Difference between revisions of "Unti Family/Nerta/A1S3"

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Revision as of 20:59, 27 June 2020

Wolfclawinn.jpg
Roleplay from Nerta the Weaver
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
The journey back to Agyr with her new companions proved more cheery than the trip down to Fronepu.

Shocking no one, Mulki had proven much more talkative once they were out of the city though Nerta still struggled with the cadence of the strange woman’s speech from time to time.

Thankfully the otherwise quiet Wren had stepped in with a few pointers, smoothing things over. The other Tribe sister had seemed intent to absorb everything about the journey, and Nerta’s situation, asking pointed questions in every lull.

Neither of them had spoken much about their homes, not with Mulki bouncing between them, it was something to address but… when? Certainly not during the back road scuffle in Rengo. They’d been avoiding the militia, but that meant more monsters, and Mulki’s ignorance meant Nerta was fighting with, well, ‘an arm tied behind her back.’

In the end they’d pushed through and made it: Agyr - the Jewel of the North.
Nerta the Weaver (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
The smell of grilled fish filled the air, a smokey salty scent that drifted through the crowded bustling city streets of Agyr. The city itself was a gem, a bastion of civilization in tucked away in the roguelands. More civilization in fact than Kevan had ever seen before in his life. The largest structure he had ever seen before was Black Castle in the Ash Wastes, or perhaps its counterpart in Lastfell. He had heard and read about the cradles of civilization, and the ancient cities that dotted the lands of Beluaterra, but it was another thing to see one in it's enormity. He was shocked at the sheer size of the mighty walls and structures, in amazement at the throngs and crowds of people rushing around.

It was very quickly however that Kevan realized he hated it.

The streets were no cleaner than the wastes, and he felt closed in by the large crowds that surrounded him at nearly all times. How could anyone live like this packed so close? He thought as a stranger bumped into him and said something animatedly. Kevan pushed past him and continued desperately for the fish that he knew would be around the next corner.

Fish and fear kept him moving ever onwards, among other things. His mission was a purposeless diversion from the goal, but Mistress Flame he knew could not be displeased. The others had seen his face and seemed menacing and capable in their own right. He had no doubt she could find him if she wanted to, and would. But if she found out about the Pale Man he would need something in his pocket to keep him alive.

Little and less to go on, O beautiful and terrible Lady, flames are bright and orange and red, as your crown, what would you have with Flames of Violet?

His thoughts were interrupted by the growling of his stomach. Fortunately he had reached his destination. At least the destination right in front of him. The next one would be a lot harder than finding a simple fish stand. The man tried fruitlessly to chat with Kevan, but Kevan was lost in his own thoughts, too much so to try and read what the fishmonger was trying to tell him. He paid the man who threw his hands in the air in frustration and waved him off. As Kevan returned to the crowded street, he felt something unusual. Like when a gnole-man is watching you from beyond an ash dune. He shuddered as he tried to see what it was that was watching him. But the crowds were too dense. The streets too dirty and trodden for tracks and the smell of fish too strong.

It's probably nothing. Kevan wanted to believe. But he knew better than that. It was never nothing. Something, or someone, watched as Kevan took a bite of grilled fish and continued his search for the lost Flame.
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Nerta the Weaver
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
The trek through the twisting streets of Agyr’s Plebeian District was almost as fraught with danger as the wild lands, just of a different sort. Sharp teeth were replaced with biting words, shadowy shapes eyed coin purses rather than jugulars and the Old Man constantly flickering into view as the trio passed windows.

Nerta tried to keep her companions close, pulling the curious Mulki back from a peddler at least once, but this just meant the familiar drunken singing left her with anxious dread.

“Neee-air-taaaa! Girl, I thought that was you! And you’ve got shome new friends, aww but thish time you got clothesh! Dishappointing but we’ll always have the winter harvesht…”

Cringing at the shouted exchange, Nerta rubs her temple partially shielding her eyes from the crowd and hisses, “Will you shut up.”

The staggering blond lush wore an old set of leathers with more patch than material and sported a scraggly beard. Staggering over from the doorway of his ambush his still hefty wineskin sways and thumps against his chest while some discarded bits of fish linger in the rubbish.

“Oh, right riiiiight. Hush hush all a shecret. I-I ghots you.” His ice blue eyes seem to sparkle with more than wine, though his heavy breath implied little else as he sways toward Wren, “You’re like her right? Clothesh op-op-opshunal and all shorts of extra curvsh…”

He’d started plucking at Wren’s cloak, peering about underneath while he spoke leaving Nerta to shove him off, “Knock it off!”

