The Escapist Avatar Adventure: An Open RP (Now Re-Opened!)

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

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["WHAT?! YOU JUST GOING TO RUN!? I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU ALL YET!"] Rugal shouted at the fleeing Raiders, least before the reality of the situation started to come crashing down on his would-be heroics.
While he was going to charge up a Kaiser Wave and show these bastards just exactly what a REAL Lion looked like, he soon dropped that thought as he realized that one of their own was stuck down and at deaths door.
In that moment, he felt all strength and momentum leave his body.
Eurydice was young, too young and while he wasn't the kind to be squeamish about blood and death, it was far more hard hitting when it happened to someone who could have very had been one of his little girls-

It was then that he noticed the other figure, the apparent reaper of this world as he picked up the souls of-...what used to be the men that Rugal killed.
"...This...is new..." He stammered, quickly realizing that maybe there was a reason even the highwaymen didn't seem too keen to murder.
It was then he finally realized that Eurydice was most likely his next target, re-igniting his will as he merely said "...Not Today."
Rushing back to the wounded, he commanded the women around Defibrillation to "Clear the way! CLEAR THE DAMN WAY!"
Without much explanation, he then pressed his hand against her wound before doing what he could to stabilize her.
Energy seemed to seep from his body, travelling down his tembling arm as it flowed into Eurydice's body.
While it didn't do anything to heal the wound itself, Eurydice would-...well, she would feel rather powerful, despite her wounds.
It was like a modern day defibrillation as she could feel her strength increase far beyond her wildest expectations, keeping her heart beating far longer then anyone in her state had any right to (Hell, she could even sit up and stand albeit rather uncomfortably!)

"Ahhh...Ahhh...I gave her some of my Ki...About Half. It won't last for...long but it will keep her alive long enough to save her..." He explained, attempting to shake off the dizziness he felt as he attempted to recall some of his daughter's medical advice.
"There is a build up of fluid...in her lungs...We need to clear it, using a small tube to drain it...do this by inserting it into her lung...Then bandage and....dress the wound..." He explained as he took off his jacket and quickly tore the fabric into sheets, glancing over at Dis in case he made a move.

 

[Zepherus14]

Origin Planes​

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While Angelus had dealt with Caim and Wesker's argument, she'd feel a light breeze hit her back leg. In that moment, she probably wouldn't have even paid it much mind as it was just so gentle compared to her hardened scales. As she watched on in concern she'd notice that the feeling hadn't stopped but had grown stronger, as if she was being hugged? If she took a moment to look down, it would appear like her skin was flaking off? Was she wounded? Two large flaps of her scales moved independent of the rest. It wasn't until she saw the arms that connected to the flaps of scales and the person that were connected to those as well.

This wouldn't be completely surprising to Angelus, since Hillary's form had changed back at the elevator, so Angelus would be aware of her abilities, but perhaps not to the extent they could go. Hillary was head to toe covered in scales identical to Angelus'. Unlike before where she had some appearance of hair on her head, this time a small frill of scales gave the illusion of any scalp line. Her frame was slim, her bust next to gone making her look a bit like Nina in a way. Her arms were elongated as were her fingers, while a webbing of slim scales stretching the gaps in between and making their way back to her torso. Most of all the changes, her pseudopod had coalesced into an elongated mass that she sat upon looking like a tail similar to the Angelus'! The scales of her face and belly seemed to be smaller than the ones on her arms and back, but the tones matched Angelus' so well.

She hadn't meant to ditch Teri as she did but when she saw the huge dragon appear from the grassy hills she couldn't help but scoot over to the creature. Because of her grassy form before adopting the scales, her movements wouldn't give any sound of her approach other than the normal sound of grass blowing in the breeze. Hillary didn't seem to notice these drastic changes to her appearance as she merely nuzzled Angelus foot, giggling softly to herself. She'd shy away as some of the loud shouts rang out, but clearly Angelus' current form was keeping Hillary's undivided attention. Eventually the little mess of scales would look up to Angelus, a big scaly grin on her face and asked.

"Hillary didn't think she'd see another dragon? Is it okay if Hillary asks you your name? My name's Hillary~"

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

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[[Bad End Flag]]​

"Do not assume you understand the rules of this world, Rugal Bernstein. You speak humbly, but act with arrogant self-righteousness."

The sun started to settle deep into the horizon. Night came with her stars that lit up the sky. The deep violets and oranges shimmered alongside the smoky trails of Dis' robes. He crossed his arms and watched Rugal work. He was silent and solemn in his stance, cloaked in an ethereal aura that was unique not only to the Gods, but to this version of the world.


Eurydice put her hand on Livia's hands and smiled. "He's given me enough strength... to at least say goodbye." Eurydice forced herself up and kissed Livia on her cheek before slumping over.

A specter appeared next to Dis. A beautiful woman, coy and cute in her demeanor. She had long blonde hair and kind blue eyes. Eurydice smiled and waved from Dis' side, her expression was as sad as it was relieved. Dis raised his hand and touched each spirit on the shoulder wordlessly, bidding them to dissipate into smoke. Then he tucked his hands under his robe and vanished in the same way he came - in an imperceptible instant.

Livia was silent as she held onto Eurydice's body. It was clinging to the smaller girl, gasping for breath. Its eyes were blind, but they searched around her for light. Blood ebbed out of the wound in her chest in small bursts, leaving streams of darkening blood trickling toward the dusty ground. The corpse raised its hands and grabbed at Livia's arms, scratching the girl as it sucked air greedily into its frothing mouth.

For a long time Livia just sat there, letting the body scratch at her skin until it was red and angry. Kleo, Ortha, and Phili watched from afar, stunned at what had happened. Kleo, who had gathered a reed to help with the first aid, clutched it so tightly that her knuckles were white from the exertion.

Then she struck as swift as a viper, plunging her right-hand knife into the body. She twisted it and it glowed with energy. The body's flesh petrified, turning to white marble. Livia pulled her knife out of the statue she held in her hands and looked down at the visage of what was once Eurydice.

Ortha approached first, kneeling down gently next to her mistress and putting a hand on her shoulder. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but Livia cut her off.

"I will bury her myself once we reach Pompeii." Livia's words were stern, sad, and lost. Beneath the confident and commanding demeanor of a tyrant, she was still a young girl, no more than sixteen. To her death the death of someone she had known for ten years was like the loss of family.

No, it wasn't like the loss of family. It was the loss of her family. She wanted to cry, yet the tears would not come. In fact nothing came to her face at all. Her temper was even and her movements were deliberate. She picked up the statue and put it on her horse.

Livia held the reigns lightly in her hand and started to walk down the dusty road in silence. The other handmaidens followed after her, putting the horse between themselves and Rugal.

The journey from there was done in silence. Light faded into the west and the skies became the dominion of Night. She swept across the sky and set the stars alight, shining so brightly that they illuminated the narrows that they were crossing. Every now and again Livia would look at the marble statue resting silently on her horse's back and smile sadly.

They reached Ostia in a little under three hours.

