Fantasy The Merchant and the Demon

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Lem'Temar, a large city known for its metalwork artisans, is Peridot's current destination. As a merchant, she loves this city for the myriad items other merchants sell, often at a lower value than they would be worth in other cities. Jewelry, armor and weapons are her specialties, though she enjoys perusing housewares and decorative art pieces as well. She's been walking up and down the streets, free to leave her own stall behind, for the city is well patrolled. Bazaars are where she feels at home. It feels more natural to her than she would feel settling down and living in a nice cottage.

It's a hot summer day, Peridot is dressed in loose fitting, yet still fairly extravagant looking cloth. A vibrant green robe with shiny faux-gold embossing and trim, feminine and alluring, designed to attract attention. As a merchant, attention is an important thing to have. She's 5'6", with an athletic frame from her traveling. Tanned skin from her time outside, as well as her heritage. Dull, orange hair, and hazel eyes. She gathers looks as she internally appraises the items in various stalls.

A particularly ornate dagger catches her eye. It almost looks like it would be used simply for decoration, and it's price reflects as such. Though Peridot can see its exceptional quality. It's sturdy, and extremely sharp. A perfect weapon for a deceptive attack. Knowing she could easily sell it for a tidy profit, she starts haggling. She plays around at first, feigning knowledge of the weapon, but skillfully ends up buying it at a large discount, which was already priced well below its worth.

Satisfied with her purchases, Peridot makes her way back to her stall, enjoying the warm weather. She hails from a faraway land, close to the equator and surrounded by volcanoes and steam vents, so she does very well with the dry, summer air. She also looks strange to locals. Most have oval shaped heads, though hers is small and round, and her wide-set, hooded, hazel eyes are flecked with gold, giving her a lazy, yet powerful gaze. Her hair, despite being a dull orange, still stands out among the crowds. Fairly long, it's naturally dry texture leaves many split ends that curl at the tips, yet almost looks like it's styled that way.

Peridot's hair and clothes sway slightly with her brisk pace and minute breeze. Having enjoyed her escapades through the bazaar, she is ready to get back to her stall. Items won't sell themselves, and this is her last day in this city before she moves on. The path forward has a chance to be filled with peril. The road between Lem'Tamar and Rintin city, her next destination, is known for the occasional highwayman, poised to ambush travelers and demand gold for passage, or bandits, who aren't so polite. She has spent some time in pubs around the city, gathering information on reputable mercenaries that she could hire for the trip, though hasn't found someone just yet. Rintin is named after its chief material production, tin. Fabulous decorative items, from furnishings and jewelry, to trinkets and figurines are made. Their artisans are so skilled in tin-working that they even have techniques to weave it into clothes. Highly fashionable, and a unique process not seen elsewhere in the continent.

Peridot relaxes once she gets back to her stall. This city is fairly famous for its security, so she could rest easy leaving her stall, though she never truly feels comfortable separated from her belongings. Her whole life is here. Her profession, her career, her joy. She settles in, sitting on her luxurious pillow-topped chair. A fantastical contraption that folds in on itself for portability, and is made of a special wood from a faraway place. The construction is unlike anything seen on this continent. Proof of her worldly travels. After settling in, she begins beckoning people, calling out to no one in particular about her many and varied wares. She picked a good location. At a cross section of streets, heavy with foot traffic. Wonderful smells from surrounding stalls helps to attract people, and nearby music helps to keep them here longer. After a few sales, she notices someone eyeing a particular item she has on display, hidden in a back corner.

The item in question is a gauntlet of sorts. Made from a series of small chain links in such a way that it can stretch to fit a variety of hands, and latches at the wrist so it stays on securely. It's lined with thin sheets of overlapping metal, allowing for fairly free movement of the fingers with a scraping sound that is pleasant to the ears. It has a pendant welded into the back of the hand. A feat Peridot finds most impressive, given its gem-like composition. It has a strange symbol etched into it, though she's never been able to make heads or tails of it. It's an item with a certain aura about it, or, rather, perhaps it's luck, or history. Peridot isn't sure, but she has never been able to get rid of it. It's one of her oldest items for sale, with one of her grandest expeditions attached to it. Yet, for all the effort she went through, she has been unable to make any money off of it. She blames the fact that she only has half of a pair of gauntlets.

Thinking back to several conversations in the various pubs, the one eyeing the gauntlet reminds her of one noteworthy mercenary she's heard stories about. Blackblade was the name used to describe him. Though, this was most certainly a female. A rather large a garish looking one, burdened by armor and hidden behind a closed helmet with decorative horns. Peridot smiles, understanding the confusion of others. On closer inspection, the horns aren't part of the helmet. She is curious, wondering if she was some sort of beast-race. Perhaps a large Satyr? She wasn't sure, and doesn't let her curiosity show as she beckons her over with a welcoming smile and an inviting wave.

"Hello!" Bursts Peridot, full of vigor, enthusiasm and warmth. "I see you've been eyeing my wares. If there's something that catches your eye, come, have a chat, let's see if we can't work something out. Though a strong looking warrior such as yourself probably doesn't have any issues making coin, that doesn't mean we can't work out reasonable prices!"

