Fantasy The Land of Lynthia

[Yonsisac]

@TheJipan


The tall elf saw how exited she was,seems she was Very proud of being summon indeed as it seems,the elf smield and responded Looking at the small Lady.....or was She tall and so the girl was small...Meh still mostly the same "well Im not sure...Maybe would be for a Nother task...who knows what it might be,But i expect like it did say our heroic deeds dint go unnoticed,so i expect maybe a Very big thanks or a Nother task"she said with a Nod as Natasha was sure it must be one of those two...or none but hey who knows! Maybe a Nother adventure awaits! Or a Big feast...Meh,the elf,s Hands raise up and strech as now she was fully awake from the small nap.


Natasha Notice she had those ears for a wille now...were they real?,Natasha would sit straight now and would look at her and tilt her head puting one of her fingers on her lips thinking only to point at her head with such finger and ask curius tone escaping her mouth "Are those real?"she ask as they look real...or she was Blind...Meh still it was worth asking Honestly.

 

[KatsaNovari]

The man's proclaimed "HAH!" didn't fail to nearly make Raven flinch as it echoed along the stone walls, but it wasn't fear that called for it. The sound made her head ache slightly with its abruptness and volume, and the throb in her head beat in rythm with the sound until it faded seconds after being released from Ajax's mouth. Thankfully the pain didn't show upon the mage's visage, and as she waited patiently for both the throb to stop and the man to cease talking, she noticed someone else enter the room. She only gave him a brief glance before settling her gaze on Ajax again, and from her quick observation she was glad to note that the fellow seemed a bit more at ease than these other... gentlemen who felt it necessary to display their imaginary power and control in front of everyone like common street dogs seeking dominance.


"Hm, looks can be decieving..." Raven replied simply. If the stare had any affect on her, she didn't show it. The mage, however, was far from being stupid. She was well aware of what strength this man could possibly possess, and how well he may use it, but Raven wasn't to be cowed so easily. Nor did she care. As if to emphasize this, with a small sigh through her nostrils that was only really noticeable with the gentle rise of her shoulders, Raven turned her attention back to her plate while idly moving the food around upon it with her fork. "You shouldn't make assumptions of others you barely know. It could lead you into trouble. You know nought of where we're from, what we've done, nor whether we're familiar with the wild or completely ignorant of its difficulties and dangers. Same goes the other way around as well."


The fork stilled in her hand as, from beneath the hood, Raven turned her eyes back to the man without moving her head. There was a vague sense of intrigue there, but nothing more. "However, I get the impression that you yourself aren't a local around here... Your appearance is a small clue, particularly your clothing, but your accent is also a giveaway. But it doesn't seem familiar in other places I know, either... If you do not mind my asking, are you from the mountains, perhaps?"

 

[Zerohex]

Ajax watched with something approaching glee as Raven tried to change the subject and move away from the matter of image and accomplishments while her companion didn't even hazard a reply. He saw it as a sign of submission, proof she couldn't actually argue his points and wasn't willing to demonstrate she wasn't the fragile little damsel he saw her as. Which, of course, would've quickly ended with him proving she was exactly what he thought of her, but then she would've at least tried. His derisive grin and mocking stare remained fixed upon the lass, who he was now certain was some kind of magician going by prior experiences.


"Pfeh, some things leave marks, lassie, plain for all to see". He lifted his right arm to eye level and flexed slowly and deliberately, the muscle bulging almost grotesquely under his rough skin, tanned by exposure and scarred from endless fighting against man and beast alike. A primal, vulgar display of power that represented him best. "I am Ajax Diagorides of Erimai far beyond, and I've crossed lands thought of as worlds, sailed through seas believed endless, lived on nothing but strength and skill for countless moons. You can tell who's had that kind of life, and I don't see it in you or your companion".

 

[Thinslayer]

The metal man proceeded to mock Fang. "Thou art a beast. A large beast. Far from human or similar stock. Yet thou art here. Dost thou pretend to be human, so? Dost thou dress thyself? Adorn thyself with gems and jewelry like a human? Tell me, beast, is it true? Dost thou wear rings? What rings dost thou possess?"


He paused.


"Knave."


Fang considered his next words. Of course, his pride was hurt, but attempting to tell the man the truth of the matter would simply go in one ear and out the other. He decided to try a different tack. Throw his words back at him.


"If humans possess clothing, gems, jewelry, and rings, what does that make you? Delighted to make your acquaintance, tin man." Fang slapped his paw on the creature's armored shoulder and paced off to find another individual to speak to.


@Boomrocker

 

[Boomrocker]

"Human." Concise, but accurate. The man in the golden armor was indeed human according to his own views, the armor being a perfect example. He didn't truly understood what the wolf was referring to. Was it an attempt at logic? If so, it shouldn't have troubled its beast brain, as it made little sense. He was also surprised at how the beast was able to leap up and touch the giant man on the shoulder so. "Now run home to thine kennel and consume from thine bowl, beast."


