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Post by Nicolae on Dec 15, 2006 18:33:04 GMT -5
Nicolae sighed. He had a bad feeling about this, as soon as he opened his mouth his brain started shouting at him to shut up.
"I can distract the Yarl," Nicolae said to Mihu. "While you impale it with some form of silver."
I'm going to die, Nicolae thought. Well, at least I'll die doing something noble, my family would never approve.
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Post by Jaiden on Dec 17, 2006 1:07:50 GMT -5
How terribly hopeless this all sounded. The burden of an entire town's survival rested on the shoulders of two simple clerics - one young, one not so young - a ranger who hopefully had a lifetime of swordsmanship behind his uncertain words, and a newcomer who as far as Jaiden could tell just offered himself up as bait. It was a disaster waiting to happen... just fuel to the fire of what tragedy already befell this place.
The unusual young man with the bright hair had kept mostly to himself in the tavern, doing his best to stay out of the mess that the Yarl had left behind. It was bad, sure, but it didn't really involve him... for the fortune-teller, it was just a place to rest his boots. Things were different now, though. Here was a quartet of fools just announcing their plans to become the Yarl's next meal, and he couldn't help but wonder... was there a chance to make a profit here? Surely some would-be heroes would love to know whether or not they really stood a chance. Not that he could actually tell them one way or another, but hey - if he was wrong, they'd never come back to say so, and if he was right, hey! Instant credibility. Jaiden finished what little juice was left in his bottle and rose from his seat, setting his eyes and attentions to the group.
"Greetings, gentlemen." He offered a low bow to them, voice soft and encouraging. "I couldn't help but overhear that you're considering an especially dangerous course of action. Noble as it is, don't you think it might be a little unwise to charge headfirst into this?" With the exaggerated speech, exotic clothing and striking hair, Jaiden hoped that he painted the perfect picture of an eccentric diviner. "We don't want you needlessly throwing your lives away. There's been so much bloodshed here already. As I feel the strife of this poor town, I offer you a chance to consult the fates before you journey out... for a vastly discounted fee, of course." His perfect smile just oozed charm... or so he hoped.
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Post by Nicolae on Dec 17, 2006 21:45:53 GMT -5
Nicolae looked at this strange man who suddenly approached them and got an uneasy feeling. Was he trying to profit off the misfortune of this town?
Or maybe he thought if they were stupid enough to go after the Yarl, they would be stupid enough to believe anything he had to say.
Not that Nicolae could entirely blame him.
"I'll leave this decision up to the rest of you," Nicolae declared simply.
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Mihumet Iunis
Novice
A world of white is devoid of happiness...
Posts: 16
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Post by Mihumet Iunis on Dec 18, 2006 12:36:53 GMT -5
Mihu raised an eyebrow. He looked toward Donovan.
"Is this true, is a bow considered a pointy weapon? If Ren were taught to shoot then we should be three against one Yarl, as opposed to two. I would prefer the Yarl to die than all the people of Cyrra..."
He was not mocking... Mihu didn't know how to mock. In truth he had little contact with clerics, and knew not their ways.
His eyes lost focus for a moment, then he snapped them back, telling himself he would not think of being so close to Ren as he showed him the bow. No point in fantasizing of something that would not happen. He frowned a little.
"Once the yarl gets close, my bow is useless. I will need to use my shortsword. I am not as good with a sword as my bow. Perhaps you can keep its attention focused on you?" he spoke to the newcomer, who still hadn't introduced himself.
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Ren
Novice
Wounded Smile
Posts: 23
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Post by Ren on Dec 18, 2006 14:16:09 GMT -5
"Well...it DOES have a point," he said, then clarified. "Technically," Donovan answered. "A cleric can't carry any weapon with a blade longer than the palm of his or her hand--daggers are the exception as one requires them even for menial tasks like preparing food, and the blade of such tends to be a bit longer. So, it's not against any rules but, I really don't think putting Ren and any kind of weapon in the same sentence is a very good idea."
Ren blushed sheepishly at his incompetence with all manner of weaponry and nodded his head in affirmation of Donovan's comment. Mihumet looked kind of lost in thought though and it seemed as if he probably didn't even notice. "Even my staff...I only end up hitting things when I'm trying not to. I'd probably do more harm than good if I tried." He really wasn't confident in his abilities as such at all.
