Ruin's Dawn: Storied Gold

[Basilisk]

Date: 35 of Saun, 721
Location: Mountains outside Uthaldria
There was a light drizzle coming out of the sky above, not enough to be called a rain, but definitely enough to make your clothes damp, but other than that, it seemed a perfectly peaceful day, if one ignored the elaborately carved door built into the side of the mountain or the rhythmical rumbling sound coming from around them. There was only one other person in sight, and he was a tall man dressed in mountain hiking gear and he looked for all the world as if he had just walked up the area.

When the six people who had been called to the area appeared, he looked at them and gave them a wide grin. "Well, there you are! Took you all long enough to get here, I was beginning to wonder if you'd gotten lost." he said, his deep voice amused. "Now, you can all introduce yourselves to each other, but to save time, I'm Cassion, and I'm the one who's going to explain why you're all here." he said, leaning on a heavy walking stick.

"So, in short, Faldrun, his sister Kata, and Kata's boy toy Mastes have got their hands on these artifacts that gather ambient power and they've sent some of Faldrun's bully boys out to fill them up." he said, before walking up to the door and whacking it with his stick, opening it to a dark hallway beyond. "This here is one of the places they're gathering power from, it's an old vault, and Qylios suspects that they might be gathering power from wealth spirits or the like. Since I happened to be in the area, Qylios asked if I could handle gathering the Mortals for this area." he said, before shrugging slightly.

"Normally, I'd have declined, since the politics of my kindred aren't really my purview, but Qylios said she already had some recruits for me, and when she told me who they were, it made for a good enough story idea that I couldn't refuse." he said, laughing slightly before he turned to look at Devin, Kalortah, and Zana in particular. "You see, Delroth's bad behavior last cycle rather irritated Qylios, and he's trying avoid her going on a campaign to wreck a bunch of his temples and redisbtributing all the wealth in them. To that end, he's donated two of his servants and his daughter to the cause. Qylios figured that a trio of Greed's servants might be helpful navigating an old treasure vault, and I supplemented the group with two of my own own Blessed." he said, nodding at Oram and Arlo. Then he grinned at Alyssia. "As for you, little lady, you just looked like you could use a good adventure." he said, before he stepped away from the door.

"Anyway, I'd best be on my way. I'm not signatory to the Oath like most of my kind, but if I stuck around, there'd hardly be any adventure for you kids to have." he said, laughing at the end. "Now, be careful, have fun, and if you want to loot the vault for treasures, go ahead. Oh, and you might want to get a move on." he said, pointing at the mountain behind them with his stick. Or at least, it looked like a mountain until one noticed that it was rising and falling in time with the rumbling. "That's Abanaxus, a particularly unfriendly sort. He's asleep for now, but still, it might be best if you were all inside before he woke up." she said, before giving them a cheery wave as he started back down the mountain.

!

Message from: Basilisk

Well, hello you lot and welcome to Uthaldria. For this round, you can describe what your PC's were doing before Cassion called you all to Uthaldria to help save Idalos, as well as what you do once your here. From the next round and on, your group will moderated by one of our lovely GST's, Avalon. So, I'll leave you in her capable hands and hope you all have fun and enjoy the plot. Next post is in a week, on Tuesday the 15th.

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[Zana]

35th Saun, 721

Zana looked around and blinked in some surprise.

Then, she realised a few things. First. There were people here. Little people, though, by virtue of them not being her so she ignored those. Unimportant detail, that first one.

Second - there was a mountain and big door-thing. That was largely uninteresting, except for the fact that it meant that she wasn't where she had been. Moderately important detail, number two was.

Third, and most importantly, it was raining. Zana despised the rain, it made her hair look out of place, it made her clothes damp and, unless it was a very specific situation, wet clothing was neither attractive nor comfortable.

She sighed.

And then, one of the peons spoke. It was a tall, rather scruffy-looking individual who had the sort of bad-boy hobo charm which Zana had seen time - and time - again. He was Cassion? She racked her brain for which one that was and she recalled something to do with adventures. Horrid things, adventures. Prone to getting one grubby and really likely to end up with someone sweating.

Ew.

He spoke, and she listened and tried not to fall asleep because really, he was very dull and full of his own importance and then? Then he said something which provoked the only response it ever would. Zana raised a single, perfectly plucked and beautifully shaped eyebrow and she spoke up, not caring whether the grubby looking fellow had paused or not. "That doesn't sound like my father at all," she said quietly. "He's the Immortal of Vanity. There is nothing he can not achieve, for he is Delroth himself. You make it sound rather like he gave in to Qylios' bullying, which he simply wouldn't do," Her father, Zana was quite sure, was far to vain to do it - or at the very least to admit to doing it. "To give in to a threat, to do the equivalent of handing over his lunch nels to the weapon-wielder who threatened him? Oh no, that is not Delroth at all." She looked at Cassion then, and she stood her ground. Her ice blue eyes held his and her ruby lips lifted slightly.

