Monsters and Men; The Remake

Discussion in 'Retirement Home' started by Magick, May 20, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. CrownMoksha Decimo

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2011
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    On board the DenLiner
    1,340
    Whether it was because of he was too preoccupied with looking around at the time or he simply just wasn't paying full attention at the time, but shortly after sitting down the vibrating of his medallion was all the more noticeable to him. That realization didn't affect how he would act though for there was no reason for him to actually do anything for the time being. Beside order himself a drink. "Some Rivian Kriek will do." Lumen answered. "Quite the place you have here." It was his attempt to make small talk following his eyes just glancing around while he waited.
     
  2. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    The True North.
    390
    [​IMG]
    He's so freaking happy. Could he be for real? There's no way it would be this easy. Teliana belied none of her thoughts on her face, instead smiling kindly as she listened to Aaron. "I once thought that staying in the same place would make me go crazy too, but the nomadic lifestyle can get a little lonely sometimes. It's nice to be able to see a familiar setting and know that it's a safe place to call home." The cold winter breeze that had permeated so much of the season tugged a few stray hairs from the hood of her cloak. Impatiently, she brushed them back in place behind her ear, before glancing back up to Aaron. In spite of herself not being a short woman, the young witcher towered over her. Young...He didn't seem to carry the weight of the years or the burden that most of his kind did. Teliana herself had been on this earth nearly too long, and even she sometimes craved an end to the constant struggle of the world they lived in. So long she had watched it changed, watched the people she came to care about die, all because they didn't bear the same gifts as her. It wasn't fair, and four hundred years of unfair seemed simply too long.

    "I'm not sure about clay...it tends to freeze pretty quickly this time of year. I could perhaps talk to the potter, he doesn't live too far away." Footsteps interrupted their conversation as two of Aaron's apparent compatriots approached. She assumed this, mainly because the brown haired one spoke Aaron's name. His cat eyes gleamed, and Teliana suppressed a shiver. What kind of luck had the goddess shone down upon her that two witchers would appear at her door? Clearly none of the kind she wanted. "And who is this?" He turned and gaze her the sort of look men had been giving her since she turned sixteen, four hundred fifty years ago. She raised an eyebrow in reply, before holding out a hand to shake. "I've always been told that witchers gathering in one place can only mean trouble." She quipped before looking at the witcher's companion. He looked young, and without the slitted pupils it was a safe bet that he wasn't a witcher. Traveling with one ruled out vampire, werewolf, or any other kind of creature. Sorcerer wasn't impossible, but improbable.

    She might have been outnumbered, but she wasn't outgunned. A coy smile crossed her lips. Maybe she could have some fun with this opportunity before going back to her boring life.
    "We can talk inside, out of the chill. If." She pointed at Aaron, then Derrick. "On your witcher's honor, promise that neither me or those in my care will come to harm while under my roof. And you." She turned to Lysander. "No blood sucking, fur growing, magic causing havoc, alright?" She figured she had covered all possible dimensions with that promise, at least. And if they didn't behave, well, she had never wanted to die in her bed.
     
  3. Arch Mana Knight

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2007
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Anywhere
    2,430
    Kord's eyes flicked over towards the witcher, his head slightly turning so Alyse would notice that he had picked up on it too. Thankfully, she had the good sense not to turn tail and run immediately. Given the fact that the tavern was crowded with more souls than just them there would be no way for a witcher to single them out immediately. The young woman's attitude was certainly a feisty one and one of her first responses was to remind him that she was indeed armed. It amused him but he refused to allow himself to smirk at her thinking it would hurt the sense of pride she was so obviously soaking in.

    Just as he was about to speak again, another man walked in. Another witcher. Kord shifted in his seat and returned his gaze towards the blonde. There still was no reason to get nervous. Unless these witchers were reckless enough to put everyone else at risk of being killed.
    "You know, I can see why you're on edge. With a face like that you must be used to fending off all kinds of men. Probably a few women too." He mused. "You won't be needing to use that mace on me. Don't get me wrong, on any other occasion I'd have a go and see how my luck fares with you but that's not why I'm here." Of course, he could have just told her why he was there and risk the wrath of the two witchers as the two fled or fought for their lives but even if they survived that would have been the stupidest idea he could have come up with as this girl would surely never trust him enough to join him after that and he would not blame her for it.

    "You may call me Kord. The only thing I need from you, is a moment of your time alone, if you will grant me that much, miss..." He trailed off, hoping she would give him a name.



    Having already finished his drink, finding no comfort to go with it, Enok folded his arms across the table and shook his head slowly. It had been worth a shot but it did nothing to clear his mind. By the time he looked up there stood not one but two witchers in the tavern. An amusing sight to say the least. Fortunately, the itch in the back of his mind did not immediately grow upon their arrival. Needless to say, killing a witcher was not a task accomplished with little effort. With nothing left to do at this place, Enok rose from his seat. Perhaps by the time he made it back to his room, grabbed his sword, and made it down his mark would be made clear to him. If not, there was bound to be a fitting target to find if he roamed the streets for a while.

