Broken Fairy Tale (SU - Rated R)

[VampirateMace]

Broken Fairy Tale (RP - Rated R)

Note:
This RPG is rated R because there may be violence, blood, gore, vomit, dragon related deaths, sword related deaths, plague related deaths, alcohol, gambling, magical curses, normal cursing, and generally adult-ish activity. Basically everything that would realistically happen in a magical fantasy land.

Discussion Thread: http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?657198-Broken-Fairy-Tale-Discussion-(Rated-R)

Rules:
1. Obviously, follow the standard forum and sub-forum rules.
2. Don't SPAM, flame, or otherwise harass other players.
3. Don't bunny (control others' character's) without permission. If you know me, you know I am strict on this.
4. Your character is NOT Omnipotent, Omniscient, or Omnipresent. Do NOT have them know things they shouldn't, teleport, or god-mode.
5. Put your name(s) and rough location(s) at the top of your post. Inventory is not required.
6. For those of you with multiple chars, make it very clear WHO is doing WHAT.
7. If you are going to have a significant event in an area where there are other players please comment on it in the Discussion Thread. If you plan to fight, and are not working out the fight ahead of time, please refer there for fight rules.
8. Do NOT be the idiot that forces me to make more rules (love you guys).

Approved Players:
1. VampirateMace (Human Knight, cursed - Simon Rosewood)
2. Hydrangea (Half-Wolfman Mercenary - Faye Fenske)
3. Omegagoldfish (Human Red 'Knight' - Callidon Martel)
4. Monster Guy (Human Princess - Bianca Leonhart)
5. Schade (Human Prince - Raphael Leonhart)
6. Vern (Elf Alchemist/Assassin - Aluria "ALF" Featherlight)
7. lilcipher (Human Performer - Aria Leticia LeBlanche)
8. Vern (Human Alchemist - Fenris Arkwright)
9. TheCharredDragon (Golem Bard - Flute Vestra)
10. kawaiiconcept (Elf huntress - Akeala)

Okay, let's go!

Sir Simon Rosewood (& horse Ash)
Location: Royal Stables, Royal City
Midday

A tall young man in reddish-brown dragon-hide armor, with a rough fabric sack slung over his shoulder, slowly made his way into the stables. There was nothing particularly exceptional about his appearance, though he did have the combination of black hair and blue eyes that was somewhat striking, combined with sharp facial features, though there were dark bags under his eyes from lack of rest.

Simon pushed open the half-door on the stable. His grey horse, Ash, was lazily picking strands of hay with his lips. He turned his head to look at the knight, before licking up the bit of hay stuck to his lips. Simon smiled softly, “Hey boy, let's get you ready to go.”

Simon sighed and stepped outside of the stall to grab his riding gear. He was tired, but his mission must go on. He'd returned to the Royal City to get fresh supplies, and see if any of his fellow knights had returned. They'd gotten separated in the forest, but as per their agreement, they would all carry on searching no matter what. The virus, or curse, or whatever it was, must be stopped. He saddled the horse and started to packed the saddlebags with the supplies he'd bought.

Ash pawed a front hoof impatiently, this was clearly not his favorite part. Simon figured he knew he was supposed to stand still, but didn't really know what his rider was doing. Simon rearranged his supplies for fit and convenience. Then finally, he folded up his sack and stowed that in a saddlebag as well. He gathered up the reins in his hand and started to lead Ash out of the stables.

 

[Schade]

=-------------------~♛~-------------------=
Raphael Leonhart
Royal Hall, royal castle, Royal City. (Need some better names here)
​

"No, no and again, no!", Pierreth said. The half-elf had a very angry look on his face and followed Raphael around as he gathered up the essentials for the journey. Pierreth was the royal retainer of the royal castle, and to say he was against the idea of the prince and princess embarking on an adventure to find answers and, if they're lucky, their dad, would be an understatement. He had been royal advisor to Raphaels dad and even grand dad, since the Half-Elfs had an extended life span. To not listen to him would normally be considered idiotic, but now was not the time for that.

With the king gone, the surrounding villages had grown into more and more panic as the weird disease was spreading. Considering their father had not returned from his journey, it was safe to assume that he had gotten the illness as well, although Raphael tried to not think about it, or talk about it.

"It is just a minor journey of gathering information, Pierreth. Calm down." Raphael said as he scurried around to find weirdly matching outfits for the trip. "It is quite obvious father has ran into trouble of some sort, and Bianca and I are going to figure out exactly what.". The half-elf sighed, and one could see he ran every possible scenario through his mind at once. "Besides, our beloved mother will be here in our absence. There is no reason to panic." Raphael said in a cold tone. Though he disliked to take the stearing wheel of the kingdom in his fathers absence, he knew his mother hated it even more, which was quite pleasing to him, and probably the main reason he bothered with this trip in the first place.

"You know well that the queen does not enjoy the political roles that comes with her title." Pierreth said, and immediately saw the flaw in his own argument. "She should have thought of hat before marrying daddy dearest. Besides, I'm not too into the whole leading thing myself. A trip will be good for me." Raphael continued as he stashed his royal rapier in his belt.

"At least run with the castle knights. There are a horde of them readying themselves in the royal stables now.", the half-elf said. Raphael knew that the knights were going out, but considering how he had bedded at least half of them, it would just be awkward for everyone involved. Not to mention his sister, who had not yet completely gotten over the loss of her own little knight. "No. We'll travel separately.", he said in a low tone. Pierreth was quiet after this.

As he finished up packing, he walked to the royal hall, where he was going to meet up with his sister. AS usual, she was running late, but their mother was in the room. "Raphael, i want tot alk to you." She said in a stern tone as she saw him. "What is it, mother?", Raphael replied. A lot of people were in the royal hall to seek audience with the substitute king, which would be him. "I have a few issues i would like to discuss with you.". he walked over to her, and stood besides her on the throne where she was sitting. there was a long line of peasants in line to talk to her about their problems.

