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New People, New Home, New Life

Started by PumpkinSwift, October 24, 2017, 07:33:24 PM

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PumpkinSwift

OOC:This is going to function as a backstory for my first character, Maria. This first post will be a setup, and if you want to get something going just go ahead and add on. I'll leave this open and write it pretty open ended.
BIC:
Maria trudged through the snow, weary and tired. She had made it through the mountains about four days ago, so she was definitely is Serendipity. She hadn't found anyone since the first days of her journey, back in Connlaoth. And of course, there was the Demon. She still was unsure if she regretted taking his deal. Sure, she have perished without his help, but this new form,...
What did she think of this new form? She had never heard of anything such as herself in her limited tutelage. Body covered in scales, snakes for hair, and a gaze that turned others to stone. Literally. It appealed to her innate curiosity, she wanted to experiment and figure the boundaries of her newfound abilities. It overwhelmed her, the amount of information coming in from her hair. Twelve extra pairs of eyes, and an acute sense of smell. It was certainly useful, but she had a hard time dealing with it all. Besides, she was unsightly, to tall and lanky, features carved in haphazardly like a poor statue. And the brand on her back, visible to her through her snakes (who she had to admit, she was slowly growing fond of) serving as a constant reminder that the Demon was not done with her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by her stomach growling out in desperation. Maria suddenly realized she hadn't eaten for a while, and decided to go a hunt. She steeled herself, and lowered herself to the ground, taking careful steps forward. She listened, watched, and smelt carefully, watching for any signs of wildlife.
Birds chirped in the trees. They were to small. Squirrels jumped from branch to branch. To, squirrelly. Soon, she found it. A doe, off in the distance drinking from a river peacefully.
Maria reached out to the arcane, and felt the all to familiar buzz of the unmistakable power at her fingertips, now tainted with the Demon's stench.
Maria seized control of the water in the stream, and shaped it into a slick blade, and slit the Doe's throat.
Hungry, she fell upon the corpse. She used her sharp claws to cut open the carcass, and yanked out bits and shreds of meat and shoveled them into her mouth while her snakes busied themselves by tearing into the still warm flesh.
Suddenly, Maria heard an object drop to the ground behind her. She turned around out of habit, the gesture of no practical value while blindfolded, to see a small boy, a waterpail at his feet, staring wide eyed at her feast.
"Hello." Maria said, her voice much more hoarse than she remembered it.
The boy turned around and ran.
Maria sat, at a loss as to what to do next.

Kalak8538

The Character

A heavily armor-clad man sat at the counter of a small town's tavern. He was thoroughly frustrated, and made no attempt to hide this as he tightly gripped his empty mug. It had been days since he left Connlaoth, hunting for a runaway mage. Despite his best efforts, there was simply no sign of the girl from his contract. This village was the first sign of civilization south of the mountainous border. Logic dictated that those traveling this way would have to visit for supplies at the least, if not for more. Yet, not a soul here had seen a person matching the description on the contract. A search of the surrounding forest had also turned out fruitless.

Travel through this terrain was considerably harder in the colder months. Perhaps her escape had failed, and she was laying dead and frozen somewhere in the wilderness. It was a possibility, but not one the man welcomed. If he is unable to find his quarry, then all this hassle and effort will be further soured by a lack of payment. This entire situation annoyed the man, but more annoying still was the lack of comfort the drink before him offered. His hearty constitution as well as the many days spent drinking before meant that more alcohol was needed to achieve any effect. More alcohol meant more money, and this mission was already a financial loss.

Reluctantly, the man handed in the money for a refill of ale. As he brought the mug up to his lips, the rest of the world disappeared. This was his break, and it would not be ruined by anything going on around him. Not by the conversation that took place beside him, not by the rolling of dice on the table behind him, and certainly not by the sounds of the young boy screaming outside...

PumpkinSwift

Maria sat in the snow in silence, watching the drops of frozen water flitter to the ground peacefully. It was a perfect contrast to the inner turmoil churning her stomach.

What now? What now? What now?

Anxiety ate away at Maria, as her mind scrambled about to reach some sort of conclusion. In her mind, she had three choices. Run, stay put, or pursue the boy.

So, first off, run.  Running was completely counter productive. She had come all this way to find a new home, not to live in hiding all her life.

