Tenra In Motion [IC]

[PersonMan]

OOC:

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OOC thread.

You guys made it a tie (2 Sand Swamps - 2 Rovis - 1 "near the front") so I used Cookie's vote as the tiebreaker and put you in Rovis, near the front.

The village of Bredon is one of the unexpected victims of the war. Rather than being razed by armies of either side, or devastated by a battle that rages into its streets, it has been bled nearly dry to the war. During the first few years of the war, the local lord hosted parties with the officers whose troops passed through the area. Now the lord is gone, called to the front as it drew ever closer to the village, leaving with his men-at-arms and a few dozen conscripts. Had it been only that, those who remained would not have had to worry. But it wasn't - only a week later, almost all of the food stored in the village granary was taken for the soldiers at the front.

With food stores dwindling and every able-bodied person working the fields, the manor house has fallen into disrepair. The window glass was removed to keep safe, but many of the shutters have been damaged, part of the roof fell in during a particularly violent storm and now the rooms once meant for military or noble guests are the only ones available for travelers.

Sabu Weaver:

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The journey from Cerrio was long, and you were occasionally only a few days' march from the front lines of the war during your trip into Rovis. Thinking back, your mind drifts over the events that brought you here...

It was an ambush that started it. Hired thugs in a back alley, given a few coins to cut loose ends. When they found out that they had bit off more than they could chew, it was easy to find out that their employer was intent on seeing you dead.

An old friend of the family told you of a caravan of his leaving to Rovis. It would be simple for him to get you a place as a guard-mage with a false name and therefore to safety. The caravan was fairly peaceful - it was attacked three times by desperate deserters when near the front, but apart from that there was nothing that truly required guarding.

Your employment ending as the caravan turned the final bend, you wandered further and found Bredon. Lacking any sort of inn, you were put in the manor house at the edge of the village.

----

Feel free to change some things, this is just my thoughts on how to get Sabu from Cerrio into nowheresville Bredon.

Iluthen:

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I just realized that, if you have fluff written down somewhere, I can't see it. As such, I can't think of any reason for you to be in Bredon.

If you could send me some info, it would be a lot easier to work out things that appeal to the character - as this is a sandbox thing, I'll be trying to get a lot more than the generic "hey, we'll give you money if you do this".

William Ironheart:

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As a traveling warrior, it's sometimes been difficult to keep ahead of those who would try to conscript you rather than hire you, but you've gotten by fairly well. Many people are confused when you mention Bob, but then again it's the stories about you and him that often lift the mood the most. People would rather hear about a lucky warrior with a strange 'buddy' that helps him in fights than more depressing news about the scaled folk advancing into Rovis.

Bredon welcomed you with open arms - as long as you don't eat too much and duck behind a house when soldiers march by on the way to the front, of course. A strong set of arms to work the fields, a way with animals and people...you're just the kind of person Bredon needs to stay on its feet (however shaky those feet may be).

You have one of the better rooms in the manor. When you arrived, an older woman named Marie came by to make sure everything was in order with it before you went in. The people here clearly like you.

Recently, a few more people have arrived: a short woman from the east and a strange darker-skinned man from the southeast.

Earlier today, you heard singing from the church. Far better than anything else you've heard here. Some asking around revealed that the one singing was Roslynn, the daughter of the departed lord. Rather than devote herself to working the fields, a necessity even for her once most of the young men were conscripted, she chose to become a priestess of Agoris. Now she's in training, an acolyte.

Around the same time as the singing, an odd-looking man arrived from the north. He seemed interested in the sound, but didn't get a chance to investigate it or ask around, as Marie brought him to the manor.

Matthis:

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(This is assuming you'd rather have taken the short route, instead of having gone across the continent to the coast, then back into Rovis.)

Bredon is one of those places. The ones where people don't really have enough to afford giving any to someone who won't give back - sure, talking them into it is no problem. The issues arise when you leave for the night (alone or with company, although the second generally makes things get worse faster than they otherwise would) or go off to investigate a new sound. Without you being there to smooth things over, arguments get started about feeding the "useless capitol boy".

