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Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)


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Tassadar

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 29/42, EP = 1/112, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 3 (+12 Dodge, +12 attack, +6 Speed) 6/25 Resistance, Low on Energy

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = ??/94, PP = ??/42, EP = ??/42, Status = fine?, taken 6 Resistance damage

Rolls
Elysia gains 12 exp for today! :D

Yes you!” the dark knight replied, a note of bemusement in their voice. Her hesitant announcement that she had only recently arrived at the mountain village herself caused the woman to tilt her head and glance around, as if she expected no further comment from the seamstress, but when Elysia spoke further the knight turned back to her as if curious. “Apparently you do,” the knight said softly, and unless the warrior’s helmet blocked the periphery of her vision, she could likely see the animated juggernaut where it stood in place, as still as a statue in its undead state. Her two questions drew another glance from the knight, who replied; “Which who? And what do you mean by here? If you want to know why we are here, that would be because we were hunting the group that attacked this village. It was unfortunate that we didn’t catch up to them sooner, else many lives might have been saved here.

With the unease of the townsfolk steadily rising, Alaric suddenly stepped into the midst of the villagers and growled; “Why did they come here? Did you drive them here, demon?” A murmur swept through the crowd both within the assembled warriors and inside the half-collapsed town hall at the blacksmith’s announcement, but a soft chuckle swept across the group of knights, and the gigantic shadowy hounds and the flaming horse upon which their leader had ridden into Blinlock seemed to join in, in their own way. The horse seemed to dim slightly after a moment, and the shadows around the hounds slowly receded until they looked only like massive wolves, almost like the dire wolves that the seamstress had heard of around her own village of Laerwick, though it was plain to see that they were no common beasts. Regardless of their reactions to the blacksmith's question, it was clear that the rest of Blinlock took poorly to their rescuers, and even more so after Alaric gave voice to the name of their race. Many murmurs were traveling about among the townsfolk, and though most of them traveled among the townspeople, the spotlight that had been placed upon Elysia by the demon's immediate singling out of her drew some of their whispers and dark glances in her direction.

No, they are not here because of us, human. They are the remnants of a tower constructed by the aliens from their own foul flesh, one that we destroyed a few days ago. My mistress opted to return to Acheron after the work was done, but sent us to eliminate the sole remaining elder lord after she destroyed the tower.” The knight’s reply came after a momentary pause, and was delivered in an entirely efficient manner, one with very little passion left obvious, and as such only seemed to frustrate Alaric further. "And you chased them here!? You're just as responsible for the deaths of these people as they are!" he declared, and even though many of them had looked upon the demons with distrust before, the normally level headed blacksmith's reaction to the ones that had come to their aid drew surprise even from the other townsfolk, and they glanced among one another with somewhat frightened looks, not an unreasonable reaction given the apparent strength of the beings that he was taunting.

He strode up to the destroyed steps, stopping only at the edge of the crater that the alien lord had created, and passing Elysia without so much as a glance in her direction. The look on his face was fiercer than any she'd ever seen on the man's face, his rage surpassing even the look that he'd worn when he'd smashed his hammer against Typhon's face after finding him and his cronies in the middle of raping Elysia. That tool was held like a weapon in the massive man's hand, and though he faced the towering, armored knight from across both a rather sizable horizontal and vertical gap, he held no fear on his face. The demon knight apparently noticed this, and the reaction to it among the townsfolk, as she strode forward until she stood on the opposite edge of the crater, though she left her weapons behind with her flaming mount. "Your evident distaste for me and mine suggests to me that my kin have done you a disservice of some sort in the past, and for that I can only offer my own apologies, such as they are. That said, your accusation is entirely unfounded," the demon stated, and then slowly reached up to remove their helmet.

The supposition that it was a woman wearing the black armor was confirmed as the finely chiseled piece of worked ebony steel came off, and the woman cradled the helmet under her left arm as she face Alaric with a calm scowl. Her features were as finely chiseled as those of the statue of a goddess, angular but supple and prideful, and her looks combined with her noble bearing almost made her seem royal, a sharp contrast to the bare-chest and rugged Alaric. Her hair was a fiery red to match the mane of her mount, cut short enough that it didn't even fall all the way to her shoulders, and her eyes were a deep blue that Elysia could see even from the distance at which she stood were flecked with gold and red. "The aliens chose their direction, and we followed as quickly as we could. I am truly sorry for your losses, and wish with all my heart that I could have prevented them, but you are not the first mortal village that I have seen scarred or even obliterated by the aliens. Your other protectors both mortal and immortal are stretched thin fighting them as it is, and we of Acheron have offered what aid we can to help stem the tide without asking anything in return. It is time for us to drop our old prejudices, lest the gray tides wash over us all."

The knight delivered every word in a tone of frank sincerity that was startlingly reminiscent of Alaric's usual tone, and though the words might as well have bounced off of the angry man, her tone seemed to mollify him slightly. Taking the opportunity left by Alaric's moment of silence, one of the other townspeople stepped forward from the group in the town hall, an old portly man with receding grey hair and heavily weathered skin, who cleared his throat and said; "Please forgive our blacksmith, he has... Personal history... Where your kind are concerned. We are all very grateful for your timely intervention, Lady Knight, and on behalf of Blinlock I would like to extend an offer of our hospitality!" The knight half turned toward him and calmly asked; "And who are you to make such an offer, if I may be so bold? I would not push my presence onto those who do not desire it." The man promptly answered; "Ahhh, ahehm, I am Calvin, Calvin Sanderson, Mayor elect of Blinlock.... That would be this village, in case you hadn't noticed the sign on your way in!"

The woman smiled and turned fully, ascending back up the steps and henceforth ignoring Alaric, who glared silently at her back unless Elysia opted to drag him away. "Excellent! I had thought that the men of authority had all perished in that spell. I gratefully accept your generous offer on behalf of the 107th, on the condition that you allow us to pay for any and all services rendered to us in full for the extent of our stay here. We have no need for charity," the knight replied calmly, and the mayor of Blinlock smiled and nodded, "Of course! Aheh.... I'm sure that our citizens won't have any problems with that!" It was then that Alaric gave the mayor a disgusted look, and would start heading over to his shop. In the meantime, Elysia would spot movement out of the corner of her eye, and see that Brun, Alaric's blacksmith, was emerging from the same rubble pile that he'd emerged from earlier, looking extremely dazed. People were also coming up from the road out of Blinlock, people that Elysia vaguely recognized from her earlier walks through the village as citizens from the town, and many of them were carrying picks and shovels, while others carried farming implements, marking them as those who'd been busy at work when the attack had hit.

Elysia's FrankenHunter: +30 Body, +4 AV, 12/74 HP.
Elysia's FrankenJuggernaut: +30 Body, +4 AV.
 

Takimaru

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia's eyes darted back and forth at the exchange between Alaric and the rider, which only appeared to grow more and more heated as time went on. While the demon's helmet stayed on, she couldn't help but turn most of her attention to the smith, noticing the peculiar distaste he bore for someone who had no doubt saved Blinlock in the end. Provided, yes, there was perhaps some blame to go on them, even by the dark knight's own admission, but it was still difficult for the seamstress to be entirely ungrateful, considering the battle had just narrowly ended when she was completely out of energy. She frowned softly, glancing sideways to the angry visage of the smith she had grown so attached to in such a short amount of time. Various thoughts ran through her head as she looked on with a worried expression. "I've never seen him so furious, not even the night before... what kind of history does he have with these riders or their kind? They -are- somewhat frightening in their own way, not unlike how Sorien was, but Alaric is normally so calm, and even just to see him like this... it scares me a little. The scars on his body, as well... there really is so much that I just don't know about him yet."

When the leader of the group removed their helmet, only to reveal a stunningly beautiful visage, it was difficult for Elysia not to notice, and so she turned her gaze towards the redheaded noble. The seamstress was hesitant to throw out a joyful thanks the way one Calvin Sanderson did, due to Alaric's lingering frown, but she did wrap both of her arms around one of the smith's and lean into him in an attempt to get him to relax a little or diffuse at least some of the tension that had built up. "I'm just glad you are well..." she quietly interrupted, targeting her statement towards the hulking craftsman. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about... my other talents," added the tailoress somewhat meekly. With a pronounced movement of her hands, she allowed the headless hunter to disassemble first, then looked to the juggernaut. "I can dispose of these now, if you wish, unless you'd like for them to help with the rebuilding--in which case I could perhaps construct far more beautiful looking things for that. But believe me, I'm not proud of them, by any means. In fact, I find this rather embarrassing, that any of you would have to see me put these powers to use in such a gruesome manner," she announced aloud, speaking to the others as much as she was to Alaric. "I told myself that I would only use these in defense of myself or the village, and so I have limited them to that purpose alone..." the seamstress trailed off. As awkward as it sounded, it was less of a boast and more of a plea of sorts to not have to face exile. She had, after all, nowhere else to go as far as she was concerned.

Provided Alaric showed some degree of cooling down, she would flash a brief, subtle smile of thanks towards the rider when the opportunity allowed. But as much as she wanted to do this and that, to learn more about the smith or to exchange questions with the knights, the emergence of Brun from the rubble reminded Elysia that there was still much work to be done. She at least offered him a look of relief to show that she too was glad for his survival. Seeing as there were many others in need of help, she would only wait for the tense situation between the people and the riders to diffuse just enough before assisting in any way she could. The juggernaut would be set about moving larger piles of stones off of anyone trapped within, while Elysia herself could attempt to suture wounds or even do some of the more physically grueling work, if she was needed for that as well. She wanted to show that she did in fact care about Blinlock as much as any of its native citizens did, and while she couldn't guarantee their acceptance, she could still seek to help as many as she could. It also gave her some time to think, unless anyone made it a point to approach her as she worked.

