The Curse of Val'hemra IC

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Ruko

Ruko

Professional Otaku
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
Writing Levels
  1. Elementary
  2. Intermediate
  3. Adept
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Female
Genres
Fantasy, Magical, Horror
For the OOC, go here: https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/the-curse-of-valhemra.45522/#post-1139772

It was a dark night in the market district of Quem'bel. The wind howled through the narrow streets, and horses grunted in an alarmed manner. The air spiralled a little as it encountered a plume of hot air rising out of a chimney, but was soon on it's way. The chimney belonged to the second most famous tavern in the city, where nobles and peasants alike would go to rest their buttocks.

The shroud of night tightened it's grip, and a thick smog fell over the road. A slight figure edged silently through the door of the tavern, and walked up to the barkeep. It laid a sheet of paper and a small purse of coins on the surface, then slipped off back into the night. As the door slammed shut, the wind whispered more audibly than it had been doing all night. It almost sounded as if it was saying "free me....."
 
En casually descended the stairs to the main floor of the tavern, yawning. His mind had been active the previous night, having only just entered the city yesterday. It was like a different world, so busy and bustling with life, unlike the small village he was used to. He wasn't quite sure if he liked the city, it was also rather noisy at night, but it was a change at least, and change was good sometimes. Unless of course said change kept you from sleeping.

His feet met the floor and he awoke from his thoughts, instead directing his attention to the room. It was quite busy. Not so much as last night, but still busy. The odd parts of conversations reached his ears, but he was too tired to care at the moment. En rubbed his eyes, wishing that something, anything, would happen to liven up the day and perhaps wake him up too. He walked up to the bar and sat at one of the stools there, leaning over the table and tilting his head around over his shoulder to look at the door.

As he was looking around, his gaze fixed on a piece of paper pinned to the wall. Curious, he arose and wandered up to the wall, reading what was written. Apparently, four people were supposed to visit a shop called "The Potion Nook". He pondered for a moment, debating whether to go or not, after all he might as well take some time to explore the city a little bit. Deciding he had nothing better to do, En turned and headed towards the door.
 
Aedor sat at the bar, staring down at what was left of his meager amount of funds. He glared accusatory at the small stack coins that he had left to barter with.

Although it chagrined him deeply he knew that he would have to postpone his main mission in favor of keeping his ability to bribe for information an option. He found it rather ironic that somewhere in this exact city was probably the man he was looking for, yet he was so far out of reach.

He sighed dejectedly, tipping back and drinking the last of his ale, before scooping his money away.

He rose from his bar-stool - if he noticed that the rest of the bars patrons took an interest in his odd armor and strange looks he simply ignored - and went to remove one of the flyers from the work-board wall.

He glanced down at the address, before making his way out of the bar.
 
Sleep did not come that day for the nocturnal dark elf known as Morian Tza'vray, and as she morosely knocked back the last of her glass of cheap wine she observed, her pale eyes narrowing in suspicion as, for the second time in the morning, an adventurer took notice and brightened at the sight of a peculiar recruitment flyer. Seeing the last one casually rip the sheet of paper from its place on the board, she decided to investigate, putting some bronze coins on the table for her drink and standing gracefully from her seat, her appearance and subsequent removal from her shadowy corner earning nervous and suspicious glares.

'Figures they would outwardly despise those that, for all the dark rumours surrounding their races, could very well burn them alive in their sleep while they rest in their cosy, disgusting little house...' Sometimes, she wondered why she bothered with these people...and then she remembered her few luxuries.

Nevertheless, she had a man to track down and follow to his destination. She was curious of the strange effect the piece of paper had on those who gazed upon it, after all, and was free for the day before her next assignment came. Perhaps these strange series of events would be agreeable to her? Narrowing her eyes in a shrewd manner, Morian followed her new unwitting informant.
 