---​

The port city was bustling even at night. Lanterns and torches lit the city as merchants, traders, and guildsmen called for clients within the cobblestone walls of the city. The roads were paved with stone and smoothed with use. Colorful mosaics adorned both buildings and streets with images of ancient legends. There were temples every so often to gods of all types. To Isis, to Minerva, to Jove, but most of all to Mercury, whose winged sandals seemed to be omnipresent across the city.

Several merchants waved at Livia as she passed. She returned the gesture meekly and exchanged some pleasantries.

They stopped at a large concrete building that was not unlike a modern hotel. In fact, it was a hotel. Livia gave up some silver coins for a large room and a stable for her horse. After some hesitation she also rented a room for Rugal on the same floor as hers.

Livia set her belongings in her room and left without another word into the hustle and bustle of the port city.

---​

Rugal found himself with some choices. He could go into the city to see what Ostia had to offer - go talk to some priests at a temple, peruse the portside market, or just wander around the city for something interesting, he could talk to the remaining handmaidens, or he could just sleep the night away and hope that tomorrow was better.

 

[Zepherus14]

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Table for Two

Nina's story

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Spoiler

"Is that so." Phillip sounded, oddly mellow after hearing this information. Phillip for the moment believed Miriam, she was odd but nothing beyond the other denisens of this rocket train. His limited understanding of social interaction didn't help the situation either, but if she said there was no cure and she hadn't prepared the sherbet eggs, he didn't have much else to go on. "Alright, I will leave for the moment but I will be keeping an eye on the food coming from this kitchen. Once you are finished using the Stardust, I would like to offer my services as well. If you would have me, but for now I'll go look for Nina." Phillip stated, setting aside the small army of cooking utensils he had in his possession.

"Show them your skill, but don't overdo it. A chef can't serve their patrons if they're dead." Phillip said before heading out, leisurely gesturing to her bandaged wrist. "Likewise, find out who served the sherbet palette cleansers, they're unfit to be a chef." He asserted.

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"Eh, I'd say she's more like a very good acquaintance than a friend just yet." Nina replied, rubbing her neck after being tugged like a ragdoll by Crown, the tightness of her dress meant he would have needed to grab her just as much as the dress. It took her a bit to realize this was what Crown had done to Faea before. It was definitely a lot more involved that she'd first expected. "I'm just thankful you heard us and we got here in time." She exhaled with gusto. Her heart had been racing ever since the Stardust had first been discovered, this was the first moment she'd had since then to get a breather. Her heart working overtime would probably be a very tempting sight for Faea, but hopefully her sweet tooth could be sated with something else.

"And you people!" Nina raised her voice pointing at the goblins and orcs. "Explain yourselves, NOW! Everything was going perfectly fine [sub]relatively[/sub] until you brought out those stupid eggs and then everything went sideways!" She shouted at them, stomping her foot. "As far as I know, Phillip's dealing with the kitchen right now, but what's the big idea trying to poison everyone here? And..." Nina's eyes widened as it kinda dawned on her, Crown was here and seemingly alright? "Actually, Crown are you feeling alright? How is Talavie? This whole thing started when we saw that stuff in your dish." She asked with genuine concern, as far as she was aware they were dying after all.

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Nina

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Table for Two

Nina's story

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When Philip left the kitchen, he found himself once again in that grey space. Now there were stone slates moving slowly from lock to lock across a great white plane. There was a girl who sat atop of one of the shifting slabs. She looked like Miriam, but instead of the white garb of a chef she wore a long black coat that ran down to boots. This one's eyes were cruel, a blue that reflected an uncaring and malicious soul. Even without words he could feel her voice in the core of his own space.

I love it when people are hurt.

A slate slot into place to form a fourth magnitude matrix. There was an implicit understanding that this metaphysical structure was what was sealing Philip's own spatial capabilities. The girl stood up, her hands in her pockets, and looked down at Philip as he crossed this domain. A dramatic breeze cast her coat and hair aflutter. She grinned. Her gaze was ice.

Then Philip had returned to the train. The space outside was dark. The elder wonder had left for realms beyond, leaving nothing outside but a sparse starscape. The stars outside were old, far older than they should have been given the distance they had gone. Was there something near the outside of existence that was accelerating time here? He didn't have time to think about it.

Philip rejoined Nina in the children's car with as much haste as he could muster.

---​

"Orders," the Ogre said as he held his hands up. "Matron told us to do. We do. Simple. We do not question."

Mnemosyne seemed disturbed by this. "The Matron was giving you your orders?" she asked.

"Yes. Directly as well. Orders: serve food given. Do not stop no matter the reason." The Ogre shook his head as if he was completely at a lost for words. "Cannot disobey Matron. It is impossible. Cannot lie about Matron. It is impossible."

"Yeah..." Mnemosyne holstered her guns and crossed her arms. Her brows were furrowed in pensive thought.

Crown shrugged and patted his chest, "I feel as fine as the day I was born. It was quite the nice experience actually! I've never felt so alive!"

Talavie put a finger on her forehead and shrugged, "I mean, it's not any different from the stuff I used to eat as a child. I don't see why it would harm me in anyway." Talavie grinned good-naturedly, "Nice of you to be so worried about me even though we're pretty much strangers!"

"Are you sure you're alright?" Crown asked. He put a gloved hand on Nina's forehead like he was checking her temperature, "You're acting like that was some sort of poison. Everyone in our car had it and no one feels any worse off."

 

[Silence]

Spoiler: Anjali

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Reason to Rise
"To learn, to find knowledge in all things"
Anjali's Story​

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Anjali watched the process in the guild hall curiously, taking in all the different sights and sounds. She had thought this place would be less confusing than the Rising Dawn, but no, if anything, it was even more confusing. Even if there were not many people, seemingly every single one was an individual, rank and order not recognizable, if even existing. As she watched Freya's argument with the foreman and its resolution, she winced at the amount of foul language Freya was using. She did not even know half of the terms.

[small]"What is a smeg ..."[/small] She wanted to ask, but speaking too quietly, and not knowing when, she was already delegated to Vil. At least he was pleasant company. She followed him into a restaurant, and tried to remember all the strange words she was hearing, so she could ask Vil about them once they had stopped in a quiet place.

Quite overwhelmed, she nearly did not realise that they had stepped into a workshop and living space. Only when Vil started explaining, Anjali tried to sort her thoughts again, while keeping standing in the middle of the room, not knowing where to place her spear, or whether to sit down somewhere.

"This is all so confusing ... I recognize none of this." She said. "Could you ... could you explain some things to me? I don't know what a puppeteer is, what they do. Were you built by her? But ... what were you before that?"

She took a quick break to sort her thoughts, then started rattling down the questions she had. "What iss a Noltell? What is the Crimson Congregation? I heard people speak about that. What is Roil? What are these artifacts? What was this place before? What is Lacrima and Ekroia? What is a soul essence?"