With the beast suitably chastised and completely ignoring the hilariously-coloured creature near it, Vatar clanked over to where the frail little girl stood, the one with the hood she thought could hide herself from her surroundings. Pitiful. She stood with the muscle man, who appeared to have a tumour trying to escape from his arm. Impressive, but unfortunate if it were to explode and remove his arm along with it. Vatar felt it would be best to remind the little girl that her pet was running around unsupervised.


"Thine pet runs loose without a leash, girl. This reflects poorly," he said to the hooded girl. He also had a vague memory of this voice trying to trash talk him behind his back, before. It would become quite enjoyable if this one became... uppity. "Dost thou not understand discipline? What if it makes a mess? Thine fellow guests cannot be expected to clean up after you."

 

[TheJipan]

@Yonsisac


This elf must love the sound of her own voice, thought Cathy, whilst giggling excitedly, I mean, there's looking at the options, and then there's looking at absolutely everything...


As you probably tell, Cathy didn't really like this elf. She was too... Matter-of-fact, too serious. It wasn't anything personal, she just wasn't... Fun. In fact, Cathy had tuned out of the elf's explanation, even though she did technically ask for it. She didn't even realise that she had stopped talking until she started again.


"Huh?" Cathy said, her actual confusion slipping through for a moment as she realized that she had no idea what the Elf had just asked, "Oh, these?" she asked, gesturing towards her ears as she guessed what the Elf asked. They always ask about the ears. Either that, or the dress, and occasionally the tail. "They're real." she lied, smiling cutely to make it more convincing.


(sorry, only explanation I could think of for the awkward silence.)

 

[KatsaNovari]

Raven, completely oblivious of the muscled man's thoughts, nonetheless got an impression of what he was thinking through his dasterdly grin. It didn't matter to her, however. In all honesty, she could care less of what he thought. She was used to such looks of superiority, and even pity. It did not matter who it was that wore them, to the mage they were all the same and this man, as muscled as he was, was no different. Besides, Raven preferred it this way. If it made him happy, so be it. It just meant she had an advantage, an advantage of underestimation should she ever need it. She just hoped it would never come to that.


While Ajax- as he introduced himself as- began sporting his muscles as well as the scars upon them, and while she held very little interest in it, she couldn't disagree with his point. However, the marks life left behind came in more ways than one. Raven had a mark of her own, one most wouldn't know upon first glance. The very condition of her body was the scar, a scar that proved her own strength to live in an ironic way. She had fought with death and won, and almost everyday was another struggle. Despite this, she didn't deem it necessary to share her life story with this man just to prove a point, and who said he would listen to it anyway? She didn't need to prove anything to him, as far as she was concerned he could believe himself to be the toughest man in the entire world and so long as he left her be, then that was fine by her. However, she was genuinely intrigued to know more about where the man came from. As a seeker of knowledge with an uncraveable thirst, Raven very often latched to newly provided information she had never learned of before. Erimai was foreign to her, and she would of liked to ask more questions about it if not for the simple fact that the man was unpleasant to talk to. "As I stated before, looks can be decieving," her eyes looked at his bulging arm with the same impassive expression. Jem didn't seem interested to partake in the conversation, which Raven couldn't blame him for. She was beginning to regret her own decision in doing so, but there was no backing out now. "Life leaves many marks behind upon its victims, many of which aren't physical such as yours."


If he expected her to fawn over his battle scars and physique, he was in for disappointment. About to return to her food once again, her attention was drawn to the sound of clanking metal. She had been half aware of the armored man's and the wolf's continued conversation, one she thought the wolf handled well enough, but the man didn't seem satisfied. Raven had to lean her head back to meet his gaze, since he stood while she sat but she would of most likely still needed to do so even if she was standing as well. The action allowed more light to filter beneath her hood, revealing more of her features such as the dark irises of her eyes. They regarded Riese as he spoke to her, before turning to watch the wolf pad away. Returning her gaze to the armored man, Raven answered him. "You speak about a fellow member of The Patrol. Did you not see his medallion? They are not pets. They are far more intelligent and civillized than that of the common house dog."


Inwardly, Raven was puzzled by the man's accusations. Surely the slits in his helmet weren't so thin that they restricted his sight so?

 

[Yonsisac]

@Yonsisac
This elf must love the sound of her own voice, thought Cathy, whilst giggling excitedly, I mean, there's looking at the options, and then there's looking at absolutely everything...


As you probably tell, Cathy didn't really like this elf. She was too... Matter-of-fact, too serious. It wasn't anything personal, she just wasn't... Fun. In fact, Cathy had tuned out of the elf's explanation, even though she did technically ask for it. She didn't even realise that she had stopped talking until she started again.


"Huh?" Cathy said, her actual confusion slipping through for a moment as she realized that she had no idea what the Elf had just asked, "Oh, these?" she asked, gesturing towards her ears as she guessed what the Elf asked. They always ask about the ears. Either that, or the dress, and occasionally the tail. "They're real." she lied, smiling cutely to make it more convincing.


(sorry, only explanation I could think of for the awkward silence.)

