Strangers in a Strange Land, Prologue

M

Ms.Ezra

Guest
Original poster
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We call our world Nomae-Ralo.

Our world is very different from yours. Your world is dominated by humankind, with no room for other sentient life. The menagerie of races that is our world, is only the stable for myths and 'fairy tales' in yours. We have quarrels, and power struggles same as yours. Only we have yet to discover the inner might of a lightning strike, so we huddle around wood and rock fire, or oil lamps when the land is ruled by the night.

And yet here you are, in our world. An otherworldly force has opened a door between our worlds to pluck you from there, and dropped you here.

It's not just you who has come from that world, others were taken as well. They come from across your globe, and even from different times. Some of you lived centuries apart.

At first we just called you all Strangers. Because you spoke a tongue never heard, dressed odd to us, and some of you brought strange weapons. Dangerous weapons. The best of us took you in. The worst of our leaders jailed you for your strange ways.

But rather quickly, you Strangers became two very different groups. The Drifters are those of you who keep your distance from other Strangers and even the natives, preferring to wander in search of something only you could understand.

Then there are The Enders. Those Strangers who passed from your world and have taken it upon themselves to exert their will on the native races, to end their dominion and existence by any means. Maybe something horrible happened to them in their world, why they choose to do this.

In some of you, the passing between worlds granted you unnatural power. Most with this kind of power became an Ender, but the possession of power does not make one Drifter or Ender. Choices do that.

What choices are you going to make in our world?
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Our Cast of Characters

Anne Bonny, The Pirate
Played by Ms. Ezra

Date Yuzuki, The Samurai
Played by Camleen

Albert Rhinegard, The Guy
Played by Ascendant

Craig Wittingham, The Old West Bandit
Played by Goodtvus

Sir Richard Francis Burton, The Explorer
Played by Gands

Felix Lars Helström
Played by Oryx

Grim Manne, The Hunter
Played by Papa Scorch

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Interested in joining? PM me for details and check out The Interest Check.
 
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Albert Rhinegard

It was a surprisingly stormy night, December 21st 2012 was, as Albert sat munching on some chips in front of his computer, reading the internet and watching as people attended "End of the World" parties whilst he sat at home, surrounded by his unmade bed, a small trashcan filled with junk, and tons of books piled almost to the ceiling. At times, jealousy reared up within his heart before he'd sigh and move onto something else. It wasn't good for him to dwell on such feelings. Tonight wasn't a night he was going to spend reflecting on his past failings and mistakes, or at least that's what he had told himself. But it wasn't hard for Albert to find himself wishing that the world really would end like the Mayan Prophecy said. Nor was it hard for the man to feel the sudden desire to go take a piss.

Getting roughly to his feet, the still young man opened his door and leaned out, looking down the hallway. His parents were probably either asleep or partying. Which, he couldn't tell, considering he didn't talk to them but once or twice a day. Turning to his right and entering the bathroom, he took care of his business as the winds continued to pick up.

Lightning struck in the distance and suddenly the lights throughout the house went out, "God damn it! I can't see shit in here now..." Albert had to go off his spacial memory as he turned about after flushing the toilet, walking back towards the door and feeling about for the door handle. Strangely, what was once a round knob had suddenly become an elongated piece of metal with a bit on top that needed to be pressed to open it. Surprised, and with his heart beginning to race as he wondered, Uh... am I going crazy? Maybe I shouldn't open this? Wait, has the door always been this way, the man opened it.

Incredibly bright light blinded Albert as he stepped through, shielding his face from the torment of what was either some ridiculous spot light or the Sun itself. Behind him, the door slammed shut, making Albert jump and look back at it with what little vision he had remaining. Hints of wood and some metal seemed to floating in thin air before vaporizing, What? Am I dreaming...?

Finally, Albert's eyes finished mostly adjusting to the Sun, although he had to continue to shield them in order to see, not being used to the torture that is sunlight. He looked up and down the beach, trying to figure out what was going on. In one direction there seemed to be only beach, yet in the other, there was a dock, Is this Hawaii? Or has the world really ended??

Filled with concern, he ventured down to the dock, annoyed as sand began to seep into his shoes, yet pleased by the breeze, smell of salt, and the sound of waves crashing upon the shore. Examining the dock and boat, he found them both to be made of wood, an unusual thing in the case of boats in the modern era, Who the hell uses wood for boats besides hardcore traditionalists?

Kneeling down next to the boat's lashing and looking more closely as it is, Albert could tell based off the buildup of grime and sand that the rope hadn't moved from that spot in quite some time, I guess whoever owns this boat hasn't been back in a while... That's not good for me. Or maybe it is. Maybe they're Somalian Pirates. But Somalian pirates use skiffs.

Standing once more, Albert peered in the direction of the Sun, and then suddenly looked at a piece of wood casting a shadow that was part of the dock. As the minutes passed, its shadow began to recede. Albert rubbed his chin at this bit of information, So it's morning then. Therefore East is in the direction of the sunrise.

Taking his finger and placing it inside his mouth, the man bite down hard on it, enough to make his eyes water, before removing it and trying to shake the pain out of his hand, "Ow, fuck. So I must not be dreaming, although I have no idea is that ever works." Albert continued standing there on that dock, running his hand through his hair whilst the other lingered on his hip, What the fuck am I going to do? In rescue situations it's best to stay put, as far as I know, but what about what you just... show up... somewhere else? Does anyone even know I'm gone? It was practically midnight one second in Texas and now I'm in some place like Hawaii where it's early morning. Considering my situation, I guess I'm pretty calm, but let's be real here. I've got maybe two days to live without water, and maybe a few weeks considering my bony ass in terms of food...

Albert looked over at the forest, concern making itself apparent on his face as he began talking to himself, "If I go into the forest, I might get eaten by a bear. But all that will be by the beach is saltwater, which will kill me all the same. Which do I prefer? Death by bear, or death by dehydration? Almost certain chance of death on the beach, or slight chance of survival in forest? Forest it is, I guess."