So, if you want to stay here for long, then shirking hard labor isn't really an option. Of course, that's not a problem yet, as you've just arrived. There's not much to eat - most of what can be spared are iron rations for soldiers passing through. A woman named Marie, perhaps forty years old, came to make sure your room was in order after you first were brought to the manor. Its lord, of some house you've never heard of in Rovis or anywhere else, left for the front some time ago, and now the manor is being used as a place for travelers to stay in.

Bredon is a boring, dying village. If it weren't for the girl whose singing you heard as you arrived, there wouldn't be anything special about it. More women than men, but that's normal this close to the fighting. The girl you heard singing from the church (of Agoris, of course) is apparently an acolyte who turned to religion rather than accept a life of working on the fields when her father left.

Now, unfortunately, she's hidden away behind the locked doors of the church, so it's impossible to get to her and find out more about her voice or how she hits notes close enough to the sound you seek that it sends shivers down your spine.

-----

Feel free to change details, the point is basically: you're here. For reasonable reasons. There's some girl who can sing amazingly close (relative to normal singers) to the GodChord here, otherwise the village is...pretty boring.

Nikola:

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It's been quite a journey across the fields of southern Rovis, from the mountains of your home to this small village called Bredon. The locals were entirely unsure what to do at the arrival of a three-foot-tall dwarf with a fully grown wolf as her companion - before long, she was given the best room they had available. In the manor house, emptied when the lord and his retinue left for the battles to the south (this war with the nation of lizard-people to the south has grown ever more dire as you travel, at least judging by what people say about it), in a room far larger than necessary. Due to her size, not its.

A woman named Marie, perhaps forty years old, came to check that everything was in order with the room before leaving again.

Bredon isn't special in much of any way - although the singing coming from the church earlier was unusually beautiful. Something about it reminded you of the howling winds of the mountains, somehow.

The manor's common room is where you all are now - for one reason or another. It's early evening, the sun is beginning to set and the fields are being emptied of workers.

[BelGareth]

It had been a long road, and Matthis had chosen to take the long road, whimsy had taken root and he shrugged his shoulders and marched on.

As was more common as of late, he seemed to be flighty, not scared of situations or not caring to settle in on place, but rather, wanting to see everything, not caring where the winds of the world take him. It felt...exhilarating to him, and he drank it like a cheap wine.

The road was grey and wearisome, soldiers on both sides had made the country a dangerous place, but he was capable of taking care of himself, and once again he reveled in the excitement of combat. HE wasn't a thrill seeker, he knew death was permanent, and therefore had no love for combat, but he found it exciting nonetheless.

He found the little village of Bredon and tried his hardest to recall what he knew of the place, he had heard of it before, but nothing stood out in his mind about the place, except the obvious proximity to the border. He looked to the Manor, and couldn't think of the family who had owned it, nothing came, and he shrugged his shoulders.

As he walked through, he heard a voice, a beautiful voice that reverberated within him, hit a chord within his mind and he drank in the beautiful sound like a vampire hungering for blood.

Shaking himself he peeked into the building which housed the singer, it was obvious that the building was religious. He would have to reconnoiter some more info, prehaps the locals would give up the info? he thought to himself.

Moving to the manor, which seemed to serve as the inn and bar, he proffered a gold coin for a room, allowing him to dry off and clean his shoes, his doublet was slightly dirty, but there was nowhere to wash it, so he shrugged it off and lay down for a few winks.

Waking hours later, he put his doublet back on, un-tucking his pony tail from it, and lit a cigarette and sauntered downstairs, he took a seat and waited to be served while he listened and watched.

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Gather info (1d20+21)[38]
Listen (1d20-12)[-6]

His attempt to listen to any chatter is spoiled as he is distracted by a tune someone is humming, it takes up root and by the time he served, he is humming the tune himself, taking up a more upbeat tempo to the folksy tune. Every once in a while he lets out a word of song, short but beautiful to the ear, and then continues to hum.

