IC 3113 BC

  • IC 3113 BC

    Posted by aria on October 12, 2017 at 9:17 am

    [Early Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    Arialles darted through the winding streets of the lower quarter near the docks, trying to avoid the oppressive heat that was already building despite the early hour. Her gossamer serathilia* robes clung to her lithe sweat soaked body, their lustre dimmed as the magic faded from the world taking their glamour with it. The scent of dust mingled with her jasmine perfume and the intoxicating scents of the spice market a couple of streets over, gulls screamed overhead vying with the sound of drunken singing from somewhere in the leaning tenements above her. She paused behind a statue of Garlen, nestled against the skirts of the voluptuous figure with one mighty marble breast bared to the world, peering out in to the courtyard beyond. The roving bands of revellers where increasingly becoming a threat to a lone woman, especially one as pretty as Arialles, and with her master’s summons still ringing in her mind, bidding her onwards, she could not afford the time for a confrontation now.

    At first glance the courtyard was empty and then Arialles saw a body half in a fountain on the far side. A child, of indeterminate sex under the grime that coated it, was huddled in the shadows by the still form. Arialles felt a pang of pity but also recognised the potential threat posed in the scene. Warily approaching she pulled out the small piece of bread she had from her belt pouch and knelt to offer it to the child whilst keeping her distance from any knife that might miraculously appear. Suddenly she looked up as the air went still and silent, even the screech of gulls muted… and then the world bucked and heaved… she fell bruisingly against the stone lip of the basin as the tepid water sloshed over the rim. There was a crack from above them and bits of masonry cascaded in to the courtyard, the quartz glinting mockingly in the sun before the dust obscured it in a wash.

    Staggering to her feet Arialles adjusted her balance to rolling earth before it just as suddenly subsided. Brief flares of magic cascaded of the crumpled statues in the courtyard as it vented in to the air. Turning she saw that the child had disappeared and she too followed suit dashing away once more into the post-quake chaos…

    ***

    The door swung only partly closed behind her, the frame warped by the shifting stone above it. Her master Leonarus was busy picking through his scattered vials, crystals and books, righting those that could be and casting the broken aside. His long white beard was caked in dust and thrown back over one shoulder giving him a far more prosaic appearance than his normal gravitas allowed.

    “Se’seterin* Master”

    “What is bright about it my dove?”

    “Old habits…” she replied stepping gingerly over a priceless crystal statue, now in jagged shards on the flagstone floor

    “Everything is old now. The loss of mana is an ache in my bones. But it will return one day and we must be prepared for what it brings with it. There are others of us on the island, I can feel them. We must persuade them to aide us in spiriting the tablets away before the Therans catch wind of them. Go child, the mana is ebbing fast, and with it our hopes. Even the Passions have retreated from this forsaken world as it sinks in to turmoil. So much will be lost, but these small fragments it is our duty to protect, for the future…”

    Child, there were few that could call her such, she had been born in a Theran kaer centuries ago and had lived impossibly long even for one of her long lived race, but her master predated even the Scourge and his intellect dwarfed even some of the dragons. She would miss him…she did not doubt that she would see him again, all being well, but they would not be well for some time to come yet. The mobs were beginning to rule the island and desperation could be tasted in the air. It was time to leave this place and its failing magics behind. But first she had to find those who could help them, those with the length of view required for such a task as her master set before her now…

    #01

    *Bright Morning

    mercy replied 5 years, 9 months ago 5 Members · 305 Replies
  • 305 Replies
  • mercy

    Member
    October 12, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    Early Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian reaches up from her position in the longboat to take the hand of the Valoi already standing on the stairs leading to the high stone wharf that runs the length of the harbor of Thera. Even from here, she can hear the noise spilling from the water-side taverns as bands of revelers cavort in the darkness before dawn in this great city. Climbing to the street level certainly increases the noise and allows her to see the gay lights of the open taverns. A mob of thirty or so men and women, all apparently drunk on the wines that seem to flow freely, stop to watch the small band of twenty armed sailors and the lone woman protected by them. Some calls are made and a handful of the drunken men of the mob seem inclined to try to take advantage of their numerical advantage to accost the woman, but enough semi-sober minds remain to dissuade them of the thought and the mob moves on. Sian spares a look over her shoulder at the galley riding at anchor in the harbor, knowing that the men with her would rather be back on board than standing here. The heavy cloak Sian is wearing comes with a hood and she pulls that up and over her head then turns back to her two Valoi and nods at them before leaving the wharf. One of her Valoi and ten sailors will remain here to make sure that the longboat remains secure, while the rest accompany her on her mission.