Next was stay put, the path of least resistance. It was undoubtedly the easiest option, but that was precisely what made Maria skeptical of it. If living in Connlaoth had taught her anything, it was that doing nothing always accomplished nothing.

The third and final option was the most frightening. Pursue the boy, hopefully back to his village. The thought of confronting a large group of people terrified her. The boy obviously hated her, why would she seek him out? However, they may come after her, and if they did, it would be best to midigate the damage while she still could.

With her decision made, she wiped the blood off her hands and face, and set off towards the village. Soon after she spotted the small town. Old, run down shacks covered in snow, small pens for livestock, and a large circle of people murmuring and whispering fervently.

Well, this was going to suck.

Kalak8538

Gasps outside in response of the approaching creature went unheard by the armored man. What did catch his attention however, was the increasing volume of conversation inside the tavern once news was brought inside. Apparently, some "monster had been sighted" entering the village, and no one knew what to do about it.

Curiosity took the man. Or rather, it offered an alternative to the dreary and boring scenery around him. The wooden stool creaked as the man rose from it. He took one last swig from his mug and readied his mace and shield. He walked for the door, ignoring the looks he was getting from the townspeople around him.

The cold air hit him like a swarm of tiny knives as he left the crudely constructed building. From the top of three stone steps, he looked past the wary crowd before him at the "monster". Sure it was hard to look at, but it did not appear hostile. At least not yet. The crowd looked just as warily at him, wondering what the fully armored stranger would do next. Some even fled, anticipating a combat they did not want to get caught up in.

Awkward silence fell as the man looked over the creature, evaluating it. The shield was suspended in front of him. The mace was gripped firmly at his side. After some moments of icy tension, something happened that not a soul expected:

The man turned, and went back inside.

PumpkinSwift

Maria let out a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted now was a fight, especially with, whoever that was. She raised her arms, calling the crowd's attention over to her.

"I, uh, mean you no harm." Her voice was still much to hoarse for her liking. " I am simply a refugee mage looking for a new home."

PumpkinSwift

The crowed stirred. Distrust riddled their features. One man, an old farmer with a stocky build, stepped forward.

"How'd you end up like that?"

Maria found herself at a loss for words. She couldn't just tell them she had made a deal with a demon. The hatred people felt for them transcended all borders.

"I was Cursed, by a powerful mage in the woods."

The crowd broke out into another chorus of murmurs. Maria caught a few voices of dissent in the crowd, and her nerves started nipping at her.

After a few minutes,  a woman stepped forward. "Come with me. You must be tired after your long journey."

Maria followed the woman obediently into a building behind her, ignoring the stares if the concerned villagers. It was a little homely place, but Maria's eyes were immediately drawn to the hulking man in armor at the bar: it seemed everyone else's were, as well.

"So, you said you were a refugee mage? Where from?"

"Connlaoth."

Kalak8538

As the seated man contemplated whether or not to waste any more of his money, he heard the tavern door opening behind him. In the doorway was the same monstrous creature, guided inside by one of the townsfolk. He kept it in his sight as it moved between tables and chairs.

He was certainly surprised at the hospitality of the people living here. There were many little backwater places like this would have driven such a being away. If the armored man had actually cared to, he would have questioned this. However, he didn't. It did not really matter to him whether or not the villagers welcomed this... "visitor". He knew only that he would have to sleep with one eye open tonight.

The man's gaze once again found the empty mug in front of him. That's when he heard some key words breaking the awkward silence of the befuddled tavern: "...refugee mage?"   "Connlaoth."

The man reflected on those words, wondering if he had heard them correctly. Although that sounded like the person he was secretly hunting, the appearance was nothing like what was described on the contract. It also stated that the runaway posessed elemental magic, nothing that would alter her form in such a way. This was... unusual...

The man elected to abandon his attempt at knocking out his senses. He needed them to follow this lead. He would need to monitor this monster, and do so cautiously. He needed to find out anything useful. What she called herself, what abilities she had, what she planned to do here, and so on. There was one contact, a local who had helped him many times before. He was an expert at finding such information, for a price.

Although his focus was shifted, he continued listening as best he could. Just in case...

PumpkinSwift

The barmaid let out a grunt of understanding, and the pair settled into an uncomfortable silence. Neither was paying any mind to the armored man in the corner, though it was doubtful they would have noticed his peeked interest even if they had.

