Roshek - The Great Census of 1305

[+Sorana she/her]

3 minutes ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig awkwardly knelt as well, and dropped the bag of census money he had been given, "and I have more apologies than all of them put together. I had known it was wrong to do what I did, but I allowed speed to overrule respect, I took advantage of you when you where too weak to fight back, for which I will never be able to repay you. Since we met, you have shown me nothing but kindness and compassion, and this is how I repay you? Disgracing you by taking you as if you where an object to be moved? "

Mutig felt sorry for all he had done, realizing how much of pain he had been. He, the guardian of Brat, was no better than the people who had taken Tiana. Perhaps what they had said was true, he was no guardian, just an animal that had been overqualified for what he did.

Amara followed the scene in awe, how he defended her, how he more or less forced them to apologize. She had expected to have to step in, to deescalate, but instead she ended up with money and apologies. She stood there and stared, too overhelmed to really say something. But when Mutig knelt as well, when he apologized, it broke something inside of her.

She knelt down as well, threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his fur.

"You saved me. You and Chadwick. I thought he would kill me. All these people and they were all dying and -"

A pause when she remembered, her body shaking with silent sobs, she barely kept back. He had held her over the border of the rooftop, he'd touched, he'd brought her somewhere.

"You saved me."

She repeated and then sat back on her feet, to look into his eyes.

"It's alright, Mutig. You didn't know, you were worried and in a hurry. I can understand that."

The city, she would have to leave once this was solved. The thought to meet someone who'd seen was almost unbearable. Her hand pushed his money back to him.

"You're my friend. That didn't change."

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig calmly pushed the bag back to her, "I saved you? All I did was kill a man after he jumped from a tower, it was Algorath and Chadwick who saved you. I merely finished the fight." His eyes glanced around, and he saw one of the youths moving and talking to the newest vendors, showing a small symbol that looked important. The vendor nodded and went two young lads running out to the next vendor along the route he had run. Soon everyone acted as if nothing happened, and he smiled, "on the plus side, I didn't have to throw them like rag dolls as I have had to do to some youths from Brat." He patted her reassuringly, knowing she needed someone to lean on that moment.

@Sorana

[+Sorana she/her]

8 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig calmly pushed the bag back to her, "I saved you? All I did was kill a man after he jumped from a tower, it was Algorath and Chadwick who saved you. I merely finished the fight." His eyes glanced around, and he saw one of the youths moving and talking to the newest vendors, showing a small symbol that looked important. The vendor nodded and went two young lads running out to the next vendor along the route he had run. Soon everyone acted as if nothing happened, and he smiled, "on the plus side, I didn't have to throw them like rag dolls as I have had to do to some youths from Brat." He patted her reassuringly, knowing she needed someone to lean on that moment.

@Sorana

Amara closed her eyes and leaned against him.

"It was the three of you."

She allowed herself a moment of rest, then straightened. If there was one thing they were running low on, it was time.

"We need to get going. Back to Chadwick. I want to take a look at your injuries and then we need to inform the Inquisition. As soon as possible."

@Turtle373

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Algorath stood atop the wall in man form.  A dark cloaked figure silhouetted against the sky.  The wolves would be more reluctant to join him now that he was a Monster.  

It seemed that these days it was much harder to work out who he was.  Man or Wolf?  Or some strange mix of both?  He like his meat raw, but he liked to sit at a table to eat it.  He liked to run through the forest, but on two legs instead of four.  Could he ever really live in one world, or would he be a stranger to both?  An outcast?  Would the wolves even come to him?  

He'd watched the humans in the dark streets he'd walked through.  They'd looked at him with fear-stricken eyes, quickly creating a bubble of space around him.  Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't mind the room.  But the attention they'd paid him was disconcerting, and the fear was demoralizing.  Given time, it could start to change him.  Make him a killer.

He'd finally taken to the rooftops so he wouldn't have to face their blaming stares.  

But here, on the wall, he could finally feel free.  He was on the border.  At his back was the world of man.  The world of structure and organization.  The world of progress.  Before him was the world of beast.  The world of chaos, of the fight for survival.  The world of harmony.  Right now, he would not have to choose.  He was content to stay on the fringe, watching the movement within each society.  But nothing could sustain itself on such things.  

He lept from the wall, into the world of harmony.  He then ran.  He ran as fast as his two legs could carry him.  When he could not go faster, he shifted to four.  He stood atop a rock, fully wolf.  Perhaps he could impersonate a citizen of either world, but the changes were only skin deep.  His true self, a mix of both, would also horrify both.  