Though her smile is friendly, warm and inviting, underneath, it has sinister intent. She is an adept merchant, though she still has a good heart, and doesn't use her charisma for evil, though she doesn't mind gouging people, especially those who are less than savory, or using her skills to, say, hire a bodyguard for a perilous journey. Especially with an item that she hasn't been able to offload in the many years she's had it in her possession.

 

[RaiAthar]

Demons... Demons and Merchants, Aurelia curses under her breath, not quite sure who she despises more. She is immediately not fond of this exotic, orange-haired merchant's penetrating gaze nor her boisterous demeanor. The poise of those wide-set golden-flecked hazel eyes, from Aurelia's point of view, are akin to a predatory animal in hiding that has spotted its next potential meal.

It may appear odd wearing full armor and a dark cloak given this hot, summer day; however, the alternative would attract greater attention -all the wrong types of attention. Likely due to Aurelia's nature, the ambient temperature does not hinder her. In regards to her armor, everything that is of metal construction, from the plating and rivets to the buckles, are a dark-metallic, satin grey. It is lackluster in that it does not easily reflect light. The lacing, straps and the areas between plating are of a blackish leather. The leather is of dubious origin, passing as dyed cowhide to those who have no knowledge of such things. Upon closer inspection it is clear that the armor has seen heavy use though still in good repair. Perhaps it was somewhat brighter at the time of its creation. There is a saying among the Templars of the Order of Light: A Templar in shining armor is a Templar whose mettle has not been tested.

Aurelia turns to face the merchant, waiting reluctantly for a brief moment, wondering if the lady-merchant knew the origin of the gauntlet before sauntering over to her. The leather soles of her boots make heavy thuds along the cobblestone as she approaches, whether intentional or out of habit, the gesture is meant to intimidate. Aurelia herself does not know the origins of the gauntlet. Of one thing she is certain: a demonic aura permeates from it. There is no mistaking this for Aurelia has a sense for these things. Honesty in thought and action; if the truth could endanger, then silence would suffice -a core value of hers.

“Where did you procure the gauntlet? The one with the pendent forged into the back of the hand.” Aurelia's voice is stoic, some might even consider it harsh, as if she were a commanding officer questioning a soldier under her purview, or the local guardsman questioning a thief!

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

“Where did you procure the gauntlet? The one with the pendent forged into the back of the hand."

The powerful voice sent shivers down Peridot's back. She was quite pleased, thinking that this person might be the one guarding her along her journey. She could simply intimidate her opponents into submission. Intimidation is something that never quite worked on Peridot, instead, becoming intrigued in a strange sort of response. This is not to say she doesn't feel fear, for that's a very real emotion she knows all too well. A beaming smile crept across her face at the question, more than happy to share the story of her procurement of the gauntlet.

Peridot's voice lowered, filling with tension as she tried to convey danger and excitement. Her tones rose and fell dramatically through her telling of the story. "Ah, glad you asked. It was many years ago, when I was a bit younger. I had two traveling companions, a wizard friend, and a warrior, capable and strong, much like you appear to be yourself." She smiled mentally at her compliment.

Peridot's hands would move about as she described various things, "There was this old tomb of an ancient king. Temrelock, I believe was his name. Most notable for quelling several wars that endangered the lands in ancient times. Some stories say he fought against the very gods themselves and won. Others say it was against demon overlords, again, ending in victory. His tomb was buried deep underground, and filled with a myriad of traps, each more deadly and complex than the last."

Peridot stood at this point, really getting into character, her hands and arms playing out the various scenarios as her voice lilted and her expressions changed as she continued, "We searched and searched, battling our way past obstacle and creature alike. The monsters we fought were, well, monstrous, and terrifying! Several days later and we were on the brink of death, with no prize in sight. Then, suddenly," She adds a gasp for effect, "The way opened up. A small, hidden passage lead to a massive open cavern. The walls were plastered with luminescent lichen and a multitude of crawling glow worms. It created a cascade of lights that were one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! Sadly, the beauty belied the danger. Crumbling passageways as we made our way deeper, even more traps, and some of the most dangerous creatures I have ever seen had sadly taken the life of my wizard companion. How me and my warrior friend remained alive is a mystery to this day."

Peridot pauses a moment as she recalled the lost life of her dear friend. Her voice quickly returned to its tense, action filled vibrancy, "Then, when we thought all was lost, we came upon this gauntlet. Artisanship met with craftmenship the likes I have never seen. And I have a good eye for things. The faux-elasticity created by the brilliant design of the links, the protective sheets of metal allow for mobility not thought possible among a steel gauntlet, and the decorative pendant melded with the metal using a technique I, frustratingly, still can't identify to this day. This alone should convey just how difficult it is to create something of this quality."

Peridot eyed the warrior before her, trying to gauge her reaction, wondering if her story piqued her interest or not. The closed helmet makes the task difficult, and she doesn't seem to be much in the way of body language either. Either way, a truly fearsome sight for a bandit to see, leaving Peridot pleased regardless. Her voice takes on it's usual warmth as her story came to a close, "It's quite a remarkable piece. Unfortunately it's only half of a pair, and there's no indication as to where or how it was forged, or by whom. It's information I'd be willing to go to great lengths to find myself." She gives a burst of laughter at some unseen joke, "I am a merchant, and those details would definitely add to the price, surely!" She finishes this statement with a chuckle. "Though, I won't factor that price into this item," as if to calm some unseen worries of her potential customer.

