Fantasy Gods Own Soil

[Moldie]

Gods Own Soil
Ryvry Bowe - Port Braedon - Midday

​

Mid spring had brought life to the otherwise frozen over and dormant port of Braedon. Vessels from the isles out west shipped in in droves, bringing cargo of novel goods. Amongst the merchandize was woman, completely foreign to these lands. A woman who’d known nothing but the sea and barren rocks for all her life. Her name was Ryvry Bowe, Ochan through and through. Barely off the ship she'd come with, her surroundings had already enthralled her minds limited world view. The sight of the towering trees coating the hills that surrounded the town astonished and to some degree frightened her. They looked frail, nothing like the sturdy cliffs back home. Even breathing felt different as the air was crisp and fresh, free from any stench of salt and rotting fish guts.

The stone and wood buildings around her had their groundworks lined by tall grass and hogweed, some even their walls blanketed with vivid vines. No matter how foreign, she wouldn’t deny it was a beautiful place. The town basked in the midday sun and it was warmer then she had anticipated, one of the few things her harsh woolen coat wouldn’t protect her from. Tending to their daily chores and duties the people around her were too very unlike what she knew and more so what she'd expected. That was perhaps the most daunting of all changes. She’d been sure for a long time, but looking back out at sea where the ships faded into the horizon left her wondering if she’d gotten it all wrong. However, she knew it was well too late to revise her decisions by now. Ryvry found herself in a new world, and now she would have to come to know it. At the very least the shrill screeching of seagulls were a constant reminder that the only thing separating her from home, was the ocean.

AiDEE-c0

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, Port Braedon

Gentle waves periodically bumping upon the shores, the sound of the foam created almost being enough to drown them out, the flopping of wings, thuds from the docks and never-ending chatter. That was the music of a port town's life, peaceful and utmost familiar to the man striding through. Although, "man" was certainly not the proper way to describe Sehk, a tall figure of greyish skin, dressed in vestments of alien hide, and with eyes black as void, with yellow-amber irises. He pays little attention towards the looks thrown his way or the manner in which folk keep their distance, instead making his way forward by a small road, both sides occupied by market stalls barely taller than the elf.

Every now and then, Sehk would eye some of the goods presented, seeing about bartering a good price, or alternatively leaving without as much as a thought. A few hundred meters in, the satchel resting by his right hip came to newly hold some dried meat, a tiny box of spice and some pieces of confection, enough to go by through the day as usual. Then, looking up to assess the time, Sehk scratched the top of his head, before finding a less occupied spot along the roads, sitting down.

Making lunch of what he had earlier bartered, the elf observed the occasional passerby, however suspicious that might've seemed in the moment. The atmosphere was calm and homely, yet the wind appeared a bit off to Seht. To him, that was a superstition of the pink-fleshed, who had a nose for false signs as oft as for true ones, there was an unpredictability to it. He tapped his right eye with a finger, closing his left.

"The Vahkmat is one," he smiled.

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Port Braedon - Midday
​

Ryvry occupied herself with browsing the market stalls. The amount and sheer variety of fruit baffled her, apples, pears, plums, did that many types of fruit even exist? The wholesome array of colours was to say the least pleasing to the eye, and she imagined to her sweet tooth as well. “Will it be anything, miss?” the vendor queried in a good natured tone. Slightly biting down her lip, Ryvry was caught off guard and somewhat embarrassed. “Uhm, yes… One of, uh... those? Please.” She answered, her gloved hand pointing towards a golden but flushed and plump fruit she didn’t at all recognize. “A peach, you mean?” The older man explained, to which she offered an affirming nod. Quickly scouting out a ripe and suitable specimen he handed it to his clueless customer. Ryvry readied her coin purse, but the man subdued her action. “No no no, take it eyna.”, with that simple word her eyes lit up. “A fellow Ochan?”, she thought. Perhaps it was the rather obvious dialect, the generall cluelessness to anything but home or maybe just her rugged appearance that gave it away. However, the dash of familiarity gladdened her. “Seven lucks to you!” He finished before Ryvry with a smile and subtle bow headed back onto the main street again, outlooking the cyan bay.

Looking at the fruit, she wondered at it’s alien appearance. She’d seen apples before, plenty, figs too. But a “peach”? Never anything like it. With her teeth only a moments notice from burrowing into the treat, a loud shriek rang out amongst the crowd. Startled she dropped the gift and it was quick to bounce off the ledge, disappearing into the blue abyss with a heavy splash. Expressionless, and without a single glimpse of light reflected by her green eyes she simply stared at the tauntingly mellow waves. However, the incident soon left her mind as it was once again redirected towards the source of the screaming. A woman darted through the crowd, wailing frantically. Suddenly a figure also trying to make the corner onto the main street violently fell over, a set of bolts adorning their back. Ryvry tensed up in an instant, and she swiftly drew her pistol covered in immaculate engravings of sea serpents and shipwrecker waves. Before anyone had time to think a band of attackers trampled the fallen townsman, storming the dusty road with rampage. The attack had caught everyone off guard, and it all escalated so quickly. However, Ryvery Bowe wasn’t one to ever back down. Ryvry had fought plenty of pirates before, how big could the difference be on land?

