To stab a grumpy dragon! (Quest: Dragon Legend)

[AthenasFire 1,126]

Spoiler

@Fallen Joy @Dabi @Mickey Flash @L E V I A T H A N

The ground shakes under the city of Eneraith, causing the snow around the city to cascade down the mountain its positioned on. This isn't the first time this has happened. Over the past few days it seems to be happening more and more. The citizens suspect a creature of legend may be awakening. Other suspect a more reasonable cause such as a mine expedition upsetting the mountain they reside on. Whatever the cause this proves problematic for the city. The citizens already fear for their safety as the constant avalanches make prolonged travel dangerous in an already dangerous area. The higher ups in the city put out a request for travelers to venture deep into the mountain and find the cause... They warn of a dragon may be the cause if you believe the rumors.

                                                                                             

First to arrive to the city is a girl with a book in hand. She appeared to be reading over something as she made her way through the city. She seemed to seamlessly avoid running into anything or bumping into other citizens. Seeming out of place in the city she seemed rather underdressed for the climate only adding an extra layer for warmth to her normal adventure wear. While it proved enough for the moment she had a bit more to add stashed away in her bag which hanged off her side filled with another four books and a rather standard assortment of supplies from some food, to lighting and even a bit of rope as she knew she'd likely be exploring a cave. While not fully aware of everything about the quest she had hoped that the dragon rumors turned out to be true. The idea of seeing such a creature up close was exciting, let alone if she managed to collect some scales from it.

The ideas flooded through her mind on what she could do with it. From reinforcing her clothing, to crafting a new spell book, or maybe a potion? The possibilities seemed almost endless to her in the moment. Before she knows it she bumps into a building. Letting out a surprised yelp she snaps the book shut before looking up at the building and turning around to look out over the city. She had yet to really take it in. It looked rather fine at the moment and she had yet to feel the ground shake. She guessed that meant one might be coming soon. The rumblings were at random intervals but they seemed almost daily at least... 

She puts the book in her bag before pulling a piece of paper from her bag and looking at it then the building. It would seem she found the spot listed to meet. Wondering what sorts of people this quest might attract she stores the paper before finding a nearby spot to rest for a second. She only hopped that the rest of the party would arrive soon.

[Dabi 1,024]

Dragons! A marvel to behold. Both large and strong, but also rare and majestic. A race that had ruled the skies for thousands of years already, though now forced to live in caves due to the rising threat that is man. For the sake of material gains, mortals abandon their humanity and hunt these mighty beasts for their scales and eggs. As such, the dragons are left with only the options of fighting back or going into hiding. However, even those in hiding are doomed to meet an end at the hands of treasure hunters, or in cases like the one about to unfold, adventurers.

Dauner, being part dragon himself, knew of the dragons' plight, even as he headed for Eneraith. He was well aware of the reason why the mountain had daily tremors, and was climbing it the same reason. However, rather than to save his fellow dragon, he was on a quest to kill it. Was it the blood of the human in him that compelled him to continue the tradition? If so would the blood of the dragon in him intervene in the long run? The answer was simple. No!

Despite being both dragon and human, Dauner was also a demon. The ratio of his heritage in the order dragon:human:demon was 1:1:2 meaning an entire half of him was demon. This was what brought him to this city. The newly awakened demon lord desired a new weapon that could help him slash through the heavens if the need ever arises. For that, he needed to gather materials, and this dragon would have the honour of laying down it's life the sake of that weapon's creation.

Dauner's attire today was no different from his usual one. A black shirt above his black pants leading down to black sneakers, and a black unzipped jacket fluttering in the wind as he walked.

Walking up to the building he was to meet up with the group, Dauner took a second to scan the surroundings and make mental notes. Judging from looks of the lady who was seated at the corner, she was no doubt an adventurer. Thinking she was probably one of the party members, Dauner walked to to her to try and inquire about it. "A beautiful day to go exploring a cave, isn't it? Though it would be way cooler if the rumours of a dragon lying in wait were true, don't you think?" To anyone involved in this quest, they would understand what the statement meant. However, to those who weren't, they would interpret it as someone just casually trying to start a conversation, and given the way Dauner carried himself it was obvious he was feeling flirty.

[Fallen Joy 860]

Ferrah gradually opened her carmine eyes, gazing at the wisps of clouds passing beyond the gray and ebony tresses caressing her face. In her peripheral, large wings beat in and out of her vision, cutting through the tides of wind. She flew for several days now, following her magical mistress's directions from the lands of Lagrimosa. The high-witch had a strong affinity to a very particular arcane type; the old, ancient, and draconic nature. Like when she sensed the awakening of the ancient dragon Crysanthe in the times of the Cold Snap, a feeling of something aged, majestic, and cardinal enticed her cognizance in Eneraith. Ferrah knew very little about Luna, only that she was obsessed with these archaic scaled creatures. She had such sensitivity towards them that Ferrah was informed about this mission well before the earthquakes tantalized the land.

