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  1. #21
    Adventurer

    EXP: 21,787, Level: 6
    Level completed: 26%, EXP required for next Level: 5,213
    Level completed: 26%,
    EXP required for next Level: 5,213


    Leopold's Avatar

    GP
    815

    Name
    Leopold Rook
    Age
    25
    Race
    Human
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Berevar
    Duffy appeared in the empty grand hall of Winchester House in a flurry of blue ribbons and desperation. He turned around on the spot in search of his brother, and his heart sank at the heap of bloodied tailored cloth at the foot of the great staircase leading to the upper floor. He bounded across the black and white marble flagstones and dropped to Leopold’s side.

    “Leopold!” He shook him by the shoulders. “Leopold, can you hear me?”

    The bedraggled mess stirred, blood oozing from his mouth and dried red marks crusting around his ears. He lay on his back, shirt torn open and extensive bruising telling the bard all he needed to know about his outlook.

    “I, I don’t feel to good Duffy.”

    “You look fantastic, you’re going to be okay.” Duffy examined Leopold’s injuries with a concerned look on his face. The bruising went down to his abdomen, and blood oozed through the sleeves of his shirt where ice shards had lacerated his skin.

    “You, are a terrible liar.”

    Duffy chuckled.

    “Yeah. You look like shit.”

    “That’s better.” Leopold craned his neck to look at Duffy. “Did you find her?”

    “Ruby? Yes. She’s fine. Clarissa ensured she could reincarnate when the Tap break through. She said something about keeping her promise, so I guess she’s not a completely a heartless bitch.”

    “Oh, I don’t know about that.” Leopold coughed, and more blood, fresher and brighter than the congealing clots on his cheeks poured freely.

    “Okay. You’ve got one chance. I’m getting Arden.”

    Leopold thought about it for a while, his skin turning pale and clammy and his hands trembling as his heart fought to pump blood through crushed veins and broken bones.

    “Okay,” he said flatly.

    “Are you sure?” Duffy knew what blood magic cost.

    “Do it.”

    The bard frowned and pushed up and away from Leopold. He gave him one final look of re-assurance and clashed his bands together.

    Leopold tried to sit upright, but the second he pushed down on the panels and curved his spine agony erupted across every inch of his chest. He fell back, head cracking against the tiles and reminding him that trying to move would be a very bad idea. He stared at the ceiling and tried to count the carvings in the beams to distract himself.

    “This is a fine mess,” he grumbled. He breathed snotty breaths through his nose as his throat filled with fluid and stole his ability to pun his way through the pain.

    The hall fell silent, save for strained and gargled breaths. Long ago, his butler and wife would have come running down the stairs to his aid, but his empire had long since crumbled and his bank account emptied. He reflected on all the times he had died over the years, and smiled weakly for being blessed enough to have never died alone. Until now. He felt his heart rate drop slowly, each reduction pushing him closer to sleep and a slow, dark dive into nothingness. One final breath exhaled marked his death, then silence and regret filled the household.

  2. #22
    The Thayne Tantalus

    EXP: 106,923, Level: 14
    Level completed: 20%, EXP required for next Level: 12,077
    Level completed: 20%,
    EXP required for next Level: 12,077


    Duffy's Avatar

    GP
    652

    Name
    Lysander Anall
    Age
    Unknown
    Race
    Thayne
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Corone

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    Arden hammered away at a white-hot rod of metal, sweat pouring down his forehead and goose bumps pricking on the back of his neck. He had worked since dawn and would not rest until he fulfilled the order long into the early hours of the morning. Nobody had visited his forge the days, and he became zealous about his work, forgetting all and sundry save for the designs burnt into his mind and the bag of gold he’d receive at the end of the week.

    When Duffy appeared suddenly in front of him, his reflexes flicked the hammer from his grip and squarely at the bard’s skull. Fortunately for Duffy, he was just as quick and flickered into and out of being in a whorl of light. He raised his hands defensively.

    “Arden, it’s me!” His eyes widened.

    “Can’t you use the door like everyone else?” the swordsman chuckled. When he noticed the blood stains on the bard’s hands and the scars all over his exposed skin he frowned.

    “What have you done now?” He put the white-hot metal back into the water vat and disappeared briefly behind a plume of steam. When it faded, Duffy pulled up his sleeves and revealed his bands.

    “We’re going. Right now.” He advanced around the anvil and before Arden could object, they both vanished into the Tap and spiralled across continents and back to the grand hall.

    Arden appeared first, dazed but unsurprised that his brother had dragged him into another mess. He looked around, puzzled, and when Duffy appeared he shrugged.

    “Going to do what?”

    Duffy pointed at Leopold.

    “Oh. Shit. What the hell?” He drew his sword, forever at his side and wiped its edge clean with the edge of his blood red scarf.

