Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
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:


Username:   Password:
Reply
Another Rude Awakening; [FIN] [P] Eko
Topic Started: Sun May 26, 2013 3:33 pm (955 Views)
Lamar
Member Avatar


As Eko rambled on, Lamar's attention shifted from the spell being cast on his ankle to the confusing mishmash of accusations and debt and ownership, somehow declaring that, simply because they'd met, he was now hers to command. Honestly? He was in debt to her because he wanted her to leave him alone? What the hell would happen if he actually wanted her to help him?

She paused. He kept staring at her out of the corners of his eyes, eyebrow raised in contemptuous confusion. She failed to show any caring at his silent reaction and blathered on, talking about someone she wanted killed. Oh, no, not killed. Just made to lose face. Seemed roundabout if he was an enemy of hers, but he wasn't about to delve into the workings of her jagged, warped excuse of a mind. He found his fingers rubbing against his forehead in an attempt to stave off a growing migraine. It wasn't working.

"So...then..." Lamar said, squeezing his eyes shut. "To begin...What the hell are you talking about?" He glared at her, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from pointing downward. "I want nothing from you. I ask nothing of you beyond you leave me be. If you demand payment from everyone who has that request -and I am certain the number of those who wish that is vast - I honestly don't know how you haven't been killed yet. I have actively worked throughout this entire...fracas...to avoid you. You are the one who continues injecting yourself into my affairs. If anything, you are the one in my debt for being such an insufferable, meddling, tiresome, witch."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lady Eko
Member Avatar


An almost undetectable hint of a smile lengthened Eko's lips.

"I don't know which Abyssal spawning den you clawed your way out of, but here on Chaon there is something we like to call a 'society.' This 'society' has rules. If you can't even understand a very simple rule, to not take away the freedom of another sapient creature by possessing their mind and body, then I'm starting to reconsider this plan in the first place. You're clearly too stupid to handle a job as complex as the one I gave you." She stood without warning, strode calmly to the door, and knocked twice. A guard opened it up, but Eko took the side of the door herself to bring it fully ajar. Her eyes returned to Lamar. "Perhaps you're right on one count. I wasted my time on you."

She waited for Lamar to reach the exit. As he passed her, she added in a hushed, gently threatening tone, "Keep a tight hold on your host." The guard escorted him to the exit of Mohdu's and didn't follow him further.

A few minutes after that debacle, Eko returned to the lobby of the building and was pelted with questions about the prisoner she'd just released back into the wild. She brushed most of them off, even managing to get her hands on a mug of beer before a few proved too insistent. "This isn't like you at all," a frequent customer told her. "You failed to save Mr. Lamar, then let the demon get away?" The accusation gave her an immature flare of anger and disagreement that Eko knew she'd need to get a hold of. Most powers in Balefire treated her as trustworthy and straightforward by the city's standards. The moment she slipped up, that whole image would break down.

"Some of the best prisons are invisible to their captives," she curtly responded, then took a sip of her mug with half-lidded eyes.

OOC
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lamar
Member Avatar


His headache grew and a twitch developed beneath his eye. By whatever fetishized idols these people revered, what was with their definition of "demon" here? He only accepted it because it was the closest damn word they had to someone of his kind. From the way they thought, though, you'd think he came from some dark ass crack in the earth. He still didn't understand that trail of thought. And dammit, he did know about society. Proper society. The sort where humans had their place and occupied it, barring the damned hags.

He forced himself into taking deep breaths. He didn't need to rise to her jabs. They meant nothing and, either way, she was finally giving him what he desired: to leave him alone. He only glared at her continued insults and threats, pushing his way out through the proffered door, into the streets of Balefire, and back toward his hotel. She likely had spies watching him, following his movements. He didn't care. he didn't plan to stick around long enough for it to matter. He'd only come for coin to continue his search anyway. This place held no answers, and now it held too many threats and headaches.

He strode into the hotel foyer, nodding his head at the front desk and climbing the stairs to his rented room. He gathered up his bag, his books, any food he found portable, and the great, heavy, but masterfully crafted blade he still could not wield in this body, the Cutter, bound in thick cloth and leather, and secured it on his back. It was time to leave this city for good and get on with his quest. As today illustrated, he didn't have forever to find his way home.

He ensured his debt was paid at the hotel. It was, thank goodness, though they reminded him he had enough money paid up for several more nights. So sorry, cannot stay, business called him elsewhere, thank you. They smiled and thanked him for his custom after a partial refund, trying to recall when they saw him leave the first time, and he headed out into the street and back toward a gate, any gate, as long as it lead away.

