Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Radiance of Tordithas (closed)

The dark quill's pale stem was put to old wood. Ribbons of light were left behind quick geometrical strokes. A baseline circle was spun in a flash, Layne already working on tiny shapes and symbols to line its interior. The arcane drawing was worked quietly into a spiral of esoteric codes long ago memorized. The intended body consumed much of the space. The typical large wings were forgo-ed, the energy instead used for the cunning necessary to obey commands. To the cartographer and her child, who was watching agape, it really just seemed he was scribbling nonsense with expensive ink. But as he neared the center with runes threatening to overlap, he stabbed the quill so it floated there at the base of it all; the catalyst doubled component. The spell circle and its contained arcane language heightened in its luminosity in conjunction with the complete consumption of the shard.

Layne poked the boy back a step, breathing his first breath since beginning the swift spell. "Phew! Watch your eyes, little one."

The radiance grew and grew until it exploded in a flash the spilled from the door and windows to frighten a few passerby. Lowering their sleeves, the three found the glowing familiar. It was a tiny one. Hopping and twitching curiously, it beckoned at them for orders. Layne unceremoniously pointed to the mother. "She's your boss. Listen to her every command." He nodded at a trade well done. "You've raised a kid before, huh? No different from working with a familiar. It even doubles as a pet, if you can come up with a good name for 'em. Just make sure to feed him some radiance when he'd looking dim."

Bundle of maps secured beneath his robe, the mage left with a grateful wave before he was tempted to further exacerbate the bright wonder on the tiny child's features. There were deeds need doing. And so the path he'd been led down was backtracked to the courtyard seeming unfamiliar by the congestion of spectators all clustered about. Well, by the time Layne had caught ear of dying music, the people now a bit merrier were already dispersing. One of the blue skinned companions was sighted at the center of it as she winded down with enthused company. Layne hovered there in the courtyard to scope out more familiar faces, ones he was just realizing in his prior excitement had mostly gone without names attached! That'd be righted soon, if they hadn't made off with their free radiance in the effort to not be roped into the likes of deadly adventure.

Eschallus had long since situated himself on someone's vacant rooftop to survey the city. The position he had taken was less of a clear vantage point and more of a mark of his vanity, rising above and looking down on everyone as he did even when among them. Even as spread out as they were, he could see every person he had called to this task clear as crystal. His facade broke into a leering smile. He was pleased with the group that had cropped up, they were certainly more self driven and practical than the last bunch that had the misfortune of being roped into Torditha's cycle of misery.

...

As for Duran, the stall keeper had been true to his word, forking over the leather goods as well as the finished bags and water skins and the miscellaneous contents. Food was less of a concern, as a bustling outdoor grill was none the wiser of a few strings of cured meat and dried vegetable blocks went missing into the crowd as Duran had passed by. A few more twists and turns, and the surveying thief would happen upon a shifty group of humans and what looked to be someone with a wild dog's head as they hunched around a dice cup and muttering numbers. Swift motions and the expressions on their faces showed they were gambling with pieces of Radiance, and one in particular sat with their thigh covering the drawstring of a purse.

...

"I'm Foxglove" Announced the hag on the left to Lucy. "I'm poppy." Said the middle. "And I'm Periwinkle, and the eldest" Said the one on the right. "No you weren't!" Snapped the other two in unison. "Was so! By a whole minute, Foxglove you are the youngest, Poppy you know you're the middle child!" "Why-you! That joke is never funny!"

"Both of you might as well be younger than me for arguing like a couple of tots and ignoring our customer!"
"Oh yes!" They said in unison as if remembering Lucy was there. "Sorry dear, life's tough when you share everything with sisters. IF you're going on a journey, it sounds like you'll be going through the umbrage. Dangerous places are out there for sure, but nothing a little light can't handle if you stick to the roads. Still, the lightblind can be quite nasty. A few of them even have poison teeth I've heard! And if that doesn't get you, the infection might. Here." They rummaged around, pulling out a moss that looked pockmarked with warts and some thin stemmed seed pods neatly packaged in jars. The plants still looked quite alive for being unrooted. "A little water and these will keep fresh until you need them, and if left alone will regrow slowly with some radiance light. The moss disinfects if bound to the wound, and the beans should be chewed and spat onto any bite that's poisoned."
They held out the jars in one hand, and the other open. "That'll be four pieces for the lot."