Not needing to breath, her questions seemed neverending, as she did not need to pause to get some air. But then, she stopped, and realizing what she had done, added: [small]"... sorry."[/small]

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Anjali

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Reason to Rise
Anjali's Story​

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Vil put his cloak down on a table and stalked toward an icebox. He reached inside and produced a sack of fluid before handing it to Anjali. The smell of it was instantly recognizable. It was blood, fresh, but she couldn't tell what sort of animal it was from. Vil sat down and laughed his kind echoing laugh.

"It would be my pleasure to tell you about my home," Vil said once he finished his display of mirth. And so Vil told Anjali all the things she wished to know.

Journal Updated

Spoiler: Noltell

Noltell, Sky's Reach is a large landmass adjacent to Offal. It is a mountain range known for it's flat-peak slopes. Noltell falls under the jurisdiction of Ekroia and is consistently scoured by adventurers for artifacts from older ages. Noltell is home to only one indigenous people, the Clan of Giants, who while barbaric are not uncivilized. Their villages act as the primary staging areas for delves deep into the caverns below the mountain range. The Clan operates a sophisticated series of logistic networks that is necessary for civilian and military forces to cross into the Western hemisphere.

Spoiler: The Crimson Congregation

The Crimson Congregation is the catch-all term for an ancient civilization that once ruled all of Amaranth. They were blood magic users, capable of immense feats using ritual magic. Legends say that in return for their immense power, they each needed to sign a pact with a forgotten god of the darkness, and in doing so surrendered their humanity for immortality and strength. The Congregation is now known to be the government of ancient Vampires who, because they could not survive in the sunlight, built their cities in the caverns within the earth. Early species of man called this precursor civilization Children of the Night, a nickname that persists into the modern age. The Congregation's sciences make up the backbone of modern alchemy and soul sciences, and as such artifacts from their civilization are highly valued by empires and private individuals alike.

Spoiler: The Roil

The Roil is a phenomenon that started sometime over two thousand years ago with the sudden dying off of the Crimson Congregation. Landmasses in Amaranth move every now and again as if they were alive. Mountains tumble across the plains, oceans creep into forests, swamps appear where once there was only desert. Every so often major landmarks just vanish into the depths of the earth, never to be seen again.

Instances of the Roil make good opportunities for adventurers to journey further and deeper into the networks of caves left behind by the Crimson Congregation. But such explorations are dangerous, not only because of the instability of the earth immediately following a Roil movement, but also because the Roil tends to awaken ancient beasts that lie dormant within the darkest reaches of the earth.

Spoiler: Lacrima

Lacrima is adventurer slang for Crystal Soul Essence. These crystals often look like tears, giving them the name "Lacrima." Lacrima is primarily used as backing for currencies in Amaranth. The practical uses of the crystals are many. They can be consumed to produce energy, cast magic, perform alchemy, or in the rarest of cases, infuse life into inanimate objects. Experimentation with human Lacrima is strictly prohibited by most of Amaranth's governments. Lacrima are recovered primarily from Crimson Congregation artifact sites, though some are found naturally occurring in places like natural oases or fertile crescents.

Spoiler: Ekroia

The League of Ekroia is a large governmental body made of many smaller states. It is named after the city state that united the Eastern hemisphere in the dark age following the collapse of the Crimson Congregation. Ekroia is the largest military power in the world and constantly asserts its sovereignty on the smaller nations in Southern and Western Amaranth.

Ekroia has explicitly outlawed research into the Crimson Congregation within its borders, prompting many scientists and adventurers to seek the free asylum of Dulce and other frontier cities.

Spoiler: Nanumon

The United Kingdoms of Nanumon is an unofficial collection of governments that span to the West of the Noltell mountain range. Though they are of many different races and inclinations, the mutual threat of Ekroia has set them together in a tentative alliance.

Nanumon is lead by the Kingdom of Finnigan, who fronts the military activities against Ekroia. Economically the alliance is supported by Bordaeu, an oligarchy run by merchant barons.

Many of the non-humans in Amaranth are from homelands within the United Kingdoms. The borders are generally free and the people are easy going about their mostly-political alliance.

Spoiler: Relics

Relics, or Artifacts, are incredibly powerful pieces of equipment recovered from the Crimson Congregation. The goal of many adventurers and delvers is to find a Relic and to sell it. A single Relic-class item can easily sell for a price equivalent to the GDP of entire cities. People who use Relics are documented by both Ekroia and Nanumon as either heroes or outlaws. The incredible power that Relics give a person makes them an indispensable part of Amaranthian military battles.

Some examples of Heroes and their Relics are as follows.

Ludan of Vocce: A human sorcerer who posses the Relic known as Nightshade. Nightshade allows him to teleport across vast distances. He is known to be the only living person to have reached lands outside of Amaranth. Ludan is the leader of the Nanumon United Kingdom's expeditionary force.

Bardylis of Eordea: A human warrior of the Ekroian League. His Relic, Thunderbreaker, is a hammer that harmonizes with solid materials and can shatter anything after three strikes. Bardylis commands Fort Eiji in Noltell for the Ekroian League.

Leland Allyone: A famed Puppeteer from the city of Terenith in the United Kingdoms. His Relic, Controller, was a gauntlet that allowed him to control countless automatons at once. The passive boost to both intellect and dexterity when wore it was intense, but also came at a terrible price. Leland died of exhaustion when he was only 30, having used Controller for only two years before meeting his untimely end. Controller was never recovered despite multiple attempts by Terenith to reclaim it's treasure.

Shoko Amiya no Hachisuwa: A Meiishi priestess from Hachisuwa who is politically aligned to the Nanumon United Kingdoms. Her Relic, Tamashi no Umi, is a fan that controls the weather at sea. While she dislikes conflict, when her compatibility with her Relic was discovered she was enlisted as the Admiral-in-Command of Nanumon's merchant fleet.

Kelden Orwelden: A Wood Elf Adventurer. He possesses Echo, a Relic that actively seeks out other Relics. He is not aligned with either Nanumon nor Ekroia. His company, the Deep Braves, is the premier expeditionary force into Crimson Congregation areas.

Spoiler: Soul Essence

Soul Essence is the source of all magic in Amaranth. It is a physical phenomenon of energy produced by the will of a sentient being. It is largely harvested in the form of Lacrima. Each creature has the ability to generate Soul Essence by focusing their desires on an outcome. Mages are most able to attune their Soul Essence to perform physical feats.

Spoiler: Puppeteer

Puppeteers, or officially, Soul Tinkers, are mages that specialize in Soul Essence-infused equipment. They often gear out adventuring parties with enchanted armors, tools, and weapons. They descend from a long line of military strategists that used enchanted puppets to fight battles, earning them the moniker "puppeteer." Puppeteers are rare and function pn a master-apprentice system instead of the more common Guild system.

About two hours into Vil's stories, the door to the workshop opened and Freya stepped in looking tired and frazzled. There was soot on her face and her green hair was blown back. Two automatons carried sheets of metal behind her. Frey looked at the two sitting next to each other and couldn't stifle an amused laugh.