He thrust his mouth towards the sky, and let loose a howl.  It was an eerie, haunting sound.  A sound that embodied all of Algorath's pain and isolation.  

And they came.  They would follow him into the mouth of the blackness.  Wolves were loyal to the end, they must've been in order to preserve the harmony.  He smiled.  It would not matter if he was half man.  They would follow him regardless.  He shifted to his old mix of both, raising clawed hands towards the sky and howling again.  

Beware Roshek.  Algorath's pack was coming.

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig stood up and looked around, watching the city return to its original form of chaos. He looked around, then raised himself onto his hind legs, using his front legs to balance himself against walls, then took a long sniff of the air. He smiled to himself, as the scent of wolves drifted to him, and went back to all fours.

 "You head inside, I'll be around back near the stable." He told Amara , and slowly began walking, making sure that if anyone caused Amy trouble, he would be in sight.

@Sorana @Turtle373 @Vargo Seldon

[+Sorana she/her]

3 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

 "You head inside, I'll be around back near the stable." He told Amara , and slowly began walking, making sure that if anyone caused Amy trouble, he would be in sight.

Amara nodded, reluctantly let him head to the stables. She picked up the money and then stepped inside the tavern. She paid for them all and almost directly headed to the stables.

Her pinnate was badly shaken, she would have to unload, sort and repack it completely. Looking through her supplies calmed her the smell of her herbs beautiful and soothing. Now and then she looked up to see if one of the others arrived, but for now she was save.

@Chasmfiend#1

@Turtle373

@Vargo Seldon

[Chasmfiend#1]

20 hours ago, Sorana said:

Amara nodded, reluctantly let him head to the stables. She picked up the money and then stepped inside the tavern. She paid for them all and almost directly headed to the stables.

Her pinnate was badly shaken, she would have to unload, sort and repack it completely. Looking through her supplies calmed her the smell of her herbs beautiful and soothing. Now and then she looked up to see if one of the others arrived, but for now she was save.

@Chasmfiend#1

@Turtle373

@Vargo Seldon

Karl had been watching when Mutig had gone running through, carrying first the child he and the gang had roughed up, than with the healer. He had been surprised at the sight, but began hatching a plan. He gathered his things, a knife, really, and head down and into the tavern. He saw the healer in no time, and walked towards her.

 "Why do you resist the truth?" He asked as calmly and evenly as he could, while he slowly ran the knife on his arm, trailing the letters: help!

 

 

Mutig had made it to the back now, and sat in the hay, starring at his claws. He had let the thirsty, vengeful part of his now growing personality get the better of him. He knew why it happened, the city wreaked with injustice. He could practically breath it, it made him want to tear it down, to leave no stone on top of the other. He frowned, a thought forming in his head. The stories of him had always had one thing in common, Tiana. Another guardian, one who could him in check, the peace keeper while he was the brute force. Since she died, since he did what he had done, the story had been shifting, and that terrified him.

@Sorana @Turtle373 @Vargo Seldon

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Algorath knew that his pack wouldn't be welcome within the city.  He knew that they would be loath to go themselves.  But he also knew that they'd follow him anywhere, regardless of adversity, if need by.  

So they streamed into the city.  From rooftop to rooftop, moving steadily closer to the fens.  

Algorath alighted in front of Mutig, leaping from the roof of the tavern.  "Mutig, it's time.  I have my pack, we can take it.  No need to bother Amara, she doesn't need to go into danger."  He paused, noticing the troubled look on Mutig's face.  "Mutig, what's wrong?" He asked.

@Chasmfiend#1

[Chasmfiend#1]

3 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath knew that his pack wouldn't be welcome within the city.  He knew that they would be loath to go themselves.  But he also knew that they'd follow him anywhere, regardless of adversity, if need by.  

So they streamed into the city.  From rooftop to rooftop, moving steadily closer to the fens.  

Algorath alighted in front of Mutig, leaping from the roof of the tavern.  "Mutig, it's time.  I have my pack, we can take it.  No need to bother Amara, she doesn't need to go into danger."  He paused, noticing the troubled look on Mutig's face.  "Mutig, what's wrong?" He asked.

@Chasmfiend#1

Mutig looked Algorath in the eye, puzzlement clear on his face.

 "Did you see any of his host's when we where running with Amara?" He asked, " I don't recall any form of resistance, even though it had been very distinct about keeping her the first time. "

He looked around, and was surprised to see Karl standing in the entrance to the tavern.