...

"That's soo cool! Real honest magic 'ma!" The child cooned in excitement at the display. They prodded at and scratched the familiar under it's chin. "I'mma call it Blinky! It makes me think of blinkin' which is what he had ta do after all that light!"

"Aye, ye kept yer word magic man!" Safe travels to ye, I hope ye get where yer goin' safe and sound." The mother said warmly, waving to Layne as he made his exit from her shop.

Lane would have been able to see Lucy enter one such shop quite close by, led by the trio of elderly dryads. Further still, the top of Duran's head as he rounded into a less busy looking alley with clear intent of being up to no good.

Most of the stolen food would be tucked into one of the pouches, though one string of meat Duran would drape over his shoulders like a boa (careful not to jostle Trine from their perch). The end opposite the cat's perch-shoulder, he chose to nibble on, considering he hadn't eaten since breakfast some unknown time ago. Successful foraging improved his mood considerably and by the time he found a mark, he smiled.

Duran watched briefly the gamblers, as though puzzling out the rules of this dice game, then continued moving. His trail brought him right past the exposed purse, which he attempted to deftly catch with the butt of his spear. If successful, he'd sweep the thing up and catch it, running as fast as his long legs could take him. If not, he'd try to 'accidentally' pin it as though he'd just been picking a spot to lean and hadn't been paying attention ("Oh, sorry," and all that).

He already had in mind a question, too, if he failed. "What's lowest bid?"

A little bit of gambling wouldn't be the low point of his day... maybe.

As a calm settled over the audience and the crowd started to disperse, she gathered the split shares with the other musicians and pocketed them into a different pouch as to keep her new earnings separate from the "gifts" she was given for this quest. Algae held the bag in her off hand while moving closer to the reptilian man, her free hand ghosting the pads of her fingertips up the scales of his arm to keep his interest and show her own intrigue. When she heard mention of a mine, the colorful woman could see the importance of this information and pressed him further.

"That sounds fascinating! But oh-," she lets her face fall while flicking her eyes up to meet his before continuing. "I'd love to see it, but I don't know how to get there. I don't come on land often..." Her cheeks darken with a blush as if she'd told him some embarrassing secret. "Is there any way you could point it out to me on a map? I would hate to get lost." she asks, angling her body closer to his and letting her expression seem hopeful, giving him the power to help the damsel she was portraying. The hand on his arm touches softly, tentatively, and she clutches her other hand close to her chest to try and bring his attention where she wants it.

"I wouldn't know, I've never had any siblings... nevertheless it's been nice to meet you Foxglove, Poppy, and Periwinkle" Lucy replied giggling a bit at their antics. She quieted down however and paid apt attention to their instructions, nodding to confirm she understood. Nodding once more she pulled out the four pieces handing them over gingerly before examining the contents of the jars with a smile, "Thank you so much for this" she said while thumbing the jar, " it'll be vital on the coming journey....a-actually if you don't mind, perhaps I can gain some more advice? I have a few more items I need to obtain and would greatly appreciate knowing who has the best mixes of quality and price." her luck was going well, just a bit more and perhaps she'd have covered the bases well enough to ensure a high chance of survival, and perhaps a good chance of success.

The group of gamblers hardly looked up at Duran's arrival, but a few grunted and nodded at his seeming interest in joining them. The game was fairly simple, much like a dice version of blackjack wherein two six sided die were rolled, and the total of the result was doubled. The person would then need to decide whether to stand or hit, and it appeared the lowest value to bet was a shard. As Duran made a pass for the coin purse, a few in the group cheered while others groaned in frustration. While the distraction provided to be enough for Duran to loosen the pouch that sat beneath one of them, the sudden uproar caused it to tumble to the ground and into a corner between a wall and a wooden crate, out of the view of anyone but Duran. Amidst the exchange of bets, the pouch's owner reached down and realized it was missing.
"Hey! Which one of you jackasses took my Radiance!?" He asked, looking each one of the bettors in the face. "Was it you Winston? I bet it was, fudging all your rolls."