"You can't just run off to adventures like this and abandon your royal duties. These people have come to seek advice from you regarding the ongoing illness that is spreading across the kingdom. This is a good oppertunity for you to learn a thing or two about your future duties, as my dearest king is not with us at the moment." She wiped a lone tear with an overly expensive looking napkin. Though she was sincere, he just couldn't stand that woman. He cast her an evil glance before turning on his social charm, turning to the first in line. "As much as I would love to be here in your hours of need, my sisterand I have plans of embarging on a trip to solve the issue before it gets worse." "Yeah! Like the king did!" Someone in the line shouted in responce. "Yes. Just like father did. you may leave now." Raphael snaped back as politely as he could, while signaling for the armed guards to take the man away. the line grew silent after this. "Raphael, I've never.." his mother chimed in with a gasp.

"As i was saying. I cannot be here right now, or in the nearest future. But fear not! your queen and my beloved mother is here to step in as much as she is needed to, as is expected from her." he said, gawking at her when he said the last line. "Now, I must leave you to find my sister, who is running late.. again." he said, before walking away.

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon Martel
Alchemist's Store; Ye Old Vegas

Callidon marched into the small store, his armor clanking menacingly with each step. A large bag was slung across his back, dripping with black ichor. The other figure in the room turned, his pale, weathered face lit by the mysterious green substance in his left hand. The elderly man smiled at the hulking red monster, and with a grin spoke.

"Ah, Callidon, my finest customer. What can I get you today? More Deadsbane potion? Another silver tincture?" He asked, his voice raspy, yet relaxed. The metal monster shrugged and placed the bag in front of the elderly man.

"I am not here to purchase," Callidon grated, his low voice causing a few glasses to shake as he placed the bag in front of the other man, "instead, I have something for you to examine."

The alchemist strode forwards, eagerly snatching the bag off of the examining table, and with all the joy of a child unwrapping presents on Royal's Day, greedily opened the filthy burlap sack. Within the tattered bag, two things were apparent. A severed beastman head, its face shattered by blunt force, and another head, this one made of stone. The stone head was leaking a blackish, foul-smelling fluid.

"I noticed this scum near a petrified man," Callidon spoke, "at first, I thought it was a statue, but then it bled. I did my job, dispatching this scum that cavorted around a petrified individual, and I tried to assist. However, this person's head flew off."

The older man shook his head, distraught, before speaking, as he placed both the glowing green substance in a beaker, and moved the head onto a shelf.

"Yes, I've heard of this, petrification dis-ease. I call it Rigor Infestus, and I have heard it is a scourge further east. Thank you for the samples, my dear Callidon, I will examine this posthaste."

Callidon shifted his weight slightly, his armor glinting in the swirling lights of the room, before he spoke once again.

"It must be the beastmen," he said quickly, "such scum love nothing more than causing new forms of pain for the purer folk."

The alchemist scratched his bearded chin in thought, mulling over the red giant's words, as Callidon examined a potion brewing silently on a shelf.

"Its transmission vector is still unknown to me. It could be a weapon, if that's what you think. Regardless, I've seen this affect all manner of creatures. I've been showered with petrified faeries, and watched a horse turn to stone outside. The transformation seemed rather swift and painless, however."

Callidon turned to leave, but the older man placed a hand on his shoulder, beckoning him to stay.

"If possible," the alchemist spoke, "try and get some more... samples for me. I need to do more research," the elderly man said, before turning to a stack of papers messily splayed over a nearby shelf.

Callidon marched out of the tiny hut, heading towards the city center.

 

[Vern]

Fenris Arkwright & Aluria ‘ALF’ Featherlight
Location: Fenris’s ‘House’ and Laboratory, Southernport.

“Hey, ALF,” the boy sighed, pulling on two leather gloves, “Can you throw me one of those dragon scales? You know, from the most recent batch?” He looked like he hadn’t slept for weeks. His brownish lab coat, slipped sloppily on over a set of plain, crinkled clothes, was sagging in a distinctly tired way. His hair hung down and stuck up in a haphazard fashion, several strands dangling over his pair of emerald eyes - eyes that perfectly matched the colour of the bubbling liquid in a small vial that was situated on a wooden stand on the table in front of him.

“Sure!” a voice rang out from behind a makeshift wall of boxes, followed by the sound of hard somethings clinking against each other. A single, flat object soared over the top of the construction. Fenris caught it with his left hand, and brought it up to eye-level to examine it. “How’s that one?”

“Good stuff, I guess.” Fenris murmured, tossing it up into the air and catching it again, as if to test its weight. “I reckon we can brew up some nice Dragonfire with this. You’re pretty good at collecting this kind of stuff.” Carefully, he placed the scale on the table and reached for a large stone that was lying nearby, bringing it up into the air and slamming it down, cracking the object in two. After making sure that both halves were roughly even, he dropped them both into the vial and stuck a cork into the top, placing it back onto the stand, in a smooth practiced motion.

ALF emerged from behind the box wall, dressed in her own, signature grey clothes, with the lab coat he had procured for her draped over her shoulders. “Don’t mention it!” she chuckled, energetic even though it was about two in the morning. “It’s all part of the job, right?” She sped up her pace upon seeing the bubbling green liquid, bouncing across the room and stopping next to the table where Fenris was standing. “It’s done now, isn’t it?” she asked, blinking her eyes curiously, “Why don’t you go rest? You’ve been up for two days already.”

“ALF,” Fenris sighed, closing his eyes and scratching his head with a gloved hand, “The money I’m getting for this little guy is going to pay for our trip to the royal city. I don’t want it blowing on me now.”

“Well, I’ll watch it, then!” she replied, drumming her fingers on the table in a restless manner, “You go and get some sleep! You’re the one who knows the way, after all. I’m just tagging along for the ride.”

 

[Monster Guy]

Princess Bianca Leonhart
Bianca's Room > Royal Hall, Royal Castle, Royal City

Bianca stood in front of her rather large golden mirror, brushing her blonde hair. She knew her brother was probably waiting for her in the hall somewhere, but he knew her well enough to know that she always took her sweet time getting ready in the morning. Not only did she have to do her usual beauty routine, but she also had to pack her things and prepare for the long journey that was ahead of them. Thankfully, one of the benefits of being a princess was having retainers who could do your packing for you. Otherwise, Bianca would have taken even more time than she normally did

Bianca was excited for this journey, even if the circumstances for going on it weren't exactly positive. Their father, the king, had gone to look for answers regarding a mysterious illness that had left it's victims marble statues. She and her brother were off in search of their father, and potentially find a cure for this illness themselves. They were the royal siblings, they couldn't just sit back and do nothing while their subjects suffered. Besides, she wanted to leave the palace. Bianca hadn't left ever since Alistair was killed... The princess bit her bottom lip thinking about such a sad thought. Even though it had been a while since he passed, Bianca still missed her lover very much, and the thought of him still saddened her.

