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| Goin' Under [GRP][FIN]; Rin | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sat Jul 9, 2011 6:09 pm (853 Views) | |
| Ezekial Smith | Sat Jul 9, 2011 6:09 pm Post #1 |
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The sun in the ruined city of Taras was high in the sky, bright and hot. The roads were mostly clear, with the rubble of the destroyed and scorched houses pushed to the sides by the previous reconstruction groups. Down the road, a group of three people and a non-humanoid walked at a fairly brisk pace, an old elf in a strange garb, a two-layered white kimono and a dark-blue hakama, his old outer robe thrown away quite a while ago. He had his hand on a beautiful sword, from the same place as his garb. This elf's name was Ezekial Smith. To his left was a young girl, apparently seventeen or eighteen years of age, and looked very human, but was actually a complicated construct created by an entity known as the Grand Grimoire, a sentient artifact. Her name was Rinrae Domrigg. Buzzing around Ezekial's head was a small yellow dragon, a Fly Dragon, named Tokoyo, who had bonded quite a while ago with Ezekial, and was currently conversing with him telepathically. The group of four had picked her up on a rest stop to an old friend of Ezekial's who still lived near Taras, and who Ezekial had left Tokoyo with for a time. The final member of the group was a strong knight, in full plate armor despite the heat and wielding a broadsword easily with a large shield. The reason for his ease of travel was that he was the half-caste child of a fire spirit and a human male, and was as at ease in this heat as he would be in a raging furnace. His name was Duncan Karelia. They had decided to lend a hand in the reconstruction of Taras partially out of philanthropic spirit, but more so because Rin had felt the whispering of a page in use, the neutrality of the page mingled with the malignancy of its new purpose. At some point in time, a number of pages of the Grimoire were removed from the page and scattered across the lands, and it created Rinrae in order to retrieve the pages. Occasionally the pages were unused, but more often they were found by powerful creatures that tapped into the reality-distorting capability of the pages, which necessitated their death in every case as of yet. Ezekial had met Rin on her quest, and had decided to aid her in this journey to retrieve a number of pages, three of which Ezekial aided Rin in retrieving. Their quest had led them here, to the ruins of Taras, fortunately they had not yet encountered a strong monster as of yet. As they continued, Ezekial spotted, off in the distance, a high wall that cordoned off a large area of the city. Ezekial pointed this out to the others, asking them their opinions on what they should do next. |
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| Rin | Sat Jul 9, 2011 6:46 pm Post #2 |
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Rin walked alongside the elderly elf, smiling broadly. Although she was still getting accustomed to the additional members of their entourage, the girl was in high spirits. The priest and the girl had successfully retrieved multiple pages of the Grand Grimoire in recent weeks, and she was brimming with both confidence and exuberance from their victories. She appeared to be a normal teenage girl, but Rin was actually an artificial construct, a being created by the Grimoire for the sole purpose of locating its scattered fragments. She possessed a face that would make a poet cry, perfectly proportioned and undeniably beautiful. She wore a simple white sundress with a satchel thrown over one shoulder, the cracked leather pouch lying along her back. Her thin frame obscured an iron will and fierce determination, as well as a few augmentations the book had felt would be necessary for her success. His memory was picture-perfect, allowing her to flawlessly retain a large number of facts and images. Her body also possessed augmented regenerative properties, allowing her skin to heal most simple injuries in days instead of weeks. Her quest had given the girl an assortment of bruises, gashes, dislocations, and scrapes, yet the powers of the Grimoire had returned her body to its flawless state without a single scar remaining. Rin hummed as she walked, feeling that there was yet another page hidden in the Taras area. Her and Ezekial had already discovered two pages in the ruined metropolis: one on the fetive boardwalk and one in the grime and squalor of the refugee camp. This third page was within the cracked walls of the city itself, so they had entered Taras and volunteered to participate in the rebuilding efforts. Rin followed the direction of Ezekial's hand as he gestured at a large portion of the city that seemed as if it had been quarantined from the rest. Although many areas of the town were downtrodden and dilapidated, this area seemed well-kept, with thick walls to dissuade trespassers. She pursed her lips momentarily, scanning the top of the imposing wall. Sentries walked in pairs along its ramparts, and there was a general aura of hostility emanating from the structure. “I'll go ask if they need help!” The girl smiled broadly at her companions and skipped ahead of the group, approaching one of the gated entrances to the cordoned section of the city. The guards there stared at the waif of a girl suspiciously, hands curled around the shaft of their longspears. Each guard had a curious symbol adorning his breastpiece, a clenched wist wreathed in emerald flames. She flashed a friendly smile at the duo, clapping her hands loudly. “Hello there! We are volunteers working with the Taras Rebuilding Committee! Does anyone in this section require assistance?” The guard's faces instantly shifted from suspicion to evident dislike, crossing their weapons in front of the girl. The one on the left spoke gruffly, staring at the group with barely restrained hostility. “No thank you. We do not require any assistance. The rebuilding efforts are underway already within these walls. You would simply get in the way.” Rin tilted her head to one side, watching the man who had spoken. Something about the man seemed curious to the girl, like she had met him before and simply could not recollect the circumstances. |
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| Ezekial Smith | Sat Jul 9, 2011 9:38 pm Post #3 |