Making his choice, Albert began to walk into the forest, heading directly away from the beach, At least there's shade... I really wish I'd read more about survival though... I'm thoroughly fucked if I don't find food and water.
 
1642. Mutsu Province, Northern Japan


The cold winds had started in earnest. The fields and fields of rice in this province had only just been harvested, the land allowed to rest for another season. This increasingly colder weather means those without homes… the wanderers of the countryside… had to bundle up a little more. And that's pretty much exactly what this young woman has come to.

She isn't terribly proud of her place in the world right now. She still has her name… she still has her honor… she still has her morals and her ideals. And… that's about it. Her name is Date Yuzuki (Dah-tay Yoo-Zoo-key), and she is barely out of her teens. But she has seen more in her short life than most twice her age.


She is clad in shades of blue, her outer robe and kimono… well they've seen better days. She could get them repaired, perhaps show a little pride in her appearance, but these things (to her) are superficial. There are more important things to fret over in life aside from holes in your clothes. Tucked into her sash is her scabbard… and her katana. She has called it Aki no Ken, and it has been by her side for as long as she can remember. The young woman has found herself in a forest, moving slowly through it as the day's sun begins its ascent towards the horizon. In her right hand, she holds her naginata, a specialized spear. And in her left hand, she holds the reins of the horse that follows close behind her. Yukana is the horse's name, and she has been Yuzuki's best friend for a couple years now. Her faithful companion in this life. The horse trots obediently a few steps behind Yuzuki, occasionally pushing her muzzle against Yuzuki's back in a bid for attention. An action that always elicits a smile from her.
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Smiles are hard to come by these days. She has found herself to be ronin… something else she isn't proud of. A vagrant… one with no master or mission in life… she has been making small amounts of rice guarding caravans. Or being the body guards for this diplomat or that important politician. They all blur into one another. The bottom line is that she is without food right now, even though she does have some money. Technically. She could use some of the gold dust she carries to buy food… but she knows she's still more than a few hours away from the next village. And so she just prods herself on. This has become her existence. Work enough for some rice, get more food, move on into the countryside. Repeat. Day after day. She doesn't like what she's become… but she's to much of a coward for the alternative…



The darkness now pervades the area all around her, but she just continues to walk. Perhaps she is to lost in her own thoughts or in her own self-doubt to notice. But it's Yukana that finally rears up a little, tugging on the reins that Yuzuki holds. This brings the woman's attention back to the present, and she stops to look over her shoulder towards her horse. "Hm?" she says softly, now turning towards the beautiful animal. And Yukana bows her head, kicking up her front hooves a little. Yuzuki's head tilts a little to one side as she smiles gently, and she sets her spear down upon the ground. Translated from the Japanese… "Time to stop? Time to rest, maybe?" Her free hand comes up to gently and soothingly pet Yukana's muzzle, the horse pushing herself more into Yuzuki's touch. "Yes yes… we rest now.." She says softly, looking around herself towards the clearing she finds herself in.

She ties Yukana's reins to a near tree, setting out a small pouch of oats for her to crunch on. Yuzuki, meanwhile, goes in search of some firewood. It doesn't take her long at all to gather said firewood, she is in a forest after all. Almost 15 minutes pass, and she has a nice little fire going. While it might draw the attention of bandits and highwaymen… well she thinks she could very well freeze out here without it's warmth. As always, whatever bandit might happen upon her with ill intent will meet with an untimely end.

She settles at the base of a thick, ancient tree. Her naginata sitting under her thigh, her katana resting in her lap. She draws one of her knees up, her half-closed brown eyes staring at the dancing oranges and reds of the little campfire. It's almost… soothing to her. Occasionally she will look up towards her Yukana, her best friend, and then back towards the fire. This, too, is how she has chosen to spend her time. Her days are filled with trying to get food, her nights spent trying to stay warm and alive. This is her life.

But as she would attest… your whole life can be changed in just one moment…



Yuzuki's eyes fall closed as her exhaustion overtakes her…

When she opens them… she feels way warmer than she should. A sharp breath is drawn in as her eyes spring open… immediately she knows something is wrong. She looks forward towards the center of the clearing… but… it isn't her clearing anymore. The trees are different. They aren't species of tree she even recognizes. She leaps to her feet; her katana scabbard being tucked into her sash. Quickly she scoops up her spear, holding it in a defensive posture as she looks quickly around herself. Yukana is nowhere to be seen. No… no… she brings two fingers to her mouth and lets loose a loud whistle. If Yukana can hear it, she will come galloping immediately. But… nothing…

She shrugs off her heavier outer robe, since it's too warm for it suddenly. Her heart is racing as she tries to figure this out. She steps passed where she dropped her robe, now wearing just her tattered kimono. Think… think… she stopped in a clearing for the night. She made a fire. She closed her eyes… and now she's hear. Is it possible she has died? That's the only thing that makes sense to her. She has died and moved onto heaven. Or something. She looks around herself slowly… it is a beautiful place, to be sure. She turns in place, her spear still held out defensively.


Her eyes widen abruptly as she thinks she hears something. Footsteps. Someone tromping very loudly through the forest. This is supposed to be her heaven… the only others that could be in it or angels… or demons… while it could mean her eternal soul to threaten an angel, it would mean her eternal soul if she were taken by surprise by a demon. And so she sprints silently in the direction she hears the footfalls. Her own steps come with practiced silence, born of years of training to remain hidden when she wishes to be.

It doesn't take her long to come across Albert. She watches him from her hidden vantage point, wanting to gather information before deciding precisely what to do here. Before she decides what he could be. She peers out from behind a tree to watch him discretely… he is dressed very very oddly. The sort of garb a person or power might wear. In her time, at least. But he's also from the west, obviously. Yes, he doesn't belong here at all.

