[color=C6DEFF][center][h1]Bast Ragoczy[/h1][/center][/color]

Image. That was certainly something the Caldeyron surely appreciated. Dark, sinister, decorated with many paintings of ruthless and brutal warriors, some naked, covered only in blood with a feral expression on their faces, some wearing thick and intimidating armors. All of them, surrounded by corpses. But the 'unique' style of decoration wasn't the only thing worth noting. The castle was unusually empty. The weird feeling of danger was still there. Even though Bast himself was unfazed by it, he still was alert. After all, he wasn't amongst allies. Well... at least not yet...

As they got out of the castle, the unsettling emptiness of the castle quickly disappeared as they encountered themselves in a shining and bustling city. Despite some warriors wearing strange dark armors patrolling around, the entire city had an air of decadence and hedonism to it. Most of the citizens Bast saw were women. Almost all of them wearing refined and beautiful dresses, makeup and jewelry. For Bast, it was a welcome change to the dark and empty Caldeyron castle. Surrounded by very high walls, the words 'blood' and 'pleasure' seemed to define it incredibly well.

After one of the women who were passing by greeted Joshua, displaying not only good manners, but a thick makeup and an even thicker perfume, Joshua led him to a place behind the castle, which upon looking at it from the outside, was really fitting to be the lair of a litch, vampire or a warlock.

Greeted with the sound of weapons, steel hitting steel and agonizing screams of pain, Bast arrived on a place that seemed to be a coliseum of some sorts.

"There she is, my sister. A figure every Varjan should aspire to be." Joshua said, pointing towards a figure in a pitch black armor, holding a bloodied mace. It was exactly how anyone would wonder the ruler of such castle would be.

After a rather... unsightly display of her mauling a woman's head until it was a bloody pulp, in what appeared to be a trial by combat, Joshua finally introduced his sister.

[color=black]"Good at insulting, huh?"
"Go ahead, Mister Bast. Show me your insulting skills. Insult me the best you can."
[/color] The queen said, dropping her mace and approaching Bast. He didn't know if she was really that tall or if it was thanks to her suit of armor, but other than that, her figure really sparked his interest as he let out a malicious grin.

[color=C6DEFF]"Oh, don't mistake me for an impolite, rude man. I'm a gentleman. It would be improper to insult a lady. Besides that... I merely speak what I see. Those weren't insults, but simply statements."[/color] Bast said, tapping his fingers on his cane.

[color=C6DEFF]"Now... If those words can be used to describe you as well... is something we'll have to see. I do expect though that you will turn out to be a better company than your simplistic brother."[/color] Bast said, with a malicious smirk towards Joshua.

[color=C6DEFF]"A queen fitting of it's castle."[/color] Bast said, looking to her.
[color=C6DEFF]"As I said to your brother, I can appreciate someone who knows the power their images can exert over others."[/color] he continued.

[color=C6DEFF]"I'm Bast Ragoczy. I believe your brother already told you something about me. He was the one that called me here after all."[/color] he said, with a smirk towards Joshua.

[color=C6DEFF]"Before anything else, would you give me the pleasure of seeing your face and knowing your name? I can't help but feel a bit... distant talking with someone behind a thick suit of armor."[/color] Bast continued.

[color=C6DEFF]"What do I want is probably the question you are making to yourself right now. To that, there is not a simple answer. Secrets? Entertainment? Maybe just to talk...? Who knows... But for now, I would greatly appreciate if we could perhaps just sit down and talk a bit. I wish to know a bit better who are the ones who summoned me here."[/color] Bast completed, carefully inspecting the queen's reaction.

[@PaulHaynek]

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[color=8dc73f][center][h1]Freyr[/h1][/center][/color]

As Freyr heard the old nun's words, he couldn't help but mentally agree with some of what she was saying. He didn't know exactly how many years old the nun was, but he knew that humans didn't live as long as other races, including the Viera. She was probably already on the end of her life...

[color=8dc73f]"I... Going to Varjo... probably isn't the best thing to do... But I can respect your decision."[/color] Freyr said, still unsure on how to say all that.

"[color=8dc73f]As both Magnus and myself said before... Varjo isn't a kind place... Your kind words and good intentions will probably fall on deaf ears on that land soaked with blood and violence..."[/color] Freyr continued, with a serious voice.

[color=8dc73f]"Your dedication to your god is indeed admirable. But dying in a strange land, surrounded by strange people isn't a good way to go... I don't know how things will go, but if you really won't change your mind, the least I can do is try to bring you back home safely..."[/color] Freyr said, looking towards the old nun and then to Magnus, silently asking his opinion on the matter.

The old nun was indeed a good soul. Her words and her smile when she talked were filled with good intentions. Freyr could clearly feel that. On a world were most humans were blinded by greed and their own bloodlust, that old nun, already on the end of her life, was something that made Freyr a bit relieved and refreshed. He wanted to at least try to protect her. After so much good that she probably had already done, it was the least she deserved.

[@PaulHaynek][@The Irish Tree]