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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 7, 2023 1:07:21 GMT -5
Thalia crossed her arms in thought, taking in the appearance of Rosen and thinking of how she can help. One particularly hard gust of wind made her cardigan flap a little aggressively in the breeze, and that gave her the idea. She hesitated for half a second before nodding her head; she was fine without it for a day or so.
“You can borrow my cardigan.” Thalia proposed after a moment of thinking, already shrugging it off of her shoulders and leaving her in the tube top and the leather tights. She pointed to the deep pockets on the sides, saying: “I'd hide your hands and arms in the pockets. Not full proof or anything, but like, it's a start right?”
Thalia was smiling, despite her being a little bit awkward about not wearing her cardigan. She always wore it, as it hid the scars on her lower back, but something told her that the undead guy wouldn't care too much about her scars… hopefully.
“Here put it on, we should probably go though, who knows when they're going to wake up.” Thalia handed Rosen the cardigan, grinning before jutting her head in the direction of the front gates and walking inside of Thunderhoof Village.
“Weird question, slap me or something if you hate it,” Thalia said, “but do you think you were like, a rogue or something in life? You were thinking pretty fast back there for a dead guy.”
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 7, 2023 4:52:13 GMT -5
Rosen looked a little surprised. Tilting his head to the side in momentary confusion, he looked over the cardigan. It wasn’t like being given something was a new concept to Rosen, he remembered that much from his past life. It was more so a different change of pace compared to most people’s treatment of him, most acting like those guards he maimed. He made a mental note that he was going to owe her, not that he minded. She was being very kind to him already. ”Oh! If you’re sure, thank you.“ The elf slipped on the cardigan, it being a little big on him. For someone who used to be an elf, he was a little on the shorter side for his age before death. Regardless, he struck a pose while slipping his hands in the pockets. ”How do I look? Inconspicuous?” He asked, laughing to himself.
Moving on from that, Rosen finally walked into the village he’s been trying so hard to get into. His face was full of wonder and excitement as he looked over the crowds of people, the buildings that he once could only see the rooftops of. His eye practically had stars in it as he stared at it all, looking at every interesting and new thing that would catch his eye. Rosen was shaking, holding himself back from running around and exploring. Making a scene probably wouldn’t be the best as he was already getting looks at the dagger in his head. ”Oh I would never slap you. I don’t really think I was an adventuring type back then so I doubt it. Uhh, I guess it was instinct? Maybe being a u.n.d.e.a.d. helps me? Actually no scratch that, probably not.” Rosen repiled, being careful to spell the word undead as to not out himself immediately.
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 7, 2023 16:08:28 GMT -5
Thalia took a step back to look Rosen up and down. He honestly didn’t look any more or less inconspicuous, as there was still a dagger protruding from his skull and he looked emaciated beyond belief. At least he could sort of hide it though. “Eh, close enough. At least now you have something to hide the really weird parts…mostly.”
Shrugging, Thalia and Rosen walked into Thunderhoof Village, excited for completing another leg of her journey to the north. The village was interesting, with a few people milling about for the day and casting suspicious and unsettled looks their way. Thalia opted to take a singular key from the keyring at random, keeping it as a trinket and leaving the ring itself on the ground toward the front entrance.
“Hmm, weird.” Thalia remarked, incredulous still that Rosen was able to move around without much issue even after a broken bone. Then again, he probably couldn’t feel it, with the whole being undead thing. “Can’t really say I’ve met an undead person before, so I’m not too well versed on that stuff.”
Placing a hand on her hip, Thalia hummed, using the key she nicked as something to mindlessly fidget with. “But anyway, can you drink at all? Or do you at least think hitting up a tavern is fine? Because I haven’t drank in weeks and my mind is a nightmare when I’m sober.”
In all honesty, Thalia really shouldn’t be drinking as much as she does. She wasn’t a child, but she had been drinking consistently whenever she came into a new town. It was a nasty habit that would mess with her later she knew, but if it kept her thoughts at bay she couldn’t be upset.