It was then that another walked up. For a moment he'd hoped, 'another warrior?' But it just seemed to be a fortune teller. He offered the man and his peculiar hair and fancy robes a charmingly disarming smile that Ren, of course, didn't know as such. "Well, I won't decide for everyone," he said. "But the fact is, no matter what, someone has to try to stop the Yarl, and if there isn't anyone else, then we've got no choice. Anyway, I don't really believe in a future that can't be changed."
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Post by Jaiden on Dec 18, 2006 18:04:30 GMT -5
Buncha cheapskates. Every town was full of them, and not only that, but they were skeptical cheapskates. Fine! He had a trick or two up his sleeve, one of which he was about to get to before the ranger made a ridiculous suggestion. Jaiden flustered quickly, hands on his hips. "Keep its attention? What do you take me for?" He shook his head, loosing even more strands of cerulean and gold. The look in their eyes was all too familiar to him... they thought him a swindler, a cheat. An opportunist at best, though that wasn't really saying much considering the current situation.
"Fine," he huffed, straightening his robes before them. "Maybe you don't want to know your fate. Maybe you want to rush in like fools. That's alright. My gift offers other insights. There's more to see in what awaits us than just events. There are... places. Locations. I can tell you where it is before it has a chance to attack again." It was a bold claim, one he wasn't really sure he could live up to, but it was worth a shot. He wanted to sleep in a bed tonight, damn it.
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Post by Nicolae on Dec 18, 2006 23:28:16 GMT -5
Nicolae's eyes widened slightly at the fortune teller's bold statement. Nicolae turned to the others, then considered for a moment.
"Actually friend," Nicolae told him. "I think he meant for me to keep the Yarl's attention. By the way, my name is Nicolae, I believe in all the confusion I forgot to introduce myself. And I believe this man's offer has merit. If he can tell us where to find the Yarl I believe we should take him with us. Thought it's certainly not my decision. I'm hoping to make a few ka on this mission, but I certainly can't offer any to him."
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Mihumet Iunis
Novice
A world of white is devoid of happiness...
Posts: 16
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Post by Mihumet Iunis on Dec 20, 2006 11:17:42 GMT -5
Mihu looked up to the fortune teller.
"Ah, yes. I apologize. I meant Nicolae. I should like to help pay for your services. It is good to know all the angles of the future. But we must act quickly. We know not when the yarl will return."
He stood, walked to the bartender, and asked him briefly if the blacksmith were still alive, and if so, where he could find him.
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Ren
Novice
Wounded Smile
Posts: 23
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Post by Ren on Dec 20, 2006 15:55:44 GMT -5
Well, this was a first. Ren, of all people, was the skeptic among the group. The young cleric did tend towards naivete on most things, but...fortune telling. Still, if the man was willing to come along he couldn't be a complete scam artist. It was DANGEROUS, after all, this yarl business.
Although, as someone who had quite a few younger siblings, Ren couldn't help but think the way Jaiden had said 'fine' was much akin to a child who was told he couldn't have his cake until he finished his vegetables and then went about making efforts to find ways of hiding said vegetables.
"If you really CAN predict such a thing," Donovan said, seemingly willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Then the Pyres might be willing to compensate you for your efforts as well. I can't speak for them, only put in a good word."
(ooc: Mihu, of course, feel free to determine what the bartender says and if the blacksmith is alive, etc. as you will)
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Post by Nicolae on Dec 20, 2006 19:31:40 GMT -5
Nicolae wondered about the wisdom of this whole plan. Could he even succeed in distracting the Yarl if he had the chance? Could this fortune teller find the Yarl? Could they defeat it?
"I will be honest," Nicolae told the clerics. "I have no experience with this sort of combat. Hopefully I won't break my staff on the Yarl."
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Post by Jaiden on Dec 20, 2006 22:02:06 GMT -5
Well, it certainly helped to have the benefit of a doubt, but this might have been more than he bargained for. It sounded like they wanted him to come along... what did he look like, some sort of tracker? The idea was that he told them where the Yarl was and they went. Now he had a tough decision to make; he could say no and basically admit that he was a liar, or he could try to make a prediction and follow them into the field - possibly winding up smushed by some beast. It didn't sound all that appealing either way, but... well, if he made it back alive, think of what it'd do for his reputation!
"Alright, alright." He brushed back an odd lock of hair from his face before folding his arms. "It won't be cheap, though. It certainly isn't in my best interest to put myself in danger like this, but I guess these people deserve some vindication after what happened." He looked around at those gathered here - talk about a rag-tag bunch. Jaiden was the only one who brought any class to the group, but that wouldn't do them any good if he wound up a bloodstain on the ground.
