Ьȴʊє Ͻ a r a v a n 🚙 🚙 🚙 (new thread!)

Favorite Character Poll Round 10!

Lucien Balthazar Mchale - Vicious hunter of humans and dragons.	27.3%	[ 3 ]
Vasul Calim Shahrad - Crown Prince of Shahrazad and righteous eagle among a flock of vultures.	9.1%	[ 1 ]
Lorelei 'Ellie' Katerini - Knight Errant and Defender of Justice who will kick your butt!	18.2%	[ 2 ]
Inyri Ven - Sharp-minded beauty and budding lady of wares.	18.2%	[ 2 ]
Eriol Epheis - Mysterious man with an eye for the prize.	27.3%	[ 3 ]
Total Votes:			[ 11 ]

This poll closed on November 27, 2014.
No longer accepting new votes.

[anais nighteyed]

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Her attention was drawn away from the figure crouched beneath the window by fellow who addressed her by name as he approached. He stood with his hands set on his hips and proceeded to introduce himself with a flourish, bowing. Standing silent, hands resting in the pockets of her trousers, she watched with an arched brow as he announced his audition with a snap of his fingers. He trembled slightly before five twins of himself blossomed from his body, fanning out around him as they emerged. She blinked at that, and a look that was almost wary flickered across her face. It vanished as quickly as it came.

She was not accustomed to seeing flagrant displays of magic, not yet, and she did not trust it. She had, in the past, tolerated its presence among those she'd ridden with. She was not unaware of magic's usefulness, and she would be glad for its uses so long as it was not aimed in her direction. There was plenty enough to concern herself with in a scrap, but when someone could turn to the otherworldly, it changed the game in a way she'd couldn't match pace with. She didn't particularly like that.

She judged this many-faced upstart to be the grandstanding sort of magician - young, eager, ready to spread out all his cards on the table for all the world to see. That was good to know. It was the sly magic-wielders that worried her, the ones who possessed the good sense to hide what they could do until the opportune moment. They were like her, in that way, and she recognized the danger in it.

"Who the ******** is Erin?" Her voice was flat, and she regarded him with mild confusion. She'd spoken the first words that came to mind and leapt to her tongue in the span of a breath. Her posture still kept the appearance of being relaxed, but her hackles were raised. Her thoughts moved at quicker pace, picking through what she knew of the West's criminal underground, but she knew nothing of the individual he'd mentioned. She wasn't exactly chummy and brushing elbows with crime lords, especially in this town, nor did she want to be. Her connection to the young tavernkeep at the Glim, whatever it amounted to, was one of the few she'd forged. She didn't know of this crime lord, but this crime lord knew of her. That was worrying. She wondered, absently, if the blood-eyed Shahrazadians had raised the bounty on her head. How much was she worth now?

Her gaze flicked to the fellow who had been observing at a distance, arms folded across his chest. His explanation for being there was, simply, that he'd heard she needed assistance. She believed for a moment that they'd come as a pair, but now she was uncertain. "We'll see," she replied. "Depends on how useful I think you lot are." She cast a glance at the bloodied figure crouched beneath the window, half expecting a third inquiry about work. "I don't suppose you'd be interested?"

She rocked back onto her heels, ready to leave. "I don't know you," she said to Francois, considering him. "You might have talent, but I still don't know you. If you'd like that to change, you can join me on a job I've taken on."

Nasrin stepped away, returning to the task at hand. Her feet carried her to the alleyway's mouth, where she lingered briefly before moving out into the street. "We'll do the discussing on the way there," she called over her shoulder to the two. "Walk and we'll talk business."

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

Willa continued her track of tasting and going back for more of things that she enjoyed. She looked up when new people joined the table and offered shy waves. She found herself getting slightly more comfortable with strangers. There was less and less of a flutter in her chest when she saw an unfamiliar face. It was starting to settle in that maybe Niles would never find her. Sure, she was stupid and deserved to be hit. But it sure felt nice not being hit for a while. Most of her bruises had healed up and the only pain that she really felt anymore was her back. She was pretty sure that pain had to do with the baby. Though, with the baby she was never too sure. She looked around curious and quiet as she gnawed absently on a turkey leg balled in her fist. It was strange traveling with the Caravan. Nobody here had hit her at all. She looked around at the faces that surrounded her and tried to remember some of the names. The initial fervor of her hunger had quelled and she could now focus on something other than just the food.