She leans back against the tree, holding her spear upright against her chest. She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. Maybe now she can get some answers. Before she kills this demon. Another few deep, relaxing breaths, and she spins around from the tree she had kept herself hidden behind.

She is behind Albert, her knees slightly bent and her spear pointed towards him. She's about 15 feet away from him. She shouts angrily towards him (wanting to sound intimidating and all)…

"Anata wa daredesuka, soshite kono basho wa nanidesu ka? Watashi wa ima shinde imasu ka? Anata wa akuma ka tenshidesu ka?!"

She grits her teeth and moves a few feet closer quickly, jabbing her spear threateningly towards him, her tone seeming angrier, as does her posture.

"Anata no chiwonagasu mae ni, sugu ni watashi ni kotaete kudasai!"
 
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Albert Rhinegard

This place is annoyingly hot, all things considered. Sweat is already beginning to bead on Albert's forehead as he makes his way through the forest, being occasionally whipped by a tree branch that comes back upon him as he passes, I wish there was a damn trail here. Moving through actual forest is a bitch... Already, tiny cuts and bruises were beginning to accumulate on his fair skin, not to mention the assuredly growing level of sunburn that would makes its presence felt later.

The man jumps about a foot into the air before landing on his belly on the ground at the sound of someone shouting at him in Japanese, his brain failing to register the first few words as he rolls over and tries crawling in reverse, one hand held out in defense of himself towards the intruder, What the fuck?! Is this Japan?! His heart races and terror pervades his face as Albert finally realizes it's a Japanese woman yelling and brandishing a naginata of all things at him, forcing the man to try to catch words here and there under duress. Um, location? I think something about death... Then she's asking if I'm a demon or angel, I think.

Before he really had a moment to reply, the woman moved aggressively forward, jabbing that damn piece of metal at him, making him recoil and kind of just lie on the ground defenseless, having possibly accepted his death or at least trying to show he wasn't a threat, I think she said chi, so blood. Blood forward? She's going to kill me?! Wait, kill me if I don't answer. Let's hope she doesn't dislike whatever mangled answer I can come up with.

Albert continued mostly lying down, his hands held up where she could clearly see as the blade of the naginata continued to threaten him whilst he spoke in an attempt to diffuse the situation, "Uh... Akuma janai, tenshi janai. Kono basho, wakaranai. Nihon ni ka?" Trying to identify himself, the white man pointed to himself, "Boku no namae wa, Albert Rhinegard," then towards the woman who he was just now beginning to realize had some terribly traditional yet torn up clothes on, "Anata no namae wa ka?"

Hopefully she wouldn't impale him on that damn thing. It didn't look like like a replica at all, and considering her clothes, maybe she was part of some Amish-like cult in Japan. Meaning they had to be in Japan, at least in his mind. Of course, Albert had little idea how wrong he was.


Interactions: Date Yuzuki, @Camleen
 
Execution Day-

Craig sits in lowly jail cell within deep thought thinking how he could possibly escape such a desperate situation. " I should've listened to Pablo..." he says to himself still thinking. Even now he can hear the crowds of angry citizens awaiting his execution, he laughs to himself. "Boy I'm a real piece of sh*t" he says out loud while rubbing away the sweat that had been pouring down his face. Suddenly a man wearing a sheriffs hat walks in and looks down at Craig. "Hah, yeah you are a piece of sh*t Craig. But some good did come out of this..." the sheriff says smirking. Wittingham looks up at the sheriff "Like what pig?" he says in response to the sheriff. The sheriff laughs "Well I'm glad you asked scum, now we won't be needing no bounty hunters in fact I reckin we caught you mighty easy. I don't know why everyone else was havin such a hard time" he laughs again "you go and dwell on that Wittingham while I prepare your noose" that sheriff goes to turn away. He pauses before leaving and turns back around "I would prepare nooses for the rest of yer gang but we killed all them, in fact they were the only ones brave enough to even die.. you went and tried to smooth yer way outta this!" the sheriff then turns and leaves the room laughing all the way out the room.

Wittingham sits in silent anger "That no good son of a b**ch, I'll f**king kill you!" Craig yells to the sheriff just as he leaves. Craig now heavily breathing and clenching the prison bars he slowly drops to his knees leaning against the those same bars. "I just need someone stupid enough to try and escort me out of my cell, that's all I need..." he recovers from the floor and sits back on the bench. An hour or two goes by when he hears someone coming, that sound came a familiar sound... the sound of keys jangling.

The deputy walks into view of Craig holding a huge ring of keys he looks over to Craig and smiles "Wake up boy! Your noose is ready" he says with a slight chuckle as he opens the cell. "Now boy you better not move a muscle from the bench or I'll execute you myself" he says patting his holster. "This is it! My only chance, I have to move quick" Craig thinks as the door slightly begins to move. Within an instant Craig jolts at the door yanking it inwards throwing the deputy to the floor "What the hell!?" the deputy yells as hes thrown to the ground. Craig then takes this moment of confusion and starts violently kicking the deputies head in. "You rat bastard! Son of a b**ch! PIECE-OF-SH*T!" Craig yells as he lands his final blow to the deputies head possibly killing him.

Quickly Craig reaches for the deputies revolver taking all of his ammunition, twelve rounds to be exact, and grabs the keys rushing for the room where the keep convicts items. Nervously rustling through the jumble of keys he somehow finds the correct one, and opens the door quickly retrieving as much of his stuff he can before booking it to the back door. But as he bursts through the back door hes no longer where he once was. Stepping out into a lush shire, looking back from where he came no door longer exists. "What the-" he says sweating profusely walking cautiously to the area the door once was checking it and realizing it is gone. Looking around in confusion he realizes he's more than just lost, taking a deep breath and now calming down from recent events he smiles. "Not today sheriff" He says to himself smiling and now taking in the scenery.

