forum a series of adventures with some serious adventurers (closed!)

Started October 10, 2020 by Deleted user

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Dur'kiir was met with silence from the bard. His single, good eye narrowed towards her. He felt his patience wearing thin suddenly. The draconic male curled his lips back, fangs on full display now. Before it was just a minor poke of canines, now it was a full show of powerful, sharpened fangs meant to tear flesh from bone. True, the Dragonkin preferred meat when it came to a meal, but he would also eat some fruit and vegetables.

"I take it by your silence that it matters not to you? Very well then."

The male was getting ready to speak again, mouth opening, but was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice, "Dur'kiir, I'm terribly sorry to bother you again, but I have one more whom will be joining your group."

The Dragonkin turned his horned head, eye glowing. His lips were still curled back to show his fangs, clearly annoyed. He was rather unpredictable that way. One moment Dur'kiir would seem calm, silent, but then it would change in an instant. The chaotic nature of his dragon parent having a strong hold on him, the natural instincts of hungering for destruction and death completely overwhelming at times to where it was hard to keep it at bay.

The cold, glowing ember for an eye glanced towards a tall, cloaked figure nearby. A tail that ended in a fin swept behind the figure from underneath their cloak as they stood in place. They were on the shorter side, slim and petite. A smooth scaled hand with webs between the fingers held tightly to a crook. The hidden figure's form was tense, a slight shake of their body being seen by careful scrutinizing.

Ledea had appeared near the cloaked one, "This is Oshiera, an Aquaronas from the Auqa Tribe of the Scarlet Sea."

This statement got an eyebrow raise from the once snarling Dragonkin, "An Aquaronas this far inland?"

The cloaked figure took a step forward. The voice sounded feminine, "Psssh, I chossse this path…reasssons are my own wisssh I feel no need to ssshare…"**

A soft snort came from Dur'kiir, seeming to mutter something under his breath before speaking up, "I see, I'm sure Ledea here got you caught up on everything. Asking now, what role you see yourself in a small group?"

The cloaked creature shifted a bit, "Healer…I tended the sssick and wounded back in my tribe."

The Dragonkin gave a nod, glancing back to the rest of the group, "So, least we have the beginnings of a decent party now. Was wondering if we were going to get a healer. Rather vital in a successful group, as they often have the ability to bring one back from the brink."

Dur'kiir suddenly stood up from his place at the table. He turned his horned head, facing the the elven woman. The male bowed his head slightly to her, then looked back to the others, mainly Aeolus and the cloaked figure that called themselves 'Oshiera'.

"Then let us begin, we shall head to an old friend of mine."

His gaze shifted to the bard for a moment, then back forward. Without waiting for any objections or queries, Dur'kiir headed towards the door of the Guild that led outside. He was assuming they would follow.

From the darkness of the short figure's hood, bright teal eyes glowed. Pupils were slits in the large eyes, looking outwards. The finned tail slowly swayed one way, then the other.

She turned her head towards Aeolus, "Pleasssant fellow isssn't he?"

Her voice had a slight hint of sarcasm to it, but she followed behind the mentor.

Aeolus met the gaze of the Aquaronas, offering her a soft chuckle for the sake of being polite; he didn't wish to sound too genuine in the event that Dur'kiir was listening. He, while admittedly intimidated by the battle-worn Dragonkin, could understand to some degree where he was coming from. Years of war — of having the lives of your friends, family, and fellow people resting on your shoulders like that — it took its toll eventually. And, sometimes, it broke people. The romanticizing of a warrior's life was dangerous, he believed.

That being said, Aeolus knew next to naught about Dur'kiir, and wasn't going to pretend like he did. Aeolus was an assassin, not a warrior. A coward to some, a murderer to others; the job didn't have the most positive of connotations. He knew nothing about how a warrior lived or the honor that came with it. But he understood what being a leader meant. He understood putting others before himself, he understood being the calm eye in the middle of the storm, he understood having to face the consequences of a job not done well enough. He knew what it felt like to be tired, to be so physically and mentally exhausted from the challenges life had to offer. It made sense to him that such an old and experienced figure such as Dur'kiir would know that feeling as well, even more so.

