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Post by Willow on Sept 4, 2023 22:29:23 GMT -5
Willow is tired.
It's been a long day of walking in silence. Far too much time to be lost in her own mind. Going across the tundra wasn't an issue, but it was the lack of distraction that really bothered her. But still, she marched on, intent on counting steps instead of thinking on past events.
Walking into the Pale City is an 8ft tall Orc with an incredibly intimidating frame. She's covered in warm clothing to combat the cold of the Frost Gales, but even so, her wide shoulders, calloused, scarred hands and piercing red eyes is a sight to behold. It's no wonder that the average townsfolk give her a wide berth. Willow flips her hood off her head, revealing her hair tied into dreads with small iron clasps on the ends to keep the hair from unravelling.
Her large tusks cement her race, the physical trait often believed to be from something inherently evil. While that can be true in a lot of cases, that stereotype has not done her any favors. Her face seems to be devoid of scarring, but there are two skin blemishes almost akin to tiger stripes reaching from her scalp to her eyebrows.
Willow continues her march down the main street, still counting her steps. Taking a few turns down some alleys, thankfully unbothered, she finds herself in a quiet area where the sounds of the city are quiet. Snow gently falls, and Willow sits herself down. She should really be trying to talk to people, try to improve her social capabilities, but she can't be bothered going out of her way to do that. If she gets spoken to first, she will try her best, but outside of that? She's more than happy to simply sit.
Thankfully, she's not here to just sit. She takes her bag off, and strapped to one side is a rather upsized guitar. On the other is a very eye-catching longsword.
The weapon is extremely unique. The blade seems to be made of red crystal, partially translucent. The edge is wicked and jagged, almost like it was shattered into this shape. The grip of the weapon is wooden which seems to fuse directly into the crystal. The weapon doesn't even seem to have a cross guard.
Willow ignores the weapon and takes the guitar off her bag and rests it on a leg. She gently twists a few of the tuning pegs and carefully plays each string, ensuring they're tuned correctly. With a deep breath, she begins playing, and to her own surprise, begins singing.
Farewell
To all the earthly remains
No burdens
No further debts to be paid
Atlas
Can rest his weary bones
The weight of the world
All falls away
In time
Goodbye
To all the plans that we made
No contracts
I'm free to do as I may
No hunger
No sleep except to dream
Mild and warm
Safe from all harm
Calm
Good riddance
To all the thieves
To all the fools that stifled me
They've come and gone
And passed me by
Good riddance
To all
Farewell
To all the earthly remains
No burdens
No further debts to be paid
Atlas
Can rest his weary bones
The weight of the world
All falls away
In time
Willow's voice is deep, and she takes advantage of that. There is a smoky, almost velvety feeling to her singing that pairs incredibly with the slow song. Willow gently sways as she plays, suddenly unaware of her surroundings and the world.
The rest of the world all falls away. For now.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Sept 5, 2023 2:56:38 GMT -5
Vonoros was already havingn already rough day today, one of his assassination targets killed himself during his confrontation and that caused him to lose half his promised pay. He was ordered to bring back the target alive and beaten but the target was too weak of mind and jumped off a cliff as Vonoros was trying to talk them down. He walked outside of the inn where he met his contractor, disappointed and irritated. He sat down in his usual quiet area of relaxation and glanced over to see a tall intimidating orc woman.
He's intrigued to see that they are playing guitar, impressed at their song, he never had time growing up to learn any skills from the arts like that. Hell, he wasn’t allowed to learn any skills that weren’t directly related to killing.
He only knew one thing that related to anything music, he knew how to whistle after being taught how by his captain, Wilford.
He whistled alongside the tune quietly hoping not to attract any attention just wanting to sing along. He wasn’t too big on making friends but the orc lady looked interesting enough especially as he glanced at her weapon.
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Post by Willow on Sept 5, 2023 3:18:20 GMT -5
Willow isn't expecting anybody. Truthfully, a part of her was hoping for some time alone to simply play her guitar. She's decided to teach herself off of various instructional books and passing feedback to help calm her tumultuous mind. It was only at the end of the song that she realized that there was somebody nearby whistling along.
Her body froze up, gaze unshifting as her mind goes into overdrive. Somebody else is nearby. Somebody else heard her play. Somebody else heard her sing. After what feels like an eternity of panic, Willow steels her features and turns her head toward the source.
