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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 8, 2018 20:11:19 GMT
Edmond Meadows... Coming back to the place he was born in was never an easy task for Edmond. Even back when he had been younger, it had never been a home. The people here, they were different. Simple in their dreams and needs. Not that he considered that a bad thing, not that he hated them, but he had never fit in with them and coming back here felt weird. There were days where he thought how it would be if he hadn't been born like this, hadn't been born a mage. There was nothing he could do against this and neither did he want to. But perhaps he could, one day, make them see the world like he did. Quiet and in the shadows of dawn, the two riders crossed the Pandlaril close to Baliho, before following a crude trail through the northern forest. The darkness was their friend here, for the strets were busy during the day and not with common travellers. There were many priests of Praios in Meadows these days, more than either of them expected and more than there should be. Did they know anything? Could they know? The thought made him nervous, as unlikely as it was. Still, they were the one kind of person Edmond outright hated, since they stood for everything he fought against. The old order, a world in which magic was kept down, where mages had to be ashamed for what they were, where people like him had to feel bad because they were born different from the rest. Finally, around noon, they found the house. It was an abandoned farmhouse, with a broken gate and a collapsed stable for cattle. Deep markings in the wooden walls, the kind that came from swords and axes, gave him a hint what had happened here. The Orkenstorm had littered the province in ruins like these and not in all cases were people left to rebuild, now that the orks had been driven north. It was inconspicuous, just one of hundreds of abandoned farms in Meadows. The perfect place for the sort of meeting they meant to have tonight. Edmond descended from his horse, noticing that Urdo, as always, had been faster. Dragging his steed to the dry well in the centre of the farmstead, he tied it to the wooden beam and Edmond did the same. “Gods, I hate this place”, Urdo mumbled and Edmond raised an eyebrow. “Is there anything you don't hate?”, he asked and the twitchy man thought about it for a moment. “Borbarad, of course”, he spoke, in an almost mocking tone and his grin was infuriating. Edmond frowned, but left it uncommented. By the gods, he hated Urdo of Gisholm. During their journey from the Rashtul Wall to Meadows, he had made it his personal mission to piss the mage off, proving once again and without a doubt just why few of the circles wanted to work with him. But his speed made him valuable. None were able to deliver messages as fast and discreet as Urdo. He was a necessary nuisance with useful talents, as Liscom himself had realized, so many years ago. Walking closer to the farmhouse, Edmond tightened the grip around his staff. There was always the possibility that Urdo was leading him into a trap. After all, someone who worshipped the Seeder of Strife was hardly to be trusted. Treason was in Urdo's very being and perhaps the only thing that kept him in line was the reward he hoped to get out of this. Needless to say, those who followed Borbarad's teachings to hope for a reward were disgusting to Edmond. What they were about to do was a service to the mortals of Aventuria. The door opened and Edmond was half-ready to unleash the fire bolt from his staff. However, he instantly calmed down as he realized that he was not being led into a trap. There in the doorframe stood a tall, thin man, a few years older than him, clad in a black robe. His hair was similarly dark and tied into a ponytail, whereas his skin, naturally tanned, was a little bit more pasty than usual. Leaning onto his staff, he looked at Edmond out of dark eyes, before a smile formed on his sharp face. “Edmond!”, he greeted him in a deep tone, spreading his arms, as the two men exchanged a friendly hug. “Sulman”, the other mage said, as a grin found its way onto his face. “It has been too long” Sulman al'Venish gave him a nod. “Undoubtedly”, he agreed. “It has been... what, three years?” Edmond smirked. “Almost four”, he replied. “But I heard you've been busy down in Selem” “Ugh, don't remind me. Nearly grew mad in that place”, the other mage chuckled, before he looked past Edmond. “Ah, Urdo!” He and the smaller man exchanged a warm handshake. It was baffling to Edmond how anyone could like Urdo, but Sulman was perhaps the exception to the rule. “I'm glad you both made it”, Sulman spoke, as he stepped aside, allowing both to enter. The room was large and dark, showing signs of decay already. Covered in dust and spiderwebs, it looked pathetic, not unlike the main room of the house he had grown up in. The wooden furniture was shattered, but it had likely never been a pretty sight. A small fire was burning in the fireplace, barely illuminating all of it. What it did show him though was that they were not alone. In the corner, there was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his early forties, with wild, black hair that fell down his shoulders, as well as an unkempt beard that reached almost to his chest. Beneath, he had a haggard face, with a prominent nose and sharp cheekbones. Clad in a black gambeson, as well as a thick, black cloak, he was an intimidating sight and there was something within his deep, dark eyes which Edmond did not like. And yet, for as imposing as his build was, he carried a staff with him, which he immediately recognized as a mage's staff, despite its crude construction. “Ah, of course”, Sulman spoke, as he notice Edmond's confusion. He entered the room in full now, revealing a notable limp on his left foot, something that hadn't been there when they last met. “Edmond, this is Korobar, our new ally here in Meadows”, he introduced the black-haired man. Korobar nodded as a greeting, but remained silent. “He earned quite a reputation over in Tobria. You might have heard of the Tobimora Shadow?” Edmond raised an eyebrow. “Can't say I do”, he replied. “How does one earn such a nickname?” Korobar smirked, a thin, joyless expression. “Killed a few people. Raised them again”, he explained, rolling the 'r' in the harsh accent of the Norbardians. “I am a necromancer. The Tobrians are quick to give names to people like me” And there, Edmond realized what it was that threw him off about Korobar. The man looked almost like a corpse himself. The pale skin, the gaunt cheeks, the sunken eyes. He was alive, obviously, as his breathing proved, but Edmond had seen enough demon cultists to recognize one when he saw them. “And when did you sell your soul to Thargunitoth?”, he asked. “Ah, of course”, Korobar said calmly, as Sulman closed the door. “I was informed of your... dislike towards cultists. I hope that will not stand in the way of us working together” Edmond was taken aback by the subtly threatening tone in the necromancer's voice. “My dislike?”, he asked sternly. “I follow the teachings of Liscom” He glanced at Sulman. “I thought I was not the only one in this room” Sulman sighed. “I admire Liscom's teachings as much as you do”, he spoke, in a tone that revealed to Edmond that there would be a 'but'. “But he was the idealist among us. After his death, compromises had to be made, so that the cause as a whole can survive” As much as Edmond disliked this, he had to admit, Sulman had a point. The Borbaradian cells had been on the verge of breaking up after Liscom's death. Without Sulman, they would have surely lost their way. “That is actually not all that has to be revealed now”, he spoke and Edmond briefly caught Urdo's sinister smirk. He raised an eyebrow, as Sulman limped closer to the fireplace. “What happened to your leg?”, he asked and Sulman sighed slightly. Then, he raised his robe a little bit, to reveal his left foot, which he wore no boot on. Edmond gasped, as he saw it. In the light of the fire, the flesh was ghastly pale, yet the closer it got to the toes, the darker it became. By the time it reached them, it was rotten black. The big toe, however, was devoid of flesh entirely, showing the bare bone instead. “As I said”, Sulman spoke with a strained voice, as he hid his pact mark again. “Compromises had to be made” “But a pact?”, Edmond growled. “Surely there could have been other...” To his surprise, Sulman cut him off, with a loud, sharp command. “There were no other choices!”, he barked. The outburst came quick and took Edmond off guard, though he stood his ground, responding with a sharp glare. Sulman took a deep breath, calming himself quickly. “I am sorry I have to disappoint you, my friend”, he mumbled. “But I am not Liscom. His plan to return the master to this world by his mortal strength alone is something only he could have done. I however... am not strong enough” He gave the wild-haired necromancer a nod. “Korobar introduced me to the powers of the Nether Hells”, he explained. “And the Queen of Undeath has been highly supportive of our goal” “Returning Borbarad to this world with the help of demons”, Edmond mumbled, as he sat down at the fireplace, Sulman taking the seat next to him. “You should have told me” Sulman shrugged, as he stared into the flames. “I just did”, he spoke. “Besides, I didn't want to tell you before I had absolute faith that this step was necessary” Edmond raised an eyebrow, as he slowly calmed down. Then, he felt a sudden wave of excitement. “Are you telling me...”, he gasped and Sulman reciprocated his grin. “Yes!”, he confirmed. “Yes, it is time. What failed six years ago will succeed now. Borbarad's return is imminent” And just like this, it was all good. Edmond was more than willing to ignore the presence of Korobar the necromancer, he was more than happy to accept Sulman's new demon pact, if it meant that all of this had a reason. Liscom himself had been preaching this. Great sacrifice is appropriate, something even outright required for great deeds. “Can you understand why I never told you?”, Sulman asked and Edmond thought about it for a moment, before he nodded. “Because I would have entered the