"Having fun?" She asked. The two automatons entered the room and set down the rolls of metal sheet on a loaded work rig and left, whirring mechanical parts clinking against each other like lumbering buckets of bolts. "Chatting is all well and good, but we still have to figure out a way to get our new friend home don't we?"

There was a glint in Vil's eye. "That I wonder. How urgently do you think you want to return to your Rising Dawn, Anjali?"

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

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Anger was a funny thing.

Usually when he felt anger it was towards another being, one that he could (usually) end the life of rather quickly or at the very least intimidate until it was no longer a factor.
This?...This wasn't like when he abused Annie for the death of S'zami or when he allowed his anger of his own power to overwhelm and defeat him back in the realm of Philemon.
This time, he knew that this was his fault alone and that kind of anger was not one that could be quelled easily.
He was silent for the entire trip himself, even going so far as to completely embrace his "Pack mule" status as he meekly carried their belongings as penance.
Replaying that fight over and over again in his mind for the rest of the trip, even as they entered the city he found himself unable to think of anything else.

When they finally reached their destination, he declined the offer of a room paid with Livia's gold, stating "I've taken enough from you for one lifetime." before leaving the hotel for the city's night scene.
More than anything else, he needed something to pry his own self doubt from his mind so he went for the old stand-by that had gotten him this far in life: picking a fight.
Wandering the markets and public houses, he stood out for his attire as he explored for either a sanctioned prize-fighting scene, any local bounty boards, hell he'd almost settle for NFL tackling a shoplifter.
At this point, he found himself caring little for what it was about, he just needed to recenter himself, even if it involved un-centering someone's internal or external organs.

His search was restless as he was unable to shake those words he had heard, both from Eurydice and...elsewhere...

"Do not assume you understand the rules of this world, Rugal Bernstein. You speak humbly, but act with arrogant self-righteousness."

Someone was watching him as he traveled, judging and commenting but for what purpose? Either way, his thoughts were too clouded to really do anything about it now.
Understand the rules? What good are those if they do nothing to stop raiders from attacking innocents? Who the hell does this being think they are-......oh forget it...What am I going to do? Punch Death into submission?... he told himself before letting out a large sigh, finding it doing little against this wave of self resentment.
Come on...one of you...just give me an excuse... He found himself almost begging in the middle of the crowds, watching for something, anything for him to "Vent" with.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

The Escapist Avatar Adventures | Child in Chains | Some Freaky-Ass Jungle on Suwa
"Seriously, this stuff just looks lewd."
B.C.​

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B.C. trudged forward in the brush without so much as a modicum of stealth. After all, being supremely irritated would have been enough to make that hard, much less the fact that she wasn't one to sneak around. Subtlety was never a strong suit of hers. As she listened to her new companion's complaints regarding her bust, the Space Convict sneered to herself and held up a hand to make mocking talking motions. But one comment in particular had her stopping in her tracks.

"If you were Balance's champion... or something like that... then she must have been in quite a pinch. You're absolutely nothing like any of her other champions."

She turned to glare, although one of her hidden eyebrows winged upward as she said, "I believe it, because there ain't no-one else like me. I'm one-of-a-kind, accept no substitutes."

The Convict was about to turn away and continue trudging in the direction of what she hoped the Space Pirates went in, only for Syl to stop her once again. This time, with a stripped branch that oozed a milky sap. She stared at it for a moment. The substance it leaked was enough to make her think of certain other milky white substances, and she would have made the observation. But she didn't, because some measure of decorum held her back.

"Strip and lather yourself with this. You don't look like a Shuwan girl, but you definitely don't smell like one. And the latter is more likely to draw attention to us. Plus, it also protects you from the suns once we break out from the canopy. The atmosphere here doesn't have ozone so the radiation is quite something fierce."

With a bad-tempered grumble, B.C. snatched the branch out of Syl's hands, but instead of stripping she simply caught a glob of the sap in one hand and rubbed it into what parts of her skin were exposed. Even daintily rubbing some on her cheeks and nose. Tossing the stick aside when she was finished, she was about to resume their trek, but she paused. Looked down at her hand. And realized there was still quite a bit of sap left over. So, she reached over and wiped her hand off on Syl's cheeks with a bored expression.

"Alright, there, you got me to put on your stupid tree juice. Now, where the fuck do these Pirates make camp so I can steal one of their ships off this rock?" she asked dryly.

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

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Rugal looked for trouble, but he could not find any. The streets of Ostia were bustling with people, but there was a strict order to their movements. In each alley he spotted the iconic plume of Roman garrison members with their bronze armor and short swords. From slaves to statesmen, each person walked with urgency and direction, stopping only to exchange brief-but-warm greetings with passing associates and friends.

The city was utterly boring. From his observations, it was a port for Rome. Most of the traffic went directly from the docks up the road and out to the East on carts pulled by oxen or donkeys. The people here were merchants and administrators who spent their time striking trade deals and recording transactions on ledgers. Pleasure existed in restaurants that served bread and wine, and brothels that served women and bread and wine.

Eventually as Rugal passed by a temple on his angry walking, someone tugged on his sleeve. He turned to find himself looking down at a small man. He was young with tan skin and curly dark brown hair. His eyes were a mix of metallic blue and green, and in the orange lamplight, they shone as if crafted of silver.

"Traveler, is something wrong?" the man said as he tucked his hand back into his robes. He looked to be a priest, and from the caduceus stitched on his robe, he was a priest of Mercury. "If something weighs your mind, I invite you into the temple to find some solace in meditation and wine."

Spoiler: B.C.

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Child in Chains

bonnie's story

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Syl looked at B.C. in confusion. "You want to... leave Shuwa?" Syl collected the syrup that B.C. had smeared on her cheek on her fingers and licked it until her hand was clean. She licked her lips, swallowing quickly before she decided to speak again. "Far be it from me to stop you, but it just seemed odd to me. Most people spend their life trying to get on Shuwa is the thing."

Syl collected her chains and wrapped them around her neck like some sort of brutalist necklace. She pointed back toward where the Dahmahwa were still rampaging. "I suppose that if you want to just leave, you can follow the pirate vessel until it touches down to rescue those poor idiots." She turned toward the direction of the sun, whose rays filtering through the canopy covered the two women in dappled light. "If that is your wish then I will part with you here. I plan to journey to the core of Shuwa and claim whatever treasures this terrible planet hides in it's mysterious depths."

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

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His search was going about as well as he feared it would ("Come on. This many merchants and no one is trying to rob them?!") when the priest got this attention.
Pausing for a moment as he examined the temple, he gave an answer stating: "...I doubt that I'll find much solace this night, but it won't be from a lack of trying. Very well, lead the way."
A short walk later and he was inside, deciding to break the ice with some talk on religion (As well as trying to find out if his understanding of Roman gods was still valid in this strange world).
"Hm...Seems like a fitting place for a temple to Mercury. God of Merchants, financial gain, commerce, eloquence poetry, communication , travelers, luck, trickery and thieves, least that's my understanding of him. Do correct me if I am wrong..." He spoke, hoping to come off more as a earnest traveler then the wounded man he felt like.
It was then that another interpretation of Mercury came to mind: "He was also said to guide souls to the underworld. One of the people from my-...my "homeland" even bore his name as she did the same, albeit her methods of giving guidance were a lot more..."

