Twhirtley

Birds of a Feather (Ebonfort)

Raffey was smiling as the woman invited herself along. He considered that a successful step in his seducing of her. Beautiful and combat ready, his kind of woman. Well. One of his kinds. Most women fit at least one of his favorite types. His grin turned to a confident smirk, as he summoned a barmaid over and ordered a pitcher. "Let's make it two."

After the two stretches passed, he stumbled backwards out of the pub, laughing heartily, "Killen, yous a lake in da ba'lan's! Crazeh foo!" He stumbled around the pub to the nearby stable, where he saw Dibney frolicking in the field, much to the chagrin of the stable boys. The giant Auric Beetle was a very playful critter, teasing the horses and chasing them. She wasn't hurting them, just gentle nudges and startling them. A couple of the younger boys were throwing rocks at her to get her to stop, but they bounced harmlessly off her chitin.

Raffey whistled shrilly, getting the attention of the entire stable yard. "Dibneh!" The Auric Beetle chittered loudly and began rushing to her master, hopping over the fence a lot more easily than one might expect. She crashed into him, nuzzling him with her oversized maw. He patted her down, laughing loudly, "Readeh ta go on a advencha? Go' a pretteh ladeh joinin' us." The beetle clicked happily, slipping her mouth between Raffey's legs and practically tossing him onto her back. He flopped into his saddle, laughing in pain from the landing, before scrambling to get situated. He led Dibney to the northern exit of the village, figuring his companion would have enough sense to know to come here.

[Ebonfort] The Longest Night

At the mention of how magic and mages are treated in Ebonfort, the weight of the world could be seen on Svarak's face. His hands cupped his face, dragging downward as he let loose a sigh. "That is unfortunately something I'm not in control of, nor do I agree with. Don't get me wrong, this magic popping up everywhere is dangerous, difficult to control. But not all mages are criminals. But, the other Lords support perpetuating the rumor that we kidnap or kill them. What we actually do is anything but. We offer them a job, in a special company of mage-knights. They don't disappear, they leave for training and work. And not all of them leave, they continue about their business, though we do ask them to keep their magic low key. The fact that innocent, normal citizens are living in fear because they were chosen to carry magic is horrifying to me. It's not what she wanted. But they feel if everyone fears coming forward, mages won't cause trouble, but that is shortsighted and naive."

He paused for a long while, breathing in deep, before returning to his relaxed state. "Is that voice I see behind your eyes your first familiar then? That slight pause when he or she speaks to you?" He smiled lightly, not a smirk or smug grin of satisfaction, "Druids are nearly always good people. They were great companions and protectors way back when. Though those that were bad, those ones," he shuddered, "Were nearly unstoppable."

The winds were growing colder and colder, the glow from his sword growing brighter and brighter, "It seems we will have quite a challenge on our hands in a day or two." At her question about his knighting, "I became a Knight when I returned to the Ebonfort, about half a season after leaving Frigmount for the last time. This immediately followed the Death of Magic. It was after completing a very select mission that my Patron Knight was tasked with, when I was his squire. He died during it, but I picked it up."

He looked over at her, "I do hope your beautiful city hasn't changed much. It really was a peaceful paradise. Though I imagine it didn't while in its little bubble."

Ebonfort

ebonfort.wikia.com/wiki/Israiph race has been created by SilverSpartan

[Ebonfort] Ringing in the New Year

Trix felt him lean in, closer, she knew it was any moment now, her gut tightening at what this meant. Then a woman's scream rang out, pained and scared. Trix's eyes snapped open, seeing the side of Edoward's face as he was already looking toward the sound. Following his gaze, she saw men on horses, men that weren't armored knights. Her eyes grew wide as she realized what was happening. They were being raided. Her gut instinct was to look for her pups, but she'd taken them back to her shop as the festivities got a bit too stimulating.

Sergeant Brynmore was already in action. "Knights! Cover the civilians as they retreat to the village, fortify at Sunset Bridge!" Trix could barely see over the heads, as Edoward left her with a parting look, one filled with fear, "Get to the village!"