She knew Kemun. That was the only one whose name she had retained. Other than Velius, but he had been gone for a while. She knew who they were, the faces, but the names had yet to stick yet. Perhaps because she could not see how learning their names would do any good. She figured that it was only a matter of time before they told her to go away and took their wagon back. It was not like anyone was unkind to her, but she wasn’t going anything to help. At the farm, not working had major consequences. Willa smiled and gave a more energetic wave as Velius joined the table. He was back. That was good. She liked Velius. He took a deep breath and let herself relax into her chair, growing tired of her turkey leg and trading it for a roll on her plate. She took a bite and a deep breath and found that she was kind of tired. She seemed to get sleepy so much now. She looked at her plate and then around the table. Nobody seemed to have quite as much food on theirs as hers. As she chewed on her roll, she began to realize that she may not be able to eat it all. She pouted. It had been so long since she had felt full. But she hated that she was going to waste food. She silently worried about this for a moment, but was interrupted by a happening with the baby.

It was a flutter. But this was not like the flutters that she had felt before. This one was long and stronger than the rest. He caused her to stop her chewing, and her face to grow pale. The long flutter was followed by little kicks then another long flutter of movement from the baby. This time she dropped her roll and her arm instinctively shot out to grab something. This something happened to Eriol’s am, which she proceeded to squeeze digging her nails into his arm. To those drinking liquids at the table they would see them rise from their cups briefly, before dropping back down with a plop and some mess depending fullness of the cups. Willa released Eriol after a second and sat still as she could. At one point she even closed her eyes. She had no normal expectation of pregnancy. If this was normal, it was news to her. She was clearly terrified, but tried to avoid eye contact as to not make a scene. She was still unaware consciously of the grabbing and liquid jump. She took a slow breath, and sat pale a motionless on chair as she waited to the movements to settle. It was only a matter of seconds, but for Willa it felt like hours.

"You put that hand on my belly.....you are not getting it back."

[BallDrogo]

With a flamboyant bow to Nasrin, Francois smiled “So, a second round of interviews, complete with on the job training,” he questioned her in a rhetorical fashion, not expecting an answer in return. “To me, it sounds like a splendid idea and I can assure you, I do not disappoint,” he winked. “I can assure you that by the time we end this day, you will grow to know me and dare I say, be glad that you enlisted me within your troupe,” he smiled, clapping his hands and turning to face the rest of the applicants.

One was a young one, hiding himself from the crowd and eating cheese outside like he had no manners or the common decency to set himself up with a pitcher of water. The other one? An older gentlemen who probably had the most experience in this. He seemed like he was all business with no room for jokes and had been in this type of job for years and looking for one last big score before choosing to retire to a quite life out in the country.

The notion of dinner and drinks had been shot down in favor of a more low key walk and talk. While he disproved of this change in plans, there really weren’t any plans in the first place, so he had no ground to stand on and was only able to roll his eyes at it.

“That seems fair enough, lead the way and talk to what we are getting into. What are we stealing, the security they are going to have and exit locations for easy get always. Oh and vantage points, I work better with actual vantage points,” he listed off, taking a lean against the nearby alley wall, arms crossed and looking at his soon to be partners. A motley crew of sorts, all from different backgrounds and in his hopes, competent enough that he wasn’t forced to give up on their score if things went awry.



☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲

➸𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Alley
➸𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲: An old man, a peasant and Nasrin
➸𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝: "Quite the crew we got here.
➸𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝐭𝗵: 100/100
➸𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐭: "If I am going to perform a heist, I am going to look fabulous whilst doing so."


☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲

[Watervoir]

█░░▌JEDREK

Jedrek followed the others, covering the rear. He gave a small glance at the child being predator to both cheese and rodent and moved on as nonchalantly as the other two at the gruesome sight, save for a small crinkle at the brows. His attention returned soon to his current companions. While Jedrek certainly did not consider himself to exactly "like" what he had seen of the lady so far, she did cross what he would have deemed to be "acceptable". On the other hand, he wasn't far from considering Francois a complete loose cannon.

