EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros had not spent much time conscious in this part of the forest last time he was here. After his first transformation, he had awoken elsewhere, surrounded by Meesei’s pack. Though, he did not have to walk long before he started to approach something new. Or…perhaps not new exactly.

He would catch the scent before he would see it. He was in what seemed to be unremarkable part of the forest when a werewolf dropped down in front of him, as if out of the trees. It was tall, powerful…familiar. Unmistakably, it was Meesei. As she took a few steps forward, her form transitioned back into her natural Argonian shape. It was not the usual twisting and contorting of the body that they were accustomed to, but rather as if she just faded into a new shape. Had he blinked, he could have missed it.

At first, she was almost hard to recognize. She appeared has young as the day they had first met. While Fendros’ Elven body had hardly changed at all since then, seeing her now called attention to how much she had changed in comparison. Her scales were more colorful and vibrant, while overall she seemed noticeably smaller. Over years and years of leading a war effort, she had conditioned her body as well as her magic. By the time she was standing face-to-face with him, though, she appeared back as her normal self. “Well…is there any specific etiquette I should observe when greeting you, Godhunter?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet observed silently as Kaqir worked. She had seen, and received, such healing many, many times before, so there was no tension for her. The only worry might have been if Kaqir was not a competent Life mage, but everything Kareet could see was perfectly acceptable. Healing simple injuries was far from the most complex thing a Life mage could do, after all.

Once Kaqir was done, Kareet gave a quick look over the Glen. No visible injuries, at least, and no more signs of pain. It was sufficient. She reached around to her backpack and produced a small pouch, from which she grabbed a few silver coins. It was far more than the coppers most peasants might be able to scrounge together, and consistent with what a healer would expect to be paid in the capital. “Thank you for your assistance.” Kareet said politely as she dropped the coins into the healer’s hand. “I…”

Kareet’s voice trailed off quickly. There was…something that caught her eyes in the sky to the north: a flash. At its source, there was something glowing, very distant. Tekeri had particularly sharp eyesight, but even to her the details were difficult to discern. It was like a hole in the sky through which daylight was shining. Through it, she could see a hint of fire, of distorted shapes she could not discern, and of…something that seemed to be moving. All she could really see of it was a red glow, like a fireball.

A few seconds later, something like the loudest thunder Kareet had ever heard echoed across the landscape. All at once, it was like the whole town froze. Anyone who had not noticed before now had their eyes to the sky. Even Glen villagers who had been roused from their sleep started to file outside as well to see what was happening.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet did not take much time for formalities. Clearly, she was in a hurry. She was already starting to turn around when she gestured for Kaqir to follow. “I will explain on the way. We shouldn’t delay.” It would only be a short walk across town, but fortunately, there also was not much to explain. “Are you familiar enough with the Glen form to heal them? We encountered a Glen along the road being attacked by a creature. We dispatched of the creature, but he was injured. Blunt impact, mostly.”

Even just a short explanation revealed a bit more about Kareet. The uneducated might just assume that a Life mage could heal anyone, but she knew at least enough about magic to know that a Life mage could only heal a being if they had studied their form long enough to develop an understanding of it. Of course, the majority of Life mages would spend plenty of time studying the bodies of Kanth-Aremek’s major races early on in their training, unless they had learned in a remote place.

There was not much time for conversation before they reached J’eon and Shirik. The Glen was still laying in his cart. On the outside, most of his injuries were not visible, though it would not take that long of an examination for Kaqir to feel just what kind of injuries he had. Physical trauma was, in general, relatively easy for a trained Life mage to deal with, other than brain damage. They could not heal others as quickly as they could heal themselves, but even still, it usually would not take more than a few minutes for them to heal even severe injuries, as good as new.

"Here he is. I do not think his life is in danger, but I imagine the pain is not pleasant." Kareet explained.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet did not know immediately where to find the Life mage, but it was not something that was particularly challenging to accomplish. The mage was not a local, but a traveler, so the inn was a natural first place to start. Even if she was not there at the moment, there was nowhere else in the town for a traveler to stay. All it took was questioning the innkeeper to get both a description, and a general idea of where she had gone. As expected, the locals were eager to make use of a visiting healer.

