Dispatching the Beasts

[Xulltana]

((Closed.))

Xulltana left the shop, with the pair of sandals tickling his toes. He wasn’t used to such odd shoes, and would hope these five days would past quickly so he could get into his boots again. He did feel bad about leaving his adventuring boots with the shopkeeper, as they weren’t pretty to look at, or smell really. But what adventurer’s boots were pretty or smelt good? But Xulltana left the shop with a bit of a problem, he still needed another hundred and fifty gold pieces, and right now, he had no idea of how to go about and get that kind of money.

“Maybe something at the tavern then?” he whispered to himself, as he walked awkwardly through the town to the tavern.

The tavern was a great stone building, used to make the live bands seem louder then they were, so everyone could here them. There was a fine door; crafted in much the manner of the bow he saw earlier, this must’ve been the handy work of a very skilled man. It was a fine red stain color, and led into a bright bar. Windows scattered all windows, making this place very bright.

Most of the men in here seemed bruised and covered in scraps. They were covered in dirt, and smelt of different metals and dirt. Most likely miners from the mountain that was only miles from Scara Brae. They must work for a week, then return for the weekend, their schedule was not known, but they enjoyed themselves all the while. A live band was setting up in the far corner, with a raised platform so they really stood out from the rest. A bar tender stood behind the counter, polishing and washing glasses.

Xulltana sat himself down at the bar, a few seats away from the miners. The bar tender came over immediately, as he wasn’t busy. He placed a glass down in front of Xulltana, “Whatcha gonna have, eh boy?” his rough voice echoed. He was human, with a very thick build. His face was roughed, and unshaved with a beard much like a dwarf would have. In all, this man looked like a dwarf, just about three feet or so bigger.

“Nothing. Actually…” Xulltana looked at the man, “I was just wondering if you’ve heard of anything I could get some gold for?” Xulltana peered at his feet, and the bartender leaned over to do the same.

“Oh, you must be having some work done. Didn’t have enough for the full payment eh?” he went back to the other side of the counter, and ducked down. When he reappeared he was actually near the miners, with a piece of parchment. He walked back, and handed it to Xulltana. “This is the only thing I’ve heard about, but I don’t get why the military can’t just stop it, but eh, I’m just a lowly bar tender.” He faded back into the miners, serving them ale every so often.

Unrolling the piece of parchment, he didn’t understand what some of it said. Feeling it a little damp, he gave it a sniff. Ale. Some lowly miner had probably dropped it. The only part he could make out was a rough map, showing the center of town. It was marked clearly with a fountain, which only the town square had. It also had a rough time, thought it said “he” could be late.

To him, it seemed almost as if something was going down. Rolling up the parchment and sticking it in a pocket, Xulltana walked out of the bar. He still had a few hours to spare before this was supposed to happen. Finding this an opportune time, Xulltana headed to the town square to find a place to hide later that night.

[Kially Gaith]

Whether it was sheer coincidence or just another random impulse of the child, the boy found himself heading towards the center of town. He had recently heard there was a fountain and in all his naiveity, he'd somehow missed it. Today seemed a better day than any to visit it and he did oh so love the sound of water, so this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Small feet brought the boy down the cobbled stone path past people that towered far above him, he kept himself to the side of the path to prevent himself being knocked down and trampled to death, and made his way towards what he was sure was the town center.

Kially took in each scent as it was made available, the pungent and disagreeable smell of fish hit deep in war with fresh imported mandarins and pineapple. When his movement towards the fruit stall gave the citric items a victory over the fish, he found himself staring at the oranges rather longingly, the fruit tender was hardly the kind sort though, a scarred old man with a bitter face. "If yuh not buyin', kid. Scram!"

Kiallys' eyes lit open, the arrogance of the larger male sinking into his heart and mind as fast as he was about to shock the fruit stall owner. A giggle would be heard, before he would give an audible response as he picked up an orange. "Okay! Bye!" and this followed a barely audible word, this word suddenly turning the child with fruited orb and all, completely invisible, his body flashing into seeming nothingness.

"You put that orange down ri...WHAT?!" Then tender began to complain in a single breath, before the child had seemingly...Gone? The taking of the orange had not even hit, despite the fact that he'd been speaking about such. Heaving for breath, he sat himself back, considering what had just happened, heart pounding twenty to the dozen as he gave thought to everything he'd ever done. "First ah lose ma cart to thieves...And now the Gods send me dissappearing children!...IT'S HELL I TELL YOU! HELL!" He clammered into the streets as a moment of madness took over his bewildered state. A few peasants sympathised with him but only one or two had seen the child disappear, they had been learned nobles who understood what the child had done, they were the ones who could afford such luxuries as citrus fruit but could not spare the time of day to help a shocked foreign fruit tender with an explanation of magicks.

Kially had already darted, giggling as he did so, turning a few heads, believing they heard something but those that looked would see nothing. Cradling the orange like a baby, Kially whipped into a back street and behind a few boxxes before kneeling down, his form paling slowly back into view in a rainbow fury of mismatched colours until reality found the desired look the child had dressed and equipped for.