The people were being shepherded east to the village, passing the Sunset Bridge. It was the tallest, oldest bridge, one of the first built by the masons from Stone Crest, on commission of course. The knights began getting a handful of archers positioned there, but with the chaos, they were slow, and most didn't many clear shots to work with. The plan was simple, if they could fortify at the bridge, they could send out sallies under the cover of archers to either side. Trix let herself follow the flow of people, when several horse man came from the north, and rushed their way through the throngs, mowing down people beneath hooves and with blades.

She could make out her shop from her position, as people began scrambling, screaming. She watched as a woman's head was lopped from her shoulders, arterial blood spurting out. Her hands began shaking and she could taste bile in her mouth, her legs growing weak. A man ran into her, and she was knocked to her hands and knees, where she retched into the grass, somehow not being trampled. Looking up, she saw noticed a loud yipping in the air, one she recognized.

It was her pups.

She immediately began trying to crawl through the throng of panicked festivalgoers. Almost at the edge, a boot stepped on her left hand and she cried out in pain. Once she was through, she stood up, studying her hand, wincing as she tried to move it. She wasn't sure if anything was broken or not, but she tried to ignore the throbbing pain. Eyes forward, she began making her way to her pups, hearing their yips. They weren't crying in pain or poor training, they were trying to find their mom, to protect her.

Closer and closer she got to her fence, and just as she was almost there, a hand grabbed her arm painfully, and pulled her backwards. She was spun, screeching in surprise, seeing a man only a bit taller than her, in leathers. He was a Screamer. She opened her mouth to scream at the top of her lungs, but a fist to the side of her head shut her up, as she was knocked to the ground. Her face was an explosion of pain, as she clutched at it, tears already spilling forth. "No, no no, stop! Stop!"

The man laughed and reached down, slapping her across the face, bouncing it off the cold, hard dirt. She laid there crying, only knowing the pain and fear she felt. Another set of boots walked near her, and there were two male voices that began speaking, in a language she didn't recognize.

"Seems I found me a ripe one. That's her," he spit on her, getting it in her hair, saying the next word venomously, "House. She was running toward it."

The other laughed heartily, kicking her in the stomach hard with his boot, tossing her onto her side. She laid there sobbing, clutching at her abdomen, wheezing, trying to look up at her assailants. "How about we take her in there, and give her some good memories of it?"

The first man grabbed her by the hair, picking her up to her feet, staring at her eyes, one beginning to swell shut, "Sounds like a plan. I don't need anymore wives anyways, they always nag. But a small little vixen like this? Too good to pass up for a once about. Well, maybe twice."

He slapped her again, ringing her ears, and in very thickly accented Common, "Walk." He began dragging her toward her house, the sounds of the pups increasing. Back in his native tongue, "Shut them up will ya? I'll make sure to not leave her sloppy." The second man nodded, grinning, as Trix realized what he was about to do. She had to protect her pups. She began twisting and flailing, a lucky elbow catching her screamer in the groin, forcing him to let loose of her hair, as he swore. She rushed to the fence, climbing over the stones, tearing her dress in the process. Falling to the ground on the other side, she saw the second screamer looking over the fence at her laughing, as if her efforts were futile. Her pups were immediately upon her, growling fiercely, placing themselves between her and the man. He drew his scimitar, and raised it high, and swung it down.

In a loud shrill voice, Trix shouted, "NO!" and thrust her hands up. The protective instinct within her welled forth, and pushed out of her palms. A small shield quickly formed, and the scimitar bounced off of it, invisible to him, but she saw the damage it did. It wouldn't take another blow. But the man cursed, his arm going numb from the unexpected reverberations, dropping the blade, clattering harmlessly near Trix. She nodded the shield away, scrambling to grab the awkward weapon, surprised, thinking it would be a lot heavier. The pups tried to put themselves between her, "Remus, Remilia, back."