    Looking over towards the elf woman who owned the establishment he considered thanking her again for serving him but, considering that she was preoccupied with a witcher, decided not to interrupt. It was not that witchers scared him, they did not even make him nervous, but just risking being found out was not an interesting prospect for him. Enok made his way upstairs to enter his room. It was a cozy little thing that he would not have minded staying in longer if given the opportunity. The only personal item belonging to him, however, was his blade propped up against his bed and grabbed it before turning back around and heading downstairs.


     
  4. Aelin Best Waifu

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2011
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    British Columbia, Canada
    1,423
    [​IMG]
    Dayla was about to help the one wticher, when another took a seat beside the first, ordering a drink. Shortly after that the one she had originally intended to help then ordered as well. "Coming right up." She said sweetly as she turned around and grabbed a couple mugs starting to fill them. " Rivian Kriek for the cute one, and Mahakam Mead for his friend." Dayla set the two mugs down, winking at Lumen. She would never actually even consider going out with a witcher, most weren't too fond of the elves, or at least members and former members of the Scoia'tael. The reason she flirted was because it tended to do her better for tips. She could use the extra money, could use hiring another person to help out around the tavern. It wasn't that Alyse wasn't good, but some days it felt like they needed more than the two of them. During the winter seasons that wasn't the case, however come spring and summer, business would pick back up, and being able to hire an extra hand would be useful.

    With the two men served, Dayla glanced over to notice that the other
    man who had been renting a room had finished his drink and gone back up stairs. Cleaning up his cup she lingered a little bit trying to see if he was leaving or just hiding in his room again. It seemed that latter was his case as he grabbed his sword. It was the only thing that he had come with after all, it was a logical assumption that he was leaving. "Are you on your way out? Doors are always open if you want to stop by again." She told him with a warm smile, this one genuine. He was by far not the worst she had staying at her tavern. He was actually a rather polite and easy customer and she greatly appreciated that.

    All the while Dayla was still keeping half an eye on
    Alyse. She knew she shouldn't worry, but she always did. The man, she knew that he wasn't drunk yet, and it was the drunk ones that started the stupid stuff, but he still seemed odd to her. When he had been keeping to himself she thought nothing of it, but now that he seemed so interested in Alyse.... Dayla couldn't tell what was being said but if anything happened to Alyse, Dayla knew she would have an issue on her hands, given the mage girl that Alyse lived with. Besides Alyse was one of few people Dayla considered friends. She had plenty of good relationships with customers, but they were still just customers, it was friends that she needed and having just found one, at least in her own mind, she wasn't going to lose it. Wouldn't even risk it.
     
  5. al215 Kingdom Keeper

    Joined:
    May 29, 2013
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    118
    772
    [​IMG]

    Derrick knew, as soon as Aaron started talking, that a few things had happened. Or not happened as the case may have been. He obviously hadn't asked the woman her name. This disappointed the Witcher greatly. One of the first things to do when meeting a beautiful woman was to at least find out her goddamn name, but apparently Aaron never got the memo. He resolved to give the boy some lessons on how to handle women some time. However, he had more pressing matter than his young compatriot's failure at womanising. He took the hand profferred and shook it firmly. Sorceress. Definitely.
    "It usually means trouble, but this time it's coincidence. I was as surprised to see another Witcher here as you. The name's Derrick, you've obviously already met my friend Aaron. Who might you be?" He replied casually, and truthfully. She did not seem as casual, and soon she started demanding promises. Nobody under her care? Had he called it wrong? Perhaps she wasn't a sorceress after all. Most sorceresses, he reasoned, would realise that Witchers generally meant no harm and merely did their jobs. If this wasn't a sorceress, she'd have to be an incredibly proud Doppler, more likely a Vampire in that case. Werewolves didn't tend to have that level of pride. But, her exhaustive list of things Lysander shouldn't do led him back to the possibility that she was indeed, a sorceress as he had expected. Obviously she was an unusual one. As if there was a 'usual' sorceress. "Huh, Witcher's honour. You don't hear many people referring to that. But on it I shall swear."
     
  6. Relatively Sane Gummi Ship Junkie

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2015
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    60
    328
    [​IMG]
    Lysander stood back as Derrick reacquainted himself with the young witcher, whose name was apparently Aaron. Good to know. He cringed on the inside when he realised that Aaron hadn't actually discovered the beautiful woman's name. Lysander put on his best smile, pulled out his lute, and was prepared to offer a beautifully elegant sample of poetry to woo the woman, when she suddenly turned to him and accused him of bloodsucking and similar bizarre crimes. Lysander faltered for a moment, until he realised she was inviting them in. It was a rare, but not unheard of, circumstance when he didn't even have to say a word to get inside a woman's home. While Derrick was blathering about honour, Lysander slipped past and approached the two strangers, mostly focusing on the woman "Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Lysander Verric Sebastien Antionarre, a bard and minstrel of great renown. I promise you that I have no predilections towards Vampirism or Lycanthropy, and the only magic I am able to perform..." Lysander strummed on his lute for effect "...Is bewitching the hearts of men and women with my sweet melodies" Lysander was smiling in a friendly manner "I am grateful for your invitation to your home, getting out of the cold would certainly be preferable. Do you have a name we can call you by, or are you going to carry on being Miss Secretive?
     