"My father is the Immortal of Vanity. Do you really expect me to believe that he would allow - no, in fact, that he would encourage his child, and his chosen, to be introduced to a task in such a way? If he wanted us to do something, he would have told us, would have made it clear that it was in his name and for his glory." She smiled and shook her head. "There is no part of him which would allow anything else." Waving a hand at the retreating (or indeed, already retreated) Cassion, Zana dismissed him as unimportant. "This is not anything to do with me," she said. "Do have fun, won't you. Or don't. But if you're planning on going along with it because Delroth said so, his Vanity simply would not allow this, even if he owed Qylios a debt - which I'm sure he doesn't. Still," she'd wasted more than enough breath on these people. There was no point in stating the obvious - that some scruffy-looking idiot who dropped them here, gave a grandiose speech and then left, leaving them with whatever an Abanaxus was and not considering anything other than his own voice and importance was really not the sort to be trusted.

No, Zana Delroth had no intention of being dragged somewhere under the guise of a job from her father when her father's very nature would be too vain to allow such an introduction. It wasn't vanity like she had, she knew that - she would have had to put a positive spin on this and Delroth? He wasn't vain - no - he epitomised Vanity. So, no. Zana would not be getting into any treasure vault, thank you, and instead, she looked for the exit. Failing that, she'd use her Portal Boots and, simply, go home.

I'm so very picturesque, I'm so very cold.
Taste like roses on my breath. Graveyards, on my soul

[Kalortah]

Kalortah wasn't much of a fan of the elements, or uncomfortable adventures out of doors. It reminded him too much of his winnowing of his primal spirit in Desnind, when he'd been driven out of Athart to purge those instincts or die. This reminded him far too much of that period in his life. And lo and behold, there was a dirty-looking man leaning on a stick and yawning on about some trip and some journey and some quest.

Kalortah, similarly to the blonde human, thought that this was totally unlike Delroth. Had he heard that one of them was the child of Delroth? The daughter? No that was preposterous. Someone's delusions of grandeur were rubbing off on this homeless man. He wasn't convincing Zana, and Kalortah would not be one to be outdone! He was the one who deserted hopeless errands, run by shiftless idiots and rubes. Not this anonymous hussy!

He had to agree with Zana, however, much to his chagrin, to think that this was a gigantic con. He wasn't having it. But before he left, he patted Devin on the back. "Well, good luck. Maybe you'll get another barony for swimming in my wake, as I fly out of here, wherever this mound of dirt is..." So saying, he tapped his portal shoes together. But before he'd disappear, he gestured toward Oram, without looking at him, "Good luck with this, the Patron Saint of Misadventure.." Kalortah looked straight at Oram, and smirked, "You looked better with fairy wings."

Kalortah turned to give them an unkind smile as he tapped his heels together, "I never liked the Western Continent, anyway.."

[Devin]

Devin looked around and blinked in some surprise as well, and a moment later, when he noticed a raindrop, he pulled the hood of his cloak (a marvelous magical Cavani’s Cloak because a normal cloak wasn’t good enough in his opinion) over his head in order to protect his hair. He’d just done it that morning, and he would not let that stupid rain ruin it!

Having done that, the young Mortalborn and recently appointed Baron who was garbed in very fancy Blooded Leather and had a pair of equally fancy shortswords at his belt took a closer look at his surroundings, frowning deeply as he did so.

He was on a mountain. He didn’t like mountains. Mountains reminded him far too much of the Faldrass disaster. They had wanted him to climb a mountain back then. He had refused to climb the mountain though and insisted that he stay in the old Baron Smooglenuff’s very fancy and quite comfortable looking manor – which had been destroyed later on.

There was a door in the mountain. Normally, he might have been at least mildly curious as to what was on the other side; there was a rhythmic rumbling that reminded him far too much of an oncoming volcanic eruption, an earthquake or a similar natural disaster though. He had already lived through an earthquake once. He had no interest in repeating the experience!

Furthermore, there was a very, very, very pretty blonde woman, standing next to him – Delroth’s daughter who he had played footsie with in that inn in Gunvorton and who had also told him that he was a Mortalborn. He offered her the most charming smile that he was capable of.

