Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[SniperComZero]

Mid-September, 1880.

"Victorié?" Gwenaelle slowly opened the rusty-hinged door, a damned creak spilling from it to the rest of the corridor. Whilst the room was bathed in sunlight, there was no answer. Silently, then, did the elf step inside, looking at all of the mishmash of newly acquired texts, and ancient tomes. In spite of the gentle sunlight, the golden glow of a flame licked through the air, situated on a table at the opposite end of the room. Ever the curious one, the she-elf trotted over to see just what was so important it had to be read with twice the light.

Maps, notes and old history books lay on the table. It was an anachronistic jumble, piled up high on one side of the table. On the other, a simple leatherbound journal, with a map above it. Both of them were open, and had ink blotted and scrawled all over them. Circles-- many of them crossed out, on the map, and notes across both of them.

['Not just elves. Other races and beasts appearing?'] ['Elves went extinct?'] ['Divine Church is still around?'] ['Inquisition?'] ['Talk of second Twilit Age?'] ['Return of daemons?'] ['Calls for assistance? Mercenaries? Crusade, perhaps?']

[...'Eternis?']

All of these questions in the notes captivated Gwen. To the extent that she didn't notice her court sorceress tiptoe into the room, giving her quite the start when she makes her presence known. "Gwen?" There was a shrill yelp, the younger of the two elves scraped her nails against the wood. "--Victorié. There--... there you are." She'd finally worked up the nerve to look between the wizard and what seemed to be her notes. Well enough as she knew from the handwriting, anyways. "...Just what exactly is all this?"

"My notes." Cold was her response. "Since I'm the one who's been out and mingling with the humans to keep us supplied, I've picked a couple things up on my travels. Much of it is hearsay, of course, but I've managed to align things up to something that seems... plausible." The sorceress hobbled her way over to her desk, leaning up against it. "So? Go on, then."

It took a while for the she-elf to explain all what she'd compiled. The crackdown of inquisitors, proper beasts making the lives of some quite the hellish existence, and of course most importantly, the rumours that darkness was about to fall upon the land once more. "...I was about to set off in a few days, in fact. Offer my help. I'm sure that-- wait, where are you going?"

Gwenaelle had already started to make her way out of the room, halfway across it before she turned around to answer. "To gather up a force, of course! We-- I, stand to lose so much from a demonic invasion. I don't intend to lose everything again, Victorié." She stopped in her treads, before turning around to face the sorceress. "And-- if the inquisitors are as bad as you say, then certainly our assistance would count for something to them, right?"

"Unlikely. Humans tend to be quite the... idiotic, spiteful sort. I would have thought you'd realise that by now." Victorié shook her head, before narrowing her eyes to her other. "...And we all, not just you, stand to lose much more from a stunt like that if we were to get wiped out. It's best if I--..." The she-elf looked away a simple moment. "...Packed some things for you. You've gotten rather good with that vintovka the past month. I'm sure that you'd make an excellent addition to any team. Much more than any muddy wretch of a man would be, in any case." The beginnings of a smile curled across her lips.

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Present Day, Eternis.

Gwenaelle strolled through the city's outskirts. Her attire was much less regal than she would've liked. With a cowl pulled tight around her head, and a scarf that flutters in the breeze. Clothing covered in leather pouches, and a fur-lined rucksack with a rifle strapped to its side. Clearly, something didn't sit well with the elf. The town she walked through smelled like excrement, pollution and poverty. Just as every one that she had walked through before now smelled of. Apparently, some things never changed with humans.

For the most part, she blended in with the crowd. Apart from the rifle, obviously. That was the thing that drew some looks towards her. But otherwise, she'd have looked like any other traveller, bounty hunter, adventurer, or what have you. There was a building in the periphery that stood head and shoulders above all the other buildings of the skyline. Some kind of great church, were she to guess. If there's anywhere in a forsaken place like this to ask for help, well. That'd be it. It should only take a little while to ask and see how far she is to that city. After all, she should be close by now, right?

 

[Infab]

As the priests and inquisitors dispersed, leaving Velin and Venextos standing there in the center of the central hall, Velin glanced over and took note of a woman standing there off to the side. She was dressed in the armor of a knight, but wore red cloth that ran down her sides. She also had on a collar made of some type of fur. Velin would have simply shrugged her off as a member of her own Order of Velin, but this woman wore colors they did not. She was a Red Warden. "Speak, knight. Don't just stand there. Are you another that Cassiel sent?" said Velin, turning to face her fully. "Come closer. Better to be in a conversation than adjacent to it."