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The others followed Rin to the nearest entrance, making a cautious glance over at the soldiers. They were well equipped, with steel breastplates, although the rest of their armor was made of metal rings sworn onto leather. The steel cuirass had a strange insignia upon it, a clenched fist engulfed in green flames. Ezekial did not recognize this symbol, and when he asked Duncan about it, he admitted that he was unfamiliar to it as well. Looking up at the wall, they could tell that it was well made, with mortar filling in the gaps between large blocks. The wall was guarded by a number of soldiers in splinted mail armor, ear with a longbow and a quiver full of arrows. They moved along the wall to the entrance, standing behind the girl. These men had crossed their spears to block the door, apparently refusing entrance. Ezekial took a step forward, and asked, "What is this place and why are you refusing our aid? It is impossible that you would have so many workers that three extra hands would be 'in the way', as you say." The man was watching the gate, his familiar on a sweep of the wall of the castle. He was surprised when he saw three people come up to the gate. There had been very few people to show interest in the compound in quite a while. Even so, whenever they did come they always stayed. Master Sulla, the leader of the camp, was very impressive, able to change the most ardent of nay-sayers into some of the most pious converts. He had to admit that he himself was once a nay-sayer as well until Master Sulla had opened his eyes to the Truth. He relayed the information of the newcomers to the Master, who was obviously overjoyed, and he said to let them in immediately. Nodding, the man who was observing opened a telepathic link between the senior officer at that gate, telling him to let them in, on Master's orders. He was rather happy when he closed the link, it was always a good thing when more people joined the compound. The senior officer at the gate, on the left, sighed, and drew his spear away, and after a few seconds, the confused guard on the other side withdrew his. The senior officer said, "I apologize for the delay. Master Sulla will see you now." Ezekial was confused, and asked, "Why the change of opinion? Who is Master Sulla?" The senior officer inwardly sighed; these people were like all the others who came here, curious. They all became converts, and although he had not seen what kind of brainwashing procedure had been done, he was sure that it must be horrible to rob a person of individually so thoroughly, to become a convert, mindlessly speaking the word of the "Truth". Lately, he and his recruit, who fortunately wasn't enamored with the "Truth" like the last one, had decided to try and turn away people, these three being the first group to be subjected to it, and it was their first failure. After all, if the watchers took notice, they had to let them in. "There was some confusion over orders. Please, continue inside." Not fully trusting of these people, Ezekial stepped through the now open gate, waving for the other two and Tokoyo to follow him in. Edited by Ezekial Smith, Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:32 am.
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| Rin | Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:44 am Post #4 |
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Rin was still watching the guard's face with interest, cataloging his expression. At first, there had been a combination of hostility and forbearance. However, his eyes widened slightly before he lowered the weapon, a resigned light entering his eyes. He quietly apologized to the trio, refusing to meet their eyes as he granted them permission to enter. His companion turned backwards, waving up at the men on the ramparts. Two of them set down their longbows to grip a small wheel, hoisting the gate open. Rin craned her neck to watch the men above with interest. Unlike the guards at the gate, both of the men above had wide smiles plastered on their faces, obviously happy in their work. “Thank you for letting us enter.” Rin nodded merrily to the guards at the gate, skipping past them to enter the thick walls of the compound. As soon as she crossed its perimeter she skid to a halt, the joy draining from her eyes in an instant. This... This is... She shut her eyes tightly to be sure, focusing on the kernel of power in her body that was borrowed from the Grimoire itself. Its presence spread through her body, allowing her to harness its aura and scry for other epicenters of the book's power. This entire area was saturated with the power of the Grimoire, its essence instilled in every street and building. None of the other pages she had located in Imythess had been so strong, so ever-present. “Ezekial... Duncan... We have to be very careful here...” She hugged herself tightly, arms wrapping around her chest. “There is... something wrong here. A page, Ezekial. There is someone using a page here. Someone who is very proficient in its use...” She did not time to say more as a thin man approached the trio, smiling broadly at them. “Welcome, welcome! My name is Gerard. This is our own little place to call home in Taras.” The man smiled unctuously, his bald head gleaming in the sunlight. He had a thin goatee and a high-collared tunic, the fabric a deep forest green. On his chest was a small pin in the shape of a fist coated in emerald flames. “If you would be so gracious as to accept, it is my job to guide you to Master Sulla. All new workers must be formerly met by the master.” He turned towards the largest building in the compound, a stern tower that loomed over the other one-story structures. Workers were everywhere in the area, diligently focused on their individual projects. Every visible worker was smilingly cheerily, many of them waving at the trio as they passed by on the street. “We are very gracious that the Taras Rebuilding Committee prepares us with such a multitude of workers. They have been put to good use here.” There was something incredibly disquieting about the wide smile on the man's face. Rin did not reply to his greeting her skin crawling from the overbearing pressure of the page's manipulative powers. |
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| Ezekial Smith | Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:53 am Post #5 |
