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 Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:12 pm
Chapter 9: Grave Expectations
|| IC ||
 After the High Priestess had finished her part, the High Priest called out to the crowd once more, his look still serious. "There are those who are working towards finding any clues as to where the missing have been taken, and who has taken them." He almost shook his head, as if saddened by what he knew. "Unfortunately there is no trace left behind from where our fellow Yaeli have vanished."
With his last words, the crowd began to speak out, their concerns no longer held back. Their whispers and hurried talking started with blame of those nearest to them. "It had to have been the bug monsters." One Yaeli woman called out passionately. Another crowd called toward the mainlanders. "The whole of Tendaji can't be trusted! It was outsiders."
A group of younger, more able bodied men were heard from the crowd. "It wouldn't be the first time those bug women attacked, they lay our villages to ruin. We need to defend ourselves!" Some of those in the crowd nodded their heads, feeling that this was right. They should be retaliating, bringing to the extremists what was clearly coming to them.
Others showed concern on their faces. An older woman spoke up from her seat near the front, the burden of standing too much for her in her old age. "The Gods would not will this. We must pray. They will protect us." Another voice from the crowd offered a different solution. "What if it was the Gods?" The sense of discord in the crowd was hard to miss, filling the area with indecision and disagreement.
|| OOC ||
||. If your character is not signed up for their thread, they may not participate. You can PM Suhuba for late entries.
||. Please limit to up to 2 posts between NPC posts (these should be spaced out by responses from others to your post, no needless posting just to get more points).
||. NPCs will post twice a week, on Monday and Thursday.
||. If you have any questions, please post them in the Main Thread.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 7:02 am
Zekiel | 7
Zekiel watched the boy, listening with interested curiosity as Xelannis took his words and found a way to take offense at something he hadn’t said at all. At length, he gave a small shrug, still smiling if less so than before. He didn’t like to cause upset, particularly when he couldn’t see how he had brought it about, but nor did all of Xelannis’ moods make sense to him, as he suspected his own did not always make sense to those who witnessed them. So far as he could tell, beforehand the boy was more offended at having to be present despite his personal wishes to be elsewhere than he was upset about anything so high minded as the well being of the people. Now, however, at an opportunity to chastise Zekiel for not caring enough or regarding it with too much flippancy, he made a great ta-do.
Curious.
“The mystery of it does none of those things,” Zekiel said lightly. “It is the thing itself which we do not yet understand that causes those troubles. To be held in mystery, as the gods have chosen to place us, is I think a curious and wondrous thing. It shields us from the fear which may come with wisdom, as we would fear coming death if we knew it. It may also shield us from mistakes we would make if we knew the cause but not our own limitations. But…” He tipped his head. “So, too, does the mystery make us ignorant and keep us from acting as we might if it weren’t so. Perhaps it is ‘worse’ this way, perhaps it is not, but we do not have the information to know all ways of the universe as only one is the way it is. Beyond this, people will act as they will — in ‘unsavory’ ways and not — when they know and when they do not know. Knowing may cause as much foolhardiness as not knowing. I do not pretend to understand the ways the universe might turn if different details were changed, but I do not think that is within the purview of ours as mortals to understand. Rather, the gods have made it as it is. So, I trust it to be what is needed for us at this moment, until such time as we are provided or uncover otherwise at the gods’ will.”
So long as you are pleased, Priest Zekiel…
“It does not please me to see many fear,” he added, with a touch of more uncharacteristic seriousness. Not everything was wondrous, and it certainly wasn’t so to look out upon a great crowd of their people and see so many faces distraught, many of them having experienced great loss.
But, nor was he naturally inclined to dwell long even if it would be easy to despair under the circumstances—it wasn’t his place, nor was it how the gods made him. He was here to aid each and every child of the gods that he could in pulling themselves out of the ails and sorrows put before them and easing the storms of trial wherever he could, to whatever extent the gods gave him insight to do so.