    “Long story. Bring him back!” Duffy trudged to his brother’s side and knelt to close his eyes. He looked to Arden, who hesitated.

    “You know what can happen if I do. Did he consent?”

    “Of course.” Duffy rolled his eyes. “He did!” He pointed frustrated at the corpse. “Now!”

    Arden didn’t need telling twice. He approached Leopold and pushed his blade’s tip into his chest to bloody Kerria. The red liquid rolled up the blade and spiralled along its edge. It formed Leopold’s true name and burnt bright orange for a second. He said a silent prayer in Akashiman, then raised the sword with two hands over Leopold’s heart. Duffy scuttled back, wary of the consequences of their actions.

    “Are you sure?” Arden raised an eyebrow.

    Duffy nodded.

    Arden plunged the sword straight through his brother’s heart and a well of energy rose up from his corpse. A sudden blast of fire rocked the great hall and the smell of burning flesh and sakura blossoms cloyed their nostrils. The swordsman pulled it free and instantly the blood magic began to stitch back together Leopold’s body. The bruises healed outwards from the sword strike.

    “Now we have to wait.”

    He retreated and sheathed his blade.

    “Now. Tell me what the fuck happened?”

  3. #23
    Adventurer

    EXP: 21,787, Level: 6
    Level completed: 26%, EXP required for next Level: 5,213
    Level completed: 26%,
    EXP required for next Level: 5,213


    Leopold's Avatar

    GP
    815

    Name
    Leopold Rook
    Age
    25
    Race
    Human
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Berevar
    Duffy sat on his bum, knees up, and head in his hands. He took some time to piece together events before he began his account.

    “We went to the Ice Henge, Ruby, Leopold and I. We destroyed it.”

    Arden remained calm, but Duffy could see his blood boiling and his fists slowly balling.

    “After everything Sei told you?”

    “That was before I became a Thayne. Before I found out the truth.”

    “Why didn’t you ask Lilith and I for help?” Arden’s façade cracked.

    “It wasn’t that easy. You and Lilith aren’t like them. At the Ice Henge they could let their Old God heritage run riot. It was a hell of a battle, and two of them are dead and the rest freed.”

    “Was it worth the sacrifice?” Arden pointed at Leopold’s reviving corpse. “He will have nightmares, at the very least.” He had seen the strongest men he had known fall into madness as the oni now bound to their hearts tore at their sanity.

    “He’s a tough old goat. We all knew what we were getting ourselves into.”

    “You came out pretty alright.”

    Duffy looked himself over. He sniggered and unbuttoned his shirt. When Arden saw the extensive bruising on both shoulders and the deep, oozing cuts on his legs he felt a little more satisfied.

    “Too deep for the spell song. You’ll have to suffer like a real boy.”

    “It’s not about suffering, Arden.” Duffy frowned. He watched Leopold’s ribs snap back into place and his chest cavity rise and fall. Breath returned to his body and the blood around his mouth and ears drained back into his skull. “It’s about making changes for the people we promised to protect. Berevar can thrive again and if we deal a blow to the Thayne, all the better.”

    Arden sat cross legged, lifting his sword to avoid running himself through.

    “Did they try to stop you?”

    “Yeah. Y’edda showed herself. Uglier than the statues show her.” He pictured her octopus like arms and unnatural bone structure and shuddered. “Ruby turned into Phoenix and burnt her from existence.”

    “She really doesn’t like being upstaged, does she.” Arden smiled, realising his immediate response had been overblown. “Okay. So, Leopold’s okay. You’re going to be doing no dancing for a while, and Ruby’s in the Aria. Is there good news?”

    Duffy beamed his own little victory smile, now that the worry of losing members of his family was gone.

    “The Ice Henge is gone. There’s a mercury lake at its heart, as though the Tap has broken through and started to well on the surface again. You should see it, Arden. It’s beautiful!”

    Arden would see it in due course. He watched Leopold’s leg click back into place and the blood magic begin to drain from his body. It collected into a black pool of ichor and when the liquid formed a small, scuttling spider the swordsman rose and squished it under his boot.

    “This isn’t the last of it.” He breathed relief when Leopold opened his eyes and took a deep, pained breath. He scrabbled at the tails until he recognised where he was and the memories of death cleared enough for him to think.

    “Why did I think that was a good idea?” he cried. Pain spiralling up and down his spine and revenants pulled at his tendons.

  4. #24
    The Thayne Tantalus

    EXP: 106,923, Level: 14
    Level completed: 20%, EXP required for next Level: 12,077
    Level completed: 20%,
    EXP required for next Level: 12,077


    Duffy's Avatar

    GP
    652

    Name
    Lysander Anall
    Age
    Unknown
    Race
    Thayne
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Corone

    View Profile
    “It’s not supposed to be painless, but if you’re going to go toe to toe with the Old God of War you’d better forget your pretty face.” Arden kicked the merchant softly in the rubs. “Don’t ever do that to Ruby again.”