Jedrek did not have much to say, contrary to Francois who rattled off about the job, questions and his preferences and so on. He came off like a child, new to the field and a bit too eager. Jedrek wondered if this was all just a game for the kid, but at the minimum it did show promise that he would be cooperative.

"I can do whatever it takes to help you finish the job, including cleaning up the kid's messes," Jedrek said after the kid in question, as if every person other than Francois was an actual adult.

[Manuscripts and Pince-Nez]

██ The bones of beasts and the bones of kings become dust in the wake of the hymn

✿

Phedre walked with music still fresh in her heels and dictating the rhythm of her steps, in the easy and carefree way of someone who just had something good happen to them.

It had been ages and then some, when she last allowed herself to forget about all the pressing matters of her job, to forget about the cloud of troubles always brewing and approaching over distant hills like the ominous call of fell birds, remembering her that death and blood was never too far; that she had given the right for carefree dance away the first time her spear broke through armor, skin and bone.

So yeah, she felt pretty good.

The taste of merriment was still fresh in the air, as was the residue warmth from Caden’s lips on hers. Which, as how it had happened, the man in question seemed to be glossing over slightly now, probably due to his own troubles and his own preoccupations. Phedre didn’t mind, some things needed to be talked about later, while some would creep up on their own, like how a cat goes missing, then returns after days as if no ill deed was done on its part.

So their talk was geared towards things they both knew, and Phedre tried not to think about plans of a siege, as she usually did whenever learning of cities (everything else, such as culture and food, came after). From her own homeland, she released bits and pieces, which she deemed would be understandable and which would not prove to be anything a militant historian hasn’t already written.

“Well, if you’ll take me by the arm, I can show you most swiftly.” Phedre said, to his asking about the tavern and then, without actually waiting on him to decide, grabbed his arm and lead the way.

She didn’t rightly remember the name, but she was sure she could reckognise the tavern by look alone, as she was used to do.

“And there we are!” Phedre exclaimed, grin wide, as her hand had slipped lower down Caden’s arm, casually. She leaned against the side of the door, wiggling her eyebrows at the other knight, before knocking on the door with her heel for show.

“You have to put that muscle you’ve lost back. Else you won’t be able to lift a sword, and that’d just be a whole lot more of work for me.”Her face grew serious for a moment. “Besides, it’s the roads again after this, might as well do something special. It’s good for the morale. It’s how we did it back at home.”

And with that, she opened the way, not knowing that a piece of her homeland was inside the tavern, equally as unaware as her.

Mighty kingdoms rise, but they all will fall

no more than a breath on the wind██

[Manuscripts and Pince-Nez]

Slow down;It's a science
He's been waiting
To bring you down

Ymir seemed to enjoy the bits of attention his tales got plenty. Those who were trained in magic could perhaps notice how his voice would lilt in a peculiar way, that made it seem more and more inviting. As if everything around him dimmed, and his voice paved the road to his eyes.

He didn’t comment on Orien’s observations about the tavern; to Ymir’s tastes it was simply adequate. The dancer was aware that his tastes had gradually been molded into something more befitt of a station higher than he was. His humble beginnings weren’t exactly a secret, but Ymir never talked about them. The only person who knew where he came from was long gone.

“Roadside taverns are there to offer a bed and broth, many don’t see the point in offering things beyond, which would be of little interest to travellers. However, come to any bigger city, and it’s a competition! The innkeepers would chain you to their seats if they could.” His black eyes twinkled a bit red in the dimmed light. The name ‘Isan’ was secured in his memory.

It was then that he heard his other, and now only, long time companion approach. With a smirk, he only turned his head just so, enough for his eyes to notice her come into view and see the sway of her clothes as her legs moved.

“Hmm…” Ymir pressed his lips together and hummed, as if thinking hard about what she said. Lazily, he touched her hand, “I am a gentle creature, Kai. I would never do that. At least,” He grinned, looking up and into her eyes, “Not unless it was in self defense. Or in the case that someone insulted my music most vile.”

