Calvin Asherson

Calvin always hated going to Ravensport, it always smelled like piss, and fish; as if the drunken sailors stumbling around wasn't disgusting enough. He was a knight of the Queen, walking among commoners was beneath him, but Prince Quincy had insisted they travel on foot to greet "Little Freddy's bought bride-to-be." Calvin, and the Royal Guardsmen accompanying him looked proper in his opinion. 'We look as the King intended, Goddess give him rest.' He stood twice as tall as the smallest of the men in similar crimson armor. The only difference between the guard were the plumes adorning the helmets of a select few: Though currently only himself, and Gregor could boast a plumed helmet. Prince Quincy, for better or worse, looked the part of a young nobleman out on a stroll with his family guard. With an opened collared white linen shirt, covered by a purple coat that almost touched the boardwalk, and a wide brimmed velvet hat with little bells attached that matched the ones on his boots.

Calvin was thankful when the bells finally stopped their annoying tune as Quincy stopped to watch The Gryphon's Fang come to moor. "Robbers must be blessed with extraordinary luck Calvin, imagine living a life at sea aboard the greatest ship in The Great Armada." Calvin knew the Prince was goading him, it was well known throughout the noble houses that Captain Robbers and he were bitter rivals. Still he had to give his prince some sort of acknowledgment, and Calvin chose what he thought most fitting: He lifted his helmet, and spat off to the side. Quincy attempted to appear insulted, but the young man was soon turning over on himself with laughter. "That's why you're my favorite of the Guardsmen Calvin! You always..."

Quincy had lost his voice during his praise of Calvin's "humor", but the man only had to turn to look where Quincy's gaze had turned. Accompanying the delegation of nobles was The Crown Prince's bride, and by the gods she was beyond anything Calvin had ever seen. Even from where they stood at some distance she stood out from the rest. With skin the color of shining bronze, a small golden diadem with an even smaller ruby at it's center, and a bright emerald robe that shimmered in the light of the setting sun. If it weren't for the ones that followed her Calvin would've been content watching the beautiful foreign Princess approach them. As Fate would have it though she traveled with what appeared to be a band of mercenaries, and cutthroats. They all walked around the girl at the pace she set, and it was all with such rigid discipline that Calvin had to focus to be certain that a few in the back even moved. The Daemon-kin took all of his attention once the delegation had reached them, Quincy busied himself with greetings while Calvin and the other Guardsmen all stared at the oddity before them. The Daemon-kin was athletically built, with a sun kissed skin tone that was only a shade lighter than a few around him. Even if Calvin hadn't seen the telltale signs of a Daemon-kin, the pointed ears that were slightly smaller than a halfbreed's, once the Daemon-kin's eyes met his through his helm Calvin felt the strongest compulsion to skewer the abomination right there. It must've sensed his aggression though because then it did something stranger than what Calvin had expected. The creature looked away from him, and walked next to the beautiful Princess to whisper something away from prying eyes. The girl looked up at the Daemon-kin before reluctantly nodding her head, and with that he left the welcoming party without glancing at Calvin or the other Guardsmen again. It tried to hide it, but Calvin noticed the slightest limp in their walk as they passed by.

Hex

[ Warning, due to >Cosmic Law< set in Astoria the land, and air around the Player is/will remain poisonous until the >Astorian Guardian Spirits< accept the Player as a friendly entity. Until then the Player's HP will continually be deducted over time. Time until next HP deduction: 25 seconds. ]

The system had been warning me since I stepped foot on Astorian land, and when the first 'deduction' hit it was almost impossible to keep from crying out in pain. A disheartening 'Well that's new.' from Damien later, and I was away from the ones who knew me, or might take advantage of my weakening stake. After losing strength in my legs I collapsed to my knees next to the pile of blood, and vomit from the last deduction. 'You won't find any helpful Spirits in this alleyway, or anywhere close in New Brekin. Arinta gave you free reign for a day, and a half and now you know how you're gonna use it. The old witch will make a contract between her, and Eranna so that issue should solve itself.'

I tried to argue against him, after all there was no guarantee Eranna would willing go into a contract, but the next deduction wave hit and I was forced to double over. When the sickness passed again I complained aloud about "How to find a gods damned spirit without knowing what's where?" but a dry chuckle took my mind off the pain shooting through my body for a moment. A drunk was watching me from a small corner in the alley with an entertained light behind his gaze. He continued to chuckle at a joke that only he seemed to be in on before pointing a grime covered finger in my direction. "You want to find some Spirits? They used to say the Guardian Spirits loved the lake near Old Brekin. If you're lucky the demons haven't eaten them all by now." I didn't get a chance to thank the drunk as he closed his eyes, and dozed off after he'd finished speaking.

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'As helpful as the words of a drunk might be, the system could also help you out in the future, or I could impart some of my vast knowledge of this fine land for you.' Damien's helpful words did nothing to take my mind of the pain that set in from another deduction, but the system still offered help in its own way as I stumbled out of the busy streets of New Brekin.

