| Welcome to Imythess, the border between dreams and reality. We hope you enjoy your visit. Imythess is a creative writing board where you narrate the story of a character in the medieval land of Imythess, on the planet Chaon. Each topic is an opportunity for your character to interact with the world and its peoples by cooperatively writing pieces of a story with other members, one post at a time. We call this role-playing, because you assume the identity of your character as if it were your own. In order to play, you must register an account for each character you would like to write about, and begin their tale by filling out their basic profile information: Race (human, elf, demon, etc.), class (warrior, mage, etc.), physical appearance, and any other personal details you would like to describe. You are also encouraged to come up with some background history information for what your character's life has been like up to the point at which their story in Imythess begins. There is no approval process or application required to join, so long as you follow the rules then you are free to write whatever character details you choose. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Create a character now! If you're already a member, you can log into your account below: |
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| Shattered [P]; Rin | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:33 am (1,356 Views) | |
| Zaki | Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:33 am Post #1 |
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Blizzards were curious things. They were essentially the northern equivalent of Istan's sandstorms, except cold. Zaki hated the cold. She hated the cold so much. Her fingers grasped out at a few white fluffy flakes. They weren't black. The black flakes were gone, far away she reminded herself. Zaki growled at her own weakness. She had dragged herself away from the black flakes. Kestrels walked, her mother always told her. She attempted to raise herself to her feat, past the pain of broken ribs and endless cuts. She pressed down into the snow, feeling it crush beneath her outstretched fingers. A black frosted wound broke open, a trickle of blood dribbling onto her already bloodied and torn padded sleeves. She glared at the snow as she drew her legs in so her knees could support her. She pressed down once more, and lifted the rest of her body up gradually. "Kestrels walk." Zaki murmured. A mantra her mother made her repeat every time she was pressed passed her limits by training. Zaki took a single step forward, pressing through the ankle deep snow. Blood continued to trickle, but Zaki was sure it wasn't life threatening. She'd bled worse, she'd bled for longer, she reminded herself. Her eyes fell to her broken form, at the little tips of her fingers so slowly turning blue. She glanced up at a slight break in the billowing white, a white lump rising out of the snow. A snow drift. Her mind fled briefly to a warmer time, reminding herself she could dig a little hole in the snow and live there. She advanced quicker, trying to ignore the painful movements of her breastplate. She tore it off, breaking the final strap holding it in place. The pieces of armor attached to the strap fell into the snow. She ignored their fall and dug the breast plate into the snow. She repeated the action with vigor when she saw that it was effective. She sped up, letting the physical activity warm her. Soon a little tunnel had formed, which she widened into a room while digging on her stomach. Zaki drew herself into the little oblong shape, leaving behind her weapons as she did. The halberdier gazed upon her domain and smiled. "This will work." Zaki murmured. She stared out from the darkness of her hole and to the snowflakes hurtling by. It was almost pleasant. She leaned the breast plate against the wall to rest upon, enjoying the respite from the outside. Out in the relentless white a patch of black appeared, slowly traveling across her vision. Her eyes went wide, and she shifted herself towards the side of her hiding place. The black spot stopped momentarily. Her heart thundered, wondering if it had seen her. Noise ripped through the snow, a deep, low sound that she could feel. The snow stopped falling, paused in midair. In the distance, Zaki could see the black snow still billowing outwards like smoke from an excited fire. The sound stopped and the creature began to move once more, following the same path. Zaki spent minutes in the icy cold, immobile. She hurriedly began to dig again, widening the hole into a proper temporary home. Her hand crept outside and she drew her halberd and quarterstaff in timidly, laying them against the wall. She shifted her breast plate, planting it firmly against the hole. It didn't close it perfectly, but she was done working, exhausted and in pain. The veteran curled up into the farthest corner, and shivered relentlessly. This wouldn't work. Zaki raised her hand, and curled her index finger and thumb close. A spark formed, a relentless light show in the blackness. It spread across her entire forearm, lighting her wretched form and white enclosure. Warmth filled the hole in the snow, signified by little flickers of light slipping around a breastplate. Zaki picked at one of the room temperature crystals of black ice protruding from he wounds in annoyance and a desperate attempt to stay awake. If she slept before it got warm within her home, she would die. |
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| Rin | Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:24 pm Post #2 |
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There were many mysteries and unexplained enigmas across the realm of Imythess. Some scholars had devoted their entire lives to studying such riddles, pouring their entire life into ponderous tomes and crumbling rolls of parchment. Other individuals had taken a much more hands-on approach, physically traveling across the land to investigate the ruins and temples hidden in forests and mountains. These men and women had honed their skills to aid in their investigations, becoming masters of their craft. And yet few of these adventurers or learned men would ever succeed in uncovering unknown truths, wasting their lives away in the pursuit of hidden knowledge. For Rin, the biggest mystery that Imythess had to offer at the moment was whistling. She pushed her lips together, puffing up both cheeks as she forcefully exhaled, but no sound accompanied the puff of breath. She gnawed on her lip in frustration, wondering how such a simple task could be so difficult. She had met a traveler only a few days who could whistle as masterfully as any minstrel, the melody warbling and trilling like the sweetest tune of a songbird. Although she had expressly been designed with a flawless memory and an aptitude for learning, she still found herself incapable of this simple task. Of course, the attempt also distracted