Appeasing The Devil

[Mugcake]

Every twenty years, the village of Glendis must send a young and untainted woman as tribute to a fearsome beast that prowls in the local domains. Although greatly feared, no one has ever truly seen him. Many relayed different accounts of his appearance: a gargantuan spider king, a shapeshifter who favoured being in his dragon form, a lecherous wizard as old as rock...


It was customary that the village head would sacrifice for the sake of the rest of the populace, and only when the village head has no daughters of his own does another family have to bring forth a child of their own, all to sate the hunger of the beast. When a foreign family with a mysterious background decided to settle in town, the locals were quick to elect him as the new head villager, and the unwitting man humbly accepted his role, oblivious to the impending obligation...


His daughter's fate was since sealed, as the family soon found out that there was a curse that prevented people from leaving the town. Those that have tried were often found dead overnight in the most gruesome ways. To step foot into the town was a one-way ticket to an accursed settlement.


Now that the census is approaching, the next sacrifice must face the notorious monster, not knowing what he would do to her when the end draws nigh.

A 1x1 Roleplay Between:

@Mugcake & @WolfOfProphecys
​

 

[Mugcake]

Glendis, 1094 A.C.


"Papa! Papa!"


The stocky middle-aged man looked up from tying his boots and arched a bushy eyebrow at his excitable son, who was quick to explain himself, "You won't believe what I saw. A giant lizard!"


"What? Where?"


"Up in the trees. I was playing with Suzanne and the chickens when - Papa? Are you alright?"


The boy's father fled out the house to retrieve his pre-teen daughter, who could not be found since that day.


Glendis, 1154 A.C.


"No, I don't ... Why- I don't want this!"


The girl, who would have looked beautiful had it not been her reddened cheeks and bulging eyes with tears streaming down, screamed at her parents and villagers who had their backs turned to her, lunging back to the village miserably while they left her tied to an ominously large tree in the heart of the woods.


There was a few blotches of blood on the tree bark next morning when the woodcutter went to check if their offering was accepted, but otherwise, there were no traces of the girl anymore.


Glendis, 1194 A.C.


"How dare they give me up to the wilderness? A god! What a joke; there is no such thing as gods and demons," the young woman swatted at the low branches with a stick and a growl, and relied on her instincts to navigate through the dense forest, intent on abandoning the entire place in favour of a new life elsewhere, after what they've done to her.


So absorbed with her rant, she failed to notice a significant hump on the earthy floor and tripped over, scratching her knees. "Awf! Damn it! What stupid root can grow that-..."


Some say her bloodcurdling scream can still be heard when you delve deeper into the woods to this day.


Glendis, 1217 A.C.


"Did you see that?"


"... was it purple?"


"Yeah... it looked like the treetop was violet."


"Best ignore it. The deadline isn't here yet, so it won't bother us so long as we leave it alone as well."


"O-Oh, right. Let's just go back and camp indoors."


Glendis, 1274 A.C.


"The village head is dead?!"


"We found him hung on a rope this morning. It was Madame Gareth who found him."


"Oh, woe! He must have been unable to bear the loss of his daughter after all..."


"Now what would become of his wife Elaine and daughter Ruby?"


The crowd fell silent as they contemplated pessimistically over the matter. Glendis could no go without a leader, what with the census approaching in mere months ...

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

It was quiet, almost too quiet for Iris' liking. Sure, she knew how angry her parents were at her, but it hadn't been her fault, not really. Besides, no one had gotten hurt or killed in her control loss, and in fact the only thing that had been wounded had been her fathers pride, when the villagers of their previous home forced them out, pushing the once respected family away into the night.


It wasn't her fault. Those were the words that kept swirling around her head, doubt clouding them as the silence continued. She forced herself to stay calm, knowing that her last lack of control over her powers had been caused by anger, confusion and sadness. So she kept to herself as they walked toward their new home, another town, Glendis, not knowing how much her life would change due to the town and the beast that prowled in the domain.


