The Backways Bar [RP]

In response to this, because of multiple reasons of varying quality:

Spoiler: Low

- Low -
"There have been... concerns, recently, about the quality of your decision making skills, Sevrien."
"What do you mean?"
"Rumors of... particularly visible activity in Hernan."

"The shrines? The heretics deserved it, always spouting off about their king. They should've just accepted the Triumv-"
Sevrien was cut off, as Low stabs five feet to his left. Sevrien's clone dissipates as his visibility returns.

"You idiot. You were given a chance, because you were effective. I'll be revising the requirements to apply for management ranks after this. Did you forget that I'm not religious? You should've known better than to tell me the peaceful priests deserved to be violently executed."

His monologue finished, Low compelled Harm, and Sevrien died.
...
- Daze -
The water was refreshing. He'd been reading - for hours, apparently - and had forgotten to get anything to drink.
Except... something felt a bit off. Compared to the relative, consistent peacefulness of the shrine, it almost felt like there was about to be a fight. He looked over. It seemed like Jaiv had felt it too.
And then... a shadow. How long had they been there? The place was brightly lit, how had he missed the figure? He couldn't even see their face, they had black clothing... they should've stood out, not blended in!

"I'm looking for someone. Their name, supposedly, is Cryst, and I've been advised to ask after them here. Do you know where they are?"
Daze was very, very uncomfortable with this situation.
"That's... not information we give out regularly, uh... sir?"
This was a total lie. When someone asked after food or rest, referring them to Cryst was basically the default answer. It was absolutely the exact kind of information they gave out to people regularly.

The figure sighed.
"I'm afraid I didn't bring my credentials with me. Would a signet work?"
"Uh... yes, sir?"
The figure pulled out a token with a symbol of a dagger and a shortsword, overlayed so that the dagger was completely within the shortsword's outline.

"Do you recognize this?"
He did. The symbol of the Order of the Blade. The group that had massacred shrines across Hernan.
"Y-yes, sir."
"Then you know what I am capable of doing, and not just to you. I advise you to comply. Where is Cryst?"
Daze was still a bit shocked, too terrified to answer. Too scared to think.
"Need a moment to remember?"

The panic shut off like a blown-out candle. It was just... gone. The fear was still very much there, however, like how blowing out a candle's fire didn't blow away the candlestick.
"In... in her room, I think? Uh, that way and a right turn, go past the stairs. What did you do? What are you going to do?"
The panic returned just as quickly. Had he really just told this professional assassin exactly where to find her?
"I helped you think. And now, I'll help me think. Really, I don't see what's so terrifying about that."
...
- Low -
The door was locked. Was. Past tense. It'd been a bit of a tricky lock to pick, but he knew a few tricks from the Eyes.
Finally. It'd been days of just walking.
Except, no. There wasn't anyone inside the room labeled as Cryst's. It was completely dark - he could see the whole room almost perfectly, none of the furniture disturbed.
That's when he was stabbed.

It was a good stab, aimed for the right point, plenty of force but not relying on it. He was already losing severe amounts of blood, evident because the voices were going quieter as he was losing consciousness.
"Nice stab."
He didn't want to use up all his Enigma again, that had been problematic.
"I'm not... here... to, kill..."
His consciousness slipped away.

"You're finally up again, huh?"
Low wasn't thinking straight yet, so he didn't answer.
"We would've put a knife through your head and buried you, but you made Cryst curious."
Low looked down. They'd at least been smart enough to let him keep his armor - the Summer Armor had healing enchantments, strong but specific ones.
"Interrogation, then. Alright. Can't complain, especially compared to dying. Would you happen to have greylet tea? Or any form of alcohol, now that I think about it."

Greylet was a fairly popular soothing tea. It had a fairly weak taste, but was also fairly cheap. More importantly for him, it was a weak Enigma restorative - a secret the Order of the Shadows kept well. Alcohol was significantly less likely, and less important.
"The tea, that'll take a few minutes. The poison, no. We don't have malicious substances here, however popular, assassin."
...
- Cryst -
The assassin. They'd let him keep his magic armor, under the terrible assumption that the enchantments were all benevolent. Those last words had been disturbing, however.
If he hadn't been here to kill, what had he come for?
Cryst spoke. "Tell me straight, you filth. Why did you come here."
Wow, she was angry. It would help her figure this puzzle out, though, even if it wasn't a good emotion to feel.
"Looking. For Xalabraxis."
The assassin had the gall to glare at her, after she'd bothered putting in the effort to keep him alive, even after the massacres.
"Your brother claims that he survives. The next question, naturally, is where."
"Why are you looking for the dragon?"
"We were companions for seventy years, so you have better things to worry about than my motives."

