Mysteries Start Small: New fan-made RP start go initiation

[RedSquirrel456]

OOC: Hi everybody! (Hi Doctor Nick

[BlasTech]

Meanwhile across the tavern another youth was just finishing off a very pleasing blackberry sherry.

"Mmm, This is the life" He thought, leaning back and pulling the brim of his emerald wizards hat over his eyes.

He let out a deep sigh and tried to practice his kenning again, as he had been taught. His master had said he possesed a greater degree of aptitude than usual in this and encouraged him to practice stretching his limits as often as possible.

Floating across the background din of the tavern, he picked out the tail end of a conversation.
"-old memories, is all"

Now that he focused, he could almost feel the weight of the sorrow lying in those words and the concern in the barkeep's reply.

His first instinct was to follow it to its source but no, he had been told again and again to refrain from the characteristic impulsiveness of youth, and although nearly 19 years of age, he still could feel it tugging at him.

"Calm yourself, do not act in rashness. Many a time is it better to remain unseen until needed than to openly reveal oneself before necessary. Observation before decision, thought before action ... this is how we best confront all of life's obstacles."

He sighed, he could hear the truth in the words, even as he heard his master's voice reciting them.

For now, he simply calmed himself ... relaxed, waited and listened

[Bengaley]

Does fate influence people, or do people make their own fate? Or is it both, and Yeshu smiles upon us all...?

--==--

Through the doors of the inn's tavern walked a young, very young man, Or perhaps an old boy, dressed in the quasi-uniform of the priesthood. Walked... or sidled? The young man attempted to make himself as invisible as possible, but that only served to draw attention to him, and the mark of the mage-blind* on his collar. He wished that his superiors would have sent someone else, someone more experianced and able to handle these... surroundings, but it was felt that someone close to the subject of this attention's age would be best, and alas - only he was available...

Aiden would have cursed his luck if he were anyone else, but if his life had taught him anything by now, curses did nothing but make people angry. Faith moved mountains... although they failed to move crowds, he noted glumly as he tried to press his way towards his goal, the seemingly ever-distant table with the ragged-dressed young man.

Aiden sighed, and asked himself yet again why he was here, away from the church that had raised him for 12 years, and replayed the conversation with the priest.

"Aiden my son, I don't know what happened out there... but I once counted Master Barret amoung my friends," the head priest had said, "And I do know that whatever happened, it also hit the young boy with him hard. I owed Barret a debt, and while I cannot repay it, I will not be able to look to Yeshu and say I didn't attempt." He had looked towards the ceiling of his office, and Aiden had squirmed in the chair. It was a comfertable chair, but it felt anything but right now...

The priest had looked down at Aiden again, "My son, I wish you to go to this Aven in my stead, and try to console him and... well..." The head priest looked distraught, and the usually quiet Aiden spoke up, "I understand, Father. I will do what I can. It is all that is ever asked of us." The priest looked appreciative, then dismissed him, and Aiden left for the inn that Aven was staying at...

...and asked himself what made him speak up. Accepting the duty of a chore, that was expected, but for him to willingly leave...?

'But a priest can not have doubt, he must be certain, else how else can he steady others..?' Aiden muttered to himself quietly as he approached the figure sitting at the table that he had been moving towards.

"..uhm... excuse me... are you Aven..?" Aiden asked a little hesitantly. "I'm Aiden, and I'm, er, supposed to, uhm..." and looked at quite a loss of what to say next.


OOC:

*Don't remeber the exact terminoloy, although this stuck in my head. It means that he's unable to use Lux at all.

[StrangeWulf13]

OOC: You got it in one. Mageblind cannot see or manipulate lux. They don't exist only in the church, but it is rather foolish to say that Linnaeus is alone in that respect. Could be any number of them in any job, so long as it doesn't involve lux. Still, it's indicated that they are rare individuals, so it would be safe to assume that only one character in the RP can be mageblind. The rest would have to be at least blackbanders (lowest rank given by teachers in the field of lux manipulation; Quentyn himself is one), or wizards, or something in between.

Couple more points:

You might want to create another "mun discussion" thread to keep OOC comments like these from mucking up the flow of the RP. You could use the one already in existance, but then we'd have to have names to refer to the different RP threads, which could get tricky. I leave the choice up to you.

You should also think about taking off your signatures when posting; they tend to break up the flow of the RP. You want things to be smooth, to flow nicely from one post to the next. Sigs are like OOC comments and can ruin the mood. Again, the choice is really up to you. I simply recommend you do this.

I would join this RP, but I'm already involved in the other, and don't wish to complicate my life any further. I'll look in from time to time to see how things are going, and maybe give some pointers.