Her 'childhood' was very.. antisocial to say the least. Her knowledge on societal norms, races and various other things that would be considered common sense is simply lost on Willow. All this to say that she has no idea who this person is, and what race they belong to. Willow stares curiously, taking in as much information about the individual as they can. Gills, meaning they're sea-based. Why they're in the Frost Gales and not somewhere like the Crescent Isles, she has no idea. She supposes that there's water nearby but still.
Well built and, most alarmingly, armed. She manages to keep her head steady, and like she promised herself before, try to at least hold a decent conversation.
"Uh, I'm not intruding, am I? Ah, wait. Hello, name's Willow."
...
Nice one, Willow. That was so over the place that he probably won't understand a single thing on what you said. Absolute moron.
Willow seems to almost shrink as her inner turmoil rears its head. He heard her sing, play her instrument and completely botch a single sentence. Willow looks away shamefully, internally berating herself for such a spectacular failure.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Sept 5, 2023 4:48:35 GMT -5
Vonoros eyes panicked a little bit as he say the stranger get startled by his presence. It was one of the only times in his life that he felt bad about surprising someone usually that was essential in his line of work but startling this orc woman made him feel pretty bad.
He tries to give his best apologetic sincerest smile and that was hard since he usually never smiled sincerely since he always fake smile at most things to keep up his lazy appearance.
He says, “Oh no you're not intruding stranger don't worry about it. It's nice to meet you Willow, names Vonoros Jedath,” he says softly trying to sound as welcoming and nice as he can. He's really trying to put in some effort to make sure the worker up orc woman feels better.
“Im sorry if I startled you there that wasn't my intention I usually come to his little quiet area to collect my thoughts and relax”.
He then drops down his quarterstaff to the floor as a sign of good faith and looks up to the sky.
He looks back down and says, “This little spot is usually unknown to most people outsiders at least”.
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Post by Willow on Sept 6, 2023 7:34:24 GMT -5
Despite her new companies attempts to help relax Willow, she can't help but feel stressed. Soon after looking away, she instinctually looks back, her fighting instinct screaming at her for taking her eyes off of somebody who could pose a threat. The very last thing she wants to do is fight for a multitude of reasons, but she's always been wired as a fighter.
"..Good to meet you too, Vonoros." She says after a moment. Hearing that this is where he goes when he's trying to wind down almost makes her feel like she's intruding, despite his assurances, but she tries her best to repress those feelings.
"This is my first time here. It wasn't really hard to find. It's nice, I suppose."
She sets her guitar to the side and desperately tries to find a way to continue the conversation despite her entire being not wanting that. She knows what she needs to do, she knows she needs to improve with her social skills and this is the only way of doing so - at least as far as she's found.
Willow isn't a difficult person to read based off body language. She looks wired, there's a look in her eyes that looks not quite afraid, but anxious beyond belief. To Vonoros, it's not hard to identify Willow as a fighter. Everything about her screams violence. She is wearing clothing that hides as much skin as possible, so it's impossible to see if she has been in fights, but she definitely has the air of someone born and raised on violence.
It would definitely explain the longsword.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Sept 6, 2023 23:58:03 GMT -5
Vonoros stays quiet for a bit as he does his daily stretches sitting down on the floor placing his feet on the ground as he touches them and doing other leg stretches.
“Nice to meet you Willow, this is indeed a nice little area. Most people tend to stick to the main market areas or taverns around here because of the chilly enviroment. I like this one specifically because it’s a nice space to relax in”.
He takes a good look at her. This orc lady seems very stressed by his mere presence; he doesn't want to make her uncomfortable but at the same time he’s too lazy to leave his spot.
As he closes his eyes and continues stretching he says to her trying to calm her nerves, “We don’t have to talk if that makes you uncomfortable. We can just both be here at the same time. We could continue our little melody we had earlier”, he chuckles at the last part.
Vonoros was content just to sit in silence anyways today if the lady would like although she seemed like she needed friends by the way she seemed so nervous. Vonoros never really cared about anyone else besides his family; he just viewed them with total neutrality; he even treated his assigned targets with a level of indifference that added to his killing ability.
He awaited Willow’s reply with patience and calm neutrality as he finished the last of his stretches and he returned to sitting on the floor.