When those that needed immediate tending to were taken care of, she would then regroup at the town hall.
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Alaric looked Elysia's way when she clutched against his arm, and his angry scowl slowly faded into a mere frown, albeit a fairly dark one. "It's alright Elysia," he grumbled softly in reply to her apology, "I had no reason to ask, and you had no reason to tell... I can imagine how such abilities would have made others uncomfortable, and can see it in some of them now. They will come to trust you, as I do... But for now, I too am glad that you are alright." He flashed a very brief smile at her, one that was gone so quickly that she could have blinked and missed it, but then he turned the brunt of his attention back to the conversation taking place between the demon knight and the mayor of Blinlock. Her loud announcement of her embarrassment of her powers and how she intended to use them likely didn't go over as well as she might have liked, given that it caused a couple of people to edge away from her and merely drew worried looks from others, but at the moment no one seemed to be forming a mob to run her out of town.

The rider, preoccupied as she was by her conversation with the mayor, which had been reduced to quieter tones while people started gathering and starting the repairs of the village, didn't miss the subtle smile that the seamstress tossed her way. Though she didn't pause to interrupt her conversation with the mayor, the demon flashed a momentary smile while Elysia worked. Brun, despite how impolite he'd been previously, looked haggard, battered, and was shaking fiercely after emerging from the rubble. Her smile seemed a welcome sight to Alaric's assistant, as he heaved a deep sigh and seemed to calm slightly afterwards. The tension seemed to have been largely diffused by then, and after that the reconstruction began. Alaric vanished briefly to get his masonry tools together, but other than the town hall there wasn't too much damage to the town. The people of Blinlock gave Elysia's animated juggernaut a wide berth, but were given reason to be glad of it quickly enough after it lifted a section of rubble that had buried several men who'd been caught in the blast, one that would have taken hours to clear by hand and cost those beneath their lives.

Eartha and Lavender had appeared at some point, and both women worked alongside Elysia and a number of others to see to those wounded in the battle. Many of those injured had been raped by the invaders, and some had had their souls extinguished fully, leaving them as little more than mindless shells. Elysia had heard tales of such victims, of how they would rise animated by mindless instinct, and as she was the only one among the people of Blinlock with the talent to discern them from those that could be saved if given time to recover, it fell to her to tell the other healers of such or to hide it from them and let it run its course. Many others required sutures from the claws of the aliens, wounds that Elysia found were jagged and bled heavily, making them difficult to treat. The town had no doctor or healer, and it became quickly apparent that Eartha wasn't well trusted by the villagers despite how skilled she was in such practices. Even so, the woman was giving away items that Elysia had seen on the woman's own shelves without any apparent desire for recompense, if only to make the recovery of some of the wounded townsfolk easier.

As she treated the wounded, Elysia found herself approached by one of the great black hounds that the demonic riders had come to town with, and she spotted the bloody scratches on its belly that identified it as the one that had attacked her hunter as it half turned away from her without breaking eye contact. The beast tilted its head and flattened its ears, and let out a light whimper almost akin to the noise made by its lesser cousins when they were wounded, though the sound was several octaves deeper courtesy of the hellhound's greater size. What Elysia was going to do about that was up to her, however.

When Alaric returned, Elysia's juggernaut was put to use in helping the smith repair the town hall alongside a dozen or so other men and the smith himself, and with her minion's help the scaffolding was put up and the repairs begun in record time. The buildings that had caught the flack from the blast by the alien rather than the direct blast were less severely damaged, but those were started as well, as Alaric seemed to have a great eye for it and a great deal of extra material on hand. The plaza was cleaned, the bodies of the dead taken away to the mortuary while the bodies of the greys were piled outside of town to be burned. All in all, despite the fierceness of the battle and the carnage that it had called, the aftermath of the battle took only the rest of the day to clean up physically, as the concrete was set into the molding to repair the town hall and the other damaged structures were freshly repaired. No signs of any of the lizardlike aliens that might have escaped were found anywhere, and Elysia at one point learned that it had been decided that the demons would be allowed to stay at the inn so long as they paid the usual rates, something that their leader had insisted on despite the mayor's insistence that they should be rewarded for coming to their aid and for the help they gave in the rebuilding, some of them displaying physical strength rivaling that of her juggernaut.

Throughout the course of the day, the people of Blinlock had come together as a community, and though she had only stayed with them for a few days and had been somewhat estranged do to the use of her freakish powers, the distance between them melted more and more the longer she worked beside them. Some might still look upon her with suspicion borne of their long-taught hatred of those with such abilities, but the simple truth was that she'd fought as hard as any to help defend them, and that without her presence they might have all been killed or worse even with the help of the demons. More than one came to her as she worked simply to tell her that, Brun among them, and the more that did it the more often it happened. Some hugged her while some retained their distance, but many of the people of Blinlock found the courage to thank her, cultural stereotypes or no. Many made an effort to make her feel included as well, a gesture that they extended to Lavender and Eartha as well even though the seamstress got the impression that they weren't well liked or particularly respected around the small mountain community.

It was far from all good news, however. Many had fallen to the invaders, and many more were wounded. Elysia was made to see dozens in tears as they looked down on the bodies of their loved ones, men and women alike as both grieving and casualty, and though the scars on the town's surface would be healed it was clear that the emotional impact would take far longer to heal. The town held a public meal that evening, a relatively modest affair given that it was autumn and the stores would need to be carefully rationed if they were to make it through the winter, but there was no laughter. The community that she was becoming a part of was in mourning for those that it had lost, but amidst the pain Elysia saw signs of hope as well, and it was plain to see that the small village was anything but broken by the experience. Alaric was one of the last to leave, and she noted that many were going off to sleep in larger groups than usual while the nightly guard had been more than doubled, and that the demons had offered to leave one of their own and their hounds on guard, which the mayor had accepted. The smith told her that she was free to go and rest at his place, or at Eartha's or Lavender's if she preferred to return home with one of the women she'd come to know instead of going to his house, but he didn't insist on it and she was free to stay by his side until the clean up was finished, at which point he finally retired for the night.

When she moved to leave, however, the leader of knights stepped into the periphery of her vision, and was clearly gazing right at her. The black-armored woman stepped forward once it became clear that Elysia had noticed her, offered the seamstress a friendly smile, and said; "Hello! You are.... Elysia, am I correct? I was told your name by the mayor, who made it a point to say that you were an outsider that had only just arrived here in Blinlock. May I speak to you in private for a moment please? I'll only take a minute of your time, you have my word."
 

Takimaru

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

The seamstress heaved a deep sigh of relief upon hearing her beloved's response. He trusted her. Really, that was all she needed to hear from him, that she hadn't unwittingly driven him away with the rather gruesome display of her powers. While she wasn't exactly thrilled about the other citizens' reactions, it was to be expected, and so she quietly gave thanks that things didn't go south the way they could have in that regard.

However, Elysia's concern of town's level of acceptance towards her would inevitably take a back seat to the safety of those who were still buried beneath the rubble, and she would work quickly to attend to wounds and the like as her gigantic minion went about clearing the larger obstructions. While she was all too happy to see both Eartha and Lavender alive and well, the momentary smiles she made towards them in greeting remained all too brief in the face of the invasion's brutal aftermath. She was no surgeon, obviously, but she did the best she could to suture up the injuries that were presented to her by the wounded, resorting to doing the tasks by hand, since she didn't have the energy left to multitask via telekinesis. Her expression took on a steely focus as she went to work. By the time she had gotten through with about a dozen people, her fingertips were covered in blood, with a slight amount framing her face from her having idly wiped the sweat from her brow. Had Eartha any potions to spare for her mental fatigue, she'd kindly request one, but otherwise wouldn't push too hard for it, as it was a task that she would have pushed through on, regardless of what resources were available to her.

Then came the matter of the gemini. She spoke to the old shaman first before following suit with the other healers. "The drained... all of these... and this one," she announced, motioning to them as discreetly as possible, "...are beyond our help. If not disposed of with the rest, they will likely only take more when the time comes. I'm sorry." It pained her to be the bearer of bad news, but it was better to identify which could ultimately cause Blinlock more lives, especially while she had the opportunity to do so, before things got worse later on.

As she finished her row of patients, waiting for the next batch to be arrive, Elysia looked up to see a familiar figure, though not one of a human. It was the hound-like creature from before. She remembered it having attacked her hunter, an understandable course of action given her own animated minion's grotesque appearance, with the only difference between it and others being the glowing threads that were laced through its body. If it had really wanted to hurt her back then, it could have done as much quite easily, and she was keen to note this. Back home in Laerwick, she had always been fond of animals, and though this one carried what could qualify as a rather terrifying appearance to some, it still behaved like any other dog. When the hellhound approached her, she managed to stay calm and rather welcoming, managing a smile towards the animal as she scritched it behind the ears and gave it a few pets before looking it over. "Hello... you poor thing. You're wounded, too..." she said aloud as if speaking to a pet of her own. "Hold still, alright? I'm not going to hurt you. It'll only sting for a moment, but I'll make it better, I promise," added Elysia reassuringly before tending to the gashes on its belly. She tried her best to pass on her air of nurturing and calmness to the beast, in order to prevent herself from aggravating it, as she sewed its wounds shut. After finishing, she would stroke the hound's head a few more times to comfort it.