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Ezekial was not entirely surprised when Rin warned him and Duncan to be cautious here, he could feel the pull of a used page nearby as well. What did bother him was that this person was apparently very good at using this page. He turned his head when he noticed a person wearing a bright smile walk towards them. Ezekial put on a false smile, and listened to the man as he spoke, first introducing himself. "“If you would be so gracious as to accept, it is my job to guide you to Master Sulla. All new workers must be formally met by the master.” Ezekial was cautious at the use of the term "Master", but kept it too himself. The man, Gerard, turned to a tall tower that seemed to glare over everything around, but the people here were too happy to mind. There were a number of workers spread around in small groups working on a large number of projects. There was a pond which connected to a farming complex by means of a system of canals and dikes. There was a a granary, a large barn to house cattle and other livestock, including horses. There were a number of housing structures, apparently set to be several stories tall, from the structure of one that was closer to completion than the others. These were only a few of them many projects under construction in the compound. “We are very gracious that the Taras Rebuilding Committee prepares us with such a multitude of workers. They have been put to good use here.” The smile on the man's face seemed unnatural, almost like it was forced. Looking around, he could see the same unnatural smile on many of the worker's faces, and not a few who worked without smiling, with grave expressions on their faces. This struck Ezekial as curious, and he mentioned it to Rin in a low tone of voice so that Gerard could not hear. Soon they made it to the large tower that seemed to scrape the very sky. It was made of dark stones, with similar mortaring and the top had a great torch whose light could be seen across the entire compound, even though it was massive, the size of a small city in itself. The great wooden doors into the tower opened, and they entered. Ezekial was surprised at the interior of the place, it was a large open area with stone floors, with rows and columns of pillows laid out, apparently for a great number of people to sit at. At the front of the room was a podium, where a man stood, the Master Sulla. Noticing the newcomers, the Master Sulla shouted out to them. "Come here, come here! I want to see our newest workers! Hello, I am Master Sulla, I am the leader of this compound. If you ever need anything, just ask me and I will do my best to fulfill your request." The man laughed loudly and cheerfully, and Ezekial felt himself beginning to like the man, although he was still suspicious of anyone who referenced to himself, or herself, as "Master". |
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| Rin | Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:32 am Post #6 |
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As they approached the large tower Rin's apprehension grew, causing her to fidget incessantly and stare at their guide suspiciously. His unseemly smile grated on the girl's nerves. The tower was incredibly imposing, stretching far higher than any other building in the enclosing walls. It was made of thick black stones, with a giant fire blazing at its pinnacle. Although it was merely decorative in the light of day, at night Rin suspected the beacon could illuminate the entire compound, as well as many of the surrounding areas in the city. It was an interesting addition to the building, making it appear much more intimidating. Although the flames licking up towards the sky were a typical red-orange color, something about the image reminded her of the pin on Gerard's chest, of a fist wrapped in emerald flames. Their guide led them up the steps to the tower's entrance, nodding at the men standing watch on either side of the doorway. The door itself was ten feet tall, with an parabolic shape. Its surface had been painted with the same symbol that seemed to saturate the complex, a protruding fist covered in jade fire. Although neither of men stationed at the entrance wore armor, they were tall and well-muscled, clearly no strangers to physical labor. They nodded respectfully to the trio before turning tto the massive doors, placing their open hands on the thick wooden panels. Grunting softly as they pushed on the doors, the men slowly opened the entrance into the foreboding tower. Their role completed, the burly men stood slightly inside the doorway, clearly waiting for their guests to enter the structure before closing the massive doors once more. Gerard continued to lead Rin, Ezekial, and Duncan into the tower, although he remained silent. The girl noted that his head was bowed, as if they were entering a shrine of worship rather than a center point for the construction efforts in the area. The room they had entered was humongous, its ceiling so far above them their footsteps echoed in the cavernous chamber. Thick pillars ran along the walls, supporting the lofty ceiling. The floors were packed with row after row of small pillows. Rin stopped for a moment to prod one of the cushions. It was not exactly a comfortable seat, with some lumps in the stuffing, but she could tell from its threadbare nature that it was used often. She jogged to catch up with Ezekial and the others as they crossed the length chamber, approaching a well-lit dais on the opposite side of the entrance. On this podium stood a man who had a friendly, benign expression. Rin stared at him suspiciously as the self=proclaimed 'Master' Salla greeted them and introduced himself as the leader of the compound, as if any doubt of his identity could have existed. Confidence seemed to radiate from the man like an aura, and he warmly shook the hands of Ezekial and Duncan. When he turned to the girl with his hand outstretched she tentatively returned the greeting, taking in his odd attire. He wore only a simply robe, its hem whisking along the stone floor as he walked. It was dyed a dark green color, with a hem of shiny green stones that she suspected were actual emeralds. On his chest a fist had painstaking been stitched in golden thread, flames licking the shining hand. His collar was also rimmed in emeralds, with golden thread making an elaborate design around the precious gemstones. The girl did not trust the man, but she could not think of an appropriate way to tell Ezekial of her uneasiness. The entire tower reeked of the page's power, and at the moment Master Salla seemed like the most likely person to possess the page. She pointed to the symbol on his chest bluntly, the question leaving her lips before she could think about the consequences. “What does that symbol mean, Master Salla? I saw many of the people here wearing a token with that design.” |
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| Ezekial Smith | Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:54 pm Post #7 |