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Post by Willow on Sept 10, 2023 12:09:46 GMT -5
"..I don't understand how people can be around other people so long." She says, tilting her head slightly. Willow does try to be social, but she finds her social battery running out far too quickly for any meaningful progress, so that either means that she stays and is extremely uncomfortable for the remainder of her stay, or she leaves and makes no social progress. Kind of a lose-lose situation.
Although, this person does seem to be amenable to her social ineptitude, and even offers to avoid conversation. It's a very enticing suggestion, but one she knows she cannot take, unfortunately. "Uhm, no, conversation is fine. I'm trying to get better anyway, so.."
Her eyes widen momentarily at the last part of Vonoros's statement, completely forgetting about that particular detail of their encounter. "Oh! Uh, I ah, sorry about that I just - uhm - got lost in my own world I guess? Sorry for uh, subjecting you to that." She says in a mild panic, her deep, gruff voice a complete contrast to her panicked and almost shy mannerisms. She seems to get past her panic somewhat after a few steadying breaths, her eyes not really gleaming, but with a new sort of determination in them.
"If it's no bother to you, mind if I ask you some things about.. people? Others always seem so complex and confusing and kind of overwhelming. You don't have to help if you don't want to, I can always go ask someone else or figure it out on my own."
"Not like thats out of the ordinary." She mumbles under her breath, just out of hearing range of Vonoros.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Sept 13, 2023 1:10:06 GMT -5
Vonoros chuckled as he heard Willow’s comment on not getting people. He stretched his arms around his head as he responded, “Eh me neither seems like too much work for me to do”, he says laying his head against the wall, “I’m not very personable myself, I’m not not personable either. People are fine to me to interact with, some are interesting, some are boring, you’re pretty interesting though”.
Vonoros has never usually had a problem with people before, he had a bunch of acquaintances and business partners but he couldn’t say he had any friends. Well, not any that they knew where they were at least he thinks as he remembers his old sworn brothers.
“Alright, I can't say that I’m the most entertaining or good person to talk to but I’d be right with talking to you”.
He smiles slightly as Willow responds to his comment on her music, “Nah no worries, I found that pretty good anyways. Never had the time to learn how to play instruments when I was a kid. Can ya play some more”, he asks.
He slightly chuckles at his comment, “More like never had the option too thanks to my killer parents”, he thinks to himself.
He then closes his eyes and says, “Sure go ahead I’d be happy to answer no worries”, he then opens his eyes and places his fingers on his chin as he thinks of his response.
“Well I don’t really know but if I could guess I’d say people are weird but also pretty cool as well. They’re so complicated because that’s just the way we’re worded. People are like food, they get a lot of ingredients mixed, and they come from different places made by different cooks. That is to say, people are a combination of everything, their parents, their home, their experiences, and everything else. You’re not talking to just one person at a time, you're talking to like a thousand of them since they all make someone. I mean how about you I’m sure you’re complicated yourself, what’s your story? I think my example would work better hearing how you are”, he says sitting on his hands.
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Post by Willow on Sept 19, 2023 20:59:58 GMT -5
Willow listens, and is caught off guard when Vonoros calls her interesting. What has she done that was interesting? Is that a bad thing? She has absolutely no idea how to take that, so she opts to shove it away for the time being, more willing to process that at a later time.
She nods in thanks when Vonoros says that he'd be fine with talking with her. Even if he's lying, it's helpful nonetheless. Reading people is something she wants to improve with, but frankly that is way too large a task for her at the moment. Simply understanding people is a massive hurdle, best focus on one thing at a time.
Her eyes grow wide at his next statement. "Wait - you want more?" She asks, completely bewildered by his request. "Uh, okay, sure." She says after a moment, picking her guitar back up. It takes her a good twenty seconds to start playing again, but once she does, it's with purpose.
As the Willow's fingers gently glide across the guitar strings, a haunting melody emerges from the instrument. The tempo is slow and deliberate, each note ringing out with a sense of melancholy. Her touch is delicate, fingers plucking the strings with precision and care.
The chords resonate with a somber elegance, evoking a feeling of introspection and nostalgia. There's a sense of restraint in the performance, as if every note carries the weight of the world's sorrows. The guitar's tones blend seamlessly, creating a haunting and poignant melody that seems to hang in the air.
As the music progresses, Willow's expression remains focused, almost lost in the music's emotive power. The song's bittersweet essence is palpable, weaving a tapestry of complex emotions through the room. The music's beauty lies in its simplicity, a solitary guitar gently conveying the profound sadness and reflection of a Mad World.