  7. Vladek515 Hollow Bastion Committee

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2015
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Midland
    57
    595
    [​IMG]

    The Old Crow had noticed the vibration of his medallion as soon as he had walked in and knew there was a source of magical power or a monster close by, he'd have to try and figure it out what it was, then again he checked quite a few notice boards and there weren't really any contracts on the ones he had seen, didn't mean there weren't any though. The witcher beside him ordered the sweet cherry flavoured ale from Rivia, not really something the old crow himself enjoyed but that hardly mattered. He took note of the way of she called the Witcher next to him the cute one and just smiled at the remark, the witcher next to him probably was just out of training and hadn't been on the Path for long and the years just fly by. When the elf got his order, he paid for his drink with a little extra and said "Thanks" after which he took a sip from his mead and looked around the room and something caught his eye, it was the hand of a certain lady being rather close to the handle of a mace and they seemed to be on edge. There was a tension in the air, while keeping an eye on the woman he turned to the witcher beside him. "I don't believe we have met. The name is Veceslav Furst. Who might you be, friend?" Veceslav asked the witcher sitting beside him as he cast his glance over the room again taking note of the bloke the woman with the mace was talking to. He turned to the Barkeep again "Say, Miss, you wouldn't happen to know if there's any work for me around here would you?" The old witcher asked.
     
  8. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    The True North.
    390
    [​IMG]
    Alyse raised an eyebrow at Kord and then laughed in spite of herself. It wasn't a cheerful sound, but dark and full of tension. "Can you? See why a woman would be nervous when a man she doesn't know comes up to her without provocation and talks the way you do? Do you really understand?" Her eyes slid to the other man as he got up to leave, and then to Dayla, who was entertaining the two witchers. Even though the elf didn't know it, she was slowly helping to relieve the tension that Alyse felt since the two monster hunters appeared. She could handle this man, likely he wouldn't survive five seconds against her before she tore his throat out. But she didn't fancy her chances against trained men who had experience fighting people like her. This one, she could do. At Kord's mention of her not needing her mace, Alyse barely suppressed another derisive laugh. Leave it to a man to tell her what she could or couldn't do. Her fingers grazed the top of the handle, itching to unhook it from the sling holster around her waist and smash it into his overconfident, creepy face. But then Dayla would have to clean the blood up off the floor, and it might draw the eye of the witchers, she certainly didn't want that. No, she would have to do this the old fashioned way. A smile played on her lips. The fun way. "Fine, Kord. Follow me then, if you're so sure that's what you want."

    Pushing away from the bar, Alyse turned her head to catch
    Dayla's eye. "I'm stepping out for a moment, Dayla. Need to use the privie." It was their code, her way of letting Dayla know she was taking care of a potential problem and that Dayla should give her ten minutes. Preferably, Dayla would get to Teliana and have her find Alyse, but that might not be the case. Alyse wouldn't know, she had been away more then seven of those precious minutes. And if Dayla found out, well...Alyse would just deal with it. She always found a way. Giving the witchers a wide birth, Alyse ignored the re-arrival of Enok, and stepped out of the door, not waiting for Kord. Once outside, she took a breath of the crisp, cold air before turning left at a brisk walk. Not more then a minute away was a particular place, dear to her heart. Stepping into the alley, there was only one way in, and the same way out. There were no windows to the buildings on either side, which were both abandoned, residents having starved to death. They could be alive and well for all she knew, but in Alyse's mind, that was what happened, the reason for the silence and lack of activity, the morbid event that had led to her killing sanctuary. Alyse let her hand curl around the handle, waiting for Kord's footsteps behind her before yanking the mace out and in one fluid movement whirling around to slam it into his face.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2017
  9. CrownMoksha Decimo

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2011
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    On board the DenLiner
    1,340
    Lumen couldn't help himself as he chuckled as the barkeep called him 'the cute one'. It wasn't often that that occurred, in fact Lumen could count the times that it did on one had. With exactly one finger. "Flattery will get you no where." Not that he really cared about his appeared , but why not play along. He grasped the mug that held the cherry brew and took a swallow of it, after which he did of course pay for it and a little bit of a tip. He was feeling generous after all.

    Briefly his attention was on the
    woman who had walked out with a man in tow. He would've thought nothing of it if not for the mace that the woman had to her side. It would be easy to tell if something happened if one of them came back, namely the woman and if there happened to be blood on the mace. Upon leaving his sight, his attention went back to the witcher who sat next to him. "Lumen Arkadian is the name." Of all the people that he could've meant upon deciding to head to this tavern, Veceslav was not of them. In person this was his first time ever meeting him, but it wasn't the first that's he's heard of him thanks to all of the stories that he heard from his former teacher.
     
  10. Arch Mana Knight

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2007
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Anywhere
    2,430
    Kord kept still for a moment and picking at a spot on the table as his eyes followed after the woman, who had not yet introduced herself, as she went out to the back. After the short moment passed he stood up and followed after her. He was a little saddened however that this was how their initial meeting would go down. Perhaps if he had been more charismatic or offered a solid believable business proposition rather than hint at knowing her secret would have been a better way to start things. In any case, the words had been said and he knew what was coming next.

