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Post by grimlock on May 31, 2021 9:39:06 GMT -5
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Post by Hydranis on May 31, 2021 19:51:54 GMT -5
Awesome! Give me an idea of where you guys would like to start. Where would you guys be and what part would you like to RP out?
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Post by grimlock on Jun 1, 2021 8:24:40 GMT -5
Wades-In-Embers
A cool breeze rose up carrying the sea mist across the deck of the small ferry. The passengers huddled around as the crew began preparations for docking. The boatswain called out and mooring lines were tossed to quick witted dockhands who securely fastened them. The small vessel eased gently into it's berth, the slow rhythmic rocking of the waves lapping gently against the hull subsided. Passengers began to disembark one by one.
Among them was a young many, or a boy rather, he was wrapped in crimson cloth and he stumbled shakily onto the wooden pier. Reaching out with a blackened hand against a piling to steady himself, Wades-In-Embers was relieved to finally be on dry ground again. Seven moths ago the young fire-ifrit had left his hearth-family to seek adventure in the world. He had traveled across the might desert, over mountain passes, and through thick jungles. Yet nothing had been so daunting and treacherous at the ferry ride from Walsh.
Grasping his bronze spear like a walking staff he turned and headed off the dock. Before him the forest rose up through the misty shoreline. A well-worn path cut into the darkness beneath the canopy, the trees seemed to part like great maw. On any other day he would have thought twice before entering, yet he was eager to seek dry land and reach his destination. The path twisted through the underbrush until it came out upon a clearing.
A few dozen tents and makeshift huts were clustered around a large central building. It was not quite what he had expected, the place had an almost spontaneous energy about it. As if people just stopped what they were doing and just decided to pitch camp here. In fact the entire place felt more like a camp than a town. Wades-In-Embers was a bit perturbed that the sight was not as he had envisioned. Rumors and legends of this place had pervaded their way even into the depths of the mighty desert. This was a place of great wealth and adventure, home to thrill seeker, vagabonds, heroes and villains alike. Yet before him, among the muddy ramshackle huts were a group of half drunk, partially clothed halflings arguing with an equally inebriated half-orc over the remains of a roast chicken. A crude archway with a carved sign hung above them, Welcome to Ivanhoe.
Despite his initial disappointment he pressed forwards towards the center. Ivanhoe was indeed home to all manner of strange folk, exotic goods, and foreign tongues. He drifted through the town gawking at all of the new sights. Until finally he came upon a large wooden tavern at the center of town. It loomed over the camp like a great keep among a small village. A small sign hung near the door, The Scarlet Lion.
His gaze on the tavern was broken by a group as they approached the tavern. Two halflings, one in all black and another in a shining breastplate, accompanied by a tall human with a a stylish cavalier hat entered ahead. He followed and stepped into a large room set about with various tables and a bar. It had the distinct smell of a place that had seen innumerable travellers in it's life time. The well-worn floors creaked slightly as he made his way towards the bar. Patrons were all about enjoying the hospitality of the small inn on this brisk morning.
Wades-In-Embers found an empty stool and carefully slipped into the seat between a dwarf engaged in devouring a bowl of... something, and a slender blue skinned woman with silver hair. She didn't seem to notice him as he stared for a bit longer than was appropriate. The sound of the dwarf beside him belching and slamming his empty bowl onto the bar shook him back to reality and he turned to look back for the bartender, finally remembering that his last meal was left floating over the side of the ferry...
OOC: I'll start with a lengthier post to set the scene.
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 1, 2021 19:04:32 GMT -5
Arabella sits quietly at the bar counter, staring into her glass of dark liquid. It smells slightly like the fermented floral drink of her tribe, but it certainly did not taste the same. The dull roar of the townsfolk drowned out the drunken singing of the bard and her mind began to wander.
Her childhood swimming in the frozen fjords of the north, her teenage years play fighting with her brothers and sisters in the plains, and her young adulthood taking her place as a follower of Sarenrae in the awe-inspiring temple, flashed through her memory. At that point in her life, she was sure that life would be great! It would be filled with adventure, travel, heroic deeds, and love.
So much for that.
It was not that Arabella was not happy. It was just that she did not feel fulfilled. When she took her oath, she vowed to be a hero. She had always pictured herself standing outside a nomadic tent with her husband on her arm and a little Undine running around her legs. She had dreams of fighting in the name of Sarenrae, saving those in need, and getting that feeling back that she mattered.