pact, had I known we needed it”, he said and Sulman smiled. “Do not burden your soul with a pact”, he spoke. “But my sacrifice will be repaid a thousand times once Borbarad has returned” “The howling queen won't get our souls once Borbarad watches over us”, Korobar added and Edmond nodded, with a newly gained understanding for the dark necromancer. As much as he loathed demon cultists, he was nothing if not supportive of those who wanted their freedom. “Then how is it going to happen?”, he asked, his voice shivering with anticipation. “Have you made sense of Liscom's notes at last?” “Something like that”, Sulman replied. “I met a man in Selem, who showed me just why I have no chance in completing Liscom's ritual on my own” He cracked his knuckles, as he stared into the fireplace. “Liscom was different from the ordinary mage, the brightest mind of our time. And his interest went beyond matters of the arcane”, he explained. “He saw hidden connections between all of this. Satinav and the gods of the Achaz and their relation to Borbarad” Edmond raised an eyebrow. “What does Satinav have to do with this?”, he asked. Truth be told, there wasn't much he knew about the guardian of time. A mysterious entity, unconcerned with mortal affairs, and the last he would have expected to play a part in their goal. Sulman shrugged. “I don't claim to understand the whole connection”, he admitted. “Not even with the new... perspective Thargunitoth has granted me. But Hamid, he saw it” “Hamid?”, Urdo asked and Edmond noticed how the small man had silently gotten closer to them. He always felt a chill, having to turn his back on the man, so he shifted a bit, so that he could keep an eye on them, even if it meant having to turn his back on the intimidating figure of Korobar. “First time I hear of that man. I always thought it was just you” Sulman narrowed his eyes. “That is because I don't tell you everything”, he admitted calmly. “At least not until now, when we are so close to succeeding. The man I met in Selem is named Hamid ben Seychaban, a Tulamid scholar and mage” He paused, suppressing a smirk, as he clenched his fists. “It was a lucky coincidence that I met Hamid, for he finally made sense of Liscom's legacy”, he spoke. “It seems Liscom himself has been close to a breakthrough shortly before his death and it all revolved around Satinav” “Four hundred years ago”, Korobar's strong voice snarled from behind. “That was Rohal the 'Wise' and his army marched against his own brother. Borbarad and his faithful stood against him, but Rohal triumphed on that day” Edmond glanced over his shoulder, noticing that a grin had formed on the gaunt necromancer's face, revealing a row of yellowish-brown teeth, the canines clearly sharpened into fangs. “He did not kill him, oh no. He merely managed to trap him in a place outside of the world, outside of life and death” “Limbo”, Edmond confirmed. “I know that much. And you mean Limbo magic won't be enough to bring him back?” Korobar shook his head. “Else someone would have done it centuries ago”, he growled. “We are not the first who follow his teachings, nor will we be the last. But we will be the ones that triumph where generations of mages failed, because thanks to Hamid ben Seychaban, we know of the missing aspect, the one part of the ritual everyone ignored” “It is not just that Borbarad has been banned into Limbo”, Sulman spoke, taking over from the necromancer. “The location is easy to determine, the 'where' has never been a question. But Limbo is a place outside of time. The 'when' has always been the problem. While the world moved on, while four hundred years have passed, the master remained exactly the same, trapped in crushing agony between the spheres” “Four hundred years...”, Edmond mumbled, as he began to understand. He was not an expert on the Limbo and knew almost nothing on the field of temporal magic, but he had studied in Punin and he was still a mage. As Sulman and Korobar laid it out, he understood completely what they meant. It made sense... by the gods, it was brilliant! A baffled smile of disbelief formed on his face, as he shook his head. “Can it be this easy?” “In theory”, Sulman confirmed. “But it will not be. Four hundred years have been stolen from Borbarad, so they must be returned to him somehow. Four hundred years full of life need to be given, so that he can break free of his prison” Edmond raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like something the priests of the Nameless One would say”, he brought up. “They are not involved in this, are they?” Sulman chuckled, before he immediately shook his head. “This I can assure you, my friend, I would never stoop so low”, he promised. “The Nameless One is the enemy, more than any of the other gods. That being said, there are similarities between his imprisonment in the Wall of Stars and Borbarad's imprisonment in the Limbo. The difference is that the Nameless One requires merely life and power to break free, but Borbarad needs time. The longer he spends trapped outside of it, the more he will need to return to this world” “And Hamid knows how to give him this time?”, Edmond asked. “Where... where is this man? I desire to speak to him” Sulman and Korobar exchanged a brief nod, as he noticed, before his friend began to speak again. “Hamid has accompanied me to Meadows”, he confirmed. “But he has journeyed ahead, while I was waiting for you here. A ritual will be needed, at a very particular place” “Drakesfield”, Korobar growled and the word sounded downright monstrous in his harsh accent. “A village near the Black Sickle, entirely unremarkable in itself, but, by chance located at a very particular place of power. There, he has prepared for the ritual. It is almost done” Edmond's eyes widened. “Then we must travel there at once!”, he spoke. “I want to be there when Borbarad ushers in the new world, when Liscom's dream is fulfilled at last” Sulman nodded. “And you will be”, he promised. “If you want to, you can accompany Korobar right away. He will start his journey there after we have finished our talk, to meet up with Hamid and support him in finishing the ritual. I will arrive there a few days later, but it should all be in time” “And what am I going to do?”, Urdo asked, as Sulman glanced at him. “My friend, you will travel west, over the Pandlaril again and to the city of Baliho”, he told him. “Hamid has spent some time there, but the ritual forced him to leave some matters there unattended. I need you to tie up loose ends and gather some of his belongings” At the final sentence, Urdo smirked. “I have always been good at that”, he agreed. “Fine, I'll go. Anything I should know?” Sulman hesitated for a moment, before he glanced at Edmond. “Maybe one thing”, he confirmed. “There is a man in this city whom you must stay away from. Much as you might want to, he should not be underestimated and the last thing we need is his meddling in our affairs yet again” Once more, he and Korobar exchanged a glance and Edmond noticed how the necromancer was downright frowning. “I am talking about Delian of Plainsbridge”, Sulman spoke and Edmond felt hatred growing in him. “Plainsbridge”, he growled. “The rat who murdered Liscom. What is he doing here?” “Looking for me”, Korobar revealed. “We had an encounter in Tobria that left me badly injured. Without the Archdemon, I would have died on that day, but Thargunitoth was not yet done with me” He crossed his thick arms. “I have been seen in this region and of course, Middenrealm Intelligence sent their blood hound” “We should not allow him to stop us again”, Edmond barked. “Urdo should kill him” Sulman shook his head. “If he fails, Plainsbridge will be on our trail”, he spoke. “I hate him as much as you do, but his time will come. Dealing with him can wait, no, it has to wait. All Urdo will do in Baliho is to remove evidence of Hamid's stay there, to prevent Middenrealm Intelligence from getting in our way again” “Besides, you are not the only one with a grudge on Agent Delian, boy”, Korobar hissed. “He and I, we have unfinished business. He will follow my trail eventually, but by the time he finds me, I will stand by the master's side. Then, we can kill him” He grinned as he spoke this and given his powers, Edmond doubted just killing the man would be good enough. Not that he complained about it. Delian of Plainsbridge, the coward, the man who murdered the greatest mind of their age, he deserved what was coming to him. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that he could wait, just a little bit longer. “You can go with Urdo if you want to”, Sulman spoke. “Together, you could deal with the matters in Baliho faster. Then, you meet up with me again and we travel to Drakesfield together, where we will join Hamid and Korobar” He glanced from the short, wiry figure of Urdo of Gisholm to Korobar's imposing physique. “To be honest, I merely want you to be there when the master returns. Out of all his followers, you deserve this honour the most. Urdo and Korobar, they have specific tasks to fulfil, but true to Borbarad's teachings, you have the freedom to choose whom you wish to support” Edmond followed his gaze. To be honest, he liked neither of these men. Urdo was a necessary evil, a man he did not trust and whose crude attempts at riling him up got on his nerves. But his task was undoubtedly important. Erasing Hamid's tracks, to prevent Delian of Plainsbridge to get in their way again was something he would like to help with, if only to keep an eye on the man who murdered Liscom. Meanwhile, going with Korobar, it would mean arriving in Drakesfield earlier. Who knew what would await him there? Maybe it was worth travelling there in the intimidating company of the necromancer if it meant getting behind the secrets of this a bit earlier. He sighed, noticing Sulman's anticipating expression and he knew, he had to make a choice. [Go with Urdo] [Go with Korobar]
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Post by drdestroyer18 on Dec 8, 2018 21:02:40 GMT
[Go with Korobar] So we are going to be following a member of what seems to be the villain faction. That's pretty interesting and he is also a mage which will be very interesting. I like this story so far and can't wait for more.
