| The Land of Avalon is a freeform medieval/fantasy roleplaying site loosely based on Arthurian lore. Avalon is home to many friendly members, administrators, and position holders, most of whom are always willing to RP, no matter how new a person might be to the site. With a large shop system full of various spells, items, and equipment no two characters are the same. With character races ranging from elves and humans to dragons, chimeras, and demons Avalon welcomes a wide range of races and RP skill levels. From the Northern Lands holding word limits suited for beginners to the West for the more advanced, no one is too inexperienced to join in on the fun. With a variety of deities and elemental guardians, kings and nobility to pledge to (or oppose) there is no shortage of roleplaying opportunity. Avalon is full of great members and staff with a great sense of humor, friendly welcomes, and a love for roleplaying. Avalon invites you to experience the magic, today! |
| Six Thousand Feet Beyond Man And Time; {Private- Carter} | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Dec 26 2008, 01:07 PM (380 Views) | |
| Rylianis | Dec 26 2008, 01:07 PM Post #1 |
Lord of the Realm
|
It was a rare and prodigious occasion where The Stalker works entirely for himself, upon his own rules, and has his own objectives. He considered himself to be a free-thinking, powerful man, but the power and control of his art required a strict observance to objectives, conditions, requirements and limits. Thus, when he was engaged in mercenary work, he would often take a mindset that seemed mindlessly, almost slavishly dedicated to the task and to the wishes of his employer. This work was none of that kind. His rules were his own, his dedication was entirely self-interested and accorded with his own... flexible interepretation of morality. The Stalker was going to start a war. To be fair, he was also going to end it, but not before a significant amount of profit and influence had been obtained by keeping it going for as long as he wished. His plan was to encourage a war, and then... suggest to each party that a certain large blacksmith would be able to produce cheap, durable and effficient weapons for both parties .This blacksmith, of course, would be run by an agent of The Stalker, and the profits would go towards buying off and gaining control of more government posts and other important business. He would become a powerful man in this venture. He had picked an outlying region in the western lands, with two fiefdoms vying for the farmland in the area. Clan Gravelaxe was a dwarven fort was located upon a rocky hill overseeing the entirety of the arable land around it, as well as able to see the thick forest which framed the western side of this area, and the river to the east. Towards the north, however, was a far denser forest, where a village of elves and humans had constructed a village within the treetops, upon the forest floor and in subterranian lairs. Both had historical ties to the land, although this was a result of both of them having been disposessed of their former home. The marriage between different cultures could occasionally become tense, and the tendency to tread on eggshells around the matter would become stifling on occasion, but nothing severe had been able to shake the balance too far out. Not yet, anyway. Rylianis sat in the meadow that separated the two areas, and ate some bread and yoghurt. He observed the humans and few elves who were capable or interested enough in servicing the fields on their side, and the halfling slaves that the dwarves had bought in order to tend to theirs. Occasionally, they would throw vicious glances at each other if they tilled fields in disputed territory, or would engage in polite conversation otherwise - depending on their mood. He had observed their ways for a few weeks, determining whether the will of the people would be in this battle. A popular uprising was good only for the people, and as such The Stalker would like to prevent that if possible. It would be a difficult task to play on the insecurities and disputes of these two sides, partly because they valued their peace so well, and partly because there was plenty of food and sustenance for all of them - some had even talked of bringing the two settlements together because of this fruitfulness. He had a few close men to him, who would do his bidding and had certain autonomous responsibilities and rights. A small contingent of men were responsible for stirring up cultural hate and outrage from either side towards the other, but at the same time emphasis the importance of internal stability between dwarf and halfling, or elf and human. Others would try and obtain influence in government positions, by means of investment or advice. Others still would try and obtain influence by less proper means. In total, he had two teams of men, six in each team, divided between the two camps. His blacksmith connection was already preparing arms with the colours and crests of the two sides. Blood to feed the grass, blood to grow the foundations of the world so that it can support a steadily higher peak, up until its zenith contains but one man - The Stalker. Yes, it shall be blood and arms to build the world. He smiled, and spread some more yoghurt upon his bread, contemplated the similarities between bread and war, concluded that there were none, then ate it. |
 "All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!" Friedrich Nietzsche Character Inventory - Character Journal Open RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Currently Running RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Previous and Inactive RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle  Used tissues, from Denthúl - Festival 09 Raffle Ticket2009 Raffle Consolation Prize  Albino Mouse A rare albino mouse. Though if there are so many given out as prizes this year, one must wonder why they're dubbed 'rare'. | |
 |
 
|
| Dia | Dec 30 2008, 05:35 AM Post #2 |
Save me.