She shook that thought out of her head for now. He wouldn't want her still being upset over his passing after all this time. After she was satisfied with all of her brushing, she tied her wavy blonde hair into a loose ponytail, then placed her tiara on top of her head. When she stepped out of the powder room, she found her bags waiting for her, and her two female retainers waiting for their next orders. Those two always took their jobs very seriously, and Bianca wished they would loosen up a little. Bianca picked up her bags, as well as her scepter that helped her cast her magic.

"Are sure you do not one us to accompany you milady?" One of her handmaidens asked. "It is quite a dangerous journey..."

"No, that won't be necessary." Bianca replied. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

The two women looked at one another, and did not seem reassured by Bianca's statement. Not that the princess noticed.

"Besides, I'll have my brother with me. We'll be alright... Also, you can stop with the milady business... You can just call me Bianca. We've known each other for long enough, right?" Bianca said with a giggle. And with that, Bianca headed out towards the hall where her brother was most likely waiting.

---

Bianca arrived in the hall just in time to hear her brother say, "Now, I must leave you to find my sister, who is running late.. again."

Right on cue, Bianca stepped in. "Oh, that won't be necessary brother dear. I'm right here! My apologies for running late, it takes a lot of time to maintain the illusion of perfection." Bianca flipped her hair, winked, and giggled, to which some of the young men in the line of people that had gathered in the hall gawked infatuatedly at the princess.

Her mother, the queen, was also present in the room. "Oh Bianca, you dress more elaborately than even myself!" She pointed out. Referencing the fancy purple gown, and jewels her daughter was wearing.

"Well, I am representing the Leonhart family after all. I may as well look the part." Bianca knew that dressing the way she did wouldn't be too practical for a journey like this, but she enjoyed dressing like the princess she was. Besides, she could always change to something more practical if the need arose.

Queen Orianna nodded and smiled. "That's why I'm proud to have you as my daughter. Are you sure you two will be alright? My husband has already disappeared, and I just couldn't bear it if I lost both of my children too!" She said in a rather dramatic way. Bianca knew her mother was being sincere, but she always did have a flair for theatrics.

"We will be fine, mother." Bianca said reassuringly. "I won't be alone, I'll have Raphael with me! The two of us can take care of ourselves. We'll bring father back home." She then turned to the line of villagers watching this whole exchange. "I assume you all are gathered here because you are concerned about this dreadful illness that spreads our lands. Do not fear, as Prince and Princess, my brother and I will do everything we can to find a cure, and put an end to all of this. No one should have to lose their loved ones to such an awful disease!"

To this, the people clapped and cheered. This made Bianca feel a little bad. She bit her bottom lip nervously. She didn't know if she would be able to keep that promise. She really only said that to make the people feel better, because that's what they want to hear, and that's what they want their princess to say. The villagers would certainly panic if they failed in their task. Bianca shook that thought off. Thinking negatively wasn't going to help anybody.

Bianca then approached Raphael. "So, my darling brother. I assume you are ready to depart?"

 

[Hydrangea]

=-------------------~♣~-------------------=
Faye Fenske
Dark Forest, Royal City Outskirts
​

A lone wolf stalked it's prey in the dark forest among the outskirts of the Royal City, it's amber eyes glittered in the darkness. The prey, the one being hunted, was a young female deer. The wolf braced it's hind legs, sticking it's rear into the air in order to get into a run. The beautiful beast was reading to attack, it moved a paw forward, ready to strike.

Crack.

It was the sound of a branch snapping in two, the deer's head quickly shot upwards before it's eyes focused on the wolf. The wolf snarled, realising it had stepped on a twig that it had not seen. it quickly gave charge but it was too late, the deer had escaped it's sight.

"Ugh! Again?!" The wolf snarled, it's body slowly shifting into that of a young adult woman; two cute wolf ears twitched atop her head irritably, as her tail twitched in anger. "What does a girl gotta do to get some food around here?" She grunted, tapping her foot in anger. She liked to hunt, it took her mind off of this disease or virus or curse or whatever that was plaguing this land. Obviously, she wanted to help, but it was for herself. There was no way she wanted to get infected, that would ruin all her fun! It would be absolutely awful.

She glanced back towards the city, the slums where she spent most of her early years resided within those walls. She had vowed to not go back unless absolutely necessary. They didn't like her kind there, she was aware of it. Seeing a halfling there again would frustrate the masses and probably cause a lot of restlessness. She was scum after all.

She always smiled when people called her that, it wasn't her fault that she was half and half. It was better than being one of those boring old humans. They didn't even get these cute ears and tail like what she had, and besides, they needed weapons to fight their battles. It was absolutely pathetic! She grinned to herself and let out a small chuckle, she had places to be, people to see and maybe even jobs to do if she could convince the royal city to see beyond her halfling self.

She ducked down onto all fours once again, allowing herself to transform back into a wolf. She looked around before dashing towards the Royal City, maybe she could even have an audience with the princess or prince? Ha, as if! She mused to herself, continuing in the direction she was moving.

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon Martel Ye Old Vegas, Arena, East Road
In the center of Ye Old Vegas, a massive stadium towers over all other structures, a monument to the hedonism that built the city and buried the bones of thousands beneath it. The stone pyramid was built almost in mockery of Dante's Hell, each layer growing more grotesque and lavish, as well as expensive, as one ascended towards the heavens. But the reason Callidon was here was because this was the exact center of the city, and thus, he could find his bearings in the rat's nest of side streets, gang fights and collapsing bridges that was Vegas. A large sign simply pointed east, with the words "Royal City" carved into the cheap stone. Anything more expensive would have been stolen.

While Vegas may have been Callidon's home for decades, the rampant crime made it so any petrified citizens would rapidly be stolen and sold as exquisite statues. A place such as Royal City, with its guards in gaudy costumes, the wide streets, and sensitive, wealthier population, would allow Callidon to continue his search a bit better.

With his mind set, his hammer in his belt, and enough supplies to last weeks on the road, Callidon set off, marching towards Royal City.

 

[VampirateMace]

Schade: I know the names sound lazy, but simple names do make it really easy to tell who is where.

