Test of Fate

[Reinhardt]

Test of Fate

Prologue: A Goddess Calls​

Objectives

Characters

Town of Sorleim

It's the middle of the day. The sun has cast upon light upon the lights, and the clouds are predicting a fair weather for the rest of the day. To other settlements, it would seem to be just another ordinary day, where the people are to do what they shall do, as everything remains the same.

However, for the town of Sorleim, things are different. Here, people must work twice as hard, under the constant threat of facing the horrors that plague their home. Monsters appear in random locations, usually near the town's borders, terrorizing those caught within their reach. Despite the combined efforts of both noble and commonfolk, their strength are merely not enough. The guards of the town are no match for the fearsome monsters that threaten this once solemn town.

Faced with such a difficulty, the faithful pray devotedly to the great goddess. And miraculously, she answered.

Several individuals are to challenge their fate, and save the town's from its impending doom.

Wretch ManithThe young, and adventurous Median finds his way to Sorleim, guided by a gut feeling that he might attain what he has been seeking for here.

Hawren FaryaThe ambitious Illieth heads onto Sorleim, knowing the great dangers that lurk within it, hoping that this would be the tale of glory that he desires to etch into his history.

Ashley SturgessFearing that her potential in magic would only bring further complication in her life, the aspiring young girl eventually finds herself running into the forsaken town.

Etaine MedellinGuided by a familiar divine voice, the hearty cleric hurries onward to Sorleim.

SaiThe broken Median's journey in search of new purpose unexpectedly brings her to the plagued town.

These five fortunate souls shall enter the gates of Sorleim, and their destinies altered for an eternity.

Tags: EredtOgon Rustic JRPG @_707_ DergTheDergon

 

[EredtOgon]

Was the beating in her chest fear? Or excitement? Etaine could not tell, and this produced an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had taken the southton road. Endless rows of nueces trees lined the side. It was that time of the year that Etaine liked; their branches stretched out like yawning sloths. The breeze sent a shiver of orange poppy blossoms cascading down below. Etaine would often come this way. The blossoms would fall upon the crown of her head, and she often would then imagine herself a princess of some faraway land.

Getting swept up into the emotion of it all, Etaine, splayed her arms outward slightly. She lightly half skipped down the white cobblestone, the echo of her footsteps tapping lightly through the air. She swung her hips in a slow, gyrating motion. Gostavo, one of the elder novitiates, had scolded her for displaying such immodesty on one of their monastic soujorns. "You are a young lady now, Etaine, you must act more proper."

She blushed. But Gostavo wasn't here and the path was empty. So she continued to skip lightly along, and stuck her tongue out at an imaginary Gostavo in front of her. Memories of past festivals resurfaced. At this time of year, the road would be covered with stalls and vendors, selling noodles and soups of a great variety. Patriach Shinaih had even let her attend one of the paper puppet shows for children, once. She remembered drinking warm chai and swiping bowls of delicious broth when she shouldn't have. Etaine tried to frown, but only giggled as she thought of it.

But... it was the same time of year, wasn't it, and now so much had changed. There were no stalls. No vendors selling goods, no happy children running through the street. The place was deserted. The wind blew harshly. Not soft, like in days past. A few old stalls remained by the side of the road, but had long been boarded up. Broken parts of themselves lay cast off, pathetic, by the side of the road.

Etaine saw all of this, and her heart began to beat fast once more within her chest. The air was quiet, and that excited her. But it also made her afraid, though she had been down this path many a time before. Yet she continued, until at last she stood at the Southton gate into Sorleim.

Large. Sturdy. Ivy covered much of the green paint-flecked metal grating, though the hinges were well oiled. The foliage around the pink brick walls had been well kept. Etaine heard the sound of voices, maybe a small crowd, coming from the other side. There was passion to them, anger perhaps. She couldn't be sure, though it sounded like a crowd. A sporting even. Or a lynching? Etaine shuddered at the thought. She whispered, "Kamra, give me strength" quietly to herself.

The gate swung open with a slight creak, and Etaine stepped, softly, inside.

 

[Rustic]

Hawren breathed in a shaky breath as he saw his destination getting closer and closer in his view. He had not expected to arrive in the town of Sorleim so early, but his feet had been so ready and so keen to take him from where he’d been, his traveling time had just seemed blow by as quickly as harsh winds he could feel surrounding this place. Just the sight of this place on the horizon had been enough to fill him with a sense of anticipation that rivaled the night he had left home to make his way in the world. Just like then, his limbs felt light and almost unstable, and he was giddy, almost to point of worrying staying upright, but the experiences were, thankfully, not quite same.