Semidae dragged her heavy, now dank boots across the smooth pathways of Quem'bel, her only source of vision being the dim moonlight. The moisture which had now accumulated at her feet, and was causing droplets of water to fall as she trod on, was caused by the now thawed snow which more often than not clung to the wolf-skin garments. The Isweni dragged a heavy haul of tradable goods in a clump of woven bags and containers behind her, which sat on a small, wooden sledge. A somewhat sullen look was spread across her pallid face, her only way of income was to cart all trade to the city and back once a week - a day's trek the least, she could have had wolves to aid her, but the only ones tamed had a keen hate for her. A breath of respite came from her mouth as she reached the door to the local Inn, after tying her sled and trade, the girl diffidently walked in to see a vivacious scene of merry people gathering in the bar, though compared to these brutes, Semidae looked small and weak as she placed a few coins onto the counter with her now shivering hand;
"Barkeep, a glass of water.. please." Her tone was shaky and indecisive, and as soon as the glass was placed to her hand she swiftly drank it, she didn't want to stay much longer. She often dragged her haul to the markets and began her journey back, but refreshment and warmth tempted her all too much. As she drank, a notable poster came to sight, most likely another job offer, though she could use one. All she would need to do is leave her freezing abode behind - her family would presume her dead on the journey, after all, to say that she was a loved child would be more lie than truth. This train of thought diverted her as she drank, her glass slipping from hand and shattering upon the hardy oak floor. More than a few heads turned, glaring at her as she quickly picked up the remains.
"I'm so sorry." She looked the barkeep in the eye, her white hair now revealed after her efforts caused the hood of her blue cloak to fall down. She placed more coins on the table, her hands shaking violently with nerves. She looked up once more at the poster; with one turn, one step, she could possibly change her life all for the better. It was if she could be so very dauntless enough to take said step. She looked once more - in calligraphy her name was written amongst others, mere coincidence, this could not be.
She would.
The Isweni pulled up her hood once more and stepped out into the coldness of the night, abandoning her sledge and making for the address of this new job. With just her memory to guide her, she walked once more through the moonlit streets of the market, according to the poster the meeting was located at the Alchemy shop. She kept an even pace, the market space; a large paved square centered around a fountain, was rather lonely this night, whether it was the time or coldness of the breeze she did not know, only the running of the fountain broke the silence which pervaded the town. A small breeze caused the rickety sign for the Alchemy store above her, the rusted attachments creaked with this sudden movement, a small flight of stairs lead down to a door, she knocked it before opening it and entering.
 
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En wandered around until he found the location of the potion shop. The square was busy, people were chatting and selling wares, but still his focus was on the shop.

What could a shop need of four people, he wondered. Either way, he walked up the path and knocked on the door. Getting impatient, he tested the door handle and found it to be open. He slowly opened the door, walking inside and shutting it behind him, the loud sounds of society at work being cut off by the resounding thud.

"Hello?" he called, uncertain of what or who might wait in store.
 
A small man, about 4 foot tall, tottered slowly through a curtain on the back wall of the shop. He had a hunched back, and wore old, faded blue robes. He leaned on an equally archaic walking stick and positioned himself behind the wooden counter. "Can I help you?" His voice was quiet and hollow, like his grey eyes. "Oh wait don't tell me... You are here in response to my advertisement. Never get any proper trade nowadays..." His voice trailed off and he muttered the last sentence under his breath. "You may as well take a seat in the back room. I cannot explain anything to you until the others arrive." He pulled a cord on the wall and the curtain opened, revealing an inwards opening door. There were 3 locks on it, and the birch planks shimmered. It was imbued with so many wards that the surface literally swam.
 
(ooc note - going to use purple text for En now if that's ok)

En's eyes scanned the room, looking for any sign of life in the shop. There were a variety of wares, predominantly potions, hence the name of the shop. En also made note that none of the items were tied down, and no-one seemed to be around....

A man entered from the back and En quickly turned around to face him. He looked rather old and had dull grey eyes.