"No way! I'm no cheatin' thief!"

"What about you Doug, sly mutt, you've earned twice as much as the rest of us!"

"You take that back you scrawny little ape!"

Fists went flying as the players turned to scrapping with one another, a few even getting shoved Duran's way as they boxed and shoved.

...

The lizardfolk that Algae had begun feeling up nearly dropped his belongings in response to her questioning. Mouth agape, he croaked out something unintelligibly before gathering his wits. "A-absolutely, fair lady! I-I-uhh, map? Map. Yes, ahem. Well err, I'm afraid I don't have one o-on me at the moment but I uh..." His eyes trailed from her to anyone nearby. His dazed view settled on Layne, who had since crept up after the performance.

"E-excuse me sir, one minute. If I could err.. just take a look at those maps?" He stammered, not waiting for a reply as he stretched one out to view. "Here M'lady, just west of the Oasis is the mines. Vadues c-canyons, that's where the old mine was..." His eyes then fixed on the other maps in Layne's possessions. "Why, these are the maps of that very mine!" He adjusted his spectacles. "If memory serves me right, they were abandoned a little more than three centuries ago after the vein they were pursuing ran out!"

...

"Hmm, items you say? What is it you need dear?" "Hmm, prices? Well there are a number of shops with low prices, though unfortunately many have resorted to selling 'snake oil' if you, mixed in with their things. " "Quite amateur if you ask me, but it keeps them in business."

The three mused independently, putting away the Radiance that Lucy had spent into a latched box.
"If you're going on a long journey, you might want something to change your smell though. "Yes, the Lightblind can smell you quite well, it's why they come running and don't stop if they catch wind of you!" "You'll be wanting something earthy smelling to make you blend in! Burn some sage, or rub some wet dirt into your pits!" "That's disgusting!" "Well it's better than being eaten!" "You can't tell a young lady to dirty herself just for a walk through the desert!" "Shut up! She was asking something else!"

They quieted down and looked to Lucy again. "Well go on, ask anything you like dear, please be specific. We'll tell you if we know the answer."

He spared the pouch a glance, alternating between internally cursing and thanking Fortune that it had landed someplace out of sight. Now all he'd have to do was fetch it, quietly, and move along. Maybe even after a round or two of betting.

Which seemed to have been a bad choice, since Duran found himself too close to the ensuing fight. When their scrap threatened to draw him in, he tensed. As much as he might love a good tussle back home, here he had no back-up. And there were a lot more of them than there were of him. And he'd hate to lose all this new stuff so soon after getting it.

"Hey, hey! Watch it!"

Duran tried to dodge the fists and scuffling bodies by nimbly sidestepping.

Even with the group at eachother's throats, Duran would have no trouble acting on his instincts and escaping from the fray. Nor would the others notice the bag, stealthily rolled away and scooped up amidst their bloodied tunnel vision.

The crowds of Vadues were an excellent cover for someone on the run if they didn't make a scene. None of the passing guards cared too much about what they assumed was some sort of drunken brawl over dice, so they paid no mind to Duran either. Conveniently, the alleyway funneled out into the square, where Algae and Layne could be seen in the company of a very infatuated looking lizardman.

((Duran can add 10 radiance shards to his belongings))

Lucy nodded thoughtfully at their information, it would be useful to know which shops were trustworthy and she was eternally grateful for the advice on smell. Still smiling she went over her mental list remembering what she needed
"I need equipment for fire starting, water purifying, and medical supplies such as bandages" After a brief pause she continued on "I also believe a few camp materials will probably beneficial as well, such as a way to cook food, fix equipment, that sort of thing. If you could provide some trust worthy but also affordable stores I would be most grateful" Lucy looked to each of the old sisters, they were very knowledgeable and so surely could provide her with the info she sought.

