Waystop

[Archer]

Near the entrance:

Clay nodded gratefully to Yzabet. "It's okay, keep the change," he said. Breaking off the conversation he quickly exited the building. He'd forgotten about his horse. 

"Kicker!" he called. Moments later the horse burst out of the bushes and trotted over to him. Clay breathed a sigh of relief. He should have taken more precautions in case there were horse thieves about. 

"I got us a room. C'mon," he instructed. Taking him by the reigns, he led him into the Waystop, down the hall, and into their room. "Dibs on the bed. You can sleep by the door." 

With that, he began to unpack their belongings. 

[Cyanic]

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Clay might be my favourite character. Wow.

After Araha left the kitchen, she just kept wandering, still interested in the library, but more just trying to commit the place to memory. As she reached one end of the hallway she turned to walk back.

She saw a man and his horse pass by.

...A man and his... horse?

Her feet carried her to where the man and his horse was, too curious and intrigued. "Just be cautious Ara." Ran said, knowing full well how hard her curiousity was to sate.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm cautious." Araha replied without missing a beat.

She reached their room and stared. It was indeed a man and his horse, and he was just unpacking like the horse wasn't even there, like it was a bag or such. "Uhh..." Araha began, her intrigue and curiousity fueling her want to meet new people. "That's a good... horse?" She muttered out the worst introduction which earned her a small, barely audible chuckle from hairclip-Ran.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Cyanic

[Archer]

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Thanks!

Kicker snorted. Humans, he thought scornfully to himself. He shifted his weight to the front, preparing to lash out with his feet. Face or chest? How about both? 

"Kicker! Down, boy!" Clay sharply shouted. "No kicking strangers. We've been over this." Clay put the rest of their supplies on the bed, then hurried over to the doorway. He reached an arm up to gently stroke Kicker's neck. "There, there. Don't be sad. If they turn out to be mean, I'll let you kick them later," he whispered softly in the horses ear.

He then turned to face his guests. "Hi there. I'm Clay!" he said. He gestured for them to come in. "I'd offer you something to drink, but all I've got is water. And I'm not entirely positive it hasn't been poisoned. I should know in a week or two." He shrugged, then took a swig from his canteen as he sat down on the bed. 

"This is Kicker. Now tell me, who are you, and what brings you here?"

Edited August 22, 2018 by Archer

[Cyanic]

Araha noticed the horse shift its weight and jumped back, ready to block. She put her hands down as the man calmed his horse. She complimented herself on her improving reflexes, although a ChayShan-based block without any of the power of the Dor behind it was likely to not stop a horse's hooves.

The man invited her to come in and she did, still wary of the horse, having to scoot along the walls to avoid touching it and aggravating it. "I'm.. Araha. Yeah." She replied with a smile, this was the only other person she'd met besides Ran and Master Soren. Kicker was an appropriate name for the demon at the door. ...she hoped it couldn't read her mind or something somehow.

"We're--" she cut herself off again. She really needed to get used to that, "uhh, I'm here at this moment, right now, because I wanted to meet people, I guess." She avoided telling him that the reason she was here at the 'Stop was because her master sent her here in hopes to help her understand her bond with Ran better.

[I Am Witless]

"Eh, people come through. We get lots of people here. Nobody is that weird." Pallas said. He helped Damaya fill the hotcakes with the chopped vegtables, then started on the sweet filler for the next kind of hotcake.

"What is your favorite animal?"

***

Yzabet, to her credit, didn't laugh or hesitate.

"I have some spare clothes. I don't know how much they will hold up to.... roughage." She shoved Clay's coins in her pockets. 

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by I am Witless

[+Ark1002]

Atticus walked up to the waystop. He looked it over from the outside, then walked in. He strode up to the bar.

"I am here under instruction by Warmaster Drako to protect this location. The chaos marine invasion has become dangerous, and we must protect important locations. such as this. I would appreciate free lodging, so I can spend my resources on protecting this location, but if not, I will pay."

[I Am Witless]

Yzabet glanced over at Atticus.

"I would appreciate proof from a viable source before I give you free lodging, but I don't mind another tenant. Waystop has plenty of protections, so your offer might not be as viable as you say it is."