|
Where was she now? She ... really didn't know. There was more to it than 'this crappy map was drawn backwards!' No. Well, it was. That was beside the point however. Rather her problem was, a big issue it happened to be. She was ... wrong. No, that wasn't it. Something was wrong. Her mind was ... breaking? Was she losing 'it'? Sounded about right. Her whole world had become something really, very, askew. Now she hadn't a clue how to rectify her own situation. Very well, she could ignore and escape, betray and turn her back on, the man who bound her to him. Souless, because he had her very essence in a bottle. For what? Dia certainly did not know. What she knew however was that she could not turn against the demon. He'd destroy her home, her family, her love, and life. No! She couldn't let that happen. If she was not strong enough to defeat him by the sword. Well then, she'd have to find another way. Then he'd vanished! Something however told her that he would be back. If she betrayed him now ... her family, her home, everything would be smoldering ruins, ashes and ashes dust to dust. It was something she must avid at all costs, her own life, her own soul, everything. She'd give up everything... Oh but she just could not stand that 'league'. Dark ones the lot of them, and she being no cut throat killer or demonic bloodthirsty entity, without her so called master there was no worse place to be. Than there. So she left. Though she could never go back to her old life, not the more beloved portions of it anyways, she had returned to the career of the ages. Bounty hunting. Mercenary work. No longer was it about adventure for her though. It was all just simply ... something to pass the time. Things like these brought her to this land, she didn't know the name of it, a land on the verge of conflict. But she wasn't here to solve it for them, she wasn't here to take a side. She was here ... she was here ... well she didn't know why. Perhaps only because it was as far away from her former home as possible. The soulbound had been traveling for a long time now. Enough so that the heels of her boots were worn thin, and the traveler's dust had turned her clothes into various yet perpetual shades of brown. Trekking up the path, she could see a figure from across the span of plain. A lone figure at that. Curious, the mixed bred continued on her way. She decided not to alter her pah and thus avoid the figure viewed before her. After all, she had no fear of man nor beast. If she had to she'd kill something to protect herself, likewise conversation was never an issue. Several minutes passed before she could see the figure was a man, older than her mos definitely. Closer inspection revealed hi to be in the midst of a meal. Dia halted momentarily, not wishing to interrupt. But finally with a shrug to herself, she continued until she was within speaking distance. A hand rose in both greeting and a show that she was not armed. "Hail, there." She called, almost cheerfully. Any encounter with a person on friendly terms would be much appreciated these days. ))FINALLY FINISHED(( Edited by Dia, Jan 2 2009, 09:15 PM.
|
Description ||| Inventory Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| Rylianis | Jan 5 2009, 12:17 AM Post #3 |
|
Lord of the Realm
|
Rylianis sat up and stared into the distance with amazement. I can't believe it. I can't believe it! Every damn time I am sitting down, or walking around, or about to do something with even the least amount of effort, I become accosted by some strange individual with the pretence, the temerity, the illusion of importance or relevance that would convince them that I, who is perfectly happy and content to be sitting on my own, ought to be bothered by their irritating and useless selves! Is there no damned place in Avalon where a man might scheme and plan without interference! Is there not a nook nor cranny in the forest, the plains, the desert, the ocean, where a man might be left ALONE? I OFFER MY KINGDOM IN EXCHANGE FOR SOME SACRED DEITY TO STRIKE DOWN ALL IDIOTS WHO SEE FIT TO IMPOSE UPON THE PEACE OF OTHERS - That is, unless they mean to kill them. He waited for the idiotic meatbag to vaporise into dust, or be consumed by unholy flames, then he might owe a deity a favour and thus engage in business with the truly powerful - alas, no dice. There would be no divine justice this fair afternoon, just farmers, The Stalker and the half-grinning meatsack whose unwelcome visage would soon permeate his field of view as he stood and turned around to greet it. Wow - an entirely unremarkable young girl thing with a long piece of fur dangling off her behind. I am glad that we are having this moment. Rylianis then imagined a myriad painful ways to bring about the