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Mihumet Iunis
Novice
A world of white is devoid of happiness...
Posts: 16
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Post by Mihumet Iunis on Dec 21, 2006 15:12:54 GMT -5
Mihu spoke with the bartender briefly, and nodded solemnly. The bartender called for a young man, seated in the corner. He was perhaps fourteen, and scrappy, covered in dried sweat and coal dust. Mihu spoke to him quietly for a moment. The boy nodded sadly. Mihu nodded back without speaking, and patted the lad on the shoulder. He returned to the table.
"The blacksmith is dead." He tilted his head back in the direction of the boy. "The boy is his son. He knows enough to smelt us some arrowheads. Now all we need to do is find silver. The boy says there is a mine nearby, a few hours walk towards the mountains."
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Post by Nicolae on Dec 21, 2006 18:25:28 GMT -5
Nicolae took in everything Mihu said. A few hours away? That would mean a few hours back and who knew how long to make the silver weapons needed to kill the Yarl.
"I have a horse," Nicolae said. "Do the rest of you? If not I can ride to the mine while the rest of you fortify the town against the Yarl's return."
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Ren
Novice
Wounded Smile
Posts: 23
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Post by Ren on Dec 23, 2006 12:16:48 GMT -5
Ren seemed to light up a bit. A mine? Manual labor. He could do that! Well, Ren did like to feel useful. "Mining? I can do mining!" a peculiar thing to come out of a cleric's mouth really, but whatever. He WAS kind of dressed like a farm-hand at the moment. "Ah, but...hey, Donovan, is it okay for me to use a pick-axe if it's only for something like that?" he asked in that innocent way he sometimes had when he wasn't sure about something.
Donovan gave a little shrug. "What the Pyres don't know won't hurt them," he said, then chuckled. "It's fine, Ren. I'll go ask the bartender if he might acquire us some mining tools--I think it might be best for me to stay behind to keep an eye on the wounded though. Just in case. I'll leave getting the silver to you young men," he said walking over to the bar again.
Ren pouted at his back. "He makes it sound good," he said. "But he just wants to be lazy again."
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Post by Raasst on Jan 2, 2007 4:25:08 GMT -5
The lake had been nice, really it had, but staying in one place for too long was just against the nature of his people. Raasst had decided on the spurr of the moment that he was in the wrong place. He had been travelling in roughly the same direction, and it wasn't a surprise when he came upon Cyrra.
The only surprise he found was the state of the city. In the chaos it wasn't hard to slip in fairly unnoticed. Just walking through the city, Raasst gleaned from the bits of conversation that reached his ears that a Yarl had struck. It brought a frown to his wolfish face, but that was quickly pushed away. It occured to him that slaying such a creature would be a rather good way to get his name around. It wasn't his normal thought process, but there was something about the way that the downtrodden citizens looked at him that brought it up. For once they weren't staring with distrust. Their eyes were filled with a kind of beaten hope at the armor he wore and the large spear he had resting on one of shoulders.
Sure, they weren't all looking at him like that. Some of them were watching him like a hawk as if he was complete and total scum of the earth just waiting to capitalize on the already damaged town. There were enough watching him with hope that it nearly brought a grin to his face.
He scratched behind one of his ears as he ducked into an alley to think. As much as he liked to think himself as a warrior, it wasn't an easy target he was about to face, and fighting it alone was not the wisest of decisions. Still, not facing it was no longer an option. Not if there was a chance (and Raasst was fairly sure there was) it could come back. There was only one place for any adventurer to go. It wasn't hard for him to find the pub. He wandered in, dipping his knees a little bit to make sure that his speartip cleared the door.
It appeared as if a group was already starting to form. He wasn't good with other people, so he just put those good ears of his to use and listened.
"It's fine, Ren. I'll go ask the bartender if he might acquire us some mining tools--I think it might be best for me to stay behind to keep an eye on the wounded though. Just in case. I'll leave getting the silver to you young men,"
"He makes it sound good, but he just wants to be lazy again."
Definately preparing for a Yarl hunt, and so, he decided to approach them. It did look as if they were going to be in need of another fighter. Raasst moved from the door towards them. He scratched behind his ear, and as his hand dropped his frown formed, giving the Romari a much more intimidating look than his norm.
"You wouldn't have need of another warrior would you?"
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