That night years prior had come with a fear that was all-encompassing, inescapable in its scope; it came with dread that forced him to whip his head around every few minutes to make sure nobody was following, that only worsened when he turned back around to see the still long journey ahead, one of such unknowable length to him that at times he worried less about being found than he did never being found. A dread so powerful it lingered long after he had arrived where he had been going, and for years haunted him with the idea that, at any moment, he’d be found, and all his work would be for nothing at the hands of his parents’ polite request for his return home, one which he knew if he’d ever heard, he couldn't have helped but to sheepishly oblige.

Today, there was a similar fear, but it was a small, niggling presence that only pestered him gently as he walked beneath the lofty trees. He had known what to expect on his way here; he had asked for and had heard of all the stories the itinerants and migrants leaving this town had told. Had heard many times of this town’s gradual destruction, of the devastation the creatures that had suddenly appeared here had wrought on its people. It was not until now, however, walking down these desolated, empty streets, seeing for himself the fallen petals of a town that was slowly withering away into nothing, that he really understood some of the fear those travelers had been trying to convey. He now was, very acutely, aware of the lurking anxiety that came with being in the shadow of Sorleim.

Despite that fact, though, his was managing to keep his fear relegated to a slight trepidation at the back of his mind. It was apt to say that this all made him a little nervous, but he still held his head high in an easy confidence. Still strode on with what even he would admit being a somewhat childish excitement. That sliver of fear he was feeling only added to the eagerness he was riding high on today. He had spent years in his previous town saving, scrimping, praying for the day that his life could truly start, and now, after so long, it finally seemed to be upon him. He didn't imagine that everything would immediately change for him, that he’d sweep through the world a star overnight, but he did hope that today would be the opening he was looking for to a life much grander.

In any case, as he stepped up to the walls of the town’s bricked walls, he knew it was out of the goddess’ hands now. It would be up to him to make this crucial opportunity count. He can already hear a commotion right at the door of the gates, exuding potential and mystique, and it just gets his heart pumping even faster with expectancy. Even though he knows he should stop to assess what it's about, he can’t bear to wait to be inside much longer, so, without ado, he places his hands on the iron gates and quickly pushes it open.

The first thing he notices as he steps through the ivied gates is another apparently recent arrival staring forward off in front of him. Her look makes him hurriedly turn towards where she’s staring, only to see a crowd of people staring back at her – no staring back at them. They watched intently, a wide range of emotion painting each of their faces. There’s even a subtle uproar to the already confusingly loud group of voices once he turns to face them all. For a fraction of a second, he almost worries that they might know who he is, but that instinctive reaction dies away as soon as he considers it, knowing full well the time for that worry was long behind him. Still, he walks up to the other observer, a young, adventurously equipped human woman, and stands beside her in solidarity.

“Well, we’ve been well met, haven’t we?” he asks her somewhat amusedly. His voice kept low and smooth, but his face portrayed his confusion, and fascination, with the people before them. He would certainly normally be one to eat up attention like this, but without knowing what or who it was for, he stayed apprehensive. It did seem positive, though. Had they made some mistake as to who they were?

mentions: EredtOgon

 

[DergTheDergon]

Sai had been wandering this way for weeks, her strides becoming increasingly more urgent, her rests decreasing rapidly in length until she stopped sleeping altogether. An urgent feeling had been pulling her towards Sorleim ever since that dream she had around three weeks ago. The details were blurry, but she remembered the name Sorleim, a few voices of villagers very thankful that she was there, and a feeling of purpose welling within herself... the kind of feeling she'd been longing for deeply ever since she lost everything.


It felt odd to chase after a dream like this, but something compelled her to do it beyond anything that had compelled her before. If she needed to eat, she chased after any deer, bird or whatever edible animal she could smell, hunted it, and ate it before moving on. That dream was the only hint of a sign for what the Median should dedicate her life to, what would fill the void in her heart, that she had received thus far. So, she put the entirety of her being into trying to make the dream come true.


