The Blasphemers IC

[ArchangelUriel]

OOC Here


Alux stood atop the tallest bell tower in Primon, watching as its leaders congregated in the room of a building adjacent to the one he was perching on. He ran his hand through his long beard, concentrating on their body language and facial expressions. From what he'd gathered, there were two that were protesting the remaining four. Those four had expressions that looked to be a mixture of sour impatience, and a powerful guilt. What could make them so guilty? The question pulled on Alux, testing his ability to remain level-headed. If the most powerful people in the one remaining free nation could feel that kind of guilt, then what is to become of the rest the realm? One of the two that was protesting was one of his disciples, a Blasphemer in secret, though the man never really liked the fact. He turned from his colleges as a falcon reached the window Alux was peering into. He went to the falcon, back turned to the others, and quickly tied a note to the falcon's leg, who then departed. A few seconds later the bird landed on Alux's out stretched forearm. The old man then took the note, and with the snap of his fingers, the bird dissipated. As he unrolled the note, his brow furrow, and the note read...

Primon goes to war.

[AAB]

A small tavern sat at the center of the Mors desert. This was not as odd as one might suppose, for the center of the desert was known as "The Oasis." and was really a lake, connecting the Mors and Ianua rivers. The tavern, which shared its name with the lake, was a stopping place for those who had traveled along the rivers that ran through the northern part of the Mors Desert and wished to continue south, as well as those going in the opposite direction.

A small bearded man introduced himself to the tavern keeper. "'Ello," he said, "I am Dyron Micoml, a traveling merchant. I have a load of goods with me to get to Fortior. I hear the place has grown in the recent years, and there should be good business for me. So where-"
The owner of The Oasis interrupted. "You're looking for the desert guide, right? Right over there." He gestured to a hooded figure in the corner and went back to wiping mugs clean. The merchant looked a bit uneasy as he headed toward the desert guide, but he never made it. A tall, well-dressed man grabbed Dyron by the arm and introduced himself as
"Saal Zerrot, captain of the Windsteed. You don't want to travel through the desert. It's a rough trail, and you certianly wouldn't want to trust your life to-" he lowered his voice, "a blasphemer." The little man's eyes widened as Saal continued. "I can guide you down the river and over the ocean all the way to Basi, which is often a better market than Fortior, as well as having a safer path to Fortior than you could find through the desert." Dyron seemed obliged, and the two left together.

In the corner, the desert guide glared from under a well-worn hood. The merchant was a fool. Saal's travel would cost him three times what the desert guide charged, the trip to Basi would likely take twice as long, and it was well-known that the ocean was no safer than the desert. The desert guide tapped the side of an empty mug and called out for a refill.
"Right away, ma'am," the tavern keeper called back.

[ArchangelUriel]

Auroram Bellua breath in deep, letting the forest air fill his lungs, and put him at ease. The Bellus Forests was a beautiful place, and it was the first time Auro had visited them, so the though of his coming departure from them was more than enough reason to enjoy every breath. It surprised him that a place so green existed on Locus, considering all he's ever known of the place was the Mors Desert. He walked out from the tree line, and before him lied the shores of Obex Lake. It was so clear and pristine, he could see the fish move about in their schools. It would all end soon, and with that though he let out a sigh. Auro had an escort contract down in Fortior, he was to be there in two days. Luckily he had a raft that would get him there. All he had to do was set off down the Bellus River, and it would take him right to the city, but not before he squeezed in every breath of that vitalizing air.

A large white wolf walked up next to him as he sat down upon the shores. It stood at least five feet at the head. "Hello Aluce. Have a nice hunt girl?" The majestic creature sat beside her master. She was a mystery to Auro. Her size was astonishing, especially since he'd raised her since she was the size of his palms put together. At the time he'd found her, he thought she was the abandon runt, but now that thought was a joke. Not because it was untrue, but because he suspected that for whatever breed of wolf she was, she may have actually been so. "You ready to head off?" Auro asked as he rubbed her neck. Then the wolf stood and trotted off down the shore. "That makes one of us."

