[IC] Broken Oath - A Demon's Land Divided (Open for Business!)

[FujiwaraPhoenix]

Riding along this seldom-trodden dirt path on top of his horse, a young man with somewhat fancy attire—particularly so for his intended destination—was somehow without signs of wear or fatigue. Though the region he was travelling to, Avici, was among the least hospitable areas of Tsukran, the blonde-haired man didn't seem troubled by that least. Rather than that, the state of his own horse and the contents of his own pockets were what weighed more heavily on his mind. There were hardly any positions that could be considered 'worse' than this, all things considered. Or, well, given the situation, at the very least.

"Ah... I should've expected as much from this..."

With a sigh, Dengran shook his head as he turned to look behind him, lightly grasping the reins of the horse he was riding as he did so. Unlike the other Demon King candidates, he had no real 'history' or 'connections' with people. If anything, finding a traveling companion—another demon whose build towered far above his own—was a miracle in and of itself. To find someone willing to come here in the first place made him wonder for a moment what sort of circumstances had led to that in the first place, but he wasn't one to pry. Unlike the others who seemed to live and die by their political scheming, Dengran was content to just let sleeping dogs lie. But even disregarding that fact, there were still bigger problems at hand. More than anything else, though...

"I just wish they'd have given me more money. Avici, I can accept, but I can't import or hire anything like this."

With that complaint out of the way, though, the young man glanced at the small town in the distance. It was a far cry from the capital, of course; if anything, it reminded him more of his hometown.

Once he had arrived at the town's gates Dengran simply dismounted and looked around. There was a single guard standing at the entrance, who himself didn't seem to be fairly experienced at all.

"So. This is the hand I've been dealt, then. No matter," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he reached inside of his coat and pulled out a single badge—the insignia of the demon king.

"My name is Dengran Minsau, and I've been given provisionary leadership of this land; this is my companion, Violette. I trust you and everyone else in this town has been informed of the matter?" he asked, to which the guard—a relatively meek-looking goblin—gave a quick nod before moving aside. With a nod, Dengran casually tossed the guard a single silver coin and continued into the town. If anything, he needed to get a feel for how large it was and knowledge of any other things like population and food supply. As far as he knew, this town—Kival—was the largest one in Avici, but by the size of things it felt no greater than half a district in the capital.

"This should be workable as a starting position. This place is a frontier, though, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect. Especially with there being no real peacekeeping force here. Either everyone here is truly that lax, or... Well, I guess I'll find out sooner or later. What of you, then? Is there anywhere in particular that you're travelling to? I need to familiarize myself with the town one way or another, after all," he commented, glancing back at Violette as he continued to lead his horse on foot.

@TheFake@VitaVitaAR@Raineh Daze@Crimson Paladin

[TheFake]

— Kival Gate —

The sentry caught the coin and slouched as the newcomers left, abandoning all pretense of respect for his task. Well this individual wasn't the sentry, not the real one. After a moment the real sentry returned and he resumed his upright posture.

"Thanks for filling in for me."

"No problem. Oh, I heard that we're expecting a guest today. Keep an eye out." Lacintos bumped fists with the other goblin and handed the spear back. He started walking away towards the corner of the nearest building.

"Hey, I never got your name."

The shapeshifter paused. He'd never paid much attention to goblins or their names. "It's, uhhh, Ilk."

Without waiting for a response he turned the corner. Even as he walked down the empty alleyway his limbs lengthened and he tripled in height. The demons skin grew pale with red tribal markings and horns sprouted.

So that was the candidate for the region. He didn't look like much and neither did his companion. This was, of course, the last thing that Lacintos expected when he assassinated a demon noble with the intent to glide through life in the lap of luxury. But now maybe this could work out to be even more fun.

[Raineh Daze]

Violette

Ah, it had been fortunate that it hadn't been one of the more well-known candidates that had been directed to Avici, once she split from the primary forces to make her way home. It made the way back so much more peaceful... no being asked lots of questions about her battles, or needing to show off her strength. It was better than travelling alone, too--all the business of making sure that they were going the right way, asking others for directions, the minor acts of camping that she was too clumsy to do... she'd like to stick around Dengran until she actually found where exactly she needed to go.