    “Yeah. If you think we’re angry, wait until she comes back.” Duffy frowned. “I should probably tell you…” He bit his lip.

    Leopold rose slowly, until he held himself upright with his aching arms and gave the bard a wicked look.

    “What is it?”

    “Errr, well, you see when Ruby died it wasn’t her per say. Phoenix is gone and she’s sort of, ermm, different.” Duffy really didn’t know how to say it properly. He had seen Ruby anew.

    “Different how?” Leopold reached for his top hat and propped it onto his brow.

    “Her hair is grey.”

    Leopold rolled his eyes.

    “She sacrificed Phoenix to ensure our success. I can live with a little bit of a cooler temper and the occasional hair dye.” Leopold sighed.

    They looked at one another awkwardly.

    “I still can’t quite believe you destroyed the Ice Henge. How did you lot pull it off where others failed?” Arden referred to the Forgotten Ones, and wizards unhinged and gods enraged. He folded his arms across his torso.

    “Like you said, Y’edda’s going to be weaker, but gunning for us. She won’t forgive us hamstringing her quite to blatantly.” Duffy knew the battle was over, but the war with the Thayne had only just begun.

    “I don’t know about you, but having just died and seen the world change I could really, really do with a drink.” The merchant rose on uneasy feet and dusted himself down. Though his body was anew, his clothes bore the marks of his injuries. He didn’t care an inch how he looked, only that he very soon forgot everything he’d endured and fell into a deep, drunken stupor.

    “That sounds like a bloody good idea old chap.” Duffy slapped his knees and bounded upright. Arden was already halfway to the drawing room before his brothers realised and broke into an uneasy stride to catch up.

    “Should we get Lilith?”

    “Lord no, she’ll gut you for so much as hurting a hair on Ruby’s head.” Arden winced. “I’ll tell her when this has all blown over to save you ruining another good shirt.”

    Leopold could only nod in agreement as he entered the dusty drawing room and flopped into a leather wingback chair in front of an unlit fireplace. Duffy and Arden joined him with a bottle in each hand and a pile of cut crystal glasses tucked under each arm. They poured their own drinks and downed one before pouring another with which to toast.

    “Here’s to the death of the Raven, the fall of the Haven, and the rise of the Craven.” They cheers, and felt the warm amber liquid remind them of what they were all fighting to protect: freedom.

  5. #25
    Adventurer

    EXP: 21,787, Level: 6
    Level completed: 26%, EXP required for next Level: 5,213
    Level completed: 26%,
    EXP required for next Level: 5,213


    Leopold's Avatar

    GP
    815

    Name
    Leopold Rook
    Age
    25
    Race
    Human
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Berevar
    Epilogue

    The sun rose over Berevar’s Ahyark Tundra, oblivious to the devastation that had taken place beneath the moon’s silver glare. Great eagles launched from the snow peak eyries and descended silently down to the plains below in search of game. The giants stirred from their slumber deep beneath the mountains and sang songs of yesterday, feeling the dawn of a new age in the stone all around them. The orcs marched east to where the frozen rivers of old gathered into the ice plateaus where they held their moots. Shamans from across the kingdom conversed with ancestors and united the tribes in a common cause – celebration of the commune from the Old Gods that they slept no longer.

    The remaining henges, teeth like spires surrounding a gaping maw of pure magic shattered all at once. Light rocketed skyward, venting the spirits of the Old Gods and in their wake, nine birds fluttered into the golden glow of daylight. One by one they disappeared into the horizon and returned to their ancestral seats of power. Old, crumbling shrines revealed themselves as ice thawed and landslides crumbled. Fae and fickle feline creatures gathered around the shrines and bowed. Bird song, for the first time in centuries filled the morning air with joy and the faint promise of a spring soon to arrive.

    Berevar, the land of eternal winter, found itself on the slow march into spring.

  6. #26
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
    Location
    Corone

    View Profile
    Name of thread: The Raven, the Haven and the Craven
    Workshop

    Rewards:

    Duffy receives:
    2500 exp
    160 gp

    Leopold recieves:
    1665 exp
    160 gp
    *admin at your service*

    Matriarch of the Gilded Lily and of its brothels, associated establishments and the army.

    Characters:
    The family triplet: Philomel, Vaeron and Celandine.
    The god and kenku triplet: Stare, Avin and Vixen.
    The Primordials: Professor Charles and Moros.

  7. #27
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
    Location
    Corone

    View Profile
    All rewards have been added.
    *admin at your service*

    Matriarch of the Gilded Lily and of its brothels, associated establishments and the army.

    Characters:
    The family triplet: Philomel, Vaeron and Celandine.
    The god and kenku triplet: Stare, Avin and Vixen.
    The Primordials: Professor Charles and Moros.

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