 
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Rally GB had just come to a close. The M-Sport team had just finished packing up the service area and Malcolm had decided to invite his daughter to dinner at a pub by the sea. Ziarla, eager to spend some time with her dad, bounded into her Mini, put the location of the pub into her phone's navigation app and set off to the location, giving the M-Sport crew a cheery wave as the B16B's VTEC propelled her away.

She decided to play it safe along the winding roads of North Wales, sticking to speed limits and occasionally going slower if she felt it was necessary. However, karma had decided her cautiousness was not required today as a 2017 Honda C-HR came speeding around a blind corner. Unfortunately for Ziarla, the front wheels of the Honda lost grip, thus causing the hybrid Crossover to understeer straight into a head-on crash with her Mini.

The driver was lucky to walk away without any truly life-threatening injuries due to the modern safety features incorporated into the C-HR's design. Ziarla on the other hand, was not. The impact caused the front of the Mini to squish up, forcing the bulk-head and dashboard furyther into the cabin, crumpling her legs and squishing her against her seat. The force of the impact knocked her unconcious, and the loss of her legs caused her to die at the scene from losing blood.

All Ziarla saw was the Honda coming towards her and then blackness as she lost conciousnessfrom the force of the impact, not knowing she had been killed. So, it was a surprise to her when she woke up to the sun beating down on a medieval-style town. To her, this was her worst nightmare as she despised anything medieval and fantasy, always staying as far away from anything associatd with those two things.

Sitting up, she looked down at her body to check it was intact. All the clothes she was wearing had come with her (black crop-top with smoked see-through fabric in the centre, black hot-pants and black combat boots) and she found her phone, car keys and purse to be on the pockets of her hot-pants. She then decided to look around the location she was in and spotted the inhabitants to be a fantasy race of Elves. Eyes wide open, she scrambled around to get on her feet. Panic emblazoned on her face, she tried backing away from them as they looked on at her in both curiousity and, strangely, familiarity. This action was fruitless as she ended up bumping into more Elves, which sent her into a bigger state of panic. So, she decided to the one thing that she knew would work: run.

Sprinting away from the Elves and the town, she noticed that she picked up speed very quickly and kept on accelerating well past the speed at which her regular sprint was back when she was on Earth. It both intrigued her, relieved her, and gave her a newfound scence of freedom and relief.

She kept on running at full pelt through the streets and to a wall surrounding the town. As luck would have it, the guards posted there were just opening the gates to let a trading caravan through. Ziarla knew this was her only opportunity to get away from this hideous town. With a smirk plastered on her face, she raced out of the gate and to the freedom of open ground, blowing right by the guards as the air around her made a sound similar to that of a 1360 bhp twin-turbo V8 from a certain Swedish hypercar. She didn't care about the heat burning her skin, she just wanted to run as far away from that town as possible. And anyway, the cool air rushing past her soon negated the heat felt from the sun

Soon enough, she started to run out of energy and both exhaustion and hunger over-came her system. Stopping, she found a place to rest for a moment, taking a look at the new surroumdings she found herself in.
 
As Albert remains upon the ground, Yuzuki stalks closer towards him. The gentle light peering through the canopy of trees reflect softly against the sharpened blade of her naginata as it is held leveled towards his form. He is obviously scared… he's not faking that. He doesn't seem to be armed… but that doesn't mean a lot. He could be a trickster, lulling her into a false sense of security.

He says he isn't an angel or demon… and he doesn't know how he got to Japan. She glances around themselves to the surrounding forest… she's sure this isn't Japan at all. She can't be sure, of course. But she knows she's not in the same province she was when she went to sleep. If she were kidnapped… she would be in much worse shape. To say the least. Her brown eyes dart back to him as he identifies himself. Albert… Rhinegard… flippin westerners and their weird names…

She grits her teeth angrily as she shuffles towards him, her blade held only 6 or so inches from the tip of his nose. She glances around them both again, and then she looks back towards him. His Japanese is very broken… it's obviously not his first language. But still he understood her… for a foreigner that's rare. At least in her mind… since she's met very few people from outside of the islands.

She remains in that stance for what (to Albert) would seem an eternity… but finally she relents. And when we say relent, we don't mean moving the naginata away. That is still pointed right at the tip of his nose. But she seems flustered as she now speaks, her tone still impatient. "Date Yuzuki…" She says firstly in a short tone "Yuzuki."

She takes a shuffling step back, keeping the naginata leveled to him. This time out of defense, and not in a threatening manner. Well… not as much of a threatening manner. Her eyes shift left to right, and now the gravity of the situation starts to settle. She had panicked at the first, but the distraction of coming across Albert averted that briefly. But now…

*Translated from the Japanese* ("This is not where I was… I do not recognize this place. I was in the Mutsu Province… and it was Winter when I closed my eyes!")

She takes another step back from him, the naginata swaying a little as she seems to lose focus on him, as she continues to look around herself for some kind of clue. As she tries to hold her mind together.

("Yukana is gone too… I don't know where she is…")
 
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Albert and Yuzuki
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The two confused newcomers to this world would be made even further confused as they heard from the north, the sound of brush being pushed aside or trampled. In minutes, whether they stood or ran for cover, the two would witness first only four whitetailed deer, three does and a buck with large antlers, came bounding through the area. The deer were normal, frightened and fleeing.

What came running after them, were not. First they would hear a distinctly feline roar from the same direction the deer had come, then witness as a very not human woman came leaping out of the brush, landing in a crouch. She stood, and was ready to continue her pursuit. But seeing the two Strangers, her tail puffed, ears came came close to her head, and she bared her claws looking between the two.

(In her native language, which sound like a series of growls and snarls to the human ear) "Men!? What are you doing here in our forests? Betraying the agreement?" She snarled, her body language conveying her confusion, agitation, but also wariness. Then she noted the garments they wore, and while her guard did not drop, she did become curious. She looked them up and down, pointing an accusing clawed finger between both. "Stranger.....man..." She said, in English, then looked at Yuzuki. Since her kind had different vocal cords, it still came out with a rumbling growl quality but was audible "..Stranger...woman....not of...our world?" She asked, forgetting her pursuit for this sudden new development.