At Orien’s question, he turned his eyes towards the man, but not before sending Kai a cheeky wink.

“How we met?” He repeated, then rubbed at his chin, draping his arm over the back of the chair in a dramatic fashion.

“If I remember correctly, and I better should, otherwise Kai will have my neck--It was many years ago.” Like a wave, his body suddenly moved so he was leaning his chin on his palm, elbow on table and staring into Orien’s eyes directly. “It was snowing, which was peculiar, since we were in the desert. I was at Shahrazad’s market, playing for coin, like the poor musician that I was, when suddenly! This girl was running around, feet lighter than the wind, ten of a Lord’s best men at her feet, for she had charmed his wife into giving her precious family stones. “ He gesticulated with his hands, as if he wanted to enchant the scene before them

“And here I was, seeing all the fun she was having, running about like that, so I gave chase as well, which confused the Lord’s men, and we--communicating only with the twinkle in our eyes and the movement of our fingertips--met outside the city walls in half and hour. But!-” He slammed his hand down on the table-- “We were betrayed! The fence Kai found was against her noble goals of giving the precious stones back to the people, and sold us out! And then, a fight ensued, a magnificent one, so sad you couldn’t have seen it, but it would have blinded you, surely! And we’ve been friends ever since. Isn’t that right, Kai?” He turned to look at her, but in the corner of his eyes, he spied a crown of gold, and he felt like someone was shoveling dirt on his grave

Snake eyed
With a sly smile
He can hold you
And shake you child

[Watervoir]

xxxx
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xxx
xxxxCaden AlinarixxxxGuard
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Near instantly after Caden had voiced his question on the dinner's whereabouts, Phedre sped them on their trip to food and the evening's festivities. Caden's heart was aflutter in anticipation of seeing everyone, although it was largely also due to Phedre's contact. He was a guard solely devoted to the Kirta family. Yet, he was seeing the beauty all the same in Phedre's looks, skill, and confidence. He wasn't suited to romance, but he was finding it difficult to reconcile his feelings. He mostly tried to keep them buried and professional.

They soon arrived at the tavern's doorstep. Phedre expressed eagerness for him to have a full meal. Her feelings were reciprocated by Caden at heart, although he couldn't help raising a brow at her comment on his weight. "Come on, I don't look that bad," he said with a roll of his eyes, which then fell upon a note on the bulletin describing a fireworks show later on in the evening. "This looks like it would be worth a watch," he remarked to Phedre, gesturing at the poster on their left as they entered the tavern.

Inside was a merry, bustling crowd. Glasses clinking, folks cheering. It was as if everyone participating in the dancing in the town square earlier had collectively decided to join this tavern, but really it was the spirit of the Ancalamalita all around that was enveloping them all.

Caden was able to pinpoint the other caravan members straight away through his sixth sense, but he let the waitress guide them to their destination all the same. They advanced past the grand fireplace in the tavern centre where the group had a section of the tavern all to themselves. Velius was not there, and nor was Medayo, but Caden had not been hopeful to see them. Still, it was refreshing to get to see everyone again without the threat of bloodshed looming over their heads.

"It's good to see everyone still in one piece," he commented. As his gaze drifted about, he soaked in the new faces as well as those returned. He lingered momentarily at Whitnee, who as Caden remembered had disappeared alongside Velius. The doctor was here... where was the noble and the priest? And then of those he was expecting: Kemun, Inyri, his incognito prince Vasul, and Willa. The last of whom Caden had not witnessed using magic, but he could sense it. Caden watched her for a moment, ready to act but holding back and deciding to observe instead. There might not be any cause for alarm. Caden didn't want to jump to conclusions and frighten the woman any further. Her hand clutched with an iron grip onto Eriol's, a curious happening, both in terms of the interaction and for his presence here. Caden offered the bounty hunter a nod. Everyone else in the room was a stranger, and Caden was eager to get to know them all soon.

Little did he know he had been a hair too late to run into his charge and current target, Velius.

