The Kingdom of Evertrue

[L'Hibou]

The sudden commotion caused Leander to gasp, his hand thrusting towards his hip. When his fingers grasped thin air, he nearly panicked. The lack of a sword at his side... Oh it was a horrible, helpless feeling. Luckily, the clamor had only come from an overzealous guard. Perhaps she was not as alone and defenseless as she seemed.

Turning back to Clarice, he smiled politely. "Thank you, your majesty. I shall do as you've asked and have the paperwork returned to you as soon as I can. You've done much for me, and I hope that I can one day repay that." He tucked one arm under his chest and the other behind his back, bowing to her once more. "Farewell, your majesty." Leander couldn't help but smile at her when he straightened up. An irrational part of him hoped that they might meet again.

With hope bristling in his chest, the man turned around, leaving the throne room successful. As of tomorrow, he would be a guard. Squashing his prideful wishes to be a knight, Leander knew that this would allow him to serve the kingdom again. He would have a purpose and a mission; he could forge a new life for himself. The man found himself grinning as he stepped out the doors and set foot on the cobbled streets. The sun warmed his skin. Today was still bright and new... Beautiful, and full of possibilities.

Now, he needed to find a blacksmith. At last, he could fill the empty space at his side where his sword used to hang, and again wear a proper suit of armor. Leander felt as if, even in just a small way... His honor had been restored to him. He was trusted to watch over the citizens of Sapphire City, and that was a weight that sat comfortably on his shoulders.

Since he didn't know the city very well, Leander caught the eye of a passing man carrying a bushel of vegetables. "Excuse me, sir? Would you happen to know where I could locate a blacksmith's services?" He asked.

The man nodded, pointing down the street. "If ye go down that way an' turn down the Old Inn Road, there's a blacksmith's shop jus' there on the lef' side." The man smiled, revealing a few crooked and missing teeth. Then he continued on his way, and Leander shouted his thanks.

The Old Inn road was just around the corner. This road was bustling with activity- more than most of the roads Lee had walked on. The chatter from people passing by or talking near the shops was almost deafening. Meanwhile, the crowd was packed so tightly that it was hard to maneuver through. Leander found himself apologizing every two to three seconds for bumping into people, and he tried his best to avoid colliding with anyone. Meanwhile, he subconsciously kept a hand tight around his coin pouch... Not wanting anyone to snag it in the middle of all the commotion.

Breaking through the crowd to the other end of the street, Lee spotted a much quieter section of the road. On the left hand side, there was a little shop which was dusty with ash. A hot coal furnace cast a red glow onto the man that stood there. He was working, and the pounding of iron on iron rang through the street. "Ah, the blacksmith." Leander smiled, running a hand through his hair as he approached. "Excuse me, good sir. Do you have a moment, that I might request your services?" The soon-to-be knight smiled as he stepped under the roof of the blacksmith's structure, taking a look around.

The blacksmith looked up, his face smudged with ash. He wore an old gray shirt, leather pants, and heavy boots. Strung around his waste was a blacksmith's belt equipped with loops and pockets for tools to hang in. The man's gray hair stuck up at odd angles, and he had a gruff appearance. However, his open smile relieved Leander of any worry. The blacksmith took off his thick leather gloves, tucking them into a pocket. "The name's Drew Markley." He held out a callused hand, which Leander grasped firmly.

"Leander Crownsend." Lee introduced himself, shaking Drew's hand firmly.

"What can I help you with?" Drew asked, taking the rod of iron he had been working on and thrusting it back into the red-hot coals of the furnace.

Lee took on a relaxed stance. "I've just taken up a position with the royal guard. I was instructed to come and request a set of armor be made. I also hoped to purchase a long sword from you." He glanced around, noticing a shop adjacent to the one that he stood in. "Does that weaponry belong to you as well?"

Drew shook his head, pulling the iron rod out of the coals. "The owner and I have an agreement. She sells, I forge. Together we're quite the team." He pulled on his gloves and continued to pound the iron and shape it. "Aye, I've never had a better business partner. Nor a better wife." The blacksmith smirked to himself. "Come back in the morning, and I'll have your armor for you. Then you can take the bill to the captain of the guard. We have quite a lot of business with the guard. The sword's on you, though. So you can speak with my wife about that." He chuckled as he thrust the hot iron, now shaped into an axe-head, into a bucket of water. It hissed and steam filled the air.

Leander nodded his understanding, tempted to stay and watch the blacksmith work. It was such an art. "Thank you, good sir Markley." He left the man to work, walking next door.

Here, there were tables covered in an array of weapons and pieces of armor. Swords, daggers, bows, arrows, axes, and more, were lined up neatly. There wasn't a single empty space. "Mrs. Markley?" He called, noticing that the shop was empty. When he heard no reply, Leander moved towards the nearest table covered in swords.

The variations were endless. They all ranged from different weights, lengths, and styles. Some were made of steel, some iron, and some with engravings along the blades. He brushed his fingers over the hilts, finding a two-handed, steel long sword. Lifting it from the table, he found that it was well balanced, with the hilt heavy enough to equal that of the blade. It was also light enough that it wouldn't be difficult to carry, and it had an overall simple, sleek appearance.

"That's seventy gold pieces. Seventy five if you want the hilt wrapped." A feminine voice spoke up from behind him. Leander turned, his eyes falling on a woman who could only be the blacksmith's wife. She had salt-and-pepper hair, all tied up in a messy bun on the top of her head. Just like her husband, she had a kind but strong appearance.

