Lore of Leyuna RPG (FRPG)

[TyrannoTitan]

"I try to stay optimistic," Jiier responded, only half joking. After a few more silent moments, the gate opened again.

"Uh...who goes there?" the bearded man growled, sticking half his body out of the gate, an axe in one hand. He had a very distinctive accent.

"Travelers looking for warmth," Jiier responded kindly, seeing how unsure the man was. At this, the bearded man opened the gate more, stepping completely outside of the confines of the city. Behind him, through the gate, two other figures stood nearby.

"...Really?" he asked after a few silent moments, scratching his head with the hilt of his axe, perplexed.

[C S]

"I do not feel temperature and my friend is a dragon, warmth is not an issue for him. No, we come bearing news of danger" Desrium replied to the stranger, seemingly bluntly if one did not know the Blood Omen's nature.

[TyrannoTitan]

The bearded man stood staring at Desrium in confusion. Behind him, the others were saying things Jiier couldn't quite hear. The simian placed a hand on his head in frustration at Desrium's blatant remark. "...He doesn't look like a dragon," was all the man said, once again scratching his head with the hilt of his axe. Before Desrium could speak, Jiier pushed him further back and took up a place in front of the man. "Sorry, he's a little drowsy from the cold. We are here to deliver a message, but not freezing to death seemed more pressing," the dragon in disguise explained, glaring back at Desrium for a moment. The bearded man laughed heartily. "After you've been here for as long as I have, you tend not to feel it. Come on in!" the man exclaimed, swinging the gate completely open with one mighty push, the structure creaking loudly as it did. The man turned away, walking back inside, expecting the two to follow. Jiier did just that.

[C S]

From the snow covered ground outside the wall, the Blood Omen stepped forward into...more snow inside. The streets were unshoveled and the people awake and going about their business did not seem to mind. Their houses were all covered in snow, from the roofs to the steps leading up to wooden resting areas. They were all sturdy and well made and some looked quite impressive. There was no clear separation between social classes from what Desrium could tell. All who lived here lived in homes to be proud of. "Why wasn't Grymhaven like this?" he thought as he followed the three guards.

[TyrannoTitan]

"You're the first visitors we've had in...over 100 years I'd say," the bearded man explained as they walked, looking to his two companions for confirmation. The other two, who had beards of their own and were just as gruff and muscular as the first, nodded their agreement. All three of the men were dressed in fur and leather armor, carrying various weapons at their sides. After a few minutes of walking, the group came to a truly massive building toward the back of the city. The building was alight with activity, smoke billowing from holes in the roof. Delicious smells and the sounds of hearty laughter emanated from within, enticing the dragon in disguise toward the building. "Come in, have a pint! Had to be some trip, getting all the way up here. It will make for a wonderful tale, surely!" the bearded man exclaimed, yanking open the massive doors leading into the building, his two fellows agreeing as they made their way inside. Looking back at Desrium, Jiier shrugged and proceeded inside...

[C S]

Desrium returned to his quietude and took it upon himself to take in the scenery of the city. He made it a point to take in as much detail as he could so he would have as much memories as possible to craft his recounting to Septimus. When he stood before what seemed to be the city's hold, the armored being eyed it for a moment before entering after Jiier and observing its interior as well...

[TyrannoTitan]

The building, which turned out to be the Great Hall of the city, was just as impressive inside as it was out. Gone was the dreary cold of the outside. Massive bonfires blazed throughout the room, keeping it at a comfortable temperature. Food and drink aplenty were strewn out across massive banquet tables. Various civilians, men and women alike, were chatting and laughing and having a grand time. All of the inhabitants seemed to have the same gruff, strong posture of the three men the two travelers already met. Some of the patrons were even arm wrestling as a small crowd cheered and laughed. The place was quite pleasant indeed.

What drew Jiier's gaze immediately was the array of mounted heads, pelts, and other such things clustered around the east end of the Hall. At the center of this impressive display of achievements was a small statuette, bejeweled with gems Jiier had never seen before, or would have believed existed. It was truly stunning to behold, the the dragon's hoarding tendencies made it extremely difficult to resist further investigation.

[C S]

Yellow light danced throughout the room and cast wavering shadows on the finely decorated walls and the people who were around the fires, all partaking in activities unrelated but still they were all lighthearted. Indeed, inside the hall there was an escape from the desolated landscape surrounding the island and the grayness of the day. Desrium wanted to stay a while, to know the patrons who were so happy and full of life, but knew he couldn't. The message had to be spread, and beyond that he would simply disrupt the happenings within the city; intentionally or not. The less time spent in one place, the better.

[TyrannoTitan]

Jiier broke his concentration on the bejeweled object as the three men took a seat at one enormous table, the simian following. Even in the light of the Hall, it was difficult to see the interior of the hood he wore. To his kindly hosts, he was but a normal human, just like them. "What was that message you mentioned earlier? Has to be quite important to come all the way to this god-forsaken place, risking life and limb, as well as being trapped here like the rest of us," the bearded man asked, stroking his beard with a hand as he looked at the two for an explanation.