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@Camleen @Ascendant
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Ziarla Wilson and others
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To Be Written....
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While young Ziarla does her best to 'get away', her passing doesn't go unnoticed. The 'town' she emerged in is called Reyric, and it is a settlement of the Zylrel people. Or as Ziarla recognizes them… elven folk. While she is fast, she is still able to be found. But not by those inhabiting the town, not yet.

Ziarla would find herself near the base of mighty mountains, the mountain range extending for as far as the eye could see. Not far from her, opposite those mountains, a thick forested area. It's that forested area she would have emerged from. And while she rests… others move.

From the same area of the trees Ziarla emerged from, another being appears. He watches her intently as he approaches, slowly and calmly. His form is clad in shimmering light armor, a sword hanging at his hip and a shield upon his back. There is a peaceful gaze upon his features, his hazel eyes transfixed upon Ziarla. He stops a good 20 feet from her, his hands held out at his sides to show he means no harm. His voice comes forth in a calmed tone, a warm smile upon his lips. Of course while his tone would be pleasant… his words would seem like gibberish to her. *Translated from the Zylrel language* ("You look to be Maleese… but your garb and speed say otherwise. You are a daughter of man? A new Stranger?")

And as he speaks… more make themselves known. Ziarla would quickly realize she is suddenly surrounded by these 'elven' people, they seem to come literally out of nowhere. All of them are armed, either with bow or sword, but no weapons are drawn. Save for the man speaking to her, they are all clad in dark colored leather armor.

Tagging: @TheTechnologicVampire
 
Ziarla couldn't really speak to them as her body's metabolism longed to be given sustenance. She couldn't be bothered to get up from her resting place and run from these Elven-like people. She was just going to have to sit and face them and her nightmare.

She had no clue what the man was saying, but she hoped that some miming would be a better way of comunicating until they both understood each other's language. However, she tried speaking to them, before trying to mime out what she wanted, nay... needed. "Need some food!" Her voice sounded hoarse as her throat was dry, small grumbles coming from her stomach.

After saying that to the Elven male, she mimed eating food to the best of her ability, hoping that he could understand what she was trying to say until their language barrier could be broken.

(Tag: @Camleen )
 
Albert Rhinegard

Oh god she is actually going to kill me, was all Albert could mentally muster as the tip of the naginata hovered hardly six inches from his face. Sweat was now pouring down it, but not entirely due to the heat. And then she gives him her name despite having the blade poised to impale his skull, Date Yuzuki? Wait, like the Date clan in Japan? I'm a bit surprised she's emphasizing her first name though. Perhaps Date is an adopted name.

It was an interesting thought that managed to take Albert's attention away from the horrifically close death awaiting him, but then she backed away, allowing Albert to relax for a moment and completely lie on the ground. He had been seconds from death, and now he wasn't. Well, maybe the danger hadn't been averted entirely.

Looking down his body and up at the Japanese woman, Albert listened quietly when she spoke, managing to make out that she was lost, from Mutsu which made sense considering Date usually came from there, but then whole, 'It was Winter something something eyes,' threw Albert off. And apparently she had lost her friend or something, Yukana.

That actually struck a chord with Albert, who moved to sit with his legs crossed on the ground, looking at the woman with concern, This poor woman lost her friend and lost herself. We both left times that were winter, I hadn't thought about that. Which means we must now be in the Southern hemisphere somewhere. South America? Africa? It can't be Australia. Or maybe it is. But the whole Date thing, worn out clothes, they're very unus-

The grass rustled as five deer came storming through the area, seemingly panicked, Wait. Deer are prey. Which means I should probably ru- The roar confirmed it. A predator animal. Before Albert could get to his feet and crawl into some brush to hide, he found himself on all fours with his ass pointed towards what looked like a really good cosplay of a cat or lady woman from anime. It was truly nuts. Yet once more, Albert was paralyzed as she growled at them.

And then, she spoke some terrible English to them, Albert falling over onto his side and then sitting up, Wait. Our world? I don't think she's faking. So she isn't cosplaying, she actually is some cat lady. The door, this Japanese woman from another time. As crazy as it sounds, and I'm pretty sure I'm not dreaming, this isn't Earth.

Albert slowly got to his feet and tried to dust the leaves and dirt off his sweatpants and T-shirt as he answered her with what the cat lady undoubtedly already knew, "No, we're not of this world." It was an insane statement, but the logical conclusion despite illogical circumstances.
 
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As Zarlia speaks, the armored one gives her an odd look. Well he's not sure what he expected… he doesn't recognize the dialect. So indeed not Maleese. One of the younger looking 'elves' moves up a little from his spot in the underbrush, speaking to the armored one as he stares at Ziarla. ("We should kill it now… it's dangerous… finish it while it's weak. Before it becomes a threat.") The armored man glances over his shoulder towards the younger as he speaks. ("That isn't our way.")

He now nods as he takes a small step closer to her, his armor clinking gently with his footfalls. ("Keep yourself at ease.") He looks to his left as he continues. ("Alinar, fetch some of what we've gathered. Only enough to sate her.") One of the men nods, and moves silently into the forest. The younger speaks once more, his tone seeming indignant ("We're feeding it? Making it stronger? For what? To c-") He is cut off with just a look from the armored man. ("She is in need. That is all that matters, Gareth.")

Alinar returns a few moments later with a wooden basket, one with what looks like some kind of fruit within. The armored man takes the basket, and then he looks towards Ziarla. Taking only a few steps forward, he crouches down slowly, setting the basket of food down. Slowly he stands, motioning to the basket. ("Until we can… somehow… get in touch with the Avados, we've no reason to treat her as an enemy. But we can still be cautious.") He now motions to himself as he stares down (he's about 6'4", close to what the others are) Ziarla, he motions to himself. ("I'm Rhys.")