Of course, Aeolus wasn't here to pick apart the mental state of every person he came across, and he laughed at his own train of thought. Too much counseling, he figured; now he felt the need to make sense of everyone around him after so much time spent making sense of himself. Or maybe he was trying to ease his nerves by drawing potential similarities between himself and the Dragonkin. He didn't know.

Aeolus followed Oshiera, taking a glance back at Evelyn before his gaze returned forward. He shifted, readjusting the position of his satchel and absentmindedly patting his sides to check that his weapons were still on him.

All he knew was that he didn't want to be any more trouble than he had to be.

Evelyn only shot a gentle glare, actually warming up to his cold nature. Something she was used to from her brother, from time to time. She simply walked along behind, watching in silence. She didn't seem the observant and serious type, and that was something she took full advantage of, with guitar strapped to her back and a smile strapped to her face. Still she noticed the cold glare and the way the dragon leader seemed to look through her anatomy. She knew a thing about blind eyed people, with her sister Hyla. The mechanical wonder. She could see things no one else could. Evelyn wasn't phased much, such a look she had met with a surprise everytime. She knew he'd warm up too, he'd just have to look past the surface. She also made a mental note to not let ego get to her. Normally she wasn't egotistical, it must just be the excitement getting to her head. She then noted the healer. A good person to make friends with, and once she figured out what sort of person they were, it would be easy enough. Every person was a card game, and she hoped she would strike out even or win with each of them. The man she could come off with, she wondered what he thought of her. And finally her thoughts pivoted on who this old friend was. "If you don't mind me asking, who are we gonna go see?" She asked with a bit of innocence to her voice, in hopes of not annoying him too much.

The large Dragonkin proceeded out of the guild and into the open streets of the Kingdom's city. A low huff seemingly came from him as he took note of more people and creatures starting to flood into the streets. For a moment, his brows furrowed, raking his mind for a certain thought. It couldn't be market day, could it? Ah, yes, yes it was…fun…

Merchants and others would be coming into the city to sell and buy wares from all over the realm. Dur'kiir would have to be sure he didn't lose anyone in the crowd. Then again, if they did get separated somehow, the giant, dominating presence of the Dragonkin would be hard to miss. Plus, the helmet now covering his head and face.

Yes, as he stepped out into the sunlit streets of the dawning day, the Dragonkin suddenly reached behind him, pulling out the horned helm that had seen him through so much. Without so much of a second thought, he slipped it over his head, the helmet built perfectly to fit and accommodate the horns on either side of his head. The visor hid his features even more, yet he could see perfectly out, despite his face now hidden.

Now with the helmet and the armor upon his body, Dur'kiir truly was a frightening spectacle to behold. Perhaps a bit much for the populace, but it was handy to deter any possible individuals from approaching…well…most. The crimson against black adding even more to the terrifying visage.

His footsteps sounded heavier as he walked along, tail slowly swaying one way, then the other as it trailed behind him. Strapped to his back, now a clearly seen dual-bladed, heavy axe was attached. It seemed impossible for any normal man to carry, but of course, Dur'kiir was no normal man, nor even a normal Dragonkin.

The male didn't glance back, voice slightly muffled behind the metallic visor, but still clearly audible, "One of a trio of sorceress sisters. Due to a market day, they should be setting up a stall further in the city along the Emerald Avenue."

Dur paused, taking a breath before speaking again, "While in the merchant part of the city, I would also advise to take the time to familiar yourselves with those streets. Vendors carry all sorts of goods; weapons, armor, potions, a large assortment of useful items. Some of these may prove valuable in both combat, and out of combat."

---

As for the creature that called herself 'Oshiera', the thing seemed to pull her cloak tighter against her already mostly obscured form. The only thing seen was the finned tail from behind, and the unnatural bright teal eyes in the darkness of the hood. Also the scaled, webbed claws wrapped around her crook as she followed behind the other two, staying in the back.

Every now and then, she would take a moment to glance around. She didn't seem to be used to large crowds, well, crowds that consisted of more races and creatures she did not know. Some leaving a bitter taste in her mouth, more so her mind. One of these had once taken something precious from her…something she could never get back…

The creature shook her head, slipping to a halt, having nearly run into both Aeolus and Evelynn. A low 'psh' noise seemed to emit from her as her tail tucked between her legs. Once again, she averted her gaze elsewhere, embarrassed for having nearly bumped into them.