    A rush of air blew at his hair when he stepped back out of the mace's range. After following this girl for a few days he did pick up on a few things. One of those things being what this girl's job apparently was. A sort of bouncer to keep out undesirables and he had just earned himself that label. It did not take a genius to figure out why she was taking people out back when they became too rowdy or too forward in their advances. Watching those same poor souls limp away to lick their wounds or just not come back made it obvious.
    "Whoa there." Kord held up his hands as he took another step back. "Okay so starting off on the wrong foot was my fault. I'm still learning how this whole socializing in the modern city act goes." Kord spoke before lowering his tone. "Look, I'm not comfortable around those witchers either. First time since I got here I've seen them step foot in this area of Novigrad." Kord took a deep breath as he slowly lowered his hands, making sure to keep his right hand distant from his hatchet to avoid having it look like he was going for his own weapon.

    "By the honor of my...hatchet, I'm not here to bring you, or whatever friends or family you have here, any harm. So can I get a name before I tell you why I'm here or are you just going to keep swinging that thing at me?"


    "I will be back later. Perhaps. Thank you for your service." Enok spoke with some difficulty, pausing at the exit before heading out into the brisk air. The itching in his mind began to grow, egging him to turn around but this time he ignored it. There were two witchers too many for his liking and if the specter persisted he could just wait for another day and hope the two left town before he got to work. It would be possible to get the job done in spite of the presence of two formidable creatures but the last time he faced an experienced witcher he nearly lost an arm. For now, he wished to see if easier prey would catch the Hym's attention. If not, then there were always new sights to behold and take his mind off of his never-ending journey.

    The distant clanging of a blacksmith's hammer did little to remedy that as Enok roamed the streets, blade in hand. It only reminded him of one of his less successful quests. For him, "less successful" only meant more people died by his blade than he originally intended. A particularly corrupt noble had gotten the idea that the best way to defeat his shadowy stalker was by surrounding himself with more armed guards and even though it had failed to save him, the ensuing fight to escape the manor had not been an easy one. Thankfully, crawling out of the wreckage of a burned-down manor took only a few hours and stealing replacements for his clothes were of little trouble to him. The incident had been so long ago he had forgotten what the noble had done to draw the specter's ire. It didn't really matter. He was dead now and Enok was not.

    By now the sounds of the blacksmith's shop had faded away as he put more distance between himself, it, and the tavern he had stayed it. Enok loosened his grip on the leather sheath that held his sword as he relaxed on his stroll, his boots crunching the freshly fallen snow as he walked. The sound of a lute caught Enok's attention for a moment and as he turned his head to look over in the direction it had come from he eyed four strangers.
    "Do you have a name we can call you by, or are you going to carry on being Miss Secretive?" The lute player, a woman, and--two more witchers. Enok let out a long sigh. "What the hell's wrong with you? The city's crawling with witchers." He spoke to himself, keeping his voice low so only he would hear. Even now his words continued to go unanswered by the whispers. Annoyed, he kept walking and diverted his gaze from the group. Turning back around to get back to the tavern almost looked like a good idea right about now.

     
  11. Aelin Best Waifu

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2011
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    British Columbia, Canada
    1,423
    [​IMG]
    Aaron couldn't help but stare as Derrick and his friend cut in to introduce themselves and asked her name. The way they both looked at her too, he could tell that they lusted after her in some way. Of course Aaron would admit, from what he could see of her with the hood and cloak on, she was rather attractive. However he had come here with no intention of trying to bed a woman. Especially because he didn't want his first time to be with some random woman off the street that was making his medallion go wild. But Derrick on the other hand, he had heard stories and jokes of his reputation. The way he looked at the woman didn't surprise him in the slightest. At least it took the judging gaze off of him and turned it to her. He hated that look of disappointment.

    The
    woman then asked if they wanted to talk inside, on the condition that they didn't cause trouble. It was getting rather cold out so Aaron made a small bow towards her. "I swear on my honor as a witcher, that no harm will come to you or anyone under your care." Aaron assured her before standing up straight again. "And I thank you for the hospitality that you are showing towards us." He finished trying to be polite as possible. "After you m'lady." He added still not knowing her name to refer to her as such. Even still it was more polite to phrase it like that anyways so he didn't mind.

    [​IMG]
    A slight look of disappointment crossed Dayla's face as the one witcher told her that her flattery wouldn't help. Even still both witchers had seemed to give a big of a tip. Perhaps they weren't all that horrible to have around if they kept tipping, that being said they still made Dayla uncomfortable. Her eyes drifted from the witchers to Enok as he made his way out of the Tavern claiming that he might be back later. If he paid for another night, that would be good, Dayla could already tell that the winter would be a hard one. It would be nothing like the winters that she had spent in the woods in the past. Those were difficult to survive when you never had a permanent home to stay in. That being said in those times she would hunt for all her food. These days she didn't dare step foot into the forests. While she might have missed them dearly, she knew that she could be killed if certain elves saw her. She had information that the Scoia'tael did not want getting out, when she left, she knew she would be hunted. That was why she chose a big city to hide, it was the last place that elves would want to go.

