Age of Ruin IC: Where demons dwell

[knewsom]

Draven raised an eyebrow at Ismal.

...privacy.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner
Frowning, Sumner squats by the side of the road and digs through the bones, trying to see how deep they reach. He grunts as he shifts heavier demon skulls and strange horns and vertebrae, the muscles on his arms bulging out, making the tattoos flow around them.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Or at least the illusion of it. That's right! I remember how uncomfortable you were the first time we made love in front of my maid.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Looking down on the town, Kaleff shifts the ill-fitting armor so that it rests more comfortably. Too bad we can't do without rest here, too. Its convienent not to have to worry about food, but that doesn't give us much more time, but skipping sleep would give us more travel time, shorten our stay here. Wrinkleing his nose he follows the guide on down, Then again, I'm glad I don't have to choke down what passes for food around here.

[Ozzy_G]

Sumner digs and digs, and about 4 ft down he finds dark red soil.

Meanwhile, Veja ties up his steed outside the hut, and goes in.
Following him, Kaleff finds that the inside of the hut are 4 rough beds, all slightly rotten.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Straightening up, Sumner takes a pinch of the red soil between two fingers and looks at it, thoughtfully. After a time however, he straightens up and dusts off his hands.
Well...I'll say one thing; Moving around is much easier now.
With that idle thought, the warrior wanders back to the hut. He takes a seat, cross-legged, on the stone floor and reflexively reaches for his waist...but his hand encounters nothing. For just a moment, the youth's face twists in agony, but just as quickly, it's gone. Instead, Sumner holds the battleaxe across his lap and examines it with the discerning eye of a seasoned warrior.
It lacked...finesse, but it had raw power enough to be a good weapon. Sumner tests its weight with his hands for a moment, but then sets the notched blade aside. Leaning against the frame of the hut, and still in his plundered armor, Sumner closes his eyes.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Slipping hesitantly into the hut, Ismal takes the largest of the beds, leaning her spear up against the wall beside. She does a cursory inspection of the room before settling into the bed. She scootches over to leave room for Draven.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Breifly glancing around the room, Kaleff takes quick stock of his surroundings. Going up to the nearest empty bed, the Zhan sets a foot on it, rocking it, to make sure it wouldn't collapse on him in the night. Reasonably satisfied, he quickly strips off his armor, tossing it toward a corner. About to settle as best as he can into bed, Kaleff hesitates, then lays down and waits for sleep. Take me tonight if you will, Dread Lord, and send me where you will. If not, guide me, tomorro, that your purpose is done.

[Lot]

Khorik walks into the hut and sits down on a bed. He lays the strange, straight-bladed greatsword on it and works on unstrapping his armor.

"It's been a strange day. Maybe this will all make more sense after a night of sleep, though I doubt it. I could use some sleep now but I'll be happy to take second watch."

Khorik slides the bundled armor under his head to use as a makeshift pillow, then closes his eyes.

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner grunts acknowledgement, and then climbs back to his feet, apparently content to take first watch. He paces to the ramshackle frame of the hut's door, and then leans against it, looking up at the crimson clouds above, and then down to the valley of dry bones, quietly bleaching in the sanguine light, where he waits and watches for a time.
Meeting the Colonel had been making him think, moreso than he liked to admit, even to himself. Holding up a hand unblemished by age, the tattooed youth turns it this way and that. At about this age...there had been another hellish landscape, hadn't there? All flames and smoke and crushed rubble, and the stench of scorched flesh.
But apparently, And Sumner's jaw clenches at the thought, there had been a world where there was an Empire once more. A world which he himself didn't belong to, and which now was no more.
And, a new voice said, who was to blame for that? Azakan had been a Zere, and with the amulet he would have ruled, if it was as powerful as was said. But...
Sumner's hands clench on the haft of the battleaxe.
It had been the Zhan, hadn't it? He'd broken the amulet, or at least that was what the Elder Hern had said, and the other Gareth seemed to believe it.
Turning slowly, Sumner looks back inside the hut, the arterial glow from the landscape shining off of his deep-set gray eyes in a worrying fashion as he stares at the reclining shadowy figure. He takes a few steps forward, still grasping the axe. It could be easily done, and possibly his soul would not have far to travel afterwards.
Sumner stands silently for a few lengthy seconds, the air thick with menace as he watches the Zhan's sleeping form.
The young warrior lifts the axe...but then lowers it again.