Focus…she needed to focus on the now…and not dwell on the past…

Aeolus listened to Dur'kiir speak, ears attentive while his eye focused on the buzzing streets that surrounded the party. Not too different than Darchester's markets, it seemed, yet these were just a bit more lively, more… he couldn't think of the word. It just felt better here. The atmosphere wasn't so tense.

But, at the mention that merchants came from all over the realm, he perked, curious to see if he could recognize a stand from his home country — he had a bit of a sweet tooth, and Darchestran pastries were impossible to beat when he had his cravings. His new goal of sweet-hunting had him so enamored that Dur'kiir had lost his attention, only picking up something about items and combat, which was probably important information, now that he thought about it, but it wasn't every day you got to immerse yourself in a foreign kingdom's common markets. Maybe he'd buy a Bishop a trinket for when he returned; she loved souvenirs, but like him, didn't have the opportunity to travel much.

Enraptured by his surroundings, he wasn't exactly paying attention to where he was walking, and didn't notice when Oshiera suddenly came to a halt, causing him to nearly stumble into her. The Aquaronas tucked further into herself, and Aeolus's brow furrowed. She was a strange one. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but she piqued his interest. Evelyn, too. He hoped he'd get some time later to learn more about his new party members.

Though he wasn't certain she would see, he dismissed the accident anyway with a wave of his hand, unbothered.

Evelyn weaved out from the near collision and moved closer to the Dragon Kin leader but still trailed behind as her eyes looked around, actually seeming a bit bored. But her eyes fixated upon a gorgeous wedding dress, if only for a moment, reminding herself of her fiance who had proposed to her just a month ago, but it felt like yesterday. They both travelled a lot. She kept a necklace under her clothes, with a small dragon claw ring on it. She then scurried along, watching the merchants with an able eye, observing their wares, before she reached into her satchel and pulled out a small flask, which she took a drink from. "Oh yes, why are we seeing sorceresses? Healing spells?" She asks quietly, walking beside him, sticking out her foot suddenly and tripping a pick pocket who was running past her, the person he stole from in close pursuit. She then continued walking, happy that a bit of justice had been done.

The male didn't bother to glance back as he responded to the girl's question, "If I wanted a healing spell, I'd visit the Silver Mages whom follow the Goddess of healing."

His voice suddenly lowered, sounding muffled now, seeming to speak more to himself, "Alas, I doubt even if I was gravely injured, they would turn me away."

Sure, being one of the greatest Adventurers of a time long past, Dur'kiir was still himself. Dealing with 'righteous' lots could be difficult and tiring. Some following/followers believing strictly in something so much, to where they would deny simply because of another's blood and their own single-minded beliefs.

"Pssh, no need for healing ssshpellsssss," Oshiera actually spoke up, teal blue eyes glowing from the darkness of her hood, "By the Lord of the Ssshea, hisss blessssshed watersss have been given to me to wield."

The dragonkin seemingly flicked his tail back towards the Aquaronas, "That as well. I trust young Oshiera here as a few tricks up her sleeve."

His hidden eyes shifted over, taking note as the boy seemed to be mulling over the options as they walked through the streets of what was called 'Emerald Avenue'. Nothing wrong with that he supposed, Dur did say they should take the time to browse through the wares offered. Some of these stands would stay, others would be gone the next day. Merchants and such were always drawn here, the promise of coin to be made when there were so many new and old adventurers exploring the streets.

The giant Dragonkin continued onward through the busy streets. As he walked forward, the large crowd seemed to disperse before him, allowing the towering beast of a humanoid to stride along the path unhindered. Then again, none seemed to dare stand in the way of the great warrior clad in black and crimson armor.

Dur'kiir came to a stop, having seem to come to the end of the avenue. Here, there seemed to be fewer stalls, and fewer people. What appeared to be set up in this part of the merchant alley, seemed more occult, dark and dangerous energy surrounding the area. A low huff seemed to sound from the helmet covering the Dragonkin's head. A single, burning ember flashed in the darkness through the helm's visor as he stared forward.

"Ah, there it is, I recognize that scent anywhere."

Boots echoed against hard cobblestone. His feet carried him towards a carriage parked further down the rode. As the Dragonkin approached he suddenly paused, lifting an arm up, aiming to halt those behind him from continuing forward. A low rumble seemed to sound from his chest, causing the armor against his body to vibrate from the sound.

