Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Sept 30, 2022 15:54:02 GMT -5
"You should take anything you hear in Darkveil with a grain of salt. Many of the folk there are known to be liars." Takes one to know one. He can't recall hearing of this tale though so he pulls out his notebook and flips through it to double check. "A necromancer raising and army is nothing to scoff at if true. For our sakes let's hope it is just a rumor and limbs do not start popping out of the ground in this cave."
He keeps a keen eye on Edward as he heals the bots. With each passing moment the power dynamic in the cave was shifting more and more into Veliky's favor. Based on how she spoke and her suspicious glare, it was clear she was well aware of that as well and would not hesitate to act if provoked. He flips a page and listens to her explain how she came to be in Zeinav.
Zarius tilts his head curiously at Veliky. So she was an entrepreneur then. Still, she sure had a lot of protection for a simple business woman looking to expand her cafe's reach. Though, should he be all the surprised? There were many strange folk wandering about Charon these days. He jots down a quick note for himself. Veliky mentioned Sol City. That was quite a ways away, but she mentioned having her own ship.
"Does your ship also serve as a traveling café when it is not in for repairs?" The thought had crossed his mind and he chuckles at the idea.
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Edward Ardent on Oct 1, 2022 10:46:51 GMT -5
Edward walks over to Veliky and places his hands over her hands. Light shines from his palms and washes over Veliky’s hands, slowly closing up her wounds. “Well, it may be rumors but you never know. I was going to Darkveil to meet a friend so we can investigate what was happening. Also, there is a lot of festivities there that I wasn’t able to participate in the last time I was there. Really wanted to partake in it and was hoping to do that when I get there. But I was busy getting stabbed by a demon and being bashed in the head by a minotaur the last time I was there. Darkveil is a very dangerous place still.”
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Post by Veliky on Oct 1, 2022 17:03:59 GMT -5
The discomfort gradually fades from Veliky's face as her skin knits itself together. In less than a minute, the tears in her gloves are the only indication that she was ever harmed. She breathes in overwashing relief; the pain and irritation that had plagued her for hours is now gone.
"Your services are appreciated," she says monotonously, still looking at her hand. "That'll be all."
She sits back and closes her eyes, savouring the euphoria. She's obviously grateful, in spirit if not in word. She barely hears Zarius' quip, but she does. In many ways, it's more feasible an idea than he might think, and Veliky has certainly considered it in the past. Still, the concept has its own issues.
"Not quite. It carries the supplies to raise a pop-up store to sell Blixt™ when it's moored, but that would mean hiring someone - a living person. Needless to say, the Blixtbots aren't exactly..." she looks at the bot standing beside her. They're fairly short, standing around 5'4", but their lifelessness and crimson, lens-like eyes give them a less-than-friendly image. "...social. Not enough to run a counter. Actually, Fisher, why don't you introduce yourself?"
In sudden compliance, the bot emanates a low, grating voice reminiscent of creaking wood.
"Mistress Veliky, affirmative: I am a Type-I Infantry-Model "Fisher" Blixtbot™. My designation is Fisher-01."
Crossing her arms and legs, Veliky looks back to Edward and Zarius.
"Yeah. They aren't cut out for retail." She looks to Edward. "What are demons like? I keep hearing about them, but I haven't seen any."
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 1, 2022 17:48:12 GMT -5
Zarius snorts a laugh. "Oh, yeah, you have to watch out for those demons. You can never trust them."
He was amused. He had been mistaken for one so many times he lost count. Darkveil certainly had its share of his kind who would also happily stab someone in the back. He wondered if Edward had just made the common mistake of thinking a tiefling and a demon were the same thing.
He listens to Veliky talk about her construct companions. It must be nice to have robots at your command, they don't seem like they would talk back much or complain. Still, how much independent thought they have has yet to be seen. He probably wouldn't feel like he could rely on them the same way as a organic being.
Zarius feels around in his bag for a quill and one of his ink wells. If they were going to be stuck here for a while, might as well get some work down. He drips some water from his waterskin into the ink well and shakes it up before nestling it in the sand so it doesn't tip over and starts scratching down notes on the pages of his notebook.