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Post by WildlingKing on Dec 8, 2018 23:01:31 GMT
Ah, makes sense we'd get a Borbaradian perspective to the story, given how they are clearly playing a major role in whatever is going to happen. They may be the "villain faction" of this story, but I'm really liking how their motives and goals are very understandable. So much even that I could very well see a story where these are the protagonist's goals... which I guess we now technically have [Go with Korobar] We already have two PoVs in Baliho, I'm sure Urdo will make do without Edmond. Besides, I'm quite interested to learn more about Korobar.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 9, 2018 1:00:03 GMT
[Go with Korobar] So we are going to be following a member of what seems to be the villain faction. That's pretty interesting and he is also a mage which will be very interesting. I like this story so far and can't wait for more. You got it correctly, the Borbaradians are technically the villains here, so my announcement about this PoV being unique was due to FoT's lack of a proper villain PoV (unless you count Marak, who has been more of a henchman than any true villain in his own right). Edmond might not be a classic villain and I wouldn't call him evil, but the Borbaradians are willing to employ some very questionable methods and work with some very questionable people, which of course makes them more villainous than the other factions in this story. I am also really glad to hear you enjoy the story so far! I've been having a blast with these first parts, I cannot wait to show more of the world and the events that'll happen.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 9, 2018 1:10:17 GMT
Ah, makes sense we'd get a Borbaradian perspective to the story, given how they are clearly playing a major role in whatever is going to happen. They may be the "villain faction" of this story, but I'm really liking how their motives and goals are very understandable. So much even that I could very well see a story where these are the protagonist's goals... which I guess we now technically have [Go with Korobar] We already have two PoVs in Baliho, I'm sure Urdo will make do without Edmond. Besides, I'm quite interested to learn more about Korobar. Aye, I was really glad that I received a submitted Borbaradian. While Urdo, Sulman and Korobar are all characters from the original campaign, Edmond is the first user-submitted Borbaradian and so he was a natural PoV choice. I really want to flesh out the characters that usually only appear in antagonistic roles, showing them in a storyline where everything is turned around. In the first part of this chapter, a snippet revealed that Korobar is wanted for abduction, torture, murder and necromantic crimes against the people of Tobria and the Bornland, so he is quite definitely an antagonist to most storylines, but for Edmond, he is an ally, which allows me to portray the character in new and unusual ways, showing that there might be more to him than that. Same goes for the others and I really want to show their reasons and motives. They might be antagonists, but many of the bad guys in the original campaign actually have a reason for why they got to that point, which obviously does fall flat when the people experiencing the story do so solely from the perspective of their own characters. And of course I always had fun portraying the antagonists while DMing the campaign, so I am super happy I'll be able to give them more personality in this story. Korobar in particular was a favourite of mine, because I was really able to ham it up with the accent. It was hilarious, but arguably gave him a certain charm XD
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Post by diversegnu on Dec 9, 2018 5:55:26 GMT
[Go with Korobar] I'm not sure if it would be in our best interests to erase Hamid's tracks, best to let Middenrealm Intelligence catch up with the Borbaradians.
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Post by GMS Freeman on Dec 9, 2018 6:14:20 GMT
[Go with Korobar]
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Post by Tales93 on Dec 9, 2018 7:17:50 GMT
[Go with Urdo]
I'm glad Edmond is a pov character! I figured this might be what you were planning based on some of the things you told me in the pm's, but I wasn't sure. I'm very excited to see his adventure with the Borbaradian faction. Anyways, I feel this is the choice he would want to do at this moment. By the way, why are the Borbaradians still working with Urdo, considering he abandoned Liscom which ended up leading to his death?
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Post by TheAPlegends on Dec 9, 2018 10:14:27 GMT
[Go with Urdo]
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 11, 2018 2:09:02 GMT
[Go with Urdo]I'm glad Edmond is a pov character! I figured this might be what you were planning based on some of the things you told me in the pm's, but I wasn't sure. I'm very excited to see his adventure with the Borbaradian faction. Anyways, I feel this is the choice he would want to do at this moment. By the way, why are the Borbaradians still working with Urdo, considering he abandoned Liscom which ended up leading to his death? Yes, he was actually among the first characters I knew would be a PoV, mostly because I absolutely wanted a Borbaradian PoV and Edmond works perfectly with this. Also, he is still the only Borbaradian submitted, but fear not, a lot of interesting characters should be there to interact with him. He very much stands for an aspect of the Borbaradians I want to put special emphasis on as the story progresses. Furthermore, he allows me to flesh out characters who are merely villains in the RPG, to show that there are other sides to them. When it comes to Urdo, there are several reasons why they all still work with him. First is, only Urdo knows for sure what happened on that day. The way he put it, Delian just got his hands on the dragon soulstone, which is dangerous even in the hands of a non-mage. In Liscom's hands, it would have been downright a weapon of mass destruction, but in this very moment, Urdo was facing the very real threat that he could have died without achieving anything to help Liscom. Wether or not this is actually true is up in the air, but he claims it to be that way. Second, he is incredibly useful, due to the benefits of his pact, which makes him basically the most important Borbaradian messenger. Cultists of Lolgramoth are rare and those who can be trusted to a certain degree are even rarer and while Edmond does not trust him one bit, Sulman does and he is the one calling the shots.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 16, 2018 22:03:22 GMT
The Voting is closed!