As the final note is left to ring out into silence, she rests her forearms on the guitar, looking to Vonoros with a sheepish expression. "I hope that was good enough."
She listens intently with Vonoros's response to her asking about people, and feels almost more overwhelmed with his response. It makes sense, but that makes people even more confusing, and the thought of talking to a thousand people gives her actual chills. She is once again caught off guard by Vonoros asking about her story.
"Oh, uhm.." She hesitates, her mind going back through what she remembers over the years. She is extremely hesitant to speak about her past, but if it'll help her in the long run, it might be better to just suck it up for now.
"Well, I never knew my parents - I was taken from them soon after being born, I'm fairly sure," She begins, her hands idly fiddling with one another. "I was raised as a fighter for peoples entertainment and for my guardian's profit. Training for years, and thrown into the pits once I came of age."
She's dialing it down massively, and is excluding huge parts of her life - and trauma. As much as she wants to improve, revisiting those still-open wounds is the last thing she wants to do.
"I got sick of it and after.. Escaping about a month ago, I've just been wandering since." She says, discomfort clear as day on her features. She didn't only escape - she killed her guardian with his very own sword that is strapped to the side of her bag.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Sept 20, 2023 3:50:49 GMT -5
Vonoros lowers his eyes in a relaxed manner and places his hands out with his thumbs raised to the sky as he says, “Of course I damned do, that was some really good stuff, I wish I could play like you”.
He then nods his head around in enjoyment as he sits back with his hands on his knees grooving to Willow’s song. Vonoros is then brought back to his childhood, one filled with melancholy and sadness as he listens to the orc woman’s song.
His face still with a smile says, “Of course, that was good enough, that was way more than just good enough, you were great!”.
His expression then changes into a slight frown as he listens to Willow’s retelling of her backstory and says as he finishes, “I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through something like that, especially at such a young age. If it’s any consolation to ya’ I didn’t have a nice and dandy life myself so I can understand where you’re coming from trust me”.
“I’m glad you were able to escape and finally able to explore this wonderful world around us filled with all the positives that Ginma has blessed us with. What are your plans from here? Plan on traveling around and playing more of that beautiful music of yours?”, he very rarely asks, being sincere in his caring.
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Post by Willow on Nov 15, 2023 21:40:27 GMT -5
Vonoros's words take a moment to truly sink in. Willow has always had difficulty accepting praise, so she simply nods and gives a quiet "Thank you." after her second song for Vonoros.
Willow also doesn't like being on the receiving end of sympathy. She shakes her head and dismisses Vonoros's words. "It's over, now." She states curtly, the memory leaving much more than just a bitter taste in her mouth.
The mention of Ginma - an unfamiliar name piques her curiosity, however. She looks over, her red eyes displaying curiosity. "Ginma? Who is that?" She asks, delving into her memory to find some hint of that name. Yet she comes up empty. The context makes her think that Ginma is some sort of deity.
Being asked on what she plans to do forces her to actually think. Does she even have a plan? Further delving into her memory gives her a big, resounding no. She shrugs, shaking her head. "I don't have plans, no. I've just been wandering. I only really play when I'm alone." She answers after a few moments.
People are.. a lot for Willow to handle. She's barely keeping up with this conversation as it is, and she is so far out of her comfort zone that her entire body is protesting. But it's necessary for her to improve.
Doesn't mean she has to enjoy it.
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Post by Vonoros Jedath on Nov 16, 2023 4:14:06 GMT -5
Vonoros nodded understanding that she maybe didn’t want to talk about it anymore, it made sense some people wanted to just move on, he was one of them.
He chuckles softly as she asks who Ginma is and says, “Ginma’s a god, a Charon god at least, he reigns over the elements of earth and the wilds. He’s like a super cool dude at least that's what I heard growing up when my parents prayed to the gods”.
“No plans is a good plan, hell that’s what mine are at this point too”, he chuckles, “Do what you want Willow no one here to stop you or force you to do anything. That’s the cool thing about freedom: you're free to do whatever, whenever you want. I’ll let you in on a secret if you promise you can keep it”.
He pauses waiting for her to confirm before saying, “I grew up in a pretty rough situation. My parents were some crazy insane researchers obsessed with making the perfect living weapon of war and murder. I understood what it means to have your freedom taken from you so I just advise you to have fun and do what you want now that you can, freedom’s awesome”.
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