He had almost decided that he’d be able to deal with mountains and rain and dirt and other unpleasant things, after all, if it meant another chance to flirt with her when his gaze fell on him. Kalortah. His rival. The Avriel was quite attractive as well, but he’d be damned if he ever admitted that!

He just wanted to be as far away as possible from him!

Currently, as far away as possible from Kalortah was near Alyssia, so he quickly made a few steps and positioned himself next to the young Baroness, looking at her questioningly as he wondered how she had ended up on that unpleasant and unappealing mountain. “Are you alright?” he asked her softly, his concern obvious (Alyssia was his weak spot!) just as the somewhat scruffy looking fellow began to speak (He’d decided to pretty much ignore Arlo and the wingless fairy man; they didn’t look very interesting at all.)

Devin had a bit of a weakness for bad boys which was why he listened to the man who insisted that he was the Immortal Cassion, even though he talked a lot of nonsense. He even smiled brightly at him. A casual observer might think that he was focused entirely on the mission that had pretty much been forced on them; in truth, he was just thinking about how he could possibly seduce Cassion and drag him off the mountain and into his bedroom!

(Preferably together with Zana!)

“I’m sorry”, he finally remarked and made a face because he just couldn’t take it anymore, no matter how attractive he found Cassion, and how much of a bad boy vibe he had. Just like Zana, he thought that that hadn’t sounded like Delroth at all. Delroth was amazing and awesome, and he wouldn’t give in to a bunch of bullies, and if he’d wanted them to help, he would likely have come himself. “But I agree with Zana. This is quite unlike Lord Delroth. Besides, if Faldrun and his friends plan on using the power in that vault over there, why don’t you just drop an alchemical bomb on it and destroy it? You could add some magic stuff to the bomb in order to make it more effective”, he pointed out. He knew a whole lot about magic. He had a degree in it! Actually, he had several degrees in it!

“I’m not a donation. I’m the son of an Immortal, thank you very much. If you have a problem, you should just try to fix it yourself – or ask your own servants. I’m pretty sure that you have more than two. I’m not your servant though, and you can’t tell me what to do. Only Delroth and Saoire can tell me what to do, and they are not here”, he continued. “And I’d very much like to choose my own adventure and not take part in someone else’s that isn’t even the right kind of adventure for me. Furthermore, I have a Barony to rule. I’d rather not disappoint Lady Saoire and neglect my job!” he told Cassion.

“And unless your friend Abanaxus is a hot guy, I don’t care about him at all”, he added for good measure, frowning deeply as Kalortah patted him on the back. He liked him even less than before now. He had wanted to be the first person to think about leaving that stupid mountain – or at least the second. Now, he was apparently going to be the third!

“Take this”, he told Alyssia, quickly reached into his Domain Bag that contained a lot of random as well as some actually useful stuff and handed her a coin. “It’s called Ol’Tucks Luck so it makes you really lucky and takes you back home. We are not going to stay”, he told her. No matter how annoyed he was, he wouldn’t just abandon her. He wanted Alyssia to get off that damn mountain as well. In his opinion, they should all leave because this was pretty much slavery, and besides …

“You don’t involve a child in something that dangerous! That’s cruel and irresponsible! Alyssia is going back right now, and if you don't teleport her back, I'll do it!” he told Cassion in no uncertain terms, turning to the Immortal. What kind of person was he to endanger a twelve-arc-old girl that had already experienced far too much suffering in her life? Alyssia deserved nothing but happiness and safety in his opinion rather than being dragged into a stupid conflict between stupid Immortals and their probably even more stupid and totally ugly boy toys!

He would put an end to this!

With that thought in mind, he activated Chrien’s Talisman that was around his neck before he activated his portal shoes (He would never rely on a single magic item in such a situation!), expecting Alyssia to follow him, one way or another.

They were going home!

[Oram Mednix]

A flounce of image is worth a scowl of performance

It promised to be an overcast trial, offering a rare respite from the twin suns that normally baked Saun. Thus, it was a good day for a hunting outing. As a result, Oram had stepped out his tent loaded for bear. Or at least, deer.

What the hunter was not loaded for was finding himself suddenly transported to a mountain somewhere in unfamiliar country, surrounded by weirdly-shifting hills and immense, deep grinding sounds that uncomfortably resembled snoring. He saw that he was not alone here. Cassion was there, because of course he was. So were Devin and Alyssia, and the avriel Kalortah. There were also a pretty but very out-of-place lady he didn’t know, and a man he instantly recognized as one of Cassion’s own and thought familiar, though he did not immediately place from where.