Edmond is going to go with Korobar I apologize for leaving the voting open for so long. The new FoT part has taken me longer than usual and I was busy for most of the weekend. As such, I haven't finished the part yet. However, it will be out soon, hopefully either today or tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed this latest part though! I am not used to have a member of a villainous group as a PoV, even if Edmond is definitely not a standard bad guy. Hopefully, I can present his choices in a natural way, going forward, so that his storyline will be overall enjoyable. The next part will be, as said above, out today or tomorrow. It will lead us back to Iiro Redal's storyline. As you likely remember, he is a mercenary, originally from the Duchy of Meadows, who returned home after a long time. Plagued by nightmares, he seeks to find a new employer, to travel to some faraway land. After a short search, he teams up with the charismatic and educated Vittorio Crawford, a grey mage from the southern province of Almada, who has come to the remote duchy to find an old and valuable book. He believes two men have a similar interest in the book, namely the Tulamid scholar Hamid ben Seychaban and the Norbardic necromancer Korobar, both of which have either been mentioned or outright appeared in Edmond's part. Hamid apparently is no stranger to the library of Baliho, whereas Korobar is a wanted man, whom the Church of Praios, as god of law and order, might know more about. However, he did not feel well with approaching either of these locations with the support of a capable bodyguard, which is where Iiro comes into play. He decided to accompany Vittorio to the local library, which is where we are going to pick up their storyline again.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 17, 2018 23:15:42 GMT
Iiro According to Vittorio, the great library of Baliho was actually not too great. He had seen the myriads of tomes kept at the Academy of High Magic, down in Punin, so there was likely some truth to his claim. Nonetheless, Iiro was in awe at the spacious, two-story building, filled with books. Of course, as someone who had never even learned to read, this place was strange, perhaps even slightly intimidating. In any way, he felt equal parts amazed and unsettled by this place. Vittorio had a bright smile on his face, as he approached the man behind the front desk. The clerk was a bit older than either of them, his hair beginning to grey, with a small, round pair of glasses on his nose. Studying a sheet of paper in front of him, he only looked up as Vittorio leant onto the desk. “Hello, good man”, the mage spoke. “And a beautiful day to you. I was hoping you might be able to help us out” The man was silent for a moment, while he studied Vittorio. Then, he narrowed his eyes. “Your kind is rare in this city, mage”, he spoke, but his tone was more neutral than outright hostile. “Especially during these times” Vittorio nodded. “I have seen the Banray out in the streets”, he spoke and Iiro still clenched his fists as he thought of the dozens of mage hunters they had seen during their trip from the Black Bull inn to Baliho's library. “Yet I would not be here without business, nor would I waste your time. My name is Vittorio Crawford, Academy of Apparitions, and I am here because I look for a man who borrowed a book from your place” Now, the clerk narrowed his eyes, though he replied after glancing at Iiro, who straightened his back and gave him a casual glare. “What is the name of this man you seek, Mr. Crawford?”, he then asked and Vittorio, briefly glancing over his shoulder, winked at his bodyguard. “He is not from here, but my contacts assured me he has borrowed a book from your library”, he explained. “A Tulamid scholar, goes by the name of Hamid ben Seychaban” The clerk sighed. “I should have known”, he spoke. “One mage never comes alone” Iiro raised an eyebrow, as he took a step closer, though he remained silent, leaving the talking to Vittorio. His employer had noticed the same thing though. “Ben Seychaban is a mage?”, he asked, to which the clerk nodded. “Tried to hide his sigil though, but I recognize a mage when I see one”, he replied. “No respectable mage would ever hide their sigil!”, Vittorio said, trying to sound as honest as possible, while opening his palm and revealing the one tattooed onto it. The clerk shrugged. “Means he wasn't respectable, but his actions were proof enough of that”, he spoke. “A black mage, I presume. What is your connection to his man?” “There is no connection to speak of”, Vittorio was quick to assure him. “We never even met. I simply believe he has something I want, or he is at least close to obtaining it” He paused. “Uh, what book did he borrow from your library?”, he then asked. The clerk pressed his lips together, nervously eyeing Vittorio, then Iiro. “You are no friends of him?”, he asked and Vittorio shook his head. “I would even call myself a rival, if we are truly out for the same object”, he admitted. This seemed to be enough for the man. “In that case, I can show you”, he spoke, as he rose from his chair. Now standing, he still was a good head shorter than Iiro and he did not seem to like the fact. “Follow me” He turned around and with quick steps, he led them past the rows of books. Iiro himself tried to decipher the titles as they walked past them. In vain, of course, as a few letters were all he was able to read, but this only strengthened his desire to learn it. Who could tell what countless treasures were hidden within these ancient pages? “The book was a priceless treasure!”, the clerk spoke, now raising his thin voice to a genuine snarl. “A gift from Archmage Elcarna, given to us during his latest stay in our city. He will be highly displeased, should he learn how we treated this tome!” He shook his head, as he opened a door, almost hidden between two heavy bookshelves. The room behind it was small, although light was shining through a generous window, nicely illuminating the table that took up most of the room. On it, Iiro spotted a book and it was clearly in a desolate condition. It was open, revealing that several pages had been outright torn from it, only small remnants remaining. A quick count revealed that four pages were missing. “Despite our distrust to the man, we gave this book to Hamid ben Seychaban”, the clerk revealed. “Our distrust was well founded, for Hamid never returned it to us. A week ago, we entered his room in the Northstar inn, where the book was, well, discovered in this horrid condition” He sighed, as he and Vittorio approached it. “May I?”, the mage asked and the clerk pressed his lips together, before he gently moved over the paper. “The Last Ember”, the man explained. “The gathered prophecies of Thamos of Nostria. Over three hundred years old and absolutely priceless, even beyond material value” Vittorio nodded. “I have heard of the man. A misleading name, for most of his prophecies were written during his stay in Al'Anfa, am I correct?” This seemed to please the clerk and he smiled at the fellow scholar. “Why, indeed!”, he confirmed, as Iiro leant back against the closed door, crossing his arms and listening carefully. Though he never heard of this Thamos and Al'Anfa was nothing but a city name to him, he was curious about this. It was precisely what he had hoped to learn during his stay with Vittorio. “Those are the Al'Anfanian prophecies, aren't they?”, Vittorio asked and the clerk nodded. “They used to be the only complete example north of Punin”, he lamented. “Until this savage tore out most of them and disappeared without a trace. This is the only page out of five we were able to recover” He sighed. “Thamos' most influential work. Compared to that, the rest of the book is nothing but common soothsaying” “He left the fourth verse”, Vittorio realized, as he looked over the remaining page. Iiro took a step closer, glancing at it and he felt frustration over not being able to decipher the words. “Of the Marked Seven”, the mage read. “Never been my favourite verse” He chuckled, as he noticed Iiro's curios gaze. “When the lone prophet of the almandine eye arrives...”, he read the first sentence and Iiro raised an eyebrow. “What's an almandine?”, he asked and Vittorio shrugged. “Some sort of a ruby”, he revealed. “That's how you know it's all bogus. Who ever heard of a man with a ruby instead of an eyeball?” “Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about it”, the clerk interjected. “The missing pages had a couple of fascinating insights. Scholars have discussed the meaning of these at length and many believe that Thamos truly had the gift of prophecy” He shrugged. “Alas, I fear their theories are lost to us now. At least I doubt this savage Tulamid can be found all that easily. The guard was informed, but they have no leads, aside from Hamid having left Baliho to the east” “The east, huh?”, Vittorio spoke. “What's so special about the east?” This was something Iiro knew, so he gladly spoke up. “The Black Sickle is essentially lawless”, he told him. “Bandits, orks and goblins. If he reaches the mountains, he can easily escape justice. It's not far to the Bornland from there, or the Tobrian wilds” The mage clenched his fists. “I see...”, he mumbled. “How long has that been?”, he asked and the clerk thought about it for a moment. “Three weeks, probably four”, he replied and Vittorio sighed. “More than enough, I fear”, he said. “Unfortunate, but he is not my only lead. Is there anything else you can tell me about him?” “Only how much I regret not throwing him out when I had the chance”, the clerk spoke. “It should have been obvious from the way he looked and... ugh, smelled” Vittorio raised an eyebrow. “What's wrong with his smell?”, he asked and the clerk shrugged. “He reeked of perfume”, he spoke. “I know, Southerners often like a few drops, but that man was practically doused in it. Wore an eyepatch and what little I saw of his face was clearly disfigured” He shook his head. “In retrospect, it should have been obvious” Vittorio seemed clearly disappointed by this. However, he pulled himself together and gave the clerk a warm handshake. “Well, I will remain in Baliho for a little bit longer. Rushing east on a wild goose chase is a bit too vague for me, so I hope to find more leads in this city first”, he spoke. “If you remember anything else that helps me with finding the man, I reside in the Black Bull inn” His smirk was wide, almost showing his teeth. “Should I find the man thanks to your help, I will naturally return the missing pages to your library” “Twelve blessings, mage”, the man replied. “I am sorry I cannot tell you more. But should you return the missing pages, you will be rewarded handsomely, be sure of it” Vittorio's expression made it clear to Iiro that this was precisely what he had hoped for and it remained on his face all the way until they had left the building again. Now out in the crowded streets, Vittorio sighed, though a look of confidence remained. “Well, I hoped this would give me more of a lead”, he replied. “With a headstart of four weeks, he could be anywhere now. I fear this Korobar is all we have left now” He tilted his head. “You did good in there. Very imposing, I doubt he would have been so eager to talk without a brooding warrior by my side” “I try to be a bit less broody”, Iiro replied, reciprocating Vittorio's smirk. “So, what next?” To this, the mage sighed. “Now, I fear we won't have a choice but to talk to the Praiots”, he admitted and shuddered. “Maybe don't get rid of the brooding just yet. I heard it impresses them” Iiro was honestly not too sure if he wanted to impress a priest