The Slump and the

[BattleMage]

Recruiting Thread Located Here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=159645#post159645)

The Peaceful Promenade, a tranquil bar residing in the heart of Underwood. A place known as much for its dull nights as the watered down ale they served. Since my arrival to the remote town I felt as if I was visiting the tavern more frequently. I even carried it's foul stench everywhere with me, a smell made up of sweat, smoke, and stale liquor. To my luck though the small studio I was renting out had a bath tub, but sadly in the past few days I lacked the physical drive to use it. I had spent the last few nights in a liquor induced state of comatose and the past several days hanging loosely from my regular stool at the bar, drinking my problems away. It wasn't the ideal lifestyle for a wandering mage like myself, but until tonight I had been content.

Usually I found myself surrounded by the same old crowd, I fought hard to remember every ones name, but only a few came to mind. The most memorable of the bunch was Crawford Stillwel, a short black haired human who fancied himself a blacksmith. Crawford often boasted how he could make just about anything from steel, but I had yet to see anything crafted by the emerald eyed glutton. He was a wise cracking son of a bitch, who always found the need to sit way to close for comfort. His hot breath stunk of something awful tonight though, it burnt the image of a neglected corpse in my mind. Besides Crawford there was a handful of folks here that I had the pleasure of dealing with before. From a hooker named Alyssa too the young mage named Fenris, they were all pretty nice people. For the most part I enjoyed the Peaceful Promenade's patrons, with the exception of Crawford and his unique case of halitosis.

Every moon lit night brought a sea of new faces and usually they all had the same frame of mind. They either were embarking on, what they proclaimed, would be an adventure resulting in self discovery or were on their way to Radasanth. I had no desire to return to the big city any time soon. The image of my defeat in the citadel often haunted my mind, humbling the arrogant mage that I once was. During the battle I had been pitted against the mutant Lorenor, a man who had seemingly endless powers. After our fight, and my defeat, the mutant waited for me to heal at the hands of the Ai'Brone. I was surprised when he told me that he had work for me when the time was right, but until then I found myself here, in the dull town of Underwood, living life one mug at a time.

"What'll you have Derrick?" I turned to see the featureless face of the bartender, Pat, who was occupied rubbing dust from the brim of a mug. He was a homely fellow, nothing to spectacular came to mind when his name was mentioned, I guess that made him unique in his own way though.

"Ah you know me, I'll just have the regular." I replied, tilting my head slightly, motioning to the barrels of ale just behind him. It was actually quite pathetic that I was on a first name basis with a bartender in Underwood. I was starting to get the feeling that I was losing my edge. It felt like I was falling back into my old patterns of drinking and solicitation.

"I hate to intrude Derrick, but you don't seem to be as chipper as usual. What's the problem pal?" The tone of his voice hinted concern but I didn't really feel like putting my problems out there. Not to mention I had the heavy, stink filled grunts of Crawford creeping over my left shoulder and climbing into my nostrils.

"You wouldn't understand man." I retorted, knowing that I was incorrect. In reality Pat had spent more time counseling than most registered psychologists. "I'd rather just drink my problems away anyway."

Pat shrugged and slid me a mug of ale. I looked down to see foam barely emerging from it's brim and took a second to stir it with my index finger. I licked the moist remains of foam from my finger while listening to Pat reply with his parting words, "well champ I'll be here all night, so don't hesitate to ask for anything. Not to mention first rounds on the house!"

As I sipped from my mug the bar around me grew darker. It reminded me of the haunting feeling that was tugging at my torso. The feeling of lonliess and failure, one that wouldn't be easily shaken off.

[Revenant]

The night was young, and Underwood still bustled. Wagon loads of goods and livestock getting out of the markets clashed for space with the workers who had finished their day’s work and were returning to whatever nightly comfort awaited them. William Arcus stood to the side of the road and watched the chaos of the human element at work, sighing softly.

“What I wouldn’t give to just lay a few of them open,” the revenant mumbled to himself. As always, his murderous desire called out for him to feel hot blood and raw flesh against his skin, a byproduct of the ritualistic merging of demonic essence and human soul which had turned him into a revenant. For many years William had been a slave to the voices of his desire, existing in a perpetual cycle of mental resistance followed by blackout sprees of raging violence.

But during his recent trials at the Citadel in Radasanth, William had found allies who had helped him come to understand and accept his life as a revenant. It had been a transcendental act, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, the former woodsman was able to control his bloodthirsty impulses. It was refreshing, liberating, and even a little bit frightening.