He trailed off as perhaps a place of worship wouldn't be the best place to discuss the antics of the Priestess Rory Mercury, adding "Again, this is my understanding of Mercury and I'm quickly learning my understanding of this land is...shaky at best..."

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

[hr]

The priest smiled, "Yes, yes." Despite his young age his demeanor was kindly and old-nature, "Mercury is very much a god of many means, of which you missed only one, which is the god of art and invention." The inside on the temple was marble decorated with careful flourishes of gold trim. Several small idols stood center of altars lit by lamplight. There was a bronze sconce at the center of the room in which a low flame burned among the embers. "But you make your foreignness quite apparent with your presumption of our worship, traveler. Mercury is not a god of merchants and travelers, but the God who merchants and travelers worship. It is similar to the idea of Holy Trinity. The three pieces of God are not individual Gods, but aspects of a divinity of which the people of your era worship."

He picked up an olive cane and tapped it twice on the polished stone floor. The sound echoed through the temple, filling the space with the warm voice of wood. "Gods are everywhere at once. They are in the air we breathe, the stone below us, and the blowing of the winds. From the flow of water to the turn of the sun, their influence is what keeps this world alive. The gods are not separate from us just as we are not separate from them. But they are not us, through their blood runs blessed ichor, born of the heavenly ambrosia. Of this we know when Venus tore her arm on the spear of Achilles."

"And there are more gods than just the Canonical Twelve. There are the gods of rivers and plains, of mountains and shores, and the countless nameless spirits which inhabit the far reaches of Gaea's realm. In this way our world is different from yours. Religion is not an after thought here, it is a part of life. And under the blessing of this unity, we find our society at peace."

The priest put his hand on Rugal's and turned it over. Several small coins dropped into his palm. Five silver coins and two gold coins. "Here is a gift for a traveler who is very far from home." He put both hands over Rugal's and bent his fingers over the coins. "And don't you dare refuse it. This is a gift from God and a sign of my Xenos."

The priest then shuffled Rugal back toward the door, all the while talking in hushed tones, "I am sure that if you behave and learn to think critically, going home to see your family will be an easy task for someone as experienced as yourself. Roma is a gentile realm where nuance over force is rewarded. You have this terrible bull-headed tendency to just do whatever you think is the most spectacular course of action. Bury that instinct and instead seek deliberate action and you should do well going forward."

The priest finally took his hands off of Rugal when they were at the steps leading down from the entrance of the temple down to the street. He stood there, eyes gleaming in the firelight and hands gently holding that well worn staff. "If you want some of my advice, there is a very nice storefront someways down near the docks that sells glis[footnote]A species of dormouse found in Rome. It is considered a delicacy and is eaten roasted with a side of honey.[/footnote]. You should be able to get enough for five with a silver coin."

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

[hr]

...My Era?...

While the priest was making good points about being more level headed in his actions, ironically that speech made the part where he seemed to know about the fact he wasn't from this region...or timeline.
"...That is a good bit of advice, one I'll confess I haven't heeded much in my life but now that I have received your charity, I have to ask: You going to tell me how you, a priest for a god I never worshiped, in a town I've never visited before and whom I've yet to even give my name to, knows not only that I'm from another reality altogether but also seems to know about my goddamn family?"
Rather then heading back onto the street, Rugal instead stepped ahead before softly closing the door and turning back to the priest.
"This is a conversation I find myself learning a lot from. Shall we continue it?"

Walking back into the heart of the temple, he continued his line of questioning by adding "And if you know my family then I might ask do you know that they are in danger? That our last meeting involved the aftermath of a large explosion in time and space. That I don't know if they are alive, dead or somewhere else entirely like I am. I understand that your message was one of restraint. To ensure that my actions are deliberate and well considered. While I mightn't have followed that lesson before, I like to think of myself as a good student. Perhaps this is a dead end, that you know about as much about what's going on as I do, in which case I apologize. But know I have zero intention of leaving this temple until you tell me Every. Single. Detail. about what you know about me and my family."

Striding back to the priest, his expression was a more stern one as he adjusted his gloves slightly, making sure he would see him do so.
"And then I want you to tell me how you got this information, whom you got it from, whom they got it from and where I can find them. If you know anything about who I am and who I was in my homeland, then you should know better then to lie to me..."

 

[Zepherus14]

[hr]

Table for Two

Nina's story

​

[hr]

Spoiler

Phillip paused as the area around him changed in a blink of his nonexistent eye. The quiet sound of his rubbery skin slowly rolling over itself as he peered at the various slates of floating stone and eventually the new version of Miriam [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/327145717124825088/419968717519192084/EdgeLord_Miriam_appears.png]. Her lust for pain would have put off many, but Phillip was disturbed by something else entirely. That feeling within him of that missing space, like waking in the middle of the night with a numb limb, it seemed to wain as Phillip glanced up at that particular slab Miriam stood upon. That brief feeling of the boxes still stored within him, his cooking equipment, Nina's real hat, he knew it was all in there, but wasn't until now that'd felt any difference in that emptiness he'd experienced before arriving here.

And just as soon as he noticed, a singular tendril reaching out touch the offending tablet, he was back in the train car. Whatever that was just now, clearly it was important for whatever was currently going on here, but Phillip didn't have time to mull on that now, Nina had wandered off somewhere and that'd been a royal pain in Phillip's side.

---

'Who even is this Matron?' The thought crossed Nina's mind as she saw Mnemonyse put down her weapons. She'd only heard it mentioned a few times before, but this was definitely a clearly showing she wasn't up to speed.

"Strangers or not, Phillip wouldn't be wrong and Mnemonyse here wasn't playing around either. That stuff is dangerous, I'm sure of it. And even if we haven't known each other for long at all, that doesn't change the fact I couldn't live with myself if you all ate essentially cyanide. Especially you Talavie, you've been nothing but pleasant to Phillip and I. You got a wonderful husband, at least one kid." She said motioning to Cuelle. "That's why I..." Nina began to continue until Crown mentioned all of the patrons in their dining car had eaten the Stardust. "E-Everyone?"

Crown may very well have found Nina was running a fever, Nina's own insanity wouldn't be able to help offset any danger here. She genuinely believed that they'd eaten something seriously harmful, life threatening even. "I'm absolutely serious! This isn't some kind of joke! Why else would we have been scrambling to get here?!" Nina pushed Crown's hand away, taking a step back. "Didn't we tell you two not to eat any of that? I get you don't need to listen to me, but even Phillip? He might not have these same colours as everyone else does, but he knows his food! How could you forget that?" Nina protested.