---
​

“So I ask you now. What does that tinny little twat have to bribe me with for my participation in this task? It better be something good.”

"What do you desire, then?" asked Cassiel, eyeing the outfit that the demonic woman wore. She was dressed like a lord, instead of a woman of equal status. "Riches, perhaps? The Church is willing to pay quite handsomely for this endeavor. You could come out of this with quite the payoff." He smiled. "...Does a large suitcase full of gold notes sound enticing? If it does...then journey to the Cathedral there. And before you go..."

He then waved a hand over her, his palm glowing briefly. "...You may now pass into the cathedral for a short time. About three hours. Be on your best behavior, demon. Velin has already had to converse with two demons already, and if you give her reason to, she will obliterate you." he then said, lowering his hand to his side. He looked about once more, as he took note of something somewhere else in the grand city around them. "I must go for now...please. Get rid of whatever is in that case. It is starting to smell, and it will only serve to get you killed if you should deliver it."

He then stepped back, giving them a slight bow, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

---
​

Soon enough, the orc locked in the cage beneath the cathedral had a visitor. A man appeared out of the corner of her eye, dressed in silky black clothes with short blonde hair. His eyes were silver, and his skin seemed to have a bit of a glow to it. He walked around in front of her, taking in her general appearance. An orc...a warchief from the roaming Orc war bands, though. Not the ones that were quarantined in the highlands to the north. He didn't quite know if she understood him, or the others. He tilted his head, before waving a hand at her, his hand glowing brightly. The orc felt strange for a brief moment, but the feeling faded a moment later. "There we go...in the event that you couldn't understand me, I gave you a general knowledge of the local language." he said, with a smile. He glanced towards the door. He knew the other one that they had brought, Inari, was a few cells down...along with Riberta and Henderson. Riberta and Henderson already knew that they would be joining in a mission, but didn't know the details as to where and what they would be doing. In time, they would know.

He could hear Inari singing, quite loudly at that. At least she was in good spirits. He turned his attention back to the orcess. "Can you tell me your name, please? My name is Cassiel. I am an angel." he said, pressing a hand against his chest as he introduced himself.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

"[And the flowers of spring... something, something... dance wildly with me... lah lah....]" Inari sang with great vigor in her own language, though she didn't really know the words to the song. It was simply a way to make some noise and pass the time. It was disappointing to see that this place wasn't as packed as she wished. She could have riled up whoever was nearby, but the immediate area of cells seemed rather sparse. It wasn't her first time behind bars. There was an art to pissing the guards off in just the right way that they didn't beat you, and instead only got frustrated so that they would make mistakes. Singing was one of those methods. Usually.

"Hey! Hey! Helloooo!" She shook her cage door and waved her hand out beyond the bars. "I have not one bowl of rice since I come here!"

When no one came by to shut her up, she stuck her face between the bars to see if she could see anything down the halls. "[Idiot Atracans! Sons of whores! Is anyone around this place? You have a starving guest, idiots!]"

 

[Infab]

Two cells down to the right of Inari, a voice sounded off. "Scheisse!! Would you shut up!?" The voice was feminine, and was accompanied by the jingling of chains. "Your singing is fucking horrible! That screeching could be weaponized!"

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson trekked through the labyrinth that was the aged halls of the inquisitorial floor, moving quietly to prevent making disturbances. Activity had certainly increased around these parts now that Velin stepped in, many of the hunters and researchers on edge due to the goddess' looming presence. He did not wish to add anymore unneeded stress to their routine, so he was deliberate as he walked the slightest bit slower out of respect. He passed by their labs, archives, torture chambers, and various other miscellaneous and equally dimly lit rooms. It was enough to make him wonder who hated the sunlight more, vampires or those unlucky inquisitors that had to toil with paperwork down here. Eventually he made his way to the staircase, pausing just before the first step down.

The prison was generally a floor that should be rather vacant given Velin's operating procedures. Those creatures of the night that were questioned would quickly be executed after disclosing what they knew. Gruesome and cold, but he made sure to avoid such judgments whenever he could. The man was hardly the pinnacle of moral authority, he thought, best leave such work to others' consciences. It was peculiar regardless, Hudson having noted how populated the cells were becoming. With how Velin's mission was proceeding, he knew in the pit of his stomach that this was no coincidence.

Something compelled him to travel deeper into the depths, and before long the clanging of his spurs were heard as he entered the prison. Helmet still on, the expressionless and leather-clad human strolled by the cells with a slightly lowered gait, his eyes to the floor as he proceeded.

Singing, shouting, and subsequent ringing of restraints got him to lift his head up. He had stopped in front of the cell of the agitated female just as she finished her call. "Maybe she'll shut herself up if you do it first." he muttered, continuing down the pathway of cells without bothering to listen to her response.

