Fantasy Are you tired of sipping Crab Coladas? (Pirate RP) (Always Open)

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Nancy Noi
Andouphe - Commerce District​

Oh god, I don't want to do this.
"Thank you. I'll... try to make it quick." No guarantee on that, depending on how much scolding was in store for him. Despite his decisive steps forward, nose to the air following wisps of tobacco, his heart thundered against his chest the stronger that scent grew. There hadn't been a hint of worry in Vespera's cheery voice, but ever the master masquerader, he knew she had to be concerned. Nancy was so meek and conflict-avoidant that he could make someone feel bad for trying anything with him, but he couldn't help if that someone hated him. Steven surely hated him, or at the very least didn't care for him. And whatever he said to Mariah had to make her stop caring for him too, as she didn't even bother to say goodbye to him. Or maybe she didn't need Steven's help and would have shunned him for this anyway! It's not like anything had challenged their friendship over the centuries. He'd be upset about Vlad outing him if not for the fact that it weeded out who wouldn't stand by him the moment he did something they didn't like.

Swallowing the emotions drying his throat, he trudged on and ended that spiral. It wouldn't serve him well to show up already on the verge of tears. The smoke smell grew to its peak, a fresh trail leading him straight to the culprit. Nancy neared the figure before anxiety locked his legs into place.
"Jack?" he questioned, approaching this meeting as if it were happenstance. At least it was just the shotgunner on his lonesome. "Um... is this a good time?" It didn't look like he was in a hurry, anyway. "I know you were looking for me earlier. Sorry if I was avoidant," he apologized, bowing his head. "I just wouldn't have been good company at the time." Which was true, but not THE reason. Really, he just didn't want to be berated more while he was already berating himself into tears every night. But again, maybe Jack would care less in comparison to his religious companion, if at all. "What was it you wanted? Or did Steven want me...?"

Bogrum Mazoga
Noble District - Andouphe Holy Sanctum​

Ah, a technicality. Power on par with a High God, but split between two domains. On paper she was a rank below, but her dual-wielding power was reason enough to not trifle with her. Bogrum was glad she was on their side, the Request weighing heavy in his pocket.

He simply listened in for a while, holding back a chortle at their cute sibling spats. What a breath of fresh air to hear about family affairs, after sailing the seas for so long. For the sisters to live so happily aboard a pirate ship was a grace only owed to Sebas. The man worked double-time-- quadruple-time now with Lostro healed-- to give those girls the best life possible, and it was that reason alone why Bogrum held as much respect for the man as he did. His excellent work as a captain was a secondary bonus.

When Demi called with good news to share, the relief was insurmountable. So Fergie really pulled through on it? It wasn't like Bogrum thought she couldn't. It was more like... this was a sign. Fergie surprised him with how level-headed she could be when shit hit the fan, but it was with great restraint on her end. Restraint that hit the fan as well when she was already at her patience's limit. He knew she hated Adonis's guts, so for her to hold back despite the perfect chance to splay those guts across his fancy office was...
She really must be doing better, then.
Happy to be leaving that ruckus, and happier hearing of Fergie's success, Bogrum accepted Sebas's offer with pleasure. "I'd be happy to. Fergie will find me eventually, but she has a prior engagement. I expect it'll just be me tonight." Fergie made things snappy, but who was to say.


Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Jack the Shotgunner
Andouphe- Commerce
​

Nancy's voice reached him and caused him to freeze in his tracks and turn. Nancy looked awful..........is what he would say if Nancy were a human, based on how his words sounded. Timid When Nancy asked if it was a good time, Jack shrugged. "S'Guda time s'any. (As good a time as any)". The way his voice trailed off at the mention of Steven told Jack what he wanted to know. Nancy wasn't avoiding him per se. He was more avoiding Steven. It made sense. Steven wasn't exactly kind when speaking about him. Jack had to reel him in a few timesJack stole a quick glance at the red-eyed girl with him, glaring daggers at the shotgunner. Must be some form of protection, Jack thought. He shook his head. "Both ah gues. I wan' now know how ya feel...... been 'bandon meself," Steven wanned t'know the punishment. Wouldn't shuddit bout it."
"Ya damn right I wouldn't." this was Steven, which put the vampire girl more on edge. Unlike Jack's burly nonchalant giant ass, Steven walked with more purpose, brimming with power. Musta 'ceeded in Charity. "When someone gets Divine Punishment, I want to help redeem him. Don't you want to help him?"
"He get 'elp when he ask," came a shrug from the man alongside the puff of his cigarette, "Ain' forcin' 'im. (Ain't forcing him)"
"You're too soft, Jack."
"Why are YOU trying to force Nancy to talk?" Ves stepped up
"The vampire, eh?" Steven stepped to her, returning her glare. Arguably a stronger one. "I want to know what he plans on doing about the charges."
"Whatever he wants!" Ves exclaimed, "It's not suddenly your business because you make it your business! It's HIS business!"

"Ugghh. I jus' wanna go drink," Jack said, getting exasperated. As far as he was concerned, how Nancy dealt with this was his problem, and if he wanted Jack to lend a shoulder, the man would lend it. These two idiots were arguing over getting him to talk, ironically not only keeping him from talking but more than likely making him regret approaching in the first place.

Jack and Ves began to argue among themselves about Nancy, getting more and more flared and heated as neither side locked down. It was a brick wall vs a stone wall, all over Nancy

Failed at the Start

Jack was honestly wanting to have these conversations solo, and Steven his own conversation solo. This was indeed NOT as good a time as any afterall. Now with this vampire stepping into the fray, it wasn't going to get better. Guess it was time to regulate. "SHADDUP!" Jack yelled out, growling at both sides arguing. "Back off, both o' ya!"
"I won't let-"
Jack shot her with a glare from hell, making her relent a bit. Jack was a big-ass dude, scarred from battle. Magic didn't matter when you were in punching distance. Ves saw a man both done with this and too irritable to compromise. "Back. Off. Girly." Then to Steven, "You back off too." By now, he didn't have to, because he came between them. "Leave it," he finally said decisively. There was to be no compromise here unless they discussed that solo. "Fish God disowned 'im, an' he don' wanna talk 'bout it, so leave it."

Jack looked at his smoke laying on the ground and got irritated. It dropped from his mouth dealing with this dogshit. "I'on care 'bout some fish god or god shit in general. Don' care so shaddup 'bout it. All o' yas." Jack loved Steven as his brother in arms. He was a good man, he really was. When it came to this god shit though, it could bring out the worst in Steven. The solution? Just don't talk about it. They got along very well when they were too busy fighting for their life to talk about their version of salvation. "Don' bring it up. Obris. That fish god. the Dragon god. No one." He didn't know Mariana's name. Didn't care. She was fish god, named more because of her association with Nancy than anything. "Same reason ah said leave me outta it, Fish got his thing, yah got yers."
"His name is NOT Fish!" Ves exclaimed indignantly, "H-'
Jack was suddenly in front of her. She hadn't seen it. Steven hadn't seen it. Nancy hadn't seen it. "I thought I said back the FUCK off, girly." he huffed gruffly, "'e speaks for 'imelf. SHADDUP!!"

Vespera Marine Seyres​

Whatever this big older man was, he was intimidating. His blood was boiling and would get her drunk in an instant if she drank it. He was willing to rip her head off. She wouldn't back down.........if not for the circumstance. This was over Nancy, and this man turned his wrath not only towards her, but towards his companion as well. It showed that he only gave a damn about Nancy. At least right now
His roar commanded respect, and Ves could only acquiesce. While he meant no harm, the moment he meant harm would be a terrible moment on her life. He had only given her commands, and that in itself was an appeal to nonviolence. Ves had learned a really good lesson out in the field: When a Giant appeals to nonviolence, take it. This man seemed to do exactly that. Plus, Steven here had a LOT of Holy power in him, brimming with it actually. She stood zero chance against Steven, but Jack was the one preventing a fight, though his own patience seemed thin. She would take the bone by backing off, though she did keep herself between the duo and Nancy


"Got along fine 'til this. 'Fore the God shit, so leave it," the man said with an air of defiance. Jack wanted to go the neutral route to all this. He was down to earth. He fought the hordes summoned by an Ancient Demon. He dealt with having to put on Shades every time Lostro showed her face. He dealt with Steven when he acted like this. He knew Sebas was pulled in by the fish god against his will. "If ya can't, leave me outta it." With that, he crushed his smoke under his boot and started trudging off again with a slight limp. After he was a bit of ways beyond, he spoke, "Jus' wanned t'see how ya was, Fish." Jack called without looking back. "Guess no better." It was a good deed gone bad in his mind

It wasn't time for that conversation. It may never be time. At this point, that was fine by Jack. Nancy had someone so he didn't need to try. Jack could only be Jack, and he didn't know if Nancy was looking to talk to Steven specifically, or he just lumped them both together.