Much to her delight, she'd find the next villagers to approach her, Brun included, to be more thankful than some of the ones she had treated before. "I'm glad to see you alive and well," she said to the smith's apprentice. "Even if your timing is poor, your luck seems to have held up. Thank you, for accepting me here. I couldn't ask for much more." She would repeat the latter portion of the sentence to the others who had chosen to express their gratitude, finding her morale boosted and motivation for helping renewed for the next several hours. However, other than fashion slings and wrappings from spare scraps of fabric for the populace, there came a point where there was little else she could do. Most of those who hadn't been assisted in some way were dead. It was a painful thing to watch, no doubt, as even her own village hadn't been subjected to such tragedy on a scale quite like what she had seen that morning. She knew not the words for consolation, remaining appropriately silent until the feast began at the mayor's order.

When dinner was served, Elysia found that she was hungrier than she initially thought, and ended up losing herself in the meal, only to find out that she had eaten her fill perhaps not twenty minutes later. She took a moment to catch her breath and calm her nerves afterwards, then turned to Alaric as he went to leave. "I'll join you in a moment," she told him, allowing him to go on ahead as she sat near the edge of one of the tables. Elysia then proceeded to wipe her face as best she could, only to spot the familiar visage of the knights' leader when she finally looked up. "Ah...! Yes, that I am. I apologize for not having properly introduced myself earlier, or even getting your name. I must admit, for a moment I thought we were in worse trouble, but we wouldn't have survived if not for your help." She stood up to present herself with the correct manners. The demon's proposal caused Elysia to look around briefly before nodding. "In private? Hmm... I suppose it wouldn't hurt," said the seamstress, picking up her sewing kit before following the other woman to a less crowded area.
 
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Tassadar

Tassadar

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Approached first with the news about those who had been violated by the aliens and had their souls taken, Eartha pursed her lips and listened intently. Though Elysia was a stranger and no healer by any means, the older woman listened to what she had to say respectfully, and given the talents that the seamstress had displayed so far, she seemed to take her at her word. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly, "Are you absolutely certain of this? These people.... They will not take it well. The ones who are so afflicted are their friends, their family, their neighbors.... To see them like this is hard enough, but to say that they are lost to us even though they still draw breath will be hard to swallow. I will support you in this, if you are certain, but I would warn you that it will not be taken well, even if the danger that they represent is greater still." If Elysia affirmed the herbalist that she was sure of her findings, which she was even as tired as she was following the battle and midway through its equally exhausting aftermath, she would take Elysia to some of the others and allow the seamstress to deliver her findings.

They took it about as well as could be expected. Outrage came first but was quick to pass, for even in isolated Laerwick they'd heard of what would happen to those taken by the invaders. Then came a long, drawn out, and fairly pointless argument given the conclusion that they reached, which was to let the families decide. A few heeded her advice without needing to, though such obviously pained them, but a few others were unwilling to simply execute those that they hoped might be saved, no matter how much Elysia tried to convince them otherwise. Those were put under guard, and later Eartha would quietly say to her; "You did the right thing, Elysia. I know that that wasn't an easy thing to tell someone, but you may have saved lives by it. On behalf of Blinlock, thank you."

The hellhound leaned its head into her hand as she scratched it behind the ears, but unlike a normal dog its eyes remained open and focused entirely on her. Animal or no, when she told it that she wasn't going to harm it, the beast literally nodded and held almost entirely still, the only parts of it that continued any motion being the slight back and forth motions of its tail, and its head, which continued to track her constantly. The gashes on its belly were far from life threatening, particularly on a creature such as it, but on a normal creature they would have required stitches. If she opted to give such to the beast, Elysia would find that the hellhound never yelped or winced as she worked with her needle, it merely watched her stoically while she treated its wounds however she would and waited for her to finish. When she did, the great black hound once more pushed its head into her hand and wagged its tail energetically, even giving a little woof that was nonetheless fairly loud. Its wounds treated, the hellhound gave her hand a gentle lick before sauntering off back to its waiting comrades, all of whom were at rest.

After dinner, and after Elysia had sent Alaric off to bed on his own, she found herself facing the leader of the demon knights that had come riding into the midst of the battle. The heavily armored woman smiled warmly to the seamstress for her words and offered a tilt of her head, "Yes... There hasn't been time for proper introductions yet either, has there? My apologies for that, but... Well, you know how hectic its been." Despite her request for privacy, the woman only led her around the corner of the town hall, easily within earshot and the range of help should Elysia feel as if she needed it, though the demoness made no moves that might be considered threatening.

"I am Aris, I suppose technically Sir Aris by the conventions of your culture given my rank. I am a knight of Acheron, if you hadn't guess that already... Though I suppose it's at least possible that you hadn't heard of us yet! The notion has entertained me a few times, but I've been sadly disappointed to find that everyone I've met knows of our fair city!" She'd adopted a mirthful smile while she spoke, but after a moment Aris sobered, and continued; "We are glad to offer our aid to our neighbors against our common foe, no thanks is necessary. I wish it were so that we'd wiped them out in their lair and thus prevented this tragedy in its entirety. Unfortunately, fate was not so kind to us. Even so, we are not the only ones deserving of thanks. The people of Blinlock fought valiantly in their own defense, but I think it is you who is most directly responsible for their survival.... And my own.

"Had you not killed it when you did, it is entirely likely that me and mine would have suffered the same fate as those that were wrapped in the first blast that killed so many of your defenders. I cannot offer much beyond my gratitude, unfortunately, as my oaths to another bind me, but I owe you my thanks nonetheless. If you would permit it, and aren't otherwise preoccupied on the morrow, I would like to offer you an opportunity to experience what I can offer! I have heard that you are skilled with the needle and thread, and seen as much today, albeit in a courser setting than I intend for you. If possible, I would greatly desire to see just how capable you are at your profession, and would be willing to compensate you accordingly. Afterwards, I'd be happy to offer you a reward of another sort, if you were interested."
 