No.

Turning on his heel, Sumner walks back to the threshold of the hut and turns the axe over in his fingers. There was a brutality and simplicity about this weapon which was...dangerously attractive.

[Ozzy_G]

Strange sounds and whispers assail Sumner as he watches, but when he gets up to look, he finds nothing. At times, he is sure there is something just out of sight... but turning, it seems as if it is still just out of his field of vision.
Eventually, tired, Sumner wakes up Khorik, lying down on the newly vacated bed as the, now older, warrior takes up the watch. Khorik too seems to sense something... wrong... in the air. But what is it? He cannot say. There is something intangible, some great evil which hangs in the air, a presence.
But nothing is visible.
Khorik in turn wakes up Hern, who wanders fitfully around the outside of the hut. The skulls on the plain seem to be watching him. He could swear that when he looks away, the bones move.
After several nervous hours, he wakens Kaleff, who sits outside. Kaleff tries to meditate, to feel the peace of Imshaeroth. He feels nothing. He just cannot get the right frame of mind somehow.
Finally, 8 hours after the first of you went to bed, you all get up. You are physically refreshed, no fatigue dulls your senses, but you don't feel refreshed.
Ismal meditates for quarter of an hour, feeling the power of her bloodline infusing her, the mana leaping about her being ready to jump out and alter reality to her whim. Kaleff sits down to get out his spellbook and refresh his own spells... but of course, he doesn't have it. Every day, for years, he has read the book every morning, and now it's gone. The full weight of all that's happened, how much his life has changed, comes crashing down on him. Once he was just an agent in his father's clan, committing petty thefts and extortions with the aid of his magic. Yet since then he's been killed, met a God, met the heir to the Empire, destroyed a powerful artefact and in doing so defeated that heir, been flung ten years forward in time, jumped off an airship to escape a dragon, exploded, and then sent to the realm of demons.

Veja yawns as he gets out of bed. I hate sleeping in Goramesh.
He walks outside, and kneels down facing towards the mountains. He starts to chant.
Anarazel, Anarazel, greatest of Gods, greatest of Kings!
In your mercy we dwell, in your fire we are cleansed! Anarazel, Anarazel!
All praise to the greatest in all the lands! Master of Devils, Anarazel!
Slayer of Emperors, Slayer of Gods, Anarazel! Conqueror of Empires, Anarazel!
Most holy Anarazel, we worship you! Anarazel!
Anarazel, turn not your burning power upon us, but against our enemies! Anarazel!
Destroy the Khadothi, our ancient foes! Anarazel!
Save us from the Sorcerers, the tyrants who ruled us! Anarazel!
Defeat the Kumari, who would enslave us once more! Anarazel!
Save us from the worship of the false Gods of the Elves! Anarazel!
As you slayed Gothul, save us from all demons, Anarazel!
Anarazel, we pledge you our lives, our souls, our hearts! Anarazel!
He stands up, and rubs his back. Damn cramp. He goes and unties his steed.
Are you guys all ready now?

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Rising silently from his bed, Sumner turns to Veja as he prepares to go.
"Why do you hate sleeping here?" he asks, but he seems to know the answer already.

[Ozzy_G]

The man shrugs. You don't feel better afterwards, for once. Also, I get nightmares here sometimes.

[knewsom]

Draven finally rises out of bed, hearing Veja speaking with Sumner. He has a hollow look in his eyes.

"Nighmares. You don't say."

You ok, Ismal?

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
The youth looks thoughtful.
"Not a nightmare, as such. I could not prevent his death, but to see him in person, and to know that I could have been of service. That is...heartening, I think." Sumner clears his throat. "I wonder if someone would be willing to exchange weapons with me? I'm not comfortable using this axe. A sword would be far better."