After a moment, she softly asked her father how long they would be staying there, only to be met with a shake of his head and more silence, as her mother glanced at her. Iris lowered her head, frost spreading from her feet as she walked, unintentional but harmless for now. She mostly had it under control, having been practicing more and more as they travelled to the new town, but sometimes it was harder to keep a hold of, and she struggled to control all of the elements of her power

 

[Mugcake]

Elaine was quite the suicidal woman after the death of her husband. Ever since news about his premature end spread throughout the village, now on its way to becoming a town, she dawdled frequently near the edges of the settlement, as if tempting the notorious beast to reveal himself and whisk her away like a grim reaper, as he did with so many others who had tried to escape this ghastly place.


Her posture tensed up as she heard noises far ahead in the trails. Her heart hammered violently against her rib cage, and breathing became a pain to endure as she steeled herself to accept whatsoever fate was befall her as well, for provoking this monster watching over them.


She was ready...


Gasp.





It was a group of three; a tired couple, and a demure young lady trailing behind them, closeby. The youthful woman reminded her of Ruby, her daughter who had been sitting at home, morosely tending to housework while anxiously waiting for a decision from the villagers. She gauged her guesses, and presumed that they are a small family, perhaps lost on their way to ... anywhere else but here. The idea that new people were coming in both made her feel beyond elated for a change of things, and just a little frightened. She was scared, for them, and so she could only stare at them with the gaze of a deer caught in headlights. For a long time, she gawked as they approached closer, still oblivious to her intrusive spying from between tall shrubs. Until they would surely notice her presence. Any closer and they would start to see the perimeters of the town, and that would be terrible.


She hadn't realised that her hands were shaking, and as she brushed her curly blonde locks away from her face, dirt on her fingertips smudged across her temple and cheekbone, Elaine wiped at her face with a wrist and swallowed. "Stop."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

The small group wandered on, Iris' parents talking softly between themselves now, as they neared the town. Iris herself trailed along behind them, head lowered as she padded after them, watching the frost patterns show and then melt beneath her feet. She was trying to control it, and the melting of the frost was working, keeping it at bay, enough that her parents wouldn't notice if they looked over to her.


It wasn't her parents that first noticed the woman, but Iris. She paused, her parents following suit when the voice of the woman sounded through the otherwise quiet place. Immediately her father, who seemed more wary of strangers than Iris, stepped between her and his family.


This was stopped when Iris slowly moved forward, against her fathers wishes, and stopped just in front of the dirty woman. She frowned slightly, her gentle blue eyes meeting those of the woman, realising she seemed frightened. She stayed a few steps away, not wanting to scare the older woman more, "You ok?" She asked softly, head tilting slightly in concern for the woman.


She was about to move closer, to make sure the woman wasn't hurt, when her father tugged her gently back by the shoulder

 

[Mugcake]

(Woman - not "girl". Elaine has a daughter who's as old as Iris, remember?)

​

Not trusting the kind demeanour of the young stranger, and consoled that at least one of the trio had a sense of self-preservation, she exhaled with much effort to relax herself while maintaining an unintimidated appearance. "My name is Elaine, and you are treading too close to my hu- our town." She cursed at herself inwardly for the slip-up, and hastily amended, "I suggest you turn back and find another way to wherever your destination is."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

(Whoops. Typed woman all post… then lost it at the end. Fixed it)

​

Iris' father frowned, "Our destination is this way." He stated whilst watching the woman closely. Iris sighed, glancing at the woman, "We're moving into a town thats this way. Maybe its the same town that you're talking about?" She asked, feeling her fathers hand tighten protectively on her shoulder. Even when mad he always cared for her and her mother, who stood to her husbands other side

 

[Mugcake]

(Sorry if you find Elaine very hard to deal with. She lost her partner and as a result has gone slightly demented.)

​

It baffled Elaine why anyone would want to move into Glendis - truly, it was a god-forsaken place! Look at what it did to her husband, and dozens others like him and his daughter throughout history before them. Really ... these people are such ...


"Fools," she spat at the trio with a venomous glare and recoiled to herself, eyes darting from person to person. She burned her violet gaze onto the woman of the group, and wondered what her thoughts would be. She was the mother, surely? Had she no maternal instincts then, that something dreadful would occur around them if they marched forth into Glendis?


Perhaps her chronic bi-polar depression had to do with it, or maybe she was simply flighty as a person in general, but Elaine pursed her lips and turned her back to the group and muttered just loud enough for them to hear, "Come with me, then. I'll lead you the way."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

(Its fine!)