 

[+Ark1002]

"What form of source do you require? I guarantee I can produce it. I need no money, just a place to live as I shore up the defenses. I would get more defenses, patrol the surrounding area, and keep the Waystop clear of hostiles."

[Life&Death]

Mr. Amber walked back into the Waystop, alone this time, and sat down in one of the booths, waiting for the rest of the newcomers to be dealt with before approaching Yzabet again.

[I Am Witless]

"Preferably a document signed by leaders of two guilds, including TUBA, that you are a real defense contractor. I've had problems with contractors before. That last one let dinosaurs on the property." Yzabet looked visibly disturbed by the very mention of the creatures. "They rearranged my library, left biscuit crumbs everywhere, and then wrote me a letter about how the premises was inferior to Free Kingdomer hospitality."

 

[+Ark1002]

"Would one signed by Warmaster Drako ( @Grey Knight) and the TUBA leader ( @Stormblessed Dolphin) suffice?" Atticus switched to Transporters lenses, appeared at the perpendicularity, disappeared, and came back with a document.

I endorse Atticus Voidlight, member of the Black Crusade, as a defense contractor, and support his claim.

Signed,_____________________________________________________________________________

"Now all I need are the signatures."

[I Am Witless]

"Yes, those would be more than sufficient. Now, I've never been given a straight answer on this, but what's the different between the Black Crusade and the Space Marines?"

[+Sorana]

Surprised Damaya spilled a part of the filling on the table.
"My favourite animal?"
she repeated, sounding stuipd. But if he really wanted to know.
"I think that would be a Black Redstart. Do you know them? They are small, a medium to dark brown and their tails are coloured red. We once had a nest on one of the wooden beams of the rooftop. I used to climb up there and have a look at them and their little ones. And one morning, they were gone. I had waited for days to watch them while they learn to fly, but I was to late."
She cleaned up the table, putting the spilled filling into a bin.
"And yours?"

[+Ark1002]

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In warhammer 40k, where this all came from, the Black Crusade are evil, and the space marines are good.

"The black crusade is our organization. Our clan. A space marine? A space marine is a deity. They were mortals, then they were given powers. To put is simply, acid spit and fancy armor. Space Marines are the members of the Black Crusade."

[Nohadon]

A wizened old wizard from the boundless worlds wandered into the waystop and sat down, waiting for some adventurers in the tavern area

 

[Voidus]

1 minute ago, Nohadon said:

A wizened old wizard from the boundless worlds wandered into the waystop and sat down, waiting for some adventurers in the tavern area

 

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ALL OF THE UPVOTES!!!

Laurelai noticed a strangely dressed older man enter the waystop, making his way to the tavern.

The person who kept punching themselves seemed like they might be more interesting to study, but also a lot scarier. So, she shyly made her way over to the wizard instead, packing away her notebook as she did so.

"Hello." She murmured quietly, eyes focused on her feet. "What brings you to the waystop?"

She might as well try to strike up a conversation with him, Yzabet seemed like she had a lot on her plate at the moment.

[Nohadon]

“Hello young traveler! I am Aelfric the all-knowing! A great evil threatens to overtake this la-

wait no. Wrong script, one moment”

The Wizard linked his hands together and performed some complex movements until a scroll appeared in his hands

”Hail traveler! Tonight there will be light showers but strong winds-

No. that’s not right either”

Thunder rumbled, and a card appeared in the Wizard’s hand

”Seek the hall of legends. Inside, the keys to a door of great power can be found. An adventure calls you. Beware! Others also seek the prize!”

The Wizard clicks his fingers, and the card goes soaring off into the alleyverse, landing in the pocket of a certain statue 

“I think that was the right one, narrarators pay me for the strangest things, it’s humiliating, you know, going from tavern to tavern, finding adventurers and getting them into plots and quests, but at least it brings food on the table”

[Voidus]

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Struggling to write a decent segue here so:

Laurelai left the Waystop.

 

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You may now judge me.

 

[Archer]

Room 211-A, nothing to do with the alarm for a robbery.

Clay grimaced. He was getting a feeling that something very, very cliché was happening. "Don't kick anyone I wouldn't kick," he called to his horse as he dashed out the door and down the hall. He followed his instincts, pushing past other patrons to get to the source of his distress. Then he saw it. A wizened, ornately dressed, magic-spewing wizard. 

Clay groaned. Why is it always a wizard?