While she only had a basic description, that was fortunately all Kareet needed. Evidently, this Tekeri had a very distinctive appearance. That many beak piercings were immediately recognizable and would stand out right away in such a small town. Kareet was heading in the direction the innkeeper had indicated when she spotted her coming out of one of the houses.

Given the urgency of the situation, Kareet wasted no time in approaching the Life mage directly. She was somewhat taller than Kareet, with more complex adornments. Kaqir would likely be able to tell from Kareet’s sleek, clean feathers and polished beak that she was someone who, at minimum, could afford to mimic the Ascendancy’s upper class. “Excuse me, are you the Life mage? I have urgent need of your services. I can pay you fairly.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet gave another glance back at the creature’s corpse. This was a particularly interesting find; something new, with properties that challenged what could be natural. Perhaps Shirik was right that she could return to examine it later, but that presented its own risks. It might not take long for scavengers to find the corpse, and any damage they might do could interfere with her findings. Still, she had to prioritize. Shirik was likely more valuable, and to refuse to help this Glen could her to lose their cooperation. If she was going to have to choose between two discoveries, it would be better to choose Shirik. She supposed it was a good problem to have.

“We just need to hurry and get him to the town. Sorry to say, but you don’t look to be in much of a state to walk right now, J’eon.” Kareet said, already moving towards his cart. She pulled back the canvas to take a look at what it was carrying, then gave a glance back towards the Glen. “I’m going to have to take some of these things out to make room for you. I’ll tell you right now, I’m not going to be pulling both your whole weight and an entire anvil all the way back to town. I’ll hide these things as best as I can so you can come back for them later.” Even if she had the strength to do so over some distance, trying to do so over hilly terrain all the way back to Ertiseda would be far too exhausting.

“Come on, help me with this.” Kareet remarked to Shirik as she started to make room in the cart for the Glen.

---

While tiring, the walk back along the road to Ertiseda was not so tiring that Kareet could not handle it. Tekeri were strong and quick, but they were not nearly so well-suited to long-distance endurance as the Glen. It was the middle of the night when they arrived, so there were plenty of Tekeri up and about. Kareet did not bother herself with the looks of concern from some of the bystanders, though. She was focused on dealing with this problem as quickly as possible. “Shirik, could you look after him? I’ll see if I can find this Life mage.”

From what she remembered when she was staying in town, Ertiseda did not have a Life mage of their own, but there was a traveler who knew Life magic who was staying in town for the time being. Traveling Life mages often found themselves inundated with pleas for healing whenever they passed through remote towns, but unlike the average peasant, Kareet actually had the coin to pay for the service.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Hello! Here is my character. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions!

Kaqir

Name: Kaqir

Species: Tekeri

Appearance: Tall and expressive, Kaqir can often appear overwhelming to those she meets. Her feathers are a glossy black. Her eyes are similarly dark, raven as the rest of her, and the eyes on the right of her face have strabismus. This is difficult to notice at first, given her pupils blend into her iris, but the rolling effect produces quite an unnerving effect when properly observed. She finds it amusing. She has a parrot-like hooked beak that she has pierced the bottom of with all manner of bone, metal, wood, and stone. She can typically be found wearing simple black leather clothing, though she adorns her outfits with necklaces and bracelets of the same materials as her piercings. She does not wear shoes or gloves in order to leave her talons free for tasks that require sharp implements. Her feathers lay flat in their resting state, but when Kaqir is excited, angry, afraid, or otherwise emotional, they fluff into a mohawk/cockatoo-like crest atop her head.

Magical Affiliation: Life Domain

Occupation: Mercenary

Key Skills:

Hand-to-Hand Combat. With her vicious beak and tactile magic, Kaqir excels at close-range fighting. She often uses her Domain to tear opponents’ muscles and nerves, weakening them to prevent the chances of resistance when she follows up with a beak attack. This, combined with the self-healing potential of her magic, makes her an incredibly sustainable fighter. She’s basically useless at long range, though, as she has no idea how to wield bows or human weapons such as guns. She also tends to under-utilize the potential of her shapeshifting abilities. Tekeri culture has imparted a strong sense of pride in personal achievement and identity to her, so she balks at using her magic to make herself unrecognizable.