“It would not aid anyone for me to dwell on the struggle or begrudge the gods for the answers they have not yet given us. It is as it is…we can only act with what we know, and be grateful for whatever blessings are before us no matter how great the surrounding sorrows.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:51 pm
Well, he saw it as an investment in advertising and a good reputation. And also, in not having a riot happen. Fear was good for business. Panic was iffy. Riots and chaos were good for nobody. He did like her idea, though. "Your offer is generous." he said respectfully. It was also profitable, and had the potential for better things down the line. Also, it was her idea, voiced by her, which made it even better. "If you can see about that, that would be appreciated. I have more talismans of fine quality at home - they can be delivered, though it would take time." As would, he was sure, any money. "... For now, though, take a few? I trust you." There. Selfless. Except not really, Tarlok was definitely thinking forward to the future. Trust given was trust gained, after all, and he dealt in trust as much as he dealt in talismans. Which also required a different sort of trust, and... He smiled. "After all, now is not the time to talk of money."Though he wanted to think about it as the crowd began to cry out. The discord in the crowd made his smile falter as he looked over them. Was it the extremists? Was it the gods? Had a curse been brought down upon them? Tarlok tried to entertain such thoughts, and he could not put it out of his mind, but he had always had trouble being superstitious. Too much understanding of the internal workings of talismans, he supposed. "... In particular, as you may need them more immediately than money could buy." he murmured, looking back at the young acolyte. Was it the situation that had upset her? Or were the Chosen simply a little fragile? Tarlok had no idea and would not judge either way.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:50 am
Ko | 5 |
Adellia opened her mouth to offer an additional caveat to Ko’s statement, when her attention was drawn back towards the High Priest as he spoke once again. But his words only seemed to make things worse, as now others in the crowd were raising their voices above whispering levels.
Bug monsters…Outsiders…Elaria…the Gods themselves…so many threats towards the people of Yael, and not one of them could even be confirmed as the source of the problem. Heck, even the Shadow People could be to blame; they had no way of knowing. The thought made Ko’s brow wrinkle in an uncharacteristically crumpled line, glancing around at all the concerned faces. They’ve always been a cautious and jumpy society, that’s never changed. But Ko was having a hard time remembering if he’d ever seen so many people scarred and confused at the same time, and all for the same reason; the Yaeli always had an answer to the troubles that ailed them, prayer and perseverance guiding them through every bump in life.
But for once, there was no solution. No talisman to protect their loved ones. No gospels to drive away the evil.
And that was probably the scariest thing of all.
Ko could feel a dark worm of that same fear inching its way into his chest, making his toes grow steadily numb inside his little shoes. But as his eyes fell upon a familiar face, who seemed unphased by the negative energy that hung like a stifling shroud over the gathering, a great weight seemed to be lifted off his curly head. Mr. Zekiel wore the same content smile on his face that was always there, hands resting at ease, posture straight and true: as if nothing that was happening before him was of any consequence.
If he was not worried, why should Ko be? After all, he was much older and much wiser, had been chosen by the gods themselves to be one of their messengers. If they were angry with the people of Yael, surely he’d know? And if someone felt the gods’ anger weighing upon their heads, there was surely no way they could be so at ease and smiling?
It might have been far too simple a conclusion to draw, too riddled with assumptions to be valid; but for Ko at least, there was no question at all that it must be true.
He smiled and took a deep breath, propriety-be-damned as he stood tall as he could, letting his optimism be heard in every syllable he shouted out, “We’re a FAMILY!! We’re ALL Children of the Mother and Father! And if one thing is true: parents NEVER really give up on their kids! Even if we screw up or things get messy, they’ll ALWAYS love us! We just gotta have FAITH!!”
Oh my god both of my characters are being so vocal tonight I'm so sorry everyone XD
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:15 am
Rainier || Post 6
Rani's expression darkened at the mention of the glazier family's daughter and then grew increasingly confused as Ko continued to expand on his 'shadow person' theory. Does he mean...? His brow quirked and he laughed a bit self deprecatingly, The boy's talking about actual shadows, Rain, get it together.
Ranier turned to Adellia and returned her nod, "pleased to meet you," he grinned at Ko's animated declaration, truth be told he would welcome the company, he had a feeling Jacline was not going to be overly thrilled with the idea of being escorted home by Raisa and himself.