And make sure to pick up a copy of the UberCD if you can; lots of secret Questor info that'll help you stay true to the world, if that's your intent.

I look forward to seeing where this goes.

[RedSquirrel456]

Aven sighed heavily when his name was mentioned. Who on earth could it be? Surely it couldn't be one of those jeerers or gawkers who came to state outright his mistakes? Mistakes always seemed to outweigh successes in this world. Had everyone forgotten the other things he had done besides... well. In any case, he was glad that he hadn't done anything more than he already had. Otherwise his failures would only be more pronounced. He had felt that in the cities to the north. Look, there he goes... the foolish child who thought he could be a hero. Fortunately, most of it had died down, since he had gone back to anonymous ruin plunging. He and Barret had found that dagger he had whilst recovering an item for the museum here in Sanctuary. He had been told to keep it, oddly enough, by both Barret and another assistant at the place. "You found it, and we didn't ask for it," they had said.

But nobody remembered your name for plucking some historical item out of a pile of muck. The boy, however, was determined to remain friendly. Being bitter never got anyone anywhere, and it wasn't the fault of the Sojourners he had hit bad luck. He looked up, turning his ears toward the stranger, and tipping up the brim of his hat rather rogueishly, smiling faintly as he replied in a subdued, but amicable voice.

"Well, I certainly hope I am. Otherwise, we're both in a barrel of trouble."

"Oh, er, yes, I suppose we would..." replied the churchman. He seemed terribbly stricken about something, which made Aven's eyes glint with a concerned sort of curiosity. He believed in and loved Yeshua, just as any normal Rac'Conan should, but he had never done anything that should deserve special attention from the Sojourners. Especially from a Mageblind. Not that that was surprising, he had heard stories of Mageblind priets. But still, to send anyone after him must have been a request, or a sales pitch. There could not have been another reason. At least, not in his opinion. But this one had sought him out by name! Who could it have been that wanted his audience? Only one way to find out...

"So..." he started again quietly, cocking his head expectantly. "You're... here to talk with me, I suppose?" he said, but the last few words were said with a depressed sort of sigh.

[Bengaley]

OOC: When I first saw this thread, I took a look at the Character Architypes I had. These were, the Self-Confidant Mercenary who wants to lead his own band, the very young prodigy at something to do with Lux, the old and wizened wizard, the bard/theif young boy with a couple of nervous tics, except when he's on the job... and... the priest with the dark past and major disability. There's a couple others, but I don't think that 'Fighter Pilot' and 'Noir-style Detective' fit in here

Let us say that Aiden is about the age of Aven, m'kay? As for the 'mun discussion thread' ... ermm... I tend to distrust all things that come from Kaerwyn, and lets leave it at that, but it seems to be a good idea here. I've a couple of story ideas that I'd want to throw out involving the above archtypes...

BIC:

Aiden nodded nervously, then looked at the chair near the table, "I don't suppose that, er, I could sit down..?" he asked of the other 'coon. After getting a nod, he did.

"Well, er, in times like these," he stumbles forward, "I mean," he stops and sighs, "Dear Yeshu, I was never good with words..." he says, partly to himself. "What I'm trying to, er, say is that the head priest asked me to, erm... console you. He and Master Barret were friends, and well, er, he felt uncomfertable coming to you directly, so he sent, well, me..."

Steady, Aiden, steady... try not to look like the fool. Again..., the young priest thought to himself, and took another breath...

"That is, er, if you want to talk about it, whatever happened out there, the Sojourner Church wants to make certain that, er, we're here for you... now, at least.."

The nervous 'coon had been looking down towards his hands, but looked up at Aven directly, "I don't think I can be much of, er, help, but I do wish to, um, render any help that we can..."

[RedSquirrel456]

Aven watched the fidgety Deputy with upraised eyebrows. It figured the only one who they sent after him was the oddest of the bunch. Strange things the Sojourners did. Especially sanctioning a missionary going into Gragum lands like they had recently. Now that was an interesting point of discussion. This jumpy, stuttering boy in front of him, however, was not, and Aven quickly found his interest waning as the young man's real purpose for being here was revealed. He sighed again, in real annoyance this time, when the halting explanation was through, which only seemed to make the other Rac'Conan even more nervous about their predicament. Aven felt bitter feelings rise in his heart, toward a Deputy of all things, Yeshua forgive him. His heart turned hard again.