"Something…doesn't feel right here…"

The young healer suddenly stepped forward. The creature approached the wagon, taking a moment to kneel down. She ran a webbed hand across the stones, lifting her hooded head upwards.

"Ssshomething happened? Thisssh magic isssh ssstrange to me."

"Most likely…what the hell did they get themselves into now…" Dur'kiir's voice was a low growl.

Aeolus listened in on Oshiera and Dur'kiir's exchange, admittedly taken by surprise. The dominant religion back at home, aptly recognized as Cosmic Trinitism, was atheistic, and it was always a bit of a cultural shock for him to remember that some people did believe in deities — and the extent some would go to assert their beliefs. It made little sense to him, but he didn't have enough experience with other world religions to have a reasoned say in the matter, so he offered no comment.

He tightened his hold protectively on his satchel as Dur'kiir lead the party towards the brink of the market, uneased by the presence of darker magics, and wondered what exactly he was getting himself into. The only magic he trusted was what the stars, the Astra, would gift; the magic he had. The more dangerous magics he associated with the Obsidian Mark, though he doubted they had any more presence here than the Ash Brigade did. Their feud was mostly internal.

Nevertheless, he almost instinctively touched a hand to the patch that covered his socket, briefly reliving an unpleasant memory. He hoped these sorceresses were less chaotic than their magic.

As Dur'kiir raised his arm, Aeolus stopped, taking a gander at the wagon before him. Oshiera's remark only solidified his intuition, and he rested a hand on the hilt of his dagger.

"Into now? You mean, this isn't the first time they've gotten into a situation?" he asked, ever so slightly concerned about the current safety of the party. "Who exactly is this friend of yours?"

Evelyns hand in an instant was already reaching into the depths of her bag, pulling out a small dagger. It was handmade by one of her many siblings, and so she carried it always. It was nice to have in case a fight came along. "That's exactly what I've been wondering Aeolus." She sighed. Her magic was of Light due to her name. She didn't use it much so it was rather out of control, and about the only thing control wise she could do was make her hands living flashlights which was always nice but not very useful to her a lot of the times. She relied upon her training and quick but precise movements that bardschool had given her. And religion? She didn't really know. She wasn't one to pray, but when she did it was always to the Lord and Lady. Very general gods. If someone was listening then they'd help. If not, she'd figure it the fuck out. She looked around, and heard a slight crackle in the air. "Something electric happened. Maybe? Very static esque magic in the air that's for sure."

Dur'kiir paused, glancing back to the trio behind him, then back towards the carriage. The single ember burning in the darkness of his helm continued to glow. Boots echoed against cobblestone as he approached it. It appeared to be one of those 'house carriages', living quarters, as well as whatever was needed to live on the road.

As the great Dragonkin came to the back end of it, the signs of a struggle were seen. The door left wide open, bottles strewn about, as well as other debris. A low growl came from Dur'kiir, the single eye swiftly scanning the scene before him. He lifted his horned head, glancing towards the open door that swung ever so slightly. The male started to approach, one boot setting on a step, then another.

He was getting ready to enter the darkened carriage, when some unknown force struck. Dur'kiir had no chance to catch or ready himself. The blast that caught him was like that of a powerful gale wind, knocking him back with such force he was sent into the wall just opposite of the carriage he had once been about to step into.

Oshiera seemed to clutch her cane closer to her body, tail swiftly tucking between her legs as their leader was swept off his feet to have his back crack into a wall. Her teal blue eyes glowed brightly in the darkness. The force that attacked, must've been quite strong indeed, enough for the fallen Dur'kiir to leave an indent in the wall he had been sent crashing into to.

The aquatic creature was about to attempt to make a move over, in hopes of helping their fallen comrade, but stopped in her place as a sudden voice spoke from the darkness of the carriage.

"OIOI! WHAT'S THIS THEN?! DIDN'T GET ENOUGH DID YA! ….wait a minute…curse child, is that you?"

A pair of burning eyes illuminated in the darkness of the inside of the carriage. Whatever it was, remained inside, glancing outwards to the group that had been investigating the wreckage.

At first, there was silence from the fallen, armored Dragonkin. His body unmoving as it rested against the wall, head slumped against his chest. That silence, however, was suddenly broken by a deep, inhuman growl emitting directly from Dur'kiir.

