Nightknight

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya accepted the soup cooked by Louise, somehow without a fire, a nifty trick to have. "Thank you Lady Louise." It was nice to have warm food in this cold weather. "It's pretty good, thank you." He'll have to ask how she managed to heat the soup without fire later. He sat next to Athena as he enjoyed his soup as he dipped his bread in it. The new arrivals came, four of them, no doubt the scouts the King mentioned. Varya watched them and tried to take his measure of them, making sure not look to closely around the eyes, focusing more on their feet instead. People can tell when you are watching them, especially directly. There were two that stood out.

The first was introduced themselves as Veronica Blackwater, a young woman of light complexion and long dark hair. She was smiling, perhaps a sign of confidence or a mask of false bravado, he could not say for sure, though judging by the way she presented herself more of the former. There was an air of Shakti, power about her, and her posture seemed to reflect that dignity. They seemed to know how to carry themselves.

The second was an almost equally pale and young man with white hair peeking out from beneath his cap. He was much more quiet and to the point than Veronica was, something that Varya found refreshing. In Varya's line of work, it was usually the quiet ones you had to watch out for.

Considering this group managed to gain intel, presumably without alerting the compound to their presence, it spoke of a high level of competency. As someone whose job often was to scout ahead of the main force, Varya knew how difficult and dangerous reconnaissance was. He was interested to hear the information they have gathered. These two strangers were promising individuals, with Varya paying special attention to Evan due to his quiet, more reserved demeanor. It was nice to see someone who was more conservative with their speech, made Varya feel more comfortable about his own introversion.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya was pleasantly surprised by such a warm response from Erwin, though he would not admit it. It is refreshing to see Erwin in a calmer state of mind, smiling, and showing a different side of himself. For the first time since they have left on their journey, he felt a modicum of respect for Erwin. "A good idea Sir Erwin, but I think the area is secure enough as it is. Let's meet up with everyone else. I'm sure Louise would appreciate us helping her with her cooking."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

When night fell and the moon appeared in the sky, Varya formed a right leaning C shape with his arms. "Praise the Moon!" He proclaimed with similar unabashed enthusiasm as his sun salutations. Varya felt a special connection to the Moon, the giver of life, the great farmer in the sky, the silver mirror of the Sun's glory. When it came time to set up camp Varya took off his shoes, feeling the earth beneath him, and set up a ground circle near the limits of his earth sense. He then extended eight lines several meters away from the first circle and molded a second circle lined with small stones as a soft alarm system of sorts for himself. After his mounds were complete he went to the others and offered to help with whatever needed to be set up for the camp.

Not long after setting up his alarm system did Varya feel a slight disturbance in the earth to the north. He immediately went to Jazdia and whispered to her. "Lady Jazdia, we have company making their way up the hill from the north. Identity and numbers unknown." Jazdia reacted nonchalantly. "Yeah I see them. Those are friendlies." Varya didn't know how she could know that, but he saw no reason to distrust her. He then went to Thernous and whispered the same message onto him. He then spread the message to Erwin, Louise, Athena, then everyone else. "We have company approaching from the north. Lady Jazdia has assured me that they mean us no harm." Varya was really hoping it wasn't another "merchant", he did *NOT* want to have another heart attack.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya looked upon the ruins of the town known by the locals as Fanghorn, torn apart by some great calamity. A graveyard of burnt rubble with mossy crumbling walls as its tombstone. He first thought that the town was destroyed by a great conflagration, but something wasn't quite adding up. The great vines that choked the city streets grew too numerous despite the severity of the scorching, and it grew in unnatural ways and angles. Perhaps something more unnatural was at work here. As they walked across the wreckage, at the other side of a stone wall lied a large camp of who were no doubt the former occupants of the once great town. Families, poor, starving, homeless. He can only imagine how great the loss of life was. Varya became melancholic as he bore witness to human suffering, and heavy was his heart to see the humans lying outside their own walls. Had he not a mission to fulfill he might have considered helping these poor people in whatever way he could, but alas he must press onward. As an elf who loved indulging in all the finer things in life, he despised poverty, and it sickened him to see it effecting others by no choice of their own. Why were the King's men so few here he wondered? No doubt many would be at the border in case of war, but dire indeed must the kingdom be if it cannot afford to help those who are in need of it most. Save for a sorrowful look, he kept his composure as he traversed with the others. He had too.