impudent girl's final rest... then realised that he was being excessively angry and disparaging for no particular reason. He waited for yet another moment to pass for the girl to be turned to salt, or sucked into a whirlwind made of sharp blades and vicious animals... nothing. Not even a thunderclap. He resolved to try his second approach – to be as boring as possible for a crotchety old half-elf eating yoghurt. Yes, he would pretend to be a wizard – nae, an alchemist! Hail, sister. I am Ignatius the Putrescent. Do not worry, I earned that nickname from my days working in the Far East, creating scents which would drive away werewolves and other creatures of the night. Rylianis then faked a hacking cough and wheeze which lasted for an uncomfortably long time, then continued in a harsh and wavering voice of an old man Yes, that involved many hours camped outside the dens of many a forest bear. First, I would wait until they went out to wash themselves or kill something, then I would go inside, take samples of their excrement and return without being spotted! He offered a gleeful cackle, and continued…Sometimes, it even worked. So what brings you around these parts, young woman? Need some…ah… company, eh? It’s been a while since this old man had someone like… you… about… He then would have offered a toothy grin, but seeing as he had maintained all his teeth in nearly perfect condition, the most he could manage was an eerie, penetrating smile. Please, just go away. I have lots of work to do and people to corrupt. You are not one of them. The afternoon was quickly fading, and farmers were beginning to finish their work. The sun began setting, and orange began to seep through the deep blue of the usual Avalonian sky. He felt encouraged by it, as though it were an omen for the times ahead. He saw the glowing clouds and the last rays of the drowsy sun – anxious to return beneath starry covers. Between the beginning and sleep, however, would be conflict, chaos, the blood of living beings. He really thought that he was giving every living thing in the region a meaning, a purpose, something to die for. He wondered whether his female interloper had something to live for… And what brings you here, sister? |
|
"All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!" Friedrich Nietzsche Character Inventory - Character Journal Open RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Currently Running RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Previous and Inactive RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Used tissues, from Denthúl - Festival 09 Raffle Ticket2009 Raffle Consolation Prize Albino Mouse A rare albino mouse. Though if there are so many given out as prizes this year, one must wonder why they're dubbed 'rare'. | |
|
|
|
| Dia | Jan 5 2009, 07:24 PM Post #4 |
|
Save me.
|
If she had known how undesired her presence might be, regardless if he who she encountered simply ignored her or cursed her to hell, Dia would have simply risen her hands up an left. Unlike some she was not one to force herself on another and try to make friends. Or gods forbid bat her eyes and attempt to make closer friends with uninterested persons. Because she knew how completely obnoxious and full of bullshit it all was. People, most of them, were quite strange in Avalon. And she had lived here her whole life. More than once in her travels had she had some random passerby nearly pouncing her, speaking all in high pitched voices, and ... ugh. Anyways, moot point. For it seemed she had encountered some old man. A weird, eerie grinned, apparent alchemist with a fetish for bear shit. Awesome! Not. Not one to be deterred however, at least he wasn't cackling 'EHHEHE I GOTS YOUR SOUL!!!' "Dia She nodded breifly, out of pure courtesy and nothing more. Despite her ... predicament, her heart was not hardened, she had not lost all sense of emotion, and she had not gone into suicidal depression, or random killing sprees. No, confuckingfusion was enough for her to deal with! "Apologies if I interrupted you. I was simply passing by. Hard to miss a lone figure on a big empty space such as this." Shaking her head in a 'never mind' sort of way, she lowered her hands to her belt. Her fingers looped round the leather band out of lack for anything better. Blue eyes glanced breifly towards the horizon, it would be dark soon she supposed. "Sorry for any wrong assumptions but, do you need help getting to town? I'm heading there myself, so..." ))Suck. But my head hurts. So nyeh.(( |
|
Description ||| Inventory Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| Rylianis | Jan 13 2009, 02:14 PM Post #5 |
|
Lord of the Realm
|