"Console? Took you long enough to get around to finding me," he said with a slight sneer, turning his eyes away. "Aren't your shoulders a little small for someone to be crying on them?" he muttered, an obvious jab at the other 'coon's age. Despite the very slight difference between them there, Aven only knew that his shoulders had been strong enough to carry a dear friend out of harm's way and allow his body to be sent home in dignity. He supposed he couldn't blame the head priest. It just didn't seem proper for him to come running after a little boy in a big, dirty town. Still, he and Barret had been old friends, though Barret had mentioned outside acquaintances only a few times. Why not come himself, Deeps take it? Aven suddenly felt tired again. He really needed to get away from this slump somehow, even he knew that. But running to another boy who had no idea how to deal with a man like Barret or a young man like Aven just for comfort didn't seem like a great idea to him.

"I've 'consoled' myself often enough in prayer and in exercise," he began.

"N-now, come on, you... you c-"

"I do not feel like being pampered to."

"I wasn't trying to-" said the young Deputy, a trace of annoyance in his voice.

"Do you really want to hear about it? What happened I mean?" went on Aven, unforgivably ruthless in his high temper. "I'll tell you. Terror. Horror. Death. Watching a respectable old man die in the dirt. Nothing I haven't known before, and nothing I want to remember with talking." He took a sip of his drink. "The most I can tell the head priest is Barret was given a dignified burial. But out there it looked like not even that was going to be allowed to us."

Aven slapped his drink down loudly, the fight suddenly leaving him. He shook his head slowly and turned back to the Deputy with baggy eyes. He sent up a silent prayer of forgiveness for his lapse in self-control.

"I'm... sorry... brother. That's what I call you, right? I'm not in my right mind. My apologies. I got us off on the wrong foot. But maybe now isn't the right time to talk, at least not about... that. As for help, I've got plenty of things in mind. Did you want something to drink? They make it fine here..."

[BlasTech]

In the meantime, the young wizard had moved from his table and over to the counter, not too far from where Aven sat.

"Great ... what a day this is turning out to be" He thought

He hadn

[Greatdane]

The door into the tavern slammed open. In walked a muscular male of middling years. The whiskers surrounding his snout where gray-white, barely seen under the hood he wore. The man wanted privacy, everyone could see that, so the faces that had turned towards his loud entry turned away again.

Jasper Quickslash, the Raccona who had walked through the door, was a city-guard. He usually came to the tavern to sit down and relax, sipping some sherry and watching the crowd.
"Hey there, Jazz," the bartender said.
"Hi, Bill, pour me some of that good sherry of yours," was Jasper's reply. "So, you got any free tables?"
"Yeah, just over there, next to the two young-ones."
Just as Jasper began to walk over to his table, the Bill grapped hold of his arm and told him with a warning voice; "Best watch them; one of them just yelled before an' I don't wan't you to interfere, he's a good kid, name's Aven. Now I won't tell you any more, if you wan't to help him or something then do so, you have that history of picking up strays so I won't hold it against you," The last sentences were aimed at Jasper's attempts to bring street-trash, as they were called, of the street again. Problem was, people had that sort of once-a-trash-always-a-trash thinking. So the kids he actually succeded with was not accepted by others.
"Yeah, yeah, Bill. Poke, poke, poke, shouldn't you mind your other costumers?" said Jasper with a sharp edge to his voice, tired of being reminded of his failures.
"Sorry, Jazz. I'll leave you alone now, just don't bother the boy too much, ya'hear?"

Jasper, already on his way to his table just swung his tail from side to side, to let Bill know he had heard.

He sat down heavily, the reinforced leather tunika he wore under his brown shirt made some moves quite difficult, sitting down, for example.
The sword he carried scraped against the floor, so he adjusted it so it wouldn't do so again.

Now let's see what's happening here, thought Jasper[/i]

[Tbolt]

[Greatdane]

Hmmmm, why does such an old man come in here, look for a young man and wear his boomslangs so openly? thought Jasper.

He must a fighter of some sort, damn he's big!

Jasper walked over to the old giant and asked; "So, Pops, who are you?"

The old 'coon looked a bit miffed by Jasper's approach so Jasper tried again; "Sorry, sometimes I forget my manners. I am Jasper Quickslash, but all my friends call me Jazz," he extended his paw towards the old man...

OOC: Tbolt, feel free to continue this conversation, the ... is your starting point.

[Tbolt]

Trajan looked down on the young guard before him. A dark look passed over his face momentarily, but it passed.

[Greatdane]

"Well, if you are going to help him, or at least offer him your services, then maybe I can help you. I don't like it when a little kit like that are having problems so great that a big fighter, like yourself, are trying to help him, " jasper said.
he hesitated.
"We could make a deal; tell me your story, both of your stories, and I will do my best to help. I have some mighty fine aqquintences in the city-guard and I'm not the worst to have around if things get hot."

"What do you say, Trajan? Let's make it a deal and see what we can do...