[Lix Lorn]

Nikola isn't good at paying attention to other people.
To be honest, she's not good at people. She can be charming and friendly enough, but when they get to know her, they... find something is off.

Nikola, while the rest are talking, or humming amongst themselves, is brushing through the fur of her wolf.

Perhaps it's odd to keep a massive creature like that with one as one stays inside, but... no-one has bought this point up to her.

After all, she has a massive wolf.

So she sits, and brushes, and hums along to a half remembered folk tune.

[J-H]

William walks into the common room, hair still damp from a quick plunge in the river to clean off the sweat after a day's work. He hooks a chair with his ankle, pulling it away from one of the tables, before putting his meal down on the table.

He sits into the woven seat and back of the chair, relaxing for a moment before taking a bite off the gravy-covered chunk of meat that was balanced on his trencher of bread.

"So, what's with all the music tonight? I heard the priestess singing earlier, but did a minstrel come through town or something?"

[Swami Monsoon]

Sabu idly pushes the last of his food around the plate...

So where to go from here? Neither Val or Cerrio was safe for him any more. And Rovis? Clearly this place was not safe for anybody... but that went double for somebody with his... unusual attributes. He doubts that south of the border would be much better. If he tries to be one of the Scaled Folk round the clock it's only a matter of time until he slips up... and gods only know how those fanatics would deal with a freak of nature like him... So Siel? It's a s#@%t hole, but at least it's a peaceful s#@%t hole. A few months or a year there and maybe things will have cooled off back home. But is there any traffic headed there from a place as out of the way as this?

As Sabu ponders, his head unconsciously begins to sway in time with the tune that is spreading through the common room like a rash. He catches himself... Ugh... there's a really bad joke to be had right there... and turns in response to the question from the next table.

"I'm not sure. But whoever made it up, that is one catchy tune..."

[Sgt. Cookie]

Iluthen was in a reasonably good mood. The day was clear, his blade was used and most importantly, he was on the road.

It felt good, going from place to place. But Luth had a destination, this time. The front lines of the war. It takes a certain type of man to willingly go to the front lines. Fortunately, he was that type.

After flying for most of the day, Iluthen decided to land as he approched a small settlement. Walking into the village, he could see that it was desolate, a victim, however indirect, of the war. But at least there were people here and probably a pub or an inn too.

Walking upto the manor house, Iluthen looked in through a window. He saw a common room and entered. Ordering a beer, he sat at a table alone. Ignoring the stares of the crowd. After all, a physicaly flawless man with large bat wings just entered the room.

[Swami Monsoon]

Now there's something you don't see everyday...

[BelGareth]

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Welp, time to get crazy

Matthis begins to hear others humming the tune and it seems to pick up throughout the building, and then the strange winged human walks in, his eyebrows raised he stands and salutes the man with a cup.

He then starts to sing, a beautiful and melodic voice, it complements the humming and he nods to people and waves to them to keep humming, keeping the song going as he sings his heart out.

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Perform Singing - (1d20+32)[50]

"About a maid I'll sing a song,
Sing rickety-tickety-tin,
About a maid I'll sing a song
Who didn't have her family long.
Not only did she do them wrong,
She did ev'ryone of them in, them in,
She did ev'ryone of them in.

One morning in a fit of pique,
Sing rickety-tickety-tin,
One morning in a fit of pique,
She drowned her father in the creek.
The water tasted bad for a week,
And we had to make do with gin, with gin,
We had to make do with gin.

Her mother she could never stand,
Sing rickety-tickety-tin,
Her mother she cold never stand,
And so a cyanide soup she planned.
The mother died with a spoon in her hand,
And her face in a hideous grin, a grin,
Her face in a hideous grin...."

[Sgt. Cookie]

Although Iluthen was not as good a singer as this man, he decided to take up the next few verses.

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Perform singing
(1d20+5)[12]

"...She weighted her brother down with stones
Sing rickety tickety tin
She weighted her brother down with stones
And sent him off to Davey Jones
All they ever found were some bones
And occasional pieces of skin, of skin
Occasional pieces of skin.