Natasha heard her just Huh...well um,did she go all complex? she dint even realize well were she went talking at all,maybe she shoold talk little slower? Nhaaa No need to repeat it Honestly she dint whant to continue The confision to Pile up, Natasha would sigh sofly and would say "Never minde....sorry if i confused you a Little always get lost Talking most of the time"she said with a Nod as well she better not explain stuff before she gose all Detail and confuse people...Honestly yea she just better shut up from explaining....for now that is


"Oh wow...never seen some one with cat ears befor-...Oh look you have a tail aswell!...Interesting...Um may i ask what are you?"she ask as she dint know now that she had a tail and ears of a cat natasha was not sure if she even was from here and was curius,maybe she was some speacie of animal people? she dint know but maybe was magick that cause this? surely yea but natasha was now curius of her,If only she knew this was all a Lie...


(Its ok and sorry for short /-\)

 

[Boomrocker]

Riese Vatar impassively turned towards where the wolf had been standing. Then he impassively turned straight back to face the girl who spoke. His gaze was nonexistent, as his expression was invisible behind his twisted, mocking mask. His armor betrayed nothing of any body language he might possess. It was though he were a racist, arrogant automaton.


"An ornate collar for beasts is but a commonality in the distant land of Windradchen," Vatar stated, voice cold and neutral. "Thine beast hath truly been trained, to leap upon my shoulder so. But we tarry. Wherein lies your liege? Is he truly so impotent that he gathers his motley band of ne'er-do-wells to stand thusly and banter when there art true beasts, not mere pets, to be slain?" Now his voice had emotion. He was annoyed. Standing around and doing nothing appeared to be getting on his nerves.

 

[TheJipan]

@Yonsisac (sorry I'm late!)


What am I? Cathy repeated incredulously in her head, Is this some kind of philosophical question or something? She pondered, thoughts flying through her head as she tried to work out how to respond, No, that can't be it. After all, thinking philosophically would be out of character. Perhaps she's actually just asking my name?


"My name's Catherine White!" she said, hands clasped behind her back as she smiled and tilted her head to the side slightly, "What's yours?"


(shortest post yet. My apologies. Didn't want to drag it out.)

 

[Yonsisac]

....What the? Natasha was little confused as she alredy knew her name from the message she read,but natasha now thought she did it again...confused the hell out of her.ok just go with it,She would sigh and would look at her and smiel and would say "Plesure to meet you Chatherine...Im Natasha"she said as she would remember the letter they needed to be at the meeting! Natasha would Grone and Rub her Forhead Befor Realising they were Gona be late,she sigh and would look at her and smile.





"We are gona be late we Must arrive at the castle...hey like we are going to the same place wana tag along?"she said as she would stand up from the Chair and strech her hands as well they needed to go and not be late,she look down at the Cat girl and smiled...they Cant be late now !


@TheJipan


(sorry! Forgot!)

 

[TheJipan]

@Yonsisac (it's okay, I don't mind)


Well, that was awkward, thought Cathy, humouring the awkward, confused silence before the Elf finally gave her name, and this Elf is so polite! Well, she is an Elf...


Cathy stood there smiling politely as the Elf rubbed the head, as if they forgot something. Before she could ask what was wrong, the Elf - Natasha - answered. How could she possible know that we're going to be late; the summons didn't give a date!


Realising that Natasha was expecting a response, Cathy nodded her head, with a little bob in the rest of her body too, and said, "Sure!" Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tags along. I can probably get a meal or two out of her anyway.


And with that, the unlikely pair of heroes set off on their surprisingly short journey to reach the cause of their meeting - none other than the King himself!

Spoiler

(sorry for forcing that, I just wanted a narration line. I hope you don't mind, seeing as that was the direction we were going anyway. I can remove it, if you want.)

 

[Yonsisac]

@Yonsisac (it's okay, I don't mind)
Well, that was awkward, thought Cathy, humouring the awkward, confused silence before the Elf finally gave her name, and this Elf is so polite! Well, she is an Elf...


Cathy stood there smiling politely as the Elf rubbed the head, as if they forgot something. Before she could ask what was wrong, the Elf - Natasha - answered. How could she possible know that we're going to be late; the summons didn't give a date!


Realising that Natasha was expecting a response, Cathy nodded her head, with a little bob in the rest of her body too, and said, "Sure!" Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tags along. I can probably get a meal or two out of her anyway.


And with that, the unlikely pair of heroes set off on their surprisingly short journey to reach the cause of their meeting - none other than the King himself!

Spoiler

(sorry for forcing that, I just wanted a narration line. I hope you don't mind, seeing as that was the direction we were going anyway. I can remove it, if you want.)







After some Time walking and some stops soon Both were near the castle seeing the walls infront of them,natasha stops and would sigh and realife seeing the castle,Finally was preaty Nice from the Looks of it and hell seems they were Right on time...well she guess it was but hey they were here atleast and ready to meet the king,she look back at Cathy and would say in a realife and Positive Tone "well...Finally we are here....ya know was not that bad...I thought it was gona be a Longer trip...Hmmmm....You think there are gona be more people there?"she ask the cat eard Girl as Natasha would shrug and gesture to continue as natasha would begine walking foward towards the castle that was just there so wont take long.