"Mm... no, not yet. I need to find where my village moved to..."

[Crimson Paladin]

Astaroth Quintus

Within a dingy tavern, Astaroth Quintus sat, tankard in hand, working up the willpower to take another swig. He didn't exactly what he was drinking or where it came from, but it was vile. It was to be expected that decent drinks would be in short supply out here in the middle of uncivilized nowhere, but perhaps demons found it more palatable than humans.

Gathering his mental fortitude, he lifted it to his mask, opened a spacial rift on the surface his mask with the index finger of his free hand, and poured it through the weak disturbance, emerging on the inside of his mask into his mouth. He winced throughout, but managed to swallow it without gagging. Here he was, a master of forbidden magics, a manipulator of eldritch energies and the fabric of space, struggling to finish a tankard. He wasn't sure if this was the high or low point of his life. Perhaps it was simultaneously both.

Fortunately, before he could subject himself to the disgusting beverage any further, his attention was turned to the outside, where through a window he discerned a newcomer, a blond, human-looking fellow accompanied by a towering demoness. Astaroth almost immediately recognized the man as the one depicted in the sketches circulated through the town- the sketches depicting the demon king candidate that Avici was being handed over to. The sorcerer bolted out of his chair and made for the door. This was an opportunity he had been looking forward to- the opportunity to vie for a position in the new ruler's retinue. It was, in fact, the reason he had stayed in the town, scraping by as a hedge wizard. And now, when the candidate finally arrived, his inattention almost caused him to miss it.

He exited the tavern and made his way to the man, careful as to keep his distance from both the candidate and his giant companion. He was nervous and almost hesitated, but the prospect of failing in this endeavor (and perhaps a bit of alcohol) pushed him forward.

Good day sir," he began, "Are you...um...the Demon King's candidate that we have been expecting?" His introduction wasn't as smooth at it could be, but he at least didn't flub it up too badly.

[Lucius Cypher]

Not too far off from where the new Demon King Candidate stood was a peculiar looking green girl. She sat on a barrel carving out a totem from a piece of wood. In the alley she sat, a burly looking orc clutched his manhood in pain, passed out from the beating he received for thinking he could over power Ono. Sure she wasn't as big and burly as most orcish women, but she wasn't a fragile flower either. She was no waifish girl who could be overwhelmed just because someone grabbed her forearm forcefully and maybe punched her in the guts. If she was, she wouldn't have made it this far. Ono's previous adventure to this sleepy little town was a mysterious one to say the least, so much that if asked, she wouldn't be able to tell you.

All she knew for certain was that while she was traveling the wilderness to find her nest quest, she received something of a.... A vision. It didn't really tell her much. She saw a vague silhouette of a man in this town. When she awoken and started to travel, she recognized this town, and now she recognizes this man. She only vaguely had some clue as to who he was; some sort of noble or lord. Ono honestly couldn't say for certain. But as her mother once told her, dreams are never just your imagination. There must be some reason for Ono to have seen this man in her vision, to bring her to this town, and she aims to find out. With any luck it'll give her something to do at least.

"Oi you! Fancy pants with the face and the horse!"

[VitaVitaAR]

The small girl let out a huff. The new candidate had gathered quite a crowd, some of them rather unsavory types from what she could tell. But her, she was here just to see what was going on. She folded her arms firmly across her chest as she regarded him. One of the dragon kind, from what she could tell. The crowd his arrival had drawn drew with it some types she confessed she didn't find particularly savory... and for his part, he looked average.

Ima huffed.

He wasn't impressive, but he wasn't some obviously-malignant monster or something either. Still, that didn't mean he wasn't ill-intentioned either... or potentially worse, a well-meaning idiot. To be frank, the demon girl wasn't exactly certain how she felt about this whole system of selecting an heir in general. But regardless of anything else, the black-haired girl was certain she would keep an eye on anyone who declared themselves a candidate around here. If they weren't worthy of the title in her eyes, she'd let them know!

Ignoring, well, anyone else who had approached him(her words were clearly the most important in this situation, after all), Ima marched right up to the man, shifting her hands to her hips.

"If you prove yourself unworthy of this position as a candidate for our kingship, I won't hesitate!" she declared.