He was done with Balefire forever. Let it and Eko rot.
Edited by Lamar, Sat Jul 13, 2013 5:12 pm.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lady Eko
Member Avatar


The fastest way from Lamar's hotel to the nearest city gate -- the one that Mr. Lamar had tried to escape out of earlier -- brought him straight through the snaking Tetrarch Street where the body and Eko had first met. Jachin, indirectly the reason why Eko and Lamar had met, was nowhere to be found. On one side of the street were multi-leveled buildings whose prime had long passed, each ringed with dark alleyways where wild animals or drifters lived. On the other side were rows of vendor stalls all crowded into a small space, forming a bazaar full of home-grown produce, useless trinkets, and obvious scams.

Some shouting cut through the crowds in the bazaar. The voice's owner was a brown-skinned orc that stood a head taller than most anyone else. Besides his well-groomed topknot and the metal rings around his tusks, Benny the Tooth wasn't a more affluent sight than anyone else. Mainly, he had a loud voice. "This piece of [removed] isn't even worth 5 silvers, much less 12! The hell is with these rip-offs?!"

"You think I can make a living selling my goods for 5 each?" the merchant quipped.

"Tell me, who's marking up the prices around here? Actually, don't. I already know."

"If you hate Eko so much, why don't you just kill her? It'll save our ears." She snorted. "Go spend your money somewhere else for all I care, Benny."

The orc made a sound somewhere between a growl and a scoff, and stalked off to another row of the bazaar.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lamar
Member Avatar


Lamar stalked through a street based market. According to his memories, this stretch of trade was where that Eko first picked up his body like a stray cat. Great, this place could forever live in infamy as a testament to that moment, as long as "forever" could be defined "for a week until the earth swallowed it whole."

Some loud, huge brute with dirt skin was making a racket around the stalls, annoying the people working there. He seemed to be incapable at basic bartering, demanding for less than half the posted price. He didn't expect much intelligence from those around him, of course, but he wish they'd go about it quietly and on their own.

Brown brute, from the shouts, seemed to fault that Eko for the prices. Lamar rolled his eyes, but rambled on. For all he knew, the brute was right, and he certainly didn't mind if he spread hatred for that damned woman. Whether the hate came from believing his rants or just being annoyed that her existence indirectly lead to the annoyance wasn't a concern of his.

Finished with his latest audible brain seizure, the brown brute turned and staggered down the lane. Unfortunately, it was right toward Lamar. Not his issue, he knew, slouching and keeping his eyes to one side. He did not want to attract the man's frothing. Just get past him and out of this damn place, hopefully on a fast coach to anywhere else.

...
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lady Eko
Member Avatar


Benny the Tooth gave off a loud grumbling snort through his nostril slits, making an enthusiastic vendor stop announcing her wares. Anyone who didn't know better than to get out of his way was shunted aside. Since the orc had basically alienated everyone on this street with his brutish ways, it was hard for a rational thinker to come to the conclusion that his anti-Eko rhetoric posed a real problem for her. In fact, him being an enemy of Eko just made people with more well-thought-out criticisms look bad. Vendors avoided eye contact while he approached, then glared at the back of his head afterward. Benny came across an intersection. "Out of my way." The rumbled threat was useless as he said it at the same time as he aimed to push a green-eyed man with such force that he could've fallen down. Normally Benny would've kept going at that point, but he stopped. The tall, brown-skinned orc turned toward the man he'd just put down and sniffed twice. His facial features contorted in disgust.

"You stink." Disgust turned to anger. "You stink of Eko Kinslayer. Don't even try to hide it. It's clinging to your clothes." He coughed once, mumbled, "Eugh. Even piss smells better." Benny the Tooth strode up to Lamar and lunged out with surprising speed, aiming to grab him by the collar of his shirt. "Ekonen twig, can you explain to me why prices are so damn insane these days?! Or are you here to enforce those prices? Don't even give me that 'protecting business owners' bull. I've had it with kingpins pretending they're doing everyone a favor."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lamar
Member Avatar


The orc creature shoved his way past Lamar, bodily smacking him to the side. Lamar grimaced, but kept walking. This was not his fight, this was not his business, and damned Eko could do her own dirty deeds. He just wanted out of here, no matter how many leads it'd lose him. He'd continue elsewhere. He'd heard there was an entire city of hags up north. He'd search there-

"You stink," the orc growled, and Lamar realized with a groan that the creature was talking to him. He didn't glance back. This wasn't his fight, this wasn't his concern, he kept repeating. Let the beast call out insults all it wanted. "You stink of Eko Kinslayer. Don't even try to hide it. It's clinging to your clothes."

This caused Lamar to turn back - did everything in this place have a keener sense of smell than him? - just in time to witness the orc's ham hands whip out and snag him by his collar, drawing him uncomfortably close to its maw, where it shouted and slathered at him about the shop prices as though he cared a whit about the economics of a market square. It was more galling for the thing to think of himself as one of Eko's goons.