As she dashed through the desolate trees, a chill ran down her spine and tears welled in her eyes. This made the lizard-like Median’s mind flash back to the night her clan was stolen from her, seeing empty homes like these (though her people lived in simpler huts than this), and bodies upon the grass. Perhaps this is why whatever high power brought her here had brought her here. They had known that she wouldn’t wish the fate of her tribe, utter annihilation, to happen to anyone, even humans, despite that they had killed her people. Sorliem was too far from her homeland for any of the raiders to have been from there, anyway.


As she continued through town, she began to hear voices; raised, desperate and emotional voices, just like the ones she had heard in her dream all those weeks ago, a dream she still had every time she slept since then. Sai’s mother, the village shamaness, had always told her that all dreams held great importance. It was a well-held belief among her people that everyone experiences a dream that will lead them to their true calling. Hearing these voices now, Sai was certain that she must have experienced that very dream when she needed it most. For that, she was grateful.


Finally, Sai came upon the last of Sorleim’s people, gathered and seeming to be praying, and nearly worshipping the presence of two figures that stood before them. When she stepped beside the skilled and armed-looking figures, the people seemed to be worshipping her as well. “Well… it seems this one was not the only one called here..” she said in her raspy reptilian voice, nodding at each of the two assumedly fellow adventurers, an Illieth man and a human woman, in acknowledgment. “I assume we shall be working together to help these poor souls, then? Sai is what this one is called. Whom does she have the pleasure of meeting?”

Rustic EredtOgon

 

[Reinhardt]

Test of Fate

Prologue: A Goddess Calls​

Objectives

Characters

Town of Sorleim

As the fated souls arrive at the entrance of the town, a warm, yet confusing sight welcomed them. There was a number of people gathered a few meters away from where they were, and all of these people were staring right at the newly arrived. In their eyes could be seen both hope and despair, their distinct murmurs and chatters easily sounded of doubt and faith.

It seems that, even though their prayers for salvation might have been answered, they are still unsure. The town and its people are still in chaos in the midst of all this. Well, it was expected. In a place like this, where it was used to be a place of growth and refuge, now nothing but a broken replica of what it once was.

The old glory days were far gone. And bringing them back was impossible.

The crowd just stood there, watching. Observing them. Nobody bothered to walk to them, and welcome them into the town, for they know, the town of Sorleim has no welcoming grace left to give to its visitors.

Then, all of a sudden, a young lad, dressed in ragged, and somewhat dusty clothing, rushed past the newly arrived, bumping onto them and falling down to the ground. He glanced upon them, panting, as his teary eyes filled with nothing but fear, and desperation. He seems to have been in some kind of commotion, one not of the ordinary variant.

Tags: EredtOgon Rustic DergTheDergon

 

[EredtOgon]

It seemed as though Kamra was in a charitable mood, that day. At the very least, a humorous one. Etaine had walked in through the Southton gate expecting some sort of commotion: A sporting event, perhaps. She wasn't wrong. But she wasn't right either. The people had become haggard. Bitter. What would have been a commotion anywhere else, was simply normal day-to-day business here.

Etaine felt a hot, west sensation running down her cheeks. Without realizing it, she had started to cry. She smiled wistfully, and began to wipe away the tears with the side of her forearm. Her stomach started to growl. "I wonder if there's an inn with food that won't kill me, here?" She thought to herself.

“Well, we’ve been well met, haven’t we?” A tall, strapping youth strode up to her from behind. His voice flew from his mouth like velvet silk, so low and smooth it was. Etaine's heart skipped three beats at the unexpected electricity of the greeting, turning quickly to see who was addressing her: A youth, well dressed in ceremonial armor. Noting this, Etainne couldn't help but cock her head a little to once side. "Is he an Illieth?" she pondered. The way the youth carried himself... Etaine had no doubt that this was an experienced adventurer, and a very successful one, considering the high price of that armor's craft, though he must have been on retreat for some time... as the armor had nary a scratch upon it. And an Illieth? An Illieth adventurer was unheard of.

Before she could respond, a Median strode in through the gates, terrifying in visage, and spoke. “Well… it seems this one was not the only one called here..” [...] “I assume we shall be working together to help these poor souls, then? Sai is what this one is called. Whom does she have the pleasure of meeting?” At this new occurence, Etaine felt even more trepidation and shock. Were these two mistaking her for someone else?

"What is-" she began, but was knocked over by a young boy running through the streets, wailing, and in tears.