Arabella's memories faded into a cloud of black smoke and she looked backed into the blackness of her drink, remembering that she was in public. She twisted the liquid, listened to the sounds of the tavern, and tried to reground her thoughts.
It was than that she felt his eyes. I young man, shaded in red and clearly unaware of the appropriate amount of time to look at a women, glanced directly are her. At first she wanted to smack him, but there was something soothing about his gaze. They seemed to see her; not the female her, but Arabella the warrior, the hero, the fighter of Sarenrae. She wanted to speak, but was at a lose of words and so kept her head down; eyeing her drink once more.
I should say something.
Arabella tossed back her drink, trying to stay the sickness that wanted to rise into her throat and turned to the young man only to find that he attention has waned and he was no longer looking in her direction.
She took a quick glance at him- taking in his clothes, skin, and blackened hand. A feeling rose in her chest and she wanted to look at him even longer, but SHE knew proper etiquette and decided that it was time to leave.
Arabella dropped a coin on the counter, tipped her head at the barkeep, and crossed through the tavern to the door, stepping over a pile of sick as she flowed through the crowd.
The temple will help me gather my thoughts.
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Post by Hydranis on Jun 1, 2021 19:53:39 GMT -5
The Scarlet Lion was as lively as any other day, full of all walks of life and always enveloped in enchanted aromas and songs. Gladys, the owner of this famous inn, stood with a hand riddled with age leaning on the countertop. She pushed her tiny spectacles up her nose, and squinted around the room, meeting as many eyes as she could. It always brought her great joy to see so many wonderful people enjoying themselves in the safety of her inn. Most of the patrons in Ivanhoe tended to be the adventuring type, and because of this, she saw many terrible injuries as well as shattered lives. A bright smile came across her face with each gaze she met, until the corners of her mouth drooped when she looked upon a young woman with pale or bluish skin. The young lass had a lot of sadness in her eyes and seemed as though she was very distant in her thoughts, almost as if she wasn't mentally present at the bar. She tossed a single silver piece onto the counter, nodded once, and began to walk away.
Glady's snatched up the coin and called out to the lass before she could take more than three steps. "Dearie!" she said, her soothing voice flowed out across the room like a gentle calming sea breeze. She waited until she caught her attention. "You've far paid beyond your share, I'm afraid!" and six old dented copper coins fell from her hand onto the counter. She scooped them back up, one by one, and stacked them neatly on top of one another. "I will not have any of -my- customers overpaying, no matter how generous they feel." she continued, with the smile that only a grandmother could have.
Glady's did not run the Scarlet Lion to become rich, she did it to take care of her family that was every visitor in this so-called town.
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 2, 2021 8:27:19 GMT -5
"Oh, I did not mean to offend" Arabella returned to the counter and picked up the stack of coins, giving them a little shake as she did so, "My mind was elsewhere."
Arabella dipped her head low in a thank you and turned towards the door once more.
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Post by grimlock on Jun 2, 2021 10:26:24 GMT -5
Oblivious to the woman's returned gaze he watched as the bartender approached. He began to raise a blackened hand to get the old woman's attention, yet she stopped short and returned the change to the pale-blue woman beside him. As the pale-blue woman turned to leave the bar their eyes met for a brief moment, it seemed an eternity as he felt a chill to his core that was as cold as the deep blue of the woman's eyes. He felt himself flush with embarrassment, a faint wisp of smoke wisped about his bare skin as he once again diverted his eyes. Then a flash of confusion and recognition played across his face as he spied the pendant around her neck.
Sarenrae?
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 2, 2021 15:12:16 GMT -5
Arabella turned around once more to thank the barkeep when her eyes met those of the red-cladded young man. A fire burned hot in her chest and it seemed as if she was melting. A small drop of water fell from the tip of her nose and splashed silently to the dusty floor. Quickly she averted her eyes and bolted out the door.
What is happening? Sarenrae will have the answers.
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Post by Hydranis on Jun 2, 2021 19:33:24 GMT -5
"Of course, of course!" Gladys said with a small nod. She was a pretty little thing, and she thought it was so heartbreaking to see her in what appeared to be some sort of distress. Her lips parted briefly, words almost forming, but she shut them tight once more. Don't be rude...Gladys placed the silver piece into her apron, brushed her own silver hair out of her eyes, and moved further down the bar to tend to another patron. A single man, dressed in dusty blue overalls and a straw hat could be seen sitting on a single stool at the far end of the bar. He began to strum a banjo and his sweet voice found it's way to every set of ears. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD-HUTHgh0E
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 2, 2021 19:55:18 GMT -5
(OOC: Teddy really liked that song! He was dancing to it.)