[Metronome]

The charming little bell over the shop door rang as a man stepped inside. He looked around before walking by the selves, examining the ingredients. He stopped to pick up an interesting looking book and flip through it. By the time the man had put it back, he realized that he was still alone. Where was the shop's owner? The potion master he was supposed to see for his ingredients? The man walked over to the wooden counter in the back and peered over it. There was a doorway behind it leading into another room, probably storage, and a staircase that led upstairs to what was most likely the owner's living quarters. The customer glanced around for a bell to ring or something. His eyes landed on a flask that sat out on the counter. It was metal, with a nice, fancy little trim around it. Curiosity got the better of the man. He'd heard that the shop owner was missing a few of his marbles, but perhaps he was just a chronic drunk.

He picked up the flask and unscrewed it, taking a whiff. There no scent of alcohol, but the liquid inside had it's own, strange smell. He peered in to see a bright green, semi-thick potion. He shook it around in the flask a little and then set it back do-
"Hey there brother." The man had just set the flask down when a voice out of nowhere spoke right behind his ears. He jumped and whipped around to be met by the chest of a man, then looked further up to see his face. The guy was tall and lanky, with a mess of curly brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that were fixated on him with a strange sort of intensity. It made him just a little uncomfortable. "Would you like to buy a potion?"

The man's voice was much less intimidating than his initial appearance. He had what would have been a pleasant lilt to his tone, had it not been for the gruff growl it was delivered in. At first, the man had been afraid that the potion marker was angry at him for snooping, but as it turned out, that growl was just how he spoke. He recollected himself as he watched the taller man walk behind his counter and wait expectantly, a friendly smile on his face.
"Yes. Urm, I was just looking around for a certain ingredient that I've found rather hard to purchase. It seems no one else carries it. Your...'special moon dust'?"
"Yeah, brother. The moon dust is all kinds of difficult to be findin'. Folks just don't be knowin' how to get their make on for it is all. You won't be gettin' it off those shelves, though, brother. I gots to keep it all and locked up."

The man watched as the potion maker went into his back storage room, only to return a moment later with a little wooden box. He set it down in front of the customer, who cracked it open to peek inside. The man caught a glimpse of the greyish powder, littered with small chunks of whatever the hell the stuff was made from. But before he could get a good look, the potion maker snapped the lid that back shut.
"That'll be five pieces, brother."
"Five pieces? You're out of your mind! That can't be more than 8 ounces!"
"Stuff's hard to be comin' by. A brother can't just be all sellin' it for nothin'." That smile never left the guy's face. The customer was finding it more and more aggravating. He grumbled as he pulled out his coin pouch and slapped the money down on the counter.
"Fine."

The potion maker collected his money with a even more content smile. "Alright, brother. You be all havin' a nice day!" He waved as the man left, as if they were best friends. Yeah, the guy was definitely missing a few of his marbles.

[Rtron]

With a crunch and slice, the two handed axe went through the bandits neck, severing the head. A look of desperation and surprise still stayed on the head as it rolled on the cave floor, the neck and body still spurting blood. Veztec cleaned off his axe and secured, before bringing up his list. Well, 'list' was a loose term. In reality, it was a pile of bounty papers, tied together by a string. Veztec undid the string, his visor raised, and shifted through the pile until he found the one he wanted. "Gregor the Cruel. Wanted for kidnapping, robbing, murder, rape and civilian torture. Accepted Dead or Alive."

Veztec said as he found the bounty he wanted, folding and sticking it in his belt, before giving the body a quick burial by shifting the earth and putting the head in his sack. Vato came lumbering into the cave, blood still on his claws and around his jaws (Rhyme ftw) from dealing with the bandits compatriots. His black fur stained a little with with blood, but none of his from what Veztec could tell. His armor blended in perfectly with his fur, as did the blade on the claws. "Hey there boy, did you have fun?" Veztec asked as the bear butted him with his head affectionately.

"I'll take that as a yes." he added ruefully as Vato began sniffing around the food sacks of the bandits, looking for something to eat. Evidently finding it, he suddenly ripped a sack open and shoved his face in, the sounds of slurping and eating could be heard for a few moments before he came up again, licking his lips, stained with black berry juice. "Alright you great lummox, lets go, we've a schedule to keep."

