The Champions of Mara [IC|Closed]

by **The Inritus Extraho** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:50 pm

Pragia wrote:With her new kill in tow, Rena was intent on finding a place to bed down for the night. She dragged the moose to where Maerios had told her, hoping the God was true to his word. The experience of fatigue was also alien to the former incorporeal. She would need to wait for the next day's light to further hone her skills.

She feared the poaching of these deities, as she merely wanted to be a free individual to expirience what Mara had in store for her. She didn't want to actively participate as a pawn of the Gods, and certainly would not sacrifice said freedom to gain powers. The domineering tone of Valtherzaw worried her, as Gods should not be aiming at one another's throats. She replied "I would gladly help you, but I would never limit myself to whom I can help." She said simply.

Valtherzaw nodded. "Would you care to come, and sleep in our town? My followers constructed a new house just this week, and as of yet, no-one lives in it. It's yours, if you would have it, and you can help yourself to the wheat in our town as well."

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:04 pm

Her victory through the essence of the spark singing to her senses, Rena felt almost as if she was destined for greatness, and she took up the moose. Over the distance to the south and west the Champion dragged her kill, the enormous shaggy beast straining her muscles, but as the sun sank towards sunset and the red and orange hues of dusk filled the air she came to a small cluster of buildings, two simple huts protected by a deep defensive moat. A man looked at her curiously from across the ditch, then spoke to a woman. The two hefted what looked to be a small wooden bridge upon their shoulders, and lowered it across the obstacle, giving the Champion egress into their village. Clearly Maerios had spoken to them of his words to the daughter of the spark.

One called out to her. "I am Abrim, keeper of the Hall of Asagal. Please, come in. Night's cloak will soon cover the land."

Sunset's beauty suffuses the sky, Rena Essex. What do you want to do?

by **Pragia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:20 pm

Rena was very happy to see the village, and somewhat excited. She had never conversed with a human, but she assumed it was fairly similar to the way she would carry herself when speaking to the divines. The buildings, however primitive, were shelters nonetheless, and far superior to what she could build in the wilderness. She was addressed by the human before she could speak, and was told to come inside.

She nodded and smiled, saying "Thank you for your hospitality, Abrim. I do hope I may stay for a while, I'm Rena, and I hope it would be fine if I could take refuge here from the elements."

She dragged her kill across the splintery bridge, and followed Abrim inside, bedding down for the night.

by **Prusslandia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:21 pm

I feel. I feel the blood coursing through my veins, the heavy hammering of my heart, the energy of this world in my very bones. I am Kulbathos, bringer of destruction and slaughter. And I am in a storm. This does not bode well for my new form. Training my eyes upon the west, I see what could possibly be a hut. I will set out towards it, once I find some sort of weapon.

by **The Inritus Extraho** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:25 pm

Prusslandia wrote:I feel. I feel the blood coursing through my veins, the heavy hammering of my heart, the energy of this world in my very bones. I am Kulbathos, bringer of destruction and slaughter. And I am in a storm. This does not bode well for my new form. Training my eyes upon the west, I see what could possibly be a hut. I will set out towards it, once I find some sort of weapon.

Valtherzaw turned, and in a step carried himself across the plains of Mara. "Kulbathos." he said softly to the man, standing in front of him. "You think of yourself as a warrior, do you not?" He cracked a small smile. "You know of Gal'Duls, the Bloody-Handed one, yes? I am allied with him, and offer you our support, if you would carry our name while you strike out. We can, in addition, fund you, to help you grow stronger..." Valtherzaw drew forth a tuft of his divinity, playing with the silvery-white stream of metal. "But we would need to know you would not turn your strength against either of us, or Jack."