Sir Simon Rosewood (& horse Ash)
Location: Royal Stables > Streets Royal City
Early Afternoon

Simon guided Ash out of the stables into the fenced riding area. He grabbed the saddle and hopped, throwing himself up over the horse's back in one practiced movement. He checked his gear and slid his hands into equal position on the reins, giving a slight flick.

Ash started to stroll slowly. Simon applied pressure to the horse's sides and commanded, “gallop.” Ash dropped his head lower, picking up speed. Simon didn't bother commanding a direction, the horse knew what they were doing. Turning Ash galloped along the fence until they were back by the stable doors, at which point he turned again, running straight for the gate. It wasn't open, but since it was lower the the rest of the fence, it wasn't hard for the horse to jump.

Simon leaned forward a little to assist with balance as they bounded over the gate. He could feel the impact as the horse's feet each touched down, but made no reaction. It was a perfectly normal part of this experience. “Walk,” he told the horse, slowing their speed, at which point he pulled out his map. The rough scrap of parchment covered in notes and Xs, each depicting lead he had or planned to check out. Having ridden through the port cities and talked with the residents, he really didn't see much point in returning there until he'd found a cure. The City of Magic didn't appear to have the answers either. Latest of all, he'd been looking for a rumored tomb in the Dark Forest, but instead he and his fellow knights had found a tribe of vicious trolls, which they'd proceeded to chase down and dispatch.

He groaned, and tucked away the map. Decisions. Should he head west again and keep looking for the tomb, or try another lead. He knew the disease had not only spread as far west as the City of Magic, but also north to Ye Old Vegas. It was only a matter of time before it came to the Royal City.

Maybe if he couldn't figure out how the disease came to the ports, maybe he could figure out how it first got into the city of sin. “Haw,” he turned the horse about and started heading east.

 

[Vern]

Fenris Arkwright & Aluria ‘ALF’ Featherlight
Location: Fenris’s ‘House’ and Laboratory, Southernport -> Road to Royal City.

“Hey, Fenny,” ALF asked, walking in circles around her alchemist ‘mentor’ as he slipped on his shoes and put on his travelling cloak, “Are we going to try and get a carriage or something?”

“No, we’re walking.” Fenris replied, somewhat spitefully. He was tired after staying up all night, and not exactly in the best of moods. The sale for the Dragonfire Potion hadn’t gone as well as he’d hoped, and while the money had been received, the memory of that particularly distasteful customer still left a bitter taste in his mouth. The fact that the girl running circles around him seemed brimming with energy almost seemed like an insult. Well, she might be a grown woman for all he knew, but she certainly acted like a child.

“Are you serious?” she asked. “Do you know how far that is?”

“No, I was being sarcastic. We’re taking a carriage.” Fenris sighed, giving his clothes a little pat for no apparent reason. “You sure you got everything you need?” He had spent hours trying to cram as many potions and equipment as he could into his one bag and several pockets, while his assistant had hardly moved a finger during that time. He knew that she liked to travel light, but the fact that she wasn’t bringing anything was slightly strange. They shared money, but it would have been normal to assume that she had some personal belongings as well. Her grey clothes and cloak only had very few pockets, so it wasn’t like she could be hiding anything in there.

“Yep!” ALF replied, “All good!” She reached over his head and grabbed her eyepatch from the old, rickety clothes-hanger by the door, slipping it on. The comforting weight on her body told her that the knives she had hidden on the insides of her garments were still there, untouched.

The two of them left the house, locking the door behind them, and headed towards the city gates, where they would be able to catch a carriage to the royal city. Fenris had heard rumours that the Prince and Princess were about to embark on a journey to find the source of the disease, and wanted to see if they were true. If they were, it would be quite interesting. The dashing young prince and dazzling young princess set out on a journey to save their kingdom - sounds like a fairytale if he ever heard one.

They made their way to the city gates, like Fenris had planned. The carriages that transported goods always left at around this time of day (early morning), and it would be easier and cheaper to hitch a ride on one that was transporting some sort of cargo than on one that was made for people. Sitting on crates was second nature to him, as they made up most of the furniture in his little home. There was no need to pay extra for a slightly softer seat and slightly less bumpy trip, especially if it meant he’d have to associate with those stuck-up rich people who were always heading to the royal city for some reason during the ride.

While it was technically not allowed for cargo transports to take people, it was easy to talk a driver of one of those carriages into allowing them to hitch a ride - a gold coin and a sparkling bottle of false stardust lovingly offered for the guy’s daughter was all it took. ALF let Fenris take care of the negotiations, as he always did. She’d always thought that there was something unnerving about how he was able to get what he wanted out of people while making it seem like he was the nicest person in the world. But as long as it meant that she got her share of food and shelter, she wasn’t about to complain.

The carriage set out minutes later, with the two of them safely hidden behind a wall of boxes.
 
Fenris leant against the walls of the carriage and fell asleep. ALF whistled a tune, and chuckled to herself when the driver of the carriage, stuttering profusely, managed to convince the guard that he was simply transporting some Whistling Canaries for a pet store - even though the sides of the carriage were clearly labelled with a plate indicating that it was supposed to be transporting furniture.

 

[TheCharredDragon]

Flute Vestra (and his trusty partner Spot the Cheeto)
Golem Bard
En Route to Royal City -> Royal City Streets

Another gallop, another crack of the reins, and another giggle from one of the ladies having a conversation with another woman. It had been like this for the majority of the trip, with the occasional glance towards him and someone wondering if the young albino man sitting in the carriage was the actual Flute Vestra. Though his mother told him because it was sometimes hard for people to believe who they were looking at was the genuine article, there was still a part of him that wondered what made people doubt. After all, how many people were there that had his appearance and name? Much less Spot napping on his lap.

Speaking of his mother, his first order of business would be to send a courier to the City of Magic to tell her and his father that he arrived safely in Royal City, then he would ask around the city to know more details of the stone plague. He knew of how the effects went about thanks to talking to some of the residents of his home city, and that it started in one of the port cities, but he didn't know much else beyond that, like its current range. Especially of any leads to a possible cure. That was what he wanted to learn of the most, even if it was just a rumor.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the carriage shook from a particularly bad spot on the road. He turned his head to see the sillhouette of Royal City fast approaching. Upon seeing this, he looked back at Spot and started rubbing her back.