Ferrah, personally, didn't give a damn about these hoodoo tales, theories, and predictions. She was a mere soldier following orders. In fact, when she learned of her assignment, she didn't exactly take to it well.

"NO!" She remembered yelling at the orc who delivered the message. "HELL NO! I'm not traveling ten days across the bloody piece of shit sea to some bloody piece of shit land to fight some bloody piece of shit dragon that may or may not exist! Get Marquise on this. That witch has been shoving dragon fangs up my ass for months. I'M NOT GOING!"
 
But of course, she was going. Every orc in Luna's army was bound by their very souls to obey her words down to the syllable. And while she spilled all kinds of obscene curses and gave the messenger a black eye with a busted lip, she still packed her gear, sharpened her bone-crafted horse-slaying sword, and took off on this beast. Underneath Ferrah was a native rider dragon of Lagrimosa. It was by no means magical or ancient, just a winged reptile with the ability to breathe one of three elemental breaths along with empathetically connecting with a rider. She named him Onreinn Akul, which in orc translated to "dirty snow." The dragon was white, but not of virgin hues in powdery snow; his scales were pale yellow shades similar to a white corn snake. She reminded him of pissed-on snow; even herself a little chuckle when she named him. They had recently established an empathetic link, and Akul inherited her terrible temper. They physically exchanged blows on dominance on the journey and a scald mark on the left of Ferrah exposed abdomen told that tale. Akul packed quite a wallop with his lightning breath. Though she was forced to constantly deal with them, Ferrah hated dragons and their like. Akul, though, she gained a little respect for these last few days--she always appreciated a good fight. So long as she won.

The she-orc exhaled long, noting how white her breath became in the air. It was getting colder. 

"We're close," she says in her orcish tongue. The dragon croons in response. She flips herself up on the saddle, spinning elegantly on her rear and grasping the reigns. Below, there was no longer sea, but the palisade of snow coated mountains. Nestled within them was the city of Eneraith. Ferrah whips out a piece of hide with a map drawn on it.

"Yeah, this is it." She taps a claw on the drawn city. "About time. Let's go." She whips the reigns hard and directs the dragon into a dive towards the town. Now the dragon wasn't that big, medium-sized as far as rider dragons go, but was still alarming enough to make the wandering denizens grasp and temporarily fear for their saves at the sight of it. Ferrah paid no mind to the yells and scurries of the folk. Instead, she tightened and braced herself for landing. Akul decisively landed on the very building the questers set to meet, as if guided by fate. His landing mass causes a little rumble to oscillate the edifice, providing trickery to those expecting much greater tremors. Ferrah hopped onto the rooftop, rolling and popping the tension from her neck and shoulders. 

Ferrah was short for an orc but tall for a woman. She was two inches short from six feet and had an ash-gray body fortified by tightly coiled sinews and a dense skin as resilient as armor. Leather slabs were sewn like cowboy chaps on top of ebony animal fur upon her legs and terminated at the high of her thighs. On her waist, another leather and fur adorned fabric hung down her front and backside like a loincloth. This was further locked in with a leather slash that holstered bone-forged daggers and small throwing spears. The same style encompassed her arms, shoulders, and breasts with bits of beast bone and teeth jutting out in strategic positions on her body. This left her chiseled ashen abdomen and low back exposed to the cold. It did not bother her. 

"Alright, we get our bearings and then scout--WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" The dragon curled up like a cat on the roof, closing its blue eyes. Akul was clearly tired from the journey. "This is not the time for rest, you worthless animal! IN AND OUT! We're in and out of this hell hole!" 

She lifted her leg and started nudging the dragon's head with the base of her boot. "GET UP! Up, up--ARGH!"

Akul's tail whipped and smacked her in the rear, the push purloining her footing on the incline of snow. She fell back and slid down the roof onto the street. She landed on her feet, snarling wildly, then turned a fist up at the rooftop. 

"You piss colored scaly son of a-" She was cut off as another large mound of snow fell from the roof, pummeled her in the face, and sent her on her back again. Soon after, her large sword and travel pack also fell down. "Ugh! Fine! Get out of here, don't need ya!"

As if it were an order, the dragon snorted and took off from the roof, flying towards one of the surrounding mountains. Ferrah glared in the direction, then stood and brushed the snow from her hair and shoulders. They had an antagonistic relationship, but the she-orc knew the dragon would be back--likely after a rest. 

Ferrah slung her sword on her back, it nearly as long as she, and grabbed her bag. She just needed to find someone to show her where this beast may or may not be slumbering. She noted some of the people in the streets staring at her.