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:42 pm

Inside the Hall Rena found a pallet of woven wheat stalks covered in some small animal skins laid out for her in anticipation of her arrival; the work of Maerios, Abrim told her, as he assured her it would be no trouble at all if she stayed within the Everrock. The fire at the center of the dwelling provided light and heat as the sun slipped below the horizon, and soft greetings came from around the fire as the other inhabitants of the settlement streamed in with the failing light. Before long most had turned in for the night, and Rena joined them in slumbering upon her bed; far better than the stones and earth outside the house. Her moose she had left outside in the night air, after being assured by Abrim that no predators would take it from within the ditches and the watchmen. The stars wheeled overhead as she slept, and while the night was still dark she awoke once more, though the humans dreamed on. Being more composed of the essence of the spark than they, she required less sleep to sustain her body, and was refreshed after only a few brief hours of it. Her stomach rumbled with hunger again as she stepped outside the dwelling. Perhaps the moose would prove itself edible. She felt almost weak with the pangs of a craving for sustenance.

You are rested, Rena Essex. What do you want to do?

You search the ground around you, and [17] though you fumble about wildly in the dark and the storm, in no way resembling an organized search, [10] your hand closes upon a large rock, weighty and durable, good for bashing foes with. It feels good in your hand, a humble weapon but effective, and in your mind dreams of crushing the life from your enemies dance idly.

You are now armed, Kulbathos. What do you want to do?

by **Pragia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:56 pm

Rena awoke well rested, albeit 'hungry' it still wasn't something she was used to, and she prepared for a day of working. She felt obligated to the group, and went out. She brought the kill back in, and began stripping it of meat, hoping to try to put bones to use and figure out how much she could give back to the group. She took the liberty of eating her fill however before getting to work.

by **Prusslandia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:17 pm

Now that I have a weapon, however small, I feel more...alive. Turning towards this strange spark, I rise to my full eight feet, easily a head or more above him. My bones pop, unfamiliar to the strain. Opening my mouth, my voice is harsh and cruel as I say " I demand proper weapons then, and warriors to serve me. " After I say this, I start out towards the lump in the distance.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:52 pm

One of the watchmen on duty watches with wide eyes as the Champion drags an entire moose inside the Hall, before snapping his head back towards the outside darkness to watch for danger. Rena uses a small sharp stone from the ground nearby to begin carving up the carcass, [4] making a fair hash of it due to her unfamiliarity with the innards of fleshy creatures and not beings of air. Blood and gore stain the area she was working on, but [5] she manages to cut most of the usable flesh from the bones, and actually ends up with quite a bit of good meat, bones, sinews, and hide. She toasts a bit of meat on a stick over the fire's embers and eats it hungrily, her body feeling much better after the hot juicy meat fills her mortal form. There looks to be quite a lot of usable goods still of the moose, despite her feasting. On the ground before her lie three piles of good edible meat though raw, five large bones she might have a use for, one length of sinew, but the hide is too tattered from her cutting to be of much use.

Your stomach is delightfully full as the night stars pass overhead, Rena Essex. What do you want to do?

You walk west, the storm rolling on above you. Your body is unfamiliar, but walking seems easy enough for you to do, and after a short walk in the night you have made it to the outskirts of a small camp. It is surrounded with an earthen ditch, which will not be easy to cross, but you see a watchman on the other side looking at you curiously. Your stomach rumbles, indicating that your mortal form might need to be fed.

You've found a village, Kulbathos. What do you want to do?

by **Prusslandia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:15 pm

" What village is this ? " I ask, again towering over the person I speak with. The man is clearly frightened, and I grin. My teeth are long and sharp, easily capable of tearing through flesh and crunching bone.

by **Constaniana** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:22 pm

Harald looked at the strange giant speaking to him from across the village's defensive ditch.

"This is Daganborough, village of the followers of Naetralykva, Lord and Lady of Light, Empress of the Dawn. What do you want, stranger?" The villager asked, watching the man-beast carefully.

by **Prusslandia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:40 pm

The pang of hunger feels strange, though I recognise it as necessary. Opening my mouth, I say " I hopefully request food and lodging. " I feel another pang of hunger, and my stomach growling angry beast.

by **Pragia** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:44 pm

Happy with her work, Rena began working with what she could, building some tools. First, she tried breaking a bone to leave a sharp edge. Then she tried using the tattered rags to make a simple bag to hold some materials. She hoped that she would come out of the hut better equipped for what is out there. She kept one pile of meat to herself, but gave two to her hosts.

