Revaliir

Author: Sigurdson, Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 4:42 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

(((I no longer have the time to Roleplay with my Revaliir account. Im sorry. Feel free to either kill of my character or use him an npc :( )))

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:45 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza heard the mage's voice behind him. Turning and levelling a yellow eyed stare, Cha'Kwe'Tza let a low growl rumble forth. He wasn't exactly overjoyed to see the mage again, and he had no reservations about showing it. His earlier comments about sacrificial consumption still had a place in the back of his mind. Before the Reptilian could think of anything meaningful to say against the mage, Natsumi spoke up, mentioning in fuller detail the significance of the runic line on the ground. Taking a step towards the markings, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked back over his shoulder when the thundering footsteps of the guardians announced their presence from across the square.

Moving so that he stood just on the outside of the barrier, Cha'Kwe'Tza fingered the hilt of his stone sword for a moment before changing his mind and leaving the weapon at his side. Holding both of his large arms out parallel to the ground, he roared his challenge at the two stone guardians. The closer of the pair immediately deviated on its course to head straight for Cha'Kwe'Tza. As the stone behemoth neared, Cha'Kwe'Tza shifted his weight on his feet so that he could move at the last moment when he needed. Muscles in his legs flexing as they prepared for sudden movement, Cha'Kwe'Tza watched the guardian bring a massive arm back so that it could put every ounce of power into a killing blow. As the fist came whirling around in a swing that would smash the Reptilian to pieces, Cha'Kwe'Tza bent over at the stomach and launched himself forward passing underneath the fist.

The air displaced by such a large moving object pushed against Cha'Kwe'Tza, rattling the bone and bead necklace around his neck. This was followed closely by a blue and white flash of white and the crashing sound of stone striking stone with an obscene level of force. Turning around, Cha'Kwe'Tza saw that the stone guardian's fist had ricocheted from the magical barrier and been redirected straight back into its own upper leg, destroying the limb that was required to keep it upright. Claws clicking, Cha'Kwe'Tza sauntered back to Natsumi and the mage as the construct behind him flailed while toppling over. An outstretched stone fist just missing the Reptilian's tail.

In front of him the other two stood, and the guardian lay flat on the street. Looking blankly from the guardian to Natsumi and the mage, Cha'Kwe'Tza let out a breath. He would've liked to have seen how this guardian was brought down. At the sound of heavy scraping behind him, Cha'Kwe'Tza glanced and saw that the other guardian was attempting to pull itself forward with just its arms. Stepping backwards over the runes indicating the barrier, Cha'Kwe'Tza knelt down right where the guardian was trying to grab at him. Like before, whenever the stone fist neared the line, there was a quick flash of light and the hand was repelled.

Holding his own scaly hand out as close to the line as he dared, Cha'Kwe'Tza bared his teeth, "So close. Next time, big stone one." Standling, the Reptilian stepped back before turning so as to keep his tail within the runes. Being yanked back through the barrier that way was not on Cha'Kwe'Tza's plan for this journey. Especially the part that would follow where the guardian would smash him to bits on the stone street. Now that all three of the party were on the protected side of the runes, Cha'Kwe'Tza walked calmly over to the mage stopping just a few inches away, and pressing a large scaly finger against the mage's chest. "You, Mage. Never. Command. Me…" Although the words came out quite stern, most of the unbridled anger that Cha'Kwe'Tza had felt earlier wasn't there. Looking at Natsumi, Cha'Kwe'Tza gestured to the mage and finished speaking, "Maybe he useful. I say we keep him…For now."

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 7:37 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

[OOC: Alright, we're going to have a little breather in the center of town before we continue down into the depths. Have fun describing as silly a bounce as you want. I decided it was time for some comedic relief. :)]

"Fleet foot," as Cha'Kwe'Tza had initially referred to Natsumi, was more accurate a name for her than the lizard could have known at the time. The woman was not an upfront fighter. She didn't possess the strength of a soldier and never had. However, she made up for that lack of brute force with cunning and speed. Blue had his mastery of typical destruction magic and Cha'Kwe was an engine of destruction on his own. Natsumi, on the other hand, was an unparalleled scout.

It was, thus, no surprise that she left behind the pursuing stone soldier as a hare leaves behind a turtle, nor was it surprising that Chalky took a few minutes to catch up to her after losing sight. The druid had made a beeline for the center of the city using every ounce of her magically enhanced agility, and just happened to find the capital building there. Having reached such a destination, Natsumi was finally able to rest.

Slowing to a calm stride, the woman began examining her surroundings. The city seemed to be even more intact the further one travelled into its center, almost eerily so. The buildings around the capitol looked as if they hadn't aged at all. Even the marble pillars on the front of the formidable edifice showed no signs of erosion from rain.

"It's like time has stopped here," she said before halting her movement completely. Something on the ground had caught her gaze at that moment: a line of runes similar to those on both the golems and walls. Unlike the former examples, however, these glyphs were written in reverse. It was a technique that the ecologist had seen in a book before when she was still living in the main, Yamauchi manor. Now, more than ever, she knew what to expect inside the city, but Cha'Kwe'Tza showed up before she could remark of it in self-talk.