"Spot?" he said, careful that his voice didn't disturb the others.

She just mewled and changed her position from lying on her right to lying on her left. Flute just chuckled before he shook her lightly.

"Spot, we're about to get in the city."

This made the cat yawn and stretch like any cat would. After a few licks of her mouth and another yawn, she seemed to be awake. Actually, that was a bit of an understatement now that he thought about it because as soon as her eyes were open, he jumped right on his shoulders and looked out the window with a look that he knew as excitement, despite not looking that different from her normal face to the casual observer. He chuckled once again and shifted to do the same without having her fall of him.

Soon, their ride stopped and he stepped off, Spot now perched in her usual...spot...on his left shoulder. As he planned, after asking for directions and getting some parchment, sent a letter to the City of Magic. He couldn't help but find it amusing that the man was shocked that the letter was addressed for the Vice Mayor of the city herself, likely recognizing him for who he was. Thankfully, he held back any sign of his amusement and merely answered his question.

As soon as the man left--and with a bow for apparently he was a supporter of his mother--he turned his towards the city. He was at one of the more busier districts, filled with workers of all kinds, from carpenters, to smiths, to merchants, and even a few alchemists here and there. Or at least he thought they were considering the odd ingredients they had and the potions as well. There were plenty of the upperclasses too, likely asking a jeweler for his wares or a carpenter to make something just for them. And then there were even some families with their children, some much younger than him, some closer to his age, likely bringing them to the market.

He looked to Spot once again.

"Ready for another investigation?"

"Meow!" she said with what he considered a smile.

He returned the smile before he started to wander the city in his self imposed quest for answers.

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon
Vegas Road, Royal City Outskirts
The roads between towns were generally empty at this time, the stoneflesh plague causing panic, rumors spreading almost as fast as the disease did. Few, save for those trying to cure it, would even leave their homes midday, fewer would leave their towns. The sun was harsh too, and with no shade in the empty dirt road, few would be foolish enough to walk down this path alone. And yet, Callidon was stomping forwards at a steady rate. The alchemist needed samples, bodies, those still petrifying and who was Callidon to refuse?

While his heart was set on its cause, and he knew the beastmen behind it in his soul, the old man needed evidence. Evidence, the man said. Evidence, Callidon would get. And in Vegas, the bodies were dragged away and sold as statues, or shattered by rivals. Mulling over these thoughts, Callidon continued forwards, dead set on purging Royal City of the filth that occupied it, driving off the plague, and becoming a hero. Day turned to dusk, and the lights of Vegas were long since behind Callidon, but Royal City gleamed in the distance, like a shining, polished fruit, but with a worm deep within it. Corruption, sedition, stagnation, Callidon thought.

While Vegas embraced its deviancy and reveled in it's morbidity, with prostitutes on every corner, and mobs in every alley, Royal City was a bit more reserved. Callidon grunted at the thought of prostrating himself before some overfed, underlearned noble who sat and drank wine while the world burned. He grimaced at the thought of attending balls, what, with their poor displays of wealth and power.

No, Callidon thought. Power is gained through bloodshed, wealth through experience. One should not be born into power, but seize it through bloody meritocracy. The only constant should be purity of Mankind, the divinity of Mankind, and the centrality of Mankind. What were the Elves, if not tall, thin, regressive, pointed eared men? What were the Orcs, if not dull, massive, green men? What were the Dwarves, if not short, paranoid, metalworking, men? But only pure humans, Callidon noted, could both control nature and science. Mules die sterile, Nature's testament to the result of impurity.

But, as Callidon mulled over these thoughts, he was distracted from his reverie of violent coups, mass executions of the impure, and the foundation of a wrathful utopia by the sound of a horse galloping forwards. With nothing of worth in Vegas, the only destination on this road, Calldon stood in the middle of the road, and shouted:

"There is nothing of worth in Vegas! Stop!"

 

[VampirateMace]

Sir Simon Rosewood (& horse Ash)
Location: Streets, Royal City > Road to Vegas
Early Afternoon

Simon brought Ash to a trot and continued though the city. While focused on the street ahead of them for the most part, he could catch glances of the city's citizens going about their daily life. Despite all the fear and chaos, the disease (or curse) hadn't yet reached this place, and the citizens were still going through life as if it may never reach them (aside from gossiping about it, of course).

Simon passed through the eastern gates of the Royal City. There were extra guards posted here, a futile attempt to keep the disease/curse at bay, considering the fact they didn't know how it was spread. But few travelers bothered coming this way nowadays anyways. The well kept, cobbled road soon gave way to a standard dirt road, like those that ran though most of the kingdom. A sign of the Royal City's divine status.

A lone figure stood in the road. He shouted to the knight, “There is nothing of worth in Vegas! Stop!”

“Whoa!” instructed Simon bringing his horse to a stop, and circling back around the man, “Gee, gee.” The man looked to be a knight, enshroud in crimson armor, though Simon knew no such knight, and wondered if he must instead be a city guard from Vegas. He knew the crime rates there to be pretty rough, and would be surprised if the city guard chose to wear full armor.

He looked down at the Red Knight. Ash pawed lightly at the dusty road, while Simon addressed the man, “Have you just come from there? I'm looking into the source of the petrification. Is there anything you can tell me? Do you know anything of how it first arrived in the city of Old Vegas?”

 

[Schade]

=-------------------~♛~-------------------=
Raphael Leonhart
Royal City. -> On the road
​

"Oh, that won't be necessary brother dear. I'm right here! My apologies for running late, it takes a lot of time to maintain the illusion of perfection." Bianca replied to his sarcastic complaint s if on que. The princess walked into the hall, looking like she was ready for a fancy noble dinner rather than adventuring beyond the castle gates. She made an entrance, like she usually did, which made some of the men in the hall gawk inappropriately at her. They quickly stopped after then meeting Raphaels "Touch her and you die" look, which he had perfected over the years. the atmosphere in the room went back to gloomy, stressful and slightly sad.

"Oh Bianca, you dress more elaborately than even myself!", their mother said, gesturing towards Bianca as she walked over to them. "Yes, sister dearest. It is almost as if you got the occasion wrong.". He tilted his head and sighed. Well, at least she was pretty. "Well, I am representing the Leonhart family after all. I may as well look the part." Bianca replied. "You're representing us both by looking like that." raphael said, and gave her a teasing grin.