AiDEE-c0

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, Port Braedon

Truthful, this the superstition was. As a shriek, followed by the usual sounds of partisan violence, came tossed upon the wind, Sehk immediately rose to his feet. Lifting the left side of his wide garment, the elf pulled out a bow in one hand and three arrows in the other, letting the hide fall down again as he did, bursting into a sprint. He made way through the small roads, small crowds, and eventually reached as close to the source of ruckus as he could. There, bodies slept coldly on the ground, some pierced, others slashed, and with flailing arms, the civilians were making their run away from them, followed closely by armed thugs butchering as they could. Between Sehk and the chaos was about eighty feet of separation, giving at best a dozen seconds before the crowd overwhelmed his senses. All of his life, he'd been dealing with incidents like this, yet the sheer amount of people here... was a bit overwhelming. Thinking had stolen a good few seconds away from him, and so his actions needed to be swift and precise. In a single moment, he would draw his bow, with a vertical right hand that clasped a set of three arrows, finger by finger. Then, with slightly more than the previous' moment's separation, he let loose all of them, one by one, finger by finger.

The first flew without an arc, entering the body of a cloth-clad fellow through the upper breast, sliding in a way that met the above under-arm, connecting limb to torso. The second flew like a wasp upwards, towards an archer of higher ground, who quickly found it a difficulty to stand, having a kneecap dislodged with a sharp pulse of pain. The last arrow's dírectíon was right in front of Sehk, a brute stood grinning, until his lower jaw became penetrated, destroying a number of teeth on its path, from canine to stool, not impacting anyplace vital. Thus were fired off the three arrows of Sehk, and thus the crowds were now upon him, a dozen seconds passed. He hid his bow to where it was originally unsheathed from, instead readying a metal scourge whip in his left hand. With it, he would charge against the stream of men and women, an angered visage accompanying his face. He pushed away individual after individual, before at last being greeted by the sight of a bloodied swordsman, who clearly was not expecting him.

Using the surprise to his advantage, Sehk struck as fast as he could, bringing the many tails of his weapon gliding across the man's chest, each tearing away at any spots of armor or flesh soft enough for it. Not even a second after, his right hand was flying at the man's head, outstretched like the claw of a hawk ready to hunt. Surely enough, the fingernails of this hand were not unlike talons, as they dug into face-flesh. The motion did not stop with an impaled mug, however, and with all of his mustered force behind it, Sehk brought his arm down, toppling his enemy as a result. There was no stopping there either, ontop of the bandit, the elf pulled back his impaling hand, granting it the new purpose of holding the scum's sword arm in place. As his last action of the relatively-short timespan, Sehk made sure to maim the subdued man with his whip, slashing it across his face, leaving him blind at the least. Following this, he let his eye wander around the wrecked marketplace, analyzing the mess he just rushed into, seeking out any sort of guard activity or resistance that might help his case. The bandits have dispersed for the most part, but a good number were still only a few seconds away from him. Of all things, an unfair number advantage would be the most undesirable.

Still, until he was further met with an enemy, he'd take a short breather from flesh-rending, attempting as best he could to retain his sense of direction and calm.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Port Braedon - Midday​

As the onslaught came about Ryvry quickly drew blade in favor of gun. Her serrated dagger too had a large serpent like creature adorning it’s back, and it’s handle took the form of an anchor. As the enemy practically stumbled upon her she quickly jabbed her blade upwards from a low angle, feeling it rip through soft flesh as warm blood cascaded onto her gloves and boots. With a heavy motion she shoved the body aside, sending them plummeting into the dockside waters. A figure was sure to instantly appear as next in line. A quick slash through the air aimed at the assailants throat was quickly blocked by the edge of their blade. Ryvry pushed onto the sharp steel, managing to redirect the pressure to where her serpent dagger with a swift motion cut into their arm, making short work of fabric and tissue alike. With their defenses down, a quick pair of vital thrusts was all it took to finish the job.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted another lone combatant, this one wielding a bow. She couldn’t completely make out if this figure was friendly or not, but narrowing her eyes she realized something was off. This wasn’t a human, they were lean, too lean. Their ears were sharp and long, and although she couldn’t quite make them out something about their eyes was amiss. She’d heard talk off such a people, but she was never one to make out stories of reality from those of fiction. Her lack of presence had left her wide open, and the enemy took their chance. With bone crushing power a large shield rammed into her side and she flew onto the ground, knocking the breath out of her chest. Before she’d even regained her blurred vision her hands were instinctually scrambling for her blade, but her fingers found nothing but blood soaked gravel and dust. As she somewhat regained her composure she made out a tall armoured figure nearly atop her. Her eyes widened as she realized their raised blade was moments from gutting her like a fish, their smug smile a testament to their victory. However, Ryvry always had a card up her sleeve. With catlike reflexes she in a quickdraw unholstered and fired her gun. The sharp sound of lead ripping through metal rang out, and with a grating rumble they fell backwards to join the carpet of corpses now amidst a haze of smoke. Although struggling, Ryvry on weak knees stood back up. The town had gone from a picturesque spring day to a frame of a battlefield within minutes, an impression she would remember.

