Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Wars and Shadows [Closed]

OOC Edit: Closing this because we got enough people .

OOC: Right, I've been feeling really bad about my writing for over 6 months now, so I've been avoiding roleplay. This is my first RP in a long time, and to be honest I'm still not sure I'm out of my slump. Trying out a new character and seeing how it goes.

I tend to write paragraphs, and would prefer the same - but I'm open to shorter posts as well as long as they progress the story in a meaningful way. I expect this RP to be largely character driven. If you want to talk character possibilities before jumping in, feel free to drop me a PM.

IC: War had been raging for a dozen years - villages had been raised and new ones sprung up overnight. Castles had changed hands - but after not too long, changed hands once again. Soldiers would cross the country, only to die in a meadow stained red with the blood of a thousand of their kinsmen.

But with all the changes, one thing remained constant - Oriana's House of Potions and Curios. Every king and soldier that pass through these lands heard of her little shop, and the owner who worshiped a strange foreign god. The villagers all warned the invaders of their power - they would not wish her wrath against even their worst enemy. Despite the burning and death surrounding it the store remained.

Oriana rubbed one of the many glass vials that lined the wooden shelves of her shops with a damp cloth. She then placed it back with the others, and took the next one, wiping the dust off it too. The dim green light from the potions lit her otherwise pitch-black shop. To the far wall, a small cauldron bubbled away - surrounded by animal skulls, feathers and beads woven into complex patterns.

The bell above the door rang, she gently placed the vial down before turning to face her visitor.";

Elizabeth stumbled into the poorly lit shop covered in blood. "I ne-need he-help." she stampered, tears streaming down her face. "I do-don't wa-want to d-die." she added, coughing up blood on the wooden floor.
((Hope you don't mind me jumping in.))

OOC: Aaa sorry for not replying sooner, I only just noticed your response today!

Seeing the injured woman, Oriana scooped a potion of healing off one of her shelves and hurries towards the door. She makes long sweeping motion with her hands. "Anasah bless this woman," she prayed to her god. "Return her to health," she says as she uncorks the vial, and passes it to bleeding woman.

Liz took the vial and drank a little it of it. I felt like fire whiskey going down her throat. She tottered on her feet for a couple seconds then leaned against the wall, trying to catch her balance.

A man dragged himself through the doors, his shirt soaked in warm red blood. He got into the strange store and fell quickly. He was breathing quickly and jaggedly, slight drops of blood on his lips made it evident that he wasn't in the best condition.


(Just let me know if you'd rather have me not jump in ^^)

Oriana snarled slightly. Where were all these injured people coming from? This was a shop, not a hospital. She wouldn't watch a person die and not even attempt to help them, but she was not a doctor or a cleric. This was not her calling. She didn't want to be involved in the whims of the battle.

"You'll have to drink it all," she spoke to the woman as she turned to retrieve a second vial - not even trying to hide the irritation in her voice. With the second healing potion, she returned to her visitors and repeated her words - "Anasah bless this man. Return him to health," and passed it to him.

Walking along the side of the street at a leisurely pace, oblivious or uncaring about anything going on around him, Nemo stared down at the musty old tome open in his hands and continued efforts to translate the text. After going over it for nearly a month, he'd formed three theories; It was encoded, it was a long-dead language, or both. That was it. One long, arduous month of futile research, second opinions, trial and error was enough to drive him mad. Normally he had some patience, though normally he'd also have cracked at least one blasted symbol by now. Even just had a hunch about what it could be. As it stood, right now it could be anything from a children's storybook to the formula for immortality for all he knew.

Which brought him to the place he was passing through now, wrought with violence, strife and people being... well... people, in his opinion. Usually he avoided places like this since he had no interest in the risk of getting caught up in whatever was being squabbled about. The only thing that changed his mind this time was hearing about a store amidst the chaos. A rare kind that both piqued his interest and had nothing to do with purchasing more literature he didn't have the pocket space for. Sparing a quick glance ahead, he saw what must have been the shop he was looking for and stowed the tome into his robe before entering.

The interior was... not exactly what he expected. Glowing phials of mixtures being the shop's only notable light source did give the impression of an alchemist like he'd been anticipating. The cauldron with bones and such surrounding it gave him the impression of a necromancer's den... or perhaps a witch's hut like in some stories he'd read. What really stood out, however, were the two people that appeared to be halfway between the shop's floor and death's doorstep.

