Staining Snow [Wycliff, PM to Join]

[AevumEternity]

Hakon walks with him, her fingers slowly intertwining with his as she looked about the village. As the light dimmed, life began to spring forth, jovial people beginning to move about the village. As they approached the tavern- it was quite obvious what building it was. Large, long, low and utterly brimming with people, it was a recollection of longhouses of the North, meadhalls of legend from long ago. As they approached, both received light, affectionate smacks on the shoulders and arms from passerbys- apparently the bear man had spread the news rather quickly of a lovely young couple visiting-

Entering, the room was smoky, hazy- the smell of cooking flesh and fat sizzling on open flame filling the air. Many of the large tables were surrounded by men and women playing games, arm wrestling or creating off sigils from dry branches and flowers picked months before, hidden away for this very occasion.

" SKINNY MAN-" a familiar voice roars, the red-haired bear-man 'Rufus' sauntering over, squashing Aven in a big hug

[Wycliff]

Aven lets himself relax preemptively before the crushing embrace, learning from the first encounter. "Hey, there, Rufus: that offer from earlier still up for grabs?"


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[AevumEternity]

" Of course- It never-" his eyes suddenly alight on Hakon, immediately the young woman's face flaming at the look he gave her," This must be yer lovely fiance, eh?" Drawing himself up to his full height, he approaches Hakon who falls into a casual but pronounced fighting stance," Whats yer name, pretty lil' lass?"

" Hakon Kil-"

" HAKON- pretty name fer a pretty lil' lass-" he rumbles, having to lean over to look her in the eye- resting his massive hands on her shoulders causing her to stiffen. It was taking all her willpower to not break this man's trachea as she offers a sweet smile. As he leaned closer, her smile only grows with her anxiety. Rufus turns to Aven," Ye don't mind do ye, Skinny Man?"

[Wycliff]

Aven's instincts drive him to say, 'Of course I mind', but his mind hatches a better plan. He smirks, crossing his arms, and pretends to think. "Hmm, well, I'd say I do mind, but how about this? We have a drinking contest, and whoever wins gets a kiss from Hakon?" He winks at Hakon, a look saying, Don't worry, it's a set-up.


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[AevumEternity]

Her look was rather flat an unamused as if saying 'I could beat this turd's face in with MY face' but sighs and forces a pretty little smile as Rufus sits up suddenly, arching a bushy eyebrow," Eh? Ye think ye cin beat the barkeep at a drinkin' game? O' eh- poor lil' skinny man-" he rumbles with gruff laughter, all but scooping up Aven as he shoves through the crowds toward the bar, Hakon trails after them, looking slightly distressed until she suddenly is pulled aside by the old woman, Yubaba was her name?

Rufus meanwhile pulls Aven on, laughing raucously as they begin to draw a little crowd

[Wycliff]

Aven allows himself to be carried, grinning to himself. This guy has no idea what he's getting into, heh heh heh... "Hey," Aven glances up at Rufus as they wade through the crowd, "Whatsay we skip the pansy stuff and go straight for Matron's Root? Happens to be my favorite."


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[AevumEternity]

" Oh? Oh- ohohOHOHO-!!" Despite others' laughter, Rufus' is by far the most deafening to the point where Aven's ears would start ringing, sidling behind the bar, the massive man immediately takes out the familiar bottle shape of Matron's Root- known to be so potent it could knock out most men in simply a sip or two," C'mon then skinny MAN- lets see wholl git yer lovely lass for the evening then eh? I s'ppose ye'll hafta ask 'er back for the ring, eh?" He teases as he begins to pour not one, not two, but THREE entire pints of the potent alcohol. The meadhall had become mostly quiet- it seemed pretty clear mow Rufus was their champion drinker, as none of the locals seemed particularly surprised by this massive amount of Matrons' root coming into play.

[Wycliff]

Aven grins devilishly, snatching one of the mugs. "That depends on whether you can last long enough for me to quench my thirst, big man: we go till the other passes out, deal?"


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[AevumEternity]

" Good 'nuff-" the bear-man smirks bearishly (get it? Because wolfishly was far too prissy for the bristled giant!), scooping up his own mug," May the best man win, eh?" Already tossing back his head to down the liquid fire, adams apple rising and falling beneatht eh big bushy hellfire of a beard.

Hakon meanwhile, followed Yubaba away from her 'fiance' and the others, being firmly gripped about the wrist as she was lead away from the warm light beneath the meadhall- she glanced back at the fading light of the doorway, frowning slightly- she didn't want to admit she was a little scared but it was for the good of the people in the village who did not have the means to protect themselves from their neighbor's dastardly practices- for the Mountain itself, that would collapse on top of this god forsaken village if it were to be mined any more viciously due to the rituals. Her eyes try to adjust to the darkness, coughing as dusty air pricks her throat," Yubaba- what does this have to do with the ritual?"

" You will see, dear one, you will see."

[Wycliff]

Aven starts as well, slowly but surely draining the near toxic fluid, a content look on his face. He finishes the pint within twenty seconds, slamming the mug on the bar. "Next!" He glances over, expecting to see Hakon, but scans the crowd to finder nowhere. He raised a brow, but figured she was just buried in the slew of onlookers.