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 7, 2023 18:43:00 GMT -5
"A tavern?... Oh, like the place where adventurers go. I don't mind but I'm not sure if drinks will do anything to me." Rosen continued down the road, not paying any mind to the looks he was getting by the passerbies.
He searched around for a building that was tavern-like and also looked intriguing. He didn't really have a good idea of what taverns looked like, only a vague memory. After some searching, he found something that was probably good: a large wooden building with tents connected to it in similar size. The building itself was painted with the landscapes of the plains, horses galloping in them. There were a large amount of people entering and exiting the place, the afternoon rush Rosen assumed. The people themselves were varying. There were multiple different groups of men and women, dark elves with olive colored skin and black wavy hair. A couple of brawny sylvans and annoyingly tall sun elves passed by the two, them being dressed in green and brown robes with fluffy collars. He pointed towards the building, glee in his eye. "That looks cool! Lets go there? They have a bunch of people like us going."
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 9, 2023 10:46:32 GMT -5
Thalia practically lit up when she saw the tavern ahead, appearing much differently than how they normally looked. She figured that this was a good spot to settle down for a little while, her legs killing her now that she had been running back and forth coupled with walking for hours before. She nodded to Rosen.
“Yeah let's go!” Thalia agreed. She mostly led the way, despite knowing nothing about the place. It seemed that if nothing else, the moon elf was one for adventure and curiosity. She was looking around at everything, crossing her arms over her midsection now that Rosen had her cardigan. Despite the cross position, Thalia was excited.
When they entered the building, she looked at Rosen in curiosity. “I'm gonna go to the front to get a drink, do you wanna find a table or are you coming with?” Regardless of the answer, Thalia was getting her drink one way or another, but she knew that it would be politer to ask Rosen before she took off. He was their ticket in the town after all. Their illegal ticket, but a way in was away in.
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 9, 2023 11:05:13 GMT -5
Rosen thought for a moment, not really sure if he should get a drink or not till those voices in his head piped up. ”… Oh ok. I’ll get a table. Can you just get me a glass of water? Oh and here, you look uncomfortable without it.” Rosen said, taking off the borrowed cardigan and handing it back to her. Spinning around on his heel, Rosen wandered off to find a table. He passed through a couple groups, the occasional side glance being given. Something interesting did catch the sylvan’s ear. Some hushed murmurs came from a collection elves Rosen saw earlier, the burly sylvans and mountain-tall sun elves. In worried tones, they spoke. ”This month’s harvest is too low. The tribe won’t survive.” ”We must find a way. Perhaps we can hire a druid?” ”With what solars?”
Rosen took a second to weigh in some options. Helping them would help people see he isn’t bad but then again, would they even accept his help? He shrugged it off. They’ll probably call a guard on him. Moving on from it, he sat a table near the front door by a window to look out of. He sat by the window, staying in the sunlight that found its way into the tavern.
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 10, 2023 13:43:09 GMT -5
Thalia was grateful for having her cardigan back, but she did give Rosen a onceover to make sure. “If you’re okay with it. I'll be right back.”
Thalia made her way to the front, not really caring what she got as long as it wasn’t wine. She ordered a tankard of ale and a glass of water, as promised. She got some funky looks, but for the most part she was ignored. Everyone seemed to be a little too busy with their days to give her much grace at all. And so holding the glass tankard in one hand and water in the other, clear practically skipped over to where Rosen was.
“Glass of water for you, ale for me.” The woman sat down, a rather unceremonious movement as the tankard slammed against the table with the force that she put it down. Juxtaposing her previous movements, he carefully put the water in front of Rosen, barely making a sound. She kicked her legs up on the table, cradling the wooden tankard to her lips and taking a swig. Despite being wholly unfamiliar with Thunderhoof Village, she exhibited an amount of ease like she was a regular.
