Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on May 3, 2011 9:39:26 GMT -6
Aaron was wandering in the realm between waking and dreaming when he heard a voice nearby. Slowly, he looked over, and saw a... blond haired... tall person. It had to be a guy... (girls weren't that tall, were they?) ...but something about this new arrival seemed... The mage felt his eyes drooping closed again at about the same time he felt the heat from the fire Sabin had started. The result was that he entered some very odd dreams about androgynous giants and giant women dancing around a fire. Then he realized that he was the fire, and that the leader of the bandits was burning at his center. The minor conscious part of his mind immediately identified this particular dream as disturbing and rubbish. It soon shifted to something different.... OoC: Jump to: Fires in the Dark
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Xavier
Troubadour
BANNED
Posts: 69
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Post by Xavier on May 4, 2011 1:27:48 GMT -6
OoC: Come on, Sabin, your post was too... sloppy... Too many typos and stuff and quite minimalist as to Sabin's reactions to all that had happened, and you didn't even show that it was Xavier who healed your wound. I assume you meant to say that you thought Aaron did it?
IC: Xavier was dozing, having a very troubled dream, one where he relived the scene of when he had discovered his father's corruption replayed itself in his mind.
Xavier had then just come home from a priest's version of a school, meaning, the nursery behind his home and he saw his father counting the money from the donation box. What was most appalling was that his father had slipped the money into his own pocket, only placing a small amount into the church fund.
Xavier had thought at first that his father needed the money to purchase something for the church, but as Xavier called out to his father and saw his father's look of surprise and alarm, Xavier knew it was otherwise.
And then, things happened so fast, they happened so suddenly that Xavier had not really known what had happened. It had however led to a huge argument between Xavier and his father with Xavier being sent to bed early that day with nothing to eat for lunch and dinner. Xavier had then, in a fit of anger, stole a horse and left, not thinking things through first. And he had daydreamed such that he eventually lost his way and found himself quite simply... in the middle of nowhere. He might have probably gotten himself even more lost as he tried to retrace his steps on the hard grass soil so that he was now unable to find his way back home.
That was not to say that Xavier regretted what he had done. No, Xavier was still angry at his father. Shortly after being lost, Xavier had met with the band of highwaymen, who immediately decided that having a healer was good for them, and therefore, although slightly rough and gruff, had fed Xavier for that few months, where Xavier realised that sometimes you had to be bad to survive.
And then, the ground in his dream suddenly lurched and he felt a falling sensation, his eyes instinctively opening as he fell onto the soft grass beside the tree where he was snoozing on his horse, Ralph.
"Ouch...", was Xavier's first reaction, as his slightly healed arm grazed against the ground, then as Xavier tried to get up, he had to duck quickly to avoid Ralph's hoove. Xavier saw that a fire had been lit at the campsite, but because the ground underneath was grass, and partially because of the recent heatwave, the fire had begun burning the grass. The sloppily set up firewood already generating a lot of heat.
"Hey, there's a fire, stop talking and fan it already!", Xavier shouted as he untied Ralph and led him slightly away from the fire after calming him down.
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Sabin
Pirate
Sightseeing's fun, isn't it?
Posts: 148
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Post by Sabin on May 4, 2011 5:22:30 GMT -6
OOC:Aww come on Xav, I was clueless how to do that post. No matter, I'm in a convo again. Sabin nodded as he listened to the blonde man, whose name he figured out was Ilyadia, told about his origin and requested to travel with them. "Well, you better ask that green-haired mage over there, Ilyadia. He's the one we've been following, actually." Sabin spoke, but he was interrupted by the boy he had met earlier. Sabin sighed. " Thanks a lot boy. You know, I can't keep calling you by that. I need a name." he said coldly.
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Ilyadia
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I have a bow. Can I shoot it? Well... Thats another question entirely!
Posts: 20
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Post by Ilyadia on May 5, 2011 16:48:39 GMT -6
Ilyadia smiled at the one who responded to him, and then looked for the green-haired one... And saw that he was sleeping. His smile faltered for a moment, but then returned. "Well... May I at least rest for a while with you until he awakens? I have been mistaken for a bandit some time ago, so I assure you before you can even ask that you have no worry of me attempting to murder you while you sleep."