"We will definitely be safe if we stay on the other side of this line," she said in response to the lizard when she heard his voice from afar. She stepped on the other side of the aforementioned streak of characters at that moment, and then pointed to it before answering her partner's question. "K.A.T…. it's hard to say what it is, honestly. My teacher actually found it years ago while he was artifact hunting in the eastern continent, but he could never get it to work. According to his notes, it 'told' him that he wasn't worthy. The only things I know about it are that it changes shape, can speak, and is only recognizable by the moon and tree pictographs that adorn its surface. It was bequeathed to me in the professor's will, however, so I am simply here to retrieve whatever it is."

As if on cue, the mage from before arrived then with hands on high and apology in mouth. It was rather amusing to Natsumi to see him so humbled, but she did her best to hide said amusement. His pride was clearly and already harmed enough without additional laughter, even if a small smirk did slip past her stoic facade.

"Be that as it may, you might want to get on the other side of this glyph line like I am before the stone soldiers get here. I've finally figured out what we're dealing with, and I know those soldiers are automatons left here to guard the city. These runes are written in reverse, circular pattern. They will repel anything decorated in runes the same as those giants. If I had to guess, the owners of the capitol building behind me didn't wish for their guardians to get overzealous and destroy their precious home in the process, so they created a security measure."

Sure enough, the stone golems did show up after Natsumi's explanation. Their stride may have been slow, but it was wide. They would attempt to strike at Cha'Kwe and Blue once more, but would be violently repulsed from their targets if the two happened to duck inside the ancient shield before being hit. If the two adventurers were feeling especially devious, they might even have fun with the fearsome giants by purposefully luring them into punching the ward.

Author: Sigurdson, Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:53 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

The two didn't take kindly to Blues attempt of taking control over the situation. The reptilian yelled at him and they both took off. Blue was shaking with fury. The three had the chance of defeating the guardians, and they chose to run. The scaly monster was angry at him for taking initiative just because his petty pride was hurt by being given an order. Then Blue saw the glowing runes that had appeared on the stone sentinel. Seeing the blue light, he understood that the construct had anti magical capabilities. It was completely unaffected by his magic. He had clearly underestimated these beings. . The duo had probably figured out that these were not normal stone golems. Blue now understood why they chose to run. He felt ashamed for trying to trying to make them face a deadly situation without thought. Im pathetic, he thought to himself. However the mage didn't get much time to beat himself up over it, a a giant stone fist came flying towards him.

Blue dodged the hit in a clumsy manner. he hadn't seen the the guardian coming. Before the construct got the chance to hit again, the mage bolted in the same direction that the others had ran. Not because he wanted to see the human-eating best again, but simply because it was the opposite direction of where the stone soldier before him had come from. As he ran down the street, he noticed the other stone soldier standing about ten spear lengths ahead of him. The sentinel lifted its massive rock fist, ready to crush Blue underneath it. Blue prepared himself to dodge the incoming attack. She stone guardian slammed its fist towards the ground. The mage tried to dodge it but stumbled in his own robe, and to the ground. In the short millisecond before the ground was crushed underneath the powerful punch, blue looked at the road in front of him. Filled with abandoned structures on either side, road led further into the dangerous ruins. He had messed up. Blue was going to die. The mage wished that he were ten spear length further in that direction. He longed for the distance of safety. But as the boulder of a hand was about to pulverize every bone in his body, everything vanished.

Blue nothing but overwhelming pain as his body dematerialized. All his senses disappeared except the agony. Then he awoke, but he was no longer human. Blue didn't know it at that point, but his desperation and his inner cry for helped had been answered. The almost infinite power source within his body had been activated temporarily due to his survival instinct and fear of dying. Every atom in his body had changed into pure arcane energy. Time stood still. He could neither see nor hear. All senses were gone, but he had gained a new ones. He could feel every form of magic. He was one with it. he floated in a current of mana. He could sense the world around him too. It was like he knew were everything was. Even though he couldn't see it. However in this dimension, he was trapped within a certain area. He recognized that he could only move within what once was the area of view of his original body. The mage could also feel that his time in this state, was running out. He had to turn into his original form lest he become magic forever. Blue flowed through the arcane until he reached the point had yearned for when he was lying beneath the massive stone golem. he felt a tickling sensation as his original senses reappeared and all the arcane energy changed into atoms once again, forming his body.

Blue stood still for a second, baffled by what had just happened. A lot of questions flew through his mind. How did he managed to do that? Where did this new magical ability come from. His newfound power could most certainly be a clue of his past. He soon realized that this was not the time to ponder upon the mysteries that surrounded him, as the guardian realized its prey had teleported into the distance. The construct starting to move towards Blue. The mage ran once again, this time, lifting his robe as if it was a dress.

After a while, he reached the two shady treasure hunters or whatever the were. He cursed to himself, as he was hoping to avoid the terrifying duo. As there were no roads leading off to the side, he was forced to approach them. As he did, he heard the reptilian ask about something called K.A.T. The two noticed him, and he held his hands up in front of his chest, signaling that he meant no harm. " Im sorry for my foolish behavior", he apologized. " I was rash, stupid and i did not know my place.".

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sat Dec 5, 2015 12:05 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Still a little shaky on his legs, Cha'Kwe'Tza stared at the human wizard. A surge of strength burst through him from nowhere, and he realized that a spell had been cast on him. A violent shiver spiking up his spine, Cha'Kwe'Tza shrugged off the thought of being touched by magic. Behind him, Natsumi had removed her robe and was beginning to run deeper into the city. Discarding his battered shield, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked at the mage that had tried to command him and yelled the only insult he knew in the common tongue, "Eat shit! I run. You fight, then die. I come back and eat." The last bit was spoken as Cha'Kwe'Tza's tongue flicked out, showing off his sharp teeth.