Rylianis grimaced inside himself, quite disgusted with the manner in which audacious person presented herself. It all seemed so typical; it was a scene that had played out before him time and time again.Stranger comes along. Stranger thinks they’re welcome. Stranger wants to go to the local town because something has got to happen there. Something happens there. The situation becomes resolved and everyone leaves happily, often with a new romance or something ridiculous like that. Why don’t I just skip to the chase and take her? No, far too irritating. The Stalker simply didn’t have time for something like that, this was a business venture and a very serious one at that! If he failed, he would put his blacksmith connection out of a lot of money. He was still trying to figure out where to start with his plan. His agents were already at work, but until they needed something to happen, like some burned fields or a dead guard or two; he was left to stew in his own plans. So how do you say no to somebody in a way that doesn’t make them suspect anything about you, but still makes them not want to know you? Obviously, creepiness doesn’t faze this one; he would have to rely on just saying no, perhaps… or something. Well that’s the thing, young one, there are two towns here! There’s the one to the north, which is a dwarven citadel. To the trees, an elven and human township exists. My belief is that we’ll fit in better in the forest, as I’ve already been there doing what I had already described – additionally, we’ll be alone together! How exciting! The Stalker got up to embrace the girl when a loud commotion caught his eye to the east. Just a bit further beyond farmland and against the river stream, a group of dwarves dragged a young man at axe-point along with then downstream. He paid attention carefully to the young man, wondering who he was. When he saw parchment strewn along the way behind him, and another dwarf trailing behind and picking these up as they were dropped, he realised that one of his men, probably Aolundir, was about to be executed for treason. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened at the horror of the situation. I must stop that from happening… but how can I do that without being noticed. He muttered a brief and hurried excusatory sentence to the stranger before briskly walking closer to the calamity itself. He placed his cowl over his head, his left hand on a flash bomb underneath his pocket and his right by his side. His strides became more hurried until he was stopped by another dwarf, merely a matter of fifteen feet away from the commotion. He gruffly declared the matter to be none of the old man’s business, whilst The Stalker reasoned with him. A guttural yell was pronounced over the riverside, and a pained and terrified cry filled the air. The youth had been disembowelled by an axe. Aolundir began screaming in pain whilst he was knocked down to his knees and bent over. He shot a glance at The Stalker in terror, yet it communicated a strange mix of devotion and honour – like his suffering was for a greater cause. Another yell from a blood-mad dwarf made sure that the youth would never see this greater cause fulfilled. They say that beheading is the ideal way to release the soul. The Stalker never bought such things; it was just another way to die, thus nothing he would be interested in trying any time soon. He looked to the dwarf who had restrained him, And what was the reason for that? Was he a traitor? His response was a brief and dismissive “aye,” and then he left with the rest of their party. Blood to grow the foundations of the world, huh? Those men will die before this is over, I’ll see to it personally. I just found something to do. He regarded his interesting stranger with the idea that she could help him. Lass, after seeing something like that, I think it is best that I leave for town, and that I get some help back there. Make sure I’m safe, you know how it is, child. Would you mind leading the way? I must rest, and put this terrible crime to the men that I know in the forest. Would you be so kind? It's a tragedy... and it's also perfect. Thank you, Aolundir, you gave your life for my freedom, you beautiful, tragic fool. |
|
"All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!" Friedrich Nietzsche Character Inventory - Character Journal Open RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Currently Running RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Previous and Inactive RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Used tissues, from Denthúl - Festival 09 Raffle Ticket2009 Raffle Consolation Prize Albino Mouse A rare albino mouse. Though if there are so many given out as prizes this year, one must wonder why they're dubbed 'rare'. | |
|
|
|
| Dia | Jan 22 2009, 07:12 AM Post #6 |
|
Save me.