Hudson soon stopped in front of Inari, eyeing her through his helmet. She spoke some quick, annoying language that was completely lost on him. It was enough to make him miss Escarian for a moment. "You're a prisoner. You'll eat when they deem it fit for you to."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

When she finally got a rise out of someone, even another prisoner, it was enough to make her smile. Some of the words she didn't get exactly and the accent was a little different than what most of the people around here sounded like, so she figured it was another foreigner.

"Schi-sah..." She sounded the word out. Definitely was a funny one, it was, whatever it meant.

"I sing very pretty! Why don't you sing with me? I know one we all know," she said, clearing her throat and then singing even louder in an even worse accent - in a tune she heard from some sailors, though she also didn't know all of the words. "Atraca save the King... 'tis of the... united... sun never sets over me!"

She then was interrupted by the approach of, presumably, a guard.

Her lips curled into another grin as she leaned against the bars. "Hello, why don't you feed me? We can eat together, yes?" She winked at him and glanced at his belt, looking to see if he had any keys. If only he got a little closer or was even stupid enough to open the door. It was always important to gauge the intelligence of those around you. So far the Atracan's seemed fairly smart, so she doubted such bare minimum words would work.

 

[Dmaster]

He could only sigh as she sang more, pulling the brim of his hat further down before he shook his head slowly. There were no keys of any kind on his person, just his retinue of weapons. Most eye catching of all were the flickering flames chained about his waist, staying lit with no fuel to speak of whatsoever.

"No." he said simply in response, straightening up. "I don't feed the prisoners. Pits of the Abyss, I barely feed myself. This is all outside my jurisdiction."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Inari eyed Hudson over a little more. He certainly looked like he could be a guard, though perhaps he wasn't. Or he was and the Atracan's were asinine enough to have separate guards for feeding people. Maybe he was some other weird church warrior. He had a pleasant assortment of weapons, at least, and a curious little flaming ball and chains at his belt. What were those called... censors or something? She had seen some rituals of these people's church back home, and watched them with some mild interest. Conversions didn't go particularly well, but she did like learning new things. She recalled something about censors being waved around by church boys who could sing really high thanks to some... physical alterations.

This man clearly wasn't a boy, nor was his voice high. That didn't stop her from talking anyways. She pointed at the flaming orb. "If no feed, can you sing pretty like bird because of snip-snip?" She asked, pointing even lower than the device at his belt.

 

[Dmaster]

"... Excuse me?" Hudson asked, more than just a little dumbstruck. Even if he was extremely familiar with the Church to know if they practiced such alterations or not to their choir boys, he was the furthest thing one could get from such an occupation. On top of that the question was so out there that it barely registered at first. Fortunately (or perhaps not) pointing at his manhood painted a clearer picture.

"Last I remember that still functions just fine and my singing would be terrible as always. I appreciate the concern, though." he said, stonefaced as ever. "You're trying to get a rise from me, yeah? Get me to swing open your cell doors to beat the smugness out of you, somehow. Not gonna happen. Even if I had the key I'm not keen on squabbling with annoying prisoners." Hudson spoke with a refined accent but his tone was in this constant, fed up drawl regardless of context. It was as if he was always sounding sarcastic or tired.

 

[Infab]

The woman a few cells down spoke up again. "You could find that key, and come open mine. Take these chains off, and I'll show you a better fight than she would." said the woman. "If you need a reason, I can probably come up with something. Let's see..." The chains jingled a bit. "...You're a bootlicking, scum-sucking pile of shit dressed up as an inquisitor. Velin is a child clad in gaudy armor, throwing a temper tantrum for the ages. Your wife is a harlot, who's fucked likely half the continent, and I hope your future children are stillborn. That sound good?" There was a chuckle afterwards. "Kinda guessing on the wife part, but you sound like a married man."

 

[Dmaster]

He slowly turned to look at the other woman a few cells down, slowly walking over to her as she spewed out her string of insults. Hudson was able to get closer than with Inari's bars, as Riberta had been chained up where she was not. He stared at her, quietly and motionless for an uncomfortably long time. Some of the words she said did hurt him slightly, and he even agreed about another. Yet for the moment he didn't let any aggression or sadness resonate.

"I don't care." was the initial response, tired and unfazed like the others before them. "I am married, you're right about that. I'm also a bootlicking, scum-sucking pile of shit dressed up like an inquisitor." he said before lifting his hands in some kind of half shrug. "But I'm still out here while you're in there. Far as I'm concerned things are looking up on those fronts."