AiDEE-c0

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, Port Braedon

Scanning the place, it was now an absolute mess, cracked shell of its former peaceful simplicity. The stalls were toppled, goods spilled everywhere and crushed by the masses. The walls, grass and cloth of the area were now covered in a mixture of blood and squashed farm produce, and-or damaged by the sharp blades and tips of whatever was used to impact them with. There flew about dust clouds of gravel, carrying the screams of innocent townsfolk being butchered like swine, the air was dense and difficult, with a pungent smell of congealed blood slowly starting to creep in, exactly just what Sehk despised. It certainly was not a pretty sight, but there would be time to think about scenery later.

While there were signs of retaliation againsts the bandits, it was nothing to celebrate. A small group of barely experienced guards took up the cause, joined by a heat-of-the-moment improvised militia of the braver denizens of Braedon. Unfortunately for them, the raiders, while brutish and lacking technique, were not strangers to bloodshed by any regard, as visible to anyone with an eye or two, creating a life efficiency of at best two for one in the enemy's favour. Shouting out something profane in his mother-tongue, the elf at last left his crippled foe lying on the ground, charging up to the axeman who he previously had wounded by arrow. The handle of Sehk's whip met axehead as soon as he became close, the scourge moved briskly in response in a way that concluded in the axe's neck captured in a prison of steel chain. Then Sehk pulled as strong he could, striking the extended elbow of the axe-wielder with his other hand, possibly dislocating it. Yes or no, his next move was to let go of his weapon, instead gripping the arrow still lodged inside of his opponent's lower jaw, wrestling it out in a manner that left him with a fist in his face. Groaning, he tugged harder than before, taking a few seconds of struggle to finally tear the arrow through the jaw and free, kicking the bandit down, as he coiled in pain and hemorrhaged heavily, left to his fate.

After this display was finished, Sehk as-if overheard the cackling of thunder, and suddenly felt a pain in his left shoulder, taking a few surprised steps back before he had even comprehended what just transpired. Scanning his surroundings gave him no better insights, but thankfully his robes of Greyhide dumbed down whatever it was that struck him. Nevertheless, the elf took to a sprint to a more preferable position for ranged combat, closer to the shore. He stopped upon registering another thunderclap-like sound booming, only to witness an armored man fall on his back out the sudden, a girl of sorts slowly getting up in his stead, curious object in hand. Sehk unsheathed and drew his bow as he had before, aiming firmly at the human's head without a word. From his body language, it was pretty easily seen that he would not fire unless a rapid movement was made, but the tall figure definetly didn't give away friendly vibes either.

It was unlikely, but neither was there a guarantee that this girl had not just shot him a few moments ago, hard to be sure in pandemonium like this.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Port Braedon - Midday​

The smog left in the wake of the fight stunk of sulfur and dust, leaving Ryvry with a hoarse cough. She was lucky to quickly spot her prized blade amongst the battles clutter, once again holstering her unloaded firearm in favor of the cutlass. Those brave enough waged an unfavorable assault upon the enemy, but stood little chance against their raw and brutish ways. Her arm hurt like hell, and she could only imagine the extent of bruising under her thick leather armor. Her jaw was clenched with agitation, and in a subtle fit she in a true sailors fashion spit on the armored corpse she’d left in front of her. “Beres Maecena...”, Ryvry whispered under her breath as she passed the sullied raider with trudging steps.

She began making her way towards the core of the fight, as she stood in a sea of the dead without anyone to fight. However, only a few steps ahead she stopped herself. There, solemnly, laid the older man who’d earlier given her the peach. In the heat of the situation, he seemed contempt at rest. With the same expressionless and blank look she kneeled by his side. She removed her hat and put it upon the ground, an occasious act. Reaching down her coat she took a hold of small iron talisman fixed onto a necklace she wore. It very fittingly to her aesthetic took the form of an anchor, overlaid with the shape of a man. With it clasped in her hand she put it to her mouth, nothing but the slightest movement of her cheeks a sign of words being spoken. Then she gently laid her fist upon the mans wrinkled forehead, the last respect she could pay. Closing her eyes she drew a last deep breath before standing back up. Her fingers tightened around the leather wrapped handle of her blade, and with rejuvenated stamina she took a determined stance as the inception of a charge into battle.

However, before she had a chance to even begin, a new obstacle appeared. Some ways ahead the gray figure had appeared, arrow ready to pierce her skull. Without a loaded gun she stood no chance at this range, instead, she with a dumbfounded look stood frozen in a defensive pose. Awaiting the ashen mans move.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, Port Braedon

The elf stood still, awaiting any sort of action from his newly acquired target. Just short distances behind him, dozens were being slaughtered, although the guards and militia ended up giving more of a fight than one would expect, slowing down the raid to a halt, at least for a while. In this instance of relative temporary calm, Sehk contemplated his further actions, inspecting the girl's circumstances just enough to not take his eye off of her. Some tension loosened, as he opened his mouth and finally let out a group of heavy breaths, the bow-hand retracting, hanging along the side of his body. Standing in the same spot still, he motioned with his right hand, pointing off in the distance and following the nearest path out-town using his impaling-index finger.
"Lifeless corpses," he spoke in a deep, raspy voice.
"Or those on their feet, making trail."