Tagging: @TheTechnologicVampire
 
A look of utter frustration draws across her young and bit dirty face as she watches the surroundings, keeping the naginata leveled at Albert. And as he moves to sit up, her eyes flick back towards him. She considers running him through right there… but there's no really good reason to. Her fear of the situation is no reason to kill this man. She just stares at him, trying to keep said fear from her features. She draws the spear up, letting the butt end rest on the ground next to her.

She stares at him for a few moments… and her gaze then snaps towards a northerly direction. "Kih!" She spits out as she pivots on her feet, drawing her naginata up. Just as she does, those deer explode out of the brush. She moves into a defensive stance as the deer run by her, sparing only a glance towards the fleeing creatures. Her eyes widen as she hears the roar then, and she glances over her shoulder towards Albert. Looking back right towards where she perceives danger coming, she adjusts her position subtly so she's directly between whatever creature is coming from that direction and Albert.

Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared her for what comes next.

As the woman lands in a crouch before them, Yuzuki gasps audibly and takes a few stumbling steps back. NOW there is utter fear and panic in her face. She drops her naginata to the ground with a clanking sound, and she takes another stumbling step back, actually almost falling. With horror she stares at the 'not cosplaying' woman, her hands held up in defense. When the cat like woman 'speaks' to them, she cringes a little, as if she were afraid to even hear its voice. She can't understand its growls, and she can't decipher the rough English she speaks. But apparently Albert can. She looks towards him abruptly when he speaks, and then back to the catwoman.

The way he reacted to her sudden appearance… he was scared also. But he seems to suddenly be controlling that. Are they together? Another step away from the both of them is taken as she tries to figure out her role here. If they're together, then the cat could perhaps be acting aggressively in defense of Albert. After she threatened him with her naginata. But she doesn't think that's it at all. He really did seem scared. He still does a little.

In all reality, Yuzuki is of the opinion that whatever decisions she makes she's thoroughly screwed. So she goes with her conscience.

She reaches out and grabs the sleeve of his t-shirt, tugging on it as she points towards the catwoman with her free hand. ("Bakeneko! It's a bakeneko! We have to get away from it! It's going to devour and replace us! It's going to try to use our corpses for its dance!") She dares a glance towards the woman, cringing once again as she sees its long tail. She looks back up towards Albert, tugging on his short sleeve again. ("If you run, that could give me the opening to kill it! Just run... do not look back... I'll do my best against it...") She then nods, her tone becoming rather hopeless towards the end of her words.
 
Albert Rhinegard

Whilst Albert had managed to mostly keep himself under control, possibly more out of shock than anything else, Yuzuki apparently hadn't faired as well. What was once an incredibly intimidating samura was now what seemed to be frightful young cute Japanese woman tugging on Albert's shirt, an action that made him blush immensely. He was embarassed at both what she doing and his inability to completely understand what she was saying as he looked at her, managing to understand something about the 'monster cat', escaping, for him to run, and something about either killing it herself or it killing them.

Albert couldn't help but look away from both of them, Maybe I am dreaming. This feels like kind of a ridiculous situation out of an anime. I've never been a damn furry, but suddenly this girl is acting like a tsundere. Maybe she's really soft on the inside. But that doesn't change that the cat lady might tear our faces off. First I need to address that possibility since this cat lady seems to understand English.

Bringing his eyes back to the 'bakeneko', he stuttered a bit as the man asked simply, "A-are you going to hurt us?" If she answered yes, he was probably dead. Outrunning this woman seemed out of the question. Yuzuki might survive if would stop losing her shit and pick her naginata back up. But he was definitely a goner in that instance. Of course, he preferred the 'no' option, where Albert might actually survive for a few more weeks.

Interactions: Bakeneko, @Ms.Ezra , Yuzuki, @Camleen
 
Sir Richard Francis Burton

He seemed awake, yet without reason. He found himself in a younger version of himself that what he last knew in Trieste.

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It was night, yet for the moment he could see, the moon was bright and shining through a window nearby. He recognized boxes of his things. He decided then and there that he would take some of his old things, things his wife probably sent here. Wherever here is, though he thought it would probably be England. He peered out another window as he was looking through the piles of his personal things. Yes, England, he recognized the Museum he and his wife agreed to send some things to.

He geared up, for no better reason than he had determined he was going on an adventure. Because of course, that would be heaven for him wouldn't it. His old Webley from India. A fencing blade awarded to him when he achieved his master of the blade status from the French. Good, solid adventuring clothing, laundered and folded neat, he started putting these things in a military bag. A good sturdy hat, a coat, field glasses, a compass. As per his instructions, his wife left for him some more personal things, a blank book, a map maker's field hit. An ammunition belt with maybe a dozen bullets for the Webley and an ornate Kukri knife gifted to him by a Gurkha friend so many years ago. His East India company canteen. An ornate box containing a fancy pen with supply of ink. And lastly, a pouch of gold coins, sentimental fro many of the places he had been.

He took a page from the book and wrote a goodbye poem to his wife, leaving it on the remaining things. Then he walked out of the museum door and immediately found himself outside, in daylight.

upload_2017-7-16_19-22-53.png

A small walled village to be exact. He stopped for a moment watching the people he saw. All in medieval dress, mostly simple tunics, but a few fancier. There were signs he could understand, tailor, Blacksmith, Candle maker among others. Throughout the village, there were banners. They hung from oil lamp posts.

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Very interesting, even in York, they didn't display the rose so much or so prominently.
He stopped and asked what year it was of a passerby.

" Kings Year 27 good sir"

"Ahh, I see, I would ask one more thing then, begging your pardon, Who is King at this time?"

" Of course good sir, it is of course Richard the third."

Curiouser and Curiouser. What an outstanding mystery. For the moment he continued strolling through the little town, he had taken out his blank book and started to make pictures of the scenes here.