 "That's because he has no more need for her, he got what he needed, a brief guide to stitching a human body. He has more like that, and every host has a bond to him, giving him control whenever he decides." Karl stepped further into the stable, "more importantly, we see into his mind as well. He is focused on that tower, more on what's under it."

 

 Mutig rose stiffly, sitting down had been a mistake, allowing the chest hit to gain attention. 

@Vargo Seldon

Edited May 25, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

Sorry. I wrote something like four posts for her reply to Karl, but they all felt off.

That one's not good. But it does its job...

Amara had stared at Karl write on his arm, but then Algorath returned and he headed outside. She followed him and heard Algorath suggest that she should stay here, out of the danger. He was right. The only thing she had done so far, was playing damsel in distress. It hurt, but compared to their strength, she was nothing.

"Let me take a look at that."

She asked Mutig and gestured towards his wound.

Leaning in she whispered, hoped they could both hear her.

"He asked for help."

And then even quieter.

"What is wrong with you?"

@Vargo Seldon

@Chasmfiend#1

[Chasmfiend#1]

1 hour ago, Sorana said:

Amara had stared at Karl write on his arm, but then Algorath returned and he headed outside. She followed him and heard Algorath suggest that she should stay here, out of the danger. He was right. The only thing she had done so far, was playing damsel in distress. It hurt, but compared to their strength, she was nothing.

"Let me take a look at that."

She asked Mutig and gestured towards his wound.

Leaning in she whispered, hoped they could both hear her.

"He asked for help."

And then even quieter.

"What is wrong with you?"

@Vargo Seldon

@Chasmfiend#1

Mutig held still, letting her look at the wound, while he eyed Karl closely. He whispered to then both, letting his thoughts be known in full.

 "I don't think going into the Fens on our own is a wise decision. That creature let us leave, most likely to make us think we where safe." 

He turned and eyed Karl, noting how he seemed to look all around, to search the shadows. He spoke openly, letting Karl hear him.

 "What do you mean 'he is focused on the tower'?"

 

 "Not the tower itself," Karl repeated, "but what is under it, something that requires a lot of hosts to free." He froze, his eyes widening, a flash of panic on his face, than he fail. His breathed desperately, looking around wildly.

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon 

[+Sorana she/her]

4 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig held still, letting her look at the wound, while he eyed Karl closely. He whispered to then both, letting his thoughts be known in full.

 "I don't think going into the Fens on our own is a wise decision. That creature let us leave, most likely to make us think we where safe." 

He turned and eyed Karl, noting how he seemed to look all around, to search the shadows. He spoke openly, letting Karl hear him.

 "What do you mean 'he is focused on the tower'?"

 

 "Not the tower itself," Karl repeated, "but what is under it, something that requires a lot of hosts to free." He froze, his eyes widening, a flash of panic on his face, than he fail. His breathed desperately, looking around wildly.

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon 

"I agree."

She looked after his wound, carefully cleaned it and then stiched it together. She dressed it and then looked over at Karl when she heard his breath quickening.

"It's alright. Mutig and Algorath and Chadwick will find a solution. They are strong and brave."

Her hands touched his arms and she made sure her voice was calm, soothingly. They would find a solution. And she would come along. She would help.

@Chasmfiend#1

@Vargo Seldon

[Chasmfiend#1]

3 hours ago, Sorana said:

"I agree."

She looked after his wound, carefully cleaned it and then stiched it together. She dressed it and then looked over at Karl when she heard his breath quickening.

"It's alright. Mutig and Algorath and Chadwick will find a solution. They are strong and brave."

Her hands touched his arms and she made sure her voice was calm, soothingly. They would find a solution. And she would come along. She would help.

@Chasmfiend#1

@Vargo Seldon

Karl looked into Amara's eyes, panic clear on his face, and breathed three words, "he found it..."

 @Sorana @Vargo Seldon

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Algorath nodded.  "Yes, going into the Fens alone is not a good idea.  I, however, have my pack with me."  At Karl's words, he spun on the boy.  He leaned over saying, "Found what?  What did he find?"

[Chasmfiend#1]

3 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath nodded.  "Yes, going into the Fens alone is not a good idea.  I, however, have my pack with me."  At Karl's words, he spun on the boy.  He leaned over saying, "Found what?  What did he find?"

The boy looked around again, as if anything would listen, and said in a shaken voice.

 "He found the tomb, the place where his brethren where locked away. He plans on having us hosts be their key out of their imprisonment."

 

 The creature smiled to himself, his eyes watched as the teams he had assembled worked hard in the tower, digging deeper and deeper into the ground. Goblins, the one fairy tell creature he found the most useful, he had been to the mountains before Coming here, collecting a large number of these creatures to do exactly what they did now. One rushed up from the hole, and knelt down before him, it's voice ragged from the hard work. 