"Can I help you?" En realised how absurd the situation must've seemed, after all, he didn't really have a reason for coming besides being bored and he doubted that would be a viable reason. "Well, I...." The man interrupted. "Oh wait don't tell me... You are here in response to my advertisment. Never get any proper trade nowadays..." En picked up on the man's muttered last sentence and tried his best to smile. He felt rather bad now, especially after he had considered stealing from the shop. The man continued. "You may as well take a seat in the back room. I cannot explain anything to you until the others arrive." En found the situation very strange. What did the man need from four strangers? Whatever it was, it seemed to be something... secretive. En couldn't deny that he was a little excited. Perhaps his intuition had been right in sensing adventure. Or perhaps the man would just rob him in the back. Who could tell?

"Where are we going?" En asked. The man ignored his question and instead pulled a cord, revealing a large wooden door, covered with wards and locks. The door glimmered, fascinating En, but what fascinated him more was what would be held behind such a secure thing. His mind couldn't help wandering back to thoughts about whether anything valuable would be inside.

The man unlocked the door and the two walked into the room
 
"Erm.. yes, I'm here for the job.. but first-" Semidae was interrupted by the man. As the door before her was revealed, a wave of anxiety and second thoughts shrouded Semidae, her instincts were telling her to run, her cart was probably still untouched, she could run back and start her journey home. But before she could turn her foot, the door opened and the two told to step inside, she did as she was told, but as she sat down in this new room, regret clouded her mind. Whilst others looked upon this thing in wonder, she could only feel fear radiating through her.
 
The man hobbled along the corridor, lighting sconces as he went. It was slow work, a combination of his crippled spine and the damp, bare stone floor. The tunnel seemed to wind deep into the ground, for many hundreds of meters. It had a downwards slant to it, and the air was becoming significantly colder. Eventually, the corridor ended in another door. This one was not even visible to the naked eye before the man muttered 5 syllables in a foreign tongue. This one opened in a similar pattern to the last, and on the other side was a chamber. It was perfectly circular, and about 15 meters wide. The roof was low, as if it had been designed for someone of around 5 foot which could have explained the man's permanent crouch. The chamber itself was quite bare. The floor and walls and roof were made entirely of stone, and covered in a light frost, unusual for a location this far south. They must have been very deep underground. In the centre of the room was a small indent in the ground, where a natural sloping of the floor led to. He stumbled over to it and hesitated. "If either of you have any doubts about this turn back now because once you step beyond this room there is no going back until it is over."
 
Aedor stepped into the curious little shop, eyes scanning the room. He didn't call out, as he thought doing so would be somehow undignified - instead he used his innately improved hearing to listen for others. For some reason he found the entire place to be eerily silent.

He made a cursory look about at some of the potion-vials that were behind casing or lying about. He superstitiously took one from a group at random and stuffed it quietly into his pack before looking about the shop more thoroughly.

When he reached the magical door, the wavering and bubbling of it's distortion on it's wood gave him pause. It was never a good idea to tread into the house of a caster without his knowledge... On that note he finally called out: "Hello, I am here about the job posted at the bar! Is anyone home?"
 
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The man froze, hearing whispers on the wind that blew through the place. He shivered, as if the faint words were chilling, and was about to make his way back up the corridor, when he stopped. "Isweni. Go and get that person and bring them down here." He turned around once more and stood waiting.
 
Slipping behind her momentary quarry, Morion slipped inside the small shop, clinging to the shadows and walking and generally moving as silently as possible. So this was the place, and a job was the incentive for these people... interesting. Looking around the small shop, she recognised some of the vials' content but not much, preferring poisons to most healing method as her usual assignments were often at the very least dubious in nature. Shaking her head silently at her tangent, she awaited what would happen that day.
 
((Sorry for the lack of activity but I'm posting via tablet and won't have access to my laptop for 10-15 days.))