    The
    older witcher spoke up again and Dayla looked up at him a little caught off guard. She quickly regained her composure and looked him straight in the eye as she spoke. "No work here. There are no monsters here, just those that human consider "others" or "insignificant." But no trouble to be found." She told him flat out, a little bit of annoyance in her voice as she said such things. She clearly detested how others viewed her and those who came into her bar. With that she took the chance to turn and start to clean up some other tables, just to get out of the way.

    As Dayla took a step back from the two witchers, her attention was caught by
    Alyse. Apparently she was going to take the man out back, and Dayla cringed slightly but started to count in her head. If she was more than ten minutes, then Dayla would grab her sword and be out back. It was a rule that the two of them had whenever dealing with troublemakers. If one didn't return in ten minutes, the other had a free pass to go after them, whether they had finished the job or not, for safety sake. Dayla just hoped that this one would be dealt with quickly, she didn't need the extra stress.
     
  12. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    The True North.
    390
    [​IMG]
    Derrick's hand was warm and calloused, the kind accustomed to a hard life. He asked her name once again, but this time more directly. Unable to stop herself, Teliana permitted a mischievous smile in his direction before outright ignoring the question, the smile only growing when he made the promise she was waiting for. The other man stepped into view, introducing himself as Lysander. Well, a lot more than just "Lysander", but Teliana wouldn't be bothered to remember the whole name. If he was truly a great bard, than the first was the only one she would need to find him. And if he wasn't, then he probably wasn't worth finding. "You are quite friendly." She commented as he also asked for her name. "It's rare to find so many friendly and helpful people in one place." It was all because of her face, yes, but sometimes being pretty had its benefits. More often then not, she had to deal with the downfalls. "But you know, I really do like that. Miss Secretive. Why don't we just shorten it to Miss Secret?" Her gaze, although warm and kind, was also piercing, as though by simply staring upon these strangers she could know what their future might hold. What hers might hold, because of it. Aaron directed her attention to him by swearing upon his honour as well, and though they were just words, Teliana sighed with more than a little relief. While she couldn't speak for the bard, both Derrick and Aaron sounded as though they meant what they said. And now the die was cast.

    Beckoning with two fingers, Teliana turned and walked the short few steps back into her house, leaving the door open as she crossed the threshold. Pulling her cloak off and hanging on the hooks opposite the entrance, she ran her fingers through her long, russet colored hair before moving to the small kitchen area to put a pot of tea on.
    "You may sit where you please, coats and cloaks can go with mine if you like." Setting the kettle in the small cooking fire place, she called a warm ember into her hand, gently rubbing the tiny flame as though it were a small kitten with her fingers before blowing on it. The flame leaped from her hand and onto the wood pile, igniting into a blaze. Satisfied, she turned to review her guests again. Upon viewing the witchers, she was reminded of another cat eyed gaze, a warm and gentle one that pulled her into the safety of his arms...Folding her arms across her chest, she tilted her head, the long train of hair falling from her shoulder to caress her cheek. "So how did you all meet?" She asked, moving forward to rest her back against the counter. The witchers would know each other from training, or from wanderings. But a bard in the company of one was only slightly odd. Perhaps only a little more than herself, she thought with a smile. "I must admit all the news the city guard passes is not the most optimistic, and mostly relates to our survival. I wouldn't mind a good story or two." For the moment, her project was forgotten in the face of possibly having a good time again. Either by having good company, or fighting to the death. The day was young, it could go either way.

    [​IMG]

    Maddeningly, he stepped out of range. Alyse stood at the ready, sizing up the enemy before her as her brain kicked into battle mode. Whether it was actually a different way of thinking, she couldn't say. But her eyes noted the hatchet at his side that she had missed before, the clothing he wore that wasn't necessarily battle ready, but worn, and the stance Kord took as he made another step back. He had obviously seen a few battles, survived them, but wasn't completely prepared to fight. His words, even as they reached her ears, made little sense to her. Socializing in the modern city? It was a distraction, and she shook it off, her hand gripping the handle of the mace tightly before finally some words filtered to her brain that made sense. "So can I get a name before I tell you why I'm here or are you just going to keep swinging that thing at me?"

    "Bittch, you guessed right." Lunging forward, she brought the mace from the ground up, aiming to cut from his hip to his chest. Following through, she took another step forward, whirling again, her blonde hair in a halo around her head as she moved to slice open his stomach. If he was going to be persistently agile, then she would take it up a notch. Baring her teeth in a feral grin, Alyse darted away. Even if her attack wasn't successful, she needed to stay out of range of Kord, who was bigger and heavier. If he managed to get his hands on her, she would have a hard time getting away without growing fur and fangs, and in the middle of the city, in broad daylight with a possible Dayla intervention looming in the future, Alyse wanted to avoid that.
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2017
  13. al215 Kingdom Keeper

    Joined:
    May 29, 2013
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    118
    772
    [​IMG]

    "Miss Secret it is then." Derrick agreed, returning the smile she gave him with one of his own. She was playing coy with them it seemed. He was pretty fixated on sorceress. "If I may Miss Secret, I'd also like a promise that we won't be burned us alive with magic or some other such thing. Having our blood sucked or fur growth included." He decided to gauge her reaction with a little joking promise, but also to secure his companions' safety. The vibrating of his medallion beneath his armour was not at all lost on him, and though he liked joking around and entering the homes of beautiful women as much as the next man, a sorceress or other creature did not let two Witchers and their friend into her house without some sort of plan. Especially one so concerned about her own safety with those promises. He was in decent company, but what if it was someone of the disreputable character she anticipated?

