Hell & Heaven (Closed for RPCG)

[ShadowFighter15]

A word of advice to any readers planning on taking up the adventuring lifestyle: keep track of who you piss off; that way, when you're being chased through a dark forest at night by bad guys, you'll have a better idea of who's wanting your head this time. A shame I didn't have that little pearl of wisdom when I needed it.

Damn, you'd think these guys'd at least have the courtesy to tell you who they are before they make with the crossbow bolts. I winced as I tried to pull my wings closer while running. I'm sure Dad would've liked to see me now - if the scaly bastard could ever bother to leave his cave. Running through a forest with a broken arm, a crossbow bolt in my chest (and the flight muscle for my left wing), holes in my wings from more crossbow bolts, my mithril chainmail damaged and I think I had one stuck through my tail (at least it didn't get stuck to a tree like last time that happened; that was humiliating).

Before I realised it, I'd passed the edge of the forest. I kept moving, not wanting to make myself an even easier target than the open field was already making me. I felt a prickling on the back of my neck, someone was casting a spell. I didn't know what it was, but I turned back to see if it came from there and saw a small hail of crossbow bolts racing towards me-

-only to bounce of an invisible wall about ten feet away from me. Wait, I thought. When did that- A blast of divine energy in the treeline interrupted my thoughts, and I saw a figure land on-top of the Wall of Force (no doubt having used a flight spell). With the light from the divine spell from before silhouetting the figure, all I could tell was that it was a woman, humanoid, and possessing a slender tail. And evidently a mage of some sort, as she cut loose with a series of four balls of fire that streaked towards my attackers, incinerating some and causing a rather considerable blast.

There was a loud roar from above and a truly massive bird flew overhead to join the fray, a figure leaping from its back and onto the Wall of Force as the roc started to lay into my now-fleeing assailants.

I've seen clerics and mages as strong as them cut loose before, but the sight always leaves me in awe. Even a guy like me; a swordsman who uses a lot of wands and other magical gear to supplement my sword-skills, would never come close to the sort of power people like that can throw out. I've even heard of mages powerful enough to create their own small plane of existence.

"Whoa. Guess Lady Luck was smiling on me tonight. Thanks for the save."


Name: Marcus Tendrak
Age: 20
Race: Half-human, half-silver dragon*
Height: 6' (6'6" counting wings)
Length: Roughly a foot
Description: Mostly humanoid, with the exception of two large, draconic wings and a long tail. Body covered in silver scales, fingers ending in sharp claws, teeth all pointed (like a dragon's), eyes are silvery-white with slit pupils. White hair reaches to his waist, tied back to keep it out of the way. Wears a light suit of mithril chainmail and carries a longsword wreathed in electricity and covered in a light frost. A trio of satchels hang from straps around his torso. At the moment, a crossbow bolt is sticking out of the left side of his chest, another is through his tail and his left arm is clearly broken and dislocated. Despite the injuries, he doesn't show any signs of pain.

*Before you wonder about the logistics involved in that; dragons can shapeshift (unlike in some of the dragon-related stories elsewhere on these forums)

 

[RoleplayCatgirl]

Name: Kyrie DuLaine (ky-REE do-lane)
Age: 21
Race: Aasimar
Height: 5'4"
Description: Long brown hair worn straight, with soft olive-green eyes, and most often with a stern set to her expression and stance. She has a pleasently curvy figure, measuring 36c-28-34, with a pert, round backside and fairly long legs. Her attire is a long red coat worn over a pristine white priestess tunic, white gloves and black sandals. Hanging from her neck is a silver pendant in the shape of her God Bahamut's* emblem, a dragon clasping a clear, rough hewn quartz crystal.


Name: Vera VonFaulk (veer-uh von-fawlk)
Age: 89
Race: Tiefling
Height: 5'
Description: Hair the color of a ruby shining in the sun, two short back-curving horns protruding from her forehead two inches above her eyebrows, and eyes that are a dark red that approachs black. Her shape is almost impossibly formed; 38dd-22-36, and a full rump. She wears a black, sleeveless and legless bodysuit** which hugs and displays the curves of her torso while not showing any skin, and open in the back an inch or so below the waist to accomodate her leathery, black bat-like wings and long, smooth, slender tail. Black, fingerless opera gloves reach to the middle of her upper arms, and black, heeled boots come up just below her knees. Though it's rarely seen, a crecent moon within a circle is branded into her skin right above her left breast, to honor the Goddess Sehanine***.