The new radiance went into the same place as the old, tucked safely against his chest. With 14 pieces to his name, he should be able to cover any other travel basics they might need, including plenty of water to fill the empty skins he'd grabbed. When he spotted the familiar faces, he flashed a toothy grin and hurried to join them.

"You all find what you wanted? Anything else y'need?" He blinked at the lizard-man with wary curiosity. "He coming with us or....?"

He didn't really wait for the final answer before his attention drifted again. Already looking something like a pack mule, he scanned the area for another vendor who sold odds and ends for travel. Thread, cord, and tarps, mostly. And places to snag kit for weapon and armor repair.

Though he knew that first stall he'd stopped by had tent poles and the like, he was reluctant to return there. He'd already done business with the man once, insulted him and his goods... Some nagging paranoia urged that the vendor would be suspicious if he came back with more radiance to spend.

More importantly, it would be embarrassing having to admit that there weren't comparable goods anyplace else in Vadues.

((Because Lucy's earlier roll for info was a 22, I'm going to go ahead and say that since she asked what she wanted after the roll, it still counts.))

The triple-tree hags all grew quiet, thinking simultaneously. At once their eyes lit up and they looked to Lucy.
"Well there's old Timothy's down the way, he's a bit of a hunter and a good survivor at that. Has a habit of wearing animal pelts to mask the smell, and the added bonus of extra warmth. I think he could offer you something for your water and fire problem. Just look for a tent to the south that looks like a menagerie of animal trophies" Noted Poppy. "Susan is known for making good tarps and makes gauze in her spare time, she might be willing to part with some things without breaking your purse. A bit drab on presentation, but she hangs her wares outdoors for people to see, a few paces thataway, can't miss it. " Chimed in Foxglove. "Ah, then there's Johnathan, His cookware isn't much for looks, but it'll last you a while if you treat it well. You can probably see the smoke of his smithy from here, all that soot and ash." Concluded Periwinkle.


...

"Coming with?" Squaked the lizardman at Duran's approach. "Where are y-"

Ah ah ah, I don't think so." Came Eschallus' voice from behind Duran. The creature put a hand on the man's shoulder and wagged a finger at the reptilian dismissively. "No offense but I'm afraid you don't seem to have what it takes. Besides, you look a bit busy at the moment, right?"

"Oh, I err. yes? Ahem, good day m'lady." He said to Algae, bundling his things together before scurrying off in a rush, looking over his shoulder fearfully a few times.

"Now then, it looks like we're missing a few people, but I can always find replacements if necessary. I think our other little lady has a few more stops before we can depart." Escallus hummed with glee, turning to look down the way Duran had come. In the alleyway, the Hags had escorted Lucy back to the front of their shop and were pointing towards a couple directions. One of which was relatively close, dull-colored tapestries and blankets hung, flapping in the light breeze of the square.

(Makes sense)

"Thank you, you've been most gracious, I'll be sure to visit once my journey is complete" Lucy said with a small bow nefore gathering her things and heading out.

Looking around she spotted some of the others, had she been that enraptured by the three sisters? giving her head a shake she headed off in the direction of Susan, it was apparently closer and so would be the fastest to get to, after that she figured she could head to Timothy's after and then get directions to Johnathan's from there she supposed. As she walked in the direction she was told she could make out the wares hanging as mentioned. Approaching she waved to the apparent owner, "Greetings! I am Lucy, I was looking for medical supplies and such for a long journey into the umbrage."

Duran squeaked and flinched at the reappearance of their... employer. It just wasn't fair that something so strange could also be so quiet when it wanted to be. Made the bandit feel hemmed in and that was as hated a sensation as being the source of his Boss's disappointment. Boss had never been a man to disappoint, so Duran always went out of his way to fix it if something wasn't satisfactory. Or shuffle the blame elsewhere.

This he couldn't shuffle off or shoulder through or, well, do much of anything to avoid. Not fair at all.

