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Kirin Quest! [open!]

Started by Rhindeer, December 06, 2014, 01:58:49 PM

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Rhindeer

That morning, Yiroa woke up with a brilliant idea.

Which meant, of course, that she needed to immediately enact it!

Her scribes and advisers all gave her tired, long-suffering looks when she told them her plans, but they didn't argue, and quickly did as they were told, ink brushes carefully jotting down her instructions. And when that was done, couriers were sent out to all the largest villages, far and wide, each carrying a copy of her pronouncement.

It was a simple thing, really. A call to action--but not for a war, or a battle, or anything violent, though it might be dangerous. It asked for anyone brave, bold, and adventurous enough to come to her at the Temple of Malai, where she resided, so that she could give them supplies and her blessing for an epic quest, a quest for which they would be handsomely rewarded if successful. A quest whose call any might answer, regardless of caste.

In short?

Yiroa wanted a legendary kirin for her own, an elusive beast known to bring luck and prosperity to the land, to be able to suss out lies and truths.

She wanted one. And she would pay dearly to have one.

-----

Days passed since she issued her summons, enough time for couriers to deliver the beautifully penned documents to several villages and cities, enough time for town criers to read them off.

Yiroa was going over legal matters with one of her advisers, updating an old, outdated law, when a Warrior interrupted. Kuan had already signed up for the quest a day ago, but as they had not yet gained enough volunteers, she had taken up lodgings at the temple and used the time to assist the other Warriors stationed there.

Kuan bowed low, and after a pause, Yiroa motioned her to rise and speak. "This better be important. Go on now, hurry up."

"Visitors approach the temple," Kuan said, straightening up. "I believe they may be answering your summons, Your Majesty."

Yiroa made a dismissive gesture. "Then find out what they want and if they are, bring them in," she said, and went back to her discussion with her adviser.

Promptly dismissed, Kuan bowed again and headed out, out of the temple and onto its steps, where she waited to greet any that might arrive.
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Ahnnie

When Kaye saw the summons posted in the village he lived in, he almost dismissed it as something for the Warriors. But when he read it closer, he was very intrigued to find out that it was a task anyone could do--regardless of caste. Seeing this, he quickly took it up and headed towards the Temple of Malai where it was stated he should go to accept the task. A chance to travel was always welcomed by Kaye, even better he supposed if it should be instigated by Thanatos' ruler. The premise was interesting indeed and it would have been a shame if it were restricted to a certain caste.

As such, he found himself standing outside of the Temple of Malai, just at the moment Kuan began to head out.

Rhindeer

It looked like Kuan's timing had been right, for as she exited out the temple doors, she saw that one such visitor had already made it there. There were guards stationed outside the doors, and they had turned their attention on the young man, prepared to address him, but Kuan held up a hand to still them.

Crossing the distance between them, her sword clinking lightly on her back, Kuan gave him a brief once over before cutting straight to the chase. She rarely had the time or patience for small talk and pleasantries.

"You here for the quest?"
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DaGlobster

(Your open threads will never escape me, Rhi. Never)

Chitin.

Chitin and the never-ceasing song.

Swarm had come to Suna to escape the harsher climates of the winter mainland. They could not survive in the ice, the all-freezer. Thanatos had much potential for bringing new life in. Exotic, poisonous insects, both beautiful and deadly. Swarm adopted them as they passed through the jungles and towards Suna.

Finally, they arrived, and they saw a poster. They must have been quite the sight, a man completely covered in rags and cloths leaning in to read a poster, with no eye holes cut into the cloth over his face.

A Kirin. A reward. Potential for growth.

They decided they would join.

Finding the temple was an easy matter. Man always organized his hives in predictable ways. When Swarm arrived at the temple, they saw a woman standing at the doors, a young man standing in front of her, faced with guards. Swarm crossed their arms, waiting their turn to be addressed.

Ahnnie

"You here for the quest?" a female warrior addressed Kaye, her voice blunt and to-the-point. She cut quite the figure with the sword on her back and her imposing stance. Kaye was probably little more than insignificant in comparison, for this warrior was of a higher caste than he was--but hey, the quest had no caste specifications. Anyone could join.

"Indeed I am," he replied after bowing to her politely. "This is where I go to sign up for it, no?" He also assumed she had something to do with the quest as well, for they would need people knowledgeable in the arts of combat if they were going to do this. If not her, then some other warrior would join, he was sure of it.