The grey-skinned figure started walking in the direction he had previously pointed out, passing by Ryvry as he did. Braedon has been sacked, but the loss of life ended up being not as horrid as it possibly could've been, hundreds of refugees leaving the premises in all directions, their homes procedurally looted behind them.

"Take a pick," Sehk muttured, glancing over his shoulder, walking on.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Port Braedon - Midday
​

Respecting the presence of the man before her, Ryvry made sure her movements were as subtle as the sea breeze. As the tension of his bow string loosened, so did her muscles and a strenuous breath left her chest. Heeding his somewhat gnarled voice she found herself not quite understanding the implications of what exactly he meant, but following the direction his finger pointed it dawned on her. “Leaving the battle?”, she thought, somewhat conflicted about if it was the wise or the selfish choice. As she looked down the path behind her, she was startled as the hideclad and imposing figure passed her by. She once again surveyed the battle, and she knew well it was life offered in vain. Years at sea had taught her swift decision making, but she did not know this land nor it’s people. As her choice was once again made clear to her by the ashen man she hesitantly took a first step away from the clash, soon following it with a pair of swift ones. Forcefully turning her head away from the struggling band of guards holding onto their last hopes of protecting their home, she paced up to the man whom to Ryvry seemed to carry a surprisingly calm demeanor.

Now by his side, she looked up to him with uncertainty plaguing her expression, “But… Where will we go?”. Ryvry of course had no preconception of the land, and feared getting lost in the wilds she’d been taught were as endless as the sea.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, en route

"Tuppham, not too distant," the elf blurted out, exhaustion visible on him twice as before. Over the course of the next few feet, he'd collect himself and reach into his cross-split robes, pulling out a sizeable satchel of brown color. Out of it, he'd fish out a single wheat bun, offering it to the human following him.
"I'm sorry for what happened back there, no one should have to experience something like that, especially not people like you. This is the least I can do at the moment."
Neither his expression nor his tone shifted from whence he last spoke, but there was a sense of genuine compassion behind his words, however out of place they might have been.
"If you have a family in Braedon, they might still be alive, don't overthink it," was the last thing said by Sehk, as the two approached a crossroads, peaked over by a sign-post hinting at directions towards a multitude of places. The sky still sported a noon-blue color, speckled by small white clouds every once in a while. The Sun shone bright, having moved barely a bit since Sehk last saw it. Like a sudden natural disaster, it all happened so quickly one could not be blamed for still trying to even process it.

"This way," he eventually muttered, embarking along a road south-east. The pleasantness of any interaction further down will surely depend on how fast the news spread. Coming from Braedon's general direction, an angry and shocked populace holds all the potential in the world to blame a bloodied foreigner of a completely different race accountable for its destruction, this was an undeniable fact.

"Before we run into anyone, let me also offer you a warning. Careful of their gaze, the loathe is many, easily blinded."

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
En Route - Midday​

“Tuppham, huh…” she thought, unsurprisingly not recognizing this place.The mans company didn’t yet completely assure her, but it was far better then travelling lonesome. In any case, his calmness and certainty was appreciated. Ryvry felt bad about the ordeal, as most would. It manifested itself as a subtle but present stomach ache, only fuelled by hunger. Usually she enjoyed the thrill of a good fight, but never through her days had the innocence of common folk been put at such a risk.

As if on cue, she was offered a bite to eat. However, she found his words cryptic. “People like me?..” She thought, trying to figure out what exactly his perception of her was. Looking up at the tall man, she accepted the gift with an apprehensive “Thank you”. Her teeth bore into the bun and it instantly reminded her much of supper bread at home, if not a bit softer in texture. Although she found his concerns of family noble she didn’t fully understand why he made it his own. To her, family was an intimate subject not to be discussed with strangers. However, she once again opted not to question on a basis of respect. The landscape around them was quite beautiful, it boasted and impressive amount of green brought to life by warm sunlight. The trees weren’t only large, they towered like the masts of mighty ships with their crowns built of thick barrs, sharp as needles.

As the road they walked split, the man was quick to take charge in leading them along. His words to come would be those she heeded the closest, even if she didn’t understand the full implications of their poetic nature, only answering with a thankful nod. Finishing chewing her mouthful of bread, she had queries of her own. “And who exactly are people like me?” she begun, genuinely wanting to know who the man thought she was before any further exhange of information.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, en route

With a raised eyebrow, Sehk stopped the movement of his feet, turning to face his apparent new travel companion. He'd scratch his temple, before responding to the question he'd just been asked. "Young, vulnerable, life still ahead. I do not doubt anyone's ability to self-defend, that is not my implication, but why should anyone's mind be tainted with such a sight? It only ever leads to further misfortune." Following his answer, the elf continued on down the road, re-adjusting his vestments whenever their position shifted, always on high alert.