She began wondering what she could build for the town.

by **Constaniana** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 5:43 pm

"Perhaps we could oblige your request, stranger, but we've been having some difficulties as of late. There was a raid by the followers of Gal'Dus several weeks ago, and we've been having more problems with the slothful followers of the Laughing Jack attempting to steal our substance. Their early attempts failed, but they managed to take one bushel of wheat lately. Perhaps if you dealt the lazy thief god's followers a lesson we could give you more aid. But I suppose letting you stay the night. Our newest arrival ate our food stockpile though," Harald responded.

by **The Great Warrior Rivers** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:42 am

He took a deep breath, warm air filling his lungs. Then he opened his eyes. Arcane power was radiating around him.

What's going on?

He looked at his arms, his body.

I'm human, with sturdy legs and arms. But my eyes, do they deceive me?

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:13 am

Rena, under the dim light provided by the fire's embers, decides to make some tools. She can't work on both at once though, so she decides to [1] try and do something with the bone first, turning her attention to it. Using her butchering stone, she tries to flake small parts off of the outside of the moose's leg-bone, to make a nice point. [17] This isn't anything she knows much about though, [2->4] so despite her best efforts and caution the bone cracks in several places as she tries to carefully make it into something useful, and she is left with only some shattered bone bits without any usable edges. The noise wakes Abrim, who rises before dawn regularly, and he pads over to watch her work, his dark eyes interested. He notices the meat, and when the lithe woman tells him it is for the group, he bows and thanks her before taking it off to the village's stockpile. [+4 Food Maerios] Outside the rain begins to abate, though the first rays of dawn have not yet touched the horizon.

The night is growing old, Rena Essex. What do you want to do?

A new figure awakened upon Mara, life-giving breath filling their chest. A new Champion, full of the power of the spark. Nicholas Zaro looked about him, taking in the windswept plains of Godshome. To the north, as he judged by the stars, barely visible in the nighttime gloom, Zaro could make out two low buildings, and as he turned to the east he could see two more low buildings. All else around him was merely endless grass within his range of vision, and the gentle fall of cold rain on his skin soaked his tunic and provided his first tactile sensations upon the mortal plane.

You have awoken, Nicholas Zaro. What do you want to do?

by **Pragia** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:20 am

Rena, annoyed with her accidental destruction, tries again, this time trying to use her psionic ability to make a clean diagonal cut on another bone. She wants to have something better than her fists when her abilities fail her.

by **The Great Warrior Rivers** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:27 am

Zaro walked in a northerly direction, making sure no one was following him. He crouched in the bushes to see what was next. The buildings were ahead of him.

Civilization? A new home? Or mortal enemies?

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:40 am

Summoning her arcane powers, and feeling the flow of energy through her, the Champion turns her attention on the next bone, one of the four remaining. She tries to use it very carefully to make a diagonal cut and leave a sharp point on the bone, [19] and she successfully channels a thin strip of force into the object. It cracks, sliding apart smoothly as if it had merely decided to come apart in an appropriate manner, and Rena feels elated at her success. She wasn't sure how useful the weapon would be, [4->6] [2] but as she picked it up in one hand it seemed like it would indubitably be better than her mere fists. She does, however, feel slightly more tired as she releases her powers once more. The glow of unrestricted access to changing the weaving of Mara seems to have faded since started walking the mortal plane.

You are armed, Rena Essex. What do you want to do?