Vato gave a last longing look at the sack before following. Veztec frowned as he looked at his list. An old bounty he'd taken a while ago, to give him something to search for between jobs, of an escaped slave who attacked and slew innocent civilians and all others he came upon. Last that was heard of him was that he had gone over the edge of a waterfall. Though no body was ever found, hence why the bounty was still up. Despite the fact that he was almost certainly dead. What do they think? That the Dawn Dragon is this man? Veztec thought exasperatedly when he thought of the bounty posters. He headed out of the cave, deep in the Bellus forest, and headed towards the shores of Obex lake. Both to clean Vato and to clean himself and his weapons. Vato was walking along happily with him, his claws clinking in their metal sheathes.

[Rorak]

((Just to set in mind. Akareth is 169 and hes praying to his god, Sapientia, to keep him alive for another 10 years.))

Akareth stood by an altar, he began to chant and mime a few things before performing a semi-powerful kenisis/spell. The spell made fire come out of the ground around him and the alter but water come down from the sky to the same place of the fire, the two substances were at balance. A few seconds after there were rocks with symbols floating around Akareth and the Altar. "Mistress Sapientia, please, keep me living for another 10 years!" Akareth whispered to himself. "Yes... Yes. I will give you the power." A strange female voice whispered back to him. Akareth was shocked but he couldn't show it or the kenisis would collapse and Akareth would slowly start dying away. The kenisis now stopped and Akareth sighed, "This world is so obvious. You always know what will happen!" He murmmured to himself. The golden sphere in his hand glowed and gave him the 10 years of life...

***********************MOVING ON BY 4 HOURS***********************

Akareth was in Caldus, Ye Olde Mage Pub. Akareth sat down at the bar and ordered a pint of Demibrine Blast. Whilst he waited for his drink 2 chubby, fat people came over to him. "Hah! He couldn't even lift a rock with kenisis!" Said one of the two men to the other one, we'll refer to him as Deb, "Yeah, hes a braindead bumblebow with no blasted life" Said the other man to Deb, who'll we'll refer to as Seb. Akareth was obviously annoyed but he did not want to use combat, though he would if this was outside. "Grampa! Grampa! Lives on Looser Street!" Deb mocked, "Yeah, he probably has thousands of wrinkles! And hes probably to weak to hold his staff!" Laughed to other one. Akareth stood up, picked up his staff and used kenisis to blast the two men into the wall. "Leave me! I AM the Seal Master! I could use my power to blow you up, but I will let you live. This is only the first time." Akareth angrilly shouted at Deb and Seb. Akareth left the bar even with everybody staring at him. Akareth had nearly left the town when he collapsed and his body was in complete pain. "No. Not today Garthadorn... Not today, please!" He said to himself like he was terrified. "Oh yes. Today will be the day!" Mockingly said a voice from a man dressed in black robes who was standing in the forest....

[WittyReference]

Frit had stationed himself outside the potion shop as the mark left clutching a a small wooden box, looking about skittishly.

"Hold a moment friend. Don't tell me you fell for this sod's Moon Dust ploy? Tall guy left his flask on the counter then popped out of nowhere?"
Frit beckoned the man come closer as he spoke in hushed tones and gazed about warily. "My good man, you've been duped."

Poorly masked shock and mild anger set about in the mark's eyes as he looked slowly over Frit. He was relatively handsome, if a bit thin and had a trustworthy smile as he spoke. Taking one last look at the box in his hands, the man stepped nearer to hear of his own foolishness.

With an exaggerated sigh, Frit rubbed his face in feigned disappointment. "I'll make this short. That box holds little more than sand. You sniffed the flask, am I right?"

The man started to speak, but was cut short as Frit spoke again. "Some kinda blue goop? Wait, no. It would've been green this time..." A look of reflection crossed his face as he inwardly smirked. "I say again, you were bamboozled. That was no mere concoction, friend. That was a mild sleeping potion spiced with some hallucinigenic weedgrass for good measure. You can't see it now, but come tomorrow morning, you'll open that box to find dirt and this shopkeep will be long gone."