"So, I've been wondering," the barmaid began, "what's with the blindfold?"

"Oh, this?" Maria tugged on the offending piece of cloth with one claw. "Its part of the curse. I-"

She stopped herself. I turn things to stone just by looking at them! Something told her that that wouldn't go over well.

"Let's just say it isn't pretty behind this blindfold."

The barmaid gave a nod of understanding. "You seem to get around well enough. Is that some sort of magic?"

"No, that's thanks to these guys." Maria gestured to the snakes on her head, two of which were currently engaged in a mock battle. "They're a part of me. I can see through them, feel through them. They're like extra limbs, almost."

The barmaid nodded again, and then fell into silence. The still air made Maria uncomfortable, so she struggled to fill the silence.

"I was a blacksmith, back in Connlaoth. I was the best in town. I was always full on orders. Everyone wanted my work." She grimaced. "Of course, that all changed once they found out I was using magic to make them. For a country that boasts innovation, they're extremely close minded."

The barmaid didn't respond, at least not verbally. Her head hung low, obviously in deep thought.

"What's your name?" The barmaid questioned.

"Maria. And yours?"

"Addison. Anyway, Maria, I think you should leave."

Maria, was taken aback, but before she could respond, Addison continued.

"You have to understand the situation. Small villages like this, we don't have many mages or experiences with magic. Having someone cursed in the village will make everyone uneasy. It'll be better for everyone this way." She paused. "I can give you some supplies, some food and water for a few days, some new clothes. I'll give you a map to the nearest city; there should be someone there that can reverse whatever curse has done this to you."

"No, there won't be." Maria snapped. "I-I don't know what's happening to me, but I know one thing. There's no way to fix it. I'm stuck like this, forever." Maria let out a bitter laugh. "It's funny. I came all this way looking for acceptance, but all I did was make myself more of an outcast than ever."

The two women sat in silence.

Kalak8538

Conversation began to pick up once again, despite not rising to the volume it had once been. The gentle droning of chatter masked the soft conversation between the barmaid and creature. The armored man cursed under his breath, his eavesdropping attempt thoroughly foiled. The only information he was able to discern was an interest in the cloth that covered her eyes. That only added to the listing of questions the hunter had about this one.

The man arose once again, and with heavy footfalls he made his way to exit. He realized that this was not information he could find on his own. The armor made him far too conspicuous a spy, and there was too much attention on the both of them for subtle confrontation. Unfortunately for his purse, this was the job for a professional.

There was no surprise that the agent in question was just outdoors. News spread quite quickly throughout the village, and this one eagerly placed himself at the source. The armored man was greeted almost immediately by the local, as well as inquired about the truth of such rumor. The only response was some hushed words and a discreet payment. With that, the informant went inside and planted himself as closely to the creature as possible. Doing his best not to arouse either woman's suspicion, he listened intently.

The man waited in the cold outside, in case the creature left.

PumpkinSwift

Awkward silence hung over the two women as the rest of the bar carried on without them. Addison turned to another customer, refilling her drink silently. The action gave her enough levity to continue the conversation.

"Do you want a drink? You've obviously had a rough day."

Maria gave a sullen nod, and as Addison continued toward the other side of the bar, a man next to her raised his hand.

"Grab me a quart of ale while you're back there, if you will."

The strangers voice caused Maria to jump. She hadn't even noticed him approach the bar. Addison returned with their drinks and the man took a large swig, mumbling about how he loved the stuff.

"Maria, I'm going to be honest with you. The reason I brought you in here, offered to help you leave, is because I don't want trouble. Not for you, not for me, and not for my village. And that's what you being here is going to cause."

She paused, and Maria silently drank the frothing liquid that had been placed in front of her. It had a bitter taste, and it stung her tongue when she drank it, but she supposed that wasn't really the point of alcohol.

"I just want everyone to walk away from this without scars, that's all I want. My offer stands, in case your interested."

Maria set the mug down quietly. "Where will I go?"

"If you follow the road South out of town, there's a city about two days away on foot. Someone ought to have a use for a blacksmith there."

"What if they react the same way you did? Honestly, I don't blame you people for reacting the way you guys did, considering the way I look." Maria asked.