​

Iris blinked at the woman as she snapped at them, and frowned. She glanced back at her mother, noting the worry in her eyes. Could she too feel that something was wrong here, or was she just concerned for the welfare of the woman in front of her? She shook her head to herself, and turned back to the woman, her own gentle gaze catching the venomous violet of the other.


Her father nodded, "Thank you" He responded, not seeming to realise the danger that Iris and her mother sensed. But both of the females of the family knew not to argue with him, as he was usually right when it came to people and places. What they didn't realise was that this time he was wrong.

 

[Mugcake]

They walked for several minutes in alien quietness, the only noises were the occasional rustles of winds in the canopies (which Elaine visibly tensed at) and the crunching of pebbles under their shoes.


Civilisation and fenced buildings started to come into view, and children were no where to be found. Only adults toiled in their backyards, while the elderly were seen chattering away as they lingered on the cobblestoned pavement. One of them was just looking over her shoulder when she noticed the group advancing on them, with Elaine in the lead.


"Elaine! Who are these people?"


The questioned woman merely grunted and mumbled a string of incoherent sentences before she threw one confused look at the newly arrived trio, and dashed down the road, most likely back home. Dazed, the old woman, who had on a brilliantly coloured poncho and dark gray dress that almost touched the floor, shook her head with a knowing but annoyed expression before she addressed the strangers again. "I'm sorry about her. An awful incident happened in her family a week ago, and she's been out of it since. I see you're unfamiliar faces around this place. Where from?"





A couple of idle folks were now unabashedly sizing up the new family, and a few tried to spy inconspicuously, in particular a small head bobbing up and down behind an ageing window, although they were quite obvious as well. They were quickly gathering the attention of the residents who lived in the edges of Glendis.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris dawdled along, following her family and the woman, curious to see her new home, unaware that it wouldn't be her home for long. Perhaps, if she had known the traditions of this place, of the sacrifices, then she would have turned tail, and would have disappeared back the way they had come, never to return, to live a peaceful life somewhere else.


But it was too late now. They were in the town, and the young girl looked about, wondering where all the children were. Deciding that perhaps they were being schooled, or that they were all out playing in the forest, she didn't ask anyone her question, and instead stayed by her mother side, of whom stood just behind her father.


She watched as the woman disappeared down the road, leaving them with the people. It made her nervous to see how much attention they were getting, and she shrank further back behind her father, disliking the many eyes that roamed over her family. All this time she concentrated on her powers, keeping them under control, sure that someone would notice even a little bit of frost beneath her feet.


She jumped slightly as her father spoke, "From Alazia. We are in need of a home, and were told that this place existed by a old traveller." He responded, "If we are not welcome, we will go"

 

[Mugcake]

"Alazia, ah ..." The old lady's face twisted from curiosity to plain confusion, but instead chose to derail from it, "Any how, it would be inhospitable of us to turn away travellers who have come from elsewhere! If you need a new place to call home, I'm sure Glendis will welcome you with open arms. But we will need to erect a new house for you and that should take weeks at most."


The cogs in her head were turning at rapid speed, her slow and old exterior be fooling to those who didn't know her. "My name is Gareth, and everyone here calls me Madame Gareth. I know of a young man who can lend his place to you and your wife and child," her wrinkled smile was directed at Iris as she said this, "If that is alright with you, I can bring you to him straight away."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

The father nodded his head at her, and gave her a kind smile, clearly not seeing her for what she was doing, "That would be good." He responded, even as his wife gently nudged him, "Somethings wrong James" She said softly to him, in a whisper that sounded unsure and careful, quiet enough that she seemed to hope no one would notice her speaking, until her husband shook his head, "Its fine love. Its just a town"





Iris had been hoping that her father would agree with her mother, and that they could leave. But he seemed adamant that there was nothing wrong with this place, and the girl seemed to realise that the elder woman, Gareth, seemed to be watching her

 

[Mugcake]

As Gareth escorted them deeper into town, a child - barely schooling age - poked his head from the edge of his house's door and giggled at Iris, who appeared almost squirmish to be the center of everyone's attention.


... ...


"Jed, Jed. Are you home, child? Jeeed!"