"What you looking at, hooman!?" The people quickly went about their business. Good start! Her common language was flawed and broken, but she knew enough to get by. 

[L E V I A T H A N 646]

S a u l   K a s s á b r a 

 

 

"Earthquakes.. Dragons.. Fae... What is not to love about this 'charming' little land?" He mused to no one other than himself.

 

        As he was moving through bone-white cloud coverage that only scarcely broke for light now as they came into the city of Eneraith, he seemed to be making great time. What had been a preliminary inquiry to see what is shaking things up had become the stuff of much fantasizing on the way here for Saul. Snow, cold, vagrants in the wild-- it left him utterly unfazed to think of inspecting the caves and mountains. His temperature-based issues had been diminished to little more than remedial inconveniences long ago. What could compare to his Time of Torment in that Deep, Dark, Black place he had been trapped in? The Ick regulated where a mortal body would have failed, and persisted to do so at all times now.

 

       Lucky for him, he had no intention of testing his limits when it came to getting to work. Èmhyr, here, he was a man of practicality who saw no use in complicating traversing distances. While reducing his need to impact the loci and the networking needed to move between them magically, he opted away from teleportation rituals and other wizened antics. 

 

       This time, he moved on a public transport airship to Enairath. Upon arrival, boots met a snow capped landing space, with the fallout from the mountains seeming perpetual. Lucky for him his Black Robes were more than comfortable. Both dry and warm was the Ouread Lad. The dark ensemble to match the boots and cloak were a tunic and leather pants, imbued to accommodate his agility and dexterous movements; belts and a sword at the hip fastened to a baldric and bandolier. Reagents and compartmentalized weapons and accoutrements sat among the pouches, as did a dagger dark as night rest in a sheath near his heart.

 

       Standing high and proud, he moved through the settlement to one specific location: a lodge set for strangers to converge. A wyvern flew overhead, of familiar stock to the Continent judging by stride, smell, and sight. No, those Dark Eyes missed nothing when willingly applied. He smirked at the prospect of running across TerFractimosans in his work. Would he know them? Unlikely, he judged, by the lonesome work he generally partook in. The notice must have reached most of the civilized parts— he himself had seen or heard of three cities with the distressed inquiry. 

 

       Critical thinking aside, Here was a Black Mage of the Ouread, taking in every smell and sight as he converged for work. Openly moving toward the voice that had chimed most confidently through the ruckus, Saul’Èmhyr took toward Dauner. His insides writhed with curiosity as the mage kept his Afflicktion in check.

 

“Seems like you’re eager enough to find out yourself.” He half-joked now to the entities ahead of him. “Here for the inquiry, I’d assume?” He estimated this, rather than guessing. There was not much that did not merit thought or analysis. A quirked brow accentuated a broad-shouldered man's face further than his groomed beard or his past-the-shoulder-but-braided tresses already framed. Eyes cut to the she-orc, keeping his mind open as he recognized her as bearing the familiar wyvern scent. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by L E V I A T H A N

[Sirloin 290]

Twists and turns upon his trail and endless hills of snow were the only thing Kaia had seen for miles. Unlike the others Kaia had ridden in on a spotted mare, she certainly wasn’t the fastest nor the prettiest, but she would certainly do. So it was of great joy when Kaia finally had arrived at the building, small piles of snow falling from his hood as he dismounted his beast, sending it back off to its master. 

Though upon his arrival, he took to his equipment and made a quick inventory of all his items: The high elf was dressed in his usual attire, a white robe lined with rabbits fur and a purple silken blindfold was draped around his eyes. Nothing too out of the ordinary for him. Luckily enough it was quite warm attire. The only thing out of the norm was his gear was of higher quality than usual, arrows that ended in strange diamond pattern made from freshly sharpened black steel lined his quiver. Accompanying it all was a lilliputian brief case wrapped in snakes skin which contained all manner of toxic substances. Of course this sudden improvement was on his beloveds orders. She wouldn’t see him gone for this long with the mid tier tools he normally worked with. Besides, he came to slay a dragon and he’d be damned if he couldn’t, he was a bit stubborn in that way.

All to him seemed fairly normal till he heard the broken speech of the she-orc. He wasn’t normally one to support the belligerence of his people but the two species certainly had their fair share of ancestral conflicts. Cursing underneath his breath in his elvish tongue he silently prayed nothing negative would come of either of their presence, opening his psychic eye the sigil tattooed upon his forehead produced a faint blue glow as he surveyed the company around him. It all seemed fairly normal, though he certainly recognized the flirtatious ways of Dauner. He had long since attempted to forget them and his conversations with a certain demonologist but as of the moment he had failed. He certainly wouldn’t make a big deal of it, though it was nice to always have a familiar face around. 