*Bahamut: Justice, Honor, Nobility, Protection
**Simply picture a black, one-piece swimsuit without a back
***Sehanine: Trickery, Moon, Love, Autumn

- - -​

As the moon passed slowly above her...bright, full and round tonight, though looking hazy at the edges as it is tucked away behind a cloud...Vera reclined in the upper branchs of a tree at the forest edge, some seventy feet about the ground below, watching it's slow progress through the sky. Her hand is streched upward, as if trying to softly stroke the moon with her fingertips, and she softly speaks words of gratitude under her breath for the luck and good fortune she and her companion have received since the last full moon, and for the lessons to be learned from obstacles set before them.

For a breif moment, the moon was blotted out by a large form passing before it; Kyrie, astride a roc, making one of her routine patrols over their camp. Vera shook her head at the idea. True, they had met with more than a couple hostile encounters during their travels, but she had personally found it more exciting to meet their adversaries unprepared, flung suddenly into the heat of battle rather than seeing the enemy coming at a distance.

Then, she saw the roc circling back sharply and dropping low towards the forest canopy, and the merest moment later there was a commotion to Vera's left, closing fast. Looking that way, she could see a large dragonic male crashing through the trees with a group of humans giving chase, firing crossbow bolts into him. Kyrie was coming in close, openning her mouth to call down what she had seen, been Vera was already tumbling from the tree, waving the words aside before they could be said. "Yea, yea, I see 'em." She muttered to herself as she dropped from branch to branch with ease.

Nearing the ground, she saw a subtle shifting in the air between the dragonoid and his pursuers, looking like the heat haze rising over a fire, and the most recent bolts bounced back from it before striking their intended victim; Kyrie, putting up a defensive spell, not a moment too soon. From a limb twnety feet up, Vera dropped lightly onto the top of the magic barrier, using her slender tail for balance. Turning to face the stunned mob, she shot out her right hand, fingers spread, and sent a small ball of flame from each as easily as if she were flicking drops of water towards the humans. Some were caught instantly by the flame, while others were set upon by the roc as Kyrie came to rest beside her on the magic wall and giving her a less than pleased look. Vera scowled and gave a one shoulder shrug, growling under her breath.

"A'right, I know, ya don't like 'em dead if they didn't attack us first; It felt right in the moment. 'Sides, you had your roc finish--"

"Finish what you had started, so they would not be back with re-enforcements for your fool head. For all you know, they were local law, and this one we have saved is deserving of their ire, if not their violence."

Vera was about to protest, angry at being interupted and angry simply because that logical, clear thinking, live-and-let-live attitude could be so annoying at times, running opposite to her own live-in-the-moment-and-damn-the-consequences mentality. Kyrie disolved the barrier below them, the two dropping lightly to the grass, and looked back at the dgaon man, half of her face showing to him in the moon light before she turned back to Vera, continuing in her quiet, yet iron firm, authoritative tone, a hint of some undefinable accent tugging at the corner of her voice as always. "Now, let us deal with this one. And please; Restraint, dear Vera, restraint."

The tiefling huffed, but nodded, and approached with slow, measured steps, taking the added moment to try and size up this man they had rescued. He was a swordsman, that much was clear, with build enough to imply he was good at it. Beyond that, there was little she could determine...well, except that he was pleasing to the eye in a rough way.

"Whoa. Guess Lady Luck was smiling on me tonight. Thanks for the save."

Vera stood at a distance of three feet, Kyrie still twice that much behind her, and gave a single nod in reply before speaking in her deep, husky voice, aluring but not to be argued with, like a silk wrapped brick. "You're welcome, and hopefully we won't regret it. Who were those people, an' what did they want with ya?"

 

[ShadowFighter15]

I took a moment before replying to get a better look at my rescuers. The closer one was obviously a tiefling and while I'd met a few in my time, I'd never met one with wings. I wasn't sure if they were functional or not, but they certainly added to her looks (which were already impressive enough that I was sure she had a succubus somewhere in the family tree - I'd never seen a human with a build like that in any case).