He still felt remorse over the countless innocent lives he had abruptly ended, but the guilt no longer burdened his soul, dragging him towards the demon’s waiting jaws. Though it was horrible, it was a part of the demonic essence that resided within him and he wouldn’t hinder himself by fighting against his own nature any longer. On the flip side, he had once been a human and that part of him craved interaction and companionship and the revenant couldn’t really be a complete being if he continued to deny that part of his nature, as he had for so long.

It was a delicate line, balancing the desire to have people around him and the desire to destroy everything around him.

No wonder I was such a mess, he laughed.

Pulling his heavy wool cloak tightly around him, despite the residual warmth of the daytime hours in the air, William marched through the crowds. There were nights where he would indulge in his killer’s instinct, but not tonight. Tonight he was determined to find somewhere where he could spend some time relaxing among the common man.

William had never been to Underwood before, but like any place where humans congregated, he knew that he would find inns and brothels aplenty. Not caring where he ended up, only that it had people in it, William gravitated towards the first establishment he came to.

A sign on the front declared the tavern to be “The Peaceful Promenade”, a quirky naming coincidence that gave William amusement. The revenant unhesitatingly pushed open the door, breathing deep and letting the familiar scents of smoke, sweat, and alcohol wash over him.

“Ah the old familiar places,” he whispered. A flare of panic crept up on him like a shadow at his back, and William’s eyes scanned the crowd for danger. He relaxed when he saw nothing imminent and made his way to the bar.

Damn, he swore at himself, letting myself get all panicked like that. I’ve really lost my touch.

A wave at the tender behind the damp, polished wood of the bar summoned the man.

“Eh,” the homely man grunted in a way that communicated all that he needed to.

“Just an ale,” William nodded at the mugs lined up behind the bar.

“Two copper,” the bartender’s rote reply came out as he filled a tall mug from one of the heavy barrels in back.

William slipped the requisite two copper coins, and a third one with it if he remembered his customs correctly, and took the foaming mug. A quick tug pulled the masking hood from his head, freeing his short, sharp black hair. Another tug dropped the heavy scarf that kept his face hidden from general view.

The man on the stool next to him seemed to glance forlornly at William from the corner of his eyes. Picking up his mug, and feeling more human than he had in years, William raised the ale towards him.

“To companionship,” the revenant toasted and drank greedily from the frothing brew.

[BattleMage]

The chatter that consumed the bar continued, creating a pulsating beat in my head. I winced, trying to push the splitting head ache out of mind, but there was no use. It felt like my brain was cracking like a well mothered egg. Just as it was starting to look like the night couldn't get any worse, this happens, turning my world upside down in a matter of moments.

Between pain induced squints I caught the polite mannerisms of an older gentleman. His posture hinted excitement as he raised his mug to toast, foam dripping down from it's brim. "To companionship," he bellowed before touching his rough lips to the mug, downing what looked to be the whole glass. Despite the man's gluttony, his manners were better than most of the miscreants that littered the main room of the Peaceful Promenade.

I raised my mug, signifying that the mans toast was well met, and emptied the contents into my mouth. As I pushed hard to swallow the ale I turned to him, deciding I would test the company of the chipper newcomer. His skin was in a constant state of cracking and healing, which was quite alarming. It reminded me of air pockets surfacing, and popping, from beneath water.

"Hey pal," I nudged William slightly. "How about I pay for your next round."

Despite my current state of depression I figured things could be worse, I could look like this guy. Whatever was going on with him, it was very unnatural, and I had the feeling his interactions with people often resulted in similar feelings to the ones I was faced with. He and I both had entered the bar alone tonight, but I hoped maybe we could leave sharing one similarity, a friendship.

[Revenant]

The ale was warm, bitter, and rough. But it was definitely not the worst thing William had ever tasted. So when his drunken neighbors offered to buy the next round, William jumped at the offer. It seemed to be just the opening that he was looking for.

“I’ve heard worse offers,” William flashed a grin to signal his acceptance and drank away the last remaining dregs from the bottom of his mug. A wave of the empty tankard summoned the bartender for a refill, which William thumbed should be added to his drunken neighbor’s tab.

“Thanks,” William nodded at the man next to him. “I can get a little … parched at times.”

William made a forced laugh at his self-depreciating pun and took a drink, much smaller this time, from his second mug, which tasted the same as the first. At least this one went down a little easier.

“My name’s William,” the revenant introduced himself, and I want to pull you apart like overcooked fowl.

Though the thought went unspoken, the murderous intent lurking behind his eyes surfaced for just a brief instant. William swiftly looked away and shook his head, as if trying to clear a sudden head-rush. He hoped that the drunk was too inebriated to have seen the flare of his desire.

“Sorry,” William made up an apology, “I’m not used to drinking so much ale so quickly.”

Stupid fool, William cursed himself. Relearning to conduct himself in a social situation was going to be tougher than he had thought.