Jack doesn't want to talk about Divinity again, unless it is very important. He's not more or less hateful of it. He's just tired of it, a mounting trend among the Basenjis. Also, Steven and Vespera will NOT be civil when it comes to the subject of Nancy. Nancy's conversation with Steven has to be done solo

WayfaringWaaksian

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demestral Asella
Skies above Andouphe (Cloaked)​

The skies whistling in her ears calmed her down by the second. The Wyvern and his rider cloaked themselves as they put distance between them and the one they wanted to kill, more vertical than horizontal. The townspeople would be unnerved to see this large Draconian Beast circling their city, and attract their Anti-Air Corps to try and shoot them down. Airport cities had strict air control, and large flying Draconians were not part of it. Of course Dragons weren't either, but most cities weren't dumb enough to attack a Dragon, and Dragons were peaceful in general, preferring to stake their claim on a city and take tribute in exchange for protection, rather than antagonize denizens without reason.
Demi was still a tad bit worked up in the skies, but she was happy to finally get it done. "My Lieges, I pray my actions have achieved satisfaction in both of your eyes," she said as Quincy got a good wing stretch. Lord Aennan of the Flame and Dragon Supreme Elewynn. The hottest fire in Avalon along with the Draconic embodiment of the Fae. As hotheaded as Demi always was, serving this duo took her hotheadedness from 100 to 1,000, and it took her a LONG TIME to get control of her power and hotheadedness. Draconic power was POTENT when given to non-Draconians and most others ended up consumed by it, not unlike Nellie who almost lost her life with the Abyss.

Spoiler: Demi's Conversation with her Lords

"My loyal Disciple, you did a good job with that warning shot," Elewynn said, "As expected of you, you deliver."
"Indeed......." the voice of the lesser-spoken Lord Aennan. "I was expecting you to char him, but you managed to cool that inferno before it erupted."
Hearing those words of praise from her Gods brought tears to her eyes. She was far more worried about their reception to this than anything. One thing Demi knew about them is that they cared for her on an individual level, and cared for Quincy on that same level. Divine Favor was far more selective with Fae and Draconian Gods. They treated it like a mentor/mentee than what seemed to be master/servant relationship. They were generally more patient with their followers, and had self-awareness of the potency of their power. They weren't slapping it on those who couldn't handle it and expecting them to keep operating the same. Demi had broken rules, failed, fallen flat on her face, and both of them held out their hand for her to get up, and given her a bottomless well of retries and redos and patience that she could only describe as merciful. She looked at Nancy and the Goddess, and it only reinforced why she was glad for her choice made at the tender age of 7. "I am most thankful that you entrusted in me the task to handle it," she finally said.

"But a word of warning, Demestral....." Elewynn took on a serious tone. "This accommodation was given with the intent to nip that problem in the bud, asked of you despite it overlooking our code against interlopers." It was something that Demi had to contend with, and she hoped that it worked. While they seemed to believe that it worked, nothing was certain. Especially when dealing with Adonis. "It was also done despite Quincy wanting to kill him."
"Yes, so Elewynn and I came to this agreement," Lord Aennan said, "If he messes with Quincy again, while you will burn them to the ground, you will also be punished for Negligence after the fact. It is one thing if overlooking the code ends in your harm. It is UNACCEPTABLE if it brings your comrades harm." The Fae and the Draconians had codes. These codes were more a guideline to follow, shaped by tens of thousands of years of culture and tradition of their respective sect. These weren't rules, but they augmented punishments if not following it caused issues. Zero Tolerance to Interlopers was part of that code. It was similar to a Code of Chivalry or the 10 Commandments. "Remember that Quincy is just as responsible for you as you are for him, and has to follow the code as well. Since you are to become a Dragon Rider, his presence is the physical manifestation of your Draconic Divine Favor."

"Yes, my lieges." Her reverence to the crew over the code led her to take this gamble. She didn't want to destroy an entire crew of innocents all on the back of one man. While she would not apologize for that, she WOULD apologize for putting Quincy in the awkward position that she did, and letting her voice speak over his. "I will deserve worse than the Lance if the reverence to my crew brings my beloved companion to harm." She looked down to her Wyvern. "Quincy, you have my sincerest apologies for dragging you into my selfish decisions. If this turns out to be a farce that causes you harm, no amount of punishment you dole out to me will be atonement enough."
"I have no doubt that you mean well," Quincy responded, "and I speak for the Dragon Supreme when I say that we believe that this solves the issue. However, while the problem still walks from overlooking the code, the potential for re-offending and the consequences must be made known to you."


"...........Yes. I have no regrets for the path I've chosen to walk. If it ends with me in the maw, then so it shall be." Demi could turn back and go kill Adonis right now. However, she wouldn't spark a mutiny. Quincy would be put above the crew, of course. However, Quincy getting his word in was not worth destroying her whole crew if that could be avoided.
"That's my stubborn girl!" Elewynn roared in glee. "Carve that path like the DRAGON you have inside you! While this pirate crew falls not under us, you still hold them in reverence."
"That fire inside burns bright, and I’m glad I can call it mine," Lord Aennan commented, "Don't burn out. So I take my leave."
"As do I. I love you, my dear," Elewynn told the duo, "As does Aennan, though he'd never say it. I love you Quincy. Take care of her."
"Of course, my Liege," Quincy roared. "I love you too."
"I love you too, my Liege. I will not disappoint you." With that, the connection severed, and Demi smiled. "Now.......let's go find Nancy and Ves."

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Ashlynn Thormdottir and Avery Valencia
Commerce District: The Sharpening Stone —------> The Triton’s Trident​

Meanwhile our Viking/Cat duo had turned in their weaponry for Dragon Scale upgrades, and Ash was set to have her beloved axe sharpened and enchanted to the nines. They then moved nearby to the Triton’s Trident gun store. “You sure you don’t want a gun, Ash?”
“Still don’t need ‘em,” she said, “If they’re in pistol distance, they’re in Mama Bear’s summoning range.” Any pistol that wasn’t one of those dwarven repeater pistols or revolver like Avery’s were more of a liability than a help. One shot and you had to reload. On the battlefield, relying on a weapon that took upwards of a minute to reload after every shot was a big no-no for her………..but a big yes-yes when wielded by people she needed to kill.

For the overwhelming most part, if there is semi-automatic firing, it is either a Dwarven gun (extremely expensive) or is using magic to reload it. Revolvers are Dwarven Innovations not able to be mass-produced. Bows are still a fierce competitor due to how fast a skilled bowman can fire compared to someone using the average pistol

Ash never had a problem closing the gap and taking down gunmen in pistol distance. To Ash, most of these guns were a crutch and not even a good one. You miss? You don’t get another shot against Ash, because once she gets in axe distance, that axe was planting a kiss on that skull. Avery, however, was a peculiar case. His revolver was annoying in their spars. Not only that, but he was an agile master with that knife of his. A six-shooter mixed with the ability to keep up with her sickles always made him hard to fight, but she always prevailed the moment he ran out of ammo since she would never give him a chance to reload. Letting him reload gave him 6 more chances to insta-kill her.
“That’ll change soon, Ash. Maybe I can teach you the way of the gun.” Avery said teasingly. “You taught me a lot about fighting. I can teach you to get out the stone ages.”
“I’m willing to shoot with ya, Ave,” Ash countered, “But relying on that is like relying on magic.” She didn’t have too much room to talk since it was magic that let her summon and maintain Mama Bear, but she never had a problem defending herself without her Bear companion. In a magic-free zone, her axe was still sharp. “Plus, if it ain’t a revolver, I ain’t shooting it.” She wasn’t interested in wasting 30 seconds to reload every shot