Takimaru

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia nodded grimly in response to Eartha's inquiry. "Yes. It's probably insult to injury at this point, I realize, but better we handle it now than allow Blinlock to be plagued by later losses that could have been prevented. Not only have I heard the stories from just about every traveler who has passed through my own village, but the feel... within them, it's... different. It's hard to explain. But regardless, it's absolutely necessary, and even putting them under watch, if nothing else, is a habit that any town would have to adapt against the invaders," she explained. It certainly wasn't easy for the seamstress to have to watch all of this, but she knew the price of failure to do so. To be attacked at night, by a member of one's own village... it was a fate she wouldn't easily wish upon anyone. Grimacing, she shook the menacing, yet persistent thoughts from her head, and nodded to Eartha slowly. "This entire week hasn't been an easy one. But we'll manage... somehow."

~~~~~​

"Aris..." said the tailoress, repeating the name to herself softly. "I mean, Sir Aris," she added, correcting herself a few seconds after the fact. "So this is a noble, and a demonic one, at that..." It was difficult for her not to be captivated by the newcomer's beauty, as well as their odd, mysterious charm, a kind that she hadn't known since meeting her old mentor Sorien for the first time in her youth. "I am Elysia Arkwright. So I have heard about your kind, but have not encountered any before you... I think. Please, forgive my--... ah, I mean, forgive Alaric. He is a good man, and more honorable than any I have known before. He means well. And as for your efforts in helping us, I am grateful nonetheless; there's no way I couldn't be. I honestly believed that we were finished, upon seeing so many of them lay siege to the town." The knight's own gratitude offered to Elysia caught her off-guard, and she shook her head. "No, I only did what I could! What anyone would have done! Although, believe it or not, it's the first time I've used these abilities to such an extent. I hadn't the slightest whether they would all work that well against the invaders, but I am simply glad that they did."

Naturally, the opportunity to display her work and be compensated, even appreciated for it, was all too uplifting for Elysia. Provided, it was somewhat nerve-racking, especially in the presence of such a stunning yet powerful figure, but excitement ended up taking the role of her primary sentiment for the time being. "I'd be glad to! I may not have as much material from when I first arrived here, as I used much of the thread in the battle. But if I can manage to find some leftover spools, I could at least salvage something reasonably fashionable for you. I mean, depending on your own tastes, as I've never been thoroughly exposed to the fashion codes of Acheron. But, I'm willing to learn!" She had to catch herself from rambling too much again, as was her usual habit when discussing things of interest, and bit her lip in slight embarrassment. "Sorry, I get a bit excited about those things," said Elysia, placing a hand behind her head. Afterwards, she'd turn her attention towards the question that naturally came up with Aris's last offer. "But if I may ask, what kind of rewards, or services, do you provide? Are you also an artisan of sorts, perhaps?"
 
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Tassadar

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Sir Aris waved off Elysia's apologies on Alaric's behalf with a knowing smile, "I've no doubt that he is! Despite the grievous wounds that he no doubt received from the alien lord's blast, he chose to step back out into the battlefield in defense of his neighbors, and then worked himself to exhaustion to repair the damage that had been done. Besides, it's not like my kin haven't done enough to earn our reputation over the years! I suspect that he's suffered personally at the hands of one of us somehow, give his reaction to us, and even if isn't precisely rational, it's perfectly understandable. I would be happy to work it out with him, if he'd be willing to a discussion, but that can wait."

Her response to the demon's thanks brought a soft chuckle from the armored woman, who replied; "I wouldn't bet any the "anyone" bit, but fair enough I suppose. Regardless, you performed magnificently under pressure! I've known demons who wouldn't have done half as well as you did in the face of the greys, at least from what little I was present for. And I'll add my thanks that your skills worked as well as they did too!"

When it came time to discuss fashion, the demoness seemed no less interested in the subject than Elysia, as she excitedly said; "I'm sure we'll be able to work something out with what you have here and what I've brought with me! I can teach you all about our styles tomorrow, tis something that my traveling companions unfortunately lack the taste for." She smirked at the seamstress when she offered an apology for her passion, and in response she said; "No apology is necessary! I enjoy speaking to one who is passionate about their craft, particularly when it's a craft that I intend to employ them in!"

The question about her offered reward caused the demon's smirk to become a tiny bit mischievous, and after letting out a light laugh she replied; "Oh, sadly no! I learned long ago that my hands are unfit to any crafts other than warfare and love. If you'd permit me, I'd intended to offer you a massage. I assure you that you'd be completely safe, and that it'd be the most relaxing experience that you've ever had!"
 

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

"Thank you... for being so understanding," said Elysia with a smile. What might have initially appeared to be a suspicious invitation, if not an odd one at the very least, turned out to lead to a surprisingly pleasant encounter. The knight's manners and level of tolerance for even her own mindless rambling were far beyond what the seamstress had expected, especially given the stories she had heard of demonkind and of course the unforgettably hostile reaction exhibited by her beloved smith. It did its part in raising her interest in both Aris and Alaric's pasts, though she was quite torn about the obvious rift between her new love and this mysterious woman. "She's nothing at all like what I expected. Though, it's not as if Alaric is an irrational man by any stretch, as his anger has always been justified in the past. I can't help but wonder what kind of demon wronged him. Were they anyone like this Aris?"

The stream of her internal thoughts had Elysia inadvertently staring at the one in front of her, and she soon snapped out of the momentary trance, shaking her head from side to side. "At any rate, my services are on the table for you. I have also been studying ways to properly imbue magic into clothing myself, or at least the kind of 'magic' I have been taught, but..." Catching herself veering off of the subject again, she shifted back. "I can handle any specific requests you might happen to have. I'll prepare my leftover threads tonight and we can figure out the rest in the morning, I suppose!"

Once Aris' offer was clarified, the pale artisan blinked a few times, trying her best to put it all together. 'Warfare' and 'Love'... the first was understandable, given the prowess Aris had shown in combat earlier that day. The latter, on the other hand, was more typical of habits regarding those of Acheron that she had heard stories about; indulgence in sensual and perhaps more carnal pleasures, not unlike the ones she had been taught by her first mentor. While the offer for a massage was innocent enough, her train of thought couldn't help but linger upon what Aris' skills in more intimate departments. After all, she had never met anyone who was so polite and kind to her, yet shameless about such matters. The only one who claimed to be an expert lover before that was Typhon, and he was a crude, intolerable man by most standards. But it was much more pleasant to think about the woman standing before her, of course, and so she nodded, forcing a smile. "I think I would like that. So long as I can make Alaric aware of the situation." She wasn't about to risk another awkward run-in by the smith and have to explain herself yet again, especially when things were just getting good between them. "I can only pray that things are mediated here soon. The last thing we need is any kind of internal animosity, especially when there are greater dangers afoot, as I have only recently discovered. I will see you tomorrow, then? Have a good night," said the seamstress, offering a polite bow and then departing unless the knight had anything more to say.

Holding her sewing kit tightly in both arms, Elysia hurried back to Alaric's shop, opening the door carefully and quietly making her way inside, avoiding any kind of ruckus so as not to startle him. She did take a moment to wash her face and hands, if she could manage as much, then peered over towards the bed to check on the blacksmith. "I'm home," she announced softly. "Alaric...?"
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Still on the subject of the clothes that she intended to commission from the seamstress, Sir Aris said; "I wouldn't ask you to enchant them, but if you've got the talent for such I'd be happy to pay for it! I'll think on what I'd like until the morning, and give you details when you're taking my measurements. Do you have a shop that I can visit, or someplace that I can find you in the morning? If you don't, you can ask after me at the tavern, I should be there unless some other business has dragged me elsewhere."

The knight's pleasant smile became just a tiny bit mischievous as they discussed her upcoming reward, and she said; "But of course~ I'll look forward to showing you my favorite techniques!" Her expression smoothly softened into a sad smile after Elysia continued, however, and after that she nodded in agreement and replied; "I agree. I know that my kind have done little to earn the trust of yours, but strife now could doom us all against the grey death, and will only stress those here who have already lost those they love further."

Returning Elysia's bow with one of her own, Sir Aris offered a goodbye of her own; "That you will! Have a good evening yourself, miss Elysia."

With that they parted, Elysia going over to Alaric's shop and home while Sir Aris returned to the rapidly shrinking assembly to gather those she'd brought with her. Striding through his smithy and into the narrow hallway that led into Alaric's single room private chambers, Elysia saw the bloodstains from the hunter she'd killed when the attack had first happened. She could see orange light flickering over the threshold of his doorway, and heard the soft crackling of an open fire coming from within, but as she drew nearer Elysia spotted something odd. The firelight was a tiny bit off, as if it was made in addition to some other soft light, but as she drew nearer that light vanished as if it had never been. Even if she backed up and started forward again, she couldn't replicate the feat.

Stepping into Alaric's home, she found the smith sitting before the fire on a rocking chair, as he had the night that they'd first met, only now he was leaned forward and resting his head in his hands. He glanced towards the door and nodded silently to her as she entered. He had a soft frown on his face, and turned back to the fire and rested his head on his hands once more, albeit in a slightly more upright position so that he was looking into the flames. Elysia was allowed to wash the grime from the rough day from her hands without being disturbed, as Alaric seemed content to remain silent unless addressed directly. He'd made no visible effort to sleep, as the bed was still freshly made, and was still clad in the torn, burnt trousers that he'd worn since that morning, though he'd put on a tunic when he'd gone to go get his tools to help with the reconstruction. That too was filthy and battered after a hard day's work, and his clothes seemed to match the haggardness of the man wearing them, as Alaric looked to have had... Well, more or less exactly the day he'd just had.
 

Takimaru

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

"Oh, that works. Um... as for the shop... I was supposed to see about taking over the place owned by the the town's late seamstress from before. Actually, I meant to do it today, but the invasion happened, and so it's been delayed, understandably. Though I hope they don't prevent me from doing so because of the powers I put on display. If anything, I would only use them to help rebuild and defend the village as I had before." Elysia paused for a moment, considering Aris' position. For all of her efforts, this other woman before her must have suffered her fair share of criticism. "I suppose I can't be complaining too much to one such as yourself. But again, thank you," she said with a smile before they parted ways. Aris' more suggestive comments failed to get a verbal response from the tailoress, but they did earn some priceless facial expressions that were likely amusing to the demonic knight, if she were the type to enjoy getting a rise out of people in that sense.

~~~~~​

The odd, mysterious light that was made caused her to blink a few times and try stepping back and forth through the doorway. Mildly puzzled by the odd occurrence, she looked all around her, checking for any other possible source. Elysia was no stranger to spirits, given the arts she had learned in her youth, but the source of the light didn't appear to be one--if it was, it didn't look to be intent on communicating with her directly. Did it belong to Alaric? She couldn't be sure. Shrugging off the minor concern for the time being, she proceeded forward into the house, spotting the smith soon afterwards. Noting the look Alaric gave her, she meekly attempted a polite smile, one that looked more burdened than she had originally intended, then moved to the kitchen to clean herself up briefly. Her forced expression faded as she washed the blood and dirt from her hands, with her thoughts naturally moving back towards the muscular craftsman. It was not a good day for anyone in Blinlock, that was to be sure. But what kind of luggage did he carry, specifically? She remembered the anger in his eyes upon exchanging words with Aris, his uncanny strength, and the scars upon his body. There was still so much she didn't know.

However, she wasn't afraid. If anything, she needed to know. After drying herself, she slowly walked over to where Alaric sat, taking a spot beside him and turning her gaze to the fire as well. Her soft fingers migrated to his forearm as she spoke. "I... suppose it would be silly of me to ask as to how you are feeling, given today's events..." she trailed off quietly, feeling the odd tension. Her eyes met his tattered attire, and she couldn't help but comment on them. "I'll fix your clothes and such tomorrow," offered the seamstress. "When there is much mending to be done, I like to focus on the small things. It helps... for me, at least," she added, ever mindful of anything to do with textiles.

Despite the heavy mood about them, she chose to fight through it rather than allow it to keep her from saying anything more. "I honestly thought I lost you today. Without even really knowing anything about you, no less... other than the fact that you are a good man, still more noble and honorable than any I have ever known." She braced herself slightly while continuing. "The demons... what happened, between you and their kind? Perhaps it is poor timing, but I do wish to know. Alaric..." Her hand wandered over to his, seeking to hold it.
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Alaric's head made a slow turn so that he was looking up at Elysia after the seamstress laid her hand upon the smith's arm, and held that face without reaction following her first few words, thus allowing her to trail off into silence. Her offer to fix his clothing was greeted by a soft nod, after which he returned his gaze to the fire, though his other hand reached over to the one she held on his arm, his fingers trailing over her own and then closing delicately around them. "Me too," he said quietly after the seamstress explained her desire for mindless work, his voice like deep rumbling thunder despite the softness of his tone and the low volume at which he spoke.