"It's very similar to the sword I used to carry. Extremely well made, light, and balanced." Leander held it with his finger just under the top of the hilt, balancing it there. "Make that... Perfectly balanced." His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I'll take it just like it is." Leander placed the sword back on the table, reaching for his coin pouch. He counted out thirty, and gave the woman the other seventy. "There should be seventy there."

She gave him a satisfied smile, tucking the coins away safely. "I'll be right out with your sheath."

A few minutes later, the familiar weight of a sword hung at Leander's side. It felt like a breath of fresh air; as if he could breathe again. After thanking the blacksmith's wife, Lee started walking back in the direction of his house.

[Summary: Armor requested, sword bought. 30g remaining.]

 

[PrincessLala95]

Clarice bid Leander farewell as he made his way out, and once he was gone, she breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a short flood of people she hadn't been expecting, and she was probably way off schedule, but it felt good to have helped Leander and Allora, and to have heard what Kiera had to say? She couldn't say she'd been more excited than she was now since her wedding day. Feeling a slight grumbling in her stomach, she turned her attention towards Ashley and smiled.

"Shall we place an order for lunch?" she asked in a soft voice, glancing down at the handful of pages in her lap. Rather than take the time to move into the dining room for lunch, they could easily summon a servant to have it delivered to the throne room. It woulde definitely save on time, which was always important when trying to run a Kingdom. She now had the matter of Leander and Allora's paperwork to handle, which definitely added more to her plate.

 

[RogueSphinx]

As expected, the docks were busy. With the stormy season on the horizon, every citizen that had a finger in a sea-bound business worked to get that business done before their profits were swept away beneath unforgiving waves. Alduin stepped aboard the Gunlark, not at all hiding the sigh and the immense relief he felt while being back at sea. For many the rock and roll of the boats were the source of nightmares, while for him he could hardly sleep without it. Grinning at his crew, he clasped forearms with each and every one of them, ten in total. His ship wasn't large by any means, but it was fast and efficient. He hefted the heavy seabag from the dock and made his way below deck and in to his cabin, adjacent to the Captain's. Here were the familiar tools and tomes he poured over on these journeys and his sister had been good enough to set the whole ordeal in order in the short two days he'd returned home.
It didn't take him long to settle in. The boat pulled out of port with no need for direction for him, for they had traveled quite a bit already and the good Captain knew where they were bound. Alduin pulled out a well-crafted ivory pen and a think, leather-bound journal.

Again we are away and at sea and I've never felt more at home. The inner peace these waves and gulls bring me are unparalleled. But enough of that.
I've made significant progress on the Transspecularis. The device fits neatly along the spine, flowing simultaneously up the arm and the back of the next to the left eye. There it sits, not unlike a monocle, and provides a juxtaposition of the Aether. It's everywhere! Who knew such an element irradiated every single thing here on this earth! Marvelous really… but I can't stop here. While the ability to see it alone would win me the praise of the kingdom, I must keep it a secret and discover how to manipulate this mysterious element before I present it to His Majesty directly. I fear the College would, of course, try and patent my idea for themselves. Bah!

I miss Shiloh dearly already.

I'll write again when we've reached the Snaketail Ossuary. That is, of course, if we don't drown crossing the sea first.

Alduin sighed, stowing the pen and book within his writing desk, double checking the lock and small ward. Perhaps he was paranoid but… this device will change the world. He was sure of it. Not only had he discovered the Aether at all, but now he could show anyone! And if this journey was a success… well, he wouldn't need to show anyone through the lens, he would show them his ability to control it, whatever it is. It was his sister, the eldest that had given him the rumor that on the island lay hidden a particular tome that might help him. He hadn't been home a day and had already prepared to leave the very next one, so much was his excitement! Now, of course, she could be playing him for a fool as she has often before, but any excuse for danger and to be at sea was good enough for him. He'd promised the crew double the pay, too, just to get them to come along. Any price was worth it if it promised new insights to his experiments.

[Expedition: Begin - Snaketail Ossuary]

 

[PrincessLala95]

PrincessLala95 updated The Kingdom of Evertrue with a new update entry:

Inns, Taverns and Requests

• The Inn/Tavern update is finally here! With this update, you can create your own inn or tavern here in Evertrue! Make money, hire staff, and have even more fun! Here is the information provided in the information page, so you don't have to go scrolling for it yourself:
  
  Every town/city in Evertrue plays home to an inn/tavern or two. The question is, who is running those places? The answer is that you, the players, are the...

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[RogueSphinx]

Tell me, tell me, boy-o; my friend
Tell me tell me I'll see her again

Yes ya' will, yes ya' will
Johny me lad
Yes ya' will, yes ya' will
See her again

Tell me, tell me, boy-o; my friend
Tell me, tell me, I'll sail again

Yes ya will, yes ya will
Johny, me lad
Yes ya will yes ya will
Sail again

Tell me now and tell me true
Tell me all me aught left to do
I see holes in the sails and the mast is all splinters
I can't see spring and it feels like winter
Alas, there she is, looking from on high
My lady love, the time is neigh

Goodnight johny, me lad
Goodnight johny, we loved what we had
Ya fought brave and ya fought strong
To you we drink and sing this song
May ya rest and find peace her on shores
And yer memory'll live on with us forever more


Alduin closed his book quietly. He didn't need it, really, as shanties were engraved in the heart of each and every sailor, but he kept it anyways. This one had been written on their last trip to honor their only casualty. It had been an awful death. Johnny dove along the shores and, unfortunately, came far too close to a ray's nest. He had been stung and marked for death and by the time the crew had pulled him up, he was more than half dead. Alduin recorded the affair and composed the song in his memory as he would hope any crew would do for him. Too many sailors and seafarers perished with memory nor notice usually, and he aimed to remedy that. In the grand scheme, it was but a drop in the ocean and little more than a side project, but perhaps a salty bard would carry their songs far and wide.