"They might not remember that, that's what Han Anhkhem does after all." Phillip said as he slid into the room, looking like he'd catapulted himself into the room from the dining car. "PHILLIP!" Nina exclaimed, apparently the last one to pick up on Phillip's presence from beyond the car's walls as she ran over to him, stooping down and scooping him up into her chest. "You're okay!!"

The hug was short lived, Phillip would rather effortlessly spring out of Nina's clutches with a wet popping sound. "No time for that, don't care about you getting lost, or Miriam probably not adding the stardust to the palette cleanser, or even you two not listening." Phillip stated from atop Nina's shoulder, pointing a tentacle to Talavie and Crown. "There's a stone slab in a space outside this train that is keeping me from my cookbook. I want it back." Nina could feel Phillip's grip tighten as she considered what he's said, his trip hadn't been a waste clearly, and the mention of stone slabs made Nina think of the stone maze that had tried to swallow her.

"Wait slow down, I believe you but we need to think about this. Did you find a cure for the stardust?""There isn't one, not that Miriam or I know of.""Darn... And you don't know any way to reverse it Mnemonyse, maybe something on Shuwa? Maybe some of that... Ankhem um... Hessai? Is that something we could use?" Nina rubbed her forehead trying to think. There'd been so much that'd been shoved into her noggin she had a hard time remembering it all. "Or who is the Matron? She's been mentioned several time, and she's clearly important but I don't think she's been explained yet. Do you?" She tentatively asked Phillip, who shook a voiceless 'no'.

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

[hr]

"Father in heaven," the priest said. He turned back toward Rugal and let got of his staff so that it stood balanced on the floor next to him. The flames in the sconces continued their slow burn."You are as bull-headed as my brother-in-law, I swear." The young man walked up to Rugal and put his hands over Rugal's hands and clapped them gently. Rugal's arms went slack, a sudden numbness having over taken his hands and arms.

"I am just a simple priest, I do not know what you seek and no amount of threats you make will do you any good," her sat down on a couch that lay to the right of the temple hall. "Force, force, and more force. That is all you know. You think that you're a leader of men, but when it comes down to it you feign amiability and resort to intimidation, violence, or threats." He closed his eyes and shook his head. His brown hair fell in dancing curls around his face. When he resumed talking, he brushed his bangs out of his eyes. In the firelight they shimmered as if silver-by-moonlight, "In the same breath you use to say that you have taken my lesson to heart, you threaten me for information, and more than that you back it up with a show of physical force. Small wonder that you are so ill-fit. Not only do your colors not match ours, but your mind itself seems to exist in a different continuum altogether."

"If you seek omens for things to come, then find an seer of Apollo and bid to him plentiful sacrifice and donations," the priest smiled, "otherwise I have given you all that I can. Remember what I have told you mere moments before, Roma is a gentile realm. We solve problems through nuance, decorum, and our words. Almost never do we resort to violence, for that is the way of the barbarians."

The priest stood up and walked back over to his staff. He put a hand on it and Rugal regained the feelings in his arms. "Mr. Rugal Bernstein, you must decide whether you are a character, or if you are a person." He opened the door and motioned out toward the bustling city.

The moon had settled in the sky near the horizon. It's massive alabaster body seemed to look straight at Rugal from between the columns next to the temple door.

Spoiler: Nina

[hr]

Table for Two

Nina's story

​

[hr]

Crown grinned. He was clearly happy that he had the chance once again to explain something. "The Matron, you see my foreign friends, is the one that has given all of us life, an entity whose influence spans the entire universe, of which we all-"

"Oh shut up you noisy chatterbox," Cuelle said dismissively as one of her ribbons slapped Crown in the face. He stumbled on his feet, taken aback by the sudden violent action. Cuelle sent him a killing glare through her blindfold. "The Matron is the first progenitor. She gave life to all of the lineages which we each reside. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that some people idolize her as some sort of living god is their prerogative."

Talavie giggled and wrapped her arms around Cuelle, "That's no good Cuelle, you can't go around being rude to strangers!"

"I've seen into him. He does not deserve the satisfaction of speaking," Cuelle replied.

"I dare say that was quite insolent!" Crown retorted as he got back up. He adjusted his hat and sunglasses.

Talavie cast an amused look over at Nina, "She takes after her father. She's so diligent!"

"With an irresponsible mother like you, I must be." Cuelle shot back.

"I couldn't wish for a better daughter," Talavie said as she leaned into Cuelle, resting her chin on the top of the teenage girl's head. "Isn't she just adorably precocious?"

Faea frowned, "As much as I enjoy pointless banter, I am concerned about this... Stardust that you mentioned." She summoned a web into her hands with a flick of her fingers and spiders started to crawl out on the silken threads she held in her hand. "You speak of it like an immortal-killing substance. Do you have reason to believe that this is a terrorist attack?"

Nocturne chimed at this development.

"'A move by a human organization?' he says," Cuelle translated.

"I doubt it. While my lines in the kitchen are cut, I did not hear anything that implicated foul play at such a basic level." Faea turned around and looked at Mnemosyne. "Would you like to elaborate why Nina here turned to you so quickly for advice about this Han Anhkhem?"

"What me?" Mnemosyne put her hands up in denial, "No! No! It was probably just a gut reaction, since I'm a avatar of lost memories and all that, you know?"

"It also has been bothering me that you carry around human firearms with you. You know that they can't kill anybody on this train, so why do you have them with you?"

Mnemosyne went white and she vocalized her thought process with a noise that reminded Nina of a fish drowning on land.

Faea continued, "Moreover, your clothing is a weave of a material that's not native to Anazorzia isn't it?"

"Ahh......" Mnemosyne answered eloquently. It looked as if the poor woman had turned into a statue.

"Are you truly a daughter of Primal Knowledge?" Faea sauntered up to Mnemosyne, she lowered her lips to Mnemosyne's bare neck, "If you are, you won't mind if I take a little drink right? Just to make sure you're really who you say you are."

"WHILE I REASSERT THAT YES, I AM THE DAUGHTER OF PRIMAL KNOWLEDGE, I WOULD REALLY PREFER THAT YOU DID NOT GET ALL SUCCUBUS-Y WITH ME RIGHT NOW IN THIS HIGH TENSION SITUATION." Mnemosyne answered calmly and collectedly.

Nocturne chimed.

"'I believe she is who she says she is,' he says" Cuelle said.

"Very well then," Faea stood back up. "That still leaves us in quite the situation. We have what our foreign guests claim to be an attempted mass-poisoning with a chemical agent that was only recognized by our foreign friends and a girl wearing foreign clothing. Just how tangled is this web of ours?"

"Han Anhkhem is non-fatal to humans. But otherwise its effects are irreversible."

"No joke?" Talavie said. She played with the ribbon keeping Cuelle's dress in place with her hands. "What's this stuff do and where is it from, 'cause I swear I've had it before."

Mnemosyne bit her lip, "A world called Shuwa, it grows in the light of a star that is foreign to Anazorzia."

"So you admit to being a foreigner!" Faea interrupted.

"No!" Mnemosyne snapped back, "I'm a realmwalker if you don't mind! Anazorzia is my home too damn it!"