Peridot leaves room now for her potential new companion to digest the information and speak. If she could read her eyes or body language, she would be able to better gauge her interest, and perhaps even bring up price in a way to further that interest, but she restrains herself for now. A warm breeze ruffling her robes reminded her that she was standing, excited from the story, so she once again takes her seat, waiting patiently.

 

[RaiAthar]

Peering down at her seated adversary, Aurelia steps a little closer, possibly crossing the line of what is considered an appropriate distance among strangers. She restrains herself in an altogether different manner. Her patience with merchants is thin especially with the traveling variety. She is painfully aware that her interest in the gauntlet is also apparent to the dragon-oil saleswoman before her, and she knows this information will unquestionably be used to extract every last coin from her not-so-deep coffers.

Aurelia lips part as she grits her teeth. A low resonant growl escapes her throat. Would it have been wiser to simply ask for the price? How much is it really worth to this merchant? Aurelia does not know the answer to these queries, but she is confident and determined. In her mind she does not see herself walking away without the gauntlet in her travel sac.

"That.." Aurelia pauses to bring the menacing visage behind her helm at ease as well as removing some, not all, of the hostility in her voice, "is an interesting story. If what you say is true, then your gauntlet is worth more than my weight in gold -much more than what I can offer. However, as someone who has knowledge of, specific, types of armors, I can tell you that no one of sound mind would even consider wearing a piece such as that. And you say that you lost a dear friend in your quest to obtain it. That is a shame, for the worth of that gauntlet could never amount to anything close to the worth of a true companion. Do merchants like yourself even have those, or is everyone you meet just another walking coin purse that you can get your filthy hands into?" Aurelia doesn't wait for the merchant to answer. "Now give me a fair price so I can be on my way.”

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

The mercenary before Peridot was aggressive, and impatient. Something that pleased her, a good quality in a bodyguard, she thought. Peridot's interest piqued as the woman showed an unexpected level of knowledge and intelligence on the piece. Her features brightening as she went on. Though the mention of her companion brought her mood down, and the dig against her late companion hurt. She thought about retorting, but thought against it, not wanting to get into an argument with her new potential traveling companion. The wizard was, in fact, her childhood friend, and his death impacted her greatly, though she made no mention of this.

Quickly perking up again, she decided to brush that bit aside. She responded, the usual warmth in her voice ever present, "You seem to be rather knowledgeable, a quality I find pleasantly surprising for someone who would normally be considered to be a simple brute." A large smile spreads across her face, showing she doesn't share the common sentiment as she continued, "You're correct in your assessment. It's price is one that even the richest nobles would struggle to match. And your other assessment is also correct, it is quite difficult to get others to even consider buying such a piece, making it doubly difficult to sell. I'll make you a deal, if you are so inclined."

"I have heard word around town that if I wanted the best money could afford, I should seek out the one known as The Blackblade. And, from your appearance, I would assume that you are this person." Peridot motions to her wares, "I may have many fine weapons and armors, but I lack many self defense skills. As a traveling merchant, I find myself often in the need of services such as yourself. If you would be so inclined as to travel with, and protect me on my journey through, hmm, let's say, two towns, I would consider that payment enough for the gauntlet. What say you?" Peridot knows her long winded style of speaking may not be the best approach, but she can't help herself. She keeps her warm demeanor as she tries to study the mercenary's reaction, made ever difficult by her armor, as she waits for her reply.

 

[RaiAthar]

"No." Aurelia declines the offer out of habit, never quite ready to agree to anything a merchant says off-hand. "Wait." She quietly takes a few steps back, crosses her left hand over her right arm. Her right hand balls into a fist, finding a place of rest against the mouth of her helm. She is thinking. The whole ordeal seemed to easy. Was this merchant really going to give up her gauntlet in exchange for protection services? The thoughts played over in her head.

"I agree to your terms." The words came out sharp and quick for Aurelia half-expected the merchant to change her mind is she had hesitated any longer. Her arms fall back to her sides. "When do we leave? Where do we rendezvous?”

Aurelia is already in hurry to get this job over with and she makes no sign of hiding this. Of one thing she is quite content. She is no armorsmith; her knowledge of armor paltry when compared to her martial prowess. She only knows that that specific piece of armor, the gauntlet, has a demonic aura. Anyone of sound mind, say, someone like herself, would never consider wearing it given its true nature. Honesty in thought and action, she proudly thinks to herself.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot raised an eyebrow as the warrior declined her offer, only to quickly turn on her words, rethinking her position. When she accepted, Peridot's warm smile turned into a full-fledged genuine smile. It seemed her new traveling companion was eager to set off. Peridot looked around her stall for a short moment. Nothing particularly kept her here, so she saw no reason to stay any longer. She looked up, noticing the Sun just starting to lower in the sky.