|
It was unknown even to herself whether her kindness would be the death of her someday. It probably would. A bleeding heart had already caused her to lose her soul. Who knew what else it may cause her to lose, someday, or even this day. Did it even matter? Whether there was a heaven or hell and which she would go to, if any, being without a soul and all, were things that she ... Actually didn't think about at all. Her thoughts were rather, blank, as a matter of fact. Because reality and technicality and and ... life confused her now more than ever. As if she needed a mid-life crisis at the age of twenty and one. What a life, how ... depressing. Not half as depressing, however, as the company she seemed determined to gain. What was she getting herself into? Oi. As for heading to town, well she hoped nothing would happen there. Dia wished her 'adventuring' days to be over. They had got her in enough trouble already, she'd nearly had her throat cut, survived enough fights to last lifetime, don't forget the previously mentioned soul stealing. Oh, and being not more than a dog at some demon's boot heels. No, she'd had enough fighting and adventure. All she was trying to obtain now was freedom, chew away the collar you could say. She sighed. Supposed flirtations from a smelly old guy should have been a nightmare. If she hadn't been through enough already. Some part of her ... a much darker part mind, too told her hat it would be easy to kill him. Leave the old guy to rot in the woods. If she needed the money ... raid his purse. No! No, no. She wasn't like that. Power did not corrupt her. Not ever. "Truth be told I've seen enough for ... ests..." Oh look. Distraction. There went the bleeding heart again. Poor guy. But who knew what he'd done. Still. An ax! It didn't take a genius to figure what the blade was meant for. Not chopping trees, that was for sure. "Y-yeah." She waved off the old man's hurried excuse. Any other time Dia would have been more than happy for the distraction. But some guy was about to be killed off. Not the type of distraction she yearned for. And so, as always, against her best judgment, she followed. She should ... do something! A couple of dwarfs with axes were nothing. Dia could handle them. Easy. One two. Dagger to the throat, longsword to the belly. Done. Just a few moments. She was an outsider. No one would know the difference, it would be too easy to simply vanish into the woods. Alas. A scream of pain and the death cry that somehow reminded her of a rabbit caught in the jaws of a wolf, let her know that it was simply ... too late. Probably for the best, one would say later, but bleeding hearts held greater regrets. Dia of course did the only thing she could. She listened. Most likely though, she should have at least paled a the man's death. Too bad she'd seen such things, possibly worse, before. Her ear twitched. Traitor? Of what? Now she was curious. On the other hand ... who knew what she'd be getting herself into. Nothing worth it, no good, or ... quite possibly. For once, she could do good, for someone, somewhere. Pipe dreams. Jolted from her thoughts, she looked back to the old man. Before finally nodding her head slowly. "Y-yeah. Sure." |
|
Description ||| Inventory Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| Rylianis | Jan 31 2009, 12:35 AM Post #7 |
|
Lord of the Realm
|
This one worried The Stalker. He was expecting more of a reaction, maybe even a slight gasp at the sight of a man's guts forced out of him and thrown into a river. The beheading, not so much, he thought. That sort of thing might be part of the day-to-day punishment of a particularly cruel regime... but this was crude, vicious, barbarian justice. He could picture it now - a group of dwarves, town elders even, deciding with grave nods and gruff gestures that the man was a spy, and his punishment should be to show Aolundir the guts that he lacked when he decided to fight from the shadows. So, they strong-arm him from a public house, drag him to the river and deliver him to his god without his innards - or his head for that matter. They probably didn't even say a word to him - content that he knew his crimes. The Stalker often felt good about what he did, but occasionally he felt just, too. It was not a long walk to the forest city, so he decided to fill in the silence with a bit of propaganda. This new acquaintance might be armed, or better yet, one of those who zealously care for peace and justice. The Stalker felt as though he was already earning the young thing's trust, and it would appear that he was a man down in his operations. He resolved to send Ajax, one of the men who worked with him in the forest, to take over Aolundir's duties. For now, a bit of theatre was needed, and he spoke once again in a grave, troubled voice, and walked slowly with a hunched back... My dear, the thing that you must understand about this place is that those two cities are very tense. The treaty of peace which binds their land together is strengthened by the peoples' will to have peace and prosperity, but is threatened by the greed of the few and the prejudices of the old. A few have died here, that is true, but the enlightened rulers of these cities agreed that warfare could only result in a pyrrhic victory - a victory so bloodstained that generations afterwards would hang their heads in shame of their ancestors, if it were even possible for future generations to come about! Think of it as a sort of gentlemen's agreement; both sides know that the other is strong, both sides know that their people include a majority of peace-willing people, and a minority of the evil and vicious. Sometimes, the evil and vicious would start trouble with the other side, and they agreed that there will be no quarter for such troublemakers. All of this pivots on the assurance that their neighbour will act honourably - and as such, dishonour will always be the vulnerability of the gentlemen's agreement. What we saw today may or may not be an act of dishonour - but without reporting it in full to the forest-dwellers, and for them and the dwarves to have a discussion about the matter, it is injustice. He turned to his companion, and asked with all the false earnestness and pleading that he could muster, Will you help me by being my witness to these events? If the two of us approach the Lord Knight of Visea, Sir Harold Silvershield, they will send a party to fetch out the poor boy's body from the river. This will be proof enough. Of course, The Stalker understood the weaknesses of this gentlemen's agreement in full, and intended to make it appear that dishonour and treachery were afoot, to such a great extent that those who now wish for tolerance will cry for the blood of their wretched and dishonourable enemies. |
|
"All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!" Friedrich Nietzsche Character Inventory - Character Journal Open RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Currently Running RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Previous and Inactive RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Used tissues, from Denthúl - Festival 09 Raffle Ticket2009 Raffle Consolation Prize Albino Mouse A rare albino mouse. Though if there are so many given out as prizes this year, one must wonder why they're dubbed 'rare'. | |
|
|
|
| Dia | Feb 5 2009, 07:27 PM Post #8 |
|
Save me.