Avery laughed as they entered the Triton’s Tridents, and were hit with a smell different than that of the Sharpening Stone. Unlike that of metal and smoke from the forge, this one smelled of oil and gunpowder. “Welcome in! I’m Aegis. Guns? Rifles? Crossbows? Cannons? Explosive? We got ‘em all!” They were greeted with saleswoman enthusiasm. The woman was covered with oil and grease. Not some prim lady, but there was a pretty woman there. Just one who obviously spent a lot of time today getting her hands dirty under the hood. “Looking to restock the ship?” She had them ID’ed as pirates from the getgo. Came with the territory of wearing the Basenji crest on their clothes.
“Not unless Adonis is giving me the gold,” Ash scoffed. “I’m just browsing, but this twink here might buy something.”
“Let’s go then, Twink!” Aegis said with a broad grin
“It’s Avery,” he said quickly, “Let me see about your small arms. I’m good with my Silencer, but I might need to buy a new rifle. Sniper Style.”
“We don’t get many marksman types ‘ere. I’m gettin’ excited,” she responded and took Avery off to the side, leaving Ash to peruse the inventory, sticking to the bigger almost warehouse like part of the building. This is definitely a pocket room, Ash thought. This place was simply not big enough to house a whole damn hangar. They’re in the middle of Commerce District! Pocket Rooms were very very common, essentially just portals masquerading as doors. Hell, Elaina’s library was a Pocket Room. They’re just expensive as hell to set up unless you’re a damn good mage enough to do it on your own.

"Looking for something in particular?"
The voice belonged to a giant shark man, roided to the nines he was so built. Ash was kind of taken aback, but she had seen weirder things since joining the crew. "A regimen that gets me as bulked as you are." She held out her hand with a grin. "Ashlynn. I prefer to put axes in skulls more than bullets."
The man took her hand and shook it firmly. "You got an arm on you enough already," he said with a hearty laugh. "Lucas. I'm a Lamnidae, or shark-man as laymen call us. I handle the big guns around here." he spotted Mama Bear. "And who's this pristinely groomed lady?"
"I am known only as Mama Bear," she grumbled to him, standing on her hind legs and holding out her claw, to which Lucas took in another handshake
"First time I've shaken hands with a Bear," Lucas said with another laugh, "But hey, let me know if you need anything." He was nice as hell! Shame he's a walking shark, Ash thought. You'd be on my radar if you were a human man. Ash was a woman who would stick to human or human-adjacent enough. Humans, Elves. Maybe a Vampire. Maybe a werewolf unless he spent too much time transformed.

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Nancy Noi
Andouphe - Commerce District​

Nancy didn't have the time to appreciate Jack's sweet sentiment before his partner was on the prowl. Steven's bark from behind made his heart jump into his throat, throbbing with blood that made every limb tingle. The way he strode towards them made Nancy feel like prey being hunted, his limbs finally unlocking to take a step away from his approach. He might as well have been, because apparently he was the only thing on this man's mind. What did he want?! Why did he care so much, when the incident had nothing to do with him?!
Vespera was already on guard, but if Steven's demanding presence hadn't been enough to set her off, that paired with Nancy's expanding aversion was. And set her off it did.

Amazing. Nancy was the biggest worrywart on Earth! So how in every hell did things always manage to turn out worse than he expected?! Vespera was yelling. Steven was yelling. Jack was yelling. Everyone was yelling! Good gods, why couldn't anything just go right?
One good day. JUST ONE. Was that too much to ask for? I guess I don't deserve that...

But to his thanks, Jack's yelling actually put a stop to it all. He said his piece and trudged away from the mess that had been made. Nancy watched him leave, wishing that he wouldn't. Jack was the only one Steven would listen to, but understandably wanted nothing to do with this. He supposed that left it all to Nancy.

"Ves." He motioned her to face him, showing his hands after prying them from hugging himself. <<This isn't working out. Let me handle this alone, and I'll meet up with you and Demi after.>> Vespera could see a speck of guilt in his down-turned lips, his firm gaze aside. <<When I said I wanted you here in case it got heated, I-->> He shook his head. <<I shouldn't have involved you in this in the first place. I'm sorry. But please... no more yelling. You know how I feel about yelling.>> That honestly made him more upset than anything, even more than Steven's entitlement. The shouting had started with Ves when all Nancy wanted was to keep the peace. Maybe he should have made his expectations more clear... or maybe he really shouldn't have involved her. This was so incredibly unlike her. She was a spirited woman, but this was beyond her gung-ho, take-charge nature. It was blatant aggression in the form of defense.
Had he become that pathetic, to elicit such a response? Don't make this about you.

<<I love you, and I love that you want to stand up for me,>> he signed with shaking hands, giving her a thin smile. <<But I can handle this. If Steven makes this an issue, I can just walk away and be done with it. The rest is his problem.>> Nancy could walk away right then, but then the same problem would persist. Steven would catch him eventually, and knowing his luck, probably when he was wallowing in depression and liable to cry at the slightest provocation. The adrenaline was already coursing through his body, so he might as well make use of it.


Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Time: 2000 (8:00pm)​

As dusk settled in, and the Goddess disappeared back to her place in the Heavens, the hundreds upon hundreds of Locathah made their way back to the seas. They brought the city a second wave of record-shattering revenue to the city, cleaning out restaurants and sea-themed stores of inventory yet again. Alas, with the Goddess gone, the pilgrimmage and the noise that came with it came to an end. The fishy smell? That would be lingering in the air for quite awhile though. At about this time, a lot of the vendor stalls were being packed up for the day, street lamps were being lit and shops were relying on their internal lighting moreso than the natural sunlight

As the day began to draw to a close, the Red Light District began to open in full force. The entertainers of the night began to prowl for patrons. The desperate, the pimped, the enslaved and the questionably-aged began to look to satisfy whatever conditions they had for the night, and drunk men told no tales. The thieves came out at night looking for easy money pickings, hyenas over the dazed and drunk's money. Over at the noble leaning side of the RLD, the aristocratic women paid to have their own escorts among the especially chiseled of the men who took on this work as a side-gig to mercenary work. Looks like women loved the look of built yet embattled men, the Conans among men whose body told a story that was as arousing as it was badass if not heroic

The debauchery only kicked up at night and continued into the morn. If one weren't careful, one would go into the next day with someone unsavory inhabiting their bodies. No amount of libido satisfaction was worth the risk............ unless you had the money to hit up one of the noble-side clinics that full-blown cured one of those incurables for noble-level pricing.

If you were feeling a different kind of itch to scratch, there was an entire host of drugs for your condition

• OOC: Incurables are those that may only be cured with Divine Intervention, because of course only through God can an incurable be cured

Steven the Deacon
Commerce District- Streets
​

Yeesh. Jack is PISSED, Steven thought. Maybe because it touched on his own experience being abandoned. He definitely came on too strong. Then again, this vampire was ready to fight as if she believed she had a chance. One flare of his power would wipe Ves's Blood Empowerment and prevent her from doing it again for long enough to put a bullet in her head......... But he only thought that because he sensed her aggression. Whatever stick was up her ass, she was either coddling Nancy or she really wanted to fight.

Jack took his leave and that left the Locathah to converse with Ves in Kraiven Sign. I wonder if I could use an [Ordination of Interpretation] to see what they're saying, Steven thought. He could, but it wasn't worth using. Normally a spell like [Trace] doesn't work on the Nullified Nancy nor does it work on non-verbal languages like Kraiven Sign period, but an [Ordination of Interpretation] works on all forms of communication. While it normally wouldn't work on Nancy, he's using Sign Language so that was free game since he was looking at his hands.

• [Ordination of Interpretation]: A stronger form of Trace that works on all forms of communication, written, verbal, or otherwise

"..............Right. Let me take my leave," Ves said, seeming defeated. "Call me when you're done............." her eyes darted to him, "..........or if he gets crazy." Nancy must've told her that he would require backup, and that must've meant to her to expect a fight or something. Dumb, because damn if Nancy would walk face first into a violent confrontation. The dude's a cupcake, Steven thought. Plus, with him being Null, Ves would get fried long before Nancy himself gets turned into fish fry anyways.
"I ain't hurtin' the dude," he said, exasperated. Not physically at least. "Sheesh, the fuck is with you people? I ain't yelling at a toddler. I'm talking to a grown-ass man about grown-ass man decisions." Steven ain't some hand-holder. He didn't give a damn how anxious Nancy was. He was in the real world now and like it or not, he needed to live in it. "What? He experiences the consequences of his actions and all of a sudden he's suckling the teat again? Did he not go through 2 invasions at this point?"