"That's why I'm proud to have you as my daughter. Are you sure you two will be alright? My husband has already disappeared, and I just couldn't bear it if I lost both of my children too!" their mother then said in a dramatic way, making it very difficult to take her seriously. "We will be fine, mother." Bianca said reassuringly. "I won't be alone, I'll have Raphael with me! The two of us can take care of ourselves. We'll bring father back home.". "Indeed." Raphael continued. "Only fools would dare to oppose us and excpect to live to tell about it.". Bianca now turned to the masses, and Raphael took a step back. She had always been the better of the two when it came to talking tot heir subjects, and he more than willingly stepped down to let her do so.

"I assume you all are gathered here because you are concerned about this dreadful illness that spreads our lands. Do not fear, as Prince and Princess, my brother and I will do everything we can to find a cure, and put an end to all of this. No one should have to lose their loved ones to such an awful disease!" she said, and was met with cheering. Bianca had the odd power of reassuring people, even when everyone knew they were practically doomed. He did not share this enthusiasm. However, he stood by her and looked serious enough for the people to believe her. Their mother, too, looked proudly at both her children as Bianca approached him again. "So, my darling brother. I assume you are ready to depart?". "I thought you'd never ask." he replied, leading her out towards the stables.

~~~

"So." Raphael said. "My retainers have informed me that the illness has spread as far up north to reach old Vegas, so I would suggest us heading there to look for clues first.". The duo sat in the back of a carriage, still a bit too fancy for a roadtrip, on their way out of the Royal City. the servants had readied the carriage after Biancas request, and the two had departed immediatly after leaving the royal halls. Since the trip would go on for who knows how long, Raphael offered to use Shade as their horse, considering he didn't get tired as easily as the stable horses. Not to mention that half the stable was emptied due to the royal knights having left for a similar trip. The skeletal horse pulled the carriage at surprising speed, and the trip would surely take a lot less time than first expected. Shade also seemed very happy to be out and about, releasing the occasional joyful, although a bit deathly and echoing growl as he galloped across the main roads.

Bianca, too, seemed happy to be out of the castle. Despite being royals and having the freedom to do more or less everything they wanted, the two of them hadn't ben outside the city walls on many occasions before, and it was always exciting, especially now, that they were facing the unknown. It really did feel like an adventure, If you overlooked the part about their possibly petrified father and doomed kingdom. "Sister, I've been thinking. Once we actually find father, then what? Are you prepared for the fact that he might be a stone statue by now as well?"

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon
Royal City Outskirts, Vegas Road

The man on horseback stopped, surprised at Callidon's remark, but he spoke quickly.

“Have you just come from there? I'm looking into the source of the petrification. Is there anything you can tell me? Do you know anything of how it first arrived in the city of Old Vegas?” He asked, curious. Callidon cleared his throat and spoke quickly.

"Yes, I had left Vegas recently, in search of information, I too, am looking into the petrification disease. I can tell you this, any attempt at looking into it in Vegas is futile. The citizens have hidden in their homes, as the prevailing idea is that isolation will save you. Any bodies have long since been stolen and used as statues, or shattered by bitter rivals. As for how it arrived, I believe it was, let us say, those less than human," Callidon paused for a second, before continuing. "In my travels, I have yet to see a single halfbreed, beastman, or what-have-you petrified, and have seen them dancing around purer folk. I believe this to be a weapon of some type."

Any reply the other man would have made was cut off by Callidon screaming, as a skeletal horse pulled a large carriage. With a fluid motion, Callidon procured a silver dagger from his glove and dove forwards.

 

[Monster Guy]

Princess Bianca Leonhart
On the road

"So. My retainers have informed me that the illness has spread as far up north to reach old Vegas, so I would suggest us heading there to look for clues first." Her brother said as they were getting on to the carriage they would be travelling in for this journey. It was Bianca who had suggested they take the carriage. Riding on horseback, or even walking, across the entire kingdom, for however long they were going to be gone for seemed tiresome. Besides, they had a lovely royal carriage, they may as well put it to use.

Even though they had a stable filled with beautiful unicorns that could pull their carriage, and even regular horses that were equally as good, her brother still insisted on summoning that death horse of his. Bianca never liked it. It was far too scary for her tastes. Like something straight out of a nightmare. At least the skeletal horse could pull itself, and wouldn't need a driver. Apparently, the stable was emptied out by the royal knights. Which meant there was potentially a knight out there riding a unicorn into battle. The image of that made Bianca giggle. She would have loved to meet such a knight.

Once they were out on the road, Bianca breathed a sigh of relief to finally be out of the palace. She hadn't been out of the palace ever since Alistair's passing, and it was nice to get some fresh air for a change. She was also looking foward to going on an adventure, like the stories she had heard through her life.

And then her brother broke the mood by asking a question. "Sister, I've been thinking. Once we actually find father, then what? Are you prepared for the fact that he might be a stone statue by now as well?"

Bianca frowned. "I have considered that... Yes..." She said with a sigh. That was most likely the reason why he hadn't returned in such long time. "If the kingdom found out their king has become a statue, I am certain there would be much chaos... I'd prefer not to dwell on such things..." Then Bianca's face lit up again, trying to change the direction of the conversation to something more positive. "We are working to find a cure, yes? I'm sure we'll be able to find one, and then everything will be fine!"

Then, the moment was interupted when suddenly, their skeletal horse whinnied loudly before coming to a stop.

"My goodness brother. You couldn't have created something a little less... monstrous to pull this carriage?" Bianca complained. "Someone may get the wrong idea, and attack us. Could you go and check on your steed, and see why we stopped all of a sudden? We can't possibly be there yet..."

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon
Royal City Outskirts, Vegas Road
Callidon jumped forwards at the skeletal monstrosity, silver dagger in hand, colloidal silver potion at his belt. The mockery of a horse reared back, as the other man's horse reared back in panic. A faint shriek emerged from somewhere from deeper in the gaudy carriage the monster was pulling.

Callidon did not notice, nor did he care. He fell into his fight, every move the undead made, he followed. It veered left, as his dagger sliced across its neck, leaving a searing white line in the bone. Each time he struck, he remembered another opponent. A kick to the creature's leg, he remembered the Half-Elf waiting outside the tomb his armor was in. A cut down its spine, a beast he killed in the Arena of Vegas. Swapping his dagger for hammer and swinging at the jaw, fighting some Half-Orc knight.