 

[Infab]

Riberta grinned from where she was in her cell, her blood red eyes gleaming in the dim light as she looked back at Hudson. "I won't be in here for much longer, manlet. Let that sit there in your mind for a little while." The chains jingled as the tall, muscular woman moved. "Velin's gonna take these chains off, and let me do a little wet work. I hope you'll be able to join in. If not, I can just come find you afterwards. Perhaps pay a visit to the family as well. I'd love to meet the wife."

 

[Dmaster]

That all but confirmed his suspicions, prompting a sigh from him as he realized what he was getting himself into. "Seems like I will be coming along, yeah. Whether you kill me or not I can't give less of a damn." Hudson said in a tone just above a mutter. "You're mental as you are ugly if you think I'll tell you a thing about my family, though. That is if we even come back in the first place."

 

[Infab]

"You don't have to tell me. I can smell her on you." said Riberta, grinning wider. "I can track by scent. So I'll find her eventually." She then shifted again, as her smile faded. "So where are we even being sent?" she then asked. "From your depressing tone, and who all is going...its somewhere pretty bad."

 

[Dmaster]

He merely scoffed at that, soon chuckling as she seemed awfully committed to finding her. "Trust me. You don't want to meet her for your own safety. She's far better at fighting than my sorry ass." Hudson said, shaking his head as his own smile left. "Just ask yourself why Velin of all people is deciding to keep you lot alive. Why she seems to be collecting irredeemable monsters for a mission." he explains. "I know Velin, been in her Order for years and years. We're going on a suicide mission. Straight into the Abyss."

 

[Doomevil]

One of the people from the main hall caught on to the fact Senya was looking at their conversation. The female individual insisted she’d speak and come over. And so she did. The Warden slowly marched to the main hall where she got a good look at the two. One was male, wearing a hood while the female looked similar to her, Armor and helmet.

Senya nodded, “Yes. Your angel Cassiel sent me.” She said in a short sentence. While Senya wasn’t earning a relationship with the female at least she was talking.

 

[Frankafurter]

The Orc looks at Cassiel and then gets that little odd feeling, his words become a bit more clear and easily understood. She stands up from her sitting position in the cage she was never taken out of. She stands in at a staggering eight feet tall, it's a small wonder the Alchemists could build a cage strong enough to withstand her. When she replies, her voice is husky and commanding, her accent definitely pulling upon Atracan influences, "Warchief Uloth Shazgub, yer'a bit small fer'a angel, fig'erd you was a lot more showy sort."

 

[Breadman]

"Straight into the Abyss?" Henderson decided to join the conversation from his cell. The rambling, screaming and singing greatly disturbed his slumber and while he was ready to bash someone over the head for it, he chose to wait and listen. This new arrival was giving off a different cent, while Riberta was right, he still had the scent of his better half on him, he was giving off something else. This man had a broken sense of self-preservation. Finally, someone who wasn't a coward and he could banter too. "Does this mean that the Order finally decided to do something instead of sitting and arguing that they should do something or am I getting my hope up?"

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson turned his head to the source of the other voice, despite the... man's looks he was actually being somewhat friendlier than these two. It seemed like he was far more comfortable in his cell than the rest, so he must have been here for far longer. "Velin's got a plan alright. And she needs bastards and monsters to go into the Abyss. Figures she'd tell you last. I'll leave the fine details to the mission lead, but we'll all be working together like some pleasant, dysfunctional family I bet."

 

[Viper Actual]

Somewhere in western Escaria

A pair of brown eyes suddenly opened. Reaching for her blades the elven warrior jumped on her feet and entered a combat stance. Standing in the midst of a vast field void of anything but hundreds of acres of wheat and barley the elf spun around several times in the search for potential hostiles though there was no one to be found. In fact there was no one nearby at all and all was silent except for a howling wind sweeping across the field like a brush on a canvas.

"[Where am I?]" The elf asked in her ancient tongue. She relaxed and sheathed her weapons. "[Faelnir?]" After taking another look around it would seem that her trusted advisor was nowhere to be found. She spat on the ground. Cursed be his name, the lowborn rat. It was no surprise to her that Faelnir would abandon her but the fact that she was in the middle of a field abandoned by all her thralls was deeply concerning.

Trying to recall her last memory made the elf grimace. Not only did she have an headache but her memories felt scrambled. She couldn't remember the last thing she did and on top of that she could only remember vaguely about her conquests. Cursed mind. She must have been attacked by some degenerate sorcerer and left for dead.

After taking a minute to get her bearings the elf spotted what would appear to be a walled road cutting through the field. Perhaps she could intercept some barbaric trader and steal his horse.