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Xavier
Troubadour
BANNED
Posts: 69
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Post by Xavier on May 6, 2011 2:52:52 GMT -6
OoC: Hey guys, pay attention will ya, THERE'S A FIRE AND YOU ARE ALL SO DAMNED CALM?
IC: Xavier moved Ralph ever further from the spreading fire. It was amazing though, how the gruff guy, the mage guy, the archer guy and some new stranger guy could all be so oblivious of the steadily growing fire.
"GUYS! THERE'S A FIRE DAMMIT!!! STOP TALKING AND START HELPING!" Xavier shouted, trying to catch the attention of the team he was in. Hopefully, they would react in time.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on May 10, 2011 0:32:21 GMT -6
Aaron slowly came around, and and immediately felt the heat from the fire around him. Apparently, some of the grass had ignited, and was trying to grow into a wildfire.
The mage didn't feel particularly recovered, but had enough energy to lift his hand, and close his fist, simultaneously preventing the wayward flames from burning oxygen anymore, and extinguishing them. With the ground immediately surrounding the firepit already burned, there was no chance of that happening again that the mage could see. That was good. Appaently, that healer kid had gone and started a fire which had gotten out of hand....
...Why is it always me with the fires.... It was true. Fires did seem to act up around the mage. Almost like he was some kind of magnet for odd happenings.
Speaking of odd happenings, Aaron was sure that he'd just had a very odd dream, but couldn't quite bring himself to remember it. He did realize that he had a far more intense urge to get to the library than he had before though.... And, there was an urge to travel west trying to replace the urge he'd been suffering to travel east for a time.... He had to get to the library, but the mage couldn't even bring himself to stand at the moment. Still too tired.
Seeing the others, and that newcomer (who wasn't 6'8". That must have been a hallucination.) talking by the road. Aaron cleared his throat before shouting over a greeting to them.
"Hello! Shouldn't you all be getting ready to bed down over here? I want to get an early start tomorrow."
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Ilyadia
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I have a bow. Can I shoot it? Well... Thats another question entirely!
Posts: 20
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Post by Ilyadia on May 10, 2011 19:20:45 GMT -6
Ilyadia watched the green-haired man get up and put out the fire. The nomad grinned, and stepped forward. "Good evening! I am Ilyadia from the plains. I asked these other men who you travel with if I could possibly travel with you, and they told me to ask you. Now that you are awake... Well, my question has already been asked, but I will ask again. May I travel with you, at least for a while?"
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on May 11, 2011 8:54:14 GMT -6
Aaron stood, looking from companions to newcomers and back. As he was approached by the latest, blond-haired arrival, he looked... err... him? Her?... He looked the arrival up and down. Ahh... This person wasn't as tall as the mage had originally thought. He must have been really tired to think that this person, a few inches shorter than Aaron himself, actually, was standing head and shoulders over the rest of the group.
"Well, If your way follows ours, then I guess you're welcome to come along. At any rate, I wouldn't advise passing on just now. We just had to repel a group thieves and raiders back that way." Aaron pointed back the way they had come from.
Aaron moved back over to the fire, and situated his messenger bag next to him. His eyes looked tired as he sat himself back down, and he moved as if he had been splitting wood for a week, but he managed to stay aware, if not particularly alert.
"Ahh... Join us around the fire. I think there are some introductions to be made."
Of course, mainly he was meaning the healer, and this newcomer. He hoped the name would help discover the gender of this adrogynous blond. The mage waited a moment, letting the others choose their places, before before starting.
"My name is Aaron Winsett. I'm on the road here, with some friends." He indicated Sabin, Grayson, and Wyatt. They could introduce themselves later. It was about all the green-haired man could do to stay out of a nap.
"We're heading to a moderately sized settlement just west of the capital city." Aaron looked back to his companions a bit sheepishly. He felt a little odd speaking for all of them. "Or, at least I am...."
"That leaves you two." The mage pointedly looked over to the blue and blond haired travelers who were nearby.
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Grayson
Nomad
[M:25]
Now isn't this amusing?
Posts: 105
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Post by Grayson on May 11, 2011 10:48:44 GMT -6
Grayson was quickly wrapped up in a conversation that he personally wasn't keen on participating in. He kind of invited it since he greeted the newcomer, but there was just something keeping the novice archer from investing himself in anything. Too many thoughts of the previous day, of the lives lost at his and his friend's hands. Sure, Grayson was looking for excitement and adventure, but he wasn't quite prepared for this. Not to mention, the fact that he was almost useless. Every wound he made had been a fluke and, besides getting Mr. Cobblepot back, he didn't feel that he got anything out of the encounter with the bandits other than very horrible things to think about. Was this what it meant to be a swashbuckling adventurer? To kill and maim and burn as you see fit?