    Already Sian can feel the difference in the mana levels here as compared to the mainland, where the power has already almost completely dissipated. The slow drain of magic from this world has taken two millennia, but the last hundred years or so has seen a very marked decrease in magic, and that is very prevalent here, although even this level of power is a welcome feeling to experience. Once again, Sian goes over the commands from her Master that have brought her to this ancient stronghold of magic. She had been far away when the summons had reached her that her Master wanted to see her personally in the great Kaern he was preparing that would house him during his coming sleep cycle. There was never a question of disobeying such a request so five weeks later she had entered the mountain fastness and climbed the ornate stairway to the Great Dragon’s inner sanctum. There, he had told her to go to Thera and see an Elf named Leonarus. Sian was told that he has some tablets that she is to take away and bring to one of the hiding places that Sian has had built for her Master for such purposes. Sian chuckles a bit when she realizes that the dragon had not specified whether or not Leonarus would give it to her voluntarily. She believes that what she has come for are artifacts of some kind that that are too important to allow the coming darkness to claim. Even without more information, what she has is enough for her to act upon. If Schwartzkopf believes it is important enough to do this that he has sent her, then it is important enough to Sian to see that it is done. Two months of hard travel took her and her two Valoi to the coast, where she hired a galley to take them to Thera. The vessel had not come cheap, as its master had not been headed this way. Sian’s funds had purchased a cargo of wines that she knew were in demand on the island and she had offered to split the profits in half with ship and crew if they were willing to change their destination and not surprised when the ship’s master had enthusiastically agreed.

    *********

    Sian is halfway between the harbor wharf and her destination when a massive quake ripples through the large island, sending people sprawling and buildings toppling into the street. A large chunk of stone slides from a structure less than fifty feet in front of her, blotting out the lives of a dozen people taking shelter there. The screams of the injured rise from all sides as she picks herself off the street now littered with rubble and the bodies of the dead and injured. The scent of fresh blood is nearly intoxicating as she looks at the body of what a few seconds ago had been the young man leading her through the streets. She feels a hand at her arm and turns to see Kragan, her Valoi, helping her to her feet. She notices that the loyal guardsman already has his blade out in his other hand and that his eyes are scanning the area around them for possible threats. Thanking the man in her native tongue, Sian looks around to catch the eyes of the frightened men with her, several of whom are just managing to get to their feet. Fortunately, none of the seamen seem to be badly injured, although several are sporting minor cuts from the debris that had fallen among them. All are looking like they would rather be back on the galley waiting for them in the harbor.

    Sian turns and nods up the street. She has been to Thera before and remembers the way to the house of Leonarus, at least she mostly remembers, and she steps off confidently, followed closely by the Valoi guard and the ten seamen. She spares a thought for the safety of her other Valoi and the crew of sailors that are waiting at the harbor for her return. Aftershocks keep rumbling across the island, but nothing as severe as the initial quake. Travel through the city is complicated by the rubble in the streets and twice Sian and her men have to backtrack to go around places where entire buildings have collapsed and blocked the road. Once again, Sian privately bemoans that magic is leaving this world. Life is so much easier with it and she will need to practice not relying on its presence. As it is, she feels an urgent need to be indoors when the sun finally makes its appearance above the horizon and instinctively makes sure that the hood and cloak are concealing as much of her skin as practical. The cloud of dust and ash that has risen above Thera might delay the affects of the sun, making a mixed blessing out of this disaster.

    Another part of the problem is the rampant looting and near barbarism she witnesses as she closes in on her destination. As in other places in the past few years, Sian sees a mix of the most base of human attributes and the most heroic. She watches as men and women race into burning buildings to try to assist survivors, even as others are looting the bodies of those already dead or even only nearly dead. She has had the sailors with her stop three men from raping a young woman in clear sight of other people who were trying to make their way elsewhere, apparently too busy to help her. Sian had pulled the girl to safety as Kragan and three sailors had dispatched the would-be rapists, only to have her shrug off the offered assistance and race away. She shakes her head, still unable to fully understand humans even after several centuries among them since she had been trapped here in some form of cosmic forced exile from her home.