The man looked suspiciously at Frit, fingers easing around the box to check inside. It looked like Moon Dust to him; why should he believe this-again the man's thoughts were interrupted as Frit began again.

"You might wonder how I know all this." Here Frit paused and examined his own hands in mocking guilt. "Well, truth be told, I taught him that trick. That big lummox is my old friend D'rek. I'm Issac, pleasure to meet you. I swear... If I had known then he'd be conning innocent people, I would have left him to the bandits..." A look of forlorn reflection again played across his features belying an inward smile.

"I tell you what. I'm not a rich man, but I'll give you three silver if you just forget this ever happened. I will need the box of dirt back so you can't report my friend but, in all honesty, I'm paying for your silence." Frit made a show of looking uneasy at relying on a stranger. "I don't have much, I just want to keep my friend out of hot water."

The man looked back with a sense of pride. Being a laborer himself, he knew how hard times were. He had a wife and children at home. Three silver was pittance to the five gold he'd paid, but to allegations of purchasing Moon Powder, much less being conned over it, would leave his family mocked and shunned. With a long sigh, the man handed over the box and accepted his three silver, taking a last look at Frit's face.

Frit began to mist his eyes, an old trick he learned in Locus. "Thank you..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the man finally took his leave, Frit dried his eyes and waved to the disappearing dot in the distance. When he was sure the sucker was out of line of sight, he entered Zinnie's shop whistling to himself in time with the little bell over the door.

"Hey Zin! You owe me five silver!" Laying the box of precious cargo on the counter, he continued. "It wasn't easy, but I got your Moon Dust back. He was a hard nut to crack, had to turn on the water works and everything." Chuckling to himself, he lifted the green goop on the counter. "What is this stuff any way?"

[Metronome]

Zinzie was still standing behind his counter, staring off into space with a big, happy smile on his face, innocent as can be. His eyes returned to focus as Frit came in the door, his smile growing into a wide, crack faced grin. "Brother, I don't be owin' you shit. I didn't all up and tell you to be gettin' my magic dust back." His tone was light and humorous as he took his little box back to the storage room. When he came back out, Frit was handling his flask. Most people knew that he didn't like it when people touched his flask, but he rarely acted out on it.
"Miracles, brother," Zinzie said, cryptic as ever. He took his flask back and took a swig of the green slime, then tucked it away in his inner shirt pocket. "So what's a motherfucker all up today, anyways? Can't be much good shit goin' up if a brother has to be playin' his cons outside my little ol' shop. Best be careful who you be playin' with, though. Some of the folk who be comin' in here all like are crazy as a crooked snake."

Zinzie had an interesting quality to him. Not many people actually enjoyed talking to him, what with his strange words, his flighty conversations, and his cryptic statements. However, no one ever interrupted him while he spoke. There was something about his actual words, perhaps the sheer oddity of them, that captured people. They flowed from his mouth like a waterfall, and yet hardly made any sense. It was like a game: what weird shit is Zinzie going to say next?

[AAB]

The desert guide sat at her corner table for several minutes more, occasionally sipping from her mug. That merchant had turned her down, but there would be someone else. There was always someone who needed to get across the desert for one reason or another.

A man and woman rushed into The Oasis and straight to the desert guide, as if someone had told them where to find her.
"We need to get to Obex Lake," the man said breathlessly, "can we leave now?"
The desert guide raised her eyebrows. It wasn't common for anyone to ask to go there. The Oasis was a midway point on a journey. If someone wanted to get from Fortior to Obex Lake, they simply followed the river. If someone wanted to get from Ianua to Obex Lake, they took the mountain pass.
"Sure, I can take you," the desert guide told the couple, "for ten Chrysos."
The man shoved the money into the guide's hand, seemingly eager to be rid of it.
"You can call me Gail. Pack some water and some food and meet me outside the tavern. Oh yes-" Gail reached into a pack behind her and pulled out a few items. "Each of you needs overshoes to keep out the rocks and a hat to keep off the sun."