her from the numbing cold. Rin took another step, her bare feet crushing through the thin layer of ice to sink into the deep snow. She had stopped feeling her feet hours ago. Now she could barely wriggle her toes, and the flesh had turned a shade of blue that was undoubtedly unhealthy. Her fingers had fared better, but only because of the traveling cloak she had 'acquired' from a farmstead that incorrectly assumed their isolation was protection from thievery. She had actually left them a very sparkly stone in return, so she didn't really feel guilty for borrowing the garment. It was a thick fur cloak, and without its protection she would have doubtlessly been frozen as soon as the blizzard descended on the mountain trail. Far too long for the girl, the hem of the cloak trailed behind her in the snow, the last two feet of the fur encrusted with ice and stained with mud. Underneath the cloak all she wore was a simple cotton sundress and some woefully inadequate silver ribbons wrapped around her forearms and shins. You could have warned me it would be so cold. The Grimoire stayed silent, choosing to let her focus on each laborious step, still puffing her cheeks and blowing out of them in vain. A sentient and magical book, the tome had created Rin in order to search for its pages that had been scattered across Imythess. Unfortunately, it rarely reminded the girl of the dangerous climates she would be forced to travel across. She shivered under the cloak, pulling it tighter around her body. The entire world had been reduced to a maelstrom of white, which is why the trail of bright crimson in the snow was such a surprise to the girl. She paused, breathing heavily as she stared at the blooming stains. Blood... Nodding in mute agreement with the book, Rin turned to follow the meandering path of red drops. The snow had already covered up most of the trail, but each crimson flower was bright enough that the construct could follow the path of whoever had been wounded. Once there was a deep indentation in the snow, as if some large creature had crossed over the path, but the spots of blood continued on the other side of the furrow so she continued to track it. She soon passed a discarded halberd, a crystalline layer of frost coating the heavy metal. A few feet away from the abandoned weapon was a large snowdrift with an odd addition: a steel breastpiece. Rin stared at it in stark amazement before she noticed the flickering along the edge of the metal, an indication that there was some source of light hidden in the snow. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees in the snow and reaching out one hand to knock on the makeshift door. Her very words seemed to shiver with cold, reducing her greeting to a nearly incomprehensible stutter. “H-h-h-hello?” |
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| Zaki | Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:25 am Post #3 |
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The wounded warrior huddled farther into her corner, basking in the warmth of her own burning hand. The howling wind began to calm her, as did the knowledge the creature wasn't actually looking for her. She was certain it had probably seen the trail of blood. Unease and paranoia still crept into her mind. Her breastplate rattled and she jumped. Her eyes shot to the bloody metal. It was a delicate knock, so the warrior crawled to her makeshift door. Someone attempted to say hello on the other side, someone that sounded like a tiny waif of a girl. Zaki wrenched open the breastplate and yanked her through with her free hand. Zaki growled in pain as she opened a few wounds, then realized she dragged in a massive fur coat. The girl in the fur coat was a little blonde thing she recognized from an earlier escapade. Zaki ripped off the padding she wore beneath her armor, laying it on the floor in the corner and much of the wall. She covered the breast plate with a small coat she had been wearing, and jammed it into the hole. It covered most of it and allowed for a little more airflow. Zaki inched towards her corner and patted on the almost-warm padding beneath her. Her mind rumbled about how normally the warrior would be completely paranoid about showing off her scars and her form, but desperation had shrunk it. Besides, she still had stockings and pants covering her legs. Scars covered her istani skin, small and large. The spider webbing made her feel like a freak on some days and a piece of abstract art on others. "Oh, hello Rin! I feel kinda bad about leaving you behind, but I was contracted for an actual job in Balefire. I wouldn't be there otherwise." Zaki greeted. She looked to the side, long blue hair traversing her bare shoulder as she stared intensely at the white. A blush slowly crept onto her cheeks. "Embarrassing breaking promises, but you've got the look to you. Not an appearance but how you carry yourself, how you look at people. Dangerous, you know?" Zaki said. It was true, Zaki had spotted the killer's eyes on the girl. A subtle difference in gaze, but one any veteran could recognize in a split second. Something cold buried deep inside of whatever warmth a person could muster. The blue haired fighter knew that she had a serious case of them. "I hope you don't mind sharing body heat, tis the best plan I've got. Sorry to bother you if that's the case. I mean, I could stay up all night, but wounds make me sleepy." Zaki apologized. She indicated her burning hand. It was warming the room gradually, as well as keeping it lit. Her spare arm returned to her ribs, which she held gingerly. "What are the chances of us meeting in the middle of a blizzard, in some tiny valley with an omnicidal super-beast prowling?" Zaki asked, releasing a few pained giggles. |
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| Rin | Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:14 am Post #4 |
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Rin's eyes widened noticeably as the breastplate was removed to reveal a tall woman with a honed figure... A woman the girl had encountered before. Zaki Kestrel had pledged her assistance to the construct in the shadowy alleyways of Balefire, only to abandon the girl's witch hunt. Although she had managed to reclaim the page with the assistance of a sellsword named Kalim, their quest would have been made much easier with Zaki's aid. The unexpected desertion had made the girl wary of Zaki, but at the moment she would willingly snuggling with Vyse himself if it would heat her up. The girl quickly crawled into the enclosure, her fingers visibly shuddering in the snow. Zaki had managed to create a small cave in the snowbank, barely more than an indentation, but it was noticably more comfortable inside than when exposed to the piercing winds and biting cold. “T-t-thank you... Z-zaki. It is s-s-so cold out t-t-t-there." Her teeth chattered loudly as she wedged the breastpiece back into place, packing snow around its edges in