The demon topic comes back up and he stays out of it for the most part. He doesn't feel one way or another about it. All he knows is that his kind carry some amount of fiendish blood which explains their appearance, but it does not inform their nature in most cases. Some tieflings work hard to defy their heritage and the social baggage it comes with, others embrace it and use it to their advantage. There are situations that call for friendliness, while others call for cruelty. It all depended on what choice was more effective in that moment.
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Edward Ardent on Oct 1, 2022 21:32:25 GMT -5
Edward nods gravely, not picking up on the obvious sarcasm. He is obviously reminiscing over that time and seems excited in telling the story. “Yes, the succubus I had faced back then in Darkveil was a tricky creature to capture. She disguised herself as a dangerous minotaur named Shaa and tricked me and Shaa into fighting each other. While we were fighting, she stabbed me when I was caught off guard and left me gravely injured. Thankfully, the minotaur, Shaa, saved me and trapped the demon in a oven. How he did it was beyond me at the time. As for demons, Veliky, my father often told me that demons are perversions of the natural world created by powerful, dark and twisted beings that sought to topple over the gods to become the new rulers of Charon. Of course, this comes from my father. He might be wrong. Tieflings are descended from some of these demons but they aren’t true demons. I don’t believe in the nonsense my father spouts about tieflings being just as evil as true demons.”
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Post by Veliky on Oct 1, 2022 22:31:29 GMT -5
Succubus... she's heard that word before, but where? Her attempt to recall removes all expression from her face, and distracts her from most of what Edward says.
When he finishes speaking, Veliky spends several moments in silence, in deep thought, staring at Edward. She remembers now; after she'd met Heian, she did some cursory research to learn what an incubus is: a dangerous demon with the powers of shapeshifting that feeds on vice. One of the documents she read noted that succubi are, in essence, female versions of incubi. It is said that both incubi and succubi wield allure as a weapon, tempting their victims with promises of sinful delight.
Veliky leans forward, hands on her chin as she stares into Edward's eyes with deathly seriousness. She speaks in a low, secretive and demanding voice.
"...There are succubi in Darkveil City?"
"Veliky..." The voice, vibrating with fatherly disappointment, emanates from behind her, but only she can hear it. She doesn't respond to it, but it does remind her that elaboration may be in order. She leans back, her voice becoming more relaxed.
"I might travel there at some point in the future, so it'd be good to prepare for any of the threats I might encounter there[1]."
1. Smooth Talking
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 1, 2022 22:58:27 GMT -5
Zarius shakes his head, entertained by Edward's story. Of course it was a succubus, they were always starting up trouble. He taps his quill against the page he is scribbling on.
"Your father is not completely wrong about our kind. There are tieflings who might as well be legitimate demons. It just depends on who you ask. Darkveil is full of all sorts of unsavory types and prejudice can push people to some very dark places indeed."
He glances at Veliky. It was her tone and change in posture that caught his attention. She seemed very interested in the suggestion that there are succubi in Darkveil. Her following reasoning sounds earnest enough though. It was smart to know what kind of dangers you could be walking into and this whole storm situation was a good reminder of that.
"Really, it is the politics in Darkveil you need to avoid getting caught up in. People disappear all the time there with no trace. If you do go, just make sure you do not start a fight you cannot finish." He warns, then he looks at Veliky.
"The human has the right idea of already having a local as an ally there. If you go with the intent of talking business, it would be best to make some allies as quickly as possible. It will give you a fighting chance in the chaos."
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Edward Ardent on Oct 2, 2022 9:46:08 GMT -5
Edward nods at Zarius’s advice, “The city is very dangerous. Filled with people hiding their secrets and secrets hiding in the shadows. It is easy to cause chaos because there really isn’t much to enforce the laws there. You can bribe the local enforcement to look the other way to avoid being caught doing unpleasant business. If you’re looking to set up your shop or cafe, you would have to be careful. You might step on some toes if you aren’t looking carefully. As far as I know, Darkveil is home to all types of shady folk and creatures, including demons like succubi. There might be dozens or hundreds of them hiding within the city.”