of Praios, or if he rather preferred to stay as far away from them as possible. They were not too keen on mercenaries, just like his people were not too keen on the holy inquisition. But it helped little. Together, they walked through the streets of Baliho, towards one of the central market squares, a place overflowing with people from all over Aventuria. Briefly, Iiro even saw the pointy ears of a red-haired elf woman in the crowd, a rare sight in these parts. They were near the hangman's tree now, where a makeshift platform had been built up. Right as they walked by, a painfully dissonant horn sounded and a pale, plain man climbed onto the stage. “Citizens and friends of Baliho!”, he began with a thin voice, but just as he said this, another man, this time clad in gold and purple, the lavish robes of a showman, climbed onto the stage and rudely pushed him away. Before the pale man was able to protest, the other one began to speak, after two full, loud horn sounds gained the attention of the crowd. “Citizens and friends of Baliho!”, he roared, with a loud, booming and pleasant voice. “Visitors from near and far! It is my pleasure to announce, in the name of Dugobalosh Son of Dabash, that the Northstar Inn will grant you a special gift on this evening, the twenty-second day of Ingerimm's month!” As he spoke, a woman walked up next to him, her smooth, tanned skin barely hidden beneath thin, colourful wisps of silk, the hint of a flawlessly beautiful face covered by a veil, as she gracefully danced around the announcer. “On this evening, the Northstar Inn is delighted to present the Flower of Fasar!”, the man yelled and the crowd was captivated. Iiro and Vittorio both stopped to look as well, as the woman moved across the stage with lascivious elegance. “The Alabaster Fairy of Anchopal! The enchanting enthraller of Estamanian eunuchs! The Innocent Rose of the Rastullah Infidels! The seductive Sharisad, the incredible, the unparalleled Seraya da Merinal, who shall bring the sweet fruits of the Khom oases to your hearts! Come forth, come many, do not miss the magic roundelay from the land of the endless sun, the wild sable dancers and lovely princesses!” A threefold horn sound marked the end of his speech and under thunderous applause, announcer and sharisad left the stage again. Iiro had a grin on his face as he looked after the woman and he only barely noticed that Vittorio shared the expression. “Say, friend Iiro, what are your plans for this evening?”, he asked in a cheeky tone, as the crooked horn sounded once more, marking the return of the pale announcer, who had been so rudely interrupted. He picked up his speech again. “Citizens and friends of Baliho!”, he began. “Dark times are ahead...” By this, most of the crowd had dispersed and Vittorio himself rolled his eyes. “Not quite what they wanted to hear, right after that”, he said, as he himself wanted to turn away. Iiro remained though, if briefly. Losing a majority of his audience clearly took the man by surprise, but he continued after a brief stutter. “The realm of the emperor has been shaken by dark times! All of you are hereby called to protect it and its citizens! In particular, brave and skilled fighters are wanted, to support a mission that will lead them to the east of Meadows, where a dark sorcerer strikes terror into people's hearts! This mission will be rewarded with several, I repeat, several gold coins!” “Uh, Iiro...”, Vittorio mumbled and as he followed his gaze, he spotted two men, patrolling the square. Armed with swords, they both wore plain chainmail beneath white tabards, in its centre a silver sun surrounded by red flames. Rare as they had been in his home village, he recognized them. They were mage-hunters, Acolytes of the Holy Banray, the militia of the Church of Praios. “Maybe we should go before the Banray decides to, well, investigate me”, the mage brought up and Iiro nodded, turning away from the announcer. “Those who are willing to risk life and health in service of the Middenrealm, those who wish to hunt down the fiendish necromancer Korobar, are hereby called to the Emperor and the Ork. Ask for Delian of Plainsbridge!”, the announcer finished his speech and only few had remained to the very end. Vittorio however tensed up. “What did he just say...?”, he gasped, before he turned away from the Banray patrol. “Wait, good man!” He rushed towards the announcer, who seemed pleasantly surprised that someone had questions after the undoubtedly humiliating speech he just made. “My friend, I am highly interested in what you had to say”, Vittorio claimed and the man raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”, he asked. “Then how may I help?” “Ah, you mentioned you seek men to hunt a necromancer, a certain... Kordoban?”, Vittorio explained and Iiro realized he tried to contain his excitement. The announcer nodded. “Korobar”, he corrected him needlessly. “And I don't seek to hunt that man, by the gods, I'm not mad. I was paid to make this announcement by a Darpatian man, a citizen of Rommilys, who goes by the name of Delian of Plainsbridge” Vittorio nodded. “Yes, I heard this much”, he said quickly, now glancing at the Banray patrol, who managed to easily disperse the crowd by their mere presence and their stern glares. “Where can we find this man, this Delian of Plainsbridge? You mentioned the Emperor and the Ork, yes?” The announcer pointed down the square, towards a sizeable inn. “The best in Baliho”, he claimed. “Just ask for Delian. Also, while you are there, you have to try the mushroom stew” He gave them a friendly smile, before walking away. “Ah, what marvellous fortune!”, Vittorio exclaimed, as he patted Iiro onto the shoulder. “It seems I am in luck today. If we cannot find Hamid ben Seychaban, then maybe Korobar will at least be within our reach” He began to walk towards the inn, Iiro doing his best to shield him from the Banray's glares. “Do you intend to hunt a necromancer?”, he asked and Vittorio raised an eyebrow. “Are you surprised?”, he asked in return and Iiro nodded truthfully. “I... well, didn't take you for that sort”, he admitted. “The kind to risk your life for heroics, I mean” “Would you?”, Vittorio asked in return and after a moment of hesitation, Iiro nodded. “Apparently, it pays well”, he replied. “And I am used to risk my life for coin. This time, it seems like a legit offer” He tilted his head, as they approached the inn. “Are you just doing this to get a lead on Korobar?” Vittorio nodded without hesitation. “Please, I am not doing this to keep the lands safe. I am from Almada, which means Meadows is hardly my land”, he revealed. “If my actions help people, I'm hardly opposed to that, if I am paid for it, even better. But if finding Korobar gives me a lead to find the book, then oh yes, I would be willing to do a lot for it” “What's so special about the book either way?”, Iiro brought up as they had reached the door of the inn and Vittorio raised an eyebrow. “Well, I suppose you should know”, he said, as he pushed the door open, revealing a barely crowded taproom. A man pushed himself past them, out of the building. “That won't end well”, he mumbled and Iiro immediately realized what he meant. There, in one corner, sat two elves, which by itself would have been a curious sight. One of them was a pale-haired man, while opposing him sat a red-haired elven woman, the very same he had spotted in the crowd as they entered the square. And in front of them stood a black-bearded and visibly aggravated dwarf. “Ye refuse?”, the dwarf growled. “Who dae ye think ye are?” He slammed his fist onto the table. “Oh, I'm gonna tell ye! Ye are some pointy-eared arse, humping trees all day until ye decide to ruin some poor lassie's day with yer pissy magic!” The male elf raised an eyebrow. “There are actually rather few trees where I come from”, he replied. For a moment, the dwarf was taken aback by the reply. “Berosh, let go of it!”, a man yelled from across the room. He sat at a table with four others, two men and two women, each of them armed and armoured. “I said shut yer trap, Brodar!”, the dwarf barked. “I'm doing this for yer lass, so ye better get over here and help me!” He shook his head, before turning back to the elf. “Yer so calm”, he said, as Vittorio gave Iiro a slight nudge. “None of our concern”, he spoke, as he pushed him deeper into the room. Wordlessly, the dwarf picked up the ale in front of him and threw it into the elf's face. The man jumped back as the ale poured into his face and the dwarf chuckled. “Not so calm now, are ye?” As the elf coughed at the sudden, unexpected ale, the woman jumped up and the dwarf gave her a wide grin. “Ye better sit down now, missy”, he warned her, but she only narrowed her eyes. “You are starting to make me angry”, she spoke, as she removed the thin gloves from her hands. “A lot” Vittorio grabbed Iiro by the shoulder. “Oh damn...”, he mumbled, as he glanced out of the window. “I know she's about to cast a spell any moment now and the Banray is approaching the building” He took a step back. “We have to get out of here, come one”, he urged him. “If they find us with her, they'll lock us up just as well” However, Iiro shook the hand off, as he instead approached the table. “She doesn't know”, he whispered. “We can't just do nothing while she gets taken by the Banray” He took another step towards the table and noticed how Vittorio sighed. The mage moved closer to the door, but remained inside the inn, to his credit. “Hey, Master Dwarf, easy now...”, he began, but the dwarf only glared into his direction, moving a hand to the hilt of his axe. “Stay out of this, ye cunt!”, he yelled, before his grin widened, into something sinister. “What are ye gonnae do, lass? Put one of yer bloody spells on me?” He spread his arms. “Go on then, ye get the first hit”, he offered. Iiro glanced out of the window and by now, he was able to see the Banray patrol. If she would cast that spell, they would notice and it couldn't end well for any of them, not for her, not for him nor Vittorio. Iiro knew, he had to defuse the situation, though right now, he was able to think of two quick ways to maybe, hopefully, prevent her from doing a terrible mistake. [Calm down the elf] [Tackle the dwarf]
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Post by GMS Freeman on Dec 18, 2018 0:14:53 GMT
[Tackle The Dwarf]
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Post by diversegnu on Dec 18, 2018 6:20:49 GMT
[Calm down the elf]
It's really cool to see how the POVs interject into each other's storylines without knowing each other
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Post by WildlingKing on Dec 18, 2018 10:32:50 GMT
Alright, looks like our group of protagonists is forming here, very interesting, I'm eager to see where this goes. Iiro and Vittorio make for a great duo, really enjoying their interactions so far. [Tackle the dwarf] Not only do I think this will be the more effective way to avoid any spells being thrown around, it'll no doubt also be the more hilarious way
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Post by drdestroyer18 on Dec 18, 2018 12:43:51 GMT
[Tackle the dwarf]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Dec 18, 2018 13:30:07 GMT
[Calm down the elf]
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Post by Tales93 on Dec 18, 2018 19:00:55 GMT
[Calm down the elf]
Tackling the dwarf might cause his companions to physically get involved and create more chaos. Which might still make the Banefort Praios guards suspicious of what is going on inside. The brawl may cause them to intervene, and they might discover Vittorio and the elves are mages.