The venture was on its fourth day. The weather and winds had been fair and favorable, even for the notoriously sketchy shores. Unfortunately for Alduin, he was not as proficient in controlling the weather as much as he'd like. He could conjure a wind or perhaps a little rain, but nothing worth bragging over. Today had so far been a lot less exciting than the previous days; they were moving on the current alone and swathed in a think fog that dampened everyone's mood. Even if they had sung a happier song, everyone knew it would feel forced and the very soul of it would be lost, thus they remembered Johny and his last moments at sea.

Later, Alduin would tinker on the Transspecularis, but made no more progress than he had before. He did, however, find that the view from the device was similar to looking at fog. It showed gray clouds clinging to everything, some dark and some light, but everything was bathed in slick, inky.... aether. Alduin would also maintain his armor and spear, practice a bit of magic, in particular Ignus variants, and toss a few games of dice with the crew before retiring.

[Post Two of the Expedition]

 

[Sky_The_Nomad]

Joseph frowned stepping across the small creek the recent rain had brought. It wasn't uncommon for the druid to head into town, he was a mortal after all. He still needed to buy things from the store on occasion.
Leaning hard on his walking stick Joseph blended well into the crowd of people walking towards the gates of Steel City. It was always a treat to head into town during an afternoon like this, most stores just got their goods in and the demand has not altered the supply quite yet.
He moved through the stone ground with a muted expression, it was best he didn't catch someone's attention too quickly in the city. After all, a man who speaks to trees wasn't looked at as much more than a crazy man outside of the small sect of Druids that remained around the local area.

 

[OnI6470]

KALIVOS TOREN
EASTWAY BLUFF

Kalivos wanders the dark alleys, he still has a couple of hours before dawn.
"Damn, should have left earlier, but I was so tired, should get back... aint gonna find nothing at this hour, and its too late to try to rob a house, the city guard could catch me and wouldnt have enough time to lost them, yeah, should get back, one more day without eating aint gonna kill me...".
The drow turns back, distraught with the thought of catching some more sleep, "whos... there?" he asks after hearing footsteps ahead of him. He can see clearly in the dark, thats one of the adventages of being born in the dark, "better turn back.. or it will be your last day..." the drow begins to pull one of his knifes, but its hit in the hand loosing the knife, "stupid... stupid..." mumbles as hes know that he has been surrounded.
"Where are you going greyskin?" grumbles a voice that the drow knows. "Sir...? I was..." a lance strike him in the belly making him bend over and falling to the dirty wet floor.
"Its payday greyskin, remember?, I keep quiet about you living here and you pay me, the captain would be very intrested knowing that one like you are here, so... you have my money?"
Kalivos cough "No... I need more time, I have been.. sick... I promise I will have it, tomorrow... please..."
"You better have it greyskin, or I will take you to the captain and fetch a nice commendation and some gold, either way I win greyskin so dont try to wise up on me, you cant runaway, I have friends watching the gates, trick me and I will have your hide, understood?"
The guard grab the drow from the hair pulling him up "understood?"
"Yes sir... Will have your money... tomorrow..."
The guard and his men laughs "all right.. see you tomorrow", he turns around but no before spitting on the drow head "ha... I thought that greyskins were tough guys... I guess its all lies..."
Kalivos stay on the ground, rubbing his aching belly "it would be so easy killing you pig... slipping into your house... slicing your pigneck, poisoning you and your family... but no, I need to keep calm, but mark my words pig, you will pay for this..."
Kalivos then start to laugh out loudly, like a madman.

 

[RogueSphinx]

"I think they're tryin'a be sneaky," the captain mused. He took a long drag on his pipe as he looked across the stern to some pursuers. They had a fairly fast ship, but they were wasting time trying to beeline between the rocks and outcroppings. The Gunlark was making a similar sort of beeline, easily slicing the water and making the turns. This ship was actually built to avoid and, if needed, withstand whirlpools, so this simple gauntlet was nothing more than practice for the crew.

Alduin nodded and grinned. It was the end of their seventh day and the orange sun burned brightly to their west. One might say it burned equally within the wizard. Despite all his love for the sea, Alduin was still quite prone to boredom and the prospect of some grand form of entertainment such as a fight stirred him like nothing else could. "How much longer are you going to toy with them? I see that you've been slowing up, too."

The captain returned Alduin's grin before blowing a glorious cloud of smoke from his lungs. "Like any good cap'n, I have to keep me boys entertained somehow. I know ye lads have been itchin' for a fight since we left the port. Let 'em get a bit closer then give them a good shockin', eh? Test their meddle a bit. But don't go on scarin' off all our fun or I'll lock ya in the kitchens with ole' Butcher." The captain turned on his heel and began barking orders, leaving Alduin without a chance to respond. Not that it mattered. The man was already sizzling and popping and he whispered a few of the words he would need to evoke a long bolt of lightning even the gods might envy. He had to craft it carefully, however, so that it didn't actually damage their boat. Perhaps he'd addle the captain or helmsman. Really he would have loved to simply set it aflame with a conjuring of slick, black oil and a roaring torrent of liquid green fire, but alas he had to share today.

Within the next hour, the Gunlark had cleared the rocks and soared into the open ocean. The helmsman looped the ship back around the slip behind a group of large, slick stones. They had timed it just right, for as they cleared the rocks again, the pirates burst ahead of them. They had seen what Alduin's ship had done and it had only served to stir them further, for there was no way to avoid what was supposed to be the prey from getting the preemptive strike.