|
It sounded like a bunch of politics to her. Dia wasn't much good with politics, she always just trusted things as they were, government wise. It was hard to miss however that what she'd just seen was not how things were run back home. At least when her father was a city guard, he didn't carry out any execution. Then again, different situations ... different time. But still, it was not something she could just forget and continue on her way as if nothing had happened. She would say that she was not a person so easily swayed. But after spectating a man having his guts strewn out in such a manner... Well, she believed the old guy despite his earlier ... behavior. "I don't understand ... politics and whatnot. But I can attest to what I've seen." She wasn't going to make any promises, out of lack for knowledge on the subject. But she would validate the old man's testimony, she had no cause to make up anything about the other man's unfortunate demise. ))Yeah I have no excuse for this one. Just trying to get caught up on posts.(( |
|
Description ||| Inventory Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| Rylianis | Jun 11 2009, 04:14 PM Post #9 |
|
Lord of the Realm
|
... and that is the matter as I saw it. I have brought a witness to confirm. You should probably fish out the body as it drifts downstream. Maybe you can find the entrails too, and send him complete to his god. Thank you for your time, Lord Chancellors. Rylianis was now in one of his most hated placed in the world - a courtroom that didn't belong to him. He did not seek a hearing with the court, but only the opportunity to speak to the local authorities about the matter. His story had gotten the attention of the Chancellors which ran this court, and thus had the opportunity to bring himself and his friend to their office. As he finished his story, the Chancellors thanked him, and he bowed in turn, saying that it was his duty and his honour to bring this to the attention of the city. Bowing once again, he left the chambers and the courthouse with a mind to find out what their reaction will be. He looked up to the sky, which was grey in colour and promised rain in the near future. His eyes lingered upon the overcast sky for a while, and then drifted onto the rooftops and high trees which enveloped the city. Further up above in the trees were a mix of elven and human dwellings - the elves of this region preferring the protection and symbolic relationship they had with the growth of nature to life on the forest floor in protective buildings. Whilst surveying his surroundings, he had finally spotted his man, waiting for him in a small shack to the southwest. Rylianis smiled, and performed a secret hand signal which alerted his co-conspirator that he would be with him shortly. In response, his man nodded almost imperceptibly from Rylianis' distance, and began to climb the tree up to his safe-house. Before joining him, however, he thought he would sit down in a secluded spot, amongst the common folk, and listen to the ambiance. Not much was yet said of the dwarves here - little more than the mutterings of the usual suspects, like older and far crabbier locals than the usual fare, but he could taste some sort of unconscious tension in the people, like they were all thinking something that none of them wished to say. People were extra polite to the few dwarves and halflings which resided in the city, and people took pains to note their intellectual fascination with halfling culture, despite knowing little of it. Tolerance was preached far louder than any insidious cultural poison The Stalker was spreading, but raw power wasn't the nature of his art - The Stalker spoke in hushed tones, amongst the drunk and insecure, insinuations in the town crier's messages to the populace and the dirty or fearful glances of the majority group against the small and the few. The word of the wise men spoke loud and clear, but only got so far as the ear, and the mind. Rylianis spoke directly to the heart, and from his mouth sprung vile sentiments which covered the city in mildew and slime. He decided he had intuited all he needed to discover from the locals, so began his ascent to the the next level of the city - a treetop settlement, with rope bridges and hollowed-out tree trunks to provide shelter. Each tree, with its size, could fit two or three comfortable rooms on the same horizontal plane, and the dwellings usually extended upwards and downwards, rather than to either side. Building outside of these caves in the trees was uncommon and very difficult, so it became a cultural standard that this would be the common form of dwelling for elves and those few humans who preferred life in the trees. It was in one of these dwellings that The Stalker found two of his men, who promptly stood up, then kneeled down to him and bowed. The Stalker was of two minds about practices like