They looked confused, but obeyed the command, as Trix backed herself into a corner of the wall of her home and the fence. Both Screamers were glaring at her hungrily from the other side of the fence. The first man, with his axe in hand deftly hopped over, and strolled up to her. She tried a weak slash, and the sword was knocked from her hands, as the head of his axe, the blunt side, was smashed into her gut. She dropped to her knees, as he raised his axe, to silence the dogs. "Please..." she whispered.

"Do anything with me... don't hurt them..."

The man paused, smiling as he considered his perverse thoughts. This did offer more opportunity. He grabbed her by the hair, dragged her to the back door, ignoring the pups that couldn't do anything to the thick leather boots he wore. He kicked open her door, shattering the lock and one of the hinges and threw her in. His friend joined him, teasing at the pups with the flat of his scimitar, but not harming them. She hit the wooden floorboards hard, tasting blood in her mouth. The man began undoing the rope belt of his trousers, still outside the doorway, "We're going to have fun," in his broken Common.

Ebonfort

Who Are You? - Has been completed and received its reward review, thus adding Islahiise, or Silvermist in the common tongue, to the Ebonfort Empire. Much thanks to @RomanAria for bringing the fairy village into the fold.

Who Are You? [Ebonfort]

@RomanAria - This story has received its Reward Review and is now completed. Well done!

Who Are You? [Ebonfort]

Reward Review

Lyriia “Lii” Elenye

Skills
Leadership: 8
Socialization: 4
Observation: 4
Negotiation: 2
Aerobatics: 1
Subterfuge: 1
Logic: 1

Knowledge:
Contact: Captain Knight Kalim, the Crazy Katzheer
Ebonfort Law: Magic isn't Illegal
Kalim: Absolutely Hates Paperwork
Kalim: Son of a Farmer
Kalim: Knight Victorious
Contact: Warden Knight Drisceya
Ebonfort History: Stone Crest joined in 250 DM
Thought: "I'm the first known mage since the Death of Magic."
Ebonfort Law: Protocols for adding a new village
Guilty Thought: Trading Brother for Village

Other
Title: Civilian Representative for Silvermist
Occupation: Apprentice to Gherick Longarm (2gp/day, no expenses)

Time Doesn't Heal Anything Quickly [Ebonfort]

As Megumi's eyes very quickly adjusted to the dimly lit room, she could see she'd made a poor choice. The room she was in appeared to be a large kitchen with a bar. And all over the room in various states of sleep and stupor were knights. There was a door to the candlelit room off to the left, and another far off to the right, several knights between both. A shadow appeared to be moving off to the right, just outside the doorway, as if leading away from it. But Megumi's eyes could also make out tiny droplets on the left hand door's flooring, though it just looked dark, so identifying it from this distance was impossible. There was thumping from behind Megumi, followed by a voice.

"Bloody hell, I gotta get that burning checked out. Fucking orcs and their dirty green oak-knockers... Might as well grab a snack I guess."

Heavy footsteps began heading toward the kitchen, "Oy, Harkon, you still awake in there? There best still be some salted pork left." A man began to stir, on a chair in the center of the room, grunting lightly. There was a plate of salt pork on the table he was leaning against. The footsteps were growing ever nearer, seeming to echo off the many tables littered around the large mess hall.

[Ebonfort] Dragon Bait

Peridiath stood before several other dragons, one from each breath, as well as the three dwarven guildmasters. The Wyrmoot looked down at her from their shadowed seats, faces obscured for this was not an open meeting. This was something that needed handled subtly, secretly. "And you are absolutely sure of this information Sky Talon Peridiath? There can be no doubt."

The blonde woman smiled a bit seductively, "Of course I am sure. We've confirmed this multiple times. My contact in the Screamers also supports the information, without knowing of our findings. There are people, mostly humans, hunting our scouts, but only when in Visadon. They never hunt fleshlings. They are hunting others too, races they seem to deem bestial, impure. We don't know exactly who they are, or whom they represent. But they've attacked the Screamers just as often for the same reason. The most we've learned is that these attacks have only begun last season. We also believe they have come from the west. We also have learned the word 'Justicar'"

Another voice called out, "This cannot go unpunished, but we will need more information. What do we know of out west, from times past?"

