Bogged Down (Ricard/Open)

[Lydia]

Lydia trudged through the swamp. Lycia didn't have many swamps, and Caelin certainly was not known for them, but exceptions always existed, and the Pupil had leaped at the opportunity to explore an ancient and stable environment in order to search for natural remedies. She was still caught up in the possibility of creating an antitoxin that was universally applicable, and even more committed to the much more reasonable sub-goals of creating antitoxins that were catered to specific monsters, such as Revenant and Entombed, or Bael and Elder Bael, on and on.

Her search had taken her far into the muck, where trees grew slanted and twisted out of the bog, and where the mud sucked at every step. Pockets of deep water stood hidden, and the light filtering through the thick foliage gave the entire atmosphere an eerie and primordial feeling. But Lydia was not deterred - in fact, the challenge and the isolation made her comfortable and happy. She was collecting samples of different plants that had known medicinal value, and had small vials to collect mud and water from the swamp. This was a whole-day, full-effort expedition for the Pupil, and she had already come too far to turn back.

Faint cries of birds and the drip of liquid were the only natural sounds that the Pupil could discern. Other than that, her own footsteps and the sound of cracking branches or sucking mud were the few noises that disturbed the low buzz of white noise.

The buzz was all insects. They crowded and swarmed like snowflakes in an Ilian blizzard, flying about and landing all over the trees, the vines, the mud... Everywhere but the Pupil. Lydia had applied a natural insect repellent to her clothing, one developed by those of the Isles to fight off the blights caused by the little stinging insects they had up there. The formula worked remarkably well on the insects of this bog.

The Pupil took a rest on a small rock outcropping, resting her back on a log and breathing slowly. She had come quite far. There was not a whole lot of danger, or mental strain of any sort, but it was hard work slogging through all that mud.

[Ricard Duchamps]

It had been three years since Ricard was last allowed to leave Taras' borders. When the trips to Remi's port stopped, so too did Ricard's chances of getting out of Etruria. Most days he didn't mind. Home meant everything to him, and even with the fighting going on recently he never wanted to leave the farm for extended periods of time. However, every so often, that urge to take a vacation and see a bigger city got too powerful to ignore. He wasn't entirely sure why travel had been so much more difficult recently, beyond the occasional rant from his father about this country being run into the ground, but he knew it just wasn't feasible to keep asking anymore. It would take the stars aligning to give Ricard a proper chance to travel.

And then they did.

A buyer had been found somewhere in Caelin. While many of the larger territories were highly suspect of Etruria after Kraft's rise, the smaller territories tended to still have eager buyers present. Usually Ricard's father handled that business, but he had come down with an illness the day prior. Was it any wonder that Ricard eagerly volunteered to take up his father's mantle, at least for just one trip? At first his mother wanted to go, but reminding her of the last time he had to watch his siblings helped convince her to let him keep watch of the shipments today.

The ride to Caelin passed without incident. Unfortunately, Ricard's search for novelty threatened to change that. Another trader mentioned that they were near a swamp, and that while they might look unassuming there were always little delicacies hidden within. That small bit of inspiration stuck in Ricard's mind, and while the rest of the wagon rested Ricard decided to explore those new possibilities. They still had a whole day of rest before they started the long trip home, so surely it wouldn't delay anyone if he popped out for some exploration.

Ricard's nose wrinkled as soon as the odor of the swamp hit him. It wasn't like the odor of the farm, but rather a different kind of smelly that he wasn't used to in the slightest. Bugs stung at his skin, no amount of cloak swishing keeping them away for too long, and the muck of the swamp sloshed up to his ankles as he tried to trudge through it. Worst of all, he really wasn't familiar with the plants and animals around here. While he knew the general details of what he was looking for, their favored growing locations and behavioral patterns were still mysteries to him. Nevertheless, he refused to back down. With a sharp eye, a tight focus, and a knack for learning new things, what could possibly go wrong?

His trudging through the swamp started to speed up as he got more used to walking in such mucky conditions, but even then he was far slower and more agile than he was accustomed to. The shade and swarming insects weren't very beneficial for his focus, either, and at times the boy had to peer through the clouds of bugs just to see what was in front of him. He looked around, trying to get a sense of what was in the area in front of him. Gnarled trees, submerged rocks, a girl completely untouched by any insects, tangled-up vines.

