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Post by Vanitypirate on Nov 24, 2018 17:24:20 GMT -8
"You'll need luck if you hope to find money." Tilly countered with a haphazard shrug-- rather consciously, as she made to drift away under Gisheler's analyzing gaze.
It was time to go; it was dangerous to stay in place too long.
"I've a house just down the street; you could find it by asking around, no doubt." She nodded; the hat bobbed with the motion, but she nonetheless still made to part from Gisheler for the time being.
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Post by black379 on Nov 24, 2018 21:20:57 GMT -8
Courcy sniffled and nodded slowly, her eyes fell down to her boots. The three of them had been close friends, but before she left for the hamlet, Courcy and Villiers had a more intimate relationship. It was strange to see him again after all her pursuits.
"He was more than a friend, Vill... I loved him." She reached out and almost cautiously rested her palm on the man's chest. If she could touch him, then he was real and present. It had been years since she had even thought about Villiers, but now that he was before her, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him too. She looked down to the hunter's leg, then worriedly up at his face. He was always foolhardy, it was just like him to walk into a bear trap.
"I shouldn't have brought him here. W-Why did you come?" Courcy repeated. Her old friend couldn't understand how dangerous this land was, couldn't understand that she had made up her mind to die here.
-
The doctor watched intently as Talea's hands danced in some mystical display. She may have just been some gypsy, bartering hocus-pocus for coin. But she knew something. Her cryptic words must have been about Silvant. Adeney shuddered and looked from her hands to her face anxiously. How did she know? What did she know?? He tried to keep a cool appearance, but his mind was frantic with guilt and worry.
"You- You mean Audrey?" He wrung his fingers together nervously. "She's supposed to be alive. I had to-"
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Post by Shinzon on Nov 25, 2018 7:47:57 GMT -8
Seeing the look on his friend's face made him embarrassed and ashamed. He should've been there: he shouldn't have left out on his own. For what good it had done him, it hadn't really been worth it anyway... and now, Baignard was dead, and Courcy was telling him that the two of them had become lovers since the last time he had seen the two of them. That was a real punch in the gut: because he had honestly not seen that coming, and the idea that his friend had to leave with the loss of someone so dear to her only made him feel more miserable and responsible of this tragic event. "Shit", he simply let out, and brought a hand to his forehead, wiping away some sweat - little more than a nervous action. "I'm so sorry, Courcy."
When she asked him that question, he simply shook his head; obviously, he had no idea how hellish the Darkest Estate was. "Got too cocky", he said as he pointed down to his leg. "I thought I could just do it alone. Bear trap caught my leg, and I realized how stupid I had been to leave you people in the first place... so here I am now."
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Post by black379 on Nov 25, 2018 18:37:47 GMT -8
"No, it's- I'm glad to see you again. But you don't want to be here." Courcy didn't want Villiers to leave, but she didn't want to see him die either. His reappearance was almost more difficult than just missing him. She couldn't explain the dire trouble that besmirched the hamlet, nor the terror below it, nor could she send him away.
"Let's have a drink." The hellion pinched the front of his shirt then let him go. She turned again to face the tavern and tilted her head for her friend to follow.
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Post by Shinzon on Nov 26, 2018 7:05:58 GMT -8
Raising an eyebrow at the woman's panic, he expected an explanation of sorts - a reason why he should not be here. It looked like the best idea he had in a while when he made it! But after all, he was always one of the most foolhardy of the punch: and you have to be, when your main method of diplomacy is a gauntlet-clad fist to the face when you are not paid enough.
"Sounds like a fantastic plan", he said with a grin as he followed her. Maybe he wouldn't get shit-faced over Baignard after all: he really didn't want that to happen in front of Courcy, who had known him far better than he did, considering this newly-discovered relationship between the two.
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Post by EtherealNoire on Nov 26, 2018 13:18:53 GMT -8
Talea's head tilted to his pleas, shadowing her eyes beneath the grinning maw upon her skull, where hollow sockets echoed hollow words. What demurral must this mortal clutch to shield himself from his honed accusations?
"Nature's passing, question not, for Death harbors all within its time, be by fate or guiding hands made known..."
Though weary to soothe his soul's afflictions, Talea knew the spirit's rest proved lost without the mortal's guidance. Thus she softened her notes further to a quietus melody, one her body mirrored as she swayed within the night.
"This soul, though lost, this Audrey, can be restored. But actions now must be performed, else she fade beyond the sight of Death. My help is granted thee, should thou accept?"
And with her words she offered forth her hand to him, should he choose a pact with fate.