She looked back towards her companion, "Ah, before we leave, there's a few matters to attend to. I need about an hour to pack my things into my cart and attach it to Oxford, my trusty ox. Then, there's the matter of how we'll handle out transaction." Peridot makes a showy look at herself, "As you can see, I'm not very athletic, or strong, and there's no way I could ever leave my things behind. But you could easily take off once you receive the gauntlet. So, what do you say to making it to the first city, which will be Rintin. There, I'll give you the gauntlet and trust you to take me to my next destination, Gorgath. Of course, if I don't honor my word, you could always just forcefully take it from me at that time too, as there would be little I could do to stop you." These words were very true, and was one of the risks of hiring mercenaries. Although the best ones tended to care about their reputations, so things always worked out in the end. "Then there's one last thing. Names!" Peridot extends a hand, "My name's Peridot. Should I call you Blackblade? Or do you have a preferred name? We'll be together for about four weeks, so, it'd be nice to know your name." Peridot kept her genuine smile as she waited for her companion's response.

 

[RaiAthar]

Four weeks was a long time, Aurelia thought. Longer than what she was hoping. That she had some long-standing business to conduct in Gorgoth moderately remedied her dismay at the sentiment of traveling with, Peridot, the Merchant, who appeared to have entirely different sentiments judging by the content smile, a smile that was diametrical to Aurelia's frown.

Perhaps it is discourteous, but Aurelia does not take Peridot's hand; in fact, she completely ignores Peridot's extended hand as well as her mention of names. Instead, Aurelia places her right hand over her chest plate, "I give you my solemn oath that I will uphold my end of the agreement. When we reach Gorgoth, I fully expect you to honor your end of the agreement. If you do not, then I will have no qualms in taking the gauntlet from you by force. And for your sake, I hope it does not come to that since you are.. not very strong or athletic." There was a hint of belaboured sarcasm in those last few words. Aurelia had survived long enough to appreciate the understanding that it was never wise to underestimate anyone or anything.

Aurelia's right hand finds it way to her hip and her head cocks to the right, her posture not at all disguising her impatience. "While you pack, I will purchase myself some supplies. Is there anything else that need be said?"

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Contrary to the popular and expected response to such disdain and rudeness, Peridot's smile broadened. She was absolutely delighted to have such a stoic and terrifying companion. Due to her companion failing to clarify her name, Peridot decided she would call her Smiles. Though would wait until they left to avoid scaring her off before they started.

Peridot shook her head at Smiles' final question, her hair tousled about as she did so. "Nothing more needs be said. We can meet at the north entrance when we're ready. " She said as she found herself amused at the formal way Smiles presented herself. It was clear she put a lot of thought into her words and actions, and was no mere unthinking brute. Although those can be fun in their own right as well. Peridot began packing her things with practice movements as Smiles left to go about her business.

 

[RaiAthar]

Aurelia and Peridot are three days in on the road to Rintin. Aurelia, stubborn as an angry infant, has yet to give out her real name. Neither has she removed her helm in front of her charge. On the very first day, when she had first heard Peridot call her...Smiles, it had the opposite affect on her visage, for in that moment Aurelia had wanted to snatch Peridot by her supple neck then proceed to knee her where the sun didn't shine. Though by the end of the second day the name Smiles became somewhat more tolerable, not that there was much conversation to be had as Aurelia made it quite obvious that she was in no mood to make small-talk or banter with the merchant, but that didn't really stop Peridot from yapping away anyhow, if not to Aurelia, then to her ox Oxford. Strangely enough, Aurelia found some comfort in all of this. People she travelled with, when she did occasionally travel with people, generally kept their distance. This merchant was different, Aurelia thought, she didn't seem afraid.

"We make camp," Aurelia says after she looked to the horizon where the sun will soon set. "Tomorrow we will be staying at a small farming village, Tellyn, not far off the path." Aurelia was looking forward to taking a bath their. The routine was simple: keep watch the whole night; wake up Peridot at dawn if she wasn't already awake; take a short nap for herself; continue travelling at full-light; take a break at midday; continue travelling till mid-evening.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot, as cheerful as ever, set about the task of readying the area for camp. She chattered away, knowing Aurelia wasn't likely to answer back, which made her want to talk all the more. "Ah, Tellyn. I know a couple there. Helped deliver their baby way back when. They really love exotic foreign jewelry. They'll be most pleased when they see my shipment this time around."

She hummed a jolly little tune, intermitten with occasional song lyrics. Peridot didn't have a song voice that would be described as beautiful or lovely, but it was pleasant enough that most people didn't complain. It was a lazy song about enjoying a simple life, surrounded by the beauty of nature. She set about her nightly routine, brushing Oxford, who was just as lazy as the song she sang.

Peridot spent a lot of time studying her new companion. She didn't say much. Didn't do much. Didn't seem to know what fun was. Only knew the task, the next quest, and nothing else. Though Peridot knew better. She showed a little bit when she showed interest in the gauntlet. Peridot thought she might know more than she's letting on, and Peridot wanted to poke and prod her about it. "So, Smiles, what do you know of the gauntlet?" She thought about adding in a teasing joke, but thought it might make her further not want to speak about it, so simply waited to see if she would respond at all.

 

[RaiAthar]

Aurelia was sitting on her knees fully armored as always and next to the campfire, cooking an assortment of pickled vegetables with some beans in a small pot. She winced slightly at Peridot's utterance at the misnomer Smiles but kept her attention on what was in the pot, stirring occasionally. "Please call me.. call me Aurelia, my true name; Auri will also suffice. As for the Gauntlet, I know that it will be my property when we reach Gorgoth." Her statement about the gauntlet was matter-of-fact but without the obvious hint of disdain that had been present in her voice for the last few days. "You have an.." she searches for the right word "...an agreeable voice. I liked your song." Aurelia didn't know where that came from or why she said it, she only knew that it was true to herself at least.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot, as opposed to what she would do, she refrained from jumping with joy at Aurelia opening up. Even if it was only the slightest amount. She was also rather used to compliments, but coming from Aurelia, it was sweeter, given her quiet, tough demeanor. "Thank you, Auri. Most seem to enjoy my singing, but Oxford here really loves it." She motioned to her ox, who looked entirely oblivious to everything.