"Mitis Fulgur!" shouted the mage from the tip of the bow, spear pointed at the pirate's helmsman, easily exposed now that they at their rear. Electricity buzzed loudly at the base of the spear, coiled and waiting for its command. When the words were spoken, the ball of reigned-in lightning sped up the spine of great serpent and leapt from its mouth and across more than two hundred feet of open water. They had given Alduin far too much time to perfect the inner workings of the simple spell. The thunder was instantaneous and caused a din that boomed across the sea and the cliffs behind them. It never got old.

The captain slapped the younger man on the back of the head. "Look'it what you've gone and done, ya git! The damn sails done caught flame. Damnit, boy." Most of the crew gathered at the bow to watch the conflagration that ensued. Really, it was an accident. Alduin hadn't calculated the oomph behind the blast and it angled just enough to hit the bottom of the mainsail, catching it alight despite the drastically reduced power. Now the pirate crew scrambled to save their ship.

However, something was strange. A figure stood at the stern, much like Alduin did an hour ago, and watched them. They work a black cloak that billowed in the sea air and heat waves from the boat. From this distance he couldn't see far but...

"Aegis!" In half a second, all the sound around those on the bow was muted and replaced by a low, steady hum. A glassy sort of bubble had appeared in front of them, emanating from the tip of the spear whose ruby eyes were alight with fury. It appeared not a moment too soon for they were bathed in fiery light and heat that singed more than a few stray hairs and blacked the deck. Alduin's entire body changed in a moment. This was no longer fun. It was serious. Their wizard fully meant to kill and would have succeeded. When the bubble fell the crew needed no orders to take their posts and man the ship. They knew the deadly game wizards could play. Though none would blame him, Alduin knew it was his fault for endangering them. Not that he didn't enjoy a little danger, it's more that he refused to lose another sailor and a friend.

His mind had to work quickly, now, for every second was another for his opponent to pull from his pool and form another deadly spell. While Alduin thought, the ship was already turning to angle away from the ship, putting as much distance as they could between the ships. The pirates would be unable to make chase without their sails and they had full confidence Alduin could cover the gap with his own magic should he choose to.

Ah!

Alduin outstretched his spear once more and began to move it in a back and forth motion mixed with a bit of swirling. "Maris... Maris... Editus!" Unlike his lightning, this spell did not have time to build, so it took a few moments before its effects were noticed:

Between the two ships the ocean began to undulate and gather, rising feet per second as if some being was coming out of the depths. In seconds the ships were almost completely obscured from each other by the lonesome wave shifting between them. Satisfied, Alduin began to sing 'Undatus' low and slow and drawn out within his single breath. As he did, the wave that was formed surged forward towards the other ship. As it crossed the distance it spread wide and high, but thinly. The concentrated gale that pierced the center of the wave split it, but it ultimately reached its goal. The waves bathed entire ship with fresh sea water, drenching all aboard and dousing the roaring fires to nothing more but steaming char. Movement stopped entirely upon that ship while, after a brief moment of silent to let it sink in, the entire crew of the Gunlark let out hearty laughs guffaws. They knew what Alduin was about. And they knew that it might have been better for their would be pirates to have burned, because now they owed the wizard a favor.

[Expedition Post 3]

 

[Radio Jelly]

(First Hazard - Spear Trap)

"Alrighty, let's see here. I need to pick up some milk and bread for sure, but with all this new wealth maybe some fish? No? Perhaps a hearty bunch of carrots for stew? Then again, what's a stew without meat? I've had more meager meals to be sure, but dropping some carrots in boiling water and calling it a meal? It just seems..." Aros stroked his grizzled chin as he tried to think of the word. "Lazy! Surely the magnificent Aros of Eastway can prepare a better meal for himself than that." Reassured by his own self, the half-drow's eye's flicked upwards at either side of the desert canyon, once again registering nothing of interest.

Figures.

"Hmm, maybe I should just buy a chef? I'll probably have the gold for it! Ha!" With the toe of his boot, Aros kicked a loose stone from the makeshift road, taking a moment to enjoy the simple sound of the rock clattering against the dusty trail. "What a great sound that has always made, wouldn't you agree? Yes! I would agree." Taking a deep breath, Aros closed his eyes--and with an almost child-like excitement--launched another stone from the floor. This time, he meant to savor the sound as it seemed there was no real rush after all. The rock bounced once, and then twice, but no more after that. Embarrassed, Aros opened his eyes in surprise. "Two bounces? I kicked it harder than-"

THWACK

A long spear had come whirling towards him while he had been standing there, which meant that had he not opened his eyes when he did he would've very quickly become an elf-skewer. The crooked weapon (from what he noticed in the short time he had remained standing still) was adorned with bone fragments, sinewy cords, and what appeared to be a flint tip. The elf leapt backwards, somersaulting mid air before landing on the balls of his beet. The games had just seemed to start for Aros, who had imagined at least a hundred ways he might make his first impression with the canyon dwellers when he found them. A spear to the face was not his first choice, but he had been in worse spots before.

The elf didn't speak: he could not yet see his assailants, despite the veritable hail of spears that had begun to follow. They had the upper-ground, and appeared to be attacking from the ledges on either side of the rock-walls. Aros commended their ingenuity: he had almost been convinced by how empty the canyon seemed that he had let his guard down. Simple merchants traveling with whole carriages probably had no chance against an enemy so patient. Aros was hardly impressed the caravans kept disappearing in the desert.