She set her sister's hair on fire
Sing rickety tickety tin
She set her sister's hair on fire
And as the smoke and flame rose higher
Danced around the funeral pyre
Playing a violin, olin
Playing a violin.

One day she had nothing to do
Sing rickety tickety tin
One day she had nothing to do
She cut her baby brother in two
And served him up as an Irish stew
And invited the neighbors in, bors in
Invited the neighbors in..."

[Swami Monsoon]

Sabu wonders what she uses in the next stanza. A bomb? He's not about to hazard a guess out loud, as his singing voice has been known to terrify children and small animals. He does remind himself never to try "Irish Stew," whatever that was.

These folks were clearly not from around here, so they might be an opening to an opportunity that led somewhere besides around here...

"Nicely sung. Creepy as hell, but well done."
He nods at Matthis.
"So do you do this for a living?"

[BelGareth]

Matthis smiles as the other gentleman picks up the song, while not a 'good' as he was, it was good nonetheless.

He swayed and shook his mug as he sang, starting right back up as he left off:

"And when at last the police came by,
Sing rickety-tickety-tin,
And when at last the police came by,
Her little pranks sheee...."

He stopped short as the other person talked to him, interrupting his verse right in the middle. He almost stumbles as he stops singing, as if it were keeping up.

"Aye!, er...no! no, I don't do it for a living, just a hobby!" he stops, and walks over to Sabu's table and sits down, not waiting for an invitation. You could see by his clothes, nicely fit and well cut, made of quality clothe that he was either a prince, a wealthy merchant or a very successful thief.
"No, I like to travel, that's not what I do, but it's what I like! What about you?" he asks, pointing a fingure at the man.

He turns to the winged man who had joined in "Come! You dastardly singer you! You could take the girdle off a snake!" and he pulls up a chair indicating for him to sit with them.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Taking the invitation, Iluthen sat with the two men. Taking a drink from his beer, he decided to introduce himself. "Name's Iluthen, though Luth is also fine. Whichever you prefer. I'm just passing through, on my way to the front lines. I'm a mercenary, you see, and a demon, so chaos and bloodshed hold more interest than hard labour. Not that hard labour was ever going to be my purpurse, I command steel, arcane might and divine favour. No, I was always going to be a little soldier. Anyway, I'm babbling, you?"

[Swami Monsoon]

"I'm actually sort of between jobs at the moment. I was with the caravan that just arrived..."

Sabu keeps his frown on the inside. He wonders why this guy is so eager to jump into the meatgrinder down south....

[PersonMan]

The one serving, an old man too advanced in age to work at the fields and stingy with what ale was available, mutters under his breath whenever someone new comes into the room. Giving Illuthien his drink, he says something like "Hmph! Back in my day we didn't have them fancy wings," before going back to his barely-audible stream of muttering.

Before long, the table that now has most of the people in the room at it gets a new face: a young village man, clearly returning from work on the fields. It's odd that he'd still be there - by now, there are barely a handful of fit men left in the village. He has a fairly average appearance, short brown hair, eyes of a lighter but similar color and the simple clothes and muscles of a farmer. Coming with a mug of ale, he sits heavily on an open chair and nods to you all.

"Evenin'," he begins, "Name's Jeriah. I heard someone was asking around 'bout the priestess. Was it any of you?"

William:

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Jeriah is blind on one eye - his left or his right, you don't remember which. This, and an exaggeration of the slight weakness of his other eye's vision, was enough to keep him on the fields and away from the war.

He's well known for being helpful to newcomers and he enjoys answering questions in general. It's nothing unusual for him to go looking for someone after he heard they were looking for something.

[BelGareth]

Matthis was in the middle of a story when Joriah sat down and interrupted him

"And then the Troll...The TROLL, sat down onto the pig, and he was like...." he turns to see the newcomer, "Ah yes, that would have been me, her voice is something to be admired." he turns to the others and whispers the rest of the story "And he was like, where is my PIG!"

[Lix Lorn]

"I vas certainly interested." Nikola agrees, not looking up from her careful brushing.