Wait, what was that third thing?

Ricard peered out to the girl, eventually raising a hand and waving. "Hello!" he said, voice nearly but not entirely swallowed up by the buzzing of flies. Maybe it was a bad idea to just call out to perfect strangers, but she was small and looked about his age. Surely she wouldn't mean any harm.

[Ylva]

The cold white north had it's fair share of bogs. Of course there mostly around southern Ilia, and the air was still chilly. So it was not dragging her boots through the sloppy, mudded ground that bothered Ylva. It was the heat and the instincts. The move to Lycia had only been a few weeks ago, and she had not yet grown accustomed to the climate. She removed her armored glove and brushed some sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, clicking her tongue in irritance.

If not for this aggravating trek back, Ylva would actually be walking with a spring to her step. Perhaps even a smile on her face. Only three weeks in Lycia and she had already succeeded in her first mission. Granted it hadn't been a difficult one, and the pay would have been pitiful had she not haggled the client. It had been rather simple. He needed some herbs to be delivered to his sick relative immediately but could not afford to make the trip, for he had badly sprained his ankle earlier on. Ylva was merely to play errand girl for him.

She was lucky the Snolinjaal did not care for glory and pride. Money and survival meant everything, so delivery jobs were simple money. Besides the guild desperately needed it. They had abandoned their old fort and now had to hunt for another, unwilling to keep staying at inns and drain their funding away.

Ylva felt her boot get stuck in the bog and nearly pulled her foot clean out of it. With an irritated sigh she grabbed at her boot with one hand and pulled up hard, yanking it free from the bog. After that mishap she wound up on solid ground once again...granted the insects still buzzed about her, never ending pests that they were.

"Damned heat..." Ylva pulled out her waterskin and took a gulp. It was practically unbearable by that point. She wiped the stray moisture from her lips and put the skin away, venturing a touch further through the gnarled trees that littered the swamp. At last she found a clearing, a reprieve from the bog, and saw what appeared to be two adolescents in the area. Strange...but not her business. Ylva gave them both a swift lookover and deemed them as safe. They were no threat to her.

She merely nodded her head as she passed by them, stopping at an unoccupied rock before seating herself. Ylva took a quick look-over at her person. Boots were covered in mud, splatter of which was on her trousers as well. Her pack had mudsplatter at the bottom of it as well. Agh, it'd take a whole day to clean it all...

[Lydia]

The Pupil settled into her routine. Her arms raised slowly, and then stretched out and in, swiveled around in wide circles, and then crossed her body, each in turn. Stretches complete, Lydia opened her tome, the pages falling easily to an earmarked one covered in scribbles and other notes in the margin. Her lips moved ever so slightly, and then there was a brief feeling as if a wind was rushing out of her.

A ball of darkness forced itself into being, suspended over her outstretched palm and wobbling slightly as it spun lazily. The inky sphere seemed to grow a bit as Lydia pushed more power into it, and then she raised her arm to release it, focusing her mind on one bent tree.

“Hello!”

Lydia turned, her head snapping towards the noise and her arm flinging the ball of darkness forward. The Flux spell whirled towards the attacker and, mercifully, was intercepted by some low-hanging branches. Dark tendrils of Nether snapped the dry wood and pulled the pieces down, dragging them under the surface of the muck, and giving Lydia enough time to realize that the greeting had been friendly, not an attack call.

"Oh. Uh, hello. I was not expecting to see anyone else here in the swamp. Surely you must be uncomfortable, with all those insects all over you… I have a remedy, a paste you smear on your skin. It’s from the Isles, so it is quite potent. You won’t need a lot. Amazing what science can do, isn’t it?"

The Pupil motioned the young man over. He looked to be about her age, and a friendly sort. If he approached, she would offer a rock and the repellent salve.

Then a new face appeared, moving past sluggishly before slumping on a rock to rest as well. It seemed like the other two were less comfortable in the bog. Maybe it was because they didn’t have insect repellent. Maybe it was just that Lydia, having lived in the Isles, was more used to muck and filth. Who really knew.