“So that's that, when do you think the guards are gonna come up here? Think they'll be able to get in?” She asked, swilling the contents around in her drink.
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 10, 2023 14:20:45 GMT -5
The sylvan eyed the way she held herself in this tavern, utter confidence with little care for the thoughts of others. He found it intriguing. Was this the norm? Wanting to fit in, he immediately mimicked her. Rosen leaned back in his chair, a little too far at first, nearly toppling back but stopping himself before he completely fell on the floor. Rebalancing, he threw his feet up on the table, holding onto his glass of water. ”Well, if we’re talking about the two outside, they might be either dead or unconscious. We did fall pretty badly. I’d give it an hour before they wake up or someone notices they’re missing. Did you have anything you wanted to do here before they come look for us? I was just going to find someplace that had info on Charon’s history.” Rosen replied, swirling the water in his glass. He held the glass up to his mouth, tipping it over to let the water fall unto his lips. As he slowly drank, something quite peculiar began to occur. The desecrated flowers, once ruined from his tumble, began to regain their color. Wilted petals slowly started to heal. The ones that fell off regrew. ”Oh… Thats new.”
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 10, 2023 14:48:30 GMT -5
Thalia deftly clocked Rosen trying to copy her, finding it funny. She was surprised for half a second before chuckling into her cup, taking another swig and putting it on the table with a heavy sigh. Well her headache was starting to go down, so that was good.
“Oh jeez, you think they're dead? That's probably not good.” Thalia said with no real care behind it. He paused to think. “Personally I just kind of wanna sit here and drink for a little bit. I'll see the sites for a couple of hours but then I gotta hit the road again. I gotta get to the Dragon’s Cradle within the month to pay off this stupid debt. I'm already behind schedule by a week, ugh.”
Thalia reached for her tankard again, wincing at the taste but ignoring it. “Mm, if you wanna go somewhere that'll know some stuff on Charon, I suggest a big city. Zeinav City is just north of here, so you could try that because it's closest. From what I know as well, people don't care too much about the undead there, so long as you don't do anything crazy. I mean, there's like hella vampires in the desert. I almost thought you were one.
Your second best bet I think would probably be Eclipse City or Sol City. If you're looking for information they should have it, just don't make eye contact with any of the locals and you should be all good.” As Thalia spoke she gestured widely, recalling where different places where from the brief time that she was offered a map by Cyran in Lilicors Village. It was a little foggy, but she could vaguely remember where things were.
“I was taught about a lot of stuff in school too, though I wasn't the best student. If you want I can try and answer some questions, if you're chill with that.” Thalia offered, leaning back in her chair in a mildly dangerous position. Her legs still stayed kicked up, but the fear of falling wasn't anything that she cared about.
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 10, 2023 22:41:57 GMT -5
"Oh well, for starters, this Darius fellow. My guardians tell me I have to kill him but apparently he's a king? Was there any sort of kings named Darius during the Rune Wars? I just know the war was going on but I don't remember too much about it. Oh and whats the current political situation with the three kingdoms? Are the sun elves still ruling over everyone and pillaging land? Other than that, I just want to know what I missed if you know of any big events that happened. If you don't really know about all that, I'll probably head to Zeinav City soon." Rosen sat his glass back on the table. For a moment, he looked a bit solemn.
"... Thalia, besides vampires, cuz apparently they're perfectly fine walking about," He said in annoyed tone. "do you think I'll be accepted as the creature I am? I know zombies are undesirable, what with the forbidden necromancy. Though, its a little unfair don't you think? I didn't ask to come back and I definitely didn't choose to be, well, this." He waves his hand to gesture to himself. "In the short time I've gotten to be alive, everyone besides you has been more or less the same as those guards. I get it, things like me are usually killing machines to townsfolk. But I'm capable of making my decisions and I don't even need to hurt people."