    **********

    Sian pauses at the entrance to the courtyard of the villa a fleeing neighbor has already confirmed as belonging to Leonarus. The street behind her is partially buckled and what she can see of the courtyard is littered with the remains of what was once prized statuary. Turning to the men behind her, she motions for them to wait in the courtyard but tells them to stay clear of the walls, a warning that is not really needed. She then gives a quick nod and hand signal to her Valoi to tell him to await her there and turns to enter the building.

    01

  • jack_spade

    Member
    October 13, 2017 at 2:33 am

    I turned over the claypot but only a few errant flakes and a bit of flour dust fell out. I sighed. This was the fifth storage room I had found empty. I’d have reported to the master, but the golden wyrm had started closing his chambers to go to sleep. Puck was with him in there. It was probably too much to hope that the annoying Oni would end up as a mid-century snack. A pity.
    My stomach grumbled. I don’t cope well with food shortage. Xi Li’ Uliie said it was due to our fast metabolism and the Void that was also always hungry.

    There was nothing for it, someone had emptied the reserve storage – thoroughly and as it seemed some time ago.
    I went to my quarters, avoiding the others. To pass the time we trained – everyday. Running, fighting, hiding, hunting.

    I had two options: I could try and get into the inner sanctum of the Kaern, where the glowing core of the earth spread warmth and light and where there was magic to make you sleep away the millennia until it returned (an option that majority of his servants had chosen), or I could break the outer seal and get out in the world again. According to Xi, the Magic should have gone mostly away by now and with it all the protections our master had laid upon this place. Not that I feared that. I couldn’t. Another gift from our master. Instead we had been trained to use prudence from our earliest age. Think before you act.
    But I had had a very long time to think and I decided that I wanted to experience life. The draining of magic from this world was no big deal for me. On the contrary, now there were no cheap tricks to hide behind. Strength of will, cunning and might was now all that counted.

    So I made my way down one of the seldom used paths, opened one of the secret doors and crawled with the sack of my meager belongings through the narrow tunnel. Diving through an icy cold well was not what I wanted to do on an empty stomach, but there was no other, more convenient way available. Shivering I made my way through a natural cave. Bones of various animals told me that I was close to the real world once again.

    A single shaft of golden light guided my way through the darkness. Just a small fissure between the roots of a mighty oak, but with determination, sweat and quite a lot of swearing I managed to widen it enough to pull myself through.

    Unsurprisingly, I stood within a dense forest. Fresh air and sunshine caressed me for the first time in hundreds of years.
    I took off my wet clothes, wrung them out and hung them up to dry, enjoying the feeling on my bare skin.
    Birds sung above me and I was content… as soon as I had strung my bow and shot down some of the birds, plugged them and roasted them over a small fire.

    Once I was dry and sated, I donned my armor, sword and knifes, unstrung my bow and made my way towards where the old maps indicated a large settlement should have been.

    Experiencing rain again felt nice for the first five minutes and became bloody annoying instantly after that.
    I decided to head south on general principles. Hopefully the rain would get warmer in time…

  • aria

    Organizer
    October 16, 2017 at 11:30 am

    @Vindariel
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    Ah Thera, the lifelong party…like so many before him the pull of wealth, civilisation and working plumbing had lured Vindariel to its shores. Things might be decaying here but it was a damn sight better than the hinterlands and with his master finally slumbering the world was his to do with as he chose. Of course the void in his soul made everyone around him uncomfortable but that just kept the space at the inn clear around him and allowed him to breath the scented air undisturbed by mere humanity.

    A pretty elf, weren’t they all? burst in to the room as if pursued and made a beeline for Vindariel

    “Please, will you help me?”