Peridot walked over to Aurelia, almost skipping in her happiness. She leaned over the cooking pot, her orange hair, enhanced by the setting sun waved about by the breeze as she took in a deep breathe, savoring the smell. She stood back up and faced Aurelia. "Aurelia is such a pretty name. And to be such a great cook is a very feminine quality. I bet you're a beautiful woman underneath all that scary armor," teased Peridot.

Unbenounced to Peridot or Aurelia, a small bandit group had begun gathering over a nearby hill. They were drawn in by the smell. It was a motley crew, just three. Though they were still armed and dangerous. They were one of the bandit bands known for patrolling this road, which is why Peridot elected to hire a mercenary. And she would soon get the chance to prove her worth.

 

[RaiAthar]

It would have been unwise to set-up camp on the side of the path with a party of two, so Aurelia had chosen an area about half a league away through some waist high grass, settling in a small thicket of southern oak trees (the tallest among them was a little over thirty feet in height) that afforded some shade and a pleasant breeze. The flattened grass and the sight of a small circular, rudimentary fire pit built from unhewn stone and layered with wood ash along the bottom and several charred branches is a clear sign that this has been a place of rest for many a traveller.

"You..." tranquil indignation pours into the word and the words that follow, "are well versed at traversing the line between amicable conversation and what is liable to get you a prompt thrashing." Aurelia stands up with her pot of beans and vegetables in tow, walking a few steps over to the largest oak in the thicket and takes a seat behind it, its trunk half as wide as Aurelia is tall. At this point it should be obvious to Peridot that Aurelia is about to remove her helmet to partake in some food and was not to be disturbed for the rest of the night at that if the sound of her voice wasn't any indication that she wanted to be left alone.

“Put the fire out when you're finished” Aurelia barks from behind the tree, knowing that Peridot would have extinguished the fire regardless of saying so. The fire isn't needed for anything more than cooking since the nights are warm this time of year, a good thing too since the light of a small campfire in these parts could attract the unsavoury kind, not always but mostly.

...​

Twilight approached; the waning gibbous Lumos's (one of the two moons that traversed 'round the world) rays cascade through the branches above. A gentle summer night's breeze carries the sweet aroma of evening primrose and a few other night-blooming flowers into the campground. The soft hum of katydid mating calls fills the sweet scented air. Fireflies dance over the fields of tall grass and in the branches of the oak trees above, perhaps challenging the beauty of the stars in the heavens.

Aurelia had barely moved from where she sat leaning against the large oak tree. Her helmet sits beside her; hilt of her greatsword gripped firm in her right hand. The last three nights were much the same except that tonight there is a bittersweet, languorous melody pervading her senses. Her eyelids are heavy, struggling to stay open, then her eyes finally shut. Her head lulls but she catches herself, eyes opening wide to the image of a horned creature standing in front of her...

Instinct or training, whatever the reason, the right hand which grips Aurelia's sword slices at an upwards angle at the horned creature. The horned creature stumbles back to narrowly avoid a killing blow; however, something that the creature holds gets split into two pieces by Aurelia's sword. The forward momentum of Aurelia's attack is adequate to bring her steadily to her feet, at which point she immediately pushes off her back foot to close the gap between herself and her quarry to follow up with a devastating back-fist. The blow lands squarely across the horned creature's temple, sending it hurtling to the ground, the other side of its head makes an earthen thud as it slams off the padded grass. If Aurelia's shield had been strapped to her arm, the blow would most certainly have cracked the creature's skull.

Aurelia, fully awake now, realizes that the horned creature is in fact a male Satyr armed with shortsword, shortbow and a now broken flute. If the magical enchantment created by the satyr's flute had affected Peridot, it certainly wouldn't be affecting her any longer.

"PERIDOT!" Aurelia roars her travelling companions name, hoping to hear a prompt reply. An arrow strikes between the plates of her armor, just after she calls Peridot's name, piercing through the thick leather at the waist and finding flesh. She immediately moves low to the ground to obstruct the attacker's line of sight.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot gave a playful giggle at Aurelia's warnings of a thrashing. She excelled at toeing the line, and loved to push her limitations. Something she thinks she's quite good at. Though she still understood limitations. Everyone has lines, and Peridot rarely crossed them. So, despite her ravenous curiosity, she always respected her companion's privacy.

Peridot didn't sleep much. She doesn't like sleeping. After a few hours she got up and, after a moment of appreciation for the beautiful scenes nature was capable of painting, got up to collect various ingredients. As an apothecarian, insects and flowers were some of her main ingredients for the various potions, tinctures and salves she makes.

A noise interrupted Peridot's task. It was the sound of clashing metal, the ringing echoed through the air. It was a familiar sound to Peridot, the sound of battle. It came from the direction of Aurelia and the camp. It caused her to look around to scan her environment, which revealed a glow a short distance away. Peridot recognized it as magic being readied.