The lush tumbles to the ground as Nerta pinches the bridge of her nose and turns to the others with a pained expression, “Uh this is Vedens… he helped me after I escaped Mhed. He’s not too bad once you get to know him, really….”

Trailing off Nerta reaches down to help the man up, “What are you doing here,” batting the wineskin out of the way, “and where’d you get so much to drink?”

Scrunching up his face the man waves a hand between them, “You shmell like monster. When wazz the last time you had a bath?”

Pursing her lips Nerta gives Vedens a shake hard enough to set his teeth to clatter and him to continue, “Okay, okay. I shold a quiet guy a fish or two and took a little trip to the bar with my new frand... “

Scratching at his chest Vedens gestures, seemingly at random, singling out a man with a trimmed beard and a mop of brown hair, “That’sh the quiet guy actually! Hey-o thanksh for the wine! You like the fish yes?”
Nerta the Weaver (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Kevan watched the room carefully, as he often did in strange new places. In the wastes, a single moment of lost focus while scavenging often meant an ash crawler's stinger or a dune bug's claws would catch you. He read the body language and counted the drinks of all the patrons here, trying to figure out what they were thinking, or better what they knew. Most seemed to be the honest sort, but from the atmosphere and the handful of shadowy pairs in dark corners it was likely not all were so. He sipped the ale idly. He didn't like it, but he wanted to blend in. There was no telling how these sorts of folks took to foreigners and he did not want the hassle of finding out.

He scanned the room again for anyone new. A simple head count. The innkeeper (zero), the waitress (three), the woman who was clearly a whore (one) but was pretending to flirt with a stern looking mercenary (three), the two in the back corner exchanging something (two, one), the four sailors (six, six, five, two), the fish-monger who had tailed him to the tavern (seven), the laborer passed out on the table still holding his ale (He'd only had two, must be work not the drink), and the pair dicing at the side table (three, three). A small but a motley crowd.

Kevan spotted movement from the entryway as a trio of figures entered. They had their hoods up but were immediately spotted by the fish-monger who now drunk had seemingly forgotten about Kevan. Part of him wanted to take the opportunity to escape the man who followed him, but he stopped himself, deciding to watch to see if he could piece together why.

The Fish-monger reached for one of the visitors, which seemed to upset one of the other ones who shoved him down and shook him. They knew each other he realized. This could be a bad situation.

Reaching for his bag, Kevan began to leave when the drunken fish-monger pointed directly at him. Damn. He thought, looking for a quick exit only to find none. What is he telling them?

Blasted rock! He swore under his breath as the trio looked his way. He kept his bag as he met the eyes of the one who shoved the drunk.

Kevan gulped and sat up in his chair, sliding the bag a little closer, and placing his hand in the pocket of his longcoat. His hand was warmed as he pressed it into the crowded pocket, time slowed and he felt Silence as his heart thudded, watching them cautiously as they approached.
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Nerta the Weaver
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Her brow storming, Nerta leaves Vedens with the others and stalks to the strange man's table. Giving Kevan a long stare, her jaw clenches and shifts before she finally spits out, "I'm sorry if he's been a bother. Vedens is... often odd and, well: I'd be careful of anything he sold you. He's not much of a fishmonger…”

Glancing back over her shoulder she sighs and shapes move under the cloak, “Uh anyway sorry for disturbing you. I guess I can... pay for your drink or something and then leave you be.”

Icy words curl around Kevan, a voice seemingly a whisper from the window, "Oh I would not dismiss this one so eagerly my girl. I have a feeling there is something more to this man, although maybe he does not know it yet himself."

Turning around Kevan would find none behind him, and yet the woman’s scowl speaks that she had heard the words as well.
Nerta the Weaver (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
The woman approached, and he tapped his finger in his pocket. Kevan gave her skeptical look as she stopped in front of him and said something. He watched her speak carefully, but her words were quick and he caught only a few of them. "Sorry... careful... fishmonger... sorry... pay... be..."

So she knows the fishmonger, I gathered that already lady, he thought as his eyes fall to her cloak beneath which something moved. Strange...

