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Post by Ray Castien on Nov 6, 2022 20:27:57 GMT -5
Dusty pages and concerned looks were the only thing Ray had found in the academy so far. It seemed not many were willing to brazenly stroll in and ask for the vast body of research on cults, dark gods, and demon summoning. The librarian had almost called the guards before realizing Ray's religious affiliations. Worse yet, it seemed that this section was haphazardly kept and not often attended to; books were out of order, covered in dust and debris, pages were torn out or smudged, and a whole section seemed to have been burned yet left on the shelf. The few intact books he did find read like a madman's ravings or were literal guides on the summoning of demons...
Had it not been for the events back in Moonveil he wouldn't need to be flipping pages in some library. Whatever magic they'd used on him had wiped days off his memory. All he had now was a half deciphered code and his memory of past encounters with the cult to go off of. If he could even find a bit of info it could jog his memory and he'd be able to pick up the chase once more. With little success and mounting frustration Ray brought the tomb he'd been reading "Dark Gods and Their Followers" down on the table forcefully, sending a loud thud through the quiet library.
"By The Wanderer, curse this blasted library..." He grunted the words out in quiet anger before plopping into a chair at the desk and rubbing his brow.
"Seeker, have patience, our fortune will change. This burden will not be yours alone to bear much longer..." Qil's voice rang out in his mind, clear and calm despite the frustration of his host.
The celestial hitching a ride on his soul always seemed one step ahead, yet never managed to be helpful. Ray's focus was broken as he noticed a few library goers were now peeking through and around shelves at him to see what the disturbance was. He let out a sigh and laid his head on the book in resignation while the gawkers steadily dispersed.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 9, 2022 13:56:00 GMT -5
I thumbed over books about demons, old tiefling practices, and hell itself to try to understand what the hell was going on with me (yes, the pun was intentional. I need a break okay? We could do more than tell jokes, Maybe- Nopenopenope.)
A solid thump snapped me out of my thoughts, and I stared at the pile of paper that had probably been a book once, but time and mistreatment had worn through it's spine and the cover was missing. Why is it mistreated? They're even petty enough to treat our books like this. Leave a wealth of knowledge to sit and collect dust. Though to be fair, I hadn't learned much. What useful information there might have been was encoded with cultural and spiritual jargon, and most of what I could comprehend was pretty much the same as what I'd learned from the cults in the Ash Lands- that there was a demon part of me that was trying to do something. Main difference was that the cultists had worded "what the demon was trying to do to me" as a kind of prophetic possession and granting of power, where the books here called it a corruption of body and soul and realization of demons in Charon. Unfortunately, neither source had any tips or details on how to not go insane from these spiritual tribulations aside from the typical self control self help stuff. Deciding that I really did need a break, I went to peek around the shelf and see what the source of the noise was. Sitting there with his head literally in a book, was a half-elf man looking exactly as I felt- frustrated and tired.
False Object (cover horns)
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 9, 2022 18:57:46 GMT -5
Sure there are a lot of books in the library, but Astrid is here not for books on cults and demons - though it's tempting to do some research on the topic to learn more of her origins. Instead, she's in the atlas section pulling maps off of the shelves and onto a table. She has one book open to a page explaining how to make use of the bizarre tool she scooped up from the cultists. At the time she was much more concerned with making a swift exit from Bellighul's villa that she didn't bother to take the one archaeologist cultist in for questioning. She's cursed herself enough for it, so now she can only move forward and try to figure out where the heck this astrolabe or compass or whatever it is will lead her. According to the open book, these tools are expensive and rare. No wonder the Lord of Ghouls had it in his vault.
She hears the heavy thud of a book reverberate throughout the library and looks up and around both alertly and curiously. Habitually she looks over her shoulder for the metal humanoid BlixtbotTM but remembers he's waiting outside with Spicy Pawsage the hellhound to avoid setting the building on fire by a stray burp or fart. Whoever is groaning in frustration seems to be in the same boat as her, so she collects her maps and wanders over towards the sound. It doesn't take long to spot the snowy owl woman also looking on with interest. Astrid struggles to maintain her demeanor, but the bird lady is really cool. Instead, she leans around her and spots the exhausted half-elf.