"I'm up, I'm up!" From behind the bolted wooden door of a tiny cottage, a muffled boyish voice could be heard. There was another period of silence, and just when Gareth was about to knock on the door in impatience, the sound of someone unlocking the door and opening it disrupted her. A man, one or two years older than Iris herself at most, was rubbing the sleep off his eyes with the baggy sleeve of his shirt. It became apparent that he had pulled up a pair of trousers last minute, as one trunk was still partially rolled up in an awkward fold to his knee. "Hi, m'am. Nice of you to bring me yet another girl who's interested, but I'm afraid-"


"Oh, hush up!" Gareth squawked in embarrassment and mentally punched the boy twice in her mind, "I'm not setting you up again with anyone after how you broke poor Marie's heart." Sunken cheeks tinted with a shade of pink, but the colour was quickly receding. "Hrm. Elaine, that loonbin of a woman led these folks here to us. And they're here to stay for good it would seem. I figured the least we could offer was a temporary home for them until I get Fitcher and his sons to build them a new one."


Jed, to his credit for still being half-asleep, was a smart one. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? You want me to move out of my own house and let this family from god knows where move in?"


"Don't be such a scrooge like your father now!"


His voice raised in volume by a margin. "I'm not!" And he realised how rude that was, as his next line winded down again, "Just, where the hell do you expect me to live in then?"


"You can come live with me. In exchange I'll let you learn herbalism from me," the old lady, exasperated, finally offered compromise.


"Live with the village doctor and learn from her for free?" Jed had on a cheeky grin, leaning his arm on the edge of the entrance. His brown hair was a mess, but the young light in his pink eyes was charming to most people, including Gareth her old self. Yes, pink.


But not this time. "You still have to pay for lodgings with labour work, you precocious child."


The brunette laughed and threw his hands up before backing to the side to open his door wider. "Come on in, friendly strangers turned my tenants. Feel free to browse around your new home. Maybe stash away your luggage. I'll evacuate my stuff in a bit."


He was all smiles and cheer, while Gareth herself was a brooding bag of bones.


"This cottage is fine enough, I hope," she asked James.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

The small family followed the woman, led by James, who kept one arm gently around his wife's shoulders, as if hoping to assure her that everything was fine. He didn't seem to care about the stares of the people, and instead walked along in his usual proud manner, glad that no one here knew who they were, or what their daughter, who was following silently, could do.


The family paused a few steps away as the woman rapped upon the door of a house, and stayed quiet as the conversation started. At the mans first words, Iris blushed a pale red, and moved all the closer to her father, wary and embarrassed that he would think that. She tried her hardest not to listen in, but it was hard when the conversation was about her family.


Instead, she allowed her eyes to roam about, glancing at the owner of the house. His pink eyes were odd, she had never seen that colour in anyones eyes before, and it caught her attention. She felt guilty for kicking the man from his home, but it was temporary.


Her father smiled slightly as the conversation came to an end, and they were invited in, "Thank you. I hope we aren't getting in your way" He apologised, as he moved past the other man, followed by his wife, then Iris, who glanced warily at Jed

 

[Mugcake]

(Iris is adorable.)

​

Jed, who had been so distracted with the sudden obligation thrown at him, hadn't the opportunity to scrutinise her until he caught her glancing at him. He felt a shiver run along his skin and drew in a sharp breath, suddenly feeling very nervous. "Hi," he lightly whispered with a small smile.


Gareth shot the boy an unimpressed expression but said no more than a click of her tongue, making her way home. "I'll see you at my doorstep this evening, child."


"Yeah, yeah," despite answering the doctor, Jed was facing the fair-haired girl before him, and, as if realising that he was staring too long, blinked and jerked himself into the living room, where a simple loveseat sat in the centre. There was a rectangular study table lounging the corner, and two stools fit snugly underneath the furniture. There were two lamps, one hung on the pillar that contributed to the cottage's support, right above the study table, and the other a portable garden lamp, unlit and lonesomely placed beside a door that was obviously the toilet, for on the door was a nail, and a board strung on it that read, "Occupied."


Jed chuckled at that and strided to the sign before flipping it over to reveal, "Vacant." He flicked at the hem of the sign - ink written on a shred of cloth that covered a plank - and grinned at James. "Made it myself. It was useful when my dad used to live with me. Oh, right." With a snap of his fingers, he stood straight again and gestured at one other door, this one painted blue.