Her companion, who was obviously the more cautious of the two from how far back she was standing, looked human, but had this air about her that I hadn't seen on any other clerics. Her beauty struck me as being at odds with her expression, not that I could blame her being cautious, all things considered.

I was starting to think that Tymora wanted to have a bit of fun with me, letting me get attacked and then rescued by a pair of beautiful women. Then again, considering the pendant around the cleric's neck, Bahamut probably had a claw in there as well, though to be honest I never really looked into his opinions on half-breeds like me.

"To be honest, I'm not sure who they were. Halflings with crossbows and nondescript clothing meant for forest stealth. Narrows it down to three groups, but that's about it. You don't have to worry about them being law enforcement or anything - two of those groups are crime families working in the nearby cities and the third's a mercenary outfit. All three of which I've pissed off at one point or another."

As I spoke, I brought my tail around in-front of me to get the bolt out. It was probably the easiest to get out since it had gone right through. Still hurt like a bitch though.

"Hate to impose on you guys at all, but you wouldn't happen to be able to spare a bit of healing, would you? I used up my last healing potion about ten minutes ago."

 

[RoleplayCatgirl]

Vera listened as the draconic explained about the group that had been chasing him, and gave a slight nod to say 'Fair enough'. She turned her head to fire a look back at Kyrie, and little smirk or self-satisfaction on her lips. Kyrie only scoffed, and shifted to lean against a tree, lowering her guard for the moment. Her tiefling companion had won a minor victory this time, in that the pursuers were either criminals or paid mercenaries; The former deserving of the punishment they had received, the latter only marginally less so, and in either case they would not be missed. All the same, Vera should have shown more caution.

"Hate to impose on you guys at all, but you wouldn't happen to be able to spare a bit of healing, would you? I used up my last healing potion about ten minutes ago."

Kyrie made a move to come close, but before she come take more than two steps, Vera had yanked the offending bolt free with one hand and quickly clasped the other around the man's tail. As a trickle of blood seeped out through her fingers, she once again cast a small fire spell, with the result of both cauterizing the entry and exit wounds shut, while also mildly burning him. She wasn't sure of the extent to which he could be hurt given his scales, but she thought at least some of the heat would get through.

"At least for the moment, you can wear your scars as a lesson against pissin' off whoever it was that you did. Now then; My...friend and I are camped in a clearing nearby. Can we expect a second wave of your friends?"

Not waiting for an answer, and expecting to be followed if an answer is forthcoming, Vera walked into the trees in the direction of the low glow of their campfire. Kyrie was a dozen steps behind, stopping to draw a small vial of healing potion from an inner coat pocket and passing it to the man.

"Vera is not so bad, in her own way. She is just a...something of an aquired taste. Come." Kyrie laid a hand on the crook of his elbow, quiding him towards the camp as well. "Oh yes, forgive me. My name is Kyrie...and your own?"

 

[ShadowFighter15]

As the tiefling applied her... unique... method of first aid, I tried to supress the manly grunt that came up my throat. No it was not a girly shout, and anyone who says otherwise is lying! Guess she didn't realise that silver dragons (and by extension, silver half-dragons like myself) are cold-affiliated; instead of breathing fire, we breathe super-cold air that can freeze a person where they stand. Meaning I felt the heat a bit more than she was expecting.

"I doubt there'll be another lot of them; the crime families don't have the manpower to spare and the mercs aren't stupid enough to make another attack so soon. They don't take unnecessary risks, especially when they aren't being paid for something."

I was a bit surprised at the tiefling's behaviour, but considering the rumours about tieflings I figured I was lucky to find one even that friendly. Scary thought, I know. I was grateful when her companion handed me a potion and downed it as she tried to reassure me about her friend.

"That's fine;" I said, already feeling some of the wounds closing and the bolt in my chest working its way out, "she's not the worst mage I've met. I'm Marcus. Marcus Tendrak." I followed her to the camp, hoping I still had some travel rations or something in my bag; the rabbit I'd been cooking for dinner before the attack was probably burnt to a crisp by now even if I could be bothered to go back to get it.