Turning towards the direction Natsumi had run, Cha'Kwe'Tza first ducked under the swinging fist from one of the guardians. The arm sailed over the Reptilian's head, smashing through the wall behind him in a spray of stone and dust scattering debris across the street. Taking advantage of the extra strength given to him by the wizard, Cha'Kwe'Tza lashed out with his sword as he ran past. The black stone of his weapon still skittered harmlessly across the stone making up the leg of his attacker, but the force behind the blow managed to knock the leg aside, toppling the guardian. Lengthening his stride, Cha'Kwe'Tza sped from the fallen stone warrior, and left the human wizard behind with the second, which Cha'Kwe'Tza noticed was about to engage the human.

The Reptilian had to run for a few minutes past abandoned houses and store fronts, claws clicking almost too loudly on the street beneath him. Cha'Kwe'Tza had been through dead cities before, but those had all been smashed to the ground and still burning. Tinashe, being mostly intact was unnerving to the warrior and carried a feeling of wrongness. It wasn't too long into his own run that Cha'Kwe'Tza eventually caught up with Natsumi. Announcing himself from across the square, Cha'Kwe'Tza strode up to a few paces away, "I think we good now," the lizard started. "You say your searching for K.A.T…What is it?" Cha'Kwe'Tza stumbled over the name of the artifact that Natsumi said she wanted, but it wouldn't be right if he were to try and recover the sole item she wanted from this venture. Especially now that he was beginning to consider this strange young woman a potential friend.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Fri Dec 4, 2015 2:40 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

[OOC: Nom nom. Tasty Blue. :P]

Cha'Kwe'Tza's comment on consumption and sacrifice in the wake of the robed visitor's exposure served to garner a brief, brow furrow from Natsumi when it occurred.

"That's a little excessive, don't you think? Even if he is pointing his weapon at us…" Indeed, while the young druid was far from civilized anymore, she wasn't quite savage enough to begin sacrificing random strangers. Not only that, she was Parvporan, and possessed an innate disinterest in the gods of Canelux. Her people had given body and soul to throw off the yoke of supernatural beings; they weren't about to start worshipping them again, especially when they played so little a role in her home continent.

That brief history lesson never emerged in conversation, however, despite how relevant it was. The petrified legionnaires and their accompanying shockwaves were soon upon the group of three, causing Natsumi to divert her attention from Blue to a more immediate threat. "Apparently this city's guards aren't all dead yet."

'A soldier's duty is never done.' Apparently, Tinashe's people had taken that saying to heart when designing their ancient military. Even so many centuries after they themselves had crumbled into dust, their constructs remained, as strong and stalwart defenders as ever. Not even Cha'Kwe could stand up to their might, having been sent flying past Natsumi into a rickety building with but a single punch.

A prudent course of action – and, in fact, the primary course that should have been taken in that situation – would have been to run, just as the foreign lizard suggested in the aftermath of his easy defeat. Yet the formerly hostile mage gave a contrary signal before Natsumi could agree with her partner of circumstance. Blue sought to fight an unnecessary battle, to use Cha'Kwe'Tza as a battering ram for his own gain; but the young Miss Yamauchi would have no part in it.

"Fight if you wish," she shouted while taking off her robe in a flourish. "I find escape more sensible at this point." Before, on the hill, Cha'Kwe had easily been able to keep up with her because her robe limited her movement. Her tail was bushy and often got tangled up in her legs if she ran too fast in contained clothing. Now that it was free, though, her speed was effectively doubled.

With that in mind, Natsumi took off sprinting toward the center of the city. One of the soldiers didn't take too kindly to this attempted exodus, and split off from the main group to pursue his escaping prey. Meanwhile, the spells that Blue cast were beginning to manifest, though not in the way he intended. Once the weaken spell hit the golem it was aimed at, runes inscribed on its surface, identical to those found on Tinashe's outer walls, flashed with brilliant intensity. What was intended to make a formidable enemy's defense brittle had actually been absorbed by anti-magical wards. The petrified soldier remained unfettered, and turned a fist toward the mage for his interference.

Author: Sigurdson, Posted: Fri Dec 4, 2015 11:14 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Taken back by the fact that the girl had exposed him, he took a step backwards. What startled him even more was what the scaly creature said next. Was this girl going to let the monster eat him. Blue was as frozen solid. The mage was glued to the ground in fear. He tried to speak, but no words came out. He knew he had to act fast. He had to attack first. He needed the element of suprise.

Then he felt it. Tremors in the ground, warned of a greater threat close by. A cold shiver went down Blues spine. He had been so engrossed by the threat in front of him, that he hadn't noticed the vibrations in the ground before they had reached an alarming magnitude. Sound of something heavy crushing the stone floor under it echoed throughout Tinashe. The Rhythm of the noise made it clear that this was the footsteps of something not human. Then he source of the chaos appeared before them. Behind the girl and the reptilian emerged two stone soldiers.