In the meanwhile, he made himself comfortable coming to restwhile standing. He was quiet for the moment.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Sirloin

[AthenasFire 1,126]

The crowd gathered rather quickly. The first to arrive being Dauner. He seemed in high spirits which was nice for Vivian to see. At least the company didn't seem like it would be boring. As Dauner asked his question two more walk up causing a smile to cross her face as Saul answers his question first. The two to arrive seemed different compared to Dauner. An elf archer she assumed from the bow and quiver. Quite rare compared to the warriors or mages of the land. She didn't even recall the last bow she saw on an adventurer. She found that to be quite an honor not that she verbalized that. As she thinks on the new arrivals she hears the broken English from an orc. Looking to it she assumes this person might be a potential 5th member to the party. Unlike the other 3 she seemed to be the only one not looking for a group.

Looking to Dauner Vivian nods. "Most certainly I am looking forward to seeing a dragon. Such things I could gain from even a scale... Thinking about all the magical advances I could make from studying how it fights or the power it might hold. It's quite exciting..." Looking to the black mage and elf she closes the open book in her hand and gets up from her seat. "I suppose you two are the last members of this little party then. We should head out soon then."

She stores her book and pulls a different one out before addressing the orc that rode in on a dragon. The orc didn't exactly scream friendly to her based on how she addressed the people around her. That said she seemed irritated more then hostile to Vivian at least so the book she pulled out was more in case something bad came of her posing her next question.  "You seem to have tamed one so I can stand to guess you are after a dragon maybe the cause of the tremors here? Would you like to join us? Seems our goals are aligned and dragons aren't exactly peaceful creatures nor easy to slay should that need to happen. An extra hand is always helpful." She offers a kind smile after stating this and extends her free hand as a kind gesture hoping that even though it was a more human gesture of kindness that it would be understood.

To Vivian the group had shaped out fairly nicely. Her and Saul appeared to be more magic focused which was nice for a bit of range and dealing with any strange problems to arrive. Dauner appeared to take a more hands on approach based on the zero weapons and he didn't give off magic user to her. The archer would keep a distance for sure with a bow. So the orc would compliment the team well since she clearly want to be in a dragons face with a sword that big. She had no complaints about how it turned out.

[Dabi 1,024]

Dauner watched the orc have a fight with her dragon, fall off the roof, and yell curses at it, all the while wondering if that was how their dynamic worked. He'd seen a couple of people have that same dynamic with their pets. Shortly after asking his question, a man came along and answered his in a joking tone. He gave Saul nothing, if not a smirk that would reveal Saul's guess to be right. "You're a researcher then" he asked Vivian rhetorically. "You know, after we're done with the potential lizard, you could help me with a research of my own" he proposed. An offer that smelled every bit as fishy as the grin he made it with. "But of course, you can always give me your reply later. Priorities first right?" he added. It was more than certain that he'd try to with her during this little adventure of theirs.

Neither the elf nor the black mage really struck his interest. However, the orc intrigued him. She seemed like a hardened killer. Perhaps she might end up being of use to him later on. For now, he had one primary focus. The dragon. And the cute girl, but mostly the dragon. He had drawn up a list which he'd named 'Becoming a Demon Lord 101'. Whether out of boredom or out of the desire to make a book of it was a mystery. However, the current item on his list was to forge a magic sword. A demon lord couldn't just parade himself with any ordinary weapon. He wanted a powerful weapon that could, on its own, strike fear in the hearts of many. Not that he needed it, he just thought it was only right for a demon lord to have one. It was a matter of pride. For this sword, he'd targeted the legendary dragon whose awakening had sent off powerful vibrations on both the physical and ethereal planes. Sensing the ethereal vibrations caused by this dragon, he deduced that it must be strong enough for its scales to be a powerful material. Afterwards, he'd help himself to its soul. Having a soul imprisoned in your sword only mad you a more fearsome warrior. He'd need it for when he was going to build his demon army, again, merely for the aesthetic and not for something grand like taking over the world.

It was true that his looks will easily pass him off a brawn fighter, with his jacket's and glove's design, but he was a swordsman, though lately, he'd become more magic oriented through his experiments and researches on his newly found magical abilities. He still needed to learn all about his ability to manipulate sub-atomic particles, but also his ability to manipulate darkness. an ability he'd gained by right of his heritage.

"How about we introduce ourselves first?" Dauner asked the group as he tried to pass off the message that he was all about the group work. In truth, he wasn't. The group was just another means to help him in his next experiments. However, he wasn't going to tell anyone that, and his acting was spotless. It would be hard to see through it, not that anyone had a reason to go looking anyway. "I'll start first. My name... is of little importance. So you may all call me R. My motive? Help save this town and maybe conduct some magical experimentation while I'm at it, and maybe also get some dragon scale, if the dragon's real of course" he said. "I'm also in my early twenties and single" he continued, though this time, it would seem like he wasn't speaking to the group but to Vivian in particular.