He flipped, spun, and weaved his way through the air and through the many rock structures that filled the ravine. Seeing an overpass of sorts, Aros side-stepped an incoming projectile, before ducking for cover. It was no ordinary overpass: images wrought in blood, dirt, and what could only be described as some sort of plant-based dye were scattered across the walls on either side. Inside, a passage lead further upwards from within the rock wall. Seeing this as an opportunity to gain ground on his enemies, Aros scurried to the top of the narrow, rocky tunnel until he found himself on what could only be described as a minimalist rope bridge: three long, fibrous coils of rope lay strung over the canyon, with the middle-most one low enough to walk along. As his eyes readjusted to his settings, he could better see his assailants, and took note of the way they would expertly scurry along the middle rope, using the other two as hand-rails of sorts.

I'm starting to think all the time I spent running from guards on the rooftops back home may not have been to bad a time after all.

Taking a deep breath, Aros began to spring along the rope. Thrice, an errant spear knicked him in passing, leaving thin--yet bloody--cuts on both arms and his right leg. As he traversed the dangerous trail, he began to notice that the hail of projectiles was decreasing--either that, or he was adrenalized by the prospect of being knocked off into the canyon below. The rope was unsteady at first, and he stumbled more than once, but his agile expertise was enough to get him from one point to the next.

"I-I did it! HA! Take that mongrels!" The spears had stopped. That, and just as quickly as they had appeared, the unrecognizable assailants had all but disappeared. "Wait. Where did you guys-" That was when a large, leather-bound hand pulled him around by the shoulder, and struck him so hard across the face that he passed out on the spot.

What is with bad guys and sucker-punches?! Can't... we... fight... like...

 

[Avery]

Vr'ak eagerly set to explaining to the meat stand owner what he really needed. "I need... coins. I wan- I-I can kill..."

"So you're a hunter, you want to bring in meat so I can pay you for it," The man quickly said with a tired tone, aiming to interrupt Vr'ak before he had the chance to continue his rambling.

"Y-I-Yes," Vr'ak stuttered simply.

"Well," The man paused to mull it over in his head. "I don't know. I already have a good supplier, I don't need any more supplies, and it wouldn't be worth spending more money for extra."

Vr'ak's ears drooped at the news.

"Uh," The man hurriedly continued, assuming there might be danger in making a gnoll sad. "Maybe I can find someone else you can work for. Hold on, I think I know who." His eyes wandered over to a point behind Vr'ak and he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Erika!" He shouted. Vr'ak turned to see a large women stomping over.

The woman would have been intimidating if Vr'ak simply wasn't bigger. She was shorter than he was, but Vr'ak could tell she was already taller than some of the men he had seen in passing. The woman was also not slender. Her figure was thick, and the sleeves of her stained, white shirt were rolled up to reveal large and surprisingly muscled arms. An ugly, dirty apron was draped over the front of her shirt and partially hid her brown shapeless skirt. As if to immediately counter the ugly skirt, she sported large black boots. As Vr'ak studied her, he noticed the utter expression of annoyance drawn across her wrinkled and worn face.

"H-Who d-that?" Vr'ak questioned.

"What do you want?" The woman grumbled in a deep hoarse voice. She stood before the meat stand, her fists against her hips, taller than the vendor and much larger. The man cringed at her arrival almost as much as he did when Vr'ak arrived.

"This... young man-"

"I am n-not man," Vr'ak spoke up.

"This being here needs a job," The man restarted with a wearisome glance at the gnoll. "He says he's a hunter."

"Why don't you hire him then?" The woman questioned loudly.

"Look, I don't need another supplier!" The man exclaimed in a weak whisper as the woman glared at him. "Erika, you're constantly chasing away your suppliers! I know you don't have many goods left to sell."

The woman snorted. "And who says I won't chase this one away as well?"

"Well," The man glanced at Vr'ak who gave him a curious look, one ear raised questioningly.

"Fine!" The woman exclaimed in exasperation, tossing her hands in the air. "I'll hire the damn gnoll."

Both the man and the gnoll lifted their drooping heads in excitement, the gnoll lifting his ears as well. "Fantastic!" The man said. "Well there you go, good luck," The man said to Vr'ak, waving a hand.

Vr'ak bowed his head gratefully. "D-thank you."

The man nodded and the woman marched off with the large gnoll following at her heels. They walked between several stalls and through the market area until they reached another food stall, similar to the man's. The woman, Erika, stopped next to the stall and whipped around to face Vr'ak, slamming down a hand on the wooden surface with authority. The aggressive and sudden action drew no reaction from Vr'ak, who stared at her blankly.

"Right then," The woman said, her expression hardening at the lack of reaction from the gnoll, and she wandered behind the stall, once again slamming both of her hands on the stall. "You want to work for me then? I'm tired of these flimsy and weak spirited fools coming up to my stall and pretending they're tough. None of them are, and I suspect you're no different. You think you got what it takes to work for me? "

"Yes," Vr'ak said, nodding positively. "I trap many season. I'm g-ood at i-it."

The woman glared at him. "Well then, prove it!" She said angrily. She viciously gestured toward the empty containers of meat that cluttered her stall. "Go out and hunt me some animals until you get enough meat to fill this! And you better get it done today, got it? Otherwise you're getting no pay, and no job from me!"

Vr'ak's ears flattened in annoyance with this woman's attitude, but he was quickly distracted by something that the woman had said. "An-ey-mul?" Vr'ak slowly pronounced.

The woman slapped a hand to her forehead in frustration. "Yes, animal! Those things you kill to get meat!"

Vr'ak's ears twitched up brightly as he finally remembered the word he had tried using earlier. "Ah! Animal!"

"Animal," The woman grumpily repeated. She fell silent and Vr'ak did likewise. They stared at each other briefly in silence, the woman still with her hands planted on the stall again and a frown on her face, the gnoll with a pleased expression on his face as he proudly memorized the word animal. "Well?!" She suddenly said loudly. "Get to work!"