The group was stopped by three malnourished children and a woman in a similar sorry state, begging for food. Varya looked into their eyes, he saw great pain in them, and it hurt his heart. Varya was overcome with pity, and stepped down from his horse to give them most of his rations, fruits, cheeses and breads. Varya's earthing spell significantly reduced the amount of food he needed to get by, which had come in handy countless times in many situations, and was of great use during his scouting missions. It was obvious these humans needed this food much more than him. It was the duty of the strong to endure what the weak cannot. "Here, have these. If you have any leftover, share them with your closest loved ones. Don't let them go hungry tonight. Take care, and may your fortunes change for the better." He gave a small bow of respect before mounting his horse and riding again. After they had passed the poor villagers, Varya rode up next to Erwin. "Sir Erwin, if I might ask, do you know what happened here?"

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya awoke from his slumber, groggy but still rested enough to have enjoyed it. he exists the mini-cave, enjoying a good stretch in the warmth of the sunlight. He then gave his salutations to the sun. "Praise the Sun!" After eating breakfast he walked barefoot with the earth's embrace a small ways along the river, so that he may bathe and wash his clothes downstream from where the horses drank so as not to contaminate their drinking water. As he skinny dipped in the river he shivered the cold water that had melted from the previous winter's snow. He was thankful his earthing spell worked underwater. All that was needed for the spell to function was a magnetic connection with the earth, so even if the soil was submerged it still had the charge that connected with Varya's skin to carry the electric current across his body. While the spell did reduce the discomfort from siting in the icy waters, it was still bloody cold! He would endure however if it meant cleansing himself physically and spiritually in the river. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, even if maintaining his image was closer to his real motivations. That being said, after bathing in the cold waters with soap in hand and shampooing his hair with lavender oils, he felt fresh as a daisy.

Varya took a minute to admire his handsome face in his handheld mirror. He was proud of his body and his appearance that he had spent years cultivating, for he was both the marble and the sculpture, and he loved his work dearly. Others may work with wood or stone or paint or paper, for Varya his body was his artistry, his flesh a monument to his aesthetic expression. It was a shame he did not feel confident or comfortable enough to flex to others his material vessel, but that may be for the best, for he didn't want to indulge too much in the other extreme.

Varya reluctantly prys himself away from the mirror, remembering he had duties to fulfill. He put on his metaphorical mask of stone as he returns to camp to help pack everything up and prepare to sally forth. He got his things together and saddled up upon his horse, approaching Sir Erwin and Lord Thernous. He had wanted to vocalize his concerns about pushing Erwin beyond what was necessary, though it seemed that Jazdia and the mysterious man in the dark robes had already voiced similar concerns. There was something about the shrouded figure that did not sit right with Varya, though he seemed friendly and cordial enough that Varya could overlook it for the sake of the mission. Th elf was glad that Erwin at least had something to keep him stimulated. "Good morning Lord Thernous, Sir Erwin, Jadia, good sir." Varya rode next to Erwin, wanting to introduce himself more properly. "Sir Erwin, my apologies for not giving you my name last night. I am Varya Chandrar of Varenheim. I do hope I can be of service to you and your grandfather. Please, allow me to accompany you as we take the van." Varya felt pity for Erwin and felt that offering help could make Erwin's situation more bearable. It was often a war inside of Varya whether he would allow himself to believe what he did came from his warm empathetic heart and what was a play of cold, pragmatic logic, the later of which he was far more willing to share with others than the former.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya could tell that things were getting heated between Jazdia, Erwin and Thernous. Through all that was exchanged he could get a glimpse as to what caused all this commotion. Jazdia is starting to earn his respect, making the point of prioritizing the mission and getting into the heart of situations at hand and prioritizing peace over semantics and unknown variables. At the same time he is starting to grow disillusioned with Thernous who responded with legalese over the issue of offending a very ancient being. This did not reflect well on King Fredricous should his relation to these two imply a similar manner of worldview. Erwin had room to grow, and Varya could tell that he at least seemed to do his actions for the sake of the people of Kindeance. Thernous's deflection on the other hand for someone who should know better was more dis-concerning. Perhaps though Varya was jumping to conclusions. After all he does not now these people, so it is likely these unfortunate events were merely that, a fluke of judgement. That being said, he will keep a professional distance between himself, Erwin and Thernous for now till perhaps he could see another side of them. After all, mistakes do happen, and people are not their mistakes, and can learn from them.