Outside, Arabella took a deep breath, clearing her nose of the bar smells. The night was clear with just wisps of clouds passing over a half-moon. The air was cool and smelled of smoke with a touch of ocean water. It was perfect.
However, Arabella did not feel the same on the inside. Her heart beat fast and out of rhyme, her stomach clenched, and her eyes began to water.
What is happening?
Without a second thought, she took off down the street towards the Temple(?) of Sarenrae.
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Post by Hydranis on Jun 3, 2021 10:57:04 GMT -5
((OOC - Ivanhoe won't necessarily have a brick and mortar temple, but you may find a shrine or small following of sorts around. That's up to you))
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Post by grimlock on Jun 3, 2021 11:53:32 GMT -5
The young ifrit watched the woman slip through the crowd and out of the inn. He hesitated a moment, looked back to the older woman who was now cleaning the area of the bar beside him, and hopped off his stool. He did not know why, but by the fire-goddess, he was compelled to move towards the door.
The morning sun was beginning to shine through the morning mists. The warmth of the rays seemed to energize him as well as any meal, despite the growling of his stomach. He caught a glimpse of silver hair moving beyond the market stalls ahead and headed in that direction.
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 3, 2021 12:34:44 GMT -5
As Arabella neared the small shrine, her heart began to slow and was finally able to take a deep breath. The sun was slowly coming up in the East and a beam of warm light shone over the statue of Sarenrae at the center of a clearing. Although clearly not the most taken care of structure in the city, the statue was clean of moss and well loved which made Arabella feel at home.
She took a deep breath once more, knelt in front of the shrine, closed her eyes, and began to pray.
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Post by Hydranis on Jun 4, 2021 17:24:53 GMT -5
As Arabella's eyes shut, the canopy appeared to open up. Sunlight rays of a newborn day began to peer through the cracks of the trees many branches and leaves, shining down upon her almost as if by some will of divinity. There was currently a light fog, just barely a few inches off of the cold ground. The fog slowly dissipated with the sun's warmth raining down upon it.
A robin landed on a tree branch not twenty feet above her head, and began it's morning song:
"Oh, what a lovely day it is today, for a sweet little time. Oh, what a lovely morning this is, as I am in my prime.
For today I will find my love, I hope she is not far. Today I will begin to live, or my heart will gain another scar."
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Post by skydancer42 on Jun 6, 2021 8:53:57 GMT -5
At the sound of the morning dove, Arabella's mind drifted to a long replayed memory...
Seven year old Arabella is running up behind her father as he leads the tribe through a dense wooded playground. She jumps from rock to rock, scrambles through the ferns, and splashes through muddied puddles.
"Do you smell that?" a tall blue skinned, and blonde haired women said.
"What mom?" Arabella giggled as she hopped to her mothers side.
The tribe halted and silence fell around them. Soft cried and shouts could be heard from a mile or two off and the smell of smoke can drifting through the trees.
"Quick!" Arabella's father shouted, "This way."
The tribe took off, with Arabella and all of her brothers and sisters (OOC: every child was a brother or sister) in tow.
After a time, they came upon a frantic village. Men ran will pails of water, women held on to their frightened children, and the elderly wept. And there, in the middle of all of the commotion was a burning building; the largest Arabella had ever seen. Flames licked every corner of the building and smoke plumed into the air.
"Together," one of Arabella's tribesman shouted, and her family fell in step beside her. As one, the tribe summed the power of Sarenrae and let forth a fountain of chilled water. "Again!"
Once more the tribe called forth Sarenrae and a jet of ice water poured onto the burning building. The flames seemed to be dying out, but more water was needed.
"Again!" This time, Arabella was successful in her prayer and, as her tribe threw more water onto the top of the building, she tossed a spout of water into the middle of the burning building's smoldering flames.
As if by magic, the building smoked and went out. Arabella's heart soared and the feeling of pride spiraled through her body. She had done it! She had saved the day!
The townsfolk thanked the tribe and they were on their way once more. Arabella was so happy that she hardly noticed their departure...
The memory began to fade.
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