[Fallen Joy 860]

Ferrah, you have to learn to communicate to succeed in this mission.

The she-orc wondered if this was one of Luna's unwelcomed lessons. The witch was over 500 years old, and for some reason, she felt the need to imposed her old and wrinkled knowledge on those in her immediate proximity. Nonetheless, the she-orc glanced around her and frowned at the clear social distancing bubble around her persona, as if they were the middle of some pandemic, and she was the virus. She released a loud and frustrated sigh, scratching at her silvery and raven locks. 

"Alright, Ferrah," she said to herself. "You have to get along. Calm down….settle your anger." It was like throwing a sprinkle on a raging flame. She didn't even understand it herself. It was like slow ascending rising heat molesting every inch of her muscles, making them singe and simmer like the teenie bubbles erecting at the bottom of a pot on flames--just sprinkling salt of vexation, and she exploded into an angry, screaming boil. 

"Calm...Calm...Calm…"

"You seem to--"

"GAH!" The orc whipped around and snarled like a startled wild beast. She was so focused on trying to cool her hot head that when Vivan approached and with a question, no verbal and physical greeting whatsoever, the orc nearly struck her like a viper with the sudden closeness. She then blinked and tilted her gaze down. The woman likely paused at her belligerent exclaim with some manner of alarm. Ferrah's hand released the handle of her blade as she took in Vivan's figure. A fragile human looking thing with a book. Her skin was smooth like honey, and embraced impeccably on a silhouette as curvaceous as a dance of ribbons; nothing like the bulge of Ferrah's muscles wrapping tightly on her ashy hide. The orc imagined she could crush the elf-like her an aluminum-can between her fists. In other words, not-threatening. She calmed, allowing silence to guide the rest of this stranger's words.

"...have tamed one so I can stand to guess you are after a dragon maybe the cause of the tremors here? Would you like to join us?"

The orc canted her head and quirked a brow. Her limited understanding struggled to grasp selected known words with fill in the gaps with guesses. 

"Seems our goals are aligned, and dragons aren't exactly peaceful creatures nor easy to slay should that need to happen. An extra hand is always helpful."

"You...know the dragon?" She responded. What a damn stroke of coincidental luck! She moved not two feet on this street, and her answer was strolling up to her. Fantastic. The orc grinned for a moment, but her expression was replaced by a certain sense of bewilderment when the elf extended her delicate hand. The orc blinked, observed the friendly smile on Vivian's face, and then nodded firmly and quickly whipped out her own. She grasped not the hand but the wrist. Her vice grip was like a constrictor, applying immediate and painful pressure on the layering bones. The moment Vivian expressed pain, though, she relented. She nodded again firmly. The brief expression would, at most, leave a nasty bruise the next morning.

"Yes, am strong. Will fight dragon well." She crossed her arms proudly. Unbeknownst to Vivian, Ferrah was not trying to purposely hurt her. Her gesture was a test of strength in Ferrah's culture; orcs would grip each other's wrists and squeeze as tight as possible until the one expressed pain. This often led to broken wrists before one yielded. Ferrah merely thought Vivan was testing to see if she was worthy of their group. 

"My dragon weak, worthless lizard," she continues without missing a beat. "But come back after sleep. I call if need." She gestures with her thumb to a whistle carved of polished onyx hanging on her neck. Her crimson eyes shift from the elf to those drifting around behind her. More people. Good. Dragon bait. "Where dragon?" She asked, turning her gaze back at Vivan. 

Edited November 22, 2020 by Fallen Joy
Accidentally called Vivian an elf.

[Sirloin 290]

As Kaia was spoken to by Vivian the tattoo upon his forehead took to life, glowing a very dull bioluminescent blue that seemed to dance across his inked skin in droves. “You’d be quite right” He’d say in a voice that came with the refinement and elegance of a high elf. Though he wasn’t a royal, a sense of benevolent regality seemed to extend from his visage. “Kaia Nddaer” he said whilst extending a hand towards Vivian that was nearly as white as the snow around them before withdrawing himself to his weapons. First impressions were important and Kaia’s mother had beaten that into him as a child.

By now though, Kaia had adjusted to the frigid gale that surrounded them and warmed himself on the social and physical levels, the normally reclusive elf taking to the group listening intently to all things that were said. To him, this was a form of reconnaissance, gathering any intel about anything of these parts was object number one on his current priorities. A strange land cannot be trusted and he would rather not land in any pitfalls, in the metaphorical or literal sense. Pungi sticks were damn sharp. Though his eyes were covered by a blindfold he certainly got around really well, perhaps a little too well. 