As Natasha walk she would Finally reach the Castle gate...wow was preaty nice Honestly but sudently 2 tall armored guards would position themselfs infront of them "Halt!,Wha is Your Buisnes here? the King is in a Important Reunion"...Natasha would sigh as she would reach her Poket and Open the envalop and show the guard the invite,one of them takes it and reads it only to give it back and nod Moving out of the way,as she would point at Cathy and say "she is aswell invited just to clear that out" ,she walk inside keeping and eye out as she would say "Preaty nice place dont ya think Cathy?"she said as she would continue walking looking around as soon would reach the doors that lead inside,Natasha would stop as she would look back at Cathy and would shrug as here they are,with a Nod natasha would push one of the doors open that lead towards the hall and hold it open and gesture for Cathy to pass.





"I hope we are in time"she said as she hold the door Open for cathy....Natasha had to admit she was um...preaty small or she was tall and aswel Judging by her Figure it was best if natasha Opne the door for her,she was not saying she was weak or anything...But anyway aswell manors.

 

[KatsaNovari]

Windradchen?


The name echoed in her mind even as the armored man continued to speak, somewhat intrigued by the chances that the two men on either side of her were both foreigners in Lynthia. While that had been simple to distinguish from Ajax, Raven had no way of suspecting this man to be from another land entirely save for, perhaps, his way of speaking. However, it wasn't completely rare and some people/races tended to speak in such a manner, though few in number. The man's armor muffled any accent he may of had, or disort it, and she couldn't make out any features of him from beneath his armor. In fact, the only reason she knew he was human at all was because he said so himself when speaking to the wolf. The mage couldn't help but recall the story of The Lord of Iron, a tale that told of a nymph of unknown origin who built himself a kingdom and citizens made enirely of iron. While she wasn't entirely sure of what his armor was made of except maybe gold and bronze, she found it amusing to imagine this man being made by such a creature and was nothing but metal, who had somehow wandered from the forgotten caves and made his way here in a foreign world. But of course, that was impossible, and even if it were, she doubted that someone like the nymph would craft a helmet of such mockery and arrogance that matched the personality so.


Once again Raven felt compelled to ask more questions on a land she didn't know about, but this time she wasn't given the chance as the man switched the topic to none other than the King. "I do not know where he is. I suspect it shan't be long now, however; the hour is still young and it is only slightly passed the requested time, and as King, he must be caught in business he cannot ignore." Raven shrugged. "The beasts such as the Xillies have been causing quite a stir as well."


Raven couldn't blame the man for becoming annoyed. To be honest, she was beginning to feel restless as well, but more likely for different reasons. She had better places to be and better things to do right now than be in this room of strangers she hardly knew, two of which she particularly didn't like. One of the group, the pixie in fact, had already departed. For what reason was unclear, but she did paue to speak to a knight who, while seeming disappointed, was nonetheless understanding and nodded solemnly. While the pixie recieved an escort to take her out of the castle, the knight went off to no doubt deliver the pixie's message to the king explaining her leave. It left mixed feelings for Raven, but in the end she supposed it was for the best. Pixies were known for their trickery, after all. It wasn't long after this, however, when the pixie was replaced by two newcomers: an elf with the color of green hair and tinge to her skin, and a girl with... cat ears? Raven blinked in the direction of these two, caught off gaurd by their bizaar appearances. She was quick to recover, though, and quickly concluded that the cat ears had to be fake, or otherwise had something to do with her gift. As for the elf, the same could also be true, but the mage couldn't be sure.


Ten more minutes had to have passed when the doors suddenly opened yet again, and the king himself stepped abruptly through. There was no big announcement or even a warning; he simply strode in and made his way calmy yet directly toward the head of the table. As he went, he observed those in the room, letting his eyes linger on each individual for at least a few seconds before moving on to the next, and then turning his gaze away. His steel-like irises were as clear and sharp as any sword, yet there were dark circles that could barely be made out that hinted many sleepless nights. Despite this, the king's posture and features almost gave an elf-like appearance, but as far as could be seen there was no elf blood within him. His hair was also well kept, his clothing formal and of fine material, yet simple and modest compared to how flashy some nobles tended to be. The crown rested atop his head, where it always was, and he pulled his chair from the table before taking a seat just as the knight from before, the one the pixie had spoken to, was quickly following his leige with an exasperated look he was trying to conceal. As soon as the knight reached him, he took his place slightly behind him and "faded" into the background.


"I apologize for the long wait," King Jair spoke in a clear voice, neither too soft nor too loud, and he smiled politely to his guests. "But I must admit, it was done on purpose. I wished for all of you to be acquinted with one another without distraction, as I'm sure you are all strangers to one another. I hope all of you are enjoying your visit thus far, and everything is to your liking?"