Wicked Basket

Gutztomp was always looking for opportunities to acquire more loot. Even though he had no idea what a kirin was, he did know what a reward was and the he liked getting them. It was this knowledge that brought him to Thanatos after significant threatening. The natives were certainly wary of his presence, but it's not like he ever cared. He could break any one of them in half easily if he really wanted to.

Gutztomp approached the Temple of Malai after having to ask some poor frightened soul were it was located. Some human woman and some rag-cover guy were already there, but Gutztomp didn't care about them in the slightest. Shoving his way past the female warrior and the rag-covered guy, he addressed the temple guard.

"Hey you," Gutztomp said to the guard. "Where's your boss? I want in on da hunt."

Rhindeer

"That would be here, yes," Kuan told Kaye, and flicked a glance over to the new, covered-up man. Strange, but Kuan wasn't here to judge. She was simply here to follow the Maharani's orders, and participate in this silly quest.

If nothing else, she figured she'd be around to keep some semblance of order.

"You there. If you're here for the Maharani's errand, follow me. I'll be taking you both into the Temple where you'll--oof!"

That was when a green beast of man shoved by her, making her stagger and reach for her sword, before her eyes narrowed and she lowered her hand again. Another one? And a...rather uncivilized one, at that. He would not make it into the Temple if he kept up that sort of behavior! With a long suffering look at Kaye and the covered man, Kuan motioned them to follow.

"Just stick close and don't do anything foolish. Be on your best behavior. You'll be meeting your Maharani, after all. And you."

She passed close to the ork and fixed him with a look. "If you're here for the hunt, come with me. And mind yourself. Better yet, don't speak at all. Come, now."

And with that said, Kuan turned and lead the way into the Temple.
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Wicked Basket

"Don't get snippy with me," Gutztomp growled.

Though he felt like knocking her out, he followed her into the temple as was instructed. This reward better be good.

DaGlobster

"We would advise the uncivilized one to watch his tongue. Idiocy is an undesirable quality."

Swarm's completely covered head turned slightly in Gutztomp's direction. Swarm's voice was smooth and clear, since they were making a concerted effort to sound as human as possible. Respectfully, they followed Kuan, walking next to Kaye. As Swarm did so, a large, black spider crawled out from under a furrow in his robe and onto his shoulder, idly sitting there.

Wicked Basket

"I would advise da puny one to shut his yap," Gutztomp shot back.

Getting attitude from one puny human was bad enough. He would not tolerate two, especially when he could break them in half so easily.

Rhindeer

Kuan looked at the both of them, her expression unreadable, but said no more. She had warned the green one once, and would not do so a second time. If he got thrown from the Temple on his ear, he would have no one to blame but himself. In the meantime, it was not her place to judge the character--or appearances--of any of these people.

This was the Maharani's quest, and she was just there to fulfill her will.

She lead the way down the main Temple hall, the air smelling of incense. It was bright inside from the many large windows and doors, and ornately furnished and decorated with many rich reds and golds, their footsteps padded by plush rugs. Above them hung many lanterns, but they were currently unlit with the day providing so much light.

Kuan lead them into the main chamber straight ahead, where Yiroa was currently sitting on a throne and dais. Behind her, elevated above her, was a golden statue depicting Inima Herself.

Hoping to serve as an example, Kuan knelt on the floor with her forehead to the mat.
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Ahnnie

Kaye followed Kuan into the temple, falling into step next to Swarm. A big, hulking green humanoid had made his very rough way to the temple entrance a moment ago expressing obvious interest in the quest...or 'hunt', as he'd called it. The hooded, swarthed, wrapped man--Kaye didn't know what sort of epithet to give him short of mummified, for he seemed to wrap almost every inch of himself up in cloth--and the big green one had a rather snappy exchange which Kaye listened to with some amusement.

He was silent as they went down the Temple's main hall, the smell of incense very cloudy and powerful, yet counterbalanced by the large windows and sunlight and the rich colors of the furnishings. They came to the main chamber where the Maharani of Thanatos sat on a throne and dais with a golden statue of Inima behind her.

Kuan knelt down on the floor before Yiroa, as did Kaye after her. He wondered then if the other two--for they did not seem like Thanati--knew of this custom to follow through? Hopefully he and Kuan were setting enough of an example.

DaGlobster

Swarm found the large green one amusing. There were individual members of Swarm who were smarter than this orc, and it would take Swarm absolutely no effort to kill him and appropriate his corpse for themselves. A brute of his size could sustain many generations, and allow for growth.

Swarm didn't kneel down, but they did bow they head respectfully. Inima was not their god, so they felt it unnecessary to perform an act of devotion. They'd remain with their head bowed until the group moved on.