Cassion spoke. A bunch of nonsense involving Immortals and their schemes to take over and/or destroy the world. And apparently this unlikely group was supposed to stop them. Oram scowled. The traveler liked good stories, and good adventures, but he also liked good plans; what the Man of Roads proposed clearly was not one of those.

Then the pretty lady spoke, and Oram’s reservations about this plan just got worse. She, Kalortah, and, most disappointingly, Devin all wasted no time declaring that they wanted nothing to do with this errand, and confirming everything the hunter thought about Delroth and his followers. They were all so vain and self-involved. They could hardly stand one another, seemingly. And they were, he suspected, utterly deluded about what Delroth was like, and what he would and wouldn’t do. They mixed up pride with backbone. They mixed up basking in adoration with caring about the adorers. They did this weird thing with clicking their heels.

As he listened to Devin speak, though, chastising Cassion for pulling a child into this and threatening to take Alyssia back with him, Oram realized the man had a point, a better one than either of the other two Delroth followers had made. When the Baron had finished talking, and declared his intention to leave with his ward, the hunter gave Alyssia a questioning look. How did she feel about any of this?

For that matter, how did Oram feel about any of this? Cassion was his patron, and the patron of travelers like him. He usually treated them at least as well as one might expect from an Immortal. This escapade, however, even as described from the Wanderer’s own mouth, reeked of reckless Immortal intrigue. And the traveler, like the others, had been brought here without warning and without his consent.

Shaking his head disapprovingly, Oram looked at the Immortal. ”As one of your Marked,” he told him, ”I owe you an allegiance that these others do not. I will of course do as you ask. But I don’t see why you’d expect *these* to do so.” He gestured at the heel-tapping Delroth followers. He himself had no problem believing that Delroth would simply offer them up as “donations”, whatever they might think, but the hunter didn’t know near enough about their patron’s ways to feel certain.

Devin had already given voice to what Oram thought of the decision to cast Alyssia into this mess, so he simply nodded his agreement to that and moved to the last person in the assembled group, whom he could tell was one of Cassion’s like himself. He seemed familiar, too, though, as he regarded the man with narrowed eyes, he was having trouble placing where he might know him from. After a few trills realization came to him. ”Arlo,” he stated. ”Met you at the Glass Temple. We were summoned to that adventure, too.” He managed a brief, faint grin at that, then turned serious again as he looked back at Cassion, only to frown as he realized that the Man of Roads was already making to hit said road.

”Can’t you at least tell us something of what we’re likely to run into in there, Cassion?” he called out to the Immortal. It seemed like a useful thing to know. Cassion might like throwing himself into adventures, not knowing what he would find, but then again, he was immortal. Oram Mednix wasn’t. Just as his father hadn’t been.

After getting whatever reply he was going to get from Old Dust, Oram turned back to Arlo. ”You got anything you want to add about what a bad set-up this is?” he asked him. Then he turned to regard the door. ”Or do we just do this thing?” Hearing the rumbling sound all around them, and seeing the unsettling movements of the nearby hills, the traveler was anxious to move off of this particular spot. As little as he liked the situation, the group, or their complete lack of any plan, he liked simply standing here even less.

[Alyssia]

Alyssia looked over at Novus and smiled before going to working on the notes she had been taking from the book on etiquette. She found the more that the girl wrote down the more the teen would remember. Even if she had access to the book at all times, the last thing she wanted was for it to go missing or for her to misplace it and forget where it was. Humming as the beautiful blue ink scrolled across the page, it was a constant reminder of who people thought she was. Alyssia did not see herself as the hero everyone else saw her as. She had not stopped anything at the manor, now she was a baroness in training.

As the teen got up to get something to eat her surroundings suddenly changed. Shocked, she looked around and found herself on a mountain as it began to rain as well. Making a face, Alyssia looked up at the height of the mountain then looked forward to seeing a door in the side of it. Her first instinct was to walk up and open the door to figure out why she was here. But the young Aukari held back and looked around seeing none other than Oram, Devin, and Kalortah. She had not seen all three men in one place since the night Saoire gave them all gifts on Faldrass. Shifting some the girl looked when a man began to speak.

He referred to himself as Cassion, though that honestly meant very little to the teen. She recognized the names of Delroth as the Immortal Devin follows, and of course Faldrun. A chill went down her spine at the thought of possibly meeting him. She did not want his mark no matter how much easier it would be to control her fire inside. Alyssia listened closely as he explained or rather “she” explained. Her mind was made up when it came time to make the choice to stop Faldrun before he did something unspeakable.