Just then something caught the corner of his eye and he glanced behind him. The gambler's die had fallen from the table and rolled across the floor. He noted the new mug of ale on the table in front of one of the gamblers. Four then

He turned back to the cloaked woman before him who stood there scowling at him. She's not going away. Maybe she wants something.

Kevan sighed in annoyance. Blasted rock. He spoke carefully, trying to be mindful of what he remembered of his pitch. "Can you read?"
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Wren the Watcher
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Wren was on full defensive after Nerta’s booze-reeking acquaintance had been familiar enough to pluck at her. She hunched over and pulled up her hood just enough to cover the back of her head, and followed Nerta at a distance far enough to be out of grabbing range for any folk the stern woman was talking to.

Nerta began addressing a young fellow who was wide-eyed, observing everything. Wren in turn observed the young man. He seemed to be watching and not listening. Then he sighed and spoke, oddly and carefully.

"Can you read?"

Wren cocked her head to one side. He seemed sensible, not drunk certainly, and not aggressive. She nodded, looked to Nerta and back, blink-blinked, and skirted around a table to be nearer the newcomer and further from the grabby ‘fishmonger’. She caught the young man’s gaze and blink-blinked.

“You write something? Need me to, read something?” she asked, much more slowly than her usual, though still a high and faint soprano.
Wren the Watcher (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
The other approached from her accosting by the drunken wretch who had followed him. She blinked aggressively at him and stared him down. Two now... Kevan made a mental note about where on his pack he left his weapon, though he knew better than to look down at it.

“You write something? Need me to, read something?” she asked, much more slowly than her usual, though still a high and faint soprano.

Kevan watched her lips carefully as she spoke. He nodded once and stole a glance at the Stern Woman before slowly reaching down towards his bag. He ruffled through the various items and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a raggedy feather quill. He dug around some more for his inkwell, which by now was mostly empty. He frowned at the little jar but set it on the table and uncorked it, dipping the pen inside and scribbling quickly onto the parchment:

You are not too good at tailing you know. Generally if you're trying to follow someone you don't walk right up to them. What do you want and why did your fishy friend lead you here to find me?

He glanced to the Stern Woman, her cloak still shifting in the front. Something is not right about these folk. He thought looking back at the Blinking Girl and tapping the sheet twice as he pushed it across the table towards her.
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Mulki Laraak
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Mulki cautiously observes the proceedings as Nerta and Wren engage with odd strangers, finding the entire scene incredibly bizarre. Mulki likes Nerta and Wren. Mulki does not like these new strangers.

Turning her nose away from the offensively fish-stained drunk which Nerta addressed as an 'old acquaintance', and at one point coming close to stabbing him in passage, Mulki sauntered over toward Wren just as a quiet yet intense-looking stranger struck up conversation. A parchment shifts - a quill scribbles. Squinting sidelong at the hazy cascade of letters, she speaks up to Wren; loud enough to be heard by the sitting stranger.

"Wren safe-keeping? Mulki not trust strange fish-man... Feel badness making approach..."
Mulki Laraak (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Nerta the Weaver
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Nerta gives Kevan a puzzled look even as the specter chuckles in the tavern window, “Deaf to even the spirits. He is touched by the Gods, but I wonder why?...” Moving to look over Kevan’s ale the ghost mutters, “Ugh they’ve given him ale like he’s a southerner.”

Scowling at the Old Man Nerta pointedly ignores his words and focuses on Kevan, "No I can’t read….”

Finding Wren and then Mulki close at hand in short order she listens to the translation and sighs, “I don’t understand any of this. I wanted to apologize for Vedens and be on my way, but it’s turning into quite the mess now.” Pointing out the ghostly figure with a glance toward the window Nerta adds, “The Old Man thinks we’re here for a reason but I just want to go home. Somehow that’s required me to wander all over this land and collect…” she glances from Wren to Mulki, “companions.”

The ghost of Aldo makes a show of taking the seat next to Kevan, leaving him reflected in the centre of the window, “Companions indeed. I’d say he’s perfect for you my girl: He can’t understand you and you can’t understand him.” Continuing undeterred by Nerta’s withering glance, nearly everyone in the little party can hear the old specter through the glass, “You know girl, some people go their entire lives wanting to know the purpose of it all. They struggle with the big questions, prostrating themselves in an effort to gain the attention of the Gods. And if I were with any of them we’d not be in some second rate bar that doesn’t even serve ichor while you angrily feel sorry for yourself.”