Callidon punched at the creature's rib, the gruesome sound of bone cracking against steel resonated through the road, as Callidon screamed curses and oaths, spitting inside his helmet, snarling like a wild animal, the thing whimpered and shied away. The creature was worn down, and Callidon was still infuriated. Dodging a frantic headbutt by the monster, Callidon grabbed it's exposed head and pulled, overcoming whatever magical force held the monster together. With a wailing shriek, it collapsed into its constituent bones, and moved no more. Callidon stomped on the head of it, crushing the skull beneath his boot, before jumping into the carriage, shattering an axle with the force of his movement.

Standing there, staring daggers at the well-dressed couple sitting, shocked, in the back, Callidon said one word and one word alone:

DIE!

 

[Schade]

=-------------------~♛~-------------------=
Raphael Leonhart
Royal City outskirts
​

"I have considered that... Yes...", Bianca said with a sigh. All this time, the fate of their father had been mostly unspoken of, although mostly everyone thought the same thing: That he was urned to stone somewhere in the land. "If the kingdom found out their king has become a statue, I am certain there would be much chaos... I'd prefer not to dwell on such things... We are working to find a cure, yes? I'm sure we'll be able to find one, and then everything will be fine!" she then continued, trying to lift the sudden gloomy mood. She was right though, if this illness was caused by magic, surely magic could counter it. If not, they would just have to find another way. Not just potentially for their father, but for all the inhabitants of the kingdom. Raphael sighed at the thought of it.

The mood was cut short by the sudden noises of Shade. He sounded distressed over something., and was making loud unpleasant noises. "My goodness brother. You couldn't have created something a little less... monstrous to pull this carriage?" Bianca complained. She never liked Shade, and would much rather run around on a unicorn. Raphael, however, could not stand those beings, and found the more unorthodox horse much more appealing. "Someone may get the wrong idea, and attack us. Could you go and check on your steed, and see why we stopped all of a sudden? We can't possibly be there yet..."
She was right though. They had been on the road for no longer than a few hours, tops. It wasn't common for Shade to act up on his own either. Undead beings are always so obedient to their maker, so something must be upsetting him.

Poor Shade, it sounded like he was being beaten up, quite viciously, And as Raphael stood up to exit the carriage, the doors were pulled open, and a knight in a reddish armor stormed in, yelling "Die". Bianca screamed, and Raphael instinctivly jumped in front of her, and deflected a blow from the assailants huge warhammer. He countered by lunging a powerful kick in the mans abdomen, pushing him out of the carriage. He jumped after him and pulled out his rapier. Who was this guy? As he came out, he could also see another character sitting on a horse, looking somewhat confused at the whole ordeal. He was clad a lot more casually, so he was likely not an accomplice to this brute.

As the red knight stood up again, he readied himself for combat. Luckily, Raphael was a lot more agile than him. Though he seemed to be a very experienced fighter, but so was Raphael, as he had been trained by the finest sword masters of the land. The assailants armor seemed to be slowing him down to a degree, just enough so that Raphael could dodge his blows, and strike his enchanted weapon at the armors blindspots. The thing about Raphaels weapon is that it has been enchanted by a rather dubious associate of his father. The enchantment is a life drainer, which, by each successive hit, drains a small portion of the opponents energy, tiring them out a little faster than they would otherwise do, befitting his otherwise kind of puny weapon of choice. The tricky parts were to find blindspots in the armor. places like behind the knees, armpits, neck etc. were usually exposed to a degree to allow the armor mobility.

The guy, however, seemed to be a lot more enduring than Raphaels normal opponents. It took its time, but eventually, he could see he was starting to slow down in his movements. A good thing too, as Raphael was starting to wear out himself. All while shouting and cursing, the assailant fell to his knees, and Raphael delivered a strong kick in the armored face, knocking him down. "Thanks for the help, peasant.", he said while breathing heavily, to the astonished guy sitting on his horse. Speaking of horse. The assailant had completely obliterated Shade, who was now reduced to a pile of bones in front of the carriage. Luckily, when he was killed, the spell wore off, and would be able to be re-casted a short time later. He turned to the assailant.

"Assaulting the prince and princess of Viso-Ane is a foolish and inexcusable action, especially when it is completely unprovoked, and without reason. As the future King of Viso-Ane, and by my authority as prince of these lands, I sentence you to death, effective immediatly!" he said, looking down at their assailant with a slightly eerie grin while holding his sword out, pointing towards the assailant. Even his mother would be proud to see him now. Although he would likely be yelled at for the sloppy fight, he did manage to get the political part right this time. Oh, how he enjoyed sentencing people to death.

"Brother, wait!", his sister shouted from behind him.

 

[Omegagoldfish]

Callidon
Royal City Outskirts

Pain. Sheer pain, everywhere. Whatever blade this child wielded was enchanted in some way. Callidon glanced up at the well-dressed man, with that blade pointed at his face. Summoning what was left of his energy, Callidon rolled left, before shakily getting to his feet. He dropped his hammer, and breathed deeply. Before laughing. The prince seemed surprised, the other man on horseback was confused, and the princess was concerned. But Callidon kept laughing, before composing himself after a minute.

"Royalty! Ah, I see! Royalty!" He cried, before dropping his voice several tones, growling. "So, what do I owe the honor of looking at you?" Callidon said, pouring as much venom into the word as he could. The man seemed to draw back, likely for another monologue, but Callidon simply gestured at the skeletal horse.

"And I hope that such a violent breach of rationality is in keeping with royal blood, hmm? Had you been drawn by a regular horse, I wouldn't have even noticed. But instead, as a show of your wealth, you tear souls from the ground and construct monsters. Kill me, draw my corpse from the ground and wield me as a flesh puppet, like you and yours always do to those who scare them." Callidon kept his voice low and hands up. This time, he thought, he'd simply tear the blade out of the prince's hands. But no. Stall, and regain his energy. But the show must go on.

"Perhaps I was mistaken about the flesh change. Perhaps it was a sloppy assassination attempt on your parents" Callidon hissed, "For you want the crown, I see it in your eyes, your posture, your clothes. You were born trying to kill your father, like any good Prince. From the savage giants in the north, to the orcs in the forest, the son always kills his father. Always. And your necromancy, your breach of magical etiquette, is the perfect tool."