Alyssia looked up when Devin moved closer and asked if she was okay.

“Yes, I am fine. Though I fear I am not prepared for such a trip,” Alyssia whispered and looked when the blond woman began speaking.

So, she was the child of Delroth, as strikingly beautiful as she was a headshake of disappoint came from Alyssia when she refused the task. Why were so many afraid to protect the world? Were they truly only concerned with themselves? It was no surprise when Kalorath stated the same and prepared to leave while clapping Devin on the shoulder. It was a shock when Devin said he would not be taking a part in the adventure either; Alyssia looked at him in surprise trying not to let the disappointment show.

Could none of them see that perhaps just once Delroth was not going to tell them everything? What if he were testing their faith to see how much they truly trusted him? A fire sparked inside her when Devin demanded that she be returned. That the mountain was no place for her to be so young. She had taken on much more frightening things that a mountain with treasure inside. When even Oram expressed at least concern for the mission with little information, she was happy to hear him say he would help as Cassion had marked him.

“I cannot believe three of you would simply run away. I expected more from at least two of you. I do not know Kalorath well enough to know his feelings on adventure, nor do I know Zana. But a child of an Immortal going against her father’s wishes are foolish. Have any of you ever considered that this is a test from Delroth himself to see if you are truly loyal to him? No, all you care about is going back to where you are safe,” Alyssia paused and moved more towards the door before looking back at Devin more so than the others, “I will take this adventure you have given me, Immortal Cassion. I do not back down from any challenge even at the risk of death.”

Alyssia turned back to face the man before he began to leave. Even if she were the only one to go inside, that would not stop her though it would terrify her.

[Arlo Creede]

It would have been nice to be asked, as Arlo had been on any number of occasions that he'd been summoned up by his Immortal Father, or other Immortals as well. In either case, it had always been a formality, an expectation posing itself as a question. He'd have said yes regardless. But a little warning would have been nice too. As it was, Arlo had been away from camp and out hunting. Cooking for the masses was a calling that required a lot of work, and a lot of hunting and gathering. He'd been out on the hunt, fully armed, and because these trials it was smarter than not, not to go anywhere without being prepared, he'd thrown his go domain sack over his shoulder as he'd made his departure from camp.

As a result of all that, snatched up without warning and deposited elsewhere, he arrived with crossbow raised; he'd had his sights trained on a very large hare in that instance; and released the tension on the string, quickly lowering the bow without firing when he caught on to his new location. And the company concerned. It was only the first instance in which Cassion's actions would catch him by surprise, and raise as many as three eyebrows, had Arlo had a third one to spare.

When Cassion went on to explain why this horribly, even potentially disastrously mismatched group had been thrown together, he might even being to wonder if this was a different Immortal posing as his own father. Did, or could they do that, he'd wonder? Probably not. The Oath, after all. But if they could, this Imposter was being a bit of a jerk. Not that Arlo was arrogant enough, or presumptuous enough to believe that he, or any human or even mortalborn, was capable of comprehending the scope of power or the complexities of the Immortals. He wasn't nearly arrogant enough to presume that he knew for sure what Cassion might, or might not do.

From what he was witnessing, when the three chosen or spawn of Delroth, more than made up for his own lack of presumptive arrogance and self interest, with an over-abundance of their own. It appeared that in spite of what they had in common, they'd be as likely to stab each other in the back over time in front of the mirror, as anyone else who got in their way. If this was another time, different circumstances, Arlo would have looked on in amusement, waiting for them to come to blows with each other over a coveted pot of cosmetic powder. Not funny now though, considering what Cassion appeared to have in mind, where the story seemed to be of more importance than the potential loss of lives, also uncharacteristic of the Father he knew.

At the moment, Arlo would rather be anywhere else, where that bunch was not. Still, the one who called himself Devin at least managed to redeem himself; slightly; by showing some semblance of care for anyone else but himself. Arlo shared that concern for a child having been tossed into the mix without warning, and the act....well, if Devin's actions didn't exactly raise Arlo's current level of respect for the man. But at least it caused him to view Devin as slightly, a hair's breadth less insufferable than the other two.

Still, there was something he couldn't stop short of saying to the collective three. "The graveyards are full of indispensable men. And women," he said dryly, thinking of a bright red, polished and shining apple that turned out to be soft, mealy and brown once you cut it open. "The three of you worship the literal embodiment of vanity and greed. Part and parcel to the definition of selfishness and self-interest. Can you honestly stand there with straight faces and say you'd be shocked when you're asked to consider that, just maybe, Delroth himself might throw any of his followers or even his own children into harm's way, to serve his own interests? Or that he might not see you as irreplaceable? Because even you have to admit that whatever you are, he is that and much more. Exponentially so." It was an honest question at the end of the trial, considering how caught unawares he'd been by Cassion's curious mannerisms and worrisome methods this trial.