That was a bit suspicious. He seemed to think that he could still beat her in a fight, despite laying exhaustedly on a sickbed.
"Like what?"
He shrugged. He was clearly too comfortable in this situation.
"Whatever you were planning on doing this afternoon is probably more substantial."
Ugh.
"You will leave immediately if I give you this information?"
"Now that you've asked, no reason to stay."

She turned to face Sieve.
"Prepare a map to the cave in the Gemlight Cliffs, and collect the assassin's equipment. He will not be staying the night."
She looked back at the assassin.
The assassin looked her coldly in the eyes. "Thank you for your assistance. Congratulations on surviving a rare interaction with the Madman of Selbrakir."
"You were the one - you ordered the killings?"
"No. As a matter of fact, I'm the one who stopped them."
...
- Low -
Low looked up at the moon. If he'd ever been asked to describe it, he would've said it seemed as a dark blemish on the soft, bright night sky, but at least it was a trackable blemish that consistently moved across the night sky in the same direction.

He was practically on top of the mark on the map. There weren't any good landmarks to judge where the cave was, so he had to judge the distance from an outcropping of rock barely within eyesight. He set his rope to rappel down, and look for the hole in the cliff face.

Nope. No cave. Wait, over there, yes. He hadn't seen it at first - maybe it was lit up? No, that was too hopeful. Although, the voices were a bit quieter, now that he had a goal to hunt again.

He climbed over, and unhooked himself. He walked down the cavern, which sloped upwards.

A deep, familiar voice. "Hello. I did not expect to see you again."
Lohlethean turned to see an adult red dragon, with ice still blasted across their left jaw and right side from the shoulder to the end of the tail.
"Hello, Xalabraxis."

Juuust a bit of resolution for a particular story arc.

 

(new character bump)

A young man, richly yet oddly dressed, enters the bar.
"This has been here the whole time? I... nevermind."
They look around the room, and pause momentarily.

"Oh, that's not good. I'll just..."
They turn around, but the door is gone.
"Erratics, what's going on here?"
They seem increasingly panicked, but eventually get a hold of themselves.

"Can anyone here explain to me what's going on?"

 

Calennius rises from their seat, an almost amused expression on their face. “First time?”

 

The youth is still confused.
"First time in this room? Yes. What stabilizing measure was used that you can hold a space-dilated room sustained?"

 

Calennius makes their way towards the newcomer, their eyes flashing as they walk. They abruptly stop. “I wouldn’t say truly dilated. If I speak correctly, more so of “molded Conceptually and then converted into matter within a pseudo-metaphysical demiplane,” but your definition is close enough.”
They study him inquisitively. “But enough of that. Who may you be?”

 

"That... would explain it, then. Call me Permafrost. I'm from Daerd's north border."
They consider for a moment.
"Although... if this is a demiplane... you probably don't know what that means. It should suffice to say that magic works... extra uniquely in Daerd. Please, forgive my misunderstanding."
They seem more comfortable now.

 

[OOC] This is where I'm going to need some context. Even if Calennius hasn't visited the place before, which, considering what you just said, they probably have, they should have some sort of notion where exactly Daerd is located and what it is, being a "Cultist of the Sovereign" and a planeshifter. Probably a tiny bit of history surrounding the region as well.

 

Calennius almost definitely has not visited Daerd. They have no idea what or where it is.
Daerd is part of the Shattered Realms, which are barely stable and distant from other dimensional locations (this came from a d&d campaign I run).

While there are connections to other dimensions, these grow increasingly rare, and have never been predictable or controllable - the only ways to reach the Shattered Realms are either accidentally wandering through an insanely rare and short-lived dimensional rift or by directly using powerful dimensional travel specifically to the Realms, which is difficult, as knowledge of the Shattered Realms outside of them is on the edge of nonexistence.

For context, though, Daerd's magic is very unstable and has a tendency to cause explosions, various substances to appear, and various psychological effects. Instead of magic, technology is used, exploiting both fragile laws of physics and Flux, a chaotic form of energy. As a little bit more context, Daerd's north and west borders are straight lines that fall off at a 90 degree angle into an endless void.