Peridot began dashing back to the camp. She was defenseless out in these fields. A fireball whizzes past her, crashing into a the field in front of her. The explosion stirred all surrounding life from its slumber. The heat radiating forth caused Peridot to stumble and change directions. "Auri!" Shouted Peridot. At the same time she heard her own name echoed back.

Peridot was fairly athletic, and a capable runner, but the only humans heard of outrunning an elf were in stories, legends and rumors, and Peridot was not a human of legend. Peridot was calm, which may seem strange to others, given the situation, but she has been in much harrier situations than this. Her composure gives some truth to the stories of the grand adventures she tells.

She made it to her cart, where she grabbed an extravagant sword and shield. The sword was a short elven sword. Light and maneuverable. It had a light blue tint to the blade and a wavy black pattern on the back of the blade, as well as crystals embedded into the hilt which was made of obsidian, giving it a volcanic glass texture. The shield was a massive tower shield. It appeared to be made of frosted glass, but the material was unidentifiable by Peridot. It's origins entirely unknown, but it's craftmanship were undeniable. It was light enough for Peridot to carry around, and the frosted glass allowed her to hide behind it and still see the happenings on the other side. The elf was already leaping through the air before she could turn around, poised to strike.

 

[RaiAthar]

Some ways behind Aurelia a flash of fiery-light illuminates the surrounding area for an instant. The flash is followed by a blast likened to the sound of a gale-force wind. Aurelia immediately realizes that this is the handiwork of a spell-caster. Her outlook of the situation becomes grim until she hears Peridot calling for her. Is just so happens that Aurelia was facing away from the origin of the light, thus the bright flash did not dazzle her vision but chances are that whoever shot her with that arrow was not faring as well as her.

Stealth, inconspicuousness and indirectness, though not foreign concepts to Aurelia, weren't comprehensive aspects of her personality. She did appreciate the tactical advantage of an ambush whenever it presented itself; however, this was a rare occurrence in her experiences when taking into consideration the creatures she usually hunted. Given Aurelia's predisposition, she wanted to charge into the field to take advantage of the bright flash, but she ultimately decides against this course of action as her main objective is to safeguard Peridot.

Aurelia is about to turn around to press forward in a low crouch towards the sound of Peridot's voice when she hears the heavy foots falls of a large bipedal creature approaching her with haste. Naturally, she stands upright to face her attacker and when she does, the attacker, a seven foot tall female orc with an impressive build, throws an axe her way. Aurelia swats the axe away with her greatsword. The orc does not slow her advance, quick-drawing her greataxe mid-charge, axe held high, readied to swing down with all her might but before the axe can come down Aurelia is already in range to intercept.

All things being equal, a straight line is the shortest path between two points. Aurelia delivers a powerful front stomp kick to the orc's mid-section before the axe can come down. The orc drops her axe, her feet leaving the ground and arms flailing forward as her body caves inwards on Aurelia's outstretched leg, then she is launched several feet back into the air, landing in the tall grass. Aurelia follows after the orc to finish the job, mounting the orc and raining four devastating punches down onto her chin. With the orc thoroughly incapacitated, Aurelia gets up and sprints towards the center of the camp where she catches sight of Peridot alive and decently equipped to defend herself though seemingly unaware of the assailant behind her.

Aurelia lets go of her greatsword; the hair tie that holds together her messy ponytail bun comes undone, causing her long silvery-grey hair to splay out behind her in a majestic display as she moves past Peridot with inhuman speed to intercept the elf's attack. Her right hand catches the elf midair by the neck and jaw though not before the golden-glowing blade of elf's staffsword penetrated her armor, piercing through her left shoulder and out the back.

"Demon" the elf spits, derision in her voice. Aurelia promptly slams the elf's head against an adjacent tree, then lets her fall lifeless to the ground. After pulling the staffsword out of her shoulder and tossing it aside, she looks back to Peridot, "We need to move. Now."

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

By the time Peridot managed to turn around, her equipment brandished, her foe was already dealt with. She was entirely unaware that without Aurelia intercepting the elf, she would not have had enough time to even turn around.

Peridot hears the elf spit out the word 'demon' before being incapacitated, possibly killed. It left some curiosity on her mind, but she filed it away for later, instead choosing to obey her battle hardened protecter without complaint.

"Right," came the quick reply. She stowed her gear so she could quickly attach Oxford to the cart and began ushering him forward. As he walked through the camp she would throw on the camp supplies and beds haphazardly onto her neatly organized cart. Cleaning it up is something that can be done later, when it wasn't raining arrows and fireballs. Speaking of, an arrow landed right into the cart's wheel. It's shaft snapped off as the wheel turned. Oxford was either used to this, or was oblivious, as he made no move to move any faster, despite Peridot urging him on and pushing against his rump.

More arrows rained from the sky. Their origins were difficult to determine. Peridot lacked combat skills, but she had a myriad of items she's accrued over her years of travel. She was planning on selling one such item, but figured it was a good time to use it. Peridot grabbed a scroll. On it was written a spell, the parchment was also imbued eith magic. A rather rare item, as imbuing scrolls with spells shortens magician's life, so there are no old scroll imbuing magicians. Though the scrolls sell for a lot, as they allow ordinary people to cast spells.