So then again, perhaps Delroth had his own reasons, as any other Immortal had theirs.

At any rate, so far as the young girl, Arlo softened somewhat in that regard, particularly after she made clear her plans to stay. "We'll watch out for her," he said, having already sensed almost immediately that another man here, Oram, was also a marked of Cassion. Arlo had been fairly certain that like himself, Oram wouldn't think twice about doing as Cassion asked, no matter all the oddities involved. Oram. The face had seemed strangely familiar, as one half covered in fog might be. The name had come more slowly to the forefront of his mind, but it eventually had nonetheless.

"I'll do as asked," he said, repeating Oram's vow. Ordinarily, Arlo would have said something more along the lines of 'I'll do as you ask, Father,, except that Cassion had not acknowledged him as such when he'd arrived. Yet another new twist, based on all their previous interactions. But perhaps the Immortal had his reasons and Arlo would respect that, and for now, keep the fact to himself. "I remember," he said to Oram. "Well met, once more," and he offered his hand briefly with a firm grip. A good point was made though about being forewarned and he looked back as Cassion prepared to make his exit. They needed much more information. Though he also realized that his father would supply it, or he would not, and there was no gain in pressing the point.

Hopefully there was another method available, so far as having a look ahead. The terrible trio, as Arlo had already come to think of Delroth's three chosen, had made clear they intended to leave. He wasn't sure they'd be able to, based on the way that they'd all arrived. He couldn't say he'd miss them though, and the girl was already headed towards the open door. Quickly, he sought out his diri Lyova though the mental connection they shared. "Lyova? Would you mind having a look ahead, on through that door, and tell me what you see and feel?' She was certainly capable of doing it, even passing through walls and other large obstacles, and over great distances.

"I'm not sure we've been given a choice," he said to Oram as he turned towards the entrance, and followed closely behind Alyssia. "That snoring mountain will wake up sooner or later and this seems like the only way forward. My diri may be of some help at filling in the unknowns and unseen." As for the setup? For indeed, that was very much what it felt like. "I'd like to think that there's some higher purpose behind this arrangement, than just a good story." And if there wasn't? "If not, then let's hope it's not a comedy of disastrous and deadly errors that Cassion's after.'

[Avalon]

Saun 35, Arc 721

And the adventure begins...

Save Alyssia, no one in the group seemed particularly delighted with the turn of events, but sometimes that’s just how life went...

As those marked with Tarouz spouted off their individual and distinct flavors of displeasure, they would find their words simply disregarded. Even Oram’s questions were met with silence. As quickly as they had been convened, did Cassion leave directives and depart, declining to address remarks, observations, criticisms, or whining all around. Whether or not that was like him, the entirety of the group would simply get no supplementary information regarding his or their appearances.

The open door before them was recessed into the mountainside, appearing for all the world to be purely a door. A large overhang of rock, protecting the door and immediate area from the elements, loomed above. Below the overhang, leading to the door, a beautiful square of agate rested, nestled in the ground, large enough for several people to stand on. The door itself wasn’t close enough to inspect in fine detail without venturing towards it, but it most certainly appeared to be a door, and that door was open to them...

Probably.

There were plenty of statements, opinions, denunciations, and griping, and while the Immortal had flounced off without explanation, several other things did happen to the small group.

The first, rather important for the Tarouz who were keen to depart. Zana looked for an exit, and as they were outdoors in a seemingly remote area, it appeared one would not be available to her, allowing her to move on to option number two. As each Tarouz clicked their heels and attempted to make their dramatic exits, they would find that it simply…didn’t work. No matter how many times they tried, they remained right where they were, no explanation apparent. Devin’s trinket seemingly failed as well, but luck was a tricky and mysterious thing.

Secondly, somewhat more important for the entire party, the ground shook and shimmered lightly as a bright illumination issued forth from beneath them, momentarily blinding the group. As the light receded, the form that appeared to be Devin simply faded. It would be apparent to anyone familiar with portal boots that he hadn't teleported out. He simply vanished. The coin he had handed to Alyssia glowed faintly, and a soft female voice whispered in her ear. “Do not worry, young one. He was needed elsewhere. Tell the others.” As the words faded, so did the coin. Devin would not be continuing to journey with them, it seemed. They were now a group of five.