"Hello to you as well. If you need insect salve, I will offer you some of mine. Otherwise, I have little in the way of provisions. I’m only here to continue my research into antitoxins. But since we are all resting here, I suppose the decent thing to do is introduce myself. I am called Lydia, and I am foremost a student of the Elder Arts. I am by trade and passion a scientist, and I am focusing my effort on creating antitoxins that are effective against the various monsters that have begun to appear."

[Ricard Duchamps]

There were a lot of ways Ricard expected this conversation to go. Saying hello. Being ignored. Being told to piss off. These were the kinds of response was usually accustomed to. His father often talked about being threatened with weaponry, but that was the life of a traveling mercenary in a nutshell. Having a giant glob of magical energy flung a few inches in front of his face, stopped only by some mercifully close branches? That was both odd and kind of horrific. Ricard cringed as the glob separated into writhing, groping tentacles, staring wide-eyed as they crushed a branch into pieces with ease. Would it have been so easy if it was bone? Oh, St. Elmine, what if it was his bones? Even when the tendrils were finished Ricard stared in wide-eyed shock, watching as the tendrils dispersed into a dark mist.

So in summary, yes, Lydia. He is kind of uncomfortable right now.

Maybe five seconds ago, he would have eagerly accepted the stranger's offer with no strings attached. Instead his advance was somewhat guarded, a hand rested on his bow and his pace slow. When he was close enough to see she had no other attack planned, however, he let his guard drop again. His bow rested flatly on his back once more, and he smiled sheepishly as he made his way to the rock that she offered him. It was an apologetic smile, as if he was sorry for even suggesting the idea of self defense prior. It was the slightest bit rude, even if it was also super appropriate in the case of nearly getting his face blown clean off. As he sat he accepted the salve that had been offered, dabbing it on his face, neck, and hands.

The pungent odor of it almost made his nose wrinkle, but by now the overwhelmingly murky smell of swamp had desensitized him to odor. Instead the main thing he noticed was the tingly feeling as he set it on his skin, as if he was constantly being burned to an almost unnoticeable degree. It was almost kind of ticklish. The next thing he noticed was that the insects took one look at him and got the heck out of dodge, making Ricard the eye of the storm among this hurricane of insects. He sighed in relief, flashing a much bigger smile at the girl in return. "This stuff is incredible! Thanks a ton," he said, gratitude and disbelief mixing in his tone.

Another had approached, too, but she was armored and looked like she meant serious business. Nevertheless, Ricard smiled at her. "Stuff works wonders. You should try some," he said, vouching for the effectiveness of the salve. This stuff could be incredible back on the farm. He'd definitely have to see about buying or trading for some down the line. That'd be later, though. Right now, finding his way around this place would have to be priority.

So would getting to know everyone. The girl had started the introductions, and the most he understood about what she was saying was that her name was Lydia. The rest was confusing, to say the least. Elder Arts? Were those the things that almost crushed his head like a walnut? And monsters couldn't possibly be real, could they? Nevertheless, he was inclined to think that the girl knew what she was talking about. She sounded really smart, and it was kind of hard to disagree with the power of dark magic being demonstrated right in front of him.

"I'm Ricard. I've been helping sell some of my family's crops and meat back in Caelin. Heard there's some neat stuff around here, so I decided to check it out. It's great to meet you guys.

So, what's the Elder Arts?"

[Ylva]

Though Ylva had intended to keep to herself she found the young blonde girl greeting her regardless. Not so strange, really, but the location and condition of the area left Ylva feeling less sociable than usual. She just wanted to get back to HQ, kick her boots off, and carve at some wood until the next assignment. That said Ylva did pay close attention to every word the girl said. She picked up on her name, Lydia, she was a student in the Elder Arts, which Ylva figured meant dark magic, and that she was in the area researching...antitoxins. Huh.

Lydia also offered Ylva some sort of "insect salve". Apparently it would be useful in repelling insects? She had offered it to the chatty young boy, Ricard. He had taken some the salve rather swiftly, which Ylva deemed naive, yet it seemed to have no adverse effects on him. Still...