[PersonMan]

OOC:

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Sorry for the slowdown, folks, I've been having end of the year tests which have been eating up my energy. It'll be a while before they're all finished, but my posting should be more stable from now on.

"Well, you were pretty lucky to hear 'er. Y'see, she doesn't normally sing. Ever since her father and brother went to the war, she stopped," Jeriah explains, taking a drink. "Damn shame, too. I hear the priest is trying to get her to sing more, too. Keeps sayin' her voice is a gift from Agoris she should be using more,"

After a few moments, he turns his gaze between Nikola and Illuthien. "...Man, I can't believe I'm stayin' this calm. A girl with a wolf and a man with wings. Y'know, the old man's gonna be callin' this the 'weirdo table' for a good few weeks. Might even make some'n else clean it. He's mighty superstitious," Jeriah continues, smiling to himself as he mentions the old man, taking another drink.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Iluthen shakes his head "Nothing wrong with superstition. A healthy dose can keep you alive and out of danger. Never underestimate the power of belief."

[J-H]

"Yep, some people are just born lucky. I should know...

I've been here more than a couple of days, and haven't heard her sing before. Any idea what made her work her lungs today?"

[PersonMan]

Jeriah considers his drink for a few moments, raising it to his lips again and only speaking once he's set it back down.

"Hmm...not quite sure, actually. I think there was news from the front? A messenger came today, but I don't know if he was just passing through, I was busy working the fields," he says. "If anyone knows for sure it'd be Marie. She's always the one who takes the letters for the village,"

[Swami Monsoon]

"Is there any idea whether the war news was good or bad?"

[Sgt. Cookie]

"Yes and yes, or, perhaps no and no. The news will be good for someone, bad for someone else. It's a war, no such thing as good news, no such thing as bad. All there is is news, it's meaning and import depends on which side of the battle you're on."

[PersonMan]

"Well," Jeriah begins, "I'm not sure if it was good or bad, but I think it could be good if it was what made her sing," he says.

"An' I mean good for us. She never seemed the type to sing when she was sad,"

[BelGareth]

Matthos eyes the newcomer with intrigue, he seemed....pointed, as if there were another subtle, reason for his arrival. Not being able to put his finger on it, he stood suddenly.

"Well then, looks like we should visit her, it seems she is an important person, even in these parts."

He moves to leave, turning to confirm with Jeriah. "You said she was in the temple?"

As soon as he has confirmation, he goes to the temple to see this intriguing woman.

[PersonMan]

Jeriah is clearly surprised by Matthis' sudden standing up.

"Ehh...well, yes, but-"

As the man leaves, he turns to the others, confused, saying nothing but with a question clear in his expression.

---

Matthis finds the church without a problem. It's small for a temple of Agoris and very humble, made primarily of wood and similar materials. The doors are closed and barred from the outside, with no visible way in without moving the heavy wooden beam keeping them shut. There's a small cottage nearby, inside the fence around the church grounds, with what looks like a garden off to the side of it.

Smoke rises slowly from the small chimney, and a light glows softly from inside the as of yet unshuttered windows.

[Sgt. Cookie]

"Mind if I tag along? I've got nothing to do 'till morning, anyway."

[J-H]

William watches the two go. After thinking for a minute, he mutters to himself.

"Why not, nothing else to do."

Standing, he walks out the door, generally following the path they'd taken.

[Swami Monsoon]

"Why not, nothing else to do."

"That pretty much sums it up."

His curiosity aroused, Sabu follows the group outside...

[BelGareth]

Matthis looks back and shrugs a big smile on his face "Of course, come along, the more the merrier, plus...I like company over solitary..well, lets just say YES!" he declares with his hands in the air.

He takes off and finds the temple, seeing the cottage which was obviously housing someone, he looks towards it and moves to the door, knocking on it.3

*knock* *knock*

*knock* *knock*

[Lix Lorn]

Nikola too follows, although she climbs upon her wolf's back to do so.
"Yes, this sitting is becoming quite dull..."