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[AevumEternity]

By then, even with this first pint- slight reddish tinge appears on the end of Rufus' fat nose, his eye twitching slightly in surprise based on how undettered Aven seemed from this draught. Even so, he poured several more pints, slamming another back as he pushed another toward Aven, clearing his throat with a loudly audible sigh," Eh feck- Skinny Guy's got sum cahoones on 'im." He grumbles


Hakon's nerves tingled with sudden unease as she could no longer see as they moved into the darkness, it smelled of dust and old earth- ancient earth," Yubaba..."

" Hush child, the festival's already started- we need to ensure you are prepared for the final ritual no? Yer dearest fiance and Rufus'atone are also making their own preparations, it's just like in nature, you see?" The old woman's rasping voice reaches her ears, causing her to stiffen uncertainly and stop," Whats wrong, dearest? We're all animals after all..."

[Wycliff]

Aven finishes the second pint, and allows his eyes to drop slightly, his posture and speech to loosen. He's only acting of course: in reality, alcohol has no effect on the young man. He places it down. "There's tha' second, big man. You got tha' guts for a third?"


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[AevumEternity]

" Eeeeeeeeaaaah-" pointing a large finger in Acen's face as his face seemed to be growing beet red, the man growls with hoarse laughter," O' course ye lil' pucker-!" Unsteadily scooping up the third pint as he downed it.

As Aven would likely to have become particularly bored with this brand of entertainment that had no effect on him, he would notice small flecks of some sort of spice, not native to Matron's root, sprinkled in his drink...


" Yubaba- please... Explain this to me... What.. What is this final ritual exactly? What does it do?"
" Why is feeds the mountain, dearest girl- your father was ever so kind as to inform us you were coming-"
" Yubaba, what are you saying-?"

[Wycliff]

Aven raises an eyebrow at the foreign taste. Odd... He downs the third pint, placing it unsteadily on the table. "How 'bout a fourth pinto, ya' bear man?" He wobbles his head a bit for effect, but while he does so, he scans the crowd for Hakon once more, finding nothing. Where did she go?


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[AevumEternity]

The bear-man snorts, briefly his face smacking into the counter before he sits up abruptly," O-o' course, ye kriffin' city-wanker!" He slurrs before bringing the last pint to his lips, gulping heavily as a single amber drop touches his lips- swallowing heavily," er... Ye first, city wanker."


" Simply that, you, darling, will feed the mountain. You almost confused us with that man of yours, but... Ah-"
Hakon suddenly felt pain explode in her lower back, crumpling to her knees as a migraine suddenly rolled through her, washing blackness over her vision in an instance as a great, fiery, gaping maw appears, mewling," Dearest Major..."

[Wycliff]

Aven downs the fourth even faster than the first, slamming it on the table. "How 'bout five?" He remembers seeing that old woman in the tavern, and looks for the old hag, to find nothing once more. A realization dawned on him. They already left?! No, no, no!


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[AevumEternity]

Whatever 'special spices' had been used, they were quickly taking effect in Aven's body- magical drugs so potent that the bear man seemed to be having trouble staying upright as he leaned against the counter," 'Ey, city wanker- ye know we know whats really goin' on, eh?" He smirks faintly though he seemed to be barely concious despite his giggling. Looking around the mead hall, once light with activity, only about ten people remained," Eh- festivities begun, hrm? Better find yer lass, eh? Alwas wanted a uh- *hiccup* Mordecai."

[Wycliff]

Aven grabs the pint from Rufus' shaky hand and cascades it into his mouth, wiping what looks to be a few black particles off his mouth, his posture and speech resuming. "I win, Rufus. Good luck with whatever that drug was." He quickly strides out of the tavern and into the darkness, the magical drug failing to affect him whatsoever as he steps out into the night. He immediately sinks into the shadows of the night, darting along the ground at incredible speed, following the trail the black particles he'd released earlier had made. Please, don't let me be too late...


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[AevumEternity]

The bear man simply mumbled some incoherent nonsense as he fell asleep on the counter.

The village square was rife with activity, the runes seemed to have been completed and a massive circular altar made of twisted wood placed in the midst. The bodies of slaughtered goats, pigs and cows lay in rings about the altar as 'Yubaba', the old woman, busily seemed to be mumbling a nonsensical mantra in the midst of it all. Gnarled hands stretched toward the looming shadow of the mountain as she seemed to wail and plead with it in some long forgotten tongue.

His shadow particles would find no sign of Hakon here, but a strange sensation seemed to be calling him toward the mountain, toward the gaping maw of the mines- there would be hundreds of miles of twisting mazes within the peak's heart- how would he ever find his way?

[Wycliff]

Aven follows the shadow particles to Yubaba, expecting to find Hakon. He emerges from the shadows to see the old hag chanting in an ancient tongue, his expression agitated. "Where is Hakon, woman? You have ten seconds to answer before I backlash your ritual."


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