"I am just passing through," Lamar growled back, meeting the orc's eyes with his own glare. "I don't give a rotten damn about that harlot Eko, though if you want to really piss her off, just keep bothering me. She doesn't want you dead. Now let. Me. Go."
Edited by Lamar, Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:34 pm.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lady Eko
Member Avatar


"If you're not one of her lap dogs, then why the hell do you smell so much like her?" He sneered as a joke came to mind. "Well, you did say she was a harlot... hah!" The high-class witticism implying the patron had sold her body to this guy was too much for Benny to handle, and he let off a stinky guffaw. "But no, really, I like your guts. Trying to lie to me even though you stink like you've been around her your whole life, and you're passing through her territory, and you're carrying this stupid big weapon. Pfft. As if she wants me alive." He tapped the side of his head with his pointer finger as if saying 'you can't fool me.' "Nice try."

He reached over Lamar and went to grab the big handle coming off his back. "How can a twig like you even carry this thing, much less wield it?"
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lamar
Member Avatar


"If you're not one of her lap dogs, then why the hell do you smell so much like her?" Lamar groaned. Why did it not figure out the mechanics of dental hygiene? "Well, you did say she was a harlot... hah!" it laughed. Did...did it actually suggest that he and...and some human...? He couldn't keep the disgust free from his expression. Alright, he decided as the beast kept babbling as though it were the master genius of strategy. Just for that. Just for that goddamn insult, this thing needed to be put down. But he still needed to get out of here, and he wasn't going to waste time just to put down a mongrel.

"How can a twig like you even carry this thing, much less wield it?" it asked, reaching over Lamar's head to grasp the hilt of his Cutter, yanking it free from its holster and ripping the covering off the blade. In all honestly, Lamar couldn't wield it. This body was still too weak to manage using it as anything more than a sharpened sledgehammer. However, the exquisite craftmanship, the gleaming metal in the lantern light, the bring one to their knees in tears perfection of the balance, there was no way he'd give the weapon up for something so small as being unable to use it.

"Damn nice blade here," the orc said succinctly, shoving Lamar to sprawl on the ground as it began to swing the giant sword around, causing the air to whistle with the speed of its passing. Lamar stared. No...he couldn't believe it. It would be so easy, criminally so. Taking it would be so simple, but it would be so perfect...
~*~
Lamar blinked, confused again. From fleeing a woman with green eyes, nearly at the gate of Balefire, he was now in an unknown street market, flat on his back on the ground. He looked up, follow the thick pillars that turned out to be the legs of a huge half orc, one with a blade as big as Lamar and bright, green eyes.

Lamar began to hyperventilate and scramble backwards until he hit brick wall, his hands reaching back to claw at the mortar as he stared up, eyes bulging, at the horror over him. He heard other people around him, but their words were drones compared the whistling of the blade's spinning as it cut through the air itself. This was it, he realized. This was how he was going to die, and no one, not the bystanders, not his family, not Eko, was going to keep him from being sliced in half.

The orc, his executioner's newest form, tossed the great weapon in the air, watching it with a wide sneer as it arced upward, spun lazily in the darkness, and descended, blade turning downward, directly toward the orc's forehead. As the edge of the blade cam within inches of the half orc's brow, far too late to do anything but realize what was to come, the green light faded from the orc's eyes and the sneering smirk turned into a frown of confusion just as Lamar's world, once again, went dark.
~*~
Lamar stood back up, working to bring his breathing back under control. Benny stood in the square for a time, arms slack, expression still puzzled, though cut in twain by the great Cutter balanced, for a few seconds, within his cranium. Finally, Benny's body folded and collapsed, toppling backward, the Cutter too deeply embedded to do more then wiggle slightly inside his skull.

Lamar forced his heartbeat to return to normal levels as chatter began at deafening levels after the shock of Benny's death, one of the vendors coming to his side to see to his wellbeing as several others gathered around the corpse. Lamar knew from his memories how it looked, at least. No one but Benny touched the blade. No one but the orc wielded it. No one but Benny, from eyewitness accounts, was responsible for his death. Sadly, Lamar thought, he was another example of a better host than his. Bigger, stronger, and he did have a good sense of smell. And of course he was trapped in this.

He waited for the rambling to die down, some official to arrive and take his notes in an attempt to give an air of lawfulness, and then retrieved his blade, using two hands to turn it and wipe the skin, brains, and hair off on Benny's shirt before wrapping it up, tying the shroud closed, and replacing it on his back. Killing two birds with a single stone throw, he thought as he grinned and walked away. Who said it wasn't possible?
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lady Eko
Member Avatar


Eko slid two coins into the pot. Their poker table was full, not only with occupied seats but also with nearby spectators. A few people at the bar sat with their backs to the counter, overlooking both the poker table and the small tables that were pushed closer, where friends, coworkers, contacts and other friendlies of Eko could catch up on the news of the past night as they watched the game. Eko played fair in this sort of crowd, so she wasn't topping the winnings. Mohdu's Inn and Tavern was booming at this time of night. It was difficult to speak over all the noise. She kept her face stony as she listened to the newest gossip among both the coffeehousing players and the spectators.