When she claimed to have thought that she'd lost him during the battle, his fingers tightened just slightly around hers, and his expression hardened visibly for a few seconds before returning to the weary state that it had held before. The smith held his silence for several long moments after her question, but eventually his head slowly turned back towards her. Alaric held her gaze for another few seconds, his hands closing around her own and gripping them tightly, before he heaved a deep sigh and began; "I am... I was, married. Years ago." His eyes began to unfocus slightly, as if he were looking at something that wasn't there, but on he went; "Before the invasion, before the greys... I lived here with her.... My Aelith. Then.... A man came to Blinlock, much as you did, begging for help from strangers who had come following him.

"We took him in, of course, believing his story that they were criminals hunting him for some indiscretion that I can't even recall anymore, and that he was innocent of any crime." Alaric paused for just a second as his face hardened, "He was a wielder of dark powers, and the men hunting him were from the inquisition. The next day, his presence in our home was discovered when I shared his plight with a friend, the barkeep, who told the inquisitors immediately. They... Did not wait for me to return home that I might keep my wife out of the crossfire. When I returned, only a few minutes behind them, the inquisitors were all already dead, and the stranger was gone... And so was my wife. I tracked him into the woods, alone."

Again the smith paused, and Elysia could feel him trembling slightly through her contact with him. When he began to speak again, however, it was in a tone of detached calm; "He had called on the services of a demon lord to aid in the battle against the inquisitors you see, and the price he'd been asked in recompense for that service was a soul." He turned slowly and gazed back into the fire, "He gave her my wife's.... My Aelith's soul, as a price for the salvation of his own life. I arrived just after the demon was finished with her, and found her empty shell thrown at my feet just as the demon returned to Hell, beyond my grasp." That was the point at which Alaric chose to stop, apparently satisfied that her question had been answered.
 

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Alaric's answer came as more of a shock to Elysia than she was actually ready for. He had a wife. In hindsight, it was, or at least should have been, something she could easily guess... after all, the home was easily large enough for two people. It had a bed on which he and another could fit. A rocking chair, typically only made for those with children--or those expecting them. The seamstress herself seemed to fit into the role of the household's other inhabitant so easily. And yet none of these very blatant hints made the revelation any less stunning when she heard the words directly from his mouth. Still, her expression hadn't changed much. Instead, she merely listened, gripping his hand tightly. As the details of the man's past slowly unfolded, something about the story caused a chill to run down her spine. Perhaps it was because of her apparent similarity to the one who had caused Alaric so much grief, or the way he took the stranger in so kindly, just as he did for her. "Do... you remember anything about this stranger? Looks, or a name perhaps?" she asked softly, though not demanding the answer if he chose to omit the detail.

As Elysia continued to hear him out, her heart began to race, with her hanging on his every word, to a story that was all too real. What happened to this Aelith? She wasn't here, after all. Had she been abducted, and was she still missing? Then, Alaric confirmed what she feared and yet suspected all along--that the turn of events led to his wife's end. The smith she had come to love had been terribly wronged, not only by a demon, but also by a practitioner of the dark arts such as herself in the process; a terrible product of a crossfire between two unrelated parties. How could she compare? She practically felt like a criminal by association, and here he was, welcoming her into his home, sharing his bed, returning her feelings no less. Elysia fought back tears as she grimaced, tightening her fingers around his, trying her best to stay strong through the story. "And I'm only listening to this... he's lived it. He's had to watch his wife die in front of his eyes, and here I am panicking over losing him myself when I've known him for only a couple days. How selfish am I? There's just no way I could replace her..."

The seamstress was so overwhelmed by emotion that she almost hadn't noticed that Alaric himself had gone silent. She hugged him tightly. Once she felt the heat of his body against hers, the tears began to flow, whether she wanted them to or not. "I... I'm so sorry, Alaric... had I known, I likely wouldn't have... burdened you with all of this. *sniff* And still, you took me in, fed me, gave me shelter... even saved me from a terrible fate." Logical or not, she couldn't help but feel the immense guilt weighing her heart down. She was content to provide him comfort through prolonged touch for a nice long while, eventually pulling away after she had managed to calm down. Finding a small stool nearby, Elysia sat down next to him. If nothing else, the least she could do was provide her company for him, to simply be there where others weren't. She couldn't help but wonder exactly how long he had plied his trade in this house. It was difficult for her, who was often doted on by her mother to the point of suffocation, to even imagine the kind of solitude Alaric had to endure. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she watched the fire for a while longer.

As the hour grew late, she squeezed the man's hand before letting go, then slowly stood up and stretched. "Nnnnnh..." she groaned, slipping out of her frayed and worn dress, down to her underwear. She'd have to repair it in the morning. Still, she had little in the way of sleepwear, other than the risque piece she had shown to Alaric the other night. That wasn't a very attractive option to Elysia, given how unworthy she was feeling at this point. She wanted nothing more than to hold and be held by him, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder how much of Aelith he was seeing in her. It would be unfair of her, or so she felt, to try and seduce him again given what had just been revealed to her, but if he were to embrace her as he did the night before, she would not refuse in the slightest. She would, however, welcome him to bed with a loving embrace, pressing against his body with her own, figuring some kind of comfort in that regard was better than none. "Alaric... I can't ever hope to replace her, I know that. Though, if you ever feel lonely, just know that you are not truly alone while I stay here. I'll listen when you need to speak. I'll help with the housework. Even... if it's a physical need, I-I can do that too. But it hasn't changed the way I feel about you in the slightest."
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 44, PP = 42, EP = 112, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Do... you remember anything about this stranger? Looks, or a name perhaps?"
Alaric replied promptly in a crisp, efficient tone, one that was devoid of any of the emotions that the man was likely feeling at the time; "He was a tall man, perhaps only a few inches shorter than I. Thin, with soft hands that looked as if they'd never done a day's work before. Dark hair left long but well groomed, high cheekbones, and a slightly long nose. His eyes were slightly sunken, and were grey in color."

"I... I'm so sorry, Alaric... had I known, I likely wouldn't have... burdened you with all of this. *sniff* And still, you took me in, fed me, gave me shelter... even saved me from a terrible fate."
"You haven't burdened me with anything," the smith remarked offhandedly, "...Or at least not anything that I didn't take on of my own free will. You have nothing to apologize for. Besides, what happened years ago isn't your fault."

After that he simply sat silently by the fire, never pushing her away in the slightest and resuming the light embrace after she returned from retrieving a stool. They sat like that together for time unknown, the hour growing late as Alaric stared into the slowly dying flames in his hearth, until finally Elysia opted to go to bed. Alaric remained in his chair while she stripped down to her underclothes, seemingly ready to remain awake all night, but a few moments after she'd crawled under the covers he rose to his feet and began to strip himself. Once he too was down to his underclothes, Alaric joined her in bed, wrapping his powerful arms around her and holding her tightly.

The smith seemed content to let sleep claim him quickly then, but her words gave him pause on his journey to the land of dreams, and after a moment he replied; "You don't need to replace her.... That void can never be filled. But I have room enough for you in my heart, Eylsia, and that is the best that I can offer. I know why you say these things, but you should not worry after me. What has happened in the past is in the past, and is likely to stay there."

~~~~~~~~~​

(Gain 4 more exp from after-battle stuff, and Elysia may spend experience now.)

Unless Elysia had more to say, Alaric would soon fall into what seemed like a restful slumber, and the seamstress would be soon to follow while wrapped securely in his embrace. The night passed uneventfully, which likely came as a blessing, albeit not as much of one as finding out that the previous day had merely been a nightmare might have been. When she awoke, Elysia felt daylight streaming in through the room's sole window, and found Alaric missing entirely. His ruined clothing had been left on his work table, along with a note and a small pouch full of coins. If she opted to read the note, she would find it written in small, simplistic script and said;

Elysia,
Some business came up, and I had to leave early. I've left you some money to buy thread at the general store, and have asked Lavender to show you around in my stead. She should be by shortly. I'll come to the place you'll be working at later today for lunch, if you're still interested in doing so. Otherwise I'll be returning home tonight after my daily duties are finished, though if you need to find me I'll likely be at the town hall for most of the day.
-Alaric
Edit: The bag contains 30 denarii
 
Last edited:

Takimaru

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

"I see..." Elysia trailed off, after hearing Alaric's account of the man who was responsible for his loss. The description didn't immediately ring any bells for her, or at least, she didn't think so. If she had seen him in passing, the fatigue had clouded her mind enough to make it practically impossible to recall for the time being. Either way, she tried her best to make a proper mental note of this individual.

When it was time to go to bed, she accepted his embrace lovingly, returning it almost unconsciously, and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her. She hadn't expected the normally reserved smith to initiate conversation in such a manner, especially right when one would expect things to quiet down. But understanding the rarity of the occasion, she listened carefully, and replied with a nod and a squeeze of the man's hand. "I... thank you," she whispered quietly, smiling and leaning into him. While brief, his reassurance helped her find slumber much faster than she would have otherwise, and with those particular worries lifted from her heart, Elysia fell asleep in Alaric's arms within minutes.