Minutes later the elven warrior found herself traversing the road like a simple vagabond. This would normally be far beneath her but considering that her useless soldiers had failed at protecting her from whatever coward that had kidnapped her this would have to do for the moment. After a while the elf stopped. Her ears twitched ever so slightly upon detecting the sound of hoofs clapping against the ground.

She turned around and spotted two riders far in the distance. Waiting patiently by the road the elf studied the two of them as they neared her. Both riders were dressed in some form of uniform with a long coat on top. Both also wore some kind of hat. Both were also armed with one blade each. Perfect, they will stand no match for my superior speed.

As the riders approached the elf's face showed a hint of disgust. It would appear that both riders, two males, were Men. The Realm of Men should flee at the mention of her name yet here they stood- a pair of inbred idiots riding around on horses like the Sacking of Dawncastle had made no impact on their racial memory. For a brief moment the elven warrior considered the fact that she was on a different continent though the idea of some wizard dragging her beyond the Forbidden Sea was utterly ridiculous.

One of the riders raised his hand in a wave. "Hello there, stranger!"

Great. It speaks the tongue of slaves.

The elf bowed her head in a polite manner. It was more than these two scum deserved. "Greetings travelers of the road," she stated. "I am lost and far away from home. Should you provide me with assistance I would be most grateful." Maybe I'll spare your pitiful lives as well for not bowing.

Glancing at one another the two riders whispered briefly. The first rider spoke up again. "We will gladly aid you though our resources and time is limited at the moment. We are on our way past the border and onwards to the city of Dornis for an important mission."

Dornis? That's no city. That's a filthy camp for refugees. Did they take her for some poor lowborn idiot?

The elf shook her head. "A kind offer though I must decline. Dornis is no place for someone of my stature." She unsheathed her blades. "Give me your horses or perish like the disgusting creatures you are. I won't ask twice."

Looking at each other the two men appeared surprised. One of them nodded at the other. Turning to look at elven warrior once more the man stroked his chin. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes! Now give me your ho-" The elf's words were cut short as the second rider opened his palm. A spell caused the elf to fall to the ground as she was effectively paralyzed. Little did she know that she had tried to rob two inquisitors.

Who was this elven warrior you may wonder? She was no other than Huntmastress Seriphine of Clan Ironwind.

 

[Breadman]

"Ah yes, the dysfunctional family that is two seconds away from tearing each other apart." Henderson chuckled "But we all come together at the end despite our differences to...kill something? That's really what me and the she-hybrid are good at. The forest denizen in that other cell can sing it to death, I suppose...Or what is more likely in the grand plan, we all die because we can't stand each other and can't work well." He shrugged "Either way, I wont be bored out of my skull in this cell surrounded by halfbreed halfwits and dullards walking the floors above."

 

[Dmaster]

"How nice for you." he replied, shifting his feet idly. "At least we get to go sightseeing the place of our eternal damnation before either being trapped there or dying horribly. Ideally Velin would want us to do our job first but as for what comes after that? Well, can't imagine she'd want you or Mrs. Personality over there out and running amok." Hudson explained, gesturing with his head over to Riberta.

 

[Breadman]

"You're hardly the first man to raise that problem. But the one who did put things in motion for me said 'we'll cross that bridge when we get to it'. Rather shortsighted, but knowing him, that is appropriate." Henderson scratched his chin as he pondered what could happen after "You are right. Nobody wants us going around to cause trouble. Either try to lock us up again, or they try to kill us. Can't possibly allow for a little bit of fun. Not like I have a grudge or anything. I just want to get out more than a few time a year."

 

[Dmaster]

"As I told the bellyaching toddler over there that's beyond my jurisdiction, as well as what I can be assed to care about." he said rather frankly. Not afraid to speak his mind it would seem. "I'm just a sword arm for the good goddess after all, got no aspirations to be something greater beyond that in her ranks. I hunt demons, not corral vampires and other monsters. Nothing fun about it, do it because I have to." Hudson reasoned, though he knew his idea of 'fun' was much different than that of the freak he was giving the side eye. Sadistic monsters always made his skin crawl, put on the earth just to spread misery and hurt others.

 

[Breadman]

"You said yourself that you're a bootlicker." Henderson shrugged "And I find it oddly...admirable, that you're willing to just accept it and not bullshit yourself and others that you're somehow not. You've heard your colleagues toss any load of bollocks that what they do is holy work they themselves chose to do and blindly following orders is that free will. Why would you chose to concern yourself with one problem only is beyond me. Seems like a waste not to indulge in variety."