@Camleen @Ms.Ezra
 
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Albert and Yuzuki
======================
​
The cat woman appeared to be amused at the woman...pleading for her life? Seeing the fear in both humans put her at ease. She dropped her guard, putting hands on her hips and giving the pair a smile. It was meant to show she was not dangerous, but her sharp yellow teeth likely negated that. All the same, the woman answered in her broken growling English "Come...safe....Bonny...in village." She also beckoned them with one hand, and started walking to the north east, deeper into the forest. If they showed hesitation, she would turn back and keep beckoning them to follow with a sharp-toothed smile. There was no path the humans would see, but in close to no time they had wound their way through the forest to what her people considered a 'village' which appeared to be a large cluster of grass and wood huts built alongside the tall and mighty trees.There were cat people like her, from old to young, either conversing or going about very much normal tasks. Albert and Yuzuki's arrival on her heels earned the pair lots of wide eyes. Some even looked eager to see them.

At the center was a crackling fire, where the older members of their village conversed in low almost purring sounds. In fact to the human's ears, there would be an incessant purr in the air.

This ambiance was broken by the sound of a human voice coming from a hut near the center.

"Oi, pay attenshun, an ya might get yerself a scratch. Ya understan that? 'Course ya do, there's a good cat." said the distinct voice from within the hut. It was Irish at a base, but not spoken by someone who lived in Ireland, but been abroad picking up bits of other accents. "This....is.... a hat...say it sloooowly now." the voice instructed someone, and got a response of what had to be a group of the same cat people they saw everywhere else trying to make the 'h' sound. It sounded like they were saying "At" repeatedly.

As their guide came up, she would go to one knee and bow her heard as she announced. "Bonny....found...Strangers."

The first to come out of the hut was not this Bonny, but a young cat person in only a loincloth. His eyes were wide and his tail twitched with excitement. He was followed by four others of similar age and dress. "Strrrrangerrrs!" They purred.

"Strangers, ya say?" Asked the one she'd actually called as she stepped out into their view. It was a young woman, mid 20's, with dark red hair under a brown tricorner hat and dressed much like a simple pirate. She pursed her lips as she looked at both of them, as if in approval. "Either of ya speak English?"

@Camleen @Ascendant
 
Ziarla rolled her eyes. Did they not understand that she couldn't understand her language? And one of them wanted to kill her. Typical. They should at least find a translator and lrean her motives and who she is before deciding whether to kill her, right? After this, she might as well just run on to somewhere else that would be more welcing of her. These Elves hadn't given her any reason to stay and neither of them seemed to understand English. She needed somewhere that had an Englisj speaker in it.

However, her saving grace for this moment had been the miming and she was handed a basket of what looked to be some type of fruit. She tilted her head to the side as she inspected one of the fruits, shrugged and took a bite, trying to pin-point the taste and whether it resembled any fruit from back on Earth.

Unfortunately, those fruits were not enough to satisfy Ziarla's hunger. She announced this to them by miming eating more food, signifying to them that she needed more to be in a normal, functioning state again; it didn't matter how delicious they tasted.

(Tagging: @Camleen )
 
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Albert Rhinegard

It was a little hard to believe the cat woman as she smiled and mentioned the name of someone else in the village, especially since the only 'Bonny' that Albert could recall was the one of Bonny and Clyde misfortune. Considering that Yuzuki seemed to be a woman out of time, possibly that Bonny was there too. And if she was, that might not be the best situation to enter. Still, it beat dying of dehydration, starvation, or predation in the middle of a forest.

As the 'bakeneko' turned and beckoned to follow, Albert realized that Yuzuki didn't speak English, so he looked at her in hopes of making her feel more comfortable, smiling awkwardly and then pointing at her naginata, saying in Japanese, ("Sword,") forgetting he could say naginata. With the same awkward smile, he pointed at her and then himself, ("Together, go,") before beginning to walk after the cat lady.

It was an annoying trip full of trying to make his way past brush and the occasional thorn in clothes that were definitely not made for hiking or the outdoors in general, but Albert finally found himself beginning to relax a bit. The situation seemed to be okay for now, but that didn't hide that Albert still didn't know where he was, or what had happened to where he had apparently come from. From time to time he would look back at Yuzuki, ensuring she was still present, and figuring she'd probably stay behind him to keep her distance from the 'bakeneko'. If she went ahead though, Albert wouldn't care.

Entering the village, Albert couldn't help but become flustered again as the cat people seemed to stare at the newcomers, so he chose instead to look directly at the ground in front of him, following the original cat lady carefully. His careful observance of the dirt was broken by the sound of yet more English, well, mangled English. Considering the situation and the voice's words, it was likely that the woman that emerged from the hut was the source of the cat people's English. Still, Albert preferred not to look too much at the surrounding people, sparing a few glances at this 'Bonny' before answering her plainly, "I do, I'm Albert Rhinegard. She speaks only Japanese as far as I can tell, her name is Yuzuki Date," nodding towards Yuzuki when she was mentioned, questioning Bonny, "Where the hell are we?"

Interactions: Bonny, @Ms.Ezra , Yuzuki, @Camleen
 
Seeming with satisfaction does Rhys watch Zarlia devour the fruit. The gathered fruit would actually have a taste similar to strawberries, but they look closer to apples. He crosses his arms over his chest as he watches Zarlia, his metal gauntlets clinking gently together as they do cross. He looks to his left now as he speaks in a firm tone. ("Norhere…") One of the female scouts steps forward, holding a bow in her left hand. ("Send word to Seirye. Tell her another Stranger has appeared. Tell her we need another medallion… at least one. Swiftly, youngling.") The dark haired woman nods as she frowns to herself. She glances once more towards Zarlia, and then she swiftly moves back into the trees, being flanked by 2 others.