At this point, Steven's irritation wasn't even at Nancy. Now it was at this weird attempt to coddle him. Nancy came here on his own volition to talk, so talk they would. Jack didn't want to talk about the Divine stuff anymore, and definitely didn't want it to be a divider. That was fine. Whatever tirade Ves was on though was a big no-no.
"Oh, shut the hell up," Ves fired back, "You know nothing about what we went through." She still hadn't learned. Jack told her to back off, and she wasn't backing fast enough.
"Yeah, but I know what you people allowed to happen because you wanted to be coddled, and you wallowed. Who do you think treated those Blighted kids........or sent to Oblivion those who couldn't be saved? Not you," This was Steven's own admission to the anger he felt at the Kraiven people. If Elaina was pissed at what she found, he was definitely pissed since he was the one who had to look each and every one of these kids in the eyes and listen to Obris say whether or not they could be saved. Then he had to smite the the ones who couldn't be saved, and lie to the remainders under the guise of "sending them to God" when he was in fact sending them to Oblivion. Not all of them were saved afterall. "So fuck off out of here like Nancy said.........." He could only assume that's what Nancy said since Ves said she was taking her leave. "............because YOU were the courier for the King. I don't want to hear shit from you, sloth."

Vespera Marine Seyres​

Ouch. Those words hurt. And bad. With her flame effectively snuffed out by Nancy sending her away (rightfully so in fact), to hear this from Steven was a punch right in the gut. He was right, and it was something that tortured Ves on top of everything else. There's no excuse as to why she didn't know about it. As the prime courier, she had endless gossip running through her head, enough to get her visited by the Daedric Lady of Taboos, Coprini the Clandestine, at one point. Certainly there was SOMETHING said by SOMEONE that could've tipped her off. The Church wasn't always Holy within the Null Realm either. She just avoided it for avoiding it sake. She also wallowed in misery like he said, and it made her blind to the Blight, and to the corruption that festered. It didn't fester under her. How much did she deliver that contributed to this? How many letters written that brewed up the storm that ultimately had Nellie destroy the castle? How much did she hear that she didn't question, or just wrote off? She'd contributed to many many investigations as a vampire. Her nose for blood made her an expert tracker and her tongue made her an expert identifier if she tasted the blood. Then the fact that she could be very fast and knew the cities inside and out as a courier who ran around for a living, if she locked on someone, escape was impossible against her in the city of Toron..........

So how much could she have helped with? She spent part time helping with cold cases when not delivering packages, but she could've had her ear to the streets. She could've gone into those Churches. She was well aware of what she could've prevented, and yet she didn't

Because she chose to wallow in her own misery, a misery not special or unique to her.

Spoiler: Words Taken to Heart

Ves could and would stand up for Nancy wherever possible, but when the lens was turned on her, that's when the story changed. Steven was brief but his tongue, even held back, was harsh. If he turned on her fully with that line of thought, Nancy would have to be the one stepping in for her. 200 years of verbal abuse didn't just wash itself away like her respect for the Goddess did. It was one thing to get called names for her skin color or the fact that she was a vampire. It was another thing when what was said was due to her actions (or inaction).

The difference between Elaina and Steven was condescension vs disdain. Elaina didn't hate them. She just thought herself above them. That was annoying, but she could at least benefit from her. The knowledge she shared and as well as the IDs were very important. As long as one "knew their place", you would only ever get the occasional light-hearted jab. Steven? That was disdain. He full blown didn't like them. Nancy was an exception. Her being THE Master Courier and him being the one who treated the kids, it made sense why he didn't like her, not to mention that her first approach was one of aggression, against people who are aggressive by trade. Judging by the fact that he knew of her meant that he had to have asked Elaina about her as well.

Who was she kidding? Ves talked a big game, but that was it, it seemed........... and she was going about this all wrong. If they saw her as coddling Nancy, it made him look bad, and Nancy held them in enough regard at least want their respect. While he SAID that he could just walk away and it would be Steven's problem, Ves knew him enough to know that it was likely a front. Still, he had the determination to make the step in the first place, and she got in his way. Jack took the right approach, breaking them both up and telling them both off. She wasn't supposed to be protecting Nancy. She was supposed to be SUPPORTING him. Beside him, not in front of him. She was being selfish, and unironically less helpful to someone she knew over 200 years than someone he's known for only a few days and spent more time avoiding than talking to in those few days

Steven was not in the wrong. She approached him with aggression. As rude and intense as he was, he wasn't aggressive.

I've got my own problems to work out, she thought. She knew it, but as long as those were put to the wayside, she couldn't help Nancy either. For now, disengage and take the loss here. "..........I'm going to go find Elaina. See ya, Nancy........" with that Ves quickly charged off with her vampiric speed, but as soon as they were out of sight, it turned to a defeated slink. With a sigh, and tears welling in her eyes, she tapped her crystal. "Vespera to Elaina........"
"How unexpected." came the answer after a few seconds. "Need something?"
"Are you free to talk?"
"Hmmmm." The witch was deliberating. "Did you know that Chamomile tea has a soothing effect, reducing stress and anxiety?"
"Is that relevant?"
A gasp. An over-exaggerated one at that. "Such snark towards someone you're requesting to lend an ear," Elaina said playfully, mock-offended. "I've half a mind to hang up."
"No!" Ves caught herself. Obviously Elaina was implying that Ves needed a cup of tea. As playful as she sounded, it would be a valid reason to hang-up "Look, I'm sorry. I take it you're at a cafe."
"Atta girl, atta girl." Elaina responded, and Ves could SEE the smirk on her face. "Leafy Bean Cafe. Marked on your map." The connection severed from there without further words

With a sigh, Ves made her way towards the Noble District. Elaina was open to the idea. She just apparently knew her place in the whole thing



Back to Steven

Steven pulled Nancy aside. Off the streets and at a storefront to one of the shops. Nothing about the shop mattered. They were just getting eyes because they had made a scene. "Alright, I get why you avoided me," Steven admitted with a shrug. This thing didn't exactly help. He was just an intense man who didn't bullshit around. "I don't fuck around with that Law breaking shit........but Jack talked some sense into me." Steven was filled in completely by Elaina over the course of those 3 days, and though he'll never condone defiance, ESPECIALLY given how Nancy knew the rules, Jack had to lay it all out. Sort of a "say it out loud to see how stupid it sounds" exercise. 200 years of no God. God comes back and breaks a rule. Family in danger from it. Defy God or let family die. What's the right choice? "I'll say this though........."

Steven would not be apologetic to Ves. She made her bed. It was best to let her lie in it unless Nancy was willing to take on Steven's irritation, even if it meant that Ves willingly went to the Witch. "..........I'm not holding your fucking hand," Steven warned without hesitation. Nancy could fuck off if he wanted hugs and shit from him, "You're getting nothing less than the blunt truth from me. Talk to that vampire if you want a cookie for your woes." He'd bust Nancy's balls for sure, but he wasn't gonna abuse him for abuse sake. "BUT, I didn't seek you out to bully. My God saw me put myself on the ground with bad decisions and told me to get the fuck up and get it together. You're in that position right now and you earned it." It was the blunt truth. Regardless of Nancy's rationale, regardless of how dumb the Goddess was, Nancy knew the rules and chose to break them. "You're in the gutter, you put yourself there. You can keep crying in the gutter, or you can get up and walk. That vampire can't carry you. Only drag you.........and she shouldn't be willing to drag you, but she is."

It cannot be stressed enough how important Jack was to Steven being talked down, both now and before this encounter. It also helped that Vespera lightning-rodded any aggressive verbals. Take the bone

"Do what you want, but........................whatever, what did you want to say?" He obviously had something to say, but discarded it. Steven wanted to hear his viewpoint. He said his peace so it was on Nancy now to say HIS peace

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Laylah Halliet
Noble District- Tranquil Shore Hotel​

No luck. She interviewed the guy she saved, but unfortunately he wasn't the fit she was looking for. Nothing she didn't expect. Maybe she really should go find one of those slaves with the potential for Healing Magic. Buy them, release the slave collar and if they have a [Curse of Slavery], dispel it. Then let that slave join her of their own volition, or choose the life of a freed slave, which was a circular pipeline back into slavery unless one could make a living to sustain themselves.