    @Sian
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    An impossibly old elf turns from his stoop as Sian entered the small cluttered house. His white beard is matted with dust and debris and in his hands he cradled a crystal gadget of some sort. He frowned at the intrusion in a way that seemed to pierce the very soul. Despite the dimming of his eyes Sian had no doubt that they saw much more clearly than most. The power radiating from his bent form went far far beyond the physical and Sian knew instantly that he was one of the Eldar

    “What do you want” he demanded, and then … “Ah, so they flock already… come in child come in. Here, sit here…” and he thrust a pile of no doubt priceless remains off a chair for Sian to be seated “We will wait a little longer if you do not mind, I hate to repeat myself…”

    #02

  • jack_spade

    Member
    October 16, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    I had found this nice inn with it’s excellent honey-wine and had decided to sluice away the dust of the trails, when I heard suddenly the quick pat-pat of dainty elven feet closing in on me. As usual I didn’t bother to go for a knife, but instead turned around with a disarming grin.
    The elven maiden was pretty enough and although I wasn’t entirely innocent, I wasn’t nearly as satiated with dalliances as I am nowadays. And so I said:
    “Pray tell, what can I do for you? Are you in need of masculine assistance?”

  • mercy

    Member
    October 16, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian has met only a small handful of the Eldar in all her many years on this world, but she knows wisdom and power when she sees it. Her bow is low and respectful, as befitting for a man in his position. “Of course I will wait, wise one. Is there anything I may do to assist you while we wait?”

    02

  • aria

    Organizer
    October 17, 2017 at 11:32 am

    @Sian
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    “Wise?” the old elf snorted “yes, yes…you can help sweep this mess up…it is futile to try and save much of it, it is too late as ever and once the mana is gone it is just so much glass, pretty baubles to be lost beneath the waves” and he suited deeds to words by dumping some of the fragile crystal in to a corner out of the way before sitting wearily into a rocking chair by the dead fire…

    @Vindariel
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Dawn’s Wealth, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    “I will take help, masculine or otherwise, there is a mob in the street that wished to entertain me… I do not have the time for that. My master sent me to find you, will you come?” and as if sure of Vindariel’s response she was already heading towards the back of the inn and presumably an exit through the stables at the rear…

    #03

  • jack_spade

    Member
    October 17, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    “That sounds surprisingly ominous – does your master have a name? For that matter, do you have a name? And how in the name of Tartaros, have you managed to get yourself a mob chasing you?”
    At this moment I hadn’t decided yet if this was a genuine request or just an attempt to lure me into an alley and have a bunch of cut-throats beat the shit out of me and rob me blind.
    With my luck probably both.

  • mercy

    Member
    October 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian looks at the back of the Eldar as he sits in the rocking chair then nods. She moves efficiently about the room, gathering some of the debris and carrying it to the hearth, where she kneels and starts a fire from the few glowing embers that remain buried in the ashes. Once the fire is going, she looks into the teakettle hanging from a hook on the metal arm that can be swung over the flames. Satisfied that there is sufficient water in the kettle, she swings it over the now busy fire before standing up and looking about for a broom. Finding one, she begins sweeping up some of the smaller fragments of what she is sure used to be prized possessions of the man in the chair. The larger bits go to feed the fire, bringing a bit of warmth to the Elf. After she finishes with the sweeping, Sian putters about in the small kitchen area, finding a clay jar containing tea leaves as well a the small device to hold them for steeping. A cupboard has fallen open, spilling its contents of fine tableware to the counter and floor, breaking most of what it had originally held, but she finds a few useable cups and saucers.

    Sian returns to the main room carrying a metal tray with the best of the small cups that she could find on it, to see that the Eldar has fallen asleep. She places the tray on a table then moves to the hearth, where she uses a set of tongs there to pull the metal arm back from the fire and a set of thick gloves she finds to remove the teakettle from its hook. The aroma of a fine tea begins to fill the room and the Eldar wakes to see his visitor pouring hot water over leaves into two of the several cups on the tray. She looks up at him as he stirs. “I could not find much useful in the kitchen, so I hope that you like your tea plain, Master. I am very sorry for your losses here today. I did find some extra cups, although a few are slightly chipped. Do you know how many guests you will have?”

    Sian brings the cup of tea to the Eldar then adds a bit more wood to the fire as she drinks from her own cup.

    03

  • aria

    Organizer
    October 20, 2017 at 7:28 am

    @Sian
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    “Losses? Neh child, all this is at an end and will be swept away, as is the way of things. There are only a very few items here that must be preserved and the players are gathering. I do not know precisely how many guests there will be, my vision is dimmed with the passing of mana…but we will see soon enough.”