Jazdia was a source of confidence for Varya. She was level headed, discerning, strong spirited, the kind of person Varya would be happy to serve and fight alongside with in the field of battle, not that he would himself to show much of it that is. He could tell she had great potential, and it was worth it in his eyes to understand her more. In short, she intrigued him.

Varya was reminded how tired he was as he gave a yawn. Seeing that the danger had passed and the duty of night-watch was given to Erwin as punishment, Varya gave Jazdia, Louise, Athena, Erwin and Thernous a bow before he made his way back to his bedroll, exhausted by all that had occurred. He was still currently spooked and on edge from the towering tentacled being he had saw minutes before, and it would take a while for him to lower his guard to the point that he was comfortable enough to drift off to sleep, but drift he did into the sweet caress of sleep.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya was drifting into thoughtless sleep. The day had been a long one, and he was glad it was over for him. What felt like not long after getting comfortable, a loud bang woke him abruptly from his slumber! His eyes opened wide as he jolted awake, reflexively reaching for his trusted bow. He then grabbed his quiver of arrows and slung upon his back. He rushed out without putting on any clothing. In a fight, every second counts. Having only the quiver on his back, holding his bow in hand, and completely naked, he ran out from his dwelling, his tired and rushed mind struggling to take in all the information in the midst of this sudden explosive energy.

The first thing Varya noticed was a mass of tentacles wearing heavy plate mail and towering over everyone present, wielding an equally long and vicious lance. He did not like where this was going. Immediately upon seeing the strange aberration, Varya shrouded himself in a veil of invisibility, than took a few steps to the left as to not be in the same spot where he vanished. The creature stabbed Erwin with its enormous lance, though Erwin was still standing. Varya planted his feet firmly upon the ground, channeling the power of the earth as he casts Bhumidevi's Embrace. Steadying himself, he grabs one of his arrows and starts to slowly draw his bow, taking a deep breath as he does so to calm himself after seeing the attack on Erwin. He must be calm in the storm. He stretches the bow string until it reaches next to his right ear, his eyes fixated on the creature's left underarm. It's armor appears thick, so he is targeting where the arm guard meets the shoulder in an attempt to hit a weaker part of the armor and ideally cripple its arm.

As Varya is fixing his aim and preparing to let loose his arrow, he heard various others object to further violence, the creature's stern warning, and chastising Erwin. Excited but heading the others concerns, he slowly relaxed the tension on the string, placing it back to neutral position and putting away his arrow. Still cautious, Varya keeps his hand firmly on his bow, but otherwise stands there, ready to enter draw position at a moments notice. As the dark man proceeded to enter the darkness, only then did the invisible elf see it as opportune to go back to the indent in the rock wall to grab his weapons and clothing. He kept his eyes glued on the stranger's wagon as he slowly walked towards the small cave. Placing trust that the entourage could react to an attack, clothed and armed himself, stepping forth once again, still obscured by his illusion magic. He kept one eye on the wagon as it slowly rode into the darkness, and another on Thernous who was thankfully unharmed during the whole situation.