The lizard man threw his spear towards the one of the guardians, but to no use. Following the strange creatures example, the mage took a few step backwards. One of the stone soldiers shouted with a deep voice. The sound was strange. One could hear this was construct, not a living being. The golem punched the reptilians shield with the might of a boulder. The abnormal creature flew through the air and into a nearby building. Unfortunately he got up."We run fast now, yes?" the monster said. "No", Blue responded with a shaky yet determined voice.

Blue had come up with two during the little time the lizard creature fought with the stone warrior. The first was to turn around and run deeper into the city, creating a wall of rock behind him. This way he would escape, and kill the two savages swell. However, he feared what might hide further within the ruins. Therefore he developed a better plan. If he could help these people defeat the stone soldiers, they would probably see the value of having him around.

Blue lifted his staff and launched a invisible spell at the guardian closest to the reptile. He proceeded to cast another spell at the monster, who had proclaimed he wanted to eat him. To those around him it would just look like he was pointing at the two. However the reptilian would soon notice an incredible strength emerging within him. Having a strategy, really boosted the sorcerers confidence. With the strength the reptilian possessed mixed withe the powerful enchantment casted upon him, he could possibly crush the weakened stone guardian. " Hey Lizarman!",Blue shouted with all his might. " Destroy that relic".

Author: Sigurdson, Posted: Fri Dec 4, 2015 11:14 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 10:21 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

As Natsumi spoke, calling the robed figure out on his lies, her explanation of hubris sped through Cha'Kwe'Tza's mind. He understood now. He recalled one time when another warrior in his spawning had tried to over extend the battle lines and charge through the demonic hordes by himself. He was consequently ripped to shreds. Bringing his head back into the present, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked from the robed figure ahead of him, then back at Natsumi. Adjusting his grip on both spear and shield, Cha'Kwe'Tza curled the fingers of his left hand into a superstitious gesture. He hated mages. He remembered watching as battle magic tore holes in the lines of his fellow warriors hundreds of feet wide. Despite the fact that this human most likely didn't possess even a fraction of that power, Cha'Kwe'Tza contemplated the idea of sacrificing him, and glanced to Natsumi quickly before speaking, "Magic human…I can eat this one yes? We also sacrifice for Gods yes?"

A few moments of commotion followed these comments, and Cha'Kwe'Tza could feel the spot under his neck taking on a red hue as his level of anger rose, but a tremor in the ground below his claws caused him to look around. He had ignored the previous tremors due to the robed figure being a more potential and immediate threat. Now that the shaking in the ground was noticeable, the Reptilian warrior searched for the source. Within a couple minutes of increased shaking, the sound of large foot steps resounded from the walls of the buildings around them. The stone soldiers that had flanked the city gates had climbed down from their pedestals, and were now looking to destroy those that intruded on their city.

Seeing the two near eight foot tall guardians ahead of him, Cha'Kwe'Tza raised his spear and hurled it with as much strength as he could put into the throw. Had the target been flesh and bone, the spear would've brought them down like a falling boulder. However, the stone bladed spear clattered uselessly from the stone soldier to roll across the ancient paving stones. Stepping back a few paces, Cha'Kwe'Tza pulled his sword from it's place on his side. Looking to the two others behind him, Cha'Kwe'Tza heard a shout. Turning with his shield raised, a gigantic stone fist collided with the centre of it, sending the warrior sailing the ten feet backwards into a nearby wall. Getting up on shaky feet, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked at the other two, "We run fast now, yes?"

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 3:27 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

[OOC: I'm struggling through flu right now, so sorry about the delay and/or quality for this post.]

'A soldier's duty lies with defending his home until his dying breath, with such valor and ferocity that his deeds live on to inspire - or terrify - those left behind.'

Natsumi had heard this phrase somewhere in her past, and, while she couldn't remember who said it, she began to recall its elegant symbolism when observing the stone colossi. Tinashe was an unsettling place. It was so quiet, and yet so intact. If anyone had had a mind to, they could have taken a group of settlers and re-established a colony in its walls. The question then became, "Why didn't they?"

Curiosity and caution danced across the young woman's mind in equal measure, but not enough to dissuade her entry into the city. She followed Cha'Kwe'Tza's lead, occasionally glancing back at the stone guardians until her guide spoke up.

"Hubris is word meaning 'excessive pride,' or faith in the self beyond reason," she replied in thinly veiled embarrassment. Even though common was not her first language, her level of education allowed her the luxury of speaking it more fluently than most. Her self-conscious tone, in this case, was attributable to the fact that she hadn't yet realized how rude she was being by assuming Cha'Kwe was at her level of understanding."If a soldier says he can take a position without stuttering, we call that confidence. If, however, he says he can take on an army by himself without having any proof to back up that claim, we call that hubris. It's a personality trait that is generally frowned upon in both continents of Revaliir, though more so in Canelux."

It wasn't long after this explanation that a new scent caught Natsumi's attention. Cha'Kwe seemed to notice as well, positioning himself between his partner and the source of the stench.

"He's a human touched by magic," the druid quietly stated whilst examining the distant, robed figure. She listened intently to the stimuli around her during the initial moments of confrontation, measuring each and every nuance with senses beyond those of a normal human. The result was clear. This man was lying when he said he wasn't afraid. "Pupils dilated," she began reciting to the man while moving into his line of sight, "arms guarding the front to ward away attacks on vital areas, the smell of stress induced sweat, an increased heart rate, and the nervous movement usually indicative of a thinly veiled desire to flee. You'll have to try harder when you lie next time, because I can spot a fearful animal even in the dead of night at this distance."