The words of the Priest were no more placating. The sudden terrified surge of the crowd made his heart race, Bug people? Outsiders? The Gods? The stir of violence had him shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, wishing he hadn't been so eager to push to the front of the crowd. Ko's sudden outburst had him wincing but he smiled at the message, "Very true Ko, negativity invites negativity." Rainier raised his voice, "Allowing these disappearances to darken our hearts towards the Gods and each other will leave us more vulnerable. If this is a test of our faith, questioning our Leaders and our Gods will not earn us their mercy."
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 1:50 pm
Taijana - 5
No trace?!
That just wasn't possible! There had to be some kind of clue, something to show that they hadn't just been spirited away by all the bad things that crept into her mind at night. Her breathing quickened to match the growing erratic behavior of her heart. Just what was this world coming to?!
It was enough to fray her nerves to a near snapping point, pushing her over the edge when Kieran seemed to make light of it. Even suggesting that he might not stay, as if wandering when all hell was breaking loose, was an option. She wanted to shake him!
"Please tell me you will." She wasn't too proud to beg; pride was a foreign concept to Taijana, so pleading came naturally to her. "Yo-you can share a room with Tyrios, I'm sure he won't mind. Or you can have my bed. "
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:50 pm
Chapter 9: Grave Expectations
|| IC ||
The High Priest held up his hands, "Come now, we need calm and strength to get us through these trials, whether set forth by the Gods or by some earthly being. We need to stand together and pray for this to be solved and brought to a close." The other priests and priestesses in attendance went to the crowd to help sooth the people, a more personal approach. While there were those who felt better, others still had their reservations.
Suddenly there were a unison of screams and yelling from the crowd, near the front of the High Priests' audience. All heads turned and a younger priest, no doubt in his early twenties was grabbed from behind seemingly out of thin air. The grotesque hands that wrapped around him barely looked recognizable, and did not look to be any sort of Earthling. It was a dark hooded figure, with the look of sectioned antennae poking out from under it's hood, that caused a few to jump back in terror. Everyone seemed to have the same thoughts, what was this thing?
Where had it come from, and how had it snuck up on the group?
The priest and priestesses backed away, unable to stand up and fight, while looking around for someone, anyone to help. Everyone seemed to be frozen in fear at what they were witnessing before them.
|| OOC ||
||. If your character is not signed up for their thread, they may not participate. You can PM Suhuba for late entries.
||. Please limit to up to 2 posts between NPC posts (these should be spaced out by responses from others to your post, no needless posting just to get more points).
||. NPCs will post twice a week, on Monday and Thursday.
||. If you have any questions, please post them in the Main Thread.
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:51 am
Tarlok
Post: 6
Location: Near Saedah
--------------------
Tarlok panicked. "Oh gods..." he said quietly, too quietly, "What is that...?" He swallowed, hard. He was a merchant, not a fighter. He was a civilian, not a warrior. He had never been trained for battle, and now there was a threat before him.
This was worse than any fears he might have thought the crowd would face, this was worse than any unfounded panic. No talisman would fix this.
Oh gods its so close... he thought, shaking, What do I do? Run? Did he run?
No, Tarlok, you can't run. You can't run from this, you can't run from anything. A side eyed glance back at Saedah and the priests just behind him. Who else can be counted on right now?
"G-get away from it...!" He put down his wares and drew his dagger, shaking like a leaf and moving between Saedah, some other young priests, and the beasts. "Oh gods..."
I'm lucky. Thats what everyone says. I'm lucky. I'm lucky. But how far did that luck go? He was not feeling particularly brave right now. And, it occurred to him, that he wasn't very good with that dagger. But here he was, trying to be brave.
You fool. he thought to himself, Lurisin help me...
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:58 pm
Zekiel | 8
Zekiel’s attention had moved over the crowd as dissonance and uncertainty had bubbled up, on the lookout for anything which crossed the line to violence or adversity. Instead, he found his gaze once again on young Ko as the boy drew to his full — still insubstantial — height and piped out to the crowd.