an attempt to further insulate their enclosure. At the Grimoire's insistance she left a small hole near the top of the opening to let air in and so that smoke could escape. It would be rather silly if they managed to warm themselves up yet smothered themselves to death with smoke. Rin shivered and watched as Zaki stripped off her outer layer of clothes, using a padded jacket to create a carpet of sorts. The girl gladly curled up near the Istani, wrapping the thick fur cloak around both of them without being asked. Although the trailed edge of the cloak was sodden and soiled, most of the fur was still dry and warm. The woman's skin seemed to be checkered with scars, giving her unarmored form a patchwork appearance. Some of the scars were as fine and long as a spider's web, while others were thicker ropes of dense tissue. Rin bit her lip to dampen her curiosity and refrain from asking Zaki about the origin of the scars; the Grimoire had lectured her several times on the rudeness of asking personal questions to veritable strangers. She giggled softly when Zaki called her dangerous. “I am n-not that dangerous, Zaki. I a-a-am just very, very... d-determined.” The girl's fingers tightened on the edge of the cloak, her knuckles turning white from the pressure she was exerting. As the girl recalled, this woman was quite dangerous too. She fought in heavy steel plate as if it weighed almost nothing, and had effortlessly dispatched two bewitched guards before running off to her 'actual job.' Rin might have pulled away from Zaki at the memory if it wasn't so blasted cold in the makeshift structure. Instead she edged closer to the Istani woman, although she was careful not to actually touch her. The Grimoire had warned her that such actions were inappropriate as well. The girl sucked in a heavy breath when she saw that her companion was wounded, and quite seriously. Her arms and legs were covered in deep gashes, but mysteriously, they were not bleeding. Instead the wounds had frozen over with black crystals, grotesque protrusions that looked like ice except for their obsidian color. Rin reached out a tentative hand to touch one of the injuries, but the Grimoire's snapped warning made her jerk the fingers away. “What happened? Is there something out there?” Rin's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the breastpiece that blocked them from sight and reached underneath the cloak. There was a whisper of steel on leather as she partially drew the longsword from her satchel, fingers clutching the hilt tightly despite her shivering body. “What is out there? Is it going to attack us again? Do we need to run?” The girl's voice had shifted to a ruthless and emotionless monotone, and her face had gone blank. She shifted so she was between the wounded monk and the entrance to the snowbank, her entire body tensed. Edited by Rin, Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:31 am.
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| Zaki | Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:27 am Post #5 |
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Zaki shook her head at the girl. "I think it only went after me to protect its meal, so I doubt it'll attack us both," Zaki answered. She glanced at the odd entrance to the snow bunker, past her burning hand. "You have something that makes fire and heat without making smoke? I'd like to sleep instead of keep my hand burning all night." Zaki muttered. It was probably impossible, considering the tiny little thing would have used it wandering through the blizzard. She leaned a little closer without thinking, subconsciously willing to give the girl a little more warmth. The sort of warmth her toes needed, now that they were covered by a freezing coat. She watched the girl glance over her scars, and felt a little self conscious. Zaki attempted to turn them from grotesque flaws to heroic medals. "I got most of the scars in the Istani Army. The big ones were no fun to get. The three inch one was a stab wound that didn't go deep enough. The cut around my wrist is from that hand getting severed in a tournament I fought in. Uh. I've got a nice slash across my back from a demon, and we aren't discussing my legs." Zaki said. She wore stockings at all times to prevent people from seeing her legs, even underneath pants. It was a sore subject with the soldier, after civilians saw the wreckage of her limbs. Her hand defensively went over the bite wound. One of her wounds ached as she adjusted her hand a little. She shifted a tiny bit more to allow Rin to lean on her in a more comfortable position. "What about you, Rin? What's got you out in the middle of a blizzard of the century, between a deep city and nowhere? Friends, family? Another hunt for a witch and a magical item?" Zaki said. She vaguely remembered the girl mentioning a potent magical artifact, but had little details so she went with what she remembered. Witches. |
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| Rin | Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:35 am Post #6 |
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Rin's entire body relaxed when Zaki stated that the creature would not be hunting them. She sighed and resheathed the longsword, shaking her head with a small smile. “Do not- er, don't scare me like that Zaki! I do not know if I could fight in such a terrible environment.” She curled her legs up so her knees were underneath her chin, wrapping both arms around her shins and holding them close to her torso. The curled-up position was useful for conserving what little body heat she still possessed. Zaki still seemed to be cold as well, scooting slightly closer to the smaller girl on the padded jacket. The construct tilted her head to one side when Zaki asked if she had another method of creating heat. The girl seemed to be conferring with someone who was not present; although she did not speak out loud, her lips moved as if she was whispering, and she was defiantly glaring at an empty patch of snow. She shook her head vehemently and mumbled to herself, apparently unaware that Zaki could hear her this time. “I don't care what you think, it is- it's a good idea!” Rin turned to the other woman and smiled brightly. She unwrapped her hands from around her legs, holding them out in front of the pair. “I can help! Let me show you!” The air around her fingers began to glow with a soft crimson light, making the inside of their small cavern look as if had been painted with blood. Her blue eyes narrowed, focusing on the space in between her hands. “Laevateinn.” There was an odd sound, as if the air in their small enclosure had been displaced, and Rin was suddenly holding a sword. Well, more specifically, the hilt of a sword. The grip was almost two feet long, the pommel carved out of a massive ruby in the shape of a dancing flame. The blade itself was almost six inches wide and had a flame motif carved into the metal alongs its edge. However, only around