Minor tremors filled Tinashe after Natsumi was finished speaking, but they were so slight as to be barely noticeable. Their cause obscure, the shocks did not distract the girl's attention as they should have; for, had any of the three humanoid figures inside the ruins still been within viewing distance of the gate, they would have known evacuation, not confrontation, was the most prudent course of action at the moment. The stone guardians had moved from their flanking position, and were now peering over the walls looking for the intruders. A soldier's work, it seemed, was never done, even when that soldier was turned to stone.

Author: Sigurdson, Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2015 11:55 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Blue stopped to take in the great view of the once magnificent city. He stood in a small square, most likely used for trading of goods. All the walls surrounding both the square and the streets around it were covered with runes of a language different to the one in they used in Andeluna. However, it did not matter to the mage as he was not from this world, and still illiterate in the all languages of Revaliir. The once busy streets of the ancient city were mostely covered in wildgrass. Still, some stone bricks remained. The sound of people rushing through their day had been replaced by the sound of grass crunching beneath his feet.

He was far from his newfound home in Andeluna. It felt like it was only yesterday he fell from the sky, into the ocean between Adeluna and Duchy of Egjora. There, Blue had been picked up by a fisherfamily. The mage had since lived with them, slowly becoming a part of their household. However, not too long ago, he had left to scout this new, mysterius world for clues to what could have caused these portals apearing in the sky. Lately, Blue had learned of a powerful wizzard living in the the golden city of Mamlak, to the north. Ever since, the mage had been journeying towards the Harena Wastelands.

Blue flinched, startled by the sound of something clicking against stone. He was not alone. He felt his heart beating in a rapid increasing pace. He grabbed his magical staff with both hands, and focused on the direction of the sound. He determined that the clicking was coming from the south. By the pace of the creature made, Blue understood that it probably could outrun him. He waited in silence for the creature to appear. When it did, the mage took a step back in horror.

The scaly figure in front of him looked like a monster straight from tales of yore. But it was neither the sharp teeth nor the size of the beast that scared Blue. It was that he had seen the creature before. When the mage traveled the Moritius swamp, he had watched as the monstrosity kill a giant crocodile . The reptilian had elegantly pierced the other reptiles brain through its mouth, using the very spear it now lowered with a growl. In the swamp, he had avoided the scaly brute, but there were no way around it this time. " Im not afraid of you!" Blue lied, pointing his staff towards the beast.

Author: Chalky, Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 8:10 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza had remained quite silent as the odd partners started towards the ruins together. The young girl that named herself as Natsumi claimed that she was not a Shaman, but obviously displayed the talents of one. Perhaps she was an apprentice and had not undergone the correct tests to earn the title. This was something that he understood since no one in his home lands gained title without first spilling the necessary blood to earn it. He also thought for a few moments on the possibility of the eagle being her instructor, as he had heard rumours of people being able to change their form to that of an animal, although he had never seen it for himself.

Ahead of them, the ruins stood silent. Flanking the gate was a pair of carved stone soldiers, keeping to their eternal duty of watching over the city. Scanning some of the surroundings, Cha'Kwe'Tza's yellow eyes took in the walls. They were still in relatively good shape, as were the markings all along them in a language entirely foreign to him. Some of the symbols did seem to bear some slight resemblance to the way that the scribes in his native land recorded things though. Passing through the gate, Cha'Kwe'Tza half listened as Natsumi explained the name of the ruins as Tinashe and the meaning behind it. Stopping as his new found partner spoke to him, Cha'Kwe'Tza nodded and grunted his agreement at the mention of the capital building.

Figuring that this city would be like most others before, the ruler's house would be either in the centre, or at the highest point. Heading off in that direction, Cha'Kwe'Tza's claws clicked lightly on the stone street as his spear beat a soft slow march every other step. After a moment or two of walking, Cha'kwe'Tza turned to look at Natsumi. "Nat…Sumi. What is this h…hub…hubris you say? I have not heard this word." Turning the corner part way through the explanation, Cha'Kwe'Tza spotted another figure standing in the middle of a small square that looked like it may have been used for a market at one point. Lowering his spear with a growl, he placed himself ahead of Natsumi to intercept an attack if the figure turned out to be hostile.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 10:18 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza was truly an interesting character to Natsumi, especially given the combination of traits that composed his nature. Equal parts bestiality and humanity ruled this creature, just as they now ruled the young woman. He spoke of shamans with an accent not native to any land in Revaliir, and yet carried his being with the certainty of a civilized seeker. Asking for no money in return meant he was part of a society ruled by an honor code, much like Natsumi's birth home. Certainly, that made this lizardman a unique creature, one worthy of respect as well as pity.

"The animals of this world call me Natsumi," the druid replied as she eyed the reptile's advance. "I have no official title beyond a name; certainly not "Shaman." You may call me that if you wish, though." She wanted to tell Cha'Kwe'Tza more than that; to reveal more of her past and the titles she once had. However, she knew that, despite her desire to relate, her past actions might offend or confuse the creature. Any member from an honorable society adhering to a strict code, like Cha'Kwe, would have a hard time imagining someone casting off a similar code. That person who had run away would be seen as weak, unworthy of company. Natsumi couldn't allow that, given that this strong creature was offering free help that was so hard to come by lately.