Knock knock! "Room service!" a pleasant voice called from the other side of her door, which Laylah opened with magic, barely lifting her head from sorting the medical tools she brought with her. The doctor was inspecting them to see what needed to be kept and what needed to be replaced. Oh, she forgot to seal her wings! Too late! The woman saw her and dropped her tray of food in surprise. It would always be surreal to see an Angel in person. Same with a Demon, only Demons elicited fear.

Oh Gods, Laylah thought. The crew got used to seeing parts of her wings, to the point where she walked about with her wings partially out. It was UNCOMFORTABLE to keep wings folded up like that. It was like sitting down cross-legged. It got very uncomfortable after a time. Like taking off a bra after a long day, for Angels to stretch their wings felt SOOOO relaxing. Some Angels cloaked them, but cloaking them was not making them disappear, so they were still prone to physical contact. In her Medical Bay, that was a no-no. Laylah quickly brought the woman in with magic and shut the door, locking it with magic and applying [Ordination of Silence: Soundproof] to her room to prevent her voice attracting attention, especially since alerting people to an ANGEL would destroy her peace for the rest of the time she would be here. Now her room floors were stained with food and a broken bottle of wine, and the women scrambled to get it cleaned up. Laylah WOULD just make it all disappear, but this was her job, not the angel's. She'll make the remains disappear once the woman left

Minutes later, the woman was finally done after saying sorry for the hundredth time. Laylah had watched without word up until this point, and only spoke when the woman completed her cleaning. "Yes, as you can see, I am a Holy Angel. I serve the Spring Prince Qeien, God of Health," she said. I don't want another female for Adonis to potentially take advantage of, Laylah thought. She wanted a man. Preferably the biggest burliest and most intimidating man she could find, to heal people. "I work as a doctor here on earth and I would like to keep my presence a secret. Can you do that?"
"Y-yes." the woman said, a little lost for words. "Let me take back this food and bring you something better."
"I said a SECRET," Laylah reiterated, "you dropped it so you replaced it. You're not serving an Angel, yes?"
The woman nodded. "Yes. I promise. I will be back in due time, Angel Laylah." The woman scrambled out of the room.

The woman sighed. It's Lady or Mistress Laylah at minimum, she thought. She preferred Lady over Mistress, but..........oh well, she didn't care at this point. She may need to leave at this point. If this woman wasn't trying to follow simple instruction, then people may be trying to pray to her or ask of her things that are only for messengers of the Gods.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sebas Deadeye
Commerce- Streets​

The trio of man, Triton, and Orc set off to find Lostro. Sebas flicked his crystal "Sebas to Lattice."
"Yes, Sir Sebas?" Lattice's voice was calm as ever
"Demi is done with her confrontation and you'll be recalled soon. Meet us halfway with Lostro so we don't keep her waiting."
"Yes sir. See you soon." Ahh, what a sweetheart Lattice was. Shame he saddled her with his girls, though Lattice never gave a complaint.

Sebas cut the connection and yawned. "Hope Lostro is somewhat tired or at least found some shit to study because if she's still full of energy, it's gonna be a long night for me." Lostro was erratic as hell. She was either a crackhead or a sleepyhead, a bookworm or a blade enthusiast. "Yo, Bogrum, you ever wanted kids? I'm stuck with these two, but did you ever think you'd be caught in the Deeps, the Pockets and shit? Or did ya think ya'd be with an Orc or Goblin chick......or whatever you're into, settled in a small colony..........." Sebas says "colony" since that's what Orcs call villages. ".......not sailing the skies with a dude trying to play with your life?" He was referring to Adonis. It seemed from this that the crew was seeing Adonis as someone who is playing with their lives. Sebas knew what went on with Fergie's troops, alongside what happened with Lostro. "I'd love to retire about now, but Kaer Lyon is kind of bad right now." he said in Orcish. He wasn't MARRIED to the idea of going back to Kaer Lyon, but he at least wanted to be within travelling distance to his family, and not the Demi kind of travelling distance.

Spoiler: Bicker, bicker

"Stuck with us? You LOVE us!" Orabelle said indignantly, glaring at him
"My love for you two are about as solid as your ability to annoy the shit out of me."
Ora deliberated for a bit. "So you DON'T love us?!" Took you too long to come up with that response, but you're getting better, Sebas thought.
"Oh yeah. Appreciate Lattice though," Sebas said without too much delay, "I contemplated putting you and her up for adoption." This was a lie of course. As annoying as they could be, they weren't nightmares to deal with. She didn't need to know this though, especially given how much he said he loved her and Lostro............. and his actions to back up that fact which put on his shoulders the deaths of 25% of the Basenjis crew.
"Right, the one we fought a demon to save, you considered putting up for adoption," Ora fired back sarcastically. Touche ya little brat, Sebas thought playfully
"You're both just that annoying," he responded in kind, and smugly to drive it home. "Don't overestimate how annoying kids can be for all the love I see you with." And there was a grain of truth in it. It was something no one really prepared him for. In the span of a month, he took on the full time job of parenting these two girls on a pirate ship and he did what he could to distance them as much as possible from his pirating stuff. As much as he could for girls who literally came with him, at least. Sebas wasn't some infallible father. He walked through coals for them, but they had specific needs, fundamentally different in ways that 2 human children could have even at the furthest apart they could be in terms of needs. "Love you both, but you drive me crazy. You'll understand when you're a mother."

But........" he looked to Bogrum again, "What made you do this shit?" They didn't live a glamorous life, their lifespan low. Bogrum wasn't exactly a pirate's pirate. If anything, he was a landlubber. He was a sensible man, despite him serving under the Scorchclaws. There was a brutality there, but either he abandoned it or he chose where to put it, and either his stint in the Pockets or something else made him see reason. You don't serve under the Scorchclaws and be as sensible as he was. Sebas knew...........because he himself got an offer, which was a very high task for a human, especially given his humanity among Orcs. "You didn't wake up one morning and say 'I wanna sail the seas and do illegal shit'."

• OOC: Not enough in depth character interaction. Time to change that

WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Nancy Noi
Commerce District - Streets​

Watching that fire die from Vespera's eyes as he gently rebuffed her made guilt pierce him sharply, but it had to be done. Her aggression was having the opposite effect both of them wanted... unless she wanted Nancy looking like some helpless child tottering behind his mama bear. That was exactly what they were rewarded with.
Gods... As Steven went on and on about them, Nancy curled up on himself, chin on his chest and tail curved around his knees. Embarrassment crept under his scales. He really had lost all respect from this man, hadn't he? Vespera's shadowing was only yet another nail on the coffin, if not the final. He just wanted her to be there in case he had a damn panic attack so someone could drag his frozen body away! He wished even more that Jack had stayed. At least he bothered to ask how he was doing and didn't speak for him.

Maybe Nancy was seeking approval from the wrong person. Steven's next verbal barb was another nail in THAT coffin.
'Sloth'?? 'Wallowed'?? The teeth on his lip nearly bit into the skin, holding back only in obedience to his Trial. No, he KNEW Steven didn't just accuse the most hard-working woman he knew of being "slothful". What the fuck was this?! If he knew that she "wallowed", then somehow he knew she had been drowning in depression. Why am I surprised, he thought, bitterness on his tongue rather than copper. He WOULD be the type to judge someone for mental illness. Steven was happy to project vices onto people he didn't know while leaving his own wrath unmitigated. He knew High God Obris handpicked those most in need of His guidance. Well, He was severely slacking on the job!

Any remaining light in Vespera's eyes had been snuffed out now, a grief comparable to what he had seen for 200 years on her face as she turned away... to Elaina?! No! What was Ves thinking?! She'll tell her he's right! Nancy's breaths quickened, lungs struggling against tightening ribs. She'll tell her she deserves this, and that she deserves to suffer, and that she should want to die--

Stop, stop, STOP! Nancy held his breath before all the oxygen made him pass out. She's not going to die! Stop freaking out! He couldn't imagine why on Earth Vespera would seek someone out who abused her. And with a hearty helping of guilt, he realized it didn't feel out of character considering how long she let herself suffer harm by the Kraiven citizens. But surely she had enough self-respect to not put her psyche in the hands of that...
Just let her, he told himself. Ordered himself. Let her do what she wants. Damage control later. Looking at Steven with a new kind of heat in his face, Nancy kept his jaws locked firm. His teeth wanted to pierce different skin. Pray that you're just lashing out. PRAY, Steven.