"Oh, yes, my sorry," Vr'ak said. He turned and wandered from the stall, feeling taller for his accomplishments. A new word, and a new job. Today was a good day.

[Acquired a job, woo!]

 

[conman2163]

Allora

The poor girl had been paying absolutely no attention at all, so caught up in talking to Diadora as she was. The sudden push from her side sent her into a side ways fall, which she nimbly recovered from by turning it into a roll instead. However, as she stood up, she could feel a bruise forming on her arm already where she had used it in the roll. She rubbed it as she stood up, turning to face the man who had run into her, bristling.

"Watch where your going! I'm not that hard to see-"

Then her gaze fell on the man who was apparently passed out in the alley way. Passed out being a loose term. Allora was no stranger to street murder. She had seen her share of it, never said anything though. Unless you had really high up people to protect you, assassins weren't the sort of lot you wanted to fall in with. Fortunately, she wasn't in that position anymore. Her sword was immediately drawn, and she moved in the man's way.

"Halt, in the name of the queen. Stay right where you are, then get on your knees, looking down the entire time. Move and I give you a new smile on your belly. Diadora, would you please check the passed out drunken man in the alley. If he really is just passed out sir, you may be on your way. Other wise you are a criminal and will be treated as such."

 

[RogueSphinx]

A ship at dark is, and likely always will be, the most comfortable time for dear Alduin. The creaking wood and taught or loose sails, the crash of waves against the hull, and most of all the sheer infinite beauty of the night sky. This was home for the wandering, fiery spirit of the wizard. Tonight was one like many on this journey, where Alduin would volunteer a turn at watch. He was bound to be awake and sober anyways, so why not make better with the crew? A particularly heavy breeze graced the ship, giving the wizard a few moments to close his eyes and enjoy its warm embrace as it whipped his clothes and hair. Nothing beats that.

Someone tapped gently on his shoulder. Alduin turned and nodded to his replacement, appreciating the fact that this sailor, Greggory, enjoyed the serenity and silence as much as he did. Thus without a word they exchanged posts when the moon was just more than halfway across the sky. On the way to his cabin Alduin considered the last few days. Since the pirates, there had been no further incidents. And of the pirates, they had sent them on their merry way with the warning that Alduin never forgets a face. He grinned knowing that having vagrants owe you favors can often prove to be worth more than that of a king's.

"Mmm. I suspect we'll hit shore tomorrow," he mumbled to himself as he entered his cabin. The lamp was low and dim, so he turned up the wick, as he was certainly not tired and could perhaps get a little more work done on the Transspecularis. The device in question had been moved to a to-scale wooden mannequin. Alduin gently removed and examined the device. For the most part, it was made of brass. In the center lay a circular conduit of sorts that would rest against the base of the spine. Within device itself rested a ransom's worth of gold and silver, for they have proven to be quite conducive to magic. The more magic was used around it, the stronger it would function and, eventually, he found it was able to perpetuate its own magical energies. Once it had reached this sort of optimum level, he found casting significantly easier, though his spells were far more volatile and had been prone to failure despite an escalation of hours preparing.

From the central hub extended three sets of telescoping brass pipes. They were flexible enough to keep up with normal movement, but Alduin was still unable to manufacture something that could keep up with falls, rolls, dodges, dips and dives. And it wasn't as if he couldn't just replace the composition, oh no. Within the tubes were hundreds of fine threads of more gold and silver, bound to spools within the hub. These metals were fragile, even with the flexibility of the spools. They were absolutely necessary to the conduit. Perhaps, he thought, he might take it to a very particular smith in Sapphire who could help with the plans.

And the ends of the two lower collection of pipes were an even thinner set, bound to straps. These were designed so that the threads and their supports hugged the fingers of the wearer. It allowed the conduit to draw directly from where magic is often concentrated and it worked just as well, if not even better, going the other direction. One had to only pull on the energy flowing back and forth to use it in one's own spell. The issue here is that once a pull was initiated, it was extremely difficult to stop, thus over loading many spells to disastrous effect.

The final bras structure stretched vertically from the conduit and was meant to follow the spine all the way up the neck, behind the ear and to the left eye. A leather strap around the head would secure it the same as it would an eye patch. The glass of the monocle was black when the device was dormant, however as it warmed up it shifted from black to grey to amber and finally completely clear. The entire process took about an hour's worth of feeding, very gently, magic into the conduit. It could be done quicker, with one spell even, but miscalculations had resulted in more failures for Alduin.

He smiled fondly at Transspecularis. It was a beautiful creation and only in its infancy. Most certainly his best one yet and it had the potential to change the world in unforeseeable ways. Thus he donned it. His whole body shivered against the cold metal and he could feel the flow of energy shift backwards, much like the tide on a beach. It was a gentle, slow change of direction but palpable none the less. Honestly, it even felt good. It gave the wizard a strange sense of security and comfort, especially as the device warmed up over time. As he meditated he would jot down notes and observations, as he did once a week, and would later study them closely to denote any changes. Over the next few hours he experimented with levels of magic and how motions effected conductivity, if it all, in addition to trying to control the process of the pull. For this particular experiment he mounted the stern and focused on a steady stream of his flames. The torrent reached various lengths and even consistencies as he fought the willing flow of concentrated energy; at one point his fire became a jet of some sort of liquid, like that of magma or melted metal, that streamed far across the water and left a trail of hardening whateveritwas that quickly sank beneath the waves. When Alduin finally felt the call of sleep, not two hours before sunrise, he turned in for the night and would prepare for their landing on the island that day.