"If you're a realmwalker then did you bring this stuff to Anazorzia!?"

"I don't believe Mnemosyne is our culprit," Crown said.

"And what makes you so sure of that!?"

"Because of that!" Cuelle screamed.

The train car was suddenly plunged into absolute pitch darkness.

Nina found herself alone in this empty world. The only reassurance of Philip's presence was the gentle weight of his tentacles on her bare skin. This was just like when she fell into the maze earlier, the world was devoid of feeling and emotion. There was no cold nor hot, wet or dry, light and color, and sound. This time there wasn't even the confusing reassurance of a memory to color the world around her.

[hr]

When the world came back, there were only grim faces to greet Nina. Everyone was sitting in sullen silence. The universe outside was dark. There were no stars, no galaxies, not even the flickering after-images of black holes. Were they already at the end of the universe? Were they in absolute nothingness?

Nocturne was gone and Faea looked shocked beyond belief. Mnemosyne held her knees to her chest. Even Talavie was in silent shock as she cradled Cuelle in her bosom. Nina eyes couldn't see it, but Philip definitely could. Like an aurora of blood, the words echoed through the minds of every horror in the train.

The Matron is dead. She had been murdered.

 

[bluerocker]

Inuart took an involuntary step backwards as he was assailed by the sights of his...dream? Vision? Premonition? Whatever it was - a strange series of images danced in his field of view, be they of his minds eye or they actually set before him in a manner akin to a hologram. He tried his hardest to piece together what exactly it was, and comprehended best as a 'story' - a strange story, akin to the myths of his old world. A story of sacrifices, war, and of a god who watched all while in the depths of a mountain; a mountain resting in the land Inuart sought to journey towards as his only frame of reference.

This woman who traveled with him - was she the same as the one in the story? Or was the woman in his dream perhaps a predecessor of Alesha's, one who bore the duties long before she ever did. It was chillingly reminiscent of the Goddesses of his old world - maidens who body and spirit were considered the property of the gods; to be untouched in exchange for keeping the world in balance. The gods. They claimed to own everything, didn't they?

Just what was he dealing with here? Was he pitting himself unwittingly with a god? Or perhaps his companion was even more powerful than he initially realized, as a priestess of something he couldn't comprehe-

"If only I had the strength..."

No, not that again! He already fell for that trap last time - he had the strength now, earned it even!

He...he did...right?

-----​

The memory came to Inuart as if it were only yesterday. It was earlier into his tenure in the world he would come to call his new home, when himself and his companions were all staying at the esteemed Maximilian's estate. He and Albert were mopping up the remnants of one of Cortex's experiments, and in an effort to make the work more enjoyable, the duo had taken to swapping stories. Inuart talked of his homeland before the war; tales of his father, how he was taught to sing, his romance before it turned to rot. Albert, on the other hand, focused on stories of his time working under Bernstein in the A.I.M. This one in particular, had been regarding one of Bernstein's old nemesis, an Angel that called itself "Tomoya"...

"...And as much as he would like to give himself credit, it was my solution that enabled him to paralyze him long enough to extract the Arch Angel's power." He had reached for a cup of coffee he had set aside, and sipped the drink casually, as if he wasn't talking about subduing what amounted to a Demi-god.

Inuart had stopped in his tracks, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. He remembered the Angels during his time working under the AIM as well, especially how terrifying most humans considered them. His head tilted in disbelief, in a manner that better resembled a confused dog as he asked, "You developed a serum that enables you to subdue those things? By the gods!"

"Funny, isn't it? A being infused with the very power of-...at least one of the Gods of this realm. And I brought him low with simple chemistry..."

"Hold on... No magic, no curses, no psionics... Just chemistry?!" A small smile quirked at the corners of his mouth as he murmured in admiration, "Brilliant as always, Albert."

"While I wasn't proud of myself for working with him, I have to say..." He paused, before his expression shifted to one that was slightly more sheepish, "It did feel pretty 'badass'. That's the thing about gods and demi-gods. It's better to think of them less as being some almighty being and more-...being on another 'Level' so. Imagine me fighting, say...a snake. Who do you think would win?"

Inuart stopped to ponder the question, before he thought aloud, "Well, what kind of snake? I read in yours and Cortex's books that there are many kinds. Snakes that bite with poison, and snakes longer than we are tall, who constrict and break bones."

"Any kind. Think about it, I am larger, faster, stronger and smarter then any venomous snake. I'd basically be a god to one of them, wouldn't you think so?"

"But, a snake doesn't think like a man. It would think you a very large animal, such as one that was trying to eat it."

"Exactly. It doesn't care who I am or what I can do. It doesn't cower nor does it try to build shrines in my honor or start some stupid religious conflict among it's kin. And even with my power and wisdom, all the snake needs to do is strike where I least expect. Coiling around my neck to break it, maybe injecting venom into my heart or head, my healing factor won't save me from that. Some snake god I'd be then." He simply shrugged before finishing off his coffee, "Nothing is more dangerous to a god then a non-believer. Something Tomoya learned the hard way..."

Inuart snapped out of his reverie, suddenly feeling more at ease about this whole situation than he had upon arrival to this city. Yes, that's right. Gods can be bound. Gods can be subdued with the tools of Mankind. Gods can die. Inuart was no plaything of the gods - no longer. He had shirked them upon entering his new homeland, his acknowledgement of them filled with contempt and spite where desperation once was. The gods could not, would not help him. Why should he love them, when they were cold and uncaring? Furthermore, why would they deserve his fear?

Back to the plan - make nice with the priestess. Smile like he would at any autograph signing, act like nothing was wrong. But he would wait - oh he would wait...
He turned back to his companion with a genial expression, offering his arm again as he spoke, "My apologies, I fear that I was a little overwhelmed by the sights and possibilities. Now, since the fears of taboo are dealt with...."

He stepped forward with purpose, making his way to the community fountain, and looked around amongst the adventurers to see with who was the most well traveled, someone weathered and worn - armor that was dull and chipped instead of shiny and new. Upon seeing someone that closely met that description, Inuart asked plainly and politely, "Pardon my intrusion. My companion and I are seeking our way to the temple city of Crosis. Unfortunately, I'm not terribly familiar with the layout of this area. Could you possibly point us in the right direction?"

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Inuart

[hr]

Lost to Love
Inuart's Story​

[hr]

"You've got a hankering to see the Daughters of Crosis?" the adventurer laughed. He was a middle-aged man with windblown black hair and a scruffy beard speckled with white patches. He clasped his hands together and shook them twice gently. "I jest, I jest." He looked over Inuart and then looked over Alesha. Then he cleared his throat. "If you're just trying to get to Crosis I would recommend that you take the East road through the Farren hinterlands and then turn North once you reach Crow's Roost. But that journey is difficult, there aren't a lot of resting spots down that path, and the terrain is not suitable for womenfolk." The adventurer cleared his throat, "not that I'm disrespecting the ability of one of them Daughters of Crosis, but it is a difficult landscape to cross not only barefoot, but bearing such a heavy... burden on her shoulders. It's just practical is all."