"Oof!" The boy had knocked the wind out of her. Running through the streets at his speed, one would think he would already be gone, but the child, having latched onto something unusual, seemed unusually hesitant to leave. "Kamra... give me strength," Etainne whispered, certain that she was about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

 

[Rustic]

Hawren gave a small, courteous smile as he saw the young woman turn to meet his gaze. He had met a wide arrangement of interesting looking humans in his work, but he would certainly consider her among them. It was much easier to tell the age of humans from their appearance, he’d learned, and he knew from hers that she must be years younger than even himself. She seemed traveled, as well, and prepared for battle, and he was easily confident in his assessment that those two things must be how and what she was here for. It was all rather exciting to see, if he was honest with himself. He knew humans typically did things early – maybe in compensation for their shorter overall lifespans – but to see someone already somewhat experienced so long reminded him of the stories that had provoked him to leave home. However, he noticed she was looking similarly into his own appearance, her head cocked in, perhaps, skeptical appraisal.

He subtly readjusts his posture and stands a little taller as she seemed to assess him. His ears couldn’t help but twitch a little uncomfortably as he wondered, for a moment, about her own thoughts of him. A young Illieth with a sword in hand was, after all, practically the punchline of a joke, and he had been told as much many times before. It was, however, why he chose to stand a little more assuredly. Incredulity was understandable, but to him, it would make it that much more memorable when he really showed the world, and himself, what he was capable of. He looks for her response, but her eyes quickly move from him and back toward the gates, and his followed suit. It was then he noticed something even more remarkable – a large, bestial Median woman stalking in as well, looking back at them with keen, bright green eyes.

His look to her is, at first, noticeably excited, a bit shocked but admirative of her striking appearance, but he quickly and politely smooths himself out. This was, after all, a bit of a somber occasion to be meeting under. Especially considering her words, he gives a firm nod, finally come to an understanding about their circumstances. A fateful meeting of soon to be allies; was that it? He could hardly contain himself at such a romantic thought. He evenly steps a little more towards her, though.

“Such would seem to be the case,” he responds warmly to her first question. In his next breath, he’s ready to answer her second, but before he can make the effort, he hears in the distance a discordant voice cutting through the crowd. He spins around, curious as to the source of the wailing, to see the young human woman of before stopping to ask something, and then, before he could stop it, the boy who had been crying barreling right into her. It’s all a bit of a shock – it takes Hawren a moment to collect himself as he sees the boy stare up toward the two of them with wide, frightened eyes. He takes a moment to look toward his new Median acquaintance, to question the situation and to maybe ask for her assistance, before moving hurriedly and kneeling beside the boy.

“Are you alright?” he asks, extending a hand toward his own to try and pull him up. His eyes take a quick dart toward the young woman he’d knocked over, before giving him a sympathetic smile. “What's the trouble?” His was at least somewhat sure of the potential causes of the event, considering their location, but he keeps an optimistic face. If it was what he thought it was, then there was certainly no need for much more panic. He – or, he happily considers – they, would handle it promptly.

mentioned: DergTheDergon Reinhardt

 

[DergTheDergon]

Sai's intense green eyes acknowledged the human woman, then the Illieth male, with slight curiosity and a tilted head, unintentionally mimicking their own actions towards each other. She found it intriguing that an Illieth was led here as well; from what she understood, they barely ever left their homeland, or took up any sort of dangerous profession for that matter, adventuring being the most dangerous of them all. Sai would have to ask the man about that later.

The others' reactions to her were quite strange to her, causing her to furrow her scaly brow. Had they never seen a Median before? The longer-lived Illieth seemed to the most surprised, even, however there was a chance he was quite young. Perhaps they had simply never seen a Median quite like her, at least. Either way, before either of them could respond with more than an incomplete sentence, a scared and feeling young boy accidentally barreled into the human woman.He was clearly running from something quite terrifying, and the sight of him sent Sai's mind into many horrid flashbacks of running, screaming unarmed women and children being cut down by ruthless men who were armed to the teeth. Sai met the Illieth's pleading gaze and said "you deal with boy. Will keep lookout." The Illieth began to comfort the boy, being far more suited to the task than a scary lizard-lady Sai imagined, and instinctually, Sai began to go into a hyper-aware, adrenaline-fueled state as she knew something was about to be upon them.

She held out a scaly hand towards the human woman and simply said "On your feet. Something comes." Once she helped the woman up, or she got up on her own, Sai raised her voice and looked towards the crowd. "Into your homes, all of you! Danger is afoot!" Her raspy, nearly predatory raised voice might've been enough to get the townsfolk to flee on its own.