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Post by Veliky on Oct 2, 2022 10:53:58 GMT -5
As she listens to the their advice, Veliky produces a glass bottle from her coat. It contains a strange, luminescent, brown-red liquid[1] that appears to bubble in a manner similar to the Blixt™ she gave to Edward, but at a much higher intensity. She casually removes the stopper and takes a sip.
"I'm no stranger to politics." She swirls the liquid in the bottle, pondering. "...Still, having law is nice. Will have to do some research, see if it's worth it."
She takes a long sip. Darkveil isn't particularly high on her list on priorities, but she could still pay a visit... no, Raguel would never allow it. That much, he's made all too clear.
"At the moment, I'm looking at King's Valley, Zeinav and Moonglade. Frost Gale is too cold, Dragon's Cradle is a hellscape and Gazablaak..." her face softens, downcast. Is she remembering? Calculating? It's difficult to tell. "...well, there's potential there. Maybe in the future. Too sparse at the moment."
Her eyes stray to the darkness that obscures the deeper parts of the cave. No, this is a calculating expression. What she wore before was less clear.
"...Six bodies isn't bad for an exploration." She looks back to Edward and Zarius, her eyes serious. "Listen. We all want to get out of this place. I don't have any way of knowing what's down there, but it is a well-known route that'll take us where we need to go. If we want to go down there, it'd be best to do it soon, together. Strength in numbers. Are you two willing to go into dangerous territory?"
1. (Flask of Feijoada) Blixt™ Feijoada
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 2, 2022 12:18:35 GMT -5
Edward knew a surprising amount for claiming to have been there only once before. It made Zarius wonder who exactly his friend was and what sort of status they held in the corrupt city of vices and violence. There was no harm in asking.
"Who is it you are meeting in Darkveil City, if you do not mind me asking?"
The answer would be telling, if it turned out Edward's friend was high up the social ladder their situation may be more...complicated than it currently is.
Zarius makes a wincing expression in response to Veliky. "Not much law to learn there. Order is loose at best in Darkveil. Though if you did get in with the ones who call the shots around there you would certainly come away with plenty of coin which, as Edward has stated, is a very effective resource there if you know how to use it."
Veliky was becoming more talkative, but he could tell she had hardly let her guard down. Her aspirations for expansion were impressive at least. Whether or not she could back up those words with action was yet to be seen. She did get herself caught in a stand storm after all. Then again, so did he.
"Tired of our pleasant conversation on demons and Darkveil are you?" He teases. "I am not opposed to pushing deeper into this cave to kill time until the storm has passed."
He snaps his notebook closed and starts packing up his stuff.
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Edward Ardent on Oct 2, 2022 18:59:46 GMT -5
Edward turns to Zarius, “Well, its the Minotaur I told you about. He’s my friend, we’re going there to mostly relax from fighting a yeti up north in Frost Gale. I had to stay behind in Frost Gale for a while to take care of some business but now that I’m free, I’m going to Darkveil to meet him. I don’t mind exploring deeper into the caves, I think we can take care of ourselves. I can heal those who get injured while exploring the pass.”
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Post by Veliky on Oct 2, 2022 22:22:35 GMT -5
"It's decided, then. One moment." Veliky downs the rest of... whatever she's drinking over the course of several seconds before exhaling and handing the now-empty bottle to Fisher. "If you have any torches, light them now. Otherwise, the horse is our only light source."
The horse-bot, called Envy, serves its purpose well enough; though the flames spewing from the back of its neck are both disconcerting and uncomfortably hot, they provide illumination comparable to a campfire, bathing the sandstone walls in an orange glow. As well, now that they're more certainly on the party's side, having the bots present does lend a greater sense of safety, even if the hissing and clanking of their joints becomes more loathsome with time. They march at both fore and rear, making them the first in line to be attacked by anything that might intercept the party - one of the benefits of expendability.
But that hasn't happened yet. After thirty minutes, there have been no turns, no landmarks and nothing alive to welcome them. Of course, it's much too early to say whether or not the stories of Wind Walker's Pass had been exaggerated.