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Nov 26, 2018 16:38:57 GMT -8
"You'll need luck if you hope to find money." Tilly countered with a haphazard shrug-- rather consciously, as she made to drift away under Gisheler's analyzing gaze. It was time to go; it was dangerous to stay in place too long. "I've a house just down the street; you could find it by asking around, no doubt." She nodded; the hat bobbed with the motion, but she nonetheless still made to part from Gisheler for the time being. /Gisheler/
The Sellsword didn't say anything but he did furrow his brows in some intensive thought. It was true that luck oft helped to inspire hope when one was feeling downtrod, but you didn't particularly need it... Not always. Or maybe you did, since the hope to find money frequently rose from the prospect of a lucky find of gold. But that was a measure of variability and not a definite state... Or... was it? It truly perplexed Gisheler and he brought a hand up to stroke the stubble on his chin. "OK." He stated flatly as he slowly began to amble his way towards the bounty board, leaving the curious box-opener Tilly to whatever whimsy they'd get to.
He wondered if he was lucky... He was alive when all other Black Crowns had died, but he certainly did not feel lucky. Not lucky enough to stumble upon coin by chance alone. Gisheler's verdant eyes flicked up to look at the bounty board's papers before him, hardly noting Libourg's only person stood before it, as he squinted at the papers worn papyrus and ink.
There were many odd errands; a need to clear out rats, to slay some bandits, or... swine-folk? and Fishmen. And Skeletons. Gisheler was surprised to see such peasantly terminologies pinned in such a civilized establishment, and it worried him some... But he was rather disappointed to see no mention of Orcs. With a sigh, he let his hand drop from his chin to rest on the pocket which hid his string of trophy teeth. He could feel the malformed molars and tusks there, and he felt some pride. He may not be lucky, but he was good with a sword, and that made him happy.
With some stiff abandon, he rose his swordarm up and began to rip down each bounty paper from the board.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Nov 26, 2018 20:20:18 GMT -8
Tilly waited and watched as the sellsword made his stiff goodbye and marched off, towards the bounty board once more...
He certainly did not seem like a bright one, she noted, feeling the burlap of the sack in her hand. It was a shame indeed: there were not many sellswords that grew to be old, let alone the unintelligent sellswords.
Or it was indeed a clever ruse to slip a knife into her back. But she did not spy any green on the man...
Regardless, he was out of her hair for now. She was careful not to turn away until Gisheler had parted entirely and become absorbed with stealing away with the bounties.
She was happy to remind herself that it was not her problem as she strolled on away, passing the tavern's entrance to take the alleys back home.
For once, she was eager to return. She could do with a nap, or at least to put her feet up off the ground.
Hands in her pockets, she strolled on.
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Nov 26, 2018 20:29:53 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
The night had felt long and perilous already, with Florence's rather spontaneous exsanguination... Though he pinned it as spontaneous, he had a stirring in his heart that told him he knew the true source of such malign events.
His hand rose to pinch at his amulet but it was not there. A moment of panic as he took in a sharp breath, before he realized he'd left his cloak and amulet, both, with Florence.
He felt... remarkably normal, for once, as he strolled into the muddy courtyard. He rather immediately spied more than a few familiar faces; Adeney and Libourg stood out chief among them. As huddled as they might be to the shadows... Adeney seemed to be conversing with a less than reputable sort of person, with a rather scandalous air that might make Courcy look decent.
Yet another discomforting affirmation of his suspicions on his character, he pondered as he stroked the hairs of his chin. Hairs that had begun to grow notably long, not as grand as Jacques or Libourgs, but the starts all the same. Their youth had them silky yet prickly when stroked in the wrong direction.
Of course, he rather pleasantly noted amidst his ruminations, was Tilly's capped self striding on towards the Tavern. Immediately before him, she looked to be taking steps to run into him.
Though, he couldn't help but feel a bit out of place... as bare as he'd made himself to Tilly, the circumstance was more appropiate. Here, now, in naught but leathers and silk shirt, he felt as scandalous as the waif that Adeney spoke to. With a concerned hum, he tugged the lace that bound his shirt taut to close up the exposing 'V' of his collar some, as he rose his other hand to his brow in a quick two-finger salute as a bymeans of 'Hello'.
"Hail!" He still called out to Tilly, as he posed himself beside the Tavern corner,
"I hope your day's fared better than mine..." Lekalis began with some fair cheek, chuckle, and a shrug.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Nov 26, 2018 20:41:57 GMT -8
Tilly nearly jumped-- instead, she'd made a few startled steps back and her arms flinched further into her coatpockets in that instance, before they laxed.
She fanned her fingers and gave a light laugh,
"Hail!" She said back, but her smile faded as soon as the words left her lips and she had gotten a calmer look over him: the characteristic red of him-- the cloak and amulet, namely-- were entirely gone.
