Roshek - The Great Census of 1305

[Chasmfiend#1]

10 minutes ago, Steel Inquisitive said:

"And I presume you're a traveling bear?" He said with a smile to Mutig.

@Sorana.

@Chasmfiend#1

Mutig stiffened, stopping in the road. fire on the homes, fields lighting the night sky with red tongues of flame, screams of the ones he'd failed. He shook his head, acting as if to get a scratch.

 "I am now." He said, then pushed on.

@Sorana

@Steel Inquisitive

Edited March 22, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Algorath had spent a nightmarish night in an alley.  There were so many people.  He had found a grubby section of the city that had less people though, so that was good.  He had come for the money, although, what a wolf did with money he didn't know.  It must be his sentience asserting itself again.  Honestly, sometimes it was hard to figure himself out.  Was he a man or a wolf?  Running with the pack, pulling down the weakest of the herd, and tearing into it ravenously made him enjoy his wolf aspect, but left his sentience unsatisfied.  Decisions like this, coming to the city for money, fascinated his sentience, but terrified his wolf aspect.  In the early morning light, it was easier to face his identity crisis.  As he walked down an alley, enjoying the scents of the city, he could see the advantage of both sides of himself.  He then noticed something that brought him to a jarring halt.  As a wolf in the wild, he had trained his mind to notice detail.  In the process of evolving to an Apex, his sentience had made him one thousand times better at this.  So the fact of a missing person was extremely obvious to his hunter mind.  The man, Geb, who had been sleeping by the alley mouth, was gone.  Normally, Algorath new, this wouldn't be so odd.  But, the man had stayed up late the last night, drinking with his friends.  After a night like that, he should've been out so cold an earthquake wouldn't wake him.  He was gone.  It was conceivable, however, that he had been carried off, or had sleepwalked away.  He would've ignored the disappearance completely if not for one, undeniable fact.  There was a spot of blood on the ground.  He smelled it, and instinctively new that this was the blood of a deep, artery wound.  This man had been either mortally wounded, or killed.  Without making a sound or disturbing the scene in any way.  His hunter's mind was fascinated, but what he saw next drove the mystery from his mind.  A girl with nature magic walking down the alley.  The hackles on Algorath's back rose, and a half-growl half-whine came out of his mouth.  She was lightheartedly walking down the street, juggling a ball of water back in forth.  Algorath retreated into the shadows out of fear until the girl passed.  He shuddered again, and continued on his way, lashing out at random things in anger.

He stumbled through the busy streets, being pressed on all sides.  The emotions of the disgusting mob surging around him.  Around him, friends called to each other, shopkeepers hawked their wares, people conversed loudly, and worst of all, magic was everywhere.  He saw people practicing ritual magic, nature magic, and even some human deities.  He had changed his form to that of a semi-man, and with a dark cloak went almost unnoticed.  Still, the press of people, the chaos, the headaches...  He wanted to rip the head off of the man next to him, even though he had nothing but bump his elbow.  He wanted to transform into full hunter form, and kill everyone in the street.  He was confident the normal humans, and even some deities wouldn't be a problem.  But the nature magic... he shuddered again.  Still, his sentience balked at such a heinous act, and his sentience usually won out in such situations.  And besides, he was a hunter, not a murderer.  He couldn't possibly eat all of these humans.  It was then that he noticed another animal.

It was a hulking bear, accompanied by two other humans-looking creatures.  Curious, me moved towards them.  As he got closer, however, he smelled something that nearly made him lose control and turn back into Apex form.  The girl, she possessed nature magic.  He made a soft growl in the back of his throat, but the prospect of meeting maybe another magic augmented animal overpowered his dislike of magic.  He strode over to the group, and said in a gravelly, guttural voice, "Hello.  I'm Algorath. An Apex, on his way to becoming a Monster.  I hoped to meet another forest animal, the city is an overwhelming place.  For me, at least."

@Chasmfiend#1 @Sorana @Steel Inquisitive

Edit:

Quote

Sorry to hit you with a massive wall of text .  I should've broken it up a little.

 

Edited March 22, 2019 by Vargo Seldon

[+Sorana she/her]

"I guess you could count me as a travelling healer."

Amara nodded in reply to Jürgen's question, while she softly touched Mutig's fur, wordlessly tried to offer comfort.

"I never wanted to, but -"

She paused, shook her head.

"Sometimes you have no other choice, especially if you're poor and live on the ground of some rich people."