these - on one hand, he preferred to work alongside his men, rather than above them. On the other, it was a ritual which promoted loyalty and the sacrosanct union of secrecy which their strength depended upon. He decided that there was little to do other than smile and allow them to rise, which they did. They gave their initial reports, how the city was now brimming with latent uncertainty. Rylianis nodded, and said he had noticed the difference already, and congratulated them. Well done. My brothers, I have a task for one of you. One of our brothers, Aolundir, has been discovered and executed by counter-intelligence. The two spies murmured a soft prayer for their comrade, and continued to listen. Fortunately, Aolundir's death can be put to good use. I, in disguise, have informed the authorities of this "crime" and have made it appear to be racially motivated. I want one of you to infiltrate the diplomatic emissaries from the Dwarves and find out when they're going to meet with the forest-dwellers. The other shall continue his task as normal. A short, lanky fellow, covered head-to-toe in dark green fabric, stepped forward, bowed, and volunteered his service to The Stalker. Done. Myz Kathul, it is now your duty to find out when and where they are meeting. Kill nobody, leave no traces. We cannot afford another dead brother. Unless there is anything else, you are both dismissed. They quickly glanced at each other, and realised they had nothing to say. They therefore bowed, and left wordlessly. The Stalker was pleased with their progress at least, and sat down to relax for a moment. It's time for the plot to thicken. |
|
"All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!" Friedrich Nietzsche Character Inventory - Character Journal Open RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Currently Running RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Previous and Inactive RPs: Spoiler: click to toggle Used tissues, from Denthúl - Festival 09 Raffle Ticket2009 Raffle Consolation Prize Albino Mouse A rare albino mouse. Though if there are so many given out as prizes this year, one must wonder why they're dubbed 'rare'. | |
|
|
|
| Dia | Jul 26 2009, 04:32 PM Post #10 |
|
Save me.
|
The journey had been ... rather mundane, to say the least. But she had vowed to attest to the things she'd witnessed, and infallibly would she hold to that. If she had been manipulated into someone else's ploy she never would have known it. But that seemed the gist of her life lately. Something was wrong with her, and she knew it, but through a long series of complications found herself unable to fix what was undoubtedly broken. As she followed the man, silently, hr mind would shift through all these sorts of thoughts. They did nothing to kill the reminded of what she was traveling this path for. By her reckoning, it'd been nothing sort of murder. Dia believed in fair trial and all that, even being the daughter of an old solider and city guard retired. Something she had not seen when a couple of dwarves dragged a guy off and gutted him. Trekking towards civilization, her thought revisited the bloody scene. While it did virtually nothing to her nerves, and the sight itself didn't mentally scar her or anything, it was still... disgusting. How people could treat others like that was a question she asked herself time and again. But she knew the atrocities that man could commit, regardless of elf, demonic lycan, or human kind. Her thoughts would not halt until they'd arrived at the forest town. Seeing the world around her for the first time, or so it seemed, she still had next to no opinion about it. Now that they'd arrived she wished only to get the whole thing over wish. after all, it seemed her recent ... traveling companion didn't like her all that much. It was not until they'd arrived at the court did she finally speak. And not even then until the officials requested her word. If they deemed fit to swear her in or some such, she'd do that too."I saw it." She recounted the tale, as much as she'd seen at least. Even going so far as to state she was simply a traveler passing through and had no means to halt the progress of the event in question. If it was more information than they required, she didn't care. At least she had absolved herself and further proved that the man had met his untimely end via ax. When it was over and done, she was left to explore the place at her leisure. Her leisure was not so exciting however, and so she left the court and aimlessly wandered the tree top town. Her hands would fall yo rest aimlessly at her belt as she slowly meandered. Finding no enjoyment in her exploration of the place, she peered over the edge of the rope bridge she had unintentionally halted upon. What a day... |
|
Description ||| Inventory Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Distant Lands · Next Topic » |
2:53 AM Mar 20