three feet of the blade was visible; the rest of the greatsword had penetrated the roof of their snowy hideaway. Rin blinked and looked at the sword, her cheeks coloring. Suddenly the Grimoire's warning made significantly more sense. “Well... I can wrap this sword in flames... but I think if I did that right now our home would melt...” She giggled with embarrassment, but did not reverse the sword's summoning. “We could try and make the cave larger if you want me to activate it.... I can keep watch. I don't need to sleep.” She listened attentively as Zaki explained the origin of her scars, shifting slightly to hold Laevateinn more comfortably. A large chunk of snow fell from the ceiling from the movement, crashing onto the girl's scalp. She shook her head in frustration to dislodge the clump, sending it falling to the ground. The girl herself had no scars; the Grimoire's power had augmented her regenerative abilities, allowing her to heal from any injury... eventually. Small cuts and sprains would heal overnight, although serious injuries could take up to a week to repair. Already she could feel her toes tingling as her body fought to purge the frostbite from her extremities. Rin edged closed to Zaki before replying, trying to share more of the woman's body heat. “Well... I am actually looking for another item. I do not know who owns it yet. It might be another witch!” She shook her head, remembering Betrillay and all the obstacles she and Kalim had been forced to overcome to defeat the sorceress. “I hope not though. These artifacts... Call to me. Like a beacon. They are a part of me... I cannot allow others to hoard them.” A steely edge entered her voice and her grip tightened on the greatsword's hilt until the knuckles turned white. After a few moments of awkward silence the tension faded and she turned back to Zaki, smiling brightly. “Why are you up here in this forsaken blizzard? Do you have another job too important to ignore?” There was a hint of accusation in the words; Rin did not like being abandoned. |
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| Zaki | Mon Aug 1, 2011 5:16 am Post #7 |
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Zaki stared blankly at the massive sword stuck in the ceiling, and then ate the lump of snow that had fallen on her shoulder. "You should be careful where you point your hands, Rin." Zaki said with a giggle. It was the first amusing moment she'd had in seemingly hours. Her shoulders relaxed a little more and she adjusted herself to allow Rin in closer. "If you can stay on watch all night, that's very good. I doubt I can stay awake much longer. And enlarging the cave might be dangerous, there isn't much to it already." Zaki explained. Rin explained her goal, with a slight snipe at Zaki. The soldier gave her a mildly annoyed look. "I didn't abandon you because I wanted to. I abandoned you because I was contracted to do a job in the city, the only reason why I was there in the first place. I feel bad about it, but I wouldn't have left if I wasn't confident that you were fine without me. Take it as a compliment!" Zaki suggested. It wasn't a very good excuse, but Zaki didn't want to make one. Pledging assistance wasn't something she took lightly, but she had to keep her priorities straight. Getting sidetracked wasn't acceptable. Her eyes fell on the entrance to the little snow drift again. "Well, tomorrow morning I'm going to go up to a drake's nest. The remnants of my armor and my bags are up there. I was contracted to check to see if some Istani drakes had settled up here for a little group of Drakewatchers, and I was fairly certain I found their home when I was attacked by the critter. If you really want to find your artifact, we can check there. Otherwise, I'm dragging you back to my home in the nearby Deep City. There, I'll get you some actual clothing as a way of apologizing for abandoning you." Zaki said. Money was a fairly easy way to repay someone, as Zaki spent fairly little. The taller girl shifted herself slightly, preparing for sleep. (OOC: Unless there's anything you want to bring up, we can move the RP forward) |
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| Rin | Mon Aug 1, 2011 6:10 pm Post #8 |
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Rin took the brunt of Zaki's annoyance without flinching. Their encounter in Balefire had been before the girl had truly learned to doubt the integrity of strangers. She had trusted everyone... and that blind trust had led to later betrayals. However, the construct was not one to hold a grudge, and there was no real reason to be angry with Zaki now. After all, Rin had intruded on her little snow cave; it would be rude to treat Zaki poorly due to her prior actions. "I am- I'm sorry, Zaki. I do not mean to be impolite." She shrugged and leaned against the taller woman, closing her eyes for a moment. "I would love to accompany you to this drake's nest. It is worth investigating... and I have always wanted to see a drake!" The Istani fell asleep soon after offering to buy the girl some new clothes, a proposition that Rin had accepted exuberantly. The last new attire she had received had been from Ezekial, and that had been months ago! All of her additional garments since then had been 'acquired' from homesteads across Imythess. As Zaki fell asleep Rin turned her attention to the greatsword, frowning at the cumbersome weapon. The last time she had wielded the weapon of Surtr the entire blade had been wreathed in flame so intense it would cause their enclosure to collapse almost immediately. However, perhaps if she controlled the flames... She bit her bottom limb as she focused on the weapon's enchantment, whispering softly to activate it. "Ragnarok." The runes crudely carved into the metal began to glow, flickering with a crimson light. The construct immediately snuffed out the flames on the majority of the blade, leaving only the section near the hilt wrapped in fire. She basked in the warmth as the enchantment stabilized, making their small hideout much more comfortable. She settled down to wait for dawn, staring at the flickering flames. The first indication that Rin had of the rising sun was the illumination peeking past the edges of the breastpiece. The girl squinted and mentally caused the flames on Laevateinn to fade for a moment, making sure it wasn't her imagination. When the soft glow remained she canceled the enchantment entirely, carefully extricating herself from Zaki and crawling over to the steel plate. She carefully pulled it into their small nest, allowing a breeze to enter the room so cold Rin like the air was freezing in her throat. She glanced back at Zaki, who was curled up in the thick fur cloak, and shook her head. She crawled out of the snowbank to find a world blanketed in pure whiteness. The ground seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, the snow easily two feet deep. She made sure that dislodging the greatswod from the room of their cave would not collapse it entirely and dragged the greatsword out of the snowdrift. holding it in front of her. "Ragnarok." This time she did not repress the flames, allowing the entire six-foot length of the blade to burst into a roaring conflagration. The snow directly outside of the entrance to their snowdrift began to melt almost immediately as she held Laevateinn in front of her, creating a path that would be much easier to traverse than trudging through a foot or more of snow. "Zaki! It's daaaaaaaaylight!" There was an obvious hint of excitement in the girl's voice; she had never seen a drake before! Just a wyvern, and she had been forced to kill that giant reptile. |