Peridiath answered, "Not as much as I'd hope. Ancient villages and one large city, Vircastoria. A few collectors have sent expeditions there for artifacts, but none have been sent in many years. Perhaps it is time for a new one?"

They all understood the true meaning of her words. A female voice rang out this time, "Then make it so. We'll see to it you have the resources necessary."

The woman nodded and left the chamber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The same woman sat off to the side of Drache, "And what road might that be Drachiathoryx? Certainly not one that leads to culture," nodding toward the distant play in progress. The half-breed wouldn't recognize the Sky Talon, nor did she wear her rank in her fleshling form. "If you want a road more suited to your liking, however, I'm being tasked with finding an individual or two to go artifact collecting, for a patron of mine. He's mostly interested in the ruins of some city to the northwest, Vircastoria, and his horde is quite... well, bottomless might be the appropriate word."

She smiled now, flirtatiously, "So, interested? You can go yourself or find a companion if you'd like. Won't change how much my patron will pay you. I'll give you time to consider it. You can find me at the baths."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peridiath sat in her own private steam room at the very back of the massive baths. She was surrounded by many other men and women, all dragons, all in their fleshling forms, nude, enjoying the steam. She'd put out a few feelers, and was wondering who would bite. She hadn't told the candidates this, but it was first come, first serve. Stretches past and many of her companions were engaged in more carnal activities, but not her. She sat there, right in the center of it all, watching, waiting, plotting. The first person that arrived would be greeted by her seductive smile, "Well, I wasn't expecting you to come." Her body language relaxed, became more inviting, "But I'm glad you did, come, sit with me..."

She lightly patted the empty spot next to her, and when it was filled, her hands began feeling up the legs of the respondent. Her breath was hot and loud in their ear, "So, did you come for the job? Or for me?"

They Have Returned (Ebonfort)

Raffety grinned silently as he felt her lithe little body press against him, making a tsking noise that sent Dibney bolting forward. "Good girl, nice and steady." He watched the grasslands pass by, looking over his shoulder as Scream Watch quickly became a small dot behind them. One of the benefits of having an Auric Beetle was they ran quietly. That let him have time to talk, though he rode in silence for a long while, keeping the leaders in sight ahead of him. They reached the tree line of the Chartric forest after a few stretches, before he finally spoke.

"So, Mehgoomee, wus your specialteh? Ah'm monstah huntah, an' travele' trough dah valleh here. Ees easieh wit jus' me doh, biggah group make hardah."

He saw the goyle floating out over the trees, while the aaenshi and knight were far ahead. The distraction would keep the Screamers occupied for a long while. Raffey tsked twice, speeding Dibney up faster, gripping the saddle tighter with his knees. "Dis lan' ees strange, so col'. An' so much green. So veddy stra--" He quickly uttered a command, "Het."

Dibney stopped, and he placed his hands flat against her carapace. He could feel the loud, rhythmic thuddings ahead, coming closer, from the forest. They were heavy, deep thuds, not heading to him, but rather further ahead. He looked up and saw leaves fluttering from trees above the canopy, then a loud roar boomed out. Raffey watched as a heard of massive beasts burst from the tree line, on a collision course with the knight and aaenshi. Raffey studied them, fascinated by their colors rather than worried for his companions. They stood as tall as Dibney, and were pure muscle thundering forth. It was cleared to him that they were in a panic. That meant they were a grazing herd animal, pacifists, and were being hunted.

Smirking, he tutted, and Dibney turned into the trees, as he could see the rushing beasts ahead. The aaenshi's wolf was skirting easily between the beasts, his rider whooping loudly, bopping the beasts on the horn with his axe. The knight on the other hand, he was struck by the leading beast, thrown to the ground beneath his horse and quickly trampled. Raffey winced as he listened to the crunching of metal and squishing of his body.

"S'wut he gets fah bein' weak."