Her whole body tensed as she keep as alert as possible to catch any coming danger, and her eyes stared wide at the poor boy, instinctively reaching for her both with one hand and an arrow with another, bringing them both down off her back and in front of herself in a well-practiced, swift motion. Sai then turned towards her two new companions. "This one suggests we investigate the direction he was running from... after getting him to safety. She has a feeling the three of us could take whatever alarmed him."

Rustic EredtOgon Reinhardt

 

[EredtOgon]

Etainne Medellin could feel the boy's shivering breath upon her neck. He was like a scared puppy, with dusky, golden brown hair, clutching all around her. Etainne instinctively wrapped her arms around him. She whispered softly to the boy, "shh... shh... it's all right. It's all right, be still." He trembled in her arms. Etainne felt the hotness of his tears upon her neck as well. They slid slowly into the crook of her collarbone before dripping onto the cobblestone street. "Tell me your troubles, child."

"Monster... monsters..." He whimpered. His voice was genuine, but Etainne felt the seeking of his tiny hands.

She smiled at him. "I see. And are you going to give these monsters all of my money?" she said, and the tone of her voice betrayed her knowledge of where he was putting his hands. "You are very swift witted, aren't you?" she smiled once more as the boy turned beet red. The child bolted upright. He looked away to run, but Etainne caught his hand. It held crumpled up dream crystal notes, freshly minted and unspent. Etainne gazed point blank into the face of the boy. Perhaps he would have spoke, or perhaps not. It did not matter, for at that moment the Median took Etainne's free hand and nearly yanked them both high into the air.

"On your feet. Something comes." Etainne suppressed a shudder at the touch of the Median. The rasp of the Median's voice punctured deep within Etainne's gut and skewered itself deep inside. She felt sick. Dizzy. Staggering to balance herself, the Median shouted, and in so doing filled the Southton plaza with a shrill, shrieking, sound. "Into your homes, all of you! Danger is afoot!" The boy took advantage of this. He snatched the money back from Etainne and fled. So did the rest of the townsfolk, scattering and leaping behind a cavalcade of steel and wooden doors slamming shut. Etainne cursed underneath her breath.

But the three of them weren't alone. Etainne could feel it. A sinister presence... coming. Her heart rattle like a snake within her chest. With a grim understanding that, while the boy had been an opportunist, he had certainly not been deceitful, Etainne slowly undid the strap of her hook chain... and slung it low beside her waist. Ready for what was to come.

 

[Reinhardt]

Test of Fate

Prologue: A Goddess Calls​

Objectives

Characters

Town of Sorleim

The inhabitants of the town, after hearing the Median's words, ran away in chaos. Some searched for a safe place to hide, others rushed straight to their home, and a few remained, but were behind walls and protective buildings - they wanted to see what was to happen.

The young lad dashed off, a smirk in his face. Although he had been terrorized by some monster, he had gotten something of value in return, and that is something he, most certainly, will take advantage of.


A loud roar echoed from afar. Rushing footsteps could be heard from afar, heading towards the direction of the individuals. The monster that the child had ran away from seemed to be not halting its chase. Perhaps the child carried something, or perhaps the creature was desperately hungry for food. Regardless of the reason why it hurries to Sorleim, it is sure to be something very dangerous.

Tags: EredtOgon Rustic DergTheDergon

 

[EredtOgon]

Etainne did not like her position. With the median to the left of her, and the Illieth to her right, and both of them in front, the view was crowded out. She wasn't sure she could trust them. Not yet. It all seemed so forward and quick, after all. Alone in her thoughts, Etainne ran her eyes slowly over the scaly body of the median. For the briefest moment, the two of them locked eyes. Etainne glanced away quickly. Without thinking, she had already shifted her stance closer to the one in armor. Then the roar came, echoing loudly over the rooftops.

Etainne scanned her environment. A small shack was next to the side of the plaza facing the Southton wall. From there, it was a quick jump to rooftop of a nearby horse stable. A good 16 feet in height. "Well, that seems like a good spot for a show." Etainne brought her hand up to her mouth and giggled. A few seconds more, and she was in a position she liked far better. There was even a breeze up there, and her eyes could scan the rooftops to see what was approaching...

"Oh my." was all she had time to whisper.