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[anais nighteyed]

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“It comes to this," said Nasrin over her shoulder to the two, "There’s an object that needs retrieving from a nearby castle." She let the statement settle, like a stone drifting to the bottom of a pond. "Not a princess, thank the gods; I trust this won’t wrinkle its nose, complain, and swat at you with perfumed hands.” She shuddered at the mere thought of it, suddenly and unpleasantly reminded of an unfortunate incident she’d become caught up in several years prior.

She’d been desperate for coin, and her standards then were far lower than they were now. Nasrin remembered it clearly. Her hair looked like shorn wheat, the brand of an exile; her ill-gotten camel had, to her everlasting shame, died under her three days prior, and she hadn’t had a decent meal in far longer than that. It just so happened that in the town she’d found herself stranded in, there was a lad who needed assistance and had the coin to procure it. The doe-eyed ladylove he'd meant to elope with was being pressed into marriage with another, kept under lock and key by her family.

Nasrin had taken on the job despite her reservations, and before that day’s end, she found herself climbing out of a bedroom window with the object of her employer's affections slung over her shoulder. The girl complained all the while, ungrateful creature that she was, and Nasrin, thoroughly bothered by the sensation of her fine silks against her skin, resisted the urge to pinch her while she played the role of delivery boy. She disliked pilfering people and the whole affair validated these sentiments. Things did not speak. The whole mess with the caravan folk had been grating and unpleasant, and she wondered inwardly how she had managed to summon the patience for it. Out of necessity, probably.

With a slight turn of her head she cast a glance backward at the pair, who were equal parts strangers and accomplices. Her chosen profession was uncanny in this way – when there was a job that needed doing and coin to be had, people came out of the woodwork. This day was no different. Collecting spare hands for a job was rarely difficult, but the trick was sorting out the weeds from garden. She did like the thought of carrying this out on her own. She knew her worth and trusted her capability, and being on one’s own meant she didn’t have to mind anyone like a mother goose - but she knew this was not feasible. Not for this task. More minds and more hands were needed, and as long as she could do what was asked by sunrise, she didn’t mind splitting the pay three ways.

She could not see many common threads between these two at first glance. The differences seemed stark as night and day. One was green, the other gray; one was not a man of many words, and the other was a man of too many. Curious. She wondered how well they would get on, but she doubted there was much cause for worry. The elder of the two seemed all too willing to mind the younger, and she merely nodded when he volunteered to clean his messes.

As she walked, a figure emerged from the shadow of an alley. He addressed Nasrin in hushed tones, and when her gaze swept over his face she recognized him as another patron of the Glim. She merely waved him off, stating she had all the hands she needed. In answer he stepped away, vanishing as quickly as he came, presumably to find other work. She wasn't interested in splitting the pay four ways. “The night is young yet, but not long enough for my purposes. If either of you need nourishment, have it now.” With a flick of her hand she gestured at the food vendors they were passing in the street.

Then she retrieved a folded scrap of parchment from the pocket of her trousers, the very one given by the cloaked fellow in the tavern. Within was a rough depiction of the object she was charge with retrieving. She passed the parchment to the elder of her partners, who she trusted a measure more than Francois. "Our quarry. Both of you take a good long look and commit it to memory."

She said nothing for a moment, chewing on something in silence before speaking again. “There is a catch. We only have daybreak to retrieve it – we’re burning time as we speak.” She didn’t know if this cloaked fellow had assigned anyone else to the job, either, but she was going to proceed as if she was not the only one competing for payment. The amount of time allotted to them was another hurdle. She didn’t know what would happen if the sun rose and they hadn’t retrieved the spear, but she didn’t care. Dwelling on it wouldn’t put the damned thing in her hands.

“I once had a few men I could have used for this job, but…” she trailed off, shrugging as she heaved a sigh. It wasn’t particularly unusual for her kind to be flighty – they came and went like the tide. Finding replacements wasn’t difficult, at least. “Another matter. Our quarry is not unguarded, and I was advised to never lay hands upon it.” She did not mention that she’d been told that demons served as the spear’s guardians – she doubted the validity of that claim – nor of how the spear tugged at her with some distant familiarity. “After the job is done we’re to meet our employer at the waterfall outside town. We’ll have more information from him then, I expect.”

[Dayum We Roll Hard]

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AND THE TALE CONTINUES. . .
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