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The man looked to the girl as she pointed to his chest, and listened to her following question. “What does that symbol mean, Master Salla? I saw many of the people here wearing a token with that design.” The man laughed loudly, and replied, "This is the symbol of our struggle to carve out our home in this place. The fist is representative of the strength that we must have to keep our cheery demeanor despite the constant threats to our safety. The emerald flames represent the strength of our will in our beliefs and Gods. Specifically, the flames are the symbol of our chief deity, Callan, who we believe created the world from the ashes of a massive fire and will eventually return the world to the ashes from which it came. I am glad that you are so interested in our beliefs, young lady, it is certainly becoming of you. Now, I have a sermon to prepare for, and I believe that you have more to see here, and much work to do. It is always a blessing when we receive more workers." The man smiled at them, and turned away, walking briskly to his pulpit, flipping through the page of a large book, its cover with the same fist wreathed in green fire, and picking through pages of what were most likely notes. The man, Gerard, now stepped in front of them, and smiled at them with the same unnatural smile, and said, "Well, he seems to have taken a liking to the lot of you, especially you, little miss. Anyhow, we have more to go to, and you should set up your tents before going to work. We will have the three of you working on one of the housing complexes." Duncan kept a forced smile, and whispered to Ezekial that he didn't like the look of that man, that the way he looked at Rin was that of a lecher. Ezekial nodded, but whispered back that as long as the man did not try anything it was fine, and if he became too forward they could leave. It was when we were separated, but I've known men like that. Once they find something they like, they won't let it go. I doubt he would be able to convince Rin to do something like that, and if he attacks her, she is more than able to defend herself. But the page. Knowing this man, he will have used the page to increase his charisma, that's likely how he got as many people into his cult. "Now, now, we aren't sure yet that it is a cult. But you're right, and I'll keep an eye on him to make sure that he does not get out of hand. He followed Gerard out of the tower, taking one look behind him at the man, hard at work on his next sermon. Uneasy with the man, he turned his gaze back to the front, and left the tower, letting the doors shut behind him. They were directed to the tent area, and it did not take very long for Ezekial and Duncan to set up the two tents for the three of them. Gerard smiled widely, clapped his hands together, and said, "Great! Now, let me show you to your project." He waved them over to a large building, a group of people inside working on the wooden infrastructure. "Now, just introduce yourself to them, and they'll get you going. I'll leave you to work now, I should check up on some of the other groups. Work hard, people." Gerard walked off, smiling, and the four people inside the wooden support system set down their tools and exited the partial skeleton of the housing structure, to introduce themselves to the newcomers. |
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| Rin | Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:08 am Post #8 |
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Rin listened to the explanation attentively. She had initially met his eyes, but there was a zealous glimmer in his pupils that the girl found off-putting. His eyes were glazed, and he seemed to stare through the girl as if she was not there, focusing at a point far beyond her body. She forced herself to look away, instead staring at the embroidered sigil with a focus that was largely feigned. She scryed for the page's presence once more, biting her lip to restrain herself from gasping. Master Salla's flesh seemed to glow with the page's power, as if his very flesh was imbued with its properties. Yet the physical fragment of the Grimoire did not seem to be on his person, nor had it bonded with his flesh. Its aura was too strong for the construct to dowse for its exact location in the compound, but she could tell for a fact that Master Salla did not possess it. At least, not currently. His explanation done, the man turned back to his pulpit, diligently returning to work. Rin began to follow Gerard out of the massive chamber, although she heard Ezekial and Duncan talking quietly behind her back. She wanted to share this new information with her companions, but their guide seemed insistent on speaking with the girl, further explaining the history of the religious following. 'Some say that the destruction of Taras was an effort by Callan to remind us of our deviation from the true path. Too many people had forgotten his power, and so he reduced the city to ash. Yet he is a deity of not only destruction, but rebirth.” The light in the man's eyes was nothing short of fanatical, and Rin found his wide grin creepier the longer he maintained the expression. ”Master Salla is a genius. His words have inspired everyone who had heard his diction has volunteered to stay and further our work.” Rin mentally filed this piece of information, although she doubted its validity. Surely his recruitment rate could not be perfect. Unless he augments his sermons with the page... She pondered this new possibility as Gerard left them with four workers who could give them a project to work on. Three men and a woman walked out of the half-built house with wide smiles and waves, merrily welcoming the trio. Rin shook all four of their hands, being introduced to Gendry, Max, Sara, and Lucas. Rin noticed that all four of the workers had the pin of Callan on their simple tunic. Sara stepped forwards, separating the group. “The two men can help the others putting the roof beams in place and nailing them together. Rin and I will work on placing the extra support beams in the walls.” The girl nodded mutely and moved with the girl to move to their area of the construction project. She found that Sara was a friendly woman, with a husband and two grown children. However, when Rin asked about whether they were also members of Salla's cult, a dull look entered her eyes. “No. They have not yet heard the words of the Truth. I live in the complex now.” The girl lapsed into silence, unsure what sort of force could convince a wife and mother to leave her family. Unless she is being manipulated by one of the pages... She held one of the beams in place as Sara nailed it into place, still chatting excitedly about her involvement in the movement. |
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| Ezekial Smith | Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:05 am Post #9 |