He sat up and pointed Westward. "If you go West into Crior then the road itself is easier. The route there follows the Ieva upstream so the game and forage is not only plentiful, but the earth there is soft and accommodating."

"Oh, that sounds sublime!" Alesha said as she took Inuart's arm again. She lay her head on his shoulder.

Inuart's intuition told him that there was a catch.

"There's a catch though."

Of course there was.

"Crior is most likely going to take your woman away from you. The theocracy has very strict rules about men and women travelling together, and even stricter when it concerns a woman as special as the one on your arm."

"Don't you forget it. I'm special beyond belief!" Alesha chimed in using a sing-song voice. She seemed to be enjoying herself somewhat at least.

The adventurer cleared his throat again and then, looking mortified, excused himself, "I wasn't meaning no disrespect, just, my age is getting to me. Too many trips into the White Barrens has left me coughin' and the like. I ain't no young man anymore and I'm havin' a hard time y'know... ah... my body just isn't what it used to be." He kept his eyes on Inuart, but he couldn't help but flicker his gaze toward Alesha on his arm.

Alesha was smiling as she always had been. It was actually starting to get unnerving since Inuart couldn't see her eyes underneath that leather blindfold. He could feel the soft warmth of her hands wrapped around his forearm though. While there was no tension in her touch, there was something else that was unsettling.

"If you need a map," he said suddenly as he reached into his knapsack, "you can take one of mine. I have some old leftovers from my last expedition up North." He produced a folded parchment. The colors were brilliant, the surface was a beautiful illustrated map made from fresh ink on white paper weave. He handed it to Inuart, "This was one of my son's. He won't be needing it anymore, so I hope you'll get some use from it. We had taken the East road up toward the Valley of the Pilgrims... was looking for... don't know what we were looking for to be completely honest." There was a brief pause in the man's speech. There was a mist in his eyes and he took some time to look away and blink them dry. "We were just looking for a miracle."

"Wonderful," Alesha said. "Isn't this just great, Inuart? Things are really going our way!"

"My name is Elluar Finnegan," the adventurer said suddenly, "my son was Roren Finnegan. I'm wishing you luck on your journey, young man... Inuart."

"Oh, we won't need luck," Alesha answered, "Inuart is a hero after all." Then she turned to Inuart, "Where to next then, hero?"

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Extremely sorry for the delay

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

[hr]

"!?!?!?"
It went without staying that the lack of feeling in his arms was alarming, this priest had managed to best him so easily?! What did he use?! Hokuto Shinken? Dim Mak? Or was it just magic?
"W-what did you do?!....Grrrrrr..." Rugal grumbled as he attempted to move either of his arms, finding himself having little ability to do so despite an almost comic display of them waving limply from his movements
While he had the use of his legs, any fight would be a short lived one if he didn't find a way past that (And that would be also assuming he couldn't do the same to his legs!).
It wasn't often he was humiliated humbled like this and as much as that would normally silence a man, it had mixed results in the aging King of Fighter's mind.
...Way of barbarians? Says the man who stands between a man and his family. Who the FUCK does he think he-......*sigh* Clearly someone on another level...damn gods... He silently thought as he was once again reminded just how worthless strength seemed to be here.
He said nothing as he was escorted out of the temple, rubbing his arms as feeling returned to them.

"...Seer of Apollo...Fine, we'll play it your way..." He spat, not really enjoying the constant dressing down he had received once again.
It was a rather infuriating thing for him to feel "Powerless", even when surrounded by corrupt world leaders and heartless criminals, he always had his strength to fall back on.
Without that and the high stakes of his "Quest" of sorts, anger was quickly starting to return to him.
Pacing back though the crowds, he decided if nothing else, he'd take the priest's suggestion for some "glis" but what he'd do after that would be a harder question to answer.
No doubt Livia would know where about to find such a seer but considering his failure at protecting her people, that meeting mightn't go as well as he would hope.
One somewhat unsatisfying meal later ("I've eaten insects with more meat...and less bones..."), he once more found himself going back to the rest inn Livia and the others were at, bracing himself for a "Warm" welcome by the survivors...

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

Rugal's story

​

[hr]

When Rugal returned to Livia's room he found the three remaining handmaidens tending to a supper preparation. They had laid out several small plates of fruits, breads, and cheeses. There was a single plate that was empty. Kleo, now the oldest after Eurydice passed, shook her head as she addressed the two younger handmaidens. "Didn't you tell me that getting glis here would be a sure thing?"

Ortha sighed. She was sitting on the floor, feet and hands raw from carrying a heavy load through the night. Several baskets of goods were stacked neatly next to her. There was also a large pot of salt sitting in a decorated vessel bound by ropes. "By the time I got the the supplier at the docks, they were sold out."

"Well, there's nothing to be done about it. It's been illegal for about a generation now," Phili chimed in as she finished setting up Livia's bed. "It's bound to be difficult to get given that it's not exactly easy to sell under the nose of the guards."

Ortha pouted.

"Well we're not in a good place to be pointing fingers at each other. I'll go out and get some pheasant or venison for supper." Kleo stood up, dusted herself off and turned to leave. "Even though we've lost big sister Eury, we can't let it get to us. She knew better than any of us what it means to serve. We must make her proud as she watches us from Elysium."

In her haste she bumped into Rugal. Kleo cleared her throat, startled, but adamant in her composure, "Oh. Strength be to you, honored guest." Then she slipped by him and hurried out.

Phili and Ortha waved weakly at Rugal. Though they weren't enthused by him, they offered him no lack of their previous respect. They bowed slightly. Ortha then said, "Honored guest. Would you like to take some bread and wine before bed?"

"Before Mistress Livia gets back?" Phili hissed.

"This is polite in Rome," Ortha answered with a swift kick to Phili's shins, "we're not in Britannia anymore."

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

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Right to Rule

Rugal's story

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...of course he saw this coming. Deities, always with the vague messages... Rugal remarked when the conversation turned to glis, realizing the priest's intention behind such a suggestion (And making him glad he only tried eating one).
It was still a bit disheartening to hear about "Eury" like this but if nothing else, he could assist them with supper.
"No need for the formalities. I'm neither worth honor or to be called your guest. That being said, I believe these might be what you are looking for..." He said before presenting the bag holding the cooked mice in it to Phili.
"Help yourselves to these. I tried one myself but it's taste disagrees with me. I'll stick to larger game..." He added before slowly walking though the room, noticing the absence of Livia.
"...Hm...I had hoped to speak with the Mistress but if nothing else, a drink might help pass the time until her return..."

This felt awkward, least with the given context of their journey here but hopefully some liquor would help ease his troubled mind a little as he offered to pour some glasses for the servants.
"I was hoping to ask her about the Seer of Apollo. Apparently such a person has information that could be invaluable for returning me home. Do any of you know of such a person?" Rugal started to pry, seeing if they knew anything about what that priest was on about.