Veliky, who walks just beside Envy, looks about with interest. It's an unfamiliar environment; she's seen and explored caves, even before she left home, but never one quite like this. She won't hide that she's curious.
"Zarius, you said you were a historian's assistant. Any idea how this place got its name?" Her voice echoes down the tunnel, but no more loudly than the bots' incessant cacophony.
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 2, 2022 22:53:53 GMT -5
Zarius walks with his hands tucked in his pockets, keeping his fingertips on his knuckle knives in case they were jumped by anything within the cave.
A minotaur. Thinking on it, he is pretty sure that he has not previously met any, nor are there any in his family's circle. He considers making a note to look into it later, but it does not seem like something of any use to him yet.
He actually does not know the answer to Veliky's question. Geographical and natural history is not his purview. His personal focus is more on those in power and their assets, while his cover is that he was keeping track of recent events that may some day be historically noteworthy. That being said, he is feeling a bit bored and coming up with something on the spot seems like an entertaining challenge. He is fairly confident he could come up with something satisfactory for the short half-halfling half-goblin. He looks up at the cave's ceiling in thought for a moment before answering.
"If I recall correctly, Wind Walker's Pass was originally just a labyrinth carved by a dragon living in the area. A mage who specialized in wind magic and rumored to have never set foot on land managed to slay the dragon single handedly. The locals were so amazed and grateful since they could use its tunnels to connect trade routes between settlements. The mage did not linger though to bask in the glory, instead disappearing into the tunnels never to be seen again. They say if you listen closely to the wind howling through the stones you can make out a voice speaking in some long lost language."
The tale is a complete fabrication of events, but it sounds like it could be true. That's the nice thing about folktales, they are easy to just pull out of thin air because they don't have to be accurate.
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Post by Edward Ardent on Oct 3, 2022 10:44:40 GMT -5
Edward can see that the caves are going deeper in and can feel the rush of wind blowing around him every now and then as they continue to walk. “Well, that’s very interesting, Zarius. I never knew that about this place. I wonder if I could become like that wizard of legend, slaying dragons that have created such wonders like this pass. It’s a pity that such a magnificent being has been killed like that. I’m know a thing or two about the history of KIng’s Valley but I’m grateful to hear such stories about other regions. It just shows that there is still so much to learn about Charon, not matter how significant it is. How about you tell us a story, Veliky? I’m interested in knowing about all the places you visited. I usually travel on quests to help others out, so I never really stay in one place for long.”
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Post by Veliky on Oct 3, 2022 23:04:41 GMT -5
Dragons - those she has heard of. They were the villains of practically every story she'd heard as a child. She always wondered why they had such an obsession with kidnapping princesses. Do they have the same penchant in reality? She supposes that it isn't much stranger than the knights that go out of their way to kill them, or a mage in the case of Zarius' story. Is it profitable, somehow?
...She wishes she could just carve a labyrinth somewhere. Cheaper than permits.
She looks up absentmindedly, pondering Edward's request. They probably don't want to hear about any of those silly dragon stories, but she wonders if her personal ones would be particularly impressive to actual adventurers.
"In my village, they told us about some monster called a 'grimbul' that ate children who wandered at night. Never heard news about any grimbul attacks. They were probably lying." Her speech is quick and direct, like she's paraphrasing a book. "Pon told good stories - true ones. He spent some time in Zeinav, told me about how he raided one of the pyramids. More boring than they make it seem in the myths. Lots of caution, looking for traps. His companion was the one that made the story interesting; tried to get my Pon killed, take the treasure for himself. But there was no treasure. Already raided. Complete loss."
She lets in a long, congested sniff. The smell is off-putting; Veliky isn't sure what she might've expected from a sandstone cavern, but she wouldn't have predicted the scent of vinegar. But she doesn't know if it's usual or not, so she ignores it for the time-being.
"He didn't exaggerate when he told stories. Slow, mundane, dull. Liked it. More grounded. Easy to tell he loved adventuring, even the tedious parts. Were either of your parents in the business?"
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