    The Witcher followed Miss Secret into her house, not far from where they were. It seemed that Aaron had caught her outside her house or something to that effect. He watched her run her fingers through her hair, as elegant as to be expected from a sorceress. It was a modest city home, nothing too grand. He watched her move across the room, put a kettle over the cooking fire and set the wood alight with magical fire. He smirked to himself.

    "Knew she was a sorceress." He whispered to Lysander, then leaned against a wall in the kitchen area. She seemed curious about who they all were, so he took the initiative on answering. First, he cocked his head towards Aaron. "The young pup here is from the same Witcher School as I. He recently passed his Trials and completed his training. I helped teach him." True, but Veceslav did most of that work. He did help though. Mostly with Axii training. Then he waved a hand in Lysander's direction.
    "And this one is a friend I picked up around Toussaint a while back. He had a basilisk on his **ss, so I stepped in and saved him. We travelled together a while, I'm sure that he can recount our adventures better than I can." Derrick explained. He'd let Lysander do the storytelling. While it pained him that he wouldn't be able to impress her with a story personally, he knew that the bard could do it. He'd make them both sound way cooler. Don't let your old friend down!
     
  14. Vladek515 Hollow Bastion Committee

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2015
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Midland
    57
    595
    [​IMG]

    Veceslav just snorted when the Witcher who would introduce himself Lumen Arkadian saying that flattery would get her nowhere and took another sip of his Mahakaman Mead. He noticed a change in his Medallion vibration and heard the door open as two people left, he glanced over and took note of what they looked like for future reference. It appeared that they were part of the source of the magical power but it still hadn't stopped vibrating so there still were sources around. He turned to the witcher beside him. "Well met Lumen, the name is Veceslav Furst." He looked at the medallion his fellow witcher wore, it was the small head of a Griffin, a well respected school, adept in the signs combined with their swords. He himself was the eldest of the Wolf School. The vibrating nearly stopped after yet another person left. The Barkeep told him that there were no monsters here, he noticed the annoyance in her voice. "Alright, thanks." Veceslav said, he too was considered a deviant by many people. The amount of times he had had to defend himself from yokels who didn't like him being in their favourite watering hole was ridiculous. Many people would also reason that because they were in a city like Nowigrad, supposedly protected by the Eternal Fire monsters wouldn't get in. He would bet that there were drowners in the sewers and channels, possibly dopplers hiding around here too, vampires, werewolves. His Medallion and experience told him that there were monsters around as City Walls didn't stop them. He turned to the Witcher beside him. "So what has brought you to Nowigrad?" He asked.
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2017
  15. Relatively Sane Gummi Ship Junkie

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2015
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    60
    328
    [​IMG]
    Lysander was relieved when they were finally allowed into the home, and took of his cloak as he left the chilling winds. Glancing over at the woman, he was surprised to see her ignite the fireplace without the need for fire-starting implements. He blinked in surprise, and fear, but things were made clearer as Derrick revealed the nature of the woman. Lysander had heard of sorcerers before, but to see one in the flesh? It was quite remarkable, and frankly terrifying. What else could Miss Secret do? Burn down a house? A city? Lysander shuddered with the thought, as his imagination filled with the searing flames that had consumed his home. Nevertheless, Lysander shook his head and focused on the conversation again, as Derrick mentioned him.
    "Indeed I can, my friend" Lysander said, sitting at a chair with his lute in his hands. He began to softly strum at the instrument, producing a simple cheerful melody. He was still a little put off by the woman's fiery abilities, but tried to pull a smile "So, there I was, having just left my lifelong home to embark on a grand adventure. But then, as if the gods themselves reviled me, a terrifying monstrosity ambushed me a short time after I had left..." Lysander told the story of how he ran (bravely) from the creature, before fortunately running across Derrick, who disposed of the beast in an exaggerated epic battle "...Derrick slashed at the beast a final time, and removed its head in one clean swipe, before kicking its body off the cliff!" he said as he finished the battle saga "After this display, which I watched with rapt attention, the witcher turned to me, and vowed to protect me on my journey. Regrettably for Derrick, I was headed to Vizima, so we had quite the walk ahead of us"

    [​IMG]
    "It is time" Thorvald spoke. Through the misty water, a long dark shape weaved, headed straight towards the bay of Novigrad. The water rippled at its approach, and it moved with impressive speed given its size. As the shape moved closer to the surface, an observer would be able to tell that it was about the length of two long-ships. In the docks of Novigrad it went mostly unnoticed, although a few residents began to notice something moving through the dark water. It was now closer to the docks, and every so often its thick scaled skin would breach the surface briefly, offering glimpses of the massive blue beast. Suddenly, its head rose up, water cascading from its form, and revealing a large reptilian head, with gleaming blue eyes of malevolence, and an enormous maw full of sharp teeth. A group of Novigrad residents stood in stunned terror, and the great serpent simply glared.
     