[Expadition post 4! Whoooo!]

 

[Boba Fit]

The man that bumped into Allora was careless. DioDora quickly uses his left hand to put his helmet back on, and drew his sword with his right. He looked at the man, staring into his eyes before he stepped closer. Peering down the alleyway. He held his sword up towards the mans throat and said in a commanding voice,

"I suggest listening to her. On your knees. Hands behind your back. Do NOT move."

He peered at Allora. She was doing well. However, they must first secure the suspect before examining the "victim" to see if he is really dead. Though, in a short amount of time, if the victim had been stabbed in the proper spot to kill him, blood would soon begin to show.

If this man had committed no crime, he would be right to let the Guards do their business and confirm the man to only be passed out, and not dead. Any sort of action otherwise, would give the guards reason to detain him for questioning.

This was Allora's spotting and till the suspect was secure, he was not going to go check the body. The man's position would place him between Allora and Diodora. This is because Diodora was facing Allora when the man bumped into her and moving past her, therefore, in between them.

 

[Algray lutece]

"You really dont want to do this." He had already reached inside a pocket inside his robes for a smoke bomb, which he kept hidden as he put his hands on his head "cant we just be chums?"

 

[L'Hibou]

Leander's home was staged just across the road from a bakery. Right from the moment he'd first walked in the doors, he knew that he was going to love the location. He especially loved it as he took a bite out of a warm piece of bread, seated at a small table by the entrance. It was cooked with honey and sunflowers, and had a slightly sweet taste to it. The sunflowers and other seeds contrasted with the soft dough, and Lee closed his eyes, savoring the flavor. I could get used to this. He thought to himself, leaning back into his chair with a smile.

After he'd finished the simple but wholesome lunch, Leander got up from his seat. The shop owner, a girl with a short blond ponytail, waved and said goodbye when he left. Smiling, Lee waved back, and then pushed through the doors onto the street. Knowing that the queen's messenger could arrive at his home at any minute, he decided it was best to be there waiting.

His home was small and quaint. It had three rooms in total: a bed chamber, the entry/living room, and the kitchen. He needed nothing else, however, and it was much more than he'd had while traveling from Glymn City. The sparse furnishings and bare walls didn't really bother him. The only thing that got under his skin was the quiet. After living with his family for so many years, it was strange to be in a house where no one talked, no one was cooking, and the fire didn't crackle unless he set it himself. Perhaps he would one day have a wife, children, and a house that was never silent. A smile cracked across his face at the idea.

"Maybe I'll get a dog." He chuckled at the thought, taking a seat by the window. Then and again, it wasn't a bad idea. A dog would be something he could take care of... Company. Thoughtfully, the man pondered on if he'd have time to care for one as a knight.

[Bread purchased, 25g remaining]

 

[conman2163]

Allora

Allora quickly moved forward and placed her sword on his throat.

"On your knees now!"

She was baring her teeth, her face a look of agitation and intimidation.

"I will say it once more. If you try anything, I will cut your throat so fast, you will be wondering why red is staining your robes, go that? Now on your knees!"

The smoke bomb in his hand, despite it being slipped out from his robe, did not hide the device, as his hands were expected to lie flat against his head. He had taken his chance and waisted it. In one smooth motion that Allora had practiced, she performed a kick at the back of his knees. If he moved forward, he would die due to the sword at his throat, backwards and he would trip. To the right and he would run into Allora, no doubt hurting the small elf, but she doubted he knew that, and to the left he would run straight into Diadora. Thus the only option was movement to move into Allora, or comply. Of course, there could always be options Allora hadn't considered, but if he tried to escape now it would be very unwise, unless, as stated before, her barreled into Allora and past her.

 

[Algray lutece]

"Dont say i didn't warn you!" The bomb fell, and went off, covering them in smoke. Xeron had already taken her weight into account, and trew himself into her, pushing her aside he started running. He was surprisingly fast.

 

[conman2163]

The hit itself wouldn't have been very damaging at all, had it not knocked allora completely off her feet. The light armor she wore did little to nothing to protect from the impact, and she twisted her body, attempting to turn the fall into a roll, like she had with the push she received earlier. However, given the time it took for her to realize she was falling combined with the time it took to twist around, rather then roll, she managed to make it so that the entirety of her left arm took the impact, something she regretted instantly as she heard the bones in her arm being shattered, and the pain shot up her arm. She rolled to a stop a few feet away, having reduced the damage sustained to really just her arm, and even then it was her forearm, nothing that a properly set splint and Sling couldn't take care of, and certainly not the first broken bone Allora had sustained. Thus she gritted her teeth and lay on the ground, stunned, in pain, and starting to question a few choices she had made.

 

[Radio Jelly]

Aros eventually came to the smell of roasted meats, and old leather. As his mind came to, he took an extra moment to savor what he hoped would not be the last things he ever had the pleasure of smelling, before opening his eyes to gauge the situation. The first thing he noticed was that, inexplicably, his captors had decided he would do better to be strung upside-down. A long, thick rope--not unlike the one's used for the high-wire bridges--was expertly threaded between his ankles, and around his calves. The constraints traveled upwards to the roof of the room. Given it glowed a soft orange in the light of the near-by campfire, Aros discerned it was the same canyon stone he had seen all day on either side of him.

I must be in some sort of cave... Too bad that these idiots thought they could restrain me and leave me to rot.

Aros's eyes wandered to a lone figure by the fire. From what he could see, it looked mostly human. It's skin was dark and leathery beyond what he thought possible, but perhaps years of life in the desert did this to humans. Long, bone ornaments adorned the body of his guard, who seemed hunched over the flame in a crouching position.