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| Zaki | Thu Aug 4, 2011 4:48 am Post #9 |
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Zaki nodded at the girl, and adjusted herself a little better in the back corner of the cave. She instantly fell asleep. The soldier's eyes snapped open at the call for her name, and without a word she roused herself. She decided against wearing the now frozen padding she'd slept on, instead crawling out of the hole with what she'd worn to sleep, and Rin's coat draped over her. Zaki stood to her full height and stretched, noting the warmth that now pervaded the valley. Like usual, the snow would be melted before noon. She walked up behind Rin and hugged the girl tightly. "Thanks for keeping everything warm and guarding me throughout the night, Rin." Zaki said. She patted the girl on the back and lifted her halberd and quarterstaff from the snow, shaking the melting snow off the weapons. "We'll get lunch where I left my packs. Thank goodness I packed vegetarian." Zaki said. She chuckled a little bit and checked her wounds. They were superficial; for some reason the beast had decided not to deal her life-threatening injuries. Beyond the broken ribs. They climbed a short distance up the mountain, to where they could just see the exterior portions of the dwarven city pouring down into the valley. Zaki paused and raised her halberd, creeping along the rock wall as she did. Her bags lay half-concealed past a few rocks, brown lumps of leather sitting in the midst of a small field of broken off armor plating. "The cave is just ahead. Nice and warm, thanks to the heat of the earth beneath it." Zaki said. She moved forward gradually, eventually sticking her head around the cave's edge. The girl recoiled immediately. Shattered, beautiful crystals lay before her, rough approximations of the features of a drake. It was a micro-massacre which made her wince. Normal creatures did not act in such a way. She stepped into the cave entirely, her eyes dragged to movement. A juvenile drake twitched, trying to force shattered limbs into agreement. Zaki pointed towards her packs. "One of them has a nice Istani-style trail lunch. Pick it out while I see if my information on these critters is correct." Zaki growled. She dropped her halberd, leaving only her quarterstaff stuck to her back. Zaki rushed for the creature, lighting her hands on fire as she did. Her burning hands fell upon the creature. It melted and she withdrew, a surprised expression upon her face. The melted areas quickly hardened once more, and the creature rose up upon its claws. It pawed at Zaki expectantly. "I think I just became something's mommy." Zaki shouted out of the cave. The young drake jumped in fright, before curling up against the tall woman. "Rin, can I have a date or three?" Zaki inquired. She patted the small crystalline creature. |
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| Rin | Fri Aug 5, 2011 4:22 am Post #10 |
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Rin giggled as Zaki emerged from their small cave. In the light of day she could clearly examine the woman's features. Her hair was an unnatural shade of blue that gleamed in the sunlight, and the scars on her body seemed even more prominent in the light of day. There was one other fact about the woman that Rin had not noticed the night before: her face was as well-proportioned and perfect as the construct's. She bit her lip as she pondered this revelation; the Grimoire had once informed her that no mortal being was ever born without imperfections. However, except for the expansive scarring, Zaki seemed to have no physical faults. There was not a trace of fat on her lithe figure, nor did the injuries she had sustained from the unnamed creature seem to bother her much. Interesting... The girl was careful to not let her inquisitiveness show on her face as she smiled at the woman. "It was no problem, Zaki! I do not require sleep!" Or food or water, but that could wait for another time. It was uncomfortable to exist without sustenance, but in the Istan desert she had learned she was capable of this astonishing feat. They prepared to leave quickly, the girl humming disjointedly as she followed Zaki up the face of the mountain, ready for adventure. She did not make Laevateinn disappear yet, simply propping the gratsword on one shoulder and carrying it easily. Who knew when they would need it? When they reached the cave Rin let Zaki take the lead, unsure of what they would find withing. When the Istani recoiled from the interior of the cavern she immediately swung the greatsword into a defensive position, darting to one side so that they would not get in each other's way. What she saw next made the construct gasp. The drakes here had been slaughtered; the only sign of movement she could see was much too small to be one of the full-sized creatures. When the monk barked out an order Rin obeyed almost instantly, dropping the greatsword with a clatter and sprinting to the woman's pack. She quickly undid the leather straps and pulled the satchel open, scanning the contents quickly and grabbing what looked to be a prepared meal. She rushed back to the cave's opening as Zaki shouted out that she had just become a mother... which honestly made no sense to the girl, but it clicked into place when she entered the cave. There was a miniature reptile curled in Zaki's arms, its skin seemingly made of living glass. It shimmed and shined as it moved, staring up at the Istani with a obvious affection. However, the woman's request made absolutely no sense to the girl. An embarassed flush raised to her cheeks as she contemplated the definitions she knew of the word 'date.' No no no, Rinrae... Dates are a type of food. Open the lunchbox. No, not that, that's curry over rice. To your left... Yes, those little piece of fruit. Those are dates. She mentally thanked the Grimoire for its assistance and crouched down next to Zaki, offering the woman three of the bright red fruits. That made much more sense than her original interpretation of the question. "Aw... He's adorable..." Her eyes held a combination of jealousy and curiosity as she stared at the small creature. "What happened to the other drakes?" Edited by Rin, Fri Aug 5, 2011 4:41 am.