  16. Aelin Best Waifu

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2011
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    British Columbia, Canada
    1,423
    [​IMG]
    As soon as Teliana headed towards the door to her house, Aaron decided to follow her, keping a casual pace behind but eager to get inside where it was warm. After several days on the road travelling from Kaer Morhem, the warmth of a home was a welcomed change. It was also a welcomed change to unfasten his cloak and put it to the side for a while. While necessary, Aaron never had been too much of a fan of wearing cloaks and too much clothing in general, he found it restrictive and often wouldn't even wear a shirt for his training.

    Taking up a place leaning against a wall not too far from Derrick, Aaron watched as Teliana lit the fire and smiled some.
    "So not just any ordinary human then either. I never have met a sorceress." Aaron commented, genuinely a little intrigued by this. He let the comment pass though as she asked how they new each other and Derrick explained for him. He scowled a little bit at the pup comment though. "Way to make me sound like a little kids still. But yes he taught me all the ways to get in trouble with Vecslav using Axii. As for the bard, this is the first time I have met him myself." Aaron commented with a bit of a laugh.
     
  17. Arch Mana Knight

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2007
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Anywhere
    2,430
    If the situation had been different, he might have enjoyed a little sparing session with the girl but he was not looking for a fight. After all, he had spent his entire life amongst others of his kind who were larger, more violent, or more agile than his attacker seemed to be...or all of the above. If he had not learned to defend himself he would have been left to die in the snow a long time ago. Her aggressive response elicited a laugh from Kord as he took a step and a small jump backwards to keep out of her mace's range. If she had been using a sword she might have been able to nick him but all he had to do was keep his distance and keep from getting himself cornered to keep her from ever hitting him. As long as he chose not to attack in response he wouldn't leave any openings for a counterattack.

    "As fun as this is, I'm not comfortable doing this with two witchers around. You're not the only one they might want to kill."
    Kord stepped to the side, finding his back uncomfortably close to a wall from his efforts in staying out of her reach. "You and I are the same. You follow?" He spoke lowly then, as he thought about the words, he shrugged slightly. "Not entirely, I suppose. Living as part of the minority has got you wound up tight and I can understand why. I'm not here to expose you. I just..." Once again, his words began to fail him. Kord chewed on his lower lip for a moment as he considered what his next words would be and where he would jump to next should she continue her attacks. "I'd rather talk in private about finding a way to make you more comfortable just living. Without worrying about whether you'll wake up one night with a silver sword plunged into your heart."

    Enok had barely rounded the corner when the itching turned to a sensation of something trying to claw its way through the back of his head, urging him to turn around. He paused and pressed a hand to his head in a vain attempt to will the pain away. No. We're not doing this with more witchers around. The clawing continued leaving Enok little choice but to turn back around and pass by the group once more while he took another passing glance to gather some kind of idea of what the Hym wanted dead. Enok could no longer see the group and figured they must have entered one of the buildings but he had seen enough to remember who he had crossed paths with.

    It could have been one of the witchers for all he knew. Enok knew that witchers were hardly paragons of virtue and righteousness. Or perhaps it was the bard for crimes against the ears. Or perhaps it was the woman. Enok folded his arms and leaned against the wall of a nearby building, propping up his sword to rest at his side as he waited. The signs were generally consistent though not often would they go off so quickly. It was either the nightmares, which he hated, or the itch which was preferable. A puff of hot air, visible in the cold, came from him while his eyes fixed on the cloudy sky above. Civilians went about their business in the streets paying him no mind for the most part though he could feel curious eyes divert their attention in his direction to catch a glimpse of the impressive blade he kept close. He couldn't blame them. Swords were carried for personal protection given their ease of use and their ability to just sit at a person's side. Some even carried swords as status symbols but a sword as large as his own did not serve the same purpose. It was a weapon of war, not defense.


     
  18. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    The True North.
    390
    [​IMG]

    Teliana didn't verbally promise to Derrick that she wouldn't burn them all where they stood, but she settled for a small smile and a nod. As long as her life, Alyse's life, were not threatened, then they were safe from her. Hell, she would probably even try to protect them if it came down to it. Even if two thirds of them were witchers. The two yellow eyed men didn't seem all that fazed by her use of magic, but the bard's demeanor immediately changed. Her first instinct was to apologize, but she held her words back by biting her lip, resting her chin on one hand as her elbow used the counter top for support. It was highly unlikely that Teliana's past activities were the cause for the bard's fear. If she was somehow to blame, then she could, and would, apologize. Until then she would keep her mouth shut. Derrick managed to startle a quiet chuckle out of her at his description, and Aaron's reaction, to their mutual relationship, though she smiled at the latter in an effort to keep him from being offended. "Well, hopefully we can make this first encounter a pleasant one." She responded to him before her eyes turned back to Lysander as he strummed his instrument, bringing forth another quiet laugh.