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Standing up, Kaleff places his hands on the small of his back, arching his spine while pushing with his hands. Receiving a few pops, he grunts satisfaction, stretching his limbs and continuing to contort his back for a few moments more. Looking at the armor still slouching in the corner where he had left it, Kaleff leaves it, feeling more limber without it. Exiting the hut, the Zhan clears his throat and spits, lip curling up in disgust. Approaching as Sumner posits the question, Kaleff approaches them men, but keeps his attention out on the waste.

At the mention of nightmares, the man half-turns, before returning his attention back to the desert in front of him, "With these beds its no wonder you loathe it so, they seem almost to be designed to cause pain. But these dreams... do they come from this place? Or are they as they are in our realm, simply our weary mind's inventions... or at times communications from the gods?"

Those were the words of the note. Azakan's note, nothing more.

[Ozzy_G]

The nightmares? Veja shrugs. I assume they're sent by malicious demons. Though I have heard the Priests of Magus claim that dreams and nightmares are not messages at all, but the product of our own fears. He gestures around. This is a pretty scary place after all. He gives his reptilian mount a rub behind the ears. I suppose the Gods might send messages too, but only four Gods live in this realm, and none of them are particularly pleasant. There is Bazal of course, the father of Demons, but he has been asleep for millennia, if he ever existed at all outside of legend. Baphomet is completely insane, so he wouldn't send you messages that made any sense. Morthos lives here as well, though a long way from where we are. He might send dreams to try and convince people to join him, but I doubt it. And then there is Lord Havok, but I doubt he'd bother sending you dreams at all. He just kills things.
He slaps his head and grins ruefully. You know, I just realised you probably don't know who any of these are. I mean, except for Bazal, they're all Kumari Gods, and you've probably never met a Kumari in your life. He shrugs. The Kumari Gods tend to ignore non-Kumari anyway, so that's another reason they'd probably not contact you.

[Lot]

Khorik looks troubled as the rest speak about their dreams. He rubs the top of his bald head, the stubble from several days of neglect starting to make itself apparent. His eyes gleam, almost glowing as they reflect the red sun.
Khorik looks to Sumner as he complains about his axe.

"Sorry. My skill lies with a sword. Always have. I've never considered using anything but a two-handed blade, as my father did."

His gaze grows distant, before his eyes settle on Draven.

"It's funny. I've never even considered using a scythe."

Khorik shakes his head and grins darkly.

"Oh well. Just a dream, after all."

Khorik begins donning his armor, glancing briefly at Draven once more before looking away.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal wakes looking fresh - well, as fresh as someone who's in hell, sleeping on a rotting bed in the clothes of a man she just helped kill, and who is deprived of even the barest rudiments of MAKE-UP can look.

Her meditation is troubled, though, and Draven's question is spot on.

Not really. A nightmare about choices. About attractive choices, perhaps, but choices nonetheless. You?

Disregarding Veja's comment about being protected from sorcerers, she casually casts a simple enchantment, to remove the dust of this infernal road from herself. With a wave of her hand, she also sweeps the dust from Draven as well.

[Ozzy_G]

Veja climbs back onto his horse, and you all start following him down the raod, towards the city in the mountains, and hopefully the way home...

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner remains oddly quiet as he walks, although his face flickers in irritation every now and again, apparently without cause.

[knewsom]

Draven nodded to Ismal. "Thanks." I had a nightmare too... about failure. There were friends and enemies from long ago.... and, you. I can certainly say that's not a dream I ever want to have again. I want to get back home more than ever.

He looked over at Korik as they walked, finally speaking with a sigh.

"I think I can guess what your dream was about. ...your double, yes? Nhulliop? I remember he used a scythe when I fought him. You saw his death then, I guess. If that's true then you must have also seen that it wasn't me who killed him. I never intended for him to die... but we had a job to do, and he was in our way. Still, I think his death was unnecessary, and you should know, if I could have stopped it, I woulda."

[Lot]

Khorik nods as Draven speaks, not meeting the other man's eyes but staring into the distance.

"Hmmm...so these dreams contain truth, then."

Khorik looks to Draven.

"Oh, have no concern of anger on my part. You did not kill me, but an imposter from another world. If my dream is true, he took my place ten years ago. He pretended to be me. Gathered acclaim for himself as a captain of Ravan Zere. He...seduced a woman I love. A woman I'm not worthy to look upon much less lie with. You have a woman you care for. You can imagine how that would make you feel?"