• New Character Trait: Nancy is Negatively-Aligned with Steven (Dislikes)
  • Nancy perceives Steven to be belittling Vespera's suicidal depression as slothfulness. The only reason he DISLIKES instead of HATES is because Steven had to personally smite the children too Blighted to save.

Nancy Sticks to his Guns

Nancy let Steven lead him away, grateful to be out from under all those eyes. Grateful that his anger was exhausted on someone else, as shitty as Nancy felt for that. Grateful that he wasn't being insulted and demeaned for a decision that had nothing to do with him. Grateful most of all for those last words. "Do what you want". Damn right Nancy will.

Everything else Steven said can fuck off. "... Do you think that's what I've been doing this whole time?" Facial fins were pressed to his skull, as if that could hide how boiling red they were. "Crying for myself? Wallowing in self-pity?" His arms folded, tail lashing behind him in the same tandem as someone's foot might tap. "Did you forget that I just watched my homeland of two centuries burn to the ground? Or did you expect that to not effect me?"

It was already spelled out for him, but Nancy gave Steven the same bluntness he would have. "I've been mourning, Steven. I've been mourning almost everyone I've known for 200 years because they're dead. I've been mourning all those children being used against their will for someone's sick experiments. I've..." He cut himself off before he got more worked up, already trembling. How Steven would react to his honesty rattled his anticipation, but he was also too angry to care. If he couldn't see how tone-deaf it was to basically tell him to "suck it up" after all that happened, then Steven didn't give a shit about him.

"... I'd like to think that you do care," admitting that there were heavy benefits of the doubt at play, "and that you're wanting to make sure I don't stagnate when I have the means to improve my situation. If that's the case, then I do-- truly-- appreciate it." Steven did give an almost-apology, revealing a mere smidge of empathy. "But I will only stop crying in that gutter when I'm ready. When I'm ready, Steven," he emphasized, leaning his head closer. The height difference between the human and this tall fishman were stark when Nancy wasn't curling into a scared ball. "Vespera won't drag me out of it, and you're not going to crack the whip over me to get me to leave faster. Neither of you made me get out of bed today," he said, unfurling his arms out to gesture at the surrounding town. "So I'm already taking steps. If it's not fast enough for you, then I d--" A deep intake of breath to flatten his nerves. "I don't care. I don't owe you improvement. Vespera was wrong to attack you like that, but she's not wrong to say that it's none of your business."

Since he was already in it, Nancy might as well give him the full truth. "I actually didn't want to talk to you at first. I humored you because I knew you wouldn't leave me the hell alone otherwise. You were angry-- and very rightfully so, knowing what Obris had you do. I can't imagine having to smite those kids myself." He could, actually. And he knew he'd immediately try to smite himself instead of living with the guilt, even if the culling was justified. "But-- and please, PLEASE correct my presumptions-- but it seemed more like you wanted to take your anger out on me than actually help. I did nothing to wrong you, but I could sense your rage every time you neared. It interrupted my mourning and made me feel the need to hide." So if Steven wanted Nancy to get up and walk, hunting him down was doing the opposite.

"If you do want to help me, then wait to follow at my side when I do start to walk. If you truly do care about me, you won't become yet another problem for me." Nancy was willing to permit Steven into his business, though he felt like he really shouldn't. He wanted to tell Steven to fuck off and be done with it. But he couldn't afford to lose potential allies in case this was all a misunderstanding. "And if you have any respect for me, thank Jack for talking sense into you. Because if you ever take your anger out on me when I did nothing to wrong you, we're not on speaking terms."

Bogrum Mazoga
Commerce District - Streets​

Where did Bogrum see himself? Let's see. Saddled with kids? Not quite. Stuck in the Pockets? Definitely not. Tied to a wife in a colony? Not anymore. Sailing the skies and seas with a man constantly on the cusp of facing a mutiny? No, but he supposed the past few events would have led to this eventually.
"None of the above," he eventually answered Sebas. In turn, he said in Orcish, "And you don't have to tell me Kaer Lyon's bad right now. Why else am I here?" There was a joking undertone, accompanied by a low chuckle, but it was true.

But kids... ah. Seeing Sebas bicker and bicker with his little ones made him long, admittedly. Bogrum never planned on having his own at first, though it was a consideration now just to honor his family line. There were enough children in need of a family as it was. But Bogrum had always found himself in a position of caretaker that wasn't fatherhood. The older brother making sure his siblings weren't cleaving each other with axes, or the teacher guiding new engineers so they didn't lop their fingers off with the equipment. There were a lot of missing limbs, he realized, looking back in his mind's eye at all the Orcs he had known. How had he managed to keep every single digit?
There was always joy to be found in building a person up into their best self. Raising a child was like building from the ground up, laying foundations that will keep them solid for the rest of their lives. And to have his foundations shaken too, so he could repair and rebuild imperfections crafted into him. To be fair to his dear mother though, those imperfections were surely few.

Ah, but he was drifting off now. "I'll be honest Sebas, but I won't be a downer. It's not a happy story. I don't have much to go back to, so onwards I go." Bogrum kept his gaze ahead as he walked, careful not to lumber into all of these small humans and Tritons. "Though if we're talking of retiring, I've thought about setting up my own woodwork shop after I've made my fortune. Settle down in a port town and offer services to good folks like you." He smirked, bearing one tusk to its full size. "Not necessarily legal folks, but good."
And that begged the question. "I could ask the same for yourself. What brought you out here instead of fighting for Warlord Sheris? I can't imagine you never got the invitation." It was high praise, but one that cast quite the shadow. Who wouldn't take the opportunity to bring glory to their family? Though how Bogrum saw it, Sebas either brought them glory in his own way, or had no one to bring glory to.


Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Steven the Deacon
Commerce- Streets​

Huh? Rage? Is that what Nancy supposedly felt from him. "Nancy........What made you think that you were special enough to affect me to that extent?" Steven cocked his head in genuine confusion. "I chewed Jack's ear off about it many a time, but if you think I've been this enraged beast on the prowl for you because you've felt a source of RAGE, you gotta take a look at that vampire." Steven sensed the rage from Vespera from the moment he saw her. "I could have and WOULD HAVE kicked your door in if you affected me to that degree," he said dead seriously. "If anything, your avoidance irritated me, but I don't know you well enough for you to EVER take up that kind of space in my mind. We lost 25% of our crew. You know how much more work I've had these 3 days?" Steven took a deep breathe with this one. "A lot. A metric fuck-ton, just like the people in Kraiven.........but my world still turns. I'm too damn busy to be thinking about a crying-ass man all day. You. Are. Not. Special."

"WAS I mad at some point? Yeah, I was, and that anger came from me having expected that a God did their fucking job like we're expected to do our fucking job. But............ he said, "I can't POSSIBLY be mad that you broke Divinity Law with that for a Goddess." Steven, having been filled in in-depth about everything that happened and why by Elaina came to the obvious conclusion that the Goddess was a fucking IDIOT. Steven had such faith in the jobs Gods did that huge things like what the Goddess did would've made him Dissent on the spot, and talking to Sebas confirmed that the belief was not unreasonable. Sebas had reason to serve the Goddess, but as far as he [Sebas] was concerned, the Goddess felt not all that far off from Adonis

But back to the business at hand, Steven shrugged. Someone needed to tell him that shit happened in the background. "Guess I'll give it to ya straight. Someone has been taking the fall for you," he said, "You have been living rent free on our ship. You worked not a second, lifted not a finger, and we already made it known that if you come with us, you'll have weight to pull.........so who's been pulling yours?" This was true. People that they brought with them had work to do while on the ship. Nancy was sleeping and eating good these 3 days, own room and everything. Not a fin was lifted by Nancy to do actual work around the ship, with a crew now 25% short overnight. "You are given space that you did not work for, and not doing the work that others had to pick up the slack for............while also grieving the destruction of their homeland. On the ship of a crew mourning the loss of our brothers and sisters in arms."