"Pardon me, this is the potion shop run by a Ms. Oriana, correct?" Nemo asked, directing the question to the only person in the shop aside from himself that wasn't making a horrible mess of red on the ground for whatever unfortunate soul had to clean the place. "Because if so, I appear to be far too healthy to be a customer. Though I would be willing to stab myself in the arm, should blood loss be a requirement for making a purchase."

(I post after Liz, correct?)

Luz drank the rest of the vial and clutched her side. The newcomer surprised her, but not as much as the glowing tome hidden inside his pocket. "Y-you ha-have b-been ch-chosen." she whispered before blacking out against the wall. The blood did not flow from her wounded side anymore, a greenish tint was forming on her skin from a series of slash marks.

Nico took the vial slowly and drank it, looking up at Oriana, "So your Oriana..." Nico gripped the handle of his sword tightly, and sadness filled his face. "You saved my life and I'm supposed to..." Nico took several breaths and gripped his side, which happened to felt better.

Anasah had chosen to save both the man and woman. Praise be his name. However, she would not allow this healing to be a gift - she had a reputation to uphold. She could not have every single villager and wounded soldier begging her for free medical treatment - that's what the clergy were for.

"Those potions," she spoke slowly "they cost fifteen gold piece each."

She focused her attention on her third guest. This one sparked her interest. For one - he was polite and very well spoken. Perhaps more importantly, he wasn't bleeding all over her clean floors. "I am indeed Oriana. If I may be so bold as to ask - who am I speaking to?" she replied with a cocky grin. "Blood donations are always appreciated," she joked back. The knowledge that a potion maker such as herself had some of their life-force was often enough to keep even the most dangerous men in check. "But not at all necessary. How may I help you today?"

"I have...no money...but I will." Nico pulled out his sword and stared at the blade. Assassinating someone is one thing...but the person that saved your life...?"Here's what I have..." Nico said before sheathing his sword. Nico gave the girl four gold pieces and asked if there was something he could do to pay off the rest.

I know, thats why i posted))

"I'm Nemo. I heard a few rumors about this place, not all of them very flattering, but every one seemed to indicate the proprietor as a skilled potion maker." Nemo said, casting another glance around at the shop's unusual decor. "Considering my first impressions of this place, I'm even more inclined to believe there's some truth behind that."

Stepping over the unconscious girl's legs, he took a closer look at some of the potions lining the shelves. "I was hoping you might have something to help me... think, I suppose you could say. I've been trying to decipher an old text and have surprisingly little success in the matter. To be precise, none." He glanced over his shoulder at Oriana. "Would there be anything you can make along those lines?"

Of course - the one time she helps the wounded, they're unable to pay. She didn't need his sword - or every farm hand with a good arm would think their services could suffice as payment. "The price is 15 gold each." She repeated. "I will take your three gold. The rest will come soon I presume," her cold eyes searched his face. "Anasah does not look favourably on those who steal from his messengers. I suggest you leave -- " she motioned towards the still unconscious woman "-- and take her with you."

She looked towards Nemo, her disposition noticeably changing. "I do have a potion that could help you," she smiles and beckons him towards a tiny glowing vial that could not contain more than a few drops inside. "This is a potion of knowledge. For a short period of time, it opens your mind and allows you to reason and learn more efficiently. However, it does not come cheaply - a vial of this size costs 70 gold pieces. I promise you however, it's very potent - even this tiny amount should last for three or four hours."

"What are you to do with her," Nico gestured toward the unconscious girl on the floor, "if I don't take her with me?" Nico let out a sigh as he realized that it was by accident that he found the store in the first place. He wondered how the other man found the store.

Liz slowly nodded awake to see that the men were bargaining a price with the shop keeper. She slowly brought herself into a standing position and carefully took her money bag out. "H-how m-much?" she asked in a weak voice, while she took some gold out.

"Fifteen gold pieces..." Nico rubbed his eyes, "And ask me for money, I'm broke..." Nico continued on his way out the front door.

Liz took 15 gold pieces out of her money bag and handed them to the woman. Her side was a greenish tint now, but It felt much better. "Thanks for the potion." she said heading towards the door, stuffing her bag back into her front pocket.