Addison didn't answer.

"What if someone came with me, to vouch for me. To tell them that I'm not a threat. You could come with me." Maria offered.

"Me!?"

"You said you didn't want any trouble; this is the best way to avoid trouble."

"There are many, many other ways to avoid trouble." Addison interjected.

"Well this is the one I'm going with." Maria shot back. "I need to make sure I'll be safe."

Addison shot out a sigh. "I can't just disappear like that. I-I have a job to do."

"Addison, please, I need your help." Maria pleaded. "This is what you want, isn't it? Your village will be safe, I'll be gone. Everyone is happy."

Addison stood in thought for several moments. "Fine. I'll go with you. There's a room upstairs. Wait for me there. I'll come at midnight and we'll head off."

Maria nodded enthusiastically and went upstairs. Addison went to to tend to other customers.

Neither noticed the the man next to them slink outside.

Kalak8538

The two men met outside the tavern and began walking down the road, to speak far from the subjects in question.

"That was quick. You better have gotten the information I need..." the man growled, keeping a stoic disposition despite the cold steel of his armor.

"Any longer, and you'd frozen stiff! Can't do no future business with an icicle, after all!"

The informant gave a modest chuckle. This humor was not returned by his employer, who glared unceasingly at him at they tread down the village streets. His smile waned as he got the hint to continue.

"You really gotta learn to lighten up... Yeah, I got your info! Snake lady's name is Maria. Her and the barmaid are leaving midnight tonight for the city."

"Maria... you're sure?"

"That's what Addie said! Could be a fake name-"

"Nope, that's it." the steel-clad man interrupted. Maria Swellsmith was the name on the contract. With that, the clues lined up. Despite her current appearance, this was the young mage he was looking for. All that was left was to apprehend her. Without a word, he split away from his informant and continued without him.

"Nice... Uh... doing business with you?" he said halfheartedly as he went to his home.

That night, the man would wait with shield and mace. There was one road south, and he would not let his quarry escape down it.

PumpkinSwift

The sun set, and the moon rose, and soon it was time for their departure. Addison made her way upstairs, and knocked lightly on the door.

"Maria, are you there?" Addison said in a small, shaky voice.

"Yes." Maria cracked the door open, letting one snake slither around to peek at the barmaid. After confirming who it was, she opened the door to let Addison inside. "I changed into those clothes you gave me."

"I can see that." Addison took a step into her room, clearly nervous. "Are you ready to leave?"

Maria nodded.

"Alright, let's head out." Addison said quickly, and stepped outside. "Follow me. I want to get this over with." Addison hurried down the stairs with soft steps, Maria in tow.

Addison grabbed a pair of thick cloaks to fight against the bitter cold. They set out towards the city, following an old beaten path out of town. They walked in silence. for a time before spotting a large silhouette of a man.

Addison stopped Maria with her arm. "I don't like the look of this."

Maria nodded. Whoever this person was, they weren't on their side.

Kalak8538

The sound of clanking metal echoed in through the forest as the heavy steps approached. It was the man in the armor, waiting for precisely this moment. As the footfalls drew nearer and nearer, a bladed steel mace could be seen clutched tightly in his hand. The towering shield was held facing forward. It almost appeared as if he was expecting conflict.

"Maria Swellsmith? You are going back to Connlaoth to answer for you crimes."

The armored man dug in, and readied for a more violent confrontation from either of the two women.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to return home. Leave this to me."

PumpkinSwift

"Look, sir, we don't want trouble." Addison began, but before she could continue her thought, Maria shoved her to the side.

"What crimes?! Do you mean the crime of using my skills to raise my family out of abject poverty? The crime of arming the nation with the best weaponry they've ever seen? The crime of failing to conform to a broken system, intent on destroying itself?!" Maria was visibly shaken, and the cloth covering her eyes was dampening with tears. "What gives you the right? What gives you the right to decide who people can and can't be? Answer me!"

Addison stood in shock. This didn't seem anything like the awkward, shy girl at the bar.

Addison was sure, however, that the armored man would not be as impressed as she was.

Kalak8538

"Save it." The man growled with annoyance. He advanced slowly, readying to react to any retaliation Maria or her companion would attempt.

"Such trivial details are not my concern! I am charged only with taking you back to those you have offended."