Cupping the orange in two hands, he tilted it to examine it, then bowed his head down to take a good whiff. "Mmm...Smells good!" He stated silently to himself, and with not even a thought to the process involved needed to eat it, he took a bite, skin and all and walked out of the alleyway, eating it much like one would eat an apple, the juices dribbling down his chin as he bit into the flesh and inner squidgy veins. "Ooo..." First came the bitter tang of the skin, before the sweet sugary ambrosia inside flooded his taste buds. It was an odd taste to be sure, and he probably stood out like a sore thumb because of his methods of eating, but this didn't hold him back in the slightest as each pace took him further and further away from the fruit tender.

Eventually, and even despite the word, without event, Kially found himself at the town fountain, sitting himself at the edge of it, Kially began to playfully bat at the clean water with his only free hand like a small kitten occupied with two tasks at once. The ripples were rather entrancing and Kially found himself making figure eights in the water with a single finger.
A bite of the orange squirted out to the side and landed in the water, the juice moved as it sank in the water like smoke from a cigarette, spiralling and splitting apart as it diluted itself into the water. Kially liked it here, very much so, and hence, he decided he'd stay an hour or two...And with Kiallys' current entrancement with the water, his degree of time keeping was severely in need of repair. An hour or two would easily turn into many hours more.

[Seth_Rahl]

((sorry i'm gonNA hAve TO bACK ouT OF this THREAd.))
\

[Xulltana]

According to this small piece of parchment he carried in his pocket, this ‘meeting’ was going to happen just after sun down. Which meant, Xulltana still had a good three or four hours before he was going to hide in the town square. This time would be placed into finding the best hiding spot this town could afford.

The town square was as every other. Shops made up a square like shape, giving the town square its name. Outside of the shop were small merchant stands and carts, the aroma of fruits and other exotic things lifted up and filled his nostrils. Besides the sweet smells, a fountain sprinkled water down in the very center. It was probably ten to twenty feet high, with four layers. When one filled with water, it dripped to the next, until finally into the main part. It glittered with different coins, reflected off the dying sun’s light, it made the sunset even more beautiful then it was.

Xulltana sat on the ledge of the fountain, watching another small boy splash water. He seemed to love this fountain. Xulltana ignored the boy for a minute, scouting about the square. Alleyways were randomly placed about the entire square, with four main roads leading in the main directions, with most attractions on the north and east roads. The stands were placed wherever room was.

There was no hiding place that wasn’t common, but one of them would have to do. Xulltana found that if the merchants didn’t move their stands, he could easily use one of them for cover, shoot and hide, his favorite tactic. There were a lot of places for this.

Glancing back at the boy, Xulltana seemed quite concerned a parent would allow their child this far into town alone. It was so busy; someone of his size could easily be trampled. Sliding his way slowly, and cautiously not to allow the child to know, Xulltana wanted to keep his eyes on this child for as long as possible.

Every child should be allowed a life, and this town wasn’t as forgiving as others. Xulltana untied his quiver string, allowing them to fall loosely to one side, then to the ground in front of him. Next was his longbow. Xulltana eased up, and massaged his arms lightly for a minute, before splashing his face with the cold water from the fountain.

“It feels quite lovely, doesn’t it?” he called over to the kid splashing in water with a quick smiled to go with his friendly attitude he showed this boy. “Especially on a day like this,” he added.

[Kially Gaith]

Kially’s peace and entrancement with the state of affairs wafted within liquid form between his fingers, gracing them with refreshment as he watched the ripples breaking themselves as they hit the inner walls of the fountain.

This peace, however, had not the ability to last forever, and such was the source of removal but an odd fellow breaking his own smaller ripples with larger ones of his own, caused by heavier hands and contact with the h20 before him.

Raising his head in a single slow movement, Kially gazed over more of the male than his hands, which had filled his vision previously, before suddenly pulling his orange away with his single free hand, behind him in a possessive manner. When it was more than obvious that the male did not threaten the fruit, Kially eased back up, returning to a large bite, filling his mouth with golden nectar. Slowly followed a broken response, full of juice and failure to communicate. “’t’s n’!” He’d attempted to speak in response with ill manners.

Gazing to the items the male had settled down on the floor, Kially took careful note, whether it were natural paranoia and caution, he wasn’t sure, but when a person had not identified themselves as either ally or foe, the position of items at their disposal was often critical in survival in the case of a sudden attack.

This was followed by a gaze around his current location for places of advantage and escape should he need to run, which was his primary call of meaning when it came to hostile situations that he had a choice in.

Swallowing his mouthful of orange, he finally offered a very much delayed wave, sticky fingers bouncing side to side at the right of his forehead, right hand unmarred, the skin about his fingers obviously solidified from his self-substantiating whilst living in the forests of Althanas.

“Hullo…” Finally came a weak and more defined response as Kially wiped his hands off on his torn and smelly pants, such smell barely masked by the smell of orange juice, having not had a wash in months.

[Taskmienster]

This thread has been sitting for a full year. Since no response has been made to create activity I am going to be moving this. If you would like it to be reopened please feel free to PM myself or another staff member and they will be able to move it for you back to Scara Brae.