The security guard Charmaine called Eko's bet, then it was a turn of an off-duty Tetrarch Street vendor. He gladly raised.

"You seem cheerful tonight," Eko mused. The comment served no purpose in the game, but it did press for something else.

"Benny the Tooth died. I can't help but be happy. My life just got a little bit easier." He smiled.

A collective surprise ran through the crowd. "How did he die?" When it was her turn, she folded her hand. It wasn't that good anyway.

"Lots of rumors, but I talked to a guy who saw it firsthand. Idiot was threatening someone with a huge sword. Benny stole his sword, but then held it wrong and it fell right onto his head, split it open and killed him."

"Suicide by stupidity," Charmaine quipped. "Glad he's gone."

Eko folded her hands over her lap, looking tranquil.

"Hey, you gotta look on the bright side of people. He did a great job of making Eko's enemies look like dumb-asses. It's a shame he's gone when you look at it that way." The owner of the Boar's Buckler, who stayed in the hand, could be quite perceptive at times.

Not quite perceptive enough, though.

"Ah, he wasn't as stupid as you think. Just greedy." Between requests to explain more, she called over her chief security officer Enric, who was currently working as a bouncer. "Send a team to raid the address '13 Catseye Street.' You can leave personal effects but clean out every place he keeps mail, every lockbox, and any other scrap of correspondence you find."

If Eko knew anything about planning, it was that she could count on the people involved to act consistently. Mr. Lamar had done just that and, unknowingly, pursued the end she desired.



Mr. Lamar was difficult to find. Eko's courier didn't report a successful delivery until a full week after sending. The package had included a payment of forty silvers and a letter from Eko herself.


Mr. Lamar,
It has come to my attention that you were a witness in the death of Benny the Tooth. I thought you deserved more news on the subject. Following his humiliating suicide, my men discovered damning documents in his home as they searched for his last will and testament. This correspondence revealed that Benny was a piece of bait in a ploy to provoke me into aggression. Had me or my employees simply attacked him or attempted to quell his antics, this would have given a Balefire Clerk by the name of Lisa Warren just cause to spring an economic attack on me. This plan, had it been successful, would have crippled my ability to pay my employees. It is thanks to your large sword that I was able to uncover the name of this schemer and put a stop to her plans before they became a problem.

I hope to see you in Balefire again someday. If you ever need money, come visit me.

Sincerely,

Eko
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Lamar
Member Avatar


Lamar cocked an eyebrow at the man running up behind him asking if he was "Mr. Lamar." He didn't recall seeing him before, but it seemed the man was only a deliverer of correspondence, and had, of all things, a letter for him, one that felt horribly heavy. The man stuck around as Lamar examined the envelope for close of what this could be, looking as though he expected something more for his work, so he transferred to the courier so he could open it in case it held something deadly or dangerous.

It didn't. It held, in fact, money, silver coins, along with a folded letter. Lamar returned to his own body and walked away from the now disoriented letter carrier, counting out the coin. Forty. Forty silver pieces, a small fortune for a man forced to walk to the Northern Hag City due to lack of funds and a need to eat. This...wasn't normal, was it? His memory confirmed that people weren't sent random packages of cash for no reason, so Lamar turned to the letter. He unfolded it, read the salutation, let his eyes skip down to the signature, then returned with a scowl to the main body of the missive, certain he was going to dislike what he read.

He did. His headache and the twinge under his eye grew exponentially with each sentence, the smugness seeping from between each businesslike letter, alerting him that, with the passing of the orc beast, knowledge of a conspiracy was unearthed that was snipped in the bud, protecting that horrible woman and her interests. The coin was for payment in what, Lamar learned indirectly, was for his discretion and desire to kill the orc without undue stress and time, not to mention criminal convictions against himself.

Lamar couldn't help but let out a small roar of frustration as he tore up the letter, crumpled the pieces, and threw them into the nearest mudpile, stomping them into unreadable pulp with his bootheel. He'd keep the money. He wasn't too proud for that, though he wished he was, but next time he saw the damnable, abominable, wrinkled slug in human skin Eko, she'd soon be throwing herself in front of a speeding cart.

Lamar stomped off, forcing his rage from his mind for now. He had bigger issues, he had to remember. He still had to get back home.

Once he was home, everything would be alright.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
ZetaBoards gives you all the tools to create a successful discussion community.
Learn More · Sign-up for Free
« Previous Topic · Balefire, the City of Lanterns · Next Topic »
Reply

Top RP SitesVote for Imythess at Top Site List Planet
Top Site Lists
Misty Woods created by Helena & Cory of ZNR