 

[Zerohex]

When the king entered Ajax was leaning back on his chair, having hoisted both feet up on the table after gorging himself with enough food for a family of four and imbibing enough alcohol to poison your average stout man. After he considered the conversation with the little mage over he had dedicated himself to sating his voracious apettite without interacting with anyone, though he made enough noise to fill in for several conversations. People watching would've probably gotten the impression that he was being sloppy, loud and obnoxious on purpose, but it was hard to say whether he wasn't naturally rude and disgusting.


After having his fill he had been content with lying back, working a toothpick to remove bits of bone and seeds from his mouth, quietly and without bothering anyone which was a welcome reprieve. He seemed to be genuinely enjoying the benefits of furniture and a roof over his head. He only bounced back to his prior attitude when some kind of slime-covered elf and a girl with cat ears walked into the room, taking stock of them, laughing dismissively and muttering that "the quality of heroes sure has gone down the drain around here" loud enough for anyone to listen if they cared to.


Towards the king, he remained quiet but looked intently. The weight of a crown could be quite heavy indeed, and those who didn't feel it were not fit to rule. For now, he was content with simply analyzing this man and seeing where events led. "It's quite nice. A shame the host was not present for the festivities". Aaaand there was the attitude again.

 

[TheJipan]

When the guard opened the gates, Cathy suddenly realized that the elf - Natasha - was right. This was no joke, unless the king is some sort of troll and honestly, what are the chances of that? She was starting to genuinely get excited now; this was the first time she'll have ever seen a castle like this, and there was a fair chance she was going to get something good out of it too! And, of course, she might get to meet someone more... interesting... than this elf.


Then the castle itself came into view. Cathy let out an audible sigh of awe at the sheer magnificence of it. Perhaps this entire trip would be worth it, even if the only thing she came away with was the sight of that castle. For a moment, her step faltered, and the elf walked ahead, oblivious to the sight of the castle. Realizing that she was lagging behind, she shook her head to clear it, hair swishing softly as she did, and hurried after the elf.


As they walked through the long corridors of the castle, being directed by the numerous guards in the castle who were expecting their presence, her excitement only grew as the tangible tension and anticipation thickened. By the time they reached the last set of doors, Cathy was practically shaking. The duo stopped briefly at the door, as the guards stood aside to let them in to the chamber in which they would finally meet the king and the rest of the lucky few who had been selected for this honour. Cathy glanced over at Natasha, but the elf didn't share her confidence. Natasha's hands were visibly shaking, as if she were nervous about entering. She clenched her fist, trying to calm her nerves.


"Shall we?" Cathy said, smiling broadly and trying to reassure the elf about entering the room by not letting her worry about it further.


"I-I'm sorry," the elf said after a long pause, pulling her hand away from the door, "I... I can't do this..." and with that, she turned and started to run back the way she came.


"N-Natasha..." Cathy said, reaching out after her, trying to stop her, but she was too late. She could never catch up with the elf, and she was already gone. She offered a moment of silence to the elf, pondering whether she should join her, but she finally decided that the elf wanted to be alone, and chasing after wouldn't help that. She took a deep breath, and opened the door...


(I hope that's not an insulting representation of Natasha( ))

 

[KatsaNovari]

While Ajax ate and consumed enough food that could very well sustain everyone in the room for the rest of the day, knights included, and then some, Raven's own plate was still barely touched. It already had little on it, and seemed to only consist of fruit and greenery. There was a piece of meat that appeared to have been mostly eaten, but that was it. Most of the time the mage had to force down food, knowing it was the only way to give her strength and conserve her energy. She could only stomach so much, however; her stomach, just like the rest of her body, was in poor shape. Not that it mattered. Afterall, she was here to meet the king, not feast.


This was what she was thinking when the doors adruptly opened, and in stepped his Majesty. He took his seat at the head of the table, as appropriate, and she waited for the meeting to commence... Only to be slightly surprised as well as a little disappointed by the formal greetings. Ah well, she should of expected it. Ajax was the first to answer from the group, whom had been silent and less obnoxious up until this point, but it seemed even the presence of the King didn't hide his attitude.


King Jair's sharp eyes directed their attention to the man who spoke, a man with muscles that may be considered impressive even among the minotaurs themselves. His visage didn't reveal anything; not anger for such a remark, nor timidness. If anything, there was a vague sense of curiosity, and his eyes were calculating as they observed the man with a similer intensity. The knight who had followed King Jair into the room, on the other hand, had narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, opening his mouth to speak, but was stopped by a raised hand from the king whom also raised a brow at him. The knight closed his mouth, and with some reluctance, took a step back and resumed his place.


"Indeed, but I am here now," King Jair turned back with the same smile. eyes on Ajax for a moment before his gaze circled the room again to view everyone present a second time when he settled it on a wolf. He recognized the emblem around his neck, and his smile broadened. "A Patrol member. You must be Fang, am I correct? I heard a fair good deal about you from your leader. A fine name given to a fine wolf."