"Seems like we're all havin' a rough go of it, huh?" she says.
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Ray Castien on Nov 10, 2022 9:35:27 GMT -5
The unexpected remark at first brought no reaction from Ray. He expected no one to interact with him here and imagined it was just Qil, then he realized it had been a young girl's voice and raised his head to look for the source. Spotting the gawking duo near a bookshelf was reassuring, another voice in his head was the last thing he needed. A bird lady and a youngster looked towards him with curiosity, they were unique even among the academy's diverse crowd.
This was likely related to what Qil had said earlier, though it seemed odd to expect help from such a duo... how does one even bring up an ancient and powerful artifact to strangers in a library? To make things more peculiar they both seemed unusually young, particularly the blonde girl, could she be 10? Or, maybe she was like Veliky and somehow an adult though child-like in appearance...
Either way, he'd let this awkward silence linger for far too long while examining the two. He pointed to a set of chairs at the same table as his own with a beckoning hand.
"I'm guessin you two are looking for something as well? Sit, please. My mind could use a break from these infernal tomes. Perhaps we can help one another in our searches." Ray's voice was deep and raspy.
As he raised his head the wealth of scars adorning it were clear. With his raised left arm it became obvious that his right was missing, the dark brown robe's sleeve was cut and what remained barely covered the hole that would've revealed his stump of a shoulder.
He assumed from their positions they knew each other, and the bundle of maps gave away the blonde girl's purpose quite readily. The Wanderer rarely waisted a chance meeting...
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 16, 2022 1:37:33 GMT -5
Well, well, well, wasn’t this a sight. A child, an amputee and a half tiefling in hiding, meeting in a section of the library so shady there was an implicit forbiddance. I mean, I don’t know how much help they’ll be, but if they’re here too they probably won’t shun me (Haha, Shun, my alias). Puns aside, I put the book into the shelf where I thought it should go. Not where I found it, I’d found it atop one of the little piles on the floor. Instead I put it on a dusty, half empty shelf labeled 'Infernal Cultures'. I took some books off a stool and pulled pulled it up to the table to use as a seat as gracefully as I could. Which wasn't very, considering the weight of the stack of inked paper, but the thought lent me some of the confidence that I needed to talk to the little lady and the weathered man. Because regardless of whether they could actually help me in my endeavor to not go insane, if I can get them to spill a few interesting tales, that'll help me not go hungry.
All things considered, I sat down, looked them both in the nose (not the eyes, that's a bit too intense) and said quietly "Sure… what have you been looking into?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 16, 2022 20:53:34 GMT -5
More than happy for the distraction from reading and staring at maps she doesn't know how to read, Astrid carries her bundle over to the table and sets them down haphazardly on the table. One map gets away from her, so she clumsily snags it and adds it back to the pile. It takes moment for the stack to convince her it's stable before she sits down. And then she's blocked by the pile, so she moves her chair over. The scooting is not so quiet. She's not good in quiet places.
First things first, introductions. Astrid immediately offers each of her hands to her new acquaintances. "I'm Astrid Stormstone, nice ta meet ya," she says cheerfully. When they shake her hand (if they shake), they find her grip surprisingly strong for her small size. "I'm here with alla these maps tryna figure out how the heck ta use this." With that, she sets the compass or astrolabe or whatever the heck it is that navigates folks with maps down on the table between them. "I snatched it from some cultists who wanted ta use it ta find an artifact of sorts."
Realizing she doesn't particularly know them well, she slowly slides it back towards herself. "Yer not... cultists, right?"
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Post by Ray Castien on Nov 17, 2022 9:10:15 GMT -5
Seeing a small group convening in the most infamous section of the library and now hearing mention of cultists a good number of nearby library patrons made a hasty exit. Ray smiled, stifling laughter as the youngster asked if he was a member of the cults, if only they knew how many he'd been forced to kill. The items they had brought over seemed to be significant, if the cultists had been holding on to them they'd likely be a part of this all too vague puzzle as well.
Ray leaned in to the two, speaking in a hushed tone.
"I ain't no cultist, they've tried to kill me more than once though. Now Im looking to stop whatever they're up to, and earn myself some peace in the process."