[ The town of >Old Brekin< is located to the Northeast of New Brekin near the Stone-dragon clan mountain range. Currently 24 km away. ]

Once I'd passed the city gates I took in a deep breath, and ran as the system began to count down towards the next deduction; 24 seconds to get to Old Brekin. I don't know if it was the pain or the fact that I was finally alone, but I thought of Pixie. Admittedly I'd wondered where she'd gone, but being a Reshi conscript didn't allow for much time to worry about something so clearly out of my control. As I ran though my mind began to leave me again, and my eyes played a trick on me. I saw her flying next to me as I ran with a look of determination on her face as she slowly overcame me that only confused me more. A positive of my mind leaving me though was that the pain had started to fade away, until Damien spoke that is.

'I admire the drive kid, but be careful if you push yourself too hard you could actually die right now. This world is designed to go against you.' As if waiting for those words a new pain shot through my body. From the tips of my toes to the crown of my head it felt like hot needles were being pushed into my body with every step I took. I tried to push through the pain, but it won in the end as my legs suddenly couldn't take my weight anymore and I collapsed. I must've ran a little too fast because my collapse turned into a tumble that carried me some distance. When I came to a stop my fingers bled as I clutched at the dirt beneath me, and then my limbs gave out before I could get my bearings; though thankfully my consciousness went as soon as my head hit the dirt. Damien still needed to get a few last words of congratulations in before then though. 'Well, at least you made it to Old Brekin kid.'

Madris Silverwater

Life in the Demi-human 'sanctuary' was mundane at its best, and it's worse...well it wasn't uncommon for a few people to go missing every few weeks. Being a part of one of the traitor clans responsible for helping put most of the Demi-humans made life much more interesting, though the price of being hated wasn't ideal. The Silverwater had a few of their better connections in Southern Astoria, and so the young elf was sent to the Old Brekin sanctuary for her 'protection'. Madris laughed bitterly to herself while a finger played at the ends of her dark hair. Her father hadn't sent her away to protect her, he'd done it to protect his own interests among the other clans. She was a part of the minority of younger elves calling for a change, and to truly break free from underneath Astoria's yoke.

That evening had been much like rest though, and after a rabbit stew dinner she'd made camp before her mind began to wander. Madris had been living half a days walk from the Old Brekin Sanctuary in what she learned was the actual town of Brekin. Apparently it had been pillaged, and burned by the Northerns during the first civil war. The humans always fought, but even the elves would pass down the terrible things they did to one another during that first war. After the discovery of the Southerners' Dark Protector many stopped worshiping the gods altogether, instead sending their prayers to another. The stories told of a god who could be summoned to grant them incredible power. The ever devout Northerners called for a complete purge of all heretic followers, and the Southerns declared themselves independent from the 'sheep following after old gods who never answer.' Old Brekin was one of the first meeting places between the opposing parties, but it was a massacre that was repeated over, and over again by humans seeking revenge.

A loud crash brought Madris out of her recollections though, and she quietly moved from the camp she'd made next to the remains of a burned house. There was a large line plowed into the ground from the old road entering, onwards. When she turned the corner she saw a large cloud of dust past the town's center, near the lakeside. The dust settled as she drew closer, and when she saw what rested beneath the cloud Madris almost vomited her rabbit stew. The person looked like an expensive doll broken and discarded by a child who was too rough with them: In place of stuffing, and rags though was flesh, and blood. She could they'd been a man, and from the portion of his upper body not completely torn away by the impact they were well built. His body convulsed slightly as what she was sure were the last vestiges of his life faded away, but Madris couldn't examine the man for long before her weak stomach forced her to look away. After examining what remained of his face Madris was dry heaving into a bush. 'His whole face completely torn off, and his eyes are still open: Goddess they still have light behind them.'

Just as she'd assured herself that it had been her mind playing tricks on her Madris suddenly felt a sudden chill crawl up her back as the sound of shuffling feet appeared behind her. That had made her heart jump into her throat, but when she saw the troop of wraiths approaching her Madris almost screamed. The Ageless Ones had to have been watching out for her though as the wraiths completely ignored her, and instead moved towards the dying man. They were all covered in hoods shrouded in a dark mist that made it impossible for her to see their features clearly. The wraiths each took one of the man's limbs in hands the color of old bones before they slowly carried him into the lake. One of them stayed at the lakeside though raising their head into the air to let out an ear splitting screech. The others followed after that one, and the noise forced Madris to cover her ears in pain while she tried to force her frozen legs to move.

When the creatures finally stopped their screaming Madris raised her head again to see the strangest blue light forming at the lake's center. Barely a breath had passed before the light lifted out of the lake to reveal a woman standing beneath it. The woman was standing on the water next to the wraiths, and she was talking to them as if they were all good friends. At some point the woman noticed Madris watching them, and she placed a hand on the deadman bringing him beneath the lake's surface. The wraiths left not long after that, and Madris was left staring at the spot where the woman had taken the body: She could make out just the faintest light glowing softly beneath the surface.