"And you? Travelling hunter?"

@Steel Inquisitive

@Chasmfiend#1

Turning around, when they were adressed, she instinctively stepped closer to Jürgen and Mutig. An Apex, here?

"Hello. I'm Amara, and I guess we all are lost in this city somehow."

She smiled friendly at him, albeit a bit unsure what to do. She had been warned of these creatures, they were supposed to be dangerous. But then her mother had told her a lot of things, that she had proven wrong while travelling. Give him a chance. She told herself and continued to smile.

@Vargo Seldon

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Just now, Sorana said:

"I guess you could count me as a travelling healer."

Amara nodded in reply to Jürgen's question, while she softly touched Mutig's fur, wordlessly tried to offer comfort.

"I never wanted to, but -"

She paused, shook her head.

"Sometimes you have no other choice, especially if you're poor and live on the ground of some rich people."

"And you? Travelling hunter?"

@Steel Inquisitive

@Chasmfiend#1

Turning around, when they were adressed, she instinctively stepped closer to Jürgen and Mutig. An Apex, here?

"Hello. I'm Amara, and I guess we all are lost in this city somehow."

She smiled friendly at him, albeit a bit unsure what to do. She had been warned of these creatures, they were supposed to be dangerous. But then her mother had told her a lot of things, that she had proven wrong while travelling. Give him a chance. She told herself and continued to smile.

@Vargo Seldon

The woman smiled in a friendly way at Algorath when she addressed him.  He was still extremely mistrustful of her, as a user of nature magic, but maybe, just maybe, he was judging them a bit too harshly.  He started.  Where had that thought come from?  His sentience was taking more and more initiative lately.  Why couldn't things just stay the way they were?  He had been happy as a wolf, and as a human.  He had enjoyed what he did.  Until the foolish demigod had decided to fuse the two.  Wolf and man, making a terrifying hybrid.  A hybrid who didn't know who or what he was.  Truth is, his Apex status had come more quickly as a result of a sentience in his being.  He didn't know what he wanted.  Did he want to embrace his sentience, or to run with his pack?  He realized that while he was reflecting, he had lost control of a human form.  He quickly schooled his features, but they had probably noticed.  He tried at a smile that probably showed more of his wolf nature than friendly human side.  "The demigod said that this would be easier once I had attained Monster status."  He tried to frame his words eloquently, but his wolf body was not accustomed to forming human words.

[Chasmfiend#1]

12 minutes ago, Vargo Seldon said:

He strode over to the group, and said in a gravelly, guttural voice, "Hello.  I'm Algorath. An Apex, on his way to becoming a Monster.  I hoped to meet another forest animal, the city is an overwhelming place.  For me, at least."

@Chasmfiend#1 @Sorana @Steel Inquisitive

 

Mutig turned, seeing the new comer and immediately stepped between Jügen and Amara and the new creature. He let loose a deep growl, making it clear this new comer was close enough.

 "So your what I smelled!" He snarled, preparing for a fight,  "you where the thing I sensed last night! "

@Sorana @Steel Inquisitive @Vargo Seldon.

[+Invocation]

Janim, do you smell that? There's anger afoot, along with some heavily changed beings. Let's go see!

You are going to get me killed some day, you know that?

Despite their complaints, Janim picked up the canine pace, weaving their way through the crowds before coming upon a scene with a bear, another wolf, and a human. That was...strange... but it did look like hackles were up. "What is happening here?" Janim said, doing their best to be forceful.

@Sorana @Steel Inquisitive @Vargo Seldon @Chasmfiend#1

Edited March 22, 2019 by Invocation

[Vargo Seldon he/him]

Just now, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig turned, seeing the new comer and immediately stepped between Jügen and Amara and the new creature. He let loose a deep growl, making it clear this new comer was close enough.

 "So your what I smelled!" He snarled, preparing for a fight,  "you where the thing I sensed last night! "

@Sorana @Steel Inquisitive @Vargo Seldon.

Algorath was alarmed when the bear put himself between him and the other two.  He lost control of human form completely, and transformed into the horrifying mix of wolf and man.  He growled back at the creature, casting aside the coat.  "I don't know who or what you are, but in a city where everything is new and unfamiliar, you're the only thing that struck me as known.  I wouldn't have ventured out at all if I hadn't seen something I could feel comfortable with.  Why does everyone assume that just because I evolved from a simple beast that I'm evil?  I have just as much intelligence, and just as much sentience as the rest of you.  Perhaps more."  As he spoke, his words started coming easier.  They sounded less primitive, more eloquent.  Les guttural, more flowing.  Give my sentience an inch, he though, and it would take a mile.