 

[RoleplayCatgirl]

Kyrie's lips turned up the very tiniest, almost un-noticable way at the corners when Marcus introduced himself. It was reassuring to hear they were unlikely to be further bothered this night, and the prospect of company was pleasent to her.

"Marcus; Well met. And might I inquire, what is it that brings you to us tonight?"

Coming into a small clearing, they found the tiefling crouched at the side of the campfire, prodding a bit of extra life back into it. A pair of thick branchs had been set up, one on either side of the fire facing each other, and it was onto one of these that Kyrie lowered herself, motioning towards the other. The fire once again burning warmly, easily lighting the little encampment, Vera stood and walked back out into the trees, moving slow and glancing side to side frequently.

"Stubborn. You would not hear it from her, but she too is glad for your company. Aside from trips into towns for supplies, she and I tend to keep to ourselves."

 

[ShadowFighter15]

"I was heading for Zagriev, that coastal city about a day or so east of here. Figured I'd rent a place there and take a few months off adventuring for a while, you know; just kick back and relax."

I was a bit disappointed that Vera wasn't joining us, not just because of the view, mind. It just felt like she was snubbing me a little. Probably a reason for it, best not pry or I'll probably make things worse.

"I can at least understand why Vera would want to keep to herself, what with how most of the world sees tieflings. She's actually the friendliest one I've met." As I spoke, the bolt that had been in my chest finally came free and I slipped it into my bag. No sense wasting it, after all. I flexed my wing a bit to make sure the flight muscle the bolt had pierced still worked. It was a bit sore, but the potion was still doing its work.

"So what about you guys? You headed anywhere in particular?"

 

[RoleplayCatgirl]

Kyrie hesitated a moment, her eyes shifting to one side, away from Marcus, before answering his question.

"We, also, were heading towards the coast, hoping to book passage across the ocean. We are on the trail of a man who has had a deep, negative effect on the Vera and myself. We heard rumors which suggest he may have moved on to Haddince, on the eastern continent."

"Not that we usually discuss it with people we've only just met."

Vera returned to the encampment, an owl dangling upside down limply from both her hands. She sat cross legged on the ground, working at plucking the two birds, looking towards Marcus. "While some of us can be a bit rash in our actions, Kyrie can be too trusting from time to time."

The first owl cleaned, she skewered it on a thin stick, angling it over the fire to work at the other, and sighed deeply. "We hadn't planned to go to any town in particular, but...Zagriev is as good as any place to find a ship. Maybe we can keep you out of trouble, since I know Kyrie's on the verge of asking to travel with you."

 

[ShadowFighter15]

"Well I'd be happy to travel with you guys, if only for the company. And if I'm not being too forward, I wouldn't mind helping you find this guy you're looking for. My holiday can wait for a while and I need to find some way to pay you back for saving me." I realised that that probably wouldn't be enough to satisfy Vera.

"Plus I have a few contacts in Haddince, they might've heard something."

Though whether that guy'll be able to concentrate around these two knock-outs is another story.

 

[RoleplayCatgirl]

Kyrie shrunk back into herself a little at Vera's reprimand, visibly ashamed of saying more than she ought, even leaving out any details. Still, it seemed she had been quickly forgiven, as the young...well, young-ish...tiefling offered for Marcus to join them as far as the coast. The priestess offered a small smile of thanks to Vera, which was returned in kind along with a slight nod.

When the first of the two owls had cooked to her satisfaction, Vera handed it to Marcus, skewer and all, and put the second over the flames. "Eat. Kyrie and I can split the other between us just fine I imagine, and I'll find more if need be."

For a while, neither of the women said anything, and barely even moved, aside from turning their dinner periodically. In the end it was Vera who broke the silence, a grudging edge to her words. "Thank you...for your offer to help."

 

[ShadowFighter15]

I accepted the owl, glad for the food. Plus it was something I hadn't tried before, which was a bonus. "Now I feel like I owe you guys even more. Just be glad you didn't rescue this old companion of mine; huge bugger of an orc and I swear he had a portable hole instead of a stomach, he ate that much."

The owl was very well cooked and there was something different to the flavour I can't really describe. Either way, I enjoyed it and was glad to actually have something in my gut. Vera's thanks surprised me - she'd been that cold (apart from when she tried her 'first-aid') that I was worried I'd made another horrible first-impression. Not surprising, considering what I look like.