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Ezekial introduced himself as well as his humanoid companions, earning him an indignant comment from little Tokoyo, who wanted to be introduced to these new people. Ezekial did not respond to this. He learned that these four people, three men and one woman, Gendry, Max, Lucas, and Sara. Gendry was a strong man, as tall as Ezekial but much more muscular in build, and his brown hair was cut very close to his head, and his tunic bulged around his body, so much so that it made the already small pin seem much smaller. Max was just as muscular as Gendry, his tunic bulging in a similar manner, but he was quite a bit shorter, standing at only about five feet and six inches. His hair was blond, and was in a similar style to Gendry's, but slightly longer. Lucas was a thin man, and tall, but he had some muscle to him, and his tunic was just slightly loose around his frame. He had jet black hair and wore it in a ponytail that earned him quite a bit of ribbing from the other workers, but it was all good-hearted. Sara had a build similar to Lucas, and her bright red hair was worn in a tight bun. She stepped forward soon after the introductions and began to separate them into work areas, taking Rin to work on the auxiliary beams in the walls, making neat right triangles for strength, and allowing Ezekial and Duncan to aid in putting up the larger beams that would span the ceiling and setting up the support structure for the next floor upon them. For this reason it was very important that these beams be level with each other and exactly perpendicular to the wall. As they worked with putting up the beams, Gendry, Duncan, and Max standing on stools to lift the beams into place and hold them there as they were slid into place with huge mortise-and-tenon joints, held fast with planks of wood that slid into mortise-and-tenon joints in the beams to keep them parallel. Ezekial made sure that the beams were all parallel and perpendicular, and Max made sure that they slid into the joints, and put the supporting planks of wood into them. During the work the two newcomers learned that Gendry had a wife and young daughter who had both come to the compound. It was soon apparent that Gendry was deeply in love with the both of them, and was very happy that they had come with him rather than remain in their small cottage near the Debon Plains. Lucas was a bachelor, and it quickly became apparent, to Ezekial at least, that he was a confirmed bachelor, or rather that he preferred the company of men, if the meaning might be understood. Max was also a confirmed bachelor, but in a rather different meaning. He was what could be considered a lady-killer, but it seemed that he had mellowed out some during his conversion and after a particular conversation with Master Sulla. At one point during the work, they had run out of large beams, and had to request more from a craftsman named Dvor. He was widely regarded as a strange man, it seemed, for he was very serious, and according to Lucas he had never been seen to smile even a single time. He did impressive work, though, making neat tenons and mortises with great speed. He grumbled when the request was made, however, and pointed the three that had been sent to retrieve the beams to a pile of already made beams that Dvor had made so that people could get them when they needed so that the work could be moved along quickly. He was not sociable by any means, but he did have an eye to productivity. When Ezekial was about to follow the other two back to the work site, Dvor stood, his fists balled and head down, body shivering. It seemed as if he was gathering the strength to do something, and he said in a quiet voice, as if it was all that he could muster, "Do not trust that man, Sulla. He is a fraud and a wolf of women." This seemed to be all he could do, and sat back down to work. Ezekial looked back, confused, but Dvor would say nothing more. Curious, he walked back to the site, and approached the two women, hard at work, and asked, putting on a bright smile, "Oh, Sara, do you mind if I borrow Rin for a moment? There's something I ought to tell her in private." Sara smiled widely and nodded vigorously, with the caveat that he return her quickly. Ezekial waved to the girl and walked with his back to the group, walking until they were out of the line of sight of the others. "Rin, something is definitely wrong here, possibly related to the page. That man, Dvor, just warned me not to trust Sulla, that he was a fraud and a wolf of women, that he chases after women and is relentless in his pursuit. Have you noticed anything strange?" |
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| Rin | Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:07 am Post #10 |
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Rin and Salla continued to work as the menfolk left the site in order to procure more beams. Their own materials were simple planks of wood that they arranged diagonally between the support beams in order to make the walls much sturdier. The girl held the thick wooden beams in place as Sara nailed them into place. In the time it took the males to return they had almost completed their circuit around the perimeter of the house, with only one wall left to fortify. The construct had learned a large number of facts about the older woman as they worked, but never again did she mention her abandoned spouse or child. When they returned Ezekial immediately asked to speak with Rin privately, and the girl could tell from his eyes that he had learned something new and troubling about the compound. Leading her away from the others and around a corner, the old elf bent down and whispered about his encounter with Dvor. Rin bit her lip, nodding at the elf's words. “There is something wrong here, Ezekial. I think that Callan was a real religion, once. But Sulla is no true prophet. His flesh reeked of the page's power... yet it was clearly not on his person.” She shook her head sadly, a worried light in her blue eyes. “I fear that someone else is using the page to boost his charisma and sermons to make these people thralls. Sara willingly left behind her husband and daughter to be here, but only after she attended one of Sulla's lectures. His words are dangerous, Ezekial...” Duncan called out then, and the pair was forced to return to the construction site. Although there was still a large pile of beams to be placed on the roof, all of the workers had halted in their tasks. Rin forced a smile as they approached, hoping none of the others could sense her uneasiness. “It is nearly time for Master Sulla's afternoon lecture!” Sara's voice teemed with excitement, and the light in her eyes was nothing short of fanatical. “All of the workers attend his meetings. We don't want to be late if we want to be close enough to the podium!” She laughed merrily, the three men from the compound joining her. Duncan looked at the quartet, shrugging as he looked to Ezekial and Rin. He was a simple guard for the Taras Rebuilding Committee; the decision to attend the sermon was left up to the others. Rin looked up at the old priest, her smile never faltering despite the doubt in her eyes. "Of course we would love to attend, Sara. We would not be able to get much accomplished without you!” They joined the workers as they began the short walk back to the massive temple. They were soon merely a few individuals in a massive current of people streaming through the open doors. Rin looked up to see that the flames spewing from the crown of the tower now burned an emerald green color, although she could not tell if it was from arcane or alchemical means. A kernel of worry wormed its way into the girl's stomach as they crossed the tower's threshold. What are we getting into...? |