In brief moments of what Sehk believed to be absolute safety, he thought over the plans he had made over the past few minutes. He wasn't one to easily and quickly make contacts, especially not with the humans, but there was at least a smatter of people he knew by now. Among them was Salazar, a long-time friend of the family before it departed. As a collector of exotic items, the man's pocket wasn't a shallow one. More importantly, he had a small merchant empire of his own, reselling his acquired pieces to nobles for profitable sums. This meant a lot of contacts in high places.

As pathetic as it was to admit it, the attack on Braedon was a great initiative to kick off Sehk's long-term plans. He would arrive at the court of a noble, perhaps even the king, inform them of the event and enlist in their services under the guise of investigating and dealing with the raid's roots. From there-on-in, a plethora of new opportunities was almost guaranteed. As for the girl, leaving her in Salazar's care appeared most sensical and responsible. The man was a wine-women-song type, there were no holes in this as far as Sehk understood.

"The siblings will weave five by my hand," he muttered under his breath.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
En Route[ - Midday​

As the man stopped dead in his tracks, it took a couple steps for Ryvry to realize. She turned to the man, his words not molding her expression to anything but unimposed of any particular emotion.

“Tainted...”, Ryvry pondered. Many long years had passed since she first saw a man leave this world, and although one never gets used to it, she was certain in her strength to not let it taint her. Just as she’d been taught. She hadn’t quite met anyone like this man though, neither in appearance nor personality. The people of the Ochlands were strong. They would never apologize or let the demise of an enemy nor ally sour a battle hard fought. However, the loss of life had been horrific, “But that’s just life...” she reassured herself.

“Well… I don’t know about all that…”, As little as Ryvry wanted this stranger to think of her as young and vulnerable, she didn’t want to submit to any urge of proving her strength to him. However, for the sake of the journey at hand and for her time in this new land, she needed to make friends. Although strange, this man seemed candidate enough. “Then, what about you? What kind of person are you?”.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, en route

This time, the elf didn't feel the need to pause the journey in order to reply to another inquiry. With a quick movement, he extended his left hand out from behind the robe, scourge grasped firmly in it, pointing at the ground. "Anruvasehk. In your tongue, the closest word would be bloodletter. I let free ailments of the mind." Sehk's face accumulated a small frown, and he held his mouth closed for a few seconds, before shaking his head lightly and finishing up his speech.
"Through blood."

Retracting his hand back, he faced the human, walking still.
"We'll be visiting a... friend of mine, he'll house us for a time. You'll be able to stay with him, until you find better. I'll most likely be traveling further down south, there are people that need to know about this... incident."
The grey-skinned man took a few looks around the area, gazing off for any sort of landmark he'd recall. Other than the ocean, trees and green cliffs, there was nothing for another few minutes. Eventually, another signpost would be reached, which Sehk walked by without bothering to even look at it. Its presence was all he needed for confirmation, they were not lost yet.

"I'll be introducing you when we get there. So, what is your name? That's all I need to know."

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
En Route - Midday ​

Ryvry wasn’t much more than a blind follower for the moment, trusting the mans knowledge of the area. At the sight of the many ended weapon Ryvry’s eyebrows rose, It was a strange thing, and she found it hard to visualize its use in battle. The word of another language cemented Ryvrys suspicion that the man indeed was not a local. His description of his profession sounded somewhat superstitious to Ryvry, but she still didn’t find herself in any position to so rudely question his ways.

Ryvry was happy to know they weren’t cluelessly seeking shelter within this town, but that the ashen man indeed had a plan of action. However, Ryvry had been brought up right. She knew not to barge into anyones home uninvited, not to rely on others sheer kindness and especially not to ever be a burden. “Are you sure we’re... welcome?” She with a smidge of doubt quired. “...And it's Ryvry, Although I for one thought names were a thing to be exchanged...” She quickly added, the ladder line somewhat subdued in tone.

Word of travelling southwards intrigued her. For as little as she understood the geography of these lands, the single waypoint she had she knew would lead her south.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, en route - Tuppham

"He is a rich man, and most of his riches come from my people," Sehk responded with a sense of confidence, shrugging. Around the two, the road became much wider and better kept, flowers of many colours growing to surround it with their petals. In the distance, city walls arose, and behind them stood stone houses of multiple shapes and purposes. The elf smiled for once, albeit very faintly. Very soon, they would be about their destination.

"Ryvry... they already have been," Sehk exclaimed, gaze fully focused towards the settlement in-front. He upped his speed gently, and they were at the gates soon enough, unguarded at the moment, for the time was nigh for lunch, and seldom do any incidents happen around these parts.