[Chasmfiend#1]

6 minutes ago, Invocation said:

Janim, do you smell that? There's anger afoot, along with some heavily changed beings. Let's go see!

You are going to get me killed some day, you know that?

Despite their complaints, Janim picked up the canine pace, weaving their way through the crowds before coming upon a scene with a bear, another wolf, and a human. That was...strange... but it did look like hackles were up. "What is happening here?" Janim said, doing their best to be forceful.

Mutig glanced at the newest person, not turning from Algorath. "I would kill you here right now, impure, if it didn't waste my time." He said the word impure with hate, his injured leg itched, as he remembered how he got it.

 Then he looked around, noticing the crowd's clearing back, forming a ring around them.

 "Your kind are the creatures that lack the right for life!" Mutig roared, "your kind kill without a second thought!"

 @Sorana @Steel Inquisitive, @Vargo Seldon @invocation.

[+Invocation]

1 minute ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig glanced at the newest person, not turning from Algorath. "I would kill you here right now, impure, if it didn't waste my time." He said the word impure with hate, his injured leg itched, as he remembered how he got it.

 Then he looked around, noticing the crowd's clearing back, forming a ring around them.

 "Your kind are the creatures that lack the right for life!" Mutig roared, "your kind kill without a second thought!"

 @Sorana @Steel Inquisitive, @Vargo Seldon @invocation.

"Alright, I don't know what is actually happening here, but it's nothing good and you both need to calm down," Janim said, turning into a bear and moving between the two in an attempt to resonate more and put some weight behind their words.

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

5 hours ago, MacThorstenson said:

He saw the man smile, then the smile fade. 

“Another time,” he said, “will you be here tomorrow?”

Thorstein frowned, “Sadly not, I am meeting my brother tomorrow, but how about this.” He thought for a little. It was probably the money. People could never buy toys, they weren’t a necessity. You don’t trade necessities for non necessities. But what could he give this man that was a necessity? You didn’t need anything beyond food water and a room. Wait, he could give him a room. He started talking, mostly to himself. “Ok, you just came through the gate, so are probably a traveler. Do you have a place to sleep yet? I can get you a room for a quarter of the price if you tell me a good story. Yes, that should work." Then speaking louder, he made his offer. "So, if you tell me a story, I can get you a cheap room, then you can buy the marbles you want! What do you say?” Thorstein leaned forward excitedly. 

A story? Aldred felt the smile slide back onto his face. If a story was what this fellow wanted, then a story he would get. 

And a room as well, he thought, grin broadening. What a deal indeed.

"As it happens, I do know my fair share of stories," he said. "Out in the wilds of east Perechia, I came across a village that was utterly beset by --"

The humming, droning thrum of magic swelled in his ears, nearly drowning out his own thoughts. Something pulled forcefully at his mind, a powerful yank. Aldred cut off his sentence, head turning sharply to gaze over the crowd. It wasn't hard to see the source of the magic: across the square, a massive bear stood speaking with a man and woman, and... was that a wolf? The skin on the back of Aldred's neck prickled, and he felt some of his talent slide into place, urging him to to speak with the creatures, to strike a deal.

He looked back at the Ritualist. "Well, there's a story in the making," he said, pointing at the bear - wait, no, the two bears. How could he have possibly missed anotherbear? "This city's madder than a cat in a sack with all this magic stuffed into it."

Edited March 22, 2019 by ZincAboutIt

[Steel Inquisitive he/him]

"Let's calm down," Jurgen said walking around Mutig. He had his bow out. When did I get that out? "We are all weary travelers who don't want a fight." He eyed the small group that had converged on them. All this for helping a woman..... My dad was right about them! "Why don't we all go get a drink? There's a tavern right there!"

@Everyone

Edited March 22, 2019 by Steel Inquisitive

[+Invocation]

9 minutes ago, Steel Inquisitive said:

"Let's calm down," Jurgen said walking around Mutig. He had his bow out. When did I get that out? "We are all weary travelers who don't want a fight." He eyed the small group that had converged on them. All this for helping a woman..... My dad was right about them! "Why don't we all go get a drink? There's a tavern right there!"

@Everyone

"I don't think these people are interested in calming down."