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Post by aliscot on Dec 22, 2018 10:40:37 GMT
[Calm down the elf]
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Dec 27, 2018 10:12:59 GMT
[Calm down the elf]
I think this is the safest option, considering the fact that the patrol is so close.
I'm very much enjoying the way you write Vittorio, by the way. The interactions between him and Iiro are quite satisfying and enjoyable.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 27, 2018 22:08:53 GMT
The Voting is closed! Iiro is going to calm down the elf As undeniably amusing as tackling Berosh would have been, you probably chose wisely, in the attempt to prevent things from escalating. Tackling Berosh meanwhile would have provoked a physical confrontation with the dwarf, which certainly would have held its own dangers. We will see how this plays out in the next part, but while violence is always a possibility, it isn't always the best course of action when trying to avoid someone's attention. The next part should be out today or tomorrow. It will be the second part for Yveshin. Last time we saw him was actually just in Iiro's part, but in his last part, we were introduced to him. Yveshin is a Rime Elf from the distant mountain range of the Brazen Sword, who has left his lands for currently unknown reasons. In the city of Baliho, he encountered a fellow Rime Elf, Thea, who definitely hasn't left her tribe out of her own free will. The seers of Thea's tribe had dark visions of the future, foretelling the arrival of a great darkness. A certain person, a prophet with a ruby for an eye, supposedly knows more about the nature of this threat and Thea has been sent to find this prophet in the lands of the humans. She told that much to Yveshin while they had a conversation in the same tavern as Berosh the dwarf and his companions. Turns out, Berosh is angry for Yveshin beating one of his friends, the young archer Geshmine, in the local archery contest earlier. Either that, or he just seeks an excuse to be an asshole, but long story short, the scene from Iiro's part played out. We will see the consequences of his choice in this very part, before going forward in the storyline. I hope you will enjoy it!
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Dec 31, 2018 18:38:37 GMT
There it is, the last part for this year! I am sorry I kept you waiting for longer, the last week hasn't been kind to me and I had some family matters to take care of. That slowed down my writing, but I am glad I still got it done before the end of this year. I hope you will enjoy it! And more than that, I hope you will have a pleasant start into 2019. I see you all next year!
Yveshin The ale burned in his eyes and he blinked, his vision blurry, but his ears sharp as ever. For a moment, anger flared up in him. It was not the way of his people, but that didn't mean he wasn't perfectly capable of ripping this tiny man to shreds, nor did it mean that his people hadn't killed before to protect themselves. Thea was one step ahead of him, apparently. She glared at the dwarf like a hunter would glare at their prey. Having removed one of her gloves, he could easily see the arcane energy pulsing through her hand, though he doubted one of the humans, much less Berosh the dwarf, were able to notice that much. Perhaps that was exactly what he wanted to do, starting a fight, for whatever reason. It was one of the strangest things he had seen during his journey, but apparently, the short-lived races tended to do things without reason quite often. The arrival of the human caught all three of them off guard. He was of average height, with the dishevelled appearance of a traveller, clad in leather, with dark brown hair and a stubble beard. Standing between the dwarf and Thea, Yveshin half-expected him to just tackle Berosh to the ground. Instead, he did something surprising. “You really shouldn't do this”, he spoke, turning towards Thea and catching her by surprise as he addressed her instead of the dwarf. “Ye, listen to him!”, Berosh snarled and the man shot him a glare. “And you shut up”, he barked, before turning back towards Thea. The dwarf narrowed his eyes slightly raising his axe and the man glanced over his shoulder. “And if you pull your weapon, I'm going to cut you down”, he snapped. “As for you, elf, you should not do that. I know it's hard, but you really shouldn't cast a spell right now” Thea raised an eyebrow. “And why not?”, she asked. “He is practically asking for it” The man nodded. “Yeah and if you use magic in here, you will attract certain attention”, he explained, as he looked at his companion, the well-groomed man in the neat robe. “I think you can explain this a bit better” The other man sighed, though as he glanced through the window behind him, he shrugged. “I hate to say it, but maybe you are right, my friend, quite so”, he said, as he approached the table. “If we do as much as conjure a sparkling light in here, the flagellates will put us in chains” Once there, he took an elegant bow in front of the elves. “May I introduce myself, my name is Vittorio Crawford and this is my bodyguard Iiro Redal”, he spoke. “Most importantly, mylady, I am a mage” As he said this, Berosh spat out, though he remained there, arms crossed and ready to see if the situation would escalate. And Yveshin still had to suppress the urge to attack the dwarf, even if he knew this was unlikely to be a good idea in a human city. The people of Meadows already viewed his kind with suspicion and superstition, whereas the hard-drinking and hard-working dwarves at least had something in common with them. “This right here shows that I am a member of the grey guild”, he said, presenting a mark that has been carved into the palm of his hand. “As such, I have certain rights, granted by the Codex Albyricus, as long as I follow it” Yveshin and apparently Thea as well had no idea what this Codex was, but the woman leant forwards. “And?”, she asked impatiently, though Yveshin spotted a curious bewilderment in her voice. Perhaps she wasn't as impartial to the lands of men as she claimed to be. “Am I correct in my assumption that you do not belong to one of the guilds of magic?”, Vittorio asked. “A wild mage, perhaps trained by your tribe” Thea nodded. “Up until recently I didn't even know these guilds exist”, she admitted. “But is that a bad thing in these lands? I merely do as all elves of my tribe has done for thousands of years” “In here, I am afraid this is a bad thing”, Vittorio confirmed. “Because while I am protected by the law as long as I follow the rules the Codex has laid out, the same cannot be said about you. This gives certain groups in this city all the reason they need to imprison you. More often than not, this means the pyre for a wild mage” Yveshin needed a moment to realize what the man was trying to say, but his eyes widened around the same time as Thea understood. “You are burning your mages?”, she asked, to which Vittorio sighed. “The backwards parts of our society do that, yes”, he admitted. “Though as a guild mage, I am protected as long as I follow the rules. The same cannot be said about wild mages, or, well, most of them. Nobody would burn a druid, these people are just terrifying. But witches, free mages, elves who overstep the Banray's fragile patience...” The dwarf was about to interrupt him, but in this moment, the tall sellsword leader approached them. “Berosh, fucking cut it”, he barked. “Plainsbridge wants to talk to us” He pointed down the taproom and at a man, who was blocking a door that likely led deeper into the building. The dwarf mumbled something in his native tongue, as he shot Yveshin a glare, before finally joining the rest of his companions as they approached the blocked door. “Sorry for that”, the tall man said. “He's an ass, but a damn fine marksman” He gave Iiro a nod. “You did well, mate”, he said before placing a silver coin on the table. “Have a drink on me” With these words, he turned away, walking towards his companions, who all entered the room behind the door. “I... don't drink”, Yveshin mumbled, as he glanced at the silver coin on the table. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed it though, adding it to the handful of coins in his pocket. Albeit he doubted it would ever feel natural to use them to buy things in these human cities, they at least looked pretty. “Thank you for your help, humans. My name is Yveshin and this is Thea”, he spoke. “I... We were not aware of these strange customs” Thea looked visibly unhappy as she put on her glove again. “The more I hear of your world, the less sense it makes”, she mumbled. “Burning your mages, for what crime?” She shook her head. “But you have my gratitude. It seems I have a lot to learn about this strange land” Vittorio raised an eyebrow. “What did lead you here to begin with? It is rare to see two of your kind in a human city” “I am looking for someone. Man or woman, I do not know, but they are a prophet”, she explained. “You seem to know a lot about your lands. Could you tell me where I can find your prophets?” Vittorio smirked and Yveshin had picked up enough about human behaviour to realize he was suppressing a chuckle. Thea almost certainly did not notice it though. “Mylady Thea, it won't be that simple”, he told her. “Prophecy is a rare gift. I am a worldly man and I have never even seen a prophet. I doubt you'll find more than a dozen in all Aventuria” He shrugged. “The lands of the Tulamids might be your best bet, but they are far away”, he speculated. “One thing to look out for is that not every self-proclaimed prophet actually tells the truth. A majority of them are nothing more than charlatans” “I heard of this”, Thea confirmed. “My tribe is well aware that many of your people are liars. The one I am looking for will be obvious though, for they are marked. One of their eyes is a gem, a...” She paused, biting down onto her lower lip as she visibly struggled with the unfamiliar human language. “A ruby” It was the other man, Iiro, who looked up. “I remember that”, he spoke. “Back from the library” Vittorio seemed confused for a moment, before his eyes widened. “Of course!”, he spoke. “Yes, this makes sense” He smiled at Thea. “Mylady, may I offer a deal” His smile was friendly, but Thea didn't seem to buy it. Yveshin could not blame her for being doubtful of this stranger's kindness. “What sort?”, she asked. “Well, it turns out I might know of a lead that can bring you to your ruby-eyed prophet”, Vittorio spoke. “However, there might be danger involved” Thea smirked thinly. “You will find that I am more than capable, human”, she told him, her voice hard with confidence. “Now reveal what you know. Where can I find the prophet?” “Ah, allow me to explain”, Vittorio continued. “The prophet with the almandine eye is a figure from Thamos' famous Al'Anfanian prophecies” He smiled, having to know fully well that the elves understood not a word of what he just said. “Thamos was a prophet, but he died centuries ago. He wrote of the Marked Seven, prophesied heroes who will fight against a great darkness” Thea raised an eyebrow. Then, a smile formed on her face, the first expression of genuine joy Yveshin had seen from her. “And did your Thamos say where I can find the prophet?”, she asked. “I need to ask him about the darkness, my tribe depends on me” Vittorio shook his head. “Thamos has been frustratingly vague in some aspects”, he spoke. “Apparently, the Oracles of Fasar explain more, but they are ancient and rare and I, well, prophecy is hardly my speciality” The elf sighed in mild frustration. “I still have to find a proper prophet then?”, she asked and Vittorio shook his head. “Perhaps not. Tulamidiya is far away and I would suggest to try an easier approach first, if time is of the essence”, he stated. “As my companion correctly said, we have heard of the ruby-eyed prophet just today. A rare book, containing Thamos' gathered prophecies, was defiled by a man I am looking for, a certain Hamid ben Seychaban” “A coincidence?”, Thea asked and Vittorio shook his head. “Given the rarity of the Last Ember, I would be surprised”, he replied. “I presume Hamid ben Seychaban will be able to answer your question, but naturally, he has left Baliho already, to whereabouts unknown” He placed a hand on his chest. “There seems to be a connection between Hamid and another man, one whom I would like to meet as well. His name is Korobar and with a bit of luck, he can give both of us the lead we need”, he explained. “So, my offer would be as follows. Help me with finding Korobar, despite the danger this might pose, and I will help you with finding Hamid ben Seychaban” Thea narrowed her eyes. “Where is the catch, human?”, she asked, before she sighed. “Actually, don't bother to reply. I don't see much of a choice. You just gave me the best lead I have. Plus, you might be the first human to take me seriously” She frowned. “The rest of this lot probably thinks I have lost my mind” In this moment, the door opened again and Yveshin noticed Berosh and his companions leaving again. The dwarf had a haughty grin on his face as he spotted Yveshin, an expression shared by the young woman he had defeated during the archery contest. As she saw him, she gave the dwarf a brief nudge with her elbow, causing a sinister chuckle from him. The six walked past them without any further comment, aside from Berosh's and Geshmine's smug expressions. “And I believe that is my call”, Vittorio remarked, as he rose from his chair. “My friends, you may accompany if you want, for I will meet a man who can hopefully tell me more about Korobar's whereabouts” He gave Thea a nod. “And ben Seychaban's as well, if they truly are connected” As soon as he had said this, Thea stood next to him. “Then our paths are intertwined, human”, she remarked. Yveshin sighed. “I didn't want to be dragged into an adventure like this”, he spoke. “But I know how much trouble I had during my first weeks among the humans. I won't leave you alone, Thea” She gave him a thin smile. “Thank you”, she replied in their native tongue, as the four approached the door. It was still guarded by a man who gave them a brief look. “More heroes for hire?”, he growled and Vittorio nodded. “I would like to talk to Delian of Plainsbridge”, he spoke, to which the man shrugged. “Just enter right away”, he said. “Even if it seems the boss made his mind up already” He stepped aside, revealing a small office, a desk and the man behind it. He was stocky, with a thick neck and a fleshy face, the expression on it stern and hard. Clean-shaven, he wore his blonde hair longer, tied into a ponytail and he was clad into a long, high-collared coat in the same style Yveshin had seen with the waggoners of the Bornland. “Twelve Blessings”, he spoke as they had entered. “Delian of Plainsbridge, Middenrealm Intelligence. With whom do I speak?” Yveshin noticed how Vittorio tensed up as Delian had introduced himself. “Vittorio Crawford”, he replied in return. “This is my bodyguard Iiro Redal and our new friends, the elves Yveshin and Thea” Iiro did a brief bow in front of the man, while Yveshin remained standing, unsure what was expected of him. Delian raised an eyebrow. “A sellsword, two elves and a grey mage”, he commented. “I did not expected to meet such an odd group here. I take it you heard my message” “We did”, Vittorio confirmed. “And we would be highly honoured to support you in your noble quest” Delian tilted his head. “You are a mage”, he stated and Vittorio presented the mark on his hand. “Grangor”, he explained. “I am a respected member of the Grey Guild” “I have colleagues who would argue that this is mutually exclusive”, Delian replied dryly. “As for myself, I am mostly surprised why a member of the Grey Guild is interested in this task, especially as Grangor, don't take this personally, doesn't have a reputation for heroism” He leant forwards. “Why would a Grey Mage wish to join me in this dangerous mission?”, he asked, his voice stern and inquisitive. Vittorio's smile faded. “I have a personal stake in finding this Korobar”, he revealed. “He murdered a good friend of mine, over in Tobria. I heard of your message by chance and I believe, Agent Delian, that this is fate” Delian of Plainsbridge gave Vittorio a long look. “This could be true”, he admitted. “Korobar is wanted for murder, among other things and he was mostly active over in Tobria... but anyone could come up with that reason if they want to hide something” Without missing a beat, he turned away from the baffled mage, towards the elves. “And you two?”, he growled. “They say one elf is a curiosity, but two are a conspiracy” Yveshin raised an eyebrow. “Who says that?”, he asked and Delian shrugged. “The people in Meadows”, he replied. “Which makes me wonder what leads both of you to these lands, where few would be willing to welcome you” “I search for someone”, Thea replied. “The elders of my tribe call him the ruby-eyed prophet and he is important for my people to face the darkness to come” Delian leant back. “Not the first time I hear about a coming darkness...”, he mumbled. “That is concerning. I will include this in my next report to the High Spymaster. It does not explain just why you wish to join my hunt for the Tobimora Shadow” “I do not”, Thea replied. “I merely wish to support Vittorio. He promised to help me out in my search if we find Korobar” Delian raised an eyebrow, as he glanced at Vittorio, then at Iiro behind him. “Is that so?”, he asked. “You really wish to find the man if you are willing to hire three people all on your own” “I... wouldn't exactly call it hire”, Vittorio replied. “But I can assure you, we are capable. My friend Iiro here is a master of the blade, whereas I am skilled in the arcane arts. Yveshin and Thea are elves and I don't have to tell you just how many talents the fair folk has” Delian shook his head. “You really don't”, he replied. “But I do not seek the most talented heroes in Meadows. My requirements are more specific” With this, he looked at Iiro. “You are a fighter”, he stated. “Have you ever fought in a war?” Iiro shook his head. “I am a mercenary”, he replied. “Fought for various masters in the Valley of Svelt” Delian nodded. “A dangerous and lawless place”, he confirmed. “Yet your skill with the blade was never questioned” He glanced at Vittorio, then at the elves. “And you, do you have any experience in combat at all?” Yveshin shook his head. “I am a talented archer”, he confirmed. “But I haven't fought in battle. It is not the way of my people” Delian sighed. “And you, mage... I am not sure if I should believe you or not”, he stated, as he looked at Vittorio, his fists clenched. “If you weren't honest