He moved in closer, until his massive form nearly towered over his target. The shield was positioned between them, ready at a moment's notice to move defensively where it was needed.

"Submit now, and the journey will be easier on you..."

PumpkinSwift

"Never." Maria spat back.

Addison stood still, frozen in fear.

Maria tensed, her snakes rising up and hissing at her pursuer.

Then, with an astounding suddenness, Maria whipped her form around and sent a huge block of ice hurling at her opponent's head. She grabbed hold of Addison's hand and ran for the forest.

Kalak8538

This was not the reaction the man had hoped for, but it was the one he expected. Therefore, he was prepared for it. He raised the shield up in defense, blocking his view of the pair as they fled. The ball of ice melded into the heavy metal, its magic energy thoroughly absorbed by the shield's enchantment. Once he was clear, the hunter looked in the direction of rustling foliage. They were mostly obscured by a combination of brush, snow, and darkness. Yet, they made no effort to move silently in their haste.

Positioning himself at the treeline, the armored man held his shield up once again, and used the secondary power of its enchantment. He aimed in the approximate direction of his quarry and fired a focused beam of cold magic. It glanced off trees and plants at shoulder height, freezing all it hit. The hunter hoped this would incapacitate his targets, and spare a woodland run from the already agonizing effort needed to complete his contract.

Once the small amount of captured magical energy was spent, he took off. Progress trough the underbrush was slow, but not as slow as expected. The great weight of the man broke most of the plants that got in the way. It was only larger bushes and the trunks of the trees he had to avoid. In case the ice had missed, he readied a trusted bolas instead of the mace.

PumpkinSwift

"Look out!"

Maria pulled Addison to the ground as a pale blue beam froze the foliage above them. Luckily, her snakes had great vision in the dark, and she had seen the noticable change in light as soon as it appeared

Much more interesting was the sight of her attack being swallowed by the man's shield. She wasn't sure what sort of magic it was, but she probably should have expected something like this from Connlaoth. She was interested in knowing how it would effect her gaze, but not enough to test it.

"Let's go." Maria pulled herself and the barmaid up and continued to run through the forest.

"W-wait! Do you even know where you're going?!" Addison screeched.

"Yes; away from him."

They continued to run through the forest, Maria searching her brain for any ideas. Suddenly, she pulled the other woman to a stop. "I have an idea."

Maria laid her hands on the fresh snow, and assumed control of it, of the air, of the world around her. The snow flew upwards, winding like one of her snakes through the air. It multiplied, and grew into a flurry, obscuring even her own keen vision.

She let the flurry expand, the forces of nature taking hold and taking control away from her. The flurry grew into a blizzard, wind biting into their skin and howling in the night.

"Maria!" Addison yelled, barely audible. "Where are you!?"

Maria felt around, and eventually ran into the other woman in her blind search. Addison tugged on her arm, pulling her deeper into the forest.

Kalak8538

(Sorry for the long wait)

The man hesitated only for a moment as the winds whipped up around him. The already hostile cold was made worse by this unforgiving blizzard, testing the hunter's resolve to catch his prey. Using the last known direction of the two women, he charged headlong through the biting wind. The sheer temperature severely tested the man's great constitution to its limit, slowing his movement and freezing the steel encasing his body. Willpower alone drove the mage hunter forward, until he found either the targets or a break in the swirling ice.

PumpkinSwift

Maria and Addison collapsed in the freshly fallen snow, the blizzard finally letting up after what seemed like hours to the two women.

"We need to keep moving." Maria said, pulling herself on to her feet. "He might still be following us. Come on, let's"

"No!" Addison screeched, freezing Maria in place. "I didn't sign up for this, Maria. I said I'd go to the nearest town with you. I didn't say I was going to fight some mercenary with you, I never thought I'd be running for my life in a forest during a blizzard, I-I didn't think," Addison paused for a gulp of air. "I didn't think I'd die here."

Maria didn't respond. How could she? She managed to squeak out a weak "I'm sorry" and the two women sat in the snow, the blizzard having blown over and leaving them with only the sound of their thoughts.

Eventually, Addison turned to Maria with the intent to make amends, but she was interrupted by the sound of snapping branches behind them. Maria and Addison shared a quick glance, and readied themselves for the oncoming storm.

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