Peridot undid the strings tying the parchment closed, revealing the spell wording, along with a magic circle that holds the energy to cast the spell. Peridot read the words, causing a faint glow to emanate from the parchment. The glow intesified over several seconds until a small sphere of orange light shot high into the sky. Over the next few minutes it would grow and intesify until the land was as bright as the middle of the day before quickly dying out. Peridot hoped this would be enough to help Aurelia find their adversaries as she turned back to urging her ox onward.

 

[RaiAthar]

Ranged combat is not one of Aurelia's strengths. Excluding the occasional throwing of a lance or javelin, she is not proficient with standard ranged weaponry (bows and crossbows); in fact, she often considers these weapons to be beneath her station.

Using her sword, Aurelia deflects several arrows away from herself and the stubborn Oxford as they hustle up the hill. When they arrive at the hill's apex, the radiant daylight emanating from of the magical orb that was conjured by Peridot winks out of existence. Aurelia knows that now would be a good a time as any to say a few words considering the vision of the archers needed time to adjust to the darkness.

"Peridot. Listen carefully. I cannot fight these hunters, without killing them, and protect you at the same time. If I am not in Tellyn before the sun sets again.. I ask that you to give the gauntlet to a dwarven blacksmith in Gorgoth. The blacksmith's name is Gwindeth. Now go!" With that said, Aurelia dashes back down the hill with the speed of -one might say- a demon. From the point of view of the onlookers on the hill, Aurelia's frame quickly blurs into the night, and then, she is gone.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot barely has time to process Aurelia's words before she dashes off. Peridot didn't even get a chance to get a word in. How unfair, she thought, her companion just running off like that. Peridot pouted, but dutifully obeyed her hired mercenary, urging Oxford along at the fastest, meandering speed he'd go.

Peridot had gone a short distance. She no longer felt in danger from that group of bandits. She was torn though. She wanted to head back and help. She also didn't want to leave her cart alone. If only Oxford were trained to defend it. What an unfortunate turn of events, she thought. The road ahead was still wrought with dangers. The road behind was guarenteed to bring uncertainty. And staying put was asking for trouble. She sighed before deciding to keep moving forward. Tellyn wasn't that far from here, and she was more than familiar with the way, the place, and the people there.

 

[RaiAthar]

The village of Tellyn is a small farming community encompassed by a palisade made of thick logs. The palisade's perimeter is more or less triangular in shape with a watchtower positioned on the inside at each corner. There is a north gate and a south gate. The village houses a residential area; stables, maintained by a human lady named Claris; an Inn, Tiga's Inn -Tiga is the inn's proprietor (he is humanoid with several tiger-like physical features i.e., tiger striped fur and tail and cat-like ears sprouting from the top of his head), Claris is his wife.

Tellyn also has a diminutive marketplace for travelling merchants and farmers to set up shop; a general store owned by a man named Virgil; the Smithy is manned by a man named Sorin. Tellyn's mayor or village elder is Bogdan. Bogdan is an old grey haired farmer and the captain of the guard. He used to be a soldier and has seen his fare share of battles. Bogdan is an honest and brave man if not a little stuck in the old ways. He cares deeply for all those under his purview as much as he does for his granddaughter and grandson.

In the center of the Tellyn are three large apple trees. These trees are often used as a place of gathering for village functions and an area for little ones to play. If Tellyn is known for anything, it's their scrumptious apple pies, and everyone in the village knows that no one bakes an apple pie better than Bogdan's wife, Hilda.

A few yards outside the south gate are several rows of field crops lined-up in a rectangular shape and surrounded by simple wooden fencing that serves to keep out large animals. Beside the crops and within the perimeter of the wooden fencing is a windmill for grinding grains into flour. South of the crops is another watchtower. To the west of the town is a small cemetery, and several yards below the cemetery is the fisherman's hut -it's owner is a man named Sandu. The hut lies at the edge of Lake Tellyn.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot had made it to Tellyn without further incident. Well, except for her worry. She was greeted at the south gate by an old friend. Heron was a young guard. Or rather, used to be. Peridot knew him when he was a young guard, just starting out. They greeted each other with knowing smirks.

"As I live and breathe, is that Peridot?" Said Heron, mischievous joy filled his voice. Peridot replied with the same tone, "Who, me? No, my name is Heron."

"Heron? Why, that's my name! It's a pleasure to meet you, Heron."

"Why, Heron, what a lovely name. The pleasure is all mine."

The two burst out laughing. Heron didn't bother asking Peridot the usual questions, or inspecting her cart as ge ushered her in, excited to chat. Unfortunately, he was still on duty, though he promised to meet up woth Peridot later.

Peridot had similar greetings with many of the residents of Tellyn. She was also loved by the children. She had a small army of them following her as she handed out small trinkets. Cheap jewelry and wooden figurines, things that wouldn't sell for much anyways, but brought the children joy.

She made her way to the local inn, where Tiga greeted her warmly. After a bit of small talk, Tiga said, "So, what brings you here?"

"I am just passing through to Rintin. I'll need two room," replied Peridot.

A questioning eyebrow rose as Tiga said, "Two rooms?"

"Yes, I have a companion. She should be joining me later."

"You know Claris and I would gladly house the two of you, right?"