Spoiler: Parallel Conversation

Elaina Melora
Leafy Bean Cafe

Elaina stirred her tea as Vespera entered and sat down. "Hello hello, Vespera." she said, nothing that Ves had definitely been crying. No amount of red eyes will save her from the puffy cheeks and generally shiny eyes, as well as the defeated look. "Looks like you're not doing too well."
"Of course I'm not," Ves said bluntly, "Were you watching?"
"Flattering yourself by thinking you're on my mind that much, ok" Elaina said nonchalantly, rebuffing that notion, "I had a conference call with my proxy concerning matters in Orivae."
Ves's brow perked up. "What's going on in Orivae?" she asked, "Is everyone OK?"
"The Goddess Descended to burn the dead," Elaina said in a low voice, more than happy to enlighten her. She then snapped her fingers and put them and their table inside a Bubble of [Silence]. "She did it, and left not too long after." She could thank Josephine for why she knew any of this. The witch didn't have Omni-Sight. At least not at distances that far. "Josephine is scared out her dress due to Nellie being emotional as always. Then again, the Goddess is just as emotional."
Ves's face went hard at the mention of the Goddess. "Ugh, of course they'd scare her. Isn't she a normal person?"
"Not exactly normal, but wants to be," Elaina corrected, "She has a powerful Daedric being inside of her that she is unaware of. It is the sole reason why I haven't killed her for what she did."
".........Can't you show a modicum of mercy?"
"I have, by leaving her alive."
"I......but yo-......ok," Ves said, not about to fight her
"What? You think I can't kill that being inside her? We killed Mozreliun, we can kill Rook," Elaina said smugly, "But even so, Josephine has kind of grown on me. She does her job, doesn't complain too much. Too bad it took messing with her memories to get her like that." It took a lot of work to mess with Josephine's memories and get her to a point where Rook wouldn't attack her. Rook has all self-awareness, but as long as Josephine didn't HATE her and was unaware of Rook, Rook was kept at bay. Unlike Mozreliun, Rook would go SOLELY for her, and then rampage everything else. Granted, she could snipe Josephine and then teleport too far for Rook to reach, but the Daedric always found a way


Vespera Marine Seyres

Given Elaina's general personality, it actually came as a surprise to know that Elaina's blood pressure actually regulated when she spoke of Josephine. Then again, Elaina did say that Josephine grew on her. That simple phrase meant nothing per se, but knowing that Elaina meant it spoke to the fact that Elaina was honest through and through, down to stuff that she would never admit in person, but wouldn't lie about. "Do you like Josephine?"
"No," Elaina said with a startling amount of immediacy, to the surprise of Ves. "She's a proxy. Easy to talk to, attractive, competent. That is the most amount of 'like' I place on her." The blood pressure indicated that this was the truth. Geez, you're cold, Ves thought. That lead was nipped in the bud
"OK, so what'd you visit me for? I can guess, but I'd rather not have the charade."
"..........." Ves sighed
"We have all night, but not in this cafe, Vessy," Elaina commented after a few seconds, nursing her tea
".................I..................Do I deserve to live?"
Ves could sense the rare throwing off of Elaina. Of course it The witch then regained her composure. "Deserve to live? Hmmmm......."
"We have all night, but......."
"Oh shut up," Elana countered. "On what basis do you ask this question?"
"............."

Back to Steven

"So now do you get where I'm coming from? EVERYONE IS MOURNING, Nancy," Steven told him bluntly. He was. Sebas was. Ash was. Avery was. Jack was. Demi was. Vespera was. Elaina was. Every single member of that ship were mourning huge losses. Losses beyond maybe what Avery predicted, and no amount of willingly walking into a death march would change that. "Demi or some schmuck is taking the workload YOU would have had, just so YOU can lay around and cry." Steven sighed. This wasn't the thing he wanted to tell him. "When I said 'suckling the teat', this is what I meant."

"When I say that you're being coddled, it means that Demi is swabbing the deck at midnight. It means Ves is working double overtime for Elaina because it would be YOUR job instead. So forgive me when I look at you all puffed up in front of me and feel not a SHRED of intimidation. The sole reason you've had the time to mourn is because some other schmuck from Kraiven worked in your place. Demi has you set up in a room. Ves is setting you up for life under the Seyres name. Are you seeing what I'm saying?" Steven's rants now took on a different context. Now it came from a man who had to do his job regardless of how grieved he was to a man who Nepo'ed his way into a room and out of work, with a weird amount of people trying to protect him. "You are eating and sleeping good. Who is paying for that, huh? People are paving the path FOR you." Well, Elaina wasn't paving anything. She was making things easier, but she was undoubtedly getting paid for it.

"So no, you won't get any extra coddling from me and Jack. I'll put a boot up your ass. Jack won't." He turned around and began to leave. "Your slack is not someone else's weight to carry. Carry your own weight when you're ready, but until then, know and accept that someone as grieved as you are is doing your work FOR you. If it means we don't speak, so be it." With that, Steven left to go find Jack and get some grub. Now he wanted a hooker, but the gun range would have to suffice for the night

Steven is an ally locked behind a hard veil of tough love. Smol boys not allowed near him. He accepts Nancy's threat of not speaking again.

Spoiler: Parallel Conversation 2

"............Steven said I'm guilty of Sloth, and that was the basis that Nellie killed those people on. If the Goddess judged me, would she say I was Slothful?"
Elaina sipped her tea. 1 second, 2 seconds, 10. "Did she judge you?"
"No."
"Then you're not Slothful," Elaina said, "If that oaf can judge the Kitsune Twins who were separate from the 100 Elite, surely she can judge you. If she didn't, she hasn't deemed you guilty. Granted, it doesn't mean you're INNOCENT. It just means you're not guilty."
"And what would you say?"
"Why care what I think? My word is not Law." It honestly surprised Ves that Elaina wasn't using this moment to put her under the boot again. "As for Steven, I say who cares what that zealot thinks?" Elaina leaned forward, "He seems to operate under the assumption that we fall under some form of Divinity Law. Me? I don't fall under it but I operate to subvert it."
"Subvert Divinity Law?" Ves's brow raised, "How do you think you'll subvert Divinity Law?"
"By destroying souls, saving dunces like Nancy, preventing emos like Nellie from using their gifts, Gambiting people's Divine Favor, preventing revival, inducing Nullification. All of that subverts the system by preventing their Will from coming to pass." Elaina took another sip. "In fact, if we didn't have to breach the Null Realm or fight Mozreliun, the Gods would not have intervened at all."
It made sense then why Mariana was even in the picture. But it painted a bleak picture because they would've been living under that rule indefinitely. But Ves took an opportunity to learn more about Elaina. This opportunity wouldn't present itself often. "Why?" Ves asked, "What made you go on this path?"
"You saw what happened to your not-boyfriend, right?"
Ves wanted to slap Elaina for implying any romantic feelings for Nancy. For Christ's sake, 2 people can be close friends without there being a romance! Even if she did have feelings for Nancy, it physically could not work out anyways! "Yes. The Goddess exiled him based on her own stupid actions," she growled.

Elaina looked back to her tea. "Do you remember when I regulated your attitude when you wanted to act like you were better than us? I feel the same way about the system of Divinity Law." She then said, igniting her cup to warm her tea back up. "That is why I do what I do. There are only a few actual Gods amongst the Pantheons. The rest of them? Glorified Angels. Why would I want to serve Mariah?"
Ves's eyes grew wide at the perspective. Never has she heard it put like that! One day, Mariah was an normal nun. The next? A Holy Angel on the path to become a God! To Ves? A being that, for all her benevolence towards her, was a danger now. To Elaina? The same Mariah, and that was likely to never change whether Mariah was an Angel or a High Goddess.

"See, the way I see it, God is not A higher power. God is THE HIGHEST POWER. They answer to no higher power, and they damn sure weren't former denizens on the mortal plane. THEY CREATED THE FUCKING PLANE!!" Ves could tell that Elaina was calm, but her ability to yell passionately without a change in her calmness spoke to a higher control over her emotions. Or maybe it was the perspective of being aggressively apathetic instead of aggressively caring about it. "I'm willing to believe that Gods have peers, but I will NOT dedicate my life to serving a lesser being."