[RedSquirrel456]

Aven suddenly felt a tugging at the back of his head, like someone was poking him from afar. It felt like someone was watching him. Something was going on, around him, about him. He looked around nervously, turning to the door, his cerulean eyes widening. A very, very large Rac'Conan had entered the bar, with familiar looking packages strapped across his back. Boomslangs? More than likely. Sheesh, this place really attracted the rough crowd. Aven felt a chill go down his spine. He was, after all, just a child... what on earth could he have been thinking, coming into a huge city, alone and unaided? His sword arm was strong, and his mind was always sure. But he knew anyone that picked a fight with him would tear him to ribbons. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

He didn't feel right being here anymore. The bartender had returned with the drink that Aiden had ordered. He was being unusually silent, after his nervous speech from before, and Aven excused him or that. It would make it less awkward when he finally got up and left. Yet... there was something familiar about the one with the eyepatch. The look of him brought back memories of rotting vegetation, and strange, gurgling sounds. He turned away again to look back at the table and the drink in front of him.

Please, please, don't let them come over here... he thought, but didn't know why. They were intimidating, that was for sure. One dressed ilke a guardsman, and the other... well, he was just plain big. He remembered the only other time he had been forced to fight someone that big. There was a twinge just under his left ribs, and he grimaced. Sourly, he thought it would never go away entirely. He began to finger the letter in his pocket. The twinge of pain had left him in a temper again, and he was considering just running away to his room so he could get some privacy. A month and a half wasn't long enough.

But then, nothing ever was, either.

[Tbolt]

Trajan looked at Jasper, and then at Aven. The youth had the look of a cornered animal. He thought of how he must appear to the lad.

[Greatdane]

Jasper who had been involved in helping people before understood the old 'coon.

"Okay, Trajan, can you tell me what had happened? It's just really important for me to know why he needs your... our help.

Jasper shot a look Aven's way and saw that he was afraid, Aven's tail was hanging low, his ears sagged down a bit and his nose twitched. The young one was definately scared.

"Tell you what? I will just sit myself down at that table next to the two kits and then you can do whatever talking you want to do with 'em. 'Kay?"[/i]

[Tbolt]

Trajan nodded in agreement. He took another draw on his ale and made his way across the room towards the two youngsters.

Aven looked and saw the huge rac coming at him, he wished he could turn invisible, to get away. He thought he saw a trace of a smirk on the face on the giant. But it immediately faded into a look of,... embarrassment!? Curiosity and wariness battled with each other in the young rac

[BlasTech]

The young wizard had to make a concious effort to keep his eyes on his drink this time...

One of the first things he remembered learning about taverns, especially the ones in Sanctuary, was that they'd pull in all sorts people as the night goes on. Having stayed in sanctuary for years now, he'd grown so accustomed to the city's night life that most of the people who entered the tavern failed to even make him twitch. However, there are some things which one just never expects to see in a tavern, such as a priest.

A three-foot tall, one-eyed, boomslang toting rac conan is another.

When the giant had first entered the bar, and approached the guardsman's table, he had made a great effort to refrain from reacting. An effort which had only barely paid off. However, when the larger rac conan stood again, this time approaching the table where Aven sat, he quietly reached to where his staff lay against the counter.

He felt a slight tremor of fear running through him, a fear that was magnified tenfold on the younger 'coon's face. He didnt know what the giant was planning, and he certainally didnt know how he was going to stop him in this crowded environment if he did mean harm to either Aven or the preist. Fortunately, his fears proved unfounded when, seconds later, the larger Rac stammered out an offer of service to the young one.

"He's offering his services to him?!? ", he thought "There is definately something im missing here"

[Greatdane]

After Jasper sat down he started scanning the room, mostly out of couriosity, but also to see if anyone in the tavern were paying special attention to the kit's table.

There!

He had spotted a wizard, standing at the bar, so lost in thought (or maybe it was magic), that he seemed oblivious to the rest of the world.

That wizard is paying a lot of attention to Aven's table? Hmm, I wonder why?

Then it suddenly occured to him!

Damn! he must spying on them. What's he up to?

He rose and walked up to the bar.

"Hey, Bill?"
"Yeah?"
"Who's that wizard over there?"
"Oh, it's just some 'prentice from the academy. I don't know his name, but I have seen him before."
"Thanks, now give me a sherry more."

With the sherry in his hand, Jasper casually made it closer to the 'coon standing at the bar

"Hi, kid," Jasper said suddently...

[/i]

[BlasTech]

He had almost been able to relax again. Once it was evident that the larger racoon meant the others no harm, he had turned back to the counter, lost in thought.

A sudden voice from beside him startled him so much that he nearly fell off his stool. It was the guardsman that he'd seen talking to the boomslanger earlier.

"Dang" he thought ruefully "I guess I wasn