He straightened himself, coughing to clear his throat before dragging out an inscription sketched onto a torn and singed piece of paper. Laying it open on the table between them, he pointed to a section of exceptionally well penned notes at the bottom.
"Inscription seems to detail a location of importance, a temple of some divinity. Details given point to a mesa in a desert of some sort. Mentions of giants and the 'heart of the sun' are made. While esoteric in language, it was simple to decode. After exploring further connections all signs point to..." The rest of the page is inconveniently missing, as is half of the original passage.
"As you can see, we'd found a lead but were all separated before we could manage to follow it. Now the notes are lost, and so I wound up here looking to fill in the blanks."
He then nods his head towards the two of them.
"Apologies, I've not introduced myself. Name's Ray, healer of the order of The Blessed Wanderer."
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 22, 2022 3:33:30 GMT -5
… Would I be considered a cultist? I practice what I'm pretty sure are demonic arts, but it's not like I'm part of a cult, unless a cult can comprise of only two people. Then again Dad learned it from his hometown…..
My thoughts immediately switched gears when the map was brought out. I've seen it before, or at least something similar to it. Then I remembered the cheerful lady who'd given it to me, and the shady people who probably lead to her abrupt disappearance. Cultists, looking for an artifact. Then he introduced himself and that reminded me that I should probably do that too. "You can call me Shun" I paused a second, debating whether I needed to say this explicitly letting her think that I'm a cultist would be funny, especially since it's probably half true, before realizing that if I said it now, after such a noticeable hesitation would probably make me more suspicious. So I just pulled the map out from where it'd been sitting at the bottom of my bag for a few months now, and spread it out on the table. It was certainly a more comfortable topic than why I was actually here. I pointed to the lines of characters at the bottom of the map, then to burnt piece of paper. "Maybe…"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 22, 2022 16:26:03 GMT -5
Astrid watches while Ray and Shun introduce themselves and pull out their own clues. Ray seems like the kind of person to fight cultists if he's from a fancy order. Shun, on the other hand... Well, that "maybe" resonates in the air for a moment. Then Astrid shrugs a little. "If yer a cultist and ya try ta stab me in the back, I s'pose I'll hafta smash yer brains in." She says it so simply and without the tone of a typical threat. It's as if a child told a bug that if it bit her, she'd just have to kill it. Not threatening in the slightest. Nope.
She sets the compass-astrolabe-pointy-bendy-angle-metal back on the table. "This has its own inscription too. 'The north stars guide ya.' So I figure it's a compass of sorts, but I dunno how ta make it work. It don't move freely, either, like it's got notches, and it's weird that it'd say 'north stars'. Isn't there only one?" Pondering the situation, she looks at the map Shun laid out on the table and the notes from Ray. It's at this point she notices small four-pointed stars scattered around the top half of the map of Charon with a nine-pointed star in the center of the top, representing the true north star. There are similar symbols on the compasstrolabe. "Oh...! Maybe we use it all together!"
Astrid grabs a pencil from her pocket and lays a crinkled piece of vellum over Shun's map and starts tracing all the stars and finagling with the odd tool she took from the basement. The notches in the tool prevent it from moving about freely, and soon she finds that the width of the tool corresponds to different groups of stars. Using it, she soon has lines drawn across the vellum over the map, and they all cross in one single place: Arid Mesa. Her eyes light up. "Mesa! That's like yer notes, Mister Ray!"
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Fighter's Guild
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Post by Ray Castien on Nov 24, 2022 20:38:06 GMT -5
As the owl person introduced their-self Ray felt a tinge of suspicion, a sort of gut feeling against trusting them. It wasn't related to the 'maybe' given to the cultist question but stemmed from a hint of darkness he felt from her presence. Perhaps she'd been around some dark magic, or perhaps she practiced it. Qil was quiet so far, yet Ray could also feel a sense of curiosity from him towards the owl and her alignment. He would need to be careful with this one, despite her current helpfulness...
"Indeed... it is." Ray focused hard, eyes closed and hand rubbing his temples.
Ray thought back to his last foray on the Arid Mesa. He hadn't had a chance to explore much of the island but he did converse with those who had. A certain area, mentioned by pirates for its usefulness as a dead drop location, stuck out in his memory. His eyes opened as he smiled slightly.