Semidae's heart pounded 'no turning back".. this phrase echoed within her mind as her skin pricked up with the coldness of the air - being an Iseweni, you would presume this would not bother her, but this chill was different, it had an inexplicable quality which put her at unease.
'Isweni. Go and get that person and bring them down here..'
With a quick nod she turned back and headed up the dimly lit corridor to find two more people - a dark elf and another elf - "T-this way." She beckoned them quietly as she stood with her shoulders hunched to preserve heat, along with the hood of her clearly Isweni cloak up, by the doorway.
 
Smoothly exiting the shadows she was so at home amongst, Morian silently followed the woman that was as pale as she was dark, wondering what this was all about and hoping that this would be worth her time. Very few things were worthy of it, these days, and the dark elf something despaired at the encroaching listlessness she felt at the lack of danger, action and, most importantly, challenge. Her steps and general movement were as calculated and subtle as always, and her grey eyes were as stony and as sharp as she wanted them to be.

One did not survive and thrive while being clumsy and oblivious, after all, as her mother, bless her evil soul, often said.
 
The man watched the people enter the room and smiled, revealing a mouth only half full of teeth. "We are ready to begin now." He carefully placed the tip of his staff (not a euphemism :P) into the indent of the floor. As soon as it made contact, the indent shifted downwards, opened up slightly and consumed the staff. The man disappeared in a literal puff of smoke, which then followed the staff. The door closed and locked, and the wall on the other side of the chamber slid back to reveal a beautiful cavern. Magnificent stalactites hung from the ceiling, and in some places, stalagmites were so tall they connected and formed great columns of calcite. Faint sunlight filtered in through cracks high in the roof and a steady dripping noise could be heard. A small stream trickled across the floor of the chamber and disappeared into a small sinkhole at the near end. At the other end, the cave wound deeper into the rock and the distant sound of a waterfall echoed in the background.

A second panel revealed the entrance to a small room to the right of the door to the cave. On the other side of this, several sets of various weapons and armour were laid out on wooden benches. A sign on the back wall of this room read "This is the first of three tests. For this task it is required that you leave every item in your possession in this room and equip as many of the provided things as you want. You will all be competing against each other. These weapons are not able to harm a being wearing any of my armours. The challenge is to reach the other end of this cave network before your rivals. Prepare for your alignment to Earth to be put under trial."

(This is one of the few areas in which i will be carefully guiding y'all. By this I mean that you state an action and I state the effect. I have some plans for this and I don't want a load of deleted comments as people revise their actions.) (Also I'm great at descriptions aren't I. I made myself want to be in that cave when I wrote that :P)
 
((XD Tip of his staff my god.))

((Waiting for others before myself..))
 
When his eyes landed on Morion he instantly recognized the parlor of her skin. He saw her hair - white as a snow-foxed pelt. He knew a fellow Northerner when he saw one. He inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Then the Dark Elf slipped out of the shadows from behind him. He had been completely unaware of her presence in the room with him. He had been at her mercy. He shivered in surprise an vague fear, before shaking himself and following them both down the tunnel.

The short, huddled man was strange to say the least - with his heavy robes and walking stick he didn't cut the most intimidating personage - however Aedor remembered the magic on the door. And when he started doing his magic, Aedor's hand instinctively twitched closer to his sword. The old man's rotten smile was disgusting, and Aedor's lip curled slightly in disgust. Then the man vanished. POOF! Just like that, he was gone. Now Aedor did draw his weapon, snarling.

The wall opened to the cavern and extra room, and the door slammed shut. He cautiously entered the new room, reading the sign. "Come this way!" He called to the others. He sighed, cursing the man in his native tongue, pulling his armor off and slinging it into a corner with his backpack. The last thing he put down was his blade. He turned to the rack, choosing a midsize armor and a plain blade that hung there.

He turned to the people who would be his new companions. "I suppose we're stuck. We'll have to run through these 'tests' to escape this damned caster."
 
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