When Eschallus turned his attention back the way Duran had come, Duran (at a loss) did the same. Then lit up at the sight of the simple blankets hanging at that stall. He had been so focused on putting distance between himself and that brawl, he'd completely overlooked them.

There would be the perfect place to snag something useful. A warm set of rags to sleep under, at the very least.

He also made his way towards the stall. Whereas Lucy started off greeting the shop's owner, Duran set about looking at the tapestries, gently tugging and testing their durability. If they could be used for tent-material, they would have to be sturdy, after all.

"Wonder if any'll keep out the damp, in a pinch," he murmured to himself. Didn't seem so much an issue here in Vadues or the surrounding area, but back home a cold mist could spell disaster to a group of sleepers every bit as much as smaller Lightblind. If at all possible, he'd like to get items that could handle multiple climes.

Behind a crude looking bench, a somewhat portly lady with umber ringlets of hair waived to Lucy. "Oh my, then come in, do come in!" She said with a warm, if somewhat congested sounding voice. "Medical supplies? I'm afraid I'm no doctor, but I should have some clean linen gauze somewhere here. People mostly buy it to keep out this dreadful heat, but it works in an emergency. I'll go get it for you."

She departed upstairs, huffing and puffing until the sound of he climbing faded away.
___

The tapestries Duran were investigating seemed sturdy enough, if a bit crude and rough to the touch. Some had the musty smell of being soaked in some kind of lard or fish oil, and had a darker tint because of the oils mixed in. On the walls were also a number of long cloth sacks that had been lined with a patchwork of many small animal pelts. The price for each item was surprisingly paltry for their make, only being a few pieces of radiance each. Either Suzan was making enough product to offset her prices, or she was severely underselling her own wares.

---

Eschallus meanwhile watched as the two departed before sidestepping into an area where people would not see him tear into a rift that hummed with the same dull static as the scarf he wore. Passing through space, his many eyes swiveled horribly every which way before they all seemed to narrow in on a silver haired woman elsewhere on Tordithas. His still humanoid form seemed to sprout a lithe, segmented tail which he lashed through the space, pulling the woman in and surreptitiously dropping her into the alleyway.

"Ahh, yes, I think you'll fit the job nicely. Welcome to Vadues miss, I have a proposition for you I think you just might enjoy." He crooned, still keeping his tail wrapped around her neck and most of her upper torso. "I also have some people you might want to get familiar with, come along." He said, pulling her along without waiting for a reply back into he busy square and towards the Shop Duran and Lucy were both perusing.

She dodged and weaved through the crowd with precision and grace, after all this time she had found him and now, she could finally find some peace, an arrow in hand, holding it just below the head. Before she could reach him, she was plucked out of the space she occupied and pulled into a rift.

Once her feet touched the floor of a dank alleyway, she fought against the liche wrapped around her throat, clawing for a breath.

She was unwillingly dragged by her neck like a dog on a leash, she felt powerless. That feeling of powerlessness hurt her more than the physical need to breath.

Once released near the small group, she took deep breaths, trying to catch her break. She stood up straight and placed a weary hand on her bow and the other ready to draw an arrow from the quiver hanging horizontally in her lower back "who are you and where am i?!" A female voice came from her but her mouth remained closed.

A rough cloth generally meant it was sturdy, at least in Duran's experience, and oiliness would repel damp. So he grabbed two mid-sized tapestries large enough, he guestimated, to serve as simple two-person tents. So long as said persons didn't mind crawling in and staying prone while inside. Or knocking elbows all night.

Neither prospect would bother Duran under normal circumstance, but normal circumstance was a dogpile among people he knew and trusted (well enough). Here went hoping, that this damned 'quest' was more than enough to prevent a bit of back-stabbing... Or at least prevent him from being stabbed in his sleep. He wasn't yet attached enough to care if anyone else was, except in the most practical sense. Stabbings meant blood, which stunk and attracted animals and lightblind alike.

He rolled the tapestries to easier carry, fetched a couple of the sacks from the wall (three, as that was all he'd noticed as still being around), and carted them inside to see if he could get them all without being dangerously low on Radiance.