The three were soon on their way. The distance was about the same from The Oasis to Obex Lake as from The Oasis to Fortior, but the latter was a hard trek through the desert, whereas the former included a walk along The Oasis, a day in Mors Desert, and a day in Bellus forest. Many people wold be able to make the trip without a guide, but this couple was new to Locus.

[NikoSmith]

Finally a time to herself, to a world she hadn't experienced and yet she was so afraid that everything and everyone would deny her. Her right foot shaking vigorously as she looked over into the water from the large trade ship that would only come to her island once every three months. She peered into the sea, seeing her distorted self, beautiful but still untamed. She looked from the water and to the crew of the ship, noticing their clothing and noticing that they were noticing her. She was different for sure, not that much different she thought. They were so different from what she was used to, men that wore clothes were like women without hips, god forbid if she was to ever see that. Her small skirt fluttered in the wind as her breast moved freely in her intricately tied wrap that divulged enough to make her the target of a drunken mans banter. The gold bangles around her ankles were at least ten pounds each and adorned symbols unknown to anyone who wasn't from the tribe. Her whip hung to her side, ready to be drawn easily without falter. She turned away, looking into the blue sky, absorbing the life that the sun gave her to continue on. She had been on her own many times, but this was so different.

"Hey ya" a strongly arrogant voice spoke out.

Her honey brown eyes looked to the right corners, seeing a poorly groomed man that hadn't shaved since the third full moon. He was bulky, arms sculpted but overall nothing to ponder over or even consider marrying. Cae looked at him with her eyes beaming and a smile that could instantly pick up a prince within seconds.
What does this fool want...

"Yez?" Cae spoke with her thick island accent, rolling her R's and pronouncing her T's like D's, and C's like G's. "Gan I hep yu?"

"She's got quite the tongue on her!" he preached to the crew "I'm assuming you know what to do with it as well."

Cae knew what he was trying to refer to but her smile stayed and her eyes pretending to not comprehend anything he was saying. "Ooom whad tit yu say? I ton'd unterstant. Your langage is hart." she was really forcing those words.

He gripped her arm firmly, smiling with clearly horrid teeth. "It means you should come down below so we can get to know one another. B How's that pretty mouth work? Beautiful black hair and skin softer than any of these ingrates got. Yeah you will do just nicely." he began to stroke her cheek.

Instantly Cae grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm, jutting up his shoulder and quickly kicking him in the ribs with an additional ten pounds. Cracking echoed from the ship as his ribs fractured and a nice pop emitted from his shoulder. He fell to the wood instantly, not knowing what to hold first. Cae stood over him, legs spread apart as if she was offering but clearly he couldn't take the prize he so desired. Her smile had become a cold grin as her eyes leered into his very soul. "If you dare touch me, ever again...I'll guarantee that more of your body will be in such pain that even thinking about what you want to do to another woman will send you into a state of despair. I don't know how you handle women on this boat, but you should learn to change it if it's anything like this." Her language skills seem to be very clear at this point of the conversation.

One more reason why she was scared to leave home...no one knew how to treat her and there would be more times than one where she would devour a man's soul for stepping out of place. And if there was a woman to challenge her in such a way, will cat fights were easier done then said. The men on the ship avoided eye contact as well as even speaking. They fed her from afar and gave her the respect she desired. Was she really that mean? On the island things were different.

---

Four days had passed and the Demitto Sea was a trek that she certainly didn't want to go through again. But going home was bound to happen. She had made it to Basi unscathed but she knew that it would be a much longer fare home, Primon was her next stop after the ship got supplies they needed. She had hear tales of Basi but she had never been here, hopefully everything she heard wasn't true...She stepped off the ship onto the dock, looking at the mountains not too far from Basi. She hated mountains...forest...anything that reminded her of the past she lived through...she couldn't go back to that world of pain and control. But her head was held high...and she needed a bath. "Please spirits help me survive this..." she breathed out as she walked towards the docking bay, looking at the traders and merchants. Everyone even looked different from her world, shocking but nonetheless fascinating. "Where will I begin?"