A loud sigh left the archer's lips as he turned and walked back to the tree he tied his steed to. He gently stroked the white stallion's mane as he continued to think, not paying attention to the conversation.
The thought crossed Grayson's mind that maybe he was being too harsh on Aaron. And maybe this was just something that he should get used to. The thought put a foul grimace on his face and he kicked the tree trunk in frustration. How the hell could he get used to... to this?! It dawned on him that he really was less prepared than he thought. Sure, he performed decently in the battle, but that was more adrenaline and being in the moment. If he had actually taken the time to think and realize what, exactly, he was doing, Grayson probably would have frozen solid.
Grayson groaned. All of this was too much to take in so quickly. Grabbing his bow, arrows, and a torch, he left to find a nice clearing to practice in. Aaron was saying something to the newcomer, but he really didn't care much for what anyone had to say at that moment. He didn't even pay attention to the fact that his hair was coming undone.
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Ilyadia
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I have a bow. Can I shoot it? Well... Thats another question entirely!
Posts: 20
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Post by Ilyadia on May 11, 2011 13:21:40 GMT -6
Ilyadia grinned. "For now, I have no way, so my way will be with you if you do not mind it." The nomad smiled, and then sat down in front of the fire cross-legged. "As for my name, I am Ilyadia, as I have previously mentioned." Ilyadia took the bow off of his back, and laid it on his legs, keeping both hands on it as if it were a beloved toy. He looked around at the other people around the fire, with that warm, flickering light lighting up his golden eyes.
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Xavier
Troubadour
BANNED
Posts: 69
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Post by Xavier on May 12, 2011 0:40:46 GMT -6
Xavier had been keeping Ralph safe from the fire when the mage guy had just stepped over and extinguished the fire's hungry bites with a raise of his hand and a little concentration.
When the fire was mostly extinguished, Xavier had led Ralph back towards where the fire had started, which was now just a black piece of charred ground. He had filed into position, just as the mage guy and some blonde haired lady introduced themselves. A pretty tall lady... Probably some kind of high soled shoes...
"Well, my... my name is Xavier... And well, I just kinda got dragged in by that brute over there...", Xavier responded when it was his turn to introduce himself, looking in the general direction of the violent, gruff bandit-like person who had gotten him involved with the group.
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Grayson
Nomad
[M:25]
Now isn't this amusing?
Posts: 105
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Post by Grayson on May 12, 2011 10:57:32 GMT -6
The sounds of the flame quietly roaring from Grayson's lit torch was almost comforting as he stepped through the trees looking for a large enough clearing for him to work on his archery. He still had several unpleasant thoughts swimming around in his head. These thoughts weighed so heavily on his mind that he almost missed the perfect spot. It was like it was made for working on one's bow skills. Long and narrow, there was really only room for him and maybe two other people between the trees if one considered the narrow edges the width of the clearing. What was even more perfect was the fact that were stood a lone tree at one end of the clearing. Upon further inspection of the tree, Grayson found several markings in the bark.
"Animal scratches?" he said to himself. Perhaps not. However, the archer couldn't tell if they were man made or not. Shrugging his shoulders, Grayson stuck the unlit end of the torch into a barren patch of ground near the tree and walked to the other end of the clearing. Thankfully, the torch was bright enough for him to still just barely see what he was doing when he arrived at his desired shooting position.
Grayson sighed and pulled out his bow and fit an arrow. The sound of the string pulling back and the wood of the bow creaking in protest that he found so odd when he first began his archery lessons actually felt comforting. His head almost felt dizzy with pure calm as he exhaled and listened to the bow. Grayson stood there, holding the bow drawn back, for what seemed like a very long time. He felt at ease while holding this position for the first time in a long time. A position that normally would cause him to complain to himself about how it made his arms hurt. However, this time, the pain in his arms was welcome. The archer didn't know what it was, whether it was his recent pensive state or the serene calmness of the woods at night, but he actually enjoyed standing there, holding his arrow drawn back in his cheap oak bow. It almost felt wrong to let the arrow fly.