"…J-Jinx…I'm gonna wring your f-fucking neck…"

The eyes in the darkness seemed to tilt, as if whatever was inside was cocking its head to the side. Then a maw of pointed fangs suddenly appeared, giving the creature a 'Cheshire' appearance in the shadows of the carriage.

"Sorry about that old chap, but what with the Mistress away and after the thief, I acted only as I have been instructed; protect the carriage while the culprit is dealt with…besides," the eyes suddenly shifted to the side, noticing the three younger members nearby, "Thought you were in retirement, never expected you to pick up your axe again and guide some younglings."

Dur'kiir remained where he had been thrown, but lifted his head upwards. The single ember glared from the darkness of the helm, the growl seeming to make the very ground around them vibrate from the sound, "Enough games Jinx…spit out what happened."

A chuckle sounded from the depths, "Ah, even in old age, ever the stoutest pillar to stand in the raging storm…but even you know…eventually the pillar becomes weathered, weakening in…"

From nowhere, a knife was struck with such force it lodged in the wood of the doorway, "I said enough games…for all you know, your Mistress is in trouble…"

The eyes in the darkness narrowed, followed by a soft 'tsk', "My Mistress is quite capable of handling herself, but I suppose you want some training for the kiddies. Very well, nothing better than 'hands on experience' eh? Last they went, Mistress Mirabilis was chasing them downtown, most likely towards outskirts of the city walls where the dead sleep…if you catch my drift."

The burning gaze of whatever was in the darkness suddenly turned towards the young adventurers nearby, a cackle suddenly erupting from it, "Hope ya like dancing with skeletons and ghouls kiddies! Cause there's gonna be a lot of those where ya going!"

Beneath the hood, a frown crossed the creature's features. Though hidden, her eyes shown the distress she felt. Her gaze looked back to the fallen Dragonkin, unsure if she should approach and help or not…

She was a healer yes, but this was the first time she was working with those outside of her kind and race…she had no clue how or what she was suppose to do or act. If this had been a tribe member, of course she would have rushed immediatly to their side, but this Dragonkin was someone and something else entirely.

Oshiera's gaze shifted to the other two, hoping they would have a better idea of how to approach this event than herself. Plus, whatever the creature was in the darkness of that carriage left her feeling uneasy.

Aeolus had tensed as Dur'kiir approached the wagon, his dagger lifted slowly from its sheath with each step the Dragonkin took. The uneasy churning of his stomach was beginning to make him feel queasy, but he stood fast and stood ready, his ember-laced gaze focused on the darkness cloaking the inside of the carriage.

Then, something happened, too quickly for the young assassin to really process it. He reacted instinctively the second Dur'kiir was sent flying, unsheathing both his sword and dagger and positioning himself beside the wagon, poised to strike at whatever dared show itself. But nothing did, save for a pair of eyes and a fanged maw – nothing he could accurately assess. Then it spoke.

He listened in on the conversation, his guard only letting down when the fellow in the wagon – Jinx, he would learn – mentioned something that seemed familiar to Dur'kiir. He tightened his grip on his weapons, but relaxed his body only to tense again as a knife embedded itself in the wood of the wagon just short of the door. Yikes.

Listening further, he noted the name Mirabilis, and upon Jinx relaying the destination the party would be heading, he let a sigh escape him. Not much truly scared him; he had been through situations that had desensitized him to most of the world's horrors, but he just couldn't shake how horrific the undead were. The dead used to live – they were people with families, with jobs, with hobbies and emotions and experiences. Everything about seeing a dead body as a vessel, an empty shell of what used to be such a complex creature, disturbed him deeply.

Aeolus sheathed his weapons, grimacing at the thought.

He let his gaze drift, noticing how Dur'kiir hadn't yet gotten up and how Oshiera hadn't yet moved to assist him. Maybe she was unsure if the Dragonkin would want the aid? That much was fair, he decided, but he couldn't do much to figure out how Oshiera felt with the hood obscuring her features. Admittedly, he wasn't too joyous about approaching him, either; he didn't want to risk angering him, or being on the receiving end of preexisting irritation. It almost felt silly to think about, but he just couldn't keep his composure when someone raised their voice at him, and now he kept preoccupied with his hypothetical scenarios. Too on edge, he, too, made no move to aid Dur'kiir, turning to Evelyn to see if she would do anything.