Just like Braedon before the attack, the city's atmosphere was peaceful, although a bit more frantic and grand, active. Loomed over by the many grey and white houses, decorated with dark woods and fancy roofs, were numerous residents, coming from all walks of life, living out the bustle of the streets, making to places by foot or by carriage. Every now and then, a house sat marked by a sign depicting whatever profession icon appropriate, and some were crowded while others were not. Either-if, Sehk passed them by, crossing over small bridges and taking turns. A few hundred feet later, the duo would arrive at the doorstep of a luxurious-looking villa. Ornaments and patterns were strewn about its tall walls, shrubberies and trimmed bushes at their bases. In a way, it resembled a small castle, still within the confines of the lower parts of the city. Sehk walked up towards a wooden door nested inside a miniature, cathedral-like portal at the front, giving it a single hard knock.

"Now we wait," he said as he took a few steps back.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
En Route - Midday ​

“Rich, huh...”, Ryvry silently spoke. It was a trait she’d come to associate with many things easy to blame for the harder patches of her life. Forest transitioned to shrubbery that soon turned to fields of vivid floral arrangements orchestrated naturally. A piece of the calmness that’d so abruptly been wrecked returned and the town ahead looked beyond any bloody quarrel.

She thought for a second, had she missed his name and made a fool of herself with the snarky remark? Did he perhaps go under the foreign word he’d previously mentioned? She couldn’t remember what it was, and didn’t dare ask again. The old and weathered town walls came and went, and the duo entered without trifle or disruption. It was clearly a place more active then Braedon, but still didn’t match the buzzling streets of her home city by any stretch. Though she imagined few places did. A testament to someone who’d devoted their life to the seas rather than land.

The mans decisive lead didn’t falter, and Ryvry was sure his quick navigation through the town spared them a great hassle. The architectural scenery was something to behold. Generations of buildings naturally constructed atop each other as the town had grown from a small settlement into a bustling community of many virtues. At first Ryvry was surprised by the destination at which they’d arrived, but soon remembered the talk of riches. The gate upon which the elf knocked was grand, much appropriate for the villa that boasted it. Ryvry scouted out the surrounding area, feeling somewhat weird about someone like her standing by the door of such an affluent member of society.

Ryvry waited as instructed. Throwing one last look at her new friend, then back at the entrance.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, Tuppham

As sunrays lazily illuminated the walls of the villa, everything remained in relative silence. Sehk dusted himself off to the best of his abilities, although there was little he could do about the stains of blood sporadically covering his garments, a trait he didn't pay much attention to up until now. He sighed, bringing his left hand up to his mouth and letting out a dry cough. It was then that the door to the villa slowly opened by the hand of a well-groomed, yet serf-ish looking girl, clumsily eyeing down both arrivals, particular attention paid towards the elf, before running briskly back into the stone-wall premises.

Sehk turned to Ryvry, then back at the doorframe. It took a several dozen seconds, but eventually, a male figure made itself present to the duo. He was just barely taller than the average farm-peasant, but certainly a hundred times better fed. Around his wrists and neck locked many golden rings and bands, and his clothing was crafted from a luxurious, predominantly purple material. The man's face, despite his lightly puffy cheeks, held a reasonably handsome appearance, look boosted further by its cleanliness and wrinklessness. His complexion was light, the long hair let loose down his neck a hazel brown, kept company by trimmed eyebrows of the same color. With a grin on his mug, he approached Sehk and patted his shoulder, or rather, mantle.
"Sehk! Long time no see, eh? Got any goods for me? How's the family?"
He questioned with a loud, friendly-toned voice, hand still on Sehk's mantle, orbs scanning up and down.

Sehk offered a hesitant, "Salazar, as lively as ever," in response, before taking a short step back, letting the man's hand slide off of him.
"It will be preferable to talk somewhere more... enclosed, there is a lot to cover," he said, motioning his hand towards his company.
"This is Ryvry, I'll explain along everything else. Braedon got sacked, that's the general gist of it."
"What? The port to the north? Sacked? Are you sure? Oh! Right, follow me, both of you."

With that, Salazar turned heel and slowly marched inside his home, beckoning the two visitors to follow suit.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Tuppham - Midday ​

When the doors eventually opened by the hands of a young woman Ryvry was somewhat surprised. Was it a servant perhaps? Either way she was somewhat confused as the girl scoured away wordless. Only a few seconds into waiting she bagan lightly tapping her feet on the chiseled stone blocks beneath them. Ryvry wasn’t much impressed with the tardiness of these folks. Keeping visitors waiting in such a rude manner never sat well with her.

When finally the awaited character came to greet them, his appearance didn’t much diverge from her expectations. Well groomed, somewhat stout and that tinge of charismatic arrogance that’d never appealed to her. However, she was a guest in a foreign land, and would respect her host. As her companion introduced her by name she offered a friendly nod and restrained smile. More importantly, she retained an important note from the conversation; Sehk.