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 10, 2023 23:39:29 GMT -5
Thalia took a little bit to answer, allowing for Rosen to finish his sentences before she spoke. Behind the giant tankard her eye went wide as he spoke, putting it back on the table and wiping her mouth with her arm. She heard him say the name Darius before, but she had never expected Rosen to be talking about the infamous tyrant King Darius. Holy hell, what life was he living before this? Her eye narrowed, still listening to Rosen voice all concerns before she slowly answered him.
“Well, first things first,” Thalia started. “If you're talking about the King Darius that I'm thinking of, I think you're talking about the tyrant that caused the Rune Wars a few millennia ago. He was killed by his council members after he executed his son Dante. The sun elves aren't ruling the entirety of Charon anymore, thank the gods. I mean, they're pissy about it but they can't really do anything right now.” She said this with an eye roll. “For the most part everybody is kind of individualistic, I guess? Most sun elves are consigned to Sol City, which is like, centralized in the middle of Charon? I'm really crap about maps and stuff, but you don't often see them outside of the island. Then again I can't really say that for sure, being as I grew up in an area that was completely ruled by the moon elves and their hoity toity castle and shit.
“Some of the sun elves are still really tyrannical, and they started this really weird terroristic group where they would basically parade around and say that they were the superior beings and deserve to rule Charon. For the most part though, most of the stuff that's happening now is kind of current… there was word of an incident in Zeinav, since you're planning to go there. People are getting kidnapped and taken to the volcano in the night. I haven't gotten involved because it's really not my business, but some say that there's a cult up there, they're all losing their crap trying to summon something. Security’s been increased quite a bit over there as a result.”
She took a sip of her drink, draining the last of its contents pretty quickly. “You won't be accepted in some places, and you will in others. I haven't been traveling long, but it's what I've picked up from being on the road for so long. I don't judge people because I’d honestly be a hypocrite. And while I don't exactly know how you were risen… I kind of understand what you're going through.”
Thalia paused to think, her next decision being mostly backed up by the fact that she knew Rosen’s pain more than he probably knew. She might as well show him, right? She put her legs down, making an abrupt setting sound against the floor, before she leaned over and slightly moved the green ribbon from where it tied around her throat.
What Rosen saw was a large, jagged scar that from the look of it stretched all the way around her neck. Most of the scar were healed, but it appeared rotted and serrated in some spots. It looked like her neck had been hacked at with a serrated axe. It was a very quick revelation, something Thalia probably never would have shown anybody if she were sober and if the person wouldn't understand, and she quickly covered it back up.
“We all have scars, but I don't think any of them really do anything except tell a story. I think it's a shame that people are so quick to judge. It's just that some of us choose to cover ourselves and try and fit in,” -- Thalia gestured to herself and how she chose to cover almost every blemish on her body in some way -- “while others just let it go and decide to like, work with it I guess. It's all up to you I think, who cares if people don't like you? What matters is the people who do, yknow?”
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 11, 2023 10:55:31 GMT -5
Rosen listened closely, face of quiet understanding. Even the voices that were always talking in the back of his mind fell silent. From what she was saying, this Darius was a tyrant from when he was alive. Though, that would mean he should be dead now. The voices' desire for the man's death was... already done. However, the sun elves of before were apparently angry about it and still sought themselves as higher beings. Perhaps that hatred for Darius could be moved to those elves. There was something going on at Zeinav and if he was already heading there, he could try to see if there was any relation to the elves...
When Thalia showed Rosen her scar, a wave of complex emotions struck the undead. Questions of: Who did this to her? Why do this? How long has she had it? Rosen was mad, worried, scared, just about all you'd expect from seeing a bad scar on someone who's done nothing but been kind to you... Rosen waited till she finished saying her piece, a sad smile forming as she talked about how we deal with our scars and the people around us...