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| Zaki | Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:41 am Post #11 |
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Zaki held the dates in her hand, slowly feeding them to the glass drake. It wasn't a particularly nice eater, it nipped her hand and tried to scrabble the rest from her. The woman glared at it, and slowly the creature stopped nipping. Instead it became incredibly dainty and submissive, getting a slight smile out of Zaki. She gave the creature quite a bit of food, leaving enough for lunch for herself and Rin. "Sweet little thing isn't it? Critters just need to know who's boss." Zaki explained. She ate her lunch quickly, not taking any time to savor the food. She stood and hefted the little drake over her shoulder, tiny claws scrambling over her shoulder and pinning themselves to her back while its feet scrambled for purchase. The hunter's arm became a platform for the little creature, and it promptly calmed itself. "We'll be heading to my city now. I'll let you spend some time in my home there, since I doubt you've got any money to get an inn room." Zaki offered. She started down the path. The sun was slowly setting over the city spilling down the mountain. Derelict buildings and lived in sat next to one another, all surrounded by a great stone wall. "Axerise is one of the few dwarven cities with a lower and upper section. The stone here is hard to dig." Zaki explained as they walked through the outer gates. The doors themselves had to be opened for the pair, for none others used the valley gates. They wound through empty streets until Zaki took her into a shop. The proprietor, a middle aged woman with ebony hair and kind brown eyes glanced at the two. "Zaki, you must want to buy a shirt." The woman said with a cheeky grin. Zaki paused momentarily, glanced down and then attempted to salvage her dignity with an attempted casual shrug. The clothier threw a blouse from her counter to Zaki, who grabbed it and quickly put it on. "Now, what brings you, the blonde waif, and the glass sculpture?" She asked, and Zaki glanced to Rin. "I want a pile of clothes for her. Full winter gear, multiple sets of every day clothing, and a nice sturdy bag to put it all in. That good?" Zaki asked. The clothier whipped a cotton ribbon from her counter and looped it around Rin a few times with knowing nods. She darted around her shop as she slowly collated the goods. Zaki nodded to Rin. "I'll pay. Consider it a we nearly died together gift." Zaki explained. The clothier layed down a fairly large duffel bag on her counter, packed and ready to go in record time. The clothier laid down a slip of paper and Zaki traded a few gold coins for it. With one arm she lifted the duffel and put it on Rin's shoulder. "Come along, we've got to get to my ruin." Zaki explained. [OOC: Feel free to move the post to Zaki's "ruin", which is more of a large and quasi-derelict stone building than a proper ruin. Zaki only uses a few rooms out of it.] |
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| Rin | Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:37 am Post #12 |
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Rin watched the Istani monk play with the hatchling drake, giggling softly. The creature was rather wondrous. When it ate the food you could still see the items for an instant before it swallowed, when they were lost in the shining surface of its glass-like flesh. It eventually settled down in Zaki's arms, eating calmly from the woman's hands. The construct simply watched the small creature as it was fed, barely nibbling at the lunch offered her by Zaki. In fact, all that she ate was a few grains of the rice, made almost searing by the spicy curry dribbled over the food. She did not technically require any actual sustenance... although it became incredibly uncomfortable if she went for more than a week without consuming anything. The last food she had procured was almost three days ago, but the allure of food paled in comparison to the intrigue of the glass drake hatchling. When Zaki suddenly stood up with the small creature on her shoulder the girl nodded and rose with her, ready to get moving once more. Something about this cave disturbed her... Some time later, Rin stared down at the city with her jaw agape, watching the city below them. It was unlike any metropolis she had seen before, the buildings specifically designed to remain sturdy on the slanted slope of the mountain. A wide wall surrounded the entire town, although the location of the city seemed like a strong enough defense to the girl. The Northern Reaches were one of the least populated regions of all of Imythess, and for good reason; it took several weeks of strenuous roads and sludging through abysmal weather to reach the scattered cities in the mountains and tundra. Still, Axerise was a sight for sore eyes; she was quite fed up with traveling through environments made impossible to differentiate due to the thick layer of snow. She followed Zaki into the dwarven city, openly staring at the sights and sounds around her. Several of the buildings they passed were in ill repair, their stone walls crumbling and their roofs collapsed. Still, the structures that were used regularly seemed to be constructed very soundly, built more for their sturdy nature than any aesthetic splendor. The Istani monk weaved through the streets like a native, leading the girl to a small shop that obviously was a tailor's. The walls were covered with clothing of every size and description, from massive furry coats to small pieces of flimsy, frilly cloth that seemed like it would be inadequate to preserve someone's modesty. Zaki seemed to know the proprietor personally, quickly placing a massive order for the girl. Rinrae... "Wait! I can help pay!" The girl dashed up to the front counter, digging in her satchel. The girl pulled out a wide assortment of items, including several small vials with a glowing blue liquid, a green ball of some viscous green substance, a patch of rough gray material, and a bottle of some golden nectar. She eventually dragged out a small leather purse that seemed filled close to bursting. Rin poured the mismatched coins from the bag, the mismatched metal discs bouncing on the counter. She was not a thief, exactly; the Grimoire had simply failed to make her aware of the moral dilemma of taking something that did not belong to her. Completely unaware of how suspicious she probably appeared, the girl smiled broadly and allowed the proprietor to measure her dimensions. Her sundress was looking rather shabby these days. She had been given this set of clothes by a friendly elf known as Ezekial, but that had been several months ago. Now the fabric was so thin