[IC] It's Time - Down with Demons

[WilsonTurner]

Port Arvenstown
Avalon was weary of the Great Sea. It was so vast, and wide, and empty, and yet to full of life. It aggravated him to no end- sailing and sailing and sailing and sailing, not a thing in sight, and yet if he closed his eyes and felt below, he could feel the life tingling like something at the end of his fingertips. It was horrible- like knowing what you seek lay just around the corner, and your feet are stuck just a couple yards away from said corner. It was odd; other elves felt very close to nature, tuned in and listening to all that's around them.

Maybe it's because different elves 'hear' differently, that makes Avalon so isolated from the forces of nature. He can hear them, but it's blurred, like two people whispering in his ear at the same time, all the time, except if he's away from nature. The only place that can happen is a human city or town- elves have a tendency to weave nature with everything they do. Treehouses and gardens and all kinds of interesting constructs, with vines or other plants growing throughout.

But nevermind that; they were passing through the Mist that surrounded the Mainland. Normally, it wouldn't surround it, normally, it never existed. But ever since the demons came, the Mist had expanded throughout. It was said, apparently, that the Mist marks the border of the demons' stomping ground, and since demons hate salt water, they were effectively cut off. Originally, one might just abandon the island, except the island once housed some of the most prosperous kingdoms in history, the only place that was home to the dwarves, the only place that really had any significant number of high elves or wood elves, and the biggest landmass in the Archipelago of the Overworld.

Avalon cursed his thoughts; his mind wanders too much into detail. The Mist was clearing, and several sailors on the mast were calling, "Land ho!", in reference to the small bay that was slowly appearing some distance from the edge of the mist. They had arrived in early morning; he originally thought they would arrive midday, or during the afternoon. Either they made much better time than he planned, or they are behind by a day. Either way, they were there, and their quest could begin.

Half an hour later, the large sailing ship had docked with the small dock in the somewhat small bay, just big enough for the ship to fit without worrying about hitting anything if any large waves come in. Out to shore a short ways, were the two other ships. One was a dragoon; armed to the teeth as an escort. The second was a cargoship, where longboats, rowboats, and sturdier, though still small, sailing boats brought supplies back from the ship to the deprived village's shores.

Avalon was the first to set foot on the slightly rotten planks of the dock, probably like that because of the lack of trade anymore, and the first to walk forward towards the stunned Guardsmen, who hadn't really believed that mysterious word of foreigners coming to aid would be true. Avalon walked right up to the shorter, regular humans, and held out his hand. The Guard he had thrust his hand towards looked at him with wide eyes- indeed, a sight to see. He abruptly brought his hand up and clasped Avalon's shaking it vigorously. A smile returned to his face, and Avalon returned the handshake and smile with his own. "Go, Guardsmen, and alert the town! Let them know that aid has come. Your port will flow again, your people will smile once more! We have come to banish the threat of the demons! Let the town know of the fate of the demons!"

And so the Guardsmen guarding the dock ran off, shouting out to the slow, fearful town. Windows lit up, cracked or not, torches were lit, and the town slowly came alive again, like a fearful, hibernating creature, weathering the storm outside. Avalon waited at shore, waiting for the rest of the sailors, elves, and humans that were allowed to come into town. Not everyone could come in; they'd flood the town with a great deal of people who may not be as gentle as Avalon would prefer.

[Tyrant from the West]

Yusmdall rose from his sleep. His resting pattern had been quite erratic during their long sea journey. While strong on land, Yusmdall wasn't exactly experienced with water. To be precise, he had never been on a boat before until they set off to the Mainland. For the first few days he felt as if he had been stricken down with claustrophobia. Not that he would tell anyone, especially because he didn't even know what it was called until someone else was feeling it! Because most of the time he was adjusting to see life, for the first while of their journey he was too busy adjusting to see life then thinking of the future and what life would entail at the mainland. And after he himself was adjusted, the rest of the journey he spent enjoying it! He was not a natural seaman, but sure did he enjoy being one. The labors of ship life was calming to him, much more so then some of the other comforts he had found on land while a bandit. He even found himself daydreaming about life after success. He may not know what life would be like following Avalon around, but he would imagine it after the job was said and done!

Before he would consider stepping off land, as much as he would have enjoyed doing so, he needed to re-cap what he knew about this place in its head. It was the edge of the mainland. Demons couldn't go past it due to some fear of salt-water. He didn't exactly understand how this worked, but that was ok with Yusmdall. He dealt with swords and steel, not books and facts. He also knew that there was no official time for when the other three heroes would arrive. Which brought both good and bad tidings, they may be helping out somewhere. But back here in the 'frontier' that meant help might not show up until after its needed most.

This was behind him, however. Now was the time to increase the morale of those at Port Avenstown! Or at least, that was what he would have called it. Yusmdall's plan actually included getting as much ale as possible for free. Now, he is not an experienced hero. Nor has he ever been famous. Very few times have people expected him and his companions company, and those who did never survived long enough to leave it. However, those times were behind him. Now, he liked to think he was a people's person. Through his past interactions with both old and new 'friends' he has started to think himself personable, and charismatic. Whether that be the case or not, that's what he believed. What he believed, he acted on. As if his belief in it made it into an indisputable fact. So, being the people's person he was, he knew it was time to set out and get the people of Avenstown ready for the heroes!

First thing was first, after lunging into the nearest tavern and beginning his long and enthusiastic rant about how 'The First and Third heroes have come', he was quick to enter a jubilant mood. He told tales about his great 'reformation'. How the once simple, but honest leader of the White Cave bandits from the north fought off against those that invaded their people's land. About how the once legendary Snow-Face's army was defeated in his first act of great justice and moral upstanding. He fibbed and lied about how he lost all of his old friends to the 'Great Bear' company and their corruption, and how he would seek revenge! But only after helping Avalon save them of course! This of course, was partly true. He did come to help them, but it was mostly out of selfishness and him knowing that heroes are treated as if they exist on the same plane as gods. Both while living and dead.

[Duthguy]

Harbolcknaz had been traveling for a coupe of weeks when he had first head the rumors about heroes coming to the Mainland to help fight of the Demons. After figuring out the town they would supposedly arrive at, he decided to head there, and see if the rumors were true. He had been staying at the towns best inn and tavern, not that that was really saying much given the state it was in, for a week now. And just when he started thinking the rumors were just rumors a Guardsman ran into the tavern. "The heroes are finally here!"

While he was curious about these men and women risking their lives for what wasn't even their country he decided to wait until things had quieted down before contacting them, so while some of the townsfolk rushed to the harbor he just kept drinking his ale. Luckily for him cause after a while someone claiming to be the third hero, who had lost a lot of his friends to what Harbolcknaz assumed to be a group of mercenaries.

"After revenge huh? I know what that's like." The orc said as he sat down next to the new arrival, after scaring of a random villager who had already claimed that spot. Since he wanted to get in this man's good graces, he signaled the bartender for two ales. "Anyway does your groups need some extra hands? I have some business with the demons myself." As he said that he subconsciously placed one of his hand on the handle of his war-hammer, as he thought back to the cowardly sneak attack on his tribe.Sure he and most of the other warriors survived, but the women and children, including his own family, were a different story.