"No need to thank me, Vera. I'm happy to help and its the least I can do to repay you for saving me. Plus trying to find someone in Haddince can be a headache at times. It's possible, it just gets expensive or difficult. Even if you don't want me coming along to Haddince, I'll give you the details of my friend and a note saying he can trust you. He may be cheaper than doing things the hard way, but just be ready to hand over a fair chunk of cash."

 

[RpCg]

Kyrie and Vera shared the second of the two owls, listening to Marcus and sizing him up. Now that he had accepted the offer to travel with them, possibly even make the crossing, it was a question of his usefulness. Granted, he had his sheer size as an asset. At the other end of the spectrum, one of the few things they knew about him was that he had a talent for angering the wrong people and attracting undue attention to himself. The two women looked at one another, as if having a mental connection, the same thoughts weighing on both their minds, until they reached an unspoken agreement.

"This man, in Haddince...we know not his name...attacked the small shelter I had established, along with a few others, just outside the front lines of an on-going border dispute. We were tending to the wounded as best we could, and that...displeased...this man. He has a band of goblins that he pays to do his bidding, and--"

"And, more join his numbers along the way, either for the money or just ta stay on his good side; Humans, dwarves, a few orcs." Vera scowled, violently throwing a stripped bone aside. "One tiefling."

 

[ShadowFighter15]

((OOC: If you can't read my PMs, try turning on email notification. That way, whenever you get a PM and can't open it, the full message'll be in the email that gets automatically sent. Won't help for my last message but that doesn't matter; I was just saying that I figured something was going wrong when your avatar and signature disappeared.))

"Just the sort of person my friend can track down. He has plenty of contacts in Haddince and a few other cities and someone who's leading as many people as your're implying shouldn't be hard for him to find."

The tiefling working for this guy must've done something harsh to Vera to cause that reaction. Unless she just has a lot of racial pride and gets worked up easily.

 

[RpCg]

Kyrie accepted this news with a smile and a nod of thanks, eating at her portion of the dinner. Vera remained a minute longer, then stood and drifted off away from the two of them, sitting with her back to a tree at the clearing's edge to sleep.

Watching her go, the aasimar felt the need to apologize to Marcus for her companion once again. "I thank you for your help, Marcus. And, though she does not show it well, Vera does as well."

She felt there ought to be more to say, but wasn't sure just what it might be. As such, she remained quiet, letting the dragon man guide the conversation, if there was anything more to discuss.

 

[ShadowFighter15]

"Don't worry. And I'm sure Vera's got her reasons."

I disposed of the owl's bones before turning to Kyrie. "Mind if I take first watch? Or have you two already set up wards or something?" Up until the halflings had decided to give me a few crossbow bolts via express delivery, the day had been pretty quiet. I wasn't in much hurry to get to sleep and half-dragons like myself didn't need it as much as most other species.

 

[RpCg]

"She does, indeed, have her reasons." On this, however, Kyrie would say no more. She stood, lightly brushing her rump after sitting on the log, her cheeks going a tiny bit pink to be doing this in front of Marcus. "And yes, if you are willing to take the first watch, I appreciate and accept your offer. Wake either of us when you feel ready to sleep."

Moving past him, Kyrie put a hand to the half-dragon's shoulder, taking a brief look at his wing. It seemed to be healing up nicely; Satisfied in this, she moved away to lay out on a patch of grass off to one side, using her long coat for a blanket.

 

[ShadowFighter15]

I looked away from Kyrie's behind as she brushed it off, though I couldn't help my eyes drifting there as she moved away. They were off her before she turned back around though.

Nothing much happened on my shift, thought there was someone sneaking around but it just turned out to be a hare. When it got to the point where I was having to work to keep my eyes open - about three or four hours later I think - I looked over at the girls, trying to decide who to wake up.

I quickly settled on Kyrie - something told me that Vera wouldn't appreciate waking up to my scaly mug.

Kneeling down next to her, I placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently to wake her up. "Sorry I only let you have a few hours sleep, but if Vera burnt my tail as a 'hello', I'd hate to think what she'd do as a 'good morning'."