 "We have found the tomb, now let us go as you swore!" The goblin made no pretense of respect, as did they all, they hated him for taking them so far from their homes.

He nodded, "if it is as I wished to find, you will be free. No sooner, no later." He watched as the Goblins face grew tighter and tighter, fiery practically boiling from its eyes. He smiled at him, and went into the tomb. It was pitch black, but he didn't notice, he scanned the place, noting the runes and spells placed on this place to keep darkness inside. He moved through the tomb, remembering how this place had been before the humans uses it as a prison, the days before the war that changed everything. He stopped beside a stone casket, engraved with runes and spells, the runes glowed as he drew closer. He set himself against it, letting his power flow through his being, rivaling that of the spell. The flash caused the walls to shake, making the Goblins who had hoped in start running for the exit. Then, with a flash of light, the spell shattered. He twisted about, forcing the pain aside, he threw the lid off of the casket, and smiled at what he found. Stabs, things he knew held the souls of his fellow beings. He reached in and picked then up, and chained them together, then turned to the small knot of Goblins who had entered, carrying torches. "Proceed with finding the rest of these stamps, and Bring them to the top of the tower, you will not use them, for you will die." With that he left, heading to the top of the tower... And finding a drowsy, woman, half asleep beside a now dead fire. He was surprised, but then angry at her. congratulations, you just volunteered.

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon @Turtle373 @Steel Inquisitive @Invocation @ZincAboutIt @MacThorstenson

[+Sorana she/her]

14 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

The boy looked around again, as if anything would listen, and said in a shaken voice.

 "He found the tomb, the place where his brethren where locked away. He plans on having us hosts be their key out of their imprisonment."

Amara felt sick at his words, but she waved at a barmaid, ordered some food for him instead.
"We will find a way."
She repeated, thinking about what they could do.
"We could ask the Inquisition."
She suggested.
"And maybe get help from outside the city. We can't go back, just the four of us."

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

12 hours ago, Sorana said:

Amara felt sick at his words, but she waved at a barmaid, ordered some food for him instead.
"We will find a way."
She repeated, thinking about what they could do.
"We could ask the Inquisition."
She suggested.
"And maybe get help from outside the city. We can't go back, just the four of us."

Algorath shook his head.  "We will never find a way as long as this thing is alive.  If there are more of him..." he trailed off.  "That thing could kill everyone and everything in this city without blinking," he continued, "the only thing that would give it pause are all of the magical beings here."  He began to pace, "If we were able to gather them all, we might be able to put up a good fight.  On their own, however, they're vulnerable.  They'll fall one by one, until there are none left."  He stood taller, resolve strengthening, "If we gather them all, organize them, nobody needs to die helpless."

Quote

Are we three (or four) the only people active here?

@Chasmfiend#1 @Sorana

[Chasmfiend#1]

50 minutes ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath shook his head.  "We will never find a way as long as this thing is alive.  If there are more of him..." he trailed off.  "That thing could kill everyone and everything in this city without blinking," he continued, "the only thing that would give it pause are all of the magical beings here."  He began to pace, "If we were able to gather them all, we might be able to put up a good fight.  On their own, however, they're vulnerable.  They'll fall one by one, until there are none left."  He stood taller, resolve strengthening, "If we gather them all, organize them, nobody needs to die helpless."

@Chasmfiend#1 @Sorana

Mutig had been listening to them talk, thinking through what he would say. "Although that is a plan, I doubt we would find that many who would stand with us, save those who have honor or protective instincts built in, but I don't think that would be many." He could still feel that creatures grip on his heart, the way he had seemed so calm, so matter of fact that he would kill him without hesitation. "Perhaps we where blessed by Vania, for if we had just run into the Fens without knowledge of this being growing it's numbers, we wouldn't have made it anywhere near out target before being torn apart. Perhaps we must split," he looked at Algorath, "You take your pack and Chadwick to gather those of the magic beings who will listen, while me and Amara inform the king and the inquisition. We would run the risk of being hit off guard, but we would get more done this way."

 Karl, who had stood watching, suddenly widened his eyes even more. He began to gasp for breath, and fell to the ground, coughing words almost in a plead, "no! Please my lord! I can still help you!" He looked at them pleading for help, and then his eyes went black, and a deep, guttural voice spoke in anger.