"If you're going to kill me, I'd really prefer you just got on with it. Dangling upside-down all day has started to give me a mean case of vertigo. I mean, do you guys do this to all your guests? Or, am I getting the luxury treatment?" His snarky comments received no immediate response. The face of his captor was shrouded in a linen hood. Wisps of their silver hair seemed to curl outwards from the hood, as if attempting to escape the darkness within. Silver was an interesting color of course: to Aros that meant that either he was dealing with something pretty elderly, or perhaps inhuman.

"Hey, I hate to bother you with this, but I'm starting to need a piss here, and you see this mail?" Aros nodded his head towards his chest, as his arms were too indisposed to provide much in the way of indication. "I'm really trying to keep it from rusting. I'd imagine a canyon hermit like yourself has never seen anything like it before. Lemme see if I can explain in a way you'll understand. Metal is like a really really really hard version of those bones you're wearing. Not as fashionable in the desert scene, I'd imagine, but try to picture a society where people don't walk around all day wearing the corpse of a fresh kill as a neck-trinket and you'll be on your way to getting a better understanding of what true civilization looks like." Still no response.

Strange. Goading them usually at least warrants a punch in the face. Where's my punch in the face?

At least five minutes of silence passed before his captor spoke up. "You talk much. Where you get 'dis." A withered, aged hand emerged from the cloak of the stranger, rattling the bone necklace it wore as it emerged. Pinched between the thumb and forefinger was Aros's pin that he wore on his collar. He had almost forgotten about it as it had long ago become a subconscious ornament. The only 'lead' he ever had on his family's assassin was about to be stolen by a tribal while he hung like fresh game from the ceiling.

"Hey!" Aros's jester-like tone softened immediately. "Please. I'll give you as much gold as you want but I need that."

The figure stood up, letting the hood fall from her withered face. She was an old woman, with sharp eyes and a hooked nose. A long golden piercing hung from her nose. "Listen. 'Dis come here before. Take many children. You come for children? Or something else?" Aros didn't know what she was referring to, but thankfully, he wasn't lying when he shook his head no. The woman had pulled a stone dagger from her waist as she asked the question, and Aros began to furiously shake his head in denial.

"They took from me too! My dad. Do you know where I can find the ones who came before?" The woman's eyes softened a bit at the sound of his plea. She sheathed the weapon. Quickly, as he asked about the location of the aforementioned pin-bearers, she averted her eyes. Two large, tribal guards entered, each taking turns grunting to the woman in their own language, all the while shooting Aros side-glances that seemed less than hospitable in nature.
No doubt they were debating what to do with him. Too bad he didn't like to leave things like that to chance. "Let me help you! I can help find your children if you let me! Please! ... Just give me the pin back. You're not nice for trifling with a man's emotions like you are, you know."

After a while, they ceased their conversation, and the woman re-approached Aros. Leaning down until her eyes were level with his, she said, "You go further north. Defeat Gre'Tor. Prove courage. Then I tell you place. Deal?" Aros didn't love the idea of having to prove his courage in what would likely be more than a simple sparring match, but he didn't have a choice.

"You have yourself a deal! You won't regret this day I-" Aros had tried to reach out to shake her hand, and was momentarily hurt by the ropes which reacted to his movement by becoming ever-tighter. "Where I come from," Aros winced through the pain, all the while managing a smile for the woman he hoped would cut him down. "We shake hands when we make a deal." Instead, the old lady pulled out her knife and severed the rope, sending Aros hurtling down several feet to a less than comfortable crash landing. "Or that! I can settle with that."

 

[Boba Fit]

Diodora was prepared for this as it wasn't his first rodeo. Whenever people try to outsmart a Guard, they should take into account, the guards species. Dio had already anticipated the fact that he would try to go through Allora. The perpetrator had only used a smoke bomb. Dio used his heightened hearing from his wolf ears to listen. Dio, being the massive person he is, had a large height and therefore large reach advantage. Already knowing the perpetrators only escape, as soon the smoke bomb had gone off, Dio had used his strength to lunge forward into the smoke. Placing a hand on the perpetrators shoulder and squeezing with a very large amount of force. Strong enough to break the clavicle of most species. Once his grip was at its strongest he lifted up and then immediately down into the ground. Then through him against the wall of the building. Dio then sheathed his sword and stepped out of the smoke to see his perpetrator again.

Should have listened to the lady. Now do I have to hurt you even more, or will you save yourself the pain?

Combat explanation and support: Dio is able to do this because of his experience as a Royal Guardsmen. He had mapped out the logical path out for the perpetrator would be to go through Allora. Because she was smaller, and it would take out one of the 2 opponents facing him. Therefore evening up the numbers. Dio figured this and prepared for it. Even when the smoke bomb went off, They were in close enough proximity, for Dio to know where Xeron was. Xeron would not be able to accelerate quick enough, because he was focusing on knocker over Allora. Which, no matter your size or species, would slow anyone down. Since Dio had anticipated this, all he had to do was lunge and close the small gap and put his hand on Xeron's shoulder.

The second portion is supported by Dio's size and strength. Dio is 6'5. Which means he has a large reach advantage. He would have large enough hands to enclose enough of the shoulder. He is 275 pounds of pure muscle. HE is extremely strong. Combine that with the wolf genetics, and he could easily provide enough force to snap a clavicle and life a person off the ground. Then subsequently slam them into the ground and throw them against a wall.

Dio's wolf ears providing additional sensory aid to the above techniques.

I used the same amount of Cause and effect (Even a little bit less) than Algray Lutece used. As I have stated the action, but have not stated his reaction allowing him to interpret the events.