Just as the words left the king's mouth, the doors suddenly opened yet again. The sovereign's eyes strayed from the canine to see who had entered with puzzlement, but it was soon replaced with knowing. Although... there was also surprise and maybe even confusion. The array of "heroes" already present were a strange bunch already, but this girl looked far too young, at least judging from appearances. She also had a set of cat ears, but surely they couldn't be real? There were no known cat-races other then the typical house cats and wild cats. Yet, despite all of this, the girl must be here for the meeting, otherwise the guards would not have allowed her in and directed her to this room. After a few seconds of this contemplation, the smile finally returned to King Jair's face and he made a gesture to the table. "Ah, welcome! You're a little late, later than I, but fortunately you haven't missed anything. Please, come in and have a seat. The meeting shall be commencing shortly."

 

[Zerohex]

Ajax eyed the knight with a mix of amusement and disdain, but made no real move and said nothing to the man. He did, however, smile widely, toothpick lodged firmly at the corner of his mouth. "I could destroy you effortlessly", his few gestures said for him, "but your master beckons". His attention then centered back to the king. He had very specific expectations of people and even moreso for anyone in such a position.


Kings, rulers, had to be strong physically and mentally, men and women made of pure steel to properly bear the weight of a higher position in life. He did not expect of them to be his match in combat, indeed he considered himself one of a kind by this point, and so still saw himself as quite superior in the field that mattered most, but he was fairly pleased with how this monarch carried himself.


Calm, decisive, courteous, headstrong, the king might've crumbled with one of his punches just like everyone else but carried himself as though he wouldn't, and for one in his position this was acceptable, respectable even. So Ajax took the pick out of his mouth and shrugged. "Where I come from it's good luck to share a feast before a quest, and one after to celebrate whatever there is to celebrate".

 

[Thinslayer]

The doors swung open. Between them stood a figure, tall and proud, whose regal stride brought him to the head of the table. His keen eyes scanned the room, examining each individual until they settled upon Fang.


"A Patrol member. You must be Fang, am I correct? I heard a fair good deal about you from your leader. A fine name given to a fine wolf."


Fang blinked. That the king should know him by name was an indescribable honor! He bowed his head and replied, "Yes, my liege. I am humbled that you should hear my name uttered in your noble ears. It is always an honor to serve."


Just then, a newcomer with cat ears stepped into the room. Fang's own ears perked up. This was going to make things interesting.


The king smiled at her. "Ah, welcome! You're a little late, later than I, but fortunately you haven't missed anything. Please, come in and have a seat. The meeting shall be commencing shortly."


Fang took a seat, resising the urge to put his unwashed paws on the table.

 

[TheJipan]

(This is a long post and definitely not my best. I just wanted to get reactions out of the way, really.)


"O-Okay." Cathy said, starting to move towards the nearest empty seat, but suddenly changed her mind, as if forgetting something. "N-nice to meet you." she said, the awkwardness of the brief moment hopefully stemmed by the cuteness she conveyed in her voice and the accompanying curtsy. Forgotten formality now out of the way, she proceeded to hurry over to the seat she aimed for originally, and scrambled up onto it.


Sat to her right was a cold-looking women who couldn't be far into their twenties. Despite choosing the closest seat to her, she had the choice between two seats, and this one was preferable simply because this women didn't look like the sort of person who would try to initiate an awkward conversation. For a moment, Cathy stared in jealousy at the beautifully black and straight hair on the women, working in complete contrast to her deathly complexion. As much as Cathy liked to be close to someone she can bend to her will, it was always nice to be next to someone who you can trust, and this women looked trustworthy to her. Especially considering the alternative. The alternative was a scruffy-looking wolf with a rather strong... aroma... to him, and, to be frank, Cathy didn't want her dress to smell of... Well, of that. Sure, he could be nice on the inside, but getting to the inside was always such a pain, and didn't remove the smell. Sat on the other side of the corpse to her right was a middle-aged man with a contrasting olive skin and a large figure. They were probably the tallest and most threatening person here, even more so than the king himself, and that was saying something. Despite his appearance, he appeared to be a relatively easy-going man. Well at least there's one person hear whose arm I can twist. observed Cathy, thinking only of herself, as usual. Finally, there was the king himself. Cathy knew that they must be the king, because their seat was larger than the others, and they were the one that greeted her. He was a relatively large man, but certainly not the largest or most threatening one here. Despite this, he was certainly the most intimidating. I wonder what it'll take to get on his good side. Cathy thought, reminded of the possibility of riches. If there was anyone at this meeting she had to care about, it was the king. That, and perhaps the women sat next to her, if only to make an ally in this sausage-fest of a meeting.


(I have no idea if there is anyone else at the meeting. I'll just assume that Cathy was interrupted before she could notice them, and have her react when they do something.)

 

[DrBones]

Yorick looked at the king incredulously. His clothing and actions were horrendous! He walked like a peasant, talked like a yeoman, and dressed like a nouveau riche! Even amongst humans, Yorick found King Jair wanting. The kings of Thwore would spend days poring over the Book of Rites, reading and rehearsing. At last, when they had fully understood the rites of mealtime, they would break their fast and begin the feast. This King Jair fellow looked like he had not rehearsed at all and, as a matter of fact, looked well-fed already!


