Rumble at Downwater

Tviyr was the first boundary to be created when Fellsgard was freed from Bhelest. There is a diverse magnitude of adventurers that trek through this countryside. Decorated with grassland, coastline, forest, and jungle, it's quite the vision. Read more...
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Bracken Olivefrost
Character
The Blade of Glass
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
19 / 19 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Shapeshifter and Human
Class: Fighter and Summoner
Posts: 15
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 5:12 am

Rumble at Downwater

Post by Bracken Olivefrost »

Bracken was tired, bone-weary even, from unrelenting weeks of traipsing through the Jungles of Ninraih protecting a well-meaning and absentminded gaggle of scholars. She'd been hired to defend them during the day, but their penchant for ignoring their Kerasokan guide's good sense had meant her duties offered little in the way of rest until they had finally retreated from the dangers of the verdant lands.

Thankfully it had only taken a few simple expressions of discontent to increase her pay in compensation; the fact that her scimitar had spent the early evening cleaving through vines the thickness of a man's arm was mere happenstance. She let a smile flicker across her lips as she bid the stodgy group farewell with a coin purse near to bursting. They'd paid her, they were safe, that was all that truly mattered.

Dismissing their retreating carriage from her mind, Bracken looked around the poorly maintained town square of Downwater. The village should have been forgotten long ago, its decaying buildings and simple folk with lives made of drudgery left to fall to the ravages of an uncaring world. Fortunately, recent shifts of waterways had made Downwater and its decaying bridge the most convenient passage from Ninraih. Several enterprising merchants had offered the town significant funding to reinforce the bridge and construct an inn right along the village square.

What had been a dirt smudge on a map became a hotspot of travellers seeking to enter, or returning from, the dangers of Ninraih. And so, with travellers came their hired help; mercenaries, trackers, rangers, and dungeon delvers abound. Another floor was added to the inn, the gold and cheap ale flowed as quickly as the river, and rowdy folk with newly laden coin purses found themselves among equally rowdy company looking to wear away frustration and boredom before a new job came their way.

With a sigh for her luck, the Battlemage moved towards the Canted Wheel, the sinking sun shining brilliant orange against the fresh whitewash of the misshapen upper floors. She checked her weapons and trinkets were well strapped or hidden before slipping her purse into her breastplate. She needed this money, and if anyone thought to deprive her of it, they'd find she was very quick with her blade.
Word count: 377
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Amelia Varanger
Character
Level
01
25 / 25 HP
18 / 18 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Posts: 4
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 10:29 pm

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Amelia Varanger »

With a groan, Amelia dragged all two hundred pounds of her armored self into the Canted Wheel. She entered, a gauntleted human covered from head to toe in layers of thick bolted fabric, ring mail and plate. A knight’s great helm hid most of her face except for her eyes. Asymmetrical, an irregular guard protruded from her right shoulder, while a escutcheon-shaped plate whose colors had long faded protected her upper left chest. They were not the most elegant, but they kept her alive thus far, and that was what mattered.

The past few days, she had been holed up at Downwater, awaiting her next payroll. It was a good chance to rest and heal up. It was something she could get used to. Apparently, good pay was increasingly difficult to come by. Each day that went by meant rent to pay, proximity to people, and worst of all, no adventure. She swore, if not for the familiar company, the boredom would soon drive her mad.

The heavily armored woman was met with some whispers and stares as she shoved her way through the tavern, looking for a worthy opponent. She'd stare back, behaving according to her motto: walk cautiously and carry a big sword.

"You there," rumbled a deep voice, directed at the battlemage. She took off the helm and held it at her side. "Is this seat taken?"
Word count: 231
User avatar
Bracken Olivefrost
Character
The Blade of Glass
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
19 / 19 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Shapeshifter and Human
Class: Fighter and Summoner
Posts: 15
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 5:12 am

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Bracken Olivefrost »

Looking up from her spot along a corner table, Bracken blinked slowly at the heavily armored fighter. "It is not mine to offer, nor to deny," she answered as her mind resettled. She'd been caught reviewing her recent fights, not checking outside her immediate vision, and she chastised herself silently before sitting up a bit straighter. The place was filling up quickly, though there were clearly a few scattered stools and benches left to fill.