When he had regained his composure, he quietly entered the room while the wizard was distracted talking to Laurelai. He pulled out his lasso, and tied it to the handle of a broom he found lying in the corner. He then tipped over a box of potatoes, emptying it. He placed the empty box upside down, propped up at one end with the broom. As bait, he placed a magic wand from his bag in the shadow of his trap. Then he hid behind a nearby table and waited, rope in hand, for the wizard to wander into his trap. Wizards can never resist a wand. 

[Cyanic]

While the man, Clay, seemed to acknowledge what Araha just said, he looked worked up. Did she say something? He then told his horse to behave and dashed out of the room and into the hall. "...A strange man." Ran commented.

"Yeah, but he seems nice." Araha replied.

"That's likely." If Ran could shrug in her hair clip form, she would. "It might be best to head back to our own room now."

"Well, we could just wait for the man to come back."

"And if someone else comes here? And sees you, a young, pretty lady in the room of another tenant who happens to be a man?" Ran asked with a hint of sarcasm, or... the reverse of it. Araha blushed as that realization set in.

"Bu-but I'm not doing anything with him! He just asked me to come inside his room!" Araha said in a raised tone, though raised in embarrassment than anger.

"Sure, but people assume very easily."

"F-fine, fine!" Araha got up and started walking to the door, only to see the horse almost blocking the way. She knew Clay told the horse to behave, but she was still wary of it. The gap under its legs seemed to be wide enough to slide under though, she didn't want to risk scooting along the wall. "Ran,"

"Yes."

"Can you put yourself over me?" Araha asked, her voice a bit quiet. Ran sighed, she knew what Araha was about to do, it was likely unnecessary, but she didn't argue. Ran shifted forms into a woman exactly Araha's size though with a different face, then made herself visible to the horse and superimposed herself onto Araha.

Araha took a deep breath and ran then slid down under the horse, Ran lagging behind just a bit to provide a sort of afterimage effect. Once they both cleared the gap, Araha got up quickly and ran back to her room, closing the door in case the horse gave chase for any reason. "Thanks, Ran." Araha laughed. The spren just shrugged, a hint of a smile dancing on her lips.

[Nohadon]

The old wizard saw a wand in the corner of the tavern with a potato box over it.

"Ok come out now! I use an arcane staff! not a wand like those amateurs!" The Wizard cackled, taking out his staff.

"Cookie?" He offered to clay, a small bit of metal was sticking out of it

"Oh wait, my bad. That's the wrong cookie. Hey! You're an adventurer! I've got a card for you!" The Wizard showed Clay a card

”Seek the hall of legends. Inside, the keys to a door of great power can be found. An adventure calls you. Beware! Others also seek the prize!" He chanted, repeating the phrase he had told another traveler

[Lord Meeker]

Asher-Aurell's cryptic, who acted as her decoy-wandered around the waystop. He wanted to get a feel for the place. In case anything happened. He was also looking for Yzabet or Pallas. Aurell, his mistress, was close though he could not see her or so he hoped. She fueled the weaving. Then interestingly enough it broke apart, and he was left hovering in the air. he instinctively dropped to the ground and zipped under the table.

"What was that for?" He hummed quietly, hoping that she could hear.

"There was no one watching. Should there have been someone they will be dealt with. You will be more inconspicuous if the people here think you are searching for a bond."

[wiritospren]

Dayne was sitting on the taverna drinking some water and saw all that happened with the wizard and because of curiosity he decided to get closer"what is happening?"

[Nohadon]

"Brave traveler! I am in need of your aid!" The Wizard repeated again to Dayne. He hated having to repeat himself

”Seek the hall of legends. Inside, the keys to a door of great power can be found. An adventure calls you. Beware! Others also seek the prize!" He chanted, hoping he didn't have to repeat it more.

[Gancho Libre]

"Thanks!" Ioc said to Yzabet. "I might need those soon. however, feel free to take your time. You see, I'm trying to wear a circle into the ground by walking in one over and over again until my feet fall off. Nice meeting you!"

'Smooooooth,' said Prefrontal Cortex.

'If you say that one more time, I'm going to delete you,' said Subconscious.

'Guys, stop bickering. We're going in the circle cycle again!' said Association. 'Yay!'

And Ioc began once more to walk in a tight circle.