"If you desire to come along, I have no complaint of that. There will probably be more than the artifact I seek within the ruins of Tinashe, along with guards. The only one I hold claim to is known as K.A.T. and will be ornately decorated with moons and trees. Other than it, everything is fair game for you." That was the bare truth. The young woman could only carry so much, and she only needed K.A.T. to pass her entrance exam. Any other relics in Tinashe might be nice to have, but they would just be dead weight during the long trip to Wyllmochvar. Also, since Cha'Kwe'Tza wasn't the type to apply for a position in a foreign institution, allowing him to have more artifacts did not directly endanger Natsumi's chances of being hired.

With that calculated risk in mind, the young druid prepared to depart. Turning to Rauru, she signaled for the harpy eagle to return to the sky. He readily accepted the command, and took off to resume his aerial patrol without a word. Now free of burden, and with a quick glance toward her newfound, odd partner, Natsumi was able to sprint off toward the ruined city. It wouldn't be long before her group arrived.

Tinashe, in the ancient language of its inhabitants, was a name that meant "God is With Us." The citizens had named their capital city thus out of pride, and the perimeter of the ruins reflected their hubris. Even centuries after their construction, the stone walls inscribed with ancient religious text stood relatively unweathered and intact. A single entrance lay open toward the current trade route, guarded by two, crumbling statues of soldiers. Between their bases lay the remains of the former, main road leading out of the city, now completely overgrown by grass and weeds. It was an image that proved man's vigor in his fight against nature's laws, but also the futility of that conflict.

The whole city, despite its bustling nature of ages long past, lay silent on approach: a ghost town on the foothills. Only the sounds of rodents scurrying about remains could be heard by the keenest of ears, and even they seemed strangled. Regardless of its outward, physical appearance, the capital of defiance was sorely beaten and subdued.

"They called it Tinashe as a way to say 'God is With Us,'" began Natsumi once she slowed her gait near the guardian statues. "And the gods rewarded their hubris with plague." Temporarily pulling her right arm back inside her robe, Natsumi retrieved a rough, leather bound journal filled with Wyllmochvaran text. It contained all of the professor's notes on the artifact locations he had given her before death, and the page on Tinashe was already earmarked. Opening to that section, the druid finally addressed her reptilian partner directly. "We should look for the capital building. This civilization was a monarchy, and the last king made several attempts to consolidate the country's wealth in the palace. As one of his last acts, he banned all banks, and moved everything extremely valuable to a vault in his palace. We find that vault; we find any riches this place still has to offer."

At least that was the plan.

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:44 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza watched as the eagle that had screeched earlier circled down to land on the shoulder of what he now knew to be a young human woman. He was also noticing the ruined city behind her, and noted that it had an old feeling, even from this distance, and that there may be dangers ahead they were running into. Taking a few steps closer, Cha'Kwe'Tza said, "I no need shiny money. I help because High Priest say so." Although not one hundred percent true, it was close enough to the words that had been spoken to him regarding assisting in the recovery of magical relics. Now that he was about double arms length from the girl, Cha'Kwe'Tza really took notice in the girl's appearance. She had the ears of a fox in addition to those of a normal human.

Looking to the eagle then back to the girl, Cha'Kwe'Tza asked, "You are Shaman, yes?" The apparent affinity the girl had for nature with the bird on her shoulder, and the extra ears said this was a certainty to Cha'Kwe'Tza, but he had quickly learned that nothing was certain with humans, and they could be quick to anger on differences sometimes. A few moments of conversation went by between the two as the girl answered before Cha'Kwe'Tza looked back to the ruined city in the distance. Taking a step in that direction, he looked to the young lady that now stood at his side, and gesturing forward with his spear asked, "So we go there now? Hunt for relics, yes?" Cha'Kwe'Tza didn't know if there would be anything there for sure, but the mission was to search, and search he would. Even if it took him centuries to do so.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 1:41 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

[OOC: Couldn't find a spot to put in Natsumi's intro, but I will in my next post.]

A merchant's rule is not a lizardman's rule. Natsumi realized this might be the case when she fled, but had hoped the creature in question would be more interested in keeping his oath to the merchant caravan than pursuing a lone wanderer that just happened to spook the guards. She was wrong and rather annoyed when she heard the creature's rough clawing of the ground behind her.

Annoyance was quick to turn to curiosity, though, when that same being did not attack from afar. It offered help in the absence of facts: truly strange for any outsider. Strange enough, it seemed, to require a response.

"Help?" the young woman said after stopping halfway to her destination. She turned to face the outsider, using the ruins of Tinashe as a looming, melancholy background. "Why would a stranger help me when they know nothing about me, and especially without promise of crescents?"

Gusts of wind began to pick up on the plains at that moment, removing Natsumi's hood and exposing the anomalous ears to the sun. She stared at the lizardman known as Cha'Kwe'Tza, puzzling how to pronounce his name. His speech reminded her of lizards native to Revaliir, but only distantly. The phonetics were similar, yet different enough to pose problems during initial pronunciation attempts. Even so, she tried.

"Cha'Kwe," she began in an awkward attempt, "I ran because I used that caravan as a distraction against their wishes. The city behind me is where I'm headed, and I didn't have the silver to pay for passage. Merchants don't take kindly to others sticking around them in that situation, especially out here. However, they also don't divert from the paths. Put enough distance between yourself and them at a fast enough pace and they leave you alone."