"The Giant's Causeway..." He pointed to the notes, tapping the part about giants before pointing out the location on the map. "It's a whole mess of an area, dangerous and easy to get lost in. Seems like the cultists have tracked something there, likely to some old ruins or a cave of some sort." A sigh of relief left his lips and his eyes lit up with energy and focus.
"Thank the Wanderer for you two, all that's left is to get there now. Hopefully the captain that took me there last is in port." He stood from his chair with obvious excitement, he'd finally found a sense of direction in the fight against the cult. His new compatriots would likely want to tag along and considering his suspicions towards Shun it was likely for the better. If they were a cultist Ray would have to stop them from achieving whatever their goal was, if not he'd have backup in the fight he suspected they were headed to.
"Let's head out then. Less either of you have a better idea?"
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 28, 2022 10:51:49 GMT -5
Oh dear, it seems that they took my ambiguous statement the wrong way. Then again, I'm not surprised- people have been perceiving me more ominously than before. I noticed it mostly when I was working- as I keep my horns hidden, there should be no indication that I'm anything but a regular Avian storyteller. Recently, it's been harder to attract a crowd. I find myself relying on the pipe more to keep the mood upbeat, most people seeming to feel slightly uneasy without the immersive visual effects....That's yet another reason I need to find how to suppress the… side effects of my… fighting style as soon as possible. But this was the opportunity of a lifetime. I mean, this is the first viable lead on the Sol Stone in centuries. Though the inscription was almost suspiciously easy to decipher. I deliberated intensely with myself on whether to chase the legend as I always so loved to, of to continue to try to piece together the fragments of whatever -in-hell the origins of my abilities were. Then Ray said "let's head out" - including me, despite the mistrust. Well, I'm the last person to look a gift horse in the mouth, and besides I've been at this for months. A hiatus wouldn't hurt.
And so, a couple of weeks in boat later, I get that dreaded feeling of déjà vu as I step off of a water-vessel and into the Arid Mesa.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 28, 2022 19:29:48 GMT -5
"No better ideas from me!" Astrid cheerily says. With the lot in agreement, she exits the library with them and reconvenes with her two companions, Spicy Pawsage and Charles the Type-I Pawn Model BlixtbotTM. Of course, being the odd companions they are, she spends the time to introduce the hellhound and metal golem to her new friends.
Before she knows it, they're on a boat chartered for Arid Mesa, and the journey is a long one. Astrid does not quite love boats after her first experience on one, but she's slowly overcoming that. She spends those weeks talking and talking and talking to Ray and Shun and getting an overall feel for them as people. She is, of course, an odd twelve-year-old on her own adventure in a profession usually filled by adults. Nothing seems to deter her though. It's probably for the better.
Eventually, they arrive at Arid Mesa and make their way to the location marked on the map. Though some of the rumors surrounding the area are a bit... concerning to say the least. More tales of strange hooded men traveling the roads. Not a problem at all. Cultists don't concern Astrid. The last batch she dealt with were just a bunch of silly folks in hoods with no organization whatsoever. A few bonks here, broken knees there, and they'll be out of the way in no time.
So it comes as a surprise to her when they finally reach the destination, the temple, and not only do hooded figures stand outside of it, but so do hulking, fiery creatures with horns and tails. Ah, those must be real cultists. Maybe it's best they approach this carefully.
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Post by Ray Castien on Nov 28, 2022 23:10:57 GMT -5
Long could hardly describe the boat ride... Ray's new companions grew more confusing the more they spoke. The child especially was insistent on talking to him the entire trip, it was a welcome distraction from the sea sickness he got on ships. The owl woman had been less talkative, though he'd become more comfortable having her around and no longer worried as much of her motives.
Arriving at the mesa brought back memories that seemed more akin to a fever dream, he hoped this venture would be more comprehendible. His hopes were filled when they approached the temple and spotted the defenses outside it. Qil's energy grew excited at the presence of what seemed to be demons at the temple complex. The celestial always took special joy in battle when no grey area existed. Fighting actual demons and the cultists that worship them provided just such an opportunity.
Staying low to avoid being spotted Ray looked to his companions, still unsure of their capability in battle.