in places it was mere moments away from fraying, and there were some stains in the white cloth that vigorous washings would no longer remove. Although the garment was very nostalgic, it was probably time for a new dress... Almost an hour they departed the shop. Rin was wearing a brand new and pristine white sundress, slightly longer than the first one and with an intricate lace pattern along the hem. She wore a double-breasted coat over the dress, as well as a pair of thick boots and gloves with fur lining. There was a scarf wrapped around her neck as well, her breath misting the air above the warm fabric. She did not wear a hat, despite the proprietor's insistence; she felt awfully constricted wearing something over her hair, and much preferred letting her hair flow free rather than hiding the blonde locks underneath a wool cap. The rest of her new clothes were crammed into her satchel, as well as her myriad possessions. "Thank you so much Zaki! I have been needing some new clothes!" They continued through the city, Rin humming happily. Although she usually did not like wearing boots, she had to admit it was much more pleasant than walking through a blizzard barefoot. They quickly reached Zaki's humble abode. It was one of the numerous buildings in disrepair across the city, a short and squat building that seemed moments away from collapsing. Still, it did not seem to have any gaping holes in it, and she was sure the inside was very comfortably furnished. "How nice! I wish I had a home like this one!" She beamed as she surveyed the building, eye bright. She waited for Zaki's permission before entering the building. |
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| Zaki | Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:09 pm Post #13 |
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Zaki allowed Rin to pay. It was unnecessary, but she didn't feel like making a scene. She rather liked this seamstress. They left, Zaki leading Rin along through the streets in a few more areas. "Yeah, any time. My only big expenditures are on clothing and spices, and I make more money than I could ever spend." Zaki explained. She didn't quite live an ascetic lifestyle, but she didn't live extravagantly. Her house would prove it. Then again, she loved her house to death, and it was technically one of the Silver Hound's safehouses. They wove their way through the streets, before ending up before her fairly large house. Technically it had once been some trade guild's house a century ago, but Zaki had purchased it for cheap and cleaned it on her own time. Zaki flipped a keyring from her bag, and unlocked the massive stone door before putting her shoulder down and pressing her way in. She gently pressed Rin in with a hand between her shoulder blades. The first room the entered had a small space for hanging up clothing, where Zaki simply removed her shoes and entered into the main area of the home. The first room was simply massive, with a set of low tables and pillows filling much of the area, easily enough space for thirty people. In the back was a massive kitchen, well stocked and built with fine dwarven marble. The walls and floors had a friendly, worn feel with plenty of light provided by dozens of hanging paper lanterns. Zaki put her drake on the ground, and it promptly ran and snuggled into a pile of pillows. "I'm going to make some dinner. I saw you trying the rice from earlier, so I'll make it all, uh, mild. Upstairs is my bedroom and armory, downstairs is for bathing. The architect who built this building two centuries back told me they plugged up a natural spring beneath it, so the water is great for you." Zaki explained. Zaki darted upstairs and returned a few minutes later in a sturdy dress with an apron, and promptly began cooking. Another thirty minutes later and she served the food, rich istani curries and rice. "Mm. I haven't had a reason to cook lamb in a long time." Zaki said, picking up one of the little nuggets of meat. She contemplated the subject of her dinner conversations. She could try and recruit the girl into the Hounds, but that seemed rude. A smile lit up the monk's face. "So, Rin, last time I saw you you fought fairly well, and you've got quite a big sword. What sort of training have you received?" Zaki asked. As a member of Istani's rich martial tradition, the monk had significant interest in training and sources of it. |
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| Rin | Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:26 pm Post #14 |
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Rin's eyes were constantly in motion as she followed Zaki into the building, taking in every detail of her surroundings. Despite its unimpressive appearance on the outside, the Istani's home was surprisingly comfortable on the inside with an abundance of space. She removed her boots in the entrance room, hanging her satchel, coat, and cloak on another set of hooks and cramming her new gloves into the bag. Although she did appreciate the gift, Rin's was much more comfortable just wearing her sundress and the ribbons wrapped around her forearms and shins. Zaki had disappeared further into the building as she removed all of her heavy clothing, and Rin was quick to follow after her, bare feet slapping on the floor as she dashed after the woman. The next chamber was huge, with far more room than made sense for a single inhabitant. A kitchen took up one side of the chamber, while tables, chairs, and pillows were scattered around the rest of the room. The glass drake was snuggling into a giant pile of pillows, while Zaki was explaining the setup of the rest of the house. As Zaki went upstairs Rin took the staircase in the opposite direction, delving into the bath chambers. She stopped halfway down, her eyes widening. The monk had mentioned the downstairs was for bathing, but she had failed to mention the entirety of the basement was flooded. The water had a slightly murky appearance, but she could feel the warmth radiating from its surface. Rin giggled and crouched down on the last stair that was not submerged, dipping a foot into the water. She could feel the warmth from the liquid seeping into her skin, eradicating the dull ache from the endless cold of the northern reaches. She wanted nothing more than to jump into the pool, but she wasn't sure how long it would take Zaki to prepare dinner and she didn't want the woman to wait on her. After all, the Istani was being an incredibly gracious host already... Rin hopped back up the stairs to the main chamber, humming happily as she did so. The woman seemed to be preoccupied with cooking some sort of meal on the oven, the savory scent of cooking meat feeling the house. Instead of exploring upstairs as well she