"I'll pass, thanks." Ylva stated, bluntly but not exactly rudely. Besides, there had been one thing that Lydia mentioned which was of much greater import to Ylva than anything else. The boy asked about Elder Arts, evidently unable to make the connection that it likely meant Elder Magic or black/dark magic, but what Ylva was more interested in was; "Antitoxins for monsters? What do you mean by that?"

It seemed she, too, had a question for the young girl. However it was an opportunity Ylva could not pass up on. She hadn't yet learned that monsters could be venomous at all, but if that was really the case then it would be prudent not only to her but to the Snolinjaal to look into antitoxins. Perhaps this Lydia could be useful to that end.

[Lydia]

Ricard, a traveling… Farmer? Merchant? He looked like a true ‘man of the land,’ that was certain, with his bow slung on his back and his boots tight on his feet. He took some of her repellent, and just about plastered himself with it. Lydia managed to hold her tongue, though. It wouldn’t pay to be rude, especially after he’d so kindly not put her full of arrows given that she nearly took his head off with a Flux blast.

He was pretty chipper, too, for being a guy wandering around in a bog. But cool stuff? She wasn’t exactly certain what cool stuff a sword-and-shield type of guy like him would want to find out here in the swamp. That would be something to talk about. Perhaps he too was interested in scientific discoveries and was simply less wordy than she.

The other one…she was older, and had deigned not to give her name. Or to accept the insect repellent. Her loss, really. All business, she was, getting right to the meat of the matter.

The pupil ran her hands through her hair and tried to begin explaining to both, hoping to answer their questions in terms the physical fighters would understand.

"The Elder Arts are a collection of forms of magic that base themselves off of the energy of the Nether, a formless, shapeless entity. It is an ancient magical school of thought, and the Nether is the foundation that holds it all together. We draw our power from the Nether, and in exchange we offer up our bodies, minds, and spirits, our very sense of self. Most of us will never see or notice this lack, but for us to draw our power, we must give power in exchange. The greater the power we take, the more we give to the Nether. The most powerful of Elder practitioners, the great Druids, have been known to go mad, exchanging their reason for power beyond belief. We as Elder artists take pride in our ability to rend the soul, crush the mind, and sicken the body. In fact, talented Druids have learned to suck the life from others and use it to restore their own. A fascinating concept, really.

This is Flux, and it is the weakest and most basic of the commonly known Elder skills. In the hands of more experienced manipulators, it is still a fearsome weapon, though."

Lydia brought a glob of dark power into existence, letting it hang briefly before allowing it to dissipate into nothingness once more.

Her explanation of her magic complete, she turned to the other issue.

"Antitoxins for monsters? It’s a pretty simple concept. The claws and teeth of many of the fiends that have popped up all over Lycia are rotted, fetid, and toxic. I have designed counter-poisons for individual breeds, thanks to my scientific research, and am now trying to make more universal antitoxins and antivenoms.

For example!"

The pupil withdrew a small pouch from inside her cloak and carefully opened it, taking out some vials.

"These are colored, of course, for my ease of cataloguing. Most solutions are colorless and tasteless, or slightly bitter.

Here we have a vial of common Revenant poison. I have dyed it a dark red. And here is the antitoxin that the Lycians have come up with. It is a light red.

I have found that with the appearance of Entombed, which seem to be more powerful and dangerous Revenants, new antitoxins are in order. So here is my Formula R-E-18, the first antivenom that is equally effective in combating the toxins found on Revenant and Entombed teeth and claws. It won’t have any effect if you ingest the flesh, but only an idiot would eat dead people."

As Lydia continued to speak, there was an odd, loud gurgle that echoed from what seemed to be far away. It was followed by a dull moan, which sounded almost like an animal in distress. Something pricked at the back of the Pupil’s skull, but she continued to speak, brushing the unusual feeling out of her mind.

"I have been unable to have much more luck, though my efforts on Formula B-EB are currently at the 24th version. That is why I am in the swamp – to try and find a universal Bael and Elder Bael antitoxin.