Rauru descended from the skies following this explanation, landing on the druid's shoulder with grace. If it hadn't been clear the two were working together before, it most certainly was now.

"That is one ugly…" he began to coo in Natsumi's ear following the descent, but the girl quickly silenced him with her own bird speak.

"Shush. You don't know if he can speak with animals like I, and I don't want you antagonizing a rather large creature that I don't have the luxury of flying away from."

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 11:45 AM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza kept his eyes searching is side of the path. The remaining guards seemed thankful for having his take up a spot near the front. Normally the frontman was the first to die, but Cha'Kwe'Tza had spent hundreds of years on the front line of battle back home when his lands were racked by a demonic incursion. There was the usual banter from the guards, and he assumed that they were trying to joke around with him, but a lack of understanding the language in addition to their quick speech rendered any jokes or witty banter useless with Cha'Kwe'Tza for the time being. He hadn't been with the column long when there was a screech from above. Turning to face the source of the sound, Cha'Kwe'Tza was already bring his shield and spear up to meet an airborne attack. The few guards at the front laughed and explained it was just an eagle. Shaking his head, Cha'Kwe'Tza though back to the various winged predators back home that had similar screeches that they used before attacking unsuspecting prey.

As he was about to turn back to face the front, he caught a quick glimpse of a figure dashing away from the rear of the column. Stepping between two wagons to the other side of the road, a guard asked where he was going. As he pointed towards the low hills, there was a shout from the back of the column. Looking from the shout to the hills, then back at the guard, Cha'Kwe'Tza said, "I go hunt. Will find group later." Shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders, the guard turned back and kept the merchants going as Cha'Kwe'Tza left the road and started up the base of the first low hill. Once at the peak of the hill, he noticed the small figure just disappearing over another small hill. Hefting his spear and adjusting his grip on his shield, Cha'Kwe'Tza started his pursuit at an easy run that he could carry for days.

Reaching the base of a hill, Cha'Kwe'Tza dug in to keep pace on the next upslope, clawed feet tearing small chunks of earth from the ground, equipment making small clicking sounds as the stone and bone of his weapons and jewellery bounced around. Cresting the hill, Cha'Kwe'Tza saw that he was gaining, and increased his speed. He wasn't quite sure why it was that he was pursuing the figure in front of him, but it seemed like something he should do. Soon enough, he was within shouting distance, and called out, "You! Fleet foot! Halt now!" The figure looked over their shoulder just long enough for Cha'Kwe'Tza to spot a bit of orange mixed in with long, brownish hair. Calling again, Cha'Kwe'Tza added, "Why running? Cha'Kwe'Tza help."

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:06 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Living outside of society, no matter how ideal it might seem in romanticized literature, is not without its disadvantages. One may escape the trappings of society and avoid the negative aspects of human-made bureaucracy, but the price of these benefits often comes at the expense of security. Those living in the wilderness must be self-sufficient, able to survive without the comforts of markets or centers of industry. They often do not have currency to trade for capital, and rely completely on coincidence of wants whenever trading with other parties. It is not a life that many can survive.

Contrary to all expectations, however, the outcast, Natsumi, had done just that. In only a few short months, the strange girl had overcome the initial obstacles associated with an "off-grid" lifestyle. She had established a camp in Virens Forest, and acquired the necessary supplies, whether through theft or salvage, to live off the land without regular, human interaction.

Yet after experiencing her unexpected bout of illness, even she realized the advantages of having at least some contact with society. With no crescents to her name, Yamauchi possessed no means through which to purchase anything from human merchants, let alone a doctor. She was completely dependent on charity or theft for everything she could not find in the wilds, and that circumstance, as she was quick to admit, was not sustainable for the foreseeable future. Despite her reservations, she needed a job; something to bring in income for emergency situations.

Unfortunately, the idea of finding employment was not without its own barriers for Natsumi. The young druid's newest "acquisitions" made it difficult for her to actually work in society. Her fox tail and ears marked her as an aberration, an outcast that people were not likely to hire over a normal human. This cultural attitude of Canelux limited her options, but, luckily for the girl, her old professor had provided at least one opportunity before his death: the University of Wyllmochvar.

With Professor White gone and a lack of successors to take his place, the university would be scrambling to fill his position soon. Officially, he was still declared missing, and the establishment would wait a year before classifying him as deceased. Once that deadline passed, applications would begin for a replacement, and any one applicant with the blessings of the former artifact hunter would be considered highly in the hiring process. Natsumi had a leg up over the competition in that respect, having proof that White had chosen her before passing on; but she needed more than that.

Even though the professor had personally chosen her, the young woman was completely unknown in the artifact hunter field. She had no qualifications other than a recommendation from a highly experienced, dead man. To be considered seriously, she would need an artifact to bring to the department head as proof of her ability: something rare that White hadn't already shown him.

As it happened, the professor did leave a map detailing such finds in Natsumi's possession, and the site nearest the inn that had allowed her shelter on that marked, piece of parchment was in the northern Plains of Bohar. Given her current goal, that location became her next destination, and so she hurried off in the dead of night at her first chance, barely escaping the matron's attempt at debt peonage.