Hearing Dauner’s invitation to the crowd he opened his mouth chuckling, Dauner was certainly at his usual ways. “I suppose I’ll go next. If you didn’t overhear me a moment ago, I’m Kaia Nddaer, I suppose my motive is glory, gold, and what trinkets and treasures we can find along the way. Scales and whatnot. I’m an archer so I’ll probably take more of a support role, covering you all when you need.” Though as he spoke he thought his words were quite gobliny and hoped that he hadn’t given off the wrong message to the group. 

Listening to the she-orc confuse the message he nearly opened his mouth to attempt to clarify. But, he didn’t yet trust the orc, and kept to himself this time. Kaia knew a smattering of a lot of languages but wasn’t fluent in anything except elvish and the common tongue of Valucre. If he were to speak he would sound like a child in broken speech, what she sounded like to them. Though her situation with the dragon was understandable and he briefly hypothesized that the dragon wasn’t so much as weak, as it was stubborn and knew it could and would get its way. The orc probably didn’t know how to handle such a creature besides forcing its hand with raw strength. He was eager and fidgety, rolling his dagger in between his fingers and occasionally tossing it only to catch it on its handle. 

[AthenasFire 1,126]

Vivian barely acted on Dauners flirting. She was a rather work first fun later type of person and to be honest when it came to discovering something new that was her fun. She found great pride and joy in fishing up new arcane secrets and twisting them to new and impressive feats of magic. This journey would likely lead to such a discovery for her so she didn't focus on trivial desires like lust.

When the orc snarls at her Vivian keeps her come and rather easily backs up a bit before a hit could even be made. Vivian expected some sort of response like that. She encounters all types of people. Most often when they seem as hostile or irritated like Ferrah was aggression is generally a safe thing to bet on if you suddenly interrupt them. That said she didn't expect such a quick turn around, however, that only furthered a bit of trust as mention of the dragon seemed to align her rather quickly so Vivian could trust her at least to the extent of beating the dragon. "I do slightly. We have gathered to hunt it."

As Ferrah takes her hand Vivian wasn't necessarily expecting a show of strength. Due to this she holds on for likely a bit longer then her figure or stature might suggest before showing a glimpse of pain. She was by no means weak. While relying mostly on her agility she did have some strength to back it up as what would the ability to move quick do if she couldn't back a punch with any sort of strength behind it. It would most certainly leave a bruise later though, she was certain of that. "Quite a strong grip." She says with a smile and nod. "I'm sure you will fight well."

Next up a hand is extended to her by the elf and she smiles and nods taking it. "Lovely to meet you Kaia. I'm Vivian. Last names only serve to slow speech so I have dropped mine." She says rather respectfully. She notes an odd blindfold on him but pays it little mind as she had certainly seen stranger. Though on an archer it was up there. His address to the group was rather on par with your average traveler and nothing Vivian could judge as she figured it was her turn next if she wanted to indulge the group. As the orc speaks of her dragon Vivian notes that while she speaks ill of it she certainly seemed to trust if not have some respect to trust it to come to her call and help. It was definitely a strange relationship to her...

"I suppose I am next..." Looking to Dauner his intents were made rather clear to her at his final comment of age and relationship status. "First though I would rather keep this professional I have zero desires to entertain trivial desires on the trip." She clears her throat at that rather rough comment. "I am Vivian, my desires her while saving the village is one I am more focused on the potential the dragon might hold for my mage craft. My magic is my books so I would ask if I drop it in combat please throw it back to me. If age is important to this I'm half way through my twenties..." 

She purely included the last comment as Dauner did share his and she didn't want him being the only sharing it as she looks to the orc. "If you don't want to share your name I understand not trusting us." She says with a kind smile. "As for where the dragon is... I would guess a nearby cave. If everyone is ready now lets go." With that and once everyone gets the final words out Vivian waves her hand with the book and starts to make her way out of the town.

[Dabi 1,024]

Dauner felt a little disappointed that his advances were ignored, but this was not the first and would certainly not be the last time that happened. He knew perfectly well that his advances would fail on most, and didn't really care since this was something he did for fun anyway. He'd have to get rejected more times than there were stars in the sky, and even then, he still won't give up.

Listening to the group introduce themselves, he took mental notes on all of them, from the brutish orc who seemed ready to crush some skulls at any time, to the dark mage who was apparently shrouded in a mysterious aura. The elf, who for some reason seemed familiar, though Dauner couldn't remember exactly where he'd seen him, and finally the mage of exquisite beauty, who like many he'd seen before, seemed like someone who was head all in into her magic and research. This wasn't a particularly bad entourage. He was quite interested in just how much fun he could be provided by both this group and the dragon.