Ryvry noticed how Sehk seemed to be somewhat uncomfortable with the man named Salazar’s friendliness. She’d already somewhat gathered that he was a reserved type, but would nonetheless remember this. In any case, Salazar seemed like an easy type, unlike the stuck up pricks hoarding gold back home. Soon they were led inside, and like all she’d done so far she kept to the relative safety of Sehks side.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk and Ryvry, Timeskip post - Tuppham - Road - Capital

For the next four days, Sehk and Ryvry spent their time at the hospitality of Salazar and his villa. Each morning, there was light breakfast, tooled towards expressed preferences, served by the same servant-girl which at first opened the door to the visitors. For the rest of the morn, Salazar retreated into the city, leaving his guests to participate in any activities they wished; simply relaxing, strolling, reading up in the library or practicing combat skills, most home-leisures one could think of were available. While usually spending pre-noon in a small garden of bushes and radiantly petaled flowers, Sehk, on the second day, pulled Ryvry aside to talk, shortly after their host's departure. With a slightly inquisitive tone, he spoke, eyeing well for shifts in expression.
"So, do you like it here?"
Ryvry took a moment to asses the question. The hospitality shown was commendable, and as far as she was concerned she was very much fond of the restful time at the villa.
“Yes, it’s… Nice.” She thoughtfully answered. “Is there something wrong?”

The elf paused himself for a bit. During the previous afternoon, he had a talk with Salazar. Rather, he always had a talk with the man in the afternoon, locked away inside his private office room from the second hour to the third. Before this was lunch, never served too hot, nor too cold, plentiful meals of varying and exotic tastes. During the time of the private conversations, Ryvry would be watched over by the girl she'd most likely be accustomed to by now, clothed in fancy, steward-like dresses, tidy like the objects left to her tending, not as beautiful as a noble lady, but with a charm of pretty simplicity. Her main duty was to assist the guest whenever needed, however, she'd often depart in order to take care of other matters, or when dismissed. After the third hour, when both men returned, the day went on similarly to the morning, albeit with Salazar also hanging by. In his internal process, Sehk figured it might not be the most mannered to discuss the topic at hand with the host around, so the daybreak appeared as the best time to do so. With a raised eyebrow, he continued.
"No. Everything is just as I imagined it would be. Speaking of which, I'll be leaving in three days time."
Although Ryvry remembered his previous notice of traveling southwards, she was taken back slightly.
“Right.... And what about me?”
She with slight hesitance asked, not sure if Sehk had any intentions of bringing her with him, let alone allowing her to follow. For even if she enjoyed the time under Salazar's roof, she couldn’t leech off of his back for much longer.

Sehk let his eyebrow fall back to its proper position, the answer to this question was simple enough. After all, how difficult could it be to get used to a routine like this? Morning, afternoon, evening, luxurious as a farmhand's deepest fantasies. Indeed, the evening was as a golden topping upon a silvery cake. Tessa, the always-present servant at the back of every scene, revealed her true colours as head steward, joined by five other individuals by first approach of darkness. Under her supervision, the rooms at the very end of the villa came open, Salazar, along his guests, lead inside. Revealed, together the rooms connected and formed a sizeable bathing house, styled after something definetly not of Wellund origins. In the very middle sat a cubic pool of spring water, embedded in the floor, spanning three fourths of the area. It was surrounded by four pillars from each side, all hosting an artificial, waterfall-like apparature, streaming into the major body of water at a sensitive rate. Every individual was washed and groomed thoroughly here by the servants, although the step could be skipped if undesired. On the side, platters of soft desserts were brought out, acting as dinner, before all was cleaned up, closed up, and the guests, plus Salazar, were escorted into their assigned rooms for a good night's rest. Sehk sighed. Not as a notion of any particular emotion, he just did.
"Salazar is willing to take care of you for some time. Until, or, unless you have other ideas."
The amenities Salazar offered were grand and luxurious, a dream to many, but not to Ryvry. Sure, sweets, servants, great halls and even red meats were much desirable, but it wasn’t a fair path of life. Just like all generations before her, Ryvry’s family had struggled through life, and that was how she intended to live out her days. The only way she knew how to. Ryvry cleared her throat to make way for words covered in a light hesitance.
“I was thinking… Perhaps, I would follow you south?” She asked looking up at the man, removing her hat as a humbling gesture.
“I promise I won’t be a burden,” she, as always, reassured, confident in her statement.

From the splendour of a single villa, to the grandeur of the capital of all Wellund. The fifth day was spent on the road, as were a few more. The duo set out with their belongings, a small box of delicacies from Salazar - a gesture, and a single envelope, sealed with purple wax. With this seal as an appeal to the beaurocrats, Sehk assured audience with the king himself, something he was incredibly content about. Along with Ryvry, they made way through the throngs and rich streets of the city, their path unwinding in the direction of the palace of Marius I. ruler of rulers. Through gates, portals and rows of royal guards, then at last through the last barricade standing, blocking the fated meeting, the palace's very own door. By steel-clad hand it would be flung open, and, both followed and lead by two pairs of guards, Sehk and Ryvry found themselves arriven in a spacious throneroom.

The crucial point, audience. At last, it was here, along with the hope to not ruin the occassion.

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Parlton - Morning​

For as long as the journey had had lasted, Ryvry had thoroughly enjoyed it. The vivid displays of nature this land brought was like nothing she’d ever seen or imagined before. Sehk had proved a pleasant travelling companion, although the two hadn’t fully gotten to know each other yet.