"I... just... thank you, Thalia. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was gonna do now that the one thing my friends in my head wanted was for the Darius guy to be dead but now, I think I have a clear goal... Oh and here, its only fair." Rosen pulled on his pink sweater, raising it up slightly to reveal a clear cut all around his midsection that was been stitched together by tiny, thorny vines. It obviously wasn't as bad as hers but he figured he should show the one he hid most besides his eye. Letting go of his sweater, he looked up at her. "I probably should ask for permission but I really want to do this." He got up from his seat, walking towards her and giving her a hug. "Sorry but again... thanks for being a good friend to me."
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 11, 2023 11:14:25 GMT -5
Thalia looked at Rosen’s scar, and a wave of sadness rushed over her. She had seen the amount of strange scars and blemishes that littered his body, and her gaze only grew sadder when she saw how much worse it looked. Fate really had a thing with toying with wrong people, didn't it?
Despite this sadness, Thalia still managed to keep a smile on her face. “Of course, scars are for sharing after all. It's no different than telling any story, they just kind of reside a little bit more permanently.”
Thalia is about to say more, perhaps to inquire about the scar but hesitating to do so, when Rosen stood and gave her a hug. Her eyes went wide, hands lifting in confusion as she took a moment to process. She didn't know what to do at first, being that this was the second time somebody had ever hugged her in about a century. With a shuddering sigh, she slowly reached up to very awkwardly hug him back, not against it but a little unused to it.
“No, um, no problem.” She murmured, a bit embarrassed that she was so awkward. A friend... that sounded really nice. “It's really no big deal, it takes less than nothing to be nice, yknow? You also haven't done anything wrong; it's not your fault.”
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Post by Ube Calisto on Jun 11, 2023 12:48:39 GMT -5
Rosen gave a soft chuckle. He knew she meant well but Rosen's experience with people hasn't been the greatest. "Considering you're the first to be kind besides these voices, I'm either really unlucky or in the wrong place." Rosen retracted from the embrace, his smile even brighter than it was before. It felt nice having a friend who understood some of the problems he had. Not to mention a friend who has had his back. With new found determination and finally some validation, Rosen backed up a bit and laughed a little at his embarrassed friend.
"Well, we should probably start going befor-" It was already too late. The doors of the tavern swung open as a few guards stepped in. The faces of them were rightfully pissed. Entering the building with loud metal marching, a particularly familiar soldier stood in front of them gripping his halberd intensely.
"Where the hell are those two scarred elves?!" He shouted, clearly and obviously angry. He scanned the room till eventually spotting the two he deemed as troublemakers. "AFTER THEM!!!" He cried out, his fellow guards now making a move and running towards the two.
"Ah damn. That was a little earlier than I thought." Rosen turned to Thalia, that mischievous smile forming once more. "Wanna get out of here?"
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Post by Thalia Fellstar on Jun 11, 2023 14:07:08 GMT -5
Thalia felt genuine pity for Rosen. She couldn't say that everyone she met on her travels thus far were the nicest people, but the ones who were certainly held a place in her heart. She never expected that that would happen, but she was glad to add Rosen to that list.
Of course though, all good things came to an end, as the guards charged right into the tavern, looking irate. That was probably not good. Letting out a groan of irritation, Thalia stood up with her tankard, scratching her arms overhead as she seemed to be in no rush to leave.
She matched Rosen’s expression, her signature smile coming back once again. She twirled the large empty mug on her finger, spark of something crossing her eye. “Let's go.”
The regular patrons of the tavern look equal parts confused and mildly intrigued at the sudden intrusion. Then Thalia grabbed Rosen’s arm, running straight into the guards. It was a stupid idea in hindsight, until with brute strength that didn't look like it belonged to someone so scrawny, the moon elf woman let go of Rosen and swung the tankard heavily into one guard’s face, breaking it against his helm and causing him to stagger into the guard behind him.1 They were getting out of there, but Thalia would be damned if she didn't get her licks in first. She was careful not to jostle her bag around too much, but suddenly Thalia was using the broken tankard as a weapon carve and exit through the guards, her back to Rosen.
1Improvised Weapons (Brawler)
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