[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1006946319472001246/1010593717465395271/Ashevelen_Token.png[/img][/center] [centre][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1006946319472001246/1010604944950308964/Ferryman_Token.png[/img] [h1]The Ferryman[/h1][/centre] Midnight was never bright, but in the Umbral Woods? Hoo boy, even gods could mistake shadows for beasts. In his short, busy life, the Ferryman had admittedly seen very little, and the darkness of the forest wasn't helping much. He had seen the invoice for the pick-up of three souls, however, and it has said that they would be waiting right here. Right here. The Ferryman looked around with feigned patience. A little whistle escaped his lips, drawing on in its lifespan as the Ferryman's semi-visible eyes rolled casually around in their sockets. A little finger drum on the rim of Wellington decided to join in. Another minute passed and the Ferryman regarded a little hourglass from the breast of his robe. Softly, he called out: "Hey, uh, dear souls! Your transport has arrived." Silence. The Ferryman exited his vessel and extracted a small scroll from his pocket. "Anyone? I'm looking for the souls of… Okay, how do you pronounce this?" “[color=gold] Umbra.[/color]” came a voice out of seemingly nowhere. Ashevelen just finished her contract with Aldiona and was about to take off, to watch the Umbra from the darkness and see how her mortal deal without her presence to keep them on the straight and narrow path when she felt the presence of another divine approaching. Truly a busy day for the lady of the trade. Watching from a distance, she noticed a small boat approaching and on top of it, the divine being she felt. Ashevelen shouted out the name of her creations from afar upon hearing the Ferryman’s voice. “[color=gold] Greetings divine brother and may I say, your vehicle looks truly magnificent. My name is Ashevelen, the lady of the trade and I beseech you, don’t harm the Umbra for they are my creations. If they did something to offend you, I’m sure we can work out a [i] deal [/i] [/color]” said Ashevelen, her voice as always, was sweet like honey. The Ferryman offered her a small bow. "Evenin', miss Ashevelen. I'm the Ferryman. And thanks - yeah, Wellington's pretty sweet, isn't she? An eight-footer, she is. Flat-bottomed and fit for pretty much any body of water, should that ever be relevant." He waved a hand in small circles. "Don't be concerned for your creations, by the way. Hurting people is not my thing. Life always finds a way to hurt itself, anyway - don't need more of it from me." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm more of the sort who cleans up after. Speaking of, you wouldn't happen to have seen three souls on a stroll, would you?" Ashevelen returned the bow gracefully and smiled at the Ferryman. “[color=gold] Wouldn’t you be able to make it levitate above any body of water? I could probably work out a deal for you with another divine if you wish me to. [/color]” if one would even exist in this place but of course, Ashevelen didn’t say that out loud. “[color=gold] “Life always finds a way to hurt itself”, you can say that twice. I’ve seen many of my creations destroying themselves over the most basic need they seem to have, greed or fornification. Disgusting behaviour in most mortal races that I’ve seen. Three souls, you say? [/color]” said Ashevelen inquisitively. “[color=gold] And what would you do with those souls if I happened to know where they are? Would you try to take them away? [/color]” the recent contract she made with Aldion was fresh in her mind, if this new divine being would try to take them, Aldion might see it as a way to get out of the contract. The Ferryman shrugged. "I guess so, yeah. Not sure where to, though. I'm building up a bit of a backlog, you could say." He showed her the scroll displaying the names and death location of the souls. "See, I'm supposed to take them to the afterlife, but there ain't none around. It's pretty frustrating, actually." “[color=gold] Then I know exactly where they are. Aldion, another one of our divine brothers who answered the [i]Call[/i], took them. As much as I could understand from him, he plans to punish all the souls that break his rules. Here, I can show you. [/color]” replied Ashevelen and with a snap of her fingers, the contract which she signed with Aldion as well as their conversation about it, appeared in front of the Ferryman. “[color=gold] Feel free to read it but don’t touch it. No offence intended. [/color]” “None taken,” said the Ferryman with a polite smile and leaned in for a closer look. “... Let’s see here… All Umbra souls go to… M-hm… Attract to a place… Ah… Hmm… For every ten thousand souls… Uh-huh… Mine (being Aldion’s, of course) by right… Yeah, alright, I think I get the picture.” He pulled back and rubbed his chin. “So souls’ll go to him by themselves, huh?” He clicked his tongue in the same way a disapproving party would when trying to display neutrality. “Sounds slow and inefficient, if you ask me.” Ashevelen waited patiently for the Ferryman to read the contract, watching for everything that could give an insight to his motives. Anything that might prove useful in further negotiations and her waiting was rewarded. “[color=gold] Slow and inefficient, you say? Would you have a better way? Maybe you’d want to cart them off yourself, just in case the souls will try to run away from the punishment that surely awaits them if they end up with Aldion? [/color]” “My thoughts exactly, honestly,” the Ferryman agreed. “That’s, uh, that’s why I’m here. Wellington’s pretty fast, so it’d be a lot faster than souls walking. They’re slow as decay.” He nodded. “So, got a way to contact this Aldion fellow?” “[color=gold] There is no need for that, is there? You’ve read the contract yourself. It is stated that the souls must reach him, the manner of [i]how[/i] they must reach him is not specified. In other words, if you wish to take the souls to him, you are free to do so. [/color]” clarified Ashevelen “[color=gold] Provided of course, that you won’t take the souls to someone else, consume them for whatever needs you may have or anything that may damage the goods. Not trying to insult you or anything, I’m sure you’re good at your job but just want to be sure everything is clarified. [/color]”. “Oh yeah, that makes sense, I guess,” mumbled the Ferryman. “Well, since the souls here have already been swept off, I guess I should be heading to the next ones.” He gave another small bow. “Miss Ashevelen.” “[color=gold] If duty calls, then be off on your way, Ferryman. I am sure we’ll see more of each other in the future. Actually, do you have space for another divine on your magnificent boat? I’d like to let the Umbra roam the world without being [i]shadowed[/i] by their creator. [/color]” asked Ashevelen with a smile and a wink. “Yeah, there’s space,” replied the Ferryman with a polite smile. “Here, watch your step - stepping in the soul river won’t hurt, but it doesn’t wash off so easily.” He knelt down and pulled the little dory even closer to the bank of the eternal river of magic that began and ended on average two metres in front and behind the bow and the stern, respectively. Ashevelen took a deep breath and jumped on the boat, careful not to land in the soul river and hopefully in nothing that the Ferryman might have inside it. “[color=gold] Onwards and…upwards? Yes, ONWARDS and UPWARDS my friend! [/color]” shouted Ashevelen happily. “Yup.” [hider=Summary] Ferryman arrives to scoop up the souls of the three cannibal/cannibalised Umbra and finds Ashevelen instead, who tells him the souls are in another castle - specifically the castle of Aldion’s fist. Showing him the contract and explaining that there’s no clause prohibiting transport of souls so long as they get to Aldion, the Ferryman puts two and two together and decides to move on. Ashe joins him for a hitchhike. [/hider] [hider=MP/AP] No might/aspect points were used. [/hider]