He fiddled with the pendant given to him, regretting that he had brought no book or instrument to kill time. How long would the trip to see Mon Ich's colleague be, anyway? The man in front of him suddenly mounted his horse, breaking Neil's reverie and bringing him back into the real world. Neil then realized he had lacked the foresight to have brought a horse along, and worse of all, he had to carry his bow and quiver by himself. He pondered whether he would have to get rid of some of the trinkets he had brought along from the last town he walked by. But what would he do without extra string for his boots?
Rainin mounted his horse and prepared to follow the strange little creature. Casting a sideways glance as the others mounted their steeds he noticed that several in the troupe appeared to be the type of wealthy bastards for which Rainin had little use. Having grown on a poor farm Raining knew animals and he knew his horse well. The small painted steed could easily match any of the fancy breeds in the group. ‘Such odd company for a pointless mission.’ Rainin thought. He preferred work on his own and he distrusted most people, especially those that hid their faces. Rainin was sure that there were no crystals to be found, but he was equally sure that there would be risk and danger ahead, the only things that seemed to motivate him these days. The feet of the horses clopped as they began to fall in line and march into the wild after the amusing Thydore. Violet eyes flashed again at Rainin as the woman passed by, and for a second time Rainin hoped that his surprise was not given away. He hadn’t seen eyes like that since he had left his village long long ago. Rainin glanced at the naive youth who stood without horse or transport as he passed. He had little respect for the unprepared. "Hurry up kid," he called, and continued on his way.
Zeb did not usually spend time in the company of nobility which he figured some of these lot were by their dress and more or less the way they carried themselves not that he had a particular disgust for nobility he just never found them to be good traveling company attracted to much unwanted attention, but he spied a man who rode a small horse like his though the animal appeared younger than his own steed, they had both been through a lot together and he couldn't let the old horse down. He made his way over to the man, "Hello there." he said to the man as non intrusively as he could; no need to upset somebody who did not seemed to be tied to the traditions of chivalry as these others so full of pomp and panache surly were.
"Hello there." Said the older, battle scarred man. Rainin had noticed him in the pyramid, and was pleased to be joined by a man of such experience. "Hello, Sir," Rainin replied. "You seem like someone who's seen his fair share of it." He leaned in closer and said in a low tone, "How long do you think it'll be before some foe rids us of the pretty faces here and we can get serious about this?"
"Hello sir", the man replied, "You seem like someone who's seen his fair share of it." Thank goodness a man of reason Zeb thought paticularly glad he had found the sounder man of the group. "How long do you think it'll be before some foe rids us of the pretty faces here and we can get serious about this?" "Yes i have seen, and you may be surprised how useful these pretty faces can be even just swinging their swords can make them worth something, but i must say they do seem aloof." Zeb adjusted his crude glasses again on his nose, and peered through them at the other man, "And since we seem to be talking who are you good sir?"
"Hmph," Rainin snorted at the idea of their soft wealthy companions being of any use. There was enough risk with the mysterious robed figure from the south,who was certainly not to be trusted, and their peculiar guide. Rainin didn't trust people who didn't show their faces. By now most of the party was underway following the rapid loping gate of still chittering Thydore. Not wanting to argue with a seasoned veteran, Rainin answered the man's prior question, "Name's Rainin, and yours?"
As Juniper walked to meet the men her father had sent she passed her companions, meeting their gazes boldly. The doubt she saw in their faces did not surprise her, but she felt slightly disappointed all the same. She had hoped that the extreme variation most of the men seemed to accept in each other would extend to her as well. She was surprised to find the last of her companions kneeling in the dirt digging through his pack, no horse in sight. Reaching her mare she burried her face in her soft grey neck, sighing deeply. She ignored the expectant looks of her escorts as she gently stroked Silvers mane, checking her bridle as she did so. "Lady Juniper," Her fathers assistant reprimanded. "You cannot expect me to let you go gallivanting off with this rabble. What ever would your father say?" "I can and I do, Rhys. My father would say that this 'gallivanting' is the reason he sent me to this meeting tonight. You are letting me go, and you are going to give me your horse to help me do so." The older man scowled, but handed her the reigns all the same. Swinging up behind his squire he led the rest of her fathers men off without a word. Looking around hoping no one had witnessed the confrontation Juniper noticed, to her surprise, that most of the group was disappearing into the trees after Thydore. Swinging up into Silvers soft leather saddle she began to follow them. As she passed the tall man on foot she tossed him the reigns to Rhys' stallion, grinning when he almost missed the catch. "His name is Honor," she told him as he mounted. "And I'm Juniper."
There's a brief moment of clarity after one is surprises which lets one do things like dodging an incoming arrow or fire at a bear who you just realized is charging at you. It comes especially useful when someone throws you the reigns to a horse you didn't expect. Neil barely managed to catch the reigns, almost losing his balance in the process. It was but a moment later when he realized what just happened and managed to respond. "His name is Honor," She said, as he awkwardly mounted the beast. "And I'm Juniper." Neil smiled. "Thanks for the mount. I'm Neil, pleased to meet you."
Trucido was liking the group less and less by the minute. Mon Ich he liked, quiet, noble, straight to the point. But the others... too many of them were peasants, under educated, under trained, far too chatty, and far too confident. The sole girl in their group and the man she had just given a horse too were the only one who seemed to be of any sort of nobility, and the dark clad man was the only one who seemed like he could put up a decent fight. This group didn't seem like it was going to fare very well. "You cannot expect me to let you go gallivanting off with this rabble. What ever would your father say?" It seemed that the girl's guardians agreed. "Madame," Trucido said as he pulled Aurum around towards the two who had introduced themselves to each other as Juniper and Neil, "I am quite sure your guardians will have nothing to worry about. As you can see, not everyone here is 'rabble'. Trucido Velox Aurum Neco Aer Furtim at your service Madam."
"Zeb Korning," Zeb answered, thinking that this man was definitely somebody who could be counted on when the moment came to defend yourself but perhaps a bit too eager to get into the thick of it. "So what do you make of that girl she seems a bit out of place here don't you think?" tipping his head back at the young girl who the well dressed man had fallen into step alongside.