The other monsters are even rarer, so I have delayed working on formulations for their poisons. And to my knowledge, the weapons used by Bonewalkers and Wights are not poisoned as a result of their origin, but rather due to natural rot, pre-existing poisons, and other factors. So they are a difficult case as well.

You have quite the interest in poisons and counterpoisons, …lady. Any reason why?"

[Ricard Duchamps]

When Ricard had first heard the name Elder Arts, he imagined something a lot more peaceful and serene. You know, like art. Or old people. There was probably going to be a lot of talk about the true nature of the universe that, while sailing right over his head, would at least be pleasant and interesting to listen to. He sat up at attention as Lydia began to talk, fully understanding that he likely wouldn't get much of it but interested in having something besides politics to talk about when he got home.

He certainly didn't expect to hear 'we feed ourselves to the void for the power to destroy our enemies on every level of existence.' Although maybe based on the Flux spell's effect, which Lydia claimed was 'weak and basic' yet still looked plenty terrifying, Ricard should have expected that. The idea of damage extending to the level of the immortal soul sat in Ricard's stomach like a rotten egg, and he tried his hardest not to grimace at Lydia's description. He tried his best to keep a healthy understanding of it all and be fair to his new friend. After all, as a hunter, he sticks animals with sharp pieces of metal until they stop moving, while waiting from a comfortable distance away. When the wrong words were picked, that could sound pretty depraved. Maybe Lydia just tended to pick scary words when she was talking.

And scary actions. Ricard had to admit, he scooted away a little when she generated the Flux. When the spell had gone off just a few inches in front of his face earlier, being crafted on the adjacent rock was a little too close for comfort. The spell was actually kind of beautiful when it wasn't activated, though, and Ricard found himself admiring it once he was a safe distance away.

Maybe he was just misjudging Lydia's description after all. Unfortunately, there was one line he was finding it impossible to get past. Speaking of the art's highest practitioners, the Druids, as 'great,' even when they sacrifice their minds to the point of insanity and subsist by stealing the life forces of others. It seemed self damage was both expectation and a badge of honor, and Ricard found himself worriedly looking Lydia up and down. Maybe it was silly of him, but he didn't want someone to be wasting away under the weight of their own mystic power. Especially not someone who, while kind of intimidating, also seemed smart and helpful. Eventually, he managed to work up the nerve for a question.

"Are you okay? I mean, does it hurt you?"

Then Lydia and the other woman began talking about monsters. When the question was first brought up, Ricard didn't pay it much mind. He was far too busy listening to the description of the Elder Arts to really think about it. Besides, monsters didn't exist! They were bedtime stories told on the farm, to encourage the twins to stay behind the fence or get stolen away by a zombie. Sure, sometimes his dad ranted about them when talking about how the world was going to hell, but that was just frustration and wine talking. His mom always denied their existence, paling at the mere thought of monsters being real, and told him to go back to work. This would be plenty of time to digest what he recently learned.

Except monsters did seem real, if this heavily scientific evidence was any indication. Bottles of poisons and bottles of antivenoms sat side by side, each codified and tested to a degree that left Ricard's head spinning. He wanted to doubt, but the insect salve had worked so well. There was no way Lydia was some sort of snake oil salesman when her products actually worked. Ricard's voice took on a hushed tone as he asked "Wait, they're real?"

[Ylva]

The young blonde girl seemed to handle her two questions not only well, but gave two distinct, thorough responses. She must have been rather intelligent for her age. Studious. That begged the question why such an intelligent girl would wander about a bog on her own, if she had only simple magic to defend her, but Ylva dismissed the thought. It was no business of hers. Ylva simply listened silently and patiently for the girl's ramblings on Elder Magic to be finished. There was a bit to be learned there, but more important matters awaited.

What WAS certainly business was this antitoxin nonsense. Evidently it was not some revolutionary concept, at least not in Lycia. Ylva was still processing the fact that monsters carried toxins and venoms, apparently many kinds of them did. Their descriptions, though brief and vague, sounded dreadful and disgusting. Ylva had yet to come across any since coming to Lycia, though the guild were looking for hunts and jobs involving them already. Some members had purchased silver, but did they know about the toxins and venoms? Ylva felt it prudent she had to share with them what she could.