Peridot giggled at the thought of Aurelia hanging around them and their family, "My companion isn't the most agreeable woman. And she likes her privacy."

Tiga gave knowing smile as he prepared everything. Peridot paid with a gold coin, more than enough for every room at the inn. Tiga gasped, "Peridot, no, you can't." Peridot shook her head, "You've been more than kind to me over the years. It's the least I can do. Oh, and could you come let me know whan my companion shows up? She's big and scary looking. A warrior among warriors. Wears a lot of armor, has horns, and looks like she could take on an army by herself." Tiga laughed at her description and agreed, letting her go on her way.

 

[RaiAthar]

"Aurelia..." said Bogden, "I told you never to return to this village if you valued your life." Bogden is a tall man; a hair taller than Aurelia and with a physique to match. His hair along with his beard are short and well trimmed as she had always remembered it to be. Overall, Bogden had aged quite well which was no surprise to Aurelia since he has Celestial blood running through his veins. “But you never did place much value in your life, did you?”

Aurelia was seated, leaning against the far-side of the fishing hut; her black blade is clutched tightly in her right hand. The tattered cloak she wears does little in concealing her practically naked body, a body smeared in her own blood and covered in many wounds. A thick coat of partially dried blood cakes the hair on the right side of her head and forehead. Her right horn is missing -from the look of it, the horn was pulled out from her scalp. The stale odor of urine exuding from her nearly overpowers the smell of the blood.

"A day ago, a band of demon hunters made camp outside the village. I take it you had an encounter with them. How many did you kill?"

"None” answered Aurelia, “I do not believe they would have spared me otherwise."

"Yet you could have killed them all if you wanted to."

"It is not.. my way; it is not the way of a Knight of the Old Code; it was not the way of my mother, Tannis."

"You are NOT a Knight of the Old Code, and Tannis is NOT your mother. It's only for her that you still live."

"If killing me will bring you solace, then finish it here and now." Aurelia tosses her sword over to Bogden. The sword lands at his feet. "But before you kill me, I must know one thing. I was travelling with a merchant-"

"A merchant arrived earlier in the day," Bogden Interrupts, "orange hair; keen eyes. She is well known by the people of my village. The innkeeper informed me that she was expecting her horned, warrior companion to show up. When I heard this, I took it upon myself to man the watch tonight.”

That was all Aurelia needed to hear. Her vision started to blur and everything started to go dark.

...​

Aurelia wakes finding herself lying down on a clean cot with sheets that are a naturally tanned cotton colour. The covers are pulled up to her shoulders, and over her right shoulder she notices that someone has dressed her hair into an intricate fishtail braid. The smell of apple pie is thick in the air, making her mouth water. Next to Aurelia, sitting in a padded rocking chair, is Peridot. Aurelia doesn't look directly at Peridot. Instead, Aurelia's gaze is fixed at the ceiling.

"I arrived after nightfall. My apologies."

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot stands at Aurelia's words, "Silly girl. What did you do? I should have stayed. Lucky for you, I'm a master apothecarian. I dressed your wounds. I do say not even a doctor could have done a better job of patching you up, thanks to my salves. I also have a tincture for you to drink."

Peridot brings her companion a vial of clear blue liquid, "Drink it. It'll make you not dead. That's a good thing." Peridot moves to help Aurelia up, holding her head so she would have an easier time drinking her medicine.

Peridot showed no signs of surprise of stress. This was actually a rather familiar sight. She was constantly taking care of her old companions as they rushed headlong into danger, confident she could just patch them up like new. Well, until she couldn't do that anymore for her old wizard friend.

 

[RaiAthar]

Being dead, not a a good thing? Aurelia asked herself, not sure what to think.

If Peridot had indeed dressed Aurelia's wounds, she would have noticed a pair of old, approximately uniform scars on her upper back on either side of her thoracic spine and about as long as her thoracic spine as well. Another old wound that might have come to Peridot's attention is a small, roundish scar situated on her lower back between the sacrum and coccyx.

Aurelia's personality wasn't completely synonymous to the world-weary knight in the stories of old, the knight who as a matter of honor would never allow emotion, asides from rage and anger, to escape from under the hardened exterior of their armor. Aurelia's was a little different, she had been wearing armor over her heart for so long that she had forgotten how to take it off without the help of a kind soul. Her armor seldom stayed off for long, however.

"This tincture tastes like piss. I know Apothecarians also make poisons.. so if you are planning to kill me softly" a gentle smile graced Aurelia's lips, "it's working. Just don't get used to seeing me like this." She laughed lightly and winces from the pain in her ribs.

 

[PauciloquentPumpkin]

Peridot gave a warm smile in return, elated at seeing a lighter side to Aurelia. She placed a warm hand on Aurelia's shoulder, "Poisons taste sweet so their victims won't suspect a thing. Be weary when handed sweet tasting medicine." Peridot knew Aurelia's words were in jest, but hoped her words were reassuring regardless.

"You're a rather fearless warrior," Peridot said, "and you have the scars to prove it. Each one tells a story, or so one of my old companions once told me, I'd love to hear some of your stories." She stood and moved to grab a nearby plate of food she'd prepared earlier. Locally sourced foods, fish from the nearby lake and some bread, with assorted vegetables. She wasn't quite the cook Aurelia was, but she's not heard complainta before.