He seemed strangely... ordinary, without his plumage. Relatively speaking, of course, for the Hamlet: the Eastern nature of his face and the scars splashed across its one side would no doubt be out of place anywhere else in the world.
"Depends on how your day's fared..." She frowned as she looked him up and down.
"Did you get robbed?"
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Nov 26, 2018 20:48:33 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
The Ex-Lord pondered, looking up to the dim sky with a squint and hum, before his gaze fell back onto Tilly with a show of being utterly invested in the recollection of his robbage,
"No... I don't think so. You planning on fixing that for me?" He inquired teasingly as he moved out from around the corner and glanced to the Tavern's debaucherous glow.
"I've just left my cloak and amulet with Florence, for a time... We'd a few papers swiped from Doctor Cross' quarters and we were reading them in hopes of gleaning some insight on the curse." He explained with a growing conspiratorial tone and murmur as he stole the distance between them to be doubly quiet.
"We'd also attempted to commune with the source of this curse but... Florence bled viciously. Not mortally, I do not think but... all the same--" He jerked his head to the Tavern's door.
"-- I planned on getting her... chowder." Lekalis' momentum on the report waned and he seemed perplexed with his own words,
"... Which made more sense in my head, but saying it aloud... Perhaps I should get a priest instead." He offered jovially with a small whispering laugh as he pinched at his noise and sighed.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Nov 26, 2018 21:01:35 GMT -8
"Baptism by chowder..." Tilly stroked her chin in mock-thought, but in sincerity her interest was thoroughly piqued by the new information that she was enjoyable in the know on.
Though it was rather grim, on the note of Florence's bleeding, a disturbing display of just how dangerous this matter that they were dealing with.
"...Is she alright, though? Was it nearly mortal?" She made to lean comfortably against the side of the tavern, committed to conversing with her chowder-bearing husband for the time being.
"What did you lot find out, then?"
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Nov 26, 2018 21:10:49 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
With some trepidation and a paranoid glance about the locale, he shook his head at Tilly's former query as he crossed his arms across his chest and joined her in leaning against the tavern's stoney structure. Surprised by the carpenters who'd repaired it... it looked strong, reinforced. In this damp weather, it looked hard to set alight too.
It was good to see the Hamlet growing strong.
"Florence will be fine, she always is... It wasn't enough blood to be fatal, more like a scare at a circus." He explained with a sigh that impressed the moment was far more stressful than he worded.
"We found both a lot and nothing... Florence is the one who truly saw whatever horrors this curse wrought. She spoke with it... I merely watched." He explained, then flourished his hand as he elaborated upon the matter of notes,
"Cross seemed to be conspiring with my Sister on a matter of apples, code of some sort. There's speakings of rituals and coronations that... I can only imagine tie with the Amulet." He tapped his foot and chewed upon his lip, rather clearly theorizing there and then,
"I'm hoping some food will help stabilize the good Doctor Novel's mind so we can talk about what she saw... perhaps think of a less... dangerous means to commune with this entity."
There was a small revelation in his brows that rose slightly, his eyes looking over Tilly's own,
"You'd a few dealings with Jacques, didn't you? Do you know if he had any memorabilia or the like left behind or... some token insight? We're rather short on knowledge of the occult. I mean to ask some of my contacts and the Nomad, there, to retrieve some books for me. I'd dabbled before, and had a few tomes in my library that might be of use... If they're not burnt."
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Post by Vanitypirate on Nov 26, 2018 21:26:01 GMT -8
"No... I haven't a clue where he's gone off to." Tilly frowned, again, and shook her head, pondering this new, unfortunate intrigue.
She feared Florence was on a path that proved to be the bane of many other scholars-- Jacques included.
"All I know about it is that you're always better off steering clear of things of that sort: the occult, the magic and the horrors all. They tend to steal more than just a bit of blood." She told him, fixing her hat atop her head so that the brim was able to lay flat against the wall she leaned on.
"Is she still of sound mind? That's what I'd be worried about." Continued Tilly; her expression darkened a touch.
"Nobody's wits last long when they're fiddling with things of that sort. 'Specially folks who aren't trained in that area."
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Nov 26, 2018 21:31:56 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
"I could care less where Jacques went; I just want to know if he'd any fonts of knowledge you know about here in the Hamlet... A bookstore he went to, any reagents he needed..." Lekalis trailed off and flaffed a hand,
"Bother not. Perhaps it'll be best if I start on my own all the same." he sighed and rubbed his jaw, his smile fading in light of the small frustration before he spoke on.
"Florence was... relatively the same. She said she needed rest and didn't do anything too drastic; she'd fallen asleep so... hence my search for chowder." He smiled at the mundanity, though it was barely a flicker as she mentioned the draining of one's wits in such precarious interactions.
"She's of a different sort... I'm sure she'll endure."
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