    @Vindariel
    [Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Dawn’s Wealth, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea]

    “Vindariel,” she says in a quiet voice for his ears alone “I am disappointed that you do not remember me… I know it has been some time but what are the passing of mere centuries to ones such as us? My master always did say that the meddling wyrm would damage you with his experiments, it would seem he was right as usual. I am Arialles, ward of Leonarus…now as to that mob, in these times it would seem that normal decorum is being lost to the wave of lusts. I did not wish to bed one of their ringleaders in the street and when he took umbridge I was forced to leave with him with a parting gift that he did not appreciate. As I have no intention of asking him for the blade back it seemed prudent to run… speaking of which…”

    #04

  • jack_spade

    Member
    October 20, 2017 at 8:13 am

    “Ah,” I said, “Arialles. You did something to your hair, didn’t you? Very fashionable. No wonder there are mobs of men out there after you.”
    I grinned. “Not that I blame you – I certainly understand the necessity to use cold steal when warm words don’t suffice.
    Alright then, lead me to where you need me.”

  • mercy

    Member
    October 20, 2017 at 8:49 am

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian chuckles. “Very well, Master, I will simply try to ensure that I have enough tea for several.” She goes about the task of putting more water in the pot to heat up and adds more of the debris to the fire. It is not her place to tell one such as he that the cycle of destruction and rebirth was simply in the destruction phase again. The scourge had lasted centuries but enough had survived to allow things to begin anew. This is just another step in time.

    She wanders through the house, returning with more debris to place at the hearth in preparation for burning. In one room, she picks up a comb and upon returning to the front of the house, she refills Leonarus’ cup and looks him over. “I found one of your combs, Master. Would you like me to care for your beard?”

    04

  • bakuinvestigations

    Member
    October 21, 2017 at 12:31 am

    Reaver
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    “When the age of the Fourth World wanes,
    A time of darkness will reign.”

    He pondered the passage from Jorildyn’s Prophecies as the boat moved toward the wharf. Even though the sounds of the gulls and the people in the boat overpowered the sounds of the boat in the water, all he hears is the water lapping against the sides.

    Most interpreted the passage to mean an age of unenlightenment, or just a colorful way of saying without Mana. For him, however, it might prove to be truth. His eyesight has been getting worse. As the Mana, the world’s LifeBlood, fades from the mundane world, so does the power that fuels his crystals.

    The stones under his skin still protected him from physical harm, but they no longer pulsed with an obvious enchantment. The spine, a gift from his master, in his back still allowed movement. However, he can feel that he is not as responsive as he was just a few years ago. The other gift from Rhiva, his master, were his crystal eyes. For years now he has lost the ability to see without a light source, just like those humans. Lately he has noticed that the daylight world is dimmer, blurred, less sharp.

    He wondered if he would be completely sightless if he remained here when the Fifth World truly begins.

    He looks down at his hands, where there are no wounds. No bleeding spurs sticking out of his skin. The Time of Thorns was fading as well, as if losing his sight wasn’t bad enough.

    In his head, Rhiva’s promise still rings. “Secure for me the artifact that Leonarus is protecting, and you will be welcome to spend the Fifth World in The Court.”

    When he was permitted into The Court in the past, he could feel the magic of the place. It was different, of course, because it wasn’t the Mana he was used to shaping. The strength of it, though, would be very comforting.

    No one knew exactly how the crystals in his body worked. They did draw power from the host, from him. His blood to be more precise. They also needed something more. Magic of some sort. He hoped the magic of The Court would do the trick.

    It would be quite a bit better than sightless and without the use of his legs in the human world.

    A clumsy human jars him from his musings as it bumps into him walking past to secure an early position in the disembarking line. He just glares at the back of it’s head. He still shapes Mana well enough to cause it’s blood to erupt from it’s body, and it had been more than half a day since he has felt the hum of the Red Haze in his veins.

    Again the voice of his master rings in his mind’s ear. “Do not draw undue attention to yourself when avoidable. The less eyes on you, the better the chance to secure the artifact.”

    He grunts with dissatifaction.

    While the dockhands are securing the boat, he decides to avoid those humans shuffling for position in line completely.