[Chasmfiend#1]

13 minutes ago, Steel Inquisitive said:

"Let's calm down," Jurgen said walking around Mutig. He had his bow out. When did I get that out? "We are all weary travelers who don't want a fight." He eyed the small group that had converged on them. All this for helping a woman..... My dad was right about them! "Why don't we all go get a drink? There's a tavern right there!"

@Everyone

Mutig glanced down at Jügen, puzzled and annoyed by his boldness. He heard something further up the and squinting as best he could be saw the glint of armored men filling the streets now. Mutig didn't need to see to tell they had tar arrows, and where about to light not only him, but probably everyone else there. He went past Jügen and snacked both the wolf and bear, against everything his soul told him.

 "I should have beaten you hard for waking me last night!" He bellowed, making sure the guard's heard. Then leaned over and muttered in both animal's ears.

 "We'll deal with this when there aren't civilians and flaming arrows, for now, play along."

@everyone

Edited March 22, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[Steel Inquisitive he/him]

Jurgen put a hand on Mutig's shoulder. "It took me some time to remember who you reminded me of, but I remember now. This is not what she would have wanted."

@Chasmfiend#1

[Chasmfiend#1]

7 minutes ago, Steel Inquisitive said:

Jurgen put a hand on Mutig's shoulder. "It took me some time to remember who you reminded me of, but I remember now. This is not what she would have wanted."

@Chasmfiend#1

Mutig froze. Tiana... He looked closely at Jügen, studying his face. 

 "She mentioned you.. She told me you where like a guardian yourself, though we couldn't meet."

 He backed away now, quite and thoughtful, he still remembered her death, as if it was yesterday.

@Steel Inquisitive

Edited March 22, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

Aldred felt the tug of magic again, accompanied by the feeling of fear.

Someone needs to do something, he thought. He could almost feel other people in the crowd thinking it too. An accord needed to be reached. A deal needed to be struck. The Itinerant was required.

He stepped out into the square, leaving the Ritualist merchant and his wares behind. A squad of soldiers had begun to descend on the small group - it looked like violence was imminent. Aldred felt himself grin a little too wide. The hum in his mind grew louder, louder. He felt the talent swirl around his tongue like fine apple brandy as he stepped between the groups.

"My friends," he said, his voice carrying unnaturally through the noise of the square. "Can we not all resolve this peaceably?"

You are calm, he thought, pouring it into his voice. You wish to listen, you wish to treat with one another. A deal must be struck.

@Steel Inquisitive @Chasmfiend#1 @Invocation @Vargo Seldon

[Steel Inquisitive he/him]

"She was the b..." A man's voice cut him off.

"My friends, can we not all resolve this peaceably?" Jurgen felt the tension fading. This is unnatural. Came a thought, but it couldn't bother him. Odd. 

"We're good now." Or at least Mutig is good. No telling with the others. "Tell the guards to leave." He said gruffly to the stranger. For some reason he assumed the man had that kind of authority. He seemed perfectly in control, despite how he was dressed.

@ZincAboutIt

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

Aldred nodded to the man, a powerfully-built fellow a good half-dozen years older than himself. He turned to the soldiers, who had stopped rather suddenly, looking unsure.

"I has been a long day for us all," he said to the men. "But surely, there must be something else for you to do? All is well here."

The leader of the squad looked to his second, conversing briefly, then nodded. "You do good work here, Sayer," he said. "Just make sure this lot doesn't kill one another, eh?"

Aldred smiled and put a hand over his heart. "The light of logic be with you," he said to the men, who had already started retreating back into the upper city. 

He turned towards the hunter, and felt some of his talent fade. "You'd do well not to make enemies of the city guard," he said. "The census has them all on edge, I can feel it." He grinned again, giving a little bow. "I'm Aldred, though some call me the Itinerant. You keep some interesting company."

@Steel Inquisitive

[+Sorana she/her]

Amara had followed the exchange quietly.

"I think going somewhere where we all can drink something is a good idea. There is no need to fight each other."

She smiled at them all and spread her arms in what she hoped was a calming gesture.

Quote

Sorry, been swimming.

 

[Steel Inquisitive he/him]

Just now, ZincAboutIt said:

Aldred nodded to the man, a powerfully-built fellow a good half-dozen years older than himself. He turned to the soldiers, who had stopped rather suddenly, looking unsure.

"I has been a long day for us all," he said to the men. "But surely, there must be something else for you to do? All is well here."