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| Ezekial Smith | Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:23 am Post #11 |
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Ezekial was curious at the thought that Sulla was only a pawn of the person using the page. What was the purpose of this whole compound? Was this just a game to see what would happen if a man such as Sulla was made as charismatic as he was, or something more malevolent? He was sure that the words of this false priest were dangerous, but how dangerous were they? Were they merely a way to accumulate paramours, or did they have a far more malevolent purpose behind them? Those questions puzzled Ezekial while he worked. At some point during their work, all of the workers stopped, looking towards the tower in anticipation, although there were a number of beams left to be put into place. The woman, Sara, was bright when she mentioned that it was nearly time for Sulla's afternoon sermon. She mentioned offhand that all of the other workers went to them, so that they needed to go quickly if they intended to get seats close enough to the altar where the "Master" would make his speech. The other three men joined her, and the four looked expectantly at the three outsiders. Ezekial looked to Rin, and shrugged to indicate neutrality to going to the sermon. Duncan returned the shrug, and looked to Rin, snorting in amusement when spoke an agreement to going to the sermon. When they reached the doors, they soon realized that they were by no means the only ones who had the idea to go early to the sermon. There was a great throng of people nearby. Ezekial grabbed Duncan and Rin by their arms, and said, "Stay close, now, I don't want us to get separated here. Toko-chan, stay within my sleeve. Toko-chan, the small fly dragon, complied without a word, intimidated by the huge number of people here. Duncan pulled his arm free, and nodded in silent agreement, keeping very close to the old priest. Ezekial relinquished the arm of the young girl as well, and covered his nose and mouth when he smelled a repulsive odor. He looked up to see green flames sprouting from the crown of the tower, and a man next to him laughed, and said, "The smell getting to you too, eh? Ya, that trimethylborane takes some getting used to, but it burns right pretty." The alchemist tipped an imaginary hat to the three and vanished in the pandemonium. Soon they got into the large sermon hall, and got to small cushions on the floor, sitting in a row together. Ezekial eased himself down into the seiza position, folding his legs beneath him and sitting on his heels, with the big toes crossed. The position brought a smile to his face as he remembered the foreigners who had tried to emulate the position and dropped it due to the pain it caused in those who were not used to it. He removed his swords and placed them before him with the edges forward and the handles to the right. He put his hands pointed together with a gap between the index fingers on the floor in front of the blades and bowed, touching his head to his hands for the blades. He held this position for a second and returned to the upright posture, his hands apart on his lap. He looked behind him to see the group of four, all sitting cross-legged, which was fine for Sara as she was wearing breeches. Sara, noticing them, waved, and Ezekial forced on a smile and waved back. He turned to the front and saw Master Sulla go to the pulpit, wearing his usual robe and a new item: a white stole that hung down to his shins, with green borders and golden embellishments, and the symbol of Callan in green and gold. Master Sulla smiled widely, and said, "Good afternoon, everyone! Although it did not appear that he had strained to make himself heard, his voice echoed through the room, and it was returned with a resounding 'Good afternoon, Master Sulla!' from the entire congregation. Then he began his sermon. "Now, before I do anything else, I would like to offer a warm welcome to our newest workers, Rinrae, Ezekial, and Duncan. Now that that is taken care of, the subject of today's sermon is 'temptation'. How many of you have heard the expression "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak?" We all have areas in our lives where the flesh is weak. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, temptation has been a constant, unrelenting part of human life. Men have tried to avoid, resist or ignore it. But no person has ever found a place or a circumstance that can make him safe from temptation. Even the grand prophet, the Son of Callan was subject to temptation from the Elder, but he resisted temptation, and it is all possible for you to as well..." Sulla preached exuberantly, giving off the aura of moxie given to him by the grand prophet himself, to bring the newcomers to the Truth. He hoped that the Son of Callan was watching him preach the True Faith to these people and that it would serve as penance for his failure to resist temptation. During the sermon, he looked at the new girl, Rinrae, and at her beautiful and delicate features, and licked his lips involuntarily. |
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| Rin | Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:37 am Post #12 |
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Rin, Ezekial, and Duncan were tossed back and forth as they searched for seats in the cavernous chamber, the excited worshippers staring at the pulpit with tangible anticipation. Rin kneeled one of the worn pillows, folding her legs under her body and placing her open palms on her thighs. She watched as the multitude of workers filed into the chamber, murmuring to each other with a passion that bordered on fanaticism. Rin was seated between the two men, and she reached out her arms to lightly touch both of their hands and speaking in a soft murmur. “If he is using a page… I will protect your minds from its influence. I will not allow him to control our thoughts.” She returned her hands to her knees, waiting for the service to start. Eventually the din quieted, the entire congregation seeming to hold their breath with worrisome hysteria. When Master Sulla climbed the stairs to the pulpit in his ceremonial garb the entire collective let out a simultaneous sigh, as if the mere sight of the man was a soothing balm for their exertions