Though this state of euphoria did not last long. He realized what the bow was for. What the arrow was meant to do. This was a weapon of death. A tool used to take a person's life. He was having fun earlier that day, but how that he had time to think about it, he didn't feel right holding his bow so. He saw the tree in the distance, torchlight flickering on it's rough bark, and watched as it transformed into the bandit leader from earlier. She was burning, suffering for every final second of her pitiful existence. Her screams rang out to him. She pleaded for mercy. Her screams of terror and pain assaulted Grayson. They pounded his head and stabbed into his heart until he couldn't take it anymore and...
Suddenly, everything went quiet. Grayson looked back at her. An arrow placed directly between her eyes. She cried, and mouthed a weak "thank you" to him. The vision of the woman faded away and he saw the tree in her place again, flames still illuminating the trunk. An extravagantly ornamented arrow was stuck dead center in the tree. Grayson gasped and fell backwards onto his rump, breathing heavily.
"I... I get it." the archer whispered to himself, "Sometimes... death is merciful. And sometimes it can't be avoided." He finally understood. Death was tragic, but a necessary part of his life now. He jumped to his feet and strung another arrow. Holding his bow more confidently than before, almost sideways, he fired the arrow and set another arrow before looking at where the previous one landed. Aiming again, he found the arrow he had fired landed in the side of the tree trunk. he adjusted his aim and fired again, stringing a new arrow after.
Grayson repeated this until he found that he had no more arrows to use. He walked up tot he tree to retrieve them. The archer found himself immensely proud of his grouping. Most of the arrows were near the middle of the trunk and a few even landed right next to his initial perfect bullseye. He pulled the arrows out of the tree and placed them back into his quiver. He picked his torch up which was beginning to burn down and headed back to camp.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on May 14, 2011 17:33:37 GMT -6
Foiled.... Ilyadia's name didn't help the mage determine gender at all. In the cultures Aaron was familiar with, the suffix "-ia" was normally related to the feminine, however, this was not always the case. Basically, Ilyadia's gender amounted to a big mystery to the traveling scholar, with the only obvious solution being to ask. Aaron wasn't sure that would be quite proper though, so he put it from his mind. There would be time to solve that puzzle later, if he felt the need, which he almost certainly would. Information was like to the magic user, as beef steaks were to dogs. Or blood to the giant, toothed fish of the deep sea: the sharks. It was a trait of those bound to the path of a sage.
"Ilyadia and Xavier. Welcome to the camp. You have my name already.... the purple-haired archer around here somewhere is called Grayson. That's Wyatt over with the pack, and the hammer." Aaron said, pointing over to the red-headed smith.
"And the "brute" who dragged you into this group is named Sabin, Xavier." Aaron felt that the young healer lad could have been more... charitable with his terms. Calling the one kept you from being exterminated alogside a group of highwaymen a "brute" was not the best form. The sage would grant that Sabin definitely fit the description though. "Traveling with cutthroats is a bad idea. Do you mind me asking how you came to join them?"
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Sabin
Pirate
Sightseeing's fun, isn't it?
Posts: 148
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Post by Sabin on May 15, 2011 20:56:24 GMT -6
Sabin raised an eyebrow when he heard Xavier calling him a brute. "I heard that laddie, and let me tell you what, you call me that again, and I'll really show you my bad side. Maybe hang you upside down from a tree and leave you there." Sabin threatened him jokingly.
"So, Illyadia, is it? you said you were a traveller from Sacae, right? So, how is Sacae to the eyes? I've heard its wonderful with lots forest cover and cool grasslands." Sabin asked the newcomer.
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Ilyadia
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I have a bow. Can I shoot it? Well... Thats another question entirely!
Posts: 20
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Post by Ilyadia on May 15, 2011 21:10:30 GMT -6
Ilyadia turned his head slightly so that he was looking at Sabin, and ran his rather thin left hand over the string of his bow. "Well, the parts of Sacae I travelled with my tribe were just pleasant, flat plains. I never encountered many forests, but maybe I just never really looked for them. As for the plains being cool... It really just depends upon the season." Ilyadia said in response. This man, whom the one called Xavier had called a brute, was... Well, he certainly looked a little brutish. But to Ilyadia, the man just looked as if ready for adventure! Or tired. Possibly tired.
"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" Ilyadia asked Sabin, still facing him. "And what is that place like?"
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