    He stands, and with more effort than should be necessary for him, he vaults off the railing. He grabs the top edge of the wharf, and kicks off the wall to leverage himself up and over, completing the flip to land in a crouch. His dark cloak pooling around him. A couple of years ago, he wouldn’t have needed to use his arm and would have been able to land standing.

    Now that he was away from the herd in the boat, he could hear the sounds of revelry. The sound was nearly as sweet as the feeling of Mana flowing through him. His sour mood dissipates as he rises from the couch. He would be smiling, except he didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the partying just yet. Leonarus needed to be found first, and if at all possible, the artifact secured for his master. He hoped to have that done before any of the other agents even arrive.

    Standing at his full eight foot height, it was easy for him to see out over the herdlings in the port. Only Trolls and Obsidimen could block his view. He glides forward, pushing past humans and dwarves alike. A few dared to look upon him, he is sure. None spoke up that he could hear.

    Just a block from the wharf, he spots a few women leaning up against pub that they appear to work out of. His Mana Sight was fading faster than his mundane sight, but he could still see the swirls of lust in their aura’s. He would enjoy some of their company, despite them being human, if he had the time.

    He picks out the aura with the most lust, and the least fluctuations. Those were usually the most experienced, and the most confident. The ones that were the most enjoyable to talk with. They weren’t the ones he preferred to take to bed. Those were the newer ones, the ones with the greatest fluctuations in their aura. The ones who were not yet calloused to the pleasures of the flesh.

    He looked her over with what remains of his mundane sight and enjoyed every inch of her. When his gaze returned to her face his smile could almost take her attention away from his eyes. She barely even blinked at him, perhaps she wasn’t even unsettled by the crystals that were his eyes now.

    “I do hope I am not disturbing you. A lovely woman like yourself should be enjoying the parties.” He waved his arm wide to indicate the entire city. “If there are none that are man enough for you,” he extends his hand out to her with a coin pinched in his palm. “I would love to have you show me around this wonderful place.” When she takes his hand, he relaxes and lets the coin fall to her palm. “I’m afraid I have business to attend to first. Perhaps you could explain to me where to find the seer, Leonarus?” He places his other hand around hers that he is still holding.

    01

  • bakuinvestigations

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 12:12 am

    Reaver
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Ends of Days, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    The woman removes his hands from her own with determination, but without harshness. Once she lays eyes on the coin, she looks back up to him. ”Stranger, I take it you have business off this island when you are done?”

    He wasn’t expecting the change of topic. He had thought he paid quite well for the discussion he sought. Perhaps prices are different here on the island. ”That I do. I hope to be gone come morning.”

    The woman steps up to him and presses herself against his chest. ”Take me with you, and I’ll show you whatever you damn well wish.” He barely had the time to register the tint of fear in her aura before the other women started speaking their desire to get in on that deal.

    He smiled with the satisfaction of these women desiring him enough to offer to travel with him. The one he was speaking with caught on to his delusions and ended them quicker than a knife in the back of the neck. ”Look around you. The city is falling apart. There was a quake not an hour before you walked up to me, and the buildings are starting to crumble. I don’t give a dead devil rat’s ass about this place, wonderful or not. I want off this island. And if it means having to comfort you to do it… I was prepared to do much, much, worse.

    He chuckled. He knew the more experienced ones were always the most fun to talk to. ”If you are offering yourself,” He looks to the others as well. ”Yourselves to me willingly, in exchange for transport away from here, I accept your offer. If I can conclude my business soon enough, I will be looking to leave this place quite a bit earlier than tomorrow. With all of you to comfort me, I will not need to enjoy any of the parties here. I will look for you here first, and if you aren’t here, I will look for you once more at the wharf. If you are not at either place when I am prepared to leave, you will be left behind.”

    The one pressing her bosom against his chest looked like she might say more, then she just nods. ”You will find Leonarus down this road. Stay larboard until you reach the second fork, then go starboard. At the fountain, cross over to far larboard side, and that will be the villa you seek. Come back for me, us, stranger. We are counting on you.”

    “Poor woman,” he thinks to himself as he starts down the street she directed him to. “Having to count on me, of all people, to save her. Mighty Thera indeed.” The path he followed was marred with rubble strewn about. He suspected it was from the buildings lining either side of the streets, but didn’t care enough to look. Just a few years ago, his crystals would have helped him to easily transverse the larger chunks. Now, however, he had to clamber over them like the herdlings heading the way he came from.