"Looks like a handful outside, likely more inside..." He tried to think of a strategy but his experience lied with organized bandit parties, adventurers tended to simply run at a threat and he'd gotten used to doing the same alongside them.
"I can provide The Wanderer's blessing upon us to strengthen our arms, and healing if things get to that point. I suggest we try to take down the cultists first, they'll likely be more creative...and creative, is often more deadly." He raised his brows to highlight the statement.
Another thought entered his head, something a tad bit more drastic.
"I could also provide a distraction if the two of you work better with the element of surprise? I tend to be more durable than most."
His muscles grew more tense and his breathing steadied as the wave of adrenaline and anticipation of the looming battle began to take effect.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Dec 2, 2022 2:00:27 GMT -5
After yet a while more of traveling through the Mesa itself- I watched my traveling companions lower their guards. Astrid had the energy of any other child, except used for giving her opponents concussions. Ray was more reserved, not only because he was an adult but also probably because he was a little suspicious of me. Even so, between little conversations and nights spent camping, we all knew that there would at least be not backstabbing.
Now we crouched behind a rock formation some hundred meters away from a temple. I gave what Ray said some thought. If he were to be a distraction and bull rush, then that means that I'll get to deal some damage. Just like the last time I was in the Mesa. That was fun. But… I should at least let them know my skill set before I let him jump in like a martyr. "I can use my talons to attack- I like dive bombing the best- but my specialty is tricks and illusions. Stuff like making them think I'm they're lover, or making them see and hear things." We've been traveling together for a while, I hope they're comfortable enough with this much at least. Then I realized that the claw I'd been gesturing with was already covered with leathery plating and a battle ready red. Eeeehhh they're probably going to see them battle, so better show them now, I guess? Adventures were generally pretty accepting of weird and typically shunned stuff (like people with demon claws who can cast mind tricks) so they should be ok… right? I made sure that none of my nervousness made its was to my face as I awaited their reaction. False Object (only let's it up at night)
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 2, 2022 23:46:20 GMT -5
Looking between the two of them, Astrid considers her strengths then whispers, "Don't matter too much ta me how we approach it. I'm strong and good with lightnin'. Nothin' too long range, but I can throw me hammers and bring 'em back. This one's got lightnin' and this one's got silver. And I've got Spicy Pawsage; he can breathe fire." The hellhound at her side boofs quietly, tail wagging. "Charles will stay outta the fightin', he mostly just carries me stuff around and keeps me outta trouble."
She creeps forward to look at the situation. "Hm... Three hooded folks and two of the... hulkin' fiery monsters." She hums again then snaps her fingers. "I've got an idea, I've got a ghost ta help us!" The girl waves her hands around, magic glowing softly, then from behind her, a ghostly woman with a soft face and a simple, tattered dress emerges.
"Hello, Astrid," the woman says in a soft voice. She quickly notices the odd location and new companions. "Ah, and hello to you, new friends of Astrid. How can I help you, dear?"
Astrid grins up at the woman. "Hey, Miss Melodia. Do ya mind lookin' around fer us? There's some cultist lookin' guys and monsters over there!"
Melodia looks in the direction of the temple and looks a bit exasperated. "Getting yourself into trouble again? Of course I'll help you. Give me a few moments." As she moves past, she fades from few and is gone for a few minutes before fading back into view. "Alright, there are four of the hooded figures, cultists likely. They have three demons or devils or something of the like with them. Inside there seem to be two levers, with one of each of your foes guarding a door. Many of them had some sort of casting implements and basic weapons on them, so be wary. I also spotted an entrance on the side. You can find it by following the staircase, and there's rubble plugging the hole that you'd likely be able to knock loose without much issue. If you'd like, I can cause a distraction?"
While she talks, Astrid ponders all the new information, nodding along with each new piece, then she looks at the others. "A distraction could be good. I'll smack every last one of 'em with me hammers. Silver one should work well on the infernal monsters, so I don't mind focusin' on those if ya like. Oh, I've got wings too, so I can attack 'em from above or get outta a bad situation if I need ta." She then knocks on her cuirass, and her image becomes hard to follow. Each movement has an afterimage that makes it extremely difficult to focus on her. "This helps keep me from takin' too many hits, so I'm good at runnin' inta the fray."
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