~~~~~​

Elysia woke up from a slumber most sound, with soreness in her muscles. She instinctively reached out to the side to caress an Alaric that had apparently already left, to her slight disappointment. Realizing that she was alone, she rolled over onto her stomach. "Nnnn..." she groaned aloud, grimacing as she fought off the temptation to sleep in further. Finally, she managed to sit up onto the edge of the bed. Then, setting her feet on the floor, she forced herself to stand, rubbing her eyes and looking around her, only to spot the message that was left for her.

Today left her feeling somewhat empty inside. The past several days had been... surreal, with great ups and downs. The former included meeting kind and helpful folk such as Eartha, Lavender and perhaps Aris, not to mention the stoic smith that she had come to love, while the latter involved a few particularly traumatic events that she hadn't been prepared for in the slightest. Even lingering here for long continued to make her feel a little uneasy, especially when she was by herself.

Fighting back the nausea that resulted from such stress, she read the blacksmith's note for her, which did help in easing her mind a little, especially knowing that Lavender would come by soon to visit and keep her company. Having just about anyone would have helped at that point, and knowing that it was someone she didn't particularly mind, at that, was doubly comforting to the seamstress.

However, she still wasn't sure if she had woken up early or late, and so she hurried to wash herself up a bit before digging through her bag for any suitable attire. With enough digging, she eventually did find something. It was a summer dress, a bit short as it was, but it would be good enough, given the weather outside. Slipping into the pastel blue article, she grabbed Alaric's clothes, folding them neatly, and fetched the small bag of coins he had left for her. She'd need to get quite a bit of thread and spare fabric; the rest, she would handle. It was her job, after all.

After getting herself ready, for the most part, with the required goods on hand, she stepped outside into the blacksmith's workshop, waiting patiently for Lavender to arrive. Staying in the home alone, especially near the table where she had been raped, still left a haunting chill down her spine and a series of recurring flashbacks that threatened to made her sick, and so she figured it would be better to observe and enjoy the sun, now that it was up. Seeing Blinlock in the daytime, without invaders or other such worries, did wonders in helping her cope. She had made it through this much, and for the time being she could only be grateful that things were this peaceful.

16 EXP total so far.

-Spending 10 EXP to add 10 Spirit for a total of 60 Spirit. Modified her secondary stats and Spirit Ceiling appropriately. Also gained a Wielder Aptitude (Deathspeaker) from the increase in Spirit.
-Leaving the 6 EXP for later.
If this is approved by the GM, I will modify my sheet in the DG3 Character Sheets section appropriately.

Revised sheet:
Elysia, Skilled Seamstress
Description, Information, & Biography:
Name: Elysia
Class: Spirit Wielder (Spellweaver)
Race: Human
Sex: Female

Description:


Natural
Racial
From Flaws
From Talents
From Mutations
From Class

Body: 10 + 4 = 14
Mind: 10
Spirit: 40 + 20 = 60

Hit Points (HP): 49
Pleasure to Orgasm (PP): 47
Spirit Energy (EP): 72 + 50 = 122
Speed: sqrt (140) = 11.83 = 12
Dodge: 84 / 2 = 42
Armor: 2
Resistance: 60 / 2 = 30
Perception: sqrt (600) = 24.49 + 3 = 27.49 = 27
Stealth: sqrt (140) = 11.83 = 12
Grapple: 14

Experience: 6
Corruption: 0

Talents:
1.) *Necromancer: Animate, Puppeteer, Life Leech, Aspect of Spirit, Devour Magic
2.) *Psion: Mind Cutter, Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis, Telepathy, Psychic Shield
3.) *Massive Energy Pool: The character gets +30 max EP.
4.) Greater Energy Pool: The character gets +20 max EP.
5.) Skilled Wielder: The character gains a Wielder Aptitude and increases their Spirit Ceiling by 2.
6.) Exceptional - +4 spirit, +4 body
7.) Exceptional - +8 spirit
8.) Exceptional - +8 spirit
9.) Natural Warrior (Skilled - Terrify, Quick Draw, Ranger)
10.) Soul Sense: The character gets +12 to attack rolls for Powers.

Wielder Aptitudes:
1.) Harmful Spirit: For any Spirit Powers that deal damage, the damage rolls for those powers have their minimum value set to 1/2 the max roll of the dice.
2.) Overlord: Creatures summoned by the character through Spirit Powers gain a +10 bonus to Body and a +4 bonus to AV. The cost to activate summon Powers is reduced by 2 (statically regardless of input.) The character may spend 4 EP and deal 2d6 + Spirit/4 damage to either overcharge (in the case of spirits, automatons, and other such summons) or "motivate" (in the case of succubi, angels, yetis, and the like) their summons, granting them +12 attack and x2 damage for the round.
3.) Multifocused: The character uses their Spirit stat in place of Body and Mind when making attacks with Spells, unarmed attacks, or weapons. They also gain a static +4 bonus to attack rolls in general.
4.) Deathspeaker: Animate may be used to animate multiple corpses in a single round for 2 additional EP per corpse, but bodies animated this way don't gain the +10 body bonus unless another 2 EP is payed per corpse. Aspect of Spirit may now be used on a target and maintained in order to debuff that target using any of the options as per normal, but at half value (i.e. 4X becomes 2X as a debuff), and a character using it on themselves may pay an additional 4 EP at activation and increase the upkeep by 1 to add an additional primary effect (the ones you get two of) or 3 EP and 1 upkeep for an additional secondary effect. Call Spirit may now be used to summon daemons as per the Summon Daemon power, but the minimal EP cost is 5 and daemon summoning costs will generally be higher. The character may now forsake the healing from Life Leech and instead choose to gain 1/2 the X value in EP for every killing blow it makes. The character may pay an additional 3 EP when using Puppeteer in order to halve all damage done to Puppeteer HP.

Flaws:
1.) *Excitable: Whenever the character’s PP falls below ½ of its maximum value, the character gains the Aroused status or the Horny status if they're already Aroused.
2.) *Easily Aroused: Whenever the character would gain the Aroused status, they instead gain the Horny status.
3.) Fetish {Bondage}
4.) Fetish {Creampies}
5.) Mutated (Sadist, Soft Skin, Tight)
6.) Sexual Weakness: Orgasming causes an instance of Weakness until the victim has had a chance to rest.
7.) Sensitive: The character takes an additional 4 PP damage whenever anything would cause them to take any.

~~~~~

Mutations:
Sadist: The character takes 1d4+1 PP damage each time she inflicts health damage to something. This PP damage is not affected by Resistance.
Soft Skin: Your character causes +2 PP during non-oral foreplay. This mutation can be taken up to 3 times.
Tight: The character deals +2 PP to your opponent during penetrative sex. Can be taken up to 3 times.
~~~~~

[WARRIORS ONLY]
Skills, from Natural Warrior:
Terrify
Terrify (Passive) - Whenever the character kills an enemy, all other enemies within 30 feet that have line of sight must make a Resistance check vs a set DC or be unable to attack the character that round. Failing two of these checks in a single combat causes a creature to either retreat or surrender. The DC for this check is equal to the damage dealt on the killing blow divided by 8, and then multiplied by the tier of the monster. (Damage/8) * Tier in other words. Characters with the Foul Aura mutation get a +4 bonus to this check, and characters with the Nightmarish Image power active gains the bonus to Resistance provided by that power to this check as well.
Quick Draw
Quick Draw (Passive) - The character can draw their weapons without spending a turn.
Ranger
Ranger (Passive) - The character gets a +3 bonus to Perception, and can track creatures so long as they have stayed on the ground.