Pointing at Nerta through the reflection, “You have a mission, the kind of mission that needs companions, friends and perhaps even disciples. You’re certainly not there yet but you’ll learn, eventually.”

“Take the boy with you to the library, if he’ll come. He might even find the answers to his questions while you scratch around desperately for yours.”
Nerta the Weaver (Foederati)


Roleplay from Wren the Watcher
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Wren had read aloud the message on the parchment, then pulled out a chair and perched on it as Nerta again became frustrated. She felt sad for her friend, who was always so troubled by the ways things happened. Mulki was afraid. Wren nodded calmly to her friend.

Then the Old Man’s voice sounded, coming from nowhere in particular. Wren jumped up on her chair and craned her neck around to see where he was reflected. She caught sight of his spectral image in the window showing he was in the chair between her and Kevan, and nearly upset the chair in her scramble to move away from him. She stood behind the next chair over, breathing hard. The strange voice continued.

“You have a mission, the kind of mission that needs companions, friends and perhaps even disciples. You’re certainly not there yet but you’ll learn, eventually.”

“Take the boy with you to the library, if he’ll come. He might even find the answers to his questions while you scratch around desperately for yours.”

Wren scratched behind her ear for a moment, and stared at Aldo’s reflection like someone who was trying to open a box with her eyes. I never know what he is talking about, ‘mission’. She blink-blinked, shook her head and shoulders as though to cleanse the confusion, and reached across the table for the parchment. She produced a charcoal stick from her pouch and began to write with delicate, bony fingers.

Nerta not answer this question. I not think we following you. Nerta has mission. Old Man says ask you, come to library?

She began to slide the sheet back to Kevan, stopped, and added to it.

I am Wren.

Wren the Watcher (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Kevan read the note carefully and looked up at the strange woman skeptically.

He inked the pen again and scrawled in his usual poor penmanship:

Kevan.

He considered them all again, they did not seem hostile. But neither did a witherskin. Three to one meant careful moving forward.

Who is the Old Man, and what is the library.

A library. Could be useful. He thought back to the temple, broken and drowned in ash. Somehow the books had remained. Reading was slow, and the thought of reading without her was a saddening thought. Still... It could be useful to help finding the Violet Flame. He didn't trust these strange ones, but if they could help, the sooner he could get back to his mission. He slid the paper to the Blinking Woman, and slid his hand back into his pocket.
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Wren the Watcher
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
“Kevaaan. Keeevan. Nerta, his name is Kevan.” Wren relayed to her irritated-looking companion from her awkward perch on the chair. “What is the library?” She blink-blinked in confusion at Kevan, then looked questioningly to Nerta for several seconds before scrawling on the parchment again. That answer was obvious, why didn't he know what a library was? He could read and write.

Library has books, Old Man says go. Old Man is Aldo. You see him only in window, or in pond. A spirit of old times. He has plans.

She looked up meaningfully at Kevan, round birdlike brown eyes seeking to meet his. She spun the page to face him, pointing out the last sentence with one tapping finger as it seemed the most important to her. It was the Aldo man who had plans that Nerta was following, and so it was he they all were following. She did not fathom yet where they were going, but it was Important. He spoke in the Wise way, with thoughtful words, of mystical forces and long ago times. It had to be right.
Wren the Watcher (Foederati)


Roleplay from Kevan the Deaf
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Kevan furrowed his brow as he read the message.

Cryptic nonsense, who are these people? They didn't seem as if they intended to hurt him, but there was something very very wrong about these people. Still there was nothing normal about his mission and this library was the best lead he had since he arrived. Kevan grimaced and scribbled back on the parchment handing it to the odd woman as he picked up his bag.

Lead me to this library. I will speak to your old man. Your friend have a problem with me?

Kevan glanced at the Stern Woman after he handed Wren the parchment. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and looked at the strange people expectantly.
Kevan the Deaf (Adventurer)


Roleplay from Wren the Watcher
Message sent to Everyone in Agyr
Wren smiled brightly and stood up on her chair. She announced happily to her companions, “Nerta! Kevan will come to library, to help with Aldo plans! Can we go now?”

She leapt lightly from the chair and covered far more distance than one should in that movement, appearing beside her surly friend and avoiding the grabby fishmonger. She nodded encouragingly and started toward the door. Passing the window she paused, and looked into the reflection to address the smirking old man.

“Aldo man, I don’t know if you read. Kevan is coming to library too! We all go.”
Wren the Watcher (Foederati)