Soon enough the bard would come and the singing would begin. Bracken hoped it was the man this time, he at least allowed a few songs before getting into the bawdier sort that got the mercenaries riled up. "Swain, wine if you have any left, Olivefrost," she barked without heat to a passing staff. He made a minute jump at the suddenness of it, but nodded to show he understood her order and tab before looking to Amelia for any other orders before he kept moving.
Word count: 161
User avatar
Amelia Varanger
Character
Level
01
25 / 25 HP
18 / 18 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Posts: 4
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 10:29 pm

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Amelia Varanger »

Amelia pulled out a stool and, given permission to, carefully sat down with a dense metallic clank. She had no need for a shield, and her sword which she carried over her shoulder was hastily shoved under the table. The girl under the helmet did not at all seem clumsy or lumbering, but surprisingly proper.

"A small beer for Varanger," the freckled human addee with a pleased nod to Swain. Turning back, she found herself staring at Olivefrost's fair, toned figure. Remembering to be polite, she withdrew to an acceptable degree of eye contact with the blademage, who apparently had strong lashes.

She tilted her head in respect. "Amelia Varanger," she stated with a faint smile.
Word count: 116
User avatar
Bracken Olivefrost
Character
The Blade of Glass
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
19 / 19 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Shapeshifter and Human
Class: Fighter and Summoner
Posts: 15
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 5:12 am

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Bracken Olivefrost »

"Hmm- Bracken. You're wearing quite a lot of armor still, just coming in?" the Battlemage asked, returning the obvious eyeing Amelia had given her with an intense inspection. She placed her hand onto the table and splayed the fingers out before deftly tapping them in a quiet pattern. "Anything interesting in the field? I spent the last week sitting in a wagon rolling my eyes at scholars."

Around them, a few more mercenaries crowded into the Canted Wheel, those without a seat settling against tables or along the wall. Bracken idly noted the performer hadn't made an appearance yet and wondered how long the crowd would stay relaxed without the song and dance.
Word count: 113
User avatar
Amelia Varanger
Character
Level
01
25 / 25 HP
18 / 18 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Posts: 4
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 10:29 pm

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Amelia Varanger »

"Rather, been stuck here three days." Amelia snorted amicably as it was her turn to be examined. "I won't bore you with the details."

Her gaze deflected to the rowdy bunch that were the mercenaries. She knew they were, because of how they painted their shields. They sifted and settled into cliques. There were a few rangers, who were guides and explorers of the land, scattered around the room. Downwater was rich with dungeon delvers and travelers of all races, and much fewer merchants. And anywhere you went, there were the scoundrel rogues, who were everybody's friend. There was a palpable tension.

She met Bracken's eyes again and allowed herself to smile. "Scholars, huh? Sounds like we've both had it equally bad.
"Sellswords," she indicated with her eyes, turning back to watch. "You never know."

After a seeming eternity, the same boy appeared with drinks. A fiddle-player somewhere had begun to play, and most importantly, no one seemed to care that it was off-key.
Word count: 164
User avatar
Bracken Olivefrost
Character
The Blade of Glass
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
19 / 19 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Shapeshifter and Human
Class: Fighter and Summoner
Posts: 15
Joined: November 9th, 2020, 5:12 am

Re: Rumble at Downwater

Post by Bracken Olivefrost »

Bracken accepted her drink and took a slow inhalation of it, indulging in a series of memories that were far from this place and its desperate and damned. "A blade is a reflection of its owner, its shine their heart and its edge their will," she intoned reverently, the words clearly soaked in meaning. "And if that fiddle continues much longer, someone is going to jump across a table. The tune is just wrong enough to set the room on edge."

She enjoyed a slow sip of her drink, subtly tightening her control of her summoning, preparing to call upon her bound powers if things went sideways quicker than she expected. To anyone untrained, she would simply appear a traveler in excessively fanciful leathers; perhaps a well-off scion playing at adventure. The wiser would see the faintest shimmer clinging close to her skin, the blur of force that could stop a galloping warmount for at least long enough to swing a blade.

"Should be a new batch of postings in the coming days. Always folks looking to avoid the frozen woods when the days grow shorter," Bracken observed suddenly, swirling her glass in slow patterned circles and taking another drink. She silently held a vain hope she could finish most of what she'd paid for before the ruckus began.
Word count: 219
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