The leader of the squad looked to his second, conversing briefly, then nodded. "You do good work here, Sayer," he said. "Just make sure this lot doesn't kill one another, eh?"

Aldred smiled and put a hand over his heart. "The light of logic be with you," he said to the men, who had already started retreating back into the upper city. 

He turned towards the hunter, and felt some of his talent fade. "You'd do well not to make enemies of the city guard," he said. "The census has them all on edge, I can feel it." He grinned again, giving a little bow. "I'm Aldred, though some call me the Itinerant. You keep some interesting company."

@Steel Inquisitive

"Interesting company is better than boring company." Jurgen said nodding to the Aldred. "My name is Jurgen."

1 minute ago, Sorana said:

"I think going somewhere where we all can drink something is a good idea. There is no need to fight each other."

She smiled at them all and spread her arms in what she hoped was a calming gesture.

 

"Do you know of a place where we could grab a drink?" He asked the "Itinerant".

[MacThorstenson he/him]

25 minutes ago, ZincAboutIt said:

"Well, there's a story in the making," he said, pointing at the bear - wait, no, the two bears. How could he have possibly missed anotherbear? "This city's madder than a cat in a sack with all this magic stuffed into it."

Oh dear. Another adventure, I can feel it in my bones.

"The story has to be original, and however unlikely it may seem, this is not the first time I've run into a herd of talking animals." Then the man went over there and calmed them down. Now that, that was original. Another adventure. For sure. 

Thorstein sat back in his chair, wise enough to not get involved.

He had lived long enough to have experienced most of the stories that people told, and they all were based in more truth than people thought. There was always a good side and a bad side, and the hero always lived, albeit with some serious trauma, and the world was always saved.

One of the constants was that the old wizard dies.

Unfortunately, if Thorstein got involved too early that could become his role again. And he hated dying. It was a pain in the neck to try and prove that you were alive for the 3rd time and that you faked your death for the sake of the story.

Maybe if he stayed back he could be the warrior? He was a good hand with the axe. Maybe he could do the warrior thing this time.

Or better yet, he could be the bard! The bard never died because they were the ones telling the story! Yes, that's what he would do. His face lit up in a grin. He already knew he was going to make it. 

Meanwhile a mime troop had an aneurysm because they couldn't tell if he broke the fourth wall or not.

He refocused on the group, it looks like the guy, he called himself the Itinerant, had calmed everything down.

He began packing things up, he didn't want to join in right away, but he also wanted to be apart of yet another story, and so he hurried.

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

3 minutes ago, Steel Inquisitive said:

"Interesting company is better than boring company." Jurgen said nodding to the Aldred. "My name is Jurgen."

"Do you know of a place where we could grab a drink?" He asked the "Itinerant".

"Well met, Jurgen," Aldred said. "And as it happens, I do. It's been a good while since I last passed through Roshek, but I'd bet my boots that the Half Moon is still pouring pints." He glanced over the bear, who was easily as tall as a man - taller, really. "And they have a lovely patio out back," he added. "Follow me."

I wonder if old Burkhardt is still there, he thought. That leathery old boot owes me at least one drink, and another game of dice. 

He smiled over his shoulder at the odd troupe and sauntered across the square into the city proper. 

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig sat down, still keeping his eyes on the wolf/ man.

He looked at the newest person, and spotted his well worn robes. Mutig felt an inner flame kindle but he strangled it out. not now, not here.

 "If I recall," he announced , acting as if nothing happened, "someone mentioned a tavern, I may not be able to enter, but who's to say I can't drink?"

He looked after the guard's.

if anything, I sure got them running around twice in one day, hope they don't blame Amara for this. He glanced at her realizing how quiet she had been.

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

Edited March 22, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[+Invocation]

5 minutes ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig sat down, still keeping his eyes on the wolf/ man.

He looked at the newest person, and spotted his well worn robes. Mutig felt an inner flame kindle but he strangled it out. not now, not here.

 "If I recall," he announced , acting as if nothing happened, "someone mentioned a tavern, I may not be able to enter, but who's to say I can't drink?"

He looked after the guard's.

if anything, I sure got them running around twice in one day, hope they don't blame Amara for this. He glanced at her realizing how quiet she had been.

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

"I do not drink. That would...go badly."

[Steel Inquisitive he/him]

Just now, Invocation said:

"I do not drink. That would...go badly."

"Come sit with us!" Jurgen exclaimed. "I'm more hungry then thirsty myself."