Intimidation. Though she is a generally cheerful and lighthearted person, Kaqir knows how to use her imposing appearance to daunt others into submission. A few threatening words and a well-timed glare can do a lot to prevent conflict. However, this can often work against her: if she’s not making an effort to be friendly, she can often come across as overly intense to a potential ally, or, at worst, threatening. There’s a reason the Tekeri are rumored by some to be demons.

Linguistics. Kaqir adores communication in all its forms. Thus, she talks. A lot. Perhaps too much. She’s great at learning languages, though!

Backstory:

Born in a busy mountain town, Kaqir was very close with her parents when she was a child. Due to the nature of Tekeri society, she trained rigorously from an early age. Her lifelong passion for community inspired her to study the Life Domain. Through practice with her mother (who is a Life mage), she was able to awaken herself to magic. Though she originally studied to become a doctor, her impulsive personality drove her to serve her community as a guard instead. She worked tirelessly to stand out amongst her peers. As a very social person, she is desperate for the approval of those around her—and it was no different back then. She often forced herself past her limits and suffered burnout. Perhaps the only way she made it through her training regimen was the support of her fellow recruits. She met her best friend in the career; his name is Sev’ee. They were close enough to think of each other as siblings.

Everything changed on the day of their graduation. As a test of their skill, the established guards sent the small group of recruits to fend off an incursion of wild beasts by themselves. Though those who had already achieved seniority were loath to waste a chance at glory, they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to weed out those who weren’t “perfect” for the duty. Unfortunately, the animals were far greater in number than they originally surveyed, and much of Kaqir’s squadron was killed or maimed. Sev’ee, who didn’t want to be a fighter in the first place—he showed no particular aptitude for anything deemed worthwhile by the community, so he was just sort of shoved into the guard program—would have died had Kaqir not used her magic to save him. He has no use of his legs to this day. Kaqir herself barely survived, sustaining heavy injuries to her right side that still partially inhibit her vision.

This experience was her breaking point. No amount of justification could convince her to stay in such a ruthless environment. She hated abandoning her family and Sev’ee, but knew she had to do it to truly find fulfillment in life. Now she travels Kanth-Aremek as a mercenary, struggling to reconcile her hatred of her homeland with the guilt she still feels for not being strong enough to save her friends.

One note: I didn't give Kaqir a last name. I figured with the Tekeri's general lack of emphasis on lineage they wouldn't have them, but I can totally give her one if you'd like. I love a fun surname :)

@meri

You are right about their lack of emphasis on lineage. Most Tekeri (or other citizens of the Ascendancy) simply have a given name. Outside their home, they may use their place of origin. Like with Kareet of Arcaeda.

I really like the image I have of the pierced beak, and the appearance in general. Ascendancy culture has a strong focus on individualism, so there is a lot of leeway in things like their fashion or personal beliefs. Her thoughts on shapeshifting are compatible with Ascendancy ideology, though many probably would not agree with her.

Everything I see in the CS checks out. A Life mage trained in war casting shall be an interesting one. Sounds quite vicious.

I should probably put up a bit more information about the Ascendancy's culture in the OOC, now that I think about it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The cheering and celebration lasted for a short time after Fendros’ speech. Though, after that, there was little left that could follow it. For the moment, after all that had transpired, it felt like they were finally able to enjoy their victory. A memorial was planned, for everyone they had lost in the battle, and for their fallen Champion. For now, though, they were able to look ahead, with a new Champion leading them. For Fendros and the rest of his pack, there was still more work ahead: work that was not likely to be finished anytime soon. However, here and now, they finally all had a chance to rest. After all was said and done, Fendros was still able to wish his son a good night, then lay down to sleep in his own bed with Ahnasha safe and healthy beside him.