[SPIRIT USERS ONLY]
Spirit Ceiling: 24.4 + 2 = 26
Powers:
Animate
The character forces energy into a nearby inanimate object, be it a corpse, a chunk of rock, a door, a large section of sand, a weapon, or whatever else you can think of.
-There are a number of different things that this power can do, and each of them has different costs associated with it.
-If animating a corpse, the character pays 6 EP. That corpse retains its previous Body stat, Talents, Mutations and Skills, but its Mind and Spirit both drop to 0, and it loses all spells, powers and special abilities that it had in life. Animated creatures get a +20 bonus to Body, and have their Resistance and Perception become dependent on Body.
-If animating an object that has never moved on its own, one of three things can be done:
1) The object can be animated to bind a target temporarily. If used in this way, the character pays X EP. Unless the targeted creature wins a Grapple check against a DC equal to 6X (this DC does get a d20 roll,) they gain the Bound status. Multiple creatures can be targeted by increasing X by 1 without affecting the DC for each creature beyond the first. Creatures bound in this way can continue to make checks every round, and once the creature beats one of these checks they are free to go. The material is animated with only enough power to grab and then hold them, not enough to grab for them again if they get free.
2) The object can be animated into a creature that will fight by the characters side. If so, this power functions exactly like the power Call Spirit, only with the following differences: the creature gains 8 AV and none of the special additions can be used on this creature. The costs for this power are the same as those for Call Spirit.
3) The object can be reshaped to a size more useful to the character. If used as such, this ability functions exactly like the Reshape power from the Alchemist power list, but costs 3X EP instead of 2X.
Puppeteer
The character forces tendrils of power into another living creature, forcibly controlling their actions.
-The character pays 3 + X EP. In addition, they must pay X-1 EP upkeep every round.
-One target creature within 30 feet of the character must win a Resistance check against a DC equal to 5X or be controlled by the character. Any action taken by the controlled creature costs them X HP.
-The creature effectively becomes a summoned creature with a +6X bonus to Body, and gains a new “Puppet” HP stat equal to this upgraded Body stat. Any damage against the creature goes against both their normal HP and their Puppet HP. If their normal HP drops to 0, they fall unconscious but continue to fight so long as the character animating them is still conscious. When their puppet HP drops to 0, the effect ends.
-In addition, the character can use this power on themselves, in which case they need to make no Resistance check, but they must still spend at least 2 EP. A character using this power on themselves pays 2 less EP to upkeep this power.
-This power can be used while the character is Bound or in a Submission Hold, but only on themselves.
-While this power is active, the caster can take no other actions save to control their "puppet," and if used on oneself, the character cannot use any other Powers, spells, etc.
Life Leech
The character steals the life essence of all creatures nearby, using it to regain some of their own strength.
-The character pays X EP.
-All creatures within 20 feet of the character take (1d8 + 1) * X damage. The character also regains 2X HP for every creature hit by this power.
Aspect of Spirit
The character conjures a spirit, but then temporarily bonds with it rather than causing it to manifest, increasing their physical strength.
-The character pays 1 + X EP. In addition, they must pay X - 3 EP upkeep every round.
-The character gains any 2 of the following: a +4X bonus to attack rolls, a +4X bonus to Dodge, a +3X bonus to melee damage, a +4X bonus to Resistance, or a +4X bonus to Grapple. In addition, they may choose any one of the following: a +2X bonus to Armor, a +3X bonus to Perception, Flight at their Speed, or a +2X bonus to Speed.
Devour Magic
The character selects a single target, and as they attempt to make a working using their energy, the character steals that energy.
-The character pays 4 + X EP.
-The next time the targeted creature attempts to cast a spell or use a power, one of the following happens.
1) If the targeted creature attempts to cast a spell, that creature must win a Resistance check against the character or the spell fails, that creature takes damage equal to 2 * the spell level, and the character regains an amount of EP equal to the amount paid for the spell. The character gets a +X bonus on this check.
2) If the targeted creature attempts to use a power, it must win a Resistance check against the character or that power has no effect, and the character regains however much EP that creature paid for that power. The character gets a +X bonus on this check.
-Alternatively, the targeted creature has one currently active effect on it deactivated, suffering no further harm. The character can choose the effect to disable.
Mind Cutter
The character severs matter at a molecular level with their mind, causing cuts that no mortal or even supernatural blade could hope to replicate.
-The character pays X EP.
-One target creature within 50 feet of the character takes (2d8 + 1) * X damage that only counts ½ of the target’s AV.
Telekinesis
The character moves objects using their mind. This power can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the circumstances.
-The character can use this power to do any of the following:
1) The character pays X EP, and selects an object within 100 feet of them. That object moves up to 10X feet and any creatures that it strikes take 2d4 * X Force damage, but it has to move in a straight line.
2) The character pays 1 + X EP and selects a single creature within 50 feet of them. That creature must win a Resistance check vs 5X or gain the Bound status. In addition, the bound creature takes 5X damage per round. The character can pay X EP to upkeep this effect every turn, but they lose all other actions.
Pyrokinesis
The character controls fire with their mind.
-The character can do any one of the following. Note that all costs increase by 2 if the character has to conjure fire of their own, rather than manipulate flame that is already present.
1) Pay X EP. The character then can choose to target either all creatures within a 10 foot radius explosion that starts anywhere within the character's line of sight, or all creatures within a 30 foot long, 90 degree cone originating from the character. Those creatures take Xd6 + 6 points of Heat/Fire damage.
2) Use it to conjure a fire elemental. This summon behaves exactly like the Spell Summon Fire Elemental, including its EP cost and the stats of the summoned creature. For the purpose of this power, assume that the character has the Focus in Fire Talent.
Telepathy
The character can reach out to contact other beings with their mind. This can be as simple as communication, or as invasive as attempting to dominate their will entirely.
-If used for communication, the character pays 2 EP and thinks of on creature whom they are familiar with, or who is within line of sight. The character opens up a telepathic link with that creature across which the two can communicate. Additional creatures can be added to the communication by paying another 1 EP. This connection can be refused.
-If used offensively, the character pays 8 EP and must win a Resistance check against the targeted creature. If the character wins, the targeted creature gains the Dominated status, allowing the character to control their actions as if they were a summoned minion. Forcing the creature to make actions contrary to what it would normally do or that would harm them can cause it to make another Resistance check against the character, and if they win they throw off the effect.
Psychic Shield
The character forms a barrier around their body using their will.
-The character pays X EP. In addition, they must pay X - 2 EP upkeep every round.
-The character gets +3X bonus to Dodge, Resistance and Grapple, as well as a +X bonus to Armor.
-The character can place this effect on any creature within 30 feet, but they must remain within that range and the character’s line of sight or the effect will be lost.

Inventory:
30 Denarii
Spellwoven Dress (Clothes): AV = 1+1, EV = 0, TP = 25, DU = 2. Has a +1 AV enchant (worth 20 Denarii).
Spellwork Needles (Throwing Knives) x 3 = 15 needles total. 2d12 + Body/4, 20 foot range, come in packs of 5, deals +2d6 damage if used in a sneak attack.

Fluff Items:
Seamstress Kit: Everything one might need for emergency alterations and torn clothes. Includes several spools of thread, scissors, regular needles, buttons, scraps of fabric, pins, thimble and measuring tape.


Biography:
The daughter of a renowned seamstress, Elysia spent her childhood learning her mother's craft, and was discovered to have a natural talent for sewing. The oracle of her village--which was home to a rural church known as a cult--predicted that she would be destined for greatness, reading into her abilities as a sign that she would serve as a mother for the reborn human form of Michael, the Eternal Craftsman.

However, despite all this, she quickly discovered her true passion in spellwork, having learned some of the darker crafts in secret through meetings with a man named Sorien, an enigmatic wanderer and traveling shop owner whom few in the town trusted, and whose appearances were sporadic at best. While being forced by her overbearing mother to sew by day, and honing her skills in magic by night, Elysia managed to successfully combine the two, developing a form of magic that 'weaves' her spiritual essence and spellwork into intricate tapestries. Soon pushing her limits, she found various combinations of threads and patterns that could sustain her enchantments.

Her mother, a strict traditionalist of sorts and subscriber to the village's beliefs that Elysia would serve as a vessel for their deity's rebirth, eventually discovered her daughter's secret hobby. Instead of showering her with praise for her originality, she was quick to scold the girl for not devoting herself wholeheartedly to being a seamstress in the interest of the prophecy, as well as practicing forms of magic that were considered blasphemous. Utterly distressed over the conflict between her own passion and the expectations of her community, Elysia packed her things during the night and left the only home she had ever known, hoping to defy her so-called fate--and also to escape the members of the fanatical sect that sought to keep her there. Disillusioned by the trappings of her hometown's religion, she now journeys in search for Sorien, her mentor and idol.

Personality:
Elysia is more of a realist than an idealist, having had some bad experiences with the visionaries of her former village. She tends to react negatively to any reference regarding the gods. However, that being said, she still maintains the ability to stay positive, placing faith in her own abilities as well as in those who are devoted to some sort of craft. If she had it her way, she would look to convince others to take their destinies into their own hands. Despite the pressures of her youth, Elysia still manages to enjoy sewing, crediting her love for it to her own work as opposed to that of the long-gone Michael or any other deity. Though she is often aloof, at least in appearance, someone who speaks to her about sewing or technical spellwork can find themselves with a very enthusiastic and expressive woman on their hands.

The OOC section:
Quest to be Greatest Seamstress.
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 49, PP = 47, EP = 122, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Elysia didn't have to wait particularly long after dressing herself for something to happen, as after idling for a few minutes she'd hear a series of footsteps just before someone knocked at the side of the room. Whether she responded or not, Brun would peek around the corner after a moment or so. Seemingly content after seeing the seamstress fully dressed, Brun slowly walked into the room and stopped just past the door. Alaric's apprentice looked haggard, having heavy bags under his eyes, age lines and bruises covering the skin of his face, and his arm in a sling, but he was standing on his own two feet. He even managed to smile slightly in greeting at Elysia, and after halting beside the door he said; "Miss Lavender is looking for you out front."

He paused momentarily and glanced at the table, a brief frown cross his face before looking back toward her and, in a quieter tone, saying; "Look... I know I wasn't exactly... Polite. At least not the first few times we spoke. But... For what it's worth, thank you. We might not be the most open-minded lot up here, but you helped save a lot of lives yesterday. Everybody here knows it, even if they don't want to admit it." With that the apprentice smith would give her a brief window in which to reply, and would then exit the room. When she grabbed her things and followed, she would find him at his post and a tired looking Lavender waiting for her outside, standing aloof from Brun against one of the walls with her arms folded. Her pink hair was tied up into a ponytail that hung down her neck, and she had a very distant look as she stared off into the empty space that sat beside Alaric's shop, providing an amazing view of the countryside at the base of the mountain on which Blinlock sat.

The shorn farmer turned to Elysia as soon as she made her presence known, her distant look becoming a smile that didn't quite erase the careworn look from her, "Elysia! It's good to see you're alright." The farmer closed the distance between them and hugged Elysia tightly, but kept the embrace brief. Stepping back, she said; "Alaric came by and asked me to show you around since he couldn't. I don't know how he can get as early as he does! Especially after how hard he worked. I'd have been dead today if I'd have done have as much. I'm guessing that he didn't leave you anything to eat, do you want to have breakfast before I start walking you around? My treat!"
 