That, she felt, just about covered it. She ignored the mage, the... orc? And, well... anyone else. For now, at least.

[FujiwaraPhoenix]

Dengran nodded his head in understanding at his companion's words. He, at the very least, could understand wanting to find family. Even putting aside making an ally out of Violette (as if the basis hadn't already been established), the possibility of securing a good standing with the people who lived here could, at the very elast, make things like trade relations and information gathering go all the smoother.

"Is that so? Then I hope it wouldn't be much of a bother to ask you to help follow me around. It helps you as much as it does I to learn these streets, after all," he commented, coming to a pause just as a small group began to form around him. Sighing, the young man massaged his forehead before clearing his throat and glazing over each of the people who had come forth in turn.

"Yes, I am the candidate in question, Dengran Minsau. It is a pleasure to meet all of you, or so I presume," he began, casually bringing his horse off to the side so as to not block off too much of the road that they had been blocking. "But before all else, might I request that you all show some degree of respect? I do not wish you to be ingratiating, but at the very least introduce yourselves. Besides, 'You, with the face and the horse' isn't the most flattering of ways to call out to someone—no, anyone, is it?"

Clearing his throat, Dengran shook his head before turning toward the one who seemed to be the youngest of the group of newcomers. Unlike the other two, her clothes seemed to be of a more high-quality make, which pointed to her being a part of one of the more well-off families in the area. After all, no one would let a child traverse to Avici all on their lonesome.

Probably.

After a moment of though, Dengran knelt in front of the girl and patted her shoulder, nodding his head as if to say that he understood her concerns.

"Don't worry, little miss. Mark my words, this frontier will become a place worthy of praise once I'm through," he said, smiling before getting back to his feet. "In any case, if you wish to continue speaking, then speak as I walk. I will listen to what you have to say, of course, but I wish to reach the town hall before all else. There is a town hall here, correct? Or... Any other place of governmental authority?"

There was a small crack in his mask of charisma here, of course, but Dengran rationalized it as showing that he could be... A little down-to-earth, if anything. Lofty felt like a prerequisite, after all, but that stuffy atmosphere didn't suit him as well as he'd have liked it to.

@TheFake@Raineh Daze@Crimson Paladin@Lucius Cypher@VitaVitaAR

[TheFake]

— Kival Gate —

Investigator Karos was a large and imposing demon. His skin had been black with red iridescence. As Lacintos neared the end of the hallway he stood up straighter and grew into a more imposing build. The real Karos was buried about a hundred paces away from the very same road that He expertly imitated the investigators bearing and gait, walking with that sense of urgency, shoulders squared and feet pointed ever so slightly outwards. Even without a radical change of expression he seemed to glower at all that he saw.

At the end of the alleyway he had to turn slightly sideways to fit through the narrow space at the end. His headquarters, which housed his office on the ground floor and residence on the top. Lacintos, under the guise of Karos walked in through the front door, into a second room and sat at his desk. Ont op of it, delivered by courier just after the appointing of the candidates was a file on what was known about Dengran Minsau.

[Crimson Paladin]

Astaroth Quintus

Astaroth's timing had proven to be poor- just as he had attempted to speak with the candidate, others showed up as if out of nowhere and uncouthly confronted the candidate. Astaroth rolled his eyes in disapproval beneath his mask; they couldn't have made a worse first impression if they had deliberately tried. Have these fools ever encountered a demon of prestige in their entire lives? Even as a sorcerer's apprentice in the human lands, I knew better than to speak with such disrespect!

At the same time however, the candidate seemed to take it well, having handled the child's outburst quite diplomatically. It wasn't nearly enough to conclusively convey what sort of demon this Dengran Minsau was, but it cast a decent first impression upon Astaroth. He did not know enough about the candidate or about about nation-building to know if Dengran's promises were empty or not, but Astaroth was willing to give it a shot, just as his own master did for him.

"My lord, I am Astaroth Quintus, a sorerer and ritualist," he spoke up, bowing his head in respect. "I am not from Avici, but I have resided here long enough that I can guide you to what passes for a town hall." It wasn't exactly a feat to be able to navigate a town such as this, but he wanted to make himself useful to Dengran.