with me, I can't need you. The man I hunt for is dangerous and I cannot need hirelings with an agenda of their own. And if you were truthful... well, neither do I need hirelings with a personal stake in the matter. If you get connected to the case, you make mistakes” It took Vittorio a moment to collect himself. “Does this mean you do not want our support?”, he asked, to which Delian nodded right away. “I do not doubt your skill, just your ability to follow my orders completely and without question”, he confirmed. “Besides, it appears I have made my decision. The Formidable Six will accompany me to eastern Meadows. Five of them have a military background, the dwarf even served under Helme Haffax during the Marsh of the Thousand Ogres” Yveshin realized whom Delian was talking about and he clenched a fist. It appeared the dwarf had the last laugh after all. “However, I appreciate the sentiment”, Delian continued. “Your time shall not be wasted” With this, he placed a small purse in front of them. “This should be enough to sweeten your stay here for a bit. Drink to the Middenrealm and to the success of my mission” He gave them a nod. “Good day” Though stunned by the rejection, Vittorio was aware enough to grab the purse before leaving the room. “Twelve blessings, Agent Delian”, he mumbled. “I pray to Phex that your choice will be the correct one” Delian was unable to see his face, but Yveshin could see the anger on it. He hesitated, before giving the agent a pleasant smile and following after Vittorio, Iiro and Thea. “Well, that was... unexpected”, Iiro began and Vittorio nodded. “Nether Hells, it was!”, he spat. “That man was something else. But...” He took a deep breath. “I was told not to speak ill of Middenrealm Intelligence. These people do not mess around” He shook his head. “Had I known this man is working for Dexter Nemrod, I wouldn't have wasted my time to begin with” The four approached the table they had previously occupied, as the door got pushed open. An imposing figure walked in. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, covered in a long coat, with a pointy hat covering his head and part of his face. What could be seen was scarred and brutish. He wore a long dagger on his belt, but he held a whip, the end wrapped around the other hand. For a moment, the stranger glared around the room, before he narrowed his eyes. Right next to Yveshin, a thin, poorly-dressed man jumped up, rushing towards the back door in an instant. The elf was barely able to evade the blow, as the other man cracked his whip. Sharp pain flared up in his ears, though at least the weapon itself missed him. Instead, it hit the fleeing man's neck, wrapping itself around it, as the man's escape was cut short. The man with the whip pulled, bringing the other man to his knees. “Arris, Arris...”, he mumbled, as he came closer, the whip still wrapped around the man's throat. While Vittorio and Thea carefully stepped away from the scene, Iiro remained standing, right in the armed man's way. Yveshin himself knelt down, trying to get closer at the downed man, who was gasping for air. “Boswitz wants his coin”, the man with the whip mumbled, still coming closer, though by now he glared at Iiro and no longer at the downed man. “And you should get out of my way if you don't want any trouble” Instead of replying, Iiro clenched his fists and demonstratively blocked the man's path, while Yveshin removed the whip from the other one. “Friends of yours, Arris?”, he asked, before a joyless grin flashed over his face. “Step aside. He's not worth it” Iiro crossed his arms. “You were attacking the man”, he growled. “What do you want from him?” The man shrugged. “Me? Nothing from that rat”, he clarified. “But Jobdan Boswitz wants his debt repaid. Forty gold coins” He glanced past Iiro at the cowering man. “Forty gold coins, Arris. Perhaps the coin you spent on hiring that muscle should have been given to us instead” Arris whimpered and as he spoke, his voice was meek and hoarsy. “No, no...”, he mumbled. “They aren't friends. Never saw them before, please, you have to believe me” The man with the whip raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”, he growled. “Well, then you should just leave. Don't start any trouble you cannot win” “Perhaps you shouldn't go around attacking people like this then”, Iiro replied. “Nearly hit me with that whip” He tilted his head as the other man relaxed slightly. “I see what this is about”, he stated. “Perhaps I've been too hasty. My apologies for nearly hitting you” A hesitant smile formed on his face, though it was clear to Yveshin that he would not attack, not with four of them against him alone. Even Vittorio, who noticeably hesitated to step in against Berosh readied his staff. As Iiro still did not move, the man outright backed off. “You're making a mistake there, friend”, he spoke. “Hope you don't plan on finding work in this city” He glanced at Arris. “As for you, I'll be back when your saviours have moved on. You better have the fifty gold coins until then, or things will get ugly” He gave them a nod, turned around and quickly left the building. Arris sighed. “Oh gods...”, he mumbled, as Yveshin helped him up. “Are you alright, human?”, he asked, glancing at the bruise on the man's neck, where the whip had hit him. After a moment, Arris shook his head. “I'm fucking dead...”, he replied, as Iiro raised an eyebrow. “Who was that guy?”, he growled. “Nearly got us instead of you, I figure you owe us an explanation” “Yeah, he... he's not important”, Arris explained. “But the man he works for, Jobdan Boswitz. He's the most powerful of the cattle barons” He waited for a moment, before he continued. “The local farmers specialize in cattle. The ones who own the plains and most of the animals are the cattle barons. Not actual nobility, but just as rich. Boswitz is friends with the count and he acts as if he's owning the entire county” “And you owe that man fifty gold coins?”, Iiro asked in disbelief, so Yveshin just assumed that was a lot of coin. Arris nodded. “I'm a blacksmith”, he revealed. “Worked for the count, until I ruined one of his suits of armour, by accident” He shook his head. “It has been an honest accident, I swear. Don't have the hundred gold coins to replace it, so Boswitz stepped in, even if he knew I can never repay him”, he explained, before he let out another sigh. “Next time his man comes, he'll either kill me or he'll force me to work on Boswitz' land, herding cattle like a slave for the rest of my days” “Well, that is rough”, Vittorio spoke. “I am sorry to hear this, but I'm afraid we did what we could by giving you another day” He shrugged. “Honestly, I'd pray for a miracle, or maybe you should think about leaving the county” Arris nodded and Yveshin didn't need to know much about humans to spot his despair. He was pretty certain that he didn't have fifty gold coins on him, but perhaps he could still help. The silver coin Berosh's companion had given to him was pretty to look at, but to be honest, he didn't exactly need it. Then again, he was not sure how much a single coin would help the man, considering he needed fifty of it. [Give Arris your silver coin] [Keep the coin for yourself]
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Post by Tales93 on Dec 31, 2018 21:24:23 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
I guess it wouldn't hurt, but I don't think it would really help him much. A kind gesture, to say the least. Hopefully, we won't need that one coin in the future for anything important. I'm guessing this won't be the last time we see this Arris, the guy after him, or the cattle Barron.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Dec 31, 2018 21:34:30 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
I think we can live without just one silver coin. Unless that bites us in the ass later on. Oh well.
Yveshin and Thea have joined your party!
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Post by drdestroyer18 on Dec 31, 2018 22:58:47 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
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Post by WildlingKing on Jan 1, 2019 1:27:27 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin] I don't imagine it'll be much of a help, but still better than nothing. And as Yveshin himself thought, he has no need for it.
Anyway, this was another very enjoyable part, I'm really liking the group that's forming here. And I have a feeling this Boswitz is someone our heroes will have to deal with, sooner or later.
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Post by GMS Freeman on Jan 1, 2019 6:06:04 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
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Post by aliscot on Jan 1, 2019 11:50:37 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Jan 1, 2019 14:14:33 GMT
[Keep the coin for yourself] Don't know how much Yveshin actually has, but going with the assumption that 10 silver coins is 1 gold coin just like it would be in RPG version of this universe (Correct me if I'm wrong), I doubt he has anything close to 500 silvers, so I think just keeping it to himself would be better.
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Post by supersagig on Jan 1, 2019 14:18:32 GMT
[Give Arris your silver coin]
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