"That's the bedroom. The bed's a double bunker, and I think you guys can fit in comfortably? The one at the bottom was meant for a couple in the first place." The boy rolled his eyes with a cryptic smile and shrugged. "The door with no door - heh - is the kitchen. My mom used to say a kitchen separated with a door is just pointless, so we never put one up. Any other questions?"

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris gave Jed a small, shy smile as he greeted her, and moved after her father and mother. She didn't seem to realise that he was staring at her, but her father did, and glared at the boy who was only a few years older than his daughter. He was clearly protective of Iris, and wasn't about to let Jed near her.


The small family followed the boy, Iris curiously glancing about, trailing along behind the others, who listened closely to what Jed said.


James nodded as the boy described the house, "So…Where is your father then?" He asked curiously, and Iris winced in the background. Her father was never very sensitive, and she really hoped that the father of the boy was just out, but she doubted it. If he was still alive, then the woman would have asked Jed's father, not Jed himself. And then the boy wouldn't of asked where he would stay, but would have said we.


She said nothing though, giving a tiny, shy smile to the boy again, as she looked about

 

[Mugcake]

"He's at a faraway place now. I don't think I'll be seeing him, or my mom, any time soon, but maybe eventually," he smiled tersely and slapped his hands together, rubbing them. "Well I guess that's that. I'm gonna' pack up and get out of your hair now if you'll excuuuse me."


He padded his way with his shoulders hunched to the bedroom and pulled out the five-tier nightstand, retrieving his clothes and personal belongings before carelessly tossing them into a leather rucksack.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Whilst her father and mother were talking to each other about the town, Iris moved to the boy, peering around the corner into the bedroom, "Thank you for all of this" She said softly, after a minute of watching him pack, noting his hunched shoulders and the way he was being careless with his things, "And I'm sorry about what my dad asked…He's not the most sensitive of people. I'm sorry"

 

[Mugcake]

"No kidding," he dryly laughed in a quiet note and paused for a moment, letting out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding since the man popped the question. "Mom and dad died, I think. Really, I don't even remember what happened anymore. Gareth said it was trauma or whatever." Pinching his lips together into a thin line, he resumed packing, this time slower than he had been. "And anyway, my name's Jed."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris quietly nodded to him, watching him sadly, "I'm Iris" She said softly, picking up something he had previously dropped in his carelessness, and offering it out to him. She gave him a tiny smile, "You must have lived here a long time then" She mumbled, sighing, glancing out the window, then to the door, hearing the faint mumbles of her parents conversation

 

[Mugcake]

He raised his eyebrows and felt himself smile at her sympathetic nature. "Thanks, and yeah! Yeah, now that you mentioned it, I don't think anyone's ever really stepped foot outside Glendis once they get cosy with us." He clasped his rucksack close once the last of his things were inside and shrugged his shoulders, "It's a great place, I suppose. Besides, we're too far away from other towns to bother. I gotta' go," Jed's eyes were trained on the door, in disappointment. "Let me know if you wanna' hang out some time, maybe?"

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris smiled and nodded, "The people seem nice" She responded, looking at him with a giggle, "Anytime you want" She then continued, watching him. Less than an hour in her new village, and she had already made a friend, "See you soon" she mumbled, and turned back toward the main room, where her mother and father were still talking. She sighed, but entered, settling on the floor

 

[Mugcake]

"Weeell I'm off!" The brunette had his rucksack slung over one shoulder when he emerged from the bedroom, offering a polite smile at the couple before he tipped his head down just enough to grin at Iris, who sat on the floor, and made his escape from the girl's territorial father.

(I'll let you make the timeskip after you're done with what has to be said among the Storms.)

​

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Once he was gone, James turned to Iris, "You shouldn't go near him. By the sounds of things, he'd not someone I'd like to be around you" He said seriously, referring back to some of the first words the boy had said and, just as Iris opened her mouth to protest, he shook his head, "Stay away from him." Iris didn't seem at all happy, and curled up tighter in her corner, "So now you're going to stop me having friends as well?" She grumbled, getting no reply


(La Timeskip)