Through the light downpour Nicholas walked north, making his way towards the buildings in the distance. His feet were strange, the act of moving muscles not one he was used to. He made it to the village though, and crouched behind a low bush, trying to conceal himself from any watching eyes as he observed the village. [13] [6] His lack of knowledge of the art of hiding and unfamiliarity with the area left him clearly visible from one side of the area before him though, and soon Zaro noticed a man looking at him from across a ditch around the settlement with curiosity. In his belly his stomach rumbled, telling him his new physcial form required sustenance in the not-so-near future, but some time soon. On the eastern horizon the first fringes of sunlight are growing.

You have been spotted, Nicholas Zaro. What do you want to do?

by **The Great Warrior Rivers** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:44 am

Zaro stands, proving his innocence and peaceful intentions. He walks up to the man and asks with a friendly smile,

"Where am I? I need a place to stay and a meal to eat. May I stay here until I am fully rested?

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:16 am

The Hall of Asagal, Godshome

The man, named Sindvar, nods, and mutters under his breath, his head bowed. What exactly is going on seems indeterminate to Zaro, before from the air next to him a form crystallizes- Maerios, the protector of the Hall, manifests. He is tall, broad, and ripples with the muscles of a smith, bright blue eyes peaking out from above a massive red beard. The Divine appears as a mortal man, tanned, and clad in a simple pair of breeches and a shirt, all covered by a singed brown smith's apron. Maerios looks the Champion up and down, then smiles.

"I am Maerios, wanderer upon Mara. You have the look of the spark about you. Tell me your name, sojourner, and then we shall see about getting another child of the spark a meal and a bed."

by **The Great Warrior Rivers** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:34 am

Zaro was unprepared for any answer he got, especially a god manifesting in from of him.

"My name is Nicholas Zaro. I am lost, confused. May I enter your halls?"

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:55 am

The Hall of Asagal, Godshome

Maerios nodded, and turned towards the human on the other side of the ditch, even as the sun came over the eastern horizon. He spoke, not with words Zaro could comprehend, but with the way of a deity addressing their follower by heart and intuition. The watchman called out to another man, who emerged shortly from the longhouse, and the two took up a long length of wooden branches bound together. They placed it across the ditch carefully; it looked sturdy enough, but only wide enough for one man to cross at a time. Then the man called out to Zaro.

"I am Sindvar, wandering man. My heart speaks to me of you, called Zaro. Please, come in. You must be hungry, for my lord told me of the cravings of those as yet newly come to flesh and blood. We are about to have the morning meal." He gestured broadly towards the Hall, and a smile of white teeth split his face tanned from laboring in the sun of Mara.

The Smith-Lord smiled at the words of his follower, who could not see him as easily as the Champion, who bore in his chest more of the light of the spark than did any mortal man.

"You may enter my halls, Nicholas Zaro, son of the spark. There you will find one like yourself, a being of the spark, but do not be afraid; she is of good heart and a quick mind, and will not harm you. Go in peace." Maerios turned, stepping out over the deep ditch, and in a moment his form dissolved, as if blown away by a strong wind across the plains. Before Zaro the bridge to cross the ditch lay, and the two men that followed Maerios waited across it, and beyond the smell of cooking grain suffused the dawn air.

by **Prusslandia** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:57 am

" I bid you thanks for allowing me to rest here. " I say to the watchman. I look at the ditch, considering jumping across it.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:02 am

You consider the ditch, looking at it carefully, judging its width and your own unsteady limbs. [7] You're unfamiliar with this material world, and it looks like you might be able to jump across it, but you're not exactly good at judging distances. It is rather deep though. Falling might not be so good for your less than unbreakable mortal form. Then again, certainly leaping across this mortal's most formidable defensive barrier would impress him, and leave a favorable opinion about your abilities with the followers of this Divine. At least they offered you a place to stay; maybe they will offer more if they know of your prowess. Your belly is gnawing at your backbone; maybe foraging for some nuts or berries in this area would fill the void within your body. Assuredly there are some around here, for sensible humans would settle next to food, if they too required sustenance like you.

The ditch lies before you, Kulbathos. What do you want to do?

The Champions of Mara [IC|Closed]

Who is online