"Sure. As ready as I'll ever be" Dauner said grinning as he caught up to Vivian. "I wonder what sort of wild beasts roam these parts" Dauner thought out loud. It was not because he was after a fight, but more for the purpose of the 'research' he'd spoken about earlier.

Edited December 18, 2020 by Dabi

[Fallen Joy 860]

 

"Quite a strong grip. I'm sure you will fight well."

Ferrah grinned a tusky grin, giving her chest a single beat of her fist and firmly nodding. Vivian's quick ambiguity to culture was appealing. The she-orc respected fervor and tenacity. Perhaps this soft-fleshed female would be a good battle companion after all. 

However, this first-impression twists ugly when instead of pushing off to adventure, Vivian's turns to address the rest of the group. Ferrah glances over the mage's head as if noticing the rest for the first time. They introduced themselves.  One flirted. She listens to the backwater conversation and meaningless courtship; her combustible temper ignites a few sparks. She gnawed the inside of her cheek in annoyance. This was the same empty stack of dragon crap that peeved her about the witches. 

The Tyrtrol tribe warred, labored, and occasionally screwed when it served their emotions. But they never wasted time. Ferrah turned her carmine sneer down, seeing the tome in Vivian's hand. Then the triggering word 'magic' left the mage's lips. So, she used it too. Just like the witches. The acid in Ferrah's belly thickened, so ratchet that the she-orc thought holes could burn through her stomach. She knew the woman wasn't one of her witches, as the thought of lopping off her head came without hesitance, but Vivian must have been from the same breed.  Or some knock off of it.

"Tsk." She popped her tongue off the top of her mouth in disgust. She wasn't being fair to Vivian, for the mage was simply appealing to the group for teamwork. However, Ferrah was enslaved by magic users and held prejudice of the highest sort. 

The sidebar conversation only lasted a minute, but Ferrah was already in the foulest moods when Vivian addressed her again.  The she-orc exhaled a thick white from her flaring nostrils and tightly crossed her arms. Name? Trust? Goals? Why did they need to know such, again, trivial things? She doesn't reply and waits for the mage to say something worth responding to. 

"As for where the dragon is…"

Finally.

"I would guess a nearby cave."

Ferrah glances into the mountains. She imagined the hills were full of cavernous orifices. If Akul wasn't resting, she could use his flight and sense of smell to make greater leeway. For now, she would be stuck with this group. She digs one of her claws into her bicep. So be it. Ferrah follows Vivan out of the town, kicking over a random stack of tavern storage boxes as she did so. The sound of splintering crates made her feel better. To the rest of them, she simply did not like its existence. 

[L E V I A T H A N 646]

S a u l  K a s s á b r a 

 

The group seemed to have gathered. A human, a demon hybrid, an elf, and an orc. Upon appearance, he might have seemed human.. but he was certain that label  no longer belonged to him. It was a futile label to try and preserve anyways. Cut the innards of monsters out or speak to spirits around the wrong folk and trust was swiftly pulled behind gates, leaving him on his own. As Vivian and Ferrah’s interaction came to a halt, he took up the speaking.

 

 So he made way with them once Vivian waved on to the out of town. Turning to walk backward as he otherwise walked alongside the lady mage, he began making momentary eye contact with each of them if possible as he spoke the next few words. 

 

“Name’s Saul; Saul Kassábra.. Kass if you have to muddle it down any more for yourselves. Black Mage of the Ouread. To be open, I am here on business, but all business is pleasure at someone’s expense, so.. “ a moment would pass before his conclusion, a moment filled with limitless ideas and fractions of moments filled with analyzation as well as mental preparation of a handful of spells. 

It was like that most of the time.. but it mattered not. He kept moving and learning and recording and seeing and feeling and Knowing. That itch to catalog the universe was the run off of what might as well have been an eldritch fever dream. Engrained since the Time of Torment spent in that Deep, Dark Black demesne of a Dark Host, he was unable to shake the urge to see and know and consume. Such was life; it was a manageable trait and he seemed better off than any vampyre or observant leech he knew of. 

 

“.. let’s get to Know this dragon and preserve a city, then.” He mused to the party, not expecting much of a response in his completion of his statement. 