We just gotta have FAITH!
The older boy at his side was perhaps not quite so bouncing, but eloquent in his agreement. Then, as if summoned by the words test of fate, thence it came. At the initial wave of screams, Zekiel did not immediately pin the source, his eyes focused on the crowd. But only a half moment later, as those fellow Chosen around him moved with sudden disturbance, he looked—and saw.
It was difficult to describe the feeling that moved through him then as ghoulish, dark fingers clutched at a boy from their temple not even so old as he but only barely younger. A demonic sight, if any had ever been seen, different even from the bug women—though the antennae certainly drew that to mind.
He could not say he was afraid. Though there was undoubtedly every reason to fear, Zekiel found instead that he felt dissonant. Disparate, almost, from the moment as if knocked into a dreamstate. But this was the reality the gods intended him to witness, and therefore it was his task only to find what he was meant to do with it.
Were they being punished?
No one had ever alleged the gods of the Yaeli were benevolent, and Zekiel understood well despite the air he carried about himself that there was great suffering in the world, including their own. It was his task to understand that the world was crafted that way and to help the gods’ children navigate their trials as they came. But this?
He was not armed. He could not have fought if he had been, for he had not the skill or strength to wield a weapon. He could not incite the people to run, for where would they run to when this creature had the magic to appear where it pleased as it pleased? A demon sent from the dark world, or worse. His peers were retreating.
Perhaps the feeling was misplaced or unfair, as they too were helpless, but Zekiel could not help but feel a strange uncharacteristic thread of what could only be termed disappointment in them. He and his fellow Chosen were just that: chosen by the gods for their position, in times of good and trial but particularly trial. Not only did it feel useless to run, but in front of all of their people—those they were meant to lead and guide and protect through their understanding of the gods.
What purpose did they serve but to follow that through, and if they did not have the courage to do everything for their people even in the worst of occasions, then what was their validation for being held up as envoys of their deities?
Admittedly, Zekiel did not understand the gods’ intention here, but it made little difference. He could not fight and would not run. If the gods intended that he die here, then such was his fate, and if they did not, then it wouldn’t be so. What he did understand was his faith, and that there was perhaps no better time to surrender to it.
Shutting his eyes as a lone, brave but shaking merchant stood forward to face the demon, Zekiel made a holy symbol over his chest, dropped to his knees where he stood, and prayed. Words of divine protection felt like energy on his lips, and if they were the last words he ever heard, they would be those of the gods.
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:37 pm
Ko | 7 |
Ko looked up at the older boy, a stranger to him, but one who shared in his mentality and supported his outburst, rather than reprimand him. It warmed his heart to hear his support, and the reassuring words of the High Priest and Priestess. Things would work out in the end. They’d get through this.
And as if to curse those thoughts, suddenly screams filled the air as a strange hooded figure grabbed one of the young priests, and any calm that had been restored to the crowd was broken. It was like the monster had crawled out of one of Ko’s vibrant nightmares and into real life. And now it was wreaking havoc on his waking world as well.
He clutched at his sister’s hand as a not-very-manly shriek exploded from his mouth, dragging her back with him away from the sudden attacker. And then he was torn by two warring emotions fighting for dominance inside his body: he wanted to run, get as far away from this monster as his legs could carry him, and let the adults handle it. But at the same time, he felt guilt at those cowardly thoughts; he’d just said they needed to stick together, protect each other. How could he leave when this boy needed help? Who was no older than one of his own siblings?
But what could he do? He was no warrior. He was so small. He always lost in whatever fights he got into.
How could he help?!
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:46 pm
Saedah - Post 6 This man was so generous, how he was wiling to part with some of his talismans now to help calm down the masses whom had gathered. If she wasn't so shy..she would of hugged him.
"Your kindness and generosity will not be forgotten.." She murmured as she reached out to take the few that he was offering to her. Only to have the action interrupted by screams of terror. Her own hand fell away, the talisman forgotten temporarily as her hand then came to her breast as if trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest.