It took days of skulking about on the plains to get anywhere close to her destination, but, eventually, Natsumi found a merchant caravan moving along the nearest route. They had been unwilling to provide her passage for the remainder of her trek - due, in no small part, to her lack of funds - but that hadn't stopped the young woman from following them. Even when they were waylaid by bandits, she wasn't far away, always keeping a watchful eye on where they stepped or looked. Rauru was there as well, circling over the caravan like a vulture, waiting for a chance to screech if he saw the ruins his friend searched for.

Not long after the strange, humanoid lizard joined the caravan did that chance finally come. Hidden behind a large collection of hills and just out of sight of the caravan, the Ruins of Tinashe loomed. Once the capital of a proud empire, Tinashe now languished amidst the plains: a mere shell of its former glory. Rauru's screech pierced the air as the caravan neared this husk, causing some of the guards to pause and look up. Although they were aware the bird had been following them, he had been dead silent the whole time. This sudden behavior change puzzled them, enough to draw a fleeting amount of attention and allow Natsumi to slip by.

Garbed in a robe to hide her features, she quickly removed herself from hiding and scrambled over the nearby hills at her harpy eagle's signal. She was noticed by some of the rear guards during this action, but was swift enough to get out of view before they could notify their comrades. While the few who did observe her movements shouted to the rest of the caravan, she was already safely on her way to Tinashe. Even if they were annoyed at her for using them as free protection, the merchant train would not pursue; because, if ever there was a rule that their kind followed in the northern plains, it was, "Stay on the path."

Author: Chalky, Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 12:15 PM, Post Subject: An Odd Partnership (P)(R)

Cha'Kwe'Tza sat on his haunches looking down at the smouldering remains of the corpse at his feet. It seemed that the strange behaviour of fire in this land was getting worse. The previous week, anything that he lit would come alive and completely ruin the few things that he tried to cook. He would be more than happy eating his kill right away like his feral side wanted, but the smell of cooking meat was a luxury that Cha'Kwe'Tza had grown to enjoy a little since landing on the shores of Canelux. It now seemed that whatever possessed fire in this land had grown from wanting to destroy meals to consuming those that were cooking. Standing, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked around the rest of the small encampment. There were a few other bodies laying amongst some destroyed gear that were still smoking slightly. Turning to leave the destruction and smell of ash behind, Cha'Kwe'Tza observed hoof prints leading towards a group of low hills. Figuring that they belonged to the horses of the natives, Cha'Kwe'Tza decided that he would go another way so that they wouldn't mistake him for the cause of the deaths here.

Casting his gaze out over the lands, Cha'Kwe'Tza spied the looking mass of mountains far off in the distance. He had been told that if he kept them to his front and left, he would be travelling north. He was also told that civilisation would soon stop, and that there would be all manner of strange beasts before coming to the rainforest. He had heard rumours of some of the items that he was looking for residing there, but nothing that was a guarantee. So, for several days Cha'Kwe'Tza walked across the plains, passing several small groups of the natives, but their meetings were always short since the horses were skittish around him and the riders had difficulty understanding anything that he said. They did, however, keep pointing him northward.

It was now the late morning of the fourth day since leaving the burned out camp behind him, as he was pondering the meaning of the falling stars of the previous night, that Cha'Kwe'Tza heard the sounds of a small skirmish ahead of him. Growling lowly in his throat, Cha'Kwe'Tza hunched over slightly as he approached the crest of the hill in front of him. Peering over the top, he saw a merchant train of three covered wagons being attacked by a band of about ten marauders. Yellow eyes following the fighting, Cha'Kwe'Tza watched as a pair of the caravan guards were cut down near the head of the column while at the rear, a guard with a short bow killed one attacker, and severely wounded a second. There must've been a few more fighters somewhere amongst the wagons where Cha'Kwe'Tza couldn't see because moments after watching another marauder go down with an arrow in his throat, there was a shrill cry and they started to disengage from the combat while the guards rallied to regain composure.

The problem was that the few retreating marauders were coming straight up the hill towards Cha'Kwe'Tza. With a powerful roar that sent birds tearing up from a nearby stand of trees Cha'Kwe'Tza stood and let his spear drop to the ground so he could draw his sword from its place at his left hip. Three of the retreating men immediately turned and ran another direction at the appearance of such a large figure directly in their path. The other three went as pale as sun bleached bone on a beach as Cha'Kwe'Tza charged the ten yards to them. The first in line fell as Cha'Kwe'Tza's stone sword smashed through his shield and the arm behind it before carrying on through his ribcage, the blood seeping into the runes on sword, causing them to glow from within. The second attacker was also felled with almost no effort as Cha'Kwe'Tza's backhanded blow took most of his head off, sending then body slumping sideways to the ground heavily.

The third attacker was only slightly luckier as he managed to land a blow, albeit a weak one against Cha'Kwe'Tza's open side. However, his thick scales turned the small sword away as if it were a splinter. Turning to stare down into the now cowering man's eyes, Cha'Kwe'Tza slammed the edge of his small shield into the man's face, snapping his head back with enough force that there was an audible cracking sound as the spine broke from the blow's force. As everything started to go quiet, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked towards the guards from the merchant train. They were all approaching and fanning out in a semi-circle. Looking at each in turn, Cha'Kwe'Tza said in his broken common tongue, "Cha'Kwe'Tza not harm you. Cha'Kwe'Tza be friend." With astonished looks on their faces, the guards all looked from one to another before they erupted in laughter. Shortly afterwards, Cha'Kwe'Tza found himself marching alongside the caravan as a fearsome addition to the guard company.

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