 

The silence from Dauner made no mark on him. The man smelled of maledictous vigor, and he would not see himself caught up in the ulterior motives of a stranger. The Black Mage had only interest for coin, ingredients, and picking that dragon’s brain for everything it Knew. Perhaps he’d write some of it down for the girl with the books.. Vivian.. who had been gripped by the tenacious Orc among them. She certainly seemed straightforward; something the Nage could appreciate. Obfuscation was as much a headache as liars were. As he stewed in momentary thought, Kaia’s activated sight made Saul’s insides writhe. Unshakable and unstoppable as the sensation was, he resisted tasting the high elf. A sniff and shift of his supporting leg was made, and he came to Know the male’s signature a bit more—  All of theirs, actually. His whole body was a recording device, and he would likely never know what or who it would benefit. Not how or why or where or even when. Ultimately, the Black Mage worked to hone it to his benefit. It was His life, not theater Outer Dark Observer. Not that icky whatever that made up his everything. . He was more than biomatter. His mind and soul were His. Nothing and no one would change this. 

 

 

Names were Known and the cold lands awaited. Perhaps a hot spring among cold caves would knock the remedial at best chill from his hide.. off again was his mind. Unless addressed, he would waste no time in turning around to continue his forward strides. A dragon awaited! Scales, organs, teeth and soul were all on the shopping list. Then and only then the Ick would be satiated just as he would be. 

[AthenasFire 1,126]

Vivian still wasn't fully certain of the orc's culture so she didn't want to be rude and assume she should repeat the orcs action of hitting her chest with her fist. She did find learning new cultures quite exciting though so she was paying fairly close attention to Ferrahs actions in hopes that maybe if she met another of her kind or even her again she could be more welcoming to them. It was rare that someone didn't try to mesh into the group dominate culture so she was pretty excited to see her stick to her ways. Due to her watching Ferrahs actions she would notice the orcs souring attitude. She didn't pay it much mind though. She figured that there wouldn't be much shared from her but the grip told her all she really needed to know. A strong warrior who seemed incredibly proud based on the reaction to Vivian's compliment and just the way she carried herself. She did wonder though why she seemed so soured by it all... She had met people like that before. She leaves it be though as it isn't her place. 

As they do eventually head out Saul is next to introduce himself. She found him most interesting in the group if she had to be honest The claim to being a black mage wasn't often one in a group would make. He seemed rather strange in her mind but she supposed that others might consider her the same as she just seemed to carry several books around with her for no real discernable reason other then a claim to magic with them. She shrugs that idea off as she can't help but smile at the mages joyful nature. She rather liked it when it wasn't applied to catching her eye for what she saw as selfish reasons. She liked the odds the group had against the dragon even if they were a rather misfit group of different races and different cultures. Besides what is a race but a label to separate? They were all presumably mortal and had a common goal in line, two actually, slay a dragon and come out alive. As they leave the city Vivian notices the orc kick over a stack of boxes. She found it rather rude but makes no real comment. No need to cause unneeded headaches among the group or hold them up any longer.

She had a decent idea of where to check first as the group leaves the comforts of the city. She didn't expect it to be that quick however. As Dauners comment on the beasts of the land comes to mind she also wonders the same. She figured they would encounter some dangerous things on the way but she was honestly more worried about plant life then anything. Plants can hide in plain sight while a wyvern would be easily spotted. That said she was mostly hopping to spot one of the sheep as she found the idea of a rainbow wool sheep rather amusing. As they travel out of the city though she remains rather quite for the most part as the city disappears behind them and Vivian focuses on following a preset path she had in mind to find the first cave on her list. She had about three in mind to check but she was hoping that one of the first two would prove to hold the dragon.

After a bit of travel with the city just a memory, they come to a forested area. Vivian turns to the group as they get closer to it. "We will need to pass through here to get to the first cave. ITs easier then walking around it. Just be on the look out for danger." She warns before setting foot into the forest. She was a bit worried about the trip through the wooded area seeing as she wasn't sure how the quicks would affect the creatures in it. Her primary worry was Forrest Jumpers seeing as spiders use vibrations to detect prey.

 

[Dabi 1,024]

"Saul Ka-" Dauner paused as if something had just popped into his head. He, in reality, had simply already forgotten how the name went. No surprise since he'd always been bad with names. "I guess Saul will do" he finally finis after a few seconds, scratching the back of his head. "Well what are we waiting for? Onward to adventure" he declared marching ahead of the rest with a silly grin on his face. After sometime he slowed down letting the others catch up, especially Saul. "So what does it mean to be a dark mage?" he asked. "Do you like use humans as sacrifices in rituals, or deal with the souls of the damned, or maybe make extensive use of black magic? Could you maybe have a contract with a demon or something?" he asked, not leaving time for an answer between each question.

Once they'd have arrived in the forest, Dauner immediately scrambled into a tree, and literally began, 'monkeying around' without a care in the world. "This makes me feel nostalgic, and kinda homesick" he said as he swung from a vine to the next tree. He jumped from tree branch to tree branch as the group advanced, not noticing the danger that would soon close in on him.
It was technically the same as usual, except for that this time, his dragon wasn't here to protect him from the predators of nature.