during the day. Rin’s apprehension grew, although she did not allow the worry to show on her face. The entire group greeted their leader, although the trio of new workers did not respond. He stared at them before beginning his sermon, clearly identifying them as the newest workers in the compound. The girl could feel the eyes of the entire congregation on her back and had to repress a shudder. She was incredibly uncomfortable here. When the man began to speak his words were smooth and pleasant, with a genial charisma that even the construct found appealing. His magnetism was apparent even without the influence of the Grand Grimoire. However, as he continued to speak with fervor, Rin could sense tendrils of invisible power spreading from his wild gestures, spreading around him like a corruption that only she could see. Rin watched its spread with barely concealed concern, reaching out to Ezekial and Duncan. She wrapped her thin fingers around their hands, hoping that the gesture would be construed as a sign of mutual comfort instead of fear. The strands of the page’s power washed over them, wrapping around the trio without sinking into their minds to influence their behavior. She looked up the pulpit in time to see Master Sulla’s eyes locked onto her, his tongue wetting his lips. This time she was unable to resist shuddering, although she kept a forced smile on her face. We are not safe here… Her fingers tightened, although she did not allow the tension to reach her shoulders or features. They were surrounded by a multitude of people enthralled by the power of the page and his natural charisma… Obviously resisting Master Sulla’s charms could lead to an ugly confrontation. |
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| Ezekial Smith | Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:00 pm Post #13 |
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The false prophet smiled, thinking that he had captured the three newcomers. Surely he had, everyone else had succumbed to it in time, and not one had ever fought back against the control. So enchanted by this image was he that he could not see the serious faces and frowns scattered throughout the congregation, surrounded by beaming smiles. So much so, in fact, that he did not even see the light frown on the face of his assisstant, Calomwr. He was in his own bubble, living a false life. The old priest did not know the extent of the rebellion against him, only that there was at least one person in the camp who was not a mindless sycophant of the Master. He could feel subtle fingers of moxie poke at the edges of his mind, but they left when the girl beside him grabbed his hand. He smiled now, realizing that as long as he was with Rin here he would be able to defy the attempts of the false priest. Duncan made no motion of expression, but he was relieved that the same tendrils were cast away by the young girl beside him. He wondered what sort she was to be so young and yet contain such power, but the answer evaded him, as he supposed it always had, and likely always would. There was one person whose vision was not obscured in any way, this "Son of Callan". He had limited himself to the observer in this scenario, and was endlessly amused by what he saw. He was sure that he could have chosen better than this louse, this Sulla, but he would enjoy the spectacle. It would be very interesting to see how the newcomers would react when the imbecile reached out a lecherous paw to the girl, Rin. The "Son of Callan" did not like it, but it was not in his role to interfere. Perhaps the old man, who acted like an adoptive father, would kill him for it. Just as likely was that the girl herself would kill the idiot for his actions. That girl, Rinrae Dromigg, was a curious specimen. She appeared so delicate, like a flower, but was more like a wild flower. Behind that delicate facade was a vicious and ruthless killer. Somehow he got the feeling that he would not have to wait long to see it. She was very special, she was born of the same power that he controlled, but was stronger than him and more controlling of the power of the pages. Perhaps she would try to kill him in order to retrieve a page, and in that way he could leave the role of observer in this place. The thought brought a smile to his face, and he looked at the old man. He was just as fascinating as the girl. He was a very old elf, but his senses had only dulled slightly. How terrifying he must have been in his prime, but now that strength and vigor had left, although he was still full of life. The old priest's arms were strong, and his fists hard. Even more than that, his sword was made by the famous Gorou Masamune, so it would be a holy blade. He wondered how it would feel to be cut down by that holy blade. He was sure that it would only be a tinge of pain, like a needle prick, and then the sweet embrace of death, to dream no more. The thought enchanted him, but he still had the compound to observe until it had finished. He had lived hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, and he would continue to live, to observe. He remembered his old name, Lucas the Eternal. It was a sad joke, that this person regarded as eternal would enjoy the thought of his own death. But there was no time to spend considering such things, for the sermon was finished, and the next moves were going on. He grinned, and said, "How curious, opponent. You castle your jeweled king far off, and play 'ranging rook', sending the dragon king and dragon horse into the opposite castle. It will certainly be interesting, even if I myself lose the king general and gold general of my Yagura castle. How will I react to an attack from the side, I wonder." It took quite some time, but the sermon ended and all of the workers left. The three newcomers rejoined the quartet and quickly left the temple, returning to the work site to finish up the work. All the time, the old priest felt like someone was watching him, although when he turned around to look, he could see nothing. He decided not to mention this to the young girl, as if was probably just his imagination. |
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| Rin | Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:37 pm Post #14 |