Elaina is Agnostic because she believes that God doesn't answer to anyone. Therefore, any God that isn't the absolute highest may as well be like her. This belief was confirmed reinforced when Mariah became an Angel

Sebas Deadeye
Commerce District- Streets​

"I can't consume a Beast's Heart to advance. I'm a human afterall, not an orc. Thus, without a gun as the great equalizer, I'm dead-ended working for Warlord Sheris," Sebas explained, "I can do it now with my whole Viperfish Blood thing now, but........" Sebas had no desire to live in the badlands that mostly made up Kaer Lyon anyways, and while he could always take weapons into battle, if he couldn't go mano-e-mano with them, they'd never acknowledge his prowess. Sebas was very strong for a human, but even the strongest human was no match for a similarly trained orc. Not in hand-to-hand anyways. "If I were to go fight for Warlord Sheris, I'd never garner the same respect without roids or something. Then never be able to promote since a Beast Heart will kill me. Deadend"

Spoiler: Orc Lore: Beast Hearts

Orc Biology: Consume Beast Hearts for Greater Strength​

It has been observed in some Orc cultures that they eat the hearts of the strong enemies they fight in order to get stronger. This is largely a misconception brought about by an actually true observation. Orc CAN get stronger by eating hearts...........BEAST hearts. However, taken too far, some Orc cultures have applied it to other orcs, falsely believing that such cannibalism makes them stronger when it simply does not

There are 3 types of Orc. Most are green, but green could turn red or blue. When Orcs get strong enough, they can promote by consuming one of 3 items: The Monster's Heart, the Berserker's Heart or the Sage's Heart. All 3 of these make an Orc stronger, but they can only consume one type. Once they consume it, the other 2 paths are stonewalled. 99.9% of Orcs who seek to break this mold end up dead. Remember, you are created by a God to fit a mold. When you color outside the lines, you may end up dead.

The Monster's Heart is the most general, the determined heart of most beasts to survive and live a long life. These hearts are those of battle-hardened beasts. These Hearts are very very common in comparison to the other 2. When consumed, the Orc gets a big power boost, but gets to keep both their magic and physical capabilities, at the cost of a much slower growth than the other 2 paths. Orcs who promote using this are officially deemed Honorable Orcs. Qualified Monster Hearts are kept in enchanted water. These orcs are typically the leaders on the battlefield


The Berserker's Heart is the ferocious heart of a furious beast. Known to be enlarged, veiny, and ever-pumping even when removed, It it believed that the heart of the berserker keeps on beating due to its everlasting desire to fight and grow stronger. To kill until there is none who can stand before them........or to fall in the glorious fight to the death. It is for that reason that the heart will beat on as it continues fighting. That is, until it is pierced and thus silenced, rendering its effects useless and unable to be used for promotion. Orcs who consume the Berserker's Heart turn red and become Savage Orcs, more commonly deemed Red Orc Berserkers. Their mana/magic is effectively made non-existent while amplifying their physical capabilities to the nines. These Orcs aren't the tip of the spear, they are a mobile battering ram. Don't be surprised if a Red Orc Berserker is air-dropped into a fort, and that fort falls to that presence alone. These Orc are typically put in pairs and rarely with the main attacking force.

Draconic or Daedric Divine Beasts will always have a Berserker's Heart. They are typically stored in the blood of at least 5 different beasts, or Black Water. Do NOT store multiple Qualified Berserker's Hearts in the same container. It is unknown why, but if stored together, over time only 1 heart will remain beating while the rest cease function

Avery owns a Berserker's Heart, taken from Mozreliun


The Sage's Heart is the immortal heart of a Blessed Beast. A heart brimming with the essence of magic swirling within it, it glows and never stops beating so long as it is supplied with magic to keep itself beating. This heart contains the essence of the world, the secrets previously unseen and unfelt condensed into the heart of the beast that owned it. They know that such knowledge cannot be made to perish. It must be passed on, recycled into the world just as the body of the dead returns to the earth as part of the Circle of Life. When consumed, the Orc's skin turns blue and they become a Shamanic Orc, more commonly deemed a Blue Orc Mage. Their physical growth will hit a dead-end. Their physical limits will be strictly enforced while it will utterly shatter the limits of their magic and mana capability and potential. Warlord Sheris is a Blue Orc Mage. These Orcs, like the Red Orc Berserkers, are utter powerhouses on the battlefield. However, unlike ROBs, they are able to unleash devastating non-divine attack spells or rally and buff battalions worth of soldiers to spearhead an assault. They are tricky, they are versatile, they are thoughtful, they are dangerous.

Fae or Holy Divine Beasts will always have a Sage Heart. They are kept in a pool of mana or Holy Water until time to consume. Hearts will slowly drain the mana from the water to sustain itself. Multiple hearts can be kept together, but they exponentially increase the drain on the essence. If they are kept in a mana/holy devoid environment for too long, they will cease to beat before-long.

• Honorable Orc- Green; Normal but strong; Monster's Heart
• Shamanic Orc- Blue; Capped strength but exponential magic ability; Sage's Heart
• Savage Orc- Red; Little-no magic but exponential physical ability; Berserker's Heart

For Sebas, a human, consuming a Beast's Heart would most likely kill him. Orcs were built differently, as like most species on Earth. God designed their species with defining characteristics, and for Orcs it was compatibility with Beast Hearts, and [Passive Ability- Rage]. Sebas simply could not compete beyond a surface level and a good leader was not just in logistics. For Orc, they were on the frontlines fighting WITH the people. Humans a lot of time didn't do that. The King wasn't on a horse charging. At most, they'd be in a tent at base camp commanding his generals. Few kings stepped up and decimated the frontline. "It really would be an honor to fight for Sheris, but I fear that she's trying to conquer all of Kaer Lyon now. Scorchclaw Territory seems to not be enough for her........or maybe it's her Circle which consists of mostly Savage Orcs." The Circle of Hearts were a group of 14 Orcs which served as Council for the Warlord, not much different than King Hemhart's Council or any King's Council. For Orcs, it was usually generals of their army. Sheris called it her Circle of Hearts due to it being those who consumed the Beast's Heart

When Bogrum mentioned not having much to go back to, the most Sebas could think of was plunder. That's USUALLY what it meant, and it was about as normal as the stench of death in the Deadlands, named as such because of how much unburied dead were there, to the point of it becoming a literal regional mass grave. "I get it, but rumor has it that we might be taking on a mission that'll take us back into Kaer Lyon." Pirates WERE hired blades afterall, good for the war effort, especially if it involved having them sail. Orcs in general were NOT well versed in seaside warfare so a lot of their naval efforts had to be outsourced. "If Sheris wants our blade, it's a good thing that my family is under her protection." Sheris was a benevolent woman overall, rather take over a village than destroy it and kill the people, and rule by respect than fear. "Guess we'll see.........Hope she don't make a new Deadland." He looked forward as they came upon Lattice and Lostro in Commerce. "Yo Lattice," Sebas said
"Yes sir?"
"Thank you for taking care of Lostro. I'll pay you as usual. Call Demi and head back."
"Lady Demestral will reject your payment attempt as usual," the Draconian maid responded with a smile, "but I appreciate the sentiment and words of praise." She bowed her head. "Until next time, Sir Sebas, Sir Bogrum, Lady Lostrogret, Lady Orabelle." Sebas could never get over how sincere she sounded for someone having to service people that were NOT her master.
"LOSTRO."
Lattice already stepped off, but Sebas knew Lattice heard it and took it to mind, as she did any and all criticism regarding her service.

"I'll need to see some of that woodwork though, Bogrum," Sebas quipped out of nowhere, "Sounds like an investment when you finally start being seasick........but for tonight, there's dinner and a show tonight. We already ate, but I'll treat ya and get drinks while the show goes on. The least I can do for your effort out in the field. It's little recourse............This shit will affect the crew for a long time," he said. It was followed a dark look. Sebas was grappling with guilt to SOME degree, and it made sense. This all happened to save a child who, if left dead, would've saved over 70,000 lives. On the other, the day Lostro drew her last breath would've had them facing Mozreliun anyways. The only way to have avoided that outcome period would've been to kill her again or smite her a long time ago, before Mozreliun grew to as powerful as he did. "That's why I want to give my thanks."
WayfaringWaaksian