Yorick, being a man of society, did not bring up anything to the king. Such a thing was rude. To interrupt a feast with an insult or an execution was tantamount to heresy. The other humans had apparently not understood this, and so insults abounded throughout the lead up to the feast. Dwarves were direct and frank to a fault, but all of them knew not to deliberately insult someone during a feast, whether or not they were a host. To insult someone at a feast was a Sin, and all Sins were forbidden in High Society. Clearly, these humans knew nothing of High Society, and would continue to insult one another throughout the meeting. Absolutely disgusting!


With exaggerated care, Yorick settled into his seat, and calmly waited for King Jair to speak. After he was done, Yorick would calmly and constructively determine whether any of this was worth his time. If Yorick could learn even one sewing technique or gather one pattern, it would make the trip worthwhile. Perhaps the king has a seamstress, or a royal tailor? These were questions for later. For now, all Yorick needed to do was avoid offending the king.

 

[KatsaNovari]

Raven's eyes flickered over to the doors, just as they opened, from within her hood. She hadn't said anything throughout this conversation, but thankfully the large man near her decided to do most of the talking. For now, she took stock of this new visitor just as some of the others did, including the King. The first thing that caught her attention, and no doubt anyone else who ever looked at her, was the sight of two pointed ears sticking out of the girl's hair. This had surprised Raven, but her rational mind was quick to reassure her that they couldn't possibly be real. For one thing, they were far too still. If this girl really was some kind of cat hybrid, then she should be able to move them like any cat, and if she had a tail, it'd no doubt be twitching with her nervous disposition. Despite even this, Raven knew a good majority of races that inhabited Lynthia, some of which that didn't even exist here anymore, and she'd never read about a creature that was half human, half feline. If this feline-girl's ears really were real, then it had to be because of a gift she possessed.


Ajax's comment didn't go unnoticed, but it wasn't worth commenting on. Returning her attention back to the table, Raven decided keeping her hood up while in the presence of royalty would be considered rude, as well as possibly suspicious. She was partially aware of a couple knights giving her silent looks of disapproval; this hardly mattered to the mage, but she knew when she had to put aside her own comforts so to appear polite and respectable. Raising her hands to the hem of her hood, she pulled it back and let it slide off, which she then used one of her hands to lightly smooth her hair. It was only a few brisks, really, she wouldn't have bothered doing it at all if it weren't for the fact she was in front of important company, and she soon returned both of them to her lap. Her hair and eyes were finally revealed, as well as any other features that couldn't be made out quite clearly when her hood was covering her head. When she felt like she was being watched, her eyes turned to the side to see that the cat-eared youth had seated herself next to her, and her gaze seemed to be studying her. Raven cast her a semi-glare as if in warning, before glancing away again.


The smile remained just the same on King Jair's face, and if anything, it became more reassuring to hopefully put the girl at ease in her nervous state. He often recieved such reactions due to his rank in society, which was important sometimes, but Jair believed that his citizians should feel comfortable with him as well, without becoming too informal with him. After all, how could they trust their ruler otherwise? Fear and comfort needed to be balanced together, and King Jair took extra care to keep that balance in check.


Once the girl seated herself, and the fellow dwarf as well- whom didn't seem quite happy, which concerned the King- he returno Fang with a slight dip of his own head in acknowledgement, then turned his attention back to Ajax. "Oh, is that so? I was wondering if you were from around here or not. If that's the case, then I hope to invite you all once again for celebration! With that said, however, you all are probably wondering why I invited you all in the first place..."


The King's visage became seriously, gaze once again thoughtful as he looked to each member in turn. While he didn't show it, there was some doubt within him on the condition of some of these hereos. Such as the robed young women who appeared sickly, and the young girl next to her. The large man had strength, that much was clear, but the king wondered if he was a little too rash and maybe reckless. He know too little about the dwarf and armored fellow. Then there was the Patrol member, where while the wolves worked well together, humans and animals did not so much, as disappointing as it was for the King who encouraged allies on all sides. Regardless, while some of the weaknesses were noticeable, surely they would balance eachother out. He could only hope so for the sake of what he was about to say next.


"Each of you were invited here because you had something to do with chasing away the monsters that had been terrorizing Lynthia not that long ago. Not many can accomplish this, these creatures are familiar with attacking those who are gifted and usually know how to subdue them, but this was not the case with any of you. You worked around that and either killed them or chased them off. Whether because you were gifted or not, either way this is impressive. So far only my knights have been able to do this. However, because they are mostly needed for other tasks and are more noticeable, these creatures have been able to work around them somehow and seem to know where their defenses are weakess in a town or if they're around at all. It's clear that they're being ordered by a higher mind. I've done all I could to fix this, along with General Exsas, and this has helped decrease the frequency of attacks. However, you saw the result of this for yourselves. The creatures attacked multiple locations at once, rendering our precisioned placement useless. It was then I realized what it was we needed.