The pristine hall the duo now found themselves within brought forth a sense of serenity and grace. Natural light seeped in from arrays of narrow windows placed between towering pillars supporting the building. Many banners depicting floral patterns, poppies above all, were scattered around the room. Guards strategically placed around them ensured any attempts of harm would be quickly subdued. At the end of the walkway ahead stood the proud throne bearing the king of Wellund himself. Soon the guards who’d escorted Sehk and Ryvry bowed before the king's presence and gave the two space to give their promised audience. Marius looked down upon the two with dark and stubborn eyes. He was a middle aged man with sharp and decisive features, quite tall and lean in stature. Clad in exclusive textiles of predominantly blue and with an array of silver adornments he appeared as kingly as one would expect.

Another man stepped up in front of them, he clearly wasn’t a guard as wielded no sword or armor, but rather a scroll and robes. “You stand before king Marius first of his name, Ruler of Wellund, Lord of lords. Speak true and clear in his presence.” He exclaimed, before turning around and too bowing before the king, who answered with a swift nod. Ryvry hated to admit it but she was rather nervous. Never would she imagine she’d find herself before such a powerful individual, let alone in a private audience. She now relied on Sehk to carry the conversation, as the last thing she wanted was to make a fool of herself before the king himself. “So, You bear a message for me, I presume?” the king's words echoed through the hall, clear as glass.

 

[AiDEE-c0]

Sehk, throneroom

Standing before quite possibly the most powerful man of the kingdom, Sehk consolidated his inner workings through a short, internal prayer to all the five Loverlords of elven belief. In the process, he took a small bow towards the king, locking gaze with him and assuming a taller stature, even compared to how he'd previously present himself. With the company of motions, conservative movements around his spot and well-lifted head, the elf spoke in a tone of mustered conficence and purpose. At first, he nodded, releasing forth his incipient statements.
"My name is Anruvasehk, of tribe Anruvo, whose coming is said to have been the fifth and last. By decree of Chieftain, I, along with a band of my people, have sailed to your lands a hundred-and-so years ago, as we always have done. However, unlike most before, I have settled here, in the kingdom of your belonging, and have made myself a loyal subject to its will."

Directing his breath from side to side, Sehk didn't bring a stop to his speech, instead raising tonality in order to force a sense of importance upon his next few sentences.
"In dire mood do I bring to you the news of the northwestern settlement of Braedon, which has been raided, brought to ruin by hand of unrelenting aggressor, raiders from further up north. The guards have been culled and refugees are loft abound. Victory like this will surely boost their spirits, more attacks are written in the wind like destiny."

Then, he would motion with his hands, attempting to draw attention not only towards himself, but also his travelling companion.
"Of course, I have not arrived here with a problem alone, but also its solution. Even then, when we were caught by surprise in the assault, the two of us wrought good casualty against the bandits, costing them more and paying none."
Sehk smirked sublty, standing in a manner such that he would be almost flawlessly aligned with the king's position, pulling out a fancy-sealed letter from within his robes.
"Take this, along with the letter held in my hand, your highest excellency, as assurance that you only need do one thing in order to clean the unfortunate stain from your crown."

"Only issue us, by your command, and you may consider the situation already solved."

 

[Moldie]

-Ryvry Bowe-
Parlton - Morning​

Sehks words were big, seemingly fit for suse in the presence of a king by any standard of Ryvry. She watched the two closely, as well as the scattered figures serving the royal room. She in particular took notice to a man standing by the thrones side, bearing a sagelike aura. Under the guise of whispers he exchanged a few words with the king after mentions of the attack, but humbly stepped back as he was denied further attention by the whaft of his hand. Marius was instead far more invested in the words shared by the elf before him, to which whilst he listened his fingers twirled the sharp edges of a superb moustache.

As Sehk spoke of a solution, the king leaned forward in his seat, his chin resting upon his ring clad fist. A solemn and serious expression clearly told of a man believing in the words he’d been told. As Sehk reached within his robe guards hands grasped tighter around the handles of blades and spears. With Sehks speech coming to an end, the kings stern face made out a soft smile. “Well, the kingdom commends your services, and I’m obliged to offer you my gratitude.” he thanked, words direct and resounding. As she did, the man who’d introduced the king approached Sehk, taking the letter with a respectful bow before delivering it to the kings side.

Marius swiftly glanced out a large window aligning with the side of his throne, his expression retracting any sign of the smile. “Raids this far south are unheard of, let alone ravaging a formidable town such as Braedon… A sign of the times perhaps...”, Marius’s gaze returned to Sehk and Ryvry. “Consider yourself hands of the crown…”, As those words left his mouth the sage bordered on intervening, but was quickly subdued by another stern hand gesture of the king. “... Should you discover whence these invaders originate, I will pay you well upon return. However, for their heads I will pay even more.” With those ending words, the duo had been bestowed a royal mission. A surreal thing, Ryvry had to admit. Never would she have seen herself serve a noble, let alone the king of a foreign land. The mission however brought with it a sense of honor, and revenge. Not only for all those poor townsfolk displaced and slaughtered, but also for a fellow countryman.