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Rin bowed her head as the sermon continued, hoping the demure movement would be misconstrued as prayer. Instead, she let the words flow over and past her, reaching deeper into her being for the trace of the Grimoire's power. The book had crafted the girl, giving her an ability to utilize its power far more efficiently than any normal mortal. She resolutely focused on the page, attempting to pinpoint its location in the massive cathedral while maintaining the protective layer of power around herself and her companions. The girl could sense the echo of the page's influence in every syllable Sulla spoke, yet the words did not possess the raw energy she would expect from him consciously drawing upon its abilities. He is unaware of the page's role in his popularity... He truly believes himself to be a prophet... For a mere instant she felt as if someone else was watching her in the crowd, eyes boring into her kneeling frame. She glanced up, but the only person who seemed to be staring at her was Master Sulla, a lecherous light in his eyes as he spoke. When the sermon was over they quickly departed the tower, returning to the construction area. Sara and the other converts were buzzing with energy, discussing Master Sulla's words as if they had been delivered from the mouth of an angel. Rin, Ezekial and Duncan did not participate in the revelry, simply returning to the work silently. The girl was considering what to do when Gerard approached the site, smiling broadly and waving in greeting. ”Hello everyone! As our newest members, Master Sulla has invited all three of you to dine with him this evening! It is a great honor!” Three other men stood besides the herald, wearing identical robes of dark green fabric. The pin of the Cult of Callan was proudly displayed on their breast, and they were obviously the trio's escorts for their meeting with the charismatic speaker. The bewitched workers all gasped and began to talk with the trio excitedly, their voices twinged with jealousy. Sara's eyes burned with religious fervor as she grabbed Rin's shoulders, staring into the girl's eyes. ”Master Sulla clearly has chosen you to be one of his most devout servants! I'm so envious!” She pulled the girl into a tight hug that threatened to suffocate her. Rin awkwardly patted the older woman's back, meeting Ezekial's eyes with a worried expression over the other woman's shoulder. ”Make sure to remind Master Sulla of the devotion of all his workers. We live to serve him and do the work of Callan in the realm.” Rin murmured a promise to deliver the woman's words, extricating herself from the embrace and walking over to Gerard and the escorts. Her fingers twitched; she wished she held a weapon, preferably Excalibur. The construct would feel much more comfortable confronting Sulla with the blazing sword ready to strike, but perhaps the offer of a meal was as innocent as the ensnared workers believed it to be. “Thank you Gerard. I would be honored to attend the meal.” She nodded to Ezekial and Duncan, giving them the opportunity to voice any dissent. |
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| Ezekial Smith | Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:18 pm Post #15 |
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The three newcomers worked silently, although the others were poring over the words from their beloved Master Sulla with all the care of a pious and devout scholar. Ezekial himself was considering the sermon, albeit silently. The man was certainly charismatic, and his sermon had made sense, about temptation and how to defy it. He supposed it would make sense, it was not all that deep into the dogma of the faith, and was a rather universal concept. His own religion had a similar idea of transgressions of moral laws. If any conflict was to arise, it would be in lectures of the deeper fundamental beliefs of the religion. However, he doubted that he would remain here long enough to hear them, if the page was here he would have to fight whoever acted as the figurehead of the religion, perhaps even Sulla if the situation demanded. It was difficult to say with any certainty at the moment. He looked up at the sound of the footsteps of another person, distinct from the other six, and certainly from the now silent flapping of little Tokoyo, who had fallen asleep in his sleeve and managed to migrate to a second pocket near his chest where she slept soundly, away from the disturbances in her previous location, and saw the man Gerard walk over to the work site. He was suspicious when he said that they had been invited to a dinner with the man, Sulla, but supposed that it was alright if it was an expected thing for newcomers. He still did not trust the three men around Gerard, wearing dark green robes, the flaming fist pin upon their chest, a down on their backs. All three wielded a pair of short swords at their sides, each in the form of the Etruscan gladius, and they seemed to be very good at its use, although they were at ease now, with their hands at their sides. It was only when the woman Sara suggested that they would be chosen to become serfs of the Master Sulla that he was disapproving of the dinner. He would certainly become no slave, and he would not allow the people in his group to be forced into such a situation under his watch. Of the three of them, he would have to be cautious of the Master's dealings with the girl Rin, and to keep such activities surreptitious. He made a motion to tell Duncan not to protest, because it would cause unnecessary conflict, and replied, beaming, that it was fine by him. Duncan responded in like manner. Gerard smiled, and left, leaving the three men to escort them to dinner with the Master. The group of six left the work site to the tower, and the other four promised to work hard while they supported them with the Master. On the way, one guard, a younger man than the other two, with short blond hair and a genial face, explained the procedure for once they entered the temple. They would bathe, Ezekial and Duncan in a separate area than Rin, who would be given an attendant as what usual, would wear the clothes given to them by Sulla's servants while their's were being washed and dried, and they would proceed to dinner afterwards. Ezekial sighed, and explained that he would have to speak to the person who washed and dried clothes, explaining that the pleats in his hakama would be lost unless they were laid flat to dry and folded to retain the pleats. He went into such detail, including specifics on how to return lost pleats, that the guards laughed, and told him to save it until they got to the tower and he could talk with the laundry workers, all in a joking tone of voice. The got to the tower, and were lead up a level into an antechamber about fifteen feet by fifteen feet, which led into two rooms, the doors for each having signs hanging above them that said "Male" and "Female". Master Sulla was here, face beaming, and told them to get washed before dinner, and pointed them to their areas, and pointed Rin to her attendant, a kindly old matron. With that done, the Master excused himself, and left the trio to sort the rest out for themselves, and went upstairs. Similarly, the three soldiers left, although they left downstairs to the main floor. |
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2:48 PM Jul 11