The seeming leader of the little troupe (there are about 11 of them all together) looks back towards Zarlia as she motions she's still hungry. He makes a 'hmph' sound as he watches her, thinking it odd for such a small creature to have such an appetite. ("Yet still she hungers?") One of the scouts exclaims softly in his own language. Rhys looks towards him, and then back towards Zarlia. He seems to think to himself for a few moments, and he then turns towards the others as he speaks. ("If she is still hungry, we will do our best to sate her. But we will not take her back through the walls.") He motions to three of them ("You, you and you. Head back to Alloralla, gather a meal and bring it back. Make haste.") The three nod as one, and they move off.

Rhys looks towards Zarlia now, and he sighs gently. The language barrier is an issue, but it isn't a problem. He now steps towards her, reaching into a small leather pouch at his hip. From it he pulls a small piece of what looks like beef jerkey, and he offers it to her. He knows she can't understand his words as he offers the small treat, so he motions to himself as he smiles softly to her. ("I'm Rhys…") He pats his chestplate lightly, and then he motions to her, hoping she would get the hint that he at least wants to learn her name. Even if that's all they can communicate at the moment.


Tagging: @TheTechnologicVampire
 
As the catwoman smiles at them… she cannot help but be reminded of the same kind of smile a cat might have before it eats the mouse. That's sort of her mindset at the moment. She 'says' something else in a growling tone, and it's then she carefully leans down to pick up her naginata, her brown eyes never leaving the catwoman.

As he addresses her, Yuzuki looks towards Albert. She gives him kind of a blank stare when he says they should go together. Follow the bakeneko? Is he insane? Well… is she insane? She is suddenly in a place that feels like an awful dream… still with the gear she had in the real world… there are yokai here, demons and probably spirits… and there is this westerner. Yukana is… gone… back in the real world. If she died during the night, if she finally succumbed to the cold, this is not her heaven. This is her yomi. The land of the dead… a sort of limbo. That… actually makes more sense to her. As much sense as her mind can wrap itself around.

She discretely looks towards the catwoman as she begins to move off, clearly wanting them to follow. Albert starts after her, and she gasps softly, reaching out to grab his sleeve again. But she stops herself just short, pulling her hand back to herself, her chin resting lightly on that hand. She stares after the couple as they move off, her other hand grasping her naginata to the point it almost hurts her fingers.

What does she do what does she do

"Kih!" she spats out with a certain amount of uneasiness and frustration. She goes into a quick jog to catch up to the demon that is going to eat them and the stupid round eyes that is going to let it happen. Even though there isn't any set path, not even deer trails along this route, Yuzuki seems to be able to traverse it rather easily. She moves nearly as quickly as she would upon level and obstruction free ground. She keeps her naginata held almost diagonally at her side with one hand, her other hand holding onto the scabbard tucked into her sash.

They emerge from the thick underbrush, a soft gasp of awe escapes her lips as she sees for the first time the village. Her naginata almost immediately is raised so the bladed tip is in the air, the butt end resting upon the ground next to her. How one would handle such a weapon when surrounded by civilians, by those the weapon was never meant to touch. Her other hand falls away from her scabbard as she now takes a few steps forward and passed Albert, who seems to be focusing on the dirt for some reason. Her features would soften as she stops only just ahead of Albert, not wanting to stray from him too far. If this is some kind of devil's trap, she can act quickly to him.

Either to end his life honorably or mercifully should the worst happen. That's an actual thought in her head.

Her eyes look towards each of the strange furred creatures she finds them surrounded by. Perhaps it's the reverence of the sight of all of these villagers that makes her forget her initial fear and mistrust. You see, Yuzuki is at heart a good person. At least she tries to be. While she does hold some prejudices, for the most part she tries to do right by whoever… or whatever… she might come across in life. But frankly, the sight of a giant talking cat walking on hind legs is enough to make a person unstable mentally and emotionally. Until they are brought back to earth, so to speak. And perhaps that is where Yuzuki is now… almost.

As their guide announces them, some of the younger villagers prances up to them. It takes much courage on Yuzuki's part to not try and defend herself. They might be demons… but that thought is (fortunately) tempered by the fact they are surely children. The little group almost seems to purr in unison as they get right up to the 2 new Strangers, their curiosity and excitement to much for them to withhold. They seem to be a little more hesitant towards Albert, perhaps picking up on his general body language, how he isn't looking up and he himself seeming hesitant to be amongst them. But with Yuzuki… perhaps they feel a more openness from her. She no longer shows fright of them, but a certain caring and compassion. Such is her true nature.

The children delicately and curiously tug at her very worn blue kimono (though not hard enough to tear it more than it already is), some of them commenting to one another in higher pitched growling tones just how different their scents are. A smile finds its way onto Yuzuki's face as she is surrounded by the small group, one of the smaller girl-cats scratching gently at the scabbard in her sash. "Ay ay" Yuzuki says softly as she grasps the scabbard, pulling it up a little. Her tone and body language a warning to the kitten to be careful. She keeps her naginata pointed upwards, the blade well away from the children. Some of them bat curiously at the tips of her hair, or playfully and briefly at some of the hanging material from her very worn outfit.

It's around then that Anne appears, and she just stares wordlessly. Another westerner… and a bandit at that! She addresses herself and Albert, and in English. Grand. She glances towards Albert as he speaks back to the woman… they seem to understand one another perfectly. Grand. She hears her name, her eyes widen a little with attention and she looks back to the pirate as she motions to herself with a gentle smile.

"Yuzuki."

She watches Anne Bonny then… making note of the fact she's armed. 2 pistols and a sword, to be precise. At least that's all her initial look can detect. Standard fare for bandits. Her opinion of the 'bakeneko' has changed a bit since first she laid eyes on them… she was wrong about Albert (she hopes, the jury is still out on that one)… so perhaps she is wrong in her initial conclusion that Anne will be the one that tries to do harm to them… that's what bandits do, after all. A lesson she learned the hard way.

Tagging: @Ms.Ezra, @Ascendant
 
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