    When he found the fountain his promised servant told him about, he saw that she hadn’t described everything. There were ten soldiers. No. Sailors. He thought about it a bit more. They were dressed as sailors, but there stances and movements screamed soldiers. They must be both. There were ten marines shifting nervously in the yard outside the building that was supposed to house Leonarus. As he circled the fountain, another came into view. This one was dressed differently, but only slightly so. Just enough to tell him apart, but not so much that many wouldn’t even catch it. His manner of dress didn’t differentiate himself though. His mannerism did. This man wasn’t skittish like the others. Also unlike the others, he spotted the burly cloaked Elf almost immediately and began to watch him closely.

    The man, the leader of these marines, didn’t show outward hostility, but he did shift the sword at his belt just a bit to help his main hand draw it quicker if need be. The move was subtle, and happened only as he turned to face the cloaked Elf so that it could have easily been confused as part of his movement.

    The cloaked Elf knew that the ten were no match for him, even in this weakened state. But the leader. He was something else. He ignored the ten, and only focused on the leader, as he finished approaching the villa. He was surprised when the leader didn’t block entrance through the wall. For that matter, neither did the other marines. ”Is this the residence of the seer Leonarus?”

    ”Yes.” The leader said with a nod.

    ”Are you here guarding the seer Leonarus?” He asked, betting the answer had to be ‘no.”

    ”No, our mistress is inside already.”

    He was impressed. The leader answered his question and a few others in one short sentence. Not one to mince words. ”Then if you are here to protect your mistress, I would offer that you choose some of your men to accompany me. Truth be told, you are the only among you who could challenge me if I was to decide to do your mistress any harm. Unfortunately for you, I believe you are needed out here more though.”

    The leader doesn’t move, or even look anywhere but at the cloaked Elf. ”There will be no need for that. You are to enter freely, and leave freely as well.”

    The cloaked Elf noticed he didn’t gesture to the door. He was keeping his hands near to his weapon in case it was needed. ”Then I wish you success with whatever your charge is.” The cloaked Elf stepped up to the door, and opened it in. He ducked and stepped through with one smooth movement, closing the door behind him.

    He cursed his failing eyes as he waited for them to adjust to the new lighting conditions.

    02

  • mercy

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 1:05 am

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian has nearly completed her brushing of Leonarus’ beard when the door to the villa is opened and a man steps in. She stands and puts a hand on the old Elf’s shoulder. “You have a guest, Master. With your permission I will offer tea.”

    She looks at the new arrival with interest, seeing a really large man stooping over as he must stand a good two feet taller than the ceiling of the room would allow. His massive frame must carry over four hundred pounds. He is wearing a heavy cloak not unlike Sian’s own that is currently lying across one of the remaining serviceable chairs in the room. He lifts the hood from his head, revealing a shock of reddish-brown hair and skin that bears the distinctive growths that indicate he survived the Scourge in the Wyrm Wood. He would not be the first Blood Elf Sian has seen, but certainly that number is small enough to bring an interested look to her eye.

    For her part, Sian is dressed rather conservatively in a long skirt and blouse that covers her arms. A laced corset supports and emphasises her breasts concealed under the blouse. There is nothing about her garb that would reveal that she is more than any other traveller to these parts. She bows to the visitor and motions to the hearth.

    ”Are you cold, traveler? I will add more fuel to the fire if you are. I am not sure that I would trust any of the remaining chairs to support your weight, but I can fetch some cushions for you to sit upon. I have tea prepared if you are thirsty.”

    05

  • bakuinvestigations

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 1:20 am

    Reaver
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    The voice he hears is not the one he was expecting. ”You do not sound like the old man I am looking for.” He sniffs the air, and above the dust stirred by the recent quake, he smells perfume. ”You don’t smell like him, either.” He blinks and turns his head to face the pretty woman who has addressed him. His crystal eyes show no signs of focusing to her.

    ”Those are both very good things.” He smiles to her. ”I take it that those are your marines outside?”

    The woman nods to him.