---

When Fendros opened his eyes, he was not in his room in the Silent City; rather, he seemed to be in a forest. A familiar forest. It was a hilly area, covered in evergreen trees, and looking around, he could see the familiar landscape of the Valus mountains rising above to the east. These were the forests of County Cheydinhal. After a few moments, he would become more aware of the scene around him, it’s scent especially. There was the body of a werewolf at his feet, with an arrow in its right arm and its head mostly severed, along with the mutilated corpse of a horse nearby. His horse, from long ago. Before he became a werewolf. The scent of fresh blood in the air was overwhelming, almost intoxicating. It would be like he was smelling blood as a lycan for the first time, all over again. The torn leather armor he was wearing was covered in blood as well, but unlike the last time he was here, there was no wound on his flesh underneath the claw marks on his armor. Also unlike last time, the urge to hunt and kill was not so overpowering as to take command of him. He was no fledgling lycan; this time, he was in control.

What Fendros would feel this time, instead, was something urging him off into the forest. It was not a sound nor scent, just the feeling of…something to push him to move on down the path deeper into the forest.

The Cradle

Regardless of what any individual’s opinion on it may have been, they had a plan for the moment. They would investigate from the ground, with the Sacred Band and Void Company as escorts, and a handful of scientists from each species. No one was receiving special treatment.

From within the ship, none of those on the surface team could yet see where they had landed. The scenery would have to wait until they were outside. In order to maintain their cover, the soldiers were recommended to keep to weapons that were concealable. They did not yet have enough data on the natives’ weaponry to be able to convincingly mimic it. Armor was still usable, as long as it was made with rigid plating, and was not too bulky. Void Company had opted for a lighter, more form-fitting variant of their usual armor which would not interfere with the holograms.

Among the Rothians, Vreta and Nirann were accompanying as attachés to Void Company, while Marae and the archeologist Artek’Qin were joining as members of the science team. The ship had landed, so the team was in the hanger bay making final preparations to depart.

“We should go ahead and ensure all of our disguises are working correctly.” Vreta addressed the group. All of the equipment he needed, he put into a backpack and set aside, the sole exception being the shield belt he was wearing. He made sure it was tightly secured and fit snugly to the body to avoid it interfering with the hologram. While the hologram device did project an energy shield as well, it was far weaker than one meant to protect against weapons fire, so the shield belt was needed for protection.

The hologram projector was a harness, worn like a bandolier around the torso. While it would take some adjustments, it could be fit to any of the species present. Vreta was the first to activate his. The device took a few moments to scan its surroundings, calibrate to its user, then apply the pre-loaded hologram of the native it was meant to be imitating. All at once, Vreta’s reptilian body seemed to shift into that of one of the insectoid locals.

“Activate your holograms, then go through a range of motions to make sure there are no calibration errors.” Vreta recommended. From the perspective of the others, he sounded just the same as usual, though that was only due to their own translators. Vreta’s translator was outputting his words audibly as though he was speaking the native language.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

@EliteCommander

Would it be okay if I shoot you a DM, so we can brainstorm perhaps some better character ideas. I don't think the whole jester assassin thing is going to work.

@Eviledd1984

That's quite alright. I can help you integrate whatever ideas you might have.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

As the Glen had been collecting himself to respond, Kareet had cautiously approached the creature’s corpse, setting her gaze upon any detail that could be important. Anything that stood out immediately. “Hmm, physiology unlike anything I’ve seen before. Doesn’t match any description of anything native to the Ascendancy…and a heat resistant hide? Never heard of that occurring naturally. Blood is…black? None of this sits right with me.” She muttered, mostly to herself.

Kareet was tempted to pull out her notebook right away to start sketching what she could see, but the Glen, J’eon, was finally able to answer. He was alive, but even the most oblivious observer could see that he was hurt. Altogether, it was inconvenient, as it meant she could not pretend she did not notice. She wanted to find out what she could about this creature while she was able, but it was plainly obvious that J’eon needed help sooner rather than later. Her impression of Shirik’s personality was that they would want them to help him. Still, she managed to avoid letting on to her reluctance to pry herself away from examining the corpse.

“Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.” She introduced herself as she stepped up to the Glen laying on the ground in front of her. “You should be treated as soon as possible. I believe Ertiseda has a Life mage. We should be able to get you there; it isn’t far.”