Khorik's eyes flash red.

"No, I do not hold this false Nhulliop's death against you or the Mokai woman. I do, however, want to discover what he did in my name."

The warrior examines the edge of his blade, then lays the flat against his shoulder casually.

"How did you come to meet this Khorik Nhulliop. Under what circumstances did he stand against you?"

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Plucking at a bit of the laces from Draven's armour, Ismal utters a few quick syllables, and is briefly encased in light. After the initial flash, it seems to coalesce into armour that resembles the traditional uniform of the Davethran warrior caste, complete with gleaming helm. Until that too fades from view.

I too would not wish for any repetition of my dream. I'm sorry if yours was especially painful. Was she...?

Not wishing to intrude further, Ismal picks up the thread of Draven's conversation with the warrior Khorik.

He was being employed as a guard, perhaps a guard captain, by a pretender to the throne. We did not speak long, but he seemed to me a callow man, a shallow thinker - an imperfect copy of someone who also strikes me as an honourable man.

[Ozzy_G]

Veja turns and looks at Khorik. An imposter from another world? You mean, some denizen of another plane took your place, making itself look like you? How could you have angered such a spirit for it to do that?

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Sumner remains silent, but his face reveals a thunderstorm of emotion, ranging from contemplative to shocked to irritation to anger. His lips move silently in some fierce internal debate.

[Lot]

Khorik shrugs.

"I don't know. I assume the dream was real because Draven verifies some of the events. In it, Hillinda...she's the woman I mentioned before. Hillinda mentioned how much I had changed since returing from my mission for Archmage Xan. But I never did return. That's when this 'other me' took over while I was thrown ten years into the future. At least, as best as I understand it."

Khorik eyes drop as he continues speaking.

"As for what I've done to deserve this fate? Plenty. I was raised from childhood in the worst kind of mercenary army. Plunderers and murderers, everyone of them. I was drunk on wine, women, and slaughter. It wasn't until a few years ago I attempted to emulate the traditions of my past. Of my blood. And that...well, that has been a pale imitation of Davethran culture. I wear the armor and sword of my ancestry and I look the part but I feel like a fraud. Like a child wearing a costume. I'm no Davathran noble. In fact, it sounds like this 'false Khorik' did a better job than I did of being a true soldier."

Khorik stops, a look of shame crossing his face.

"Forgive me. I have a lot on my mind."

[Ozzy_G]

Veja stares at the warrior, uncomprehendingly, while his mount pads on, its dull gaze scanning the road.
By the horns of Anarazel, what are you talking about, being thrown ten years into the future? Did you piss off some Chronomancers or something?

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Hesitating as Veja initially demands an explanation, Kaleff finally speaks. "We're not entirely sure what we did, that is, we are still unsure of the secondary reprecussions of what we- I, through the blessing and guidance of the Grey Watcher, accomplished. I believe you know Azakan, from our realm, it was he, before his mind had been wiped, who had made a push to reunite the Dark Empire of Gothul. He was attempting to use an artifact, and amulet, to bring in others from a paralell timeline to our time, to reassert Gothul's influence. I had been commanded by the Lord of Death himself to stop Azakan at all cost, so as he held the amulet within its resting place, a pseudo-plane of its own, I destroyed it," lips drawn back almost into a snarl the Zhan pauses for a moment, slowing his breathing to its normal pace, then shrugging continues, "The next thing we know we have been thrown ten years in the future, several of us with our appearance, or ages, apparently changed. It was only later we found out that a duplicate set of those present in the chamber had been brought from that other timeline." Halting a moment, a quizzical expression crosses Kaleff's face, and he turns to Sumner, momentarily forgetting the tension between them, "Does this mean there is another Azakan loose in our world as well?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Sumner Kesh
Still apparently deep in thought, Sumner has apparently missed the entirety of the recent conversation. As he walks, his face takes on a distinctly pensive cast, and his hands tighten about the wrapped leather grip of the axe as he stares straight ahead, lips moving silently.