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia hadn't expected to see Brun, at least not before Lavender, and her visage said as much, though she eased up a bit afterwards. It proved to be somewhat relieving to find that the one who entered the house was someone that she was at least marginally familiar with. Of course, much like Alaric himself, the young apprentice hadn't met her during the most convenient of times, at least not for Elysia. But it wasn't entirely his fault, and despite her initial embarrassment from the previous events, the seamstress was not to hold that against him.

"Oh, thank you," she said in response to his notification regarding Lavender. The blue-haired beauty paused when Brun did, exchanging a silent glance and waiting for him to speak first, only doing so herself after the fledgling smith had finished. "It's fine, really. I'm glad to see that you were doing well. I suppose it's times like these that we can both be grateful for the mere chance to make a second impression, right?" She gave him a genuine smile in return. "And don't worry, my opinion of just about everyone in this town is helped in no small part by seeing how you come together, despite those overwhelming odds. While I thought my own town's communty to be 'close-knit', I discovered that it isn't what I thought it was... actually, it looks quite pathetic in comparison to Blinlock and its people. So, I should be thanking you, I suppose." Simply to know that her help had been appreciated in spite of potential stigmas proved to be more uplifting to Elysia than even she expected, and she stepped out of the house still beaming from the simple compliment.

Her smile faded only a little upon seeing Lavender's state, but she couldn't be terribly surprised. After all, the attack had taken its toll on just about everyone in the area, both physically and mentally, so she couldn't blame the shorn farmer for the way she felt. It was all she could do herself to find the silver lining in it all, and she likely didn't have nearly as many attachments as the natives in Blinlock. The most important people to her were well. But she had seen the faces of those who had lost loved ones, while tending to their physical wounds, and they would not be spared her sympathy. "Lavender... it's good to see you too. I was worried about you, though it goes without saying."

"Me neither," said Elysia in response to the pink-haired woman's comment about Alaric. "But that dedication is one of the things I admire about him..." she trailed off, though only for a moment as she caught herself blushing. "A-And sure! I mean, if it's not too much trouble. Though, afterwards I do need to head to the general store to pick up some thread and fabric. I am just about out--if another invasion occurs, I'll only have my clothes to provide threads by which to mount any kind of counterattack like before, ahheh..." Scratching the side of her cheek with one finger, she looked to the side. "Afterwards, I'd like to take a look at the vacant shop where the late seamstress used to work, to see what might remain."
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 49, PP = 47, EP = 122, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"I don't know about well," Brun said lightly as he gestured toward his sling-bound arm, an injury that would likely take a very long time to heal fully, but a tiny bit of the lesser smith's cheery demeanor seemed to have returned at her well wishes for whatever that was worth. "...But I'll second the notion on being glad for second chances! I seem to be getting a lot of those," he continued, but to her estimation of Blinlock he merely nodded and said; "I hope you come to like it here."

Outside, Lavender's careworn features eased slightly after Elysia agreed to share a meal with her, and she nodded to the seamstress's daily goals. "I can help you with that! It's really no trouble at all, I know where both of those things are, and I decided to give myself a day off. I'll treat you to breakfast and then take you over to see Stenten," she said, a bright smile gradually taking hold of her features. The shorn farmer subsequently led her off to the tavern, a building that was only a short way from Alaric's home. Blinlock only had one, the one that she'd found Alaric working at the day after she'd been raped, and a similarly somber atmosphere filled the place. Despite yesterday's tragedy, there wasn't anyone at the bar drinking, at least not at this early of an hour. Two of the demons that had intervened in the battle beside Aris, a man and a woman now dressed in red and black clothing of a pleasantly silky material, sat at a booth in the corner, but besides them the only occupants of the tavern were a very distraught looking young woman who was busy sweeping, and the barkeep himself.

The man had the look of a very active person just starting to go to seed, his frame heavier with muscle than with flab. He looked as serious as ever, but nodded in greeting to Elysia and Lavender in a kindly manner as they strode inside. "Miss Lavender. Miss Elysia. How may I help you today? Alaric isn't here, he finished fixing my hearth two days ago," he said in a tone mixed with gruffness and boredom. "We're here for breakfast Rory. What's cookin?" Lavender replied, to which the barkeep smirked slightly, no doubt at the prospect of paying customers. He said; "It's mostly fruit and greens today, a bit of a salad concoction I've been trying out. I can make up some bacon and eggs if you're willing to pay extra though. The salad's 2 coins per person, but if you wanna throw in six I'll make you both a heartier breakfast." Lavender turned to Elysia, "What do you think? It's my treat, and I've got coin to spare."
 

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

"I appreciate it, I really do," said Elysia in response to Brun's well-wishing. "I can only hope for a quick recovery on your part, as well as that of the town itself. Be well," she said before going about her business with Lavender.

~~~~~​

"Sten... ten? Oh, right," said the tailoress, having temporarily lost herself in other concerns long enough to lose her current train of thought. She could only guess that this was the owner of the general store that she intended to visit. While she could find it quite easy to smile while in Lavender's company, the tavern itself made it just slightly more difficult to do so. Perhaps it was thanks to the atmosphere, or other uncomfortable memories that had incidentally associated themselves with the place. After all, it was a place that Typhon and the members of his group visited when they first came to Blinlock. No doubt they had gotten quite drunk and laughed without a care in the world before committing the worst of crimes... it made her sick just thinking about it.

However, she ultimately managed to shake off the haunting thoughts, knowing that it would be unfair to the tavern's owner. Those of her village would not be coming back, certainly not with Alaric around to keep her safe. She tried to repeat this to herself in her mind, like a comforting mantra of sorts, as she walked into the establishment alongside the pink-haired farmer, taking a seat when it was appropriate to, though such an action was more automatic as opposed to something she did out of conscious thought.

She snapped out of it when the Lavender began speaking to the keep, just in time to catch his name. "Rory," she noted to herself, internally. "Got it." It would be good for her to remember the names of those in the village, which was technically larger than Laerwick, though not by much. Elysia initially thought to refuse the add-ons, so as to be polite to Lavender, but her stomach growled in protest. Giving an embarrassed look and an awkward smile, she nodded. "Thanks, Lavender. Sure, I'll take both! I really appreciate it."
 
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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Elysia: HP = 49, PP = 47, EP = 122, Status = Fine

NPC Stats:
Alaric: HP = 94, PP = 42, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Hah! Both she says! Don't you like to take advantage?" Lavender said brightly, though her laughter indicated that she likely didn't think poorly of Elysia for it. Turning to the barkeep, the shorn farmer drew out a coin pouch and hastily counted out the price of their meal as she said; "A fruit salad and a plate of bacon and eggs for the both of us! We'll take the salad first, and I like my eggs over easy with a crust of peppered toast." The bartender, Rory, nodded to Lavender and took the coins before glancing at Elysia, "And how would you like your eggs miss?"

Once Elysia had answered, Lavender sat down at a table near to the bar and motioned for Elysia to join her. "How was Alaric last night? I heard he got hurt pretty bad, but just kept on working all day with everyone else. Was he pretty banged up?" she asked, her voice holding a mixture of curiosity and concern. Rory came over with two bowls filled with a mixture of fruits and vegetables after she'd finished, to which Lavender nodded thankfully before returning her attention to Elysia. Given her hidden discomfort at the nature of the place in which they sat, Elysia couldn't help but notice that the two demons were watching them curiously from their place in the corner.

"Care for anything to drink while we're here? Water, tea, coffee? Wine?" Lavender added after a moment, having not noticed the looks of the demons given that they were more or less coming from behind her.
 

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Re: Fleeing Fate (Takimaru)

Ever the serious one, Elysia shook her head, giving the woman next to her a most embarrassed look as she struggled to find an appropriate response. However, it only took her just a few seconds to catch Lavender's lighthearted tone, fortunately preserving the pleasant atmosphere between the two. She really had her mother to blame for that side of her, the kind that couldn't catch a joke until it was right in front of them. Luckily, the seamstress still wasn't nearly as bad as her notoriously authoritarian parent, having socialized enough with some of the other girls in the village to avoid being unforgivably awkward, despite being an only child.

"I'll have mine, um, over easy as well," she answered, before looking over to the shorn farmer. "How'd you know just how I like it?" she asked with a curious smile. While it could've been taken as an innuendo all too easily, given how well Lavender treated her during their little 'accident' at the ranch, Elysia remained oblivious to her own dual meaning, wearing an expression that matched this state of mind perfectly.

"He was well, physically if nothing else. Though, he did seem a bit run down, like everyone else, and understandably so. I feel as if the business with the, um... outsiders has him stressed, and I know he has good reasons. Perhaps I feel a little bad myself for not feeling the same, as they -seemed- pleasant enough to me, but honestly, despite the stories I've heard about their kind, I'm really just glad everyone is alright, and ultimately we do have the riders to thank for that. I was afraid that the village would see me poorly after seeing my, uhm, other passion." She noticed the demons a tad too late, almost wishing she had been somewhat quieter after realizing that she had unwittingly mentioned them earlier the conversation. But she would make no explicit attempt to apologize just yet, in fear of making things more awkward than they already were.

"But as my... as my man," she added boldly, returning to the topic, "I'll stand by him regardless. I never realized he had been through so much..." the beauty trailed off with a hint of melancholy in her voice. She didn't hold it for long, seeing that the beginning of their meal served to them and giving Rory a gracious smile before digging in with no shortage of proper table manners. "My, far too early for wine. I'd say tea would be good," she replied to the one sitting across from her.
 
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