She could only partially see the figure that was drawing everyone's attention, it was wearing a cloak...was that antenna sticking out? No one was moving..it felt like the very air had been stolen and everyone was holding their breath. Who would make the first move? That ..thing? Or someone brave enough to do something?
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:41 am
Taijana - 6
The sudden chorus of screaming brought forth a surprised squeal from Taijana's own mouth. She whipped around, frantically scanning the crowd for the source without much initial luck. Her heart felt as if it had had crawled up into her ears. Something....something grotesque was clutching at one of the gods' chosen. She could barely make out the features from beneath it's hood, but that was enough to send her recoiling.
What was that thing? And why was it here?
And more importantly...
Was there no place that they could be safe? Even after being told not to travel alone, to stay as a group, and as close to the Sanctum as they were one of their very own priests was being attacked.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:21 pm
Tarlok
Post: 7
Location: Near the Priests - ATTACKING
--------------------Tarlok wasn't sure why he was still up there, facing the beast, alone. Was there no one else to stand between the priests and danger? Were they so reliant on the gods that they would lose all of their hope? You can't be that! You can't do that! he thought frantically, eyes darting to either side in the hopes of seeing someone else - anyone else - take things from here. He was not a fighter, he was not capable of this, but if he was the only one here... he had to be. I can't run now. I made my choice to stand up here. he grit his teeth, sweat trickling uncomfortably down his hot, hot, hot brow. He felt as though he would collapse at any moment, as if there were way too many eyes on him. The dagger felt heavy, so heavy, and the handle bit at his unaccustomed hands. He heard the sounds of screams behind him, and, inexplicably, prayer. Am I really all that they've got?" He swallowed, his throat dry and painful and full of his own heartbeat. He almost wanted to laugh and scream, at the same time. Either I come out of this a believer, he thought ironically, Or I don't. And then, with a shaky, terrified, frantic yell, he ran for the creature to push it. Or tear the young man from its... claws... hands... whatever they were. Or... or... Tarlok didn't know. He was the only one up there, and he couldn't do nothing. "Aaaa! He shouted, hands out, dagger out, charging at the bug monster and its captive to stop the madness. suhuba~iquotedyousomanytimesimsorry Feel free to hurt him a lot >)
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:52 pm
Chapter 9: Grave Expectations
|| IC ||
There were a series of clicks and hisses from the grotesque hooded figure before it clutched the priest firmly to himself. The young priest, a thin tall earthling with barely enough hair on his chin to be able to be called a beard, looked like he was frozen, the fear etched onto his face. There were those that called out to him, begging for him to move, but it was like he couldn't hear any of it.
There were those who called out, hoping for a warrior among their group to come forward and attack the creature, but the majority of the people were too stunned with what they were seeing to take action. The creature let out a screeching sound, it's head moving back as if to bellow out something to everyone around it. A rift in the air could be seen, shivering slightly before tearing itself open and a darkness was revealing. It was almost as if it was seeping into the world around it and with a flash the cloaked figure and the priest was gone, the portal, or whatever you could call it, gone with them. It was too late, the young man was gone.
|| OOC ||
||. If your character is not signed up for their thread, they may not participate. You can PM Suhuba for late entries.
||. Please limit to up to 2 posts between NPC posts (these should be spaced out by responses from others to your post, no needless posting just to get more points).
||. NPCs will post twice a week, on Monday and Thursday.
||. If you have any questions, please post them in the Main Thread.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:31 pm
Tarlok
Post: 8
Location: Near the Priests
--------------------
Of all the things Tarlok expected to happen in the next few moments, it was not this. Nothing.
The monster had been there, right in front of him, terrifying and imposing. And then the air had split asunder, it had shouted, and then... Nothing was there. No bug monster, no young priest, nothing for Tarlok's wild, frantic charge to hit.
He couldn't stop his momentum effectively and his sudden skidding turned into a fall onto the hard floor. His blade skittered from his hand and he struck his shoulder. "Oof?" He lay there, aching, for a moment, a little stunned by... everything.
I really just did that. he thought, wincing in pain. He had, the priest had still been taken, and he was pretty sure he wasn't doing it again.
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