Next, as if those other things weren’t enough, each member of the Squad? Club? Fellowship? Crew? Gang? group, struggling with their own concerns regarding the summons, whether positive or adverse, would sense…something. A unique calm descended upon each, tailored exclusively to the person. What calmed and soothed them, they would feel within them. Whether a smell, a memory, or simple sensation - whatever it was that comforted them, they would experience within the theater of their mind and senses.

Unexpectedly to all, lulling and soft, a song came from the area of the door. Haunting and beautiful in its complexity, a series of notes came…and repeated. Over and over with a pause in-between. If one looked to that area, large glyphs appeared around the doorway, illuminated, pulsing with a soft light that seemed to be in synchronized with the musical notes.

Alyssia headed to the opened door, Arlo close behind. Cassion's son asked his diri to scout ahead, and what he received back was a report of a long, dim passageway, gently sloping down. Some scattered small forms of illumination seemed to be present toward the lower part of the walls but it wasn't enough to see much or far. As far as feelings went, she felt an 'oddness' in the air, but was unable to be more specific than that.

Back outside with the fabulous five, the large, snoring mountain that Cassion so kindly pointed out? It shuddered, rumbling gently with noises that weren’t familiar or reassuring. Something seemed to be stirring Abanaxus.

Oh, and the last thing that happened? The light mist coming down? The skies opened up and rain began to pour. Never good for one’s hair.

Mod Note: Please Read

Devin requested to be removed from the event and as such, will no longer be part of this thread.

Info & Rules

• Due to the time-sensitive nature of this, we can not hold out for people to post. If you miss a round, there will be consequences including but not limited to death by chocolate, removal from the event, zombifying, and being attacked by a flock of rabid wild geese. You have been warned...
• This style of event moderation - with objectives etc - was created by a wonderful moderator named Crimson. I had forgotten all about it until I saw Peg used it here. Thanks to Crimson for the amazing mod style, and to Peg for seeing it carried forward for the enjoyment of future writers. It's a legacy very much worth continuing. Much love to you both!
• You are all so pretty....

Objectives

!	Message from: Must-Do Objectives
	Describe your character's personal state of calm. Be creative! What are they thinking, seeing, smelling, feeling?

!	Message from: Can-Do Objectives
	Use the words Sacrifice, Banality and Superfluous in your post.

Next Post: Tuesday 22nd June

[Zana]

35th Cylus, 721

An avriel - one of her father's failed prototypes - groused. He had a history with two of the people at least, and he seemed far from pleased at seeing either of them.

Then, there was Devin, who had potential to at least be fun.

Both of them, at least, followed her lead. But as there was no pathway or exit and her Portal Boots did not work, a deep sense of irritation crossed over Zana. Devin, after talking quite a lot which was his most unattractive feature but forgivable with a face like that, left in a glowing golden light. The aesthetic was beautiful and Zana both admired the look of it, and sighed inwardly.

Then, there were the unwashed. Pragmatic, slightly grumpy, the one whose name she did not know but who committed the ultimate sin of being ordinary-looking and going with it, was marked of Cassion, he said. Frankly, that did not surprise her. Then there was a red-headed snot-filled child who scampered blindly into this like a happy little bunny to the slaughter. She was obviously as useful as she was intelligent - namely, not at all of either.

And then there was judgement from the other hobo. Zana heard it, and "Cassion" did not give her an answer, and then there was the straw. The straw which broke the camel's back, so to speak. Now, Zana Delroth had no time for camels, horrible, ugly creatures that they were, but this sudden sense of calm? She felt it, she remembered it, she knew it. She breathed in and the scent she associated most with him filled her nostrils, she closed her eyes for a moment and she saw the swirling colours of his eyes. How she loathed the fact that, for her, calmness resided in one man.

"I believe," Zana said softly and calmly, "That not one of you actually listened to the point I was making."

She stepped forward so that she was standing with the others, and then she spoke again. "Please, do a lady the courtesy of paying attention. I am not superfluous to your trial. You," she said to Arlo, "and you," she said to Kalortah, "are mortalborn." She smiled. The rain didn't concern her in that moment. "As am I. One of the things I can do is make you feel something at my whim. It wouldn't be a song, though, it wouldn't manifest in that way. Feeling very calm are we all?" Zana shook her head.