 "You have failed my orders!" Karl suddenly flew into the wall, hitting so hard they could hear bones snap. "You where told to bring me the heir, the key to victory, but your delayed acts and attempts to dessert have tried me!" Karl slammed against the dirty floor, and shadows began to extend around his limps, slowly pulling them from his body, letting Karl scream in agony, heading in beg for mercy. The shadows stopped pulling briefly, and lifted his head to speak into his ear, "But don't worry, I have already sent one of my own race, your mother was a good host, and died releasing him. You, however, will die in pain, agony, knowing that you could have had peace if you had simply obeyed. .." And with one last snap, it left the boy whimpering, his neck snapped and broken. 

Mutig gazed at it all in astonishment, it had taken place within a minute. He lunged to Karl, "NO!" He bellowed.

@Sorana @Turtle373 @Vargo Seldon 

Spoiler

I think @ZincAboutIt and @Invocation are about to start talking again.

 

[kenod]

Lilia walked out of the Fens, following a small spirit. "Thanks you," she told it, and crushed a little bit of crystal, handing over the powder. The spirit quickly flew towards their reward, lighting up as they absorbed the Investure. She walked towards the inn, only to hear a scream coming from inside. Feeling curious she looked inside, seeing a bloody boy lying on the floor. "Did something happen?" She asked, looking at the boy.

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig stepped back from Karl, grimly thinking of what must be done. He glanced at Lilia, and then back the boy.

 "I don't suppose," he said shaking, watching the boys eyes drowning in tears, " I don't suppose you could the make this less painful? "

@kenod

[kenod]

"Heal him, you mean?" Lilia asked. She thought for a few seconds and shrugged. "Sure," she said.
She knelt down next to the boy, tearing open his shirt, and took out a piece of charcoal from her pocket. "First we need to keep his heart beating," she said to herself while quickly drawing runes on his chest. She sounded as if she was recalling old lessons from her youth, or as if she was teaching in a classroom. "That, and making sure he's breathing. Luckily the body does this on it's own, normally. This makes it easy to stimulate the correct muscles, just activate the right nerves in the right pattern."
She started moving on to his stomach with her runes, running out of space on his chest, runes small enough that discerning their meanings was hard. "Of course, there is a time limit. Even if you can make the body move days after it's death, it doesn't mean that the mind is still alive. Even a few minutes without a heartbeat is enough to do large amounts of damage, so when dealing with people whose heart has stopped you need to finish your spell within two minutes, any longer than that and the risk of brain damage becomes too big."
She took out a knife, and carefully made a small hole on his sternum, right in the center of the runes. She quickly took out a Crystal from somewhere on her body, and pushed it into the small hole, the Crystal fitting exactly. The Crystal and the runes reacted to the blood and started glowing, and Karl's chest slowly started rising and falling, settling into a steady rhythm. Feeling his wrist Lilia confirmed that his pulse was both stable and strong.
She smiled. "Of course, if you're good enough that you can draw the spell within this time-limit, you'll have ample time afterwards to actually go and fix the damage."

[+Sorana she/her]

Amara watched in awe as Lisa performed her magic on Karl. Hastily she knelt down next to her.

"Can I help you somehow?"

She asked, although she suspected, that the answer was a no. The damage was severe, way above what she could have healed. A snapped neck was deadly. At least, when she was the one healing you. Unconciously she reached out for Mutig, touched his fur, looking for comfort. Karl, he was only a boy, and he'd asked her for help. And the only thing she did, was stare and fail. She should have done something, anything to protect him, he was only a child.

@kenod

[kenod]

Lilia nodded. "Make sure there's a large open space for me to work in," she said. "Drawing all the runes for reconnecting all the nerves of a broken spine is a real pain." She looked at the little bit of charcoal she held in her hand. "Also, some more charcoal would be good. I need something to draw with, and I've used up most of this thing."

[+Sorana she/her]

12 minutes ago, kenod said:

Lilia nodded. "Make sure there's a large open space for me to work in," she said. "Drawing all the runes for reconnecting all the nerves of a broken spine is a real pain." She looked at the little bit of charcoal she held in her hand. "Also, some more charcoal would be good. I need something to draw with, and I've used up most of this thing."

"Sure."

Amara moved some stools out of the way, fetched more charcoal. She grabbed a broom and cleared the floor as well, to make it easier for Lilia to draw her runes.

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig moved about, forcing objects and patrons out of the room, all the while thinking about what was happening. broken neck, snapped spine... That monster was trying to make sure we wouldn't save him, use what he knows...  Then he stiffened, looking towards Algorath. "Who is the heir?"

 @Vargo Seldon

Spoiler