Waiting until the stranger's wagon was out of view before, Varya hid behind a bush and unveiled his illusions, before stepping out and making himself visible to everyone. He approaches Erwin, following closely behind Thernous. "Are you ok Sir Erwin? Do you need bandages or water?" His voice carrying the slightest hint of concern.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

Varya was tired, having spent the past few hours riding a horse, his bottom was sore, his eyes tired from needing to keep constant vigilance, and his mind eroded from fatigue and boredom. He was thankful when it finally came time to make camp. When they stopped Varya dismounted from the horse, his feet jolted awake from hours of disuse and staggering when his feet landed upon the firm earth. Varya immediately took off his shoes, feeling the earth beneath him with his bare feet and sighing in relief. It felt so good to feel the solid soil beneath him after so long being suspended high from it by the horse's back. A moment after he mustered his strength and entered a strong horse stance as he casted his old reliable spell, Bhumidevi's Embrace, enveloping his whole body in a brief green glow. He sighed an even deeper sigh of relief as he felt the magnetic energies of earth flow through his feet up his legs and circulating through his blood like a tree absorbing nutrients from the ground through its roots. "Ah...Thank you Earth Mother." He whispered with gratitude as he felt a great deal of his discomfort leave him.

Varya was still exhausted from the journey and wanted nothing more than to embrace sleep deeply, but he pushed himself to check up on the old man to make sure he was still doing ok. He saw Thernous sound asleep, no doubt more tired than everyone else given his venerable age. He was glad that the old man was getting some rest. He also saw the bear siblings trying to move him, though the young lad and Thernous's grandson, Erwin he thought he heard his name was, carefully grabbing something from beneath the sleeping elder while advising the bears the let sleeping dogs lie. Varya would have done the same if Erwin hadn't done so first, though perhaps not in as charitable a mood. Varya approached him slowly and spoke in a whisper. "Lord...Erwin was it? Mind if I help you set up the tent?" He helped the young lord set up the tent for the bears before swiftly finding a place to set up his own bedding. He settled for the driest spot he could find in the the nearby shallow cave in the rock wall. He wasted no time laying out his bedroll and his gambeson as extra bedding before laying his belongings next to it. Varya got underneath the covers and undressed, setting his clothes aside as he cozyed up for sleep, he was simply too tired to care about anything else. Thernous was ok and everyone else was setting up camp, and that is all that mattered in his tired mind at the moment. Varya had done his part, and now embraces sweet sleep as his reward, entrusting the others to keep vigilance.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

When it came time to make final preparations for departure, Varya donned a midnight blue gambeson, wanting some protection for the first few hours of the trip as they would be traveling through the night. The gambeson has several layers of cloth, though had less than others to maintain ease of movement for the arms so as to draw his weapons or perform other precise physical tasks quickly, thus it was more a security blanket to shield him from the elements as opposed to actual protection from steel, though even a little armor was better than none. Over his armor draped a cloak, and underneath it he wore a more simplistic tunic, colored in various shades of blue to blend into the darkness of the night. Upon his back was slung his trusty bow Crescent Moon and his arrow quiver, as well as a blue round wooden shield with white painted stars, and from his hips were sheathed his butterfly and cane swords. The rest of his equipment and food he loaded up into various bags and strapped onto the horse he was to mount, picking the stallion he thought reacted the best to his prescence. He would be riding at the front from the carriage to act as a forward scout and a early warning signaler.

As Varya completed his preparations, he bowed his head and prayed for the mission's success, and protection for Thernous, himself, and everyone assembled for the journey they were to embark on. He then turned to everyone else. "May you all be blessed by whatever you hold dear." He then saddles up upon his steed and prepares to ride with the others. He turns to Thernous. "Lord Thernous, I will be acting as a forward scout. If you or your grandson need me for anything, please let me know." He then nods his head and takes his leave.

Varya was thankful he had the mobility and distance from the group, as he liked having the option to quickly escape from the presence of others if he so choose to, finding the company of others draining, even if the carriage was more protected from the elements. He would also rather have the option to roam as opposed to being limited to a small space.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Varya Chandrar

After the group was moved into a new room to eat and talk, Varya sits on the table across from Yvonne, gingerly sipping grape juice and swirling it around in his cup. He continues his talk with Yvonne, resuming his monotone. "I'm afraid I have no interesting stories as to how I came to be hired by the king. I came into this country looking for work, and that's when I received his majesty's invitation. As for why he invited me in particular I cannot say." He takes a drink from his grape juice before continuing. "My apologies for not providing a more satisfactory answer to your inquiries." Varya could feel the conversation running its course and all the awkwardness that came with it. Still he didn't want to disengage until Yvonne was done talking to him.