"I understand that you're judging what you see, and as beautifully ironic as it is that you are judging me for being Delroth's daughter, do try and tone down your assumptive stereotypes for just a moment and think," she said, focusing on Arlo and Alyssia and Oram. "I did not, not for a moment, say that Delroth would not ask me, indeed demand that I come to a place like this. I did not say that I am not expendable. I am. Nearly as expendable as you. But if there is one thing that I know about my father?" Her ice blue eyes were calm - oh so very calm. "If he sent us here, He would do so - as I said - in a manner which fed his vanity. He would be sure that the glory was his. He would not be accepting of that introduction, dripping with banality. In fact, that introduction plays into your judgemental perception, but it is a stupid and surface one." She looked at them. Her gaze, then, focused on Oram. "You are Cassion's follower, yes? Tell me honestly, was that him? He fed your perceptions, your stereotypes. He told you a story, but was it a good one, and one he would tell?"

Maybe, Zana considered, this was a test. "And believe me, dear girl, my father abhors foolishness. He would be so disappointed in me if I simply ran blindly forward when something is so obviously wrong. If I scampered forward and said something like 'I'll accept your adventure, Cassion!' without thinking or analysing, he'd be so disappointed. He can't abide idiocy." Nor, frankly, could she. "And just because it needs hammering home, obviously. Qylios. The Immortal of Courage? Is she really likely to wreck temples if she's irritated? Light and Courage threatening like a playground bully? Next she'll be demanding a ritual sacrifice from her followers to prove how very cleverly brave she is" Zana shook her head. It was raining, but that was fine. Zana was unconcerned by it because, frankly, she knew how good she looked wet. And now, so did they.

"That was not Cassion, Delroth didn't send us, and Qylios is not a bully."

Then, she gestured. "Obviously people can leave. Devin just did. But magical shoes don't work. This is not a mission of adventure, it's a kidnapping. Our job, as the people who have been kidnapped is to escape." She raised an eyebrow.

"So, let's get on with that, and do try and stop judging by appearances, won't you all?" She smiled sweetly. "That's my job. I believe we should attempt to work together to escape. Would you agree?" If they did, that was all well and good. But the glowy door with the "come here" sign above it in what was so very obviously a trap? No. "Have any of you heard of Abanaxus?"

Don't call my name, don't brush my cheek like that. I curse the day that I found you
Don't touch my skin, don't dance around like that. I feel damnation all around you

[Kalortah]

Kalortah smirked as he tapped his shoes, but then, nothing happened. Was there no way out of here? Were the portal shoes fake?! No, there was a far simpler explanation, and the dawning of it made Kalortah hate land walkers all the more for it. If there was no foot path out of a place, one couldn’t use the portal boots to leave it. Damnation.

Then Zana Delroth began speaking again, insisting that not one of them listened to the point she was making. ” Yes I did!” He insisted, but then went on to listen to her as she explained herself again.

Mortalborn… Kalortah? No, that wasn’t possible. Wait, which Immortal? Was he Delroth’s, or… Oh by the Aeolian, let it be Syroa or Delroth. Those two being the only admirable Immortals that Kalortah was aware of…

But then, he was getting off track and not listening to Zana again. So he did just that, forgetting for the moment that she had him mixed up for an Immortal’s son. He was an avriel, a pure avriel. There was no muddying whether of human or Immortal in his blood. No sir.

Kalortah crossed his arms, waiting impatiently as Zana spoke to the man with a hat, asking him if it was Cassion that spoke to them all. He wondered where she was going with this, and was about to interject that these three walkers weren’t important at all. The only ones that mattered were the Tarouz and the one who happened to be Delroth’s daughter.

Finally, she came to the conclusion that their task wasn’t to invade whatever vault in search of artifacts, a fool’s errand if ever Kalortah heard it, but to escape. Sounded good enough to him.

”I haven’t heard of Abanaxus.” Kalortah shook his head, ”But the sky is open, and so long as the sky is open to us, there’s a way out!”

So saying, he looked at Zana, and as he did a strange sensation overcame him. Power welled up within him, surrounding him in a pale aurora, the same color of her eyes. Then, as soon as the aurora grew out of him, it spread around her, coalescing into a pair of brilliant, feathered spirit wings. Wings that could be used to fly.

Slightly confused, yet knowing somehow what these wings were for, Kalortah went up to her and took her by the shoulders. ”Have you ever flown before? No? No matter. I’ll show you how.”

So saying, he lifted her up, and the aurora wings on her back supported her weight as she floated into the air. Kalortah did a standing take-off into the air, flying for the exit to this place. He was absconding with Delroth’s daughter, and to hell with the rest. At least she had the virtue of being reasonable and was of inherent value being Delroth’s daughter. The Winged Calamity would surely reward him for helping her escape!