 

If Calennius is surprised, they don’t show it. They seem to contemplate the statement briefly before finally speaking.
“A man discovers a new world.
He has traveled for weeks upon end, his ship tossing and turning in a stormy ocean. His crew is starved, his food stores almost depleted. He is a man on the edge of breaking-to him, hope is almost lost.
And then, he finds land. A shoreline filled with lush forests and fertile valleys, resources of all kinds abundant in every shape and form. His crew rejoice at the sight of their salvation, but the man is still contemplative all the same. He considers the future.
What can the man do? He can take his new world for himself. Hoard all its riches zealously, gain great status and power.
And yet, he knows that if he does, the land’s eventual downfall will be his fault to blame.
He can give the land to his queen. To the priests. To earn fame and legacy-at the cost of his own conscience, for he has still spoiled the land all the same.
He can defend the land from others. A noble choice, giving him honor and pride. He will die, yes, and the land will be plundered, but his death will be a worthy one. Yet he will still die.
And last, finally, he can die, unknown and forgotten by all, on these distant shores, earning no fame and no glory. He has saved the land by doing so-without the knowledge of such a place, it can not be looted and sacked. Like him, it will fade into oblivion, vanishing into the echoes of eternity.
Consider this, Permafrost,” Calennius says. “Consider the possibilities.”

 

Permafrost considers.
"I am not certain of the relevance of this tale, but it does hold wisdom."
He walks to the barkeeps, looking at the many bottles.
"How much for a glass of Solmark '78?"
The barkeep gives him a glass of a red, carbonated drink and whirs rhythmically for a short time. Permafrost nods and begins to drink.

 

Bump for Aurelion to escape hell

 

Bump again for new content (I swear it’s coming soon)

 

can confirm
new content is coming soon


(get TROLLED you thought this message was new content and I bet you were so excited but NO I don't write that quickly)

 

I saw "Mardeknius quoted your post in the thread the Backways Bar RP" and prepared to write in overdrive but then I clicked on it and was immediately both disappointed and unsurprised

 

No mention of the coin? That would have kept you out of some pain

 

(OOC: Low knew it meant something, but spent it previously without realizing he didn't need to. He would've certainly been allowed to keep it, but he didn't quite realize that - he's used to the more singular favors the underground uses.)

Permafrost finishes drinking from the glass, and turns back to Calennius.
"I believe I have a trinket to give you. I was asked to give this to someone from another world; I don't think this is what was intended, but it works."
He holds out a small mechanical spider, which whirs to life.
[Also OOC: As the spider was created in the Realms, it functions as a Tether to them, which can be used as a focus to target a particular location or plane when planeshifting. Note that some, but not all Tethers work both ways, though only under certain conditions.]

 

PLEASE CHECK DISCORD BEFORE WRITING MORE LOW LORE

 

Calennius holds the artifact up, studying it slowly. “Truly quite the interesting creation. It seems I have underestimated the capabilities of your home-a rare compliment.”
“But,” Calennius says, “Perhaps such a thing is better off in different hands.” They hand it back. “Mine are far too battered and broken for such a thing, and in more ways than one.”
Calennius seems almost nervous as they judge Permafrost’s reaction.
[OOC] Calennius did changed something subtly with that spider, although you have no idea exactly what.

 

Permafrost makes a fairly long series of clicks and hums, and the spider turns off. He puts it back in one of his pockets, and smiles.
"It is not hard to underestimate our technology in Daerd. Even if, perhaps, it has downsides."
Permafrost looks down for a moment.

Spoiler: Flashback

Winter ran clumsily from the drones behind him.
"Help! Help!"
Nobody offered a hand or a gun. Not even a Battery or an encouraging word. Nobody wanted to cross Kinaeon, the Highreign AI that had taken over the area. Rebel estimates of its forces numbered three hundred drones, a hundred twenty warbots, and twenty model C-12 Emergents. A huge force for only a tenth of a Shard.
Winter pulled out the last thing in his pocket - a single piece of copper wire. Without Kinaeon, he would've been the son of a lord! He would've had at least four Batteries on him at all times.
He threw the wire, pushing as much Flux as he could into it. Propelled by chaos, the wire flew ten times harder than it should've and blew up the drone when it got close. Entirely luck, but it worked, destroying two of the three drones following him. He threw a rock at the last one, which bounced off uselessly, but it did fly away.

But no. Those days were over. He was back to a noble position - the same as before Kinaeon - and he'd bothered to become much more experienced since then.

Permafrost looks back up.
"Well, I shouldn't be bothering you with any of that. I can understand not wanting to damage something expensive to produce. Even if there are costlier things out there, that's no reason not to take care of it. I suppose I'll hide from my stress a little longer, than I ought to be on my way."
Permafrost walks away. Perceptive characters barely notice the little spider crawl silently onto the floor and up a beam to the ceiling.

 

uh oh wait does the forums have a character limit on posts cause that might be an issue


(get trolled again ether)


no seriously don't just like this I actually need answers