    ”The ten are inexperienced and in need of more training. The leader however, is very worthy, if you do not already know.” He tires of slouching over and switches to a crouch instead. He uses his Mana Sight on her and after several moments sees she is but a normal woman. A woman with signs of curiosity swirling through her aura. She shows no sign of fear.

    ”May I ask what brings you here?”

    She only gestures to the fire once again. He nods and decides it would not harm him to warm himself, and she did offer tea. He kind of shuffles over to the hearth, and sits before it. He opens his cloak to allow the fire to warm his body, revealing his remaining thorns and his Blood Pebble armor, and looks to her and waits to see if she will answer him.

    03

  • mercy

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 1:43 am

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian immediately notices the tall Elf’s eyes when he turns his head to look at her. They are a dark red in color and remind her of rubies. She nods at his comments about the marines and her Valoi. ”The marines are in my employ only temporarily. Kragan is not their leader, but he does help keep them in line. He is my guard, and yes, I believe him to be quite competent.”

    To his next question, she simply motions again to the hearth, smiling at him when he nods and moves forward to sit in the warmth of the fire. When the man opens his cloak, Sian notes that his upper torso is bare of clothing and his skin bears the markings of Blood Pebble armor as well as more of the thorns that are fading as magic leaves the world. She moves to gather two soft cushions and offers them to him and pours him a cup of tea. ”I am sorry that I do not have anything to add to the tea. The kitchen has been left pretty much a shambles by the quake. My name is Sian and I rather imagine that I am here for the same purpose that you are. My Master has sent me here to assist Master Leonarus to get some artifacts to safety on the mainland.”

    06

  • bakuinvestigations

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 1:51 am

    Reaver
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    He smiles to the pretty woman when she offers him cushions, and he places one on each side of him in the hopes that she might join him. One nearer the fire should she be colder, and one further from the fire should she be warm enough.

    He shakes his head when she apologizes for the lack of additives.for the tea. ”Not to worry. I require nothing for the tea. Thank you Sian.” He hides his disappointment that he did not arrive first, ruining his hopes of an easy removal of the artifacts. ”You may call me Zaor. Do you know how many more are expected?”

    04

  • mercy

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 3:12 am

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian removes a pair of heavy gloves from where they are tucked into her belt and adds some of the wood debris to the fire. Once finished, she tucks the gloves back away, freshens her own cup of tea and takes a seat on the cushion further from the fire. ”Zaor is nice. And, no, I do not know how many are expected. I don’t think that Master Leonarus really knows. With the difficulty of even just getting here, it may be that some who were sent may not make it.”

    Sian sips from her cup. ”I have heard that it was the pain that kept you alive and free of the Scourge. Is it something you can talk about?”

    07

  • bakuinvestigations

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 3:13 am

    Reaver
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    He enjoys the thoughts of having only Sian as company, until she deflates that dream by asking about the Scourge. He takes a sip from his cup. ”I am capable of talking about it. However, many do not like to hear about it. There are those that believe that Queen Alachia was in league with the Horrors when she agreed to the Ritual of Thorns.” He takes another sip of his tea, then he raises the cup to her and nods appreciatively before continuing. ”I can say with certainty that whatever you think of the choice to use the Ritual, she was not in league with the Horrors. My youngest brother fell victim to them when the Wood fell. The pain did keep many of the Horrors away from us. They couldn’t feed off of the suffering they would cause us because we were already suffering. There were still some who could torment us that we had to hunt down.”

    He chuckles to himself mostly. ”Listen to me speak as if I was one of the hunters. No, when I say ‘we,’ I mean the Blood Elves. I was no warrior at that time.” He finishes his tea before returning to the conversation. ”I take it that you made it through in a Kaern?”

    05

  • mercy

    Member
    October 22, 2017 at 3:24 am

    Sian
    Morning, August 10, 3113 BC; Leonarus’ Residence, Lower Quarter, The Great Island of Thera, Theran Sea

    Sian nods. ”Yes, I was in a Kaern with my Master. There were a number of his servants scattered among several Kaerns. Most of us survived but some did not. What was left of this world when I emerged reminded me at the time of some of the wastes of my home. I have often wondered if the Horrors had visited there as well.”

    She pauses for a few moments. ”Before it becomes an issue, may I ask who your Master is? Mine is the Great Dragon Schwartzkopf.”

    08

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