On entering, he saw Lucy and no shopkeep and debated real quick stuffing one of the sacks into his pack before the shopkeep returned. But he still didn't know how his companions might take blatant theft and didn't want to risk her turning around before he'd finished. So instead, he hefted his rolled finds to stand on their ends and greeted Lucy.

"How's your luck been? An' thanks again tryin'a help at that last stand. Still got more a discount than I espected." He grinned, but the gesture seemed more from nerves than a genuine attempt to break the ice.

"Hm, not a bright one are you? Very well, I'll repeat myself. Welcome. To. Vadues. You are in the middle of Tordithas' easternmost landmass. I've brought you here to do a little task for the sake of this world's inhabitants."

He straightened up, still not releasing his hold on her just yet, but he did loosen his grip so she could at least breath with ease.

"I am so glad you at least know your manners and asked who I am. You may call me Eschallus. And over there, you'll find a few of the new companions I mentioned you'll be working with." He said, pointing to the two figures currently conversing at the front counter of the shop. "I'll be in your best interest to compare your skills and belongings. I'm sure they'll want to know about that little trick of yours for communicating at the very least." He reached into the folds of his scarf and drew forth another drawstring pouch, shaking it slightly before holding it out to Fritz. "Here's something to get you started if you have no possessions of your own."

"Oh umm, pretty good, got tons of herbs and such for treating possible injuries" came her awkward reply, she hadn't really expected him to talk to her really, he didn't seem the type. Maybe she'd misread him?

"Oh and uh, no problem!" she continued a bit quicker than she would've liked. Messing with an eldritch being with an ego too big to NOT want to deflate was one thing, talking to someone she was more or less forced to work with was another. 'No harm in trying to be friendly' she thought, 'besides, he seems nervous too'. Still after a few minutes of being unale to think of what to say had her slowly losing patience, 'Just where was that shop keeper?!' With a small huff she placed a cheerful smile on her face before speaking up again. "Soo... how about you? did you manage to get anything?" Maybe he was a talker?

Duran nodded along at mention of herbs, "Always a good thing, that. No one wants a scratch turned into worse, or t' deal with a wrenched ankle fer long."

He let the silence go on, eyes scanning the goods in here a few times more before he realized things had probably turned awkward. Which was normal, so what really threw him was her attempt to continue the conversation.

"Oh, uh, yeah! Got plenty, in here and here," he gestured to the things he'd snagged from outside and the packs and such strapped to his back, and rambled on, encouraged. "And tryin' t' think of what else might be good t' get. Vadues is dryer 'n anythin' I'm used to.... But if I know anything, it'll be hard fightin' off Lightblind without good weapons. And can't keep your weapons good without kit to fix 'em when they stop biting so deep. So after this I'll prolly find a weapons stall or armorer and see if I can't find something there... I got my own whetstone, but that's mine. Someone else'll probably need one and it don't hurt havin' extra."

After a moment or so longer of rambling about supplies, he paused and tilted his head.

"Wonder if anythin' 'round here's worth taming... Might be good to grab trap kit and make some lures if there are."

“That’s good!” Lucy responded as he gestured, taking note of the materials he had managed to get. Listening on as he continued, she found herself checking off a mental list of things she was already on her way to obtaining…. hopefully. She spoke up as he finished, hoping to keep things from getting awkward once more, “You’re right about water being scarce, which is why one of my next stops is to see if I can get a water purifier, never know when we’ll find a fresh source out there.” Opening her pack, she showed him the materials she collected, “Though I already managed to obtain water rations AND I even got a great deal for these herbs here, little bit of these bad boys could mean the difference between life and death!” she said as she closed up her pack. Shifting it to her side she looked back up, “I’m also looking for materials to maintain our weapons, which I know who to go to, if you’d like to join? They might have something for your hypothetical traps” she said with a small laugh. She figured, if they were partners, they might as well start helping each other out…. right? “I’m Lucy by the way, don’t think we were formally introduced”