"We need a group that would deal with these creatures personally, and you are this group. My knights cannot be functioned flexibly when they have other responsibilities as well, such as the dangers of Lynthia Forest, bandits, trolls, and the like. I doubt I need to explain this to you. But if we had someone who operated on their own, with some guidance and aid from the other forces, this will, hopefully, help draw us closer to who is responsible for these kidnappings. Your only concern are the creatures and them alone; to study them, know their movements, their way of thinking. To be able to predict where they will attack next and when, and, more importantly, find out who's their leader."


"Let me be clear," King Jair added, raising a hand, "that I am not giving an order to accept this mission. You will be choosing of your own free will. This will be a dangerous mission, and one that will likely not be accomplished for some time. But the aid you would give would bring Lynthia a step closer back to peace, and if reward is what you desire, then rest assured you will be rewarded most handsomely. What say you?"

 

[Boomrocker]

"Thou hast gathered a band of untrained, unwashed misfits," came an annoyed voice, tinged with steel through the mocking visage of a helmet. "The only ones here that will not snap like yonder twig is mineself, dwarf, giant man, and perhaps thine patrol beast. Dost thou truly expect thine motley crew to succeed where thine army could not?"


The only movement Riese Vatar had made was to turn to face the king. Beyond that, it was like he was a statue. There had been no reaction to the arrival of the other members of their band of merry men. He hadn't been rooted to where he stood, but it was clear he just hadn't bothered to move or speak until now. And now he'd addressed the king with something resembling bluntness. How very rude! One should not address a king in such a manner.


Clearly, the man hadn't learned such a fact, as he continued to speak. "Nevertheless, we tarry. If thy hath truly provided this as a force, then we must strike before thine enemy knows we intend to accost them."

 

[TheJipan]

Catherine was a bit unnerved by the situation at the moment. She was sat at a table with a group of important and powerful-looking people, important enough to address the King himself on casual terms. She had never been in a situation like this before, and it was rather intimidating. Usually, she spent her time in pubs, tricking gullible travelers into buying her drinks and food and things. Either that, or working as a waitress. Which reminded her; she hadn't told the barkeep that she would be away for a while. Oh well, it's not like she actually worked that often, anyway. Besides, this matter clearly takes precedence over something as trivial as that.


"S-so," Cathy began nervously, wanting to voice her thoughts on the matter, "you want us to go and f-fight monsters in dangerous lands, for a 'h-handsome' reward." Well, technically she was just repeating what the King had said, but she did have a question, "H-how much would that be, exactly?"


She hoped that her innocent appearance wasn't contradicted by this statement, as that would ruin her chances of doing her usual thing. Most people didn't like the real her. She couldn't help it though, it's just the way she is.


(Sorry for the short post, couldn't think of anything more to write.)

 

[mechanimated]

Juli was escorted into the palace by a very unamused-looking porter, talons clicking on the polished marble floor with each step. She gathered, from the mutters the man wasn't bothering to suppress, that she should have been here a fair bit sooner. Well! It wasn't HER fault that knobby old tub of a boat she was on had sunk halfway down the river. Psh. Can't trust anyone but fenfolk (and maybe the occasional sea-shipwright) to make a floater worth squat. As Jules drank in the sights, she probed her escort for information, which he reluctantly provided. At the very least, he gave up the names and appearances of those who had also been invited here. Juli would be able to identify all the people she would shortly be interrupting. And if the little porter man was telling the truth, there was food! That alone made it worth the trip. As they walked, Juli eyed the impressive and austere portraits of various members of the royal family both past and present. Larger than life, the blue-bloods stared impassively down at those wandering their halls. Jules took the opportunity to nudge the porter in the ribs and crack several jokes about the endowment (or lack thereof) of this or that king or queen, each of which left the poor man a bit redder in the face. When the two finally arrived at a pair of suitably imposing double doors, he seemed so eager to be rid of his chatty burden that he didn't even bother announcing Juli. He scurried off so quickly Juli could have sworn he had jumped out the nearest window.


Welp. No use wasting more time, right? Juli cracked the door open, which despite being massive swung easily and silently on well-oiled hinges. She could hear voices, but more importantly...the heavenly smell of victuals drifted out to her. After listened in just enough to get the general gist of the conversation, she pushed the door open sufficiently to squeeze through. Edging inside as though there was even the most remote chance of a nearly 7-foot-tall swamp lady going unnoticed, Juli peered around with a cheeky grin. She strolled toward the table, hands behind her back like a naughty child playing at innocence, and without further ado stuffed the nearest piece of food into her mouth. Mmm....pheasant. And the sauce was exquisite.


"Mmph, yesh, mmm, 'gree w' th' tin can ov'r there. Awf'ly unwash'd, th' lo' 'f you, brrap, 'scuse me, mpfh. Lo' Y'maj'sty, sir, 'ceedingly good nosh, mm, comp'men's, mmnf, to th' chef, mm."


Frankly, it was a feat of physics-defying proportions that she had managed to speak at all past the food in her mouth.