Wicked Basket

Gutztomp, unlike the others, showed no sign of respect. Orks obeyed only those who were stronger, which the Maharani obviously was not. Instead, Gutztomp stepped forward past the two others and spoke to the Maharani.

"I want in on da hunt," Gutztomp told her. "Just tell me where ta find one of dem keern fings and I'll get ya one."

R.R. Pebble

Shayal quietly followed the group, hoping no one would question her. The summons *had* said anyone could join, but, well....
She quickly knelt and lowered her head after she entered the main chamber of the temple.

Rhindeer

"You may ri--" Yiroa began to say, but that was when the green one barged right up to the front, and her lips twitched in annoyance as she was rudely cut off! And by a foreign barbarian, at that!

"...Rise," she finished, coolly ignoring him, as though he hadn't disrespected her or spoken out of turn. Though she was no fan of foreigners, her edict had said anyone could apply, and she meant it, and would thus uphold that sense of fairness. It also meant she knew she would have to give those unaccustomed to their ways the benefit of the doubt, though she quite doubted the mongrels would behave so before their own leaders! Either way, it was his chance to save face, by her pretending the slight hadn't occurred.

He wouldn't get a second shot.

Kuan almost wanted to stay kneeling, overcome with a sense of secondhand embarrassment. Oh, Inima, please tell her Her Highness would kick out the green one! She didn't want to have to work with the clueless oaf! Still, she rose, and was quite relieved the others had heads on their shoulders, at least!

Yiroa regarded the group, eyes passing over each of them in turn as she spoke.

"As you are all aware, you were summoned here today to serve in a holy mission. It has been centuries since a kirin has been seen on our shores, but I have no reason to believe they don't still exist. They have always been elusive beasts and, as the legends go, many of our nation's great leaders of the past have kept them. The ages in which a kirin existed in the great Temple of Malai are said to have been some of our nation's most prosperous years. Crops flourished, disease all but vanished, people lived longer, happier, and more productive lives, and crime dwindled. So the legends say."

She drummed her nails on the arm of her throne. "We're going to test that theory. Legend has it that the great kirins took refuge in the deepest part of our jungles. I want you to find me one, and bring it here alive and healthy. It will be risky. Our jungles hold many dangers, and are worse the deeper yo go. Most of the animals want to kill you, and the vegetation isn't much different. Kirins themselves are fierce, said to be capable of wielding fire, but not only that. Some of the legends claim they can tell when you're lying, or that they can peer into your soul and see the the darkness inside you. They're intelligent beasts. That's why it's always been so difficult to attain one.

"You'll be handsomely rewarded if you're successful," she continued, and her eyes fell on Kaye and Shayal in particular. "For the Thanati, you and your families will be exalted to the Temple caste with all the honors and privileges that come with it, and given your weight in gold to get you started on that path. For the non-natives, and those already part of that caste, you will have your weight in riches. I assure you, if you are successful, you will never have to worry about money again."

She tilted her head, looking over each in turn. "Now, you may ask whatever questions you might have. I'd also like to hear your names."
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Wicked Basket

Gutztomp was very uninterested in anything that was said. He was an ork. He didn't fear any dangerous animals or some lousy plants. The moment he stepped into that forest he would be the most dangerous thing. Gutztomp did start paying attention when he heard that he would get his weight in gold. This pleased Gutztomp, especially since he knew that he was very heavy. That would be a lot of gold.

"I am Gutztomp," the ork said pounding his chest with his fist. "I ain't afraid of no lousy forest. Just point me in da right direction."

DaGlobster

Swarm looked at the ork, amused by its overconfidence. "We are swarm, my lady," they said as they bowed their head once more, taking a step forwards. "We would like to respectully pose a question. Due to our nature, material wealth is of no concern to us. Is the nature of our reward open for negotiation?"

Rhindeer

...Gut Stomp? That was charming. Yiroa managed a polite smile. "All in good time," she said. "After I've fielded your companions' questions, I'll tell you where best to start."

Then she turned to Swarm. Swarm? Swarm and Gut Stomp. This was certainly an...interesting crew.

She regarded...him? Them?...curiously. "By all means. If neither of these rewards appeal, I am open to hearing what would be suitable. Your success will be beneficial to an entire nation, and I want to be sure you are properly compensated."
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DaGlobster

"Thank you, my lady."

How fitting, the brute was named Gut Stomp.

Swarm lifted their head, falling silent, as if in thought. Finally, he spoke up. "We ask for only twenty acres of land as compensation, as far away from this city as possible."

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