chose to sit on one of the chairs near the hatchling glass drake. It was almost completely hidden under the pillows, only its twitching tail visible under the pile of cushions. Rin watched it, smiling slightly as it When Zaki revealed the meal was ready she quickly joined the Istani woman at the table, sitting down and graciously thanking the woman for the food. She still picked at the meal, only putting a small piece of food into her mouth at a time. The monk's cooking style was different from what she was used to; the spices and flavorings reminded her of the smells of the marketplace in Istan City and seemed almost foreign in this northern, icy town. However, it was still delicious, and she continued to eat even after she did not require further sustenance. "Well... I don't technically train at all. When I pick up a sword I just know how to use it..." She speared another piece of lamb, placing the chunk of meat in her mouth and smiling as she chewed the delicious morsel. After she had swallowed she paused for a moment, nimbly twirling her fork in one hand. "It's actually become a problem... I was reading about a new weapon the other day, and it sounds incredibly useful, but I have no idea how to use it well yet... Here, let me show you!" The girl scooted back from the table, frowning slightly for a moment. Suddenly she was struck by a flash of inspiration, standing up from the table with an almost alarming speed. "Wait! You can fight with a spear, right? Can you teach me! Here, I can show you the weapon!" She twirled away from the table, giggling happily as she twirled into the main room of the house. She came to a halt in the middle of the room, breathless and with her hair all askew. The girl held both hands out, the fingers curled slightly. When she spoke again her voice echoed oddly, as if she was talking from a far distance yet was still easy to hear. "Gae Bulg." The air around the girl shimmered like she stood in the middle of a mirage, reality bending and twisting to obey her command. Within moments she held a typical spear, the entire weapon crafted of an odd, copper-colored substance. She spun it nimbly, resting the butt of the polearm on the ground. The blade of the spear was spade-shaped, with seven wicked barbs adorning each edge of the spear. She smiled at Zaki, holding the weapon in both outstretched hands to display the weapon to the Istani woman, waiting for her reaction to the weapon's summoning. |
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| Zaki | Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:31 am Post #15 |
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Zaki made a strange noise in Rin's direction as she ate. "Just knowing how to use a blade defeats the purpose, in a way. You don't develop the calluses or the instinct that you'd get from training. Plus, it just helps to have a master as good...guide in life." Zaki explained. She made sure to get the last bits of curry with her rice as she listened to Rin speak some more. The girl explained her woes with a new weapon, which Zaki understood entirely. Reika had tried to teach her hand to hand combat sporadically, and it always ended with pain and frustration. Learning completely different styles was a pain. A way of holding yourself in one style was no doubt the worst possible way in another. Rin summoned a weapon from her ribbons once more, giving it a weird name. Zaki snagged it from her hand and walked into the middle of the room. "I'm fairly good. Mom rated me as good enough to teach last time I saw her, so why not give it a shot? Normally we'd start with things like basic exercises to build strength and muscle in the right places so you are less likely to get injured, but I suspect that isn't a big issue with whatever sort of critter you are, Rinrae." Zaki stated. She spun the weapon once, testing its balance. She thrusted, getting a feel for the weapon's grip. She took an elegant step forwards, bringing the weapon's blade up in a semicircle. Zaki burst into action, spinning the blade, thrusting outwards with deadly precision as she fought what could have been a mob of people. The deadly demonstration ended just as suddenly as it began, with Zaki putting a blade through the skull of an imaginary opponent. "That was a demonstration I did a few months ago for an Istani holiday. The best way to teach you, I suspect, would be to show you the sequences and forms of Reika's quarterstaff style. I adapted it to general use with the Istani military halberd, so this style is very adaptive. I've never show it to anyone properly, since I don't want the style to be stolen and the last opponents I fought were a mage with a sword and a man with a farming implement." Zaki explained. She returned the weapon to Rin, and pulled a quarterstaff from behind the pillows. "I don't have a good open area for training, the second floor has dormitories and this floor has a dining room. Tomorrow we can train outside, but it'll freeze you to death tonight. Hmm." Zaki wondered. She stood for a moment before winking. Her inner master had been unleashed, and all thoughts of being reasonable or rational about training had disappeared. There was only one goal, and that was making Rin the best pig sticker that ever lived. "The spring is only hip-deep on me. We'll train footing, sequences, and physical strength all at the same time!" Zaki squeaked with all the joy of an overzealous master. "I'd suggest wearing your old sundress for this or something, I'll definitely be wearing something that I don't mind getting soaked in mineral-rich water." Zaki suggested. She bolted upstairs and in moments returned in an Istani beach garment. Zaki entered the spring and wrote a sigil on the wall. From it burst a fairy of fire, a small creature that gave out a rather large quantity of light. She chuckled and went through a basic series of movements, thrusting and stepping. "The thing about polearms with bladed points and even just quarterstaffs is that one of the big things you can do is defend your territory. Your territory is the farthest comfortable extent of your weapon, and you don't let people into it unless you've got something up your sleeve. The set of movements I'm doing is 'simulating' multiple opponents entering your territory, and defeating them as I do. There are twelve more sets like this, which my mom calls sequences, and each shows different maneuvers and different situations. Just imagine you are fighting a set of imaginary opponents when you do these movements and you'll begin to grasp the importance." Zaki explained. She stepped back and allowed Rin to imitate her, scratching at what appeared to be a shallow and wide bite out of her thigh. |
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7:02 PM Jul 11

