Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Of Scales and Roses (OneXOne)

Centuries have passed and each year the population dwindles. With the overgrowing number of dragons and the abilities to use magic grow rare, it is hard to find mages who are willing to share their knowledge without a price. Seeing it as a risk to their lives to travel father than their own doorstep. Sickness hangs over every door these days. Finding experienced healers have become hopeless as the untrained try to help with their minor magics. Dragons come almost every week, destroying farms and devouring livestock. Merchants barely travel, even less now without the help of bodyguards and mercenaries.
The tavern's walls are covered with 'Help wanted' signs and the tables are full of grumbling customers as the only waitress in the place tries her best not to trip over someones outstretched foot. "Damn dragons...can't even grow a weed without it being stomped, or burnt." someone ranted to his drunk buddy who laughed and slurred, "Darmned magiturns can't do a thurng-*hick* but scratchhhh their assth with that stick." He started to bang the table, sending up the cup of alcohol flying and splashing onto the barmaid's clothes. Which sent up a bunch of laughs and whistles. "Not again." Maerwen tried her best to wrap her arms around her bodice, keeping as much of inappropriate looks at bay as she could. She was secretly a mage...well, more like a novice.
"You guys shouldn't be making fun of mages like that, they are doing their best to he-" Someone laughed and stood, "Help? Is that what they were doing all this time? Missy I think you have your hopes in the wrong people." He lumbered over to her and stared her down. "Only people you can count on these days are peopled like me." He grinned and put his large hand on her shoulder. She was an elf, and elves weren't all that big in size. Slender and small was what she was compared to this man. "We know how to keep the food on the table and the bed warm." everyone chuckled in the small tavern. The rain outside sounded like it had gotten heavier with each patter of her heart as she looked up a this frighting man.

A figure opens the door as the rain swirls into the bar. Entering the bar is a cloaked man drentched to the bone. Looking around he sees the barmaid quivering in the wake of the drunk patren. "Maybe you should back off? Wouldn't want to cause any trouble would you?" The man reaches to his hip placing him hand on something inside his cloak.

"Huh, who are you?" the man grunted and let Maerwen go to step closer to the intruder. "What makes you so high and mighty?" he crossed his arms over his chest and looked him over. Maerwen peeked out from behind the man to see who had stepped up for her. The newcomer looked different from all the stragglers that normally found their way into this tavern. She cleared her throat and tried to calm it down. Her voice came out smaller that she intended so she doubted he could hear. So she tried louder this time, which was audible but still on the silent roll, "Can I help you?" the big man turned to look at her. "Don't enterupt us woman." he tried shoveing her away, which was more like thrusting her forward with her tiny stature. "Oof." she grunted as she hit the side of the bar.

Seeming irritated at the scene that just took place infront of him, Pantheion says "Why is the world always going to hell. If we don't start banding together and helping one another instead of hating each other. We will never make this world any better." Pantheion walks forward to go past the man anf help the elf up.

Finally someone wanted to help instead of wasting their lives away on alcohol. She didn't care if he was or wasn't a mage. This man was her ticket out of this hell hole. "There ain't no such thing as 'banding together' except to feed the dragons a bigger meal." he huffed, a little irritated that the man was helping up the elf. Who cared if the world went to hell. Women and beer was all he needed to keep him company until then. This man was stirring up the wrong pot.
For now he waved the man off and went to sit down. This wasn't even worth it. "Bring me more drink woman." He looked at Maerwen, expecting her to start moving. She didn't want to. Mae looked between the newcomer and the rude man she always had to serve, who always tried to keep her here. "No." she whispered. "What?" he looked at her with his irritation building again. "I'm leaving." There went the woman and the booze, to hell with that. "You're not going anywhere." he argued.

"Is this woman your slave?" Pantheion ask as he is removing his hood. "As far as I can tell she can do what she wishes. Unless you plan on forcing her?" Giving the man a venomous glance.

It seemed like hours before this conflict settled. Somehow they got out without too much trouble...

Eight hours later...

"...and I have been trying to learn magic better. It's a lot harder than it looks. Not many magic around to teach me the ways." she smiled and looked around at everything. Maerwen had never been on an adventure before. "So Pantheion, if that is correct." she pronounced slowly, "What do you do?"

"I am a mercenary by trade. More of a traveler now . Isn't much left for us to do. Its very lucky I ran into a mage. While mercenaries can handle the small things mages are the actually muscle. To bad you can almost never find one. " Pantheion says looking at Maerwen in awe.
"Seems as you have a long way to go before you see any actually combat yet. I want particularly looking for work at the moment though so we can take it nice and easy. " Pantheion finished as they walk.

"Yeah." she blushed. "Its hard to learn when there isn't anyone to teach me." Maerwen kicked a small rock as they walked. The rain had been a small sprinkle for a while now, which was actually good for traveling. Dragons didn't care to fly in wet weather. Preferring to sleep in their warm dens and sleep the day away.

"Maybe it comes natural to you if you just practice. I don't rightly know anything on the topic myself, but if a teacher is what you're looking for I'm not sure where to look." Pantheion says down trodden. "On a good note the rain doesn't look like letting up anytime soon so we can make good time with out having to duck and weave through the forest." Pantheion looks up to the sky briefly hugging his cloak tighter around himself.