Callidon could see the boy getting angry, and this was what he wanted. A sloppy assault, and Callidon could leave, three corpses on the road behind him, if need be. But he needed more. The man was fuming silently, but it would take another go.

"So, Prince, kill me. Prove yourself to be the tyrant you will become, like your father before, you, and his before that, and so on and so forth. Eventually, your last heir will die, dumb and gibbering, as your inbred descendants lose more and more of their minds. You, your kingdom, and your city will be dust in time, while our true enemies will walk about unfettered by you and yours's efforts. Let the beasts walk the streets, to murder and steal. Let the orcs assail the west, to rape and pillage, and let the only good men die, because they offended you."

The prince was dead silent, the princess gasped in shock, and Callidon grinned under his helmet. Meanwhile Callidon felt his strength returning, and his anger grew with that of the prince.

"But back to this black magic you so cravenly commit," Callidon continued, "I admit, it's brilliant. Petrify your parents, maybe your sister, and most of the court, save one woman you love. Spread it everywhere and sow fear through the lands, then claim yourself a hero as you find and stop the cause, as you end the spell. And if you walk over the corpses of good men to sit on that throne, wear that crown, and slaughter the innocent like you always wanted to, then it matters not. The brainwashed populace will adore you, and any clever enough to see through the deception will be executed. Rule together with some wench until your own son deposes you, and die headless, in an unmarked grave, just like those you trampled.

And thus the cycle continues as Humanity loses its purity and power, until we are all no better than savages. In the end, your glorious kingdom will barely extend past your palace walls, until another man tears you to shreds and declares himself King. And in some dark corner of the underworld, I will laugh, a bitter peal of hate. For all I want is the best for mankind. Is that so hateful, murderer of Viso-Ane?"

The prince was glaring, the princess was staring in shock, and Callidon started laughing. Callidon placed his hammer in his belt and stood there, waiting for the Prince to move.

 

[VampirateMace]

Everybody: PLEASE, be courteous of other players in the same area as you. If you're planning some big event/fight in the area, please at least let them know. Also, give them a chance to post. If you're fighting, please use some edict, and don't just pawn them. I'm working on getting us a discussion thread, so that all such discussions as well as official fight rules can be worked out there.
- In the meantime, if someone has controlled you character in a way you don’t agree with, feel free to correct your timeline in your next post.

Schade & Omegagoldfish: DO NOT God-mode. DO NOT control other people's characters or decide their emotions/reactions. And let Monster Guy have a chance to post.

***

Sir Simon Rosewood (& horse Ash)
Location: Road to Old Vegas
Early Afternoon

The man in red armor told Simon he was also looking into the petrifications, and that his searches in Vegas had be fruitless. He also seemed to think it didn't effect beastmen or halflings, suggesting it was some weapon of theirs. . . Simon didn't think that sounded right. . . but the armored man was distracted by an approaching carriage. It was a nice one, the sort the nobles or even royals would use, pulled by a single skeletal horse.

The man in armor went screaming towards it. The skeletal horse stopped, and the man brutally attacked it. Simon raised an eyebrow, didn't he know what he was attacking was just a spell?

Ash turned his head uneasily, but Simon tugged the rein to reassure him to stay put. The horses of the royal guild were very well trained.

A young man and woman emerged from the carriage, whom Simon instantly recognized as the Prince and Princess, the armored man immediately attacked, screaming, “Die!” Simon reached for his sword, but quickly realized his aid would not be needed, as the Prince proceeded to use his magic and rapier to beat the hell out of the Red Knight. Watching this only reaffirmed Simon's reasons for wearing dragonhide; it was flexible, hard to pierce, and resisted magical attacks.

The prince did not seem please at his resolve to let him handle things himself and threw an insult his way. Simon closed his eyes and calmly nodded, no matter the cause it would be dishonorable to show irritation to the prince, “You seemed to have things under control your majesty.”

The prince however was already sentencing the armored man to death. The man reacted with throwing accusations the prince's way, vile things the rest of them knew not to be true. And all the while he seemed to be recovering. Simon drew his sword, shifting the reins into a single hand, this man was obviously stronger then he'd thought if he'd survived the prince's onslaught. At the very least he could draw the man's attention from the prince, and shouted, “You bite your tongue, barbarian!”

 

[Monster Guy]

Princess Bianca Leonhart
Royal City Outskirts

Just as her brother was about to exit the carriage, and see what was going on, and a knight in a reddish armor pulled open the door, stormed in, yelling "Die". Bianca shrieked, and Raphael suddenly jumped in front of her, and deflected a blow from their attacker. The mysterious figure had destroyed the undead horse pulling their carriage. Just as Bianca had expected. Someone saw that scary horse, and attacked them, thinking they were an enemy. Bianca figured he would calm down once he realized this was the Prince and Princess he was attacking, but that didn't seem to be the case. Did he want to rob them?

Bianca wouldn't get to find out what this man wanted from them. From there, her brother and this red knight engaged themselves in a fight. Bianca could only stand there and watch in disgust. Why do men always feel the need to solve all of their problems with violence? She wondered to herself. While she understood the need to defend oneself, violence often creates more problems than it solves. At least this man didn't try to take her hostage. Being royalty always seemed to make one a target for criminals trying to kidnap you for their own ends.

There just so happened to be a perfectly capable knight present to assist them, and Raphael felt the need to throw an insult his way. Yes, he was handling himself well enough, but that still was no excuse to be rude to people that were only trying to help. Her brother was already sentencing the red armored man to death. She wasn't surprised by that. He seemed to enjoy sentencing people to death. Even if it was an empty threat more often than not. The man reacted by throwing accusations that Bianca knew herself not to be true.

The other knight then shouted at the red knight. “You bite your tongue, barbarian!” Most likely trying to distract the red knight. It was a valiant effort for sure.

At this point, Bianca had just about enough of this. "Brother, wait!" She waved her scepter, and produced a magical barrier of light separating her brother, and the red armored assailant. "This has gone on long enough! I don't know who you are, or what your intentions may be, but trying to intimidate others won't get you very far." Although this was mostly aimed at their attacker, Bianca knew her brother could stand to learn that lesson too. "We are not the enemy here. We are trying to find a cure for this disease that plagues our land. Now, are the two of you done with your senseless violence, so we can settle our problems like civilized people?"