[C S]

"Indeed it is" Desrium said, stepping up from behind the shape-shifter. "A great and powerful being is assaulting your land and if unopposed, it will bring about its end. However, you cannot oppose it if you are trapped here" said the armored being. He looked to each of the guards before asking "Has the frozen ocean stranded you here?"

[TyrannoTitan]

The men laughed. "The ocean freezing is the only time when we can leave, boy!" the bearded man exclaimed, taking a swig from a mug on the table. "Us Vikings are always up for a good fight, but you're right: if we can't leave, we can't fight, I'm afraid," he continued. Jiier was busy trying to decipher what the man meant, as well as glancing repeatedly back at the jeweled statuette hungrily.

[C S]

"I am n-" Desrium began to say, stopping himself before he could finish the statement. "What keeps you here when the water is free?" he asked, though from his experience with Septimus, he had a general idea of what was restraining the vikings... though could they really live where it was so cold?

[TyrannoTitan]

"The Doomfang," the bearded man simply. A number of patrons around them shifted uncomfortably at the name. "Very nasty creature, has it out for us," the man continued with a shrug, taking another swig of his drink. Jiier turned at the name, about to speak, before turning back to watch the statuette. He was not having a very good time resisting...

[C S]

"I see. What does this creature look like and why has it turned against you?" Desrium continued to ask, already working on a course of action to ensure the vikings' support in the fight for Aster...

[TyrannoTitan]

"Well that's kind've a long story," the man began, the others groaning slightly, knowing the bearded man's like of retelling the story. "It all began with our ancestors, over a hundred years ago. Norbert Doombeard, the chief of the tribe at the time, was an eccentric explorer, mostly in defiance of his name. His father wanted him to be a fierce pirate or something," the man continued with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Norbert, along with a crew of 20 other men and women of the village, set sail from Vanguard on the Iron's Descent. A truly magnificent vessel! They left Aster far, far behind, sailing for months straight before they reached a mysterious, foreign land," the man explained, pausing dramatically as he took another swig of his drink. By now, Jiier had refocused on what the man was saying with great effort.

"The natives of the land were strange folk, not unlike some of the creatures seen here on Aster. Norbert, in his journal, described them as sea bird people. They were a lot like us Vikings, but they far more peaceful and far more religious," the bearded man continued. "Amazingly, the two groups spoke the same language! Can you believe that? Anyway, after trading stories, Norbert decided to tell them where he and his crew were from. He said some of the bird-people were appalled, while others seemed ecstatic! Their chief presented him with a special gift, you see. It was a statuette, encrusted with jewels never seen on Aster before or since. It was supposed to be a depiction of their sea god or something," he continued with another wave of his hand. "Us Vanguarders aren't very religious folk, but Norbert understood the importance of the gesture. They were giving him a sacred object, after all. Anyway, after resupplying with the bird-people's help, Norbert and his crew set sail a few weeks after they arrived. Throughout their journey, they noticed they were being followed by something from beneath the waves. It wasn't until they landed in the sea surrounding Vanguard that the beast showed itself, and attacked," the man explained grimly. The others looked down at the table as they remembered the deceased.

"Norbert and many others did not survive the attack. With burning, freezing flames, the beast struck many valiant fighters down with ease. The rest were forced to retreat, and thankfully the beast couldn't fit in the harbor itself. Ever since, it has prowled the icy waters outside the island. A few times a year, the water freezes, and the beast is trapped. Its only then can we leave, but we don't even try. Its too damn hard to tell whether the ice is thick enough to keep the damned thing contained. So we just stay here," the man concluded with a grin, taking another long gulp of his drink.

[C S]

"How unfortunate" Desrium said simply, glancing to the statue and its many jewels. "I find it strange how the beast appeared after it was given to you" he said after a moment's pause, looking from the relic to the guard. He had a feeling it was connected to the Doomfang's appearance, but by what means he did not know. He did not perceive any kind of magic emanating from the statue; but then again, he did not know that his sword was bewitched by the shadowed being...

[TyrannoTitan]

"A few have suggested the same thing," the bearded man agree, nodding. "But so far, no one has got the nerve to try and give the statue back, what with the Doomfang being terrifying and all."

Jiier, meanwhile, was staring at the statuette again. But instead of hungrily wishing to steal it, he was inspecting its appearance. It resembled a brilliant white and gold sea serpent, surrounding by a silver storm cloud. He wondered if it depicted the Doomfang itself, but surely their hosts would've mentioned it if it was indeed the case.

[C S]

"My friend and I would be able to make the attempt" Desrium stated quite simply with unnerving calmness, despite the description of what the Doomfang was capable of...

[TyrannoTitan]

"You're welcome to try, I suppose..." the man said, stroking his beard. "It would be a shame if things went wrong, though. You two seem like nice folk, and that statue is pretty damn nice to have in the Hall."

[C S]

"If the Doomfang will not be civil then it will be eliminated" Desrium said frankly, again with a strange evenness as he headed around the table and approached the statue, fully intending to lift from its place and carry it to the harbor to offer it to the sea monster...