    Even if they were monster hunters, they didn't seem to make bad company. Teliana listened to
    Lysander's tale with rapt attention, clapping at the end with a genuine smile before turning to get the water in the kettle, which was now boiling. Stirring in tea leaves, she grabbed cups from the counter, placing them next to her before turning back to her present company. "You have a way with words, Master Antionarre. I'm sure your talents will be in high demand in Novigrad. This city is in sore need of a reason to smile." Pouring the boiling water into the cups, she placed them on the edge of the counter for her guests to take, if they chose, before taking one for herself and sipping at the mint smelling liquid. "As for the witchers, the only monsters I've heard of lately are a clan of drowners nesting in the sewers, and a noonwraith haunting a field to the south. But as it is currently winter, no one leaves the city anyway, and I doubt anyone would be able to bring about the coin to pay you for the drowners." She shrugged. "You could always sell your physical services to the ladies...or the men. You'd be popular with the nobles." A slight smirk ended the sentence, indicating it was more of a joke than a serious statement, but Teliana had no illusions about how many of the residents afforded a roof over their head. "So what was Master Witcher looking for in Vizima?" She asked, resuming her leaning position against the wooden counter.

    [​IMG]
    (For another post at least)
    Alyse growled in frustration and anger as Kord stepped out of her range. Why couldn't he just die? Why did it have to be so hard to just get rid of this dangerous nuisance? "You're not the only one they want to kill." Kord was seemingly trying to talk her out of this. Why did he have to be so annoying. Alyse bared her teeth in response to his words as he compared them, called them similar, said he understood, that he empathized. Well how very convenient for him. Anger swelled, and for a moment her vision blurred, her hands went numb. For one dangerous moment, Alyse leaned against the alley way wall as she felt her muscles contract and her head spun. Swallowing hard, she clenched her hand, unwilling to let go of her human weapon, reminding herself that she needed to stay what she was. Stay. "I don't worry." Her voice was slightly more gutteral, her breathing still fast. Too close. Not the right time. Definitely not the right place. Stay. "I wasn't worried until a man walked into my friend's tavern and started talking. Until he pretended that he knew me. You don't know a goddamn thing."

    She needed to breathe. She needed to calm down right now or she risked losing it all. Shuddering, Alyse backed up into the alley, blinking rapidly as she struggled to relax the tightness in her chest.
    "I am loved. I am protected. I am trusted. And you are going to ruin everything." She snarled, speaking rapidly as she swung the mace experimentally, the muscles in her arm contracting and expanding. Stay. "I didn't ask for you to come here. Like some white knight, riding in to give me a better life? Please." All those nights she went hungry, all those hands that touched her, all the times she risked changing into her predatory self so she could sleep in the forest, so she could have hope that she wouldn't freeze to death. Where was this guy then? Living in some house with a family to call his own? Running with a pack? Biting down on her lip, the rush of pain followed the spurt of blood in her mouth as she tore the skin, forcing herself back down. "Leave. Or by all the gods, I will throw the pieces of your body into the river so the drowners can have you." The nameless wolf, who had given her a place to hide and saved her from discovery. Teliana, who had taken her in even before she was able to conclude they were family. Dayla, who had given her a job. All three of them, trusting and helping and protecting her in their own way. She would not let this stranger ruin what she had. She would not let him take those relationships away from her.
     
  19. CrownMoksha Decimo

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2011
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    On board the DenLiner
    1,340
    Lumen took another drink of his Rivian Kriek before going to respond to Veceslav. "No reason in particular, just passing through when I heard rumors about this place. I became curious and thus here I am." It wasn't much of a story, but all of what he had said was accurate. It was truly nothing more than a whim that had cause him to head here. Normally Lumen wasn't a man of whims, but there were even times he had to see things for himself. Which is saying something given that he's a witcher.

    "And what about you? Unless your search of work was your reason?"
     
  20. al215 Kingdom Keeper

    Joined:
    May 29, 2013
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    118
    772
    [​IMG]

    As expected, Lysander did an excellent job of recounting their first encounter. While he appreciated the touch about kicking the Basilisk off a cliff, as far as he remembered there were no cliffs nearby and kicking a Basilisk, even a dead one, would have been a tall order. But either way, it sounded great. He picked up the tea offered by the sorceress and thanked her while listening to what she was saying. Drowners in the sewers, unsurprising and a Noonwraith outside the city. The fact that she knew what the latter creature was spoke to her credit. Miss Secret was obviously well learned about monsters, few bothered to study them even amongst Sorcerers as far as he knew.
    "Damn. I was hoping to get paid while in town." Derrick grumbled. He chuckled at the suggestion to go plough some bored nobles. Even though it was a joke, the idea did somewhat appeal to his... Baser desires. Although where to start was another question. One that didn't merit answering. As much as he enjoyed the act he didn't exactly want to become a prostitute. "I'm sure, but I'm primarily a monster slayer." Not any other sort.

    The conversation soon turned back to a sensible topic. To his business in Vizima.

    "The same thing Witchers are doing anywhere. Looking for work. I'd heard some rumours that one of the noble families was having trouble with a curse, so escorting Lysander that far wasn't trouble at all. Took me to a decent job actually." He patted his armour. Lifting that one had paid for this armour, and it had served him well. "Glad they paid well. Facing a Striga isn't exactly an easy day's work." He remembered the tense moment when he faced her in the crypt the young noblewoman had hid herself in. Axii wouldn't stick. He nearly died several times that night. He had a scar where a claw had torn through his old leather jacket and damn near gutted him. He involuntarily winced at the memory of pain.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.