Around the time Lydia pulled out her vials of venom and antitoxin, Ylva reached back and took out her waterskin. Half-full. She was lucky she'd had the chance to refill it before entering through the swamp. The mercenary took a drink but paused. She heard something. Not some rustle amongst the underbrush or the wind blowing the leaves. It sounded...odd. Like no creature she'd ever heard of before. A guttural moan and then...the shriek or cry of some animal.

It set her senses off. Even if it was just a wolf, bear, or coyote she did not want to risk sticking around to find out. If Lycia's wildlife was anything like Ilia's then their beasts could be savagely territorial. Violent and aggressive when hungry.

Ylva focused her attention on her senses. Her eyes and ears. It was easy for her, came naturally. She gazed towards the source of the noise and narrowed her eyes. The Ilian couldn't see a thing through the underbrush, save a cluster of gnats flying about. Still, she was not the paranoid type, but this was an unfamiliar noise in an unfamiliar territory. Better to react now.

Especially if...

Both Lydia and Ricard finished speaking with questions. The boy seemed shocked at the concept of monsters being real. Either he was sheltered as all hell or he wasn't from Lycia. "Aye. Monsters are real. They've become so common that people've started tryin' to make a livin' off killin' 'em."

She turned her hazel eyes on Lydia before standing up. "I'm with people like that. Hence why I was interested in your antitoxins and antivenoms. That said, I don't feel like sticking around here. Heard something strange nearby, so I'm heading off now. Not interested in finding out what made that sound."

[Lydia]

"Are you all right? I mean, does it hurt you?"

Lydia's face for a moment lost its composure, registering blank shock and utter confusion. She had just gotten done explaining how the Elder Arts drew from one's soul and being for power... Did it hurt? No, of course it didn't hurt. Perhaps it should, though. The sharp, stinging pain of cuts lingered briefly in her mind, and she unconsciously felt her pocket for her razor. But then her mind cleared, and she answered Ricard, shaking her head but speaking without condescension or malice.

"No, I don't feel anything. I suppose I'm not drawing very much power, to begin with, and, to seal the deal, I don't think one usually feels the draw. It takes away from the immaterial of us, after all."

The woman explained that monsters were, in fact, real, and that she was some sort of mercenary with a monster-hunting group. Interesting. So she would have a natural necessity for antitoxins, hmm?

"Don't leave so fast. I've got more research to do here, but I'm sure you won't be going far after you clear the bog. Tell me where you'll be staying and I'll go there. I want you to introduce me to your boss. If you guys are killing monsters, I'd be more than happy to supply you with what antitoxins I can make in exchange for more materials to use in my experiments. It's tough, getting monster parts. People don't trade them openly."

Made the noise? Lydia thought back. That was a sound she'd heard before. In fact, it sounded quite like the Ostian Revenants she had run into when Wei had met her. Revenants out here, in the bog? It was possible, but unlikely. Lydia dismissed the thought from the high-priority queue in her mind, keeping it as an alert on the back burner.

"Be careful out there when you do leave. If I remember, that sounds like the typical call of a Revenant. I could be mistaken, of course, but I'm pretty sure. The ones I ran into in Ostia sounded like that. But I'm not sure where Revenants would be if they were indeed in the bog. There's not a lot of land mass, so we'd hear them squelching their way through the muck towards us pretty easily. The only other option I can think of is if they were laying dormant, and are waiting to ri-"

As she was speaking, behind her, an arm slowly rose from the muck, its flesh rotten and peeling off of the bone. The claw-like hand grasped a rock, and then the rest of the creature's upper body emerged, a head with a gaping mouth and two dully glowing yellow eyes rising and a chest that was once woman but now abomination coming free from where it had rested under the ooze with a singular squelch.

"-se up from the bog. I've never heard of Revenants being present under these conditions, though, so I cannot say for certain."

Her face slowly whitened as she looked over the mercenary woman's shoulder. Indeed, rising from behind her, and Ricard too, were Revenants. Slowly, the three fiends pulled themselves out of the ooze, and then in unison let out a chilling, unnatural cry.